ANNOOR Selected Papers from International Nursi Studies Conference in India, 2016 on “Education & Ethics in Said Nursi’s Risale-i Nur” ANNOOR Selected Papers from International Nursi Studies Conference in India, 2016 on “Education & Ethics in Saīd Nursî’s Risāle-i Nūr” EDITORS THAJUDEEN A S NOUSHAD V MOHAMMED SHAFI K P Department of Arabic University of Kerala Kariavattom, Thirvananthapuram Department of Arabic University of Kerala Kariavattom, Thirvananthapuram Seminar Proceedings - February 2017 ANNOOR (Selected Papers from International Nursi Studies Conference in India, 2016 on “Education & Ethics in Said Nursî’s Risale-i Nur ” EDITORS Dr. Thajudeen AS Noushad V Mohammed Shafi KP © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the authors. The authors are responsible for the views expressed in their articles. Book & cover design: Nujumudeen Printed at Kerala University Press, Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram Published by Dr. Thajudeen AS ISSN: 2277-2839 ₹ 300.00 Contact for copies: 04712 308846 / [email protected] Contents Women empowerment: a Nursîan paradigm 7 Relevance of Bediüzzaman Nursî in philosophical thought 16 Qur’anic scienticism in Bediüzzaman Said Nursî’s Risale-i Nur 22 Said Nursî and his thinking: a short study 39 Humanity crisis and teaching of Said Nursî 58 Concept and Initiative of Bediüzzaman Said Nursî’s Madrasat-uz Zahra and madrasha education in Bangladesh: an observation 71 Bediüzzaman Said Nursî’s approach to modern education 88 Nursî’s approach on religion and science 104 The miraculous eloquence of the Qur’an and its exclusive rhetoric style: special reference 114 Suggesting the God and man relation as the medicine for all human ailments 130 Ethics of social solidarity and brotherhood: unveiling the views of Said Nursî 143 Said Nursî’s vision about education 156 A comparative study of philosophical, socio-political and educational theme of Qur’anic exegesis of Said Nursî and Abul Kalam Azad 166 Religious co-existence in Kerala: significance of Said Nursî’s teachings on peace and communal harmony 177 Said Nursî’s perspective of peaceful coexistence in a pluralistic society A Reading in Contemporary Indian Context 194 Imam Bediüzzaman Said Nursî and Moulana Abul Kalam Azad: a comparative study on their reformist movements 203 Gnosis of Allah (Ma‘rifatullah): some insights from Said Nursî’s Risale-i Nur 217 Said Nursî’s concept of responsibility and accountability 230 Reinventing knowledge tradition and social renovation in contemporary South Asia from the alternative lessons of Medresetuzzehra 237 5 Said Nursî’s concept of faith based education and integration of knowledge 246 Advaita Vedanta of Shankaracharya and Nursî’s philosophy: a critical reading on ethics and philosophy 256 Approaches of Muslim scholars to the modern education Bediüzzaman Said Nursî and Sir Sayed Ahmad Khan 262 Knowledge toward bridging religious and modern sciences: Bediüzzaman Said Nursî’s approach 275 Communal peace and harmony: role of the commentaries of Qur’an with Special Reference to Risale-i Nur 287 The relevance of the combined education in this modern era with special reference to Madrasha Al-Zahra of Bediüzzaman Said Nursî; A Critical Analysis 301 An appraisal of Said Nursî’s concept of education 311 Psychological doctrines of Said Nursî and the role of Risale-i Nur in the cognitive process of learning and ethical character formation’ 319 Solutions of Risale-i Nur for an open sore of mankind: the lack of social solidarty and co-existence 329 Bediüzzaman Said Nursî: a paradigm shift in the dimensions of inter-religious dialogue 338 Nursî’s concept of integration of sciences: a study of Madrassah al-Zahra 348 Contextualising Said Nursî in present scenario of moral education 357 6 FEBRUARY 2017 EDUCATION & ETHICS IN SAID NURSÎ’S RISALE-I NUR • DEPT. OF ARABIC ANNOOR Women empowerment: a Nursîan paradigm ABDUL JALEEL PP Bafakhy Islamic and Arts College, Valavannur ABSTRACT In this paper I am going to take up the question whether women in Islam are empowered or not in the light of Risale-i Nur,the magnum opus of Bediüzzaman, the exegesis of Qur’ān and what did Nursî come up with empowering women uplifting her from being degraded in the name of secularization convincing them they are protected in Islam than that of men, it is of no doubt on the relevance of discussing this topic as we are living in a world where some women are paid to get naked and others are fined for being covered and regulations of the laws against hijab keep coming even many nation has put a ban on women’s dress .Muslim women, her dress and so on are always subjected to many discussions here the clear cut elucidation of the Nursî would be suffice to mute all allegations. This paper shows that how far and deep women is empowered and protected. aid Nursî was a charioteer of Islamic modernism who gave con- Ssiderable heed to women empowerment through Islamic frame work and imparted to his students that the existence of women as being one of the manifestation of tajalli (materialization) and of the nature of Allah who is most beautiful (jameel). The word empowerment, in spite of this terminology, is recent by origin; the morphology of the word seems to have a deep root in the psych of civilization which had been born out of conflict and remains being tangled with conflicts. This conflict which began with renaissance and continue to date, appears to be one thread which runs through western social and intellectual development. Right at the very beginning, it was a conflict between man and WOMEN EMPOWERMENT: A NURSÎAN paradigm 7 god, then between state and church, then science and nature, then proletariat and bourgeoisie, then women and man. Strictly saying, there is no universal definition for women em- powerment as factors such as socio-cultural, geographical, envi- ronmental, political, and economic, as well as many other aspects of countries and regions influenced it. As far as Nursîan mode of women empowerment is concerned it is against western mode of feminist approaches as it is nothing but a disguised form of ex- ploitation of body, of deprivation of honour and degradation of soul. The mode of empowerment that is being imparted by Said Nursî is apparent in his magnum opus, Risale-i Nur, as such, Women em- power means increasing the spiritual, moral, social, educational and economic strength of women in a society. Spiritual empowerment As Belief is both light and power humankind should be empowered with belief. According to Nursî, Religion is innate to human nature and the most important matter for humanity is belief, gaining a strong belief is more important than gaining the domination of the world and saving ones belief is like saving eternal world in his view belief has the value of the diamond while politics and world- ly affairs are worth only pieces of glass. So he stressed spiritual empowerment of women by towing the lines of sharia, at these spiritual realm men and women are equal in responsibilities al- mighty Allah says that: I shall not allow to go to waste the deed of any doer among you whether be a male or female 1. It is clear that Islam does not discriminate between men and women in religious responsibilities since each gender shares most of the responsibil- ities. But each has certain responsibilities that are particular to it. The Qur’ān usually uses the masculine form of address, for this is one of the characteristic of Arabic language. In almost every language, the masculine form is used for a group comprising both men and women like the word mankind which include men and women so brotherhood also includes sisterhood 2. 8 FEBRUARY 2017 EDUCATION & ETHICS IN SAID NURSÎ’S RISALE-I NUR • DEPT. OF ARABIC ANNOOR Belief in the almighty Allah and hereafter is precious as it opens the door to happiness and seeking refuge in him is invaluable medicines for the development of intellectual weakness. All jus- tice, peace, honesty, integrity and love emanate from faith in high judge and religiously based moral percepts3. According to WHO, health is the state of physical, mental, and economic well-being of the people and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity4. Here it is a proven fact that belief is the way of managing tension5. Our duty is not restricted to living an easy life (according to the requisite of modern corrupt civilisation) and gratifying our carnal desires nor our delicate senses and abilities, sensitive faculties and organs, well ordered members and systems and inquisitive senses and feeling included in the machine of our life (our body) to satisfy the base carnal self-low desires6. But each person have his own responsibilities laid upon them. Nursî believes that Belief is the only way by which we can reach the highest degree of perfection which enables us to attain true humanity7. Moral empowerment By a cursory glance to Risale-i Nur, it is sure that the very existence and development of the society is on the stem of morality, a good society influenced by good morals is the ideal society which is being dreamt of by Nursî8. The sole means of saving women’s happiness both here and hereafter is by saving their elevated innate quali- ties from corruption, women are the champions of compassion9. Bediüzzaman believed that good morals are innate to all human beings so that he admonished the mankind to develop moral build- ing and drew morals from Qur’ān and Hadith Allah says in Qur’ān: We have indeed created man in the best of moulds.