are being used to covertly break the Nurjus' morale, so don't be deceived or shaken. Don't argue with them, and as far as you can, behave in a friendly way. We're your brothers, say. And don't forget the points made in this note lest they mislead you.

Hatice and Rabia, the new Nur students who entered the fold of the Risale-i Nur through Husrev's efforts and wrote me a letter, have been included among the select students. Their working enthusiastically at the lessons of the Risale-i Nur in Barla, with which I am closely concerned, through the efforts of Bahri and his children, and Eyûb, Ali, Mehmed, and Süleyman, made me weep for joy. I send endless greetings to all the people of Barla, especially the Süleymans and Bahri and the Mehmeds and Mustafas, and Şamlı Hâfız Tevfik, who performed such valuable services for the Risale-i Nur in earlier years, and blessed Hâfız Halid, and Imam Hakkı Efendi, and Muhâjir Hâfız Ahmed and his children and grandchildren, and Şem'i, and Abdullah Çavuş who assisted me greatly, and all my neighbours there, men and women, and I pray for them and request their prayers during these blessed [three] months.

I have just heard that Bahri and his children have written out three copies of The Staff of Moses; they may pass to the account of Muhâjir Hâfız Ahmed and our other brothers in Barla. And the serious, sincere letters of Kâzım and the barber Mehmed have won the right to be included in The Additional Letters. While Bahri's fine verses may pass to the account of his small Nur School.

It is an astonishing and subtle instance of divine grace that I tried to forget Abdurrahman's death on its being imparted to my heart that Mustafa the Elder (May God have mercy on him) would, with his loyalty, pen, and power, serve the Risale-i Nur as the late Abdurrahman had. In truth, with his pen, Küçük Ali affirmed exactly that reminder from the Unseen. He took over his brother's pen and transformed an old (yellow) knife into a diamond sword. That is to say, I discerned him too in blessed Mustafa's spirit. Also, with my heart, I discerned Muhâjir Hâfız Ahmed, the Risale-i Nur's first student and devoted publisher, by virtue of his loyalty and attachment to myself and the Risale-i Nur. He did not manage to serve it with his pen, but subsequently, his son Kâzım, son-in-law Bahri, and his other son-in-law the barber Mehmed started to work with extraordinary devotion and loyalty and to perform fully and steadfastly the service I had felt and hoped from him. His grandchildren even joined the innocent young students. I send my greetings to all.

S a i d   N u r s i ∗∗∗