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He
states that "Risale-i Nur uses demonstrative proof (burhan-i kati‘)" which
is for him the scientific method and for this reason it addresses the human
mind convincingly.
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The concept of science (fann or ‘ilm) is among
the key terms used in the writings of Ustadh Nursi. Before we discuss his
treatment of this subject we need to point out that when a scholar makes
use of a scientific concept, he uses it in an approximate meaning utilized
by the scientific community of his time. In this sense we indeed have to
use the scientific theories that are dominant in our age. As human beings
we cannot go much beyond that conception. Ustadh Nursi himself point to
this fact eloquently with an allegory:
Nowadays, because of the highly sophisticated methods and means, and
also through accumulation of scientific data, there are many issues in
geography, cosmology, chemistry, and applied geometry which have become
clear even to elementary school students; they even play as toys with some
of these scientific discoveries. But in the olden days these issues were
ambiguous even for Ibn Sina and scholars of his stature. But when we compare
Ibn Sina’s intelligence and his sophisticated scientific methodology with
those of many scientists and philosophers of our time, we will see that
he is far superior to many of them. In that case, that shortcoming does
not belong to Ibn Sina himself, because he is an ibn al-zaman (son
of his age).[1]
What Ustadh Nursi also points at here is that it is not easy to strip oneself
from the preconceptions of his time. For this reason if one were to change
the common usage prevalent in his time, he must first justify himself scientifically.
When we consider this fact, we may first raise the question of what kind
of a concept of science was prevalent at the time of Ustadh Nursi. The
answer is not difficult, as we already know that the positivist conception
of science was predominant at that time; perhaps beginning with the time
of August Comte (1798-1857) until very recently this conception of science
dominated the philosophical scene, as well as the common conception prevalent
among the scientists themselves. Of course, considering the principle of
ibn
al-zaman as expressed by Ustadh Nursi, not only could he himself have
remained indifferent to the positivist conception of science, but indeed
he had adopted it in his dealing with sciences. As a preliminary investigation
we shall try to give some evidence for his adoption of this conception.
First of all, his usage of the term ulum-u musbete (positive
sciences) gives at least a clear evidence of using the positivist terminology.
This is by itself sufficient to show that he accepts at least classification
of sciences into positive and metaphysical sciences. This classification
is evidently based on the positivist concept of science. Secondly, since
according to the positivists, scientific truth is exact, precise and thus
gives certainty, as opposed to the metaphysical sciences, Ustadh Nursi
wants to show that if the scientific method is correctly applied in metaphysical
sciences, the same result will be achieved. He states that "Risale-i
Nur uses demonstrative proof (burhan-i kati‘)" which is for
him the scientific method and for this reason it addresses the human mind
convincingly.[2] But that which "establishes the conclusion of a demonstrative
proof in metaphysical sciences is belief (iman). Demonstrative proof
is only a means" to attain that certainty.[3] We shall discuss this point
as his metaphysical methodology below, and thus at this point present it
only as an evidence for his adoption of the current concept of science
in his time. Thirdly, Ustadh Nursi’s emphasis on the scientific achievements
of our time also shows the signs of this adoption. This emphasis carries
the tone of the problem of underdevelopment in such a way that i‘la-yi
kelimetullah is said to depend upon "material development" which is
connected with modern science and technology. Moreover, he argues that
"at the time of civilizational progress science and knowledge reigns supreme
in the world".[4] (Tasallut-u medeniyetin zamaninda alemin hukumrani, ilim
ve marifettir.)
Although Ustadh Nursi adopted the concept of science prevalent at his
time he did not accept this conception without any modification. On the
contrary the concept of science as a scientific theory was modified and
was dressed in a new clothing. The statement which best exemplifies this
modification is found in his attempt to reconcile the religious sciences
taught in the madrasas with the natural sciences of his time: "It is necessary
to mix and combine modern science with the religious sciences of the madrasas"
he declared.[5] This reconciliation is also carried into a theoretical
justification:
The light of conscience is religious sciences (ulum-u diniye).
The light of the mind is modern sciences (funun-u medeniye). Reconciliation
of both manifests the truth. The student’s skills develop further with
these two (sciences). When they are separated, from the former superstition
and from the latter corruption and skepticism is born.[6]
Muslims were indeed successful in the past when they faced a similar problem
but in a different form in earlier ages. Greek philosophy, for example
was modified and applied in many areas of Islamic thought. But some of
the Muslim philosophers, such as Ibn Sina, al-Farabi, and Ibn Rushd, tried
to construct a worldview based on this transformation. Ustadh Nursi is
clearly against this application of foreign ideas in such areas as what
he calls ulum-u imaniye, which is perhaps the metaphysical science
within the terminology of philosophers. But he is not against it in general
scientific activities. Yet he warns that when these transformations are
made sometimes they are related to certain religious issues and the scientific
theory is conceived as a part of the religion. In this case we must be
careful not to mix the two different fields of knowledge. Especially, scientific
theories should be used in interpreting the religious issues with utmost
care.
Everything which has been brought in relation to religion is not necessarily
from religion. Similarly, to accept every issue, which has been reconciled
with Islam, as coming from the basic Islamic principles means not to know
these principles. For the fundamental four principles of Islam, which are
the Qur’an, sunnah, qiyas and ijma‘ (consensus), cannot include,
nor can lead to such issues.[7]
The emphasis is on the knowledge which yields the happiness of this world
and the one to come:
Knowledge is of two kinds: There is one kind of knowledge which will
suffice, if it is grasped once and reflected upon a few times. But the
other kind of knowledge is like nutrition and water; man constantly needs
to reflect upon it. He cannot say: ‘I have grasped it once and that is
sufficient.’ The sciences of belief (ulum-u imaniye) are of this
second kind. The Words (i.e. Ustadh Nursi’s writings) are mostly,
God-willing, belong to this kind.[8]
Man came to this world to be perfected by means of knowledge and supplication.
In regard to his nature and abilities everything is tied to knowledge.
And the foundation, source, light, and spirit of all true knowledge is
knowledge of God (ma‘rifetullah), and its essence and basis is belief
in God.[9]
For this reason Ustadh Nursi following the Qur’anic epistemology maintains
that "if knowledge lacks the insight of the heart it is ignorance".[10]
The main reason, according to Ustadh Nursi, for this fact is that our mind
needs to absorb the religious truth with the help of the Revelation to
which our heart (qalb) and not our mind or reason is a mirror. He
thus declares a general principle that "the revealed truth is reasonable,
but reason on its own cannot attain it."[11] The insight of the heart is,
therefore, provided by the Qur’an. But the insight of the human mind is
the guiding light of other sciences. For this reason, former Muslim scholars
referred to these sciences also as al-‘ul‚m al-‘aqliyyah, which
are mostly natural sciences. But we may ask here what is the nature of
these sciences according to Ustadh Nursi?
The reality of the universe and all beings is based on the Divine
Names. The reality of every being is based on one Name or on many. All
sciences and arts also based on and rely upon a Name. The true science
of philosophy is based on the Name of All-Wise (al-hakim), true
medicine on the Name of Healer (al-Shafi), and geometry on the Name
of Determiner (al-Muqaddir), and so on. And in the same way that
each science is based on and ultimately ends in a Name, the realities of
all arts and sciences, and of all human perfections, are based on the Divine
Names.[12]
Ustadh Nursi thinks that this great truth of knowledge is attained by a
special way of observing the universe. For "all the observations of one
who views the universe in the name of God is true knowledge. But if one
observes the universe heedlessly in the name of causes, what he considers
knowledge is indeed ignorance."[13] In this sense science is taken as an
interpretation of the universe, which is a symbolic creation of God pointing
to a Truth (al-haqq) that is beyond themselves. Ustadh Nursi tries
to illustrate this nature of science with an allegorical story:
One time, a renowned Ruler who was both religious and a fine craftsman
wanted to write the Holy Qur’an in a script worthy of the sacredness in
its meaning and the miraculousness in its words, so that its marvel displaying
stature would be arrayed in wondrous apparel. And so the artist King wrote
the Qur’an in a truly wonderful fashion. He used all his precious jewels
in its writing. In order to point to the great variety of its truths, he
wrote some of its embodied letters in diamonds and emeralds, and some in
rubies and agate, and other sorts of precious stones and pearls, while
others he inscribed with silver and gold. And he adorned and decorated
it in such a way that everyone, those who knew how to read and those who
did not, were full of admiration and astonishment when they beheld it.
Especially in the view of the people of the truth, since the outer beauty
was an indication to the brilliant beauty and striking adornment in its
meaning, it became a most precious antique. Then the Ruler showed the artistically
wrought and the bejeweled Qur’an to a European philosopher and a Muslim
scholar. In order to test them and for a reward, he commanded them: "Each
of you write a work about the wisdom of this!" First the philosopher, then
the scholar composed a book about it. However, the philosopher’s book discussed
only the decorations of the letters and their relationships and conditions,
and the properties of the jewels, and described them. He did not touch
on their meaning at all, for the European had no knowledge of the Arabic
script. He did not even know that the embellished Qur’an was a book and
a writing expressing a meaning. He rather looked at it as an ornamented
antique. He did not know any Arabic, but he was a very good engineer, and
he described things very well, and he was a skillful chemist, and an ingenious
jeweler. And so this man wrote his work according to those crafts and sciences.
As for the Muslim scholar, when he looked at the Qur'an, he understood
that it was the Perspicuous Book, the All-wise Qur'an. And so this truth-loving
person neither attached importance to the external adornments, nor busied
himself with something that was a million times higher, more elevated,
more subtle, more noble, more beneficial, and more comprehensive than the
matters with which the other man had busied himself. For discussing the
sacred truths and lights of the (mysteries) symbols beneath the veil of
the decorations, he wrote a truly fine commentary. Then the two of them
took their works and presented them to the Ruler. The Ruler first took
the philosopher’s work. He looked at it and saw that that self-centred
and nature-worshipping man had worked very hard, but he had written nothing
of true wisdom. He had understood nothing of its meaning. Indeed, he had
confused it and been disrespectful towards it, and ill-mannered even. For
supposing that source of truths, the Qur'an, to be meaningless decoration,
he had insulted it as being without value in regard to its meaning. And
so the Wise Ruler hit him over the head with his work and expelled him
from his presence.
Then he looked at the work of the other, truth-loving, scrupulous and saw
that it was an extremely fine and beneficiary commentary, a most wise composition
full of guidance. "Congratulations! May God bless you!" he said. Thus,
wisdom is this and they call those who possess it knowledgeable and wise.
As for the other man, he was a craftsman who had exceeded his mark. Then
in reward for the scholar’s work he commanded that in return for each letter
ten gold pieces should be given him from his inexhaustible treasury.
And so, if you have understood the comparison, look at its reality and
see this: The ornamented Qur’an is this artistically fashioned universe.
And the Ruler is the pre-eternal All-Wise One. As for the two men, one-the
European represents philosophy and its followers; and the other, the Qur’an
and its students. Yes, the All-Wise Qur’an a most elevated expounder, a
most eloquent translator of the Mighty Qur’an of the universe. Yes, it
is the criterion which instructs man and the jinn concerning the signs
of creation inscribed by the pen of power on the pages of the universe
and on the leaves of time. And it looks at beings, each of which is a meaningful
letter, as bearing the meaning of another, that is, it looks at them on
account of their maker. It says, "How beautifully they have been made!
how exquisitely they point to the beauty of their maker!" And through this
shows the universe’s true beauty. But the philosophy they call natural
philosophy or science has plunged into the decorations of the letters of
beings and into their relationships, and has become bewildered; it has
confused the way of reality. While the letters of this mighty book should
be looked at as bearing the meaning of another, that is, on account of
God, they have not done this; they have looked at beings as signifying
themselves. That is, they have looked at beings on account of beings and
have discussed them in that way. Instead of saying, "How beautifully they
have been made", they say "How beautiful they are", and have made them
ugly. In doing this they have insulted the universe, and made it complain
about them. Indeed philosophy without religion is a sophistry, divorced
from reality and an insult to the universe.[14]
Ustadh Nursi’s conclusion leads us directly to the language science utilizes
in expressing its discoveries and in formulating its theories. As we have
seen above, he severely critisizes the scientific language used in Western
science. In this connection he suggests the language of the Qur’an as a
model. He argues that the Divine language, as it is a guidance for us in
every respect of our social life, should be taken as a guidance in expressing
scientific discoveries and truth, or even in formulatin scientific theories.
The question is, then: How does the Qur’an address the natural phenomena?
Nursi puts this question in the following manner: "Why does the Qur’an
not speak of beings in the same way as philosophy and science?"
He replies that the Qur’an speaks of certain phenomena discussed in
sciences in a rather simple and superficial manner, because its actual
purpose is to explain the meanings of the universe laid in front of us
as a great book in order to make known its Creator.[15] For this reason
it uses a language which leads man to form a habit of mind to look at things
not for themselves but for their Creator, and this is the true guidance.
While the state of mind which results from the language of Western philosophy
and science leads man to look at beings for themselves. Moreover, this
language addresses in particular only the scientists. But the message of
the Qur’an is general and it addresses all classes of men. For example,
when it talks about the sun, it says:
"The sun is a revolving lamp or lantern." Because it does not speak
of the sun for itself and its nature, but because it is a sort of spring
of an order and centre of a system, and order and system are mirrors of
the Maker’s skill. Moreover, it says: "The sun runs its course" meaning
that it revolves. Through calling to mind the well-ordered disposals of
Divine power in the revolutions of winter and summer, and day and night
with the phrase, The sun revolves, it makes understood the Maker’s
greatness. Thus, whatever the reality of this revolving, it does not affect
the order, which is woven and observed, and which is the purpose. It also
says, "And set the sun as a lamp".[16]
This way the universe is depicted as a huge kingdom, and the earth a palace
in it, and the sun as a lamp, the moon as a night light and the stars as
decorations for man to reflect upon in order to reach the grandeur and
splendor of its Creator. But if we look at the language of science and
philosophy when it discusses the same subject, it says that; "The sun is
a vast burning liquid mass. It causes the planets which have been flung
off from it to revolve around it. Its mass is such-and-such. It is this,
it is that, and so on." This kind of a language represents the sun, as
well as other beings, as things on their own, without an owner; it causes
in our hearts an awesome dread and a fearful wonder. Therefore, it does
not give to the spirit any perfection of knowledge or any moral lesson.
It is this kind of philosophy which Nursi described above as ‘divorced
from religion’. In order to give a concrete example for what Nursi is trying
to say here I shall complete my discussion with another long quotation
that exemplifies this scientific language. In a sense, the paragraph below
can be taken as a model for the scientific language which he wants to establish:
The All-Wise Maker has created the human body as though it was a well-arranged
city. A number of the blood vessels performed the duties of telephones
and telegraphs, while others of them are like pipes from a fountain through
which blood, the water of life, flows. As for blood, created within it
are two sorts of corpuscles. One of them, known as red corpuscles, distributes
nutrients to the cells of the body; it conveys sustenance to the cells
according to a Divine law (like merchants and food officials). The other
sort are white corpuscles, which are fewer in number than the former. Their
duty, like soldiers, is defense against enemies, such as illness. Whenever
undertake that defense, with their two revolutions, like Mevlevi Dervishes,
they take on a swift and wonderful state. As for blood as a whole, it has
two general duties; the first is to repair damage done to the body cells
and the second is to collect any waste-matter from the cells and clean
the body. There are two sorts of blood vessels, veins and arteries. One
of these carry purified blood, they are the channels through which clean
blood is conveyed. The others are the channels for the turbid blood which
collects the waste-matter; these convey the blood to where breathing occurs;
the lungs.
The All-Wise Maker created in the air two elements, nitrogen and oxygen.
As for oxygen, when it comes into contact with the blood in breathing,
it draws to itself, like amber, the impure element, carbon, which is polluting
the blood. The two combine and are transformed into matter called carbonic
acid gas. Oxygen also maintain the body temperature, and purifies the blood.
This is because, in the science of chemistry, the All-Wise Maker bestowed
on oxygen and carbon an intense relationship, which might be described
as ‘chemical passion’, whereby, according to this Divine law, when these
two elements come close to each other, they combine. It has been established
by science that heat is produced by combining, because it is a sort of
combustion.
The wisdom in this is as follows: the motion of the particles of those
two elements is different. On combining, the particles of one element unite
with those of the other, each two particles thereafter moving with a single
motion. One motion remains suspended, because before combining there were
two motions; now two particles have become one. Each pair of particles
has acquired a motion like a single particle. The other motion is transformed
into heat according to a law of the All-Wise Maker. As a matter of fact,
‘motion produces heat’ is an established principle.
Thus, as a consequence of this fact, by this chemical combination, as carbon
is removed from the blood the body temperature of human beings is maintained
and at the same time the blood is purified. On inhaling, oxygen both cleanses
the body's water of life and kindles the fire of life. On exhaling, it
yields, in the mouth, the fruit of words, which are miracles of Divine
Power.[17]
REFERENCES
[1] Muhakemat, printed in his collected works as Risale-i Nur Kulliyati,
2 vols. (Istanbul: Nesil Basim-Yayin, 1996), 2: 1987. Henceforth abbreviated
as Kulliyat.
[2] Emirdag Lahikasi, in Kulliyat, 1715. This is repeated in many places
of his Kulliyat.
[3] Mesnevi-i Nuriye, "Semme", in the Kulliyat, 2: 1346.
[4] Divan-i Harb-i Orfi, in the Kulliyat, 2; 1934.
[5] Munazarat, in Ibid., 2: 1956.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Muhakemat, in the Kulliyat, 2: 2010.
[8] Barla Lahikasi, in the Kulliyat, 2: 1516.
[9] The Words, trans. by Sukran Vahide (Istanbul: Sözler Nesriyat,
1992), 324.
[10] The Letters, trans. by Sukran Vahide (Istanbul: Sözler Nesriyat,
1997), 545.
[11] The Words, slightly modified from the trans. by Sukran Vahide,
op. cit., 171.
[12] Ibid., modified slightly from the trans. by Sukran Vahide, 655.
[13] Mesnevi-i Nuriye, "Semme", in the Kulliyat, 2: 1347.
[14] The Words, 143-5.
[15] Ibid., 251.
[16] Ibid., 251-2
[17] Ibid., 622, n. 3.
Seminar
given at Janda Baik, enting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia
February
16, 1999
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