Biography of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi | PART ONE - The Old Said | 32
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· Mardin
Besides his continuing success in scholarly debate, and in all his contests with the Mardin ulema, Molla Said's stay in Mardin was significant in several other respects. But firstly an anecdote which illustrates Said's characteristic daring and courage.
While in Mardin, Molla Said stayed as a guest in the house of Seyh Eyyub Ensari, a descendant of the Prophet Eyyub [Job], and began to teach in the Sehide Mosque, answering the questions of all those who came to visit him. One of the notables of the town, Huseyin Celebi Pasa, was so impressed by Said's knowledge and skill at debating that he offered him numerous gifts. But in keeping with his usual practice, Said refused them all, except for a good quality rifle, called a Shishhane.
One day, Molla Said went out with a friend named Kasim, and suggested they climb the minaret of the Ulu Mosque to see the view. They went and climbed it. Then Molla Said suddenly jumped up onto the parapet of the gallery of the minaret. which was only about four centimetres in width. There he spread his arms wide and started to walk round the minaret. Kasim shut his eyes out of fear. Appearing from round the other side of the minaret, Said shouted out: "Kasim! Kasim! Come on, Iet's walk round together!" But shaking at the knees,. Kasim descended the minaret and joined the people who had gathered to watch from below, wondering at the boldness of this intrepid young molla.
It was at his time. however, that Molla Said was, in his own words, "awakened" politically. and became aware of the wider issues facing the Islamic world. in a work entitled, Munazarat, The Debates, first published in 1913, Bediuzzaman wrote: "Sixteen years before the [Constitutional] Revolution [of 1908], I encountered in the region of Mardin a person who guided me to the truth; he showed me the just and equitable way in polities. Also at that time, I was awakened by the Famous Kemal's Dream."
The 'Famous Kemal' mentioned here is Namik Kemal, one of the leading figures of the 19th century Young Ottoman Movement,
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Biography of Bediüzzaman Said Nursi