will – Fountain Magazine

Fethullah Gülen Hocaefendi and His Will

The Fountain — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 00:00:37 +0000

How would I summarize Hocaefendi’s life in one sentence? A single sentence that could encapsulate his entire life. In the first few days of my endeavor seeking an answer to this question, I found myself weary under the weight and intensity of the thoughts crowding my mind as I tried to form such a sentence. I have spent nearly thirty years immersed in his ideas and thoughts, organizing and analyzing them from religious, social, historical, and contextual perspectives. In recent years, my focus has been on exploring the authentic, legitimate foundations, both material and spiritual, that shaped his ideas and the movement of volunteers he inspired. Throughout my studies, I have constantly searched for a way to distill it all into a single sentence.

The soundness and legitimacy of a cause can be tested on multiple grounds, drawing testimony from religion, humanity, conscience, history and societal common sense. Hizmet is a movement of volunteers which derives legitimacy from all these areas and has won the conscientious approval of millions worldwide. Only a handful religious and social movements in history have received an acceptance and recognition as broad as the one Hizmet has.

As everyone knows, Hocaefendi’s will was opened recently and shared on social media. Personally, I view this historical document as both a testament to his modest life and as a validation of his religious, humanistic, moral, and conscientious legitimacy. As a founding leader, he demonstrated to millions the depth of his ethical consistency in managing the movement’s resources.

Having spent some years in his teaching circle, I’ve been somewhat aware of this will for the past thirty years. He would occasionally reference it in different contexts. Decades ago, we were already aware of his deep regret for small debts incurred fifty years earlier and his relentless efforts to track down and repay those creditors.

We witnessed him rigorously accounting for every aspect of his life. Everyone close to him could attest to his unwavering scrupulousness in religious, moral, and conscientious matters. Yet, even with this awareness, I must admit that reading his will left me unsteady, prompting an unprecedented level of self-reflection. At that moment, it felt as if time stood still. I am at a loss of words to describe the sense of humility and shame I felt in the face of a life spanning more than eighty years lived in simplicity while leading a massive movement whose influence, message, and synergy have reached millions across the globe.

And yet, for years, people have said so many things about him. Some even fabricated outrageous claims: that he controlled billions of dollars, owned vast olive groves stretching from Edremit to Ayvalık (in Turkey), and lived a life of luxury in gilded mansions on private estates—slander so shameful that I blush merely repeating it. Even those who spread this slander knew he had spent his life on a simple mat. In any case, I do not wish to taint your mind with such falsehoods. For me and for millions, his will has now become a historic document that summarizes the life of this towering figure. It stands as the greatest witness to both his spiritual character and to the movement of volunteers he founded—affirming the religious, human, moral, social, and historical legitimacy, as well as the ethical consistency, of the movement. I see it as a historic testament to the integrity of the volunteers who embody this service.

What remains from a spiritual and moral hero is this humble, simple, yet profoundly historic document. He was a religious leader and a guide who carefully kept his closest ones away from the material resources of the movement and settled in the hearts of millions. Yes, of course, there are the schools, myriads of volunteers, lives devoted to humanity, monumental services, and historic bridges of dialogue built among diverse cultures, all bearing witness to this legacy. Yet, the message conveyed by this modest document feels like a universal call to humanity’s conscience and common sense, inviting us to a life of selflessness and prophetic integrity in an increasingly materialistic, worldly, and self-centered world.

When I read his will, the first thought that came to mind was the incident following the Prophet’s passing. His wives sent Uthman ibn Affan to Caliph Abu Bakr to request their share of inheritance from Khaybar and Fadaq. When Aisha heard about this request, she quoted the following words from the Prophet: “We Prophets do not leave wealth as inheritance; what we leave behind is charity.” Upon hearing this, they withdrew their demand. Although there are different narrations, in one version, it is stated that scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. This inheritance, when taken in its absolute meaning, suggests that true inheritors are not only those who inherit knowledge and wisdom but also those who inherit the pain, suffering, trials, poverty, and deprivation endured by the Prophets. This document stands as a testament to a life marked by hardship and sacrifice.

They once asked Rumi about the “state” of a lover (of God), and he responded, “It is like the sleep of one who rests on a pillow of thorns.” When I first read this in high school, I thought it was merely a poetic metaphor. I was somewhat familiar with the kind of life dervishes like Rumi and Yunus Emre led from Sufi literature. However, until I met Hocaefendi, I always looked to the past, to the ascetic lives of the dervishes of the eighth and ninth centuries, as the embodiment of this statement. I had assumed that such a life could no longer be practiced in modern times. Hocaefendi, I came to realize, was the sole exception.

Without a doubt, any attempt on my part to describe Hocaefendi’s state would be a second- or perhaps third-hand account. However, as a note for history, I can attest to this through my own observations, using Rumi’s metaphor: not only was Hocaefendi’s pillow thorny, but his entire bed and cover seemed laden with thorns. He lived his entire life that way. I believe that his fellow volunteers, close companions throughout different phases of his life, as well as his relatives and others who knew him well, would affirm these words.

In sum, this will stands as the greatest testament to his life of suffering, hardship, and profound concerns for humanity. May his soul rest in peace, may his place be the highest level of Paradise, and may his memory be cherished in our minds. I extend condolences to all who love him throughout the world.

The Will & Testament of M. Fethullah Gülen

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

God is a witness over this.

This is the will of Fethullah Gülen from Erzurum.

Praise be to God, peace and blessings be upon the Beloved of God to the number of atoms of the universe, and upon his Companions to the degree of perfection of that noble Messenger.

From those who know me and happen to be at the place I die, I request the following. As to which items in my home belong to me and which do not have also been identified.

Firstly: Assuming the possibility of inadvertent misuse during my service, donate 300 TL (Turkish Lira) to both the old and the new foundations.

From the money in my wallet, a shroud of the cheapest cloth is to be purchased, and the remaining amount should be given to charity, without any expectation of reward.
When once I was in financial hardship, (such and such person) in Erzurum had given me 3,000 TL (approximately $87) on one occasion and 500 TL (approximately $14.50) on another. Any of my books not already in his library should be given to him to compensate for that amount.
I borrowed 2,000 TL (approx. $57) from (such and such) in 1966. Although he considered it alms and did not seek repayment, I do not have a clear conscience about it. Therefore, books equivalent to the value of that amount should be given to him.
My clothes in the wardrobe and the bedding are to be donated to students. Except for the plain red blanket, everything was provided for my use on the assumption of my service. These items, without exception, should be distributed to the individuals I name below. The tape player, radio, and cassettes should also be given to students (…) and (…) at the foundation. Both wooden bookshelves should likewise be delivered to the friends named below.
As for the books in the drawer of the little cabinet, the names of their owners are written inside. They too are to be delivered to their owners. If any money is found between the pages, it should also be given to the individuals named below.
In 1958, I borrowed 20 TL from a craftsman who was laying the lead for the dome of the Kurşunlu Mosque in Erzurum. Efforts to find him were unsuccessful, but he should be located, and the debt paid according the value of that day. I also borrowed 75 TL from a student whose name I have forgotten. While I believe I may have repaid this debt, I remain uneasy about it.

Any carpets, rugs, and other spreads, as well as the fridge and washing machine, should all, without exception, be delivered to the following individuals: (…), (…), (…), (…), (…) A copy of this will can be found in the pocket of one of the jackets in my room.

M. Fethullah

Note: The names directly mentioned in the original text are kept private. It has been reported by his family and students that Fethullah Gülen already paid all the debt listed in the will at different times since then.

Irada, Murid, and Murad (Will, the Willing One, and the Willed One)

Louima Cunningham — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Irada (will) is the mental power by which a person can direct his or her thoughts and actions and makes a choice between alternatives. Will has been defined by those living a spiritual life as overcoming carnal desires, resisting animal appetites, and always preferring, in complete submission to His Will, God’s will and pleasure over one’s own. A willing disciple (murid) never relies on his or her own power, and is absolutely submitted to the Will of the All-Powerful, Who holds all of creation in His Grasp. As for the one willed (murad), he or she overflows with love of God and never considers or aspires to anything other than obtaining His good pleasure. Such a person has become a favorite of God.

According to the verse, They call upon their Lord, seeking His “Face” (6:52), will is the first station on the path to God and the first harbor from which one sets sail for eternity. Almost everyone who sets sail for the infinite first comes to this harbor, from where an impetus to reach the ultimate destination is gained. Journeying toward this destination is proportional to the traveler’s purity of intention, the degree and quality of his or her relationship with the world and material things, and the power of the driving force derived from this harbor and from the inner desire to undertake this voyage. In proportion to the help of God and the strength of the disciple’s willpower, some traverse the distance between the harbor and the destination at a walking pace, others at the speed of a spaceship or of light, and still others at a speed that cannot be measured. The Ascension of the Prophet, the spiral ascents of a saint, and the journeying of a dervish are good examples of what can be achieved by the will, the willing one, and the willed one when supported by the help of God, the Ultimate Truth.

There is a derivative relation between will and the willing one (disciple). Just as material or natural causes are veils between superficial views and Divine Grandeur and Dignity, so that those who cannot understand the reality behind things and events should not blame God Almighty for what appears to be disagreeable, so too a person’s willpower is only a shadow of the shadow of the Will of the One Who does whatever He wills in whatever way He wills (85:16). Just as a shadow is dependent on the substance, any will created is dependent on the Creator. Similarly, the liveliness and attraction observed in a mirror do not belong to the objects’ reflections, but to the objects themselves. Nevertheless, it is difficult for those who are the beginning of the journey to understand this and distinguish between a shadow and the original.

Until the traveler perceives that one’s personal will is a dim reflection of the Absolute Will (of the All-Willing One) and advances as far as, or rises as high as, the station of being the one willed or desired, one freed from the captivity of the body and thoughts to become a person of pure spirituality and conscience, he or she will always regard his or her will as having a separate, independent existence. Indeed, a traveler is willing at the beginning of the way and willed at the end of it; one is willing while exerting efforts to make servanthood his or her second nature, and one is willed at the point where his or her relation with God is an indispensable dimension of his or her being; one is willing while searching the ways to be loved and desired, and is willed when seeing an imprint of Him on everything and weaving a lacework of spiritual pleasure with the threads of knowledge and love of God.

There are many stations between the beginning of certainty that comes from knowledge and the final point of certainty that comes from experience. Every station is both an end and a beginning; one road begins there, while another one terminates. For example, according to many: My Lord! Expand for me my breast! (20:25) is an end, while it is a beginning compared with: Have We not expanded for you your breast? (94:1). Also, for many: My Lord! Show me Yourself, so that I may gaze upon You (7:143) is a final station, while it is the beginning of the way extending to the station expressed in: His sight swerved not, nor did it go wrong (53:17). Again: Assuredly, my Lord is with me. He will guide me (26:62) means awareness of God’s company, while it is not comparable with the exalted truth or reality mentioned in: Do not be grieved; surely God is with us (9:40).

In the beginning, loyalty, faithfulness, and resolution are of fundamental importance, while solemnity, self-possession, and mannerliness are most important at the end of the journey. Those who have erred at the beginning cannot advance far, while those who have erred at the end are reproved.

One important source from which willpower is fed is the traveler’s care and sensitivity in fulfilling his or her responsibilities and constant supplication to God. Moreover, it is dependent on the traveler’s perseverance in supererogatory acts or duties of worship that God Almighty may become his or her eyes with which to see, ears with which to hear, and hands with which to grasp.

O God! Inspire in me righteousness and protect me from the evil of my evil-commanding, carnal soul. O God! I ask You to enable me to always do good and abandon evils. And bestow blessings and peace on our master Muhammad, the chosen, willed one, and on his Family and Companions, near-stationed to You and godly.

Free Will and Foreknowledge in Augustine

Louima Cunningham — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

For those who accept the existence of God, He is a deity who infallibly foreknows the entire future. On the other hand, human beings have a psychological feeling that they are completely free. Throughout the history of philosophy almost all philosophers have argued whether God’s infallible foreknowledge determines human deeds in the future. In answering this question, theological fatalists have claimed that infallible foreknowledge and free will are incompatible, thus God’s infallible foreknowledge determines all future events, including all human deeds. In contrast to this, in his book On Free Will, Augustine asserts that God’s infallible foreknowledge of what we will do in the future is compatible with free will. Consequently, Augustine is regarded as one of the leading compatibilists as far as divine foreknowledge and free will are concerned. In my opinion, he also alludes to the difference between the concepts of “freedom of action” and “freedom of will.” Here there is a point of disagreement between him and Evodius, consisting of the question: “Do we human beings have freedom of will or freedom of action?”

According to theological fatalists, all events, including human deeds, are absolutely determined by God’s foreknowledge and will. We human beings think we can act or carry out our actions voluntarily, but if God foreknows how we will act in the future, in other words, that we will act in a specific way, then we must necessarily act as He knows because divine knowledge is infallible and unchangeable. If we act out of necessity, then there is no voluntary choice in our acts and thus God’s foreknowledge of what we will do in the future determines our will. In order to establish their ideas they argue that even though humankind wishes to be happy in the future, we cannot be happy because we do not have the power to be happy; only God makes one happy. In short, for fatalists, God’s foreknowledge and will is a necessity.

Augustine, like other monotheists, defines God as omnipotent, omniscient and good. For his definition, God unerringly foreknows everything, including our future acts, so the problem here is whether divine knowledge determines our acts in the future. By making use of the dialectical method, that is, the Socratic Method, and some philosophical arguments, Augustine seeks to prove the existence of free will and then analyzes the problem of the compatibility of free will and God’s foreknowledge. As an answer to the question posed by theological fatalists: “Why can we not achieve our future will if we have free will?” his reply is that we may wish to be happy in the future, but may not be able to achieve this because to do so would be dependent on factors that are wholly beyond our control. In other words, there may always be external constraints which hinder us in fulfilling our desires.

Thus, for Augustine, we can not speak about freedom of action, but only freedom of will. When we use the concept of “something being in our power,” we mean simply “being able to do what we will.” Therefore, there are very few things that are in our own power, but our will is one of them; for in the moment we wish to do something the “will” is there and we discover it within ourselves. This is a kind of psychological argument that proves Augustine’s claim for the existence of will; in addition, Augustine uses a linguistic analysis to support this. The propositions “It is not voluntarily that we will” and “It is necessarily that we will” are meaningless and far from true. For if we necessarily will, why do we need to speak of “willing” at all? When we say “we wish to do anything” we directly claim that we have a faculty called “the will.” Lastly, he called attention to a logical mistake; his logical analysis of “what we will” as “a physical action” and “an effect of our will” is completely different from “our will” as a spiritual action. Even if we do not achieve what we will, we cannot say that we do not have the power to will. We may only think “we will” but in fact we do not achieve whatever we wish, for our success in attaining what we wish depends not only on our will, but also on other factors that are wholly beyond our control. However our will itself would be our own as long as it remains in our power, therefore, “it is not necessary to deny that God has foreknowledge of all things while at the same time our will is our own”; in other words, God’s foreknowledge of the entire future does not determine our will. Despite all of these arguments, Augustine concludes: “we shall exercise our wills in the future because He has foreknowledge that we shall do so.” Rather, it would be more consistent with his arguments if he had said: “He has foreknowledge that we shall exercise our wills in the future, because we are allowed to do so” for we will exercise our future wills with our own will by His permission. In this case, God’s foreknowledge is consistent with our will, but His foreknowledge is not the cause of our choices. But Augustine’s concluding sentences claims the opposite, that is, our will is determined by God’s foreknowledge.

In conclusion, human beings can choose one particular action from among various alternatives. As Augustine concludes, the power to will is not taken from us by or is not opposed to God’s foreknowledge. In fact, Abrahamic religions necessarily support the idea of the compatibility between divine knowledge and human free will. For if we did not have free will, in other words, if we must act in a certain way, then why would God judge us? This would be meaningless. Furthermore, His divine foreknowledge certifies our will because His timeless foreknowledge is consistent with our will in a future time, therefore there is no incompatibility between God’s foreknowledge and our free will.

* This article is a product of my reflections over a section in the book Readings in the History of Christian Theology Volume I by William C. Placher, pp. 106-111.

Izzet Coban is a theologian living in Chicago. He has an MA from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

Notes

Augustine of Hippo or Saint Augustine (354-430) is one of the most important theologians in the development of Christian theology. In Roman Catholicism, he is a saint. His famous works are “The Confessions,” considered to be the first Western autobiography, and has been translated from Latin into many languages, and “On Free Will,” “The City of God,” and “On Christian Doctrine.”
Evodius (d. ca 69) appears as a speaker in two of the dialogues that Augustine conducted in the Thagaste community. In his On the Free Choice of the Will, written in 389, Augustine introduced Evodius as the interlocutor. (www.augnet.org)