From Reverence to Wonder

Süleyman Ragıp Yazıcılar continues the elegant style and profound narrative we saw in "Baht Meselesi" and "İnsan Mesafedir" with his new book, "Hürmetten Hayrete."

As we try to understand what is happening through the bewilderment and wonder of a newborn child, our witnessing of this effort turns, in a sense, into a feast of literature.

Between the lines, we often encounter our own questions, our search for meaning, our suspicions—in short, our own stories.

The author's fourth book, Hürmetten Hayrete, reminds us of what is most precious in the modern world while asserting that "the abundance of life lies in a lack of calculation."

Hürmetten Hayrete shows, in the measure of reverence and wonder, how many values the ordinary flow of daily life holds for someone seeking meaning, and how many signs are given to those who wish to find their way.

Finally, these lines from the preface serve as an answer to the question of "why reverence and what kind of wonder":

In the shadow of the enchanting effect of words, I will try, as much as my strength allows, to knock on the door of transcendence and to escape the confinement between heaven and earth.

I will share with you many events filtered through ordinary life, but I will also want you to feel that love, wonder, and reverence accompany these lines like a sweet background melody, because in many of these pieces, that background melody saddened me, thrilled me, and made my heart tremble; I hope I succeed in making you hear what I have heard.

The word "reverence" has a great place in my heart; it is one of the unique flowers I always want to see blooming there. When we approach existence with respect, kindness, and understanding, the world smiles at us as if it is revealing its secret. The universe stands ready, as if waiting to display miracles to those who show humility, decency, and refinement before every created being. It is heralded everywhere that for even a little reverence, as a divine measure, countless graces will be bestowed.

As for the word "wonder," it carries me away; it fills my eyes with light and my heart with joy. I am amazed at myself, at what I live through, at what is happening, at existence, at everything. It is a tearful consistency of wonder, accompanied by helplessness and nothingness, where words fall silent; when I am caught in this state, I celebrate, wandering the world with a breeze of ecstasy. You might call it a bit of madness or a bit of childhood; free from the blame of those who condemn, you try to "find, become, and attain" with endless supplication and prayer, albeit clumsily. Your companions become love, good intentions, sadness, and the effort to understand. You quietly listen to what that Unique Beloved is saying; you watch in wonder at what that Powerful and Surprise-Filled Divine, who is in a constant state of manifestation, is doing.

Reverence and wonder are among the unique beauties that must bloom in our hearts against pessimism, meaninglessness, evil, and negativity.

Reverence and wonder are among the mysterious gems that carry a person toward a thousand hopes and beauties in the face of those who claim life is aimless.

When the sun of reverence and wonder rises, many dark corners in our hearts will illuminate on their own, our lives will become colorful, our inner worlds will find relief, and we will attain peace.

We all carry a "soul" from God; our existence is intertwined with enigmas and full of surprises. We watch the world, hunting for meaning until our last breath.

I wish for a heart full of reverence and a gaze full of wonder from God, first for myself, then for all my loved ones, for you, and for everyone.

How happy are we if our steps reach even further under the guidance of reverence and wonder, and if our share of the love of God (muhabbetullah) and the knowledge of God (marifetullah) is plentiful.

With love, transcendence, affection, and meaning.