In Search of the Names of Allah SWT in the Streets ofGodless Constantinople: Risale-i Nur and Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

By, Md Maruf Hasan

Think about a situation when modernity enters Muslim territory. The Khilafa system collapsed, which was followed for a few centuries due to the rise of secularism, nationalism, and democracy. Islam as a religion was considered outdated, and it was systematically and technically banned within the state. Nobody can speak words on behalf of Allah SWT. There was an urgency to emerge someone to utter some words of confidenceon behalf of Allah SWT. Students lost track as they kept walkingin universities and searching desperately for that missing spiritual boat. All they wished was if someone were to come and take them out of this silent spiritual crisis in which the name of Allah SWT has been eliminated intellectually. 

Someone stepped in for the Ummah by accepting the challenge. It was the Islamic scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. This was indeed an intellectual battle to utter words on behalf of Islam.This old man read extensively and realized first that the secular knowledge that is being disseminated by the West to young Muslim minds is nothing but the poisonous honey for them. No political game in the writings of Nursi is found like Mawdudi or Sayyed Qutub( It was dangerous too). The writings were about general messages of the Quran. It was handwritten and secretly handover to students of knowledge and they also copy by handwriting and forward to others fellow Muslims, and they read in their native language and get enlightened back about Allah SWT. The message was simple. Allah is the ultimate Truth of our universe. The universe is not Godless or Allahlessthat Secular knowledge is trying to inject in the Muslim mindsthrough the national education system. That’s all young Muslim  minds were looking for to read and listen in the education system. Have you ever felt that it seems everyone is around you at your IIUM campus except the one you are really looking for?Maybe that can be your parents or someone . but you only experience it, and you feel like nobody understands that internal crisis in this entire universe. The extensive literature was there , but there was no name of Allah SWT. Would you live in a world without the names of your Lord who created you from non-existence? The Quran utters as thus ,“How can you disbelieve in Allah? You were lifeless, and He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then He will bring you back to life, and then to Him you will be returned.” (Qur’an 2:28).

There was no signature of you last billion years and nobody cared if you come to exist or not and Allah brought you to existence, would you want to live a life without Allah SWT ?The luxury, the fame, the power, the education, whatever you need you have everything , but something is missing. The names of Allah was systematically eliminated from the entire body of knowledge. The process is still ongoing in academia. Muslim youths are being trained not to utter the names of their beloved Creator. 

Despite not having any political clue or affiliation, Said Nursi was punished in different forms. He was exiled for years. He did not stop to write for Allah. As a consequence, we got a gift from the 20^th century from this alienated scholar. It was named Risale-i Nur. Risale-i Nur Collection consists of a multi-volume commentary that explains the truths of imaan, such as Allah’s existence, unity, resurrection, and humanity’s role in worship, in a rational and spiritual way.

Why am I writing these? Is it relevant in the 21^st century when Muslim governments are not that much strict about Islam? The answer is we have stepped into the more dangerous century. Muslim academics and students need to really put effort and work hard like Sultan Mehmed II (Fatih Sultan Mehmet), whoconquered Constantinople at age 21 in 1453. If you read the history how he conquered Constantinople by working hard day and night, it is mind-blowing that he worked hard so much to fulfill the visionary dream of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). That historic victory fulfilled the famous Prophet Muhammad’s(PBUH) prophecy:

“Verily you shall conquer Constantinople. What a wonderful leader will her leader be, and what a wonderful army will that army be.” (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 23462; also narrated in al-Hakim’s Mustadrak).

In 21^st Century, every religion is in danger as I learned from Nietzsche and Max Weber. It is due to the scientific progress of Humanity. There is a special English term for it. It is called , “disenchantment” in sociology. And the spiritual crisis is later part when Youths in universities started to sense it like perhaps Allah never exists in the process of learning scientific literature when we are brought up with secular education. Nobody will force you in this century but as the scientific progress continues, this spiritual crisis gradually would affect Muslim minds. Hence, to read and write for Allah is not optional for Muslim students and academicians. There is a need for hard work in academia because Muslims are academically so weak. In one conversation, one Western scholar made fun of Muslim Ummah as a civilization, saying the number of Nobel prizes Cambridgeor Oxford University alone has, the entire Muslim nation(Ummah) does not have. If you take the criticism positively, it means nothing, but we Muslims got to work hard intellectually like our past generations to speak for Allah SWT since our responsibility is huge compared to other nations in the world. Allah mentions :

“You are the best community ever raised for mankind: you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” (Qur’an 3:110).***