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Return to Istanbul Soon after giving his sermon, Nursi left Damascus for Beirut, and from there took the boat for Izmir and Istanbul.1 His intention in returning to Istanbul was to renew his efforts to found the Medresetü’z-Zehra\ (eastern university). The last part of Müna\zarat is devoted to this ideal of Nursi, and he many years later described it as “the spirit and foundation” of the work.2 After his long travels through the region he resolved to get official support and backing for the construction of the university, reaffirmed in his conviction that it was the most comprehensive and far-reaching solution for the region’s problems. And this time he was to have success, though the tide of events finally prevented the realization of his project. The Rumelia Journey On June 5, 1911, Sultan Mehmed Res*ad set out on his famous Rumelia journey with a large retinue including two princes, the grand vizier, Hakkı Pasha, and a number of deputies.3 It was to be the last time an Ottoman sultan visited the European provinces, for soon they were to be lost to the empire. The previous year had seen the first Albanian uprising. The purpose of the sultan’s journey was to reawaken feelings of patriotism and solidarity among the various peoples of Macedonia and Albania in the face of the upsurge of nationalism , and to secure social calm.4 Niyazi Bey, an Albanian and one of the “Heroes of Freedom” and prime movers of the Constitutional Revolution, figured on the trip, which had been advised by the CUP,5 and presumably it was at their suggestion that Nursi joined it, as the representative of the Eastern Provinces—all the ethnic minorities were represented. Traveling by sea to Salonica, the sultan and his party stayed two days, and then continued their journey by train, arriving at Skopje on June 11. In the same compartment as Nursi on the train were two teachers from one of the new secular schools. A topical discussion started between them when they asked him: “Which is more necessary and should be stronger, religious zeal or national zeal?” The gist of Nursi’s answer was: “With us Muslims religion 101 C H A P T E R 5 The Medresetü’z-Zehra\ and nationality are united, though there is a theoretical, apparent, and incidental difference between them. . . . Religious zeal and Islamic nationhood have completely fused in Turk and Arab and may not now be separated.” Then, by means of a comparison in which Muslims were represented by a sixyear -old child and Europeans or unbelievers by the heroes Hercules and Rustam , he demonstrated the unassailable strength of belief in divine unity.6 On his return he included the conversation in an Arabic piece called Tashkhês al- ‘Illa (Diagnosis of the Ailment), which he added as an addendum to his AlKhu èbah al-Sha\miyyah (The Damascus Sermon), published in 1911. Some elderly inhabitants of Skopje who recalled the visit was the following description of Nursi: Bediuzzaman was wearing boots. His moustaches were short and his eyes brilliant. He was a handsome, imposing young man with a darkish complexion . He carried a Circassian whip and at his waist was an ivory-handled dagger. Within a short time he was known in Skopje as Bediuzzaman Molla Said Efendi. The Skopje ulama came group by group to visit him and put their questions to him. He was immediately next to Sultan Res*ad while the sultan was greeting the people from the balcony of the high school in Skopje, which was later destroyed by an earthquake. Thousands of Skopjans gave them a truly enthusiastic reception.7 On June 16, the sultan and his retinue arrived in Kosova from Prishtina, and in the large open space around the tomb of Sultan Murad Hudavendigar (d. 1451) they performed the Friday prayers together with the Albanians, who temporarily forgot their grievances. There was a congregation of a hundred thousand people. It was an unforgettable and nostalgic occasion. While in Kosova, there was much talk of a large university they were attempting to found as part of their plans to placate the Albanians in their demands for greater autonomy and, among others things, the introduction of the Latin script in their schools.8 It provided Nursi with the opportunity he had been waiting for. He suggested to Sultan Res*ad and the CUP leaders who were accompanying him that the East was in...

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