Place and Importance of Justice in Human Relations

Cultivating Said Nursi’s Ethic of Justice in Academic, Experiential,

Simulation and Service Learning for Desirable Just and Peaceful Futures

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi:Inspired Source for Just Ends, Means

and Meanings

• Creation unfolds to be disclosed in true and new settings and circumstances each day

• Honored Holy Man• Respected Scholar• Relished Writer, Articulate

Speaker, Cherished Colleague and Friend

Inspired, Insightful and Instructional References, Parameters and Context

Said Nursi empowered disciples, associates and admirers to analyze, critique and creatively build communities and societies, for the purpose of eliminating injustices and the highest development of human beings.

Teaching and Learning Through Service Reflect Nursi’s Principles

• Faith• Morality• Shura (Consultation) and Freedom• JUSTICE• Peace• Brotherhood (al-ukhuwwah) and

Unity

Justice Offers Divine Roots and Daily

Challenges• Energize just practices in and

among generations• Enlighten, equip, enable and

empower through education, training and doing

Learn, absorb, practice and sustain justice in human relations through individuals and institutions.

“DIVINE GIFTS” Require Translation and Application

• The Gift – A Poem by Hafaz• Innate Birth Gifts from Stephen Covey

1) Freedom and Power to Chose2) Principles (Natural Laws) that are

Universal, Timeless, Self-evident3) 4 Intelligences/Capacities

a. Mental,b. Emotional/Social,c. Physical/Economic, andd. SPIRITUAL

Focused, Fierce, Fair and Friendly

* Trustworthy Justice and Trusted Exemplars

• Aligned teachers• Integration of service and

learning

THEOLOGY, SCHOLARSHIP, ADVOCACY and LEADERSHIP

• Alignment of all parties to the process of creating a just, equitable, consistent community and national culture

• Moving beyond “my way or the highway” and “Me-ology” to sustainable community day by day by day

Intermediating InstitutionsLearning Organizations

• Immersion of universal truth, values and vision works across boundaries

• ACADEMIC• EXPERIENTIAL• SIMULATION• SERVICEAccessible, accountable,

transparent …

JUSTICE. JUST US? US JUST!

• Creating a “Tipping Point”• Sustaining a Cultural

Improvement• Managing awareness, fairness

and share-ness• Ethical consistency, creativity,

felicity and security

Selfless Service Offers Divine Wings,

Risks and Rewards

• “The cost of everything and the value of nothing”

• Investment and returns include immeasurable, non-monetary, non-manipulative investment and outcomes

• Alternatives are dangerous, destabilizing and dishonest to people of high principle

Conclusions

• Be the change you seek• Imagine and Image Desirable

Futures• No Future Without Forgiveness• Desirable Just Futures Reflect

Nursi’s Profound Insights on Divinity, Science and Justice and Build on his Inspiration

• How will you build with service learning?

THANK YOU for the PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF KNOWING SAID NURSI, MEETING NEW FRIENDS AND FACILITATING DESIRABLE

FUTURES

Dr. Michael J. LenaghanBoard Member, Service for Peace andMardee Jenrette Endowed Chair of Teaching

Excellence ProfessorMiami Dade College, Florida USA

Lecturer, Florida Atlantic University, USAExternal Adjudicator, Avinishilingam and

Bharathiar Universities, Tamil Nadu IndiaE-mail: mlenagha@mdc.edu - mlenagha@fau.edu