From: irfan@APOLLO.ECE.WISC.EDU (Irfan Alan)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.afghanistan
Subject: DROPLET VOL 1, No 2, Part 1
Date: 12 Aug 92 22:55:36 GMT


D R O P L E T
From The Vast Ocean Of The Miraculous Qur'an

Translations from the Arabic and Turkish Writings of Bediuzzaman
Said Nursi, 

The Risale-i Noor

VOL 1, No 2, Part 1
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IBADAT AND TRUE HAPPINESS  In the Name of Allah, the
Compassionate, the Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher
and the Sustainer of the Worlds, and peace be upon our master
Muhammad and his posterity and his companions.

O my brother!  You have asked some advise (nasihat) from me. 
Because you are a soldier, you -together with my self (nefs)-
should listen to the eight parables about soldiers and some of
the truths in these parables.  I see myself in need of more
advise than anybody else.  Previously, I have once told to my
nefs -at length- the eight Words (a book from the Risale-i Noor
collection) which were inspired from the eight ayats of the
Qur'an.  Now, I will tell (those Words) to myself -in brief- in
the language of a layman.  Whomever wants to listen to them, can
listen together with me.



THE THIRD WORD "Humankind, Worship Your Lord." (Qur'an 2:21)

If you wish to understand how much of a big trade and a source
of real happiness there are in ibadat (worshipping), and how
much of a disaster and calamity there are in perversion and
squandering, then look at and listen to this parable.

Once upon a time two soldiers received an order to go to a
distant city.  They both travelled together until the road
divided into two directions.  There, they saw a man who told
them, "This road on the right, besides having no possible harms
in it, nine out of ten passengers travelling through it receive
great comforts.  However, the road on the left, besides having
no benefit at all, nine out of ten passengers on this road are
impaired.  In any case, both roads have the same distance.  Yet,
there is one difference: the passenger on the left road travels
neither with a bag nor a weapon because there is no order nor
any government there.  Therefore, he feels an apparent freedom
and an illusionary comfort.  The passenger on the right who is
subject to the military rules has to carry a bag with full of
nutritious food and a government-given weapon sufficient to defy
any enemy."

After listening to this learned man, the fortunate one took the
road on the right.  He loaded his bag on his back and weapon on
his shoulder, but his heart and soul were relieved from the
loads of thousands of fears and obligations imposed by others. 
The other unfortunate soldier left his soldier-status, and did
not want to obey any order; therefore, chose the left road. 
Although his body was relieved from few pounds of load, his
heart was loaded with thousands of obligations, and his soul was
crushed under countless fears.  He started begging from
everybody, and trembled at the face of every event.  In this
situation, he continued his journey till the end.  Upon his
arrival he received punishment as a rebel and fugitive.  The
fortunate one liked the military rules, kept his bag and weapon
well (which were trusts given to him for his own benefit), and
travelled on the right road.  As a result and an immediate
reward, neither did he feel any burdens nor had any fears from
anybody.  He travelled with a comfortable heart and conscience
till he arrived at his final destiny.  There, he received a big
reward which was given to any honest soldier completing his work.

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To be continued In$a Allah.
Your Br. Irfan in Islam.