WHAT IS RISALE.indd
Transcription
WHAT IS RISALE.indd
perfection of knowledge moral Said Nursi As seen above, the wholeortone of lesson. the Risale-i Nur considers such philosophy to be divorced from reliis mild and persuasive, and with its arguments is gion.” convincing. All matters are illustrated with utterly comparisons, examples, or stories, so that everybody As seen whole tone of the Risale-i can easilyabove, followtheand the conclusions are easyNur to is mild Th and with its arguments is utgrasp. ey persuasive, are readily and understandable by ordinary terly convincing. All matters are illustrated with compeople and those with no previous knowledge in parisons, examples, or stories, so that everybody can these subjects. easily follow and the conclusions are easy to grasp. They are readily understandable ordinary peoConclusion: The Risale-i Nur doesbynot presuppose ple and noitprevious knowledge in these belief in those God; with rather travels from the created to subjects. the Creator. Said Nursi sees that the created world is thus a book of names, an index, which seek to tell Conclusion: The Risale-i Nur does not presuppose beabout its Owner and Creator. lief in God; rather it travels from the created to the Creator. SaidNur Nursi that the created world is Th e Risale-i is asees comprehensive Islamic work thus a book of names, an index, which seek to tell and interprets the Qur’an as our Prophet intended about its Owner and Creator. (Peace & Blessing be upon Him). It also covers almost everything related to the essentials of belief, worship, The Risale-i NurSuch is a comprehensive work and and morality. a work, whichIslamic illuminates the interprets thehumanity’s Qur’an as our Prophet intended (Peace cosmos and nature, cannot be ignored. & Blessing be upon Him). It also covers almost everything to Nur, the essentials of belief, worship, In therelated Risale-i everything is based solelyand on morality. Suchand a work, which illuminates cosmos the Qur’an on observation of thetheuniverse cannot be ignored. and humanity’s human life.nature, For Bediüzzaman, humanity, the universe and the Qur’an are three books containing In thesame Risale-i Nur, everything solelytruth on the the meaning, pointing istobased the same – Qur’anExistence and on observation themade universe and huGod’s and Unity –ofbut up of three manerent life. materials. For Bediüzzaman, humanity, universe diff So the path of beliefthe is the only and thechoice. Qur’an are three books containing the same logical meaning, pointing to the same truth – God’s Existence and UnityQur’anic – but made up of three Bediuzzaman’s commentary, thedifferent Risale-i materials. So theispath of advice belief refl is the onlyhis logical Nur Collection, full of ecting love choice. of and faith in God and his devotion to divinity. For this reason, his works are an important reference Bediuzzaman’s Qur’anic commentary, the Risale-i source for all belivers. Nur Collection, is full of advice reflect-ing his love of and faith in God and his devo-tion to divinity. For this reason, his works are All the chapters of theNOTE: Risale-i Nur collection are This brochure was based The Second of about the truths of belief.onAnybody can Section reach and Thethe Twenty-Ninth Letter;on part the Risale-i Nur read whole collection theofinternet at these Collection; an interpretation of the Qur’an written addresses: by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi; an Islamic scholar of the present age (1877 – 1960). www.saidnur.com www.nur.gen.tr/en.html The collection, which mainly comprises of four books; Thee Words, Rays, The can Flashes and The Letters, Th Risale-i The Nur’s pages be read in English, proves theArabic truths of God. Turkish, andbelief otherinlanguages. The Risale-i Nur collection employs a method of persuasion and All the the chapters of the Risale-i Nur collection are refutes assertions of its opponents one by one. about the truths of belief. You can read the whole collection on the internet at these addresses: www.saidnur.com, www.nur.gen.tr/en.html The Risale-i Nur is available in English, Turkish, Arabic and many other languages. WHAT IS RISALE-I NUR The Risale-i Nur (Treatise of Light) Collection is a commentary on the Glorious Qur’an written by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, a contemporary Islamic scholar (1877 – 1960). The verses of the Qur’an are expounded in the Risale-i Nur, it mainly includes: those concerned with the truths (matters) of belief, such as God’s existence and Unity, resurrection, prophethood, Divine Judgment or destiny, the revealed scriptures, angels, and man’s duties of worship. In expounding the Qur’anic verses, the Risale-i Nur takes up the following methodology. Daily scientific findings display the astonishing order, unity, harmony, and interdependence of the parts of the universe. Those findings necessitate a Single Author who must be Wise, Just and Mighty etc. In this way, science’s breathtaking discoveries of the universe’s functions corroborate and reinforce belief in God’s existence and unity. Therefore science and religion cannot be conflicting disciplines. Rather, they are two different expressions of the same truth. The Risale-i Nur Collection comprises a number of volumes that include: The Words, The Letters, The Flashes, The Rays, The Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, The Signs of Miraculousness and The Staff of Moses. Each volume deals with many questions that continuously perplex the mind of modern man: Where do I come from? What is my purpose? Are science and religion compatible? Do angels exist? Is there life after death? * That the order and purpose in the universe require the existence of an Author who puts things in order according to their purposes and makes the whole universe function in harmony. * Such reflective thought naturally enables man to learn about the Existence, Unity and Attributes of that Single Author and to recognize his own duties as a creature of that Single Author. When examined in this way, the universe is seen to be full of signs pointing to its Creator. The Risale-i Nur demonstrates through clear explanations so that one is able to read the universe like a book and is able to learn explicit knowledge on God and the purpose of life. In explaining the purpose of man and the universe, the Risale-i Nur shows that pain-free happiness both in this world and the Hereafter can only be found in the belief of God and the Hereafter. If there were no eternal life, it would seem like humans were living a fruitless life within humanity. Mankind can only be satisfied with eternal happiness and eternal life, thus mankind’s happiness is only to be found in the belief of God and the hereafter. * In numerous verses, the Holy Qur’an invites man to reflect on the universe and its functions in order to understand its order, purpose and harmony. * This author must have exalted attributes, like knowledge, power, wisdom, justice, etc. to be able to carry out this task. This constant flood and passage of beings takes place from top to bottom and is inclusive of wisdom, benefits, aims and purposes. Beings come into existence, each with his own particular purpose, goal and mission. In various places in the Risale-i Nur, Bediuzzaman makes comparisons between religion and philosophy, belief and disbelief. For example, irreligious thought claims that creatures end in annihilation, but the Risale-i Nur says that the universe is in continuous motion. All creatures are unceasingly flowing in the river of time. They are being sent from the World of the Unseen, being given external existence in this World, and are then being poured into the World of the Unseen. That is, beings do not go into non-existence; they pass from the visible world to the unseen world. This world is like a hospice for creatures, a waiting-room for the hereafter. The language of the Risale-i Nur Collection addresses everyone and is general to ensure understanding. For example, “the Qur’an presents the universe as a huge kingdom, the Earth as a palace, the sun as a lamp, the moon as a nightlight, and the stars as decorations. We should reflect on all of these in order to come closer to understanding our Creator. Western science and philosophy present the sun and other beings as things on their own and without an owner. It inspires awesome dread and fearful wonder and gives the spirit no perfection of knowledge or moral lesson. Said Nursi considers such philosophy to be divorced from religion.”