1 Running Head: SAID NURSI’S IDEAN ON ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION…
SAID NURSI'S IDEAS ON ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION: A CONCEPTION OF ISLAM FOR THE MODERN WORLD
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Solaiman Islamic University Kushtia, Bangladesh
[email protected]
& Dr. Muhammad Obaidullah Manarat International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
[email protected]
2 SAID NURSI’S IDEAN ON ISLAM AND CIVILIZATION…
ABSTRACT Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's (1877-1960), the 21st century’s Turkish Islamic mystictheologian, 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...” (Ali ‘Imran: 3:103). 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. The methodology applied in this study is analytical. Keywords: Said Nursi, Risale-i-nur, Islam, Religious freedom, Head scarp, and World peace.
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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
