My Dear, Loyal Brothers!
Today I recalled the conversation between my elder brother, Molla Abdullah, and Hazret Ziyaeddin, which you know about. Then I thought of you and said to myself:
if the Unseen were to be revealed, if each of these sincerely religious and earnest Muslims who display such constancy in these inconstant times, not being shaken by these torturous, testing circumstances, were to appear to be saints or even spiritual poles, the importance they have in my view and my concern for them would increase very little; or if they were to appear to be commonplace and ordinary, the value I attach to them would in no way diminish.
For the task of saving belief under such extremely severe conditions is of greater worth than everything. In such stormy, unstable conditions, the virtues afforded by personal ranks and the good opinions of others dissolve when those good opinions are destroyed, and their love lessens. The one possessing the virtues then feels himself obliged to adopt artificial manners, empty formalities, and a burdensome dignity in order to preserve his position in their eyes. Endless thanks be to Allah, we have no need for cold artificiality such as that.
Said Nursi