with morality, worship, the Hereafter, and virtue. One per cent is concerned with politics; let our rulers think of that.
Bediuzzaman then continued:
Our aim now is to urge everyone towards the ka'ba of achievement and perfections on the way of progress with an eagerness and desire of the conscience by making that luminous chain vibrate. Because at this time the chief means of upholding the Word of God is material progress.
Thus, I am a member of this Society. I am one of those working for this Society's manifestation. I do not belong to the parties and groups which cause dissension. [^165]
[^165]:Nursi, Divan-ı Harb-i Örfî, 17-19.
Bediuzzaman, then, was firstly concerned to prevent a society bearing the name of the Prophet (PBUH) being appropriated by any group, and, being exploited for political ends, becoming a source of dissension and disunity, Rather, the Muhammadan Union embraced all believers and formed a barrier to the serious differences which had developed between the various societies and political parties in the months of CUP rule — differences so bitter that it was to this that Bediuzzaman ascribed what he called "the great disaster", that is, the 31st of March Incident. [^166]
[^166]:Ibid., 20.
In a newspaper article Bediuzzaman wrote: "Our Society's way is love towards love, and enmity towards enmity, That is, to assist love among Muslims and defeat the forces of enmity." [^167] In fact, he described the İttihad-ı Muhammad? as İttihad-ı İslam, or Islamic Unity, that is, "the unity that exists either potentially or in fact among all believers." [^168] The unity and brotherhood of Muslims were "like hidden veins of gold in half the globe", and the Society in Turkey was "a new flame which had appeared in one corner of it and gave the good news of that mighty reality being wholly revealed." It had emerged from the potential to the actual and now sought to awaken other believers and urge them towards the way of progress through the drive of the conscience. Muslims had not realized that vast potential. Due to neglect, the luminous chain of unity which had bound the centres of Islam together had become inert, it had not been benefited from. Now it had to be brought to life and made to vibrate. [^169]
[^167]:Nursi, "Yaşasin Seriat-ı Ahmedî," Volkan, No. 77, 5 Mart 1325/18 March 1909, in Asar-ı Bedi'iyye, 371; Nursi, Hutbe-i Şamiye, 76 (Eng. tr.: Damascus Sermon, 76).
[^168]:Nursi, "Reddü'l-Evham," Volkan, Nos. 90-1, 18-19 Mart 1325/ 31 March-1 April 1909, in Asar-ı Bedi'iyye, 380; Nursi, Hutbe-i Şamiye, 84.
[^169]:Nursi, "Lemean-ı Hakikat ve İzale-i Şübehat," Volkan, Nos. 101, 102, 103,105, in Asar-ı Bedi'iyye, 388.