guzelhan
22-06-10, 16:27
The Twenty-Fourth and Twenty-Fifth Letter(Part 2)
FOURTH SIGN
As we have said in many places, a monarch has various different offices and departments proceeding from his titles like Sultan, Khalifa, Judge, and Commander-in-Chief, and in the same way, Almighty God’s Most Beautiful Names have innumerable different sorts of manifestations. The varieties and different sorts of creatures arise from the varieties of manifestations. Thus, in accordance with the fact that every possessor of beauty and perfection has an innate desire to see and display his beauty and perfection, those various Names too -since they are constant and eternal- want to be displayed in permanent fashion on account of the Most Pure and Holy Essence. That is to say, they want to see their impresses; that is, to see the manifestation of their beauty and reflection of their perfection in the mirrors of their embroideries; that is, to renew every instant the mighty book of the universe and the different missives of beings; that is, to constantly write them anew; that is, to write thousands of different missives on a single page and to display each missive to the witnessing gaze of the Sacred Essence, the Most Pure and Holy One Who is Signified; and together with this, to exhibit them to the meditative gazes of all sentient beings, and cause them to read them. Consider the following poem which alludes to this truth:
The leaves of the book of the world are of variety incalculable,
Its letters and words, too, are of number infinite;
Inscribed on the workbench of the Preserved Tablet of reality,
An embodied meaningful word, is each being in the world.
Study the lines of the universe; for they are missives to you from the Sublime Assembly.
FIFTH SIGN
The Fifth Sign consists of Two Points.
F i r s t P o i n t : Since Almighty God exists, everything exists. Since they have a relation with Almighty God, all things exist for everything. For through the mystery of Unity, through the relation with the Necessarily Existent One, all beings become connected with all other beings. That means, through the mystery of Unity, every being which knows its relation with the Necessarily Existent One, or whose relation is known, becomes related with all beings which are related to Him. This means, from the point of view of the relation, every being may manifest endless lights of existence. There is no separation or death from that point of view. To live for a single passing second is the means to innumerable lights of existence. Whereas if the relation does not exist or is not known, the being manifests infinite separations and deaths. For in that case, in the face of every being with which he could have been connected, he is exposed to a separation, a parting, a death. That is, he burdens his own personal existence with endless instances of non-existence and separation. Should he remain in existence for a million years even (without connection), it would not be as much as living for an instant being related in the former respect. The people of reality have said therefore:"Illumined existence for even a passing instant is preferable to a million years of profitless existence." And it is also because of this that those who have researched into the realities of creation have said:"The lights of existence become apparent through recognizing the Necessarily Existent One." That is to say:"In that case, the universe is seen to be full of angels, spirit beings, and intelligent beings within lights of existence. Whereas without them, the darkness of non-existence and pains of death and separation encompass all beings. The world appears in such a view to be an empty and desolate wasteland."
Indeed, each one of a tree’s fruits has a relation with all the other fruits on the tree, and since through the relation, each is its friend and brother, it possesses accidental existences to their number. But when the fruit is plucked from the tree, a separation and death comes about in the face of all the other fruits; they all become as though non-existent for it; a darkness of external non-existence results for it.
In exactly the same way, in respect of being related to the Power of the Single Eternally Besoughted One, for everything, all things exist. If not for that relation, there would be external non-existences for all things to the number of things.
And so, from this Sign you may see the vastness of the lights of belief and the terrifying darkness of misguidance. That is, belief is the title of the elevated truth described in this Sign; and it may be benefited from through belief. In the absence of belief, just as everything is non-existent for someone who is blind, deaf, dumb, and stupid, so is everything non-existent and dark for one without belief.
S e c o n d P o i n t : The world and all things have three faces:
The First Face looks to the Divine Names and is their mirror. Death, separation, and non-existence cannot intrude on this face; there is rather renewal and renovation.
The Second Face looks to the hereafter and gazes upon the World of Eternity; it is like its arable field. Enduring fruits and produce are raised on this face. It serves eternity, and makes transitory things as though eternal. On this face too there is no death and decline, but the manifestations of life and eternity.
The Third Face looks to transient beings, that is, to us. It is the beloved of ephemeral beings and those who follow the caprices of their souls; the place of trade for the conscious; the arena of trial and examination for those charged with duties. Thus, the salve and cure for the pains and wounds of the transience and decline, the death and extinction, on this third face, are the manifestations of life and eternity in its inner face.
I n S h o r t : This flood of beings, these travelling creatures, are moving mirrors and changing places of manifestation for the renewal of the Necessarily Existent One’s lights of creation and existence.
Second Station
The Second Station consists of an Introduction and Five Indications. The Introduction contains Two Topics.
F i r s t T o p i c : In each of the following Five Indications is a comparison, written in the form of a dull, short-ranged telescope, in order to observe the attributes of dominicality. These comparisons cannot contain the reality of those attributes; they cannot encompass them and be the measure of them, but they can assist in looking at them. Any phrases or expressions in the comparisons, or in the previous Signs, unfitting for the attributes of the Most Pure and Holy Essence are the fault of the comparisons.
For example, the meanings of pleasure, joy, and gratification known by us cannot express the sacred attributes, but each is the title of an observatory, a means of reflective thought. In addition, through showing in a small example the tip of an encompassing, mighty law of dominicality, it proves the reality of the law within the attributes of dominicality. For example, it is said that a flower departs from existence leaving behind it thousands of existences; this demonstrates a mighty law of dominicality which is in force in all the beings of spring, indeed, of all the world.
Yes, through whichever law the All-Compassionate Creator changes and renews the feathered dress of a bird, through the same law that All-Wise Maker renews the dress of the globe of the earth every year. Through the same law, He transforms the shape of the world every century. And through the same law, He will change the form of the universe at the resurrection of the dead.
Through whichever law He impels particles like Mevlevi dervishes, He makes the earth spin through the same law, like an ecstatic Mevlevi dervish rising up to dance the sama. And through that law, He causes worlds to revolve, and the solar system to travel through space.
Through whichever law He renews, repairs, and dissolves the particles in your body’s cells, through the same law, He renews your garden every year, making it anew many times every season. And through the same law, He renews the face of the earth every spring,drawing a fresh veil over its face.
Through whichever law that All-Powerful Maker raises a fly to life, through the same law He restores to life the plane-tree before your window every spring; and through that law, He raises the globe of the earth to life in the spring; and through the same law will raise creatures to life at the resurrection. The Qur’an alludes to this with the verse,
Your creation and your resurrection is but as a single soul.( Quran 31:28)
And so on; you can make further examples in the same way.
There are many laws of dominicality like these which are in force from particles to the totality of the world. Consider the immensity of these laws within dominical activity; note carefully their breadth, and see the meaning of Unity within them. Understand that each law is a proof of Divine Unity. Yes, through each of these numerous and immense laws being the manifestation of knowledge and will, and being both the same and all-encompassing, each also proves most certainly the Maker’s Unity, knowledge, and will.
Thus, most of the comparisons in the Words [Risale-i Nur] show the tips of laws like these through a small example, and by doing this, point to the existence of the same law in the matter claimed. Since the existence of the law is demonstrated through a comparison, it proves the assertion as categorically as a logical proof. That is to say, most of the comparisons in the Words may be seen as categorical proofs and certain arguments.
FOURTH SIGN
As we have said in many places, a monarch has various different offices and departments proceeding from his titles like Sultan, Khalifa, Judge, and Commander-in-Chief, and in the same way, Almighty God’s Most Beautiful Names have innumerable different sorts of manifestations. The varieties and different sorts of creatures arise from the varieties of manifestations. Thus, in accordance with the fact that every possessor of beauty and perfection has an innate desire to see and display his beauty and perfection, those various Names too -since they are constant and eternal- want to be displayed in permanent fashion on account of the Most Pure and Holy Essence. That is to say, they want to see their impresses; that is, to see the manifestation of their beauty and reflection of their perfection in the mirrors of their embroideries; that is, to renew every instant the mighty book of the universe and the different missives of beings; that is, to constantly write them anew; that is, to write thousands of different missives on a single page and to display each missive to the witnessing gaze of the Sacred Essence, the Most Pure and Holy One Who is Signified; and together with this, to exhibit them to the meditative gazes of all sentient beings, and cause them to read them. Consider the following poem which alludes to this truth:
The leaves of the book of the world are of variety incalculable,
Its letters and words, too, are of number infinite;
Inscribed on the workbench of the Preserved Tablet of reality,
An embodied meaningful word, is each being in the world.
Study the lines of the universe; for they are missives to you from the Sublime Assembly.
FIFTH SIGN
The Fifth Sign consists of Two Points.
F i r s t P o i n t : Since Almighty God exists, everything exists. Since they have a relation with Almighty God, all things exist for everything. For through the mystery of Unity, through the relation with the Necessarily Existent One, all beings become connected with all other beings. That means, through the mystery of Unity, every being which knows its relation with the Necessarily Existent One, or whose relation is known, becomes related with all beings which are related to Him. This means, from the point of view of the relation, every being may manifest endless lights of existence. There is no separation or death from that point of view. To live for a single passing second is the means to innumerable lights of existence. Whereas if the relation does not exist or is not known, the being manifests infinite separations and deaths. For in that case, in the face of every being with which he could have been connected, he is exposed to a separation, a parting, a death. That is, he burdens his own personal existence with endless instances of non-existence and separation. Should he remain in existence for a million years even (without connection), it would not be as much as living for an instant being related in the former respect. The people of reality have said therefore:"Illumined existence for even a passing instant is preferable to a million years of profitless existence." And it is also because of this that those who have researched into the realities of creation have said:"The lights of existence become apparent through recognizing the Necessarily Existent One." That is to say:"In that case, the universe is seen to be full of angels, spirit beings, and intelligent beings within lights of existence. Whereas without them, the darkness of non-existence and pains of death and separation encompass all beings. The world appears in such a view to be an empty and desolate wasteland."
Indeed, each one of a tree’s fruits has a relation with all the other fruits on the tree, and since through the relation, each is its friend and brother, it possesses accidental existences to their number. But when the fruit is plucked from the tree, a separation and death comes about in the face of all the other fruits; they all become as though non-existent for it; a darkness of external non-existence results for it.
In exactly the same way, in respect of being related to the Power of the Single Eternally Besoughted One, for everything, all things exist. If not for that relation, there would be external non-existences for all things to the number of things.
And so, from this Sign you may see the vastness of the lights of belief and the terrifying darkness of misguidance. That is, belief is the title of the elevated truth described in this Sign; and it may be benefited from through belief. In the absence of belief, just as everything is non-existent for someone who is blind, deaf, dumb, and stupid, so is everything non-existent and dark for one without belief.
S e c o n d P o i n t : The world and all things have three faces:
The First Face looks to the Divine Names and is their mirror. Death, separation, and non-existence cannot intrude on this face; there is rather renewal and renovation.
The Second Face looks to the hereafter and gazes upon the World of Eternity; it is like its arable field. Enduring fruits and produce are raised on this face. It serves eternity, and makes transitory things as though eternal. On this face too there is no death and decline, but the manifestations of life and eternity.
The Third Face looks to transient beings, that is, to us. It is the beloved of ephemeral beings and those who follow the caprices of their souls; the place of trade for the conscious; the arena of trial and examination for those charged with duties. Thus, the salve and cure for the pains and wounds of the transience and decline, the death and extinction, on this third face, are the manifestations of life and eternity in its inner face.
I n S h o r t : This flood of beings, these travelling creatures, are moving mirrors and changing places of manifestation for the renewal of the Necessarily Existent One’s lights of creation and existence.
Second Station
The Second Station consists of an Introduction and Five Indications. The Introduction contains Two Topics.
F i r s t T o p i c : In each of the following Five Indications is a comparison, written in the form of a dull, short-ranged telescope, in order to observe the attributes of dominicality. These comparisons cannot contain the reality of those attributes; they cannot encompass them and be the measure of them, but they can assist in looking at them. Any phrases or expressions in the comparisons, or in the previous Signs, unfitting for the attributes of the Most Pure and Holy Essence are the fault of the comparisons.
For example, the meanings of pleasure, joy, and gratification known by us cannot express the sacred attributes, but each is the title of an observatory, a means of reflective thought. In addition, through showing in a small example the tip of an encompassing, mighty law of dominicality, it proves the reality of the law within the attributes of dominicality. For example, it is said that a flower departs from existence leaving behind it thousands of existences; this demonstrates a mighty law of dominicality which is in force in all the beings of spring, indeed, of all the world.
Yes, through whichever law the All-Compassionate Creator changes and renews the feathered dress of a bird, through the same law that All-Wise Maker renews the dress of the globe of the earth every year. Through the same law, He transforms the shape of the world every century. And through the same law, He will change the form of the universe at the resurrection of the dead.
Through whichever law He impels particles like Mevlevi dervishes, He makes the earth spin through the same law, like an ecstatic Mevlevi dervish rising up to dance the sama. And through that law, He causes worlds to revolve, and the solar system to travel through space.
Through whichever law He renews, repairs, and dissolves the particles in your body’s cells, through the same law, He renews your garden every year, making it anew many times every season. And through the same law, He renews the face of the earth every spring,drawing a fresh veil over its face.
Through whichever law that All-Powerful Maker raises a fly to life, through the same law He restores to life the plane-tree before your window every spring; and through that law, He raises the globe of the earth to life in the spring; and through the same law will raise creatures to life at the resurrection. The Qur’an alludes to this with the verse,
Your creation and your resurrection is but as a single soul.( Quran 31:28)
And so on; you can make further examples in the same way.
There are many laws of dominicality like these which are in force from particles to the totality of the world. Consider the immensity of these laws within dominical activity; note carefully their breadth, and see the meaning of Unity within them. Understand that each law is a proof of Divine Unity. Yes, through each of these numerous and immense laws being the manifestation of knowledge and will, and being both the same and all-encompassing, each also proves most certainly the Maker’s Unity, knowledge, and will.
Thus, most of the comparisons in the Words [Risale-i Nur] show the tips of laws like these through a small example, and by doing this, point to the existence of the same law in the matter claimed. Since the existence of the law is demonstrated through a comparison, it proves the assertion as categorically as a logical proof. That is to say, most of the comparisons in the Words may be seen as categorical proofs and certain arguments.