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The role of women in creating a dynamic Islamic society is not necessarily disputed. However, in today's modern era, women have to face various challenges and constraints. This study aims to identify Nursi's thoughts on the issue of Islamic women. This study is qualitative by using the content analysis approach on the book of Murshid Akhawat al-Akhirah. The study found there are three aspects of the discussions above show Nursi’s concern about women. Women are the pillar of success in the family institution. Without a successful family institution, a nation would face various forms of misfortune and turbulence. Therefore, the issue of marriage, aurat and hijab, as discussed by Nursi, should receive attention from all parties. INTRODUCTION The global Islamic community has generally viewed the question of Islamic identity very seriously after the globalization era emerged. This is one term that has been mentioned since the mid-1980s and became popular in the 1990s. According to al-`Ani (2009), two main factors have become the basis for this situation, namely the feeling of being threatened and the need to perform islah and reformation. In the current situation, the need is rather based on global developments and changes related to political, economic, social, technological, environmental and other aspects. The global Islamic community, specifically in Malaysia, cannot remain docile but must participate together with the global community to draw up changes to their lives in tandem with the current tide of global developments. Hence, these changes, including the performance of islah, must adhere to the Syariah and not deviate from the demands and guidelines of Islam. Herewith lies the significance of Islamic identity. Thus, without a strong identity, Muslims would be swept away by current ideologies that are inconsistent with Islamic civilisation as well as historical or cultural values (Imarah, 2004). International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 3, March, 2019, E-ISSN: 2 22 2 -6990 © 2019 HRMARS 557 THE BOOK OF MURSHID AKHAWWAT AL-AKHIRAH The Book of Murshid Akhawwat al-Akhirah is part of the dimensions of Nursi’s thinking about women. Two aspects that were given special attention to this timid and bashful group was their humble and compassionate character. Both these characteristics are part of a woman’s instincts that can only be supported by religious education (tarbiyah agama). This article focuses on three aspects, namely issues pertaining to marriage, the aurat and hijab. This is because these issues have not received the proper attention by women, families or society, who are responsible for propagating social ills related to women. It can be concluded that when discussing solutions for overcoming social ills, the religious aspect cannot be discounted (Hazizan et. al, 2003; Altwaijri, 2014; Khairuldin et al, 2018) Since one of the four fundamentals of Risalah an-Nur is compassion and women are champions of compassion and love that even the timidest among them would be willing to sacrifice their life to save their children. Humble children and women face a daunting situation now and this brings forth Nursi’s sense of responsibility to explain to them the elements of a woman’s instinct, especially the unmarried female students in Risalah an-Nur. Nevertheless, he felt that this situation should not be widely publicised because this is a special case where some wish or are forced to carry on living an unmarried or single life. Hence, since the significance of providing an understanding is a big task before any action can be taken, Nursi decided to explain this to his students. He said that the current situation was not like previous eras. In about half a century, a new education system in Europe was established to replace Islamic education. What he meant was that people were getting married because according to Islamic teachings by doing so one could abstain from committing sins; while Western education saw marriage as placing a wife under the command and control of the husband who loves the wife only when she is young and then later on, inconvenience and burden her beyond the normal hours of the day. Misfortune would build if she finds that he is incompatible in terms of syarak or not in an equal standing with her when rights according to syarak are not fulfilled. Nursi emphasised that the three factors lead to marriage are: First: The wisdom of Allah SWT who has emplaced in humans the urge and need to propagate one’s progeny. However, women are advised not to marry just because of their feelings or instincts. Second: A woman’s instinct dictates that she needs someone who can help her manage her life because women are naturally timid. Hence, it might be better for them to earn a living, like that of women in villages, whereby these women are much better off instead of condescending to their husbands who lack Islamic education. Thus, Said Nursi advised women, especially his students, to seek husbands who are steadfast in prayer, of good character and are honest in loving their wives. Third: A woman’s instinct is to love her children and enjoy spending time with them. Here, the natural inclination to marry is further supported by the children’s caregiving for the mother, the act of intercession on behalf of the mother and offering prayers for the mother after her death (Nursi, 2014). Based on this, Nursi had advised his students who were unmarried not to ‘sell’ themselves or give themselves away cheaply by exposing their aurat if they have not met their ultimate choice International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 3, March, 2019, E-ISSN: 2 22 2 -6990 © 2019 HRMARS 558 (mukmin) who is pious (soleh) and possesses a good character compatible with theirs. Moreover, they must remain unmarried if they have not met a man who is suitable and compatible (kufu or kafa’ah). This was like what some students from Risalah an-Nur had done, whereby they waited until someone suitable, knowledgeable in Islam and from an Islamic tarbiah as well as having the enthusiasm to become a life partner came along so that eternal happiness was not jeopardised by merely enjoying earthly pleasures of life. Thus, although the word kafa’ah or kufu is discussed in various dimensions by ulama’, however, the emphasis is on the religious and morality aspects (Royani, 2013). Hence, mothers should continuously nurture and care for their children because it is an instinct implanted in their human souls as compared to animals. In a similar vein, it was the wisdom of Allah SWT that had implanted in men the instinct of humbleness and jealousy so that they could help timid-natured mothers and helpless children. MARRIAGE Someone had written a letter to Nursi about the issue of being unmarried, whereby he felt that Nursi had encouraged his students to live an unmarried life although this advice contradicted the sunnah of the Prophet SAW. This was conveyed by a student to Nursi who was at time critically ill. Nevertheless, he was still able to respond to that statement by giving three views about the statement. First, Nursi stated that when efforts to repel the terrible attacks of atheist beliefs for the past forty years had made Muslims sacrifice everything they had, he decided to sacrifice for the truth of the alQuran. This was also because he had served the al-Quran is the best way with all his sincerity; thus, he felt he should leave the world of marriage, which was temporary in nature, although he knew it as a sunnah of the Prophet SAW (Nursi, 2014). According to Nursi, some ulama’ who had experienced misfortunes had issued a fawta that favoured elements of bid’ah or had pretended to support them because of the hardship faced by their children and families. Hence, this situation requires a high level of sacrifice, a firm determination as well as not depending on humans or other things to fend off vicious attacks on religion. Therefore, he abstained from marriage although he knew it was the sunnah of the Prophet SAW so that he would avoid the prohibited elements (haram) and be able to perform the mandatory practices as well as fulfil the demands of Islam. He also said that he might not be able to commit what is prohibited in order to perform one act according to the sunnah of the Prophet SAW. Nursi added that there are ulama’ who practice the sunnah and yet found themselves committing major sins, what is prohibited or abstaining from a large number of practices that are sunnah and elements of fardhu for the past forty years. Second, there are verses of the al-Quran that portray humility, such as verse 3 in surah al-Nisa’ and several hadith that encourage marriage and similar activities, which are in the form of a command. In this context, Nursi said: International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences Vol. 9 , No. 3, March, 2019, E-ISSN: 2 22 2 -6990 © 2019 HRMARS 559 It is not a compulsory or permanent command, but it is a sunnah (sunnah muakkadah) that is very much encouraged and subject to certain conditions and sometimes these conditions are always not available to everyone. He then mentioned about hadith that do not portray the values of priesthood (celibacy) in Islam ( لالالالالالاسلاا ي ف ةينابهر لا). What he meant was self-isolation or living an unmarried life, like that of priests or monks, which is prohibited or rejected without any basis. This hadith encourages humans to be involved in societal life (Nursi, 2014) Third, he never instructed his students to abstain from marriage and felt it was a personal issue; in fact, it was something that does not have to be told. However, the students themselves came from various levels and walks of life. Some among them had decided that it was mandatory not to be tied down with earthly or human needs as far as possible, at the current time, for a period in their lives in order to reach the ultimate

The Identity of Women according to the Thinking of Said Nursi