Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Maintainer of everything. (Qur’an 39:62)
To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. (Qur’an 39:63)
So exalted is He in whose hand is the realm of all things. (Qur’an 36:83)
And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories. (Qur’an 15:21)
There is no creature but that He holds its forelock. (Qur’an 11:56)
Even though we believe that there is mostly no such thing as coincidence, we unknowingly think that the things that happen to us and the events taking place in the world are random, failing to see the wisdom behind them and the Creator who carries them out. However, there are many wisdoms in this being so. Because this is a world of trial, and for the difference in faith among people to become apparent, for our true selves to be revealed, and for many other wisdoms, all events appear as if they are dependent on certain causes.
In reality, it is God who creates all causes, and the more we can understand this, the more we can progress spiritually and free ourselves from illusions. Now, let’s see what Master Nursi has said about this:
“O heedless, ignorant one who attributes the events and affairs appearing from the domain of causes to the causes themselves!
The causes that you assume to be the owner of things are not the true owners. The real owner is the eternal power that operates behind them. Those causes are merely assigned to announce and spread the true effects that come from that power.
Thus, the domain of causes is like the administrative office of a government, where the orders coming from above are conveyed. Because might and greatness necessitate a veil, and oneness (tawhid) and majesty reject partnership, they do not attribute real effect to causes.”
“Yes, the Eternal Sultan has officials, but they are not executors of actions that would make them partners in His sovereignty and rububiyyah.
Rather, the duty of those officials is to act as heralds, announcing the operations of divine power. Or, they are observers and witnesses who, through their obedience and submission to the divine commands they witness, perform a kind of worship according to their capacities.
“Thus, causes are merely means that have been assigned solely to manifest the dignity of divine power and the grandeur of rububiyyah.
Otherwise, they are not helpers assisting power due to weakness or need. The officials of human kings, however, are appointed out of necessity as helpers and partners to remove the kings’ needs and weaknesses.”
“Therefore, there is no similarity between God’s officials and human officials.
Only those who are heedless and ignorant, unable to see the wisdom and beauty in events and occurrences, begin to complain and protest against the Almighty. Thus, causes have been assigned to redirect the target of these complaints and grievances. Because shortcomings arise from them, stemming from their own incapacity.
A spiritual parable is narrated as a subtle example of this secret:
“Azrael (peace be upon him) said to Almighty God:
‘In the duty of seizing souls, Your servants will complain about me. They will resent me.’
Almighty God, in the language of wisdom, said to him:
‘I will place calamities and illnesses as a veil between you and My servants so that their complaints go to them and they do not resent you.'”
“Yes, just as illnesses are a veil, they serve as a point of attribution for the apparent hardships imagined in death.
And in the act of seizing souls, true wisdom and beauty relate to the duty of Azrael (peace be upon him). Similarly, Azrael (peace be upon him) himself is also a veil. He serves as a point of attribution for certain aspects of soul-taking that outwardly appear merciless and seem inconsistent with the perfection of divine mercy. Thus, he is an overseer of that duty and a veil over divine power.”
“Since we live in a kind of illusionary realm and are subjected to a form of test, our eyes, ears, and senses cannot fully perceive reality.
Our perceptions are completely limited. For this reason, we may not be able to see the rewards behind illnesses, events, and conditions that outwardly seem merciless. Because we cannot understand how the living beings we see aging and dying here are actually being freed from their worn-out and restrictive bodies and reunited with their free and happy souls and their true homeland, we unjustly feel resentment and disappointment toward our Creator.
Or, because we assume that various illnesses and events happen to people by chance, we spend our lives in fear and anxiety, worrying that those bad events or illnesses might happen to us as well. However, everything—including causes—is under the control of the Creator. And when we realize and truly understand this, we can know that taking refuge in our Creator is enough for us, that we do not have to live with fear and anxiety, and thus we can be free. And we can stop unjustly resenting our Creator.”
“As Jesus the Messiah also said, ‘You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ (John 8:32)
Master Nursi also said on this matter:
‘This whispering doubt (waswasa) is such a thing that ignorance invites it, while knowledge repels it. If you do not recognize it, it comes; if you recognize it, it goes.’
Thus, we can say that knowledge and faith are two very important remedies for all our troubles, worries, and fears.
This article is inspired by the works of Master Said Nursi, Risale-i Nur.
