'Western World could Learn->

'Western World could Learn many Things from Risale-i Nur'


Colleen Keyes, Dean of Academic Affairs at Connecticut's Tunxis Community College, said at the 7th Bediuzzaman symposium at Kaya Ramada Hotel that there is much the Western world could learn from the Risale-i Nur collection.

Participants from around the globe gathered at the symposium to discus the role that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's works could play in promoting worldwide peace and friendship.

Keyes, who spoke on what the West could learn from the Risale-i Nur collection, specifically addressed the Western media's creation of a negative Muslim stereotype.

"Those who are not Muslims begin to perceive Islam as a religion of violence and hatred. They become afraid of Muslims. Many people distance themselves from members of Islamic movements they know nothing about," explained Keyes.

The dean of academic affairs pointed out how the Risale-i Nur (Epitomes of Light) could serve as a practical model not only for Muslims, but also the Western world.

"Said Nursi gives a consistent and powerful answer against western materialism, centralized consumption, and imperialism not only in the name of Muslims, but also for non-Muslims. The Nursi Movement is unique in that it is aware of the spread and development in different cultures."

Loyola University Chicago Professor of Theology Marcia K. Hermansen spoke about Bediuzzaman's continued adherence to Islam in the face of the most violent attacks of modernity and westernization. Said Nursi's adherence to Islam drew a devout group of followers to his side, she explained.

"The Risale-i Nur collection, which calls for renewal of the social, moral, and spiritual aspects of live, forms the basis of the most prominent and lively movement in Turkish Islam," said Hermansen.

Germany's Philipps University Professor of Theology Christoph Elsas reminded that the content of the Risale is far from violent. Elsas, a devout Protestant, added, "In Germany, Said Nursi's interpretation of the Koran is seen as that of a non-violent Islamic freedom fighter, a supporter of secularism, and of one who includes Islamic and non-Islamic communities. The Risale-i Nur emphasizes the Islamic understanding of religious freedom and openness to the outside."

Who is Bediuzzaman Said Nursi?

Known as Bediuzzaman, regenerator or nonpareil of our times, Said Nursi (1876-1960) lived in Turkey and was an Islamic philosopher, scholar, and one of the distinguished educators of the contemporary world. His philosophy is based upon the belief that "the conscience is illuminated by the religious sciences, the mind is illuminated by the sciences of civilization, and wisdom occurs through the combination of these two." He believed in raising an individual's religious consciousness through an education system based on the truths of the Koran.