Journey to Noble Ideals

Droplets of Wisdom from the Heart

M. Fethullah Gülen, Korkut Altay

• Publisher: Tughra Books
• Year: 2014
• eBook ISBN:
  9781597848756
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Islamic Theology

Journey to Noble Ideals is a compilation of speeches Fethullah Gulen delivered in Pennsylvania, USA, between 2012 and 2013. The book provides guidelines to build our individual ladders to self-discovery. In Gulen's prescription, climbing this ladder requires "lifelong contendedness, " "a spirit of chivalry, " "becoming soil to grow roses, " "balance and moderation, " "being self-critical, " "not to be dizzy with worldly pleasures, " and "sincerity of intention." Nourished from a millennium old accumulation of knowledge and tradition, Gulen speaks of preserving one's "chastity of thoughts" but not lagging behind, and instead soaring across the "horizons of spiritual knowledge." For Gulen, a healthy society is built on a "happy marriage, " observing the "rights of neighbors, " "sound reason, " and "asking for forgiveness." Above all, his faith rests on a firm belief that "God is sufficient" for all.This work will be a source of inspiration for all the travelers' journeying to noble ideals.

Table of contents

• Journey ToNoble Ideals
• Preface
• God Is Sufficient for Us
• The Most Eloquent Invitation for Divine Providence
• Spirit of Chivalry
• The Architects of Thought Who Will Build the Future
• Lifelong Contentedness
• Not Inclining Towards Those Who Do Wrong
• Becoming the Soil for Roses
• Crying of Those with Sad Hearts
• Balance and Moderation
• Exaggerated Compliments
• Enemies of a Happy Marriage
• Self-Criticism and Asking Forgiveness from God
• Key Concepts for Interpreting Existence
• Horizons of Spiritual Knowledge
• Those Who Become Dizzy with Worldly Pleasures and Remain Behind
• The Qur’an and Scientific Discoveries
• Transforming Knowledge into Practice
• Rights of Neighbors
• A Social Disease That Paralyzes Sound Reason: Bigotry
• Vigilance against Transgression
• Offhanded Attitudes toward the Sunnah
• The Role of the Spiritual Guide
• Our Era and the Ways Leading to God
• Worldly Means and the Criteria for Planning the Future
• Chastity of Thoughts
• Keeping up Sincerity of Intention and Having a Consciousness of Self-Criticism
• Temporary Retreats in Serene Corners and Reading Sessions
• True-Hearted, but Not a Chauvinist
• The Luminous Spiritual Bonds between Muslims
• Problems Settled within the Individual and Reforming the Society
• Respect for the Sacred
• A Builder of Spirituality: Muhammed Lütfi Efendi, the Imam of Alvar
• In Order Not to Feel Remorse When It Is Too Late
• Saying “I Wish…” in the Sense of Asking Forgiveness
• A Time to Listen to Our Souls: The Three Months
• Asking Forgiveness-1
• Asking Forgiveness-2
• Different Kinds of Tests the Devoted Souls Go Through
• The Carnal Soul, Satan, and Those Who Straddle the Fence
• Essentials for Fruitful Criticism
• Relation of Living on Pure Sustenance and Doing Good Deeds
• Considerations of Eid
• References