بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

BID’AH-INNOVATION - 3

Contents:

1:The effect of social life on individuals.

2:The excuse and the purposes of the people of bid’ah.

3:The result of supporting or acting upon bid’ahs. Nur student’s duty and the way of action in the âkhirzaman.

 

The effect of social life on individuals

The corruptions described in the compilations of Bid’ah-1 and 2 are the most general and worst bid’ahs of this age. To repair this destruction, the Risale-i Nur makes us realize the negative effect of social life by showing it from the point of view of sociology and makes us abstain from that fitnah through being aware of it. The following parts are some warnings about these negative effects of the corrupted community;

“Through casting off the dress of this vile civilization on its dark shore, entering the seas of time, boarding the ship of history and siyar, emerging to the arena of the Arabian Peninsula and Era of Bliss, and visiting the Fakhr al-‘âlam1 at his duties, we know that he is a proof of Tawhîd so brilliant that he illuminates the entire globe and the two faces of the past and the future, and disperses the darkness of kufr and dhalâlah.” The Words ( 296 )

 

“KNOW, O FRIEND, that time and space greatly influence human reasoning and thought. So, let’s free ourselves of these constraints and travel back in time to the Arabian peninsula during the Age of Bliss….” Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri (21)

As a comparison of the Islamic community and fitnah community of this time;

Just as different merchandise are sought after in the market according to the season. From time to time, different merchandise is in demand. So in the exhibition of the ‘âlam and the market of human social life and civilization of mankind, every age, different merchandise is sought after and in demand; it is displayed in the market of that age; it attracts demands, gazes turn toward it, minds are drawn by it. For example, at the present time, the demand for merchandise of politics, securing the worldly life and philosophy... And at the age of Salaf as-Sâlihîn and in the market of that time, the most sought-after merchandise was deducing from the Word of Khâliq of the samâwât and the earth, His wishes from mankind and the things with which He will be pleased, and through the nûr of nubuwwah and the Qur'an, obtaining the means to gain eternal happiness in the ‘âlam of the âkhirah, which had been opened to such a degree it could not be closed…

...At this time, due to the domination of European civilization and the hegemony of natural philosophy and the conditions of worldly life becoming heavy, minds and hearts have become scattered, and endeavour and attention divided. Minds have become strangers to the ma’nawî matters.

The Twenty-Seventh Word

A conscience that understands and accepts these and similar warnings from the Risale-i Nur will not surrender to the fitnah.

“it is striving to cure with the medicines of the Qur’an and îmân and with the Qur’an’s miraculousness, the collective heart and generally-held ideas that have been breached in awesome fashion by the tools of corruption prepared and stored up over a thousand years, and the general conscience which is facing corruption through the destruction of the foundations, currents, and shaâ’er of Islam which are the refuge of all and the ‘awâm of mu’mins in particular.” Kastamonu Addendum (38)

That is, the fitnah of this time disrupts the feelings of conscience which are the essential fitrah. A true Nur student is charged with the duty to know these haqiqahs and make others know them. Because this duty is one of the essential duties of the Risale-i Nur.

 

The excuses and the purposes of the people of bid’ah

“The people of bid’ah say: "Religious zealousness made us backwards. Living this age is possible if one gives up zealousness. Europe advanced on giving up zealousness?"

The Answer: You are wrong and you have been deceived! Or else you are deceiving because Europe is zealous in religion. Tell an ordinary Bulgar, or an English soldier, or a French Jacobin: "Wear this sariq (turban), or else you shall be thrown into prison!", and their zealousness will force them to reply: "Not prison, if you kill me even, I won't insult my religion and nation in that way!"

Also, history testifies that whenever the people of Islam have adhered to their religion, they have progressed higher than that time. And whenever they have abandoned firmness in their religion, they have declined. Whereas, with Christianity, it is the opposite. This too has arisen from an essential difference.

Also, Islam cannot be compared with other religions. If a Muslim abandons Islam and abandons his religion, he cannot accept any other Prophet; indeed, he cannot acknowledge Janâb-i Haqq either and does not recognize any sacred thing and no conscience remains in him that will be the means to perfection, he will be putrified.

Therefore, in the view of Islam, in war, a kâfir has the right to life. If it is outside the country and he makes peace, or if it is inside the country and pays the head-tax, his life is protected according to Islam. But a murtad does not have the right to life. For his conscience is putrified and he becomes like poison in the life of society. But an irreligious amongst Christians may still be in a beneficial situation to the life of society. He may accept some sacred matters and may believe in some of the Prophets, and may assent to Janâb-i Haqq in some respects.

I wonder, what advantage do these people of bid’ah, or more accurately, people of ilhad, find in this irreligion? If they are thinking of government and public order, to govern ten irreligious vagrants who do not know Allah and to repulse their sharrs is much more difficult than governing a thousand people with religion. If they are thinking of progress, irreligious people like that are an obstacle to progress, just as they are harmful to the administration and government. They destroy security and public order, which are the basis of progress and commerce. In truth, they are destructive due to the very way they have taken. The biggest fool in the world is he who expects progress, prosperity, and happiness from irreligious vagrants like them. One of those fools who occupied a high position, said: "We said 'Allah! Allah!' and remained backwards. Europe said 'Guns and cannons,' and advanced."

According to the rule, "a fool should be answered with silence," the answer for such people is silence. But because behind certain fools, there are inauspicious ghâfils, we say this:

O you wretches! This world is a guest-house. Every day thirty thousand witnesses put their signature to the decree  اَلْمَوْتُ حَقٌّ "Death is a haqq" with their corpses, and they testify to the assertion. Can you kill death? Can you contradict these witnesses? Since you can't, death causes people to say: "Allah! Allah!". In the sakarât which of your guns and cannons can illuminate the everlasting darkness in place of "Allah! Allah!", and transform absolute despair of the one who is in sakarât into absolute hope? Since there is death and we shall enter the grave, and this life departs and an eternal life comes, if guns and cannons are said once, "Allah! Allah!" should be said a thousand times. And if it is in Allah's way, the gun also says "Allah!", and the cannon booms "Allahu Akbar!" It breaks the fast with "Allah," and starts it...” The Twenty-Ninth Letter/Seventh Section/2nd Sign

 

“Bediuzzaman’s significant achievements in Istanbul began to attract the attention of the central government in Ankara. The central government invited him to visit Ankara for an official acknowledgement of his valuable services. Despite being invited by M. Kemal Pasha his reply was: “I prefer to continue my struggle in the danger zones. I do not like fighting in trenches. I see here to be more at danger than Anatolia.”

The invitation was sent three times through encrypted messaging. Only when it was delivered by his close friend Tahsin Bey, the former governor of Van who was now a member of parliament, Bediuzzaman accepted the invitation and set off to Ankara. When arrived to Ankara he was greeted with applause. However, Bediuzzaman did not find the atmosphere he had hoped for. He decided to stay in a quarter called Haji Bayram. When he entered parliament he saw that, due to the pretext of westernisation, parliamentarians had drawn distant from the shaâ’er of Islam, which was the cornerstone of national identity and honour for the Turks. Most had become indifferent towards religion. So he prepared a pamphlet to be circulated amongst the members of parliament outlining the significance and necessity of remaining firm in the practice of ‘ibâdah, particularly the salâh. And Kazim Karabekir Pasha read out a copy to M. Kemal. The pamphlet read as follows:…

…You have pleased al-‘âlam of Islam and have gained its love and respect. However, the continuation of that respect and love is dependent on the iltizâm of Islam’s shaâ’er. For it is with respect to Islam that Muslims show you their love.

…Al-‘âlam of kufr has been attacking al-‘âlam of Islam with all their means, civilisation, philosophy, science and missionaries and has continued their material domination over them for a long time. Despite all this, they have not been able to dominate over al-‘âlam of Islam religiously. Also at a time when all domestic dhalâlah fractions within Islam have been contained harmful minorities and Islam has preserved its strength and courage from the Sunnah and the jamâ’ah; a neglectful current of bid'ah which flowed from the wicked civilisation of Europe will find no way to settle within it. Thus within al-‘âlam of Islam, success in any activity can only be achieved by adherence to Islamic principles. There is no other way. Neither has there been in the past. Even if there has been it has faded away quickly…

…The meaning of the sultanate has been entrusted to the power inherent in the ma’nawî character of this assembly. If this assembly does not undertake the role of representing the khilâfah by fulfilling the shaâ’er of Islam and encourage the people to fulfil them, it will be letting down the religious needs of this nation. Despite needing only four things to live on, the people of this nation whose fitrah has not been corrupted and who has never forgotten the needs of their rûh, depend on religion at least five times a day through the established customs. As a consequence, the people (will have no choice but to) attribute the role of the khilâfah, to the name, image and title agreed to by this assembly. They will support and give strength to it due to that role. Where such a power which is not sourced by the hands of this assembly and is not delivered by it will cause disunity. As for disunity, it is contrary to the âyah وَ اعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللّٰهِ جَمِيعًا  … 

…You know that your eternal enemies, opposition and opponents are destroying the shaâ’er. Therefore, your essential duty lies in reviving and protecting the shaâ’er. Otherwise, you will be unconsciously helping the conscious enemy. To attach no importance to the shaâ’er will demonstrate the weakness of the nation. As for weakness, it will not seize the enemy, it will increase its courage.  حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَ نِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ Biography (149-150-151 ) 

 

As a consequence of the instruction they receive from jinn shaytans, human shaytans want to deceive the self-sacrificing servants of Hizb al-Qur'an3 by means of the love for rank and position and to make them give up the sacred service and ma’nawî elevated jihâd. It is as follows:

Within man and in each individual of ahl ad-dunyâ, boastfulness and ambition for fame, which are called the love of rank and position, and being seen by the people in a manner of riyâ and holding a position in the public view, which are called dignity and honour, are mostly present to a lesser or greater extent. On account of that desire’s sake, the feeling of worshipping fame drives a person to the degree of sacrificing his life even. This feeling is extremely dangerous for people of the âkhirah; it is a tribulation for ahl ad-dunyâ too; it is also the source of many bad morals and is man's weakest vein.

That is, in order to seize a man and draw him to himself, he ties him to himself by flattering that feeling of his; he also defeats him with that feeling. My greatest fear for my brothers is the possibility of the people of ilhâd taking advantage of this weak vein of theirs. This state causes me much thought. By this way, they drew some unfortunate friends of mine who were insincere and put them in ma’nawî danger. {Note: With the thought “Our hearts are together with Ustadh”, those wretches suppose themselves not to be dangerous. Whereas a man who strengthens the current of people of ilhâd and is deceived by their propaganda, and perhaps who is in danger of unknowingly being used as a spy saying: “My heart is pure and loyal to the way of my Ustadh” resembles the following example: While performing the salâh, someone cannot hold his wind and expels it; his wudhû is invalidated. When he is told that his salâh is invalid, he says: "Why should my salâh be invalidated? My heart is pure."}

O my brothers and O my friends in the Qur'anic service! Say the following to the spies of the cunning ahl ad-dunyâ, or the propagandists of the people of dhalâlah, or the students of shaytan, who come from the aspect of the love for rank and position:

“Firstly, the acceptance and pleasure of Allah, favour of Ar-Rahmân and approval of Ar-Rabb are such a rank that the attention and commendation of men are a particle in comparison with them. If the attention of Rahmah is present that is sufficient. The attention of men is acceptable with respect to its being the reflection and shadow of the attention of Rahmah; otherwise, it is not something to be desired. Because it extinguishes at the door of the grave and is worth nothing!”

If the love for rank and position is not silenced and removed, it is necessary to turn its face to another aspect. It is as follows:

In consequence of the mystery of the following comparison, if it is for sawâb of the âkhirah and with the intention of gaining the du'â of the ummah, perhaps such feeling may have an aspect permitted by the Sharî’ah in point of the favourable effect of service:

For example, at a time when Aya Sophia Masjîd is full of honourable and blessed people from among the people of fadl and perfection, while there are one or two idle children and vagrant immoral men on the porch and door and foreign spectators worshipping amusement on the windows and around them, if a man enters the masjîd and is included into that jamâ’ah and recites a portion of ten âyahs from the Qur'an with a sweet and beautiful voice, the gazes of thousands of the people of haqiqah turn to him and they cause him to gain sawâb through their favourable regard and ma’nawî du'â. Only, this does not please the idle children, vagrant mulhids and one or two foreigners.

If he shouts out insolently vile and obscene songs, dances and jumps when he entered the blessed masjîd and into such esteemed jamâ’ah, he will cause the idle children to laugh and will please the vagrant immoral men since he encourages them to obscene acts and words; he will attract the mockingly smiles of foreigners, who receive pleasure at seeing the fault of Islam. But he will attract a look of disgust and contempt from all individuals of the esteemed and blessed jamâ’ah. In their view, he will appear vile to the degree of falling to the asfal sâfilîn.

Exactly like this example; the ‘âlam of Islam and Asia is an immense masjîd; the people of îmân and haqiqah within it are the honourable jamâ’ah in that masjîd. As for the idle children, they are boothlickers having the mind of a child. As for the vagrant immoral men, they are irreligious men who follow Europe and have no nation. As for the foreign spectators, they are the journalists who disseminate the ideas of foreigners. Each Muslim, especially if he is from among the people of fadl and perfection, has a place in this masjîd according to his degree; he is seen and the attention turns towards him. If regarding ikhlas and the acceptance and pleasure of Allah, which are the fundamental mystery of Islam, the actions and deeds concerning the rules and sacred haqiqahs that Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm teaches appear from him, and if the language of his being recites the âyahs of the Qur'an, in a ma’nawî manner, he will be included in and will have a share of the du'â 4 اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَات , which is a constant wird of each individual in the âlam of Islam and he will become connected to all of them in a brotherly fashion. Only, his value will not be seen by some of the people of dhalâlah, who are from among the species of detrimental animals, and by some fools, who are bearded children.

By abandoning all his ancestors, who he knows as the source of honour, all of his past, who he knows as the source of pride, and the luminous highway of Salaf as-Sâlihîn, which he considers to be the point of support in his rûh, if that man performs actions and works in the way of bid’ah and riyâ, and by being the slave to his fancies, following his desires and nourishing the love for fame, he will fall, in a ma’nawî manner, to the lowest position in the view of all the people of haqiqah and îmân. According to the mystery ofاِتَّقُوا فِرَاسَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَاِنَّهُ يَنْظُرُ بِنُورِ اللّٰهِ5 , however ordinary and ignorant the people of îmân are, although their mind does not understand, if their heart sees such boastful men, they will look coldly and hate in a ma’nawî manner.

Thus, the man mad with the love for rank and position and afflicted with worshipping fame — the second man — descends to the asfal sâfilîn in the view of the immense jamâ’ah. He gains a temporary and evil position in the view of some insignificant, mocking vagrants who talk nonsense. According to the mystery of 6 َاْلاَخِلاَّءُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ اِلاَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ , he finds a few false friends, who are harm in the world, torment in the barzakh and enemies in the âkhirah.

The first man in the example, even if he does not remove the love for rank and position from his heart, attains a sort of ma’nawî rank permitted by the Sharî’ah on condition that he takes ikhlas and the acceptance and pleasure of Allah as his principle and does not accept the love of position and rank as his aim; he attains a glorious rank at which he will perfectly satisfy the vein of the love of rank and position. This man loses something insignificant, very insignificant, but he finds numerous valuable and harmless things in its place. Indeed, he makes a few snakes run away from himself but finds numerous blessed creatures in their place; he becomes familiar with them. Or he makes stinging wild hornets run away but draws bees, the blessed makers of sweet beverages of rahmah, to himself. As though eating honey at their hand, he finds such friends that through their duâs, his rûh will always be made to drink the faydh like the water of Kawthar from all around the ‘âlam of Islam and those faydh will be made to record on his book of good deeds.

The Twenty-Ninth Letter/The Sixth Section/1st Wile

 

The result of supporting or acting upon bid’ahs.

Nur student’s duty and the way of action in the âkhirzaman.

The bid’ahs in former centuries were mixed in some of the personal ‘ibâdahs. In our age, bid’ahs are mostly in social life, and especially are mixed in the prohibitions of religion. Therefore, Bediuzzaman included supporting the bid’ahs, which are harmful to religion, in the seven of the greatest kabâir in Barla Lahikası page 335.

Certain men among our brothers like Çaprazzade Abdullah Efendi asked me: “Related to ahl al-kashf, although it was told that this last Ramadhan a relief from difficulties and a victory were going to occur for Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah, it did not occur. Why do such people of walâyah and kashf give news that is contrary to reality?” A summary of the answer I gave them, which suddenly occurred to my heart, is this:

It is reached in the Noble Hadith: "Sometimes the calamity descends; sadaqa confronts and repels it on the way." The mystery of this Hadith shows that while events appointed by the qadar are going to occur through certain conditions, they do not occur. That is to say, the events appointed by qadar, which the people of kashf are informed, are not absolute but rather restricted by certain conditions; on those conditions not being occurred, the event does not occur. But that event, like the undecided appointed time for the end of one's life , has been written and determined in the Lawh al-mahw and ithbât, which is a sort of notebook of the Lawh al-Azalî. Rarely, kashf reaches as far as Lawh al-Azalî. Most of them cannot reach that far.

Thus, as a consequence of this mystery, the news given as a result of extractions or the sort of kashf on this last Noble Ramadhan and ‘Eid al-Adha or at other times did not occur because the conditions on which they were dependent were not fulfilled; they do not give the lie to those who told of them. For they were determined but did not occur before the conditions having fulfilled.

Yes, in the month of Noble Ramadhan, the sincere du'â of the majority of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamâ'ah for the removal of bid’ahs was a condition and important reason. Unfortunately, since bid’ahs entered the masjîd in the Noble Ramadhan, they built a barrier to the acceptance of the du'âs, and the release from difficulties did not arrive. Just as according to the mystery of the above Hadith, sadaqa repels calamities, so does the sincere du'â of the majority attract a general release from difficulties. Since the power of attraction did not come into being, victory also was not given.

The Sixteenth Flash-The First

 

Lack of rain is a calamity; it is a torment that is in accordance with the punishment of the deed. Therefore, responding it should be through weeping, begging with sadness, grief, entreaty, sorrow, deep remorse, tawbah and istighfâr and seeking refuge at the court of Allah, offering du'â and performing ‘ubûdiyyah particular to that state within the circle of the Sunnah As-Saniyyah, without mixing bid’ahs and in the manner determined by the Sharî’ah.

Moreover, since such general calamities come as a result of the mistake of the majority, they will be removed by the tawbah, remorse and istighfâr of most of those people — the majority of them.

The Emirdağ Addendum-1 (32)

 

What is the reason for this calamity, which arises from the wrongdoings of some individuals, taking the form of a general calamity in the country to a degree?

The Answer: From the point of general calamity being aroused from the wrongdoings of the majority, since most people, in a ma’nawî manner, participate in the actions of those dhâlim individuals by supporting them through their actions, by having iltizâm for the actions of those dhâlim individuals, or by joining them, they cause the general calamity.

The Addendum to the Fourteenth Word

 

“[It was requested by some friends that a principle concerning visitors be explained. Which is the reason why this is written.]

It should be known that: Those who visit me will either come in respect to worldly life in which that door is closed or, they come in respect to the life of the âkhirah. In that respect there are two doors: they either come supposing my person to be blessed and of ma’nawî rank. That door too is closed. For I do not admire myself, and neither do I appreciate those who admire me. All shukr to Janâb-i Haqq that He has not made me admire myself. In the second aspect, they come purely in respect of my being the herald of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm. Those who enter by this door, I accept with the greatest pleasure. They too are of three sorts: they are either friends, or brothers, or students.

The characteristic and condition of a friend are these: He must definitely be earnestly supportive in the works and services connected with the Words and the nûrs of the Qur’an. He should not support injustice, bid’ahs or dhalâlah in heartfelt fashion, and he should work to benefit from them for himself.

The characteristic and condition of a brother are these: The five fardh salâhs are to be performed and the seven kabâir are not to be committed together working to disseminate the Words truly and earnestly.

The characteristic and condition of a student are these: To feel and to stand forth as a protector as though the Words are his own property, and is a work composed by himself, and to consider that the most important duty of his life is the dissemination and service of them.

These three levels are connected with my three personalities. A friend is connected with my individual and essential personality. A brother is connected with my personality which springs from my ‘ubûdiyyah and being ‘abd. And a student is connected with my personality of being the herald of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm and the duty of being hoja.

Such a meeting yields three fruits:

The First: In regard to being herald, it is to receive lessons concerning the jewels of the Qur'an either from myself or the Words. Even if it is only a single lesson.

The Second: In respect of ‘ibâdah, it is to have a share of my gains of the âkhirah.

The Third: It is to turn together towards the Ilahî Court by binding our hearts to Janâb-i Haqq, working together in the service of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm, and seeking success and hidâyah.

If it is a student, every morning he is with me in name, and sometimes also in imagination, and receives a share.

If it is a brother, he is with me in my du'âs and gains several times with his particular name and form, and receives a share. Then he is included among all the brothers, and I hand him over to Ilahî rahmah, for when I say "my brothers and sisters" in du'â, he is among them. If I do not know them, Ilahî rahmah knows them and sees them.

If it is a friend, and performs the fardh and gives up kabâir, he is included in my du'âs among all the brothers. The condition is that these three categories include me in their ma’nawî du'âs and gains.” The Twenty-Sixth Letter/Fourth Topic/Tenth Matter

 

“Events have given us the firm conviction that in this country, the service of religion outside the Risale-i Nur’s circle can be partial, minor and just individual scale, by working secretly in a defeated fashion, or by way of showing tolerance to bid’ahs, or through forced interpretations from amongst thousands of deliberate distortions (of primary sources).” Biography (509-510)

 

“The Risale-i Nur is not a single circle, it has levels like concentric circles. There are levels within it such as the pillars, custodians, the elect, the disseminators, students and supporters. Those who are not deserving to be in the circle of pillars - on condition they are not supportive of opposing currents - cannot be expelled from the circle. Those who do not carry the characteristics of the elect - on condition they do not enter a contrary method - can become a student. Those who act with

 bid’ah- on condition they are not supportive of it in their heart - can become friends.” Kastamonu Addendum (272)

 

“We are grateful to those who perceive our faults to us and point them out to us. On condition it is haqiqah, we feel indebted to them and pray for them say “may Allah be pleased with you”. If there was a scorpion on our neck and it was picked up and thrown away before it bit us, how relieved we would be? In the same way, we will accept our faults and feel indebted to those who point them out -on the condition that is not driven by grudge and obstinacy and on the basis that it does not assist bid’ahs and dhalâlah.” Biography (506)

 

“A proof that in this attack, the mufti who is from a tarîqah, the narrow-minded preacher and hoja and persons of tarîqah, and the important people from among the people of ‘ilm and tarîqah who have opposed and attacked Atif, have ultimately relied on the regime and its support and patronage, and that they have taken up the position of standing against Atif’s method of defending the Sunnah as-Saniyyah; and that those who are antagonistic to the Risale-i Nur willingly or unwillingly support the zandaqa cause, is the following: This time in the judiciary’s questioning they said: “Atif the Kurd is working against the regime.” Which means that his opponents have relied on the regime.

So I told them: To reject the regime is neither our duty, nor do we have the power nor thought, and neither does the Risale-i Nur permit us to do so. But we do not agree to it, we do not live by it, and we do not desire it.” Kastamonu Addendum (291)

 

“This is the Elder Hâfidh Zühdü. At a time he was like a supervisor to the Nur students in Agrus,  he undertook the teaching a serious bid’ah in the hope of gaining stature in the eyes of ahl ad-dunyâ by not considering sufficient the ma’nawî honour of the students who had taken as their way the following of the Sunnah as-Saniyyah and avoiding bid’ahs. He perpetrated an error which is completely opposed to our way. He received an awesome compassionate slap. An incident occurred that completely destroyed his family's honour. Unfortunately, Hâfidh Zühdü the Younger was also affected by this grievous incident although he was not deserving of any slap. Inshallah, perhaps this incident will be like a beneficial surgical operation to give his heart to the Qur'an completely by ridding his heart from worldly attachment.” The Tenth Flash/The Ninth

 

“Moreover, the new works of certain ‘Ulamâ currently differ in their methods and approach and can harbour favourable views towards bid’ahs. And while the Risale-i Nur works to protect the haqiqahs of îmân against zandaqa, one of its duties is to also preserve the alphabet and scribing (hatt) of the Qur’an against bid’ahs. Due to some unknown and mysterious fancy, one of the elect students who actively taught Qur’anic alphabet and its scribing, obtained a copy of these works used by certain hojas to strike effective blows on the Quranic alphabet and its scribing under the veil of religious ‘ilm. Without my knowledge, while I was on the mountain, I felt an intense agitation towards those elect students. I later warned them. Alhamdulillah they were awakened and Inshaallah they have been completely saved.

My Brothers! Our method is not aggression, it is to defence; or is not destruction, it is to repair; and we do not dominate, we are obliged. Those attacking us are endless. They surely possess in their methods very important haqiqahs which are also our property. They are in no need of us to spread those haqiqahs as they already have thousands of followers who read and promote them. By running to assist them, the extremely important duties on our shoulders will be harmed, and it will lead to the disappearance of certain principles and exalted haqiqahs which need to be preserved and are devoted to particular groups.” Kastamonu Addendum (88)

 

“This is Muhâjir Hâfidh Ahmed. He himself said the following:

"Yes, I confess that I made a mistake in my ijtihad of my life in the âkhirah in connection with my service of the Qur'an. I had a wish that would cause me to be lax in my service, and I received a slap that was compassionate, but also severe and was kaffârah. It was like this: my Ustadh was not supporting the new inventions. {That is, bid’ahs opposed to the shaâ’er, like the Turkish adhan.} My mosque was next to his house and the Three Months were drawing close. If I had abandoned my mosque, both I would have forgone much reward, and the district would have grown accustomed to not praying. If I had not carried out the new practices, I would have been barred. So according to my ijtihad, I wanted my Ustadh, whom I loved more than my life, to temporarily move to another village. I did not know that if he moved, or went to another region, it would cause a temporary lapse in my service of the Qur'an. Just at that juncture, I received a slap. It was compassionate but so awesome that three months later I still have not regained my senses. However, Lillahilhamd, according to what my Ustadh says, it was imparted to him that we may hope from Ilahî rahmah that each minute of the calamity is equivalent to a day's ‘ibâdah. For the mistake was not due to enmity; the wish occurred to me only because I was thinking of my life in the âkhirah."The Flashes ( 72 )

 

“Also during oppressive times when the shaâ'er of Islam were forcefully removed, most of the people felt the need to sacrifice those sacred shaâ'er for worldly comfort and acted in a manner that was harming religion. They issued fatwas contrary to Islam and were forced to adhere to bid'ahs. Despite living under oppression and threats of execution. Bediuzzaman did not change his language of being, his speech and his actions in even the minutest way.

If anything, he leapt at the opportunity to strive by saying "The time of death has been appointed, it does not change. Death is a charge from this transient ‘âlam to al-’âlam al-baqâ and al-‘âlam of Nûr".

As though bringing back a manifestation of the Era of Bliss, for thirty years he continued to write and disseminate his works which identified and stopped the bid'ahs, upheld the shaâ'er of Islam and revived the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. He chose a life of torturous seclusion to avoid living against the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. For thirty years the irreligious and an unprecedented and oppressive regime which ruled over millions, could in no way rule Bediuzzaman. In fact, it was those oppressive dhâlims who were defeated by him.” Biography (761-762)

 

“Recently the concealed aggression of the people of ilhad has taken on the ugliest form; tyrannical aggression against the unfortunate people of îmân and against religion. In our private and unofficial place of ‘ibâdah which I myself repaired; with one or two close brothers during my private ‘ibâdah, our hidden adhan and iqâmah were interrupted. "Why are you reciting the iqâmah in Arabic and making the adhan secretly?" they asked. My patience was exhausted in keeping silent. So I say, not to those unscrupulous vile men who are not worth addressing, but to the heads of the Pharaoh-like committee who with arbitrary despotism plays with the fate of this nation: O you people of bid’ah and ilhad…” The Letters (502)

 

“those like Hafidh Mehmed and Sayyid Shafik, with their firmness in religion and refusal to bow before their dead leader and his picture, and their not displaying any support for ilhad and bid'ahs. You should also take into your consideration and mashwarah the extreme necessity of emergence of the Risale-i Nur from the veil of concealment and, in a great general matter, at a time of contest by itself in their centre, demonstrating to the hesitant and bewildered people of îmân that they are attached to an unshakeable and invincible haqiqah through finding its students behind not running away.” The Rays ( 351 )

 

“Beware, never criticise with the Jum’a (Friday) prayers and Jamâ’ahs that follow a hoja. Even if you do not attend yourselves, do not criticise those who partake in them. Although Imam Rabbani said that “Do not enter places in which there is bid’ah”, his purpose was to mean that there would be no merit in it; otherwise it does not mean that the salâh would be invalid. This is because certain people from among the Salaf as-Sâlihîn performed their salâh behind people like Yazid and Walid. If someone can commit a kabâir while travelling to the masjid and back, they should then remain in their homes.” Kastamonu Addendum (271)

 

“The âyah, which states that “the salâh should not be performed for munâfiqs after they die,” refers to the munâfiqs of that time who were known to be thus through Ilahî revelation. It does not mean that the salâh cannot be performed for people who are merely said to be munâfiqs or assumed to be. Anyone who pronounces “La Ilaha Illallah” is a people of the qibla. So long as they do not explicitly say the words of kufr, or if they do tawbah, the salâh may be performed for them. There are many Alawis in that village and some of them may become Râfizî, but even the worst of them should not be included in the haqiqah of munâfiq. The munâfiq has no belief, heart, or conscience. He opposes the Prophet (asm) like some zindiq now. The extremist Alawis and Shi’is however, do not oppose the Prophet (asm); they rather nurture ifrât love for the Âl al-bayt. They go to ifrât in the face of the munâfiq’s tafrît. When they exceed the bounds of the Sharî’ah they become not munâfiqs but ahl al-bid’ah; they become fâsiq, not get in zandaqa. It is enough that they do not attack Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthman, whom ‘Ali (Radiyallahu ‘anhum) held in respect for twenty years and accepted their rule when they held the position of Shaykh al-Islam, and that they hold those three Khalîfahs in respect as he did, and perform the fardh salâh.

Moreover, since through the testimony of al-Jaljalūtiyya, the Risale-i Nur students foremost Ustadh after the Prophet (asm) is Imam ‘Ali Radiyallahu ‘anhu, if the Shi’is and Alawis who claim to love him do not heed the lessons of the Risale-i Nur more than the Sunnis do, their claim to love the Âl al-bayt is false. Anyway, I heard several years ago that through the efforts of those Ali’s in that Alawi village, innocent children were writing out the Risale-i Nur, and spreading it. I even included the village in my du'â at that time. Inshallah, through the efforts of our brother Ali, who wants to be Imam there, and the endeavours of Brothers like Küçük Ali, the heir of the late Hâfidh Ali, my du'â for them will not be in vain, and the two groups in the village, the Sunnis and Alawi, will unite.” Emirdağ Addendum (93)

 

“Up to now I have thought only of the haqiqah of îmân and have said that the present is not the time of the tarîqah, bid'ahs do not permit it. But now it is necessary and essential that all the followers of the tarîqahs who are within the bounds of the Prophet’s (asm) Sunnah should regard the circle of the Risale-i Nur, which is the summary of all the twelve major tarîqahs and is their largest circle, as their own tarîqah circle, and enter it. The present time has shown this. Also, even the most sinful of the ahl al-tarîqah cannot embrace unbelief easily; their hearts are not defeated by it. Therefore they may become completely unshakable and true Nurjus. However, as far as is possible, they should not embrace bid'ahs or commit any serious sins that destroy the taqwâ.” Emirdağ Addendum (334-335)

 

“We have come to understand from Hasan Atif’s letter that he is truly working in every respect. In return for presenting as gifts, the mementoes of the pens of those he calls the Risale-i Nur’s mujâhids and efes, we say, may Janâb-i Haqq be eternally pleased with them. And among the many of his meaningful lines, I sensed a slight aggressiveness towards the people of bid’ah. The time, conditions and the Rislale-i Nur’s positive method, let alone actively engaging the people of bid’ah, does not permit us to even busy our thought and minds with them. Caution is required at all times. That sincere brother of ours will Inshaallah raise many sincere students there like himself.” Kastamonu Addendum  (275-276)

 

“My Brothers! You must be extremely careful and circumspect! Never argue with the hojas. As far as possible, behave in a conciliatory manner and don’t provoke their ananiyyah. Even if they support the bid'ahs, don’t annoy them. While faced with ghastly zandaqa, one should not aggravate the innovators and push them towards the irreligious. If you come across the hojas sent to provoke you, don’t allow them any opportunity to start an argument. Their objections under the mask of ‘ilm, are a trump in the hands of the munâfiqs.” Emirdağ Addendum (129-130)

 

“Now I am faced with a fait accompli. The order has arrived to give me a daily allowance of two and a half liras and to prepare a house for me again, fully furnished and according to my tastes. But my lifelong guiding principles of fifty to sixty years obliges me not to accept it. It’s true that for a couple of years in the Darü’l - Hikmeti’l-Islamiye I accepted a salary, but I gave most of it gratis to the nation by spending it on printing my books; I returned to the nation what belonged to it. If I now have to accept this so that harm should not come to you and to the Risale-i Nur, I shall put it by to return to the nation at a future date. I shall spend only what is absolutely necessary on myself, the minimum.

I heard that if I do refuse it, they, and especially those who were trying to fix the pension on my behalf, will be offended, and those who oppose me will say that I’m meeting my expenses from elsewhere. The wretched do not know the extraordinary barakah of frugality, and they have not seen that five kurush-worth of bread suffices me for two days and so are beset by completely baseless suspicions. If i do accept the pension, my life of seventy years will be offended, and it is possible that Imam ‘Ali Radiyallahu ‘anh will also be displeased with me, since making predictions of the present, he aimed blows at ‘âlims who embrace bid'ahs avidly seeking salaries and thus losing their ikhlas. It is possible too that the true, pure ikhlas of the Risale-i Nur will accuse me of being without ikhlas.” Emirdağ Addendum (38-39)

 

“Withal, do not attack to certain hojas due to their support of bid’ahs by supposing there are dharûrahs by compelling of the time. Do not strike at those unfortunates who unknowingly act on the supposition of 'there being dharûrah'. For this reason, we do not exert our force internally. Even if they are hojas, do not interfere with the unfortunate who act with dharûrah and opposes us. Despite previously being held out on my own against such opponents, I did not weary one bit, I was successful in that service of îmân; now there being millions of Nur students, by acting constructively I still endure all their insults and dhulms.

We do not look to the world. When we do look, we work as being an assistant to them. We assist the preservation of public order and security in a constructive way. With respect to haqiqahs like these, we must look with favour on the dhulm as they do to us even.” Emirdağ Addendum-2 (243)

 

By presenting the conditions of the present time as a pretext, there are works written that use certain rukhsah (exceptions) within the Sharî’ah in ways that lay the groundwork for a type of Wahhabism or Malamisim.8 Without extending it to the general public, it is nevertheless one of the primary responsibilities of the Risale-i Nur at all times to preserve the delicate yet important principles like the principle of walâyah, the principle of taqwâ, the principle of ‘azîmah and the principles of Sunnah as-Saniyyah which have reached us as a current from the haqiqahs of Islam. They are not to be abandoned by pressures of necessities (Dharurâh) and circumstantial fatwas.

 Kastamonu Addendum (88-89)

 

A Confidential Letter to Some of My Brothers

I will tell a subtle point of two noble hadiths to my brothers who become tired of writing, and during the Three Months, the months of ‘ibâdah, prefer other awrâd to write the Risale-i Nur, which is considered to be ‘ibâdah in five respects. {Note: We requested an explanation of the five sorts of ‘ibâdah which our Ustadh indicated in this valuable letter. The explanation we received is written below.

1. It is to perform the ma’nawî jihâd against the people of dhalâlah which is the most important jihâd.

2. It is to serve his ustadh by means of helping him in spreading the haqiqah.

3. It is to serve Muslims in respect of îmân.

4. It is to study for obtaining ‘ilm by means of the pen.

5. It is to perform ‘ibâdah in the form of tafakkur, one hour of which is sometimes equal to a year's ‘ibâdah.

Rüştü, Hüsrev, Re'fet}

The First: يُوزَنُ مِدَادُ الْعُلَمَاءِ بِدِمَاءِ الشُّهَدَاءِ [As he said (asm)] That is: "At the assembly for the last judgement, the ink spent by ‘ulamâ of haqiqah will be weighed with the blood of the shahîd; its value will be equal."

The Second: مَنْ تَمَسَّكَ بِسُنَّتِى عِنْدَ فَسَادِ اُمَّتِى فَلَهُ اَجْرُ مِاَةِ شَهِيدٍ [As he said (asm)] That is: "Those who adhere to and serve the Sunnah as-Saniyyah and haqiqahs of the Qur'an at the time of the invasion of bid'ahs and dhalâlahs can gain the reward of a hundred shahîds."

O, my brothers who are tired of writing due to the vein of laziness! And O my brothers who have an inclination to Sufi paths! These two hadiths together show that at a time such as this, a drop of the black nûr or the ink like the water of life flowing from the blessed, sincere pens serving the haqiqahs of îmân and mysteries of the Sharî’ah and Sunnah as-Saniyyah can give you the benefit of a hundred drops of the blood of shahîds on the day of the assembly for the last judgement. So work to gain it!

If you say: There is the word ‘âlim in the hadith; some of us are only scribers.

The Answer: One who reads these risales and lessons for a year through understanding and accepting can become an important ‘âlim possessing haqiqah of this time. And even if he does not understand them, since the Risale-i Nur students have a ma’nawî collective personality, indubitably that ma’nawî collective personality is an ‘âlim of this time. As for your pens, they are the fingers of that ma’nawî collective personality. In my own view, although I am not worthy of it, in consequence of your good opinion of me, at the point of being followers, you have given this poor man the position of being ustadh and ‘âlim, therefore, you have attached yourselves to me. Since I am unlettered and without the pen, your pens are considered mine; you will receive the reward indicated in the hadith. 

Said Nursî

Twenty-First Flash

 

“Ahl ad-dunyâ ask me: Why is it that you do not practice the principles of our civilization, our style of life and our manner of dressing? Does this mean you oppose us?” The Letters (92)

 

“If man consisted only of a physical body, and if he were to remain in this world forever without dying, and if the door of the grave were closed and if death could be killed, and duties were limited to the army and government officials, then your words make some sense. But since man does not consist of just a physical body. You cannot rip out the heart, tongue, mind (aql) and brain and its membranes in order to feed the physical body; they cannot be annihilated. They too required to be administered.

And since the door of the grave does not close, and since future anxiety of what lies beyond the grave is the most important matter of ever individual surely, the duties based on the respect and obedience of the people are not restricted to the social, political, and military duties relating only to the worldly life of nation. Indeed, just as it is a duty to provide a passport for travellers embarking on a trip, so too providing a passport to those travelling to eternity and to provide a nûr on that dark road is such a duty, that no other duty bears greater significance. This duty can only be denied, by denying death and denying and declaring to be lie the testimony of thirty thousand witnesses each day signing off and affirming the claim اَلْمَوْتُ حَقٌّ 9 with the seal of their corpses.

Since there are ma’nawî duties based on ma’nawî indispensable needs. And the most important among those duties is îmân; which is the passport paper for travelling on the journey to post-eternity, and a pocket-torch of the heart in the darkness of the barzakh, and îmân, the key to eternal happiness; it is the lessons of îmân and its reinforcement. Indeed, the people of ma’rifat who perform those duties will not with ingratitude count as nothing the Ilahî ni’mahs and the fadhîlah of îmân bestowed on to them in a manner of denying those ni’mahs and thereby descend to the level of fâsiq and the dissolute. They will not soil themselves with the bid'ahs and vices of the base. So my solitude you so dislike and which you consider being a violation of equality is all about this.” The Flashes (228-229 )

 

“And so, respected persons who have entered upon old age and who frequently recall death through its warnings! In accordance with the nûr of the lesson of îmân taught by the Qur'an, we should look favourably on old age, death, and illness, and even love them in one respect. Since we have an infinitely precious ni’mah like îmân, both old age is agreeable, and illness, and death. If there are disagreeable things, they are sins, vice, bid'ahs and dhalâlah.” The Flashes ( 304 )

 

“just as the tasbîhât of all creatures looks to the Name of Quddûs, so also does the Name of Quddûs require the cleanliness of all of them.{We must not forget that bad qualities, bâtil beliefs, sins and bid'ahs are all instances of ma’nawî dirt.}

It is because of this sacred connection of cleanliness that the Hadith, اَلنَّظَافَةُ مِنَ اْلاِيمَانِ 10 deems it to be a nûr of îmân. And the âyah, اِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ 11 shows that cleanliness is a means of attracting Ilahî love.” The Flashes ( 399 )

 

O my brothers of the âkhirah, and O my friends in the Qur'anic service! You do know and you should know that, in this world, in particular, in services pertaining to the âkhirah, the most important principle, the greatest strength, the most acceptable shafî’, the firmest point of support, the shortest way of haqiqah, the most acceptable ma’nawî du'â, the most karamât-full means of aims, the highest moral quality and the purest ‘ubûdiyyah is ikhlas. Since in ikhlas, there are many nûrs and much strength like the abovementioned points, and since at this dismaying time, against terrible enemies, in the face of severe oppression, amid attacking bid'ahs and dhalâlahs, an extremely heavy, great, general and sacred duty of îmân and Qur'anic service has been placed on our shoulders by the grace of Allah although we are very few, weak, poor and powerless, surely, with all our strength, we are compelled and charged to gain ikhlas more than anyone, and we are in extreme need of establishing the mystery of ikhlas in ourselves.

The Twenty-First Flash

 

Yes, the way is seen to be two. There is the possibility that those who part now from this way of ours, the great highway of the Qur’an, are unknowingly helping the power of irreligion that is hostile to us. InshâAllah, those who enter the sacred sphere of the Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition by way of the Risale-i Nur will always give strength to nûr, ikhlas and îmân, and will not fall into such pits.

The Twenty-First Flash/Your Fourth Principle

 

May Janâb-i Haqq save us and you from the alluring fitnah of this time and preserve us from them. Amen

 

 

رَبِّ اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ

وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ اَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ

سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ