Risale-i Nur

The Risale-i Nur Collection (Turkish: Risale-i Nur Külliyatı, Ottoman Turkish: رساله نور كلیاتی) is a collection of religious writings by Said Nursî, a Kurdish Islamic scholar from the Bitlis region of Turkey, which were composed between the 1910s and 1950s. Unlike classic tafsirs (commentaries on the Qur'an), the Risale-i Nur doesn't sequentially explain the linguistics, vocabulary, or jurisprudence of the Qur'anic text verse by verse, but instead focuses on proving and explaining the fundamental truths of faith (iman) within the verses of the Qur'an, using logical and rational arguments, topic by topic.

Risale-i Nur collection was penned amid the transition between late Ottoman Empire and establishment of new Turkish Republic. During this time period, a series of strong oppressive regulations had been put in place, such as the ban of all religious practices in their original Arabic form throughout the country, prohibiting the citizens from wearing religious dressing and refuters receiving punishment in form of death penalty. During the time period Risale-i Nur collection was publicized, measures against its circulation had been taken. The books include an analysis of Islamic sources and a reinterpretation of the text for the "mentality" of Said Nursi's age. However, it is not solely an exegesis, as it includes reflections and details about Said Nursi's own life and interpretations.