them. For each has come in place of perhaps a thousand of our innocent brothers, saving them to an extent from trouble. Moreover, together with continuing to serve belief, they are performing a huge service in a short time, like doing a hundred year’s work in ten years. Also, they are embarking on this exacting struggle and the trial of this new ‘School of Joseph,’ in order to have a active share in its universal, far-reaching and valuable consequences. They are also meeting with their loyal, sincere brothers without difficulty, whom they were eager to see, and they are studying together. Since the easy times in this world do not continue and go for nothing, surely the people who make high gains with such little trouble should be congratulated.

My brothers! This widespread attack is against the Risale-i Nur’s conquests. But they have understood that the more the Risale-i Nur is attacked, the more brilliantly it shines; the circle of those it teaches is expanded and gains in importance; it is not defeated; it only slips behind the veil of sirran tanawwarat.67 For this reason they have changed their tactics and no longer attack the Risale-i Nur openly. But Divine favour overspreads us, so we should offer thanks in perfect patience.

***

In His Name, be He glorified!

My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

It has become necessary to explain two of my strange and subtle states of mind.

The First: When, being in solitary confinement, I was unable to meet with my brothers such as yourselves, whom I love more than my life, it was imparted to me that there was a Divine favour and a benefit in this. For numerous of our brothers of the hereafter were spending fifty liras coming to Emirdag to see me, for fifty minutes, some for ten minutes, and some returned without seeing me at all, and these they would have thrown into this School of Joseph on some pretext. Even if with my little available time and the state of mind