Far from causing trouble, it provides the soul with relief, security and comfort. If a man does not believe in Destiny, then his soul will have to endure a burden as heavy as the earth itself for the sake of an illusory, temporary and in practice very limited freedom. Man is connected with the whole universe, while he cherishes within himself limitless desires and ambitions, one millionth part of which are impossible to satisfy through his own power. Thus, he will eventually be left alone with insupportable troubles and torments. Belief in Destiny relieves man of all the burdens by assigning the bearing of them to it. It gives the soul comfort and tranquility, and enables it to attain perfect freedom. It only takes away the illusory freedom of the carnal soul, and breaks its tyrannical hold over the man himself. Belief in Destiny gives man so great a pleasure and happiness that it cannot be described. We shall just point to that pleasure and happiness with the following comparison:
Let us suppose two men enter a king’s palace. One of them does not recognize the king, and tries to live there on theft and usurpation. However, he experiences difficulties and hardships like having to control the palace and its inhabitants, since the garden requires special care, and the affairs of the palace need exact calculation and management. Operating of the machines there, provisioning the many strange animals living in the palace all proves very difficult for him. So, he suffers much and this paradise turn into a hell for him. Finally, he is imprisoned because of his defective management and corruption.
As for the other man, he recognizes the king and is aware of being his guest. He perceives and believes that all the affairs of the palace and the garden are carried out under the king’s rule and authority. He comes to understand that it is the king himself who assumes full responsibility for governing the palace, so he enjoys the pleasures of living there without interfering with anything. He overlooks certain things which appear to be disagreeable, trusting in the compassion of the king and the justice of his administration, and thus lives a contented and pleasant life.
Ponder this comparison and grasp the meaning of the adage, He who believes in Destiny is free from anxiety.
This article has been adapted from Risale- i Nur Collection.