Said Nursi’s Democratic Society Vision

In our period as rapid changes are seen discussions on the concepts
of human rights, state of law, democratization and freedom prepared a basis for
other changes with social dimension. While state centered views that dominated past
centuries are weakening, views aiming at expanding person’s life area and centered
on human strengthened in this century.

When evaluated from our country’s perspective, it is seen that our democratization
process full of pain and tears is still problematic. Despite a process of at least
one hundred years, our country’s grades concerning human rights are still low. Our
country, which passed hundredth year of constitutionalism, still longs for a free,
modern democracy. Problems centered on the concepts of religion-politics-state cannot
be overcome. In addition to this, state centered codes and authoritarian tendencies
dominant in the process of shifting from Empire to republic could not be left behind.
Authoritarian perceptions leads to postpone individual rights and freedoms and prevent
attainment of democracy to the desired level. As one of the most basic discussion
topics, “Kurdish Issue” gradually becomes deeper and gains different dimensions
with nationalist-statist reflexes. The point where the process launched as “Democratic
Initiative” will end, how to stop antidemocratic structures and how to end terror
are among the questions that are asked most today. In short, several problems of
our country in socio-cultural, socio-economic, socio-psychological fields are waiting
to be solved with new initiatives.

Said Nursi’s democratic society vision ornamented with ethics and virtues contain
sensitivities and principles which may be the solution of chronic problems of our
country. Said Nursi involved in democracy discussions within the last period of
Ottoman Empire, when such discussions initiated in our country, defended constitutionalism
for religion, and attracted attention with his innovative quality outside the traditionalist
understanding, with his specialist identity in social sciences and politics. Ideas
of Bediüzzaman, who himself lived during Autocracy, Constitutional and Republic
Periods and witnessed socio-cultural and political breakdowns, can bring new perspectives
to today’s democracy discussions. Solution offers of Said Nursi to Turkey’s bleeding
and deepening wound called Kurdish Issue are worthy of attention. Knew region’s
personal and social dynamics well, Said Nursi focused on the essence of the issue
and provides a prescription. Moreover, Said Nursi did not only draw attention to
our country’s problems, but also to Islam world’s and humanity’s problems, and laid
the foundations of a peaceful world.

In our previous issue we presented some of the congress paper texts from “Solution
Seeking for Today’s Problems and Said Nursi Model Congress”, and looked for solutions
to basic problems surrounding humanity within the light of Bediüzzaman’s views.
And in this issue we discuss issues that are important for both our country and
the world such as World Peace, Democracy and Human Rights and Kurdish Issue, and
intended to contribute to democratic initiative process and to draw the framework
of Said Nursi’s democratic society vision. Moreover, by sharing the report concerning
Kurdis Issue prepared by Risale-i Nur Institute, and presented the issue to our
readers and concerned people.

While presenting the journal to you, we hope to be with you with “Third Said”
file.