Journey to Noble Ideals

Journey to Noble Ideals is a compilation of speeches Gülen delivered in Pennsylvania, USA, between 2012 and 2013. The book provides guidelines to build our individual ladders to self-discovery. In Gülen's prescription, climbing this ladder requires "lifelong contentedness," "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, Gülen speaks of preserving one's "chastity of thoughts" but not lagging behind, and instead soaring across the "horizons of spiritual knowledge." For Gülen, a healthy society is built on a "happy marriage," observing the "rights of neighbors," "sound reason," "retreats to read," 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. "My cause!" cried out Bediüzzaman when he tripped over a rock and fell off the high bluff of the Van Castle where had gone on a meditative retreat. Miraculously, after a some-what physically impossible death-defying tumble, Bediü zzaman (d. 1960), one of the most notable Islamic scholars of 20th century Turkey, landed at the mouth of another cave only three meters below. Still, it is remarkable that in a moment when death appeared so imminent, he remembered his "cause." What would make him do this? Would you be able to do the same? Do you have such a cause in your life? Do you have a purpose in your life? A purpose, not in the sense of achiev- ing career goals, obtaining the power boat you have always wanted to own, or seeing your team break its losing streak to nab the championship title, but something deeper, something higher. What is that lifetime dream or the inner call hidden deep in your heart that would make you feel complete if it were to come true? If you do not have such a cause, or even if you have never thought about it, do not worry: you are among the overwhelming majorityor maybe you should worry, for it shows you live only for each day. This book aims to raise awareness about that call. It is an awareness of an inner cravingwhether we are aware of it or notthat is always right inside our chest. It is a permanent call, which we ignore more often than not, or work hard to suppress and turn away from. Whatever achievements we might attain in this life are unable to respond to it fully, for ephemeral things are unable to satisfy a permanent drive. Can you hear that call? Can you decipher its message? It would seem that a lack of a well-established and worthwhile purpose lies at the very heart of many of the personal and social problems we face today. Graduating from college, deciding on a career, finding a job, traveling around the world... These are human conditions and short term goals, changing and evolving as we grow, and after each one is attained, we ask ourselves "Now what?" We are born into this world, grow from a child into a young man or woman, a college student, a professional, a father or a mother, an older person, and then we die And then what? What is the meaning of this universe, and then what comes after it? Pursuing a dream or an ideal is necessary for a meaningful life, but it begs the question about the nature of this ideal. Hitler had an ideal too, and he devoted his life to what he called "My Struggle" (Mein Kampf). Genghis Khan's great ambition was to conquer the world; he believed he'd been sent to be "God's punishment" over mankind for their sins. On the other hand, you have the example of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, who did not hesitate even for a