where he remained two weeks, then returned to Emirdağ. On 19 December he went to Konya on the invitation of his brother, Abdülmecid. It should also be mentioned that due to his various indispositions, Bediuzzaman could not remain in one place and felt the continual need for a change of air and scene. [^116]
[^116]:Nursi, Emirdağ Lahikası, ii, 193.
On this occasion, in addition to Zübeyir, he was accompanied by two of his most active Ankara students, Atıf Ural and Said Özdemir. The latter described the visit. On Bediuzzaman's car stopping in the middle of Konya, it was surrounded by a large crowd. Abdülmecid arrived and spoke with this elder brother through the open window of the car. Then the police arrived on the scene and started to break up the growing crowd by force, upon which Bediuzzaman stated his wish to perform the prayers and visit the tomb of Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi. The Director of the Museum opened the tomb especially for Bediuzzaman since it was closed that day. Taking off his shoes, he entered the tomb and offered some prayers; he was weeping. He was surrounded by people and police even in the tomb. On emerging, he told the police:
"Thank you! It is torment for me to have my hands kissed, and you prevented it. For twenty-eight years I have served this country's peace and security and have suffered imprisonment, torment, detention, and oppression. You serve its order and security physically, while I serve it in a nonmaterial way. We have served it as much as a thousand public prosecutors and police chiefs, so look upon us as fellow-officials, not in any other way. And tell your fellow police." Bediuzzaman then returned to Emirdağ, [^117] or more likely, Isparta.
[^117]:Said Özdemir, in Son Şahitler, v, 53-4; Şahiner, Said Nursi, 421.
That night Bediuzzaman set out again for Konya, and arriving at four o'clock in the morning was able to visit his brother's house. After speaking with Abdülmecid for a while, who was then a teacher in Konya Imam Hatip School, they performed the morning prayers together then Bediuzzaman left for Emirdağ.
On the morning of 30 December he arrived in Ankara for a second time, and again stayed in the Beyrut Palas Hotel. His visit was greeted with sensational headlines in the newspapers: "The Said Nursi Event is growing" (Cumhuriyet) "Said Nursi has again come to Ankara..."(Milliyet) "Said Nursi's eventful visit to Konya... Thousands of Nurcus poured onto the streets to greet him: the police were compelled to break up the crowd..." He received numerous visitors in the hotel: politicians and officials, includ-