Page 149 - Only Love Can Defeat Terrorism

hroughout history, there have been periods

when the scourges of terror and anarchy
have intensified, posing a threat to entire
populations. Numerous solutions have been proposed.
One of those who stressed the importance of an all-out
struggle against terror and anarchy was the great
Turkish Islamic scholar, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (1877-
1960). He said that the first thing people must do is
spread the morality of the Qur'an and made a number of
recommendations.

At the time Bediuzzaman lived, the world was
going through radical changes. The First World War had
a particular impact on his life. During the war, he had led
the Ottoman militia forces on the Caucasian Front
against the invading Russians for which he was later
awarded a medal. He was taken prisoner in March 1916
and held in Russia for two years. In early 1918, he

escaped from prison and made his way back to Istanbul
via Warsaw, Berlin and Vienna.
Thus he had a front-row seat to witness the collapse
of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of the
Turkish Republic. He also saw the Russian Revolution
bring Communism to power, the conflict between the
great European powers and the difficulties that both
World Wars inflicted on the Turkish Republic. As can be

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