“It is enough to compare fish with foxes, the new-born with wild beasts, and trees with animals, in order to understand that the procurement of fundamental, lawful food depends on neediness and impotence, rather than power and will.”¹⁾

“What is there to fear when, realizing our helplessness, we rely upon the Owner of the command, Be, and it is (36:82). Those who have true knowledge of God are content to realize their helplessness before God and put their hope in His judgment. There is pleasure in the fear of God. If a one-year old were asked what is the most pleasant thing he or she knows, the reply would be: ‘Taking refuge in my mother’s warm embrace, conscious of my weakness and helplessness—from her sweetest slap.’”²⁾

“The meaning of worship is this: We are God’s servants. Aware of our defects, weakness, and poverty in the Divine Court, we prostrate in love and awe before His Lordship’s perfection, His Divine Power on Which every creature relies, and His Divine Mercy.”³⁾

“Breaking a promise is base humiliation and therefore irreconcilable with His Sanctity’s glory. Failure to carry out a threat can arise either from forgiveness or impotence (ignorance). Unbelief is an unforgivable crime. The All-Powerful is exempt from and far above all impotence.”⁴⁾

“Just as food’s pleasures and varieties are understood or distinguished according to your hunger and need, so you should understand the degrees of the manifestations of infinite Divine Power and Richness through your infinite impotence and poverty.”⁵⁾

“Their intellects, by conveying grief, sorrow, and anxiety, make them more wretched. But when they are illumined with this light, they rise above all animals and creatures. Once their intellects are illumined, their poverty and helplessness become means of infinite wealth and power through dependence on God. Through entreaty, they become beloved “kings and queens” and, through complaints and petitions, God’s favored servants entrusted with the honorable duty of improving the earth and ruling it in His name.”⁶⁾

“After belief, prayer is our essential duty and the basis of worship, for despite our infinite impotence, we are exposed to endless misfortune and innumerable enemies, and despite our infinite poverty, we suffer limitless need and demands.”⁷⁾

“… the All-Wise Originator has implanted an infinite impotence and poverty in our nature so that each of us may be a comprehensive mirror reflecting the boundless manifestations of an All-Compassionate One of infinite Power, an All-Munificent One of infinite Richness.”⁸⁾

“Humanity, among the creatures, is much like a tender child. Our strength is in our weakness, and our power in our impotence. This lack of strength and power has caused creation to be subjugated to us.”⁹⁾

“Recognizing our incompetence or impotence leads us to be freed from our evil-commanding soul’s influence and rely on the All-Powerful One of Majesty alone. Love, regarded as the quickest route, can lead to the true Beloved only after we have directed our love to Him and love|love]] others on account of Him.”¹⁰⁾

“… (the Qur’an’s light-diffusing way) removes our weakness, impotence, poverty, and need, for it enables us to trust in an All-Powerful One of Compassion.”¹¹⁾

“The Divine Power is essential to and inherent in the Divine Essence; impotence cannot access It.”¹²⁾

“… a believer equipped with a consciousness of helplessness and poverty is blessed with special favors from God Almighty, and they come like a bolt out of the blue. Everything is in its proper place, so there is no need for someone to intervene in order to save him in the flow of worldly events. Individuals who recognize this situation act with enthusiasm and see no reason for hopelessness. He says, ‘Why shouldn’t I keep running in His path with feelings of thankfulness!’ and rears up with enthusiasm. Before the blessings that come showering down, they feel energized and thankful; they proceed on, not losing speed for a lifetime. This is the Master Bediüzzaman’s consideration of helplessness and poverty, which refers to an acknowledgement that leads one to attain the feeling of absolute enthusiasm and absolute thankfulness. What is meant by ‘poverty’ and ‘helplessness’ is not material poverty. This is the Honorable Sage Bediüzzaman’s consideration of helplessness and poverty, which refers to an acknowledgement that leads one to attain the feeling of absolute enthusiasm and absolute thankfulness. When individuals can do that, they fully sense the point of reliance, and they seek help in their heart, and thus set foot on this path that will lead them to God and deepen their relations with Him.”¹³⁾

“There are four pillars of the way of being a worshipping and (thereby) beloved servant of God, as stated in the following: In the way of depending on awareness of one’s impotence before God, four things are essential; They are, O beloved one, acknowledgement of one’s absolute impotence and poverty (before God), and absolute thanksgiving and zeal (in God’s cause).”¹⁴⁾

Compassion

Contemplation

Enthusiasm

Poverty

Thankfulness

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