due to your unbelief, is a non-existent, black, dead, and desolate wasteland. And since the heads of the unfortunates who appear from there, sticking them out into existence while stopping by in the present, are struck off by the executioner's sword of the appointed hour and thrown into non-existence, it continuously rains down grievous worries on your unbelieving head due to the concern of your intellect, completely overturning your petty, dissolute pleasure.

If you give up vice and misguidance and enter the sphere of certain, affirmative belief [^4] and righteousness, you will see through the light of belief that the past is not non-existent and a graveyard that rots everything, but an existent, light-filled world which is transformed into the future and into a waiting-room for the immortal spirits who will enter palaces of bliss in the future. Since it appears thus, it affords not pain, but according to the strength of belief, a sort of paradaisical pleasure. The future, too, appears to the eye of belief not as a dark wasteland, but where banquets and exhibitions of gifts have been set up in palaces of everlasting bliss by the Most Merciful and Compassionate One of Glory and Bestowal, whose mercy and munificence are infinite and who makes the spring and summer into tables laden with bounties. Since the person observes this on the cinema screen of belief, he knows he will be despatched there, he may experience the pleasures of the eternal realm. All may do this according to their degree. That is to say, true, painfree pleasure is found only in belief in God, and is possible only through faith.

[^4]:According to Bediuzzaman, the aim of the Risale-i Nur is to gain for its readers 'certain, affirmative belief' (iman-ı tahkikî). This has been defined as: "To acquire certain knowledge of all questions related to belief through close investigation, and to live that belief… Firm, unshakeable belief." See, Abdullah Yeğin, Yeni Lugat (3rd. edn.) (Istanbul: 1975), 271.

Since it is related to our discussion, we shall explain here by means of a comparison that is included in A Guide for Youth as a footnote, one single benefit and pleasure out of the thousands that belief produces in this world too. It is as follows:

For example, your beloved only child is suffering the pangs of death and you are thinking despairingly that you will be eternally parted from him when suddenly a doctor like Khidr or Luqman the Wise arrives with a wondrous medicine. Your lovely, lovable child opens his eyes, delivered from death. You can understand what joy and happiness it would give you.

Now, like the child, millions of people whom you earnestly love and are concerned for are — in your view — rotting in the graveyard of the past and are about to be annihilated when suddenly the reality of belief, like Luqman the Wise, shines a light from the window of heart onto the graveyard,