|
A WAY TO BE SAVED FROM BOTH WORLDLY
TORMENT AND THE TORMENT OF THE HEREAFTER
My friends in prison and brothers in
religion,
It has occurred to me to explain to you a
truth through which you may be saved both from worldly torment
and the torment of the Hereafter. It is as follows:
For example, a person killed someone’s
brother or other of his relatives. A murder resulting from a
minute’s satisfaction of revenge causes millions of minutes of
distress and the troubles of imprisonment. In addition, the fear
of retaliation by the murdered man’s relatives, the anxiety of
always being pursued by an enemy drive away all pleasure and
enjoyment in life. The person thus suffers both fear and
vexation. There is only one solution for this, and that is
reconciliation, which the Qur’an commands, and right, truth,
humanity, and Islam, and also the advantage to both parties
require and encourage.
Indeed, both right and truth and mutual
advantage for both parties require reconciliation. For the
appointed hour of death is fixed, and it does not change. Since
his appointed hour had come, the murdered man would not have
lived any longer. The murderer was the means of God’s decree
being carried out. Unless they are reconciled, both parties
continue to suffer the torments of fear and vindictiveness. It
is because of this that Islam commands that a believer should
not be angered or bear a grudge against another believer for
more than three days. Especially, if the murder was not the
result of a vindictive grudge and enmity or the deceiving
mischief of someone who incited the discord, the parties must
make peace without any delay. Otherwise, that minor disaster
becomes a large one, and continues. If they make peace, and the
murderer repents and prays continually for the one he killed,
then both parties will gain much and become like brothers. In
compensation for a brother lost, they will gain several brothers
in religion. In submission to Divine Destiny and Decree, they
should give up enmity, and especially since they have taken part
in the lessons of the Risale-i Nur, both individual and
collective peace and brotherhood in the circle of the Risale-i
Nur require that they put aside all grudges between them.
In Denizli prison, all the prisoners who had
been enemies became brothers through the lessons of the Risale-i
Nur, which formed one of the reasons for our acquittal, and
caused even the irreligious outlaws to say concerning those
prisoners, “What wonders God wills and creates! God bless
them!” I have, however, seen here that a hundred men suffer
troubles because of one man and do not go out to enjoy the fresh
air together. A manly believer of sound conscience will not
cause other believers harm because of some insignificant and
minor error or advantage. If he makes a mistake and causes harm,
he should repent immediately.
***
In His Name, be He glorified.
Upon you be peace and God’s mercy and
blessing.
|
|
|
|
| Recommended Reading: |
|
|
|
|
|
Last Updated on November 14, 2000
| |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
