By contrast, the opposing worldview reduces life entirely to corporeality, placing the body in dominion over human existence, enslaving us to carnal desires. Under the weight of this outlook, people’s feelings, thoughts, and spiritual capacities gradually wither away. Swept into the relentless vortex of carnality, the individual is reduced to a miserable creature whose chief concern is satisfying hunger and lust. Homes become little more than barns that shelter such lives, while societies resemble herds wandering in search of greener pastures.  

Within this materialistic outlook, the past and the future are dismissed as fairy tales. The afterlife and eternity are treated as mere fantasies, while spiritual joys are regarded as comforting illusions for the poor or the weak. Only the present moment is considered real, and life’s highest aim becomes extracting as much pleasure from it as possible by indulging bodily desires.  

Yet, we have inherited faith and determination from the past, and we look to the future when we think and act – and all of that whisper joys and beauties bigger than life. Within this faith and worldview, we discover the peace and fulfillment that the heart longs for but cannot find elsewhere. With every step we take, we experience a new reunion and witness another veil being lifted.  

In this luminous world, things that pour forth from the depths of the past and from the stream of wisdom of our forefathers are never lifeless memories or mere records confined to the pages of history. Nor is it ever a pipe dream that this ancient and noble tree of humanity will bear the fruits of a glorious future. Rather, all that we have inherited from our noble ancestors carries the echoes of their inner world, unfolding before us thousands of pages of lessons to be learned. Each serves as a torch that illuminates our tomorrows and a guide that teaches us how to prevail.   

It is thanks to this perspective that we live in hope of an enlightened future. For us, that future is the “lost paradise” for which we have long yearned; a paradise we seek to grasp with the arms of our faith, through our dreams and aspirations. It is in its heavens that we soar, it is the air we breathe, and it is there that we strive throughout our lives to find our place.  

We work hard, because ours is the fate of Prophet Adam. Our compulsory place of residence is the forlorn Serendip [1], not the joyous world prior to it. We are the victims of a materialistic world, yearning with all our might for the Gardens we did not appreciate enough and allowed to slip through our hands. After he reached for the forbidden fruit, Prophet Adam lost his home and found himself in much suffering and longing. Today, many are likewise deceived by forbidden fruits in the form of false fantasies and empty promises, falling from a noble status into a pitiful laughingstock.

For the sake of the home we lost yesterday and because of the longing and sorrow we endure today, the present generation is called to undertake the greatest acts of heroism and sacrifice, to render the greatest services with the deepest sense of love, and to rely on God while making use of the soundest means. In doing so, they will ascend once again to the lofty heights we have lost and attain the heavenly ideals they have long envisioned in their dreams.  

They should weave the timeless wisdom of the past into the fabric of the present, preserving its enduring truths while expressing them with the colors and patterns of today’s world. Otherwise, humanity’s longing will continue a while longer.  

With love and enthusiasm in their spirit, songs of eternity upon their tongues, the eyes of their hearts awakened to embrace both the wisdom of yesterday and the realities of today, these long-awaited heroes neither allow themselves to be swayed by worldly interests nor surrender to passions or challenges. As they move forward to reveal what is written in their destiny, they should be filled with such faith, love, and fervor that they inspire future generations with hope while leaving the forces of darkness in despair.

There are already many faithful generations around the world, building their blessed future with unwavering resolve. Delighting in the overwhelming beauty of God’s grace, they have no inclination toward the deceptions of temporal, corporeal desires, nor are they discouraged by the monsters that intercept their path at every turn. They continue their blessed ascent, their minds occupied with thoughts of the summit.  

These sincere souls grow stronger each day—more determined, more steadfast, and ever pressing forward. They feel their spirits taking on an eternal, angelic nature, and as they free themselves from corporeality, they never think of turning back from this enlightened state of being—they would consider such a retreat the greatest sin.

As they dash forward toward the heavenly lights and voices—or rather, toward the divine promises God has planted in their hearts—they will help us reclaim our past and restore the glorious days of a blissful age that now survive only as distant memories scattered here and there. Carried on the breezes of Heaven, they press on with joyful hope, enabling us to embrace the past and the future at once. No obstacle will hinder them. Without being held back by anything, they will advance with extraordinary agility, as though in a triumphal march, toward a world where life is happier and more harmonious. They are the ones who will usher in the sweetest of ages—ages too wondrous to be contained within our hearts, our dreams, or even our highest aspirations.

Note

1. According to tradition, Serendip is believed to be the place Adam, peace be upon him, descended on earth from the Garden of Eden. Serendip is the ancient name of Sri Lanka.

Alas, this is an age of noise and people try to communicate with the language of this age. Yes, today the world all over is groaning with the worst of sounds. Buses, trains, bulldozers, milling machines, boats, airplanes, radio and TV sets … all of these wonders of our civilization are not only harming our atmosphere but also our peace and calm. Not only that, but these devices have also made us act like them, too. Many of us speak without feeling, and our voices are as loud as these machines. People are shouting at each other as if everyone has gone deaf. We seem to be trying to suppress others with our voices. There is no respect to what others think or feel. Those who play with words to be louder are considered successful and rewarded. Whether what they say is of any use or not does not matter; it is fine as long as they make some noise and move the masses.  

Once upon a time, silence and calm were once our natural state of being, the usual climate. Many were not aware of that peace, that music of silence, just as now they cannot perceive the high-pitched clamor all around. Back then in that quiet climate, only the most natural of voices were heard and people would lend an ear as if they were listening to a poem or a song. This state had permeated the souls of people, who bathed in those natural sounds several times each day, to such an extent that there would never be noise pollution in their climate, and no one ever took kindly to screaming and shouting. Everywhere would be full to the brim with peace, and everyone would breathe quietude. Such a reverential and genteel serenity prevailed in their atmosphere that those stopping by and sipping one or two drops of silence never again thought of leaving.

The people back then were not yet acquainted with these wonders of civilization; they didn’t know anything at all about the unique features of these garrulous things. It was all quiet, and people were in perfect alignment with it. Everywhere they went, they sipped a silence as white as milk and received signs of quiet from everyone they called upon. The fortunate ones of that age who pursued a heavenly life free from all sorts of impropriety displayed such an articulate state of silence that the harmony of this quiet poem could on no account be ruined by any external noise that might occur in their surroundings, even if rarely.

These people spoke, too, only when they had to use words and statements to unpack the meanings seeping from their spiritual states, to explain obscure feelings, and to clarify truths hidden to those without eyes. They would not open their mouths often; when they did, they would lay out and present the lace they wove during their states of silence and offer jewels of wisdom from the crystals of silence to those listening to them.

In this pristine atmosphere, there was neither an evil spark piercing that refulgent air, nor a rusty sound or an unseemly noise that could be heard. Even if occasionally a voice or sound completely foreign to that climate ruptured this air, those people and their enchanting atmosphere would immediately change, as though being magically renewed, returning to its previous form and continuing to emanate anew. With the silent speeches they expressed with the language of their hearts, they enraptured all the spirits they were able to reach like the angelic inspirations pouring forth from the firmaments. Those who had the honor of acquaintance with them would not say, “I have heard, listened, read, learned, and believed.” Instead, they would say, “I have seen, felt, been mesmerized, and I have become.” It was by virtue of this superiority, which was contingent upon their state and profundity of heart, that everyone easily understood what they meant, whether their language was known or not, and became entranced along with them. They were already closely connected with the community; but even when they are secluded in a corner for introspection, they still continue to pour embers into people’s hearts to enlighten them, and their voice is heard in their soul as resounding as the sur, the Trumpet of Resurrection. The silence of these purest of people in constant connection with God was like a command, as it were, for the motivation of people experiencing reticence of the heart and spirit. When they poured forth the hidden treasures in their hearts by means of their manner and conduct, in exchange for the quietening of a single tongue, many tongues would become untangled at that moment, hearts unprejudiced and receptive would harken and a stupendous rapture would begin to effervesce in every direction. Their silence was such a profound music enthusing spirits that it swept everyone tasting that atmosphere before it, led them in whatever direction it wanted, allowed them to hear melodies that could not be heard from anyone else, and enabled them to experience surprises yet unnamed. Those around them would take away a great many things from their silent address, journey through the boundless horizons of different meanings, concepts and implications not constrained by verbal expressions, and would feel a depth in proportion to their hearts.

Among those silent ones were individuals whose gaze radiated light, whose faces carried flowing meanings, and whose manner held an enchanted depth—such that anyone who perceived these would be immediately captivated and would never wish to leave them. Those nourished by this silent poetry perceived everything differently, through the lens of faithful thought and a believer’s reasoning, and reached a deeper joy in contemplation.

Personally, there have been some of those great silent ones who left a mark on my life, but it is difficult for me to claim that I have truly come to really “know” them, thus I could not duly benefit from them. I must confess, nonetheless, that despite all my incapacity as a receiver, whilst in their atmosphere I witnessed and felt such mysterious things, n a manner sometimes hazy, sometimes indistinct, but always enchanting, and pouring into my spirit like drops of dew, that I still shudder at each recollection of them even after all the years that have passed. They spoke but without letters or words, without sound or speech, and I was so enraptured that as I remember those radiant faces even today, my eyes well with tears, and melodies from those silent ones begin to resound in my spirit. And I start pushing the boundaries of my natural capacity to go beyond what I am and delve into the dreams of what I can be.

Today’s person is unusually weary, uneasy, anxious about tomorrow, and doubled over with the panic that unexpected surprises may erupt at any moment. Surely, there is the enormous influence of certain pessimism-mongers and some media outlets spewing pitch-black ideas day after day—if those can even be called ideas—as instruments of gloom and hopelessness. Perhaps they are the actual cause of this pitch-dark picture; for whenever they open their mouths, they only mutter anger, spite, hatred, and rage. While they mutter, it is as if the cellars of their subconscious have burst open and everything inside spills everywhere, pumping new omens of misfortune into the people’s spirit each day. Without ever changing their attitude, without distinguishing right from wrong, without considering what this costs the people, the same things are repeated daily with a fixed logic of resentment and ambition. Moreover, by portraying some segments of society as if they were potential criminals in the eyes of others, an atmosphere of conflict is persistently engineered between them; even worse, everything is pushed into dead ends so that the state appears helpless, thus opening the door for certain anti-democratic formations and extending an invitation to them.

In such an unstable climate, it is not only emotional individuals—whose reason and judgment often buckle under the weight of their feelings or brute force—but even people with a measure of common sense who occasionally fail to abide by reason, logic, or sound judgment. Whether due to the tension saturating the public atmosphere or the influence and power some hold, troubles and unrest can swell further—or be made to appear as though they have swelled. At times, the longing of helpless masses for a new world contributes to this, intensifying the sense of turmoil. As a result, nearly every segment of society is driven to search for alternatives. It should not be difficult to imagine what crowds mired in such chaos might do—or be made to do.

The warm atmosphere of Ramadan

Fortunately, in a time when intertwined crises are being experienced on all sides, we once more find ourselves in the warm atmosphere of Ramadan. While everyone stumbles their way through dusty, smoky paths, we feel as though we are enveloped in a paradisiacal clime, and by becoming thoroughly spiritual, we sense our souls reaching a “cool and peaceful” safety deep within.

Indeed, in these days—when some people darken time and space in the most merciless way and turn everything into a kind of hell—if we can raise our heads and look with the eye of faith, we will feel that divine mercy, which never abandons us, flows into our hearts once more through the enchanting proclamation of the crescent in the sky, the magical expression of mosques and minarets, and through the mysterious tongue of the luminous messages they display. In this way, our spirits are lifted into the spacious climate of spirituality, and we respond to our fortune with smiles. In fact, such a gentle leaning of the heart toward eternity begins as soon as the three blessed months (Rajab, Shaban, and Ramadan) appear on the horizon; each day and each night until Ramadan emerges carries a preparatory tone, and when the time comes, they assume a quality that pours light and serenity into people’s hearts. Ramadan is the final link in this three-month journey with Khidr, the clearest horizon of closeness to God, and the most open vantage point from which the conscience beholds the beyond. Ramadan is a month of favors and compliments, when all the beauties of existence pour more clearly into the hearts of believers, and when the refinement, finesse, and luminosity in their spirits find full expression. Indeed, its lively and vibrant state is like an echo of the heavenly realm’s attention toward us.

Paradise on the other side of Ramadan

People with believing hearts who witness Ramadan often find themselves in such a love and excitement, as if responding to celestial voices rising pitch by pitch in the depths of the heavens. They enjoy the best of melodies of spiritual delights, each according to the depth of their faith, knowledge of God, and love. During the self-expression of the believers’ hearts—the most natural instruments of Ramadan’s tune—their heartfelt sounds and otherworldly delights, which embrace their entire being with a different overtone every moment, assume such qualities—particularly during the night hours—that every soul fortunate enough to achieve complete concentration cannot help but murmur: “Is Paradise on the other side of Ramadan?” They almost sense it as a haven of reunion with the Almighty.

Especially during the pre-dawn meal, the calls to prayer and praises for God give their own hue to this general atmosphere. They allow hearts to sip otherworldly states in those deep minutes, revealing many surprises and wonders—though everyone may not be able to perceive this depth.

While the proclamations of God’s greatness, of faith, and of praise overflow from the minarets into our homes; children scurrying here and there in the bustle of the pre-dawn meal, young men and women whose bearing reflects a youth spent in sincerity, discipline, and devotion, and elders whose faces and eyes bear the dignity of belief like monuments of awe—all of them, resembling different instruments of a single choir, each unique yet sharing a common rhythm and tone of excitement—all of them, with their sincere state in which the eye of the heart is turned toward the realm beyond mundane phenomena, appear so deep, so full of meaning, and so heartfelt that their general manner brings to mind people racing to behold the Divine Beauty on the slopes of Paradise.

Seamless pieces of light

There is no other span of time in the world so enchanting, colorful, and profound as the days of Ramadan. With each arrival, it comes in a new manner and with new richness. It comes, and within its wholeness, it divides into its own segments of varying colors. Its pre-dawns are always mantled in an indigo tulle from the depths of the heavens… its morning calls to prayer and the prayers observed become suffused with a unique enchantment not found at other times… its days, like mysterious corridors of intertwined hopes and expectations, draw those who fast into a feeling of reunion… Through the delights of the palate, the moments of breaking the fast always ring a bell of the final reunion deep within… The tarawih prayers let our souls feel the festive anticipation of meeting with the Friend… and Ramadan, with its seamless pieces of light and color, constantly whispers distinct things into our feelings.

In complete unity, it pours onto the slopes of our hearts with the dazzling colors of the beyond, always making us sense wonders that lie beyond time and space; and often we feel as though we are walking through a magical realm outside this world. So much so that throughout every hour of the day and everywhere we walk, we feel a shower of divine blessings descending upon our spirits; and like bees that dive into flowers and strive to drink their essence—savoring a new delight each time—we experience the fullness of a fresh inspiration and abundance at every moment, sharing a different delight each time.

Thus, those characteristic breezes of Ramadan never entirely cease at any hour; they continue unbroken… and within hearts that have assumed the hue of Ramadan, alongside the eternal honoring and special divine compliments, countless images begin to materialize—about so many things: from the shared excitement felt in our homes, streets, mosques, schools, and barracks, to the scenes that deepen in our imaginations and become legend-like; from the feelings shaped by our faith and convictions to the careful interpretations of our reason. These images come into view and envelop our souls. They stir our emotions and desires to a new pleasure at every moment and pour into our hearts as a distinct delight.

Time filled with successive heavenly feasts

Hearts that have assumed the hue of Ramadan sometimes directly experience these bestowed meanings, and sometimes they sense them in the emotions or faces of others… And sometimes—because of an inner dullness—some neither hear nor savor those blessed hours and minutes, which long to converse with them, to recite poetry to them, and to pour melodies into them. And thus, a span of time filled with successive heavenly feasts keeps flowing by like a river, yet cannot find the chance to express itself even to the degree of a single drop.

Since it is the human mind that understands Ramadan, the human conscience that senses it, and the human heart that tastes it, just as we need eyes, ears, reason, and judgment to perceive and evaluate the existence, we likewise need—crucially need—reason, consciousness, the activation of the heart, and keeping it vigilant in order to sense and savor Ramadan.

Note that most times, we enter and exit the brightest days and live through the most colorful hours repeatedly, yet do not even notice them. And sometimes, thanks to having good concentration—we taste moments that are not outwardly so bright or colorful with such delight that we feel as though we are in the gardens of Paradise, drinking from its fountains.

Above all, for these spiritual beauties to reach our hearts and become a source of delight, our inner perspective and orientation must be well attuned. If this can be done, Ramadan suddenly transforms and pervades us so deeply that we feel our world of emotions continuously blooming, and we find ourselves in an atmosphere overflowing with meanings and feelings.

Everything around us suddenly gains a tongue, and like an orator, each of them delivers unheard sermons into our souls and utters words never spoken before: the pre-dawn times and deeds, calls to prayer and the worship, minarets and the luminous messages hung between them, streets and their lamps, sounds of the Qur’an rising everywhere, the melodious recitations of memorizers, the breaths of the imam and faces of the congregation, the cries of children and the composure of the elderly… what truths they whisper into our spirits! Thus, they lay out such feasts for our spirits through their declarations without letters or words.

With feelings and meanings of utter surprise, almost every Ramadan pours upon our hearts—whose desires are as vast as universes and whose aspirations are as expansive as eternity. Like earth quickened with rain, it revives our spirits, promises a fresh resurrection to our feelings after their moments of death, makes our consciences more responsive, and it flows into us by turning into delight. It flows with such force that it makes us forget all our grief and sorrow, and we see it as though it were woven from poetry, emotion, and intertwined dreams. We feel liberated from the apprehension of seeking another source for deepening, and we share the delight of freedom our souls attain by worshipping the Almighty. We echo the words of Rumi, “I have become a servant, I have become a servant; I have found true freedom within captivity to God,” and we let out cries of joy.

Ramadan arrives almost every time so full of brightness that even those irretrievably enslaved to their carnal soul, whose inner worlds are layered with darkness, most definitely still sense something within its atmosphere. They begin to voice unexpected feelings, sensing that their inner world has entered new states. Even though some with heedless hearts continue to doze, carefree souls keep living unrestrained, deadened consciences collapse under the contempt born of familiarity, Ramadan will still flow quietly into our inner world with its tones of light, color, and sound. It will unlock even the rustiest of locks with its calls to prayer, pre-dawn meals, fast-breaking dinners, and its tarawih prayers; it will certainly speak to even to the hardest of hearts. Indeed it will, for Ramadan carries the power and luminosity to convey such truths, and the human soul possesses the nature and capacity to receive them and give them voice.

For years, society has been experiencing a constant deviation of thought and an impropriety that has become more widespread every day, dominating almost all feelings and thoughts. Statements are exceedingly shameless, expressions overly aggressive, behaviors as mean as can be, demeanors utterly torn, and the feelings and reasoning that form the basis of this disorder as dark as what one would expect from scorpions. What are you supposed to listen to, whom can you trust, and which idea can you rely on? In this arena of quarrelsome souls—always fixated on criticism and destruction—even the most innocent thoughts and the most favorable plans and projects are sometimes chewed up between the merciless teeth of conflict and collapse, and the most sacred values are continually trampled underfoot.

What are the reasons that have caused people to lose altitude to this degree in terms of human values? What are the reasons that make us ready to prey on one another? If some are hoping to get anywhere with such impropriety, they are gravely mistaken; and if anyone is foolish enough to think that some lofty ideals can be realized this way, that too is sheer self-deception. Yet, how bitter it is that, for years, we have been through a succession of delusions and continued to make mistakes no one would have imagined. Moreover, we have compounded these mistakes by presenting what we do as great global achievements. So much so that claims of becoming a model for the world, reshaping the globe, or at the very least setting our own house in order, have become common fantasies of this period. But here we are: on one side stand broad-sweeping boasts, and on the other, a society worn down and caught in the grip of unrest.

Actually, amid such disorder, it is neither possible to improve the world’s map of thought, nor to turn our own society’s decline into advancement, nor to open new horizons for our people. In my view, from the thoughts of those depressed circles—each little more than delirium and convulsion—nothing will emerge other than chaos. One thing, however, is certain: this cannot give rise to any renewal. In fact, given that what has happened so far is an unmistakable indication of what is yet to come, it would be pointless to say much more on such a matter.

I do not claim to be analyzing a brand-new topic here; this matter has already been discussed many times in various circles and passed through the filters of diagnosis and assessment repeatedly. It has engaged the attention of many with bright intellects and powerful pens and has been examined through comprehensive surveys. It has been brought to the table on different occasions and discussed from different angles. However, none of these efforts have yielded favorable results to the expected degree—they have not. Even now, many people continue to squander their precious thoughts and intellect for acts of impropriety. They allow their knowledge, culture, courage, and logic to trail behind their emotions, and they nearly spend their lives in a constant struggle against human values.

While such individuals are already deficient in thought, empty in heart and spirituality, deeply inconsistent in reasoning, and devoid of wisdom and true knowledge, if they also possess additional vices—such as deceitfulness, ignobility, fame-seeking, and a weakness for position, status, and gain—it becomes impossible for them to follow any other course. Indeed, far from choosing a different path, people driven by unquenchable thirst and insatiable greed will persistently pursue the targets on which they are fixated, constantly seeking to satisfy this bodily hunger and thirst. Even if they occasionally rejoice in what they manage to achieve, more often than not they will writhe in regret over the opportunities they have missed. As they extinguish, one by one, the lofty sentiments of their souls—each a matchless gift bestowed upon humanity—they will continue drifting through the valleys of carnality.

Indeed, individuals who have lost their human logic and judgment to this degree—who have forfeited their conscience and the divine gifts tied to it, and who are impoverished in heart and thought— can in no way contribute to elevating the world or making it more livable, nor to the happiness of humanity; nor can they offer any benefit to their nations, let alone lead them toward new horizons. They cannot, because such people have never been able to sense their own inner depths or grasp the purpose of their existence. Furthermore, they have forgotten how to love, neglected respect, regarded virtue as a mere fantasy, and continually dreamed only of what they would gain, how they would gain it, from whom they would take it, and by which means they would ascend to the peak of prosperity. Even if, by some chance, they were to form an intention to do good, they would inevitably end up causing harm. For it has never been seen—except in the rarest of cases—that anything pure emerge from sullied souls and polluted dispositions.

Though humanity experienced deviations of thought and shifts of spirit many times before; the issue has never become a social calamity to this extent. This is because today’s human being often directs all intellectual power and reasoning toward serving the carnal self and its desires, while waging an unyielding war against truth and right guidance. Moreover, this is done with the conviction that their intellect and knowledge are sufficient for everything—and can suffice for anything.

In truth, I am not of the opinion that people today are more intelligent or more reasonable than those of the past. In a way, I even think that the so-called champions of intelligence and geniuses of reasoning in our age, when measured against earlier generations, display a thinner depth of thought and a narrower range of intellectual seriousness. Despite all the advantages promised by modern technology and scientific advances, the people of earlier generations—who did not possess even a tenth of today’s resources—were perhaps more capable, more competent, and more consistent.

Within their respective paths of thought and action—whether good or bad—each of these figures was of greater caliber and prominence in their own time. (This comparison is not meant to honor wrongdoing or tyranny, but to illustrate the depth, consistency, and clarity—however misdirected—of earlier forms of thought when set against the confusion of the present age.) Presumably, Cain was a more capable murderer than his modern counterparts; Nimrod, a more dignified despot; Korah, a bolder and more enterprising capitalist; Pharaoh, a more balanced bigot; Socrates, a more disciplined thinker; Leonardo, a deeper and more visionary artist; Shakespeare, a more imaginative and compelling author; Goethe, a more eminent observer of the human condition; Nietzsche, a more daring rebel; and Sartre, a more unreserved and uncompromising analyst of the self.

Yet today, neither the intellectuals who consider themselves completely free from superstition nor those devoted to spirituality and meaning, who believe they have grasped religion and metaphysics in all their depth, have achieved any success remotely comparable to that of their predecessors—despite all the modern means at their disposal. More than mere lack of success, both groups – the materialists whose reasoning is reduced to what their eyes can see and who seek everything within the material world, and the spiritualists who view themselves as tasked with reducing everything to abstract meaning, prove to be strikingly shallow in judgment, exceedingly indecisive in resolve and willpower, far behind those of earlier civilizations in regard for human values, and are exceedingly capricious in their whims and desires.

Each morning, they fall captive to one current, and each evening they become enamored of another sentiment; thus, always in flux, perpetually unstable. At times, they are atheistic and nihilistic; at other times capitalistic and liberal. Sometimes they are meek, bent double before powers they cannot overcome; at other times unruly and rebellious. Yet, in all cases, they remain unbalanced and without direction. It is therefore inevitable that such people will, at any moment, be swept away by a different tide and dragged into the unknown, or be crushed beneath the weight of some error. And no one will be able to save these unfortunate souls, scattered and reduced to nothing like autumn leaves blown by the winds of their dark fortune.

Presumably, those who can perceive this social derailment—perhaps better described as a kind of societal paranoia— with its looming future ramifications must have already begun to tremble at the thought. Yet no matter how much one trembles, the ideas put forward in the name of remedy and solution always circle back to doctrines like socialism, capitalism, and liberalism. Until the true center of the dysfunction and the real causes of these deviations are identified, I believe we will continue to revolve within this vicious circle, and society will never truly escape crisis.

Indeed, as society frees itself from political turmoil, it will drift into economic crises; as it overcomes military impasses, it will be dragged into administrative chaos. Within these suffocating “vicious cycles” that continually consume us, society will perish and crumble. If, in the coming days, actions continue to proceed with this same reasoning—or rather, this lack of reasoning—we will not make the slightest progress. Panels and conferences will inevitably return to the familiar dichotomy of “individual” and “state.” Debates on what to choose, a libertarian order or a statist system, a capitalist structure or a socialist administration, will never be surpassed. And afterward will come endless dialectics, endless logical games, until we finally see that we are merely tracing circles around our own egotism with so many years lost and possibilities wasted.

If you wish, let us now try to present some of the matters that humanity, over the past few centuries, ought to have addressed but, for various reasons, has failed to accomplish.

Despite numerous attempts at renewal over the past one or two centuries, societies have struggled to establish coherent moral systems rooted in their own cultural foundations and have been unable to develop and systematize sound metaphysical frameworks. They have not produced artistic visions capable of reflecting the inner world in relation to God, the universe, and the human being; nor have they succeeded in developing models of education and moral formation aligned with the deeper roots of their spiritual heritage.

At the heart of nearly every moral system lie three essential elements: sound belief, a well-established sense of freedom, and a deeply rooted sense of responsibility. All of these are closely connected to metaphysical thought. In a society where belief is rejected, individuals are deprived of their sense of freedom, and where responsibility is stripped from the heart, it becomes impossible to speak meaningfully about metaphysics. And without metaphysics, morality itself cannot survive.

When societies fail to develop a coherent metaphysical framework, and when individuals cannot shape their inner identity in light of deeper meaning, the result is inevitable. Over time, they lose their spiritual vitality and guiding beliefs, and eventually they struggle even to sustain their moral and cultural continuity.

Yet we ourselves have dried up the once-abundant sources of life that nourished us throughout history, and having done so, we turned almost entirely to reliance on borrowed ideas. So much so that the strange notion of nationalism we brought from all corners of the world and tried to impose on everyone, along with peculiar philosophies of life and distorted understandings of art that wound the spirit, have confused our collective memory. By extinguishing our own torches that had been shining for thousands of years, we surrendered to darkness, much like bats retreating from the light.

Now, what we need is not this or that person, nor this or that philosophy, but a vital prescription that can restore our lost spirit—one that will rescue us from the whirlpools of uncertainty and guide us toward a renewed love of truth, a renewed understanding of science, and a deeper mode of thought, all within the framework of our own moral foundations, understanding, and inherited wisdom. This prescription is drawn from metaphysical reflections distilled from centuries of lived experience, an otherworldly-oriented philosophy of life, and a voice grounded in Prophethood that speaks to the reality of God, the universe, and the human being. I believe that until we reclaim these lost values, it will not be possible for us to find our own style, determine our true position, or free ourselves from deviations of thought.

It is evident that those who do not share the values we have inherited from the past, or who do not draw upon the same sources as we do, are unlikely to understand our afflictions. What is more, they probably find the way we generally behave puzzling. For there exists a discrepancy between perspectives: those who view the present and the future solely through a materialistic lens and who engage with life only in terms of its physical aspects cannot experience anything beyond the fleeting and superficial pleasures of the body. According to this same distorted perspective, anything not connected to the material or physical realm is deemed insignificant. Neither the past nor the future holds any meaning. The past and the future are merely refuges in which those who have lost the present can take shelter. What such people consider essential is the present; they see the rest as being a waste of time. Truly, these people, imprisoned within such a narrow perspective, are not likely to understand such statements as, “Were you to know what I know, you would seldom laugh, and often weep” [1]. Nonetheless, the Sultan of the Words, the Prophet who uttered this hadith, knew well what he was crying over, just as those mature spirits, satisfied only with faith, divine knowledge and love, and equipped with their armament for eternity, also understand why they weep and what they seek. There are many reasons for such people to cry.

Alongside questions of faith and finding peace—a concern shared by all—and the danger of being engulfed in disbelief, there exists a multitude of issues that demand resolution: social, economic, political, and cultural. There are injustices that lie at the root of society’s unrest. There are rights that must be reconsidered and reestablished in light of human values and the principles of fairness and conscience. There are our hopes and ideals oriented in eternity, and opposing these stand obstacles to democratic rights, along with the propaganda of power. In many matters, emotions still dominate reason, and orders are given in accordance with the recklessness of power. In many parts of the world, human mistakes and shortcomings are still swept away with blood and tears. Masses are forced to Paradise, or roughly pushed toward Hell, their willpower and opinions disregarded. New camps are being formed every day, each team fighting for their worldview or what they believe to be true; every ideology is depicting a lifestyle befitting their principles. Furthermore, people are forced to fit into this narrow portrait and to live accordingly. Throughout the world, in hundreds of places, the consciousness of individuals are still being crushed, the will of the community is still being ignored, and the eyes of the conscience are being blinded.

By contrast, the shortest way to relieve people’s pains and to rid them of personal and social repression is to cease interfering with their consciences and to show them how to exist with their own awareness and will. Indeed, it is only when the mechanism of the conscience remains alive, and when willpower and awareness are respected within society, that people can remain truly human and be directed toward human values. Individuals can only be regarded as true citizens when they exist with their own conscience and willpower, thus growing mature enough to help others spiritually. Otherwise, society is inescapably inflicted with various social, political, administrative, and economic problems. A community that is made up of inadequate, inconsistent or patched together pieces cannot be called a nation. Likewise, a mass that appears to be a nation, yet which has deteriorated beyond recovery cannot promise a bright future. If we want salvation as a whole society, it is essential that each and every individual be alert and motivated. The star of our society’s good fortune  will rise in a surprisingly comforting manner if we join together, shoulder to shoulder, with our palms raised to the sky, pleading for the salvation of others.

The essence of the fundamentals that lead us to this desired level lies in being fully aware of the faith with all its peculiar depths, in enduring pain and effort in our worship, in upholding morality in all our actions, in achieving spiritual, conscious, and emotional renewal, and in measuring everything by the righteousness of the heart. Enlightened with these, we will transcend the limits of individuality, make demands in accordance with these principles, and be aware of the things that we demand as well. By taking one step further, we will be able to connect everything to eternity and measure all things by the highest standards. Thus, sharing in all the advantages of humanity, we will be able to voice once again our eligibility to be “in the most perfect form and nature” [2] as the humans we are. I believe that those blessed ones who understand this pivotal point will not only attempt to lead others to the straight path but will also guarantee their own future.

I feel obliged to restate that individual efforts toward enlightenment, if not directed toward serving the community, are destined to yield no lasting fruit. Moreover, without such a shared orientation, the values once destroyed in hearts, in society, and in the collective conscience cannot be revived. Just as plans and projects for individual salvation that are independent of the salvation of others are nothing more than an illusion, so, too, the thought of achieving success as a whole by paralyzing the individual awakening is a fantasy.

In this light, we believe that while each person has their own will and responsibility, it is only by joining hands, uniting our consciences and willpower, that we can solve all problems through collective effort. With this kind of attitude, we hope to retain, and even to increase, the fruitfulness of our individual lives while presenting to others the elixir of life, and, therefore steadily augmenting our material and spiritual value. To us, the more altruistic a plan or an attempt is, and the more often it is directed toward the good of others, the more consistent and promising it is. This is true because what keeps a person alive is the goal of lifting others up. The converse of this is that it is self-centered ambition that kills or paralyzes human beings. Those who waste their lives in pursuit of such ambitions are sooner or later corrupted, although they are not necessarily involved in dirty politics. Those who sustain their own lives by inspiring the awakening of others walk securely, offering the elixir of life in places where others are blown about like leaves. Such are the people destined for true contentment in this marathon that spans both this world and the next.

The camaraderie of the politician who seems to have accepted the existence and right to life of others just because they serve his or her personal interests can never be trusted, nor can anyone be safe when such politicians are antagonized. What such people think of all the time is their own personal interests. This is why they flatter and even submit themselves to the whims of other people. Such people crush, if need be, those they can afford to, and those whom they need are ceaselessly plotted against. When in power, these tyrants are ruthless; yet, when weak, they begin to cringe and fawn. Because they are consistently insincere, they are mostly beaten by their own tricks, preparing their own evil and wicked end. They make themselves believe that they are tricking and deceiving everybody, and that they are doing the right thing. These poor politicians, however, have placed themselves in a strange position, destroying their reputations for the sake of their careers. Such a deceptive intelligence, witnessed in some people, is a very serious disorder and is an incurable psychological illness. People of this kind are good for nothing and do not provide any service to others, but they might obtain some advantage with cunning behavior and relations with others. Nevertheless, this neither earns them a good reputation nor advances their career, and they ultimately resort to servility and sycophancy.

On the other hand, what lies at the root of the behavior of people of service is a long period of preparation and spiritual struggle, followed by an appeal to mercy grounded in the conscience and directed toward the pursuit of truth. This appeal almost always lies beyond individual responsibility, transcending the limits of the awareness of social responsibility with a depth of sincerity, and is a task fitting to a person of heart. People of heart are the leaders in each and every charitable act, reflecting their own style in their works, and they are open and honest in all their deeds. No matter how relentless and merciless the circumstances may be, such people are determined not to be diverted from their routes and, relying on their own foundations, they do not become disturbed. With their inner and outer feelings, they are programmed to “see” and “hear” the Truth, to know and to be with the Truth. They are people of this world and the next, and each of their contact with others becomes a worldliness allowing a point of observation of the zeniths of the Hereafter. Moreover, the life that such people lead, with all its variants, is clear and boundless enough for them to enjoy a glimpse of the quiet of an otherworldly harbor. Indeed, these purest of pure hearts have already achieved the blissful result that others can only dream of reaching after millions and millions of years of toil. They are considered to have reached the company of God and to have sat down with the dwellers of the highest rank, knee to knee, shoulder to shoulder, proving that such people are the eternal winners. Always sincere and profound, these people of heart constantly seek grand projects and summits. They think of mercy, speak of mercy, and seek ways to express themselves through mercy. They endeavor so heartily in the name of conducting everyone, without discrimination, to the infinite bliss that they sacrifice the pleasures of the future world and spiritual power, not to mention materialistic interests and desire for position. They display in their spiritual position and in their relationships with others a spiritual attitude that reflects the fact that they are in the presence of the Supreme Power. And where others die, they realize successive revitalizations.

Over and above the maxim “Desire not for others what you do not desire for yourself,” such people ceaselessly work harder for others so that others will benefit from what these people of heart have already found useful. With the boundlessness of the horizon of such people, they are able to revive the feeling of mercy even in the hearts of tyrants. At the same time, they believe that being with the oppressed is the same as being with God, and thus support them.

Living for others is the most important factor that determines the behavior of such heroes. Their greatest worry is their quest for eligibility for such missions, whereas their most prevalent characteristic is that their utmost ambition is their search for God’s pleasure. Delighted as they strive to enlighten others, they feel no pain, nor do they undergo any shock. They consider their achievements that as a manifestation of God’s support, and bow in modesty, nullifying themselves again and again, every day. In addition to all this, they tremble at the idea that their emotions are bound to interfere with the works that they have caused to come into existence, and groan; “You are all I need.”

For ages we have waited impatiently for such blessed hands to transform what can be depicted as “the devastated lands, ruined homes, and remote deserts” into a new realm. And we are determined to wait for many more years with faith, desire, and resoluteness. May the expectation of these pure, compassionate hearts for this Infinite Mercy, not go unanswered.

Notes

• Bukhari, Kusuf, 2; Muslim, Kusuf, 1; Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 9; Ibn Maja, Zuhd, 19.
• We have indeed created man in the most perfect form and nature. (at-Tin 95:4)

When we thought we were headed towards days of light and filled with hope, all of a sudden, cries of darkness began to be heard here and there. “Are we turning back to the olden days of conflict?” – we chilled with the possibility.

By contrast, how enchanting those words once sounded: “Respect for humanity,” “love for everyone and everything,” “compassion toward the whole world.” We took so much pleasure in these words. Loving them, we walked calmly and with confidence toward the future, without even pausing to think of the obstacles that would arise along the way. Then, out of nowhere, the demons of resentment, hostility, and anger emerged before us.

With the pitch-dark thoughts they scattered, they dimmed the horizons, tore down bridges, and made the roads impassable. At times, they appeared as if they were envoys of light, yet played games of the dark; at other times, they revealed their true bleak colors and declared war against enlightened ideas. They did not hesitate to defame even the most sincere and charitable thoughts and efforts. Whether acting as mere extras in the drama of darkness or masquerading as bearers of light, they remained dark all the same. Regardless, they were splurging on the performance of Satan and fanning the flames of dissension.

For quite some time, many of us have abandoned everything of value and turned instead toward destroying the bonds of brotherhood and friendship. We became so blind we did not realize we were destroying ourselves. Furthermore, we directed all our emotions and thoughts towards enmity. This became a part of our lives. Despite yearning for brotherhood and friendship, we constantly breathed hostility. But despite this desperation, we were unable to change. If only we had!

Had we been able to establish such brotherhood and friendship, we would have leapt over the mountain-sized problems now before us and perhaps made our voices heard all the way to the stars. But we could not – or rather we were prevented from doing so. Different groups were made into enemies, clashing constantly, opposing nearly every person and every idea, thus turning themselves into victims of the age. Today, some of us react against everyone and everything, branding whoever thinks differently. We fail to consider that if such behavior continues, we will soon be all alone, captives of our own desperation, slowly turning the possible gardens of the future into dungeons of hell.

Despite all this, we still have countless reasons and motivations to form the foundation of our hopes. What happens with some of us, however, is that reason and judgment fall captive to emotions. Thus, they live in constant inner contradictions and continually stumble into crises at the very core of their fundamental ideas.

Indeed, when thoughts and actions are programmed to destroy one another, such groups cannot constitute a sound nation, even if they are from the same homeland. They live and die as captives, entangled in the web of conflicts and falling apart.

I wonder: is it not time for us to seriously question ourselves and our motives? If this insensitivity continues – may God forbid – we may find ourselves trapped beneath the ruins of our self-destruction. The mere possibility of this should make us tremble with fear and encourage us to embrace one another. As a society, our primary, most significant virtue, is the respect we show one another. Our greatest source of power is the solidarity we build across our hearts, emotions, consciousness, and willpower. At its core, all of this rests upon accepting one another as we are. And yet, while we extend messages of friendship to the whole world, we withhold even a fraction of that friendship from our own people. Why is that?

I agree that we should display friendship and kindness to all; but prior to this, is it not our duty to eliminate the resentment, hostility, and enmity we harbor towards one another? These hateful feelings are a disgrace, whether the person harboring them is a religious leader, scientist, scholar or an executive. Indeed, such individuals are lessened both in the eyes of God and in the eyes of the nation. What could have been a great achievement ends in failure.

Respect for humankind is a necessity of being human. Loving people is a requirement of God’s good pleasure and is of benefit to society. Those who act disrespectfully only reveal their own lack of character and humanity. Those who despise others reveal the true identity of their consciences. Those of superior character are always modest and humble. This serenity of spirit infects those around them. In their eyes, there is nothing more valuable than love and respect… they would choose to love and be loved, rather than ruling the universe. These are individuals who base their own lives upon the happiness and prosperity of others. They exist to serve others and strive to live on the path of the great Prophets.

Harboring kind thoughts and aspiring to goodness for everyone is a decree of God. They believe that this kindness will be rewarded in the hereafter. Although these individuals may not be pursuing such a reward, for every good deed, they obtain the reward of ten deeds. Those who succumb to resentment, abhorrence, and hostility are continuously undermining their own humanistic values and destroying their position in the hearts of others. Continuing to live in the grip of evil emotions and ambitions is nothing but self-torture and immorality. Recognizing the good in everyone and embracing all is evidence of high stature and heroism, for to bring under control one’s resentment, anger, and selfish desires is nothing less than a heroic act. Such heroes free themselves from the humiliation of being slaves to their egos and laborers for Satan. Instead, they rise as honorable servants of God and become masters of their own inner worlds.

As a society, for a long time now, we have been slaves to our desires and carnal soul. Many of us act upon Satan’s provocation, causing us to feel offended by everyone. Whether we are conscious of this behavior or not, we betray our human values and throw our inner worlds into turmoil. Our hearts, which are the pavilions of love and affection, have been overwhelmed by the emotions of evil. Our souls have been commandeered by abhorrence and hostility. We are no longer capable of loving, embracing, or tolerating one another. Our pavilions resemble owls which dwell in rundown structures; we practically enjoy destruction and the sight of ruins. We attack everyone and everything, and with a massive sense of ambition, we constantly pursue destruction. We are disrespectful to God, to people, and to our fellow men. We commit unforgiveable sins. What is more, we even expect praise for the evil things we do.

Every new day sees the sun rise on yet more oppression, aggression, and injustice. The nights pass in total darkness. It’s almost as if we are determined to be a society of sin. Our humanity is overshadowed by our egoistic desires. Our emotions dominate our logic and judgment. Our hostility overwhelms love and tolerance. We condemn so many with our preconceptions. Who will we hurt or abuse next? We are caught in a state of perpetual insanity. We crave oppression and are not ashamed of abusing others or by continuously committing sin.

There are so many sins for which we must repent! The sin of defying God; the sin of resentment and hostility towards others; the sin of disrespecting different opinions; the sin of sowing the seeds of controversy and division; the sin of seeing and thinking nothing but doubt and gloom; the sin of considering ourselves as innocent and all those around us as criminals; the sin of destroying our own humanistic values; and so many more… Now must be the time to repent.

Let us view the days of light on our horizon as an opportunity for forgiveness and to purify ourselves. From this moment on, we should make every attempt to respect others, to guard our humanistic values, and to accept everyone for who they are. Let’s bury the past with all its dismal perspectives and not make yesterday’s mistakes cause for today’s conflicts. We must underline the importance of solidarity and brotherhood at every possible opportunity.

If humane values still beat in our hearts, even faintly, and if we have enough strength, then let us enthusiastically embrace one another. Let us gather the pieces we have shattered and scattered, and find ways to bind them together so firmly that they will never again be torn apart. We always considered resentment, abuse, and anger as brutal hijackers – we must put them to bed. Let us try to understand the language of the heart that will make us loved by people and bring us closer to God.

Transforming this sacred land to paradise can be accomplished only by those who build paradisical gardens in their own souls. Those whose souls are in the grip of carnal desires – desires that lower humankind with contempt, would not only fail to build such gardens, but even if, by chance, they passed through the meadows of Paradise itself, they would likely darken their face and turn them into dungeons.

Let us make the best of these days when the skies and our spirits are illumined with divine grace and heavenly lights, when the breaths of Gabriel the Archangel are felt all around. Let us join hands once more, speak with our hearts, and raise our voices together until they echo among the stars.

Today, above all else, we are in need of a generation that is conscientious in fulfilling their duty toward God. We need ideal people who can serve as guides to our society; guides who will save humanity from the accursed abysses of disbelief, ignorance, error, the anarchy we have been trying to survive for the last few centuries; guides that will lead to faith, insight, the correct destination, and peace. In each and every era of depression, there have been minds that have enlightened the masses suffering from religious, intellectual, social, financial, and moral depression; these minds have reinterpreted human beings, the universe and existence in its entirety, and they have even reinterpreted the backstage of existence, removing obstacles in our processes of thought and feeling. Thanks to such exceptional people of thought, many times humanity have transformed their death shroud to a garment. They have brought new interpretations to things and phenomena, recited the “book of existence” like a song—a book which, in the perceptions of shallow minds, had lost its color and luster and taken on a dim hue, feeling it to its very depths; they have observed this book – the universe – with a sense of awe as if beholding a spectacular exhibition. They have unraveled the truths hidden in the heart of the universe by analyzing things season by season, paragraph by paragraph.

The most important characteristic of such auspicious people is their faith – a faith they work tirelessly to make others experience too. With this faith and these efforts they believe that they will be able to surmount everything and reach God, that they can attain true peace, be able to turn the world into a paradise and set up their tent in Eden. The joy of their destination makes them perceive life and serving others as a journey along the valleys of heaven.

As a matter of fact, “faith,” regardless of how deep it may be, has such a positive influence on humanity that no system of thought, doctrine or ideology can compare to it. When faith enters hearts within its own frame of reference, the person’s thoughts concerning the universe, natural phenomena, and God all suddenly change, deepening and reaching a vastness which allows them to evaluate all existence as if it were the pages of an open book. Everything suddenly comes to life, becomes a friend, and gives them a compassionate hug – things that had once seemed meaningless, lifeless, and unappealing. In this heart-warming atmosphere, people begin to sense themselves to the extent of their true worth; they understand that they are a conscious and unique part of existence; they attain the mysteries of the long, winding paths between the pages and lines of the universe; they feel that they are close to grasping the secret that lies behind the veil of all things; and then they are set free from the narrow prison of this three dimensional world, finding themselves in the stretches of eternity.

Indeed, all believers, through the thoughts which flow in the depths of their identity and in accordance with the degree of their faith, become boundless within their bounds; even though they are bound by space and time, they become paragons of unrestricted beings, reaching the ranks of those that are above and beyond the concerns of space, listening to the angels’ melodies. These beings, created from a drop of fluid, from what appears to be a shapeless pulp—what seems to be an insignificant creature, but what is in reality truly great—gains such importance that the Earth becomes the stage for the discovery of the divine breath contained in his or her soul. And, they become such creatures that they no longer fit between the skies and the Earth, becoming a transcendent being reaching between the two poles.

They walk amongst us; sit with us; their feet step where our feet step and they place their head when praying on the same spot that we do, but they manage to unite their feet and their head, thus becoming a circle. They use their prostration as a ramp on the path to nearness to God, and in a single step, they reach the horizon of becoming one of those closest to Him. They spread their wings in the same skies as the spirits and live like celestial beings in a human state. Such hearts always surpass individuality with the development and expansion of humane feelings; they become, as it were, a collective personality and embrace all believers; they lend a hand to everyone and salute creation in its entirety with the sincerest of feelings. They see colors, watch shapes, and are aware of the sounds of holy visions in everything and everyone that they encounter; they listen to the sounds of heaven on every possible frequency and feel as if they can hear the beating of angels’ wings. They see, feel, and listen to a vast ceremony of beauties: from the terrifying bolts of thunder to the revelatory songs of the birds, from the crashing waves of the sea to the gentle sound of the rivers that awaken a sense of eternity, from the magical reverberations of solitary woods to the majestic tones of awe-inspiring peaks that seem to reach the heavens, from the whispering breezes that caress green hills to the enrapturing scents that rise from gardens and spread everywhere; they say “this must be life.” They strive to honor each breath with prayers, reflection, and by uttering and contemplating the Beautiful Names of God.

With their forehead always on the ground, they open and close their eyes in hope, watching the threshold of a door they long to see open—waiting for a familiar gaze. With yearning, they look beyond the door, anticipating the honored hour when absence and separation will fade, and peace and closeness will descend like a sacred calm upon their soul. They search for answers to the desire for reunion that stirs deep within. Sometimes flying, sometimes limping along the earth, they keep running toward Him, unified with everyone and everything. At every resting point, they taste a new shade of reunion, a “wedding night”[1] of the soul. At each turn, they extinguish one fire of longing, only to be kindled anew by another spark. Who knows how many times a day they find themselves surrounded by breezes of divine closeness, and how many times they are shaken with sorrow at the loneliness of those who remain deaf to such gifts.

Indeed, souls that have such broadened horizons feel themselves constantly ascending a ramp toward new realms, always brimming with resolve and determination to transcend human norms. They think of what further abilities they will be able to attain and what successes they will achieve with faith and the power behind that faith. They keep running without exhaustion, with their horizon and prospect always open, and their hearts at peace. At every station their relationship with their environment grows and deepens. They may or may not be aware of it, but when they listen to their souls, they see themselves on a never-ending mountain side of peace. Despite the numerous motifs of longing and loneliness that they witness in other people, they never feel the agony of the road or homesickness because they know where they have come from, why and where they are headed, aware of all the harvesting and dispersion in the world, and they know that they are running on a particular track with a fixed purpose and aim. They feel neither the weariness of the road, nor experience the fears, worries, or agonies that other people do. They trust in God, striding with hope and tasting the joy of reaching the summit that holds the sky-blue dreams of tomorrow.

Indeed, along the path on which the world strides, these chivalrous heroes of faith advance in proportion to their faith, as if they were strolling along the valleys of Heaven, breathing nothing but peace. At the same time, through their connection with God, they can challenge the entire universe, overcome any difficulty, and never fall into despair, even when surrounded by destruction. They do not recoil in terror even when hells appear before them. They always hold their head high and never bow except before God. They concede nothing to anyone, they expect nothing from anyone, nor do they make themselves indebted to anyone. When they are victorious and attain one success after another, they shake with fear at the comprehension that this is in fact a test of their loyalty and submission to God, while at the same time they are humbled with gratitude and shed tears of joy. They know how to be patient when they lose and are tensed with determination. They start their journey anew with a sharpened will. They do not become arrogant or ungrateful in the face of bounty nor do they fall into despair when they suffer deprivation.

They carry a prophet-like heart in their exchanges with people. They love and embrace everyone; they turn a blind eye to the faults of others, while at the same time they are able to question the smallest faults of their own. They forgive the faults of those around them, not only under normal conditions, but also at times when they feel angered; they know how to live peacefully with even the most irritable of souls. In fact, belief urges its followers to forgive as much as possible, and not to fall prey to feelings of rancor, hatred, or revenge; in any case, it is inconceivable that those who are conscious of being on the path toward God should or could be any other way. To behave or think in any other way is out of the question. On the contrary, in all their actions, they seek ways to benefit others, they wish well for others, and they strive to keep the love in their hearts alive—waging a constant battle against rancor and hatred. They feel the heat of their own faults and sins, burning with remorse, and each day, they seize the evil thoughts within themselves by the throat. They start their work willingly and prepare the ground for the seedlings of good and beauty everywhere. In the footsteps of Rabi‘a al-‘Adawiyya they accept everyone and everything as a sweet syrup, even though it may be poison; even when they are approached with hatred, they welcome all with a smile. They repel even the greatest armies with the indefatigable weapon of love.

God loves these people, and they love God. They are constantly moved by the excitement of divine love and experience the radiant joy of being loved in return. Their wings of humility rest upon the earth, for they know that to give birth to roses, one must become like the soil. As deeply as they respect others, they also uphold their own dignity—never allowing their compassion, gentleness, or refinement to be mistaken for weakness. Unconcerned with praise or criticism, they live by their faith alone. Their only concern is to keep the brilliance of their inner world intact—for they have resolved to be true believers.

[1] The term Rumi uses for death.

Patience is a fundamental foundation upon which we rise and attain virtue. It is a victory of the willpower. Without patience, developing the soul and rising to the mysteries of the ego are unimaginable. Through patience, the human will free themselves from the bondage to the flesh and the earth, and through it they will become an angelic candidate for the exalted realms. Patience is a narrow pass and a challenging peak that leads to the kingdoms beyond. When this is the case, truth-seekers who have given their hearts to the realms beyond are like Hercules, confronting all paths that seem impossible to cross – a Hercules in whose eyes the steepest hills appear as flat lands free from any obstacle.

Patience is the person’s discernment of the harmony that is inherent in the bosom of primordial nature – it is when he or she comprehends this harmony and aligns their lives accordingly. Indeed, patience means understanding the language of things and events and striving to establish a dialogue with them. A person is truly honored when they persevere until they begin to understand this language and seek to build a bridge between the flow of time and their actions, becoming one with nature. How grand is this divine music that resonates throughout the universe, and what a spectacle it is to sense and behold this harmony!

Patience means recognizing the influence of time over matter and comprehending how events are crushed and ground down and transformed between the relentless teeth of time. Under its silent force of conversion and dissolution, those who can transform themselves into steel or ice, depending on the conditions, will ascend to a different dimension and thus protect themselves from annihilation. Those who fail to grasp this reality will be demolished in the iron claws of time.

Yes, nature will break the legs and crush the spirit of those who do not abide by its laws. On the other hand, for those who recognize it and give voice to its silent indignations by singing the newest songs of David, nature will soften like candle wax in their hands.

O the hasty, mischievous ones who do not embrace patience!

Yes, there are many who are not aware of themselves and who fail to recognize the essence of their natural disposition. They run for years, only to realize that they have advanced no further than the length of a needle. And then there are those who appear quiet and motionless, like deep rivers, yet they continue moving, step by step, overcoming all darkness in their path and abolishing all barriers without a sound. They walk silently, without bragging, without noise or commotion. Just like corals at the bottom of the ocean—corals that have endured suffering, that have been drenched in blood to attain the rank of an emerald.

A seed penetrates the rock or soil in this manner, silently and with perseverance. A flower bud springs into existence by opening its chest to the sun a hundred times and struggling just as often against the darkness of the night.

Consider an embryo forming in the mother’s womb, passing from one stage of darkness to another—a fascinating journey, a strange yet wondrous voyage that serves as the ultimate example of patience. Yes, it undergoes countless transformations, taking on different forms until, after nine months, it emerges into the world in all its elegance.

Let us also reflect on the creation of this magnificent cosmos—the universe. Everything comes into existence by the All-Powerful One’s command, “Be,” and the vast expanse of space and matter undergoes countless phases over billions of years to take its present form as His creation. What a profound and remarkable lesson this holds!

Everything in existence embodies incredible patience, never-ending determination and resilience as it moves step by step towards the objective. There is no haste, only a steadfast adherence to the laws commanded in nature, without deviation or change in course.

O impatient human! You alone show impatience. You are the one who disrupts the order that prevails in all of existence! It is you who refuses to endure the journey, striving to leap ahead instead of taking measured steps. You seek results without considering the necessary causes. You chase the impossible, building ivory towers in your imagination. And yet, you are also the one who grows weary from delusions and worries of your own making. You speak without thinking, only to be consumed by regret—yet you never learn from the countless regrets that repeat themselves. If only you knew how unfortunate and unappealing this behavior truly is.

If only you could learn from the events around you, each one an eloquent preacher, speaking its own language. If only you knew how to abide by the delicate order woven into existence and fulfill what the cause-and-effect relationship demands of you. If only you carried on with faith, determination, and willpower, rather than being led astray by mere imagination.

Your existence is measured with your patience, and in the sight of the Almighty, your worth is as great as your patience. It is your patience and determination that drive you to embody the highest virtues and character traits defined in your Book—striving to fulfill them as perfectly as possible, without deficiency or interruption. It is your strength and perseverance in resisting what the Book deems ugly and undesirable. Ultimately, your true value lies in your joyful and wholehearted acceptance of whatever comes from above:

Whether it is suffering that comes from your Majesty
Or loyalty from Your Beauty;
Both are pleasures to my soul;
Pleasant are both Your trials and blessings…

Living all that is elevating, constantly and without respite; being cautious and prepared against all that is debasing; and, finally, enduring with relentless tolerance the dilemmas that arise unexpectedly to test and trouble you—this is patience. It is a pain more profound than any other, yet its outcome is like the purest, life-giving water.

Patience means never abandoning your post, even at the cost of losing everything. It is melting like a candle, yet steadfastly remaining in your place.

Where are perseverance and willpower? Where are gallantry and bravery? We have lost our way, confused by our constant shifting of paths and directions. Preoccupied with something different each day, we have exhausted ourselves—running from one direction to another, leaving us uncertain of where to turn.

A saint once said that he was guided by a cat—a creature that waits patiently before a hole for its prey, unwavering until daylight, without blinking. But what about you, O human being! How long have you remained steadfast in your eternal pursuit, without wavering in your stance or losing focus? How many times have your plans been ruined? How many times have your efforts been lost, forcing you to start anew—without giving up or feeling disheartened? How many times have you been turned away from the gates, expelled and banished, only to return, humbled, to the steps of your Beloved?

Did you think you would enter Paradise without enduring the trials faced by those before you? The noble Prophet and his devoted followers experienced such despair and suffering that they were shaken to their core, crying out, “When will the aid of God come?” Perhaps His help is already on its way—to those who patiently persist in their servitude, who battle fiercely against sin, and who refuse to lose hope or determination, even when their plans and lives have been shattered a thousand times.

Yes, His help is coming to those who say, “On the path of our love, we care not for our own lives. We walk on a passionate path, and from now on, we need nothing else.”

Since the creation of mankind, humans frequently longed for a much different world, and have occasionally criticized the periods in which they lived. This behavior may be acceptable, even admired, if it stems from the longing for eternity we feel in our conscience, or for an enthusiasm we have for a lost paradise. However, when this criticism targets the present time and is expressed with despair and pessimism, I believe it is neither admirable nor acceptable. Rather, it should be viewed as a disease that warrants careful scrutiny. When discontent leads to dismissing long-standing principles and traditions that have withstood the test of time and collective wisdom, it may reflect a need for introspection and a deeper understanding of spiritual and social harmony.

Unfortunately, this kind of contrarianism is increasingly prevalent today. With arguments that contradict each other, people question everything that has been embraced by the general public. They dismiss all that comes from the past as outdated and believe it must be discarded, yet they seldom propose constructive alternatives. Instead, they act with a purely rebellious mindset, adopting the attitude, “We will destruct everything now and if something has to be done, we will consider that later.” Such an approach often leads to a cycle of destruction rather than meaningful renewal.

This rebellious and impulsive mentality is entirely different from the constructive desire to refine outdated ideas and replace them with fresh interpretations. Nor is it a response aimed at those who adapt indiscriminately to everything, failing to distinguish between good and bad.

I believe the root of such behavior lies in hysterical anguish, a confused mentality, a crude form of thoughtlessness, spiritual instability, or a fanciful urge to say something new for the sake of novelty. Those who act in this way manipulate words and concepts, creating ambiguity and obscurity that often cloud their so-called ideas. This is frequently done to conceal their lack of depth on one hand and to seek attention or validation on the other. In every word, thought, and action, they seek to captivate more fans, yet remaining prisoners of their own desires.

These emotional states may not seem extraordinary for a spiritually diseased person, for their emotions and thoughts are stalked by inner conflicts and contradictions. However, when such a spiritual state goes beyond individuals and begins to cause uncertainty and confusion in the society and holds people captive, it cannot be ignored.

Occasionally, this kind of behavior and discourse can also be found in people of exceptional intelligence who are experiencing a state of crisis and depression. This arises because such individuals, in their search for alternative systems, often engage in profound self-interrogation of their egos and exhibit the courage to critique and question their own thoughts. However, this noble state of self-examination is as distant from the rebellious destructive state as the sun is from the earth. One represents the resolute, thoughtful path of the Prophets, and the other of deceitful naysayers.

The representatives of the first way are great architects of thought, resolute in their commitment to building. Even when they must destroy, it is only to lay the foundation for a greater construction. In contrast, the unfortunate representatives of the second way are never genuine in their emotions, thoughts, or actions. They spend their lives in a constant state of ebb and flow. Even when they appear to build, in truth, they only destroy.

“I am educated; I am an intellectual,” they delusionally repeat. Influenced by disbelief, communistic ideologies, and nihilism to varying degrees, they exist like the people of purgatory, suspended in an intermediary state. In their thoughts and emotions, these hybrid individuals do not fully align with either the East or the West. Instead, they remain disconnected from the essence of both worlds, yet show little hesitation in presenting themselves as otherwise. The following lines seem as though Mehmet Akif the poet wrote them with such individuals in mind.

They neither look to the East, nor are aware of the West,
nor have any share of good conduct.
All they have as resources is a face that do not blush
and eyes that do not water.

According to this shameless perspective—one that can emerge from any ideological group—humanity stands on the brink of terrifying destruction. Disasters and tribulations, recurring throughout history, now surge as dense and merciless as tidal waves. Rulers are as despotic as Caesar and as self-centered as Napoleon, while the population at large is viewed as a heedless, disrespectable mass.

According to this same perspective, just as past civilizations were born, flourished, and ultimately vanished, the civilizations of our age will also fade away, one by one. For the last time, the world will descend into a dark abyss of despair and gloom. Indeed, the current civilization has already obliterated much of the meaning it inherited from past civilizations, which once served as its spirit and roots. Today, individuals in many parts of the world stand as striking examples of deprivation. The family unit is in a state of profound disintegration and shambles. Parents often appear indifferent as their children pursue nothing but carnal desires. With this indifference, they risk harming the souls of their children, who seem to exist merely as products of fleeting physical pleasure. Spiritual values are disregarded, violated, and subjected to disrespect.

The education of the heart and conscience has faded from prominence, leaving new generations struggling under the weight of their own ego-driven desires. “Hearts are merciless, emotions are base, ambitions are wicked. / Eyes look disparagingly on the worshippers of God” (Akif). These living corpses, who spend their entire lives consumed by eating, drinking, and pursuing worldly pleasures, remain entirely unaware that they are continuously circling the whirlpool of evil.

Homes, whether in the countryside or urban areas, often lack the warmth of emotion, compassion, understanding, and mindfulness. Many streets evoke a sense of despair, their corners heavy with gloom. Schools, in many ways, seem to have lost their direction, leaving them adrift in uncertainty. Places of worship have become quiet shadows of their former vitality, visited by those who may not fully appreciate the spiritual depth they once embodied. Centers of spiritual retreat, once vibrant with meaning, are now reduced to ceremonial traditions lacking their original essence. Power is now enslaved to cruelty and oppression, hanging over truth like a merciless sledgehammer. Freedom has become a token granted at the pleasure of tyrants. Order is established by brute force, and desperate cries echo everywhere.

In the presence of such pessimistic scenes, neither hope nor determination remains. I am unsure if portraying these scenes serves any benefit, but one thing I do know is that even the purest of minds can become muddled by such depictions. Many of these portrayals are, in fact, true, and events attest to them. For instance, it is true that we are beggars at the doors of a cruel world to which we have devoted ourselves as servants. It is true that we abandoned the rich inheritance of our past: our values, beliefs, customs, and traditions and, to a certain extent, we have even abandoned our spirituality. We have imported foreign ethics and perceptions as though they were scientific or technological commodities.

Yes, it is true that our ship has been battered repeatedly – but we have no right to paralyze our determination, or portray it as such, to reborn within our feelings, thoughts, and conscience. Whether we possess such a right or not, any word, thought, or action that weakens our hope and willpower is not only disrespectful but also a betrayal of our ideals. Moreover, in our life of thought, determination and

faith, a significant regeneration is clearly underway– even if difficulties remain. Indeed, although it may appear frayed and weakened, the willpower of people is flourishing almost everywhere, awakening to the purpose of their creation.

We can hear the echoes of supplications turning to God all around us. Equally sacred are the breaths of God’s servants, pursuing the path of truth, which ascend as melodies of elation to the habitants of the heavens.

As one prophetic tradition suggests, it would not be an exaggeration to say that angels converse about the prayers reverberating within the domes across the world. While some of us may not fully deserve the roles we hold or do justice to the positions we occupy, the ballads rising at the intersection where the farsightedness of friends meets the curiosity of enemies are undoubtedly the songs of our revival.

Indeed, the roads we have walked have brought us to town squares and harbors, from which we believe we will set sail to the boundless horizons we nurture in our hopes. Thus, perhaps not all members of our society feel the same, we are in a state of eagerness and excitement, as if embarking on a journey along the slopes of Paradise.

In the very near future, the sun, moon, and stars will rise and set over our hillsides, illuminating the blossoms of modesty, honesty, loyalty, devotion, the passion for knowledge, and the spirit of exploration. Wherever we go, we will walk under arches of rainbows built just for us, and the days when we will experience profound spiritual joys are fast approaching.

The dawn is just beyond the horizon, heralding days when every face will reflect sincere purity, every heart will burn with the fire of love, and every action will carry an otherworldly depth. These will be days when we journey from one captivating vista to another, basking in the radiance of our bright fortune with smiles of gratitude.

We have complete faith that, despite the growing disrespect and egoism of these modern times, we are on the verge of a new day where respect will flourish and thrive, and the gentle breezes of humbleness, modesty and kindness will sweep across the world.

The younger generations have endured the erosion of their inner worlds, led from one abyss to another. They have been confined to a three-dimensional space and a dull, colorless, single dimension of time, disconnected from both the past and the future. Yet, amidst this, we witness many who, with their farsighted and purposeful visions, have lifted their spirits off the ground, have managed to re-orient themselves to their inner truths, and explored the beauties of the universe and existence.

The spirit and ethical values that form the foundations of our society have resurfaced once again with their unique qualities and dimensions of consciousness, emotion, willpower, and heart. On many faces, we see a radiant expression of modesty, while their actions exude sincerity and enthusiasm. This spiritual depth and humility are promising signs for these new generations.

Today, this pure generation seems to be fulfilling its responsibilities with a profound sense of duty and passion, offering us the chance to reclaim the lost gardens of prosperity. While these youth grow

vertically in personal depth and character, their numbers increase exponentially across society—a blessing from God. Indeed, these selfless individuals, who sacrifice their own comfort for the well-being of others, inspire hope that the afflictions of the past few centuries will soon come to an end.

In much the same way that fire melts solids and purifies impurities, the disasters and hardships of the past few centuries have led our society through a process of self-purification. These trials have inspired a renewed commitment to preserving this newfound purity and innocence.

Yesterday, destiny—always just—placed shackles on our society and made us captives of our desires, reflecting the inner corruption of our souls. Today, that same destiny will surely guide us to glory, as signs of hope illuminate our hearts, and our willpower and determination grow as strong as steel.

For years, we have ignored our true needs, chasing after some fantasies as if they were necessities of life. Sometimes unable to discern what our real needs were, and other times mistaking some of our luxuries for needs, we tied our lives entirely to such luxuries and lived in contradictions. What we pursued at times not only failed to meet our true needs but increased them; so much so that, just like a person whose lungs are parched from thirst drinks seawater in an attempt to quench their thirst, only to become more dehydrated, we too become dependent on fantasies that do not address our needs. We have become slaves who will never be able to escape the shadows of gloom.

The only thing we really need as a society is to escape this foolish game of blind-man’s bluff, and bring to life our deep-rooted religious, national, ethical, and educational disciplines. If, during this period of great need, we ignore our own concept of a sound culture, does this not neglect and destroy the soul of our society?

In our conception of civilization and culture, the human being and humane values have always been priorities. Despite this, how have we come to adopt a worldview that contradicts our long and rich history, spiritual roots, and heritage? By adorning ourselves with many unfitting fantasies, we have destroyed both our social harmony and our national stature. Indeed, whether due to ignorance or lack of judgment, we have blindly welcomed many imported elements that have replaced our rich values and history, all the while we merely watched. Unfortunately, during this miserable period, our minds became slaves to our whims and desires; our reason was bound by tradition; our willpower was weakened; and our judgment was impaired by the narrowness of imitating others – thus, we have lived in misery as victims of the age, chasing one luxury after another.

In this period of gloom, trapped within the triangle of our logical deficiencies, moral weaknesses, and intellectual insufficiency, we have submitted ourselves to death as if caught in the Bermuda Triangle. We resembled lifeless corpses, and our intellectuals were truly pitiable. These intellectuals failed to see the bigger picture of natural phenomena and events as a whole. They were deficient in analysis, they meekly advocated imitating others, and they pathetically engaged in self-denial. They thought they were making progress, but they stumbled and crashed, failing to overcome obstacles.

But we have no right to blame others; ultimately, we were the ones who blatantly strayed from the path of truth, and thus, it was our responsibility. In fact, nobody should ever attempt to blame science, technology or other reasons like “we are surrounded with adversaries.” Science was innocent, technology sinless; we, especially the semi-educated intellectuals, were the ones who developed and shaped science and technology as we wished. We made all of life blindly dependent on them. Therefore, if we must find the culprit, we should first look among ourselves.

Indeed, we have been the ones who have failed to interpret the human being, the universe, and all the events within it in reference to their true Owner; instead, we derived incorrect meanings and attributed everything to nature and worldly causes. We made even the clearest, most evident things incomprehensible. We perceived – and led others to perceive – that there was no purpose in the existence of this book of the universe – despite its crystal-clear statements – and its custodian – the human being. For some reason, we were incapable of seeing the transcendent aspect of existence and made many unfounded speculations regarding creation and nature. We were neither capable of approaching existence with an analytic perspective, nor were we able to say anything consistent regarding the truths that lie beyond existence. We misperceived, misevaluated and were constantly baffled by these misleading results. With these successive errors, we continuously committed successive sins – sins for which we have been suffering destitution and various afflictions.

When we first began dreaming of revival, things could have been much different. If we had taken a more controlled approach to both matter and spirit, carrying both side by side, our mental, spiritual, and physical actions could have been more balanced. At the very least, those who were able to study could have turned their attention towards metaphysics, faith, and aesthetics that was in line with our considerations, our basic sources of values, just as much as they did to mathematics, physics, chemistry, astronomy, and biology. We could have achieved much different, and more beneficial, results for all humanity than what we have today. Alas! Not only did we disregard metaphysics, but we also opposed it, thinking it was necessary for enlightenment. We treated insignificant, material matters with extreme sensitivity while totally ignoring our intellectual, psychological, and spiritual needs. Einstein said, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” In line with this aphorism, we have produced many who are both lame and blind. Science and research needed to be taken seriously, and we should not have made any mistakes in this regard. Given this, it seems strange that while we devote such attention to the physical dimensions of humanity and existence, we completely ignore the metaphysical. We ascribe everything to matter, physical power, and economics, and we have classified these as the basic factors that will transform the world into Paradise.

No one should ever assume that we underestimate matter, power, or economics. Yet, if today humanity is in a serious state of despair, with generations sinking deeper into conflict, causing greater harm and dishonor, then we need more than what material prosperity promises. Indeed, it is quite clear that despite all efforts, a materialistic perspective cannot fulfill people’s need for meaning or achieve much in terms of societal peace. Unfortunately, we placed a great deal of importance on mundane considerations and material wealth – some of us even considered them indispensable. While trying to escape the superstitions that denigrated our spirituality – which is a praiseworthy effort – many of us became entangled in the superstitions of materialism, which rejected much of our heritage. As we strayed from our national roots, we found ourselves trapped in a cycle of instability. In searching for answers, we went from one extreme to another – from strange mysticism to the most extreme materialism, with its myths and the idol of naturalism. While trying to escape the jinn we fell into Satan’s devious trap.

And even worse still, amidst such turmoil of thought, some, having completely lost their faith, have reduced the truths of humanity, matter, and the universe to the domain of the senses, insisting on following “materialism,” “positivism,” and “naturalism,” while refusing to accept anything else. Some have preferred to follow various theories of knowledge which could be likened to some of the early philosophers’ ideas on mind and soul. Thus, they attributed every aspect of the universe and creation to reason, completely ignoring human emotions and how these feelings perceive the world. During this period, as we abandoned our most important sources of reference, we continuously faltered amidst the confusion of thought and constantly competed with one another. Because these long years were spent in unproductive conflict, we have made no progress.

Even today, our ancient heritage remains a source of dispute, and we are often unable to do more than gossip about it. Sometimes we seem so focused on destruction, as if programmed to do nothing but tear things down, we pretend to be on the right side and try to show our destruction as construction. Thus, we continue our age-old conflicts. We have destroyed countless monumental values in a single blow, and as we did so, we constantly envisioned that we would replace them with even better values. What a great pity! So many centuries have passed, yet we have been unable to put in place even fake copies of what we destroyed.

If we had submitted ourselves to the True Owner of existence, we could have ended this chaotic situation and achieved a new revival with the power, discipline, virtue, and wisdom generated by faith in God. However, this does not mean that such an endeavor is impossible in the future. Yet, to date, it is somewhat difficult to say that we have actually accomplished anything of true significance. To make real progress, it is essential to raise a generation of faith and revival. A generation that is not confined to the calculations of today, but considers tomorrow and the days beyond. A generation that is as much the children of today with their actions as they are bound to eternity and to the reckoning of a very long future. A generation with faith and discipline.

A healthy, promising society requires the raising of a generation with these qualities. A society that consists of selfish individuals who work only for the interests of their own families is merely a mass deprived of communal qualities. The strength of a society is directly related to the harmony between its members, and such harmony depends on a deeply rooted and transcendent fraternity and love that flow from people’s hearts. If we are not capable of saying or achieving anything more effective or influential than in the past, what is the point of raising our voices to sound as if we are?

Our society today is obliged to begin anew by turning toward the essential dynamics upon which our magnificent past was established. If society cannot actualize its values of faith and unity, and thus revive its cultural heritage, then it appears difficult, if not impossible, to escape the current chaos by certain mere technological power and scientific advances. I believe that to overcome the various crises we presently face, it is necessary to stimulate faith, love, enthusiasm and hope across all segments of our society. We must reinterpret faith based on its original sources and according to the perceptions of our age. If a religion is stifled in terms of its spirit and separated from its divine origins, only to be confined to the interpretations of a banal worldview, then that religion cannot provide what is needed of it, nor can it voice a new message to the world. A religion God sent to humans so they can attain happiness both in this world and the hereafter cannot depend on individuals’ pleasures or their arbitrary interpretations. Such a religion cannot be regarded as a mere set of principles designed for worldly, materialistic interests and transient joys. The message of a religion cannot be restricted by interpretations contrived for the benefit of certain individuals or to conform to the requirements of a particular period of time. Doing so is to destroy that religion and replace it with our own aspirations and desires.

As to why “faith” has been stifled in our recent history, one can point to factors such as fanaticism, a lack of vision, and the disloyalty of some of the faithful, as well as the hostility of its disbelieving enemies. “Faith” was sent to convey a message and to penetrate the hearts of people, but to do so in its original form. It did not appoint others as its spokesperson, and no one had the right to speak on its behalf. And yet, in our age, where “expertise” and “specialization” are emphasized in every field, many of us feel confident, like experts to speak about matters of religion without shame or embarrassment. If only religion were also granted its own voice. There is so much more to say on this subject, however, it would exceed the length of this article.