NEICC COMMUNITY SEMINARS

Zeki Saritoprak, professor at the department of theology and religious studies, John Carrol University and the director of the Bediuzzaman Said Nursi Chair in Islamic Studies, gave a talk about the life and the work of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi on the 11th of October, 2014 at Boston Dialog Foundation and North East Islamic Community Center in Revere, MA. In his speech, Prof. Saritoprak first talked about Nursi’s childhood and explained how he was given the name “Bediuzzaman”. He said Nursi was a very exceptional student with a photographic memory and analysis capability such that during 3 months of his education he memorized 80 volumes of prominent Islamic textbooks of his time and that was the reason why his professors gave him the name Bediuzzaman (peerless of time).

Prof. Saritoprak continued his presentation by giving examples from Nursi’s life and quoting from his work, Risale-i Nur, and pointed out that Nursi never supported violence in his life, even when he was treated unjustly. He promoted peace and dialogue to his supporters even towards those who mistreated him. Prof. Saritoprak concluded his speech by mentioning current violence happening in certain parts of the Muslim world and said today’s Muslim world needs this philosophy more than at any other time in the history. At the end, Prof. Saritoprak introduced his most recent book, “Islam’s Jesus” published by University Press of Florida in May, 2014.