My Guide to Understanding Islam 2

MY GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING

ISLAM

MY GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING

ISLAM

YUSUF KARAGÖL

Copyright © 2015 by Tughra

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Originally published in Turkish as Yol Rehberim in 2013. 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4

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CHAPTER 1

THE IMPORTANCE OF READING

A Person Reaches Perfection by Reading

Aperson reaches perfection by reading because reading is the sustenance of the soul, the source of development. When a person reads he realizes his lack of knowledge, and while studying a person’s desire to learn increases. Basically, every book that is read whispers the need for reading and stimulates even more reading. Therefore, reading and studying become a way of life to the extent that a person must read on a daily basis.

Our past is vibrant, so to speak, with people devoted to studying. Here are a few examples:

When the great scholar Hammad ar-Rawiyah was asked if he would ever be satisfied with the knowledge he had attained he replied, “I used all my resources but never reached the limits of knowledge. As I passed over one mountain another appeared before me.”

* * *

The Abbasid caliph Al-Ma’mun had an elderly uncle who had grown tired of attaining knowledge and asked, in shame, “Is it befitting for us to study at this age?” The caliph answered, “It is better for you to die acquiring knowledge than to live being content with ignorance.”

* * *

On his death bed Abu Yusuf, one of Imam Azam’s students, lost consciousness; then he opened his eyes and began to discuss a topic of knowledge with a man at his bedside. One of those present said, “While you are in this state, try to rest.” Abu Yusuf replied, “If only my fate would come to me while I was occupied with learning and depart from this world attaining knowledge.”

* * *

Qatadah ibn Di’amah, one of the great scholars and successors of the Companions, strived throughout his entire life to attain knowledge. One of his students, Matar al-Warraq, conveyed this in these words: “Qatadah continued to learn until the time of his death.”

Astronomer Pierre Simon Laplace: On his death bed at the age of seventy-eight, his last words were: “What we know is little, and what we are ignorant of, is immense.”

* * *

Samuel Johnson, who died at the age of seventy-five and wrote the first English dictionary, began to learn the Dutch language just a few years prior to his death.

Indeed, a person should strive to utilize and benefit from every moment and regret time wasted on things of no avail to the soul, mind and heart. As for those who do not put the time they possess to good use, for them there is no present; they always focus on the future. To those who say, Let’s wait and see, it is still early, we will fulfil our duties in the future, the best reply is surely, If now is not the right time, when is? The phrase “Tomorrow begins today” summarizes this nicely.

THE BENEFITS OF READING

Reading Keeps the Brain Young and Active

Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, claimed, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.”

According to the latest studies, approximately fifty thousand neurons die every day in the brains of people over twenty years old. An increase in the death of these cells causes memory loss. Memory loss begins to set in rapidly with the increasing death of these nerve cells in those who do not read, whereas a person who reads regularly has a greater chance of avoiding this condition, because reading helps preserve the brain cells. If we want our brains to remain young and healthy we must constantly stimulate them. Reading challenging material frequently is good brain exercise. In recent years, the fatal disease known as Alzheimer’s has increased rapidly throughout the entire world. This disease, which is the diminishing of the brains’ abilities, affects many people over the age of sixty-five. In fact, according to research, Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes of death. Research shows that one of the causes of this disease spreading among elderly people is the lack of brain exercise. Brain cells that are not exercised or used properly begin to diminish. As cultural involvement decreases, nerve cells in the memory center of

the brain begin to degenerate and die. Reading exercises the human brain and keeps the brain alive and healthy. This is why dementia or memory loss in old age is less common in people who read on a frequent basis compared to those who are not accustomed to reading.

This true story is relevant to this subject: In America, when Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes retired voluntarily at the age of ninety, he was visited at his home by newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The President asked why Holmes was reading Plato in his library. Holmes replied, “To improve my mind.” Students who suffer from memory loss should concentrate more on reading books and not accustom the brain to idleness.

The Noble Prophet Prescribes That We Read

When we study books on the traditions of the noble Prophet (books of hadith), we see that in many of the traditions he praised knowledge, scholars and students of knowledge, encouraging his followers to read and learn. The noble Prophet, who said that acquiring knowledge was incumbent upon all Muslims, also said in another of the traditions that wisdom and knowledge are things the believer lacks, and that a believer should acquire knowledge wherever he finds it. He emphasized that the ink of scholars will be weighed on the Day of Judgment along with the blood of martyrs, and the ink of scholars will outweigh the blood of martyrs.

The noble Prophet related in another tradition, “He who follows a path in quest of knowledge, God will make the path to Paradise easy for him. The angels lower their wings over the seeker of knowledge, being pleased with what he does. The inhabitants of the heavens and the earth and even the fish in the depth of the oceans seek forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the devout worshipper is like that of the full

moon to the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets who bequeath neither dinar nor dirham but only that of knowledge; and he who acquires it has in fact acquired an abundant portion.” And he also supplicated occasionally with these words: “O Lord! Benefit me with what You have taught me, and teach me what is beneficial for me, and increase me in knowledge.” The noble Prophet, who distinctly prescribed that we read and increase our knowledge said, “God raises nations with knowledge, making them leaders of goodness whose guidance and paths are to be followed.” Another narration reads, “The learned believer holds a rank seventy degrees higher than a devout servant. The distance between each of these degrees is like the distance between the heavens and the earth.”

In the same way that the Prophet encouraged studying and attaining knowledge, he also tells us to convey this knowledge to others. “The greatest charity for a Muslim is to learn something and then teach it to his Muslims brothers.” And in another tradition: “God, His angels, the dwellers of the heavens and the earth, even the ant and the fish in the ocean supplicate for those who teach people knowledge.”

We will now continue on to the next subject; those who require more detailed information regarding the subject may refer to the books of the Prophet’s traditions.

BELIEF IN GOD

Can Something Come into Existence by Itself?

Atoms and subatomic particles which constitute existence undergo constant change. At the same time, these atoms act consistently with everything in the entire universe. In which case, in accordance with the claim that everything in the universe transpires by itself, we should accept that these molecules possess the knowledge and power to create the universe, but logically this is impossible. Humans are living beings, not simple objects with inanimate existence. A human is like a magnificent, extremely coordinated machine, a wonderful palace that continuously manifests transformation. The human body is in constant harmony with the universe. The molecules that constitute a human display an astonishing, extremely incredible sensitivity in guarding this harmony. If these molecules in the human body were not classified as the tiny servants of God or His soldiers acting in accordance with the laws of God, then each of these molecules under His command would require such visual ability that they would not only see every part of the body, but even the entire universe with which they are in continual harmony, which also is not logically possible.

I Only Believe What I See with My Own Eyes!

A disbeliever asked Imam Azam the following question: “If God exists, then why can He not be seen?”

He replied, “Let them bring us some milk first, then we will continue our conversation.”

The man remarked, “That would be nice. We can drink milk and talk at the same time.” The milk arrived, and at that time people used molasses as a substitute for sugar as we know it today, as naturally there was no sugar then. The man sweetened his milk and began to drink it.

Imam Azam offered the man another spoon of sugar saying, “Take some and sweeten your milk.”

The man answered, “Thank you but I have already sweetened my milk. Can you answer my question?”

Imam Azam replied, “First add the sugar to the milk then we will talk.”

Then raising his voice a little more, the man said, “I already put sugar in my milk.”

So the imam says, “I do not believe you.”

In a state of anger the man inquired, “Why do you not believe me?”

Imam Azam replied, “I do not believe what I cannot see: show me the sugar.” The man asked, “How can you possibly see sugar once it has been mixed with milk? I may not be able to show you, but if drink it you will taste the sweetness of the sugar. And why are we speaking about such a thing? Can you answer my question?”

Imam Azam: “You never gave me the chance, but [instead you] answered the question yourself.”

So the man asked, “What do you mean?”

Imam Azam explained, “In the same way the sugar in the milk exists but cannot be seen, God also exists but we cannot see Him. It is impossible to see the fat in the milk, but the milk is very nice and rich. We can only learn this by tasting the milk, not by looking at it. In which case there are many things in this world that we cannot see with our eyes; however, we can recognize them from the effects and impression they leave on us, or we can recognize their existence with another of our sensual organs. You cannot see the fat or sugar

in the milk but you expect to see God, whereas our eyes are not capable of seeing everything in this world.”

In the same way, we cannot see God in this world, but we witness His creation, His works of art. We recognize the effects of what He created. But we recognize this with our minds and logic, not with our eyes.

FAITH AND DISBELIEF

If somebody were to ask what things are most distant from each other, you would probably say faith and disbelief, and in terms of the result this is correct. However, when we consider this in terms of the things we experience in our daily lives— our emotions, desires, conscience, awareness and the spiritual faculty— faith and disbelief are, in fact, the two things closest to each other, as though separated by a loosely woven curtain. Therefore, rather than gossiping about those who stumble to the other side of that curtain, wondering how they could deviate from the path of truth, we should turn to God and supplicate, O Lord! Protect us against stumbling onto the path of disbelief. We should constantly say, O Lord! After granting us faith, never allow our hearts to deviate from the truth. Furthermore, we should make the same supplication for all our believing brothers and sisters, because we can lose those around us to the path of disbelief without warning. Indeed, even men from among those who wrote the revelations lost their way on the path of truth. This could be due to the fact that these individuals were more inclined to destruction—evil appearing more attractive or enticing—or even not being vigilant against evil at all times. Whatever the reason, any one of us may stray from the true path at a time when we least expect to. Therefore, nobody should ever have the confidence or belief that they would never stray, but should rather embrace God and strive to remain on His path, looking down upon themselves. Even if they pray constantly throughout the entire night, no one should

believe that they have totally fulfilled their duty to God when they raise their heads from prostration. If a servant who spends every day of the year in worship assumes even for a moment he will be granted a certain reward for worshipping God so much, or considers himself worthy of a certain position or status, then the moments he spends in such contemplation will undoubtedly be the gloomiest of his life.

Whereas the mindful servant should consider success and position as a potential trial and shield himself from the demand of all pleasures except the pleasure of God. A believer should bear the understanding I am a servant, and servants possess no wealth or fortunes. The gain of whatever I earn belongs to my Master alone. The believer must never expect a reward in return for worship and fulfilling his duty. Moreover, as defined in the Twenty-Fourth Word of The Words, “Worship is not the introduction to additional rewards, but the result of previous bounties. Yes, we have received our wage, and are accordingly charged with the duties of service and worship.” Therefore, the issue here is not attaining status or being renowned for position; but, rather, the issue is one of deserving a position and displaying gratitude to God for the blessings and favors He bestows.

QUESTIONS

1) Who was the famous astronomer who said, “What we know is little, and what we are ignorant of is immense”?

A) Pierre Simon Laplace C) Henry Ford

B) Samuel Johnson

D) Hammad ar-Rawiyah

2) What did the noble Prophet emphasize with these words: “The greatest charity for a Muslim is______”?

A) Learning something and then teaching it to one’s Muslims brothers

B) Giving charity to the poor and needy

C) Giving a book as a gift to one’s Muslim brother

D) Spending of wealth for the sake of religion

3) Which of these is not a cause of Alzheimer’s disease?

A) Old Age

B) The loss of brain function

C) Reading books

D) The damage of brain cells

4) Which of these views is not manifested in a disbeliever?

A) Everything transpires by itself.

B) The entire existence occurred by coincidence.

C) I do not believe in what I cannot see.

D) Everything is created with utmost precision.

5) Which of the options below are not the words of a believing person?

A) I attained position by virtue of the worship I have performed.

B) My duty is servitude and service to others.

C) May God protect us from deviation.

D) I must show gratitude for the blessings and favors granted by God.

CHAPTER 2

BELIEF

Luminous Statements from the Risale-i Nur Collection

It is only belief that is the means of happiness in this world and the next. (The Rays).

Belief is both light and power. Those who attain true belief can challenge the universe and, in proportion to their belief’s strength, be relieved of the pressures of events. (The Words).

Belief requires affirming Divine Unity; affirmation of Divine Unity requires submitting to God; submission to God requires relying on God; and reliance on God yields happiness in both worlds.

(The Words).

Belief enables us to attain true humanity, to acquire a position above all other creatures. Thus, belief and prayer are our most fundamental and important duties. Unbelief, by contrast, reduces us to the state of a brutal but very impotent beast. (The Words).

Everything exists for the one for whom God exists; nothing exists for the one for whom God does not exist. (The Words).

Salvation and security are only to be found in Islam and belief. (The Words).

Just like the other world’s bliss, happiness in this world depends upon submitting to God and being His devoted servant. ( The Words).

The religion is the very life of life, its light and its foundation. The revival of this nation is possible only through the revival of the Religion (The Words).

One who sees with the light of belief and belief in Divine Unity sees the universe as filled with light and friendship, mutual love and affection, and all things and beings in it as amiable, living brothers and sisters. (Al-Mathnawi al-Nuri).

One who does not recognize God is afflicted with a worldful of tribulations, while the world of one who recognizes God is full of light and spiritual joy. (The Gleams).

THE FAITH OF THE COMPANIONS

The Most Handsome Man of Mecca

Mus’ab ibn Umayr was one of the Companions who, although he was granted worldly abundance, abandoned everything he possessed for the sake of his faith. During his burial after the Battle of Uhud, the Companions were unable to find anything to shroud his body. This highly esteemed man, who once lived a life of wealth and luxury, was now lying on the ground in a worn cloak. His hair was unraveled and his body bore many spear and sword wounds. When the Companions covered his head with the cloak, his feet were uncovered, and when they covered his feet, his head remained uncovered. When the noble Prophet was informed of this, he ordered that his head should be covered with the cloak and his feet with grass, and then his body could be placed in the grave. The noble Prophet stood looking compassionately at Mus’ab ibn Umayr’s lifeless body for a long period. Then he recited this verse:

Among the believers are men (of highest valor) who have been true to their covenant with God: among them are those who have fulfilled their vow (by remaining steadfast until death), and those who are awaiting (its fulfillment). They have never altered in any way. (Al-Ahzab 33:23).

When the Companions fulfilled the noble Prophet’s command, he stood gazing at the old, worn cloak and grass covering the martyr’s body and said, “When I first saw you in Mecca, you were wearing a beautiful, expensive gown. There was nobody more distinguished than you. Now you lie here on the ground under this old garment which does not even cover your whole body!”

The beloved Prophet turned to the battle field and said, “The Messenger of God witnesses that you are martyrs to God on the Day of Judgment.”

Then he turned to the people and conveyed these words that were to be a lesson to all: “O people! Visit them, come to them, and salute them! By God, no Muslim will salute them but that they will salute him in return.”

How Can We Explain the Notion That the Daily Prayers Consist of All Forms of Worship?

Just as man is an example in miniature of the book of universe and the opening chapter of Al-Fatiha a radiant sample of the revealed book of the Qur’an of Mighty Stature, so too are the prescribed Prayers a comprehensive and luminous index of all varieties of worship and a sacred map pointing to all the shades of worship of all the classes of creatures.

The Prayer is a luminous index that contains all types of worship. It is a map that points to the colorful worship of all living species. For example, there is fasting in the Daily Prayers because it is forbidden to eat or drink after the person enters into the consecrated state of the Prayer. There is alms (Zakah) in the Prayer because Prayers are the alms of human lifespan. There is holy pilgrimage to the House of God (Hajj) in the Prayer because the praying person must face the direction of the Ka’ba, the House of God, in the Prayer. Obviously, the Shahadah, or testimony of

faith, is included in the Prayer. Moreover, some angels perform their worship in an upright position, whilst some remain in a bowing position and others in the prostration position. There are also angels that worship God in a sitting position. Some angels continuously recite, Allahu Akbar (“God is the All-Great”), whilst others repeat, Alhamdulillah (“All Praise be to God”), and even others chant, Subhan Allah (“Glory be to God”). In fact, angels perform only a certain part of the Prayer and recite only the certain section of the recitations in a most tranquil and serene manner, receiving an utmost spiritual pleasure from their worship. Since all of the above components are present in the Prayer, human beings perform all of them.

On the other hand, the worship of the Prayer contains all forms of worship performed by the entire creation. Every creation is in a state of submission to God and worships Him in a manner that suits them. Heavenly bodies with their rising and setting motions repeat the movements of the Prayer. Mountains stand upright just as we do in the qiyam, or standing position of the Prayer. Four legged animals stand bowing just as we bow low with the hands on our knees in the ruku position. And plants stand in a prostration position just as we do in sajdah. We prostrate ourselves on the ground, with nose and forehead on the floor, in a posture of humility like the grass and trees which continuously drink water and minerals with their mouth-like roots from the soil. According to holy Qur’an, one of the main objectives of water is to clean: “…He sent down water upon you from the sky, that thereby He might cleanse you (of all actual or ritual impurities, by enabling you to do the minor and major ablution)” (al-Anfal 8:11). Indeed, how imperative is water for ablution ( wudu ) and major ablution ( ghusl ). Another verse informs us that, “Thunder glorifies God with praises” (ar-Ra’d 13:13). This reminds us of the congregation uttering, Allahu Akbar (“God

is the All-Great!”) during the obligatory Prayer. Just as Muslims who perform worship in large groups, birds also worship God in large flocks, “Do you not see that all that is in the heavens and the earth, and the birds flying in patterned ranks with wings spread out glorify God? Each knows the way of its prayer and glorification. God has full knowledge of all that they do” (an-Nur 24:41). The shadow’s lengthening and contraction is also a very beautiful and meaningful image of how creation prostrates in submission to its Creator:

To God prostrate all that are in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly, as do their shadows in the mornings and the evenings. (ar-Ra’d 13:15).

Do they not see the things that God has created, how their shadows bend to the right and to the left, making prostration before God, and that in the humblest manner? (an-Nahl 16:48).

Just as the shadows of all objects shrink and stretch throughout the day in obedience to God, so do human beings by performing the standing (qiyam), bowing (ruku), and prostration (sajdah) positions in the Prayer. In sum, this universe and all the created things and beings in it are in a state of subjugation to God and worship Him willingly or unwillingly in a manner that suits their nature. The worship of Prayer is performed in the best manner when it is fulfilled spiritually and with heart. The believer prays, therefore, willingly and is rewarded for his Prayers.

MISSING THE PRAYER

One night, Bayazid drifted into a deep sleep and was unable to wake up for the Morning Prayer. When he eventually awoke, he saw that it was daylight outside. This disturbed him immensely. He began to weep, saying, “O Lord! How could I be so negligent? Forgive me!” As the words of the noble Prophet came to his mind (Whoever missed the Prayer, it is as if he has lost his family and all his wealth), Bayazid’s sorrow increased even more. After the sun had risen, he performed the Prayer.

Then as he prostrated and continued to seek God’s forgiveness, he heard a voice: “O Bayazid! You have been granted forgiveness. Due to your remorse and tears of regret, you have also been bestowed with the reward for [having performed] seventy thousand voluntary Prayers.”

These words relieved Bayazid immensely. Then a few months later, the same thing happened again. But on this occasion, a short time before the Prayer ended he was awakened by a voice—it was the devil. The devil addressed him, “Awaken! You will miss the Prayer.”

Bayazid recognized the devil immediately and said, “O accursed one! You always wanted me to miss the Prayer, so why did you come to awaken me for the Prayer?”

The devil replied, “Do you remember a few months ago when you missed the Morning Prayer, you wept with such sorrow and regret that not only were you forgiven, but you were also granted the reward for seventy thousand voluntary Prayers? Well, I came

to awaken you today so that you will only be rewarded for the Prescribed Prayer.”

QUESTIONS

1) “The religion is the very life of life, its light and its foundation. The revival of this nation is possible only through the ______”

Which of the following should fill the blank?

A) Worldly bliss C) Position

B) Revival of religion D) Salvation and security

2) Who was the Companion who abandoned his wealth and worldly luxuries for the sake of God and His Messenger?

A) Asim ibn Thabit

B) Mus’ab ibn Umayr

C) Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib

D) Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah

3) Which of these chapters is a radiant sample of the Qur’an?

A) Al-Fatiha C) Ya-Sin

B) Al-Baqarah D) An-Nisa

4) Which of the statements below does not define that Prayer contains all the forms of worship?

A) Prayer includes not eating and drinking as in the fast.

B) The Ka’ba is faced during Prayer.

C) Prayer contains all the acts of worship.

D) Working is an act of worship.

5) “And (continue to) ______ your Lord until what is certain (death) comes to you” (al-Hijr 15:99). Fill the blank space with one of the options below.

A) Supplicate B) Repent to C) Worship D) Praise

CHAPTER 3

THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS

Never Show Impatience or Anger to Your Parents

Should one of them, or both, attain old age in your lifetime, do not say “ugh!” to them (as an indication of complaint or impatience), nor push them away. (Al-Isra 17:23)

In this verse of the Qur’an, God is guiding people regarding how they should address and behave towards their parents. An offspring is not even permitted to utter “ugh” in complaint—let alone insult—towards parents, nor allowed to become upset or raise a hand to parents in anger. The Qur’an defined the boundaries of disrespect to parents. While saying “ugh” in complaint towards a parent has been prohibited, how can we possibly display acts of disrespect, abuse and offensive behavior? In these terms, using any word classified as offensive as—or more offensive than—“ugh” is disrespectful, and means disobedience towards parents. Respect towards parents is a very important and delicate issue, and by no means should this topic ever be underemphasized. If this was not a matter of such importance, God would not have placed such emphasis on the subject and depicted such delicate boundaries regarding respect towards parents. In terms of respect and obedience to parents, not only those distant from religious and civil manners but sometimes those who believe they strive for the sake of religion and the nation can also make grave mistakes. Whereas while a person is occupied with acts that please God on one hand, on the other hand they should not destroy their good deeds in this world by doing things that displease God.

PARENTS’ RIGHTS CANNOT

BE REPAID

As it states above, a child’s kind behavior towards parents is both a privilege and a duty. This right can never be repaid or sacrificed for anything else, and there is certainly no tolerance for the neglect of these rights. Indeed, the noble Prophet signified this when he said, “No child repays his father fully unless he finds him as a slave, then buys him and sets him free.” The noble Prophet mentioned the sacrifices of a mother in many of the traditions. According to a narration by Abu Hurayra, one day a Companion came to the Messenger of God and asked, “Who deserves my companionship the most?” He replied, “Your mother.” The Companion asked the question three times, and three times the noble Prophet gave the same answer. However, when the Companion asked the fourth time, he replied, “Your father.” By conveying these words, the Messenger of God emphasized that the rights of a mother are greater than those of a father.

In an article titled “Mother,” the eminent scholar Fethullah Gülen spoke of a mother’s sacrifices in these words:

Think about it, what a long process of preparation they undergo for us, what insurmountable hardships they have come up against and what things they overcome. What challenges they struggle with, and what dreams and weariness they live with. What reveries and dreams their hearts are filled with, and

emptied of, what hopelessness and disappointment they suffer. What hardships and burdens they stand firm against and how many ordeals they undergo. What pains they suffer and how they moan. How many times they cry, screaming out and how many times they console our crying. How many times they overflow with compassion and how many times they are in need of compassion. In short, what valuable things they spend for us and what efforts they make, expecting nothing in return.

If there is someone who hugs, cuddles, kisses, and caresses us, who relieves our feelings of sadness and dejection, who shares our worries, who prefers us to eat in her place, us to be dressed well instead of her, who feels her hunger or fullness when we are hungry or full, who bears unimaginable hardships with a superhuman effort for the sake of our happiness and joy, who shows us the way for our body to develop, our will to strengthen, for our intelligence to become sharp and perspicacious, for our horizons to be oriented on the Hereafter, a person who does all these without expecting—openly or secretly—anything in return, that person is none other than our mother.

A mother and father are the means of a child coming into this world. As defined in this verse of the Qur’an—“Let human, then, consider from what he has been created. . . . It [that fluid] proceeds (as a result of incitement) between the (lumbar zone in the) vertebra and the ribs” (at-Tariq 86:5–7) they were both created as the means. Therefore, as they were the means, the reason for the birth, parents have rights over their children. Thus, when offspring are as yet nonexistent in the material realm, a mother and father are the cause of them coming into existence, and following the certain stages, directing them to the path leading to life and nurturing their children, who are, in a sense, captives, attaining identity. Indeed, it is impossible to repay the rights, because “From the moment a human begins to exist while still a tiny seed, it is the

responsibility of the parents, and the parents bear the burden of their development. In these terms, it is neither possible to define the depths of a mother’s and father’s compassion towards their children, nor the limits to the difficulties they endure for the sake of their children. Due to this, a child’s respect towards parents is both a human obligation and a duty.

Supplications of Those Who Please Their Parents Are Accepted

According to a narration by Abdullah, the son of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the noble Prophet related an event that befell three people of past nations:

While three persons were walking, rain began to fall and they had to enter a cave in a mountain. A big rock rolled over and blocked the mouth of the cave. They said to each other, ‘Invoke Allah with the best deed you have performed (so Allah might remove the rock)’. One of them said, ‘O Allah! My parents were old and I used to go out for grazing (my animals). On my return I would milk (the animals) and take the milk in a vessel to my parents to drink. After they had drunk from it, I would give it to my children, family and wife. One day I was delayed and on my return I found my parents sleeping, and I disliked to wake them up. The children were crying at my feet (because of hunger). That state of affairs continued till it was dawn. O Allah! If You regard that I did it for Your sake, then please remove this rock so that we may see the sky.’ So, the rock was moved a bit. The second said, ‘O Allah! You know that I was in love with a cousin of mine, like the deepest love a man may have for a woman, and she told me that I would not get my desire fulfilled unless I paid her one-hundred Dinars (gold pieces). So, I struggled for it till I gathered the desired amount, and when I sat in between her

legs, she told me to be afraid of Allah, and asked me not to deflower her except rightfully (by marriage). So, I got up and left her. O Allah! If You regard that I did it for Your sake, kindly remove this rock.’ So, two-thirds of the rock was removed. Then the third man said, ‘O Allah! No doubt You know that once I employed a worker for one Faraq (three Sa’s) of millet, and when I wanted to pay him, he refused to take it, so I sowed it and from its yield I bought cows and a shepherd. After a time that man came and demanded his money. I said to him: Go to those cows and the shepherd and take them for they are for you. He asked me whether I was joking with him. I told him that I was not joking with him, and all that belonged to him. O Allah! If You regard that I did it sincerely for Your sake, then please remove the rock.’ So, the rock was removed completely from the mouth of the cave. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Anbiya, 50).

Indeed, as we see in this tradition of the noble Prophet, deeming their sincere acts as a form of intercession, these three desperate individuals supplicated to God, and He opened the gate of salvation to them. Each of their acts was extremely virtuous. In particular, if we begin with the example relevant to our present topic, we see that even during the gloomiest periods in a person’s life, serving and pleasing parents can open the secret gate to salvation. God accepted the supplication of a man who served his parents and preferred them over his own children, and allowed him to escape from the cave.

SUPPLICATION

The Prayers and Supplications of Our Beloved Prophet

The noble Messenger always prayed to God before any action. The books of Tradition (Hadith) record no case in which he did not pray. Prayer is a mystery of servanthood to God, and the Messenger is the foremost in servanthood.

Ibn Abbas narrates:

One night, when he exited his Salah, I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: “O Allah, I ask You of Your mercy, that You guide by it my heart, and gather by it my affair, and bring together that which has been scattered of my affairs, and correct with it that which is hidden from me, and raise by it that which is apparent from me, and purify by it my actions, and inspire me by it with that which contains my guidance, and protect me by it from that which I seek protection, and protect me by it from every evil. O Allah, give me faith and certainty after which there is no disbelief, and mercy, by which I may attain the high level of Your generosity in the world and the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for success (in that which You grant, and relief) in the Judgment, and the positions of the martyrs, and the provision of the successful, and aid against the enemies. O Allah, I leave to You my need, and my actions are weak, I am in need of Your mercy, so I ask You, O Decider of the affairs, and O Healer of the chests, as You separate me from the punishment of the blazing flame, and from seeking destruction, and from the trial of the graves.

O Allah, whatever my opinion has fallen short of, and my intention has not reached it, and my request has not encompassed it, of good that You have promised to anyone from Your creation, or any good You are going to give to any of Your slaves, then indeed, I seek it from You and I ask You for it, by Your mercy, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, Possessor of the strong rope, and the guided affair, I ask You for security on the Day of the Threat, and Paradise on the Day of Immortality along with the witnesses, brought-close, who bow and prostrate, who fulfill the covenants, You are Merciful, Loving, and indeed, You do what You wish. O Allah, make us guided guiders and not misguided misguiders, an ally to Your friends, an enemy to Your enemies. We love due to Your love, those who love You, and hate, due to Your enmity those who oppose You. O Allah, this is the supplication (that we are capable of), and it is upon You to respond, and this is the effort (that we are capable of), and upon You is the reliance.

O Allah, appoint a light in my heart for me, and a light in my grave, and light in front of me, and light behind me, and light on my right, and light on my left, and light above me, and light below me, and light in my hearing, and light in my vision, and light in my hair, and light in my skin, and light in my flesh, and light in my blood, and light in my bones. O Allah, magnify for me light, and appoint for me a light. Glory is to the One who wears Glory and grants by it. Glory is to the One for Whom glorification is not fitting except for Him, the Possessor of Honor and Bounties, Glory is to the Possessor of Glory and Generosity, Glory is to the Possessor of Majesty and Honor.” (Jami at-Tirmidhi, 3419).

The noble Prophet would supplicate and asked God for forgiveness a hundred times every day without fail, and although there was never any question of him sinning, he never neglected his supplications of gratitude and forgiveness to God. Indeed, one of his most important duties was to be a good example to others.

Actually, this is the case in today’s world. The knowledgeable ones are an example for the unknowledgeable—they guide and teach them. After all, in general humans were created as dependent beings; until we reach a certain level in anything we do, we require the assistance of others. The noble Prophet was teaching the Companions and believers of that period, and indeed all the Muslims until the Day of Judgment that they should constantly stand before God and ask His forgiveness. He told them, “O people! Repent to God, for verily I seek His forgiveness one hundred times every day.”

The Messenger of God adorned every moment of his life with supplication. These supplications can be found in books of prayers and supplications. It is our duty to recite these supplications, and earn the pleasure of both God and His Messenger.

TASBIHAT

We Should Not Neglect Daily Recitations

When tasbihat is mentioned, we first think of the recitations made after the Prayers. Our beloved Prophet indicated in many hadiths the recitations and prayers to be made after the Prayers, and he recommended that we do them: One day our noble Prophet asked, “Shall I teach you something that when you do it, those before you will not surpass you and those who come after you will not be superior to you?”

Abu al-Darda replied: “Yes, O Messenger of God (teach us).”

He said: “Recite thirty-three tasbih (subhanallah), tahmid (alhamdulillah) and takbir (Allahu Akbar) after every Prayer.” (Sunan Abu Dawud, Imarah, 20).

This matter is expressed as follows in another hadith: “Whoever glorifies God by reciting Subhanallah thirty-three times, praises God by reciting Alhamdulillah thirty-three times, “God is great” or Allahu Akbar thirty-three times, and completes the hundred by reciting “La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahulmulku wa lahulhamd wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadir” (There is no true deity except Allah; He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is Omnipotent), will be forgiven even if his mistakes and sins are as plentiful as the foam on the surface of the ocean.” (Sahih Muslim, Masajid, 144).

It can be understood how important tasbihat is from these hadiths. We can sometimes sacrifice our recitations to neglect for

right or wrong reasons. We have to evaluate the thought, “At any rate, tasbihat is Sunnah. It’s OK if I don’t do it (!)” as a concession, because human nature is very amenable to this. To begin with, a person who abandons the tasbihat can, in time, abandon what is Sunnah. And this situation—God forbid—can take a person to completely abandoning the Prayers. A believer should look at Sunnah acts as a kind of making connection with our noble Prophet, and he should make them, beginning with the tasbihat, a vital part of his life.

Sometimes we can be very busy in our daily lives. Consequently, we may have to pray and return to our work without making the tasbihat. Even in these situations the tasbihat should not be abandoned; even if done standing up, the tasbihat should be made. If this is not possible, then tasbihat should be left for later and it should be completed when more convenient.

In addition to the tasbihat everyone knows and which is mentioned in the above hadiths, there is a famous “Prayer tasbihat” which is a little longer than the other. Comprised by bringing together wording from the Qur’an and hadiths by our spiritual elders, this recitation includes prayers recommended in hadiths, salawat, Al-Asma al-Husna and Al-Ism al-Azam in addition to the tasbihat that is known and recited at mosques. Without restricting ourselves on the topic of tasbihat, it will be better if we make this recitation after the Prayers.

The Tasbihat That Saved the “Butcher Tahir” from Execution

A large, courageous man from the shoe-makers trade was known as “Calamity Tahir” because he extorted money from the people of Afyon and its surroundings. When he killed a man who acted

indecently towards his wife, he began to be known as “Butcher Tahir.”

Sentenced to execution, Tahir was shackled from both his hands and feet; he had to wear these even when he was taken from his cell to the prison yard to get some fresh air. One day he met Master Bediüzzaman in the yard.

Discerning the Master’s character from his face, Butcher Tahir, throwing his trouble into the ocean, pleaded: “Please pray for me! Save me from this situation.”

The Master gave the following advice: “These shackles are not chains to your execution sentence. These are your prayer beads! Begin to pray, make your tasbih, I will also pray for you and, God willing, you will be saved.”

Synchronizing his heart frequency with God’s friend from that moment on, Tahir became physically and spiritually cleansed and began to perform his Prayers. At the end of his Prayer he counted the rings of his chains. What did he see? There were exactly thirty-three rings (like on some Prayer beads). From that moment on, that chain became his Prayer beads.

After days, weeks and months had passed, Bediüzzaman’s wonder came true and, after first gaining spiritual freedom, Tahir gained physical freedom with a pardon in 1950.

QUESTIONS

1) Under which of the conditions below is a child repaying his father?

A) If the child does not say “ugh” to him

B) If the child cares for him in old age

C) If the child is successful at school

D) If the child serves him throughout his lifetime

2) Which of the options below is not characteristic of a mother?

A) She always embraces us.

B) She endures unimaginable difficulties for our sake.

C) She guides us in attaining happiness in the Hereafter.

D) She forces her child to work so the child will experience the difficulties in life.

3) Which of the choices below is what God emphasized in the following verse of the Qur’an: “My Lord would not care for you were it not for your prayer” (al-Furqan 25:77).

A) Worldly gains are attained through prayer.

B) A person who supplicates is worthless.

C) One who does not supplicate is of no importance because he does not recognize God.

D) A person who does not supplicate is important.

4) Whoever glorifies God by reciting Subhanallah thirty-three times, praises God by reciting Alhamdulillah thirty-three times, “God is great” or Allahu Akbar thirty-three times, and completes the hundred by reciting La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la sharika lah, lahulmulku wa lahulhamd wa huwa ala kulli shayin qadir (There is no true deity except Allah; He is One and He has no partner with Him; His is the sovereignty and His is the praise, and He is

Omnipotent), will be forgiven even if his mistakes and sins are as plentiful as ______.

Which of the choices below should fill the blank space?

A) Mount Everest

B) The peaks of pyramids

C) The foam on the surface of the ocean

D) The fish in the ocean

5) The noble Prophet declared, “O people! Repent to God, for verily I seek His forgiveness______ times every day.” How many times did the noble Prophet say he repented and asked God’s forgiveness every day?

A) 70 B) 33 C) 99 D) 100

CHAPTER 4

THE ANGELS AND THEIR DUTIES

There are four archangels: Jibril (Gabriel), Mikail (Michael), Israfil, and Azrail.

Jibril is responsible for conveying the message of God to the Messengers.

Mikail is responsible for wind, rain and similar natural events.

Israfil is commissioned to blow the horn that will be followed by the end of this world and the resurrection of all souls.

Azrail is the angel of death and takes the lives of people with the order of God.

Munkir and Nakir are responsible for questioning the deceased in their graves.

The Noble Recorders (Kiraman Katibin): Two of these angels accompany each person. One of these angels records the good deeds of a person while the other records the bad ones.

They form what is called the book of deeds of a person. Both the Qur’an and the hadith inform us that the angels record everything that individuals do.

A THOUSAND ANGELS HELPED THEM

Umar ibn al-Khattab narrates: “On the day of Badr, the Messenger of God looked at the non-believers. There were approximately 1,000 of them while the number of believers was only 319.

Seeing the disproportionate numbers, the Messenger of God raised his hands and prayed: ‘My Lord! Please fulfill Your promise to me! Give me what You have promised! If this small community of believers perishes here, there will be no one to worship You on Earth.’

The Messenger of God continued to pray to God as such. His robe was falling down from his shoulders. One of his closest Companions approached him, put his robe back on his shoulders, hugged the Messenger, and assured him: ‘O Messenger of God! You have prayed enough. Our God will not let you down!’

At that very moment, God sent the following verse to His Messenger: ‘When you were imploring your Lord for help (as a special mercy), and He responded to you: ‘I will help you with a thousand angels, coming host after host’’ (al-Anfal 8:9).

Upon this, the Messenger of God turned to his friend, and said: ‘Good news, Abu Bakr! Support from God has arrived. The one over there in between the heavens and the earth is Gabriel spurring his horse and on the lookout!’

Then, the Messenger of God heralded his Companions that God sent angels for support. The Muslims, who fought against the non-believers at that battle, won a great victory.”

BELIEF IN THE HEREAFTER

Our Eternal Abode Is the Hereafter

According to the dictionary definition, the word “Hereafter” means the “Afterlife,” future life and existence beyond earthly life. This is the life beyond the Day of Judgment and will continue eternally. This includes the events and stages of the resurrection, the reckoning, scales of balance, intercession, Paradise, and Hell in its entirety. The greatest evidence and certainty of the Hereafter coming to pass is God’s pledge to His servants by stating that every soul will experience death. Death is unavoidable; God takes life, and it is to Him we will return. Many verses of the Qur’an relate that the resurrection after death is in accordance with the pledge of God.

As most are aware, the authenticity of a message or report depends on the conveyer. Therefore, the Creator, Whose pledge can never be a matter of dispute, tells us in the Qur’an that He will bring this universe which He created to an end, and on another occasion will revive its existence. As God is the One who relates this, and the arbiters of this topic are the Prophets who testify to this, then believing in the life after death is a duty of every believer.

A Person Aware of the Course of Creation Should Never Doubt the Resurrection after Death

If the One who created the book of the universe with its millions of created things without confusion and to perfection pledges that He will unite this once again, how can anybody possibly claim that it is beyond His power?

So let us now consider this verse of the Qur’an from this point of view:

The Day when We will roll up heaven as written scrolls are rolled up. We will bring the creation back into existence as easily as We originated it in the first instance. This is a binding promise on Us, and assuredly, We fulfill whatever We promise. (Al-Anbiya 21:104).

Indeed, with the coming of spring, the Lord will once again revive the trees and plantations whose seeds resemble one another, which perished during the winter, one by one without any confusion, and to perfection. The plan of the largest tree is protected and concealed in a seed no larger than the head of a pin. Would it be so difficult or impossible for God, the One who resurrects more than three hundred thousand creatures and plantations every spring without fail and to perfection, to resurrect a single being such as humans? Can anyone claim that this is impossible?

Again, we can approach this in comparison to another example: a craftsman who invents a machine from nothing and then later dismantles it and claims that he can build the machine a second time. How can anybody say, You will not be able to achieve this? As this is possible for a human whose power is limited, then how can anything prevent the One of divine power from achieving such a thing?

How can the Great Power, Who created everything and brought it into the realm of existence from nothing, be incapable

of resurrecting the dead? Why should it be impossible for a human who was created from nothing to be resurrected once again?

The Qur’an answers the denier’s objection to resurrection with these words: “Does (that) human not bear in mind that We created him before when he was nothing?” (Maryam 19:67).

The creation of a human, his birth into this world and stages of development, occur externally with no intervention on his part. In these terms, the human experience of his own creation is the closest and most influential evidence of God and the Hereafter. It is unimaginable that a person aware of the course in his own creation could have doubt regarding the resurrection. God— Who created mankind, a creation of perception and awareness who is capable of thinking, hearing, and speaking from clay—can undoubtedly resurrect this creation once again.

WORSHIP: GHUSL (MAJOR ABLUTION)

The major ablution (ghusl) is the means of cleanliness and religious purification. The circumstances that require purification are considered major impurities in the Islamic faith. There are three main reasons for major ablution: major ritual impurity due to sexual intercourse or discharge of semen, completion of menstruation, and giving birth.

In addition to the situations stated above, performing ghusl is necessary for every person who embraces Islam. A woman who embraces Islam during her menstrual period must perform ghusl immediately after her monthly cycle ends.

There are three obligatory acts of performing ghusl:

1. Filling and gargling the mouth with water once.

2. Breathing water up into the nostrils once.

3. Washing the entire body so that no area of the body remains dry.

WORSHIP: ABLUTION

Ablution is the preparation for Prayer, our most vital duty of servitude. In these terms, ablution is virtually a gown of purification we must wear before we stand before God in worship. We must wear this gown, or in other words, perform the ritual of purification to perfection. Ablution is an important form of worship commanded in the Islamic faith to eliminate all kinds of physical and spiritual impurities.

Consider this verse of the Qur’an:

O you who believe! When you rise up for the Prayer, (if you have no ablution) wash your faces and your hands up to (and including) the elbows, and lightly rub your heads (with water), and (wash) your feet up to (and including) the ankles. (Al-Maedah 5:6).

The Islamic faith deemed the ritual purification compulsory in order to perform certain forms of worship, in particular the Prayer.

The noble Prophet likens the Prayer, and therefore the ablution, to a stream passing in front of our homes, and informs us that if any believer was to bathe in that stream five times a day he would be free of any impurity. Every believer who performs the ritual of purification (ablution) with the intention of standing before God in worship is paying particular importance to purification of the soul rather than physical purification.

Obligatory Acts of Ablution

- Washing the face

- Washing the arms including the elbows

- Wiping over the head

- Washing the feet up to the ankles

Words of the Noble Prophet

The Messenger of God said, “Whoever goes to sleep in a state of purity will have an angel over his head and he will not awaken until the angel says, ‘O Lord, forgive your servant for he has slept in a state of purity.’” * * *

“Whenever the time for Prayer comes, an angel says, ‘O people! Rise and extinguish the fire that you kindled to burn yourselves (with your sins)!’ So the people rise up, perform ablution and perform the Noon Prayer. Due to this they are forgiven for their sins committed since daybreak. The same is repeated at the time of the Late Noon, Evening and Night Prayers. Then people go to bed, but there are some who occupy themselves in good, while some in evil, deeds.”

QUESTIONS

1) Which of the angels’ duties given below is incorrect?

A) Jibril (Gabriel) is the angel of revelations.

B) Mikail (Michael) is the angel responsible for questioning in the grave.

C) Israfil (Raphael) is the angel in charge of blowing the horn.

D) Azrail (Azrael) is the angel of death.

2) How many angels did God send to the noble Prophet following his supplication during the Battle of Badr?

A) 10 B) 100 C) 1000 D) 10,000

3) Every person is appointed two angels. One of these angels records the person’s good deeds, while the other records his sins. Which of the names given below is the name of these angels?

A) Jibril C) Israfil

B) Mikail D) Kiraman Katibin

4) Which of the following is not a cause for performing ghusl (major ablution)?

A) Sexual intercourse or discharge of semen

B) Menstruation

C) Giving birth

D) Sleep

5) The verse “Every soul is bound to taste death” (Al Imran 3:185) is mainly confirmation of which of the following?

A) Belief in the angels

B) Belief in the Hereafter

C) Belief in the Holy Books

D) Belief in the Prophets

CHAPTER 5

WORSHIP: PRAYER

Why Must We Observe the Prescribed Prayer?

The Prescribed Prayer is like the twin of belief. We must observe the prescribed Prayer because it is the greatest pillar of Islam after the Declaration of Faith. It is among the most important elements of religion after God’s unity. It is the last will and advice of God’s Messenger to the believers. The first thing for which a believer will be called to account on the Day of Judgment is the Daily Prayers.

When God’s Messenger was asked, “Which deed or actions are most beloved by Allah?” he replied, “Prayer

at

its proper time.”

The prescribed Prayer is the best of deeds ordained by God. It brings a person closer to God. With the Prayer, a believer gives thanks for the bounties bestowed to them by God. The Daily Prayers protect the believer from sin and wrongdoing. Moreover, they are the means to the forgiveness of sins and shield a person from punishment in the grave.

In short, the prescribed Prayer is the basis of succor, triumph, self-assurance and prosperity in both the world and the Hereafter. Hence, the believer must not neglect his Prayer whatever the circumstances in which he may find himself.

Now we will study certain aspects regarding the basics of Prayer that every believer should be familiar with.

Prayers Performed in Prison

Abdullah ibn Tahir, governor of Khorasan, was very just. One day, his gendarmes reported to the governor that they had caught some

thieves. One of the thieves escaped. A blacksmith from Hirat had gone to Nishabur and was arrested as he was going home one night. He was taken together with the thieves, and the governor ordered all of them to be imprisoned.

In the prison, the blacksmith immediately performed ablution and prayed. Holding his hands up towards the heavens, he supplicated, “O Lord! You alone know that I am innocent. You alone can rescue me from this dungeon.” That night the governor dreamt of four strong people who approached him, and just as they were about to turn his throne upside down, he woke up. Immediately he performed ablutions and prayed. Then he went back to sleep. Again he dreamt that the four people were about to overturn his throne, and again he woke up. He realized that he had been unjust to someone, and that person was invoking against him.

That night, the governor called the prison officer and asked if anyone had been unjustly imprisoned that night. The prison officer replied, “I am not sure. But there is somebody who is constantly praying, supplicating and weeping.”

So the governor summoned the blacksmith. When he questioned the man and realized he was innocent, the governor apologized, saying, “Forgive me, and accept these thousand silver coins as a gift from me. Whenever you need anything, whatever it may be, come to see me.”

The blacksmith said, “I have forgiven you and I accept your gift. But I cannot ask you for what I desire.” When he was asked why not, the man replied, “Would it be befitting for me, a mere servant, to abandon my Lord, Who overturned the throne of a sultan like you for the sake of such a poor person as me, and present my wishes to you? He rescued me from many difficulties by virtue of the supplications I made after my Prayers. He granted me my Prayers. So how could I seek refuge in anyone else other

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than God? How could I turn to another when my Lord opened the gates of eternal mercy, when He laid His boundless spread of benevolence before everybody? Who has ever asked from Him and was rejected? Who came to Him and returned empty-handed? You will not be granted something if you don’t know how to ask. If you do not go before Him in the proper manner, you will be deprived of His compassion.”

Evening Prayer

After praying the Evening Prayer (Maghrib), the noble Prophet returned home to perform the optional Prayers. Some of the congregation remained in the mosque, while others returned to their homes. After a short while the noble Prophet returned in a hurry, breathless. All the Companions turned to him in surprise, and the Messenger of God said, “Be of good cheer, for your Lord has opened one of the gates of heaven and is boasting of you before the angels, saying, “Look at My slaves; they have fulfilled one obligatory duty and are awaiting another.” Then he recited the following verse of the Qur’an:

Your Lord best knows what is in your souls (in respect of all matters, including what you think of your parents). If you are righteous (in your thoughts and deeds), then surely He is AllForgiving to those who turn to Him in humble contrition. (Al-Isra 17:25).

Occasionally We May Neglect Our Duties of Servitude

A doctor explained:

A close friend of mine brought his three- to four-year-old son to me in a state of panic. He told me that his son had a fever

and had begun vomiting, and clearly, the man’s love for his son was making him worry even more. After a short examination, thinking that something the child ate had affected him, I asked what it could be, the man replied, “He ate almost a kilo of ice cream from the freezer; we realized after he had ate it.”

So the child’s complaint was clear. However, calming the father down was a great deal more difficult than treating the child. Hoping to show how much the child loved his father, and that ice cream was the cause of his illness, I asked the boy, “Which do you love the most, your father or ice cream?” The little boy replied, “Ice cream.”

Indeed, the little boy was only three or four years old. He was incapable of understanding that something he was so fond of could cause him harm, that he should love his father who protects and cares for him, and that there is no comparison between the love for a father and fondness for ice cream. The boy was simply acting upon the instincts of a child.

While it is our duty to display gratitude towards God, love Him foremost and turn to Him in praise and worship, a majority of the time adults can also act like a small child who bears no perception or consideration. Is it not the case that most of us show more affection for the worldly blessings that are granted to us by His favor? Are we ever so engrossed in worldly life that we forget or neglect our duty of servitude? With complete awareness that excessive indulgence in this mortal world causes us nothing but loss and destruction, we stumble on.

A Short Story Is There An Age Limit for Worship?

He was an extremely good tailor. He made excellent garments and strived to make these garments to perfection. The man worked

all hours to achieve this, and spent many nights in his shop trying to finish his work on time. He never neglected his Prayers. A majority of the time he would perform his Prayers in congregation at the mosque, occasionally remaining in his shop to pray.

One day the call to Prayer began to echo from the mosque. He was rushing to close the shop to reach the mosque in time for the Prayer. Just then, the carpenter from the shop opposite called out to him and walked over to the tailor’s shop. The carpenter wanted to buy the tailor a cup of tea from the teashop nearby, but the tailor never drank tea from outside; he always made his own tea. The tailor politely rejected the man’s offer, then turned to the carpenter and said, “I am in a hurry, I have to go.”

But the carpenter began asking questions of no particular importance. “How is work going? Do you have many customers?” as if he were really interested in the tailor’s work.

Once again, the tailor headed towards the shop door. This time the carpenter remarked, “I always see you going to the mosque to pray. You are still young. Shouldn’t you be enjoying your life? There is plenty of time to pray when we get old.”

The tailor thought for a while about this unexpected question, then asked, “What if we do not reach old age; have you never heard of people dying at a young age?”

The carpenter replied, “Stop talking like those ignorant people. Only one in a thousand, in fact, one in a hundred thousand people die young. It is better to do all this when you are older. These acts of worship are for older people, not young people like us.”

Realizing that his words would be in vain, the tailor politely asked the man to excuse him because he had to go, and left the shop.

When the tailor arrived at his shop the next morning, he noticed a crowd gathered around the carpenter’s workshop. Assuming that that shop had been burgled, out of curiosity he began to

make his way through the crowd. Everyone appeared to be so sad that he could not ask anyone what had happened. There seemed to be no signs of force or violence. As he approached the shop, the crowd was even greater. Then when he heard a man from the crowd say, “What a shame, he was still so young.” At that moment the tailor realized what had happened.

A Short Story

Two Youths and the Two Paths They Encountered

Once upon a time, two youths named Sencer and Kaya lived in a faraway land. One day, these two young men, who lived in a tiny village overshadowed by high, snowy mountains, joined the sultan’s army, and on command of the sultan were sent to a city far away. After making preparations, the two young men set out on the long journey. After a while, they noticed that the path split in two, but they could not decide which of the paths they should take. They asked a man standing by the path, “Where do these paths lead to?”

The man replied, “Both of the paths lead to the same city.”

So they asked him, “Which of the paths is shorter?”

He answered, “Both of the paths are the same in distance.”

The two young men looked at one another in astonishment. This time they asked the strange man, who was obviously familiar with the area, “Which is the best path to take?”

The man replied, “The first is extremely safe and reliable. Nine out of ten people who chose this path have a comfortable journey and benefit from taking this path. The second path is of no benefit, and furthermore, nine out of ten people who chose this path face various dangers and suffer devastation.”

After the man’s remarks, their astonishment increased even more. They thought to themselves, If that is the case, why would anyone chose the second path?

As if reading their minds, the strange man continued, “That is not all. The first path is the one used by the sultan’s soldiers. Those who chose this path are compelled to carry weapons and the necessary equipment for their service. The second path is the one used by those not devoted to the sultan. There is no compulsion for its travelers to carry weapons or materials. Therefore, those who use the second path appear to have an easy journey.” Sencer thanked the man, threw his rucksack over his shoulder, placed his gun in his belt and headed for the first path. Because he was sure that he had everything a soldier needed with him, he bore not even a tiny trace of unease in his heart or in his soul. However, Kaya, who assumed that living under the command of someone and carrying the heavy rucksack would be tiring, believed that the second path would be more suitable for him. So saying farewell to Sencer, Kaya cast his weapon and rucksack to one side and set off on the second path to enjoy his freedom. After a long journey, Sencer arrived at the city. On fulfilling the duty given to him, Sencer found his commander. Pleased with his accomplishment, Sencer’s commander rewarded him with various gifts.

On the other hand, Kaya continued on his journey in a state of pleasure, singing songs as if he were strolling through the countryside, but still enduring many difficulties on that path. When he began to feel hungry, Kaya wanted to sit in the shade of a tree to rest, but there was no food to eat or water to drink. He remembered that he left his bag at the beginning of the path. He had no other choice but to eat some tree branches. Then suddenly something happened—a black panther came out from nowhere and began to chase him. Kaya, who realized he had no weapon, began

to run between the trees trying to escape the panther. When he ran out of breath and was unable to run any further, he fell to his knees and looked around. He saw nothing. Believing he had escaped the black panther, Kaya took a deep breath of relief. However, his joy was to be short-lived. He realized that he had lost his way amidst the forest overshadowed by tall trees. He walked for hours without even knowing which direction he was heading. Kaya sat beneath a tree and fell into a deep sleep. After a very cold night, the light from the rising sun beamed down upon him. He opened his eyes and saw unfamiliar people standing around him. Assuming that he had reached safety, Kaya rose to his feet, but when he noticed the swords these men were holding in their hands, he realized that they were soldiers of the enemy who had passed over the border. Following months of captivity in the steep, rugged mountains, Kaya found the opportunity to escape and eventually reached the city in a state of devastation. He did not have the courage to go before his commander. Trembling with fear and hunger, he sat in a corner begging. The soldiers on patrol questioned this suspicious-looking man, and when they learned what had happened, he was charged with dereliction of duty and sent to prison. As one of the soldiers offered him a bowl of soup, Kaya realized that he deserved to be imprisoned. A short while later, the prison door opened. Kaya recognized the soldier who entered his cell—it was Sencer. After the two friends embraced Sencer told him, “I heard what happened to you, and I spoke to the commander on your behalf. If you tell the court that you regret what you did and ask forgiveness, you will be freed.”

Kaya was delighted when he was released a few days later and immediately went to find Sencer. Eventually Kaya found his friend Sencer in a corner praying. Kay observed, “As always, you never neglect your worldly duties or your Prayers.”

Sencer replied, “This is our duty to God.”

Then he asked Kaya, “Do the scenes we experienced on the journey correspond to the life we are experiencing now?”

Kaya looked at him in surprise and asked, “What do you mean?”

Sencer looked into his eyes and continued, “Consider this: the journey we endured was the journey of life. This journey continues through the realm of spirits, passes through the grave and leads to the world beyond. Our worship was the rucksack and weapons we carried on this journey. Although worship may appear to be difficult; in reality it provides us with such ease and contentment.”

Kaya inquired, “What kind of ease and contentment?”

Sencer replied, “A person who worships is fully aware that there is no other deity than God, that everything is in His power, and He never does anything without reason. Furthermore, His benevolence and compassion is plentiful. Therefore, when such a person experiences difficulties, he takes refuge in God, and his faith and worship give him security and confidence. When he departs from this world and reaches the world beyond, this person is rewarded like a soldier who performs his duties to perfection.”

Kaya replied, “I understand now. The heedless ones like me live their lives in a state of doubt and unease. However, they still forget that their own desires and ambitions are boundless, while their power and abilities are restricted; and then they abandon worshipping their Creator. Sometimes they are servants to servants and sometimes become beggars, asking for their needs and desires from these poor individuals. When such a person reaches the Hereafter, he is punished like a soldier who neglected his duty!” Then looking into Sencer’s eyes, Kaya asked him, “What do you think, have I understood correctly?”

QUESTIONS

1) Which of the following is not one of the obligatory acts of performing ablution?

A) Washing the face

B) Washing the arms up to the elbows

C) Wiping over the head

D) Wiping over the neck

2) “______ is the pillar of Islamic faith.” Which of the following should fill the blank?

A) Fasting C) Prayer

B) Hajj D) Charity

3) Which of the acts below was defined by Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, as being the act that Muslims will first be questioned about on the Day of Judgment?

A) Fasting C) Hajj

B) Prayer D) Giving charity

4) When the noble Prophet was asked which act was most favorable to God, what was his reply?

A) Performing the Prayer on time

B) Giving charity to the poor

C) Fasting

D) Performing the Hajj

5) “Prayer is like the twin brother of ______. It is difficult to separate the two.” Which of the following should fill the blank?

A) Fasting C) Charity

B) Hajj D) Belief

CHAPTER 6

THE MASTER

What Does Mujaddid Mean?

Mujaddid is a word that means “to renew,” “to revive” or “to amend.” This is a term that also means “to restore” or “to reform something that has experienced deformation.” As a result of His eternal mercy, when a community or society became corrupt, God sent blessed individuals as reformers, revivers or spiritual guides. These individuals reformed the people by eliminating corruption and ordered the preservation of the religion conveyed by the noble Prophet.

In one of the traditions, the Messenger of God said, “At the beginning of every century God will raise up for this community one who will revive its religion.”

Basically, the message of every Prophet was the mission of revival. The noble Prophets guided those who had distanced themselves from the essence of faith, once again familiarizing them with their religion and enabling them to live amidst the atmosphere of the divine revelations. They returned the corrupt or deformed aspects of the people to their original state. However, no other Prophets were to come after Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. In view of the meaning of the tradition mentioned previously, immediately after the end of the first century AH, Islamic scholars regarded Umar ibn Abdul Aziz—and after the middle of the second century, Imam Shafi—as revivers or reformers of Islam.

However, in various periods multiple revivers were recognized in a given century. For example, in the past century, Egypt’s Hasan al-Banna and Pakistan’s Abu Ala Mawdudi were acknowledged as revivers or reformers. As the duty of reviving religion is not a rank like Prophethood, every civilization regarded its own leader as a reviver, a reformer of religion. Maybe these opinions should be regarded with leniency. However, there is no harm in referring to the efforts made for the sake of religion as a revival, a renewal of the Islamic religion. Rather than inquiring who was responsible for the revival, it is a believer’s duty to live in accordance with their faith and submit themselves to God.

Presentation

Among the names which had an influence on Turkey’s agenda in the past century, Said Nursi (commonly known as “Bediüzzaman”—the Sage of the Age) was one of the most prominent. He influenced the people immensely both with his life and his books.

However, he was constantly denied the respect and interest he deserved. There may be various reasons for this; one of the main causes of this was that specific sects remained distant from him. Nonetheless, he generated opinions regarding the most fundamental topics in the fields of sociology, law, Islamic sciences and eventually political sciences. This thinker and scholar had such an impact on the century in which he lived that he should not have been deprived of the respect he deserved. As a scholar, who was born and brought up in Turkey and played a major role in instilling uncontaminated opinions in the people of this country, his mission and movement should never have been downplayed or ignored. When Said Nursi is recognized for his true characteristics, it will be clear that there is not a single individual within this

nation who would distance himself from him. As fate would have it, Said Nursi was constantly accused contrary to his intentions; he was always the target of mechanisms that generated unwarranted hostilities.

He was sincere and altruistic enough to say, “I forgive those who prepared my place in prison, who prosecuted me in the courts, and those who poisoned me” and “I do not want my followers to take revenge.” Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, who was one of the greatest thinkers of the twentieth century, exuded an outpouring of affection and love that could reach the hearts of all; his intelligence was broad enough to encompass every worthy thought and opinion. This author of innovative works is certainly deserving of honor.

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi said, “If a person’s endeavor is his nation, that person forms a miniature nation on his own.” Likewise, “A person who considers his nation first is a nation himself.” As precious metals are concealed beneath huge mountains by Divine law, the honorable souls who, due to their intentions, represent a whole nation hide beneath a vast silence; usually these exalted, humble souls disappear before they are exposed. We will have the opportunity of taking a closer look at the life of this great scholar whose achievement was attained with the devotion and self-sacrifice of the Anatolian spirit.

In every orchard, every garden, there are rotten fruits. A human matures with weakness, faults and forgetfulness. Our faults are our own, but excellence belongs to the person to whom it was granted, his works and his mission. Our main endeavor is supplication made for the help of God.

A Short Chronology:

1878 Born (There are also reports that he was born in 1873 and 1876.)

1885 Began his studies

1892 Given the title “Bediüzzaman”

1897 Began teaching in Van

1907 First traveled to Istanbul

1909 Tried and court-martialed

1910 Returned to Van

1911 Delivered a sermon in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus

1911 June, accompanied Sultan Reshad on a journey to Rumelia

1914 November, joined the war on the Eastern front

1916 Wrote the commentary Isharat-ul I’jaz (The Signs of the Qur’an’s Miraculousness) on the battlefront

1916 March, captured by the Russians and sent to Kosturma

1918 June, escaped from prison and returned to Turkey

1920 Published his first book

1922 Travelled to Ankara for an invitation to the first Grand Assembly

1923 January, published his treatise Hubab

1923 April, departed from Ankara and returned to Van

1925 February, taken from Mount Erek and escorted to Burdur

1926 Transported to Barla

1934 August, taken from Barla and transported to Isparta

1935 April, sent to prison in Eskisehir

1936 March, transported to Kastamonu

1943 September, arrested in Kastamonu and sent to Ankara

1943 October, the Denizli trial began.

1944 June, acquitted by the Denizli court and sent to Emirdağ

1948 January, sent to prison in Afyon

1949 September, released from the Afyon prison and sent to Emirdağ for the second time

1950 June, the Azan (call to Prayer) changed to its original form.

1951 December, settled in Isparta

1952 January-March, the Guide for Youth trial in Istanbul

1953 Traveled from Isparta to Eskisehir and Emirdağ

1956 May, acquitted from the Risale-i Nur (Treatise of Light) trial in Afyon

1959 January, began the journey from Ankara to Konya and Istanbul

1960 January, banned from travelling

1960 March 20th, left for his last journey to Urfa

1960 March 23rd, died in Urfa

1960 June, his body was transported and buried in an unknown location.

Receiving the Title “Bediüzzaman” —Wonder of the Age

After he had stayed with his brother Abdullah for some time, Said went to the school of Mullah Fethullah Effendi in Siirt. That teacher said to Said playfully: “Last year you were reading Suyuti’s book; so this year what are you reading the book of Mullah Jami?”

“Yes,” he said, “I have finished Jami.”

Mullah Fethullah continued to list books, but every book he mentioned received the same answer: “I have finished it.” Finally he asked in astonishment: “You were like a madman last year; are you still mad this year?”

Said replied: “In order to save himself, a person may hide the truth from another. But to a master esteemed even more than a father, nothing but the truth can be spoken. If you command it, I will take a test on the books you have mentioned.”

Whatever book Mullah Fethullah questioned him on, he answered perfectly.

Mullah Fethullah said, “All right, you have excellent understanding, but how is your memorization? Can you repeat some lines from Maqamat Hariri after reading them only twice?” and he held out the book.

Said chose a whole page, looked at it one time, memorized it, and repeated it at once. Mullah Fethullah was shocked at this, saying, “It is truly rare to find in one person such intellect combined with such a capacious memory!”

When Mullah Ali al-Suran, who had been the teacher of Said’s teacher before, overheard this exchange, he began to take lessons from Said. While Said was in the school of Mullah Fethullah, he memorized the whole of Tajuddin as-Subki’s book Jam’ul Jawami after studying it one or two hours per day for one week. Mullah Fethullah wrote on the cover of the book: “He (Said) memorized this entire book in one week.”

News of this spread throughout Siirt, and Mullah Fethullah said to the scholars, “A young looking student came to my school. He answered my every question without hesitation. I am astounded by the exceeding wisdom and knowledge he has attained at such a tender age!”

It was upon completing an examination given to him by the scholars of Siirt that Said received the title “Bediüzzaman”—Wonder of the Age. Fifty five years later, he wrote about this in a letter:

My inquisitive brother Refet requests information regarding the duty and work of Bediüzzaman al-Hamadani from the tenth century. I know only that this person possessed a perfect intellect and amazing memory. Fifty years ago, comparing me to that great man, Mullah Fethullah gave me the same name.

Therefore it was Fethullah Effendi of Siirt who first gave him the title “Bediüzzaman.” And thus Bediüzzaman’s three month period of study in East Bayezid came to a close.

He Followed the Path of the Prophets

This great scholar neither walked on the path alone nor followed a deviant path. He advanced on the expansive path of Islam. This is the path of Prophet Adam that continued with the Prophets Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq, Musa and Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon them, the path that they advanced and turned into a wide, straight avenue of light and truth.

After Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman ibn Affan, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Umar ibn Abdulaziz, Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Shafi, Imam Malik, Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Imam al-Ghazali, Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi, Imam Rabbani, Abdulqadr al-Jilani, Muhammad Bahauddin Shah an-Naqshband and Mawlana Khalid walked on this path, a path that was straight and infallible. By guiding those who had lost their way, this great thinker and scholar attempted to portray the essence of civilization, of truth and wisdom, and enlightened that magnificent path of history in the darkness of the night. He never looked for truths beyond Islam’s path of light; he simply strived to perceive, live and convey these truths in the best way possible. He never attempted to adapt religion to his own opinion, but destroyed the beacon of reason and found the light. He considered disobeying the Qur’anic revelations and the traditions of the noble Prophet as foolish as carrying a pitcher or water jug beside a stream flowing with pure water. This is why he always presented issues of faith with evidence, issues regarding worship with explanations of how they were perceived from the Qur’an and the traditions of the beloved Prophet. He never bore a trace of doubt regarding these topics; never took into consideration the period, place or situation; he sincerely believed that what was referred to as a desert was a desert, and what was called a lake was without any

doubt a lake. He explained that a person who was deceived by the enticements of the devil and his own egoistic desires had eaten poisonous honey, and this is why they suffer the pains of destruction. This was a stormy period when it was impossible to open new avenues of possibility, but rather he supported existing doors and windows with all his strength. He achieved this and said, “Although the door to revival is open, there are obstacles that prevent entering it.”

He never attempted to find faults in others and never accused anyone, but said, rather, “We were inflicted with this due to this reason.” This was to be a bridge between a magnificent past with an even more magnificent future. Everything that comes to life dies and fades away, and everything that is new becomes old. “An inconsiderable, indecisive and confined state would attain change with a broad future.” This was the mortal world, not Paradise. The ideal realm of perfection is Paradise, and those who sought such a thing in this world always suffered disappointment, submitted to pessimism and never escaped the pleasure of accusing others. It was quite normal that in every place and period in which humans lived problems would occur. Despite this, the predecessors lived and maintained a pure, perfect life. It was an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in spiritual gatherings and prostrate with them behind the Imam.

The transformation of the old Said into the new Said was an extremely difficult process. He turned to Imam Rabbani’s works and randomly opened a page from Al-Maktubat ar-Rabbaniyya (Letters of Imam Rabbani), and that particular letter was “A Letter to the Mirza Bediüzzaman.” The eminent scholar believed that the letter was addressing him. In the letter, the great Imam said, “Unite your Qiblah!” He also said, “The true master is the Qur’an. This is where you can find your real, united Qiblah.” Indeed, many

years previously, an important figure, presumably Ali ibn Abi Talib, of whom he said, “I received my lessons of truth,” said to him, “Convey the miraculousness of the Qur’an.” And he realized that it was his duty to convey the great truths of the Qur’an. He described the Risale-i Nur or the Epistles of Light in this way: It is “The light of the Qur’an,” in other words, a wave of prosperity, abundance that struck the shores of this century. Certainly, the Epistles of Light is not the word of God; however, it is a conveyance, a birth of meaning that enters the heart with the abundance, the salvation of the Qur’an. In other words, it is a conveyance based on the inspirations obtained from the Qur’an’s breadth of wisdom which blooms within the heart. Just as the sun’s reflection in a mirror belongs to the sun, the Epistles of Light is a reflection, a commentary of the Qur’an.

QUESTIONS

1) Mujaddid is a word meaning what?

A) One who corrupts and destroys

B) One who reforms and corrupts

C) One who reforms and amends

D) One who amends and destroys

2) In one of the traditions, the noble Prophet said, “At the beginning of every century God will raise up for this community one who will ______.”

Which of the below can be used to fill the blank?

A) be a teacher

B) revive its religion

C) be a great thinker

D) be a saint

3) Who was considered the mujaddid of the first century after the Hijra?

A) Umar ibn Abdul Aziz

B) Imam Shafi

C) Bediüzzaman Said Nursi

D) Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi

4) Who gave Said Nursi the title “Bediüzzaman”?

A) Mullah Fethullah

B) Ramiz Effendi

C) Mullah Hamidullah

D) Alvarlı Efe

5) What was the title of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi’s work?

A) Epistles of Light

B) This Era and the New Generation

C) Eternal Light

D) The Religion of Truth, the Language of the Qur’an

CHAPTER 7

AWARENESS OF HISTORY

Progress Is Impossible without the Resources of History

Both historical and cultural values bear great importance for every nation. People can learn about their historical past, culture, the rise of their civilization, and progress from the extensive pages of history.

In the same way that people occasionally rejoice at their memories of the past, nations also enrich their material and spiritual lives by remembering and speaking of the spiritual knowledge and victories of the past. Indeed, even if minds are encased in falsities and fabricated knowledge, the truth exists in the unclouded leaves of history. A nation whose history is sound and glorious and whose people are of outstanding virtue can never be distant from its history. It is a vital duty of a society that desires and strives to endure to preserve its own history; such a society is sheathed in national awareness.

Indeed, the pages of history bear the signs of the steps a nation will take in the future. To phrase this in another way, the future is a reflection of the past. It is impossible to progress without knowing what a culture or civilization was capable of in the past; a people/culture/civilization is imbued with its history. It is vital to recognize how our ancestors ruled and influenced by accurately preserving their traditions, customs, and values in order to look to the future with hope. Those who are familiar

with their past can look to the future with hope and security. In addition, those who simply boast of their history and tales they experienced in the past, who are unable to manifest acts that will be mentioned by others in the future, cannot be classified as having a significant awareness of history. Historical awareness is not being content or consoling oneself with history, but is rather preserving and learning from history, and having its spirit, its force as support as one progresses into the future. Nations who protect their own values, who bear an infallible inner faith and significant determination in their general structure never face destruction. There have been many forces which strived to distance the Turkish people from their historical awareness and historical values, including various conspiracies and deceptions. In particular, it is the duty of the younger generation to be alert for such individuals who achieved this to a certain extent in the past, learning about their history from the most accurate, truthful sources. Preserving historical awareness and living in compliance with the nation’s principle values are embedded in the spirit and essence of this great society. It is quite probable that those who were influenced to neglect their history will awaken to this grave mistake, recuperate and return to those old days once again. When we look back in history, the most explicit indication of this is that following the fall of the state constituted by the Turkish nation, a new state continued to reign for centuries. We should never forget that if we are able to live a dignified, sound and honorable life today, this is due to our history. Indeed, our history proves that those who were sincerely committed to the teachings of their faith, culture and civilization always progressed; and to the contrary, those who patterned their lives on the values of others and ignored their own history destroyed their national solidarity and brotherhood. In view of this, there is

great need for a generation who can contemplate both the past and the future. It is necessary to progress with knowledge and understanding, to learn advanced technology without straying from our own spirit and neglecting our culture.

They Never Die

Nineteen years had passed since the Battle of Gallipoli. The village of Anafarta (Suvla) had only just begun to recover from the war. Almost all of the members of the younger generation were orphans of martyrs. Mustafa, a shepherd, was one of these young men. Mustafa took his sheep to graze early in the morning as he did every day. On one particular day Mustafa wandered closer to the mountains than usual. He avoided grazing the sheep on the grounds where the martyrs were killed, being concerned that he would disturb the spirits of the martyrs. Whenever the sheep strayed, immediately he would gather the flock together by reciting various supplications.

On one particular day Mustafa realized that the sheep had wandered quite far away and he began to panic. He rushed towards the mountain reciting the prayers. On the mountain there were two cypress trees. Even the slightest breeze made the tree branches rustle and sway. By this time, the sheep had reached a spot beyond these trees. He immediately ran in front of the sheep and began to drive the flock back. As they returned, the sheep were supposed to pass between the two trees. But to Mustafa’s surprise, something astonishing happened. The flock of sheep avoided passing through the trees; as soon as they reached the trees they began to disperse to the left and right.

It was almost as though the sheep were trying to avoid walking over the ground beneath the trees. Mustafa became curious and began to utter to himself, There is something strange here. He

felt a chill deep inside. Since that day, he never allowed the sheep to go near the trees. Mustafa was curious regarding the mystery of that particular place. Every day he would leave his flock at the bottom of the mountain and walk up to the trees. Mustafa felt a sense of tranquility there that he could not understand.

One day he fell asleep beneath the tall trees, and when he woke up the darkness of night had long overshadowed the skies. Immediately he looked around for his sheep. He began to walk down the mountain when suddenly a light appeared. This was very strange. Mustafa stood still in astonishment. He felt a sense of excitement deep in his soul. A beam of light gradually descended between the two trees. Mustafa stood rubbing his eyes in amazement. His sheep were a short distance away. Huddled together, they also stood gazing at the spot where the light had descended. After a short time, the beam of light disappeared.

Mustafa led the sheep towards the village excitedly. As soon as he entered the village, he immediately hurried to see the governor because he had no father to share his emotions with. The governor listened to the innocent young man carefully. He too was excited because he had also seen the beam of light in the sky.

Early the next morning, the governor gathered a few of the villagers and headed towards the mountain. They were all curious and full of suspense.

“I wonder what it could be!”

“Maybe one of the eminent companions of God is buried there!”

“If that is the case, we should not disturb his spirit.”

“Yes, but the people should learn what it is!”

The governor was determined to solve this mystery. “Of course we should uncover this mystery! It is clear that whatever

it is, it is something good. Is this not how they found the graves of Fatih Sultan Mehmet, Aq Shams al-Din, and Ayyub al-Ansari?” Eventually they reached the spot where the light descended. Once again, the two tall trees were swaying in the light breeze. As the men remembered what Mustafa told them, they all began to shudder both with excitement and fear. Indeed, a short time later the men were to see that their excitement and emotions of fear were not in vain. Once again, a light appeared in the sky. It descended gradually between the two trees and then suddenly disappeared. All the men were dumbfounded, gulping in astonishment. The first to compose himself was the governor. He immediately sent a few of the younger men back to the village to bring some digging tools. Before long, the young men returned with shovels and pickaxes and began to dig up the soil between the trees. After digging for a while, they noticed pieces of clothing in the soil. Those standing around the hole looked with curiosity. Suddenly a bloodstained soldier’s uniform appeared. Leaving the shovels to one side, the men started digging with their hands.

It was a soldier, one of the martyrs of Gallipoli, as apparent from the color of the uniform he was wearing. The soldier’s body had been lying under the ground for nineteen years and showed no signs of decay. Then one of the men reminded them of this verse:

Do not think at all of those killed in God’s cause as dead. Rather, they are alive; with their Lord they have their sustenance. (Al Imran 3:169)

One of the soldier’s hands was placed beneath his head, and the other was on his chest. The stripes on his shoulders signified that he was a sergeant. The soldier had lost one of his feet, and a cloth had been tied around the severed limb to prevent the bleeding. Amidst the darkness of the night, the villagers who shuddered at

this miraculous event began to call out, “God is great, God is great! There is no deity other than God!”

Then, removing his coat, the governor covered the body of the martyr and said,

“We must inform the authorities. He is a martyr, and everyone should know about this.”

The next day, a huge delegation came from the city. The news spread rapidly throughout the entire city, and it would be no exaggeration to say that all its inhabitants came to the village. The martyr was removed from his grave in front of the crowd. An identification tag that was partly worn was found around his neck. On the identity tag was inscribed “Mehmet” with the number 27. As the martyr was lifted from the grave, signs of blood could still be seen on his clothing and he had a gentle smile on his face. The crowd turned and looked at one another in astonishment, then suddenly everyone began to recite again, “God is great! God is great! There is no deity other than God!”

This land has always resounded with this vibrant message; however, for nineteen years this sound was greatly diminished in the land. Those present carried the body of the martyr in tears, and suddenly the tall cypress trees virtually bowed to the ground. It was as if they did not want to hand over the martyr who had been buried beneath them for years. The men carrying the coffin halted for a moment; as they heard a voice from the heavens, they were speechless.

The people were bewildered. “Why are you betraying him? Did he not share all his emotions, his secrets with you? Leave him so he can move on to his sacred station.”

As soon as this voice was heard, the tall trees rose again. This only occurred once, and many people heard of the event. It was evident that the soldier was not only a martyr, but also a compan-

ion of God. Everyone began to call out, “God is great!” The tearful crowd transported the martyr to Gayrettepe. Martyr Sergeant Mehmet was buried in Gayrettepe with the prayers and supplications recited for all martyrs. Beside his grave, a tomb was erected commemorating all the soldiers. From that moment on, light shone down on Gayrettepe, and the cypress trees were now lonely.

The Theater Abolished by Abdul Hamid II

Another example of the bitter struggle against those who abused the Qur’an and the Islamic faith is seen in the life of Abdul Hamid II (who was referred to in school books as the “Red Sultan”) as defined in the archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a document named TS-TI, record number 12, page 61, in these words:

Regarding the play written about the sacred reputation of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him:

In the period of the Third French Republic during the presidency of Sadi Carnot, the famous writer Henri de Bornier wrote a dramatization called Mahomet, which was classified as a French comedy (1888). This was included in the program, and the stage rehearsals for the play began (1890). As indicated above, the play insulted Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic faith. Abdul Hamid II immediately intervened and prevented the play from being staged in French theaters. When the writer, who was expressing his hostility towards Islam and Muslims under the guise of a fanatical Christian, could not have his play performed in France, he attempted to have his play staged in England. Preparations were made for the play to be staged in London’s Lyceum Theatre. Abdul Hamid immediately intervened and prevented the play from being staged in England. Furthermore, in Paris the title of the play was changed to Mahomet’s Paradise, and any points that may be clas-

sified as insinuating against the Islamic faith were removed from the play. In 1893 an application was made in Rome to the Italian Foreign Affairs Department regarding a stage play titled Mehmed II, and assurance was given that if the play contained any aspect degrading or humiliating to Fatih Sultan Mehmed or Islam, the play would be banned. Henri de Bornier did not withdraw from staging the play, and when he was selected as a member of the French Academy in 1893, he believed that he had achieved his insidious ambition. A contract was prepared with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and actors in London, and news that the play was to be staged appeared in newspapers. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Turkey intervened once again, and de Bornier was unsuccessful in achieving his goal.

QUESTIONS

1) Why did Mustafa the shepherd abstain from herding his sheep on the soil where martyrs were killed?

A) Because he did not want to disturb the spirits of the martyrs

B) Because he was scared of graveyards

C) Because he was superstitious

D) None of the above

2) Who is granted the title “martyr”?

A) Those who are wounded in battle

B) Those who flee from war

C) Those who sacrifice their lives for the sake of their faith

D) The victorious ones who escape battle with no wounds

3) To whom did Mustafa run as soon as he entered the village?

A) His father

B) The governor

C) His friends

D) His mother

4) What was the name of the martyr removed from the grave?

A) Mustafa C) Mehmet

B) Ahmet

D) Murat

5) Where was the martyr’s body transported?

A) Gayrettepe C) Aktepe

B) Esentepe D) Boztepe

CHAPTER 8

PROPHET MUHAMMAD, PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM

Why Are Good Manners So Important?

“The best inheritance a parent leaves their children is good manners.” (Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Birr, 33).

Why Good Manners?

There is no other religion or system that gives as much importance to good manners as Islam. The noble Prophet said, “Islam is good manners.” Having good manners is the greatest sign of being a Muslim. There are many traditions of the noble Prophet encouraging good conduct. For example, “The most perfect in his faith among the believers is the one who has good manners.” The beloved Prophet, who emphasized the importance of good conduct over faith, conveys the means becoming close to him in the following tradition: “On the Day of Judgment the dearest and closest to me, as regard of my company, are those who bear the best moral character.”

In the Holy Qur’an, there are many verses encouraging good manners such as keeping one’s promises, forgiveness, humbleness, obeying parents, trustfulness, affection, brotherliness, peace, sincerity, generosity, compassion, tolerance, speaking with kindness, being good humored, and purity of heart.

In addition, there are also many verses of the Qur’an regarding avoiding bad manners and conduct such as oppression, ostentation, abusiveness, greed, selfishness, jealousy, pride, animosity, suspicion, waste and mischief-making, which also signifies the importance the Islamic faith gives to good manners and conduct. So why should we be well mannered? We can address this topic in a few paragraphs:

1. In addition to worship, the Islamic faith gives great importance particularly to social relations, and it is impossible for those who do not have good morals to live their religion to perfection.

2. Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, represented good manners. In order to become an inhabitant of Paradise, it is necessary to be adorned with his good morals. In the Qur’an, God conveys that the noble Prophet is the most excellent example for every believer. In another verse the Qur’an reveals, “You are surely of a sublime character” (al-Qalam 68:4). The only way a person can live like the Messenger of God is by emulating his excellent morals and conduct.

3. When a believer has good morals, he can be elevated to the level of those who are absorbed in worship. The noble Prophet defined this in one of the traditions in these words: “By his good character, a believer will attain the degree of one who prays during the night and fasts during the day.” This should not be misinterpreted. Worship is extremely important in terms of displaying servitude to God. But in addition, a believer who lives in a society must comply with the conduct necessary in relationships between people within that society. When he achieves this, or in other words, when he is a person of good manners and conduct, then his worship would have reached perfection.

4. Having good morals is the means by which a believer may enter Paradise. When a man asked the noble Prophet which act

would lead the people into entering Paradise the most, he replied, “Piety and good manners,” which signifies the importance of good manners together with worship.

5. Good manners signify perfection and maturity in religion and faith. The noble Prophet identified two characteristics not found in a believer—greed and bad manners. Again, he affirmed that the best among believers regarding faith were those of good manners.

6. Good manners and conduct are also forms of servitude to God. In other words, having good manners is a form of worship. Indeed, the noble Prophet stated that the simplest forms of worship are refraining from speaking unnecessarily and good conduct.

7. Displaying good manners is a sign of love for God and His Messenger. This is clearly defined in the tradition stating that those closest to the Messenger of God on the Day of Judgment will be those of good conduct. When God loves His servant, He grants him good manners.

8. Good manners eliminate sin in the same way that the sun eliminates frost: good manners melt away sin as water melts ice. The noble Prophet explained that bad manners spoil a good deed just as vinegar spoils honey. Therefore, we should all recite this supplication of the noble Prophet: “O Lord! I ask You for health, restraint, trustworthiness, good character and contentment with the decree. O most Compassionate! I ask You to grant this by virtue of Your compassion.”

The noble Prophet Was Extremely Mild Mannered

The most important aspect of good character is gentleness and mild manners. Gentle manners are one of the most significant elements of a movement or action embedding in the heart. In the

Holy Qur’an, this characteristic of the noble Prophet is conveyed in these words:

It was by a mercy from God that . . . you (O Messenger) were lenient with them (your Companions). Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from about you. Then pardon them, pray for their forgiveness, and take counsel with them in the affairs (of public concern); and when you are resolved (on a course of action), put your trust in God. Surely God loves those who put their trust (in Him). (Al-Imran 3:159).

The noble Prophet was not only gentle and lenient while conveying his mission, but he was mild mannered in every aspect of his life. Anas—who was with the Messenger of God from a very young age, served him for many years and was granted his blessing—related these words regarding the noble Prophet:

The Messenger of God was the best of all people in his manners. One day when I was still a child and serving the Messenger of God, he sent me on an errand. And with a child’s impulse I began to play with some children I came across in the street. I was so occupied playing with them that I forgot to fulfill the duty given to me by the noble Prophet. Then after a while, the Messenger of God caught me by the back of the neck; I looked up at him and he said smiling, “Little Anas, did you go to the place I told you to go?”

I replied, “O Messenger of God, I am going now.”

Anas went on to say, “By God, I served him for nine years, and not once did he say to me, ‘Why did you do that?’ or ‘Why did you not do that?’ about something which I had not done.”

The beloved Prophet encouraged his followers to be gentle and kind. He defined mild manners in these words: “Gentleness adorns everything.” In another of his traditions, the noble Proph-

et said, “Indeed God is gentle and loves gentleness, and gives due to gentleness that which He does not give to harshness.”

Universal Compassion

As defined at the beginning, the Messenger of God was a symbol of mercy from whom not only the believers, but also the disbelievers, polytheists and the whole of mankind, benefitted. Believers reaped his knowledge and wisdom, because he said, “I am closer to believers than their own selves.” Believers have more love and affection for him than they do for themselves; and he equally loved those who harbored deep affection for him, because he was a man of immense kindness and gentleness. This was affection of reason and logic. In other words, this emotion of love was based on spiritual knowledge and depth of wisdom. If this affection is embedded in the heart, it flourishes to the extent that the individual searches for the Messenger of God everywhere, just as a lover searched for his beloved. He continues to search, and every time the beloved one’s name is mentioned, he experiences a shiver deep in his soul, considers every day spent without him a loss, and continues to echo in his soul like a whining flute. Indeed, the Messenger of God is closer to us than our own souls. How could we believe to the contrary when, a majority of the time, our egos cause us harm and suffering? We never witness anything but kindness, gentleness, compassion, tenderness, and words of wisdom from the noble Prophet. He is God’s vicegerent of mercy on earth. Thus, it is quite natural that he is closer to us than ourselves: “I am closer to believers than their own selves, so whoever of them dies while in debt and leaves nothing for its repayment, then we are to pay his debts on his behalf; and whoever dies leaving some property, then that property is for his heirs.”

There is a story behind this tradition. One day a funeral procession arrived to perform the Funeral Prayer. The noble Prophet asked, “Does he have debts?” Those present replied, “Yes, O Messenger of God, he has debts.” So the noble Prophet said, “I cannot perform the Prayer of an indebted man; you offer the Prayer of your friend.” However, this disturbed him immensely. After he attained wealth through conquests, the beloved Prophet would say regarding a deceased believer, “I am responsible for his debt.”

The noble Prophet, being closer to believers than their own selves both in this world and the Hereafter, is a great favor, and this favor will continue for eternity. He is a blessing for the hypocrites. Due to this extensive mercy, the hypocrites did not face punishment in this world; they came to the mosques, lived and roamed amongst the Muslims, and were given all the rights granted to the Muslims, but their hearts did not bear the faith of a believer. However, the Messenger of God never exposed them, although he was aware of the true identities of a majority of these individuals, which he communicated to Abu Hudhayfa. According to reports, Umar ibn al-Khattab would follow Hudhayfa and not participate in any Funeral Prayers Hudhayfa did not attend. In addition, Islam never exposed them. They constantly lived among the believers, and their definite disbelief was at least turned into doubt and hesitation. Therefore, all their worldly pleasures were not turned into bitterness. Indeed, it would be impossible for a person who awaits destruction to enjoy the pleasures of the world. When disbelief is disguised by doubt to the extent that they say, Maybe Paradise exists; perhaps life is not that miserable. Thus, in these terms the noble Prophet was, to an extent, a form of mercy for the hypocrites.

The disbelievers also reaped the benefits of his mercy. In contrast with people and nations destroyed by God en masse due to

their disbelief and disobedience, after the Messenger of God was sent to the people, the Creator revoked the destruction of masses and they were therefore saved from such punishment. This was a sign that the beloved Prophet had been sent as a mercy. God addresses His Messenger regarding the subject in these words:

But God would not punish them so long as you were among them; and God is not to punish them (or other people) while they implore Him for forgiveness for their sins. (Al-Anfal 8:33).

Indeed, God revoked the destruction of masses out of consideration for His Messenger. But consider the value the noble Prophet was given in the eyes of God when He told Prophet Jesus, “If you punish them, they are your servants” (al-Maedah 5:118), while He told Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, “But God would not punish them so long as you were among them” (al-Anfal 8:33). In other words, for as long as you live among them, they will not suffer God’s punishment. For as long as you are remembered and commemorated on the earth, or for as long as they follow your path of righteousness, God will not cause them destruction. One of the means of disbelievers benefitting from the compassion of the noble Prophet was him saying, “I was sent to you not as a cursor but as a mercy.” In other words, he was sent as a mercy from God; he was not sent to curse and ask for the destruction of the people. Thus, the beloved Prophet always supplicated to God to show guidance and mercy, even to the greatest enemies of Islam.

Even the Archangel Gabriel benefitted from the light brought by Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. One day the noble Prophet asked Gabriel, “Do you have any share in the mercy contained in the Qur’an?” The Archangel Gabriel replied, “Yes, O Messenger of God.” Then he explained, “I was

not certain about my fate, but when this verse was revealed, I felt secure”: “One obeyed (by his aides) and trustworthy (in fulfilling God’s orders, most particularly conveying the Revelation)” (at-Takwir 81:21).

In another of the traditions, the Messenger of God said, “I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer, and infidelity shall be eliminated through me; I am the assembler. People shall be assembled on the Day of Judgment after my time. And I am the last in the sense that no prophet will succeed me.” Another tradition reads, “I am the Prophet of repentance and mercy.”

The gates of repentance are open until the Day of Judgment; indeed, the noble Prophet is the Messenger of repentance and his authority will continue until the Day of Judgment. When he saw a child crying, he would sit beside the child and weep also and sense the suffering of a weeping child’s mother deep in his soul. This is a tradition narrated by Anas ibn Malik displaying the noble Prophet’s outstanding compassion: “I stand for Prayer with the intention of prolonging it, but on hearing the cries of a child I shorten the Prayer, because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.” The noble Prophet would prolong his Prayers, in particular the voluntary Prayers; even the Companions found it difficult to keep up with him. He would stand with the intention of performing worship in this manner, but when he heard a child crying while leading the Prayers, he recited shorter verses of the Qur’an. As in those days, the women would also join the congregation to perform Prayer lead by the noble Prophet. On the presumption that his mother was in the mosque praying, when the Messenger of God heard a child crying he immediately cut the Prayer short, thus eliminating the mother’s anguish.

The noble Prophet was a monument of compassion in almost every aspect. The cries of a child would upset the noble Prophet and make him weep. However, despite his immense compassion

he was balanced in his emotions. For example, his overpowering compassion never prevented him from administering the religious obligations, and whatever it was, whenever necessary, he never abstained from enforcing punishment.

One of Muqarrin’s sons beat his servant. The servant went to the noble Prophet in tears. The noble Prophet called the slave’s masters and said, “You hit your slave unjustly, set her free.” One of the Companions said “O Messenger of God! She is the only slave they have.” He replied, “Then she can continue to serve them, but when they no longer need her, they should free her!” Indeed, if the retribution for this beating was left until the Hereafter, the punishment would have been much graver. Accordingly, the price for this beating should be freedom so the punishment for this in the world beyond would be lighter.

What Are the Signs of Loving the Noble Prophet?

1. The deep desire to see him, listening to his words of wisdom, and considering the deprivation of these a greater disaster than being deprived of anything in this world. When Abu Bakr learned that he was to emigrate with the noble Prophet, he wept with joy. One of the Companions told the Messenger of God that even if he was to enter Paradise, he was afraid of not seeing or being close to him.

When the noble Prophet repeated his request, “Ask from me what you wish,” Rabi’ah ibn Kab wanted nothing from him but his companionship in Paradise.

2. Being prepared to sacrifice one’s life and wealth for the sake of the beloved Prophet and the truths he conveyed. During the Battle of Uhud, one of the Companions from the Ansari shielded the noble Prophet. As Talha ibn Ubaydullah stood in front of the Messenger of God to protect him, he lost one of his arms and

suffered over seventy sword and spear wounds but continued to shield the noble Prophet. Abu Dujana also shielded the Messenger of God in battle. Another member of the Ansari sacrificed his own life for the sake of the beloved Prophet, and died with his cheek on the noble Prophet’s foot.

3. Complying with the commands of God’s Messenger and avoiding the things he abstained from. When eating the meat of domesticated donkeys was prohibited by the noble Prophet, the respected Companions immediately discarded the donkey meat that was cooking in the pot. In the same way, they poured away alcohol found in their homes immediately after drinking alcohol was forbidden.

4. Complying with the traditions of the Messenger of God comprised of his words, actions and statements, guarding and supporting the truths he conveyed throughout his life. When the news spread of the death of the noble Prophet in a trench dug on the Muslim front, Anas ibn Nadr sacrificed his life saying, “What is the value of life without the beloved Prophet?”

In addition to the aspects mentioned above, we can also include the following points as signs of love for the noble Prophet:

- Enjoining good and forbidding evil (tabligh)

- Aspiring to live during the period in which he lived and sacrificing everything for his sake

- Complying with the traditions and actions of the beloved Prophet, and adopting our own lifestyles in accordance with his life

- Acknowledging the words of the Messenger of God and complying with his commands.

- Constantly invoking blessing and greetings upon the noble Prophet

A Person Is with Those He Loves

A man came to the beloved Prophet and asked, “O Messenger of God! When will the Day of Judgment come?”

The noble Prophet responded, “What have you prepared for that day?”

When the man replied, “Nothing except the love I have for God and His Messenger,” the noble Prophet said, “You will be with those you love.”

The Companions never rejoiced at anything as much as when they heard these words of the Messenger of God, Anas, who was present at the time, said: “I love the Messenger of God, Abu Bakr, and Umar, so I hope to be with them in the Hereafter due to my love for them.”

QUESTIONS

1) Who were the people who “came to the mosques, lived and roamed amongst the Muslims, and were given all the rights granted to the Muslims, but their hearts did not bear the faith of a believer”?

A) Believers C) Hypocrites

B) Disbelievers D) Polytheists

2) What is the name of the duty of the noble Prophet, in fact of all believers, meaning “Enjoining good and forbidding evil”?

A) Tayammum C) Tarawih

B) Wajib D) Tabligh

3) Which of the following is not an important sign of loving the noble Prophet?

A) The aspiration of seeing him and being in his company

B) Being prepared to be altruistic for the sake of the truths he conveyed

C) Making a career choice

D) Complying with the traditions of the Messenger of God comprised by his words, actions and statements; guarding and supporting the truths he conveyed throughout his life

4) Anas, a servant of the noble Prophet, said, “By God, I served him for nine years, and not once did he say to me, ‘Why did you do that?’ or ‘Why did you not do that?’ about something which I had not done.” Which characteristic was being emphasized?

A) His courage

B) His gentle nature

C) His generosity

D) His trustworthiness

5) After the Messenger of God was sent to the people, the Creator revoked the destruction of people and nations en mass, and therefore disbelieving and disobedient people were saved from such punishment. This was a sign that the noble Prophet had been sent as a ______? Which of the following should fill the blank?

A) Mercy

B) Prosperity

C) Repentance

D) Teacher

CHAPTER 9

LIFE OF THE COMPANIONS

The Companions’ Love for the Noble Prophet

When the Qur’an mentions the virtuous Companions, it states that they were pleased with God and God was pleased with them. The noble Prophet said, “The best people are those living in my generation, and then those who will follow them.”

The honorable Companions epitomized virtue. It is almost impossible to overshadow the Companions who lived during the Period of the noble Prophet, those who were so close to him in terms of virtue. This is why they loved him more than anyone else and showed him the respect and esteem he deserved.

The Companions’ love and affection for the Messenger of God was great. Even the value of particular days and nights was determined according to their relationship with the noble Prophet. For example, because the beloved Prophet passed away on a Monday, Abu Bakr also wanted to die on a Monday. When he became seriously ill, Abu Bakr regained consciousness for a while and immediately asked those around him, “What day is it today?”

When those present informed him that it was Monday, he said in a state of joy, “If I die this night, do not keep me waiting until the morning. The day and night I love the most is the day and night I will be close to the Messenger of God.” Thus, he even

wanted the date of his death to be close to the date of the beloved Prophet’s death.

The Companions wanted to be nearby the noble Prophet when they died, die at the same age he died, and die in the city in which he was buried. For example, Umar ibn al-Khattab supplicated, “Grant me death in the city of Your Prophet.”

When Umar ibn al-Khattab realized he was about to die due to battle wounds, he sent his son Abdullah to Aisha, the beloved Prophet’s dear wife, to ask her permission to be buried beside the noble Prophet. She said, “I wanted to be buried there, but I prefer Umar to myself.” Abdullah returned to his father to report having received permission to be buried beside the Messenger of God. Umar displayed his joy: “Praise be to God! There was nothing more important to me.” Then he turned to his son and said, “When I die take my body there, then convey my greetings again and say, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab asks your permission.’ If she gives permission bury me there, if not then take my body to the (Muslim) graveyard of Medina.”

The Companions were practically in competition with one another in their love for the noble Prophet, each of the Companions considering himself or herself closest to the Messenger of God, believing they loved him the most. Thus, occasionally there was pleasant competition between the Companions. When one of them said, “My beloved told me this, and said this and this to me,” another of the Companions said, “What makes the Messenger of God ‘your’ beloved?” obviously not wanting to share the prestige of being the noble Prophet’s “beloved” with anyone else. The female Companions were even more sensitive regarding this subject than the males.

For example, when Asma bint Umays (who emigrated to Abyssinia) came to Medina, implying that those who emigrated

from Mecca to Medina were more important, Umar said, “We emigrated before you.” Asma, who was very angry, went to the noble Prophet and told him what Umar had said. When the Messenger of God told her, “He (Umar) has no more right than you people over me, as he and his Companions have only one emigration, and you, the people of the boat, have (the reward of) two emigrations,” she returned home extremely happy. After this incident, the Companions who had emigrated to Abyssinia came to visit Asma in groups and listen to the glad tidings the noble Prophet conveyed regarding them over and over again. Whenever they found the opportunity, the Companions would kiss the beloved Prophet’s hand—this was how they displayed their love for him. Following the death of the noble Prophet, those who were not blessed with having seen the Messenger of God would kiss the hands of those hands touched by the noble Prophet in an attempt to ease their yearning for him. For example, they came to Anas ibn Malik and asked, “Has your hand touched the hand of the beloved Prophet?” When he replied yes, they would kiss the hand that had touched him. Yahya ibn Harith, one of the Successors of the Companions, came to the Companion named Wasila ibn Aska and asked, “Did you give your pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of God with this hand?” When he replied yes, Yahya ibn Harith asked him, “Can you give me your hand so I can kiss it?”

The noble Prophet went to one of the Companions’ homes, knocked on the door and bestowed greetings, but there was no answer. The beloved Prophet delivered his greetings again, and for the second time there was no answer. He repeated the greetings once again, but was unable to hear if there was any response. Suddenly he heard those inside say, “May the peace and blessing of God be upon you, O Messenger of God.” Then the noble

Prophet inquired, “Why did you not return my greetings the first and second time?” The man replied, “O Messenger of God! We responded to your greetings each time in a low voice so our home would be blessed with your greetings and blessings.” May God never deprive our homes of his greetings and blessings. Amen!

The Last Adhan

Bilal al-Habashi, may God be pleased with him, the first muezzin chosen by God’s Messenger, was among the Companions who missed our beloved Prophet the most. He could not call the adhan after God’s Messenger passed away. Since all the streets of the Medina and God’s Messenger’s memories constantly reminded him our Prophet, he couldn’t continue living in Medina. For this reason, Bilal began to live on the border in Syria in order to join the army in the area.

It was the period of Umar’s caliphate that he couldn’t resist the longing of the glorious Prophet anymore, so, Bilal came back to Medina to see and recall the old memories one last time while he was alive. He directly went to God’s Messenger’s tomb upon arriving Medina, and he fainted and lost his consciousness there. Bilal’s visit to Medina took the people to old days for a moment. Everyone was wishing Bilal to call adhan and desiring to remember the blessed time of God’s Messenger at least with a call to Prayer once again. Thus, they requested from Bilal to call adhan by means of Hasan and Husayn, may God be pleased with them.

The next morning, Bilal al-Habashi called his last adhan at the Prophet’s Mosque. As soon as he said “Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!” with his moving and yearning voice, the people of Medina stood up. Upon him saying, “Ashadu an la ilaha illallah!

Ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullah!” men, women, young, old, children, and even the sick people lying in their beds came out

to streets. They directly ran to the Prophet’s Mosque. The people were so excited that they thought God’s Messenger was alive. After this last adhan, Bilal al-Habashi could not stay in Medina either, so he went back to Damascus again. Before his death, “I will reunite with my beloved friends, the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and his Companions” said and submitted his spirit to the All-Merciful.

AN EMINENT SCHOLAR AND TEACHER

In order to encourage the love and respect for a person worthy of this respect, it is our duty to duly emphasize the outstanding qualities and characteristics of that individual. The eminent scholar Fethullah Gülen always redirected any interest in his person to the Qur’an, the Creator, and to the Messenger of God, and never desired or sought the love or respect of others. He constantly referred to the Qur’an and the noble Prophet, guiding all toward the Straight Path of truth. The souls of those familiar with him, who listened to his sermons, were awakened to the desire to learn about religious matters; they harbored an even greater love for God and His Messenger. One day, a young man who had listened to the scholar’s sermons and read his articles conveyed his thoughts in these words:

Sir, before listening to your sermons, in my eyes the beloved Prophet was simply a name written between the pages of a book. It was as if everything to do with the noble Prophet had happened during that period and then came to an end. I have not had the opportunity of listening to all of your sermons, only a few. But now my heart is so overwhelmed with love for God and His Messenger that I bear the hope and expectation that he will enter through every door that opens, will fill the empty seat in my car, or appear amidst a light that shines through the darkness. In particular your words “Whoever claims that the Messenger of God is dead,

he is in fact testifying that he himself is dead” appealed to me. It was as if there were an empty space in my heart, and when I heard these words that space was no longer empty. When I witness that modesty in your speech and actions I am overwhelmed, and I never want to depart from that atmosphere of tolerance and indulgence. Sir, I am not sure if I will be asked [about this] on the Day of Reckoning, but I would like to explain and bear witness that you give immense regard to God and His Messenger, not to yourself, and that you embedded the love and respect of God into the hearts of countless people.

Knowledge

When he was still only ten years old, the eminent scholar gave convincing speeches and memorized whatever he read. (He says: “In the old days, I would immediately memorize whatever I read. Now my memory has grown weak; I must read something twice to memorize it.”)

It is virtually impossible to present a book beneficial to people that he has not read. However, he also reads books containing damaging notions in order to prove harmful opinions conveyed in error.

In addition to his thorough knowledge in every field, he speaks in an appealing manner, without interruption and without referring to any books or scripts. Occasionally, the consecutive statements in the eminent scholar’s sermons even take on poetical characteristics.

In his sermons, he always gives the references (specific pages of specific books) when he speaks. While his friends would fill their rucksacks with food during his years as a young shepherd, he filled his bag with books of the noble Prophet’s traditions.

His Playful Aspect

Occasionally, even on cold winter days the eminent scholar bathed and performed ablutions with ice cold water. While he was camping, he lifted a rock that three people were unable to lift and placed it in the stream. When he was small, he ran so fast no one could catch him.

His Memory

• The eminent scholar always remembered the faces and names of people he met. He remembered the names of thousands of people. For example, even if he met someone only for a short time and did not see that person again for a long time, he remembered that person’s name.

• He memorized the Qur’an at the age of six, and sometimes even memorized eight chapters or 160 pages of the Qur’an in a single day.

• He read about the lives of thousands of Companions and memorized the names and lives of all the Companions mentioned in these books. Once he said, “I am familiar with them all as if they were members of my own family.”

• He memorized all the traditions of the noble Prophet recorded in books, and also the chains of those who narrated the traditions.

• He would place a box at gatherings for attendees’ questions, and he would answer each question they cared to ask.

His Spiritual and Intellectual Life

• He did not accept visitors for a few days before his sermons, being occupied with preparing his speeches. During this preparation process he exerted himself immensely.

• At the age of four, he learned to read the Qur’an and read the whole of the Qur’an in just a month. He began to pray at the age of four and never neglected his Prayers thereafter.

• At the age of ten or eleven, he began to deliver sermons from the pulpit.

• He related an event as if he had actually experienced it personally, without referring to any books or scripts.

• In each of his sermons, he always gave examples from the life of the noble Prophet and Companions. He had great love and affection for the Companions, and began to read and learn about the Companions when he was just nine years old.

• Before he came to the school he herded sheep in the mountains. While he was herding the sheep, he read all of his father’s books. His adoration for the Companions increased even more as he read these books.

His Daily Life

There are three things he disliked:

Eating excessively: He ate very little. He was most accustomed to eating yogurt and salad. Occasionally when he was attending the school, he went without food for days.

Sleeping excessively: He says, “Three hours’ sleep is sufficient, at most five hours. Five hours’ sleep is known as the normal sleep duration, which is more than sufficient.”

Speaking excessively: Since his childhood, the eminent scholar spoke very little. The time he spent speaking to his father was very limited. As soon as the time for the Evening Prayer began,

he prayed immediately and never wasted his time with unnecessary speech.

Fethullah Gülen’s Life in Brief

Fethullah Gülen, who was taught the Qur’an with great precision at the age of four, continued to attend primary school in his village for two to three more years. However, when his father Ramiz Effendi was appointed as imam of the Alvar village in 1949, Fethullah was unable to continue his education. He later completed his primary education as an external student in Erzurum.

Fethullah Gülen began to pray at the age of four and never neglected his Prayers thereafter. In fact, assuming that he may have made mistakes in Prayers performed during a certain period of his life, he performed the Prayers for that period again. Although he was scorned and mocked by one of his teachers for praying, this young boy never neglected performing Prayers that coincided with school time. During these years, he had another teacher, Belma Özbatur. Contrary to the other teachers, Ms. Özbatur, who was successful in establishing a positive relationship with her pupil, continuously complimented and praised him for his determination to learn, his devotion and discipline. One day when she noticed him among a group of pupils who had misbehaved in the classroom, she remarked, “Not you too!” These few words were more than sufficient. Ms. Özbatur was certain that her pupil would have a promising future. One day, looking at him, she conveyed this with these words: “One day a young lieutenant will pass over the Galata Bridge. It is as if I were watching him now.” Ms. Özbatur expressed her pride her student’s service to society with these words:

Fethullah was very different from the other students; he was extremely serious, pleasant and hardworking, a child who

observed everything. I was extremely proud of him. . . . He would observe everything from a distance. Unlike the other children, he did not misbehave. He sat in the back row near the window. He was well built, light-skinned and always looked at me attentively when I spoke. . . . He was a determined child; he would avoid any incidents, and just stood and observed from a distance. He was a serious child and would not join in with the other children but watched them from afar he was considerate and an individual of depth. Fethullah was well behaved and as a teacher I was very proud of him. With his efforts in the field of education, he promoted the Turkish flag and nation throughout the entire world. This is more than sufficient to make me proud of him.

The distinction between him and other children of his age was not only apparent in his manners and behavior but also in certain life events. When he was just seven or eight years old, he woke up one night reciting, “Here I am, O Messenger of God.” His mother, Refia, witnessed this and was extremely surprised. This continued for a few days, which both astonished and alarmed his mother.

She conveyed this to her husband Ramiz Effendi. One night, Fethullah’s parents sat at his bedside. While he was sleeping he suddenly began to talk, but neither of them could understand what he was saying. When the young Fethullah woke up, his parents asked what had happened, but he changed the subject. The importance he gave to worship when he was still a child is another significant aspect of this eminent scholar’s spiritual life. One night upon returning home, when his mother asked where he had been he replied, “I went to the mosque, I was praying.” So his mother asked “What Prayers?” and he replied, “Supererogatory Prayers.”

In particular, he would return home even later on nights of sacred significance. In fact, when his mother complained, “Your father is an imam, but he returned home long ago and is sleeping,” he always replied, “I was praying.” He was devoted to worship, to the Prayers he performed from the age of four and never neglected throughout his life.

QUESTIONS

1) What was the first muezzin chosen by our beloved Prophet?

A) Zaid ibn Harith

B) Abdullah ibn Amr

C) Bilal al-Habashi

D) Ali ibn Abi Talib

2) Between which two cities was the first emigration performed?

A) Medina and Abyssinia

B) Mecca and Abyssinia

C) Medina and Mecca

D) Abyssinia and Medina

3) Who was the caliph noted for his justice?

A) Umar ibn al-Khattab

B) Ali ibn Abi Talib

C) Abu Bakr

D) Uthman ibn Affan

4) One day the noble Prophet asked an Archangel, “Do you have any share in the mercy contained in the Qur’an?” The Archangel replied, “Yes, O Messenger of God,” saying, “I was not certain about my fate, but when the verse ‘One obeyed (by his aides) and trustworthy (in fulfilling God’s orders, most particularly conveying the

Revelation)’ (at-Takwir 81:21) was revealed, I felt secure.” Which Archangel had the beloved Prophet spoken to?

A) Archangel Azrail (Azrael)

B) Archangel Israfil (Raphael)

C) Archangel Jibril (Gabriel)

D) Archangel Mikail (Michael)

5) Which of the following is not one of the aspects of Fethullah Gülen’s life?

A) Eating little

B) Having a good memory

C) Sleeping excessively

D) Performing Prayers from the age of four

CHAPTER 10

AVOIDING SIN

Why the Young Man Held His Finger over a Flame

Harikzadeler Street... This is the name of one of the streets I encountered while walking down from Şehzade Mosque towards Laleli Mosque. Harikzadeler… That is, “those escaping the fire”...

Who knows which number this fire constituted in İstanbul’s wooden buildings? It was a night where the chill of winter burnt like fire. The formidable fire that was to later become the eponym of that street had also broken out in the latter half of such a night, in a wooden house. Those who were able to escape the flames that engulfed the area within a short time managed to save themselves. The young woman who tore herself away onto to the street, in the light of the flames, was one of these. Confused as to what to do and where to go, a light coming from the windows of one of the madrasas adjoining the Şehzade Mosque had given her hope. She could no longer have withstood this cold, which caused her teeth to chatter. She opened the door of the madrasa, which is currently a dormitory for female students, and entered.

When the engrossed student, studying a Qur’anic commentary under the light emitted onto the walnut reading desk by the oil lamp, raised his head, he could not make any sense of this: “Who are you? Human or ghost? What are you doing here at this time of night?”

“I am not a ghost, but one of your sisters in faith. The fire which erupted in our neighborhood engulfed us also. I was barely able to escape and took refuge here.”

“No way! I am a student who is currently studying the commentary of the Qur’an. I have to steer clear of behavior that raises suspicion. If they see you here, it will be impossible to stop the rumors. You must leave right away!”

“If I leave at this time of night, I’ll freeze!”

Murmuring something under his breath, the student of the Qur’an began to think...

“I hope this isn’t a bad sign. Perhaps we are being tested?”

A few minutes’ silence...

“Then wrap yourself up in the rug below this wall over here and take a rest in the corner.”

Continuing his perusal and study of Baydawi’s exegesis, the student began to struggle with his devil as the minutes went by.

At one point exclaiming, “No!” he held his finger over the flame and insisted on keeping it there until his skin contracted.

The struggle continued until morning. The finger held several times to the flame was a good deal burned, with a wound even emerging on its tip. It was almost daybreak. The student who was later to graduate from Law and become a judge left the madrasa with the recital of the morning call to Prayer and went to the mosque. When he returned to see that no one was left in his room, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The young woman, who rushed to the scene of the blaze with the daylight, screamed when she saw her father and mother frantically searching for her.

“Father, mother, I am here, I am here!”

“Where were you last night?”

“Right here, in a room in the madrasa, near one of the students.”

And the young woman explained what had happened. Her father, an Ottoman Pasha, then took his daughter with him to the presence of the teacher of Qur’anic exegesis at Şehzade Mosque, requesting him to gather his students. The teacher was downcast and his students bewildered. They were concerned that one student exhibited behavior towards the young woman that was deemed improper...

Surveying the gathered students one by one, the young woman eventually indicated to one in particular and said: “That’s him, father! The student whose fingertip is bandaged.”

The teacher of Qur’anic exegesis asked with great astonishment: “Salahaddin, I would never have expected this from you! How could you give rise to such a complaint?”

Just as Salahaddin lowered his head and was unable to utter a single word due to his shame before his teacher, the young woman’s father intervened:

“Respected teacher, do not worry your esteemed student. We sought him not for complaint but as a result of our admiration and so as to congratulate him. Ask him why he has bandaged his finger thus!”

In the face of their insistence, the embarrassed student explained: “As Satan directed his evil promptings at me, I held my finger to the flame of the lamp and asked myself, ‘Can you run the risk of enduring this?’ It was then that I burnt my finger and was forced to bandage it.”

The father, a Pasha of the Ottoman Empire, explained: “Respected teacher, not only do I wish to cover all the expenses of this student until he completes his study, but I also seek to give

my daughter to him in marriage and, as such, be honored with having him as a son-in-law.”

The only words falling from our lips before this historical incident is none other than the well-known adage: Even the reverie of certain years long past are worth the entire world

Is Watching Obscene Films and Looking at Obscene Pictures Prohibited?

In general, moral corruption begins by looking at obscenity, and this develops with the persistence of these glances and eventually turns to sin. Furthermore, the eyes record the images they see, and store this in the records of the imagination. Wherever the person goes, these images continuously appear in his mind. If this individual is a student, it prevents him from studying, if the person works, he cannot focus on his job, or if the individual is a man of thought, he cannot concentrate; so there is a probable decline, deterioration in every aspect. In order to avoid such a situation, the Islamic faith imposes prohibitions regarding looking at obscene images, thus saving Muslims from succumbing to such detriment.

Whether these are aimed at sexual provocation or not, producing and making films and pictures classified within the Islamic boundaries of nudity is prohibited. Watching and selling these films and pictures is also prohibited. It is prohibited because fundamentally, direct nudity, or observing nudity by watching films and looking at pictures is aimed at the same unlawful objective. We must not restrict nudity or obscene films and pictures to women alone. There is no discrimination between the sexes, as the sin for the nudity of women and men is equal. Whoever it may be, exposing and looking at what is classified as the private parts is prohibited.

ADDITIONAL TOPICS

Etiquette of Good Manners

Eating with the Right Hand

The noble Prophet ate with his right hand and encouraged the Companions to eat with their right hands. He attempted to teach those unfamiliar with eating manners in simple but inoffensive expressions. He even taught and advised small children without the slightest trace of anger. When the widow Umm Salama married the noble Prophet, she had four children. Umar ibn Abu Salama, one of these children, later conveyed one of the memories of eating with the beloved Prophet: “I was a child brought up in the care of the Messenger of God. While I was eating I ate from around the plate. The Messenger of God told me, ‘Mention the name of God, eat with your right hand, and eat from what is in front of you!’”

As we can see, it is clear that the noble Prophet considered it more suitable to teach children with kindness and not anger.

Eating with the Left Hand

The noble Prophet would never eat with his left hand and did not want others to eat with their left hands. In this regard, he warned those who ate with their left hands in his presence. According to a report by Salama ibn al-Akwa, once a man was eating with his left hand in front of the Messenger of God. The beloved Prophet said, “Eat with your right hand.”

The man replied, “I am not able to do so.”

So the noble Prophet said, “May you never do so.”

According to Salama, the man said this out of arrogance, and from that day on that man never raised his right hand again.

The noble Prophet was a man who taught kindness, who strived to guide others towards kindness, and made many sacrifices to achieve this. He was a Prophet of mercy who avoided cursing even his enemies, but reluctantly cursed when truly necessary (and this was only on a few occasions). In this instance the man acted with arrogance and stubbornness. Although he was capable of eating with his right hand, the man insisted on eating with his left hand. If a person lost his right hand, or his right side was paralyzed, then quite naturally he would use his left hand to eat and there would be no obligation to use the right hand. However, although he had no valid excuse, the individual in question persisted in using his left hand. This behavior of a Muslim towards his Prophet was extremely offensive. We always carry out the demands of our elders saying, “With pleasure.” In fact, we even listen to words of advice (if the person giving the advice is someone we love and respect) and respond as if it were a command. In some cases, a person even listens to the advice of younger people, as wisdom is not just a matter of age.

In this case, ignoring the advice—not of an ordinary person but of a Prophet—was particularly shameful, since he falsely claimed, out of stubbornness and arrogance, that he was unable to eat with his right hand. Acting this way in a gathering was even more disrespectful. He was not chastised, however; in response to the man’s arrogant attitude the noble Prophet displayed his disapproval by saying, “May you never do so.” The noble Prophet was obliged to do something at that moment, so he warned him verbally in the mildest possible manner. Eating with the right hand

is the most suitable in terms of human creation. As eating with the left hand was forbidden, it is obvious that this is contrary to the human disposition. Everyone should eat with their right hands, but there are some people who are born left-handed. Those who are born left-handed may be exempt from this prohibition. However, even if a person is born left-handed, by exercising and constantly using the right hand it is possible for these people to succeed in using their right hands. Indeed, left-handed people do only not use their left hands, but occasionally they also use their right hands.

Scholars of the noble Prophet’s tradition agree that it is “unfavorable” to use the left hand to eat when it is possible to use the right hand. In addition, those who eat with their left hand out of stubbornness and to insult religious values, or simply to imitate others and defy Muslims, are committing sin due to their defiance.

At this point, we should remember these words of the famous poet Necip Fazıl:

I gave my entire concentration to my right hand, If it was of no use, I would cut off my left hand.

Purity Is an Important Characteristic

The Islamic faith is based upon the principles of cleanliness. When examining all religions or systems, there has never been one that so emphasized the principles of purity as the Islamic religion. Purity prior to and during worship is important for the worship to be accepted. The condition of cleanliness from physical purity to the purity of the place of worship, from oral hygiene to the cleanliness of clothing, is a demand of the Islamic faith. Purity is praised in the Qur’an in these words:

The mosque that was founded on piety and reverence for God from the very first days (in Madinah) is worthy that you should stand in it for the Prayer. In it are men who love to be purified (of all spiritual and moral blemishes). God loves those who strive to purify themselves. (At-Tawbah 9:108).

In one of the traditions, the Messenger of God said, “Purity is half of faith.” One day, the noble Prophet noticed that one of the Companions was wearing dirty clothes and said, “Could this man not find anything with which to wash his clothes?”

This warning shows that the beloved Prophet conferred great importance on the cleanliness of clothing. Another tradition relates, “A man came to the noble Prophet’s mosque wearing a poor-quality garment. The Messenger of God asked him, ‘Do you have any wealth?’ He replied, ‘God has given me all kinds of wealth.’ So the Messenger of God said, ‘When God grants you wealth, let the signs of His favor and bestowal be apparent on you.’”

One day, a man came in with disheveled hair and beard. The Messenger of God motioned with his hand that he should comb his hair and beard. The man did so and then returned. The Messenger of God said, “Isn’t this better than one of you coming with his head disheveled, as if he were a devil?”

Furthermore, the noble Prophet warned people not to come to gathering places such as mosques with offensive odors like onions or garlic. He never ate onions or garlic and ordered those who did so not to enter the mosque. In one of the traditions narrated by Bukhari, the beloved Prophet said, “Those who eat onion or garlic should not approach our mosque and perform Prayer with us.”

During the period of his caliphate, Umar said in one of his sermons, “O you people! You eat garlic and onion and come to the mosque. I saw that when the Messenger of God found a man

with such an offensive odor in the mosque, he would order him to be taken out of the mosque and sent to a distance as far as Al-Baqi graveyard.”

Anyone who studies the commands and rulings regarding purification will undoubtedly recognize the great advantages in terms of health. For example, it is prohibited to use the right hand to clean the private parts after relieving oneself, because the right hand is use for eating. This prohibition prevents the right hand from coming into contact with impurities, an action which is hygienic (prevention against germs). It was reported that the noble Prophet used his right hand to eat and drink, when he was giving or taking something, and he used the left hand in other instances (cleansing of the private parts, etc.). Commanding the ablution for every Prayer, and ordering that those limbs should be washed repeatedly was the means of purifying the exposed parts of the body, the limbs most prone to germs and bacteria. Experts in microbiology confirmed that there can be as many as five million microbes on every square centimeter of exposed skin. It is also a known fact that bacteria multiply rapidly. In order to avoid this, there is no other solution than to wash these limbs repeatedly. Modern medicine recognizes the human skin as the most important organ of the human body. Human skin can also be a sign of certain psychological and physical diseases. The skin of a healthy human in total is approximately two square meters. The numbers of various microbes (both beneficial and harmful) found on human skin is more than any other living creature on earth. Two hundred million of these microbes (in particular the harmful ones) are removed every time we take a bath. However, these harmful microbes reproduce continuously. Therefore, it is necessary to reduce these microbes continuously and on a regular basis. The noble Prophet conveyed the necessity of bathing with these words:

“It is the duty of every Muslim to bathe once a week, washing his head and entire body.”

Islam commands that a Muslim should clean his teeth and remove any remaining food particles from between the teeth. The beloved Prophet said, “There is nothing more disturbing to the two angels assigned to recording the good and bad deeds than to see the person to whom they have been assigned perform the Prayer with leftover food stuck between his teeth.” In addition, cleaning the places where we live, our homes and streets, is extremely important. The noble Prophet said, “God is good and He loves good, He is generous and loves generosity, He is hospitable and loves hospitality, He is clean and loves cleanliness, so clean your courtyards (surroundings).”

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Friend?

Every individual should know how to be a good friend. An individual capable of being a good friend is also capable of acquiring friends. Have you ever asked yourself if you are a good companion or friend? In fact, we can change the question and ask: What are the characteristics of a good friend? Now we will attempt to describe these one by one.

1. Avoid offensive words and criticizing friends unjustly or unnecessarily, as undue criticism will result in your friends disliking you. Benjamin Franklin, the famous statesman and thinker, explained the secret of success in human relationship with these words: “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain, and most fools do. I will speak ill of no man, and speak all the good I know of everybody.” This was the main secret of his success. If you do not want people to befriend you then criticize them unduly and say offensive words to them.

2. Praise your friends when they do something good without exaggerating or lying. Every human likes praise and compliments. People are the slaves of kindness. In other words, inevitably, when a person shows interest and appreciation, the individual in question will grow closer and want to establish a friendship. In addition, when a person is praised and appreciated, this increases self-confidence and in turn that person strives to do even better.

3. Never be grim or sulky; always be cheerful and have a smiling face, as this is how the noble Prophet was and wanted us to be. A cheerful person spreads joy and comfort to those nearby, attracting others.

4. Display generosity and hospitality. Even a cup of tea with a biscuit or two has paved the way to many friendships. Therefore, as an act of following the beloved Prophet’s morals, always show generosity to others. In the words of the eminent scholar Fethullah Gülen, “Those who display kindness and value their friends would have gained many defenders and supporters against their enemies.”

5. Greet people; never refrain from saying, “Hello, how are you?” A warm hello or a short exchange of greetings enhances friendship. The noble Prophet’s words regarding this topic should be a lesson to all: “May I tell you something which, if you practice it, you will love one another? Spread greetings of peace among yourselves.”

6. Be forgiving; hide the faults of others. Everyone can make mistakes, but forgiving people for these mistakes and faults is extremely important. When defining the good morals of His beloved servants, God revealed,

The God-revering, pious . . . spend . . . both in ease and hardship, ever restraining their rage . . . and pardoning people. God

loves (such) people who are devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them. (Al Imran 3:134).

A believer, in the perspective of Yunus Emre, should be handless to those who hit, tongueless to those who curse, and heartless to those who hurt our feelings. Indeed, a good friend is one who praises, smiles, shares, forgives, is self-sacrificing and not offensive. An incident between two brothers regarding the devotion necessary in friendship is related in these words:

One of the brothers was married and had many children, and the other was single. At the end of each day, the two brothers shared the profits from their daily earnings equally. One day, the single brother thought to himself, Sharing our goods and profits equally is by no means just; I am alone, I do not need so much money. So every night, he would take a sack of grain to his brother’s house and secretly place it in his storage room. In the meantime, the married brother thought to himself: It is wrong for us to share the produce and profits equally between us: I am married and have children; when I grow old they will care for me, whereas my brother has nobody. So every night he took a sack of grain to his brother’s house and put it secretly in his storeroom. For years, neither of the brothers understood how, but there was no difference in the quantities of grain in either of their storerooms. Then one night, as the brothers were secretly carrying the grain, they bumped into one another. The two men immediately realized what had happened, and leaving their sacks on the ground they embraced one another.

As you can see, this is an excellent example of souls dedicated to brotherhood and friendship, who acknowledge self-sacrifice as a way of life.

Speaking and acting according to the truth is one of the most important aspects of morality. Prophet Muhammad, peace and

blessings be upon him, lived a life of truthfulness and may be classified as the symbol of truth. The greatest virtue of all is praising one’s enemy. Here is an example of this:

Abu Sufyan, who was one of the noble Prophet’s most notorious enemies before he accepted Islam, explained the following event:

I was in Damascus accompanying one of the Qurayshi caravans. I went there to trade. This coincided with the ten-year truce agreement made with the Messenger of God. While we were in Jerusalem, Heraclius was there and invited us to his court. We attended; he was sitting with the Roman dignitaries. He summoned us and called a translator. He asked, “Who amongst you is most closely related to the man who claims to be the Prophet of God?”

I replied, “I am more closely related to him than the others.”

Heraclius ordered, “Bring him before me and tell his companions to stand behind him.”

So they placed the companions with whom I travelled on business behind me, and he told the translator:

“Tell the companions of Abu Sufyan that I have made him sit in front of them so that I may question him about the man who claims to be the Prophet of God, and if he tells a lie they will not feel ashamed to contradict him.” Abu Sufyan said later, “I swear by God that if I had not been afraid that if I told a lie those persons would contradict me, I would have told a lie. However, I felt ashamed and spoke the truth against my wish.”

The first thing he asked me was, “What is this man’s ancestry?”

I replied, “He belongs to a noble family.”

Heraclius asked: “Did he ever tell a lie before claiming to be a Prophet?”

I answered, “No.” Then he asked if the Prophet ever violated his covenant. I said, “No” and immediately said, “But we do

not know what he will do in the future.” This was the only thing I was able to say against the Prophet.

After I had answered all his questions, Heraclius concluded his speech with these words: “You said he commands us to pray to the One God and not associate any with Him; he forbids us to worship idols; he commands us to worship God, to avoid fornication. If what you say about this man is the truth, Abu Sufyan, then this man will certainly rule the soil beneath my feet. I knew that he was to appear, but I did not think he would be from among your people (the Arabs). If I knew that I would be able to reach him in safety, then I would have endured the difficulties of meeting him. In fact, if I was with him I would have washed his feet.”

Indeed, a truth that came to light here was this: One act of sincerity can burn a field of lies. A single truth is more superior than a field of delusions.

Mehmet Akif Ignored the Rain

One day, Mehmet Akif agreed to meet with his friend Eşref Edip for lunch. Eşref Edip lived in a place called Vaniköy, while Mehmet Akif lived in Beylerbeyi. He planned to leave an hour before lunch-time, but it rained so heavily that all the streets were flooded. Assuming that Mehmet Akif would not visit in such weather, Eşref Edip told his maid that he would not be long and left home to go to another friend’s house. However, despite the rain, Mehmet Akif went to Eşref Edip’s house. When Eşref Edip returned home, his maid informed him that Mehmet Akif had come to the door, and although he was drenched from the rain, he did not enter the house but said, “Give him my greetings” and returned home once again in the rain. The next day, Eşref Edip went to see Mehmet Akif to explain what had happened and

apologize, but Mehmet Akif was extremely offended. Then he replied with these unforgettable words: “Not fulfilling a promise can only be excused in the case of death or a calamity equally serious.”

The Etiquette of Entertaining Guests

One of the major aspects that contributes to strengthening the ties of brotherhood, getting to know one another and sharing/ solving problems, is visiting socially. This is why the Islamic faith gives particular importance to Muslims visiting one another. In one of the traditions, the noble Prophet gave the tidings that a person who visits the sick or another Muslim has prepared his place in Paradise.

A believer should pay frequent visits to those he loves, in particular his parents and family and never abandon them, not only during times of happiness but also during times of calamity and affliction. In the Islamic faith, this is known as maintaining the bonds of kinship. Maintaining the bonds of kinship means to visit family and friends, to inquire after their health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, like many of our other values, we neglect keeping in touch with our family and friends. The younger generations of today are brought up deprived of the love and affection of their grandparents, uncles and aunts. Maintaining the bonds of kinship, which the noble Prophet said would be the means of entering Paradise, is not simply visiting relatives but also means taking care and protecting them in every way possible.

The mentioning of kinship after obligatory worships such as Prayer, the fast and giving charity reveals the importance of the topic in the Islamic faith. Here is just one example from the Qur’an:

Keep from disobedience to Him in Whose name you make demands of one another, and (duly observe) the rights of the wombs (i.e., of kinship). . . . God is ever watchful over you. (An-Nisa 4:1).

There are various degrees of maintaining the bonds of kinship.

1. We must be polite and speak with kindness towards our most distant relatives, bestow our greetings when we see them, inquire to their health and wellbeing, and always have a good opinion and want good for them.

2. We should pay regular visits to closer family members and always assist them whenever necessary. This is more in terms of physical assistance. In particular, visiting the elderly members of the family occasionally and helping them will make them extremely happy.

3. Maintaining the bonds of kinship with the closest and most important family members means giving financial help and support. It is our duty to comply with the general rules of visiting, and in addition visiting these family members especially on Eid celebrations, and never severing the ties of kinship.

Points the Homeowner Should Observe

1. The homeowner should personally welcome and bid farewell to his visitors.

2. He must welcome his visitors with a smile, clean-shaven and with clean clothing.

3. He should receive his guests in decent clothing (not shorts, pajamas, vest, etc.)

4. The rooms or sections of the house to be used by the guests should be clean and tidy.

5. The other habitants of the house should also welcome the guests and display their happiness to see the guests.

6. The guests should never be left alone or become bored.

7. The host should make a special effort in serving guests. Whatever is given should be placed on a small table or somewhere suitable, and an atmosphere of happiness and pleasure should be created.

8. A host must pay attention to his guests, should ask if they need anything, and meet their requirements.

9. A host should never scold or criticize others in front of his guests.

10. If the guest is wearing a jacket or coat, the host should take it and hang it up.

11. The host should give his guest slippers on entering the house.

12. Guests should be entertained in a tidy room in which they will feel comfortable.

13. If the visitors are the guests of our elders, then we should only remain in the room when required and take into consideration that they may want to speak privately.

14. If there is no objection to us being present, then we should not speak more with the guests than the host, as interfering in the conversation unnecessarily is not suitable.

15. Even if this visit coincides with the most difficult, most troublesome period, we should never show this to our guests so they do not assume that we are disturbed at their presence.

16. If we sit our guests in a room, we should pay attention to the following: If we are unable to remain in the room with the guest for any reason, then another member of the household should entertain and sit with them. It would be rude to leave the guest alone in the room.

17. If the guest has come from a distance, then we should prepare dinner without even asking, and we should sit with the guest at the table.

18. While we are sitting with the guests, we should not check the time frequently so he does not assume we want him to leave.

19. We should never speak and laugh secretly in front of a guest.

20. It is not right for others to peep around the door of the room where the guest is sitting without saying anything. Either the door should not be opened at all, or if the door is opened one should inquire as to the health and wellbeing of the guest. If we have time limitations for any reason, we should at least apologize, ask permission and then leave the room.

21. When the guest is leaving, we should hold their jackets or coats and express our emotions of pleasure and gratitude at their visit.

22. We should wait at the door until the guest leaves and not close the door immediately.

23. If the guest is going to stay overnight, the place he is to sleep should be prepared, the bedcovers and sheets must be clean, and we should provide towels and pajamas if necessary.

The Rules a Guest Should Observe

1. When the door of the house is opened, the guest should not stand where he can see inside.

2. A visitor should knock on the door three times and not persist in knocking if no one opens the door. The noble Prophet said, “Knock on the door three times; if you are not granted permission to enter, then you should leave.” This can also be considered the same in terms of using the telephone.

3. When a guest enters and leaves he should bestow his greetings. A person should bestow greetings even when he enters an empty house.

4. A guest should never arrive late for an invitation but should arrive early.

5. When a person visits, he should wear clean, tidy clothing.

6. If possible, a visitor should not go to someone’s house empty-handed but should take a gift.

7. A guest should knock on the door and enter only after permission is given by the host.

8. A guest should avoid looking around and inspecting the room and causing the host any inconvenience. A guest should not offer anything to another guest without the permission of the host. He should sit in the place allocated by the host and ask for permission to go to the bathroom.

9. The guest should not find fault with any food that is given, and even if there is a problem with the food, he should not make this apparent.

10. A visitor should not ask for the food or drink he wants, but rather should be satisfied with what is given and never ask for a specific food saying, “Do you have this?” If the homeowner asks what a guest wants to eat by specifying certain foods, the guest should chose the easiest, most convenient to prepare.

11. We should take certain points into consideration—such as the host’s age, his family or illness when visiting—and pay attention to our manner of speech. In particular the elderly and unwell expect us to visit often; however, these visits should be short. Therefore, we should pay more frequent visits to these individuals than we do to others.

12. Even if religious beliefs or political opinions are different from those of the host, the guest must not say anything to upset the host or those present.

13. The guest should leave expressing his gratitude and pleasure.

14. A guest should not leave without the permission of the host.

15. If the host is busy, the guest must shorten his stay and ask permission to leave.

16. When a person is unable to visit for any reason, he should inform the host beforehand and asked to be excused.

Other Recommendations Regarding Sleeping and Checking the Bed before Sleeping

The Messenger of God advised his followers to check the bed for anything harmful before going to bed. The noble Prophet said, “When one of you goes to bed, he should dust the bed with the inside of his lower garment. He does not know what has come on his bed since he left it. He should lie down on his right side and say, ‘In Your Name I have laid down on my side. If You take my soul, then have mercy on it. If You release it, then preserve it in the manner in which You preserve the men of right action!’”

During the period of the noble Prophet, because the Companions lived in simple habitats in desert lands, this was one of the most favorable precautions one could take against harmful insects and is still one of the best precautions, even in our modern homes. In particular, this is a recommendation that families with children should heed. The toys children play with should not be left lying around. Additionally, dangerous materials used by housewives in the home, such as needles, may sometimes be left

by mistake on objects they repair. Therefore, if we want to avoid unfavorable issues, we should inspect beds prior to going to bed.

Avoiding Sleeping in Places That Are Unsafe

The noble Prophet forbade people from sleeping in dangerous places such as housetops or roofs with no railings, because people turn around and move involuntarily when they are asleep, so there is a possibility that they could fall. One report regarding this subject was conveyed by Abdurrahman ibn Sayhan from a narration by his father saying that the noble Prophet said, “Whoever sleeps on the roof of a house that has no protecting wall, nobody is responsible for what happens to him.” Once a person has taken the necessary precautions, he must submit himself to God, and indeed, this is what placing one’s trust in God is. Concerning the beloved Prophet’s words above, if a person sleeps in a place that is not safe, that is not enclosed with a wall or otherwise enclosed or protected, then that person alone is responsible for the consequences. If the person falls from the roof and dies, then no one but himself is responsible for his death. In certain regions during the summer months, people sleep on the roofs of their homes that have no protection, and unfortunately this sometimes results in death. Therefore, it is our duty to comply with the recommendations of the noble Prophet and take the necessary precautions.

Supplicating When Going to Sleep and on Awakening

Before going to sleep and on awakening, the noble Prophet always supplicated to God. According to a narration by Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman, before going to bed the Messenger of God recited, “O God! By Your name I live and die.” And when he woke up, the

noble Prophet recited, “Praise be to God who gave us life after death, and to Him is our return.”

Every night when he went to bed, the beloved Prophet also recited chapters Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Naas. Aisha, the dear wife of the Prophet, reported this in these words: “When the Messenger of God went to bed every night, he used to cup his hands together and blow over them after reciting Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Naas, and then rub his hands over whatever parts of his body he was able to reach, starting with his head, face and front of his body. He used to repeat this three times.”

The noble Prophet Encouraged Supplication

The Messenger of God encouraged supplication by saying that the duty of anyone who sleeps without mentioning the name of God is incomplete. According to a report the noble Prophet said, “Whoever sits in an assembly of people who do not mention the Name of God in their gathering will find it a cause of sorrow. Whoever lies down to sleep and does not mention the name of God will find it a cause of sorrow.”

Complying with the Manners of Sitting in an Assembly

The noble Prophet related certain recommendations regarding the etiquette of sitting in gatherings. Those who arrive and sit first have more right over that particular place then those who come later. The Messenger of God defined this in these words: “Do not ask someone to leave their place for you to sit, but rather make room for others.”

Another of the traditions states that when a person leaves his place, he is more entitled to sit in the spot he was sitting upon

returning than anyone else. Thus, when the Companions entered a gathering, they would sit in an empty space without disturbing anyone. As related in this report by Jabir ibn Samarah, “Whenever we came to the gathering of the Messenger of God, we would sit down at the fringes of the assembly.” Indeed, it would not be fair for a latecomer to sit at the front of the gathering, which may inconvenience those already in the assembly. As related in the noble Prophet’s traditions, if there is no space left, then the people present should make room for the latecomers. Acting in such a manner is the rule for attending these assemblies. The importance of the subject is conveyed in the Qur’an: “O you who believe! When you are told, ‘Make room in the assemblies,’ do make room. God will make room for you” (al-Mujadilah 58:11).

Sitting between Two People without Asking Permission

One of the most important rules prescribed by the noble Prophet regarding gatherings was not sitting between two people without their permission. According to a narration by Amr ibn Shuayb, the beloved Prophet said, “It is not permissible for a person to sit between two people without their permission.” It is improper for a person to come and sit between two other people who are sitting side by side. Another unfavorable act is pulling someone’s shoulder to reach the first row in the mosque. Anas ibn Malik reported an event which happened during the time of the noble Prophet:

While the Messenger of God was delivering the sermon a man came to the mosque and came to the front by stepping over peoples’ shoulders and sat near the Messenger of God. When the Prayer finished, the noble Prophet said, “Hey you! What prevented you from praying the Friday Prayers with us?”

The man replied, “O Messenger of God! I did this so I could sit here.”

Upon which the noble Prophet said, “But I saw you treading over peoples’ shoulders. Whoever harms a Muslim has harmed me, and whoever harms me harms God.”

Prohibiting Sitting in Places Where Religious Beliefs Are Mocked

It is not suitable for Muslims to sit in places where others mock or insult religious views and beliefs. This was forbidden in the following verse of the Qur’an

He has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear the Revelations of God being rejected and mocked, no longer sit with them (show your disagreement) until they engage in some other talk, or else you will surely become like them. Assuredly, God will gather the hypocrites and the unbelievers all together in Hell. (An-Nisa 4:140).

However, regarding those who sit in gatherings where religious belief and views are not mocked, but where there is unnecessary, idle talk, the noble Prophet said, “Whoever sits in a gathering and indulges in idle talk and before getting up supplicates:

‘O Lord! You are free from every imperfection; praise be to You.

I testify that there is no true god except You; I ask Your Pardon and turn to You in repentance,’ he will be forgiven for the sins he may have committed in that assembly.”

A Seed in My Palm

I am a stranger here. I came from a far off land, a distant place on earth, a place surpassing the endless deserts and many lakes. I set out on my journey for the sake of spreading the bloom of green-

ery and not abandoning the blues skies to a fate of loneliness. I came with a tree, in fact thousands of trees. This must be the place, I should stop now. If I am slowing down in haste, know that this is out of respect for my obligation. On the journey, I handed everything I possessed to the mountain bandits, but I concealed what I held in my palm. Never ask me why. The only thing I know is that I came bringing the creation, placing the stars in my pocket and the rain in my eyes. As I looked into the palm of my hand, I saw my nation, bright and beautiful. I saw Asia; then suddenly the Crimean boy was pouring water on the seeds of his ancestors as if the suffering of centuries had come to an end. I witnessed the supplication of Yasawi, Taptuk and Sari Saltik. In my palm, I saw my land Anatolia and I heard the voice of a hero saying, My beloved Anatolia, in my heart. I saw Jerusalem, it was as if the children cast the stones aside and were flying kites. I saw Palestine and hope. Seagulls that will fly over that greenery escaped from between my fingers. I came crying out with a single dove and an entire city concealed in my palm.

This world will have descendants. Saying to one another, Close your eyes, look what I brought you. They will be the children who will bequeath these cities [to their descendants]. They will present the cities of Mecca, Baghdad, Beirut and Venice from the palms of their hands. They will submit their hearts to the future of the world with a beautiful smile. Hope has no place for pessimism, as it savors a prospective future, rather than the past. As I ride my horse towards the sun, I considered what I was going to say in my migrating heart. I thought to myself, What a lot I have to say. How could I possibly remain quiet when I had so much to convey? I came to lighten the burden of my knowledge and call everyone to goodness and prosperity.

Our gardeners who remove the thorns, who water the trees of prosperity, will encompass the entire land. The small darkskinned girl will hand her mother daisies, and the mother will respond to this jest with a gleaming smile. Thus, I came with smiles and happiness in my palms.

Not Istanbul alone, but every place, every mountain, everyone, every me, every you will recognize the tulips flourishing in their hearts. The cascades that flow through our souls, the lightest breeze will convey the magnificent attire of the city. Initially we will transform the abode of our hearts, and then Istanbul. Is it not true that the cities where man lives are the fruits of the people within those cities? I came with the spirit of those people in my palm.

The soil dried, it failed due to yearning. Now it is the time to reunite the soil with trees, roots and rain. While the young trees dream of growth, the dew drops lure the leaves to sprout. Let us open a space for the trees and the palms before our hair turns white, before we have the chance to tell untruths in our lives, before we experience nightmares amidst this mass of concrete. An envoy cannot be blamed for his mission. If I bring a bouquet of roses, then open your hands and your hearts. If I placed a tree, a city and the human spirit in my palm and came, then open your palms to me. Let the seeds become trees, the trees become cities, and let people roam in those cities. People must open their palms. It is time for me to complete my obligation and continue on my journey. So make space in your soil for the seed in my palm.

Guarding Chastity

During the Caliphate of Umar, there was a religious young man who spent most of his time worshipping in the mosque. Umar was extremely pleased with him. Immediately after the Night Prayer,

the young man would return home to his father. There was a woman who lived on the road between the mosque and his home who was very fond of the young man. The woman would stand on the roadside, but the young man always ignored her. One night the woman enticed the youth, and he followed the woman to her door. As soon as he reached the door and was about to step inside, the young man remembered God and he began to recite the following verse of the Qur’an:

Those who keep from disobedience to God in reverence for Him and piety: when a suggestion from Satan touches them, they are alert and remember God, and then they have clear discernment. (Al-A’raf 7:201).

The young man continued to recite this verse and then fell to the ground. The woman called one of her servants, and they took him home, sat him down in front of his house and knocked on the door. When the man saw his son in this state, he immediately called the neighbors who helped him the carry young man inside the house. When he regained consciousness, his father asked him, “My son! What happened to you?”

At first he replied, “Nothing.” But when his father persisted, the young man explained what happened.

The father asked, “What verse of the Qur’an did you recite?” and the young man began to recite the verse and once again fell unconscious to the ground. They tried to wake him up, but the young man was dead. They washed the body and buried him that same night. Early the next morning, Umar heard about the incident and went to pay his condolences to the father, asking, “Why was I not informed?”

The man replied, “O commander of the believers! It was late and I did not want to disturb you.”

So Umar said, “Take me to his grave.” When Umar and the Companions reached the young man’s grave, Umar called out, “O young man! Whoever fears standing before his Lord will be granted two Gardens.”

The young man replied from the grave, “O Umar! My Lord granted me the Garden you speak of twice.”

The Manners of Speech

Thinking and speaking are the two most significant characteristics that distinguish humans from other creatures. The two are related: speech is like a clear mirror that reveals the person’s level of intelligence and structure of thought. Our elders said, “Peoples’ speech and actions are a reflection of their hearts.” A person’s manner of speech and the words he uses provide a general idea regarding the individual’s character. Islam introduced certain principles regarding speech and informs us that those who act upon these principles will be granted the reward of worship.

First and foremost, a believer should begin everything in the name of God and praising Him. Every action that begins in His name will be blessed. The noble Prophet said, “Any act of importance that does not begin in the name of God is devoid of blessing, and is therefore incomplete.” “Speaking without remembering God hardens the heart, and the people most distant from God are those with hardened hearts.”

A majority of the time, people express their emotions, thoughts and demands by speech. Just as a person’s language and manner of speech can make that individual successful, it can also cause him harm. In fact, guarding the tongue was defined as being the means of entering Paradise. The Messenger of God said, “Whoever guarantees to me to guard what is between his two lips and between his two legs, I guarantee him Paradise.” In another of the

traditions, a man asked, “Who is the most excellent among the Muslims?” The noble Prophet replied, “The one from whose tongue and hands the other Muslims are secure.”

The rules of speech we learn from the life and traditions of the Messenger of God are as follows: When must speak clearly and precisely, considering the level of intelligence of our addressees. When necessary, we also should repeat our words. The Companions defined the noble Prophet’s speech in these words: The noble Prophet’s speech was so clear and distinct that everyone could easily understand him. When the noble Prophet spoke, his words could easily be counted. He repeated words and sentences of importance three times so they would be clearly understood. Sometimes it was necessary to repeat words for others to perceive in the proper way. This is the reason for the repetition in the Qur’an.

Speaking in order to display superiority over others or using words that others do not understand in an attempt to reflect an image that the individual being addressed is unintelligent was prohibited. The noble Prophet said, “God does not like people of this type. They work their tongue in the way a cow does when it chews the cud.”

We should not speak in a loud voice that is irritating to others. In the Qur’an, Luqman advises his son: “Be modest in your bearing, and subdue your voice. For certain, the most repugnant of voices is the braying of donkeys” (Luqman 31:19).

In another verse, the Qur’an reveals, “And say to My servants that they should always speak . . . that which is the best” (al-Isra 17:53). In fact, when God sent Prophet Musa (Moses) and his brother Harun (Aaron) to the Pharaoh, He told them to speak to him with gentle words, and although the addressee was a disbeliever, they were commanded to speak accordingly and in a gentle manner. One of the traditions states that a gentle word can protect

from the Hellfire: “Protect yourselves against Fire even if it is with half a date, and he who does not find it, (he should do so) with pleasant words.”

It was forbidden for people to whisper amongst themselves in the presence of a third person. The beloved Prophet signified that this would hurt the feelings of the one who is left alone. There is a pleasant saying in the Turkish language: “Silence is for the young, speaking is for the elders.” Priority of speech should be given to the elders. In an assembly, the elders have the right to speak first. However, when appropriate the other members of the gathering may express their opinions.

Hence, when Abdurrahman ibn Sahl, the youngest member of the group, began to speak while relating an incident, the noble Prophet said, “Let the elders speak first.” So the elder members of the group continued to explain the story.

Abdullah ibn Umar explained an experience he had: “One day, the Messenger of God asked the Companions, ‘Tell me about a tree that resembles a believer.’ Those present began to name the trees. Immediately the palm tree came to my mind, and I decided to say this, but there were elderly people present so I hesitated. The elderly ones did not know the answer and remained quiet. Then the Messenger of God said it was the palm tree.”

A person’s speech should be short but precise and should avoid unnecessary words. We must never use words defined as slang or words of vulgarity. In other words, a person must become accustomed to avoiding excessive speech, speaking appropriately and in moderation. When God defined the distinguished characteristics of a believer, He said, “They always turn away from and avoid whatever is vain and frivolous” (al-Mu’minun 23:3), and unnecessary speech is described as a sinful act.

In one of the traditions, the noble Prophet said, “The perfection of one’s faith is leaving what does not concern him.”

Therefore, believers should avoid unbeneficial speech and speech that may be harmful. The following verse of the Qur’an brings attention to the fact that every individual will give account for the life bestowed upon him: “Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him, ever present” (Qaf 50:18). The noble Prophet said, “Whoever believes in God and the Last Day should speak good or remain silent.”

Good Opinion Is Essential

Whenever possible, people should have a good opinion and a positive attitude towards others. Suspicion is the major source of many evils. By extension, if good conduct is assumed, wrongdoing is circumstantial. Accordingly, a person is considered innocent until the moment evil becomes apparent with signs and evidence. And it is our duty to be observant of this innocence. Freedom from liability is a fundamental principle. A person is innocent until proven guilty. This means the existing order is a principle of the foundation of law. By behaving in this way, we would also have avoided falling into the danger of considering everyone to be a criminal like the concept of original sin in Christianity. However, there are also certain boundaries in bearing a good will and positive opinion towards others.

For example, a person whom we praise excessively may not be mature enough to tolerate this; it can sometimes cause the person to become arrogant and may even cause others to have a bad opinion of that individual. In the words of the noble Prophet, this is conveyed as “breaking that person’s neck.” Therefore, not only is it our duty to have a good opinion of everybody, but also not to praise a person excessively and exalt him before God. Indeed,

occasionally we can flatter a person more than he deserves and exalt him before God, making that person arrogant with praise, especially if that person does not have enough maturity to recover from the excessive praise. In a similar manner, we can also consider speaking positively of someone who has passed away. God reveals in the Qur’an, “We have made you a middle-way community, that you may be witnesses for the people . . . and that the (most Noble) Messenger may be a witness for you” (al-Baqarah 2:143).

In one of the traditions reported by Umar, as a funeral procession passed by the Messenger of God, those present praised the deceased. The noble Prophet said, “It has been affirmed to him.” Then another funeral procession passed and the people spoke badly of the deceased. The Messenger of God said, “It has been affirmed to him.” Umar ibn al-Khattab asked the Messenger of God, “What has been affirmed?” He replied, “You praised the first, so Paradise has been affirmed to him; and you spoke badly of the second, so Hell has been affirmed to him. You people are God’s witnesses on earth.”

As we see, positive opinion is virtually a supplication by and for believers, and due to this good opinion that servant was forgiven by God. However, as stated above, there should be limits: we should avoid excessive praise.

In another of the traditions where someone spoke of Uthman ibn Maz’un after his death saying, “God has honored you,” the noble Prophet warned the man with the words: “How do you know that God has honored him? I am the Messenger of God and I do not know.” Furthermore, he was one of two or three of the Companions for whom the Messenger of God wept after they died. As a result, we can say that positive opinion of others should be a principle and employed as a part of our lives; it should be employed, since due to our inexperience, we may not have a good

opinion of everyone. Just as concerns a majority of the problems and issues in Islam, with a little encouragement this manner of thinking can become a part of human nature. It is extremely difficult for a person who does not assert himself in this matter to reach such a level of consciousness. In other words, a person who constantly considers himself successful and bears self-admiration will never admire or compliment others, and this is quite clearly a disease.

These kinds of people should be treated by a good psychiatrist for the safety of the society. Both psychologists and pedagogues claim that the evil emotions of even the worst personalities can be suppressed following specific training and discipline. So we shall end this topic with these golden words of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi: “One who loves himself—if his evil-commanding soul has not been purified—will love no one else.”

Clothing as a Means of Ostentation

In the traditions of the noble Prophet it is stated that using clothing as a means of ostentation towards others is not only undesirable but is also unfavorable in the eyes of God. According to a narration by Abdullah ibn Umar, the beloved Prophet said, “Whoever wears a garment of fame in this world, God will dress him in a similar garment on the Day of Judgment. Then it will burst into flames.” The garments mentioned in this tradition are the fancy, expensive, elegant garments that people wear with the intention of being renowned, attracting the attention of others and displaying piety. It is necessary to avoid wearing any garment with these intentions.

Wearing Nice Clothing as a Sign of Praise

According to a report Amr ibn Shuayb narrated from both his father and grandfather, the noble Prophet said, “God loves to see the signs of His favors on His servants.” In a sense, these words refer to clothing, and this is expressing that everyone should dress in accordance with their own financial capability. A poor person should dress according to his capability so it is obvious that he is poor and those who intend to help will provide financial assistance. A rich person should dress in a manner that reflects his wealth not only to fulfill his duty of displaying gratitude to God but also to convey that he is not poor. In summary, everyone should dress according to their personal means and take care not to dress in a manner that will be the cause of mockery.

Wearing Untidy Clothing in Public

The noble Prophet wanted the Companions to dress in clean, tidy clothing. He would warn those who, although they were not poor, walked around in ragged, untidy clothing. Abu al-Ahwas quoted his father saying:

One day I went to the Messenger of God wearing a poor garment. When he saw me dressed in this way he asked, “Have you any property?”

I replied, “Yes.”

He asked, “What kind?

I replied, “God has given me camels, sheep, horses and slaves.”

He then said, “When God gives you property, let the mark of His favor and honor to you be apparent.”

According to this tradition, it is clear that a person should dress in accordance with his financial capability.

Wearing Clothing with Images of Animals

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It was forbidden to wear clothing bearing images of humans or animals. The noble Prophet said the angels would not enter houses where there were dogs or pictures, and he was known to order covers bearing pictures or images to be removed. Nevertheless, he wore garments bearing embroidery and patterns of inanimate objects.

The Etiquette of Participating in a Gathering

Conversation is the common term for communicating and sharing experiences.

In such a communion, hearts always beat with similar enthusiasm and emotions and revolve around the same issues. Initially, the noble Prophet educated his Companions with sermons in the Dar al-Arqam and prepared them for the future, and this was where later he continued to deliver sermons until his death. In particular, we who live in a century of calamity and perdition are in need of such conversing and integration just as we need bread and water.

Therefore, we should gather our close friends, invite individuals whose knowledge and wisdom we trust, and benefit from their knowledge.

Points we must observe at these gatherings:

1. We should prepare the place for the one who will be delivering the sermon, making sure there is a table and glass of water.

2. We should make spiritual preparations before the speech begins.

3. We should avoid any actions that will spoil the atmosphere of the meeting during the sermon, as well as involuntary acts such as yawning or sneezing. Unavoidable speech

should be performed with the necessary manners and politeness.

4. We should sit in a proper manner.

5. If necessary, questions should be asked at the end of the sermon.

6. Nobody should rise from their place and walk around before the speaker rises.

7. If we must leave immediately after the sermon ends, we should ask permission to leave.

Compete with One Another in Kindness!

With respect to the commands and recommendations in both the Qur’an and the traditions of the noble Prophet, each of the Companions virtually competed with one another in kindness and generosity, raced to help others with enthusiasm, and strived to perform acts of kindness. Indeed, nothing less could possibly have been expected from these sincere individuals whose path was constantly enlightened by the kindling flame of faith they bore in their hearts. If we expect any kind of movement in terms of charity and kindness in our social lives, then as in every aspect, we should follow in the footsteps of the Companions and raise generations of generosity and kindness. Witnessing this in the various charity organizations established in different places and times is certainly a source of hope for the future. The examples of kindness and generosity that are very few today were spread among the public by the Companions who displayed outstanding effort, saying, “People who compete with each other should do so in kindness and charity.”

This Golden Generation, those who shed tears because they we unable to participate in a campaign due to poverty—and were

mentioned in a verse of the Qur’an—competed with one another in spreading generosity and kindness. The noble Prophet responded to the poor Companions who said they were unable to attain the status the wealthy had achieved, being therefore deprived of reward, by advising them how to attain a reward of equal status and telling them that this was a divine favor. Abu Hurayra related this event:

Some of the poor Muhajirun (Migrants) came to the noble Prophet and said, “The wealthy people will gain higher status and will have permanent enjoyment, but they pray like us and fast as we do.”

When the Messenger of God asked why, they replied, “They have more money by which they perform the Hajj, and Umra; to strive in God’s Cause and give in charity.”

The noble Prophet said, “Shall I not tell you a thing, which if enacted, would enable you to catch up with those who have surpassed you? Nobody would overtake you, and you would be better than the people amongst whom you live, except those who would do the same. Say Subhanallah (Glory be to God), Alhamdulillah (All praise be to God) and Allahu Akbar (God is great) thirty-three times after every compulsory Prayer.”

Then after a while they returned and said, “The rich have heard what you told us to do and are doing the same.”

The Messenger of God replied, “This is a favor of God, and He gives it to whom He wishes.”

Nevertheless, in other traditions the Messenger of God consoled these Companions by guiding them as to how they could earn reward. According to the tidings he gave regarding this subject, if the poor ones who admire the rich ones—those who spend their wealth on the path of God—say with sincerity, If only I had wealth, I would also distribute it as so and so gives in charity and spend it on the path of God, they would also attain the same reward. In terms

of sincerity and good intention, there is no distinction between the one who gives a percentage of what little he possesses and a rich person giving the same percentage. In addition to pointing out the atmosphere of generosity prevailed over the Companions in general, it will suffice to convey this famous tradition relating the competition between Abu Bakr and Umar in spending on the path of God. As Umar relates,

One day, the Messenger of God ordered us to give charity; this coincided with a time that I had possessions. I thought to myself, I will exceed him in giving charity today if I will at any time. So I took half of my wealth to the Messenger of God.

Abu Bakr asked me, “What have you left for your family?”

I replied, “An equal amount.”

Then Abu Bakr brought all of his possessions. The Messenger of God asked him the same question and he replied, “I have left God and His Messenger for them.”

At that moment, I realized that I would never be able to compete with him in giving charity.

This is what they considered giving charity, and by continuing this throughout their lives, they attained the pleasure of God.

Relations with Neighbors

The Islamic faith commands good relations with neighbors, no matter who they are. It states in the Qur’an,

Worship God and do not associate anything as a partner with Him; and do good to your parents in the best way possible, and to the relatives, orphans, the destitute, the neighbor who is near (in kinship, location, faith), the neighbor who is distant (in kinship and faith), the companion by your side . . . the

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wayfarer, and those who are in your service. . . . God does not love those who are conceited and boastful. (An-Nisa 4:36)

The Messenger of God said, “Gabriel kept recommending treating neighbors with kindness until I thought he would assign them a share of inheritance.”

The noble Prophet said that those who do not have good relations with their neighbors will not be admitted to Paradise: “The one from whose evil his neighbor does not feel safe will not enter Paradise.”

According to a report by Abdullah ibn Umar, the noble Prophet left on an expedition. On the journey, he said, “Whoever annoys his neighbor should not join us.” When one of the men said, “I urinated beside my neighbor’s wall,” the Messenger of God said, “You will not join us today.” The noble Prophet constantly advised the Companions regarding their relationships with neighbors, and taught them the etiquette of neighborliness in detail. A narration by Abu Dharr relates, “My companion, the beloved Messenger of God, advised me: ‘When you prepare soup, add more water and remember you neighbors.’”

Referring to soup, the simplest of dishes, in this tradition is a figure of speech.

The true meaning here is this: even if you have nothing else but soup, share it with your neighbors.

Additionally, in particular those who are wealthy, who live in abundance but whose neighbors are poor must remember them and share their food. In another tradition, the noble Prophet said, “He who sleeps on a full stomach while his neighbor is hungry is not one of us.”

Addressing the female Companions, the beloved Prophet conveyed the importance of sharing food with their neighbors with

these words: “O Muslim women, never belittle any gift you give your neighbor even if it is a hoof of a sheep.” In this tradition, the noble Prophet is advising the women to send a gift of even the simplest of food to their neighbors without thinking I cannot send this as a gift! Equally, the neighbor should accept even the smallest gift with appreciation. We should never forget that an act that appears so basic is in fact a form of worship. Remembering the beloved Prophet’s commands and recommendations regarding kindness to neighbors, intentions should be rectified accordingly. Indeed, the Companions constantly strived to act in this manner.

Why Can We Not See God?

There are many reasons why we cannot see God. These can be summarized in four paragraphs:

1. Our physical being does not have the ability to see God. Sight is comprehension, or in other words, it is the process of absorbing everything. For example, we are unable to see viruses and bacteria in the micro world, or see the whole of the universe in the macro world. Our eyes have the capacity to see but in this regard are inadequate. This is revealed in the Qur’an: “Eyes comprehend Him not, but He comprehends all eyes. He is the All-Subtle, ... the All-Aware” (al-An’am 6:103).

2. There is nothing that resembles God or that is equivalent to God. The reason we see and recognize anything in the realm of existence is because it resembles or is the opposite of something. If cold was nonexistent we would not be familiar with heat, if there was no light we would not recognize darkness. Therefore, it is impossible to comprehend God because there is nothing that resembles Him in the whole of creation. God the Almighty revealed this fact in the Qur’an with the words “There is nothing whatever like Him” (ash-Shura 42:11).

3. God is unseen due to the intensity of His manifestation. In other words, God is unseen because He would manifest in a form beyond the eyes’ capability to see and comprehend, and also due to His magnificence. We will attempt to explain this by giving the example of the sun. If it were possible to magnify the sun to the extent that it continuously encompassed the entire sky, conveying its light to the entire world simultaneously, it would be impossible for us to see it: there would be continuous daylight and no darkness, therefore it would be impossible for us to recognize what the sun is and discuss its light. Neither the sun nor its rays of light, due to the severity of their appearance, would be apparent because of their continuality and intensity. God, who controls everything at all times, makes His existence felt every moment, every second in the universe—with His attributes such as the Living, All-Knowing, the Merciful, the Controller and All-Powerful—with such intensity that even the heedless are continuously reminded of His existence.

4. The world of trial deems this necessary. If everyone could see God, then the mystery of the trial would be nonexistent. This would be like a teacher giving out the answers for test questions. As the objective is to distinguish believers from the disbelievers and good from evil, God concealed Himself as a requirement of this test, but manifested His existence to our intelligence with His works of art.

Striving in God’s Cause, Invitation and Guidance

Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, called upon us to protect religion, life, reason, property and the integrity of family and lineage, and to strive for this purpose. In a remarkably balanced way, he proclaimed that no other duty could equal this struggle.

Striving in God’s cause (jihad) has various meanings such as overcoming all forms of difficulties and struggles to make an effort, to exert energy and to work vigorously. In another definition, Striving in God’s cause is the effort exerted on removing all barriers between God and His servants. All projects initiated in the name of God, all efforts made so that His Name and religion are glorified and all forms of struggle experienced in the defense of His sacred values can be defined as “striving in God’s cause and for humanity’s good.”

For a believer, spending and utilizing gifts and blessings such as the physical body, intelligence and wealth—which were entrusted upon human beings by God—on the path of God, would also be considered as such a striving.

As the meaning of the word defines, jihad is not an offense; rather it is a defense against a possible offence. It is the effort made to block an offence. In a way, it means removing all obstacles from the path that lead to human contentment.

According to another definition, it is to serve God as this is the objective of life; learning the principles of religion and implementing them as they are taught by God and His Messenger; commanding the doing of good and working to prevent evil; a struggle done against the carnal desires which always command evil and the enemies of universal virtues; and also protecting a country from all external threats and attacks. In this sense jihad caries a comprehensive meaning hence it can be carried out by using the heart, tongue and the hands.

Arguing that jihad is all about war does not reflect the entire truth. Moreover, giving this word a definition which is restricted to war would be considered as a deficient interpretation according to the many meanings it carries in the Qur’an and the hadiths.

The objective of jihad is to take the name of God to humanity; to glorify the banner of faith; to defend people from oppression and tyranny; to remove all obstacles between virtues and human beings and to give people the opportunity of an easy access to high morality.

The decree of jihad varies depending on certain conditions and situations. In some situations it is fard al-ayn (personal obligations for each and every individual Muslim) and in some situations it is fard al-kifaya (community obligations—for the health and welfare of the wider community but in no way binging upon the individual).

If a group amongst Muslims is fulfilling the requirements of jihad by protecting the nation, wealth, chastity and honor of Muslims, then it has become a fard al-kifaya, hence the responsibility has been removed from the other Muslims.

One Should Only Be Self-Sacrificing for the Sake of God

All forms of philanthropy should be done with sincerity and supported individuals or society should not be left in obligation. True altruism will only be accomplished by targeting the pleasure of God and without expecting anything from people. God talks about such servants in the Qur’an:

Those who spend their wealth in God’s cause and then do not follow up what they have spent with putting (the receiver) under obligation and taunting, their reward is with their Lord, and they will have no fear, nor will they grieve. (al-Baqarah 2:262).

Another verse mentions the sincere attitude of believers who display altruism only for the sake of God: “(Rather, he spends)

only in longing for the good pleasure of his Lord, the Most High. He will certainly be contented (he with his Lord and his Lord with him)” (al-Layl, 92:20–21).

On the other hand, another verse describes the situation of those who refrain from giving because they fear poverty and state that on the Day of Judgment these people will offer everything they have and had saved as compensation so that they could save themselves from punishment. However, their offers and negotiations will not be accepted.

He Sacrificed His Life for His Friend

The brotherhood and loyalty between the believers was best displayed in action during the era of the contentment. They had written the most valuable golden pages of history which no man shall ever accomplish again. Their attributes defined as ithar was mentioned by the Holy Qur’an:

Those who, before their coming, had their abode (in Medina, preparing it as a home for Islam and faith, love those who emigrate to them for God’s sake, and in their hearts do not begrudge what they have been given; and (indeed) they prefer them over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot. (They, too, have a share in such gains of war.) Whoever is guarded against the avarice of his own soul—those are the ones who are truly prosperous. (al-Hashr 59:9)

In the exegesis of the Holy Qur’an, this is explained as “Give your brother preference over yourself in nobility, rank, honor and even material gains which your nature loves.” This reality was lived in every era of our gracious history which evidently holds many living examples.

There are also many examples of this fidelity and altruism during the era of the Babur Empire. In the beginning of the 16th Century, Babur Shah and his grandchildren who ruled the region of what is India and Pakistan today, have served faith immensely. Bayram Khan, who was a famous and valuable commander in this Turkic Islamic nation, displayed many examples of bravery. During the many battles with the Afghanis, he achieved consecutive victories but on one occasion he was captured as a prisoner of war.

Initially, the Afghan commander treated him kindly. He even thought of releasing him because of his legendry bravery. However, one day, Bayram Khan acted in a careless manner and disclosed his plans to defeat the Afghans. From that point on, the treatment he had been receiving took a drastic turn. Instead of releasing him, they decided to execute Bayram Khan.

Bayram Khan sensed the decision and made a plan to escape with a man named Kasım Bey. They succeeded in their escape. However, when the Afghani soldiers realized that they were gone, they sent a search party after them. Before long, they were recaptured. The Afghan soldiers had received orders to kill Bayram Khan on sight, but they could not tell who was who. Finally, they decided on Kasım Bey who had a bigger built than Bayram Khan. So they prepared to execute him.

Upon seeing this, Bayram Khan became quite emotional as he did not want his friend to be killed in his place. He shouted at the commander of the team: “You are making a big mistake! Do not kill him, he is not Bayram, I am!”

Kasım Bey, on the other hand, was not saying anything as he had already accepted his fate. Upon hearing the words of Bayram Khan, he intervened and denied his claim. He could not let them kill the commander of Babur army. He believed that Bayram

Khan would serve his nation better than he. With the feelings of ithar that had been embroidered into all the entire cells in his body, he stood up as he pointed at Bayram Khan and calmly said: “Look at this loyal servant! He is trying to save me by sacrificing his own life! I urge you to let him go, he is just a poor servant who is pretending to be Bayram Khan!”

The Afghan commander believed Kasım Bey as he had spoken serenely and without any hesitation. He then ordered the release of Bayram Bey. The great commander whom they feared for many years was walking away as Kasım Bey was being executed. Kasım Bey would go into the pages of history as a perfect example of fidelity and self-sacrifice.

What Do the Words “Being Conscious of Your Responsibility” Mean?

Scholars have defined responsibility as one’s accountability and liability towards certain obligations such as belief, practice, behavior, action and speech. In fact, being cognizant of responsibilities is one of the most significant qualities that distinguish human beings from the animals, because, a human being is a living entity who possesses intellect, freewill, responsibility and faith.

A believer is a person of responsibility. He or she has a responsibility towards God, the noble Prophet and all Muslims. Sometimes this responsibility manifests itself as making an effort on the path of God and sometimes as good manners.

All Muslims who believe are obligated to keep their promise to God and behave in a manner of being aware of their responsibilities. So what was this promise we made to God? If we contemplate on the promise we made to God in regard to Him being our Lord, and about the reason of our creation which is worship and

servanthood, we would have a better understanding of our responsibilities. Our Lord explains this with the following verse: “God burdens no soul except within its capacity: in its favor is whatever (good) it earns, and against it whatever (evil) it merits” (al-Baqarah 2:286).

An individual who is aware of his responsibilities will never forget this verse hence act accordingly. As this verse carries a severe caution for people of responsibility who wish to serve their religion, it also explains an important decree: A human being is accountable towards things he is able to carry.

Without doubt, faith is the greatest blessing God has bestowed upon His servants. True gratitude for the gift of faith can only be displayed by taking this blessing to souls who are in need of it. This aspiration and feeling is the biggest responsibility of a believer. This noble duty which was exemplified by the Companions of the Prophet at one time, have now been placed on the shoulders of the believers of today as a blessing from God. Of course, taking on the role of the Companions is a difficult task but it is also a most noble duty.

A believer who is aware of his responsibility is a person whose backbone crunches under the heavy load of servanthood and lives his life in two-folds within the comprehension of the meaning of worship. For this reason, our noble Prophet states: “If you knew what I know, you would have wept a lot and laughed a lot less.”

The noble Prophet was groaning under the weight of servanthood and responsibility. How about us? How conscious are we of our responsibilities?

Issues That Impede on Jihad

There are certain matters that impede on jihad just they do on all good deeds. The first impediment is our carnal self, the second is the Satan and the third is the external enemies. Resisting the car-

nal temptations of the carnal self is considered as jihad. Walking on the right path and closing one’s ears to the whispers of Satan is also regarded as jihad. Finally, combating with the enemies of God who try to blockade the path of God is also jihad. However, in all of the above, the intention must be to please God. The only thing that holds people back from performing jihad is their attachment to material life and its carnal pleasures. A grand duty such as jihad cannot be expected from a person who fails to give up comfort and make sacrifices from his personal pleasures. Expectations in this regard would be vain. Great missions could only be performed by those who make sacrifice from personal pleasures, both physical and spiritual.

In relation to those who cannot make these sacrifices and have no intentions to do so right from the beginning; we do not expect anything from them. All expectations aside, we would be concerned about the problems they would cause as soon as such people appear on stage. We do not believe that a person who has not given up on worldly pleasures to claim: “O God, sacrificing everything I own on Your path is really sweet” would make an effort in this regard or that his efforts would yield any fruits. The only people we believe in are the ones who have abandoned their selves, personal pleasures, homes and nations; people who have locked their doors and moved away like the Companions of the Prophet; people who have prevailed over the temptations of the flesh. Whatever we expect, we expect it from these people who are the very reason for God’s aid.

The struggle that our people will undertake should be tailored to the teachings of the Qur’an. In this regard, the Holy Qur’an states:

O you who believe! What excuse do you have that when it is said to you: “Mobilize in God’s cause!” you cling heavily to the

earth? Are you content with the present, worldly life, rather than the Hereafter? Yet slight is the enjoyment of the worldly life as compared with the Hereafter. If you do not mobilize (as you are commanded), He will punish you grievously, and instead of you, He will substitute another people, and you will in no way harm Him. God has full power over everything. (at-Tawbah 9:38–39).

The Qur’an invites all believers to strive in God’s cause. Consequently, our gain or lost (may God protect us) depends on our decision to accept or refuse this invitation. Either, like hypocrites, we will say, “Abandoning the pleasures of this life is a difficult task for us” or like the Companions, we will mobilize ourselves using everything we have.

The Qur’an Will Intercede for Its Reciters on Judgment Day

According to the noble Prophet’s statements, the Qur’an will come to our aid and give us relief on the Day of Judgment, at a time of great difficulty, as we are searching for shade. See how the Messenger of God reflects this in one of the traditions:

The Qur’an will meet its companion on the Day of Resurrection when his grave is opened for him, in the form of a Pale Man. It [the Qur’an] will say to him, “Do you recognize Me?”

He will say, “No.”

It will say, “I am your companion the Qur’an, who kept you thirsty on hot days and kept you awake at night. Every merchant benefits from his business and today you will benefit from your good deeds.”

He will be given dominion in his right hand and eternity in his left; there will be placed on his head a crown of dignity, and his

parents will be clothed with priceless garments the like of which has never been seen in this world. They will say, “Why have we been clothed with this?”

It will be said, “Because your son used to recite Qur’an.”

In another tradition, the noble Prophet said, “Recite the Qur’an, for indeed it will come as an Intercessor for its companions.”

The daughter of Imran al-Qasir, one of God’s beloved servants, said,

My father would say, “I will be obedient to God till I die. If there was no Prayer or recital of the Qur’an I would not want to live in this world.” He spent his life in worship.

After his death, I saw him in a dream and asked him, “Father, I have not heard from you since you departed from this world.”

He replied, “How can you hear from someone who has left this world and entered the grave?”

I asked him, “How are you?”

He answered, “I am very well. They prepared mattresses and abodes for us here. We have the favors bestowed in Paradise here. We are absorbing the fragrance of Paradise.”

I asked, “What made you attain this position?”

He replied, “A sincere heart and reciting the Qur’an frequently.”

What Are the Features Distinguishing the Qur’an from Other Books?

The Qur’an is the last book of divine revelation. It is the greatest miracle proving that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is the Messenger of God. Although the other Prophets’ miracles ended when they died, the Qur’an is in effect until the Day

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of Judgment, and the commands it brought are valid until the Last Day. Unlike the other books that were sent at one time, the Qur’an was revealed in the forms of verses and chapters over a time span of twenty-three years. The other holy books were sent in written form while the Qur’an was written by scribes transcribing the revelation. In this verse, God informs us that the Qur’an was sent by divine revelation and that it will be preserved until the Last Day: “Indeed it is We, We Who send down the Reminder in parts, and it is indeed We Who are its Guardian” (al-Hijr 15:9).

No changes were made even to a single letter of the Qur’an. All of the other books contain additions or eliminations. In some degree or other there are changes. However, the Qur’an is under Divine Protection. The truths it reveals are sufficient to fulfil the needs of the whole of humanity in every time until the Day of Judgment. It is impossible to imagine a period when any contradictions could be found in the truths it reveals. The Qur’an possesses a characteristic that can solve controversies and disputes between members of other religions.

Finally, we must point out the fact that the Qur’an has another distinctive feature found in no other book: it is easy to memorize. With the help of God, memorizing the Qur’an is extremely easy. This is mentioned in the following verse of the Qur’an: “And, indeed, We have made the Qur’an easy for remembrance” (al-Qamar 54:17).

There are many who memorized the Qur’an in Turkey, a majority during their childhood.

How Was the Noble Prophet’s Relationship with Others?

The beloved Prophet valued others immensely and lived an ordinary life among the Companions. Whenever he met anyone, the Messenger of God would always be the first to bestow greetings, shake hands and inquire of others’ wellbeing. He would listen carefully when anyone spoke to him and never turned away until the person left. Anas ibn Malik defined this characteristic of the noble Prophet in these words: “Whenever the Messenger of God shook hands with someone, he never pulled his hand away first; he never turned away from someone until they turned away and never stretch his legs out in front of others.”

First and foremost, the beloved Prophet valued people because they were humans. One of the most excellent and striking examples of this occurred when a funeral procession passed by while the noble Prophet was sitting with a group of Companions. When he saw this, the Messenger of God stood up. Those present informed him that this was the funeral procession for a Jew, not a Muslim, insinuating that there was “no need for him to stand up.” The noble Prophet replied, “Is he not a human being?”

The Messenger of God always showed a personal interest in the Companions’ problems and never deprived them of his care and involvement. In addition to general issues, he always paid attention to detail and even dealt with their most trivial problems. We see from many reports how kind, gentle and caring the noble Prophet was towards the Companions.

Another interesting point regarding the beloved Prophet’s relationships with others was that he never made any distinction between the wealthy and the poor. In his eyes, everybody was equal, rich and poor, young and old, patrons and servants: the noble Prophet never discriminated between people. However, we do see that he showed particular interest in the poor and needy. Indeed, in one of the traditions, the Messenger of God said, “Seek

among your weak ones, for you are given provision and help only because of the weak amongst you.”

Abu Dharr related that when the noble Prophet was advising him, one of his words of advice was to love the poor and be close to them.

Tawus ibn Kaysan noticed a man standing in Prayer under the Spout of Mercy, supplicating to God, and weeping in fear of God. When he finished his Prayers, Tawus approached then man, and realizing it was Zayn ul-Abidin, he interrupted him saying, “You have three qualities. I hope they will keep you safe from fear. One of them is that you are the grandson of God’s Messenger, the second is the intercession of your grandfather, and the third is God’s mercy. Therefore, why are you worshipping with such humility?”

The great imam responded to Tawus’s question with the words:

O Tawus, as for me being the grandson of God’s Messenger, it will not save me. God the Almighty said, “When the Trumpet (of Resurrection) is blown, there will no longer be any ties of kinship among them . . . nor will they ask about one another” (al-Mu’minun

23:101). As for the intercession of my grandfather, it will not save me, for God says, “And they cannot intercede for any but His believing servants, those with whom He is well pleased” (al-Anbiya

21:28). As for God’s mercy, He says, “God’s mercy is indeed near to those devoted to doing good” (al-A’raf 7:56). Thus, I am not sure if I am one of those who deserve God’s mercy.

QUESTIONS

1) How did scholars of the noble Prophet’s traditions classify eating with the left hand when the right hand was healthy?

A) Prohibited

C) Discouraged

B) Permissible D) A good deed

2) What was the name of the location where the Messenger of God initially trained and prepared the Companions for the future?

A) Dar al-Nadwe

C) Dar al-Arqam

B) Ayyub al-Ansari D) Kut al-Amara

3. What is consciousness of responsibility?

A) Being aware of obligation

B) Fleeing the enemy

C) Giving account for our actions

D) Campaigning for our rights

4. Which of the following aspects encourages striving in God’s cause?

A) The ego

B) Satan

C) The awareness of servitude

D) Carnal desires

5. What is emphasized in the verse, “Say (O Muhammad!): ‘Are they ever equal, those who know and those who do not know’” (Az-Zumar 39:9)?

A) The importance of knowledge

B) Guidance and conveying the message

C) Good manners

D) Good deeds