Mawlana Sheikh Mehmed Adil. Translations.

Sheikh Baba, may Allah elevate his rank. Many beautiful qasidas, poems, and sayings have been passed down to us from the great personalities of Islam. There are thousands of them. They tell of Allah's greatness, the high rank of our Prophet, and his manifestations. Sheikh Baba also mentioned these regularly. He had a special saying that he would use depending on people's situations. La tuksir li-hammik, ma quddir yakun, fa-Allahu al-muqaddir, wa-l-alam shu'un. This means: "Don't worry too much." Don't be sad and concerned. Don't grieve over worldly matters. Say "I accept" to everything and continue on your path. Especially for worldly matters, you shouldn't rack your brain. Because Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, does what He wills. Whether you rack your brain, get headaches, or your head threatens to burst – It's all of no use. The best thing is, as this qasida and this poem say: Don't worry. Allah exists. Everything is determined by Allah. Don't exhaust yourself with worries. Submit to Allah. Submit to Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. Everything will be easier. The world will not change through your worries. Your situation doesn't change through your sadness and your racking your brain. You're only giving yourself headaches. Sometimes you can even harm your faith with it. Allah forbid, some people can even lose their faith because of worldly matters. It's not worth it at all. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, has maintained the world in the same way since its creation. There is no time without difficulties and problems. Of course, there were also beautiful, very beautiful times. The most beautiful times were also experienced. And with whom? With our Prophet, Allah's blessings and peace be upon him. But this time was naturally also the most difficult. Yet because they submitted to Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, it was the most beautiful time. Although they were hungry for worldly things and tied stones to their stomachs, couldn't even find a morsel of bread, these were still the most beautiful times. This means: In this world, everything becomes beautiful when one submits to Allah. With good people together, the world becomes like a paradise. But if you are with bad people, even if the whole world belongs to you, you will still not be content and find no peace. Your head will not find rest. That's why there are these wise pieces of advice, the words of Mevlana, his qasidas, and the beautiful words that thousands of saints have spoken. All of these serve to trust in Allah and rely on Him. They have formulated these valuable expressions to convey comfort and wisdom to people. Some people understand it, some don't, some ignore it. But the important thing is: Instead of complaining that this happened this way and that happened that way, don't worry about the world. It has its Lord, Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. What He wills happens, what He does not will does not happen. Therefore, there is no reason to worry about "what could have been." Just be on Allah's path, that is enough. May Allah show us all the right path. May He protect us from all worries that could cause us distress, insha'Allah.

وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوۡمَةَ لَآئِمٖۚ (5:54) Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, describes in the Holy Quran: There are people who cannot tolerate Muslims. They speak disparagingly about those who follow Islam. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, says: "They fear not the blame of the blamers." For they are true believers and their way is the right path; they are the ones who are right. Those who are in the wrong become angry with them, reproach them, argue with them, and insult them. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, says: "They do not worry about this; it does not even affect them." This means, if you are on the right path, it doesn't matter what others say. Do not respond to ignorance with ignorance. Let them talk as much as they want. If there is someone who can understand, someone who can comprehend your intention, then speak with them. If they ask you: "What didn't you like? Why did you act that way?", then you can answer them and have a conversation. But if there are people who act against you out of malice, pay them no attention. Do not fear them. What they say has no value. Evil does not touch you, but them. They suffer the evil. Therefore, thank Allah if you are on the right path: "I follow this path." "The devils have targeted me." "I am being attacked by the devils." They harbor resentment, hatred, and disgust against all who walk on Allah's path. You should be grateful that you are on Allah's path. And none of it is in vain for you. Allah will reward you for it. These people have attacked you, done evil to you, said bad things about you; if you were patient, Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, will reward you for your patience. This is a blessing, and every blessing brings its reward. At the very least: Sometimes people look at you strangely, even if they don't say anything. Even this look is to your advantage. It brings you reward and merit. Therefore, everyone who is on Allah's path should be grateful. You should thank Allah for His grace and favor; be thankful that you are not like those who turn against Him and speak ill of His followers. One should also pray for them. Because many people who were initially on the wrong path later return to the right path and repent. This path is a beautiful path. One should also pray for their guidance. In fact, there were many companions, great companions, who were once the worst enemies of Islam. Later they became the most determined defenders of Islam. These people became leaders of the believers. At first, they fought against Islam. Many fought against our Prophet. But then they found guidance and reached the highest ranks among the companions. Therefore, may Allah grant them guidance. May Allah give guidance to those who are against Islam, who reject Islam, who attack Islam out of ignorance. Do not be sad because they reject you and have said such words. They will either repent or find guidance, insha'Allah.

Praise be to Allah, that Ramadan leads us to all that is good. In this blessed month, the exalted Quran was revealed. Allah sent down the Quran in this month, Ramadan, to our Prophet. The night in which the holy Quran was revealed is the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr). Allah, the Exalted, says that this night is more valuable than a thousand months. A thousand months actually corresponds to the entire lifespan that a human can at most achieve. If you subtract childhood, you receive in a single night the value of about 90 years of life. Allah, the Exalted, even says that the Night of Decree is more valuable than that. Everyone searches for this Night of Decree, because whoever experiences it will be blessed with all that is good. In a hadith, a blessed companion asks our Prophet, peace be upon him. He asks which night is the Night of Decree. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, answers: The Night of Decree could basically be on any night of the year, but most often it falls in the month of Ramadan. It occurs especially in the last ten days of Ramadan. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, says: If I were to tell you which night it is, people would neglect regular prayer and only wait for this night. They would do nothing else anymore. Therefore, Allah, the Exalted, has hidden the Night of Decree. So that people remain constant in prayer and reach it - and they will certainly reach it. That means, even if one doesn't consciously recognize it, someone who prays consistently will surely experience it. The blessing of it will become apparent in the hereafter. The person will say: "Oh Allah, I experienced the Night of Decree several times without knowing it." It is good that I didn't know, so that I wouldn't ask for trivial things - thus Allah has stored its blessing for the hereafter. Receiving the reward in the hereafter will be a great joy for the person. This month of Ramadan brings all kinds of blessings with it. That's why people feel that this is the most beautiful and valuable month of the year. They feel that one of the secrets of this special month is precisely this Night of Decree. It is the fasting, it is the suhoor. Every act of worship is rewarded by Allah, the Exalted, not just tenfold, but a hundredfold, seven hundredfold, even a thousandfold. Allah, the Exalted, says: I myself give the reward for the one who fasts. And he gives without counting. How happy, therefore, is the one who is Muslim, who is human - who was born human and became Muslim. For being human is a state that Allah has created. Belonging to a particular community is something else, but whether the person takes Allah's path is in their own hands. The person can make this decision themselves. Therefore, for the person, the most beautiful thing, the greatest blessing, the greatest gain, is to control their carnal soul and to progress on Allah's path. One should be grateful day and night that Allah has given this blessing. One should not leave his path. May Allah assist us. May it be blessed. Ramadan is not over yet. God willing, we will experience the Night of Decree, if it is destined for us. Actually, most of us have already experienced it without knowing it. Because there are special moments that Allah, the Exalted, has created. When the person encounters them, the prayers they speak will be heard. Even worldly wishes are accepted. Of course, prayers for the hereafter are also heard. If you encounter the Night of Decree, our Prophet, peace be upon him, teaches that the best supplication is the following: Allahumma inni as'aluka al-'afwa wal-'afiyata wal-mu'afata ad-da'imata fid-dini wad-dunya wal-akhira Ask Allah for forgiveness, ask for well-being, ask for health and welfare. May our welfare last, may it be constant. Well-being is one of the greatest blessings. Health and welfare are an invaluable blessing. They are important for not being a burden to others, for serving on Allah's path, for continuing prayers. One should always ask for it. If the person thinks about money, about possessions, about cars - you can also ask for those, but this prayer is most important. Whoever speaks this prayer on the Night of Decree: Their life will pass in health and well-being, Allah will forgive them, insha'Allah.

Our Prophet, peace be upon him, mentions one of the signs of the end times and the Day of Judgment: "I'jābu kulli dhī ra'yin bi-ra'yihi." "Everyone admires their own opinion and rejects others'," says our Prophet, peace be upon him. We live in exactly such times today. Everyone prefers their own perspective, thinks "This is how I feel about it" and doesn't want to accept others' opinions or even acts completely contrary to them. Such behavior accomplishes nothing at all. Because humans should strive for truth. Wherever the truth lies, one must accept it. Not everything can be exactly as one wishes. Everything was created through Allah's determination, the Exalted and Majestic. If you object to everything, you are also opposing the will of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. Many people sometimes ask: "Why does this injustice occur?" "Why doesn't God intervene in this world?" This too is actually a meaningless statement. That humans are so disrespectful toward the power and greatness of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, is only due to the limitation of their intellect, nothing else. No reasonable person would interfere in the affairs of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, acts and creates according to His will. Leave one topic aside; even if you ask someone who is above you: "Why do you do this, why do you do that?", there is much that you simply don't know. He knows these things, you cannot know them. It does you no good to protest against things you don't understand. In fact, sometimes you understand it, often even, only when you can recognize your own shortcomings. If you cannot recognize them, you stubbornly persist in your opinion. In the end, one leaves this world without having achieved anything meaningful. Therefore, it is important to accept the truth and what is right. Accepting the bad brings no benefit, only harm. Apart from the harm, humans thereby do something completely unnecessary. This is one of the signs and characteristics of the end times. Everyone acts as they see fit, talks about "democracy" and deceives people. They delay tasks that should have been completed long ago. They forbid good and accept evil. These are the clear signs that we are living in the end times. And when we speak of the end times, the Day of Judgment will dawn afterward. That means the Day of Judgment is drawing nearer. The state of this world is not getting better day by day, but worse. Therefore, humans must bow to the truth. They must accept the truth to find a way out of this situation. To free themselves from the captivity of their own ego, they must accept the truth. Then their ego will accept this too. Then they will be a good Muslim. May Allah grant this to all of us, insha'Allah.

Praise be to Allah, today almost two-thirds of Ramadan have passed. One-third remains, which has its own spiritual practices. Everyone performs their worship in their own way. It is important to follow the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, in one's worship. Many brothers and people wish to do this, insha'Allah. May Allah bless them for it. What are we talking about? About Itikaf, a Sunnah. Itikaf means spending the last ten days of Ramadan in the mosque. When the last ten days came, our Prophet brought his bed to the mosque. Our Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, owned very few worldly possessions anyway. He only had a mat and something to cover himself with. He brought these to the mosque during the last ten days of Ramadan to pray more, without engaging in worldly conversations – the Prophet, peace and blessings upon him, didn't engage in worldly conversations anyway – and shows us through this beautiful behavior how we should act. Doing this is a great virtue, a special beauty. The beauty of Ramadan reveals itself in many facets. For people who practice Itikaf, there is great blessing. Of course, there are prerequisites for this – you must remain in the mosque continuously. Perform worship in the mosque, break your fast there, perform the obligatory prayers and practice additional worship. You will also have your Sahur meal there. Some are now asking: "Will we only eat lentils?" No, this is not a Halvet. Itikaf is one thing, Halvet is another. Anyone can practice Itikaf. For Halvet, you need special permission. That is something completely different and not suitable for everyone. It is for people who really need it. Sometimes some allow everyone to practice Halvet. But that doesn't concern us. What concerns us is Itikaf, as recommended by the Prophet. Every time you enter a mosque, express the intention "Itikaf," then it also brings reward. The actual Itikaf lasts ten days. But you can also do less, depending on your own possibilities. Every time you come to the mosque and say "I have the intention for Itikaf," you receive the reward for it. Now some brothers say: "We cannot do it in the mosque." There is no mosque nearby. If there is no mosque, women can actually do Itikaf at home. For women, it generally does not take place in the mosque. Women should do Itikaf at home. If they have a prayer room, they should do Itikaf there for ten days and perform their prayers. For men, it should take place in mosques and prayer rooms. It takes place in locations where prayers are performed five times daily. If even just one person in a region practices Itikaf, other people also benefit from this blessing. If it is not practiced, everyone is denied this blessing. Thank Allah it is practiced everywhere nowadays. There are people all over the world who practice Itikaf. We should be thankful to Allah for this. We must be grateful that we are allowed to belong to this wonderful religion. Just now, a woman asked us for advice that she can share with others. Our advice was as follows: To obtain the blessing of this month of Ramadan, observe your fasting conscientiously. Because many people don't really understand what fasting actually means. And some think: "Does Allah even benefit from my fasting?" Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, needs nothing. If no human were to fast, Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, would have no lack. If everyone fasts, there is no surplus for Him. That's how it is with fasting. All acts of worship serve your own benefit. Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, gives you this benefit. He himself does not need it. You should recognize and appreciate this value. For every act of worship you perform, you should thank Allah. Thanks be to Allah, that our worship, our obedience, and our servitude to Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, may be greater than our gratitude and may become even more beautiful, insha'Allah.

Indeed, the believers are but brothers, so make settlement between your brothers. (49:10) Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, says: "The believers are nothing but brothers." "Make peace between your brothers." Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, commands us that love should prevail between brothers, not disputes and not discord. Unfortunately, there are only a few people who truly follow this commandment. Often Satan sows discord between people. Where discord arises, enmity also arises. People encounter each other with ill will. They begin to no longer love one another. When this happens, no unity can emerge. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, wishes for us to be united. In the tariqa, in the community, in the congregation, this is the advice for unity. This is the most fundamental teaching of our tariqa. To achieve unity, the pain of our Muslim brother must be our own pain and his joy our joy, regardless of where he comes from. These are the people whom Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, loves. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, has mercy on them. Mercy means beauty and goodness. When Allah grants mercy to people, they are the true winners. They have saved their lives. That is mercy. Without mercy, the opposite happens. The opposite is every kind of suffering, every kind of difficulty; and when these difficulties arise, people lead a bad life. If they do not repent, they face danger in the end. Their faith is in danger. Therefore, thanks be to Allah for creating us as Muslims. He has supported us on this path. The tariqa, the sharia, the right path is the path of our Prophet, and we follow him. Anyone who follows this path is our brother. With them we have no problems or difficulties whatsoever. On the contrary, it is a great joy for us that they are on this path. Our true sorrow is for those who have strayed from the path. For them we feel deep sorrow. Those who stray from the path and lead others astray destroy themselves even worse. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, says: "Whoever teaches something good and this teaching becomes a reason for guidance for a person, will receive the same reward as this person." If he teaches it to one person, he receives the reward of one person; if he teaches it to two people, he receives the reward of two people; if he teaches it to three people, he receives the reward of three; if he teaches it to twenty people, he receives the reward of twenty; if he teaches it to a thousand people, he receives the reward of a thousand people. And the reward of these people is not diminished by this. Their reward remains the same. Some people think: "Do I lose something because he gained it?" No, there is no such thing. Allah, the Almighty and Exalted, is generous and bountiful. His generosity knows no bounds. But for those who teach evil and cause evil, the same rule applies. If you lead one person astray from the right path, his sin will also be counted against you. If you lead two people astray, you receive the sin of two people; if you lead a thousand people astray, you receive the sin of a thousand people. Nowadays many people imitate others. They say: "Let's do exactly as he does." If they do so, they too will be punished. And the person who taught the evil will be punished likewise. Such is the way of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted. Why is this so? When you do something good, Allah rewards you tenfold. In Ramadan, eight hundredfold, or even as much as Allah wills. But when a sin is committed, only one sin is recorded. But for the one who leads people astray from the right path, a separate sin is recorded for each person. Because he leads people away from the right path. If someone commits his own sin, that is only his own sin. He is counted one sin. For good deeds, Allah gives multiple rewards, as mentioned. But a sin is only recorded once. However, if you lead others astray, if you lead ten people astray, you will also be counted the sins of those ten people. If you lead a thousand people astray, you receive the sin of a thousand people; if you lead a million people astray, you receive the sin of a million people. Therefore, one must be careful. People, this religion is not a toy. And humanity is not a toy either. There is a reckoning for it. There is paradise, there is hell. Everyone should calculate accordingly. This month is a blessed month. It is the month of Ramadan. We should ask Allah for forgiveness, we should repent. Only in this way can we be saved. Otherwise we will not be saved. May Allah protect us all.

Wوَجَٰهِدُواْ بِأَمۡوَٰلِكُمۡ وَأَنفُسِكُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ (9:41) Allah the Exalted says: "Fight in the way of Allah." There are different types of jihad, different forms of struggle. Without a caliph, you cannot set out for jihad on your own. Therefore, you must first fight against your own ego. The command for jihad had not yet come when our Prophet, peace be upon him, was in Mecca. At that time, the command for jihad had not yet been given. When he came to Medina, it began slowly, because the idolaters would not leave them in peace. Jihad is necessary. This is something natural for humans, a normal state. The same applies to Muslims. Most prophets have led jihad. For some, Allah the Exalted has shown people another way so that they do not have to wage jihad. But even they eventually had to fight, albeit not in the sense of jihad. Jesus, peace be upon him, received no command for jihad. He invited people to faith through admonitions. In their religion, there was no war, no jihad. But look, they became those who waged war the most. Although they had no command to do so. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, was given the command for jihad. Jihad has its methods and rules. It is clear what to do and what not to do. There must be no injustice. There are instructions that elderly people, children, infants, and women must not be harmed or killed. Usually, it is the non-Muslims who practice hypocrisy. They say: "Your religion spread through war." It did not spread through war at all. The war was waged to save people. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, led jihad. To save people from oppression, there was no other way. Because when a person has power, weapons, and soldiers in hand, they will inevitably oppress others. Standing opposite them like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered is not an option either. This oppression knows no bounds. Oppression is in people, in their ego. To stop this oppression, a power must be opposed to it, that is the wisdom of jihad in Islam. Allah the Exalted has created us, He knows best how we should behave. He shows the way to those who believe in Him, His commands serve the well-being of people. More than 1400 years have passed since the time of our Prophet, peace be upon him. Now we are approaching almost 1450 years. The Battle of Badr took place. The idolaters came to this Battle of Badr. Abu Jahl, one of the idolaters there, had a dream, and they said: "Explain this dream to us, interpret it." There were people there who could interpret dreams, even if they were not Muslims. They interpreted the dream and said: "A great calamity will come upon you. This journey will not be good for you." They even insisted several times: "Let us turn back." "No, we will go," they said, "we will fight, kill the Muslims and celebrate there. We will roast camels and lambs, drink wine, women will sing, we will celebrate," so they set out. With drums and flutes, with singing women, they arrived there. On the other side, our Prophet, peace be upon him, spent the whole night praying and pleading to Allah the Exalted. Allah the Exalted had promised him victory, but as an example for the people, that when they go to war, they should definitely ask Allah the Exalted for help. And so it happened that in the end all these people who said "We will celebrate, we will drink" – seventy of the leading unbelievers, of those who had caused so much suffering to our Prophet, peace be upon him – none of them escaped. When our Prophet, peace be upon him, was in Mecca, he had named each of them individually, and none of those named escaped. They had caused suffering to our Prophet, peace be upon him, for years, had let him starve. They inflicted every kind of torment on him. On that day, they all met their just punishment. They were all thrown into a dried-up well. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, called each of their names in turn that day. "O you people who have not believed, do you see? We have found what Allah the Exalted promised us. Have you also found what was promised to you?" he called out to them. Of course, there was no answer from them. Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, was someone who always spoke straightforwardly. He said to our Prophet: "O Messenger of Allah, you are speaking to these corpses. Can they hear you? Why are you doing this?" "They hear even better than you," said our Prophet, peace be upon him. They all regretted it there, but their regret was of no use to them anymore. Because the Messenger for all worlds, our Prophet, peace be upon him, had admonished them for years, preached to them, shown miracles, done good, tried everything. They did not accept it and finally attacked, in the name of Allah, to "eliminate" him. And they got what they deserved. For this reason, jihad, war is sometimes necessary. When the time has come, it is Allah the Exalted's command to eliminate evil. Of course, you cannot act everywhere as you please. What is the greatest evil now? It is the evil of your own ego. Against this, you must constantly wage jihad. This fight never ends. The moment you say "It's over," it immediately overcomes you. May Allah the Exalted protect us. May our jihad be with our own ego, insha'Allah. May Allah the Exalted help us.

And Allah had already given you victory at Badr when you were few in number. (3:123) Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, granted our Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, victory in the Battle of Badr. Despite being outnumbered, Allah granted them victory. True victory comes only from Allah, the Mighty and Exalted. Even if someone has nothing, with Allah's will they can overcome entire armies. It happens when Allah wills it. This victory of our Prophet, peace be upon him, at the Battle of Badr serves as a powerful lesson from Allah for all believers. Believers should never think: "We cannot accomplish this." Whoever stands with Allah always prevails. And whoever opposes Allah ultimately fails. They are always the ones who lose. Some ask: "Why couldn't we achieve victory?" This is Allah's will. Both victory and defeat come from Allah. But whether a believer wins or loses, as long as they remain with Allah, they always stand on the winning side. They know no true defeat. They walk on Allah's path. They do everything for Allah's sake. Their reward and compensation rest with Allah, the Mighty and Exalted. This blessed battle took place tomorrow, on the 17th of Ramadan. But our Prophet, peace be upon him, made preparations for the campaign today. Certain arrangements were necessary. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, spoke openly with his companions. "A battle will take place here. You are few, they are many. Tell me how you will act," he asked. Two companions stepped forward - Miqdad bin Aswad and another blessed companion. They said: "We are not like the Children of Israel. They said to Moses: 'Go with your Lord and fight, we will wait here.' That's what the Children of Israel had said. If Allah wills, even a single person can defeat everyone, but that is not the usual course of events. For humans, the struggle, the jihad, is itself a virtue. Therefore, those companions declared: "We are not like the Children of Israel. We do not say, 'Go with your Lord and fight while we sit here.' We stand firmly by your side. Until our last breath, until the last drop of our blood, we remain on Allah's path," they proclaimed. Our Prophet, peace be upon him, was greatly pleased with the words of his blessed companions. He was happy because that is exactly how it should be. People should always stand on the side of truth. If you consistently stand for truth, you will be victorious. This world passes away, but the true gain remains. The true gain is what awaits in the Hereafter. These blessed companions rank among the greatest of people. In Islam, their names are remembered, and through them blessings are obtained. Their mention brings virtue, blessing, and goodness. May Allah elevate their rank, insha'Allah. May their blessings rest upon us. The companions of Badr are renowned. From today onward, our Prophet, peace be upon him, prepared for this battle. Tomorrow, on the seventeenth of the month, he defeated those who rejected faith. Insha'Allah, we will examine this topic in more detail tomorrow.

أَيَّامٗا مَّعۡدُودَٰتٖۚ (2:184) "A limited number of days," Allah Almighty tells us. Every person's life, every moment we experience, is numbered. The month of Ramadan is a specific number of days set aside each year for fasting. Life itself is also numbered. Look how quickly half of Ramadan has already passed. The remainder will also go by because these days too are counted. These days are a tremendous blessing for those who honor them and truly understand their value. It is an extraordinary gift. This is unlike any worldly gain. The rewards of the hereafter are permanent, eternal treasures. Worldly gains are merely temporary. No matter how hard you strive, even if you possessed the entire world, Because your life is numbered, you will leave everything behind. Those who come after you will also live their counted days and then depart. However, if you appreciate the value of these days and recognize the gift Allah Almighty has given, fulfilling the necessary worship, its worth lasts forever. Even though this life is brief, these blessings never end. These are beautiful blessings that Allah Almighty has bestowed upon humanity. They are great honors. But most people remain unaware of this. In their arrogance, they say, "I know everything, I'm educated, I'm important. Why are you telling me these things? Who are you? What you're saying doesn't apply to someone as educated as me." Fine, let it not apply then. You'll discover that your life has passed by, your days have slipped away. In the end, you will be filled with regret. May Allah not make us among those who live with regret. May He make us among those who truly appreciate these days. May He grant us the ability to recognize their value and act accordingly, insha'Allah. May Allah make these days a source of goodness. May every moment of our lives be dedicated to pleasing Allah. May everything we experience be for Allah's pleasure. Allah Almighty doesn't need anything from you. He doesn't need your food, your drink, not even your worship. All your acts of worship benefit you alone. What matters to Allah is that you obey Him and seek His pleasure. Some foolish people still ask, "What is the meaning of life?" This is the meaning of life. Those who understand this find peace. Those who don't wander around in confusion. They think life is about "I'll exercise, I'll read books, I'll watch movies." Life isn't about that. We weren't created for these things. Our purpose is to earn Allah Almighty's pleasure. And Allah Almighty has made so much permissible for you. You can enjoy so many things. You can live a beautiful life without difficulty. When you earn Allah's pleasure, when you follow His path, every kind of beauty awaits. For everything that is forbidden, there is a permissible alternative. If you choose what is permissible, you succeed. If you choose what is forbidden, you lose. Even if you think you've won, you've gained nothing. May Allah protect us. May He make these beautiful days last, insha'Allah. May Allah never withhold His blessings and mercy from us. May He not let us stray from the right path.

وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ (24:56) These are the fundamental commands of Allah 'Azza wa Jalla in Islam: prayer, zakat, and obedience to our Prophet. People generally pray and fast. Those with modest wealth give their zakat. But those with great wealth often struggle to give. Why? Because they have millions or billions. When they consider giving, it seems like a large amount to them. In reality, it's not a significant burden at all. It's only two and a half percent, which is nothing compared to taxes imposed by governments. Look at Europe and America, where they take nearly eighty percent in taxes. Allah 'Azza wa Jalla never burdens a person with more than they can bear. Not giving this zakat and keeping it for oneself is forbidden. It's essentially theft. You're taking what rightfully belongs to Allah and the poor. It's no longer your property. It's held in trust with you. You must pay it when the time comes. Don't worry about whether it's "too much" or "too little." Calculate it properly and give whatever amount is due. You only give it once a year, not monthly. Meanwhile, governments demand taxes every month. There's endless paperwork, hiring accountants, and various complications. You're obligated to pay taxes every month. But Allah 'Azza wa Jalla asks for zakat just once a year. And it's a very modest amount. An amount anyone can afford. Yet when wealth increases, a strange curse comes with it - even small percentages seem excessive. This is truly a curse. I mean it literally - a curse. It's a curse when someone consumes wealth that's forbidden to them. Then they wonder, "Why did my children turn out this way or that way?" There's no reason to be surprised. Most people consume what is forbidden. Even if we set aside interest, the main issue is zakat. That obligation is one hundred percent clear. We must be attentive to this. Don't be stingy. Haji Yaşar, may Allah have mercy on his soul, always used to say: "What you give with your own hand goes with you to the hereafter." He spoke the truth - no one can give on your behalf. It's uncertain whether what you leave behind will benefit those who remain, but for you, withholding charity brings nothing but harm. May Allah help us all. Our lower self is shuh, meaning extremely stingy. Shuh refers to excessive stinginess. May Allah save us from our own stinginess. Let us give what is due without hesitation. In truth, if the Muslim world gave zakat properly, not a single person would remain in poverty. No one in the world would go hungry. But sadly, this doesn't happen. May Allah help us all.