Chapter Eight - Return and Appointment to the Darü'l-Hikmeti'l-İslâmiye

CHAPTER EIGHT

Return and Appointment to the

Darü'l-Hikmeti'l-İslâmiye

#### The Escape and Return Journey

The Escape and Return Journey

Bediuzzaman never described in detail either the manner of his escape or his journey back to Istanbul, nor did he permit his nephew to write it. He travelled by way of Vienna and Sofya, and certainly the last past of the journey was by train. In Sofya he was given a passport by the Military Attaché, which is dated 17 June 1918. It gives these details on the front face:

Name: Said Mirza Efendi

Rank: Honorary Lt. Colonel

Detachment: Volunteer Kurdish Cavalry Regiment

Nationality: Ottoman

Point of Departure: Sofya

Destination: Istanbul (Dersaadet)

Reason for journey: Returning from captivity

Date: 17 June 1918

The back of the passport bears a copy of the photograph taken by the German authorities, and states that the train fare is to be charged to the army's account. [^278]

[^278]:Tarihçe, 105-6; Şahiner, Said Nursi, 177-8.

Bediuzzaman's arrival in Istanbul was announced in several of the newspapers. The Tanin dated 25 June 1918 carried this short announcement:

"Bediuzzaman Said-i Kürdi Efendi, one of the Kurdistan 'ulema who fought in the War on the Caucasian Front together with his students and fell prisoner to the Russians, has recently arrived back in our city." [^279]

[^279]:Ibid., 179-180.