The Twelfth Word
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
And he who has been given wisdom has been given great good.(*[1])
[This Word consists of a brief comparison between the sacred wisdom of the All-Wise Qur’an and the wisdom of philosophy and science, and a concise summary of the instruction and training which Qur’anic wisdom gives to man in his personal life and social life, and an indication of the Qur’an’s superiority to other Divine words, and to all speech. There are Four Principles in this Word.]
FIRST PRINCIPLE
Look through the telescope of the following story which is in the form of a comparison, and see the differences between Qur’anic wisdom and that of philosophy and science:
One time, a renowned Ruler who was both religious and a fine craftsman wanted to write the All-Wise Qur’an in a script worthy of the sacredness in its meaning and the miraculousness in its words, so that its marvel-displaying stature would be arrayed in wondrous apparel. The artist-King therefore wrote the Qur’an in a truly wonderful fashion. He used all his precious jewels in its writing. In order to indicate the great variety of its truths, he wrote some of its embodied letters in diamonds and emeralds, and some in rubies and agate, and other sorts in brilliants and coral, while others he inscribed with silver and gold. He adorned and decorated it in such a way that everyone, those who knew how to read and those who did not, were full of admiration and astonishment when they beheld it. Especially in the view of the people of truth, since the outer beauty was an indication of the brilliant beauty and striking adornment in its meaning, it became a truly precious antique.
Then the Ruler showed the artistically wrought and bejewelled Qur’an to a European philosopher and to a Muslim scholar. In order to test them and for reward, he commanded them: “Each of you write a work about the wisdom and purposes of this!” First the philosopher, then the scholar composed a book about it.
However, the philosopher’s book discussed only the decorations of the letters and their relationships and conditions, and the properties of the jewels, and described them. It did not touch on their meaning at all, for the European had no knowledge of the Arabic script. He did not even know that the embellished Qur’an was a book, a written piece, expressing a meaning. He rather looked on it as an ornamented antique. He did not know any Arabic, but he was a very good engineer, and he described things very aptly, and he was a skilful chemist, and an ingenious jeweller. So this man wrote his work according to those crafts.
As for the Muslim scholar, when he looked at the Qur’an, he understood that it was the Perspicuous Book, the All-Wise Qur’an. This truth-loving person neither attached importance to the external adornments, nor busied himself with the ornamented letters. He became preoccupied with something that was a million times higher, more elevated, more subtle, more noble, more beneficial, and more comprehensive than the matters with which the other man had busied himself. For discussing the sacred truths and lights of the mysteries beneath the veil of the decorations, he wrote a truly fine commentary.
Then the two of them took their works and presented them to the Illustrious Ruler. The Ruler first took the philosopher’s work. He looked at it and saw that the self-centred and nature- worshipping man had worked very hard, but had written nothing of true wisdom. He had understood nothing of its meaning. Indeed, he had confused it and been disrespectful towards it, and ill-mannered even. For supposing that source of truths, the Qur’an, to be meaningless decoration, he had insulted it as being valueless in regard to meaning. So the Wise Ruler hit him over the head with his work and expelled him from his presence.
Then he looked at the work of the other, the truth-loving, scrupulous scholar, and saw that it was an extremely fine and beneficial commentary, a most wise composition full of guidance. “Congratulations! May God bless you!”, he said. Thus, wisdom is this and they call those who possess it knowledgeable and wise. As for the other man, he was a craftsman who had exceeded his mark. Then in reward for the scholar’s work, he commanded that in return for each letter ten gold pieces should be given him from his inexhaustible treasury.
If you have understood the comparison, now look and see the reality:
The ornamented Qur’an is this artistically fashioned universe, and the Ruler is the Pre-Eternal All-Wise One. As for the two men, one –the European– represents philosophy and its philosophers, and the other, the Qur’an and its students. Yes, the All-Wise Qur’an is a most elevated expounder, a most eloquent translator of the Mighty Qur’an of the Universe.
Yes, it is the Criterion which instructs man and the jinn concerning the signs of creation inscribed by the pen of power on the pages of the universe and on the leaves of time. It regards beings, each of which is a meaningful letter, as bearing the meaning of another, that is, it looks at them on account of their Maker. It says, “How beautifully they have been made! How exquisitely they point to their Maker’s beauty!”, thus showing the universe’s true beauty.
But the philosophy they call natural philosophy or science has plunged into the decorations of the letters of beings and into their relationships, and has become bewildered; it has confused the way of reality. While the letters of this mighty book should be looked at as bearing the meaning of another, that is, on account of God, they have not done this; they have looked at beings as signifying themselves. That is, they have looked at beings on account of beings, and have discussed them in that way. Instead of saying, “How beautifully they have been made,” they say “How beautiful they are,” and have made them ugly. In doing this they have insulted the universe, and made it complain about them. Indeed, philosophy without religion is a sophistry divorced from reality and an insult to the universe.
SECOND PRINCIPLE
A comparison between the moral training the wisdom of the All-Wise Qur’an gives to personal life and what philosophy and science teach:
The sincere student of philosophy is a pharaoh, but he is a contemptible pharaoh who worships the basest thing for the sake of benefit; he recognizes everything from which he can profit as his ‘Lord’. And that irreligious student is obstinate and refractory, but he is wretched together with his obstinacy and accepts endless abasement for the sake of one pleasure. And he is abject together with his recalcitrance and shows his abasement by kissing the feet of satanic individuals for the sake of some base benefit. And that irreligious student is conceited and domineering, but since he can find no point of support in his heart, he is an utterly impotent blustering tyrant. And that student is a self-centered seeker of benefit whose aim and endeavour is to gratify his animal appetites; a crafty egotist who seeks his personal interests within certain nationalist interests.
However, the sincere student of Qur’anic wisdom is a servant, but he does not stoop to worship even the greatest of creatures; he is an esteemed slave who does not take a supreme benefit like Paradise as the aim of his worship. And its student is humble; he is righteous and mild, yet outside the limits of his Maker’s leave, he would not voluntarily lower and abase himself before anything other than his Maker. And he is weak and in want, and he knows his weakness and poverty, but he is self-sufficient due to the wealth which his All-Generous Lord has stored up for him in the hereafter, and he is strong since he relies on his Master’s infinite power. And he acts and strives only for God’s sake, for God’s pleasure, and for virtue.
Thus, the training the two give may be understood from the comparison of the two students.
THIRD PRINCIPLE
The training philosophy and science and Qur’anic wisdom give to human social life is this:
Philosophy accepts ‘force’ as its point of support in the life of society. It considers its aim to be ‘benefits’. The principle of its life it recognizes to be ‘conflict’. It holds the bond between communities to be ‘racialism and negative nationalism’. Its fruits are ‘gratifying the appetites of the soul and increasing human needs’.
However, the mark of force is ‘aggression’. The mark of benefit – since they are insufficient for every desire – is ‘jostling and tussling’. While the mark of conflict is ‘strife’. And the mark of racialism –since it is nourished by devouring others– is ‘aggression’. It is for these reasons that it has negated the happiness of mankind.
As for the Qur’anic wisdom, its point of support is ‘truth’ instead of force. It takes ‘virtue and God’s pleasure’ as its aims in place of benefits. It takes the principle of ‘mutual assistance’ as the principle of life in place of the principle of conflict. And it takes ‘the ties of religion, class, and country’ to be the ties bonding communities. Its aim is to form a barrier against the lusts of the soul, urge the spirit to sublime matters, satisfy the high emotions, and urging man to the human perfections, make him a true human being.
And the mark of ‘the truth’ is accord. The mark of virtue is ‘solidarity’. The mark of mutual assistance is ‘hastening to assist one another’. The mark of religion is ‘brotherhood’ and ‘attraction’. And the mark of reining in and tethering the soul and leaving the spirit free and urging it towards perfections is ‘happiness in this world and the next’.
FOURTH PRINCIPLE
If you want to understand the Qur’an’s superiority among all the Divine scriptures and its supremacy over all speech and writings, then consider the following two comparisons:
Birincisi: Bir sultanın iki çeşit mükâlemesi, iki tarzda hitabı vardır. Birisi, âdi bir raiyet ile cüz’î bir iş için hususi bir hâcete dair, has bir telefonla konuşmaktır. Diğeri, saltanat-ı uzma unvanıyla ve hilafet-i kübra namıyla ve hâkimiyet-i âmme haysiyetiyle evamirini etrafa neşir ve teşhir maksadıyla bir elçisiyle veya büyük bir memuruyla konuşmaktır ve haşmetini izhar eden ulvi bir fermanla mükâlemedir.
İkinci Temsil: Bir adam, elinde bir âyineyi güneşe karşı tutar. O âyine miktarınca bir ışık ve yedi rengi câmi’ bir ziya alır; o nisbetle güneşle münasebettar olur, sohbet eder. Ve o ışıklı âyineyi, karanlıklı hanesine veya dam altındaki bağına tevcih etse güneşin kıymeti nisbetinde değil, belki o âyinenin kabiliyeti miktarınca istifade edebilir.
Diğeri ise hanesinden veya bağının damından geniş pencereler açar. Gökteki güneşe karşı yollar yapar. Hakiki güneşin daimî ziyasıyla sohbet eder, konuşur ve lisan-ı hal ile böyle minnettarane bir sohbet eder. Der: “Ey yeryüzünü ışığıyla yaldızlayan ve bütün çiçeklerin yüzünü güldüren dünya güzeli ve gök nazdarı olan nâzenin güneş! Onlar gibi benim haneciğimi ve bahçeciğimi ısındırdın, ışıklandırdın.” Halbuki âyine sahibi böyle diyemez. O kayıt altındaki güneşin aksi ise âsârı mahduddur. O kayda göredir.
İşte bu iki temsilin dürbünüyle Kur’an’a bak. Tâ ki i’cazını göresin ve kudsiyetini anlayasın.
Evet, Kur’an der ki: “Eğer yerdeki ağaçlar kalem olup denizler mürekkep olsa Cenab-ı Hakk’ın kelimatını yazsalar, bitiremezler.” Şimdi şu nihayetsiz kelimat içinde en büyük makam, Kur’an’a verilmesinin sebebi şudur ki:
Kur’an, ism-i a’zamdan ve her ismin a’zamlık mertebesinden gelmiş. Hem bütün âlemlerin Rabb’i itibarıyla Allah’ın kelâmıdır. Hem bütün mevcudatın ilahı unvanıyla Allah’ın fermanıdır. Hem semavat ve arzın Hâlık’ı haysiyetiyle bir hitaptır. Hem rububiyet-i mutlaka cihetinde bir mükâlemedir. Hem saltanat-ı âmme-i Sübhaniye hesabına bir hutbe-i ezeliyedir. Hem rahmet-i vâsia-i muhita noktasında, bir defter-i iltifatat-ı Rahmaniyedir. Hem uluhiyetin azamet-i haşmeti haysiyetiyle, başlarında bazen şifre bulunan bir muhabere mecmuasıdır. Hem ism-i a’zamın muhitinden nüzul ile arş-ı a’zamın bütün muhatına bakan, teftiş eden hikmet-feşan bir kitab-ı mukaddestir.
İşte bu sırdandır ki “kelâmullah” unvanı kemal-i liyakatle Kur’an’a verilmiş.
Amma sair kelimat-ı İlahiye ise bir kısmı, has bir itibar ile ve cüz’î bir unvan ve hususi bir ismin cüz’î tecellisi ile ve has bir rububiyet ile ve mahsus bir saltanat ile ve hususi bir rahmet ile zâhir olan kelâmdır. Hususiyet ve külliyet cihetinde dereceleri muhteliftir. Ekser ilhamat bu kısımdandır. Fakat derecatı çok mütefavittir.
Mesela, en cüz’îsi ve basiti, hayvanatın ilhamatıdır. Sonra avam-ı nâsın ilhamatıdır. Sonra avam-ı melâikenin ilhamatıdır. Sonra evliya ilhamatıdır. Sonra melâike-i izam ilhamatıdır. İşte şu sırdandır ki kalbin telefonuyla vasıtasız münâcat eden bir veli der:
حَدَّثَنِي قَلْبِي عَنْ رَبِّي Yani “Kalbim, benim Rabb’imden haber veriyor.” Demiyor: “Rabbü’l-âlemîn’den haber veriyor.” Hem der: “Kalbim, Rabb’imin âyinesidir, arşıdır.” Demiyor: “Rabbü’l-âlemîn’in arşıdır.” Çünkü kabiliyeti miktarınca ve yetmiş bine yakın hicabların nisbet-i ref’i derecesinde mazhar-ı hitap olabilir.
İşte bir padişahın saltanat-ı uzması haysiyetiyle çıkan fermanı, âdi bir adamla cüz’î bir mükâlemesinden ne kadar yüksek ve âlî ise ve gökteki güneşin feyzinden istifade, âyinedeki aksinin cilvesinden istifadeden ne derece çok ve faik ise Kur’an-ı Azîmüşşan dahi o nisbette bütün kelâmların ve hep kitapların fevkindedir.
Kur’an’dan sonra ikinci derecede kütüb-ü mukaddese ve suhuf-u semaviyenin dereceleri nisbetinde tefevvukları vardır. O sırr-ı tefevvuktan hissedardırlar.
Eğer bütün cin ve insanın Kur’an’dan tereşşuh etmeyen bütün güzel sözleri toplansa yine Kur’an’ın mertebe-i kudsiyesine yetişip tanzir edemez.
Eğer Kur’an’ın ism-i a’zamdan ve her ismin a’zamlık mertebesinden geldiğini bir parça fehmetmek istersen Âyetü’l-Kürsî
ve âyet-i وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ
ve âyet-i قُلِ اللّٰهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ
ve âyet-i يُغْشِي الَّيْلَ النَّـهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَث۪يثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِاَمْرِه۪
ve âyet-i يَٓا اَرْضُ ابْلَع۪ي مَٓاءَكِ وَيَا سَمَٓاءُ اَقْلِع۪ى
ve âyet-i تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمٰوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالْاَرْضُ وَمَنْ ف۪يهِنَّ
ve âyet-i مَا خَلْقُكُمْ وَلَا بَعْثُكُمْ اِلَّا كَنَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ
ve âyet-i اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْاَمَانَةَ عَلٰى السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ
ve âyet-i يَوْمَ نَطْوِي السَّمَٓاءَ كَطَىِّ السِّجِلِّ لِلْكُتُبِ
ve âyet-i وَمَا قَدَرُوا اللّٰهَ حَقَّ قَدْرِه۪ وَالْاَرْضُ جَم۪يعًا قَبْضَتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ
ve âyet-i لَوْ اَنْزَلْنَا هٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ عَلٰى جَبَلٍ لَرَاَيْتَهُ
gibi âyetlerin küllî, umumî, ulvi ifadelerine bak.
Hem başlarında اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ veyahut سَبَّحَ ve يُسَبِّحُ bulunan surelerin başlarına dikkat et. Tâ bu sırr-ı azîmin şuâını göresin. Hem الٓمٓ lerin ve الٓرٰ ların ve حٰمٓ lerin fatihalarına bak; Kur’an’ın, Cenab-ı Hakk’ın yanında ehemmiyetini bilesin.
Eğer şu “Dördüncü Esas”ın kıymettar sırrını fehmettin ise enbiyaya gelen vahyin ekseri melek vasıtasıyla olduğunu ve ilhamın ekseri vasıtasız olduğunu anlarsın. Hem en büyük bir veli, hiçbir nebinin derecesine yetişmediğinin sırrını anlarsın. Hem Kur’an’ın azametini ve izzet-i kudsiyetini ve ulviyet-i i’cazının sırrını anlarsın. Hem mi’racın sırr-ı lüzumunu, yani tâ semavata, tâ Sidretü’l-münteha’ya, tâ Kab-ı Kavseyn’e gidip, اَقْرَبُ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَر۪يدِ olan Zat-ı Zülcelal ile münâcat edip tarfetü’l-aynda yerine gelmek sırrını anlarsın.
Evet, şakk-ı kamer, nasıl ki bir mu’cize-i risaletidir; nübüvvetini cin ve inse gösterdi. Öyle de mi’rac dahi bir mu’cize-i ubudiyetidir; habibiyetini, ervah ve melâikeye gösterdi.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلٰى آلِهِ كَمَا يَلِيقُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ وَبِحُرْمَتِهِ آمِينَ
- ↑ *Qur’an, 2:269.