A CALL FOR RELIGIOUS AND NATIONAL VIGILANCE

Prof. Dr. M. Es'ad COSAN

Praise be to God who created us Muslims and who allows us to continue to be Muslims. Praise be to His messenger Muhammed-i Mustafa and his family.

This world is transient; in contrast, the hereafter is everlasting. We have chosen the hereafter. We feel sorry for those who have chosen this world. This world is the place for those without a place. The illiterate meet here, and so do the stingy and the heedless. What a mistake to ruin their afterlife for the sake of this world! This world is not worth anything.

Muslims are true brothers and friends of one another. The infidels are a merciless hindrance to Muslims and enemies of God. All Muslims belong to one nation; the infidels belong to one nation, too, but an opposite nation. You must neither make a rug of a pig skin, nor should you make friends with the infidels. Therefore, Muslims must act as one body: They must unite, agree with one another, and help each other. The way way to salvation is through inner vision, faith, honor and spiritual knowledge. Any other way will harm the person both in this and in the other world.

The Islamic world is in shambles: the Arabs are divided and so are the Turks. They are divided into antagonistic groups and parties. The reason is that these people are ignorant, impious and selfish. The only cure is through Sufi training and an education in mystical knowledge. But, who wants to read and listen about it? Ê

The masks are falling now. Everyone can see the chauvinism, intrigues, games and ambitions of Russia, the United States, the European Community, Greece, Bulgaria, Armenia and Israel. Everyone should be suspicious of them The continuing erroneous behavior and policy of administrators and intellectuals, their petty accounts, and their heedlessness and corruption must be abandoned quickly and all believers must unite. No country can stand alone against against this tremendous front of evil and darkness. All Islamic countries must cooperate in defense of Islam.

It is necessary to immediately set up a wide-scope political front encompassing all Muslims, an effort full of love and understanding supported by strength and determination. The fire has surrounded us and its flame is at our doorsteps. We should not waste any time contrasting Sunnis to Shiites, Turks to Kurds, modern to traditional, rightists to leftists, advocates of the ummah to nationalists, radicals to conservatives, and this party to that party. The Balkans, Caucasian, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan are the innocents, oppressed, and martyred brothers. May their situation be enlightening to us. We must all add intelligence, spiritual knowledge, military might and religious strength to our work.

(Islam February, 1990)