Interview with Sukran Vahide(formerly Mary Weld) - Taken from Islam,the West, and the Risale-i Nur
My life-story before and after the Risale-i Nur
When I look at my childhood and early youth and compare it to that of my brothers and sisters and indeed thousands of others, there is not any particular event or cause that would lead one to suppose that God Almighty in His wisdom was going to favour me later on by leading me to embrace His religion of Islam rather than them.I was the fifth of six children, and the early childhood of us younger children in particular was free and easy and untroubled. We had a large garden, where we spent a lot of time, and we lived close to the sea. Both my father's and mother's families were old Catholic families and we were brought up very much with an awareness of that tradition. But, although I remember being made to say grace (thanking God for His bounties) after all meals and to say night prayers from a very early age, and, of course, going to church of Sundays, there was not a particularly 'religious' atmosphere.
According to the tradition of such families all of us children were sent to boarding schools, my brothers to a Catholic public school run by monks, and the girls to convents run by nuns. I was sent at the age of eight up to which time my education had been informal though quite broad and much enjoyed. However, the nine years spent away at school had an effect quite the opposite of that intended and I emerged rebellious, discontented and uncertain; whereas the system succeeded with some, with me it failed dismally. I was too young to be able to articulate my rebelliousness or to understand why I should have been so unsettled and discontented, but that state of mind was to continue for quite a few years until I was given some English translations of the Risale-i Nur and though them came to accept and practise Islam.
Many young people having been through that same education system, give up the practice of their religion within a very short time after leaving schol, as I did. Of these perhaps many never had much interest in it anyway. But I was not one of them; during my schooldays I participated enthusiastically in all the rituals and singing and sadly lamented the passing of the old Latin rites after the Second Vatican Council. But that is what that particular brand of Catholicism consisted of,tradition and ritual, and when the closed world of the convent was left behind, it remained there, and we were left with no cohererent ideas or belief system with which to make sense of the new world in which we found ourselves.
The 1960's and 70's were years famous for the growth of a so called new youth culture. In all Western countries great numbers of young rejected the culture and society of the older generation and sought alternative life styles. But however innocent the original intentions of those young people, their energies and aspirations were channelled in such a way that they merely found expression in rock-music, fashion, and protest.Their energies were cleverly manipulated in order to strengthen the very system they thought they were rejecting, and, at the same time, through deadening their intellects and perception, to obviate any real challenge to that system.
This, then, was the general scene in the years that followed my leaving school. For myself, I felt angry with the world. Although I could not know why, all the values according to which I had been brought up seemed false. When I looked at people's lives they seemed meaningless, and worst of all, when I looked at my own life it seemed meaningless what was I supposed to do with it? So I joined that tide and started to look for the answers. I had various jobs and I travelled in foreign countries whenever the opportunity arose. This is a point of importance because being away broadened my view of the world immeasurably and made me aware that other worlds existed outside England.
The music and fashion that was so appealing to many of my contemporaries seemed merely banal to me and I looked for answers on a more fundamental level. At that time I lived in London and knew people who were Buddhists, Sufis, and members of all sorts of dissident religious and political groups, but much as I wanted and try as I might I could never get involved with any of them, none of those beliefs or ideologies answered my needs; whatever it was that was driving me to search for some purpose to life just did not respond to them.
As the years passed life became more and more difficult for me. I projected the conflicts and contradictions within myself onto the world about me and what I saw filled me with the darkest pessimism.There was no point in anything, nothing had any meaning. Everything was attacking everything else, and me. If the universe had begun with a big bang, it seemed certain it would soon end the same way. My mentality became so negative that I could hardly bear even the things I loved like the fields, the trees, and the sky,because they too seemed pointless. Why were they there? Why were they growing and changing and dying? Wh did I love them? Without realizying it I had fallen into a dark pit from which there seemed to be no escape.Perhaps worst of all was that the people I worked with and then those at university, my friends, seemed oblivious of just what sort of a society we were living in, of just how false it was, how subtly it deceived and manipulated everyone, exciting their greed and animality, and stupefying them with its comforts and culture. And how it particularly deceived People who considered themselves to be a bit intellectual, who thought they were protesting at its injustices and were living alternative life styles. In truth, I found it difficult to forgive them for not seeing it. I was alone in my dark pit.
When I started to read the English translations of the Risale-i Nur, I could not understand them.At university I had read other books about Islam written by orientalists and had attended lectures on various aspects of it, but these books were completely different and I had no concepts in my mind to relate them to. Despite this there was something in me that responded to them. My mind could not grasp what they were saying, but some deeper part of me seemed to take nourishment for them; it drove me to sit down by myself and read them. God Almighty drew me to becoming a Muslim from there. I also had Muslim friends at university and with their patient help and support slowly slowly I started to climb out of the pit. In the course of time we started to have regular discussions, and for three years we studied the translations of the Risale-i Nur together.
What a harmonious, meaningful, and beautiful world started to unfold during those years.Together we learned an entirely new language, the language of the Qur'an.Bediuzzaman Said Nursi teaches pure belief in the Risale-i Nur; he demonstrates what the universe is, what nature is,what we are, and what this great multiplicity of beings is doing, what it is engaged in, why it is there. He demonstrates how complete is the religion of Islam, how it addresses man's intellect and all his faculties and encompasses and explains every aspect of the universe, how it raises the eyes of his perception from materiality to what lies behind it, from this world to the Hereafter, from the creation to its All-Wise and Compassionate Creator.
It is difficult to express the feelings of joy, relief, and excitement that I experienced as the truth about this life began to emerge on studying the Risale-i Nur. We joined Bediuzzaman on his imaginary journeys around the universe and found all beings to be engaged in numerous important duties, everything was linked to everything else. It was one mighty unified system of mutual support and assistance demonstrating through its total order, wisdom, and purpose that it was being continuously created by a single All-Powerful and Knowing Creator. The wisdom and purpose displayed in the way beings were thus interconnected and endlessly one within the other displayed innumerable other purposes and instances of wisdom. Each being was there to be read, it was a sign. It pointed to an absolute knowledge, and to the endless other attributes and Names of the Possessor of that knowledge. It pointed to the Here after and the permanent display of those Names without which all this manifest wisdom would become utterly purposeless and meaningless.
I found that the Risale-i Nur not only addressed and satisfied my intellect but also, as the layers of the dirt of unbelief were peeled away, it addressed my heart and inner senses.While in the past these had rejected whatever I had approached seeking for answers, they now responded yielding nothing but peace of mind and contentment. Before, my life had been a journey descending into deeper and deeper darkness, marked only by unhappi ness, loneliness, and despair, but now I saw that myself, and all human beings, have been equipped for a journey that not only leads to eternal happiness but also results in happiness in this world. I saw that on this journey we merely have to use the equipment we have been given to conform to the perfect order, wisdom and purpose that is so apparent in the world outside ourselves and to join all our brother creatures in the worship and glorification of our All-Wise and Compassionate Creator. How the journey should be conducted is all contained within the religion of Islam, the necessities are all provided,and Bediuzzaman has given us a perfect guide in the Risale-i Nur.
Western civilization, Christianity, and Islam
The composition and history of Western civilization is exceedingly complex and it is not an easy task to outline the importance of Christianity within it without over-simplifying and obscuring the question altogether. Christianity is itself a complex and multiform phenomenon that has undergone many transformations and divisions through the ages and the term should be defined carefully in whatever context it is being used.Having said that, we shall offer one or two points in the hope that it may point towards a way that true Christianity may take in order to draw closer to Islam. From the very earliest days, sects and groups of the most diverse nature flourished in the Christian movement, each holding opposing views on the most fundamental tenets of Christian belief. The 'orthodox'- views prevailed on the conversion of the Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century A.D. and from that event the course of future Christianity was set. Although they would later be developed into a complicated theology, the basic ideas on the nature of God as a trinity and the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ (Upon whom be peace) were accepted as fundamental and necessary beliefs. Also the nature of authority was established at that time and took the form of the Emperor as the head of the Church supported by a hierarchy of bishops, priests and deacons on the one hand, with the laity or ordinary believers on the other.
Subsequent centuries saw many developments and splits within what had then become accepted to be Christianity. In 1054 A.D. the Eastern Orthodox Churches rejected the claims of the papacy and broke away from the Western Catholic Church, but despite this their beliefs and the internal structures of their Churches remained broadly similar to the Roman Church. It was not until the Reformation that split the Western Church in the 16th century that not only was the authority of the papacy and the domination of the Church and its hierarchy challenged, but also there were serious attempts to return to the Bible and purify the Christian faith itself Nevertheless, with a very few exceptions, the majority of the Protestant sects and Churches that emerged, with the exception of denying papal supremacy, cannot really be seen to have developed into anything radically different to the Catholic Church.We may therefore make the two following points. Firstly, the institution of the Church came to be the representative of Christianity, although it had taken as its basis beliefs contrary to the pure monotheism taught by Jesus (UWP) and had superimposed these on the already existing Roman social and political system. And secondly,the internal structure of the Church, with its hierarchy on the one hand, and ordinary Christians on the other was a rigid and oppressive institution that did not allow for the free exercise of reason and the development of knowledge. We may say, therefore, that a truly Christian civilization never developed, but that the Western civilization that did develop and that is known as Christian civilization is in fact a development of classical Graeco-Roman civilization.
Nevertheless, as we said to start with, it is an exceedingly complex question and while Western civilization is and always had as its base philosophy rather than Revelation, it has also been one might say, leavened, tempered, or even softened by true Christianity, that is, those of Christ's teachings that have been preserved in the New Testament and the authentic parts of the Old Testament. The influence of this true Christianity on Western civilization has been stronger in some periods of history than in others. That it has been present is undeniable but to isolate and describe pure manifestations of it is difficult. Perhaps it can be said that at an individual level people have received and continue to receive genuine inspiration and guidance through Jesus (UWP)'s teachings and that this has been reflected in the society and civilization at large.
By the Early Middle Ages the Church had gained a stranglehold over all forms of cultural life. As mentioned above, the hierarchical struture itself of the church and power that the hierarchy enjoyed in relation to the laity prevented the growth of a spirit of enquiry. Education was limited to the clergy, so that the body of ordinary Christians merely followed them blindly in their ignorance. And among the clergy, the absolute power enjoyed by the papacy disallowed any advance in knowledge. Any new thought that threw into question the accepted dogmas of the Church, as all advances in knowledge could not fail to do, was branded as heresy and suppressed.These reasons, among others, therefore, meant that the society and civilization could only progress in so far as they could shake off this oppresive domination of the Church. As the stranglehold of the Church slackened, there was a great upsurge in scientific discovery and in progress in all fields of knowledge. However, it must be stated that it shared the same foundations as the Church and civilization that had preceeded it. In fact, what could it be other than the continuation of the Renaissance, that reaffirmation of the classical Graeco-Roman inspiration of Western civilization?In the Thirtieth Word,(1) Bediuzzaman Said Nursi explains human history in terms of two currents or lines of thought, the line of prophethood and religion and that of philosophy and science, and he relates these to the human ego and describes the results they have yielded. The line of prophethood, which represents Divine revelation, corresponds to man's heart, and the line of philosophy, to his intellect or reason. The aim is for these two lines to be united, that is, for the line of philosophy to be obedient to and of service to the line of prophethood and religion. Whenever this has occurred, mankind has experienced true harmony and happiness, but when they have become separated, goodness and light have been drawn to the latter, and evil and misguidance to the former.
Thus, when man does not accept Divine revelation he will rely on his own reason and will take his desires and impulses as his criteria. Since he imagines that he owns himself, he will be compelled to imagine that everything else owns itself.This is the basis of the materialist philosophy which developed in the West. Instead of all causes, from the vastest galaxies to the minutest particles, being attributed directly their Creator, power is given to each of them. Each cause is imagined to have an actual effect, it is given the power to create. Such a man will attribute power and creativity to a false concept Re Nature, or the laws of Nature, or the forces of Nature. Since he does not accept the key, the plan, the guide to understanding the universe that has been sent by its True Owner, he will not know how to approach it. Relying only on his own intellect and criteria he will run into immediate difficulties and contradictions. He will project these conflicts and contradictions that he experiences within himself as a result of acting contrary to the manner in which he has ben created on to the world outside himself. He will interpret what he sees in that world as struggle and competition and he will come up with such irrational claims as 'life is a conflict,' 'might is right,' 'the survival of the fittest,' 'in power there is right,' and so on. It is not difficult to see how accurately this describes Western thought.Furthermore, such a man will see only the apparent face of the universe, he will not under stand its meaning. It will remain meaningless and purposeless for him. And this ownership and power that he claims will not bring him any real happiness, on the contrary, his endless desires will make him a slave to every cause he seeks to satisfy them with. Since he denies his Creator and True Object of Worship, he will worship idols and false gods to the number of causes to which he gives power. He will fall from being the aim and fruit of creation to being abased and abject, grovelling to every cause that will bring him personal benefits, seeking to satisfy his greed and pride.
Thus, if we set aside for a moment the elements of true Christianity in Western civilization and their effects, we can see the results of the negative and rotten foundations of the line of science and philosophy. To quote Bediuzzaman, "Its aim and purpose are benefit and self-interest, after which everyone jostles and pushes without restraint. Its principle in life is conflict, which manifests itself in contention and discord. The tie between different groups is racialism and negative nationalism, which thrives on devouring others and which manifests itself in ghastly clashes. Its alluring service is encouraging the passions of the soul, satisfying its desires, and facilitating the attainment of its wishes."
Since it does not spring from truth and reality and since its aim is not truth and reality, Western civilization has to resort to subterfuge and lies in order to perpetuate itself. Conflict, aggression, self-interest, discord, racialism and lust are indeed repugnant to man's nature, therefore it both cloaks these ugly facts and deliberately perverts and dulls man's nature. In order to maintain some sort of equilibrium among all those anarchic forces, it pitilessly exploits the young and plays off group against group in the society. It excites aggression, animality and racialism through films, pornography, pop music, television and the media, and then seeks to control the release of those forces through seemingly innocent football and sport, pop concerts and festivals, political demonstrations, and minor though sustained conflict between different racial and social groups.
The major requirement in the perpetuation of this system is to stop people thinking, to deaden their perception, to smother their innate urge to find the truth. The whole edifice of Western art and culture is directed towards this aim. In particular it addresses the educated classes, satisfving their senses, flattering their conceit, and deceiving them into thinking that they are concerned with reality. The economic system, which is based on waste and consumption, aims to produce, at least for some sections of the society, a false, material paradise in which unfortunate Western man may drown in unthinking comfort and pleasure.
But what a hell they create, Man is not an animal. While his body wallows in glamour and affluence, his spirit, conscience, mind, and heart suffer the torments of hell.
The line of prophethood and religion, on the other hand, has as its base Divine revelation. A man who accepts this acknowledges self he is nothing, he is a slave of God, his duty is to use his intellect and other faculties in leaming to know God so that he may team how to please Him with service and worship. He will team from the revealed books not only what he is himself and his duty, but also the true nature of the universe and its duty. He will not get bogged down in its mere functioning, its apparent face of causality, beautiful, intricate and absorbing though it is; rather, his eyes will be directed through that wonderful functioning to the meaning behind it.He will see that each being from the minutest particles to the vastest galaxies is performing endless duties in perfect submission and obedience, that beings are rushing to the assistance of the other beings in accordance with a law of cooperation that prevails over the cosmos, that singly and alto- gether these beings are proclaiming the glory, beauty, and perfections of their single Compassionate and Merciful Creator.
The firm and positive foundations of the line of prophethood result in a civilization the bases of which are as follows. Again to quote Bediuzzaman: "Its point of support is -truth instead of force, which is manifest as justice and equity.Instead of benefit and self-interest its aims are virtue and God's pleasure, which are manifest as love and friendly competition. In place of racialism and nationalism its means of unity are the bonds of religion, country, and class, which are manifest as sincere brotherhood and concord, and cooperation in only defending against outside aggression. ne principle in life is that of mutual assistance and cooperation instead of conflict, which is manifest as unity and mutual support. In place of lust is guidance, which is manifest as progress for humanity and being perfected spiritually.
Before concluding this section we shall analyse in more detail these principles quoted from Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and see how they actually manifest themselves both on the level of the individual and of society, concentrating firstly on Western civilization and society.
We saw above that if man does not acknowledge the Creator and True Owner of the universe,he will claim ownership himself and be forced to attribute ownership or power to causes, that is,beings, outside himself, for example, to the sun, or the so called forces and laws of Nature, such as gravity or nuclear forces. Therefore, since such a person does not believe that every single aspect of all the activity apparent in the universe is directly controlled, planned and created by One All-Powerful, Knowing, Wise, Compassionate, Merciful, and Just Creator, he will not only attribute its wonderful functioning to a manifestly absurd concept like chance or coincidence, but he will also see himself as justified in dominating and exploiting for his own benefits as much of the universe over which he can extend his power.Power or force, therefore, becomes a fundamental principle of materialist philosophy, and man's benefits the primary purpose or aim.
What does this mean in practice? We saw that Western civilization came to be fundamentally materialist. While it is undeniable that the Churches exert some influence over individuals and society, true Christianity, or pure monotheism, failed to influence Western philosophy. Its aim, therefore, since it is not God's pleasure and worship and service of Him through adhering to His law and commands, is man's pleasure and man's benefits. The ultimate purpose of the universe, in so far as it can be seen to have one, is to serve man's interests.Man's attitude towards the universe, then, becomes aggresssive and exf)loitative; the universe, and all beings, are there for his use and benefit to whatever degree he can increase his power and thus his domination over them.This manifests itself plainly on all levels:political, national, international, societal. What is the real aim of much modem science and technology? What is 'Stars Wars' and the race for space?And while ecologists and governments wring their hands over its effects ecologically and economically, let them consider the real causes.
This attitude necessarily expresses itself at the personal level as it does at the universal, for it is the manifestation of a basic belief. Although it is abhorrent to man's true nature, and also although it may not immediately appear to be thus, a Person who is not acting purely for God's sake will seek to serve his own interests and follow his own benefits on the personal level, too, at the expense of others, whether they be his children, parents, spouse, friends or whatever. The results of this are plain for all to see in the West. Everincreasing numbers of broken homes, divorce, and neglect of children, especially with regard to their training and real education if not materially,just for a start.
Furthermore, the contradictions and conflicts that arise from adhering to such a view of the world result in a psychological imbalance that in turn all too often gives rise to both real mental illness and to the inhuman and distressing behaviour and crime that has become only too familiar to us in the news media. The reasons for the prisons and mental hospitals being crammed with increasing numbers of inmates should be sought here and not in such matters as unemployment and social conditions, which, though real problems, can in no way be seen to be a fundamental cause. Although the majority of people may not be driven to such extremes, their state is basically the same. Man is not designed to bear the burden of unbelief. He is impotent and at the same time subject to endless desires and needs. He therefore is in need of an All-Powerful, Wise, and Compassionate Sustainer Who is able to answer all those desires and needs, that in fact reach to eternity. If he denies that Sustainer, he takes on himself not only all his own needs and problems, which he cannot secure, but also, since he is connected to the rest of the universe, he will be weighed down by all the problems and injustices in the world,which he is certainly powerless to solve. And then there is death, that inescapable reality that stands implacably at the end of the passage of life. What real hope or joy can death leave to someone who subscribes to materialist philosophy?
These great burdens of unbelief lead to a mentality of escapism. Western civilization compels people to entirely wrap themselves up in veils of oblivion in order to escape from the pain and despair that it inflicts on them. It is quite clear once one starts to notice it. Fiction, sciencefiction, sport, music, television, video, films, 'cul- ture'; they are all universally used as means of escaping. Many people openly admit that they indulge in such pastimes and hobbies in order to escape from the realities of life. Walk down any street or even comb the universities or seek out the intellectuals and see how many will be prepared to sit down and have a serious discussion of the meaning of life and death. They will avoid it at all costs. For if they do not recognize that Sin- gle All-Compassionate Sustainer, the reality is just too painful and terrifying.
This escapism is strenunously encouraged in the West as the major means of perpetuating the system, but the true nature of Western civilization is now becoming inescapably clear. For four and a half centuries the West was engaged in a vigor- ous expansion, and the aggressive forces mentioned above were directed outside itself and towards that expansion. But with its contraction an equilibrium cannot be maintained. The Western materialist system necessitates the excitement and release of those aggressive forces, but in the restricted sphere they turn inwards, as it were, resulting in conflict and violence that can no longer be controlled. This conflict and violence, too, has become familiar to us in the form of football hooliganism, racial violence, political violence, violent crime. In many areas, it is no longer safe even to walk in the streets; there is an atmosphere of anarchy, aggressiveness, and fear.
The society and civilization that revealed religion gives rise to presents a completely different picture. The need for force and aggression does not arise since all power and ownership is attributed directly to the True Owner of the universe. A believer recognizes that while being the aim and fruit of creation to whom the universe is in trust,the requirement of his exalted position is to use all the faculties and abilities he has been given in the service of that All-Powerful and Generous Owner. By conforming to the law and commands that He has revealed, he too will manifest the justice, balance and equilibrium that is so apparent in the universe. Since he recognizes God, the All- Wise and Compassionate Possessor of Absolute Power and Absolute Knowledge, and knows himself to be powerless and utterly needy, he understands that all benefits, bounty and good are given directly by God, so, while striving his utmost to receive God's bounty and pleasure, he will gratefully receive what is given and will shrink from exploiting in any manner his fellow creatures. For to act in self-interest and to seek benefits for oneself is to caim ownership of one self and to attempt to extend that ownership over other creatures; it necessarily entails aggression in some form against them, as well as being a violation of the balance and order in the universe.
Since society is formed of individuals, a truly Islamic society and civilization can only come into being as a result of people understanding,believing and acting on these principles. Only when the True Owner of the universe is recognized with all His functioning Names and attributes can believers act with true justice and manifest love and sincere brotherhood and cooperation in society. Only then can they rise above petty self-interest and that most damaging modem sickness, nationalism, which, together with racialism, is again the false claiming of ownership and constitutes an aggresssion against fellow creatures, let alone the damage that it does to the Muslim community. In fact, as the principle of jihad shows us, in no circumstances can there be aggression, only defence against outside aggression.
Furthermore, since a truly Islamic society reflects how each believer sees the universe and since the believer sees the universe not in terms of conflict, 'the survival of the fittest,' and such like, but as a vast system of mutual assistance and cooperation, he extends this principle to every aspect of his personal and social life. He attempts to conform to the wisdom, balance and order in the universe, to the Law and commands sent by its True Owner, to the practices of His Most Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace), whom He sent as a mercy to all the worlds.As we stated at the beginning, our aim in analysing Western civilization is not merely to denigrate it, but rather in discovering its foundations and true face to be able to learn something of the relationship of Christianity to that civilization,and thus to find ways in which true Christianity might draw closer to the complete religion of Islam, the religion of God Almighty's final revealed book, the Qur'an, and His final prophet,the Prophet Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), in the hope that together we might fight our common enemies of atheism and irreligion. We therefore draw the following con- clusions.Firstly, that the churches as institutions do not represent true Christianity. Nevertheless, contemporary movements within them suggest a tendency towards it. For example, in the Catholic Church, the movement of 'aggiomamento' (bringing up to date) that was instigated by Pope John XXIH in the late 1950's and was then largely ratified by Vatican Countil 11. It tackled some of the problems mentioned above and there was a devolvement of power and responsibility away from the clergy to the laity. The stress was on the greater involvement of ordinary Christians.As a result of this movement, a freer and more intellectually active theology began to emerge.And thoughout Christianity there is an uncoordinated questioning and seeking for a truer form of the religion that takes different forms in different places. This general atmosphere of questioning and searching leads us to hope that sincere Cristians will be able to draw closer to Islam.
This brings us to our second conclusion, that the easiest method of finding one's way through the maze of Western civilization, Christianity, and their histories and relationship and arrive at the truth through the analysis outlined above. Bediuzzarnan Said Nursi presented us with a model of how we should look at history, ourselves, and the universe. That was in terms of Divine revelation and religion on the one hand,and reason, science and philosophy on the other.The latter must be subservient and of service to the former, and not vice versa, which is what happened in the Christian world. This analysis shows clearly the basis and nature of Western civilization and also points to the path that should be taken by those Christians who wish to extricate themselves from the bog of materialism and enter the complete and wholesome world of God Almighty's revealed religion.
The image Europeans have of Islam
it is a sad fact but the prevailing image that Europeans have of Islam is as 'the religion of the sword.' It is an image that was conjured up during the crusades in the Middle Ages and has been carefuly nurtured ever since both by church and by state. This prejudice, on the part of ordinary people, together with vague notions of harems and veiled women, stem from a general and profound ignorance of Islam.
The church and state powers in Europe have always found it necessary to present Islam as something totally alien to Europe and to European civilization. The accounts of European travellers to the Ottoman and other Muslims lands in the 17th and 18th centuries became the source of a new movement of oriental exoticism in art and literature and this tradition later developed into the familiar academic orientalism of the 19th and 20th centuries, which was more closely connected with European governments and with their Foreign and Colonial Offices. The great numbers of books they produced deliberately distorting Islam,some of them containing the most ugly lies about the Prophet Muhammed (Peace and blessings be upon him), under the guise of 'objective' scholar ship, can be said to be the main source of whatever 'knowledge' there is about Islam in Europe.
Another sad fact is that the policies adopted today by the rulers in some Muslim countries ther with the behaviour of some individual Muslims have only reinforced the prejudices and distortions, and have thus deepened the ignorance of Europeans about Islam. How could the aggressive and vengeful bombing of civilians by both sides in the Iran-Iraq war, for example, and a general unconciliatory attitude of many leaders in the Muslim world toward each other and their use of force towards their own people contribute to the development of more positive attitudes? Also, the behaviour of many people from Muslim countries visiting Europe, such as the very rich ostentatiously squandering their wealth in the pursuit of pleasure while millions of Muslims elsewhere are dying of starvation, can do nothing but perpetuate that false and damaging image of Islam.
However, probably the most effective cause in its perpetuation is the controlled propaganda against Islam in the West, which is disseminated through every means of communication possible.It is most cleverly orchestrated; the activities of Muslims such as those described above play straight into their hands and they portray such events and behaviour on the television, radio, and in the press in such a way as to play on the public's prejudices and to increase distrust and revulsion. Films and the cinema are also an important weapon in their armoury.
A further and less sinister reason for the lack of understanding about Islam by Europeans is more to do with the Christian view of religion, which is that religion is largely a personal matter, certainly concerned with ethics and morality, which will be reflected through the society at large, but still fundamentally divorced from politics, science, and so on; it is based on the dichotomy of matters spiritual and matters temporal. That is, matters to do with religion and the church are seen to be quite distinct from matters to do with the life of this world. For this reason, and because Christianity is so closely linked to Western civilization, something of which was discussed above, Islam, as a compehensive system that embraces every aspect of man's life in this world and the Hereafter, is both simply not understood and is also seen as alien.In answer to the question, then, of how Europeans need Islam to be presented, we would sug- gest that it needs to be presented to them as the rational explanation of this world, that is, ourselves and the universe. It needs to be presented to them as the Holy Qur'an directs. That is to say, it must be demonstrated that God Almighty did not create man with an intellect in order not to use it to increase his belief. Rather,he created this beautiful and wonderfully functioning universe and gave man intellect and sent prophets with revealed Books as guides, and finally the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with the Holy Qur'an, in order that man might attain to rational and true belief. If the universe is presented as a book created as the means to introduce its Author,which human beings are invited to read using their intellects so as to be able to prove and understand rationally the truths of belief, then it will be clear that each person is directly responsible to his Creator and that there is no need for any intermediary in the performance of his worship and religion.
Furthermore, when presented in this manner,the false basis of what came to be accepted as Christianity will become evident. It will become clear that existence and creation is pure good and only non-existence is pure evil, and that when the universe is understood correctly, the necessity for the doctrine of original sin ceases to exist. The creation and man do not possess some inherent flaw that requires to be redeemed through the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ(UWIP).
Any European who can begin to see Islam in this way, that is, on the level of belief, will soon be able to see through the web of lies and the false image of Islam that has developed over the centuries.He will see that, as was demonstrated above, Islam does not accept aggression on any level. In the same way that it sees the cosmos as it is, functioning according to a universal system of mutual help and cooperation, so does it also preclude aggression in any form in the actions of human beings. And so too, jihad, commonly known as 'holy war', may only be fought in defence against outside aggression.(2) (As for Islamic dress for women, a source of much mis- understanding in the West, it shall be considered in the fifth section below.) Furthermore, if such a person's intention is sincere, that is, a person who can begin to see Islam on the level of belief, he will also understand that, far from being alien, Islam is God Almighty's final and complete revealed religion that is totally in accord with man's nature as a creature and human being, and as such transcends any restriction of race, colour, or class.
The importance of the Risale-i Nur for Europeans
The answer to the question concerning the importance of the Risale-i Nur for Europeans has in essence been answered in the previous section.Uniquely among all contemporary books expounding the religion of Islam the Risale-i Nur explains it in the manner explained above, purely on the level of belief. Not only is it a commentary on those verses of the Holy Qur'an that are directly concerned with the truths of belief, that, is, God's Unity and existence, prophethood, the resurrection of the dead and the Hereafter, the angels, and Divine Determining, but it also employs the method of the Qur'an and proves those truths through looking at the universe and seeing what it tells us through its order, symmetry and beauty and the way it functions.Also uniquely and of the utmost importance is the fact that Bediuzzaman Said Nursi wrote the Risale-i Nur specifically to answer the doubts and confusions caused by atheist, materialist and Naturalist philosophies, and to demonstrate through logical arguments and proofs their irrationality and absurdity, and to show that the only logical rational explanation of the universe and man is that revealed by its Single and Unique Creator. In the second section above we showed something of the materialist base of modem Western civilization, despite the influence on it of true Christianity. Through the method Bediuzza- man Said Nursi employs of logic and reasoned argument as well as simple stories and comparisons, he demonstrates that causality, which is the basis of materialism, whether named Nature, the laws of Nature or the forces of Nature, chance or coincidence, cannot function; causes cannot possess any power or consciousness with which to create or have an actual effect. But further to this he shows what this means, that every single being from the most minute particles to the vastest heavenly body is being individually created. Therefore, any concept such as God Almighty as the 'Prime Mover' must be recognized as being essentially materialist and discarded. This method of the Risale-i Nur of analysing the nature of belief and unbelief is absolutely essential for Europeans, and indeed for everyone, in order to gain a clear understanding and thus to be able to climb free of the mire of doubts, confusions and contradictions that mark materialist philosophy, and so to approach the truth.
A further point is that the Risale-i Nur describes the effects and results of true belief. It shows that when the universe is understood to be the continuously created manifestation of its Creator's Names and attributes, it becomes a living exhibition-place of the most exquisite bounties, each a unique work of art displaying numerous instances of wisdom. The creation is pure good and man with all of his external and inner senses is able to respond to all those different levels of bounties and thus to continuously increase in knowledge of his Merciful and Compassionate Creator and so to be able to truly carry out the worship and thanks that are his fundamental duty and the result of the way he is created. Bediuzzaman points out that the only true happiness in this world is attained in this way. In fact, true belief brings happiness in this transient world and in the Hereafter.
As was mentioned above, the Risale-i Nur is unique among contemporary Islamic works in presenting Islam as the only system of thought that answers all the questions that arise about life and the universe, and so, through clear and simple proofs, silencing the doubts and denials of materialism, naturalism and atheism; in presenting it as the final and complete revealed religion that provides for all man's aspects and faculties and thus brings him happiness in this world and the next. As far as I know, no other Islamic books have this as their aim, so although they may teach many useful facts about Islam, they are not, like the Risale-i Nur, inspired by the Qur'an to follow its method, which leads to true belief. Generally speaking, other books deal with the social and economic aspects of Islam and with its practices. If they discuss the basic beliefs, such as belief in the existence of one God, prophethood,resurrection and the Hereafter, their discussion is descriptive, they do not set out to demonstrate that all these truths may be proved rationally and so do not guide their reader towards the certainty of true belief. They therefore should be recognized as such and should not be considered to contain the whole truth of Islam. There are no exceptions to this that I have seen or heard about.
Women in the West and in Qur'anic civilization
It may clear from the descriptions in the first and second sections above that the aim of materialist Western civilization is not to fulfil the needs of human nature, but rather to exploit that nature in whatever ways it can in order to perpetuate itself despite its rotten foundations. The position of women in the West is truly grievous.Their true nature and role in the family and home are being systematically destroyed.They are the main sacrificial victims to the voracious idol of the consumer society.
The system demands that their bodies are exploited for advertising purposes. And besides exciting the greed and lust of others, they them selves are under constant presssure to spend and acquire ever more in the way of possessions and luxuries for the home. The inducement of fashion is utilized to astonishing degrees in the West, so that women are encouraged not only to buy more and more in the way of clothes and to follow fashions in make-up and the like, but also to change all the furnishings in their homes, down to even their bathrooms, every year or two. Of course, all this means that they have to abandon their homes and families and go out to work.
These developments are portrayed as progress and liberation for women,as the gaining of equal opportunities with men in the field of work and the professions. The false concept of equality is taken as the aim. Totally contrary to human nature, women are encouraged to seek equality with men in every field, from work to the home. But in fact this unachievable aim is cynically put forward to deceive unfortunate women and to cloak the ugly reality of the situation.
While feminists in the West have reacted strongly against the exploitation of women in maintaining the capitalist system, in fact, they support many of these developments since they encourage the 'liberation' of women from the 'slavery' of their role in the home and family.'Sex roles' being an artificial device engineered to perpetuate that 'slavery'. However, they themselves are calling women not to freedom but to even greater slavery. For what they are calling them to is the rejection of their own natures for the sake of some ill-defined 'rights' that consist of absolute freedom to follow their own whims and what they imagine to be their own interests unrestricted by the rights of others. How can women stepping themselves of their womanhood be seen as freedom? They are making a very bad bargain, their compassionate natures and exalted position in the scheme of things in return for total enslavement to their own individual whims and desires.
How different is the attitude of Qur'anic civilization towards women! The mercy that is Islam recognizes the manner in which they have been created and ensures through Islamic dress and other requirements that they are able to carry out their duties with their children and in the home protected and in perfect dignity.
Islamic dress and the 'position of women' generally in Islam are much misunderstood in the West, but as the many thousands of women brought up in Western society testify, Islamic dress is in complete accord with their natures and gives them the protection and ease of mind that that nature requires. And they find that indeed 'the woman's place is in the home,' that it is not a prison-sentence but on the contrary is a most gratifying duty and service of the greatest responsibility since it entails the bringing-up of the succeeding generation.(3)Islamic dress is a safe guard for this vitally important role, indicating to its importance and protecting women from any kind of indignity and exploitation.
The contradictory position of feminists is very apparent here, for they vigorously oppose the exploitation of the female body for advertising and other purposes while at the same time seeking 'freedom' or to get rid of any sort of restriction on women's dress and behaviour. However,what becomes apparent to the many 'new' Muslim women is that to expose their bodies at all to men outside their families is to both exploit themselves and to be exploited.To act as a means of exciting the lust, desire, and greed of strangers is to be exploited and for women to take pleasure in thus doing is to exploit and to degrade themselves. It is not freedom but once again to enslave them selves to their own individual desires and the desires of others.
What is freedom for women, then? Freedom for women lies in recognizing their true nature, in recognizing what teaches them what that nature is and then protects and safeguards it. God Almighty's final revealed religion of Islam does this in the most perfect form. And what does that mean? It in fact means abandoning their own desires and recognizing that they are not beings with 'rights', but creatures with duties, like all the beings in the universe, and that happiness and freedom are only to be found in the performance of those duties.
And if they are creatures with duties, then that happiness and freedom will increase in proportion to their leaming to know the Giver of those important and pleasurable duties, the Single All-Wise and Compassionate Creator. For the more they learn about the Giver of the duties, the more they will learn what the duties truly consist of. The more they can abandon their own wishes and desires the more they may draw closer to conforming to the will and wisdom of the One Who plans and runs the whole universe, which are so apparent from its order, balance and harmony.This is where true freedom lies. In belief and in submission to a Single All-Wise and Compassionate God Who thus orders and administers the whole universe as a unified whole and employs all the creatures in it according to His absolute wisdom. Freedom lies in Islam, therefore, which is that belief and which protects and safeguards those who recognize and adhere to it.
FOOTNOTES
1: A section of the Risale-i Nur. It has been translated into English and published under the title Man and the Universe, Sozler Publications, Istanbul, new ed. 1993)
2: Bediuzzaman Said Nursi points out that since the 20th century has seen the development of secularism, of which 'freedom of conscience' is a basic principle, jihad should now take the form of a 'manevi'jihad; that is, a jihad of ideas fought with the sword of true and firm belief.
3: At the same time it is essential to point out here that this duty of women should not restrict the development of their intellectual and other abilities. Rather, the one should complement the other. If women are truly to carry out their duties in brining up their children, they have to continuously study and develop their belief. In other words, as human beings their primary duty is to develop their belief in God, as women their duties are in the home. These complementary duties are essential to each other, one should never be an obstacle to or prevent the other.