Biography of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi | PART ONE - The Old Said | 26
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While here, his younger brother, Mehmed, used to bring Said's food each day. And Said, dipping his bread in the soup would eat it and give the crumbs to the ants around the building. When asked the reason for this, he would say:
"I have observed that they have a social life, and work together diligently and conscientiously, and I want to help them as a reward for their republicanism."
Although it was not until subsequently to this, in Mardin as we shall see, that Said stated that he was first "awakened politically", it is clear from this story of the ants that he had already at this stage acquired the beliefs in this regard that he would adhere to throughout his life. Since these are described below and in detail in a later chapter, suffice it to say here that the basis of his political ideas, based on Islamic practice as is clear the footnote below, was a system based on the principles of freedom, justice, consultation, and the rule of law.
It was also while he was in Tillo that Molla Said had the dream in response to which he first started to work among the tribes as a conciliator and man of religion generally. He dreamt that Seyh Abdulkadir Geylani appeared to him and ordered him to go to Mustafa Pasa, the head of the Miran tribe, "and summon him to the way of guidance." He was to desist from oppression, perform the obligatory prayers, and enjoin what was lawful. Otherwise Said was to kill him.
This was a challenging task for Molla Said, who can still have been little more than sixteen years old. For the Miran tribe was powerful and numerous, and despite being a commander in one of
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Biography of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi