is the mark of the loyal and faithful. Because the dissemblers want to destroy the solidarity of brothers in such situations and spoil their good opinions of each other, they say: “See, those you think so highly of are common, ordinary people.” Anyway, we have suffered much in this calamity, but since it is a matter concerning the whole world of Islam, it is very cheap and of high value. Due to their being politics of religion or for other reasons, similar events have not been of concern for the whole Islamic world.

* * *

Since the strange signature at the beginning of the printed edition of the Old Said’s work Lemeât coincides with little change with my present circumstances and exactly with my seventy-second year, I have included it here. If you consider it suitable, you can add it to the end of the defences in place of a signature, and to the Fruits and the short letters. That strange signature consists of the following three and a half lines:

The Supplicant

My demolished grave in which are heaped up sixty-nine dead Said’s with his sins and sorrows.

The seventieth is a gravestone to a grave; altogether they weep at Islam’s decline.

I have hope that the skies of the future and Asia will together surrender to Islam’s clean, shining hand,

For it promises the prosperity of belief; it affords peace and security to mankind.

* * *

My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

The reason for the supreme importance I give your solidarity is not only because of its advantages for us and the Risale-i Nur, but for the mass of believers who are not within the sphere of certain, verified belief, and are much need of a point of support and a truth which a community unshaken by events finds certain. Since it is an authority, a guide, a proof, which is unfearing, unflinching,