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Then listen to the stars, listen to their harmonious address!

See what wisdom has emblazed on the decree of its light.

Altogether they start to speak with the tongue of truth,

They address the majesty of the All-Powerful, All-Glorious One’s sovereignty:

We are each of us light-scattering proofs of the existence of our Maker,

We are witnesses both to His Unity and His Power,

We are subtle miracles gilding the face of the skies for the angels to gaze upon.

We are the innumerable attentive eyes of the heavens which watch the earth, which study Paradise.

We are the innumerable exquisite fruits which the hand of wisdom of the All-Glorious and Beauteous One has fastened

To the celestial portion of the tree of creation, to all the branches of the Milky Way.

For the inhabitants of the heavens,

We are each of us a travelling mosque, a spinning house, a lofty home;

Each is an illumining lamp, a mighty ship, an aeroplane.

We are each of us a miracle of power, a wonder of creative art

Created by the Powerful One of Perfection, the All-Wise One of Glory;

A rarity of His wisdom, a marvel of His creation, a world of light.

We demonstrated to mankind innumerable proofs,

We made them hear with these innumerable tongues of ours;

But their accursed unseeing, unbelieving eyes did not see our faces,

They did not hear our words.

And we are signs that speak the truth:

Our stamp is one, our seal is one,

We are mastered by our Sustainer,

We glorify Him through our subjugation,

We recite His Names,

We are each of us in ecstasy,

A member of the mighty circle of the Milky Way.

The Enduring One, He is the Enduring One!

S a i d  N u r s i

–Dr. Osman Birgeoglu

When we observe, contemplate, study and reflect upon the world around us, we become aware of many different “things” in our immediate environment. We may see other people, animals, plants, rocks, rivers, mountains, buildings, etc.; we are surrounded by a multitude of animate and inanimate beings.  Upon closer inspection, we start to notice the various properties and qualities of the different things and we begin to see unity and continuity between the things.

A simplified example: I discern compassion in a mother duck gathering her little ones upon leaving the nest to go for a swim in a nearby pond.  Additionally, I see beauty in her specific form and color, and I also perceive wisdom in the manner in which she communicates with her babies.  Next, I look around and perceive multiple instances of  beauty, compassion, and wisdom in the flowers, trees, other birds and creatures around me, and I realize that it is the same beauty, compassion, and wisdom which  I’ve just perceived in the mother duck. This sameness, this continuity of qualities of the things is unity. Such unity can only mean that it comes from one, single source.  The beauty which I see in the mother duck is the same beauty I see in the flowers, the trees, the pond, etc. Thus, there is unity with respect to the things manifesting beauty, and thus the source of beauty must necessarily be one, must necessarily be the same.  The same is true for compassion and wisdom given in this example. All are signs which point to a single Maker.

Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi further elaborates on this matter in the following words:

“The phrase “He is One” is the conclusion of this. There is a unity in everything, and unity points to one. Yes, a work that has unity self-evidently proceeded from one maker. One proceeds from one. The fact that there is a unity in everything demonstrates that they are the works and artefacts of a single being. The universe is like a rosebud swathed in a thousand veils of unity. Or it is a single macroanthropos dressed in unities to the number of Divine Names and universal Divine works. Or it is a Tuba-tree of creation on the branches of which are hung unities to the number of realms of creatures.

Yes, the administration of the universe is one and the same; and its regulation is one and the same; its sovereignty is one and the same; its stamp is one and the same; a thousand and one things are all one and the same. Also, although the Names and acts which make the universe turn are one and the same, they each encompass the universe, or most of it. That is to say, the wisdom that works in it is one and the same; the bestowal in it is one and the same; its regulation is one and the same; the providing of sustenance in it is one and the same; the mercy which hastens to assist the needy is one and the same; the rain, which is that mercy’s dispenser of soft drinks, is one and the same, and so on; thousands of things are all one and the same. The sun, the universe’s stove, is one and the same; the moon, its lamp, is one and the same; fire, its cook, is one and the same; its mountains, which are its stores, treasuries, and masts, are one and same; its water dispensers are one and the same; its sponges which water the gardens are one and the same; a thousand and one things are all one and the same.

All these instances of unity in the world are proofs indicating the Single One of Unity, as clear and brilliant as the sun. Moreover, the elements and realms of beings of the universe each encompassing the face of the earth, as well as being one and the same, and their interpenetration and their uniting through their mutual relations and even mutual assistance, are clear signs that their Owner, Maker, and Master is one and the same.”  -Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (The Rays, Second Ray)

–Dr. Osman Birgeoglu

energizes us to do good deeds for ourselves, our families, our friends and our communities. We will try our best to commit sincerely to whatever resolutions we’ve made. We may make resolutions to take better care of ourselves or to become more educated about God, the Merciful Creator of All Things. The important thing for me is thinking about God. Too often we forget to nurture our souls which is the source of all things. Thinking about God involves being grateful for all that He provides us, it is about remembering and thanking God. What does it really mean to thank God? It means having the proper awareness for the source of what we are thanking God for in order to understand our world. It means being awake. We utilize Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s brilliant methodology to gain awareness in thanking God for whatever He gives us. But there is more involved than simply having an awareness of the Source of the qualities of the thing given, that is only part  of it. God creates the order of this universe in harmony, He places connections between all things. This is the unity inherent in the nature of the created order of all the worlds. Let’s take a closer look: Let’s say, for example, that we wish to thank God for an orange we are about to eat. Using Bediuzzaman’s methodology, we know by reflecting upon the orange and confirming that the qualities of this fruit cannot be attributed to itself or to any cause since neither has any power to bring the orange into existence, that this thing must have a Creator, and that whoever created this orange must also have created everything in the universe, and therefore, we conclude that this Creator must be Absolutely Powerful. But are we finished? Is that all there is in being aware in thanking God for the orange we are going to eat? No, there is more. There is also the relationship between the fruit and the person reflecting upon it. Not only is God the Source of all the qualities of the orange, this external piece of fruit, but He is also the Source for everything that connects us to the orange. He is the Source of our ability to reflect upon this orange, to taste the orange, to chew and swallow it, and to digest it. God gives our bodies the ability to extract the nutrients from the orange, to distribute these nutrients in our blood throughout our bodies, and to process these nutrients to keep our bodies functioning. There are multiple processes, from macroscopic to microscopic, we can become aware of in thanking God for just this one orange we are about to eat. It is not simply a separate, external orange. In this created order, everything is attributed to God. We become fully aware that the inter-relatedness of all things connects us to the unity, and thus to God-consciousness. Is there anything else we can gain from this? Yes, indeed there is. When we become truly aware of the process involved through Said Nursi’s methodology of using our reasoning to confirm our belief in God, and thanking God for all things, we also realize that this process is, in fact, a powerful act of worshipping God. Most importantly, we realize our awareness in this act of worship immediately brings us into the presence of God. In that moment of our awareness of the power of Almighty God, we are awakened. We, at the Risale-i Nur Institute of America, extend a warm and happy new year for 2012 to everyone; may it be a year full of peace and prosperity for all. I would like to close with the following hadith: Prophet Muhammed (ASM) said: “When someone is secure in his property, healthy in his body and has his food for the day, it is as if he owned the entire world.” (Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah) –Dr. Osman Birgeoglu      ]]>

Risale-i Nur Collection in his comparisons between the ways offered to man by the Qur’an on the one hand, and philosophy on the other; those of belief and unbelief, guidance and misguidance. In these he proves and illustrates that man’s happiness and true progress are only to be found in the former way, that of recognition of the existence and unity of this world’s Creator, and of the prophets and scriptures. He has sent, and particularly in His final revelation, the Qur’an, and complete religion for mankind, Islam, and the Prophet Muhammad (ASM), who brought them. For it is only from these that man can learn the true purpose and meaning of both his own existence and that of the universe, and that of such questions as life and death, illness, suffering and disaster. The twenty-five ‘Remedies’ that Bediuzzaman offers in Message for the Sick spring from the Qur’an and present an entirely different view of illness and disaster to that described above. Considered in the light of the Qur’an and through the lens of belief, illness is seen to contain so many benefits, advantages, and instances of wisdom that far from being something to be feared and complained about, it should be submitted to with thanks and patience. The same may be said regarding any disaster and source of suffering. Note that Bediuzzaman is not opposed to modern medicine and its advances, indeed he writes that in “the pharmacy of the earth” is to be found a cure for every illness, and these should be benefitted from. But one should be aware that the effects of medicines are from Almighty God, just as He provides them. In addition, since man’s true sicknesses arise from unbelief, and physical illness itself very often results from “abuses” and “excesses”, that is, from not adhering to the teachings of religion, Bediuzzaman suggests that to find a cure, recourse should be had to believing, religious doctors, and that “materialist and heedless doctors” should themselves “take the medicines of belief from the sacred pharmacy of the Qur’an” if they are truly to heal others. With his unparalleled insight into the human spirit as well as unequalled knowledge of the Qur’an, Bediuzzaman offers most gentle and effective remedies which are a consolation and cure for both the physically sick and those wounded by unbelief and misguidance. His advice is applicable in all situations of hardship, suffering, and disaster. In a special section of Message for the Sick, Bediuzzaman gives several points in his letter of condolence on the death of a child. Below is an excerpt: “First Point: The meaning of the phrase, “immortal youths” (56:17, 76:19) in the All-Wise Qur’an is this: with this phrase, the verse indicates and gives the good news that the children of believers who die before reaching maturity will remain perpetually as eternal, lovable children in a form worthy of Paradise; that they will be an everlasting source of happiness in the embrace of their fathers and mothers who go to Paradise; and will ensure that their parents receive the sweetest of pleasures, the loving and caressing of children; and that all pleasurable things will be found in Paradise; that those who say that since Paradise is not the place for the reproduction there will be no loving and caressing of children, are not correct; and that gaining millions of years of pure, pain-free loving and caressing of eternal children instead of a brief ten years or so  of loving them mixed with the sorrows of this world, is a source of great happiness for believers.” –Bediuzzaman Said Nursi May we all find courage, patience, strength and consolation through the verses of the Qur’an and the interpretive words of the Risale-i Nur. –Dr. Osman Birgeoglu    ]]>

The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; (Quran 49:10) Work together for the sake of virtue and piety. (Quran 5:2) And hold fast, all of you together to the rope of Allah and be not divided among yourselves and remember Allah’s favor on you, for you were enemies one to another, but He joined your hearts together so that by His Grace you became brethren. (Quran 3:103) We also read about the collective mentality of community, solidarity, unity, and brotherhood in the ahadiths, the following examples illustrate this: Prophet Muhammad (ASM) also said in a Hadeeth Qudsi: “Allah, the Exalted, says ‘Indeed, My Love shall be bestowed upon the ones who visit each other for My Sake. Indeed, My Love shall be bestowed upon the ones who love one another for My Sake. Indeed, My Love shall be bestowed upon the ones who approach one another in humility for My Sake. And, indeed, My Love shall be bestowed upon the ones that rush to help one another for My Sake.” (Musnad Imam Ahmad) “Shall I tell you about a status which is better than prayer, fasting and giving charity?” They said: “Please do”. He answered: “To maintain zat al-bain [essential community bonds] in good order”. He then added: “When zat al-bain is corrupted, it destroys all” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari in Al-adab al-mufarrad following Abu Al-Dardaa) The Messenger of Allah (ASM) said, “A Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) We have a responsibility to ourselves, each other and to the entire planet to be caretakers and live in alliance with all beings as brothers. An egocentric orientation is harmful, destructive, limiting, and invariably leads to loss at multiple levels, there is no genuine benefit in greed, self-centeredness, egoism, arrogance, or the “me” mentality. On the other hand, living with a collective mind set, an “us” community mentality, allows all to prosper regarding the needs of all beings and humanity through mutual cooperation, assistance and sharing. Bediuzzaman Said Nursi elaborates further: “You and I are members of a collective personality such as that, worthy of the title of ‘perfect man.’ We are like the components of a factory’s machinery which produces eternal happiness within eternal life. We are hands working on a dominical boat which will disembark the Community of Muhammed (PBUH) at the Realm of Peace, the shore of salvation. So we are surely in need of solidarity and true union, obtained through gaining sincerity—for the mystery of sincerity secures through four individuals the moral strength of one thousand one hundred and eleven—indeed, we are compelled to obtain it. Yes, if three alifs do not unite, they have the value of three. Whereas if they do unite, through the mystery of numbers they acquire the value of one hundred and eleven. If four times four remain apart, they have a value of sixteen. But if, through the mystery of brotherhood and having a common goal and joint duty, they unite coming together shoulder to shoulder on a line, they have the strength and value of four thousand four hundred and forty-four. Just as numerous historical events testify that the moral strength and value of sixteen self-sacrificing brothers have been greater than that of four thousand. The underlying reason for this mystery is this: each member of a true and sincere union may see also with the eyes of the other brothers, and hear with their ears. As if each person of a true union of ten has the value and strength of seeing with twenty eyes, thinking with ten minds, hearing with twenty ears, and working with twenty hands.” -Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (from Brotherhood and Sincerity) –Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>

to Him in worship. Without this understand and knowledge, we will face the epitome of anxiety, loss, pain, and suffering. Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi provides an eloquent explanation to help us grasp this better: “O my soul! As we have stated repeatedly, since man is the fruit of the tree of creation, he is a creature which, like a fruit, is the furthest and most comprehensive and looks to everything, and bears the seed of a heart which holds within it the aspects of unity of everything, and whose face looks to multiplicity, transience, and the world. As for worship, it is a line of union which turns his face from transience to permanence, from creation to Creator, from multiplicity to unity, and from the extremity to the source, or it is a point of union between the source and the extremity. If a valuable, conscious fruit which will form a seed looks to the living creatures beneath the tree, and relying on its beauty throws itself into their hands; if being heedless, it falls; it will fall to their hands and be smashed, and will go for nothing like a common fruit. But if the fruit finds its point of support, and it is able to think that by the seed within it holding the aspects of unity of the whole tree, it will be the means of tree’s continuance and the continued existence of the tree’s reality, then a single seed within that single fruit will manifest a perpetual universal truth within an everlasting life. In the same way, if man plunges into multiplicity, is drowned in the universe and intoxicated by love of the world, is deceived by the smiles of ephemeral beings and casts himself into their arms, he certainly falls into infinite loss. He falls into both transitoriness, and ephemerality, and non-existence. In effect he sentences himself to death. But if he listens with the ear of his heart to the lessons in belief from the tongue of the Qur’an and raises his head and turns towards unity, he may rise through the ascension of worship to the throne of perfections. He may become an eternal man. O my soul! Since the reality is thus, and since you are a member of the nation of Abraham (Peace be upon him), like Abraham, say: I do not love those that set [disappear]. (6:76)  Turn your face to the Eternal Beloved and weep the following lines like me. The Persian verses to be included here have been included in the Second Station of the Seventeenth Word, and have not been repeated here.” -Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (from the Risale-i Nur Collection: Worship and the Prayers or The Words) Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>

Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude for God’s Bounties. We, at the Risale-i Nur Institute of America with its two branches Nur Publishers and Nursi School of Theology, have much to be thankful for during this Thanksgiving Holiday. Announcement: Many will recall that we published Nur-the Light Magazine Copyright ©.  Historically, from 1974 through 2000, thousands of publications were reaching over 70 countries from Sweden to India, from Alaska to Australia and to the Philippines. Unfortunately, due to financial shortage, we ceased its publication some time ago. We have good news! We are now very excited and pleased to formally announce our plans to once again offer this extremely popular magazine. Plans are underway! You may look forward to the new edition of Nur-the Light Magazine © in the near future.  We give very much thanks to God for this. Alhamdulillah! Let us all remember throughout this Thanksgiving Holiday to be grateful to God for the immense service of all His Messengers, 124,000 to be exact. We will concentrate more in the near future on this very important topic of God’s Messengers. We extend in our warmest, most joyous wishes to all our readers, fans, and friends A Very Happy Thanksgiving! Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>

an intense love of immortality. Even, because of his power of imagination, man fancies a sort of immortality in everything he loves. He cries out from the depths of his being whenever he thinks of or sees their passing. All lamentations at separation are expressions of the weeping caused by love of immortality. If there were no imagined immortality, there would be no love. It might even be said that the intense desire for immortality arising from that passionate love of immortality, and from the spontaneous general prayer for immortality, is a reason for the existence of the eternal realm and everlasting Paradise. The Eternal One of Glory accepted man’s intense, unshakeable, innate desire and his powerful, effective, general prayer, for He created an eternal realm for him, a transient being. Is it at all possible that the Munificent and Compassionate Creator would accept the insignificant wish of a tiny stomach and its supplication through the tongue of disposition for a temporary immortality by creating innumerable delicious foods, and not accept the intense desire of all humankind, which arises from an overpowering innate need, and its universal, constant, rightful, just prayer for immortality, offered through word and state? God forbid, a hundred thousand times! It is impossible that He would not accept it. Not to accept it would be in keeping with neither his wisdom, nor His justice, nor His mercy, nor His power. Since man is most desirous of immortality, all his perfections and pleasures are dependent upon it. And since immortality is particular to the Eternal One of Glory; and since the Eternal One’s names are enduring and immortal; and since the Eternal One’s mirrors take on the hue of the Eternal One, and reflect His decree, and manifest a sort of immortality; for sure the matter most important for man, his most pressing duty, is to form a relation with that Eternal One and to adhere to His names. For everything expended on the way of the Eternal One receives a sort of immortality. The second “O Eternal One, You alone are Eternal!” expresses this truth. In addition to healing man’s innumerable spiritual wounds, it satisfies the intense wish for immortality inherent in his nature.” -Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi (More information can be found in the Lights of Reality, or The Flashes, Third Flash.) Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>

Islam means peace. This essential disconnection, misunderstanding and profound twisting of God’s Truth is particularly seen in the phrase ‘Islam rules by the sword’ and in the term ‘jihad’. To eradicate these false claims, we will first reflect on what Ustad Bediuzzaman explains regarding two extremely important verses in the Quran that are most relevant to the misunderstandings:  “ Let there be no compulsion in religion; Truth stands out from error, whoever rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold, that never breaks. And God is All-Seeing, All-Knowing. God is the protector of those who have faith; from the depths of darkness He will lead them forth into the light. While those who do not believe, their patrons are the evil ones; from the light they will lead them forth into the depths of darkness. They will be companions of Fire, to dwell therein forever.” (Qur’an 2:256-7) Bediuzzaman states the meaning of these two verses quite clearly: “Furthermore, as far as the word khalidun —to dwell therein for ever, by repeating the contrast between light and darkness, and belief and darkness —the source and origin of all the comparisons in the Risale-i Nur and just like them— is a concealed sign that a great hero in the contest of the ‘mânevî jihad’ at that date is the Risale-i Nur, which bears the name of light. For its immaterial sword has solved hundreds of the mysteries of religion, leaving no need for physical swords.” -Ustad Bediuzzaman (from The Rays ) He also addresses this issue in his following quotes: “As for one who strikes with the sword, the sword turns back and hits his own innocent. Now victory is not with the sword. There is a place for the sword, but it is the hand of the mind.” -Ustad Bediuzzaman (Munazarat) “We are devotees of love; we do not have time for enmity.” -Ustad Bediuzzaman (The Damascus Sermon) I feel it’s also important to consider what our translator, Sukran Vahide, says to help Westerners anywhere understand Islam: “In answer to the question, then, of how Euro­peans need Islam to be presented, we would sug­gest that it needs to be presented to them as the rational explanation of this world, that is, our­selves and the universe. It needs to be presented to them as the Holy Qur’an directs. That is to say, it must be demonstrated that God Almighty did not create man with an intellect in order not to use it to increase his belief. Rather, he created this beautiful and wonderfully functioning universe and gave man intellect and sent prophets with revealed Books as guides, and finally the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) with the Holy Qur’an, in order that man might attain to rational and true belief. If the universe is presented as a book created as the means to introduce its Author, which human beings are invited to read using their intellects so as to be able to prove and understand rationally the truths of belief, then it will be clear that each person is directly responsi­ble to his Creator and that there is no need for any intermediary in the performance of his wor­ship and religion… …Any European who can begin to see Islam in this way, that is, on the level of belief, will soon be able to see through the web of lies and the false image of Islam that has developed over the centuries. He will see that, as was demonstrated above, Islam does not accept aggression on any level. In the same way that it sees the cosmos as it is, functioning according to a universal system of mutual help and cooperation, so does it also preclude aggression in any form in the actions of human beings. And so too, jihad, commonly known as ‘holy war’, may only be fought in defense against outside aggression. (As for Islamic dress for women, a source of much mis­understanding in the West, it shall be considered in the fifth section below.) Furthermore, if such a person’s intention is sincere, that is, a person who can begin to see Islam on the level of belief, he will also understand that, far from being alien, Islam is God Almighty’s final and complete revealed religion that is totally in accord with man’s nature as a creature and human being, and as such transcends any restriction of race, color, or class.” –Mary Weld [Sukran Vahide,  our translator] (Excerpts taken from Islam, the West, and the Risale-i Nur ) We simply must take an active role in helping to dispel the false ideologies of Islam. There is only One Truth which belongs to God. We cannot ignore the Islamophobia and the harm it results in worldwide. The Risale-i Nur contains light-scattering wisdom from which all mankind can benefit and come together in unity and peace. Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>

Please remember two important points: 1. During the day of Arafat (Arefe) this Saturday, if you are able, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi recommends that we recite 1,000 Ikhlas (Surah 112). Inshallah, this will bring us abundant rewards. 2. The importance of Tekbirat: after each Fard prayer we say one Tekbir. This practice starts with the morning (Fajr) prayer on Saturday, the day of Arefe, and it ends after afternoon (Asr) prayer on the fourth (last) day of Eid-ul Adha, a total of 23 times. For further insight, we are including Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi’s words from the Fourth Ray of the Sixteenth Word: “FOURTH RAY  And so, O my lazy soul! Like the soldier in the previous comparison was received into the royal presence as a pure favour, the reality of the five daily prayers, which are like a sort of Ascension, 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, God 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, You alone do we worship (everyone according to his own capacity); it is a most elevated attainment. Through repeating, God is Most Great! God is Most Great! in the actions of the prayers, it is an indication to rising through the degrees, to spiritual progress, and to ascending from minor particulars to universal spheres, and is a concise title to the perfections of Divine Sublimity which are beyond our knowledge. It is as if each God is Most Great is an indication to 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 God is Most Great! 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 quieted by, God is Most Great! God is Most Great!, 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 on the occasions of 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.” -B. Said Nursi Dr. Osman Birgeoglu ]]>