dress of a respected teacher. How could he be a teacher while still a child? And he put the gown and turban away in a corner of the mosque. [^24]

[^24]:Ibid, 35.

#### Şirvan

Şirvan

Molla Said then travelled on to Şirvan to his elder brother, Molla Abdullah. The following exchange took place at their first meeting:

Molla Abdullah: "I have finished Sharh Shamsi since you were here.

What have you read?"

Molla Said: "I have read eighty books."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, I have finished eighty books. And I have read a lot of books not included in the syllabus."

Molla Abdullah found it hard to believe that his brother had read so many books in such a short time and wanted to test him. Molla Said agreed so Abdullah tested him and was left in admiration and astonishment. Then hiding it from his own students, he accepted his younger brother as his master who only eight months before had been his student, and started to take lessons from him. But peering through the keyhole, Abdullah's students finally discovered him being taught by Molla Said. However, in order not to let them learn the truth, he told them that he was doing so in order to avert the evil eye. [^25]

[^25]:Ibid., 35-6; Şahiner, Said Nursi, 55-6.

#### Siirt

Siirt

Molla Said remained with his brother a while longer and then made his way to Siirt. It was here that Said was challenged by the local 'ulema for the first time and was successful in debating with them and answering all their questions. His reputation now became firmly established. On his arrival in Siirt, he went to the medrese of the famous Molla Fethullah Efendi, who was to experience the same astonishment as Molla Abdullah at the number of books Said had read and learnt. He also examined Molla Said, who again gave perfect answers. So he then decided to test Said's memory and handed him a work called the al-Maqamat al-Haririyya. [^26] Molla Said read one page once, memorized it, then repeated it by heart. Molla Fethullah expressed his amazement by saying: "For this degree of memory and intelligence to be combined in one person is indeed rare."

[^26]:By the famous poet and literary figure, 'Ali Hariri, d. 665 A.H.