one of his addresses to them is included in Nutuk. In this speech it is unity that Bediuzzaman is most insistent on. He told them that they had three enemies that were destroying them: "poverty, ignorance, and internal conflict", but that they now had to procure "three diamond swords" so as to rout the three enemies and preserve themselves. These were "national unity, human endeavour, and love of the nation". That is to say, first the Kurds had to achieve unity among themselves, then making over the resulting "mighty force" to the government and expending it outwardly, they would make themselves worthy of justice, and in return for it would demand justice and their rights from the government:

The Turks are our intelligence, and we are their strength, together we make a whole person. We shall not resist them, nor rebel against them. With this resolution of ours, we shall be a good example to the other minority peoples [elements] of the Empire... If we obeyed [the government] 'to the degree of one batman' during the time of despotism, now 'ten batman's worth' of obedience and unity are necessary. For we shall see only benefits, because the Constitutional Government is in truth government based on the Shari'a... In unity lies strength; in union, life; in brotherhood, happiness; in obedience to the government, well-being. It is vital to hold fast to the strong  rope of unity and bond of love. [^159]

[^159]:Nursi, Asar-ı Bedi'iyye, 358-9; Şahiner, Said Nursi, 112-113.

A further occasion Bediuzzaman calmed a tense situation was at a mass protest organized by the medrese students in Beyazid in Istanbul in February 1909. Traditionally, students of the religious schools were exempt from military service of any kind, but following the proclamation of the Constitution the government had decided to introduce an examination on the pretext that the privilege was being abused. Students who passed the examination were to be exempt from military service, while for those who failed it military service would be compulsory, The students had organized the meeting ostensibly to protest at the very short time they had been given to prepare for the examination.

The meeting was becoming fairly turbulent by the time Bediuzzaman reached it. Well-known to the students, he addressed them explaining the authentic relationship between the Shari'a and constitutionalism and pointing out that despotism could in no way be associated with the Shari'a. In a short time he calmed the situation and prevented any serious disturbance occurring. [^160]

[^160]:Ibid., 115-116; Nursi, Divan-ı Harb-i Örfî, 17.