Risale-i Nur/The Rays/The Fourth Ray (s:70)

.The Fourth Ray body {font-family:'Thorndale AMT',serif;font-size:12.0pt} h1 {margin-left:0;margin-right:0;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;border:none;padding:0;text-align:center;font-family:'Trebuchet MS',Arial,serif;font-style:normal;font-size:26.0pt;color:#000000;clear:left} The Fourth Ray [While being the Fifth Flash in meaning and degree, in form and ‘station’ this forms the valuable Fourth Ray of the Thirty-First Letter’s Thirty-First Flash and is an important and subtle point concerning the verse, For us God suffices.]NOTE: Unlike other works, the Risale-i Nur starts off in veiled manner and gradually unfolds. Especially the First Degree of this treatise, in addition to being a most valuable truth, it is extremely subtle and profound. Peculiar to myself, it took the form of a significant discussion governed by the feelings, an animated conversation about belief, a secret discourse of the heart; it was healing for my various deep ills. Those who are completely in harmony and agreement with me may understand it. Otherwise it will not be entirely appreciated.In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.For us God suffices, and He is the Best Disposer of Affairs.1One time when I had been isolated from everything by ‘the worldly’, I was afflicted with five kinds of exile. I suffered too at that time of old age from five illnesses arising in part from my sorrows. Due to the heedlessness resulting from the distress, I looked not to the lights of the Risale-i Nur, which would have consoled and assisted me, but straight to my heart, and I sought my spirit. I saw that dominant in me were an overpowering desire for immortality, an intense love of existence, a great yearning for life, together with an infinite impotence and endless want. But an awesome transience was extinguishing the immortality. Suffering that state of mind, I exclaimed like the sorrowing poet:2

Qur’an, 3:173.

This refers to Niyazi al-Misri (1218-1294 AD), a sufi poet who was born in the province of Malatya in Turkey. He studied in al-Azhar, hence the name ‘al-Misri,’ wrote a diwan of poetry and other works, and taught in the religious schools of Istanbul for many years. [Tr.]

Risale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/About Sinfulness and MisguidanceRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 4: Belief in the Revelation of the Qur’an and Earlier ScripturesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/About Sinfulness and MisguidanceRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The Creation of the Heavens and the EarthRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 19-20: The Second Parable about the DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Explanations of the Word-OrderRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The Qur’an’s InimitabilityRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 8: The DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 28: About Life, Death, and the Resurrection of the DeadRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 4: Belief in the Revelation of the Qur’an and Earlier ScripturesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/About Everlasting Life and Eternal HappinessRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 4: Belief in the Revelation of the Qur’an and Earlier ScripturesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The First Parable about the DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/About Everlasting Life and Eternal HappinessRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Proofs of the HereafterRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/About UnbeliefRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 21-22: The Question of WorshipRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Proofs of the HereafterRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Free Will and the Creation of Man’s ActionsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 19-20: The Second Parable about the DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 16: The Dissemblers Exchanging Error for GuidanceRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 31-33: The Teaching of the NamesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The Use of Metaphor in some VersesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The Answers to Three Questions raised about the Qur’an, concerning the allegorical verses, its vagueness concerning science, and some of its literal meanings being apparently opposed to realityRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, ZakatRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 30: Man’s Vicegerency and Proof of the AngelsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Free Will and the Creation of Man’s ActionsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 13: The Dissemblers’ Contempt for the BelieversRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The First Parable about the DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Explanations of the Word-OrderRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, ZakatRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Proofs of the Maker and His AttributesRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The First Parable about the DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, ZakatRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 21-22: The Question of WorshipRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 25: About ParadiseRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 8: The DissemblersRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 30: Man’s Vicegerency and Proof of the AngelsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 11-12: The Dissemblers’ Spreading of CorruptionRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verses 23-24: About the Prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP)Risale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 16: The Dissemblers Exchanging Error for GuidanceRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, ZakatRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, ZakatRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 5: The Right-Guidance of Revelation and its FruitsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Proofs of the HereafterRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Evidences for the End of the World and Bodily ResurrectionRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/The Qur’an’s InimitabilityRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 26-27: The Qur’an’s Challenging with its InimitabilityRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Free Will and the Creation of Man’s ActionsRisale-i Nur/Signs of Miraculousness/Sura al-Baqara/Verse 3: Characteristics of the Believers – Belief, Salat, Zakat