The Third Way
We should consider the following four points and one conclusion that pertain to the Age of Happiness:
THE FIRST POINT: Consider that even a small habit can only be removed permanently from a small community by a powerful ruler and with great effort. Then, see how that person, upon him be peace and blessings, in such a short time removed numerous ingrained habits from greatly obsessed, extremely proud, and obstinate communities, using little outward power or effort, replacing them with exalted qualities that became inherent in their being, raising them to the rank of the most illustrious, renowned, exemplary community of history. So, if you do not confirm what a peerless individual this person must have been, I will have to record you among the sophists.
THE SECOND POINT: A state is an entity that has a collective persona the formation of which requires a long process. Triumphing over powerful, long-established states is not easy, and requires a long time and great strife. Devotion to such a state has become a second, ingrained nature in its citizens. Despite this fact, that person, upon him be peace and blessings, formed a well-organized community from small, scattered tribes which had been in continuous conflict with one another, and founded an extremely powerful, well-established state in so brief a time as twenty years. This seemingly small state triumphed over the two superpowers of the time with a single blow within ten years of its establishment, destroying one eternally, and defeating the other so decisively that it would not be able to recover until its collapse. If you cannot see the extraordinariness in this person’s accomplishments, you will be recorded among the blind.
THE THIRD POINT: Force can only achieve a superficial supremacy. But conquering minds and hearts, being beloved of spirits, changing habits and natures, and establishing a permanent dominion over the consciences of people is something particular to truth, which nothing else can do. (The undeniable witness of the fact that such a person’s victories are essentially those of the truth, of love, compassion, knowledge, and faith, is his increasing dominion over minds, hearts, spirits, and consciences, despite innumerable obstacles, and the fact that the Religion he has conveyed cannot be removed from either the minds, the hearts, or the lands it has entered.) If you do not know this fact, you are alien to truth.
THE FOURTH POINT: Propaganda can only produce a superficial effect and close the ways to reason. But penetrating the depths of the hearts, moving the most subtle feelings, developing potentials like a rose blooming, arousing hidden or dormant characteristics and causing the essential core of humanity to burst forth and blossom can only be achieved by the light of truth. Indeed, it was such an unequaled revolution that this person purified hearts so hardened that they were burying female children in the earth alive; he took such people and furnished them with the most sublime feelings such as love and compassion towards all creatures, including even ants. He realized this revolution, which was impossible to realize with the force of mere power or laws, in the Bedouin desert community. Everyone, with some degree of discretion, will confirm the extraordinariness of this accomplishment. If you have some discretion, you will also confirm it.
THE CONCLUSION: World history witnesses that one who is able to arouse and develop one or two feelings, characteristics, or potentials is considered to be a genius. For, if certain feelings, characteristics or potentials are not aroused or developed, any success realized will be unstable and transitory. So, it was only possible through the shining light of the sun of the truth that hundreds of feelings, characteristics, and potentials, such as freedom, devotion, love, self-sacrifice, and heroism, were roused, motivated, and developed in the Bedouin communities living in the vast deserts of the Arabian Peninsula of thirteen (now fourteen) centuries ago. I will thrust the Arabian Peninsula under the eyes of those who do not place this truth in their minds. Look at the Arabian Peninsula. After thirteen (now fourteen) centuries of scientific and technological development, send there (or even any part of the modern, civilized world) a hundred of the most renowned philosophers, pedagogues, psychologists, and sociologists. Let them strive there for a hundred years, and see whether they are able to accomplish one hundredth of what this person, upon him be peace and blessings, achieved within twenty-three years.
AN INDICATION
Whoever wishes a lasting success must follow the way established by God, and know His way of acting. Otherwise, God’s way of acting that manifests itself in “nature” will respond by causing any attempt to go to waste, and condemn those who oppose it to extinction in the deserts of nothingness. So, based on this fact, see and consider what subtle, genuine, and sensitive truths and realities there are on which the rules of the Shari‘a are based and how impossible it is for human reason to discern these, and how sensitively the Shari‘a preserves the balance among what exists in the existing laws of creation and the operation of the universe.
The Shari‘a has preserved its genuineness and validity through so many centuries and revolutions, developments, and clashes in human history. This shows that the way of God’s noble Messenger, upon him be peace and blessings, is based on eternal truths.
Considering all the points mentioned, listen with an attentive, reasoning mind: Despite being unlettered, having no material force, and never aiming at rulership or dominion, Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, acted in an unwavering manner even on the most perilous occasions; he conquered minds; he made himself deeply loved by hearts; he established dominion over consciences and natures; he uprooted numerous established bad habits and characteristics and ingrained in their place the most laudable virtues, moral excellence, and praiseworthy characteristics; he removed hardness from hearts and aroused the most exalted feelings; he developed the core of true humanity in his followers, and made them the greatest, most renowned exemplary community in human history; he founded a formidable state in as short a time as twenty years, which was later to become the greatest power in the world within another twenty years, and which was to remain so for almost twelve centuries. All these show to those who are not blind the truth of his claim, his Prophethood, and his devotion to the truth.
Said Nursi