My dear honorable brother… Since you know that you are ready to face each and every trouble befalling Islam; news which enlivens our own passion and fervor, then listen closely: Your duty: To collect roses amongst thorns. Your feet bare, they will sting. Your hands uncovered, they will bite. For this you will rejoice! You… Continue reading

A student recounts an incident from the biography of Ustad Said Nursi: On the road to Istanbul, I inquired about whether he was distressed about recent events. He said: “What truly distresses me are the dangers that Islam has been subjected to. In the past, the dangers came from without, so resistance was easy. Now,… Continue reading

One of Ustad’s first students from Van, Molla Hamit Ekinci Ağabey, recounts: During winter, we built a place where we could stay in the mountains. It’s door was perpetually open like a ruin. We had put Ustad’s bed somewhere above. We, along with the visiting fuqaha, were sleeping in two rows. The ‘door’ was right… Continue reading

Addressed to Hulusi Bey Bismihi Subhanahu Wa In Min Shay’in illa Yusabbihu Bihamdihi Assalamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu My dear brother, You are in my prayers morning and evening. Please do include me in your prayers. In this world, the greatest help of one believer to another is through prayer. I do not think… Continue reading

Vahyeddin Küfrevî says: “Ustad’s students(I can’t remember who at the moment) were writing his court defense. Right in front of Ustad was a hanged Qur’an. I looked to his right and left, and there were no other books. His hands were also empty. Ustad, as if in front of him was a film or cinema,… Continue reading

One of Ustad’s students and scribes, Lieutenant Re’fet Barutçu Ağabey recounts of happenings whilst in the writing of the Risale-i Nur: Ustad would not keep any book other than the Qur’an with him whilst the treatises were being written. We would constantly keep pen and paper near. When the writing was starting, he would always… Continue reading

In Barla, during the very first instances of the writing of the Risale-i Nur, one of Ustad’s scribes, Şamlı Hafız Tevfik Ağabey, recounts: “When the pieces were beginning to be written, our Ustad would focus his eye on a single point. he would stare at it with immense focus… he would say ‘write, my brother,… Continue reading

The introduction to the collection, written by Ustad decades later in Turkish and added before publication, was not included in the English translation. Here is my rendition. Introduction This collection, which holds the rank of being the Risale-i Nur’s Arabic Masnavi-i Sharif, has an introduction consisting of 5 points. The First Point 40 or 50… Continue reading