At the start of the Islamic new year 1446 AH, Ayberk Efendi reminded believers that modern comforts must never make us forget the limits set by the Divine. He called on every heart to awaken from pride, arrogance and the illusion of control that technology and material wealth can create.
The Danger of Overstepping Divine Limits
Ayberk Efendi warned that humanity today often believes it can command nature itself, stopping the rain or producing abundance at will, yet we have no true power over creation. Allah alone creates from nothing, and He alone dissolves what exists. No amount of metal, wire or sophisticated devices gives us the authority to defy Him. When people flaunt their possessions and compete with one another, they are in fact challenging God.
He recounted the account of the Night of Ascension: when the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah not to send a severe punishment from the heavens, Allah answered that He would instead bring a trial from the earth, and even then, out of mercy for His beloved Messenger, its severity was lessened. Yet, Ayberk Efendi stressed, the community will inevitably overstep its limits, and when that happens divine correction will come, not as an outer storm but as an inner fire that purifies and disciplines.
A Humble Entrance into the New Hijri Year
The khutbah closed with an invitation to treat the arrival of 1446 AH as a spiritual priority rather than a passing excitement like a football match. Ayberk Efendi urged believers to align their hearts with the purpose of the Islamic calendar and to let the remembrance of Allah and the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ shape their enthusiasm, and he asked each person to guard against drawing God’s wrath upon themselves through arrogance or neglect.
In this spirit of renewal, the Royal Ottoman Society invites all who are moved by these words to join our live gatherings, where we explore such teachings together and support one another on the Sufi path. You can find the schedule and register here: https://royalottomans.com/live-meetings. May this new year bring humility, awareness of our limits and closeness to the Divine for all believers.
