A S e c o n d E x a m p l e : Someone I did not know and still do not know, lent his horse so that I could go out for a ride. I used to go out most days for a couple of hours in the summer, for my illness and to take some air. I had given my word that I would give the owner of the horse and phaeton books worth fifty liras, so as not to break my rule and become indebted to him. Could any harm come of such a thing? But then both the Governor, and the court officials, and the police questioned us fifty times about the horse’s owner. As though it were some important political event affecting public security! One person even said loyally that the horse was his and another, that the phaeton was his, in order to put a stop to this meaningless questioning, and they were both arrested together with me. We watched numerous childish escapades like these two examples and laughed till we cried. And we understood that those who attack the Risale-i Nur and its students make fools of themselves.
An amusing incident from among those examples: the reason given on the paper authorizing my arrest was “disturbing public order.” Not having seen the document, I told the public prosecutor: “I slandered you last night. I said to a police officer who was questioning me for the Police Chief: ‘If I haven’t served this country’s public security as much as a thousand public prosecutors and a thousand police chiefs – three times – may God damn me!’”
Just at that point, when in those freezing conditions I was in most need of rest and not catching cold and not thinking of the world, I was overcome with anger and vexation at those who had sent me into this intolerable exile, isolation, imprisonment, and oppression, in a way that spelt out their hatred and ill-intentions. Divine grace came to my assistance, and the following was imparted to my heart:
“Divine determining, which is pure justice, has a large part in the wrongful oppression which these people are inflicting on you. You have food to eat in this prison; that sustenance of yours called you here. It should be met with contentment and resignation. Dominical wisdom and mercy have a large part, which is to illuminate those in this prison and console them, and to gain you reward. This share should be met with endless thanks and patience. Your soul has a part in it, due to its faults which you did not know about. In the face of this, you should tell your soul by repenting and seeking forgiveness that it deserved this blow. Some of your secret enemies have a part in it, with their intrigues and deceiving certain ingenuous and suspicious officials and inciting them to such oppression. In the face of this share, the terrible immaterial blows dealt by the Risale-i Nur on those dissemblers have avenged you completely. That is enough for them. The final