Discoverer of the enigma of the universe, solver of an important enigma of Al-Qur'an Al-Hakîm

The Thirtieth Word

It is an 'Alif'1 and a 'Point'2 which consists of the 'Ana' and the 'Particle'.

This Word contains Two Aims. The First Aim discusses the essence and result of the 'Ana'; The Second Aim discusses the motion and duty of the 'Particle'.

The First Aim

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا اْلاَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمٰوَاتِ وَاْلاَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَاَبَيْنَ اَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَاَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا اْلاِنْسَانُ

 اِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولاً3

We shall indicate a single jewel from the great treasure of this âyah. It is as follows:

The ‘ana’ is one individual, one aspect of the numerous aspects of the Trust (Amanah), which the sky, earth and mountains were hesitant and feared its undertaking. Yes, from the time of Âdam until now, the ‘ana’ is the seed of a terrifying tree of zaqqûm4 and a luminous tree of tûbâ, which branch out around the ‘âlam of mankind. Before attending to this great haqiqah, we declare an introduction that will facilitate the understanding of it.  It is as follows:

Just as the ana is the key to the Names of Allah, which are hidden treasures, so too, as a key to the sealed enigma of the universe, it is the solver of the riddle, it is an enigma that causes amazement. Through its essence being known, the ana, which is a strange riddle, a bizarre enigma, is opened, and it opens the enigma of the universe and the treasures of al-‘âlam al-wujûb as well. Concerning this matter, we discussed in my Arabic Risale titled “Shammah” as follows:

The key of the ‘âlam is in the hand of man and is attached to his nafs. While they are seen outwardly open, the doors of the universe are in fact closed. As a Trust (Amanah), Janâb-i Haqq has given to man such a key called ana that it opens all the doors of the ‘âlam, and He has given him such an enigmatic ananiyyah that he discovers the hidden treasures of Al-Khallâq of the universe with it. But the ana itself is also an extremely abstruse riddle and an enigma that is difficult to open. If its true essence and the mystery of its creation are known, as it is itself opened, will be the universe as well. It is as follows:

As a trust, As-Sâni’ Who is Hakîm has given to the hand of man an ana which contains indications and samples that show and cause to be known the attributes of His Rubûbiyyah and the haqiqahs of His shuûn. So that, by the ana’s being a unit of measurement, may the attributes of rubûbiyyah and shuûn of ulûhiyyah be known. But the unit of measurement’s having an actual existence is not necessary. Rather, like hypothetical lines in geometry, a unit of measurement can be formed by hypothesis and assumption. The actual existence of it through proof and knowledge is not necessary.

Question: Why is the knowledge (ma’rifat) of the attributes and Names of Janâb-i Haqq tied to the ‘Ananiyyah’?

The Answer: Because, since an absolute and all-encompassing thing has no limits or end, a shape cannot be given to it, and an opinion cannot be formed in order to give a form onto it and distinguish it, what its essence is, cannot be understood. For example, a constant light without darkness cannot be known or perceived. When a limit is drawn with real or imaginary darkness, then it can be known. Thus, since the attributes and Names of Janâb-i Haqq like ‘ilm and qoudrah, Hakîm and Rahîm are all-encompassing, limitless and without sharik, an opinion about them cannot be formed, and what they are cannot be known and perceived. In that case, since they do not have actual limits or ends, it is necessary to draw a hypothetical and imaginary limit. The ananiyyah does this. It conceives an imaginary rubûbiyyah, ownership, qoudrah and ‘ilm within itself; draws a limit. With it, it places an imaginary limit on the all-encompassing attributes. It makes a division by saying "Up to here, it is mine, from here, it is His." With the tiny measurements in itself, it slowly understands their essence.

For example, with its imagined rubûbiyyah over the sphere of possession of him, it understands the rubûbiyyah of its Khâliq in the sphere of contingency, and with its apparent ownership, it understands the true ownership of its Khâliq and says "Like I own this house, Al-Khâliq is the owner of the universe as well", and with its partial ‘ilm, it understands His ‘ilm, and with its minor art of kasb, it understands As-Sâni’ Zuljalâl’s producing arts as a new creation out of nothing.

For example, it says: "Just as I made this house and arranged it, so too, someone has made this house of the world and arranged it", and so on. Thousands of mysterious states, attributes and senses, which make known and show to a degree all the attributes and shuûn of Allah, are contained within the ana.

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 and owner of 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. It is rather 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 زَكَّيهَا5. 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 6 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 دَسَّيهَا7. 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 عَظِيمٌ8. 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. How sensitive of a scale, accurate a measure, an encompassing index, a perfect map, a comprehensive mirror, a nice calendar and journal for the universe is the essence of man and the ananiyyah within man’s essence –through the aspect of ma’nâ al-harfî- have been detailed decisively in the Eleventh Word. It may be referred to. Since the explanation in that Word is sufficient, by shortening, we conclude the introduction here. If you have understood the introduction, come, we enter the haqiqah.

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. Now we should find the origins and principles of those two chains.

Here, the chain of philosophy that does not obey the chain of religion, taking the form of a tree of Zaqqûm, scatters the darkness of shirk and dhalâlah on its surroundings. In the branch of quwwa al-aqliyyah9, it has even given the fruit of the followers of Dahriya, Materialists and Naturalists to the hand of man’s mind. And in the branch of quwwa al-ghadhabiyyah10, it has thrown the Nimrods, Pharaohs and Shaddads on the head of mankind. {Yes, just as it was the ancient philosophy of Egypt and Babylon, which nurtured and breastfed the Nimrods and Pharaohs like a nursemaid, and which has reached to the degree of magic or it was considered to be magic by its surroundings since it was particular to them... It was the swamp of Naturalist philosophy that begotten idols and established goddesses in the heads of the ancient Greeks. Yes, the man who does not see the nûr of Allah due to the veil of Nature, attributes ulûhiyyah to everything and causes himself pestered by everything.} And in the branch of the brutal quwwa ash-shahawiyyah11, it has given the fruit of goddesses, idols and those who claim ulûhiyyah and nurtured them. In the garden of the globe of the earth, the blessed branches of the chain of nubuwwah, which is like the Tûbâ-tree of ‘ubûdiyyah: In the branch of quwwa al-aqliyyah, it nurtured the fruits of the prophets, the messengers, the awliyâ and the siddîqîn, and in the branch of quwwa al-ghadhabiyyah, it produced the fruits of just rulers, sultâns like malâikah, and in the branch of quwwa ash-shahawiyyah, it produced the fruits of people who are known for generosity, graciousness, virtuous and good moral. The origin of the tree of Zaqqûm and the origin of the tree of the chain of nubuwwah, which shows how mankind is the most perfect fruit of the universe, are in the two aspects of the ana. We shall explain the two aspects of the ana as the origin, means and an essential seed of those two trees. It is as follows:

Nubuwwah holds one aspect of the ana and goes, and philosophy holds the other and comes.

The First Aspect, which is the aspect of nubuwwah: It is the origin of sheer ‘ubûdiyyah. That is to say, the ana knows itself to be an ‘abd. It realizes that it serves one other than itself. Its essence is harfî. That is, it understands that it carries the meaning of another. Its existence is dependent. That is to say, its existence is permanent through another's existence and the continuity of its existence is through being created by another, it believes so. Its ownership is a wahm. That is, with the permission of its owner, it has apparent temporary ownership, it knows so. Its haqiqah is shadow-like. That is to say, it is a contingent and wretched shadow that carries the manifestation of a haqq and wâjib haqiqah. As for its duty, it is a service as a measure and a balance to the attributes and shuûn of its Khâliq consciously. Thus, the prophets and the asfiyâ and the awliyâ among the chain of the prophets regarded the ana with this aspect, they saw it in this way and understood the haqiqah. They handed over the possession to Mâlik Al-Mulk and judged that Mâlik Zuljalâl has no partner (sharik) or like, neither in His sovereignty, nor in His rubûbiyyah, nor in His ulûhiyyah; He has no need of assistant or minister; the key of all things is in His hand; He is the absolute Qâdir over all things. Causes are an exterior veil; nature is a fitrî Sharî’ah of His, a collection of His laws, and a scale of His qoudrah.

Thus, this shining, luminous, beautiful face became a living and meaningful seed out of which Khâliq Zuljalâl has created a Tûbâ-tree of ‘ubûdiyyah that its blessed branches have adorned all over the ‘âlam of mankind with luminous fruits. By scattering the darkness of all the past time, it shows that that long past time is not a place of non-existence and a vast graveyard as the philosophy sees, rather it is a source of nûrs and a luminous, sundry stepped ladder for passing rûhs to jump to the future and eternal felicity, and is a luminous place of nûr and a garden for the rûhs who have cast off their heavy loads, remained free and departed from the world.

As for the second aspect: Philosophy has held it. As for philosophy, it regards the ana with ma’nâ al-ismî. That is to say, it says that the ana indicates to itself. It judges that its meaning is in itself and works on its own account. It accepts that its existence is essential and is in itself. That is, it says that in essence, it possesses an existence in itself. It falsely assumes that it has a right to live and is the real possessor in its sphere of disposal. It supposes it to be a constant haqiqah. And it considers the ana's duty is to become perfect by itself which originates from the love of self and so on...  They have constructed their ways on many corrupt principles. We prooved decisively how baseless and rotten these principles are in my other Risales, especially in the Words, particularly in the Twelfth and Twenty-Fifth Words.

Even men like Plato and Aristotle, Ibn-i Sina and Farabi, who were the perfect members of the chain of philosophy and the geniuses of that chain, said, “The ultimate aim of mankind is to be like Al-Wâjib”, that is, “It is to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd.” They judged like Pharaoh and opened the way to numerous different disciplines of shirk, like ‘ibâdah to causes, ‘ibâdah to idols, ‘ibâdah to nature and ‘ibâdah to the stars, by whipping up ananiyyah and galloping it free in the valleys of shirk. They have obstructed the road of ‘ubûdiyyah by closing the doors of impotence and weakness, poverty and need, deficiency and imperfection, which are contained in the essence of humanity. They could not find the wide door of shukr due to sinking in and sticking to nature and not being completely able to emerge from shirk.

As for the nubuwwah, they judged, in the manner of ubûdiyyah, that the aim of humanity and duty of mankind is together along being characterized with the morals of Allah and good character, it is to seek refuge with qoudrah of Allah by knowing one’s own impotence, by seeing one’s own weakness to rely on the strength of Allah, by seeing one’s own poverty to trust in the rahmah of Allah, by seeing one’s own need to seek help from the riches of Allah, by seeing one’s own faults to seek istighfâr to the forgiveness of Allah, by seeing one’s own deficiency it is to be a reciter of tasbîh to the perfection of Allah.

Thus, it is because the philosophy which does not obey the religion lost its way, the ana took the reins of itself into its hands and ran into all sorts of dhalâlah. Here, on the head of the ana in this aspect, a tree of Zaqqum has grown. And it has overspread to more than half of the ‘âlam of mankind.

Thus, as for the fruits it has given to mankind’s regard in the branch of the brutal quwwa ash-shahawiyyah of that tree, they are idols and goddesses. Because, according to the principles of philosophy, power is admired. Even, "Might is right" is a principle of it. It says, "One who is victorious has a power; there is right in power" {The principle of nubuwwah says: "The right (haqq) has the power; right is not in power", ceases tyranny and oppression and gives assurance to justice.} It has applauded tyranny and oppression in a ma’nawî manner, encouraged the tyrants and oppressors, and urged oppressors to claim ulûhiyyah.

Also, by attributing the beauty in the works of art and the embroidery to the works of art and the embroidery, and not relating them to the manifestation of the sacred and incorporeal beauty of As-Sâni’ and Embroiderer (Naqqâsh), it says: "How beautiful it is", instead of, "How beautifully they have been made", and makes it an idol worthy of ‘ibâdah. Also, because it admires a beauty, that is sold to anyone, falsified, boastful, displaying and performing riyâ, it has applauded those who perform riyâ and has made those idol-like people, ‘abds of its own ‘abds. {That is, those idol-like people display an attitude like ‘ibâdah by ostentation with riyâ in order to appear nice to the desires of the people, those who perform ‘ibâdah to them, and to gain their attention.} In the branch of quwwa al-ghadhabiyyah of that tree, it has nurtured the fruits of greater and lesser Nimrods, Pharaohs and Shaddads over the head of unfortunate mankind. In the branch of quwwa al-aqliyyah, it has given fruits like the followers of Dahriya, Materialists and Naturalists to the mind of the world of humanity, and has split the brain of mankind into thousands of pieces.

Now, in order to illuminate this haqiqah, we shall mention three or four examples out of thousands of comparisons of the results which originate from the corrupt principles of the way of philosophy and the results which beget from the sound principles of the chain of nubuwwah.

For Example, There is no comparison between the principle “Be an ‘abd in the presence of Allah, by being endowed with His morals, turning submissively towards Janâb-i Haqq and recognising your impotence, poverty and fault,” according to the ruleتَخَلَّقُوا بِاَخْلاَقِ اللّٰهِ 12 which is one of the results of the principles of the nubuwwah concerning the individual life, and the boastful rule of philosophy “Work to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd,” according to rule “Being like Al-Wâjib is mankind's extremity of perfection.”

There is no comparison between the essence of humanity which has been kneaded with infinite impotence, weakness, poverty and need, and the essence of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd which is infinitely qadîr, powerful (qawî), self-sufficient (ghanî) and without the need (mustaghni).

Second Example: There is no comparison between the results of the principles of the nubuwwah concerning social life, the principle of mutual assistance, the law of goodness and the law of beneficence which are harnessed to the help and assistance of all things from the sun to the moon, the help of plants to animals, and the help of animals to human beings, and even that of particles of food to the cells of the body.... and one of the principles of the philosophy concerning social life, the principle of conflict, which born from some tyrants, oppressors, brute men and wild animals' misuse of the fitrah. Yes, they have accepted the principle of conflict so fundamentally and generally that they have foolishly judged: "Life is a conflict."

Third Example: Can there be any comparison between one of the exalted results and valuable principles of the nubuwwah concerning Ilahî Tawhîd اَلْوَاحِدُ لاَ يَصْدُرُ اِلاَّ عَنِ الْوَاحِدِ , that is, "each thing that has unity will proceed only from the one. Since there is unity in each thing and in all things, they are the creation of one single being," and one of the principles of ancient philosophy pertaining to the belief that is soiled by shirk and holds the way of dhalâlah and opens the way to great shirk by presenting the Absolute Ghanî and Qadîr One as being in need of impotent intermediaries, giving all causes and intermediaries a sort of partnership in His rubûbiyyah, attributing to Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl the title of a creature named Prime Intelligence13 and distributing the rest of His sovereignty to causes and intermediaries by saying اَلْوَاحِدُ لاَ يَصْدُرُ عَنْهُ اِلاَّ الْوَاحِدُ , "from one, one proceeds," that is "From one being only one single thing can proceed; the other things proceed from that being by means of intermediaries." If the Ishraqiyyun, the eminent ones among philosophers, perpetrated an impudence like this, you can compare with that of the Materialists and Naturalists, who were inferior ones, and understand the extent of their impudence.

Fourth Example: There is no comparison between one of the principles of nubuwwah with hikmah which is a pure haqiqah through the mystery of وَ اِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ اِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ "If everything and each living being have one result and hikmah which looks to itself, the results which belong to its Sâni’ and the hikmahs which look to its Fâtir are thousands. Each thing, even a single fruit, for example, has hikmahs and results as much as the fruits of a tree".... and philosophy’s principles which are falsified hikmah with no hikmah and which consider in extremely senseless futility like attaching a result, a fruit tiny as much as mustard, to a tree as huge as a mountain through saying "The result of each living being looks to itself or belongs to the benefits of mankind". Since this haqiqah has been demonstrated to some extent in the Tenth Haqiqah of the Tenth Word, we have cut it short here. Here, you can compare thousands of examples with these four examples. We have pointed to some of them in the risale called Lemaât.14

It is because of these corrupt principles and dangerous results of philosophy that geniuses from among the philosophers of Islam like Ibn-i Sina and Farabi were seduced by its apparent glitter, deceived by that way and entered in it, they attained only the rank of an ordinary mu’min. Hujjat al-Islam Imam al-Ghazzali did not even accord them that rank.

Also, since Mu'tazilite Imams among vastly learned ‘ulamâ of Mutakallimîn, being seduced by the apparent ornament of that way and severely being affected by it, accepting the mind to be the ruler, they could increase only to the degree of a fâsiq mu’min who originates bid’ahs. Also, due to the famous ones among Muslim litterateurs like Abu al-'Ala al-Ma'arri, who is known for his pessimism, and 'Umar Khayyam, who is characterized by his solitarily weeping, being enjoyed themselves with the pleasure of that way which caresses the nafs al-ammarah, they received contemptuous slaps and were pronounced as kâfirs and from the people of haqiqah and perfection they restrainingly received chastening slaps that of, "You are being insolent, you are entering zandaqa, and you are nurturing zindiqs."

Also, one of the corrupt principles of the way of philosophy is that although the ana has, in itself, an essence as weak as air, because it looks with the inauspicious point of view of philosophy, with the aspect of ma’nâ al-ismî, it is as though the vapour-like ana becomes liquid; and then, due to familiarity and occupation with materiality, it hardens. Then, through ghaflah and denial the ananiyyah freezes. Then, through rebelliousness, it becomes opaque and loses its transparency. Then, it gradually becomes denser and swallows its owner. It becomes distended with the thoughts of mankind. Then, by comparing the rest of humanity and even causes with itself and its nafs -although they do not accept this and disclaim it- it gives them the state of a Pharaoh. Then, it takes up a situation of fighting against the commands of Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl. It says: 15 مَنْ يُحْيِى الْعِظَامَ وَ هِىَ رَمِيم . As though challenging, it accuses the Absolute Qadîr of impotence. It even meddles in the attributes of Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl. It rejects or denies or distorts what does not suit its interests and does not please the state of nafs al-ammarah’s being a Pharaoh.

For example, one group of philosophers called Janâb-i Haqq 'Self-Necessitating'; they denied His will and rejected the infinite testimony of the universe that proves His will. Oh, Subhânallah! Although all the beings in the universe from the particles to the sun show the will of As-Sâni’ through their separate individual existences, order, hikmah and measure, the eye of philosophy –May it be blind!- does not see it.

Also, another group of philosophers stated: "The ‘ilm of Allah is not connected to particular things" and denied the great comprehensiveness of Allah’s ‘ilm, and rejected the veracious testimony of all beings. Moreover, by attributing effects to causes, philosophy has given creation to the hand of nature. As has been definitely proved in the Twenty-Second Word, through not seeing the special bright stamp of Al-Khâliq of all things on everything, and attributing nature to be an originator, which is impotent, lifeless, unconscious and blind, and which two hands of it are in the hands of the blind coincidence and force, it gives the possession of certain beings to nature, each of which expresses thousands of exalted hikmahs and is a letter of As-Samad.

Also, as has been proved in the Tenth Word, since they did not find the door of resurrection and the âkhirah, which are displayed by Janâb-i Haqq with all of His Names, and the universe with all of its haqiqahs, and the chain of nubuwwah with all of its verifications, and the samâwî books with all their âyahs, they denied the resurrection and ascribed past eternalness to rûh.

You can compare these superstitions with their other matters. Indeed, as though shaytans have lifted to the air the minds of irreligious philosophers with the beak and claw of the ana and have thrown them to the valleys of dhalalâh and have shattered them.

Ana in the small ‘âlam is one of the tâghûts in the great ‘âlam such as nature.

فَمَنْ يَكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوتِ وَيُؤْمِنْ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى لاَ انْفِصَامَ لَهَا وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ16

It is appropriate to mention here the meaning of a similitude event17 that I wrote in semi-rhyme in Lemeât in the form of an imaginary journey, which will illuminate the haqiqah mentioned before. It is as follows:

Eight years before writing this risale, in Istanbul during the Noble Ramadan, when the Old Said, who had some connection with the way of philosophy, was about to be transformed into the New Said while thinking the three ways that are indicated at the end of the Noble Fâtiha, 18 صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ لاَ الضَّالِّينَI saw an imaginary event19, a similitude event, an event resembling dream, it was as follows.

I saw myself in a vast desert. A layer of dark, pressing and suffocating cloud had covered the whole face of the earth. There was neither a breeze, nor light, nor water of life, none of these was to be found. I imagined that everywhere was full of monsters, detrimental and dreadful creatures. It came to my heart that “On the other side of this land there is a light, breeze and the water of life. It was necessary to get there.” I saw that I was being urged forward involuntarily. Within the earth, I have been put into a tunnel-like cave. I gradually travelled through the earth. I saw that many people had gone in this underground way before me. They drowned on all sides, and could not continue. I saw their footprints. I heard some of their voices sometimes. Then their voice was ceasing.

O, my friend who is accompanying me on my imaginary journey with his imagination! That land is nature and the philosophy of Naturalism. As for the tunnel, it is the way philosophers have opened with their thought in order to reach the haqiqah. The footprints I saw belong to famous ones like Plato and Aristotle. {If you say: "Who do you think you are to challenge those famous ones? You are like a fly and yet you meddle in the flight of eagles," I would reply: "While having a past-eternal ustadh like the Qur'an, on the way of haqiqah and ma’rifat, I do not have to attach as much value as that of a fly's wing to those eagles, who are the students of philosophy soiled by dhalâlah and of the mind soiled by wahm. However inferior I am to them, their ustadh is a thousand times more inferior than mine. With the help of my ustadh, the material which caused them to submerge did not even wet my toes. Yes, an insignificant private who carries the laws and commands of a great sultân can perform greater services more than a great field marshal of an insignificant king."} The voices I heard belong to geniuses like Ibn Sina and Farabi. Indeed, I was seeing some words and principles of Ibn Sina in some places. Then, it totally ceased. He could not go further. Which means he drowned. Anyway, to save you from curiosity, I have shown you a small part of the haqiqah beneath the imagination. Now I return to my journey.

Gradually, I saw that two things were given to my hand. One was an electric that scatters the darkness of that underground nature. The other, by a device as well,  a way is opened up for me through smashing stones like mountains and huge rocks. It is said to my ear: "This electric and device have been given to you from the treasury of the Qur'an." Anyway... I went through for a long time. Then, I saw that I had come out on the other side. I saw an ‘âlam in a most beautiful springtime, bright sunshine, a breeze that enlivened the rûh, delicious water which gave life and rejoice everywhere. I said "Alhamdulillah".

Then, I saw that I do not own myself. Someone is testing me. I saw myself again in that vast desert under the suffocating cloud in the former state. On another way, someone was urging me. This time it was not underground, rather in order to reach the other face, I was travelling over the face of the earth. I saw such strange and wondrous things on my journey which cannot be described. The sea was raging against me, storms threatened me and everything caused difficulties for me. But once again, with a means of travel that had been given to me from the Qur'an, I was passing and surpassing. While going, I was seeing the corpses of travellers everywhere. Those who had completed the journey were one in a thousand. Anyway... Having been saved from that cloud, I had reached the other side of the earth and had met with the beautiful sun. Breathing in the breeze that enlivened the rûh, I said "Alhamdulillah!" I started to view that ‘âlam like Jannah.

Then, I saw, there was someone who did not leave me there. As though showing me another way, in an instant again, He brought me to that dreadful desert. I saw different sorts of things, some like aeroplanes, some like cars, some like baskets, which had descended exactly like elevators from above. If they were stepped on, one was pulled according to his power and capacity. I, too, stepped on one of them. I saw that it lifted me in a moment above the cloud. I ascended the most beautiful embellished green mountains. The layer of the cloud has not come halfway through the mountain. Everywhere were the gentlest of breezes, the most delicious water, and the sweetest of lights. I saw that there were luminous places like those elevators everywhere. I had seen them on my two journeys and on the other face of the earth but I had not understood. Now I understand that they are the manifestations of âyahs of Al-Qur'an Al-Hakîm.

Thus, the first way, which is indicated by, وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ20, is that of those who are sunk and stuck in nature and those who bear the thought of Naturalism. You felt the difficulty in passing to the haqiqah and the nûr in that way. The second way, which is indicated by, غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ21 is the way of those who perform ‘ibâdah to causes and those who ascribe creation and the effect to intermediaries, it is of those who open the way to the haqiqah of truths and ma’rifat of Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd through the mind and intellect alone like the Peripatetic philosophers. As for the third way, which is indicated by, اَلَّذِينَاَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ 22 it is the luminous highway of the people of the Qur'an, who are the people of as-sirât al-mustaqîm. This way is the shortest, the easiest, the safest and it is open to everyone, and it is samawî, Rahmânî and luminous.