sions seen that shaking hands with people and having his hand kissed afflicts his spirit as though receiving a blow. And he is intensely discomforted if he is looked at and studied. We, even, cannot look at him if there is no necessity although we serve him. We have understood that the reason for this is as follows:

Since the fundamental way of the Risale-i Nur is true sincerity, at this time of egotism, conversing with people and showing excessive respect smacks of self-love, hypocrisy, and artificiality and this distresses him extremely. For he says: "If those who come here, want to see me for the hereafter and the Risale-i Nur, the Risale-i Nur leaves absolutely no need for me; each of its millions of copies are more beneficial that ten Saids. And if they want to discuss the world and worldly matters, I have renounced the world completely and cannot waste time on its meaningless affairs. And if it is about the work and dissemination of the Risale-i Nur, my true, devoted students who serve me and my spiritual sons and brothers will meet with them on my behalf; they are adequate for this and leave no need for me." So our brothers who come from afar and the others should not feel offended, because for the past ten years when reciting his invocations every morning, he bequeathes the merits to them, saying: "O Lord! Let the merits of these be written also in the books of good works of those who come here to see me but have to return without doing so!" He bequeathes them to their spirits. We are making clear for our brothers this state of mind of our Master.

The Enduring One, He is the Enduring One!

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

► (134) ◄

[A passage from the newspaper, İleri, dated 13 April 1957]

Üstad Bediuzzaman lays the foundations of a new mosque.

Üstad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi applies the first cement to the foundations of the mosque being built for the Third Military Training Division

(From our private correspondent in Isparta)

A splendid ceremony was held in Isparta to mark the laying of the foundations of the mosque being built there for the Third Training Division, which has been formed in recent years. Üstad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, the author of the Risale-i Nur, who is in Isparta, was invited to the ceremony. He had an enthusiastic reception and then applied with his own auspicious hands the first cement to the foundations, and offered prayers. ∗∗∗