Decline of Muslims and its Solution: Turkish philosopher Bediuzzaman Nursi’s perspective

Islamic Society

Decline of Muslims and its Solution: Turkish philosopher Bediuzzaman Nursi’s perspective

by Dr. Mohd. Akram Nawaz, New Age Islam

The educational system in Turkey like other parts of the Islamic World of the time had not incorporated modern sciences. Allama Shibli Nomani (1857-1914), an activist for curricular change in madrasa education in India, paid a visit to Constantinople’s educational institutions with a view to studying the educational system and academic progress there. He went to the office of the sir rishtae taliim (Ministry of Education) and received valuable information from the academic officials. Allama Shibli visited many big schools and colleges and met its teachers and professors. Shibli himself, a product of traditional education, then attached with Aligarh Muslim University, based on a modern understanding of educational needs, was well aware of merits and demerits of both the systems. Unfortunately, Shibli did not find the convergence of traditional and modern education in Turkey either. He saw the same gap between the old and modern sciences as he saw in his own country.