14th English Graduate Conference Concluded

The 14th Young Academics Program, organized by İİKV, was held between 23–28 August 2025 in Istanbul. The program brought together young academics and doctoral students from various countries, serving as a platform for engaging with the Risale-i Nur both academically and spiritually.

Throughout the program, participants attended lectures by distinguished scholars such as Prof. Colin Turner, Dr. Mashid Turner, Dr. Ahmet Subaşı, and Prof. Necati Aydın. These lectures explored Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s methodology, approach to Qur’anic exegesis, and intellectual mission. While the daytime sessions focused on methodology, theology, contemporary philosophical issues, and the relevance of Islamic thought today, the evening sessions provided a medrese-style atmosphere that emphasized the spiritual dimension of the Risale-i Nur. This allowed participants to experience the works from both an academic and an inner perspective.

This year’s program hosted academics from countries such as India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Nigeria. Participants reflected on how the Risale-i Nur addressed the intellectual challenges, modern doubts, and materialist philosophies prevalent in their own contexts, expressing that the program had been eye-opening for them.

Several participants shared their impressions:

• Muhammed Razi (India) said he was impressed by Istanbul’s multicultural fabric and concluded that Bediüzzaman was a scholar who offered comprehensive answers to today’s philosophical questions.

• Abdullah Rıdvan (India) admitted he had been unsure whether Bediüzzaman was a traditionalist or a modernist, but after studying the Risale-i Nur, he realized Nursi transcended such categories, offering a Qur’anic commentary relevant to the present age.

• Arkam Mohammed (Sri Lanka) noted that in a country where 90% of the population is non-Muslim, the Risale-i Nur provided strong responses to materialist thought. He proposed organizing a symposium in Sri Lanka to expand its global reach.

• Muhammed Hilaluddin (Bangladesh) explained that he had already published academic work on Bediüzzaman and planned to continue his research in Malaysia.

• Ahmad Zaky Mubarek (Indonesia) emphasized that the Risale-i Nur should be studied not only in medrese settings but also within academic frameworks. He highlighted the significance of Dr. Ahmet Subaşı’s lecture on “Fiṭra,” which helped him better grasp the harmony between religion and science.

• Hıdır (India), a master’s student focusing on Imam al-Ghazali, described Bediüzzaman as Ghazali’s greatest heir. He noted that the Treatise on Brotherhood provided strong rational proofs for the principle of fraternity and expressed interest in translating the works for wide dissemination in India.

• Zaim Zamri (Malaysia) stated that he had once leaned toward a secular educational outlook, but the Risale-i Nur redirected him toward an Islamic educational perspective.

• Kazeem Akeem (Nigeria) highlighted Said Nursi’s critical role in countering secularism, materialism, and the crises of the industrial age. He announced his goals of pursuing a post-doctoral study on Nursi, organizing seminars in Nigeria, and establishing a Nursi Research Center.

At the closing session held at Rüstem Pasha Madrasa, İİKV President Said Yüce remarked that participants’ interest and appreciation had grown as they became more familiar with the Risale-i Nur:

“A person is hostile to what they do not know. As we come to know the Risale-i Nur, we find answers to our questions. Bediüzzaman wrote his works under the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah. As the scholars of al-Azhar have said, we have never seen another work that explains the Qur’an and our Prophet so beautifully.”

Finally, future plans were announced: in October 2026, İİKV will host an international symposium titled “Qur’anic Solutions to Global Crises”, focusing on the answers the Risale-i Nur offers to global challenges.