By way of an answer we say: Philosophy has strayed from the path of truth, that’s why. Also, of course you have understood from past Words and what they teach that the All-Wise Qur’an speaks of the universe in order to make known the Divine Essence, attributes, and Names. That is, it explains the meanings of the book of the universe to make known its Creator. That means it looks at beings, not for themselves, but for their Creator. Also, it addresses everyone. But philosophy and science look at beings for themselves, and address scientists in particular. In which case, since the All-Wise Qur’an makes beings evidences and proofs, the evidence has to be superficial so that it will be quickly understood in the general view. And since the Qur’an of Guidance addresses all classes of men, the ordinary people, which form the most numerous class, want guidance which is concise with unnecessary things being vague, and which brings subtle things close with comparisons, and which does not change things which in their superficial view are obvious into an unnecessary or even harmful form, lest it causes them to fall into error.

For example, it says about the sun: “The sun is a revolving lamp or lantern.” For it does not speak of the sun for itself and its nature, but because it is a sort of mainspring of an order and centre of a system, and order and system are mirrors of the Maker’s skill. It says:

اَلشَّمْسُ تَجْرِى

that is, the sun revolves. Through calling to mind the orderly disposals of Divine power in the revolutions of winter and summer, and day and night with the phrase, The sun revolves, it makes understood the Maker’s tremendousness. Thus, whatever the reality of this revolving, it does not affect the order, which is woven and observed, and which is the purpose. It also says,

وَجَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجًا

Through depicting through the word lamp the world in the form of a palace, and the things within it as decorations, necessities, and provisions prepared for man and living beings, and inferring that the sun is also a subjugated candleholder, it makes known the mercy and bestowal of the Creator. Now look and see what this foolish and prattling philosophy says:

“The sun is a vast burning liquid mass. It causes the planets which have been flung off from it to revolve around it. Its mass is such-and-such. It is this, it is that.” It does not afford the spirit the satisfaction and fulfilment of true knowledge, just a terrible dread and fearful wonder. It does not speak of it as the Qur’an does. You may understand from this the value of the matters of philosophy, whose inside is hollow and outside, ostentatious. So do not be deceived by its glittering exterior and be disrespectful towards the most miraculous expositions of the Qur’an!

Source: 19’th Word, Risale-i Nur Collection

The meaning of worship is this, that the servant sees his own faults, impotence, and poverty, and in the Divine Court prostrates in love and wonderment before dominical perfection, Divine mercy, and the power of the Eternally Besought One. That is to say, just as the sovereignty of dominicality demands worship and obedience, so also does the holiness of dominicality require that the servant sees his faults through seeking forgiveness, and through his glorifications and declaring “Subhanallah” proclaims that his Sustainer is pure and free of all defects, and exalted above and far from the false ideas of the people of misguidance, and hallowed and exempt from all the faults in the universe.

Also, the perfect power of dominicality requires that through understanding his own weakness and the impotence of other creatures, the servant proclaims “Allahu Akbar” in admiration and wonder before the majesty of the works of the Eternally Besought One’s power, and bowing in deep humility seeks refuge in Him and places his trust in Him.

Also, the infinite treasury of dominicality’s mercy requires that the servant makes known his own need and the needs and poverty of all creatures through the tongue of entreaty and supplication, and proclaims his Sustainer’s bounties and gifts through thanks and laudation and uttering “Alhamdulillah”. That is to say, the words and actions of the prayers comprise these meanings, and have been laid down from the side of Divinity.

Source: 9th Word, Risale-i Nur Collection

O my lazy soul! The reality of the five daily prayers, which are like a sort of Ascension (Mi’raj), are a being received into the presence of the All-Glorious One of Beauty, the Beauteous One of Glory, Who is the True Object of Worship, as an instance of pure mercy. Declaring ‘Allahu Akbar! – Allah is Most Great!’, it is to traverse the two worlds either in fact, or in the imagination, or by intention, be divested of the restrictions of materiality, pass to a universal degree of worship or a shadow or form of universality, and being honoured with a sort of presence, it is to manifest the address of ‘You alone do we worship!’ (everyone according to his own capacity); it is a most elevated attainment. The repetition of ‘Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!’ in the actions of the prayers indicates rising through the degrees of spiritual progress, and ascending from minor particulars to universal spheres, and is a concise title of the perfections of Divine sublimity which are beyond our knowledge. It is as if each ‘Allahu Akbar!’ indicates traversing a step in the Ascension. To attain to a shadow or a ray of this reality of the prayers either in fact, or by intention, or with the imagination, is a great happiness.

The frequent declaring of ‘Allahu Akbar!’ during the Hajj is for the above reason. For the blessed Hajj is worship at a universal level for everyone. Just as on a special day like a festival a soldier goes to the king’s celebrations like a General in the sphere of General, and receives his favours, in the same way, a Hajji, no matter how lowly, is turned towards his Sustainer under the title Mighty Sustainer of every region of the earth, like a saint who has traversed all the degrees. He is honoured with universal worship. For sure, the universal degrees of dominicality opened with the key of the Hajj, and the horizons of the tremendousness of Godhead which are visible to his eye through its telescope, and the spheres of worship which gradually unfold to his heart and imagination through its observances, and the heat, wonder, awe, and dread of dominicality caused by the levels of sublimity and last stage of manifestation, can only be quietened by ‘Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!’, and those observed or imagined unfolded degrees can only be proclaimed by it. After the Hajj, this meaning is found in various exalted and universal degrees in the Festival (‘Eid) Prayers, the prayers for rain, and those recited at solar and lunar eclipses, and in prayers performed as a congregation. Thus, the importance of the marks and observances of Islam, also even if of the category of Sunna, lies in this reason.

“Say, the knowledge of it is with Allah alone.” (Qur’an 67:26)

Source: 20^th Letters, Risale-i Nur Collection

O man! Do not suppose that you own yourself, for you have no control over any of the things that concern you; such a load would be heavy. Also, you are unable to protect yourself, to avoid disasters, or to do the things that you must. In which case, do not suffer pain and torment without reason, the ownership is another’s. The Owner is both All-Powerful and All-Merciful; rely on His power and do not cast aspersions on His mercy! Put grief behind you, be joyful! Discard your troubles and find serenity!

It also says: You love and are connected to the universe, which is the property of the All-Powerful and Merciful One, yet although it grieves you by its wretchedness, you are unable to put it right. So hand over the property to its Owner, leave it to Him. Attract His pleasure, not His harshness. He is both All-Wise and All-Merciful. He has free disposal over His property and administers it as He wishes. Whenever you take fright, say like İbrahim Hakkı: “Let’s see what the Master does; whatever He does, it is best;” understand this thoroughly and do not interfere!

Source: 20^th Letters, Risale-i Nur Collection

Source: 20^th Letters, Risale-i Nur Collection

The person who knows and loves Allah Almighty may receive endless bounties, happiness, lights, and mysteries. While the one who does not truly know and love him is afflicted spiritually and materially by endless misery, pain, and fears. Even if such an impotent, miserable person owned the whole world, it would be worth nothing for him, for it would seem to him that he was living a fruitless life among the vagrant human race in a wretched world without owner or protector. Everyone may understand just how forlorn and baffled is man among the aimless human race in this bewildering fleeting world if he does not know his Owner, if he does not discover his Master. But if he does discover and know Him, he will seek refuge in His mercy and will rely on His power. The desolate world will turn into a place of recreation and pleasure, it will become a place of trade for the hereafter.

Source: 20^th Letters, Risale-i Nur Collection

As is stated in the First Word, a price is required for the foods a tray-bearer brings from the royal kitchen. But to look on those priceless bounties as valueless while tipping the tray-bearer, and not to recognize the one who bestowed them is the greatest foolishness.

Allah Almighty has spread innumerable sorts of bounties over the face of the earth for mankind, in return for which He wishes thanks, as the price of those bounties. The apparent causes and holders of the bounties resemble tray-bearers. We pay a certain price to them and are indebted to them, and even though they do not merit it are over-respectful and grateful to them. Whereas the True Bestower of Bounties is infinitely more deserving of thanks than those causes which are merely the means of the bounty. To thank Him, then, is to recognize that the bounties come directly from Him; it is to appreciate their worth and to perceive one’s own need for them.

Fasting in Ramadan, then, is the key to true, sincere, extensive, and universal thankfulness. For at other times of the year, most people whose circumstances are not difficult do not realize the value of many bounties since they do not experience real hunger. If their stomachs are full and especially if they are rich, they do not understand the degree of bounty present in a piece of dry bread. But when it is time to break the fast, the sense of taste testifies that the dry bread is a precious divine bounty in the eyes of a believer. During Ramadan, everyone from the monarch to the destitute manifests a sort of gratitude through understanding the value of those bounties.

Furthermore, since eating is prohibited during the day, they say: “Those bounties do not belong to me. I am not free to eat them, for they belong to someone else and are his gift. I await his command.” They recognize the bounty to be bounty and so give thanks. Thus, fasting in this way is in many respects a key to gratitude; gratitude being man’s fundamental duty.

Firstly, one fruit has brought to the universe and mankind a treasury, a gift of pre-eternal and
post-eternal Light, which is to see with the eyes the truths of the pillars of belief and to behold
the angels, Paradise, the hereafter, and even the All-Glorious One. It raises the universe from an
imaginary state of wretchedness, transitoriness, and disorder and, through that Light and fruit,
shows its reality, which is its consisting of sacred missives of the Eternally Besought One and being

a beautiful mirror to the beauty of Divine oneness. It has made happy and pleased the universe
and all conscious beings.

Furthermore, through this Light and sacred fruit, it shows that man is not merely bewildered,
wretched, impotent, impoverished, with endless needs and innumerable enemies, ephemeral and
impermanent, which is like the state of misguidance; it shows man in his true form of being a
miracle of the Eternally Besought One’s power on ‘the most excellent of patterns,’ a
comprehensive copy of the Eternally Besought One’s missives, an addressee of the Pre-Eternal and
Post-Eternal Monarch, the special bondsman, the admirer and friend of His perfections, the lover
bewildered at His beauty, and a beloved guest appointed to eternal Paradise. It has filled all
human beings who are true human beings with infinite joy and infinite longing.
Secondly, this fruit has brought to jinn and man as a gift the fundamentals of Islam, and
first and foremost the prescribed prayers, which constitute those things pleasing to the Sustainer,
the Ruler of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, Who is the Maker of beings, Owner of the universe,
and Sustainer of all the worlds. To discover the things that please Him brings such happiness it
cannot be described. For how eager is everyone to find out, from a distance, the desires of a
powerful benefactor or generous king, and if they find out, how delighted they are. They say
longingly: “If only there was some means by which I could communicate with that personage
directly. If only I could learn what he wants of me. If only I knew what would please him that I
could do.”

Man, then, should understand just how necessary it is to be desirous and eager to discover the
wishes and pleasure of the Ruler of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity. For all beings are in the grasp
of His power, and the beauty and perfections to be found in all beings are but pale shadows in
relation to His beauty and perfection, and being needy for Him in innumerable ways, man
constantly receives countless numbers of His bounties.
Thus, as a direct fruit of the Miraj, Muhammad (S.A.W) heard with utter certainty what it is
that pleases the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, behind seventy thousand veils, and
returning, brought it as a gift to mankind.

Indeed, how curious is man to learn the conditions on the moon. If someone was to go there
and return bringing news of it, both what self-sacrifice he would display, and, if he was to
understand the conditions there, how he would be overcome by wonder and curiosity. But the
moon is merely touring in the domain of a Lord of such dominion that it encircles the globe of the
earth like a fly, and the globe flies round the sun like a moth, while the sun is one lamp among
thousands and is just a candle in a guest-house of that Glorious Lord of All Dominion.

Thus, Muhammad (S.A.W.) saw the works and wonders of art and treasuries of mercy in the
everlasting realm of this All-Glorious One, and he returned and informed mankind. And so, if
mankind does not listen to him with complete wonder, curiosity, and love, you can understand
how contrary to reason and wisdom is their attitude.

In order to demonstrate the light of His unity and the manifestation of His oneness in these
levels of multiplicity, the Creator of the universe chose an eminent individual to represent all
creatures, and took him by means of a Miraj that was like a link from the furthest levels of
multiplicity to the source of unity. There, addressing him as representing all conscious beings, He
explained to him the Divine purposes and made them known through him, and observed through
his gaze the beauty of His art and perfection of His dominicality in the mirrors of His creatures,
and caused him to observe them.

Moreover, according to the testimony of His works, the Maker of the world possesses infinite
beauty and perfection. The two of them, both beauty and perfection, are loved for themselves.
Since this is so, the Possessor of that beauty and perfection has an infinite love for them, and His
infinite love is manifested in many different ways in His works of art. He loves His works of art
because He sees His beauty and perfection within them.

The most lovable and elevated among the works of art are animate beings. The most lovable
and elevated among animate beings are conscious beings. And by reason of their
comprehensiveness, the most lovable among conscious beings are to be found among human
beings. The most lovable individual among human beings is the one who has most fully developed
his potentiality and displayed the samples within it of the perfections manifested in all creatures
and spread among them.

Thus, in order to see at one point and in one mirror all the varieties of His love spread through
all creatures and to display, through the mystery of His oneness, all the varieties of His beauty,
the Maker of beings will take a person who is at the degree of being a luminous fruit of the tree of
creation and whose heart is like a seed containing the essential truths of that tree, and will
demonstrate the belovedness of that individual, who represents the universe, through an
Ascension ( Miraj ) that is like a thread linking the seed, which is the origin, with the fruit, which
is the end. He will draw him to His presence and honour him with the beauty of the vision of
Himself. And, in order to cause him to spread that sacred state to others, He will favour him with
His Word and entrust him with His Decree.