the Courts of Denizli and Ankara, then they were all returned to us. Since the fact is that, those who accuse myself and the Risale-i Nur students emotionally, maliciously, and unlawfully in the name of the law like him, are accusing before us both Eskişehir Court, and Denizli Court, and Ankara Criminal Court, making them partners in our crime, if there is one. For if we had been guilty, those three or four authorities did not see it despite their close scrutiny or they disregarded it, and two courts did not see it having studied it minutely for two years, or they disregarded it, which makes them more guilty than us. However, if we had had any desire to interfere in the world, it would not have been with the buzzing of a fly, it would have exploded and boomed like a cannon.
Yes, anyone who accuses of political intrigue a person who defended himself vehemently and without restraint in the Military Court after the Thirty-First of March Incident1 and in the Speaker’s Office in the face of Mustafa Kemal’s anger, saying he was hatching his schemes for eighteen years without allowing anyone to detect it, surely does so for some malicious purpose. We are hopeful that like the Denizli public prosecutor, the Afyon public prosecutor will save us from the malice and accusations of such people and demonstrate true justice.
Fifth Principle: A fundamental principle of the Risale-i Nur students is that as far as is possible they do not interfere in politics, or matters of administration, or government activities, because for them, working seriously for the Qur’an is worth everything, and is sufficient.
Also, no one who enters politics, among the overwhelming currents that now prevail, can preserve his independence and sincerity. He is bound to become subject to one of the currents, and it will exploit him for worldly ends. It will corrupt the sacredness of his duty. Also, in the material struggle, due to the utter tyranny and despotism that is the rule this century, he would have to crush numerous innocent supporters of a person because of the error that person had made. He would otherwise be defeated. It would also seem in the view of those who had given up their religion for the world, or who exploited it, that the Qur’an’s sacred truths, which can be the tool of nothing, were being exploited for political propaganda. Also, every class of people, supporters and opposers, officials and common people, should have a share of those truths and all are in need of them. The Risale-i Nur students have therefore to avoid politics and the material struggle completely, and not be in any way involved in them, so that they may remain completely impartial.
The name given the revolt which broke out in the army in Istanbul in 1909 and resulted in the dethronement of Sultan ‘Abdulhamid. Despite playing a pacifying role, Bediuzzaman was arrested following the revolt along with many others and tried, but was acquitted. [Tr.]