throughout the Islamic world and had caused a thorough awakening, and had brought about progress in ideas and great changes. This was because it had "showed up the existence of the nation," and in turn, "the luminous jewel of Islam within the shell of nationhood had begun to be manifest." Islam was vibrating, stirring to life. This had made it clear to all Muslims that each was not isolated and disjoined, but connected to all the others through shared interest and fellowfeeling. The whole Islamic world was bound together like a single tribe. This vibrating was also making Muslims aware that they had at their disposal a source of great strength and support. This had given birth to hope, which had revived their morale, previously destroyed by despair.

It may be seen from this why Bediuzzaman was insistent on the present regime, despite the objections that could legitimately be raised concerning the CUP. He answered the uncertainties and objections put to him by the tribesmen, pointing out that it was "the lesser of two evils" and that "if consultation now deviates from the Seriat one finger, formerly it did so one hundred yards." Also through explaining it in this way, he allayed their fears concerning religion, which they had understood to be under threat by the Revolution. On the contrary, constitutionalism was the way to protect Islam. The feeling for Islam and sense of religion which lay behind the public opinion of the nation was a much surer, more effective, and exalted way to protect religion than leaving it to "an unhappy, defeated Sultan, or sycophantic officials, or a few unreasonable policemen."

• Questions on Minority Rights

As is to be expected; the tribesmen asked a number of questions concerning the Armenians, and non-Muslims generally, and the conformity with the Seriat of their gaining equality of rights under the Constitution. Because both of the universal relevance of the matter, and how it further makes plain Bediuzzaman’s enlightened and realistic views, we include a few of the ". main points.