Iran commemorates prominent Turkish figure, Said Nursi

2011-12-13 02:03:13

Accordingly Iran hosted a conference to discuss different aspects of his views and thoughts as a prominent figure. Muslim scholars from Iran and Turkey attended the conference.
Born in 1878, Said Nursi believed that modern science and logic was the way towards future; He also advocated teaching religious sciences in secular schools and modern sciences in religious schools.

He had always been an advocate for true democracy as a Muslim scholar and cared much about giving the public the right to vote.

"Although he was a Sunni Muslim, he always called for unity among Muslims from different schools of thoughts. He believed that the existing difference of views among Muslims was the result of the anti-Islamic policies of the enemies and colonialists. He believed in a freedom based on religion".

After the Ottoman Empire and the emergence of anti-Islamic currents in Turkey in the wake of the coming to power of Mostafa Kemal Ataturk, Said Nursi's efforts received a strong impetus. He mainly wanted to see Islamic thoughts prevail in the society and not be suppressed.
Said Nursi's life, both while writing the Risale-i Nur and until his death in 1960, consisted of arrest and imprisonment, surveillance, and harassment. But he never gave up his Islamic thoughts and beliefs.

Said Nursi's study of science and involvement with philosophy should be seen in the context of the increasing Western influence in the Ottoman Empire at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries and the attacks which were being made on the Qur'an and Islam in the name of science, materialism and Positivist philosophy in particular.

http://vimeo.com/33524723

Said Nursi - Press TV - İran from nurnet on Vimeo.