In the early years of the 20th century, a state on the verge of collapse in politics, a nation devastated by wars in social life, an ummah divided into a thousand pieces in geography, and a spirituality exposed to the harsh blows of materialism in belief… Said Nursi was a scholar of such a period. He saw the solution to all these impasses in the most basic definition of combining traditional sciences with modern sciences. He named the university-type schools that would provide this education Medresetü’z – Zehra . In addition, Said Nursi interpreted the trans-age message of the Holy Quran in his greatest work, the Risale-i Nur Collection , in a way that would guide current problems.
This scholar, who shouldered the burden of the ummah, especially at a time when faith was melting like wax, was instrumental in saving the faith of many by giving logical and rational answers to the materialism spread under the name of science.
On the other side of Said Nursi Hz.’s influential life, there were prisons, exiles, and trials. Like his own life, the geography of the Ummah was a fire place from all sides. But he still worked tirelessly, never gave up, and made every effort, even if he was alone, without thinking, “What good will it do me?”
The conversation Said Nursi Hz. had with the Russian police on the hill of Şeyh Sanan, which is the subject of this article, is an indication of where he got this power. In this story he told in his work called Sünûhat, titled ‘ A Story ‘, we will listen to a person of trust who can be hopeful no matter how dark the horizon is.
Hope Explorer
One day, on the hill of Sheikh Sanan, at the foot of which the city extends, a martyr was sitting who carried the burden of the world on his shoulders. This enthusiast, who had a life layered with exiles and mixed with trials, carried the hope of the salvation of the world. He harbored in his heart the future successes rather than the many sad events that had occurred in the past and were still continuing. While everyone, believers and unbelievers, were being tossed in the vortex of deep fear and hopelessness, he nourished an inexhaustible hope like his soul that was reaching for eternity. Even in this state, Said Nursi, the peerless of his time, aka Bediuzzaman Hz., showed that he deserved the nickname given to him to the smallest detail.
When the calendars pointed to the year 1910, the scholar who was acquitted after the series of trials following the events of March 31, set off for Van. As part of his route, he stopped by the city of Tbilisi, which was under Russian occupation at the time, and took a breather at the Sheikh Sanan Hill, which was located in the city center. A moment later, a Russian policeman approached him; he tried to understand where he was looking, what he saw, how he was thinking and why he was laughing. Because this weak-bodied, thin-faced man in front of him was a Muslim, and in those days, Muslims had a burning pit under their feet and their direction was a deep abyss. So, how was this man able to look at the universe with a smile? Perhaps out of curiosity, perhaps out of jealousy, perhaps to mock him, he approached a little closer, determined to learn the reason for this.
At that moment, the holy man was in contemplation. “The universe stop that man, a creature who came from the depths of the past, stopped by the realm of existence and walked towards the beauties of the future, passes through during this great journey constitutes only his material dimension. The skills of this material dimension are also diverse. Man is of a creation that can solve the deep meanings and hidden wisdoms of this universe and he is also the addressee of this universe.” As his contemplation continued, that great desire that had been in his heart for a long time also took place in his mind. “With Allah’s permission, I will build my Madrasah al-Zahra, which will conduct the ancient religious sciences of the madrasah and the technical sciences of the darülfünun, in this area ahead. In addition to the students here, students from nearby cities will also come…”
Tbilisi
But at that moment, a question from a police officer standing right next to him interrupted his thoughts: “Why are you looking at me so intently?” Hazrat blinked his eyes, took a deep breath and calmly answered, “I am making the plan of my madrasah.” The Russian policeman’s interest in this thinker had increased even more; he wanted to get to know him. “Where are you from?”
“I am from Bitlis.” The policeman laughed at this answer and thought that he was a lunatic who was mixing up the cities, and said, “But this is Tbilisi.” The Prophet closed his eyes, smiled sincerely and replied, “Bitlis and Tbilisi are brothers.” He was emphasizing the true ties of every place in the Islamic world, but his interlocutor must not have understood this, so he asked, “What does this mean?”
At that moment, he mentioned with his tongue the great dream that was born in his heart and flourished in his mind: “Three periods of light are emerging one after the other in the Islamic world in Asia, but this situation means the emergence of three periods of darkness in you. The curtain of oppression will be torn, and I will come here in that bright time and build the madrasah that I dream of.” Hearing this, the Russian policeman laughed heartily and said in a mocking tone, “Alas! I am surprised at this hope of yours!” In response to this address, Said Nursi, whose countenance and demeanor did not change in the slightest, said, “I am also surprised at your mind! Can you imagine that this winter will continue? Every winter has a spring, every night has a light…”
This time the officer took on a serious attitude, he understood how definite the words in front of him were. The words that came out of his mouth did not resemble the words of a madman. Knowing very well the state of the Muslims at that time, he rightfully reminded them of this fact: “But the Islamic world is in a state of disintegration…” In a way, he wanted to say, “How can you be so hopeful when blood has already taken over the body?” Hazrat’s response to this truth was the words of a true hopeful person: “Each of the Islamic geographies has entered important educations. For example, India , which is a talented child of Islam, is receiving education in a kind of English secondary school. Egypt, which is an intelligent child of Islam, is also receiving lessons in the English political school. The Caucasus and Turkestan are the brave children of Islam and are receiving training in the Russian military school. The others are also receiving education in different schools. After these noble children receive their diplomas, each one will become the leader of a continent and, by waving the flag of their just father, Islam, on the horizons of perfection, they will declare the secret of the eternal wisdom found in the human species in the eyes of eternal destiny…”
The Russian policeman was lost in the depth of this speech for a few minutes after it ended… Maybe he didn’t understand, maybe he misunderstood, maybe he understood but didn’t want to understand. He even regretted coming to this thinker and asking him questions out of curiosity. What he said could never have come from the tongue of a madman, and even if it were so, even the madman of Islam must be better than a thousand wise men. Therefore, the policeman must have thought that this man who was speaking was a profound philosopher, a very deep thinker. According to him, those who painted the horizons beyond the horizons, on the edge of reality, could only be a group of philosophers who thought a lot and had high imagination.
At a time when hope is buried in the darkness of many horizons, hidden behind high hills, and caught in the heart of oppression, to welcome the eternal victory before it arrives is not the skill of those with high imagination. This is only the skill of those who believe in Allah Almighty, who promised the victory of Islam in the future.
Hazrat Said Nursi
Despair runs away from hearts where the seeds of this faith are planted without looking back. In cities where this faith sprouts, the fires of oppression shrink and go out. In continents where this faith spreads branches, the bridges of discord collapse and crumble. That unique scholar who knew this very well could smell the fragrant scents of the fire without being confined to a moment or place. Said Nursi Hz. presented this hope he discovered to make us taste the same scents:
Be hopeful. In this future revolution, the loudest voice will be the voice of Islam.
Coiled on all sides by a four-headed serpent.
A merciless plunder penetrating the world,
Where is salvation? Cannot be seen from the horizon.
Bediuzzaman, who gives hope from outside his time.
Source
- Nursi, S. (1977). Sunuhat. Istanbul: Sözler Publishing House.
- Nursi, S. (2004). History of Life. Istanbul: Sözler Publications.
- Risale News. (2011). A place living with Bediuzzaman, Tbilisi. Access address https://www.risalehaber.com/bediuzzamanla-yasayan-bir-mekan-tiflis-128360h.htm
- Islam and Ihsan. (2022). Who is Said Nursi Hazretleri? Access address https://www.islamveihsan.com/said-nursi-hazretleri-kimdir.html
- Yildirim, ME (27.12.2022). Prophet Ya’qub as a Teacher of Hope – Siyer TV [Video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sqc9oFlIsz8