Endeavor for Renewal (Broken Ju - M. Fethullah Gulen.pdf

 THE BROKEN JUG SERIES – 12 Endeavor for Renewal Droplets of Wisdom from the Heart M. Fethullah Gülen NEW JERSEY LONDON FRANKFURT CAIRO JAKARTA New Jersey  Copyright © 2015 by Tughra Books Originally published in Turkish as Yen...

 THE BROKEN JUG SERIES – 12 Endeavor for Renewal Droplets of Wisdom from the Heart M. Fethullah Gülen NEW JERSEY LONDON FRANKFURT CAIRO JAKARTA New Jersey  Copyright © 2015 by Tughra Books Originally published in Turkish as Yenilenme Cehdi, Nil Yayınları, İstanbul, 2013. 18 17 16 15 / 1 2 3 4 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher. Translated by Korkut Altay Published by Tughra Books 345 Clifton Ave., Clifton, NJ, 07011, USA www.tughrabooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available Epub Ahmet Kahramanoglu Dial ISBN 978-1-59784-696-7 Printed by Çağlayan A.Ş., Izmir - Turkey  Preface The beginning of all good deed or beneficial work is important because it is the first step on a path that, hopefully, leads to a good conclusion. Yet it is only a beginning; a beginning alone is not sufficient for the continuity of goodness. There are so many good beginnings that do not reach the spring and are buried in history, leaving broken dreams behind. Every journey or action that blooms to existence and smiles at life needs further positive dynamics to realize its own identity and become a tree that yields fruit and maintains its liveliness. The most important of these dynamics is the will and struggle for self-renewal. Everything is kept alive by renewal; when renewal stops, decay and decomposition begin, and a once promising endeavor becomes like a corpse whose soul has been taken. The most important thing is understanding renewal correctly. Self- renewal should definitely not be confused with a fancy for renewal. True renewal is realized by retaining the purity of the seed and the root, and by synthesizing an entire inheritance of values with new thoughts and wisdom appropriate to the age. Thus, one can reach clearer horizons of reflection. Self-renewal is a purely metaphysical phenomenon, a spiritual revival; one must stay true to the sacred values. In other words, a thorough revival can only be realized with the efforts of the spirit, intellect, feelings, and willpower working in concert. Utilizing the spirit’s power to the fullest, making flawless use of the knowledge inherited from the past, being constantly open to spiritual breezes of inspiration, not being trapped by blind imitation, and always following a sound methodology are some dynamics of an ideal renewal. A person leads an impulsive and energetic life in their youth. When the age of maturity comes, everything finds its right place and the person begins to lead a life shaped by sound judgment and reason. But there sometimes comes a phase when feelings and thoughts lose their color and become dull. This does not signify maturation of character; on the contrary, this state expresses losing the spirit of things that once meant a great deal to you. Actually, such transformations experienced by individuals also hold true for collectives and communities. In their heyday, strong communities flow like rivers. They beam with smiles at their periods of youth and maturity, but then begin to dull with the fall of their seasons. By utilizing their inner dynamics well, some survive for a long time and some for a shorter period, but they all move toward their destined ends. In this respect, both in individual and social life, one’s eyes must be directed to peaks, one’s wings must be open wide to reach higher levels, and one must pursue noble ideals. Without such determination, these ideals will never come true. Without such resolve, stagnancy and disintegration become inevitable. In the person of the Prophet’s blessed Companions, the Qur’an calls believers to such a revival: “Has not the time yet come for those who believe that their hearts should soften with humility and submit (to God to strive in His cause) in the face of God’s Remembrance (the Qur’an) and what has come down of the truth (the Divine teachings)?” (al-Hadid 57:16). Believers who respond positively to this call must maintain enthusiasm for progress, so that they will be protected by Divine providence, will stay fresh as long as possible, and will not topple over. They must do this so that they are not blown adrift by every new wave of change and transformation. It is possible to speak up with a new voice and offer the world a new righteous understanding of civilization. But it should never be forgotten that the realization of this ideal depends on the human factor. It depends on individuals who think, judge, draw on sound reasoning, and experiment; who have a say in every field, from sciences to arts, technology to metaphysics; who seek ways of deepening their knowledge of every issue that concerns them; who use a constructive spirit to realize self-renewal without losing respect for the Divine Essence, and who oppose all kinds of narrow- mindedness. These vigorous souls with steel willpower must keep running on the path of serving humanity with an insatiable love for research, an ever-evolving passion for knowledge of God, and an otherworldly profundity beyond comprehension. This book conveys the feelings and thoughts of a person who has dedicated his life for the coming of such a generation and who suffers, in heart and mind, for this ideal.  Religiousness and Religious Sensitivity Question: Could you explain the meanings conveyed by the terms “religiousness” and “religious sensitivity”? Answer: Religiousness has different degrees, from being reverent toward religious principles in theory, to practicing religious commandments and making religion the pervading spirit in one’s life. For example, some people know and believe in the essentials of faith and observe daily worship accordingly. On the other hand, some take faith in a rather immense sense; they follow what it commands and keep away from what it forbids with this approach. They go so far that, in addition to refraining from sin and fulfilling the obligatory commandments, they even take a stance against doubtful things, concerned about the possibility of committing something forbidden. They try to lead their lives as God-fearing believers. As for those who practice religion with a deeper consciousness, they always observe worship with a feeling of offering it to Divine inspection, and live with a full consciousness of God and His omnipresence. In this respect, there are various degrees of religiousness, stretching from the ground level to the stars in the sky. Incidentally, let me add that even with its primary level, religiousness bears a crucial value for people, and it should never be dismissed whatsoever. As for religious sensitivity, it refers to very meticulous observation of religious principles in one’s personal life first, and then being exceedingly sensitive about the religious practices of one’s family members, close environment, and other people willing to benefit from his or her spiritual guidance. In other words, religious sensitivity means living with the fervor and enthusiasm as expressed by a saintly figure: “If only all people in the world loved the One I love; if only all of our words would be a narrative of the Beloved One” (Yahya of Taşlıca). I Wish I Could Kindle Love of God in Hearts A believer with religious sensitivity has the following feeling and thought about others: “How I wish I could tell these brothers and sisters about God and kindle love for Him in their hearts! How I wish I could evoke a passion of togetherness with God in them! How I wish, they could feel so close to God as to supplicate every time they raise their hands, as if saying: ‘My God, I am asking from You forgiveness, goodness, Your good pleasure, Your care, Divine zephyrs, company, closeness, the ability to love You as becomes Your glory, togetherness, protection, victories with Your help, and for You to be my guardian.’” According to his or her degree, a believer who has such sensitivity will calculate how to help others attain such horizons, not only for people in their close sphere for but all of humanity. They will figure out how to evoke such enthusiasm in everyone. His cause will be to make others love the noble Spirit of the Master of Humankind, peace and blessings be upon him, to the degree of feeling a spasm deep in their spine when his majestic name is mentioned. On the other hand, such a believer feels agonized by witnessing people stagger, fall, or lapse, and exerts himself by finding out what else he can do to keep people away from the slippery grounds that cause people to fall into misguidance. In conclusion, he leads a very sensitive life with respect to guiding society, preventing falls, and putting a stop to detachment from religion. Sensitivity of Bringing Others to Life As we have described, a true believer is not content with the Prophet’s blessed name ringing out from the minarets in his own country, but takes the hadith stating that his name will reach everywhere the sun rises and sets1 as an ideal; thus, he tries to lead his life accordingly. While pursuing his ideals, he never worries about his own pettiness and does not say, “What can a man like me do?” Knowing that God makes little things realize great works,2 he always keeps walking with determination and dynamism, and always acts with a spirit of responsibility. He holds the understanding: “If there is a bosom full of faith somewhere, he can find a way and let all the hearts feel the inspirations of his spirit.” It needs to be known that if the horizons of one’s ideals cover an entire nation, God lets that person achieve great tasks, which would normally take an entire nation. As it happened with Prophet Abraham and the Pride of Humanity, God Almighty grants the honor of accomplishing such a lofty duty to that person as well. All of these indicate being very sensitive in religious life, far beyond being merely religious. In other words, you can name this as a sensitivity of reviving or giving life to others. In this respect, it can be said that being religious and having religious sensitivity are different. However, these two have certain parallels. The furthest limit of religiousness can be summarized as refraining from doubtful things,3 seeing oneself like a murderer for having missed a Prayer, and carrying out the necessity of Divine commandments in a flawless fashion with the utmost sensitivity. This also includes feeling glad with a consciousness of having received a Divine blessing after having fulfilled God’s commandments (instead of laying claim on that blessing and taking personal pride), and then having concerns as “I hope I did not adulterate this deed with sanctimonious considerations.” These points, which are considered as the furthest levels of religiousness, mark the beginning of religious sensitivity. As a consequence of that sensitivity, a believer who has a sensitivity of such immensity and depth wants to let others also experience what he feels and let them enjoy the blessings he enjoys. Let Us Destroy the Monuments We Build to Ourselves First People of these horizons are sufferers for their cause. They continuously think about their noble ideals and suffer mental anguish. They even continue their actions while—excuse me— answering a call of nature. They generate new thoughts and note down these new thoughts coming as soon as possible, and when they cannot note them down, they then save them in the neurons of their brains to consider later. Sometimes, the concern for their cause seizes those suffering souls to make them err at their Prayer. Even though there is no such established concept in terminology, we ascribe the errors of the muqarrabin (those closest to God) to such a lofty consideration. For example, concerning the Pride of Humanity’s few minor mistakes in his Prayers,4 we think, “God knows how the noble Spirit of the Master of Humankind, millions of peace and blessings be upon him, who is open to highest spiritual horizons, pursued such lofty goals that the Prayer remained, in a sense, secondary.” He was not even dizzied by the Ascension (Miraj), and after he attained unattainable levels, he returned back as a necessity of his mission.5 As a matter of fact, Abdul Quddus makes the following comment about this truth: “By God, Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, attained the unattainable and saw things impossible to see. He reached such levels that a man will never consent to return from there. By God, if I reached there, I would not return!” Another saintly figure who comments on this consideration says, “Here is the difference between a saint and a Prophet.” That is, a saint continues his spiritual journeys, ascending from one stage to the next; a Prophet does not only make personal progress but, after having reached the highest peaks, he returns back to guide people and direct them to the same horizons. We can ascribe to the same consideration Umar ibn al-Khattab’s mistake during a Prayer. After finishing the Prayer he led, the congregation told him that it was mistaken. He replied that he was transferring soldiers to the Iraqi region in his imagination.6 As it is seen, the duty of glorifying the Name of God occupied his mind even during the gaps of Prayer. This is an indication of an amazingly sensitive concern for religion. It is not possible for a person of such religious sensitivity to be inclined toward temptations or to leave any cracks in observing the obligatory commandments.  In conclusion, a community whose members carry out worship in a casual manner with a consideration to get rid of it cannot possibly build up the statue of their souls and become heroes of revival. If we are to build a real monument to our spirit, a spectacular one that gives relief to and enchants those who see it, then we need to take an axe and destroy the monuments we built to ourselves. Then we need to build up a new monument that consists of religious commandments and whose cement is God’s good pleasure, so that it does not ever come down. Therefore, a selfish understanding as “Observe your own Prayers and fasting; do not care about the rest,” can never be acceptable, and such an understanding can never fulfill the responsibility of glorifying the Name of God. 1 Sahih Muslim, Fitan, 19; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Fitan, 14; Sunan Abu Dawud, Fitan, 1 (All footnotes were written by the editors.) 2 Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, Lem’alar, p. 350, 398–399; Şualar, p. 646 3 Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 19; Sunan ibn Majah, Zuhd, 24 4 Sahih al- Bukhari, Salah, 88; Adhan, 69; Sahw, 1; Sahih Muslim, Masajid, 97–99; Sunan an-Nasa’i, Sahw, 21 5 Al-Isra, 17:1; Sahih al- Bukhari, Badu’l-Khalq, 6; Manakıbu’l-Ansar, 42; Sahih Muslim, Iman, 264 6 Sahih al- Bukhari, Amal fi’s-Salah, 18; Ibn Abi Shayba, Al-Musannaf, 2/186  Those Who Migrate for Noble Ideals and the Chivalrous Souls That Welcome Them Question: After Prophet Lot, the Prophets were sent from among strong families.7 Relatively speaking, can we consider the spiritual person of the Hizmet Movement as such a strong support (rukn al-shadid) for the volunteers in our time? Answer: Prophet Lot, who was Prophet Abraham’s nephew,8 was sent to the people who lived around the Dead Sea region, which included the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. A certain immoral sexual act had become commonplace. The Qur’an refers to this issue in the context of different verses.9 Before they were destroyed, God sent angels in human form to Prophet Lot as a miracle. They appeared as beautiful young men, as a final factor of Divine testing. When the people of Lot saw them, they became fixed on the newcomers as the target of their immoral behavior and it was the end of spoken address; they totally lost the test and were buried into the ground. God Almighty punished them with a shower of meteors.10 So when those morally corrupted ones saw the angels near Prophet Lot and ran there drooling with their indecent intent, Prophet Lot said: “Would that I had power to resist you, or that I could lean upon some strong support!” (Hud 11:80). Any decent person who was in that great Prophet’s position would say the same thing, but nobody would express it so neatly like a Prophet did. For this reason, the Messenger of God stated that the helplessness of Prophet Lot was accepted as a prayer: “And after him, God Almighty sent every Prophet from among a large community in their people.”11 That is, by sending every Prophet to come in later periods as a member of a certain tribe, God Almighty did not let possible attackers reach him right away, as the tribe served as a protective circle. Divine Providence through the Veil of Causality The Pride of Humanity was from the Banu Hashim tribe, which was a very strong tribe in Mecca. His grandfather Abdul Muttalib was a distinguished figure in Mecca. After Abdul Muttalib passed, he was succeeded by his son Abu Talib, who was the Prophet’s guardian during his childhood and youth. So even the question of beating the noble Prophet with a flick of one’s little finger would be sufficient to cause the Banu Hashim tribe to mobilize. For this reason, the pagans of Mecca would not dare attacking the blessed Prophet. In the realm of causes, God Almighty screened His Divine protection for His beloved servant behind such apparent factors. We can consider the event narrated in the second page of the chapter of Ya-Sin. Accordingly, God sent two messengers to a city, Antakya according to most books of Qur’anic exegesis,12 but the people of the city refused to believe them. He reveals “We reinforced them with a third” (Ya-Sin 36:13) that they have his support behind them and they are not alone. A third one being added to the first two indicates that a fourth may come if need be. This provides them with an opportunity to carry out their duty further. When the history of the Prophets is considered, we can mention other cases to exemplify our point. I would like to leave that issue to the experts of the field and answer the second part of the question. The devoted souls in our time travel to the four corners of the world with the love of humanity in their hearts. In some instances, only a few people, or even just a single person, go to a certain country. In the places they go, they face children of very different cultures who come from different backgrounds. They speak a different language, follow a different religion, and put emphasis on different values. For this reason, the volunteers who go to those countries might face various difficulties. As it is underlined in the question, the spiritual person of the movement can serve as a sound point of reliance and a safe haven. People of Anatolia supported this movement, and there were even some statesmen, who had political authority, who helped the volunteers wherever they went. In the same way, the support given by businessmen who went to those countries as investors sufficed to make the volunteers feel they were not alone. With such high morale, they made a very good impression on the people they encountered. Language Olympiads, Relief for Hearts When seen from this perspective, the language Olympiads that are annually held in Turkey can also be regarded as strong support for the volunteers serving in four corners of the world. Students from very different countries do not merely speak Turkish; with the language they speak, they present a view missed and expected by humanity, a view in the name of love, peace, and tolerance. The people of Turkey—from ordinary people to statesmen—sincerely appreciate these students and those who provide them with educational services. These activities are held in a growing circle. Though they used to be held only in the cities of Istanbul and Ankara, many other cities have joined the list. In the coming years, God knows how many more cities will open their arms to these activities, and students from four corners of the world will continue to relieve hearts with their hope inspiring poems, ballads, and songs. The fact that an entire nation, including people in administrative positions, applauds this issue will raise the volunteers’ spirits and become a source of morale and strength for them. I would like to express a different point about the issue. From the words of Prophet Lot “Would that I had power to resist you, or that I could lean upon some strong support…” we can infer that anybody who serves on the path of God needs to lean on a strong support. It is very important to have a source of power, a dynamo to boost their morale and help their trustworthiness be recognized by the people they address. For example, administrators in Turkey visited and gave sincere support to the educational institutions in the country. They stated they would continue their support and attended many institutional activities. All of these constitute a very important support for this movement, which has become a global event. Undoubtedly, God’s power, help, and protection are the greatest support for a believer. However, it should not be forgotten that we live in a realm of causes and are responsible for fulfilling the requirements of causes. Therefore, we cannot ignore the causes before us. Let me also point out that no matter what happens, while sharing our feelings, thoughts, and inspirations of our souls with others, we must absolutely refrain from arrogant considerations along with wishes or inclinations to impose our feelings on them. We must even keep away from attitudes and behaviors that might be perceived as pushing. We need to express our thoughts and feelings with a very soft manner that will be welcomed by the people we address. We should even not forget that besides the good and beneficial things others will learn from us, the same is true vice versa. In the globalized world of our time, very important things may have flourished in different regions of the world. Different ideas and considerations we will receive from others can take us to new combinations in our world of feeling and thoughts. Then what befalls on us is to take any beauties that can be good for serving humanity and try to benefit from them. Markets Where Roses Are Bought and Sold When it comes to making our beauties felt in others’ hearts, we try to express any beautiful value we have through our system of education, and through our cultural centers and existing media organs. We try to make the issue virtually into a marketplace where everybody can reveal what they possess. Thus, the values that find their buyers reach people on demand. Pushing an entire heritage of values on others and presenting matters in a manner of looking down on them is the wrong approach. It must never be forgotten that even if your values are something others desperately need, a mistake of style will make people react against every outer element of goodness. In order not to cause such a reaction, it is necessary to approach the issue as an exchange of values where we learn good and beneficial things from them and present the beauties in our hands in an acceptable form.  Actually, our globalizing world badly needs such an interaction, because we can prevent disagreements and irreconcilable differences only through mutual contact and cultural exchange; thus we can build an atmosphere of peace to cover the whole of humanity. If such bridges of dialogue are not formed between different cultures and civilizations, differences and conflicts might drift humanity toward irrevocable fights and wars. Such a clash in our time will not resemble any of the two world wars. It will undoubtedly be much more deadly and destructive. There can be no winner in a war made with nuclear weapons. Such a war means the end of humanity. In order to protect humanity against such a danger, it is necessary to build bridges of peace between different understandings and cultures, receiving certain things from them while also conveying certain things to them, and thus showing that different societies and cultures are not alien and hostile. If this can be done, diverse cultures will recognize that there are no enormous, irreconcilable differences that should lead to conflict. At a period when understanding and reconciliation are seriously needed, such dialogue is a crucial service, done for the sake of humanity. 7 Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Tafsir as-Surah (12), 1; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, 2/533 8 As-Sa’labi, Al-Kashf wa’l-Bayan, 6/283; Al-Baghawi, Ma’alimu’t-Tanzil, 3/251; Al-Qurtubi, Al-Jami li Ahkami’l-Qur’an, 13/339 9 Al-Hijr 15:51–77; ash-Shuara 26:160–175; an-Naml 27:53–58; al-Qamar 54:33–39 10 Hud 11:69–83 11 Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Tafsir as-Surah (12), 1; Al-Bukhari, Al-Adabu’l-Mufrad, p. 212 12 Az-Zamahshari, Al-Kashshaf, 4/10; Ar-Razi, Mafatihu’l-Ghayb, 26/45  Measures against Polluted Minds Question: How can we save our minds and hearts from the bad effects of negative subconscious accumulation? Answer: Such a background that pollutes our mind, spirit, world of emotions, reasoning, and judgment, appears before us like an obstacle to block our mechanisms of reasoning and judgment, and can yield disturbing results. It is an unpleasant realization. It paralyzes a person’s religious feelings and pollutes their spiritual subtle faculties. For this reason, one must try to give the willpower its due and try to get rid of such influences as much as possible. Such ugly and harmful accumulations may have emerged as a consequence of situations out of our own will. But it should not be forgotten that such negative factors become elements of the world testing us. Therefore, we need to see them as agents that trigger wrongdoing and sinning, and thus take due precautions. For example, the eye encounters a negative scene somewhere and the memory takes a picture of it. That picture, stored in the subconscious, can surface later on. This situation might drift the person toward obscene thoughts, ugly memories, and slippery grounds. To reiterate, it is necessary to give the willpower its due and keep it under control as much as possible. Indeed, when one feels ugly memories awakening, the verses of the Holy Qur’an recommend moving away from that atmosphere immediately.13 Deadly Viruses and Preventive Medicine To give an example, a mental picture left by an encounter with an obscene sight or an ugly expression might tempt a person at any moment. Therefore, one needs to rid oneself from that situation immediately, without giving it the slightest chance to survive. Because, as time passes, they make their presence felt and pressure the person in certain ways. They resemble viruses. Just as germs begin to prevail over the body during a physical weakness, subconscious viruses come to the stage in times of spiritual weakness and the absence of sublime feelings. They launch an attack and try to take the individual under control. For this reason, some spiritual figures planned their lives in a way that will not allow committing anything evil, even if one intends to do so. In other words, those great guides took such a stance with the precautions they took from the very beginning and thus blocked the ways of even minor heedlessness. Some even preferred to live as hermits in order to keep away from sins. They saw isolation as a barrier against evils that could tempt them. However, for those who are supposed to not only practice faith but also teach it to others, particularly for the inheritors of the Prophetic heritage, the truthful path to be taken is being with the Real, though in public. This is called jalwat (company of people) in Sufism. Togetherness with the Deity within the society is a Prophetic attitude. It is the essential duty of a believer to give one’s hue to one’s environment. As a believer wishes to keep pure at heart, it is necessary to endeavor to make the atmosphere he or she lives in into a pure place and to completely eliminate factors of evil from there. Holes Filled in as a Precaution against Sinister Enemies There is a parable about the beloved Prophet and noble Abu Bakr during their emigration from Mecca. When they reached the Cave of Thawr, Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, entered the cave first to check for any harmful animals and to clean the interior. Then he filled the holes he saw by tearing bits from his robe in order to prevent any vermin from harming the noble Prophet. Then the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, came in to have some rest. However, the pieces of cloth did not suffice for a final hole, which Abu Bakr eventually closed with his foot. Right at that moment, a snake came and bit his heel. Although this parable is not narrated in reliable sources, the gist of the story conveys certain truths for us. One of them is how loyal Abu Bakr was to the beloved Prophet. If there had been the danger of a snake attacking the blessed Prophet, noble Abu Bakr would have done anything to prevent it against all odds, even at the expense of pushing his heel into the mouth of a snake. The second lesson to be drawn from the story is that Believers must fill in all cracks and holes in their environment against every kind of danger that might harm their relationship with God and their spiritual life—including the holes that bear the possibility of turning dangerous. A true believer must fill that hole with one’s own being if necessary and implore God thus: “My God, I might lose everything at this point in terms of my worldly life, but please protect me from any dangerous factor that can harm my relation with You, and consciousness of obedience to You; so let the monument of my spirit always stand upright and if it will ever bow down, let it bow down before nobody but You.” As I stated before, it is always possible to question the authenticity of this event but with respect to the meanings to be derived from its message, it not only conveys an example of loyalty but also an important lesson of heedfulness and taking precautions. In this second sense, the moral of the story is that “A believer gives his hue to his environment and builds a secure atmosphere where he can live in accordance with his own feelings and thoughts.” The Bad Friend and the Snake Getting back to our main subject, we can list things we can do for the sake of ridding ourselves of ugly thoughts and images: 1. The noble Prophet counseled a pattern of action against a possible a corruptive feeling or thought as rage, which can drift one to perdition: “Rage is from Satan; Satan was created from fire, and fire is extinguished with water. Then when one of you is enraged, let him make ablutions.”14 Here, God’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, refers to a change of state and attitude. When the issue is analyzed from a perspective of human psychology, it will be seen that this advice is an effective course of action for controlling rage. Basing this on a saying of the noble Prophet, we can say that one must definitely have a change of state and environment for the sake of ridding oneself from the atmosphere of sinning. Thus, he will first be freed from the pressure of corruptive memories and images, and then by subscribing to a different atmosphere and different kinds of feelings and thoughts, he will be able to rid his mind and heart of the influence of those negativities. 2. A believer must always have righteous friends and be together with them. As I reiterated in many talks, the first thing they would teach a new student to learn religious discipline was a couplet meaning: “A bad friend is worse than a snake. If you come under his influence, he drifts you to Hell. As for a good friend, he takes you to Paradise.” It is of crucial importance to have good friends, because a person cannot keep standing by oneself all the time. If we compare a person to a tent, one cannot be both the main pole and the pegs of that entity at the same time. As a man bears the tent of being on his shoulders, like a main pole, he needs a few friends to serve as pegs holding its cloth in place. Only then can that structure remain standing. When stones forming a dome lean on one another, they do not fall. For this reason, the noble Prophet stated: “One traveler is a devil. Two travelers are two devils (who run the risk of agreeing on something evil). But three travelers are a group.”15 As the Messenger of God advised us to keep such company, a believer must adjust his or her atmosphere accordingly. Then what befalls on believers to always keep company with righteous and true friends. Thus, when we are inclined to a certain mistake, those friends will immediately warn us and try to bring us to our senses in the face of a possible wrong. Who knows, maybe most of the time, we will feel shame near those righteous ones and keep away from evil feelings and considerations. At this point I would like to express one fact about my inner world. When my righteous friends warned me about certain mistakes of mine, I may have felt ashamed and embarrassed a bit. It may have been hard on me. But if looking at the issue in terms of the result it yielded, I always gratefully praised God for it, and felt sincerely thankful toward those friends. As a matter of fact, Bediüzzaman makes a wise warning by saying “If someone were to tell me that there is a scorpion on my neck or in my armpit, I would be grateful to him, not offended.”16 If a righteous believer warns a fellow believer as “You are not careful enough with what hits your eyes and ears!” then that person will probably be shaken like a car brought to a sudden halt while going downslope. However, when he or she looks at the issue with respect to the eternal life, then it will be clear that it is nothing at all to worry about. Such a warning will help coming to one’s senses and being saved from falling into a vicious cycle. This is the reward of togetherness with righteous friends. 3. For a lifetime, a believer must be full of feelings and thoughts about the values he or she believes, must continuously read and think, and be fed by the essential sources without leaving a gap in one’s personal life. In addition, with serious effort and heartfelt prayer in this respect, it is necessary to pray for protection, help, and guardianship from God with the confession, “O God, please save us from sinning and rebellion. Be our protector! Hold our hand, we cannot do without You!” In fact, the Messenger of God teaches us a course of action by praying as “O the All-Living and Self-Subsistent One! I seek assistance through the means of Your Mercy, correct for me all my affairs and do not entrust me to my soul for the moment of a blink of an eye.”17 Let me make one final point, that as those who turned to God sincerely in a heartfelt manner did not remain on the road, those who adopt righteous company, and with the help of God, never became lost. 13 Al-A’raf 7:200–201; Fussilat 41:36 14 Sunan Abu Dawud, Adab, 4 15 Sunan Abu Dawud, Jihad, 86; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Jihad, 4 16 Nursi, Mektubat, p. 66 17 An-Nasa’i, As-Sunanu’l-Kubra, 6/147; Al-Bazzar, Al-Musnad, 13/49  A Common Disease and Possible Cures Question: Individuals’ being easily offended and harboring bitter feelings toward one another for a long time has almost become a widespread “disease” in our time. How do you think it is possible to cure this disease, which gives way to personal, familial, and social problems? Answer: In a situation as described in the question, individuals feel broken-hearted toward someone and consequently distance oneself from that person. They take a negative stance against that person, and refuse to continue friendly relations with him. It mostly entails other negative behaviors as well. For example, one who harbors resentment against a friend does not only stop there, but in time he or she begins to think negatively about that friend. This mood might even give way to backbiting or slandering that person. When a misfortune happens to the latter, the one harboring resentment feels glad about it. What is worse, as a resentful person lets oneself deeper into these negativities, he or she does not realize the greatness of their mistake and sin, owing to inclinations of seeing oneself as innocent. However, all of these are condemnable acts in the sight of God, which might cause one to fall into eternal ruin. The noble Prophet’s warnings and advice on this issue are of crucial importance. In one instance he stated that it is not lawful for a Muslim to break relations with his brother (or her sister in religion) for more than three days.18 That no matter what happens, a Muslim can continue such a state of bitterness for no more than three days. Incidentally, let me add that if the case of being offended is not based on reasonable grounds, or a sound reference (manat) as termed in Islamic Law, even a period of three days will not be allowed. If the causes that led to breaking relations are real and acceptable—only then—can they break off relations for three days, which is the uppermost limit. This period lets anger abate and bitter feelings disappear. It allows broken feelings to weaken, and it will be possible to reconsider the rights of the other person in a calmer mood. As a consequence, the feeling and thoughts of brotherhood or sisterhood will revive once more in the believer’s spirit; they will fill the distance you put in between, and you will become close friends again. So by giving certain measures, the hadith teaches a way for freeing ourselves from resentment. Bitter Feelings in the Real and Metaphorical Sense Although there is no accustomed distinction as the real and metaphorical sense of the issue, we can make such a classification according to the intention and purpose of the people involved. Accordingly, harboring bitter feelings in the real sense is a condemnable condition, whereas its metaphorical version is a strategy that can be employed when necessary. A father can tell his own children “I was not expecting something like that from you!” and adopt an aloof manner toward them. The incident of ila19—when the beloved Prophet distanced himself from his wives for a temporary period—is an example of this. At this point, I would like to mention a memory of mine I had mentioned at some other talks. One day, my primary school teacher took hold of me and said, “and you also?” I guess if she had beaten me with fifty sticks instead, it would not make that much impact. Her words conveyed appreciation, reminding me of a good relation, and they were a warning, cautioning me to not destroy that relationship. That attitude of the teacher was an appropriate one to bring me to my senses. This is what I mean by referring to turning aloof in the metaphorical sense; that is, using a negative stance as a method to effect a desired result on the person to be warned.  The Rights of Parents and Metaphorical Resentment Parents should be exempted from the above mentioned situation. Concerning one’s parents, God Almighty commands: “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him alone, and treat parents with the best of kindness. Should one of them, or both, attain old age in your lifetime, do not say “Ugh!” to them (as an indication of complaint or impatience), nor push them away, and always address them in gracious words” (al-Isra 17:23). Every time I recite this verse during Prayer, I feel as if I get stabbed; for who knows, some of our attitudes might have broken their hearts unawares. My mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, sister, and aunts might have felt offended by my ill manners. When I take these into consideration, I feel as if a spear pierced through my chest. For this reason, when I remember the elderly people in my family, I pray as “O our Lord! Forgive me, and my parents…” (Ibrahim 14:41) and with the hope of fulfilling the due of their rights upon me, within the means God provided me with, I sometimes send people to pilgrimage on their behalf. Therefore, it must be out of the question to harbor any bitter feelings toward one’s parents or the family elders, even in the metaphorical sense. Even if there are serious factors to cause one to feel offended, one should not be offended toward them. Even if one feels much offended, he or she must absolutely not offend them. On the contrary, one must try to keep them well-pleased. Otherwise, a day comes and one realizes his or her mistakes but it can be too late; it can be a point where it is impossible to compensate for the past. In this respect, it is necessary to plan our life in such a way that we do not express regret for the zigzags we have made and say, “I wish I had not acted that way but this way…” The Pride of Humanity stated that it is wrong to say “I wish…”20 for it might imply a criticism of Divine Destiny. For this reason, one should agree with a friend to act as his or her coach, who will warn and guide that person about wrongs that might cause one to express regret with “I wish…” It is said that many great rulers of the past kept certain people near them. As those people used to be chosen from among less cultivated groups, they would bluntly talk to the sultan. As the sultan gave them permission, he would not feel disturbed by their words. On the contrary, the sultan would take a lesson from their words and straighten up again and return to his right frequency. In the same way, it is possible, in our time, for individuals to have a mentor to constantly give them sound advice, guide them to truth, and avert them from committing wrongs that could make them say “I wish…” in regret; because, even if such wrongs make themselves felt as a pang of the conscience, this feeling does not suffice to compensate for them. Getting back to our essential subject, it may be proper behavior to take a soft negative attitude as a form of metaphorical bitterness. It is possible to compare this situation to the “blows dealt by Divine compassion” as Bediüzzaman puts it. As a mother may slightly smack her children on the hips in response to a certain wrong and express her disapproval, she still tries to let them know that this warning and advice is out of her compassion and for their own good. On the other hand, it needs to be known that using such ways and means wisely takes a certain deal of mastering. Unfortunately, we witness serious mistakes of parenting on such issues, since couples who are to be married do not receive good and sufficient training. People are ignorant about the rights of their spouse, children, and parents according to Islam. As these are not known, they make very serious mistakes. For this reason, I hold the opinion that couples need to undergo good training to be certified as eligible for marriage, so that they can have a successful marriage. The Deed that Brings Rewards Equivalent to Those Given for Worship Let us briefly consider the real sense of taking offense. Sometimes, the people around us might really behave in a way that causes us offense. Even in such situations, we should strive not to take offense, as a requirement of our belief in God and the Hereafter, in spite of ourselves and our own feelings. Let us not forget that deciding not to take offense where one normally would bring otherworldly rewards as if that person offered worship. Because, it is a state of battling against one’s carnal soul and rising up against one’s inner tendencies of transgression, where one gives his or her willpower its due. As it is known, Bediüzzaman mentions three main types of patience and one of them is patience against troubles and misfortunes.21 So it can easily be said that showing patience as we have described will bring the person otherworldly rewards to be gained by worship. We can sometimes face so many reasons to take offense. However, we need to see them as mere misfortunes and show due patience toward them. Even if somebody breaks relations with us, we should not. Even if they hurt us, we should not hurt another one. If others hurt us but we do not respond in the same way, act with certain flexibility, and find a way to give them a hug, then we will have made a very important sacrifice for the sake of faith and humanity; we will have enacted a very important virtue. As for the social aspect of the issue, there are serious instances of taking offense, particularly between people who hold different worldviews and reflections of this situation in political life. Expectations of worldly gains as a high status add fuel to the flames. So much so that some people utter words they should not and make statements in conflict with the truth, and this leads to taking offense and harboring bitter feelings. If people do not act upon motives of seeking worldly status, it will be seen that there is a path and field for everybody to serve their people and humanity, and that there is a lane for everyone to run. As the members of a society, everybody can be on separate lanes but work for the common good, be hand in hand, and run toward the same target. This running does not include, nor should it include, a feeling of rivalry or considerations of “Let us leave them behind.” May be it should be a form of competing at good acts to make us say, “Let me not remain behind at doing goodness, let me present a performance no worse than those who run ahead of me.” Therefore, when the road is so wide, there will not be cases of touching, hurting, and offending one another. The same principle is true about sharing the beauties of faith and the Qur’an with others. God Almighty states: “Those (on the other hand) who strive hard for Our sake, We will most certainly guide them to Our ways (that We have established to lead them to salvation). Most assuredly, God is with those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them” (al-Ankabut 29:69). That is, God will guide them to Himself through not one but many ways. Bediüzzaman underlines the fact that “The roads leading to God are as many as His creatures’ breaths.”22 Given that this is the case, one can reach God through one way or another. If we give an example from Sufism, the ways of Naqshbandi, Qadiri, Shadhili, Rufai, Badawi, Khalidi and other orders all lead to Him. For this reason, differences should not be made into causes of harboring bitter feelings. It is necessary to avoid jealousy and rivalry on such issues and refrain from considerations as “They trespassed on our property.” As believers, we need to be as soft and mild as can be toward our brothers and sisters; we need to cherish feelings and thoughts that can smoothly be swallowed without hurting the throat at all. We should be able to present these feelings and thoughts in the same mildness. Even though breaking relations with a certain person owing to taking offense is very ugly behavior, it might sometimes happen between the altruistic souls who have dedicated themselves to truthful knowledge and humanity. For this reason, I envision great benefit in forming teams for the sake of eliminating ill feelings between people from different sections of the society and different walks of life. As Bediüzzaman puts it, agreement and unity constitute an important means for inviting Divine help.23 A relevant verse confirms this fact: “… God’s ‘Hand’24 is over their hands” (al-Fath 48:10). That is, protection, help, and the graces of God are upon them. Concerning this verse, the noble Prophet stated “God’s hand is with the community.”25 At another instance, the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him a millions times, stated: “Whoever wants to be right in the middle of Paradise, let him (or her) not dissociate from the community.”26 That is, let that person not fall into factionalism. One who breaks off with the community owing to taking offense, harboring bitter feelings, resentment, intolerance or a similar feeling, will distance oneself from God’s help as well. There Is Nothing as “Little” Taking all of these into consideration, we can understand how great a disaster people’s breaking off relations with one another is, and what a virtuous act reconciliation is. Not dismissing any act of goodness as unimportant is essential in Islam. Sometimes, God Almighty may take people to the center of Paradise and let them enjoy the beauty of the Divine and experience feelings beyond imagination on the account of little acts of goodness they did. A hadith related to this fact states: “Be God-fearing and do not belittle anything from acts of goodness.”27 When we view things from this perspective, we understand that there is actually nothing that qualifies as little. In another hadith where the Pride of Humanity refers to the same subject, behaviors such as smiling at another,28 saying a good word to that person,29 feeding a morsel to the mouth of one’s wife,30 and removing an obstacle that might inconvenience people passing31 are all considered among good acts (sadaqa) to bring otherworldly rewards. Accordingly, placing a stone to a hole on the road in order to save passing cars’ wheels from falling in or removing a thorn that might hurt people’s feet from a walkway are considered among acts of worship. It is not certain which of such seemingly little deeds will be a means for settling right in the middle of Paradise. Let me relate a true story about this issue. Caliph Harun Rashid’s wife, Zubaydah, was a great woman who carried out important services. At a certain period, pilgrims going to Arafat and Muzdalifa for their worship had to carry on their backs the water they needed. In the conditions of those days, she had waterways and fountains built from Mecca to Mina, Muzdalifa, and up until Arafat, thus committing a great act of goodness.32 By God’s grace, she provided millions of people with water to drink and make ablutions. God Almighty does not leave such a service unrewarded, of course. When I went to Hajj in 1968, I saw the fountains built thanks to that great woman. By making restorations, the Ottomans preserved that waterway for a long period. Those who saw that woman of such great service in dreams asked her how God treated her. Although she had done various good works, she told the deed that became the means of her deliverance thus: “One day the call to Prayer began to rise from the minarets. I told the people around me to be silent and listen. When I passed to the next world, they said ‘God forgave you because of this.’”33 We never know how God values deeds that seem very little and simple to us in this world. We do not know which deed will become a means of gaining His good pleasure and a means of enjoying eternal bliss in Paradise. For this reason, we should try to carry out everything God commands, without discriminating between them as great or little. Committees of Peace I have told all of these stories for the sake of drawing attention to the significance of reconciling people who have broken off relations. Let me reiterate that as the issue is of great importance, it should not be left in a narrow sphere but it is necessary to form teams for this sake. Committees must be formed from experienced ones who have sound insight into human psychology to enable them to recognize their addressees’ characters correctly, and who have competent powers of reasoning, judgment, and speech. This way, they can help people seized by bitter feelings and broken off relations. Considering the people of Anatolia, they have respect for the sacred in spite of their ignorance in religious matters. For this reason, the universal principles and dynamics of Islam, which addresses everyone, can be a means for reconciliation, eliminating bitter feelings between people, and making them embrace one another again. As this mission of reconciliation can be local, it is possible to implement it on a larger scale. That is, as you can carry out this beautiful act in a certain neighborhood, village, or city, you can practice it throughout a country. It is even possible to take it further and utilize it in terms of international relations. God’s Messenger gave glad tidings for those who contribute to this issue: “Should I tell you about what is more virtuous than fasting, the Prayer, and alms?” They said yes. He said: “Reconciliation between people. Breaking of relations between people is a cut-off (of religion).”34 Actually, the dialogues the people of Anatolia are trying to realize worldwide can be considered within this category. Going to the four corners of the world in the name of dialogue, restoring broken relations between countries, constantly generating such plans, and developing effective projects is very important in terms of preventing possible conflicts, wars, and disorders. The most important means of struggling against conflict and discord is education. That is, you will bring up perfect individuals in terms of virtues and universal values, values such as peace, tolerance, and dialogue. Not only will they know a few languages, but they will have expertise in different sciences. At the same time, they will be cultivated with human values and virtues, full of the ideal of making others live. They will pursue PhD and post-doctoral studies everywhere they are for the sake of serving humanity. These exemplary personalities will serve as barriers against discord and transgression, and they will fulfill an important duty in this respect. In a way, it is a matter of reconciliation on global scale. Therefore, this matter, implemented at the micro or local plan, needs to be implemented at the international level as well. Statesmen can come together with the goal of an alliance between civilizations. They can come to agreement on certain issues, and act cooperatively so that differences do not become a means of fighting. Surely, such an act is very important in the name of humanity; it is a laudable activity that deserves to be applauded. However, if such an understanding has not been internalized by the grassroots of the society, this kind of struggle will be doomed to fail. Therefore, it is necessary to seek ways to get people involved in this issue. You can see it as a way of facilitating the process initiated by statesmen through getting ordinary people involved in it; this is the key factor for permanence of the issue. During the cold war period, the communist and capitalist worlds kept fighting for a long time. Some of the smaller countries in between chose to join this or that pact. Each one of those countries experienced different troubles and difficulties as a consequence of such differentiation and polarization. I wonder whether any intellectuals, philosophers or thinkers spoke out loud that it could be handled without a fight as well, whether such an initiative for reconciliation came up or not. I guess not. On the contrary, there were different cases of provocation to make states confront one another. As some provoked their own men, others similarly provoked theirs, and a competition of armament began. Each pact occupied some land, exerted its influence there, and caused people to experience fear and terror that lasted for years. At a time when opportunities of communication and travel have developed and deadly weapons have become more powerful, I think it is an important act of worship to seek ways of reconciliation between nations by taking the issue to an international platform. Passing to the Next World with a Pure Heart Restoring relations between people signifies adopting Divine morality as well.35 Some sayings of the noble Prophet refer to God Almighty’s dealings that can be compared to reconciliation. For example, let us imagine that a certain man passes to the next world after having violated some rights of another, but this man has a certain degree of worth in the sight of God. Let us assume that in the afterlife, God Almighty says to the rightful claimer, “You have lawful claims from this servant of Mine; if You consent to give up your claim, I will give you such and such reward…”36 So we can apply such an approach to our individual, familial, and social life, and follow this Divine morality. If this is the way God Almighty treats people on the Day of Judgment, it is a very important reference for us at the same time. In my opinion, we need to take this Divine morality as guideline and strive for reconciliation between people who broke off relations. I do not remember having personally broken off relations with anyone by taking offense. There are people who have been writing against me for some forty or fifty years. They write against me alike when I smile and when I cry. Even if I stand somewhere in between, they definitely come up with something to oppose me. I did not, and will not, take offense; on the contrary, I feel pity for their condition. Then I think, they have difficulty in finding some other subject to write about. It goes against my nature to wish them to end up in Hell. At a certain time, when a person who had been in certain proximity to me made vicious statements, the idea of his being punished by God passed my mind; it is worse to see such hostility from a person who once had been near you. But still, I went to my room and said to myself “How dare I…” and God is my witness to how I sobbed. It is not easy to condemn a person to Hell. The evil he did to you does not mean condemning you to Hell. Even if it were, it is not fair to condemn a person to Hell who did the same to you. For this reason, I see no point in taking offense and harboring grudge against some people. We must go to God’s presence with a pure heart and without harboring any resentment toward anyone. According to the relevant Arabic idiom, we must not have ghil—anything negative—toward anyone. As a lover runs to the beloved, we must respond to God’s waiting for us by going to His presence with a pure heart. If we are invited as “You have always led a pure life, come now!” we need to respond by going there in a pure state. May God enable us to have such horizons and understanding while passing to the realms beyond, amin! A Major Sin: Ghulul (Defrauding) It is not conceivable that a Prophet defrauds; and whoever defrauds (by stealing from public property or war-gains) will come with what he gained by his fraud on the Day of Resurrection. Then, every soul shall be repaid in full what it has earned (while in the world), and they will not be wronged. (Al Imran 3:161). Question: The verse mentions ghulul37 (defrauding, misappropriation), which is considered among the major sins. Could you explain what ghulul is?  Will you tell about the general frame of ghulul and what is the message to be drawn from the verse by contemporary believers? Answer: In its general meaning, ghulul means taking something unlawful for a person, benefiting from it, and breaching the trust. In a more specific context, it refers to stealing something from war-gains before they are distributed, and to take secretly from what belongs to the public and abusing what belongs to the state. The Matchless Hero of Purity The indefinite article before the word “Prophet” in the verse shows that all Prophets are included in the meaning. This fact conveys two important points: Firstly, ethical purity is not peculiar to the Final Prophet but all of the Prophets, peace be upon them; Prophets Adam, Noah, Hud, Salih, Moses, Jesus or any other Prophet did not take anything to their person from what belongs to the people. They only took from what they believed to be one hundred per cent lawful given to them. Secondly, as none of the Prophets committed such an act, it is obviously impossible for Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who is the most illustrious fruit of this blessed tree, to do such a thing. If we compare the line of the Prophets to a set of Prayer beads, then the Pride of Humanity is the prime one among them. The set of beads became a string of prayer beads in the real sense and the circle became complete with him. With respect to the Divine purpose of creation, he is the seed and most perfected fruit of the universe.38 Frames of concepts became clear with him. Meanings of phenomena that exist and take place around us found their explanation thanks to him. They were interpreted correctly, and by benefiting from them in terms of knowledge of God, truthful meanings were drawn from them. As the Pride of Humanity is the Paragon of Virtue who represents every good character in its peak, he also takes the lead in innocence and uprightness. There are different reports about the reason for the revelation of the verse. One of these reports relates the verse to the Battle of Uhud. Accordingly, a group of immature people, most of whom were the Hypocrites of Medina, made baseless claims about the noble Prophet—may God forbid such an idea—that he would allocate some of the war-gains for himself.39 The verse clearly reveals that defrauding is out of the question for that great figure who led a perfectly upright life from the beginning. Even one case suffices to show his staggering innocence: When the noble Prophet gave his last breath, his shield was held by a Jewish pawnbroker.40 As he led his personal life in immense and profound heedfulness, he also showed perfect sensitivity against anything that could raise the smallest doubt about his upright life. Lawful Seeming Guises to Unlawful Gains The verse continues as “…whoever defrauds will come with what he gained by his fraud on the Day of Resurrection.” As ghulul means taking secretly from war-gains, anything a person takes without a lawful right falls into the category of ghulul. For example, imagine that a man comes to certain position and makes personal gain by some speculations, misappropriates funds, and tries to justify his acts with claims as “I am exerting myself here. This much money could not be collected if it weren’t for me!” All such things fall within the category of ghulul. We can even say that a person who steps forth for governing the people without being eligible for it violates the people’s rights. According to this verse, which makes a specific address but conveys a general message, the followers of the Prophets should not commit it also. Regarding this issue, they should always be resolved to keep on the righteous path. Otherwise, they will be brought before God with what they took. Therefore, we can say that the verse warns all followers of the noble Prophet in the person of the Prophets. In fact, God’s Messenger told his Companions one day about ghulul—this hadith could be considered as an interpretation of the relevant verse—and expressed what a great sin ghulul was and said: “I do not want any one of you to come on the Day of Resurrection with a groaning camel on his neck, saying,’ O Muhammad!’ and I will say: ‘I cannot do anything for you, I conveyed the message.’” Then the noble Prophet voiced the same fact about other animals of this kind and different types of gains.41 The verse ends as follows: “Then, every soul shall be repaid in full what it has earned (this can be goodness or evil depending on the deeds of the person), and they will not be wronged.” May God save all of us from going to the next world with such ugliness as ghulul and laying our hands on anything we do not lawfully deserve. If we consider cases of embezzlement from state banks, wasting people’s money, and pushing people to poverty by burdening the state with loans, it will be better understood how grave a sin ghulul is. Constant Self-Criticism In Order to Avoid Ghulul Actually, the devoted souls should show more sensitivity in keeping away from ghulul. For example, if they gather together for the sake of servitude to God or worship, we need to have the thought within about whether it is our lawful right to step on the carpet under our feet. If we do not do that, then it means we have lost our sensitivity on this issue. I am not saying that it is not your right. Those who built these establishments bought the carpets for your use; this is a different issue. The point I am trying to make is that, we need to be so sensitive as to question ourselves about whether we deserve to use these carpets by prostrating ourselves on them and causing them to wear out a bit. We are eating from the food they serve us here, but are we really deserving of it? Having concerns, hesitations, and sensitivity about this issue is very important. Caring about where the morsel in one’s mouth comes from, to whom it belonged, questioning is it really lawful or not, and showing great sensitivity in this respect is a very important duty that falls on a believer. You may be included in different units of serving faith and people, but let me give an example from the aid organization Kimse Yok Mu. As it is known and seen, Kimse Yok Mu fulfills a very important service of making humanitarian aid. In whichever part of the world a fracture appears, they go running to mend it and to lend a helping hand. However, it should not be forgotten that it is the people’s donations that support this organization and goes to others’ aid. Televisions advertise for it, phone calls pave the way for donations, and people join this goodness, even if it is only with a few liras. Eventually, the donations amount to a certain total. A person who works at such an organization should do this service for the sake of God, without asking any financial demand, if possible. But if he or she does not have any other income for a livelihood, it is possible to give that person a certain salary. However, it should definitely be a fixed amount clearly stated. Otherwise, those who handle the organization might think, “We have the financial means in our hands anyway. Then let us give our employees no less than a high-level journalist. After all, we go to so many different countries of the world and take serious pains. For this reason, a high salary is our right!” This thought is just another form of ghulul. As for what needs to be done here, within the rules determined by the team that governs the organization, they should say to employees, “You can take this much as your monthly payment, and this is for the travel expenses.” Nothing extra to that amount will be lawful for them. Otherwise, one might lose while seemingly being on the righteous path. While walking to God and having the means to gain His good pleasure, they might fall for Satan’s trickery and—may God forbid!—become a fallen one. The Ethical Conduct and Discipline of Making an Explanation to the People Other people governing establishments of volunteers such as supplementary schools, cultural centers and the like must show the same sensitivity. The people who support this service trust the volunteers to the degree of comfortably saying, “You can take my soul” if a soul were needed somewhere. If there is a ghulul somewhere, even if it is as little as one-seventh of a grain of barley in worth, God will bring us to account for it. As a matter of fact, the Qur’an declares: “Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it; and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it” (az-Zalzalah 99:8). Accordingly, we will be held liable for even smaller sins. The Arabic word dharra refers to the smallest particle of matter; it used to be called molecule, then atom, and then a subatomic particle… You can even call it luminiferous aether. So according to the verse, God Almighty will call us to account for evils we cannot even see with a microscope or x-rays. Bediüzzaman also spent his life with the utmost sensitivity of this kind. In order not to shake the trust of society, he accounted for his very modest belongings: “This coat I wear, I bought it seven years ago as a second hand item. For five years I have been getting on four and a half liras for clothing, underwear, shoes, and socks.” He did not leave any place for the slightest doubts to be raised about him. Then he explained that he possessed a chicken, which laid an egg every day in spite of the winter, and that its chick grew up and started to lay eggs no sooner than its mother was unable to lay eggs.42 All of these are not simple stories. By doing that, he accounted for his belongings before the people. Once I listened to Hacı Münir Effendi, who was a respected figure in our village. When soldiers, on the order of the new government, arrested Bediüzzaman during his retreat to Mount Erek, they stopped over in our village on the way. He was hosted at the inn of my grandfather. Münir Effendi described Bediüzzaman with the following words: “When I saw his condition, my eyes were filled with tears. As his shoes were torn, his feet and socks were soaked. I took his simple rubber shoes and brought him a new pair. God knows how difficult it was to convince him to accept it. At dusk, I brought him some soup and compote to break his fast. He took a few spoons from the soup and then said, let me not be wasteful, it is possible to eat the compote for the sahur.43” That great teacher could not even afford a pair of new rubber shoes. This was his degree of sensitivity. He did his best in order not to shake the people’s trust in him and presented an example for us in this respect. People of such status, representing certain values, need to lead their lives with such sensitivity. As believers, our greatest credit is the people’s trust. They keep asking “How do you find finance to support the schools?” We have the people’s support. People give their support, for they have the belief; “There is no shadow of doubt and speculative purposes in these people’s lives.” Therefore, if you commit some form of ghulul by laying your hands on something that is not your lawful right, you will have, first of all, broken this trust. On the other hand, imagine that the people put their trust in you, but you betrayed them; God will bring one to account for that betrayal. But it is doubtful whether we can say anything meaningful during such questioning or not. The situation on Judgment Day will surely make the Pride of Humanity sad. There are such essential values and disciplines in Islamic teaching that it is an entire case to be studied separately. God Almighty bestowed great blessings on Muslims, such as the Holy Qur’an, the Authenticated Sunnah, the Islamic teachings, and made this into the spirit of our lives. If Muslims still fail to erect the monument of their soul after so many blessings pouring down on them, then it means they are spending their lives in vain. Therefore, if we do not embarrass the noble Prophet in the Hereafter, and if we wish God’s graces to keep coming in terms of good works in this world, then we have to show the utmost sensitivity on this issue. For the same reason I told certain people who have been my friends for 40 to 45 years, “You had better not own an apartment or car of your own.” I am not such a sensitive person, but let me tell you one thing I did. So many times I opened my hands to God and prayed: “My God, please, here I am imploring You, do not grant worldly means to my own brothers.” Because, if others see them enjoying some wealth, they can say, “Then he is taking something from somewhere.” Praise be to my God, every one of them is employed somewhere as workers and I—the whole world is a witness to it—am not disturbed by this at all. Let them keep living—may God grant them long life— as laborers. I will not feel sad at all. I would be sad if they died as sinful people or if other people gossiped about their dishonesty; for it would mean discrediting a noble ideal the people gave heartfelt support to. Thieves of Success Let me express as a final point that ghulul can happen with not only material but also spiritual matters. For example Bediüzzaman mentions that the victory of an entire battalion cannot be ascribed to their commander only.44 All the rewards and honor do not belong to the commander but the entire army. For this reason, laying claims on the accomplishment of an entire movement means associating partners with God, on the one hand, and ghulul on the other. It is a great danger if a person lays claim to certain achievements by disregarding the efforts of millions and asserting his role by saying, “my plans and projects, my insight and thoughts…” and appropriating the people’s appreciation for himself by saying “I did it.” If others respond to him by singing his praises, and if he welcomes these, it is a further degree of disrespect and moral corruption. Such an attitude is also a form of ghulul, a major sin, and betrayal of trust. 18 Sahih al-Bukhari, Adab, 62; Sahih Muslim, Birr, 25 19 At-Tahrim 66:1–5; Sahih al-Bukhari, Nikah, 83; Sahih Muslim, Talaq, 30 20 Sahih Muslim, Qadr, 34; Sunan ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 10 21 Nursi, The Letters, p. 300 22 Nursi, Al-Mathnawi Al-Nuri, p. 369; Ibn Arabi, Al-Futuhatu’l-Makkiyya, 3/549; Al-Alusi, Ruhu’l-Ma’ani, 1/396, 6/165, 14/160 23 Nursi, The Gleams, p. 226 24 “Hand” or any other similar term is metaphorical when used about God Almighty. 25 Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Fitan, 7 26 Ibid. 27 Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, 5:63 28 Sahih Muslim, Birr, 144; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Birr, 45; Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Al-Musnad, 3/360 29 Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad, 128; Adab, 34; Sahih Muslim, Zakah, 56 30 Sahih al-Bukhari, Iman, 41, Janaiz, 37; Wasaya, 2; Manaqıbu’l-Ansar, 47; Sahih Muslim, Wasiyya, 5 31 Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad, 128, Adab, 34; Sahih Muslim, Zakah, 56 32 Ibnu’l-Jawzi, Al-Muntazam, 10/277; Ibn Khallikan, Wafayatu’l-A’yan, 2/314 33 Ibn Ash-Shahin, Al-Isharat, p. 871 34 Sunan Abu Dawud, Adab, 58; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 57 35 Al-Kalabazi, At-Taarruf, 1/5; Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin, 4/306 36 Ibn Abi’d-Dunya, Husn az-zan, p. 109; Al-Ghazali, Ihya Ulumiddin, 4/523 37 Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad, 189; Khums, 8; Sahih Muslim, Iman, 182; Jihad, 32 38 As-Suyuti, Al-Hawi, 1/325; Al-Halabi, As-Siratu’l-Halabiyya, 1/240 39 As-Sa’labi, Al-Kashf wa’l-Bayan, 3/196; Al-Baghawi, Ma’alimu’t-Tanzil, 1/366; Az- Zamahshari, Al-Kashshaf, 1/461 40 Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad, 89; Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Buyu, 7; Sunan ibn Majah, Ruhun, 1 41 Sahih al-Bukhari, Jihad, 189; Sahih Muslim, Imara, 24 42 Nursi, Mektubat, p. 70 43 Pre-dawn meal before fasting. 44 Nursi, The Gleams, p. 185  Working Hours of the Devoted Souls Question: How is the volunteers’ understanding of working hours supposed to be? Will you share your considerations on how self-sacrifice relates to working hours? Answer: Our time spent working for the sake of Divine truths can be considered in the same category with money and possessions donated for the sake of God—or with infaq to use a general term— with respect to their essential philosophies. Particularly in the conditions of the Meccan period, the issue of infaq was taken in the absolute sense: “…and out of what We have provided for them, they spend (of wealth, knowledge, power, etc., to provide sustenance for the needy and in God’s cause, purely for the good pleasure of God and without placing others under obligation)” (al-Baqarah 2:3). As it is seen, God Almighty encourages us to spend as much as we can out of the blessings He provided us. In the same way, acting with a complete spirit of devotedness and spending our time on the righteous path with the absolute understanding of the Meccan period is a consequence of such horizons of self-sacrifice. However, one important point should not be overlooked. In order to motivate the volunteers, we can make statements like “They should spend as much as they can” or “They should run like noble steeds until their heart stops…” As such a style can be adopted for the sake of encouragement, some situations may truly necessitate one to give whatever one possesses and run breathlessly until he or she perishes. However, considering everybody in general, it is necessary to take human nature into consideration both regarding spending for the sake of God and planning the hours of working. That is, we are human beings, we have families to support and other responsibilities, and thus expectations from us should not be beyond what we can bear. There can be exceptional figures who do keep running until they perish. However, such sacrifice should not be expected from everyone, and such performance and program should not be taken as the basis for everybody. We need to make our plans by taking general facts into consideration and present our issues accordingly. Following the Way of the Noble Prophet in Programming Our Lives In a hadith we can relate to our subject, the noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stated: “Indeed, this religion is easy, and no one will ever overburden himself in religion, except that it will overcome him.”45 That is, religion in its essence is not something beyond people’s power to carry out. By planning our time, putting things into order, and receiving support from one another we can easily carry it out. However, if one makes religion unbearable, that person should not forget that he or she will be overcome. One should take the issue in such a way that they will be able to carry out their practices during their youth, maturity, and old age alike; so that they can practice religion not as an individual, but as a family and a society. There can always be some people who totally dedicate their entire lives to serving in the name of righteousness and Divine truths, who totally forsake the world and are totally indifferent to anything other than serving faith. If such people do not try to impose their subjective case on others around them, there may be no harm in their preference. Among Sufis as well, there were the Halwati dervishes, who spent their lives as hermits. They completely closed their doors to the world in order to avoid any distractions that might avert their gaze. However, it should not be forgotten that this is not what is expected from the inheritors of the noble Prophet’s tradition. We meet those people’s greatness with respect. However, as the Messenger of God, millions of peace and blessings be upon him, conveyed the Divine teaching to his followers, he stated that being among people and putting up with the troubles they cause is better than living alone in retreat.46 In this respect, everybody is supposed to fulfill some responsibilities for the sake of their people and what befalls an ideal believer is to carry out that responsibility in the best way one can. Elevating oneself in a way depends on the people’s and future generations’ elevation. Therefore, one should develop wide-scale projects that take the relevant needs of society into consideration and then make the necessary efforts to realize those projects. In addition to doing that, they should plan their time without neglecting their personal religious life and spiritual progress, along with serving in the way of God to the best of their powers. Then everybody should fulfill their duty so as not to leave a gap in any part of life. They should efficiently plan their time and their divisions of labor; whoever can do what in the most perfect way, they should try to perform efficiently. As Abdullah ibn Amr ibn As was an outstanding Companion with respect to his piety and God-consciousness; he was also one of the people who listened to and understood the noble Prophet in the best way. This blessed Companion would spend his nights standing at Prayer and spend his days fasting. Sometimes, he would not eat anything for two or three days in a row. Imagine what happens to a person who observes such a life of devotions. If he is married, he neglects the rights of his family. For example, a man who stands in Prayer until dawn may not have the opportunity to see his children and have a talk with them. He may be neglecting other responsibilities as well. Hence, on hearing about the situation of his Companion, the Messenger of God told him to sleep for a part of the night and pray during the rest, to fast on some days and not to fast on others; then he warned Abdullah that in addition to God’s right of worship, there are other owners of rights upon him, such as his own self, his family and guests, and that every rightful one should be given their rights.”47 With this warning, the beloved Prophet not only draws attention to the significance of objective responsibility that one can handle, but also to the necessity of good time management and putting things to do into order.  Getting back to the initial question, we need to be balanced in our understanding of service and notion of infaq. Imagine a factory owner who came to a charity organization and said, “I would like to donate my factory altogether. You can use it as you wish.” And let us say that some 10 other factory owners did the same. It causes a serious problem of handling things. Can the staff of that charity organization run those factories or not? Can the people who donated those factories give the donation they planned to make every year? You must take all of these into consideration. Acts of goodness should be realized in such a way that the business can continue running and the owner should be able to make a contribution every year. Otherwise, one who gives away everything will simply watch while others keep giving the following year. What Good Time Management Promises In addition to a spirit of self-sacrifice, one must manage their time well to serve on the righteous path. As conveyed by the final verses of the chapter Al-Inshirah in the Qur’an (94:7–8), it is possible to take an active rest and use time efficiently by alternating between acts of worship and worldly tasks. We need to eliminate spiritual tiredness with physical activity, and physical tiredness with concentration of the spirit. This way, it is possible to have a body and spirit of strong, sound, and dynamic structure. In different countries, there are altruistic guides and teachers serving at schools and cultural institutions; they serve their people and the whole of humanity, and expect nothing for their person. What is expected from people working at those institutions is different—be it a small salary like the scholarship of a student, a decent salary, or whatever payment they need to get by. After having maintained the livelihood of their families, they are supposed to give 30–40 hours of lessons, attend to their students night and day, if necessary, and even to provide them guidance during the weekend. How I wish those selfless souls could help with the studies of their students with a Prophetic determination, share their troubles of any kind, and even show a motherly care for their boarding students who stay at the dorm. With only such an understanding of work can we find an opportunity to order our life of knowledge and wisdom, which has been in ruins for such a long time. However, before expecting such a degree of self-sacrifice from individuals, we first need to tell about the necessity of understanding work, offer due rehabilitation, make people accustomed to it, and after all of these, entrust the notion of self-sacrifice to their freewill. Let me add that while doing all of these, there is nothing to be gained by using coercion. The Language Olympiads and the Working Hours Factor If we expect to get good results from our services, we need to devote a serious amount of time to it. Let us suppose that you are a guide or administrator at a school. In addition to carrying out the administrative responsibilities during the school day, you should supervise the students and fulfill their needs concerning where they should or should not go. Your effectiveness will be in direct proportion with your devotion of time and effort. I think the fruitfulness God Almighty granted to the works of volunteers is in a way related to their surpassing the notion of time and exerting themselves to the ultimate degree. Take the language Olympiads, for instance. Some sing the praises of this beautiful activity which serves as a conveyor of language and culture; some express their admiration and appreciation; and some cannot hold back their tears of happiness. But it should not be forgotten that all of those achievements are Divine favors granted in return for making serious efforts and working diligently, night and day, with an understanding of work surpassing the norms. May God grant success to those good people who carry out the activities that mean much for their people and humanity and let them keep on with such an understanding of work, may He enable them to love their work, and plan their time wisely, and may He continue showering His blessings on us! Correctly Understanding the Laws Prevalent in Creation and Making a Work Plan In his works, Bediüzzaman refers to time management as one of the important essentials of progress, and states that this can be realized by following the Divine commands, piety, and sound adherence to religion.48 Taqwa (piety) includes avoiding what is forbidden, observing all of the fard (obligatory) responsibilities, fulfilling the wajib (necessary) acts in a flawless fashion, and keeping away from dubious things. In this respect, a person’s careful observance of his lawful rights, his ability to use his time effectively, concentrate on his work, and fulfill his duties in the best way, are responsibilities directly related to taqwa. For this reason, if a person commissioned to a duty does not fulfill his responsibilities, he will be called to account by God, and will have let down the institution for who they work. As it is known, taqwa has one more dimension: complying with the laws of creation in addition to observance of religious laws.49 For example, making your activities run smoothly by using your time very well, must be done in accordance with taking into consideration the developments in the world and the various hostile individuals or circles likely to impede your activities; it is the worldly aspect of taqwa that necessitates many of our responsibilities. If a person harms his or her people, and the circle of service they are affiliated with, for God’s sake, what can this be called other than sin? As time management is a religious commandment, it is a very important means to lead us to success. It is necessary to plan very well when to have a rest, when to work, what will be gained through what means, when to receive spiritual nourishment and when to give it… all of these should be well planned. One needs to be prompt and follow the planned hours carefully. Division of Labor and Doing Things on Time On the other hand, not only planning the working hours but also choosing the things to do is very important. Who will do what, and the duties individuals are likely to succeed better at, need to be chosen correctly. This can be fulfilled well by truly competent leaders. A different depth of the Prophetic perspicacity of God’s Messenger was that everybody he commissioned for a certain duty proved to be the precisely perfect choice. There was no need to change any of the people he commissioned; each of them succeeded well at their duty. This depends on gaining insight into people, testing them well and discovering their characters very well before commissioning them. Within the conditions of our time, fathoming individuals’ abilities well and commissioning them correctly depends on collective reasoning and consciousness. I would like to make one final point here: Different programs and meetings are held at certain intervals in state institutions or private establishments. It is absolutely necessary to be prompt about timing, because time is very precious. Nobody has the right to waste and kill other people’s precious time. God will bring people to account for such irresponsible behavior. Particularly for some tasks, your half an hour delay can cause failure; a little delay might cause serious losses and negative consequences. On the other hand, agreeing for a certain meeting at a certain time and place is a kind of promise. One who does not comply with it should fear the Divine admonition, “Why do you say what you do not do (as well as what you will not do)?” (Saf 61:12). Although the verse conveys a wide range of meaning, when we study the reason for its revelation, we see that it was a case of not keeping one’s promise.50 For this reason, a person who promised to join a meeting must do one’s best in order to be there on time. When needed, they should even go there some time before and wait at the door. Instead of making others wait for us, we had better wait for others. If one faces a problem that causes them to be delayed, then it is necessary to phone right away to apologize and give notice, so that others do not come early and waste their time. In addition, matters to be discussed in the meeting should be put in order beforehand, serious notes should be prepared to present the issue, and no place should be left for disorganized speech depending on what comes to mind at that moment. The matters we noted regarding sound mind, feelings, and heart are very important for us; we can keep the issues we discussed within frame this way. Otherwise, somebody makes a remark, another gives a reply, somebody brings up some other issue, emotions and feelings arise, and thus the main issues can be lost. However, the notes we take beforehand will draw a frame for us. Notes we take with a sound mind will help us keep on task and time will not be wasted. Another issue I tried to warn my friends of is not unnecessarily prolonging phone conversations. Sometimes, they prolong issues so much that expressions like “err…” or “I mean…” make up most of the talk. However, if one chooses to take notes before speaking, they may avoid unnecessarily wasting time. Sometimes you see that a matter to be presented in two minutes takes half an hour owing to lack of preparation and talking in a disorganized fashion. Doctors warn that talking on a cell phone for too long might lead to a brain tumor. Thus, we need to take their advice and be careful about using such phones; otherwise, we will have committed a sin. In conclusion, believers need to be well organized in all of their actions; they should behave in a disciplined way, talk in a disciplined way, and continue their lives within the Divine discipline and rules. 45 Sahih al-Bukhari, Iman, 29; Sunan an-Nasa’i, Iman, 28 46 Sunan at-Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 56; Sunan ibn Majah, Fitan, 23 47 Sahih al-Bukhari, Sawm, 54; Sahih Muslim, Siyam, 181 48 Nursi, The Gleams, p. 171 49 Nursi, The Words, p. 750 50 Fakhruddin ar-Razi, Mafatihu’l-Ghayb, 29/270; Al-Baghawi, Ma’alimu’t-Tanzil, 4/337  Sacrifice: A Means of Closeness with God and People Question: The devoted souls take the opportunity of the (Eid of) Sacrifice, which is a means of closeness to God, and go to different corners of the world, particularly poor regions like Africa, and build bridges between hearts. Could you share your considerations on such activities during the Eid of Sacrifice and recommendations for bettering them? Answer: Everything commences with a small angle at the starting point. Those who come later give support, shoulder that task, develop new ways and methods, and generate different alternatives. This is what happened with the sacrifices in Turkey. While people used to offer their sacrifices as an individual responsibility and shared the meat with their close surroundings, they first started to share it with people in other regions in their country, and then with people in different regions of the world; eventually it became an important means for warming hearts. Sacrifice and the Virtue of Altruism At the beginning of the second chapter of the Qur’an, God Almighty states: “Those who believe in the Unseen, establish the Prayer in conformity with its conditions, and out of what We have provided for them they spend” (al-Baqarah 2:3) and point out that He is the true owner of everything but we people are only temporary attendees. That is, “He” is the real provider of what we seemingly provide for the needy. By stating “We” have provided, He also reminds us that there is no need to worry that we might be deprived by spending for God’s sake. This fact is explicitly stated in another verse: “Surely God—it is He Who is the All-Providing, Lord of all might, and the All-Forceful” (adh-Dhariyat 51:58). Actually, believers’ sharing the means—be it alms or sacrificial meat—they possess with others is the minimal degree of the issue. (That is, if you neglect doing even this much, you can hardly be called believers.) Another verse points to the maximal degree as follows: “…and in their hearts do not begrudge what they have been given, and (indeed) they prefer them over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot” (al-Hashr 59:9). Individuals acting with this spirit will use everything they possess— such as time, opportunities, knowledge, wisdom, fortune, horizons of thought, or everything God gave them—for the sake of humanity to the final degree; they will share with others what is in their hands. During the time of the religious festival, Muslims will conquer hearts with their generosity and share their sacrificial meat with others. As it is stated in a hadith, on the Day of Judgment, God Almighty will turn the sacrificed animals into steeds for the use of the ones who offered them, at a time when they are in dire need of help.51 In the face of such a situation, people will fill with admiration and wonder, asking themselves, “Which one should I ride?” Another hadith demands everybody who can afford to offer a sacrifice: “Who has the means to offer a sacrifice but does not, let that person not approach our place of Prayer!”52 Since this hadith conveys an intimidating message for those refusing to offer a sacrifice, scholars of the Hanafi school ruled that it is no less than wajib (necessary) to offer a sacrifice.53 As it is obligatory to give Zakah for everybody who is wealthy enough, it is similarly necessary to offer a sacrifice for those who can afford it. Given that it is a wajib act of worship, then every believer should fulfill this responsibility. Nobody wishes to be deserving of the address, “Let that person not approach our place of Prayer.” The stated condition “who has the means” suggests that some people in the society may not afford it; in that situation, those who have the means will not forget the fact that they are supposed to support poorer ones who have a right to benefit from their wealth. Another verse encourages giving from what people love: “You will never be able to attain godliness and virtue until you spend of what you love (in God’s cause or to provide sustenance for the needy)” (Al Imran 3:92). Then one had better choose the sacrificial animal, which will become a steed on the way to Paradise, from robust ones. The religious rules for offering sacrifice already necessitate the animal’s being a healthy one without defects as a broken horn and the like. Everything done here will appear to us in the Hereafter with their true reflections. As we cannot how things will be in the next world, we cannot really imagine how they will return to us. Who knows, maybe they will appear like a plane, ship, boat, or like a good horse. If we look at the issue by considering the immensity of God’s graces and the truthfulness of His promises, we can say that they will definitely return to us somehow. According to a report by our mother Aisha, God’s Messenger distributed two-thirds of the animal he sacrificed to the poor and left the one-third for not depriving his family of it.54 This is the criterion for one who wishes to distribute the meat in compliance with the example of the noble Prophet. However, if there are different animals for different members of the family, then it is also possible to follow a different pattern. For example one of the animals, half of it, or one- third of it can be spared for home and the rest can be given away. By making such a distribution, one will let the members of the family— who will naturally wish to taste the meat—have their share, lend a helping hand to ones in dire need, and build bridges of love and compassion between different sections and societies. Ingraining Noble Qualities in Oneself As stated at the beginning, people in Turkey used to sacrifice their animals, leave some of the meat at home, and distribute the rest to neighbors. There came a time when the sacrifices became means of helping the needy over long distances and those who could afford it made due promises. Some of those munificent people did not suffice with only one; some of them donated two, three, and even ten, twenty, or thirty sacrifices. This was an indication of a noble character ingrained in those people together with the feeling and thought of giving. In addition, doing it openly served as encouragement for others to join. Thus, the sacrifices were a form of support to the poor in different regions of the country. Having seen that it worked on the small scale, they decided to have a try by God’s grace in a larger scale; so what started with a small angle at the center became huge in the periphery. Those selfless souls went to almost every country in Africa, since dire poverty exists rather broadly in that region. People who live there probably cannot eat meat even once a year. So the altruists who knew that started donating sacrifices and taking them to those places. It was not only Africa. They offered sacrifices in different parts of the world and distributed the meat to the people there. Such an act was very appealing for people of different cultures and understandings. Offering that sacrificial meat to those people—in cooked or uncooked form—was something completely new for them. They had no such practice