Tunisia symposium: “Man and humanity: A Risale-i Nur Perspective”

Attending the conference are representatives from the IFSC, namely Mehmet Firinci (one of Said Nursi’s students) and Executive President of the foundation Said Yüce. Professor of Islamic Sciences, Dr. Halil Çiçek from Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt Üniversity and Dr. İshak Özgel, professor of Divinity from Süleyman Demirel Üniversity are the main representatives for the Turkish academic contingent.  Professor Dr. Ammar Ceydal and Zeytuna University Rector Professor Dr. Hişam Kriyse are the main Tunisian representatives at the symposium.

The opening session of the symposium began with a recitation of the Qur’an which was followed by a talk by one of the students and acquaintances of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Mehmed Firinci Abi. “May God Bless our scholars and teachers. They have worked and endured for 1,400 years to lay for us a clear and Straight Path towards the Truth”.

The Executive President of the IFSC, Said Yuce stated that “The more that the nature of mankind and the reason for his being sent to this world is understood, then the more easily implementable will be the solutions to the worldly problems that afflict him”.

He went on to say: “Humanity and his worldly relations do not merely end upon death. Rather, they continue on into the HereAfter. And among the most important questions that persist throughout all his life and efforts are ‘What is man? What is the nature of man? Why was mankind sent to this world?”

“We must correctly identify just who mankind is and what are his characteristics before we can begin to remove the roots of the problems that afflict us”, he continued.

“A genuinely functional and true civilization that is appropriate and suitable for the disposition of mankind is designated in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and can indeed arise from it. In his treatises, Said Nursi described and characterized what constitutes a true human being. His description and explanation is both highly congent and comprehensive. The value of the human being arises from the lofty and multifarious faculties that constitute him, as well as in the mission and duties that he carries and undertakes. We should thus look at mankind and identify him as the vicegerent, as the most esteemed of creation as described in the Qur’an.”

Tunus Zeytuna University Rector, Prof. Dr. Hişam Kriyse explained Nursi with these words:

“In Sura Yasin of the Qur’an there is a pious man who comes from the farthest corner of the city in order to try to save his people. In a similar way, and in our modern age of great trials, a man from the farthest corner of Anatolia has come to wake up and rouse the Ummah. This man is Said Nursi”.

Prof Dr. Kriyse also said that Said Nursi’s understanding of politics was that which was demonstrated by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) during his mission. For Nursi did not offer a monolithic political model, but rather cautioned that politics must serve Islam as opposed to the other way round.

“Just like the great muslim scholars of North Africa, Said Nursi emphasised the combined practice of various dimensions of Islamic knowledge, education and wisdom”, said Prof. Kriyse, adding that “Nursi understood the needs of our century and so in combining both Qur’an and Sunnah in an accessible way, he provided a balanced way for the muslims of our age”.

Head Of The Symposium Organizing Committee, Dr. Ali Elaşşi in his opening speech mentioned that he had attended a previous international Bediuzzaman symposium in Istanbul where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had given a talk. Erdogan had stated that Said Nursi was a treasure that needed to be discovered. Dr. Elaşşi stated “For that purpose of discovery we have arranged this symposium here in Tunisia”.

Dr. Ali Elaşşi said of Nursi that “He exclaimed that the greatest power is that of faith”. “He sacrificed his life to fight against people such as the English Colonial Minister who allegedly wanted to lay a trap for muslims by depriving them from understanding and internalizing the Qur’an. Nursi indeed lived by the words that he spoke and there was no difference between the life he lived and what he advocated and teached”, added Dr. Elaşşi.

Ömer Faruk Doğan, the Turkish Republic ambassador in Tunisia made it clear that Said Nursi and his real followers have nothing to do with Fethullah Gulen or his terrorist organisation:

“It is clear that there is a world of difference between Said Nursi and FETO. That organisation has stolen and distorted many concepts. By exploiting Nursi they have contributed towards the fragmentation of the unity of the Islamic ummah. FETO’s style of activities in academic and other areas have never had a true connection or relationship with Said Nursi and his teachings”.

President of the Tunis Qur’an Studies Institute, Dr. Afif Elkuki discussed some work that he and his institute had been doing on the subject of the miraculousness of the Qur’an. “We are very happy to participate in a symposium about such a great scholar as Said Nursi who showed great interest in the Qur’an and its miraculousness”, he stated, adding that “Nursi approached such a subject by emphasis on belief through investigation”.

The final speaker at the opening session was the President of the Kayravan Islamic Sciences Institute, Muhammed Elhabib Elalani. “Amidst all the troubling and destabilizing material and spiritual forces that faced the Ummah, Said Nursi held fast onto the Qur’an as his central point of support and thus initiated a balanced and correct path towards rennovation. He worked towards the cultivation and development of a knowledgable religious society and community”.

 

Following the opening of the programme a host of scholars from the Arab world discussed the following topics in the morning session: “Conceptual Milestones of Man and Humanity in the Risale-i Nur” (Prof. Dr. Ammar Ceydal), “Fundamentals of the Constitution of Man According to Iqbal and Nursi” (Prof. Dr. Muhammad Elarbi Elbuzizi, “Sincerity As The Means to Salvation in the Risale-i Nur” (Prof. Dr. Memum Feriz Cerrar), “Thinking For or Against Said Nursi” (Dr. Seyfeddin Elmacidi).

Topics discussed in the afternoon session were “The Scope of Miracles according to Nursi” (Prof. Dr. Halil Çiçek), “The Concept of Liberty as a Human Value within Nursi’s Thought” (Prof. Dr. Nasr Cüveyli), “The Method of Nursi’s Qur’anic Exegesis” (Prof. Dr. İshak Özgel), “Nursi’s View on the Topic of a Practical/Objective Exegesis of the Qur’an” (Prof Dr. Muhammed Elhabib Elalani).

Tommorow and on the second and final day of the symposium, the morning session will feature the following talks: “The Concepts of ‘Ma’rifah’ and ‘Ahlak’ in Nursi’s treatises” (Dr. Muhammed Elmusteyri), “The Characteristics of Man’s Image Through The Lens Of Tawhid; A Study Of The Risale-i Nur” (Dr. Beyye Sultani), “Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s Projects of Reform in field of Pedagogy and Education” (Dr. Şükri Elbaci), “Milestones for Humanity in Nursi’s Reform Project” (Dr. Ali Elaşşi), “Love and Brotherhood in the Risale-i Nur” (Dr. Ali Elsouli).

Finally in the afternoon of the second day, the following talks will be given: “The Basis of the Risale-i Nur’s Programme and its Method Of Reform for Society” (Dr. Muhammed Sabir Elsabit), “Risale-i Nur’s Approach Towards Saving Mankind from Material Conflicts” (Dr. Muhammed Rizki), “The Role of Teaching Faith in the Renewal Of the Human Being: Said Nursi’s Perspective” (Dr. Meniye Elamciri), “Questions of Creation with Respect to The Example of the Creation of Death In Nursi’s Philosophical Approach” (Dr. Sare Elcüveyni), and finally “Human Activity in Nursi’s Thought” by Dr. Salim Elmesahili.

The sessions are also to be followed by discussions and evaluations of the topics by students and academicians respectively.