out knowing this point, that for the past few years I have been putting announcements in the papers informing those who come to visit me, especially from distant places and have to return without seeing me, that I include them in my private prayers. I pray for them every morning. So they should not feel upset either.
S a i d N u r s i ∗∗∗
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Our Highly Respected Brother, Sâlih!
Our Master sends you and the two religious, true deputies many greetings; he prays for you and calls down God's blessings on you and on them. Our Master says:
"Long ago I used to expect some strong hands to appear in Urfa who would lay claim to the Risale-i Nur. For it is a sort of centre between Anatolia, Arabia, and the east. If the Risale-i Nur was to become established there, it would spread to all those lands, I offer endless thanks to Almighty God that the religious and zealous of the region have started to embrace the Risale-i Nur. I am sending a number of my own collections there which I bought with my own money, and have corrected while suffering serious illness from poison. I have chosen Urfa although prominent people from elsewhere have requested them. I am giving them to the Urfa Nur School. God willing, I shall send further copies to them, for there they will serve the Qur'an and belief to the full. I hope from divine mercy that they will be instrumental in a small version of the Isparta Medresetü'z-Zehrâ and of Egypt's al-Azhar University being established there, and of a small example of the Islamic medreses of Damascus and Baghdad.
"Also, since the Risale-i Nur's way is the way of friendship and Urfa is the seat of Abraham, the Friend of God (Peace be upon him), God willing, our way of following in the footsteps of Abraham will shine out there. "Also, there is a strong possibility that I shall go to Urfa this coming winter if I can be saved from this terrible sickness from poison. I have a powerful desire to do this."
This is what our Master said. We too send you many greetings and respects,
Your brothers in the service of the Risale-i Nur,
Ziya and Mehmed ∗∗∗