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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
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Pages 121-161
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Pages 121-160
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 Mírzá Yahyá,
perchance he may become aware of the fundamentals
of this Faith and of the source of the Divine laws
and commandments.
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1 |
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 Bahá 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?
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2 |
This heedless one hath now clung to the practice
of Rawdih-khání (traditional lamentation for the
Imám Husayn). He--I swear by God--is in evident
error. For it is the belief of this people that during
the Revelation of the Qá'im, the Imáms--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.
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3 |
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 Tá (Tihrán) 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.
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4 |
O Shaykh! We have time and again stated that for
a number of years We have extended Our aid unto
His Majesty the Sháh. 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.
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5 |
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'ínu'l-Mulk, Mírzá
Muhsin Khán--may God assist him--was, at that
time, absent from Constantinople. Such things have
happened because it was believed that His Majesty
the Sháh 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.
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6 |
Describing the people of Bahá, 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 Bahá, 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 Bahá, 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."
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7 |
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 Akká,
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?"
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8 |
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 Sháh 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 Sháh! 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?
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9 |
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
Shí'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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10 |
I was walking in the Land of Tá (Tihrán)--the
dayspring of the signs of thy Lord--when lo, I heard
the lamentation of the pulpits and the voice of their
supplication unto God, blessed and glorified be He.
They cried out and said: "O God of the world and
Lord of the nations! Thou beholdest our state and
the things which have befallen us by reason of the
cruelty of Thy servants. Thou hast created us and
revealed us for Thy glorification and praise. Thou
dost now hear what the wayward proclaim upon us
in Thy days. By Thy might! Our souls are melted
and our limbs are trembling. Alas, alas! Would that
we had never been created and revealed by Thee!"
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11 |
The hearts of them that enjoy near access to God
are consumed by these words, and from them the
cries of such as are devoted to Him are raised. Time
and again have We, for the sake of God, admonished
the distinguished divines, and summoned them unto
the Most Sublime Horizon, that perchance they
might, in the days of His Revelation, obtain their
portion of the ocean of the utterance of Him Who
is the Desire of the world, and remain not utterly
deprived thereof.
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12 |
In most of Our Tablets this most weighty exhortation
hath been sent down from the heaven of His
all-encompassing mercy. We said: "O concourse of
rulers and divines! Incline your ears unto the Voice
calling from the horizon of Akká. Verily, it aideth
you to proceed aright, and draweth you nigh unto
Him, and directeth your steps towards the station
which God hath made the Dayspring of His Revelation
and the Dawning-Place of His splendors. O
peoples of the world! He Who is the Most Great
Name is come, on the part of the Ancient King,
and hath announced unto men this Revelation which
lay hid in His knowledge, and was preserved in the
treasury of His protection, and was written down
by the Most Sublime Pen in the Books of God, the
Lord of Lords. O people of Shín (Shíráz)! Have ye
forgotten My loving-kindness and My mercy that
have surpassed all created things, and which proceeded
from God Who layeth low the necks of men?"
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13 |
In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) the following
hath been revealed: "Say: O leaders of religion!
Weigh not the Book of God with such standards
and sciences as are current amongst you, for the
Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst
men. In this most perfect Balance whatsoever the
peoples and kindreds possess must be weighed, while
the measure of its weight should be tested according
to its own standard, did ye but know it. The eye
of My loving-kindness weepeth sore over you, inasmuch
as ye have failed to recognize the One upon
Whom ye have been calling in the daytime and in
the night season, at even and at morn. Advance, O
people, with snow-white faces and radiant hearts,
unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the Tree
beyond which there is no passing is calling: `Verily,
there is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent
Protector, the Self-Subsisting!' O ye leaders of religion
in Persia! Who is the man amongst you that can
rival Me in vision or insight? Where is he to be
found that dareth to claim to be My equal in utterance
or wisdom? No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful!
All on the earth shall pass away; and this is the face
of your Lord, the Almighty, the Well-Beloved. We
have decreed, O people, that the highest and last
end of all learning be the recognition of Him Who is
the Object of all knowledge; and yet behold how ye
have allowed your learning to shut you out, as by a
veil, from Him Who is the Dayspring of this Light,
through Whom every hidden thing hath been revealed.
Say: This, verily, is the heaven in which the
Mother Book is treasured, could ye but comprehend
it. He it is Who hath caused the Rock to shout, and
the Burning Bush to lift up its voice upon the Mount
rising above the Holy Land, and proclaim: `The
Kingdom is God's, the sovereign Lord of all, the All-Powerful,
the Loving!' We have not entered any
school, nor read any of your dissertations. Incline
your ears to the words of this unlettered One, wherewith
He summoneth you unto God, the Ever-Abiding.
Better is this for you than all the treasures of
the earth, could ye but comprehend it. Whoso interpreteth
what hath been sent down from the heaven
of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he,
verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime
Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid
Book."
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14 |
Thereupon We heard the groaning of the true
Faith, and said unto it: "Wherefore, O true Faith,
do I hear Thee cry out in the night season, and groan
in the daytime, and utter Thy lamentations at daybreak?"
She made reply: "O Prince of the world that
standest revealed in the Most Great Name! The
heedless ones have hamstrung Thy white She-Camel,
and caused Thy Crimson Ark to founder, and wished
to put out Thy Light, and to veil the face of Thy
Cause. Wherefore hath the voice of My lamentation
been lifted up, as well as the voice of the lamentation
of all created things, and yet the people are for
the most part unaware." The true Faith hath laid
fast hold, in this day, on the hem of Our bounty,
and circleth about Our Person.
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15 |
O Shaykh! Enter thou My presence, that thou
mayest behold what the eye of the universe hath never
beheld, and hear that which the ear of the whole
creation hath never heard, that haply thou mayest
free thyself from the mire of vague fancies, and set
thy face towards the Most Sublime Station, wherein
this Wronged One calleth aloud: "The Kingdom is
God's, the Almighty, the All-Praised!" We fain
would hope that through thine exertions the wings
of men may be sanctified from the mire of self and
desire, and be made worthy to soar in the atmosphere
of God's love. Wings that are besmirched with mire
can never soar. Unto this testify they who are the
exponents of justice and equity, and yet the people
are in evident doubt.
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16 |
O Shaykh! Protests have been voiced against Us
from every side--protests such as Our pen craveth
pardon for setting down. Nevertheless, by reason of
Our great mercy, We have replied unto them, in
accordance with the understanding of men, that
haply they may be delivered from the fire of negation
and denial, and become illumined with the light of
affirmation and acceptance. Equity is rarely to be
found, and justice hath ceased to exist.
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17 |
Among others, these perspicuous verses have, in
answer to certain individuals, been sent down from
the Kingdom of Divine knowledge: "O thou who
hast set thy face towards the splendors of My Countenance!
Vague fancies have encompassed the dwellers
of the earth and debarred them from turning
towards the Horizon of Certitude, and its brightness,
and its manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings
have withheld them from Him Who is the Self-Subsisting.
They speak as prompted by their own
caprices, and understand not. Among them are those
who have said: `Have the verses been sent down?'
Say: `Yea, by Him Who is the Lord of the heavens!'
`Hath the Hour come?' `Nay, more; it hath passed,
by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Verily,
the Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath
appeared with proof and testimony. The Plain is disclosed,
and mankind is sore vexed and fearful. Earthquakes
have broken loose, and the tribes have lamented,
for fear of God, the Lord of Strength, the
All-Compelling.' Say: `The stunning trumpet blast
hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God's, the
One, the Unconstrained.' `Hath the Catastrophe
come to pass?' Say: `Yea, by the Lord of Lords!' `Is
the Resurrection come?' `Nay, more; He Who is
the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with the Kingdom
of His signs.' `Seest thou men laid low?' `Yea, by my
Lord, the Exalted, the Most High!' `Have the tree-stumps
been uprooted?' `Yea, more; the mountains
have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of
attributes!' They say: `Where is Paradise, and where
is Hell?' Say: `The one is reunion with Me; the
other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a
partner with God and doubtest.' They say: `We see
not the Balance.' Say: `Surely, by my Lord, the God
of Mercy! None can see it except such as are endued
with insight.' `Have the stars fallen?' Say: `Yea,
when He Who is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the
Land of Mystery (Adrianople). Take heed, ye who
are endued with discernment!' All the signs appeared
when We drew forth the Hand of Power from
the bosom of majesty and might. Verily, the Crier
hath cried out, when the promised time came, and
they that have recognized the splendors of Sinai have
swooned away in the wilderness of hesitation, before
the awful majesty of thy Lord, the Lord of creation.
The trumpet asketh: `Hath the Bugle been sounded?'
Say: `Yea, by the King of Revelation!, when He
mounted the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful.'
Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning-light
of the mercy of thy Lord, the Source of all
light. The breeze of the All-Merciful hath wafted,
and the souls have been quickened in the tombs of
their bodies. Thus hath the decree been fulfilled by
God, the Mighty, the Beneficent. They that have
gone astray have said: `When were the heavens cleft
asunder?' Say: `While ye lay in the graves of waywardness
and error.' Among the heedless is he who
rubbeth his eyes, and looketh to the right and to the
left. Say: `Blinded art thou. No refuge hast thou
to flee to.' And among them is he who saith: `Have
men been gathered together?' Say: `Yea, by my
Lord!, whilst thou didst lie in the cradle of idle fancies.'
And among them is he who saith: `Hath the
Book been sent down through the power of the true
Faith?' Say: `The true Faith itself is astounded. Fear
ye, O ye men of understanding heart!' And among
them is he who saith: `Have I been assembled with
others, blind?' Say: `Yea, by Him that rideth upon
the clouds!' Paradise is decked with mystic roses,
and hell hath been made to blaze with the fire of the
impious. Say: `The light hath shone forth from the
horizon of Revelation, and the whole earth hath been
illumined at the coming of Him Who is the Lord of
the Day of the Covenant!' The doubters have perished,
whilst he that turned, guided by the light of
assurance, unto the Dayspring of Certitude hath
prospered. Blessed art thou, who hast fixed thy gaze
upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent down
for thee--a Tablet which causeth the souls of men to
soar. Commit it to memory, and recite it. By My
life! It is a door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is it
with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn.
We, verily, hear thy praise of this Cause, through
which the mountain of knowledge was crushed, and
men's feet have slipped. My glory be upon thee and
upon whomsoever hath turned unto the Almighty,
the All-Bounteous. The Tablet is ended, but the
theme is unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is
patient."
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18 |
These are verses We sent down previously, soon
after Our arrival in the prison-city of Akká, and
We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be
acquainted with what their lying tongues have
spoken, when Our Cause came unto them with might
and sovereignty. The foundations of idle fancies
have trembled, and the heaven of vain imaginings
hath been cleft asunder, and yet the people are in
doubt and in contention with Him. They have denied
the testimony of God and His proof, after He came
from the heaven of power with the kingdom of His
signs. They have cast away what had been prescribed,
and perpetrated what had been forbidden them in
the Book. They have abandoned their God, and
clung unto their desires. They truly have strayed and
are in error. They read the verses and deny them.
They behold the clear tokens and turn aside. They
truly are lost in strange doubt.
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19 |
We have admonished Our loved ones to fear God,
a fear which is the fountain-head of all goodly deeds
and virtues. It is the commander of the hosts of
justice in the city of Bahá. Happy the man that hath
entered the shadow of its luminous standard, and
laid fast hold thereon. He, verily, is of the Companions
of the Crimson Ark, which hath been mentioned
in the Qayyúm-i-Asmá.
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20 |
Say: O people of God! Adorn your temples with
the adornment of trustworthiness and piety. Help,
then, your Lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a
praiseworthy character. We have forbidden you dissension
and conflict in My Books, and My Scriptures,
and My Scrolls, and My Tablets, and have wished
thereby naught else save your exaltation and advancement.
Unto this testify the heavens and the stars
thereof, and the sun and the radiance thereof, and
the trees and the leaves thereof, and the seas and the
waves thereof, and the earth and the treasures thereof.
We pray God to assist His loved ones, and aid them
in that which beseemeth them in this blest, this
mighty, and wondrous station.
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21 |
Further, in another Tablet, We have said: "O thou
who hast fixed thy gaze upon My countenance!
Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear is
the chief commander of the army of thy Lord. Its
hosts are a praiseworthy character and goodly deeds.
Through it have the cities of men's hearts been opened
throughout the ages and centuries, and the standards
of ascendancy and triumph raised above all other
standards."
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22 |
"We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness
and the station thereof in the estimation of God, thy
Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of
days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our
arrival, We beheld its streams flowing, and its trees
luxuriant, and the sunlight playing in their midst.
Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the
pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that
which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed in
that most sanctified, that most sublime, that blest,
and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left
We gazed on one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime
Paradise, standing on a pillar of light, and calling
aloud saying: `O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold
ye My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation,
and My effulgence. By God, the True One!
I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof,
and the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever
will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank
and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the
most great ornament of the people of Bahá, and the
vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom of
creation. I am the supreme instrument for the prosperity
of the world, and the horizon of assurance
unto all beings.' Thus have We sent down for thee
that which will draw men nigh unto the Lord of
creation."
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23 |
This Wronged One hath, at all times, summoned
the peoples of the world unto that which will exalt
them, and draw them nigh unto God. From the
Most Sublime Horizon there hath shone forth that
which leaveth no room unto any one for vacillation,
repudiation or denial. The wayward, however, have
failed to profit therefrom; nay, it shall only increase
their loss.
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24 |
O Shaykh! It is incumbent upon the divines to
unite with His Majesty, the Sháh--may God assist
him--and to cleave day and night unto that which
will exalt the station of both the government and
the nation. This people are assiduously occupied in
enlightening the souls of men and in rehabilitating
their condition. Unto this testifieth that which hath
been sent down by the Most Sublime Pen in this lucid
Tablet. How often have things been simple and
easy of accomplishment, and yet most men have been
heedless, and busied themselves with that which
wasteth their time!
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25 |
One day, while in Constantinople, Kamál Páshá
visited this Wronged One. Our conversation turned
upon topics profitable unto man. He said that he
had learned several languages. In reply We observed:
"You have wasted your life. It beseemeth you and
the other officials of the Government to convene a
gathering and choose one of the divers languages,
and likewise one of the existing scripts, or else to
create a new language and a new script to be taught
children in schools throughout the world. They
would, in this way, be acquiring only two languages,
one their own native tongue, the other the language
in which all the peoples of the world would converse.
Were men to take fast hold on that which hath been
mentioned, the whole earth would come to be regarded
as one country, and the people would be
relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring
and teaching different languages." When in Our
presence, he acquiesced, and even evinced great joy
and complete satisfaction. We then told him to lay
this matter before the officials and ministers of the
Government, in order that it might be put into
effect throughout the different countries. However,
although he often returned to see Us after this, he
never again referred to this subject, although that
which had been suggested is conducive to the concord
and the unity of the peoples of the world.
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26 |
We fain would hope that the Persian Government
will adopt it and carry it out. At present, a new language
and a new script have been devised. If thou
desirest, We will communicate them to thee. Our
purpose is that all men may cleave unto that which
will reduce unnecessary labor and exertion, so that
their days may be befittingly spent and ended. God,
verily, is the Helper, the Knower, the Ordainer, the
Omniscient.
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27 |
God willing, Persia may be adorned with, and attain
unto, that whereof she hath thus far been
deprived. Say: "O Sháh! Exert thyself so that all
the peoples of the world may be illumined with the
effulgent splendors of the sun of thy justice. The
eyes of this Wronged One are turned towards naught
save trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity, and all
that profiteth men." Regard Him not as a traitor.
Glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Master, and
my Mainstay! Aid Thou His Majesty the Sháh to
execute Thy laws and Thy commandments, and show
forth Thy justice among Thy servants. Thou art,
verily, the All-Bounteous, the Lord of grace abounding,
the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Cause of
God hath come as a token of His grace. Happy are
they who act; happy are they who understand; happy
the man that hath clung unto the truth, detached
from all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth.
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28 |
O Shaykh! Seek thou the shore of the Most Great
Ocean, and enter, then, the Crimson Ark which God
hath ordained in the Qayyúm-i-Asmá for the people
of Bahá. Verily, it passeth over land and sea. He
that entereth therein is saved, and he that turneth
aside perisheth. Shouldst thou enter therein and
attain unto it, set thy face towards the Kaaba of God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and say: "O
my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most glorious light,
and all Thy lights are verily glorious." Thereupon,
will the doors of the Kingdom be flung wide before
thy face, and thou wilt behold what eyes have never
beheld, and hear what ears have never heard. This
Wronged One exhorteth thee as He hath exhorted
thee before, and hath never had any wish for thee
save that thou shouldst enter the ocean of the unity
of God, the Lord of the worlds. This is the day
whereon all created things cry out, and announce
unto men this Revelation, through which hath appeared
what was concealed and preserved in the
knowledge of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.
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29 |
O Shaykh! Thou hast heard the sweet melodies
of the Doves of Utterance cooing on the boughs of
the Lote-Tree of knowledge. Hearken, now, unto
the notes of the Birds of Wisdom upraised in the
Most Sublime Paradise. They verily will acquaint
thee with things of which thou wert wholly unaware.
Give ear unto that which the Tongue of Might and
Power hath spoken in the Books of God, the Desire
of every understanding heart. At this moment a
Voice was raised from the Lote-Tree beyond which
there is no passing, in the heart of the Most Sublime
Paradise, bidding Me relate unto thee that which
hath been sent down in the Books and Tablets, and
the things spoken by My Forerunner, Who laid down
His life for this Great Announcement, this Straight
Path. He hath said--and He, verily, speaketh the
truth: "I have written down in My mention of Him
these gem-like words: `No allusion of Mine can allude
unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the
Bayán.'" And further, He--exalted and glorified be
He--saith, concerning this most mighty Revelation,
this Great Announcement: "Exalted and glorified is
He above the power of any one to reveal Him except
Himself, or the description of any of His creatures.
I Myself am but the first servant to believe in Him
and in His signs, and to partake of the sweet savors
of His words from the first-fruits of the Paradise
of His knowledge. Yea, by His glory! He is the
Truth. There is none other God but Him. All have
arisen at His bidding." Such are the words sung by
the Dove of Truth on the boughs of the Divine Lote-Tree.
Well is it with him that hath given ear unto its
Voice, and quaffed from the oceans of Divine utterance
that lie concealed in each of these words. In
another connection hath the Voice of the Bayán
called aloud from the loftiest branches. He saith--
blessed and glorified be He: "In the year nine ye will
attain unto all good." On another occasion He saith:
"In the year nine ye will attain unto the Presence
of God." These melodies, uttered by the Birds of the
cities of Knowledge, conform with that which hath
been sent down by the All-Merciful in the Qur'án.
Blessed are the men of insight; blessed they that attain
thereunto.
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30 |
O Shaykh! I swear by God! The River of Mercy
floweth, and the Ocean of Utterance surgeth, and
the Sun of Revelation shineth forth resplendent.
With a detached heart, and a dilated breast, and an
utterly truthful tongue, recite thou these sublime
words that have been revealed by My Forerunner--
the Primal Point. He saith--glorified be His utterance--
addressing his honor, Azím: "This, verily, is
the thing We promised thee, ere the moment We
answered thy call. Wait thou until nine will have
elapsed from the time of the Bayán. Then exclaim:
`Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of
Makers!' Say: This, verily, is an Announcement
which none except God hath comprehended. Ye,
however, will be unaware on that day." In the year
nine this Most Great Revelation arose and shone forth
brightly above the horizon of the Will of God. None
can deny it save he who is heedless and doubteth.
We pray God to aid His servants to return unto Him,
and beg forgiveness for the things they committed
in this vain life. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the
Pardoner, the All-Merciful. In another connection
He saith: "I am the first servant to believe in Him,
and in His signs." In like manner, in the Persian
Bayán, He saith: "He, verily, is the One Who, under
all conditions, proclaimeth: `I, in very truth, am
God!'" and so on--blessed and glorified be He. That
which is meant by Divinity and Godhead hath previously
been stated. We have in truth rent the veils
asunder and disclosed that which will draw men nigh
unto God, Who layeth low the necks of men. Happy
the man that hath attained unto justice and equity in
this Grace that hath encompassed all that is in the
heavens and all that is on earth, as bidden by God,
the Lord of the worlds.
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31 |
O Shaykh! Hearken unto the melodies of the
Gospel with the ear of fairness. He saith--glorified
be His utterance--prophesying the things that are
to come: "But of that Day and Hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, nor the Son,
but the Father." By Father in this connection is
meant God--exalted be His glory. He, verily, is the
True Educator, and the Spiritual Teacher.
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32 |
Joel saith: "For the Day of the Lord is great and
very terrible; and who can abide it?" Firstly, in the
sublime utterance set forth in the Gospel He saith
that none is aware of the time of the Revelation, that
none knoweth it except God, the All-Knowing, Who
is cognizant of all. Secondly, He setteth forth the
greatness of the Revelation. Likewise, in the Qur'án
He saith: "Of what ask they of one another? Of
the Great Announcement." This is the Announcement,
the greatness of which hath been mentioned
in most of the Books of old and of more recent times.
This is the Announcement that hath caused the limbs
of mankind to quake, except such as God, the Protector,
the Helper, the Succorer, hath willed to exempt.
Men have indeed with their own eyes witnessed
how all men and all things have been thrown
into confusion and been sore perplexed, save those
whom God hath chosen to exempt.
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33 |
O Shaykh! Great is the Cause, and great the Announcement!
Patiently and calmly ponder thou upon
the resplendent signs and the sublime words, and all
that hath been revealed in these days, that haply
thou mayest fathom the mysteries that are hid in the
Books, and mayest strive to guide His servants.
Hearken with thine inner ear unto the Voice of Jeremiah,
Who saith: "Oh, for great is that Day, and it
hath no equal." Wert thou to observe with the eye
of fairness, thou wouldst perceive the greatness of
the Day. Incline thine ear unto the Voice of this
All-Knowing Counsellor, and suffer not thyself to be
deprived of the mercy that hath surpassed all created
things, visible and invisible. Lend an ear unto the
song of David. He saith: "Who will bring me into
the Strong City?" The Strong City is Akká,
which hath been named the Most Great Prison, and
which possesseth a fortress and mighty ramparts.
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34 |
O Shaykh! Peruse that which Isaiah hath spoken
in His Book. He saith: "Get thee up into the high
mountain, O Zion, that bringest good tidings; lift up
Thy Voice with strength, O Jerusalem, that bringest
good tidings. Lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the
cities of Judah: `Behold your God! Behold the Lord
God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall
rule for Him.'" This Day all the signs have appeared.
A Great City hath descended from heaven, and Zion
trembleth and exulteth with joy at the Revelation
of God, for it hath heard the Voice of God on every
side. This Day Jerusalem hath attained unto a new
Evangel, for in the stead of the sycamore standeth
the cedar. Jerusalem is the place of pilgrimage for
all the peoples of the world, and hath been named
the Holy City. Together with Zion and Palestine,
they are all included within these regions. Wherefore,
hath it been said: "Blessed is the man that hath
migrated to Akká."
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35 |
Amos saith: "The Lord will roar from Zion, and
utter His Voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations
of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel
shall wither." Carmel, in the Book of God, hath been
designated as the Hill of God, and His Vineyard. It
is here that, by the grace of the Lord of Revelation,
the Tabernacle of Glory hath been raised. Happy
are they that attain thereunto; happy they that set
their faces towards it. And likewise He saith: "Our
God will come, and He will not be silent."
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36 |
O Shaykh! Reflect upon these words addressed by
Him Who is the Desire of the world to Amos. He
saith: "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, for, lo,
He that formeth the mountains and createth the
wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought,
that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon
the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of
Hosts, is His name." He saith that He maketh the
morning darkness. By this is meant that if, at the
time of the Manifestation of Him Who conversed on
Sinai anyone were to regard himself as the true morn,
he will, through the might and power of God, be
turned into darkness. He truly is the false dawn,
though believing himself to be the true one. Woe
unto him, and woe unto such as follow him without
a clear token from God, the Lord of the worlds.
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37 |
Isaiah saith: "The Lord alone shall be exalted in
that Day." Concerning the greatness of the Revelation
He saith: "Enter into the rock, and hide thee
in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory
of His majesty." And in another connection He
saith: "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be
glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom
as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and
rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon
shall be given unto it, the splendor of Carmel
and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and
the splendor of our God."
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38 |
These passages stand in need of no commentary.
They are shining and manifest as the sun, and glowing
and luminous as light itself. Every fair-minded
person is led, by the fragrance of these words, unto
the garden of understanding, and attaineth unto that
from which most men are veiled and debarred. Say:
Fear God, O people, and follow not the doubts of
such as shout aloud, who have broken the Covenant
of God and His Testament, and denied His mercy
that hath preceded all that are in the heavens and
all that are on earth.
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39 |
And likewise, He saith: "Say to them that are of
a fearful heart: be strong, fear not, behold your God."
This blessed verse is a proof of the greatness of the
Revelation, and of the greatness of the Cause, inasmuch
as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread
confusion throughout the world, and fear and trembling
amongst all men. Well is it with him who hath
been illumined with the light of trust and detachment.
The tribulations of that Day will not hinder
or alarm him. Thus hath the Tongue of Utterance
spoken, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Merciful.
He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing,
the Almighty. It is now incumbent upon
them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a seeing
eye to ponder these sublime words, in each of
which the oceans of inner meaning and explanation
are hidden, that haply the words uttered by Him
Who is the Lord of Revelation may enable His
servants to attain, with the utmost joy and radiance,
unto the Supreme Goal and Most Sublime Summit--
the dawning-place of this Voice.
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40 |
O Shaykh! Wert thou to perceive, be it less than
a needle's eye, the breaths of Mine utterance, thou
wouldst abandon the world and all that is therein,
and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the
countenance of the Desired One. Briefly, in the sayings
of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus) unnumbered
significances lie concealed. Unto many things did
He refer, but as He found none possessed of a hearing
ear or a seeing eye He chose to conceal most of these
things. Even as He saith: "But ye cannot bear them
now." That Dawning-Place of Revelation saith that
on that Day He Who is the Promised One will reveal
the things which are to come. Accordingly in the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas, and in the Tablets to the Kings, and
in the Lawh-i-Ra'ís, and in the Lawh-i-Fu'ád, most
of the things which have come to pass on this earth
have been announced and prophesied by the Most
Sublime Pen.
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41 |
In the Kitáb-i-Aqdas the following hath been revealed:
"O Land of Tá (Tihrán)! Let nothing grieve
thee, for God hath chosen thee to be the source of
the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His Will,
bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice,
who will gather together the flock of God which
the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler will, with joy
and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his
favors unto, the people of Bahá. He indeed is accounted
in the sight of God, as a jewel among men.
Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the
glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation."
These verses were revealed previously. Now,
however, the following verse hath been sent down:
"O God, my God! Bahá beseecheth Thee and imploreth
Thee, by the lights of Thy countenance and
the billows of the ocean of Thy Revelation, and the
effulgent splendors of the Sun of Thine utterance,
to aid the Sháh to be fair and equitable. If it be Thy
wish, bless Thou, through him, the throne of authority
and sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee. There is none other God but Thee,
Who hearest, Who art ready to answer." "Rejoice
with great joy, O Land of Tá (Tihrán), for God
hath made thee the dayspring of His light, inasmuch
as within thee was born the Manifestation of His
glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been
conferred upon thee--a name through which the
Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor, through
which both earth and heaven have been illumined.
Erelong will the state of affairs within thee be
changed, and the reins of power fall into the
hands of the people. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing.
His authority embraceth all things. Rest
thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord. The
eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be
directed towards thee. The day is approaching when
thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace
and quiet calm. Thus hath it been decreed in the
Wondrous Book."
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42 |
And likewise, in the Lawh-i-Fu'ád, and in the Tablet
of the King of Paris (Napoleon III), and in other
Tablets, there hath been revealed that which will lead
every fair-minded person to testify unto the power,
and the majesty, and the wisdom of God--exalted be
His glory. Were men to observe with the eye of justice,
they would be made aware of the secret of this
blessed verse: "Neither is there a thing green or sere,
but it is noted in a distinct writing," and would comprehend
it. On this day, however, men's repudiation
of the truth hath prevented them from understanding
what hath been sent down in truth by Him Who
is the Revealer, the Ancient of Days. Gracious God!
Perspicuous signs have appeared on every side, and
yet men are, for the most part, deprived of the privilege
of beholding and of comprehending them. We
beseech God to bestow His aid, that all men may
recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of
the Most Great Ocean, and exclaim: "Praised be
Thou, O God of the world!"
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43 |
O concourse of the fair-minded! Observe and
reflect upon the billows of the ocean of the utterance
and knowledge of God, so that ye may testify with
your inner and outer tongues that with Him is the
knowledge of all that is in the Book. Nothing escapeth
His knowledge. He, verily, hath manifested
that which was hidden, when He, upon His return,
mounted the throne of the Bayán. All that hath been
sent down hath and will come to pass, word for
word, upon earth. No possibility is left for anyone
either to turn aside or protest. As fairness, however,
is disgraced and concealed, most men speak as
prompted by their own idle fancies.
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44 |
O God, my God! Debar not Thy servants from
turning their faces towards the light of certitude,
that hath dawned above the horizon of Thy will,
and suffer them not to be deprived, O my God, of
the oceans of Thy signs. They, O my Lord, are Thy
servants in Thy cities, and Thy slaves in Thy lands.
If Thou hast not mercy upon them, who, then, will
show them mercy? Take Thou, O my God, the hands
of such as have been drowned in the sea of idle fancies,
and deliver them by Thy power and Thy sovereignty.
Save them, then, with the arms of Thy might. Powerful
art Thou to do what Thou willest, and in Thy
right hand are the reins of all that is in the heavens
and all that is on earth.
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45 |
In like manner, the Primal Point saith: "Behold
ye Him with His own eyes. Were ye to behold Him
with the eyes of another, ye would never recognize
and know Him." This referreth to naught else
except this Most Great Revelation. Well is it with
them that judge fairly. And likewise, He saith: "The
year-old germ that holdeth within itself the potentialities
of the Revelation that is to come is endowed
with a potency superior to the combined forces of
the whole of the Bayán." These glad-tidings of the
Bayán and of the Books of former times have been
repeatedly mentioned under divers names in numerous
books, that perchance men might judge equitably
that which hath arisen and shone forth above the
horizon of the will of God, the Lord of the Mighty
Throne.
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46 |
O Shaykh! Tell the people of the Bayán: "Ponder
ye these blessed words. He saith: `The whole of the
Bayán is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise.'
Be fair, O people, and be not of such as are
accounted as lost in the Book of God, the Lord of
the worlds." The blessed Lote-Tree standeth, in this
day, before thy face, laden with heavenly, with new
and wondrous fruits. Gaze on it, detached from all
else save it. Thus hath the Tongue of might and
power spoken at this Spot which God hath adorned
with the footsteps of His Most Great Name and
Mighty Announcement.
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47 |
And likewise, He saith: "Ere nine will have elapsed
from the inception of this Cause, the realities of the
created things will not be made manifest. All that
thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist
germ until We clothed it with flesh. Be patient, until
thou beholdest a new creation. Say: `Blessed, therefore,
be God, the most excellent of Makers!'" And
likewise, He hath said regarding the power of this
Revelation: "Lawful is it for Him Whom God will
make manifest to reject him who is greatest on earth,
inasmuch as such a one is but a creature in His grasp,
and all things adore Him. After Hin (68) a Cause
shall be given unto you which ye shall come to know."
And also He saith: "Know thou with absolute certainty,
and through the firmly established and most
irrevocable decree, that He--exalted be His glory,
and magnified be His might, and sanctified be His
holiness, and glorified be His grandeur, and lauded
be His ways, maketh each thing to be known through
its own self; who then can know Him through any
one except Himself?" And further, He saith--exalted
and glorified be He: "Beware, beware lest, in
the days of His Revelation, the Vahíd of the Bayán
(eighteen Letters of the Living) shut thee not out as
by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this Vahíd is but a
creature in His sight. And beware, beware that the
words sent down in the Bayán shut thee not out as
by a veil from Him." And again, He--exalted be
He--saith: "Look not upon Him with any eye except
His own. For whosoever looketh upon Him with
His eye, will recognize Him; otherwise he will be
veiled from Him. Shouldst thou seek God and His
Presence, seek thou Him and gaze upon Him." And
likewise, He saith: "Better is it for thee to recite
but one of the verses of Him Whom God shall make
manifest than to set down the whole of the Bayán,
for on that Day that one verse can save thee, whereas
the entire Bayán cannot save thee."
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48 |
Say: O people of the Bayán! Be fair, be fair; and
again, be fair, be fair. Be ye not of them who have
made mention of the Manifestation of the Cause of
God in the daytime and in the night season, and
who, when He, through His grace, appeared, and
when the Horizon of Revelation was illumined,
pronounced against Him such a judgment as hath
provoked the lamentations of the inmates of the
Kingdom and of the Realm of Glory, and of such
as have circled about the will of God, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
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49 |
Meditate upon these sublime words. He saith: "I,
verily, am a believer in Him, and in His Faith, and in
His Book, and in His Testimonies, and in His Ways,
and in all that proceedeth from Him concerning
them. I glory in My kinship with Him, and pride
Myself on My belief in Him." And likewise, He
saith: "O congregation of the Bayán and all who
are therein! Recognize ye the limits imposed upon
you, for such a One as the Point of the Bayán Himself
hath believed in Him Whom God shall make
manifest, before all things were created. Therein,
verily, do I glory before all who are in the kingdom
of heaven and earth." By God! All the atoms of the
universe groan and lament at the cruelty perpetrated
by the froward among the people of the Bayán.
Whither are gone they who are endued with insight
and hearing? We beseech God--blessed and glorified
be He--to summon them and exhort them unto that
which will profit them, and withhold them from
that which will harm them. He, in truth, is the
Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.
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50 |
And likewise, He saith: "Suffer not yourselves to
be shut out as by a veil from God after He hath
revealed Himself. For all that hath been exalted in
the Bayán is but as a ring upon My hand, and I
Myself am, verily, but a ring upon the hand of Him
Whom God shall make manifest--glorified be His
mention! He turneth it as He pleaseth, for whatsoever
He pleaseth, and through whatsoever He
pleaseth. He, verily, is the Help in Peril, the Most
High." And likewise, He saith: "Were He to make of
every one on earth a Prophet, all would, in very truth,
be accounted as Prophets in the sight of God." And
likewise, He saith: "In the day of the revelation of
Him Whom God shall make manifest all that dwell
on earth will be equal in His estimation. Whomsoever
He ordaineth as a Prophet, he, verily, hath been a
Prophet from the beginning that hath no beginning,
and will thus remain until the end that hath no end,
inasmuch as this is an act of God. And whosoever
is made a Vicegerent by Him, shall be a Vicegerent
in all the worlds, for this is an act of God. For the
will of God can in no wise be revealed except through
His will, nor His wish be manifested save through His
wish. He, verily, is the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful,
the All-Highest."
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51 |
Briefly, in every instance He hath stated that which
is conducive to the conversion, the advancement, the
exaltation, and the guidance of men. A few unfair
ones, however, have become a veil, and an insurmountable
barrier, and debarred the people from
turning towards the lights of His Countenance. We
pray God to cast them out by His sovereignty, and
seize on them with His seizing power. He, verily, is
the Lord of Strength, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
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52 |
And likewise, He saith: "He--glorified be His
mention--resembleth the sun. Were unnumbered
mirrors to be placed before it, each would, according
to its capacity, reflect the splendor of that sun,
and were none to be placed before it, it would still
continue to rise and set, and the mirrors alone would
be veiled from its light. I, verily, have not fallen
short of My duty to admonish that people, and to
devise means whereby they may turn towards God,
their Lord, and believe in God, their Creator. If, on
the day of His Revelation, all that are on earth bear
Him allegiance, Mine inmost being will rejoice, inasmuch
as all will have attained the summit of their
existence, and will have been brought face to face
with their Beloved, and will have recognized, to the
fullest extent attainable in the world of being, the
splendor of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts.
If not, My soul will indeed be saddened. I truly have
nurtured all things for this purpose. How, then,
can anyone be veiled from Him? For this have I
called upon God, and will continue to call upon Him.
He, verily, is nigh, ready to answer."
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53 |
And likewise, He saith: "They will even refuse
unto that Tree, which is neither of the East nor of
the West, the name believer, for were they so to name
Him, they would fail to sadden Him." Hath thine
ear, O world, heard with what helplessness these
words were revealed from the dayspring of the will
of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of all names? He
saith: "I have educated all men, that they may recognize
this Revelation, and yet the people of the Bayán
refuse to concede even the name believer to that
blessed Tree that belongeth neither to the East nor to
the West." Alas, alas, for the things which have befallen
Me! By God! There befell Me at the hands of
him whom I have nurtured (Mírzá Yahyá), by day
and by night, what hath caused the Holy Spirit, and
the dwellers of the Tabernacle of the Grandeur of
God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, to lament.
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54 |
Likewise, refuting certain disbelievers, He saith:
"For none knoweth the time of the Revelation except
God. Whenever it appeareth, all must acknowledge
the Point of Truth, and render thanks unto God."
They that have turned aside from Me have spoken
even as the followers of John (the Baptist) spoke.
For they, too, protested against Him Who was the
Spirit (Jesus) saying: "The dispensation of John hath
not yet ended; wherefore hast thou come?" Now, too,
they that have repudiated Us, though they have never
known Us and have been at all times ignorant of the
fundamentals of this Cause, knowing not from
Whom it proceeded or what it signifieth, have spoken
that which hath made all created things to sigh and
lament. By My life! The mute can never confront
the One Who incarnateth in Himself the kingdom
of utterance. Fear God, O people, and peruse, then,
that which hath been sent down with truth in the
eighth Chapter of the sixth Vahíd of the Bayán, and
be not of such as have turned aside. He, likewise,
hath commanded: "Once every nineteen days this
Chapter should be read, that haply they may not be
veiled, in the time of the revelation of Him Whom
God shall make manifest, by considerations foreign
to the verses, which have been, and are still, the
weightiest of all proofs and testimonies."
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55 |
John, son of Zacharias, said what My Forerunner
hath said: "Saying, repent ye, for the Kingdom
of heaven is at hand. I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance, but He that cometh after Me
is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear." Wherefore, hath My Forerunner, as a sign of
submissiveness and humility, said: "The whole of the
Bayán is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise."
And likewise, He saith: "I am the first to
adore Him, and pride Myself on My kinship with
Him." And yet, O men, the people of the Bayán
have acted in such a manner that Dhi'l-Jawshan, and
Ibn-i-Anas, and Asbáhí have sought and still seek
refuge with God against such deeds. This Wronged
One hath, in the face of all religions, busied Himself
day and night with the things that are conducive unto
the exaltation of the Cause of God, whereas those men
have clung unto that which is the cause of humiliation
and injury.
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56 |
And likewise, He saith: "Recognize Him by His
verses. The greater your neglect in seeking to know
Him, the more grievously will ye be veiled in fire."
O ye among the people of the Bayán that have turned
aside from Me! Ponder upon these most sublime
words, that have proceeded from the wellspring of
the utterance of Him Who is the Point of Knowledge.
Hearken ye, at this moment, unto these words.
He saith: "On that Day, the Daystar of Truth will
address the people of the Bayán and will recite this
Súrih of the Qur'án: `Say: O ye unbelievers! I worship
not that which ye worship, and ye do not worship
that which I worship. I shall never worship that
which ye worship, neither will ye worship that which
I worship. To you be your religion, to Me My religion.'"
Gracious God! Notwithstanding these lucid
statements, and these shining and luminous tokens all
are occupied with their vain imaginings, and are
unaware of, and veiled from, the Desired One. O ye
that have gone astray! Awake from the sleep of
heedlessness, and give ear unto these words of My
Forerunner. He saith: "The tree of affirmation, by
turning aside from Him, is accounted as the tree of
denial, and the tree of denial, by turning towards
Him, is accounted as the tree of affirmation." And
likewise, He saith: "Should anyone lay claim unto a
Revelation, and fail to produce any proof, do not
protest, and sadden Him not." Briefly, this Wronged
One hath, night and day, been uttering the words:
"Say: O ye unbelievers!", that haply this may be
the means of awakening the people, and may adorn
them with the adornment of fairness.
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And now, meditate upon these words, which diffuse
the breath of despair, in His sorrowful invocation
unto God, the Lord of the worlds. He saith: "Glorified
art Thou, O My God! Bear Thou witness that,
through this Book, I have covenanted with all created
things concerning the Mission of Him Whom Thou
shalt make manifest, ere the covenant concerning
Mine own Mission had been established. Sufficient
witness art Thou and they that have believed in Thy
signs. Thou, verily, sufficest Me. In Thee have I
placed My trust, and Thou, verily, takest count of
all things."
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In another connection He saith: "O Sun-like Mirrors!
Look ye upon the Sun of Truth. Ye, verily,
depend upon it, were ye to perceive it. Ye are all
as fishes, moving in the waters of the sea, veiling
yourselves therefrom, and yet asking what it is on
which ye depend." And likewise, He saith: "I complain
unto thee, O Mirror of My generosity, against
all the other Mirrors. All look upon Me through their
own colors." These words were sent down from the
Source of the Revelation of the All-Bounteous, and
were addressed to Siyyid Javád, known as Kárbilá'í.
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