In this sohbet, Ayberk Efendi invites us to contemplate a timeless truth: the world often feels like a narrow cell, and our own ego-driven desires are the bars that keep us confined. Beginning with Bismillahirrahmanirrahim – “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” – he reminds us that every sincere request for what is good opens a door toward freedom.
Modern people, especially in the twenty-first century, have become trapped by selfishness and endless longing. When someone says “I am bored”, “I feel cramped” or “I am anxious”, these words already name an inner prison. The confinement is not merely physical; it is a state of mind that convinces us we are free while we remain bound by our own expectations.
To show that this can be overcome, he recounts the story of Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him). Although Yusuf spent years in an Egyptian dungeon, his inner world remained vast, because he knew his true destination lay beyond the walls. Adam’s first steps on earth are described as a moment of complete sovereignty: Adam believed the whole world belonged to him, until another “owner” appeared and a conflict over boundaries began. Clinging to ownership and comparison, these stories show, invites endless struggle.
A central theme is the danger of endless expectation. We keep seeking larger plots of land, bigger houses and more possessions; each promises relief, yet only tightens the bars. Ayberk Efendi urges us instead to practise kanaat (contentment), a hidden treasure that dissolves the craving for more. When we accept what Allah has already given and widen our hearts rather than our property, the prison walls begin to fade.
The way out begins inside. Beyond the material “prisons”, we are encouraged to seek an inner guide – like a navigator pointing to the “gate of exit” from the illusion of this world. By widening our hearts, letting go of egoic competition and anchoring ourselves in divine remembrance, we step onto a path that leads out of both outer and inner confinement.
May each of us find the courage to break out of our inner prisons and walk toward true freedom.
For further study, the Society’s digital library offers related talks and writings: Royal Ottoman Library.
