A Comparative Study Between The Risale-i Nur Methodology And The Methods Of Sufi Orders

Abstract

This research presents a comparative and contrastive study between the approach of the Risale-i Nur by Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and the methodologies of Sufism and Sufi orders. The study applies a historical method to trace the origins and development of Islamic Sufism, and a descriptive-analytical method to examine relevant texts. It focuses on core Sufi concepts such as fana’ (annihilation), mystical knowledge, and spiritual discipline, comparing them to Nursi’s unique approach to knowledge based on the “Qur’anic Ascension.” The findings reveal that Nursi's methodology is rooted directly in divine revelation and the Qur’an, in contrast to what he terms the “intermediary and uncertain” nature of Sufi epistemology. While ethical and spiritual similarities exist, the study highlights a fundamental methodological divergence between the two in sources of knowledge and spiritual development.