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This, the Thirteenth Flash, explains the meaning of “I seek refuge with God from Satan the Accursed”

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

And say: O My Sustainer, I seek refuge with You from the whisperings of the Evil Ones, * And I seek refuge with you, my Sustainer, lest they should come near me.(23:97-8)

[This is about seeking refuge with God from Satan. Thirteen indications will be written. Some of them have been explained and proved in various places in the Twenty-Sixth Word and other parts of the Risale-i Nur so here will be discussed only briefly.]

FIRST INDICATION

Question: Although evil spirits do not interfere in the universe in any way in regard to creation; and through His mercy and favour Almighty God takes the part of the people of truth; and the attractive beauties and virtues of truth and reality strengthen and encourage the people of truth, and the repulsive ugliness of misguidance revolts the people of misguidance; what is the reason for Satan’s party very often gaining the upper hand; what is the wisdom in it? And why should the people of truth always seek refuge with God from Satan’s evil?

The Answer: The wisdom and purpose is this: for the most part, misguidance and evil are negative, destructive, and pertain to non-existence. While in the great majority of cases, guidance and good are positive, constructive, repairing, and pertain to existence.

Everyone knows that one man can destroy in one day a building constructed by twenty men in twenty days. Yes, a person continues to live due to the existence of all the basic members and conditions of life, life being particular to the All-Glorious Creator’s power; yet, by severing a member a tyrant may make the person manifest death, which is non-being in relation to life. Therefore, the saying “Destruction is easy” has become proverbial.

In consequence, the people of misguidance sometimes triumph over the people of truth, who are very powerful, with what is in reality a weak force. But the people of truth possess a stronghold so unassailable that when they take refuge in it, those fearsome enemies cannot draw close; they can do nothing. If they cause some temporary harm, according to the verse, And the end is [best] for the righteous,(7:128, etc.) everlasting reward and profit make up for the damage. That impregnable stronghold, that fortified citadel, is the Shari‘a of Muhammad (UWBP) and his practices.

SECOND INDICATION

Question: The creation of devils, who are pure evil, and their harassing the people of belief, and many people not believing and going to Hell because of them, appears to be terrible and ugly. How does the mercy and beauty of the Absolutely Beauteous One, the Absolutely Compassionate One, the Truly Merciful One, permit this infinite ugliness and awesome calamity?

Many people have asked about this question, and it occurs to many people.

The Answer: In addition to the minor evils, there are numerous universal good purposes in the existence of Satan, and human attainments and perfections. Yes, however many the degrees from a seed to the huge tree, the degrees in the abilities lodged in human nature are more numerous. They range from a minute particle to the sun. For these abilities and potentialities to develop, action is required, a transaction is necessary. In such a transaction the action of the mechanism of progress is triggered through striving. And striving occurs due to the existence of evil spirits and harmful things. Otherwise man’s station would have been constant like that of the angels; there would have been no classes in humankind, which resembles thousands of species.

It is contrary to wisdom and justice to abandon a thousand instances of good so as to avoid one minor evil. For sure the majority of people embrace misguidance due to Satan, but importance and value look mostly to quality; they look to quantity little or not at all. If someone has a thousand and ten seeds which he buries, and under the earth the seeds undergo a chemical reaction as a result of which ten become trees and a thousand rot, the profit the man receives from the ten seeds which have become trees certainly eliminates the loss he suffers from the thousand rotted ones.

In exactly the same way, through the struggle against the soul and Satan, the profit, honour, enlightenment, and value for humankind gained by ten perfect men, who are like stars, certainly reduce to nothing the harm caused to mankind through the people of misguidance embracing unbelief, who are so base as to be considered vermin. Since this is so, divine mercy, wisdom, and justice have permitted the existence of Satan, and allowed him to molest men.

O people of belief! Your armour against this awesome enemy is the fear of God fashioned on the workbench of the Qur’an, and your shield is the Noble Messenger’s (UWBP) practices, and your weapon, seeking refuge with God from Satan, and seeking forgiveness, and taking refuge in divine protection.

THIRD INDICATION

Question: The very great complaints and massing of forces against the people of misguidance in the All-Wise Qur’an does not appear to the reason to be conformable with its equitable and apt eloquence and the congruence and moderation of its style. It is quite simply as though it is mustering armies against a single man. It threatens him on account of one minor action as though he had committed thousands of crimes. It affords him a position and complains about him as though he were an aggressive partner, despite his being bankrupt and having no share of the property. What is the reason for this and the wisdom in it?

The Answer: The reason for it is this: because the evil spirits and those who follow them take the path of misguidance, they can cause great destruction with a small act, and they can violate the rights of many creatures and cause much harm with a small deed.

For example, by some small action or neglecting a small duty, a man on a king’s large merchant ship can be the cause of all the efforts of those employed on it and all the fruits of their labour being lost and going for nothing. The illustrious owner of the ship therefore complains about and threatens the rebellious man in awesome fashion on account of all his subjects who are connected with the ship. And he inflicts a terrible punishment on him, taking into account not his insignificant action but its dreadful results, not in his own name but in that of the rights of his subjects.

In exactly the same way, through their apparently insignificant mistakes and sins, the people of misguidance, Satan’s party, who are on the ship of the earth together with the people of guidance, transgress against the rights of numerous creatures and nullify the results of their elevated duties. The Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post- Eternity’s awesome threats and complaints about them, therefore, and His mobilization of forces against them are pure wisdom within perfect eloquence, and are most apt and appropriate. It is in conformity with the requirements of the situation, which is the definition of eloquence and its basis.(*)And it is free of exaggeration, which is wastefulness in words.

It is clear that the person will be wretched who does not take refuge in a secure stronghold in the face of terrible enemies who wreak much destruction with little action. O people of belief! Such a heavenly stronghold of steel is the Qur’an. Enter it and be saved!

FOURTH INDICATION

Investigative scholars and the people of illumination have agreed that non- existence is pure evil and existence, pure good. Yes, in the great majority of cases, good, virtues, and perfections are based on existence and are related to it. Even if they are superficially negative and hint of non-existence, their basis is in existence and pertains to it. While the basis and leaven of all ugliness, such as misguidance, evil, calamities, and sins, is non-existence and denial. Their badness and ugliness arise from non-existence. Even if they appear superficially to be positive and pertaining to existence, essentially they are non-existence and denial. Also, observedly, the existence of something like a building is realized through the existence of all its parts. While its destruction, non-existence, and annihilation occur through the non-being of one of its main parts.

Furthermore, existence requires an existent cause, it is based on a cause that has an actual reality. Whereas non- existence may be based on things which pertain to non-existence. Such things may be the cause of something non-existent.

In consequence of this rule, despite the awesome destruction in the universe of devils from among jinn and men, and the varieties of unbelief, misguidance, evil, and destruction they perpetrate, they neither interfere one iota in creation, nor do they have any share in divine sovereignty. Moreover, they do not perform those acts through any power or ability; they perpetrate many of the things they do through neglect and abstaining from action. They commit evils by not allowing good to be done, that is, they become evil. For since bad and evil are a sort of destruction, their causes do not have to be an existent power and active creativity. Indeed, vast destruction is wrought due to one non-existent matter or one condition being nullified.

It was because the Zoroastrians did not develop this mystery that they believed there was a creator of good in the universe, called Yazdan, and a creator of evil, called Ahriman.(*)However, the imaginary god of evil they called Ahriman was Satan, who causes evil through the power of choice and the power to act, which has no ability to create.

O people of belief! Your most effective weapon and equipment for repairs in the face of this awesome destruction of Satan is seeking forgiveness from God, and declaring “I seek refuge with God,” to have recourse to Him. And your stronghold is the Prophet’s (UWBP) practices.

FIFTH INDICATION

In the revealed scriptures Almighty God points out to mankind great rewards like Paradise and terrible punishments like Hell, and He gives guidance, many admonishments and reminders, and threats and encouragement. But despite there being so many means guiding the people of belief to the straight path, they are defeated in the face of the feeble, unrewarding, repellent stratagems of Satan’s party. At one time this caused me much thought. How is it, I wondered, that although they believe, they disregard Almighty God’s severe threats? Why isn’t their belief enough?

They are carried away by Satan’s baseless wiles and rebel against God, although according to the verse, “Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan.”(4:76)

Some of my own friends, even, although they sincerely affirmed the teachings about reality they had heard from me a hundred times and had an excessively good opinion of me and relations with me, they were carried away by the trite and hypocritical compliments of a corrupt person, and took up a position in favour of him and against me. “Glory be to God!,” I exclaimed, “How can a person fall so low? What a deceitful man he was.” I slandered him and committed a sin.

Later, the truth explained in the previous Indications became clear and illuminated many obscure points. Thanks be to God, through its light I understood both that the All-Wise Qur’an’s powerful encouragement and assurances are completely in place, and that the people of belief being deceived by Satanic machinations is not due to a lack of belief or weakness of faith. I understood too that someone who commits grievous sins is not an unbeliever, and that the Mu‘tazilites and some Kharijite sects are in error by stating: “The person who commits a grievous sin is either in a state of unbelief or is between belief and unbelief,”(*) and that that unfortunate friend of mine sacrificing a hundred lessons in reality to win the attentions of such a scoundrel was not despicable abasement and degeneration; I thanked Almighty God and was saved from the abyss.

For as I said before, Satan pushes man into serious peril because of some insignificant matter that in reality lacks existence. Moreover, man’s soul always listens to Satan; and his powers of anger and animal appetites are like both receivers and transmitters of Satan’s whisperings.

It is in consequence of this that Almighty God’s names of Oft-Forgiving and All- Compassionate are turned to the people of belief with a maximum manifestation, and He points out in the All-Wise Qur’an that the greatest gift He bestows on the prophets is forgiveness and He calls on them to seek forgiveness. Repeating the blessed words, “In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate” at the start of every Sura and commanding that it be recited at the commencement of all good works,(*) He shows that His all-encompassing mercy embraces the universe and is a stronghold and place of refuge. And by the command, “Seek refuge with God,”(7:200, etc.) He makes a shield of the phrase, “I seek refuge with God from Satan the Accursed.”

SIXTH INDICATION

One of Satan’s most dangerous stratagems is this: he makes certain sensitive and ingenuous people confuse imagining unbelief with affirming it. He shows the imagining of misguidance to be the affirmation of it. He also conjures up in their imaginations ugly thoughts about holy individuals and sacred things. He shows also things which are essentially possible together with those that are reasonably possible, thus making those things appear to be doubts opposed to the certainty of belief. Then the wretched sensitive man supposes that he has fallen into misguidance and unbelief, and that his certainty of belief has been lost; he falls into despair and becomes the plaything of Satan. Satan works both his despair, and that weak vein of his, and his confusion, so that he either goes mad, or exclaiming: “All is lost,” embraces misguidance.

We have explained in some parts of the Risale-i Nur just how lacking in substance are these diabolical stratagems, so here shall discuss them only briefly, as follows: Just as a snake’s image in a mirror cannot bite, nor the similitude of fire burn, or the reflection of filth soil; so the reflections of unbelief and association of partners with God cannot corrupt belief nor the shadows of misguidance, or the imaginings of ugly abuse and words in the mirror of the imagination or of thought change faith, or damage respectful courtesy.

For the well- known rule goes, “To imagine abuse is not abuse, to imagine unbelief is not unbelief, and to conceive of misguidance is not misguidance.”

As for the question of doubts in belief, possibilities that are essentially possible do not belie the certainty of belief and do not harm it. One of the established rules of the science of the principles of religion is:

“An essential impossibiblity cannot negate the certainty afforded by knowledge.”(*)

For example, we are certain that Barla Lake is in its place consisting of water. It is, however, essentially possible that this very moment the lake sank into the ground. It is within the bounds of possibility that it might sink. But since there is nothing to indicate such a possibility, it is not a reasonable possibility and cause doubt.

For another established rule of the principles of religion is:

“A possibility that does not arise from any proof or evidence holds no importance.”

That is, an essential possibility unsupported by any indication cannot be deemed a reasonable possibility and so cause doubts and warrant importance. Hence, the unfortunate man exposed to those Satanic whisperings supposes that due to essential possibilities he has lost his certain belief in the truths of faith.

For example, numerous essential possibilites about the human aspects of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) may occur to him which cause no harm to his firm belief, but he imagines that they have and so suffers harm.

Also, sometimes Satan suggests bad things about Almighty God in the form of whisperings in the heart. The man trembles, supposing that his heart is corrupted so that it says such things. But his fear and trembling and lack of consent shows that those words did not come from his heart; they rather came from Satanic whisperings, and were imparted and caused to be imagined by Satan.

Also, among man’s subtle faculties are one or two that I have been unable to specify; they do not heed the will and power of choice and probably should not be held responsible. Sometimes they govern, do not listen to the truth, and incline towards wrong. Then Satan whispers to the man: “You’re not capable of attaining to reality and belief, so you involuntarily attempt what is futile and fruitless. That means your fate has condemned you to perdition.” The wretched man falls into despair and is ruined.

The believer’s stronghold in the face of the former stratagems of Satan are the truths of belief and incontestable matters of the Qur’an, the limits of which have been defined by the principles of the purified exacting scholars. And in the face of the latter stratagems, the believer’s stronghold is to seek refuge with God and to attach no importance to them. For the more importance is given them, the more it attracts attention to them, and they grow and swell. The believer’s antidote and remedy for such spiritual wounds is adhering to the practices of the Prophet (UWBP).

SEVENTH INDICATION

Question: The Mu‘tazilite authorities considered the creation of evil to be evil, and therefore did not attribute the creation of unbelief and misguidance to God, as if by so doing they were exonerating Him. They misguidedly said: “Man creates his own actions.”(*)

They also said: “A believer who commits a grievous sin loses his belief,(*) for believing in God and affirming Hell is incompatible with such acts. Out of fear at a minor prison sentence in this world, a man restrains himself from acting contrarily to the law, so if he commits serious sins, which infers disregard of divine wrath, it certainly points to his lack of belief.”

The Answer

to the first part of the question: as is elucidated in the treatise on divine determining,(*) the creation of evil is not evil; it is the inclination to do evil that is evil. For creation and bringing into being look to all the results. Since the existence of one evil is preliminary to numerous good results, by virtue of those results, the creation of the evil becomes good, and is as though good.

For example, fire has a hundred good results, but if because they misuse their wills people make the fire evil for themselves, they cannot say that the creation of evil is evil.

In the same way, the creation of devils has numerous wise results such as human progress; so if a person is defeated by Satan due to his misuse of his will and misguided inclinations, he cannot say that the creation of Satan is evil. For he did evil to himself because he was himself disposed to it. Yes, since the tendency is a particular relation, it has a particular evil result and becomes evil. But since creation looks to all the results, the creation of evil is not evil; it is good. The Mu‘tazilites did not understand this mystery, so they said: “The creation of evil is evil, and the creation of bad, bad.”

And to exonerate Almight y God of all fault, they did not ascribe the creation of evil to Him; they fell into misguidance, wrongly interpreting the pillar of belief “belief in divine determining, both the good of it and the evil of it are from God.”(*)

The Answer to the second part of the question “How can someone who commits grievous sins remain a believer?”:

Firstly, their error may be understood clearly from the previous Indications, so there is no need to repeat it.

Secondly, the man’s evil-commanding soul prefers an ounce of immediate, present pleasure to a ton of postponed, hidden pleasure; similarly, he shrinks at the fear of an immediate slap more than at a year’s torment in the future. Furthermore, if the emotions dominate a person, they do not heed the reason and mind. Desires and delusions govern in him, and he prefers the slightest, most trivial present pleasure to huge reward in the future, and he shrinks from some minor present distress more than from some terrible postponed torment. For desire, illusions, and emotions do not see the future, indeed, they deny it. And if the soul assists them, the heart, which is the seat of belief, and the mind, fall silent and are defeated.

In which case, committing grievous sins does not arise from lack of belief, but from the defeat of the heart and mind by the predominant emotions, desires, and illusions.

Moreover, as is understood from the previous Indications, since the way the passions and evil work is through destruction, they are extremely easy. Satans from among jinn and men quickly drive people down that road. It is an astonishing situation, for according to a Hadith, a light to the extent of a fly’s wing from the World of Eternity(*) is comparable to the pleasure and bounties a person receives in his entire life in this world,(*) yet following Satan, certain unfortunates prefer the pleasures of this fleeting world, which are a mere fly’s wing in comparison with the pleasures of that eternal world, which are worth all this world.

It is for these reasons that the All-Wise Qur’an repeatedly and insistently, and with encouragement and threats, restrains believers from sin and urges them to do good.

One time this severe guidance of the All-Wise Qur’an gave me the idea that these continual warnings and reminders imply that believers are inconstant and faulty. They suggest a situation inconsistent with man’s integrity. For although a single order from his superior is sufficient to exact an official’s obedience, if the superior repeats the same order ten times, the official will be seriously offended. He will say: “You are insulting me. I am not disloyal.” However, the All-Wise Qur’an insistently repeats the same command to the most sincere believers.

At the time I was puzzling over this idea, I had two or three loyal friends. I frequently used to warn and remind them lest they be deceived by the machinations of satanic humans. They were not offended at me, nor said I was insulting them. However I used to tell myself that I was offending them with these continual admonitions and that I was accusing them of disloyalty and inconstancy.

Then suddenly the truth explained and proved in the above Indications became clear. I understood that the All-Wise Qur’an’s insistent repetitions were apt and exactly as required by the situation, and wise and not excessive or accusing; they were pure wisdom and pure eloquence. I understood too the reason those loyal friends of mine were not offended.

A summary of the truth is this: Since evil spirits provoke people in respect of destruction, they commit much evil with few actions. People who take the path of truth and guidance, therefore, are in need of much caution and great care and repeated warnings and various assistance. For this reason Almighty God offers assistance to the people of belief through His thousand and one names by way of those repetitions, and stretches out thousands of compassionate hands to help them. He does not slight their integrity, but upholds it. He does not belittle man, but shows Satan’s evil to be great.

O people of truth and people of guidance! The way to be saved from the above- mentioned wiles of satanic jinn and men is this: make your headquarters the school of the people of the truth, the Sunnis; enter the stronghold of the Qur’an of Miraculous Exposition’s incontestable matters; and take the Prophet’s (UWBP) practices as your guide; find safety and salvation!

EIGHTH INDICATION

Question: You have proved in the above Indications that the way of misguidance is easy, and is destruction and aggression, so that many take it. Whereas in other parts of the Risale-i Nur you have proved decisively that the way of unbelief and misguidance is so fraught with difficulties and problems that no one should take it; that it is not possible to follow it. And you have shown that the path of belief and guidance is so easy and clear that everyone should take it.

The Answer: There are two sorts of unbelief and misguidance. One pertains to actions and secondary matters, and is also denial and rejection of the matters of belief. This kind is misguidance is easy. It is a non- acceptance of the truth, an abdication, non-existence, and the absence of acceptance. In the Risale-i Nur, this sort has been shown to be easy.

As for the second sort, it pertains not to actions and secondary matters, but is a judgement of the mind and pertains to belief. It does not only deny belief, but opens up a way that is the opposite of it. It is the acceptance of what is false and invalid, the proof of the reverse of truth. This is not only the denial and refutation of belief, it is its opposite. It is not non-acceptance so that it should be easy, but the acceptance of non-being, and can only be accepted through proving non-existence. In accordance with the rule “Non-existence cannot be proved,”(*) it is certainly not easy to prove it.

Thus, the unbelief and misguidance shown in other parts of the Risale-i Nur to be so difficult and problematic as to be impossible is this sort. Anyone with even a grain of intelligence would not take this way. Moreover, as is demonstrated, it imparts such grievous pains and suffocating darkness that anyone reasonable to the tiniest degree would not follow it.

If it is asked: Why do most people take it, seeing that it is so grievous, dark, and difficult?

The Answer: They have fallen into it and cannot extricate themselves. And because the animal and vegetable powers in man do not see the consequences and do not think of them, and come to dominate man’s subtle faculties, such people do not want to extricate themselves, so console themselves with immediate, temporary pleasure.

Question: Since misguidance gives rise to such dreadful suffering and fear, the unbeliever should not be able to live, let alone receiving pleasure from life. He should be crushed by the pain and be absolutely terrified. For although by reason of his humanity he desires innumerable things and loves life, because of his unbelief, he constantly sees death confronting him as eternal extinction and everlasting separation, and the passing of beings and deaths of his friends and those he loves as annihilation and eternal parting, so how can such a man live? How can he receive pleasure from life?

The Answer: He deceives himself through an extraordinary sophistry of Satan, and lives. He supposes he receives a superficial pleasure. We shall allude to the true nature of this with a well-known comparison.

It is related that they said to the ostrich: “You’ve got wings, so fly!” But it folded its wings and said: “I’m a camel,” and didn’t fly. So it fell into the hunter’s trap, and not wanting the hunter to see it, stuck its head in the sand. However, it left its huge body exposed, as prey for the hunter. They later said to it: “You say you’re a camel, so you should carry loads.” Whereupon it opened its wings and declared: “I’m a bird,” and so avoided being a beast of burden. But then it had neither protector nor food, and was pursued by the hunters.

In exactly the same way, the unbeliever gave up absolute disbelief in the face of the Qur’an’s heavenly proclamations and fell into scepticism. If he is asked: “You think death is eternal extinction. How can a person live when he perpetually sees before him the gallows on which he is to be hanged? How can he be happy?” Thanks to the portion he has received of the Qur’an’s universal mercy and all-encompassing light, the man replies: “Death doesn’t mean going to nothingness; perhaps there is life after death.” Or else he plunges his head in the sand of heedlessness like the ostrich so that the appointed hour will not spot him and the grave will not watch him and the transience of things will not let fly their arrows at him!

In Short : When like the ostrich the unbeliever looks on death and decline as extinction, his scepticism makes him consider possible the certain tidings of the Qur’an and revealed scriptures concerning belief in the hereafter afford him a possibility. He grasps the possibility and does not suffer that ghastly pain. If he is then told: “Since one will go to an everlasting realm, to have a good life there, here one has to put up with the difficulties of performing the religious obligations,”

his scepticism leads him to reply: “Perhaps there is no such world, so why should I work for something that doesn’t exist?” That is to say, he is saved from the pain of eternal nothingness by the possibility of immortalit y afforded by that decree of the Qur’an, and clinging onto the possibility of unbelief, he is saved from the hardship of the religious obligations by the possibility of non-existence afforded by his scepticism.

That is to say, from this point of view, he supposes he receives more pleasure from this life than the believers, for due to the possibility afforded by unbelief he is saved from the hardship of the religious obligations, and due to the possibility afforded by belief, he does not expose himself to everlasting pains.

However, this satanic sophistry is extremely superficial, temporary, and without benefit. Thus, the All-Wise Qur’an produces a sort of manifestation of mercy for the unbelievers too that to an extent saves their lives in this world from being Hell; it induces doubt in them, so they live through doubt. Otherwise, by recalling the Hell of the hereafter they would have suffered the torments of a sort of Hell in this world too, and they would have been compelled to commit suicide.

O people of belief! Fully confident in your belief enter under the protection of the Qur’an, which will save you from eternal extinction and the hells of this world and the hereafter. Submissively and appreciatively remain within the bounds of the Prophet’s (UWBP) practices, and so be saved from both misery in this world and torment in the next!

NINTH INDICATION

Question: Why is it that the people of guidance, who are God’s party, are so often defeated by the people of misguidance, who are Satan’s party, despite the Glory of the World (Upon whom be blessings and peace) being at their head and their receiving so much divine mercy and assistance and so many favours?

What was the reason for the dissemblers of Medina insisting on misguidance and their not embracing guidance, despite being close to the brilliant sun-like prophethood and messengerhood of the Seal of the Prophets (UWBP) and the Qur’anic truths, which are more captivating than the universal laws of attraction?

The Answer: To solve the two parts of this awesome question, a profound principle must be explained. It is like this:

The All-Glorious Creator of the universe has two sort of names, those pertaining to His glory and those pertaining to His beauty. Since the names require to demonstrate their decrees through different manifestations, the Glorious Creator blended together opposites in the universe. Bringing them face to face, he gave them aggressive and defensive positions, in the form of a wise and beneficial contest. Making the opposites transgress one another’s bounds, He brought conflict and change into being, and made the universe subject to the law of change and transformation and the principles of progress and advancement. In humankind, the comprehensive fruit of the tree of creation, he gave the law of contest an even stranger form, and opening the door to striving, which would be the means to all human progress, He gave Satan’s party certain faculties with which to challenge God’s party.

It is because of this subtle mystery that the prophets were often defeated by the people of misguidance. And the people of misguidance, who are extremely weak and impotent, temporarily triumph over the people of truth, who in reality are extremely strong, and struggle against them. The wisdom in this strange opposition is as follows:

Misguidance and unbelief comprise both non-existence and omission, so that they are extremely easy and do not require action. They also give rise to destruction, which is also easy, and need little action. They are also a source of aggression, which may cause much harm to many with little action, and by way of intimidating others and satisfying the soul’s desire for power, may secure rank and position for a person. There is also freedom in misguidance and unbelief, which gratifies man’s vegetable and animal powers, which are blind to consequences and obsessed by present pleasure, and induces such subtle faculties as the heart and reason to give up their humane and far- sighted duties.

However, the sacred way of foremost the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the Beloved of the Sustainer of All the Worlds, and of the people of prophethood and the people of guidance, both pertains to existence, and is firmly established, and is constructive, and is based on the important principles of action, moderation, prudence and foresight, worship, and smashing the domination and independence of the evil-commanding soul.(*) It is because of this that the dissemblers of the Prophet’s (UWBP) time in Medina closed their eyes to that refulgent sun like bats, and surrendering themselves to a satanic force of repulsion in the face of that huge attraction, remained in misguidance.

If it is said: The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was the Beloved of the Sustainer of All the Worlds;(*)and he held truth in his hand and spoke the truth with his tongue;(*)and among the soldiers of his army were angels;(*)and he watered a whole army with one handful of water;(*)and provided a feast for a thousand men with four handfuls of wheat and the meat of one kid;(*)and caused the unbelievers’ army to flee by throwing a handful of dust at them, which entered all their See, Muslim, Jihad, 81; Darimi, Siyar, 16; Musnad, i, 103, 368; v, 286, 310.</ref>)so how was that dominical commander who performed a thousand miracles similar to these, defeated at the end of Uhud(*)and at the beginning of Hunayn?(*)

Elcevap: Resul-i Ekrem aleyhissalâtü vesselâm, nev-i beşere mukteda ve imam ve rehber olarak gönderilmiştir. Tâ ki o nev-i insanî, hayat-ı içtimaiye ve şahsiyedeki düsturları ondan öğrensin ve Hakîm-i Zülkemal’in kavanin-i meşietine itaate alışsınlar ve desatir-i hikmetine tevfik-i hareket etsinler. Eğer Resul-i Ekrem aleyhissalâtü vesselâm, hayat-ı içtimaiye ve şahsiyesinde daima hârikulâdelere ve mu’cizelere istinad etseydi, o vakit imam-ı mutlak ve rehber-i ekber olamazdı.

İşte bu sır içindir ki yalnız davasını tasdik ettirmek için ara sıra inde’l-hace, münkirlerin inkârını kırmak için mu’cizeler gösterirdi. Sair vakitlerde nasıl ki herkesten ziyade evamir-i İlahiyeye itaat etmiştir. Öyle de hikmet-i Rabbaniye ile ve meşiet-i Sübhaniye ile tesis edilen âdetullah kavaninine herkesten ziyade müraat ve itaat ederdi. Düşmana karşı zırh giyerdi “Sipere giriniz!” emrederdi. Yara alırdı, zahmet çekerdi. Tâ tamamıyla hikmet-i İlahiye kanununa ve kâinattaki şeriat-ı fıtriye-i kübraya müraat ve itaati göstersin.

Onuncu İşaret

İblisin en mühim bir desisesi: Kendini, kendine tabi olanlara inkâr ettirmektir. Şu zamanda, hususan maddiyyunların felsefeleriyle zihni bulananlar, bu bedihî meselede tereddüt gösterdikleri için şeytanın bu desisesine karşı bir iki söz söyleyeceğiz. Şöyle ki:

İnsanlarda şeytan vazifesini gören cesetli ervah-ı habîse bilmüşahede bulunduğu gibi cinnîden cesetsiz ervah-ı habîse dahi bulunduğu, o kat’iyettedir. Eğer onlar maddî ceset giyseydiler, bu şerir insanların aynı olacaktılar. Hem eğer bu insan suretindeki insî şeytanlar cesetlerini çıkarabilse idiler o cinnî iblisler olacaktılar. Hattâ bu şiddetli münasebete binaendir ki bir mezheb-i bâtıl hükmetmiş ki: “İnsan suretindeki gayet şerir ervah-ı habîse, öldükten sonra şeytan olur.”

Malûmdur ki a’lâ bir şey bozulsa, edna bir şeyin bozulmasından daha ziyade bozuk olur. Mesela, nasıl ki süt ve yoğurt bozulsalar yine yenilebilir. Yağ bozulsa yenilmez, bazen zehir gibi olur. Öyle de mahlukatın en mükerremi, belki en a’lâsı olan insan, eğer bozulsa bozuk hayvandan daha ziyade bozuk olur. Müteaffin maddelerin kokusuyla telezzüz eden haşerat gibi ve ısırmakla zehirlendirmekten lezzet alan yılanlar gibi dalalet bataklığındaki şerler ve habîs ahlâklar ile telezzüz ve iftihar eder ve zulmün zulümatındaki zararlardan ve cinayetlerden lezzet alırlar, âdeta şeytanın mahiyetine girerler. Evet, cinnî şeytanın vücuduna kat’î bir delili, insî şeytanın vücududur.

Sâniyen: Yirmi Dokuzuncu Söz’de yüzer delil-i kat’î ile ruhanî ve meleklerin vücudunu ispat eden umum o deliller, şeytanların dahi vücudunu ispat ederler. Bu ciheti o Söz’e havale ediyoruz.

Sâlisen: Kâinattaki umûr-u hayriyedeki kanunların mümessili, nâzırı hükmünde olan meleklerin vücudu, ittifak-ı edyan ile sabit olduğu gibi umûr-u şerriyenin mümessilleri ve mübaşirleri ve o umûrdaki kavaninin medarları olan ervah-ı habîse ve şeytaniye bulunması, hikmet ve hakikat noktasında kat’îdir; belki umûr-u şerriyede zîşuur bir perdenin bulunması daha ziyade lâzımdır. Çünkü Yirmi İkinci Söz’ün başında denildiği gibi:

Herkes, her şeyin hüsn-ü hakikisini göremediği için zâhirî şerriyet ve noksaniyet cihetinde Hâlık-ı Zülcelal’e karşı itiraz etmemek ve rahmetini ittiham etmemek ve hikmetini tenkit etmemek ve haksız şekva etmemek için zâhirî bir vasıtayı perde ederek tâ itiraz ve tenkit ve şekva, o perdelere gidip Hâlık-ı Kerîm ve Hakîm-i Mutlak’a teveccüh etmesin. Nasıl ki vefat eden ibadın küsmesinden Hazret-i Azrail’i kurtarmak için hastalıkları ecele perde etmiş. Öyle de Hazret-i Azrail’i (as) kabz-ı ervaha perde edip, tâ merhametsiz tevehhüm edilen o haletlerden gelen şekvalar, Cenab-ı Hakk’a teveccüh etmesin.

Öyle de daha ziyade bir kat’iyetle şerlerden ve fenalıklardan gelen itiraz ve tenkit, Hâlık-ı Zülcelal’e teveccüh etmemek için hikmet-i Rabbaniye, şeytanın vücudunu iktiza etmiştir.

Râbian: İnsan küçük bir âlem olduğu gibi âlem dahi büyük bir insandır. Bu küçük insan, o büyük insanın bir fihristesi ve hülâsasıdır. İnsanda bulunan numunelerin büyük asılları, insan-ı ekberde bizzarure bulunacaktır. Mesela, nasıl ki insanda kuvve-i hâfızanın vücudu, âlemde Levh-i Mahfuz’un vücuduna kat’î delildir.

Öyle de insanda kalbin bir köşesinde lümme-i şeytaniye denilen bir âlet-i vesvese ve kuvve-i vâhimenin telkinatıyla konuşan bir şeytanî lisan ve ifsad edilen kuvve-i vâhime, küçük bir şeytan hükmüne geçtiğini ve sahiplerinin ihtiyarına zıt ve arzusuna muhalif hareket ettiklerini hissen ve hadsen herkes nefsinde görmesi, âlemde büyük şeytanların vücuduna kat’î bir delildir.

Ve bu lümme-i şeytaniye ve şu kuvve-i vâhime, bir kulak ve bir dil olduklarından, ona üfleyen ve bunu konuşturan haricî bir şahs-ı şerirenin vücudunu ihsas ederler.

On Birinci İşaret

Ehl-i dalaletin şerrinden kâinatın kızdıklarını ve anâsır-ı külliyenin hiddet ettiklerini ve umum mevcudatın galeyana geldiklerini, Kur’an-ı Hakîm mu’cizane ifade ediyor. Yani kavm-i Nuh’un başına gelen tufan ile semavat ve arzın hücumunu ve kavm-i Semud ve Âd’in inkârından hava unsurunun hiddetini ve kavm-i Firavun’a karşı su unsurunun ve denizin galeyanını ve Karun’a karşı toprak unsurunun gayzını ve ehl-i küfre karşı âhirette تَكَادُ تَمَيَّزُ مِنَ ال۟غَي۟ظِ sırrıyla cehennemin gayzını ve öfkesini ve sair mevcudatın ehl-i küfür ve dalalete karşı hiddetini gösterip ilan ederek gayet müthiş bir tarzda ve i’cazkârane ehl-i dalalet ve isyanı zecrediyor.

Sual: Ne için böyle ehemmiyetsiz insanların ehemmiyetsiz amelleri ve şahsî günahları, kâinatın hiddetini celbediyor?

Elcevap: Bazı risalelerde ve sâbık işaretlerde ispat edildiği gibi küfür ve dalalet, müthiş bir tecavüzdür ve umum mevcudatı alâkadar edecek bir cinayettir. Çünkü hilkat-i kâinatın bir netice-i a’zamı, ubudiyet-i insaniyedir ve rububiyet-i İlahiyeye karşı iman ve itaatle mukabeledir.

Halbuki ehl-i küfür ve dalalet ise küfürdeki inkârıyla, mevcudatın ille-i gayeleri ve sebeb-i bekaları olan o netice-i a’zamı reddettikleri için umum mahlukatın hukukuna bir nevi tecavüz olduğu gibi umum masnuatın âyinelerinde cilveleri tezahür eden ve masnuatın kıymetlerini, âyinedarlık cihetinde âlî eden esma-i İlahiyenin cilvelerini inkâr ettikleri için o esma-i kudsiyeye karşı bir tezyif olduğu gibi umum masnuatın kıymetini tenzil ile o masnuata karşı bir tahkir-i azîmdir. Hem umum mevcudatın her biri birer vazife-i âliye ile muvazzaf birer memur-u Rabbanî derecesinde iken, küfür vasıtasıyla sukut ettirip camid, fâni, manasız bir mahluk menzilesinde gösterdiğinden, umum mahlukatın hukukuna karşı bir nevi tahkirdir.

İşte enva-ı dalalet derecatına göre az çok kâinatın yaratılmasındaki hikmet-i Rabbaniyeye ve dünyanın bekasındaki makasıd-ı Sübhaniyeye zarar verdiği için ehl-i isyana ve ehl-i dalalete karşı kâinat hiddete geliyor, mevcudat kızıyor, mahlukat öfkeleniyor.

Ey cirmi ve cismi küçük ve cürmü ve zulmü büyük ve ayb ve zenbi azîm bîçare insan! Kâinatın hiddetinden, mahlukatın nefretinden, mevcudatın öfkesinden kurtulmak istersen, işte kurtulmanın çaresi; Kur’an-ı Hakîm’in daire-i kudsiyesine girmektir ve Kur’an’ın mübelliği olan Resul-i Ekrem aleyhissalâtü vesselâmın sünnet-i seniyesine ittibadır. Gir ve tabi ol!

On İkinci İşaret

Dört sual ve cevaptır.

Birinci Sual:

Mahdud bir hayatta, mahdud günahlara mukabil, hadsiz bir azap ve nihayetsiz bir cehennem nasıl adalet olur?

Elcevap: Sâbık işaretlerde, hususan bundan evvelki On Birinci İşaret’te kat’iyen anlaşıldı ki küfür ve dalalet cinayeti, nihayetsiz bir cinayettir ve hadsiz bir hukuka tecavüzdür.

İkinci Sual:

Şeriatta denilmiştir ki: “Cehennem ceza-yı ameldir fakat cennet fazl-ı İlahî iledir.” Bunun sırr-ı hikmeti nedir?

Elcevap: Sâbık işaretlerde tebeyyün etti ki insan, icadsız bir cüz-i ihtiyarî ile ve cüz’î bir kesb ile bir emr-i ademî veya bir emr-i itibarî teşkil ile ve sübut vermekle müthiş tahribata ve şerlere sebebiyet verdiği gibi; nefsi ve hevası daima şerlere ve zararlara meyyal olduğu için o küçük kesbin neticesinden hasıl olan seyyiatın mes’uliyetini, o çeker. Çünkü onun nefsi istedi ve kendi kesbiyle sebebiyet verdi. Ve şer ademî olduğu için abd ona fâil oldu. Cenab-ı Hak da halk etti. Elbette o hadsiz cinayetin mes’uliyetini, nihayetsiz bir azap ile çekmeye müstahak olur.

Amma hasenat ve hayrat ise mademki vücudîdirler, kesb-i insanî ve cüz-i ihtiyarî onlara illet-i mûcide olamaz. İnsan, onda hakiki fâil olamaz. Ve nefs-i emmaresi de hasenata taraftar değildir, belki rahmet-i İlahiye onları ister ve kudret-i Rabbaniye icad eder. Yalnız insan, iman ile arzu ile niyet ile sahip olabilir. Ve sahip olduktan sonra, o hasenat ise ona evvelce verilmiş olan vücud ve iman nimetleri gibi sâbık hadsiz niam-ı İlahiyeye bir şükürdür, geçmiş nimetlere bakar. Vaad-i İlahî ile verilecek cennet ise fazl-ı Rahmanî ile verilir. Zâhirde bir mükâfattır, hakikatte fazıldır.

Demek seyyiatta sebep, nefistir; mücazata bizzat müstahaktır. Hasenatta ise sebep Hak’tandır, illet de Hak’tandır. Yalnız, insan iman ile tesahub eder. “Mükâfatını isterim.” diyemez “Fazlını beklerim.” diyebilir.

Üçüncü Sual:

Beyanat-ı sâbıkadan da anlaşılıyor ki seyyiat, intişar ve tecavüz ile taaddüd ettiğinden, bir seyyie bin yazılmalı, hasene ise vücudî olduğu için maddeten taaddüd etmediğinden ve abdin icadıyla ve nefsin arzusuyla olmadığından hiç yazılmamalı veya bir yazılmalı idi. Neden seyyie bir yazılır, hasene on ve bazen bin yazılır?

Elcevap: Cenab-ı Hak, kemal-i rahmet ve cemal-i rahîmiyetini o suretle gösteriyor.

Dördüncü Sual:

Ehl-i dalaletin kazandıkları muvaffakiyet ve gösterdikleri kuvvet ve ehl-i hidayete galebeleri gösteriyor ki onlar bir kuvvete ve bir hakikate istinad ediyorlar. Demek, ya ehl-i hidayette zaaf var ya onlarda bir hakikat var?

Elcevap: Hâşâ! Ne onlarda hakikat var, ne ehl-i hakta zaaf vardır. Fakat maatteessüf kāsıru’n-nazar muhakemesiz bir kısım avam tereddüde düşüp vesvese ediyorlar, akidelerine halel geliyor.

Çünkü diyorlar: “Eğer ehl-i hakta tam hak ve hakikat olsaydı bu derece mağlubiyet ve zillet olmamak gerekti. Çünkü hakikat kuvvetlidir. اَل۟حَقُّ يَع۟لُو وَلَا يُع۟لٰى عَلَي۟هِ olan kaide-i esasiye ile kuvvet haktadır. Eğer o ehl-i hakka mukabil galibane gelen ehl-i dalaletin hakiki bir kuvveti ve bir nokta-i istinadı olmasaydı bu derece galibiyet ve muvaffakiyet olmamak lâzım gelecekti?”

Elcevap: Ehl-i hakkın mağlubiyeti kuvvetsizlikten, hakikatsizlikten gelmediği, sâbık işaretlerle kat’î ispat edildiği gibi; ehl-i dalaletin galebesi kuvvetlerinden ve iktidarlarından ve nokta-i istinad bulmalarından gelmediği, yine o işaretlerle kat’î ispat edildiğinden bu sualin cevabı, sâbık işaretlerin heyet-i mecmuasıdır. Yalnız burada desiselerinden ve istimal ettikleri bir kısım silahlarına işaret edeceğiz. Şöyle ki:

Ben kendim mükerreren müşahede etmişim ki: Yüzde on ehl-i fesat, yüzde doksan ehl-i salahı mağlup ediyordu. Hayretle merak ettim, tetkik ederek kat’iyen anladım ki o galebe kuvvetten, kudretten gelmiyor, belki fesattan ve alçaklıktan ve tahripten ve ehl-i hakkın ihtilafından istifade etmesinden ve içlerine ihtilaf atmaktan ve zayıf damarları tutmaktan ve aşılamaktan ve hissiyat-ı nefsaniyeyi ve ağraz-ı şahsiyeyi tahrik etmekten ve insanın mahiyetinde muzır madenler hükmünde bulunan fena istidatları işlettirmekten ve şan ve şeref namıyla riyakârane nefsin firavuniyetini okşamaktan ve vicdansızca tahribatlarından herkes korkmasından geliyor. Ve o misillü şeytanî desiseler vasıtasıyla muvakkaten ehl-i hakka galebe ederler.

Fakat وَال۟عَاقِبَةُ لِل۟مُتَّقٖينَ sırrıyla اَل۟حَقُّ يَع۟لُو وَلَا يُع۟لٰى عَلَي۟هِ düsturuyla onların o muvakkat galebeleri, menfaat cihetinden onlar için ehemmiyetsiz olmakla beraber, cehennemi kendilerine ve cenneti ehl-i hakka kazandırmalarına sebeptir.

İşte dalalette, iktidarsızlar muktedir görünmeleri ve ehemmiyetsizler şöhret kazanmaları içindir ki hodfüruş, şöhret-perest, riyakâr insanlar ve az bir şeyle iktidarlarını göstermek ve ihafe ve ızrar cihetinden bir mevki kazanmak için ehl-i hakka muhalefet vaziyetine girerler. Tâ görünsün ve nazar-ı dikkat ona celbolunsun. Ve iktidar ve kudretle değil belki terk ve ataletle sebebiyet verdiği tahribat ona isnad edilip ondan bahsedilsin. Nasıl ki böyle şöhret divanelerinden birisi, namazgâhı telvis etmiş tâ herkes ondan bahsetsin. Hattâ ondan lanetle de bahsedilmiş de şöhret-perestlik damarı kendisine bu lanetli şöhreti hoş göstermiş diye darb-ı mesel olmuş.

Ey âlem-i beka için yaratılan ve fâni âleme müptela olan bîçare insan! فَمَا بَكَت۟ عَلَي۟هِمُ السَّمَٓاءُ وَ ال۟اَر۟ضُ âyetinin sırrına dikkat et, kulak ver! Bak ne diyor? Mefhum-u sarîhiyle ferman ediyor ki: “Ehl-i dalaletin ölmesiyle insan ile alâkadar olan semavat ve arz, onların cenazeleri üstünde ağlamıyorlar, yani onların ölmesiyle memnun oluyorlar.”

Ve mefhum-u işarîsiyle ifade ediyor ki: “Ehl-i hidayetin ölmesiyle semavat ve arz, onların cenazeleri üstünde ağlıyorlar, firaklarını istemiyorlar.” Çünkü ehl-i iman ile bütün kâinat alâkadardır, ondan memnundur. Zira iman ile Hâlık-ı kâinat’ı bildikleri için kâinatın kıymetini takdir edip hürmet ve muhabbet ederler. Ehl-i dalalet gibi tahkir ve zımnî adâvet etmezler.

Ey insan, düşün! Sen alâküllihal öleceksin. Eğer nefis ve şeytana tabi isen senin komşuların, belki akrabaların senin şerrinden kurtulmak için mesrur olacaklar. Eğer اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّي۟طَانِ الرَّجٖيمِ deyip Kur’an’a ve Habib-i Rahman’a tabi isen o vakit semavat ve arz ve mevcudat, herkesin derecesine nisbeten, senin derecene göre senin firakından müteessir olup manen ağlarlar. Ulvi bir matem ile ve haşmetli bir teşyi ile kabir kapısıyla girdiğin beka âleminde senin derecene nisbeten senin için bir hüsn-ü istikbal var olduğuna işaret ederler.

On Üçüncü İşaret

Üç noktadır.

Birinci Nokta:

Şeytanın en büyük bir desisesi: Hakaik-i imaniyenin azameti cihetinde dar kalpli ve kısa akıllı ve kāsır fikirli insanları aldatır, der ki: “Bir tek zat, umum zerrat ve seyyarat ve nücumu ve sair mevcudatı bütün ahvaliyle tedbir-i rububiyetinde çeviriyor, idare ediyor deniliyor. Böyle hadsiz acib büyük meseleye nasıl inanılabilir? Nasıl kalbe yerleşir? Nasıl fikir kabul edebilir?” der. Acz-i insanî noktasında bir hiss-i inkârî uyandırıyor.

Elcevap: Şeytanın bu desisesini susturan sır: “Allahu ekber”dir. Ve cevab-ı hakikisi de “Allahu ekber”dir. Evet “Allahu ekber”in ziyade kesretle şeair-i İslâmiyede tekrarı, bu desiseyi mahvetmek içindir. Çünkü insanın âciz kuvveti ve zayıf kudreti ve dar fikri, böyle hadsiz büyük hakikatleri “Allahu ekber” nuruyla görüp tasdik ediyor ve “Allahu ekber” kuvvetiyle o hakikatleri taşıyor ve “Allahu ekber” dairesinde yerleştiriyor ve vesveseye düşen kalbine diyor ki: Bu kâinatın gayet muntazamca tedbir ve tedviri bilmüşahede görünüyor. Bunda iki yol var:

Birinci yol: Mümkündür fakat gayet azîmdir ve hârikadır. Zaten böyle hârika bir eser, bir hârika sanat ile çok acib bir yol ile olur. O yol ise mevcudat belki zerrat adedince vücudunun şahitleri bulunan bir Zat-ı Ehad ve Samed’in rububiyetiyle ve irade ve kudretiyle olmasıdır.

İkinci yol: Hiçbir cihet-i imkânı olmayan ve imtina derecesinde müşkülatlı ve hiçbir cihette makul olmayan şirk ve küfür yoludur. Çünkü Yirminci Mektup ve Yirmi İkinci Söz gibi çok risalelerde gayet kat’î ispat edildiği üzere: O vakit kâinatın her bir mevcudunda ve hattâ her bir zerresinde bir uluhiyet-i mutlaka ve bir ilm-i muhit ve hadsiz bir kudret bulunmak lâzım geliyor. Tâ ki mevcudatta bilmüşahede görünen nihayet derecede nizam ve intizam ve gayet hassas mizan ve imtiyaz ile mükemmel ve müzeyyen olan nukuş-u sanat vücud bulabilsin.

Elhasıl, eğer tam lâyık ve tam yerinde olan azametli ve kibriyalı rububiyet olmazsa, o vakit her cihetçe gayr-ı makul ve mümteni bir yol takip etmek lâzım gelecek. Lâyık ve lâzım olan azametten kaçmakla, muhal ve imtinaa girmeyi, şeytan dahi teklif edemez.

İkinci Nokta:

Şeytanın mühim bir desisesi: İnsana kusurunu itiraf ettirmemektir. Tâ ki istiğfar ve istiaze yolunu kapasın. Hem nefs-i insaniyenin enaniyetini tahrik edip tâ ki nefis kendini avukat gibi müdafaa etsin âdeta taksirattan takdis etsin.

Evet şeytanı dinleyen bir nefis, kusurunu görmek istemez; görse de yüz tevil ile tevil ettirir. وَ عَي۟نُ الرِّضَا عَن۟ كُلِّ عَي۟بٍ كَلٖيلَةٌ sırrıyla: Nefsine nazar-ı rıza ile baktığı için ayıbını görmez. Ayıbını görmediği için itiraf etmez, istiğfar etmez, istiaze etmez; şeytana maskara olur. Hazret-i Yusuf aleyhisselâm gibi bir Peygamber-i Âlîşan وَمَٓا اُبَرِّئُ نَف۟سٖٓى اِنَّ النَّف۟سَ لَاَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّٓوءِ اِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبّٖى dediği halde, nasıl nefse itimat edilebilir?

Nefsini ittiham eden, kusurunu görür. Kusurunu itiraf eden, istiğfar eder. İstiğfar eden, istiaze eder. İstiaze eden, şeytanın şerrinden kurtulur. Kusurunu görmemek o kusurdan daha büyük bir kusurdur. Ve kusurunu itiraf etmemek, büyük bir noksanlıktır. Ve kusurunu görse o kusur, kusurluktan çıkar; itiraf etse affa müstahak olur.

Üçüncü Nokta:

İnsanın hayat-ı içtimaiyesini ifsad eden bir desise-i şeytaniye şudur ki: Bir mü’minin bir tek seyyiesiyle, bütün hasenatını örter. Şeytanın bu desisesini dinleyen insafsızlar, mü’mine adâvet ederler. Halbuki Cenab-ı Hak haşirde adalet-i mutlaka ile mizan-ı ekberinde a’mal-i mükellefîni tarttığı zaman, hasenatı seyyiata galibiyeti, mağlubiyeti noktasında hükmeyler. Hem seyyiatın esbabı çok ve vücudları kolay olduğundan, bazen bir tek hasene ile çok seyyiatını örter. Demek bu dünyada, o adalet-i İlahiye noktasında muamele gerektir. Eğer bir adamın iyilikleri fenalıklarına kemiyeten veya keyfiyeten ziyade gelse o adam muhabbete ve hürmete müstahaktır. Belki kıymettar bir tek hasene ile çok seyyiatına nazar-ı af ile bakmak lâzımdır.

Halbuki insan, fıtratındaki zulüm damarıyla, şeytanın telkiniyle, bir zatın yüz hasenatını bir tek seyyie yüzünden unutur, mü’min kardeşine adâvet eder, günahlara girer. Nasıl bir sinek kanadı göz üstüne bırakılsa bir dağı setreder, göstermez. Öyle de insan garaz damarıyla, sinek kanadı kadar bir seyyie ile dağ gibi hasenatı örter, unutur; mü’min kardeşine adâvet eder, insanların hayat-ı içtimaiyesinde bir fesat âleti olur.

Şeytanın bu desisesine benzer diğer bir desise ile insanın selâmet-i fikrini ifsad ediyor, hakaik-i imaniyeye karşı sıhhat-i muhakemeyi bozuyor ve istikamet-i fikriyeyi ihlâl ediyor. Şöyle ki:

Bir hakikat-i imaniyeye dair yüzer delail-i ispatiyenin hükmünü, nefyine delâlet eden bir emare ile kırmak ister. Halbuki kaide-i mukarreredir ki: “Bir ispat edici, çok nefyedicilere tereccuh ediyor.” Bir davaya müsbit bir şahidin hükmü, yüz nâfîlere râcih olur. Bu hakikate bu temsil ile bak. Şöyle ki:

Bir saray, yüzer kapalı kapıları var. Bir tek kapı açılmasıyla o saraya girilebilir, öteki kapılar da açılır. Eğer bütün kapılar açık olsa, bir iki tanesi kapansa o saraya girilemeyeceği söylenemez.

İşte hakaik-i imaniye o saraydır. Her bir delil, bir anahtardır, ispat ediyor, kapıyı açıyor. Bir tek kapının kapalı kalmasıyla o hakaik-i imaniyeden vazgeçilmez ve inkâr edilemez. Şeytan ise bazı esbaba binaen ya gaflet veya cehalet vasıtasıyla kapalı kalmış olan bir kapıyı gösterir, ispat edici bütün delilleri nazardan ıskat ediyor. “İşte bu saraya girilmez, belki saray değildir, içinde bir şey yoktur.” der kandırır.

İşte ey şeytanın desiselerine müptela olan bîçare insan! Hayat-ı diniye, hayat-ı şahsiye ve hayat-ı içtimaiyenin selâmetini dilersen ve sıhhat-i fikir ve istikamet-i nazar ve selâmet-i kalp istersen; muhkemat-ı Kur’aniyenin mizanlarıyla ve sünnet-i seniyenin terazileriyle a’mal ve hatıratını tart ve Kur’an’ı ve sünnet-i seniyeyi daima rehber yap ve اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّي۟طَانِ الرَّجٖيمِ de, Cenab-ı Hakk’a ilticada bulun.

İşte bu on üç işaret, on üç anahtardır. Kur’an-ı Mu’cizü’l-Beyan’ın en âhirki suresi ve اَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّي۟طَانِ الرَّجٖيمِ in mufassalı ve madeni olan

اَس۟تَعٖيذُ بِاللّٰهِ بِس۟مِ اللّٰهِ الرَّح۟مٰنِ الرَّحٖيمِ

قُل۟ اَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ ۝ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ ۝ اِلٰهِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِن۟ شَرِّ ال۟وَس۟وَاسِ ال۟خَنَّاسِ ۝ اَلَّذٖى يُوَس۟وِسُ فٖى صُدُورِ النَّاسِ ۝ مِنَ ال۟جِنَّةِ وَ النَّاسِ

suresinin hısn-ı hasîni ve kale-i metininin kapısını o on üç anahtarla aç, gir, selâmeti bul!

سُب۟حَانَكَ لَا عِل۟مَ لَنَٓا اِلَّا مَا عَلَّم۟تَنَٓا اِنَّكَ اَن۟تَ ال۟عَلٖيمُ ال۟حَكٖيمُ

رَبِّ اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِن۟ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطٖينِ ۝ وَاَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ اَن۟ يَح۟ضُرُونِ

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