sition of the truths the Sufi orders teach, but it is instruction in reality (hakikat) and is factual (ilmî); it is not instruction in the Sufi way.

Surely it is an important duty of the Republican government, since it has taken freedom of conscience as a fundamental principle, to defend a truth to which the spirits of this nation's millions of forebears were devoted and in the cause of which they challenged the world, and a work that proves certain affirmative belief against the prevailing philosophy, and to protect that truth's servants. The principles of such a republic would not bind up the hands of that weak servant and permit those numerous enemies of his to attack him. Thinking that the Republic would heed me I wrote this complaint. Indeed, I say: "For us God suffices, and He is the best Disposer of Affairs" (Q 3:173). ∗∗∗

► (013) ◄ A Minor but Important Petition to The Cabinet and Directorate of deputies

A Minor but Important Petition to

The Cabinet and Directorate of deputies

Just this once I am going to explain a matter that looks to the country, nation, and public order, although these last thirty years I have withdrawn from political life, It is as follows:

Due to numerous signs I am completely certain that there is a conspiracy on account of anarchy against myself, against this town of Emirdağ, and indirectly against this country. For making mountains out of molehills, an incident as insignificant as a fly's wing was shown to be as great as a mountain, and on account of anarchy and following a foreign plot I was made a pretext in this country, which is in need of calm and tranquillity, and we, that is, the Nur students were attacked totally illegally and arbitrarily, although we are striving to save our fellow citizens from eternal perdition and doubts about the world to come. Due to baseless suspicions and in openly hostile manner I was blamed, and a plot was hatched against this country and public order, like setting light to gunpowder. It was like this:

Although myself and my books and letters of twenty years had been acquitted after having been minutely scrutinized by three courts; and although for three years I had given up composing pieces and wrote only one letter a week, and had received no one apart from three or four tailor's apprentices who took turns to attend to my needs each for one day at a time; and although I had been granted my freedom and had not returned to my home region; a high ranking member of the judiciary had the lock on