engaged in the sacred service of certain, verified belief,71 have gathered together in the congress of this School of Joseph at the order of Divine Determining, impelled by dominical grace. God willing, numerous valuable, beneficial and significant results will be bestowed in consequence, and that if the leading students have a value of ‘one’ in other places like an alif,72 here coming shoulder to shoulder with three other alifs and meeting with them, they will become one thousand one hundred and eleven, and in consequence of this coming together their value, and God willing, their sacred service and reward, will be a thousandfold; the single alif will become a thousand.

***

In His Name, be He glorified!

My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

The reason they nailed up my window today was my greeting the prisoners in connection with the trial. They apparently made something else the pretext. Don’t be at all anxious. On the contrary, since they are preoccupied with my unimportant person and not causing too much trouble to the Risale-i Nur and its students, I am earnestly and sincerely pleased. Since they are persecuting me by insulting and tormenting my person, it means they are not doing the same to you and the Risale-i Nur, and lessens to an extent their interfering with the Risale-i Nur, so I offer thanks in patience and am not anxious. You too should not be at all upset. I am of the opinion that our covert enemies’ directing the attention of the officials towards my person is an instance of Divine favour and a good thing from the point of view of the well-being of the Risale-i Nur and its students. Certain of our brothers should not become angry and speak sharply. They should act circumspectly and not become alarmed. They also should not speak of this matter to everyone. For there are spies who attach the wrong meanings to