Introduction

(to the first edition edited by Ihsan Qâsim al-Sâlihî, published in Baghdad: Dâr al-Anbâr, 1989.)

All praise be to Allâh, the Lord and Sustainer of all the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon Muhammad ibn 'Abdullah, to whom the Qur'an was revealed, the Seal of the Prophets and Messengers, and upon his family and companions and those who came after them, till the end of time.

Virtually all those who have studied the circumstances of the Muslims in recent centuries agree that Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi was an Islamic figure of great stature, of strong faith and complete sincerity; a person of great dignity who was cognizant of divine unity and its truths; one of the most distinguished men of his time, vastly knowledgeable, of penetrating thought, and a steadfast and perceptive caller to Allâh's way. From his youth he took it on himself to find solutions for the afflictions suffered by the Muslims, and passed his life tirelessly striving to expound the teachings of Islam and explain its beliefs and doctrines. Similarly, he refuted invalid thought and those inconsistent philosophies that denied Islam and schemed against it due to the inability of Muslims to withstand the stormy intellectual onslaughts to which it had been exposed since the beginning of the 14th century of the Hijra; indeed, since before that.

             Nursi indeed undertook a difficult task and his reward is with Allâh the Most High alone, Who sees His righteous servants and faithful friends and the scholars who strive in His way and are true to His covenant, and fear not the criticisms of their accusers.

             This present book is truly of high worth, firmly founded and containing unshakeable proofs. It demonstrates clearly the extraordinary power and effectiveness of Ustad Nursi and contains many examples of the precise and subtle meanings to be found in all his writings, and of his specialist knowledge. This genius and talent were given to him by the Most High so that by means of them and his knowledge, and profound intuitive understanding, and appropriate rational method he might penetrate His Word and discover the truth, and assist others in gaining complete certainty concerning the Qur'an's miraculousness.