بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ

KHAYR-GOOD - 1

“بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ That is, all khayr is in His hand, all good deeds are in His book, all beneficence is in His treasury. Since this is so, those desiring khayr must seek it from Him, those wishing for goodness must beseech Him.” The Twentieth Letter-Second Station/The Ninth Phrase

 

“ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ 1 A brief indication of the proof contained in this phrase is as follows:

We see that each sphere of the universe, each realm of being, each level, each individual and member, and even each cell of each body possesses a store or depot containing its reserve supplies of rizq, an arable field or treasury producing and preserving all its necessities. For at exactly the right time, in perfect order and balance, with perfect hikmah and ‘inâyah, all their necessities are given to those needy beings by a hand of ghayb, outside their power and will.

For example, mountains contain all the minerals and chemicals necessary for man and living beings, and the things necessary for life; on someone's command and through his planning, they are perfect stores and treasuries. Similarly, through the power of a Razzâq Al-Hakîm, the earth is an arable field, a harvest, a kitchen, producing with perfect order and regularity the rizq of all those living beings. Even, just as human beings and all their bodily members have treasuries and stores, and the cells of their bodies have tiny depots; so it goes on, till the world of the âkhirah, a store of which is this world; and an arable field and store of Jannah are the ‘âlam of Islam and humanity with haqiqah, which produce the good, beauty, and nûrs of this ‘âlam; and one storehouse of Jahannam are the filthy matters and groups of this ‘âlam, which come from non-existence, which is sharr, and yield the produce of sharrs, ugly things, and kufr, and which pollute the ‘âlams of existence, which are khayr. And the store of the stars' heat is Jahannam, while the treasury of nûrs is a Jannah. Alluding to all those infinite treasuries, the phrase  بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ 2 , then, demonstrates a most brilliant proof.

Yes, this phrase, together with the phrase,  بِيَدِهِ مَقَالِيدُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍthat is, In His hand are the keys of all things, points out to anyone not totally blind an infinitely extensive, wondrous proof of Rubûbiyyah and Wahdah. For example, consider only the following out of those endless treasuries and stores: just as with his command of "Awake!" and the key of His Irâdah, a Hakîm al-Mutasarrif Who holds the keys of seeds and grains, which are all tiny stores containing the members and the qadar program of huge trees or shining flowers, opens up in perfect balance and order the minute door of a seed; so too opens with the key of the rain the treasury of the earth, without error He opens all the seeds, which are the tiny stores and nutfah of plants, as well as the storehouses of droplets, which receive the command to develop and are the origin of animals, and the nutfah composed of water and air of birds and flying insects. If you want to understand and see that He opens up with the hand of hikmah, irâdah, rahmah, and will, all the treasuries and depots, physical and ma’nawî, universal and particular, in the universe, each with its particular key, consider your own heart, mind, body, stomach, and your garden, and the spring, which is the flower of the earth, and its flowers and fruits, for they are all opened up by a hand of ghayb, with perfect order, balance, rahmah, and hikmah, with all different keys which come from the workbench of كُنْ فَيَكُونُ   3 He draws out pounds of foods from a minute box weighing less than an ounce, and sometimes hundreds of pounds, and presents them to living creatures as a feast. Is it at all possible that blind force, deaf nature, aimless chance, or lifeless, ignorant, impotent causes could interfere in such a boundless orderly act by knowing and seeing, in such totally purposive art with hikmah in which no chance played any part, in such error-free perfectly balanced disposals, and in such completely just Rubûbiyyah which is free of dhulm? Could any being who does not see and administer all beings together at once, nor holds under his command minute particles together with the planets and stars, intervene in this disposal and government which is in every way wise, purposeful, miraculous, and balanced?

As the âyah, تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ الْغَيْظِ states, Jahannam rages at the person who does not recognize a Mutasarrif Ar-Rahîm, a Rabb Al-Hakîm, in Whose hand is all khayr and Who holds the keys of all things, and deviates into denial; it boils up in fury, saying through the language of its being: "He deserves my boundless torments and is in no way worthy of compassion." The Rays ( 575 - 576 )

 

“From Absolute Khayr comes forth khayr, and from the Absolute Jamîl comes forth beauty. So too nothing devoid of purpose can emerge from the Absolute Hakîm.” The Words ( 97 )

 

“When Allah Taâ’lâ created pure khayr, that is, the malâikah, and pure sharr, that is, the shaytans, and that which was neither khayr nor sharr, that is, the animals, being the Absolute Fayyâdh, His hikmah necessitated the existence of a fourth category that embraced both khayr and sharr. [That is, human beings.] Thus, if the human’s quwwa ash-shahawiyyah and quwwa al-ghadhabiyyah submit to the quwwa al-aqliyyah, through effort and striving (jihâd) man rises higher than the malâikah.4 But if the reverse is the case, he falls lower than the beasts, for he has no excuse.” Signs of Miraculousness ( 270 )

 

Thus O man! If you will be an ‘abd to Him alone, you will gain a place above all creatures. If you draw back from the ‘ubûdiyyah, you will become an abased ‘abd to impotent creatures. If by trusting your ananiyyah and power and abandoning tawakkul and du'â, you deviate into pride and arrogance, then you will fall lower than an ant or bee regarding goodness and creation, and become weaker than a spider or a fly. In terms of sharr and destruction, you will become heavier than a mountain and more detrimental than an epidemic.

Yes, O man! You have two aspects: one is the aspect of creation, existence, khayr, positivity and act. The other is the aspect of destruction, non-existence, sharr, negativity and passivity. Regarding the first aspect, you are lower than a bee or sparrow and weaker than a spider or fly. Regarding the second aspect, you surpass the mountains, earth and skies. You undertake a burden before which they displayed their impotence and from which they held back. You assume a sphere more extensive and greater than them. For when you do good and create, you can do only in proportion to your power and only to the degree that your hand and strength can reach. If you commit evil and destruction, then your evil exceeds and your destruction spreads.

For example, kufr is an evil, a destruction, an absence of affirmation. But that single evil comprises insulting the whole universe, vilifying all Names of Allah and abasing all humanity. For, all beings have an elevated rank and an important duty. Because, they are letters of Ar-Rabb, mirrors of As-Subhân and officials of Allah. As for kufr, it causes them to fall from their rank of being mirrors, officials and bearing meanings, and lowers them to the level of futility and being the playthings of random coincidence and to the degree of the transient materials, which swiftly change and decay through being destroyed by death and separation, to the degree of being insignificant, valueless and non-existent. Through denial, it vilifies the Names of Allah, which the embroideries, manifestations and beauties of them are seen throughout the universe and in the mirrors of beings.

And it casts to a level more abased and weaker, more impotent and poorer than the most abased, transient and perishable animal, the one who holds the rank of being the khalîfah of earth, who by undertaking the 'Supreme Trust' became superior to the earth, sky and mountains and gained superiority over the malâikah, who is a seed-like evident miracle of Qoudrah containing all the equipment of an eternal tree, who is a well-composed ode of hikmah proclaiming the manifestations of all the Sacred Names of Allah beautifully and is called mankind. And it lowers him to the level of a meaningless, confused, inferior tablet swiftly decaying.

In Short: Regarding destruction and sharr, nafs al-ammarah can commit infinite crimes, but regarding creativity and khayr, its power is extremely little and partial. Yes, he can destroy a house in one day but cannot build it in a hundred. However, if he abandons ananiyyah and seeks khayr and existence from the assistance of Allah, if he gives up sharr, destruction and relying on the nafs and if he becomes a true ‘abd through istighfâr, then he will be the place of manifestation for the mystery يُبَدِّلُ اللّٰهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍۜ5 . His infinite capacity for sharr transforms into an infinite capacity for khayr. He acquires the value of Ahsan Taqwîm and rises to the a’lâ ‘illiyyin.

Thus, O ghâfil man! Look to the fadl and generosity of Janâb-i Haqq! Although it is justice to record one evil as a thousand and a single good deed as one or not at all, He records a single evil as one, and a single good deed as ten, and sometimes as seventy or seven hundred, or even sometimes as seven thousand. Also understand from this subtle point that entering into such dreadful Jahannam is retribution for the deed and pure justice while entering into Jannah is pure fadl.

The Twenty-Third Word/Second Discussion/1st Subtle Point

 

“That is to say, the ana is a conscious string from the thick thread of the being of mankind, a fine thread from the garment of the essence of humanity, it is an Alif from the book of the personality of mankind which has no meaning in itself but shows the meaning of others like a mirror, and a unit of measurement, and a tool for discovery and ma’nâ al-harfî; this Alif has two faces. One looks to khayr and existence. With this face it only receives faydh. It accepts the One Who gives, itself cannot create. In this face, it is not the agent, its hand is too short to create. Its other face looks to sharr and goes into non-existence. In that face, it is the agent, it possesses the act. Also, its essence is harfî; it shows the other’s meaning. Its rubûbiyyah is imaginary. Its existence is so weak and fine that in itself it cannot undertake or bear anything. Rather, it is a measure like the sort of measure of the thermometer or barometer that makes known the degree and amount of things; it is a measure that makes known the absolute, all-encompassing and limitless attributes of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd.

Thus, one who knows his essence in this way, and accepts it by heart with a feeling of great need (idh'ân) and acts according to it, is included in the good news of, قَدْ اَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّيهَا6 . He truly delivers the Trust (Amanah), and through the telescope of the ana, he sees what the universe is and what duties it performs, and when information regarding the universe comes to the nafs, it finds a confirmer within the ana. That knowledge (‘ilm) remains as nûr and hikmah. It does not transform into darkness and futility. When the ana fulfils its duty in this way, it abandons its imaginary rubûbiyyah and hypothetical ownership, which are the units of measurement. It says 7 لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَ اِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ It assumes its true ‘ubûdiyyah, rises to the rank of ‘Ahsan Taqwîm’.

If through forgetting the hikmah of its creation and abandoning the duty of its fitrah, the ana looks to itself with ma’nâ al-ismî, if it believes that it is the owner, then it betrays the Trust (Amanah). It will be included under وَ قَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّيهَا8 . Thus, because of this aspect of the ananiyyah, which begets all shirk, sharr and dhalâlah, the samâwât, earth and mountains were terrified; they were afraid of hypothetical shirk. Yes, while ana is a fine Alif, a string, a hypothetical line, if the essence of it is not known, it will grow and develop under the soil of concealment and gradually thicken. It spreads all parts of the being of human. Like a huge dragon, it swallows the being of human. That person entirely, with all his subtle faculties, becomes merely the ana. Then the ananiyyah of the human race, too, gives strength to the ananiyyah in terms of racial and national fanaticism, like shaytan, the ana contests the commands of As-Sâni’ Zuljalâl by relying on that ananiyyah of the human race. Then, by using its nafs as a measurement, it compares everyone, everything even, with itself and divides the possession of Janâb-i Haqq to them and causes. It falls into extremely great shirk, displays the meaning of اِنَّ الشِّرْكَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ9 . Yes, just like a man, who has stolen forty cents from the public property, can only take possession of it by accepting all his friends, who are present, being taken a cent. In the same way, the man who says: "I own myself" is compelled to believe and say: "Everything owns itself".

Thus, while in this treacherous state of its, the ana is in absolute ignorance. Even if it knows thousands of sciences, it is the most ignorant with compounded ignorance. For when its senses and thoughts bring the nûrs of knowledge (ma’rifat) of the universe, they extinguish, since they do not find any material within its nafs with which to confirm, illuminate and perpetuate them. Everything that comes is dyed with the colours within its nafs. If the pure hikmah comes, within its nafs, it will take the form of absolute futility. For, the colour of ana in this state is shirk and atheism. It is the denial of Allah. If the whole universe is full of shining âyahs, a dark point in that ana extinguishes them in the view, does not show…

… Here, look: In the ‘âlam of mankind, from the time of Âdam up to now, as two mighty trees, two great currents, two chains of thought have spread out their branches in all directions and every class of mankind. One of them is the chain of nubuwwah and religion, the other is the chain of philosophy and hikmah, which has come, and which goes. Whenever those two chains have blended and united, that is, when the chain of philosophy has served the chain of religion through joining and obeying it, the ‘âlam of mankind has experienced brilliant happiness and social life. Whenever they have become separated, all khayr and nûr have been gathered around the chain of nubuwwah and religion, and sharrs and dhalâlahs have been gathered around the chain of philosophy.” The Thirtieth Word-First Aim

 

“Know that nubuwwah in mankind is the summary and foundation of man's khayr and perfections; the Haqq Religion is the index of happiness; îmân is a sheer, transcendent beauty. Since in this ‘âlam a shining beauty, an extensive and exalted khayr, an evident haqq, and superior perfection are apparent, self-evidently haqq and haqiqah lie in nubuwwah and in the hands of Prophets. While sharr, dhalâlah, and loss are with those who oppose them.” The Flashes ( 174 )

 

I see that the most fortunate person in the life of this world is one who accepts the world as a military guest-house and displays idh‘ân in that way and acts accordingly. And through that acceptance, he can swiftly gain the rank of acceptance and pleasure of Allah, which is the greatest rank. He does not give the price of the perpetual diamond to a thing possessing the value of a piece of glass that will break; he passes his life with istiqâmah and pleasure. Yes, the matters belonging to the world are a piece of glass doomed to be broken, while the eternal matters belonging to the âkhirah possess the value of extremely solid diamonds.

The intense feelings in man's fitrah like intense curiosity, fervent love, terrible ambition and desiring obstinately have been given to gain the matters belonging to the âkhirah. To direct those feelings intensely towards transitory matters of the world is giving the price of eternal diamonds to a transient piece of glass that will break. A point occurred to the mind in connection with this; I shall tell it. It is as follows:

‘Ashq is an intense love. When it is directed towards transitory beloveds, it either causes its owner to suffer perpetual torment and pain or since the metaphorical beloved is not worthy of the price of such intense love, it causes its owner to search for an eternal beloved; the metaphorical ‘ashq transforms into true (Haqîqî) ‘ashq.

Thus, there are thousands of feelings in man. Each of them has two degrees like ‘ashq. One is metaphorical, the other true (Haqîqî).

For example, the feeling of anxiety about the future is present in everyone. When one becomes intensely anxious, he realizes that he does not have a certain proof in his hand to reach the future he is anxious about. Also, a future, which is brief and undertaken in respect of rizq, is not worthy of such intense anxiety. He turns his face away from it and turns toward a true and long future beyond the grave which has not been undertaken for the ghâfil.

Also, he displays intense ambition for possessions and rank. Then he sees that the transient possession, which has been put temporarily under his supervision, and calamitous fame and perilous rank, which is the source of riyâ, are not worthy of such intense ambition. From it, he turns toward ma’nawî ranks and degrees in closeness to Allah, which are true ranks, and toward the stock of provisions for the âkhirah and ‘amal as-sâlih, which are true possessions. The metaphorical ambition, which is a bad quality, transforms into true ambition, which is an elevated quality.

Also, for example, with intense obstinacy, he expends his feelings on insignificant, fading, transient matters. Then he sees that he remains obstinate for a year on a thing not worth even a minute's obstinacy. Also, on account of obstinacy, he displays steadfastness for a poisonous and harmful thing. Then he sees that this powerful feeling was not given to him for such things. Expending it on them is contrary to hikmah and haqiqah. He expends that intense obstinacy not on those useless transitory matters, but on the elevated and eternal haqiqahs of îmân and principles of Islam and the services of the âkhirah. Such metaphorical obstinacy, which is a contemptible quality, transforms into true obstinacy — that is ardent steadfastness on haqq — which is a beautiful and elevated quality.

Thus, like these three examples, if man uses the ma’nawî faculties given to him on account of the nafs and the world and acts with ghaflah as though he will eternally remain in the world, they become the means to contemptible moral qualities, wastefulness and futility. But if he expends the weak ones on the matters of the world and the strong ones on ma’nawî duties and the duties of the âkhirah, they become the source of praiseworthy moral qualities and the means to happiness in both worlds conformingly hikmah and haqiqah.

Thus, I guess that one reason for the advice of those who give advice remaining ineffective at this time is they say to the people who possess bad moral: "Don't be envious! Don't display ambition! Don't hate! Don't be obstinate! Don't love the world!" That is, like changing their fitrah, they propose something which they deem impossible. If they say: "Turn the face of these feelings toward things which are khayr; change their channel!" both the advice would be effective and it would be an order proposed within the sphere of their will.

The Ninth Letter

 

لاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْرَحُونَ بِمَۤا اَتَوْا وَيُحِبُّونَ اَنْ يُحْمَدُوا بِمَا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا

فَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّهُمْ بِمَفَازَةٍ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيمٌ10

A chastening slap for my nafs al-ammarah:

O my foolish nafs madly in love with the glory, deeply enamoured of fame, addicted to being praised and unequalled in self-centredness! If the tiny seed of the fig, which is the source of the fig giving thousands of fruits, and the black dry branch of grape, which hundred bunches are attached to it, all those fruits and bunches being the seed and branch’s own work of dexterity is a rightful claim, and if those who benefit from them should praise and respect the branch and the seed, then perhaps you have the right for glory and pride concerning the ni’mahs with which you are loaded. But, you deserve to be constantly disparaged. Because you are not like the seed and the branch. Since you have a juz’ al-ikhtiyârî, you diminish the value of those ni’mahs through your glory, devastate them through your pride, nullify them through your denial and you extort them by claiming ownership.11 Your duty is not to glory, it is to offer shukr. What is worthy for you is not fame, it is humility and shame. Your right is not to be praised, it is istighfâr and to regret. Your perfection is not in self-centredness, but in knowing Allah.

Yes, you in my body resemble nature in the ‘âlam. Both of you were created to receive khayr and to be the source to which sharr is referred. That is to say, you are not the agent and source, but rather a passive recipient of the external effects and a place to the effect of the agent. You have only a single effect: You become the cause of sharr due to not receiving well the khayr coming from the absolute Khayr. Also, you were created as veils, so that, apparently ugly things, whose beauty is not seen, would be attributed to you, and you would be the means of declaring and believing the Most Pure and Holy Ilahî Essence (Zhât Al-Muqaddas) to be free from all defects. But you have worn a form completely contrary to the duty of your fitrah. Although you have transformed khayr into sharr due to your incapability, you as though attribute yourself a partner to your Khâliq. That means one who performs ‘ibâdah to the nafs and nature is extremely foolish and dhâlim.

Also, do not say: "I am a place of manifestation. As for the place which beauty manifests on, it becomes beautiful." For since you do not take the form and appearance of what manifested on you, you may not possess it but may be a point that it passed through.

Also, do not say: "Among people I was chosen. These fruits are shown through me. That means I have excellence." No! Hâsha!12 Rather they were given to your hand before anyone else because you are more bankrupt, needy and suffering than everyone else! {Truly, I too extremely admired the New Said silencing his nafs to this extent in this debate, and said, A thousand Bârakallah!}

The Eighteenth Word

 

“During these troublesome times, while my nafs was irritating me with its impatience, this passage completely silenced it and made it offer shukr. This enclosed passage which is presented to you that you may also benefit from is hung on my wall.

1. O my nafs! In seventy-three years you have received a greater share of pleasure than ninety per cent of people. You have no right to ask for any more.

2. You seek the permanence of immediate and transitory pleasures, therefore, you begin to cry at its fading. Due to this mistake of yours, you and your blind feelings receive a complete slap. In return for a minute of laughter, you cry for ten hours.

3. Beneath the dhulm and calamities that befall you lie the justice of Qadar. People are oppressing you for crimes that you have not committed. However, due to your secret mistakes, Qadar does tarbiyyah you through the hand of that calamity and make it kaffârah for your mistake.

4 - After hundreds of experiences of yours, O my impatient nafs! I have come to the firm conviction that beneath the apparent calamities and in their results are found the sweet outcomes of Ilahî ‘inâyah. عَسَى اَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ 13 teaches a most decisive haqiqah. Remember this lesson at all times. Also, the laws of Allah which govern the universe, that comprehensive law of Qadar may not be changed for your sake.

5 - Take as a guide the sacred principle مَنْ آمَنَ بِالْقَدَرِ اَمِنَ مِنَ الْكَدَرِ 14 Do not run after temporary, insignificant pleasures like strong desirous, mindless children. Remember that transitory pleasures leave behind ma’nawî pains and regrets for you. As for problems and pains, they leave ma’nawî pleasures and eternal rewards. If you are not mad, you can only seek temporary pleasures for the sake of shukr. Anyway, pleasures have been given for shukr.

Said Nursî

Emirdağ Addendum-1 (198-199)

 

اَللّٰهُمَّ اَرِنَا الْحَقَّ حَقًّا وَ ارْزُقْنَا اِتِّبَاعَهُ وَ اَرِنَا الْبَاطِلَ بَاطِلاً وَ ارْزُقْنَا اِجْتِنَابَهُ آمِينَ

هَدَينَا اللّٰهُ وَ اِيَّاكُمْ اِلَى الصِّرَاطِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ