Seeds Of Reality - From the Risale-i Nur Collection

English translation	Original Text
Existent spirit is the brother of the conceivable law. Both are enduring and come from the World of the Divine Command.	Mevcud ruh, makul kanunun kardeşidir. İkisi hem daimî, hem âlem-i emirden gelmişlerdir.
If pre-eternal power had clothed the laws governing in the species of beings in external existence, they would have been spirits.	Şayet nevilerdeki kanunlara kudret-i ezeliye bir vücud-u haricî giydirseydi, ruh olurdu.
And if the spirit banishes consciousness, it still would be an undying law.	Eğer ruh, vücudu çıkarsa, şuuru başından indirse, yine lâyemut bir kanun olurdu.
20- Beings are visible through light, and their existence is known through life. Both are revealers.	20- Ziya ile mevcudat görünür, hayat ile mevcudatın varlığı bilinir. Herbirisi birer keşşaftır.
21- Christianity will either erupt, or being purified will lay down its arms before lslam.	21- Nasraniyet, ya intifa veya ıstıfa edip İslâmiyet’e karşı terk-i silâh edecektir.
It was split apart several times and Protestantism emerged. Then Protestantism was rent and approached the true affirmation of divine unity.	Nasraniyet birkaç defa yırtıldı, protestanlığa geldi. Protestanlık da yırtıldı, tevhide yaklaştı.
It is preparing to be rent again. It will either erupt and be extinguished, or it will see before it the truths of lslam, which encompass the basis of true Christianity, and it will lay down its arms.	Tekrar yırtılmağa hazırlanıyor. Ya intifa bulup sönecek veya hakikî Nasraniyetin esasını câmi’ olan hakaik-i İslâmiyeyi karşısında görecek, teslim olacaktır.
The Prophet Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) alluded to this great mystery when he said:	İşte bu sırr-ı azîme, Hazret-i Peygamber Aleyhissalâtü Vesselâm işaret etmiştir ki:
“Jesus will come having descended from the skies; he will be of my community and will act in accordance with my Shari’a.”	“Hazret-i İsa nâzil olup gelecek, ümmetimden olacak, şeriatımla amel edecektir.”
*{Bukhari, Anbiya’, 49; Muslim, Iman, 242-7; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 62; Musnad, iv, 226}
22- It is the sacredness of the authority more than proof that drives the mass of the people to comply with it.	22- Cumhur-u avamı, bürhandan ziyade, me’hazdaki kudsiyet imtisale sevkeder.
23- The essentials and incontestable matters of religion, which form ninety-nine per cent, are each diamond pillars,	23- Şeriatın yüzde doksanı -zaruriyat ve müsellemat-ı diniye- birer elmas sütundur.
while the controversial matters which are open to interpretation form only ten per cent. Ninety diamond pillars may not be put under the protection of ten gold pillars.	Mesail-i içtihadiye-i hilafiye, yüzde ondur. Doksan elmas sütun, on altunun himayesine verilmez.
Books and interpretations should be telescopes for observing the Qur’an; they should be mirrors; not shadows or deputies!	Kitablar ve içtihadlar Kur’ana dûrbîn olmalı, âyine olmalı; gölge ve vekil olmamalı!
24- Anyone who is capable may make interpretations of the law for his own self; but he cannot make the law.	24- Her müstaid; nefsi için içtihad edebilir, teşri’ edemez.
25- Calling others to accept an idea is dependent on acceptance by the ‘ulama; otherwise it is innovation, and should be rejected.	25- Bir fikre davet, cumhur-u ülemanın kabulüne vâbestedir. Yoksa davet bid’attır, reddedilir.
26- Since by nature man is noble, he seeks the truth. Sometimes he encounters the false, but supposing it to be the truth preserves it in his heart.	26- İnsan fıtraten mükerrem olduğundan, hakkı arıyor. Bazan bâtıl eline gelir; hak zannederek koynunda saklar.
Then, when delving into reality, without his willing it misguidance strikes him on the head; supposing it to be reality, he plunges his head into it.	Hakikatı kazarken, ihtiyarsız dalalet başına düşer; hakikat zannederek kafasına giydiriyor.
27- Divine power has many mirrors, each more subtle and transparent than the last;	27- Birbirinden eşeff ve eltaf, kudretin çok âyineleri vardır;
they vary from water to air, and air to ether, and ether to the World of Similitudes; from the World of Similitudes to the World of Spirits, and even to time, and to thought.	sudan havaya, havadan esîre, esîrden âlem-i misale, âlem-i misalden âlem-i ervaha, hattâ zamana, fikre tenevvü’ ediyor.
A single word in the mirror of the air becomes millions of words .	Hava âyinesinde bir kelime milyonlar kelimat olur.
The Pen of Power writes this mystery of reproduction in truly wondrous manner.	Kalem-i kudret, şu sırr-ı tenasülü pek acib istinsah ediyor.
The reflection contains either its identity or its identity together with its nature. The images of dense beings are moving but dead.	İn’ikas, ya hüviyeti veya hüviyetle mahiyeti tutar. Kesifin timsalleri birer meyyit-i müteharriktir.
While the images of a luminous spirit in their own mirrors are living and linked with it; even if they are not identical, they are not other than it.	Bir ruh-u nuranînin kendi âyinelerinde olan timsalleri, birer hayy-ı murtabıttır; aynı olmasa da, gayrı da değildir.
28- Since the sun shakes itself in its axial rotation, its fruits do not fall; whereas if it did not shake itself, the planets would fall and be scattered.	28- Şems hareket-i mihveriyesiyle silkinse, meyveleri düşmez; silkinmezse, yemişleri olan seyyarat düşüp dağılacaktır.
29- If the light of thought is not illuminated with the light of the heart and blended with it, it is darkness and breeds tyranny.	29- Nur-u fikir, ziya-yı kalb ile ışıklanıp mezcolmazsa, zulmettir, zulüm fışkırır.
If the white of the eye, which resembles day, were not together with its black pupil, which resembles night, the eye would not be the eye; it would be unseeing.	Gözün muzlim nehar-ı ebyazı, muzii (Haşiye) leyle-i süveyda ile mezcolmazsa basarsız olduğu gibi,
Similarly, if the black core of the heart is not present in white thought, it lacks insight.	fikret-i beyzada süveyda-i kalb bulunmazsa, basiretsizdir.
…	*{(Haşiye): Meali: Gözün gündüze benzeyen beyazı, geceye benzeyen siyahlığıyla beraber olmazsa; göz, göz olmaz.}
30- If knowledge lacks the insight of the heart, it is ignorance. Taking the part of something is one thing, belief is something else.	30- İlimde iz’an-ı kalb olmazsa, cehildir. İltizam başka, itikad başkadır.
31- Embroidering meaningless things is for misleading simple minds .	31- Bâtıl şeyleri iyice tasvir, safi zihinleri idlâldir.
32- A learned guide should be a sheep, not a bird. A sheep gives its lamb milk, while a bird gives its chick regurgitated food.	32- Âlim-i mürşid, koyun olmalı; kuş olmamalı. Koyun, kuzusuna süt; kuş, yavrusuna kay verir.
33- The existence of something is dependent on the existence of all its parts. As for non-existence, since it occurs though non-existence of one part,	33- Bir şey’in vücudu, bütün eczasının vücuduna vâbestedir. Ademi ise, bir cüz’ünün ademiyle olduğundan;
a weak man supports destruction in order to demonstrate his power; he acts negatively instead of positively.	zaîf adam, iktidarını göstermek için tahrib tarafdarı oluyor, müsbet yerine menfîce hareket ediyor.
34- If the laws of government are not combined with the principles of wisdom, and the bonds of force not combined with the laws of truth, they will not be fruitful among the mass of the people.	34- Desatir-i hikmet, nevamis-i hükûmetle; kavanin-i hak, revabıt-ı kuvvetle imtizac etmezse cumhur-u avamda müsmir olamaz.
35- Tyranny has donned the hat of justice; treachery has clothed itself in the garment of patriotism; jihad has been given the name of rebellion; captivity has been called freedom! Opposites have exchanged forms!	35- Zulüm, başına adalet külâhını geçirmiş; hıyanet, hamiyet libasını giymiş; cihada bagy ismi takılmış, esarete hürriyet namı verilmiş. Ezdad, suretlerini mübadele etmişler.
36- Politics which revolves around benefit is savagery.	36- Menfaat üzerine dönen siyaset, canavardır.
37- To show friendliness towards a hungry beast excites not its compassion but its hunger.	37- Aç canavara karşı tahabbüb; merhametini değil, iştihasını açar.
Both its fangs and its claws will want their rent!	Hem de diş ve tırnağının kirasını da ister.
38- Time has shown that Paradise is not cheap, nor Hell unnecessary.	38- Zaman gösterdi ki: Cennet ucuz değil, Cehennem dahi lüzumsuz değil.
39- While the qualities of those known by the world as the upper classes should be the cause of modesty and humility, they have led to oppression and arrogance.	39- Dünyaca havas tanınan insanlardaki meziyet, sebeb-i tevazu’ ve mahviyet iken; tahakküm ve tekebbüre sebeb olmuştur.
And while the poverty and powerlessness of the poor and common people should be the cause of compassion and bounty, they have resulted in servitude and enthralment.	Fukaranın aczi, avamın fakrı sebeb-i merhamet ve ihsan iken; esaret ve mahkûmiyetlerine müncer olmuştur.
40- So long as honour and good things are to be obtained from something, they offer it to the upper classes, but if it is something bad, they divide it among the ordinary people.	40- Bir şeyde mehasin ve şeref hasıl oldukça, havassa peşkeş ederler; seyyiat olsa, avama taksim ederler.
41- If a person lacks an imagined goal, or if he forgets it or pretends to forget it, his thoughts will perpetually revolve around his ‘I’.	41- Gaye-i hayal olmazsa veyahut nisyan veya tenasi edilse; ezhan enelere dönüp etrafında gezerler.
42- The origin of all revolutions and corruption, and the spur and source of all bad morals are just two sayings:	42- Bütün ihtilalat ve fesadın asıl madeni ve bütün ahlâk-ı rezilenin muharrik ve menba’ı tek iki kelimedir:
The First Saying: “So long as I’m full, what is it to me if others die of hunger?”	Birinci Kelime: “Ben tok olsam, başkası açlıktan ölse bana ne!”
The Second Saying: “You suffer hardship so that I can live in ease; you work so that I can eat.”	İkinci Kelime: “İstirahatim için zahmet çek; sen çalış, ben yiyeyim.”
There is only one remedy for extirpating the first saying, and that is the obligatory payment of zakat.	Birinci kelimenin ırkını kesecek tek bir devası var ki, o da vücub-u zekattır.
While the remedy for the second is the prohibition of usury and interest.	İkinci kelimenin devası, hurmet-i ribadır.
Qur’anic justice stands at the door of the world and says to usury and interest: “No entry! It is forbidden! You don’t have the right to enter here!”	Adalet-i Kur’aniye âlem kapısında durup, ribaya “Yasaktır, girmeye hakkın yoktur” der.
Mankind did not heed the command, and received a severe blow. So it must heed it before it receives one even more severe!	Beşer bu emri dinlemedi, büyük bir sille yedi. Daha müdhişini yemeden, dinlemeli!..
43- War between nations and states is relinquishing its place to war between the classes of mankind.	43- Devletler, milletler muharebesi; tabakat-ı beşer muharebesine terk-i mevki ediyor.
For just as man does not want to be a slave, so he does not want to be a labourer.	Zira beşer esir olmak istemediği gibi, ecîr olmak da istemez.
44- The person who pursues his goal by illicit means is usually punished by receiving the opposite of what he intended.	44- Tarîk-ı gayr-ı meşru ile bir maksadı takib eden, galiben maksudunun zıddıyla ceza görür,
The recompense for illicit love, like love for Europe, is the beloved’s cruel enmity.	Avrupa muhabbeti gibi gayr-ı meşru muhabbetin akibetinin mükâfatı, mahbubun gaddarane adavetidir.
45- The past and calamities should be considered in the light of divine determining (kader), while the future and sins from the point of view of responsibility before God. The Jabriyya and Mu’tazila are reconciled on this point.	45- Maziye, mesaibe kader nazarıyla ve müstakbele, maasiye teklif noktasında bakmak lâzımdır. Cebr ve İtizal, burada barışırlar.
46- Impotence should not be resorted to when a solution may be found, and when there is no solution, punishment should not be resorted to.	46- Çaresi bulunan şeyde acze, çaresi bulunmayan şeyde ceza’a iltica etmemek gerektir.
47- Life’s wounds may be healed, but Islamic pride and honour, and national pride, their wounds are extremely deep.	47- Hayatın yarası iltiyam bulur. İzzet-i İslâmiyenin ve namusun ve izzet-i milliyenin yaraları pek derindir.
48- It sometimes happens that a single word causes an army to perish, and one bullet leads to the annihilation of thirty million.*	48- Öyle zaman olur ki; bir kelime bir orduyu batırır, bir gülle otuz milyonun mahvına sebeb olur. (Haşiye)
*{A single bullet fired by a Serbian soldier at the Austrian crown-prince set off the Great War, and was the cause of thirty million souls being lost.}	{(Haşiye): Sırp bir neferin Avusturya Veliahdine attığı bir tek gülle; eski harb-i umumîyi patlattırdı, otuz milyon nüfusun mahvına sebeb oldu.}
Some conditions are such that a small act raises man to the highest of the high, while in others a small action relegates him to the lowest of the low.	Öyle şerait tahtında olur ki; küçük bir hareket, insanı a’lâ-yı illiyyîne çıkarır ve öyle hal olur ki; küçük bir fiil, insanı esfel-i safilîne indirir.
49- One grain of truth consumes a stack of lies. One grain of reality is superior to a stack of illusions.	49- Bir tane sıdk, bir harman yalanları yakar. Bir tane hakikat, bir harman hayalata müreccahtır.
Everything you say should be true, but it is not right to say everything true.	لاَ يَلْزَمُ مِنْ لُزُومِ صِدْقِ كُلِّ قَوْلٍ قَوْلُ كُلِّ صِدْقٍ Her sözün doğru olmalı; fakat her doğruyu söylemek, doğru değil.
50- A person who sees the good in things has good thoughts. And he who has good thoughts receives pleasure from life.	50- Güzel gören, güzel düşünür. Güzel düşünen, hayatından lezzet alır.
51- What gives life to people is hope; what kills them is despair.	51- İnsanları canlandıran emeldir; öldüren ye’stir.
52- Since early days, this Islamic state took on itself the upholding of the Word of God, the maintenance of independence, and jihad for Islam, an obligation which if undertaken by part of the community, released the rest; it considered itself to be charged with sacrificing itself for Islam, which was united, and carrying the banner of the Caliphate. The misfortune it now suffers	52- Eskiden beri i’la-yı kelimetullah ve beka-yı istiklaliyet-i İslâm için farz-ı kifaye-i cihadı deruhde ile kendini, yek-vücud olan âlem-i İslâm’a fedaya vazifedar ve hilafete bayrakdar görmüş olan bu devlet-i İslâmiyenin felâketi;
will therefore be made up for by the future prosperity and freedom of the Islamic World.	âlem-i İslâmın saadet ve hürriyet-i müstakbelesiyle telafi edilecektir.
For this calamity has speeded up in wondrous fashion the growth of Islamic brotherhood, the leaven of our lives.	Zira şu musibet, maye-i hayatımız olan uhuvvet-i İslâmiyenin inkişafını hârikulâde ta’cil etti.
53- To attribute to Christianity the virtues of civilization, which are not its property,	53- Hristiyanlığın malı olmayan mehasin-i medeniyeti ona mal etmek
and to show retrogression, the enemy of Islam, to be its friend, is to suggest that the firmament is revolving in the opposite direction.	ve İslâmiyetin düşmanı olan tedenniyi ona dost göstermek, feleğin ters dönmesine delildir.
54- A tarnished, matchless diamond is always superior to a piece of glistening glass.	54- Paslanmış bîhemta bir elmas, daima mücella cama müreccahtır.
55- Those who seek everything in materiality know only what their eyes see, and such eyes are blind in spiritual matters.	55- Her şeyi maddede arayanların akılları gözlerindedir, göz ise maneviyatta kördür.
56- If metaphors fall from the hands of learning into those of ignorance, they are transformed into their literal meanings, opening the door to superstition.	56- Mecaz, ilmin elinden cehlin eline düşse, hakikata inkılab eder; hurafata kapı açar.
57- Favour greater than divine favour is not favour. Everything has to be described as it is.	57- İhsan-ı İlahîden fazla ihsan, ihsan değildir. Her şeyi, olduğu gibi tavsif etmek gerektir.
58- Fame ascribes to man what is not his.	58- Şöhret, insanın malı olmayanı dahi insana maleder.
59- Hadiths are the source of life and inspirer of reality.	59- Hadîs, maden-i hayat ve mülhim-i hakikattır.
60- The revival of religion is the revival of the nation. The life of religion is the light of life.	60- İhya-yı din, ihya-yı millettir. Hayat-ı din, nur-u hayattır.
61- The Qur’an, which is a mercy for mankind, only accepts a civilization that allows for the happiness of all, or at least of the majority.	61- Nev’-i beşere rahmet olan Kur’an; ancak umumun, lâakal ekseriyetin saadetini tazammun eden bir medeniyeti kabul eder.
Modern civilization has been founded on five negative principles:	Medeniyet-i hazıra, beş menfî esas üzerine teessüs etmiştir:
1) Its point of support is force, the mark of which is aggression.	1) Nokta-i istinadı, kuvvettir. O ise, şe’ni tecavüzdür.
2) Its aim and goal is benefit, the mark of which is jostling and tussling.	2) Hedef-i kasdı menfaattır. O ise, şe’ni tezahümdür.
3) Its principle in life is conflict, the mark of which is strife.	3) Hayatta düsturu, cidaldir. O ise, şe’ni, tenazu’dur.
4) The bond between the masses is racialism and negative national ism, which are nourished through devouring others; their mark is collision.	4) Kitleler mabeynindeki rabıtası, âheri yutmakla beslenen unsuriyet ve menfî milliyettir. O ise, şe’ni müdhiş tesadümdür.
5) Its enticing service is inciting lust and passion and gratifying the appetites. But lust transforms man into a beast.	5) Cazibedar hizmeti, heva ve hevesi teşci’ ve arzularını tatmindir. O heva ise, insanın mesh-i manevîsine sebebdir.
As for the civilization the Shari’a of Muhammad (UWBP) comprises and commands, it is as follows:	Şeriat-ı Ahmediyenin (A.S.M.) tazammun ettiği ve emrettiği medeniyet ise:
Its point of support is truth instead of force, the mark of which is justice and harmony.	Nokta-i istinadı, kuvvete bedel haktır ki; şe’ni, adalet ve tevazündür.
Its goal is virtue in place of benefit, the mark of which is love and attraction.	Hedefi de, menfaat yerine fazilettir ki; şe’ni, muhabbet ve tecazübdür.
Its means of unity are the ties of religion, country, and class, in place of racialism and nationalism,	Cihet-ül vahdet de, unsuriyet ve milliyet yerine, rabıta-i dinî ve vatanî ve sınıfîdir ki;
and the mark of these is sincere brotherhood, peace, and only defence against external aggression.	şe’ni samimî uhuvvet ve müsalemet ve haricin tecavüzüne karşı, yalnız tedafü’dür.
In life its principle is mutual assistance instead of conflict, the mark of which is accord and solidarity.	Hayatta, düstur-u cidal yerine düstur-u teavündür ki; şe’ni, ittihad ve tesanüddür.
And it offers guidance instead of lust, the mark of which is human progress and spiritual advancement.	Heva yerine hüdadır ki; şe’ni, insaniyeten terakki ve ruhen tekâmüldür.
Do not loosen your hands from Islam, the preserver of our existence; cling onto it with all your strength or you shall be lost!	Mevcudiyetimizin hâmisi olan İslâmiyetten elini gevşetme, dört el ile sarıl; yoksa mahvolursun.
62- A general disaster results from the error of the majority. Disaster is the result of crime and the introduction to reward.	62- Musibet-i âmme, ekseriyetin hatasından terettüb eder. Musibet; cinayetin neticesi, mükâfatın mukaddemesidir.
63- A martyr supposes himself to be alive. He did not suffer the pangs of death, so he thinks the life he sacrificed is perpetual and has not been severed. But he finds it purer.	63- Şehid kendini hayy bilir. Feda ettiği hayatı, sekeratı tatmadığından, gayr-ı münkatı’ ve bâki görüyor. Yalnız daha nezih olarak buluyor.
64- The pure justice of the Qur’an does not spill the life-blood of an innocent, even for the whole of humanity.	64- Adalet-i mahza-i Kur’aniye; bir masumun hayatını ve kanını, hattâ umum beşer için de olsa, heder etmez.
The two are equal in the view of both divine power, and justice.	İkisi nazar-ı kudrette bir olduğu gibi, nazar-ı adalette de birdir.
Self-interest, however, makes man such that he will destroy anything that impedes his ambition, even the world if he can, and mankind.	Hodgâmlık ile, öyle insan olur ki; ihtirasına mani her şeyi, hattâ elinden gelirse dünyayı harab ve nev’-i beşeri mahvetmek ister.
65- Fear and weakness invite outside influences.	65- Havf ve za’f, tesirat-ı hariciyeyi teşci’ eder.
66- Definite benefits should not be sacrificed for imaginary harms.	66- Muhakkak maslahat, mevhum mazarrata feda edilmez.
67- Istanbul politics at the present time are as sick as Spanish ‘flu.	67- Şimdilik İstanbul siyaseti, İspanyol hastalığı gibi bir hastalıktır.
68- Tell a bad man, “You are good, you are good,” and it is not unheard of that he will become good. And tell a good man “You are bad, you are bad,” and it is not rare for him to become bad.	68- Deli adama “iyisin, iyisin” denilse iyileşmesi, iyi adama “fenasın, fenasın” denilse fenalaşması nâdir değildir.
69- So long as the enemy of an enemy remains his enemy, he is a friend; and so long as the friend of an enemy remains his friend, he is an enemy.	69- Düşmanın düşmanı, düşman kaldıkça dosttur; düşmanın dostu, dost kaldıkça düşmandır.
70- Obduracy is this: if Satan assists someone, he calls him an angel and calls down blessings on him.	70- İnadın işi: Şeytan birisine yardım etse; “Melektir” der, rahmet okur;
But if among his opponents he encounters an angel, he calls him a Satan in other clothes and curses him.	muhalifinde melek görse, “libasını değiştirmiş şeytandır.” der, lanet eder.
71- The remedy for one ill may be poison for another. An excessive dose is the cause of ills.	71- Bir derdin dermanı, başka bir derde zehir olabilir. Bir derman, haddinden geçse, dert getirir.
72- Solidarity in a society results in harmony in all its activities, while mutual envy causes all its activities to come to a standstill.	72- اَلْجَمْعِيَّةُ الَّتِى فِيهَا التَّسَانُدُ اۤلَةٌ خُلِقَتْ لِتَحْرِيكِ السَّكَنَاتِ وَالْجَمَاعَةُ الَّتِى فِيهَا التَّحَاسُدُ اۤلَةٌ خُلِقَتْ لِتَسْكِينِ الْحَرَكَاتِ
73- If the community is not one and a whole, undivided number, addition makes smaller, like multiplying fractions.*	73- Cemaatte vâhid-i sahih olmazsa; cem’ ve zamm, kesir darbı gibi küçültür. (Haşiye)
*{It is well-known that in arithmetic, multiplication and addition increase : four times four makes sixteen,	{(Haşiye): Hesabda malûmdur ki; darb ve cem’, ziyadeleştirir. Dört kerre dört, onaltı olur.
while in fractions , on the contrary multiplication and addition make smaller: a third multiplied by a third makes a ninth.	Fakat kesirlerde darb ve cem’, bilakis küçültür. Sülüsü sülüs ile darbetmek, tüsü’ olur; yani, dokuzda bir olur.
In just the same way, if there is not integral wholeness, correctness, and unity among people, by multiplying they become smaller, spoilt, and valueless.}	Aynen onun gibi, insanlarda sıhhat ve istikamet ile vahdet olmazsa; ziyadeleşmekle küçülür, bozuk olur, kıymetsiz olur.}
74- Non-acceptance is confused with the acceptance of non-being. The evidence for non-acceptance is the absence of established proof.	74- Adem-i kabul, kabul-ü ademle iltibas olunur. Adem-i kabul; adem-i delil-i sübut, onun delilidir.
The acceptance of non-being requires proof of non-being. One is doubt while the other is denial.	Kabul-ü adem, delil-i adem ister. Biri şek, biri inkârdır.
75- If doubt in the questions of belief destroys one, or even a hundred, evidences, it does not harm what is posited; for there are hundreds of evidences.	75- İmanî mes’elelerde şübhe, bir delili, hattâ yüz delili atsa da; medlûle îras-ı zarar edemez. Çünki binler delil var.
76- The majority of Muslims should be followed.	76- Sevad-ı a’zama ittiba edilmeli.
For when they followed the majority the Umayyads, who were slack in religion, finally entered the Sunni community.	Ekseriyete ve sevad-ı a’zama dayandığı zaman, lâkayd Emevîlik, en nihayet Ehl-i Sünnet cemaatine girdi.
As for the Shi’a, who were firm in religion but remained in the minority as regards their practices, finally only a part of them followed the Rafida.	Adedce ekalliyette kalan salabetli Alevîlik, en nihayet az bir kısmı Râfızîliğe dayandı.
77- If unanimity concerning good leads to conflict concerning what is better, then sometimes good is better than the better; right is truer than what is truer.	77- Hakta ittifak, ehakta ihtilaf olduğundan; bazan hak, ehaktan ehaktır; hasen, ahsenden ahsendir.
Everyone should say about his own way that “It is right,” he should not say “it is the only right way.” Or he should say, “It is good,” but he should not say “It is the only good way.”	Herkes kendi mesleğine “Hüve hak” demeli, “Hüve-l hak” dememeli. Veyahut “Hüve hasen” demeli, “Hüve-l hasen” dememeli.
78- If Paradise did not exist, Hell would not be torment.	78- Cennet olmazsa, Cehennem tazib etmez.
79- As time grows older, the Qur’an grows younger; it signs become apparent.	79- Zaman ihtiyarlandıkça, Kur’an gençleşiyor; rumuzu tavazzuh ediyor.
Just as light sometimes appears to be fire, so sometimes intense eloquence appears to be exaggeration.	Nur, nâr göründüğü gibi; bazan şiddet-i belâgat dahi, mübalağa görünür.
80- Degrees in heat occur through the intervention of cold; the degrees of beauty occur through the intervention of ugliness.	80- Hararetteki meratib, bürûdetin tahallülü iledir; hüsündeki derecat, kubhun tedahülü iledir.
Pre-eternal power is essential, necessary, and inherent.	Kudret-i ezeliye zâtiyedir, lâzımedir, zaruriyedir;
Impotence cannot penetrate it; there can be no degrees it in; everything is equal in relation to it.	acz tahallül edemez, meratib olamaz, her şey ona nisbeten müsavidir.
81- The sun’s image, which is the effulgence of its manifestation, displays the same identity on the surface of the sea and in all its droplets.	81- Şemsin feyz-i tecellisi olan timsali, denizin sathında ve denizin katresinde aynı hüviyeti gösteriyor.
82- Life is a manifestation of unity; unity is also its consequence.	82- Hayat, cilve-i tevhiddendir, müntehası da vahdet kesbediyor.
83- So long as it remains unknown who are the saints among men, which moment prayers are accepted on Fridays, which night in Ramadan is the Night of Power, and which among the divine names is the greatest name,	83- İnsanlarda veli, Cum’ada dakika-i icabe, Ramazanda Leyle-i Kadir, Esma-i Hüsnada İsm-i A’zam, ömürde ecel meçhul kaldıkça;
other things retain their value and importance is given to them. Twenty years of doubtful life is preferable to a thousand years’ life the end of which is specified.	sair efrad dahi kıymetdar kalır, ehemmiyet verilir. Yirmi sene mübhem bir ömür, nihayeti muayyen bin sene ömre müreccahtır.
84- The consequence of sin in this world is evidence for its punishment in the next.	84- Dünyada masiyetin akibeti, ikab-ı uhrevîye delildir.
85- In the view of power, sustenance is as important as life.	85- Rızk, hayat kadar kudret nazarında ehemmiyetlidir.
Power brings into existence, divine determining clothes in form, divine favour nurtures.	Kudret çıkarıyor, kader giydiriyor, inayet besliyor.
Life is a summary, a specified product and is apparent. Sustenance is not a summary; it is gradual and widespread, and provokes thought.	Hayat; muhassal-ı mazbuttur, görünür. Rızk; gayr-ı muhassal, tedricî münteşirdir, düşündürür.
No one dies from hunger, for death occurs before the food stored up in the body in the form of fat is exhausted.	Açlıktan ölmek yoktur. Zira bedende şahm ve saire suretinde iddihar olunan gıda bitmeden evvel ölüyor.
That is to say, illness resulting from the giving up of habit kills, not lack of sustenance.	Demek, terk-i âdetten neş’et eden maraz öldürür; rızıksızlık değil.
86- The licit sustenance of carniverous wild animals are the innumerable remains of dead animals;	86- Âkil-ül lahm vahşilerin helâl rızıkları, hayvanatın hadsiz cenazeleridir;
they both cleanse the face of the earth, and they find their food.	hem rûy-i zemini temizliyorlar, hem rızıklarını buluyorlar.
87- Before entering the mouth and disappearing down the throat, a mouthful worth one kurush and one worth ten are the same.	87- Bir lokma kırk paraya, diğer bir lokma on kuruşa. Ağıza girmeden ve boğazdan geçtikten sonra birdirler.
There is only a few seconds’ difference in the mouth.	Yalnız, birkaç saniye ağızda bir fark var.
To raise the price from one to ten in order to gratify the sense of taste, which is like an inspector and doorkeeper, is most prodigal and wasteful.	Müfettiş ve kapıcı olan kuvve-i zaikayı taltif ve memnun etmek için birden ona gitmek, israfın en sefihidir.
88- When pleasure calls, a person should say: “It is as though I ate it.” (Sanki yedim.)	88- Lezaiz çağırdıkça, “sanki yedim” demeli.
For a person who took it as his guiding principle, could have eaten a mosque called “Sanki Yedim,” but he didn’ t.*	Sanki yedimi düstur yapan; “Sanki yedim” namındaki bir mescidi yiyebilirdi, yemedi.
*{That is, the person put aside the money saved through his abstinence, and built the mosque with the proceeds. It is in the Fatih district of lstanbul. (Tr.)}
89- Formerly, most Muslims did not go hungry; they desired a comfortable life. Now they are hungry, and they have no wish for pleasure.	89- Eskiden ekser İslâm aç değildi, tereffühe ihtiyar vardı. Şimdi açtır, telezzüze ihtiyar yoktur.
90- Temporary pains rather than temporary pleasure should be greeted with smiles and welcomed.	90- Muvakkat lezzetten ziyade, muvakkat eleme tebessüm etmeli; hoş geldin demeli.
For past pleasures make one say: “Alas!”, and “Alas!” is an expression of concealed pain.	Geçmiş lezaiz, ah vah dedirtir. “Ah!” müstetir bir elemin tercümanıdır.
While past pains make one say: “Oh!”, and “Oh!” tells of permanent pleasure and bounty.	Geçmiş âlâm, “Oh!” dedirtir. O “Oh” muzmer bir lezzet ve nimetin muhbiridir.
91- Forgetfulness is also a bounty; it allows one to suffer the pains of only one day and causes the rest to be forgotten.	91- Nisyan dahi bir nimettir. Yalnız her günün âlâmını çektirir, müterakimi unutturur.
92- Every calamity holds a degree of bounty, like a degree of heat. One should think of greater calamities and should note the degree of bounty in the small one, and thank God.	92- Derece-i hararet gibi, her musibette bir derece-i nimet vardır. Daha büyüğünü düşünüp, küçükteki derece-i nimeti görüp, Allah’a şükretmeli.
For if the calamity is blown up, it will grow; and if it is worried over, it will double; the image, the imagining, in the heart will be transformed into reality; and they will pound the heart as well.	Yoksa isti’zam ile üflense, şişer; merak edilse, ikileşir; kalbdeki misali, hayali, hakikata inkılab eder.. o da kalbi döver.
93- In society as a whole, everyone has a window, known as rank, through which to see and be seen.	93- Her adam için, heyet-i içtimaiyede görmek ve görünmek için mertebe denilen bir penceresi vardır.
If the window is higher than a person’s stature, he will grow taller through arrogance,	O pencere kamet-i kıymetinden yüksek ise, tekebbür ile tetavül edecek;
but if it is lower, he will bow down out of modesty to see and be seen at that level.	eğer kamet-i kıymetinden aşağı ise, tevazu’ ile tekavvüs edecek ve eğilecek.. tâ o seviyede görsün ve görünsün.
The measure of greatness in man is smallness, that is, modesty. The scale of smallness is bigness; that is, arrogance.	İnsanda büyüklüğün mikyası; küçüklüktür, yani tevazu’dur. Küçüklüğün mizanı; büyüklüktür, yani tekebbürdür.
94- The dignity of the weak: before the strong becomes arrogance in the strong;	94- Zaîfin kavîye karşı izzet-i nefsi, kavîde tekebbür olur;
while the modesty of the strong before the weak: becomes abasement in the weak .	kavînin zaîfe karşı tevazu’u, zaîfte tezellül olur.
The seriousness of someone in authority in their office is dignity, and his humility is abasement.	Bir ulü-l emrin makamındaki ciddiyeti, vakardır; mahviyeti, zillettir..
While his seriousness in his house is haughtiness, and his humility, modesty.	hanesindeki ciddiyeti, kibirdir; mahviyeti tevazu’dur.
If an individual is on his own, then his tolerance and self-sacrifice are good acts.	Ferd mütekellim-i vahde olsa, müsamahası ve fedakârlığı amel-i sâlihtir;
But if he is more than one and attached to others, they are treachery and inauspicious .	mütekellim-i maalgayr olsa, hıyanettir, amel-i talihtir.
Someone should swallow his pride in his own name and not be boastful, but he may boast in the name of his nation and should not swallow his pride.	Bir şahıs, kendi namına hazm-ı nefs eder, tefahur edemez; millet namına tefahur eder, hazm-ı nefs edemez.
95- To leave it to others in planning the preliminaries of a matter is laziness,	95- Tertib-i mukaddematta “tefviz” tenbelliktir,
while in awaiting the outcome it is reliance on God.	terettüb-ü neticede tevekküldür.
Resignation with the fruits of one’s labour and with fate is contentment, and strengthens the wish to strive.	Semere-i sa’yine ve kısmetine rıza; kanaattır, meyl-i sa’yi kuvvetlendirir.
Whereas making do with what exists is to lack enterprise.	Mevcuda iktifa, dûn-himmetliktir.
96- Just as there are obedience and rebellion in the face of the commands of the Shari’a, so there are obedience and rebellion in the face of the creative commands in the universe.	96- Evamir-i şer’iyeye karşı itaat ve isyan olduğu gibi, evamir-i tekviniyeye karşı da itaat ve isyan vardır.
With regard to the first, the reward and punishment are mostly in the hereafter, while with the second, they are mostly in this world.	Birincisinde mükâfat ve mücazatın ekseri âhirette; ikincisinde, ağlebi dünyada olur.
For example, the reward for patience is victory; the punishment for idleness is poverty;	Meselâ: Sabrın mükâfatı zaferdir, ataletin mücazatı sefalettir,
the reward for effort is wealth, and the reward for constancy, triumph.	sa’yin sevabı servettir, sebatın mükâfatı galebedir.
Justice without equality is not justice.	Müsavatsız adalet, adalet değildir.
97- Mutual resemblance is the cause of contradiction;	97- Temasül tezadın sebebidir,
congruity is the basis of solidarity;	tenasüb tesanüdün esasıdır,
smallness of character is the source of arrogance;	sıgar-ı nefs tekebbürün menba’ıdır,
weakness is the source of pride;	za’f gururun madenidir,
impotence is the source of opposition;	acz muhalefetin menşeidir,
and curiosity is the teacher of knowledge.	merak ilmin hocasıdır.
98- Through need, and especially through hunger, the Creator’s power has reined in foremost man, and all the animals, and put them in order.	98- Kudret-i Fâtıra ihtiyaç ile, hususan açlık ihtiyacıyla; başta insan bütün hayvanatı gemlendirip, nizama sokmuş.
Also, He saved the world from anarchy, and making need the master of civilization, ensured progress.	Hem âlemi herc ü mercden halas edip, hem ihtiyacı medeniyete üstad ederek, terakkiyatı temin etmiştir.
99- Distress teaches vice; despair is the source of misguidance; and darkness of heart, the source of spiritual distress.	99- Sıkıntı, sefahetin muallimidir. Ye’s, dalalet-i fikrin; zulmet-i kalb, ruh sıkıntısının menba’ıdır.
100- When men become amiable through following their fancies, women become masculine by being impudent.	100- اِذَا تَاَنَّثَ الرِّجَالُ بِالتَّهَوُّسِ تَرَجَّلَ النِّسَاءِ بِالتَّوَقُّحِ
A beautiful woman entering a gathering of brothers awakens hypocrisy, rivalry, and envy.	Bir meclis-i ihvana güzel bir karı girdikçe; riya, rekabet, hased damarı intibah eder.
That is to say, the unveiling of women led to the unveiling of bad morals in civilized man.	Demek inkişaf-ı nisvandan, medenî beşerde ahlâk-ı seyyie inkişaf eder.
101- The represented forms of little smiling corpses have played a large role in making the evil-polluted perverse spirit of modem man what it is.	101- Beşerin şimdiki seyyiat-âlûd hırçın ruhunda, mütebessim küçük cenazeler olan suretlerin rolü ehemmiyetlidir.
102- The prohibited statue is either petrified tyranny, or embodied lust, or personified hypocrisy.	102- Memnu’ heykel; ya bir zulm-ü mütehaccir, ya bir heves-i mütecessim veya bir riya-yı mütecessiddir.
103- For someone who has truly entered into the bounds of Islam by conforming precisely to its incontestable matters,	103- İslâmiyetin müsellematını tamamen imtisal ettiği cihetle bihakkın daire-i dâhiline girmiş zâtta;
the desire to expand is the desire to be perfected.	meyl-üt tevsi’ meyl-üt tekemmüldür.
But for someone deemed outside those bounds due to slackness, the desire to expand is the desire to destroy.	Lâkaydlık ile haricde sayılan zâtta meyl-üt tevsi’, meyl-üt tahribdir.
In time of storm and earthquake, it is advisable to not open the door of ijtihad, and to close the windows too.	Fırtına ve zelzele zamanında; değil içtihad kapısını açmak, belki pencerelerini de kapatmak maslahattır.
The overly free and easy should not be indulged with dispensations, but determinedly and severely warned.	Lâübaliler ruhsatlarla okşanılmaz; azimetlerle, şiddetle ikaz edilir.
104- Unfortunate truths become worthless in worthless hands.	104- Bîçare hakikatlar, kıymetsiz ellerde kıymetsiz olur.
105- Our globe resembles a living being; it displays the signs of life.	105- Küremiz hayvana benziyor, âsâr-ı hayat gösteriyor.
Would it not become a sort of animal if it were reduced to the size of an egg?	Acaba yumurta kadar küçülse, bir nevi hayvan olmayacak mıdır?
Or if a microbe were to be enlarged to the size of the globe, would it not resemble it?	Veya bir mikrop küremiz kadar büyüse, ona benzemeyecek midir?
If it has life, it has a spirit too.	Hayatı varsa, ruhu da vardır.
If the world were reduced to the size of man, and the stars made the particles and substance of his being, would it not also be a living conscious being?	Âlem, insan kadar küçülse, yıldızları zerrat ve cevahir-i ferdiye hükmüne geçse; o da bir hayvan-ı zîşuur olmayacak mıdır?
God has many such animals.	Allah’ın böyle çok hayvanları var.
106- There are two Shari’as:	106- Şeriat ikidir:
The First is the Shari’a that we know which orders the actions and conduct of man, the microcosm, and proceeds from the attribute of speech.	Birincisi: Âlem-i asgar olan insanın ef’al ve ahvalini tanzim eden ve sıfat-ı kelâmdan gelen bildiğimiz şeriattır.
The Second is the Supreme Shari’a of Creation, which orders the motion and rest of the world, the macroanthropos, proceeds from the attribute of will, and is sometimes wrongly called nature.	İkincisi: İnsan-ı ekber olan âlemin harekât ve sekenatını tanzim eden, sıfat-ı iradeden gelen şeriat-ı kübra-yı fıtriyedir ki; bazan yanlış olarak tabiat tesmiye edilir.
The angels are a vast community; they are the bearers, representatives, and personifications of the creative commands which proceed from the attribute of will and are the Shari’ a of Creation.	Melaike bir ümmet-i azîmedir ki, sıfat-ı iradeden gelen ve şeriat-ı fıtriye denilen evamir-i tekviniyesinin hamelesi ve mümessili ve mütemessilleridirler.
107- If you weigh the senses of a microscopic organism against man’s senses, you will observe a strange mystery: man is in the form of Ya. Sin., inscribed in him is the Sura Ya. Sin.	107- اِذَا وَازَنْتَ بَيْنَ حَوَاسِّ حُوَيْنَةٍ خُرْدَبِينِيَّةٍ وَحَوَاسِّ اْلاِنْسَانِ تَرَى سِرًّا عَجِيبًا اِنَّ اْلاِنْسَانَ كَصُورَةِ يَسۤ كُتِبَ فِيهَا سُورَةُ يَسۤ
108- Materialism is a spiritual plague that has infected man with a terrible fever, causing him to be visited by divine wrath.	108- Maddiyyunluk manevî taundur ki, beşere şu müdhiş sıtmayı tutturdu, gazab-ı İlahîye çarptırdı.
The more the ability to inculcate and criticize expands, so does that plague spread.	Telkin ve tenkid kabiliyeti tevessü’ ettikçe, o taun da tevessü’ eder.
109- The most wretched, distressed, and suffering of men is the man with no work, for idleness is the cousin of non-existence.	109- En bedbaht, en muzdarib, en sıkıntılı; işsiz adamdır. Zira atalet ademin biraderzadesidir;
Labour, however, is the life of existence and the waking state of life.	sa’y, vücudun hayatı ve hayatın yakazasıdır.
110- Profiting from banks, the doors of usury and interest, is for the infidels, who are the worst of men, and for the most tyrannous of the former, and for the most degenerate of the latter.	110- Ribanın kap ve kapıları olan bankaların nef’i; beşerin fenası olan gâvurlara ve onların en zalimlerine ve bunların en sefihlerinedir.
Banks cause absolute harm to the Islamic world, so mankind’s affluence should not be taken into consideration.	Âlem-i İslâma zarar-ı mutlaktır; mutlak beşerin refahı nazara alınmaz.
For if the infidels are warmongers and aggressive, so they are disrespectful and dishonourable.	Zira gâvur harbî ve mütecaviz ise, hürmetsiz ve ismetsizdir.
111- The purpose of the khutba during the Friday Prayers is to mention the essentials and incontestable matters of religion, not to instruct in theoretical matters. The Arabic terms recall the essentials best.	111- Cum’ada hutbe; zaruriyat ve müsellematı tezkirdir, nazariyatı talim değildir. İbare-i Arabiye daha ulvî ihtar eder.
When Hadiths and Qur’anic verses are balanced, it is clear that even the most eloquent of men cannot attain to the verses’ eloquence nor resemble them.	Hadîs ile âyet müvazene edilse, görünür ki; beşerin en beligi dahi, âyetin belâgatına yetişemez, ona benzemez.
Said Nursi	Said Nursî

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