Said Nursi legacy defended amid political criticism

Discussions regarding the legacy and historical actions of Said Nursi have resurfaced following criticisms from political actors. Specifically, the Vatan Partisi has targeted the Nur movement, attempting to link Said Nursi to Fethullah Gülen. In response, historical records have been cited to clarify Nursi’s past, including a 1951 correspondence with the Vatican. During this exchange, Nursi sent his work, ‘Zülfikar’—a text intended to serve as a spiritual defense against materialism and skepticism—to the Holy See via the Papal Chancery in Istanbul.

Additionally, theologian Dr. Sadık Tanrıkulu has defended the academic legitimacy of symposiums held in honor of Said Nursi. Addressing social media claims that such gatherings are merely celebratory events, Tanrıkulu noted that scholars from approximately 60 countries have contributed to academic discussions on Nursi’s thought. He characterized critics of these scholarly efforts as agents attempting to undermine the influence of Sunni Islam.