• Further Victories and the Struggle Continues

The struggle between these various forces continued. Rather, it grew fiercer and more intense. On the one hand, the struggle between Inönü and the RPP against Menderes grew fiercer the longer the Democrat Party remained in power and introduced measures favouring Islam, and so too in the face of the spread and successes of the Risale-i Nur, supporters of the former regime, still powerful in the police, judiciary, and administrative structure, used their positions to increase pressure on the Risale-i Nur Students. There were further court cases, a campaign of vilification in the press against Bediuzzaman and his students, and Bediuzzaman himself was held under closer surveillance.
Following the general elections of October, 1957, which the Democrats again won though with a decreased majority, the opposition increased their campaign against the Government, which by I959 had degenerated into the open incitement of disturbances throughout the country. In order to prevent the RPP returning to power in the face of the difficulties the Democrats were facing, Bediuzzaman openly gave the Democrats his vote in the elections, and urged all the Risale-i Nur Students to do likewise. Thus, the RPP, who had expected to win the elections, held Bediuzzaman responsible for their defeat. Inönü is even reported to have declared that it was the Nurcu's (Risale-i Nur Students) who defeated him. This was an added element in the pressure RPP supporters now endeavoured to bring to bear on the Risale-i Nur Students.
At the same time, with the publication of the Risale-i Nur having been left free officially, as well as the freedoms that had been gained with the Democrat Government, the Risale-i Nur movement had been greatly strengthened and expanded. `Risale-i Nur study-centres' (dershane) were opened in every part of the country. It was the custom to bring the key of each as it was newly opened to Bediuzzaman, who would offer prayers for its success. In eastern Turkey also, through the endeavours of Bediuzzaman's old students such as Hulûsi Bey and Cayci Emin, the Risale-i Nur spread greatly