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My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

Firstly: Two hours after the sparrow had given the good news, I joyfully received safe and sound Zülfikar and its companions, which are fruits of paradise and the pages of good works of the Medresetü'z-Zehrâ's executive committee and the books of their good deeds. I exclaimed, "May God grant them grace and success and happiness in this world and the next!' and with all my life and spirit congratulated both yourselves and this country. There are signs with the preliminary appearance of Zülfikar, of the emergence of powerful currents favouring religion and the cessation of attacks on it, and of some sectors retreating and trying to make up for their former mistakes. Its publication and dissemination, therefore, will secure great benefits for the country with respect to Islam, God willing, and indicates that it will disperse the layers of darkness.

Yes, it is only the Risale-i Nur that will halt the current of absolute dis- belief descending from the north; neither politics nor diplomacy can perform this task. For this reason, patriots, nationalists, and politicians are obliged to embrace it. I beseech from divine mercy that for those who worked for Zülfikar with its seven hundred pages, it will form a single page of good deeds at the resurrection of the dead and will be included in the book of deeds of their collective personality, indeed, of each one of those who worked at it. Since those truths of belief are elevated worship and pious deeds and save the belief of numerous people, they comprise thousands of pious deeds; with each one of those who worked at it reading, listening to, and believing in it, it becomes like a document for the hereafter resembling the book in which is recorded the good deeds of each. Most certainly, it is the mark of an infinite mercy for Zülfikar, with its seven hundred pages, to be published and included as one page in the book of good deeds in the hereafter of themselves and their collective personality.

Secondly: For sure, the Risale-i Nur is victorious wherever it goes, but as far as they possibly can, obdurate, intransigent atheists and materialists employ every stratagem to impede its victories and arouse the politicians' suspicions. God willing, they won't be able to mess things up. But it is always advisable to be cautious. The rule, " ... illuminates discreetly" ("sirran tanawwarat") [^81] still persists. It is essential to be circumspect and act with composure until several more collections like this one are

[^81]:"sirran tanawwarat" ( ... illuminates discreetly"): quoted from Imam 'Ali b. Talib's qaṣīda, al-Jaljalūtiyya. Bediuzzaman makes reference to it in the First Point of the Twenty-Eighth Flash. [Tr.]