Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture

2017 Symposium Papers

2017 Symposium Papers

GOOD DEEDS AS POSITIVE ACTIONS IN NURSI'S WORK: HUMAN COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVE

In various parts of the Resale-i Nur Collection, Said Nursi elaborates on the issue of good deeds, addressed from a number of angles. More precisely, the objective of the present paper is the analysis of Qur'anic verses dealing with human communication elements of the taqwa concepts (al-Baqarah (2): 1-5, 177; Ali Imran (3): 134; al-Dzaryat (51): 15-17; al-Anbiya’ (21): 48-49), emphasizing the horizontal aspects of human interactions. The questions we want to answer are: How does Nursi enunciate both concepts? What are the arguments of Nursi on the meaning of good deeds, the benefits of good deeds and the need to perform good deeds, among others? In order to answer these, seven specific factors associated with good deeds will be examined from the above Collection: caring for others; commitments; patience; forgiving others and controlling one’s emotions; realizing and avoiding previous mistakes; and persistence to excel. This paper contends that through his writings, Said Nursi indeed pr

Andi Faisal Bakti
2017 Symposium Papers

NURSI’S CRITIQUE OF FARABI AND IBN SINA IN AGREEMENT WITH AL-GHAZALI

As commonly known, Ibn Sina and Farabi, two prominant philosophers and scholars in Islamic history, were well affected from the thoughts of the Greek philosophers, Aristotle and Plato. It is seen that in their famous books, Ibn Sina and Farabi tried to harmonize the ideas of Aristotle and Plato with Islamic way of thinking and interpret even some basic Islamic elements according to their philosophical understanding. However, two other effective Islamic scholars, who lived in different ages than each other, Hujjatu’l Islam al-Ghazali and Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, strictly criticized their ways of thinking and interpretations because these were found not to parallel the Islamic belief from various aspects. Although the level of their criticism is not the same, the points they criticized are similar.

Tuğba Türkoğlu
2017 Symposium Papers

APPROACHES OF IMAM GAZZALI AND SAID NURSI IN THE EDUCATIONAL REVIVAL OF MUSLIM COMMUNITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Education had occupied great significance in society since time immemorial. The means and ways of the mechanism have varied from time to time. Perhaps, it was subject to the transformation from the primitive period to the medieval age and from the medieval age to the modern age. Educational doctrines and ideas proposed by the two eminent scholars Imam Gazzali and Said Nursi paved the way for the development of Muslim community in their age. This paper is an attempt to draw a comparison between the reformative, positive actions proposed by Imam Gazzali and Said Nursi in the educational revival of Muslim community of their periods.

Noushad Vazhayil
2017 Symposium Papers

JOB IN THE RISALE-I NUR: SAID NURSI’S PASTORAL THEOLOGY

Job’s (pbuh) story has been studied from many different per-spectives: from the point of view of psychology; family health; sociology and theology. This paper claims that ‘pastoral theology’, as a recognised theological discipline within Christian tradition, can also be found within Muslim tradition. Hence, the paper at hand is an attempt to re-examine the story of Job from the point of view of pastoral theology, manifest in the Qur’an Exegesis of the contempo-rary Muslim scholar Said Nursi. To facilitate our discussion, our ex-amination of Nursi’s interpretation of the respective Job-verses of the Qur’an will be organised according to Richard Osmer’s notion of the four key questions and tasks of the pastoral theologian, cover-ing a) the descriptive-empirical task; b) the interpretative task; c) the normative task and d) the pragmatic task.

Tubanur Yesilhark Ozkan
2017 Symposium Papers

THE SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUS HUMANITY AND WELLBEING: PROMOTING POSITIVE MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

We propose an exploration of the neural correlates of harmony and disorder. Previously, few concrete parameters existed for the states of positive and purposeful human behavior however recent scientific evidence suggests that altruism is an innate biological foundation of human empathy and compassion. We will investigate motivation and bias, coherence of the heart and mind, and validation of a deeper level of information as revealed in Said Nursi’s illumination of humans as the, “comprehensive index of the universe.” The scholarship promotes a psychological enquiry into the conventional and ultimate truths of “a map of a thousand worlds” as an intelligent blueprint that can offer insights into sustainable codes to consciousness, compassion and connectedness.

Carina H. Chatlani
2017 Symposium Papers

SOCIAL DEPRIVATION OF MUSLIMS IN INDIA: DECONSTRUCTING SAID NURSI THROUGH SOCIOLOGICAL LENS

This presentation will examine the notion of positive action (müsbet hareket) in the thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi at three stages. Initially, it will analyse the similarities and differences between pacifism, civil disobedience, and positive action. Secondly, it will discuss Bediuzzaman’s thoughts on material and spiritual jihad in relation to his notion of positive action. Thirdly, it will investigate the meaning and implications of constructive action in relation to positive action. The paper will emphasize the importance of pure justice in Bediuzzaman’s thought and ethics arguing that pure justice is an inseparable element of positive action in the thought of Bediuzzaman. Positive action stands as a principle of sincere service to the betterment of all.

Bushra Beegom Mansoor
2017 Symposium Papers

POSITIVE ACTION IN THE THOUGHT OF BEDIUZZAMAN SAID NURSI

This presentation will examine the notion of positive action (müsbet hareket) in the thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi at three stages. Initially, it will analyse the similarities and differences between pacifism, civil disobedience, and positive action. Secondly, it will discuss Bediuzzaman’s thoughts on material and spiritual jihad in relation to his notion of positive action. Thirdly, it will investigate the meaning and implications of constructive action in relation to positive action. The paper will emphasize the importance of pure justice in Bediuzzaman’s thought and ethics arguing that pure justice is an inseparable element of positive action in the thought of Bediuzzaman. Positive action stands as a principle of sincere service to the betterment of all.

Suendam Birinci Pirim
2017 Symposium Papers

KEEPING HOPE ALIVE: A PREREQUISITE FOR A POSITIVE ACTION IN THE LIGHT OF RISALE-I NUR

Despondency and hopelessness have cast its dark clouds on humanity across globe in the modern period. Materialism and secularization have weakened and severed man’s fount of hope- faith in religion. However, action and more intensive and extensive actions have attained the symbol of modernism, but “the positive action for a better world” is yet to be defined and actualized in the contemporary world. World wars, Cold wars, Nuclearization, Environmental pollution, Ecological crisis, Militarization, Economic and social disparities do not speak of positive actions. Bediuzaman Said Nursi keeps up the hope alive in humans through his words – Risale- i- Nur and his life – lived through extreme pain, suffering, imprisonment, alienation and exile. True to the Qur’anic notion of cultivating faith in the Oneness of God and in the Day of Reward- Hereafter. Nursi expounds the Qur’anic theme of ‘the given in this world’ as a test which if appropriated positively could earn blessings for the doer. He

Abdul Majid Khan
2017 Symposium Papers

ANA: THE KEY TO THE ‘TREASURES’ OF THE UNIVERSE

The global world is faced by the ‘six diseases’ that have eaten up the peaceful coexistence and making life complicated. Within the Muslim world, the problem is worst. These diseases are demolishing the structural foundation of an organized religion like Islam. The progress and development of the Muslims in general can only be achieve through unity of purpose and togetherness. Muslims are a role model for others to emulate. Had they been abiding by the rules of collectiveness as stipulated in Islam, the whole globe could have been a peaceful place to live in. Thus, due to the absence of disseminating the beauty of Islam, the global humanity is paying the prize. The despair, deceit, enmity, despotism, disunity or individualism of a fellow man have widespread consequences upon others. Disposing positive actions towards the global problem can be of maximum help. Nursi professed that consultation, unity, hope, Islamic dignity, honesty and love are the only ways left for the Muslim nations

Mahshid Turner
2017 Symposium Papers

THE CURRENT GLOBAL SICKNESS AND ITS POSIBLE REMEDY FROM SAID NURSI’S PERSPECTIVE

The global world is faced by the ‘six diseases’ that have eaten up the peaceful coexistence and making life complicated. Within the Muslim world, the problem is worst. These diseases are demolishing the structural foundation of an organized religion like Islam. The progress and development of the Muslims in general can only be achieve through unity of purpose and togetherness. Muslims are a role model for others to emulate. Had they been abiding by the rules of collectiveness as stipulated in Islam, the whole globe could have been a peaceful place to live in. Thus, due to the absence of disseminating the beauty of Islam, the global humanity is paying the prize. The despair, deceit, enmity, despotism, disunity or individualism of a fellow man have widespread consequences upon others. Disposing positive actions towards the global problem can be of maximum help. Nursi professed that consultation, unity, hope, Islamic dignity, honesty and love are the only ways left for the Muslim nations

Aishatu Abubakar Kumo
2017 Symposium Papers

WHAT IS NURSİ’S POSITIVE ACTION?

This paper represents an exploration of thoughts and ideas rather than anything particularly academic. One thing that I should clarify from the outset is that Nursi’s positive action should not be conflated with this late 20th century social orthodoxy known as ‘positive thinking’. Positive action – musbet hareket – is not a method. It is not a strategy that is employed at a particular time as a reactive response to a particular event or situation. My argument is that for Nursi, positivity underpins ontology. Positivity underpins his epistemology, his value system and the behaviours and actions that he advocates.

Colin Turner
2017 Symposium Papers

THE ROLE OF ISLAMIC THEOLOGY IN CREATING A BETTER WORLD: THE FOUNDATIONAL VIEWS OF RISALE-I NUR

The world is today undergoing critical challenges of political, socio-economic and religious dimensions. Mankind had never before been obsessed with phenomenal issues of poverty, environmental degradation, and climatic upheavals resulting in drought and floods and an alarming level of moral turpitude as being witnessed in most communities around the world. It is against this general background the paper examines the role of Islamic theology in fashioning a better world order. The paper begins by discussing the foundations of Islamic theology from the perspective of Risale-i Nur. It proceeds to discuss the practical solutions offered by Risale-i Nur in the different spheres of life. The paper concludes by advocating a new thinking in the way the world will be transformed into a better place, especially by examining the doctrinal and theological bases presented by Risale-i Nur. These solutions have universal application for mankind.

Vaffi Foday Sheriff
2017 Symposium Papers

An Outline of Said Nursi’s Interpretation of Jihad: Jihad of the Word and Positive Action

The differences in Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s interpretation of jihad between the two main periods of his life reflect differences between the two major periods of Turkish history with which they coincided – the final decades of the Ottoman Empire and first thirty-five years of the republic. Though the differences appear to be greater than the similarities, there are in fact essential continuities. These concern his view that endeavours to uphold the Word of God (i‘lâ-yı kelimetullah), an objective related to jihad, should be directed primarily towards internal problems of Muslim society rather than externally towards the unbelievers. This meant a struggle for progress and civilisation in the earlier period, and a moral and intellectual “jihad of the word” against the “moral and spiritual destruction” of materialistic philosophies in the latter. In both periods, he endorsed the view that armed jihad was permissible only in the face of external aggression.

Şükran Vahide
2017 Symposium Papers

The future of humanity in the works of Said Nursi and Vladimir Solovyov

Turkish Islamic theologian Said Nursi (1878-1960) and the Russian Christian philosopher Vladimir Soloviev (1853-1900) lived and worked in different eras and cultures, but they share a focus on a future, dominated by spiritual values. Said Nursi based his views on the Qur'anic texts and proceeded from the fact that Muslims, Jews and Christians are People of the Book. He saw in science and the logic of the path leading to the future, for the distribution of their works not only in the Islamic environment, but also around the world. Through affirmative action, he sought to achieve a better future for all people. Vladimir Solovyov appealed to Bible texts for religious morality. He aspired to the unity of the theological, philosophical and scientific knowledge, to the unity of the Christian world, to engage in dialogue with representatives of all religions, but especially with Muslims and Jews. By Christian politics he has seen the transition from bad reality to the Kingdom of God on earth

Sergey Mezentsev
2017 Symposium Papers

NURSI’S CALL TO HIS RHETORICAL AUDIENCE IN DAMASCUS SERMON

This study aims to identify the projection of audience through a rhetorical analysis in Damascus Sermon written by Said Nursi. Specifically, the analysis focuses on Nursi’s call to his rhetorical audience to be mediators of change. The Sermon is analysed using a qualitative research method through an explanatory case study based on Bitzer’s (1968, 1980) rhetorical situation theory. The findings reveal that Nursi’s call for ‘positive action’ to his present and envisioned rhetorical audience is embedded in the solution he provides in the form of six ‘Words’ to cure the “six dire sicknesses" of Muslims in particular. Although there are limitations in this study as it only focuses on the audience, the findings are worth considering as audience play an important role through their actions which are crucial for positive modification in any rhetorical situations. The implications from the study can benefit audience, create orators’ awareness and contribute to the field of rhetorical studies.

Nur Sakinah Thomas
2017 Symposium Papers

Social Impact of the Period of “The Kastamonu Letters” to Spread the Ideas of “Risale-i-Nur” in the Education of Youth

In this article we analyze the impact of the activity and the spread of ideas of the “Risale-i Nur” in the education of the young generation. “The Kastamonu Letters” is an interesting and valuable combination of Nursi’s guidelines with life and everyday issues; it raises the curtain and allows us to understand better the goals and directions of the “Risale-i Nur”. Thus, the analysis of the letters, as an impact on the education of the youth, allows us more to systematize the appeal of Said Nursi, to structure the areas, that these guidelines were covered. They help us not to get lost in a world full of challenges, doubts and temptations. They help us to get united in a holistic circles of family, society, and state. They help us not be absorbed by the wish of the authorities, but not to stay out of your homeland and state. So, the adoption of values and the rule-management of the “Risale-i-Nur” can be considered the basis for the social order and for the socialization of the younger ge

Nataliia Malynovska
2017 Symposium Papers

Towards Positive Action Building: Religious Understanding and Coexistence in Tafsir Isharat al-I’jaz by Said Nursi

Isharat al-I’jaz fi Mazan al-Ijaz is one of the most advanced pieces of tafsir scholarship in the 20th century, in which Said Nursi dealt with the problem of religious understanding, and described the very spiritual roots of the revelation where the faith in one God was so obvious that even the differences in approaching religious systems were mentioned as “signs” of the Unity. In this relation, Said Nursi has not been limiting religious understanding to the problem of social relations between various religions, but proposed a model of tolerant and just attitude as a result of the internal spiritual efforts towards positive action: we are recognizing other beliefs not because we are doubt in our own, but just in order to convey what we perceive as a Truth. This kind of the “intellectual humility” considered along with the positive action ideology is one of the most copious intellectual trends in the thought of Said Nursi. Hopefully new studies will bring new light on his explanation of

Mykhaylo Yakubovych
2017 Symposium Papers

Theoretical and Conceptual Perspectives on Positive Action

The foundation of brotherhood in our relationships between human beings promotes the unity and solidarity between us, wishing for the other one what you wish for you, helping each other, feeling their pain and even more, preferring the soul of your brother over yours when receiving benefits, thanks to the compassion and mercy which have to be made use of to achieve the true love that is pure to be followed with sincerity to our Creator. Also, we have to observe patience because it plays an important role in the goal to act positively, which also express sincerity to Allah; according to the Quran: “Allah loves the patients”, accepting the Divine Determination, trusting the Almighty. Everything bounded by the principle of unity which marked our existence with infinitive unities, as the fact of having only One Creator, only one earth, everyone called to achieve an only One Unity of faith which needs the unity of hearts to lead finally in a Social Unity among everyone in order to reach the

Jenny Gamarra Jara
2017 Symposium Papers

REMEDIES IN RISALE-I NUR FOR HUMAN TRIBULATIONS: AN OBSERVATION

Islam has a great capacity to remove tribulations from the human mind and from the society as well. The light house of the era, Nursi believes that the spread of a combined education of religious and modern sciences, the reduction of sectarian groups, the enhancement of humanitarian works; the improvement in spirituality and the enlightenment against sectarianism in Islamic society and Islamic world will protect Islam from a religious trauma. We have tried to explore certain ways for Muslim believers to enhance their capability against mental and physical tribulation in the light of Risale-i Nur. If we obey and follow methods, then the world will become friendlier for human integration.

Md. Iqbal Hossain

4–6 October 2026 · Istanbul

13th International Bediuzzaman Symposium

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