Reflections on the Risale-i Nur
by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi

Besides various resources on the Risale-i Nur (Epistles of Light) and its author Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, this website offers links to the Reflections-RN Podcast, where you can find a side-by-side reading of the Risale-i Nur in the Turkish original and in English translation, followed by clarifying notes and reflections in English. Risale-i Nur is a profoundly spiritual, insightful, and intellectual commentary on the Qur'an by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1878-1960), a scholar of Islam from the Ottoman Empire and Turkey with extraordinary memory and intellect, sincere devotion and spirituality, and an excellent grasp of the Islamic tradition and the modern world.

For the latest episode on the existence and oneness of God click here: audio / video. This episode is based on the "Twenty-Second Word," which offers twelve demonstrative proofs on the existence of God.

For a rough translation of the section that is being discussed click here. This text is a work in progress and should not be considered a finalized translation. It is only meant to help in following the podcast episode.

This site and the Reflections-RN Podcast are maintained by Dr. Mustafa Tuna. He is an associate professor at Duke University. In addition to several works on the history of Muslims in Turkey, Russia, and Central Asia, he is the author of an academic article on Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, titled “At the Vanguard of Contemporary Muslim Thought: Reading Said Nursi into the Islamic Tradition” and the co-author of Glossary of Islamic Terms in the Light of the Risale-i Nur. He is currently working on a book-length project titled Said Nursi's Path of Light: Faith, Practice, and Spirituality in the Works of a Twentieth-Century Scholar of Islam and translating Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s Mathnawi Nuri into English from the Arabic original (Videos of online discussions organized by the Lighthouse for Humanity based on this ongoing translation work can be reached here.)

In the menu bar, click:

• “Introduction” for an introduction to the Risale-i Nur and its author Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. For maximum benefit, please read or listen to this section before listening to the podcasts,

• “Podcast” for a classified list of the Reflections on Risale-i Nur Podcast episodes.

• “Download Risale-i Nur” to download pdf copies of the Risale-in Nur in English, Arabic, and original Turkish,

• “Resources” for miscellaneous resources on the Risale-i Nur and its author Bediuzzaman Said Nursi.

contact: nurlesson@gmail.com