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By Thomas Michel
1. Building unity through the practice of sincerity About ten years ago, I gave a paper at a Risale-i Nur symposium held in Bonn, Germany. The paper was entitled “Nursi’s View of Tolerance, Engagement with the Other, and the Future of Dialogue.” In that paper, I tried to draw out the implications of Said Nursi’s “rules for sincerity.” In these nine counsels, found in the 20th Flash of the Risale-i Nur, Nursi’s main concern is to affirm that the way to preserve and build unity within the Islamic umma is through the practice of sincerity. In the 21st Flash, Nursi elaborates his teaching on sincerity; it is Nursi’s advice to his disciples on sincerity in the 21st Flash on which I will try to focus in this paper. Nursi sometimes noted among his disciples a sense of rivalry and competition. This troubled him because such rivalry could easily lead, if left unattended and unchecked, to hard-feelings, resentment, and even divisive factions in the community. Moreover, Nursi saw that if this tendency can be found among the students of the Risale-i Nur, it is even more evident in the broader Islamic umma. These divisive inclinations must be taken seriously for, in Nursi’s view, disunity personifies – along with ignorance and poverty [1] – the most serious enemy of modern men; combating this triple enemy presents pious Muslims with their greatest social challenges. The basis of Nursi’s advice to his students is that the way to combat tendencies to factionalism and rivalry is through the practice of sincerity. Because of the importance of these “rules of conduct,” I will summarize them briefly here. 1. Act positively with love for one’s own point of view but avoid enmity for other views; do not criticize the views of others nor interfere in their beliefs and practices. 2. Build unity within the fold of Islam by recalling the numerous bonds of unity that evoke love, brotherhood, and harmony. 3. Adopt the rule of conduct that the follower of any sound position has the right to say, “My outlook is true, or very good,” but not “My outlook alone is true,” or “My outlook alone is good,” implying the falsity or repugnance of other views. 4. Consider that union with pious friends brings Divine aid and supports one’s faith. 5. Realize that error and falsehood will be defeated through unity among pious believers, which depends upon their ability to create a united and collective force to preserve justice and right. 6. Defend truth from the attacks of falsehood. 7. Abandon self-centered egoism. 8. Give up the mistaken notion of self-pride. 9. Cease from all trivial feelings aroused by rivalry.[2] Nursi’s point is that differing points of view need not cause division, factions, and enmity within the community. If every Muslim is willing to admit that others also have part of the truth, even when they disagree with one’s personal view, unity can be maintained despite differences of opinion. However, this can only be done if the believer is truly worshiping God with sincere intention. To this end Nursi cites the Qur’anic verse “Truly We sent the Book down to you in truth, so worship God in sincerity, for God’s is sincerely practiced religion” (Qur’an 39:2). As a Christian, I find the advice contained in these nine rules valuable for several reasons. In its narrowest application, Nursi is guiding his disciples to avoid the kinds of self-aggrandizement and competition that can cause rancor and splits among the students of the Risale-i Nur. His advice has a broader application in calling Muslims to heal the wounds of disunity and enmity within the worldwide Islamic community. However, the value of Nursi’s advice is not limited, in my opinion, to the followers of Islam, for it is the same tendencies toward the egoistic defense of one’s views, an intolerance of differences, and the judgmental criticism of others’ views that has caused and exacerbated so many of the historical divisions and enmity among Christians. Moreover, his advice is also useful for building and maintaining unity in various Christian communities, as well as for preserving purity of intention of any believer desiring to serve God. The disunity brought about by a lack of sincerity has characterized relations between Christians and Muslims down through the centuries, and I feel that Muslim-Christian relations at the present time could benefit from taking seriously and following Nursi’s rules of sincerity. Rather than recognizing one another as two communities of believers who seek only to worship and love God sincerely, Christians and Muslims have too often regarded one another as enemies and rivals, making exclusive claims to truth and condemning the other’s beliefs as false and repugnant. How much healthier would relations between the two communities be if both were to follow Nursi’s Third Rule: “The follower of any sound position has the right to say, “My outlook is true, or very good,” but not “My outlook alone is true,” or “My outlook alone is good,” implying the falsity or repugnance of other views. It is significant that Nursi himself appended to his nine rules of sincerity a surprising footnote. It reads as follows: “It is even recorded in authentic traditions of the Prophet that at the end of time the truly pious among the Christians will unite with the People of the Qur’an and fight their common enemy, irreligion. And in our day, too, the people of religion and truth need to unite sincerely not only with their own brothers and fellow believers, but also with the truly pious and spiritual among the Christians, temporarily from the discussion and debate of points of difference in order to combat their joint enemy, aggressive atheism.”[3] By linking his rules for sincerity with the Prophetic expectation of Muslim-Christian unity, Nursi is implying that the way to build unity between the two communities in our day is by promoting and following “sincerely practiced religion.” Nursi is pointing out that the principles of sincerity indicate not only the way that Muslims should relate to one another, but also imply how Muslims should act towards sincere and pious Christians (and, I might add, to the way that Christians should act towards Muslims).
2. Sincerity as purity of intention One might ask what Nursi means by sincerity. Everyone knows the common dictionary definition of sincerity as indicating “an honesty of mind, freedom from dissimulation or hypocrisy.” More to the point, perhaps, is the data of personal experience, by which sincerity is universally recognized as being an affective and intellectual honesty, a lack of pretence to be other than what one is, a faithful correspondence between one’s inner thoughts and emotions and their outer expression in word and action. A sincere person is not self-promoting, hypocritical, pretentious, two-faced, or devious. He is neither a flatterer nor a manipulator. In the words of Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, the sincere person says “yes” when he means yes, “no” when he means no (Matthew 5: 37). Nursi’s use of the term goes much deeper than that derived from everyday parlance. When he writes of sincerity he is referring to the Qur’anic concept of ikhlas (الإخلاص). This notion, which brings together the notion of “purity” with that of “dedicating, devoting or consecrating oneself” to something, is a key virtue in Islamic practice.[4] Ikhlas is an eminently interior disposition by which the faithful Muslim performs all external actions a spirit of service and directed solely toward pleasing the Divine Lord. In fact, the perfection of one’s witness to faith can be gauged by the double standard of ikhlas (purity of intention) and ihsan (goodness). It is noteworthy that the brief expression of the Islamic creed found in the Qur’anic Sura 116, “Say: He, Allah, is One. Allah is He on Whom all depend. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is like Him,” has been known in Islamic tradition as the Surat al-Ikhlas, that is, “The Chapter of Sincerity” or “The Chapter of Pure Religion.” The importance of ikhlas has been commented upon down the centuries by Muslim scholars, exegetes, and spiritual guides in every generation. The Sufi masters have been particularly fond of elaborating on this virtue, to the extent that in the minds of many Muslims, ikhlas is considered a “Sufi concept.” In commenting on ikhlas, Nursi must repeatedly distinguish his own advice from that of the teaching of the Sufis. While acknowledging the beneficial value of the instruction of the Sufi masters, he notes that “I am not a Sufi, but these principles of theirs make a good rule for our path.”[5] Nursi’s approach differs from that of the Sufis because of his praxis-oriented approach, what he calls the “way of reality,” in which he eschews contemplative speculation in favor of practical guidance for his disciples’ life together. He states: “However, since our way is not the Sufi path but the way of reality, we are not compelled to perform this contemplation [of death] in an imaginary and hypothetical form like the Sufis.”[6] Because of its roots in the Qur’an and in the tradition of Islamic spiritual writing, Nursi’s use of ikhlas can perhaps be more adequately conveyed in English by “purity of intention” or “pure religion” than simply by “sincerity.” Ikhlas is when one practices all the acts of religion solely for God’s pleasure rather than for any personal benefit that may accrue to them, whether that be prestige, pride, or the admiration of others. When one “worships God with sincerity” one’s intention is pure and undefiled by base or irrelevant motives. As the Qur’an states, “And there is the type of man who gives his life to earn the pleasure of Allah: And Allah is full of kindness to (His) devotees” (Qur’an 2: 207).
3. Correspondence between purity of intention and Divine wisdom In the 20th Flash, Said Nursi instructs his disciples on the necessity of sincerity to overcome divisive tendencies and build fraternal unity in their community. If one accepts the principle that fraternal love and unity demands sincerity, some questions inevitably arises, such as: “Why is sincerity so important? how does one acquire this purity of intention? And, what obstacle might one encounter in seeking a pure intention in religious acts?” These are the topics treated in the 21st Flash. So much importance does Nursi place on a purity of intention in religious observance that he instructs his disciples to read the 21st Flash once every two weeks. According to Nursi, a pure intention is “the most important principle in works pertaining to the Hereafter.” In his praise of the value of sincerity he resorts to the rhetorical device of personification. Purity of intention is like a spiritual mentor: the source of a believer’s greatest strength, the firmest supporter of one’s faith, and the believer’s most welcome intercessor before God. Sincerity enables the most acceptable prayer one can make to God, the most effective means of achieving one’s goal, and the shortest path to reality. One might compare Nursi’s paean in praise of Sincerity with the evocative description of Wisdom in the prayer of Solomon in the Bible. And O my companions in the service of the Qur’an! You should know that in this world sincerity is the most important principle in works pertaining to the Hereafter. It is the greatest strength, and the most acceptable intercessor, and the firmest point of support, and the shortest way to reality, and the most acceptable prayer, and the most wondrous means of achieving one’s goal, and the highest quality, and the purest worship. Since in sincerity lies much strength and many lights like those mentioned above; and since at this dreadful time, despite our few number and weak, impoverished, and powerless state and our being confronted by terrible enemies and suffering severe oppression in the midst of aggressive innovations and misguidance, an extremely heavy, important, and sacred duty of serving belief and the Qur’an has been placed on our shoulders by Divine grace, we are certainly compelled more than anyone to work with all our strength to gain sincerity. We are in utter need of instilling sincerity in ourselves. Otherwise what we have achieved so far in our sacred service will in part be lost, and will not persist; and we shall be held responsible.[7] God of my fathers, LORD of mercy! You who have made all things by your word and in your wisdom have established man to rule the creatures produced by you, to govern the world in holiness and justice, and to render judgment in integrity of heart: Give me Wisdom, the attendant at your throne, and reject me not from among your children, for I am your servant, the son of your handmaid, a man weak and short-lived and lacking in comprehension of judgment and of laws. Though one be perfect among the sons of men, if Wisdom, who comes from you, be not with him, he shall be held in no esteem. With you is Wisdom, who knows your works and was present when you made the world, who understands what is pleasing to you and what conforms to your commands. Send her forth from your holy heavens and from your glorious throne dispatch her that she may be with me and work with me, that I may know what your pleasure is. For she will guide me discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me. Thus my deeds will be acceptable, and I shall judge your people justly and be worthy of my father’s throne.[8] The correspondence between Nursi’s understanding of purity of intention and the Biblical concept of wisdom as found in the “Wisdom Books” of Proverbs, Wisdom, Sirach, and Ecclesiastes can be explained as follows. For Nursi, it is the purity of one’s intention that guards the Muslim from performing his religious duties for any reason other than that of seeking God’s pleasure. To be seen and admired by others, to try to show oneself more faithful or more assiduous than others, to take selfish satisfaction or pride in the praise given by others, and to denigrate the intellectual or spiritual achievements of others are all common temptations of religious people, even as they are destructive of community life. Nursi honestly and humbly admits that it was the sincerity of his students that saved him from such temptations in the past: “I have also to confess that through your heartfelt sincerity, you have saved me to an extent from the hypocrisy which used to flatter my soul under the veil of fame and renown.”[9] He cites the prophet Yusuf (Joseph) in the Qur’an to show that no one is exempt from this universal tendency: “Nor do I absolve my own self [of blame]; the soul is certainly prone to evil, unless my Sustainer do bestow His mercy”? (Qur’an 12:53).[10] Similarly, in his prayer recorded in the book of Wisdom, King Solomon acknowledges his human weakness and his constant need for the guidance and support that comes from God. It is true wisdom, of exclusively divine origin, that teaches Solomon how he can serve God for God’s sake alone. Solomon affirms that, unlike worldly and even devilish human cunning, true wisdom will guide him discreetly in his affairs and will safeguard his faith. Eternal wisdom that comes from God will enable one to render judgment “in integrity of heart.” Solomon declares that even if one were endowed to a perfect degree with intelligence, power, and wealth, without wisdom that person would not be worthy of esteem. It is the wisdom that cannot be acquired through human effort but will be freely granted by God to His servants who ask him that will enable that servant to act with a pure intention and to judge with integrity.
4. Rules to obtain purity of intention The awareness in faith that a pure intention can only be obtained with God’s grace does not mean that human effort is useless or irrelevant. God gives gifts to those who actively seek them through right conduct. In this context, Nursi offers to his disciples some rules of conduct which they should follow in order to acquire sincerity. 1) The first rule is to do everything only to seek God’s pleasure. Whether or not others approve of what one does or whether one is successful in attaining one’s worldly goal, if that deed is performed out of desire to please God, then one need not worry about human approval. “Once His pleasure has been gained and He has accepted an action, even if you do not ask it of Him, should He wish it and His wisdom requires it, He will make others accept it. He will make them consent to it too.”[11] In short, performing ones actions purely in order to give due worship to God will free a person from temptations to pride in achievement, desire for adulation, or rivalry with fellow worshipers. 2) The second principle for obtaining purity of intention is not to criticize others. Nursi is aware that nothing is more likely to destroy unity among fellow believers than carping criticism. He holds that the students of the Risale-i Nur should regard one another as members of one body, who need and complement one another to achieve their common goal. “Each of the members completes the deficiencies of the others, veils their faults, assists their needs, and helps them out in their duties. Otherwise man’s life would be extinguished, his spirit flee, and his body be dispersed.”[12] In addition to the image of the human body, Nursi also employs the metaphor of a complex piece of machinery whose smooth functioning demands the constant synergy of all parts. Nursi envisions the students of the Risale-i Nur as forming a collective personality who together make up “the Perfect Man.” The Perfect Man, or al-Insan al-Kamil - although the words do not appear in the Qur’an - had a long tradition of study and speculation in Muslim scholarship. The Sufi authors, and especially Ibn ‘Arabi, gave key importance to the concept for understanding the spiritual nature of the prophets and awliya’ (God’s special friends). Derived from the idea that in all creation, humankind has a special status and is given uniquely the task of manifesting God’s qualities in one’s life and behavior, the Perfect Man is recognized primarily in the prophet Muhammad, but also to be sought in those who have received the light of Muhammad. For Nursi, the term has a special sense in that it is his disciples, the students of the Risale-i Nur, who collectively are called to live as 1he Perfect Man, displaying God’s qualities in all they say and do. Since the personal transformation that is brought about through the study of the Risale-i Nur is a grace given not only for the individual but is oriented toward renewing the whole Islamic umma, the duty of the Risale-i Nur students demands unity and fraternal love among themselves. The complaining, fault-finding, and nit-picking that springs from lack of a pure intention thus becomes an obstacle to the divine qualities of compassion and love that should be manifested by the collective Perfect Man. 3) The third rule of conduct is to give preference to others, over against one’s own inclinations, desires, and penchant for honors. One must not be self-centered, even in spiritual matters, but must be constantly more concerned about the state of soul of one’s companions than about one’s own condition. Nursi writes: “Choose your brothers’ souls to your own soul in honor, rank, acclaim, in the things your soul enjoys like material benefits.”[13] In preferring the other person to oneself, the student of the Risale-i Nur will find much strength and will gain the blessing and support of God’s friends like Hadrat Ali and Ghawth al-A’zam (‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani), who will “honor you with their miraculous wonder-working and wondrous vision of the Unseen because of this mystery of sincerity. They will offer you consolation in protection and applaud your service. You should have no doubt that this attention of theirs is because of sincerity.”[14] 4) The fourth and final rule of conduct that Nursi offers is to imagine the achievements, the virtues, and the aspirations of fellow disciples to be one’s own. In this way, one can glory in the triumphs of others, share in their hopes, and enjoy their good qualities and virtues, without succumbing to envy and a sense of competition. This fellow-feeling Nursi sees as the characteristic path of those who study the Risale-i Nur. He writes: Forget the feelings of one’s own carnal self and live in one’s mind with one’s brothers’ virtues and feelings. The basis of our way is brotherhood, not the way between father and son or shaykh and follower. Our way is the closest friendship, which necessitates being the closest friend, the most sacrificing companion, the most appreciative comrade, the noblest brother. The essence of this friendship is true sincerity.”[15] In short, the way to build a deep friendship among the students of the Risale-i Nur is through the practice of sincerity. He goes so far as to say that purity of intention is the essence of the friendship he wants to exist among his disciples. Nursi concludes his treatment with two suggestions for attaining a pure intention. The first way to achieve sincerity is through a contemplation of death. Since it is worldly ambition which militates against a pure intention, the contemplation of death helps the believer put things in perspective. The world is transitory, the believer is a transient on this earth, yet people find themselves caught up in a web of petty rivalries, self-aggrandizement, and hypocrisy. By contemplating death, one can become aware that it is only God, who is imperishable, who is deserving of service and devotion. The second way is to reflect on God’s omnipresence and omniscience. Living consciously in the presence of the Compassionate Creator should make the believer aware that to be acting for others’ approval is an unworthy attitude before God who sees and knows all. To have one’s attentions and emotions dominated by oneself or another companion when the Creator is present is actually a hidden form of shirk, the sin of associating others in the worship due to God alone. “This is to flatter the ego and give high status to one’s lower nature through attracting attention to oneself and public acclaim, driven by the desire for fame, renown, and position. This is a serious spiritual sickness which opens the door to the hypocrisy and self-centeredness. It may be called a hidden association of partners with God and damages sincerity.”[16] The main themes of this paper – sincerity and purity of intention and their relation to true wisdom, and the dangers of factionalism, hypocrisy, pride, and criticism arising from pride and carping criticism – come together in a remarkable passage in the Bible. I will conclude my paper with a quotation of that passage, taken from the Letter of James, to show how the spiritual advice given by the spiritual masters of Christianity and Islam so often coincide and complement one another. Clearly, James was dealing with the same dangers to the unity of the community as was Said Nursi, over a space of 20 centuries, and his advice is significantly similar to that found in the Risale-i Nur. “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Such ‘wisdom’ does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3: 13-18).
FOOTNOTES [1] Münâzarat, (Ott. ed.), p. 433, cited in Şükran Vahide, Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, Istanbul, 1992, p. 95. [2] The Twentieth Flash, “On Sincerity,” p. 203. [3] The Twentieth Flash, “On Sincerity,” footnote 7, p. 203. [4] L. Gardet, Encyclopaedia of Islam, Leiden: 2006, III: 1059. [5] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 216. [6] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 217. [7]The Twenty-first Flash, pp. 212-213. [8] The Book of Wisdom 9: 1-18. [9] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 215. [10] The Thirteenth Flash, p. 124. [11] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 213. [12] Ibid., p. 214. [13] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 216. [14] The Twenty-first Flash, p. 215. [15] Ibid. p. 216. [16] Ibid. p. 220. |