Köprü Anasayfa

Said Nursi’nin Demokratik Toplum Tasavvuru

"Yaz 2010" 111. Sayı

  • Said Nursi’s Democratic Society Vision

    Editorial

    In our period as rapid changes are seen discussions on the concepts of human rights, state of law, democratization and freedom prepared a basis for other changes with social dimension. While state centered views that dominated past centuries are weakening, views aiming at expanding person’s life area and centered on human strengthened in this century.

    When evaluated from our country’s perspective, it is seen that our democratization process full of pain and tears is still problematic. Despite a process of at least one hundred years, our country’s grades concerning human rights are still low. Our country, which passed hundredth year of constitutionalism, still longs for a free, modern democracy. Problems centered on the concepts of religion-politics-state cannot be overcome. In addition to this, state centered codes and authoritarian tendencies dominant in the process of shifting from Empire to republic could not be left behind. Authoritarian perceptions leads to postpone individual rights and freedoms and prevent attainment of democracy to the desired level. As one of the most basic discussion topics, “Kurdish Issue” gradually becomes deeper and gains different dimensions with nationalist-statist reflexes. The point where the process launched as “Democratic Initiative” will end, how to stop antidemocratic structures and how to end terror are among the questions that are asked most today. In short, several problems of our country in socio-cultural, socio-economic, socio-psychological fields are waiting to be solved with new initiatives.

    Said Nursi’s democratic society vision ornamented with ethics and virtues contain sensitivities and principles which may be the solution of chronic problems of our country. Said Nursi involved in democracy discussions within the last period of Ottoman Empire, when such discussions initiated in our country, defended constitutionalism for religion, and attracted attention with his innovative quality outside the traditionalist understanding, with his specialist identity in social sciences and politics. Ideas of Bediüzzaman, who himself lived during Autocracy, Constitutional and Republic Periods and witnessed socio-cultural and political breakdowns, can bring new perspectives to today’s democracy discussions. Solution offers of Said Nursi to Turkey’s bleeding and deepening wound called Kurdish Issue are worthy of attention. Knew region’s personal and social dynamics well, Said Nursi focused on the essence of the issue and provides a prescription. Moreover, Said Nursi did not only draw attention to our country’s problems, but also to Islam world’s and humanity’s problems, and laid the foundations of a peaceful world.

    In our previous issue we presented some of the congress paper texts from “Solution Seeking for Today’s Problems and Said Nursi Model Congress”, and looked for solutions to basic problems surrounding humanity within the light of Bediüzzaman’s views. And in this issue we discuss issues that are important for both our country and the world such as World Peace, Democracy and Human Rights and Kurdish Issue, and intended to contribute to democratic initiative process and to draw the framework of Said Nursi’s democratic society vision. Moreover, by sharing the report concerning Kurdis Issue prepared by Risale-i Nur Institute, and presented the issue to our readers and concerned people.

    While presenting the journal to you, we hope to be with you with “Third Said” file.