The Twenty-Sixth Letter

First Topic

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

And if a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with God; for He is All-Hearing and All-Knowing. {[*]:}

A Proof of the Qur'an Against Satan and His Party

This First Topic defeats in argument the Devil, silences the rebellious, and strikes them dumb by refuting in the most clear manner a fearsome and cunning stratagem of the Devil, which is to be 'unbiased.' It concerns an event part of which I described in summary form ten years ago in my work entitled Lemeât. It is as follows:

Eleven years before this treatise was written in the month of Ramadan, I was listening to the Qur'an being recited in Bayezid Mosque in Istanbul. Suddenly, although I could see no one, I seemed to hear an unearthly voice which captured all my attention. I listened with my imagination, and realized that it was saying to me:

"You consider the Qur'an to be extremely elevated and brilliant. Be unbiased for a minute and consider it again. That is, suppose it to be

man's word. I wonder whether you would still see the same qualities and beauty in it?"

In truth, I was deceived by the voice; I thought of the Qur'an as being written by man. Just as Bayezid Mosque is plunged into darkness when the electric switch is turned off, I observed that with that thought the brilliant lights of the Qur'an began to be extinguished. At that point I understood that it was the Devil who was speaking to me; he was drawing me towards the abyss.

I sought help from the Qur'an and a light was at once imparted to my heart giving me firm strength for the defence. I began to argue back at the Devil, saying:

"O Satan! Unbiased thinking is to take a position between two sides. Whereas what both you and your disciples from among men call unbiased thinking is to take the part of the opposing side; it is not impartiality, it is temporary unbelief. Because, to consider the Qur'an to be man's word and to judge it as such is to take the part of the opposing side; it is to favour something baseless and invalid. It is not being unbiased, it is being biased towards falsehood."

The Devil replied: "Well, in that case, say it is neither God's Word nor man's word. Think of it as between the two." To which I rejoined:

"That is not possible either. For if there is a disputed property for which there are two claimants, and the claimants are close both to one another and to the property, the property will then either be given to someone other than them, or will be put somewhere accessible so that whoever proves ownership can take it. If the two claimants are far apart with one in the East and one in the West, then according to the rule, it will remain with the one who has possession of it, as it is not possible for it to be left somewhere between them.

"Thus, the Qur'an is a valuable property, and however distant man's word is from God's, the two sides in question are that far apart; indeed, they are infinitely far from one another. It is not possible for the Qur'an to be left between the two sides, which are as far apart as the Pleiades and the ground. For they are opposites like existence and non-existence or the two magnetic poles; there can be no point between them. In which case, for the Qur'an, the one who possesses it is God's side. It will be accepted as being in His possession, and the proofs of ownership will be regarded in that way. Should the opposing side refute all the arguments proving it to be God's Word, it may claim ownership of it, otherwise it may not. God forbid! What hand can pull out the nails fastening that vast

jewel to the Sublime Throne of God, riveted as it is with thousands of certain proofs, and break its supporting pillars, causing it to fall?"

"And so, inspite of you, O Satan!, the just and the fair-minded reason in this equitable and rightful manner. They increase their belief in the Qur'an through even the slightest evidences. While according to the way shown by you and your disciples, if just once it is supposed to be man's word and that mighty jewel fastened to the Divine Throne is cast to the ground, a proof with the strength of all the nails and the firmness of many proofs becomes necessary in order to raise it from the ground and fasten it once more to the Throne, and so be saved from the darkness of unbelief and reach the lights of belief. But because it is extremely difficult to do this, due to your wiles, many people are losing their faith at this time by imagining themselves to be making unbiased judgements."

The Devil turned and said: "The Qur'an resembles man's word. It is similar to the way men converse. That means it is man's word. If it was God's Word, it would be appropriate to Him and would be altogether out of the ordinary. Just as His art does not resemble man's art, so should His Word not resemble man's word." I replied:

"It may be understood as follows: apart from his miracles and special attributes, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was a human being in all his actions, conduct, and behaviour. He submitted to and complied with the Divine laws and commands manifested in creation. He too suffered from the cold, experienced pain, and so on. So that he could be the leader of his community through his actions, its guide through his conduct, and instruct it through all his behaviour, his deeds and attributes were not all made out of the ordinary. If he had been out of the ordinary in all his conduct, he could not himself have been the leader in every respect, the total guide of everyone, the 'Mercy to All the Worlds' through all his attributes.

"In just the same way, the All-Wise Qur'an is the leader to the aware and the conscious, the guide of jinn and men, the teacher of those attaining to perfection, and instructor of those seeking reality. It is of necessity and of a certainty, therefore, in the same form as man's conversation and style. For men and jinn take their supplications from it and learn their prayers from it; they express their concerns in its language, and learn from it the rules of social behaviour, and so on. Everyone has recourse to it. If, therefore, it had been in the form of the Divine speech which the Prophet Moses (Peace be upon him) heard on Mount Sinai, man could not have borne listening to it and hearing it, nor made it the point of reference and recourse. Moses (Peace be upon him), one of the five greatest prophets, could only endure to hear a few words. He said:

"'Is Your speech thus?' God replied: 'I have the power of all tongues.'" {[*]:}

Next, the Devil said: "Many people speak of matters similar to those in the Qur'an in the name of religion. Is it not possible, therefore, that a human being did such a thing and made up the Qur'an in the name of religion?"

Through the light of the Qur'an I replied as follows:

Out of love of religion, someone who is religious may say, 'The truth is thus, the reality of the matter is this. Almighty God commands that.' But he would not make God speak to suit himself. Trembling at the verse,

Who, then does more wrong than one who utters a lie concerning God?, {[*]:}

he would not overstep his mark to an infinite degree, imitate God, and speak on His behalf.

It is in no way possible for a human being to be successful in doing such a thing on his own, in fact, it is completely impossible. Individuals who resemble one another may imitate one another, those of the same kind may take on one another's forms, those who are close to one another in rank or status may imitate one another and temporarily deceive people, but they cannot do so for ever. For in any event, the falseness and artificiality in their behaviour will show up their imposture to the observant, and their deception will not last. If the one who is attempting to imitate another under false pretences is quite unlike them, for example, if an uneducated man wants to imitate in learning a genius like Ibn Sina, or a shepherd assume the position of a king, of course they will not deceive anyone at all, they will only make fools of themselves. Everything they do will proclaim, 'This is an impostor.'

"Thus, to suppose -God forbid!, a hundred thousand times- the Qur'an to be man's word is utterly impossible, no rational being can accept it as possible, to do so is a delirium like imagining to be possible something that is self-evidently impossible like a fire-fly being seen by astronomers as a real star for a thousand years; or a fly appearing to observers in the true form of a peacock for a year; or a bogus common private posing as a famous lofty field marshal, taking over his position and remaining in it for a long period without giving away his deception;

or like a slandering, unbelieving liar affecting the manner and position of the most truthful, trustworthy, upright believer throughout his life and being completely unruffled before even the most observant while concealing his fraud from them.

"In just the same way, if the Qur'an is supposed to be man's word, then it has to be supposed, God forbid, that that Perspicuous Book, which is considered to be clearly a most brilliant star, rather, a sun of perfections perpetually scattering the lights of truth in the heavens of the world of Islam, is like a fire-fly, a spurious sham made up by a counterfeiting human. And those who are closest to it and study it most carefully do not realize this, and consider it to be a perpetual, exalted star and source of truth. Together with this being impossible a hundred times over, even if you went a hundred times further in your diabolical machinations, O Satan, you could not make such an assertion, you could not deceive anyone of sound reason! Only sometimes you trick people by making them look from a great distance, thus making the star appear as small as a fire-fly.

Also, if the Qur'an is imagined to be man's word, it necessitates that the hidden reality of a criterion of truth and falsehood, which is miraculous in its exposition, and through the testimony of its fruits, results, and effects, is gilded with the most spiritual and life-giving, the most truthful and happiness-bringing, the most comprehensive and exalted qualities in the world of mankind, is, God forbid, the fabrication of a single unaided and unlearned man's mind. And that the great geniuses and brilliant scholars who observed that being closely and studied him meticulously at no time saw any trace of counterfeit or pretence in him and always found him serious, genuine, and sincere.

"This is completely impossible, an idea so nonsensical as to shame the Devil himself, like dreaming up an utterly impossible situation. For it entails supposing one who throughout his life demonstrated and taught trust, belief, confidence, sincerity, seriousness, and integrity through all his conduct, words, and actions, and raised eminently truthful and sincere followers, and was accepted to possess the highest and most brilliant and elevated virtues to be the most untrustworthy, insincere, and unbelieving. Because in this question there is no point between the two.

"If, to suppose the impossible, the Qur'an was not the Word of God, it would fall as though from the Divine Throne to the ground, it would not remain somewhere between. While being the meeting-point of truths, it would become the source of superstition and myth. And if, God forbid, the one who proclaimed that wonderful decree was not God's Messenger,

it would necessitate his descending from the highest of the high to the lowest of the low, and from the degree of being the source of accomplishments and perfections to the level of being a mine of trickery and intrigue; he could not remain between the two. For one who lies and fabricates in God's name falls to the very lowest of degrees.

"However impossible it is to permanently see a fly as a peacock, and to all the time see the peacocks's attributes in the fly, this matter is that impossible. Only someone lacking all intelligence could imagine it to be possible.

Also, if the Qur'an is imagined to be man's word, it necessitates fancying that the Qur'an, which is a sacred commander of the community of Muhammad, mankind's largest and most powerful army, is -God forbid- a powerless, valueless, baseless forgery. Whereas, self-evidently, through its powerful laws, sound principles, and penetrating commands, it has equipped that huge army both materially, and morally and spiritually, has given it an order and regularity and imposed a discipline on it that are such as to conquer both this world and the next, and has instructed the minds, trained the hearts, conquered the spirits, purified the consciences, and employed and utilized the limbs and members of individuals according to the degree of each. To imagine it to be a counterfeit necessitates accepting a hundredfold impossibility.

"This impossibility entails the further complete impossibility of supposing that one who, through his deliberate conduct throughout his life taught mankind Almighty God's laws, and through his honest behaviour instructed man in the principles of truth, and through his sincere and reasonable words showed and established the straight way of moderation and happiness, and as all his life testifies, felt great fear of Divine punishment and knew God better than anyone else and made Him known, and in splendid fashion has for one thousand three hundred and fifty years commanded a fifth of mankind and half the globe, and through his qualities of renown is in truth the means of pride of mankind, indeed, of the universe, God forbid a hundred thousand times, neither feared God, nor knew Him, nor held back from lying, nor had any self-respect. Because in this matter there is no point between the two. For if, to suppose the impossible, the Qur'an is not the Word of God, if it falls from the Divine Throne to the ground, it cannot remain somewhere in between the two. Indeed, it then has to be accepted as the property of the very worst of liars. And as for this, O Satan, even if you were a hundred times more satanic, you could not deceive any mind that was not unsound, nor persuade any heart that was not corrupted."

The Devil retorted: "How should I not deceive them? I have deceived most of mankind and their foremost thinkers into denying the Qur'an and Muhammad" I replied:

When seen from a great distance, the greatest thing appears the same as the smallest. A star may even appear as a candle.

Also, when seen both as secondary and superficially, something which is completely impossible may appear to be possible.

"One time an old man was watching the sky in order to see the new moon of Ramadan when a white hair fell on his eye. Imagining it to be the moon, he announced: 'I have seen the new moon.' Now, it is impossible that the white hair should have been the moon, but because his intention was to look for just the moon and the hair was by the way and secondary, he paid it no attention and thought that impossibility was possible.

Also, non-acceptance is one thing and denial is something quite different. Non-acceptance is indifference, a closing of the eyes to something, an ignorant absence of judgement. Many completely impossible things may be concealed within it, and the mind does not concern itself with them. As for denial, it is not non-acceptance, but an acceptance of non-existence; it is a judgement. The mind is compelled to work. So a devil like you takes hold of the mind of a person, then leads it to denial. And, showing the false as truth and the impossible as possible through satanic wiles like heedlessness, misguidance, fallacious reasoning, obstinacy, false arguments, pride, deception, and habit, you make those unfortunate creatures in human form swallow unbelief and denial, although they comprise innumerable impossibilities.

Also, if the Qur'an is supposed to be the word of man, it necessitates imagining to be its opposite a book which has self-evidently guided the purified, veracious saints and spiritual poles, who shine like stars in the heavens of the world of mankind, has continuously instructed every level of the people of perfection in truth and justice, veracity and fidelity, faith and trustworthiness, and has ensured the happiness of the two worlds through the truths of the pillars of belief and the principles of the pillars of Islam, and through the testimony of these achievements is of necessity veracious, and pure, genuine truth, and absolutely right, and most serious -it necessitates imagining, God forbid, that this Book comprises the opposites of these qualities, effects, and lights. And that, regarding it as a collection of fabrications and lies, it is a frenzy of unbelief that would shame even the Sophists and the devils, and cause them to tremble.

"And this impossibility necessitates the further most ugly and

abhorrent impossibility that One who, according to the testimony of the religion and Shari'a of Islam which he proclaimed, and the unanimous indications to the extraordinary fear of God and pure and sincere worship which he demonstrated throughout his life, and as necessitated by the good moral qualities unanimously witnessed in him, and according to the affirmation of the people of truth and perfection whom he raised, was the most believing, the most steadfast, the most trustworthy, and the most truthful, was -God forbid, and again, God forbid- without belief, that he was most untrustworthy, did not fear God, nor shrink from lying. To imagine this necessitates imagining the most loathsome form of impossibility and perpetrating the most iniquitous and vicious sort of misguidance.

As is stated in the Eighteenth Sign of the Nineteenth Letter, the common people, whose understanding of the Qur'an is gained by listening to it, say, 'Were the Qur'an to be compared with all the books I have listened to and the other books in the world, it would not resemble any of them; it is not of the same sort as them nor of the same degree.' The Qur'an, then, is of a degree either above all of them or below all of them. To be below them is impossible, and no enemy nor the Devil even could accept it. In which case, the Qur'an is above all other books, and is therefore a miracle. And in just the same way, we say according to the categorical proof called 'residue,' taken from the sciences of method and logic:

"O Satan and O disciples of Satan! The Qur'an is either the Word of God come from the Supreme Throne of God and His Greatest Name, or, God forbid, and again, God forbid, it is a human forgery fabricated on earth by someone without belief who neither feared God nor knew Him. In the face of the above proofs, O Satan, you can neither say that, nor could you have said it, nor will you be able to say it in the future. Therefore, the Qur'an is the Word of the Creator of the universe. Because there is no point between the two; it is impossible and precluded that there should be. Just as we have proved in the most clear and decisive manner; and you have seen it and heard it.

"In the same way, Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) is either God's Messenger and the highest of the prophets and the most superior of creatures, or, God forbid, he has to be imagined to be someone without belief having fallen to the lowest of the low because he lied concerning God, and did not know God, and did not believe in His punishment. {(*):} And as for this, O Devil, neither you nor the philosophers of Europe and hypocrites of Asia on whom you rely could say it, nor could

you say it in the past, neither shall you be able to say it in the future, for there is no one in the world who would listen to it and accept it. It is because of this that the most corrupting of those philosophers and the most lacking in conscience of the hypocrites, even, admit that 'Muhammad the Arabian (PBUH) was very clever, and was most moral and upright.'

"Since this matter is restricted to these two sides, and the second one is impossible and no one at all claims it to be true, and since we have proved with decisive arguments that there is no point between them, for sure and of necessity, in spite of you and your party, Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) is the Prophet of God, and the highest of the prophets and the best of all creatures."

Upon him be blessings and peace to the number of angels and jinn and men.

A Second, Small Objection of Satan

Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready [to note it]. * And the stupor of death will bring the truth [before his eyes]: "This was the thing you were trying to escape!" * And the Trumpet shall be blown: that will be the Day whereof Warning [had been given]. * And there will come forth every soul: with each will be [an angel] to drive, and [an angel] to bear witness. * "You were heedless of this; now have We removed your veil. And sharp is your sight this Day!" * And his companion will say: "Here is [his record] ready with me!" * "Throw, throw into Hell every contumacious rejecter!" {[*]:}

One time while reading these verses from Sura Qaf, the Devil said to me: "You consider the most important aspects of the Qur'an's eloquence to lie in its clarity and fluency of style, but in these verses it jumps from one subject to another. It jumps from death agonies to the Resurrection of the Dead, from the blowing of the Trumpet to the Last Judgement, and from that to the entry into Hell of the unbelievers. What fluency of style remains with this extraordinary switching about? In most places in the Qur'an, it brings together subjects that bear little relation to each other like this. Where is its eloquence and smoothness with such discontinuity?"

I answered as follows:

"After its eloquence, one of the most important elements of the miraculousness of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition is its conciseness. Conciseness is one of the strongest and most important elements of the Qur'an's miraculousness. Instances of this miraculous conciseness of the Qur'an are so numerous and beautiful that exacting scholars are left in wonder at it. For example:

Then the word went forth: "O earth! swallow up your water, and O sky! withhold [your rain]!" And the water abated, and the matter was ended. The ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: "Away with those who do wrong!" {[*]:}

"It describes the Great Flood and its consequences so concisely and miraculously in a few short sentences that it has caused many scholars of rhetoric to prostrate before its eloquence. And, for example:

The Thamud rejected [their prophet] through their inordinate wrongdoing. * Behold, the most wicked man among them was deputed [for impiety]. * But the Apostle of God said to them: "It is a she-camel of God. And [bar her not from] having her drink!" * Then they rejected him, and they hamstrung her. So their Lord, on account of their crime, obliterated their traces and made them equal [in destruction, high and low]! * And for Him is no fear of its consequences. {[*]:}

"In these few short sentences and with a miraculousness within the conciseness, fluency, and clarity, and in a way that does not spoil the understanding, the Qur'an relates the strange and momentous events concerning the Thamud people, together with the consequences and their calamitous end. And for example:

And remember Zun-Nun, when he departed in wrath: he imagined that We had no power over him. But he cried through the depths of darkness: "There is no god but You; glory be unto You; I was indeed among the wrongdoers." {[*]:}

"Here, many sentences have be 'rolled up' between the words "that We had no power over him" and "but he cried out in the depths of the darkness," but these omitted sentences neither spoil the understanding, nor mar the fluency of the style. It mentions the most important elements in the story of Jonah (upon whom be peace), and refers the rest to the intelligence.

"And for example, in Sura Yusuf, the seven or eight sentences between the words «Send me» and «Joseph, O man of truth!» {[*]:} have been skipped in conciseness. And it neither impairs the understanding, nor mars the smoothness of the style. There are a great many instances of this sort of miraculous conciseness in the Qur'an, and they are very beautiful indeed

"However, the conciseness of the verses from Sura Qaf are particularly wonderful and miraculous. For they each point out the truly dreadful future of the unbelievers when each endless day will last fifty thousand years, and to the grievous, dire things that will happen to them in the awesome revolutions of the future. It conveys the mind over them like lightening, presenting that long, long period of time to the mind's eye as a single present page. Referring the events which are not mentioned to the imagination, it describes them with a most elevated fluency and smoothness of style.

When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace: that you may receive mercy. {[*]:}

"And now if you have anything to say, O Satan, say it!"

Satan replied: "I cannot oppose what you say, nor defend myself. But there are many foolish people who listen to me; and many devils in human form who assist me; and many pharaohs among philosophers who learn things from me which flatter their egos, and prevent the publication of works like yours. Therefore I shall not lay down my arms before you."

Second Topic

[This Topic was written in response to the wonder expressed by those who serve me permanently concerning the surprising contradictions they see in my conduct; and in order to rectify the excessively good opinions of me of two of my students.]

I see that some of the perfections which properly pertain to the truths of the All-Wise Qur'an are attributed to the means who proclaims those truths. And this is wrong. For the sacredness of the source demonstrates effects as powerful as many proofs; it is through these that it makes everyone accept its injunctions. Whenever the herald or deputy obscures it, that is, whenever regard is directed to the herald, the sacredness of the source loses its effectiveness. It is because of this that I shall explain a truth to my brothers who show me greater regard than is my due. It is as follows:

One person may have numerous personalities, all of which display different qualities. For example, when a high official is in his office, he has a personality which necessitates dignity and requires a stance that will preserve the elevation of the position. If he is humble before all his visitors, it will be lowering and will debase the position. But his personality in his own house, contrary to his official position, requires that he should be as modest as he can. If he displays dignity, it is arrogance. And so on. That is to say, a person has a personality in regard to his duty or work which in many respects contradicts his true personality. If such a person is truly worthy of his duty and truly capable of it, the two personalities are close to each other. If he is not capable of it, for example, if a common soldier is put in the position of a field marshal, the two personalities are far from each other; the individual, lowly, inferior qualities of the soldier are incompatible with the elevated, superior character demanded by the position of field marshal.

And so, this wretched brother of yours has three personalities, which are very distant from each other, truly very distant.

In regard to being the herald of the elevated treasury of the All-Wise Qur'an, I have a temporary personality which pertains solely to the Qur'an. The extremely exalted character demanded by the position of herald is not my character; I do not possess such a character. It rather consists of the qualities necessitated by the position and the duty. Whatever you see in me of this sort of quality, is not mine, so do not consider me as possessing it; it belongs to the position.

Through Almighty God's grace, a personality is given me at the time of worship, when I am turned towards the Divine Court; this personality displays certain marks. These marks arise from "knowing one's faults, realizing one's want and impotence, and seeking refuge in utter humility at the Divine Court," which are the basis and meaning of worship. Through this personality, I know myself to be more wretched, powerless, wanting, and faulty than everyone. Should the whole world praise and applaud me, they could not make me believe that I am good or possess perfection of any sort.

I have my true personality, that is, the degenerate personality of the Old Said, that is, certain veins of character inherited from the Old Said. Sometimes it inclines to hypocrisy and desires rank and position. Also, because I do not come of a noble family, lowly characteristics are to be observed, like my being frugal to the point of miserliness.

My brothers! I am not going to describe the many secret faults and ills of this personality, lest I chase you away altogether.

And so, my brothers, since I am not someone capable and of high position, this personality of mine is very far from the character demanded by the duties of being herald and of worship; it does not display their marks. Also, according to the rule, "Ability is not necessary to proclaim the truth," Almighty God has compassionately demonstrated His power in me so that He employs my personality, which is like that of the lowest common soldier, in serving the mysteries of the Qur'an, which resembles the most exalted position of field marshal. Thanks be to God a hundred thousand times! The soul is baser than everything, and the duty higher...

All praise be to God, this is from the bounty of my Sustainer!

Third Topic

O mankind! We created you from a single [pair] of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. {[*]:}

That is, "I created you as peoples, nations, and tribes, so that you should know one another and the relations between you in social life, and assist one another; not so that you should regard each other as strangers, refusing to acknowledge one another, and nurturing hostility and enmity."

FIRST MATTER

Since the elevated truth expressed by the above verse concerns social life, I have been compelled to write it in the tongue, not of the New Said, who wants to withdraw from social life, but of the Old Said, who was involved in the social life of Islam; it is written with the intention of serving the Qur'an of Mighty Stature and forming a shield against the unjust attacks against it.

SECOND MATTER

In order to explain the principle of "knowing and assisting each other" which the verse indicates, we say this: an army is divided into divisions, the divisions into regiments, the regiments into battalions, companies, and then into squads, so that every soldier may know his many different connections and their related duties; then the members of the army may truly perform a general duty governed by the principle of mutual assistance, and their social life be guarded against the attacks of the enemy. This arrangement is not so that divided and split up, one company should compete with another, one battalion be hostile to another, and one division act in opposition to another.

In just the same way, Islamic society as a whole is a huge army which has been divided into tribes and groups. But it has a thousand and one aspects of unity. Its groups' Creator is one and the same, their Provider is one and the same, their Prophet is one and the same, their qibla is one and the same, their Book is one and the same, their country is one and the same; all the same, a thousand things are one and the same.

This many things being one and the same requires brotherhood, love, and unity. That is to say, being divided into groups and tribes should lead to mutual acquaintance and mutual assistance, not to antipathy and mutual hostility.

THIRD MATTER

The idea of nationalism has greatly advanced this century. The cunning European tyrants in particular awaken this among Muslims in negative fashion, so that they may divide them and devour them.

Furthermore, in nationalism is a thrill of the soul, a heedless pleasure, an inauspicious power. For this reason those occupied with social life at this time cannot be told to give up the idea of nationalism. However, nationalism is of two kinds. One is negative, inauspicious, and harmful; it is nourished by devouring others, persists through hostility to others, and is aware of what it is doing. It is the cause of enmity and disturbance. It is because of this that the Hadith states: Islam has abrogated what preceded it, and put an end to the tribalism of Ignorance. {[*]:} And the Qur'an decrees:

While the unbelievers got up in their hearts, heat and cant -the heat and cant of Ignorance- God sent down His tranquillity to His Messenger and to the believers, and made them stick close to the command of self-restraint; and well were they entitled to it and worthy of it. And God has full knowledge of all things. {[*]:}

The above Hadith and verse reject in definite terms any negative nationalism and racialism. For positive, sacred Islamic nationhood leave no need for them.

What race is there that has three hundred and fifty million members? And which racialism can gain for those who subscribe to it so many brothers -and eternal brothers- in place of Islam? Negative nationalism has caused untold harm in history.

Due to their combining some ideas of nationalism with their politics, the Umayyads vexed the World of Islam, and in addition

drew many calamities on themselves. Also, the European nations have greatly advanced the idea of racialism this century; the ghastly events of the Great War showed how harmful for mankind is negative nationalism, as well as the perpetual and ill-omened enmity of the French and Germans. And with us, in the Second Constitutional Period, -like the "many tongues" at the destruction of the Tower of Babel, known as the "ramification of peoples," which resulted in their being divided and scattered- various refugee societies known as "clubs" were formed, chiefly by the Armenians and Greeks, due to the idea of negative nationalism, which were the cause of division. And from that time to now, the state of those who have been devoured by the Europeans due to those clubs, and of those made wretched by them, has again demonstrated the harm of negative nationalism.

As for the present, when the peoples and tribes of Islam are most in need of one another, and each is more oppressed and more poverty-stricken than the others, and they are crushed beneath European domination, to regard one another as strangers due to the idea of nationalism and to consider one another to be enemies, is such a calamity that it cannot be described. It is quite simply a lunacy like turning one's back on dreadful serpents so as not to be bitten by a mosquito and struggling with the mosquito-due to the idea of nationalism-to attach no importance to the European nations, which are like huge dragons, at a time when with their insatiable greed their grasping hands are open, indeed, to in effect help them and to nurture enmity against fellow-citizens in the Eastern Provinces or brother Muslims to the South, and to take up positions opposed to them, is extremely detrimental and dangerous. In any event there are no enemies among those to the South so that they should be confronted. What comes from the South is the light of the Qur'an; the light of Islam came from there; it is present among us, and is found everywhere.

Thus, to be hostile towards those fellow Muslims is indirectly harmful to Islam and the Qur'an. And hostility towards Islam and the Qur'an is hostility of a sort towards the lives in this world and in the hereafter of all those fellow-citizens. To think one can serve their social life in the name of patriotism while destroying the foundations of their two lives, is not patriotism but stupidity!

FOURTH MATTER

Positive nationalism arises from an inner need of social life and is the cause of mutual assistance and solidarity; it ensures a beneficial strength; it is a means for further strengthening Islamic brotherhood.

This idea of positive nationalism must serve Islam, it must be its

citadel and armour; it must not take the place of it. For there is a hundredfold brotherhood within the brotherhood of Islam which persists in the Intermediate Realm and World of Eternity. So however strong national brotherhood is, it may be like a veil to it. But to establish it in place of Islamic brotherhood is a foolish crime like replacing the treasure of diamonds within the citadel with the citadel's stones, and throwing the diamonds away.

O sons of this land, who are the people of the Qur'an! Challenging the whole world, you have proclaimed the Qur'an as its standard-bearers, not for six hundred years, but for a thousand years since the time of the 'Abbasids. You have made your nationhood the citadel to the Qur'an and Islam. You have silenced the whole world and repulsed awesome attacks, confirming the verse:

Soon God will produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him, lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of God. {[*]:}

Now you must refrain from succumbing to the stratagems of Europe and the dissemblers who imitate them, thus confirming the passage above; you must be frightened of doing such a thing!

Being the most numerous of the Islamic peoples, wherever throughout the world there are Turks, they are Muslims. They have not become divided into Muslims and non-Muslims like the other peoples. Wherever there are Turks, they are Muslims. Turks who have abandoned Islam or who are not Muslims, are also no longer Turkish. Like the Hungarians. Even among small peoples there are both Muslims and non-Muslims.

O my Turkish brother! You watch out in particular! Your nationhood has fused with Islam and may not be separated from it. If you do separate them, you will be finished! All your glorious deeds of the past are recorded in the book of Islam's deeds. Since these glorious deeds cannot be effaced from the face of the earth by any power, don't you efface them from your heart due to the evil suggestions and devices of Satan!

FIFTH MATTER

Embracing the idea of nationalism, the peoples awakening in Asia are imitating Europe precisely in every respect, and on the way sacrificing many of their sacred matters. However, every nation requires a dress suitable to its particular stature. Even if the material is the same, the style has to be different. A woman cannot be dressed in a gendarme's uniform.

And like an elderly hoja cannot be clothed in the dress of a tango-dancer, blind imitation also very often makes people into laughing-stocks. This is so for the following reasons:

If Europe is a shop, a barracks, Asia is like an arable field and a mosque. A shopkeeper can go to the ball, but a peasant cannot. The situation of a barracks and that of a mosque cannot be the same.

Moreover, the appearance of most of the prophets in Asia, and the emergence of the majority of philosophers in Europe is a sign, an indication, of pre-eternal Divine Determining that what will arouse the Asian peoples and cause them to progress and to govern, are religion and the heart. As for philosophy, it should assist religion and the heart, not take its place.

It is a grievous error to compare the religions of Islam and Christianity and to be indifferent towards religion like Europe. Firstly, Europe has its religion. The fact that European leaders like foremost Wilson, Lloyd George, and Venizelos, are bigoted in their religion like priests, testifies that Europe has its religion, and is even bigoted in one respect.

To compare Islam with Christianity is a false comparison and wrong. For when it has been bigoted in its religion, Europe has not been civilized; it has become civilized on giving up its bigotry.

Furthermore, religion caused three hundred years of war amongst them. And since it was the means of despotic tyrants crushing the common people, the poor, and thinkers who were in their power, they all felt a temporary disgust at religion. However, in Islam, history testifies that apart from one occasion, religion has not been the cause of internal war.

Also, whenever the people of Islam have adhered in earnest to their religion, they have advanced proportionately, achieving great progress. Witness to this is the greatest master of Europe, the Islamic state of Andalusia. And whenever the Islamic community has been slack in religion, it has sunk into wretchedness, and declined.

Furthermore, Islam has protected the poor and the common people with compassionate measures like enjoining the payment of zakat and prohibiting usury and interest; and in accordance with phrases like, So will they not think, * So will they not reason, * So will they not ponder on it, it has called on and encouraged reason and knowledge and protected scholars; Islam has therefore always been the stronghold and place of recourse of the poor and the people of learning. There is no reason to be vexed at Islam. The underlying reason and wisdom of Islam's differing in various respects from Christianity and other religions is this:

The basis of Islam is the pure affirmation of Divine Unity; it attributes no actual effect to causes and intermediaries, affording them no value in regard to creation and position. Christianity, however, since it has accepted the idea of Jesus being the Son of God, it gives some value to causes and intermediaries; it cannot break egotism. It quite simply ascribes a manifestation of Divine dominicality to its saints and great ones, thus confirming the verse:

They take their priests and their anchorites to be their lords in derogation of God. {[*]:}

It is because of this that, together with maintaining their pride and egotism, those Christians who occupy the highest worldly ranks are religious and bigoted, like the former American president, Wilson. In Islam, the religion of pure Divine Unity, those in the highest worldly positions either give up their egotism and pride, or they give up their religion to an extent. For this reason, some are neglectful, or even irreligious.

SIXTH MATTER

To those who exceed the bounds in ideas of negative nationalism and racialism we say this:

The face of the world and especially this country of ours has since ancient times seen numerous migrations and changes of population. In addition, after the centre of Islamic rule was set up in this country, other peoples were drawn to it, and settled here. As a consequence, only when the Preserved Tablet is revealed will the races truly be distinguished from each other. To construct movements and patriotism on the idea of true race is both meaningless and extremely harmful. It is for this reason that one of the leaders of the nationalists and those who support racialism, who is very neglectful toward religion, was compelled to say: "If language and religion are the same, the nation is the same." Since that is so, what will be taken into consideration will be relations of language, religion, and country, not true race. If the three are the same, that certainly is a strong nation. And if one is absent, it is still within the bounds of nationalism.

I shall describe as examples, two of the hundreds of advantages the sacred nationhood of Islam has gained for the social life of the sons of this land:

What enabled this Islamic state, while only numbering twenty or thirty million, to preserve its life and existence in the face of all the large states of Europe was the following idea in its army, which

arose from the light of the Qur'an: "If I die, I shall be a martyr; and if I kill, I shall be a ghazi." They met death with complete eagerness and longing, laughing in its face. They always made Europe tremble. What in the world can be shown that will give rise to such elevated self-sacrifice in the spirit of a simple-hearted soldier? What patriotism can be instilled in its place? What can make him willingly sacrifice his life and all his world?

Whenever the dragons (large states) of Europe have dealt a blow at this Islamic state, they have made three hundred and fifty million Muslims weep and cry out. So in order not to make them weep and suffer, those colonialists have drawn back their hands; they have lowered them, even while raising them to strike. What power can be established in place of this constant moral support which in no way may be belittled? Let them show it! Yes, that huge moral strength must not be offended by negative nationalism and independent patriotism.

SEVENTH MATTER

We say to those who display excessive patriotism and negative nationalism: if you truly love this nation and are compassionate towards it, be patriotic in such a way that the compassion is directed towards the majority of its members. For if you serve the temporary heedless social life of the minority, who are in no need of compassion, in a way that is the reverse of compassion for the majority, that is not patriotism. For patriotic works performed with the idea of negative racialism may be temporarily beneficial for two out of eight. They receive the compassion arising from that patriotism, of which they are not worthy. While the remaining six out of eight are either elderly, or sick, or afflicted with tribulations, or are children, or are weak, or are pious people thinking seriously of the hereafter; these people want a light, a solace, compassion, in the face of the life of the Intermediate Realm and the hereafter, towards which they are turned, rather than worldly life; they are in need of a blessed, patriotic hand. What patriotism would permit the extinguishing of their light, the destruction of their solace? Alas! Compassion for the nation, self-sacrifice for the nation, where are they?

Hope in Divine Mercy must not be lost. For Almighty God will not cause to perish through temporary set-backs the magnificent army and mighty community of the people of this land, whom He employed for a thousand years in the service of the Qur'an, appointing them as its standard-bearer. He will once again kindle that light and cause them to continue their duty, God willing.

Fourth Topic

[NOTE: The Ten Matters of this Fourth Topic are not connected with each other in the same way that the Four Topics of this Twenty-Sixth Letter are not connected. In which case, no connection should be sought. In whatever way it occurred to me, that was how it was written. It is part of a letter to an important student of mine, consisting of the answers to five or six of his questions.]

The First

In your letter you mention that in explanations and interpretations of Sustainer of All the Worlds, it is said that there are eighteen thousand worlds, and you ask the wisdom in this number.

My brother, at the moment I do not know the wisdom in the number, but I can say this much, that the phrases of the All-Wise Qur'an are not restricted to a single meaning; rather, since the Qur'an addresses all the levels of mankind, it phrases are like universals or wholes which comprise meanings for each level. The meanings which are expounded are like the parts of the general law. Every Qur'anic commentator, every adept, mentions one part of the whole. Based on either his illumination, or his proofs, or his way, he prefers one meaning. Thus, in this verse too, one group uncovered a meaning which corresponded to that number.

For example, the verses,

He has let free the two bodies of flowing water, meeting together; * Between them is a barrier which they do not transgress, {[*]:}

to which the people of sainthood attach importance, repeatedly reciting

them in their invocations, are parts with meanings ranging from the sea of dominicality and sea of worship in the spheres of necessity and contingency respectively, to the seas of the World of the Unseen and the Manifest World, and to the oceans of the North, South, East, and West, and to the Adriatic and the Persian Gulf, to the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, and the Suez Canal, and to the freshwater and salt lakes, to the various lakes of fresh water under the soil layer and the salt lakes over it and contiguous with it, and to the small lakes called the great rivers, such as the Nile, the Tigris, and the Euphrates, and the salty seas into which they flow. Any of these may be intended or meant, and may be their literal and metaphorical meanings.

In the same way, All praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds, encompasses numerous truths. The people of illumination and of reality interpret them differently according to the meanings they uncover.

Personally, I think that in the heavens are thousands of worlds; some of the stars may each be worlds. On the earth too, every sort of creature is a world. Each human being is a small world also. As for the term, Sustainer of All the Worlds, it means "every world is administered, sustained, and governed directly through Almighty God's dominicality."

God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said: "When God wishes a people well, he causes them to see their own faults." {[*]:} And in the All-Wise Qur'an, Joseph (Upon whom be peace) said:

«Nor do I absolve my own self [of blame]; the [human] soul is certainly prone to evil.» {[*]:}

Yes, one who is fond of himself and relies on himself is unfortunate. While one who sees his own faults is fortunate. So you are fortunate! Nevertheless it sometimes happens that the evil-commanding soul is transformed into 'the blaming soul' or 'the tranquil soul,' but it hands over its weapons and equipment to the nerves. And the nerves and veins of temperament continue its function till the end of life. Although the evil-commanding soul died long beforehand, the person's nerves are still apparent. There have been many great saints and purified ones who have complained of their evil-commanding souls while their souls were 'tranquil.' They have lamented over sickness of the heart while their hearts were completely sound and illumined. Thus, what afflicts these persons is not the evil-commanding soul, but the evil-commanding soul's

function which has been handed over to the nerves. The sickness is not of the heart, but of the imagination. My brother, God willing, what is attacking you is not your soul and sickness of the heart, but the state which as we said, by reason of human nature and to perpetuate striving, has been transferred to the nerves and results in constant progress.

Second Matter

Explanations of the three questions asked by the former hoja are to be found in various parts of the Risale-i Nur. For now we shall make brief allusion to them.

Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi said in his letter to Fakhr al-Din Razi: "To know God is different to knowing He exists." What does this mean, and what was his aim in saying it?

In the introduction to the Twenty-Second Word, which you read to him, the comparison and example showing the difference between the true affirmation of Divine Unity and superficial affirmation of Divine Unity point to this aim. While the Second and Third Stopping-Places of the Thirty-Second Word and it Aims, elucidate it.

Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi said that to Fakhr al-Din Razi, who was a leading authority on theology, because the authorities on the principles of religion and the expositions of the scholars of theology concerning the tenets of belief and the existence of the Necessary Existent and Divine Unity were insufficient in his view.

Yes, the knowledge of God gained by means of theology does not afford a complete knowledge and a complete sense of the Divine presence. However, when gained in accordance with the method of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, it affords both complete knowledge and gains a total sense of the Divine presence. God willing, all the parts of the Risale-i Nur perform the duty of an electric lamp on that light-filled highway of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition.

Furthermore, however deficient the knowledge of God Fakhr al-Din Razi obtained by means of theology appeared in Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi's view, the knowledge of God attained by the Sufi way is deficient to the same degree in relation to the knowledge obtained through the meaning of the legacy of prophethood directly from the All-Wise Qur'an. For in

order to attain a constant sense of the Divine presence, the way of Muhyi'l-din al-'Arabi says: "There is no existent save He," going so far as to deny the existence of the universe. As for the others, again to gain a constant sense of the Divine presence, they said: "There is none witnessed save He," entering a strange state as though casting the universe into absolute oblivion.

However, the knowledge of God obtained from the All-Wise Qur'an, in addition to affording a constant sense of the Divine presence, neither condemns the universe to non-existence, nor imprisons it in absolute oblivion. It rather releases it from its purposelessness and employs it in Almighty God's name. Everything becomes a mirror yielding knowledge of God. As Sa'di Shirazi said:

To the conscious gaze each leaf is a book telling of Divine knowledge.

In everything a window opens up onto knowledge of God.

In some of the Words we have illustrated the differences between the way of the scholars of theology and the true highway taken from the Qur'an with the following comparison: For example, in order to obtain water, some is brought from a distant place by means of pipes, digging down under mountains. Some of it is also obtained by digging wells everywhere. The first sort is fraught with difficulties; the pipes become blocked or broken. But for those who know how to dig wells and extract water, they can find water everywhere with no trouble.

In exactly the same way, the scholars of theology cut the chains of causes at the extremities of the world with the impossibility of causation and causal sequences, then with that they prove the existence of the Necessarily Existent One. They travel a long road. However, the true highway of the Wise Qur'an finds water everywhere and extracts it. Each of its verses causes water to flow forth wherever it strikes, like the Staff of Moses. It makes everything recite the rule: In everything are signs indicating that He is One.

Furthermore, belief is not obtained only through knowledge; many of the subtle faculties have their share in belief. Just as when food enters the stomach, it is distributed in various ways to various members, so after entering the stomach of the mind, the matters of belief which come through knowledge are absorbed by the spirit, heart, inner heart, soul, and other subtle faculties; each receives its share according to its degree. If they do not receive their share, it is deficient. Thus, Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi was informing Fakhr al-Din Razi of this point.

Third Matter

In what way is the verse,

We have honoured the sons of Adam {[*]:}

conformable with the verse,

He was indeed unjust and foolish? {[*]:}

There are explanations in the Eleventh and Twenty-Third Words, and is the Second Fruit of the Fifth Branch of the Twenty-Fourth Word. A summary of its meaning is this:

With His perfect power, Almighty God makes many things from a single thing, makes one thing perform numerous duties, and writes a thousand books on a single page; so too He created man as a comprehensive species, in place of many species. That is to say, He willed that through man, a single species, functions would be performed to the number of the different levels of all the species of animals. For this reason, He placed no innate limit on man's powers and senses, no natural restriction, and left them free. The powers and senses of the other animals are limited, and under a natural restriction. Whereas each of man's powers may roam free over an endless distance towards infinity. For since man is a mirror to the infinite manifestations of the Creator of the Universe's Names, his powers have been given an infinite capacity.

For example, even if the whole world is given to man, with his greed, he will say: Are there any more? And through his selfishness, he finds it acceptable that a thousand people should suffer harm for his own benefit. And so on. There is boundless development in bad morality and he may reach the degree of the Nimrods and Pharaohs; in accordance with the intensive form in the verse above, he is given to great wrongdoing. Similarly, he may manifest endless progress in good morality, and may advance to the degree of the prophets and veracious ones.

Moreover, contrary to the animals, man is ignorant about all the things necessary for life and is compelled to learn everything. He is in need of innumerable things, and therefore in accordance with the intensive form in the same verse, is most ignorant. But when animals come into the world, they are both in need of few things, and may learn all the things

they need, all the conditions of their lives, in one or two months, or even one or two days, or in some cases, in one or two hours. It is as if they have been perfected in another world, and come thus. But then man can only rise to his feet in one or two years, and in fifteen is only able to distinguish between what is beneficial and what is harmful. The intensive form of "most ignorant" indicates this, too.

Fourth Matter

You ask concerning the wisdom contained in: "Renew your belief by means of 'There is no god but God.'" {[*]:} The wisdom in it has been mentioned in many of the Words and one aspect of it is as follows:

Since man himself and the world in which he lives are being continuously renewed, he needs constantly to renew his belief. For in reality each individual human being consists of many individuals. He may be considered as a different individual to the number of the years of his life, or rather to the number of the days or even the hours of his life. For since a single individual is subject to time, he is like a model and each passing day clothes him in the form of another individual.

Furthermore, just as there is within man this plurality and renewal, so also is the world in which he lives in motion. It goes and replaced by another. It varies constantly. Every day opens the door of another world. As for belief, it is both the light of the life of each individual in that person, and it is the light of the world in which he lives. And as for 'There is no god but God,' it is a key with which to turn on the light.

Then the instinctual soul, desire, doubts, and Satan exercise great influence over man. In order to damage his belief, they are much of the time able to benefit from his negligence, to trick him with their wiles, and thus to extinguish the light of belief with doubts and uncertainty. Also, man is prone to act and utter words which apparently oppose the Shari'a, and which in the view of some religious authorities are no less then unbelief. Therefore, there is a need to renew belief all the time, every hour, every day.

The masters of scholastic theology wrapped up the

world in the abbreviated concepts of contingency and created ness and having disposed of it, so to speak, proved Divine Unity. And one school of Sufis, in order to experience God's presence and affirm His Unity fully, said: "Nothing is observed but Him." They thus forgot the universe and drew the veil of oblivion over it, and then fully experienced the Divine presence, Another school of Sufis, in order to truly affirm Divine Unity and enter God's presence in the highest degree, said: 'There is no existent but Him." They relegated the universe to the level of imagination and cast it into non-existence, and then fully entered the Divine presence. But you point out that in the Qur'an is a mighty highway besides these three ways. And you say that its mark is the phrases: "There is nothing sought but Him," and, "There is nothing worshipped but Him." Can you provide me with a brief proof of this highway that concerns the affirmation of Divine Unity and point out a short way leading to it?

All the Words and Letters in the Risele-i Nur point out that highway. For now, as you wish, we shall concisely indicate an extensive, lengthy and mighty proof of it.

Each thing in the world ascribes every other thing to its own Creator. And each artistically fashioned object in this world demonstrates that all such objects are the works of its own fashioner. And each creative act in the universe proves that all creative acts are the acts of its own author. And each name that is manifest in beings indicates that all names are the names and titles of the one whom it itself signifies. That is to say, each thing is a direct proof of Divine Unity and a window yielding knowledge of God.

Each object, especially if it is animate, is a miniature specimen of the universe, a seed of the world, and a fruit of the globe of the earth. Since this is so, the one who created the miniature specimen, seed and fruit must also be the one who created the whole universe. For the creator of the fruit cannot be other than the creator of the tree that bears it.

And so, in the same way that each object ascribes all other objects to its own fashioner, each act also ascribes all other acts to its author. For we see that each creative act appears as the tip of a law of creativity that is so extensive as to encompass most other creatures, and so long as to reach from particles to galaxies. That is to say, whoever performs the creative act must be the author of all the creative acts which are tied to the universal law that encompasses those beings and stretches from particles to galaxies.

For sure, one who gives life to a fly must be the one who creates all insects and animals and who gives life to the earth. And whoever spins

particles as though they were Mevlevi dervishes must be the one who sets successive beings in motion as far as the sun travelling through the skies with its planets. For the law is a chain and creative acts are tied to it.

That is to say, just as each object ascribes all other objects to its fashioner, and each creative act attributes all acts to its author, in exactly the same way, each Divine Name manifested in the universe ascribes all Names to the One Whom it itself describes and proves that they are His titles. For the names manifested in the universe are like intersecting circles, blending with one another like the seven colours in light; they assist one another and perfect and adorn one another's works of art.

For example, the instant the Name of Giver of Life is manifested on a thing and life is given, the Name of All-Wise also becomes manifest; it orders the body which is that animate creature's dwelling-place with wisdom. At the same time, the Name of Munificent is manifested; it adorns the creature's dwelling-place. So too, the manifestation of the Name of All-Compassionate appears; it presents the body's needs with tenderness. At the same instant, the manifestation of the Name of Provider appears; it supplies the material and spiritual sustenance necessary for the continued existence of the animate creature in unexpected ways. And so on. That means to whomever the Name of Giver of Life belongs, the Name of All-Wise, which is luminous and comprehensive in the universe, is also His. The Name of All-Compassionate, which nurtures all creatures with tenderness, is also His. And the Name of Provider, which sustains all animate creatures with munificence, is His Name and title. And so on.

That is to say, each Name, each act, each object is a proof of Divine Unity, and such a proof that each is a stamp of Divine Unity and each is a seal of Divine Oneness which has been inscribed on the pages of the universe and on the lines of the centuries. Each indicates that all the words of the universe, which are called beings, are inscriptions traced by the pen of its own scribe.

O God! Grant blessings to the one who said: "The best thing Iand the prophets before me have said is, 'There is no god but God'" {[*]:} and to his Family and Companions, and grant them peace.

Fifth Matter

You ask in your letter whether There is no god but God is sufficient on its own. That is, intending the second part, you ask: can someone who does not say Muhammad is the Messenger of God find salvation? The answer to this is lengthy, so for now we shall only say this:

The two parts of the confession of faith cannot be separated; they prove each other, comprise each other; one cannot be without the other. Since the Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was the Seal of the Prophets and the heir of all the prophets, he is at the start of all the ways leading to God. There can be no way to reality and salvation outside his mighty highway. All those with inner knowledge of God and the authorities of those who have researched into reality have said like Sa'di Shirazi: «It is impossible, Sa'di, to be victorious on the way of salvation, except by following Mustafa.» They also said: "All ways are closed except the highway of Muhammad."

However, it sometimes happens that people may be on the highway of Muhammad (PBUH) and within it, without knowing that it is the highway of Muhammad.

And it sometimes happens that they do not know the Prophet, but the road they take is part of the highway of Muhammad (PBUH).

It happens too that being in a state of ecstasy or entirely immersed in contemplation or having withdrawn from the world, not thinking of the highway of Muhammad, There is no god but God is sufficient for them. Nevertheless, a most important aspect is this: non-acceptance is one thing, while the acceptance of non-being is another. Ecstatics and recluses or those who have not heard or do not know, do not know the Prophet or they do not think of him so that they should accept him. They are ignorant in that respect. They only know There is no god but God in regard to knowledge of God. They may be among those who will be saved. But if those who have heard of the Prophet and know his message do not affirm him, they do not recognize Almighty God. For them, the phrase There is no god but God alone does not express the affirmation of Divine Unity, which is the means of salvation. For that is not ignorant non-acceptance, which may be excusable to a degree, it is rather the acceptance of non-being, which is denial. A person who denies Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), who with his miracles and

works was the pride of the universe and glory of mankind, certainly can in no respect receive any light and will not recognize God. However... that is enough for now.

Sixth Matter

Some of the terms used in the First Topic, called Dispute With the Devil, about the way of Satan, were very vehement. Despite being modified with expressions like "God forbid! God forbid!" and "to suppose the impossible," they still make me tremble. There are a number of small modifications on the piece that was later sent to you; have you been able to correct your copy accordingly? I leave it to what you think; you may skip any of those terms you consider necessary.

My dear brother, that Topic holds great importance, because the atheists' master is Satan. Only when Satan is silenced will his imitators not be deceived. The All-Wise Qur'an's mentioning the unbelievers' vile expressions gave me courage. Trembling and in the form of supposing the impossible, I used the ridiculous expressions the members of Satan's Party are compelled by their way to accept and which willy nilly they utter through its tongue, in order to demonstrate the complete worthlessness of that Satanic way. But by using them, we confined them to the bottom of the well and took possession of the entire field on account of the Qur'an; we exposed their frauds. Consider the victory through the following comparison:

For example, let us imagine a tall minaret the top of which touches the skies, and at the base of which a well has been dug reaching to the centre of the earth. Two groups are disputing over proving where between the top of the minaret and the bottom of the well a man should be whose call to prayer is heard by all the people throughout the country. The first group says: "He is at the top of the minaret reciting the call to prayer to the universe. Because we hear it; it is living; it is elevated. For sure everyone cannot see him in that high situation, but according to their degree, everyone can see him in a position, on a step, when he climbs it and when he descends. They know from this that he ascends it, and wherever he appears, he is someone of high stature." The other, satanic and foolish, group says, however: "No, his position is not the top of the minaret; wherever it is he appears, his place is the bottom of the well." But no one

at all has seen him at the bottom of the well, nor can they see him there. Let us suppose he was heavy and without will like a stone, then for sure he would have been at the bottom of the well, and someone would have seen him.

Now, the battlefield of these two opposing groups is the long distance stretching from the top of the minaret to the bottom of the well. The people of light, called God's Party, point out the mu'ezzin at the top of the minaret to those with an elevated view. And to those whose sight cannot rise that far and to the short-sighted, they show that supreme mu'ezzin on a step each according to his degree. A slight hint is enough for them and proves that the mu'ezzin is not a lifeless mass like a stone, but a perfect man who climbs upwards and appears and makes the call to prayer when he wishes. As for the other group, known as Satan's Party, they pronounce stupidly: "Show him to everyone at the top of the minaret, or else his place is the bottom of the well." In their stupidity they do not know that his not being shown to everyone at the top of the minaret arises from everyone's sight not rising that far. Also, in exaggerated fashion, they want to claim possession of the whole distance with the exception of the top of the minaret.

Then someone appears in order to solve the dispute between the two communities. He says to Satan's Party: "You inauspicious group! Had the position of that supreme mu'ezzin been the bottom of the well, he would have to have been lifeless, inanimate, powerless like a stone. It could not have been him who appeared on the well's steps and minaret's degrees. Since you see him there, he is certain not to be powerless, lifeless, and without reality. His position will be the top of the minaret. In which case, either show him at the bottom of the well-which in no way can you do, nor could you make anyone believe that he is there-or be silent! The arena of your defence is the well bottom. The remaining arena and long distance is the arena of this blessed community; wherever they show him to be other than the bottom of the well, they will win the case."

Thus, like this comparison, the Topic about the dispute with the Devil takes the long distance from the Divine Throne to the ground from Satan's Party and forcibly drives that party into a corner. It leaves the most irrational, the most impossible, the most loathsome place to them. It drives them into a hole so narrow no one could enter it and takes possession of the entire distance in the name of the Qur'an.

If they are asked what the Qur'an is and they reply: "It is a good book written by man which teaches good morality," then it should be said to them: "In which case it is the Word of God and you are compelled to

accept it as such. Because according to your way, you cannot say that it is 'good'!"

If they are asked what they know of the Prophet, and they reply: "He was a very clever person with good morals," it should then be said to them: "Believe in that case, because if he was very moral and clever, he must have been God's Messenger. For your saying he was 'good' is not within the bounds of what you accept, you can't say that according to your way." And so on. Further aspects of reality may be applied to other allusions in the comparison.

As a consequence of this, the First Topic, in which the Devil is disputed with, does not compel the believers to know the miracles of Muhammad and learn their certain proofs in order to preserve their belief. A slight hint, a small indication, saves their belief. All the deeds, all the qualities, all the conduct of Muhammad (PBUH) are each like a miracle, proving that his position is at the highest of the high, not at the lowest of the low at the bottom of the well.

Seventh Matter

An instructive matter:

[I am compelled, through the indication of seven signs which will strengthen the morale of some of my friends who, having unfounded worries are becoming dispirited, to relate a dominical favour and an instance of Divine protection which pertain solely to service of the Qur'an, so that I may save those friends with their weak vein of temperament. Four of the seven signs show how they received blows entirely contrary to their intentions, due to their taking up hostile positions towards me not personally, but in respect of my serving the Qur'an, purely for worldly aims and while being friends. While three of the signs signify earnest and constant friends, who in order to find favour with 'the worldly' {[*]:} and achieve some worldly aim, and so that they could feel confident, temporarily failed to show the manly stance required by friendship. However, unfortunately, each of those three friends was punished contrary to his aims.]

The first four, superficial, friends, who afterwards displayed enmity:

Employing various means, a District Officer pleaded for a copy of the Tenth Word. I gave him one. But then, in order to be promoted, he gave up my friendship and assumed a hostile position. It took the form of his complaining to the Governor and informing on me. But as a mark of favour for service to the Qur'an, he was not promoted, but dismissed.

While being a friend, for the sake of his superiors and to attract the attention of 'the worldly,' another District Officer assumed a competitive and hostile position, and received a blow contrary to his intentions. He was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for some unexpected matter. Later he asked for prayers from a servant of the Qur'an; perhaps he will be saved, God willing, since prayers were offered for him.

A teacher appeared to be a friend and I looked on him as one. Then he moved to Barla in order to settle and he chose to adopt an inimical attitude. But he received a blow contrary to his intentions: he was posted away from teaching to serve in the army. He was sent away from Barla.

There was a teacher, who because he appeared to me to be both a Hafiz and pious, I was sincerely friendly towards in the hope that he would show friendship to me by serving the Qur'an. Then, in order to find favour with the worldly, he became very cold towards us and frightened, because of one single thing an official had said. He too received a blow contrary to his intentions; he was severely reprimanded by the inspector, and dismissed.

Thus, these four men received those blows because of their animosity. However, the following three friends, since they did not display the manly attitude that serious friendship demands, received not blows, but warnings contrary to their intentions, which were sorts of admonitions.

A respected person who was a most important, serious, and true student of mine used to continually write out the Words and disseminate them. On a confused high official coming and an incident occurring, he hid the Words he had written, as well as temporarily giving up copying them, so that he would not suffer any difficulty or hardship at the hands of 'the worldly' and would be safe from their evil. But as a mark of his error of temporarily ceasing his service of the Qur'an, for a year he continuously suffered the calamity of having hanging over him the sentence of paying a thousand-lira fine. Whenever he formed the intention to write further copies and returned to his former position, he was cleared in the case, till finally, praise be to God, he was acquitted.

With his poverty, he was saved from paying a thousand liras.

In order to gain the good opinion and regard of 'the worldly' and the new officer, my courageous, serious, and bold friend of five years' standing unthinkingly and involuntarily did not meet with me for several months, despite being my neighbour. He did not even pay me a visit during Ramadan or the Festival. But the village question turned out contrary to his intention, and he lost his influence.

A hafiz who used to meet with me once or twice a week, became the prayer-leader, and so as to wear the turban, abandoned me for two months. He did not even visit me during the Festival. But contrary to his intention, and contrary to usual practice, he was not allowed to wear a turban, although he had acted as prayer leader for seven or eight months.

There are numerous incidents like these, but I have not mentioned them so as not to offend the people concerned. However weak a sign each is, a strength is perceived on their being put together. One forms the opinion that -not directed towards myself, because I do not consider myself worthy of any favour- but purely in respect of serving the Qur'an, we carry out that service under dominical protection and Divine favour. My friends should think of these and not be carried away by groundless fears. Since our service is a Divine bestowal, and since it is the cause not of pride but of thanks, and since there is the decree,

But the bounty of your Sustainer rehearse and proclaim, {[*]:}

I have explained these things to my friends privately, as a consequence.

Eighth Matter

[This forms the footnote to the third example in the Third Point about the Fifth of the obstacles to making independent judgements of the Divine Law (ijtihad), in the Twenty-Seventh Word.]

Some of those scholars who have researched into the realities have said that each of the words of the Qur'an and of supplications and other glorifications of God illuminate man's spiritual faculties in numerous ways, providing spiritual sustenance. So if the meanings are not known, the words alone do not express them fully and are insufficient. The words are a garment; would it not be more useful if they were changed, and every people clothed the meanings in words of their own language?

The words of the Qur'an and of the glorifications of the Prophet are not lifeless garments; they are like the living skin of the body; indeed with the passage of time, they have become the skin. Garments are changed, but it would be harmful to the body if the skin were to be changed. Blessed words like those of the five daily prayers and the call to prayer have become the mark and sign of their usual meanings. And marks and signs cannot be changed. I have often observed and studied in myself a state which I experience. The state is a reality, and it is this:

On the Day of 'Arafa, the eve of the Festival of Sacrifices, I used to recite Sura al-Ikhlas hundreds of times. I would observe that some of the non-physical senses in me would receive the sustenance several times, then would cease to do so, and stop. Others like the faculty of reflective thought would turn towards the meaning for a time, receive their share, then they too would stop. And some like the heart would receive their share in respect of certain concepts which were the means to a spiritual pleasure, then they too would fall silent. And so on. Gradually, with repetition only some of the subtle faculties would remain and become wearied only long after the others; they would continue, leaving no need for further meaning and study. Heedlessness was not detrimental to these, as it was to the faculty of thought. Enough for them were the usual meaning contained in the marks and signs, with the summary of the meaning which the words and the words full of meaning comprised. If the meaning had been thought of at that point, it would have caused harmful boredom. Anyway, those subtle faculties which continue are not in need of

study and comprehension, they rather show need for recollection, regard, and encouragement. And the words which are like skin are sufficient for them and perform the duty of meaning. Especially with recalling through those Arabic words that they are the Word of God and Divine speech, they are means of constant effulgence.

Thus, this state which I myself experienced shows that it is extremely harmful to express in another language truths like the call to prayer and the tesbihat following the obligatory prayers, and Suras of the Qur'an like Fatiha and Ikhlas, which are repeated all the time. For when the constant spring of the Divine words and words of the Prophet are lost, the constant share of those constant subtle faculties is also lost. Also harmful are the loss of the minimum of ten merits for each word, and the heedlessness and the darkness caused to the spirit by the human terms of the translations due to the constant sense of the Divine presence not persisting for everyone throughout the prayers.

Indeed, like Imam-i A'zam said that There is no god but God is the mark and sign of the affirmation of Divine Unity, we say the following: the great majority of the words of Divine glorification and praise, and especially of those of the call to prayer and obligatory prayers, have become like marks and signs. Like signs, they are considered more with their usual Shari'i meaning, more than with their literal meaning. So according to the Shari'a, it is not possible to change them. An uneducated man even may learn concise meanings of them, which all believers should know; that is, a summary of their meaning. How can those people who pass their whole lives with Islam yet fill their heads with endless trivia be excused for not learning in one or two weeks a summary of the meanings of these blessed words which are the key to eternal life? How can they be Muslims? How can they be called "reasonable people"? It is not reasonable to destroy the protective cases of those springs of light for the sake of the laziness of loafers like them!

Furthermore, from whatever nation he may be, one who says: «Subhanallah! Glory be to God!» understands that he is declaring Almighty God free of all defect. Is this not enough? If he is turned towards the meaning in his own language, he studies it once from the point of view of the intellect. Whereas if he repeats it a hundred times a day in its true form, apart from his intellect's share of studying, the summary of the words, which is from the words and spreads to and combines with the words, is the means to many lights and much effulgence. Especially the sacredness he receives from the words being Divine speech, and the effulgence and lights proceeding from the sacredness, they are most important.

Nothing at all can be established in place of the sacred Divine words which are the protective cases of the essentials of religion, and nothing can take their place, and nothing can perform their duties. Even if they can express them temporarily, they cannot do so permanently and in sacred and elevated fashion.

However, as for the words that are the protective cases of the theoretical matters of religion, there is no necessity for them to be changed. For such a need is repulsed by preaching, teaching, advice, and other instruction.

The comprehensiveness of the Arabic language, the language of grammar, and the miraculousness of the Qur'an's words are such that they are untranslatable. I can even say it is impossible to translate them. If anyone doubts this, let him refer to the Twenty-Fifth Word. What they call translations are abbreviated and deficient approximations. How can such approximations be compared with the living, true meanings of the Qur'an's verses, which have many aspects of ramification?

Ninth Matter

[An important, confidential matter, and a mystery concerning sainthood.]

The largest group in the World of Islam, the people of truth and moderation, called Ahl al-Sunna wa'l-Jama'at or Sunnis, have preserved the truths of the Qur'an and belief by following to the letter the noble Practices of the Prophet within the bounds of moderation. The great majority of the saints have arisen within this sphere. Others of the saints have appeared outside some of the principles of the Sunnis, and on a path opposed to their rules. Thus, those who have considered this group of saints have divided into two groups:

One group have denied their sainthood because they are opposed to the principles of the Sunnis. They have even gone as far as declaring some of them to be unbelievers.

The other group are those that follow them. Since they accept their sainthood, they say that "The truth is not restricted to the way of the Sunnis." They have formed a group of the innovators and have even gone as far as misguidance. They do not know that:

Every person who is rightly guided cannot be a guide. Their shaykhs are to be excused from their mistakes, because they were ecstatics, but their followers cannot be excused.

As for the middle group, they do not deny the sainthood of the saints, but do not accept their ways and paths. They say: "Their words which are opposed to the principles [of religion] were either metaphorical utterances of which the meaning is not known, or they [the saints] were in error, being overcome by their mental state."

Unfortunately, the first group, and especially externalist scholars, have denied saints of great importance with the intention of protecting the Sunni way, and have even been compelled to accuse them of misguidance. And their supporters, which form the second group, have left the right path because of their excessive good will towards shaykhs of that sort, and have fallen into innovation, and even misguidance.

There was a situation connected with this which occupied my mind for a very long time: at a crucial time I execrated a group of the people of misguidance. Then an awesome collective strength arose in the face of my malediction; it both returned my prayer, and prevented me from repeating it.

Then I saw that facilitated by a collective strength in its wrongful activities, that group of the people of misguidance was driving forward the people, whom it had taken behind it. Since it had become combined with a desire arising not only from compulsion but from the power of sainthood, some of the believers were being carried away by that desire, looking on the group favourably and not considering it to be very bad.

When I perceived these two secrets, I took fright. "Glory be to God!" I said, "Can there be sainthood other than that of the true way? Especially a terrible current of misguidance, can the people of truth come forward and support it?" Then one blessed Day of 'Arafa, following a praiseworthy Islamic practice, I recited Sura al-Ikhlas hundreds of times, and through its blessings the matter which was written under the name of "Answer to an important question" and, through Divine mercy, the following truth also were imparted to my impotent heart. The truth is this:

Similar to the famous and meaningful 'story of Jibali Baba,' which was related in the time of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, some of the saints are in a state of ecstasy while appearing to be rational and reasonable. Others appear to be sober and in command of their reasoning faculties, and sometimes they enter a state outside this. One class of this sort are confused and cannot distinguish between things. They apply a matter they see while in a state of intoxication to the state of sobriety. They are

in error and do not know that they are so. Some ecstatics are preserved by God and do not enter misguidance on their spiritual journeying. While others are not preserved, and may be found in the sects of innovation and misguidance. It has even been thought possible for them to be among the unbelievers.

Thus, because they are temporarily or permanently in a state of ecstasy, they are like "blessed lunatics." And because they are like blessed and free lunatics, they are not responsible. And because they are not responsibible, they are not punishable. With their ecstatic sainthood persisting, they emerge as supporters of the people of misguidance and innovation; they cause their ways to become popular to a degree, and inauspiciously give rise to some of the believers and people of truth entering them.

Tenth Matter

[It was requested by some friends that a principle concerning visitors be explained. That is the reason for this being written.]

It should be known that those who visit me either come in respect of worldly life, and that door is closed; or they come in respect of the life of the hereafter, and in that respect there are two doors: they either come supposing my person to be blessed and of spiritual rank, and that door too is closed. For I do not like myself, and I do not like those who like me. All thanks be to Almighty God that He did not make me like myself. Or they come purely in respect of my being the herald of the All-Wise Qur'an. Those who enter by this door, I accept willingly. They too are of three sorts: they are either friends, or brothers, or students.

Definitely they have to earnestly support our work and service connected with the Words and the lights of the Qur'an. They should not support in heartfelt fashion injustice, innovations, or misguidance, nor try to profit by them.

Together with truly and earnestly working to disseminate the Words, they are to perform the five obligatory prayers and not to commit the seven grievous sins.

To feel as though the Words are their own property written by themselves, and to know their vital duty, their life's work, to be the service and dissemination of them.

These three levels are connected with my three personalities. A friend is connected with my individual and essential personality. A brother is connected with my personality which springs from my worship and being Almighty God's bondsman. And a student is connected with my personality which has the duties of herald of the All-Wise Qur'an and teacher.

Such meetings yield three fruits:

In regard to being herald, it is to receive instruction concerning the jewels of the Qur'an from either myself or the Words. Even if it is only a single lesson.

In respect of worship, it is to have a share of my gains of the hereafter.

It is to turn together towards the Divine Court, and binding one's heart to Almighty God and seeking success and guidance, to work together in the service of the All-Wise Qur'an.

If it is a student, every morning he is with me in name, and sometimes also in imagination, and receives a share.

If it is a brother, he is several times with me with his particular name and form in my supplications and gains, and receives a share. Then he is included among all the brothers, and I hand him over to Divine mercy, so that when I say "my brothers and sisters" in prayer, he is among them. If I do not know them, Divine mercy knows them and sees them.

If it is a friend who performs the obligatory prayers and gives up grievous sins, he is included in my prayers among all the brothers. The condition is that these three categories include me in their supplications and spiritual gains.

O God! Grant blessings to the one who said: "The believer is to the believer like a well-founded building, with one part strengthening the other," {[*]:} and to his Family and Companions, and grant them peace.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise! {[*]:}

And they shall say: "Praise be to God, Who has guided us to this [felicity]; never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of God; indeed it was the truth that the Messengers of our Sustainer brought to us!" {[*]:}

O God, Who responded to Noah among his people, * And helped Abraham before his enemies, * And returned Joseph to Jacob, * And raised Job's suffering from him, * And answered the prayer of Zakariya, * And responded to Jonah b. Matta; we implore You through the mystery of those who offered these answered prayers that You preserve me and those who disseminate these treatises and their companions from the evil of satans among jinn and men, and help us in the face of our enemies, and do not leave us to our own devices, and remove our anxieties and their anxieties, and heal the sicknesses of our hearts and of their hearts. Amen. Amen. Amen.