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Holy Kitab I Aqdas
Texts 1-19
Texts 20-38
Texts 39-57
Texts 58-76
Texts 77-95
Texts 96-114
Texts 115-133
Texts 134-152
Texts 153-171
Texts 172-190
Holy Kitab I Iqan
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Prayers & Meditations by Bahaullah
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Section 11
Section 12
Section 13
Section 14
Section 15
Section 16
Section 17
Section 18
Section 19
Section 20
Section 21
Section 22
Section 23
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Epistle to
the Son of the Wolf:
Section 6 |
Potent art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee by Thy word: 'Be, and it is.'"
O Shaykh! We had seized the reins of authority by the power of
God and His Divine might, as He alone can seize, Who is the
Mighty, the Strong. None had the power to stir up mischief or
sedition. Now, however, as they have failed to appreciate this
loving-kindness and these bounties, they have been, and will be,
afflicted with the retribution which their acts must entail. The
State officials, considering the secret progress of the Extended
Cord have, from every direction, incited and aided Mine
adversaries. In the Great City (Constantinople) they have roused
a considerable number of people to oppose this Wronged One.
Things have come to such a pass that the officials in that city
have acted in a manner which hath brought shame to both the
government and the people. A distinguished siyyid, whose
well-known integrity, acceptable conduct, and commercial
reputation, were recognized by the majority of fair-minded men,
and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant, once
visited Beirut. In view of his friendship for this Wronged One
they telegraphed the Persian Dragoman informing him that this
siyyid, assisted by his servant, had stolen a sum of money and
other things and gone to Akka. Their design in this matter was
to dishonor this Wronged One. And yet, far be it from the people
of this country to allow themselves to be deflected, by these
unseemly tales, from the straight path of uprightness and truth.
Briefly, they have assaulted Me from every side, and are
reinforcing Mine adversaries. This Wronged One, however,
beseecheth the one true God to graciously assist every one in
that which beseemeth these days.
Day and night I fix My gaze on these perspicuous words, and
recite: "O God, my God! I beseech Thee by the sun of Thy grace,
and the sea of Thy knowledge, and the heaven of Thy justice, to
aid them that have denied Thee to confess, and such as have
turned aside from Thee to return, and those who have calumniated
Thee to be just and fair-minded. Assist them, O my Lord, to
return unto Thee, and to repent before the door of Thy grace.
Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are
the reins of all that is in the heavens and all that is on
earth. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds."
The time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and
hearts of men will be disclosed. This Day is the Day whereof
Luqman spoke unto his son, the Day which the Lord of Glory
announced and with which He acquainted Him Who was His Friend
(Muhammad) through these, His words-exalted be He:--"O my son!
Verily, God will bring everything to light, though it were but
the weight of a grain of mustard-seed, and hidden in a rock or
in the heavens or in the earth; for God is Subtile, informed of
all." This Day the deceitful of eye, and all that men's breasts
conceal, are made known and laid bare before the throne of His
Revelation. Nothing whatsoever can escape His knowledge. He
heareth and seeth, and He, in truth, is the All-Hearing, the
All-Seeing. How very strange that they discern not between the
trustworthy and the treacherous!
Would that His Majesty the Shah of Persia-may God perpetuate his
sovereignty-would inquire from the Consuls of the honored
Persian Government who have been in this country, that he might
become acquainted with the activities and behavior of this
Wronged One. Briefly, they have incited a great many such as
Akhtar and others, and are busying themselves in spreading
calumnies. It is clear and evident that they will surround with
their swords of hatred and their shafts of enmity the one whom
they know to be an outcast among men and to have been banished
from one country to another. This is not the first time that
such iniquity hath been perpetrated, nor the first goblet that
hath been dashed to the ground, nor the first veil that hath
been rent in twain in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds.
This Wronged One, however, remained calm and silent in the Most
Great Prison, busying Himself with His own affairs, and
completely detached from all else but God. Iniquity waxed so
grievous that the pens of the world are powerless to record it.
In this connection it is necessary to mention the following
occurrence, that haply men may take fast hold of the cord of
justice and truthfulness. Haji Shaykh Muhammad Ali-upon him be
the glory of God, the Ever-Abiding-was a merchant of high
repute, well-known unto most of the inhabitants of the Great
City (Constantinople). Not long ago, when the Persian Embassy in
Constantinople was secretly engaged in stirring up mischief, it
was noticed that this believing and sincere soul was greatly
distressed. Finally, one night he threw himself into the sea,
but was rescued by some passers-by who chanced to come upon him
at that moment. His act was widely commented upon and given
varied interpretations by different people. Following this, one
night he repaired to a mosque, and, as reported by the guardian
of that place, kept vigil the whole night, and was occupied
until the morning in offering, ardently and with tearful eyes,
his prayers and supplications.
Upon hearing him suddenly cease his devotions, the guardian went
to him, and found that he had already surrendered his soul. An
empty bottle was found by his side, indicating that he had
poisoned himself. Briefly, the guardian, while greatly
astonished, broke the news to the people. It was found out that
he had left two testaments. In the first he recognized and
confessed the unity of God, that His Exalted Being had neither
peer nor equal, and that His Essence was exalted above all
praise, all glorification and description. He also testified to
the Revelation of the Prophets and the holy ones, and recognized
what had been written down in the Books of God, the Lord of all
men. On another page, in which he had set down a prayer, he
wrote these words in conclusion: "This servant and the loved
ones of God are perplexed. On the one hand the Pen of the Most
High hath forbidden all men to engage in sedition, contention or
conflict, and on the other that same Pen hath sent down these
most sublime words: 'Should anyone, in the presence of the
Manifestation, discover an evil intention on the part of any
soul, he must not oppose him, but must leave him to God.'
Considering that on the one hand this binding command is clear
and firmly established, and that on the other calumnies, beyond
human strength to bear or endure, have been uttered, this
servant hath chosen to commit this most grievous sin. I turn
suppliantly unto the ocean of God's bounty and the heaven of
Divine mercy, and hope that He will blot out with the pen of His
grace and bounteousness the misdeeds of this servant. Though my
transgressions be manifold, and unnumbered my evildoings, yet do
I cleave tenaciously to the cord of His bounty, and cling unto
the hem of His generosity. God is witness, and they that are
nigh unto His Threshold know full well, that this servant could
not bear to hear the tales related by the perfidious. I,
therefore, have committed this act. If He chastise me, He verily
is to be praised for what He doeth; and if He forgive me, His
behest shall be obeyed."
Ponder, now, O Shaykh, the influence of the word of God, that
haply thou mayest turn from the left hand of idle fancy unto the
right hand of certitude.
This Wronged One hath never acted hypocritically towards any
one, in the Cause of God, and hath loudly proclaimed the Word of
God before the face of His creatures. Let him who wisheth turn
thereunto, and let him who wisheth turn aside. If these things,
however, that are so clear, so manifest and indubitable, be
denied, what else can be deemed acceptable and worthy of
credence in the estimation of men of insight? We beseech
God-blessed and glorified be He-to forgive the aforementioned
person (Haji Shaykh Muhammad-'Ali), and change his evil deeds
into good ones. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty,
the All-Bounteous.
Such things have appeared in this Revelation that there is no
recourse for either the exponents of science and knowledge or
the manifestations of justice and equity other than to recognize
them. It is incumbent upon thee, in this day, to arise with
celestial power and dissipate, with the aid of knowledge, the
doubts of the peoples of the world, so that all men may be
sanctified, and direct their steps towards the Most Great Ocean
and cleave fast unto that which God hath purposed.
Every one who hath turned aside from Me hath clung to his own
idle words, and therewith voiced his objections to Him Who is
the Truth. Gracious God! Such references as have been made to
Divinity and Godhead by the holy ones and chosen ones of God
have been made a cause for denial and repudiation.
The Imam Sadiq hath said: "Servitude is a substance, the essence
of which is Divinity." The Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali)
answered an Arab, who had questioned him concerning the soul, as
follows: "The third is the soul which is divine and celestial.
It is a divine energy, a substance, simple, and
self-subsistent." And further he-peace be upon him-said:
"Therefore it is the Most Sublime Essence of God, the Tree of
Blessedness, the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, the
Garden of Repose." The Imam Sadiq hath said: "When our Qa'im
will arise, the earth will shine with the light of her Lord."
Likewise, a lengthy tradition is attributed to
Abi-'Abdi'llah-peace be upon him-in which these sublime words
are found:
"Thereupon will He Who is the All-Compelling-exalted and
glorified be He-descend from the clouds with the angels." And in
the mighty Qur'an: "What can such expect but that God should
come down to them overshadowed with clouds?" And in the
tradition of Mufaddal it is said: "The Qa'im will lean His back
against the Sanctuary, and will stretch forth His hand, and lo,
it shall be snow-white but unhurt. And He shall say: 'This is
the hand of God, the right hand of God, that cometh from God, at
the command of God!'" In whichever manner these traditions are
interpreted, in that same manner let them also interpret that
which the Most Sublime Pen hath set down. The Commander of the
Faithful (Imam Ali) hath said: "I am He Who can neither be
named, nor described." And likewise He hath said: "Outwardly I
am an Imam; inwardly I am the Unseen, the Unknowable."
Abu-Ja'far-i-Tusi hath said: "I said to Abi Abdi'llah: 'You are
the Way mentioned in the Book of God, and you are the Impost,
and you are the Pilgrimage.' He replied: 'O man! We are the Way
mentioned in the Book of God,--exalted and glorified be He-and
We are the Impost, and We are the Fast, and We are the
Pilgrimage, and We are the Sacred Month, and We are the Sacred
City, and We are the Kaaba of God, and We are the Qiblih of God,
and We are the Face of God.'" Jabir hath said that
Abu-Ja'far-peace be upon him-spoke to him as follows: "O Jabir!
Give heed unto the Bayan (Exposition) and the Ma'ani
(Significances)." He peace be upon him-added: "As to the Bayan,
it consisteth in thy recognition of God-glorified be He-as the
One Who hath no equal, and in thy adoration of Him, and in thy
refusal to join partners with Him. As to the Ma'ani, We are its
meaning, and its side, and its hand, and its tongue, and its
cause, and its command, and its knowledge, and its right. If We
wish for something, it is God Who wisheth it, and He desireth
that which We desire." Moreover, the Commander of the Faithful
(Imam Ali)--peace be upon him-hath said: "How can I worship a
Lord Whom I have not seen?" And, in another connection, he
saith: "Nothing have I perceived except that I perceived God
before it, God after it, or God with it."
O Shaykh! Ponder upon the things which have been mentioned,
perchance thou mayest quaff the Sealed Wine through the power of
the name of Him Who is the Self-Subsisting, and obtain that
which no one is capable of comprehending. Gird up the loins of
endeavor, and direct thyself towards the Most Sublime Kingdom,
that haply thou mayest perceive, as they descend upon Me, the
breaths of Revelation and inspiration, and attain thereunto.
Verily, I say: The Cause of God hath never had, nor hath it now,
any peer or equal. Rend asunder the veils of idle fancies. He,
in truth, will reinforce thee, and assist thee, as a token of
His grace. He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Subduing, the
Almighty. While there is yet time, and the blessed Lote-Tree is
still calling aloud amongst men, suffer not thyself to be
deprived. Place thy trust in God, and commit thine affairs unto
Him, and enter then the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest hear
what no ear hath ever heard, and gaze on that which no eye hath
ever seen. After such an exposition, can there remain any room
for doubt? Nay, by God, Who standeth over His Cause! In truth I
say: On this day the blessed words "But He is the Apostle of
God, and the Seal of the Prophets" have found their consummation
in the verse "The day when mankind shall stand before the Lord
of the worlds." Render thou thanksgiving unto God, for so great
a bounty.
O Shaykh! The breezes of Revelation can never be confounded with
other breezes. Now the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no
passing standeth laden with countless fruits before thy face;
besmirch not thyself with idle fancies, as have done the people
aforetime. These utterances themselves proclaim the true nature
of the Faith of God. He it is Who witnesseth unto all things. To
demonstrate the truth of His Revelation He hath not been, nor is
He, dependent upon any one. Well nigh a hundred volumes of
luminous verses and perspicuous words have already been sent
down from the heaven of the will of Him Who is the Revealer of
signs, and are available unto all. It is for thee to direct
thyself towards the Ultimate Goal, and the Supreme End, and the
Most Sublime Pinnacle, that thou mayest hear and behold what
hath been revealed by God, the Lord of the worlds.
Ponder a while upon the verses concerning the Divine Presence,
which have been sent down in the Qur'an by Him Who is the Lord
of the kingdom of names, perchance thou mayest discover the
Straight Path, and be made an instrument for the guidance of His
creatures. Such a one as thou must needs in this day arise to
serve this Cause. The abasement of this Wronged One as well as
thy glory shall both pass away. Strive thou, that haply thou
mayest achieve a deed the fragrance of which shall never fade
from the earth. Concerning the Divine Presence there hath been
sent down what no denier hath been or is now able to refute or
repudiate. He-blessed and exalted be He-saith: "It is God Who
hath reared the heavens without pillars thou canst behold;
then mounted His throne, and imposed laws on the sun and moon:
each traveleth to its appointed goal. He ordereth all things. He
maketh His signs clear, that ye may have firm faith in the
Presence of your Lord." He also saith: "To him who hopeth to
attain the Presence of God, the set time of God will surely
come. And He is the Hearer, the Knower." And further He-exalted
be He-saith: "As for those who believe not in the signs of God,
or that they shall ever attain His Presence, these of My mercy
shall despair, and these doth a grievous chastisement await."
And likewise He saith: "And they say, 'What! when we shall have
lain hidden in the earth, shall we become a new creation?' Yea,
they deny that they shall attain the Presence of their Lord."
And likewise He saith: "They truly doubt the Presence of their
Lord. He, verily, overshadoweth all things." And likewise He
saith: "Verily, they who hope not to attain Our Presence, and
find their satisfaction in this world's life, and rest on it,
and who of Our signs are heedless-these! their abode the fire,
in recompense of their deeds!" And likewise He saith: "But when
Our clear signs are recited to them, they who look not forward
to attain Our Presence, say, 'Bring a different Qur'an from
this, or make some change in it.' Say: It is not for Me to
change it as Mine own soul prompteth. I follow only what is
revealed to Me: verily, I fear, if I rebel against My Lord, the
punishment of a great day." And likewise He saith: "Then gave We
the Book to Moses-complete for Him who should do right, and a
decision for all matters, and a guidance, and a mercy, that they
might believe in the Presence of their Lord." And likewise he
saith: "They are those who believe not in the signs of the Lord,
or that they shall ever attain His Presence. Vain, therefore,
are their works; and no weight will We allow them on the Day of
Resurrection. This shall be their reward-Hell. Because they were
unbelievers, and treated My signs and My Apostles with scorn."
And likewise He saith: "Hath the history of Moses reached thee?
When He saw a fire, and said to His family, 'Tarry ye here, for
I perceive a fire; haply I may bring you a brand from it, or
find at the fire a guide.' And when He came to it, He was called
to, 'O Moses! Verily, I am Thy Lord; therefore pull off Thy
shoes, for Thou art in the holy vale of Towa. And I have chosen
Thee; hearken then to what shall be revealed. Verily, I am God,
there is no God but Me. Therefore, worship Me.'" And likewise He
saith: "Have they not considered within themselves that God hath
not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between
them but for a serious end, and for a fixed term? But truly most
men believe not that they shall attain the Presence of their
Lord." And likewise He saith: "What!
Have they no thought that they shall be raised again for the
Great Day, the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of
the worlds?" And likewise He saith: "We heretofore gave the Book
to Moses. Have thou no doubt as to His attaining Our Presence."
And He saith: "Aye! But when the earth shall be crushed with
crushing, crushing, and thy Lord shall come and the angels rank
on rank." And likewise He saith: "Fain would they put out the
light of God with their mouths! But though the infidels hate it,
God will perfect His light." And likewise He saith: "And when
Moses had fulfilled the term, and was journeying with His
family, He perceived a fire on the mountain side. He said to His
family: 'Wait ye, for I perceive a fire, haply I may bring you
tidings from it, or a brand from the fire to warm you.' And when
He came up to it, a Voice cried to Him out of the Bush from the
right side of the Vale in the sacred Spot: 'O Moses, I truly am
God, the Lord of the worlds!'"
In all the Divine Books the promise of the Divine Presence hath
been explicitly recorded. By this Presence is meant the Presence
of Him Who is the Dayspring of the signs, and the Dawning-Place
of the clear tokens, and the Manifestation of the Excellent
Names, and the Source of the attributes, of the true God,
exalted be His glory. God in His Essence and in His own Self
hath ever been unseen, inaccessible, and unknowable. By
Presence, therefore, is meant the Presence of the One Who is His
Vicegerent amongst men. He, moreover, hath never had, nor hath
He, any peer or likeness. For were He to have any peer or
likeness, how could it then be demonstrated that His being is
exalted above, and His essence sanctified from, all comparison
and likeness? Briefly, there hath been revealed in the
Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude) concerning the Presence and
Revelation of God that which will suffice the fair-minded. We
beseech Him-exalted be He-to aid every one to become the essence
of truthfulness, and to draw nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the
Lord of strength and power. No God is there but Him, the
All-Hearing, the Lord of Utterance, the Almighty, the
All-Praised.
O thou who art reputed for thy learning! Bid men to do that
which is praiseworthy, and be not of such as tarry. Observe thou
with a keen eye. The Sun of Truth shineth resplendently, at the
bidding of the Lord of the kingdom of utterance, and the King of
the heaven of knowledge, above the horizon of the prison-city of
Akka. Repudiation hath not veiled it, and ten thousand hosts
arrayed against it were powerless to withhold it from shining.
Thou canst excuse thyself no longer. Either thou must recognize
it, or-God forbid-arise and deny all the Prophets!
Reflect, O Shaykh, upon the Shi'ih sect. How many the edifices
which they reared with the hands of idle fancies and vain
imaginings, and how numerous the cities which they built! At
length those vain imaginings were converted into bullets and
aimed at Him Who is the Prince of the world. Not one single soul
among the leaders of that sect acknowledged Him in the Day of
His Revelation! Whenever His blessed name was mentioned, all
would say:
"May God hasten the joy His coming will bring!" On the day of
the Revelation of that Sun of Truth, however, all, as hath been
observed, have exclaimed, saying: "May God hasten His
chastisement!" He Who was the Essence of being and Lord of the
seen and unseen they suspended, and committed what made the
Tablet to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the cries of the
sincere to break forth, and the tears of the favored ones to
flow.
Meditate, O Shaykh, and be fair in what thou sayest. The
followers of Shaykh-i-Ahsa'i (Shaykh Ahmad) have, by the aid of
God, apprehended that which was veiled from the comprehension of
others, and of which they remained deprived. Briefly, in every
age and century differences have arisen in the days of the
manifestation of the Daysprings of Revelation, and the
Dawning-Places of inspiration, and the Repositories of Divine
knowledge, differences which have been caused and provoked by
lying and impious souls. To expatiate on this is not
permissible. Thou art thyself better acquainted and more
familiar with the idle fancies of the superstitious and the vain
imaginings of the doubters.
In this day, this Wronged One requesteth thee and the other
divines who have drunk of the cup of the knowledge of God, and
are illumined by the shining words of the Daystar of Justice, to
appoint some person, without informing any one, and despatch him
to these regions, and enable him to remain a while in the island
of Cyprus, and associate with Mirza Yahya, perchance he may
become aware of the fundamentals of this Faith and of the source
of the Divine laws and commandments.
Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst bear witness unto the
wisdom, and the power, and the sovereignty of God, exalted be
His glory. The few who were unaware of this Cause, and had not
met Us, have spoken in such a manner that all things, and those
souls who are well assured, pleased, and pleasing unto God, have
testified unto the imposture of these heedless ones. Wert thou
now to exert thyself, the truth of this Cause would be made
apparent unto mankind, and the people would be delivered from
this grievous and oppressive darkness. Who else but Baha can
speak forth before the face of men, and who else but He can have
the power to pronounce that which He was bidden by God, the Lord
of Hosts?
This heedless one hath now clung to the practice of Rawdih-khani
(traditional lamentation for the Imam Husayn). He-I swear by
God-is in evident error. For it is the belief of this people
that during the Revelation of the Qa'im, the Imams-may the peace
of God be upon them-have arisen from their sepulchres. This
verily is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. We beseech
God to bestow upon the superstitious a portion of the living
waters of certitude which are streaming from the wellspring of
the Most Sublime Pen, that all may attain unto that which
becometh these days.
O Shaykh! While hemmed in by tribulations this Wronged One is
occupied in setting down these words. On every side the flame of
oppression and tyranny can be discerned. On the one hand,
tidings have reached Us that Our loved ones have been arrested
in the land of Ta (Tihran) and this notwithstanding that the
sun, and the moon, and the land, and the sea all testify that
this people are adorned with the adornment of fidelity, and have
clung and will cling to naught except that which can ensure the
exaltation of the government, and the maintenance of order
within the nation, and the tranquillity of the people.
O Shaykh! We have time and again stated that for a number of
years We have extended Our aid unto His Majesty the Shah. For
years no untoward incident hath occurred in Persia. The reins of
the stirrers of sedition among various sects were held firmly in
the grasp of power. None hath transgressed his limits. By God!
This people have never been, nor are they now, inclined to
mischief. Their hearts are illumined with the light of the fear
of God, and adorned with the adornment of His love. Their
concern hath ever been and now is for the betterment of the
world. Their purpose is to obliterate differences, and quench
the flame of hatred and enmity, so that the whole earth may come
to be viewed as one country.
On the other hand, the officials of the Persian Embassy in the
Great City (Constantinople) are energetically and assiduously
seeking to exterminate these wronged ones. They desire one
thing, and God desireth another. Consider now what hath befallen
the trusted ones of God in every land. At one time they have
been accused of theft and larceny; at another they have been
calumniated in a manner without parallel in this world. Answer
thou fairly. What could be the results and consequences, in
foreign countries, of the accusation of theft brought by the
Persian Embassy against its own subjects? If this Wronged One
was ashamed, it was not because of the humiliation it brought
this servant, but rather because of the shame of its becoming
known to the Ambassadors of foreign countries how incompetent
and lacking in understanding are several eminent officials of
the Persian Embassy. "Flingest thou thy calumnies into the face
of Them Whom the one true God hath made the Trustees of the
treasures of His seventh sphere?" Briefly, instead of seeking,
as they should, through Him Who occupieth this sublime station,
to attain unto the most exalted ranks, and to obtain His advice,
they have exerted themselves and are striving their utmost to
put out His light. However, according to what hath been
reported, His Excellency the Ambassador Mu'inu'l-Mulk, Mirza
Muhsin Khan-may God assist him-was, at that time, absent from
Constantinople. Such things have happened because it was
believed that His Majesty the Shah of Persia-may the
All-Merciful assist him --was angry with them that have attained
and revolve round the Sanctuary of Wisdom. God well knoweth and
testifieth that this Wronged One hath, at all times, been
cleaving fast unto whatever would be conducive to the glory of
both the government and the people. God, verily, is sufficient
Witness.
Describing the people of Baha, the Most Sublime Pen hath sent
down these words: "These, verily, are men who if they come to
cities of pure gold will consider them not; and if they meet the
fairest and most comely of women will turn aside." Thus hath it
been sent down by the Most Sublime Pen for the people of Baha,
on the part of Him Who is the Counsellor, the Omniscient. In the
concluding passages of the Tablet to His Majesty the Emperor of
Paris (Napoleon III) these exalted words have been revealed:
"Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing
they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of
earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of
Baha, is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant?
Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and
turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the world."
God alone-exalted be His glory-is cognizant of the things which
befell this Wronged One. Every day bringeth a fresh report of
stories current against Us at the Embassy in Constantinople.
Gracious God! The sole aim of their machinations is to bring
about the extermination of this servant. They are, however,
oblivious of the fact that abasement in the path of God is My
true glory. In the newspapers the following hath been recorded:
"Touching the fraudulent dealings of some of the exiles of Akka,
and the excesses committed by them against several people,
etc...." Unto them who are the exponents of justice and the
daysprings of equity the intention of the writer is evident and
his purpose clear. Briefly, he arose and inflicted upon Me
divers tribulations, and treated Me with injustice and cruelty.
By God! This Wronged One would not barter this place of exile
for the Most Sublime Habitation. In the estimation of men of
insight whatsoever befalleth in the path of God is manifest
glory and a supreme attainment. Already We have said: "Glory to
Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in
Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it
not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could
the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed?"
Such abasement hath been inflicted that each day they spread
fresh calumnies. This Wronged One, however, cleaveth to seemly
patience. Would that His Majesty the Shah of Persia would ask
for a report of the things which befell Us in Constantinople,
that he might become fully acquainted with the true facts. O
Shah! I adjure thee by thy Lord, the God of Mercy, to look into
this matter with the eye of fairness. Is there to be found a
just man who will judge in this day according to that which God
hath sent down in His Book? Where is the fair-minded person who
will equitably consider what hath been perpetrated against Us
without any clear token or proof?
O Shaykh! Ponder the behavior of men. The inmates of the cities
of knowledge and wisdom are sore perplexed asking themselves why
it is that the Shi'ih sect, which regarded itself as the most
learned, the most righteous, and the most pious of all the
peoples of the world, hath turned aside in the Day of His
Revelation, and hath shown a cruelty such as hath never been
experienced. It is incumbent upon thee to reflect a while. From
the inception of this sect until the present day how great hath
been the number of the divines that have appeared, none of whom
became cognizant of the nature of this Revelation. What could
have been the cause of this waywardness? Were We to mention it,
their limbs would cleave asunder. It is necessary for them to
meditate, to meditate for a thousand thousand years, that haply
they may attain unto a sprinkling from the ocean of knowledge,
and discover the things whereof they are oblivious in this day. |
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