AK Party’s Celik says Said Nursi is symbol of brotherhood in Turkey

 Ruling Justice and Development Party’s (AK Party) deputy chairman Hüseyin Çelik has said prolific Muslim scholar Bediuzzaman Said Nursi , who is of Kurdish origin, is a symbol of brotherhood in Turkey as he fight with ethnical nationalism all through his life.

Çelik was speaking at the 9th International Risale-i Nur Symposium which began yesterday in ?stanbul. Risale-i Nur is a 14-volume commentary on the Quran, authored by Nursi. The symposium’s opening ceremony was held at the Sinan Erdem Sports Hall yesterday.

Recalling that the pro-status quo circles of the time of Nursi accused him of Kurdism, Çelik said Nursi never favored violence during his life. “Despite this, this mentality sent him to prison and exiles. Those who could not put up with Nursi did not even want to have a grave,” he said.

Nursi suffered great hardships during his 83 years of life. Most of his life passed in prison and exile. He wasn’t even left in peace when he closed his eyes for the last time. He died on March 23, 1960, in Urfa and was buried there. However, after the May 27 rebellion, his body was dug up and carried to an unknown place. Since that day the location of his grave has been continually debated.

Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Ar?nç also delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the symposium. Noting that Nursi is a prolific Islamic scholar, Ar?nç said he and his followers faced many hardships. “In the past, the demands of religious and innocent people were regarded as actions against the principle of secularism,” he said. The 9th International Risale-i Nur Symposium, which is being attended by nearly 5,000 participants, is taking place at the WOW Hotel on Oct. 4 and 5.Among the participants of the symposium are academics and scholars from the US, Palestine, Canada, Holland, Iran and the Philippines.

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