Choosing The Right Way: Said Nursi
I really love to read Said Nursi book’s and digging into his legacy since Sister AlBazrah has introduced me to his biography, life and books. His books really put a string into my heart and his words spoken through his books seems so lively and full of rational explanation and logical analogies of the existence of Allah. Indeed if we read his book we will fell like he talk to us. In short, Said Nursi’s book really hit the nail on the head.
Here I will quote some of his writing in ” The Words”. It is a chance to really know our real purpose of life hold it deeply in our heart. I feel so close by what he wrote in this book. The third word in: Choosing the right way
In The Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
O you People, Worship
If you wish to understand the bliss and benefit that come with prayer, and the grave loss and destruction that come from vice and dissipation, from not carrying out the commands of God, then listen to this short symbolic story and try to understand it.
Once upon a time, two soldiers are ordered to go to a far town. They walk together till they come to fork. A Wise man standing at that point and tell them:
“The road on the right is risk-free and nine out ten travelers on that road meet with great advantages but in difficulty. On the other hand, the one on the left offers no benefit and nine out of ten travelers on it suffer one difference-the traveler on the left road which has no regulation and no one in authority, travels without equipment or arms. He therefore appears to be very comfortable and in an easy situation.
The case for other soldiers is just the opposite; the road he is taking is under military regulation. He must carry a bag full of nutritious rations four kilos or in weight and a mighty army weapon of considerable weight which will defeat any enemy easily.’
After listening to the wise man’s advice, one of the two soldiers, the fortunate one, takes the right fork. He lifts the considerable ( but not unbearable) load onto right back; but his heart and soul are at the same moment freed of very burdensome debts and fears. the other man, the unfortunate one, opts out of military service, he refuse to be under regulation and takes the left fork. His body is free of that considerable weight but his heart and soul suffer from innumerable dangers and anxieties. He is constantly fearful and forever in need. At last, h gets into the town. There, he is treated as a rebel and fugitive.
The soldiers who accepts military regulation, keeping his bag and weapon and going on the right road, goes in peace, without feeling any indebtedness to, and being afraid of, anybody. He too reaches the town, but is treated there as an honest soldier who fully performs his duties.
Now, O my undisciplined, carnal soul, pay attention: One of the soldiers represents an obedient of God,while the other represents the rebellious and those who follow their own caprices. that road is the life-line coming from the world of spirits, passing through this world and the grave and continuing towards the Hereafter. The weight (considerable but not unbearable) and the weapon are the obligation of worship and peity. Prayers seem to be a strenuous demand, but intact, they give such peace and comfort as cannot be explained in words. The one who prays recites in his prayers ashadu an la ilaha illaAllah, that is, ‘ I bear witness that there is no God, Who is the creator and All-Provider. Everything whether of harm or benefit is in God’s gift.
He is both the All-Wise, He never does useless things; and He is the All-Compassionate; His mercy and bounty are abundant. Having faith, the believing soldier sees in every eventuality a door to be the wealth of God’s Mercy, and knocks on it with supplication. He realizes that everything in the universe is at the disposal of his Lord and Sustainer. He takes refuge in Him. Putting his trust in God in full submission, he guards himself against all the evils of the world. his faith give him complete confidence.
As with every good action, the source of courage is faith in, and loyal devotion to, God; and as with every bad action, the source of cowardice is misguidance. Even if the earth explodes like a bomb, it would not frighten a good servant of God with a truly illuminated heart. He may even observe the event in admiration as a marvel of the Eternally0Besought’s Power- whereas a rationalist and famous but non-believing philosopher might tremble at the sight of the comet in the sky, fearful lest it should strike the earth. ( Such was indeed the response of some people in America to the recent sighting of Halley’s comet. )
Man has endless demands, but his capacity to supply them is ever slight. He is under the threat of many afflictions while his individual strength is quite inadequate to withstand them. In other words, while his stenght is limited to wherever he can reach, his wishes and demands, his suffering and sorrow, are as wide as his imagination.
Now anyone not wholly blind to the truth will understand that it is a great benefit, happiness and bounty for so poor, impotent and weak a creature as man to submit to God, to worship, believe and have confidence in Him. As everyone will agree, the safe road is preferable to the dangerous one, even if there is a very low probability of safe passage. The way and leads one to endless happiness with near certainty. However, the way of unbeliever and transgressors, as agreed upon by innumerable experts and people of insight and observation, and even admitted by transgressors themselves, is not profitable with near certainty of endless loss.
In sum, we may put in this way: just like the bliss of the other world, the happiness of this world also depends upon submission to God and being His devoted servant. Then, we should continually praise God, saying, ‘Praise be to Allah for obedience and success in His way’, and thank Him that we are Muslims.
Sister Albazrah advised me by said that if you want to read said Nursi books, you have to really relax, focus and concentrate yourself and do not force yourself or read it as a matter to fulfill your leisure time.
Indeed, Alhamdulillah I have found his book was so great and i really love to read his book. We also have met some of Said Nursi students or Tullab An-Nur. Really delighted us. If you read his life you will be so impressed on how he were very brave and manage to maintain his sincerity in facing charge by the government on the thing he did not doing. When he wrote Rasaeilin Nur, mostly in Barla, Turkey he took it as a opportunity to be close to Allah. He has been sent here and there yet he has achieve a very great achievement in his journey of life and left us a remarkable heritage for us to ponder on. So that we will feel the existence of Allah, submit and obey Him truly deeply from our heart. May we love, obey Allah more and more everyday and be devoted servants to HIM.
