Another important section of mankind are the sick, the oppressed, the disaster-stricken like us, the poor and the life prisoners; if belief in the hereafter does not come to their aid, death, of which they are continuously reminded by illness, unavenged wrongs, the arrogant treachery of the oppressor, from whom they cannot save their honour, the terrible despair of having lost their property or children in serious disasters, the distress at having to suffer the torments of prison for five or ten years because of a minute or two, or an hour or two, of pleasure — these surely make the world into a prison for such unfortunates, and life into agonizing torment. But if belief in the hereafter comes to their assistance, they suddenly breathe freely, and according to the degree of their belief, their distress, despair, anxiety, anger, and desire for vengeance abate, sometimes par-tially, sometimes entirely.
I can even say that if belief in the hereafter had not helped me and some of my brothers in this fearsome calamity of our being imprisoned for no reason, to stand it for one day would have been as grievous as death and driven us to resign from life. But endless thanks be to God, despite suffering the distress of my brothers, whom I love as much as my life, as well as my own, in addition to the weeping and sorrow of thousands of copies of the Risale-i Nur and my gilded, decorated, valuable books, which I love as much as my eyes, and although I could never stand the slightest insult or to be dominated, I swear that the light and strength of belief in the hereafter afforded me the patience, endurance, solace, and steadfastness; indeed, it filled me with enthusiasm to gain greater reward in the profitable, instructive exertions of this ordeal, for as I said at the beginning of this treatise, I knew myself to be in a good medrese or school worthy of the title of 'Medrese-i Yusufiye' (School of Joseph). If it were not for the occasional sickness and irritability arising from old age, I would have worked at my lessons even better and with greater ease of mind. However, we have strayed from the subject; I hope it will be forgiven.
Also, everyone's home is a small world for him, and even a small Paradise. If belief in the hereafter is not at the basis of the happiness of that home, the members of the family will suffer anguish and anxiety to the extent of their compassion, love, and attachment. Their paradise will either turn into Hell, or it will numb their minds with amusements and dissipation. Like the ostrich, who sees the hunter but can neither fly nor escape and sticks its head in the sand so as not to be seen, they plunge their heads into heedlessness so that death, decline, and separation do not spot them. They find a way out by temporarily blocking out their feelings in lunatic fashion. Because, for example, the mother trembles constantly at seeing her children, for whom she would sacrifice her soul, exposed to dangers. While the children all the time feel sorrow and fear at being unable to save their father and brother from unceasing calamities. Thus, in the upheavals of this worldly life, the supposedly happy life of the family loses its happiness in many respects, and the relations and closeness in this brief life do not result in true loyalty, heartfelt sincerity, disinterested service and love. Good character declines proportionately, and is even lost. Whereas if belief in the hereafter enters that home, it illuminates it completely, and its members have sincere respect, love, and compassion for each other, are loyal and disregard each other's faults, in the measure not of their relations, closeness, kindness, and love in this brief life, but of their continuation in the realm of the hereafter, in everlasting happiness, and their good character increases accordingly. The happiness of true humanity starts to unfold in that home. Since this too is elucidated with proofs in the Risale-i Nur, we cut this short here.
Towns are also households for their inhabitants. If belief in the hereafter does not govern among the members of that large family vices like malice, self-interest, false pretences, selfishness, artificiality, hypocrisy, bribery, and deception will dominate, displacing sincerity, cordiality, virtue, zeal, self-sacrifice, seeking God's pleasure and the reward of the hereafter, which are bases of good conduct and morality. Anarchy and savagery will govern under the superficial order and humanity, poisoning the life of the town. The children will become troublemakers, the youth will take to drink, the strong will embark on oppression, and the elderly start to weep.
By analogy, the country is also a household, and the fatherland, the home of the national family. If belief in the hereafter rules in these broad homes, true respect, earnest compassion, disinterested love, mutual assistance, honest service and social relations, unhypocritical charity, virtue, modest greatness, and excellence will all start to develop.