gives his consent and sacrifices himself, his selfsacrifice is a sort of martyrdom and is another matter. This establishes true justice for man. For details I refer you to the Risale-i Nur.

S e c o n d Q u e s t i o n : While travelling among the nomadic tribes of the east long ago, you used to strongly urge them towards progress and modern civilization. But for nearly forty years now you have called it ‘low’ civilization, and you have withdrawn from the life of society and gone into seclusion. Why is this?

The Answer: Since modern Western civilization acts contrarily to the fundamental laws of the revealed religions, its evils have come to outweigh its good aspects, and its errors and harmful aspects its benefits; and general tranquillity and a happy worldly life, the true aims of civilization, have been destroyed. And since wastefulness and extravagance have taken the place of frugality and contentment, and laziness and the desire for ease have overcome endeavour and the sense of service, it has made unfortunate mankind both extremely poor and extremely lazy. In explaining the fundamental law of the revealed Qur’an:

Eat and drink, but waste not in excess,(36)

and,

Man possesses naught save that which he strives,(37)