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Said Nursi's Ideas on Islam and Civilization: A conception of Islam for the Modern world

MuÍammad Obaidullah∗

Abstract

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's (1877-1960), the 21st century’s Turkish Islamic mystic-theologian, fervent call for Islamic Unity is all the more needed in our contemporary times especially when Muslims nowadays seem to forget the very Qur’Énic maxim of unity; “And hold fast to the secure rope of Allah and do not be divided from among yourselves...” (al-Qur’an). Let us look at the contemporary situation of the Muslim Ummah (Community). Islam is divided with numerous bickering sects and groups that constantly fight each other even in trivial matters. It is indeed sad how efforts and resources are being wasted in Muslim brethren's fighting each other instead of preaching the glories of Islam to the world. What is more heart-rending is when Muslims of different sectarian groupings physically commit violence against each other just to further their own points of view! In the present situation of the world, Nursi has a cognitive contribution to articulate the future Islam. Specially, his thoughts include the way of how Islam can be able to face the modern and post-modern challenges peacefully. Therefore, the current study highlights on some contemporary issues concerned by Said Nursi such as the real meaning to Islam, religious freedom, issue of head-scarf, relationship between religion and science, relationship between the Islam and West, and the requirements for the world peace. The methodology applied in this study is analytical.

Keywords: Bediuzzaman Said NursÊ, Islam, Religious freedom, Head scarp, and World peace.

Introduction

Bediuzzaman Said NursÊ (1877-1960)—the Turkish Islamic mystic-theologian, considered by many as the renewer (mujaddid) of Islam for this century—devoted many treatises that exhort for the unity of the Muslims. For instance, his book “Damascus Sermon”1 called on Muslims of the world to manifest what Nursi calls, Ittihad Muhammadi or Union of the Followers of Prophet Muhammad. According to Nursi, this is the most important step of Islamic Renaissance so that Muslims will rise up once again to become leaders of a righteous society and a just civilization throughout the world. The whole content of Damascus Sermon from beginning to end is indeed a passionate call for Muslims to be united in their Islamic faith, civilization, and identity.

For this essay, I will focus my attention to Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's life and his contribution to the Islamic thought towards the challenge of modernity. He has great

∗ Muhammad Obaidullah is currently doing PhD at the Department of UÎËl al-DÊn and Comparative Religion

in the Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia. By the grace of Almighty Allah, he was able to secure the highest place in his previous university, i.e. Islamic University Kushtia Bangladesh, and hence was awarded 'GOLD MEDAL' by the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh in 2006.

1 The book has been published by Sozler Publications, Istanbul in 2004.