The Grand Purpose of Life

The vision of life. The target that is seen in the horizon of life. The sublime purpose beyond personal and simple purposes.

“If we rely on our physical and innate abilities, taking the worldly life as our goal and focusing on its pleasures, we will suffocate within a very narrow circle. Moreover, our bodily parts, senses, and faculties will bring suit and witness against us in the Hereafter.”¹⁾

“The absence or the forgetting of an ideal (in life) causes people to concentrate upon themselves and their own self-interest.”²⁾

“A person who lives to accomplish some small goals or who is completely aimless spends his or her life accordingly, dies as such, and his/her afterlife is shaped accordingly. As a result, when imagination does not find its full purpose in a person’s life, the conscience will shrink, the humane horizon, which is open to a vast realm, will be darkened, and that person will become all selfish.”³⁾

“Even if a person makes the worldly life or a carnal desire, or the matters of prosperity, position, and status, strives in this way, and achieves to attain these in the course of time, he or she will never get enough of them, and will constantly seek other things for the sake of carnal desires. They will not be satisfied until the moment when they will turn to high notions with their minds, spirits, and all their feelings.”⁴⁾

“When a person stays focused on his or her grand purpose, the journey will never end, and this blessed travelled will always shuttle between faith and satisfaction, and drink peace by means of constantly remembering and walking to Him. Especially if they completely forget their selves and go beyond their egos considering the sacred matters, then they will only think of what they aim for and only deal with this. In turn, those who walk a path that does not lead to God, and cannot renew themselves, will not be able to get rid of selfishness and escape from the narrow prisons of egos.”⁵⁾

“One of the most important aspects of chivalry is keeping up a spirit of devotion. Namely, being devoted to one’s grand purpose and pushing aside all other considerations. Truly devoted souls must think that their essential duty is to glorify the Name of God on this earth.”⁶⁾

Other Languages

¹⁾

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, The Words, New Jersey: The Light, 2013, p. 340.

²⁾

Bediüzzaman Said Nursi, The Letters, New Jersey: The Light, 2014, p. 449.

³⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Kendi İklimimiz (Prizma-5), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2007, p. 214.

⁴⁾

Ibid., p. 214.

⁵⁾

Ibid., p. 215.

⁶⁾

M. Fethullah Gülen, Mefkûre Yolculuğu (Kırık Testi-13), İstanbul: Nil Yayınları, 2014, p. 39.