genc_kalem
Okumak,Yaþamaktýr
THE LANGUAGE OF THE RISALE-I NUR
Before discussing the unique language of the Risale-i Nur, we had better have a look at the style of the Qur'an. Although there is no problem of any theological value, theoretical or practical, which the Qur'an has not dealt with, and it surpasses all scriptural records of pre and post Islamic ages in the abundant variety of its contents, its method of approach, presentation is exclusive and unique to itself. It never deals with a topic in the way ordinarily used by any author of a theological treatise or even in any (as was once conjectured) apostolic writings. On the contrary it expressly says that it has adopted a special manifold method of its own which may be termed as tasrifi, i.e. display of varieties or changing the topics and shifting from one subject to another or reverting to the previous one and repcating deliberately and purposefully one and the same subject in unique and peculiar rhythmic and recitative forms to facilitate the under standing, learning and remembering of it.
The display of varieties linked together with a rhythm of peculiar pitch is to show forth the signs of the Unity of God. The Qur'an aims to stir up the depth of human intellect to reflect on the unity in variety and harmony in diversity. Through this unique style of its, the Qur'an also shows the inter relatedness, interdependence and interconnectedness of things in the universe. As three 'hooks' of God Almighty, the universe, the Qur'an and man are regarded as the three expressions of the same truth. For this reason, the universe is called macrocosm, while man, microcosm. However, we also call the universe macro-human being and man. micro universe.
It is a fact that the holy Qur'an deals in its different chapters, each of which has it own rhythmic patterns, with different topics in different ways, and this variety adds to its unique beauty and matchless eloquence. An attentive reciter or in intelligent audience of the holy Qur'an while experiencing these varieties of rythrnical pattern. enjoy it to the extent that 'the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver with the recitation of it and their hearts soften to the remembrance of God'.
In order to judge the language and style of the Risale-i Nur, we should consider the style of the Qur'an and the mission of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Bediuzzaman was not a writer in the usual sense of the word. He wrote because he had a mission: he struggled against the materialistic and atheistic trends of thought fed by science and philosophy and tried to present the truths of Islam to modern minds and hearts of every level of understanding. Bediuzzaman was a preacher and therefore, rather than writing, he spoke and dictated. It is because of this that some parts of the Risale-i Nur were written in quite a short time. For example, the Nineteenth Letter, called the Miracles of Muhammad, which covers about more than one hundred pages, was written in ten hours. He poured out his inspirations coming like welcome rain, without missing a single word.
Second, the Risale-i Nur, like the Qur'an, mainly concentrated on the existence and Unity of God, the Resurrection, Prophethood, the Qur'an, the invisible realms of existence, Divine Destiny and man's free will, and worship and man's place and duty among the creation. Everything in the universe, all natural phonemena and events in human history provide signs and arguments for the truth of all these Islamic essentials. In fact, all things and events in the universe and man's individual and social life originate in God's Names. These Names manifest themselves in two ways: almost all of them are manifested on a single thing or being but in degrees. For example, we can observe on man the manifestations of nearly all of such of the Names as the All-Merciful, the Provider, the Protector, the All- Powerful, the All-Willing, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, etc. However, on each human being one or a few of these Names excel others in in~inifrst'iiion with the others dependent on them. If, for example, the Name the All-Wise is prominently manifested on a man, that man will distinguish himself with wisdom. If the Nature the All-Knowing has prominence in manifestation on another one, then that one will have reputation for being knowledgeable. This kind of manifestation is called the maninfestation of Oneness. The other kind of manifestation is that a Name manifests itself on all things or beings, which we call the manifestation of Unity. So, while studying different beings and entities to show how they point to the Existence and Unity of God Almighty, you will have to make some repetitions. This is also what the Qur'an does.
Thirdly. in order to remove from peoples minds and hearts the accumulated 'sediment' of false beliefs and conceptions to purify them both intellectually and spiritually, and also in order to strengthen and reinforce Muslims in belief. Bediuzzaman writes forcefully and makes reiterations. He writes in neither an academic nor a didactic way; rather he addresses both minds and hearts at the same time and frequently appeals to feelings and thus aims to pour out his thoughts and ideas into peoples' hearts and minds in order to awaken them to belief and conviction and rouse them to wise action in the way of God Almighty. Also, while judging the language and style of the Risale-i Nur, we should also consider why Muslims have to recite surulh al-Fatiha in each rak'ah of daily prescribed prayers, in which they pray to God Almighty: Guide us to the Straight Path. They do that because it is probable for man to go astray at any moment of his life and therefore he needs God's uninterrupted protection of him against devia tions throughout his life. It is due to this human reality, 'lamely man's susceptibility to going astray, that the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, declared: 'Renew and refresh your faith with La ilaha illa Allah.' So, it is vital for man's preserving his faith that he should always be reminded of the truths of Islamic faith and his mind and heart should be continuously fed with new arguments for them.
Fourthly, like the Qur'an, the Risale-i Nur addresses all levels of understanding. Since the majority of people are, by definition, of average ability in their power to understand the truths of belief, both the Qur'an and the Risale-i Nur seem at first sight to be simple. They usually speak in parables and comparisons and take into consideration even the weakest understanding. However, they are like an ocean, the deeper you go in them, the more you come to understand that they are too deep to fathom in their entirety. Everyone from the least clever individual to the most learned scholars and scientists have their share in them.
The style and language of the Risale-i Nur are unique. Most of the arguments which Bediuzzaman used are wholly original, and he is also unique and original in many of his approaches. If readers, of whatever intellectual level, study the Risale-i Nur attentively, they will find themselves rewarded and satisfied both intellectually and spiritually. The more you devote your attention more you will be attracted to it.
F.A. Yavuz
Before discussing the unique language of the Risale-i Nur, we had better have a look at the style of the Qur'an. Although there is no problem of any theological value, theoretical or practical, which the Qur'an has not dealt with, and it surpasses all scriptural records of pre and post Islamic ages in the abundant variety of its contents, its method of approach, presentation is exclusive and unique to itself. It never deals with a topic in the way ordinarily used by any author of a theological treatise or even in any (as was once conjectured) apostolic writings. On the contrary it expressly says that it has adopted a special manifold method of its own which may be termed as tasrifi, i.e. display of varieties or changing the topics and shifting from one subject to another or reverting to the previous one and repcating deliberately and purposefully one and the same subject in unique and peculiar rhythmic and recitative forms to facilitate the under standing, learning and remembering of it.
The display of varieties linked together with a rhythm of peculiar pitch is to show forth the signs of the Unity of God. The Qur'an aims to stir up the depth of human intellect to reflect on the unity in variety and harmony in diversity. Through this unique style of its, the Qur'an also shows the inter relatedness, interdependence and interconnectedness of things in the universe. As three 'hooks' of God Almighty, the universe, the Qur'an and man are regarded as the three expressions of the same truth. For this reason, the universe is called macrocosm, while man, microcosm. However, we also call the universe macro-human being and man. micro universe.
It is a fact that the holy Qur'an deals in its different chapters, each of which has it own rhythmic patterns, with different topics in different ways, and this variety adds to its unique beauty and matchless eloquence. An attentive reciter or in intelligent audience of the holy Qur'an while experiencing these varieties of rythrnical pattern. enjoy it to the extent that 'the skins of those who fear their Lord shiver with the recitation of it and their hearts soften to the remembrance of God'.
In order to judge the language and style of the Risale-i Nur, we should consider the style of the Qur'an and the mission of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Bediuzzaman was not a writer in the usual sense of the word. He wrote because he had a mission: he struggled against the materialistic and atheistic trends of thought fed by science and philosophy and tried to present the truths of Islam to modern minds and hearts of every level of understanding. Bediuzzaman was a preacher and therefore, rather than writing, he spoke and dictated. It is because of this that some parts of the Risale-i Nur were written in quite a short time. For example, the Nineteenth Letter, called the Miracles of Muhammad, which covers about more than one hundred pages, was written in ten hours. He poured out his inspirations coming like welcome rain, without missing a single word.
Second, the Risale-i Nur, like the Qur'an, mainly concentrated on the existence and Unity of God, the Resurrection, Prophethood, the Qur'an, the invisible realms of existence, Divine Destiny and man's free will, and worship and man's place and duty among the creation. Everything in the universe, all natural phonemena and events in human history provide signs and arguments for the truth of all these Islamic essentials. In fact, all things and events in the universe and man's individual and social life originate in God's Names. These Names manifest themselves in two ways: almost all of them are manifested on a single thing or being but in degrees. For example, we can observe on man the manifestations of nearly all of such of the Names as the All-Merciful, the Provider, the Protector, the All- Powerful, the All-Willing, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, etc. However, on each human being one or a few of these Names excel others in in~inifrst'iiion with the others dependent on them. If, for example, the Name the All-Wise is prominently manifested on a man, that man will distinguish himself with wisdom. If the Nature the All-Knowing has prominence in manifestation on another one, then that one will have reputation for being knowledgeable. This kind of manifestation is called the maninfestation of Oneness. The other kind of manifestation is that a Name manifests itself on all things or beings, which we call the manifestation of Unity. So, while studying different beings and entities to show how they point to the Existence and Unity of God Almighty, you will have to make some repetitions. This is also what the Qur'an does.
Thirdly. in order to remove from peoples minds and hearts the accumulated 'sediment' of false beliefs and conceptions to purify them both intellectually and spiritually, and also in order to strengthen and reinforce Muslims in belief. Bediuzzaman writes forcefully and makes reiterations. He writes in neither an academic nor a didactic way; rather he addresses both minds and hearts at the same time and frequently appeals to feelings and thus aims to pour out his thoughts and ideas into peoples' hearts and minds in order to awaken them to belief and conviction and rouse them to wise action in the way of God Almighty. Also, while judging the language and style of the Risale-i Nur, we should also consider why Muslims have to recite surulh al-Fatiha in each rak'ah of daily prescribed prayers, in which they pray to God Almighty: Guide us to the Straight Path. They do that because it is probable for man to go astray at any moment of his life and therefore he needs God's uninterrupted protection of him against devia tions throughout his life. It is due to this human reality, 'lamely man's susceptibility to going astray, that the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, declared: 'Renew and refresh your faith with La ilaha illa Allah.' So, it is vital for man's preserving his faith that he should always be reminded of the truths of Islamic faith and his mind and heart should be continuously fed with new arguments for them.
Fourthly, like the Qur'an, the Risale-i Nur addresses all levels of understanding. Since the majority of people are, by definition, of average ability in their power to understand the truths of belief, both the Qur'an and the Risale-i Nur seem at first sight to be simple. They usually speak in parables and comparisons and take into consideration even the weakest understanding. However, they are like an ocean, the deeper you go in them, the more you come to understand that they are too deep to fathom in their entirety. Everyone from the least clever individual to the most learned scholars and scientists have their share in them.
The style and language of the Risale-i Nur are unique. Most of the arguments which Bediuzzaman used are wholly original, and he is also unique and original in many of his approaches. If readers, of whatever intellectual level, study the Risale-i Nur attentively, they will find themselves rewarded and satisfied both intellectually and spiritually. The more you devote your attention more you will be attracted to it.
F.A. Yavuz