The First Letter
In His Name, be He glorified!
And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise. (*[1])
The First Letter
In His Name, be He glorified!
[This consists of the brief answers to four questions.]
FIRST QUESTION
Is Khidr alive? If he is alive, why do some leading religious scholars not accept it?
The Answer:He is alive, but there are five levels of life. He is at the second. It is because of this that some religious scholars have been doubtful about it.
The First Level of Life is that of our life, which is very restricted.
The Second Level of Life is that of Khidr and Ilyas (May God grant them peace), which is free to an extent. That is to say, they can be present in numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like we are. They can eat and drink like us when they want to, but are not compelled to like we are. Saints who attain to direct vision and knowledge of reality have reported virtually unanimously their adventures with Khidr and these elucidate and prove this level of life. One of the degrees of sainthood, even, is called the degree of Khidr. A saint who reaches it receives instruction from Khidr and meets with him. But it sometimes happens that such a person is mistakenly thought to be Khidr himself.
The Third Level of Life is that of Idris and Jesus (May God grant them peace), which is removed from the requirements of humanity, and is an angelic level of life and acquires a luminous fineness. Quite simply, Idris and Jesus are present in the heavens with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety of bodies from the World of Similitudes and the luminosit y of astral bodies.
There is a Hadith that states that at the end of time, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari‘a of Muhammad (UWBP). (*[2])This indicates that at the end times the religion of Christianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At that point, on the one hand the collective personality of Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly revelation; and on the other, representing the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will kill the Dajjal, who represents the collective personality of irreligion; that is, he will kill atheistic thought.
The Fourth Level of Life is that of the martyrs. According to the Qur’an, the martyrs are at a level of life higher than that of the other dead in their graves. Since they sacrificed their worldly lives in the way of truth, in His perfect munificence Almighty God bestows on them in the Intermediate Realm a life resembling earthly life, but without its sorrows and hardships. They do not know themselves to be dead and suppose only that they have gone to a better world. Enjoying themselves in perfect happiness, they do not suffer the pains of separation that accompany death. (*[3])
For sure the spirits of the dead are immortal, but they know they are dead. The happiness and pleasure they experience in the Intermediate World are not equal to the martyrs’ happiness. Like if two men in their dreams enter a beautiful palace resembling Paradise: one knows that he is dreaming and the pleasure and enjoyment he receives are deficient. He thinks: “If I wake up, all this enjoyment will disappear.” While the other man is unaware that he is dreaming, and he experiences true pleasure and delight.
Thus, the martyrs partake of life in the Intermediate Realm differently to the other dead. It has been definitely established by innumerable incidents and narrations that they manifest life in the way described above and suppose themselves to be alive.
Indeed, their level of life has been illuminated and proved on numerous occasions by such occurrences as Hamza (May God be pleased with him) – the lord of the martyrs– protecting those who have recourse to him, and his performing and making performed tasks in this world.
I myself, even, had a nephew and student called Ubeyd. He was killed at my side and in my place and became a martyr. Then, when I was being held as a prisoner-of-war at a place three months’ distance away, I entered his grave in a true dream, which was a sort of dwelling-place under the earth, although I did not know where he was buried. I saw him living the martyrs’ level of life. He evidently thought that I was dead and said that he had grieved over me greatly. He thought he was alive, but having retreated before the Russian invasion, had made himself a good home under the ground. Thus, owing to such indications, my unimportant dream convinced me about the above-mentioned truth as certainly as having witnessed it.
The Fifth Level of Life is that of the spirits of the dead in their graves. Yes, death is a change of residence, the liberation of the spirit, a discharge from duties; it is not annihilation, non-existence, and a going to nothingness. Many evidences illuminate and prove this level of life, such as the innumerable occasions the spirits of saints have assumed forms and appeared to those who unveil the realities, and the other dead have communicated with us while awake or sleeping and have told us of things that are conformable with reality. In fact, the Twenty-Ninth Word, which is about the immortality of man’s spirit, demonstrates this level of life with incontrovertible proofs.
SECOND QUESTION Who creates death and life that He may try you, which of you is the best in conduct.(67:2)Verses like this in the All-Wise Qur’an, the Criterion of Truth and Falsehood, make it understood that death is created like life; it too is a bounty. But on the face of it, death is dissolution, non-existence, decay, the extinction of life, the annihilator of pleasures; so how can it be created and a bounty?
The Answer:As was stated at the end of the answer to the first question, death is a discharge from the duties of life; it is a rest, a change of residence, a transformation of existence; it is an invitation to eternal life, a beginning, the introduction to an immortal life. Just as life comes into the world through an act of creation and is appointed and determined, so departure from the world is created and determined, and is planned wisely and purposively. The ways plants die, plant life being the simplest level of life, show their death to be a more orderly work of art than life.
For although the death of fruits, seeds, and grains appears to occur through their decay and dissolution, it is in fact a sort of kneading that comprises exceedingly well- ordered chemical reactions and a balanced combining of elements and wise formation of particles; their unseen, orderly and wise deaths appear through the life of the new shoots. That is to say, the death of the seed is the onset of the shoot’s life. Indeed, since its death is like life itself, it is created and regular the same as life is.
Moreover, the death of living fruits or animals in the human stomach is the beginning of their rising to the level of human life;
it may therefore be said that being thus, their death is more orderly and created than is their life. If the death of plant life, the lowest level of life, is created, wise, and ordered in that way, the death that befalls human life, the highest level of life, must be the same.
Similarly, as a seed sown in the ground becomes a tree in the world of the air, so a man who is laid in the earth will surely produce the shoots of an everlasting life in the Intermediate Realm.
Now for the aspects of death that are bounties; we shall point out four of them.
The First: Death is a great bounty because it means one is freed from the duties and obligations of life, which become burdensome. It is also a door through which one passes in order to join and be united with one’s friends, ninety-nine out of a hundred of whom are already in the Intermediate Realm.
The Second: It is to be released from the narrow, irksome, turbulent prison of this world, and to receive an expansive, joyful, troublefree immortal life, and to enter the sphere of the Eternally Beloved One’s mercy.
The Third: There are numerous factors like old age which make life arduous and show death to be a far superior bounty.
For example, if together with your very elderly parents who cause you much distress you beheld before you your grandfather’s grandfathers in all their pitiful state, you would understand what a calamity life is, and what a bounty, death.
Another example: one can imagine how difficult life is in the harsh conditions of winter for the beautiful flying insects, the lovers of the beautiful flowers, and what a mercy death is for them.
The Fourth: Just as sleep is a comfort, a mercy, a rest, particularly for those afflicted by disaster and the wounded and the sick, so too is death, the elder brother of sleep, a pure bounty and mercy for the disaster-struck and those who suffer tribulations that drive them to suicide.
However, as is proved decisively in many of the Words, for the people of misguidance, death is pure torment the same as life, and pure affliction, but that is outside the discussion here.
THIRD QUESTION
Where is Hell?
The Answer:
Say: the knowledge is with God alone.(67:26) * None knows the Unseen save God.(27:65)
According to some narrations, Hell is beneath the earth. (*[4])As we have explained in other places, in its annual orbit the globe traces a circle around an area that in the future will accommodate the Great Gathering and Last Judgement. It means that Hell is beneath the area of its orbit. It is invisible and imperceptible because it consists of veiled, lightless fire. Within the vast stretch of space travelled by the earth many creatures are found that are invisible because they are without light. Just as the moon loses its existence when its light recedes, so we are unable to see numerous lightless globes and creatures, although they are before our eyes.
There are two Hells, the Lesser and the Greater. In the future, the Lesser will be transformed into the Greater and is like its seed; in the future it will become one of its habitations. The Lesser Hell is under the earth, that is, at the earth’s centre. It is the inside and centre of the globe.
Geology informs us that in digging downwards, the heat for the most part increases one degree every thirty-three metres. That means that since half the diameter of the earth is around six thousand kilometres, the fire at the centre is at a temperature of around two hundred thousand degrees, that is, two hundred times hotter than fire at the circumference;
this is in agreement with what is stated in Hadiths. (*[5])The Lesser Hell performs many of the Greater Hell’s functions in this world and Intermediate Realm, and this is indicated in Hadiths. Just as in the world of the hereafter, the earth will pour its inhabitants into the arena of the resurrection within its annual orbit; so at the divine command it will hand over the Lesser Hell within it to the Greater Hell. Some of the Mu‘tazilite authorities said that Hell will be created later, but such an idea is mistaken and foolish, and arises from Hell not having completely opened up at the present time and developed into a form entirely appropriate for its inhabitants.
In order to see with our worldly eyes the dwelling places of the next world within the veil of the Unseen and to demonstrate their existence, either the universe has to be shrunk to the size of two provinces, or our eyes have to be enlarged to the size of stars, so that we can see and specify their places. God knows best, the dwelling-places of the hereafter are not visible to our worldly eyes, but as indicated by certain narrations, the Hell of the hereafter is connected with our world. A Hadith says about the intense heat of summer: “It gives an inkling of Hell.” (*[6])That is to say, the Greater Hell is not visible to the tiny, dim eyes of this world’s minds. However, we may look with the light of the divine name of All-Wise, as follows:
The Greater Hell beneath the earth’s annual orbit has as though made the Lesser Hell at the earth’s centre its deputy and made it perform some of its functions. The possessions of the All-Powerful One of Glory are truly extensive; He situated the Greater Hell wherever divine wisdom required.
Yes, the All-Powerful One of Glory, the All-Wise One of Perfection, who issues the command of “‘Be!’ and it is,”(36:82) has tied the moon to the earth before our very eyes with perfect wisdom and order, and with vast power and perfect order tied the earth to the sun, and has made the sun travel together with its planets at a speed close to that of the annual rotation of the earth, and with His majestic dominicality, according to one possibility, made it travel towards the sun of suns, and like a fleet decked out with electric lights has made the stars luminous witnesses to His sovereign dominicality. It is not far from the perfect wisdom, tremendous power, and sovereign dominicality of one thus All-Glorious to make the Greater Hell like the boiler of an electric-light factory and with it set fire to the stars of the heavens that look to the hereafter, and give them heat and power. That is, give light to the stars from Paradise, the world of light, and send them fire and heat from Hell, and at the same time, make part of that Hell a habitation and place of imprisonment for those who are to be tormented.
Furthermore, He is an All-Wise Creator who conceals a tree as large as a mountain in a seed the size of a finger-nail. It is surely not far then from the power and wisdom of such an All-Glorious One to conceal the Greater Hell in the seed of the Lesser Hell in the heart of the globe of the earth.
Elhasıl: Cennet ve cehennem, şecere-i hilkatten ebed tarafına uzanıp eğilerek giden bir dalın iki meyvesidir. Meyvenin yeri ise dalın müntehasındadır.
Hem şu silsile-i kâinatın iki neticesidir. Neticelerin mahalleri, silsilenin iki tarafındadır. Süflîsi, sakîli aşağı tarafında; nuranisi, ulvisi yukarı tarafındadır.
Hem şu seyl-i şuunatın ve mahsulat-ı maneviye-i arziyenin iki mahzenidir. Mahzenin mekânı ise mahsulatın nevine göre fenası altında, iyisi üstündedir.
Hem ebede karşı cereyan eden ve dalgalanan mevcudat-ı seyyalenin iki havuzudur. Havuzun yeri ise seylin durduğu ve tecemmu ettiği yerdedir. Yani habîsatı ve muzahrefatı esfelde, tayyibatı ve safiyatı a’lâdadır.
Hem lütuf ve kahrın, rahmet ve azametin iki tecelligâhıdır. Tecelligâhın yeri ise her yerde olabilir. Rahman-ı Zülcemal ve Kahhar-ı Zülcelal nerede isterse tecelligâhını açar.
Amma cennet ve cehennemin vücudları ise Onuncu ve Yirmi Sekizinci ve Yirmi Dokuzuncu Sözler’de gayet kat’î bir surette ispat edilmiştir. Şurada yalnız bu kadar deriz ki: Meyvenin vücudu dal kadar ve neticenin silsile kadar ve mahzenin mahsulat kadar ve havuzun ırmak kadar ve tecelligâhın, rahmet ve kahrın vücudları kadar kat’î ve yakîndir.
Dördüncü Sual
Mahbublara olan aşk-ı mecazî aşk-ı hakikiye inkılab ettiği gibi acaba ekser nâsda bulunan dünyaya karşı olan aşk-ı mecazî dahi bir aşk-ı hakikiye inkılab edebilir mi?
Elcevap: Evet. Dünyanın fâni yüzüne karşı olan aşk-ı mecazî; eğer o âşık, o yüzün üstündeki zeval ve fena çirkinliğini görüp ondan yüzünü çevirse bâki bir mahbub arasa dünyanın pek güzel ve âyine-i esma-i İlahiye ve mezraa-i âhiret olan iki diğer yüzüne bakmaya muvaffak olursa o gayr-ı meşru mecazî aşk, o vakit aşk-ı hakikiye inkılaba yüz tutar. Fakat bir şart ile ki kendinin zâil ve hayatıyla bağlı kararsız dünyasını, haricî dünyaya iltibas etmemektir.
Eğer ehl-i dalalet ve gaflet gibi kendini unutup âfaka dalıp umumî dünyayı hususi dünyası zannedip ona âşık olsa tabiat bataklığına düşer, boğulur. Meğerki hârika olarak bir dest-i inayet onu kurtarsın. Şu hakikati tenvir için şu temsile bak. Mesela:
Şu güzel ziynetli odanın dört duvarında, dördümüze ait dört endam âyinesi bulunsa o vakit beş oda olur. Biri hakiki ve umumî, dördü misalî ve hususi… Her birimiz kendi âyinemiz vasıtasıyla, hususi odamızın şeklini, heyetini, rengini değiştirebiliriz. Kırmızı boya vursak kırmızı, yeşil boyasak yeşil gösterir ve hâkeza… Âyinede tasarrufla çok vaziyetler verebiliriz; çirkinleştirir, güzelleştirir, çok şekillere koyabiliriz. Fakat haricî ve umumî odayı ise kolaylıkla tasarruf ve tağyir edemeyiz. Hususi oda ile umumî oda hakikatte birbirinin aynı iken ahkâmda ayrıdırlar. Sen bir parmak ile odanı harap edebilirsin, ötekinin bir taşını bile kımıldatamazsın.
İşte dünya süslü bir menzildir. Her birimizin hayatı, bir endam âyinesidir. Şu dünyadan her birimize birer dünya var, birer âlemimiz var. Fakat direği, merkezi, kapısı, hayatımızdır. Belki o hususi dünyamız ve âlemimiz, bir sahifedir. Hayatımız bir kalem, onunla sahife-i a’malimize geçecek çok şeyler yazılıyor.
Eğer dünyamızı sevdikse sonra gördük ki dünyamız hayatımız üstünde bina edildiği için hayatımız gibi zâil, fâni, kararsızdır, hissedip bildik. Ona ait muhabbetimiz, o hususi dünyamız âyine olduğu ve temsil ettiği güzel nukuş-u esma-i İlahiyeye döner; ondan, cilve-i esmaya intikal eder.
Hem o hususi dünyamız, âhiret ve cennetin muvakkat bir fidanlığı olduğunu derk edip ona karşı şedit hırs ve talep ve muhabbet gibi hissiyatımızı onun neticesi ve semeresi ve sümbülü olan uhrevî fevaidine çevirsek o vakit o mecazî aşk, hakiki aşka inkılab eder.
Yoksa نَسُوا اللّٰهَ فَاَن۟سٰيهُم۟ اَن۟فُسَهُم۟ اُولٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ال۟فَاسِقُونَ sırrına mazhar olup nefsini unutup hayatın zevalini düşünmeyerek hususi kararsız dünyasını, aynı umumî dünya gibi sabit bilip kendini lâyemut farz ederek dünyaya saplansa, şedit hissiyat ile ona sarılsa onda boğulur, gider. O muhabbet onun için hadsiz bela ve azaptır. Çünkü o muhabbetten yetimane bir şefkat, meyusane bir rikkat tevellüd eder. Bütün zîhayatlara acır, hattâ güzel ve zevale maruz bütün mahlukata bir rikkat ve bir firkat hisseder; elinden bir şey gelmez, yeis-i mutlak içinde elem çeker.
Fakat gafletten kurtulan evvelki adam, o şedit şefkatin elemine karşı ulvi bir tiryak bulur ki acıdığı bütün zîhayatların mevt ve zevalinde bir Zat-ı Bâki’nin bâki esmasının daimî cilvelerini temsil eden âyine-i ervahları bâki görür; şefkati, bir sürura inkılab eder.
Hem zeval ve fenaya maruz bütün güzel mahlukatın arkasında bir cemal-i münezzeh ve hüsn-ü mukaddesi ihsas eden bir nakış ve tahsin ve sanat ve tezyin ve ihsan ve tenvir-i daimîyi görür. O zeval ve fenayı tezyid-i hüsün ve tecdid-i lezzet ve teşhir-i sanat için bir tazelendirmek şeklinde görüp lezzetini ve şevkini ve hayretini ziyadeleştirir.
اَل۟بَاقٖى هُوَ ال۟بَاقٖى
Said Nursî
- ↑ *Bediuzzaman explained as follows his reasons for heading his letters with this verse (17:44): “This was the first door opened to me from the sacred treasuries of the All-Wise Qur’an. Of the divine truths of the Qur’an, it was the truth of this verse that first became clear to me and it is this truth that pervades most parts of the Risale-i Nur. Another reason is that the masters in whom I have confidence used it at the head of their letters.” (See, Barla Lahikası, 335.) (Tr.)
- ↑ *Bukhari, Mazalim, 31: Buyu’, 102; Muslim, Iman, 242, 343; Ibn Maja, Fitan, 33.
- ↑ *See, Tirmidhi, Jihad, 6; Nasa’i, Jihad, 35; Ibn Maja, Jihad, 16: Darimi, Jihad, 7.
- ↑ *al-‘Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, i, 281; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 568.
- ↑ *See, Bukhari, Bad’ al-Khalq, 10; Muslim, Janna, 30; Tirmidhi, Jahannam, 7; Musnad, ii, 313.
- ↑ *Bukhari, Mawaqit, 9, 10; Adhan 18; Bad’l-Khalq, 10; Muslim, Masajid, 180, 181, 183, 184, 186; Abu Da’ud, Salat, 4; Tirmidhi, Mawaqit, 5; Nasa’i, Mawaqit, 5; Ibn Maja, Salat, 4; Tibb, 19; Darimi, Salat, 14; Muwatta’, Waqut, 27, 28, 29; Musnad, ii, 229, 238, 256, 266, 285, 318, 324, 393, 394, 462, 501, 507; iii, 9, 53, 59; iv, 250, 662; v, 155, 162, 176, 368.