Bediuzzaman Said Research Articles

Signs of nature in Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: A significant contribution to Islamic semiotics

In the life circle, humans always produce, receive, and search for the meaning of signs. The meanings have ultimate value concerning Islamic worldview which then determines human salvation. Therefore, these issues are very important to research. The researchers worked in a deductive-inductive approach: a quasi-qualitative method characterized by the use of theories to be reconstructed after critical dialogues aimed at revealing the meanings of the natural signs based on an Islamic worldview and proposing a model of the Islamic theory of sign. The subject of this research is the books of Risale-i Nur as the representation of the Islamic worldview. Further, the techniques of the data collection are (1) preparing the domain (2) constituting the taxonomy of the data; (3) note-taking in the text of the Risale-i Nur. Furthermore, the latent content analysis was employed. The researchers categorized qualitative textual data into clusters of similar entities, or conceptual categories, to identify consistent patterns and relationships between themes. Finally, the researchers concluded that the meanings of the natural signs in the Risale-i Nur are the manifestation of the perfection of God’s Names. Moreover, the significant contribution of the Risale-i Nur to Islamic semiotics is revealed and proposed.

Revitalization of Belief and Spiritual Development of Individuals against Materialist Philosophy: Appraisal on Risale-i-Nur

This paper investigates Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s methodology for the revitalization of belief and spiritual development of individuals through Risale-I-Nur. It analyses Nursi’s concept of Human I, methodology of the spiritual training to save an individual’s belief from materialist philosophy, spiritual guidance for different segments of society, and understanding of ethical values in the Islamic context. The research methodology of the paper is qualitative. The study reveals that Nursi asserts that reflection on the inner world and understanding of human 'I', are a means to comprehend the reality of the Creator and man's role as His representative. However, Nursi's understanding of inner reflection and spirituality is different from traditional Sufiism on many counts. He advises believers to seek guidance from the line of prophethood as opposed to that of philosophy to protect themselves from materialist ideologies. The study also reveals that Risale provides spiritual guidance for almost every segment of society and advises the believers to see tribulations as an opportunity for their spiritual growth. Finally, the research concludes that Nursi sees the man and the universe as closely related wherein observing ethical values in the light of religion brings about harmony between the two.

Harmonizing Society: Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's Vision of Islamic Politics


 
 
 
 Contemporary politics has given rise to various humanitarian disasters. The political world seems too preoccupied with personal, group, and factional power interests. One tangible impact is the destruction of social stability. In contrast, Islamic politics ontologically views human beings holistically and universally, and then epistemologically derives from the Revelation of Almighty God and the Sunnah of His Messenger. History has proven that Islamic politics has contributed significantly to social harmony in a civilization. Based on the aforementioned political paradigm, the question is how Said Nursi addresses these issues by applying his political principles. This research aims to uncover and explain the definition, purpose, politics, and solutions to contemporary political problems according to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Said Nursi's political principles play a crucial role in the modern political world, especially concerning issues of social harmony. The researcher employs a qualitative method and an Islamic political approach, using narrative data rather than numerical data. This research discovers that the Islamic political thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi holds a concrete vision in harmonizing society.
 
 
 

Turkey’s Transition into Modernity and the Response of the ‘Ulamā’

Turkey’s transition into modernity is one of the earliest models of modernization in the Muslim world. A complex and controversial process involved significant changes to the country’s political, social, and cultural institutions. Accordingly, Muslim intellectuals responded to the challenges posed by this transition process that endangered the country’s Islamic identity. This paper analyses the historical overview of Turkey’s modernization process, highlighting the key events, institutions, and actors that played a role in shaping the country’s development on one hand. On the other hand, it explores the response of the ‘ulamā’ to the modernization process, with a special emphasis on the contributions of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. It analysed his activist and intellectual struggle to meet the challenges of the modernization process, his criticisms of the secularist approach to modernization, and his efforts to develop an Islamic political theory that provided answers to the new situation.

Mafhūm Khalq al-‘Ālam inda Badī’uzzamān Sa’īd al-Nūrsī

This article aims to explain Said Nursi's thoughts on the Creation of Nature and criticism of the views of naturalist philosophers. In his work, Risalah Nur tries to reveal the concept of the Creation of Nature According to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (based on his criticism of the philosophy of Naturalism). To build this works, the authors use a philosophical approach with descriptive and analytical methods in his concept of the Creation of Nature with his logical thinking so that it can be a critique of the concept of Naturalism. Analyze the data by describing Nursi’s thoughts and analyzing them both by comparing and contrasting with the thougths of other figures in muslim philosophy and Naturalism. In his study on the creation of nature, as a paradigm Nursi used philosophy method in his critique of the philosophy of Naturalism. Bediuzzaman stated that in fact Nature was Allah’s creation, as this proved the testimony of the facts presented in Islam to mankind in humans and objects in this nature. The essence of the nature creation is to reflect or prove the existence of God. The positions of God as an existence that controls and creates nature. which is contrary to the philosophical understanding of Naturalism which assumes that nature was created by itself or without the God.

The Concept of Islamic Education Based on Religious Humanism Said Nursi's Perspective

Said Nursi's first effort was to make people aware of the importance of education, where Islam is "education for the people." An awareness of the unity and cohesiveness of modern religion and science accompanies this effort. This is where Said Nursi's position emerges as a reformer who wants to make improvements to "save faith and Islam." Said Nursi, in the practice of Islamic Education has the character of religious humanism thinking, which is a spiritual concept that places man by the purpose of his creation by the Creator, as well as efforts to teach sciences while still being based on faith, understanding of the Qur'an, the last day and scientific synergy. This concept is an attempt to unite religious values with humanity. Religion is not only a belief system but also a humanitarian-oriented deal. Thus, Islamic education based on religious humanists in the perspective of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi is a concept that can develop human potential, both worldly and ukhrowi aspects, to create a balanced person about fellow beings (hablun minannas) and with the Creator (hablun minallah).

Integrasi Ilmu Agama-Sains Badiuzzaman Said Nursi dan Relevansinya dengan Pendidikan Agama Islam Era Digital di Indonesia

The integration of religion and science is an interesting topic for discussion. Until now the debate on the legitimacy of the integration of religion-science is still being carried out by scholars. This article discusses the integration of religion and science from the perspective of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and how relevant it is in the Digital Age of Islamic Religious Education in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative method with the type of library research. This study analyzes the content of Said Nursi's thoughts from various works of literature. The results of the study show that there is relevance to Said Nursi's thoughts which are based on the integration of knowledge rooted in human nature to seek true happiness in this world and the hereafter. Said Nursi's thoughts are considered relevant for the development of the context of Islamic Religious Education in the digital era in Indonesia which includes strengthening religious-spiritual in the digital era, strengthening the integration of religion-science initiated by the Indonesian Ministry of Religion, enriching learning methods in the digital era, deepening curriculum reform and 21st-century skills, revitalization of moral education in the digital era and ethics in learning.

Moving beyond Binary Discourses: Islamic Universalism from an Islamic Revivalist Movement’s Point of View

The resurgence of religion worldwide proved that secularization is not a de facto reality of modernity and the initial chaos that came along with the birth of postmodernity evolved into uniquely developing combinations that recognized cosmopolitan, multicultural, and hybrid (i.e., fluid and hyphenated) identities. Universal values became more instrumental than ever to connect members of hyper diverse societies while ethnocentric, nativist and exclusivist patriotism expired (and only recently starting to attract far right and white supremacist groups alone). Most Islamic revivalist movements emerging from this context have had minimal interactions with non-Muslims and influence on mainstream societies. Being in search of a solution to respond to the overwhelming effects of the West on Muslim societies, these revivalist movements could not change (and maybe contributed to) the binary positioning of Islam and the West. On the contrary, the Hizmet movement, inspired by Muhammed Fethullah Gülen and his predecessor Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, appeared in the global arena as an Islamic revivalist movement whose discourse resonated with the commonly shared universal values of every culture, ethnicity, and religion. The Hizmet movement did not position itself as an antithesis to Westernization, secularism, and modernity; the movement adopted a universalist and all-inclusive attitude, which re-introduced to the world that Islam is universal religion with the capacity to accommodate people of diversity and meet the needs of every age. This paper explores the Hizmet movement’s historical, theological, and social roots as a transnational Islamic revivalist movement. It analyzes the movement’s outreach across multicultural societies and its capability to adapt to a changing world through its educational and interfaith and intercultural activities across the globe. While unpacking thirty years of the Hizmet movement’s activities and the contribution to the literature, the paper also addresses some of the criticisms that have emerged regarding the movement and its activities, particularly in the wake of the 2016 failed coup attempt in Turkey. It should be noted that much criticism toward the movement emerged in recent years, and the movement did not face much backlash in its early years of development. With this in mind, this paper explores the development of the Hizmet movement and how much of its initiatives rapidly left a positive mark on diverse societies around the world. The paper is thus structured chronologically, tracing the birth, growth, stagnation, and transition (or according to some collapse) of the movement. The paper, by extension, too, positions the Hizmet movement within the phenomenon of contemporary Islamic revivalism as this movement is born out of similar conditions as are other Islamic revivalist movements but taking a slightly different direction, which is that it challenges the prevailing binary ‘us and them’ discourses produced mostly in ethno-centric political discourses.

Bediuzzaman Said Nūrsi and the Nature of Human Creation in his Major Works: Considering a New Breakthrough in Islamic Philosophy

This paper aimed to analyse Bediuzzaman Said Nūrsi’s ideas regarding the nature of human creation in his major works. In order to achieve such goal, this paper utilized a ‘conceptual analysis’ method to reveal Nūrsi’s elaboration on the concept. The research found that humans, according to Nūrsi, arise from the mother's womb with God's fondness -Rahīm- governed with the eternal pact in the metaphysical realm to be ‘abid in the physical world, who are expected to fulfil their responsibility as God's servant by worshipping Him and Him alone in the form of honest submission. Furthermore, worship is only possible via the perfect actualization of intellect, and recognizing the essence of worship is the Amānah to be the vicegerent of God -Khalīfatullāh- as humans will discover a comprehensive understanding of God -Ma'rifātullah- through their worldly journey. This work finally ended with a reflection pertaining to the possibility of the philosophical thoughts of Nūrsi as a breakthrough in advancing Islamic philosophy in the present age.
 Keywords: Bediuzzaman Said Nūrsi, Human Creation, Islamic Philosophy, Khalīfatullah, Risale-i Nūr

Bediuzzaman Said Nursī’s Critique of the Concept of Waḥdat al-Wujūd (The Unity of Being)

Abstract: This article reflects on the critical reception within the Islamic world of waḥdat al-wujūd (the unity of being), the famous Sufi notion associated with the works of the Muslim mystic-philosopher Muḥyī al-Dīn Ibn ‘Arabī (d. 1240 CE), with a particular focus on the ways in which it was critiqued by the modern Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursī (d. 1960). Nursī’s work is significant in that his critique of waḥdat al-wujūd was conversant with pre-modern Islamic intellectual discourse even as it attempted to render it compatible with modern needs and subjectivities. To better understand Said Nursī’s approach to waḥdat al-wujūd , this article situates it within this broader discursive context, specifically drawing on its connections to the critiques offered by Sa‘d al-Dīn al-Taftāzānī (d. 1390 CE) and Aḥmad Sirhindī (d. 1624 CE), both of whom would be influential on Nursī’s work. This article concludes by suggesting that despite Nursī’s criticism of and attempts to replace waḥdat al-wujūd with an alternative spiritual method, his thought is nonetheless deeply reliant on concepts articulated by Ibn ‘Arabī and his followers.

Strategi Dakwah Gerakan Nurcu Pada Masa Pemerintahan Recep Tayyip Erdogan

This paper aims to describe the da’wa strategy of the Nurcu movement in the dynamics of ideologies in Turkey during Erdogan's reign, as well as its correlation with Al-Madkhal Ila Ilmi Dakwah's book by Al Bayanuni.The existence of the three ideologies that developed in Turkey, namely Islamism, western ideology, and nationalism, is still developing today. Various reforms and branches of each movement have colored the socio-political life in Turkey. One example of being part of a reformer is the Nurcu Movement, which is part of the Islamism group. This movement was led by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi with his monumental work entitled Risale-i Nur (Faiz, 2017). Said Nursi was one of the figures who initiated resistance to government policies during the Ataturk era. The resistance carried out by Nursi did not use weapons, but with a different da'wah strategy This paper is a literature study, with a historical analysis approach to the Nurcu Movement in Turkey through the work of other relevant researchers. The study results show that the da’wa strategy used by the Nurcu movement is persuasive, logic, and dialogue. In addition, the Nurcu movement also used three da’wa strategies according to Al-Bayanunni namely al-athifi, al-aqly, and al-hissi. This movement spread its da'wa by entering into five fields, namely social, journalist, media, education and economics. The preaching strategy of the Nurcu movement can be said to be successful because it is able to survive and continue to exist today

Said Nursi on Secularism, Religious Rights, Ethics, and Education

This paper explores the views of Turkish scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960), on the ideology of secularism and its impact on identity, ethics, and social stability. It mostly covers Nursi’s interpretation of Islam in a twentieth-century secular setting. Based on Nursi’s views, the paper suggests that, in the interests of establishing a secure and balanced world, faith commitments should be allowed to manage diversity and conflict, rather than a secular semi-agnostic approach. The paper also proposes that, to establish a healthy and virtuous society, collective and individual morality and identity should be constructed using religious values and principles. The paper discusses how Nursi advocated reconciling science and religion, establishing harmony between European civilisation and the truths of Islam. As the paper establishes, there was no enmity between any branch of science and faith for Nursi, who saw both as allies in the task of building human civilisation. But he did advocate rooting education and knowledge in the truths of revealed religion, with the scientific achievements of the age merely contributing to a correct understanding of those truths. This paper also demonstrates that Nursi was an advocate of a pluralist society where all citizens, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds, would be respected, nurtured, and protected. At the same time, he questioned the potential of secularism to provide well-being and virtue for various stratums of society. Policy recommendations are given in the last part of the paper.

Revitalization of Belief and Spiritual Development of Individuals against Materialist Philosophy: Appraisal on Risale-i-Nur

This paper investigates Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s methodology for the revitalization of belief and spiritual development of individuals through Risale-I-Nur. It analyses Nursi’s concept of Human I, methodology of the spiritual training to save an individual’s belief from materialist philosophy, spiritual guidance for different segments of society, and understanding of ethical values in the Islamic context. The research methodology of the paper is qualitative. The study reveals that Nursi asserts that reflection on the inner world and understanding of human 'I', are a means to comprehend the reality of the Creator and man's role as His representative. However, Nursi's understanding of inner reflection and spirituality is different from traditional Sufiism on many counts. He advises believers to seek guidance from the line of prophethood as opposed to that of philosophy to protect themselves from materialist ideologies. The study also reveals that Risale provides spiritual guidance for almost every segment of society and advises the believers to see tribulations as an opportunity for their spiritual growth. Finally, the research concludes that Nursi sees the man and the universe as closely related wherein observing ethical values in the light of religion brings about harmony between the two.

Revitalization of Belief and Spiritual Development of Individuals against Materialist Philosophy: Appraisal on Risale-i-Nur

This paper investigates Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s methodology for the revitalization of belief and spiritual development of individuals through Risale-I-Nur. It analyses Nursi’s concept of Human I, methodology of the spiritual training to save an individual’s belief from materialist philosophy, spiritual guidance for different segments of society, and understanding of ethical values in the Islamic context. The research methodology of the paper is qualitative. The study reveals that Nursi asserts that reflection on the inner world and understanding of human 'I', are a means to comprehend the reality of the Creator and man's role as His representative. However, Nursi's understanding of inner reflection and spirituality is different from traditional Sufiism on many counts. He advises believers to seek guidance from the line of prophethood as opposed to that of philosophy to protect themselves from materialist ideologies. The study also reveals that Risale provides spiritual guidance for almost every segment of society and advises the believers to see tribulations as an opportunity for their spiritual growth. Finally, the research concludes that Nursi sees the man and the universe as closely related wherein observing ethical values in the light of religion brings about harmony between the two.

Self Actualization According to Bediuzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960) in Risale-I Nur

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi is one of the thinkers and reformers from Turkey who emerged as a figure of Sufism, the savior of faith and Islam in the 19th century. This research found a formulation of the self-actualization process that was different from the concepts of other scientists. According to Said Nursi, humans' self-concept consists of several natures: the rabbani nature, the nafsani nature, the spiritual nature, the physical nature, the tafakkur nature, and the tadhabbur nature. Some of these natures depend on the characteristics of the human soul journey, which cannot be separated from the fulfillment of worldly and spiritual needs and the ultimate need in the form of spirituality. Said Nursi's self-actualization positions as one of the alternative thinking frameworks based on the Koran, which goes through a four-step self-actualization process: through devotion to Allah by burying arrogance (abdun wa al-faqr), through the light of faith in God, through manifesting Asma-ul-Husna (Names of Allah) reflected in oneself, and by following the path of the Qur'an as the path of nature. Even Said Nursi repeatedly emphasized that every human being actually has the potential in the form of intrinsic faculties residing in his heart, soul, and intellect. Those popularly known as Al-Tafakkur, Tadhabbur, Al-'Ajz, Al-Fāqr, and Al-Shāfaqah are called spiritual innovations that lead to the development of tauhid to shape character and behavior towards perfect humans (Inshan Al-Kamil).

Faith and Revolution: The Case of Islamic Resurgence by Said Nursi in Turkey

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi dedicated his life to the safeguarding and strengthening of faith in God, which for him was the most important issue of the time and was at the heart of religion and the societal system. He believed religious conviction faced severe and combined attacks and was being weakened by unreligious ideologies. Nursi sought to strengthen belief by transforming it from imitation to certainty. He maintained that to be occupied with the fundamentals of belief over and above everything was an absolute necessity and compelling need. This definition of the problem gave direction to his discourse, and in all his writings Nursi pursued the renewal, revival, and strengthening of the truths of creed, rather than trying to rebuild Islamic political authority and Islamic institutions or expounding Islamic Shariah rules. This is the most important single issue that distinguishes Nursi from his contemporaries. This paper, in this backdrop, anticipates to discuss the significance of Nursi’s thoughts, teachings and also explains the importance of Nursi in the formation of ideology that helped the society of Turkey to neutralize anti-religious systems. The aim of this research paper is to explain Nursi’s contributions that proved him to be a faith revivalist and whose works are one of the most ubiquitous read materials in Turkey. This essay is primarily a theoretical one and the methodology adopted for this paper is analytical-historical and descriptive.

Interfaith Dialogue in the Twentieth Century: A Study of the Contribution of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and Seyyed Hossein Nasr

Interfaith dialogue has been initiated in the nineteenth century as an ecumenical discourse that was transformed and adapted by almost all religions as a means of building interfaith harmony. However, in the case of Islam Muslim scholars had to respond in a variant geopolitical panorama of the post-colonial world, struggling to place themselves between strong notions of Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité and safeguarding the traditional fabric of Islam. The present paper expounds on the approaches of two Muslim scholars in the twentieth century are Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1876-1960), an eminent Turkish spiritual leader, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1933-), an Iranian origin, contemporary Muslim philosopher in the United States. Both of them are well-known for their contribution to interfaith dialogue with their unique methodologies. The main research question is; to study the contribution of Nursi and Nasr in the field of interfaith dialogue which is presumably led by Protestants as well as Catholics. The methodology includes comparative and historical analysis which has been applied to explore the academic as well as the social contribution of both the scholars focusing on their enterprise of interfaith dialogue in a pluralistic society. The article ends up concluding that both Nursi and Nasr agreed on the importance of dialogue for a co-existing means while differed in their methods to initiate it.

Divine Love as the Reason for Creation in Islam—An Exploration of Nursi’s Epistles of Light

This paper aims to answer the question “why did God create the world” by examining Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s magnum opus, the The Epistles of Light (Risale-i Nur), to demonstrate that, from a Nursian perspective, divine love is the raison d’etre for the creation of the world. The first section will investigate the notion of divine love as reflected in the wider Muslim scholarly literature. This will be followed by a discussion on the theology of divine names, with special attention to Nursi’s perspective, illustrating the critical role that this concept plays in Nursian theology particularly as it relates to cosmic creation. The third section will explore the metaphysics of love, the important implications of God’s love in the creation of the world, and its role as the driving force for the dynamism and activities within the structure of the universe. The Qur’anic presentation of love, maḥabba, as well as the significance of the reciprocal nature of love between God and humankind will be explored next. The final section will shed light on the synergy between divine love and the Qur’anic notion of ibtilā, trial and tribulation, to demonstrate its instrumentality in man’s spiritual journey.

An Analytical study of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s Intellectual Development and Composition of Risale-i Nur (a Thematic Qur’ānic Exegesis)

The current study analyses Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s life and contributions. It presents a short description of his early life, education and dissatisfaction with the then prevailing education systems. This is followed by an analysis of his intellectual development due to rapidly changing circumstances. The paper also presents an insight into Nursi’s representative work ‘Risale-i Nur’ through an analysis of its structure and methodology. This is significant because his intellectual development, due to changes in his circumstances, played an instrumental role in determining the style, method and objectives of Risale. Hence, the study of his intellectual development is imperative to understand the objectives of Risale. The findings of the paper revealed that Nursi’s approach to reform the Muslim society was not stagnant. In the ‘Old Said’ phase, he attempted to neutralize the decline in Muslim community through sociopolitical reforms. The ‘New Said’ phase was marked by his efforts to strengthen belief, encounter anti-religious ideologies and detachment from politics. In the ‘Third Said’ phase, he again took interest in sociopolitical matters but it was limited to the theoretical realm with no practical involvement. The study also found that the structure of Risale, its treatment of subjects and its methodology are its distinguishing features. It consists of the elements well-suited to the needs of the time to save Islamic belief against the onslaught of atheistic ideologies. The current research was conducted using the qualitative approach. It is beneficial for academia in understanding the intellectual development of this great 20th century Turkish Muslim scholar.

Said Nursi’s Thoughts on Environmental Sustainability in Risale-I Nur

This study addresses the standpoint of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi about the importance of holistic Islamic view towards living sustainably. Nowadays, human beings are less aware of the environmental destruction that increasingly causing harm to all. The problem arises from people’s abandonment in manifesting the infinite meaning of Allah’s attributes (al-Asma’ al-Husna) in daily practice. In fact, Allah the Most Merciful has fulfilled all the needs of His creatures to the very least. However, we do not take into account the importance of implementing the meaning of al-Asma’ al-Husna to make any progress in all aspects of life. Therefore, Said Nursi was a leading Muslim scholar of the 20th century who strived to give greater understanding and explanation to the importance of manifestation of the God’s Divine Name for the people towards creating awareness of environmental sustainability. This article focuses on the values and ethics related to environmental sustainability from the Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s perspective in Risale-i Nur. Therefore, the researchers have read the Risale-i Nur inductively to capture Said Nursi’s thought on environmental sustainability. In conclusion, the results of the study found that a good understanding towards (i) the purpose of Allah's creation, (ii) the meaning of al-Asma’ al-Husna and its manifestation, (iii) and the importance of ethics or behaviour towards creatures, can help maintain environmental sustainability and survival of biodiversity.