بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ
One point, in particular, should be explained here. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi divides the Christian world like Europe and America into two groups, positive and negative. In accordance with the tidings of certain âyahs and hadiths, it is awaited that those ahl al-kitâb who fall into extreme ghaflah and forgot the âkhirah amidst the dissipation and dhalâlah but are not tied to the currents of irreligiousness will gradually join with the positive Christians. (Qur’an 4:159)
1. Positive and negative Europe:
Let it not be misunderstood. Europe is two: The first, I do not address this first Europe, which follows the sciences serving justice and equity and the crafts beneficial for the life of society through the faydh it has received from the true religion of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm. Rather, I address the corrupted second Europe that drives mankind to dissipation and dhalâlah by the naturalist philosophy's darkness and supposing civilisation's evils to be its virtues…
...Know, O second Europe! Holding a sick philosophy soiled with dhalâlah in your right hand and a dissolute and detrimental civilization in your left hand, you claim that the happiness of mankind is with these two!..
… O Europe, corrupted by dissipation and dhalâlah and distanced from the religion of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm! With your blind genius having a single eye like the Dajjal, you gifted this Jahannam-like state to the rûh of mankind. Then, you understood that it is such a disease that has no cure; it casts man from the a’lâ ‘illiyyin to the asfal sâfilîn and lowers him to the most unfortunate level of animals. The remedy you have found for this disease is the attractive playthings, sedative desires and fantasies of yours that serve to numb the senses temporarily. May this remedy of yours kill you, and it will kill!
The Seventeenth Flash-Fifth Note
2. On the explanations of the Hadiths concerning the level of the life of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhimassalâm, his being sent at the âkhirzaman and killing the Dajjal:
The hadiths, which mention the events that will occur in the future, being mutashabihât is a fundamental principle of religion. If those events were mentioned in the hadiths explicitly, the mystery of the man’s test and accountability would be harmed since everyone would have been compelled to believe. The free will of man would have been negated.1
The Third Level of Life is the level of life of Hazrat Idris and ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhimassalâm that through divesting the requirements of humanity, enters into a life like that of malâikah and acquires a luminous subtlety. In fact, they are present in the samâwât with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety of a mithâlî body2 and the luminosity of a body like the stars. The mystery of the Hadith in the meaning “At the âkhirzaman, Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm will come and will act with the Sharî’ah of Muhammad (asm)” is this: at the âkhirzaman, at a time when by being purified and divested of superstition, the religion of Christianity is going to transform into Islam against the current of kufr and denial of the Ulûhiyyah given by the Naturalist philosophy, just as the ma’nawî collective personality of Christianity kills the fearsome ma’nawî collective personality of irreligion with the sword of samâwî wahy, so does Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm — by representing the ma’nawî collective personality of Christianity — kill the Dajjal, who represents the ma’nawî collective personality of irreligion… That is, he will kill the idea of denial of Ulûhiyyah.
The First Letter
Since îmân and man's accountability are a test, a trial and a competition within the sphere of the will, secondary (nadharî) matters of religion that are veiled, profound and in need of minute examining and experiment surely cannot be evident. And they cannot be among dharûriyyah to the extent that everyone will affirm them necessarily so that the Abu Bakrs can rise to the a’lâ ‘illiyyin and the Abu Jahls descend to the asfal sâfilîn. If the will does not remain, there cannot be accountability. And for this mystery and hikmah, the miracles are given infrequently and rarely. Also, the signs of the qiyâmah that will be seen by eyes in the realm of accountability are veiled and only open to ta’wîl, like some mutashabihât of the Qur'an. Only because the rising of the sun from the west compels everyone to affirm to the degree of being evident, the door of tawbah will be closed; tawbah and îmân will no longer be accepted. Because the Abu Bakrs will be equal in affirmation with the Abu Jahls. Even Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm being sent down and his being ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm are known through the attentiveness of the nûr of îmân; everyone cannot know. Even fearsome figures such as Dajjal and Sufyan do not know themselves to be such.
The Fifth Ray-Introduction-1st Point
At the âkhirzaman, after ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm kills the Dajjal, the majority of mankind will enter the haqq religion. But it came through riwâyat that: "The qiyâmah will not occur so long as those who say “Allah! Allah!” remain on the face of the earth!" How after the majority of mankind has come to îmân, will the majority of mankind enter kufr?
The Answer: Those whose îmân is weak deem the matters of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm coming, acting with the Sharî’ah of Islam and killing the Dajjal, which are narrated in sahîh Hadith, to be improbable. If their haqiqah is explained, no place will remain to deem them to be improbable. It is as follows:
The meaning expressed by this Hadith and those Hadiths about the Sufyan and the Mahdi is this: at the âkhirzaman, two currents of irreligion will gain strength.
One of them: Under the veil of nifâq, a fearsome individual called Sufyan, who will deny the messengership of Ahmad (asm), will take the head of the people of nifâq and work to destroy the Sharî’ah of Islam. Against him, a luminous personage called Muhammad Mahdî from the Âl al-Bayt, who is tied to the luminous chain of Âl al-Bayt of the Prophet and who will take the head of the people of walayâh and the people of perfection, will kill and scatter that munâfiq current, which is the ma’nawî collective personality of Sufyan.
As for the second current: A current like that of Nimrod born of naturalist and materialist philosophy will gradually spread and gain strength at the âkhirzaman by means of materialist philosophy and reach a degree that will deny ulûhiyyah. Just as a savage man, who does not recognize the sultân and does not accept that the officials and individuals in the army are his soldiers, attributes a sort of sovereign and a kind of rulership to everyone and each soldier. In the same way, the individuals of that current, who deny Allah, attribute a rubûbiyyah to their nafs each of which is a little Nimrod. And as for the Dajjal, the greatest of them, who will take the head of them and will manifest terrible wonders from the sort of the events of spiritualism and hypnosis, he will go further and proclaim his ulûhiyyah by imagining his tyrannical and apparent rule to be a sort of rubûbiyyah. It is well-known how foolish buffoonery it is an impotent man, who is defeated by a fly and cannot create even a fly's wing, claiming ulûhiyyah.
Thus, at such a time, when that current seems to be very strong, the religion of true Christianity, which consists of the ma’nawî personality of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, will emerge. That is, it will descend from the samâ of the rahmah of Allah; the present religion of Christianity will purify in the face of that haqiqah, divest from superstitions and corruptions and unite with the haqiqahs of Islam; in a ma’nawî manner, Christianity will transform into a sort of Islam. And being guided by the Qur'an, such ma’nawî collective personality of Christianity will remain in the station of a follower and Islam in the station of being followed; as a result of this joining, the haqq religion will gain immense power.
By relying on the promise of a Qadîr over all things, a Mukhbir as-Sâdiq4 reported that Christianity and Islam, which were defeated by the current of irreligion when they were divided, as a result of the union while they have the capacity that will defeat and scatter the current of irreligion, the person of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, who is present in the ‘âlam of the samâwât with his human body, will take the head of that current of haqq religion. Since he has reported, it is haqq; since Al-Qadir over all things has promised it, He will certainly do it.
Yes, a Hakîm Zuljalâl, Who constantly sends the malâikah to the earth from the samâwât, and sometimes gives a human form to them (like Hazrat Jibril entering in the form of Dihya), and sends rûh-beings from al-‘âlam al-arwâh and makes them take the form of human and even sends the rûhs of the many deceased awliyâ to the world with a mithâlî body, it is not far from the hikmah of such Hakîm, for the most important beautiful end pertaining the religion of ‘Îsâ, even if Hazrat ‘Îsâ, who is alive and present with his body in the samâ of the world, had truly died and gone to the furthest corner of the ‘âlam of the âkhirah, for such an immense result to re-cloth a body to Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm and to send him to the world… Rather, He promised it because His hikmah required it to be thus, and since He promised it, He will certainly send him.
When Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm comes, it is not necessary for everyone to know him to be the real ‘Îsâ. His khawass and those who are close to him will recognize him through the nûr of îmân. Everyone will not obviously recognize him.
The Fifteenth Letter-Your Fourth Question
It is in the definite and sahîh riwâyat that "‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm kills the great Dajjal." وَ الْعِلْمُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ5; it also has two aspects:
An Aspect of it is this: Only a person with wonders and miracles, who is accepted by the majority, can be the one who will be able to kill that fearsome Dajjal and change his way, who preserves himself through wonders of istidraj such as sihr, hypnosis and spiritualism and compels everyone to obey himself; such a person is Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, who is the prophet of the majority of mankind and most connected with this matter.
The Second Aspect of it is this: It is only the pious followers of ‘Îsâ (as) who will kill the immense statue and ma’nawî collective personality of fearsome materialism and irreligion, which are formed by Dajjal himself, who will be killed by the sword of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm himself, and it is only the pious followers of Îsâ (as) who will destroy Dajjal’s idea of kufr, which is the denial of ulûhiyyah; by blending the haqiqah of the religion of Christianity with the haqiqah of Islam, those pious followers of ‘Îsâ (as) will scatter his current with that power and kill his current in a ma’nawî manner. The riwâyat "Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm will come and perform salâh behind Hazrat Mahdî and follow him." even indicates this alliance, the haqiqah of the Qur'an being followed and its dominance.
The Fifth Ray-The Second Station of the Fifth Ray-Thirteenth Matter
The luminous community of Hazrat Mahdî will repair the destructive bid’ah regime of the committee of the Sufyan and will resuscitate the Sunnah as-Saniyyah; that is, the committee of the Sufyan who work to destroy the Sharî’ah of Ahmad (asm) in the Islamic world with the intention of denying the Prophethood of Ahmad (asm) will be killed and scattered by the miraculous ma’nawî sword of Hazrat Mahdî's community.
Also, in the world of mankind, a zealous and self-sacrificing community working to unite Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm’s true religion with the haqiqah of Islam, under the name of a Christian community but worthy of being called "Muslim followers of ‘Îsâ (as)", will kill and scatter — under the leadership of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm — the committee of the Dajjâl, who turned civilization and sacred matters of mankind upside-down with the intention of denying the ulûhiyyah; it will save mankind from the denial of the ulûhiyyah.
The Twenty-Ninth Letter- Seventh Section/ Fifth Sign
Also, since the strange states and fearsome activities of Dajjal's regime and the committee and government he formed have been narrated by relating them to his person, the meaning of riwâyât has been concealed. For example, it is narrated: "He is so powerful and continues so long that only Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) can kill him; there cannot be any other solution." That is, it is only a samâwî and elevated, pure religion, which will emerge among the followers of ‘Îsâ (as) and unite with the haqiqah of the Qur'an and follow it, will destroy and kill Dajjal’s way and predatory regime; through Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm being sent, such irreligious way will be destroyed and die. Dajjal himself can otherwise be killed by a germ or by the flu.
The Fifth Ray-Introduction-5th Point
Nasrâniyyah6 Will Submit To Islam
Nasrâniyyah will either be extinguished or purified. It will surrender to Islam and lay down its arms.
It was torn repeatedly so that it came to Protestantism; in Protestantism, it did not find any means that will reform it.
The veil was again torn; it fell into absolute dhalâlah. But, a part of it approached the Tawhîd; in that, it will find salvation.
It is already prepared; {Note: It points to the situation that resulted from the terrifying First World War, rather, reports exactly about the Second World War.} it has started to tear. If it will not extinguish, it will be purified and will be Islam’s.
It is a great mystery which Fakhr ar-Rasûl7 alluded and indicated, he said: "‘Îsâ will act upon my Sharî’ah; he will be of my ummah."
The Words-Gleams
Just as the name al-Masih was given to Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm in riwâyât, so was the name al-Masih given to both Dajjals, and in all riwâyât it was said: مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ مِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ8 . What is the hikmah and ta’wîl of it?
The Answer: اللّٰه أعْلَم9 , the hikmah of it is this: Just as with the command of Allah, ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm repealed some of the heavy responsibilities from the Sharî’ah of Mûsâ ‘Alayhissalâm and made some desirable things like wine halal, so too, by the rule of shaytan and being led astray by him, the Great Dajjal repeals the laws of the Sharî’ah of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, destroys the ties that administer the social life of Christians and prepares the ground for anarchy and Ya’juj and Ma’juj.
And, Sufyan, too, who is the Dajjal of Islam, unties the luminous chains like respect and mercy by working to repeal some of the eternal laws of the Sharî’ah of Muhammad (asm) by using the wiles of shaytan and the nafs, destroying the material and ma’nawî bonds of the life of mankind and freeing the bridles of the rebellious, drunken and stupefied nafs of the people; he gives the opportunity for terrible anarchy by giving compulsory freedom and liberty, which is pure despotism, in order to make people assault each other in the swamp of putrid desires of the nafs; then, such people cannot be subdued other than by the most severe despotism.
The Fifth Ray-Three Brief Matters-First Matter
In the riwâyât, it was mentioned concerning ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm killing Dajjal that Dajjal will possess an immense stature, which is extraordinarily large and taller than a minaret; compared with him, Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm will be very small.
لاَ يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهُ 10, a ta’wîl of it should be as follows: it is an indication and allusion that quantity of the pious community of mujâhidîn, who recognise ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm by the nûr of îmân and follow him, will be very few and small in proportion to the physical and academic armies of Dajjal that contain both educationists and soldiers.
The Fifth Ray-Sixteenth Matter
Since the sahîh Hadiths about Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) being sent down in âkhirzaman and his killing the Dajjal, have not been understood in their true meaning, certain dhâhiri (literalist) ‘ulamâ have fallen into doubt by taking their literal meaning alone. Or they have denied their authenticity, or made superstitious interpretations as though expecting the impossible and have brought harm to ‘awâm Muslims. As for the mulhids, they use such hadiths, which appear to be incomprehensible, as a means of insulting and attacking the haqiqahs of Islam. Through the faydh of the Quran, the Risale-i Nur has shown the true interpretations of such mutashâbih Hadiths. For now, we will share one example as a model. It is as follows:
To indicate how the Dajjal’s figure is greater than Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as), there is riwâyat which tells of how when Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) fights the Dajjal, he will jump seven yards high to kill him, but only reach the Dajjal’s knee with his sword. This means the Dajjal will be so tall that he will need to be ten, rather twenty times greater than the height of Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as). Just as the literal expression of this riwâyat is contrary to the mystery of man’s accountability and the mystery of examination, it is not compatible with the prevailing order of 'Âdâtullah within humanity.
Whereas, in order to nullify the zindiqs who – Hâsha– consider this hadith and this riwâyat as an impossibility and superstition, and to warn those dhâhiri (literalist) hojas who believe its literal meaning to be the complete haqiqah and await its appearance despite seeing with their eyes certain haqiqahs of this hadith; one meaning out of the multiple meanings of this hadith, which is completely haqiqah, perfectly compatible and pure haqq, has emerged in this age. It is as follows:
Working on account of the religion of Îsâ (as) and protecting the unbroken customs, which come from that religion, there is a government that stands against a regime that officially supports and promotes irreligion and bolshevism for the sake of its dark and vile interests. If the ma’nawî collective personality of the former government combatting these corrupt and tyrannical regimes who support the spread of irreligion among the Muslims and in Asia for the sake of its petty interests, took on a physical form, and if the ma’nawî collective personality of the current of irreligiousness and all its supporters were to take on a physical form, this hadith, which carriers many meanings, will completely demonstrate one of its meanings in this age in three respects. If that victorious government were to succeed in battle, this ma’nâ al-isharî will rise to the level of ma’nâ as-sarîh. Even if it is not completely successful, it is still a ma’nâ al-isharî that is applicable.
First Aspect: If the community of pious Christians, who take as their principle the true religion of ‘Îsâ (as), and the community opposing them who promotes irreligion, both took on a bodily form, the height of the former will not even be like that of a child beside a person as tall as a minaret.
Second Aspect: A government that officially claims to eradicate irreligion by relying on Allah and to protect Islam and the Muslims; while having a population of about one hundred million, successfully strikes down deadly blows on another state that governs a population of close to four hundred million and is allied with China and America pledging support and alliance to the Bolsheviks. If the ma’nawî collective personality of the irreligious and their supporters it is waging battle with, took on a physical form, it will again be the same physical proportion of a young child when compared to a person as tall as a minaret. The meaning of the riwâyat “The Dajjal will gain control of the world” is that the majority will support him. And this is what has happened now.
Third Aspect: The government of a country, which is not even a quarter of the size of Europe, the smallest of the worlds' four continents {Australia has not been considered} has allied with another state that claims to represent Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, and, relying on religion has victoriously waged battle against most of Asia, Africa, America and Australia and battled and fought against extremely despotic irreligious currents with samâwî parachutes. If both the ma’nawî collective personality of this government and the others took on a bodily form — in the same way, newspapers have for long depicted state powers and the strength of governments — if the personified caricatures and portrayals of those ma’nawî collective personalities took on a physical form on the page of this century in the newspaper of the world; from among the numerous meanings of the hadith expressing the events of âkhirzaman, one of them would emerge exactly and completely in the form of a miraculous announcement from the ghayb. In fact, a ma’nâ al-isharî in the indication of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm being sent down from the samâwât in person, is that a group representing Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm and acting on his behalf are sent down in a way never before seen or heard of, as a kind of samâwî calamity with aeroplanes and parachutes behind the enemy, which shows one example of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm coming down materially.
Yes, in accordance with the expression of the noble hadith just as the sending down of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm from the samâwât is certain, the ma’nâ al-isharî miraculously looks to this haqiqah as well as expressing other haqiqahs. Through the enquiry and insistence of Feyzi who is a Junior Husrev and Emin, I had intended to write a few sentences about this matter with the intention of protecting the îmân of certain helpless people from doubt. But it was made written in length beyond my will. We never understood the hikmah in this and assuming there was some hikmah in it we left it as it is. You should overlook any mistakes as we could not find the time to amend them and pay close attention, so it has remained disorganised.
Kastamonu Addendum (91-93)
3. Irreligious currents are against the Muslim-Christian alliance:
A warning of Hazrat Bediuzzaman:
It is necessary that missionaries and pious Christians, as well as Nurjus, are extremely careful. Because certainly, with the idea of defending itself against the attacks of the religions of Islam and Christianity, the current of the north will work to destroy the alliance between Islam and the missionaries. In respect of Islam having a permissive attitude towards the common class and inviting the bourgeoises to help them by the obligation of zakat and the prohibition of interest (ribâ) and ceasing their oppression, they can deceive the Muslims and draw them on their side by giving privileges to the common class.
Emirdağ Addendum-1 (159)
4. About the innocent Christians oppressed and died in The Second World War:
Concerning the innocent Christians, who were oppressed and died in the Second World War, Hazrat Bediuzzaman states that they might have a share from the truth of a sort of fatrah11 .
Since the True Religion of Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) will reign at the âkhirzaman and stand shoulder to shoulder with Islam, indeed, the present disasters suffered by the oppressed amongst the Christians who are followers of Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) and who have been left in darkness like fatrah, can be considered for them a type of shahâdah.
The Kastamonu Addendum (124)
This letter and its explanation in detail are to be found in the compilation of Îsâ ‘Alayhissalam-4
A Note: While the majority of the Christian priests inculcate baseless ideas against Islam, Muhammad (asm) turned the attention of the Muslims to Îsâ (as) with his many hadiths by informing them that he will be sent in the âkhirzaman, will scatter the current of irreligion and rule over a spread area. Consequently, for centuries, Muslims await Îsâ (as) being sent. This point demonstrates that the bigotry of maintaining their authority overcomes some leaders of Christians. Whereas, Muhammad (asm) always adhered to the truth and rejected all bigotries emerging from feelings. Thus, true Christians are now seriously working to correct this error, InshâAllah, they will succeed.
5. The struggle of irreligion against the samâwî religions:
Hazrat Bediuzzaman points out the necessity of the two great religions making peace due to the currents of irreligion entering the struggles of the World War as follows:
Because, during this World War, when two governments mutually claim and dispute for world supremacy, a case has opened in the court of peace and reconciliation for the two great religions, and a mighty struggle of the terrifying current of irreligion against samâwî religions has started…
Sikke-i Tasdik-i Gaybi (191)
The continuation of the letter points out that during such hard and corrupt times and conditions, the life of religion should be strengthened not worldly struggle.
6. The Qur’an and eternal happiness:
Bediuzzaman points out that mankind will awake and severely feel their need for the truths of the Qur’an due to the anxiety arising from cruel strifes in mankind, the ugly results of the corrupt politics and dissipation, the addiction of which are spread and inculcated by Europe, becoming apparent. As a consequence of it, Risale-i Nur, which proves and demonstrates those truths with decisive proofs, will warn and guide mankind. It is as follows:
We shall point briefly to a very extensive and lengthy haqiqah that came to the heart on the Night of Qadr. It is as follows:
Due to
most certainly, without any doubt, since worldly life, which is the metaphorical beloved of mankind, is thus ugly and transient, the fitrah of man will search with all its strength for eternal life, which it truly loves and seek, just as the signs of it is seen in the North, the West and in America.
And most certainly, without any doubt, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition,
most certainly, if mankind does not completely lose its mind and a material or ma’nawî qiyâmah does not erupt over its head, the broad continents and great governments of the face of the earth will search the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and after comprehending its haqiqahs, they will embrace it with all their lives and rûhs like the famous preachers in Sweden, Norway, Finland and England, who are working to accept the Qur'an, and the important community of America that is searching for the haqq religion. Because in point of this haqiqah, by no means the Qur'an has no exemplar and cannot have any, and nothing can take the place of this great miracle.
SECONDLY: Since the Risale-i Nur has fulfilled its service as a diamond sword in the hand of this greatest miracle and compelled its stubborn enemies to submit. The Risale-i Nur, which heralds the treasures of the Qur'an in a way that will completely illuminate both the heart, the rûh and the feelings and will give their medicine, and which has no source or authority other than the Qur'an and is its ma’nawî miracle, performs that duty completely; it has completely vanquished the extremely obstinate zindiqs and the fearsome propagandas against it; with the Risale on Nature12 , it smashed nature to pieces, which is the most rigid strong castle of dhalâlah; with the Sixth Topic of the Fruit and the First, Second, Third and Eighth Proofs of The Staff of Mûsâ, by scattering the ghaflah, it has demonstrated the nûr of Tawhîd in an extremely brilliant fashion in the densest, most suffocating and widest bounds of the sphere of ghaflah and in the most extensive veils of science.
The Addendum Of The Second Station Of The Thirteenth Word/An Important Matter Warned On The Night Of Qadr
7. ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm gives the tidings of Muhammad (asm) coming:
Yes, my Brothers, Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm said in the Nobel Injil: “I am leaving so that a consoler shall come to you.” That is, so that Ahmad ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalam will come; he is the supreme result, aim, gift and consolation of the Qur'an for mankind.
The Kastamonu Addendum (236)
(Please refer to The Ninteenth Letter-Sixteenth Sign)
Thus, Bediuzzaman says in a letter, which he addressed to the official authorities, that in the face of these worldly struggles and the intensification of anarchy, the positive ones amongst the Christian states and nations will want the unity and alliance of the Islamic countries and their strengthening. He also expresses the necessity of Islamic unity. It is as follows:
The indications of the matter on Laylat-ul Qadr in the risale on the Guide For Youth13 are now to be seen in both America and Europe. Therefore, the true strength of our present government is to rely on the haqiqahs of the Qur'an and to serve them. Through this, the government will gain a reserve force of three hundred and fifty million brothers within the sphere of Islamic brotherhood and Islamic Unity. Formerly, the Christian states did not support this Islamic Unity, but now, since Communism and Anarchism have appeared, both America and the European states are compelled to support the Qur'an and the Unity of Islam.
Emirdağ Addendum-2 (54)
Bediuzzaman uses the following succinct expression to explain that when the Unity of Islam is formed, the representative of it will unite with the pious spiritual Christians:
The third duty of that person (Mahdî) is to serve the religion of Islam by building the Islamic Khilâfah on Islamic Unity and uniting with the pious spiritual Christians. This duty can be fulfilled with a very great rule and power and millions of self-sacrificing people.
Sikke-i Tasdik-i Gaybi (9)
8. The Muslim-Christian Alliance against irreligion and anarchy:
The Muslim-Christian Alliance against transgressive irreligion is one of the most important matters of our age. A meaningful Hadith that is related to it decrees:
سَتُصَالِحُونَ الرُّومَ صُلْحًا آمِنًا فَتَغْزُونَ أَنْتُمْ وَهُمْ عَدُوًّا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ فَتُنْصَرُونَ وَتَغْنَمُونَ وَتَسْلَمُونَ14
“In the future, you will make a secure peace with the Byzantines15 , then you and they will fight together against a common enemy, and you will be victorious, you will take the prize and you will be safe.”
This Noble Hadith informs the Muslim-Christian alliance against international irreligiousness and anarchy. The expression صُلْحًا آمِنًا16 implicitly informs that due to the intense anarchy violating general peace and security, a great need to restore public safety will emerge and to obtain the power needed to ensure public safety can only be through Muslim-Christian Alliance.
The following parts are the explanations of this Hadith looking to our time:
Now, the people of îmân should unite not only with their Muslim brothers but also with pious spiritual Christians, and it is a necessity to disregard the matters causing disagreement, not contend over them. Because kufr al-mutlaq is attacking.
Emirdağ Addendum-1 (206)
According to a sahîh Hadith even; just as in the âkhirzaman, the true pious followers of Îsâ (as) will unite with the people of the Qur'an and withstand zandaqa, their common enemy; in this time, too, by temporarily suspending the means of contention and dispute in the points causing disagreement, the people of religion and the people of haqiqah need to unite sincerely not only with their fellow believers and brothers and those who follow the same way but also with the true pious spiritual Christians against their common enemy, the transgressing irreligious people.
The Twentieth Flash-2nd Cause
9. The Alliance between America and the Muslim World:
In a warning he wrote in 1946, Bediuzzaman informs that America will support Islam against the negative part of Europe which gradually becomes more aggressive to the Islamic world. It is as follows:
Just, an important concern and a consolation come to my heart that the consequence of these widespread struggles will give birth to a destruction more harmful than that resulting from the World War and a Dajjalic atrocity in Europe, which is the source of civilization and its point of support. The means of consolation for this concern is: by the complete awakening of the world of Islam and by the New World (America) accepting the True Religion of Christianity as the principles for their actions and uniting with the Islamic world and by Injil uniting with the Qur’an and following it, they will withstand against those two terrifying coming currents17 with a samâwî assistance and InshâAllah be victorious.
Emirdağ Addendum-1 (58)
10. The principles of the Alliance with the People of the Book (Ahl al-kitâb):
A Nobel âyah from the Qur’an (3:64) that decrees the fundamental principle of uniting with the people of the book (Ahl al-kitâb) :
قُلْ يَٓااَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا اِلٰى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَٓاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ اَلاَّ نَعْبُدَ اِلاَّ اللّٰهَ وَلاَ نُشْرِكَ بِه۪ شَيْئًا وَلاَ يَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُنَا بَعْضًا اَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِۜ فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُولُوا اشْهَدُوا بِاَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ
Say: "O people of the Book (Ahl al-kitâb)! Let us get together in the terms of what is common between us and you. That is, we shall worship none but Allah; we shall not associate any partners with Him; that we shall not take from among ourselves any lords beside Allah." If they turned their faces from it, then tell them: "Bear witness that we are Muslims (peaceable)."
Here, it is completely demonstrated how different consciousnesses, different nations, different religions and different books can be united on a fundamental consciousness and a word of haqq, and how an extensive, clear, mustaqîm way of hidâyah and a law of freedom Islam taught to the world of mankind, and is demonstrated that now it is not restricted to the Arabs and the Persians.
(Hak Dini Kur’an Dili Tefsiri:1131)
The âyah (5:82) decrees the closeness and friendship of positive Christians to the Muslims as follows:
18 وَلَتَجِدَنَّ اَقْرَبَهُمْ مَوَدَّةً لِلَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا الَّذ۪ينَ قَالُٓوا اِنَّا نَصَارٰىۜ ذٰلِكَ بِاَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسّ۪يس۪ينَ وَرُهْبَانًا وَاَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
...amongst all mankind, you will find the closest to the mu’mins regarding affection are those who say: “We are the Christians.” Although they are not believers generally and hostility toward mu’mins is present in them, when compared with the followers of other religions, they possess lesser hostility. That is, their affection toward mu’mins is not completely impossible rather their affection is more anticipated and is a closer possibility. The love of the people of îmân and the receptibility of îmân present in them is more than the others.
The reason for their closeness is this, amongst them ذٰلِكَ , there are present Qissîsبِاَنَّ مِنْهُمْ قِسّ۪يس۪ينَ , that is, monks and priests, وَرُهْبَانًا , those who are engaged in ‘ilm and ‘ibâdah, that is, those who abandon the world and perform ‘ibâdah in the monasteries to smash their nafs with the fear of the âkhirah. And, وَاَنَّهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ they are also not proud, but humble and friendly.
(Hak Dini Kur’an Dili Tefsiri: 1791)
11. Jews’ hatred of Islam and Christianity:
Both Dajjals will be supposed to possess tremendous power because they won the assistance of a secret committee of Jews, which seeks severe revenge against Islam and Christianity, and the help of another terrible committee, which is under the guise of women's liberation, and the Dajjal of Islam won even the aid of the Mason committees by deceiving them.
The Fifth Ray-Three Brief Matters-The Third Aspect And Reason
12. ‘Ulamâ of America and The Risale-i Nur:
Concerning a student of Nur sending a book to the Christians, Hazrat Bediuzzaman says:
Salâhaddin's letter is important in several aspects. The ‘Ulamâ of America will certainly not remain indifferent to the risale of The Staff of Mûsâ. If it reaches the hands of those who love religion for religion's sake, it will make conquests. Otherwise, like our hojas with ananiyyah, due to the vein of jealousy, it is doubtful that they will work for its dissemination and acceptance.
Emirdağ Addendum-1 (160)
13. Some âyahs of the Qur’an about the Christians:
While the âyahs of the Qur’an like (2:121) (3:113,114,115,199) (13:36) (28:52-55) and their similars mention the attributes of the positive group amongst the people of the book (Ahl al-kitâb), many other âyahs inform that majority of them have deviated from the right path.
The âyah (4:159) informed that the people of the book (Ahl al-kitâb) will believe Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as) before their death.
وَاِنْ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْكِتَابِ اِلاَّ لَيُؤْمِنَنَّ بِه۪ قَبْلَ مَوْتِه۪ۚ وَيَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَه۪يدًۚا19
While the âyah (4:90) is about the right of protection of non-Muslims who are not transgressive:
اِلاَّ الَّذ۪ينَ يَصِلُونَ اِلٰى قَوْمٍ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ م۪يثَاقٌ اَوْ جَٓاؤُ۫كُمْ حَصِرَتْ صُدُورُهُمْ اَنْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ اَوْ يُقَاتِلُوا قَوْمَهُمْۜ وَلَوْ شَٓاءَ اللّٰهُ لَسَلَّطَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ فَلَقَاتَلُوكُمْۚ فَاِنِ اعْتَزَلُوكُمْ فَلَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ وَاَلْقَوْا اِلَيْكُمُ السَّلَمَۙ فَمَا جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لَكُمْ 20 عَلَيْهِمْ سَب۪يلاً
14. The support of a powerful state to Islam:
The Hadith Ibn Majah 4090:
21 إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْمَلاَحِمُ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَعْثًا مِنَ الْمَوَالِي هُمْ أَكْرَمُ الْعَرَبِ فَرَسًا وَأَجْوَدُهُ سِلاَحًا يُؤَيِّدُ اللَّهُ بِهِمُ الدِّينَ
“When the fierce battles take place, Allah will send such a troop from mawâli who will be the best Arab horsemen and the best armed, with whom Allah will support His religion.”
The word مَوَالِي (mawâli) is the plural of مولى (mawlâ). It is well-known that Arabs call mawâli the people who are not from among them. It also can be seen in history books. Thus, the community, which was informed in the hadith, that will support and strengthen Islam might be a non-Arab nation.
It is understood from the indication of this hadith that one of the Christian states will help Islam with its advanced military technology. (Allahu a’lam22 )
15. Western intellectuals’ Admiration for Islam:
In the sermon he gave to a huge jamâ’ah in Damascus Umayyad Masjîd in 1911, which was published as a book, Bediuzzaman mentions the expressions of certain Europen thinkers and philosophers that confirm our topic. It is as follows:
It is well-known that the most indisputable fadhîlah is that which even the enemies of the one who possesses it testify to its affirmation. Here are two examples out of hundreds:
The First: Mr Carlyle, the most famous philosopher of the 19th century in the continent of America says through his publications with his loudest voice to philosophers and Christian scholars, he wrote the following in his works:
“Islam was born like an extremely brilliant flame and devoured the other religions like the branches of a dried tree. And, this devouring was the right of Islam. Because the other religions — but those that were not confirmed in the Qur’an — are nothing.” Mr Carlyle also says: “The words most worthy to listen to are firstly those of Muhammad (asm). For, the true word is his.” And he also says: “If you doubt the truths of Islam, you will doubt the self-evident and decisive incontestible matters. Because the most self-evident and incontestable truth is Islam.”
Thus, such a famous philosopher wrote this testimony of his about Islam in various parts of his work.
Second Example: Prince Bismarck, one of Europe’s most famous philosophers of the last century says:
"I have studied all the revealed Books. Since they are all corrupted, I could not find the true hikmah that I was searching for the happiness of mankind. But I saw that the Qur'an of Muhammad (‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm) was far superior to all the other Books. I found hikmah in all its words. There is no other work that will serve the happiness of mankind like this. Such a work cannot be the word of man. Those who say that it is the word of Muhammad (‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm) deny the incontestable matters of knowledge. That is, it is self-evident that the Qur'an is the word of Allah."
Thus, by relying on Europe and America’s fields of intelligence yielding exacting genius scholars like that of Carlyle and Bismarck, I too say with all my conviction:
Europe and America are pregnant with Islam. One day they will give birth to an Islamic state. Just as the Ottomans were pregnant with Europe and gave birth to a European state.
O, my brothers who are here in the Umayyad Masjîd and my brothers who are in the masjîd of the world of Islam half a century later!23 I wonder, do the introductions from the beginning till now not conclude that the true and ma’nawî ruler over the future continents and what will lead mankind to worldly happiness and the happiness in the âkhirah is only Islam and the true religion of the followers of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, which transformed into Islam and will divest from superstition and corruption, that it will follow the Qur'an and unite with Islam?
The Damascus Sermon (30)
…in it, that great Bismarck, a well-known scholar, one of the greatest minds of the nineteenth century and uttermost one of the social philosophers, says: “I have minutely examined the Qur’an from every aspect and I have seen a great hikmah in each of its words. It does not have an equal and there is no other work that will rule mankind and it cannot come.” And addressing the Prophet, he says:
“O, Muhammad! I am indeed sad that I am not your contemporary. Only once has mankind seen a distinguished power as yours, henceforth will not see. I, therefore, bow in reverence in your presence.”
Bismarck
He put his signature on this. Since, in the part he wrote, he excessively diminished the distorted and abrogated revealed books, those sentences should not be written; I pointed this out too.
His being the most brilliant and greatest philosopher of the nineteenth century and one of its most important figures in political and social life, the Islamic world gaining its independence to an extent, foreign governments searching for haqiqahs of the Qur’an, a great current in favour of the Qur’an being present in the west and north-west, Mister Carlyle, America’s most eminent and famous philosopher, has said just like Bismarck “The other books cannot reach the Qur’an in any aspect. That is the true word, we should listen to it.”, his being certainly decisive and the Risale-i Nur rising and making conquests everywhere are all auspicious signs that many Bismarcks and Carlyles will emerge in Europe and America…
Emirdağ Addendum-1 (268)
16. Islam’s call for the people of the book (Ahl al-kitâb):
There are âyahs in the Qur’an that mention explicitly the people of the book (Ahl al-kitâb) and that mention them indicatively. For example (2:4)
24 وَمَا اُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ : Know that the descriptions like these both comprise encouragement and constructive injunctions: "Believe in such-and-such… Make no distinction…"
The phrase's positioning and its ties comprise four subtle points:
Firstly: To refer the deduction to the evidence. It is like this:
"O, man! If you believe in the Qur'an, believe also in the previous books, for the Qur'an confirms their veracity and testifies to them." This is indicated by مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ25
Secondly: To refer the evidence to the deduction. It is like this:
“O Ahl al-Kitâb! If you believe in the former Prophets and previous books, you should also believe in the Qur'an and Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâm, for they gave the good tidings of Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâm coming. Moreover, confirmation of the former Prophets and previous books and their revelation and evidences of their nubuwwah are to be found more perfectly in the Qur'an with their haqiqah and rûh and more clearly in Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâm. Thus, according to this excellent reasoning, the Qur'an is the Kalâm of Allâh and Muhammad ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm is His Rasûl.”
Thirdly: In this is an indication that the possession of the Qur'an — that is Islam which emerged from it in the Era of Bliss — is like a tree the origin of which is fastened in the depths of the past. Its spreading roots are fed from the water sources of that time yielding life and strength. And with its trunk in the skies of the future, its spreading branches are laden with fruit. That is to say, Islam embraces the past and the future.
Fourthly: In this is an indication for urging Ahl al-Kitâb to îmân, making it familiar and easy to them. It is as though it says: “O Ahl al-Kitâb! There should not be any difficulty in entering this way, for you are not casting away your shell, but only completing your beliefs and building on the fundamentals you already possess.” Because the Qur'an equalizes and perfects the fundamentals and aqâid; it combines in itself the virtues of all the previous books and the essentials of all the previous Sharî’ahs. It only establishes new ordinances in secondary matters, which are subject to change due to differences in time and place. Because just as with the change of seasons, food and dress and many other things are changed, and the manners of education and tarbiyyah change according to the stages of a person's life, in the same way, hikmah and benefit necessitate that religious laws concerning secondary matters change according to the stages of mankind's life. For very many of these are beneficial at one time yet harmful at another, and very many medicines were efficacious in mankind's infancy yet ceased being beneficial in its youth. This is the reason the Qur'an abrogated some of its secondary pronouncements. That is, it decreed that their time had finished and that the turn had come for other decrees.
Signs of Miraculousness - Îmân in the âkhirah - Âyah-4/108-109
This is the Qur'an's youthfulness. It preserves its freshness and youthfulness as though newly revealed at every age. Yes, since the Qur'an addresses at once all the classes of mankind in every age as an azalî khutbah, a perpetual youth should necessarily be found in it. And that is how it has been seen and is seen. It even looks at each of the centuries, which are different concerning thoughts and dispositions, as though it looks particularly at that century; it makes others look in that way and gives lessons. The works and laws of mankind get old like mankind; they change and are changed. But the rules and laws of the Qur'an are so firm and well-grounded that they show more of their strength as the centuries pass. Yes, the present age and ahl al-kitâb of this age, who are the most self-reliant and close their ears to the words of the Qur'an, are so in need of its guiding address of يَا اَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ يَا اَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ 26 that it is as though that address inclines favourably towards this age directly, and the phraseيَا اَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ 27 also comprises the meaning of يَا اَهْلَ الْمَكْتَبِ28 It winnows out the shout of يَا اَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا اِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَكُمْ 29 to all sides of the ‘âlam with all its severity, all its freshness and all its youth.
The Twenty-Fifth Word-First Light -Third Ray-2nd Radiance
If we display the perfections of the morality of Islam and the haqiqahs of îmân with our actions, followers of other religions will certainly enter Islam in communities, rather some of the continents and states of the globe of the earth even will seek refuge in Islam.
The Damascus Sermon (24)
سُبْحَانَكَ لاَ عِلْمَ لَنَا اِلاَّ مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ عَلَى شَمْسِ سَمَاءِ الرِّسَالَةِ وَ قَمَرِ بُرْجِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ اَصْحَابِهِ نُجُومِ الْهِدَايَةِ وَ ارْحَمْنَا وَ ارْحَمِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ آمِينَ آمِينَ آمِينَ
هَدَينَا اللّٰهُ وَ اِيَّاكُمْ اِلَى الصِّرَاطِ الْمُسْتَقِيمِ
1 Religion is a test, an examination. It distinguishes elevated rûhs from low ones. Therefore, it speaks of the events everyone will see with their eyes in the future in such a way that they remain neither altogether unknown nor self-evident lest everyone would be compelled to confirm them. It will open the door to the mind but will not take the will from the hand. Because if a sign of the qiyâmah was seen exactly and evidently and everyone was compelled to affirm it, then a disposition like coal remains equal to a disposition like a diamond. The mystery of man's accountability and the results of the test would be destroyed. Therefore, many matters like that of the Mahdî and Sufyan have much differed. Also, the riwâyât are various; opposing expressions occurred.
The Twenty-Fourth Word/Third Branch/First Principle
(Please refer to the article on Mutashabihât in the dictionary)
2 (Belonging to ma’nawî ‘âlams. The body which has a visible form but does not takes up space like the image in the mirror.) (Tr.)
3 (The matters which are not clarified decisively in the Qur’an and Hadith. Unlike the nass, muhkamât and dharûriyyah, they need to be interpreted. For example, the mutashabih hadith and âyahs.) (Tr.)
4 [Veracious informer. Hazrat Muhammad (asm)] (Tr.)
5 (Allah alone has the knowledge of that.)
6 (Christianity)
8 (…from the fitnah of al-Masih ad-Dajjal... from the fitnah of al-Masih ad-Dajjal)
9 (Allah knows best)
10 (None knows the ghayb save Allah)
11 (Fatrah: The interregnum period between two Prophets or the period in which people cannot reach the sound message of true religion. Either for the reason of geographical isolation or as a consequence of the fitnah of that time. Not acting accordingly to the Sharî’ah of a Prophet is being dismissed of accountability in this period.) (Tr.)
12 (23rd. Flash) (Tr.)
13 (The Addendum Of The Second Station Of The Thirteenth Word-An Important Matter Warned On The Night Of Qadr.) (Tr.)
14 (Sunan Abi Dawud 4292- Book 39, Hadith 2)
15 (Refers to the Christians.) (Tr.)
16 (Secure peace)
17 (This letter written in 1945-46)
18 (..and nearest in affection to the believers are those who say: "We are Christians." That is because among them there are men that are priests and monks, who do not behave arrogantly)
19 (There is none of the People of the Book (Ahl al-kitâb) but will believe in this fact before his death; and in the qiyâmah ‘Îsâ (as) will bear witness against them.)
20 (The exception to this is for those who take refuge with your allies or come over to you because their hearts restrain them both from fighting against you and from fighting against their own people. If Allah had wanted, He would have given them power over you and they might easily have fought against you; therefore, if they withdraw from you and cease their hostility and offer you peace, in that case, Allah has not granted you permission to fight against them.)
21 (Sunan Ibn Majah 4090)
22 (Only Allah knows the truth)
23 (Damascus Sermon was given and published in 1911. Then, with some revisions, Bediuzzaman published this edition of the Damascus Sermon in 1951. Therefore, it can be said that the expression “half a century later” looks to both 1961 and 2001 and after it.) (Tr.)
24 (And that which was revealed before you)
25 [A confirmation of what went before. (2:97)]
26 (Ya Ahl al-Kitâb! Ya Ahl al-Kitâb - O People of the Book! O People of the Book!)
27 (Ya Ahl al-Kitâb!-O People of the Book!)
28 (Ya Ahl al-Maktab - O People of Modern Sciences!)
29 (Ya Ahl al-Kitâb! - O people of the Book! Let us get together on what is common between us and you.)
Dictionary / Arabic - Turkish Terminology