Throughout history, people dedicated to service have always faced animosity from those with hatred and envy in their hearts. There have also been many people who, to protect their own interests, attacked the innocent. Such animosity, and even violence, is, unfortunately, a fact of human history. Volunteers on the path of service should not be surprised by it. In spite of all the mistreatment and obstructions they face, these volunteers should keep on their path, moving forward with a pure conscience, ready to embrace all of humankind.

While walking on this path, they may sometimes be betrayed by those from whom they would anticipate fidelity; be deserted by their companions; or even find the most unexpected to be traitors. However, they should not be hindered by such negativities. On the contrary, they should find a new rationale for service, and develop new methods of serving humanity; they should be continually raising the bar with their service.

Flawless dependability

Some religious sources foretell about the “latter times” to be dominated by all sorts of evil. If we are living in these latter times, then they will be characterized by upheaval and turmoil on a large scale. Human virtues will – and already have – suffered. One such virtue is trustworthiness. In a period in which trust is lost and deception is considered to be a merit, humanity will need, and look for, individuals of flawless dependability. At a time when people are desperate to find companions who do not deceive or misguide, individuals striving for the good of humanity should serve as brilliant representatives of trust and dependability. If their words and actions are monitored for some fifty years, no one should come across even an inkling of deception.

These representatives of dependability might still have difficulty establishing trust in the hearts of all people, since they cannot have total control over how they are perceived by others. In today’s world, many are relentlessly after their material ambitions. These people, projecting their own philosophies of life onto these trustworthy people, might look for hidden agendas in all the good deeds of service. Since they will do anything and everything for a material return, they might think that any effort of service is eventually for a material gain. Therefore, even when the volunteers open schools to provide education or build centers to promote intercultural dialogue, some people will still suspect that these ventures are for some material benefit. Volunteers should not be surprised when people, even those they value and respect, are suspicious. I think the volunteers should simply disregard this suspicion and painstakingly express their good intentions at every opportunity. Needless to say, their actions should consistently and strongly confirm their words.     

Decency of intention

Believers who only seek God’s pleasure should not pursue worldly ambitions while trying to establish peace, love, and mutual understanding among human beings. Even if these believers, who have fixed their eyes on God’s pleasure, cannot fully realize their plans of love and peace, they will be treated as the heroes of their intentions and rewarded accordingly by God. As the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, stated: “Deeds go by their intentions and everybody will be given what they intended.” Accordingly, in the hereafter, people will be rewarded only on the basis of the immensity and sincerity of their intentions. For example, a group of people might set forth with the intention of bringing peace to the entire world. They might do everything they can while conditions allow. However, there might come a time when obstacles appear on their path, and they might accomplish only one tenth of what they originally intended. Since their intention was to accomplish ten out of ten, God would reward them accordingly. However, to attain such a beautiful reward, the utmost sincerity is necessary. Even the smallest worldly expectation in return for one’s service might undermine such a reward. The thought, “I wonder if they will give me an administrative position in return for the services I have carried out,” should not ever cross one’s mind.

This does not mean that these people should not accept administrative positions they deserve and are eligible for. However, people who are devoted to service for the peace of humanity should not seek any positions for material gain. They should not hasten to accept even when they are offered a position such as a minister or the prime minister. They should rather first consider whether holding such a position will serve their ideals, and then decide accordingly. Otherwise, they will have contaminated their intentions and damaged the message they could offer, since they would lose credibility and trust in the hearts of people around them. In my opinion, people of service should see even the position of the world’s greatest conqueror as a demotion for themselves. Even such a glory is a drop in the ocean compared to the ideal of helping people rise to the level of true humanity. Therefore, they should strive to design and make the most out of their lives according to these standards.

Only through such a social contract can a society be balanced and promising, and can its members live in dignity and respect. A society of this caliber can offer the most convenient opportunities for the young to learn, and for the learned to share with others their innermost inspirations. In this kind of society, libraries will be packed with knowledge-seekers and learning will be the nature of its individuals; thoughts will reflect on prayers and prayers. Then the land will be a land of virtue, and its residents will overflow with felicity.

An individual whose society is under siege by antagonism all around and in a constant state of decay cannot live with dignity and honor. In such a society, knowledge cannot be taught or learned; the faithful cannot fulfill their duties towards the Creator. Individuals cannot flourish in this society, especially if these individuals live side by side with enemies they are not even aware of. They grow in the same cradle with these enemies, and their heart beats in their rhythm, but they cannot detect the difference.

Yes, our biggest concern is that the adversaries are already streaming through the veins of society, as if they were cancer cells, deteriorating society day by day. We fear that the members of this society are so numbed that they are being devoured slowly and they don’t feel anything. If a society’s foresight is tied and blinded, and if its enemies are sneaky and relentless, then the Trojan Horse is already inside; the castle is in great danger.

The invaders market and sell banal and cheap old thoughts as diamonds; clowns impersonate celebrities; and some narrow minded, miserable creatures are respected, as if they were apostles. In the meantime, the altruistic national spirit erodes and is washed away by the floods of northern icebergs.

If you would investigate all segments of that society, and all the institutions of the country, you would not find any sign of that spirit which belongs to you. You would not see the hunger for knowledge, the love for truth; you would not find sincerity and pureness, nor morality and ethical values. The body of the nation is vermiculated; knowledge is the work of jugglers, and educational institutions are circuses. There are methods in which (as if they search for truth) unbelief and immorality are taught to the next generations. Hearts are merciless; emotions are vulgar and inhumane; and eyes are without foresight and substance. It’s as if the crowds are suffering from depression, ignoring all the spiritual and moral foundations that could maintain a society; carnal pleasures are promoted.

In our day and age, the commodity (goods, love of goods) – which is a bulldozer that crushes the thoughts and emotions of the youth and obstructs them everywhere – has claimed to be the idol of the crowds. Technology which has not been tamed and aligned with the true essence of being human has become a plague. This plague has occupied our lives at the expense of selfless living for the community. It has obstructed lofty aims from flourishing.

For all these reasons, people need to pay more attention to their engulfed heart and ossified spirit, while the restoration of their physical body goes on.

Those whose vision is in the future, and who promise to raise that future on their shoulders, need to feel the responsibility of their work within their souls in every step they take. Only then will they show a real sincerity in their duties. The cause and thoughts of these sincere ones will not be tied up with circumstances and the reality of life; in contrast, circumstances will take form according to their convictions. They will prove their presence by revolting against a life that is spent for only worldly enjoyments, on the deprivation of real love and irresponsibility.

A society that evolves to this point with the guidance of masters and teachers is ready to renew itself and go into a renaissance. If we look hopeful, it is because this kind of new existence has shown its signs on our horizons, due only to our strong trust and confidence in the pure essence of being human and the grace of God.