THE ANSWER TO A QUESTION ASKED BY THE STUDENTS OF RISALE-I NUR
The question we asked
'Ustad', our Master, was this: "For two years during
the most critical times of this World War** (The Second World
War), which is closely connected with the fate of the Islamic
World, and now it is about ten years you have asked neither
us, nor Emin, who everyday sees to your needs, anything at all
about it, you have given it no importance at all. Is there some
other fact more momentous than this event, that dominates and
overrules it? Or is it harmful in some way to be preoccupied
with it?"
He answered as follows:
Yes, there is a fact more
momentous, an event of greater consequence than the World War,
and since it dominates the War, the War becomes extremely unimportant
in comparison with it.
The reason is this: This
World War is to do with two governments disputing a claim for
world supremacy; and at a time when the two great religions
have opened suits for peace and reconci-liation, and an alarming
current of irreligion has embarked on a mighty struggle with
the revealed religions, a case has been opened far exceeding
in importance the cases opened in the supreme court of the 'proletariat'
and 'bourgeoisie' of mankind. Such an immense matter has arisen
that the amount of this case that concerns even a single person
is greater than the World War. The case is as follows:
For every believer, indeed
for everyone at this time, such a case has been opened that
if each had as much wealth and power as the English and Germans
put together, and sense as well, he would spend all of it just
to win the case. For sure, anyone who attaches importance to
other things before winning the case is crazy. And even it has
become so full of risk that according to the observation of
one seer of the realities of creation, out of forty people in
a place who received their demobilization papers from the hand
of the appointed hour, only one won the case. Thirty-nine lost.
And so, if a lawyer is
to be found who has won such great and important cases for eight
out of ten people for twenty years, and will win this one, anyone
with any sense will be bound to attach greater importance to
anything he can do which will induce such a lawyer to do his
duty and win the case for him.
One such lawyer, indeed
the foremost, is the Risale-i Nur, which proceeds, issues and
is derived from the miraculousness of the Qur'an of Miraculous
Exposition, as thousands who have won the case through it can
testify.
Indeed, it has been indisputably
established that each human being sent as an official to this
world is a temporary guest here, and that his true nature is
turned towards an eternal life. But at this time the fortresses
which are his point of support and will save eternal life for
him have been shaken, and it seems he will leave for ever this
world and all his friends who are in it. At such a time a case
has been opened that will either gain him or lose him an eternal
property thousands of times more perfect than the world. If
he does not have the document of belief, and if his belief,
which forms his warrant and papers, is not firm, he will lose
the claim. Then is there anything that can take the place of
what he has lost?
Thus, in consequence of
this fact, even if the minds and ideas of each of us, that is,
myself and my brothers, expanded a hundred times over, they
would still be only just sufficient for this immense and sacred
duty. To consider other matters is superfluous and meaningless.
Indeed, we have only considered other things when certain students
of the Risale-i Nur have been involved in the other cases; at
times when for no reason, we have been subject to unnecessary
aggression and assaults by the brainless, and then it was against
our wishes and to the minimum degree necessary.
Furthermore, it is harmful
to become involved mind and heart with cases and conflicts outside
this immense and rightful case. For a person who pays attention
to and becomes preoccupied with the large and exciting sphere
of politics will either neglect the duties with which he is
charged in a narrow sphere, or his enthusiasm will be dampened.
Also, a person sometimes gets carried away by paying attention
to the enticing broad sphere of politics and conflict. Then,
just as he does not carry out his duties, even if he does not
lose his soundness of heart, purity of intention, integrity
of thought and sincerity in his duties, he may anyway be accused
of it. In fact, when they were attacking me in court concerning
this very point, I silenced them with the following words:
Just as the sun-like truths
of belief and the Qur'an cannot be a tool to and follow the
attraction of transitory lights on the ground, so also one who
truly knows those truths cannot use them as a tool for the whole
universe, let alone events on the earth."
Our Master's answer ended
here. And we assent to it with all our strength.
Students of the Risale-i
Nur.
* * * *
Bismihi Subhanehu
THE EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND STATION OF THE
13TH WORD
Those in prison are in
great need of the true consolation of the Risale-i Nur. Particularly
those who having suffered the blows of youth, are passing their
young, sweet lives in prison; they need the Risale-i Nur as
much as they need bread.
Indeed, youth heeds the
emotions rather than reason, and emotions and desires are blind;
they do not consider the consequences; They prefer one ounce
of immediate pleasure to tons of future pleasure. They kill
for the one minute pleasure of revenge, then suffer for eighty
thousand hours the pain of prison. And one hour's dissolute
pleasure in questions of honor may result in life's enjoyment
being utterly destroyed through distress at the fear of both
prison and enemies. And there are many other examples, many
pitfalls for the unfortunate young because of which they transform
their most sweet lives into the most bitter and pitiable lives.
Consider a vast state
to the north it has gained possession of the passions of its
young people and is shaking this century with its storms. For
it has made lawful for its youths the pleasing daughters and
wives of upright people, and these youths act only according
to their feelings, which are blind to all consequences. Indeed,
by permitting men and women to go together to the public baths,
they are encouraging immorality. And they consider it lawful
for vagabonds and the poor to plunder the property of the rich.
All mankind trembles in the face of this calamity.
And so it is most necessary
in this century for all Muslim youths to act heroically, and
to respond to this two-pronged attack with keen swords like
the Fruits of Belief and the Guide for Youth from the Risale-i
Nur. Otherwise those unfortunate youths will destroy utterly
both their futures in this world, and their agreeable lives,
and their happiness in the Hereafter, and their eternal lives,
and transform them into torment and suffering. And through their
abuses and dissoluteness, they will end up in hospitals, and
through their excesses in life, in prisons. In their old age,
they will weep copiously with a thousand regrets.
If, on the other hand,
they protect themselves with Qur'anic training, and with the
truths of the Risale-i Nur, they will become truly heroic youths,
perfect human beings, successful Muslims, and in some ways rulers
over animate beings and the rest of the animal kingdom.
Indeed, when a youth in
prison spends one hour out of the twenty-four each day on the
five obligatory prayers, and repents for the mistakes that were
the cause of his disaster, and abstains from other harmful,
painful sins, just as this will be of great benefit for both
his life, and his future, and his country, and his nation, and
his relatives, so too will he gain with his fleeting youth of
ten to fifteen years an eternal, brilliant youth. Foremost the
Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and all the revealed scriptures,
have given this certain good news.
If such a youth demonstrates
his gratitude for the pleasing, delightful bounty of youth through
moderation and obedience, it will both increase it, and make
it eternal, and make it a pleasure. Otherwise it will be both
calamitous, and become painful, grievous, and a nightmare, and
then it will depart. It will cause him to become like a vagrant,
harmful for both his relatives, and his country, and his nation.
If the prisoner has been
sentenced unjustly, on condition he performs the obligatory
prayers, each hour will be the equivalent of a day's worship,
and the prison will be like a recluse's cell. He will be counted
among the pious hermits of olden times who retired to caves
in order to devote themselves to worship. If he is poor, aged,
and ill, and desirous of the truths of belief, on condition
he performs the obligatory prayers and repents, each hour will
become the equivalent of twenty hours' worship, and prison will
become like a resthouse for him, and because of his friends
there who regard him with affection, a place of love, training,
and education. He will probably be happier staying in prison
than being free, for outside he is confused and subject to the
assaults of sins from all sides. He may receive a complete education
from prison. On being released, it will not be as a murderer,
or thirsting for revenge, but as someone penitent, proven by
trial, wellbehaved, and beneficial for his nation. In fact,
the Denizli prisoners became so extraordinarily wellbehaved
after studying the Risale-i Nur for only a short time that some
of those concerned said: "Studying the Risale-i Nur for fifteen
weeks is more effective at reforming them than putting them
in prison for fifteen years."
Since death does not die
and the appointed hour is unknown, it may come at any time;
and since the grave cannot be closed, and troop after troop
enter it and are lost; and since it has been shown through the
truths of the Qur'an that for those who believe death is transformed
into the discharge papers releasing them from eternal annihilation,
while for the corrupt and the dissolute it is disappearing for
ever into eternal annihilation, and is unending separation from
their loved ones and all beings, most certainly and with no
doubt at all, the most fortunate person is he who with patience
and thanks fully benefits from his time in prison, and studying
the Risale-i Nur works to serve the Qur'an and his belief on
the straight path.
Oh man who is addicted
to enjoyment and pleasure! I am seventy-five years old, and
I know with utter certainty from thousands of experiences, proofs,
and events that true enjoyment, pain-free pleasure, grief-free
joy, and life's happiness are only to be found in belief and
in the sphere of the truths of belief. While a single worldly
pleasure yields numerous pains. As though dealing ten slaps
for a single grape, it drives away all life's pleasure.
Oh you unfortunate people
who are experiencing the disaster of prison! Since your world
is weeping and your life is bitter, strive so that your Hereafter
will not also weep, and your eternal life will smile and be
sweet! Benefit from prison! Just as sometimes under severe conditions
in the face of the enemy, an hour's watch may be equivalent
to a year's worship, so too in the severe conditions you are
under, the hardship of each hour spent as worship becomes the
equivalent of many hours, it transforms that hardship into mercy.
* * * *
In His Name, be He glorified
My dear and loyal brothers!
I shall explain in three
'Points' an effective solace for those who are experiencing
the calamity of prison, and for those who kindly help them and
faithfully supervise their food, which comes from outside.
First Point: Each day spent in prison
may gain as much as ten days' worship, and, with regards to
their fruits, may transform those transient hours into enduring
hours, and through five or ten years' punishment may be the
means of saving a person from millions of years of eternal imprisonment.
For the believers, the condition for gaining this most significant
and valuable advantage is to perform the obligatory prayers,
repent for the sins that were the cause of their imprisonment,
and offer thanks in patience. For sure, prison is an obstacle
to many sins: it does not provide the opportunity for them.
Second Point:Just as the cessation
of pleasure causes pain, so also does the cessation of pain
give pleasure. Indeed, on thinking of past happy, enjoyable
days, everyone feels a pang of regret and longing, and says:
"Alas!", and recalling calamitous, unhappy days of the past,
experiences a sort of pleasure since they are passed, and says:
"Praise and thanks be to Allah, that calamity has left its reward
and departed." He breathes a sigh of relief. That is to say,
an hour's temporary pain and sorrow leave behind a sort of pleasure
in the spirit, while a pleasurable hour leaves a pain.
Since the reality is thus;
and since past calamitous hours together with their pains are
no longer existent, and future distressing days are at the present
time non-existent, and there is no pain from nothing, to continually
eat bread and drink water today, for example, because of the
possibility of being hungry and thirsty in several days' time,
is most foolish. And in just the same way, to think now of the
past and future unhappy hours, which simply do not exist, and
to show impatience, and ignoring one's faulty self, to moan
as though complaining about Allah is also most foolish. So long
as the power of patience is not scattered to left and right,
that is, to the past and future, and is held firm in the face
of the present of hour and day, it is sufficient. The distress
falls from ten to one.
In fact, but let it not
be complaining, divine favor pointed out the above fact to me
while, during a few days of material and spiritual affliction,
illness, and trial the like of which I had never before experienced
in my life, I was being crushed in particular by the despair
and distress of the heart and spirit which resulted from my
being unable to serve the Qur'an and belief with the Risale-i
Nur. I was then content with my distressing illness and imprisonment.
For, saying: "It is great profit for an unfortunate like myself
who waits at the door of the grave to make one hour which might
be passed in heedlessness ten hours' worth of worship", I gave
thanks.
Third Point: There is great gain
in compassionately aiding and assisting prisoners, in giving
them the sustenance they need, and in soothing their spiritual
wounds with consolation. And giving them their food which comes
from outside is like alms giving which, exactly to the amount
of the food, is written in the book of good deeds of those,
outside and inside, who do this, together with the warders concerned.
And especially if the unhappy prisoner is old, ill, poor, or
a stranger, then the reward of this alms-giving increases many
times over.
Thus the condition of
this valuable profit is to perform the obligatory prayers, so
that such service is for Allah's sake. And another condition
is to hasten to their assistance with sincerity, compassion
and joy, and in such a way as to not make them feel obliged.
* * * *
In His Name, be He glorified.
And there is not a thing
but it glorifies Him with praise.
Peace be upon you and
the Mercy and the Blessings of Allah forever and ever.
My friends in prison and
brothers in Religion!
It occurred to me to explain
a truth to you which will save you both from worldly torment
and the torment of the Hereafter. It is as follows:
For example: A person killed someone's
brother or one of his relatives. A murder which yields one minute's
pleasure of revenge causes millions of minutes of both distress
for the heart and the anguish of prison. And the fear of revenge
by the murdered man's relatives, and anxiety of finding himself
face to face with his enemy drives away all his pleasure and
enjoyment in life. He suffers the torment of both fear and anger.
There is only one solution for this, and that is reconciliation,
which the Qur'an commands, and truth, reality, benefit, humanity,
and Islam require and encourage.
Indeed, the reality and
requirement is peace, because the appointed hour is set, it
does not change. Since his appointed hour had come, the murdered
man would have stayed no longer in any event. And as for the
murderer, he was the means of Allah's decree being carried out.
So long as there is no reconciliation, both sides perpetually
suffer the torments of fear and revenge. It is because of this
that Islam commands that "one believer should not be vexed with
another believer for more than three days". If the murder was
not the result of a vindictive grudge and enmity, and a two-faced
trouble-maker instigated the discord, it is essential to make
peace quickly. Otherwise, that minor disaster becomes a large
one, and continues. If they make peace, and the murderer repents
and prays continuously for the man he killed, then both sides
will gain much and become like brothers. In place of one departed
brother, he will gain several religious brothers. He will be
resigned to Divine Decree and Determining and forgive his enemy.
And especially since they heed the lessons of the Risale-i Nur,
both individual and public peace and well-being, and the brotherhood
that there is in the sphere of the Risale-i Nur require that
they put aside all the hard feelings that exist between them.
It was thus in Denizli
Prison; all the prisoners who were enemies became brothers through
the lessons of the Risale-i Nur. It was one reason for our acquittal,
and caused even the irreligious and ungodly to say about those
prisoners: "Mashallah! Barekallah!" And it was an utter relief
for those prisoners. I myself have seen here a hundred men suffer
inconvenience on account of one man and not go out to take exercise
together. It is oppression towards them. A manly believer of
sound conscience will not cause each of hundreds of other believers
harm because of some insignificant and minor error or benefit.
If he makes a mistake and does cause harm, he should repent
immediately.
* * * *
3
This
refers to defense speeches in court.
