apparently pious people. We must preserve our unity and solidarity in the face of them, and not bother with them or argue with them.

S a i d N u r s i

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My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

It was disclosed to me this morning before dawn that the real reason for this extensive and significant aggression against us is not the Fifth Ray, but the Hizb al-Nuri, and The Key To Belief, and Hüccetü’l-Baliga (The Eloquent Proof).30 I read part of the Hizb al-Nuri carefully, and thought of The Key To Belief, and I understood that the atheists had put forward the Fifth Ray, which has a slight connection with politics, as the apparent reason, because they could not defend their way of absolute disbelief against the blows of these two keen swords. So they deceived the Government, making it move against us. It occurred to me at the same time that if some of our weak brothers temporarily give up, they might be able to save themselves from this calamity, and I wanted to give them permission. Suddenly it was imparted to me that those who are closely concerned and have twice been put to this test and in return have suffered so much hardship, would not then give it up in a heartfelt way that was both harmful and without benefit, but might possibly apparently hold back just to deceive them. It would otherwise cause harm both to himself, and to us, and to our sacred way, and as a penalty, the person would receive a blow contrary to his intentions.

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My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

Certainly according to the degree of their being the cause of this imprisonment, which is more distressing and colder than other places, those who are suffering its hardships will feel inclined to escape them. But since the certain, verified belief that the Risale-i Nur —its apparent cause— gains for those who suffer these hardships,