While thinking of passing Ramadan tranquilly, in forgetfulness of the world, this unimaginable and completely unendurable episode befell us, yet I observed that it was pure grace both for me, and for the Risale-i Nur, and for you and our Ramadan, and our brotherhood. I shall describe only two or three of its many benefits for myself.

One of them: The intense excitement, seriousness, entreating and seeking refuge with God I experienced overcame a serious illness, and made me work in Ramadan.

The Second: I had a powerful desire to see all of you this year and be near you. I would have agreed to the difficulties I have suffered to see only one of you and to come to Isparta.

The Third: In an extraordinary way, all the painful circumstances both in Kastamonu, and on the way here, and here, suddenly change, and contrary to what I hoped and desired a hand of grace is apparent, making one exclaim: “Good is in what God chooses.” What made me realize this most was that the most heedless and high-ranking persons are being made to read the Risale-i Nur with careful attention, opening up new fields for its triumphs. I was suffering all the pains and regrets of everyone else as well as my own, but then since this calamity increased the hundred merits of each hour’s worship to a thousand —for the blessed month of Ramadan makes each hour the equivalent of a hundred hours— my pity and sorrow for sincere people like you who have learnt thoroughly the lessons of the Risale-i Nur, so know that this is a fleeting place of trade, who sacrifice everything for their belief and lives in the hereafter, and believe that the transient hardships of this ‘School of Joseph’2 will produce everlasting pleasures and benefits, —my pity and sorrow for you were transformed into congratulations and appreciation and applause at your steadfastness. I declared: “All praise and thanks be to God for all circum-stances other than unbelief and misguidance!”

I am of the opinion that in this respect there are such benefits both for myself, and for our brotherhood, and for the Risale-i Nur, and for our Ramadans, and for you, that if the veil was drawn back,