► (216) ◄

My Dear, Loyal Brothers !

Endless thanks be to Almighty God that this last attack, and very extensive and suspicious assault, has lessened considerably. The day before yesterday, they took my statement in court for four hours. I replied exactly as I had explained in the statement I sent you before. May God be pleased with the Isparta judiciary, for the notification in our favour that they sent here helped us immensely, We would otherwise have had considerable difficulties due to the baseless suspicions of Afyon and some officials here helping our covert enemies.

They sent our Qur'an, which they had confiscated, to the Head of the Directorate of Religious Affairs. So we wrote a letter to the Head together with the two portions of the Qur'an we had sent to Istanbul and some of the portions from the beginning. We said in the letter that we were trying to have it printed photographically and were hoping that he would approve of this and assist us.

Among the futile questions they asked me this time in court was about what I lived on. I told them that I lived on the plenty resulting from living frugally, and that one Ramadan while in Isparta I had lived on one loaf of bread, a one-kilo-bag of yoghurt, and a kilo of rice. A person who lives thus would not condescend to worldly preoccupations for his livelihood, nor be obliged to accept gifts. ∗∗∗

► (217) ◄

My Dear, Loyal Brothers !

Firstly: I congratulate you with all my life and spirit on your success, and steadfastness, and for the wonder of the alifs in the Twenty-Ninth Word being preserved when written on the waxed paper, and on your never slacking in your work.

Secondly: The fact that the fire at the Ministry of Education, which caused two million liras' worth of damage, occurred at virtually the same time (ten hours later) as the unprecedented anguish I felt on giving my statement for four hours, showed that the Risale-i Nur is a means of calamities being repulsed, and if it is attacked, the calamities find a way and descend.

Thirdly: The piece written about the fire to show an instance of the Risale-i Nur's wonder-working, had been waiting for a week to be sent to you. They watch the post offices very closely due to their unfounded suspicions, so we did not send it by post. You are curious as to what your posi-