panicky, all of which spring from egotism, with their self-possession and their steadfastness and peace of mind, they have exonerated the Risale-i Nur students and demonstrated their moral strength in the face of atheism. May Almighty God make the true dignity and heroism within their utter humility and self-abasement spread to all our brothers. Amen!
* * *
My Brothers!
A fearful egotism arising from heedlessness and love of this world rules at this time. The people of reality, therefore, have to give up egotism and selfishness, even if it is in a licit form. Since the Risale-i Nur students dissolve their egotism, which is an ice-block, in the joint pool of their collective personality, they will not be shaken by this storm, God willing. Yes, a well-tried method of the dissemblers is to collect together people who are all like officers and judges, concerning some common question in constraining places which make them stand-offish, and irritable and critical of each other; stirring them up so they fight among themselves, they destroy their morale. The dissemblers then easily deal blows at those who have lost their strength, and kill them. Since the Risale-i Nur students have taken the way of love and brotherhood and ‘annihilation in the brothers,’ God willing, they will foil this well-tried, divisive stratagem.
My Dear, Loyal Brothers!
One time, a shaykh had so many followers the Government became anxious regarding its political implications and wanted to scatter his community. The shaykh told the Government: “I only have one and a half followers. No others. If you like we can put it to the test.” So he had a tent pitched somewhere and gathered together all his thousands of followers there. He told them: “I am going to put you to the test. Whoever is my disciple and complies with my command will go to heaven.” He summoned them into the tent one by one. He had a sheep slaughtered secretly, as though he had killed his favourite disciple and sent him to Paradise. When the thousands of followers saw the blood, they no longer obeyed the shaykh and started to denounce him. Only one man said “May I be sacrificed for you,” and went to him. Then a woman went to him too, and the rest dispersed. The shaykh told the government men: “Now you have seen for yourselves that I only have one and a half followers.”
Endless thanks be to Almighty God that in the test and trial of Eski