Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

وَلِلّٰهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الۡبَيۡتِ مَنِ اسۡتَطَاعَ اِلَيۡهِ سَبِيۡلًا (3:97) The Hajj season has begun. Allah enables this act of worship for those to whom He grants it. Pilgrimage to Mecca has always been a challenge. Even today, it is not easy. The journey, the access, reaching the destination - in the past, people traveled by various means, on camels or on foot. That was also difficult. Although many things have become easier nowadays, access is more difficult this time. There lies God's wisdom. Not everyone can perform the Hajj, but only those who have the means to do so. Whoever can perform the Hajj should make the intention to fulfill this obligation. Those who travel there should follow the rules of conduct of the place and the Hajj - the Sunnah practices, the Mustahabs, Wajibs, and Fards - as best as possible. Because that too has become a challenge. One goes for Hajj, but often the Sunnah practices cannot be fully performed. The Wajibs are partially fulfilled, partially not. Therefore, if one has the opportunity to perform Hajj, one must be particularly mindful. As much as possible - that means one must at least fulfill what is Wajib (obligatory). If one cannot do it through one's own fault, an expiation must be made. However, if one could not do it because others prevented it, then one should ask Allah for forgiveness and say: "I wanted to do this, but I was not enabled to," so that the responsibility, God willing, does not lie with oneself. Regarding the Hajj itself: The Tawaf is performed. The most important thing is to use the time wisely after completing the Hajj. At the Kaaba, one should perform all prayers in the Holy Mosque during prayer times. For that prayer is performed in the Masjid al-Haram; by Masjid al-Haram is meant the Kaaba and the surrounding area, that is, the mosque itself. Nowadays, there are some who exaggerate this and even interpret it incorrectly. They claim that the Masjid al-Haram is all of Mecca. That is not true. Mecca is one thing, and the Masjid al-Haram is another. In Mecca, there are many mosques and places of prayer. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) relates that Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, said about the Kaaba: "Mescid-i Hādhā (This is My mosque)." He does not say "Beled-i Hādhā (This city)," but "Mescid" - this house is meant as a mosque, not the entire city. Therefore, a prayer in that mosque is worth a hundred thousand prayers. If you perform five daily prayers, you gain the value of five hundred thousand prayers. If you pray for ten days, that equals the value of five million prayers. Five million prayers you cannot otherwise achieve in your entire life. That's why one should be particularly attentive there. This opportunity should not be missed. Because the chance doesn't always come again. Traveling there and returning is arduous. It is no small matter. Therefore, one should take advantage of this opportunity. Second in importance is the mosque of our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. There it is easier to perform all prayers. It is easy there to keep the prayers at the prescribed times. The place is spacious and generously designed. One can pray well there. That is also worth a thousand prayers. This means you receive the value of five thousand prayers daily. In ten days, that corresponds to fifty thousand prayers. That too is a reward that a person would otherwise only attain after years of prayer. The worship that one performs there in ten days - even if one cannot stay for a full ten days - the voluntary prayers, the alms, all of that is a thousand times more valuable than in other places. It is not only especially meritorious, but the reward is also a thousand times higher. There, one should focus more on glorifications and reading the Quran than on worldly conversations. If there are opportunities to help or ask questions, one also acquires valuable knowledge. Every minute that one spends in the presence of our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is like a bath in that mercy and that blessing. To remain in this blessed place in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), whom Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, loves most, is an inexhaustible source of mercy. May Allah enable it for everyone. And to those who cannot go, may Allah - if He wills - help so that they too can reach there. May the door open so that they can enter, if Allah wills.

إِنَّمَآ أَمۡوَٰلُكُمۡ وَأَوۡلَٰدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٞۚ (64:15) فَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسۡتَطَعۡتُمۡ (64:16) Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, says: Your wealth, your families, your children – yes, the entire world – are a test for you. This means, you should earnestly pray to Allah that He makes them steadfast on His path and keeps them firm there. You should raise them so that they do good. A righteous child is the most valuable treasure for a person. If it is not a righteous child, even if it possessed all the wealth of the world, it will ultimately neither recite a Fatiha for you nor perform any good deed for you. All that you have saved, it will squander on bad paths. For you, only sin and burden remain from it. Therefore, the best deed a Muslim can perform is raising righteous children. How will you raise them? You raise a righteous child by strengthening his faith and love for Allah and our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in him with lawfully (halal) earned money. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: "The first thing you should teach a child as soon as it begins to speak is the word 'Allah'." May the first words that come from its lips be "Allah, Allah" – in the hope that it can stand before Allah with these words at the end of its life as well. May it belong to the beloved servants of Allah. If it belongs to the beloved servants of Allah, you have achieved the greatest thing. It will do good for you in this world and also attain good for itself in the Hereafter. Many people don't know what they should do when raising children. They think raising children means fulfilling their every wish, sending them to the best schools – in short, offering them everything worldly, assuming that they will become good children this way. But that alone doesn't make a good child. Such cases are rare. And even if it seems outwardly well-behaved, something essential is often missing, because the ego is never satisfied; no matter what you give, it always wants more. Therefore, it is also not advisable in child-rearing to give everything. You give what is necessary. You teach frugality. You teach generosity. It must learn the difference between generosity and frugality. There is much that Islam and our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) have taught us. Be neither too strict nor too lenient. There is a limit. You should say: "Up to here it is permitted for you, beyond that is not good for you." Or: "You will get that later." This means, if a child wants something today, you don't give it to him immediately, but say: "You'll get that in a week, in a month" and thereby teach him patience. You should say: "Do something good in the meantime, so you earn it." If it gets something for free, it doesn't appreciate its value. Then it has no real value for the child. Truly valuable is that which is attained through waiting, patience, and true longing. Something you get without having wished for it has no real value. That benefits neither him nor you. That is why Islamic upbringing is so important. People nowadays have often drifted very far from Islamic upbringing. And then they complain and ask: "Why have our children become like this, why is that so?" Some are also very strict. They are overly strict. Such excessive strictness is often not appropriate for today's time. If you treat the young people of this time too strictly and break them internally once, you lose their trust and can hardly regain it. Some say, for example – may Allah guide them –: "My daughter has removed her headscarf." "She was a Hafiza, she was covered, she was fully veiled" and so on. Because you forced the full veil upon her, she removed it at the first opportunity. Therefore, one should not be so strict. One should be moderate. Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) speaks of a "community of the middle path" - Ummatan Wasatan. If one is moderate, one finds the right path. One recognizes the good and the bad. One also learns to appreciate the value of things. Therefore, may Allah protect us from that. The time we are living in is truly one of the most difficult times. It is the End Times. Therefore, it is essential to properly raise righteous children and make them aware of why they were created. Some children rebel and ask: "Why did I come into this world?" and blame their parents. But your birth did not happen by the mere wish of your mother or father or the world. Even if the whole world had not wanted it, you would have come. It was solely the will of Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, that this soul entered your body. That is something that was predetermined from eternity. Therefore, you should not blame anyone or be angry. This is an urgent appeal to the children and youth: Do not treat your parents badly! They bear no blame for your existence. Nobody bears this blame. You have come into the world through the will of Allah. Be grateful to them – the parents – so that Allah gives you what you wish for, so that you become good Muslims and are counted among the beloved servants of Allah. May Allah protect us all. This is a time when the temptation by Satan is particularly strong. Everywhere, in the East, in the West, all over the world, the youth have virtually become toys of Satan. May Allah help, Insha Allah. May Allah protect and preserve them all.

وَلِبَاسُ التَّقۡوٰى ۙ ذٰ لِكَ خَيۡرٌ (7:26) "And the clothing of righteousness - that is best." (7:26) People pay attention to outward appearances; to what you wear and what you don't wear. It was like that in the past, but today, much more attention is paid to clothing, fashion, and what suits a person and what doesn't. One thinks: "I don't want cheap items, it should be expensive so that people see it on me." That is the mindset, the main concern of people today. The clothing should be beautiful. My shoes, my hat, my shirt – everything absolutely has to be a brand name. In the past, people would say: "It should be beautiful and good"; brands or similar things didn't exist. Today, it must be both good and have a brand. Well, why do you do that? Do you do it for the sake of Allah's pleasure? If it is for Allah's pleasure, Allah wants none of that. What Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, wants is the garment of piety that you wear. In the garment of piety lies the fear of Allah. For the person who fears Allah, this is the best garment. It covers the person. It makes the person appear beautiful before Allah. With these worthless rags they use to dazzle you, your rank with Allah will not increase, you will not become beautiful through them. What you should do is to follow what Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, has commanded, and to guard yourself against His prohibitions. That is Taqwa, piety. Taqwa means: to fear Allah, to be ashamed before Allah, to have awe of Allah. This means, if you are seen in such bad states, if you do things that are not good, then no matter how expensive the clothes you wear – it's of no use. What is useful is, as mentioned, piety. Even if you wear torn clothes, if you possess piety, you are the most beautiful person before Allah. But no, if there is no piety, then it's all about: "This dress costs so-and-so many thousand dollars, a thousand euros." Allah, Allah, what, a thousand dollars? Can a piece of clothing cost so much? "What are you talking about a thousand dollars?" they say. "There are dresses for 10,000 dollars, for 100,000 dollars," it is said. What on earth is that? Does it have an engine, does a person fly with it or something? "That's how it is, you don't understand," they say. That's just it: a beautiful dress that everyone would like to wear. You want it, but Allah is not pleased with it. Especially people who do not know Allah – even if they wear clothing worth 100,000 or even 100 million – before Allah, it has no value whatsoever. The value lies precisely in the inner self. That which is within makes it valuable. Nasreddin Hodja, may Allah elevate his rank. The neighbors asked: "Oh Nasreddin Hodja, last night there was such a noise, a rumbling, in your house. What happened, what was going on?" He answered: "Oh, my robe fell down." "But if a robe falls, it doesn't make so much noise." "I was inside it too," he said. You see, the inside is important, not the outside. Whether the outside falls or not, that doesn't matter; the inside is important. Therefore, you must pay attention to the inside. Paying attention to the outside is not important. That is worthless, it is of no use. Let us be pious, Insha'Allah. May Allah help us, Insha'Allah.

اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِين (23:14) Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, is the best and most perfect Creator - the only Creator. He has created everything in a perfect manner. Therefore, a believing person should not contradict or struggle against this. He should not question what Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has given or destined for him. Since everything happens through Allah's will, there is no reason to worry. This is how a true believer behaves. Unfortunately, the faith of many Muslims has weakened nowadays. Because most people's faith is weak, they panic when something unexpected happens. This is a consequence of lacking faith. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, created this world. Before humans, He created other living beings, animals, and various types of creatures. The number of His creations is immeasurable – only Allah Himself knows it. Every creature has a predetermined lifespan. When this time has elapsed, it passes away. Our world also has a limited lifespan. Everything transient will one day disappear. The same applies to the world. What Allah has promised us is not this world, but the eternal hereafter. Allah never said: "You will come into the world, rest, and stay here forever." Rather, He said: "The world is only a temporary abode." Yet man thinks he will never die and everything will remain unchanged forever. He believes everything will be wonderful, that he can do whatever he wants, and this state will last eternally. There is no such thing. Sheikh Abdullah Daghestani once jokingly said: "Wa khuliq al-insānu majnūnan," he said. Man was created without reason, even quite mad, he joked. This means: If man does not use his intellect, if he does not accept what is obvious, then he is not acting reasonably, but truly like a madman. That is why there are wars in this world and all the other evils. There is good and there is bad. In our world, clean drinking water is becoming scarce, living space for people is becoming tight because they have multiplied so much. Everyone hurries restlessly from one place to another. All of this comes from the lack of true faith. If everyone were content with what Allah gives them, all people would live in peace. There would be no problems, no disputes, and no uprisings. But man is dissatisfied with his destiny and thus causes suffering to himself. May Allah protect us from this. May we, insha'Allah, never struggle against what Allah allocates to us. Here happens this, there happens that. May Allah assist those who suffer. May He protect us all. All believing people will receive their reward. Otherwise, they would suffer and perish in vain. May Allah grant people reason and wisdom, insha'Allah.

Allah the Exalted and Mighty says: يُرِيدُ ٱللَّهُ أَن يُخَفِّفَ عَنكُمۡۚ وَخُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ ضَعِيفٗا (4:28) Allah describes that man was created weak; Allah wants to lighten our burden. Through Allah's commandments, our burden becomes lighter. Allah transforms human weakness into strength. When man is connected to Allah, his weakness becomes strength. However, if he turns away from Allah, his power becomes weakness and remains useless. Of all creatures, humans are physically the weakest. Every animal or insect can accomplish substantially more than a human. Even a small ant carries ten times its body weight. A human, on the other hand, can barely walk 500 meters carrying half of his weight. The tiny ant covers distances comparatively as if it were walking hundreds of kilometers daily. Allah has given animals much strength, but created humans weak. So it is with all running and jumping animals; Allah has given them strength, while leaving humans weak. If humans can cause so much unrest despite their weakness, we should not question Allah's wisdom. Had Allah made humans as strong as other creatures, there would probably be neither jinn nor animals left in the world. Therefore, Allah created humans weak but gave them intellect to compensate for this weakness. If humans use this intellect, it brings them advantage. Unfortunately, most people do not use their intellect for good, but for evil and harm. This is why the world stands at the edge of an abyss today. Without a savior, people would devour one another. But thanks to Allah, He says: "Lā taqnaṭū min raḥmati Allāh - Do not despair of Allah's mercy" (39:53) and thereby encourages Muslims to maintain hope. Our hope is the blessed and true word of our Prophet: "In the end times, a man from my descendants will appear. He will cleanse the world. Justice will prevail. All the filth will disappear and everything will be pure. Conflicts, wars, evil, and wrong paths will come to an end." This time is surely near, insha'Allah. The prophecies of our Prophet - who possessed the gift to see and proclaim the future - have largely been fulfilled. Only little remains outstanding. Hopefully, we will still experience these days. It will not take much longer. We say: "Oppression has reached its peak," yet we see that it increases daily. But no matter how high it rises - after every ascent follows a descent. This too will come to pass, insha'Allah. May Allah let us experience these beautiful days soon.

We have gathered here for the sake of Allah. We have come together to continue on this path with Allah's beloved servants. Although we meet regularly, the occasion for our gathering today is the anniversary of Sheikh Nazim's return to Allah, one of Allah's saints. Though he has departed from us, thank Allah, he has not left us. In the outer world, he is always with us. He supports all his brothers and sisters. He gives them strength, spiritual power. Students often ask: "How should I practice Rabita?" "How can I hear a voice in Rabita?" Rabita means: Love for our Prophet, peace be upon him, and affection for the Sheikhs - loving them from the heart. That is our connection. Rabita does not mean "Should I do this or not?". It doesn't need instructions like "My son/my daughter, do this, do that" for Rabita. Whoever expects such things doesn't really know the fundamentals and rules. When you enter the order, you must surrender yourself. You must entrust yourself to the spiritual guide. If you have found a true spiritual master, you should thank Allah not a thousand times, but a million times. But may Allah protect us. If you join false leaders who deceive people for their own selfish motives, may Allah help you. Because their path only serves their own desires; because this path serves the ego, it brings no true benefit. But if you follow the path of a true guide, your life, thank Allah, is not in vain. Life passes by. This time is then not wasted. It is fulfilled. It will be filled with merit, blessing, and beauty. If you wander aimlessly through the world, you ask yourself: "What should we do today, where can we have fun?" "How can we make money, how can we get intoxicated, how can we impress others?" - these are futile occupations. This is empty activity. The Turks say "empty work," an apt expression. Empty work means: living for the world, for your own advantage, for your ego. If your life is to be fulfilled, you must surrender yourself on the path of Allah, the Exalted, on the path of the Sheikhs; do not consider this emptiness. This is filled with Allah's blessing. Empty, as said, is the life of those who ask themselves: "How much have I achieved in the world?"; their life passes without meaning. May Allah preserve us, this emptiness is also filled with evil and sins. May Allah protect us from this. Therefore, it is advantageous to be with the Sheikhs, to ask for their support, to seek their help. Being with them on this path means protection. Your life gains value through this. It becomes meaningful. A truly conscious person does not live like meaningless straw that merely vegetates. Though his life follows a simple rhythm – from home to work and back – it has deeper meaning. He does not burden himself with debt, does not lose himself in complaints about the government, does not become bitter in anger towards others, and does not dirty his tongue with evil gossip. The truly meaningless existences, better said the dry, useless straw, those are the other people - those who feel superior. People who think they are better, who are angry at everyone, who expect advantages from everyone, and who plunge into every filth to satisfy their ego - they are the ones whose lives are empty. Let us be like fresh, useful grass and not like lifeless straw; fresh grass has value, it is alive, nourishing, and useful. There is living grass that brings benefit, and dry straw that no longer has value. When people talk about 'grass' nowadays, many think of drugs, but that's not what this is about. Our path should be the path of faith's light; may we belong to Allah's beloved servants. We should not be like the intoxicating herb that some consume, or like useless straw that can only be burned. Instead, let us be like fresh, nourishing grass that gives life and has value, not like the harmful herb or the worthless straw. May Allah protect us. The devil has already taken hold of the world. He doesn't want to let anyone go. Only the sincere escape; Allah saves people with pure hearts. Others may consider themselves saved or successful, but that is an illusion. Therefore, it is the greatest gain for a person to be with the Sheikhs and follow their path. Not being on their path means great danger. May Allah protect us from this. At any time, at any moment, the devil can bring us down, make us believe we are something special, and lure us into his trap. May Allah protect us. May the support of our Sheikh be with us. Today it has been 11 years since our Sheikh Maulana Sheikh Nazim left us, but thank Allah, we are under his watchful eye every moment. We enjoy his protection. He certainly rushes to help anyone who asks for his support; he does not abandon anyone. There are also people who do not believe; a group that denies saints, miracles, and miraculous deeds. They call themselves "Muslims," but belief in the miracles of the prophets and the grace gifts of the saints is one of the cornerstones of Islam, our faith. Therefore, thank Allah, you are here. May Allah be pleased with all who have come; many could not come. Their hearts are nevertheless with us. Sheikh Efendi reaches them all with Allah's permission. May Allah be pleased. May Allah transform the state of this world. May he send a protector. May the Mahdi, of whom our Sheikh spoke, finally appear. The world is, wherever one looks, in the hand of the devil. One hundred percent in the hand of the devil. Liberation from the power of the devil is only possible through the Mahdi. It is not possible any other way. No matter what they may say.

أَلَآ إِنَّ أَوۡلِيَآءَ ٱللَّهِ لَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُونَ (10:62) ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ (10:63) The servants beloved by Allah know neither fear nor sorrow. For they carry reverence for Allah in their hearts. They are obedient to Allah. When it is so, there is no fear or worry within them. For we come from Allah and to Him we shall return. Our origin is clear and our destination as well. The hearts of these friends of Allah find peace in this truth. Therefore they know neither fear nor sadness. They speak the truth. They encourage good and avoid evil themselves. They strive to keep others away from evil too. Thus it is, alhamdulillah, our Pir, our Sheikh, our father Sheikh Nazim walked on this path for over 90 years. And finally he reached Allah's presence by following this pure way until the end. Life is like a single day, it passes in an instant. This is how the years fly by. Man should be aware of this so that his deeds in this world are not in vain. Accordingly, he should act and live. لَقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِىۡ رَسُوۡلِ اللّٰهِ اُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ (33:21) Allah the Exalted says, in the life and person of our Prophet you find the most perfect example. Also the Companions, the Saints and Sheikhs who follow his path are shining examples. To become a good person, we must follow their example. The more we emulate them, the better and nobler we become as people. Those who do not want to draw near to them go astray. Not just a little, but fundamentally. Because by doing so, one harms oneself. One commits injustice. May Allah elevate their station, inshallah. Our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "In the Hereafter, you will be with those whom you love." And we love them with all our hearts. Insha'Allah, after this brief stay in this world, we will be united with them for all eternity.

فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ (84:7) فَسَوۡفَ يُحَاسَبُ حِسَابٗا يَسِيرٗا (84:8) وَيَنقَلِبُ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ مَسۡرُورٗا (84:9) As it says in the holy verse: On the Day of Judgment, people will be happy if they receive their book – their record of deeds – in their right hand. It says they will return to their family full of joy. This is how a Muslim's life should be. How can one achieve this? Many Muslims spend their lives, gifted to them by Allah, in obedience to Him, living peacefully and causing harm to no one. There are many such people. Just yesterday our cousin passed away. Nureddin Efendi, may Allah have mercy on him. The good man completed elementary school as a child and then began to work. He went about his work, spent evenings with his family, mother, father, and children, and led a modest life. He was a craftsman, may Allah be merciful to his soul. His work was the result of honest effort. He completed his tasks and lived on what he earned. He never cheated anyone, committed no trickery, and did not pursue wealth. He lived this way until he was about 60-62 years old. May Allah have mercy on him, he became ill and passed away. This is what a Muslim's life looks like. He didn't cheat anyone, didn't rebel against authority, and didn't cause any disturbance. That's not necessary either. Not necessary at all. Whether you shout or not, whether you make a fool of yourself or not – in the end, you depart at the same age, at the same time. The crucial thing is: Do you receive your book, the record of your deeds, from the right or from the left in the hereafter? If it comes from the right, all is well. وَأَمَّا مَنۡ أُوتِيَ كِتَٰبَهُۥ وَرَآءَ ظَهۡرِهِۦ (84:10) فَسَوۡفَ يَدۡعُواْ ثُبُورٗا (84:11) وَيَصۡلَىٰ سَعِيرًا (84:12) إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ فِيٓ أَهۡلِهِۦ مَسۡرُورًا (84:13) But if his book, his diary of deeds, is handed over with the left hand, then this person has squandered his salvation. "Woe to him!" it will then be said. He will have to burn. In this world, the same fate befalls both good and evil people. Even if someone lives longer – whether 100 or 1000 years – the end remains the same. That never changes. If a person is handed their book of deeds from the left, then nothing helps them anymore – no matter how self-confident they were in life, how conceited they were, whom they deceived or whatever else they did – they will enter hell. Therefore, people should not be too greedy. A Muslim who has led their life well and not made it unnecessarily difficult, who was patient in poverty and grateful to Allah in prosperity, lives in inner peace. Allah the Exalted has created this world for the hereafter. People go calmly into death, thanks to the good works they have done in life for the hereafter. They fear neither death nor the reckoning. It is not death itself that is difficult, but what comes after. People don't understand this. That's why they mistakenly consider their misdeeds as gain. That is not gain. Gain is doing good and leading a righteous life. Without harming others, without oppressing anyone, without doing wrong, without cheating – that is the life of a believer. Therefore, death comes easily to them and the reckoning in the hereafter will be merciful. Their end will be a good one. May Allah protect us and guide people on the right path. May they, insha'Allah, not stray from the path.

Our Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - says: Al-halālu bayyinun wa-l-ḥarāmu bayyinun wa baynahumā umūrun mushtabihāt. Allah, the Exalted, has clearly explained what is permitted. Likewise, Allah has made clear what is forbidden. Thus speaks our Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him. One must know what is forbidden and stay away from it. And doing what is permitted brings blessing, therefore it is important. But our Prophet also says that between these two areas, there are doubtful matters. Depending on time, place, and circumstances, some things can cast us into doubt. From these we should distance ourselves. We should avoid them. Therefore, it may be that some things considered permissible nowadays are in reality forbidden. And sometimes forbidden things are mistakenly considered permissible. That's why we must be careful. If you are in doubt, either stay away or ask a scholar, teacher, or mufti. If you act according to your own discretion without asking, you sin unknowingly. If you declare forbidden things as permissible, it will become a burden and sin for you. Sometimes permissible things are also falsely labeled as forbidden. This also makes one guilty of sin. Therefore, caution is advised. Our doctrine of faith and school of law are clearly defined. Our doctrine of faith is that of Ahl as-Sunna wal-Jama'a, and we follow one of the four recognized schools of law. Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, or Hanbali. In matters of faith, we follow either Maturidi or Ash'ari. One should not stand outside these teachings. One should remain true to their principles. This is not difficult; basically, we all do the same, but sometimes there are things that raise doubts. These should be questioned. One should inquire so as not to unnecessarily deny oneself what is permitted and not unknowingly fall into what is forbidden. Therefore: In case of doubt, definitely ask! "Asking is half the wisdom," they say. That's why it's important to ask. For anything doubtful, one should ask: "Is this good or bad? How does it stand?" Do not act without asking. For doubtful matters, never act without counsel. The everyday things we do regularly are, praise be to Allah, clear and unambiguous. For we follow the way of Ahl as-Sunna wal-Jama'a. Many who do not belong to Ahl as-Sunna wal-Jama'a often declare permissible things as forbidden. And they treat forbidden things as permissible. Things that have nothing to do with religion, they spread - may Allah protect us - consciously or unconsciously, to harm others. May Allah protect us from such evil. And not let us stray from the right path, insha'Allah.

Allahumma innaka 'Afuwwun Karimun tuhibbul afwa fa'fu anna

Allah, the Exalted, is gracious and generous.

He is forgiving.

May He forgive us.

This is the supplication of our Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

He advises people to say it.

Allah loves those who forgive.

For He Himself is forgiving.

When people forgive each other's mistakes - whether committed knowingly or unknowingly - their reward is with Allah.

And this reward is truly great.

Why am I telling you this?

People must die.

At funerals, people ask for forgiveness on behalf of the deceads person and forgive each other.

Sometimes, however, some people are far away and cannot personally ask for forgiveness or offer pardon.

Situations that require forgiveness arise constantly in life - whether in major life situations or small everyday incidents.

Even when someone has been greatly wronged and forgives, Allah grants them good deeds and reward.

But often they are smaller things.

People can do this intentionally or unintentionally - in their human nature.

Allah is forgiving.

And we also forgive.

When someone owes us something, we say: 'Let it be forgiven.'

So the close relatives forgive.

When distant acquaintances learn of it, they also join in with their forgiveness.

Their forgiveness is a great kindness before Allah.

Allah, the Exalted, rejoices over it.

Allah wishes for His servants to be free from sin.

To those who forgive, He grants great rewards.

Why do I say this?

Among us there are sometimes people, may Allah have mercy on them, who are not very sensitive, somewhat coarse and tactless during their lifetime.

They have hurt people consciously or unconsciously.

Such things happen.

One must forgive them.

The late Mustafa Pala, who died two or three months ago, may Allah have mercy on him. Yesterday his son came and told that he had seen his father in a dream.

He was content with his state, but still asked the brothers for forgiveness.

For he was a good man, may Allah have mercy on him.

But sometimes he was quite tactless.

Therefore he asked for forgiveness.

I said: "From our side, everything is forgiven."

I forgive and all others should do the same.

May Allah forgive.

May He forgive us all.

When we go, may others absolve us of our rights, just as we have forgiven others, insha'Allah.

All be forgiven.

Allah bears no grudge.

Neither does the believer bear a grudge.

The believer loves what Allah loves and abhors what He abhors.

Allah loves forgiveness.

So we also forgive.

May Allah forgive us all, insha'Allah.