Hamdard Islamicus 19 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

ESTABLISHING AN EXEMPLARY
ISLAMIC SOCIETY (IN TURKEY)

AN ANALYSIS OF

BEDIUZZAMAN SAÔD NÕRSI’S REFORM

PROF. DR. THAMEEM USHAMA
Former Head, Department of Usuluddin and Comparative Religion,

Director, Centre for Islamisation,
International Islamic University Malaysia,

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
email: ushama_thameem@yahoo.co.uk; thameem@iium.edu.my

The author provides a brief profile of SaÊd NËrsi (1877-1960)

contributions to Islamic thought and specifically a content analysis of his

Risale-i NËr (RisÉlah-i NËr) to explore his methods with regard to a

moderate articulation of the Qur’Én’s message. The paper also discusses

Nursi’s method of problem solving through an academic discourse that

integrates revealed and acquired knowledge. This method strengthens faith

and unity by identifying social and intellectual maladies and providing

remedies. NËrsi’s RisÉle-i NËr focuses on an exegesis that targets individual

training, family reform and the gestalt cultivation of a Muslim society.

Contemporary challenges are addressed vis-à-vis dangers presented by

Western imperialism as well as anti-Islamic dynamics, including Orientalism.

We then introduce NËrsi’s educational reforms, which stressed a more

proper integration of scientific and religious instruction with a view towards

modern technology and political struggles. Finally, we review his emphasis

on compassion and the importance of sincerity, in addition to the role of

the Sunnah and the elimination of doubt in believing hearts.

Keywords: SaÊd NËrsi, RisÉla-i NËr, Turkey.

Introduction

Said NËrsi’s notable contributions to Islamic reform cannot be

exaggerated, especially after the Islamic Caliphate’s abrogation and



Hamdard Islamicus 20 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

Turkey’s secular state declaration. The latter transformation replaced the

Islamic worldview with Westernized culture and radically affected various

aspects of traditional Turkish society. Popularly known as BediuzzamÉn,

and despite unprecedented challenges and impediments, SaÊd NËrsi

proactively and pragmatically devised methods that dynamically differed

from the traditional modalities of predecessors and contemporaries in the

Muslim World. The primal cause of his reforms lay in the worst plight

Islamic history has thus far recorded due to Muslim secularism and

nationalists who were influenced by the Western zeitgeist that began to

incorporate Turkey as part of Europe. During this period, all systems

whatsoever be they intellectual, moral, political or academic seemed to

thrust the Muslim ummah towards a qualitative debilitation, deterioration

and devastation of its traditional identity, religiosity, epistemology, morality

and spiritual capacities that nearly annihilated the time-honoured Islamic

character of Turkey.

As secularism became the dominant national ideology, it entered

every aspect of community living. Secular nationalist forces enjoyed an

unprecedented freedom to enforce archetypal strategies that obtained

materialistic objectives at the expense of religious consciousness, both

individually and collectively. In particular, Turkey’s traditional academic

system suffered superlative insults and became voraciously biased towards

Western pedantry with cunning results. Muslims acclimated to secular

thinking and its philosophy of materialism but without knowing its true

ideological, ideational, epistemological and methodological principles and

foundations. Thus, these forces marginalized and gradually rejected Islam’s

exceptional ideals, essentials, principles, systems, values, laws and thoughts;

all of which comprised a complete system that informed moral guidance

based on a transcendent origin that preferred the felicity of true progress

and success.

Turkey’s political conditions descended into chaos during the first

quarter of the twentieth century due to rapid secularization and

modernization programs carried out by the state under Mustafa Kamal

Ataturk, the so-called ‘father of modern Turkey’. After analysing the

abrogation of the Ottoman Caliphate, SaÊd NËrsi came to appreciate

Mustafa Kamal as an unpardonable foe of Islam, one who had whole

heartedly undertaken the task of destroying its edifice. Despite this pitiable

climate and unprecedented challenges from political opponents, nationalists



Hamdard Islamicus 21 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

and secularists, NËrsi advanced unique ideas to meet desperate social

needs opposed by forces that prevented any successful application of his

admirable reform proposals.

As Turkey endured a severe identity crisis induced by the official

imposition of de-Islamization, SaÊd NËrsi vigorously responded by writing,

speech and debate. The present work analyses his reform efforts to

maintain and improve Islamic culture, tradition, religiosity, unity and identity.

Qualitative content analysis is applied to his works, ideals and numerous

contributions, most of which were originally written in the Ottoman Turkish

language. Hence, the scope of this paper is limited to works translated

into Arabic and English, most especially his magnum opus, RisÉle-i NËr,

which comprises 130 epistles. We focus on the methods he used to

present Islam’s message to the people of Turkey for purposes of religious

awakening with a view towards a conscious and collective realization of

a pressing need to restore Islamic living and counter contemporary moral

decadence and ruination of sound traditions.

We introduce readers to NËrsi’s profile to inform them of his

intellectual credentials and contributions to contemporary Islamic thought

while discussing his method as an instrument of moderation in the

dissemination of Islam’s message. A pertinent element is his approach to

reform vis-à-vis RisÉle-i NËr in which he adopted an innovative form of

exegesis that trains modern Muslims to better cultivate a society

enlightened by Islam’s worldview. The paper then reviews contemporary

challenges to NËrsi’s reforms as well as his admonitions regarding the

dangers of Western imperialism and anti-Islamic influences such as

Orientalism, etc. This work’s final section concerns NËrsi’s approach to

the integration of the material sciences, modern technology and politics

with religious curricula, which better guides students towards an informed

and courageous confrontation of counterintuitive movements and thought.

Such pupils are better enabled to care for the community’s welfare while

lauding the significance of sincerity among Muslims based on lessons

taken from the Sunnah. NËrsi also emphasized the elimination of doubt

from the hearts of believers and non-Muslims alike.

SaÊd NËrsi’s Profile

Hailing from a respectable family whose parents were characterized



Hamdard Islamicus 22 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

by piety and steadfast God-consciousness, Said NËrsi, a descendent of

the Prophet (œ), was born in 1877 in the village of NËrs, an eastern

province in Turkey.1 His father’s name was Mirza and his mother was

called Nuriyah.2 His lineage is traced to Hasan (R.A.)on his father’s

side and to Husayn (R.A.) on his mother’s. His birth name was Said and

Nursi was adopted from the town of his birth. He was also called

Bediuzzaman, meaning “The Unique One of the Age”. His mentor,

Fathullah, gave him this title due to NËrsi’s brilliance and titanic bank of

commendable knowledge, and also because he always gave precise

answers to the most difficult questions and held forth with expertise in

different sciences, abilities and arts, especially when compared to his

contemporaries.3

He was granted his IjÉzah ‘Ilmiyyah (scholarly certificate) on

completing madarsah studies, which was the traditional religious college

of the Ottoman state. Being a genius with a photographic memory, he

memorized the entire Qur’Én in fifteen days and continued on to memorize

another ninety works on the Islamic sciences, including highly technical

subjects. He also became an expert and competent scholar in the natural

sciences owing to personal effort. It is no exaggeration to say he eventually

became recognized as one of the most influential scholars and thinkers

of the twentieth century.

A universal thinker, NËrsi’s works were written in prison, in exile

and even on horseback and have since attained prominent positions in

world literature. They substantially impact reader seven from other

religions due to his moderate approach to exegetical presentations and

religious exhortation. He is regarded as a peace-making hero who

advocated unity and solidarity for the Muslim ummah, as have other

writers such as JamÉl al-DÊn al-AfghÉni and ×asan al-Banna. His life

was characterized by genuine sincerity, piety, steadfast God-consciousness

and a deep commitment to the Islamic value of ikhlÉs, as emphasised

in his epistles. NËrsi’s redoubtable courage never allowed any compromise

of firmly held principles, policies and strategies in spite of persecution,

constraints, assassination attempts (including poison), and tortuous abuse

inflicted by secular state authorities. He upheld Islamic principles without

concession and was determined to live in conformity with Sharʑah

while conveying Islam’s gestalt message to all of mankind.

A remarkable event occurred during First World War (1914-1918)



Hamdard Islamicus 23 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

when Nursi volunteered as commander of a battalion that he formed

with his owned students. He showed extraordinary heroism andwas taken

captive to Russia where he spent two and half years. He managed to

escape and finally reached Istanbul to continue his activities.

NËrsi’s Problem Solving Approaches

Following are some approaches adopted by Said NËrsi’s da‘wah

that are related to holistic reforms.

Academic Approach

SaÊd NËrsi did not fully rely on the traditional methods of education

his contemporaries advocated and practiced in many Muslin nations.

From his boyhood, he had discussed the matter of educational systems

with several scholars, some of whom he emulated before ascending

seats of fame and authority in the public eye. From the outset, unproductive

teaching methods and reduced conditions in the Madaris (religious

educational institutions) caused him to ponder educational protocols. He

became engaged in tracing responsibility for educational declines and

promulgated ways to overcome pedagogical fallacies, weaknesses and

shortcomings and even ventured into establishing educational institutions.

By using unique strategies he redesigned teaching methodology and

learning protocols. Instead of emphasizing the traditional rudimentary

focus on grammar, syntax, rhetoric, etc., he proposed motivational systems

focused on meeting the challenges that faced the Muslim ummah of his

time, particularly in Turkey, which had been the centre of a glorious

Islamic Caliphate.

His contemporary scholars spent their time reading texts and

commentaries using classical modalities. Although this contributed to the

development of scholarship, their students were never immersed in

emerging social issues and contemporary problems because this extremely

conservative system lacked the curricula that developed critical/analytical

thinking and problem solving skills, even though the science of logic was

indeed taught but not appropriately emphasized. Hence, they were isolated

from the prevailing tides of mainstream society. As such, they could not

address challenges faced by the Muslim ummah in various parts of the



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world. NËrsi therefore rejected their system(s) and advocated innovative

academic approaches. He also struggled to establish institutions that

would produce scholars who more competently responded toa changing

and perplexing world. Considering his words and deeds, one can infer

that he nearly succeeded in Islamizing modern educational systems.

In his day, teachers seldom embraced literature or other sources of

knowledge until they finished one Islamic book from beginning-to-end

with all attending commentaries and footnotes. The method consumed

far too much time for more appropriate intellectual development, which

NËrsi identified as a cause for insufficient utilization of knowledge and

skills to benefit the ummah. Unlike his contemporaries, SaÊd NËrsi raised

his voice against these out-dated, conservative and classical methods,

even from his youth. His personally effective approach is expressed in

the following lines cited from his autobiography.

“Said NËrsi used to read one or two chapters and sometimes ten

chapters of a book and leave it without finishing and then start

another book. When his esteemed teacher Shaykh Muhammad

al-Jalali asked him to explain why he did that which was alien to

traditional practice he answered, ‘I could not go through all these

books nor could I understand everything in it. For me, these books

resemble pearls in a box. The keys are within you. All that I expect

from you is to lead me to the path that helps to reveal what is in

the box. That is, what is the content of these books, so that I can

choose topics that better suit me.”4

When his teacher asked, “Of these which suit your nature”? He

answered, “I could not differentiate between them. All are equal.

Either I understand the whole or none at all.”

NËrsi also indicated deficiencies and even fallacies of the arcane

system and went further to criticize the rather poor and unhygienic

conditions of scholars who practiced unsuitable and inappropriate life

ways that weakened their effectiveness and favoured the failure of

having positive impacts on society. Hence, he was not loath to condemn

the various defects of contemporary scholars. In his words:

Scholars forget to distinguish between the present and the past.



Hamdard Islamicus 25 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

They insist on adhering-to and establishing opinions without comparing

authentic proofs. In their  da wah activities they do not maintain

equilibrium between Islamic and state laws and they also fail to

differentiate between more and less important matters. They do not

diagnose the social and political diseases of their time even within

their own context. Regarding treatment, they appear to drag people

backward to the past with approaches that even maintain the

language of the past.5

Malevolent forces had infiltrated the Ottoman caliphate during the

seventeenth century and according to NËrsi, the traditional system of

education only served to quicken the decadence by its adherence to

religious education at the expense of worldly knowledge. Hence, traditional

educationalists had systematically isolated themselves and students from

contemporary scenarios and needs for generations. Moreover, they had

also destroyed or abandoned various branches of knowledge and sciences

that had been handed down by highly esteemed predecessors who excelled

in various scientific fields. Due to this absurd negligence, decadence

advanced while Muslims became content within the confines of religious

education yet actually expected development and success. An unimaginably

huge chasm had therefore emerged between religious and non-religious

knowledge; so much so, contemporary ‘alim claimed that even learning

geography, chemistry and other natural sciences were acts of blasphemy.

Thus contaminated by ignorance and superstition, they searched for

solutions that only exacerbated the controversies and complexities of

their darkened journey. What is worse, they marginalized modern Islamic

scholars by branding them fabricators and antichrists. Islam thus came

to exemplify an edifice of the well-deserved disdain offered by arrogant

disbelievers and infidels.

SaÊd NËrsi knew that development of society could not occur unless

Islamic scholars took up contemporary science and actually practiced

Shari‘ah, especially as applied to modern education. He also believed

the old approach to the study of Logic inadequately prepared students to

answer modern questions and challenges or rebut doubts and

misconceptions posed by Islam’s detractors. The integration of religious

and so-called ‘worldly’ materialist studies was required for a healthy

balance rather than the unilateral biases either induced on their own. In



Hamdard Islamicus 26 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

the absence of such an effort, man was coerced to entertain decadence

and misery. NËrsi therefore concluded that Muslim nations would not

survive modern transformations if they adhered to archaic traditions.

SaÊd NËrsi solved the problem by integrating religious studies with

modern worldly learning. He knew that Islam’s enemies possessed

technologies and inventions that were effectively applied to weaken and

reverse any Muslim advance. Muslims would not survive these challenges

unless they assiduously applied themselves to scientific and technological

disciplines in the same manner as their enemies. Hence, NËrsi offered

a uniquely integrated curriculum that used religious studies to enlighten

the heart while modern scientific learning informed powers of reasoning.

The integration allowed reality to stand forth as entirely self-evident as

student faculties flourished in a well-adjusted manner. To the contrary, on

their own, either learning pools collapsed into the tyranny of dogmatism

in religion and the mistrust engendered by materialism.

Contemporary Muslim scholars blindly believed that modern science

and technology contradicted Islam. Hence, NËrsi attempted to remove

this reckless misconception by seeking to establish that all modern learning

and technological developments were actually the legacy of Muslim

forefathers who had been inspired by Islam’s worldview and successfully

substantiated that true credit for the booming development of modern

science undoubtedly belonged to Islam. On the other hand, contemporary

Muslim lethargy also accorded room for the West to take credit-for and

abscond with patents of modern science and technology. NËrsi therefore

stressed that Muslims must obtain all disciplines from the West and

redefine them according to the Qur’Énic paradigm with the decorum that

attends Islam’s tenets and tawhidic worldview. This is more precisely

known as the ‘Islamization of human knowledge’ in the words of

Mohamed Kamal Hassan, the twenty-first century Malay intellectual

whose contributions to the development and understanding of

contemporary Islamic thought is humbling.

Diseases of the Ummah

As a reformist, SaÊd NËrsi diagnosed diseases of the Muslim ummah

and provided appropriate remedies. By doing so, he disentangled the web

of decadence that had trapped the Muslim world. The most epidemic of



Hamdard Islamicus 27 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

several diseases was a profound lack of confidence among Muslims in

terms of socio-political living. Consequently, many Muslims preferred

adolescent hostility while forgetting the inseparable relationships that bound

the ummah by universal brotherhood. Moreover, autocracy has also

infected the ummah with egoist who snubbed Sharʑah. Hateful fanatics

subjected scholars and laymen to vain disputes and all were tempered by

the subversive influences of Western culture, ideologies and civilization.

Autocracy was enormously harmful because it aborted the consultative

system of the shurÉ, which is the backbone of the Muslim executive

world. NËrsi therefore suggested a revival of the shurÉ that would

liberate Islamic legislators and allow them to gravitate towards the rejection

of Western culture.6 Hence, one-by-one SaÊd NËrsi diagnosed socio-

political diseases and prescribed qualified approaches to remediation. By

not accurately diagnosing a disease, any expert allows its advance to

irremediable pathological complexity and demise. Likewise, a reformer

who holds forth answers to contemporary challenges must find the root

of intellectual diseases and prescribe definitive treatment(s).

Conveying ImÉn

Imparting imÉn (faith) to the hearts of believers accompanied by

the firm establishment of Qur’Énic miracles are two realms in which

Said Nursi’s dynamism differed from the traditional ‘Ilm al-kalÉm of the

past. SaÊd NËrsi posited that knowing and/or understanding God through

arguments presented by ‘Ilm al-kalÉm were inadequate and did little to

satisfy the mind. He also owned that ØËfÊ mysticism failed to

comprehensively introduce the truth as irrefutably contextualized by the

Qur’Én and the Prophet’s (œ) contributions.7 Here it is where Said

NËrsi and Sayyid Qutb agreed that Muslims should not rely solely on

theological or mystical approaches to strengthen imÉn.

Nursi emphasized strengthening imÉn’s foundation in the life of a

Muslim.He considered this the basis of the entire edifice of Islamic

civilization. Arguably, if the foundation is weak building on it is futile. In

his RisÉle-i NËr, NËrsi explained that strengthening the basis of �im n

in an era of globalization and post-modern propaganda bears the utmost

significance:

The foremost and preferable duty is to kindle the light of faith and



Hamdard Islamicus 28 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

strengthen it, and help the faith of others to flourish accordingly. Be

aware of selfishness and deception and move away from all elements

that lead to these diseases. This is the foremost and expected duty.

All other problems and diseases are caused by these key ailments.

Reasonably, true Muslim scholars should cultivate amiability and

humbleness in their life.8

We hold that SaÊd NËrsi developed a unique method of presenting

arguments to establish the significance of imÉn in the hearts of men. By

advancing textual documents and reasonable opinions, he explained the

particulars of iman and Islamic conviction to all Muslims.9 NËrsi soundly

dealt with belief in Allah, Angels, Scriptures, God’s Messengers, Divine

destiny and eschatology.

Encouraging Unity

Profoundly concerned about the ummah’s disintegration, Said NËrsi

noted that reformation and da‘wah efforts required motivational forces

and meaningful actions if Muslims were to stand united under the roof

of Islam’s edifice. He concluded that the division of the Muslim world

into nation states with compartmentalization based on nationalism provided

Western oligarchs with opportunities to infuse their venomous hostility to

Islam. Toxic disunity spread like a pestilence and NËrsi consequently

emphasized the matter of Muslim unity while innovating instruments of

consolidation.10

One threatening division conspicuously arose that derived from

differences in opinions and interpretations between Muslim scholars.

Variations in understanding and applications of madhahÊb (jurisprudence)

regarding socio-moral and legal matters were primarily responsible for

the discord. SaÊd NËrsi was not unaware and raised his voice in protest.

But this does not imply that he disbelieved in a diversity of legal doctrines

that had developed over fourteen hundred years. However, he attempted

to remove misconceptions of madhahÊb disputes that provoked division.

Indeed, he honoured prevailing legal doctrinal differences and specifically

followed the ShafÊ‘Ê School himself.11 However, he never tolerated discord

over trivial matters that imperilled the ummah.

He claimed to be a follower of ahl Sunnah wa al jama‘ah but



Hamdard Islamicus 29 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

never condemned ShÊ‘ahs as infidels (kafÊr) nor did he ever revile them.

Instead, he politely advised them to conform to the overriding importance

of ahl al-Sunnah. In one such speech he proclaimed:

O ahl al-Haqq who claim to be the ahl Sunnah waal jamÉ’ah

and O ahl al-ShÊ‘ah who claim to love the family of the Prophet (œ)

much more, mitigate your conflict. Demands of the time make this

conflict meaningless. If you do not abstain from this debate, your

enemies will use their strategies to destroy you. They will add fuel

to the discord and thereby cause you to stand against each other

until the turmoil leads to your ultimate destruction. So reject all

trifling matters of disagreement. As you believe in the Oneness of

the Almighty, you have so many sacred relations that bind you

togetherand lead the way to unity and alliance.12

SaÊd NËrsi’s Risale-i NËr

SaÊd NËrsi opined that the crucial problem confronting Muslims

was their lack of a true understanding of the Qur’Én. Hence, he immersed

himself in the Qur’Énic Ocean to produce an intellectual exegesis even

laymen can use. His RisÉle-i NËr (The Book of Light)13 was written

primarily for Turkish Muslims who had been forcibly isolated from the

rest of the Muslim world. These exegetic epistles are now being translated

into major world languages including Arabic, English and French. Led by

Ustaz SaÊd NËri, the Hayrat Foundation in Isparta, Turkey is engaged in

the effort, although other organizations produced earlier editions regarded

as inadequate.

NËrsi’s Approach to Exegesis

Nursi did not apply the earlier methodologies or those used by

medieval exegetes and his Book of Light is taken neither from Eastern

nor Western philosophies but documented directly from the High Throne

of Heaven in consonance with the Qur’Én. Moreover, RisÉle-i NËr is

not a traditional exegesis and cannot be classified as modern because it

is tafsÊr ma‘nawÊ ‘aqlÊ. This singular intellectual effort sheds light on

verses of the Qur’Én in a manner that answers all questions and clarifies



Hamdard Islamicus 30 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

doubts that can arise in the minds of readers and critics. Said NËrsi

expounded verses that include the belief in Allah, the characteristics of

His Beautiful Names, and the divine power that plays an absolute role

behind changes and exchanges in the universe.

Nursi’s singular interpretation also explains Qur’Énic verses in accord

with modern sciences. Thereby he provides evidence to prove that the

Qur’Én is central to all manner of knowledge and invention. He also

argued that as the realities of the Qur’Én unfold, the inferiority complex

that infected the Muslim world would disappear, whereupon Muslims

would recover lost heritage, prestige and dignity. SaÊd NËrsi successfully

marshalled a complete rethinking of the splendid contributions of the

Muslim world that distanced Islam from Western intellectual trends and

philosophies.

NËrsi’s Tarbiyah

As in other fields, SaÊd NËrsi placed much import on the nurturing

of spirituality within the human soul. This implies purification, reformation

and guidance: spiritually, morally, intellectually and physically in manners

that befit human dignity. Because education is the most effective way of

rearing dignified humans, students of RisÉle-i NËr in contemporary Turkey

manifest spiritual enhancement by the remembrance of Allah in halaqat

al-dhikr.

Nurturing is essential to Islam as a religious obligation that helps

produce trustworthy individuals, ideal families and a superb society, which

the Qur’Én calls the ummatan wasatan (a balanced or moderate nation).

Hence, Muslim scholars are obligated to pay stringent attentions to the

guidance and nurturing of individuals and the ummah to create and

maintain the continuum of this ‘balanced nation’. This is why Said NËrsi

left no stone unturned in nurturing and development schemes for which

he applied numerous strategies.

The Training of Individuals

SaÊd NËrsi maintained that the nurturing of trustworthy individuals

was the basis for constructing a sustainable Muslim society. The manner

in which individuals are daily guided to learn and develop is prescribed



Hamdard Islamicus 31 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

in the section of his RisÉle-i NËr dedicated to learning the realities and

beauties of Islam and the fundamentals of Islamic individualism.

Exploitation of these lessons necessitate that students of RisÉle-i NËr

obtain and engage lifelong learning skills. In terms of guidance, he

emphasized the integration of knowledge with faith, saying, “A human

being comes to this world so that he can develop and perfect himself

by dint of knowledge and prayer”. Hence, knowledge is disseminated

and but tressed by informed faith.

NËrturing Individuals

When a Muslim reminds himself of the teachings of both Qur’Én

and Sunnah, s/he becomes a very influential figure, a more complete

human being and a practicing Muslim caliph over other creatures. When

individuals take time to fulfil obligations and repent for misdeeds while

avoiding sinful acts, they contribute to selves, relatives, friends and national

dignity. They also obtain a dwelling in Jannah (Paradise). A man must

therefore protect himself from lying and backbiting and also keep his

tongue alive by reciting the Qur’Én while remembering, glorifying and

magnifying Allah and sending greetings to the Prophet (œ). He also

keeps his sight lowered and away from what is prohibited, and removes

his ear from ribald words. These efforts promote perfection throughout

a Muslim’s life becauses/he pays closer attention to sincere service in

the Cause of Allah.

Guiding individuals to know Allah perfectly and to correctly approach

society are two major mechanisms NËrsi advised for implementation.

The former builds a strong relationship with Allah and the latter does the

same with society. Thus, a man/woman earns honourable positions.

The Rearing of Families

For NËrsi, the rearing of families was another important matter of

equal importance because excellent families perfect society and thus

reform every aspect of life. Each person’s home is a small world where,

should belief in the Hereafter fail to rule, whimsical desires cause it to

be thrown into hellfire. To the contrary, when faith rules it is filled with

the light of imÉn. Relationship and affection are engendered on the basis



Hamdard Islamicus 32 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

of imÉn and cannot be limited to the boundaries of time and space but

extend to the Hereafter. Hence, home life generates an enduring fortune

wherein each individual lives with honour when his or her focus pivots

on belief in Ékhirah. Affection therefore makes the home a micro-

paradise on earth.

Said NËrsi encouraged married couples to embed love and affection

as their family roots with goodly treatment for each other so that the

nurturing of children is perfected. The model couple loved each other

and stood upon imÉn and treated each other accordingly in a heavenly

manner because in leading a family in this manner they would never lose

their company, even in the Hereafter. Thus, home life is the essential

core of society and when correct, the entire society becomes correct.

For this reason NËrsi spent remarkable amounts of time on the reformation

of home life and family living.

SaÊd NËrsi wrote an epistle on al-Hijab in which he warned women

of the ummah to protect themselves from the destructive forces of

secular thought, especially suppositions that induced disrespect-for and

denial of the tenets and rituals of Sharʑah. He encouraged women to

follow the commands of Allah as he unravelled the lifeless tenor of

Western culture and caused them to acknowledge their duties and

responsibilities for the household. A child’s first school is mother’s lap

where conduct and behaviour are inscribed as never-ending influences

upon the heart. Mothers have an undeniable scope of influence in leading

the ummah on the straight path.

Choosing a righteous wife is important because she has the most

crucial role in conjugal living and duties in the home, even more so than

her husband because she prepares both home life and atmosphere as

well as instructs and cares for the children. Justifiably, therefore, the

home is regarded as her special kingdom. Her behaviour impacts children

more so than their father’s. To settle this matter with a sound Islamic

base, SaÊd NËrsi quoted the ÍadÊth in which the Prophet (œ) said that

a wife is the shepherd of her husband’s home.

SaÊd NËrsi said that a father must exhibit behaviour that sculpts his

children’s sense of etiquette. Hence, a father is careful to conduct his

social and religious lives because if he fails in his commitment to the

guidance of Allah severe negative impacts will fall upon his children,

even should they have religious instruction from the very outset of life.



Hamdard Islamicus 33 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

Hence, religious learning under an un-praiseworthy father cannot possibly

function properly and will cause children to lean towards the commission

of sins. Therefore, both parents must do their best to practice Islam’s

codes of conduct to formulate and perfect their children’s behaviour.14

Cultivating Society

Said NËrsi deemed the development and reformation of society his

utmost priority and rendered lessons from RisÉle-i NËr to people at all

social levels. This effort comprised an institute called Madrasah-i

NËriyyah in which people learned issues related to imÉn and Qur’Énic

realities. Madrasah-i NËriyyah was known as a fountain of learning

and nurturing in which NËrsi frequently called on his students to establish

it nationally. NËrsi taught in this Madrasah where people gathered with

great enthusiasm daily. Even if they only received lessons on RisÉle-i

NËr for fifteen minutes or so they considered themselves among the

fortunate.15 Graduates from higher Madrasahs and Islamic universities

also disseminated knowledge herewith the goal of teaching everyone

irrespective of age. Hence, people from all levels of society attended

NËrsi’s lectures and those of his students. In fact, they became great

social gatherings and subsequently played an unimagined role in returning

secular Turkey to Islam.

The Madrasah-i NËriyyah adopted a two-way traffic system. On

one hand, Said NËrsi tried to accelerate da‘wah activities towards the

true teachings of both Qur’Én and Sunnah and on the other he filled

gaps created by a poorly systematized traditional educational system.

With the establishment of Madrasah-i NËr, NËrsi could implant seeds

of faith and rejuvenate waning enthusiasm with a genuine thirst for

knowledge. Shortly after its establishment, the Madrasah-i NËr appeared

in almost every Turkish home as a mini version wherein family members

gathered to learn RisÉle-i NËr. In many other places people also gathered

to learn. Hence, RisÉle-i NËr, in this context, initiated a revolution that

prompted dynamic social transformations.

Reforming Society

When rendering services for reformation and the rearing and

nurturing of trustworthiness, Said NËrsi was completely altruistic and



Hamdard Islamicus 34 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

never expected worldly gain except for the pleasure of Allah.  He always

advised his students to do the same.

NËrsi held that differences in opinion should be constructive rather

than destructive and that every scholar should respect and tolerate the

opinions of others. If an opinion seems defective from the perspective of

either the Qur’Én or Sunnah, the defect should be traced and established

in a friendly manner and in conformity with the Sirah. Reconciliation is

always preferable when possible because it preserves the integrity and

unity of the ummah. All differences leading to separation and ultimately

to the destruction of unity must be rejected; as such practices generate

hostility and the mistrust that gravely erode Muslim concord.

With this in mind, Nursi also advocated the negation of the term ‘I’,

which he considered harboured pride and arrogance, which are unsuitable

for believers. Hence, he recommended never saying ‘I’ but rather ‘We’

as required. Moreover, he rejected malicious conduct of any kind and

taught that envy harms the envious a hundred times more than the

envied, especially as envy does nothing to the envied. Therefore, an

envious man should consider what he does because he stands out as a

denier of Allah’s will and eventually earns God’s wrath and harms himself.

Moderation should be established in all societies and the rich should

honour and show affection to the poor and vice versa. SaÊd NËrsi taught

that this is not possible until the practice of usury is ended and zakah

for property is properly collected and administered. Economic observance

of zakah’s relevance is not limited to small personal areas or for certain

individuals or society. Zakah is a concrete pillar of all social life and

functions to improve the financial life of all human beings by strengthening

affection, love and honour between the rich and poor. In this regard, Said

Nursi considered that true and effective nurturing of a human being and

their community involved the purification of character as emphasized in

the Qur’Én. The Qur’Énic propositions thereby suggest that the foundation

of a society is mutual support rather than coercive power and greed.

Hence, to obtain a thriving society it is necessary to replace envious

competition with mutual cooperation and support.

Significance of Said NËrsi’s Methodology of Learning

The discussion has thus far conveyed that Western education brought



Hamdard Islamicus 35 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

drastic changes that victimized an extremely vulnerable Islamic academia.

Muslims abandoned the reading of the Qur’Én in Arabic in deference to

English translations and engaged entertainments causing them to spend

much time in vain activities and even became contemporary couch

potatoes at local cafes discussing imported theoretical gibberish. It was

therefore hardly possible to revert to Islamic knowledge and Qur’Énic

education without introducing unique methods that would appeal to the

great Muslim retreat. NËrsi knew they must become re-attracted and

consequently return to Islamic knowledge and Qur’Énic education in a

new way. Here is where he successfully originated effective realms and

for which Allah facilitated the design of an epoch-making agenda that

has since immensely influenced the ummah of Mohammad (œ).

The foremost cause of decadent education was a defectively

dogmatic pedantry that failed to meet or respond to contemporary needs.

They had even abandoned practical subjects such as history, chemistry,

geography, etc. Thus, scholars of Said NËrsi’s time and even preceding

generations had become satisfied and were complaisant with the

inadequate status quo that never turned an eye towards contemporary

developments in various realms throughout educational history. At the

same time, the West grew all too rapidly advanced by standing on the

firm scientific foundations that were laid by Islamic forefathers.

SaÊd NËrsi stood his ground to raise an intractable voice against the

obsolete educational standards of his day. He rejected the unproductive

teaching methods that required disproportionate periods of student time

to study the useless minutia of obscure commentaries and footnotes. In

a very short period of time he himself was able to read several books

without resorting to commentaries and notes. In contemporary shadows

of defeat and backwardness, Muslims had actually begun to believe the

West was their undefeatable master; one with which they could not

compete. The fact was that this happened due to endogenous weakness

directly consequent to a rather destitute Muslim educational system.

Islam’s forefathers had indeed left a precious store of knowledge and

sciences that had been dismissed as irrelevant by a contemporary army

of ignorant mullahs and so-called scholars. This abandoned cache of

knowledge contained a precious heritage that would help Muslims recover

and resurrect knowledge of their glorious past in preparation for a more

glorious future. This is the aspiration that Said NËrsi imparted.



Hamdard Islamicus 36 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

One of SaÊd NËrsi’s deepest concerns regarded stereotypic Muslim

reading of the Qur’Énic language. Hence, he encouraged people to read

the Qur’Én in Arabic rather than translations.

SaÊd NËrsi’s Approach to Political Domains

SaÊd NËrsi took two different approaches to political interests. When

the government helped religion, he cooperated but when it didn’t, he

opposed it. Hence, when the Kemalist regime of Turkey appeared to be

destroying Islam’s honour, NËrsi bravely came forward to raise his voice

against the government. He stood beside democrats hoping to create an

environment that would aid and uplift the words of Allah, restore Sharʑah

and re-establish Islamic culture and values. However, democracy under

Mustafa Kamal’s leadership changed everything after he completely

barred Sharʑah along with Islamic symbols and displays, many of which

were actively destroyed. At this point, NËrsi raised his voice against

Kamal’s government as he attempted to re-orient Turkish Muslim towards

Shari‘ah. When his opposition became too conspicuous, Mustafa Kamal

invited him to negotiate and even offered NËrsi a position in his government,

which NËrsi rejected for the sake of Islam because Ataturk’s power and

influence served only to erode Turkey’s Islamic culture. When Adnan

Mundaris later declared SharÊ‘ah’s restoration, NËrsi encouraged his

students to assist Mundaris.

Thus, we have NËrsi’s typical political approach. His strategy was

always to create an affable environment with political rulers, one through

which Islam could be taught and consequently spread without major

impediments. NËrsi did not, however, favour contemporary politics due

unethical norms and practices, many of which were qualified by western

philosophy. He complained that politics held forth a satanic sphere of

ideas and that it was best to seek refuge with Allah from them.  According

to him:

The politics of the present, which is founded on self-interest,

is a rapacious beast. If you feign affection for a ravenous beast,

you will not attract its compassion but rather its appetite. It will

turn on you with claws and fangs to rend what it desires from

you.16



Hamdard Islamicus 37 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

When he was asked a question as to why does the New Said avoid

politics with such vehemence?  He answered:

He avoids it so vehemently in order to serve belief and the Qur’Én,

which is of the greatest importance, the greatest necessity and is

most pure and most right, and so as not to sacrifice unnecessarily

and officiously for one or two doubtful years of worldly life the

work of gaining more than millions of years of eternal life. For he

says: ‘I am growing old and I do not know how much longer I shall

live’; so for me the most important question should be working for

eternal life. The prime means of gaining eternal life and the key to

everlasting happiness is belief, so I have to work for that. And since

I am obliged by Sharʑah to serve people in respect of learning so

that they may also profit, I want to perform that duty.17

Nursi’s Attribution of Courage

Courage or bravery is a must for every Muslim. History records

that whenever anyone invites people to the truth, the regime of the day

offers hostile opposition, which requires a fearless Muslim and is also

why all prophets ( ) were brave, straightforward and uncompromising.

For example, Prophet SulaymÉn (*) wrote to the ruler of Saba’ saying:

“Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the

religion).”18  SaÊd NÉËrsi feared no one and he showed exemplary

courage throughout his life, especially in the face of rulers and governors.

An incident that occurred on 13 April, 1909 bears evidence. He was

arrested with others on the charge of being a ‘destructive element’ and

threat to national security. He addressed army officials several times and

eloquently defended himself in a court of martial law.

I am a student of Sharʑah. Hence, I assess everything in light of

the Qur’Én and Sunnah. Islam is my religion. Reasonably, I evaluate

everything in light of Islamic values … Thus I am addressing not only

you but also all human beings of our time. Realities will unfold and

it is worth mentioning this here (with regards to the day when all

hidden things shall be made manifest).19 Therefore, I am preparing

with all my strength for the life of the Hereafter. If we are thousands

of souls ready to be sacrificed for the sake of Allah and His

Religion, it is therefore because Sharʑah is nothing but a great



Hamdard Islamicus 38 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

fortune for us. I advocate true Shari‘ah, not that which hypocrites

claim.20

When the court witnessed his sincere bravery and courage, it released

him, although many others who were arrested with him were convicted

and even sentenced to death.

Concern and Caring

Muslim scholars should responsibly care, train and nurture people

at all societal levels. Their duties are not only confined to non-Muslims

but also include the purification of non-practicing Muslims. NËrsi’s

contemporary era was filled with corrupting influences and people who

ignored the Islamic pillars of faith and which devastated the development

of individual righteous characteristics and communal respectability, many

of who resorted to drunkenness and shameful moral decadence. Hence,

Muslim scholars are burdened with the substantial responsibility of

cleansing and reforming members of such a dissipating ummah. Said

Nursi was prompt to respond to this obligation by adopting three graduated

forums that nurtured of a more forthright community: for individuals,

families and society, respectively.

The Significance of Sincerity

Sincerity (ikhlÉs) is the backbone of any deed (‘amÉl) but its

absence renders a believer’s efforts fruitless. A da‘i should especially

conduct him/herself with sincerity because artificial efforts have no impact

in this world and neither do they bring benefits in the next. This great

virtue was not absent in the life of SaÊd NËrsi, who said:

O my brothers, who are involved in serving the Holy Qur’Én, be

informed that sincerity is the soul of a deed and the foundation of

all efforts and renders the shortest way to the desired goal. It is the

great virtue that adorns the attributes of a believer21 when handling

worldly life and its necessities. We have striven wholeheartedly to

succeed and we must cultivate the sense of sincerity in all of our

efforts so that we can benefit from the mercy of Allah. If we fail

to practice sincerity we are doomed. As Allah says “Nor sell My

Signs for a small price; and fear Me, and Me alone.22

O brothers of mine in the Hereafter! And O my companions



Hamdard Islamicus 39 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

in service of the Qur’Én! You know and you should know – and

you do know – that the most important basis, the greatest strength,

the most acceptable intercessor, the mightiest tower of strength, the

shortest way to the truth, the spiritual supplication most likely to be

accepted, the most wondrous means to all aims, the loftiest character

trait and the purest worship in this world and especially in services

related to the Hereafter, is sincerity.23

Thus, according to SaÊd NËrsi, sincerity is the soul of a deed and

the foundation of all efforts. It is the shortest way to reach the expected

goal. It is the great virtue that adorns the attributions of a believer when

handling worldly life and necessity. Muslims must cultivate this sense of

sincerity to benefit from the mercy of Allah. If they fail to practice

sincerity they will be doomed. Therefore, it is manifest from his words

that he paid much attention to the value of sincerity.

Contemporary Challenges

In the present era of scientific and technological advances the

world constantly changes and reshapes cultural, social and political realms.

As a result, the Muslim world confronts unprecedented complexity. To

accommodate and survive numerous challenges, contemporary Muslim

scholars must develop new approaches and modalities that defend against

the materialism that causes Muslims to fall from God’s many graces.

The enemies of Islam have fashioned multi-dimensional swords to attack

its fundamentals. Of these, materialistic humanism is the foremost ideology

that serves to erode basic Islamic values. Orientalism is another challenge

that strengthens the Western hold on the Muslim zeitgeist.

Western Imperialism

Colonization by Western imperialists challenged the Muslim world

with a civilization built on materialistic cravings. Allah says:

Which then is best? – he that layeth his foundation on piety to Allah

and His good pleasure? – or he that layeth his foundation on an

undermined sand-cliff ready to crumble to pieces? and it doth crumble



Hamdard Islamicus 40 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

to pieces with him, into the fire of Hell. And Allah guideth not

people that do wrong.24

Western materialism tempted the Muslim world away from its culture

of following Qur’Énic knowledge and codes of conduct. This loath some

consequence of colonization snatched Muslim youths from the hearth of

Islamic education. When pinpointing the truth of the matter, we prefer to

call this a Judeo-Christian effort to optimize opportunities to destroy the

Islamic edifice of world history.

Colonial powers initially attacked a rather dismal Muslim educational

system, one that provided a vulnerable gateway and allowed pervasive

decadence to infiltrate the ummah. Eventually, Muslims rejected rather

than repaired their traditional educational systems and accepted alien

curricula. This purchased the loss of Islamic perspectives that espoused

the Divinely articulated characteristics that decent societies required. At

times, a student might have become vibrantly enthused with knowledge

gained by worldly education “But could not advance in the formulation

of a superb moral ground and spiritual premise in his life as the

required elements of knowledge used for the utilization of human

benefit rather than destruction.”25

Thus, moral weakness infused intellectual capabilities and only

worsened Muslim decadence. The West then encouraged the translation

of Sharʑah into Western languages, a process that further weakened

skills in the Arabic language and its venerable literature, the very medium

of Islamic education. These efforts led to numerous English translations

of the Qur’Én so that people became accustomed to reading translated

versions and left the original text behind. Thereby, Muslim propositions

became fused with the subversive influence of Western oriented academic

pursuits. Eventually, the Muslim world accepted the English language and

Arabic lost its significance and appeal as the authentic language of the

Qur’Én upon which the colossus of Islamic literature had been constructed.

Moreover, Islam had always emphasized that males and females

should not mix freely. From an Islamic viewpoint, the mixing of the

genders in secluded spaces is prohibited and unlawful. Nevertheless,

Western education systems caused the forbidden to become

commonplace. They devised co-educational systems that the Muslim

world unhesitatingly followed. Unfortunately, the pandemic spread across



Hamdard Islamicus 41 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

the entire Arab-Muslim world and some Muslim scholars still advocate

eco-education.

Orientalism

Orientalism holds robust, enigmatic opposition to Islam and non-

Western cultures. This academic movement claims the Qur’Én is a

product of Prophet MuÍammad’s (œ) imagination and further argues

that the Sharʑah is also man-made and contains numerous conspicuous

defects. They therefore hastened to correct these faults with facile

challenges appear plausibly irrefutable.

The Occident ignores that it actual advances were founded on

Muslim science and educational protocols that also allowed the absolute

faith in Allah to flourish deep in Muslim hearts and generate the inherent

power that once maintained Islam’s invincibility. Hence, Orientalism’s

success depends on its ability to distort Islamic knowledge at its sources.

Nonetheless, because the Judeo-Christian world separated religion and

state vis-à-vis Orientalism and secularism, they also managed a division

between Sharʑah and legislation that is alien to the Islamic world.

Likewise, Orientalism distorted elements within Sharʑah; thus creating

confusion and suspicion regarding the validity and practicability of Islamic

jurisprudence. This poses a monumental menace to the Muslim ummah.

Imitation of Western Civilization

Nursi was aware of the significance of equality and fraternity for

a healthy society. But Western social systems exhibit the opposite. It is

because modern western civilization has taken up a position opposed to

the Qur’Én and failed to appreciate Qur’Én’s elliptical inimitability and

miraculousness. According to him, the law of the jungle rules in the

West.26 NËrsi also held the view that the contemporary civilization has

mesmerised people, and numbed the senses to such a degree that the

civilized do not feel pain, hardship and suffering. The veil of carelessness

is being rent through increased sensitivity due to developments in science.

Europeans’ idols and sciences of Naturalism lead thousands of people to

regret for blind imitation of western civilization. NËrsi states:

O sons of this land! Do not try to imitate Europeans! How can you



Hamdard Islamicus 42 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

reasonably trust in and follow the vice and invalid, worthless thought

of Europe after the boundless tyranny and enmity it has shown

you? No! No! You who imitate them in dissoluteness, you are not

following them, but unconsciously joining their ranks and putting to

death both yourselves and your brothers. Know that the more you

follow them in immorality the more you lie claiming to be patriots!

Because your following them in this way is to hold your nation into

contempt, to hold the nation up to ridicule! God guides us and you

in the Straight Path.27

Concerns for ‘Truth’

As a result of profound and serious analysis of the existing

circumstances of his time, NËrsi articulates on what philosophy and

science, and Qur’Énic wisdom offer to social life of man. According to

him, philosophy and science give rise to and support ‘force’, which is

contrary to the Islamic method of moderation that we derive from the

wisdom of the Qur’Én and the Prophetic Example. Islam never condones

‘force’ but modern knowledge and systems are not only silent but do not

make sincere efforts to develop proper and permanent solution to solve

this crisis. Truth is hijacked and overshadowed by modern education and

learning that were designed to serve certain vested-interest groups and

establish their political supremacy and hegemony. NËrsi remarks:

Philosophy accepts ‘force’ as its point of support in social life. It

considers its aim to be ‘benefits’. The principle of its life it recognises

to be ‘conflict’. It holds the bond between communities to be

‘racialism and negative nationalism’. And its fruits are ‘gratifying

the appetites of the soul and increasing human needs’. However,

the mark of force is ‘aggression’. The mark of benefit – since they

are insufficient for every desire – is ‘jostling and tussling’. The

mark of conflict is ‘strife’. And the mark of racialism – since it is

to be nourished by devouring others – is ‘aggression’. Thus, it is for

these reasons that it has negated the happiness of mankind.28

Having delineated briefly with transparency the objective and

function of philosophy which is implicitly inspiring force and not peace



Hamdard Islamicus 43 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

and truth as essential for humanity, NËrsi draws the attention of people,

particularly his students to contemplate on the revealed message registered

in the Qur’Én and its eventual wisdom. He is of the view that the Qur’Én

provides remedies to all sorts of social, moral, and spiritual diseases of

mankind. The chronic disease of the support for ‘force’ is replaced by

the cure of ‘truth’ in the wisdom of the Qur’Én. One of the essential

criteria to establish an exemplary Islamic society is exploring wisdom of

the Qur’Én for all probable solutions. He remarks:

As for the Qur’Énic wisdom, its point of support is ‘truth’ instead

of force. It takes ‘virtue and God’s pleasure’ as its aims in place

of benefits. It takes the principle of ‘mutual assistance’ as the

principle of life in place of the principle of conflict. And it takes ‘the

ties of religion’ class, and country to be the ties bonding communities.

Its aim is to form a barrier against the lusts of the soul, urge the

spirit to sublime matters, satisfy the high emotions and urging man

to the human perfections, make him a true human being. And the

mark of the ‘truth’ is accord. The mark of virtue is ‘solidarity’. The

mark of mutual assistance is ‘hastening to assist one another’. The

mark of religion is ‘brotherhood’ and ‘attraction’. And the mark of

reining in and tethering the soul and leaving the spirit free and

urging it towards perfections is ‘happiness in this world and the

next’.29

So during his reform endeavours, NËrsi appealed to his countrymen

to understand and realise the complications and implications of blind

following of western philosophy and its systems including value free

science which is secular in nature and materialistic in its aim. While

doing so, he called on people to return to the Qur’Én in order to understand

its wisdom that inspires truth instead of force.

Conclusion

In the final analysis, we assert that SaÊd NËrsi’s place in Islamic

history is indelibly momentous. This noble man realized the speed and

scope of the decadence that was leading Turkey to destruction and

treated the Turks in such a manner that they began to turn around.



Hamdard Islamicus 44 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

Sensible Islamic scholars from around the globe are well advised to look

into SaÊd NËrsi’s work and make use of what is practically applicable.

The Turks had been rushing like cattle over a cliff into secularism but

NËrsi stood his ground and called them to comprehend Islam’s

comprehensive universality, and with singular approaches to the propagation

of Islamic message to which they responded with enormous zeal and

enthusiasm. Consequently, they are presently involved in compensatory

efforts to restore Sharʑah in Turkey and repair aculture that was nearly

destroyed by the Kamalist regime.

Notes and References

01. BediuzzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi, Sirah Dhatiyyah (1st Edn.), Ihsan Qasim al-Salihi

(Trans.), Istanbul, Dar Sozler, 1998, p. 35.

02. Ibid.

03. Ibid., p. 65.

04. SaÊd NËrsi, Sirah Dhatiyyah, p. 46.

05. BediuzzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi, Sayqal al-Islam, Ihsan Qasim al-Salihi (Trans.), Istanbul,

Dar Sozler, 2004, p. 473.

06. Ibid., p. 574.

07. SaÊd NËrsi, al-Maktubat, Ihsan Qasim al-Salihi (Trans.), Istanbul, Dar Sozler,

1992, p. 306.

08. Ibid.

09. Ibid.

10. SaÊd NËrsi, Sirah Dhatiyyah, p. 35.

11. Ibid.

12. BediuzzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi;al-Lama’at, Ihsan Qasim al-Salihi (Trans.), Istanbul,

Sharikat al-Nasl li al-Tiba’ah, 1993, p. 38.

13. Collected from Lamhat min Hayat wa Athar Said Nursi, p. 40.

14. AbË DawËd, Sunan Abu Dawud, vol. III, p. 91.

15. It was reported by scholars such as Al-Minhaj (via ImÉm Nawawi) that a long

term of learning is the best ‘ibadah a mu’min accomplishes and constitutes his/

her best moments spent.

16. SaÊd NËrsi, The Words, p. 751.

17. Ibid., p. 740.

18. Al-Qur’Én, XXVII:31.

19. Al-Qur’Én, LXXXVI:9.

20. SaÊd NËrsi, Sirah Dhatiyyah, p. 105.

21. SaÊd NËrsi, Al-Lam’at, p. 241.



Hamdard Islamicus 45 Vol. XLI, Nos. 3 & 4

22. Al-Qur’Én, II:41.

23. ImÉm BeduizzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi, The Five Epistles from Risala-I Nur, Trans.

Hasan Spiker, Isparta, Hayrat Publishing, 2016, p. 83.

24. Al-Qur’Én, IX:109.

25. AbË A’lÉ MaudËdi; We and the Western civilization, p. 21.

26. Muhammad Binthila, “Beduizzaman Said Nursi’s Stand towards Western

Civilization,” Sukran Vahide (Trans.), In Globalization, Ethics, and Beduizzaman

Said Nursi’s Risale-I Nur, Istanbul, Sozler Publications, 2002, p. 201.

27. BeduizzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi, The Flahes Collection, Trans. Sukran Vahide, Istanbul,

Sozler Publications, 1995, p. 166.

28. BeduizzamÉn SaÊd NËrsi, The Words, Trans. Sukran Vahide, Istanbul, Sozler

Publications, 1992, p. 146.

29. Ibid.