ness of Egypt's al-Azhar University and the old Damascus, Isparta will not lag behind Afyon regarding the high honour it won by returning the Risale-i Nur to its owners. Indeed, it will surpass it twentyfold. Isparta's just judiciary, patriotic democrats, and religious people should make efforts for the return of the Risale-i Nur, which is the product of blessed Isparta, so that they may win this great instance of good for their region and gain for themselves honour a hundred times greater than that won by Afyon. Just as the Isparta deputy, Tahsin Tola, was more useful than a hundred men in securing the return of the Risale-i Nur by Ankara and Afyon, and won for the people of Isparta half of this most signficant advantage.

The Nur students who are in attendance on him ∗∗∗

► (126) ◄

In order to preserve the dignity of learning, since his early youth our Master never demeaned himself even before the loftiest leaders, nor did he ever accept the people's gifts. And now, even though he is weak and powerless, he cannot accept the gifts which religious scholars may receive, for they make him ill. Without giving something in return he is able to eat nothing we give him, his assistants, even. If he does not give something in return, it makes him ill. We are of the opinion that this condition has taken the form of an illness in order to preserve the maximum sincerity of the Risale-i Nur, which can be the tool of nothing, for by it he is prevented from breaking his rule. Indeed, he felt intensely discomforted by the customary shaking of hands and meeting with scholars in connection with the splendid festival celebrating the Risale-i Nur's spreading everywhere, and even by conversing with his closest students and brothers at the religious festival, and by people looking at him, all of which betokened an illness visited on him to preserve that maximum sincerity. During the festival, we witnessed him telling his students: "My grave has to be unknown; no one must know its whereabouts except one or two of my students. This is my last will and testament. For surely a truth that prevents me from meeting with people in this world obliges me to enjoin the same after my death."

So we asked our Master: "Visitors to your grave will recite the Fatiha and gain merit. Why are you preventing them from this?"

He said in reply: "In ancient times, desiring worldly fame and renown, the pharaohs attracted the attention of the people towards themselves with statues, pictures, and mummies. So too at this dreadful time, due to the heedlessness arising from egotism and self-love, the worldly attract all the