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Clear Vision

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Clear Vision

Mohammed Asim Alavi

 Developing a clear vision for life is essential for success. When Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) started his mission he was well aware of the goal he intends to reach in future. In Makka, when the new entrants to Islam were still subjected to terrible forms of persecution, and he was not able to rescue weak companions from the ruthless clutches of the Quraish, he declared his goal as, ‘a day will come when a woman will travel from one corner of Arabia to the other, peacefully without fear except from wild wolves’ (or as he stated). At that time of chaos what he could do was only to advise them to maintain patience. He was utterly confident that he can create such a situation and indeed he did it, as the history shows us.

Creating a clear vision takes time; it requires maturing of ideas and gathering of experiences. If the goal one intends to reach has been clearly defined, the path he chooses comes second. He may make mistakes in the path and the way of approach, but that can be corrected through the process of trial and error. However, his vision should remain clear and intact throughout the journey of his entire life.

It’s learned that Jamaluddin Afghani’s ideas have substantially helped to broaden the vision of Imam Bediuzzaman. He was a gifted personality. Abundance of intelligent and charismatic leadership qualities, which are blessings of Allah, were identified even at the prime of in his childhood. He possessed an enquiring mind and rational thinking to unusual levels. One of his childhood experiences describes the level of intelligence he possessed.

‘…..One night on hearing tin cans clashed together and a rifle being fired, the family rushed out of the house to find it was an eclipse the moon. Said Nursi asked his mother: ‘Why has the moon gone like that? She replied:

‘A snake had swallowed it’. So Said asked:

The why can it still be seen?

‘The snakes in the sky are like glass; they show what they have inside them’.

All those who observed the brilliant spirit he was hiding inside himself expressed amazement about his extraordinary intelligence. It was reported, ‘…The owner of the Tag Medrese, Sheikh Abdur Rahman Tagi, used to show a close interest in the students from (the village of) Nursi….moreover he used to say to the older students:

‘Look after these students from Nursi well, one of them will revivify the religion of Islam, but which of them it will be I do not know at present’. Another renown scholar of the time, Tavasli Hasan Efendi after an scholarly encounter with the young Bediuzzaman had this to say: ‘such a person has not been seen before, he is a rarity of creation. The likes of him has yet to appear’.

He possessed a rare blend of multi-faceted brilliance. That in fact was greatly helpful in acquiring diverse forms of skills and abilities. He went through the experiences of waning stages of the Khilafah Uthmaniyah; Sultan Abdul Hamid’s ambitious Pan-Islamic Unity project, abolishment of the Khilafah, the emergence of anti-Islamic Turkish Republic, the two destructive world wars, and the great despondency the Muslim Ummah had been witnessing. All these varied experiences have immensely contributed in shaping his vision.

One of the best Divine gifts he was endowed with was his ability of using similitude of things. It is the ability to explain complex Qur’anic truths through simplified stories, examples and comparisons. This is a distinguished characteristic of Risale Nur. He said: ‘my Glorious Lord blessed me with the radiance of similitude of things which is from the brightest and most eloquent miracles of the Qur’an. With my impotent, weak and inferior personality in front of my Lord, this is a great blessing He bestowed on me. I used this gift to dig out the mysteries of the Qur’an and make it easier for understanding’.

Everyone learns from mistakes. Imam Bediuzzaman was not an exception to this. As a down-to-earth leader he was accommodative of rectifications. His transformation from Old Said to New Said, then to Third Said indicates his willingness to change and alter course when he found a new and more effective way. This is not unusual for great leaders of our history. Umar Bin Al Khattab (R.A) was a transformed man after he assumed the post of Khalifa, from his pre-Khilafa times. Imam Bediuzzaman told his disciples: ‘understand that surely your Ustaz is not infallible; neither immune from mistakes. It’s totally wrong to believe he is immune from mistakes. However, the presence of one bad apple in an orchard does not spoil the orchard; likewise, the presence of some fake notes in a treasury does not devalue the value of the treasury’.

Adopting flexibility and being accommodative are essential in vision formation. A rigid person who is firmly glued with the past and a person who is adamant in upholding his old diehard ways, how erroneous they may be, cannot develop progressive vision.

A heavy and prime responsibility on the part of a leader is to spell out the vision of his organization or community. Setting out the vision in clear and unambiguous terms would give followers the idea of where to start and where to end their journey; it would help them develop appropriate approaches and means. Imam Bediuzzaman clearly spelled out the vision of Risale Nur Movement as follows:

‘... as for our occupation in this Sacred Islamic Society consist of the followings: Conveying of the truths of Iman contained in the Glorious Qur’an to the students of truth and Iman in the most correct and fairer ways in order to save us and them from permanent death penalty and eternal solitary confinement in the hell-fire...’

(Excerpt from the author’s book, ‘The Positive Warrior’- Thrilling Leadership Lessons from the Life of Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

www.NurNet.Org

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They Made A Present Of Risale Nur To The Buddhist Leader In Sri Lanka

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We visited Sri Lanka as a group of four people during September 4-12 , as a result of the decision made by Turkish Nur Community’s Foreign Affairs Council. This council had decided that Amasya Province would be responsible for Sri Lanka services.

Sri Lanka is told in Risale-i Nur in some places. Our visit went on eight days. We are very happy as we share our Sri Lanka memories here in this website.

Sri Lanka’s official name is Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic. It is in the Southern Asia, 31 kilometers away from Southern India. Sri Lanka is an Island located in Indian Ocean. It has a population of 21 million people. It’s other names are Sarandib and Saylan.

It’s population’s 69.1% are buddhist, 7.6% are Muslim, 7.1% are Hindu, 6.2% are Christian, 10% are unknown. Saylan language is 74%, Tamil language is 18%, other languages are 8%. Most people speak English in Sri Lanka.

It is believed that Prophet Adam has first reached here when he was dismissed from the Paradise. There is a footprint which is believed belongs to Prophet Adam. The Muslims, Christians and Jews believe that this footprint belongs to Prophet Adam while the buddhists believe it belongs to Buddha. It takes five hours by walking to reach the footprint.

We arrived in capital Colombo after a four-hours long flight of Istanbul-Abu Dabi and four-hours long flight of Abu Dabi-Colombo. Mr. Asim Alavi, a citizen of Sri Lanka, welcomed us in Colombo. Mr. Asim Alavi has translated three books of Risale-i Nur into Tamil language. These three books are Short Words, Damascus Sermon and Sincerity & Brotherhood. His translations have been going on.

We have gone to Mavanella City after Colombo. Aısha Siddika Islamic Girl School was the first place which we visited.  We saw a written article on the wall of the school; “ Mother looks like an institution. That you educate a mother well means you educate the society well.”

We talked to the manager of the school. We gave him some books of Risale-i Nur. The School is giving the students  İslamic Sciences. Besides this, home affairs, garden affairs, cookery, English and some other lessons are also being taught. The school has completely an Islamic athmosphere suh as İslamic woman clothing.

The Muslim society in Sri Lanka has an extremely free social atmosphere even though they are in minority. They have their own schools, even courts. They have no problem with buddhists. The muslims are very active in Sri Lanka’s social life.

We have gone to the centre of Sri Lanka’s most prevalent  Islamic Community in Mavanella City named ‘ Islamic Community’ in the evening. We had a meeting . Bediuzzaman’s political ideas were very fantastic to them. Then we talked about Risale-i Nur and risale-i nur community in English. There were about 100 people at the meeting.

 We came back to Capital Colombo in the second day. We visited a technological institute named  “ Insight Institute”. We talked to the managers of the institute first. Then we talked to the students of the institute about risale-i nur during three hours. We gave them books, brochures and  turkish delight ( To have turkish delight when someone goes abroad is very useful !).

Then we went to the center of Islamic Community. We told them the method of Risale-i Nur’s  positive activation.

Then we visited Sardovaya Foundation which is  Buddhists’ greatest NGO. Sardovaya means to wake everybody. It has one million members and one hundred thousand young volunteers. They aim to teach Buddhism philosophy to everybody. They are active in 18 000 villages of total 38 000 villages. They open libraries and education centers in villages.

Mr. Ariyaratne is the Chairman of the Sardovaya Foundation. He has dedicated his life to Buddhism since 1958. Their basic philosophy says ‘ Humanbeing has to change himself first. Then he has to help his society.’  Their philosophies are similar to Islamic rules and Nur Community’s principles.  As we know, Risale-i Nur says:” To say that people’s hunger is not a problem if I am full and work so that I will eat are the sources of bad morals.” When we said these words to him, he shook hands with Mr. Arif and said that he agreed with us. Then he said that he was opposed to interest.

We gave him some books of Risale-i Nur.

Mr. Ariyaratne  and Sardovaya Foundation’s members’ works are good examples for today’s muslims. Even though they do not have a way as good as ours, they are doing best!

Then we visited  Sri Lanka’s Chairman of Religious Affairs. We talked about Risale-i Nur services and goals. He said that he was very happy as we visited  him and he would do his best for the friendship of Muslims.

Then we went to Bervala City. Bervala is the first place in Sri Lanka where Muslim pioneers came. There is a nice Kadiri dervish lodge at the Ocean coast. There is a tomb of a muslim who came in the years of 900’s. Mr. Asim’s father is the leader of this Kadiri dervish lodge. He is a very nice person. We talked about Risale-i Nur and connection between Bediuzzaman and Abdulkadir Gaylani.

We visited dean of Nazimiya University in Bervala City. He is author of a book which tells Sri Lanka Islam History. He said that he read Arabic Risale-i Nur. Then he said that he would co-operate with us.

We visited Colombo University and gave some books of Risale-i Nur to its library.

We visited Justice Minister Mr. Rauff Hakeem. We told him that we came from Turkey, Risale-i Nur, Bediuzzaman and nur service. There was a buddhist Minister at the meeting. He said that he would help us about everything. A Sri Lanka television channel has shown the meeting.

A person has desired to talk to us in the last evening. We told him Risale-i Nur, Bediuzzaman and service. He did not want to give us his identity firstly. But then we learned that he was leader of Justice Party of Maldiv Islands.He told us that he knew Bediuzzaman, read some parts of Risale-i Nur while he was in Malaysia,  Turkey would look like Ottoman Empire, he desired us to bring service to Maldive Islands.

We searched flats to rent for nur madrassah. We desire to open a madrassah in Sri Lanka as soon as possible.

There are three Sri Lanka students who study university  in Turkey. They live in nur madrassah. We hope the number will rise in the future.

The muslims in Sri Lanka are very hospitable. We visited about twenty places at the area of approximately 500 kilometers square.We gave people risale-i nur in Arabic and English.

To sum up, Sri Lanka is extremely suitable for nur service. We hope there will be many good activities in the future.

Best Wishes,

Amasya Province Nur Service Team.

English

“Calm Personality”, Leadership Lessons from the Life of Imam Bediuzzaman

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Leadership Lessons from the Life of Imam Bediuzzaman

“Calm Personality”

Maintaining calmness in tense situations has been identified as an important trait of a leader.  Calmness is an important trait in decision making.  A leader’s charisma is not found in firing inflammatory orations and mobilizing followers through provocative actions.  A responsible leader is always moderately cautious in driving his followers in the desired direction.   

Our beloved Prophet (PBUH) had accomplished marvellous tasks by leading a great revolution.  He led many successful battles and conquered Makka in a bloodless encounter.  Notwithstanding all these he was a calm personality.  The following Hadeeth depicts this clearly:

‘..Narrated ‘Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) A group of Jews entered upon the Prophet and said, “As-Samu-Alaikum.” (i.e. death be upon you). I understood it and said, “Wa-Alaikum As-Samu wal-la’n. (death and the curse of Allah be Upon you).” Allah’s Apostle said “Be calm, O ‘Aisha! Allah loves that one should be kind and lenient in all matters.” I said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Haven’t you heard what they (the Jews) have said?” Allah’s Apostle said “I have (already) said (to them) “And upon you!(W Alaikum) ‘[1].    

This calmness should not be misunderstood as pessimism at all.  Pessimism is equal to laziness not calmness.  A leader’s true calmness comes to light when he responds to tense and volatile situations. A truly brave leader displays the quality of calmness whereas an emotional leader displays the quality of frantic desperation.  One should not misconstrue that a calm person would not get angry or get into quick actions.  He certainly possesses the ability to manage emotions and judge different situations, but what he does not is rash action.

In all provocative and tense situations, Imam Bediuzzaman had behaved with utmost calmness.  Even during his court cases, he took it to handle with calmness.  In later years, a chief judge who used to hear one of his cases said:

‘He was an intelligent person.  He foresaw the result of the trial from the way it was going.  He did not display the slightest trace of anxiety or excitement, and was relaxed and at ease as though speaking with his friends in his house…..’[2]

The following is only one out of many incidents on how he used to handle tense situations with complete calmness.  This is related with the famous ‘Sheikh Said Revolt’.  It was a popular revolt against the radical anti-Islamic moves orchestrated by Kemalist secular republic of Turkey around the year 1925.  It was led by Sheikh Said Isyani, a popular figure in the Eastern Turkey.  The rebellion failed to achieve what it desired and eventually Sheikh Said was captured and ruthlessly executed by the authorities.

‘……Although the government of the time knew very well, he (Imam Bediuzzaman) did not have any role in the (Sheikh Said) revolt, he was arrested along with other tribal leaders and prominent figures in the eastern province and exiled together to Western Anatolia….. an army detachment raided the cave which Imam Bediuzzaman used as a place for prayers and contemplation.  Leader of the detachment behaved in a very rude manner with Imam Bediuzzaman.  However, his reaction to this rude behaviour was somewhat courageous and similar to electrifying the entire area all of a sudden.  When they began marching with him and walked a few yards, some of his disciples and the village folks approached him and talked in Kurdish language (which the officers did not understand).  They pleaded with him not to go with the army assuring him to sacrifice everything in their disposal to save him and take him to any unknown place or any other Muslim country.  But he did not agree with them and said, he is going with the army with complete willingness; further, he advised them to return to their homes quietly, saying there is no need for anxiety….[3]

Imam Bediuzzaman believed that ultimately it’s the Truth that’s going to win, hence he didn’t find any need for haste or revolt. One beauty of his personality was his ability to maintain calmness of mind even amidst the chaos of war.  One can imagine the degree of calmness and peace of mind he was endowed with for writing a marvellous Tafsir of the Qur’an as Isharatul I’jaz inside the bunker and on horseback while fighting was raging on with great intensity!

Calmness of mind is a very important contributory factor for sound decision making.  

(Excerpt from the author’s book, ‘The Positive Warrior’–

Thrilling Leadership Lessons from the Life of Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi – Asım Alavi)

www.NurNet.Org


[1] Bukhari – No:73-53

[2] Sukran Vahide – ibid, p 339

[3] Ihsan Qasim Assalihi – p 208

English

Reflections Of Imam Bediuzzaman’s Taqwa

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Reflections Of Imam Bediuzzaman’s Taqwa

Mohammed Asim Alavi

‘……O you who have believed, fear Allah as He should be feared

and do not die except as Muslims…..’(Surah Ale Imran:102)

 In the life of a person moulded with Taqwa (Piety) extraordinary events occur, which are incomprehensible by ordinary people.  It was during the First World War, when the Ottoman army was facing the invading Russians in the Eastern Front, Imam Bediuzzaman raised a volunteer force of his disciples to encounter the enemy at the battle front.   They fought with stunningly exceptional heroism.  In the war the Armenians actively collaborated with the Russians and committed immeasurable crimes against innocent people slaughtering women, children and elderly Muslim subjects of the Ottoman Empire.  An incident in the life of Imam Bediuzzaman in the year 1916, which depicts his highest level of Taqwa is recorded by Sukran Vahide as follows:

‘When the Armenians massacre the Muslim women and children as well as the men, Armenian children would sometimes be killed in retaliation.  But to a degree Bediuzzaman was able to put a stop to this barbaric practice through his exemplary true Islamic conduct and was able to bring some humanity to the chaos of war.  One time thousands of Armenian women and children had been gathered together in the place where Bediuzzaman was.  He issued an order that none of them were to be touched.  Then later he released them and they returned to their families in Russian-held territories.  The Armenians were so impressed at this example of Muslim morality that from then on they themselves refrained from slaughtering Muslim children.  In this way, many innocent lives were saved’[1]

Taqwa breeds exceptional human virtues in a person.  These virtues are fundamental pre-requisites for success in life.

Risale Nur has defined Taqwa in a beautiful manner.  It says: ‘Taqwa is to abstain from prohibitions and giving up of sinful acts and evils…..  in the present era which is characterized by destruction of moral and spiritual values and dominance of egotism, the unleashing of lust from its roots, Taqwa becomes a very essential fundamental of life, nay it is the centre of such a fundamental.   It occupies an extremely higher position due to its ability to deter the spread of evil and major sins among people, as prevention of evil takes precedence over promotion of virtue.  This is a firm principle applicable to all times’. [2]

Coming back to the incident quoted above, of Imam Bediuzzaman’s should not be interpreted in a secular sense as a calculated manoeuvre in expectation of reciprocation by the Armenians.  Such an interpretation is totally wrong and unacceptable in this context, as it’s a normal occurrence in the life of pious Muslims in war situations.  A person with Taqwa would never engage in an act forbidden by Allah and His Prophet.  Islamic history possesses rich numbers of such incidents.  Imam Bediuzzaman did simply discharge the requirement of his Taqwa and the Armenian reciprocation was only its natural consequence. This is a clear proof of Islam conquering the hearts and minds of people before conquering their lands.

We often read the story of an elderly woman, who had adopted the habit of pouring heaps of garbage at our beloved Prophet (PBUH) in a street of Makkah.  One day, when he found the usual garbage did not fall on him, the baffled Prophet (PBUH) enquired from people around on the situation of the woman.  On being informed that she had fallen sick, he rushed to visit her, which resulted in her accepting Islam.  Indeed, the intention of the ‘mercy to mankind’ (Rahmatun Lil Aalameen) was very clear.  It was his highest level of Taqwa that pushed him to visit her.  

Hence, Imam Bediuzzaman’s behaviour with the Armenians should be viewed on the basis of the above incident of our beloved Prophet (PBUH).

(Excerpt from the author’s book, ‘The Positive Warrior’– Thrilling Leadership Lessons from the Life of Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

www.NurNet.org


[1] ‘Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’,- Sukran Vahide, pp 128

[2] Seeratun Zatiyatun(Biography of Imam Bediuzzaman – Arabic) P 314, compiled by Ustaz Ihsan Qasim Assalihi