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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
Friendly sites
Hagia Sophia
Solitaire
Tetris
Space Invaders
Q-bert
Moon Patrol
Bubble Bobble
Lady Bug
Bomb Jack
Ghosts n Goblins
Burger time
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Holy Kitab I
Iqan:
Section 3 |
For instance, consider Moses, son
of Imran, one of the exalted Prophets and Author of a
divinely-revealed Book. Whilst passing, one day, through the
market, in His early days, ere His ministry was proclaimed, He
saw two men engaged in fighting. One of them asked the help of
Moses against his opponent. Whereupon, Moses intervened and slew
him. To this testifieth the record of the sacred Book. Should
the details be cited, they will lengthen and interrupt the
course of the argument. The report of this incident spread
throughout the city, and Moses was full of fear, as is witnessed
by the text of the Book. And when the warning: "O Moses! of a
truth, the chiefs take counsel to slay Thee" [Qur'an 28:20.]
reached His ears, He went forth from the city, and sojourned in
Midian in the service of Shoeb. While returning, Moses entered
the holy vale, situate in the wilderness of Sinai, and there
beheld the vision of the King of glory from the "Tree that
belongeth neither to the East nor to the West." [Qur'an 24:35.]
There He heard the soul-stirring Voice of the Spirit speaking
from out of the kindled Fire, bidding Him to shed upon Pharaonic
souls the light of divine guidance; so that, liberating them
from the shadows of the valley of self and desire, He might
enable them to attain the meads of heavenly delight, and
delivering them, through the Salsabil of renunciation, from the
bewilderment of remoteness, cause them to enter the peaceful
city of the divine presence. When Moses came unto Pharaoh and
delivered unto him, as bidden by God, the divine Message,
Pharaoh spoke insultingly saying: "Art thou not he that
committed murder, and became an infidel?" Thus recounted the
Lord of majesty as having been said by Pharaoh unto Moses: "What
a deed is that which Thou hast done! Thou art one of the
ungrateful.
He said: 'I did it indeed, and I was one of those who erred. And
I fled from you when I feared you, but My Lord hath given Me
wisdom, and hath made Me one of His Apostles.'" [Qur'an 26:19.]
And now ponder in thy heart the commotion which God stirreth up.
Reflect upon the strange and manifold trials with which He doth
test His servants. Consider how He hath suddenly chosen from
among His servants, and entrusted with the exalted mission of
divine guidance Him Who was known as guilty of homicide, Who,
Himself, had acknowledged His cruelty, and Who for well-nigh
thirty years had, in the eyes of the world, been reared in the
home of Pharaoh and been nourished at his table. Was not God,
the omnipotent King, able to withhold the hand of Moses from
murder, so that manslaughter should not be attributed unto Him,
causing bewilderment and aversion among the people?
Likewise, reflect upon the state and condition of Mary. So deep
was the perplexity of that most beauteous countenance, so
grievous her case, that she bitterly regretted she had ever been
born. To this beareth witness the text of the sacred verse
wherein it is mentioned that after Mary had given birth to
Jesus, she bemoaned her plight and cried out: "O would that I
had died ere this, and been a thing forgotten, forgotten quite!"
[Qur'an 19:22.] I swear by God! Such lamenting consumeth the
heart and shaketh the being. Such consternation of soul, such
despondency, could have been caused by no other than the censure
of the enemy and the cavilings of the infidel and perverse.
Reflect, what answer could Mary have given to the people around
her?
How could she claim that a Babe Whose father was unknown had
been conceived of the Holy Ghost? Therefore did Mary, that
veiled and immortal Countenance, take up her Child and return
unto her home. No sooner had the eyes of the people fallen upon
her than they raised their voice saying: "O sister of Aaron! Thy
father was not a man of wickedness, nor unchaste thy mother." [Qur'an
19:28.]
And now, meditate upon this most great convulsion, this grievous
test. Notwithstanding all these things, God conferred upon that
essence of the Spirit, Who was known amongst the people as
fatherless, the glory of Prophethood, and made Him His testimony
unto all that are in heaven and on earth.
Behold how contrary are the ways of the Manifestations of God,
as ordained by the King of creation, to the ways and desires of
men! As thou comest to comprehend the essence of these divine
mysteries, thou wilt grasp the purpose of God, the divine
Charmer, the Best-Beloved. Thou wilt regard the words and the
deeds of that almighty Sovereign as one and the same; in such
wise that whatsoever thou dost behold in His deeds, the same
wilt thou find in His sayings, and whatsoever thou dost read in
His sayings, that wilt thou recognize in His deeds. Thus it is
that outwardly such deeds and words are the fire of vengeance
unto the wicked, and inwardly the waters of mercy unto the
righteous. Were the eye of the heart to open, it would surely
perceive that the words revealed from the heaven of the will of
God are at one with, and the same as, the deeds that have
emanated from the Kingdom of divine power.
And now, take heed, O brother! If such things be revealed in
this Dispensation, and such incidents come to pass, at the
present time, what would the people do? I swear by Him Who is
the true Educator of mankind and the Revealer of the Word of God
that the people would instantly and unquestionably pronounce Him
an infidel and would sentence Him to death. How far are they
from hearkening unto the voice that declareth: Lo! a Jesus hath
appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost, and a Moses
summoned to a divinely-appointed task! Were a myriad voices to
be raised, no ear would listen if We said that upon a fatherless
Child hath been conferred the mission of Prophethood, or that a
murderer hath brought from the flame of the burning Bush the
message of "Verily, verily, I am God!"
If the eye of justice be opened, it will readily recognize, in
the light of that which hath been mentioned, that He, Who is the
Cause and ultimate Purpose of all these things, is made manifest
in this day. Though similar events have not occurred in this
Dispensation, yet the people still cling to such vain imaginings
as are cherished by the reprobate. How grievous the charges
brought against Him! How severe the persecutions inflicted upon
Him-charges and persecutions the like of which men have neither
seen nor heard!
Great God! When the stream of utterance reached this stage, We
beheld, and lo! the sweet savours of God were being wafted from
the dayspring of Revelation, and the morning breeze was blowing
out of the Sheba of the Eternal. Its tidings rejoiced anew the
heart, and imparted immeasurable gladness to the soul. It made
all things new, and brought unnumbered and inestimable gifts
from the unknowable Friend. The robe of human praise can never
hope to match Its noble stature, and Its shining figure the
mantle of utterance can never fit. Without word It unfoldeth the
inner mysteries, and without speech It revealeth the secrets of
the divine sayings. It teacheth lamentation and moaning to the
nightingales warbling upon the bough of remoteness and
bereavement, instructeth them in the art of love's ways, and
showeth them the secret of heart-surrender. To the flowers of
the Ridvan of heavenly reunion It revealeth the endearments of
the impassioned lover, and unveileth the charm of the fair. Upon
the anemones of the garden of love It bestoweth the mysteries of
truth, and within the breasts of lovers It entrusteth the
symbols of the innermost subtleties. At this hour, so liberal is
the outpouring of Its grace that the holy Spirit itself is
envious! It hath imparted to the drop the waves of the sea, and
endowed the mote with the splendour of the sun. So great are the
overflowings of Its bounty that the foulest beetle hath sought
the perfume of the musk, and the bat the light of the sun. It
hath quickened the dead with the breath of life, and caused them
to speed out of the sepulchres of their mortal bodies. It hath
established the ignorant upon the seats of learning, and
elevated the oppressor to the throne of justice.
The universe is pregnant with these manifold bounties, awaiting
the hour when the effects of Its unseen gifts will be made
manifest in this world, when the languishing and sore athirst
will attain the living Kawthar of their Well-Beloved, and the
erring wanderer, lost in the wilds of remoteness and
nothingness, will enter the tabernacle of life, and attain
reunion with his heart's desire. In the soil of whose heart will
these holy seeds germinate? From the garden of whose soul will
the blossoms of the invisible realities spring forth? Verily, I
say, so fierce is the blaze of the Bush of love, burning in the
Sinai of the heart, that the streaming waters of holy utterance
can never quench its flame. Oceans can never allay this
Leviathan's burning thirst, and this Phoenix of the undying fire
can abide nowhere save in the glow of the countenance of the
Well-Beloved. Therefore, O brother! kindle with the oil of
wisdom the lamp of the spirit within the innermost chamber of
thy heart, and guard it with the globe of understanding, that
the breath of the infidel may extinguish not its flame nor dim
its brightness. Thus have We illuminated the heavens of
utterance with the splendours of the Sun of divine wisdom and
understanding, that thy heart may find peace, that thou mayest
be of those who, on the wings of certitude, have soared unto the
heaven of the love of their Lord, the All-Merciful.
And now, concerning His words: "And then shall appear the sign
of the Son of man in heaven."
By these words it is meant that when the sun of the heavenly
teachings hath been eclipsed, the stars of the
divinely-established laws have fallen, and the moon of true
knowledge-the educator of mankind-hath been obscured; when the
standards of guidance and felicity have been reversed, and the
morn of truth and righteousness hath sunk in night, then shall
the sign of the Son of man appear in heaven. By "heaven" is
meant the visible heaven, inasmuch as when the hour draweth nigh
on which the Day-star of the heaven of justice shall be made
manifest, and the Ark of divine guidance shall sail upon the sea
of glory, a star will appear in the heaven, heralding unto its
people the advent of that most great light. In like manner, in
the invisible heaven a star shall be made manifest who, unto the
peoples of the earth, shall act as a harbinger of the break of
that true and exalted Morn. These twofold signs, in the visible
and the invisible heaven, have announced the Revelation of each
of the Prophets of God, as is commonly believed.
Among the Prophets was Abraham, the Friend of God. Ere He
manifested Himself, Nimrod dreamed a dream. Thereupon, he
summoned the soothsayers, who informed him of the rise of a star
in the heaven. Likewise, there appeared a herald who announced
throughout the land the coming of Abraham.
After Him came Moses, He Who held converse with God. The
soothsayers of His time warned Pharaoh in these terms: "A star
hath risen in the heaven, and lo! it foreshadoweth the
conception of a Child Who holdeth your fate and the fate of your
people in His hand." In like manner, there appeared a sage who,
in the darkness of the night, brought tidings of joy unto the
people of Israel, imparting consolation to their souls, and
assurance to their hearts. To this testify the records of the
sacred books. Were the details to be mentioned, this epistle
would swell into a book. Moreover, it is not Our wish to relate
the stories of the days that are past. God is Our witness that
what We even now mention is due solely to Our tender affection
for thee, that haply the poor of the earth may attain the shores
of the sea of wealth, the ignorant be led unto the ocean of
divine knowledge, and they that thirst for understanding partake
of the Salsabil of divine wisdom. Otherwise, this servant
regardeth the consideration of such records a grave mistake and
a grievous transgression.
In like manner, when the hour of the Revelation of Jesus drew
nigh, a few of the Magi, aware that the star of Jesus had
appeared in heaven, sought and followed it, till they came unto
the city which was the seat of the Kingdom of Herod. The sway of
his sovereignty in those days embraced the whole of that land.
These Magi said: "Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for
we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him!"
[Matthew 2:2.] When they had searched, they found out that in
Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, the Child had been born. This
was the sign that was manifested in the visible heaven. As to
the sign in the invisible heaven-the heaven of divine knowledge
and understanding-it was Yahya, son of Zachariah, who gave unto
the people the tidings of the Manifestation of Jesus. Even as He
hath revealed: "God announceth Yahya to thee, who shall bear
witness unto the Word from God, and a great one and chaste."
[Qur'an 3:39.] By the term "Word" is meant Jesus, Whose coming
Yahya foretold. Moreover, in the heavenly Scriptures it is
written: "John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of
Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at
hand." [Matthew 3:1-2.] By John is meant Yahya.
Likewise, ere the beauty of Muhammad was unveiled, the signs of
the visible heaven were made manifest. As to the signs of the
invisible heaven, there appeared four men who successively
announced unto the people the joyful tidings of the rise of that
divine Luminary. Ruz-bih, later named Salman, was honoured by
being in their service. As the end of one of these approached,
he would send Ruz-bih unto the other, until the fourth who,
feeling his death to be nigh, addressed Ruz-bih saying: "O
Ruz-bih! when thou hast taken up my body and buried it, go to
Hijaz for there the Day-star of Muhammad will arise. Happy art
thou, for thou shalt behold His face!"
And now concerning this wondrous and most exalted Cause. Know
thou verily that many an astronomer hath announced the
appearance of its star in the visible heaven. Likewise, there
appeared on earth Ahmad and Kazim, [Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa'i and
Siyyid Kazim-i-Rashti.] those twin resplendent lights-may God
sanctify their resting-place!
From all that We have stated it hath become clear and manifest
that before the revelation of each of the Mirrors reflecting the
divine Essence, the signs heralding their advent must needs be
revealed in the visible heaven as well as in the invisible,
wherein is the seat of the sun of knowledge, of the moon of
wisdom, and of the stars of understanding and utterance. The
sign of the invisible heaven must needs be revealed in the
person of that perfect man who, before each Manifestation
appeareth, educateth, and prepareth the souls of men for the
advent of the divine Luminary, the Light of the unity of God
amongst men.
And now, with reference to His words: "And then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man
coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory."
These words signify that in those days men will lament the loss
of the Sun of the divine beauty, of the Moon of knowledge, and
of the Stars of divine wisdom. Thereupon, they will behold the
countenance of the promised One, the adored Beauty, descending
from heaven and riding upon the clouds.
By this is meant that the divine Beauty will be made manifest
from the heaven of the will of God, and will appear in the form
of the human temple. The term "heaven" denoteth loftiness and
exaltation, inasmuch as it is the seat of the revelation of
those Manifestations of Holiness, the Day-springs of ancient
glory. These ancient Beings, though delivered from the womb of
their mother, have in reality descended from the heaven of the
will of God. Though they be dwelling on this earth, yet their
true habitations are the retreats of glory in the realms above.
Whilst walking amongst mortals, they soar in the heaven of the
divine presence. Without feet they tread the path of the spirit,
and without wings they rise unto the exalted heights of divine
unity. With every fleeting breath they cover the immensity of
space, and at every moment traverse the kingdoms of the visible
and the invisible. Upon their thrones is written: "Nothing
whatsoever keepeth Him from being occupied with any other
thing;" and on their seats is inscribed: "Verily, His ways
differ every day." [Qur'an 55:29. ] They are sent forth through
the transcendent power of the Ancient of Days, and are raised up
by the exalted will of God, the most mighty King. This is what
is meant by the words: "coming in the clouds of heaven."
In the utterances of the divine Luminaries the term "heaven"
hath been applied to many and divers things; such as the "heaven
of Command," the "heaven of Will," the "heaven of the divine
Purpose," the "heaven of divine Knowledge," the "heaven of
Certitude," the "heaven of Utterance," the "heaven of
Revelation," the "heaven of Concealment," and the like. In every
instance, He hath given the term "heaven" a special meaning, the
significance of which is revealed to none save those that have
been initiated into the divine mysteries, and have drunk from
the chalice of immortal life.
For example, He saith: "The heaven hath sustenance for you, and
it containeth that which you are promised;" [Qur'an 51:22.]
whereas it is the earth that yieldeth such sustenance. Likewise,
it hath been said: "The names come down from heaven;" whereas
they proceed out of the mouth of men. Wert thou to cleanse the
mirror of thy heart from the dust of malice, thou wouldst
apprehend the meaning of the symbolic terms revealed by the
all-embracing Word of God made manifest in every Dispensation,
and wouldst discover the mysteries of divine knowledge. Not,
however, until thou consumest with the flame of utter detachment
those veils of idle learning, that are current amongst men,
canst thou behold the resplendent morn of true knowledge.
Know verily that Knowledge is of two kinds: Divine and Satanic.
The one welleth out from the fountain of divine inspiration; the
other is but a reflection of vain and obscure thoughts. The
source of the former is God Himself; the motive-force of the
latter the whisperings of selfish desire. The one is guided by
the principle: "Fear ye God; God will teach you;" [Qur'an
2:282.] the other is but a confirmation of the truth: "Knowledge
is the most grievous veil between man and his Creator." The
former bringeth forth the fruit of patience, of longing desire,
of true understanding, and love; whilst the latter can yield
naught but arrogance, vainglory and conceit. From the sayings of
those Masters of holy utterance, Who have expounded the meaning
of true knowledge, the odour of these dark teachings, which have
obscured the world, can in no wise be detected. The tree of such
teachings can yield no result except iniquity and rebellion, and
beareth no fruit but hatred and envy. Its fruit is deadly
poison; its shadow a consuming fire. How well hath it been said:
"Cling unto the robe of the Desire of thy heart, and put thou
away all shame; bid the worldlywise be gone, however great their
name."
The heart must needs therefore be cleansed from the idle sayings
of men, and sanctified from every earthly affection, so that it
may discover the hidden meaning of divine inspiration, and
become the treasury of the mysteries of divine knowledge. Thus
hath it been said: "He that treadeth the snow-white Path, and
followeth in the footsteps of the Crimson Pillar, shall never
attain unto his abode unless his hands are empty of those
worldly things cherished by men." This is the prime requisite of
whosoever treadeth this path. Ponder thereon, that, with eyes
unveiled, thou mayest perceive the truth of these words.
We have digressed from the purpose of Our argument, although
whatsoever is mentioned serveth only to confirm Our purpose. By
God! however great Our desire to be brief, yet We feel We cannot
restrain Our pen. Notwithstanding all that We have mentioned,
how innumerable are the pearls which have remained unpierced in
the shell of Our heart! How many the huris of inner meaning that
are as yet concealed within the chambers of divine wisdom! None
hath yet approached them;--huris, "whom no man nor spirit hath
touched before." [Qur'an 55:56.] Notwithstanding all that hath
been said, it seemeth as if not one letter of Our purpose hath
been uttered, nor a single sign divulged concerning Our object.
When will a faithful seeker be found who will don the garb of
pilgrimage, attain the Ka'bih of the heart's desire, and,
without ear or tongue, discover the mysteries of divine
utterance?
By these luminous, these conclusive, and lucid statements, the
meaning of "heaven" in the aforementioned verse hath thus been
made clear and evident. And now regarding His words, that the
Son of man shall "come in the clouds of heaven."
By the term "clouds" is meant those things that are contrary to
the ways and desires of men. Even as He hath revealed in the
verse already quoted: "As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with
that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing
some of being impostors and slaying others." [Qur'an 2:87.]
These "clouds" signify, in one sense, the annulment of laws, the
abrogation of former Dispensations, the repeal of rituals and
customs current amongst men, the exalting of the illiterate
faithful above the learned opposers of the Faith. In another
sense, they mean the appearance of that immortal Beauty in the
image of mortal man, with such human limitations as eating and
drinking, poverty and riches, glory and abasement, sleeping and
waking, and such other things as cast doubt in the minds of men,
and cause them to turn away. All such veils are symbolically
referred to as "clouds."
These are the "clouds" that cause the heavens of the knowledge
and understanding of all that dwell on earth to be cloven
asunder. Even as He hath revealed: "On that day shall the heaven
be cloven by the clouds." [Qur'an 25:25.] Even as the clouds
prevent the eyes of men from beholding the sun, so do these
things hinder the souls of men from recognizing the light of the
divine Luminary. To this beareth witness that which hath
proceeded out of the mouth of the unbelievers as revealed in the
sacred Book: "And they have said: 'What manner of apostle is
this? He eateth food, and walketh the streets. Unless an angel
be sent down and take part in His warnings, we will not
believe.'" [Qur'an 25:7.] Other Prophets, similarly, have been
subject to poverty and afflictions, to hunger, and to the ills
and chances of this world. As these holy Persons were subject to
such needs and wants, the people were, consequently, lost in the
wilds of misgivings and doubts, and were afflicted with
bewilderment and perplexity. How, they wondered, could such a
person be sent down from God, assert His ascendancy over all the
peoples and kindreds of the earth, and claim Himself to be the
goal of all creation,-- even as He hath said: "But for Thee, I
would not have created all that are in heaven and on earth," and
yet be subject to such trivial things? You must undoubtedly have
been informed of the tribulations, the poverty, the ills, and
the degradation that have befallen every Prophet of God and His
companions. You must have heard how the heads of their followers
were sent as presents unto different cities, how grievously they
were hindered from that whereunto they were commanded. Each and
every one of them fell a prey to the hands of the enemies of His
Cause, and had to suffer whatsoever they decreed.
It is evident that the changes brought about in every
Dispensation constitute the dark clouds that intervene between
the eye of man's understanding and the divine Luminary which
shineth forth from the dayspring of the divine Essence. Consider
how men for generations have been blindly imitating their
fathers, and have been trained according to such ways and
manners as have been laid down by the dictates of their Faith.
Were these men, therefore, to discover suddenly that a Man, Who
hath been living in their midst, Who, with respect to every
human limitation, hath been their equal, had risen to abolish
every established principle imposed by their Faith-principles by
which for centuries they have been disciplined, and every
opposer and denier of which they have come to regard as infidel,
profligate and wicked,--they would of a certainty be veiled and
hindered from acknowledging His truth. Such things are as
"clouds" that veil the eyes of those whose inner being hath not
tasted the Salsabil of detachment, nor drunk from the Kawthar of
the knowledge of God. Such men, when acquainted with these
circumstances, become so veiled that without the least question,
they pronounce the Manifestation of God an infidel, and sentence
Him to death. You must have heard of such things taking place
all down the ages, and are now observing them in these days.
It behooveth us, therefore, to make the utmost endeavour, that,
by God's invisible assistance, these dark veils, these clouds of
Heaven-sent trials, may not hinder us from beholding the beauty
of His shining Countenance, and that we may recognize Him only
by His own Self. And should we ask for a testimony of His truth,
we should content ourselves with one, and only one; that thereby
we may attain unto Him Who is the Fountain-head of infinite
grace, and in Whose presence all the world's abundance fadeth
into nothingness, that we may cease to cavil at Him every day
and to cleave unto our own idle fancy.
Gracious God! Notwithstanding the warning which, in marvelously
symbolic language and subtle allusions, hath been uttered in
days past, and which was intended to awaken the peoples of the
world and to prevent them from being deprived of their share of
the billowing ocean of God's grace, yet such things as have
already been witnessed have come to pass! Reference to these
things hath also been made in the Qur'an, as witnessed by this
verse: "What can such expect but that God should come down to
them overshadowed with clouds?" [Qur'an 2:210.]
A number of the divines, who hold firmly to the letter of the
Word of God, have come to regard this verse as one of the signs
of that expected resurrection which is born of their idle fancy.
This, notwithstanding the fact that similar references have been
made in most of the heavenly Books, and have been recorded in
all the passages connected with the signs of the coming
Manifestation.
Likewise, He saith: "On the day when the heaven shall give out a
palpable smoke, which shall enshroud mankind: this will be an
afflictive torment." [Qur'an 44:10.] The All-Glorious hath
decreed these very things, that are contrary to the desires of
wicked men, to be the touchstone and standard whereby He proveth
His servants, that the just may be known from the wicked, and
the faithful distinguished from the infidel. The symbolic term
"smoke" denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition
of recognized standards, and the utter destruction of their
narrow-minded exponents.
What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath
now enshrouded all the peoples of the world, which hath become a
torment unto them, and from which they hopelessly fail to
deliver themselves, however much they strive? So fierce is this
fire of self burning within them, that at every moment they seem
to be afflicted with fresh torments. The more they are told that
this wondrous Cause of God, this Revelation from the Most High,
hath been made manifest to all mankind, and is waxing greater
and stronger every day, the fiercer groweth the blaze of the
fire in their hearts. The more they observe the indomitable
strength, the sublime renunciation, the unwavering constancy of
God's holy companions, who, by the aid of God, are growing
nobler and more glorious every day, the deeper the dismay which
ravageth their souls. In these days, praise be to God, the power
of His Word hath obtained such ascendancy over men, that they
dare breathe no word. Were they to encounter one of the
companions of God who, if he could, would, freely and joyously,
offer up ten thousand lives as a sacrifice for his Beloved, so
great would be their fear, that they forthwith would profess
their faith in Him, whilst privily they would vilify and
execrate His name! Even as He hath revealed: "And when they meet
you, they say, 'We believe'; but when they are apart, they bite
their fingers' ends at you, out of wrath. Say: 'Die in your
wrath!' God truly knoweth the very recesses of your breasts."
[Qur'an 3:119.]
Ere long, thine eyes will behold the standards of divine power
unfurled throughout all regions, and the signs of His triumphant
might and sovereignty manifest in every land. As most of the
divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these verses,
and have not grasped the significance of the Day of
Resurrection, they therefore have foolishly interpreted these
verses according to their idle and faulty conception. The one
true God is My witness! Little perception is required to enable
them to gather from the symbolic language of these two verses
all that We have purposed to propound, and thus to attain,
through the grace of the All-Merciful, the resplendent morn of
certitude. Such are the strains of celestial melody which the
immortal Bird of Heaven, warbling upon the Sadrih of Baha,
poureth out upon thee, that, by the permission of God, thou
mayest tread the path of divine knowledge and wisdom.
And now, concerning His words: "And He shall send His
angels...." By "angels" is meant those who, reinforced by the
power of the spirit, have consumed, with the fire of the love of
God, all human traits and limitations, and have clothed
themselves with the attributes of the most exalted Beings and of
the Cherubim. That holy man, Sadiq, [The sixth Imam of the
Shi'ihs.] in his eulogy of the Cherubim, saith: "There stand a
company of our fellow-Shi'ihs behind the Throne." Divers and
manifold are the interpretations of the words "behind the
Throne." In one sense, they indicate that no true Shi'ihs exist.
Even as he hath said in another passage: "A true believer is
likened unto the philosopher's stone." |
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