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The Two Faces of the World

A profound comparison based on Risale-i Nur writings, illustrating believers' joy and unbelievers' misery in perceiving the world. Explore contrasting perspectives and metaphoric insights.⠀⠀

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The Two Faces of the World

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  1. The Two Faces of the World A comparison showing the believers’ and unbelievers’ views of the world This presentation has been based on the Second Word; part of the Risale-i Nur collection written by the late scholar Bediüzzaman Said Nursi.

  2. In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.Those who believe in the Unseen. ( Qur’an, 2:3. )

  3. If you want to understand great happiness, bounty, and ease-they are found in the belief in God. Listen to this story which is in the form of a metaphor. It employs comparison in a way that clarifies even the most obscure questions.

  4. One set off in a selfish, unfortunate direction One time, two men went on a journey for both pleasure and business. .. and the other on a Godly, favourable way.

  5. Since the selfish man was both egoistic, and pessimistic, he ended up in what seemed to him to be a most wicked country due to his pessimism. He looked around and everywhere he saw the weak crying under the control of tyranny, weeping at their destruction.

  6. He saw the same severe, painful situation in all the places he travelled. Apart from becoming drunk, he could find no way of not noticing this painful and dark situation. For everyone seemed to him to be an enemy and a foreigner. And all around, he saw corpses and weeping orphans. His conscience was in a state of torment.

  7. The other man was devout and fair-minded so that the country he came to was mostexcellent in his view. This good man saw that everywhere was a joyful festival, a place for the remembrance of God with great pleasure and happiness; everyone appeared to him like a friend and relative.

  8. Throughout the country, he saw the festive celebrations in honor of general discharges from duty (death) accompanied by cries of good wishes and thanks.

  9. He also heard the sound of a drum and a band for the enlistment of soldiers (birth) with happy calls of “God is Most Great!” and “There is no god but God!” This fortunate man was pleased and happy at both his own joy and that of all the inhabitants.

  10. Furthermore, he was able to do some profitable trade. He offered thanks to God.

  11. He returned and came across the other man. He understood his condition, and said to him: You were out of your mind. The bad and ugly things you see come from and reflect your inner world. . • So that you imagined: • laughter to be weeping and • the discharge from duties to be sack and pillage. Come to your senses and purify your heart so that this calamitous veil is raised from your eyes and you can see the truth.

  12. For a country isperfectly just, compassionate, beneficent, powerful and order-loving cannot be as you imagined.

  13. The unhappy man later came to his senses and was regretful. He said, “Yes, I was crazy because I was drunk. May God be pleased with you; you have saved me from a hellish state.”

  14. O My Soul! Know that the first man represents an unbeliever, or heedless sinner.

  15. In his viewthe world is: • A house of universal mourning • All living creature are orphans weeping due to the pain of separation and death. • Man and the animals are alone and cut down by death. • Magnificent creation like the mountains and oceans are like terrible lifeless corpses. His disbelief and misguidance breed great anxieties that torture him.

  16. As for the other man, he is a believer He recognizes and affirms Almighty God

  17. In his view this world is: • A residence where the Names of God are constantly recited. • A practice arena for humans and the animals. • A field of examination for man and jinn. • Each living being is a soldier, an honest official.

  18. All deaths of animals and humans are demobilization. Those who have completed their duties in life depart from this world for another worldpain-of-free, so that place can be made ready for new officials to come and work. • The birth of animals and humans marks their enlistment into the army, their being taken under arms, and the start of their duties.

  19. Very many more subtle, pleasurable, and sweet truths like these become manifest and appear from his belief.

  20. That is to say belief in God bears the seed of what is in effect a Tuba-Tree (Tree of Life) of Paradise, unbelief conceals the seed of a Zakkum-Tree (Oleander Tree) of Hell

  21. That means that salvation and security are only to be found in true religion and belief.

  22. We should continually say: “Praise be to God for the His religion and perfection of belief in Him.”

  23. I E F A Intercultural Education and Friendship Association www.kadder.org.tr KADDER This presentation was compiled from Words Book of Risale-i Nur Collection.

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