Muslim Response to Evil

Tubanur Yesilhark Ozkan holds the degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Durham University. She graduated in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations (MA) from Hartford Seminary, USA.

’At last a new and distinctive young female Muslim voice has emerged. Tubanur Yesilhark Ozkan has written a bold, fascinating, deep study of Islamic theodicy. She has taken the concept of sharr, combined it with the exegesis of Said Nursi, to produce a distinctive and compelling theodicy. Naturally scholars of Islamic studies will want to have this book on their bookshelves, but it should be read more widely by philosophers and theologians. It is a truly great book.’ Ian Markham, Virginia Theological Seminary, USA ’Evincing an impressive command of the Risale-i Nur, Tubanur Yesilhark Ozkan provides in this book an astute and insightful study of Said Nursi’s theodicy. In ten crisply argued chapters Ozkan explores the Qur’ānic conception of evil before going on to analyse the creative way Nursi addresses the challenge with which evil confronts the believer. This fine study will be an important resource not only for Nursi scholars and students of Islam, but for all thoughtful people struggling with the challenge the problem of evil poses to theism.’ David Law, University of Manchester, UK

• Preface; Introduction. Part I Sharr in The Qur’an and in General Muslim Thought: The perspective of the Qur’ān on Sharr; Mainstream Muslim thought; Avicenna, Averroes and Al-Ghazālī on Sharr; As we approach the topic: oneness (tawhīd), being (wujūd) and non-being (‘adam), life after death. Part II The Nature of Sharr: The nature and definition of Sharr according to the Risale-i Nur; Why God creates Sharr; Human being’s function in regards to Sharr. Part III The Moral Aspect of Sharr: The notion of the divine trust (amānah); Free will (juz’ῑ ikhtiyār) and divine determining (qadar); Existential theodicy in Nursi. Conclusion