At-Tawbah 6: And if one of the idolaters seeks refuge with you, give him time until he hears and listens to Allah’s word. Then (if he doesn’t become a Muslim), make him reach a place of safety. This (leniency) is because of them being an ignorant nation.

We have come to Surah At-Tawbah, verse 6. And if one of the polytheists asks you for protection, it says. That is, he was exposed to a danger and came and took refuge with you. In this case — and if one of the polytheists asks you for protection, grant him protection until he hears the word of Allah. That is: you, say the shahada — until he says Eşhedü en lâ ilâhe illallah ve eşhedü enne Muhammeden abdühü ve resulühü, give him time, it says. We gave it. Then if he does not become Muslim, convey him to a place where he will be safe. He asked you for protection, after all. He didn't say the shahada.

He won't. Then, it says, because he took refuge with you, because he too is a life, it says, a life. Him, the one who took refuge with you, up to the place where he is safe from what he fears, as far as his own tribe, or as far as a place he knows to be safe, take him safely and leave him, it says. Take him and leave him. Yes. This tolerance, this tolerance, is because they are a people who do not know. This tolerance. He will say: look, I — hostile to me, that is, a Muslim whom I knew as my enemy, I took refuge with him, he did me no harm, he invited me to one single god. Yes. (?) I did not abandon the many gods, those we made with our own hands.

But he did me no harm either. He even brought me as far as a safe place. Even my own people would not do this. They are people too poor to think, it says. Yes. It is because they are a people who do not know, it says.

Here, how tolerant the Muslim also is, that is, how he abides by leküm dinüküm veliyedin, that, as the recompense of what everyone earns, his own (?), Allah Almighty has granted them too a lifespan; according to the verse 'within this lifespan, did you think you would die without proving what kind of person you are?', what He granted him in return for these verses, the good sides of life — sparing his life for him is in fact our Lord's granting it. Yes. If one of the polytheists asks for protection, recite to him the word of Allah. That is, say Eşhedü en lâ ilâhe illallah ve eşhedü enne Muhammeden abdühü ve resulühü, it says. Invite him to the religion of Islam.

Make known to him the existence of Allah, that the Prophet is true, that the Holy Quran is the word of Allah, so that he cannot say: I didn't hear it, or I wasn't told. If after hearing these he still does not become Muslim, this person, safe and sound, (?) to the place in safety (?). Yes. This tolerance is because they are a people who do not know. While such people live out their own covenant in the world of mulk, within a certain lifespan, so that he can find the return of the covenant he gave Allah Almighty, and so that the period given to him is completed, the necessary time must be granted.

The necessary time. Yes. And this necessary time is his lifespan. Allah Almighty made a covenant with all mankind at that address, Elestü bi Rabbiküm. He gave them their desires and wishes as their destiny. So Allah Almighty sent people to an unseen world. He sent them to a world where His essence is not seen. And He made His essence heard in this world. If despite hearing it he still does not enter Islam, then this unit of time, the unit of time within his lifespan, for proving what kind of person that man is, is a slice of life given to him — a gift. Within this gift, within this lifespan, that person will prove what kind of person he is.

If you kill him, then he would have said — he says: I had a lifespan and this one killed me. If he hadn't killed me, I would become a Muslim — in words like these; so that Islam does not take on such injustices, such unfairness, Allah Almighty shows him, the Muslims, a fine path. The one who takes refuge with you — the word of truth, it says — if he does not say the shahada, take him to a safe land and leave him there. They are a people who do not understand. So, shall we kill him? You will not kill him. That people who do not understand will prove to which degree in Hell it will leave itself subject.

Because why did he come to the world? He came to prove what kind of person he is. Or else that person will eventually feel remorse and become a Muslim. Isn't there such? There are plenty among non-Muslims who become Muslim. So one must value people according to their state at that moment and not oppress them. Allah Almighty already says so in the verse. Do not mock any people. That is, whether those people were Muslim or unbeliever or idolater or (?), do not mock them, it says. Perhaps that people is better than you, it says. That is, if he (?) and repents, perhaps he will have a degree above you in His sight, it says. You cannot know this, it says.

Because the keys of the unseen are in Allah's hand. In this case, treating people humanely, on earth observing right and justice, acting within Allah's commands, both by conduct and by word being an example to people — that is the mark of Islam. So, this tolerance is because they are a people who do not know. While such people live out their own covenant in the world of mulk, within a certain lifespan, so that he can find the return of the covenant he gave Allah Almighty, and so that the period given to him is completed, the necessary time must be granted. Yes. The necessary time must be granted.

Within this time the person either finds the truth, is honored with Islam, attains salvation, or, increasing his disbelief, remains subject to a painful torment.

Islam does not take life unjustly. Islam does not oppress unjustly. It respects people's rights and laws. It protects the oppressed, helps the fallen, and for Allah's sake, toward Allah's creatures, it is compassionate and merciful. Because of such behavior of the Muslims, by conduct and by word it becomes the pioneer of good character for people. Spreading Allah's justice on earth, it does away with fitnah and oppression.

If only people knew this fine character and understanding of Islam and could only taste Islam, on earth they would race one another to become Muslim. Not a single non-Muslim would remain on earth; in unity and togetherness, living a life without fighting and without oppression, the earth would turn into a festival ground, a festival. If the non-Muslims had known this fine character of Islam. And even, I could say this: if the Muslim too knew the beauty of being Muslim and the Muslim too shared in the state of his Muslim brother, then they, the Muslims too, among themselves would live in a festive air. But see, Satan makes them turn somersaults, the two-legged taghut gives him fitnah, and these too, this fine character of Islam, these fine manners and etiquette, unable to live them, spend their lives amid stress.

This fine character, this fine (?), is lived only with the nefs-i mutmainne. One passes through the nefs-i emmare, passes through the nefs-i levvame, passes through the nefs-i mülhime, and comes to the nefs-i mutmainne. O soul at rest, your Lord pleased with you and you pleased with your Lord, enter among My servants, enter My Paradise — the soul He speaks of; in this world very distinguished people live this state. Distinguished people. Yes, even Islam, within this fine character, cannot carry on its life within a fine fragrance. Within these fine fragrances. Look, we make the claim: Islam does not take life unjustly, Islam does not oppress, it respects people's rights and laws.

Who respects rights and laws now? It protects the oppressed — whereas he tries to ride on top of the oppressed, tries to ride on his back; it helps the fallen — he gives him a kick too. For Allah's sake it is compassionate and merciful toward Allah's creatures. Toward all of them, without saying Muslim or non-Muslim, just — toward the polytheists too, toward the Muslims too, toward non-Muslims too, whether religious or (?), it judges with justice. With justice. Yes. Because of such behavior of the Muslims, by conduct and by word, for people it becomes the pioneer of good character. The Prophet was sent to perfect good character.

Good character is the Holy Quran itself. They also asked Aisha (?). What was the character of the Prophet? Wait a minute, she says. She takes the Holy Quran from outside and hands it over. His character was this, she says.

Abu Bakr asks the Prophet: How many of my Lord's characteristics are in me? (?), in you either six or seven of them are missing, he says. Either six or seven. Yes. Look at the beauty of character. With this character, the earth lives in justice, the earth is governed with justice. When the earth is governed with justice, there arises neither (?), nor fighting, nor unrest. If only people knew. What is it that man cannot share?

Satan sending him the world (?),

frightening him with hunger and driving him to (?), enslaving him to the world, making him serve it, making him the world's porter,

to own a single particle of the world, his breaking the hearts of people, of people created honorable above the worlds, without recognizing their rights and laws, his seizing their rights and laws, oppressing them — and in the end, that atom's weight of world he will earn, he too leaves behind in the world, and with the deeds he committed with it, with the sins he took on, on that day — according to the verse saying judgment belongs to Allah alone — Eleysallâhu bi-ahkemi'l-hâkimîn, he goes into the presence of the Judge of judges to give account, and loading that burden of oppression on his back and abandoning the burden of good deeds, appears before Allah as one who will claim the eternal home of Hell — whether that person has a mind or not, and in that case how far the word of such people can be trusted — you think about it now.

Yes. Today in the world, the non-Muslims, recognizing no right or law, without saying lawful or forbidden, gather; and despite that, according to the verse 'do not (?) them', according to the verse saying whoever (?) them is like them, the Muslims too, without saying lawful or forbidden, at the non-Muslim's state (?), trying to heave the world onto their backs, on yachts, on holidays, incurring the wrath of Allah Almighty, doing away with decency, manners and (?), together with the forbidden things he committed, in a way that increases his own disbelief, increasing his disbelief with a life outside Islam — that person who will go before Allah Almighty, and who will even go into His presence saying I am a Muslim — the esteem that person will find in Allah's sight — can you imagine it?

Yes.

A person must not be a liar.

If I am a Muslim, I am a Muslim. I will live Islam. Allah Almighty says to me: cover your private parts. Okay. Pass on the religion of Islam to your children. Okay. Perform your prayer. Okay. (?) their heads (?). Okay. Whatever it says — by the (?) ruling it is nothing heavy, I'll do it. I'll do it. If I'm a Muslim — if I follow my nafs, take Allah's word lightly, throw it behind me, what does Allah Almighty say in His verse? Do not take Allah's word lightly. Yes. So in this case, if I take Allah's word lightly, if He says cover your head and I uncover my head, if He says cover your private parts and I, in a way that (?) my honor, in a way that exhibits me to people, saying here it's (?) for everyone, it's (?), strip stark naked — shame on that person.

That person is a liar. Honored with the religion of Islam, but not knowing what Islam is, making up Islam according to his own nafs, or else taking Allah's word lightly — a poor person.

Poor person.

If Muslim, then Muslim; he will live Islam — and if he says I am Muslim and lives in such a degenerate state, stripping his children stark naked, putting his arm around their shoulder, walking that child naked on the street and (?) — which we do see. Shame on that person. In his world, to (?) his nafs, the freedom he himself could not live, he lets his child live, proves what kind of person he is, and also degenerates his future after him — shame on that person.

If only people knew this fine character and understanding of Islam and could only taste Islam, on earth, to become Muslim, they would race one another. Not a single non-Muslim would remain on earth; in unity and togetherness, living a life without fighting and without oppression, the earth would turn into a festival ground.

Allah Almighty wills people to be like this. How does He will them to be? They will not start fights on earth. They will know there is no god but Allah. They will hold fast to Allah's commands and prohibitions. They will not be ungrateful for the blessings our Lord has given. They will give thanks to Him. And so they will not do injustice among one another. They will not fight one another unjustly. They will not take lives unjustly. And so people will live in an air of brotherhood. Yes. Allah Almighty wants us to be like this.

But unfortunately, man races in the ways of oppression to wrong his own self. To wrong himself, his own self. To gather the world without saying lawful or forbidden. To deceive a Muslim brother and seize his right. This — leaving his own nafs (?) to oppression — is it not racing for oppression in Allah's sight, is it not? Yes.

He spreads hatred and resentment around him. He makes his world a dungeon for himself. Finally, at the end of his life, he makes himself a witness before those around him and before Allah. Sent to the place he deserves, he has, while still in the world, bought an eternal painful life. Allah Almighty, to protect what He created, shows them the way. He sends prophets and books, but man falls into Satan's captivity. If, while living in the world of mulk, he prefers to the life of the eternal home of bliss the pleasure and delight of his carnal life — such people suffer eternal loss. They will have bought the home of Hellfire from which there is no escape.