|
<<previous |
next>> |
|
|
Selections From the Writings of the Báb
|
Pages 183-186
|
|
"HOW can I praise Thee, O Lord, for the evidences of Thy ..."
| |
1 |
HOW can I praise Thee, O Lord, for the evidences of Thy
mighty splendour and for Thy wondrous sweet savours
which Thou hast imparted to Me in this fortress, in such
measure that nothing in the heavens or on the earth can
compare with them? Thou hast watched over Me in the
heart of this mountain where I am compassed by mountains
on all sides. One hangeth above Me, others stand on My
right and My left and yet another riseth in front of Me.
Glory be unto Thee, no God is there but Thee. How often
have I seen rocks from the mountain hurtling down upon
Me, and Thou didst protect Me therefrom and preserved
Me within the stronghold of Thy divine Unity.
| |
2 |
Glorified and exalted art Thou, and praise be unto Thee
for whatsoever Thou lovest and desirest, and thanks be
unto Thee for that which Thou hast decreed and preordained.
From time immemorial Thy tender mercy hath
been sent down and the process of Thy creation hath been
and ever is ceaseless. Thy handiwork is unlike the work of
anyone besides Thee, and Thy goodly gifts are unparalleled
by the gifts of anyone other than Thyself.
| |
3 |
Praise be unto Thee, O My Beloved, and magnified be
Thy Name. Ever since the hour I set foot upon this fortress
till the moment I shall have departed therefrom, I
behold Thee established upon Thy seat of glory and
majesty, sending down upon Me the manifold tokens of
Thy bountiful favour and grace. Thou beholdest that My
dwelling place is but the heart of the mountains, and Thou
discernest naught in My Person except the evidences of
abasement and loneliness.
| |
4 |
Lauded be Thy Name; I render Thee thanks for every
instance of Thine inscrutable Decree and offer My praise
for every token of Thy tribulations. Having suffered Me
to be cast into the prison, Thou didst turn it into a garden
of Paradise for Me and caused it to become a chamber of
the court of everlasting fellowship.
| |
5 |
How numerous the verses Thou didst send down unto
Me, and the prayers Thou didst hear Me offer unto Thee.
How diverse the revelations which Thou didst call into
being through Me and the experiences Thou didst witness
in Me.
| |
6 |
Magnified be Thy Name. Manifold trials have been
powerless to deter Me from yielding thanks unto Thee and
My shortcomings have failed to keep Me back from extolling
Thy virtues. The infidels had purposed to turn My
abode into one of disgrace and humiliation. But Thou hast
glorified Me through My remembrance of Thee, hast
exalted Me through My praise of Thee, hast graciously
aided Me through the revelations of Thy oneness, and
hast conferred upon Me a great honour through the effulgent
splendours of Thine ancient eternity. To the fire Thou
dost command, `Be thou a soothing balm unto My
Servant', and to the prison, `Be thou a seat of tender compassion
to My Servant, as a token from My presence'. Yea,
I swear by Thy glory; to Me the prison hath proved to be
naught but the most delightful garden of Paradise and hath
served as the noblest spot in the realm above.
| |
7 |
Praised and glorified art Thou. How often did adversities
descend upon Me and Thou didst temper them and
avert them through Thy gracious favour; and how many
times were commotions stirred up against Me at the hand
of the people, while Thou didst cause them to subside
through Thy tender mercy. How numerous the occasions
when the Nimrods kindled fires wherewith to burn Me,
but Thou didst make them balm for Me; and how manifold
the instances when the infidels decreed My humiliation
and Thou didst turn them into marks of honour for
Me...
| |
8 |
Verily Thou art the highest aspiration of every earnest
seeker and the Goal of the desire of them that yearn after
Thee. Thou art He Who is ready to answer the call of such
as recognize Thy divine unity, and He before Whom the
faint-hearted stand in awe. Thou art the Helper of the
needy, the Deliverer of the captives, the Abaser of the
oppressors, the Destroyer of the wrong-doers, the God of
all men, the Lord of all created things. Thine are the kingdoms
of Creation and Revelation, O Thou Who art the
Lord of all the worlds.
| |
9 |
O All-Sufficient One! Thou dost suffice Me in every
hardship that may descend upon Me and in every affliction
that may wax great before Me. Thou art My sole Companion
in My loneliness, the Delight of My heart in My
solitude and My Best Beloved in My prison and in My
Abode. No God is there but Thee!
| |
10 |
Whomsoever Thou dost suffice shall not be put to grief;
whomsoever Thou dost protect shall never perish; whomsoever
Thou dost help shall never be abased; and he unto
whom Thou turnest Thy gaze shall never be far removed
from Thee.
| |
11 |
Write down for us then whatsoever is of Thee, and forgive
us for what we are. Verily Thou art the Lord of power
and glory, the Lord of all the worlds. `Far be the glory of
Thy Lord, the Lord of all greatness, from what they impute
to Him, and peace be upon His Apostles, and praise be
unto God, the Lord of all the worlds.'
[1]
| |
|
Notes
1. [Qur'án 37:180-182]
|
|
|
|