search in the path leading to the knowledge of the Ancient of Days, he
must, before all else, cleanse and purify his heart, which is the seat of
the revelation of the inner mysteries of God, from the obscuring dust of
all acquired knowledge, and the allusions of the embodiments of satanic
fancy. He must purge his breast, which is the sanctuary of the abiding
love of the Beloved, of every defilement, and sanctify his soul from all
that pertaineth to water and clay, from all shadowy and ephemeral
attachments. He must so cleanse his heart that no remnant of either love
or hate may linger therein, lest that love blindly incline him to error,
or that hate repel him away from the truth. Even as thou dost witness in
this day how most of the people, because of such love and hate, are bereft
of the immortal Face, have strayed far from the Embodiments of the divine
mysteries, and, shepherdless, are roaming through the wilderness of
oblivion and error. That seeker must at all times put his trust in God,
must renounce the peoples of the earth, detach himself from the world of
dust, and cleave unto Him Who is the Lord of Lords. He must never seek to
exalt himself above any one, must wash away from the tablet of his heart
every trace of pride and vainglory, must cling unto patience and
resignation, observe silence, and refrain from idle talk. For the tongue
is a smouldering fire, and excess of speech a deadly poison. Material fire
consumeth the body, whereas the fire of the tongue devoureth both heart
and soul. The force of the former lasteth but for a time, whilst the
effects of the latter endure a century.
That seeker should also regard backbiting as grievous error, and keep
himself aloof from its dominion, inasmuch as backbiting quencheth the
light of the heart, and extinguisheth the life of the soul. He should be
content with little, and be freed from all inordinate desire. He should
treasure the companionship of those that have renounced the world, and
regard avoidance of boastful and worldly people a precious benefit. At the
dawn of every day he should commune with God, and with all his soul
persevere in the quest of his Beloved. He should consume every wayward
thought with the flame of His loving mention, and, with the swiftness of
lightning, pass by all else save Him. He should succour the dispossessed,
and never withhold his favour from the destitute. He should show kindness
to animals, how much more unto his fellow-man, to him who is endowed with
the power of utterance. He should not hesitate to offer up his life for
his Beloved, nor allow the censure of the people to turn him away from the
Truth. He should not wish for others that which he doth not wish for
himself, nor promise that which he doth not fulfil. With all his heart
should the seeker avoid fellowship with evil doers, and pray for the
remission of their sins. He should forgive the sinful, and never despise
his low estate, for none knoweth what his own end shall be. How often hath
a sinner, at the hour of death, attained to the essence of faith, and,
quaffing the immortal draught, hath taken his flight unto the celestial
Concourse. And how often hath a devout believer, at the hour of his soul's
ascension, been so changed as to fall into the nethermost fire. Our
purpose in revealing these convincing and weighty utterances is to impress
upon the seeker that he should regard all else beside God as transient,
and count all things save Him, Who is the Object of all adoration, as
utter nothingness.
These are among the attributes of the exalted, and constitute the
hall-mark of the spiritually-minded. They have already been mentioned in
connection with the requirements of the wayfarers that tread the Path of
Positive Knowledge. When the detached wayfarer and sincere seeker hath
fulfilled these essential conditions, then and only then can he be called
a true seeker. Whensoever he hath fulfilled the conditions implied in the
verse: "Whoso maketh efforts for Us,"(151) he shall enjoy the blessing
conferred by the words: "In Our ways shall We assuredly guide him."(152)
Only when the lamp of search, of earnest striving, of longing desire, of
passionate devotion, of fervid love, of rapture, and ecstasy, is kindled
within the seeker's heart, and the breeze of His loving-kindness is wafted
upon his soul, will the darkness of error be dispelled, the mists of
doubts and misgivings be dissipated, and the lights of knowledge and
certitude envelop his being. At that hour will the mystic Herald, bearing
the joyful tidings of the Spirit, shine forth from the City of God
resplendent as the morn, and, through the trumpet-blast of knowledge, will
awaken the heart, the soul, and the spirit from the slumber of negligence.
Then will the manifold favours and outpouring grace of the holy and
everlasting Spirit confer such new life upon the seeker that he will find
himself endowed with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind. He
will contemplate the manifest signs of the universe, and will penetrate
the hidden mysteries of the soul. Gazing with the eye of God, he will
perceive within every atom a door that leadeth him to the stations of
absolute certitude. He will discover in all things the mysteries of divine
Revelation and the evidences of an everlasting manifestation.
I swear by God! Were he that treadeth the path of guidance and seeketh to
scale the heights of righteousness to attain unto this glorious and
supreme station, he would inhale at a distance of a thousand leagues the
fragrance of God, and would perceive the resplendent morn of a divine
Guidance rising above the dayspring of all things. Each and every thing,
however small, would be to him a revelation, leading him to his Beloved,
the Object of his quest. So great shall be the discernment of this seeker
that he will discriminate between truth and falsehood even as he doth
distinguish the sun from shadow. If in the uttermost corners of the East
the sweet savours of God be wafted, he will assuredly recognize and inhale
their fragrance, even though he be dwelling in the uttermost ends of the
West. He will likewise clearly distinguish all the signs of God--His
wondrous utterances, His great works, and mighty deeds--from the doings,
words and ways of men, even as the jeweller who knoweth the gem from the
stone, or the man who distinguisheth the spring from autumn and heat from
cold. When the channel of the human soul is cleansed of all worldly and
impeding attachments, it will unfailingly perceive the breath of the
Beloved across immeasurable distances, and will, led by its perfume,
attain and enter the City of Certitude. Therein he will discern the
wonders of His ancient wisdom, and will perceive all the hidden teachings
from the rustling leaves of the Tree--which flourisheth in that City. With
both his inner and his outer ear he will hear from its dust the hymns of
glory and praise ascending unto the Lord of Lords, and with his inner eye
will he discover the mysteries of "return" and "revival." How unspeakably
glorious are the signs, the tokens, the revelations, and splendours which
He Who is the King of names and attributes hath destined for that City!
The attainment of this City quencheth thirst without water, and kindleth
the love of God without fire. Within every blade of grass are enshrined
the mysteries of an inscrutable wisdom, and upon every rose-bush a myriad
nightingales pour out, in blissful rapture, their melody. Its wondrous
tulips unfold the mystery of the undying Fire in the Burning Bush, and its
sweet savours of holiness breathe the perfume of the Messianic Spirit. It
bestoweth wealth without gold, and conferreth immortality without death.
In every leaf ineffable delights are treasured, and within every chamber
unnumbered mysteries lie hidden.
They that valiantly labour in quest of God's will, when once they have
renounced all else but Him, will be so attached and wedded to that City
that a moment's separation from it would to them be unthinkable. They will
hearken unto infallible proofs from the Hyacinth of that assembly, and
receive the surest testimonies from the beauty of its Rose and the melody
of its Nightingale. Once in about a thousand years shall this City be
renewed and re-adorned.
Wherefore, O my friend, it behooveth Us to exert the highest endeavour to
attain unto that City, and, by the grace of God and His loving-kindness,
rend asunder the "veils of glory"; so that, with inflexible steadfastness,
we may sacrifice our drooping souls in the path of the New Beloved. We
should with tearful eyes, fervently and repeatedly, implore Him to grant
us the favour of that grace. That city is none other than the Word of God
revealed in every age and dispensation. In the days of Moses it was the
Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus the Gospel; in the days of Muhammad the
Messenger of God the Qur'an; in this day the Bayan; and in the
dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest His own Book--the Book unto
which all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the
Book which standeth amongst them all transcendent and supreme. In these
cities spiritual sustenance is bountifully provided, and incorruptible
delights have been ordained. The food they bestow is the bread of heaven,
and the Spirit they impart is God's imperishable blessing. Upon detached
souls they bestow the gift of Unity, enrich the destitute, and offer the
cup of knowledge unto them who wander in the wilderness of ignorance. All
the guidance, the blessings, the learning, the understanding, the faith,
and certitude, conferred upon all that is in heaven and on earth, are
hidden and treasured within these Cities.
For instance, the Qur'an was an impregnable stronghold unto the people of
Muhammad. In His days, whosoever entered therein, was shielded from the
devilish assaults, the menacing darts, the soul-devouring doubts, and
blasphemous whisperings of the enemy. Upon him was also bestowed a portion
of the everlasting and goodly fruits--the fruits of wisdom, from the divine
Tree. To him was given to drink the incorruptible waters of the river of
knowledge, and to taste the wine of the mysteries of divine Unity.
All the things that people required in connection with the Revelation of
Muhammad and His laws were to be found revealed and manifest in that
Ridvan of resplendent glory. That Book constitutes an abiding testimony to
its people after Muhammad, inasmuch as its decrees are indisputable, and
its promise unfailing. All have been enjoined to follow the precepts of
that Book until "the year sixty"(153)--the year of the advent of God's
wondrous Manifestation. That Book is the Book which unfailingly leadeth
the seeker unto the Ridvan of the divine Presence, and causeth him that
hath forsaken his country and is treading the seeker's path to enter the
Tabernacle of everlasting reunion. Its guidance can never err, its
testimony no other testimony can excel. All other traditions, all other
books and records, are bereft of such distinction, inasmuch as both the
traditions and they that have spoken them are confirmed and proven solely
by the text of that Book. Moreover, the traditions themselves grievously
differ, and their obscurities are manifold.
Muhammad, Himself, as the end of His mission drew nigh, spoke these words:
"Verily, I leave amongst you My twin weighty testimonies: The Book of God
and My Family." Although many traditions had been revealed by that Source
of Prophethood and Mine of divine Guidance, yet He mentioned only that
Book, thereby appointing it as the mightiest instrument and surest
testimony for the seekers; a guide for the people until the Day of
Resurrection.
With unswerving vision, with pure heart, and sanctified spirit, consider
attentively what God hath established as the testimony of guidance for His
people in His Book, which is recognized as authentic by both the high and
lowly. To this testimony we both, as well as all the peoples of the world,
must cling, that through its light we may know and distinguish between
truth and falsehood, guidance and error. Inasmuch as Muhammad hath
confined His testimonies to His Book and to His Family, and whereas the
latter hath passed away, there remaineth His Book only as His one
testimony amongst the people.
In the beginning of His Book He saith: "Alif. Lam. Mim. No doubt is there
about this Book: It is a guidance unto the God-fearing."(154) In the
disconnected letters of the Qur'an the mysteries of the divine Essence are
enshrined, and within their shells the pearls of His Unity are treasured.
For lack of space We do not dwell upon them at this moment. Outwardly they
signify Muhammad Himself, Whom God addresseth saying: "O Muhammad, there
is no doubt nor uncertainty about this Book which hath been sent down from
the heaven of divine Unity. In it is guidance unto them that fear God."
Consider, how He hath appointed and decreed this self-same Book, the
Qur'an, as a guidance unto all that are in heaven and on earth. He, the
divine Being, and unknowable Essence, hath, Himself, testified that this
Book is, beyond all doubt and uncertainty, the guide of all mankind until
the Day of Resurrection. And now, We ask, is it fair for this people to
view with doubt and misgiving this most weighty Testimony, the divine
origin of which God hath proclaimed, and pronounced it to be the
embodiment of truth? Is it fair for them to turn away from the thing which
He hath appointed as the supreme Instrument of guidance for attainment
unto the loftiest summits of knowledge, and to seek aught else but that
Book? How can they allow men's absurd and foolish sayings to sow the seeds
of distrust in their minds? How can they any longer idly contend that a
certain person hath spoken this or that way, or that a certain thing did
not come to pass? Had there been anything conceivable besides the Book of
God which could prove a more potent instrument and a surer guide to
mankind, would He have failed to reveal it in that verse?
It is incumbent upon us not to depart from God's irresistible injunction
and fixed decree, as revealed in the above-mentioned verse. We should
acknowledge the holy and wondrous Scriptures, for failing to do this we
have failed to acknowledge the truth of this blessed verse. For it is
evident that whoso hath failed to acknowledge the truth of the Qur'an hath
in reality failed to acknowledge the truth of the preceding Scriptures.
This is but the manifest implication of the verse. Were We to expound its
inner meanings and unfold its hidden mysteries, eternity would never
suffice to exhaust their import, nor would the universe be capable of
hearing them! God verily testifieth to the truth of Our saying!
In another passage He likewise saith: "And if ye be in doubt as to that
which We have sent down to Our Servant, then produce a Surah like it, and
summon your witnesses, beside God, if ye are men of truth."(155) Behold,
how lofty is the station, and how consummate the virtue, of these verses
which He hath declared to be His surest testimony, His infallible proof,
the evidence of His all-subduing power, and a revelation of the potency of
His will. He, the divine King, hath proclaimed the undisputed supremacy of
the verses of His Book over all things that testify to His truth. For
compared with all other proofs and tokens, the divinely-revealed verses
shine as the sun, whilst all others are as stars. To the peoples of the
world they are the abiding testimony, the incontrovertible proof, the
shining light of the ideal King. Their excellence is unrivalled, their
virtue nothing can surpass. They are the treasury of the divine pearls and
the depository of the divine mysteries. They constitute the indissoluble
Bond, the firm Cord, the Urvatu'l-Vuthqa, the inextinguishable Light.
Through them floweth the river of divine knowledge, and gloweth the fire
of His ancient and consummate wisdom. This is the fire which, in one and
the same moment, kindleth the flame of love in the breasts of the
faithful, and induceth the chill of heedlessness in the heart of the
enemy.
O friend! It behooveth us not to waive the injunction of God, but rather
acquiesce and submit to that which He hath ordained as His divine
Testimony. This verse is too weighty and pregnant an utterance for this
afflicted soul to demonstrate and expound. God speaketh the truth and
leadeth the way. He, verily, is supreme over all His people; He is the
Mighty, the Beneficent.
Likewise, He saith: "Such are the verses of God: with truth do We recite
them to Thee. But in what revelation will they believe, if they reject God
and His verses?"(156) If thou wilt grasp the implication of this verse,
thou wilt recognize the truth that no manifestation greater than the
Prophets of God hath ever been revealed, and no testimony mightier than
the testimony of their revealed verses hath ever appeared upon the earth.
Nay, this testimony no other testimony can ever excel, except that which
the Lord thy God willeth.
In another passage He saith: "Woe to every lying sinner, who heareth the
verses of God recited to him, and then, as though he heard them not,
persisteth in proud disdain! Apprise him of a painful punishment."(157)
The implications of this verse, alone, suffice all that is in heaven and
on earth, were the people to ponder the verses of their Lord. For thou
hearest how in this day the people disdainfully ignore the
divinely-revealed verses, as though they were the meanest of all things.
And yet, nothing greater than these verses hath ever appeared, nor will
ever be made manifest in the world! Say unto them: "O heedless people! Ye
repeat what your fathers, in a bygone age, have said. Whatever fruits they
have gathered from the tree of their faithlessness, the same shall ye
gather also. Ere long shall ye be gathered unto your fathers, and with
them shall ye dwell in hellish fire. An ill abode! the abode of the people
of tyranny."
In yet another passage He saith: "And when he becometh acquainted with any
of Our verses he turneth them to ridicule. There is a shameful punishment
for them!"(158) The people derisively observed saying: "Work thou another
miracle, and give us another sign!" One would say: "Make now a part of the
heaven to fall down upon us";(159) and another: "If this be the very truth
from before Thee, rain down stones upon us from heaven."(160) Even as the
people of Israel, in the time of Moses, bartered away the bread of heaven
for the sordid things of the earth, these people, likewise, sought to
exchange the divinely-revealed verses for their foul, their vile, and idle
desires. In like manner, thou beholdest in this day that although
spiritual sustenance hath descended from the heaven of divine mercy, and
been showered from the clouds of His loving kindness, and although the
seas of life, at the behest of the Lord of all being, are surging within
the Ridvan of the heart, yet these people, ravenous as the dogs, have
gathered around carrion, and contented themselves with the stagnant waters
of a briny lake. Gracious God! how strange the way of this people! They
clamour for guidance, although the standards of Him Who guideth all things
are already hoisted. They cleave to the obscure intricacies of knowledge,
when He, Who is the Object of all knowledge, shineth as the sun. They see
the sun with their own eyes, and yet question that brilliant Orb as to the
proof of its light. They behold the vernal showers descending upon them,
and yet seek an evidence of that bounty. The proof of the sun is the light
thereof, which shineth and envelopeth all things. The evidence of the
shower is the bounty thereof, which reneweth and investeth the world with
the mantle of life. Yea, the blind can perceive naught from the sun except
its heat, and the arid soil hath no share of the showers of mercy. "Marvel
not if in the Qur'an the unbeliever perceiveth naught but the trace of
letters, for in the sun, the blind findeth naught but heat."
In another passage He saith: "And when Our clear verses are recited to
them, their only argument is to say, 'Bring back our fathers, if ye speak
the truth!'"(161) Behold, what foolish evidences they sought from these
Embodiments of an all-encompassing mercy! They scoffed at the verses, a
single letter of which is greater than the creation of heavens and earth,
and which quickeneth the dead of the valley of self and desire with the
spirit of faith; and clamoured saying: "Cause our fathers to speed out of
their sepulchres." Such was the perversity and pride of that people. Each
one of these verses is unto all the peoples of the world an unfailing
testimony and a glorious proof of His truth. Each of them verily sufficeth
all mankind, wert thou to meditate upon the verses of God. In the
above-mentioned verse itself pearls of mysteries lie hidden. Whatever be
the ailment, the remedy it offereth can never fail.
Heed not the idle contention of those who maintain that the Book and
verses thereof can never be a testimony unto the common people, inasmuch
as they neither grasp their meaning nor appreciate their value. And yet,
the unfailing testimony of God to both the East and the West is none other
than the Qur'an. Were it beyond the comprehension of men, how could it
have been declared as a universal testimony unto all people? If their
contention be true, none would therefore be required, nor would it be
necessary for them to know God, inasmuch as the knowledge of the divine
Being transcendeth the knowledge of His Book, and the common people would
not possess the capacity to comprehend it.
Such contention is utterly fallacious and inadmissible. It is actuated
solely by arrogance and pride. Its motive is to lead the people astray
from the Ridvan of divine good-pleasure and to tighten the reins of their
authority over the people. And yet, in the sight of God, these common
people are infinitely superior and exalted above their religious leaders
who have turned away from the one true God. The understanding of His words
and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no
wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of
heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. This is evidenced by those
who, today, though without a single letter of the accepted standards of
learning, are occupying the loftiest seats of knowledge; and the garden of
their hearts is adorned, through the showers of divine grace, with the
roses of wisdom and the tulips of understanding. Well is it with the
sincere in heart for their share of the light of a mighty Day!
And likewise, He saith: "As for those who believe not in the verses of
God, or that they shall ever meet Him, these of My mercy shall despair,
and these doth a grievous chastisement await."(162) Also, "And they say,
'Shall we then abandon our gods for a crazed poet?'"(163) The implication
of this verse is manifest. Behold what they observed after the verses were
revealed. They called Him a poet, scoffed at the verses of God, and
exclaimed saying: "These words of his are but tales of the Ancients!" By
this they meant that those words which were spoken by the peoples of old
Muhammad hath compiled and called them the Word of God.
Likewise, in this day, thou hast heard the people impute similar charges
to this Revelation, saying: "He hath compiled these words from the words
of old;" or "these words are spurious." Vain and haughty are their
sayings, low their estate and station!