The Inner Source Digest – Unit: 20

September 1959
Issue: 20
EMRE’s Conversations: 20

EMRE’s Conversations: 20

            (We need to apologize from our venerable readers because of the interruption of the conversation from half of it by mistake. Because of this, we will try to fix the fault by repeating the last part of the conversation.)

            Q. – Doesn’t He give to the expert?

            Emre – He gives if he/she is competent. There had been a lot of prophets. All of them had discriminated the bad and good actions defining them as illicit and permissible. If we impute all of our wrong actions to God, we would be a denier. He already had given a will to us. We are free to apply an action or not.

            Q. – But I’m not doingany mischief.

            Emre – Leave them. If you are asking for mercy’s sake, that’s the key: First of all, cut your hair and beard. Give up all those ceremonies like holding the finger during handshake.

            Q. – You are the one both who is saying and making me say.

            Emre – No, I am the one who is saying, you are the listener.

            Q. – Force me.

            Emre – No way. There is no obligation and difficulty in religion, understanding and love.

            Q. – Behave according to my situation.

            Emre – Well: You are asking, I am answering. Is there a better behaving according to the situation than this?

            Q. – What’s this fire?

            Emre  – Really, this situation is perceived as fire by the self. As long as you don’t feel hard.

You are asking, I’m answering through bonding God.

            Q. – Don’t reject, you’ve understood this subject.

            Emre – God rules over everything; but is obliged to the command, rule which is given by Him.

Can judges reverse their judgement ?

            Q. – Instances close this door.

            Emre – Rather; He is saying in order to open.

Q. – Doesn’t He has a key?

            Emre – No, because the door is open.

            Q. – I’m incompetent.

            Emre – We all have this state. Since we are human being. We just said before, The great Prophet Mohammed also said “I couldn’t know” what can we do? 

            Q. – Parrot talks too but its word belongs to human but its being is animal. Your tongue speaks in a different way, I can’t understand. Make me understand.

            Emre – I don’t accept human as animal. God said for the human  (Ahseni Takvîm) “the perfect form”.That means “complete”. He also said “We have honoured the children of Adam”. Is there any compliment for the animals in Koran? Look, there comes a prophet who is barefoot, bald as a coot, servile, lowly. Their only goal is to serve their people instead of themselves.   

This is the way of  rightness. All of the arts are related with compass. The artist puts one of the feet of a compass to the center and rotates the other foot. This center is our conscious. If we leave this center, all of the calculations are destroyed.

            The ones who don’t hear the words of truth which they have say, don’t demand a price for this. Because they do this being absent in God, I mean unaware of themselves. Always they give, they feed. Their profit is just to love the people. This is very sweet thing. So, never mind, play, let there be the wedding!

But playing isn’t enough. We need to empty all of the things which is in our ear, brain. 

            Şemi says:

            Q. – Lover! That’s good but I am uncapable in practice. I’m miserable. What can I do in order to solve this condition?

            Emre – Love me. If the lip acts, heart stops; if heart acts, lip learns the silence; word ends, objection ends.

            Q. – When we are in trouble, we are delivering the awfulness to God.

            Emre – God forbid… The one who mixes the elicit and permissible is profane.

            While we were having The Hejaz, there had been an administrator of Caaba. He used to give olive oil to the lighter of oil-lamp in order to light till to the morning. But the oil-lamps had been blowing out before the midnight. Some day he had hided himself and watched the lighter of oil-lamp. He became awared of that the man was filling the oil-lamps as missing. At the end he was lifting up the bottle of olive oil saying: “This home is home of God, this olive is God’s olive and I am the slave of God” then he was drinking the last olive oil. The next day, administrator hides again with a broomstick. When the man again says: “This home is home of God, this olive is God’s olive and I am the slave of God” and lifts the bottle to his head,administrator beats his head with a broomstick.The man who assumes himself alone, turns and says: “Who is that?” The administrator says “this is also the stick of God”. If we attribute our bad actions from God, stick is ready.

            Q. – I mentioned about colour to your excellency just before.

            Emre – Not at all.

            Q. – Colour is being used for the agreement. I’m describing the samples as colour.

            Emre – Of course.

            Q. – Therefore, we understand the stick as it is. I’m looking for a key in order to untie the bundle of briar. What’s the reason for this stick? My language is incapable, I’m lisper; why is this stick?

Emre – Stick is the ego of human.

            Q. – Knowledge is not enough; what else do we need?

            Emre –State.

            Q. – So, knowledge without faith is similar to a tree without root. It has no worth. Is it better to have knowledge with faith?

            Emre – What’s the meaning of faith? It means to believe. One can only believe if he/she can know and see.  Otherwise his/her faith is just an assumption.

            Q. – He gives if we want.

            Emre – I swear He doesn’t give. Because faith is our own duty, we are responsible. It’s not similar to the health which is beyond of our capacity in demanding from God. We, ourselves will believe His words and have faith.

            God had given everything to us but we need to take…He is so generous…Look, one of His names is  ar-Razzaq of the universe. The word universe covers everything and everyone. In addition to the feed of body, God also gives the feed of reason, mind, conscience, all of the capabilities. But it depends on our ability to receive. For that reason, we need to act knowing, thinking instead of memorizing. This knowledge which is called as “wisdom” is so necessary for the people. For example we read Yasin for dead person. In surah Yasin what God aims to tell? Do we know this? No.Because we don’t know Arabic. Let Mr. Şevket translate and we listen. Who knows what does this poor mingles with ? Not only the ones in grave are dead; we are also dead. In Koran God said The Prophet Mohammed: “You also are dead just like them.” Beside that human has much capacity; he/she can succeed if he/she works. If we deliver our responsibilities to God, jobs can’t be accomplished. Is there any difference of us from the animal  if we attribute everything to God saying “good deed and sin is from you”.

            Q. – If God wills let it be…

            Emre – Lets not say if God wills and try to work. If we work, He doesn’t keep, He gives. He already had given.

            Q. – If you help…

            Emre – Help belongs to God. He is together with us.

            Q. – He is together with us but we aren’t together with Him.

            Emre – Lets not afraid if we work for God.

            Q. – We worship what we made.

            Emre – Lets leave those word plays. It’s needed to work personally. Can the pray be accepted if you pray instead of me? Everybody’s action belongs to him/her.

            Q. – Did the ancients describe fully?

            Emre – I swear, there is something here, what can I say? He describes continuously. The receiver receives also from an hair.

            Q. – Did they describe the acrobatism?

            Emre – Forget about acrobatism.

            Q. –  Ok… To forget…

            Emre – First of all, lets think about ourselves. Can a shepherd teach? First of all he must learn.

            Q. – Does He inform us all of His information?

            Emre – Sure… Didn’t He said in Koran: “He taught Adam all of the names”?

            Q. – The one in front of you is saying “control me continuously”. What’s his reason in saying that word?

            Emre – Is it true to say “control me” to God?

            Q. – Control me, give me the barrage of questions. I’m inviting the universe!

Emre – The universe doesn’t deal with your situation. Leave those words like “what’s his reason in saying that word?”

            Q. – Make me leave.

            Emre – It’s not possible by force. Force is for the mad. For clever one force isn’t used.

            Q. – We need to receive report from the community in order to wander.

            Emre – Leave those. They aren’t necessary for us. Shall we live tomorrow? So, we need to complete our duty right away. We can’t be reborn in order to be educated. Lets forget about the report or something and think about our life.

            Look, even the great Hazrat Ali had said: “The one who thought me a letter, made me a slave.“ If we are slave then we need to know our slavery.The slave can’t talk in front of God. He doesn’t command God : “lets control me”, he just listens.

            Aziz Kutlular – God says “ I provide salvation to the one who I want.”

            Q. – But he/she must deserve.

            Emre – It’s necessary to put the face to the earth ( prostrate); this has a spirituality.

            Q. – What a spirituality it has?  If you see it as a flower, it is flower, otherwise it isn’t.

            Emre – This is wrong. This is the trouble of wisdom. Do I see your face as a flower? We will see the animal as an animal.

            Q.- Sure it has a name.

            Emre – It has a name according to its activity. Only the mystery of God is seen from the flower. Manifestation of His Self is in human.  Can flower be God? If I see flower as God, this makes me mislead.

            It’s been said “See God in everywhere.”When this has been misunderstood they assume that everything is God. This wrong belief makes most of the people mad. For this subject Niyazî says:               

Most of them declares that “I am sheik.“ Their aim is either to become haughty or to get benefit or horniness.

            Q. – How will this situation be?

            Emre – It will be just like the way we’ve mentioned.  While the christian is worshipping cross there is only a cross or an ikon between himself/herself and God. Besides, when one says “flower and donkey is also God” then there will be so much flowers and something between himself/herself and God. 

The origin of this table is tree. This armchair is also tree. But can a table act as a door?

Q. – All those things misunderstood is being confused.

            Emre – Yes, look water is the life of everything. It’s also being said in Koran. But if a cat drinks water it feeds its cathood. If  human drinks water, water becomes human. This is the same for word (kalam). Word is understood according to the knowledge of each person. Word also makes someone dog, someone nightingale, some human according to their comprehension. The claim of wisdom is being devil. Some people say “I’m God” because of the so called wisdom of them. It must be asked to them: “God has might to do everything, what might do you have?” God becomes eternal just after our self is ruined. Who we cheat? Just ourselves.  

            Q. –  There are a lot of practical ways. We are cutting the branch which we stand.

            Emre – Yes.

            Avni Yöntem – Seyyid Seyfullah has said, “succession is only available by accepting and applying the word of master. “

            Emre –Yes, Seyyid Seyfullah is a great man. The word of master must be accepted as an arrow which is shot. I mean what he said, will be executed; this arrow will reach the aim. But this word isn’t for each guide. Just like Seyyid Seyfullah has said, the guide who isn’t mature, throws someone off the track.

            Q. – It’s already been thrown…

            Emre – If it’s been thrown off; then we turn, that’s it.

            Q. – I can’t get my tongue round. I’m looking for a key in order to open my lock. This is a very nice situation. There are much whimperers but less smilers. May God grant.

            Emre – We don’t know grant,we know perseverance.

            Q. – I’m saying in order to tell. My heart wishes joy for the universe.

            Emre – Is it possible? Are you the attorney of God? Don’t deal with those things. Otherwise you’ll suffer when it isn’t realised.

            Q. – We already suffer…

            Emre – You will be saved if you accept as it is.If you know something and if they ask for God’s sake, you can say. Otherwise, be silent. Don’t say the subject instantly; beside you must say by bonding to God. If you say it with your language of ego and pride, both you and the one in front of you, will be confused.  

            Q. – I’m now in a confused mood.

            Emre – Let’s check with our heart, conscience, if we are in a confused state, lets change the way.

            Q. – Father, I cought a thief; bring him; he doesn’t come; leave him; he doesn’t leave. You jammed me between horseshoe and nail. Look he is writing our conversation.

            Emre – I said, don’t write, don’t tire teacher. He is a great literature teacher. But he requested himself, he is doing. That was his recipe, which had been assigned.

            Q. – Sometimes it’s needed to change.

            Emre – We can change if we don’t see anything other than God. Can you hear someone while you are sleeping? After life there occurs a liveliness. At that time you can say Shahada.

            How beautiful this testament (Âmentü) is… If we believe in God, then we need to obey His orders. Angels aren’t far from human. Faculty means pure knowledge.

            If we believe in holy books, then we need to act according to their content.

            If we believe in prophets, which prophet had said your sins belong to God? 

            We also believe in faith. God had ordained to you. What? Your life, order. If you kill someone and say “this is my faith”. Is this right?

            For testimony: You can only say shahada just after the encarnation after death.

            As a consequence, we need not to interfere God’s job. All of His actions are present and correct.

            Avni Yöntem – There was a story telling this subject. A guide was testing his three disciples before death in order to hand in his responsibility.

Emre – Do you want me to tell it?

Avni Yöntem – Yes please.

Emre – Formerly, there was a spiritual man and his spiritual children. Just like a mother responsible from nursing of her children, he also educated his disciples. One day he had been ordered to leave this realm. In order to hand in his spiritual power he calls the most qualified three person. He asks each of them separately this question: “If God had given you the whole might of Him, what would you do?”  The first disciple replies: “Sir, I would destroy all of the churches, sinagogues, I would build mosques instead of them. I would punish strongly the ones who doesn’t pray.”

He asks the same question to the second one:

—What would you do if you get all of the might of God?

—I would strongly punish the ones drinking rakı and adulterous.

He also asks to the third one:

—What would you do Ahmet?

—What can I do sir? God is doing everything just fine. He hadn’t created a thing which is incomplete, imperfect. I would just watch what He had done with admiration.

—Well done my son. You can receive this security.

Şevket Vural- Lets seek it, find the key and the let this key open the lock of this poor.

            Emre – Grandpa Sultan Has right in this word. Because in Koran it has been said: “God  have been sealed on their hearts, ears and eyes.”  If He had sealed, He also opens.But He opens with the aid of an agent.

            Q. – I’m giving this job to you. But you are sparing to open the rusty lock of this poor.

            Emre – From wheat threshing is obtained but is it possible to obtain threshing from substance? Substance is not sold in market. If your wish is for God’s sake, it’s not suitable to say “give me this! Lets seek” in front of the people. We need to hand in our heart if we don’t understand, our eye if we don’t see to the one who knows. Then we aware that our heart and eye have been opened instantly. But it’s not possible without working hard. Otherwise it turns to the subject about a story. Do you want me to tell also this story?

At time, an old woman apprentices her grandchild to the felt maker. The child bores after some days of work. He starts not to go to the shop. Grandma asks: “My son, why don’t you go to the shop?” He says: “ I’ve learned the art from my master; no need to go on.” She asks: “How did you learn?” He replies: “It’s  easy; I  footed it ;it’s felt, I sharpened; it’s cone; so wear it, go to your work.“ The poor woman believes in that. Someday, while woman is passing through the shop, the master calls her  “Mom, come here.” Woman enter the shop and sits. Master asks:    “Why boy doesn’t come?”  Woman says:“Our boy is so clever; he already learned the art in two days.“

Master asks: “How did he learned?”She replies:“He says I  footed it ;it’s felt, I sharpened; it’s cone;so lets wear it and go to your work.“ Master says smiling: “Whew, the boy had learned the subject and also thought to his grandma!”

This is also similar to that.

(will be continued)

EMRE’s Epigrams, Aphorisms:

*Emre – When the ear is being cleared, it hears every word as clear.

*Emre – Sheriah is to leave the evil in your character. Actually sheriah is morality.

*Emre – Why do the prophets, perfect human beings try to awake the people around them? Because those people are like the parts of their body.They try to clear their character just like to clear their hands, faces.

*Emre – The language of Koran is Arabic but its meaning is in language of Lord.(Rab)

*Q. – Where are those sevens or something?

*Emre – In truth, there neither is seven, nor eight, only One exists.

*Emre – The perfect ones having mercy kill the pretenders of truth with love and humility sword.

*Emre – When the unfair is considered unfair, it causes the increase in injustice. In order to get on well we need to get by for a while. Diamond is cut with lead. We need to be tenderminded in order to handle the firmness and dissension.

The Sufic Explanation of Hodja Nasreddin Anectodes

The Beard of Hodja

            Some day a tease asks Hodja:

—My Hodja, where do you put your beard during sleeping at night, on the puff or under the puff?

He says:

—I don’t know my son, I’m not aware.

When he went to the bed at that night, he put his beard on the puff; he couldn’t get rest, he put it under the puff, he coudn’t rest. He tilted, it didn’t work. As a result he couldn’t sleep a long while; he just could sleep  towards morning.

Interpretation:
We have a lot of suppositive information in subjects of religion and God in which we suppose them true. If the spiritual guides who are real intelligent ones, ask questions to us in order to explain those opinions, we can’t give the exact answer and we are confused. If we have mercy, we confess that we don’t know, otherwise we start to fight and make noise.