Thirteenth Note

This consists of five matters that have been the cause of confusion.

T h e  F i r s t  M a t t e r

Although those who strive on the way of Truth should think only of their own duties, they think of those that pertain to Almighty God, base  their actions on them, and fall into error. It is written in the work Adab al-Din wa’l- Dunya,  that  one  time  Satan  tempted  Jesus  (Upon whom  be peace)  saying:  “The appointed hour of death and all things are specified by divine determining, so throw yourself down from this high place, and see, you’ll die.” Jesus (Upon whom be peace) replied: “God tries his servants, but His servants may not try their Sustainer.”18  That is, “Almight y God tests his servant, saying to him: If you do that I shall do this. Let’s see, are you  able to do it? But the servant does not have the right and power to test Almighty God and  say: If I do that, will You do this? To assume such a stance, as though  subjecting  Almighty  God’s  dominicality  to  test  and  examination,  is  bad conduct and contrary to worship and man’s being God’s slave.” Since this is the case, man should do his own duty and not interfere in Almighty God’s business.

It is well-known that when one of the heroes of Islam who many times defeated Jenghis Khan’s army, Jalaluddin Khwarazmshah, was going to the war, his ministers and  followers  told  him:  “You  will  be  victorious;  Almighty  God  will  make  you victor.” He replied: “I am charged by God’s command to act on the way of jihad, I do not interfere in God’s concerns.  To  make us victor or vanquished is His business.” Because he thus understood the mystery of submission, he was wondrously victorious on numerous occasions.

In his voluntary actions man should not think of the results which pertain to Almighty God. For example, for some of our brothers, when people join the Risale-i Nur it fires their enthusiasm and makes them increase their efforts. Then when others do not listen, the weak ones among them become demoralized and their enthusiasm wanes somewhat. Whereas  God’s  Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), who was the Absolute Master, Universal Leader, and Perfect Guide, took as his absolute guide the divine decree,

No more is the Messenger bound to do than deliver the message,(5:99)

and when people held back and did not listen, conveyed the message with greater effort, endeavour, and earnestness. For in accordance with the verse,

It is true you will not be able to guide everyone whom you love; but God guides those whom He will,(28:56)

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18 Mawardi, Adab al-Dunya wa’l-Din, 12; Ma’mar ibn Rashid, al-Jami‘, xi, 113; Abu Nu’aym,

Hilya al-Awliya’, iv, 12; Ibn al-Jawzi, Talbis Iblis, i, 344; Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba, iv, 764.