Page 48 - The School of Yusuf (as)

THE SCHOOL OF YUSUF

Seeing with very little expense true friends more compassionate
than brothers, and brothers of the Hereafter like spiritual guides,
here in the workless, compounded physical and spiritual winter
of this School of Joseph, which is a department of the Madrasatul’-
Zahra; and visiting them, profiting from their personal qualities,

and receiving strength from their fine characteristics, which like
light are diffused through transparent objects, and from their spir-
itual assistance, joy, and consolation; all changes the form of this
calamity, making it a sort of veil to Divine grace. Yes, a subtle facet
of this hidden grace is that all the Risale-i Nur students here are
called “Hoja;” they are spoken of respectfully as “the hojas... the
hojas.” There is a further subtle allusion in this, that just as this

prison has turned into a madrasah (religious school), so the Risale-i
Nur students have all become teachers, and thanks to these hojas
the other prisons will also all become schools, Allah willing. 11
From Bediuzzaman’s reflections, we gather that he could recog-
nize good in even the worst and harshest circumstances, that he
could face anything with the most positive attitude, that he was opti-
mistic at all times, never fell into despair or hopelessness, and that he

was a person of much fortitude and insight. These are the salient
qualities of those who believe in Allah, from the bottom of their
hearts, who submit to him, and have patience and fear Him. As re-
ward for Bediuzzaman’s positive attitude, Allah made the prison a
locale for which to educate himself, from which both he and his stu-
dents benefited much, and through which other inmates were able to
learn as well.

After the passing of many decades, Muslims still remember
Bediuzzaman, who learned from as well as taught others in the
School of Yusuf, and benefit, even today, from his pearls of wisdom.

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