بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE DUTY OF THE TABLÎGH AND DISSEMINATION - 3

The haqiqah of sacredness is another important point in the tablîgh and dissemination of the haqiqahs.

51) “I see that some of the perfections which pertain to the haqiqahs of Al-Qur'an Al-Hakîm are attributed to the means of one who proclaims those haqiqahs. And this is wrong. For the sacredness of the source demonstrates effects as powerful as many proofs; it is through these that it makes everyone accept its injunctions. Whenever the herald or deputy obscures it, that is, whenever regard is directed to them, the sacredness of the source loses its effectiveness.” The Letters ( 377 )

52) “It is the sacredness of the source more than proof that drives the mass of the ‘awâm to conform.” The Letters ( 544 )

53) “The Qur'an Requires Mirrors, Not Someone to Act on Its Behalf.

Rather than proofs it is the sacredness of the source that drives the mass of the Ummah and the ordinary people to conform to it and encourages them to obey it.

The Sharî'ah: Ninety per cent of it consists of the incontestable matters of the Sharî'ah and dharûriyyah of religion, each of which is a diamond pillar.

Only ten per cent are matters open to ijtihad, controversial and secondary. One who has ten gold pieces can not put the ninety diamond pillars in his purse, nor he can not make them followed.

The source of the diamond pillars is the Qur'an and Hadith. They are their property and should always be sought from them.

Books and ijtihads should be mirrors of the Qur'an or telescopes. That Sun of Miraculous Exposition is not in need of shadows or anyone to act on its behalf!” The Words ( 737 )

Hazrat Ustadh conformed to the above-mentioned haqiqah. He has displayed that he is not the owner of the haqiqahs in The Risale-i Nur, but they are the property of The Qur'an. We too should take this instruction as our guide through declaring that our speech and writing are the property of The Risale-i Nur. We should hand the haqiqahs to their owner. We should not be a cause in the loss of the sacred effect in hearts and rûhs.

54) “Eighty per cent of mankind are not ahl al-tahqîq that they may penetrate to the haqiqah and recognize and accept a haqiqah to be a haqiqah. Rather, in consequence of their good opinions about them and their appearance, they accept matters, which they hear from acceptable and reliable people, by way of taqlîd. In fact, they see a powerful haqiqah to be weak when it is in the hand of a weak man, and if they see a worthless matter in the hand of a worthy man, they accept it to be valuable. Thus, in consequence of this, in order not to reduce the value of the haqiqahs of îmân and the Qur’an which are in the hands of a weak and worthless unfortunate man like myself1 in most people’s view, I am compelled to proclaim that outside our will and knowledge, someone employs us; without our knowledge, He makes us work on important duties. Our evidence is this: Certain ‘inâyahs and facilities are manifested upon us outside our consciousness and will. In which case, we are compelled to proclaim those ‘inâyahs by shouting.” The Twenty-Eighth Letter/The Seventh Matter/7th Reason

Thus Ustadh Bediuzzaman did not attribute the haqiqahs of The Risale-i Nur to himself even though he is the author of them and closed the door of being a guide through his personal ‘ilm.

55) “I am a mere servant of Al-Qur'an Al-Hakîm, a herald of that sacred shop. I will not put on the market dishevelled, unimportant things in my personal shop and I do not want to. To avoid causing doubts about the sacred diamonds of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm; if I sell the broken fragments of glass which are in my personal and wretched shop, the customers who are not real jewellers may consider the diamonds in my hand at the time of being herald as glass, a confusion and a doubt may come to their mind. Therefore, I decisively closed my personal shop. Servanthood of that sacred shop is sufficient for me. I would rather like to be a penniless servant.” Barla Lahikası (269)

A sincere Nur student should take the lesson from the above part and say: “Since peerless ‘ulamâ Bediuzzaman stated that He does not put forth his personal knowledge before the Risale-i Nur, this statement is a warning for me, and this way, in reality, is closed for me.”

But the annotations, articles and speeches which are for encouragement, appreciation, tablîgh and defence of the Risale-i Nur are exceptional and they are the service.

Indeed, it is stated and expressed in the Risale-i Nur showing the point of support to the people of îmân through acquainting the Imam of the age and his movement of ma’nawî jihâd is such an important duty against the current of dhalâlah.

56) “Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm through relying on wahy gave the tidings of the Mahdî for preserving the ma’nawî strength of the people of îmân in every century, and to not fall into despair within the dreadful events, and in a ma’nawî manner connect the hearts of the people of îmân with his âl al-bayt, who constitute a luminous chain in ‘âlam of Islam.” The Nineteenth Letter- Fourth Subtle Sign

In the Afyon Criminal Court through relying on the above noble hadith’s purpose and meaning heroic Nur student Ahmet Feyzi Efendi says in his defence:

57) “As for the matter of the persons reported in Hadiths to come at the âkhirzaman: we did not fabricate these. They have their origin in religion. In some of the Hadiths, the Prophet ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm said that the life of the ummah of Muhammad (ASM) would not exceed one thousand five hundred years. The major historical events up to that time, which would have the greatest significance for the life of the ummah of Muhammad (ASM) and for the life of the world, he gave news of, calling them "the signs of the qiyâmah." He drew the attention of the ummah of Islam to their sharr. He said that those who meet face to face with these evils in ghaflah and ignorance would meet with everlasting misery and perdition. There are innumerable religious proofs of these. We believe in Allah, His Rasûl and the Qur'an. So as a result of this îmân and belief in the Prophet's sidq, should we not strive to save ourselves from everlasting perdition? Should we not see what is happening around us? Wondering, "Has that dangerous time come? Don't let it be us who are the generation that falls to those dangers," should we not point out how they may be applied to those religious haqiqahs?” The Rays ( 555-556 )

In the serious severe conditions of the period, in his court defence, he acquainted the sharr current of the âkhirzaman and pointed to the current of Nur which repairs its destruction.

58) My heart was warned about their exact tawâfuq with both the name of the Risaletü'n-Nur and the form of its jihâd and the time of its being realized, written and completed, also their exact tawâfuq with the date of the people of kufr striving to extinguish the nûr of the World of Islam with the war of 1293 and the date of the terrifying treaties that were signed in 1338 taking advantage of the First World War in order to take the World of Islam from the nûr and de facto cast into darkness, and about their giving news, with the indicative meaning (ma’nâ al-isharî), of a nûr from the nûr of Qur'an will be a point of support for the people of îmân in this ma’nawî jihad, through the comparisons of the nûr and darkness repeated within them.” The Rays- An Addendum of the Note of the Eleventh Topic

59) “My ‘Azîz, Siddîq Brothers!

The reason I give great importance to your solidarity is not only because of its benefits for us and the Risale-i Nur, but for the ‘âwam of the people of îmân who are not within the sphere of tahqîqî îmân, and are very much in need of a point of support and in need of relying upon a haqiqah which is upheld by an unshaken jamâ’ah decisively; with respect to being an authority, a murshid, a proof which is indomitable, unflinching, incorruptible and undeceiving in the face of the currents of dhalâlah, one who sees your powerful solidarity forms the conviction that there is a haqiqah that may not be sacrificed for anything, that may not bow before the people of dhalâlah, it may not be defeated; his ma’nawî power and îmân are strengthened and he is saved from joining ahl ad-dunyâ and the people of dissipation.” The Rays ( 345 )

If it is not pointed out, how will ‘âwam mu’mins know the Risale-i Nur and its current? Would it not be abandoning ‘âwam mu’mins in a situation with the loss of their ma’nawî power without having the point of support? Would it not mean that it is helping the covert current of sharr?

60) “You should also take into consideration and your mashwarah2 that it is of the greatest importance that the Risale-i Nur emerges from the veil of concealment and in a great general matter at a time they are fighting themselves in their centres, the hesitant and bewildered people of îmân can find the students behind them and by not running away it can be shown to them that the students are bound to an unshakeable and invincible haqiqah.” The Rays ( 352 )

61) “Our Ustadh says: There is khayr in postponing the trials. Up to now the troubles inflicted on the Risale-i Nur and the Nurjus having been transformed into rahmah shows that there are khayrs in the postponement, one of which may be as follows:

With the Risale-i Nur beginning to unfold and spread and show its effects in the Islamic world abroad and with the politicians here inclining towards westernisation in a degree as a bribe to Europe, giving the verdict of complete freedom for the Risale-i Nur by the courts would raise doubts concerning its true ikhlas in the Islamic world abroad and to what would emerge in the abroad is the supposition of either the Nurjus compelled to be hypocritical, or they show no concern about those inclining to westernisation and they display weakness. For this is serious harm for the value of the Nur, this postponement removes such suspicions. And proves that for the past thirty years they have not bowed before anything which is opposed to the shiâ’r of Islam.” Emirdağ Addendum-2 (107)

62) “It is a sacred duty and a great fadhîlah to give the lesson of îmân al-tahqîqî now, in this time. A mu’min who carries the îmân al-tahqîqî would be a point of support for many mu’mins that, ‘awâm mu’mins would not lose their ma’nawî power through relying upon unconsciously the ma’nawî power of that one, who is the owner of îmân al-tahqîqî and withstand against dhalâlah. Thus, you should offer shukr to Janâb-i Haqq for being in such a lesson.” Barla Lahikası (250)

63) “the Risale-i Nur which is a miracle and nûr of the Qur’an at this time has saved the taqlîdî îmân of ‘âwam of the people of îmân from the assaults of the terrifying dhalâlah arising from ‘ilm which derived from the materialist philosophy and has become a point of support for the people of îmân in general, and an unconquerable fortress even for those near and far. Thus, in this unprecedented terrifying dhalâlahs, it still protects the ‘âwam mu’min’s îmân from doubts and their Islam from waswasas of the untruthfulness.

Indeed, due to the predominance of such terrifying dhalâlah of this age, everywhere even in India and China, when the people of îmân fall into doubt and waswasas like “Is there anything untruthfulness within Islam, that has caused to be shaken?” they suddenly hear and understand that a risale has emerged which decisively proves all the haqiqahs of îmân, defeats philosophy and silences zandaqa. That doubt and waswasa disappear instantly and their îmân is saved and strengthened.” Emirdağ Addendum-1 (91)

64) “But endless shukr be to Janâb-i Haqq that in this age the Risale-i Nur contains such a haqiqah which the awâm mu’mins are excessively in need as a point of support and which they find within the Nur, that it will neither be an instrument of anything nor any hostile purpose or aim will enter in it; and it will not allow any doubts and waswasa, and no enemy may refute it by finding an excuse, and there will only be those who work at it for haqq and haqiqah, worldly aims will not interfere within it, so the distant people of îmân may have complete trust in that haqiqah and its loyal disseminators, and they may save their îmân from the objections and denials of zindiqs and irreligious and the terrifying philosophers who oppose religion.

Yes, those people of îmân will say through the language of their being: Since so many extreme enemies could neither refute this haqiqah nor object to it, and its students carry no aim other than haqq in the service of it, surely that haqiqah must be pure haqq and mere haqiqah; this will strengthen and save their îmân like an evidence as powerful as a thousand proofs; they will not fall into the wahm of “Is there any untruthfulness within Islam?” Emirdağ Addendum-1 (214)

65) “His being a strong support for mu’mins through bringing out a great ma’nawî collective personality from the self-sacrificing champions among the people of îmân against the currents of dhalâlah, and through establishing a solid barrier of the Qur’an and îmân. Stirring the enthusiasm and ‘ashq toward Islam in the rûhs by trembling the hearts of mu’mins through his steadfastness and perseverance to fulfil his sacred duty which he believes.” Biography (29)

66) “Those receiving the lessons of tahqîqî îmân from the Risale-i Nur and the rising number of Nur students, found their îmân advancing, which in turn gave them the bravery of îmân and courage of Islam. Just as a courageous commander can become a point of support and instil courage in hundreds of soldiers through the language of his being; in just the same way, foremost Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, who is the representative of the ma’nawî collective personality of the Risale-i Nur, and the hundreds of thousands of Nur students who had strengthened their îmân through its tahqîqî îmân lessons, and who are now numbering in the millions, have become a point of support and a perfect role for the people of îmân. This strength of îmân demonstrated by the Nur Student and their heroic stance against irreligiousness had an immense impact on society and inspired its awakening. They thus eradicated the fears and wahms within society as well with the Risale-i Nur, instilling a general sense of courage, relief and hope within the country and the nation, thereby saving Muslim from despair.” Biography (171)

67) “The ma’nawî collective personality of the Nur students as established with the power and bond of the nûr of Islam and the brotherhood of îmân, withstood the collective assaults of the people of dhalâlah. Empowering the believers with a source of support and acting as a Qur’anic barrier against the threats of Communism from spending in this nation, become the means for restoring the bonds of love and brotherhood the Islamic world used to have with this heroic Turkish nation.” Biography (481-482)

These and many other statements in the Risale-i Nur demonstrate that Risale-i Nur and the existence of its ma’nawî collective personality should be known by the people of îmân and they should be proclaimed. This is also called the duty of tablîgh.

68) “Also, since in prolonging our case it has attracted widespread attention to the Risale-i Nur, and is like a general invitation to read it and an official proclamation, and it has excited the desire of the needy to read it, it has been led to benefits for us and the people of îmân far surpassing our tribulations and losses. It is a sign, Inshaallah, that this sacred lesson will have the effect of an atom bomb against the aggressive armies of dhalâlah, who are on the assault at this time throughout the earth in the most widespread and terrible fashion.” The Rays ( 514 )

69) “Now, both the Ehl-i Sünnet newspaper, and the newspaper here, and Zübeyir's fiery reply, and their occupation with the Risale-i Nur have been effective proclamations for it.” The Rays ( 524 )

70)  “The Biography that Tahsin published has been as useful as twenty large collections, and has made that many conquests. He should in no way worry about their now bothering him a little. It has been a great proclamation for it has attracted attention.” Emirdağ Addendum-2 (235)

71) “If there is single harm had in the attacks against the Nur, there are twenty benefits. For sure, twenty benefits reduce the single harm to nothing. These attacks are in reality the cause for the spreading and unfolding of the publications and conquest of the Nur, and the means for gaining the trust and confidence of the Muslim nation.

The enemies of Islam who witnessed the Risale-i Nur’s physical and ma’nawî effects and conquests and publication in a land as broad as Anatolia and as vast as ‘âlam of Islam and also in Europe and America, have once again instigated some attacks. According to the news we have received, after these attacks especially in the eastern provinces, the conquests of the Nur increased tenfold within ten days. It was also the means of turning public attention to the Risale-i Nur and our Ustadh; waking up those who were asleep, injecting energy to those who were lazy and making those who were imprudent feel precautions.” Biography (757)

72) “there are many instances of khayr in the delay of our trial and those of our brothers who have been released being here on the day of trial.

Yes, since the matter of the Risale-i Nur is of universal importance to the Islamic world and this country, in particular, to draw everyone's attention to the haqiqahs of the Nur is necessary through such exciting gatherings as these. For in such a glittering fashion, the Risale-i Nur teaches its lessons openly to friend and foe, beyond all our hopes and precautions, and our concealing it, and belittlement of its enemies and outside our wills. It unhesitatingly displays its most private secrets to the most distant stranger. Since the haqiqah is this, we should consider our trifling difficulties to be a bitter medicine like quinine and offering shukr in patience, say: "This too will pass, Inshaallah." The Rays ( 499 )

73) “At this time, the service of îmân with the Risale-i Nur has to be through proclaiming everywhere and by attracting the attention of those who are in need. Thus, attention is attracted to the Risale-i Nur through our imprisonment; it becomes a proclamation. Those who are most stubborn or most needy find it, save their îmân and their obduracy is broken, they are saved from danger and the darsana3 of Nur widens.” The Flashes ( 337 )

Throughout his life, Hazrat Ustadh always proclaimed and demonstrated the Risale-i Nur through his defence and dissemination against the most transgressing currents in addition taking precautions for maintaining the continuance of the service.

74) “in addition to being cautious, it is necessary not to change the loyalty, connection and service.” The Rays ( 365 )

That is, taking precaution is not in the meaning of ceasing the service. Taking precaution is for the continuance of the service in safety. To stop the service in the severe conditions, under the intense transgressions and attacks can be permissible (jâiz) like the Ashab al-Kahf who halted their duty of tablîgh and refuged to the cave. Some examples from the Risale-i Nur about the partial and temporary halt of the service:

75) “If the Republican People's Party, which governs in Ankara, obstinately opposes the powerful books of the Risale-i Nur which went there, and does not attempt to protect it with the intention to conclude peace, the most comfortable place for us is prison, and it is a sign that the mulhids have combined bolshevism and zandaqa, and the Government is obliged to heed them. In which case, the Risale-i Nur would draw back and halt, and calamities, material and ma’nawî, would begin their onslaught.” The Rays ( 360-361 )

Thus some of the books of the Risale-i Nur have been sent to the important government officials even at the times that the severe onslaughts occurred and the public was intimidated. 

76) “The piece called, “Complaint to the Supreme Tribunal at the Resurrection of the Dead” and the piece consisting of ten matters about the salâh that addressed the Parliament twenty-eight years ago and was printed at that time, and also the piece consisting of three matters about Mustafa that was written four years ago for the President of the Republic, have all been sent to Ankara to show to some of the present deputies and to the believing members of the government. I am also sending them to you for your information.” Emirdağ Addendum-2 (66)

77) “An education minister raised the veil from his face and revealed absolute kufr in another guise. He has written that manifesto on some other prompting, before receiving the defences we last sent. Although, I was not thinking of sending them to that department, but this has shown by this situation, that it is both appropriate and necessary to send them there too, with my brothers' approval. For most likely a deputy so bigotted in ilhad would not be careless towards the documents and confidential risales sent to Ankara. He was suddenly hit on the head by the irrefutable defences; it was excellent. Inshaallah, it will give rise to a powerful movement in favour of the Risale-i Nur in that department too.

My Brothers! Since some people’s reality is like that, to submit to that sort is a sort of suicide; it is to regret Islam, or even to shake off religion. For they are so bigotted in ilhad that they are not content with people like us only submitting or pretending to submit; they tell us: "Give up your hearts and consciences, and work for this world alone." In such a situation, there is no solution other than relying on Rabbânî ‘inâyah through tawakkul, patience and fortitude, sending four crates of copies of the Risale-i Nur to that centre and offering du’â for the victory of them with their powerful haqiqahs.” The Rays (  358-359 )

78) “it is khayr this matter of ours has been delayed. For love of that dreadful dead man was being inculcated in all the schools, government departments and in the people. This situation would have had a grievous and painful effect on the Islamic world and the future. The Risale-i Nur, which demonstrates with decisive proofs his reality, now passing -outside our wills- into the hands of those at the top and those most closely connected with him and those who would be last to give him up, and its being carefully and curiously studied, is such an event that if thousands of people like us were to be sent to prison, and even to be executed, it would still be cheap with regard to the religion of Islam.” The Rays ( 362 )

It is understood from the example citations that we compiled here and many other lessons and warnings in the Risale-i Nur that needless secrecies and compromised behaviours which prompt the feelings of inferiority and timidness are not accepted.

The above parts about the tablîgh and dissemination and how to perform them demonstrate this service of the tablîgh and dissemination is an unchangeable duty and principle.