My Dear, Loyal Brothers!

One time, a shaykh had so many followers the government became anxious regarding its political implications and wanted to scatter his community. The shaykh told the government: “I only have one and a half followers. No others. If you like we can put it to the test.” So he had a tent pitched somewhere and gathered together all his thousands of followers there. He told them: “I am going to put you to the test. Whoever is my disciple and complies with my command will go to heaven.” He summoned them into the tent one by one. He had a sheep slaughtered secretly, as though he had killed his favourite disciple and sent him to Paradise. When the thousands of followers saw the blood, they no longer obeyed the shaykh and started to denounce him. Only one man said “May I be sacrificed for you,” and went to him. Then a woman went to him too, and the rest dispersed. The shaykh told the government men: “Now you have seen for yourselves that I only have one and a half followers.”

Endless thanks be to Allah the Most High that in the test and trial of Eskişehir, the Risale‑i Nur lost only one and a half of its students. But ten thousand were added in their place thanks to the efforts of the heroes of Isparta and its surroundings, just the opposite of the shaykh. Allah willing, in this ordeal too, through the efforts of the heroes of both the east and the west, few will be lost, and ten will replace of any one that goes.