Risale Roundtable is a discussion group at the University of Melbourne focussed on the thought and writings of the renowned Islamic scholar and theologian Bediuzzaman Said Nursi. Each episode, we read and then discuss a brief section of Bediuzzaman’s celebrated Risale-i Nur. Like the Risale itself, these discussions are aimed at the fortification of faith and the improved knowledge and worship of Allah. Topics include: arguments for the existence and unity of Allah, proofs of the tenets of faith, Divine Name theology, purposes in the creation of humankind and the universe, and related matters.
Why think that the universe points to an infinite or absolute Cause, as opposed to a merely finite one? We discuss this issue with the benefit of sel...
Could the universe be the product of two or more Divine beings? Our scholars have traditionally repudiated this idea via the dalîl al-tamánu' (often ...
What is the reality of entities in the universe? Are physical objects merely collections of particles, formed in certain ways? Or is there more to t...
A discussion of dua (supplication), its forms, power and the circumstances under which it becomes most acceptable. Based on Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's ...
In order for our actions to count as worship, and thereby gain value for us, they need to be done with sincerity (ikhlas). This means that they need ...
What is the human 'ana' (ego)? Why has Allah created us with this faculty, which makes us feel as though we 'own' and 'do' various things? How does ...
In this session, we discuss the issue of backbiting. We consider what does and does not count as backbiting. We then focus on the spiritual or metap...
How should the Muslim view entities and events in the world, and how does this view differ from that of the secular philosopher and naturalistic scien...
Do we have any basis for enmity (hatred, hostility or dislike) toward a fellow believer, on the basis of wrongs that they commit against us? In his T...
We learned from our readings last week that all the good that occurs in the world is attributable wholly to Allah. This week, we ask whether any of t...