Editorial

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s work called Münazarat which he described
as “ The prescription for a glorious though unfortunate continent, an illustrious
though hopless state, a talented though abandoned people” pointing out both
social and political problems of its written period and offering solutions and
traversing to the present period and enlightining todays main problems, still
awaits for careful study.
Bediüzzaman’s years in Istanbul, coincides the period when the Empire
struggles for overcoming crisis in the social, political, military and cultural fields.
The Second Meşrutiyet (Constitution) which was declared in 1908, was one of
the concrete steps for those struggles which also caused a lot of debate. The discussions
on the consepts of despotism, freedom, and constitution, Bediüzzaman’s
freedom desired attitude claimed Meşrutiyet for the sake of religion. Münazarat
was written when he took the “journey to the east” where he intended to introduce
Meşrutiyet to the people.
Münazarat’s contents has been based on responds to the questions from
different groups on social and political matters to Bediüzzaman during his journey.
The main content of the work is about freedom, constition, justice, backwardness,
minorities and Armenian Problem, education, nationalism, and Kurdish
Problem. In the work, emphasizing the rule of law, against the danger of
disintegration, proposing unifying ideas of Quranic models and pointing out a
democratic system requires careful analysis.
Münazarat, not only identifies the social and political problems of the
day in the Ottoman geography, but also the continuity of Islamic societies spanning
a huge continent, to ensure the unity and development under the principles
of the Qur’anic truths. In this context, the meaning of the work Münazarat for
today’s Islamic societies should be discussed.
In Bediuzzaman’s work, one of the most criticized concept despotism
which continues today in various forms, makes Münazarat interesting which
developes freedom fighter arguments against despotism. Bediuzzaman does not
deal with despotism and freedom just in political and legal context but also in
association with the individual’s inner world, and connecting it with the social
life. Münazarat which offers important clues to the Islamic societies on how to
approach the consepts of tyranny, liberty and republican-democracy is capable
to solve the chronic problems in our society. The work, offers tips the general
framework of today’s discussion matters; the Kurdish issue, democratization,
constitution, state, politics and individual relations; also brings important perspectives
on issues; recent riots in the Islamic world and the regimes of tyranny,
Islamic Union and so on.
Considering them in the new issue we decided to examine Bediuzzaman’s
“Old Said” period work “Münazarat” We plan the matter in the consepts of constitution,
liberty, justice, Consultation, tyranny, democracy, materially progress,
progress, regression, trusting Allah, art, ingenuity, alliance, of Union, ignorance,
poverty, conflict, education, Medrese, Medresetüzzehra, Civil Serving, service,
Patriotism, affection, Young Turks, March 31 Incident, the Sharia, nationalism,
the Kurdish issue, decentralization and in the light of following questions.
How conceptual analysis of Münazarat can be done? what is the place
of today’s debate the basic issues and arguments which dealt with Münazarat
? How is Münazarat approaching the problem of Islamic nations regression?
What are the basic definitions of constitution for Bediuzzaman. What is the
significance of this definition in terms of contemporary democratic republics?
How contemporary democratic principles are represented in Münazarat? What
can Münazarat’s contribution be to the discussions of today’s democratization,
civil constitution, and rule of law.
Leaving you alone with our Magazine. We hope to meet you with the
same matter in the next issue.