What is investigative belief?
What is investigative belief?
Belief based on evidence and research
Investigative belief: The people with this belief see the divine signs and seals on all creatures. They read the divine names and attributes manifest on them. They hear the glorifications uttered by the creatures with their tongue of disposition. They listen to their witnessing about the existence and oneness of Allah Almighty and the other truths of belief. That is, when they look at a flower, they find evidences of the six truths of belief in it. They prove the existence of the hereafter and angels, and the other truths of belief. The truths of belief are not in their minds only. They have penetrated into their hearts, spirits and other faculties. They have an unshakable belief in this respect.
That is, the people with this belief see Allah's seal on all creatures and read His names and attributes. They look at one flower and read the names al-Musawwir (the Shaper of Beauty), al-Mujammil (the Adorner), al-Muzayyin (the Decorator), al-Bari (the Maker of Order) and al-Hakim(the Perfectly Wise) in its design. They think about the names ar-Rahman (the All Merciful), al-Karim (the Generous), al-Wahhab (the Giver of All), al-Muqit (the Nourisher), al-Mun’im (the Provider of Bounties), ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer) and al-Mujib (the Responder to Prayers) when they see the sustenance given to them perfectly. They see the name al-Muhyi (the Giver of Life), in the life given to them, al-Hafiz (the Preserver) in the preservation of their programs in their seeds, al-Mulawwin (the Giver of Color) in their coloration al-Wahid (the Unique), al-Ahad (the One), al-Fard (the Single) in their resemblance to the other flowers, al-Khaliq (the Creator), al-Mujid (the Inventor) in their creation, al-Falik (the Ripper) and al-Fattah (the Opener) in their ripping the seeds and coming out, etc. They read one thousand one divine names in each creature. According to the people with this belief, every creature is a divine poem, letter and book. One thousand and one divine names were written in that book and sent to this world for meditation.
If we get rid of imitative belief and proceed to investigative belief, even our words will change. The reflection of belief will penetrate into our words. Then, we will know that rain does not come down, it is made come down. The sun does not rotate; it is made rotate. A bird or a flower is not beautiful; they have been created beautifully. We are not full up; we are made full. We do not drink; we are made drink. We do not get well; we are made get well. This is the reflection of the real oneness on words.
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi explains the difference between imitative belief and investigative belief through an example as follows:
If the goods of a rich man arrive in a market or a town, there are two ways in which it is known they are his. One is briefly and simply, as with ordinary people, which is: No one apart from him is capable of owning this vast amount of goods. However, when under the supervision of a common man such as that much of it may be stolen. Many others may claim ownership of parts of it. The second sort is this: through reading his writing on every packet, recognizing his signature on every roll, and seeing his seal on every bill, the man declares: "Everything belongs to that person."
The market in the example is this realm and the universe. The various goods in the market are the living and non-living things in the world. The being whose goods arrive in the market is Allah Almighty. He sent unlimited number of things from animals, plants and non-living things to the market of this world. A person with imitative belief thinks as follows: It is not possible for any being except Allah to create this immense universe and the adorned works in it. However, this person can have a doubt since he cannot see the seal and stamp of Allah Almighty on them. Thieves like unconscious nature, blind force and vagrant coincidence can steal some goods. That is, they may make him attribute some things to a being other than Allah.
Such a danger is not in question for a person with investigative belief. For, he sees the divine seal and signature present on each being in the market of the realm. Since he attributes each being to Allah Almighty with evidences, even the smallest theft is not possible. For, he sees fifty-five different divine seals on the wing of a fly. Who dares to erase those seals and to stamp his own seal? Or, who dares to cover those seals?
Our aim is not to show the divine signatures and seals on the beings; our aim is to show the differences between investigative belief and imitative belief; so, we will not explain the seals. Therefore, we refer those who want to learn about the fifty-five seals mentioned above to Nursi's booklet called “Katre” (Droplet) and the work explaining the beautiful names of Allah called "Everything is telling about Him".
However, a person with imitative belief is unaware of the fifty-five seals stamped on even the simplest thing. He cannot read the divine writings. Therefore, a person who shows him the wrong and fake seal on a being can persuade him and introduce himself as its owner. He may divide Allah Almighty's possessions among thieves and accepts fictitious partners.
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