Devotion

“The most important dynamic of people who set their heart on the Hizmet Movement is devotion. It is so precious that we cannot compare it with anything else.”¹⁾

“It is certain that the idea of devotion and the spirit of selflessness are the basic dynamics that sustain a noble ideal and ensure its continuation. For this reason, wherever the Qur’an describes the ‘sabiqun al-awwalin’ (the first and foremost to embrace Islam and excel others in virtue among the Emigrants and the Helpers) as an ideal generation, they are described as the people who always say ‘Yes,’ always give, and always act with the thought of devotion at the peak of selflessness.

People with a deep sense of devotion will not have any expectations about whether their services will be rewarded or not, and will not preoccupy their minds with issues such as ‘success’ that do not concern them. The devoted souls will not be concerned with what their investment promises, and they will not worry about whether the seeds they have sown will sprout in their own time. They will only busy with their own duty, and will always act with the consciousness that God creates the results.

… getting involved in a project without any expectation at first, starting the activities by sacrifices, acting with a sense of devotion is such a serious source of power that those who have these qualities, with God’s permission and grace, never fall into despair, always stand upright in the face of events, and they resist the challenges with unwavering faith and hope. This is also the path of helplessness and neediness. In other words, people will be aware of their vulnerability and poverty, and then act with the consideration of devotion. They will not have thoughts such as, ‘I have not received any reward for what I did. There is no compliment or favor, so I was not successful.’ Consequently, they will not provoke a quarrel, get into stress, suffer anguish, or criticize fate.”²⁾

“Devotion requires closing all the doors to other considerations and concentrating only on the duty to which people are dedicated themselves.

The devoted souls should show utmost gallantry, but should aim only for the pleasure of God in all their services. They should not attribute their success to themselves, and expect appreciation from anyone, and they should always lead a life in accordance with the motto of the respectable Ali ibn Abi Talib: ‘Live among people as one of them.’”³⁾

“The indication of having no expectation in return: working hard, expecting nothing other than some provision to survive. Targeting no earthly or otherworldly reward. This is devotion.”⁴⁾

“Every devoted soul should always strive as a person of trust, loyalty, and innocence, so as not to cause an unfavorable word to be spoken and not to cause the slightest mistake. Yes, one should always be self-sufficient, not beg for help, not be greedy, be content with what God has granted, and avoid all kinds of acts that will damage his or her reputation.

Another important issue that devoted souls should consider in order for them to be able to serve for a long time is to analyze objects and events correctly and not to struggle with human nature.”⁵⁾

“… what falls on the devoted souls is to live with frugality and contentment, and to not compare their living standard with others.”⁶⁾

“… the most important thing is to maintain the spirit of devotion, which is the most important dynamic of the Hizmet Movement, until death. It is to maintain the selflessness and altruism until the end. In other words, it is to maintain integrity. And this is not as easy as people think. Because we are human, different tests await us.”⁷⁾

Altruism

Having no expectation in return

Spiritual Chivalry

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