unknown and of no station--because he showed forth one of the qualities of
the pure in heart, was able to deliver this proud sovereign and a great
company of others from the dark night of unbelief and guide them into the
morning of salvation; to save them from the perdition of idolatry and
bring them to the shores of the oneness of God, and to put an end to
practices of the sort which blight a whole society and reduce the peoples
to barbarism. One must think deeply over this, and grasp its meaning.
My heart aches, for I note with intense regret that the attention of the
people is nowhere directed toward that which is worthy of this day and
time. The Sun of Truth has risen above the world but we are ensnared in
the dark of our imaginings. The waters of the Most Great Sea are surging
all around us, while we are parched and weak with thirst. The divine bread
is coming down from heaven, and yet we grope and stumble in a
famine-stricken land. "Between the weeping and the telling, I spin out my
days."
One of the principal reasons why people of other religions have shunned
and failed to become converted to the Faith of God is fanaticism and
unreasoning religious zeal. See for example the divine words that were
addressed to Muhammad, the Ark of Salvation, the Luminous Countenance and
Lord of Men, bidding Him to be gentle with the people and long-suffering:
"Debate with them in the kindliest manner."(31) That Blessed Tree Whose
light was "neither of the East nor of the West"(32) and Who cast over all
the peoples of the earth the sheltering shade of a measureless grace,
showed forth infinite kindness and forbearance in His dealings with every
one. In these words, likewise, were Moses and Aaron commanded to challenge
Pharaoh, Lord of the Stakes:(33) "Speak ye to him with gentle speech."(34)
Although the noble conduct of the Prophets and Holy Ones of God is widely
known, and it is indeed, until the coming of the Hour,(35) in every aspect
of life an excellent pattern for all mankind to follow, nevertheless some
have remained neglectful of and separated from these qualities of
extraordinary sympathy and loving-kindness, and have been prevented from
attaining to the inner significances of the Holy Books. Not only do they
scrupulously shun the adherents of religions other than their own, they do
not even permit themselves to show them common courtesy. If one is not
allowed to associate with another, how can one guide him out of the dark
and empty night of denial, of "there-is-no-God," into the bright morning
of belief, and the affirmation, "but God."(36) And how can one urge him on
and encourage him to rise up out of the abyss of perdition and ignorance
and climb the heights of salvation and knowledge? Consider justly: had not
Hanzala treated Nu'man with true friendship, showing him kindness and
hospitality, could he have brought the King and a great number of other
idolaters to acknowledge the unity of God? To keep aloof from people, to
shun them, to be harsh with them, will make them shrink away, while
affection and consideration, mildness and forbearance will attract their
hearts toward God. If a true believer when meeting an individual from a
foreign country should express revulsion, and should speak the horrible
words forbidding association with foreigners and referring to them as
"unclean," the stranger would be grieved and offended to such a point that
he would never accept the Faith, even if he should see, taking place
before his very eyes, the miracle of the splitting of the moon. The
results of shunning him would be this, that if there had been in his heart
some faint inclination toward God, he would repent of it, and would flee
away from the sea of faith into the wastes of oblivion and unbelief. And
upon returning home to his own country he would publish in the press
statements to the effect that such and such a nation was utterly lacking
in the qualifications of a civilized people.
If we ponder a while over the Qur'anic verses and proofs, and the
traditional accounts which have come down to us from those stars of the
heaven of Divine Unity, the Holy Imams, we shall be convinced of the fact
that if a soul is endowed with the attributes of true faith and
characterized with spiritual qualities he will become to all mankind an
emblem of the outstretched mercies of God. For the attributes of the
people of faith are justice and fair-mindedness; forbearance and
compassion and generosity; consideration for others; candor,
trustworthiness, and loyalty; love and loving-kindness; devotion and
determination and humanity. If therefore an individual is truly righteous,
he will avail himself of all those means which will attract the hearts of
men, and through the attributes of God he will draw them to the straight
path of faith and cause them to drink from the river of everlasting life.
Today we have closed our eyes to every righteous act and have sacrificed
the abiding happiness of society to our own transitory profit. We regard
fanaticism and zealotry as redounding to our credit and honor, and not
content with this, we denounce one another and plot each other's ruin, and
whenever we wish to put on a show of wisdom and learning, of virtue and
godliness, we set about mocking and reviling this one and that. "The ideas
of such a one," we say, "are wide of the mark, and so-and-so's behavior
leaves much to be desired. The religious observances of Zayd are few and
far between, and 'Amr is not firm in his faith. So-and-so's opinions smack
of Europe. Fundamentally, Blank thinks of nothing but his own name and
fame. Last night when the congregation stood up to pray, the row was out
of line, and it is not permissible to follow a different leader. No rich
man has died this month, and nothing has been offered to charity in memory
of the Prophet. The edifice of religion has crumbled, the foundations of
faiths have been blown to the winds. The carpet of belief has been rolled
up, the tokens of certitude blotted out; the whole world has fallen into
error; when it comes to repelling tyranny all are soft and remiss. Days
and months have passed away, and these villages and estates still belong
to the same owners as they did last year. In this town there used to be
seventy different governments functioning in good order, but the number
has steadily decreased; there are only twenty-five left now, as a memento.
It used to be that two hundred contradictory judgments were handed down by
the same mufti in any one day, now we hardly get fifty. In those days
there were crowds of people who were all brainsick with litigation, and
now they rest in peace; today the plaintiff would be defeated and the
defendant victorious, tomorrow the plaintiff won the case and the
defendant lost it--but now this excellent practice has been abandoned too.
What is this heathenish religion, this idolatrous kind of error! Alas for
the Law, alas for the Faith, alas for all these calamities! O Brothers in
the Faith! This is surely the end of the world! The Judgment is coming!"
With words such as these they assault the minds of the helpless masses and
disturb the hearts of the already bewildered poor, who know nothing of the
true state of affairs and the real basis for all such talk, and remain
completely unaware of the fact that a thousand selfish purposes are
concealed behind the supposedly religious eloquence of certain
individuals. They imagine that speakers of this type are motivated by
virtuous zeal, when the truth is that such individuals keep up a great hue
and cry because they see their own personal ruin in the welfare of the
masses, and believe that if the people's eyes are opened, their own light
will go out. Only the keenest insight will detect the fact that if the
hearts of these individuals were really impelled by righteousness and the
fear of God, the fragrance of it would, like musk, be spreading
everywhere. Nothing in the world can ever be supported by words alone.
But these ill-omened owls have done a wrong,
And learned to sing as the white falcon sings.
And what of Sheba's message that the lapwing brings
If the bittern learn to sing the lapwing's song?(37)
The spiritually learned, those who have derived infinite significance and
wisdom from the Book of Divine Revelation, and whose illumined hearts draw
inspiration from the unseen world of God, certainly exert their efforts to
bring about the supremacy of the true followers of God, in all respects
and above all peoples, and they toil and struggle to make use of every
agency that will conduce to progress. If any man neglects these high
purposes he can never prove acceptable in the sight of God; he stands out
with all his shortcomings and claims perfection, and destitute, pretends
to wealth.
One sluggish, blind and surly's a poor thing,
"A lump of flesh, without a foot or wing."
How far is he who apes and makes a show
From the illumined, who doth truly know.
One but an echo, though it's clear and sharp,
And one, the Psalmist David with his harp.
Knowledge, purity, devotion, discipline, independence, have nothing to do
with outer appearance and dress. Once in the course of My travels I heard
an eminent personage make the following excellent remark, the wit and
charm of which remain in memory: "Not every cleric's turban is a proof of
continence and knowledge; not every layman's hat a sign of ignorance and
immorality. How many a hat has proudly raised the banner of knowledge, how
many a turban pulled down the Law of God!"
The third element of the utterance under discussion is, "opposes his
passions." How wonderful are the implications of this deceptively easy,
all-inclusive phrase. This is the very foundation of every laudable human
quality; indeed, these few words embody the light of the world, the
impregnable basis of all the spiritual attributes of human beings. This is
the balance wheel of all behavior, the means of keeping all man's good
qualities in equilibrium.
For desire is a flame that has reduced to ashes uncounted lifetime
harvests of the learned, a devouring fire that even the vast sea of their
accumulated knowledge could never quench. How often has it happened that
an individual who was graced with every attribute of humanity and wore the
jewel of true understanding, nevertheless followed after his passions
until his excellent qualities passed beyond moderation and he was forced
into excess. His pure intentions changed to evil ones, his attributes were
no longer put to uses worthy of them, and the power of his desires turned
him aside from righteousness and its rewards into ways that were dangerous
and dark. A good character is in the sight of God and His chosen ones and
the possessors of insight, the most excellent and praiseworthy of all
things, but always on condition that its center of emanation should be
reason and knowledge and its base should be true moderation. Were the
implications of this subject to be developed as they deserve the work
would grow too long and our main theme would be lost to view.
All the peoples of Europe, notwithstanding their vaunted civilization,
sink and drown in this terrifying sea of passion and desire, and this is
why all the phenomena of their culture come to nothing. Let no one wonder
at this statement or deplore it. The primary purpose, the basic objective,
in laying down powerful laws and setting up great principles and
institutions dealing with every aspect of civilization, is human
happiness; and human happiness consists only in drawing closer to the
Threshold of Almighty God, and in securing the peace and well-being of
every individual member, high and low alike, of the human race; and the
supreme agencies for accomplishing these two objectives are the excellent
qualities with which humanity has been endowed.
A superficial culture, unsupported by a cultivated morality, is as "a
confused medley of dreams,"(38) and
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external lustre without inner perfection is "like a vapor in the desert
which the thirsty dreameth to be water."(39) For results which would win
the good pleasure of God and secure the peace and well-being of man, could
never be fully achieved in a merely external civilization.
The peoples of Europe have not advanced to the higher planes of moral
civilization, as their opinions and behavior clearly demonstrate. Notice,
for example, how the supreme desire of European governments and peoples
today is to conquer and crush one another, and how, while harboring the
greatest secret repulsion, they spend their time exchanging expressions of
neighborly affection, friendship and harmony.
There is the well-known case of the ruler who is fostering peace and
tranquillity and at the same time devoting more energy than the warmongers
to the accumulation of weapons and the building up of a larger army, on
the grounds that peace and harmony can only be brought about by force.
Peace is the pretext, and night and day they are all straining every nerve
to pile up more weapons of war, and to pay for this their wretched people
must sacrifice most of whatever they are able to earn by their sweat and
toil. How many thousands have given up their work in useful industries and
are laboring day and night to produce new and deadlier weapons which would
spill out the blood of the race more copiously than before.
Each day they invent a new bomb or explosive and then the governments must
abandon their obsolete arms and begin producing the new, since the old
weapons cannot hold their own against the new. For example at this
writing, in the year 1292 A.H.(40) they have invented a new rifle in
Germany and a bronze cannon in Austria, which have greater firepower than
the Martini-Henry rifle and the Krupp cannon, are more rapid in their
effects and more efficient in annihilating humankind. The staggering cost
of it all must be borne by the hapless masses.
Be just: can this nominal civilization, unsupported by a genuine
civilization of character, bring about the peace and well-being of the
people or win the good pleasure of God? Does it not, rather, connote the
destruction of man's estate and pull down the pillars of happiness and
peace?
At the time of the Franco-Prussian War, in the year 1870 of the Christian
era, it was reported that 600,000 men died, broken and beaten, on the
field of battle. How many a home was torn out by the roots; how many a
city, flourishing the night before, was toppled down by sunrise. How many
a child was orphaned and abandoned, how many an old father and mother had
to see their sons, the young fruit of their lives, twisting and dying in
dust and blood. How many women were widowed, left without a helper or
protector.
And then there were the libraries and magnificent buildings of France that
went up in flames, and the military hospital, packed with sick and wounded
men, that was set on fire and burned to the ground. And there followed the
terrible events of the Commune, the savage acts, the ruin and horror when
opposing factions fought and killed one another in the streets of Paris.
There were the hatreds and hostilities between Catholic religious leaders
and the German government. There was the civil strife and uproar, the
bloodshed and havoc brought on between the partisans of the Republic and
the Carlists in Spain.
Only too many such instances are available to demonstrate the fact that
Europe is morally uncivilized. Since the writer has no wish to cast
aspersions on anyone He has confined Himself to these few examples. It is
clear that no perceptive and well-informed mind can countenance such
events. Is it right and proper that peoples among whom, diametrically
opposed to the most desirable human behavior, such horrors take place,
should dare lay claim to a real and adequate civilization? Especially when
out of all this no results can be hoped for except the winning of a
transient victory; and since this outcome never endures, it is, to the
wise, not worth the effort.
Time and again down the centuries, the German state has subdued the
French; over and over, the kingdom of France has governed German land. Is
it permissible that in our day 600,000 helpless creatures should be
offered up as a sacrifice to such nominal and temporary uses and results?
No, by the Lord God! Even a child can see the evil of it. Yet the pursuit
of passion and desire will wrap the eyes in a thousand veils that rise out
of the heart to blind the sight and the insight as well.
Desire and self come in the door
And blot out virtue, bright before,
And a hundred veils will rise
From the heart, to blind the eyes.
True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world
whenever a certain number of its distinguished and high-minded
sovereigns--the shining exemplars of devotion and determination--shall, for
the good and happiness of all mankind, arise, with firm resolve and clear
vision, to establish the Cause of Universal Peace. They must make the
Cause of Peace the object of general consultation, and seek by every means
in their power to establish a Union of the nations of the world. They must
conclude a binding treaty and establish a covenant, the provisions of
which shall be sound, inviolable and definite. They must proclaim it to
all the world and obtain for it the sanction of all the human race. This
supreme and noble undertaking--the real source of the peace and well-being
of all the world--should be regarded as sacred by all that dwell on earth.
All the forces of humanity must be mobilized to ensure the stability and
permanence of this Most Great Covenant. In this all-embracing Pact the
limits and frontiers of each and every nation should be clearly fixed, the
principles underlying the relations of governments towards one another
definitely laid down, and all international agreements and obligations
ascertained. In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government
should be strictly limited, for if the preparations for war and the
military forces of any nation should be allowed to increase, they will
arouse the suspicion of others. The fundamental principle underlying this
solemn Pact should be so fixed that if any government later violate any
one of its provisions, all the governments on earth should arise to reduce
it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve, with
every power at its disposal, to destroy that government. Should this
greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, it will
assuredly recover from its ills and will remain eternally safe and
secure.(41)
Observe that if such a happy situation be forthcoming, no government would
need continually to pile up the weapons of war, nor feel itself obliged to
produce ever new military weapons with which to conquer the human race. A
small force for the purposes of internal security, the correction of
criminal and disorderly elements and the prevention of local disturbances,
would be required--no more. In this way the entire population would, first
of all, be relieved of the crushing burden of expenditure currently
imposed for military purposes, and secondly, great numbers of people would
cease to devote their time to the continual devising of new weapons of
destruction--those testimonials of greed and bloodthirstiness, so
inconsistent with the gift of life--and would instead bend their efforts to
the production of whatever will foster human existence and peace and
well-being, and would become the cause of universal development and
prosperity. Then every nation on earth will reign in honor, and every
people will be cradled in tranquillity and content.
A few, unaware of the power latent in human endeavor, consider this matter
as highly impracticable, nay even beyond the scope of man's utmost
efforts. Such is not the case, however. On the contrary, thanks to the
unfailing grace of God, the loving-kindness of His favored ones, the
unrivaled endeavors of wise and capable souls, and the thoughts and ideas
of the peerless leaders of this age, nothing whatsoever can be regarded as
unattainable. Endeavor, ceaseless endeavor, is required. Nothing short of
an indomitable determination can possibly achieve it. Many a cause which
past ages have regarded as purely visionary, yet in this day has become
most easy and practicable. Why should this most great and lofty Cause--the
daystar of the firmament of true civilization and the cause of the glory,
the advancement, the well-being and the success of all humanity--be
regarded as impossible of achievement? Surely the day will come when its
beauteous light shall shed illumination upon the assemblage of man.
The apparatus of conflict will, as preparations go on at their present
rate, reach the point where war will become something intolerable to
mankind.
It is clear from what has already been said that man's glory and greatness
do not consist in his being avid for blood and sharp of claw, in tearing
down cities and spreading havoc, in butchering armed forces and civilians.
What would mean a bright future for him would be his reputation for
justice, his kindness to the entire population whether high or low, his
building up countries and cities, villages and districts, his making life
easy, peaceful and happy for his fellow beings, his laying down
fundamental principles for progress, his raising the standards and
increasing the wealth of the entire population.
Consider how throughout history many a king has sat on his throne as a
conqueror. Among them were Hulague _Kh_an and Tamerlane, who took over the
vast continent of Asia, and Alexander of Macedon and Napoleon I, who
stretched their arrogant fists over three of the earth's five continents.
And what was gained by all their mighty victories? Was any country made to
flourish, did any happiness result, did any throne stand? Or was it rather
that those reigning houses lost their power? Except that Asia went up in
the flame of many battles and fell away to ashes, _Ch_angiz's Hulague, the
warlord, gathered no fruit from all his conquests. And Tamerlane, out of
all his triumphs, reaped only the peoples blown to the winds, and
universal ruin. And Alexander had nothing to show for his vast victories,
except that his son toppled from the throne and Philip and Ptolemy took
over the dominions he once had ruled. And what did the first Napoleon gain
from subjugating the kings of Europe, except the destruction of
flourishing countries, the downfall of their inhabitants, the spreading of
terror and anguish across Europe and, at the end of his days, his own
captivity? So much for the conquerors and the monuments they leave behind
them.