بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

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

SHAÂ’ER – The Marks of Islam – 2

1. The excuses put forward by the people of bid’ah who want to change the Shaâ’er of Islam and the harmful consequences of changing them are as follows:

However, interfering with the decrees of Al-Khâliq of the samâwât and the Earth and meddling in the ‘ibâdah of His ‘abds, without the ma’nawî permission of Al-Khâliq, make such meddling and interference unacceptable and rejected.

For example, some ghâfil people approve of changing the Arabic language of some of the shaâ’er of Islam, such as the khutbah1, and the delivery of it in the language of each nation for two reasons:

The First: "So, in this way, the current politics can be understood by the ‘awâm Muslims." However, current politics has become so full of lies, deception and evil that it has become the waswasa of shaytans. However, since the minbar2 is a place of conveying the wahy of Allah, the waswasa of politics does not have the right to ascend to that exalted place.

The Second reason: "The khutbah is for understanding the advice and warnings of certain surahs of the Qur'an." Yes, if the majority of the Islamic nation were to adhere to and fulfil the well-known and established laws of Islam, which are the dharûriyyah of Islam, perhaps it would be commendable to deliver the khutbah in each nation’s language and to translate — if it were possible —  the surahs of the Qur'an {Note: The Twenty-Fifth Word on the miraculousness of the Qur'an has shown that a true translation of the Qur'an is not possible.} for the purpose of understanding the nadhariyyah of the Sharî’ah, the subtle matters and the hidden teachings of the Qur’an.

But the well-known definitive laws of Islam, such as the salâh, sawm and zakat being wâjib and the murder, fornication (zinâ) and wine being haram, are neglected. The ‘awâm people are not in need of receiving lessons on their being wâjib or haram. Rather, they need to be reminded of those sacred laws through encouragement and warnings, and they need to conform to them by stimulating the sense of îmân and the vein of Islam, and they need incentives, admonishments and warnings.

However ignorant an ‘awâm is, from the Arabic khutbah and the Qur'an that he listens to, he understands the following brief meaning: "The preacher and the hâfidh are recalling the pillars of îmân and the principles of Islam, which are known to everyone and to me; they are reciting and teaching these to us." A yearning for the pillars of îmân and the principles of Islam emerges in his heart. What words are there in the universe that can reach the miraculous and instructive warnings, admonishments and encouragement of Al-Qur’an Al-Hakîm, which comes from al-‘arsh al-â’dham?

The Twenty-Seventh Word/The Third/The Fifth

 

Just like all evil things, the arguments and evidence put forth by those who attempt to change Shaâ’er come from their blind imitation of Europeans. They say:

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

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

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

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

The Answer: The most important ones amongst the great Imams, as well as the other twelve mujtahid Imams3, issued fatwas opposing this fatwa of Imam al-‘A'dham. The great highway of the Islamic world is the highway confirmed by all those Imams. The majority of the ummah follow that way. Those who lead the ummah to another way, which is specific and narrow, are leading them to dhalâlah.

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

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

The Second: It is based on a genuine need.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Answer: The difference in this comparison is more evident than the one in the First Sign because in the religion of ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm, only the fundamentals of religion were derived from Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm. Most of the laws about social life and secondary matters of Sharî’ah were established by the disciples and other religious leaders, and most of those laws were taken from the earlier Sacred Books. Customary laws and civil principles were adopted and given a different form under the name of Sharî’ah of Christianity because Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm was neither a worldly ruler nor a sultân, nor was he the source of the laws pertaining to social life; it is as if the fundamentals of his religion were clothed with a garment from outside. The original religion of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm may remain even if this form is changed and the garment is transformed. It does not conclude in denying ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm or pronouncing him to be false.

However, Fakhr al-‘Âlam 4 ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm is the owner of the religion and Sharî’ah of Islam; he is the sultân of the two worlds, and his seat of sovereignty is the East and the West, Andalusia and India; therefore, he himself demonstrates the fundamentals of the religion of Islam, and he also brings, commands and informs about the secondary matters and other rulings of that religion, even its most minor issues of âdâb. It means that the secondary matters of Islam are not a garment that can be changed; therefore, if they are changed, the fundamentals of religion cannot remain intact. The secondary matters of Islam are indeed a body to the fundamentals of religion or at least a skin on them. They have become intertwined and fused with the fundamentals of religion; the fundamentals of religion and the secondary matters of Islam are inseparable. To change them directly leads to denying the owner of Sharî’ah and pronouncing him (asm) to be false.

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

5 يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الدِّينِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الْقَوْسِ

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

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

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

سَيِّدُ الْقَوْمِ خَادِمُهُمْ ٭ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ6

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

اَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ٭ اَفَلاَ يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٭ اَفَلاَ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ7

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

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

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

The present-day Christian religion, however, attributes real effect to causes and intermediaries because it accepts the "Doctrine of waladiyyah8”. It does not break the ananiyyah in the name of religion, but rather, describing a person as a holy deputy of Hazrat ‘Îsâ ‘Alayhissalâm attributes a kind of sanctity to his ananiyyah. Therefore, the Christian upper class, who occupy the highest worldly positions, can be perfectly devout. For evidence, it can be mentioned that there were many, including former American President Wilson and former British Prime Minister Lloyd George, both of whom were as devout as zealous priests. Among Muslims, however, those who rise to such positions rarely remain perfectly devout and steadfast because they cannot abandon their pride and ananiyyah. And true taqwâ cannot be combined with pride and ananiyyah.

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

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

The Twenty-Ninth Letter/Seventh Section

 

Our guide, Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm decreed,

كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلاَلَةٌ وَكُلُّ ضَلاَلَةٍ فِى النَّارِ 9

I wonder what benefit some wretches worthy of the label ‘Ulamâ as-sû’ find in opposing this definitive decree, what fatwa they issue that they unnecessarily and harmfully oppose the clear matters of Shaâ’er of Islam, and what makes them consider changing the Shaâ’er possible? At most, the ‘ulamâ as-sû’ were deceived by a temporary understanding derived from a fleeting manifestation of meaning. For example, when an animal or fruit is stripped of its skin, it displays a temporary exquisiteness; yet, in a very short time, that delicate flesh and beautiful skin turn black and rot beneath a withered, thick and extrinsic skin that forms where the original skin once was. Thus, the expressions of the Prophet (asm) and Allah in the Shaâ’er of Islam are a living skin that causes one to gain sawâb. On being stripped, luminosity in meaning temporarily appears to be naked to a degree; but like a fruit that has been separated from its skin, the rûh of those blessed meanings flies away, leaving behind their human pelt in hearts and minds in darkness... The nûr flies away, leaving behind its smoke. However...

Twenty-Ninth Letter/The First Section

(For further explanation, please also refer to the Bid’ah Compilation.)

2. Shaâ’er should be proclaimed by openly performing them:

My ‘azîz, siddîq, sincere and devoted brothers and my serious, genuine companions in the Quranic service!

Recently, a severe warning came to my heart regarding the dissemination of the Flashes on Ikhlas from the Risale-i Nur, both in Isparta and in this area, following one or two minor incidents. Three points will be written about riyâ:

The First: Riyâ cannot penetrate the practice of fardh, wâjib and Shaâ’er of Islam and the following of Sunnah as-Saniyyah and abandoning of harams. Displaying them openly cannot be riyâ unless one has riyâ in his fitrah due to having a very weak îmân. In fact, personages, such as Hujjat al-Islam Imam Ghazâlî (ra), stated that displaying openly the ‘ibâdah related to Shaâ’er of Islam is far more rewarding than performing them privately. Although it is far more rewarding to perform nawâfil privately, especially during this age of bid’ah, to display openly the Shaâ’er of Islam, which shows the honour of following the Sunnah, and to display taqwâ in abandoning the haram amidst such great kabâir are not riyâ but rather far more rewarding and sincere than performing them privately.

The Second Point: Of the reasons that lead people to riyâ,

The first is the weakness of îmân. Those who do not think of Allah worship the causes and pose in a way that promotes themselves, filled with riyâ to the people. The Risale-i Nur students, with the powerful lessons of tahqiqî îmân they receive from the Risale-i Nur, do not give any value or importance to the causes and people’s attention in their ‘ubûdiyyah. Therefore, they would not fall into riyâ by showing off in their ‘ubûdiyyah.

The second reason: Greed and ambition lead a person — because of his impotence and poverty — to take up a state of riyâ to attract the attention of the people. The dignity arising from îmân that the Risale-i Nur students receive from the lessons of Risale-i Nur, such as the lessons on frugality (iqtisâd), contentment, tawakkul and acceptance of the allocation in life ordained by Allah, will prevent them from riya and promoting themselves for worldly benefits, inshâAllah.

The third reason: One falls into riyâ due to emotions, such as the ambition for fame, the love for rank, the pursuit of status and the urge to surpass one's peers, and due to adopting the attitude of presenting oneself favourably to others, striving to gain more importance than one truly deserves and appearing in high positions that one is not worthy of through pretence. Since the Risale-i Nur students transform ‘Ana10’ into ‘Nahnu11’, that is, they abandon the ananiyyah, work on behalf of the ma’nawî collective personality of the Risale-i Nur circle and say, "We," instead of "I," and since they act according to the principle ‘fana fil-ikhwan12’, that is, they dissolve their personality in the ma’nawî collective personality of their brothers, which is one of the means in this age that saves one from riyâ, similar to the means that are used by the people of tarîqah, such as ‘fana fish-shaykh13’, ‘fana fir-rasûl14’ and ‘killing the nafs al-ammarah’, inshâAllah, just as the people of haqiqah have been saved from riyâ, they too will be saved by this mystery.

The Third Point: Regarding religious duty, working to gain the acceptance of people and adopting the high manners and states required of that rank are not considered and should not be considered riyâ and self-promotion unless that person uses and exploits that duty for his ananiyyah.

Yes, an Imam makes the tasbîhât openly and audibly while leading the salâh; this can in no way be a riyâ. However, outside his duty, making tasbîhât heard openly could lead to riyâ; it is more rewarding to perform it privately.

With regard to their ‘ibâdah concerning following the Sunnah and their taqwâ in avoiding kabâir and in the dissemination of religion, the true Risale-i Nur students are considered to be on duty on behalf of the Qur’an. InshâAllah, it will not be a riyâ unless they have entered the Risale-i Nur for some worldly intention.

More was going to be written, but a state of stoppage has cut it short.

Kastamonu Addendum (184-185)

 

My ‘azîz brothers!

Last night while I was reciting my awrâd, the guards and others could hear me. It occurred to me: I wondered if reciting the awrâd audibly did not diminish its sawâb, and I became anxious. Then I remembered a famous saying of Hujjat al-Islam Imam Ghazali. He said, "Sometimes doing something openly possesses more fadhîlah than concealing it." In other words, if others will benefit or imitate by performing it openly, or if they will awaken from ghaflah, or if they are stubborn in dhalâlah and dissipation (safahat), I found solace in the fact that performing openly the Shaâ’er of Islam in front of them, displaying the dignity of religion, especially at this time and by those who have fully learnt the lesson of ikhlas, far from being riyâ, can even be far more rewarding, provided that there is no hidden pretence.

Thirteenth Ray

 

Know that! The requirement of dhikr is that it should be from among Shaâ’er.
And Shaâ’er are too exalted to be tainted by the hands of riyâ.

Al-Mathnawî Al-Nurî-192

3. A comparison between two societies that adhere to the Shaâ'er of Islam and those that do not:

Just as different merchandise is sought after in the marketplace according to the seasons, different merchandise becomes popular from time to time. So too, in the exhibition of ‘âlam, the market of the social life and civilisation of mankind, in every age, different commodities become popular and gain currency. They are displayed in the market of that age, and attention is drawn to them, gazes turn towards them, and minds are drawn to them.

For example, at this time, the demand for commodities of politics, securing worldly life and philosophy... And, in the age of Salaf as-Sâlihîn and in the market of that era, the most sought-after commodity was to deduce from His Word the wishes of Al-Khâliq of the samâwât and the earth from mankind and the things with which He will be pleased and to obtain the means to gain eternal happiness in the ‘âlam of âkhirah, which was opened by the nûr of nubuwwah and the Qur'an to a degree that is impossible to close.

Thus, at that time, since minds, hearts and rûhs were turned with all their strength towards understanding the things with which Rabb of the samâwât and the earth will be pleased, the conversations, discussions, events and circumstances of the social life of mankind all focused on these aims. Since these were occurring in accordance with those aims, whoever had a good disposition, his heart and his fitrah were unconsciously receiving a lesson of ma’rifat from everything. He was learning from the circumstances, events and conversations that were taking place at that time. It is as if everything were becoming a teacher for him, instilling in his fitrah and his disposition a prepared and trained disposition for making ijtihad. This fitrî lesson was illuminating and firm to such an extent that he was acquiring the ability to make ijtihad without effort and acquiring nûr without fire... Thus, when a capable person who received this kind of fitrî lesson began working to make ijtihad, his disposition, which was like a matchstick, became the place of manifestation for the mystery of

‌نُورٌ عَلٰى نُورٍ15 ;

he became a mujtahid instantly for a short period of time.

Twenty-Seventh Word-The Third.

4. The consequences of not preserving the Shaâ’er of Islam by adhering to them:

This is a conversation with the Deputy Minister of Justice and the judges of the courts concerned with the Risale-i Nur.

Sirs! Why are you bothering the Risale-i Nur and us without reason? I absolutely assure you that, let alone struggling with you, it is outside of my duty and the duty of Risale-i Nur to even think of you. Because the Risale-i Nur and its true students are working to provide a great service to future generations, who will come fifty years later16, and to save them from a great destruction, as well as saving the nation and the homeland from a great peril. Those who are bothering us now will certainly become earth in the grave at that time. Even if, hypothetically, that service for happiness and salâmât were a struggle, it should not concern those who are on the verge of becoming earth in their graves.

Yes, the current results in terms of religion, morality, and dignity emerged twenty to thirty years later, after the display of indifference in social morality, religion, and national character by pseudo-freedom seekers. You can certainly understand how the present state of society will shape the religious character and social morality of future generations of this pious, honourable and heroic nation in fifty years. For a thousand years, this self-sacrificing nation has displayed unparalleled heroism in the Quranic service with all its heart and rûh. We consider it our greatest national and patriotic duty to give a haqiqah, such as the Risale-i Nur, into the hands of a segment of the future generations coming fifty years later, who will terribly tarnish and even destroy their glorious past, and to save them from that terrible decline. Therefore, we do not think of the people of this time but of the people of that time.

…

Although fifty per cent of those who received the old Islamic tarbiyyah are present everywhere, the other fifty per cent display indifference towards national and Islamic traditions; therefore, thinking of the possibility of ninety per cent of the people following the nafs al-ammarah and leading the nation and country into anarchy after fifty years and searching for a remedy against that calamity completely prevented me from politics and struggling with the people of this century twenty years ago. Similarly, the connection of the Risale-i Nur and its students with the present time has been severed; they do not struggle or engage themselves with the people of this time.

Emirdağ Addendum-1 (22)