writings their complete freedom and recover their losses from those who caused them. [^113]

[^113]:Tarihçe, 229.

Quite apart from the trumped-up charges and arbitrary sentence, Bediuzzaman was also denied his most basic rights when it came to preparing his defence, which he himself wrote and delivered. While it had taken the court three to four months to prepare the case, he was allowed only a few days in which to prepare his whole defence; and for some parts of it only a few hours. [^114] So also, when he found writing by hand so laborious, he was denied a scribe. And he was not permitted to speak with anyone for two months. [^115] However, he was not intimidated by these injustices; he was prepared to do all he could so that the Risale-i Nur be cleared and justice upheld. For he recognized the law and the process of the law, and was absolutely opposed to any activities which usurped it, disturbed public order, and infringed the rights of the majority. Thus, in addition to answering the charges according to the existing laws, Bediuzzaman told the court that copies of his defence were to be sent to the Interior Minister and the Governing Body of the National Assembly. [^116] And when, despite proving quite clearly that Article 163 was not applicable to him and his activities, he was found guilty of one charge by the court, he applied for the case to be sent to the Court of Appeal. [^117] In the event of the Appeal Court upholding the court's decision he was prepared to send a petition to the highest level of government, the Cabinet. [^118]

[^114]:Nursi, Lem'alar (Ott. edn.), 541 and 603.

[^115]:Ibid., 563; Tarihçe, 205.

[^116]:Nursi, Lem'alar (Ott. edn.), 542.

[^117]:Ibid., 615.

[^118]:Ibid., 624-32; Tarihçe, 229-32.

#### Bediuzzaman's Defence

Bediuzzaman's Defence

One by one Bediuzzaman answered the charges made against him, supporting all his replies with evidence. He told the court that since the best wile was to be without wiles, he had taken truth and honesty as the basis of his defence. Thus, he openly admitted his service to belief and the Qur'an, which being in no way concerned with politics was not contrary to the law, and exposed to the court the plot that had been laid against him because of this service. To involve the legal system in this conspiracy and attempt to realize its aims in the name of the law, was a grave error and brought the law and legal system into disrepute. He was quite undaunted by the manifest purpose of the court, his execution. He was after all the Bediuzzaman