Seventh Section

The Seven Signs

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

فَآمِنُوا بِاللّٰهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِىِّ اْلاُمِّىِّ الَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَاتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ٭ يُرِيدُونَ اَنْ يُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللّٰهِ ِباَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَيَاْبَى اللّٰهُ اِلاَّ اَنْ يُتِمَّ نُورَهُ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ1

[The Seventh Section consists of "Seven Signs" as answers to three questions. The first question consists of four Signs.]

The First Sign: The arguments and proofs of those who attempt to change Shaâ’er, just like all evil things, stem from the blind imitation of Europeans. They say:

"Those who converted in London and foreigners who have embraced Islam translate many things like the adhan and the iqâmah into their languages in their countries and recite them in their languages. The Islamic world is silent and does not object to them. It means that there is a permission in Sharî’ah, since they are silent?"

The Answer: The differences in this comparison are so evident that no conscious being could draw such an analogy and imitate them. Because the foreign lands in the terminology of Sharî’ah are called “Dâr al-harb”. In Dâr al-harb, many things may be permissible that are not permissible in the "Land of Islam".

Furthermore, the lands of Western countries are the realm of Christian dominion. Since in those lands, there is no environment in which the meanings of sacred words and terms of Sharî’ah are instilled and made perceived by the language of being, the sacred meanings have been preferred over the sacred words out of necessity; the words have been abandoned for meanings, and the lesser sharr has been chosen. In the land of Islam, however, the environment teaches the concise meaning of those sacred words to the Muslims through the language of being. The conversations of Muslims about Islamic traditions and history, all the Shaâ’er of Islam and the pillars of Islam, constantly instil the concise meanings of those sacred words to the people of îmân. Even the gravestones in the graveyards of this country, aside from its places of ‘ibâdah and madrasas, serve as reminders and teachers, instilling and reminding those sacred meanings for the people of îmân. I wonder, would a man who calls himself a Muslim not fall lower than an animal if he fails to learn sacred words, such as 'Subhânallah', 'Alhamdulillah', 'Lâ ilaha Illallah' and 'Allahu Akbar', which he repeats fifty times a day for fifty years even though he learns fifty words from the French language in a single day for the sake of worldly gain? These sacred words cannot be translated, distorted, or displaced for animals such as that! To displace and change them is to erase all the gravestones; it is to turn all the dead in the graveyards, who tremble at this insult, against themselves.

To deceive the nation, ‘ulamâ as-sû’ who gave their rein to the mulhids say that contrary to the other Imams, Imam al-‘A'dham said, “If there is need, in distant lands, it is permissible for those who do not know Arabic at all to recite a Persian translation of the Fatiha, according to the degree of necessity.” So, we are also in need of it; therefore, we can recite it in Turkish?

The Answer: The most important ones amongst the great Imams, as well as the other twelve mujtahid Imams2, issued fatwas opposing this fatwa of Imam al-‘A'dham. The great highway of the Islamic world is the highway confirmed by all those Imams. The majority of the ummah follow that way. Those who lead the ummah to another way, which is particular and narrow, are leading them to dhalâlah.

The fatwa of Imam al-‘A'dham is particular in five aspects:

The First: It is about people in Dâr al-harb far from the centre of Islam.

The Second: It is based on a genuine need.

The Third: It is specific to the translation into the Persian language, which is considered one of the languages of the people of Jannah according to one riwâyât.

The Fourth: Permission is granted particularly for the Fatiha so that those who do not know it do not abandon the salâh.

The Fifth: With an Islamic zeal arising from the strength of îmân, this permission was granted to make sacred meanings understandable to the ‘âwam. However, translating those sacred words with a destructive motive born out of weakness of îmân, negative nationalism and hatred towards the Arabic language, and abandoning the Arabic original is to make Muslims abandon religion!

The Second Sign: The people of bid’ah, who changed the Shaâ’er of Islam, first sought a fatwafrom ‘ulamâ as-sû’, and ulamâ as-sû’ showed the people of bid’ah the fatwa, which we demonstrated was specific in five aspects.

Secondly, the people of bid’ah adopted such an evil idea from foreign reformists:

Europe, particularly its revolutionaries, reformists and philosophers — due to their hostility towards the Catholic Church — embraced the Protestant Church, which was regarded by the Catholic Church to be the people of bid’ah and Mu'tazilites. By taking advantage of the French Revolution, they partially destroyed the Catholic Church and declared Protestantism.

Thus, the pseudo-patriots who are accustomed to blind imitation say, "Since such a revolution occurred in the Christian religion, initially, the revolutionaries were called apostates (murtad), but later they were accepted back as Christians; such a religious revolution can occur in Islam."

The Answer: The difference in this comparison is more evident than the one in the First Sign because in the religion of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, only the fundamentals of religion were derived from Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm. Most of the laws regarding social life and secondary matters of Sharî’ah were established by the disciples and other religious leaders, and the majority of those laws were taken from the earlier Sacred Books. Since Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm was not a worldly ruler or a sultân, and since he was not the source of the laws concerning social life, under the name of the Sharî’ah of Christianity, customary laws and civil principles were adopted and given a different form; it is as if the fundamentals of his religion were clothed with a garment from outside. The original religion of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm may remain even if this form is changed and the garment is transformed. It does not conclude in denying ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm or pronouncing him to be false.

However, Fakhr al-‘Âlam3 ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm is the owner of the religion and Sharî’ah of Islam; he is the sultân of the two worlds, and his seat of sovereignty are the East and the West, Andalusia and India; therefore, he himself demonstrates the fundamentals of the religion of Islam, and he also brings, informs about and commands the secondary matters and other rulings of that religion, even its most minor issues of âdâb. It means that the secondary matters of Islam are not a garment that can be changed; therefore, if they are changed, the fundamentals of religion cannot remain intact. The secondary matters of Islam are indeed a body to the fundamentals of religion or at least a skin. They have become intertwined and fused with the fundamentals of religion; the fundamentals of religion and the secondary matters of Islam are inseparable. To change them directly leads to denying the owner of Sharî’ah and pronouncing him (asm) to be false.

As for the differences in Madhabs, these have derived from the different ways of understanding the theoretical (nadharî) principles demonstrated by the owner of Sharî’ah (asm). The principles called “the dharûriyyah of religion”, which cannot be interpreted, and the principles called “Muhkamât” cannot be changed in any way and cannot be subject to ijtihad. One who changes them excludes himself from religion, and he will fall under the rule,

4 يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الْقَوْسِ

The people of bid’ah have found the following pretext for their irreligion and ilhad. They say, “In the French Revolution, which caused the series of events in the world of humanity, the clergy and religious leaders and their specific sect, the Catholic Church, were attacked and destroyed. Later it was approved by many people. Westerners also greatly progressed after this event?”

The Answer: this comparison, like the previous ones, has an evident difference because, for a long time among the French, in the hands of the upper and ruling classes, Christianity, particularly the Catholic Church, has been used as a means of oppression and despotism. The upper class maintained their power over the lower class by using the Catholic Church. And because it was used as a means of oppressing the awakened patriots from among the lower class, whom the upper and ruling classes called “rogues”, and the thinkers of freedom-seekers, who attacked the despotism of the upper-class tyrants, and because the Catholic Church was considered a cause of disrupting the rest of mankind and turning social life upside down through revolutions against it in Europe for nearly four hundred years, the Catholic Church was attacked, not in the name of irreligion, but in the name of another sect of Christianity. And among the lower class and philosophers, resentment and animosity had arisen, which led to the well-known historical event. However, no oppressed person or thinker has the right to complain about the religion of Muhammad (asm) and the Sharî’ah of Islam. Because Islam does not offend but protects them. The history of Islam is there for all to see. There have been no internal religious wars among Muslims except for one or two incidents. Whereas the Catholic Church has caused internal conflicts for four hundred years.

Furthermore, Islam has been a refuge for the lower class rather than the upper classes. Through zakat being wâjib and usury (ribâ) being haram, Islam does not make the upper classes tyrannical over them; instead, it makes the upper classes servants to them in some respect! Islam says

سَيِّدُ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ ٭ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ5

Moreover, through the tongue of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm, with sacred references, such as

اَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ٭ اَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٭ اَفَلاَ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ6

Islam makes the mind (‘aql) a witness, warns it, refers to it, and pushes the mind to investigate. Through these, Islam gives status and importance to the people of ‘ilm and the people of reason (‘aql) in the name of religion. Unlike the Catholic Church, Islam does not dismiss the mind, silence thinkers, nor demand blind imitation.

Since the fundamentals of not true Christianity but the present-day Christian religion and the fundamentals of Islam have diverged on a critical point, they have separated in many ways, just like the aforementioned differences. That critical point is this:

Islam is the religion of true Tawhîd; it eliminates intermediaries and causes. It breaks the ananiyyah and establishes sincere ‘ubûdiyyah. Islam cuts and rejects every kind of bâtil rubûbiyyah, starting from that of nafs. It is because of this mystery that if a person of high status from the upper class becomes perfectly devout, he is obliged to abandon his ananiyyah. One who does not abandon his ananiyyah will abandon religious steadfastness and, to some extent, his religion.

The present-day Christian religion, however, attributes a real effect to causes and intermediaries because it accepts the "Doctrine of waladiyyah7”. It does not break the ananiyyah in the name of religion, but rather, describing a person as a holy deputy of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm attributes a kind of sanctity to his ananiyyah. Therefore, the Christian upper class, who occupy the highest worldly positions, can be perfectly devout. As evidence, it can be mentioned that there are many, including former American President Wilson and former British Prime Minister Lloyd George, both of whom were as devout as zealous priests. Among Muslims, however, those who rise to such positions rarely remain perfectly devout and steadfast because they cannot abandon their pride and ananiyyah. And true taqwâ cannot be combined with pride and ananiyyah.

Yes, just as the religious zeal of the Christian upper class and the lack of firmness in religion among the Muslim upper class demonstrate a significant difference, so too do the philosophers, who emerged from Christianity, taking a position of indifference or opposition towards their religion; on the other hand, the great majority of ‘ulamâ, who emerged from Islam, constructing their hikmah on Islamic fundamentals, demonstrate another significant difference.

Furthermore, most Christians from the lower class, who fall into dungeons and misfortunes, do not expect help from religion. In old times, most of them became irreligious. As evidence, it can be mentioned that the famous revolutionaries in history, who sparked the French Revolution and were called "irreligious rogues", emerged from the lower class who were struck by calamities. Whereas in Islam, the vast majority of those who fall into prison and misfortune seek help from religion and become more religious. This state, too, demonstrates a significant difference.

Third Sign: The people of bid’ah say, "Religious devoutness made us backward. Living in this age can only be done through abandoning devoutness. Europe progressed after abandoning devoutness.”

The Answer: You are wrong and deceived, or you are misleading! Because Europe is bigoted in its religion. As evidence, it can be mentioned that if an ordinary Bulgarian or an English soldier or a French rogue were to be told, "Wear a sariq. If you don't wear it, you'll be thrown in prison!" Due to his bigotry, he would reply, “I won't commit this insult to my religion and nation, even if you kill me, not just throw me in prison!"

Furthermore, history testifies that whenever the people of Islam fully adhered to their religion, they progressed compared to their contemporaries. Whenever they abandoned their firmness in Islam, they declined. Whereas with Christianity, it is the opposite. It also stems from a significant fundamental difference.

Moreover, Islam is incomparable to other religions; if a Muslim leaves Islam and abandons his religion, he can no longer accept any prophet. Indeed, he cannot even acknowledge Janâb-i Haqq and does not recognise anything sacred. He will lose his conscience (Vijdân), which will be the source of his perfection; his conscience (Vijdân) will deteriorate. Therefore, in the Islamic perspective, a kâfir who lives in Dâr al-harb has the right to life. If he lives outside the Islamic land and makes peace, or if he lives inside the Islamic land and pays the head tax (Jizya), his life is protected according to Islam. But a murtad does not have the right to life. Because his conscience (Vijdân) is corrupted, and he becomes a poison to social life. However, an irreligious person from among Christians can still be in a state that is beneficial to social life. He may accept some sacred matters, believe in some prophets and acknowledge Janâb-i Haqq to some extent.

I wonder, what benefit do these people of bid’ah, indeed, the people of ilhad, find in this kind of irreligion? If their concern is governance and public order, governing ten irreligious rogues who do not acknowledge Allah and repelling their sharr is more difficult than governing a thousand religious individuals. If they think of progress, just as such irreligious people are harmful to the administration of government, they are also an obstacle to progress. They undermine the security and public order that are the foundation of progress and trade. Indeed, they are destroyers due to the path they have taken. The biggest fool in the world is the one who expects progress and happiness in life from such irreligious rogues. One of those fools among them who holds a high position said, "We remained backward, saying, 'Allah! Allah!' Europe advanced, saying, 'Guns and cannons.'”

According to the rule, "The answer to a fool should be silence," the answer to such people is silence. But since behind some of these fools, there are wretched ghâfils, we say this:

O wretched ones! This world is a guesthouse. Every day, thirty thousand witnesses sign the decree

8 اَلْمَوْتُ حَقٌّ ,

with their corpses and testify to this assertion. Can you kill death? Can you refute these witnesses? Since you cannot, death makes you say "Allah! Allah!" Which of your cannons, which of your guns — instead of "Allah! Allah!" — can illuminate the eternal darkness awaiting in front of the dying person in sakarât and transform his absolute despair into absolute hope? Since there is death, and we will enter the grave, and this life departs and an eternal life is coming, if “Guns and cannons” is said once, "Allah! Allah!" should be said a thousand times. And if it is in the way of Allah, the gun also says, "Allah!" and the cannon shouts, "Allahu Akbar!" They break the sawm with "Allah" and start the sawm with "Allah!"

Fourth Sign: The destructive people of bid’ah are of two kinds:

The First Kind — supposedly in the name of religion, on behalf of loyalty to Islam and for strengthening religion through nationalism — says, "We want to plant and strengthen the weakened luminous tree of religion in the soil of nationalism," and displays a stance supporting religion.

The Second Kind, in the name of the nation, on behalf of nationalism, and based on the idea of strengthening racialism, says, "We want to graft nationalism onto Islam," thus they create bid’ahs.

To the First Kind, we say, “O unfortunate ‘ulamâ as-sû’ who confirm the label of ‘loyal fools’, or majzûb, unreasonable, ignorant Sufis! The Tûbâ tree of Islam, whose roots are planted firmly in the haqiqah of the universe and whose roots extend into the haqiqahs of the universe, cannot be planted in the soil of imaginary, temporary, partial, specific, negative, indeed, groundless, hostile, tyrannical and dark racism! Trying to plant is a foolish and destructive attempt that is bid’ah.”

To the Second Kind, the nationalists, we say, “O you drunken pseudo-patriots! A century ago could have been the century of nationalism. This century is not the age of racism! Bolshevism and socialism invade everything and destroy the idea of racism; the age of racism has passed. Eternal and permanent Islamic nationhood cannot be tied with temporary and turbulent racism, and racism cannot be grafted onto Islamic nationhood. And even if it was done, it would not only corrupt the Islamic nationhood but also fail to reform the racist nationalism or maintain it. Yes, there seems to be a temporary pleasure and a temporary strength in grafting, but they are very temporary, and their consequences are perilous.

Moreover, it will cause a division within the Turk nation that cannot be healed ever again. Consequently, the nation's strength will be diminished to nothing as one group will destroy the strength of the other. If two mountains are placed in the pans of a scale, even a small amount of weight can tip the balance, lifting one and lowering the other.”

The Second Question consists of Two Signs:

The First Sign is “The Fifth Sign”. It is a very concise answer to an important question:

Question: There are numerous sahih riwâyât about the coming of Hazrat Mahdî at the âkhirzaman and his reforming the corrupted world. However, this time is the time of jamâ’ah, not the time for individualism! No matter how brilliant an individual is, even if his genius is equal to the genius of a hundred geniuses, he will be defeated by the ma’nawî collective personality of an opposing jamâ’ah if he does not represent the ma’nawî collective personality of a jamâ’ah. At this time, how can the Mahdî — no matter how high the power of his walâyah is — reform the world amidst the widespread corruption of such a jamâ’ah? If all the works of Mahdî were miraculous, it would be contrary to the hikmah of Allah and the laws of 'Âdâtullah in this world. We want to understand the mystery of this Mahdî issue.

The Answer: Out of His perfect rahmah, as a sign for the preservation of the eternity of Sharî’ah of Islam, Janâb-i Haqq sent, during each period of corruption in the ummah, a reformer, or a Mujaddid, or a distinguished khalîfah, or a great Qutb, or a perfect Murshid, or blessed personages resembling Mahdî. They have removed the corruption, reformed the nation and preserved the religion of Ahmad (asm). Since 'Âdâtullah has occurred in this manner, at the time of the grievous corruption in the âkhirzaman, He will indeed send a luminous personage, who is the greatest Mujtahid, the greatest Mujaddid, a ruler, Mahdî, a Murshid and a great Qutb, and that person will be from ahl al-bayt of the Prophet.

Just as Janâb-i Haqq fills and empties the ‘âlam between the samâ and the earth with clouds in a minute, He calms the storms of the sea in a second. Al-Qadîr Zuljalâl, Who creates a sample of summer within an hour in spring and creates a winter storm within an hour in summer, can also dispel the darkness of the Islamic world with the Mahdî. And He has promised this; He will indeed fulfil His promise. When this matter is viewed from the perspective of the qoudrah of Allah, it is very easy. If this matter is considered from the point of the sphere of causes and the hikmah of Ar-Rabb, it is still so reasonable and deserving of occurrence that people of tafakkur have judged that even if Mukhbir as-Sâdiq9 had not narrated this, it should still have occurred in this way, and indeed it will. It is as follows:

Falillâhilhamd, everyone can witness that the dû’a

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى اِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ عَلَى آلِ اِبْرَاهِيمَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ10

which the entire ummah repeats five times a day in their salah, has been accepted. So that, like the Family (Âl) of Ibrâhîm ‘Alayhissalâm, the Family (Âl) of Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm has taken such a position that these luminous personages are at the forefront of all blessed chains across all regions and times, commanding. {Note: As evidence, it can be mentioned that one of those personages, Sayyid Ahmad as-Sunusî, commands millions of followers (Murîd). Another personage, Sayyid ‘Idrîs, commands over a hundred thousand Muslims. Another Sayyid, Sayyid Yahya, commands hundreds of thousands of men, and so on. Just as there are numerous visible heroes among the members of the tribe of Sayyids, there were also heroes of the ma’nawî heroes, such as Sayyid Abdulqâdir Jilânî, Sayyid Abu'l-Hasan al-Shâzalî and Sayyid Ahmad Badawî.} These commanders are so numerous that they collectively form a mighty army. If they take a material form and, with solidarity, become a single group, and if, by considering Islam a sacred nationality, they make it a bond of unity and awakening, no army of any nation can withstand them! Thus, that numerous and powerful army is the Family (Âl) of Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, and it is the most elite army of Hazrat Mahdi.

Yes, today, throughout the history of the world, there exists no family that is well-connected through lineage and has meticulously documented genealogy with verifiable proofs, nor is there a family distinguished by its highest honour, exalted lineage and noble ancestry that is as strong and important as the lineage of the Sayyids from âl al-bayt. Since early times, they have been at the forefront of all the groups of the people of haqiqah and have been the renowned leaders of the people of perfection. Now, it is a blessed lineage whose numbers exceed millions. They are vigilant, their hearts filled with îmân and love for the Prophet; they take pride in their allegiance to him (asm), which is worthy of the world.

Momentous events have started to occur that will excite and awaken the sacred power within that great jamâ’ah. Indeed, a noble zeal within that immense power will erupt, and Hazrat Mahdi will lead and guide it towards the path of haqq and haqiqah. We await this to happen from 'Âdâtullah and the rahmah of Allah, just as we await the coming of spring after winter, and we have the right to do so.

The Second Sign, that is, “The Sixth Sign”: The luminous community of Hazrat Mahdî will correct the destructive bid’ah regime of the committee of the Sufyan and will revive the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. It means that the committee of the Sufyan, which is working to destroy the Sharî’ah of Ahmad (asm) with the intention of denying the risalah of Ahmad (asm) in the Islamic world, will be killed and scattered by the miraculous ma’nawî sword of the community of Hazrat Mahdî.

And a zealous and self-sacrificing community that is working to unite the true religion of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm with the haqiqah of Islam under the title of a Christian community but worthy of the title “Muslim followers of ‘Îsâ (as)” will kill and scatter — under the leadership of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm — the committee of Dajjâl that destroys the civilisation and the sanctities of mankind with the intention of denying the ulûhiyyah in the ‘âlam of mankind; this zealous and self-sacrificing community will save mankind from the denial of ulûhiyyah.

This important mystery is very lengthy. Since we have mentioned this elsewhere to some extent, we suffice with this brief indication here.

Seventh Sign that is, the Third Question: They say, "Your defences in the old days and your jihad for Islam were not in your current style. Also, you are not following the method of thinkers who defended Islam against Europe. Why have you changed the standpoint of the Old Said? Why do you not act like other ma’nawî mujâhidîn of Islam?

The Answer: The Old Said and the thinkers partially accepted the principles of human philosophy and European hikmah and fought against them with their own weapons; to some extent, they acknowledged them. They submit unquestioningly to some of their principles that are disguised as physical sciences and therefore cannot demonstrate the real value of Islam. It is as if they graft Islam with the branches of philosophy, whose roots they believe are very deep, and in this way strengthen Islam. Since there were few victories in this method, and it devalues Islam to a certain extent, I abandoned that path. And I actually showed that the principles of Islam are so deep that the deepest principles of philosophy cannot reach them; indeed, they remain superficial compared with the principles of Islam. The Thirtieth Word, the Twenty-Fourth Letter and the Twenty-Ninth Word have demonstrated and proved this haqiqah with their arguments. In the previous path, philosophy was supposed to be profound, the rulings of Islam superficial, and Islam was supposed to be preserved and made to withstand by binding it to the branches of philosophy. Yet, how can the principles of philosophy in any way reach the rulings of Islam?

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِى هَدَينَا لِهذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِىَ لَوْلاَ اَنْ هَدَينَا اللّٰهُ لَقَدْ جَاءَتْ رُسُلُ رَبِّنَا بِالْحَقِّ

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا اِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ عَلَى آلِ اِبْرَاهِيمَ فِى الْعَالَمِينَ اِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

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