Unseen to His Noble Messenger Muhammad, Upon whom be the best of peace and blessings, to set humanity on the path of truth and to illumine men's vision with the light of belief and the understanding and certainty to become sincere bondsmen of the Lord and Sustainer of all the worlds.

Ustad Nursi wanted to develop his unique gifts by studying the Islamic sciences, and ancient philosophy, and the humanities and modern sciences, as well as learning Arabic literature and rhetoric from the works of such masters as al-Jahiz, al-Zamakhshari, al-Sakkaki, and especially the out­standing works on grammar and rhetoric of Imam 'Abd al-Qahir al-Jurjani. For Nursi believed in his famous theory concerning the Qur'an's word-order and indicated his admiration for it in this work.

The theory of the word-order was not new; al-Jurjani did not invent it and it was not without precedents. For al-Jahiz had turned his attention to it in his work Nazm al-Qur'dn, and so had al-Wasitl in his I'jdz al-Qur'dn fi Nazmihi, and al-Baqillani in I'jdz al-Qur'dn; it was that al-Jurjani clarified it fully in respect of grammar and rhetoric and formulated a complete the­ory based on the absence of any disjunction between the words and their meaning and the form and its purport, and he established that the eloquence of the word-order lay neither in individual words nor in detached mean­ings, but in what the words and phrases depicted. In consequence, he defined the word-order as "some words being affixed to others and some being placed because of others; that is, words being positioned as required by the science of grammar, in accordance with its rules and principles, and methods, without deviation from them."

It seems to me that Ustad Nursi studied this theory of the word-order thoroughly and then it became clear to him that the earlier commentators like al-Zamakhsharl and al-Razi and Abu Su'ud had not attempted to apply it as a complete system treating all the suras, verses, and words one after the other, in all its details. So he wanted to emulate these great commenta­tors but to compose a commentary in which the theory was applied in detail and comprehensively in respect of the structures and meanings, and the wording and its related sciences both intellectual and intuitive, universal and particular. He relied on all these while disclosing the Qur'an's system­atic ordering, through which its miraculousness and inimitability become apparent. He disclosed too and elucidated the subtle qualities of the literary styles and devices of the Qur'an, which when it first appeared opposed some current usages of Arabic, and astounded the Arab orators, and silenced their eloquent masters. It confronted them with the challenge of its miraculousness, and so it will till the Last Day.

It was not only to prove the Qur'an's miraculousness in respect of elo­quence and rhetoric that Nursi directed his efforts towards explicating the theory of its word-order; it was to penetrate into the meanings of the verses. For he wanted to expound them in detail in the light of reason in order to set forth the main beliefs of Islam and demonstrate their relations with the truths of existence.

It is quite obvious to anyone who studies this book and its arrangement that Nursi wanted to write a complete commentary of this sort. If he had been destined to do this, he would have produced a comprehensive com­mentary treating both rhetoric and eloquence and laying emphasis on rea­son, and this would have been fit to be his life-work. Certainly, it would have run to many volumes if he had continued to follow a method similar to that which we see here.

Allah the Most High, however, appointed for him something better than that; something higher and greater: to present the Qur'an to Muslims with­out distracting them with questions of rhetoric and the aspect of its miracu-lousness that pertains to its words. For the difficulties of the times pre­vented investigation of its finer questions, which could be understood only by a very few scholars. If it had been otherwise, the great majority of Mus­lims would have been unable to benefit from his unique talents and unri­valled zeal and faith. And then they would have been unequal to the awe­some ongoing struggle of civilization and ideas, despite the attacks of atheistic materialism, which was bit by bit infiltrating the life of Islam, and in many Muslim countries the politics, economics, society, culture, and sci­ence, and their proponents.

Consequently, Nursi did not continue after this volume; the circum­stances of the time and place thrust him into the thick of the fight, but with a new persona, called the New Said, the mark of which calmness, gradual-ness, and holding out a constructive approach, and affecting the minds and hearts of Muslims without emotionalism, noisy agitation, confusion, con­frontation, or striving for dominance. For the situation of Islam at the present time does not support such things; it does not have the power to face its powerful enemies, both external and internal.

With its decisive clarity, brilliant learned sedateness, highly pleasurable manner of expression, and cogent rational proofs, the Risale-i Nur replaces the former works the purpose of which was to prove aspects of the Qur'an's miraculousness pertaining to its words, rhetoric, and reason in the light of its word-order. For now the Qur'an's enemies are not qualified to challenge its eloquence or dispute its properties related to its inimitability, or suras, verses, and words. So they have concentrated on launching a gen­eral assault on the foundations of belief and the principles of the Shari'a, and have attempted to shatter the moral order that the Qur'an brought.

Ustad Nursi perceived the tremendous changes brought about by the new straggle and he faced them with the truths of the Qur'an, which he pre­sented in the light of natural, rational logic and the sciences of his time.

Nursi was able to prove the Qur'an's miraculous nature on the basis of the completed section of his commentary comprising this present work, and to demonstrate to his readers and students that it is easy to adhere to his rational, learned, pleasurable way. He saw that it was appropriate and suffi­cient, so he dedicated the rest of his life to the most pressing question, that of saving the belief of Muslims at the time of an awesome worldwide strug­gle. As a result he wrote more than ten books and numerous treatises, which represented a new way, in order to inflict intellectual defeat on the atheistic enemies of Islam and those pursuing Westernization.

It would be an injustice to the present work to suggest that it contains nothing of the method Ustad Nursi developed for the new struggle; indeed, I can claim here from what I have learnt about his thought through reading his works of the later period, that there is no idea that he expounds, explains, and expands in those works but it is found in concise and essen­tial form, or is elaborated, in this learned and substantial book, especially his presenting the fundamental Islamic beliefs in a contemporary scientific style. However in this book he was addressing his select students, combin­ing the terminology of classical kaldm and the beginnings of his new method, which found its definitive form in the Risale-i Nur.

Perhaps it was because it is a true commentary on the Qur'an that the Risale-i Nur was given this name, and in truth Nursi persisted in expound­ing the Qur'an and teaching its verses to Muslims until the final moments of his life, so full of tribulations and sorrows, and knowledge and learning and calling others to adhere to Allah's Book and the Sunna of His Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace).

The publication of this book in new form offers a fresh analysis of rheto­ric and eloquence to those concerned with the critical study of contempo­rary works on the Qur'an's miraculousness, inimitability, and eloquence -especially scholarly circles. They will find expositions of the beliefs of Islam that utilize logical reasoning, augmented by the profound rational and scholarly discussions that Ustad Nursi appends to his analyses of the first part of Surat al-Baqara. (...)

(Prof.) Muhsin 'Abdulhamid, Faculty of Education, University of Baghdad 2 Sha'ban 1407/1987

 

Reminder

 

 

THE QUR'ANIC commentary Signs of Miraculousness (Ishdrdt al-I'jdz) was written on the front in the first year of the Great War when no books or sources were available. Apart from the War, there were four reasons for its being written extremely concisely. Surat al-Fatiha and the first half are more concise and succinct.

Firstly: The time did not permit elucidation; the Old Said expressed what he intended succinctly and briefly.

Secondly: He had in mind his students' level of comprehension, and they were highly intelligent; he did not give thought to others understanding it.

Thirdly: Because he was expounding the miraculousness of the Qur'an's word-order, which is of the greatest conciseness and subtlety, the Old Said wrote briefly and to the point. But I have reread it now with the New Said's eyes: in truth, notwithstanding all the Old Said's faults, with its elevated discussions this work is a masterpiece. Since when he wrote it he was in a constant state of readiness to fall in battle; and since his intention was pure and he wrote it in conformity with the rules of rhetoric and the sciences of Arabic, I [now] have been unable to refute any part of it. If Allah so wishes, He will accept the work as atonement for the Old Said's sins and will raise up people who will understand it completely.

If obstacles had not arisen such as the First War, and other fascicles and letters had included other exegetical truths similar to the miraculousness of the Qur'an's word-order - one aspect of its miraculousness - which is expounded in this first volume, a fine comprehensive commentary would have been produced on the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition. Perhaps in the future, taking this partial commentary and the sixty-six, rather, one hun­dred and thirty parts of The Words (Sozler) and Letters (Mektubat) as its source, a fortunate committee will write such a commentary, God willing.

 

Said Nursi

The Author's Note to the Turkish Edition (1955)

 

 

EXPLAINED below in three points are the reasons many minor points about the relations [between the words in the light of the science] of rheto­ric, which will not be comprehensible and profitable for many people, are mentioned in this commentary interspersed among the detailed explana­tions of the twelve verses about dissemblers and two verses about unbeliev­ers, while in the rest of the verses the nature of disbelief and the doubts clung on to by the dissemblers are touched on only briefly; and why the elucidation of the subtle indications and allusions of the Qur'an's words is emphasized.

First Point: Inspired by the Qur'anic teachings, the Old Said perceived that something would emerge at this time similar to the obdurate, unlet­tered unbelievers of the early years of Islam and the dissembling members of former religions, and he expounded the verses about the dissemblers in explanatory and detailed fashion. But so as not to cloud the readers' minds, he mentioned only briefly without explaining them the nature of their way and its bases. In any event, contrary to other 'ulama, it is the way of the Risale-i Nur not to mention the doubts of opponents lest they taint the read­ers' minds, and to give such answers that no place remains for suspicion or doubts. Like in the Risale-i Nur, so as not to confuse the readers' minds, the Old Said only gave importance in this commentary to the indications and allusions of the words in respect of eloquence.

Second Point: Since the Qur'an's letters are so valuable that the reading of a single letter may yield ten, a hundred, a thousand, or thousands of mer­its and everlasting fruits of the hereafter, certainly the Old Said's expound­ing in this commentary points as fine as a hair or an atom related to the Qur'an's words, is not wastefulness or irrelevant, but as valuable as the lashes are to the eye and atoms are to the eye's pupil. He must have felt this, for the enemy's bullets in the skirmishing lines in that terrible war did not confuse him or make him abandon his writing and thinking.

Third Point: The Turkish translation [of the author's brother, Abdiil-mecid] has not preserved the fluency, eloquence, and extraordinary value

of the Arabic, and it is also sometimes abbreviated. I had therefore intended not to publish part of the lengthy discussion about the dissem­blers. But since it is about the Qur'an, and even an atom about the Qur'an has high value, it will perhaps be useful for some people. God willing, if no obstacles arise, the Arabic commentary will be published following this translation and will complete its deficiencies. Moreover, there are some wonderful instances of 'coincidences' in the Arabic, in which human will has not intervened. So as far as it is possible the attempt should be made to produce it similarly to that printed copy, so that those wonders, a sign of its acceptance, are not lost.

 

Said Nursi

Statement of Purpose

 

 

THE QUR'AN OF MIGHTY STATURE is an all-embracing divine speech and universal dominical address delivered from the Sublime Throne that addresses all the classes, nations, and individuals of mankind in every age. So also, and especially at this time, does it encompass many sciences and branches of learning related to the physical aspects of the world, knowledge of which is beyond the capacity of a single individual or small group. Therefore, a commentary issuing from the understanding and imagi­native power of a single individual, the scope of whose comprehension is very narrow with regard to time, place, and specialization, cannot truly expound the Qur'an. For an individual cannot be acquainted with and be an expert in all the exact sciences and the branches of knowledge concerned with the spiritual and material states of nations and peoples, all of whom the Qur'an addresses. And he cannot be free of bias towards his own pro­fession and discipline that he might explicate the truths of the Qur'an impartially. Also, a person's understanding is peculiar to him and he may not call on others to accept it - unless it be affirmed by a consensus of some sort. And his findings [and judgements] related to actions are binding only on himself and no one else, again unless approved by a consensus.

In consequence of this, a commentary should be written after minute studies and researches by an elevated committee of authoritative scholars each of whom is a specialist in a number of sciences, proving the Qur'an's subtle meanings and its fine points to be found scattered through other commentaries, and its truths, which become manifest in time due to the dis­coveries of science. Just as its legal ordinances have to be ordered and reg­ulated, not according to the thought of a single individual, but by such a committee after being scrutinized and studied minutely by it. Thus, gaining the trust and confidence of the mass of the people, the committee will implicitly assume responsibility for them and be an authoritative source for the Muslim community.

Indeed, one who expounds the Qur'an should possess high intelligence, penetrating independent judgement, and a high degree of sainthood. But in these times in particular, such conditions can be met only by the brilliant

collective personality born of the co-operation of an elevated, esteemed committee and the uniting of the minds of its members, of their assistance for one another and harmony of spirit, and of their freedom of thought, and, being free of bias, of their complete sincerity. Only a collective personality such as this can expound the Qur'an. For in accordance with the rule, 'What is not found in the parts is present in the whole,' conditions like these which are not to be found in every individual are present in the group.

While awaiting, as I had for many years, the appearance of such a com­mittee, I had a premonition that we were on the eve of a terrible earthquake that would lay waste the country.¹ And so, in accordance with the rule, 'It is not permissible to abandon a thing completely even if it is not wholly obtained,' despite my impotence, faults, and difficult style of writing, I started to set down on my own some of the Qur'an's truths and some indi­cations of the miraculousness of its word-order. Then, on the Great War breaking out I found myself in the mountains and valleys of Erzurum and Pasinler. Whenever the opportunity arose while I was performing the duty of jihad in the midst of those tumultuous conditions, I used to write what occurred to my heart in phrases that did not always match one another. Since it was not possible to have any books or commentaries to refer to, what I wrote consisted only of what occurred to my heart. If these inspira­tions of mine are appropriate for a commentary, light of lights; if they con­tain contradictory aspects, these can be referred to my own defects. Cer­tainly, there are places in need of correction, but since it was written with complete sincerity in the front lines of war among the slain, like it is not permissible to change the clothes and wash off blood of martyrs, I could not permit the ripped phrases in which it was clothed to be changed; my heart would not consent to it. And now it does not consent to it, for now at this time, I cannot find that utter sincerity and purity of heart.

1.     Yes, our master said while teaching us on the roof of the Horhor Medrese in Van that there was going to be a terrible earthquake, and exactly as he predicted, a short time later the Great War broke out. (His students of the time) Hamza, Mehmed Şefik, Mehmed Mihri 2.     See, the author's note at the end of the work.

Furthermore, I did not write this work of mine, called Signs of Miracu­lousness (Isharal al-I'jaz), with the intention of its being a true commen­tary; only, in the event of its being well received, I wrote it as a model and source for a commentary to be written in the future, that treated a few aspects of Qur'anic exegesis. My eagerness drove me to what was beyond my power; if it is found acceptable it will give me the courage to continue.²

What is the Qur'an? How is it defined?

 

 

THE QUR'AN is the pre-eternal translator of the mighty book of the universe; the post-eternal interpreter of the various tongues reciting the verses of creation; the commentator of the book of the Worlds of the Seen and the Unseen; the revealer of the treasuries of the divine names hidden in the heavens and on the earth; the key to the truths concealed beneath the lines of events; the tongue of the Unseen World in the Manifest World; the treasury of the post-eternal favours of the Most Merciful and of the pre-eternal addresses of that Most Holy One, that come from the World of the Unseen beyond the veil of this Manifest World; it is the sun, foundation, and plan of the spiritual world of Islam; the sacred map of the worlds of the hereafter; the expounding word, lucid exposition, decisive proof, and clear interpreter of the divine essence, attributes, names, and functions; it is the instructor of the world of humanity; the light and water of Islam, the macroanthropos; the true wisdom of mankind; and the true guide and leader urging humanity to prosperity and happiness; it is a both a book of law, and a book of prayer, and a book of wisdom, and a book of worship, and a book of command and summons, and a book of invocation, and a book of thought; it is a unique, comprehensive sacred book comprising many books to which recourse may be had for the needs of all mankind; it is a revealed scripture resembling a sacred library that offers treatises suita­ble for all the various ways and different paths of the all the saints and the veracious ones and the wise and the learned, which is appropriate for the illuminations of each way and enlightens it, and is suitable for the course of each path and depicts it.

Since the Qur'an has come from the Sublime Throne and the greatest name, and from the highest degree of each name, it is Allah's Word in regard to His being Lord and Sustainer (Rabb) of all the worlds; it is a divine decree through His title of God of All Beings; it is an address in the name of the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth; it is a conversation in respect of absolute dominicality {rububiyei); it is a pre-eternal discourse on account of universal divine sovereignty; it is a notebook of the favours of the Most Merciful from the point of view of all-embracing, ali-

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encompassing divine mercy; it is a collection of addresses at the start of which are certain ciphers related to the tremendousness of divine majesty; and through its descent from the comprehensiveness of the greatest name, it is a holy scripture full of wisdom that looks to and inspects all sides of the Sublime Throne.

It is because of this mystery that with complete fitness the title of the Word of Allah has been given to the Qur'an, and is always given. After the Qur'an comes the level of the books and scriptures of the other prophets. However, those other innumerable divine words are each in the form of inspiration made manifest through a special regard, a partial title, a particu­lar manifestation, a specific name, a special dominicality, a particular sove­reignty, a special mercy. The inspirations of the angels and man and the animals vary greatly with regard to universality and particularity.

The Qur'an is a revealed scripture which contains in summary the books of all the prophets, whose times were all different, the writings of all the saints, whose paths are all different, and the works of all the purified schol­ars, whose ways are all different. Its six aspects are all brilliant and free of the darkness of doubts and scepticism; its point of support is certain hea­venly revelation and the pre-eternal Word; its aim and goal is self-evidently eternal happiness; its inner aspect is clearly pure guidance; its upper aspect is necessarily the lights of belief; its lower aspect is undeniably evidence and proof; its right aspect is evidently the surrender of the heart and con­science; its left aspect is manifestly the subjugation of the reason and intel­lect; its fruit is indisputably the mercy of the Most Merciful and the realm of Paradise; and its rank and desirability are assuredly accepted by the angels and man and the jinn.

 

(from The Twenty-Fifth Word, written 1927)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7/t the Name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. * All praise be to Allah, the Lord and Sustainer of All the Worlds; * The Merciful, the Compassionate; * Master of the Day of Judgement; * You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help; * Guide us to the Straight Path; * The path of those whom You have blessed, not of those who earn Your anger, nor of those who go astray. (Bismilldh al-Rahmdn al-Rahim. * al-Hamd li-llah Rabb al-'dlamin, * al-Rahmdn al-Rahlm, * Malik yawm al-din; * Iyydka na'budu wa iyyaka nasta'in; * Ihdind al-sirdt al-mustaqlm, * al-Sirdt alladhlna an'amta 'alayhim, ghayr al-maghdub 'alayhim, wa la dallin.)

Surat al-Fatiha

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

The Most Mercifid. * It is He who has taught the Qur'an. * He has created man. * He has taught him [articulate thought and] speech. (55:1-4)

We offer Him praise and thanks, and seek His blessings for His Prophet, whom He sent as a mercy to all the worlds, and through its signs and indications made his greatest miracle encompass the uni­verse's truths, so to remain permanently through the passage of time till the Day of Requital, and for all his Family and Companions.

 

SO know firstly that our aim from these indications, is a commen­tary on a number of the symbols of the Qur'an's word-order, for [one aspect of] its miraculousness is manifested in its word-order. Indeed, the embroidery of its world-order is its most brilliant [form of] miraculousness.¹

1. See, Nursi, İşârâtii'l-I'caz [Turk. trarıs. Abdiilmecid Nursî] (istanbul: Zehra Yayıncılık, 1999), 21.

And know secondly that the fundamental aims of the Qur'an and its essential elements are fourfold: divine unity {al-tawhid), prophethood (al-nubuwwa), the resurrection of the dead (al-hashr), and justice (al-'addla). For when mankind, like a successive caravan and procession, departs from the valleys of the past and its lands, travels in the deserts of existence and life and proceeds towards the heights of the future, facing towards its

gardens, events shake men and the universe turns its face towards them. It is as though the government of creation sends natural philosophy [or sci­ence] (farm al-hikma) to interrogate and question them, saying: "O man­kind! Where are you from? Where are you going? What are you doing? Who is your ruler? And who is your spokesman?" At one time during this conversation there stood up one from among mankind - as did those like him of the prophets with authority - the lord of mankind Muhammad al-Hashimi (UWBP), and said through the tongue of the Qur'an: "O philoso­phy! All of us beings we come forth emerging by the power of the Pre-Eternal Ruler from the darkness of non-existence to the light of existence, and all of us, we sons of Adam, were sent as officials privileged above our brother creatures in bearing the Trust; we are on our way, journeying on the road of the resurrection towards eternal felicity; and we are busy in this world in preparation of that felicity and the development of the potentiali­ties that are our capital; and I am their, master and their spokesman. Here it is before you, my manifesto, which is the word of the Pre-Eternal Ruler, on which sparkles the stamp of miraculousness." Thus, the answerer of these questions, the correct answer, is none other than the Qur'an, that book - the answer is those four fundamental principles.

Just as the four aims are seen in the whole of the Qur'an, so they are manifested in every sura; indeed, they are hinted at in every phrase or alluded to in every word; because each part is like a mirror to the whole ascending, just as the whole is seen in each part successively. And by this point I mean that by this participation of the part (al-juz') in the whole (al-kull), the Qur'an is made known as a totality (al-kulli) with constituent parts (al-juz'iyy ât).¹

• If you were to ask: Show me these four aims in "Bismillah - In the Name of Allah" and "al-hamdulillâh - all praise be to.Allah."

2.That is, every part of the Qur'an is a whole Qur'an.     See, Nursi, l§aratil'l-l'caz [Abdiil-mecid], 327. 3.The genitive construction here {jar wa majriir)  expresses restriction. See, Nursi, t§aratii'l-Vcaz [Abdiilmecid], 23.

You would be told: Since "Bismillah" was revealed in order to instruct [the Most High's] servants, 'Say!' (Qui) is implicit in it and essentially it is implied by [all] the words of the Qur'an. So according to this, there is in 'Say!' (Qui) an indication to prophethood; and in "Bismillah" a sign to the Godhead; and in the prefixing of [the preposition] "fez-" of "bismillah" a sign to divine unity;³ and in "the Most Merciful (al-Rahman)" an allusion to the order [of the universe, and therefore to] justice and beneficence; and in "the Most Compassionate (al-Rahim)" a hint to the resurrection of the dead. Likewise, in "all praise be to Allah (al-hamdulilldh)" is an indication to the Godhead; and in the lâm of specification (the "U-" of "li-llah") a sign to divine unity. And in "Lord and Sustainer of all the worlds (Rabb al-'âlâmın)" is a hint to justice, and also to prophethood,.for the education of mankind is given by the prophets. And in "Master of the Day of Judgement (Malik yawm al-dln)" is an explicit statement of resurrection. Likewise, the shell of Innd a'tayndka'l-kawthar⁴ contains these pearls [of the Qur'an's four main aims]. This is an example, so carry on in the same way.

"In the name of Allah (Bismillah)" is like the sun, which illumines itself as well as others and is self-sufficient. Thus, the "In (bi-)" is related to the verb that is implicit in its meaning; that is, "I seek help from if," or the meaning usually associated with it; that is, "I swear by it." Or it is related to the implicit 'Say!'(Q«/)> which necessitates a subsequent 'recite!' or 'read!' (iqrd') to denote sincerity and divine unity.⁵

As for "name (al-ism)" know that Allah has names pertaining to His essence, and names pertaining to various sorts of action, such as Forgiving, Provider, Giver of Life, and Dealer of Death, and so on. They are various and numerous because of the multiplicity of the relations of His pre-eternal power with the different kinds of beings. Therefore, "Bismillah" is an invo­cation, seeking the agency and connection of divine power, that its connec­tion might be a spirit for man and a help for him in his actions.

"Allah:" the proper name of Allah is a comprehensive summary of all the attributes of perfection, for it implies the Essence, unlike other proper nouns, in which there is no necessary implication of attributes.

"The Most Merciful, the All-Compassionate (al-Rahmân al-Rahîm)"

4. Sura 108, Sflrat al-Kawthar, one of the shortest of the Qur'an's suras. 5. Related to and following the genitive construction, these implied verbs denote restric­tion, which in turn denotes sincerity and divine unity. See, Nursi, l§ârâtu'l-î'caz [Abdul-mecid], 24.

The positioning: just as divine glory (jaldl) and its concomitants are manifested in sequence from the name of Allah, so too divine beauty (jamdl) and its concomitants appear in sequence from "the Most Merciful, the All-Compassionate (al-Rahmân al-Rahîm). Since Glory and Beauty are two sources, there appear in sequence from them by virtue of their being manifest in every world, branches like command and prohibition, reward and punishment, inducement and threat, glorification and praise, and fear and hope, and so on.

Also, just as the name of Allah indicates the attributes that are identical with His Essence and indicate His freedom from defect (al-sifdt al-'ayniyya wa'l-tanzihiyya), so "All-Compassionate (al-Rahim)" hints at the attributes that are other than His Essence and pertain to action (al-sifdt al-ghayriyya al-fi'liyya). As for "Most Merciful (al-Rahmdn)," it indicates the seven attributes that are neither identical with nor other than His Essence (la 'ayn wa la ghayr), since it has the meaning of the Provider (al-Razzdq) and con­sists of the bestowal of continuance. For continuance is the repetition of existence; and existence necessitates a distinguishing attribute, a specifying attribute, and an effectuating attribute, and these are Knowledge, Will, and Power. Continuance, which is the result of the bestowal of sustenance, entails the certainty of Sight, Hearing, and Speech, for necessarily the Pro­vider has sight in order to see the need of the recipient of providence if he does not seek it; and He has hearing in order to hear the recipient's word when he asks; and He has speech in order to speak through intermediaries, when there are some. And these six necessitate the seventh, which is Life.

• If you were to ask: The precedence of "Most Merciful (al-Rahmdn)" which indicates great bounties, over "All-Compassionate (al-Rahim)," which indicates minute bounties, is the art of descending from great to small (san'at al-tadalli). While eloquence requires an ascent from lowest to highest (san'at al-taraqqfp.

You would be told: The latter is appended to the former in order to com­plete it, like eyebrows complete the eyes and the bridle the horse. Simi­larly, when the great depends on the minute the minute gains the superior­ity, like the key to the lock and the tongue to the spirit. Furthermore, this context (lit. station - al-maqdm) being one of drawing attention to the bounties [rather than enumerating them or evoking gratitude for them], to alert [the reader to this fact since it is] less obvious is more appropriate. So the art of descending from great to small when (lit. in the context of) enu­merating bounties and evoking gratitude for them becomes the art of ascending from small to great when alerting [the mind to them] and point­ing them out.

• If you were to ask: Like such concepts as tender-heartedness, Merciful and Compassionate cannot be used in reference to Allah. If what is meant by these is their results, which here would be the bestowal of bounty, what is the reason for the metaphor?

You would be told: The reason is that of the allegorical verses (muta-shabihdt):⁶ it is divine condescension to human intellects; making some­thing familiar to the mind and inducing it to understand, like one speaks to a child in terms he is accustomed to and familiar with. The mass of the peo­ple gather their information from their senses and they do not look at sheer truths except in the mirror of what they imagine them to be and from the point of view of that to which they are accustomed. Moreover, the aim of the phrase is to convey the meaning, and this is not achieved except by affecting the heart and emotions, and by clothing the truth in a style famil­iar to the one addressed; in this way his heart is prepared to accept it.

"[All] praise (al-Hamd)"

Its positioning as regards what precedes it:

Since "the Most Merciful (al-Rahmdn)" and "the All-Compassionate (al-Rahim)" indicate the [divine] bounties and favours, they necessitate praise. Furthermore, "All praise be to Allah (al-hamduli'lldh)" is repeated in four suras in the Qur'an,⁷ each repetition referring to one of the principal boun­ties, which are the first creation and the continuation of it, and the last crea­tion and its ensuing continuation. Its positioning here:

["All praise be to Allah (al-hamduli'lldh)"] being put at the opening of the Fdtiha of the Qur'an is like putting the conception of the Qur'an's ulti­mate purpose in the forefront of the brain. For praise is a concise form of worship, which is the result of creation, and of knowledge of Allah, which is the purpose and aim of the universe. So to mention praise is to conceive of the Qur'an's ultimate purpose. Indeed, Allah (May He be exalted and glorified) says: "I created not the jinn and men except that they might wor­ship."(51:57)

Furthermore, there is the well-known meaning of praise: the display of the attributes of perfection.

6. Meanings that cannot be applied literally to God Almighty, such as "the hand" in the verse, "The hand of Allah is over their hands."(48:lO) See, Nursi, I'saratii'l-I'caz [Abdiil-mecid], 26. 7. Suras al-An'am, al-Kahf, Saba', al-Fatir.

How this is achieved: Allah created man and made him a comprehensive summary of the universe and an index of the book of the world, which comprises eighteen thousand worlds, and lodged in his essence a sample from each, in which is manifested one of His names. If man spends all of what is bestowed on him in the way of that for which he was created, for the purpose of offering thanks, a sort of praise, and obeying the Shari'a, which removes the rust of nature, each of those samples becomes a map [illuminating] his world, and a mirror reflecting it and the attribute mani­fested in it and the name it displays. In this way, with both spirit and body, man becomes a summary of the worlds of the seen and unseen, and mani­fests what is manifested in them. Through offering praise he becomes both a place of demonstration and a demonstrator of the attributes of perfection. This is implied by what Muhyl al-Dln al-'Arabi⁸ said in explanation of the Hadith: "I was a hidden treasure, so I created creation that they might know Me."⁹ That is, I created creation to be a mirror in which I might observe My beauty.

"[Be] to Allah (li'llah)"

That is, praise (hamd) is particular to and fitting only for the Most Pure and Holy Essence, who although specified is described by the concept of the Necessarily Existent One. For sometimes something specific may be thought of in general terms. The letter lam (the li- of li-llah) here is depen­dent on the verb implied by its meaning, as though it had absorbed the verb's meaning.¹⁰ In the lam is also a sign to sincerity and divine unity.

"Lord and Sustainer (Rabb)"

That is, He who raises and sustains the universe with all its component parts, each of which is a world like the greater world, with all its atoms, like its stars dispersed, in motion, in order.

8. Muhyl al-Dîn al-'Arabl (1165-1240 A.D.) was born in Andalucia. He earned the title 'al-Shaikh al-Akbar.' Of his numerous works and treatises the most famous are al-Futühât al-Makkiyya and Fuşüş al-Hikam. For further details, see, Nürsî, Ishârât al-I'jâz fi Mazânn al-Ijâz [tahqlq: Ihsân Qâsim al-Şâlihî] (istanbul: Sözler Yayınevi, 1414/1994), 27. 9. See, al-Suyütî, al-Durar al-Muntathira, 125; 'Alî al-Qârî, al-Âtlıâr al-Marfii'a, 273. The line of transmission of this Hadith is not known, but according to the latter it is sound in meaning, based on the verse, "I created not the jinn and men except that they might worship," (51:57) that is, "that they might know Me;" as expounded by Ibn 'Abbas. See, al-'Ajlünî, Kashf al-KliafS', ii, 132. As cited in, Nürsî, Ishârât al-I'jâz [Ihsân Qasim], 27. 10.   That is, "Praise is particular to Allah" has become "[All] praise is Allah's." See, Nursi, İşârâtü'l-İ'caz [Turk, trans. Bahaeddin Sağlam] (Istanbul: Tebliğ Yayınlan, 2001), 26.

Know that Allah (May His glory be exalted) appointed for everything a point of perfection and deposited in each an inclination towards it, as though commanding it through this inclination to set out for the point of perfection. In its journey each thing stands in need of what will help it and what will repulse the things that hinder it, and this is the sustaining of Allah. If you study the universe, you will see that it resembles human

groups and nations, with each individually and collectively employed in the duties its Maker has appointed for it, striving diligently, obeying the laws of its Creator. How surprising therefore is man, in his being an exception!

"Of all the worlds (al-'alamin)"

The yd and nun [that is, the two final letters] denote either a grammatical ending as in the numbers twenty ('ishrin) and thirty (thaldthin), or the [sound] plural. For the components of the worlds are worlds, or the world is not limited to the solar system. As the poet says:

Praise be to Allah, how numerous are His celestial spheres! Among them circulate the stars, and the sun and the moon.

The sound plural, [properly used] for rational beings, as in the verse "Ra'aytuhum li sajidin (I saw them prostrate themselves before me),"(12:4) indicates that [the science of] rhetoric conceives of all the components of the world as living and rational, speaking through the tongue of disposition. For the world ('alam) is so-called because through it the Maker is known (yu'lam), and it bears witness to Him and points to Him. Thus, the raising and sustaining of beings and their making known their Maker indicate, like the prostration, that they are as though conscious.

"The Most Merciful, the All-Compassionate (al-Rahmdn al-Rahim)"

Their positioning: they point to the two fundamentals in raising and nurturing. For in its meaning of Provider (al-Razzdq), Most Merciful infers the attraction of benefits, while in its meaning of Oft-Forgiving (al-Ghaffdr), All-Compassionate is conformable with the repulsion of harm, and these are the two basic principles of raising and sustaining.

"Master of the Day [of Judgement] (Malik Yawm al-Din)" That is, the day of resurrection and requital.

The positioning: it is as though it is the result of what precedes it, for mercy (rahma) is one of the proofs of resurrection and eternal felicity. For mercy can only be mercy, and bounty can only be bounty when the Resur­rection arrives and eternal felicity comes about. Otherwise, on thinking of eternal separation, intelligence, which is one of the greatest bounties, would be a calamity for mankind, and affection and compassion, which are the most refined kinds of mercy, would be transformed into severe pain.

• If you were to ask: Allah is always the owner of everything, so why is the Day of Requital specified?

You would be told: It is specified in order to indicate that apparent causes, which Allah has put in the world of change to demonstrate His sub­limity - lest the direct functioning of the Hand of Power be seen by the mind's eye in matters that appear to be lowly in their outward (mulk) aspect, will be raised on that day, and their inner aspect (malakutiyya) will be manifested clearly and transparently. Then all things will see and know their Lord and Maker without intermediary.

And in the term "the Day (al-yawm)" is an allusion to one of the conjec­tural signs of the resurrection, related to the evident correspondence between a day and a year, and the life of man and the cycle of the earth. So it is between the hands of a clock that count the seconds, the minutes, the hours, and the days. Thus, the person who sees that one hand has com­pleted its revolution will surmise that the others will complete their revolu­tions too, even if with delay. Similarly, the person who sees the repeated resurrections of the species in the examples of the day and the year will surmise that the spring of eternal felicity will be born on the morning of the Day of Resurrection for mankind, one individual of which is like a species.

What is meant by "al-Dln" is either requital, that is, the day of requital for good deeds and bad, or of the truths of religion; that is, the day they will rise and be totally manifested, and the sphere of belief will prevail over the sphere of causes. For by relating causes to effects, Allah has deposited an order in the universe through His will, and obliged man through his nature, illusions, and imagination, to comply with the order and be bound to it. Moreover, He directed all things towards Himself and is far above the effect of the causes in His dominions {mulk). He charged man in belief and faith, to comply with this sphere with his conscience and his spirit, and be bound to it. For in this world, the sphere of causes predomi­nates over the sphere of belief, while in the next world the truths of belief will be manifested as supreme over the sphere of causes.

11. This refers to the Jabriyya (Predestinationists).

Know too that each of the two spheres has its appointed position and par­ticular rules, so each should be given its due. Thus, the person who looks from the position of the causal world with his nature, delusions, and imagi­nation, and the criteria of causes towards the sphere of belief is forced to be Mu'tazilite, while a person who looks from the position of belief and its criteria with his spirit and conscience towards the sphere of causes will end up displaying a lazy sort of trust and obstinate opposition to the will of the Orderer.¹¹

"You alone do we worship (Jyyaka na'budu)"

Two points may be made concerning the letter kaf[m the detached accu­sative pronoun iyydka]:

The first of them is that by reason of the direct form of address [that is, the change to the second person after the use of the third], the pronominal suffix "-ka - you" implies the attributes of perfection mentioned previ­ously. For the previous mention [of the attributes] one after the other stimu­lates the brain, preparing it, filling it with enthusiasm, and directing the attention to the One described. Thus, "You alone (iyydka)" means "O You Who is qualified by these attributes!"

The second point: the use of the second person indicates that according to the science of rhetoric the meanings should be dwelt on, for then it will be read as it was revealed, and this will lead the person to make the address naturally and enthusiastically. Hence, "You alone (iyydka)" implies compli­ance with [the Hadith] "Worship your Lord as if you were seeing Him."¹²

The use of the first person plural in "do we worship (na 'budu)" has three aspects: firstly, we worship, all of us members and atoms of the microcosm that is myself, by offering the thanks expressed by all these members and atoms complying with that which they have been commanded. Secondly, all of us monotheists, we worship You through obedience to your Shari'a. And thirdly, all of us beings, we submit totally to your Supreme Shari'a of Creation, and we prostrate in bewilderment and love at the throne of your awesomeness and power.

The positioning:

"Do we worship (na'budu)" elucidates and expounds "praise" (al-harnd). [That is, it explains the form praise should take.] It is the result of "Master of the Day of Judgement (mdlik al-yawm ad-din)" and necessitates it. [That is, "We worship Him alone because He is the Owner of all things."]¹³

12.See, al-Tabarânî, Sahih al-Jämi' al-Şaghîr, 1049. It's complete form is narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim. See, Nürsî, Ishärät al-I'jâz [ihsan Qäsim], 30. 13.See, Nursi, İşârâtü'l-Î'caz [Sağlam], 31.

Know too that the precedence of "You alone (iyydka)" infers sincerity, the essence of worship, while the use of the second person indicates the reason for worship, for the One qualified by these attributes, which call for direct address, is worthy of worship.

"And from You alone do we seek help (wa iyyaka nasta'in)"

In respect of the three groups mentioned above, this is the same as "You alone do we worship:" all of us members of man the microcosm, and us monotheists, and us beings, we seek help and assistance from You for all our needs and aims, the most important of which is worship. The "You alone (iyyaka)" is repeated to increase the pleasure of the address and sense of presence; and because the station (maqdm) of meeting face to face is higher and more exalted than the station of proof [in the absence of the one addressed]; and because presence calls for truthfulness and not for lying; and because worship and the seeking of help are two different, independent aims.

The positioning of "do we seek help" and "do we worship:" you should understand that the relationship between them resembles the relationship of wages with service. For worship is Allah's right over His bondsman [wor­ship is a form of service], and the help is His bountiful bestowal [or reward].¹⁴

In the exclusivity implied by the precedence of You alone is an indica­tion to the fact that through the noble relation that is worship and the ser­vice of Allah, the bondsman is raised up from subjection to causes and intermediaries; indeed, the causes become his servants, and since he recog­nizes the One alone, [for him] the sphere of belief and conscience will come to dominate, as mentioned. The person who is not truly Allah's ser­vant becomes a slave to causes and is abased by intermediaries. However, while in the sphere of causes the bondsman should not neglect causes alto­gether lest he comes to rebel against the order established by divine wis­dom and will. For misplaced reliance on Allah while in the sphere of causes is laziness, as discussed. This is like the relationship of the antece­dent and the aim, for help and grace are the preliminaries of worship.

"Guide us (Ihdind)"

The positioning: it is the bondsman's reply to Allah's question, as if He asks: "What aim is closest to ypur heart?" and the bondsman replies: "Guide us!"

14. See, Nursi, l§aratii'l-l'caz [Abdiilmecid], 31.

Know that because of its several levels of meaning, it is as if "Guide us " is derived from the four sources [or verbal nouns - masdar] of the act of guidance. For its recipients may be divided into those who are guided, those who seek guidance, and those who seek increase in guidance. So

"Guide us" means: make us firm in guidance if we are a society; increase us in guidance if we are a community; make us successful in guidance if we are a tribe; give us guidance if we are a group.

Also, according to the verse, "Who gives unto every thing [that exists] its true nature and form, and thereupon guides it,"(20:50) Allah guided us by giving us external and inner senses; then He guided us by placing evi­dences in the outside world and in ourselves; then He guided us by sending prophets and revealing books. And then He guided us with the greatest guidance, which was that by removing the veils from the truth, it appeared as truth and falsehood appeared as falsehood.