Advice on Worldly Life

Bismi Llāhi r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīm

Shukr to Allāh ﷻ, we have arrived a little early. This journey is one we take every year. May Allāh ﷻ have mercy on Aunt Haji Nasima Hanım. By her means, in shā’a Llāh, these meetings have been held. Whoever became a means for these meetings has surely received their reward as well.

We gather for the sake of Allāh ﷻ. We gather for the sake of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla and in honor of our Prophet ṣallá Llāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam. We have no other purpose. Especially today, we have come early. These brothers who have come have no other purpose. They have gathered solely for the pleasure of Allāh ﷻ.

This is what is beneficial for mankind. The pleasure of Allāh ﷻ. You should intend everything for the sake of Allāh ﷻ so that it may be beneficial, so that it may remain for you. Otherwise, those who gather for dunyā and pursue dunyā will eventually see it flee from them. Self-interest, personal gain and worldly benefit are ultimately of no good.

Human nature is egocentric and selfish. It wants everything for itself. Whatever you give, it is never satiated; whatever you do, it is never satisfied. Therefore, gatherings for the sake of dunyā are never truly beneficial. Even if you gather, eventually you must do so knowingly for the sake of Allāh ﷻ. This may be a worldly gathering, but you should intend that its result be for the sake of Allāh ﷻ.

“May Allāh ﷻ help me. May we spend what we have earned in His ﷻ way, for the sake of Allāh ﷻ.” We should think like this. Many people come and deceive others for worldly benefit. People let themselves be deceived and are deceived. In turn, they deceive others. By deceiving others, the entire world deceives each other. They derive no benefit.

The condition of the world is like this now. Especially from the late Ottoman period until today, it has gone from bad to worse. Why? Is it because of governments? Because of the state? No. It is from the people themselves, for people find the result of what they do. What can the state do to you, what can the government do to you? You are just like them and they are just like you. These people are not brought from the moon or the sun. We are all the inhabitants of this world, and we live in it. This is the situation of the world.

After the Ottomans, because they were upon the way of Allāh ﷻ. In the last days, the people who were aiming to destroy it ruined everything. We say “after the Ottomans”, but in truth, even in their last days it had already fallen into such hands. After that, they made it worse day by day. Why? Because they have no fear of Allāh ﷻ. They have no shame, no decency. They have nothing. So how will these people be?

The value of a person lies in their humanity. And what is humanity? It is shame. It is refraining from evil. It is not harming others. That is the nature of a human being. Whoever is without this behaves in the opposite way. They have no shame, no manners, and they can do every kind of evil. They become like creatures, not people. And these years we are living are theirs.

That’s why, when someone says, “If I am good and the other is not, what should I do?” we say that Allāh ﷻ knows. Allāh ﷻ is present. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla sees everything. Nothing is lost. Not even an atom’s weight is lost, says Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla:

“فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ (7) وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ (8)”

(Qur’ān 99:7–8)

Faman Ya’mal Mithqāla Dharratin Khayrāan Yarah (7) Wa Man Ya’mal Mithqāla Dharratin Sharrāan Yarah (8)

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it (7) and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it (8).”

Whatever you have done, even the weight of a particle, both good and evil will not be forgotten. Allāh ﷻ forgives the evil if you ask forgiveness, if you repent and seek forgiveness. As for the good, Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla will reward you for it. Whoever does a good deed, Allāh ﷻ gives him ten times the reward. Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla may reward from ten times up to a thousand times.

When you do a bad deed, He ﷻ writes it down as one bad deed only. Allāh ﷻ does not oppress anyone. Just as He ﷻ writes ten rewards for one good action, He ﷻ does not write ten sins for one wrong action. One sin is written as one only, but the reward for good may be tenfold, a thousandfold, even ten thousandfold. The door of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla is open.

Therefore, when we do anything, let it be for the sake of Allāh ﷻ. You may say, “This one did evil, that one did evil. I want to do the same. Look at him now, he succeeded,” and then you do the same. You may succeed once, twice, even a thousand times.

You may not be caught now, but you will be caught in the Hereafter, and even in this world it will bring you no true benefit. Do not rejoice in not being caught. Do not think, “I won.” His evil will reach him both in this world and in the next. Indeed, such a person will find neither rest, nor comfort, nor peace.

Therefore, as we said, let everything be for the sake of Allāh ﷻ and as Allāh ﷻ wants. Let us not stray from His ﷻ way. His ﷻ way is the right path. We have nowhere else to go and no other way. The way of Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla is salvation. Any other way leads to destruction. A person is destroyed by it, and there is no benefit in it. There is no escape for him.

Let’s say that in dunyā you engage in fraud, you steal, you go to a different country, to another city, to another distant place, thinking that people will not see you there. Let’s say that you have escaped in dunyā. There is no such thing in ākhirah. You have nowhere else to escape. You have no refuge. You can only seek refuge in the forgiveness of Allāh Azza wa Jalla. If you seek refuge in the mercy and compassion of Allāh Azza wa Jalla and return to His way, Allāh ﷻ will forgive you and protect you.

That is why the worst part of this world is this. As we said, when people see others, they assume their actions are a success and say, “I will strive to do as they do.” Many have been destroyed and ruined through this. They eventually realise that this world has brought them no benefit. But when? They see it later. They regret it later. Then, after everything is over, they have to start over.

Allāh ‘Azza wa-Jalla often gives people one worldly opportunity. You shouldn’t lose that opportunity. Allāh ﷻ has opened doors of goodness for you, doors of sustenance. He ﷻ has given you a good life, a family. It’s usually something you only get once. If you miss it once, you won’t get another.

Now, shukr to Allāh ﷻ, we’re approaching seventy. With what we’ve seen so far, rarely is a person given a second chance. Rarely is one given another chance. Therefore, we must recognize it, appreciate it, cherish it, and not lose it. If we lose it, it’s difficult to regain it a second time.

Therefore, we must be careful. You shouldn’t be cheated by shayṭān, you shouldn’t be cheated by your ego. In old times, they used to say, “A little food, a painless (headache-free) life.” You live a good life with your family and so, don’t be too greedy.

Don’t venture into unknown places and paths, thinking, “I’ll earn this, I’ll earn that.” “This one did so and won, so I will.” He won; a thousand people don’t win, only one. Therefore, don’t engage in such things. Be content, just like everyone else earns. Be with Allāh ﷻ. That is your greatest gain.

We’re saying it here for the second time. Hacı Anne used to say, “Luck is a one-eyed thing; its gaze is directed upwards.” It lifts you up, rising higher and higher. Only then does it look down. If it’s good, it’s good; if it’s not good, it suddenly knocks you down, and there is no good left.

Therefore, be careful. Don’t be greedy. Do not be fooled by the words of this or that. Because today people have forgotten everything, saying, “Let me earn more money, more money, more money,” and in doing so they give away what they already have. After that, they are left with nothing but regret.

These favors are favors that Allāh ﷻ has bestowed upon you. Favors given to you by Allāh ﷻ. Don’t lose those favors. Be careful. One day you will be asked, “What did you do with these favors? You were given so much.” You’ll be asked, “What did you do with it? How did it go into the ḥarām? How did you lose it? Where did you spend the sustenance of your family and children?” May Allāh ﷻ protect you.

This is important here, and important for everyone. Shukr to Allāh ﷻ, such tools and devices exist. They are used today for many evil purposes. All kinds of filth and deception are carried out through them. But shukr to Allāh ﷻ, even a small piece of advice given through them becomes a means of goodness.

Let it be a wake-up call. This is for the religious and the non-religious, for everyone. Whether they pray or not, they should listen to this advice. Because people lack contentment. There is no satisfaction, no gratitude. There is no appreciation for what is given, no recognition of the favors bestowed.

May Allāh ﷻ protect us. May Allāh ﷻ never separate us from the way, in shā’a Llāh. May Allāh ﷻ be pleased with you. Wa min Allāh at-Tawfiq.

Al-Fatiha.

•⁠ ⁠Mawlana Sheikh Muhammad Adil ar-Rabbaniق

01 December 2025/ 10 Jumada Al-Thani 1447

Antalya Dergah, Southern Türkiye

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