The Man Who Defied Death
At the end of July 1914, the First World War broke out—an event that would profoundly change the course of history. Anatolia soon came under threat from invading powers whose influence sought to spread across the land. As a result, sacred values such as life, property, homeland, religion, and honor were placed in grave danger. This alarming situation stirred countless patriotic men and women into action, inspiring selflessness, sacrifice, determination, and courage in defense of both the material and spiritual well-being of Anatolia.
One remarkable figure of that era was Bediuzzaman Said Nursi—the man who defied death. As soon as he learned of the enemy invasion, he laid aside the pen and took up the sword. His students, who had once been devoted to learning, were equipped not with books but with weapons supplied by the state. It was a time of material struggle, and his madrasa resembled a military barracks more than a school. Bediuzzaman actively supported the national defense, fighting courageously on the fronts of Bitlis and Pasinler.
During the battles against the Armenians on the Eastern Front, he instructed his soldiers not to harm Armenian children. In doing so, he upheld the ethics of war taught by Islam and earned the respect of friend and foe alike.
During the fierce fighting in Bitlis, he fell into the famous deep ravine of Bitlis while battling Russian forces. After remaining trapped there for more than thirty hours with a broken leg, he was captured by Russian soldiers. The wounded commander was carried on a stretcher through Van, Julfa, Tbilisi, and Kologriv, before finally being taken to Kostroma, where he remained a prisoner of war for two and a half years.
Yet this heroic man, who had sacrificed so much for the welfare of Anatolia, did not remain idle in captivity. He taught his fellow prisoners and sought to enlighten them. By refusing to compromise his faith and principles, he became a source of spiritual strength for the imprisoned soldiers and officers around him.
One day, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolayevich, the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army, arrived to inspect the prisoner-of-war camp. During the inspection, Bediuzzaman neither stood up nor saluted him.
This greatly disturbed Nikolai Nikolayevich. Irritated, he called for an interpreter and said:
“Tell him that he must not have recognized me.”
Bediuzzaman, the commander of the volunteer battalion, replied:
“I know very well that he is the Commander-in-Chief of Russia, Nikolai Nikolayevich.”
Nikolai Nikolayevich asked:
“Then why did he not stand up?”
Bediuzzaman answered:
“I am a Muslim scholar, and he is an unbeliever. A believer stands above one who does not know his Lord. Therefore, I did not rise before him.”
Enraged by this response, Nikolai Nikolayevich ordered:
“Then this man has insulted the Russian Tsar and, therefore, the Russian Army. He must be brought before a military tribunal immediately.”
The Russian military court subsequently sentenced Bediuzzaman to death. Some of his fellow prisoners pleaded with him to apologize in order to avoid the sentence.
But Bediuzzaman replied with remarkable dignity:
“For me, this death sentence is like a passport to the Hereafter.”
Even at the cost of his life, he refused to compromise his religious principles. In this way, he represented the dignity, courage, and honor of a Muslim before the enemy.
At last, the moment of execution arrived, and he was asked for his final request. The fearless Anatolian commander requested permission to perform his prayer. Having fulfilled his final religious duty, he prepared himself to walk calmly to the place of execution and bare his chest to the bullets that awaited him.
Just before the execution was to take place, Nikolai Nikolayevich approached him and said:
“I thought that you looked down on me out of pride and arrogance, and for that reason I ordered your execution. Now I understand that you refused to stand because of your devotion to your religious principles. I congratulate you on your loyalty to your faith and ask you to forgive me.”
The unwavering steadfastness of this man, who had defied death for the sake of his faith and values, deeply impressed Nikolai Nikolayevich. As a result, the death sentence was revoked.