Transition in Turkey: An overview of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, His Life and Works for Medresetü’z-Zehra

Abstract

Abstract

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi became concerned with reviving Islamic ethics together with traditional Islamic sciences in a highly secularized world. He sacrificed his life for the preservation of Islam in a society dominated by westernization and secularization. Throughout his life, he encountered significant reformations and revolutions in political, educational and social aspects. The present study has twofold objectives. First, it focuses on three different periods of Nursi’s struggles in Turkish society to provide a general view of its eastern and western parts. The impact of Nursi’s political, intellectual and spiritual life had a significant influence on the political and social movements that he established. Second, it discusses about Nursi’s contributions to the revival of Islamic ethics and sciences through of his texts and the Nur movement. To conclude, Nursi’s political movement and struggles in social movements was studied to understand the roots and subsequent growth of the contemporary Nur community and their movement which has spread all over Turkey and different parts of the world. Charisma and leadership attracted the attention of many scholars, politicians and the masses of his time. After his death in 1960, this charisma, reflected in his texts and movement, continued to attract the attention of all levels of society, young and old alike.

Keywords: the Old Sa’id, the New Sa’id, the Third Sa’id, the Risâle-i Nur, Medresetü’z-Zehra

Abstrak

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi memberi perhatian yang berat kepada pemulihan etika Islam bersama dengan sains Islam tradisional dalam dunia yang cukup sekular. Beliau mengorbankan kehidupannya untuk mengekalkan Islam dalam masyarakat yang didominasi oleh pembaratan dan sekularasisi. Seluruh hidupnya beliau menghadapi reformasi penting dan revolusi dalam politik, pendidikan dan aspek sosial. Kajian sekarang mempunyai dua objektif. Pertama, ia memberi tumpuan kepada tiga tempoh yang berbeza dalam perjuangan Nursi dalam masyarakat Turki untuk memberi pandangan aspek timur dan baratnya. Dampak kehidupan politik, intelektual dan spiritual mempunyai pengaruh yang signifikan terhadap pergerakan politik dan sosial yang diwujudnya. Kedua, ia membincang sumbangan Nursi terhadap pemulihan etika dan sains Islam melalui penulisannya dan pergerakan Nur. Sebagai kesimpulan, Pergerakan dan perjuangan Nursi dalam pergerakan sosial dikaji untuk memahami akar umbi dan seterusnya pertumbuhan masyarakat Nur kini dan pergerakannya yang sudah berkembang ke seluruh Turki dan pelbagai tempat di seluruh dunia. Karisma dan kepimpinan Nursi telah menarik perhatian ramai sarjana, ahli politik dan rakyat pada zamannya. Selepas beliau meninggal dalam tahun 1960, karisma ini, yang terpantul dalam penulisan dan pergerakannya, terus menarik perhatian semua lapisan masyarakat masyarakat, sama ada muda ataupun tua.

Kata Kunci: the Old Sa’id, the New Sa’id, the Third Sa’id, the Risâle-i Nur, Medresetü’z-Zehra