enterprise, and to protect the rights of medrese teachers. This society was subsequently transformed into the Society for the Advancement of Islam [24 November, 1919], with which Bediuzzaman does not appear to have been connected, in distinction to many of the initial members. [^310] A number of the leading 'ulema of the time belonged to the Medrese Teachers' Society, including Mustafa Safvet Efendi, Mustafa Sabri — twice Şeyhü'l-İslam, and Mehmet Atıf Efendi. The last two undertook together with Bediuzzaman to reply to articles attacking Islam that appeared in the press. Bediuzzaman included some of his replies, on such subjects as polygamy, slavery, the position of women, and the representation of the human form, in some of his subsequent works. [^311] They are most reasonable and convincing, and by way of example we include here a short reply concerning polygamy and slavery:

[^310]:Sadık Albayrak, Meşrûtiyet İslamcılığı ve Siyonizm, İstanbul 1990, 124-33. See also, Tunaya, Siyasal Partiler, ii, 382-3.

[^311]:Şahiner, Said Nursi, 227-230.

The ordinances of Islam are of two sorts: the first consists of those on which the Shari'a is based. This sort is pure good. The other is the modified Shari'a; that is, it takes matters that are cruel and savage, and as the lesser of two evils, rectifies them and makes them practicable and conformable with human nature. It puts them in a form that is consonant with time and place, thus making it possible to move on to pure good. For it would necessitate reversing human nature to suddenly do away with a matter that governs it, Thus, the Shari'a did not impose slavery; it modified it so that it ceased being in a savage form and made it one that would lead to complete freedom; it adjusted and rectified it. Also, the Shari'a did not raise the number of wives from one to four — although polygamy is conformable with nature, reason, and wisdom. It rather reduced the number to four from eight or nine. And regarding polygamy, it imposed such conditions that it can cause no harm at all in being practised. Even if there is some bad in it, it is the lesser of two evils, and the lesser of two evils is relative justice. Alas, every situation in this world cannot be pure good! [^312]

[^312]:Ibid., 232; Nursi, "Tuluât," in Asar-ı Bedi'iyye, 109.

#### Bediuzzaman's Ill-Health

Bediuzzaman's Ill-Health

As his nephew described above, it was only with reluctance that Bediuzzaman had taken up his position in the Darü'l-Hikmet. He had been severely shaken by the War, but because of his sense of responsibility towards "the nation", he undertook the duties imposed on him as a way of