Abstract

This article examines the darshane namely study circles inspired by the Risale-i Nur corpus, as a dynamic epistemological ecosystem that cultivates holistic Muslim identity formation in the contemporary world. Drawing on the intellectual legacy of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi (1877–1960), the study situates Tullab al-Nur, a global community of learners, within the broader framework of tawhidic epistemology, where knowledge (‘ilm) is spiritually rooted, ethically directed, and communally embodied. Through a qualitative and reflective analysis, the paper identifies three key mechanisms by which darshane nurtures identity: (1) the internalization of metaphysical principles such as tawhid, hikmah, and hizmet; (2) dialogical learning (sohbet) that connects classical Islamic texts to modern dilemmas; and (3) the adaptive use of digital platforms without abandoning sacred pedagogical values. The article argues that darshane transcends conventional models of Islamic education by integrating intellectual inquiry, spiritual refinement (tazkiyah), and public service into a coherent educational philosophy. In addition, it critically works with the modern. critiques which denounce the movement as either liberal or outmoded, and which claim that its epistemological faith makes it possible to synthesize creatively and not to take sides. The research comes to the conclusion that the concept of darshane provides a repeatable example of the Islamic educational model. intelligent, neurotically sound, and spiritually oriented--based on. tradition but sensitive to world realities. Practical implications provide the necessity of shared structures between educators, technologists and civil society participants to maintain. this integrative model both formally and informally.

References

Ahmed, LB, ‘The Effect of Bearing the Difference in Achieving Positive Action According to Badi Al-Zaman Al-Nursi’, Zanco Journal of Humanity Sciences, 27 (2023) <https://doi.org/10.21271/zjhs.27.6.2>

Aljunied, Khairudin, ‘Osman Bakar And Epistemological Renewal in the Muslim World’, Al-Shajarah: Journal of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), 27 (2022), 1–27 <https://doi.org/10.31436/shajarah.v27i1.1388>

Alkouatli, Claire, ‘Pedagogies in Becoming Muslim: Contemporary Insights from Islamic Traditions on Teaching, Learning, and Developing’, Religions, 9 (2018), 367 <https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9110367>

Barnett, Christopher B., Clark J. Elliston, Trevor B. Williams, Theological Discourses on Social Media (London: Routledge, 2025) <https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003368106>

Barth, Lena, Paul Kaiser, Gonca Tuncel-Langbehn, Barbara Ruettner and Lutz Goetzmann, ‘Veiling and Unveiling: Identity Formation in Young Muslim Women Living in Germany’, International Forum of Psychoanalysis, 33 (2024), 174–83 <https://doi.org/10.1080/0803706X.2022.2126519>

Fadillah, Nirhamna Hanif, Amir Reza Kusuma and Najib Rahman Rajab al-Lakhm, ‘The Concept of Science in Islamic Tradition: Analytical Studies of Syed Naquib Al-Attas on Knowledge’, Tasfiyah: Journal of Islamic Thought, 7 (2023), 25–62 <https://doi.org/10.21111/tasfiyah.v7i1.8456>

Faiz, Muhammad, ‘Said Nursi’s Concept of Sufism: Implementation of Islamic Moderation Values’, Millah, 19 (2020), 199–224 <https://doi.org/10.20885/millah.vol19.iss2.art2>

Fauzani, Naufal Syauqi, Dedih Wahyudin, Fikri Nurfalah and Fathan Tibyan Rahman, ‘Epistemological Review of the Translation of Tajdid Words in Indonesian: A Contrastive Analysis Study’, Hanifiya: Journal of Religious Studies, 8 (2025), 299–312 <https://doi.org/10.15575/hanifiya.v8i2.44882>

Gamon, Alizaman D, Maulana Akbar Shah @ U Tun Aung, Mohammed Farid Ali and Mariam Saidona Tagoranao, ‘Interpretation of Youth from the Thinking of Badiuzzaman Said Nursi (Pengertian “Belia” Dalam Konteks Pemikiran Badiuzzaman Said Nursi)’, Journal of Islam in Asia (E-ISSN 2289-8077), 17 (2020), 220–39 <https://doi.org/10.31436/jia.v17i4.879>

Hidayatullah, Elit Ave and Syamsuddin Arif, ‘Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas’ Exposition on the Concept of Ethics’, Journal of Islamic Faith & Thought, 24 (2022), 409–46 <https://doi.org/10.22452/afkar.vol24no1.12>

Huringiin, Nabila and Halimah Nisrina Azfathir, ‘The Concept of Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas on De-Westernization and Its Relevancy toward Islamization of Knowledge’, KALIMAH, 16 (2018) <https://doi.org/10.21111/klm.v16i2.2867>

Khalawi, Hasan, Hamid Fahmy Zarkasyi and Mudjia Rahardjo, ‘Signs of Nature in Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: A Significant Contribution to Islamic Semiotics’, LITERA, 23 (2024), 37–49 <https://doi.org/10.21831/ltr.v23i1.70648>

Laili, Husni, Abd Mukti and Asnil Aidah Ritonga, ‘Internalization Strategies for Islamic Educational Values Thru Quran Memorization Learning for Students at Junior High School’, Journal Evaluation in Education (JEE), 6 (2025), 1111–18 <https://doi.org/10.37251/jee.v6i4.2193>

Lokman, Ainul Asyraf, ‘Historical Approach to the Interpretation of the Quran: Understanding Revelation in the Context of Contemporary Civilization’, Al-Muqaddimah: Online Journal of Islamic History and Civilization, 13 (2025), 1–15 <https://doi.org/10.22452/muqaddimah.vol13no2.1>

Majeed, Dr Shumaila, ‘An Analytical Study of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s Intellectual Development and Composition of Risale-i Nur (a Thematic Qur’ānic Exegesis)’, Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization, 10 (2020) <https://doi.org/10.32350/jitc.102.10>

Markham, Ian S, ‘The Qur’an Revealed: A Critical Analysis of Said Nursi’s Epistles of Light, ColinTurner, Gerlach Press, 2013 (ISBN 978‐3‐940924‐28‐5), Xii + 619 Pp., Hb €99’, Reviews in Religion & Theology, 22 (2015), 281–83 <https://doi.org/10.1111/rirt.12529>

Michel, Thomas, ‘The Risale-i Nur’, Hawwa, 13 (2015), 184–97 <https://doi.org/10.1163/15692086-12341280>

Mohammed, Datu, Qurotul Aini, Dedeh Supriyanti, Sulistiawati Sulistiawati and Mey Anggraeni, ‘Assimilate The Qur’an’s View with Science and Technology Perspectives’, Aptisi Transactions on Technopreneurship (ATT), 3 (2021), 42–47 <https://doi.org/10.34306/att.v3i1.141>

Mujrimin, Bayu, ‘Al-Ghazali’s Epistemology in Islamic Religious Education: The Integration of Knowledge, Faith, and Morals’, Multidisciplinary Journal, 01 (2025), 11–28

O’Reilly, Caoimhe, Paul J Maher, Elaine M Smith, Pádraig MacCarron and Michael Quayle, ‘Social Identity Emergence in Attitude Interactions and the Identity Strengthening Effects of Cumulative Attitude Agreement’, European Journal of Social Psychology, 54 (2024), 97–117 <https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.3000>

Özervarli, M Sait, ‘The Reconstruction of Islamic Social Thought in the Modern Period: Nursi’s Approach to Religious Discourse in a Changing Society’, Asian Journal of Social Science, 38 (2010), 532–53 <https://doi.org/10.1163/156853110X517773>

Prayogo, Tonny Ilham, Saidil Yusron, Sujiat Zubaidi Saleh, Agus Mulyana and Muhammad Arif Muhajir, ‘Badiuzzaman Said Nursi’s Perspective On The Neo-Tasawwuf Issue Of Risale-I Nur In Urban Muslim Society’, Academica: Journal of Islamic Thought, 29 (2024), 175–94 <https://doi.org/10.32332/akademika.v29i2.9587>

Purwaningtyas, Rimapradesi, and Hutama, ‘The Genealogy of Turkish Transnational Movement in Indonesia’, Jurnal of Middle East and Islamic Studies, 11 (2024) <https://doi.org/10.7454/meis.v11i1.171>

Saputra, Meidianas, Murisal Murisal and Mardenny Mardenny, ‘The Influence of Halaqah on Increasing Religiosity Members of the Student Activity Unit for Spirituality and Islamic Studies Ulul Albab University Islam Negeri Imam Bonjol Padang’, Jurnal Syntax Admiration, 4 (2023), 492–507 <https://doi.org/10.46799/jsa.v4i4.581>

Sholeh, Sujiat Zubaidi and Dahniar Maharani, ‘Al-Bu’du Al-Tajdidi Fi ‘ardi Mabahits Al-Iman Fi Rasail Al-Nur’, Tasfiyah, 3 (2019), 109 <https://doi.org/10.21111/tasfiyah.v3i2.3500>

Vahide, S, ‘Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and the Risale-i Nur’, in Globalization, Ethics and Islam: The Case of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (London: Routledge, 2017)

Vahide, Şükran, ‘Reconciliation with Christianity and the West in Said Nursi’s Thought and Practice: An Overview’, Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations, 19 (2008), 17–23 <https://doi.org/10.1080/13510340701770253>

Vasalou, Sophia, Al-Ghazālī and the Idea of Moral Beauty (London: Routledge, 2021) <https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003196556>

Yazicioglu, U Isra, ‘Wisdom in the Qur’an and the Islamic Tradition’, in The Oxford Handbook of Wisdom and the Bible (Oxford University Press, 2021), pp. 221–40 <https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190661267.013.14>

Yucel, Salih, ‘An Islamic Perspective of the Natural Environment and Animals: Said Nursi and His Renewalist Philosophy’, UMRAN - International Journal of Islamic and Civilizational Studies, 5 (2018) <https://doi.org/10.11113/umran2018.5n2.236>

Zaidin Mohamad, Mohamad, Noorsafuan Che Noh, Hanif Md Lateh@Junid, Wan Mohd Khairul Firdaus Wan Khairuldin, Sofyuddin Yusof, ohd Faiz Hakimi Mat Idris, and others, ‘The Importance of Nursi’s Thought in Empowering Muslim Identity’, Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Sciences (PJLSS), 22 (2024) <https://doi.org/10.57239/PJLSS-2024-22.1.0037>

Zainuri, Habib, Khojir Khojir and Mukmin Mukmin, ‘Modernization of Islamic Education from Said Nursi’s Perspective’, Tafáqquh: Journal of Islamic Research and Studies, 11 (2023), 288–306 <https://doi.org/10.52431/tafaqquh.v11i2.2206>

Zamri, NF, MZ Mohamad @ Mat, R Embong, B Zainal, N Omar and IA Ibrahim, ‘Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and His Excellence in Modern Science in the Post-Caliphate Era’, Global Journal Al-Thaqafah, 2024, 241–53 <https://doi.org/10.7187/GJATSI122024-16>