It is the introduction to the translation of the Arabic lesson called Al-Khutbah Ash-Shâmiyyah (Damascus Sermon)

بِاسْمِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَاِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ اِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ اَبَدًا دَائِمًا

My ‘azîz, siddîq brothers!

[By feeling them before they occur, the Old Said have felt the haqiqahs within this risale, which is an Arabic lesson given forty years ago, in the Umayyad Masjîd in Damascus, on the insistence of the ‘ulamâ of Damascus to a huge jamâ’ah close to ten thousand men in which a hundred people of ‘ilm were to be found; he has given tidings with complete certainty; he has thought that those haqiqahs were going to be seen very soon. However, the two World Wars and twenty-five years of absolute despotism have caused what has been felt to be deferred forty years; now, the news those haqiqahs gave that time, the exact manifestations of them are beginning to be seen in the World of Islam. That means since this extremely important lesson is not an obsolete khutbah but rather a fresh lesson on social life and Islam containing haqiqah directly for a jamâ’ah of three hundred and seventy million in the Masjîd of the Islamic world in place of the Umayyad Masjîd in 13711 instead of 13272 , if publishing its translation appears suitable to you, you may do.]

It is appropriate to write here the extremely important answer given to an extremely important question. Because forty years ago, the Old Said spoke in that lesson of his as though he was seeing the wondrous lessons and effects of the Risale-i Nur by feeling it before it occurred. For this reason, we will write that question and answer here. It is as follows:

Many have asked both me and some of my Nur brothers and they ask: "Why the Risale-i Nur cannot be defeated in the face of so many opponents and in spite of obdurate philosophers and people of dhalâlah? By obstructing to an extent the dissemination of millions of valuable, true books on îmân and Islam and using the pleasures of worldly life and dissipation, they deprive many unfortunate youths and others of the haqiqahs of îmân. While by the most severe attacks, cruel treatment and numerous lies and propaganda against it, they work to injure the Risale-i Nur and scare people away from it and make them give it up, what is the hikmah of the Risale-i Nur being disseminated in a way never seen in any other work to a degree that six hundred thousand copies of its risales — most of them written out by hand — being disseminated under the veil and causing itself to be read with such enthusiasm, both within the country and abroad? What is the reason for it? In reply to the many questions of this sort, we say:

Just as through the mystery of the miraculousness of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm, the Risale-i Nur, which is a true tafsir of it, demonstrates that there is a ma’nawî Jahannam in dhalâlah in this world, so does it prove that a ma’nawî Jannah is present in îmân in this world. It shows the ma’nawî excruciating pains within sins, evil and haram pleasures and proves that there are ma’nawî pleasures, like the pleasures of Jannah, in good deeds, good moral qualities and in the practice of the haqiqahs of the Sharî'ah. Among the people of dissipation and the people who have fallen into dhalâlah, it saves those who still have their minds. Because at this time, there are two terrifying conditions:

The First: Since man's feelings, which do not see consequences and prefer an ounce of present pleasure to tonnes of future pleasures, have prevailed over the mind and reason, the only means to save the people of dissipation from dissipation is to defeat their feelings by showing them the pain present in their pleasure. And through the indication of the âyâh يَسْتَحِبُّونَ الْحَيَوةَ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى اْلاٰخِرَةِ3 in this time, the only means to save the mu’mins from the danger of following the people of dhalâlah while being the people of îmân due to the above mystery and the love of the world and the danger of choosing pieces of worldly glass soon to be shattered, although they know the diamond-like ni’mahs and pleasures of the âkhirah, is showing pains like torment of Jahannam even in this world. This is the way the Risale-i Nur takes. Otherwise, in response to the obstinacy of dhalâlah arising from science and the addiction of dissipation and kufr al-mutlaq of this time, perhaps only one in ten or even twenty can receive a lesson by the way of dissuading from evil and bad deeds through proving the existence of Jahannam and its torments after introducing Janâb-i Haqq. After he receives the lesson, he says, "Janâb-i Haqq is Ghafûr and Rahîm, and Jahannam is a long way off," and may continue to his dissipation. His heart and rûh are defeated by his feelings. Thus, by showing the excruciating and frightening consequences of kufr and dhalâlah in this world, the Risale-i Nur, with most of its comparisons, makes even the most obstinate people, who worship their nafs, feel disgusted at dissipation and those inauspicious pleasures that the Sharî'ah does not permit; it leads those among them who still have their minds to tawbah. From those comparisons, the short ones in the Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Words and the long one in the Third Stopping-Place in the Thirty-Second Word frighten the most dissipated man, who takes the way of dhalâlah, and cause him to accept its lesson. For example, we will point out briefly the states I saw as a haqiqah in the âyah an-nûr4 through a journey of the imagination. Those wishing for its details may look at the end of Sikke-i Tasdik-i Gaybi.

For instance: On that journey of the imagination, when I saw the ‘âlam of animals, who are in need of rizq, I looked at it with materialist philosophy. Their weakness and impotence together with their infinite needs and severe hunger showed me that ‘âlam of living beings was very piteous and grievous. I cried out since I was looking through the eye of the people of dhalâlah and ghaflah. Suddenly, I saw through the telescope of îmân and Qur'anic hikmah that the Name Rahmân rose on the tower of Razzâq like a shining sun; it gilded that helpless ‘âlam of living beings with the light of rahmah.

Then within the ‘âlam of animals, I saw another sorrowful and grieving ‘âlam in which young was fluttering and struggling with their weakness, impotence and need amidst a darkness which would make anyone feel compassion and pity. I regretted having looked at it through the eyes of the people of dhalâlah; I said “Ah! Alas!”. Suddenly, îmân gave me a pair of glasses and I saw that the Name Rahîm rose on the tower of compassion. It transformed and illumined that pitiful ‘âlam into a joyful ‘âlam in such a beautiful and sweet way that it changed my tears of complaint, pity and sorrow into drops emerging from the pleasure of joy and shukr.

Then the ‘âlam of mankind appeared to me as a cinema screen. I looked through the telescope of the people of dhalâlah and saw that ‘âlam to be so dark and terrifying that I cried out from the depths of my heart. I said: "Alas!". For mankind look to the grave and graveyard — which appear in the form of the door of eternal darkness for the people of ghaflah — together with their desires and longings that extend to eternity, their concepts and thoughts comprehending the universe, their endeavour that desires earnestly eternity, eternal happiness and Jannah, their fitrî dispositions and powers (quwwas) on which no limit had been placed and which were remained free and their needs turned toward infinite aims and infinite enemies and calamities, which they subjected to their attacks despite of their weakness and impotence, with a short life-span, an extremely tumultuous life under the fear of death every day and every hour, an extremely miserable livelihood amid suffering of the trouble of departure and separation which is the most painful and dismaying state for the heart and conscience. I saw that one by one and group by group, they were being thrown into such a well of darkness.

Thus, when I saw the ‘âlam of mankind in such darkness I was about to cry out with all my subtle faculties together with my heart, rûh and mind, indeed, all the particles of my being, suddenly, the nûr and power of îmân arising from the Qur'an smashed those glasses of dhalâlah and gave an eye to my head. I saw that the Name ‘Âdil on the tower of Hakîm, the Name Rahmân on the tower of Karîm, the Name Rahîm on the tower of Ghafûr, that is to say, on its meaning, the Name Bâith on the tower of Wârith, the Name Muhyî on the tower of Muhsîn, the Name Rabb on the tower of Mâlik rose like a sun. They illuminated and beautified the entire ‘âlam of mankind amid darkness within which many ‘âlams present. They dispelled those Jahannam-like states and scattered nûrs over the world of mankind by opening up windows from the luminous ‘âlam of the âkhirah. I said: "Alhamdulillah, Ash-shukrulillah!" to the number of the particles of the universe. And I saw with ‘ayn al-yaqîn that in îmân is a ma’nawî Jannah and in dhalâlah is a ma’nawî Jahannam in this world too; I certainly understood it.

Then the ‘âlam of the globe of the earth appeared. On that journey of the imagination, the dark, scientific laws of the philosophy, which does not obey religion, showed a terrifying ‘âlam to my imagination. The helpless mankind (its state), who travels within the infinite emptiness of the universe on the terrifying ship of the old globe of the earth, which wanders, turns and passes a distance of twenty-five thousand years in one year through its move seventy times faster than a cannonball, which is susceptible to being scattered and broken up and inside of which is full with earthquakes, seemed to me in dreadful darkness. I got dizzy; my eyes darkened. I flung the glasses of philosophy to the ground and smashed them. Suddenly, I looked with an eye illumined with the hikmah of the Qur'an and îmân and I saw that Al-Khâliq of the Samâwât and Earth’s Names of Qadîr, ‘Alîm, Rabb, Allah, Rabb-us Samâwâti Wa’l-Ardh and Musahhir-ush Shamsi Wa’l-Qamar rose like suns on the towers of rahmah, grandeur and rubûbiyyah.

They illumined that dark, fearful and terrifying ‘âlam in such a way that in that state, the globe of the earth has been seen to my eyes possessing îmân as an extremely well-ordered, subjugated, perfect, pleasant and safe cruise ship containing everyone's provisions, which have been prepared for journey, enjoyment and trade, and as a ship, an aeroplane, a train for carrying summer, spring and autumn crops to those seeking rizq and for touring beings with rûh around the sun, in the countries of Ar-Rabb. I said: "الحمد ِللّٰهِ على نعمة الايمان " to the number of particles of the globe of the earth.

Thus according to this analogy, it has been proved with many comparisons in the Risale-i Nur that the people of dissipation and dhalâlah suffer torment in a ma’nawî Jahannam even in this world, and by the stomachs of Islam and humanity and through the manifestations of îmân, in a ma’nawî Jannah, the people of îmân and righteousness can taste the pleasures of a ma’nawî Jannah even in this world. Rather, they can benefit according to the degree of their îmân. But currents of this stormy time, which numb the senses, scatter man's view and plunge it into âfâkî5 matters, have made man stupor of the sort of numbing the senses so that the people of dhalâlah temporarily cannot feel their ma’nawî torment, while the people of hidâyah are overwhelmed by ghaflah and cannot appreciate the real pleasures of hidâyah.

The Second Terrifying Condition at This Age: In former times, comparing this time, dhalâlah arising from kufr al-mutlaq and science and rebellion arising from the obstinate kufr were very few. Therefore, at those times, the instructions and proofs of the former muhaqqiqîn of Islam were completely sufficient. They were removing kufr al-mashkuk quickly. Since îmân in Allah was general, most people could have been made to give up dhalâlah and dissipation by acquainting them with Allah and reminding them of Jahannam’s torment. But now, a hundred kâfir al-mutlaq can be found in one small town in place of one in a country in former times. Those who enter dhalâlah by science and ‘ilm and oppose the haqiqahs of îmân with obstinacy and rebellion have increased a hundredfold comparing former times. Since these rebellious obstinate contend against the haqiqahs of îmân with their terrible dhalâlah and pride to the degree of being Pharaoh, surely, a sacred haqiqah like an atom bomb against them is necessary, which will smash the bases of their kufr into pieces in this world, so that it may halt their transgression and bring some of them to îmân.

Thus, infinite shukr to Janâb-i Haqq that, as a panacea for exactly the wounds of this time, the Risale-i Nur, which is a ma’nawî miracle of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition and its gleams, destroys with many comparisons even the most terrible obdurate rebels with the diamond sword of the Qur'an. Its proofs and arguments on wahdâniyyah of Allah and the haqiqahs of îmân to the number of the particles of the universe show for twenty-five years that it has not been defeated in the face of the severest attacks; it has prevailed and it prevails.

Yes, the Risale-i Nur, the comparisons of îmân and kufr and hidâyah and dhalâlah prove those haqiqahs to the degree of witnessing. For example, if attention is paid to the proofs and flashes of the Second Station of the Twenty-Second Word, the First Stopping-Place of the Thirty-Second Word, the Windows of the Thirty-Third Letter and the eleven proofs of The Staff of Mûsâ and the other comparisons are compared, it would be understood that it is the haqiqahs of the Qur'an manifested in the Risale-i Nur that will smash and destroy kufr al-mutlaq and the obstinacy of the rebellious dhalâlah at this time.

InshâAllah, in the same way that the parts which discover the important enigmas of religion and the riddles of the creation of ‘âlam have been collected in Tilsimlar Mecmuasi, the other parts of the Nur, which show the Jahannam of the people of dhalâlah even in this world and the pleasures of Jannah the people of hidâyah receive in this world and show that îmân is a mana’wî seed of Jannah, while kufr is a seed of the Zaqqûm of Jahannam, will be written briefly in a small collection and InshâAllah will be published6 .

Said Nursî