Al-Baqarah 115: The east and the west (and everywhere) belong to Allah. Whichever direction you turn to, it is a place of worship to Allah. Verily, Allah is Wasi (generous in Allah’s grace) and Aleem (All-Knowing).

East and West — Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 115 — what does it say? Well, East and West, every place belongs to Allah — East and West, not only East and West. When it says every place here, 360 degrees, without a single degree missing, all directions belong to Allah Almighty. Every place belongs to Allah. After searching for the qibla to pray — to pray — some say, is there a verse about prayer? Oh, there are so many verses. So a person watches television for his carnal desires, goes to the cinema, indulges in every kind of entertainment, but this book of our Lord, which he will need so much, which gives us guidance and lights our way — his own book — he refrains from reading.

If he read it, he would understand. Yes. Because reading the Quran or its translation weighs heavy on the nafs. Satan and the nafs raise this over a person like a mountain, and under that mountain-like weight, out of weakness of faith, he refrains from reading it. But out of that weakness of faith, he follows the carnal desires' and Satan's tracks very nicely. Yes. Whichever way you turn, that is the direction of worship to Allah, it says. First search, it says. Then every direction belongs to Allah. Whichever direction you turn to, that direction belongs to Allah. (?) the direction (?) of Allah, it says.

Yes. It is the direction of worship. Surely Allah's forgiveness is vast. He knows all things. So the situation here is this. You erred, and instead of turning toward the qibla — sincerely, with faith, with your mind's assent, you turned northward for the qibla. You thought the qibla was in the north. You searched everywhere. After searching, you thought the qibla was north. You turned north. That's where Allah's forgiveness is vast, it says. Deeds are bound to intention. And Allah Almighty created the world so beautifully — in the shape of an ellipse. A bit — not perfectly round. Slightly elliptical. And this ellipse doesn't spin exactly on center like this.

It turns a bit tilted, like this. Tilted. He has set this rotation so that whichever way you turn, whichever way you turn, it will surely pass through the centre of the House of Allah. Through the centre of the House of Allah. This is a science. Our Lord's knowledge. The student of İbrahim Fakirullah says this. This is in Erzurum. When İbrahim Fakirullah (?), he says: if from sunrise to sunset I don't make it strike my master's head, this sun I'll smash, he says. And he builds a tower. A tower. In that tower, at such an angle he places a mirror that from sunrise to sunset that sun the head of his master's grave strikes. Until it sets.

Then an earthquake causes a slight tilt in the tower. To this day they cannot find that angle and make the sun's (?) strike İbrahim Fakirullah's head. This is a science. Science. Likewise Allah Almighty created the world such that — its being elliptical, being a bit tilted — whichever way you turn — first you'll search every direction. After finding the direction — I mean, there is a definite direction; we have our compass, this and that; and (?) our qibla is clear. By the sun's rising and setting. But there's no sun. It's overcast everywhere. You're on a journey, a traveller. What did you do by your reasoning?

You searched for a place. Wherever came to mind, whatever direction came to mind, stand that way, it says. All directions, all sides belong to Allah. Whichever way you turn, all pass through the centre of the House of Allah. That is, you will have turned to the House of Allah. This science is what our Lord created with His knowledge. There's a second thing. In such cases, you see that a person has turned not south but north. Or turned west. He couldn't find the qibla. And you came upon that person. And you know where the qibla is. To the person, while he is in qiyam, that is, standing, "Dear sir, the qibla is a bit to your left; turn leftward," you'll say.

That person will turn on the toes of his right foot. When you say "okay", he will stop there, and he'll have found the qibla. Now some people who don't know about this mock the person. Look at him, he's lost his qibla. Look, he's turned such-and-such way, they say. Come on, good man, this man couldn't find it, he's a traveller. He couldn't find the qibla. Well, instead of talking like that, why don't you turn him toward his qibla?

Yes. That's why the religion of Islam is beautiful, but we need to know it. We need to know everything. In this case, why does Allah Almighty say first search for the qibla? Now let's read that from here. Why? Search, it says. Allah Almighty loves good manners and order. That is, unity and togetherness. While you turn south, toward the qibla — you: "Nah, this direction — (?) every direction belongs to Allah, I'll turn north" — don't say that. Don't say that. Look, what does it say at the start anyway? First search. If you can't find it, turn. Every place's qibla — the qibla belongs to Allah. So if I'm to search first — within the search, unity and togetherness, manners and courtesy, within order, our (?) Allah Almighty ensures; He brings about a strength.

In the same faith, the same direction, the same cause, in our Lord's presence (?) (?). Yes. Allah Almighty loves good manners and order. That is why the universe, too, in order and harmony He has created. This universe too is in order and harmony. Look, is there sameness in Allah Almighty's creations? If there were sameness, this universe would fall into chaos, be ruined. It would perish. Perish. It would perish. Yes.

That is why He created the universe, too, in order and harmony. Indeed Allah Almighty says in His verse: We have created Our creations firm. Firm. You will find no disorder in His creations. Therefore, although our Lord is present and watching in every part of the universe, for the sake of good manners and courtesy — to ensure people don't stand in scattered directions for worship, ensuring the condition of not standing in scattered directions for worship — Allah Almighty, in blessed Mecca, has turned our qibla toward where the House of Allah stands and secured our order and harmony.

In fact, earlier, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to turn toward Masjid al-Aqsa, you know; the qibla was there. The qibla was there.

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) didn't want to turn to Masjid al-Aqsa — he did not want to. So he was always waiting for a revelation to come from our Lord. And Allah Almighty says: We see you turning your face to the sky. That is, We see you searching. And the mosque called Masjid al-Qiblatayn, meaning the mosque of the two qiblas — in the Qiblatayn Mosque in illuminated Medina, while praying, the Prophet, by our Lord's command, toward blessed Mecca turns, in the middle of the prayer. While standing, on the big toe of his right foot, toward the qibla he turns. The companions who see this turn to the qibla too.

So in this way our Lord makes the qibla, His House, our direction of prayer. Makes it the Muslims' direction of prayer. Yes. Actually it is not only the Muslims' direction of prayer but that of all people. But whoever wishes turns to it, whoever wishes doesn't. Everyone is free in their own will. Allah Almighty forced no one. Had Allah Almighty willed, He would have created us as a single community. He has put our will in our hands, and each person's desires and wishes as destiny to him He has bound. So every person will live his own life by his own desires and wishes and, on his way to the hereafter, prove what kind of person he is, and so when he passes to the hereafter, finding no fault at all in Allah Almighty, with head bowed or held high in good standing, everyone, in return for what they did, will end up in his place. Yes.

Allah Almighty, who wills no injustice to people, since He bound our deeds to our intentions — when you, on a journey or in a region or place you don't know, cannot determine the qibla, when you find yourselves in difficulty finding the qibla — at that moment, East and West belong to Allah. In the East, West, South, North, all places, all directions belong to Allah. Is there a verse for this? Of course there is. The heavens and the earth, and what is between them know the remembrance of their Lord. So the heavens and the earth, what is between them, matter, all the atoms of that matter and nuclei, the neutrons and protons inside, positive and negative nuclei — as they dance around their own axes, a sound arises.

Even if we don't hear it, it remembers Allah Almighty. That is, it signifies there is no creator but Him, it signifies tawhid.

Every direction belongs to Allah.

East and West belong to Allah. Saying "whichever way you stand, that is the direction of worship to Allah", our Lord, who puts no hardship on people: and never be heedless of worship. That is, "I'm a traveller." Anyway, on a journey, two rak'ahs — that is, once you've gone ninety kilometres out — on foot too, when a person walks eighteen hours. A person, in eighteen hours — since he walks five kilometres an hour — in eighteen hours covers ninety kilometres. The moment you pass ninety kilometres you count as a traveller. Four-rak'ah prayers are prayed as two rak'ahs. Our Lord lifts it from us. Because we're travelling, since it would weigh on a person, Allah Almighty, out of His mercy, grants it to us.

So don't you, because "I'm a traveller", your worship — don't fail to continue your worship. Do your worship.

Our Lord: never be heedless of worship. According to the verse "if it weren't for your worship, what would We do with you", so that people, making up excuses, "I couldn't pray because I couldn't determine the qibla's direction" — so that you don't say that, every direction belongs to Allah. Be not heedless in your prayers, they say He commands. Every direction is Allah's. Don't make excuses, it says. Every side — (?). You search; if you can't find it, whichever side it is, on that side, surely, with the world's turning around you — He made it that way — it too, you will have turned to the qibla after all.

It will be your qibla. And since I bind your turning that way to your intention, you I will accept before Me just the same, He says. That is, I will accept your mi'raj, says Allah Almighty. East and West belong to Allah. Another meaning: there is no god but Allah. Since the universe, from atom to globe, is Allah Almighty's creation, all beings belong to Allah. Whichever way you turn for worship, We are on that side. As long as the deed is pure and sincere, and as servants to Allah worship is kept up. Yes.

Surely Allah's forgiveness is vast. It says. Yes.

He knows all things. Why is Allah Almighty's forgiveness vast? What's the reason?

If Allah Almighty's forgiveness is vast, then let's behave however we like.

It's not like that. Look. If we measure everything by our own minds, we steer into mistakes. Truly our Lord's forgiveness is very vast. The reason: He created us with an incomplete mind. With an incomplete mind. Because He gave us of His spirit, He created us very close to Himself. And since He created us so close, had He also given a complete mind, partner-beings to Himself He would have created. So, by creating our minds incomplete, Allah Almighty — that we are in need of our Lord and can live our lives only by always needing Him, that we are in helplessness, and that we find life only with our Lord — He signifies this to us by creating our minds incomplete.

So My mercy over you grows very wide. You may act in error, because I created it so. I created your mind incomplete. When you sincerely realise you erred and repent, I will, He says, pardon and forgive you. That is why His forgiveness is vast. Allah Almighty's. Yes.

Surely Allah's forgiveness is vast. He knows all things. What does it say? There isn't a single living being to come until Judgment Day of whom We don't know what he will not do. Plus, all beings, all that will happen until Judgment Day, are programmed. Programmed like a program loaded on a computer; everything appears when its time comes. Yes, Allah Almighty, His creations — since He created them incomplete in mind, people are fallible. Our Lord in a verse: if for the mistakes you have made you had been seized at once, you would not find a single living being on earth, He says. So when we carry on with these mistakes, when out of carnal desire we commit our mistakes one after another, look at the mercy of Allah Almighty, who in the end gives us the chance to feel remorse.

What did we say? Our Lord, You created us ignorant, that is, with incomplete minds. We couldn't see ahead. We followed our nafs. We erred and rebelled. Your mercy upon our own selves we turned into Your wrath. This is Your mercy. Now I understand that I have become a sinner, or that I am a sinner and have rebelled against You. When you say "pardon and forgive me", when with a pure heart, a sincere heart, you repent — since this fits Allah Almighty's purpose in creating — what does the Prophet (peace be upon him) say? Even if your sins reached the clouds in the sky, when you repent, We turn your sins into good deeds, he says.

We turn them into rewards. Yes. And I say: O man, come to your senses a little. You have such a beautiful, such a generous, such a bountiful, great King. Trust Him, lean on Him, and don't step outside what He warns against. If someone you love asks you to do something near impossible, because you love him you try to do it. So that the one you love isn't hurt and his word isn't left unheeded, you make every effort you can. If you cannot love the One who created you more than your own life, you remain worldly, only on the surface. He must be loved above everything, so that then you can taste servanthood.

Look, what does Allah Almighty say in a verse? If there is one to be loved more, He says — if there is one to be loved most, it is Me. If there is one to be feared most, that too is Me, He says. So in this world, so that someone you love isn't offended with you, or doesn't say "I needed him for something and he didn't do it", you grit your teeth and try to do what he says — so why do you try not to act on Allah's mercy upon you? Does that make any sense? Is this what a sensible person does? Yes. Therefore, by making people worship Him, Allah Almighty — to cleanse people of the sins committed between two prayers.

(?). The noble angels: when he stands for prayer, the evil deeds that the Kiraman Katibin on the left have written down — it brings them down to the ground. That is, (?). It brings the person before our Lord sinless. The one on the left writes the evil deeds, the one on the right the good, you know. After the prayer is over, the Kiraman Katibin on the left says: My Allah, shall I return his sins to him again? — and Allah Almighty says: Is it of My glory to give back what I have taken?

Shall I give back his sins that I removed? Erase them, He says. So the minor sins you committed between two prayers are removed. Mind you, minor sins. Not the major ones, of course. Not paying attention to lawful and unlawful, let me say — like some drinking, like gambling, like some bad things — not those. Yes.

Those only go with repentance. With repentance, by repenting. On condition that you never do it again.

Yes. To cleanse from the sins between two prayers, through the person's remembering his Lord, to open for him, because of his helplessness, the doors of repentance and forgiveness, and, with the person's prayers to his Lord, in response to Allah Almighty's answering His servant, to exalt the person in Allah's sight — that is what it is for. Prayer is that precious.

Go hungry, go thirsty, but never abandon your prayer. Your Lord, who sees your hunger and thirst, will not leave you hungry and thirsty. He opens your door to you from unknown directions — opens His door. Yes.

Both — through people's worship — the person's fulfilling his duty of servanthood to Allah, finding peace, and also — with Allah Almighty being known — the people He created, to Allah Almighty, through their supplication, fitting our Lord's purpose in creation. What was it? Let's read that part again.

By your performing that prayer, Allah Almighty, before Him, you exalting — that is, raising you by cleansing your sins — both through people's worship, the person fulfilling his duty of servanthood to Allah, that is, according to the verse in which He says "if it weren't for your worship, what would We do with you", Allah Almighty, who makes all beings worship Him according to His will, leaving man free in his own will and willing that he worship Him by his own will — before that will of Allah Almighty, man's worshipping Allah Almighty of his own will — what a beautiful thing. Yes. Without being pressured by anyone, by his own desire and wish and intention, submitting to his Lord.

What was it? Both — through people's worship — the person fulfilling his duty of servanthood to Allah, that is: My Lord, You created me as the noblest of creatures. You created me as the most honoured of all Your creations. And You gave me a part of Yourself, of Your spirit. And You made me one You address. However much I worship You — You brought me into being from nothing — however much I worship, however much I thank You, for this You have given me, this grace, this worth — I can never repay it. I cannot return its equal to You — saying this, when to Allah Almighty he declares his helplessness and servanthood, what a beautiful thing.

Can a person reach a station more sublime, more exalted than this? All His creations are at his command anyway — vicegerent, vicegerent of the earth. Yes. Finding peace in this feeling, and also, with Allah Almighty being known, the people He created, through their supplication to Allah Almighty, fitting our Lord's purpose in creation. That is: I will create a being, I will create a human. He will know Me through his own being. I will not program him. He will program himself by his own desires and wishes. I will put his partial free will into his hands. In response to his will, I will value him.

— it fits the purpose in creation of Allah Almighty, who says this. Yes. It is for Him to reward the person from Himself, to cleanse him of his sins and grant him His Paradise. Those acts of worship.

What does Allah Almighty say? Surely Allah's forgiveness is vast. He knows all things. O man! Just say "Allah". Allah — Allah Almighty's pardon and forgiveness are vast. In this hadith, in a hadith, the Noble Messenger and Honoured Prophet, the master of the two worlds, Muhammad (peace be upon him): even if your sins reached the clouds in the sky, when you repent with a sincere heart, Allah Almighty is Tawwab. He is the One who accepts repentance abundantly. Your evil deeds, that is, your sins, Allah Almighty turns into good deeds, he says. Our turning to our Lord, whose forgiveness is so abundant, our worshipping Him?

Yes. What are we saying? Allah Almighty turns them into good deeds, he says. Our turning to our Lord, whose forgiveness is so abundant, our worshipping Him. Our asking Him for pardon and forgiveness. A person's attaining mercy happens in an instant. Just turn to your Lord, repent, and resolve never again those sins to commit. Yes.

What did we say? We read this part a bit incompletely. Allah Almighty is Tawwab. He is the One who accepts repentance abundantly. Your evil deeds, that is, your sins, Allah Almighty turns into good deeds, he says. Shouldn't one turn to such a Lord, whose forgiveness is so abundant? Of course one should. Shouldn't one? Shouldn't He be worshipped? Of course — shouldn't such a Lord, such a Creator be worshipped? God forbid. Otherwise a person, in great (?), pride and arrogance, sees a greatness in himself — yet no one can withstand Allah's wrath. Shouldn't one ask Him for pardon and forgiveness? Of course one should.

We are helpless. He is our Owner, our Creator. A person's attaining mercy happens in an instant. That is, you can't know when you will attain guidance. Because you find that from a single moment's good deed, our Lord's doors of mercy have opened upon you, and you have attained guidance. So just turn to your Lord, repent. Resolve never to commit those sins again.

He is such an Allah that He knows fully all that is done. Fully. What does it say? Fe men ya'mel miskâle zerratin hayran yerah — an atom's weight of good I record. Ve men ya'mel miskâle zerratin şerran yerah — an atom's weight of evil I also record. Yes. So in this case, in such a case, Allah Almighty (?) — the Judge, the Judge of judges — so that no one, to no one, injustice is done, on that day everyone, by what they earned, will be called to account — so that no one is wronged. What does that mean? So as to give no one special favour. Everyone is My children, My servants. Just as a father has children.

If he is unjust — if he is just, he makes no distinction among his children.

They ask the Prophet: Who is a tyrant? Whom do they call a tyrant? The Prophet (peace be upon him): a father who is unjust among his children is also a tyrant, he says. A father who is unjust, who wrongs, is also a tyrant. Yes. Allah Almighty, who wrongs no one: on that day for what everyone earned I will give the full return, He says. What I said is a verse too. Yes.

Because that Allah who creates, in (?), with those who would come from the loins of the children of Adam, at the address "Elestü bi-Rabbiküm", made a covenant. He gave each person his aim according to his desires and wishes, and that aim to that person He wrote as destiny. He wrote it. So of course Allah will know everything fully. Knowing even what the people to come until Judgment Day will do, how they will act, what they will desire, and arranging the times accordingly, creating causes within those times, creating events according to each person's desires and wishes, He will make the person a witness against himself.

Of course our Lord will know everything rightly and in the best way. Because, according to people's desires and wishes, so that each person can prove, in that life of his, what kind of person he is, He gave him those characters. Although in his destiny a person doesn't know one second ahead, our Lord, until Judgment Day, knows all who are to come. Yes.