The Third Word

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

يَا اَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْبُدُوا1

If you want to understand what great trade and happiness ‘ibâdah is and what great loss and destruction fisq and dissipation are, look and listen to this short story in the form of a comparison:

One time, two soldiers received an order to go to a distant city. They went together until the way split into two. A man was there; he said to them, "The way on the right gives nine out of ten travellers who take it great benefit and ease, as well as having no harm. The way on the left has no benefit, while nine out of ten of its travellers suffer a loss. Also, both are the same in being short and long. There is only one difference: on the left, which is disordered and has no government, the traveller goes without a bag or weapon. He experiences a superficial lightness and deceptive comfort. As for the traveller of the right way under military order, he is compelled to carry a four-kilo bag full of nutritious purified extracts and a perfect two-kilo weapon that belongs to the state and will overthrow and defeat all enemies."

After the two soldiers listen to the words of this instructor, the fortunate soldier goes to the right. He loads the weight of six-kilo onto his shoulder and back, but his heart and rûh are saved from tonnes of fear and indebtedness.

As for the unfortunate other soldier, he leaves the military service. He does not want to follow the order; he goes to the left. His body is saved from the six-kilo load, but his heart is crushed under the tonnes of indebtedness and his rûh under boundless fear. He goes in a manner of both begging everyone and trembling at everything and every event so that he reaches the place intended. There, he receives the punishment of a mutineer and a deserter.

As for the soldier who loves the military order, keeps his bag and weapon and goes the right way, he goes on his way by not being indebted to anyone, not fearing anyone, and with an easy heart and conscience so that he reaches the city that is sought. There, he receives a reward suitable for an honourable soldier who has carried out his duty well.

Thus, O rebellious nafs! Know that those two travellers are: one is the people who are obedient to the law of Allah, while the other is the rebellious people who follow the desires of nafs. As for the way, it is the way of life that comes from al-‘âlam al-arwâh, passes through the grave, and goes to the âkhirah. As for the bag and weapon, they are ‘ibâdah and taqwâ. Although ‘ibâdah has an apparent burden, there is such ease and lightness in its meaning that cannot be described.

For in the salâh, the ‘abd says, اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ2. That is, “There is no Khâliq and Razzâq other than Him. Harm and benefit are in His hand. He is also Hakîm; He does nothing in vain, and He is Rahîm; His bestowal and mercy are abundant.” Since he believes so, he finds a door of the treasury of Rahmah in everything and knocks on it with du‘â. Also, he sees that everything is subjugated to the command of his Rabb and takes refuge in his Rabb. He shelters from every calamity by relying on Him with tawakkul. His îmân gives him complete trust.

Yes, like every true goodness, the source of courage, too, is îmân and ‘ubûdiyyah; like every evil, the source of cowardice, too, is dhalâlah.

Yes, if the globe of the earth were to become a bomb and explode, it is possible that it would not frighten an ‘abd with a completely illuminated heart. Rather, he will watch a wonderful qoudrah of As-Samad with pleasurable astonishment. But if a famous, heartless, fâsiq philosopher called an enlightened mind sees a comet in the sky, he trembles on the ground. He says, “Isn’t that stray comet going to hit the Earth?” He falls into wahm. {One time, America trembled due to such a comet. Many of them left their homes at night.}

Yes, although man is in need of infinite things, his capital is nothing. And although he is subject to infinite calamities, his power is nothing. It is as though the sphere of his capital and power is only as large as his hand can reach. But as for his wishes, desires, pains and calamities, their sphere is as vast as his eye and imagination can reach and go. One who is not totally blind sees and understands what great profit, happiness and ni’mah ‘ibâdah, tawakkul, tawhîd and submission (taslîm) are for the rûh of mankind, which is impotent and weak, poor and needy to such an extent.

It is well known that the harmless way is preferred to the harmful way, even if the possibility of it is only one in ten. Whereas in the way of ‘ubûdiyyah, which is our matter here, there is a treasury of eternal happiness with the possibility of nine out of ten as well as being harmless. As for the way of fisq and dissipation — even with the confession of the fâsiq —although having no benefit, it is established by the testimony to the degree of ijmâ3 and tawâtur of the people who witness the truths of religion and the people who are devotedly attached to the Islamic sciences that there is destruction, which is eternal misery, with the possibility of nine out of ten. And through the reports of the people of zawq and kashf, it is certain.

In Short: like that of the âkhirah, the happiness of the world, too, is in ‘ibâdah and in being a soldier for Allah. In that case, we should constantly say 4 اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلَى الطَّاعَةِ وَالتَّوْفِيقِ , and offer shukr for we are Muslims...

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