© ego! Escape the feeling of autumn and transform into a green meadow with birds flying around above you; be a spring so all those with burning souls come running to you; spread light like candles so those in darkness can see and make their way to you. Embrace others with affection and sincerity like a mother embraces her child, so even those afraid of your anger will throw themselves into your arms with no hesitation. Distribute whatever God has granted you to others; altruism is the most effective, most mysterious formula which brings people close to others, close to Paradise, and close to God. If you are successful in ascribing this formula to your own soul, one day even the most abrupt souls, whose beliefs are based on revenge, resentment, and hostility, are sure to form queues and wait in anticipation of entering your environment. Every moment, you should be like the clouds, and obstruct the burning heat of the sun: ignoring the various seasons, you should extinguish the thirst of everyone and everything, just like a heavy downpour of rain and caress their arid hearts and souls. Be a spring available fo everyone who is thirsty; may your water be sweet and delightful. When you speak and echo the inspirations of your soul, allow your ink to become the spiritual psalms that revive the pages of books. When the harmful daggers of your fury, anger, resentment, and hostility are tempted, you must be a protector. You must be a friend of the deprived and homeless; a friend of even the most rampaging souls who seek refuge in you. Do not disappoint those who run to the security of your guardianship, As in the case of the present, even when certain individuals destroy the paths and bridges which bring us together as a nation, thus making it impossible for us to progress, it is our duty to establish and promote new paths and bridges of spirituality. We must strive to progress and reach every point we can reach, and we must never be deceived by a desire for retaliation. Even if you face death, be sure to fulfill the duties required of a believer: transform any stones cast at you into light, like the meteors which melt in the atmosphere, and relish the display of radiance spreading like fireworks in the heavens. It is your duty to modulate the sounds of anger and violence, and transform these into anthologies of love; and while doing so, do not speak about bridges being destroyed, and do not give in to resentment and hostility. This path is the path of the Prophets and the most secure bridge towards becoming a person of perfection. None who choose this path have ever experienced disappointment; and in addition to ever experiencing disappointment, they never change their stance when confronted with disrespect or abuse. If a person is conscious of humanism, resentment, hostility, disrespect, or any other kind of crudeness, it will never affect their thoughts or behavior; and this is how it should be. There may be some who do change direction and ideas when they are confronted with certain difficulties ~ however, these are the immature souls who, in terms of emotions and thought, are still unsettled. When confronted with difficulty, these undeveloped souls respond with rashness. This is one of the main reasons for the frequent disputes between different cultures. Modesty, submission, and tolerance are the invariable aspects of those who have reached spiritual maturity and stability. Whatever the conditions, such individuals are as extensive as the skies, as vast as the oceans, as glorious and sturdy as the mountains, and as humble as the earth. They are never influenced by things which occur in their environment, never corrupted by their social relationships with others, and never submit to the compelling challenges they face: on the contrary, they display humbleness, and protect everyone, and everything, around them. They are like gold which is melted down to its original purity, and even if they were placed in ovens capable of melting granite, their unblemished characters would never change. They suffered so much pain that no longer does the blaze of affliction effect them; they will never succumb to any flames of anguish. O ego! You must sense and experience the grievances of others so deep in your conscience that nobody ever has to anticipate your support. You must sense their pain so deep in your soul that you shed tears. Through your sorrow, the tears of all those around you dry and fade away. You share their affiction and misery so their souls find relief in your presence. When a fortunate person is successful in arranging their life accordingly. itis virtually as if they have experienced the best of all pleasures. The person is commemorated on the earth and in the heavens as one granted the honor of being a vicegerent of God, The human nature is intertwined with both delight and sorrow; the perfect person is, on the one hand, a dungeon keeper who can imprison his sorrow behind the bars of his willpower: on the other hand, atthe time of delight he is a bird keeper who sets free his messenger pigeons, sending them to the farthest distances to spread the good news. The perfect person knows what to tie up and what to let loose. Indeed,controlling our whims and desires through willpower is an achievement, but expanding our hearts to the extent that we are capable of welcoming everyone is an act of outstanding bravery. © ego! Always be brave and support bravery! Use your conscience as a touchstone while criticizing yourself; and constantly smile at others conveying the beauty of your heart that is as pure as gold! ‘And when you smile at others, always remember to be cautious and discern well who is who! By nature, you are exposed to all kinds of manners, and the clearest evidence of this was your first adventure in the heavens. While the angels rocked your cradle, and sang lullabies of admiration, devils were conducting ceremonies of jealousy. Even on that very first day you had to confront extreme envy, as well as dumbfounding looks of admiration. We do not know for sure whether you were touched by the evil eye or not; there is no doubt that you stumbled at first even if eventually you have soared up high. When you miscalculated time, and stretched your hand to the forbidden fruit before it was due - which is quite a normal act for ordinary people, but a falter in the league of noble souls - it resulted in your incarceration in this dungeon of the world. No, no! Not in the dungeon, but in the heart of this earth, which serves as the birthplace of the beloved ones. The true wisdom of the tree of life came with the beloved, the first fruit of your seemingly unpleasant fate, the fruit that was sweeter than any other. Indeed, if you remained in Paradise you would have continued to exist as a fruitless tree, unable to develop, and would have never attained awareness of the potential abundance. Whereas when you set your pavilion in this worl, this land of dust and soil was transformed into a garden of roses..and this worn-out realm to which you were expelled became the garden of the exiled Prophets and saints. Eventually, the angels have excelled in their admiration, and the jealousy of the devils revolved and penetrated their own hearts lke a spear. Therefore, guard your own values! Strive to benefit from this exile, for it is considered as the path to reaching the pleasure of God. Do not miss this opportunity to come close to the Divine and do not distance yourself from Him. Abstain from pleasing Satan by falling into the traps of resentment, hostility, anger, ambition, and jealousy! If one day you stumble and deviate beyond your own boundaries, behave as the Prophet Adam did: rise, compose yourself, and confess to your crime. Turn towards God's door, which is constantly open to everyone, and do not give your sins and errors the chance to exist, not even for a moment! Revive the nature of humanity, which was corrupted by sin and altered, with the elixir of repentance, and guide humanity towards the pleasure of God! And while doing so, remember that humans, by nature, are the same, so forgive others because just as you sinned, there is always the possibilty that they too can make mistakes. In fact, When these individuals succumb to their desires, have compassion for them whenever possible, embrace them and assist them in any way you can. Never assume that you have the right to question the sins of others. If occupying yourself with sins and mistakes amuses you, then use this, hobby to rectify your own mistakes so the tiny blemishes of others will not make you forget your ‘own greasy black spots. Call upon everyone like the breeze carrying the scent of roses. Burn like a candle and enlighten others, but never attribute this great sacrifice to your own interests. Turn like a wheel and groan, and extinguish the flames of all the suffering souls, but never consider your own suffering. Burn away inside, but spread a pleasant scent into your environment, and never complain. Always be humble, and never boast about the favors granted to you by God: on the contrary, consider this as an advance granted to the needy, and feel the embarrassment of obtaining your reward in advance. If you consider your services and efforts to be a favor to others, then you will eventually begin to expect compliments. The cure for this disease is very difficult. It is a disease that will scare everyone away from you, and if you persist, then every day, to the contrary of your expectations, you will experience blows and drive people away... But if you aspire to peace, you wil find i abstinence, humbleness, self-deprecation, and contentment. Even if they are on the path of bliss, those who consider themselves superior to others, those who claim to have extraordinary abilities, those who expect compliments from everyone, those who act with rage and anger, will evlentually face misery. (© ego! Spit in the face of your inner malice if you have the courage! Eliminate disloyalty from your life. Overthrow oppression, and destroy shamelessness - remember that God is present everywhere; contain the emotions of evil with faith in divine retribution; strive to remain on the path of God's pleasure, and not on the path of whims and desires. Never forget that God sees you at all times. Tremble like the leaves on a tree and cast away your sins, the shortcomings and evil acts that corrupt your nature and are unfamiliar to your soul and a great burden on your heart. Everyeffort you make to escape such sin is classified as a form of jihad and will bring you closer to God. On the contrary, it you distance yourself from God, you will undergo the most paintul of separations, and will suffocate amidst loneliness. There will be no rewards in your record of good deeds; you will be in a state of spiritual darkness and gloom. Therefore, awaken and recover from this darkness. Guard your human values, and do not sacrifice the Paradise you once lost due to impatience. Every attempt to regain what was lost is like planting new seeds to be sown in the earth: when the time comes, the fruits of this crop are sure to multiply. Therefore, do not hesitate; spread kindness, favor, and excellence to the whole world. Purify your emotions focused on evil, and live your life based upon the eternal happiness of others! But while doing so, free yourself from the confinement cf your personal accounts and interests that destroy the soul. Take all the burden on yourself and spread ease to those around you. Listen to others and groan with their grief, but always strive to be a source of strength and relief to others. Open your heart to others with love, so that anger and hostility perish, and the victims of their own ego run to your embrace. Cascade like a river of prosperity into the souls of others. Embrace everything and everyone with your radiance day after night le the sun and the moon. Whenever a person turns to you with some kind of expectation, never contradict the good opinion they have of you. Always lead while serving others and displaying kindness, and strive to be last when rewards come: avoid depending on worldly benefits for acts performed for God as you would avoid a poisonous snake. Even if you find your feelings unintentionally inclining for rewards, view this deviation as the worst kind of impurity and immediately purify yoursel. Live with kindness and convey grace to others. The feet which tread on the path of goodness and grace are superior to the head, and the hearts which beat with generosity and kindness are as sacred as the Ka‘ba. Basically, your nature is an abode of divinity, your goal is God's pleasure, and your path in life is a circumambulation of sacredness upon which you constantly travel on the Course to God. For as long as you guard this path, your glory will be praised beyond the heavens, and your name will be aligned with lofty spirits. Therefore, increase your steadfastness on this path; increase it because we need this diligence just as we need water and bread, in a world in which human values are degraded. Think well, speak well, and constantly pursue acts of goodness. Flags always appear to be more gracious draped fram the shoulders of those in motion. Bees are Classified as beneficent for as long as they produce honey. The march is more imposing than standing still. So rise and carry the flag, fill your hive of spirituality with honey, and never lose your charm and kindness. Always be willing to serve others and be prepared for the journey to the world beyond! Although it is not certain when the command of death will come, this is a decree which is both indisputable and inevitable. Therefore, always be alert, purify yourselves from sin; open the door to the undetermined call and wait. Balance holds a very significant place in every phase of life. Balanced action is necessary over the spectrum which covers the essentials of belief and worship, as well as those of eating and social conduct with people, both far and near. "Your Lord enjoys rights over you; yourself and your family enjoy rights over you; recompense all these rights to their owners.” This is the consciousness that every individual should pursue in their life with firm balance and composure. The perception of servanthood must be duly interpreted before all else. The goal sought in the remembrance of God is the attainment of His good pleasure, The attainment of extraordinary qualities or the manifestation of wonders is not the purpose; such actions have been considered by saints as being little more than “menstruation blood’; ie., something that should not be highly regarded. Wonders may come about without having been demanded as a result of sincere efforts; the servant then accepts them as a gift from God, in a dual mood of joy and concern. The most fitting attitude would be to make sure of one’s own loyalty saying, "My Lord, do you offer me something so sweet because have you seen disloyalty in me?" Taking refuge in a remote place, seeking seclusion to put in order one's relationship with the Lord is not the only approach. This relationship can also be maintained by restoring one's interpretation of overall existence and one's personal life, keeping it fresh with self-accounting and by seeking nearness, love, and zeal. A person engaged in this sort of practice does not spend even one minute inneglect, and feels greater peace as they deepen in servanthood. A physician, to give an example, perfects their studies of human anatomy and physiology as they research these subjects. Perhaps, for this reason, Imam Ghazzali_ ascribes equal importance to both medicine and religious studies in his work Ihya’ Ulum al-Din (Reviving the Religious Sciences), and he stresses the fact that the negligence of either will bring harm to the nation of Islam. What a great negligence that would be! Imagine, when even the smallest toenail gives discomfort to your foot, you look for someone to alleviate the pain. Then someone comes and soothes your pain; you look upon such a person as being Khidr. A believing physician assumes the same role when they heal any major or trivial maladies. Rewarded for being helpful to ‘others as a member of the community and providing services to people, physicians may be considered to be saints at a level which no one else can reach. It is my opinion that a believing physician can be saved just by engaging in medicine. This is a balance, and it should be considered as such, It is the same for religious studies; if you retreat in seclusion, others may suffer from denial and atheism, as they would be deprived of religious teaching, I would like to refer to the experience of some of the Prophet's Companions who came to his house one day when he was absent. They asked the Prophet's purest wives about his prayers and his worship. His wives explained the Prophet's way to them, but considering their level in God's sight in comparison to that of the Prophet's, they thought that they needed to do more than the Prophet did: "Who are we and who is the Prophet (how can we be compared to him)? The ppast and future sins of the Prophet have already been forgiven.” One of them said, "From now on I will say my prayers (perform salat) the whole night until the morning.” A second one said, “I will fast all my life, I will not miss a day.” ‘The third said, "I will abandon women, and will never touch them." They left the Prophet's house with these thoughts. When the Messenger of God was informed of this, he commanded them as follows: "(I was told that) you said this and that. I swear by God that I am the one among you who fears God most and who avoids His prohibitions most. But, sometimes I fast and sometimes I eat, sometimes I pray and sometimes I sleep, and I sleep with women. (This is my way, Sunna) whoever turns away from my Sunna is not of me.” This incident clearly reveals that the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, hated any extremism in the conduct of religion, just as he hated disobedience (ma'siyat). Like disobedience, or sinning, which upsets the balance in Islamic life and diverts one from one's orbit, extremism in religion is an imbalance; it is something to keep well away from, Perhaps all of us have had some kind of imbalance in our life, During my mission in Trakya, in order to restrain my human dispositions, and to avoid stumbling over the carnal desires of my youth, I used to eat one meal a day with no calorie, The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, recommended fasting to bring these desires under control. I could probably have obtained the same result if I had eaten ess, slept less, and performed more services for the faith. I remember that I prayed "My Lord, send me affliction, so that I can only deal with my pain and forget about my carnal self." I prayed for even harsher demands to demote myself. This was @ mistake, and a result of ignorance about balance. The Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, said, "Ask forgiveness and health from God.” We are supposed to keep to the balance which the Prophet enjoined us. Another issue in which proper balance is not maintained today is the rights of parents and visiting relatives. God emphasizes this issue in the Qur'an to such an extent that showing respect to parents is listed next to worshipping Him. Even while running at the forefront in the service of the faith and the Qur‘an, we have to make use of every opportunity to kiss their hands and win their hearts. We may have too many other things that we have to do; our parents may think differently from us on many issues. Unless they rebel against God, they are worth everything we can do for them; they are the means by which we were born into this life Before we plan anything, we have to take into account every possible difficulty that we may confront-iliness, cldetliness, etc. When we decide on something, we have to focus to accomplish the work to the end; but we must make sure not to undertake a load we cannot carry.