An-Nur 36: (This lamp) is in houses in which Allah has given permission (for these houses) to be exalted and for Allah’s name to be mentioned. There, Allah’s name is recited in the morning and in the evening.

Surah An-Nur, verse 36. In particular, Surah An-Nur, verse 35 and drawing attention to verse 36, people who say "I am a scholar" need to take their heads between their two hands and think. If they are not in this state, not in this state: I am a scholar, I occupy a certain position. People look at my word, the word that comes out of my mouth. Verses thirty-five and thirty-six. Surah An-Nur.

Pay attention. Verses thirty-six and thirty-five. We will tell them to you.

Now let us put it this way: verses 35, 36, 37 and 38, let people who say "I am a scholar" pay attention to them.

Let them measure themselves against these verses.

I measure all the work I do against the verses for myself.

I measure myself against the verses. This lamp is certain houses which Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name to be mentioned. There, morning and evening, such people glorify Him, it says. That is, Allah Almighty has permitted: His saying that. Let us open this part up a bit. People are permitted to make dhikr of Allah in their homes. It does not tell you that you must go to the mosque to worship. In this sense.

This lamp, those people, the lamps, are certain houses that, houses which Allah has permitted to be raised and in which His name to be mentioned. There, morning and evening, such people glorify Him, it says. With the verse that says these lamps are certain houses, Allah Almighty means the people who have attained His light. These people, because they long for Allah on earth, are those who hold fast to Allah's commands and prohibitions, who reform their nafs so as not to do what Allah does not want, people whose nafs has reached perfection. Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah; they are people who enter among Allah's servants and attain His Paradise.

Why are we calling out to the scholars? Pay attention to verses 35, 36, 37, 38. Measure yourselves against this. If you are not people who match this, then listen to those who explain these verses.

Yes. By likening these people to lamps, Allah Almighty indicates that they are the adornment and light of the earth, that in the lands where they are, Allah Almighty does not send calamities for their sake, and that those lands are safe.

And the secret is: when He is going to destroy a land, He takes His prophets and those who believed in those prophets out of that land. Yes.

And the people who have reached Allah's light, Allah Almighty, when He is about to send a calamity upon that land, out of that land He creates a cause and takes them.

Yes.

Such people turn a corner of their homes into a place of worship. They worship Allah and do dhikr. Allah Almighty has allowed such people to worship in their homes in this way. While working day and night, while shopping, at every moment, except for their human nature, they contemplate Allah and remember Allah. Well, how can that be, Hodja? I am talking with you now. How do you remember Allah?

While I am talking with you, which of your words go against Allah's verses, and with which of my words I warn you with Allah's verses, talking with you. This is remembering Allah at every moment. It is contemplating Allah at every moment.

And this person is two people. He both talks, and with contemplation, with his mind, with his heart, tries not to speak deficiently in light of the verses. That is it: neither shopping nor trade keeps him from My remembrance. What is constantly remembering Allah? Being constantly engaged with Allah's verses and addressing the people in front of you in this way, what is it? It is a dhikr.

Yes.

The Prophet says it so beautifully too. You (?) the middle prayer, he says. What is the middle prayer? You recite the Fatiha and at the same time, in your heart, together with your Lord, you speak with Him in His presence. That is the middle prayer.

But they might understand it like this: Well, prayer is already in the presence of Allah Almighty. True. But it is not the middle prayer. The middle prayer: personally, spiritually in your Lord's presence, you both recite the verse with Him and talk. You speak through inspiration. Yes.

Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah; they are people who enter among Allah's servants and attain His Paradise. These people: by likening these people to lamps, Allah Almighty indicates that they are the adornment and light of the earth, that in the lands where they are, Allah Almighty, for their sake, does not send calamities, and that those lands are safe. Let me put this part more accurately, like this. The place where they are is safe. If they leave that land, it no longer means the place where they are. After that, just as I said a moment ago, as He takes those who believe in the prophets out of that land.

After that He destroys it. Such people turn a corner of their homes into a place of worship, and engage in worship of Allah and dhikr. Allah Almighty has allowed such people, in their homes, in a certain way, to worship. While they work day and night, while they shop, at every moment, except for their human nature, they contemplate Allah and remember Allah. In body, they are in the world among people. By contemplating Allah Almighty with their minds, in their hearts they are in Allah Almighty's presence. These people present their state to Allah in every circumstance. There are even such people among them who, to present even their own need to Allah, are ashamed. Because these people know that Allah is aware of their state.

Just like Job (peace be upon him) falling ill, and Allah is aware of their state. They are ashamed to present even their own need to Allah. Because these people know that Allah is aware of their state. Just as Job (peace be upon him), having fallen ill and knowing that Allah Almighty was aware of his state, was ashamed to pray to Allah to get well.

Now, we study at school, don't we? There is first grade, there is second grade, there is second grade. There is fifth grade. Now, would you go back to second, second grade again? Their lessons are different; the fifth grade's lessons are different. Spirituality too is passed through like this, stage by stage. For a time I too, in remembering my Lord, with every breath I gave out and every breath I took in, would strive so that my breath (?) go to waste.

I never presented my need to Allah, because He knew my state, and I was ashamed. I write these because I have lived them. Allah Almighty too says in His verse: whoever, because of remembering Me, cannot present his own need to Me, I grant him something better than his need, He says.

This is not knowledge to be solved with Arabic.

But the outward is enough for a person.

Yes.

There are even such people among them who, to present even their own need to Allah, are ashamed. Because these people know that Allah is aware of their state. Just as Job (peace be upon him), having fallen ill and knowing that Allah Almighty was aware of his state, was ashamed to pray to Allah to get well. Yes.

So these people, in their homes, in these places of worship, morning and evening glorify Allah. They glorify Him. Remembering Allah Almighty, they contemplate Allah's majesty and power. That Allah is the Creator, and that all created beings other than Allah's being are in need of Allah and powerless, they know. That people and this created universe find life only through Allah, that even if the whole of creation gathered together they could not harm Allah, and that the universe cannot find life without Allah, they know, and to Allah they surrender wholeheartedly.