Remember the father of Badi. They arrested that wronged one, and ordered him to curse and revile his Faith. He, however, through the grace of G.o.d and the mercy of his Lord, chose martyrdom, and attained thereunto. If ye would reckon up the martyrs in the path of G.o.d, ye could not count them.

Consider his honor Siyyid Isma'il-upon him be the peace of G.o.d, and His loving-kindness-how, before daybreak he was wont to dust, with his own turban, the doorstep of My house, and in the end, whilst standing on the banks of the river, with his eyes fixed on that same house, offered up, by his own hand, his life.

Do thou ponder on the penetrative influence of the Word of G.o.d. Every single one of these souls was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his faith, yet none was found to prefer his own will to the Will of G.o.d.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! In former times he that was chosen to be slain was but one person, whereas now this Wronged One hath produced for thee that which causeth every fair-minded man to marvel. Judge fairly, I adjure thee, and arise to serve thy Lord. He, verily, shall reward thee with a reward which neither the treasures of the earth nor all the possessions of kings and rulers can equal. In all thine affairs put thy reliance in G.o.d, and commit them unto Him. He will render thee a reward which the Book hath ordained as great. Occupy thyself, during these fleeting days of thy life, with such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Divine good pleasure, and will be adorned with the ornament of His acceptance. The acts of his honor, Balal, the Ethiopian, were so acceptable in the sight of G.o.d that the "sin" of his stuttering tongue excelled the "_sh_in" p.r.o.nounced by all the world. This is the day whereon all peoples should shed the light of unity and concord. In brief, the pride and vanity of certain of the peoples of the world have made havoc of true understanding, and laid waste the home of justice and of equity.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of G.o.d be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mim (Mazindaran) We were one day delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the dungeon of His Majesty the _Sh_ah, ask the director and chief jailer to show thee those two chains, one of which is known as Qara-Guhar, and the other as Salasil. I swear by the Daystar of Justice that for four months this Wronged One was tormented and chained by one or the other of them.

"My grief exceedeth all the woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions of Job are but a part of My sorrows!"

Likewise, ponder thou upon the martyrdom of ?aji Mu?ammad-Ri?a in the City of Love (I_sh_qabad). The tyrants of the earth have subjected that wronged one to such trials as have caused many foreigners to weep and lament for, as reported and ascertained, no less than thirty-two wounds were inflicted upon his blessed body. Yet none of the faithful transgressed My commandment, nor raised his hand in resistance. Come what might, they refused to allow their own inclinations to supersede that which the Book hath decreed, though a considerable number of this people have resided, and still reside, in that city.

We entreat His Majesty the _Sh_ah,-may G.o.d, hallowed and glorified be He, a.s.sist him-himself to ponder upon these things, and to judge with equity and justice. Although in recent years a number of the faithful have, in most of the cities of Persia, suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill, yet the hatred smouldering in certain hearts hath blazed more fiercely than before. For the victims of oppression to intercede in favor of their enemies is, in the estimation of rulers, a princely deed. Some must have certainly heard that this oppressed people have, in that city (I_sh_qabad), pleaded with the Governor on behalf of their murderers, and asked for the mitigation of their sentence. Take, then, good heed, ye who are men of insight!

O _Sh_ay_kh_! These perspicuous verses have been sent down in one of the Tablets by the Abha Pen: "Hearken, O servant, unto the voice of this Wronged One, Who hath endured grievous vexations and trials in the path of G.o.d, the Lord of all Names, until such time as He was cast into prison, in the Land of Ta (?ihran). He summoned men unto the most sublime Paradise, and yet they seized Him and paraded Him through cities and countries. How many the nights during which slumber fled from the eyes of My loved ones, because of their love for Me; and how numerous the days whereon I had to face the a.s.saults of the peoples against Me! At one time I found Myself on the heights of mountains; at another in the depths of the prison of Ta (?ihran), in chains and fetters. By the righteousness of G.o.d! I was at all times thankful unto Him, uttering His praise, engaged in remembering Him, directed towards Him, satisfied with His pleasure, and lowly and submissive before Him. So pa.s.sed My days, until they ended in this Prison (Akka) which hath made the earth to tremble and the heavens to sigh. Happy that one who hath cast away his vain imaginings, when He Who was hid came with the standards of His signs. We, verily, have announced unto men this Most Great Revelation, and yet the people are in a state of strange stupor."

Thereupon, a Voice was raised from the direction of ?ijaz, calling aloud and saying: "Great is thy blessedness, O Akka, in that G.o.d hath made thee the dayspring of His Most Sweet Voice, and the dawn of His most mighty signs. Happy art thou in that the Throne of Justice hath been established upon thee, and the Daystar of G.o.d's loving-kindness and bounty hath shone forth above thy horizon. Well is it with every fair-minded person that hath judged fairly Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance, and woe betide him that hath erred and doubted."

Following upon the death of some of the martyrs, the Law?-i-Burhan (Tablet of the Proof) was sent down from the heaven of the Revelation of Him Who is the Lord of Religions:

"He is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The winds of hatred have encompa.s.sed the Ark of Batha (Mecca), by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. O thou who art reputed for thy learning! Thou hast p.r.o.nounced sentence against them for whom the books of the world have wept, and in whose favor the scriptures of all religions have testified. Thou, who art gone far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick veil. By G.o.d Himself! Thou hast p.r.o.nounced judgment against them through whom the horizon of faith hath been illumined. Unto this bear witness They Who are the Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that They possessed in His straight Path. The Faith of G.o.d hath cried everywhere, by reason of thy tyranny, and yet thou disportest thyself and art of them that exult. There is no hatred in Mine heart for thee nor for anyone. Every man of discernment beholdeth thee, and such as are like thee, engulfed in evident folly. Hadst thou realized that which thou hast done, thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire, or abandoned thine home and fled unto the mountains, or wouldst have groaned until thou hadst returned unto the place destined for thee by Him Who is the Lord of strength and of might. O thou who art even as nothing! Rend thou asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings, that thou mayest behold the Daystar of knowledge shining from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a remnant of the Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst helped the Faith of G.o.d. Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, and thou art truly one of the heedless. Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high, and those of such as have circled round the Cause of G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds. The soul of the Chaste One (Fatimih) melted, by reason of thy cruelty, and the inmates of Paradise wept sore in that blessed Spot.

"Judge thou fairly, I adjure thee by G.o.d. What proof did the Jewish doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him Who was the Spirit of G.o.d (Jesus Christ), when He came unto them with truth? What could have been the evidence produced by the Pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify their denial of Mu?ammad, the Apostle of G.o.d when He came unto them with a Book that judged between truth and falsehood with a justice which turned into light the darkness of the earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as had known Him? Indeed thou hast produced, in this day, the same proofs which the foolish divines advanced in that age. Unto this testifieth He Who is the King of the realm of grace in this great Prison. Thou hast, truly, walked in their ways, nay, hast surpa.s.sed them in their cruelty, and hast deemed thyself to be helping the Faith and defending the Law of G.o.d, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By Him Who is the Truth! Thine iniquity hath made Gabriel to groan, and hath drawn tears from the Law of G.o.d, through which the breezes of justice have been wafted over all who are in heaven and on earth. Hast thou fondly imagined that the judgment thou didst p.r.o.nounce hath profited thee? Nay, by Him Who is the King of all Names! Unto thy loss testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all things as recorded in the preserved Tablet.

"O thou who hast gone astray! Thou hast neither seen Me, nor a.s.sociated with Me, nor been My companion for the fraction of a moment. How is it, then, that thou hast bidden men to curse Me? Didst thou, in this, follow the promptings of thine own desires, or didst thou obey thy Lord? Produce thou a sign, if thou art one of the truthful. We testify that thou hast cast behind thy back the Law of G.o.d, and laid hold on the dictates of thy pa.s.sions. Nothing, in truth, escapeth His knowledge; He, verily, is the Incomparable, the All-Informed. O heedless one! Hearken unto that which the Merciful hath revealed in the Qur'an: 'Say not to every one who meeteth you with a greeting, "Thou art not a believer."' Thus hath He decreed in Whose grasp are the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation, if thou be of them that hearken. Thou hast set aside the commandment of G.o.d, and clung unto the promptings of thine own desire. Woe, then, unto thee, O careless one that doubtest! If thou deniest Me, by what proof canst thou vindicate the truth of that which thou dost possess? Produce it, then, O thou who hast joined partners with G.o.d, and turned aside from His sovereignty that hath encompa.s.sed the worlds!

"Know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge, and soared in the atmosphere of My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. He, verily, is even as an eye unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened him, and caused him to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is blessed by the Concourse on high, and by them who dwell within the Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine in My Name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. If thou be of them that occupy such a sublime station, produce then a sign from G.o.d, the Creator of the heavens. And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do thou rein in thy pa.s.sions, and return unto thy Lord, that perchance He may forgive thee thy sins which have caused the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree to be burnt up, and the Rock to cry out, and the eyes of men of understanding to weep.

Because of thee the Veil of Divinity was rent asunder, and the Ark has foundered, and the She-Camel was hamstrung, and the Spirit (Jesus) groaned in His sublime retreat. Disputest thou with Him Who hath come unto thee with the testimonies of G.o.d and His signs which thou possessest and which are in the possession of them that dwell on earth? Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold this Wronged One shining forth above the horizon of the will of G.o.d, the Sovereign, the Truth, the Resplendent. Unstop, then, the ear of thine heart that thou mayest hearken unto the speech of the Divine Lote-Tree that hath been raised up in truth by G.o.d, the Almighty, the Beneficent. Verily, this Tree, notwithstanding the things that befell it by reason of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such as are like thee, calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto the Sadratu'l-Muntaha and the Supreme Horizon. Blessed is the soul that hath gazed on the Most Mighty Sign, and the ear that hath heard His most sweet Voice, and woe to whosoever hath turned aside and done wickedly.

"O thou who hast turned away from G.o.d! Wert thou to look with the eye of fairness upon the Divine Lote-Tree, thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy sword on its boughs, and its branches, and its leaves, notwithstanding that G.o.d created thee for the purpose of recognizing and of serving it.

Reflect, that haply thou mayest recognize thine iniquity and be numbered with such as have repented. Thinkest thou that We fear thy cruelty? Know thou and be well a.s.sured that from the first day whereon the voice of the Most Sublime Pen was raised betwixt earth and heaven We offered up Our souls, and Our bodies, and Our sons, and Our possessions in the path of G.o.d, the Exalted, the Great, and We glory therein amongst all created things and the Concourse on high. Unto this testify the things which have befallen Us in this straight Path. By G.o.d! Our hearts were consumed, and Our bodies were crucified, and Our blood was spilt, while Our eyes were fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness, the All-Seeing. The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed the love of the people of Baha. Unto their sincerity hath borne witness what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur'an. He saith: 'Wish ye, then, for death, if ye are sincere.' Who is to be preferred, he that hath sheltered himself behind curtains, or he that hath offered himself in the path of G.o.d? Judge thou fairly, and be not of them that rove distraught in the wilderness of falsehood. So carried away have they been by the living waters of the love of the Most Merciful, that neither the arms of the world nor the swords of the nations have deterred them from setting their faces towards the ocean of the bounty of their Lord, the Giver, the Generous.

"By G.o.d! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and the repudiation of the divines hath been powerless to weaken Me. I have spoken, and still speak forth before the face of men: 'The door of grace hath been unlocked and He Who is the Dayspring of Justice is come with perspicuous signs and evident testimonies, from G.o.d, the Lord of strength and of might!' Present thyself before Me that thou mayest hear the mysteries which were heard by the Son of 'Imran (Moses) upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus commandeth thee He Who is the Dawning-Place of the Revelation of thy Lord, the G.o.d of Mercy, from His great Prison."

Thereupon hath the cry and the lamentation of the true Faith been raised once again, saying: "Verily, Sinai calleth aloud and saith: 'O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the Merciful. Indeed have I attained unto Him Who conversed upon me, and the ecstasies of my joy have seized the pebbles of the earth and the dust thereof.' And the Bush exclaimeth: 'O people of the Bayan! Judge ye fairly that which hath in truth been manifested. Verily the Fire which G.o.d revealed unto the One Who conversed with Him is now manifested. Unto this beareth witness every man of insight and understanding.'"

We have made mention of certain martyrs of this Revelation, and have likewise cited some of the verses which were sent down concerning them from the kingdom of Our utterance. We fain would hope that, rid of all attachment to the world, thou wilt ponder the things which We have mentioned.

It behooveth thee now to reflect upon the state of Mirza Hadi Dawlat-abadi and of Sad-i-I?fahani (Sadru'l-'Ulama), who reside in the Land of Ta (?ihran). No sooner had the former heard that he had been called a Babi than he became so perturbed that his poise and dignity forsook him. He ascended the pulpits and spoke words which ill befitted him. From time immemorial the clay clods of the world have, wholly by reason of their love of leadership, perpetrated such acts as have caused men to err. Thou must not, however, imagine that all the faithful are such as these two. We have described unto thee the constancy, the firmness, the steadfastness, the cert.i.tude, the imperturbability and the dignity of the martyrs of this Revelation, that thou mayest be well-informed. My purpose in citing the pa.s.sages from the Tablets to the kings and others hath been that thou mayest know of a certainty that this Wronged One hath not concealed the Cause of G.o.d, but hath proclaimed and delivered, in the most eloquent language, before the face of the world, the things He had been commissioned to set forth. Certain faint-hearted ones, however, such as Hadi and others, have tampered with the Cause of G.o.d and have, in their concern for this fleeting life, said and done that which caused the eye of justice to weep and the Pen of Glory to groan, notwithstanding their ignorance of the essentials of this Cause; whereas this Wronged One hath revealed it for the sake of G.o.d.

O Hadi! Thou hast gone unto My brother and hast seen him. Set now thy face towards the court of this Wronged One, that haply the breezes of Revelation and the breaths of inspiration may a.s.sist thee and enable thee to attain thy goal. Whoever gazeth this day on My signs will distinguish truth from falsehood as the sun from shadow, and will be made cognizant of the goal. G.o.d is aware and beareth Me witness that whatever hath been mentioned was for the sake of G.o.d, that haply thou mayest be the cause of the guidance of men, and mayest deliver the peoples of the world from idle fancies and vain imaginings. Gracious G.o.d! Until now they that have turned aside and denied Me have failed to recognize Who despatched that which was delivered unto the Herald-the Primal Point! The knowledge of it is with G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds.

Exert thyself, O _Sh_ay_kh_, and arise to serve this Cause. The Sealed Wine is disclosed in this day before the faces of men. Seize it in the name of thy Lord, and quaff thy fill in remembrance of Him Who is the Mighty, the Incomparable. Night and day hath this Wronged One been occupied in that which would unite the hearts, and edify the souls of men.

The events that have happened in Persia during the early years have truly saddened the well-favored and sincere ones. Each year witnessed a fresh ma.s.sacre, pillage, plunder, and shedding of blood. At one time there appeared in Zanjan that which caused the greatest consternation; at another in Nayriz, and at yet another in Tabarsi, and finally there occurred the episode of the Land of Ta (?ihran). From that time onwards this Wronged One, a.s.sisted by the One True G.o.d-exalted be His glory-acquainted this oppressed people with the things which beseemed them. All have sanctified themselves from the things which they and others possess, and have clung unto, and fixed their eyes upon that which pertaineth unto G.o.d.

It is now inc.u.mbent upon His Majesty the _Sh_ah-may G.o.d, exalted be He, protect him-to deal with this people with loving-kindness and mercy. This Wronged One pledgeth Himself, before the Divine Kaaba, that, apart from truthfulness and trustworthiness, this people will show forth nothing that can in any way conflict with the world-adorning views of His Majesty.

Every nation must have a high regard for the position of its sovereign, must be submissive unto him, must carry out his behests, and hold fast his authority. The sovereigns of the earth have been and are the manifestations of the power, the grandeur and the majesty of G.o.d. This Wronged One hath at no time dealt deceitfully with anyone. Every one is well aware of this, and beareth witness unto it. Regard for the rank of sovereigns is divinely ordained, as is clearly attested by the words of the Prophets of G.o.d and His chosen ones. He Who is the Spirit (Jesus)-may peace be upon Him-was asked: "O Spirit of G.o.d! Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar or not?" And He made reply: "Yea, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to G.o.d the things that are G.o.d's." He forbade it not. These two sayings are, in the estimation of men of insight, one and the same, for if that which belonged to Caesar had not come from G.o.d, He would have forbidden it. And likewise in the sacred verse: "Obey G.o.d and obey the Apostle, and those among you invested with authority." By "those invested with authority" is meant primarily and more especially the Imams-the blessings of G.o.d rest upon them! They, verily, are the manifestations of the power of G.o.d, and the sources of His authority, and the repositories of His knowledge, and the daysprings of His commandments.

Secondarily these words refer unto the kings and rulers-those through the brightness of whose justice the horizons of the world are resplendent and luminous. We fain would hope that His Majesty the _Sh_ah will shine forth with a light of justice whose radiance will envelop all the kindreds of the earth. It is inc.u.mbent upon every one to beseech the one true G.o.d on his behalf for that which is meet and seemly in this day.

O G.o.d, my G.o.d, and my Master, and my Mainstay, and my Desire, and my Beloved! I ask Thee by the mysteries which were hid in Thy knowledge, and by the signs which have diffused the fragrance of Thy loving-kindness, and by the billows of the ocean of Thy bounty, and by the heaven of Thy grace and generosity, and by the blood spilt in Thy path, and by the hearts consumed in their love for Thee, to a.s.sist His Majesty the _Sh_ah with Thy power and Thy sovereignty, that from him may be manifested that which will everlastingly endure in Thy Books, and Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets.

Hold Thou his hand, O my Lord, with the hand of Thine omnipotence, and illuminate him with the light of Thy knowledge, and adorn him with the adornment of Thy virtues. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all created things. No G.o.d is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bounteous.

In the Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul hath written: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of G.o.d; the powers that be are ordained of G.o.d. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of G.o.d." And further: "For he is the minister of G.o.d, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." He saith that the appearance of the kings, and their majesty and power are of G.o.d.

Moreover, in the traditions of old, references have been made which the divines have seen and heard. We beseech G.o.d-blessed and glorified be He-to aid thee, O _Sh_ay_kh_, to lay fast hold on that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds. The divines must needs unite with His Majesty, the _Sh_ah, and cleave unto that which will insure the protection, the security, the welfare and prosperity of men. A just king enjoyeth nearer access unto G.o.d than anyone. Unto this testifieth He Who speaketh in His Most Great Prison. G.o.d! There is none other G.o.d but Him, the One, the Incomparable, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Wert thou, for the sake of G.o.d, to ponder, though it be but for an hour, upon the things which have occurred in former times and more recently, thou wouldst turn away from the things thou dost possess unto the things which belong unto G.o.d, and wouldst become a means for the exaltation of His Word. Hath, from the foundation of the world until the present day, any Light or Revelation shone forth from the dayspring of the will of G.o.d which the kindreds of the earth have accepted, and Whose Cause they have acknowledged? Where is it to be found, and what is its name? Since the Seal of the Prophets (Mu?ammad)-may all else but Him be His sacrifice-and before Him the Spirit of G.o.d (Jesus), as far back as the First Manifestation, all have at the time of Their appearance suffered grievously. Some were held to be possessed, others were called impostors, and were treated in a manner that the pen is ashamed to describe. By G.o.d!

There befell Them what hath made all created things to sigh, and yet the people are, for the most part, sunk in manifest ignorance! We pray G.o.d to a.s.sist them to return unto Him, and to repent before the door of His mercy. Potent is He over all things.

At this moment the shrill voice of the Most Sublime Pen hath been raised, and hath addressed Me saying: "Admonish the _Sh_ay_kh_ even as Thou hast admonished one of Thy Branches (sons), that haply the breezes of Thine utterance may attract and draw him nigh unto G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds."

"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.

Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer to the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanct.i.ty of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility. We pray G.o.d to protect thee from the heat of jealousy and the cold of hatred. He verily is nigh, ready to answer." Thus hath My tongue spoken unto one of My Branches (sons), and We have mentioned it unto such of Our loved ones as have cast away their idle fancies, and clung unto that which hath been prescribed unto them in the day whereon the Daystar of Cert.i.tude hath shone forth above the horizon of the will of G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds. This is the day on which the Bird of Utterance hath warbled its melody upon the branches, in the name of its Lord, the G.o.d of Mercy. Blessed is the man that hath, on the wings of longing, soared towards G.o.d, the Lord of the Judgment Day.

The one true G.o.d well knoweth, and all the company of His trusted ones testify, that this Wronged One hath, at all times, been faced with dire peril. But for the tribulations that have touched Me in the path of G.o.d, life would have held no sweetness for Me, and My existence would have profited Me nothing. For them who are endued with discernment, and whose eyes are fixed upon the Sublime Vision, it is no secret that I have been, most of the days of My life, even as a slave, sitting under a sword hanging on a thread, knowing not whether it would fall soon or late upon him. And yet, notwithstanding all this We render thanks unto G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds. Mine inner tongue reciteth, in the daytime and in the night-season, this prayer: "Glory to Thee, O my G.o.d! 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? Thy might beareth Me witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts. How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy Word!

Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my G.o.d and my Master, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times, placed My whole trust and confidence. Thou art verily the All-Possessing, the Most High. Raise up, I implore Thee, O my G.o.d, as helpers to this Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy Name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember Thee among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land, and adorn them with Thy virtues and Thy commandments. No G.o.d is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."

Thereupon the voice of the true Faith was lifted up, calling aloud again and again and saying: "O concourse of the earth! By G.o.d! I am the true Faith of G.o.d amongst you. Beware that ye deny Me not. G.o.d hath manifested Me with a light that hath encompa.s.sed all that are in the heavens and all that are on earth. Judge ye equitably, O people, My manifestation, and the revelation of My glory, and the radiance of My light, and be not of them that act unjustly."

O _Sh_ay_kh_! This Wronged One beseecheth G.o.d-blessed and glorified be He-to make thee the one who will open the door of justice, and reveal through thee His Cause among His servants. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! Entreat thou the one true G.o.d to sanctify the ears, and the eyes, and the hearts of mankind, and to protect them from the desires of a corrupt inclination. For malice is a grievous malady which depriveth man from recognizing the Great Being, and debarreth him from the splendors of the sun of cert.i.tude. We pray and hope that through the grace and mercy of G.o.d He may remove this mighty obstacle. He, verily, is the Potent, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

At this moment a Voice was raised from the right-hand of the Luminous Spot: "G.o.d! There is none other G.o.d but Him, the Ordainer, the All-Wise!

Recite Thou unto the _Sh_ay_kh_ the remaining pa.s.sages of the Law?-i-Burhan (Tablet of the Proof) that they may draw him unto the horizon of the Revelation of his Lord, the G.o.d of Mercy, that haply he may arise to aid My Cause with perspicuous signs and exalted testimonies, and may speak forth amongst men that which the Tongue of Testimony hath spoken: 'The Kingdom is G.o.d's, the Lord of the worlds!'"

"Peruse thou the Kitab-i-iqan (Book of Cert.i.tude) and that which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto the King of Paris (Napoleon III) and to such as are like him, that thou mayest be made aware of the things that have happened in the past, and be persuaded that We have not sought to spread disorder in the land after it had been well-ordered. We exhort, wholly for the sake of G.o.d, His servants. Let him who wisheth turn unto Him, and him who wisheth turn aside. Our Lord, the Merciful, is verily the All-Sufficing, the All-Praised. O concourse of the kindreds of the earth!

This is the day whereon nothing amongst all things, nor any name amongst all names, can profit you save through this Name which G.o.d hath made the Manifestation of His Cause and the Dayspring of His Most Excellent t.i.tles unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is that man that hath recognized the fragrance of the All-Merciful and been numbered with the steadfast. Your sciences shall not profit you in this day, nor your arts, nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them all behind your backs, and set your faces towards the Most Sublime Word through which the Scriptures and the Books and this lucid Tablet have been distinctly set forth. Cast away, O people, the things ye have composed with the pen of your idle fancies and vain imaginings. By G.o.d! The Daystar of Knowledge hath shone forth above the horizon of cert.i.tude.

"O thou who art gone astray! If thou hast any doubt concerning Our conduct, know thou that We bear witness unto that whereunto G.o.d hath Himself borne witness ere the creation of the heavens and of the earth, that there is none other G.o.d but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. We testify that He is One in His Essence, One in His Attributes. He hath none to equal Him in the whole universe, nor any partner in all creation. He hath sent forth His Messengers, and sent down His Books, that they may announce unto His creatures the Straight Path.

"Hath the _Sh_ah been informed, and chosen to close his eyes to thine acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the howling of a pack of wolves who have cast the path of G.o.d behind their backs and followed in thy way without any clear proof or Book? We have heard that the provinces of Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice. When We observed closely, however, We found them to be the dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice. We behold justice in the clutches of tyranny.

We beseech G.o.d to set it free through the power of His might and His sovereignty. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. To none is given the right to protest against any one concerning that which hath befallen the Cause of G.o.d. It behooveth whosoever hath set his face towards the Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the cord of patience, and to put his reliance in G.o.d, the Help in Peril, the Unconstrained. O ye loved ones of G.o.d! Drink your fill from the wellspring of wisdom, and soar ye in the atmosphere of wisdom, and speak forth with wisdom and eloquence. Thus biddeth you your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

"O heedless one! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away as decreed by G.o.d, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Thy glory and the glory of such as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where is he to be found who contended with G.o.d, and whither is gone he that gainsaid His signs, and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are they who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His holy ones?

Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts, O foolish doubter! Because of you the Apostle (Mu?ammad) lamented, and the Chaste One (Fatimih) cried out, and the countries were laid waste, and darkness fell upon all regions. O concourse of divines! Because of you the people were abased, and the banner of Islam was hauled down, and its mighty throne subverted. Every time a man of discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which would exalt Islam, ye raised a clamor, and thereby was he deterred from achieving his purpose, while the land remained fallen in clear ruin.

"O My Supreme Pen! Call Thou to remembrance the She-Serpent (Imam-Jum'ih of I?fahan) whose cruelty hath caused all created things to groan, and the limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth Thee the Lord of all names, in this glorious station. The Chaste One (Fatimih) hath cried out by reason of thine iniquity, and yet thou dost imagine thyself to be of the family of the Apostle of G.o.d! Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, O thou who hast withdrawn thyself from G.o.d, the Lord of all that hath been and shall be. Judge thou equitably, O She-Serpent! For what crime didst thou sting the children of the Apostle of G.o.d (King of Martyrs and Beloved of Martyrs), and pillage their possessions? Hast thou denied Him Who created thee by His command 'be, and it was'? Thou hast dealt with the children of the Apostle of G.o.d as neither 'ad hath dealt with Hud, nor _Th_amud with ?ali?, nor the Jews with the Spirit of G.o.d (Jesus), the Lord of all being.

Gainsayest thou the signs of thy Lord which had no sooner been sent down from the heaven of His Cause than all the books of the world bowed down before them? Meditate, that thou mayest be made aware of thine act, O heedless outcast! Erelong will the breaths of chastis.e.m.e.nt seize thee, as they seized others before thee. Wait, O thou who hast joined partners with G.o.d, the Lord of the visible and the invisible. This is the day which G.o.d hath announced through the tongue of His Apostle. Reflect, that thou mayest apprehend what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur'an and in this inscribed Tablet. This is the day whereon He Who is the Dayspring of Revelation hath come with clear tokens which none can number. This is the day whereon every man endued with perception hath discovered the fragrance of the breeze of the All-Merciful in the world of creation, and every man of insight hath hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of his Lord, the King of Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice (Ishmael) hath been retold, and he who was to be offered up hath directed his steps towards the place of sacrifice, and returned not, by reason of that which thy hand hath wrought, O perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that martyrdom could abase this Cause? Nay, by Him Whom G.o.d hath made to be the Repository of His Revelation, if thou be of them that comprehend. Woe betide thee, O thou who hast joined partners with G.o.d, and woe betide them that have taken thee as their leader, without a clear token or a perspicuous Book. How numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen to quench the light of G.o.d, and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged until the hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their cruelty! The sun of justice hath been obscured, inasmuch as the embodiment of tyranny hath been stablished upon the throne of hatred, and yet the people understand not. O foolish one! Thou hast slain the children of the Apostle and pillaged their possessions. Say: Was it, in thine estimation, their possessions or themselves that denied G.o.d? Judge fairly, O ignorant one that hath been shut out as by a veil from G.o.d. Thou hast clung to tyranny, and cast away justice; whereupon all created things have lamented, and still thou art among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the aged, and plundered the young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that which thine iniquity hath ama.s.sed? Nay, by Myself! Thus informeth thee He Who is cognizant of all. By G.o.d! The things thou possessest shall profit thee not, nor what thou hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this beareth witness thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Thou hast arisen to put out the light of this Cause; erelong will thine own fire be quenched, at His behest. He, verily, is the Lord of strength and of might. The changes and chances of the world, and the powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him.

He doeth what He pleaseth, and ordaineth what He willeth through the power of His sovereignty. Consider the she-camel. Though but a beast, yet hath the All-Merciful exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the earth made mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. No G.o.d is there but Him, the Almighty, the Great. Thus have We adorned the heaven of Our Tablet with the suns of Our words. Blessed the man that hath attained thereunto, and been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as have turned aside, and denied Him, and strayed far from Him. Praised be G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds!"

O _Sh_ay_kh_! We have enabled thee to hear the melodies of the Nightingale of Paradise, and unveiled to thine eyes the signs which G.o.d, by His all-compelling behest, hath sent down in the Most Great Prison, that thine eye might be cheered, and thy soul be well-a.s.sured. He, verily, is the All-Bounteous, the Generous. Arise thou through the power of His testimony to serve the Cause of G.o.d, thy Lord, the G.o.d of Mercy. If thy faith be fearful, seize thou My Tablet, and preserve it in the bosom of trust. And when thou enterest into the place of resurrection, and G.o.d asketh thee by what proof thou hast believed in this Revelation, draw forth the Tablet and say: "By this Book, the holy, the mighty, the incomparable." Thereupon all will lift up their hands towards thee, and will seize the Tablet, and will press it to their eyes, and will inhale therefrom the fragrance of the utterance of G.o.d, the Lord of the worlds. Were G.o.d to torment thee for having believed in His signs in this Revelation, for what reason could He then torment such as have disbelieved in Mu?ammad, the Apostle of G.o.d, and before Him in Jesus, the Son of Mary, and before Him in the One Who conversed with G.o.d (Moses), and before Him in the One Who is the Friend of G.o.d (Abraham), and as far back as the One Who was the First Manifestation, Who was created by the will of thy Lord, the Potent, the All-Encompa.s.sing.

Thus have We sent down Our verses unto one before thee, and recalled them unto thee, in this day, that thou mayest understand, and be of them who are well a.s.sured. O thou who a.s.sumest the voice of knowledge! This Cause is too evident to be obscured, and too conspicuous to be concealed. It shineth as the sun in its meridian glory. None can deny it unless he be a hater and a doubter.

At this moment it behooveth us to turn unto the Desired One, and cleave unto these most sublime words: "O G.o.d, my G.o.d! Thou hast lighted the lamp of Thy Cause with the oil of wisdom; protect it from contrary winds. The lamp is Thine, and the gla.s.s is Thine, and all things in the heavens and on earth are in the grasp of Thy power. Bestow justice upon the rulers, and fairness upon the divines. Thou art the All-Powerful, Who, through the motion of Thy Pen, hast aided Thine irresistible Cause, and guided aright Thy loved ones. Thou art the Possessor of power, and the King of might. No G.o.d is there but Thee, the Strong, the Unconstrained." Say thou also: "O G.o.d, my G.o.d! I yield Thee thanks inasmuch as Thou hast made me to drink of Thy Sealed Wine from the hand of the bounty of Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting. I entreat Thee by the splendors of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, and by the potency of Thy Most Sublime Word, and by the might of Thy Most Exalted Pen, through Whose movement the realities of all created things have been enraptured, to aid His Majesty the _Sh_ah to render Thy Cause victorious, and to turn towards the horizon of Thy Revelation, and to set his face in the direction of the lights of Thy countenance. a.s.sist him, O my Lord, to draw nigh unto Thee. Help him, then, with the hosts of the heavens and of earth. I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all Names and the Maker of the heavens, by the light of Thy Cause, and by the fire of the Lote-Tree of Thy loving-kindness, to help His Majesty to reveal Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures. Open, then, before his face the doors of Thy grace, and Thy mercy, and Thy bounty.

Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee by Thy word: 'Be, and it is.'"

O _Sh_ay_kh_! We had seized the reins of authority by the power of G.o.d and His Divine might, as He alone can seize, Who is the Mighty, the Strong.

None had the power to stir up mischief or sedition. Now, however, as they have failed to appreciate this loving-kindness and these bounties, they have been, and will be, afflicted with the retribution which their acts must entail. The State officials, considering the secret progress of the Extended Cord have, from every direction, incited and aided Mine adversaries. In the Great City (Constantinople) they have roused a considerable number of people to oppose this Wronged One. Things have come to such a pa.s.s that the officials in that city have acted in a manner which hath brought shame to both the government and the people. A distinguished siyyid, whose well-known integrity, acceptable conduct, and commercial reputation, were recognized by the majority of fair-minded men, and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant, once visited Beirut. In view of his friendship for this Wronged One they telegraphed the Persian Dragoman informing him that this siyyid, a.s.sisted by his servant, had stolen a sum of money and other things and gone to Akka.