Page 82 - Sincerity Described in the Qur'an

AVOIDING ATTITUDES

HARMING SINCERITY

n previous chapters, we underlined the characteristics
that anyone wishing to acquire sincerity should
I possess. To this end, the second important issue is to
purify oneself from all manners of thinking "impeding
sincerity" or "totally obfuscating sincerity." Hence, as
Bediuzzaman Said Nursi stressed, by saying "My brothers!
There are many obstacles before great works of good. Satans put up
a powerful struggle against those who assist those works. One has
to rely on the strength of sincerity in the face of these obstacles and
satans. You should avoid things which harm sincerity the same as
you avoid snakes and scorpions. In accordance with the words of
Joseph (as),"Nor do I absolve my own self [of blame]; the
[human] soul is certainly prone to evil, unless my Sustainer
do bestow His mercy," (Surah Yusuf: 53) the evil-commanding
soul should not be relied on. Do not let egotism and the soul deceive
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you!" , the devil is the enemy of those aiming at acquiring
sincerity and attaining true genuineness. He wants to lead
them astray, and to interfere with their sincerity by
encouraging the evil penchants of their souls. Against these
determined efforts the devil, any true believer should take
the morality of the Prophet Yusuf (as) as a model. He doesn’t