Bediuzzaman set off for the East by way of the Black Sea accompanied by two of his students. It was the spring of 1910. It is recorded that on the way, the boat stopped off at Inebolu, and on visiting the town Bediuzzaman had a warm reception from its leading religious figure, Haci Ziya, and others. And on leaving, was accompanied as far as the boat by a large crowd.' And Bediuzzaman himself related the following incident, which occurred in Tiflis, the capital city of Georgia, while he was making his way from Batum to Van.

Bediuzzaman had climbed a prominent hill known as Seyh Sanan Tepesi, which has a commanding
view of the city of Tiflis and the valley of the River Kura in which it is situated together with all the
surrounding countryside. He was gazing at the view plunged in thought when approached by a
Russian policeman. The following exchange ensued, which began with the policeman asking:

"Why are you studying the land with such attention?" Bediuzzaman replied: "I am planning my
medrese."

"Where arc you from?"

"I'm from Bitlis."

"But this is Tiflis!"

"Bitlis is one of Tiflis' brothers."

The policeman was bewildered: "What do you mean?"

Bediuzzaman explained: "Three lights are beginning to be revealed one after the other in Asia and the
world of Islam. While with you three layers of darkness will start to recede one over the other. This
veil of despotism shall be rent; it will shrink back, and I shall come and build my medrese here."

This only increased the policeman's bewilderment. "I'm sorry for you ",he said. "I'm astonished that
you should entertain such a hope."

"And I am astonished at your not understanding!", replied Bediuzzaman. "Do you think it possible
that this winter will continue? Every winter is followed by spring, and every night by day."

"But the Islamic world is all broken up and fragmented."

"They have gone to study. It is like this: India is an able son of Islam; it is studying in the high school
of the British. Egypt is a clever son of Islam; it is taking lessons in the British school for civil servants.
Caucasia and Turkestan are two valiant sons of Islam; they are training in the Russian war academy. And so on.

"You see, after these noble sons of Islam have received their diplomas , each will lead a continent,
and, waving the banner of Islam, their just and mighty father, on the horizons of perfection, they will
proclaim the mystery of pre-eternal wisdom inherent in mankind in the view of pre-eternal divine
determining and in the face of obstinate fate." [1]

This short anecdote gives the note for Bediuzzaman's main message for the tribes of eastern
Anatolia, and of his celebrated sermon in Damascus early the following year; namely, encouragement
and hope for the future. That is to say, despite his disillusion with developments in Istanbul,
Bediuzzaman was unwavering in his conviction that constitutionalism was the way to further the cause
of Islam and preserve the Empire by securing progress and unity. Indeed, as we shall see when
examining the Sermon, Bediuzzaman predicted that according to all the signs, Islam and Islamic - or,
true - civilization would prevail in the future, and that the majority of mankind would accept and join
the religion of Islam. He said: "In the future when reason , science and technology hold sway, that
will surely be the time the Qur'an will gain ascendancy, which relies on rational proofs and makes the
reason confirm its pronouncements." [2]