Course Abstract
Faith, can be considered as a total interpretation of the Universe. The unity (al-Tawhid) in Islam, therefore, can only be achieved through connecting the Universe to God Almighty. Such association is only possible through interpretation. Said Nursi in his great works of Risale-i Nur, offers an outstanding interpretation of the universe by employing the Quranic verses. In this series of lectures, we are going to delineate how Said Nursi related the phenomenal world to God Almighty. We are going to explain how the heavens, the earth, mountains, rivers, seas, oceans, scholars, prophets, and the Quran speak with their own tongues the existence and the unity of God as well as his attributes.
Course Objectives
- To provide a tool by which students would be able to read and interpret the universe from the perspective of their faith in God.
- To nurture a spiritual consciousness through which students attain a peace with themselves as well as peace with the universe.
Prescribed Text
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Seventh Ray: The Supreme Sign, in The Rays Collection, Risale-i Nur.
Weekly Schedule
Week 1: Orientation Week and Introduction to the Risale.
Week 2: Concerning proofs of the Divine existence, the testimony of the heavens and all they contain and the testimony of the atmosphere.
Week 3: The testimony of the earth and its pages, the seas and rivers, and the testimony of the mountains and plains, the trees and plants.
Week 4: The testimony of the animal and bird realms, the realm of humanity: the testimony of the prophets and their unanimity, the exacting scholars and their accord, the spiritual guides and their agreement, and the angels and spirit beings and their concurrence.
Week 5: The testimony of upright intellects and sound hearts, Divine revelation, differences between revelation and inspiration and the testimony and nature of inspiration.
Week 6: The testimony of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), nine evidences of the veracity of his messengership and three forms of infallible consensus confirming him.
Week 7: The testimony of the Qur’an, and six ‘points’ showing its greatness, the cosmos, through two vast truths.
Week 8: The testimony of ‘Createdness’ and ‘contingency’, and Universal co-operation, the ‘station’ of direct address to God in His presence, and the continuous, wise, and imperious activity in the universe and testimony of Divine discourse.