BADIUZZAMAN SAID NURSI'S APPROACH TO MODERN EDUCATION

-INTEGRATING SCIENCES WITH RELIGIOUS SCIENCES-

 

Qazi Mohd. Jamshed

Assoc. Prof. Dr., Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, qazijamshed@gmail.com

 

 

Abstract

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi was a great reformer in the twentieth Century Turkey. He played a significant role in the transformation of Turkish society. Like many educated Muslims, Said Nursi was not satisfied with the alternatives represented by both the new secularist westernizing visionaries…new secular intellectuals… and the traditionalists who failed to comprehend the nature of change in all its dimensions. He criticized existing institutions and mentalities and worked to provide an alternative …an authentically Islamic and modern approach to meet the challenges of the times. He developed his ideas on educational reform and created his own method of teaching, combining the religious science with modern science. To declare that ignorance is the leading enemy and to think that this enemy can be eliminated only through education Badiuzzaman Said Nursi presented a well educated model of community. Nursi's views on unifying educational system by his Madrasatuz Zehra approach are original and unique. His views that religious subjects should be taught in the secular schools (mektabs) and the positive science in the religious schools (medreses) so that the structure of secular education are salvaged from irreligious behavior and the religious schools from bigotry, are very progressive. Moreover, his views about integration of science and theology with education are very futuristic and rewarding given the pathetic situations of Muslims in educational field worldwide. Education based on faith was the central point of Nursi’s educational philosophy. Nursian concern with knowledge based on belief in God is very much worthy of consideration. He believed that the conscience is illuminated by the religious sciences and the mind is illuminated by the science of civilization and wisdom occurs from the combination of these two.  Nursi says, “The light of conscience is religious sciences (ulum-u- diniya). The light of mind is civilized sciences (funun-u-medeniya). Reconciliation of both manifests the truth. The student’s skills develop further with these two sciences (ulum-u-diniya and funun-u-medenye) but when they are separated superstition from the former and corruption and skepticism from the latter is born" . The educational model given by Said Nursi was very comprehensive and progressive and caters needs both of religion, science and morality and thus makes a harmonious blend of all the three in a holistic manner.  Nursian model of education surpass all the Educational models, presented and practiced by his contemporaries in South Asia, where both the objectives of empowerment through education and integration of religion with science and technology can comfortably be realized practically and in a convincing balance.  The unique civilization features of Medresetu'z-Zehra model make it a most suitable and culturally viable model for Muslims in its global perspective as well. Therefore studying this model in depth is highly desirable in the context of the consumerist tendencies emerging in the spheres of education and technology by relegating spiritual and moral values to margins. Nursian model provides an alternative which meets the demand of modern times but does not neglect the much needed values the education should imbibe to face the civilization challenges in the wake of the onslaught of atheism and materialism in name of development, modernization and progress.

This paper on "Badiuzzaman Said Nursi's Approach to Modern Education" will focus on all these issues and arrive at conclusion through sustained objectivity and analysis. 

 

Keywords: unique educational reforms, integration of Science and Theology, modern sciences and religious sciences, mektebs and medrese, Madrasatuz Zehra, morality and scientific temper