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Spiritual Health and Purification of the Soul

Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Victory of the Spirit

Human life in this world is a composite of two distinct powers, the spirit and the flesh.

Although it is sometimes the case that these two powers act in harmony, conflict between them is more usual, and conflict of a kind in which the victory of one results in the defeat of the other.

In an individual in whom bodily lusts are vigorously indulged, the spirit grows more powerless as it becomes more obedient to those lusts; while in another individual, one who has given the spirit dominance over the flesh, in whom the heart (the seat of spiritual intellect) has power over reason, and the bodily lusts are vigorously opposed, it attains to eternity.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/towards.the.lost.paradise/a583.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Victory of the Spirit - 2

Only those who have filled their hearts with the most sublime ideals and love of humanity will lead a spiritual life so as to attain to eternity in their very selves. They are the fortunate ones who have transcended their carnal desires, who have grown spiritually alert, and led those who heed them to victory over the commands of self.

Only he who overcomes his self can rightly be called powerful and victorious.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/towards.the.lost.paradise/a583.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Hope

Hope is a condition of mind connected, above all, with belief. Those who believe have hope, and their degree of hope is directly proportional to their degree of belief. It is because of this that certain effects of strong belief can strike some people as miracles. And those who do not experience belief on this level therefore consider such hope and belief in others as something quite out of the ordinary.

Hope consists of a man finding his spirit and seeing the potentiality that lies within it. Perceiving that, he comes into contact with the All-Powerful and thereby obtains a power that can overcome everything. It is by that power that a particle becomes a sun, a drop of water becomes an ocean, and by it too a man’s spirit becomes the breath of the universe.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/towards.the.lost.paradise/a560.html

All the best.
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Love

Love is the most essential element in every being, and it is a most radiant light and a great power which can resist and overcome every force. Love elevates every soul which absorbs it, and prepares it for the journey to eternity. A soul which has been able to make contact with eternity through love, exerts himself to implant in all other souls what he gets from eternity. He dedicates his life to this sacred duty, for the sake of which he endures every kind of hardship to the end, and just as he pronounces ‘love’ in his last breath, he also breathes ‘love’ while being raised on the Day of Judgement.

A soul without love is impossible to be elevated to the horizon of human perfection. Even if he lived hundreds of years, he could not make any advances on the path to perfection. Those who are deprived of love, since being entangled in the nets of selfishness, are unable to love anybody else and die unaware of love which is deeply implanted in the very being of existence.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/towards.the.lost.paradise/a562.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Humanity

Maturity and perfection of spirit is being just in your treatment of others, especially with those who have done you an injustice. Answer their evil with good. Do not stop doing good, even to those who have harmed you. Rather, treat them with humanity and nobility, for harming someone is brutish behavior. Returning evil with evil implies a deficiency in character; returning good for evil is nobility.

There is no limit to doing good to others. Altruism is a great virtue only if it originates in sincerity and purity of intention, and if it does not define the "others" by racial preferences.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/pearls.of.wisdom/a620.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Balancing the Spiritual and the Physical

The true life is the one lived at the spiritual level. Those whose hearts are alive, conquering the past and the future, cannot be contained by time.

Such people are never excessively distressed by sorrows of the past or anxieties of the future. Those who cannot experience full existence in their hearts, and thus lead banal, shallow lives, are always gloomy and inclined to hopelessness. They consider the past a horrifying grave, and the future an endless well. It is torment if they die, and it is torment if they survive.

Establishing a sound relationship with a long, great past and a long, better future depends on your having a proper understanding of your heart's and soul's vitality. The fortunate ones live at this level and fully understand this life.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/pearls.of.wisdom/a642.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Conscience

Conscience, which has a central position in a person's being and feeling that he or she is a human being, is a spiritual mechanism which wills, feels, perceives and is always open to eternity.

The will-power, feeling, mind and heart which are the "senses" or faculties of the perceptiveness of the spirit, are also the most important dynamics of conscience, by which a person is able to attain human perfection in this world and eternal happiness and vision of the Almighty in the next.

Conscience is a pure, bright mirror to the existence of God and is matchless in recognizing Him and making Him known to others, provided it has eyes to look with insight.

Since collective conscience serves as an unerring and undeceiving judge, everyone should resign themselves to its verdicts and affirm it as a referee in their disputes.

Duty is what God commands and Prophets carry out and communicate to others. Everyone must accept it and set themselves to do it. God, the Truth, is the Absolute Judge and conscience is the purest mirror to Him. It reflects whatever it reflects with such clarity and power that only the dread of inability to live up to its truth can cloud it, and even that most rarely.

The more intellectually and spiritually disciplined one is, the more consistent and harmonious one's thoughts and actions are. The more open to the realms beyond one's conscience is, the more Divinely inspired and guided one's manners are.

Since conscience is the feeling and perceptive faculty of the spirit, it has always been regarded as open to the realms beyond, uncontained by space, having sound criteria and as pure as angels.

There are many judges and almost all of them issue verdicts based on the same sources, and yet their verdicts may differ. But the conscience is a judge with such penetrating insight that it can issue verdicts based on truths and its verdicts will deceive no one.

Collective conscience means the perception, discernment and insight of the great majority of people and therefore rarely errs, especially when its knowledge is corroborated by a Divinely inspired source.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/pearls.of.wisdom/a1092.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Beauty and the Beautiful

Every human being displays themselves, their feelings, and their abilities in their works. This means that they are presenting something for others who will observe and perceive through the prism of their insight.

God presents His works embellished with color, meaning, and content in order to make Himself known and loved for those seeking Him. We are sent to this world with the responsibility then, to affect and reshape things with His permission, to reflect our understanding, but also to be attentive to the true purpose and meaning of the creation of things. The universe and the happenings in it are thus perfect examples to imitate.

However, no matter how perfect the example is, everyone will draw and interpret objects according to their abilities. Charles Lalo, commenting on esthetics once said: “The magnificent scene taking place at the time of sunset will remind a farmer of the rather unesthetic thought of dinner; the physicist, not of beauty or ugliness, but of rightness or wrongness of the analysis of a matter. Thus, the sunset is beautiful only for those who are aware of beauty.” Therefore, only those who see with God and hear with God can appreciate the beauty that spreads throughout existence as their senses are tuned to the spiritual realms.

A heart that beats with God’s love and which desires to meet Him, will be aware of many signs from God along the way. Such a heart will feel the excitement of meeting Him, as it reads the messages from the Moon, the sunset, the twinkling stars, colorful nature, the blowing of the wind, the snow. . . And such a heart would utter, in the words of one who has reached unity of sight and heart, “Everyone from everywhere is coming to watch Your beauty. From beneath and from above, every being is declaring You, displaying the reflections of Your beauty.”

This heart looks at nature and objects, but sees the Unseen spiritual realms. This is the point of love and connection with God.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/a1936.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Love for Humankind

Love is an elixir; a human lives with love, is made happy by love and makes those around him or her happy with love.

In the vocabulary of humanity, love is life; we feel and sense each other with love. God Almighty has not created a stronger relation than love, this chain that binds humans one to another. In fact, the Earth is nothing but a ruin without love to keep it fresh and alive..


Our interest in our environment and our love for humankind - that is, our ability to embrace creation - depends on knowing and understanding our own essence, our ability to discover ourselves, and to feel a connection with our Creator. In parallel with the ability to discover and feel our inner depths and hidden potential within our essence, we will also be able to appreciate that others also possess the same potential.

Moreover, because these inner values are directly related to the Creator, and because a respect for the riches that are hidden in every creature is nurtured, we will start to see every living thing from a different perspective and in a different manner. In reality, the level of our understanding and appreciation of one another depends on how well we recognize the qualities and riches that each person possesses.

We can summarize this concept with a thought based on a saying of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, “A believer is the mirror of another believer.” We can enlarge on this saying as “a human is a mirror of another human.” If we are able to succeed in doing this, as well as being able to understand and appreciate the riches hidden within every person, we will also understand how to relate these riches to their true Owner, and thus we will accept that anything in this universe that is beautiful, affectionate, or loving belongs to Him. ...

As we are all limbs of the same body, we should cease this duality that violates our very union. We should clear the way to unite people; this is one of the greatest ways in which God grants people success in this world, and how He transforms this world into a Paradise. It is in this way that the doors of Heaven will be opened wide in order to give us a warm welcome. Hence, we should remove all ideas and feelings that pull us apart, and run to embrace one another.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/a1746.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
The Devout: The Architect of Our Souls

Although some people today disdain moral values, the inner depths of the human being, and the importance of the life of the heart and spirit, there is no doubt that the route to true humanity passes through them. No matter what some people may think, the successful application of these dynamics to life offers the only solution that can save the person of the present.

People today must be relieved from the social, political, cultural, economic, and various other depressions that are bending them over double, forcing their back into a misshapen twisted form. This deformation has been caused by an onslaught of crises and pressure which have endlessly afflicted the person of today. This vital mission can only be realized by the devout and godly, who never think of themselves, except insofar as they see their own salvation through the salvation of others.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/the_statue_of_our_souls/a1980.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
State and Station

Sensitive souls and those whose consciousness is alert or awakened to the knowledge of God discern the waves of state upon their hearts, just as they see the Sun's reflections in bubbles on water, and respond to these waves according to their level and manner of perception.

Those who have not corrected the imbalance of their hearts, and thus live disconnected from the Almighty, may regard these waves of state as illusions and fancies, while those who see existence with the light of the Truth view them as manifest, experienced realities.

The greatest hero of state, upon him be peace and blessings, who regarded each preceding spiritual gift received as less when compared to the succeeding may God illuminate our hearts with the light of his gifts he regarded as less declared: I ask God's forgiveness seventy times a day. It was impossible for a perfectly pure soul who felt the need for an everlasting mount and an eternal light in a never-ending journey toward the Infinite Being to have done otherwise.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/sufism_1/a865.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Reflection

(Reflection) Tafakkur literally means to think on a subject deeply, systematically, and in great detail.

In this context, it signifies reflection, which is the heart's lamp, the spirit's food, the spirit of knowledge, and the essence and light of the Islamic way of life. Reflection is the light in the heart that allows the believer to discern what is good and evil, beneficial and harmful, beautiful and ugly.

Again, it is through reflection that the universe becomes a book to study, and the verses of the Qur'an disclose their deeper meanings and secrets more clearly. Without reflection, the heart is darkened, the spirit is exasperated, and Islam is lived at such a superficial level that it is devoid of meaning and profundity.

Reflection is a vital step in becoming aware of what is going on around us and of drawing conclusions from it. It is a golden key to open the door of experience, a seedbed where the trees of truth are planted, and the opening of pupil of the heart's eye.

Due to this, the greatest representative of humanity, the foremost in reflection and all other virtues, (The Prophet) upon him be peace and blessings, states:

"No act of worship is as meritorious as reflection. So reflect on the God's bounties and the works of His Power, but do not try to reflect on His Essence, for you will never be able to do that."

By these words, in addition to pointing out the merit of reflection, the glory of mankind, upon him be peace and blessings, determines the limits of reflection and reminds us of our limits.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/sufism_1/a862.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Kindness

The following quotes are from The Qur'an:

"God loveth those who are kind." (5:13)

"Be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: 'My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.'" (17:23-24)

"And We have enjoined upon man (to be good) to his parents. His mother carried him [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years." (31:14)

"Treat not the orphan with harshness, nor repulse him who asks." (93:9-10)

http://www.meccacentric.com/islamic_virtues.html

All the best.
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Seclusion

Since the purpose of seclusion is to purify the heart of the love of that which is not God and to be always with the Beloved, those who always feel the presence of God while living among people and who continuously discern the Divine Unity amidst multiplicity are regarded as always being with God in seclusion. In contrast, however, the seclusion of others who, although they spend their lives in seclusion but have not purified their hearts from attachment to whatever is other than God, is a deception.

Those who always feel themselves in the presence of God do not need to seclude themselves from people. Such people, in the words of Rumi, are like those who keep one foot in the sphere of Divine commandments and turn the other, like a compass needle, throughout the world. They experience ascension and descent at every moment. This is the seclusion recognized and preferred by the Prophets and saints.

God Almighty once said to Prophet David: O David, why do you seclude yourself from people and choose to remain alone? David, upon him be peace, answered: Lord, I renounce the company of people for Your sake. The Almighty warned him: Always keep vigil, but do not keep aloof from your brethren. However, seclude yourself from those whose company is of no benefit to you.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/sufism_1/a864.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
The Heart

God considers one's heart. He treats men and women according to the quality of their hearts, as the heart is the stronghold of many elements vital to the believer's spiritual life and humanity: reason, knowledge, knowledge of God, intention, belief, wisdom, and nearness to God Almighty.

If the heart is alive, all of these elements and faculties are alive; if the heart is diseased, it is difficult for the elements and faculties mentioned to remain sound.

The heart also is a fortress in which one can maintain sound reasoning and thinking, as well as a healthy spirit and body. As all human feelings and emotions take shelter and seek protection in this fortress, the heart must be protected and kept safe from infection.

http://fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/sufism_1/a866.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
The Spirit and Its Identity

Science cannot define or perceive the spirit. While matter or anything in the material world is composed of atoms, and atoms are made up of more minute particles, the spirit is a simple, non-compound entity.

We cannot see it, but we can know it through its manifestations in this world. Although we accept its existence and observe its manifestations, we cannot know its nature. Such ignorance, however, does not mean that it does not exist.

http://www.fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/essentials.of.the.islamic.faith/the.invisible.realm.of.existence/a654.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Tolerance and Liberality

Accept how God treats you. Make it the measure by which you treat others, so that you may represent the truth among them and be free of the fear of loneliness in either world.

Judge your worth in the Creator’s sight by how much space He occupies in your heart and your worth in people’s eyes by how you treat them. Do not neglect the Truth even for a moment. And yet still “be a human among other humans.”

http://www.fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/toward.a.global.civilization.of.love.and.tolerance/forgiveness.tolerance.and.dialogue/a1798.html
 
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
Cordoba

Cordoba

Well-Known Member
A Tribute to Mothers

A mother is a hero of love who keeps the delicacy and valor in her soul abreast when she is considered in terms of her affection, benignity, and grace; she is soft like a feather, fine and smooth as silk, yet at the same time she is tough and fierce as a lioness when it comes to protecting and caring for her children.

Whatever lies under the firmaments above us, her hand is above all these, and the way to Paradise runs under her feet. God has granted such a sublimity and royalty to her that earthly kingdoms are nothing more than mere crowns without status in comparison. Moreover, crowns that rest on heads which have never found a place beneath their mothers’ feet cannot be said to have any lasting value.

http://www.fethullahgulen.org/a.page/books/a1940.html
 
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