Said Nursi was commemorated on the 65th anniversary of his passing

In the 12th program organized by Üsküdar University, Prof. Nevzat Tarhan spoke about the increasingly visible consequences of immoral behavior and stated that "Divorces are on the rise, incidents of violence are increasing, theft and crime rates are rising. Additionally, addiction rates and suicide cases are also increasing. All of this clearly indicates that we are facing a serious global crisis and are in search of solutions."

Representative of the Syrian Scholars Union in Türkiye Prof. üseyin Abdulhadi stated that "According to Bediüzzaman, the world has become like a village today, and this village needs a common guide. This guide is the Qur'an."

President of the Şekercihan Foundation Prof. Ruhi Yavuz stated that "We have been watching the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza with great sorrow for the last one and a half years."

Prof. Âdem Ölmez from the University of Civilization emphasized that "Bediüzzaman left us with a universal map of ideas."

Prof. İshak Özgel from Süleyman Demirel University noted that "The issue is not just about hopelessness; however, the real danger is losing hope in Allah's mercy."

Prof. Ahmet Yıldız from Fatih Sultan Mehmet University added that "Bediüzzaman advocates that every individual, every Muslim, can be part of a better future."

 

A commemoration program was organized in honor of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s 65th anniversary of his passing by the Risale-i Nur Research Platform, Nur Foundation, Conscience of the Age Club, and Şekercihan Association at Üsküdar University. The event took place at the Nermin Tarhan Conference Hall on the Main campus, with the panel titled "Hutbe-i Şamiye and the Issues of the Islamic World."

The Hutbe-i Şamiye was delivered by Bediüzzaman Said Nursi at the age of 35 in 1911 in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, at the insistence of the scholars of Damascus.

The commemoration program began with the recitation of the Qur’an by Hafız İbrahim Yağız and a video presentation about the Hutbe-i Şamiye.

During the event, Prof. Ruhi Yavuz, Prof.. Hüseyin Abdulhadi, and Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, the President of Üsküdar University and the chairman of the Board of Trustees, gave the opening speeches.

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "Bediüzzaman wanted to break the status quo of the scholars of his time"

In his opening speech, President of Üsküdar University Prof. Nevzat Tarhan explained that Bediüzzaman aimed to reach a broader audience and break the prejudices in people's minds. He said that "Because Bediüzzaman, like other important figures of his time, such as Imam Ghazali, Imam Rabbani, Abdul Qadir Gilani, and Mevlana, tried to do something similar and succeeded in doing so. Bediüzzaman wanted to break the status quo of the scholars of his time."

Prof. Tarhan emphasized that Bediüzzaman particularly stressed approaching the Qur'an through reasoning methods at that time, and continued his remarks as follows:

Bediüzzaman’s 3 Manifestos!

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan: "bediüzzaman is not revolutionizing; he is building"

“Bediüzzaman is not making a revolution, he is building. He is trying to reform what already exists. He has published a manifesto regarding the scholars. He says, ‘You have been asleep for 500 years, enough.’ This takes us to around the middle of the 1500s. We need to confront this fact. Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent achieved many conquests and was a great sultan, but he made the Sheikh-ul-Islam a member of the Divan. He made the Sheikh-ul-Islam a government official, thus violating the principle of separation of powers. The scholars brought by Sultan Selim the Grim also began to serve as significant references in this regard. As a result, the understanding that 'You do not have to account to the public, only to Allah' started to spread, eliminating accountability. However, the protection of an individual is not their good intentions; it is their accountability. The protection of a ruler is not their good intentions, but their accountability. This system was abolished during that period.”

"One of the major causes of the fall of the Ottoman Empire was the decay of the judicial system"

Prof. Nevzat Tarhan, discussing the judicial system in the late Ottoman period, mentioned that one of the most significant features of the Kazasker system at the time was that while investigations were conducted openly, the trials themselves were kept secret. He explained that “Imagine, you are conducting a trial, but it is secret. When the judges were just, this was not a problem. However, when the judges distanced themselves from justice and became influenced by power, justice was corrupted. One of the major causes of the fall of the Ottoman Empire was the decay of the Kazasker system, meaning the decay of the legal system (in modern terms).”

"Münazarat is a manifesto against the feudal system in eastern anatolia"

Prof. Tarhan further elaborated on Münazarat and Muhakemat, two works of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi and stated that “Writing a manifesto like Muhakemat for the scholars of that time was a protest against their abandoning reason and reducing themselves solely to the transmission of knowledge. On the other hand, Münazarat is a manifesto against the feudal system in Eastern Anatolia.”

He continued his remarks as follows: “When you read Münazarat, you will see that its main idea revolves around the wrongness of despotism, the wrongness of the Ağa system, and the flaws in the social structure. Bediüzzaman tried to eliminate the mindset of ‘Obey the Ağa and you’ll live comfortably,’ and ‘Obey the Sheikh and you will live comfortably.’ There is a prescription for this in Münazarat. If there is no mental transformation, there can be no social transformation. If there is no social transformation, there will be no economic or political transformation. A holistic transformation requires a mental transformation.”

Prof. Tarhan also noted that the third manifesto of Bediüzzaman is Hutbe-i Şamiye, describing it as “a manifesto against the backwardness of the Islamic world.”

"The most important security problem today is the family crisis"

Prof. Tarhan pointed out that the unpleasant consequences of immorality have become quite evident today and stated that “As we observe, divorces are increasing, incidents of violence are on the rise, theft and crime rates are climbing. Additionally, addiction rates and suicide cases are also on the increase. All of these issues clearly indicate that we are in the midst of a serious global crisis and are searching for solutions.”

He continued his remarks as follows: “The rate of out-of-wedlock births in Türkiye is currently at 2.6%. However, in Northern European countries, this rate is over 50%. In Ireland, it is 69%, meaning 69 out of every 100 births are outside of marriage. In Sweden and Norway, the rate is between 56-59%, in France it is 59%, and in Germany, it fluctuates between 40-46%. These statistics show that if we do not take the necessary precautions, we may face a similar situation within 20-30 years. Today, the most important security problem is the family crisis. The breakdown of the family structure is paving the way for the spread of immorality, and the unpleasant consequences of this are becoming increasingly visible. Therefore, it is crucial to engage in efforts to promote good ethics in the face of the negative impacts of immorality.”

Prof. Hüseyin Abdulhadi: "The world has become like a village, and this village needs a common guide"

Prof. Hüseyin Abdulhadi, Representative of the Syrian Scholars Union in Türkiye, shared his personal experience as follows: “I was born in Syria, grew up there, and completed my high school education there. However, due to the oppressive regime’s pressures, I had to leave Syria, and I have not been able to return to my country for 45 years. To talk about Bediüzzaman means talking about Islam and the general state of the Islamic world. His ideas help in analyzing the current state and struggles of the Islamic world.”

Prof. Abdulhadi continued, mentioning that Bediüzzaman Said Nursi traveled to Damascus after witnessing the final years of the Ottoman Empire. He explained that in the Friday sermon delivered by Bediüzzaman at the Umayyad Mosque, he called on Muslims, especially those in the Arab world, to protect the center of the caliphate.

He added that “The war against Islam has been very large and severe. In response to these attacks, Bediüzzaman developed a comprehensive method to counter them. He based his approach directly on the Qur'an. This was because, in his view, the Qur'an is not a human source but a fixed and exalted guide. According to Bediüzzaman, the world has now become like a village, and this village needs a common guide. This guide is the Qur'an.”

Fundamental issues facing the islamic world

Prof. Hüseyin Abdulhadi, while discussing Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s Hutbe-i Şamiye and the fundamental issues the Islamic world faces, explained that Bediüzzaman provides solutions from the “pharmacy of the Qur'an.” He stated that “He listed the reasons for the backwardness of the Islamic world, and at the forefront of these diseases is despair. He emphasized that we must trust in Allah’s mercy, power, and strength. Here, I would especially like to point out that the collapse of the tyrannical regime in Syria, which has been ongoing for many years, is not a result of our efforts but rather a situation that has occurred solely through Allah's power.”

Prof. Abdulhadi also expressed that Western civilization has entered a period of decline. He said that “There is a universal truth that everyone agrees upon today: Islamic civilization is on the rise, and it will soon guide all of humanity. There is no human ideology in the world that remains fixed; all are in a state of change. However, the Qur'an is an exception. It was revealed from a divine source and is eternal. Those who wage war against Islam will never succeed because Islam is in harmony with human nature, and Allah’s laws are unchanging. That is why, as human philosophies and systems crumble one by one, Islam will continue to guide humanity.”

Prof. Ruhi Yavuz: "We watch the humanitarian tragedy in gaza with deep sorrow every day"

Prof. Ruhi Yavuz, President of the Şekercihan Foundation, spoke about the material and spiritual turmoil that Bediüzzaman had referred to as living in the "age of calamity and disaster." He said that “We are deeply feeling the horror of these material and spiritual crises, particularly the spiritual depression, as described by Bediüzzaman. Social fractures and changes in the world are occurring so rapidly that it is impossible to keep up with this noise. The brutality and oppression of the modern age, similar to the methods of the Inquisition in the past, have been displayed for many years in many regions. Especially, for the last one and a half years, we have been watching the humanitarian tragedy in Gaza with great sorrow every day. Similar oppressions continue to unfold with all their horror in many Islamic countries. However, the most painful thing is that the Islamic world remains silent and passive in the face of these oppressions. This situation is opening deep wounds in all our hearts.”

Prof. Yavuz added that “About three and a half months ago, on December 7, 2024, the oppression of the regime in Syria came to an end. This development inevitably drew the attention of the world public to the revolution in Syria. God willing, a new era has begun in Syria.”

The Panel: 'Hutbe-i Şamiye and the issues of the islamic world'

After the opening speeches, the panel on "Hutbe-i Şamiye and the Issues of the Islamic World" began. The panel was moderated by Prof. Âdem Ölmez from Medeniyet University, who also presented a talk titled "Evaluation of Hutbe-i Şamiye in Terms of Time and Place." Prof. İshak Özgel from Süleyman Demirel University discussed "The Core Themes in Hutbe-i Şamiye and Their Qur'anic References," while Prof. Ahmet Yıldız from Fatih Sultan Mehmet University gave a presentation titled "A Sermon to the Ummah: Reconnecting Faith and Morality."

"Bediüzzaman left us a universal atlas of ideas"

Prof. Âdem Ölmez spoke about Bediüzzaman’s lasting impact and expressed that “As is well known, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi passed away 65 years ago, on the night of the 22nd to the 23rd. However, he left behind a large following that continues to have a global influence today, discussing fundamental issues of thought and engaging in dialogues on the core problems of humanity on specific days of the week. Bediüzzaman left us a universal atlas of ideas.”

"The issue is not just despair"

Prof. İshak Özgel pointed out that “114 years ago, in front of a large crowd, Bediüzzaman Said Nursi began his Friday sermon with the following words: ‘All praises, glorifications, salutations, blessings, and good deeds performed by all creatures should be for Allah, the Creator, for He has said: ‘Do not despair of Allah’s mercy.’ And also, may blessings and peace be upon the Prophet, for he said: ‘I was sent to perfect good character.’ The verses and hadiths chosen in a sermon are extremely important. This shows that Bediüzzaman deeply understood the essence of the Qur'an and its spirit in terms of transformation. He addressed the issue from its critical core. We often call it just despair, but this is an incomplete definition. The real danger is not despair, but the loss of hope in Allah’s mercy.”

"Bediüzzaman believed every individual, every muslim, can be a part of a better future"

Prof. Ahmet Yıldız shared his remarks as follows: “Bediüzzaman Said Nursi emphasized that both good and evil have transcended the individual and become collective. He stated, ‘If you do something good, you actually show what is good for all of us.’ He pointed out that social transformation is only possible through the efforts of individuals. We see that we are facing similar problems today. As Professor İshak said, ‘Do not lose hope in Allah’s mercy.’ The real question is this: Why is the world a place of progress (terakki) for some societies, while it seems to be a place of regression (tedenni) for us? In today’s world, many believe that a worsening future is inevitable. There is a belief that a better world can only be achieved through the intervention of extraordinary individuals in history. For example, Muslims are waiting for the Mahdi, while Christians and Jews are waiting for the Messiah. Many current debates are based on this expectation. Bediüzzaman believed that every individual, every Muslim, could be part of a better future.”

Participants met for iftar...

The program, which was broadcast live on the Üsküdar University YouTube channel, ended after a group photo was taken. As part of the program held on the 65th anniversary of the passing of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, participants gathered for an iftar meal.

 

Üsküdar News Agency (ÜNA)