بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

‘ABD-SERVANT

For in the salâh the ‘abd says, اَشْهَدُ اَنْ لاَ اِلهَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ1 . That is, “There is no Khâliq and Razzâq other than Him. Harm and benefit are in His hand. He is both Hakîm, He does nothing in vain, and He is Rahîm, His bounties and rahmah are abundant.” Since he believes so, he finds a door of rahmah’s treasury in everything and knocks on it with du‘â. Also, he sees that everything is subjugated to the command of his own Rabb. He takes refuge in his Rabb. He fortifies against every calamity by relying on Him with tawakkul. His îmân gives him complete trust.

Yes, like every true goodness, the source of courage, too, is îmân and ‘ubûdiyyah. And like every evil, the source of cowardice, too, is dhalâlah.

Yes, if the globe of the earth becomes a bomb and explodes, it is possible that it will not frighten an ‘abd with a completely illuminated heart. Rather, he will watch a wonderous qoudrah of As-Samad with a pleasurable astonishment. While if a famous heartless fâsiq philosopher called an enlightened mind sees a comet in the sky, he trembles on the ground. He says, “Isn’t that stray comet going to hit the Earth?”. He falls into wahm. {One time, America trembled due to such a comet. Many of them left their homes in the nighttime.}

The Third Word

 

Is it at all possible that Janâb-i Haqq and Al-Ma’bûd by right, should create man within the universe as the most significant ‘abd recipient of His absolute rubûbiyyah and His universal rubûbiyyah in all ‘âlams; that He should make him the most thoughtful (tafakkur) recipient of His glorious address, the most comprehensive mirror to the manifestation of His Names; that He should create him as the most beautiful miracle of Qoudrah in the Ahsan Taqwîm, in order to be placed within the manifestation in which the manifestation of al-ism al-â’dham and the manifestation of the degree of being al-ism al-â’dham. That is in each Name are manifested on, in order for him to assess and perceive the contents of His treasuries of Rahmah; that He should make him an investigator equipped with more than any other creature with balances and instruments; and the neediest to His infinite ni’mahs, the one suffering most from annihilation and the one most desirous of eternity; and the most delicate, the poorest and neediest of animals, most wretched and subject to pain in his worldly life but most sublime in disposition, in the highest of forms and characters - is it possible that Janâb-i Haqq should do all this with man and not send him to the Eternal Realm for which he is suited and fitted and for which he is longing? Is it possible that He should thus negate the whole haqiqah of humanity, act in a manner totally contrary to His own veracity, and perform an act of injustice that the eye of haqiqah must deem ugly?

The Tenth Word

 

The comparison between the tarbiyyah of morality that the hikmah of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm gives to the personal life and the lesson that the hikmah of philosophy gives:

A sincere student of philosophy is a pharaoh. But he is a despicable pharaoh who performs ‘ibâdah to the most contemptible things for his benefit. He considers every profitable thing to be a “Rabb” for himself. Also, that irreligious student is rebellious and obstinate. But he is an abject rebel who accepts infinite abasement for a single pleasure. And he is a vile obstinate who displays abasement by kissing the feet of individuals like shaytan for a contemptible benefit. Also, that irreligious student is an oppressor proud man. But since he cannot find any point of support in his heart, in his essence, he is impotent with uttermost impotence and an oppressor boastful man. Also, that student only worries about himself and worships to benefit that the aim of his endeavour is to gratify the desires of nafs, abdomen and perineum; he is a devious self-conceited man who seeks his personal benefits within certain benefits of the nation.

As for the sincere student of the hikmah of the Qur’an, he is an ‘abd. But he does not stoop to performing ‘ibâdah even to the greatest of creatures. He is also an esteemed (‘azîz) ‘abd who does not consider a thing like Jannah, which is the immense benefit, the purpose of ‘ibâdah. Its true student is also humble; he is virtuous and mild. But, he does not willingly stoop to abasing himself before anything other than his Fâtir outside the sphere of His permission. He is also poor and weak; he knows his poverty and weakness. But through the wealth belonging to the âkhirah which his Mâlik, Who is Karîm, has treasured for him, he has no need, and since he relies on the infinite Qoudrah of his Sayyîd, he is strong. He also acts and strives only for the sake of Allah, for the pleasure of Allah and fadhîlah.

Thus, the tarbiyyah that the two hikmahs give may be understood from the comparison of the two students.

The Twelfth Word-The Second Principle

 

“The choice of the word 'abd rather than 'the Messenger' (Nabî) or 'Muhammad' indicates exaltation of the Messenger, and alludes at the elevated nature of ‘ibâdah, and corroborates the command 2 اُعْبُدُوا and hints the repulsion of wahm, for the Messenger (Nabî) ‘Alayhissalâm performed more ‘ibâdah than anyone and recited more of the Qur'an. So do tafakkur on this!” Signs of Miraculousness (205)

 

“He, ‘Alayhissalâm is a pure ‘abd and the one most advanced in performing ‘ibâdah to Allah among His creations.”Al-Mathnawi Al-Nurî (132)

 

That master is both the ‘abd; in point of ‘ubûdiyyah, he describes and makes his Rabb known; he is the envoy of his ummah at the Court of Janâb-i Haqq. He is also a rasûl; in point of messengership, he conveys (tablîgh) his Rabb’s decree to the jinn and mankind by means of the Qur’an.

 The Eleventh Word-First Group

 

“O Rab! When a man knocks on the door of a grand palace and it is not opened to him, he knocks on it and calls out in the voice of someone who is familiar to the palace, so that it may be opened. And so this wretched one knocks on the door of the Court of Your Rahmah crying out in the voice of Your well-loved ‘abd Uways al-Qarâni and with his munâjât. As you opened Your Court to him, Open it to me with Your rahmah! I cry out as he did:

The Words (682)

اِلٰهِى اَنْتَ رَبِّى وَاَنَا الْعَبْدُ.... وَاَنْتَ الْخَالِقُ وَاَنَا الْمَخْلُوقُ

وَاَنْتَ الرَّزَّاقُ وَاَنَا الْمَرْزُوقُ.... وَاَنْتَ الْمَالِكُ وَاَنَا الْمَمْلُوكُ

وَاَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ وَاَنَا الذَّلِيلُ.... وَاَنْتَ الْغَنِّىُ وَاَنَا الْفَقِيرُ

وَاَنْتَ الْبَاقِى وَاَنَا الْفَانِى …وَاَنْتَ الْمُجِيبُ وَاَنَا الدَّاعِى

“Ya Ilahanâ! You are our Rabb, for we are mere ‘abds; we are powerless to tarbiyyah3 our nafs. That is to say, the One who does tarbiyyah us is You! And it is You who is Al-Khâliq, for we are creatures, we are being made! And it is You Who is Ar-Razzâq, for we are in need of rizq, we have no power! That is to say, the One Who creates us and bestows on us our rizq is You! And it is You Who is Al-Mâlik because we are totally owned property; someone other than us has the power of disposal over us. That is to say, it is You Who is our Mâlik! And You, You are ‘Aziz! You possess grandeur and sublimity! As for us we look to our baseness and see that on us are manifestations of a mightiness. That is to say, we are mirrors to Your mightiness! And it is You Who is Absolute Ghanî because we are indigent and riches are bestowed on us that our indigent hands could not obtain. That is to say, it is You Who is rich, the One who gives is You! And You, You are Hayy Who is Bâqî because we, we are dying, and in our dying and in our being resurrected we see the manifestation of a perpetual giver of life! Yes, You, You are Bâqî because we see Your continuation and perpetualness in our transience and perishment! And the One Who responds to us and answers us, the Granter of Gifts is You. For all of us beings, we are ever crying out and requesting, entreating, imploring by tongue and by state. And our desires are brought about, our aims are achieved. In other words, the One Who answers us is You!...” And so on.” The Letters (286)

 

“At the side of this Hidden (ghaybi) Being there will of a certainty be His most beloved creature and most devoted ‘abd, who, serving the purposes that have just been mentioned, discovers and unravels the enigma and riddle of the creation of the universe, who acts always in the name of that Khâliq, who seeks aid and success from Him, and who receives them from Him-and whose name is Muhammad of Quraysh (asm)” The Rays (155)

 

“He whose sovereignty has lasted one thousand three hundred and fifty years, who has generally had more than three hundred and fifty million followers, to whom his subjects daily renew their pledge of allegiance and to whose perfections they continually bear witness, whose commands are obeyed in perfect submission, whose ma’nawî hue has coloured half of the globe and a fifth of mankind, who is the beloved of men's hearts and the educator of their rûhs, such a being is, without doubt, the greatest ‘abd of Ar-Rabb Who disposes the universe.” The Words (81)

 

Just as Al-Qur'an Al-Hakîm sends the Prophets to the communities of man as vanguards and imams of ma’nawî progress, so does it give the hands of each of those Prophets some wonders in the form of the material progress of mankind and make them the foremen and masters to the mankind. It commands to follow them absolutely. Thus, just as it encourages mankind to benefit from the ma’nawî perfections of the Prophets by speaking of them, so does it hint at encouragement to reach the similars of their miracles and to make their imitations by speaking of them. It may even be said that firstly the hand of miracles gifted to mankind even the material perfections and wonders like the ma’nawî perfections. Thus, it is the hand of miracles that firstly gifted to man the ship, which was a miracle of Hazrat Nûh (Alayhissalâm), and the clock, which was a miracle of Hazrat Yûsuf (Alayhissalâm). It is a subtle indication to this haqiqah that most craftsmen adopt a Prophet as the master of a craft. For example, sailors Hazrat Nûh (Alayhissalâm), watchmakers Hazrat Yûsuf (Alayhissalâm), tailors Hazrat Idrîs (Alayhissalâm)…

 وَلِسُلَيْمٰنَ الرِّيحَ غُدُوُّهَا شَهْرٌ وَرَوَاحُهَا شَهْرٌ In a ma’nawî manner, Janâb-i Haqq says through the tongue of this âyah: “O man! Since he abandoned the desires of his nafs, I mounted an ‘abd of mine on the air…”

 بِعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا In a ma’nawî manner, Janâb-i Haqq says through the allusive tongue of the âyah: “O man! Since I give such a staff to the hand of an ‘abd of mine, who trusted in Me, that he draws the water of life from wherever he wishes…”

وَ اُبْرِئُ اْلاَكْمَهَ وَاْلاَبْرَصَ وَاُحْيِى الْمَوْتٰى بِاِذْنِ اللهِ Janâb-i Haqq says in a ma’nawî manner through the indicative tongue of this âyah: “O man! I gave two gifts to an ‘abd of Mine who abandoned the world for Me. One was the cure for the ma’nawî diseases and the other was the medicine for physical diseases….”

وَاٰتَيْنَاهُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ Janâb-i Haqq says in a ma’nawî manner through the indicative tongue of this âyah: “O Sons of Âdam! I gave such hikmah to the tongue and heart of an ‘abd of Mine, who obeyed my commands and obligations, that he determines everything with the perfect distinctness and shows their haqiqah. And I gave such art and craft to his hand that he turns iron into any shape in his hand like wax and obtains significant power for his khîlafah and rulership…”

قَالَ الَّذِى عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ اَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ اَنْ يَرْتَدَّ اِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِنْدَهُ  Janâb-i Haqq says in a ma’nawî manner through the allusive tongue of this âyah: “O Sons of Âdam! I bestow on one of My ‘abds an extensive possession and being informed of the states and events of the earth in order to rule with complete justice within that extensive possession of his, and since I have given each man the capacity to be khalîfah of the earth by fitrah and since My hikmah requires to give the disposition, too, that will see and look and understand the face of the earth according to that capacity, I certainly have given it. If man does not reach that point individually, he can reach it as mankind. And if he cannot reach it physically, he can reach it in a ma’nawî manner like the people of walâyah…”

وَمِنَ الشَّيَاطِينِ مَنْ يَغُوصُونَ لَهُ وَيَعْمَلُونَ عَمَلاً دُونَ ذٰلِكَ Janâb-i Haqq says in a ma’nawî manner through the allusive tongue of this âyah: “O man! I make jin, shaytans and evil ones among them obey one of My ‘abds who obeyed Me…”

عُلِّمْنَا مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ - وَالطَّيْرَ وَاَلَنَّا لَهُ الْحَدِيدَ  Janâb-i Haqq says in a ma’nawî manner through the allusive tongue of these âyahs: “O, men! In order to be a source of the purity (‘Ismat) of his nubuwwah and the complete justice of his rule, subjugating to one of your fellow man, who totally became an ‘abd to Me, the great creatures in My dominions, I make them speak and give to him most of My troops and animals as servants…”

The Twentieth Word – The Second Station

 

“through the various Names and titles He makes manifest in the disposition of creatures, and by showing that special ‘abd of His all the works of His rubûbiyyah which He displays in the spheres, creation, and regulation within the sovereignty of His rubûbiyyah, and in the levels of the samâ within those spheres -each of which is the means to al-‘arsh ar-rubûbiyyah and centre for the disposal of power- Janâb-i Haqq made that ‘abd both embrace all human perfections, and display all the Ilahî manifestations, and view all the levels of the universe, and the herald of the sovereignty of rubûbiyyah and the proclaimer of those things pleasing to Allah, and the solver of the enigma of the universe. And so that he could do this, He mounted him on Burâq, caused him to flash through the samâwât like lightning traversing all its levels, observe Ilahî rubûbiyyah from mansion to mansion like the moon, and from sphere to sphere, and showing him each of the prophets, his brothers, whose abodes are in the samâwât of those spheres, He raised him to the ma’nawî station of Qab Qawsayn and displayed to him His Ahadiyyah and His Word and Ru’yat.” The Words (588)

 

اَنْ لاَ يُذَلِّلَ وَ لاَ يَتَذَلَّلَمَنْ كَانَ عَبْدًا لِلّٰهِ لاَ يَكُونُ عَبْدًا لِلْعِبَادِ لاَ يَجْعَلْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضًا

اَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ نَعَمْ اَلْحُرِّيَّةُ الشَّرْعِيَّةُ عَطِيَّةُ الرَّحْمٰنِ

The freedom of the Sharî’ah, which arises from îmân, commands two principles:

That is, îmân necessitates that others are not insulted and held in contempt through oppression and despotism. And that one should not abase themselves before dhâlims. Someone who is truly an ‘abd of Allah, cannot be an ‘abd to others. Do not make anyone -except Allah- Rabb over yourselves!. That is someone who does not recognize Allah will ascribe a rubûbiyyah to everything and everyone according to their degree and will be mentally plagued by them. Yes, the freedom of the Sharî’ah; is Janâb-i Haqq’s bounty through the manifestation of the Names Rahmân and Rahîm and is a characteristic of îmân.” Biography ( 110 )

 

“The Illustrious Sharî’ah proceeds from the pre-eternal Kalâm, so it will continue for post-eternity.4

Our salvation from the disgraceful tyranny of the nafs al-ammarah is; through relying on Islam; by clenching on to that habl al-matîn; by truly benefiting from the rightful freedom; and through seeking help from îmân. For it is expected that one who is truly an ‘abd and servant of As-Sâni’ of al-‘âlam, will not condescend to ‘ubûdiyyah His creatures. Since everyone is a commander of their own ‘âlam, they are charged with the greater jihâd (of the nafs) in their smaller ‘âlam and are assigned to embody the morals of Ahmad (asm), and to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet.” Biography ( 63 )

 

Yes, O man! Regarding your vegetable physical being and your animal nafs, you are a minor particle, a despicable particular, a poor creature, a weak animal that you are shaken amidst the terrifying waves of the flowing beings. But by being perfected through the tarbiyyah of Islam illuminated with the nûr of îmân comprising the light of the love of Allah, regarding humanity and within your being an ‘abd, you are a sultân, within your particularity, you are a universal, within your smallness, you are an ‘âlam and within your despicableness, you are a supervisor of such great rank, who supervises an extensive sphere, that you can say: "My Rabb, Who is Rahîm, has made the world a house for me. He made the sun and moon lamps for my house, and the spring, a bunch of flowers, and summer, a table of ni’mah and the animals, my servants. And He has made plants the decorated provisions of my house.

In Short: If you heed shaytan and nafs, you will fall into asfal sâfilîn. But if you heed Al-Haqq and the Qur'an, you will rise to a’lâ ‘illiyyin and be a beautiful form (Ahsan Taqwîm) of the universe.

The Twenty-Third Word/Second Discussion/3rd Subtle Point

 

اِبْدَاعُهُ لِذَاكَ...الخ It has this meaning: As-Sâni’ Who is Hakîm created the great ‘âlam in such a novel, wonderful form, embroidered on it the âyahs of His grandeur, that He transformed it into a mighty mosque. And He created man in this way: giving him mind (aql) and causing him to sajda in wonderment with it at those miracles of His art and at His wondrous Qoudrah, He caused him to read the âyahs of His grandeur. Thus girding him ready for ‘ubûdiyyah in that mighty mosque, He created him as a sâjid ‘abd. Is it at all possible that the true Ma’bûd of those sâjids, ‘abds in this mighty mosque could be other than As-Sâni’ Who is Wâhid Al-Ahad?” The Letters ( 275 )

 

“O unhappy man struggling within boundless impotence and endless want! You should understand just what a valuable means and acceptable shafî’ is Rahmah. For Rahmah is the means to a Sultân Zuljalâl in Whose army both the stars and minute particles serve together in perfect order and obedience. And that Zuljalâl One and Sultân of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity has istighnâ in His essence, He is in absolute istighnâ. He is Ghanî without limit being in no respect needy of the universe and beings. The whole universe is under His command and direction, utterly obedient beneath His majesty and grandeur, submissive before His sublimity. That is Rahmah for you, Oh man! It raises you to the presence of the One absolutely lacking any need, the Eternal Sultân, and makes you His friend, addressee, and well-loved ‘abd” The Second Station of The Fourteenth Flash-Sixth Mystery

 

To be the ‘abd and soldier of Allah is such a pleasurable honour that cannot be described. As for the duty, like a soldier, one should work and start only on behalf of Allah... And should give and take on account of Allah... And should act and be still in the sphere of His permission and law... If he makes a fault, he should offer istighfâr... He should say: "O Rabb! Forgive our faults, accept us as Your servants and make us trustworthy with the trust until the time of its being taken. Âmîn!", and He should be beseeched.

The Sixth Word

 

“Also, in this temporary hostel and transitory guest-house to have these precious gifts and ni’mahs, such an extraordinary outlay and bestowal only for this brief time and fleeting life, indicates through the hands of the trees and plants, indeed testifies that:

For a munificent and powerful One Who is Rahîm to host his guests with such rahmah here, and yet to avoid turning out all His outlay and bestowals to result in a completely contrary purpose to making Himself loved and known; that is, in order that all creatures do not, and are not left saying: "He gave us a taste, only to execute us before even eating" and with respect to the point of not nullifying the sovereignty of His Ulûhiyyah, and not to allow or leave anyone compelled to deny His infinite rahmah, and not to turn all His longing friends into enemies through depriving them in this way, indeed and of a certainty, He has prepared out of His eternal treasuries of rahmah, eternal Jannahs with eternal fruit-bearing trees and flowering plants appropriate to Jannah, in an eternal ‘âlam, in an eternal realm for His ‘abds to remain eternally. For those here are merely samples to demonstrate to customers.” The Rays (62)

 

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

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

             

O, man! Since the haqiqah is thus, give up pride and ananiyyah. At the Court of Ulûhiyyah, proclaim your impotence and weakness with the language of seeking help, your poverty and need with the language of entreaty and du'â and show that you are an ‘abd. And say 6 حَسْبُنَا اللهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ and rise.

The Twenty-Third Word/Second Discussion/3rd Subtle Point

 

 

Nafs wants itself to be free and independent and considers itself to be thus. By fitrah, it even desires an imaginary rubûbiyyah and to act as it pleases. It does not want to think that it is being rendered tarbiyyah through boundless ni’mahs. Especially, if he possesses wealth and power in this world, and if ghaflah also assists, he usurpingly and thievingly devours the ni’mah of Allah like an animal.

Thus, in the Noble Ramadhan, from the richest to the poorest, everyone’s nafs understands that he is not the owner but is owned as an absolute property; he is not free but is an ‘abd. Since he cannot do the simplest and easiest thing, he cannot even stretch out his hand to the water if he is not commanded, its imaginary rubûbiyyah is shattered; it assumes ‘ubûdiyyah and begins to shukr which is its true duty...

...Nafs does not want to recognize its Rabb; it wants rubûbiyyah like Pharaoh. However much torment it is caused to be suffered, that vein remains in it. However, that vein is shattered through hunger.

Thus, the sawm in the Noble Ramadhan strikes the pharaoh front line of the nafs and shatters it. It demonstrates its impotence, weakness and poverty. It makes it realize that it is an ‘abd.

 The Risale on Ramadhan

 

There is no comparison between the principle “Through being endowed with the morals of Allah, turning towards Janâb-i Haqq submissively, recognizing your impotence, poverty and fault, be an ‘abd in His presence.” through the ruleتَخَلَّقُوا بِاَخْلاَقِ اللّٰهِ 7 which is one of the results of the principles of the nubuwwah concerning the individual life... and the boasting rule of philosophy which is: “Try to resemble Al-Wâjib Al-Wujûd” through the rule of "To become like Al-Wâjib is mankind's extremity of perfection.

 The Thirtieth Word

 

“For whoever is not a true ‘abd of Janâb-i Haqq will imagine that he owns himself. But with his juz’ al-ikhtiyârî and his petty power and strength, he is unable to administer and control his being in this tempestuous world. He sees thousands of different sorts of enemies attacking his life, from harmful microbes to earthquakes. In an awesome state of painful fear, he looks towards the door of the grave, that at all times appears dreadful to him. While in this state, man will also be troubled by the state of the world and of mankind, for as a human being he is attached to both. But, he does not conceive them to be in the control of One Hakîm, ‘Alîm, Qadîr, Rahîm and Karîm, and has attributed them instead to chance and to nature. And so, together with his own pains, he suffers also the pains of the world and of mankind. Earthquakes, plagues, storms, famine and scarcity, separation and perishment; all of this torments him most painfully and somberly.” The Words (662 )

 

“du'â is an ‘ibâdah. Through du'â, the ‘abd proclaims his own impotence and poverty. The apparent aims are the times of the du'â and that ‘ibâdah of du'â; they are not the true benefits. The benefits of ‘ibâdah look to the âkhirah. If the worldly aims are not obtained, it may not be said: "The du'â was not accepted." It should rather be said: "The time for the du'â has still not ended." The Letters ( 356 )

 

“If you are an ‘abd to Allah, everything is subjugated to you. If you are not, everything is hostile toward you.” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (182)

 

“if the bestowal of hidâyah and îmân on someone who experiences the ghastly ma’nawî pains of dhalâlah is considered from the point of view of Tawhîd, the pre-eternal and unfading beauty of One Karîm and Muhsin becomes apparent on the face of that supreme gift, which transforms the insignificant, transitory, and impotent man into the ‘abd-addressee of the One Ma’bûd, Al-Khâliq and Sultân of all the universe, and through his îmân bestows on him -and on all mu’mins according to their degree- eternal happiness and a broad and splendid everlasting world and property. One flash of that beauty makes all the people of îmân companions to itself and makes the pure ones fall in ‘ashq.” The Rays (16 )

 

“through the relation of ‘ubûdiyyah and servanthood, you become connected to and are recorded in the wage book of a Mâlik Who is Karîm, Who every spring and summer sets out and removes a hundred times over tables bearing a multiplicity of foods, producing them out of nothing from unexpected places and the dry earth. It is as though the years and the days are all receptacles for the fruits of bounty and foods of Rahmah that appear in unending succession. They are exhibitions for the degrees of bestowal, universal and particular, of a Razzâq Who is Rahîm. You are the ‘abd of an Absolute Ghanî Who is thus. If you are aware of your being as an ‘abd, your grievous poverty will be transformed into pleasurable appetite.” The Rays ( 75 )

 

“He is Al- Ghanî Who is Mughnî and in His Hand are the keys to everything. If you become His sincere ‘abd and look to the universe, you will see your Mâlik’s sovereignty and magnificence and find relief. You will come to view the universe as if it was your property that you own without trouble and the perishing of which would not grieve you. A sincere servant of the Sultân who is annihilated in His love becomes proud of whatever belongs to Him.” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (184-185)

 

“O my nafs al-ammarah, be an ‘abd to whomever you wish and claim whatever you wish. As for me, I am the ‘abd of only Him, He who has created me and subjected to me the sun, the moon, the earth and the trees. I ask help only of He Who conducts me on the plane of life moving through the space of all-encompassing qadar and has subjected to me the spaceship among the planets. I ask help only of He Who makes me mount the train of time travelling with the speed of lightning through the tunnel opened up under the mountain of life towards the gate of the grave along the way to all eternity. Sitting on it with His permission, I recall Him in the compartment of this day connected to both yesterday and tomorrow.

I call and ask help only of He Who can stop the wheel of destiny, which apparently moves the ship of earth, and stop the movement of time by reuniting the sun and the moon. I ask help only of He Who, by transforming this world into another world, can steady this changing earth rolling down from the summits of existence into the depths of the valleys of perishment and decay. My ambition and aims are connected with all things. My ambitions are related to time’s passage and the earth’s movement. I also feel a deep connection with the joys and sorrows of all beings, particularly of humanity and especially with the sâlihs in the samâwât and on earth.

So I perform ‘ibâdah only to He Who is aware of my heart’s most secret thoughts and satisfies its least ambition and inclination. By qiyâmah and changing the world into the âkhirah, He realizes the desire of my mind and imagination, namely, to establish eternal happiness for humanity. His “Hand” reaches the tiniest particle and the largest sun at the same instant, and nothing is too big for His qoudrah to encompass. He is such that your pain changes into pleasure if you know Him, and that without Him all ‘ilm change into wahm and hikmah into calamity and illness...

Without His nûr, existence changes into non-existence, nûr into darkness, living creatures into dead things, pleasure into pain and sin, and beloved ones into enemies. Without Him, permanence becomes a disaster, perfection goes for nothing, life is wasted and becomes a torment, the mind becomes a means of suffering and misery, and wishes become a pain.

Those who become an ‘abd and servant of Allah are served by everything; those who disobey Allah find everything turned against them. This is also true for those who have idh'ân and îmân to that; all existence -without exception- belong to Him and are His property.” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (156-157)

 

“If Janâb-i Haqq loves an ‘abd of His, He makes him feel disgusted with the world, showing it to be ugly.” The Letters ( 330 )

 

“Whereas for those employed in service of the Qur'an, either the world must be vexed with them, or they must be vexed at the world so that they can perform service of the Qur’an with ikhlas and earnestly.” The Flashes ( 71 )

 

Weakness Emboldens the Enemy;

Allah May Test His ‘Abd, But The ‘Abd May Not Test His Allah

O fearful, weak one! Your fear and weakness are futile; they embolden outside influences and attract them against you.

O who has wahm and suffers from waswasa! Definite benefits may not be sacrificed for imaginary harms. What you need is action; the result is with Allah.

One may not interfere in Allah's works. He draws His ‘abd to the arena of trial and says: "If you do that, I'll do this."

But the ‘abd can never test his Allah. If he says: "My Rabb should help, so I'll do this," he is overstepping his mark.

Shaytan said to ‘Îsâ (as): "Since it is He Who does everything; Qadar is one and does not change. Throw yourself down off the mountain and let's see what happens to you."

‘Îsâ (as) replied: "O you cursed! The ‘abds of Ar-Rabb cannot put Him to the test!" The Words ( 751 )

                                                                 

Although those who work and strive on the way of Haqq should think only of their own duties, they think of those that pertain to Janâb-i Haqq, and fall into error by basing their actions on them. It is written in the risale on Adabu'd-Din wa'd-Dunyâ, that one time Shaytan tempted Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm saying: "Since the appointed hour of death and all things are specified by Ilahî Qadar, throw yourself down from this high place, and see, you will die." Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm replied: اِنَّ لِلّٰهِ اَنْ يَخْتَبِرَ عَبْدَهُ وَلَيْسَ لِلْعَبْدِ اَنْ يَخْتَبِرَ رَبَّهُ   That is, "Janâb-i Haqq tests his ‘abd and say: If you do this I will do that. Let's see, if you are able to do it. But the ‘abd does not have the right and power to test Janâb-i Haqq and says: If I act that way, will You do this? in such a testing manner the demeanour of examination toward Janâb-i Haqq’s rubûbiyyah is bad adab and contrary to ‘ubûdiyyah." Since this is the haqiqah, man should do his own duty and not interfere in Janâb-i Haqq's duty.

It is well-known that when one of the heroes of Islam who many times defeated Genghis Khan’s army, Jalal ad-Din Khwarazm-Shah, was going to the war, his ministers and followers said to him: "You will be victorious; Janâb-i Haqq will make you victor." He replied: "I am charged by Allah's command to act on the way of jihâd, I do not interfere in Janâb-i Haqq's duty. To make us victor or vanquished is His duty." Thus, due to understanding the mystery of submission (taslîm), he was wondrously victorious in numbers many times.

Yes, one should not think of the results which pertain to Janâb-i Haqq in his actions which he performs through juz’ al-ikhtiyârî in his hand. For example, for a number of our brothers, the people joining the Risale-i Nur increases their enthusiasm and zeal. And when the people do not listen, the ma’nawî power of the weak ones is broken and their enthusiasm wanes to an extent. Whereas Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm, who is the Absolute Ustadh, Universal Leader and Perfect Guide, took as his absolute guide the Ilahî decree, وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ اِلاَّ الْبَلاَغُ 8 and when people held back and did not listen, he did tablîgh with greater effort, zeal and seriousness. For through the mystery of the âyah, اِنَّكَ لاَ تَهْدِى مَنْ اَحْبَبْتَ وَلٰكِنَّ اللهَ يَهْدِى مَنْ يَشَۤاءُ 9 he understood that making people listen and giving hidâyah to them is the duty of Janâb-i Haqq. And he did not interfere in Janâb-i Haqq's duty.

And so, my brothers! You too do not interfere by basing your actions on what is not your duty, and do not take up a position testing your Khâliq!

 The Seventeenth Flash/Thirteenth Note

 

“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. He presented an eternal everlasting haqiqah and turned the attention of those who perform ‘ibâdah to the transient beings to them.

He performed with excellence in the performance of his duty of ‘ubûdiyyah. He was also deeply conscious of his own faults as a human being-viewing his own shortcomings and weaknesses as greater than anyone else’s, and as such pleading out of his impotence (ajz)  and poverty (faqr) in the court of Rahmah for the happiness and rahmah of humanity. He was an honourable ‘abd content in his poverty. For he says, “If I can save the îmân of one person, then even the Jahannam will be a garden of roses for me.”           

Not only did he destroy the idols of pride and ananiyyah in his nafs, but he also gained recognition from both friend and foe for obliterating the idols set up in the ‘âlam by the people who perform ‘ibâdah to nature.

Thus all the writings that convey their appreciation of Bediuzzaman are due to these factors.” Biography (29)

 

O my nafs! If you make the life of this world your primary aim and work constantly for that, you will become the soldier of the smallest bird, the sparrow. But if you make the life of the âkhirah your primary aim, and this life the means of it and its tillage and strive accordingly, then you will be a great commander of the animals, an indulged and suppliant ‘abd of Janâb-i Haqq, His honoured and respected guest in this world.

Here are the two ways for you! You can choose whichever you wish... Ask for hidâyah and success from Arhamurrâhimîn...

The Fifth Word

 

 

وَمِنَ اللهِ التَّوْفِيقُ

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ