SAID NURSI’S CRITIQUE OF HIS AGE

ALI AĞCAKULU

ABSTRACT

The life of Said Nursi is a life of struggle. He constantly criticized, Ottoman institutions,
Muslim World, Europe and modern Turkey’s system and mentality. Nursi has first
criticized the main pillars of political structure, including Landlords, Sheiks and
Pashas in the Eastern provinces. After his arrival to the capital city of Istanbul, he met
with Ottoman Sultanate, Union and Progress Party, Madrasas, Clerics, and Ottoman
intellectuals. He challenged the institutions, establishment and the political elites in
Istanbul as well. After Istanbul, he travelled to the center of Muslim intellectuals at the
time, Damascus, where he challenged the Muslim intellectuals and clerics,
and proposed his solutions to the social problems that Muslim world faces at the time.
During the World War One, he was taken as Prisoner of War by Russians and stated in
Russian prisons for three years. During the prisoners camp he met with German and
Austrian soldiers and generals and learned their worldview. After the establishment
of new parliament in Ankara he was invited to Ankara and met with Ataturk and the
members of the parliament. He, once again, challenge the authority of new regime,
Ataturk and the members of the parliament. He wanted to influence the transformation
of new Turkey, however, when he realized that he is unable to influence he went back to
his home region Van.