In this chapter of our book, we
shall tell you about Islam, as we have done so far, evoke your memories of the
old pages of history, and provide
valuable pieces of information concerning the essentials of all religions. We
hope that you read this chapter with the same enjoyment as you have felt
throughout the earlier chapters. As we have frequently repeated; today, on the
threshold of the twenty-first century, people have little time, much work to
do, and a variety of problems to cudgel their brains with. Moreover, today’s
people are equipped with quite new pieces of knowledge. They assess every book
they read with these new pieces of knowledge. Therefore, the ideas that we are
to communicate to them have to be scientific, logical, documentary, and in
concordance with today’s level of knowledge and living conditions. Any degree
of thanksgiving would prove short of expressing our gratitude to Allâhu ta’âlâ for enabling us to write and
(translate into English and) publish this book, which we have perfected by
adding new parts yearly. The blessings of Allâhu ta’âlâ are boundless.
Seeing the letters of
appreciation that we receive, we realize that our book is being read and those
who read it reap benefits, and we pay our hamd (thanks and praise) to our Rabb
(Allâhu ta’âlâ). The
blessings that our readers invoke on us and the thanks they give us are our
greatest gains. These letters and calls of appreciation encourage us to work
even harder.
So sad to say, recently there has been a
decrease in the number of people capable of understanding the books written by
Islamic scholars and simplifying them to a level comprehensible to average
people. In fact, there are almost no experts of religion left. Since Islam is
the latest, the most perfect and the most logical religion, writing an Islamic
book requires having a high level of education, knowing Arabic and Persian in
addition to (at least) one European language, and being fully equipped with the
Islamic branches of knowledge in addition to the most up-to-date natural and scientific
information. Our books are simplifications and explanations from books written
by authorities of religion and expert scientists, and we have paid meticulous
attention to this delicate job. We have always avoided bigotry. We examine the
letters we receive carefully and give them scientific and logical
answers.
Some parts of our books, (which are originally in Turkish), have been
translated into English, French and German, and spread throughout the world.
Another fact we are happy to see is that other Islamic societies know of our
books, like our books, and allot portions for commentaries of our books in
their publications. We are not boasting about these things. For what we have
been doing is to merely read and study the valuable and worldly widespread
books written by Islamic scholars, classify them in categories, make
comparisons, sift reasonable and logical facts from them, and publish these
facts in such simplicity and fluency as will be read and understood easily by
everybody. The books we have been publishing contain no additions on our part.
We lay these pieces of information, which cost us considerably painstaking and
onerous labour, before our reader, thus enabling him to read and learn them
with ease. It is up to the reader to draw conclusions from them. Our duty is to
prepare this material. And we are doing this willingly, without expecting any
worldly returns. We expect the rewads from Allâhu
ta’âlâ. Those who read this chapter of our book will learn that the
Islamic religion is the only access to knowing Allâhu
ta’âlâ and becoming close to Him, that human beings cannot live without
a religion, that religion will correct people’s moral attitudes and can never
be exploited for worldly advantages and political stratagems, that it cannot be
a tool for personal interests and sordid purposes, and that attaining happiness
in this world and the next is dependent solely on adapting yourself to Islam.
Although Islam is the truest and
the most logical religion, very little effort is being made for its spread. The
organizations which Christians establish in order to publish Christianity are
both numerous and enormous. The book Diyâ-ul-qulűb, published in 1294 [1877 C.E.] and written by Is-haq Efendi of
Harput, a valuable Islamic scholar whose books are one of the main sources we
have utilized in writing this book and to whom we shall refer later ahead,
contains the following information:
“The British Protestant society called Bible
House, which was established in 1219 [1804 C.E.], had the Bible translated into
two hundred and four (204) different languages. By the year 1872, the number of
the books printed by that society was seventy million. The money spent for the
spread of Christianity by the society was two hundred and five thousand and
three hundred and thirteen (205,313) British gold coins, which is equal to
forty-five billion Turkish liras according to today’s rate of exchanges, [when
a
-261-
British
gold coin cost two hundred and twenty thousand (220,000) Turkish liras].” The
society is still active today, establishing infirmaries, hospitals, conference
halls, libraries, schools, cinemas and other recreation and sports institutions
in many places of the world, and making great efforts to Christianize people
who haunt those places. Catholics do not fall behind in these activities. In
addition, they entice poor populations towards Christianity by finding jobs for
young people and by providing medicinal help.
Today, there are some small
(Islamic) societies in some Muslim countries such as Pakistan, South Africa and
Saudi Arabia, and a few small Islamic centers in European countries and in
America. These centers carry on Islamic publications. However, because these
centers are supported by a variety of different groups, their publications criticize
one another, impair the Islamic unity commanded by our religion, and give rise
toseparatism. The capacity of our company, IHLÂS, allows only a limited number
of young students to read our books. For all the unfavourable conditions, our
humble publications are being read all over the world and thereby the number of
Muslims on the right path is increasing every year. The number of Muslims,
which was only one-third that of Christians a hundred years ago, is almost half
their number today. For Muslims are faithful to their credal tenets and raise
their children with an Islamic education. In contrast, younger generations in
the Christian world see that Christianity is in counterpoint to recent
scientific improvements and modern technical findings, and become convinced
atheists. Communist states, on the other hand, annihilate and prohibit religion
altogether. In some of them, e.g. in Albania, under an excessively communistic
regime,[1] religions are presented as objects of derision in public places
called ‘Museums of Atheism’. It is a fact reported in British publications that
the number of atheists in Britain, where most of the aforesaid gigantic
Christian organizations are located, is already thirty per cent of the entire
population.
Then, what is the reason for
this ever-increasing appreciation for our publications versus the ineluctable
sinking of Christianity despite all the efforts contrarywise? The reason is
obvious. Islam is the most civilized, the most plausible, and the truest
religion. Islam is explained in such a sincere and clear language in our
---------------------------------
[1] The communistic regime has been
overthrown now.
-262-
books that any unprejudiced and cultured person who reads them
will see that Islam is the latest true religion, that it is agreeable with all
modern sciences and understandings, that it does not contain any superstitions,
and that its creed is based on the unity of Allah instead of a preposterous
dogma called Trinity, and will presently believe in Islam. An attentive
retrospection will reveal that belief in the unity of Allah is the basic and
unchanged element in the succession of true religions, that, whenever a true
religion was disfigured by people, Allâhu ta’âlâ sent a new Prophet ‘alaihis-salâm’ to restore it, and that Islam is the final, the
most scientific, and the most consummate link in this chain of true religions.
In this connection, the comparison made between Islam and Christianity by
Is-haq Efendi of Harput, who occupies a few of the previous lines and a
considerable amount of the following passages of our book, divulges the fact
that the two religions share the same basic credal tenets and that Christianity
was interpolated and defiled by Jews afterwards.
Another point that must be dwelt on is the
comparison of Islam and Christianity on the ethical platform. A close study of
this chapter of our book, reinforced with a scanning of the eighth chapter of Could Not Answer,
another book we have published, will uncover the fact that the two religions
treat the same subjects in identical manners and enjoin identical commandments
on humanity. Today, if a Christian believes in one Allah instead of three gods
and in Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ the final Prophet,
he will become a Muslim. Most of today’s common-sensed Christians reject the
dogma of Trinity, provide various explanations to interpret this dogma, and
believe in one Allah. A number of Christians have realized this fact and become
Muslims willingly. These things are dealt with in the initial part of our book,
under the caption Why Did They Become Muslims. Human soul is fed on
religion. A person without a religion is identical with a body without a head.
As the body needs to breathe, to eat and drink, likewise the soul needs
religion to realize a perfect personality, to purify itself, and to attain
peace. An irreligious person is no different from a machine or from an animal.
Religion is the greatest element that makes man know his Allah, protects him
against malpractice, clears his way, salves his brain, consoles him at times of
affliction, gives him material and spiritual power, provides him respectability,
honour and affection in society, and protects him against the fire of Hell in
the Hereafter.
By the time you finish reading
this part of our book, you will
-263-
see that all the heavenly religions are successions of one
another, that the true unitarian religions which Allâhu
ta’âlâ substituted for one another and renewed various
times are actually one religion, one belief, that whenever a true religion sent
by Allâhu ta’âlâ was
interpolated by people it was corrected by the Prophets ‘alaihim-us-salâm’
appointed and sent by Allâhu ta’âlâ, and that the latest religion is Islam, which was brought by Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’.
The bitterest enmity against
Islam is of British origin. For the British state policy is essentially based
on the exploitation of the natural resources in Africa and in India, the
employment of their inhabitants like beasts, and the transference of all their
gains to Britain. People who have been honoured with Islam, which commands
justice, mutual love and help, obviate the British cruelty and duplicity. On
the other hand, the British government has established a Ministry of Colonies and is attacking Islam with inconceivably treacherous plans and
with all their military and political forces. The confessions which Hempher,
one of the thousands of male and female spies supervised by that ministry, made
concerning his activities beginning in 1125 [1713 C.E.], explain a few of those
heinous plans, which are an awful shame for humanity. These confessions were
published in Arabic, in English and in Turkish by Hakîkat Kitabevi in 1991.[1]
The philomel for the roses blossoming in the garden of love,
The Hero Islam was awaiting with strong
yearning,
The lover with his darling’s love
burning to ashes;
Let the time that hath not seen thee
bemoan!
In knowledge and sagacity, thou art called ‘Sila’,[2]
For thou hast combined two main branches
of knowledge.
Diving into that ocean that hath no end
to reach,
Thou hast had the biggest share from the
ocean of dhikr!
---------------------------------
[1] Confessions of A British Spy, 1991, Hakîkat Kitabevi, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey.
[2] A nickname for Imâm-i-Rabbânî Mujaddid-i-elf-i-thânî ‘quddisa sirruh’ [d. 1034 (1624 C.E.), Serhend, India]. Please see The Proof of Prophethood, the English version of his book Ithbât-un-Nubuwwa. Letters from his valuable work Maktűbât occupy a major part of our book Endless Bliss. ‘Sila’ means ‘combiner’. He was called so because he combined two extensive branches of Islamic knowledge, i.e. the Sharî’at, which contains all the Islamic
-264-
Some people go to the shore, and say, “Enough for me.”
Some see it from afar, and become
infatuated, dizzy.
Some only watch, and others merely take
a sip.
Thou art the one who drank from the
ocean till satiety!
.
Thy work comes next after the Qur’ân and hadîths in priority;
Thy words, so blessed, offer the souls
medicinal candy;
Thou art the commander of the world of
spirituality;
‘Mujaddid-i-elf-i-thânî[1] is the title granted to thee!
Who made us know of
thee, by nature thy friend,
The
only scholar fast to thy blessed trend,
Is
‘Sayyid Abdulhakîm’, ablaze with thy love.
For
his sake, please bless us with thy shefâ’at![2]
What illuminates the universe again with thy work,
Attracts, us powerfully towards its
wake,
And eliminates the darkness of
fourteenth century,[3]
Is the light of ‘Arwâs’,[4] the rest is mere reverie!
We are his disciples and he is thy admirer;
Thy lightsome hearts will sure reflect
on each other.
You are, no doubt, in love with each
other,
Those who know Maktűbât will love thee
and one another!
---------------------------------
.canonical principles, laws, commandments, prohibitions, etc, and the Tarîqa, which is the collection of all spiritual paths and orders in Islam. These two branches had been considered apart from each other until his time.
[1] Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’ is the last Prophet. No prophet shall come after him. Islamic scholars will teach Islam to people till the end of the world. The greatest ones of these scholars are called ‘mujaddid’. Every thousand years after Muhammad ‘alaihis-salâm’, Allâhu ta’âlâ will restore the Islamic religion and protect Muslims from degeneration through a very profound Islamic scholar called ‘mujaddid’. Imâm-i Rabbânî ‘quddisa sirruh’ is the first of such mujaddids. ‘Mujaddid-i-elf-i-thânî’ means ‘the restorer of the second millennium’.
[2] Intercession. In the Hereafter, pious Muslims, people loved by Allâhu ta’âlâ will intercede with Allâhu ta’âlâ for the forgiveness of sinful Muslims. This intercession is called shefâ’at.
[3] Islamic century is meant.
[4] A village in the vicinity of Van, a city in eastern Turkey.
-265-