İkinci Lem'a/en

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

When he called upon his Lord saying: “Verily harm has afflicted me, and You are the Most Merciful of the Merciful!”(21:83)

The supplication of Job (Upon whom be peace), the champion of patience, is both well-tested and effective. Drawing on the verse, we should say in our supplication, “O my Lord and Sustainer! Indeed harm has afflicted me, and You are the Most Merciful of the Merciful.” The gist of the well-known story of Job(*) (Upon whom be peace) is as follows:

While afflicted with numerous wounds and sores for a long time, he recalled the great recompense to be had for his sickness, and endured it with utmost patience. But later, when the worms generated by his wounds penetrated to his heart and his tongue, the seat of the remembrance and knowledge of God,(*) he feared that his duty of worship would suffer, and so he said in supplication not for the sake of his own comfort, but for the sake of his worship of God: “O Lord! Harm has afflicted me; my remembrance of You with my tongue and my worship of You with my heart will suffer.” God Almighty then accepted this pure sincere, disinterested and devout supplication in the most miraculous fashion. He granted to Job perfect good health and made manifest in him all kinds of compassion.(*) This Flash contains five points:

FIRST POINT

Corresponding to the outer wounds and sicknesses of Job (Upon whom be peace), we have inner sicknesses of the spirit and heart. If our inner being were to be turned outward, and our outer being turned inward, we would appear more wounded and diseased than Job. For each sin that we commit and each doubt that enters our mind, inflicts wounds on our heart and our spirit. The wounds of Job (Upon whom be peace) were of such a nature as to threaten his brief worldly life, but our inner wounds threaten our infinitely long everlasting life. We need the supplication of Job thousands of times more than he did himself.

Just as the worms that arose from his wounds penetrated to his heart and tongue, so too the wounds that sin inflicts upon us and the temptations and doubts that arise from those wounds will – may God protect us! – penetrate our inner heart, the seat of belief, and thus wound belief. Penetrating too the spiritual joy of the tongue, the interpreter of belief, they cause it to shun in revulsion the remembrance of God, and reduce it to silence.

Sin, penetrating to the heart, will blacken and darken it until it extinguishes the light of belief.(*) Within each sin is a path leading to unbelief. Unless that sin is swiftly obliterated by seeking God’s pardon, it will grow from a worm into a snake that gnaws on the heart.

For example, a man who secretly commits a shameful sin will fear the disgrace that results if others become aware of it. Thus the existence of angels and spirit beings will be hard for him to endure, and he will long to deny it, even on the strength of the slightest indication.

Similarly, one who commits a major sin deserving of the torment of Hell, will desire the non-existence of Hell wholeheartedly, and whenever he hears of the threat of Hell-fire, he will dare to deny it on the strength of a slight indication and doubt, unless he takes up in protection the shield of repentance and seeking forgiveness.

Similarly, one who does not perform the obligatory prayer and fulfil his duty of worship will be affected by distress, just as he would be in case of the neglect of a minor duty toward some petty ruler. Thus, his laziness in fulfulling his obligation, despite the repeated commands of the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity, will distress him greatly, and on account of that distress will desire and say to himself: “Would that there were no such duty of worship!” In turn, there will arise from this desire a desire to deny God, and bear enmity toward Him. If some doubt concerning the existence of the Divine Being comes to his heart, he will be inclined to embrace it like a conclusive proof. A wide gate to destruction will be opened in front of him. The wretch does not know that although he is delivered by denial from the slight trouble of duty of worship, he has made himself, by that same denial, the target for milions of troubles that are far more awesome. Fleeing from the bite of a gnat, he welcomes the bite of the snake. There are many other examples, which may be understood with reference to these three, so that the sense of, Nay but their hearts are stained(83:14) will become apparent.

SECOND POINT

As was explained concerning the meaning of divine determining, known as destiny, in the Twenty-Sixth Word, men have no right to complain in the case of disasters and illness for the following three reasons:

First Reason:

God Most High has made the garment of the body with which He has clothed man a manifestation of His art. He has made man to be a model on which He cuts, trims, alters and changes the garment of the body, thus displaying the manifestation of various of His names. Just as the name of Healer makes it necessary that illness should exist, so too the name of Provider requires that hunger should exist. And so on.

The Lord of All Dominion has disposal over His dominion as He wishes.

Second Reason:

It is by means of disasters and sicknesses that life is refined,(*)

perfected, strengthened  and advanced; that it  yields results, attains perfection and fulfils its  own purpose.(*)

Life led monotonously on the couch of ease and comfort resembles not so much the pure good that is being, as the pure evil that is non-being; it tends in fact in that direction.

Third Reason:

This worldly realm is the field of testing, the abode of service. It is not the place of pleasure, reward, and requital. Considering, then, that it is the abode of service and place of worship, sicknesses and misfortunes – as long as they do not affect belief and are patiently endured(*) – conform fully to service and worship, and even strengthen it. Since they make each hour’s worship equivalent to that of a day,(*) one should offer thanks instead of complaining.

Worship consists in fact of two kinds, positive and negative. What is meant by the positive is obvious. As for negative worship, this is when one afflicted with misfortune or sickness perceives his own weakness and helplessness, and turning to his Compassionate Lord, seeks refuge in Him, meditates upon Him, petitions Him, and thus offers a pure form of worship that no hypocrisy can penetrate. If he endures patiently, thinks of the reward attendant on misfortune and offers thanks, then each hour that he passes will count as a whole day spent in worship. His brief life becomes very long. There are even cases where a single minute is counted as equal to a whole day’s worship. I once was extremely anxious because of an awesome illness that struck one of my brothers of the hereafter, Muhajir Hafız Ahmed.(*) and among the first students of the Risale-i Nur. Bediuzzaman stayed in his guesthouse on first arriving in Barla in the early spring of 1926, and he assisted Bediuzzaman for the eight and a half years he remained in Barla.</ref>) But then a warning came to my heart: “Congratulate him!” Each minute he spends is counted as a whole day’s worship. He was in any event enduring his illness in patience and gratitude.

THIRD POINT

As we have pointed out in one or two of the Words, whenever one thinks of his past life, he will say in his heart or with his tongue either “Ah!” or “Oh!” That is he will either experience regret, or say “Thanks and praise be to God!”

Regret is inspired by the pains arising from the cessation of former pleasures and separation from them. For the cessation of pleasure is a pain in itself. Sometimes a momentary pleasure will cause everlasting pain. To think upon it will be like lancing a wound, causing regret to gush forth.

As for the lasting spiritual pleasure that comes from the cessation of momentary pains experienced in the past, it inspires man to exclaim, “Thanks and praise be to God!” In addition to this innate tendency of man, if he thinks of the reward that results from misfortune and the requital that awaits him in the hereafter, if he realizes that his brief life will count as a long life because of misfortune, then instead of being merely patient he should be thankful. He should say, “Praise be to God for every state other than unbelief and misguidance.”(*) It is commonly said that misfortune is longlasting. Indeed it is, but not because it is troublesome and distressing as people customarily imagine, but rather because it yields vital results just like a long life.

FOURTH POINT

As was explained in the First Station of the Twenty-First Word, the power of patient endurance given to man by God Almighty is adequate to every misfortune, unless squandered on baseless fears. But through the predominance of delusion, man’s neglect and his imagining this transient life to be eternal, he squanders his power of endurance on the past and the future. His endurance is not equal to the misfortunes of the present, and he begins to complain. It is as if – God forbid! – he were complaining of God Almighty to men. In a most unjustified and even lunatic fashion, he complains and demonstrates his lack of patience.

If the day that is past held misfortune, the distress is now gone, and only tranquillity remains; the pain has vanished and the pleasure in its cessation remains; the trouble is gone, and the reward remains. Hence one should not complain but give thanks for enjoyment. One should not resent misfortune, but love it. The transient life of the past comes to be counted as an eternal and blessed life because of misfortune. To think upon past pain with one’s fancy and then to waste part of one’s patience is lunacy.

As far as days yet to come are concerned, since they have not yet come, to think now of the illness or misfortune to be borne during them and display impatience, is also foolishness. To say to oneself “Tomorrow or the day after I will be hungry and thirsty” and constantly to drink water and eat bread today, is pure madness. Similarly, to think of misfortunes and sicknesses yet in the future but now non-existent, to suffer them already, to show impatience and to oppress oneself without any compulsion, is such stupidity that it no longer deserves pity and compassion.

In short, just as gratitude increases divine bounty, so too complaint increases misfortune, and removes all occasion for compassion.

During World War One, a blessed person in Erzurum was afflicted with an awesome disease. I went to visit him and he said to me complaining bitterly: “I have not been able to place my head on the pillow and sleep for a hundred nights.” I was much grieved. Suddenly a thought came to me and I said:

“Brother, the hundred difficult days you have spent are now just like one hundred happy days. Do not think of them and complain; rather look at them and be grateful. As for future days, since they have not yet come, place your trust in your Compassionate and Merciful Lord. Do not weep before being beaten, do not be afraid of nothing, do not give non-being the colour of being. Think of the present hour; your power of patient endurance is enough for this hour. Do not act like the maddened commander who expects reinforcement on his right wing by an enemy force deserting to join him from his left, and then begins to disperse his forces in the centre to the left and the right, before the enemy has joined him on the right. The enemy then destroys his centre, left weak, with a minimal force. Brother, do not be like him. Mobilize all your strength for this present hour, and think of divine mercy, reward in the hereafter, and how your brief and transient life is being transformed into a long and eternal form. Instead of complaining bitterly, give joyful thanks.”

Much relieved, he said, “Praise and thanks be to God, my disease is now a tenth of what it was before.”

FIFTH POINT

consisting of three matters.

First Matter:

Asıl musibet ve muzır musibet, dine gelen musibettir. Musibet-i diniyeden her vakit dergâh-ı İlahiyeye iltica edip feryat etmek gerektir. Fakat dinî olmayan musibetler, hakikat noktasında musibet değildirler. Bir kısmı ihtar-ı Rahmanîdir.

Nasıl ki çoban, gayrın tarlasına tecavüz eden koyunlarına taş atıp onlar o taştan hissederler ki zararlı işten kurtarmak için bir ihtardır, memnunane dönerler. Öyle de çok zâhirî musibetler var ki İlahî birer ihtar, birer ikazdır ve bir kısmı keffaretü’z-zünubdur ve bir kısmı gafleti dağıtıp, beşerî olan aczini ve zaafını bildirerek bir nevi huzur vermektir.

Musibetin hastalık olan nev’i, sâbıkan geçtiği gibi o kısım, musibet değil belki bir iltifat-ı Rabbanîdir, bir tathirdir. Rivayette vardır ki: “Ermiş bir ağacı silkmekle nasıl meyveleri düşüyor, sıtmanın titremesinden günahlar öyle dökülüyor.”

Hazret-i Eyyüb aleyhisselâm münâcatında istirahat-i nefsi için dua etmemiş, belki zikr-i lisanî ve tefekkür-ü kalbîye mani olduğu zaman ubudiyet için şifa talep eylemiş. Biz, o münâcat ile –birinci maksadımız– günahlardan gelen manevî, ruhî yaralarımızın şifasını niyet etmeliyiz. Maddî hastalıklar için ubudiyete mani olduğu zaman iltica edebiliriz. Fakat muterizane, müştekiyane bir surette değil belki mütezellilane ve istimdadkârane iltica edilmeli.

Madem onun rububiyetine razıyız, o rububiyeti noktasında verdiği şeye rıza lâzım. Kaza ve kaderine itirazı işmam eder bir tarzda “Âh! Of!” edip şekva etmek; bir nevi kaderi tenkittir, rahîmiyetini ittihamdır. Kaderi tenkit eden, başını örse vurur, kırar. Rahmeti ittiham eden, rahmetten mahrum kalır. Kırılmış el ile intikam almak için o eli istimal etmek, nasıl kırılmasını tezyid ediyor. Öyle de musibete giriftar olan adam, itirazkârane şekva ve merakla onu karşılamak, musibeti ikileştiriyor.

İkinci Mesele:

Maddî musibetleri büyük gördükçe büyür, küçük gördükçe küçülür. Mesela, gecelerde insanın gözüne bir hayal ilişir. Ona ehemmiyet verdikçe şişer, ehemmiyet verilmezse kaybolur. Hücum eden arılara iliştikçe fazla tehacüm göstermeleri, lâkayt kaldıkça dağılmaları gibi; maddî musibetlere de büyük nazarıyla ehemmiyetle baktıkça büyür. Merak vasıtasıyla o musibet cesetten geçerek kalpte de kökleşir, bir manevî musibeti dahi netice verir; ona istinad eder, devam eder. Ne vakit o merakı, kazaya rıza ve tevekkül vasıtasıyla izale etse bir ağacın kökü kesilmesi gibi maddî musibet, hafifleşe hafifleşe kökü kesilmiş ağaç gibi kurur, gider. Bu hakikati ifade için bir vakit böyle demiştim:

Bırak ey bîçare feryadı, beladan kıl tevekkül.

Zira feryat bela-ender, hata-ender beladır bil.

Eğer bela vereni buldunsa safa-ender, atâ-ender beladır bil.

Eğer bulmazsan bütün dünya cefa-ender, fena-ender beladır bil.

Cihan dolu bela başında varken ne bağırırsın küçük bir beladan, gel tevekkül kıl!

Tevekkül ile bela yüzünde gül, tâ o da gülsün. O güldükçe küçülür, eder tebeddül.

Nasıl ki mübarezede müthiş bir hasma karşı gülmekle; adâvet musalahaya, husumet şakaya döner; adâvet küçülür, mahvolur. Tevekkül ile musibete karşı çıkmak dahi öyledir.

Üçüncü Mesele:

Her zamanın bir hükmü var. Şu gaflet zamanında musibet şeklini değiştirmiş. Bazı zamanda ve bazı eşhasta bela, bela değil belki bir lütf-u İlahîdir. Ben şu zamandaki hastalıklı ve sair musibetzedeleri (fakat musibet, dine dokunmamak şartıyla) bahtiyar gördüğümden, hastalık ve musibet aleyhtarı bulunmak hususunda bana bir fikir vermiyor. Ve bana, onlara acımak hissini îras etmiyor.

Çünkü hangi bir genç hasta yanıma gelmiş ise görüyorum, emsallerine nisbeten bir derece vazife-i diniyeye ve âhirete karşı merbutiyeti var. Ondan anlıyorum ki öyleler hakkında o nevi hastalıklar musibet değil, bir nevi nimet-i İlahiyedir. Çünkü çendan o hastalık onun dünyevî, fâni, kısacık hayatına bir zahmet îras ediyor. Fakat onun ebedî hayatına faydası dokunuyor, bir nevi ibadet hükmüne geçiyor. Eğer sıhhat bulsa, gençlik sarhoşluğuyla ve zamanın sefahetiyle elbette hastalık haletini muhafaza edemeyecek, belki sefahete atılacak.

Hâtime

Cenab-ı Hak hadsiz kudret ve nihayetsiz rahmetini göstermek için insanda hadsiz bir acz, nihayetsiz bir fakr derceylemiştir. Hem hadsiz nukuş-u esmasını göstermek için insanı öyle bir surette halk etmiş ki hadsiz cihetlerle elemler aldığı gibi hadsiz cihetlerle de lezzetler alabilir bir makine hükmünde yaratmış. Ve o makine-i insaniyede yüzer âlet var. Her birinin elemi ayrı, lezzeti ayrı, vazifesi ayrı, mükâfatı ayrıdır. Âdeta insan-ı ekber olan âlemde tecelli eden bütün esma-i İlahiye, bir âlem-i asgar olan insanda dahi o esmanın umumiyetle cilveleri var. Bunda sıhhat ve âfiyet ve lezaiz gibi nâfi’ emirler, nasıl şükrü dedirtir, o makineyi çok cihetlerle vazifelerine sevk eder. İnsan da bir şükür fabrikası gibi olur.

Öyle de musibetlerle, hastalıklarla, âlâm ile sair müheyyic ve muharrik arızalar ile o makinenin diğer çarklarını harekete getirir, tehyic eder. Mahiyet-i insaniyede münderic olan acz ve zaaf ve fakr madenini işlettiriyor. Bir lisan ile değil belki her bir azanın lisanıyla bir iltica, bir istimdad vaziyeti verir. Güya insan o arızalar ile ayrı ayrı binler kalemi tazammun eden müteharrik bir kalem olur. Sahife-i hayatında veyahut Levh-i Misalî’de mukadderat-ı hayatını yazar, esma-i İlahiyeye bir ilanname yapar ve bir kaside-i manzume-i Sübhaniye hükmüne geçip, vazife-i fıtratını îfa eder.

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