OSMANLI'DA iLM-i KELAM - Editorler Osman Demir VeyselKaya Kadir GOmbeyaz U. Murat Kllavuz iSTANBUL 2016
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OSMANLI'DA iLM-i KELAM
-~er,Eserler,~eseleler
Editorler
Osman Demir
VeyselKaya
Kadir GOmbeyaz
U. Murat Kllavuz
iSTANBUL 2016
THE KA.IAM OF SA 'ID NiiRsi
WITII FOCUS ON DIVINE DESTINY AND FREE Will
Yasien Mohamed*
This study deals with the kalam (Islamic theology) of Badi< al
zaman Sa<Id Nursi (1960), a late Ottoman scholar. Its focus is on Niirsi's
belief in divine destiny and human free will, and the relationship be
tween these two aspects. Although Nursi adopted the basic positions of
Ash'ari kaHim, his approach to kalam, as reflected in his Risala-i-Nur
(The Treatise of Light), was somewhat different. Faith in divine belief
was for him less of an intellectual concept, but more of an existential
reality for Muslims. This paper will show how faith in divine destiny
shapes the believer's attitude to life, with all its hardships and calamities.
Thus, it will not only explore the theoretical aspects of Nursi's kalam, but
also its practical relevance, especially in dealing with the evils of the
world, whether from human injustice or natural calamities.
l. Classical Ka]am
The early Muslim community had no time or inclination to in
dulge in the theological controversy surrounding divine detet1ninism
and human free will; but in the seventh century two views emerged: The
• Prof. PhD.; University of the Western Cape, Republic of South Africa
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The Kalam of Sa'Id NOrsi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will/Y. Mohamed
predestinarian view of the Jabds who stressed the absolute power of
God over all human actions, and the libertarian view of the Qadaris who
accentuated the will of man and his responsibility. This division contin
ued within Islamic theology (kalam), with the Mu<tazilis succeeding the
Qadaris.1 The Ash'ads, taking a middle position, acknowledged both the
power of God and human free will. However, God is all-powerful, and
creates human actions, even the evil ones. But God does not desire evil ·
for man, and therefore, man, out of his linlited free will, is responsible
for the evil that he intended. 2
Sunni Muslims have ~dopted the Ash<an solution to the determin
ism-freedom problem, and have rejected the predestinarian view, which
destroys the foundation of ethics. No ethics is possible without a limited
free will.
The Ash<an school, founded by Abii 1-I:Iasan al-Ash'ari (d. ·
324/935), a former Mu'tazili, reacted against the Mu<tazili denial that
human acts were created by God. They held that man's acquisition is
created by God, but is due_ to a power in man. They also accepted God's
Wolfson, Harry Ausuyn, Tbe Pbilosophy of the Kalam (Cambridge, MA & London: Harvard University Press, 1976), 734. . The Maturldi and the Ash<ari positions are ~imilar: both agr.ee that creation belongs to God alone and all human actions, good or .bad, are decreed or created by Him. God creates the action when man intends to perform it. There are slight differences on the question of acquisition. According .to al-Maturldi, the power of choice that determines the action is not created, only the action is. For a detailed clarification on their differences regarding ·"acquisition," see Wolfson, Tbe Philosophy of the Kalam, 711-719 ..
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Kel:im: .Alimler, ~~rler, Meseleler
absolute power and will, but do not agree with the predestinarians who
denied man's free will. They accepted the reality of a human free will,
but not the libertarian view that limits God's foreknowledge of particular
events, including human actions. To harmonise divine power with hu
man responsibility, they introduced the doctrine of kasb (acquisition),
which is a "power" created in man by God at the very moment of the act.
This created power is an essential element of voluntary human action,
and by virtue of it, man acquires the act which God alone can bring into
existence. Man's appropriation of the act created by God gives him a
free will and makes him responsible for his actions.
The Ash'arls denied causality within nature to support the arbi
trariness in God who cannot be bound by natural law, which would limit
God's power. They held that although the future evil acts are within the
foreknowledge of God, he does not wish such evil to take place. Just as
God can create motion without Him moving, he can create evil without
him being evil.
There is no inconsistency in God's permitting of evil with his for
bidding of evil. Thus, the existence of evil does not reflect on the moral
nature of God.3
Al-Ash'arl tried to harmonize the extremism of both the tradition
alists and the rationalists, and held that man cannot be compared to the ..1
physical universe. Since man has reason and free will, he is responsible
3 Legenhausen, G., "Notes towards an Ash<arite Theodicy," Religious Studies, 24/2 (1988), 259-261.
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The KaJam of Sa<rd Nfusi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will/Y. Mohamed
for his actions. Good and evil are created by God, but man alone is re
sponsible for the evil action. Human evil is not against God's power, but
against His desire and command. Divine foreknowledge cannot deprive
man of his limited free will.
2. Late Ottoman KaJ.am
In the second half of the nineteenth century and the beginning of
the twentieth century Western intellectual trends such as materialism,
positivism, Darwinism, and atheism spread in Turkey, and some Otto
man scholars wanted to revive kalam taking into consideration modem
secular thought.
Ottoman kalam was a continuation of the classical Ash'ari kalam,
as expounded by al-Juwayni (d. 1085) and al-Ghazali (d. 1111). Alt
hough the Ottomans were generally from the I:Ianafi:-Maturidi school,
most of the books studied in the madrasas were from the Ash'aris.4 One ·
of the reasons for the Ash'ari influence on kalam education in the Otto
man state was due to Mulla Fanari (d. 1430), the Ottoman logician and
theologian, who wrote commentaries on the work of al-Sayyid al-Shanf
al-Jurjani, who tried to reconcile the Ash<ari and Maturidi schools. It was
easy to harmonize these two schools as they agreed on fundamentals,
and differed only on secondary issues. The Ottomans hardly made dis-
~ Aydm, Orner, "KaJam becween Tradition and Change: The Emphasis on Understand
ing Classical Islamic Theology in relation to Western Intellectual Effects," Change and Essence: Dialectical Relations betwee11 Change and Continuity in the Turkish
Intellectual Tradition(eds. ~inasi Gi.indilz and Cafer S. Yaran; Washington, D.C.: The
Council for Research in Values and Philosophy, 2005), 105.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Kelam: Alim.Ier, Eserler, Meseleler
tinctions between them. 5
Nineteenth century theologians who felt the impact of modem
philosophy and science were convinced that classical logical arguments
were insufficient to challenge the new forces of materialism. Thus, Ot
toman scholars such as 'Abd al-Lap,f KharpOti (1912), AJ:unad I:Ulmi
(1914), Izmirli Isma'Il I;Iaqqi (1946) called for a new kalam. KharpOti
wrote Tanqil? al-kalam; integrating philosophical with Islamic princi
ples. I:fi]mi, in his <flm al-tawl?id, tried to harmonize science with reli
gion, and refuted the materialists [maddiyyun].6
KharpOti called for a revived theology, and said: "Just as early Is
lamic thinkers reacted to Aristotelian philosophy selectively, today's
Islamic thinkers should study modem thoughts accurately and choose
according to Islamic principles what is necessary from them so that a
new contemporary kalam can be established."' He proposed a revela
tion-centred kalam to respond to the threat of modern materialism.8
In his Yeni <Jlm-i Kalam (New Theology), I;Iaqqi cliscussed the
concept of epistemology and divinity. He supplemented classical
sources with ideas from Descartes and Comte. For him, theology should
s Ibid., 105. 6 Smidt, Harold B., "The Muslim Doctrine of Man: ItS Bearing on Social PsJlcy and
Political Theory," The Muslim World 4413-4 (1954), 210; Gibb, Hamilton Alexander
Rosskeen, Modem Trends in Islam (New York: Octagon Books, 1975), 91f. 7 Ozervarll, M. Sait, "AttemptS to Revitalize Kalam in che Late 1911\ and Early 20m Centu
ries," The Muslim World89/l (1999), 95. 8 Ibid., 95.
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The Kalam of Sa'id Nlirsi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will!Y. Mohamed
evolve with the needs of the time: classical kalam wa.S inspired by Aristo
tle's philosophy, but the new kalam must be inspired by modem sci
ence. The principles of Islam are unalterable, but how we respond to the
new challenges can be altered.9 I:Iaqqi also drew upon John Stuart Mill
and Ernest Renan for the new theology.10 Just as the classical Islamic
scholars responded to Greek thought, the new kalam must respond to
modem thought, accepting what is good and rejecting the bad.11
I:Iaqqi was not partisan to any particular school of thought, and
kept an open mind, provided that the opinions presented are based on
proof (burhan). He said: "I am not a supporter of al-Ghazali and Ibn
Taymiyya. I am neither a I:Ianbali nor an Asha'ri. (. .. )I am a supporter of
what is right. I do not accept anybody's opinion if there is not a proof. ,u
He was open to new ideas, but rejected materialism and positivism, as
they opposed religion. Ozervarh states "According to Izmirli, the col-.
lapse of Aristotelian philosophy on which the post-Ghazalian kalam
depended, and the emergence of the new problems, are the main rea
sons for a methodological change in theology. Thus, kalam should
change in conformity with the new philosophical theories and expand
9 .Ibid., 96. 10 Ozervarh, "Alternative Approaches to Modernization in the late Ottoman Period:
izmirli ismail Hakla's Religious Thought against Materialist ScientJsm,'.' International
]oumal of Middle East Studies 39/1 (2007), 77-102.
II Ibid., 87. 12 Aydrn, "Kalarn between Tradition and Change," 114.
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Osmanlt'da ilm-i Kelam: Alimler, ~~rler, Meseleler
according to the needs of the age. "13 The late Ottoman scholars believed
in the need for such a change, which would enhance the faith of the
modem educated Turks.
3. Sa'id Niirsi's Ka1am 14
Like Kharputt and I:Iaqqi, Nfusi also wanted to revive kaHim. 15 He
did not take on any official acadeniic position, nor had any political affil
iation, yet he was more influential than them. After the First World War,
Nfusi focused less on philosophy, and more on nurturing Islamic faith,
which he thought to be the best response to Western secular thought.
Nfusi felt that kalam did not provide convincing arguments for
the existence of God, and that the RistUa-i Nft1; which is based on the
Qur>an, is a more effective means to knowledge of God. Yet, "he pre
sented the Risala as kalam books in different styles, and recommended
it to one of his students who asked him to give kalam lectures to various
risalas. u16
13 Ozervarl.J, "Said Nursi's Project of Revitalizing Contemporary Islamic Thought, • Islam at the Crossroads: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (ed. with an
Introduction by Ibrahim. M. Abu Rabi<; Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2003), 318-319. .
14 My exposition of Sa <id NOrsi is ba~ed mainly on NOrsi, the "Twenty Sixth Word: Treatise on Divine Destiny," The Words 2: from the Risale-i nur Collection (Izmir: Kaynak.
Yaymlan, 1997). I provide page references to Vahide's translation; see Badi"al-zaman Sa<id NOrsi, The Words: On the Nature and Purposes of Man, Life, and Ali Things
(translated into English by ~tikran Vahide; Istanbul: Sozler Ne§riyat, 1993). 1; Ibid., 319.
16 Ibid., 323.
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The Kalam of Sa'id Niirsi with Pocus on Divine Destiny and Free Will!Y. Mohamed
Nursi's Ristila-i Nftr is not a traditional form of Qur>anic exegesis,
where each verse is corrunented upon, but it deals with various theolog
ical topics. It is an attempt to reach out to both reason and the heart, by
integrating modem science into the Islamic worldview. The Ristila is not
a work of kalam, but deals with kalam matters, especially of faith. It is an
alternative to Sufism CtCl$awwuj) and Islamic philosophy (f?ikma).
Nursi adopted the basic positions of Ash'ari kalam, but consid
ered its high intellectual style unsuitable for the masses. He preferred a
Qur>an-based theology expressed in allegorical form. He used fables
and metaphors to increase understanding for the majority of his read
ers.!?
Nursi appealed to both faith and reason, but the belief in divine
destiny is more a matter of faith than reason. Although he agrees with
the Ash 'an way of reconciling divine destiny with human free will, he·
did not follow their intellectual methods. Nursi was inspired by al
Ghazali; but his approach was more straightforward than al-Ghazali's.
Nursi disagreed with the materialists who considered man to be pure
matter, and the classical philosophers' theory of divine emanation,
which gave little scope for God to intervene in the world. Although also
rational, Nursi, more than al-Ghazali, tried to reach out to ordinary peo
ple. He combines both emotion and argument. Unlike al-Ghazali, he
provides anecdotes from his own life. Nevertheless, he falls in the If?yct>
tradition, since he aligns himself with the Ash'ari school; acknowledges
17 Ibid., 328.
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Osman!J.'da ilm-i Kelam: Aliroler, Eserler, Meseleler
the human heart as a faculty of intuitive perception; and uses parables
and anecdotes.18
NGrsi turned to theodicy after World War I, and was inspired by
Abu I;Iarnid al-Ghazali, Abu 1-I:Iasan al-Shadhili, and Sheikh Atunad al
Sirhindi. He became less reliant on Western philosophical methods and
drew most of his inspiration and insights from the Qur)an.19
4. Belief in Divine Destiny
The belief in divine destiny is to believe in the power and decree
of God (al-qat;la> wa-l -qada1J. It is the sixth article of faith, after belief in
God, the angels, the divine books, the prophets, and the Last Day. In an
authentic l)adith narrated by 'Umar, a man asked the Prophet questions
about iman, to which the Prophet said: "It is to believe in Allah, His An
gels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in di
vine destiny, both the good and evil thereof."20
To believe in divine destiny means to be convinced that God has
ordained both good and evil before creating the creation, and that all
18 Leaman, Olive~, "Nursi's Place in the Ihya' Tractition," A Contemporaty Approach to Understanding the Qur'an: The Example of the Risale-i Nur(Istanbul: Sozler Publica
tions, 1998), 711-715. 19 Abu Rabi', Ibrahim M., "Editor's Imroduction,n Theodicy andjustice it~ Modern Is
lamic Thought: The Case of Said Nursi (ed. Ibrahim M. Abu Rabi'; Farnham, Surrey &
Burlington, Vf: Ashgate Publishing, 2010), x. .J
20 Al-Nawawi, [Abu Zakariyya Mul)yi al-Dm Yabya ibn Sharaf ibn Muri], An-Nawawi's Fotty Hadith: Matn al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyya ftl-a~Jtlditb al-$a~Jif?a al-Nabawiyya
(translated into English by Denys Johnson-Davies & 'lzz al-Din Ibrahim; 3"' ed., La
hore: Ahbab Publications, 1979), 30. [Narrated by Muslim on the authority of 'Umarl.
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The Ka.lam of Sa 'Id Nlirsi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will!Y. Mohamed
that has been and will be, only exist because of God's decree and·wm.
The real doer of everything is God, not man. It is not the fire that bums
the cotton according to al-Ghazali, but God. But if God is the doer, how
can man be responsible for his actions? The response to this argument is
that rna~ is responsible because he has free choice, even if it is within
the prior knowledge of God.
5. Nfirsi's View of Divine Destiny
Nursi rejected the extreme Jabrl view that man is completely de
termined, and the extreme Qadarl view that man is completely undeter
mined. He supported the middle view of the Ash~arls who tried to rec
oncile these two opposing views.
5.1. Divine Destiny in relation to Divine Knowledge and
Divine Will
Sa'Id Nfusi quotes the following verses in support of divine des
tiny: "There is nothing for which We do not have the store-houses and
sources, and we send it down only in a well-known measure." (Q 15:21);
"With Him, are the keys of the Unseen. None but He knows them. He
knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it,
not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, naught of wet or dry but it is
in a Manifest Book." (Q 6:59); "It is We who bring the dead to life. We
record what they send and what is left of them. All things they have kept
in a ·Manifest Record." (Q 27:75). To him, divine destiny applies to the
whole of creation including man's actions, which are guided by free will.
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Osmanl!'da ilm-i Kelam: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
Nursi believes in the divine destiny (qadar) of all things before
their creation. This is also c.alled "predestination," and it is identical to
divine knowledge, pre-recorded on the Preserved Tablet (al-law/;J al
ma/;Jfu:?). Nursi cites Q 6:59, which to him is conflfiDed by the harmony
of the universe: "All seeds, fruit stones, measU1·ed proportions, and j01·ms
demonstrate that everything is P'f:edetermined hej01·e its earthly exist
ence." The form of a seed is already determined in the factory of kun fa
yakun" [Be and it is]. The story of the plant is contained in the seed; how
it will grow into a plant, and how it will grow into a tree. Through divine
destiny different proportions from the elements of plants and.animals
make up a particular forrn.21
Verse 59 refers to the Manifest Record, which Nfusi explains
as follows:
The Manifest Record, which relates rather to the world of the Un
seen than to the material world, is a description of one aspect of
divine knowledge and commands. That is to say, it relates rather
to the past and the future than to the present. It is a notebook of
divine destiny, which contains the origin, the roots and seeds of
things rather than their flourishing forms in visible existence. 22
21 NOrsi, '!be Words 2, 140 (Kaynak edition); id., Epitomes of Light (Mathnawi alNU1iya): '!be Essentials of the Risale-i Nur Ozmir: Kaynak Yaytnlan, 19995, 337; cf. NOrsi, '!be Words, 483f. (Sozler edition); p. 123, where NOrsi speaks of the manifest
world (with its well-mannered portions) which is a comprehensive mirror of the Cre
ator's names. It indirectly confirms belief in divine destiny. 22 Nursi, '!be Letters 1 (London: Truestar, 1994), 42.
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The Kalam of Sa'id Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will!Y. Mohamed
Divine destiny means that God knows the details of all things
within space and time, even if He Himself is beyond space and time.
God gives existence to all things, and assigns to them shape, life span,
and certain peculiarities. He makes everything according to a certain
measure.
There is no causal link between divine knowledge and the
known, which acts through divine power, not divine knowledge. Divine
knowledge is like a mirror that reflects the past, present and future all at
once.23
Nursi also gives the example of a single seed, stating: "Indeed, a
single seed displays destiny in two ways, one by demonstrating the Man
ifest Book (al-kittib al-m.ubin), which is but another title for divine will,
and God's creational and operational laws of the universe; the other is
by displaying the manifest record (imam m.ubin), another title for divine
knowledge and command. If we regard these two as different manifesta
tions of divine destiny, the former can be understood and referred to as
destiny actual [as the tree], and the latter as destiny formal or theoreti-
The distinction between God's knowledge and 9od's power
should be clarified. Every detail thing is within God's knowledge, but it
is through divine power that it takes on a material form. 25 God's
u Nursi, 17Je Words 2, 135f.; (Sozler edition), 481. 24 Nursi, 17Je \Vords 2, 140-141; (Sozler edition), 485. 25 Nursi, Epitomes of Light, 203.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Keliim: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
knowledge is contained in the Manifest Record and the material realiza
tion of it is in the Manifest Book. 26
Thus, divine power registers man's deeds with the pen of desti
ny. They are lodged in his memory so he can recall them on the Day of
Reckoning. God writes the spiritual identities of man, which implies his
knowledge of all things of the -past and the future, but this prior
knowledge does not mean that man is compelled to act in a certain way.
He has a limited free will.27
Nursi holds that divine destiny is applicable to man and nature:
Know, 0 distressed, restless soul! Like the rising of the sun in the
morning and its setting in the evening, whatever will happen to
you throughout your life, in whatever conditions you will be, has
all been pre-determined by the Pen of Destiny and inscribed in
your forehead. If you wish, you may strike your head against the
"anvil" of Destiny but only to see your distress and depression
increase. Be convinced that the one who is unable to penetrate
the regions, the depths, of the heavens and the earth, must will
ingly consent to the Lordship of the One Who has created every
thing and decreed its destiny.28
That is, man cannot penetrate the heavens and earth, and God
alone knows everything. Man's reason cannot fathom the mystery of
divine destiny.
26 NOrsi, Tbe Letters 1, 43.
v NOrsi, The Words 2, 141; (Sozler edition), 485; id., Epitomes of Ligbt, 203f. 28 NOrsi, Epitomes of Light, 203f.
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The Kalam of Sa<id Niirsi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will!Y. Mohamed
We have already alluded to the relation between divine destiny
and divine decree. The former pertains to divine knowledge and the
latter to divine will, which brings that knowledge into physical reality. Is
God compelled to bring all .His knowledge and decrees into actualisa
tion? Nursi holds that God cannot be compelled, as He is absolutely free
and powerful, and sometimes rescinds the execution of His decrees. A
baby sometimes survives a calamity that destroyed many. It is on ac
count of divine sparing that something is excluded from the law of de
cree, and decree is sometimes excluded from the law of destiny. 29 God
may therefore make changes to whatever He has recorded in the Mani
fest Book: "God effaces whatever He wills and confirms whatever He
wills, with Hint is the Mother of the Book." (Q 13:39). An awareness of
such a possibility makes the believer appeal to God to spare him from
calamities decreed for him.
5.2. Divine Destiny in relation to Man's Free Will
As mentioned, belief in divine destiny is not merely a theoretical
issue, but has practical value for a person's comfort when faced with
calamities. It also prevents one from pride, as one has to attribute all
good and all achievements to God. When taken to the extreme, it could
lead one to attribute one's sins to God, and not take responsibility for it.
That is why, Nfusi states, one should acknowledge the reality of human
free will, and take responsibility for one's actions, especially one's sins.30
29 Ibid., 339f. 30 Ibid., 131f.; Nursi, Tbe Words(S<>zlec edition), 477f.
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Osmanlt'da ilm-i KeHim: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
This free will is a divine trust granted to man to be responsible
for his actions. Thus Nursi cites the verse: "Does man think he will be left
to himself, to go about at will?' (Q 75:36). That is to say, man must not
think that because of his free will he is not responsible for his actions.
Citing Q 4:87, Nurs1 states that God has promised that man will
be held to account on the Day of Resurrection; and God will not go
against his promise.31
Thus, although God destines all things, including human actions,
man is still responsible for his actions, since he has a free will. Man has
an intuitive sense of is free will, due to is his experience. That is why he
feels guilty when doing wrong, and angry being wronged. The Qur>an
states that man is free, and God would not have tested him if he was not
free.32
According to Nilrsi, man deceives himself because of is carnal
soul. He thinks that good is from himself and evil from God. But a man
that believes in divine destiny will not have this attitude, and will rather
take responsibility for his wrong. He will direct his free will towards
good action, and be always obedient and thankful to God.33 Man sins by
his own volition, which makes him responsible, not God. Although God
is the creator of good and evil, man acquires the actions. If God is the
source of all good and intends only good, then evil could have a good ..1
31 Nursi, Epitomes of Light, 65; 251f. 32 Nursi, Tbe Word5 2, 135.
" Ibid., 134, 139; (SOzler edition), 480.
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purpose. A man was hurt due to the rain; this does not mean the rain is
bad and useless. But if man wrongs someone deliberately, he is respon
sible for the wrong action, even though God has created the action itself.
Nursi states: "It is on account of this subtle reality that willing and com
mitting evil deeds is evil but creating them is not .... Ugliness in man's
acts lies in his will and potential, not in God's creating it."34
It is argued that calamities contradict the view that divine destiny
leads only to good. Nursi responds by stating that
... life, the most brilliant light of existence, grows in vigour as it
resolves in different circumstances. It is purified and perfected in
contradictory events and happenings, and it produces the de
sired results through taking on different qualities, and thus gives
testimony to the manifestations of the divine names. It is for this
reason that ~iving creatures go through many states and experi
ence situations in which they suffer misfortunes and hardships,
so purifying their lives.35
So we should look at misfortunes positively as a source of purifi
cation, and not blame God for it, but view them as "flashes of divine
wisdom."
Divine destiny, which is identical with divine knowledge, is ca
pable of absolute justice, because it apprehends the primary, rather than
only· the secondary causes of human events. Human justice, however, is
3-i Ibid., 132f. 35 Ibid., 144.
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Osmanl.t'da ilm-i Kelam: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
relative in comparison to divine justice. The former apprehends the sec
ondary causes, whereas the latter apprehends the primary causes. Thus,
a judge may pass an unjust sentence on an innocent person, but God
will alV~;ays pass a just sentence on a guilty person. The court may
charge an innoc.ent man for a crime, but God will only charge a guilty
person for a crime. God is absolute_ly just, while man is prone to injus
tice. Although divine destiny is free of evil, it is actually the real cause of
all happenings.36
God is not the author of the evil action; but the evilness of the
human action is due to human weakness. The evils of nature, however,
fall under divine causality. God intends that there be failure in some
aspects of natural or human phenomena. So, creating a good collectiy_e
arrangement, God consequentially, and, as it were, indirectly, causes the
corruption of things. The order and harmony of the universe reflects
divine justice, which demands that sinners be punished. Thus, God cre
ated the evil action, but not the evil of human fault. God grants the pow
er to perform the evil action, but the intent to commit evil is from man
himself. The harmony of nature is evidence of divine justi_ce, so why
should there not be justice for man, who has a free will? Nursi admits
that the precise relation between free will and divine destiny is beyond
comprehension. But this is not reason to deny divine destiny.
./ There is a causal link between a particular cause and a particular
effect: the particular cause is destined to lead to a particular effect.
36 Ibid., 133, 139; (Sozler edition), 478f.
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The KaHim ofSa'id Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will/Y. Mohamed
Therefore one cannot say that the murderer is not responsible on the
grounds that the victim was predestined to die.
The man died as a result of shooting. The murderer who shot the
man is responsible. Destiny is therefore one; there is not one destiny for
the cause and one for the effect. If the man was not shot, the Muctazilis
argue that he would not have died; the Jabris, that he would have died;
and the Ahl al-sunna school, that it is not known if he would have died
at that time or not. Nursi supports the Sunni argument.37
For the Ashcaris, the "power of disposal within inclination" is
theoretical. This inclination cannot have a perfect ~use, as it would nul
lify man's free will. But man cannot create his own actions; otherwise he
would be the ultimate cause.38 The power of disposal in the inclination is
theoretical, and do not have a definite external existence. If the cause of
the theoretical matters acquires "the weight of preference," the theoreti
cal may not become actual. Man can make a preference and an inclina
tion; that is the quality of his free will, and he can do so without a neces
sary cause.39 Nursi reveals the view that although man's free will is theo
retical, it is the condition for the effectuation of God's universal will.
The implication is that man's actio~s are created by God, but per
formed by man on acco~nt of his particularized will, which makes him
the ~gent of his actions. Man's will, which is relative, and not existential,
37 Ibid., 136f; (Sozler edition), 478f. 38 Ibid., 137; (Sozler edition), 482. 39 Ibid., 138; (Sozler edition), 482.
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Osmanlida ilm-i Kelam: Alimler, .J;;serler, Meseleler
enables him to acquire the action. This view is in harmony with the
Ashcari view of kasb (acquisition).
If God is the Creator of evil human acts, why should the killer be
a murderer? Nursi replies stating that God creates man's acts, providing
external existence to them. He has given the killer the power to kill,40
but it is the killer alone who is responsible for his deliberate action. This
is typical Ashcari thinking. God creates man's actions each time he per
forms them, and man acquires the actions through his will, which makes
him the agent of his own actions.
For sure, man's faculty of will and power of choice are weak and
a theoretical matter, but Almighty God, the Absolutely Wise one,
made that weak and partial will a condition for the connection of
His universal will. That is to say, He in effect says: My servant!
Whichever way you wish to take with.your will, I will take you
on that way. In which case the responsibility is yours!41
Nursi gives the example of the child on the shoulders of the
adult. The child decides to go up the mountain on a cold day, and
catches a cold, but he cannot blame: the adult. Similarly, God helps you
carry out your own will; but if you choose to commit evil, and suffer,
you cannot blame God.42
Niirsi attempts to explain the destiny-free will dilemma rationally, ./
40 ibid., 138.
~~ ibid., 138; (Sozler edition), 483. 42 Ibid., 138f.
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The Kalam of sa:d Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free WilVY. Mohamed
but admits he cannot fathom its exact nature. Nevertheless, man must
believe in his limited free will and responsibility. Niirs'i states:
0 Man! You have a will known as the power of choice which is
extremely weak, but whose hand in evil acts and destruction is
extremely long, and in good deeds extremely short. Give one of
the hands of that will of yours to supplication, so that it may
reach Paradise, a fruit of the chain of good deeds, and stretch to
eternal happiness. And give the other hand to the seeking of for
giveness so that it may be short for evil deeds and will not reach
the Zakkum tree of Hell, which is one fruit of that accursed tree.
That is, just as supplication and reliance on God greatly strength
en the inclination to good, so too repentance and the seeking of
forgiveness cut the inclination to evil and break its transgres
sions.~3
The mystery of divine destiny defies logic; it is ultimately a matter
of faith. The believer must tum to good and prepare for the hereafter.
The sinner has the chance to repent and purify himself. Through trust in
God, man can overcome his weakness and strengthen his inclination for
good. Thus, although the all-Powerful creates our actions, we are free to
act righteously and to gain God's favour.
6. Divine Destiny and Evil in the World
. Belief in divine destiny has practical implications for how man
can cope with suffering. If existence is pure good, why do we have evil
43 Nursl, The Words (Sozler edition), 482.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Keliim: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
in this world? How can suffering be compatible with Divine knowledge,
power, will, mercy, compassion, and grace?
Faith in divine destiny enables us to see the big picture, and not
become depressed for small harms, while we experience the over-all
good of God's bounties. This is the attitude of optimism in the face of
misfortunes. So what seems like evil might be good for the person.
Nursi approvingly quotes al-Gpazili stating "laysa .fi l-imkan
abda ct• mimmti ktind' ["there is nothing in the realm of contingency
better than what is."]. If we should look at the world in such a positive
light, then how does one account for the evils in the world.
NDrsi's approach to evil is not purely theoretical. He suffered~x
ile and experienced moments of despair, saying: "I started to utter fearful
objections to divine destiny."44 Theodicy is not a scholarly matter, but a
matter of faith. Nursi says: "Divine destiny and the power of choice are
aspects of a belief pertaining to state and conscience, which show the
final limits of Islam and belief; they are not theoretical and do not per
tain to knowledge. "45 It involves faith and emotion, and should not be
weighed on the scales of logic. This is the mystery of the divine desti
ny.46
+4 Aydm, Mehmet S., "The Problem ofTheodicy in the Risale-i Nur," Islam at Jfte Cross
roads: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (ed. with an Introduc
tion by Ibrahim M. Abu Rabi'; Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2003),
215-227. 45 Nursi, The W01·ds(Sozleredition), 477. 46 Aydm, "The Problem ofTheodicy," 218.
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The KaJam of sa<id Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Wili!Y. Mohamed
Divine destiny looks to the real cause, not the apparent cause.
Something may appear unjust, but from the perspective of divine destiny
it is just. There is the outer and inner face of things; the outer face ap
pears incompatible with God, but the inner face, which is the true reali
ty, can be reconciled to God. Rain may cause much harm to life and
property, but from the perspective of divine destiny, we realise the over
all good of rainY Little suffering should not blind us to the greater hap
piness we derive from the bounties of God.
Human evil comes from man's evil-commanding soul (al-najs al
ammam bi-1-siP). But faith, which is as vital as bread, purifies the lower
soul. Bread is more urgently needed than fruit, which Nu.rsi associates
with Sufism. 48
Faith is essential to cope with d1e evils of this world, and the fun
damental aspect of this faith is belief in divine destiny, both the good
and evil. There is the positive side to evil; it is both a warning and a test.
A person of true faith is always hopeful, and never despairs of God's
mercy. This is a positive attitude to life, but a non-believer is negative,
and sees the world as a kind of hell. Through faith we see the big picture
of God's plan, despite the evils and tragedies that appear to negatively
affect us.49
47 Ibid., 218-220. 48 Nursi, The Words, 329-330. It should be borne in mind that Sufi orders in Turkey
were banned since 1924. 49 Nursi, The Letters, 351.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i KeHim: Alimter, Eserler, Meseleler
Divine destiny is not burdensome, but liberating. It is comforting
for one to be able to throw his burdens on the ship of divine destiny. and
roam freely. It removes the illusion of a free carnal soul. A man who
acknowledges the king's authority enjoys all the privileges of the palace;
but the man who interferes with the affairs of the palace will suffer. Simi
larly, the man who acknowledges. God's authority and decree will be
happy despite all calamities. In misfortune there is pain, but there is also
divine wisdom. 50
For Niirsi, death is natural, and by God's command, and a "pass
ing from a particular life of a seed to the universal life of a shoot.'';1 It
provides comfort for the faithful. Sufis tend to look at the end result of
death, but Nursi looks at present. · In contemplating upon one's current
frailty, one becomes aware of the fleeting nature of life, and one can be
saved of heedlessness.· Nursi says: "Since our way is not the Sufi path but
the way of reality, we are not compelled to perform this contemplation
in an imaginary and hypothetical form like the Sufis .... Our way is not
to bring the future to· the present in respect of reality, but to go in the
mind to the future from the present in respect of reality, and gaze on
50 Nursi, The Words 2, 142f.; (Sozler edition), 486. 51 Nursi, The Letters, 20, 248; Ku~pmar, Bilal, "Dealh in Nursi's Though[\" Islam at the
CrossroadS: On the Life and Thought of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (ed: wilh 1m Intro
duction by Ibrahim M. Abu Rabi'; Albany, NY: State University of New York Press,
2003), 60. 52 Niirsi, The Flashes Collection (translated into English by Si.ikran Vahide; Istanbul:
SozlerN~riyat, 1995), 21" Flash, 217.
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The Kalam of Sa'ld Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Wui!Y. Mohamed
Severe stroke can be rather disabling, but from the perspective of
divine destiny, it is not depressing. How do we deal with such illnesses?
NCirsi proposes the contemplation of death, which will make us realize
the transience of worldly life. With the consciousness of the imminent
reality of death, the believer will be impelled to fasting and practice oth
er ascetic practices to overcome the blindness of is evil-commanding
soul. 53 This is not a cure, but spiritual therapy. In realizing his frailty be
fore God, the believer will be spiritually healed. He will come to know
that his physical disability is minor compared to his neglect of religion.
And he would see it as a blessing, rather than a tragedy, as it has made
him more conscious of preparing for the afterlife. Al-Ghazall says:
"There can be nothing better or more beautiful than what exists in the
sphere of contingency." Nursi too, sees beauty in the apparent ugliness.
He says: "A single. instance of ugliness which results in or shows numer
ous instances of beauty is indirectly an instance of beauty .... This means
that the creation is not ugly; it is beautiful, because the majority of its
results are beautiful. Yes, a lazy man who suffers loss due to the rain,
cannot deny the good results it produces in the name of mercy; he can
not transform the mercy into hami."54
Nfusi speaks of the calamity of good health. In the past the
healthy person is heedless of the h~reafter. But with the loss of his
health, he starts thinking more of the hereafter.
53 Ibid., 22nc1 Flash, 283.
5-' Nursi, The Rays Collection (translated into English by ~ilk.ran Vahide; Isr.anbul: Sozler
Ne§riyat, 1998), the second Ray, 39.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i KeHim: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
Through the superficial pleasure of a brief hour's worldly life,
they shake and damage an unending eternal life, and even destroy it.
Due to illness, you see the grave, which you will in any event enter, and
the dwellings of the Her~after beyond it, and you act in accordance with
them. That means for you, illness is good health, while for sorne of your
peers good health is sickness. 55
Nursi knows from his own experience how ill-health has en
hanced his spirituality, and has made him think more of death and the
afterlife. He became frustrated, as he was unable to lecture or write. He
had insomnia and was anxious about wasting his youth. He overcame
his anxiety through faith in God and the consoling message of the
Qur>an. He said: "I was in exile at the time; I felt a despairing sorrow, a
regretful penitence, a longing for assistance. Suddenly, the all-Wise
Quran came to my aid. It opened the door of hope so powerful and
afforded a light of consolation so true that it could have dispelled des
pair and darkness a hundred times more intense than mine. "56
Thus, sicknes~ is a human reality that should lead the believer to
God. Through sickness one is confronted with the painful reality of
one's frailty, and the positive side of it is that it liberates one from a
sense of complacent self-satisfaction. Illness is of divine destiny; so, in
stead of being pessimistic, one should take the medication; or if it is an
incurable illness, one should have faith in the Compassionate God. By
55 Nursi, Tbe Flasbes Collection, 25th flash, 269. 56 Ibid., 26th Flash, 310.
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The Kalam of Sa'id Nursi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free Will/Y. Mohamed
turning to Him "one can overcome natural anxieties and attain peace of
mind."57
How do we cope with the separation of our loved ones? Here too
we should see the big picture as Prophet jacob did; although he was sad
for the loss of his son Joseph, he had trust in God and did not despair. In
commenting on the statement: "Nothing in possibility is more wonderful
than what it is," Nursi explains it in the form of a parable:58
Imagine a man in jail, and his son is sent to comfort him. But the
judge offers to raise him in a palace, but the man refuses, as the son is
his only comfort. But if he remains in prison, he will suffer with his fa
ther. In the palace the son could act as an intercessor for the father and
attract the mercy of the king. But this requires belief and trust in the
king's power, mercy, and benevolence. The lesson we learn from this
parable is that our children in Paradise are happy with the Divine king,
and they can intervene on behalf of their parents for the Divine king to
rescue them from the prison of this world. Reminiscent of al-Ghazali,
God is the Owner of all things, and we are but trav~llers in this world. In
separating from our dear ones, we should not despair. We too would
S7 Michel, Thomas, '"For you, Illness is Good Health:' Said Nursi's Spirituality in His Approach to Physical Illness, • Spiritual Dimensions of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's
Risale-i Nur (ed. with an Introduction by Ibrahim M. Abu Rabi '; Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 2008), 175-189.
ss Ormsby, Eric, "Two Epistles of Consolation: Al-Shahid al-Thani and Said Nursi on Theodicy, • Abu Rabi, Tbeodicy and justice in Modem Islamic Tbougbt: Tbe Case of Said Nursi (ed. Ibrahim M. Abu Rabi'; Farnham, Surrey & Burlington, VT: Ashgare Publishing, 2010), 147-158.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Kelfun: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
have to depart from this world, and our loved ones are happy in the
hereafter; more satisfied than what we are in this world.
Nursi conveys his message through parables and poetic intui
tions. Although philosophically less systematic than al-Ghazili, he
reaches out to a wider readership.59
Conclusion
Nursi tries to rationally reconcile the divine will and the human
will, using vivid examples. However, he is aware that no rational attempt
will be completely satisfactory, and so we need to take recourse to faith
in divine destiny.
Nursi adopts the Ash<ati position of kalam. God has power and
knowledge over all things, and man is responsible for his actions. There
is no causal relation between God's foreknowledge and man's future
action. God, however, creates man's actions, but man performs his own
actions on account of his own inclination and desire.
Although divine destiny is a mysterious concept, Nursi does not
shy away from discussing it, nor does he extend the logical arguments
too far. His purpose is to demonstrate how the belief in divine destiny
can be a solace for the believer.
Divine destiny is not an intellectual idea, but a vitally imyortant
part of faith, and has practical implications for overcoming pride and
59 Ibid., 155.
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The Kalam of Sa'id NOrsi with Focus on Divine Destiny and Free WililY. Mohamed
finding solace in the face of misfortunes.
Nursi did not provide a new theology, but revived an old one,
making it relevant to the challenges of secular modernity. His style is less
technical than classical theology. It is partly philosophical and partly
anecdotal, and appeals to the intellectual and layman.
The struggle between good and evil is an existential fact of life;
we are dominated and challenged by the evil soul. Calamities, tragedies,
and human injustices have a pmpose. God wants to test man, and see if
he will tum to despair or place his trust in Him.
Theodicy, the question of divine destiny and the place of evil in
it, is of existential importance. It helps us makes sense of suffering in this
world, and not blame God for it. This is Nursl's fresh contribution to
kalam.
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Osmanh'da ilm-i Kelam: Alimler, Eserler, Meseleler
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