Nineteenth Word
On the Ahmadan messengership
“There are three great universal instructors that make our Lord known to us: One is this Book of the Cosmos. We have heard a small part of its testimony in thirteen flashes from the “Thirteenth Lesson” of the Treatise of Light in Arabic. Another is the Seal of Prophets, blessings and peace upon him, who is the Great Sign of that great book. And the other is the Qur'an of tremendous standing. Now, we should get to know and listen to the Seal of Prophets, blessings and peace be upon him, who is that second articulate demonstration.”
Click to listen to Episode 01 (1st Droplet), Episode 02 (2nd-3rd Droplets), Episode 03 (4th-5th Droplets), Episode 04 (6th-7th Droplets), Episode 05 (8th-10th Droplets), Episode 06 (11th-12th Droplets), Episode 07 (13th Droplet), Episode 08 (14th Droplet), and Episode 09 (14th Droplet).
Back to The Words.
ROUGH TRANSLATION from the RISALE-I NUR
translated by Dr. Mustafa Tuna
A rough translation of the section that is being discussed is posted below. This is a work in progress and should not be considered a finalized translation. It is only meant to help with understanding the recorded discussion.
وَمَا مَدَحْتُ مُحَمَّداً بِمَقَالَتِى وَلٰكِنْ مَدَحْتُ مَقَالَتِى بِمُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلاَةُ وَالسَّلاَمُ
I did not praise Muhammad with my words but praised my words with Muhammad, blessings and peace upon him.
Yes, this Word is beautiful, but what makes it beautiful are the qualities of Muhammad, who is the most beautiful of the beautiful ones.
Of the “Fourteenth Flash” that entails “Fourteen Droplets,”
First Droplet
There are three great universal instructors that make our Lord known to us: One is this Book of the Cosmos. We have heard a small part of its testimony in thirteen flashes from the “Thirteenth Lesson” of the Treatise of Light in Arabic. Another is the Seal of Prophets, blessings and peace upon him, who is the Great Sign of that great book. And the other is the Qur'an of tremendous standing. Now, we should get to know and listen to the Seal of Prophets, blessings and peace be upon him, who is that second articulate demonstration.
Yes, look at the metaphysical personality of that demonstration:
The face of the Earth is a mosque, Mecca a miḥrāb*, and Medina a pulpit. Our Prophet, blessings and peace upon him, who is that oceanic demonstration, is an imam for all people of faith, a preacher to all people, the leader of all prophets, the master of all saints, and the head-performer of a circle of remembrance composed of all prophets and saints. He is such a luminous tree, with all prophets being his lifeful roots and all saints his fresh fruits, that the prophets who rely on their prophetic miracles and the saints who depend on their saintly miracles corroborate and sign under every one of his claims.
For he says, “There is no god but God, Allah,” and by repeating the same word, all of those luminous performers of remembrance who line up standing to his right and to his left, that is in the past and in the future, say with consensus and in a metaphysical sense: “You have upheld and articulated the Truth.”
What fanciful supposition has any right to poke its nose into a claim confirmed by such countless signatures?
* A niche on the qibla wall or direction of a mosque before which the imam leads prayers.
Second Droplet
Just as that luminous demonstration of monotheism is being confirmed by the consensus and broad authentication of the two wings; so is he being confirmed and corroborated by the hundreds of significations in the heavenly books such as the Torah and the Bible (sidenote), the symbolic indications of preparatory miracles (irhāṣāt), the well-known glad tidings of invisible beings (hātif), broadly authenticated testimonies of oracles, the indications of thousands of prophetic miracles, such as the splitting of the Moon, and the truthfulness of the Shariah; while, as seen in his person, his praiseworthy character traits at the level of utmost perfection, and as seen in the fulfillment of his duty, the precious innate characteristics of his utmost beauty of excellence, his perfect trustworthiness, his extraordinary God-consciousness that shows the strength of his faith, his utmost self-assurance, and his earnestness to the furthest point, his extraordinary worshipful slavehood, his extraordinary seriousness, and his extraordinary fortitude all show clear like the sun that he is utmostly veracious in his claim.
sidenote: Hussain al-Jisrī has extracted one hundred and fourteen significations from those books in his Risalah al-Ḥamīdiyyah. If so much is found after distortion, of course, there must have been many more explicit mentions before that.
Third Droplet
If you wish, come, we will go to the Age of Felicity, to the Arabian Peninsula. At least in imagination, we will see and visit him at the helm of his duties.
Here, look: We see a person who is distinguished with the excellence of character and beauty of form. With a miraculous book in his hand and a truth-bearing address in his tongue, he is delivering an eternal speech to all sons of Adam, in fact to the Jinn, the humans, and the angels, no, to all existent beings. He is solving and explaining their [all existent beings’] amazing enigma, which is the secret of the Realm’s creation, and opening and unveiling a concealed code, which is the secret of the cosmos, and thus, he is giving a convincing and acceptable answer to the three difficult, awesome, and tremendous questions that are asked from all existent beings and that occupy the intellects in a state of bewilderment as: “What is your duty? Where are you coming from? Where are you going to?”
Fourth Droplet
Look, he is spreading such a radiant light of truth that if you look at the cosmos in a way that remains outside the luminous truth circle of his rightful guidance, surely, you see the form of the cosmos, in effect, like a house of mourning for all; existent beings as alien and, in fact, hostile to each other; inanimate beings as dreadful corpses; and all possessors of life as orphans crying under the blows of extinction and separation.
Now look, with the light that he spreads, that house of mourning for all turned into a yearnful and ecstatic house of remembrance. Those alien and hostile existent beings each transformed into friends and siblings. Those silent and dead inanimate beings are each positioned as congenial officials and subjugated servants. And each of those crying and complaining forlorn orphans became either a performer of remembrance in a state of glorification or an offerer of gratitude upon being relieved from duty.
Fifth Droplet
Also, with that light, the movements, variations, replacements, and alterations in the cosmos cease being meaningless, futile, and playthings of coincidence. They are each elevated to the rank of being letters from the Lord, pages of the signs of creation, and mirrors of divine names, while the Realm is elevated to the level of a book of the wisdom of the Eternally Besought One.
Also, when his unlimited weakness, impotence, poverty, and neediness, which cause his fall beneath the level of all animals, and his intellect, which renders him more unfortunate than animals and is a means for bringing sorrow, pain, and woe, are illuminated with that light, the human being rises above all creatures. With those illuminated impotence, poverty, and intellect, his supplications render him a delicate sultan and his anxious weeping renders him a pampered vicegerent of the earth.
In that case, without that light, the cosmos, the human being, and all things descend to nothingness. Yes, of course, such a person is required in such a marvelous cosmos, or the cosmos shall not exist, nor shall the worlds.
Sixth Droplet
Here, since that person is the herald of an eternal felicity and the giver of its glad tidings, the unveiler and proclaimer of an endless mercy, the public crier and spectator of the beauties of the royal power of Lordship, and the discoverer and displayer of the treasures of divine names, if you look at him in this way, that is from the point of view of his worshipful slavehood, you will see him an exemplar of love, reflection of mercy, honor of humanity, and the most luminous fruit of the tree of creation. And if you look at him in this other way, that is, from the point of view of his messengership, you see him a demonstration of truth, the lamp of reality, a sun of guidance, and a means to felicity.
Here, look: How his luminous light covered everything like a bolt of dazzling lightning from east to west. Half the earth and a fifth of humanity accepted his gift of guidance, ready to preserve it like their lives. So then, what is happening to our lower souls and satans that they do not accept “There is no god, but god, Allah,” which is the essence of all the claims of this person, at all its levels.
Seventh Droplet
Here, look: How swiftly and all at once he uprooted and removed the customs and wild and wicked characters of this vast peninsula’s various tribes, who are fanatic and obstinate about their customs… How he equipped them with all beautiful character traits and made them teachers for the entire realm and mentors for civilized communities of people. Look, this is not external domination. No, he is conquering and subjugating the intellects, spirits, hearts, and souls. He became the beloved of hearts, the teacher of intellects, the trainer of souls, and the sultan of spirits.
Eighth Droplet
You know that a great ruler exerting tremendous effort can only remove a small habit like smoking from a small group of people permanently. But then, look, this person is abolishing many great customs from obstinate, fanatic, and large groups of people with what appears to be little force and a small effort in a short period of time, and in their place, he is spreading lofty innate characteristics and establishing them firmly, to a degree that they are infused in those people’s blood and veins. He is executing many other wondrous changes like this.
So, we poke the Arabian Peninsula in the eyes of those who turn a blind eye to that Age of Felicity. Here, let them take hundreds of philosophers and go there. Let them work for a hundred years! Wonder if they can achieve a hundredth of what that person has achieved in a year by the standards of that time.
Ninth Droplet
Also, you know that even a small person of insignificant standing among a small community cannot deliver a small but shameful lie on a controversial matter unabashed and undaunted, showing no degree of distress or anxiety that would otherwise let his enemies sense his ruse.
Now look at this person: Can there be anything contradicting truth in the words of such a great person in charge of such great duty, with such great standing, while he is in need of so much trust as he delivers those words to such a large community, in the face of such antagonism, on such tremendous matters, regarding such a great claim, so freely, being so undaunted, unhesitant, and unabashed, without anxiety, with sincere clarity and utmost seriousness, and in such an intense and lofty way that is certain to provoke his enemies? Can any ruse mix therein? By no means!
﴿اِنْ هُوَ اِلاَّ وَحْىٌ يُوحٰى﴾
“Surely it is nothing but revelation revealed to him (Qur’an, 53:4).”
Yes, truth does not deceive, and he who sees the truth is not deceived. His path, which is truth, is not in need of any ruse. How can imagination appear as truth and deceive the one who has truth in his sight?
Tenth Droplet
Here, look, what curious, attractive, necessary, and dreadful realities he is showing and what matters he is proving. You know that it is curiosity that motivates a person most. So much so that if you were told: “If you give half the span of your life and half of your property, someone will come from the Moon or from Jupiter and will inform you about what is on them, about their states. Then, he will inform you about your future accurately and what will happen to you accurately too.” If you are curious, you will give.
Whereas, this person is informing about such a Sultan that, in His lands, the Moon revolves like a fly around a firefly. As for that firefly, which is the Earth, it flies around a lamp. As for that lamp, which is the Sun, it is a lamp among thousands of lanterns at a guesthouse in one of the thousands of rest stations belonging to that Sultan.
He is talking truly about such an amazing realm and informing about such a revolution that if thousands of globes like the Earth were to become bombs and explode, that would not be as amazing. Look, hear on his tongue, the chapters of the Qur'an such as:
﴿إذا الشَّمسُ كُوِّرَتْ﴾ ﴿إذا السَّماءُ انْفَطَرَتْ﴾ ﴿إذا زُلْزِلَتِ الأرضُ زِلْزالَهَا﴾ and﴿القَارِعَةُ﴾
“When the Sun is shrouded in darkness (Qur’an, 81:1),” “When the sky is torn apart (Qur’an, 82:1),” “When the Earth is shaken violently in its [last] quaking (Qur’an, 99:1),” and “The Crashing Blow! (Qur’an, 101:1)...”
Also, he is accurately informing about such a future that, compared to it, this worldly future is in effect the mirage of a drop.
And also, he is informing with such seriousness about such felicity that, compared to it, all worldly happiness is but like a bolt of fast-extinguishing lightning compared to a perpetual sun.
Eleventh Droplet
Of course and surely, such amazing things are awaiting us beneath the apparent veil of this cosmos, which is so amazing and full of enigmas, that such a wondrous and extraordinary person with miracles in his hands is needed to inform us about those amazing things.
Moreover, it is understood from this person’s conduct that he has seen, he is seeing now, and he says what he sees.
Also, he is teaching us most soundly what the God of these heavens and the Earth who nurtures us with His blessings wants from us, he is teaching us what pleases Him.
Then, while one must leave everything, run to and listen to this person who is teaching about many other curious and necessary realities like these, what has happened to most people that they have become deaf and blind, nay, they have become lunatics, and thus, they do not see reality, they do not hear this truth, they do not understand?
Twelfth Droplet
Here, as this person is a true articulate demonstration and a veracious indication of the entitative oneness of the Creator of these existent beings, to the degree of the truthfulness of that entitative oneness, he is also a definitive demonstration and radiant indication of the Resurrection and eternal felicity. In fact, as that person is a cause for attaining that felicity and the means to reach it through his guidance, so is he the cause of the existence of that felicity and a means for it to be brought into existence through his supplication and beseechment. Due to its relevance to the present discussion, we will repeat this secret that had already come up in the Treatise on Resurrection.
Here, look: That person is supplicating in such a great prayer that it is as though this peninsula, in fact, the Earth, prays with his tremendous prayer and beseeches.
Look, he is beseeching within such a tremendous congregation that it is as though all luminous and perfect people among the sons of Adam from the time of Adam until the Rising follow him in this and repeat his supplication saying, “Amin.”
Also, look, he is supplicating for such a general need that not only the inhabitants of the Earth but even the inhabitants of the heavens, in fact, all existent beings are joining in his beseechment, saying “Yes, O our Lord, give it, we too want it.”
Also, he is beseeching so humbly, sorrowfully, belovedly, yearnfully, and direly that he makes the entire cosmos cry and join in his supplication.
Look, also, he is supplicating for such an objective and purpose that he is elevating the human being and the realm, in fact, all creatures, from the lowest of the law, from the fall, and from uselessness to the highest of the high, that is, to preciousness, lastingness, and a lofty duty.
Look, also, he is asking and begging in such an elevated state of calling for assistance in dire need and with such sweet beseechment demanding mercy that, as though he makes all existent beings, the heavens and the Throne hear, brings them to ecstasy, and has them say for his supplication: “Amin, O our God, Amin”.
Look, also, he is asking for what he needs from such an all-hearing and munificent All-Powerful One and all-seeing and mercy-giving All-Knower that He, observably, sees and hears the most hidden needs and beseechment of the most hidden possessor of life, accepts them, and responds with mercy, for He gives – even if in the tongue of states – what that possessor of life wants. And He gives in such a wise, seeing, and mercy-giving way that, without a doubt, this nurturing and administration belongs distinctively to that All-Hearer and All-Seer, that Munificent One, and that Mercy-Giver.
Thirteenth Droplet
Wonder, what does this honor of the humankind, the singular individual of the realm of being and of time, and deservedly the cosmos’ pride want, having taken all the virtuous ones among the sons of Adam behind him and standing on Earth and raising his hands to the Tremendous Throne?
Look and listen: He wants eternal felicity. He wants lastingness. He wants reunion. He wants Paradise. Moreover, he wants together with the sacred divine names that demonstrate their rulings and beauty on the mirrors of existent beings. In fact, even if it were not for uncountable necessitating causes such as mercy, solicitude, and justice that call for it, a single supplication of this person would cause the construction of that Paradise, which, for His power, is easy like bringing our spring into existence.
Yes, as his messengership became a cause for opening this abode of testing, likewise, his worshipful slavehood is a cause for the opening of the other abode. Wonder, if this preeminent orderliness that is being observed along with this defectless and beautifully excellent artistry and unique beauty of lordship within mercy – which have incited the people of intellect and verification to say “There is nothing in possibility more excellent than what is there!” – would accept such ugliness, such mercilessness, and such disorderliness as hearing the most particular and most insignificant wishes and voices and granting them with significance, yet considering the most necessary wishes as insignificant and thus, not hearing, understanding, and fulfilling them? Far be it! Never! Far be it a hundred thousand times! Such a beauty does not accept such ugliness and thus, become ugly.
Oh my! O my imaginary friend! Enough for now, we should go back. Otherwise, even if we were to stay at this time and on this peninsula for a hundred years, we would still not be able to comprehend a hundredth of that person’s marvelous deeds and wondrous duties completely, we would still not have enough of his sight. Now, come, one by one, we will take a look at each century we pass through on the way back. Look, how each century has blossomed with the effusion they receive from that sun of true guidance, bearing millions of luminous fruits such as Abū Ḥanīfah, al-Shāfiʿī, Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī, Shaykh al-Gīlānī, Shāh al-Naqshband, Imam al-Ghazālī, and Imam Rabbānī.
We should leave the details of our observations to some other time and send to that person, who is the possessor of miracles and distributor of guidance, a blessing that points to some of his definite miracles:
عَلٰى مَنْ اُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الْفُرْقَانُ الْحَكِيمُ مِنَ الرَحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنَ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْفُ اَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَاَلْفُ اَلْفِ سَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ حَسَنَاتِ اُمَّتِهِ. عَلٰى مَنْ بَشَّرَ بِرِسَالَتِهِ التَّوْرٰيةُ وَاْلاِنْجِيلُ وَالزَّبُورُ وَبَشَّرَ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ اْلاِرْهَاصَاتُ وَهَوَاتِفُ الْجِنِّ وَاَوْلِيَاۤءُ اْلاِنْسِ وَكَوَاهِنُ الْبَشَرِ وَانْشَقَّ بِاِشَارَتِهِ الْقَمَرُ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْفُ اَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَسَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ اَنْفَاسِ اُمَّتِهِ عَلٰى مَنْ جَآئَتْ لِدَعْوَتِهِ الشَّجَرُ، وَنَزَلَ سُرْعَةً بِدُعَاۤئِهِ اْلمَطَرُ، وَاَظَلَّتْهُ الْغَمَامَةُ مِنَ الْحَرِّ وَشَبَعَ مِنْ صَاعٍ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ مِاٰۤتٌ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ، وَنَبَعَ الْمَآءُ مِنْ بَيْنِ اَصَابِعِهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ كَالْكَوْثَرِ، وَاَنْطَقَ اللهُ لَهُ الضَّبَّ وَالظَّبْىَ وَالْجِذْعَ وَالذِّرَاعَ وَالْجَمَلَ وَالْجَبَلَ وَالْحَجَرَ وَالْمَدَرَ صَاحِبِ الْمِعْرَاجِ وَمَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ سَيِّدِنَا وَشَفِيعِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْفُ اَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَسَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ كُلِّ الْحُروُفِ الْمُتَشَكِّلَةِ فِى اْلكَلِمَاتِ الْمُتَمَثِّلَةِ بِاِذْنِ الرَحْمٰنِ فِى مَرَايَا تَمَوُّجاَتِ الْهَوَاۤءِ عِنْدَ قِرَاءَةِ كُلِّ كَلِمَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْاٰنِ مِنْ كُلِّ قَارِئٍ مِنْ اَوَّلِ النُّزُولِ اِلٰۤى اٰخِرِ الزَّماَنِ. وَاغْفِرْ لَناَ وَارْحَمْناَ يَآ اِلٰهَنَا بِكُلِّ صَلاَةٍ مِنْهَا.. اٰمِينَ
Upon this person to whom the Wise Criterion was sent down by the Most Merciful Giver of Mercy from the Tremendous Throne, our Master Muhammad, thousands of thousands of blessings and thousands and thousands of greetings of peace to the number of the good deeds of his community of followers. Upon the one the glad tidings of whose messengership were given by the Torah, the Bible, and the Psalms, and the glad tidings of whose prophethood were announced by preparatory miracles, the invisible beings among the Jinn, the saints among humans, and the oracles of mankind… the one for whom the Moon split when he pointed to it… Our Master Muhammad, thousands of thousands of blessings and greetings of peace to the number of the breaths of his ummah. Upon the one to whom the tree came when he called, with whose supplication the rain descended immediately, whom the clouds shaded from the heat, with a small amount of whose food hundreds of people satiated their hunger, between whose fingers water gushed three times like al-Kawthar, for whom God made the dabb lizard, the antelope, the tree stump, the forearm [of a goat], the camel, the mountain, the rock, and the clod of mud each speak, the owner of the Prophetic Ascension whose “sight never wavered…”[1] our Master and Healer Muhammad. Thousands of thousands of blessings and greetings of peace to the number of all the letters that constitute the words that, by the permission of the Merciful, reflect on the mirrors of the waves of air upon the recitation of every word of the Qur’an by all reciters from the beginning of its revelation to the end of times… Forgive us and have mercy on us, O our God, with each of these blessings. Amin. Amin. Amin.
I have elucidated the evidences of Ahmadan prophethood (ﷺ) that we have summarily pointed out here in a Turkish-language treatise titled The Rays of the Knowledge of the Prophet, in the “Nineteenth Letter,” and in this “Word.” In there, the Wise Qur'an’s aspects of miraculousness are also mentioned summarily. Additionally, I have summarily elucidated that the Qur'an is miraculous in forty respects and pointed out forty aspects of its miraculousness in a Turkish treatise called Flashes and in the “Twenty-Fifth Word.” In an Arabic-language exegesis titled The Signs of Miraculousness, I have written in forty pages, about syntactic eloquence among those forty respects. If you need to, you can consult these three books.
[1] “His sight never wavered, nor was it too bold (Qur’an, 53:17).”
Fourteenth Droplet
The Wise Qur’an, which is a vault of miracles and the greatest miracle, proves the Ahmadan prophethood (ﷺ) and divine entitative oneness with such a degree of definitiveness that it leaves no need for other demonstrations. We too will point to its description and a few flashes of its miraculousness that have been subject to criticism.
So, the Wise Qur’an, which makes our Lord known to us, is:
An eternal translation of this great book of the cosmos,
The unveiler of the treasures of divine names veiled in these pages of the Earth and the heaven,
The key to the realities hidden under the lines of these happenings,
The treasure of the favors of the Merciful One and of the eternal addresses that come from the unseen realm that is behind the veil of this seen realm,
The sun, foundation, and blueprint of the metaphysical realm of Islam,
The map of the realms of the Hereafter,
The explanatory statement and clear commentary on the divine Entity, attributes, and conducts as well as their articulate demonstration and radiant translator,
The nurturer, the true wisdom, the provider of rightful guidance, and a guide to salvation for the realm of humanity,
Simultaneously a book of wisdom and Shariah, a book of supplication and worship, a book of command and invitation, and a book of remembrance and knowledge,
A book addressing all metaphysical needs of [the realm of humanity] and a sacred library offering to the saints, the veracious, and the realizers of Reality who follow differing paths and dispositions each a treatise befitting their dispositions.
Look at the flash of miraculousness in its repetitions that are fancied to be a cause for defectiveness: Since the Qur’an is simultaneously a book of remembrance, a book of supplication, and a book of invitation, repetition is desirable in it, in fact it is most required and most eloquent. It is not as presumed by the people who find defects, for the characteristic conduct of remembrance is illumination through repetition; of supplication, strengthening with reiteration; and of command and invitation, reassurance with repetition.
Moreover, everybody cannot read the entire Qur’an at all times, but usually, they manage to read a chapter. Therefore, the most important objectives of the Qur’an are included in most of the lengthy chapters, and thus, each chapter has become in effect a small Qur’an. That is to say, some important objectives such as monotheism, resurrection, and the story of Moses are repeated in order not to deprive anybody.
Also, metaphysical needs differ just as bodily ones do. The human being needs some of them at every breath, like air for the body and “Hu” (He) for the spirit; some every hour, like “Bismillah” (In the name of God), and so on… In that case, the repetition of verses has resulted from the repetition of needs. It points to that need and repeats in order to awaken and encourage and also to arouse enthusiasm and desire.
Also, the Qur'an is a founder. It comprises the essentials of a clear religion, the foundations of this realm of Islam, and – by changing human social life – a response to various layers of society, to their repeated questions. Repetition is needed for he who is a founder for the purpose of consolidation. Reiteration is required for reassurance. Strengthening, verification, and repetition are required for endorsement.
Also, the Qur’an is mentioning such tremendous matters and fine realities that repeating many times in different forms is needed in order to make sure that they enter in everyone’s hearts.
That having been said, this is repetition in form. Otherwise, metaphysically, each verse has many meanings, many benefits, and many aspects and layers. What is being repeated is mentioned at every station for a different meaning, benefit, and objective.
Moreover, that the Qur'an leaves some issues about the realm of creation ambiguous and abridges them is a flash of miraculousness leading to guidance. It cannot be the subject of criticism as godless people fancy and it is not a cause for defectiveness.
If you say: “I wonder why the Wise Qur'an does not talk about existent beings in the way that philosophy does? It leaves some issues in abridged form. Some of them, it says in an apparently simple form that placates the views of the majority, avoids hurting public feelings, and does not batter and weary the minds of the common folk.”
We say in response: Philosophy has missed the way to truth; that is why… Besides, surely you must have understood from the past lessons and the Words that the Wise Qur'an talks about this cosmos in order to inform about the divine Entity, divine attributes, and divine names. That is, to have the meanings of this book of the cosmos conveyed, so that it makes its Creator known. That is to say, it looks at existent beings not for their own sake but for the sake of the One Who brings them into existence. Also, it is addressing everybody. The science of wisdom, on the other hand, looks at the existent beings for the sake of the existent being. And it specifically addresses the people of science. In that case, since the Wise Qur'an makes the existent beings indications and demonstrations; an indication has to be apparent and easily understandable by all. And since the Qur'an of Rightful Guidance addresses all layers of humanity and the largest layer is the layer of the common folk, of course, rightful guidance calls for abridging unnecessary things by leaving them ambiguous and bringing fine things closer with analogy. This means not altering things that are self-evident in their appearance-oriented views in unnecessary and in fact harmful ways in order not to cause them to fall into errors.
For instance, it says about the Sun: “It is a revolving lantern, a lamp.” Because, it is not talking about the Sun for the sake of the Sun, for the sake of its quiddity. Rather, it is talking about it because it is the mainspring of a type of orderliness and the center of the order, and because orderliness and order are mirrors of the Artful Maker’s knowledge.
Yes, it says: اَلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى (The Sun runs its determined course (Qur'an, 36: 38)) “The Sun revolves.” With this expression of “revolves,” it calls to mind the tremendousness of the Artful Maker by reminding about the orderly disposal of power in the revolutions of winter and summer and of night and day. So, whatever the reality of this “revolving” is, it does not affect the order which is the objective and is also woven into the fabric of reality and is being observed.
Also, it says وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِراَجاً (…and He placed the sun as a lamp (Qur'an, 71: 16)). With this expression of “lamp,” it calls to mind the mercy and beneficence of the Creator by reminding that the realm is like a palace and the things in it are ornaments, provisions, and necessities prepared for the human being as well as the possessors of life and that the Sun is a subjugated candleholder.
Now look, what does this addlebrained and prattling philosophy say? Look, it is says: “The Sun is a tremendous burning liquid mass. It makes the planets which have flung off from it revolve around it. Its mass is this much, its quiddity is this and that…” Besides an intimidating scare and dreadful bewilderment, it does not afford the spirit any perfection of knowledge. It does not do as the Qur’an’s talk does.
You may understand from this what value the philosophical matters that are high-sounding outwardly yet hollow inside have. Do not be deceived by its seeming splendor and disrespect the Qur'an’s utmostly miraculous exposition.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلِ الْقُرْاٰنَ شِفَاۤءً لَنَا وَلِكَاتِبِهِ وَاَمْثاَلِهِ مِنْ كُلِّ دَاۤءٍ، وَمُونِساً لَنَا وَلَهُمْ فِى حَيَاتِنَا وَبَعْدَ مَمَاتِنَا، وَفِى الدُّنْياَ قَريِنًا، وَفِى الْقَبْرِ مُونِسًا، وَفِى الْقِيَامَةِ شَفِيعًا، وَعَلَى الصِّرَاطِ نُوراً، وَمِنَ النَّارِ سِتْراً وَحِجَاباً، وَفِى الْجَنَّةِ رَفِيقًا، وَاِلَى الْخَيْراَتِ كُلِّهاَ دَلِيلاً وَاِمَامًا، بِفَضْلِكَ وَجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ يَاۤ اَكْرَمَ اْلاَكْرَمِينَ وَيَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ، اٰمِينَ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلٰى مَنْ اُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الْفُرْقاَنُ الْحَكِيمُ وَعَلٰۤى اٰلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِۤ اَجْمَعِينَ، اٰمِينَ، اٰمِينَ
O God, make the Qur'an a healing from all diseases for us, for he who writes this, and for his peers. Make it a congenial consort to us and to them in our lives and after our deaths, an associate in this world, a congenial consort in the grave, an intercessor on the Day of Rising, a light on the Bridge, a veil and screen from the Fire, a companion in the Gardens, and a guide to and an imam in all that is good, out of your abundant giving, generosity, munificence, and mercy O the Most Munificent of the munificent and O the Most Merciful of the merciful. Amin. O God send your blessings and peace to the one to whom the Wise Criterion was revealed and to all of his family and companions. Amin. Amin.
Reminder: The Six Drops of the Fourteenth Droplet in the Arabic Risale-i Nur, especially the six Subtle Points of the Fourth Drop expounds fifteen of the Wise Qur’an’s near forty types of miraculousness. Here, we have cut it short relying on that to be sufficient. If you will, consult that. You will find a treasure of miracles.