بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

THE ISLAMIC UNITY – 7

THE NECESSITY OF PRESERVING THE SHAÂ’ER OF ISLAM

1. What is Shaâ’er:

Eighth Subtle Point: It is necessary to state a principle of haqiqah regarding this Subtle Point. It is as follows:

Just as there are two types of rights, the personal rights and the public rights, which are considered a kind of the rights of Allah, so too, within the matters of Sharî’ah, there are some matters that pertain to individuals and others that are of public concern. These matters of Sharî’ah concerning the public are referred to as 'the Shaâ'er of Islam'. Since these Shaâ’er concern everyone, everyone participates in them. Without the consent of all, interfering with these matters is a violation of public rights. The smallest of those Shaâ’er (a matter of the kind of Sunnah) is the equivalent to the greatest matter of importance. They directly concern the entire Islamic world. Those who work to break, destroy and corrupt the luminous chains to which all the great personages of Islam have been tied since the Era of Bliss till now, and those who assist them, should consider what a terrible mistake they are making. If they have even an iota of consciousness, they should tremble!

Ninth Subtle Point: Certain matters of Sharî’ah are called “taa’bbudî” (المسائل التعبدية ). These are not based on the reasoning of the mind and are performed because they are commanded. The real cause (‘illah) of their being performed is the command.

Some of them are referred to as “ma’qûl al-ma’nâ” (معقول المعنى ). That is, they possess a hikmah and a benefit that outweigh the legislation of that law in Sharî’ah; however, it is not the reason or real cause (‘illah) because the real cause (‘illah) is the command and prohibition of Allah.

Hikmah and benefit cannot change the taa’bbudî type of Shaâ’er; the aspect of being taa’bbudî takes precedence, and they cannot be interfered with. Even if a hundred thousand benefits were to take place, they cannot change this part of Shaâ’er. Therefore, it cannot be said that "the benefits of Shaâ’er are restricted to the benefits we know," and to believe so is a mistake. Indeed, the benefits we know can be just one benefit out of many of its hikmahs.

For instance, if someone were to say, "The hikmah of the adhan is to call Muslims to salâh; in which case, firing a rifle is sufficient." However, that madman does not know that among thousands of benefits of adhan, this is just one of them. Even if the sound of a rifle shot provides that benefit, how can it take the place of the adhan, which, on behalf of mankind or the inhabitants of that city, serves as a means of the declaration of tawhîd, which is the ultimate purpose of the creation of the universe and the result of the creation of mankind, and a means of displaying ‘ubûdiyyah before the rubûbiyyah of Allah?

Conclusion: Jahannam is not unnecessary; there are many matters that cry out "Long live Jahannam!" with all their strength. Jannah is not cheap either; it demands a high price.

لاَ يَسْتَوِى اَصْحَابُ النَّارِ وَاَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ اَصْحَابُ الْجَنَّةِ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ1

to the end of the âyah.

The Twenty-Ninth Letter-The First Section

 

Sunnah as-Saniyyah has degrees. Some of them are wâjib; these are not to be abandoned. This kind is detailed in the Illustrious Sharî’ah. They are muhkamât, and they do not change in any way. Another kind of it is nawâfil. The nawâfil part is divided into two:

The first is the Sunnah as-Saniyyah that is subject to ‘ibâdah. These, too, are declared in the books of Sharî’ah. To change them is bid’ah. The other is called ‘âdâb’, and these are mentioned in the books of the biography of the Prophet (Siyar as-Saniyyah). Disagreeing in matters of âdâb is not called bid’ah. However, it is a form of opposition to the âdâb of the Prophet and not benefiting from those true good morals and their nûr. As for this kind of Sunnah, it is to follow the actions of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm in common, habitual and fıtrî practices, which are known through tawâtur.

For example, there are many Sunnah as-Saniyyah that concern social relations and show the etiquette of speaking and declare the principles of the etiquette of conditions, such as eating, drinking and sleeping. This part of Sunnah is called ‘âdâb’. One who follows the âdâb transforms his common and habitual actions into ‘ibâdah and receives significant faydh from those âdâb. Following the smallest âdâb reminds a person of Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm and gives nûr to his heart.

The Sunnahs that are the symbols of Islam and connected to Shaâ’er are the most important among the Sunnah as-Saniyyah. Shaâ’er is an ‘ubûdiyyah belonging to the community that involves public rights. When a person performs Shaâ’er, the entire community benefits, and when Shaâ’er is abandoned, the community as a whole is held responsible. Riyâ cannot penetrate this kind of Shaâ’er, and Shaâ’er should be proclaimed; even if it is a Shaâ’er from among the nawâfil type, it is more important than personal fardhs.

The Eleventh Flash- Sixth Subtle Point

 

The Qur'an Preserves Itself and Maintains Its Dominance

I saw a person afflicted with despair and sick with pessimism. He said, “The 'ulamâ have decreased both in number and quality. I fear our religion will fade one day.”

I said: Just as the universe cannot be extinguished, so too îmân in Islam can never be extinguished.

Furthermore, if the Shaâ’er of Islam, the minarets of religion, the Ilahî places of ‘ibâdah and the marks of Sharî’ah, which are like iron nails hammered on the face of the earth, are not extinguished, Islam will shine brighter every moment.

Each place of ‘ibâdah, by its nature, is a teacher, giving lessons to different natures. Each mark is also an Ustadh; the language of their being instils the religion, without error or forgetfulness.

Each Shaâ’er is a wise hoja, constantly teaching the rûh of Islam to the eyes and passing through the centuries as the cause of the continuation of time.

As if the nûrs of Islam had been embodied within the Shaâ’er of Islam. As if the pure water of Islam had been solidified in its places of ‘ibâdah as a pillar of îmân.

As if the laws of Islam were embodied within the marks of Islam. As if the pillars of Islam were petrified within the ‘âlams as a diamond pillar; through them, the earth and sky are bound to each other.

…

The place of îmân is the heart, while the mind is the place where the nûr of îmân is reflected.

Sometimes, the mind is a mujâhid, and sometimes a sweeper. Imân and conscience (Vijdân) will not be shaken if various waswasa and possibilities that exist in the mind do not enter the heart.

Otherwise, as some people believe, if îmân were in the mind, haqq al-yaqîn, which is the rûh of îmân, would be subjected to many possibilities, each becoming a merciless enemy.

The heart and conscience (Vijdân) are the seats of îmân. Hads and ilham are the proofs of îmân. They are the sixth sense, a path to îmân. Thought and the mind are the guardians of îmân.

The Gleams

 

Through obeying commands and abstaining from prohibitions, numerous connections are formed between a person and the many levels of society, and the individual becomes like a species. Indeed, there are many commands — especially those connected with Shaâ’er and the public interests — that resemble threads on which morals, qualities, ranks, laws and arrangements, and many public and personal rights within them are set. All those rights and duties would be torn and scattered to the wind without the thread of obeying commands and abstaining from prohibitions.

Signs of Miraculousness-290

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

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

A severe warning came to my heart in connection with the dissemination of the Flashes on Ikhlas from the Risale-i Nur recently, both in Isparta and in this area, and due to 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 harams. Displaying them openly cannot be riyâ unless one has riyâ in his fitrah due to having very weak îmân. In fact, personages, such as Hujjat al-Islam Imam Ghazâlî (ra), stated that displaying openly the ‘ibâdah related to the 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 posture with self-promotion full of riyâ among 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 in terms of ‘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 the Risale-i Nur, such as the lessons of frugality (iqtisâd), contentment, tawakkul and acceptance of the allocation in life ordained by Allah, will, inshâAllah, prevent them from riyâ and self-promotion for worldly benefits.

The third reason: One falls into riyâ due to feelings, 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 ‘Ana2’ into ‘Nahnu3’, 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-ikhwan4’, 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-shaykh5,’ ‘fana fir-rasûl6’ 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 as self-promotion and riyâ, 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 riyâ. However, outside his duty, making tasbîhât openly heard could lead to riyâ; it is more rewarding to perform it privately.

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

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

Kastamonu Addendum (184-185)

3. A comparison of two societies that practise and do not practise the Shaâ’er of Islam:

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 to an unclosable degree by the nûr of nubuwwah and the Qur'an.

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 fitrah unconsciously were 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 was 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 match, became the place of manifestation for the mystery of

‌نُورٌ عَلٰى نُورٍ7;

he became a mujtahid instantly for a short time.

Twenty-Seventh Word-The Third.

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

This text presents the dialogue with the Deputy Minister of Justice and the judges of the courts pertaining to 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 the 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 later8, 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, by the pseudo freedom seekers displaying a degree of indifference in social morality, religion and national character, twenty to thirty years later, the current results in terms of religion, morality and dignity emerged. You can certainly understand what the current state of society will do to the religious character and social morality of the future generations of this pious, honourable and heroic nation in fifty years. We consider that to give a haqiqah, like the Risale-i Nur, to the hands of a segment of the future generations coming fifty years later, who will terribly tarnish and even destroy the glorious past of this nation — although, this self-sacrificing nation has shown unparalleled heroism in the Quranic service with all its heart and rûh for a thousand years — and to save them from that terrible decline are our greatest national and patriotic duty. 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, 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 twenty years ago from politics and struggling with the people of this century. Similarly, the connection of the Risale-i Nur and its students with the current time has been severed; they do not struggle or engage themselves with the people of this time.

Emirdağ Addendum-1 (22)