Bediuzzaman Said Nursî’s Vision of the Future
Editorial
Risale-i Nur Institute, which was established to carry out scientific activities for a better understanding and promotion of the Risale-i Nur Collection and its author, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, has been able to produce solutions to the problems of humanity in socio-cultural, economic, religious and political fields since its establishment and by bringing interpretations to today’s issues from the perspective of Risale-i Nur, it organizes various organizations in order to convey the recipes of Risale-i Nur to our people. The Risale-i Nur Congresses and various academic activities, which are regularly organized by the Risale-i Nur Institute, are of remarkable studies that can help the search for solutions to the problems in the mentioned fields.
The “First Risale-i Nur Congress” on “The Role of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in the Meeting of Differences” organized by the Risale-i Nur Institute on May 2, 2004 has been the first step of the activities that have become traditional today. It is undeniable that these congresses, which were held for the fifteenth time last year, brought together academics from Turkey’s distinguished universities and many intellectuals, contributed to our world of thought. In these congresses, many issues that are discussed in Turkey and the Islamic world today were handled with an academic approach, and the discussed issues were evaluated in the light of Risale-i Nur and presented to the benefit of the public and those concerned. Constitutional problems that Turkey has been discussing since the Constitutional Monarchy, different dimensions of our country’s democratization process, issues discussed in the context of religion-state and politics, fundamental issues related to fundamental rights and freedoms, issues that concern the future of the Islamic world and the entire humanity have formed the main topic of these congresses. When evaluated in its entirety, an enormous academic accumulation has emerged. Undoubtedly, what makes this accumulation valuable is that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s approaches to the Qur’an constitute the essence of these congresses.
How to overcome the conflicts arising from the differences between religious, ethnic, cultural and social strata, which has become one of the main problems of our time, was discussed at the First Risale-i Nur Congress on “The Role of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in the Meeting of Differences”. In the congress, where “peace and tolerance”, which are the key concepts of living together, were emphasized and the possibilities of living together in peace despite differences were shown in the light of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s ideas.
The II. Risale-i Nur Congress was organized with the main title of “Science and Religion”.
In the congress, which drew attention to the fact that man is a creature who tries to know himself and his environment and examines and questions for this purpose, answers were sought to questions about making sense of existence. In the congress, where the subject of “science and religion”, which is one of the main conflict areas of positivism, was discussed, it was revealed that science and religion do not show a conflicting feature, on the contrary, they support each other. At this point, it has been declared that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s approach to making sense of existence in the integrity of reason and revelation removes science-religion conflicts and offers a new perspective and solution to humanity.
The main topic of the Third Risale-i Nur Congress dated March 26, 2006 was “Morality”. The congress, which aims to determine new approaches on the axis of “morality”, based on issues such as hedonism, greed, selfishness, discontentment and the spread of tolerance towards immorality, which can be evaluated in the context of worldliness, reached remarkable results. At the congress, which drew attention to the fact that the moral crisis in the world today is not a phenomenon independent of Muslim societies, it was stated that all humanity is facing a moral crisis and it was emphasized that Islam offers a system of values that encompasses all areas of life. In this respect, “ The Third Risale-i Nur Congress” has revealed how much humanity needs a lifestyle and morality oriented towards revelation and sunnah, and drew attention to the contributions of the Risale-i Nur in this regard.
Titled as “The Global Crisis and Said Nursi’s View on Economics”, “IV. Risale-i Nur Congress” was held on 21-22 March 2009. In this congress, the global economic crisis, which caused very important changes in the world and in our country, was discussed. In the congress, it was emphasized that human’s endless greed and boundless hedonism caused dramatic changes throughout human history. From this point of view, the global crisis, which brought the whole world to the brink of a new era, was interpreted with the economic and moral principles in the works of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, and solutions were suggested.
Within the scope of Bediuzzaman’s Week events, on 20-21 March 2010, “V. Risale-i Nur Congress” was organized with the main title “Searching for Solutions to the Problems of Our Age and Said Nursi’s Model”.
Congress activities were carried out around eight tables under the titles of “Religion and Politics; Democracy and Human Rights; Kurdish Question, World Peace; Women and Family; Faith, Human and Morality; Education, Culture and Art and Youth”; and it has been pointed out that one of the most depressed periods in human history is being experienced today. In the congress, where the problems experienced by the people of our age in many fields were discussed, solutions were tried to be produced in the light of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s views. These solutions have been tried to be put forward in order to respond to the searches that will make one’s own existence meaningful. With the V. Risale-i Nur Congress, attention was drawn to the problems existing in different fields in our country. With the congress, the basic problems of Turkish democracy were reviewed, realistic solutions to the Kurdish Question were proposed, and how to resolve the dilemma in the religion-politics-state triangle was revealed.
The sixth Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Damascus on March 19-20, 2011 under the title of “Said Nursi’s Conception of the Islamic World: Hutbe-i Şamiye” and six desk studies were conducted with the participation of nearly one hundred scholars. With the congress activities, attention was drawn to the great fluctuations and changes in the Islamic world, and suggestions for solutions to the main problems experienced by Islamic societies were expressed. The Congress, which included the analysis of Hutbe-i Şamiye in Arabic, declared by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi in 1911 in Damascus at the Umayyad Mosque, ended with the announcement of the congress’s final declaration after a two-day study. In the final declaration, the concept of humanity in the Hutbe-i Şamiye, which was written a hundred years ago, was emphasized, and the ideas that could contribute to world peace in the work were emphasized and Hutbe-i Şamiye was evaluated as a manifesto for the rise of Islamic civilization.
The seventh Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Sarajevo on 23-25 March 2012 with the title of ‘Said Nursi’s Understanding of Civilization’. The congress, in which five desk work was carried out, lasted for two days and at the end of the congress, the final declarations were announced to the public with a panel. It is stated in the studies that the secular civilization understanding of our age, free from divine messages, confronts today’s people with various problems; It was pointed out that the world lost its basic values of morality, goodness and beauty and fell into the clutches of money, power, career and debauchery. It is stated that humanity, which has become debauched and selfish with hedonism and utilitarianism, and the world, which is faced with social, cultural and economic crises, is facing a civilizational crisis, and as a solution proposal, the basic features of the “Civilization of the Qur’an”, drawn by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, are examined. It has been stated that there is a need for a civilization understanding that will bring peace to all humanity and adorned with universal values, and the “Civilization of the Qur’an”, which laid the foundations of societies of peace and love with the principles of “rights, justice, cooperation, solidarity and brotherhood,” has been proposed as a proposal to overcome the crises experienced by humanity.
The eighth Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Istanbul on March 30-31, 2013, and five desk studies were organized under the title of “Said Nursi’s Understanding of Nationality for Humanity and World Peace”, which was determined as the theme of the Congress. The concept of nation, which is one of the basic ideologies of the 19th century and which continues today, is defined through ethnic affiliations and the nation-states shaped around this concept, and the destructive effects of nationalism on Muslim societies were examined in the congress, which drew attention to the fact that the last few centuries have been associated with war, terror, blood and tears. In the congress, how these destructive effects can be eliminated and how the Qur’anic concept of nationality will be determined in the construction of a new society; It has been discussed how to implement a nationality understanding focused on brotherhood and solidarity, and in this context, the general framework drawn by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi for the concept of nationality has been determined and the importance of the concept of “positive nationality” has been pointed out.
The Ninth Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Istanbul on April 5-6, 2014 under the title of “Social movements and coexistence according to Said Nursi” and the subject was discussed with five desk exercises. In the congress, it was pointed out that one of the general problems of modern times on which principles should be based on the formula of coexistence of societies with different beliefs, cultures and ethnicities, was emphasized, and it was emphasized that due to the latest developments in the Islamic world, pluralistic and embracing searches that could keep different peoples together and in peace accelerated and, as a solution proposal, the principles of coexistence, developed by Said Nursi from a Qur’anic point of view, within the framework of concepts such as peace, respect, love, freedom, right, justice, brotherhood and positive action were expressed.
The 10th Risale-i Nur Congresses were held in Istanbul on 28-29 March 2015 under the title of “Risale-i Nur as a Tajdid Movement”. The main purpose of the congress was to discuss the possibilities that will establish the connection of today’s Islamic societies with religion correctly and in accordance with the original, and to guide our people and Islamic societies in general by addressing the renewal aspects of the Risale-i Nur in this regard. The questions of how to establish a methodical and systematic relationship between religion and life in a time when question marks about the essence of Islam increase, how to transfer faith to life in accordance with its original form, and how to eliminate the religious problems of the Islamic world, which is weak in terms of faith, morality, and worship have been discussed in terms of the methods put forward by Risale-i Nur.
The 11th Risale-i Nur Congress was held on 14-15 May 2016 in Cologne, Germany. Under the title of “Correct Islam in the East and the West”, which was determined as the subject of the congress, five desk studies were organized with the participation of nearly one hundred academicians. In the Congress, answers were sought for the questions of how to prevent the bloody disasters that resulted in civil wars in the Islamic world, how to bring peace to these lands, which are the cradle of civilizations of peace, brotherhood and tolerance, and how to bring the Qur’anic values together with the West; In the light of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and his works, who carried the experience of the Age of Bliss to the present day, practical answers were tried to be given to the basic problems and questions of both the Islamic world and humanity. The transfer of Islamic morality, formulated by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi as “correct Islam and righteousness worthy of Islam”, has been evaluated around the Qur’anic concepts such as “respect, love, freedom, right, justice, constructive action, morality and virtue” and the practices of ‘authentic Islam’ are revealed.
The 12th Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Istanbul on 25-26 March 2017. Five desk studies were carried out under the title of “The Rule of Law According to Said Nursi and Religion-State and Community Relations in the Axis of Justice”, which was determined as the subject of the congress. Religion-state and society relations, which were discussed as one of the problematic areas in Turkey’s democratization adventure, were handled in a different dimension on the axis of ‘communities’, especially due to the latest developments in our country; as a result of the fact that the issue, which was discussed within the framework of freedom of religion and conscience until the last few years, was moved to a different area in the context of the relationship of communities with politics and the state, with the July 15 process, the existence and position of the communities in the triangle of religion, state and politics and the questions of what should be the attitude of the state towards communities were discussed; and religion, state and community relations have come to the fore in many ways. Kongrede, İslam düşünce geleneğinin çağımızdaki yansımaları olarak günümüzde önemli bir yere ve role sahip olan cemaatlerin siyaset ve devlet karşısında kendisini nasıl konumlandırması gerektiği; ahlak, fazilet, muhabbet, dayanışma ve ittihad gibi kavramlarla içi doldurulan bir İslam medeniyeti tasavvurunun maneviyat sahasındaki ayağını temsil eden bu sivil yapıların sonuçta güç, iktidar, hırs gibi konuların odağında kalmalarının temel sebepleri tartışılmıştır. In addition, answers have been sought to the questions of what the main duties of the communities are or how to return them to their original duties, and how they will pioneer initiatives that will overcome the crises in the Islamic world on the way of building a perfect human and society model.
The 13th Risale-i Nur Congress was held in Istanbul on 24-25 March 2018 with the main title “Islamic Brotherhood and World Peace on the Axis of Freedom and Democracy According to the Risale-i Nur”. In the congress, it was aimed to contribute to the search for the re-establishment of Islamic brotherhood, which is a prophetic concept and which was implemented in the best way in the Age of Bliss, and to contribute to the understanding of concepts such as the Union of Islam, world peace, tyranny and freedom, law and justice, democracy, family and education re-discussed. It was emphasized that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s understanding of Islamic brotherhood and world peace, developed from a Qur’anic perspective within the framework of the concepts of unity, love, world peace, solidarity, unity and solidarity, positive action, freedom and justice, will shed light on the solution of problems experienced on a global scale and attention was drawn to the potential for unity and togetherness.
The 14th Risale-i Nur Congress, which was held online on March 27-28, 2021 during the pandemic period, was organized with the main title of “The Age of Happiness Again for Humanity”. In the congress, where it was stated that our world is on the verge of a major and radical change due to the events experienced, it was emphasized that a paradigm change is inevitable that will make existence meaningful and bring peace and prosperity to all of humanity, based on the fact that humanity is in search of a new one. In the congress, where it was stated that it would be possible to prevent crises in every field, especially the searches related to our inner world, with a new perspective that would change the paradigms of civilization as well as our perception of existence, it was stated that it was necessary to carry the values of the Age of Bliss to the present day, for the construction of a new world.
Finally, the 15th Risale-i Nur Congress was held on March 26-27, 2022 under the main title of “Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s Vision of the Future”. In the congress where it was stated that the social changes and turmoil that have been going on for a while all over the world accelerated with the pandemic process; The meaning of the accelerating changes in the economic, political and social fields, which understandings and what kind of social structures will shape the future, and which values and arguments the emphasis of Islam will have in the future were discussed around five tables.
Risale-i Nur Institute believes that in the face of the problems that are discussed in congresses and that concern our country and the entire Islamic world, solutions that encompass all humanity can be reached by taking into account the scientific knowledge and experience of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. In this context, Risale-i Nur Congresses provide the opportunity to think once again about Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s views and solutions in the face of the problems that plague humanity. Such efforts will also help us to understand how the understanding of civilization and lifestyle presented by the Qur’an will appear in society.
In this special issue, you can read the results of the Risale-i Nur Congresses organized by the Risale-i Nur Institute. In addition to this, we present to our readers in this issue the final papers of the desk studies, which were organized by the Institute outside the congress, under the main headings of Democracy, the Search for a Democratic Constitution and the Middle East. Our main goal is to spread this benefit to the whole country and humanity. As we leave you alone with our magazine, we hope to present you with a different subject in the next issue.
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