In the aftermath of the decease of Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, during the period of divisions and separations, many groups came about and were led by various students in the service of the Qur’an. Husrev Efendi never strayed from the certain, original and authentic principles of the Risale-i Nur and went on his service with as much loyalty as ever before.
Those who knew him and those know even a bit about him, acknowledge Husrev Efendi and saw that he neither ignored nor made a concession on the way of Risale-i Nur and its principles. After inheriting the leadership from Imam Bediuzzaman he kept the spiritual purity of his service.
He did not try to misinterpret any of the principles of the service of the Qur’an and obeyed them thoroughly. He took heed of the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) and he always confronted the bid’a (bad innovations) because this was the core of Risale-i Nur cause to be against bid’as.
As is clearly seen from his pure life, he never altered his service to his own benefit; on the contrary, he donated a good amount of fortune to the service. He did not live in richness the way he was able to but he spent his life in the humble house given to him by his elder sister and the only aim of his was to spread the truth of the Qur’an.
It is highly important to state that during that saddening time, at the beginning of the separation, Husrev Efendi, together with his students, never used the cause of the Qur’an as a tool for political instigation even at the risk of the people’s opposition. Staying within the limits of the Risale-i Nur’s perspective on politics, he did not support or become the backbone to any political parties.
Husrev Efendi, for the sake of preserving the most important principle of Risale-i Nur, which is to be against all bida’ never supported nor got supported by interior or foreign powers. By doing so, he preserved the dignity and the pride in the cause of the Qur’an.
Thanks to his noble and outstanding perseverance, the service of the Qur’an, Noor cause, has been successfully carried on till today. Imam Bediuzzaman approved and showed us why he testified to his successor:
“Being in a situation which is an absolute sincerity, he neither was egotistic nor hypocrite or eager for fame. Thus he became the representative in my place and on behalf of me and an important representative of Risale-i Nur’s collective personality”
After Ustad Bediuzzaman had passed away, Husrev Altınbaşak became his successor and fulfilled Ustad’s spiritual duty to the utmost level and was the trustworthy and absolute owner and the protector of the Noor treatises from then on.
As a result, Husrev Efendi never dared to go astray from Imam Bediuzzaman’s way and the style of his Qur’anic service to the deen of Allah of which principles were stated and clarified according to the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the interpretation, Risale-i Nur Collection. He never surrendered and showed any kind of weakness in following those principles; even the smallest principles of this way was preserved and practiced accordingly. Husrev Efendi served all his life for the sake of Allah and educated thousands of young Saids and Husrevs.
Even after Imam Bediuzzaman’s death, Husrev Efendi spent many painful but dignified years imprisoned in the cities of Isparta, Bursa, Bergama, and Buca. In the year 1971, after the military coup, at the age of 72, he was tried and sentenced to 7 years in prison and endured hard conditions, together with ninety six students of his. It is quite difficult to understand, even today, how bad circumstances were and how he bore such a chain of harsh situations. His bravery, courage and perseverance in his cause at that age made up his monumental life story and have many lessons for us to learn.
During the last years of his life, after being released from prison, he established the Hayrat Foundation in Istanbul with his students. Not too long after, in the month of Ramadan on August of 1977, he departed this world leaving thousands of learned Noor students behind. Rahmatullahi Alayh (May Allah’s mercy be upon him)
Just like Imam Bediuzzaman Said Nursi and other Islamic scholars, he devoted his life to spreading and raising the name and the deen of Allah all around the world despite being besieged by prisons and exiles, pressures and chases. They were struggling for the Ummah (the nation of Islam) and their aim was huge. They suffered but endured all those tortures just to save the Imaan (faith) of the Ummah. They were such honourable people that they desired neither worldly wealth nor fame but the pleasure of Allah and that’s how they serve and put forward their only belongings their lives.
We beg and ask from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala that he enables us to understand Ustad Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, and Husrev Efendi who continued the service of the Qur’an after him without any diversion, and those senior people after them.
May Allah (‘azza jalla) keep us on the straight path, make us obey His orders, and regard His bans, and make us gain the pleasure of Him carrying those lofty and enlightened goals in the last period of time (akhir zaman) which has the clear competition of imaan and kufr (faith and idolation), May Allah make us live with his Noor (light) and take us to His Presence with that Light!
Ameen...