Said Nursî (1877–1960)
Born 1877 CE, died 1960 CE.
Said Nursi (1877 – 23 March 1960), known also as Said-i Kurdî, was a Kurdish scholar of Islam from Turkey who wrote the Risale-i Nur Collection, a body of Qur'anic commentary exceeding six thousand pages. His focus was on a revival of personal Islamic faith "through study, self-reform and service of others". Believing that modern science and logic was the way of the future, he advocated teaching religious sciences in secular schools and modern sciences in religious schools. He is commonly known with the honorifics Bediüzzaman (بدیعالزمان; lit. 'wonder of the age') and Üstad (استاد; lit. 'teacher') among his followers. Nursi inspired a religious movement that has played a vital role in the revival of Islam in Turkey and now numbers several millions of followers worldwide. His followers are often known as the "Nurcu movement" or the Nurcu cemaati. A 2008 publication estimates Nurcu adherents at 5 to 6 million worldwide, and around 5500 dershanes (halls where adherents study Nursi’s writings). Originally active in politics on behalf of Islam, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire Nursi abandoned political activity and devoted himself to writing about Islam.
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