described in a previous chapter, the first writings of the New Said, the Mesnevi-i Nuriye, were "seed-bed" of the Risale-i Nur, so too at this time in Van, some of the `ders's Bediuzzaman gave or subjects he taught were later included in the Risale-i Nur. Another student, Ismail Perihanoğlu, has recorded two instances of this, which we include here:
"...Another day, Molla Resul, Kopanisli Molla Yusuf and I went together with Ustad to Zeve, the people of which had been entirely wiped out in the Armenian massacres. Ustad paused standing, and said:
" `This is the resting-place of martyrs. My brother Molla Ahmed-i Cano lies here also.' And unable to hold back his tears, he wept with great sorrow.
"Molla Ahmed-i Cano had studied with Ustad.
"Later Ustad taught us concerning the levels of life as described in the First Letter. And we afterwards wrote out this `ders' and duplicated it."
On another occasion they climbed to the top of the citadel in Van, and as was Bediuzzaman's practice, he climbed to the very highest point and spread out his prayer-rug there. Looking down on the ruins of his medrese at the foot of the citadel, he spoke of the signs of the end of the world. Then shifting his gaze to Lake Van, he explained the story of Jonah and the whale. He made a comparison of Jonah's situation and that of modem man , and explained how his moral and spiritual state resembles that of Jonah in the belly of the whale. Bediuzzaman later incorporated this into the Risale-i Nur as the First Flash.
Bediuzzaman's absorption in worship has also been commented on by many of those connected with him at this time. His sister-in-law, Rabia, notes that he never slept at night while staying with them, from his room came the continuous sound of prayer and