Excerpts from and reflections on Risale-i Nur (Epistles of Light) collection by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi
Imam Nursi was a profound Quranic scholar and theologian of 20th century. Receiving Nur team benefits immensely from the Risale-i Nur so as to discover the wisdom and beauty of the Quran reflected in the universe and in our lives.
Perhaps Their Harmony is not that Simple: Bediuzzaman Said Nursi on the Quran and Modern Science
The aim of this article is to discuss the noteworthy approach of a twentieth-century Muslim scholar and exegete, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi (1877–1960), to the relationship between the Qur’an and science. Nursi’s case illustrates that the task of relating the modern science and the Qur’an requires attention to the interpretive dimensions of both. Before I turn to discussing Nursi’s approach, in the first part of the article I shall discuss a popular contemporary Muslim discourse on science, the genre of “scientific miracles” of the Qur’an, in order to provide a heuristic comparative context.
My ego, as the representative of materialist view, said to my heart: “We live in a universe where natural causes effect things by their very nature. Everything is connected to a particular material natural cause. Hence, you should expect the fruit from the tree, and the harvest from the soil. What is to point of praying to God for things, especially small things?” At that point, with the light of the Quran the secret of tawhid opened up. And my heart replied to my ego:
Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the succession of night and day, there are indeed signs for all who are endowed with insight [and] who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and [thus] contemplate the creation of the heavens and the earth: “O our Sustainer! Thou hast not created [aught of] this without meaning and purpose. (Qu’ran, 3:-190 -91)
[Abraham] said: ‘I do not love those that set’ (Qur’an, 6:76). Whoever knows himself, knows his Lord, Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said. In this essay, we intend to undertake such journey of self-discovery, which will lead us to exciting destination of encountering the One Creator.
The Problem of Evil Based on the Work of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi
Evil is a reality that confronts us every day. It is part of the human world. Its devastating consequences are especially evident in our time. Today more than ever before, there is great need of gaining deeper insights into the mystery of evil, precisely as it emerges from the exercise of human freedom.
It was the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was [first] bestowed from on high as guidance onto humanity and a self-evident proof from that guidance, as the standard with which to discern the true from the false. Hence, whoever of you lives to see this month shall fast through it…(Qur’an, 2: 185)
The fast of Ramadan is one of the pillars of Islam. Like others pillars of Islam, it is a multifaceted act, with profound implications for all aspects of our lives, personal, social and ethical. It rejuvenates our relationship to our Merciful Creator, as well as our relations with other human beings. It helps us to be witnesses to God’s glory, to be mindful of and thankful for bounties of God, as well as to discipline our ego. In what follows, we will explore some of these aspects of Ramadan fast.
Belief (iman) certainly requires prayer. Human nature strongly yearns for prayer. And, also, God Almighty declares in the Quran, Say [unto those who believe]: “No weight or value would my Sustainer attach to you were it not for your prayer!” (Quran, 25:77) God also commands us, Call unto Me, [and] I shall respond to you! (Quran, 40:60). Now, you may ask: “We frequently offer prayers, but they are not accepted. While the verse is general, it states that every prayer is answered?”
Reconciling Abundance and Wisdom Manifest in the Universe The purposes and results of beings are not restricted to this world and to the human perspective…Rather, there are numerous purposes for the existence of everything, and numerous results flow from their existence. One can roughly categorize these numerous purposes into three categories, as follows...
Welcoming Eid With Abraham Laying Down Illusions Under the Knife of Mercy: Following Prophet Abraham and Ishmael
The story of Prophet Abraham attempting to sacrifice narrated in the Quran is worth reflecting on especially during this season of pilgrimage and Eid of Sacrifice. Prophet Abraham’s attempted sacrifice of his son is narrated in Sura 37 right after the brief mention of how Abraham (peace be on him) challenged idol worship among his people, and his angry interlocutors decided to throw him into a blazing fire (Qur’an, 37:83-98).
Journey To the Divine According to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi
And I have not created the Jinns and human beings to any end other than that they may [know and] worship Me. (Qur’an, 51:56)
Why are we here on earth? To worship God, says the Qur’an. This is a profound response that is worthy of exploring. What is meant by worship? Are we supposed to live in the mosque, or a monastery? Who is God really and how come my purpose and fulfillment is tied to worshipping and adoring God? What if I decline this purpose, what are the consequences?
In this essay, we shall explore these key questions with the help of a wonderful Muslim scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Said Nursi, like many Muslim teachers before him, engaged with the Qur’an with an open heart and intellect. As an interpretation of this key verse, what Nursi offers is really a journey of the spirit, the heart, the intellect and other faculties. He shows how knowing and worshipping God is a journey that leads to joy and fulfillment in this world and in the next…
