#divine unity

In His Name, be He glorified! 

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise. 

Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings, for ever and ever! 

Our Most Beloved, Blessed, Highly-Valued, Kindly Master! 

Our revered Master, who has completely abandoned his own will and left all matters to dominical will, who sees the mercy and wisdom of Divine Determining in every apparent calamity and hardship, and with perfect trust and submission awaits in perfect patience the results of that dominical manifestation! In this terrible century when in some places the things on which the believers rely have begun to crumble, and with publications opposing the pillars of belief the deniers of God flaunt themselves openly and arrogantly, and to act in opposition to the Qur’an’s commands and not believe in spiritual forces, and to ascribe the right of creation to unconscious, blind, deaf nature are considered marks of civilization and of being ‘cultured’ and intellectual -at such a time, our gracious Master wrote the Risale-i Nur, a miracle of the Qur’an, and offering its soothing cures to agitated, wretched hearts needy for the water of life of belief, gave them the good news of eternal happiness. On its highway of reality which proves its teachings with decisive, categorical arguments and proofs, and through the mystery of our Illustrious Leader (PBUH), to whom refers “the cause is like the doer,” the equivalent of all the good deeds performed by hundreds of thousands of Risale-i Nur students who have saved their belief through the Risale-i Nur has passed to the register of his good deeds! 

Just as in Denizli Prison Almighty God bestowed The Fruits of Belief, whose remedies were sufficiently efficacious to reduce to nothing the distress of the incarceration, and that rose’s sweet scent eliminated all the pains of its thorns, dispelling all our temporary distress; so too here in Afyon Prison, the physical discomforts of one day of which are equal to a month’s discomfort in Denizli Prison, the Most Munificent and Compassionate One of Beauty has bestowed at the hand of you our beloved Master sublime proofs affirming Divine unity and praise, and the messengership of Muhammad (PBUH), which are cures and antidotes. We most faulty students of yours, who through the effulgences of the Risale-i Nur have learnt to read and write, consider these three short treatises to be both conclusive proofs of the Risale-i Nur’s veracity and a sort of summary of it, in the same way that the programme and index of a mighty pine-tree is encapsulated in its seed.

We are incapable of describing the virtues of these three treatises, but on reading them our spirits experience a powerful relief, our physical sufferings are transformed into joy, and they bring us innumerable fruits from the garden of belief. With its eleven proofs of Divine unity, the first of them dispels the darknesses of disbelief, misguidance, and nature at this time. The second expounds with sacred proofs of belief Sura al-Fatiha, the source, basis, and master of all the comparisons in the Risale-i Nur. And the third explains brilliantly in a way that ensures complete certitude the part about the messengership of Muhammad (PBUH), which was imparted to you, our beloved Master, here in Afyon Prison. 

Although we are in no way worthy of anything, we shall strive with all our power to publish these works, which we have received. Offering endless thanks to Almighty God, we pray to Him saying: “Most Merciful of the Merciful! May You be pleased with our Master for ever and ever!” 

The Enduring One, He is the Enduring One!

In His Name, be He glorified! 

Today, due to a spiritual warning, I felt a disquiet, a grief, on account of you. Just when I was feeling upset at those of my brothers who being anxious about their livelihoods want to be released quickly, a blessed memory occasioned a truth and some good tidings to be imparted to me: the ‘Three Months’ will begin in five days time, which are truly blessed and are the months of highly meritorious worship. For if the reward yielded by good works at other times are tenfold, in the month of Rajab they are more than a hundredfold, in Sha‘ban they exceed three hundredfold, and in Ramadan they reach a thousandfold, while on Fridays in Ramadan they reach thousands and on the Night of Power may reach thirty thousand. It is certainly highly profitable therefore, to spend those three months -which are thus a sacred market for the trade of the hereafter earning plentiful gains for it, and an exceptional exhibition for the people of reality and worship, and in three months may secure for the believers a life of eighty years- in this School of Joseph, which increases the profits tenfold. Whatever the hardships suffered, they are pure mercy. As with worship, so with the service of the Risale-i Nur; with respect not to quantity but quality, its profits are fivefold. For people are continuously entering this guest-house, then being released, and they are means of the Risale-i Nur’s lessons being disseminated. Sometimes one man’s sincerity yields the benefits of twenty men. It is of no importance if such a man suffers a little hardship and distress so that the mystery of the Risale-i Nur’s sincerity might spread among the unfortunate prisoners, who are inclined to be political heroes and are much in need of the Risale-i Nur’s solace. In regard to the problem of livelihood, since these three months are a market for the hereafter, I felt perfectly easy at it and understood that being here inside until the Bayram is a great bounty, for since all of you were sent to this prison in place of numerous other Risale-i Nur students, and some of you in place of a thousand, they will help out in your business outside.

S a i d N u r s i * * *

In His Name, be He glorified! 

My Dear, Loyal Brothers! 

Firstly: I offer you congratulations with all my heart and soul for the month of Rajab and the holy night of Ragha’ib tomorrow.

Secondly: Don’t give up hope, and don’t worry or be alarmed. God willing, Divine grace will come to our aid. The bomb that was being prepared these last three months exploded. The news given by my stove, Feyzi’s beaker, and Husrev’s two drinking-cups turned out to be true. But it was not terrible, it was slight. God willing, the fire will be extinguished completely. All their assaults are to discredit my person and taint the Risale-i Nur’s conquests. The blow the man more harmful than the covert dissembler in Emirdag and merely a pawn in the hands of secret atheists, and the ‘semi-hoja’ who favours the innovations, were trying to strike us as hard as they could was reduced twentyfold. God willing, they will cause us not even one wound, and what they think and intend and their plans to scare us away from each other and from the Risale-i Nur will come to nothing. It is absolutely essential that out of respect for these blessed months, trusting that they are gaining abundant reward for us, we steadfastly offer thanks in patience, and relying on God, submit to the rule ‘He who believes in Divine Determining is saved from unhappiness.’ 

S a i d N u r s I

To the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Justice,  and Ministry of Home Affairs

All members of the Government who saw the Proclamation of the Constitution, the First World War, the Armistice Period, the setting up of the Nationalist Government, and the Republic know me well. Nevertheless, with your permission, we shall take a look at my life as though on a film. 

I was born in the village of Nurs in the province of Bitlis. As a student, I debated with the scholars I encountered, and through Divine favour, defeating in scholarly debate all who opposed me, I came as far as Istanbul. In Istanbul, winning calamitous fame, a victim of my rivals’ trouble-making, I was dragged to the lunatic asylum on the orders of Sultan ‘Abdulhamid. On the Proclamation of the Constitution, I attracted the attention of the government of the Committee of Union and Progress with my activities during the Thirty-First of March Incident. I confronted them with the proposal to open an Islamic university in Van called the Medresetü’z-Zehra, resembling al-Azhar University. I even laid its foundations. On the outbreak of the First War, I gathered together my students and took part in the War as the Commander of a militia force. I fought on the Caucasian Front and was taken prisoner at Bitlis. I escaped from where I was being held and returned to Istanbul. I was appointed a member of the Darü’l-Hikmeti’l-Islâmiye. During the Armistice period, I worked against the occupying forces with all my might, and on the victory of the National Government, in appreciation I was summoned by it to Ankara, where I repeated my proposal to open the university in Van. 

The life I had lived up to then had been that of a patriot. I had wanted to serve religion by means of politics. But from then on, I turned my back on the world completely, and in my own words, buried the ‘Old Said’. As the ‘New Said’, devoting myself entirely to the hereafter, I withdrew from the world. Retiring from social life, I went into seclusion on the hill Yusha Tepesi in Istanbul. Later on I went to Bitlis and Van, in my native region, where I lived in a cave. I remained alone with the pleasures of my spirit and conscience. That is to say, taking as my principle “I seek refuge with God from the Devil and politics,” I plunged into the depths of my own spiritual world. Passing my time studying the Qur’an of Mighty Stature, I started to live as the ‘New Said.’ But the manifestations of Divine Determining sent me as an exile to other places. Then, getting those with me to write down the inspirations born in my heart from the effulgence of the Qur’an, a number of treatises came to be written. I gave them the name of the Risale-i Nur. This name was born in my conscience, for truly they were based on the light of the Qur’an. I believe absolutely certainly that this was Divine inspiration, and I said to those who were acting as scribes: “Barakallah!” For it is not possible to begrudge others the light of belief. 

Exchanging copies, these treatises of mine were written out by a number of believers. I formed the opinion that they were driven on by God in order to strengthen the injured belief of Muslims. I understood that just as no believer could obstruct this Divine prompting, so I considered it a religious obligation to encourage it. Anyway these treatises, which now number one hundred and thirty, consist entirely of discussions of the hereafter and belief, and contain no deliberate mention of politics or this world. Nevertheless, they became the object of interest of a number of opportunists. Investigations were carried out into them, and I was arrested and sent to the prisons of Eskishehir, Kastamonu, and Denizli. Trials were held. As a result, truth was manifested and justice was executed, but those opportunists never wearied of hounding us. This time they arrested me and sent me to Afyon. I am under arrest and am being interrogated. They accuse me as follows: 

1) You have founded a political society. 2) You publish ideas opposing the regime. 3) You harbour political aims. 

The evidence for these are ten or fifteen sentences in two or three of my treatises. Respected Minister! As Napoleon said:

“Bring me a straightforward sentence to which no second meaning can be attached, and I’ll have you executed for it!”

There is no sentence uttered by man which may not constitute an offence by having forced meanings attached to it. Especially the writings of someone like me who has reached seventy-five years of age, has withdrawn entirely from the life of this world, and has dedicated his life here to that of the hereafter - they will certainly be free. Being close to having a good intention, he will be fearless. It is unfair to study them simply in order to seek out offences in them. It is nothing other than unjust. Not one of any of my one hundred and thirty treatises comprises any purpose connected to the matters of this world. Proceeding from the light of the Qur’an, they are all to do with the hereafter and belief. In any event all the trials held up to now have come to the same conclusion and have resulted in acquittals. It is therefore a shame to busy the courts unnecessarily and take innocent believers away from their work and business in the name of the country and nation. While the Old Said spent all his life for the sake of the happiness of the country and nation, how could the New Said be preoccupied with politics when he is seventy-five years old and has completely withdrawn from the world? This is your opinion too. 

I have only one aim; it is this: at this time as I approach the grave, I hear the hooting of the Bolshevik owls in this country, which is a Muslim land. The sound is damaging the fundamentals of belief of the Islamic world. Making them lose their belief, it binds the people, and particularly the youth, to itself. Struggling against it with all my strength, I am calling the youth and all Muslims to believe. I am struggling against these unbelieving masses. I want to enter the Divine presence with this struggle of mine. This is all I do. As for those who prevent me from doing this, I am frightened that they are communists! For me it is a sacred aim to co-operate with the forces of religion who have embraced the struggle against these enemies of belief. Release me! Let me work to reform the youth, poisoned by communism, and for this country’s faith! Let me serve Divine unity! 

Prisoner  

What if God’s oneness is a solitude so vast it thunders with life, a unity so singular it hums with three? The Old Testament roars of a God alone, unique beyond measure, yet within its echoes resounds a plurality no doubter can mute. This is no mere theology—it’s a cosmic unveiling, a prism of light splitting one into three without breaking, a note of eternity that sings in trio. From Sinai’s…

Near, draw near oh King and God Return this error to righteousness Take strong hold upon the dragon Lay low the pride of abomination Rise this earth with song and truth Set forth the animal’s cry of joy Light the lamps of journey sacred Fear no more the wrath of the liar Embrace the spirit to Spirit as one Claim all the mighty kingdoms Hear children return towards their life Walk with Him in open…

A challenge to recognize Being beyond Divine Unity or Oneness as it is typically spoken of.  

Paul writes that we are One in Christ. In the video below,  I reference the Gospel of Philip which uses the metaphor of God as the dyer of our souls to illustrate the process by which we are changed as we discover states of Divine Unity, Oneness and beyond.  It is then that we know ourselves as the salt of the earth and do not lose our saltiness no matter the circumstance.  

This is how we allow God to shine through us as the light of the world.