THE FLASHES

The Thirteenth Flash

The Answer: What silences this deception of Satan is Allahu Akbar. And the true answer to this question is also hidden within Allahu Akbar. Indeed, the reason Allahu Akbar is repeatedly recited in worship and in the shaāir of Islam is to destroy this deception. For the human being, with his limited power, weak faculties, and narrow intellect, can see and affirm such boundless truths through the light of Allahu Akbar, and he can bear those truths through the strength of Allahu Akbar. When his heart is affected by such deceptions, he says:

The ordered governance and administration in the universe are plainly observable. This can take place in only two ways.

The first way is utterly reasonable, extraordinary, and miraculous. Truly, the governance of such a wondrous universe can only take place in an extraordinary way. This way is that the universe is governed by the will and power of the One Who is Ahad-i Samad, Whose existence is confirmed by all creatures, and even by all atoms.

The second way, the way of idolatry and unbelief, is in no respect possible, is exceedingly problematic, and is not reasonable from any point of view. As is conclusively shown in various treatises of the Risale-i Nur, such as The Twentieth Letter and The Twenty-Second Word, according to this approach every being, indeed every atom in the universe, would have to possess absolute divinity, all-encompassing knowledge, and infinite power, in order for the precise order and structure, the exact balance and distinction, and the perfect and graceful art visible in beings to come into existence.

In short, if one were to deny the necessary, astonishing, and glorious Rubūbiyya of Allah in the universe, he would have to adopt a position that is irrational and impossible from every perspective—one that even Satan could not suggest.

The Second Point

One of Satan’s notorious deceptions is to prevent the human being from admitting his faults, thereby blocking the path to repentance and seeking refuge in Allah. He also provokes the human ego, so that the human being defends himself like an advocate and regards himself as faultless. Indeed, a person who listens to Satan does not wish to see his faults; and even if he does see them, he tries to justify them with many excuses. As the mystery of:

وَ عَيْنُ الرِّضَا عَنْ كُلِّ عَيْبٍ كَلٖيلَةٌ

indicates, he cannot see his faults because he looks upon himself with an approving eye. As a result, he does not acknowledge his faults, does not repent, and does not seek refuge in Allah; he thus becomes a target for Satan’s mockery. Yet how can anyone trust himself, when even Yusuf (as), a prophet of exalted rank, said:

وَمَٓا اُبَرِّئُ نَفْسٖٓى اِنَّ النَّفْسَ لَاَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّٓوءِ اِلَّا مَا رَحِمَ رَبّٖى

Whoever criticizes his nafs will see his faults. Whoever sees and admits his faults will repent. Whoever repents will seek refuge. And whoever seeks refuge will be saved from satanic evil. Not seeing one’s fault is a greater fault than the fault itself, and failing to admit a fault is a great deficiency. If a person sees his fault, he opens a door to removing it. And if he admits his fault, he becomes worthy of forgiveness.