Serving Islam Peacefully during the Aggression and Said Nursi's Kalamisation of Positive Action for Social Harmony
Abstract
Injustice, oppression and tyranny are as old as human beings. Three types of responses can be made: a) to respond in the same or worse manner; b) to remain silent and accept the oppression due to weakness; or c) to take a path that is not based on revenge or acceptance of oppression and injustice, but redirects people’s negative feelings towards a worthier cause, decreasing the propagation of evil. This third way does not involve envying the worldly goods or positions of others. Rather, it involves redirecting or transforming animosity for the common good. Said Nursi (1987-1960) calls this “positive action” (müsbet hareket). This article suggests Nursi’s third way of responding to injustice, oppression and tyranny is proactive civil disobedience based on the Qur’an and Sunnah. By acting peacefully throughout his life, particularly in the “New Said” era, Nursi aimed to revive society “from the bottom up” and not from “the top down,” an approach he felt avoided the injustice and oppression seen among political Islamists. Nursi called this ilelebed müsbet hareket, which means “acting positively forever.” Given the context and manner through which it was practiced, I call this “kalamised (theologised) civil disobedience.” This can be considered as tajdid, a peaceful way of renewal against injustice and oppression.
Keywords
Said Nursi, Serving Islam, Positive action, Civil disobedience, Aggressive secularism
References
- Al-Razi, Fakhr al Din. Mafatihu’l Ghayb, [The Revealing of Unseen]n.d. https://www.altafsir.com/.
- Al-Qurtubi, Imam Abu Abdullah. Al Jamiu’l Ahkam al Qur’an [The Collections of Rulings of the Qur’an] n.d. https://www.altafsir.com/.
- Al-Qushayri, Abd Ul Karim ibn Hawazin. Lata'if al-Isharat bi Tafsir al-Qur'an [Subtleties of the Allusions]n.d. https://www.altafsir.com/.
- Al-Tabari, Muhammed Ibn Jarir. Jamiu’l Bayan Fi Tafsir al Qur’an [Collection of Statements on Interpretation of the Qur'an].n.d. https://www.altafsir.com/.
- Arslan, Yakup, “Contents and Principles of Risale-i Nur Service according to the Works in the Third Said Period of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi,” Kopru 112 (2010): 112-115.
- Barazangi, Mimat Hafez, M. Raquibuz Zaman and Omar Afzal. Islamic Identity and the Struggle for Justice. Gainsville: University of Florida Press, 1996.
- Basar, Alaaddin. “A Lifelong Principle: Positive Action.” Nur Web Pages, April 17, 2006. Accessed March 2, 2018. http://www.nur.org/en/intro/nurlibrary/A_Lifelong_Principle_ Positive_Action_169.
- van Bruniessen, Martin. “Genocide in Kurdistan? The Suppression of the Dersim Rebellion in Turkey (1937-38) and the Chemical War Against the Iraqi Kurds (1988).” In Genocide: Conceptual and Historical Dimension, ed. George J. Andreopoulos. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1994.
- Çiçek, Nevzat. “Şapka Yüzünden Rize'de Idamlar Bugün Yapıldı!” [ Executions were done due to not wearing hat]. TimeTurk, December 12, 2012. Accessed November 26, 2016. www.timeturk.com/tr/2012/12/12/sapka-yuzunden-rize-bugun- bombaladi.html#.VDfVXhbVh2k.
- Dilek, Sener. “The Risale-i Nur’s Method and Aim.” Nur Web Pages, April 16, 2006. Accessed March 1, 2018. http://www.nur.org/en/intro/nurlibrary/The_Risale_i_Nur_s_ Method_And_Aim_148.
- Ibn Kathir, Ismail ibn Umar. Tafsir al Qur’an al Karim, [Commentary of the Holy Qur’an]. https://www.altafsir.com/.
- Kabakli, Ahmet. Temellerin Durusmasi [The Trial of Essential]. Istanbul: Turk Edebiyat Vakfi, 2013.
- Keles, Ozcan. “Tamsil: The Inadvertent Overspill of Internalisation.” Ozcan Keles: Musings of a British Muslim Academic Activist (blog), June 13, 2014. Accessed March 7, 2018. http://www.ozcankeles.org/tamsil-the-inadvertent-overspill-of-internalisation-21/.
- Köksal, Mustafa Asim. İslam Tarihi. Istanbul: Köksal Yayıncılık, 1987. https://archive.org/ stream/IslamTarihiTamamiAsimKoksal/Islam_Tarihi_-_Mekke_Devri_-_Asim_Koksal# page/n0/mode/2up/search/Taif.
- Küng, Hans. Islam: Past, Present and Future. Oxford: Oneworld, 2007. La Presse September 9, 1928
- Letters to the Editor. Moslem World, 16, no. 3 (1927)
- Letter to the Editor. Moslem World 17, no. 2 (1928)
- Nursi, Said. Kastamonu Lahikası, [Addendum of Kastamonu] Letter 171. n.d. Accessed March 21, 2018. http://www.nur.gen.tr/tr.html#maincontent=Risale&islem=read&BolumId=7970&KitapId=4&KitapAd=Kastamonu+Lahikas%u0131.
- Nursi, Said. Lem’alar [The Flashes]. Istanbul: Sinan Matbaasi, 1959.
- Nursi, Said. Tarihceyi Hayat, [The Biography of Author of Risalei Nur]. Istanbul: Envar Nesriyat, 1996.
- Nursi, Said. Signs of Miraculousness. Translated by Sukran Vahide. Istanbul: Sozler Publications, 2007.
- Nursi, Said. Emirdag Lahikasi [Emirdag Addendum]. Istanbul: Enver Nesriyat, 1991. Özkilinc, Ahmet. “Bediuzzaman’in Uc Yolu” [The Three Ways of bediuzzaman]. Accessed August 3, 2014. http://www.iikv.org/academy/index.php/ulusalsemp/article/view/823.
- Sahin, Erdal. “Said Nursi perpectifinden siyasi musbet hareketi okumak” [Reading Positive Action from said Nursi’s Perspective]. Accessed March 2, 2018. http://www.iikv.org/academy/index.php/ulusalsemp/article/view/824.
- Sahiner, Necmettin. “Son Sahitler” [The Last Witnesses]. Accessed March 2, 2018. http://www.nur.gen.tr/tr.html#maincontent=Risale&islem=index&KitapId=458.
- Aytar, Kadir. “Said Nursi ve Müsbet Hareket Forumu Notlar” [Notes on Said Nursi and Positive Action Forum]. Risale Haber, April 7, 2014. Accessed August 4, 2014. http://www.risalehaber.com/said-nursi-ve-musbet-hareket-panelinden-notlar- 15923yy.htm.
- Vahide, Sukran. Islam in Modern Turkey: An Intellectual Biography of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2005.
- Yildiz, Ahmet. “Temel Hak ve Hurriyetleri gerceklestiremede Said Nursi’nin musbet hareket metodo” [Application of Fundamental Human Rights in Said Nursi’s Positive Action]. Accessed August 8, 2014. http://www.iikv.org/academy/index.php/ulusalsemp/article/view/823.
- Yucel, Salih, and Ismail Albayrak. The Art of Co-existence. New Jersey: Tughrah Books, 2014.