SAID NURSI PRESENTATIONBY MATTHEW ROGOVEIN

SAID NURSI  An extraordinary man with a vision  Reverse the decline in peoples faith  The Qur’an as the sole guide  Influential works as Qur’an commentary  Intellectual, moral, and spiritual strengths of faith

Among the important thinkers of the 20 th century Among the important thinkers of the 20 th century Humble servant of God Humble servant of God Remained a modest friend of his students Remained a modest friend of his studentsB

Farsighted in assessing the conditions surrounding him Farsighted in assessing the conditions surrounding him Only purpose: One with God Only purpose: One with God Look inside yourself before focusing on others Look inside yourself before focusing on others Always exemplifying his teachings by his actions Always exemplifying his teachings by his actionsC

Born in eastern Turkey Born in eastern Turkey Got his University diploma at the age of fourteen Extraordinary stupendous memory Extraordinary stupendous memory Studied physics,mathematics, and philosophy Studied physics,mathematics, and philosophyD

Risale-i Nur Bediuzzaman’s Works

 Risale-i Nur explains by means of physical sciences  Excludes the possibility of materialism being the sole meaning in our existence E

 Resale-i Nur is not specific to the date it was written be it is a commentary of the Qur’an  There is not a single statement of claim made in the Risale-i Nur which is not supported by proof with reasoned arguments in accordance with logic  He answers questions, gives rational explanations of the truths of beliefs  Many of the matters discussed are profound and by nature difficult to grasp; thus Bediuzzaman frequently uses comparisons F

Example of his work The prescribed prayers are the pillars of the religion. Resale-iNur

An important ruler sends two of his servants to a beautiful farm, giving each twenty-four gold coins One is so fortunate that he spends only a little of his money before he arrives at the station The other man, being unfortunate spends twenty-three of his twenty-four coins in gambling His friend says to him, ‘Spend this coin on the ticket. If you don’t you may have to go on foot and suffer hunger A

That important ruler is our Lord, our Creator Of the two travelers, one is religious and performs his prayers with fervor. The other, unmindful, represents the people who don’t pray The twenty-four coins stand for the twenty-four hours of a day The farm is Heaven, while the station so near is the grave The journey is from the grave to the eternal life. People cover that long journey at different times according to their deeds and conduct B

The ticket is salat, the prescribed prayer. An hour is enough for the prayers in a day. If you spend twenty-three hours a day on the affairs of this world and don’t reserve the remaining hour for the important prayers necessary for the other world Moreover, in prayer, there is comfort for the soul and mind. It is not difficult for the body. Furthermore, with the right intention, all the deeds and conduct of one who prays become like worship C

WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF PETITIONARY PRAYER (DU‘A) OF A BELIEVER FOR ANOTHER? D

A prayer is more or less acceptable in consideration of certain conditions being met. When one prays to God for something, he should first cleanse himself by asking for forgiveness from God Call God’s blessing on the Prophet Muhammad as an intercessor before and after the prayer. For calling God’s blessing on the Prophet is an acceptable prayer and the prayer said between two acceptable prayers is usually acceptable One should pray with sincerity, from the E

One should do so after each of the five daily prayers (salat) and, particularly, after the dawn prayer and in blessed times such as Friday - especially during the hour when prayer is absolutely accepted - the three months of additional prayer before Ramadan, during Ramadan itself, and, most particularly, the Night of Power God is expected, through His Mercy, to accept a petition made in observance of such conditions, and He accepts it so that either it is answered in this world or the one in whose name it is made will hopefully benefit from it in the Hereafter For this reason, if one does not obtain the result for which he prayed, he should not think that the prayer has not been accepted, rather, F

Types or kinds of prayer

The first kind of prayer is that which is made by the tongue of innate disposition The existence of all the circumstances necessary for a particular effect to come about is also a prayer through natural disposition, a plea that that effect be realized. That is, the arrangement of necessary circumstances may be likened to a tongue of disposition praying to the All-Powerful and Majestic One to create the desired effect The second kind of prayer is that which is made with the tongue of natural neediness. All living beings pray to the All- Compassionate Creator through their neediness, to satisfy their needs, which they are unable to meet by themselves The third kind of prayer is that which is made by conscious living beings for their special needs to be satisfied. This kind of prayer falls into two categories. G

Active prayer: For example, to act in accordance with causes is an active prayer. Man, by complying with causes, tries to gain God’s approval for his request, for causes alone are not sufficient for the result to be produced, and it is God alone Who produces the result. Prayer made in desperation or to have natural, vital needs met: The first category consists of the supplications made in desperation or in connection with natural needs or by the tongue of disposition or with sincerity and pure intention. Most of such supplications are accepted Prayers that we say every day: The second category consists of those prayers that we say every day. These also are of two types: one is active and by disposition, and the other verbal and from the heart. H

The voluntary verbal prayer is accepted in two ways: either what is requested is given to the one who prays or his prayer is returned with a better reward The most beautiful and pleasurable, and the quickest, result of prayer is that the one who prays knows that there is One, Who has Absolute Power over everything, Who hears him, has pity on him, and provides a remedy for his pains Prayer is the very essence of being a slave of God and an indicator of sincere belief. The one who prays demonstrates, through prayer, that there is One Who rules over the whole universe and is aware of all his affairs down to the most insignificant ones, and Who hears him and enables him to achieve his aims I

If He did not want to give, He would not give the desire to want

Why is it that sometimes we pray for things sure to happen - like the prayer made when the sun or moon is eclipsed and sometimes for things which cannot possibly happen? Prayer is a kind of worship. A servant proclaims through prayer his helplessness and poverty before God. The apparent purposes for prayer are rather causes for doing the worship of prayer. The reward for worship is principally given in the Hereafter Is every prayer answered by God? What does answering prayer mean? The prayer being answered does not necessarily mean its “acceptance” in all circumstances. There is an answer for every prayer; but to accept the prayer, and to give what is prayed for depends upon the Wisdom of the All-Mighty J

Prayer, in essence, is not done for worldly purposes; worldly purposes are rather causes for saying the prayer. In His Name There is nothing that does not glorify Him with praise. In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate Say (O Muhammad): ‘My Lord would not concern Himself with you but for your prayer’. (25:77)

1.Islam, the West, and the Risale-i Nur (1987) 2. The Author of the Resale-i Nur, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1992) 3.The Words (translation 1993) (Bediuzzaman’s work)