International Seminar - 2

On
EDUCATION & ETHICS IN SAID NURSIS RISALE-I NUR
@
University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
By
The Istanbul Foundation for Science and Culture, Turkey &
Department of Arabic, University of Kerala
(8 - 9 February 2016)
The Department of Arabic, University of Kerala, was established in 2001. It will
conduct an International Conference on the 8th and 9th February 2016, to discuss the
views of Said Nursi, the prominent Muslim thinker and theologian from Turkey, on the
discourse of Education and Ethics.
Said Nursi, popularly known as Bediuzzaman (1876-1960) was a Muslim scholar,
leader and founder of Nur community in Turkey. He believed that the conscience is
illuminated by the religious sciences, the mind is illuminated by the sciences of
civilization and wisdom occurs from the combination of these two. The Nur community
seeks to raise individuals' religious consciousness, which leads to ethical harmony of
society, through educational system based on Nursi's ideas.
Said Nursi was aware of a need for education in knowledge, as well as education in
character. To him, education is ones achievement to a degree of perfection in psychology,
belief, moral and all aspects of life. His concern with educational theory is not with mans
worldly life, but with him as the Divine vicegerent on earth.
Humans are created for three main purposes; first stage is recognizing God using the
knowledge given, second stage is belief in Him and the last stage is worshipping Him. The
spiritual instruments are bestowed to them, in order to be used properly to fulfil the goal
for which God created the human beings.
Said Nursi realized that an essential cause of the decline of the Islamic world was the
weakening of the main foundations of belief. This weakening, together with the constant
attacks on those foundations in the 19th and 20th centuries carried out by materialists and
atheists, led him to realize that the urgent and over-riding need was to strengthen, and
even to save belief.
Imam Bediuzzamans aim with Risale-i Nur is to offer proofs and explanations of the
main truths and tenets of belief taught by the Quran, in order to strengthen the faith of
believers, along with the moral renewal, so that Muslims belief would not be spoilt by the
rapid implementation of Westernizing and Secularizing reforms.
The combination of intelligence and piety of Said Nursi together with the challenges
of his time gave birth to brilliance in many fields. His ideas on the discourse of Education
and Ethics can be utilized to serve as the foundation to build a self-developed person in
rich culture, civilized and religious communities worldwide.
This topic has to be discussed from different perspectives. For this, the coming
international conference is to give a platform for scholars and academicians to present
and discuss Nursis Discourse on Education and Ethics, and its importance in bringing
humanity to the truth. It will be very beneficial for the paper presenters as well as for
audiences.
1

Following are the broad areas for discussion:

1) Ethics, Morality and Spirituality
2) Faith and Religious Beliefs in Contemporary Perspectives
3) Growing Problems and Crises against Humanity and the World
4) Nursis Madrasat-uz Zahra Project
5) Living in Harmony with Beliefs
6) Nursis Vision of Education
7) Reviving Religious Knowledge in Modern Times
8) Social Solidarity and Co-existence
9) Nursis famous book Risale-i Nur
10)Sense of responsibility and accountability
Participants: Academicians, Linguistic experts, Literary personals, Sociologists, Language
Teachers, Translators, Media persons, software / Net experts, Researchers, Religious
scholars, etc.
The conference papers can be presented in Arabic, English and Malayalam.
Abstract of the paper should be sent on or before 31th October 2015. Late Entries will not
be entertained.
For more reading please visit: www.nursistudies.com

OR

www.iikv.org

Important dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline

31/10/2015

Notification of Accepted Abstracts :

10/11/2015

Full Paper Submission Deadline

31/12/2015

Conference

08/02/2016 to 09/02/2016

All Communications related to this Seminar are only to: deptofarabickvtm@gmail.com

For more Information:
Dr. Thajudeen A.S.
(Organising Secretary)
Head of the Department
Department of Arabic
University of Kerala
Kariavattom P.O 695581
Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Mobile: +91 9446827141

Mr. Noushad V.
(Co-Ordinator)
Assistant Professor
Department of Arabic
University of Kerala
Kariavattom P.O 695581
Trivandrum, Kerala, India
Mobile: +91 9747318105