FAQ in the category of Guidance - Aberration

1 What is criticism? What are the rules and principles in criticism? What kind of things should a person who criticizes and who is criticized pay attention to?

Criticism means to show the fault and defect of something, to reveal the beauties in a word by eliminating the mistakes in it. A person who criticizes is called a critic. The word criticism is defined as to study or examine a person, a work of literature or art, an issue in order to find the mistakes in them and to show them.

As it is seen, criticism is interfering in something that has faults, defects or drawbacks and trying to bring out the correct and faultless form of it. 

First and foremost, in principle, the criticism should be correct and positive, and it should have the consent and pleasure of Allah as an aim.

Open and honest communication is one of the most important conditions for the healthy and constant human relations. People should be able to exchange their knowledge, feelings, opinions and ideas about one another without any hesitation; they should be able to talk by trusting themselves and the people they are talking to and should be able to trust those that they listen to.

One of the most important reasons of the problems that are observed in social life and working places is the absence of open and honest communication due to the lack of trust. When people tell the truth, they usually receive reactions and they regret having told the truth. Generally, they avoid having an open and honest communication with others and telling the truth because they are worried that something like that will happen.

Doubtlessly, there are styles, types and levels of criticism that have different effects. Destructive criticism, which aims at characteristics of personality, offends a person in the presence of others, freezes a person suddenly, exhausts one’s hopes, desires and excitement, is an evil-minded attack rather than criticism. If criticism is made in order to destroy, exterminate and eliminate, it turns to an aggressive act and probably starts the continuously increasing process of a negative conflict.  

Real criticism is a form of communication that guides, supports, gives moral support and inspiration, contains constructive and positive statements and that should be among real friends. The understanding that will enable such a communication depends on the formation of a criticism culture.

Criticism should have the understanding of establishing healthy and constant relations and maintaining those relations. Similarly, a healthy and useful criticism should include listening to messages that include good-willed, guiding, supportive and ameliorative expressions and suggestions patiently and tolerantly, and it should bring about changing and improving oneself based on that criticism. In this sense, what is important in criticism is not the person who criticizes or criticized but the issue, situation or characteristic that is criticized.   

Tolerance, patience, understanding, effective and empathetic listening are necessary for a true and healthy criticism, and it should be related to the ideas and issues based on respect and politeness. Criticism of people and personal characteristics usually include rumor, accusation, complaint, attack, emotional harassment and similar qualities; they have no place anywhere.

What are the things that should be paid attention to in criticism? Who is criticized and how?

- As a general principle, it is necessary not to aim a person; however, if the harm inflicted on people is based on the respect shown to a person rather than that person’s strong ideas, sometimes it may be necessary to criticize that person.

- If the ideas of a person, no matter what the position of a person is, do not comply with the creed of Islam/Ahl Sunnah, it is necessary to show that they are wrong.

- The level of criticism should not break down the relation of respect between the person who criticizes and the one who is criticized. That criterion is valid for both the members of the family and the outsiders. Accordingly, the criticism of the father by the son, the teacher by the student and the older brother by the younger brother should be made with a careful style. If people like us are to criticize great mujtahids like Imam Azam, Imam Shafii and great mujaddids like Imam Ghazali and Imam Rabbani, it should definitely be in a level that will not exceed the limits of respect towards them. 

- To overlook all of the good deeds of a person by exaggerating a fault shows that the criticism is not scientific but rancorous. 

- It is almost impossible for a person who has feelings like envy, jealousy and covetousness and look at other people from that point of view to mind the consent and pleasure of Allah.

- Thoughts like beating the person opposite you, to prove that you are strong enough to criticize a great personality, to have the vision of a new mission before the public and to try to be famous are elements that prevent scientific, hearty and mental criticisms; and they prevent just criticism.

- The person who criticizes should check his information source. The criticism of a person whose information source is not sound cannot reach its target. The following is stated in the Quran: “O ye who believe! if a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.” (al-Hujurat, 49/6). The person who is criticized may have been slandered; his words may have been distorted or at least they may have been misunderstood. Therefore, one should be very careful about the news of the information sources that are fasiq (sinners) and munafiq (hypocrites); one should always bear in mind that the news they give might be distorted.  

- Let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. (see al-Maida, 5/8). Accordingly, when one criticizes, he should criticize justly and in order to make a right to be revealed; criticism should not depend on injustice and personal interests.

- Criticism should be constructive. Criticism that is not constructive is either curse or fighting. If criticism is harsh and hurts people, it is regarded to have turned to fighting. People who fight try every means to answer the people against them. When the Quran lists the characteristics of people who fight or dispute, it attracts attention to how meaningless it is to dispute without knowledge, guidance or a book of enlightenment. (al-Hajj, 22/3,8).

- The person who is criticizing should stop criticizing when the person who is criticized personalizes the issue and starts self-defense. 

- It is in compliance with the high ethics of the Prophet to take human psychology into consideration and to criticize without mentioning the name of the person when necessary and to enable the person who is criticized to receive what interests him and to improve his situation.

- One should use a constructive style when criticizing; he should know that it is necessary to approach people with a winning and attractive tongue not with an offensive tongue. It is a tongue that the tongue of the body, speech and heart work in cooperation. The Quran witnesses that Hazrat Prophet dealt gently with the believers when he criticized them. (Aal-i,İmran, 3/159).

- Criticism should not be confused with curse, sarcasm, contempt and attacking one’s personality. The more sincere criticism is, in other words, the more it aims the consent and pleasure of Allah, the more productive it will be. The person who is criticized should understand the good will of the person who criticizes and should see his sincerity. Otherwise, the person who is criticized can take the position of defense. The Quran never approves of the partners that polytheists accept as god; it never accepts any possibility of truth about them. In every occasion, the Quran expresses the meaninglessness of the beings that are accepted as god apart from Allah. However, the Quran curses and prohibits cursing them. (al-An’am, 6/108).

From the point of view of the person who is criticized;

- It is necessary not to be disturbed by criticism. Confident people are not disturbed by criticism; on the contrary, they are happy to hear it. They may benefit from it. Often, so many misunderstandings are clarified thanks to criticism, and criticism can cause the formation of new friendships.  

- The person who is criticized should focus on the issue first if he is looking for the truth no matter what the style of criticism is. If he is involved with the person who criticizes, he will overlook the issue and will prevent his belief from increasing.

- Criticism is not made only towards others. A person should criticize himself/herself too. It is called autocritique or self-criticism. Self-criticism can be used for groups and societies, too; in this case, it indicates groups or societies that check themselves before their friends (other groups and societies) and try to find their own faults and eliminate them. The Quran warns us in a very nice way by telling us to forget to practice it ourselves while enjoining right conduct on other people. (al-Baqara, 2/44)

To sum up:

1. It is necessary to search first and to criticize later. Criticism without searching is affected by emotional fluctuations naturally.

2. It is necessary to criticize the behavior and attitudes not the personalities. Criticism that is directed at the personality will not be of any use and it will cause new forms of grudge and animosity to start.

3. It is necessary to listen to the other party. The criticism made without heeding the opinions put forward by the other party and with prejudice will deteriorate the problem let alone solving it.

4. It is necessary to put forward solutions. Sheer criticism will be harmful not useful.

5. Self-criticism is necessary before criticism. A person who is aware of his own faults and weaknesses will criticize mercifully and will deal with the other party more tolerantly.

6. One should be impartial while criticizing. Partial criticism will increase corruption and nurture violence. Instead of making discrimination by saying “we” and “they”, we should base our criticism on the criteria of “truth” and “righteousness”. 

7. It is necessary to benefit from criticism. When one heeds criticism and personalizes the criticism, his thoughts will have new dimensions and depth.
If we criticize by putting ourselves in the place of the person we criticize, it will be regarded as criticism made for the sake of Allah and His consent; it will also be regarded as tabligh (conveying the message of Islam), which is a kind of worshipping.

2 Why did Prophet Noahs son not believe in Allah?
3 Life Insurance is harram or halal?

For the answer please click on the link given below.

Is life insurance and share market permissible in Islam?

4 flipping a coin to make a decision

In order to deal with a subject, even if it is not sin to flip a coin, it is not right. Our religion advises those who are unsure about doing something, to consult someone who is expert on that subject. Also, performing the Salat of Istikhara is advisable. Resulting in a bad condition by flipping a coin is not a good thing for a Muslim. But, in the state of urgent, we advice you to consult your heart.

5 What Does Şirk-i hafî - şirk-i hafi- Mean?
6 It is said that good people always win, however, it seems that the good ones always lose. Bad people always win both materially and spiritually. What is the reason of this?

This sentence is true in general. However, it may not be valid at all times. For example, some troubles and bad things may happen to a good person in this world. In the end, that person will get the reward both in this world and the hereafter in return for these troubles. It may seem that evil ones win and good ones lose but when the result is observed, it will be understood that the good ones win. Our creator Allah (SWT) promised this to us.

The story between Hz. Abraham and Namrud is a good example for us. Although Namrud won at the beginning, he lost it forever. 

This world is a place of service and hardship, not a place of reward and comfort. The real duty of man is to know his Lord and to live according to the criteria He imposed. And this is done through worshipping.

Worshipping is divided into two:

1- Positive worshipping

2- Negative worshipping

The positive worshipping, as we know, includes salah-obligatory prayer performed five times a day-, fasting, etc. The negative worshipping, on the other hand, is the great good rewards that man gains when he accepts his weakness and poverty, and takes refuge in his Lord and shows patience when he faces  diseases, calamities and natural catastrophes.

On the other hand, it is the prophets - primarily our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) - and pious people, who are the beloved servants of Allah, that have encountered the hardest of the troubles. If troubles were evil, as it is supposed, then Allah would not inflict these troubles on His most beloved ones. As it is stated in the hadith:

“The ones who are subject to the troubles and hardships most are the most virtuous ones and best of the humanity.” (1)

The reason why Muslims face troubles and calamities more is that the punishment of the mistakes they have done in this world will be given here and not left to the Hereafter. As the big mistakes and murders are handled in big courts and small ones in small courts, the mistakes of the believers whose sins are few are cleansed in this world with various troubles and calamities, and not left to the Hereafter. However, the mistakes of the disbelievers are postponed to the eternal place of punishment, Hell, because the troubles and calamities of this world would not suffice.

(1) al-Munawi, Fayzu’l-Qadir, 1:519, no: 1056; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak, 3:343; Bukhari, Marda: 3; Tirmidhi, Zuhd: 57; Ibn Majah, Fitan: 23; Darimi, Riqaq: 67; Musnad, 1:172, 174, 180, 185, 6:369.

7 What should we do when confronted with religious problems?
8 Do Guidance (Hidayah) and Misguidance (Dalalah) Exist Only in Fundamentals of Belief?
9 Can a man marry a girl elder than him?

Yes, it is. The Prophet (pbuh) married women elder than him (like Khadija) as well as women younger than him.

10 Forgiveness
The atonment for the oath breaking is to feed 10 people at least two times in a day. If you feed them only one time do it one time more and ask for forgivness from Allah,then there is nothing else that you have to do.

11 What is major and minor “Kufr” (unbelief)? Will you explain it by giving examples? How can we protect ourselves from all kinds of unbelief?

In Islamic resources, there exist the concepts of “major shirk (polytheism), minor shirk (hypocrisy)". There exist no concepts of major unbelief-minor unbelief. The concept of minor unbelief has been put forward recently.

What is expressed as minor unbelief in the question is generally used in the sense of “ingratitude”. This word is preferred so that warnings will be more effective in terms of guidance.

As far as we know, according to the information in the Islamic resources, the concepts of “unbelief based on creed and unbelief based on deeds” are appropriate. 

It is not appropriate to name unbelief based on creed as “major unbelief” and unbelief based on deeds as “minor unbelief”. According to those people who have those claims, unbelief based on creed makes that person exit Islam. Unbelief based on deeds does not make that person exit Islam. Such a category reminds the resuscitated views of the school of “Murjia” rather than Ahl as-Sunnah.

Belief and unbelief are elements regarding the heart. Deeds are things that make creed (belief) and unbelief appear with its outward dimensions. For instance, it is decided that a person who performs prayers has belief in his heart. It is decided that a person who worships idols has unbelief/polytheism in his heart.

If a person shows attitudes that necessitate unbelief in terms of creed or deeds, it is enough for that person to become murtad (to exit Islam). A person who utters a word or does a deed that necessitates unbelief no matter whether it is in terms of stubbornness, mocking or creed he becomes a murtad/unbeliever. A person who regards alcoholic drinks as halal, who does not accept daily fard prayers, who curses Allah, prophets and angels is regarded the same. (see al-Fiqhu’l-Islami, 6/183-184).

Islam decides and judges based on the outward appearance. That is, the belief identity of a person can only be determined through his words and deeds. The aim and intention of a person in his inner world and heart is something between him and Allah. Therefore, if there is something that necessitates unbelief in the words and deeds of a person, this person is regarded as an unbeliever in terms of outward appearance and law. There may not be such a state in his inner world and intention. We will not be responsible for that decision because we cannot know his inner world. It is something between Allah and that person. Today, there are many people who are Muslims in terms of their intentions and hearts but who are unbelievers in terms of their outward appearances and words. It originates from ignorance.

Answering the question, "Unbelief is an attribute of the heart. So, how can wearing “zunnar” (a rope girdle worn by eastern Christians and Jews) and the hat, which is compared to it, be unbelief?”, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following, shedding light on the issue:

The Sharia acknowledges the outward signs of hidden matters. It even recognizes apparent causes that have no reason. Therefore, since some girdles hinder bowing in prayer and some hats prevent prostration, it deems the wearing of them a reason for unbelief.

Similarly, they both infer the renouncing of worship and imitation of unbelievers, betokening appreciation of their outlook and nationality. Since the hidden matter is not decisively disproved, judgment is made according to its outward signs. (see İşaratu’l-İ’caz (signs of Miraculousness, the interpretation of verse 6 of the chapter al-Baqara)

12 How should we understand the concept of "Sirat-al Mustakim" (the straight path) which is mentioned in the Qur'an?
13 Do we have to tell someone that I have prayed?

Although not doing worship (which is far away from pleasing Allah) at other times and doing it merely in order to show it to someone else and to get an advantage is called “hypocrisy” (riya). One who worships in order to please Allah does not commit hypocrisy because s/he does not do it for a worldly benefit. In addition, the thoughts that come to mind in this respect are the delusions of Shaytan (Satan). It is not right to think of these respects and give up worshipping.
The test and trial never finish. We will carry on struggling with our soul (nafs) and Shaytan until the death occurs. No matter how much, a person grows up spiritually, the test will go on and his rank will increase. One should always be between a state of hope and fear. S/he should have a conscious heart in order to struggle to live in the right direction without falling into arrogance. Shaytan (Satan) strives much more with those whose spiritual side is strong. The more they struggle, the more they develop spiritually. Troubles are like nourishment for a person to develop spiritually. It is not compulsory to tell others that we worship, but in order to prevent misunderstanding,, to say “I have performed” is not hypocrisy.

14 What are the things that should be taken into consideration while having fun?

When entertainment is mentioned, amusing activities, competitions and music that enable people to have good and joyful time, come to mind first. When we categorize entertainment as licit and illicit, we mean activities with which soul as well as heart and spirit are amused naturally by “licit entertainment” and, we mean activities that are contrary to what the Sustainer of the universe commanded and that only the soul is delighted by but not heart and spirit by illicit entertainment.

As an explanation for this categorization; Badiuzzaman, an Islamic scholar, classifies joy is in the meaning of entertainment into two types and says, “One stimulates the desires of the soul while the other joy silences the soul and urges the spirit, heart, mind, and subtle faculties to attain sublime matters, to their original home.”

Click here to read the article

What is enjoyment? Why has it been given?

15 Is it always so difficult to be on the right path? Why do some people have more problems and why is their testing more difficult?

Since people were not created in the same nature, it is the necessity of the divine wisdom that their testing will be different. There are thousands of feelings and emotions in man. For instance, the feeling of compassion in women is more than in men. Thus, it is understood that the divine wisdom necessitates different testing.

The more difficult the testing, the more reward is given. When a person gets 50 in a difficult test and another person gets 100 in an easy test, their level may be the same though their marks do not seem to be the same. One of them may look superior to the other in terms of quantity but they may be equal in terms of quality. Sometimes one misfortune a person suffers may make him get more rewards than a person who suffers ten misfortunes. What matters is to be able to understand the inside of the affair.   

One of the most manifest realities of the universe we live in is the relativity of its realities. This universe is not a place that can be easily and definitely divided as either black or white, either beautiful or ugly, either good or bad and either bright or dark. On the contrary, black and white, beautiful and ugly, good and bad, bright and dark have degrees.

The question, ‘why was the universe created like that?’ has been answered commonly as follows by the honest hearts and straightforward minds for centuries:  Because the aim of the creation of the universe is realized only through such gradualism. This universe was created by a Being that wants to see and show His beauty, His absolute and limitless names and attributes; man, who was created by Him so that he will realize this aim, can fulfill it only in a world of relativity and gradualism.  For, man has limits originating from the fact that he is a creature; his knowledge, perception, point of view, will, power, etc. are limited. Therefore, he cannot comprehend the Being that created him and the universe through his knowledge, will and power. He cannot recognize and describe the truth when he sees it in its absolute and limitless form. In that case, instead of seeing the truth in its absolute form, he is exposed to blindness caused by dazzle; similarly, when we look at the sunlight, our seeing capacity decreases and our eyes are blinded. Therefore, Lord of Majesty, who created man and the universe, created the world by hiding the appearance of His strength and his grandeur; that is, He made his absolute names and attributes be manifest in a relative and gradual way.

That is the cause of the existence of opposites in the universe. The Being that created this universe created it in a stunning variety by mingling the opposites like beautiful-ugly, good-bad, benefit-harm, perfect-incomplete, bright-dark; He enabled us to to recognize his absolute names and attributes through that relativity.   

Therefore, man can classify the beings in the universe in terms of, say, beauty through adjectives like very beautiful, beautiful, not bad, ugly and very ugly. When man moves one step further, he has a property that makes him notice the beautiful aspects in the things that he does not regard as beautiful.   

When we have a look at the world of humanity, we see different reflections of that relativity that surrounds the universe among human beings. People are not equal to one another in terms of strength, mind, emotions, ethics or beauty. People show a variety of opposites between strong and weak, clever and stupid, good and bad, emotional and indifferent, beautiful and ugly, etc. There are people that serve as models of high ethics for the whole world and there are people that everybody avoids due to their immorality. There lived people about whom sagas were written; on the other hand, there lived people who could not even move their fingers. There were people who were so beautiful and people who were notoriously ugly.

Man does not object to the nice and beautiful aspects of this painting of gradual manifestations very much. His mind admits this mystery of relativity but the conscience of man asks questions regarding the negative aspect of this painting.

The testing of man starts at this point.  He either realizes that this ephemeral world is a testing hall and tries to recognize his Lord and to worship Him with the tools and abilities given to him or cannot take that step and is drowned in the sea of questions.

We should state that God treats man with His mercy. For instance, the people who were not informed about the true religion will be saved. The troubles and illnesses that a person suffers in this world will be atonement for his sins. Every affair whose inside we cannot understand will be in favor of man. God promises Paradise to people who see it and do not rebel against Him.  

16 Is it appropriate to use the words "creator" and "create" for human beings?

First of all, we would like to state that we do not find it appropriate to use the attribute of creation for human beings even if it is used metaphorically.

There is a great difference (like absence and presence) between the creation by Allah and the creation by human beings. Those who cannot realize that difference think that those who say, “I created” are regarded unbelievers. However, there is a difference between the creation by Allah and the creation by human beings. Creation by Allah means creation out of nothing. Creation by human beings means giving shape to something that exists...

Therefore, no human being can create something out of nothing. There is a seed, essence and origin of all creatures in the first place. Man is shaped and developed from that seed, essence and origin. The word creation can be used for human beings in that sense. However, it cannot be used in the sense of creation out of nothing. A cabinetmaker cannot create trees but he can make nice furniture out of created trees. If he says he has created, he does not create it out of nothing. He makes, or in his words he creates, nice shapes from the tree that exists.  

The same thing is valid for cloning too. It is not creation but developing the gene that exists.
As a matter of fact, Prof. Dr. Hayreddin Karaman answers the reader who asks about cloning as follows in his book “Hayatımızdaki İslam”:

“Cloning is not creation! Creation is making something out of nothing. Allah created all of the living and non-living things out of nothing, without looking at and benefiting from a previously existing thing. Genetic cloning is carried out by manipulating existing genes. It has nothing to do with creation; so, there is not a “second creator”.

“Genetic cloning cannot be carried out on human beings. It can be carried out on animals and plants in order to be beneficial to human beings as long as nothing and nobody are harmed.”
We should state that the intention of those who use the word “create” is important.

A person who uses the sentence “I created” cannot be called an unbeliever if there is evidence that he is a believer. That utterance is regarded as the habit of using that sentence or as not knowing the real meaning of that sentence because there is evidence that he is a believer.

As a matter of fact, the following words that a man who goes to the mosque with his son utters after coming out of the mosque include kufr (unbelief): “O my son! Do not pick the flowers. Allah father in the sky will punish you”  

That sentence, which is uttered in order to educate the child, includes two words that have the meaning of kufr. The first one is calling Allah as father, saying that Allah has the attribute of fatherhood like the Christians. The second one is stating that Allah is in a definite place by saying He is in the sky.

If someone says that the person uttering those words is an unbeliever, he will be asked the following question: 
–Why does an unbeliever go to the mosque with his son? The man has just come out of the mosque.
The fact that he performs prayers is evidence for his belief. Then, it cannot be decided that he is an unbeliever based on the words he utters (Allah father, and Allah is in the sky).

Badiuzzaman warns us regarding the issue by saying this famous sentence: 
– Sometimes, a word may appear to be unbelief, but the one who spoke it is not an unbeliever!.

It looks as if that explanation of one sentence is as satisfying and convincing as a large book and saves believers from the accusation of unbelief.  

Otherwise, we would not avoid accusing the man with whom we prayed together in the same rank in the mosque of unbelief due to the words he said to his son, because he clearly said “Allah father” and “Allah is in the sky”.

Yes, this sentence must be repeated and memorized:

– Sometimes, a word may appear to be unbelief, but the one who spoke it is not an unbeliever!..
However, one should not use the words of unbelief that can be misunderstood and should not cause others to think of wrong things. There is no disagreement about it. 

Ahmed Şahin

Editor's Selected Link;

Is it acceptable for humans to talk as, “I created,” or “We created”?

17 What is the reward for being a means for the guidance (becoming a Muslim) of a person?

"By Allah, if Allah gives guidance to somebody through you, it is better for you than possessing red camels."Bukhari 7/3468, Muslim 2406/34

Allah will make a person successful in the way of guidance if he tries and acts in accordance with rules. What a person needs regarding the issue is to seek the causes and means. The Quran encourages people to look for causes that will lead them to the truth as follows: "O ye who believe! Do your duty to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive (with might and main) in His cause." (al-Maida, 5/35) Our Prophet (pbuh) led his Companions and ummah in the way of guidance until he died. After him, the inheritors of the Prophet (pbuh), that is, Allah's friends, saints and scholars, walked toward their Lord using different ways and methods; they led people to the way to the truth and guidance.  

The Messenger of Allah gives the glad tidings that a person who causes something good to be done and calls people to guidance will be given a great reward by Allah: "A person who calls people to guidance will be given the same amount of rewards as the people who follow him are given without their reward being decreased. A person who calls people to the wrong way will be given the same amount of sins as the people who follow him are given without their sins being decreased." (Ibn Majah, Sunnah 14) That is, a person who starts the establishment of a charity, contributes to it and takes part in the campaign to educate the future generations will be rewarded for what he has done and his book of deeds will never be closed.

People who cause others to find the right path will be rewarded both in the world and in the hereafter; this honor they gain will be an unending capital for them. As a matter of fact, the Messenger of Allah summoned Hz. Ali during the most critical points of the battle in Khaybar, gave him the standard (flag) and gave him some very important advice: "O Ali! Proceed and do not hurry. When you enter their territory, call them to embrace Islam and inform them of Allah's Rights which they should observe, for by Allah, even if a single man is led on the right path (of Islam) by Allah through you, that will be better for you than nice red camels." (Bukhari, Maghazi 39) On another occasion, he said, "more valuable and better than everything on which the sun set!" (Khudari, Nuru'l-Yaqin, p. 255) As the Prophet (pbuh) indicates, this shows that a believer who aims to attain the consent of Allah will regard it an indispensible, great virtue and responsibility to work hard not only for his salvation but also for the salvation of the humanity with a devoted spirit. The sacrifices and efforts of the Companions regarding the issue are proverbial.

To sum up, the guidance of a person definitely depends on the permission and wish of God Almighty. It is not possible for anybody to give guidance unless He wishes and gives consent. A person can be given guidance only through His mercy and grace. However, Allah gave the glad tidings that He would accept the prophets He sent, divine revelations, the holy things of the religion and His beloved slaves as a means of guidance. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) worked very hard and made great efforts throughout his life for the guidance of people because the eternal happiness or grief of a person is dependent on the fulfillment and quality of this duty.

The Prophet (pbuh) worked so hard and ambitiously regarding the guidance of people that he was appreciated by Allah as follows due to his enthusiasm: “Thou wouldst only perchance, fret thyself to death, following after them, in grief, if they believe not in this Message.” For, to give guidance is not within the scope of the authority of the Prophet (pbuh); it is a divine grace and deed depending on the absolute will of Allah.  In the eye of the Messenger of Allah, causing the guidance of a person is more valuable than the most valuable thing in the world. The Messenger of Allah educated his Companions with such a spirit of devotedness and consciousness of duty and showed them the duty of conveying the message of Islam to everybody (leading them to guidance) as the highest aim.

Prof. Dr. Osman Güner, (Ondokuz Mayıs University, Faculty of Theology)

18 What does Shirk al-Khafiyy (hidden polytheism) mean?

Shirk means associating partners with Allah. There is open/visible shirk and hidden/secret shirk. The open one is the one that is known like believing in three gods or accepting idols as intercessors in the presence of Allah.

As for the hidden shirk, it is generally divide into two: The first one is to forget the consent of Allah, to show off and to act hypocritically or to give importance to satisfying the desires of the soul. The second one is to give too much importance to beings, which function as a means in the creation of things, and to think that they have the power to influence.

There is also another kind of the hidden shirk, which is veiled; it takes place in the realm of feelings and heart, not in the realm of deeds. The more man makes progress spiritually, the more veiled the shirk gets.  

To give too much importance to causes/means is also regarded as hidden shirk. If the rate of the cause in the realization of something is one percent, and if it is given the value of a hundred percent, ninety-nine of percent of it is regarded as hidden shirk. If man is too confident and puts all of his faculties under the command of his soul, it is also regarded as hidden shirk. 

An example about the issue: Only Allah is al-Jabbar (the Compeller) and al-Mutakabbir (the Greatest). If a person uses the wealth, strength and knowledge granted to him by Allah to oppress the slaves of Allah in His presence, it means he wants to be like al-Jabbar and al-Mutakabbir and commits hidden shirk.

The Messenger of Allah stated the following about “Falak”:

“It is a dungeon in Hell; those who are jabbar and mutakabbir are imprisoned there; Hell takes refuge in Allah from it.” (Daylami, 3/217; Kanzu’l-Ummal, h.no:2954; It is stated that this narration is weak. see Shawkani, 5/640-641)

However, our soul wants the place from which Hell takes refuge in Allah. Only this is enough to show that the soul is much more dangerous than Hell. However, we do not want to understand it because of the soul. The following is stated in another hadith:

“If a Muslim shows respect to a person due to his wealth, two thirds of his religion disappear.” (However, the narration is weak. see Bayhaqi, Shuab, 12/373)

In Islam, to love for Allah is essential. To love a rich person who gives zakah and does charity is to love him on behalf of Allah and it is not included in the scope of the hadith. The love that is prohibited here is loving a person through humiliation by being heedless of Allah.

Islam is the religion of oneness. The Owner of this universe is one. All good deeds are in His treasure. Islam teaches us not be so much grateful to the sun for its light, to the field for its crops and to the rich for their wealth. Everybody and everything is a cause and means. All boons come from the Lord of the earth and sky.  

If a poor believer who learns this lesson shows too much respect to a rich person as if he is giving his sustenance, his belief of oneness, that is, accepting Allah as one, may be harmed. A person is loved for his attributes like belief, ethics, virtues, knowledge, understanding and honesty whether he is rich or poor. Richness alone is not a criterion of loving a person.   

When a rich person reads this hadith, he will not rub others' nose in. He will not expect too much respect for his good deeds, favors and charity. Otherwise, he knows that he may harm the honor of the people along with their religion.

19 What does Sirat-al mustaqim mean?

The straight path means the true path.

There have been descriptions such as moderate way free from all sorts of extremes, straightforward path, smooth way, or justice for the straight path. The revealed Quran describes this way as

"The Way of Allah, to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Behold (how) all affairs tend towards Allah!" (Ash-Shura: 53), and

"The way of the prophets (who teach), the Sincere (lovers of Truth), the martyrs, and the Righteous (who do good)" (An-Nisa: Women: 69).

A believer recites the Chapter of al-Fatiha during all rak’ahs (units) of prayers and asks for guidance to the straight way from his Lord. We want to spend all our lifetime in a straight line in this worldly life, that is, to pass the Sirat here, by wishing our guidance to the straight path from our Creator. It is really difficult for us to keep all our works, words and states in the straight line in this world. However, unless we complete this hard and sharp path without going to extremes, it will be impossible to cross the Sirat (the bridge over Hell, which must be crossed to enter Paradise on the Day of Judgment).

Sirat is located over Hell. The front of all our deeds is like Paradise and the underneath is like Hell. Whatever deed we commit without intending the consent of Allah, we will commit sins and disobey Allah. They are all harbingers of Hell in this world.

The way to happiness in this world depends on the straight path. It will not be possible for us to get happiness unless our body with its all organs and our heart with its whole senses are on the straight path. Our eyes should be neither near-sighted nor far-sighted. Our blood pressure should be neither high nor low. The electric current of the mechanism that makes our brain work should be neither low nor high. Our heart should beat within certain ranges. Our body temperature should be moderate.

Another definition of the straight path is to prefer the moderate way which is far from all sorts of extremes in ethics.

Generosity is a part of social ethics. The person who is neither extravagant nor stingy has got this part of ethics. Justice is another good character. Man should neither tyrannize nor be too weak to seek his rights and cause others to become oppressors.

The primary form of having high ethics is tawakkul (complete trust in Allah). Man who applies to the causes and shows consent to the results in the end, understands the essence of tawakkul and is on the straight path.

If a believer prays, Oh my Lord! Lead us to the straight path, he demands from his Creator to live all aspects of the true path. And he includes all believers in his prayer.

20 What should man do in order to get rid of heretic thoughts?

A scientist said,
“'Give me a place to stand, and a lever long enough, and I will move the world.”

We think every religious person should say,
“If I have enough belief in my heart, I will move the troubles that are as big as the earth.”

We regard it useful to show the levers in items without lengthening the word with philosophical aspects.

- First of all, it is necessary to diagnose the “heretic thought” well. Is it really a problem that emerges from our mind and brain? Or, are they the imaginations that pass through our mind? As it is known, a curse that is imagined but not uttered is not a real curse; and the imagination of unbelief is not unbelief. A snake in a glass bottle cannot bite us even if we touch the bottle; similarly, the snake of unbelief and heresy that is seen on the screen of imagination of a person will not bite that person.

- If we decide that the heretic thought in question is not an imagination but a real illness, it is necessary to find its source in order to be able to treat it.

- It can be said that the source of such doubts and heretic thought movements is ignorance. Then, it is necessary to treat it. Thousands of scholars who read Risale-i Nur Collection approve that Risale-i Nur Collection is the primary resource in this century related to belief and eliminating those doubts.

A person living in this century sees a doctor when he has flu; then, it is great heedlessness for him if he does not see a wise doctor due to the illness of heresy caused by various positivistic and materialistic philosophical movements. This doctor can be books or some people whose knowledge we rely on.

- It is necessary to pray Allah to be saved from doubts in addition to applying to spiritual doctors. Allah tests a person’s insistence and seriousness in order to assess his sincerity regarding the issue. Therefore, one should not hurry by saying, “I have not received a positive answer to my prayers and begging.”

- If this heresy is related to sins, not related to faith, its cure is to strengthen belief, to know that the result of a worldly pleasure of one minute is years of pangs of conscience and to remember frequently the reality of death, the transience of the world and the reckoning in the hereafter. To replace the bad environment with a good one, to repent to Allah and ask for forgiveness, to perform five daily prayers in time – and if possible in congregation – can be thought as a junction leading people to the true path from a wrong one.

21 How would you answer those who deny miracles by saying, “Did the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have miracles but we are not aware of them”?

Question:

Some friends of Ahl as-Sunnah keep saying that the Prophet Muhammad had miracles. Did the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) have miracles but we are not aware of them? Why are those miracles not included in the Quran? What does ALLAH say about the Prophet Muhammad’s miracles?

Answer:
It will be useful to give each answer under each verse in order to show the true meanings and aims of the verses. Therefore, we will try to make explanations in the form of questions and answers.

Question:
Al-Anam 35: “If their spurning is hard on thy mind, yet if thou wert able to seek a tunnel in the ground or a ladder to the skies and bring them a sign,- (what good?). If it were Allah’s will, He could gather them together unto true guidance: so be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)! “

(Allah tells the Prophet Muhammad not to be ignorant; He says, I do not give you miracles; create a miracle yourself if you can.)

Answer:
- It is emphasized - in summary – in the verse above that it is not possible for a prophet to show a miracle on his own when he wishes without the help of Allah. Can there be anything more natural, reasonable and correct than it? There is no evidence in the verse that the Prophet will not be given any miracles. With the verse, the Prophet is consoled in the face of the denying ignorant people who asked nonsensical things sarcastically from him from time to time. He is asked not to feel sorry due to their words. The consolation is strengthened with the following statement: “If it were Allah’s will, He could gather them together unto true guidance”. (Tabari, Ibn Juzay, the interpretation of the verse in question).

The phrase “be not thou amongst those who are swayed by ignorance (and impatience)” in the verse means do not act impatiently like ignorant people in cases when patience is necessary. (see Tabari, Mawardi, the interpretation of the verse in question)

The following statement in the previous verse, which is related to the verse in question, is the clearest evidence of it:

“Rejected were the apostles before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs.”

Allah means the following in the verse: “Like the other prophets, it is not something that you can do to show a miracle on your own. You are not held responsible because of it. It is a test. The door is opened for the mind in the test but man’s free will is not removed so that everybody will make their choice based on their free will and mind. Therefore, do not upset yourself in vain. “

The verse has nothing to do with asking for miracles. It is natural for a prophet to ask for miracles and it is a prerequisite of prophethood to show miracles. Therefore, it is not possible in terms of religion and mind to attribute ignorance to a prophet who asks for a miracle.  

Question:
Al-Anam 37. “They say: ‘Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say: ‘(Allah) hath certainly power to send down a sign: but most of them understand not.’”

(As it is understood from verse 37 of the chapter of al-Anam, the Prophet Muhammad did not bring any miracles. Therefore, the unbelievers said, “Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?”)

Answer:
As it is known, the reason why a verse was sent down is generally very important in understanding a verse. The verse in question is one of the verses whose reason to be sent down is known. According to what scholars state, the statement “Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?” in the verse is related to the following verses in the chapter of al-Furqan:

“And they say: ‘What sort of an apostle is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him? Or (Why) has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment?’ The wicked say: ‘Ye follow none other than a man bewitched.’” (al-Furqan, 25/7-8)

That verse in question indicates their sarcastic requests and answers them with the following statement: “Say: ‘(Allah) hath certainly power to send down a sign.'“ (Tabari, the interpretation of the verse in question)

Thus, their requests were not fulfilled because they were not regarded reasonable and it was not regarded appropriate by divine wisdom to reward their sarcastic and spoiled attitudes with a miracle. There is no statement in the verse indicating that the Prophet (pbuh) will not be given any miracles. As a matter of fact, the phrase “but most of them understand not” at the end of the verse indicates that they do not know such wisdom.  

Question:
Yunus 20. “They say: ‘Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say: ‘The Unseen is only for Allah (to know), then wait ye: I too will wait with you.’”

Answer:
An answer given to deniers is in question in the verse above. As some scholars like Zamakhshari state, the miracles given to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) are much more than the ones given to other prophets. The people of Makkah saw the miracle of the splitting of the moon called “inshiqaq al-qamar” but they made a new offer; although there was a miracle like the Quran, which challenged and refuted them, they insisted on seeing another miracle they offered, which showed their insincerity and spoiled obstinacy regarding the issue and that they had no intention of believing. Instead of giving them a harsh answer that they deserved, Allah, who knew about their insincere and unserious attitudes very well, stated that it was an issue of ghayb belonging to Allah and that He could do it any time He wished; thus, He did not dishearten them and did not put His messenger in a difficult situation. (cf. Zamakhshari, Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the verse in question)

There is no statement indicating that the Prophet will not be given a miracle in the verse. On the contrary, there is a sign that miracles can be given. Allah’s advice to the Prophet to be patient is an evidence for it.   

Question:
ar-Rad 7. “And the Unbelievers say: ‘Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?’ But thou art truly a warner, and to every people a guide.”

Answer:
As it is the case in the previous verses, there are statements indicating a sarcastic attitude, a stubborn unbelief and a spoiled and ignorant insistence in the verse above.

“And the Unbelievers say: Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?' But thou art truly a warner, and to every people a guide.”

There is no statement about other miracles not being given to the Prophet (pbuh) in the verse above. The following issues are emphasized to console the Prophet in the face of the unserious offers that express nothing but obstinacy like “transform Safa hill into gold” and the offer in the verse “O Allah if this is indeed the Truth from Thee, rain down on us a shower of stones form the sky, or send us a grievous penalty” (al-Anfal, 8/32):

“You are only a warner; you cannot force people to believe. It is not among your duties to give guidance. It belongs to Allah. Therefore, do not feel sad due to the attitudes of the insincere deniers who insist on denial. You have no responsibility regarding the issue.” (cf. Ibn Kathir, Qurtubi, the interpretation of the verse in question)

Question:
Ar-Rad 27. “The Unbelievers say: ‘Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say: ‘Truly Allah leaveth, to stray, whom He will; But He guideth to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence’”

Answer:
That offer is one of the unserious offers of the stubborn unbelievers. According to what Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal reports from Ibn Abbas, Makkan polytheists said to the Prophet, “Transform Safa hill into gold for us; make nice rivers flow for us; make the mountains around us move and make gardens of pearls and coral instead of them.” Thereupon, Allah said to His Prophet, “I will give them what they want if you wish but if they still do not believe, I will eliminate all of them. I will not give them what they want if you wish and leave the door of mercy and repentance open for them.” The Prophet (pbuh) said he preferred the door of mercy and repentance being left open.” (Ibn Hanbal, 1/242; Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the verse in question) 

Consequently, Allah did not give them what they wanted but left the door of mercy and repentance open for them. After a while - especially after the conquest of Makkah – almost all of the polytheists believed and were saved from elimination.

Thus, the sarcastic offers of some people in terms of their stubbornness are mentioned in such verses; their nonsensical offers full of delusions are rejected and answers are given to them. There is no statement about not giving any miracles to the Prophet in them.  

Question:
Al-Anbiya 5. “’Nay’ they say, ‘(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!’”

Answer:
Attention is attracted to the stubborn and irrational insistence of the deniers about unbelief in the verse above. For instance, they make different judgments - which show their ignorance - about the Quran, which is a treasure of miracles. They say, “Sometimes it is a magic, sometimes the words of a poet, sometimes the words of a soothsayer and sometimes a fabricated tale.” This indecision of theirs shows that they themselves do not believe in the wrong things they attribute to the Prophet and that they are away from displaying a determined attitude regarding the issue.

Their inconsistent delusions are indicated as follows in the Quran (cf. Ibn Kathir, the interpretation of the verse in question):

“See what similes they strike for thee: but they have gone astray, and never can they find a way.” (al-Isra, 17/48);

“And they say: ‘What sort of an apostle is this, who eats food, and walks through the streets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him? Or (Why) has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment?’ The wicked say: ‘Ye follow none other than a man bewitched.’ See what kinds of comparisons they make for thee! But they have gone astray, and never a way will they be able to find!” (al-Furqan, 25/7-9)

What can be the significance of showing the miracles that they want to those people, who view the Quran, the miraculous book, stubbornly and biasedly with their nonsensical words? It does not seem possible for those people who do not accept the Quran, which is a miracle in various ways and which is before their eyes, to accept other miracles. There remain two alternatives: They will be shown those miracles and they will be eliminated totally in accordance with the principle of Allah valid for the previous nations. The verse coming immediately after the verse in question describes it clearly:  

“(As to those) before them, not one of the populations which We destroyed believed: will these believe?” (al-Anbiya, 21/6)

Or, their offers will not be accepted and the door of repentance and mercy will be left open for them - for the sake of the Prophet (pbuh) – and they will be given opportunity to become believers. Allah preferred the second alternative with His infinite mercy. (cf. Ibn Ashur, the interpretation of the verse in question)

Question:
Ar-Rad 38. “And it was never the part of an apostle to bring a sign except as Allah permitted (or commanded).”

(The verse is very clear.)

Answer:
The meaning of the verse above is really clear: No prophet can show a miracle without the permission of Allah. That meaning has no ambiguous aspect. However, to make a judgment from the verse that the Prophet was not given miracles is really something dark.

Question:
Al-Ankabut 50. “Ye they say: ‘Why are not Signs sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say: ‘The signs are indeed with Allah and I am indeed a clear Warner.’”

(See how the Prophet Muhammad answers those who expect miracles from him. He does not say, “I am the best prophet and these are my miracles” as Ahl as-Sunnah claims.)

Answer:
What is meant by the signs/miracles in the verse above is Safa hill being transformed into gold and similar nonsense - as it was mentioned above - or the miracles related to senses shown by previous prophets like the Staff of Hz. Musa (Moses). (Mawardi, the interpretation of the verse in question)

It is indicated in the expressions in the verse above that miracles can take place with the creation of Allah and that no prophet can show a miracle without the permission of Allah as it is mentioned in the previous verses.

The meaning “I am not given miracles” can never be deduced from the statement “and I am indeed a clear Warner” in the verse above. On the contrary, its meaning is as follows:

“It belongs to Allah to create miracles through my hand. It is not my duty and I am not held responsible for it. I have no such authority. I will be held responsible for only one thing: to convey the book of Allah to people and to warn clearly those who do not believe in His Messenger. The Quran is enough for that warning. How can a person who does not believe in a visible miraculous book like the Quran believe in other miracles?”

However, it is emphasized in the following verse of the chapter of al-Anam that to warn people is the common characteristic of all prophets:

“We send the apostles only to give good news and to warn: so those who believe and mend (their lives),- upon them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who reject our signs,- them shall punishment touch, for that they ceased not from transgressing.” (al-Anam, 6/48-49)

Anyone who looks at verses 50 and 51 of the chapter of al-Ankabut together will know that what we say is true:  

“They say: ‘Why are not Signs sent down to him from his Lord?’ Say: ‘The signs are indeed with Allah. and I am indeed a clear Warner.’ And is it not enough for them that we have sent down to thee the Book which is rehearsed to them? Verily, in it is Mercy and a Reminder to those who believe.” (al-Ankabut, 29/50-51)

Question:
Let us keep looking at how the Prophet Muhammad answered those who wanted miracles from him:

“Say: ‘I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me.’” (al-Anam, 6/50)

Answer

“Say: ‘I tell you not that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor do I tell you I am an angel. I but follow what is revealed to me.’ Say: ‘Can the blind be held equal to the seeing?’ Will ye then consider not?’” (al-Anam, 6/50)

Can it be anything as natural as mentioning the human characteristics of the Prophet, who is a human being, in the verse above? In which one of the sentences above is there a sign showing that the Prophet (pbuh) will not be given any miracles? God forbid! There is nothing like that whatsoever!

Question:
Why did the Quran, which includes the miracles of other prophets, not include the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad if he had any? Let alone miracles, the Prophet Muhammad REGARDS HIMSELF HELPLESS SINCE HE HAS NO MIRACLES. The people who insistently claim that the Prophet Muhammad is the loftiest and most superior prophet who was bestowed upon miracles first need to deny the verses above and several other similar verses and then declare the Prophet Muhammad as the loftiest prophet.

Answer:
The person who uses such bad and inappropriate expressions for the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) describes the other party as “Ahl as-Sunnah”; thus, he means he belongs to one of the heretic groups. However, his last statements are inappropriate and it does not fit any believer to utter them.  

To sum up;

- If one looks at the verses carefully, he will see that the sarcastic offers of the deniers who want to make things difficult are generally answered in the verses in question. They are reminded that some deniers were shown the miracles that they wanted but that they still did not believe; it is indicated that it is not in accordance with divine wisdom to repeat the same things that were experienced in history.  

- Books of history and siyar (biography of the Prophet) witness more than one thousand miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

- As a book that shows the miraculousness of the book of the universe, the Quran brings to the forefront spiritual, rational, universal and ontological miracles rather than local, material and emotional miracles. For, the miracles of Hz. Isa (Jesus) and Hz. Musa related to the senses are temporary and specific; it is not possible for those who want to believe by seeing miracles to see those miracles again. For example, it is not possible for a person to see the staff of Hz. Musa or the incident of Hz. Isa’s reviving the dead. However, scientific and rational miracles that are always valid are necessary for the Quran, which is the divine book that is valid up to the Day of Judgment, so that its messages will be effective.   

The issue necessitates a profound foundation; therefore, we regard what we have written so far enough and give some examples of the miracles of the Prophet (pbuh) related to senses mentioned in the Quran:

a.  As all sound hadith sources and books of history and siyar mention unanimously, the Prophet picked a handful of pebbles during the Battle of Badr and threw them at the enemy by saying, “May their faces be humiliated”; that handful of soil/pebbles entered the eyes of the enemy soldiers, caused them to escape and to be defeated.  

“It is not ye who slew them; it was Allah. when thou threwest (a handful of dust).” (al-Anfal, 8/17)

That fact is indicated in the verse above.

b. Once, the Prophet (pbuh) said something secret to one of his wives and warned her not to tell anyone about it. However, she told another wife of the Prophet about it. Having been informed about it through revelation, the Prophet (pbuh) reproached her due to telling the secret to someone else. When his wife asked him how he found out about it, the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Allah, who knows and is well-acquainted with everything, told me about it.”

“When the Prophet disclosed a matter in confidence to one of his consorts, and she then divulged it (to another), and Allah made it known to him, he confirmed part thereof and repudiated a part. Then when he told her thereof, she said, ‘Who told thee this?’ He said, ‘He told me Who knows and is well-acquainted (with all things).’” (at-Tahrim, 66/3)

c. The incident of the splitting of the moon is mentioned in hadiths, history sources as well as the Quran.

“The Hour (of Judgment) is nigh, and the moon is cleft asunder. But if they see a Sign, they turn away, and say, ‘This is (but) transient magic.’” (al-Qamar, 54/1-2)

It is underlined in the verses above that the moon was cleft asunder, that the unbelievers could not deny it and that they regarded it as magic.

d. It is emphasized in the first verse of the chapter of al-Isra that the Prophet (pbuh) went to Quds (Jerusalem) from Makkah and that he visited Masjid al-Aqsa one night in a very short period of time. The details of the incident are narrated in hadith and siyar sources and it is stated that he returned to Makkah on the same night and that his bed was still warm when he returned.  

Although he had never been to Quds before, the Prophet (pbuh) answered the questions that he was asked about Masjid al-Aqsa correctly and gave them some other information about it, proving the trueness of his journey.  

e. It is clearly stated in chapter of al-Fath - which was sent down two years before the conquest of Makkah - in the Quran that Makkah will be conquered and it is emphasized that the dream of the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the issue is confirmed. Indeed, Makkah was conquered two years later.  

- All of those incidents mentioned in the Quran are miracles - in the form of news about senses and ghayb (unknown/unseen) - shown by the Prophet. Those miracles are indicated in the Quran (pbuh).

22 Why does the right to life not given to a person who exits the religion of Islam?

- First of all, we should say that the door of repentance is always open for everybody. This issue is valid for apostasy too. If a person commits the same crime many times and repents truly, his repentance will be accepted.

We cannot know whether Allah accepts a repentance or not but the apparent rules of the shari’ah necessitate it. There is no difference between repenting of a sin and repenting of apostasy.  

As a matter of fact, According to the majority of Shafii scholars, if a person becomes an apostate (murtad) and then repents and becomes a Muslim, his repentance is accepted. Even if he does in a hundred times, his repentance is accepted. (see Mawardi, al-Hawi, 13/449)

- An important source of the decree about killing an apostate is the following hadith:

“It is not permissible to take the life of a Muslim except in one of the three cases: a married person who commits adultery, a person who kills another person unjustly and a person who exits the religion of Islam, abandoning the community.” (Muslim, Qasama, 25,26 ; Tirmidhi, Hudud,15; Abu Dawud, Hudud,1; Nasai, Qasama,5,14)

Acting upon the hadith above, and the following hadith that is included in all of Kutub as-Sitta books except Bukhari

“Kill the person who changes his religion” (Naylul-Awtar, 7/190),

Islamic scholars agree unanimously that an apostate is to be killed. (see W. Zuhayli, al-Fiqhul-Islami, 6/186)

- According to Hanafi madhhab, an apostate who is a woman is not killed. However, she is imprisoned until she repents. According to the other three madhhabs, an apostate is killed even if she is a woman. (Zuhayli, ibid)

- On the other hand, according to Hanafi madhhab, it is mustahab to give an apostate the opportunity to repent and want him to repent. According to the other three madhhabs / the majority, it is wajib to want him to repent and to give him this opportunity, and to try to realize it (by keeping him in prison / under custody at least three days). (Zuhayli, 6/187-188)

- An important point regarding the issue is as follows: Only the president or his deputy (official courts of the state today), not individuals, can determine and execute the penalty of an apostate.

The state can execute him only after giving him some time to think and scientific help to correct his mistake if he still insists on his apostasy.

- After giving this short information about the execution of an apostate, we can explain the wisdom behind it as follows:

a) The apostate loses his innocence since he exist his religion and the ummah of Islam and becomes a traitor. The penalty of a traitor is death.

b) A person who abandons his religion is regarded to have betrayed his religion. A person who betrays his religion betrays his country where the religion of Islam is in effect. Therefore, the crime committed by the apostate is a kind of “treason”. Its penalty is death.

c) An apostate cannot be compared to an unbeliever. For, a person who exits from the religion of Islam, which is a religion that addresses both the mind and the heart as well as the lofty feelings, will not have any virtues related to humanity. From this viewpoint, when a person exits the religion of Islam, he is regarded to have exited humanity too. A person who loses his humane feelings becomes an anarchist. It cannot be thought that he will adhere to any religion or doctrine. He loses the right to live since he has a mind and he is like a wild animal, not an innocent animal.

d) To change one’s religion, means “to join the opposite front and to declare war against Muslims” in terms of balances in the international level and among nations in a sense. Or, it means a snake, a scorpion that poisons people, especially the young people by propaganda against the Muslim community, emitting poison. Therefore, a person is not killed because he changed his religion but because he waged war against Muslims and tries to poison them spiritually.  

e) “Also, Islam cannot be compared with other religions; if a Muslim abandons Islam and gives up his religion, he will not accept any other prophet; indeed, he will not acknowledge Almighty Allah either nor probably recognize anything sacred. He will have no conscience that will allow him moral and spiritual attainment; it will be corrupted. Therefore, in the view of Islam, in wartime, an unbeliever has the right to life. His life is protected according to Islam if he is outside the country and makes peace, or if he is inside the country and pays the head-tax. But an apostate does not have the right to life. For his conscience is corrupted and he becomes like poison in the life of society. But a Christian may still contribute to society, even if he is irreligious. He may accept some sacred matters and may believe in some of the prophets, and may assent to Almighty Allah in some respects.” (Mektubat, p. 438)

23 Does everyone live the life they deserve?

We were all born at hard times and undergo hard times.

What about the ones that lived before us?

Let us have a look at our ancestors Hz. Adam and Hawwa (Eve). Allah Himself addressed them but they committed a sin due to negligence and were sent to the world to be tested. Some of their children did not believe though they knew about it. You can think of the agonies they suffered.  

Have a look all prophets including Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), saints and friends of Allah. There were people among their relatives that did not believe like their parents, children, siblings, wives, members of their families and friends. Hz. Nuh conveyed the message of his religion to people for nearly 1000 years but fewer than 100 people embarked his ship. Was what they suffered less than what we suffer?

Look at the Ottoman State, which was one of the brightest and exemplary states of Islam. For instance, look at the reign of Sulayman the magnificent. Was everybody happy and without any problems?

Circumstances can change but Allah’s law never changes. Allah Almighty states the following:

“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.” (al-Baqara 155)

“Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: "When (will come) the help of Allah?" Ah! Verily, the help of Allah is (always) near.” (al-Baqara 214)

“We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, but for just ends. And the Hour is surely coming (when this will be manifest). So overlook (any human faults) with gracious forgiveness.” (al-Hijr 85)

“I have only created Jinn and men, that they may serve Me.” (adh-Dhariyat 56)

Our Lord gives answers to our questions in His book. We should seek consolation and peace in Him and take refuge in Him. We should never be unaware that we are being tested and that this test can be through our health, wealth, material and spiritual deficiencies and abundance; we should fulfill all our duties assigned to us, especially five daily prayers, pay attention to the balance of halal and haram, act based on causes and take refuge in Him and ask His help without being slaves of others.

We should show patience in the face of the things that happen to us and thank Allah.

We should never despair because the following is stated in the Quran:

“Say: ‘O my Servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the Mercy of Allah: for Allah forgives all sins: for He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (az-Zumar 53)

24 How should we act in our communication with the people who do not know the religion but who are very prejudiced regarding the issue? What should we do in our communication with them? Should we discuss with them or should we keep silent?

"He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart." (Muslim, Iman, 78; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 11; Nasai, Iman, 17; Ibn Majah, Fitan, 20)

In such situations, you can warn them without treating them harshly and without using offending expressions. What matters is to eliminate their enmity and to ensure that they do not view Islam in an unfriendly way. As the Prophet states in the hadith above, we should try to correct something with our tongue if we cannot correct it with our hands; if we cannot do it with the tongue, we should hate it in the heart. That is, you can find it enough to keep silent, not to support them with your heart and to hate their acts in your heart.

It is not a sin to keep silent. However, those who have knowledge (ilm) and are very competent about the issue should correct their mistakes with his tongue. Nevertheless, it is not appropriate for those who do not have enough knowledge to try to answer them because those people may think they are right when they cannot answer them. 

Amr bil-ma'ruf nahy anil-munkar: Enjoining what is good, forbidding what is evil

Maruf is what the shari’ah orders and munkar is what the shari’ah forbids. In other words, what is in compliance with the Quran and Sunnah is called maruf and what Allah is not pleased with, what is denied and what is haram and sin are called munkar. (Raghib al-Isfahani, al-Mufradat, p.505; M. Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini Kur'an Dili, IV, 2357-2358; V, 3118)

That is, to enjoin maruf means to call to belief and obedience; to forbid munkar means to oppose unbelief and rebellion against Allah. (Qadi Baydawi, Anwarut-Tanzil, 2/232)

The following is stated in the Quran:

"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity." (Aal-i Imran, 3/104)

In the verse above, the task of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is rendered fard for the whole ummah of Islam. Islamic scholars say that when a group from the ummah fulfils this duty, the others will not be held responsible but that if nobody does it, all Muslims will be held responsible and they will be sinners. (Yazır, ibid, II / 1155)

In another verse, Allah states the following:

" Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong, and believing in Allah...'' (Aal-i Imran, 3/110)

Believers are the best community in the world; they are a community that enjoins what is good, forbids what is evil and is equipped with highest ethics. For the preservation of this community, those verses order calling people to good deeds, honesty and kindness, which are the most important principles of the religion of Islam. The Prophet states the following:

"He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart." (Muslim, Iman, 78; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 11; Nasai, Iman, 17; Ibn Majah, Fitan, 20)

The following statement of the Prophet (pbuh) shows that the responsibility of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is a heavy burden:

"By Allah, who has given me life! Either you command good and forbid evil, or Allah will soon send upon you a punishment from Him; then you will call upon Him, but He will not respond to you." (Abu Dawud, Malahim, 16; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 9; Ibn Hanbal, V, 388).

We should meditate on and take lessons from the following verse:

"... Nor did Children of Israel (usually) forbid one another the iniquities which they committed: evil indeed were the deeds which they did..." (al-Maida, 5/79)

Along with polytheists, munafiqs (hypocrites) who enjoin what is evil and forbid what is good against Muslims and who do the opposite of what Allah orders by opposing His orders and prohibitions are mentioned in other verses. (see at-Tawba, 9/67, 81)

It is stated in various orders of the Prophet (pbuh) that each Muslim is a shepherd, that they are responsible for those who are under their command, that an active and constant social unity is necessary among Muslims and to support the weak so that they will received their rights from the strong and that the most virtuous jihad is to tell the truth in the presence of a cruel president.

If there are no people who enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, the evil deeds will become rules and a lifestyle. Satans confuse the truth and the wrong and make people forget Allah. In such a community, the attitude of a Muslim should be as it is stated in the following order of the Prophet (pbuh), who was sent as mercy for the realms: 

"You will continue living in accordance with the true religion unless two kinds of drunkenness emerge among you: The drunkenness of ignorance and extreme love of the world. When love of the world forms in you while enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, you will stop enjoining what is good, forbidding what is evil and making jihad in the way of Allah. Those who try to spread the orders of the Quran and the Sunnah are like the first people who became Muslims among Ansar and Muhajirs.'' (Bazzar, Majmauz Zawaid, VII / 271);

"Your good people will help the cruel ones among you; fiqh will be obtained by the bad ones and sultanate will be obtained by the low ones among you. Then, you will be attacked by mischief and you will fall out with one another." (ibid, 286)

''In that case, sins that are committed openly will harm everybody; the bad ones will attack the good ones; the hearts of the good ones will be sealed and they will be cursed. On the days of mischief, being patient is like holding cinder with your naked hand." (Kanzul-Ummal, II / 68-78)

It is stated in almost all chapters of the Quran how the communities in which what is good was not enjoined and what is evil was not forbidden and how Allah's penalty encompassed them. (al-A'raf, 7/163, etc)

Islamic scholars say that not to prevent a bad deed by fearing from it virtually means to accept and to agree with it, that the real fear is fear of Allah, that the duty of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil does not make death come earlier and that it does not prevents one’s sustenance but that it is not permissible to resist deliberately a trouble that is beyond one’s power. (Kanzul Ummal, II, 141 ff)

The Islamic ummah, which is the best community for humanity, consists of the individuals that are interested in all of the problems of one another. However, in the other religions, good deeds and bad deeds are the problem of each individual. For instance, the following exists in the Torah: "Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (The Torah, Genesis, 4/9)

The duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is undertaken by scholars in the ummah of Islam; it is not left to ignorant people. For, ignorant people turn everything upside down and cause confusion in concepts and values. The main principle in fulfilling this duty is the consciousness that every Muslim will be called to account in the hereafter. Communities are generally divided into two: good communities and bad communities. When bad communities formed or are being formed, it is fard for Muslims to avoid obeying evil deeds, bad deeds and transgressors. (Ahmad b. Hanbal, Musnad, II, 144). That is, it is fard for Muslims to transform every bad (munkar) community in to a good (maruf) community, where Islamic decrees are practiced.

Contemporary, democratic communities regard religion as an issue between Allah and man; they regard Islam’s principle of maruf and munkar as an ethical issue. However, this state of Muslims who are in charge of living in accordance with the orders of Allah and His Messenger is opposite and contrary to democratic principles. Therefore, it is not always possible for Muslims to enjoin what is good and to forbid what is evil; they are confronted with the orders and prohibitions of the munkar community. At this point, the following order is valid for Muslims:

"O ye who believe! Guard your own souls: If ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray." (al-Maida, 5/105).

The contradiction of the contemporary community with Muslims makes it obligatory for Muslims to establish an Islamic state because they can obey only Allah and His Messenger. While a Muslim tries to realize this, he does not stop struggling against munkar and ordering maruf. This point is important for this: Maruf does not mean mere ethicism or Islam’s main principles being replaced by human rights. Maruf is Islam itself. Munkar is not only bad things essentially or ethically but everything that Islam prohibits. This is the never changing criterion for the Muslims living in various places of the world and under various regimes and conditions. The only method for it is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.

"…So take what the Messenger assigns to you,..." (al-Hashr, 59/7)

The real duty of maruf-munkar is fulfilled by starting with man himself. (see al-Baqara, 2/44) Some people living in every era mention obeying the Messenger of Allah but they themselves do not obey; they order people to give sadaqah but they themselves do not give. They are warned in the following verse:

"Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (To practise it) yourselves, and yet ye study the Scripture? Will ye not understand? " (al-Baqara, 2/44)

It is stated that the lips of those who order what is good but who themselves do not do will be cut by scissors made of fire on the Day of Judgment. (Ibn Kathir, 1, 8)

The second one is to call to the way of Lord with wisdom, nice advice, discussing with people in the best way and speaking to even fiercest people using soft words. (an-Nahl, 1 6/ 1 25; Taha, 20/43)

After all, the issue of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is not a matter of fatwa only; it means to advocate and practice it in the family, law, politics and economy in an interrelated form and in accordance with the requirements of shari’ah. This necessitates a systematic work of calling and inviting people. The first spread of Islam was like that. The only valid way of conveying the message of Islam to the People of the Book, polytheists and other non-Muslims in the regimes where Islam is not dominant is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah. We can explain it only with the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, not by acting like a simple ethicist, preacher and even an official. A person who wants to remain as "the dead one among the living", that is, who does not prevent the evil with his hand, tongue and heart, is very bad. The following is stated in the Torah: "If a person enjoins what is good and forbids what is evil, his prestige in his community is defamed." Thus, Islamic movement and ethics were distorted and the essence of the religion was changed. Therefore, only Islam is valid as the religion in the eye of Allah.

On the other hand, people are not warned related to issues of ijtihad while enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. For instance, Hanafis cannot warn a Shafii person who is eating the flesh of an animal that was slaughtered without uttering bismillah because of forgetting and say, "What you eat is haram." For, it is halal according to Shafiis. That is what is meant by amr bil-maruf and nah anil-munkar not being done by everybody. However, everybody can fulfill this duty related to the minor-major sins and definite harams of the religion that everybody knows. (Imam Ghazali, Ihyau Ulumid-Din, Amri Bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahyi Anil-Munkar) However, Shafiis can warn a Hanafi person who is eating the flesh of an animal that was slaughtered without uttering bismillah. It is necessary to use the tongue first before using the hand in all maruf and munkar deeds related to the rights of both Allah and slaves.   Mutazila holds the view that people can be warned with the tongue and the hand related to the issues of personal rights but that it can only be done by the imam; they say individuals cannot do it.

The following decree exists in a hadith reported from Anas b. Malik:

"We asked the Messenger of Allah: 'O Messenger of Allah! Can we not enjoin the good unless we ourselves do it fully? Can we not forbid evil unless we avoid it fully?' The Messenger of Allah answered as follows:

"Enjoin the good even if you do not do it fully. Forbid evil even if you do not avoid it fully." (Tabarani).

Hz. Luqman's advice to his son expresses the state of the person who warns anytime and anywhere:

"O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever betide thee; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs." (Luqman, 31/17)

Then, a person who enjoins the good should act in accordance with his knowledge. The following is stated in a hadith:

"I saw people whose lips were cut by scissors made of fire on the night of Isra. I asked them who they were. They said, ‘We enjoined the good but we ourselves did not do it. We forbad the evil but we ourselves did not avoid it.’" (Ibn Hibban)

"Amr bil-maruf and nahy anil-munkar are done by fiqh scholars who are mild and lenient." (I. Ghazali)

Amr bil-maruf is very important; therefore, a person should fulfill the duty of amr bil-maruf if he can even if he cannot do all good deeds and even if he cannot avoid all bad deeds.

When Hz. Anas asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Shall we not enjoin something unless we ourselves do it fully? Shall we not forbid something unless we avoid it fully?" the Prophet said,

"Enjoin the good and forbid evil even if you do not do good deeds fully and even if you do not avoid bad deeds fully." (I. Ghazali)

Abdulghani Nablusi states the following:

"Amr bil-maruf with words and writing is the duty of scholars. To try to prevent a person who is committing a sin by praying with the heart is the duty of every believer. Intervention with the hand is the duty of the state." (Hadiqa)

It is not appropriate to do amr bil-maruf to every sinner though it is known that it will be of no use and that it will be harmful. The following is stated in a hadith:  

“Allah will ask a slave why he did not prevent a person when he saw him committing a sin, he will say, 'I feared his harm and enmity; I trusted your forgiveness and pardoning.' His excuse will be accepted.” (Ibn Majah)

25 Does Allah expect a person who he knows that will not obey Him to obey?

- Ibnur-Ravendi is a Shiite person known for his beliefs and views that can cause a person to exit the religion of Islam.

- Since Allah’s knowledge is pre-eternal, ignorance cannot penetrate into it.

It is obligatory for Allah, who is the owner of this endless knowledge, which encompasses the past and the future, both in terms of intellect and religion, to know who will obey Him and who will not.

However, testing takes place based on the knowledge of those who take the test, not the one that gives the test.

In other words, those who are subject to testing have to take the test personally so that the test will be fair.

For instance, a teacher knows with his foresight, experience and extra sensory perception that a student will fail but will it be appropriate for him to say to that student, “you do not have to come to school because I know that you are going to fail” and make him fail at the beginning of the year “instead of the end of the year”?

It will not be appropriate because it will be unjust to grade that student without seeing how he will perform.

It is clear that a teacher that has such knowledge will not have any EXPECTATIONS that this student will be successful.

A person who looks at this example carefully will see the answer to the question.

To sum up, with His pre-eternal knowledge, Allah knows those who will not obey Him.

However, He will test them too so that justice will be realized. Nevertheless, He will not expect that they will obey Him because He knows that they will not obey. For, such an expectation clearly contradicts definite knowledge.

26 Is guidance a matter of destiny? Is it in man’s power to believe?

Hidayah (guidance/belief) is a light that Allah puts in the heart of that servant after the servant uses his will.

Since good and evil are from Allah, He is the only One who guides and misleads people. People only cause each other’s guidance and aberration. Some people who misunderstand God Almighty’s creation of guidance and aberration say, “Guidance is from Allah; a person cannot enter the right path unless He grants it.” By saying so, they both block the way of warning and guiding others, and they want to excuse themselves for their faults.

We should state the following first: It is permissible for God Almighty to guide whomever He wills. He is the only one who makes people attain happiness and who leads them to aberration. However, the fact that Almighty Lord creates aberration in a servant is due to that servant’s misuse of his own partial free will. Otherwise, God Almighty will not lead His servant to that path unless he directs his abilities to the path of aberration. The same holds true for guidance. A person expects the result from Allah after making all the necessary attempts for sustenance because only Allah is ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer).

We cannot guarantee obtaining sustenance by acting in accordance with causes perfectly. Similarly, a person who conveys the commandments and prohibitions of Allah to some people in the best way cannot be sure that those people will be guided to the true path because only Allah is Hadi (the Guide).

Allah’s granting guidance to whomever He wishes means that He grants guidance to a person who abides by the conditions of guidance. Otherwise, it does not mean that “observance of any reason necessary for guidance is not required”. This way of thinking is like expecting crops without sowing seeds in the field.

At this point, an issue needs to be explained. It is certain that he who does not sow seeds in his field will not get crops. However, a person who does everything properly to get crops will have a ninety-nine percent chance of getting the crops. There might be a disaster such as flood and drought with a chance of one percent. The reason for the possibility of not getting results, even if it is a small percentage, is based on the wisdom of a person’s need to take refuge in Almighty Allah and to beg Him. This fact, which we have explained with an example, is also valid for the issue of guidance.

- If guidance is in Allah’s power, what is the fault of those who go astray?

Guidance: “To show the true path. To teach. To guide, to follow the right path by seeing the truth as the truth and the wrong as the wrong, to stay away from the wrong and aberration.”

Two young people came to me the other day. Mentioning a discussion they had with their friends, they asked me a question. The question was about qadar (predestination). The same narrow thinking and the same vicious quarrel again... Those who confuse people deliberately and want to fish in troubled waters were disguised as ignorant people again managed to hide their intentions masterfully; and they thoroughly confused those two young people. They mentioned that there were verses in the Quran stating that Allah guided whomever He wished to the right path and misled whomever He wished, and dared to deny the will of man.

I was faced with a strange situation:

Those men sought a suitable ground to confuse the minds of those young people and led the conversation up to predestination; they did all this insidiously and deliberately based on a plan; finally, they dared to deny the will of man and dared to claim that man was not guilty of sins and disobedience.

I want to leave aside those people, who do not even believe what they themselves say, and examine the issue in a scientific way. I will delay the analysis of the problem a bit and briefly touch upon the duty of the believer in the face of such questions and similar ones.

Take the Quran in your hand. Find all the verses about “Allah’s giving guidance and aberration to whomever He wills” one by one. Turn the leaves toward the beginning of the chapter in which each verse occurs. When you reach the beginning of the chapter, you will see that “bismillah” appears all the time. As you know, three divine names are mentioned in the phrase “bismillahirrahmanirrahim”: Allah, Rahman (the Compassionate) and Rahim (the Merciful). Many of our scholars stated that the name Allah is the greatest name (ism al-azam)... That is, all names are included in this name... That is, Allah is compassionate, merciful, omnipotent, subduer, sustainer, etc... I want to attract your attention to this point: Why are the names Rahman and Rahim mentioned instead of the names expressing majesty and glory such as the Subduer, the Compelling and the Mighty? With this question, a holy hadith flashes in your mind like lightning: “My mercy has surpassed My wrath.”

No matter what chapter of the Quran a Muslim reads, he should not forget that fact, and if divine favors are mentioned in a chapter, he should praise Allah, who is Rahman (the Compassionate) and Rahim (the Merciful). If the bitter end of the polytheists, unbelievers and hypocrites is narrated, he should not forget that they fall into that end with their own free will, and that Allah, who is Rahman and Rahim, is free from oppressing them.

Let us read together the following verse, which guides us regarding the issue:

“To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (al-Fath, 48/14)

Allah is the sole creator, owner and possessor of the heavens and the earth... No one can punish those whom He forgives and no one can forgive those whom He punishes. The existence of another will to oppose His absolute will is impossible.

And by ending with the words “Allah is Ghafur and Rahim”, the verse gives the following message to the believer:

If Allah, who is Ghafur and Rahim, punishes a servant whom He has created by His grace and whom He has allowed to benefit from the heavens and the earth, that punishment is definitely due to that servant’s unbelief and disobedience.

After this short reminder, I would like to focus on the “tawhid (oneness)” aspect of the issue first. The greatest lesson that the Quran gives to people is tawhid. Tawhid, that is, the oneness of Allah... He has no partners in terms of His personality, attributes, property and actions. Those who listen to this lesson of the Quran abandon idols, turn to Allah, discard Trinity (the nonsense of three gods) and attain tawhid.

It is stated in the first verse of al-Fatiha that “Allah is the Lord of all the realms”. Just as the sky and the earth are realms, the world and the hereafter, night and day, living and non-living beings are also separate realms... Likewise, every human, every animal and every plant are small realms. It is Allah Who created the beginnings and the first seeds of all those realms and brought them to their final and perfect form by gradually developing them with His mercy and wisdom, will and power. All those realms are His property and He is the one who created all kinds of events that occur in them, whether good or bad.

Just as He created night and day on the earth, He also created sleep and wakefulness in the eyes, and aberration and guidance in the human heart because there is no creator other than Him.

Just like basar, that is, eyesight, basirah (foresight) is also a great gift from Allah. With the former, man’s material eye is opened, and man establishes a relationship with mountains, plains and stars. With the latter, man’s eye of the heart is opened. With that immaterial eye, the existence of Allah, who is free from matter, is seen and believed in. And the heart attains a size, a width that will leave the universe far behind. It is peculiar to Allah to create vision in the eye; similarly, it is peculiar to Him to create belief and guidance in the heart.

In that case, when we read the verses stating that Allah will guide whomever He wishes, we will first consider the tawhid aspect of the issue, and believe that guidance is in His hand like all good deeds.

“... All bounties are in the hand of Allah. He granteth them to whom He pleaseth: And Allah careth for all, and He knoweth all things.” (Aal-i Imran, 3/73)

It is significant that the names Wasi’ and Alim are mentioned at the end of the verse. Yes, Allah is Wasi’... That is, His mercy, knowledge, and grace are too wide for human comprehension to comprehend and cover everything... And He is the Knower of all things.  In that case, He knows to whom to give grace, grant, generosity and guidance. This giving is not by chance, but by knowledge and wisdom.

Another verse that teaches that fact is as follows:

“It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.” (al-Qasas, 28/56)

Yes, our knowledge of other beings is very limited... Everything, living and nonliving, carries out all their activities under the knowledge and control of Allah.

Let us watch that flying bird. Who knows with what feeling it left its nest... What pleasure and peace does it feel now as it floats in the air? How does it watch other flying birds? How does it consider the buildings, people and cars on the ground? How full or hungry is its stomach?

As evening approaches, what feelings will it be filled with as it makes her way home? What will it feel when it sees the roof on which it has built a nest? How will its little and pure heart be filled with pleasure as it takes the last few laps in the air with the other birds who have finished their daily activities? They and many similar things have surrounded the soul of that bird. The bird, with all the subtleties of its inner world, can only be under the gaze, protection, mercy and supervision of its Lord...

Is a gazelle, a butterfly or an ant any different from this bird? Each of them leads a separate life in their own realm... While its body is in contact with the universe, its soul and feelings, in a way we cannot know, turn to Allah and rely on Allah...

Let us think about that taxi driver. Who knows where he is going?.. What problems does he have? What goal is he pursuing? What does he plan to buy in the future? Or is he suffering due the installments of the car he drives?..

How is body health? What is his peace of mind like? Is his heart hard or soft towards the poor? To what extent does he turn to his Lord? To what extent does he trust his soul? Since man constantly thinks, what did he think in the past and what is he thinking now?

Such innumerable issues, which are unknown to us, constitute his private world. We are ignorant of that world, and Allah is its owner and knower.

Allah, who knows His servants in all their aspects, informs His beloved Prophet (pbuh) in the above verse that He knows best who will be guided.

The verses related to guidance and aberration are about the spiritual training of the believer. As it is known, the spirit of the believer continues its progress within the borders of fear (khawf) and hope (raja). When he violates those borders, he will be harmed or destroyed. Khawf is the state of being afraid of Allah and not being sure of His punishment. Raja, on the other hand, is the state of hoping for the mercy of Allah all the time, not falling into despair by thinking that his sins will never exceed His forgiveness.

The Quran advises the believer not to boast of his good deeds and not to trust them, by stating that “Allah can mislead whomever He wishes”. On the other hand, He reminds the believer that he should not despair for his bad deeds and sins, and that “Allah can guide whomever He wishes to the right path”.

There is also the aspect of predestination. Let’s touch upon it briefly: A verse:

“The worshippers of false gods say: If Allah had so willed, we should not have worshipped aught but Him - neither we nor our fathers,- nor should we have prescribed prohibitions other than His. So did those who went before them. But what is the mission of apostles but to preach the Clear Message?” (an-Nahl, 16/35)

We understand from the verse above that the issue that is brought to us as a new question is actually a document of reactionism, and that this Satanic question was asked in the Age of Bliss and even before it. Those who ask this question show qadar in the sense of compulsion, ignore the partial will of man, and try to confuse their addressees related to divine justice. They mean this: “Since Allah wills who will be guided and misguided, what is the point of the will of the servant?”

It is a fact that “everything is predestined by qadar”. However, one of the things that is predestinated is that man is given a partial free will and he is free to carry out orders and prohibitions... It is also a predestination... Accordingly, whether a person worships or follows the path of disobedience, in both cases, he is in the scope of qadar. This subtlety is often overlooked or not sufficiently understood.

God Almighty wanted stones to be nonliving and plants to be half-living; He gave feeling to the animal kingdom. All of them are within the scope of qadar... As for man, He created man in the best way possible among His creatures... He gave man many gifts such as mind, heart and conscience, and put him to a test... He gave some orders to him and imposed some prohibitions. He made people free to obey or not to obey those orders and prohibitions. Within this freedom, He wants to give His servants who do not fall into heedlessness and do not forget their Lord degrees higher than the angels and give them eternal bliss, and to punish those who forget their Lord by following the soul and the devil. That is also predestination. It does not fit a servant to interfere with that predestination.

Other questions follow the question “If Allah had willed, He would have guided all people.” For example;

- If Allah had willed, He could have made all nonliving beings half-living.
- If Allah had willed, He could have given all trees sight and hearing.
- If Allah had willed, He could have created all animals as intelligent beings, etc...

Of course, Allah could have done all this if he had wished. However, He did not wish to... He wanted to create the human species in a different nature from the angels, all of whom were obedient, and created them that way.

The following verse is also included in the same chapter where the claims of the polytheists are mentioned:

“If Allah so willed, He could make you all one people: But He leaves straying whom He pleases, and He guides whom He pleases: but ye shall certainly be called to account for all your actions.” (an-Nahl, 16/93)

Many lessons are given together in the verse above:

– Allah did not want to create humans as a single ummah like angels.
– Allah’s will is absolute...
– And man is responsible for all his actions...

Instead of trespassing his limits by complaining about and criticizing the predestination of Allah, man should try to do the things left to his will in the right direction because he will be held responsible only for them...

“… For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So let not thy soul go out in (vainly) sighing after them: for Allah knows well all that they do!” (Fatir, 35/8)

Allah knows best who will attain guidance or deviate... “Hadi” is a name of God Almighty. It means “creator of guidance, the one showing the right path and making people successful on that path”. Like every name, the manifestation of this name is also through knowledge and wisdom.

Allah, who does not place eyes on stones, does not create guidance in hard hearts.

“...Woe to those whose hearts are hardened against celebrating the praises of Allah. They are manifestly wandering (in error)!” (az-Zumar, 39/22)

When the servant directs his own partial will to good or evil, guidance or aberration is created in his heart. A verse that teaches that fact so clearly that it does not allow any delusion:

“…Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)...” (ar-Ra’d, 13/11)

Another verse:

“These are they who have bartered Guidance for error: But their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction.” (al-Baqara, 2/16)

We clearly understand from the verse above that the servant seeks misguidance by his own will. We can see this fact in each of the verses about guidance and aberration. Let me quote some of them:

“... Allah does not give guidance to unjust people.” (al-Baqara, 2/258)
“…Allah does not give guidance to unbelieving people.” (al-Baqara, 2/264)
“…Allah does not give guidance to wicked people.” (at-Tawba, 9/24)

We learn from those three verses about three reasons for the creation of aberration in the heart. They are all about one’s own will: cruelty, denial, and wickedness.

Another verse:

“...Those who believe know that it is truth from their Lord; but those who reject Faith say: ‘What means Allah by this similitude?’ By it He causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path). Those who break Allah’s Covenant after it is ratified, and who sunder what Allah Has ordered to be joined, and do mischief on earth...” (al-Baqara, 2/26-27)

We learn the three attributes of sinners who deviate from the verses above.

As for guidance, it is a great favor of Allah but attaining it depends on certain conditions.

“This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.” (al-Baqara, 2/2)

The first one of those conditions is expressed “ittiqa”, that is, “being afraid of opposing Allah” in the verse above.

“Say, verily, Allah leads astray whom He wills, and guides those who love him.” (ar-Ra’d, 13/27)

It is laid as a condition in the verse above that the servant has to be loyal to Allah and use his partial free will for good deeds to attain guidance.

When all the verses about guidance and aberration are considered based on the fact that Allah is Rahman and Rahim, that the Quran was revealed to guide the pious people who fear Allah, and that our Prophet (pbuh) was sent as a mercy to the worlds, it will be clearly seen that the issue is in no way objectionable or suitable for abuse.

27 Is material interest bad? Is it bad to take care of one’s material interests?

It will be better to start with the definition of material interest.

The word manfa’ah (material interest) is derived from the root naf’, which means use, profit and material interest, in Arabic. It is used in the sense of making use of something, benefitting from something.

If we look at the issue from the viewpoint the truth and knowledge, it is clear that every sane person has to take care of his essential interest, which is salvation from Hell, nothing else.

However, when we say manfa’ah, we think of the worldly manfa’ahs (interests) only. The following is stated in the Quran:

“A little enjoyment in this world!- and then, to Us will be their return, then shall We make them taste the severest penalty for their blasphemies.” (Yunus 70)

“Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah. And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception?” (Hadid 20)

The real manfa’ah that we need to pursue is keeping away from unnecessary and meaningless things and sins, which will be of no use after death, which will harm us and which seems to be manfa’ah in the world.

On the other hand, as a necessity of the test in the world, we all have duties like living in the world, having a family, earning our living, getting on well with people, respecting the elderly, protecting the young ones, not telling lies, not stealing, not killing, keeping away from what Allah and His Messenger forbad, not ignoring worshipping, struggling against our souls, which is fard, and conveying the message of the religion of Allah to people without fearing.  

All of those duties mean Islam itself. It is related to our otherworldly interest to fulfill them. We are actually ordered to take care of our eternal interest only.

All of the other things seem to be useful for our interest in this short worldly life but they are deceitful and harmful; they will give us a lot of trouble in the hereafter.

Our duty is to take care of our interest by obeying fully the orders of Islam, which Allah sent us through His Messenger and the Quran.

The duty of Satan is to deceive us by changing our directions away from them toward worldly, unnecessary, meaningless things and harams, and by using our souls. He will make us think as follows: “Allah is the Forgiver; He will forgive me.”

Be careful. Allah Almighty states the following in the Quran:

“O mankind! Do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily, the promise of Allah is true: let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah.” (Luqman 33)

Do not forget that real interest (manfa’ah) is nothing but to hold onto Allah’s rope, orders and to keep away from His prohibitions.

28 Do people go astray because Allah wills?

Allah creates aberration because man desires to deviate; otherwise, man does not deviate because Allah wishes.

The meaning of the verse in question is as follows:

“Those who reject our signs are deaf and dumb,- in the midst of darkness profound: whom Allah willeth, He leaveth to wander: whom He willeth, He placeth on the way that is straight.” (al-Anam, 6/39)

Almighty Allah states the following about those who persist in unbelief though He informs people of all the knowledge and warnings they need:

“Those who reject our signs are deaf and dumb,- in the midst of darkness profound.”

Just as those who are in the dark are not aware of where they are going and cannot see where they step, they cannot distinguish the truth from the wrong; ­they live without knowing the meaning and reality of life; therefore, they neither listen to the truth nor talk about the truth.

That is why Allah misled them, that is, He created aberration for such people. “Allah misleads whomever He wills.”

The following is stated in the chapter of Yunus:

“Verily Allah will not deal unjustly with man in aught: It is man that wrongs his own soul.” (Yunus 10/44)

Thus, Allah only wants those who resist the truth to deviate. It is not because He wants evil, but because He wants justice.

On the other hand, “He guides whomever He wills to the straight path.”; He makes them live according to Sirat al-Mustaqim. If a person keeps his ears open to listen to the truth by being free from obstinacy, prejudices and bad intentions, and makes his tongue ready to tell the truth, Almighty Allah wants him to be on the right path and keeps him on the right path. It is the result of Allah’s justice and grace.

What should be understood from such verses and similar ones is not that Allah compels people to do good or evil at random, unjustly, without wisdom and without a system, similar to the arbitrary attitude of a cruel and ruthless person - God forbid -, as the members of Jabriyya claim but that His will and power cannot be limited by any conditions or stipulations and that He is the absolute sovereign.

Sovereignty is used cruelly only by oppressors.

Allah is absolutely good; He is free from cruelty and injustice. Therefore, He uses His sovereignty in harmony with His own justice, and consequently, He leads the wicked to aberration and the good to guidance with His completely free and unlimited will.

Mutazilites name Allah’s doing justice in this way as wisdom and regard it as “necessary” - God forbid - for Allah to follow wisdom.

Imam Maturidi states the following while criticizing that view in summary:

It is not an obligation for Allah that His actions be in accordance with wisdom. Just as people who do things in accordance with justice and wisdom in this world can do the opposite so too is Allah capable of doing something contrary to wisdom. However, the reason why people deviate from wisdom is either “need” or “ignorance”. Since Almighty Allah is free from such faults, it is unthinkable for Him to go beyond justice and wisdom; therefore, He does not mislead anyone if they do not deserve it. (See Kur'an Yolu, the interpretation of the verse in question)

29 What makes a slave approach Allah? How can we understand that Allah loves us?

What makes slaves approach Allah is a sincere belief and obeying Allah’s commands and prohibitions.

In Islam, the most important thing after belief is prayer (salah). The most important thing in prayer is the peace of the heart and tadil al-arkan. The Prophet (pbuh) states the following in a hadith:

 “A slave is closest to his Lord when he is in prostration (sajdah).” (see Muslim, Salah 215. Abu Dawud, Salah 148)

“Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.” (al-Baqara, 2/152)

It is understood from the verse above that if a Person loves Allah, Allah will love him. If a person shows respect to Allah and shows his respect by obeying Him, he will attain Allah’s love and appreciation.

As a matter of fact, according to a narration, the Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

“If a person wants to learn his value in the eye of Allah, he should look at Allah’s value in his eye. Allah values a person as much as a person values Him.” (Hakim, 1/671)

Valuing Allah becomes manifest through obeying Him. A person’s good creed, good worship, high ethics, good manners and good intentions show how he values Allah.

In fact, it is a command of our religion to love Allah more than anything else. The way of loving Allah is to love the Prophet (pbuh), who lives in the way that Allah loves, and to be on His way.

Thus, the sign showing that we love Allah and that Allah loves us is to obey (follow) the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), His Messenger.

As a matter of fact, the following is stated in a verse:

"Say: If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Aal-i Imran, 3/31)

To love Allah is the highest purpose of man’s creation. Thus, it is the highest purpose that Islam leads man to. The verse above includes the following definite analogy: 

If you love Allah, you must follow the Messenger of Allah. If you do not follow him, it means you do not love Allah.

If you follow the Messenger of Allah, you must live like him. Thus, it means Allah loves you.

30 What should a new Muslim do? What should he pay attention to?

First of all, we should state that every blessing has some burdens. Being a Muslim, which is the greatest blessing, will definitely have some burdens.

Showing patience in the face of them, never despairing, focusing only on what we need to do, seeking refuge in and praying to our Lord in any case, leaving the result to Allah after doing our duty and showing consent to it will relieve us in terms of all aspects.

Islam is on the Agenda of the World

Islam is spreading rapidly around the world. Russia takes the first place in Islamization; Europe is the second and America is the third. This fact is not regarded as news for the media, which is busy with wars, pandemic, gold and oil prices, global economic crisis, inflation, etc. and keeps most people busy with them.

Most of the non-Muslims become Muslims after researching Islam. The resource people refer to most today is the Internet. The lucky minority who can reach the right information on the internet, where there is much more information pollution about Islam than anything else, chooses Islam without hesitation. However, some of them exit Islam for different reasons. For example, according to statistics of the year 2000, nearly half of the 500,000 Americans who were converted to Islam in a year exited Islam. The main reason for it is as follows: Americans embrace Islam at the cost of being abandoned by their families and friends. However,

1. They cannot see the examples of ideal believers defined in the Quran and hadith in the Islamic community they live in.

2. They do not receive the attention and support of the other Muslims in mosques, which are the social environments of the community they live in.

Having been disappointed at not seeing a Muslim who fits the description of Islam truly in the Islamic circle he joined and been pushed into loneliness by Muslims, the newly converted American, unfortunately, can return to his old environment if he does not have a strong spiritual structure.

It seems that the most important reason why those who were converted to Islam remained in Islam is that those who became Muslims before them did not neglect them and took care of them.

What should be the roadmap of the new Muslim?

It is necessary to teach the true Islam and the righteousness worthy of Islam consciously to the new Muslim and somebody should be a role model for him.

For example, a Christian believes in the trinity. Hz. Isa (Jesus) is either the son of God or God himself in his eyes. When a Muslim says “Muhammadur-Rasulullah”, the Christian thinks - with a false comparison - that the Muslim claims that Muhammad (pbuh) is the son of God - God forbid - out of spite. When an American becomes a Muslim by uttering kalima ash-shahadah, he embraces Islam by getting rid of his wrong beliefs about Allah and the Prophet.

However, there are six pillars of belief in Islam. One of them is belief in the hereafter. A Christian who does not believe in bodily resurrection might not believe in bodily resurrection when he utters kalima ash-shahadah. Again, he might not believe that both good and evil came from Allah when he becomes a Muslim by uttering kalima ash-shahadah by leaving his previous Christian life, in which he lived unaware of the concepts and meanings of good and evil in his own world because he has not even been aware of their existence.

Based on the fact “the highest reality in the universe is belief; after belief comes prayer...”, the first lesson that should be given to a new believer to embrace Islam is the lesson of belief.

There are Muslims who work hard to serve Islam in the Western world. However, the books they write to invite people to Islam are full of examples of how Christianity was distorted in general - as if taking revenge for the West’s constant attacks on the Islamic world. In other words, they focus on what a bad religion Christianity is rather than explaining what a good religion Islam is. Such books do more harm than good to those people. Those works are far from the potential to teach the belief lesson in question. The importance of the Risale-i Nur Collection on the issue is realized once again.

We said ‘after belief comes prayer’. The five pillars of Islam should be taught in a conscious order. For example, the issue of hajj, which is fard only for the rich and once in a lifetime, should not be instructed before prayer, which is fard for everybody, five times a day, regardless of being sick-well, young-old and poor-rich.

The other pillars, i.e., fasting and zakah can also be taught in order of importance in this context.

In short, before we make the mistake of thinking that a newly converted person believes as we believe, he should first be taught the principles of belief, along with prayer, and, over time, fasting, zakah and hajj, which are the other fard deeds of worship. In addition to the memorization of the chapters needed for prayer, he should be taught to read the Quran.

What should a new Muslim pay attention to?

 If a new Muslim is not junub, it is not necessary for him to make ghusl but it is sunnah to make ghusl because the Prophet (pbuh) wanted such a person to make ghusl. (see Ahmad, Musnad, 5/161)

First of all, he should learn the principles of belief and Islam; it is not necessary to change his name if it does not have a non-Islamic connotation. Besides, men are recommended to be circumcised.

When a person became a Muslim, the Prophet (pbuh) would teach him how to perform prayers and then advise him to pray as follows:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاهْدِنِي وَعَافِنِي وَارْزُقْنِي

“Allahummaghfir li warhamni wahdini wa afini warzuqni / O Allah! Forgive me, have mercy on me, guide me, grant me well-being and grant me provision!” (Muslim, Dhikr, 35)

Learning Islam

The most important turning point in the life of a new Muslim is doubtlessly the moment he is converted to Islam. It erases all the sins of the past and opens a clean, white page in his life. It is like being born again.

Therefore, it is very important for that newly opened clean page not to be polluted and that a good start to be made for that person’s happiness in this world and the hereafter. After entering Islam with a pure belief that leaves no room for doubt, it is necessary to make an effort to learn Islam correctly because without knowing the basic and indispensable teachings of Islam, it is not quite possible to practice Islam fully.

A true believer should know Islam well, embrace it consciously and try to practice it in his life. The best Muslim is the one who shows the highest respect to Allah. It is necessary to know how to be pious (muttaqi) in order to show the best respect to Allah - to put it in Islamic terms - to be one of the pious ones.

It is not possible to practice Islam in one’s life without knowledge, or at least to practice it as desired.

A Muslim who learns the principles of Islam can clearly see the bright path of Islam. Thus, he can realize the elements of unbelief, polytheism, and immorality that are contrary to Islam.

Unfortunately, many Muslims in our age have not been able to display the beauties of Islam in their lives because they have not learned enough about Islam. Therefore, it is not quite possible to practice Islam correctly only by imitating today’s Muslim communities.

In that case, Muslims should try to live according to Islam itself, not their mistakes. The mistakes and deficiencies of Muslims should not cause them to turn away from Islam. That issue is as important as being a Muslim for a newly converted Muslim.

Firstly, it is essential to read and understand the Quran, to act according to its contents and to put its principles into practice.

Secondly, it is necessary to take the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a model in all aspects.

A new Muslim should try to learn Islam from the true sources in the appropriate way. Accordingly, he should try to learn the Quran and the Prophet’s (pbuh) practice of Islam so that he can fully surrender to Allah and benefit from the example of the last prophet.

In this regard, it is possible to benefit from the guidance of people who know Islam.

He should begin by fulfilling fard duties, especially the five daily prayers, and by avoiding harams, especially the major sins.

Prayer (salah) must be the first thing to do beginning from the first day of becoming a Muslim. The five daily prayers, which are daily deeds of worship, must never be neglected.

A Muslim who has just been converted to Islam should either benefit from the practical guidance of other Muslims or from educational and instructional video publications prepared regarding the issue.

Thus, a believer first starts to perform the daily prayers as much as he can; then, he gradually tries to make up for his deficiencies, to learn what is necessary, and to perform prayers in accordance with the rules.

Willpower and Effort are Necessary

There may be some difficulties awaiting new Muslim. The way to overcome those difficulties is to continue the will and effort shown while becoming a Muslim. Allah will bestow many conveniences and make him successful in good deeds. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the verses of the Quran:

“And those who strive in Our (cause),- We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily Allah is with those who do right.” (al-Ankabut, 29/69)

“But to those who receive Guidance, He increases the (light of) Guidance, and bestows on them their Piety and Restraint (from evil).” (Muhammad, 47/17)

Dying as a Muslim

Dying as a Muslim is just as important as being a Muslim. It can even be said that dying as a Muslim is more important than being a Muslim. Allah states the following in the Quran:

“Behold! his Lord said to him: ‘Bow (thy will to Me):’ He said: ‘I bow (my will) to the Lord and Cherisher of the Universe.’ And this was the legacy that Abraham left to his sons, and so did Jacob; ‘Oh my sons! Allah hath chosen the Faith for you; then die not except in the Faith of Islam.’” (al-Baqara, 2/131-132)

To sum up, being a Muslim is the greatest spiritual treasure and a means of happiness for both worlds. Learning and practicing what is in that treasure must come before anything else.

31 How do people commit sins easily? How will I be saved?

We will be saved by increasing our belief, and we will be a means of salvation for the people around us by increasing their belief!

Why and how does a person, especially a Muslim, commit sins? Because not every Muslim is a true believer in the true sense!

The Quran states the following:

“The desert Arabs say, “We believe.” Say, “Ye have no faith; but ye (only)say, ‘We have submitted our wills to Allah,’ For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (al-Hujurat, 49/14)

The multiplication table is indispensable in mathematics but not everyone who knows the multiplication table by heart is a mathematician.

Similarly, saying “I have become a Muslim” is a prerequisite, the first step, of becoming a Muslims but not everyone who utters it can be called a perfect believer.

Being a perfect believer, that is, believing, requires proof. As a matter of fact, the Quran states the following:

“Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, ‘We believe’, and that they will not be tested?” (al-Ankabut, 29/2)

The determination and decision of being a believer belongs only to Allah because only He knows the state of people’s hearts, their sincerity or hypocrisy. Allah will definitely decree according to the Quran, based on whether a person obeys the commands revealed in it and avoids the prohibitions imposed in it.

Allah forgives or does not forgive sins based on His wisdom; it is His decision. No one can intervene - God forbid. For, He knows what, why and how the person in question did or did not do under what conditions.

We decide based on appearance; we do not decide to judge people.

Allah has determined all kinds of relationships we believers have with other people and also with other believers. We need to know based on appearance whether the person we face is a believer or not so that we can continue our relationship within the limits determined by Allah.

Therefore, some deeds of worship such as the 5 daily fard prayers are encouraged to be performed in congregation in Islam; and, what is more, Friday prayers were rendered fard to be performed in congregation.

After those explanations, let us deal with the issue of Muslims and believers who commit sins:

Sinful Muslims 

There are deficiencies and mistakes in a Muslim’s both faith and creed in the form of “abdication of reason” though he is a Muslim because he has not yet fully “internalized” his belief and has little or no meditation:

A person says “I am Muslim!”

- However, he does not perform prayers, give zakah, perform fasting and hajj; maybe he does some of them, but “sometimes, not always!”

- He drinks alcohol, gambles, commits fornication and receives interest!

- No hijab (tasattur)!

- He lies and backbites!

- He does not love, respect and understand his parents, elders or neighbors!

- He does not work; he does not earn through legitimate ways!

- He evades tax and hires illegal workers!

- He violates rights of others!

- He does not care about halals and harams!

There are a lot of heedless people in our century who say “I am a Muslim!” in this way.

Our duty is to warn them and address them as follows:

“My brother! You say, ‘I am a Muslim.’ but you live as if you are a member of the People of the Book or a non-Muslims! You say, ‘I believe in Allah, the Prophet and the Quran’ but either you do not know what you believe in or you are not aware of what you say, or what you do or do not do. If you pass away in this state, it will be very, very difficult for you in the hereafter! I do not say it; Allah says it in the Quran! That is all.”

They are today’s Muslims, most of whom are flagrant sinners, about whom you say “they are constantly sinning” and there are plenty of them around us. They are in such heedlessness because they cannot internalize their belief and raise it to an investigative level.

Our advice to them is to repent immediately, seek Allah’s help, and immediately begin performing 5 daily fard prayers, without interrupting them by any excuse; it is a prerequisite.

They should benefit from the great interpretations of the Quran made by the scholars of this age in order to increase their belief, and especially in order to increase their dimensions of contemplation. The rest will happen by Allah’s leave.

Does a believer not commit sins?

If we consider that even prophets make some involuntary mistakes, it is certain that every human being can and does commit sins. Man can sometimes commit sins unintentionally, and sometimes by being deceived by his soul and Satan. However, a believer immediately realizes it and repents at once and then asks for forgiveness.

Since Allah knows His slaves and many of their deficiencies very well, He introduced repentance and forgiveness.

In conclusion, the essence of the issue is “belief”, as it holds true in all other issues; what we need to do is to increase our belief; and the aim of Satan is to destroy it or at least weaken us. We should not give him any chance to do it; we should ask Allah for help!

32 Is there any drawback to viewing the religion of Islam and the Quran - in order to understand that it is the true religion - with an impartial eye?

Unbiased thinking lexically means to consider and evaluate something impartially. Satan leads man to aberration by saying, "Consider the Qur’an not as the word of Allah but to be neither man’s word nor the word of Allah and view it like that in order to be impartial. Would it still have the superior virtues and superior power of expression that you claim it has?"

Badiuzzaman Said Nursi states the following:

"Unbiased thinking is to take a position between two sides. Whereas what both you and your disciples from among men call unbiased thinking is to take the part of the opposing side; it is not impartiality, it is temporary unbelief." (see Sözler, On Beşinci Söz'ün Zeyli)

Thus, he states that one cannot view the Quran impartially and that unbiased thinking implicitly means to take the part of the opposing side, revealing this subtle trick of Satan.

The wonderful and miraculous aspects of the Quran can be seen only when it is viewed as the word of Allah. Otherwise, viewing it impartially or as a word of a human being will extinguish that light. In that case, a person who says he acts unbiasedly and impartially is driven to irreligiousness and is choked in darkness. Many people lose their belief with this deception of unbiased thinking.  

First of all, we should consider the following determination of Badiuzzaman regarding the issue: “Unbiased thinking is to take the part of the opposing side; it is not impartiality.”

Even if such thinking is applied in the name of impartiality, it means to view the Quran as a human word for a while, which is “temporary unbelief” as Badiuzzaman puts it.

The Quran is Allah’s word. It is necessary to accept it like that first, to believe it like that and then to answer the questions and claims about the Quran by standing in the same front as the Quran.

To leave the front in the name of impartiality, to join the ranks of those who say the Quran is the word of a human and to view the Quran from that viewpoint will cause the lofty truths in the Quran to be hidden.

33 Can religion be practiced with the mind (brain)? In other words, can I practice my religion / Islam with my mind, or should someone (a prophet, a teacher) tell me how to practice Islam?

You can learn how to practice Islam from Islamic books (catechism, fiqh, tafsir...). You can benefit from those who know better to learn about matters or practices that you do not understand.

On the other hand, the mind is a created being and it cannot know Allah and His will on its own. It is Allah who will inform us of it. That is why divine revelation and prophets are necessary.

Relationship between the Mind, Divine Revelation and Prophet

Nabi (Prophet) “is a person that is sent so that he will convey the revelation he takes from Allah to people. Rasul (Messenger) “is a person that is sent so that he will convey the decrees of Allah to people.” In general, it is accepted that rasuls bring a new shari’ah and a new divine book, and that nabis receive revelation from Allah based on the shari’ah that is valid at that time. (see at-Taftazani, Sharhul-Maqasid, Ist. 1305. II, 173; S. Sharif Jurjani, at-Tarifat, Cairo, 1938, p. 98, 214; ar-Raghib, al-Mufradat, Cairo, 1961, p. 53, 195, 482)

The terms nubuwwah (prophethood), bi’thah (sending), risalah (message) and irsal (sending) are used for nubuwwah (prophethood) in the Quran and the terms nabi (prophet), mab’uth (the sent one), rasul (messenger) and mursal (the sent one) are used for nabi (prophet); their plural forms are anbiya, mab’uthun, rusul and mursalun respectively. The word safarah is also used for prophethood and safir (plural sufara) for prophet.

Nabi means the one that brings news; rasul, mursal and mab’uth mean messenger, envoy. Thus, prophet means the messenger and herald sent by Allah. Their duties are to convey the information, news, orders and prohibitions they take from Allah to people.

“It is Our Messenger´s duty to proclaim (the message).” (al-Maida, 5/92, 99)

It is necessary for this proclamation to be so clear as to eliminate all kinds of hesitation. (Balagh al-Mubin, an-Nahl, 16/35, 82) However, a prophet is not an ordinary herald and messenger; he is not a mailman at all. Prophets also have the duties to tell people about the revelation they receive from Allah and to explain it. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran:

“Now hath come unto you, making (things) clear unto you, Our Messenger.” (al-Maida, 5/15, 19, 89)

In fact, the Quran itself is an explanation. (Tibyan, Bayyina, Bayan; see an-Nahl, 16/89; al-An’am, 6/157; Aal-i Imran, 3/138) The explanation made by a prophet is a statement that tells people about the sacred text and divine explanation in a way that various people and groups can understand.

One of the most important duties of the Prophet is to invite people to the truth and to struggle for it.

“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (an-Nahl, 16/125; al-Hajj, 22/167; al-Qasas, 28/87; ash-Shura, 42:15)

Like the previous prophets, Muhammad (pbuh) invited people to the way of Allah, and he was subjected to various troubles and oppression in this struggle, facing all kinds of difficulties. Therefore, explaining the Quran and waging an arduous struggle in this way is also part of the process of preaching and conveying the message.

In a sense, the Quran (revelation) and the prophet’s duty, purpose and work are identical. It is impossible to think of revelation without the prophet and the prophet without revelation. Efforts to separate and isolate revelation from the prophet are absurd. Revelation is integrated with the personality of the Prophet.

Allah Almighty gave the Quran names and attributes like Mubin, Nur, Hidayah (Huda), Rahmah, Mawiza, Shifa, Mubarak, Hikmah, Hakim, Sirat al-Mustaqim, Nadhir, Bashir, Basirah, Bayan, Haqq, Hadi, Tadhkira, Dhikr, Munadi, Aziz, Balagh. (see Itqan, Cairo, 1951, I/50) In other words, the Quran is an explanation, a declaration, an announcement, a light, a guide, mercy, an admonition, a healing, a blessed call, wisdom, a straight path, a warning, glad tidings, a vision, a truth, a reality, a reminder, a call, a holy invitation. The concepts, qualifications and names listed here also hold true for Muhammad (pbuh). That is, the Prophet is also an explainer, a light, a guide, a warner, a warn, a bearer of glad tidings, mercy, etc.

Since it is not possible to isolate the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his blessed actions, deeds and words from the Quran, scholars have called the Quran “Wahy Matluww” “Recited Revelation” and the hadiths and Sunnah “Wahy Ghayr Matluww” (Unrecited Revelation), and have regarded the actions, deeds and words of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) as a kind of revelation,

“Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him.” (an-Najm, 53/3-4)

They have supported their view with the verse above. The Prophet (pbuh) is definitely a human being like us. He is not a superhuman being. Therefore, his actions and words concerning worldly affairs are not regarded as revelation; his worldly deeds such as eating, drinking, sleeping, wearing clothes, traveling and getting married are important for us, but they are not binding. The Prophet (pbuh) said:

“I am a human being like you; I forget things like you; remind me if I forget something.” (Bukhari, Salah, 31; Muslim, Masajid, 90)

However, his human aspect is also important and respected.

The Prophet (pbuh) is a guide, counselor and adviser, the one who knows the way and shows the way. In the true sense and at the highest level, it is Allah who guides and gives guidance, but prophets are also important means of guidance.

“And to every people a guide.” (ar-Rad, 13/7)
“The man who believed said further: ‘O my people! Follow me: I will lead you to the Path of Right’.” (Ghafir, 40/38)

Prophets show people the right path and guide them to the way of the Truth by both conveying the revelation they receive from Allah and by setting an example; they explain it with their actions and behaviors. This path, which is given names such as Sabilullah and Sirat al-Mustaqim in the Quran, is a spiritual path that leads to Allah, from the creature to the Creator and from the servant to his Master. It is a path of servitude, worship and ethics. It is a path of salvation as well as a path of perfection and virtue. More importantly, it is the path to the Hereafter, the path of returning to the Truth and attaining it, the path of eternal happiness. It is the prophets and their true successors and authorized representatives who know this path best. Allah Almighty taught this path to them.

The path in question is not a material path that leads from one place to another, nor is it a path followed for worldly affairs. When the Prophet (pbuh) was traveling from Makkah to Madinah during the migration, he needed a guide who knew this path well in order to reach Madinah safely without being caught by the Qurayshi polytheists who were following him. For this reason, he hired Abdullah b. Arqat, who knew the way, as a guide. (Ibn Hisham, as-Sirah, Cairo, 1963, I, 337) He was not a Muslim at that time. It is seen that Muhammad (pbuh), who guided the people of the whole world in the divine, otherworldly and spiritual fields, was guided by an idolater in a material and worldly issue. That is the basis for making the worldly-otherworldly distinction.

Allah Almighty addresses the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), whom He sends revelation, as follows: 

“And consult them in affairs (of moment).” (Aal-i Imran, 3/159),

That is, consult with them in worldly affairs, make use of the opinions and experience of those around you, exchange ideas with them, and make use of their knowledge while making decisions. The Prophet (pbuh) consulted with his Companions in matters of state and society.

Mind (Intellect) and Divine Revelation

Allah Almighty has given man reason and intellect to ensure that he occupies a distinguished and privileged position among His creatures. Man distinguishes good from evil, useful from harmful, beautiful from ugly, right from falsehood. One of the definitions of intellect is: “A faculty that distinguishes good from evil”, and another one is “A characteristic that distinguishes human beings from other living beings and enables them to be in a favorable condition to acquire theoretical knowledge.” There are also those who define intellect as: “The necessary knowledge that exists in the human mind from birth.” (see al-Ghazali, Ihya, Cairo, 1938, I/90)

It has long been customary to ask the following question at this point:

- Why is it necessary to send a prophet and send down a book if Allah Almighty has given man a mind that can distinguish good and truth from evil, harm and falsehood?

- Are people unable to organize their lives in the world with their intellect and live happily and peacefully?

Atheists, deists and human religions such as Brahmanism and Hinduism, which are not based on divine revelation, have argued that intellect is sufficient to live a happy life in the world. Islamic scholars, on the other hand, have tried to prove that intellect, although a very important means of acquiring knowledge, is not sufficient and that it must be supported and complemented by revelation, and to this end they have put forward various proofs. Some of them are as follows in brief:

Even if revelation had not come, intellect could know that what is commanded in religion is good and what is forbidden is bad, but it could not know all of those things. For example, it would know Allah Almighty but it would not know His attributes, deeds and names; everyone would say something different about them according to their intellect, and the truth and reality would not be known. Man would find out the existence of Allah with intellect but he would not know whether to worship Him or not, and if yes, in what way; everyone would come up with a different form of worship according to their own mind, and it would lead to conflicts and confusion. (see F. Razi, al Muhassal, Cairo, 1323. p. 156.) Razi argues that if the sending of prophets had not been made known through revelation, people would not be able to know with intellect that there is a new life after death. They would not be able to comprehend with reason and intellect what would lead to reward and thawabs in the Hereafter and what would lead to punishment and torment.

Intellect is insufficient, especially in issues related to Allah and the hereafter. The intellect must be enlightened by revelation. As Ghazali puts it, intellect is like the foundation, and revelation is like the building built on this foundation. Intellect is the eye, and revelation is the light. Or the intellect is the lamp and revelation is its oil. When Allah Almighty says, “Light upon light.” (Nur, 24/35), referring to the lights of intellect and revelation. The intellect is the shari’ah inside man, and the shari’ah is the intellect outside man. In the Quran (see ar-Rum, 30/30), intellect is called religion. Fitrah is a sound religion. (see Ghazali, Maarijul-Quds, Cairo, 46)

A religion that is not enlightened by intellect drowns in superstition and sticks to fanaticism and superstition. The intellect, on the other hand, that is not supported by revelation, goes astray, goes crazy and rampages, wallows in the swamp of debauchery and immorality, and claims to be a deity. Therefore, it is imperative that rational and intellectual life be supported by revelation. That is why religion is obligatory for every society. Those who will be thrown into Hell will say:

“Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire!” (al-Mulk, 67/10)

Both revelation and intellect are guides. In short, the relationship between intellect and revelation is expressed as follows:

a) In matters of worship and the hereafter, which are beyond the intellect and cannot be known by the intellect, revelation provides sound and reliable information and shows the way to eternal happiness.

b) In matters of agriculture, art, trade, commerce, economics, politics, law and ethics, which are known through the intellect, revelation helps, supports and complements the intellect.

c) Revelation recommends and encourages rational and empirical sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, physics, chemistry, logic, astronomy and medicine, which can only be known by intellect. More importantly, it prevents the use of those sciences in ways that will harm humanity.

Those three fields are important in terms of prophethood. In the first field, intellect is subject to revelation. In the second field, intellect is free to a great extent, and in the third field, it is completely free. If this hierarchy is preserved, individuals and society will not be harmed by intellect and the sciences that are its products no matter how free they are.

- Was a prophet sent to every society?

The relationship between revelation and intellect inevitably suggests the need to send prophets to all tribes and societies because if revelation and prophets are very useful and vital for the society, Allah, the Almighty Wise, should not deprive any tribe and society of it, and should not allocate revelation and sending prophets only to Hebrews and Arabs. If a prophet is sent to one tribe and society and not to another, and if there is no significant difference between the moral and religious lives of those two societies, it will not be meaningful and convincing to talk about the benefits of sending prophets. For example, the Jewish people and race are not better than others in terms of ethics and character. Moreover, Jews have been regarded as filthy, manipulative, liars and exploiters all over the world, and have been humiliated, sometimes exiled and have even been exposed to genocide. Antisemitism stems from the character of this tribe. If prophets are supposed to improve a people in terms of decency, good manners, ethics, civilization and humanity, it is not the case with Hebrews. Muslim scholars put forward two different views regarding the issue:

Allah Almighty has sent a Messenger, a Prophet to every society and every people.

Allah Almighty sent a messenger, a prophet to every society and tribe. As a matter of fact, the following is stated in the Quran:

“For We assuredly sent amongst every People an apostle.” (an-Nahl, 16/36)

“And to every people a guide.” (ar-Ra’d, 13/7)

Allah Almighty sent a prophet and a messenger to every tribe and nation, and did not favor one tribe over another; nor did He grant any privilege to any nation. The fact that most of the prophets mentioned in the Quran were of Jewish descent does not mean that other nations and tribes were not sent prophets. Indeed, Allah states that He mentions some prophets in the Quran and does not mention others (see Ghafir, 40/78; an-Nisa, 4/163). The number of prophets mentioned in the Quran is fewer than thirty but scholars say that 24,000 or 124,000 prophets were sent. Sometimes, this number is given as 224,000 thousand. However, those figures are not certain.

As far as we know, prophets and prophecy exist only in the heavenly religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Members of those three religions perceive the qualities, personality, duties, moral and religious status of prophets differently from one another. In other world religions, there is no such concept of prophethood. History and current sociological studies show that many nations and tribes have lived and are living unaware of the institution of prophethood. In that case, it is necessary to interpret the verses stating that a prophet was sent to every tribe and nation as certain tribes and nations. Or it is necessary to understand the word “hadi (guide)” as a wali (saint), a scholar, a savior and a guiding figure who receives inspiration, though not revelation. In that case, the problem will be solved because there are knowledgeable, enlightened, honest, self-sacrificing and faithful guides and role models who are considered as guides and saviors in every nation and tribe. They have always existed. They exist in this age and they will exist in the future. However, according to Islamic belief, they are not prophets. They are the righteous, the pious, the veracious, the sincere, the scholars, the wise, the sages and the saints, who are below prophethood in rank but close to it. A mujaddid, who comes at the beginning of each century and renews religion, is one of them.

The flow of knowledge from Allah to human beings through revelation and inspiration has been continuing uninterruptedly since the first human being. Although this flow in the form of establishing a new religion ended with the death of the Prophet (pbuh), other forms continue. Allah, the Absolute Judge, states the following:

“Nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent an apostle (to give warning).” (see al-Isra, 17/15; al-Qasas, 28/59)

It is inferred from those verses and similar ones that not every people and nation was sent a prophet, and hence they are not held responsible for what can only be known through revelation, but they are held responsible for what is known through reasoning and intellect. Accordingly, Allah treats all nations equally and justly, limiting responsibility and punishment to knowledge.

When we mention prophethood, we must always keep its universal dimension in mind. Allah is the Lord of the realms; He is just; He does not oppress any of His servants; He is merciful and compassionate; He grants and favors everyone; He does not discriminate among people; it is necessary to view the issue of prophethood within this framework.

The necessity of sending a prophet in terms of Allah has been a matter of debate. According to Mutazila, prophets are of great benefit to humanity. Therefore, it is wajib (necessary) for Allah to send a prophet. Having looked at the issue from the perspective of social life and social order, Islamic philosophers also have defended the view that sending a prophet is obligatory. According to Ash’ari kalam scholars, sending a prophet is neither wajib (necessary) nor obligatory; it is only permissible; that is, it is permissible whether Allah sends a prophet or not. Maturidis, on the other hand, see it as a Divine favor.

Muslim philosophers explained revelation and prophethood within the framework of their theories of intellect and holy faculty. Aristotle mentions two kinds of intellect: passive and active. The passive (or animal) intellect is like a blank slate; it is intellect in the state of force. It cannot abstract shapes from matter by itself. The active intellect enables it to abstract forms from matter. The passive intellect is immaterial, exists in relation to the body and is mortal. The active intellect, on the other hand, exists before the body, which actually contains what is reasonable, and continues to exist after the body. The active intellect influences the passive intellect and enables it to acquire knowledge.

According to Farabi, the intellect is the soul in the state of force or a force of the soul. The intellect in the state of action is the activation of the intellect in the state of force, and the obtained intellect is a high-level theoretical intellect open to discovery and inspiration, which has the quality of abstracting forms from matter. Just as the eye sees objects through light so too does the human intellect gain knowledge through the enlightenment of the active intellect. The human being’s entering into a relationship with the active intellect is called ittisal. Some people connect with the active intellect at a high level and in a powerful way. They are prophets, saints and sages. The prophet’s contact with the active intellect is called revelation, and the saints’ contact is called inspiration. Farabi explains the active intellect as Gabriel (Jibril). Farabi calls the ability of prophets to relate to the active intellect at a high level and in a powerful way (holy faculty).

Most of the Islamic philosophers explain revelation and prophethood like that. Some Sufis and kalam scholars were also more or less influenced by those views. Traces of those philosophical views can be found in various works of Ghazali. Ghazali states the following about prophethood:

“Prophethood is a level above the level of humanity. Animals cannot understand the level of humans; similarly, humans cannot understand the level of prophets (revelation). No one knows the nature of prophethood except the prophet.” (Ihya, III/8)

For a human being, having the rank of humanity is a gift from Allah; it is not based on his efforts. For a prophet, the rank of prophethood is also like that. However, prophets become eligible to receive revelation through meditation and suffering. Similarly, human beings become perfect and virtuous people by fulfilling the requirements of humanity.

Man is distinguished from animals by his speaking soul (intellect); similarly, a prophet is distinguished from other human beings by intellect that finds the right path with accuracy and shows it to others (guide). This intellect is above all other human intellects. A prophet is intelligent and prudent.

The behavior of humans is a miracle to animals; similarly, some special words, deeds and attitudes of prophets are miracles to other people.

The Prophet is distinguished from other people with intellect that resembles different minds, and he is distinguished from other people with a soul that resembles heavenly souls. Since he has such an intellect and soul, he is also distinguished from other people in terms of his nature and temperament. A prophet is necessary for the order of the world. A prophet has a mind that is ready to be Allah’s representative, supported by revelation and assisted by spiritual beings.

In prophets, a strong imagination, practical intellect, hads (intuition) and a special soul are important. (see Ghazali, Maarij al-Quds, Cairo, pp. 107-108)

Fakhruddin Razi states the following regarding the issue: The characteristics of the prophets are as follows: a) They have a strong thinking and reasoning power, and they come to conclusions quickly. b) They have a strong imagination; they see angels when they are awake; they hear the word of Allah, and they give information about unknown things. c) Their souls are effective in the realm of substances and things.

Man can be in a perfect (mature) state in terms of knowledge and behavior. Man’s theoretical power (power of thinking) can be so perfect that he can see the form and nature of things clearly and without error. His practical power (behavior) can be so perfect that he can easily do good, beautiful, right and beneficial deeds, and doing such deeds can become a skill in him. Prophets are people with those qualities.

There are three types of people in terms of the situations mentioned above:

1. Some are lacking in correct knowledge and correct behavior. Ordinary people are like that.

2. Some are perfect regarding those issues, but they do not have the ability to perfect others and cannot cure others. Saints are like that.

3. Some are both perfect and capable of treating and removing the deficiency in others. Prophets and Messengers are like that.

People, saints and prophets form various levels among themselves. The highest ones among people are in ittisal and contact with the lowest rank of saints. There is also a kind of contact between the highest level of saints and the lowest level of Prophets. There is also such a relationship and contact between the Messenger and the angel. Some knowledge, a truth and a secret that a lower-level person cannot access can be accessed by a higher-level person. The behavior of a person at a higher level may be more correct and more accurate than that of a person at a lower level.

The duty of the prophets is to invite the people to the Truth and to warn them not to be preoccupied with what is other than the Truth and that will prevent the attainment of this goal. Their aim is to guide people to the Hereafter, not to the world. (see F. Razi, al-Matalibul-Aliyya, VIII/104, 115, Beirut, 1987; F. Razi, al-Mabahithul-Mashriqiyya, II/555, Beirut, 1990)

Generally, the approach of the great kalam scholars and Muslim philosophers to the issue of prophethood is rational, psychological and theoretical; there is a practical aspect of the issue, but it is also rationally based.

The famous Indian scholar Shah Waliyyullah al-Dihlawi (d. 1176-1762) addresses the issue from the perspective of religion, society and history. He first mentions a class of people whom he calls mufhamun (those who have been told, those who have understood the truths and knowledge revealed to them by God). According to him, they constitute the highest stratum of society, which is composed of various strata. They have good manners, think righteously, and wish for good. In this respect, they are very close to angels. They sincerely want to establish a good, just, honest and safe order in social life. They are granted knowledge and good behavior from the angelic realm. Their temperament is moderate; they are proper in terms of temperament and body, manners and appearance. They establish the balance of spirit-body, universal-particular. They are wise, intelligent and insightful; they are definitely not dull, stupid or cunning, and they do not deviate from established and correct traditions. Their worshipping life is good and their behavior toward people is honest. Their primary goal is to protect the common good and social order. They do not want anyone to be tortured unless there is a general good and a just cause; they do not hurt or offend anyone. They are particularly inclined toward the realm of the unseen (ghayb), and always turn toward it. It is evident from all of their deeds. The doors of that realm (qurb, sakinah, being close to Allah and in a state of contentment).

Their types are as follows:

a) Mature (Perfect) People, b) Judges, c) Caliphs, d) Those who have received the confirmation of Ruhul-Quds (Holy Spirit), e) Guides-Purifiers, f) Imams, g) Warners, h) Prophets.

Mature people receive the knowledge of how to correct the soul through worship from Allah.

The judges receive the knowledge of virtuous morality and the governance of the family and society from Allah.

The caliphs receive the knowledge of universal politics that ensures the realization of justice in society and the prevention of injustice from Allah. They have various kinds of karamahs, such as contact with the angelic realm, being instructed by it, being exposed to it and seeing it; and they are called “those who are supported by Ruhul-Quds”. Those among them who are beneficial to people with their talks and advice, whose tongue and heart are enlightened, and whose light and peace of mind spread to their relatives and those around them, leading them to the state of perfection, and those who earnestly wish them to be on the right path are called “Hadi-Muzakki” (Guides and purifiers of evil). The one who is more knowledgeable about the rules and interests of the religion and is willing to rebuild what has been destroyed is called an Imam.

The one who is inspired in his heart to inform people of the disasters that are destined to happen in the world, or who senses that Allah has cursed a community and informs them of it, or who abstracts himself from his soul from time to time and understands the plan that will take place in the grave and Day of Judgment and informs people of it is called a mundhir/warner.

Prophets are also among mufhamun. They were sent to bring people out of darkness into the light. Obedience to Prophets is fard and those who oppose them are cursed. The greatest Prophet is Muhammad (pbuh) and the best ummah is his ummah. His being sent and brought into existence includes “another sending and bringing into existence.” The first ba’th (sending):

“It is He Who has sent amongst the Unlettered an apostle from among themselves...” (al-Jumu’a, 62/2),

That is to say, Allah first sent Muhammad (pbuh) as a prophet. Second sending:

“Ye are the best of peoples, evolved for mankind, enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong…” (Aal-i Imran, 3/110),

That is to say, Allah Almighty first sent Muhammad (pbuh) as a prophet, and then He sent to his Ummah a special class of people, a special class of scholars and perfect people, who have always commanded what is good and forbidden what is bad within the framework of Islam. And He is still sending them and will send them until the Day of Judgment. That is the universal messengership and prophethood.

According to the Dihlawi, people have many rights and duties. They cannot learn them fully without the mediation of a prophet. The weak abilities of some people are strengthened by prophets; the evils that cannot be eliminated without sanctions are eliminated by prophets. That is why divine grace and favor deemed it necessary to send the intelligent/clean one of a community as a prophet to them. Imagine a master whose servants/slaves are sick and he orders one of his close men to give them medicine whether they want it or not; he forces them to take it. He is right, but it is better to first tell them that they are sick and convince them that it will be beneficial for them to take medicine. And if he does wonders to prove that he is a credible and trustworthy person, he will be convincing. In that case, the patients will take it consciously and endure the pain. That is the example of the Prophet and his miracles.

The prophets’ showing miracles and the acceptance of their prayers are aspects that support the prophet externally and are necessary for prophethood.

The fact that prophets are sinless (innocent) and free from evil and vile desires increases the possibility of success.

Prophets address people in a language they can understand; they take the level of understanding and comprehension inherent in every human being as a basis for the message, and they invite people to observe the manifestations of Allah and contemplate His blessings. They do not deal with sciences such as astronomy, meteorology, botany and zoology, but they ask their addressees to look at the heavenly bodies and the creation of plants and animals and to think about the grace, wisdom and blessings of the Almighty Creator and to draw moral lessons from the parable. (Dihlawi, al-Hujjatul-Baligha, Cairo, 1966, pp. 176-81)

It is seen that the people whom Dihlawi calls mufhamun are perfect people, judges, caliphs, those who are supported by the holy spirit, guides-spirituals, imams, warners and prophets. In other words, according to him, intelligent, honest, virtuous, self-sacrificing people who are eager to serve the society work with the power and knowledge they receive from Allah to improve the society, to ensure adherence to ethics, and to worship and serve Allah. They strive to establish a political, administrative, economic and social order based on rights and law, justice and equity.

The Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) invitation and preaching is general and universal; it encompasses many small-scale acts of invitation and preaching. The acts of invitation and preaching of statesmen and politicians, men of science and thought, wise men, artists, poets, literary men, writers, and guardians are all parts of that universal invitation and preaching, and are forms that emerge according to the needs of different places and times, provided that they are wise, intelligent, knowledgeable, honest, and faithful. That is the meaning of Muhammad’s (pbuh) being a mercy to the worlds (al-Anbiya, 21/107,) being sent to everyone (Saba, 24/28) and being the last prophet (al-Ahzab, 33/40).

Individual, local, social, political, ethical, moral, religious, official or unofficial movements of revival and reform, invitation and preaching in Islam are movements of renewal and reorganization (tajdid-islah), rejuvenation, recovery, self-criticism, regrouping, dynamism and gaining new momentum. However, not all of them are of the same level and realistic. There are also destructive ones with reactionary nature.

After the last Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), some false and fake prophets (impostors) emerged; there are also movements that claim to adhere to his religion, the Shari’ah and the Quran, but come up with interpretations that are incompatible with the spirit and essence of the Quran and the hadiths; they even damage and distort that spirit and essence, such as Batinis, Qarmatians, Yazidis and Druze. There are also many other movements that take the Quran as their basis and ignore the Prophet’s (pbuh) words, actions, attitudes and practices (Hadith and Sunnah), or do not value them much, or use them in a limited way...

First of all, we should state that there is no difference between the sayings and statements of Muhammad (pbuh) concerning the essence of religion, such as creed, worship, ethics and the hereafter, and the Quranic decrees and statements on the same issues in terms of their binding force as long as the hadiths reach us through tawatur or sound narration. The Quran is a recited revelation while sound hadiths are unrecited revelation. If the Prophet (pbuh) said something about the hereafter, it is considered to have come through revelation, since this information could not be reached by reasoning. The same holds true related to Allah, His attributes, deeds and names. Therefore, sound and documented hadiths are regarded as evidence like the Quranic verses. That is the view of Ahl al-Sunnah. Allah says:

“So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.” (al-Hashr, 59/7)

“Say: Obey Allah and His Messenger.” (Aal-i Imran, 3/32, 132; al-Anfal, 8/1, 20, 46; an-Nur, 24/54, 56; al-Mujadala, 58/12, at-Taghabun, 64/12)

“If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger.” (an-Nisa, 4/59)

“But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against Thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” (an-Nisa, 4:65)

“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct).” (al-Ahzab, 33/21)

The form and limit of accepting hadiths: So, hadiths are regarded as evidence like the Quran; and it is the Quran that says that hadiths are evidence. It is obligatory to accept the Quran as evidence; and to say opposite is contradictory.

Those explanations show that everybody is obliged to follow the revelation and the religion brought by the Prophet through it. If one has the ability (authority) to infer the necessary knowledge from the Quran and the Sunnah, i.e., if he is a mujtahid, he can act upon what he understands. However, if he is not a mujtahid, he must follow a true madhhab.

34 Are the verses related to those who do not judge by what Allah has revealed about unbelievers?

A narration found in Sahih Muslim is considered sound unless proven otherwise.

According to this sound narration, the reason for its revelation was the Jews’ incorrect attitudes and behaviors regarding stoning. It is also known that the terms “zalim (oppressor)” and “fasiq (evildoer)” refer to unbelievers.

Presumably, the question here refers to the situation of Muslim officials in secular regimes. It is a fact that there are those who see no problem in declaring them unbelievers.

- Naturally, according to the principle that “the specificity of the reason for revelation does not prevent the generality of the decree,” this decree may also apply to others. In that case, it would be useful to see what our scholars understood from the verse:

1) Tabari

“If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.” (al-Maida, 5/44)

In the interpretation of the verse above, scholars like Ata state that the unbelief mentioned in this verse is not an unbelief that excludes a person from Islam, but rather an unbelief of a degree below/outside it. Some scholars use the expression “kufrun duna kufr” (unbelief below unbelief) to express it while others use other expressions with the same meaning. (See Tabari, Razi, interpretation of the verse in question)

2) Regarding the issue, Ibn Abbas clarifies the phrase “kufr duna kufr” and says: “This (unbelief in the verse) is not the unbelief that people know. This unbelief is not the kind that causes one to exit the religion. This unbelief is something other than real unbelief.” The narration from Ibn Abbas is included in Hakim. Hakim declared this hadith to be sound; Dhahabi also agreed with him. (Hakim / Dhahabi, al-Mustadrak, 2/342)

3) Imam Maturidi explained the phrase “If any do fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed” in this verse, as “he who denies Allah’s judgment and does not consider it to be true...” (See Tafsirul-Maturidi, interpretation of the verse in question)

Samarqandi also understood this verse in this way and reported that Ibn Abbas also explained it in this way. (See Samarqandi, interpretation of the verse in question)

4) Fakhruddin Razi also mentioned various interpretations of this verse. He also included the Kharijites’ view, based on this verse, “If any do fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are Unbelievers” that it means “anybody who does not judge by what Allah has revealed, that is, every sinner who disobeys Allah and is an unbeliever.”

In conclusion, Razi explains the interpretation, which he knew belonged to Ikrimah, he considers the most accurate among the 4-5 interpretations, as follows:

“Whoever does not affirm with his heart what Allah has revealed, but denies it with his tongue, is an unbeliever. However, whoever affirms with his heart and acknowledges with his tongue what Allah has revealed, but does not actually implement it, is regarded to have judged according to Allah’s decree (by affirming it with his heart), but has abandoned it in practice. Therefore, such a person is not included in the threat of the verse in question.” (Razi, interpretation of the verse in question)

5) Let us hear the explanation of the application of this verse in the question – in summary – from the mujaddid of the century, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi:

“In the final period of the Ottoman State, the drafting of a “Constitution” and the declaration of freedom, within the framework of certain reforms, was considered unbelief by some, and state officials were therefore declared unbelievers. The justification given by them was the following verse: was, “If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers.” (Maide, 5/44). (See Asar-ı Bediiye, p. 463)

Disagreeing with this view, Badiuzzaman Said Nursi tried to clarify that the meaning of the verse should not be understood in that way, and stated the following regarding the issue:

“Some people accuse the Turks, who are considered the pillars of Islam after the Arabs, of aberration. Some of them even declare the lawmakers to be unbelievers. They consider the constitution established thirty years ago and the declaration of freedom to be unbelief, and they cite the verse, ‘If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed, they are (no better than) Unbelievers’ as evidence. Those poor souls do not know that the meaning of the phrase ‘If any do fail to judge by (the light of) what Allah hath revealed’ means ‘If any do fail to approve (the light of) what Allah hath revealed.’” (See Asar-ı Bediiye, 434)

6) We also approve our investigative scholars, that the word “ma” in the phrase “ma anzalallah” in the verse is a general expression, meaning everything that Allah has revealed...

Accordingly, if it is accepted that whoever does not do what Allah has revealed is an unbeliever, then it will also mean that whoever lies, backbites, hurts another’s feelings, or commits any other sin —even the smallest one— would be considered an unbeliever. This idea is incorrect according to the unanimous agreement of Sunni scholars.

Therefore, someone who accepts what Allah has revealed but does not practice it does not become an unbeliever, but rather a sinner.

Therefore, the meaning of the verse, “If any do fail to judge by what Allah hath revealed, they are Unbelievers” is, “If any do fail to accept what Allah has revealed, they are Unbelievers.”

35 How can you call yourself a Muslim—one who walks on the path shown by the Last Prophet—or are you someone who has turned away from him and is walking even deepe

If a Muslim follows the Sunni path, it means he is on the path of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

FIRQA AN-NAJIYAH

The community that accepts Islamic doctrine in its clearest and soundest form. This term is a compound noun consisting of two words. For the first word, “firqa,” see “Firaq ad-Dalla.” The word “Najiyah” is derived from “Najah,” meaning salvation, deliverance, attaining prosperity and happiness, and achieving one’s desires.

Thus, Firqa an-Najiyah means the community or group that attains salvation by being acquitted of all kinds of punishment in the hereafter, and securing their deliverance; another name for it is Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah. In other words, Firqa an-Najiyah is the large community or congregation that accepts and affirms the decrees of the Holy Quran and strictly adheres the path of the Prophet and his great Companions.

The Prophet states the following in a hadith reported from Abu Hurayra:

“My Ummah will divide into seventy-three different sects; the seventy-two sects other than the sect of salvation (Firqa an-Najiyah) will go to Hell. Besides, in the remaining part of such hadiths, when the Companions asked him about Firqa an-Najiyah, the Prophet (pbuh) described it as follows: “Those who adhere to my path and follow me and the path of my Companions.”  

That is why those who follow the path of Beloved Messenger of Allah are called Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah, which means “the people of the Sunnah and the congregation”. In this sense, it is best to understand Firqa an-Najiyah as a large community believing in Allah’s Book, that is, in the Quran and straight path of the Prophet and the Companions, and adopting and accepting the view of the community obedient to the Sunnah, i.e., a majority of Muslims and believing in them and practicing them.

Ghazali sums up the true path of Firqa an-Najiyah and the principles of this path leading to salvation under these three matters with respect to belief: 1) Belief in Allah, 2) Belief in prophets –which includes belief in angels and in the books – 3) Belief in the hereafter. (Imam Ghazali, Faysalut-Tafriqa, Egypt, 1325, p 15)

The Prophet stated that a person who believed in these principles would benefit from the blessings of this religion as a Muslim and become a believer and he who denied one or all of them would become neither a believer nor a Muslim but a denier. In a number of verses in the Quran, this right path is pointed out and it is also pointed out that this right path is the path of the Prophet (pbuh): “Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engages much in the Praise of Allah.” (al-Ahzab, 33/21)

“…So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.” (al-Hashr, 59/7)

“But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts: and who is more astray than one who follow his own lusts, devoid of guidance from Allah? for Allah guides not people given to wrong-doing.” (al-Qasas, 28/50)

“Say: “If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Aal-i Imran, 3/31)

According to Abdulqahir al-Baghdadi (D: 429/1037), who is one of the greatest scholars of history of Islamic schools, Firqa an-Najiyah or Ahl as-Sunnah, which gathers a majority of Muslims who are considered to be the follower of the most correct way in the area of Islamic principles of faith today as well as throughout Islamic history, consists of these eight groups:

1. Scholars who deal with “kalam” and who do not repeat the mistakes of the “wrong people” and who follow Sifatiyyah, that is, who do not think like deviated sects such as Rafidis, Kharijites, Jahmiyyah and Najjariyyah,

2. Fiqh Scholars that consist of imams of fiqh who are the members of both ra’y (view) and hadith and of believers who believed in the way of the religion and who believe like the members of Sifatiyyah believe in Allah, His Infinity and His attributions,

3. Scholars of hadiths who own the knowledge of the news and sunnahs from the Prophet and who are able to distinguish the sound ones from the weak ones,

4. Scholars who are well acknowledged about literature, grammar and syntax,

5. Interpreters and Good-Reciters of the Quran who know the correct ways of reciting the Quran and of interpreting the verses of the Quran and who have the knowledge on the appropriate ways of the interpretation of the sect of Ahl as-Sunnah rather than the interpretation of the deviated groups,

6. Sufi devotees,

7. Hero Muslim combatants who keep guard on the borders of Muslims’ territories against deniers and who fight the enemies of Muslims,

8.  Communities consisting of people in the counties and countries where Ahl as-Sunnah and their attitudes are dominant. (Abdulqahir Baghdadi, Al-Farq Baynil-Firaq, pp. 289-292)

The Principles that Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah have agreed on:

The majority of Ahl as-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah are on an agreement about certain principles of the elements of the religion. It is obligatory for all those who reach the age of puberty and who are sane to know the facts about these elements of the religion. According to Al-Baghdadi, there are branches of each element and there are some points that Ahl as-Sunnah are in an agreement on these issues:

1. The universe is not an illusion or an imagination but it has an essential presence and a reality. Man is able to recognize this universe and obtain information about it.

2. The universe is something created with all the details in it. It has an absolute unique creator.

3. Allah has His infinite attributions that cannot be separated from His Personality.

4. His names, attributes, justice and wisdom are a necessity of His great Personality; it is necessary to know them.

5. Allah has His apostles and prophets; it is obligatory to know their miracles, too.

6. The information about the responsibility for Allah’s commands and decrees on prohibitions should be obtained. That is to say, it is to accept and confirm the five elements which Islam has been set on; and they are as follows: Bearing witness that there are no other deities except Allah, and Muhammad (pbuh) is His Messenger, Performing prayers, Giving Alms (zakah), Observing Ramadan Fast and Going for pilgrimage (Hajj) to the Kaaba.

7. Believing in the mortality of humans and in the existence of the hereafter where humans will be resurrected after they die and believing in the concepts like hashr (gathering), questioning, reckoning, Paradise and Hell.

8. Knowing that Allah will be visible to the believers in the hereafter.

9. Knowing that destiny (qadar) is true (right) but people are not obliged in their deeds.

10. Knowing that Allah’s words were present from the beginning but that they do not consist of sounds and letters.

As it can be seen, all those principles and similar ones about belief are the points on which the majority of Firqa an-Najiyah, in other words, Ahl as-Sunnah unanimously agree. Moreover, each of these principles is based on the decrees of the Quran and the hadiths of the Prophet (pbuh).

Therefore, Firqa an-Najiyah is called so because they are aware of Allah’s commands and comply with them; and they comprehend the prohibitions and restraints from them and they also follow the right path that the Prophet showed to them; in other words, they have become the saved community. According to the prior communities, Firqa an-Najiyah consisted of Salafiyyah, which is called Ahl as-Sunnah al-Khassah, and Maturidis and Ash’aris, which are called Ahlas-Sunnah al-Ammah. (For detailed information, see Ahmad b Hanbal, Musnad, II, p.332; Abu Dawud, Sunan, II, p.259; Ibn Majah, Sunan, II, p.479; Ghazali, Ihya, I, p.179; Shatibi, Muwafaqat, IV, 48-52; Taftazani, Sharhul-Maqasid, II, p.199; Abdulqahir Baghdadi, al-Farq baynal-Firaq, Mezhebler Arasindaki Farklar, Translation: Asst. Prof. E. Ruhi Fığlalı, pp.289-335; Ash’ari, Maqalat, pp.277-284)

Cihad TUNÇ

36 Is it regarded as an excuse when a person says, "I did not know" for a mistake he does? Can a person be held responsible for something he does not know?

1.  It is fard for a person to know enough ilm (knowledge) that will make him live in this world and save him in the hereafter. Therefore, not to learn ilm means to abandon a fard. Therefore, it is not regarded as an excuse to say, "I did not know".

2. Some people prefer ignorance by saying, "My responsibility will increase if I learn." It is wrong to say, "If I become rich, I will have to pay zakah; so, I will remain a poor person." It is similarly wrong to abandon ilm by saying, "If I learn ilm, I will have to act in accordance with it."

3. Ignorance of the law excuses no one; so, it is not regarded as an excuse not to learn ilm, which means Allah's laws. Therefore, not to learn ilm will not save a person from responsibility.

4. There are a lot of hadiths showing the importance of a scholar and ilm. From this point of view, a deed done based on ilm is more valuable than thousands of deeds made without ilm. 

5. It is necessary to teach every child their religious and worldly duties. Even if they are not held responsible when they are children, they will have to learn and practice them when they reach the age of puberty.