the_tongue_of

The Tongue of Events

“Patience is the detection, comprehension and emulation of the harmony that flows in the bosom of nature. Yes, patience means understanding the tongue of objects and events, and attempting to establish a dialogue with them. How venerated is the person who shows consistency and patience until such a time that he begins to understand this language and then tries to establish a bridge between the flow of time and his actions to become one with nature; how grand is the Divine music that exists in the universe and how glorious is the observer who senses and observes this harmony.”¹⁾

“Our duty is to reflect upon our place in life, our responsibilities, and our relationship with this vast universe. We should use our inner thoughts to explore creation’s hidden side. As we do so, we will begin to feel a deeper sense of our selves, see things differently, witness that events are not what they seem, and realize that the tongue of events is trying to communicate something to us.”²⁾

“… in our system of thought, Humanity and the Universe is an exhibition, a book, a language, and an instrument, all of which lead back to the Mighty Being, who is the Necessarily Existent One. He displays His artworks and affirms His actions through the tongue of events.”³⁾

“One ought to examine one’s life and its context with voracious curiosity. This is especially desirable for professional researchers. They are not interested in dreams, but endeavor to obtain factual results about phenomena in life through direct scrutiny, becoming familiar with these phenomena and their interrelationships in depth. The interpretations whispered into their ears by the particular tongue of events are simply clearer and more numerous than those of dreams. To be capable of listening to such signals, it is a must to be cognizant of the environment, including both living and nonliving components. We call this ‘the culture of conscience.’ And we will continue utilizing this term till we find a better phrase.”⁴⁾

“If a person can look at existence with their conscience and lend an ear to the tongue of events, they will discern the reality expressed by Hodja Tahsin: Contemplate the lines of the universe, for they are missives to you from the Highest Realm. How can this reality not be discerned seeing that His Being is, in one sense, announced through the lines of the universe, and His Knowledge, Life, Power, and Will are voiced through them, that the manifestations of His Names of Glory are known through them on different wavelengths, and everything gives us great joy and happiness through the most delicate embroideries of the subtlest art, order and harmony they display?”⁵⁾

“The devil sometimes brings an owl—sometimes by possessing it—and causes it to hoot on your balcony for hours. In the face of such a happening, you may wonder what its meaning can be, and try to draw a meaning from the tongue of this event. However, seeing it as a definite herald of a disaster to befall you and beginning to expect that disaster is not behavior to suit a believer. Indeed, the devil’s purpose with such a trick is to raise some tension in your soul, to upset the chemistry of your body, to make you experience serious anguish, and even to drift you to psychosomatic disorders and dissuade you from your devotions.”⁶⁾

“No matter how we call, it is very important for people to read and understand the tongueof objects and events surrounding them very well and to constantly feed their knowledge by immersing themselves in the contemplation on the outer world and the human inner world. Just like children inserting coins into their money box, the people, who deeply contemplate their daily life and put new rays of spiritual knowledge into their repertory every day, will expand their repertory of love of God and longing for Him.”⁷⁾

“We, the Turkish nation, have been exposed to considerable calamities for almost three centuries, with pauses of 40–50 years. Yes, since the early 17th century, while calamities have been pouring down on our heads, we did not learn the required lesson. By the tongue of events, God Almighty almost disciplines us by warning as ‘be cautious, wake up to yourselves, return to your genuine identity!’ Therefore, we have still been repeatedly making the same mistakes causing such calamities and troubles and inviting God to send new calamities.”⁸⁾

Dipnotlar

¹⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Çağ ve Nesil (Çağ ve Nesil-1), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2011, p. 145.

²⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Işığın Göründüğü Ufuk (Çağ ve Nesil-7), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2011, pp. 20–21.

³⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Kendi Dünyamıza Doğru (Ruhumuzun Heykelini Dikerken-2), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2011, p. 86.

⁴⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Fasıldan Fasıla-2, İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2008, pp. 96–97.

⁵⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Emerald Hills of the Heart: Key Concepts in the Practice of Sufism (vol. 4), New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2011, p. 165.

⁶⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Vuslat Muştusu, (Kırık Testi-8), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2011, p. 165.

⁷⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Dert Musikisi (Kırık Testi-16), New Jersey: Süreyya Yayınları, 2019, p. 146.

⁸⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Prizma-1, İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2011, p. 111.

The Tongue of Events