Bahíyyih Khánum
Pages 11-12
 

9: O my dear sister! ...
 
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O my dear sister! Praise be to God, within the sheltering grace of the Blessed Beauty, here in the lands of the West a breeze hath blown from over the rose-gardens of His bestowals, and the hearts of many people have been drawn as by a magnet to the Abhá Realm.

 
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Whatever hath come to pass is from the confirmations of the Beloved; for otherwise, what merit had we, or what capacity? We are as a helpless babe, but fed at the breast of heavenly grace. We are no more than weak plants, but we flourish in the spring rain of His bestowals.

 
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Wherefore, as a thank-offering for these bounties, on a certain day don thy garb to visit the Shrine, the ka'bih of our heart's desire, turn thyself toward Him on my behalf, lay down thy head on that sacred Threshold, and say:

 
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O divine Providence! O Thou forgiving Lord!
 
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Sinner though I be, I have no refuge save Thyself.

 
6 All praise be Thine, that in my wanderings over

mountains and plains, my toils and troubles on

 
7 the seas, Thou hast answered still my cries for

help, and confirmed me, and favoured me, and

 
8 honoured me with service at Thy Threshold.

To a feeble ant, Thou hast given Solomon's
 
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might. Thou hast made of a gnat a lion in the

 
10 thicket of Thy Mercy. Thou hast bestowed on a

drop the swelling waves of the sea, Thou hast

 
11 carried up a mote to the pinnacles of grace.

Whatever was achieved, was made possible

 
12 through Thee. Otherwise, what strength did the

fragile dust possess, what power did this feeble

 
13 being have?

O divine Providence! Do not seize us in our
 
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sins, but give us refuge. Do not look upon our evil

 
15 ways, but grant forgiveness. Consider not our

just deserts, but open wide Thy door of grace. Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful! Thou art

 
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the Seer, the Knower!