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Where knowledge becomes wisdom.
May 20, 2021
In this program we will discuss the relevance of the historical context for a better understanding of the Epistles of Light of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Said Nursi lived through various revolutionary changes in the late Ottoman and early Republican history. His texts and biography are rich in reference and hints to historical events. A better understanding of these events and the intellectual discussions of fin-de-siècle will enhance our understanding of Nursi’s message and the intellecual and spiritual transformation he passed through. On the other hand, Nursi’s analysis of the problems of the Islamic World and the solutions he proposed seems to have passed the test of time. In this sence Nursi is not only a product of the cultural millieu he was born into, but he is also a producer of a new culture. Balci will try to present this dual nature of Nursi’s link to time and culture through the sufi concepts of ibn al-zaman (a child of his time) and ab al-waqt (a master of the era). In this first episode we will deal largely with the first aspect, that is, a contextualization of Nursi’s life and writings.
Speaker: Kerim Balci
June 6, 2021
In this program we’ll focus on Qur’an and exegesis, new kalām movement, ihya’ (revival) and tajdīd (renewal) attempts in early Muslim modernism. A special focus is on Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. The existing literature indicates Nursi’s multi-disciplinary approach in his collection. Nursi has a Qur’an-based methodology and combined the essence of what the Islamic disciplines included in a different form. This book emphasizes that Nursi’s revival of Islam and his renewal (tajdid) are based on Islamic systematic theology (kalām), and Nursi seeks to formulate an Islamic metaphysics and theology primarily based on the Qur’an by using multiple fields. Moreover, Nursi’s collection is a kind of spiritual exegesis (maʿnawī tafsīr), a commentary on the Qur’an’s meanings. In addition, while the main books of the collection can also be considered as a kind of thematic exegesis, he primarily developed the theory of the word-order (naẓm) in his one-volume commentary on the Qur’an.
Speaker: Dr. Hakan Coruh
May 9, 2021
Prophethood is the backbone of the Islamic tradition and is the uncompromised tenet of faith; with the impact of modernity however many Muslim scholars were shaken by the ambivalent status afforded to both the prophet and the institution of prophethood in the contemporary period. Said Nursi’s discussion of nubuwwa prophethood was critical in the context and time that he wrote it. His discourse retains and is corresponding to much of the classical theology but also addresses the modern contentions of Prophethood. Nursi entails that prophets in the Islamic tradition provide an alternative historical, philosophical and theological account of the story of the human being and serve as archetypal models of moral and ethical excellence for Muslims around the world.
Speaker: Dr. Mahsheed Ansari
April 24, 2021
Fasting in Ramadan is one of Islam’s foremost pillars and greatest symbols. What is the wisdom behind the fasting of Ramadan? Demystifying the spirit of Ramadan from the perspective of the Quran through the lenses of the Risale collection of Nursi namely the Epistle of light. Said Nursi explains the spirit of Ramadan from a multi-layered perspective in nine categories such as in relation to God’s Lordship and giving thanks for His bounties, to humanity’s individual and collective life, self-training, and self-discipline.
Speaker: Dr. Zuleyha Keskin
March 31, 2021
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi defines self (nafs) as a mirror to the manifestation of Divine Oneness. Owing to its function as a mirror, Nursi places the self (nafs) at the centre of man’s/ woman’s constant struggle to achieve a true understanding of God and the universe. If self (nafs) is employed by all other internal faculties, and especially by anā (which means I, self, ego in Arabic), as a mirror to reflect the names and attributes of God in the way defined by the Qur’ān and the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah), then man can rise up to the level of certainty in his/her belief. There are important key concepts in the writings of Nursi; other-indicative meaning (maʿná-yi ḥarfī) and self-referential meaning (maʿná-yi ismī) to understand the Qur’an through the lens of his collection of Epitomes of Light (Risale-i Nur).
Speaker: Dr. Omer Kuru
March 21, 2021
Allah says: “ We are sending down the Qur’an in parts it is a healing and a mercy for the believer.” (17:82). Researches show that the Qur’an can be therapeutic, particularly for those who have psychological problems. However, many people are not aware of how this holistic therapy can be achieved. This conversation will focus on the Qur’anic healing and its holistic methodology.
Speaker: Dr. Salih Yücel
March 3, 2021
Is there an afterlife? Is there any evidence that afterlife exists? Is it possible for us to show some logical evidence about afterlife? How does Said Nursi provide evidence on the existence of the hereafter? Belief in resurrection and reality of the afterlife are necessities among the articles of faith that all Muslims must believe. In this talk, Dr. Saritoprak will examine Nursi’s understanding of these as found in his 10th Word (The Treatise on Resurrection) as well as other writings.
Speaker: Dr. Zeki Saritoprak
February 18, 2021
Is there a God? The question is arguably as old as humanity itself. In this Lecture, Dr Hakan Gok looks at how different sides of the debate and how they have argued to prove their points. The lecture particularly focuses on the philosophy of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and it tries to shed new light on the question.
Speaker: Dr. Hakan Gök
February 11, 2021
One of the greatest problems of our century is the problem of modernity. Generally, Muslims are confused about it. Should we except it as whole or reject it? Or could we synthesize between İslam and modernity? In this live talk, “A Critique of Modernity: From the Perspective of Risale-i Nur”, Prof. Dr. Adnan Aslan will try to answer these fundamental questions.
Speaker: Dr. Adnan Aslan
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