Women leaving their coverings seized by the European mindset, which does not fit with the honour of Muslim women, both distort their innocent natures and are lowered to the degree of toys by those dark powers aiming to destroy the moral disposition of society. Risale-i Nur does have a serious influence on women allowing them to regain their “innocence” which is their true fitrah (nature). Risale-i Nur treatises help women gain back their real identity by correcting their nature which has been distorted by the European so called sense of modernity.

The major factor of the distortion of women’s nature is undoubtedly not to wear their Islamic dresses. Immodest dress and free-and-easy behaviour distort woman’s innocent nature which is incapable of doing evil. Thus woman while playing the most important role in beautifying the moral values of both family and society plays the reverse role and through being immodestly dressed she happens to be the source of immorality, indecency and obscenity. Unfortunately, some ignorant women are deceived by the committees which are working seriously for directing women to immoral ways by making use of them in order to gain wicked benefits.

“Today’s sense of modernity made women leave their homes, lose their courtesy and lowered their value to the worthless degree. Orders of Islam invite them to the mercy, to their earlier homes. Their courtesy are there and their comforts are in their houses and in family life.

Chastity is their adornment; sublimity is their good nature, purity is their kindness and beauty, the best perfection of theirs is compassion, their entertainment is their children. They must have strong perseverance in order to bear all the causes of mischief (fitnah).” (A Guide for Women)*

“And so I decidedly state the following to you my sisters and my spiritual children:

The sole means of saving women’s happiness both in the hereafter and in the world, as well as saving their elevated innate qualities from corruption is no other than the religious training given within the circles of Islam.” (A Guide for Women)

Immodest Dressing Harms the Iman (Faith) In the Heart

“Yes, it is narrated in the descriptions of old times that a tribe of soldiers consisting of women who were very good at fighting called amazons had been making fabulous fights. Precisely as the deviation of the unbelievers at this time, in their war against Islam, the most effective and terrified community which is under the command of the devil is the community of the women who are obscene leaving the proper, modest and decent veiling and true hijab by showing their legs. With their knife-like naked legs, they attack believers by assaulting them. Trying to close the door of marriage, enlarging the road to adultery, they are enslaving most of the believers and tearing their hearts and souls apart, and even killing most of those hearts.” (A Guide for Women)

“It is understood from the narrations of the hadith that the most fearsome role played in the fitnah of the akhir-zaman (the mischief raised in the last time) is that of women and their fitnah.” (A Guide for Women)

Damaging Impacts of Immodest Dressing on Family Life

Marriage is a sacred institution providing man with social wellness, welfare and individuals with healthy and happy living conditions. Loyalty is the major principle for this marriage institution to continue, which is considered sacred in all divine religions. Covering and veiling (tasattur) is one of the most crucial evidences of the real love and true loyalty between the spouses. Obscenity and unveiling do serious harms to these esteemed values.

As is known, the only tendency between man and woman is a law for the continued existence of new generations. Obscenity causes this divine law to be misused. A man may encounter immodestly dressed and obscene women at the outside and may find most of them more appealing and beautiful than his wife and he may like them. So, this tendency may be a start which could result in a “cheating” action. Also a woman may compare her husband with other men she would come across outside and tend to show her beauties and attract those she found likable. Yes, covering prevents these vulgar feelings and thoughts that destroy fidelity, trust, respect and love within the family members to a great extent; on the other hand, being unveiled and obscenity brings about such demonical feelings resulting in desperate situations. These immoral situations are tearing thousands of families apart, making children miserable, composing mentally ill generations and causing society to collapse both physically and spiritually. Sound solutions can be obtained only when women come to adopt authentic and decent way of covering.” What we mean by the “authentic and decent way of covering” is that the covering shouldn’t reveal the attraction and the beauty of a woman.

Nowadays, ‘divorce cases’ are being filed every minute in almost every country in the world and ‘betraying one’s partner’ is the major factor of the divorces. The role of obscenity and unveiling in these cases is indisputably significant. Imam Said Nursi pointed out this issue in the treatise of “A Guidance for Women” as follows:

“The welfare of a family is perpetuated through a mutual confidence and heartfelt respect and love between husband and wife. Immodest dress and obscenity destroy this confidence and also spoils the mutual respect and love.” (A Guidance for Women)

Couples who don’t trust each other form unhealthy families. And unhealthy families cause problems for future generations. Furthermore, another serious result of being unveiled is that it causes cohabitation without marriage. The main reason for young people to prefer an unmarried cohabitation instead of marriage is that they are unable to find a reliable couple because they don’t wear covering and with the fear that they may have an anxious family atmosphere. That is to say, being unveiled is a devastating impact made directly on the family, which is the most important fundamental of a society.

Immodest Dress Causes Physically, Mentally and Spiritually Weak Generations

It is demonstrated in Risale-i Nur that dressing immodestly and obscenity results in a weak generation not only in spiritual aspects but also physically and mentally.

“Obscenity, by continually stimulating the fleshly desires of susceptible and sensitive people in hot countries, of course, is a cause of self-abuse and weakness in the generation and downfall in the strength.” (A Guide for Women)

A Bloodcurdling Consequence of Obscenity

Obscenity causes some people’s perverted manners having tendencies in sexual deviation to be unveiled. The increase of domestic sexual abuse and violence is directly proportional to the increasing number of obscenity and the obscene publications. To be unveiled paves the way for stimulating these deviant senses and immorality. Imam Nursi explains the causes of this bloodcurdling situation which means humanity turns to be bestiality as follows:

“By nature, a man cannot have lusty desires towards his intimates (mahram) such as his own sister, because, the faces of the intimates (mahram) destroy lusty or sexual inclinations by reminding the compassion and mercy coming from relationship and intimacy. However; keeping certain parts of the body uncovered such as the legs which is not permissible to show even to those who are regarded as intimates (mahram) by the sharia (Islaic law) may arouse an extremely unpleasant and nasty feeling within wretched souls. Because the face of an intimate (mahram-one with whom marriage is prohibited such as sisters, brothers, mother, father, aunt, uncle) acquaints of the intimacy and doesn’t resemble to namahram (stranger) which means one with whom marriage is not prohibited. But naked leg is related to other parts of the intimates’ body than their faces. It doesn’t reveal any distinctive feature of the intimate, thus; it is possible to stimulate the bestial desires in some wretched intimates (mahrams-those with whom marriage is prohibited in Islam.) This kind of a desire is the bloodcurdling collapse of humanity!”

The Unveiled Woman Cannot Find the Peace She Seeks

European civilizations have imposed on women the fallacy that “they can only be free and happy when they are uncovered and unveiled.” But, unfortunately unveiled and obscene women have never been able to find the peace they desire in their lives. Because an unveiled woman loses her dignity and solemnity to a great extent, besides, she cannot find a compassionate life partner that would understand and console her delicate heart and make her happy. Because she cannot find a suitable husband, she tries to fulfil this need with strangers; an unveiled woman loses her peace day by day. Bediuzzaman explains how obscenity decreases the value of woman as follows:

The exact punishment of those knife-like dangerous legs exposed to the concupiscence desires of the strangers (namahram) for a few years, they will burn in the first place in the hell fire as the woods of hell and because of losing her reliance and loyalty even in this world, she can no longer find the suitable husband whom she craves for and whom she needs by her true nature. Even if she finds, he will be troublesome to her. Moreover; it is comprehended from the narration of the hadith that in conclusion of this situation, females will be so worthless and valueless that in some places one man would be seen followed by forty women seeking refuge with him on account of the scarcity of males and abundance of females because of indifference and disobedience of the marriage at the last time (akhirzaman). (A Guide for Women)

The dissipated civilizations of this time, by not accepting the covering, distort the real beauty of women and want to reflect only their outer and material beauty to the eyes, namely their femininity and obscenity. Owing to the indecent and immodest dressing, nowadays, when the word “women” is pronounced, “femininity” and “obscenity” come to mind. According to this point of view; an old and ugly woman who lost her beauty does not mean anything. But the true beauties of a woman, which are great an honour for her, are her compassion, her being an ever-lasting life partner, her self-sacrifice and her maternity. In this sense, only having a modest and decent dressing uncovers the women’s real beauties. Quite the contrary; being unveiled hides and hinders the real beauties of a woman and reduces her to a degree of an object recognized only of body and skin.

“Along with being in accordance with woman’s nature, the Qur’an’s veiling command saves women -the mines of compassion and eternal worthy companions- from degeneration, abasement, what is in fact slavery and wretchedness.” (A Guide for Women)

Tasattur (Being Covered) Is the True Modernity and the True Sense of Being Civilized

At this time, wise Muslim women are preserving their dignity and solemnity by wearing the covering (hijab). They are preserving their coverings (hijabs), which is giving strength to their weakness, and they are preserving their value and preciousness. Thus; by perpetuating their most beloved beauty, which in reality lasts short, they show how smart they are in their movements and what a profitable trade they do. They also prove their high level of civilization, modernity and culture by not leaving the Islamic dress for the sake of so-called modernity of some corrupt societies, nations and individuals. This is because the term of “being civilized” doesn’t approve of harming the rights of society for some selfish pleasures and profits. Civilized women can willingly bear this temporary and slight difficulty for the sake of improving the morals and faith of the societies.

It is definitely certain in the hadith that if that beauty is embellished in the circle of Islamic manners with the adornment of the Quran’s convenience, that mortal beauty will survive eternally and will be given back to her more adorably and more flashily than the houris (female spouses in paradise) have. (A Guide for Women)

“And so I decidedly state the following to you my sisters and my spiritual children:

The sole means of saving women’s happiness both in the hereafter and in the world as well as saving their elevated innate qualities from corruption is no other than the religious training given within the circles of Islam.” (A Guide for Women)

“Along with being in accordance with woman nature, the Qur’an’s veiling command saves women -the mines of compassion and eternal worthy companions- from degeneration, abasement, what is in fact slavery and wretchedness.” (A Guide for Women)

In short; nations having women communities who have left the modestly covering principle, are doomed to having moral breakdowns. Modest and decent dressing is an indispensable fundamental for the welfare of the individuals, families and societies. Any person whose conscious and mental reasoning is not dead can clearly fathom that the necessity for the covering is not dependent on Islam but on humanity. To be able to accept and affirm the necessity for the covering issue; surely there is no need to be Muslim, just being a human is enough for grasping that fact.

* A Guide for Women, which is a treatise in Risale-i Nur Collection, written by Imam Badiuzzaman Said Nursi.

What defines “the true invitation” or what should be its result is “effective representation”. “Representation problem” is one of the vital questions of Muslims of today. This deficiency in question which can be recounted to explain as “Individual representation”, “social representation”, “political representation” and “global representation” both make Muslim world seem strayed and encourages the anti-Islam centres that notice that deficiency. To proliferate “the true samples” and melt them in a pool will form the societies which have the representation capability.

The individuals who will represent Islam not only need to know Islam but also to internalize it and to be equipped with right and effective means. To train “concrete examples”, “speaking proofs” and altruistic individuals who know the principle of mudaraa (getting well with other ) is the most effective weapon against anti-Islamism. This is most important feature of the prophets especially our beloved prophet (pbuh).

To form the societies who display the moral of Islam not only in discourse but also in action will make Islam a powerful attraction centre as well as it will counter the anti-Islamism. The magnificent invitation and conversion events in history became possible only by this way.

Bediuzzaman says thus concerning that point: “If we show the perfection of the truths of Islam by our actions, then the followers of the other religions will convert into Islam group by group.”

The social representation power will transform into political representation sooner or later. The political representation is possible only when you are successful in representation in every walks of life. When the messenger of Allah (pbuh) said “ However you are, you are administered accordingly”, he gave a lesson about that factor in the background. The thoughts whose success was not proven in social life and which did not reflect into the people’s hearts and minds around Muslim world are not possible to gain an effective representation ability.
The global representation is dependent upon development of a mechanism which will be accepted by everybody, and which will represent Muslim societies and countries. We implore that may Divine Mercy open our way and eliminate the external and internal barricades before us and strength our unity and solidarity and amend our hearts in this way.

The struggle towards the unity of Muslim world is not a threat to world peace and communities, but it is a respite and a need and it is a way out for the people who are crushed under ruthless tyranny of the international power centres. In order to reach this goal, strong, legal, equipped and effective umbrella organizations should be founded; and we should support cooperatively the invitation and structuring works which are appropriate to Islam’s essence. Today, particularly in the west, Muslims’ weakness of representation is felt every time and everywhere. The circles who search the interlocutors apply either wrong representatives or cannot find any person or organization or this lack of interlocutors serve some ill-intentioned political actors in terms of political interests.

If Islam is reflected to life as a whole with true invitation and effective representation the foundations which anti-Islamism depends on shake. Thus, a systematic information campaign extending from non-governmental organisations to the universities should be launched and accelerated; the ignorance and prejudice stemming from systematic disinformation should be removed.

Now, I invite you a journey through the pages of The Pen.

I wish you health and salvation, may Allah keep you under his protection.

It is known that there are three principles to set the essence of wisdom in a heart as related from the ‘Talimu-l Muteallim’ courses lectured during the late Ottoman period. First, one has to show respect and compassion for the teacher and the book, secondly, perseverance has to be obtained, and thirdly, permanent reading is to be done. One cannot be called non-believer just because he doesn’t perform his worship. However, when he disrespects or shows impertinence to worshipping and denies it, it is judged as he became a non-believer. That is to say, a believer may have deficiencies or flaws in his good deeds. But he is obliged to show respect to those deeds required by Islam although he may not be able to perform them through bearing a real consciousness of being Allah’s subject. Disrespect is an indication for hypocrisy.

Imam Ghazali (rh) compares wahbi knowledge (directly from Allah, ilm al-ledun) and acquired knowledge (knowledge obtained through studying) with a story, and shows the superiority of wahbi knowledge as follows: Once upon a time, two artists – one of them Chinese and the other one being Roman – take on at the presence of a sultan. Is it you or me who is the better artist? Then the sultan says: “Here is an easier way. We will hang up a curtain between you; you both perform your art, and we’ll see which one of you is the better.” The curtain is hung and both perform their arts. Then, when the curtain is removed, they look at the Roman’s work. He has made a real-looking sculpture. Then, they turn their gazes on the Chinese’s work and become fascinated. This is because he has varnished the wall so brilliantly that the Roman’s work of art is reflected on the wall as exactly as it is. At this point the sultan judges that the Chinese artist is craftier. In the same way, the knowledge that is acquired through hard work and struggle can be compared to the Roman’s work of art. However, the scholarship that is reflected on the heart of Allah’s subject (wahbi knowledge) through good manners (propriety) and purity of heart (varnish) is like the Chinese’s work of art.

Allah the Almighty placed no natural limits or boundaries on the senses, emotions and faculties He had granted over mankind. Faculties such as reason, lust or anger are left limitless. Human can proceed in these areas without any restriction. Human is not confined with any innate restriction; whereas, a legal boundary has been placed on these limitless senses, emotions and faculties by the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

In other words, Allah (swt) puts a restriction for us saying, “You are authorized till this point but you don’t have any right or authority beyond that point.” Man naturally needs and is compelled to live together with other people, cooperate with them and look for his needs and rights in society.

However, one can experience oppression, injustice and presumption in social relations. This is because some people are tended to be more cunning, greedier, more ambitious or lustier. In that case, unfortunately these shameful and undesired events can occur. The most disgraceful part which results in eternal sorrow is when man engages in presumption against his Lord. Man’s presumption in terms of worshipping is called “sin”. But if we pronounce presumption with belief, then it is called unbelief. Sins can be forgiven and erased by The Creator. But perversions and presumptions regarding faith will (May Allah save us) be responded with eternal torment.

Because of the fact that no innate limitation has been determined on man’s faculties such as mind, thought or imagination, some people can transgress the legal boundary predetermined by Qur’an and sunnah and run at full speed in the valleys of heresy. By dealing with matters away from the circle of his boundary and right, he can go beyond the pre-eternally determined boundary and become an unbeliever. Mind and thought are limitless. It is the Qur’an and sunnah which set the principles and one can respect and obey this order through obtaining a way of conduct what we call propriety. When a servant of Allah observes propriety, he will certainly respect all the rights. If he abandons propriety, he will heed neither human’s rights nor his Lord’s decrees. Extremist words, daring cases, insulting behaviours, actions demanding torture, overreaching faults can emerge from him. Under all of these situations lays the lack of the lofty attribute called propriety. The saying “Immoral person is detained from Allah’s mercy.” summarizes this reality most eloquently.

In the 11th Flash of the Risale-i Nur Collection, Ustad Bediuzzaman gives us the definition of “propriety” within the broadest frame as follows: “Propriety in the sunnah implies being furnished with a complete propriety within the boundaries of the names of the All Glorious Maker.” In other words, each and every one of Allah (swt)’s names bears some requirements. The Propriety exemplified in the sunnah is to adhere to the necessities of these names and to behave in accordance with what is required by these names. For example, the names of our Lord such as Lateef, Muzayyin, Hakeem, and Jameel require the created things to be nice, to hide their ugly sides and conceal their unpleasant aspects. So, we can imagine and think how suitable to propriety is to fulfil the requirements of these names and display them in our attitudes. It can well be understood how shameful it is, both before Allah (swt) and people, not to comply with the realities of these names.

If the acquired knowledge does not raise man to the elevated level of propriety, embellish him with good manners, it means that knowledge hasn’t reached its very goal. Such knowledge accounts for nothing but making man guilty and responsible before Allah (swt) and degrading him in the eyes of other people.

There is a strong relation between being people of presence and propriety. People of presence are the ones who are always aware of being in the presence of Allah (swt) and take heartfelt and spiritual pleasure from this state. Ustad Bediuzzaman makes the following explanation as to the second influential means for acquiring ikhlas (sincerity): With the glitters of a faith-based thinking which bring about recognizing and knowing Allah with all his names and attributes, the subject of Allah gains a kind of presence, and thinks that the Merciful Creator is present and watching over all places. So that he obtains ikhlas and saves himself from hypocrisy. Someone who in this way comprehends that he is in his Lord’s presence at all times and places shall start to obtain a favourable manner of propriety. He struggles to take all his actions in the most appropriate manner as he is conscious of being in his presence. His propriety can be read from all his daily courses such as sitting, standing, sleeping, eating, drinking, walking and so forth.

That is to say, the result of propriety is scholarship and the result of scholarship is propriety. Immoral person may have some knowledge but not the scholarship. If he comes to have scholarship, then it also makes him an upright person. How happy are the people who are embellished with the ornament of propriety by Allah (SWT).

If all these loves are in the name of Allah, then they both are legal loves and will increase the love to Allah and will have great results in the hereafter.

For example, the result of love for delicious foods and fruits besides offering thanks to Allah is, as cited in Qur’an, the delicious foods and fruits of the Paradise. Even, each word of “Alhamdulillah” that you say while eating the fruit will be presented to you as a heavenly fruit. You eat fruit here; you eat “Alhamdulillah” in the other world.

As a result of the legitimate affection for his own personality; that is to say, not to see his own beauty but to see his shortcomings and to try to improve them and direct himself to goodness, the lovers that he deserves will be given to him in the Paradise. Now that person suppresses and directs his desires to right path for the sake of Allah, it was declared in many verses of the Qur’an that Allah, who is the Eternally Generous One, would give him hooris who are as beautiful as the heaven.

As a result of nurturing love for parents, children, his wife or her husband in the name of Allah, Allah who is the most compassionate of all, will present to that happy family a pure chatting joy in the form of an eternal reunion in a lifestyle worthy of Paradise even if their degrees in Hereafter were different.

The result of love for good and worshipping friends in the world, as defined in the verse, is to sit together with his/her friend in the Paradise benches face-to-face chatting about their funny and sweet world adventures and memories and meeting and coming together without ever departing.

The result of the love for the prophets and saints as the Qur’an describes is to benefit from their intercession in the grave and the other world and benefit their lofty status in the hereafter.

As a result of loving the world for the sake of Allah and as a grand mirror for reflection to his beautiful names, and as a field to harvest for the Hereafter, a paradise as wide as a world but not transient, an eternal world will be given to each believer in the Hereafter. And those divine names whose only slight shadows are shown in the world will be displayed in the Paradise magnificently.

A thousand years of a very happy life in this world cannot be compared to one hour of life in Paradise. And a thousand years of life in Paradise cannot be compared to one hour’s vision of the holy and endless beauty and perfection of Allah (swt). So you are going to be honoured with this bounty as the result of faith in Allah and loving him in the world. Everybody consciously feels and desires to see distinguished personalities such as Prophet Suleiman who has a magnificent sultanate and Prophet Yusuf who has a famous, spectacular beauty. All the beauties and perfection of the Paradise, which are a thousand times loftier than all the beauties and perfection of the world, can merely be the glitters of the holy beauty and perfection of our Lord (swt). Now think about how admirable a bounty it is, which is to be craved for with extreme love, desire and affection, and compare them… May our Great Creator grant us his consent and reach him being delivered from the veils. Ameen.

It is ordered in the Qur’an: “And do not stretch your eyes after that with which We have provided different classes of them, (of) the splendour of this world’s life, that We may thereby try them; and the sustenance (given) by your Lord is better and more abiding.” (Ta Ha, 131)

Since the love of world leads people to many sins the Prophet commanded as follows: “The love of world is the beginning of all faults.” “The love of world is the greatest of the big sins.” In another hadith he said “Become either like a stranger or a passenger in the world!” According to narration Allah said to the Prophet Davud (pbuh) “O Davud! If you love me get off the love of world from your heart! This is because love of me and love of the world do not come together in a heart.”

The asceticism is an Islamic trait. Every Muslim should adopt that trait, but the ones who lead and administrate the Muslims are to be more careful. Otherwise they will be the addressee of the following verse: “What! do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense?” (Baqara,44)

The administrator who is keen on and greedy about the worldly pleasures and properties cannot be frugal. At the same time he cannot perform an absolute justice among the people whom he administrates. He treats the rich and high ranks preferentially.

The leader should be frugal in using the public properties as well as in personal matters. It is not right to use the public properties prodigally or personally. The ones who do this are doomed to be blamed and held responsible.

Ibn Khaldun explains in detail in his famous book ‘Muqaddima’ what destroys the countries is extravagance pointing out that the extravagance he discusses about is not related to public but the administrators. Concerning this matter Ustad says: “Because of extravagance the consumers proliferate and the producers diminish. Everybody depends on the government in financial terms. Then the art, trade and craftsmanship which are the base of the social life recess. And that nation also degrades and falls to the poverty.

Kochi Bey says the following in his famous treatise: “The Sultan Sulaiman Khan realized the strength of army and the richness of the treasure and raised the adornment and magnificence of his sovereignty. Also, the Viziers and people (obeying the principle ‘the public adopts the religion (way) of the administrator’) became addicted to the adornment and magnificence following his path. In the course of time the situation was so worsened that the wages could not afford to buy the bread and then they began to descent into tyranny and infringement. Their condition was destroyed with tyranny and infringement”

Every Muslim has his/her own share in the state treasure (bayt ul-mal). In that respect the Muslim administrator does not have the right to use the properties in the state treasure arbitrarily. The administrator can use his properties as he pleases. However, if he uses the public properties for his personal interests or for unnecessary and worthless things, he infringes the rights of the public.

THE ASCETIC ADMINISTRATORS

Ustad Bediuzzaman says: “The one who will be khalifa or sultan should be innocent like a Nabi (prophet) or should have an extraordinary ascetic heart like Khulafat ul-Rashidin or Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz of the Ummayads or Mahdi of the Abbasids so that he will not be deceived by his soul. (19th Letter)

Let us mention some examples which are matching with the view of Ustad:

Khalifa Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said the following: “When I desire the world, I realize it causes harm to my hereafter. However, when I crave for the hereafter, I realize that it damages my world. Hence, I have preferred the transitory worldly life to be damaged.”

“One day Khalifa Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) demanded sharbat of the honey (honey diluted with water), and they brought him what he wanted. Then, he said: “This is something good, but Allah thus commends condemning the pleasures and desires of a community: “You have exhausted your [share of] good things in your worldly life, having enjoyed them [without any thought of the hereafter]:” (Ahqaf, 20) What I fear is that the good things would be given us in advance in this transitory world.” Then he did not drink that sharbat of honey.” [Rezin] (Cem’ül Fevaid, c.5, 308, hn. 9603)

Ibn Ebi Leyla, one of the greatest scholars of Tabiins told as follows: “A group of people from Iraq came to Khalifa Umar. Umar saw them while they are eating food in pride. He said to them: “O Iraqis! If I demanded the food that now you are eating to be prepared for me, of course I could do. But we give up what we want in this world to obtain in hereafter. Have you not heard that Allah (SWT) mentioned about a community as follows: “You have exhausted your [share of] good things in your worldly life, having enjoyed them [without any thought of the hereafter]:” (Ahqaf, 20)

At one time Hasan al-Basri said: “Umar ibn Khattab addressed the Muslims in khutba in a dress with twelve patches on it when he was khalifa.”

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz, who is the first mujaddid and famous as second Umar, led a life similar to that of his grandfather Umar Ibn Khattab. When he was khalifa the cost of his cloths was just twelve dirhams. One of his friends relates the following: One day Umar came to Friday prayer late. When we asked the reason he said “the servant took my clothes, washed and brought them back late.” We concluded from this that he did not have any other clothes.

Similarly, another friend of him tells the following: When Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz became khalifa he wept and said to me: “Are you worried about whether being khalifa would be dangerous for me?” I said “Do you love money?” Umar said “No, I do not like it.” Then I said “Then, do not fear! Allah (SWT) will help you.”

THE CORRUPT ADMINISTRATOR EXPOITING STATE PROPERTY FOR HIS INTERESTS

The Prophet Davud (pbuh) used to make a living out of his effort and did not take anything from state treasure. Our prophet told about him as follows: “Nobody has eaten something better than the food which he/she earned with his/her hands. Prophet Davud, the apostle of Allah, used to eat food which he earned with his effort.” (Bukhari)

It is narrated why Prophet Davud (pbuh) earned his life with his own effort as follows: When the prophet Davud (pbuh) became the king he would change his clothes and entangle with the people and ask them “What kind of a person is Davud?” One day when he changed his clothes in order not to be known by his people Allah sent down an angel to him in the image of a man. The prophet Davud asked him the same question: “What kind of a king is Davud?” The angel answered: “What a good worshipper he is. I wish he did not have a trait.” Prophet Davud asked curiously “What is that trait?” The angel answered “He makes his living taking from the state property. If he made his living with his own hands, his maturity would be complete.” Davud (pbuh) returned back and implored to Allah to teach him a craft to make his living. So Allah softened the iron for him. Davud (pbuh) began making his living by making armours from the iron. (Ibn Kathir, v.3, Kurtubî, v.14)

Some of the Ottoman sultans adopted a profession and made their living by selling what their handmade products probably considering that kind of narrations.

However it is very difficult both to lead a country and make his living performing another profession at the same time. If the administrator has already had a profession before being administrator and it is still sufficient for him, then he could be contented with it. If he does not have any, an average wage may be given to him from state treasure. When Abu Bakr (ra) became khalifa the companions assigned him a wage.

Apart from his wage the administrator should not use the state treasure as if it belonged to him. The behaviours of companions and tabiins who were meticulous on this matter should be taken as examples.

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz is known for his meticulousness in using the state treasure. When he was engaged in governmental matters at nights he lit a candle which belonged to public treasure and when the candle were alight he did not do his personal works. When the governmental work ended he lit the personal candle for his personal engagements. At one time, the servants brought him water for ablution, warmed it burning some pieces of charcoal belonging to state but he refused to perform ablution with this water.

Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz did not make use of the government’s postal service and transportation vehicles for his personal benefits; he used them only for public benefits. He commanded one of his officers to buy honey for himself and added not to use any governmental vehicles while bringing the honey. The officer brought the honey on the back of a mount which was used for transportational purposes. Umar asked him how he brought the honey. The man said that the honey was brought on the back of a mount belonging to the state. Thereupon, Umar commanded the honey to be sold and the money to be put to state treasure and said to the man: “You made the honey haram for us!” (Hilyatu’l-Avliyâ, v.5)

Nushirevan the Fair, Iran’s shah famous for his fairness, during a hunting activity, sent one of his servants to a village to bring some salt and told him “Take the salt in return for money. Otherwise taking something without paying its price may become a custom and that village might be destroyed because of that.” The people next to him: “What if a bit of salt taken without money? Does it cause any damage at all?” He said in response: “In the beginning the tyranny was little in essence in the world. Every person who showed up in the course of time added a little and finally it turned out to be today’s immense size of tyranny.”

Sadi Shirazi, relating this story adds the following: “If a sultan eats only one apple from one’s garden without taking permission, then his men will rip off the tree with its root. If a sultan seizes half an egg unfairly, his soldiers will make kebab with a thousand chickens.” (Gulistan p.52)

“There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry that is not in a clearest Book (the Qur’an)!” (An‘am: 59)
As understood from the verse, the Qur’an contains everything. But first and foremost, it must be known that the Glorious Qur’an is a Book of Worship. In order to address all levels of people, it uses expressions such as allegories and comparisons so that it can be generally comprehended. However; behind these expressions, as a result of the selection and the arrangement of the words, even of the letters; there are hidden infinite interpretations (resembling the infinite probability calculations in maths) and secret indications.

Furthermore, everything takes place in the Qur’an, in various degrees and in terms of their values. For instance, a constitution gives place to every kind of issue that the government needs as main principles and basics but not in the way that each person can comprehend with no special effort. Likewise, everything concerning the man; the past and the future, whole branches of science and wisdom; and also the whole civilization wonders take place in the Qur’an as seeds and summaries. The Qur’an informs the man with them sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly.

“Technology” in the Qur’an

The Qur’an gives us clues about the helicopters and planes which will be used in the air transportation to make people travel so easily to the farthest distances, by giving us the example of Solomon’s passage to the one month’s distance in one day by flying in the air.

“And unto Salomon the wind (we made obedient)! (In such a way that) the morning-bound is one month (distance) and the evening return is one month (distance).” (Saba: 12)

“History” in the Qur’an

The Qur’an mentions a large number of historical events like Noah’s Flood which concerns the history of human. The historical events mentioned in the Qur’an include the destruction of nations, Noah’s Flood, the construction of the tower of Babel, the immigration of Bani Israel to Jerusalem, Sadd-i Dhulkarnayn, the birth of Jesus, the Arim Flood, Ashab al-Kahf, etc.

“Future” in the Qur’an

“(Oh Pharaoh!) Today, we will give your (drowned) corpse deliverance (by throwing you to the shore) so that you may be a lesson to those who come after you!” And no doubt, most of the people are really heedless of our verses.” (Yunus: 92)

The Qur’an indicates that the corpse of Pharaoh, who was drowned in the sea, would not decay, and would stay long for people to take admonition.

The corpse of Pharaoh was taken to the United Kingdom after it was found among the sands on a little hill which is on the cost of Red Sea by an English Research group when the Suez Canal was being opened. Though it has been three thousand years after the incident, the body of Pharaoh is still in the form of Sajda and remains intact and is shown in the famous British Museum in London. This intact corpse obviously shows the future of those who deny Allah, for this world and for the hereafter.

“…(Here is) a fair land and an indulgent Lord!” (Saba: 15)

The Qur’an points out to Conquer of Istanbul which opened the doors of new events in the history such as Geographic Expeditions and Closing of the Middle Era leaving its place to the New Era.

“Alif. Lam. Mim. The Romans have been defeated in the intimate vicinity (of Arabs by the Persians who were idol worshippers). But they, after this defeat of theirs, will soon be victorious (to Persians) within a few years (between three and nine years). The command is with Allah in the ahead and in the end; on that day, believers will rejoice with the help of Allah. He helps whomever He wills since He is the Mighty (whom His Power is superior to everything), the Merciful (whom He cares with the most compassion).” (Rum: 1-2-3-4)
In this ayah revealed approximately 7 years after the heavy defeat of Christians.

Byzantine by the pagan Persians, it is pointed out that the Romans would beat the Iranians. If we look back at the history, approximately 7 years later than the revelation of this verse, around the Ninova ruins, the information of Byzantine Empire’s victory against Persian Empire it can obviously be seen that this came to reality.

“Beside him, a person, (called Asaf bin Barhiya), having knowledge of book said: “(In the time of) twinkling your eyes before it (your glance) returned to you, I would bring it to you.” (Naml: 40)

This verse tells how King (Prophet) Solomon’s vizier brought the Throne of Balqis from Yemen city of Sana to Damascus. The Verse indicates both mobile phones & computers and transportation of audio, video and even transportation of objects via teleportation. Today, it has not happened yet; but, experiments are being conducted about transportation of objects which is pointed out in this holy verse.

“Literature” in the Qur’an

“So proclaim that which thou art commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters.” (Hijr: 94)
Even though the deniers don’t believe, literary aspects of this Qur’anic verse made them prostrate.

As is known that Arabic is the most perfect language among the world languages with regard to its supremacy in the way of rhetoric, literature and the fasahah (sound, rhythm and sentence structure.)

For all the verses of the Qur’an, famous people such as Saqqaki, Zamakhshari, Jurjani and many masters in the science of eloquence approved with consensus that literary aspects of the Qur’an is far beyond the reach of people.

“Justice” in the Qur’an

“And approach not the wealth of the orphan save with that which is better (to keep it and with the aim of doing good to the orphan), till he reach maturity. Give full measure and full weight, in justice. We task not any soul beyond its scope. And if you give your word, do justice thereunto, even though it be a kinsman; and fulfil the covenant of Allah (the word you promised). This He (Allah) orders you that haply you may take admonition.” (An’am: 152)

Quite a few verses of the Qur’an point to some principles which should be paid attention in the welfare of one’s life.

“For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than man slaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah’s Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.” (Maida: 32)

As we understand from this verse, the Qur’an shows us the real justice, because the deictic meaning of this verse goes like this:

“The rights of an innocent man cannot be cancelled even for the sake of the entire nation. Even a single individual may not be sacrificed for the welfare of all. In the compassionate respect of Allah the Almighty right is right; there is no difference between great and small. The small may not be abolished for the great. Without his consent, the life and rights of an individual may not be sacrificed for the welfare of the all. If he consents to sacrifice them in the name of patriotism then that is another issue.” (The 15th Letter-From the Genuine Ottoman Script of the Risale-i Nur Collection, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi)

“Science” in the Qur’an

“Then We made the Nutfah into a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood), then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So blessed be Allah, the Best of creators.” (Al-Mu’minun: 14)

In this verse, the Qur’an mentions the stages of the creation in the uterus respectively with the expressions “علقه” (clot, clinging to the uterus), “مضغه” (little lump of flesh), “اعظام” (bones), “لحم” (flesh).

Today according to the discoveries of the modern medicine, the embryo in the mother’s womb, follows the order shown above, and at the beginning it is in a size clear enough to be seen by the naked eye but unclear to see in details. Bones take their shape in the future.

“We have built the heaven with might, and We it is Who make the vast extent (thereof).” (Dhariyat: 47)

For the first time since 1992, the model of expanding universe was supported and in 1929 this model was formulized. But the Qur’an had informed mankind about “broadening of the universe” 1500 years ago.

“I heal him who was born blind, and the leper, and I raise the dead, by Allah’s leave.” (Al al-Imran: 49)

The Qur’an , by showing Jesus who opened the eyes of a blind man and resurrected the dead, points out that illnesses such as cancer, aids and even death are all treatable.

“Reflection and Contemplation” in the Qur’an

“…Thus Allah maketh plain to you (His) revelations, that haply ye may reflect.” (Baqara: 219)
“…Have ye then no sense?” (Ya-seen: 68)
“…Little do you reflect!” (Ghafir: 58)
“…Lo! herein is indeed a lesson for those who see.” (Noor: 44)
Humans have the ability to think and devise. In these verses, the Qur’an invites us to think about the humanity, the entire universe and its functioning and the divine wisdom of creation.

Thus the Qur’an guides people by showing that there is no contradiction between religion and logic, wisdom and intelligence.

“Natural events” in the Qur’an

The Qur’an points to many natural events such as rain, lightening, wind, the formation of night and day, periods of the months and days, the creation of the heavens and so on.
“Have you not seen how Allah wafts the clouds, then gathers them, then makes them layers, and you see the rain come forth from between them; He sends down from the Heaven Mountains wherein is hail and smits therewith whom He will, and averts it from whom He will. The flashing of His lightning all but snatches away the sight.” (Noor: 43)
“Allah is He Who sends the winds so that they raise clouds, and spreads them along the sky as pleases Him, and causes them to break and thou sees the rain down pouring from within them. And when He makes it to fall on whom He will of His bondmen, lo! They rejoice…” (Room: 48)

Rain has three stages; forming of wind, gathering of the clouds and emergence of the rain drops. The Qur’an revealed this fact fifteen centuries before today’s scientists who have recently uncovered these facts with the help of airborne radars.

For more information please visit www.askaquestionto.us

It is bound to be said either “Each being even an atom has such an intelligence and brilliance much higher than human beings. Thus; each one is able know and see everything in the universe and has the complete power to compose this excellent harmony consciously.” or “Beings are unconscious and unreasonable. If so; a superior Entity has created these unconscious but wonderful, well-equipped creatures with his all-encompassing knowledge (‘ilm) and infinite power and he operates the existence in an excellent harmony for highly precious goals.”

According to the first alternative, will we accept that flour; sugar and oil have the intelligence and ability to make a cake on their own? Neither a piece of cloth has the intelligence so that it can sew a dress; nor do the paint, brush and toil have the intelligence to compose a painting. Even a child can understand that as a cake indicates and requires the existence of a cook; a dress also indicates and requires the existence of a tailor, so does a picture the existence of an artist.

If a chemistry professor examining the water compound said: “The substance of water is composed of two elements: Hydrogen and Oxygen. These elements created the water substance.” and did not think of the Creator, the Legislator and the Operator of all these laws, he would display a ridiculous ignorance attributing intelligence and consciousness to those elements (hydrogen and oxygen). Yet flower, water, electricity, sun and air are much more impossible to come into existence on their own than slice of cake, a dress or a picture. This is because each of their creations is a miracle.

Eyes are to show us the physical materials, but wisdom is to show us the meaning behind these physical materials. If you realize, the wisdom (mind) is invisible, while it is accepted as a base to fathom many invisible things. We as humans have, not only the wisdom (mind), but also hundreds of invisible emotions (like conscience) which are seeking Allah and desiring to fathom his existence.

The victims of this materialist century ought to know that just as a book is appreciated through its meaning as a human being gains value through his spirit. (Without the spirit he is dead.) Physical material gains value through the spiritual meaning. The meanings observed behind the material are the attributes of Allah (swt).

The Universe is a kind of exhibition. All creatures are well-equipped artworks bestowed upon us and each one introduces us their creator; Allah (swt).

Earth is a factory; its engineer is Allah (swt).

Soil is a laboratory; its chemist is Allah (swt).

World is hospital; the doctor is Allah (swt).

World is a guesthouse; the hospitable host is Allah (swt).

Earth is a sanctuary; the worshipped is Allah (swt).

Bright objects on earth such as glass and water shine in the sunlight. Is each of them a sun having the heat and the sunshine in themselves or do they just get their light from the sun and reflect the sunlight? This means their brightness indicates the existence of the sun.

Brighter than the sun, every creature indicates that Allah‘s knowledge is all-encompassing, the Knower of all things and also indicates his unity, his names, attributes and his infinite power. So the people, who have not lost their minds and conscience, observe the attributes of Allah (swt) with admiration and worship him.

Source: www.askaquestionto.us

Each time the Muslim ummah faced with a setback or a socio-religious down turn, Allah the Almighty with all His blessings and grace sent the mujaddid (reformer) or mujaddidun (group of reformers) to purify and upgrade their iman (faith) for them, so that they would always be in the right path and attain success in their life. This has taken place in the past through the process of tajdid (renewal or purification of faith) which could be witnessed in history since centuries ago.

In the following pages, as the title of this paper suggests, we shall discuss especially about the life and thought of Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, the famous mujaddid and mujahid of modern Turkey.

Muslim World in the Late 18th Century:

By late 18th century, the whole of the Muslim world had greatly declined. There was widespread decay and stagnancy in term of political power and intellectual development. The basis of this whole decline was due more to religious decay, that is, the failure of the Muslim ummah in general to observe Islamic way of life. The teachings of Islam had been distorted and misrepresented. At the same time, there was mere taqlid (blind imitation), and the adoption of bid ‘ah (innovation) and tahayyul (superstitions), as a result of foreign influence and the sheer love of the world among the Muslims. Unfortunately, the Muslims in general had been affected by what we can term as the disease of al-wahn, that is, hubbud dunya wa qarihayat al-maut (love of the world and the fear of death) as Prophet (pbuh) had already pointed out in his famous hadith. This simply means that they want only to attain the pleasures of life (that is, to acquire ease and luxurious life) without caring for the halal (what is legal and permissible in Islam) and haram (what is illegal and therefore forbidden) and at the same time refuse to make any sacrifices for the pleasure of Allah even to the extent of having to die in exchange for al-jannah (heaven) as Allah had promised. In other words, the Muslims had become materialistic in outlook and actions and wanting only short term success in this world without caring for true and lasting success that Allah had in store for them on condition that they did sacrifice for Him in their life on this earth.

Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: A Sketch of His Life

Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi was born in 1877 in the village of Nurs, in the province of Bitlis in eastern Turkey. Within a short period of time, he was proficient in the Holy Qur’an, Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh), oratory, dialectic, logic, rhetoric and theology. He even memorized the contents of a number of Arabic dictionaries and classical texts relating to theology and Islamic Jurisprudence. At the age of 16, he was already able to master al-Qur’an and the Islamic Law.

Besides this, he took the opportunity to study modern sciences. It is reported that he studied all the available books on history, geography, mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy and philosophy.

After having learned modern sciences, Ustad Bediuzzaman came to realize that neither the traditional (religious) education nor the modern secular education system introduced during the Tanzimat era in Ottoman Empire could overcome doubts concerning Islam and satisfy human needs. He, therefore, proposed an integrated system of education where both of the streams should be merged together so as to overcome human needs and bring about really sound solutions to their problems. In other words, he suggested that religious sciences should be taught together with modern sciences in modern schools. On the other hand, modern sciences should be taught together with religious sciences in religious schools. In his opinion, such system would protect the modern educated students from faithlessness or becoming apostates, while the madrasah educated group would be rid of bigotry and fanaticism.

The Da‘wah Method and Educational System of Ustad Bediuzzaman:

In term of da‘wah, in his early years, Bediuzzaman had resorted to debates and strong arguments much to the displeasure of his opponents. But later, he shifted more to persuasive and yet firm arguments through his writings. The most famous of his work is the tafsir, Risale-i Nur which has opened the hearts and minds of the intellectuals in Turkey to this day. In fact, the message which stresses on Tawhid and at the same time shows the relationship between science and the religion of Islam in a harmonious way has spread to most parts of the Muslim world and even to Europe and America. Through his writings, Bediuzzaman also had exposed the fallacies of nationalism and secularism, both the products of the decadent Western society. He defended Islam ferociously and managed to rekindle the love for this great religion after it had been trampled by atheism and secularism brought about by the secular elite within the modern Turkish society. One important thing though, he (Bediuzzaman) had continued to link his scientific ideas to religion until the end of his life. This has made him somewhat special when compared to some other Muslim thinkers belonging to the great Islamic movements such as Ikhwan al-Muslimin or even Jama ‘at-e Islami of Pakistan. These two great movements had contributed a lot and are still contributing to the changes going on within the Muslim states of the contemporary world, despite the threat of secularism and liberalism of the West. However, they have concentrated less on the issue of the necessity to understand modern sciences as having important link with the understanding of religion, especially Islam.

The Influence of the Thoughts of Ustad Bediuzzaman among Muslim Youth:

Through the efforts of ABIM’s activists, the thoughts of Ustad Bediuzzaman soon became known and studied within the academic circle at the Malaysian universities. For example, during the Academic Session of 1980/1981, this writer himself had taught the History of the Modern Middle East and also the Early History of Islam at the History Section, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang. He then introduced the history of the Ottoman Empire right up to the period of the modern Turkish Republic as part of the curriculum for the course, HHI 378: Dunia Islam Zaman Moden (later changed to Modern History of the Middle East). Other courses related to the history of the Middle East were also introduced by this writer. These were HSL: 342: Isu-Isu Terpilih Dalam Sejarah Asia – Asia Barat Moden (Selected Issues in the History of Asia – Modern West Asia) and JMS 316E: Sejarah Intelektual Islam (Islamic Intellectual History). Within this scope, he has discussed the role of Ustad Bediuzzaman in combating secularism and atheism and the trials and tribulations that the mujaddid had to face. Besides this, discussions were also focused on the general history of Saudi Arabia, Libya, Algeria, Egypt and Iran vis-à-vis European imperialism (including Israel).

Around the middle of 1983, Wan Jafree b. Wan Sulaiman, a teacher at ABIM’s school in Alor Setar , the capital of the Sultanate of Kedah in the northern part of Malaysia and also a close friend of this writer, had translated a book on the biography of Ustad Bediuzzaman into Bahasa Malaysia (Malaysian Language) for the first time. This of course helped the students following the history course taught by this writer to understand more about the thoughts and brave struggle of Ustad Bediuzzaman in modern Turkish history. Not only that, this same teacher also in his leisure time had conducted usrah and public lectures pertaining to the life history and struggle of Ustad Bediuzzaman on several occasions around Alor Setar and Kulim, another town to the south of Kedah. Up to this moment, this writer has been teaching the history of the Modern Middle East (West Asia) at the School of Distance Education, USM under the title of “Islamic Intellectual History”.

Hence, the students also have been exposed to the history of Turkey, including the episode on Ustad Bediuzzaman. In addition, Dr. Muhammad Hasrul Zakaria, a former student of this writer, is presently teaching the modern history of West Asia at the School of Humanities, USM. As part of his lecture, he is also involved in teaching about Turkey, involving the life history of Ustad Bediuzzaman.

Furthermore, the history of Turkey and Ustad Bediuzzaman has also been taught at the Department of History, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur since late 1980s. The course on Middle East is now conducted by a close friend of this writer and also a former leader of ABIM, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Ridzwan Uthman. Meanwhile, Assoc. Prof. Ustad Dr. Abdul Raoh b. Yaacob, from the Department of Arab Studies and Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), had taught the same kind of courses before he moved over to University Brunei Darussalam, in the Sultanate of Brunei, in the year 2002. For example, we have such courses on the Middle East which also discuss about the contributions of Ustad Bediuzzaman, that is, PC 3563: Gerakan Islah di Dunia Islam (Islah Movement in the Islamic World), PC3583: Dunia Islam Abad ke-20 (Islamic World in the 20th Century) and PC6083: Aspek Sejarah Tamadun Islam Selepas Kejatuhan Baghdad Hingga Kini (Aspect of the History of Islamic Civilisation After the Fall of Baghdad Until Today (particularly designed for M.A. students)). In fact, under the supervision of Ustad Dr. Abdul Raoh, Mohamad Zaidin, a post-graduate student, had written a dissertation concerning Ustad Bediuzzaman, entitled, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: Sejarah Perjuangan dan Pemikiran, Malita Jaya Publisher, Shah Alam, 2001. At present, the same course on modern Middle East, including Turkey and the life history of Ustad Bediuzzaman, is being offered at the Research Institute of West Asia, Department of History, UKM. Hence, as we can see whenever the history of Turkey is taught at Malaysian universities, the role of Ustad Bediuzzaman is not forgotten, especially with regard to his struggle to uphold Islam within the secular environment of the Turkish society.

Meanwhile, some books and articles have been published in Malaysia pertaining to the history of the Middle East, including the struggle of Ustad Bediuzzaman and the history of modern Turkey, since early 1980s. The books and articles are as follows:

1. Abdul Rahman Hj. Abdullah, Pemikiran Islam Masa Kini: Sejarah dan Aliran, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur, 1987. (The author was a student of this writer back in 1981).
2. Wan Jafree b. Wan Sulaiman, Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Penerbit Wan Jafree b. Wan Sulaiman, Alor Setar, 1983.
3. Mohamad Zaidin b. Mat, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi: Sejarah Perjuangan dan Pemikiran, Malita Jaya Publisher, Shah Alam, 2001.
4. Fadhlullah Jamil, Islam Zaman Moden: Cabaran dan Konflik, Thinker’s Library Sdn. Bhd., Batu Caves, 1st Edition (1997) & 2nd Edition (2005).
5. Fadhlullah Jamil, Islam Di Asia Barat Moden: Penjajahan dan Pergolakan, Karisma Publications Sdn. Bhd., Shah Alam, 1st Edition (2000) & 2nd Edition, 2007.
6. Muhammad Abdullah Suradi, Lembaran Hidup Ulama: Warisan Ilmuwan Islam, Hijjaz Records Publishing, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 2009.
7. Elmira Akhmetova, “Books of Said Nursi banned in Russia”, Milenia Muslim, Julai, 2007, pp. 50 – 52.
8. “Biography of Said Nursi (1877 – 1960)”, Milenia Muslim, Julai, 2007, pp. 52.

During the last two years, Risale-i Nur has been studied at several usrah meetings around Bangi, a town somewhat close to Kuala Lumpur. This exercise is being carried out with the help of two representatives from Hayrat Foundation, Istanbul, based in Malaysia.

Conclusion:

From the discussion given above, we can conclude that the impact of the thoughts of Ustad Bediuzzaman can be seen, though somewhat minimal among the Muslim youth of Malaysia. The influence of Ikhwan al-Muslimin, Jama ‘at-e Islami and other da ‘wah movements from Indonesia is still strong due to the fact that most of Malaysian da ‘wah activists and their sympathizers are Arab educated and some few thousands of them had studied at al-Azhar, in Iraq, Jordan or Maghribi (Morocco), while others have strong link with Indonesian Muslims because of their study or cultural link that went on for centuries as they belonged to the same Malay ethnic stock. Nonetheless, until now, works pertaining to the life and jihad of Ustad Bediuzzaman have reached the Muslim youth as also the development in Turkey during the time of Milli Salamat Partisi and other subsequent Islamic oriented parties and now under the rule of the premier, Recep Tayyib Erdogan and his Adalet ve Kalkinma Partisi (AKP or Justice and Development Party).

As for the ideas of Ustad Bediuzzaman on education and da‘wah, they certainly can be exploited a lot more as a means to overcome the secular and liberal trends within the Malaysian society. Although, up to now some efforts have already been done by Muslim scholars in Malaysia to bring natural and applied sciences closer to Islam, yet more will have to be done and in this aspect the ideas put forward by Ustad Bediuzzaman can certainly be used to boost up this effort. In fact, the philosophy of history too as commonly being taught in Malaysian universities and colleges will have to be revamped and new interpretation being given to it in line with the thought of Ibn Khaldun which is somewhat closer to Islamic interpretation of history. With all these efforts, it is hoped that Islam shall triumph over secularism and other ungodly tendencies in the near future.

Assoc. Professor Dr. Hj. Fadhlullah Jamil, History Section, School of Distance Education, University Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.

1. To start with faith as it is the essence of the religion.
2. To explain the truths of faith from a viewpoint convincing both the mind and the heart.
3. To live what we say so as to make our words influential.
4. To act according to the principles of ikhlas (sincerity in deeds and to aim at gaining the God’s favour)
5. To set a good relationship with the people we invite.
6. To treat them with compassion like a mother to his child
7. To know our powerlessness and weakness and to know that only Allah can turn the hearts toward Islam.
8. To act by preserving the hope and encouragement of “Only Allah can affect people”
9. To be afraid of Divine punishment when we neglect and disregard the activity of invitation as it is a religious duty.
10. To carry out invitation activities in a way affecting the mind and the heart.

We will try to explain the last one of these principles ‘Islamic invitation should be affecting the mind and the heart.’

Invitation should be carried out in a way appealing to mind, heart and the feelings. Yes, Islamic invitation should not only convince the mind but also satisfy the heart. Besides being the nurture of the heart and giving the spiritual benefits, it also should be a means of encouraging for doing good deeds and a way to keep away from sinful actions by showing the distress and the difficulties in them.

As a result of his nature and creation, man is very scared of the punishment and torture to be applied to him immediately; besides, he would always and wholeheartedly prefer a benefit of the present to others to be given to him later. This is because grief and benefit are mainly related to the soul and feelings. Soul and feelings are addicted to present, cannot see the future. Just as man would rather many future sorrows and sometimes even death than experiencing the pain of a medicine or medical operation, he can also consent to a one-year punishment in jail so as to escape from the distress of a slap of the present. After all, it is because of this mentioned blindness of the soul that it chooses to commit the sins which look like poisonous honey and have momentary benefits. Based on this fact, if we ask people, “Would you like a spoonful of honey now or twenty kilos of honey five years hence?” the majority of them would prefer the spoonful of honey now available with the incentive of the soul and the feelings.

In just the same way, some people give up worshipping, which actually resembles a healing medicine, just in order to abstain from the insignificant discomfort and distress caused by worship. Those wretched people do not consider that there is a never-ending grief and torment they would suffer both in this world and in the hereafter as punishment for not performing that worship. They are accepting an absolute and everlasting torment and sorrow by avoiding a slight current distress. That is the extreme level of heedlessness.

In an environment where most of the people live by Islam and socially preserve their spiritual purity, it may be enough to tell people the existence and oneness of Allah, encourage them towards worship through explaining them the existence of heaven and the bounties and blissful life along with it. Moreover we can tell of the pangs of the hell, which may be sufficient for them to abandon sins. Such a lesson may be beneficial for them because the soul, fancy and feelings are not strengthened by haraams and sins and cannot dominate the mind. But now, only one person out of ten or twenty could benefit from that lesson in the face of the obstinacy emerging from the habit of perversion, dissoluteness and immorality which arising from atheism and science. He too, however, says, “Allah is Ever-Forgiving and Ever-Merciful; He will forgive our sins, and the hell is too far away” and keeps on committing those haraams and sins.

That is, the ones who are suffering from heresy can hardly benefit from that kind of a lesson. They can only take advantage of our lessons once we show them that the heaven and its joys contained in belief and worship can be felt even in this world and the hell and its torments involved in blasphemy and transgression can be experienced in our lives.

Yes, we may describe one of many truths of a Qur’anic verse to elucidate the matter. It is as follows: “Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness (of unbelief) into the light (of belief).” (Baqarah, 257)

Yes, unbelief and denial turn the death into a decree of execution for unbelievers. This is because an unbeliever doesn’t believe in the hereafter and the resurrection after death. Basically they have faith in the philosophical thought “humans come on the earth, live and pass away like plants”, so they regard death as eternal execution and non-existence.

However, as known by everyone, a decree which sentences someone to execution with no way of escape will certainly cause real-like distress and suffering to that person any moment he recalls the execution. That person will suffer as though he was being executed a thousand times a day. The joys, enjoyments, ornaments and property of the world cannot stop that sorrow and bring him wellbeing.

In the same way, unbelief and denial not only show that death is the decree of execution for the unbelievers, but also indicate that it is a nonexistence for all his friends and relatives, all humanity, all entity, and even all the universe. As you know, man becomes happy with his friends’ happiness, while also feeling sorrow at their sorrows. An unbeliever, who constantly suffers from his nonexistence, suffers also from the torment of the nonexistence of his friends, relatives, all people, all entity, and the whole universe. It is as if unbelief fills up the universe with the sorrow of the nonexistence of all creation and releases it over the unbeliever’s mind and heart. As long as he lives, it makes him taste the torments of the hell due to his unbelief before going to the hell. It is a reality that unbelief has such consequences, and mind and heart cannot deny but accept it.

So as to be saved from this dread and sorrow of unbelief and heresy, unbelievers and sinful people tend to indulge themselves in drunkenness and leisure in order to narcotize their minds and be freed from their minds’ assaults. Moreover, because reminding them of death means reminding them of every item of nonexistence that we have enumerated above, they take that reminding as the biggest insult.

As belief, on the other hand, proves the existence of resurrection and hereafter through numberless evidences and proofs, it indicates that death is the sentence of deliverance from execution. It convinces the mind that believer together with all his friends, companions, all the humanity, even the whole creation and universe is not annihilated by death; on the contrary, death is means of gaining an eternal life and body. Moreover, belief brings all those out of darkness and sorrow of annihilation and shows them the way to obtain the bliss and benefit of the light of eternal existence. So, the believer not only takes pleasure from his eternal existence but also becomes happy and content with all his relatives and beloveds having a perpetual life in this way. That’s to say, belief fills up the universe with the light of all entities and universe gaining everlasting lives and releases this light to the mind and the heart of the believer. It also makes him deserve the heaven and makes him taste heavenly pleasures and bliss as long as he is alive.

Yes, as stated in Risale-i Nur, “Belief makes man into man and indeed makes him into king. Then, man’s most essential duty is belief and supplication. Unbelief, on the other hand, makes man an extremely powerless beast.” An unbeliever has no power; however, despite the fact that he cannot withstand cases like hunger, thirstiness and death, the unbeliever, like a monster to kill an innocent animal, rebels first against his Creator and transgresses people’s and many animals’ rights.

Showing everyone of sound mind that there is the sorrow of the hell and its torments within in unbelief and heresy themselves besides proving that there are worldly benefits as well as heavenly pleasures contained within belief and worship, Risale-i Nur, based on those principles, is a means originated from the Holy Qur’an for those who still maintain their minds to be saved from that unbelief and indulgence. Especially, it will be seen that the existence of the hereafter is proved as certainly as ‘two times two makes four’ if you see treatises of Tenth Word and Twenty Ninth Word in Risale-i Nur Collection.

Therefore, belief in Allah bears the seed of Tuba Tree of Paradise in that it makes the believer gain the Paradise. For sure, it stands for the seed for the Heaven, resides in believer’s heart as the Heaven and makes him taste the pleasure and bliss of the Heaven even in this world. However, unbelief will end up with the Hell as it conceals the seed of Zakkum Tree of Hell containing the Hell in it and making the unbeliever experience the Hell and its grievous torments and suffering in his heart.

While conveying the truths of belief and Islamic issues, Risale-i Nur, in accordance with the aforementioned criteria, not only convinces people’s minds but also gives the heart and spirit the needed spiritual pleasure. It also affects the soul for it to be trained. Rather, it satisfies man’s all feelings through the spiritual power it receives from the Qur’an as it is an interpretation of the Qur’an. As Hadrat Bediuzzaman says, “The grief is mine and the remedy is Qur’an’s.” Consequently, each of the Risale-i Nur potions is a remedy for our distresses.
Oh Allah! Make us love belief and make it our hearts’ ornament. Do not make us love those rebels against you and keep us away from them. Amin for the sake of the Master of the Prophets, Muhammad alayhissalam.

On the 5th of November, an army psychiatrist fatally shot 12 men dead and wounded 38 in Fort Hood (Killeen TX), one of the biggest military bases in US. Surprisingly! the guy who killed these soldiers was a Muslim whose name is Nidal Malik Hasan. Although it is claimed that several soldiers were involved in the shooting, we have no chance to know what actually happened there. According to the other soldiers Malik Hasan had been continuously arguing with his friends about a possible deployment to Afghanistan, saying that the new president Mr. Hope would never go for that kind of decision. The obvious bright side is he didn’t witness the huge disappointment that we experienced.

Roughly a month later after the Fort Hood incident, Obama delivered a speech in a military base and announced the deployment of troops to Afghanistan. Regardless of political view, there is a consensus that his speech was no different than a Bush speech; it consisted a lot of national security and emphasized and in fact focused on 9/11 and of course he had to say these men, who claimed to be responsible for the 9/11 attacks, were Muslim although he expressed his personal feelings about Islam by saying that it is one of the greatest religions in the world (appreciation). While some democrats started to get suspicious! that whether these speeches are being prepared by someone else, some turned out to be military experts and said that the decision of deployment was necessary. Ironically just 9 days later, Obama delivered one more speech and this time it was for the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony. No, I didn’t see a sign of shame on his face.

Right after that speech, I was listening to a local radio talk which was about the future of Afghanistan. In the middle of the show the programmer said: “well these Islamic extremists see us as infidels either to be converted to Islam or to be killed but they are not just in Afghanistan, they are everywhere so what to do with them?” now that is the exact phrase that they want to put into the people’s minds. A Muslim just like Malik Hasan might be seemed as a normal guy. But sooner or later, when there is no hope for conversion, he is going to murder you. But what if people take this as an extra-ordinary case considering the fact that they do add the word ‘extreme’ near Islam?

Yet again, On December 25th, Umar Farouq Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian national, tried to explode a plane up in the air. The plane took off from Amsterdam, which has one of the most secure airports in the world. And the story goes on as you can guess, extremist ties, Al-Qaida and so on.

There is no need to scratch your head and think that what could actually happen in these incidents. Instead, I want you to look at the big picture. Two very much Muslim names in two bad events and a president, who gained liberal and surely some Muslim votes, giving a second 9/11 speech. Here is the end of the story; as a Muslim, when you present your driving license (which of course has a Muslim name on it such as Umar Farouq) in a bank, in a grocery store, in Wal-Mart, in Blockbuster or to a Police Officer just before getting your ticket, if you started to notice weird expressions on the faces and feel that you are being treated differently (implying that you are a potential terrorist), it is the day that you are no longer accepted in the community and that is what they have been trying to do. We already live this in the airports at the security check points. “Sir! You have been selected for additional screening”. Based on what? Anyway, We already know the answer, don’t bother…