ENDEAVOR FOR RENEWAL THE BROKEN JUG SERIES – 12 ENDEAVOR FOR RENEWAL Droplets of Wisdom from the Heart M. Fethullah Gülen NEW JERSEY ● LONDON ● FRANKFURT ● CAIRO ● JAKARTA Copyright © 2015 by Tughra Books Originally published in Turkish as Yenilenme Cehdi , Nil Yayınları, İ�stanbul, 2013. 18 17 16 15 1 2 3 4 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the Publisher. Translated by Korkut Altay Published by Tughra Books NJ, 07011, USA 345 Clifton Ave., Clifton, www.tughrabooks.com Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available İSBN: 978-1-59784-334-8 Printed by Çağlayan A.Ş., İzmir - Turkey Contents vii ReligiousnessPreface ................................................................................................................................................. and Religious Sensitivity 1 .................................................................................. 7 Those Who Migrate for Noble İdeals and the Chivalrous Measures against Polluted Minds Souls That Welcome Them ........................................................................................................... ........................................................................................... 13 Ghulul A Common Disease and Possible Cures ............................................................................... 19 A Major Sin: (Defrauding) ........................................................................................... 31 Working Hours of the Devoted Souls ................................................................................... 39 Sacrifice: A Means of Closeness with God and People .................................................. 47 Sacred Values and Wakeful Eyes ............................................................................................ 53 Satan 65 Functions of the Mosque ............................................................................................................ 59 71 The Relentless Enemy of the Devoted Souls: ....................................................... Love of Knowledge and Research .......................................................................................... Tasrif 77 Getting to See İmportant Responsibilities as Mundane Tasks and the Qur’anic Method of (Renewal of Format) ............................................. The Purpose of Life ....................................................................................................................... 83 Heroes of the Heart and Spirit ................................................................................................. 89 101 The Sultan of Hearts ..................................................................................................................... 97 105 The Ultimate Guide in Every Area of Life ......................................................................... Siyar Hudaybiya 111 Steering Securely ......................................................................................................................... 117 Philosophy of and the Peace Treaty of ........................................... Underground Riches and Responsibilities That Befall on Believers .................... The Elixir to Eliminate Heedlessness: Remembrance .................................................123 Types of Heedlessness That İmpede Serving Faith ......................................................129 Keeping up the İdeal State in the Face of Social Changes ..........................................135 Gentleness and Elegance in İnterpersonal Relations ..................................................141 İnvitation for Divine Providence ..........................................................................................147 vi Endeavor for Renewal 151 155 Baseless Negative Opinions and Envy ................................................................................ 161 Benefiting from Contemplative Dialogues and Counsels ........................................... Prayer 167 The Most Exalted Purpose and the Feeling of Curiosity ............................................ 175 The Greatest Help from a Fellow Believer to Another: ............................... 181 Human Weaknesses as a Means of Spiritual Progress ................................................ 187 Helpless Ones in Dire Need and the Gates of Mercy Opened Wide ....................... The Devoted Souls and Life Standards .............................................................................. Perfection and Modesty ............................................................................................................197 The Devoted Souls with Enthusiasm and Commonsense ..........................................203 Are We Faithful to the Trust? .................................................................................................213 225 Seeking Recognition ...................................................................................................................219 How Muslims Benefit from Their Own Sources to the Maximum Degree ......... Hunayn A Balanced Figure of Love and Enthusiasm: Jalaluddin Rumi .................................231 Reflections on the Day of ........................................................................................237 Loving One’s Nation Suicide ..............................................................................................................................................243 255 ....................................................................................................................249 Jealousy Properties of Perfect İntention .............................................................................................. ............................................................................................................................................263 275 References.......................................................................................................................................269 İndex .................................................................................................................................................. Preface T he beginning of all good deed or beneficial work is important because it is the first step on a path that, hopefully, leads to a good conclusion. Yet it is only a beginning; a beginning alone is not sufficient for the continuity of goodness. There are so many good beginnings that do not reach the spring and are buried in history, leav- ing broken dreams behind. Every journey or action that blooms to exis- tence and smiles at life needs further positive dynamics to realize its own identity and become a tree that yields fruit and maintains its liveli- ness. The most important of these dynamics is the will and struggle for self-renewal. Everything is kept alive by renewal; when renewal stops, decay and decomposition begin, and a once promising endeavor becomes like a corpse whose soul has been taken. The most important thing is understanding renewal correctly. Self- renewal should definitely not be confused with a fancy for renewal. True renewal is realized by retaining the purity of the seed and the root, and by synthesizing an entire inheritance of values with new thoughts and wisdom appropriate to the age. Thus, one can reach clearer horizons of reflection. Self-renewal is a purely metaphysical phenomenon, a spiritual revival; one must stay true to the sacred values. İn other words, a thor- ough revival can only be realized with the efforts of the spirit, intellect, feelings, and willpower working in concert. Utilizing the spirit’s power to the fullest, making flawless use of the knowledge inherited from the past, being constantly open to spiritual breezes of inspiration, not being trapped by blind imitation, and always following a sound methodology are some dynamics of an ideal renewal. A person leads an impulsive and energetic life in their youth. When the age of maturity comes, everything finds its right place and the per- son begins to lead a life shaped by sound judgment and reason. But there sometimes comes a phase when feelings and thoughts lose their color and become dull. This does not signify maturation of character; on the contrary, this state expresses losing the spirit of things that once meant a great deal to you. viii Endeavor for Renewal Actually, such transformations experienced by individuals also hold true for collectives and communities. İn their heyday, strong communities flow like rivers. They beam with smiles at their periods of youth and matu- rity, but then begin to dull with the fall of their seasons. By utilizing their inner dynamics well, some survive for a long time and some for a shorter period, but they all move toward their destined ends. İn this respect, both in individual and social life, one’s eyes must be directed to peaks, one’s wings must be open wide to reach higher lev- els, and one must pursue noble ideals. Without such determination, these idealspanions, will the never come true. Without such resolve, stagnancyHas not and the disinte time- grationyet come become for those inevitable. who believe İn thethat person their hearts of the should Prophet’s soften blessed with humil Com- ity and submitQur’an (to God calls to strivebelievers in His to cause) such ain revival: the face “ of