New English Risale-i Nur Translations by Dr. Colin Turner
We will soon publish four core volumes from the Risale-i Nur Collection (a contemporary interpretation of the Quran). This is a new translation of the work into English by Dr. Colin Turner.
A new English translation of the Risale-i Nur is needed to secure its meaning and authorial intent while presenting it in clear, natural English that today’s readers can actually navigate with ease. The work’s original Ottoman Turkish style often relies on very long, multi-clause sentences and dense turns of phrase that do not carry smoothly into modern English; when reproduced too closely, the result can become unwieldy, obscure the argument, and discourage ordinary readers. The aim of this re-translation is not to “simplify” the ideas, but to render them in a prose style that is genuinely English—breaking up excessive sentence length where necessary, choosing contemporary yet precise vocabulary, and preserving the integrity of the thought—so the text remains both faithful in meaning and accessible in reading.
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The Risale-i Nur is a series of books studied by millions of Muslims in weekly circles, in every major city in the world.
But most Muslims haven’t heard of it – that needs to change.
The Risale is a Quran commentary, written between 1926-1949, but is more relevant to Muslims today than ever.
This tafsir (exegesis of the Quran) was written by Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, a great scholar of the fourteenth century of the Islamic calendar. Although he was one of the most learned scholars in the region, the ruling party at the time banished Said Nursi when the Turkish republic replaced the Ottoman Empire.
Yet, even under persecution, he managed to compose his seminal work, the Risale-i Nur. Writing through persecution, risking his life, Nursi embodied the resilience and commitment to Allah that continues to inspire Muslims around the world today.
As Nursi was a student not only of the Qu’ran, but of theology, mathematics and the sciences, the resulting books is a masterpiece of cross-disciplinary scholarship and divine translation.
In fact, the Risale-i Nur is more than a commentary of the Quran; it offers resolutions to the questions the Quran prompts us to ask of our lives. Questions that have been debated over the centuries. Risale-i Nur is answering the most crucial questions in life: Who are you? Where did you come from? Where are you going, what will happen when you die?
What separates this commentary from many others in contemporary scholarship is both it’s accessibility and profundity. It’s layered complexity means that one can read it time and time again, and come away with an understanding of new truths each time.
This is why study circles based on the books have no ‘Sheikh’ – every participant can understand the work at his or her own level. There is no reason not to start reading it now – whatever your level of religious observance or knowledge.
The Risale fuses traditional Quranic scholarship with a rational justification of the teachings of Allah. This is what makes it the ideal reading companion for Muslims who engage in secular dialogue in the contemporary world, and are looking for a way to make sense of it all.
The Risale engages both the faithful heart and the rational mind, and proves that Muslims don’t need to pick one over the other. It is about why to practice Islam more than how to practice Islam.
In the first volume, the ‘Words’, Nursi provides a rational justification for the wisdom of the five daily prayers, and man’s innate need to worship Allah – something that many Muslims quietly ask themselves, but never really explore. This is the root discussion from which the others flow.
The ‘Letters’ provide among other things the proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad, as well as an analysis of the ethics of family life and good conduct. The ‘Letters’ also shed a light on the relationship between the author and his followers. This section has been compared to dialogues between Socrates and his students.
The ‘Flashes’ address a number of complex subjects with precision and clarity. The key focus of this book is an analysis of those things that can lead someone away from Allah, which many Muslims today find especially enlightening. For example, many modern readers look to the ‘Flashes’ to refute the modern claim that the Qu’ran condones the subjugation of women, a common misinterpretation.
The fourth Volume, named the ‘Rays’ holds some of the key sections of the work, including the argument for the necessity of Allah’s existence. This section also emphasises the importance of solidarity with brothers in hardship, a valuable lesson for Muslims today.
The fifth book, the ‘Signs of Miraculousness’ is an analysis of eternity. It is an exploration of paradise, hell, death and resurrection of the dead. It takes the reader to the other dimensions of reality that Muslims believe in, but often do not explore, intellectually or spiritually.
Finally, the ‘Staff of Moses’ is the concluding book of the Risale-i Nur and contains three sections; The Fruits of Belief, the Decisive Proofs of Allah and the Staff of Moses. This section is the summation of the entire work, and offers the final spiritual pillar that can support any follower’s belief.
This Magnum Opus of Said Nursi, although scholarly and dense, is readable, enlightening, and provides an essential journey that every Muslim should take at least once. It’s a combination of intellectual reasoning, spiritual guidance and pastoral care – exactly what many Muslims are looking for today.
As a result, It arms truth seekers with the spiritual tools to strengthen their belief, along with the rationality to debate with a non-believer or agnostic. The Risale-i Nur explains the reason for creation and proves that nothing is a coincidence in the universe.
The Risale-i Nur is the summation of centuries of investigation by scholars, and helps the modern reader to interpret the Quran in an authentic and modern context. For today’s Muslims whose faith may dwindle in the face of disbelief, persecution and discrimination in the modern world, this book is essential reading.
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About Us
The International Foundation for Muslim Theology promotes excellence in the study and teaching of Muslim theology – both speculative and pastoral – by facilitating and shaping Muslim theological thought, conversation and community.
The IFMT aims to identify and discuss important themes, questions and dialogues which call for theological engagement, and to facilitate access to, and foster the study and understanding of, authentic Muslim theology in a way that is relevant to the issues of the day, and in a manner reflective of the timeless central message of Islam, which is the knowledge, worship and love of the Creator. To this end, the IFMT seeks actively to encourage and foster scholarship in all areas of speculative and pastoral Muslim theology, and to organise workshops, public lectures and training courses on Muslim theology for all interested parties.