my shame, and my humility. Give me the cup of Thy forgiveness and Thy
gift, move me by the breath of Thy love, dilate my breast by the light of
Thy knowledge, purify my person by the mysteries of Thy singleness, and
quicken me through the breezes of the garden of Thy mercy so that I may
sever myself from all beside Thee, lay hold of the hem of the mantle of
Thy majesty, forget aught else save Thee, be associated with the fragrance
of Thy days, be enabled to continue faithful in the threshold of Thy
sanctity and stand up in the service of Thy Cause, be submissive and lowly
before Thy beloved ones and to account myself as nothing in the presence
of Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the Helper, the Assister, the
Exalted, the Generous!
O my God, O my God, I beg of Thee, by the effulgence of the light of Thy
countenance, whereby all the regions of the world are illumined; by the
glances of the eye of Thy mercy, which comprehends all things; by the
billows of the sea of Thy favor, wherewith all parts are overflowing; by
the rains from the clouds of Thy gift, which are falling upon the essence
of the created beings; by the radiance of Thy mercy, which overpowers
existence--to strengthen Thy chosen ones to faithfulness, to enable Thy
beloved ones to serve Thine exalted Threshold, to encircle them through
the hosts of Thy power, which have encompassed all things, and to assist
them through Thy numerous armies from the Supreme Concourse.
O my God, these are lowly souls in Thy doorway and poor ones before Thy
court, humbly seeking Thy grace and in need of Thy confirmation, turning
toward the Kingdom of Thy Singleness, and yearning for the bounties of Thy
gift. O my Lord, refine their consciences through the lights of Thy
sanctity, and purify their hearts through the gift of Thy confirmation,
dilate their breasts through the fragrances of joy and happiness, which
are being diffused from Thy Supreme Concourse, and illumine their sight by
witnessing Thy chief signs. Make them signs of sanctity and standards of
purity waving on the apex of the contingent world, unto all creatures; so
that their words may take effect in the hearts though they are even as
flint. May they stand up to serve Thee, to devote themselves unto the
Kingdom of Thy divinity, to turn unto the realm of the might of Thy
self-subsistence, to spread Thy signs, to become illumined through Thy
lights, to unfold Thy mysteries, to direct Th servants unto the running
water, and the fountain of Tassnime(159) which is gushing and springing
out in the midst of the paradise of Thy singleness; to unfold the sail of
devotion on board the Ark of Deliverance and sail on the sea of Thy
knowledge, to spread the wings of unity and soar up towards the kingdom of
Thy Singleness, to become servants whom the Supreme Concourse may commend,
and whom the people of Thy Kingdom of Abha may praise, to hear the
invisible heralds who announce the chief glad-tidings; to pray Thee at the
dawn with with most wonderful invocations, while yearning after Thy
visit--O my mighty Lord!--to weep every morn and eve, longing for the
entrance into the shadow of Thy great mercy!
O my Lord, assist them in all cases, and help them under all
circumstances, through the angels of Thy sanctity, who are Thine invisible
hosts, and overwhelm all the armies of the inferior concourse. Verily,
Thou art the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Comprehending, and Thou art the
Almighty!
O pure God, O loving God! We are wandering around Thy abode and longing
for the gift of Thy meeting, and are loving Thy characteristics. We are
helpless, humble, lowly, and weak; confer Thy mercy upon us, favor us with
Thy gifts, overlook our shortcomings, and conceal our endless faults. We
are Thine, whatever we might be (good or bad), and whatever we may say or
hear is but Thy commendation. We seek but Thy face, and we search but Thy
path. Thou art the loving God, while we are but sinners and love Thee
passionately. O Thou Cloud of Mercy (shower upon us) a few drops! O
Flower-garden of Favor (send to us) some fragrances! O Sea of Gifts (flow
over us) Thy waves! O Sun of Grace (pour on us) some radiances! Have pity
on us, and show us favor. We swear by Thy Beauty that we are full of
errors, and we have no deeds, but hopes. Except Thy concealing veil should
cover us, and Thy preservation and protection should favor us, these weak
souls have not enough power to employ themselves in Thy service, and the
indigent ones have not enough wealth to show a rich appearance. Thou art
the Powerful, the Mighty!
I beg of Thee to assist them! Do refresh these faded souls with the drops
of the cloud of Thy gifts, and do illumine these lowly beings through the
effulgences of the sun of Thy Singleness! I pray Thee to cast these
thirsty fishes into the sea of Thy mercy; guide their lost caravan unto
the asylum of Thy unity; direct these bewildered souls unto the fountain
of Thy guidance, and cause these wanderers to abide in the shelter of Thy
might. Suffer the thirsty ones to drink from the Salsabil(160) of Thy
gifts, and quicken the dead by eternal life. Endow the blind with sight,
the deaf with hearing, the dumb with speech, the lukewarm with energy, the
heedless with mindfulness, the sleepers with wakefulness, and the proud
with humility. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, Thou art the Forgiver! Thou
art the Loving! Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Most High!
O friends of God, and assistants of this humble servant! When the Sun of
Truth shone forth with Hi infinite bounties from the dawning-place of
hopes, and the horizon of existence was illuminated through the radiance
of sanctity--then He cast forth such splendor whereby the gloomy darkness
disappeared! Therefore, the earth became the envy of the celestial world,
and the realm of dust was made a scene of the exalted kingdom. Then the
fragrances of holiness exhaled, and the sweet odors were diffused. The
breeze of the divine spring blew, and the fruitful winds of infinite
generosity passed by from the point of favor. The brilliant morning dawned
and the glad-tidings of the greatest gift were announced. The divine
spring appeared throughout the contingent world. The earth of existence
moved and the material world was put in motion. The barren and dried up
soil turned into an eternal garden, and the inanimate earth was endowed
with eternal life. The flowers and myrtles of knowledge grew, and the
fresh herbage of the knowledge of God flourished. The material world
showed forth the bounties of the Merciful, and the visible world displayed
the scene of the invisible world. The call of God was raised, the divine
banquet celebrated, the cup of the Testament was circulated and the
universal acclamation was uttered!
Among the people, a multitude became intoxicated with this divine wine--and
a multitude were deprived of this great favor. Many a soul enlightened his
sight and insight by the radiance of grace, and many were cheered and
rejoiced at the melodies of unity. Some birds sang melodies and harmonies,
and some nightingales began to warble on the branches of the rose-tree of
mercifulness. The Kingdom and the phenomenal world were adorned, and
became the envy of the delectable paradise--but, alas--and a thousand times
alas!--that the heedless souls are still in the sleep of negligence, and
the ignorant are keeping clear of this holy gift. The blind are veiled,
the deaf are bereft and the dead despair of attaining to it; just as it is
said (in the Koran) "They despair of the life to come, as the infidels
despair (of the resurrection of) those who dwell in the graves."
As to you--O friends of the Merciful!--move your tongues to thank the Loving
Lord, and employ yourselves in praising and glorifying the Beauty of the
Adored One, for ye were granted the privilege to be exhilarated from this
most pure cup, and became full of cheer and attraction from this goblet of
wine. Ye have perfumed your nostrils with the fragrances of sanctity, and
delighted your senses with the scent of the garment of the Joseph of
faithfulness. Ye tasted the honey of devotion from the hand of the Unique
Beloved and partook of the eternal table at the feast of the blessing of
the Presence of the Unity. This favor is one of the special gifts of the
Presence of the Merciful, and this grace and generosity is one of the
incomparable gifts of our Loving Lord. this is in accordance with what
Christ said: "Many are called, but few chosen." That is to say, there are
many who are invited, but those souls who are signalized with the grace
and favor of guidance are but very rare. "This is the bounty of God; He
will give the same unto whom He pleaseth; and God is endowed with great
bounty."
O friends of God! the candle of the Testament is surrounded by the
hypocritical winds of the people of the world and the nightingale of
faithfulness is surprised by the crows of ill-nature--the violators. The
mindless birds of night are plotting against the dove of commemoration and
the ferocious beasts are prowling after the gazelle of the plain of the
love of God. So, He is in great danger and painful affliction.
The beloved of God must be as firm as a mountain, and must not quiver
under the most violent shock, nor grieve at the greatest calamities; but
must be as a solid foundation. They must cling to the hem of Glory and
trust in the Beauty of the Most High. They must lean on the help and
assistance of the Ancient Kingdom and confide in the care and protection
of the Generous Lord. They must at every instant nourish and refresh
themselves with the dew of favor, and in every breath revive and cheer
themselves through the waves of the Holy Spirit, raise themselves to serve
the Cause of the Supreme, and endeavor their utmost to diffuse the breath
of God. they must be as a strongly fortified fortress for the defense of
the blessed Cause, and as a well-made fortification for the protection of
the hosts of the Pre-existent Beauty. They must in all conditions
faithfully guard the edifice of the Cause of God, and be scintillating
stars on the horizon of the visible; because the gloomy darkness of all
nations prevailed from all directions, and all the creeds of the world are
plotting to quench their evident light. Notwithstanding the strenuous
opposition of all tribes, how can ye continue heedless thereof? So, ye
must be conscious and aware thereof, and be ready to guard and preserve
the Cause of the Creator. For this day the most necessary duty is to
purify your morals, to correct your manners, and to improve your deeds.
The beloved of the Merciful must appear with such morals and habits among
the creatures that the fragrant odor of the garden of sanctity may perfume
all the horizons and may quicken all the dead souls, because the
Manifestation of Divinity and the dawning of the infinite lights of the
Invisible is intended for the education of souls and the refinement of the
morals of all in existence, so that some blessed souls may be delivered
from the gloomy world of brutality and be characterized with attributes
which tend to adorn the being of man; that the earthly people may become
godlike, the dark ones may become illuminated, the uninstructed ones may
become familiar with the mystery of the Kingdom, and the mortal souls may
be associated with the Immortal Splendor; the deprived ones may partake of
the endless sea, and the ignorant may drink from the living water of
knowledge; the savage may give up their ferocity, and the cruel may become
forbearing; that the warlike may search after true conciliation and the
pitiless savages may be favored with ideal peace; that the degraded may
learn about the condition of purity and the soiled ones may attain to the
stream of sanctity. If these divine bounties do not appear in the being of
men, the bounty of the Divine Manifestation will prove fruitless and the
splendor of the Sun of Truth will become without effect.
So, O beloved of God, endeavor with your hearts and souls, that ye may be
qualified with the morals and attributes of the Blessed Perfection, and
partake of the bounties of His sanctity; that ye may become signs of unity
and standards of oneness, discover the essence of singleness and sing
harmonies and lays in in this divine garden, in merciful melodies; that ye
may become as thankful birds, and sing a song in the rose-garden of
existence which may astonish minds and senses; that ye may hoist a
standard on the apex of the universe which may flutter in the winds of
favor, and plant a tree in the field of the visible world which may bring
forth fruits of the utmost delicacy and freshness.
I swear by the Ideal Educator that, if ye act in compliance with the
divine exhortations, as revealed in brilliant Tablets, this gloomy earth
will become a mirror of the Exalted Kingdom, and the inferior page will
display the Kingdom of Abha!
O friends of God! Praise be unto God that the invisible bounties of the
Sun of Truth are encompassing you from all directions, and the doors of
mercy are opened from all parts. Now is the time to be benefited and
filled therewith. Seize the opportunity, and lose not the chance. Keep
yourselves entirely clear of the world's conditions of gloom, and show
forth the characters and qualities of divine souls, that ye may consider
to what an extent the radiance of the Divine Sun is shining and brilliant,
and how the signs of favor are showing forth from the invisible World of
Unity.
O friends of God! Praise be unto God that His Imperial Majesty, the Shah,
acts with the utmost kindness, and His Highness, the Prime Minister, is
practising the greatest fairness and equity towards the people. So, the
friends of God must night and day pray for the permanence of the glorious
empire, and raise themselves to return thanks to His Majesty for his
justice, equity and kindness, because this is one of the indisputable
commandments of God, as revealed in all celestial books.
"To the beloved of God in Persia!..."
To the beloved of God in Persia!
O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha! It is some time since any heart-thrilling
melody hath reached the ear of life from certain countries, and life and
conscience have not found happiness and joy. Howbeit all are remembered at
all times and are indeed present before the sight. For, verily, the
chalice of the heart is overflowing with the wine of the love of the
friends; and their attachment and the desire to see them flow and
circulate in the veins and arteries, even as the spirit.
In this condition it is evident how sad and grieved the heart is. In this
storm of ordeal, whose wave hath reached the Supreme Apogee, and the arrow
of hate hath come in succession from the six points; with every breath
there is bewildering news and every day astonishing signs in the Blessed
Spot.
The center of violation(161) supposed that through mere pride the
foundation of the Covenant and Testament could be destroyed and that the
righteous ones would shun and disobey the ordinances of God. Therefore, he
spread writings of suspicion to all parts and busied himself with secret
plans.
At one time he cried that "The Divine Foundation is overthrown, the law of
God is abrogated, therefore the Covenant and Testament of God are
annulled!" Again, he moaned and grieved that "We are exiles and captives,
hungry and thirsty, night and day!" One day he effected disturbance and
commotion, saying, "The Oneness of God is abolished, and the
Manifestation, before the lapse of a thousand years, hath appeared!"(162)
Upon finding that these fictions were not successful, he gradually planned
corruptions and caused commotion. He grasped every garment (means); he
calumniated to the government and he became acquainted with some of the
unfriendly, associated and became confidential with them. Together they
compiled a report and presented it to the center of the government, which
disturbed the members of the cabinet.
Among their fictitious reports was this: That this oppressed one(163) has
hoisted the banner of independence; upon that banner he has inscribed "Ya
Baha El-Abha!" and circulated it in all this country,(164) in the cities
and hamlets, even among the tribes in the desert, and that he has summoned
them all to assemble under the banner.
O God, verily I seek shelter in Thee from this action which is contrary to
the precepts of Baha', nay, it is a great wrong, committed only by every
persistent sinner. For Thou hast enjoined upon us obedience to kings and
rulers!
Among the fictions was that the building upon Mt. Carmel was purposed to
be a fort, built with perfect solidity and strength, assigned it to be the
"illumined city" and made the Holy Tomb, the Sacred Mecca; when in truth
that is a building containing six vaults.
Among other fictions was, that he has founded a new monarchy (kingdom) and
that he has called all the friends to this great wrong. God forbid; God
forbid; God forbid! Praise be to Thee!(165)--this is a great calumny!--that
since the Sacred Tomb(166) has become a visiting center for the world, it
shall be a great misfortune to the country and to the public! and that the
center of violation is not connected with these affairs, nay rather, he is
a Suni, Sanavi, Bekri, and Omari.(167) That he knows the Blessed
Perfection(168) to be only one of the reformers among the people, and a
follower of the Path, and that these affairs were instituted by this
oppressed one.
In short, an inquisitory body was appointed by the center of the great
government--may her glory increase! --and was sent to this land, taking up
its abode directly in the home of one of the plaintiffs. The parties who
joined in compiling the report and who were co-partners of my brother were
sent for and questioned regarding the truth of the report. They amplified
the contents of the report, explained them, confirmed them and above all
added to them. They were the plaintiffs, the witnesses and the judge. Now
that body hath returned to the Capital and every day terrible and
frightful news is received.
But Abdul-Baha--praise be to God!--is in perfect peace, composure and rest.
He is not even disturbed through this calumny and fiction, but rather hath
referred all affairs to the pre-ordained decree and in perfect joy and
happiness is ready to give up his life, expecting every ordeal.
Praise be to God!--the kind friends of God are also in a state of
resignation and submissiveness. All are happy, thankful, joyful, and
content. But the center of violation presumed that after the shedding of
the blood of this oppressed one, or the throwing of him into the
Mediterranean Sea, he will become nameless, traceless and forgotten, and
that he [himself] would find an arena to gallop in and could win, with the
spear of suspicions and fictions, the object of his hopes and desire. In
vain! In vain! If there be no permanence to the fragrance of the musk of
faithfulness, will any one be attracted by the vile odor of jealousy? If
the deer of God be torn asunder by dogs and wolves, no one will run after
the blood-thirsty wolf. If the nightingale of significances end his days,
no one will listen to the croaking of the raven, nor to the cawing of the
crow. what vain imagination is this, and what an ignorant display! Their
actions are like unto a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty imagines
to be water, but when he reaches it, finds it to be nothing.
In sooth, O ye friends of God, make firm your feet and heart, make perfect
resolve through the power of confirmation of the Blessed Beauty; engage in
the service of the Cause of God and withstand the nations and the peoples
with the firmness, the solidity and and the steadfastness of the people of
Baha'. Thus may others wonder how these hearts are fountains of trust and
mines of the love of His Majesty, the Merciful One. Thus may ye remain
unshaken by the painful occurrences in the Holy Land, and may remain firm
through the disastrous events. If all the friends oppose (the Cause of
God) with sword and one remain (firm), he will be the proclaimer of God, a
divine herald, and will stand before all upon the earth.
In sooth, you must not mind the events in the Radiant Spot. The Holy Land
is ever in danger and the flood of ordeal comes from every side, for the
call hath become world-wide and the summons hath spread throughout the
earth, and enemies, both the unfamiliar and the familiar, are engaged in
their plans, their stratagems and schemes to calumniate; and it is evident
that such a place is in danger, for against calumny there is no defence,
nay rather, some wandering oppressed souls are imprisoned in a fortress,
having no helper, assistant nor shelter from the sword of accusation and
the teeth of calumny, save God!
Ye must think of this: How many dear friends have hastened to the divine
altar; how many blessed souls have sacrificed life; what holy blood was
shed; what pure hearts were drowned in blood; how many breasts were
offered as targets for the arrows of malice, and how many sanctified
bodies were cut to pieces. What is our duty? To be thinking of our own
life and to dissimulate and associate with enemies and friends, or should
we also follow the righteous and walk in the footprints of those who are
great?
The numbered days (of life) will vanish away, and the present existence
disappear. The garden of being will lose its freshness and fragrance, the
orchard of mirth will miss its joy and beauty. The spring of life will
change into the autumn of death, the joy of happiness of the palaces will
change into the gloomy darkness of the grave. Therefore, it is not worth
attachment and the wise person will not set his heart thereon. The wise
and great man seeketh heavenly glory and divine might, desireth eternal
life and seeketh nearness to the Threshold of God.
For in the tavern of the mortal world the bile of the man of God is not
removed. He will not rest a moment here and will not stain himself with
the attachments of the world. Nay, rather, the friends are the stars of
the summit of Providence and the planets of the firmament of Guidance.
with perfect strength do they dispel darkness and destroy the foundation
of envy and enmity. They wish for the world and its denizens unity and
peace; they destroy the basis of war and strife; they seek integrity,
faithfulness and friendliness, and are well-wishes even of the
evil-disposed enemy. Thus they make this prison of infidelity the sublime
mansion of fidelity, and this dungeon of envy a delectable paradise.
O ye friends, endeavor with life and heart that this world may become the
mirror of the world of the Kingdom; that the earthly kingdom be filled
with the bounty of the heavenly; that the voice of the Supreme Concourse
may be raised in commendation, and that the traces of the bounty and grace
of the Beauty of Abha may envelop the earth!
His honor, Ameen(169), hath praised highly the honored servants and the
maid-servants of the Manifest Light; commending each one separately and
eulogizing the firmness and steadfastness of all; that--praise be to
God!--the friends and maid-servants of the Merciful in all Persia are in
perfect resignation and firm and steadfast, like unto a firm and solid
foundation, and in an absolute state of ecstasy and attraction are engaged
in spreading the fragrance of the Lord of Lords.
Through this news, at this time of great jeopardy, much happiness was
realized, for the supreme hope and desire of this oppressed one is the
spirituality of the hearts and the radiance of the beings of the friends.
When this gift is obtained every ordeal is for him as an abundant bounty
and a great shower.
O my God! O my God! Thou seest me drowned in the sea of ordeals, seized
upon by the fire of infidelity, with tears flowing in the dark night
rolling in the bed of sleeplessness, mine eyes expectant to see the dawn
of the lights of Faith. And when I am anxious, as the fish whose bowels
are inflamed upon the dust, I anticipate the manifestation of Thy bounties
from all sides!
O Lord! Surround the friends in other regions with Thy great bounties and
uplift those who are weak among Thy chosen, through Thy strength and
providence, in every remote place!