Perhaps Their Harmony is not that Simple: Bediuzzaman Said Nursi on the Qur'an and Modern Science

This article discusses the noteworthy approach of a twentieth-century Muslim scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-1960), to the issue of Qur'an and science. Nursi points out the problem of authoritarianism in both religious and secularist discourses, arguing that many of the clashes between faith and reason result from a misunderstanding of spheres of expertise. Nursi also argues that even at the height of scientific and technological development, the Qur'an remains indispensable in humankind interpreting the world around them. Nursi's case illustrates that the task of relating the modern science and the Qur'an requires attention to their interpretive dimensions.