• Q and A

    Questions and Answers from the Risale-i Nur Collection
  • 1

Is There An Aspect Of True Beauty In Everything, Even In The Things Which Appear To Be The Ugliest?

 

This is to explain one meaning of the verse,

(He) has made good everything He has created. (32:7)

In everything, even in the things which appear to be the ugliest, there is an aspect of true beauty. Everything in the universe, every occurrence, is either in itself beautiful, which is called "beautiful by itself," or it is beautiful on account of its results, which is called, "beautiful through others." There are some occurrences which are apparently ugly and confused but, beneath that apparent veil, there are most radiant instances of beauty and order.

Beneath the veil of stormy rains and muddy earth, in the season of spring, are hidden the smiles of innumerable beautiful flowers and well-ordered plants. Also, behind the veils of the harsh destruction and mournful separations of autumn is the discharge from the duties of their lives of the amiable small animals, which are the friends of the delicate, shy flowers.  This is so as to preserve them from the blows and torments of the events of winter, which are the manifestations of Divine Majesty, and under the veil of winter the way is prepared for the new and beautiful spring.

Beneath the veil of events like storms, earthquakes, and plagues, is the unfolding of numerous hidden "immaterial flowers." The seeds of many potentialities which have not developed, sprout and flourish owing to events apparently ugly. It is as if upheavals, revolutions and general changes function as "immaterial" rain. Nevertheless, being a superficial observer who is inclined to judge by outward appearances and moreover self-centered, man considers only the external and judges such events as ugly. Since he is self-centered, he reasons only according to the result with which he is concerned and so judges them to be evil. Whereas, if one among the aims attached to things relates to man, there are others directly connected with their Maker’s Names.

For example, man may regard as harmful and meaningless thorny plants and trees, which are among the great miracles of the Creator’s Power, functioning as "well-equipped, heroic guards" of the plants and trees. Again, God’s causing hawks to harry sparrows is apparently incompatible with Mercy. But through this harrying the sparrow’s potentialities develop. Also man may consider snow to be very cold and unpleasant but under the veil of cold and unpleasantness there are purposes so warm and results so sweet that they are indescribable. Further, since man judges according to outward appearances and, because of his egotism, according to only those aspects with which he is concerned, he supposes to be contrary to good manners many things that are perfectly polite and compatible with well-manneredness. Some expressions of the wise Qur’an, which is the source of good manners and right conduct, concerning man’s private parts and his private affairs or relationships are perfectly polite and correct on account of the art of their creation and the purposes intended thereby.

Likewise, beneath the apparent faces of the creatures and events which seem to us to be ugly and worthy of disapproval, there are so many beautiful and purposeful instances of art and aspects of beauty concerning their creation that they are connected with their Maker. Also, there are numerous beautiful veils which conceal many instances of wisdom, and many apparent instances of disorder and confusion which are in reality most well-arranged examples of sacred divine composition…

 

This article has been adapted from Risale- i Nur Collection.