The Twenty-fourth Letter
| The Twenty-fourth Letter | Yirmidördüncü Mektub |
| In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. God does what He wishes, and decrees what He wills. | بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَحْكُمُ مَا يُرِيدُ |
| Question: How can the solicitous nurturing, the purposeful and beneficial planning, the loving kindness of the names of All Compassionate, All-Wise, and Loving, which are among the greatest of the divine names, | Sual: Eazım-ı Esma-i İlahiyeden olan Rahîm ve Hakîm ve Vedud’un iktiza ettikleri şefkatperverane terbiye ve maslahatkârane tedbir ve muhabbetdarane taltif, |
| be reconciled with death and non-existence, decline and separation, and disaster and hardship, which are awesome and terrible? | nasıl ve ne suretle, müdhiş ve muvahhiş olan mevt ve adem ile, zeval ve firak ile, musibet ve meşakkat ile tevfik edilebilir? |
| Very well, man goes to eternal happiness so we can tolerate his passing down the road of death, | Haydi insan saadet-i ebediyeye gittiği için, mevt yolunda geçtiğini hoş görelim; |
| but how about the delicate species of trees and plants, and the lovely flowers, which are all living creatures, | fakat bu nazik ve nazenin ve zîhayat olan eşcar ve nebatat enva’ları ve çiçekleri |
| and the animal species, which are worthy of existence, lovers of life, and desire permanent life? | ve vücuda lâyık ve hayata âşık ve bekaya müştak olan hayvanat taifelerini, |
| What compassion and kindness are there in their continuously without exception being annihilated, in their being swiftly despatched to nonexistence without being allowed to so much as open their eyes, in their being made to toil without so much as taking a breath, in their being changed by calamities with not one of them being left in peace, in their being killed without exception, in their dying with not one of them remaining, in their departing with none of them being gratified – what wisdom and purpose, what favour and mercy, are there in this? | mütemadiyen hiçbirini bırakmayarak ifnalarında ve gayet sür’atle onlara göz açtırmayarak i’damlarında ve onlara nefes aldırmayarak meşakkatle çalıştırmalarında ve hiçbirini rahatta bırakmayarak musibetlerle tağyirlerinde ve hiçbirini müstesna etmeyerek öldürmelerinde ve hiçbiri durmayarak zevallerinde ve hiçbiri memnun olmayarak firaklarında hangi şefkat ve merhamet var, hangi hikmet ve maslahat bulunur, hangi lütuf ve merhamet yerleşebilir? |
| The Answer: Through five signs, which show the necessitating cause and reason, and five indications, which point out the aims and benefits, | Elcevab: Dâî ve muktezîyi gösteren beş remiz ile ve gayeleri ve faideleri gösteren beş işaretle |
| we shall try to look from afar at the mighty truth that solves this question, and is extremely broad, profound, and elevated. | şu suali halleden çok geniş ve çok derin ve çok yüksek olan hakikat-ı uzmaya uzaktan uzağa baktırmağa çalışacağız. |