Nursi Conference in England

10-Ekim-2008 Cuma 12:18:59

The Risale-i Nur Program at Durham University organized a conference on God, man and mortality from the perspective of Said Nursi, which held in the School of Government and International Affairs, University of Durham, in 20th and 21st October, 2008. Sixteen academicians and researchers from different countries ie, England, USA, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada and Australia participated in the conference.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SAID NURSI AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY ENDED

The Risale-i Nur Program at Durham University organized a conference on God, man and mortality from the perspective of Said Nursi, which held in the School of Government and International Affairs, University of Durham, in 20th and 21st October, 2008. Sixteen academicians and researchers from different countries ie, England, USA, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada and Australia participated in the conference.

The conference aimed to explore Nursi’s perspective on the Creator-creature relationship and what it means to be human, particularly in the light of man's mortal nature and the inevitability of death. The conference sought to bring together a wide range of scholarly voices in the arts, social sciences and humanities to deconstruct the various dimensions of the subject in question through the discourse of Said Nursi.

University of Durham is the first government institution in England organized an academic meeting on Bediüzzaman Said Nursi. The papers consisted the basics of Islam, faith related problems that modern men encounter.

The history of Durham University goes back to an ancient cathedral that built in 11th century against the secular education at that time.Then Durham city emerged around this cathedral.

Summaries of the papers presented at the conference:

Prof. Bilal Kuspinar from Canada, McGill University presented a paper on “The Human Conscience as a Proof for the Existence of God: An Analysis of the Relevant Passages in the Mathnawi Al-‘Arabi Al-‘Arabi” His presentation with his soft mode was followed with attention and interest. He stressed that how we could understand and develop a new concept for literature much more that is to say conscience produced by Nursi. Also, importance of conscience for proving God was expressed.

Next, Prof. Thomas Michel made an analysis of Treatise of Sincerity and identified it as “cleaning of purpose” and expounded how we are able to gain sincerity and how to keep it. Besides, expressing obstacles against sincerity he talked about significance of it. Interestingly, he asked the audience as “I can see many students of Nursi between us in this saloon and is there anyone who hasn’t read the Treatise of Sincerity for 15 days? Because as you know Nursi advise his students to read it at least every fifteen days…” Furthermore he distributed the photocopies of some parts of the treatise to the audience and he read it together with the audience.

He summarized the importance of the treatise by these words:

“I think that the Treatise of Sincerity is not only for Nursi’s followers and the Muslims.I believe Christians should read it in order to clean their intentions. I read and benefit for keeping my intentions clean. Even at this morning I have prayed saying ‘My Lord. Keep me sincere at the conference today so that I will present my paper only for your sake. Hence, no other purpose than your sake may not mix my intention. I don’t want to be seen best or to show my paper best but I would like to present a good paperr only for your sake.Help me to be sincere o my Lord.’” The audience was touched with his talk.

Prof. Abu Rabi who had joined form Canada, Alberta University with the title of “History, Text and Secularism İn the life of Nursi” He explained importance of Risale-I Nur among modern Islamic movements fluently and finished his speech expressing: “Said Nursi hadn’t changed his cause for anything. And Risale-I Nur is a significant interpretation of Quran addressing modern age.”

At the second session of the conference the paper “Man as Divine Vicegerent on Earth .How new is Said Nursi’s Interpretation?” presented by Sukran Vahide (Interpreter of Rislale-i Nur in English) attracted great interest and attention from participants. Especially Jewish and Christian participants contributed for opening a deep discussion.

Prof. Ahmed Akgunduz from the Netherlands, Rotterdam Islamic University elucidated “Divine Decree and The Issue of Free Will According to Bediuzzaman’s Work”. Getting attention by his original enthusiastic mode and having dominance on the topics of Risale-i Nur, Akgunduz clarified a difficult subject as Faith in destiny in an interactive way. A warm atmosphere emerged and suddenly an English female student came forward and approached him loudly by saying : “I haven’t believed in destiny until now. But I do believe in it after listening to your paper. This meeting has changed my life a lot… Thank you.”

Next paper was by Prof. Yunus Cengel from USA, Nevada University. His paper entitled “Beyond the Body: Towards Understanding The Tue Nature of Man” is concerned on matter, spiritus, life and how to look at these issues. His speech with his witty mode and full of examples from Risalei Nur was striking indeed. Acting as if he had been a faithful physic teacher Cengel expounded how to look at universe in general and how to human in specific.

Finally, there were five more contributors whom doing PhD on Nursistudies. These young students are namely; Tubanur Yeşilhark, Ömer Kuru and Kerim Balcı who are doing their Ph.D at Durham University and also Mehmet Özalp, Masheed Ansari from Sydney University, Australia. All of them presented their papers well appreciated, too.