and, praise be to God, by means of the Risale-i Nur, this province of Isparta has gained in respect of strength of belief and firmness in religion a degree of blessedness resembling the blessedness of Damascus in former times and of al-Azhar in Egypt; and the Risale-i Nur has made the power of belief prevail over  indifference and the desire to worship prevail over vice in the province, and has made it  more religious than any other province. Since this is the case, all its people, even supposing  they are irreligious, are obliged to defend me and the Risale-i Nur. While they have such important rights of defence, my unimportant right does not drive me to defend myself now that I, lacking all power, have completed my duty and, thanks be to God, thousands of students have worked and are working in my place. Someone with so many thousands of advocates does not defend his own case.

SECOND INDICATION

The answer to a critical question.

‘The worldly’ ask: “Why are you angry with us? You have not made application to us  even once, and are silent. You complain about us bitterly, saying that we are unjust  towards  you.  But we  have our principles,  we  have our particular  rules as demanded by the times, and you do not accept that they should be applied to you. The person who applies the law is not a tyrant, and the person who does not accept the law is rebellious. For instance, in this age of freedom and new republican era which we have inaugurated, the principle – on the basis of equality – of abolishing oppression and subjugation of others is as though our fundamental law. However, it is understood from your open behaviour and your adventurous life in the former period that whether by assuming the position of hoja or of being an ascetic, you try to draw the public gaze on yourself and attract attention, so to secure a power and social position outside the government’s influence. This may appear desirable within – according to current terminology – the despotic tyranny of the bourgeouisie. But since the principles of pure   socialism  and  bolshevism,  which  have  emerged  with  the  awakening  and ascendancy of the common people, are more conformable with our interests, we have accepted them, and your position is disagreeable to us; it opposes our principles. For this reason you do not have the right to complain about or be angry at the distress we cause you.”

T h e  A n s w e r : If someone who opens up a new way in the life of human society does not act in conformity with the natural laws in force in the universe, he cannot be successful in beneficial works and in progress. All his acts come to serve the interests of evil and destruction.

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