Mature person (2)

Dear Readers,

In my previous article, I stated that a person must remove the love for ego from his heart and fill it with love of Allah to become a mature believer and added that it is possible by believing in Allah (swt), abstaining from His prohibitions, and obeying His orders. In other words, a person must obey Sunnah of Rasulullah (s.a.w) sincerely and remember Allah (swt) by being aware of Him every time.

A person who performs them sincerely becomes a "mature person" with the virtues that Allah (swt) grants him.

# Some of the characteristics of the mature person who reached fifth dimension

The perfect person who reached the fifth dimension perceives everything from the perspective of Allah (swt). He draws lessons from everything. He takes care of Allah's consent in everything he performs. He is fair in all his judgments. He is now a reliable person whom everybody trusts. He has no dual standards. He doesn't act differently when something is advantageous or disadvantageous for him. He is a real believer now and his criteria are the criteria of Allah (swt). He has no concern, doubt, fear or worry, beyond being honored with consent of Allah (swt). Therefore, he always follows Justice (honesty, rightness, and reality).

• The man of truth

He follows Allah (swt) rather than superstitious beliefs. He seeks for the justice and the truth by leaving superstitions. He is not disturbed even when the truths against him are revealed or mentioned. He tells the truth even for his enemy. He is now the man of truth. He doesn't have any complicated plans that he wants to realize with lies or plots based on detailed benefit plans.

"And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is)." (Baqarah, 42)

"None of you will believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself." [Bukhari & Muslim]

• The man of patience and praise...

Now, he has no doubt that everything is realized in accordance with a predestination that is defined by Allah (swt), the creator of everything in the divine order, Who sustains, manages and protects this order. He now trusts and surrenders Allah (swt) totally. Therefore, he knows that Allah (swt) creates every problem or goodness, benefit or malice, disaster or salvation. He meets all of them willingly. He is not sad but patient when he has a problem. He appreciates when he has any blessing rather than let himself go by being happy.

"Give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere!" (Baqarah, 155)

"The patience to belief is like the head to the body." [Deylemî]

“Half of the belief is patience and the rest is gratitude."  [Beyheki]

• The man of modesty…

The nature of shame also changes in the fifth dimension. The person who is ashamed of the humiliations in the previous dimension begins not paying attention to them any more although he is ashamed when he performs something, which is not appropriate to Allah's will. Therefore, the mature person in this dimension has a great modesty (haya) and decency.

"Prostitution is a dishonor; haya is an ornament of a person." [Berika]

"Haya is completely good" [Muslim]

"Haya is a part of faith." [Bukhari]

"Haya and faith are interdependent; therefore either they both exist together" [Hakim]

• The hand that doesn't take but give

The person in the fifth dimension is a person who gives for Allah's sake rather than takes for his nafs.

"The upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (taking) hand." [Bukhari]

He thinks the others as well as himself. Therefore, the others who are in love with world cannot understand him. The others consider him as a fool. He does not consider critics. He gives importance to Allah (swt). He thinks the value or insignificancy of himself before Allah (swt). Therefore, he is always destitute, grieved, gentle, polite, and merciful to any kind of creature. He is shy to ask anything for the world from Allah (swt) by thinking Allah (swt) knows all his behaviors, even he knows that Allah (swt) accepts all of his prayers. He considers all the people under his dominance as an escrow of Allah (swt). He feels responsible from them.

He is sad when people are in bad situations and he gets happy when they are good.

• His body is with the people but his heart is with Allah (swt)... 

His heart is with Allah (swt) every time and the affinity makes him forget everything. Briefly, his body is with the people while his heart is with Allah (swt) all the time.

He is now purified from "the characteristics of nafs" which sometimes makes him worse than the animals. He is a real believer who is qualified to be the caliph of his Rabb (Allah) in earth by obeying the advices and rules of Allah (swt). When you look at them, you feel like you can see the behaviors of Rasulullah (s.a.w). You remember Allah (swt) Who is your creator.

# Sirat-i mustaqim (The Straight Path)

Dear Readers,

I have tried to explain Sirat-i mustaqim (the path of Justice and Truth) that Allah (swt) ordered in the most clear way by using different statements beginning with my first article "Correct Understanding the Human". It is not possible to understand and learn without experiencing this reality. As you cannot teach the colors to a blind person, you cannot explain the spiritual world, events, and their spiritual pleasures to a meaning blind person. 

The way to get rid of the meaning blindness is a spiritual operation of which beginning is "faith". The basis of this development process is entering the path of justice and truth sincerely and willingly. Learning the spiritual realities is possible only with "faith". The human can comprehend the realities in accordance with his "faith". If a person doesn't have faith or cannot mature the faith, he was born blind and he will pass away blind. He thinks this spiritual realities don't exist because he cannot see them.

Dear Reader, the view of the "reality" in the visible world is called "sharia". Sharia means the fundamentals of faith, prohibitions and orders of Allah (swt) Who is the biggest reality. If a person sticks sharia with his heart and soul by believing in Allah (swt) sincerely, this path will bring him to reality which is the core and meaning of sharia, in other words Sirat-i mustaqim (the straight path) automatically as long as he is sincere in his works. The people who are not sincere in their beliefs and works cannot take a piece of meaning sea.

# The praise of the fifth dimension

Dear Readers,

This fifth dimension of our existence is a dimension that the person turns into "a real human" from "an ordinary man". This point of "maturity" is solely a mercy and gift of Allah (Swt) and Allah (swt) grants the divine grace to a small number of people upon His wish.

If one has the honor to be one of the happy servants who is granted with the mercy and gift, he must be grateful for the spiritual blessing, which is granted to a small number of people.

He must be grateful for all spiritual stages as faith, knowledge, being a servant, taqwa, vera, frankness, patience, consent, surrender, love and ma'rifa, and pray for the ones who lead us reach the grace, especially Rasulullah (s.a.w).

May Allah (swt) grant us with the honor and happiness of being a mature person! And grant us the faith safety in our last breaths.

Be entrusted to Allah. Peace be with you...

Mature person (1)

Dear Readers, after the human is escalated to the fifth dimension and become a mature person, he begins having some of the divine virtues of Allah (swt) as patience, mercy, justice, equity and generosity. Thus the person becomes the caliph of his Rabb (Allah) on earth. I would like to state some of the characteristics of the mature person.

# The wishes of a mature believer

Dear Readers, when a person becomes a real Muslim by being surrendered and subject to Allah (swt), he begins acting in accordance with the will of Allah (swt) every time and everywhere. Therefore, even the wishes seem to be emerging from him are in fact the wishes of Allah (swt). I would like to give you a few examples for a better understanding of the subject:

When Ahmad Effendi who is an "Alperen" that reached the maturity stage says Tailor Omar who got in trouble: "Be patient, don't let yourself go. Allah (swt) is the helper of him who waits. Everything will be all right in time. Allah (swt) is the creator of both goodness and malice. I want you to be patient and strong." Allah (swt) is Who advices us to be patient even the words are seemed to belong Ahmad Effendi.

 "O my son! Establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong: and bear with patient constancy whatever betide thee; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs." (Luqman, 17)

If Ahmad Effendi tells the wealthy tradesman Mr. Kazim who puts pressure on worker Yusuf to pay his debt, "The young man is between jobs nowadays, he has some financial problems. You have no problems. Please give him some time. He will pay you as soon as he begins working. Why are you putting pressure on him?" the wish is in fact a wish of Allah (swt) even it seems to belong to Ahmad Effendi.

"If the debtor is in a difficulty, grant him time till it is easy for him to repay. But if ye remit it by way of charity, that is best for you if ye only knew." (Baqarah, 280)

When Ahmad Effendi says to 2 young people who are throwing roasted chickpeas to each other "You are eating roasted chickpeas. Why are you wasting them by playing as toys while there are so many hungry people in our country? Don't waste them. Wasting is forbidden by religion." Allah (swt) orders us not to waste even the words and the wish seem to belong to Ahmad Effendi.

"Eat and drink: But waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters!" (Araf, 31)

If Ahmad Effendi says to a third neighbor upon learning 2 neighbors are crossed because of a simple problem "Ziya Effendi, please invite them to your home. Let's reunite them. It is not good when neighbors are cross", the desire of Ahmad Effendi is nothing but the wish of Allah (Swt).

"The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: so make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy." (Hujurat, 10)

Dear Readers,

The list of the examples can be extended. There is no need to state more words. When a person reached the meaning-focused fifth dimension from the self-focused fourth dimension and became a mature person, he began acting in accordance with desires, wishes and advices of Allah (swt) rather than the desires of his ego. The way of behavior becomes a spiritual capability in time.

# A mature believer doesn't ask anything from the others for his nafs...

The perfect people don't ask anything for their nafs from the others as their humanistic ego disappeared. Everything they want are the things that Allah (Swt) and His Prophets want for us. The first signal that shows a person begins maturing is that he doesn't want anything from anyone.

It is ordered in the Hadiths that:

"Allah makes rich the ones who don't want anything from people. Allah is sufficient for those who are abstinent." [Bezzar]

"Don't want anything from people and don't be greedy! Greed is the real poorness." [Taberani]

"I assure that the ones who promise not to ask anything from the people will go to Paradise." [Nesai]

Everything that the mature person who reached fifth dimension asks from us is what Allah (swt) and His Messengers wish for our happiness in the world and hereafter. Therefore, we must not ignore the words of the people who are in the fifth dimension. Their advices and warnings must be valued highly. We must create environments so that we can hear their words, which are full of wisdom. They mustn't be interrupted when they talk in order to learn more from their statements.

# The perspective of the mature believer

Dear Readers,

The wills and desires of a mature person are not wishes and desires based on their egos; and also his point of view is not focused on his nafs (ego). He perceives everything with the light of Allah that He granted him by divine training. I would like to explain it in detail.

The human in the fourth dimension perceives the world and the events in the world from a "me" perspective. The mature person in the fifth dimension perceives the world and events from a meaning, insight and truth perspective which we call as Light of Muhammad (pbuh).

"Me" perspective is like blinkers. It has a narrow point of view. This perspective perceives everything from the point of "personal benefit". However, “meaning” perspective is a perspective of Allah (swt). He perceives everything from the perspective of "Allah (swt)" and the "Truth". Therefore, the person in the fourth dimension whose eyes cannot see the truth is in fact blind.

"The people who were blind in the world are also blind in hereafter. And they say we could see everything while we were in the world, why can't we see them now. Then they are told your eyes were closed to the truths in the world, this is the truth world. Therefore, your eyes cannot see.”¹

It is ordered in the verses from the Qur'an that:

"But those who were blind in this world will be blind in the hereafter, and most astray from the Path." (Isra, 72)

"But whosoever turns away from My Message, verily for him is a life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Judgment." (Ta-ha, 124)

"He will say: "O my Lord! Why hast Thou raised me up blind, while I had sight (before)?" (Ta-ha, 125)

"(Allah) will say: Thus didst Thou, when Our Signs came unto thee, forgot them: so wilt thou, this day, be forgotten." (Ta-ha, 126)

# To be free from blindness

Dear Readers, a person must escape from being blind and learn to perceive everything with the light of Islam while he is in the world, in short with the light of Allah (swt) and Truth that Allah granted us. It is related to refinement of the nafs and purifying the heart. How can a person see the world with the light of Allah (swt) when the nafs is full of desires and wishes of the world, in short when the heart is surrounded with all the selfishness of the ego? He can see the world only with "selfishness", "benefit", and "interest" blindness.

The entire problem on the path to become a mature believer is leaving the love for "ego" in the heart and place the love of Allah (swt) which is the biggest reality. That can be realized only by believing Allah (swt), abstaining from what Allah (swt) forbids (the things that are forbidden by religion) and being subject to what Allah (swt) orders (religious duties and necessities) and obeying Rasulullah's (pbuh) Sunnah precisely. Of course, he must perform it willingly in other words with sincerity. He must always remember Allah (Swt) which means he must never be unaware of Him even for a moment.

Be entrusted to Allah.

------------------------- 
(1) KUSCUOGLU, Galip H., 1998. Metafizik. H. Galip Hasan Kuscuoglu Kult.ve Egt. Vakfi Yayini, No:4, Ankara

A new personality in the fifth dimension

Dear Readers,

You can remember that I stated our nafs become an "ego" now when "reason" comes into play, which is a thinking mechanism and has an ability to analyze and synthesize, as I explained the fourth dimension of our existence. We called it "personality" as it viewed externally. Moreover, after a person has personality, he has the opportunity to present his own freewill by his ideas and decisions. Thereby, he has negative or positive responses according to the adaptation or conflict of his will with the others. However, it is totally different within the fifth dimension, which is the maturation dimension of a human, because the human gave up being subject to his will (the desires, wishes, whims, and benefits of his nafs) voluntarily, is surrendered and subject to Allah's will (wishes and desires of Allah (swt)).

# The Real Muslim

When we remember the definition of Islam as "being surrendered and subject to Allah (swt) Who created everything out of nothing and is unique and has no partners or assistants", it is clear that the definition becomes real only within "mature person" in the fifth dimension. That's why, the person in fifth dimension is a real Muslim who is surrendered to Allah's will totally.

Dear Readers, the most important feature of personality or ego (a nafs having reason) is that it can create new ideas by analyses and syntheses, make interpretations and take new decisions by adjudging on certain subjects, and having opinion and will (intention) consequently.

# The most distinctive feature of the personality is its freedom

The most important and distinctive feature of ego or personality is the free will. A person puts forth his own decisions and wishes obtained by analyzing and synthesizing, and tries to convince everybody of these wishes. He tries to rule everything.

The “will” appears in the heart as desires and wishes of the nafs at first. These desires and wishes may be simple emerging from the needs of the body or a result of a complicated synthesis based on long and delicate plans of the person. The desires are called personal desires, opinions or wills when they are verbalized.

# The person at the fourth dimension cannot be saved from the spiritual discomforts

A person with a "personality" of fourth dimension conflicts with many people on some occasions with his will because the wishes that a person sets out for his nafs are generally composed of the things others don't want for their nafs. Of course, common benefits are exceptional. People are united to form a group when they have common benefits. They don't have conflicts of interest in the group then but conflict of interest arise between groups. The people who cannot pass the fourth dimension cannot escape from spiritual discomfort due to the certain conflicts of interest resulting from selfishness.

However, the mature person in the fifth dimension doesn't have such "ego" problems because he gave up his will voluntarily and became subject to Allah's will (desires and wishes).

# Disappearance of the ego

His nafs is now purified from human attributes (desires and wishes) most of which are composed of animal and instinctive desires and reshaped with morality that Allah (swt) ordered by passing through Allah's training. Another words, his personal will resulted from his ego disappeared in Allah's will. This stage is called "fanaa" (vanishing) stage or "fana fillah" (vanishing in Allah). Now a person in this dimension doesn't have an "ego" based on passion, wrath and personal benefits as he had in the fourth dimension.

[General information is necessary here. "Vanishing in Allah (swt)" is metaphorical and means disappearing the person's desires resulting from his nafs in the desires of Allah (swt). Allah cannot be penetrate in anything or nothing can be penetrate in Allah (swt). These features belong to the creatures and Allah (swt) is excluded.]

Vanishing the ego means vanishing the love and addiction of world composed of desires and wishes of nafs in the heart.

# A person cannot be selfish without ego

The mature human is not selfish as his ego disappeared. You will never witness selfishness in any of his works. If you have to share something with him, he behaves equitably or he grants you with his rights. If you try to take something from him, he gives it to you as a present. It is easy and pleasant to get along with those kinds of people for a person in each position. They don't accuse people because they are not selfish. If you make a mistake, they will forgive you immediately. They are not after other people's belongings because they are not in search for possessions to satisfy their own nafs. Therefore, they are not jealous or greedy.

The mature people frequently seem to be "without personality" externally as they don't have an ego. Most of the people think the mature people who give up their benefits for other people and spend their good and time for others, are fool or stupid because of their peacefulness, mercy, patience, and trust. "Aptal" (fool or stupid) in Turkish was derived from "ebdal" which is used for the people with love of Allah (swt) in Tasawwuf terminology.

# They are not stupid or without personality

Dear readers, in real they are not stupid, fool or without personality. They are just in another dimension. It is like the transformation of a butterfly from ugly caterpillars eating anything they became beautiful butterflies carrying flavor from flowers.

The human in the fifth dimension escalated in the meaning dimension by passing through a transformation period as a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly is now free from the animal characteristics. He now represents "maturity attributes of an angel" that never leaves the great will of Allah (swt) by good morals of Allah. It is the new personality of the human who reached a new dimension.

# The new personality of the mature person

In fact, they have a more advanced and sophisticated appearance, which looks stronger and clearer in their new personality than the previous characteristics, they had. You can witness their change upon their responses to inequity. You witness how the people, who are compassionate and good-tempered as much as possible with suffering people in need, get strong as rocks against inequities and injustices. You witness that they roar like lions when everybody is silent against the cruel people by being afraid of their cruelty. Therefore, the people who are afraid of Allah (Swt) have such a dignity and imposing-looking that a fear appears in the heart of those met them.

The holly people in the Turkish history were called as "Alperen". "Alp" means brave and "Eren" means holly person in other words Wali (Plural awliya). They were good-tempered and merciful for those who got a raw deal but powerful and valiant for the ones who were unfair. Our folk-literature has many stories of them. The word "Alperen" expresses the mature and valiant people in the fifth dimension. If one word is searched to define our nation who served Islam for many years, I think "Alperen" will be the best.

The new personality of the mature person is a purified and divine personality equipped with various divine virtues as patience, mercy, justice that person can be reached only by "the perfect faith" in the fifth dimension, which cannot be compared to greedy, grasping, and bad personality of the previous dimensions.

Be entrusted to Allah.