Gems of Divine Mystery
The essence of the divine mysteries in the journeys of ascent set
forth for those who long to draw nigh unto God, the Almighty, the
Ever-Forgiving—blessed be the righteous that quaff from these crystal
streams!
HE IS THE EXALTED, THE MOST HIGH!
1 O thou who treadest the path of justice and beholdest the
countenance of mercy! Thine epistle was received, thy question was
noted, and the sweet accents of thy soul were heard from the inmost
chambers of thy heart. Whereupon the clouds of the Divine Will were
raised to rain upon thee the outpourings of heavenly wisdom, to divest
thee of all that thou hadst acquired aforetime, to draw thee from the
realms of contradiction unto the retreats of oneness, and to lead thee
to the sacred streams of His Law. Perchance thou mayest quaff therefrom,
repose therein, quench thy thirst, refresh thy soul, and be numbered
with those whom the light of God hath guided aright in this day.
2 Encompassed as I am at this time by the dogs of the earth and the
beasts of every land, concealed as I remain in the hidden habitation of
Mine inner Being, forbidden as I may be from divulging that which God
hath bestowed upon Me of the wonders of His knowledge, the gems of His
wisdom, and the tokens of His power, yet am I loath to frustrate the
hopes of one who hath approached the sanctuary of grandeur, sought to
enter within the precincts of eternity, and aspired to soar in the
immensity of this creation at the dawning of the divine decree. I shall
therefore relate unto thee certain truths from among those which God
hath vouchsafed unto Me, this only to the extent that souls can bear and
minds endure, lest the malicious raise a clamour or the dissemblers
hoist their banners. I implore God to graciously aid Me in this, for
unto such as beseech Him, He is the All-Bounteous, and of those who show
mercy, He is the Most Merciful.
3 Know then that it behoveth thine eminence to ponder from the outset
these questions in thy heart: What hath prompted the divers peoples and
kindreds of the earth to reject the Apostles whom God hath sent unto
them in His might and power, whom He hath raised up to exalt His Cause
and ordained to be the Lamps of eternity within the Niche of His
oneness? For what reason have the people turned aside from them,
disputed about them, risen against and contended with them? On what
grounds have they refused to acknowledge their apostleship and
authority, nay, denied their truth and reviled their persons, even
slaying or banishing them?
4 O thou who hast set foot in the wilderness of knowledge and taken
abode within the ark of wisdom! Not until thou hast grasped the
mysteries concealed in that which We shall relate unto thee canst thou
hope to attain to the stations of faith and certitude in the Cause of
God and in those who are the Manifestations of His Cause, the Daysprings
of His Command, the Treasuries of His revelation, and the Repositories
of His knowledge. Shouldst thou fail in this, thou wouldst be numbered
with them that have not striven for the Cause of God, nor inhaled the
fragrance of faith from the raiment of certitude, nor scaled the heights
of the divine unity, nor yet recognized the stations of divine
singleness within the Embodiments of praise and the Essences of
sanctity.
5 Strive then, O My brother, to apprehend this matter, that the veils
may be lifted from the face of thy heart and that thou mayest be
reckoned among them whom God hath graced with such penetrating vision as
to behold the most subtle realities of His dominion, to fathom the
mysteries of His kingdom, to perceive the signs of His transcendent
Essence in this mortal world, and to attain a station wherein one seeth
no distinction amongst His creatures and findeth no flaw in the creation
of the heavens and the earth.cf. Qur’án 67:3.
6 Now that the discourse hath reached this exalted and intractable
theme and touched upon this sublime and impenetrable mystery, know that
the Christian and Jewish peoples have not grasped the intent of the
words of God and the promises He hath made to them in His Book, and have
therefore denied His Cause, turned aside from His Prophets, and rejected
His proofs. Had they but fixed their gaze upon the testimony of God
itself, had they refused to follow in the footsteps of the abject and
foolish among their leaders and divines, they would doubtless have
attained to the repository of guidance and the treasury of virtue, and
quaffed from the crystal waters of life eternal in the city of the
All-Merciful, in the garden of the All-Glorious, and within the inner
reality of His paradise. But as they have refused to see with the eyes
wherewith God hath endowed them, and desired things other than that
which He in His mercy had desired for them, they have strayed far from
the retreats of nearness, have been deprived of the living waters of
reunion and the wellspring of His grace, and have lain as dead within
the shrouds of their own selves.
7 Through the power of God and His might, I shall now relate certain
passages revealed in the Books of old, and mention some of the signs
heralding the appearance of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified
persons of His chosen Ones, that thou mayest recognize the Dayspring of
this everlasting morn and behold this Fire that blazeth in the Tree
which is neither of the East nor of the West.cf. Qur’án 24:35.
Perchance thine eyes may be opened upon
attaining the presence of thy Lord and thy heart partake of the
blessings concealed within these hidden treasuries. Render thanks then
unto God, Who hath singled thee out for this grace and Who hath numbered
thee with them that are assured of meeting their Lord.
8 This is the text of that which was revealed aforetime in the first
Gospel, according to Matthew, regarding the signs that must needs herald
the advent of the One Who shall come after Him. He saith: “And woe
unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those
days...”,Matt. 24:19.
until the mystic Dove,
singing in the midmost heart of eternity, and the celestial Bird,
warbling upon the Divine Lote-Tree, saith: “Immediately after the
oppression of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall
not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers
of the heavens shall be shaken: and then shall appear the sign of the
Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn,
and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with
power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound
of a trumpet.”cf. Matt. 24:29–31.
9 In the second Gospel, according to Mark, the Dove of holiness
speaketh in such terms: “For in those days shall be affliction,
such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created
unto this time, neither shall be.”Mark 13:19.
And it singeth later with the same melodies
as before, without change or alteration. God, verily, is a witness unto
the truth of My words.
10 And in the third Gospel, according to Luke, it is recorded:
“There shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars, and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea
and the waves roaring; and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And
then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and
great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, know that the
kingdom of God hath drawn nigh.”cf. Luke 21:25–28.
11 And in the fourth Gospel, according to John, it is recorded:
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from
the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father,
he shall testify of me: and ye also shall bear witness.”John 15:26–27.
And elsewhere He saith: “But the
Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your
remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” John 14:26.
And: “But now I go my way to him that
sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I
have said these things unto you...”John 16:5–6.
And yet again: “Nevertheless I tell
you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not
away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send
him unto you.” John 16:7.
And:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you
into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to
come.” John 16:13.
12 Such is the text of the verses revealed in the past. By Him
besides Whom there is none other God, I have chosen to be brief, for
were I to recount all the words that have been sent down unto the
Prophets of God from the realm of His supernal glory and the kingdom of
His sovereign might, all the pages and tablets of the world would not
suffice to exhaust My theme. References similar to those mentioned, nay
even more sublime and exalted, have been made in all the Books and
Scriptures of old. Should it be My wish to recount all that hath been
revealed in the past, I would most certainly be able to do so by virtue
of that which God hath bestowed upon Me of the wonders of His knowledge
and power. I have, however, contented Myself with that which was
mentioned, lest thou become wearied in thy journey or feel inclined to
turn back, or lest thou be overtaken by sadness and sorrow and overcome
with despondency, trouble and fatigue.
13 Be fair in thy judgement and reflect upon these exalted
utterances. Inquire, then, of those who lay claim to knowledge without a
proof or testimony from God, and who remain heedless of these days
wherein the Orb of knowledge and wisdom hath dawned above the horizon of
Divinity, rendering unto each his due and assigning unto all their rank
and measure, as to what they can say concerning these allusions. Verily,
their meaning hath bewildered the minds of men, and that which they
conceal of the consummate wisdom and latent knowledge of God even the
most sanctified souls have been powerless to uncover.
14 Should they say: “These words are indeed from God, and have
no interpretation other than their outward meaning”, then what
objection can they raise against the unbelievers among the people of the
Book? For when the latter saw the aforementioned passages in their
Scriptures and heard the literal interpretations of their divines, they
refused to recognize God in those who are the Manifestations of His
unity, the Exponents of His singleness, and the Embodiments of His
sanctity, and failed to believe in them and submit to their authority.
The reason was that they did not see the sun darken, or the stars of
heaven fall to the ground, or the angels visibly descend upon the earth,
and hence they contended with the Prophets and Messengers of God. Nay,
inasmuch as they found them at variance with their own faith and creed,
they hurled against them such accusations of imposture, folly,
waywardness, and misbelief as I am ashamed to recount. Refer to the
Qur’án, that thou mayest find mention of all this and be of them
that understand its meaning. Even to this day do these people await the
appearance of that which they have learned from their doctors and
imbibed from their divines. Thus do they say: “When shall these
signs be made manifest, that we may believe?” But if this be the
case, how could ye refute their arguments, invalidate their proofs, and
challenge them concerning their faith and their understanding of their
Books and the sayings of their leaders?
15 And should they reply: “The Books that are in the hands of
this people, which they call the Gospel and attribute to Jesus, the Son
of Mary, have not been revealed by God and proceed not from the
Manifestations of His Self”, then this would imply a cessation in
the abounding grace of Him Who is the Source of all grace. If so,
God’s testimony to His servants would have remained incomplete and
His favour proven imperfect. His mercy would not have shone resplendent,
nor would His grace have overshadowed all. For if at the ascension of
Jesus His Book had likewise ascended unto heaven, then how could God
reprove and chastise the people on the Day of Resurrection, as hath been
written by the Imáms of the Faith and affirmed by its illustrious
divines?
16 Ponder then in thine heart: Matters being such as thou dost
witness, and as We also witness, where canst thou flee, and with whom
shalt thou take refuge? Unto whom wilt thou turn thy gaze? In what land
shalt thou dwell and upon what seat shalt thou abide? In what path shalt
thou tread and at what hour wilt thou find repose? What shall become of
thee in the end? Where shalt thou secure the cord of thy faith and
fasten the tie of thine obedience? By Him Who revealeth Himself in His
oneness and Whose own Self beareth witness to His unity! Should there be
ignited in thy heart the burning brand of the love of God, thou wouldst
seek neither rest nor composure, neither laughter nor repose, but
wouldst hasten to scale the highest summits in the realms of divine
nearness, sanctity, and beauty. Thou wouldst lament as a soul bereaved
and weep as a heart filled with longing. Nor wouldst thou repair to thy
home and abode unless God would lay bare before thee His Cause.
17 O thou who hast soared to the realm of guidance and ascended to
the kingdom of virtue! Shouldst thou desire to apprehend these celestial
allusions, to witness the mysteries of divine knowledge, and to become
acquainted with His all-encompassing Word, then it behoveth thine
eminence to inquire into these and other questions pertaining to thine
origin and ultimate goal from those whom God hath made to be the
Wellspring of His knowledge, the Heaven of His wisdom, and the Ark of
His mysteries. For were it not for those effulgent Lights that shine
above the horizon of His Essence, the people would know not their left
hand from their right, how much less could they scale the heights of the
inner realities or probe the depths of their subtleties! We beseech God
therefore to immerse us in these surging seas, to grace us with the
presence of these life-bearing breezes, and to cause us to abide in
these divine and lofty precincts. Perchance we may divest ourselves of
all that we have taken from each other and strip ourselves of such
borrowed garments as we have stolen from our fellow men, that He may
attire us instead with the robe of His mercy and the raiment of His
guidance, and admit us into the city of knowledge.
18 Whosoever entereth this city will comprehend every science before
probing into its mysteries and will acquire from the leaves of its trees
a knowledge and wisdom encompassing such mysteries of divine lordship as
are enshrined within the treasuries of creation. Glorified be God, its
Creator and Fashioner, above all that He hath brought forth and ordained
therein! By God, the Sovereign Protector, the Self-Subsisting, the
Almighty! Were I to unveil to thine eyes the gates of this city, which
have been fashioned by the right hand of might and power, thou wouldst
behold that which none before thee hath ever beheld, and wouldst witness
that which no other soul hath ever witnessed. Thou wouldst apprehend the
most obscure signs and the most abstruse allusions, and wouldst clearly
behold the mysteries of the beginning in the point of the end. All
matters would be made easy unto thee, fire would be turned into light,
knowledge and blessings, and thou wouldst abide in safety within the
court of holiness.
19 Bereft, however, of the essence of the mysteries of His wisdom,
which We have imparted unto thee beneath the veils of these blessed and
soul-stirring words, thou wouldst fail to attain unto even a sprinkling
of the oceans of divine knowledge or the crystal streams of divine
power, and wouldst be recorded in the Mother Book, through the Pen of
oneness and by the Finger of God, amongst the ignorant. Nor wouldst thou
be able to grasp a single word of the Book or a single utterance of the
Kindred of GodThe Imáms of
Shí’ih Islám.
concerning the mysteries
of the beginning and the end.
20 O thou whom We have outwardly never met, yet whom We inwardly
cherish in Our heart! Be fair in thy judgement and present thyself
before Him Who seeth and knoweth thee, even if thou seest and knowest
Him not: Can any soul be found to elucidate these words with such
convincing arguments, clear testimonies, and unmistakable allusions as
to appease the heart of the seeker and relieve the soul of the listener?
Nay, by the One in Whose hand is My soul! Unto none is given to quaff
even a dewdrop thereof unless he entereth within this city, a city whose
foundations rest upon mountains of crimson-coloured ruby, whose walls
are hewn of the chrysolite of divine unity, whose gates are made of the
diamonds of immortality, and whose earth sheddeth the fragrance of
divine bounty.
21 Having imparted unto thee, beneath countless veils of concealment,
certain hidden mysteries, We now return to Our elucidation of the Books
of old, that perchance thy feet may not slip and thou mayest receive
with complete certitude the portion which We shall bestow upon thee of
the billowing oceans of life in the realm of the names and attributes of
God.
22 It is recorded in all the Books of the Gospel that He Who is the
SpiritJesus.
spoke in words of pure light
unto His disciples, saying: “Know that heaven and earth may pass
away, but my words shall never pass away.”cf. Matt. 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33.
As is clear and evident to thine eminence,
these words outwardly mean that the Books of the Gospel will remain in
the hands of people till the end of the world, that their laws shall not
be abrogated, that their testimony shall not be abolished, and that all
that hath been enjoined, prescribed, or ordained therein shall endure
forever.
23 O My brother! Sanctify thy heart, illumine thy soul, and sharpen
thy sight, that thou mayest perceive the sweet accents of the Birds of
Heaven and the melodies of the Doves of Holiness warbling in the Kingdom
of eternity, and perchance apprehend the inner meaning of these
utterances and their hidden mysteries. For otherwise, wert thou to
interpret these words according to their outward meaning, thou couldst
never prove the truth of the Cause of Him Who came after Jesus, nor
silence the opponents, nor prevail over the contending disbelievers. For
the Christian divines use this verse to prove that the Gospel shall
never be abrogated and that, even if all the signs recorded in their
Books were fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, He would have no
recourse but to rule the people according to the ordinances of the
Gospel. They contend that if He were to manifest all the signs indicated
in the Books, but decree aught besides that which Jesus had decreed,
they would neither acknowledge nor follow Him, so clear and self-evident
is this matter in their sight.
24 Thou canst indeed hear the learned and the foolish amongst the
people voice the same objections in this day, saying: “The sun
hath not risen from the West, nor hath the Crier cried out betwixt earth
and heaven. Water hath not inundated certain lands; the DajjálThe Antichrist, who it was believed would
appear at the advent of the Promised One, to contend with and be
ultimately defeated by Him.
hath not appeared; SúfyáníAnother figure who it was believed would
raise the banner of rebellion between Mecca and Damascus at the
appearance of the Promised One.
hath not arisen; nor hath the Temple been
witnessed in the sun.” I heard, with Mine own ears, one of their
divines proclaim: “Should all these signs come to pass and the
long-awaited Qá’im appear, and should He ordain, with respect to
even our secondary laws, aught beyond that which hath been revealed in
the Qur’án, we would assuredly charge Him with imposture, put Him
to death, and refuse forever to acknowledge Him”, and other
statements such as these deniers make. And all this, when the Day of
Resurrection hath been ushered in, and the Trumpet hath been sounded,
and all the denizens of earth and heaven have been gathered together,
and the Balance hath been appointed, and the Bridge hath been laid, and
the Verses have been sent down, and the Sun hath shone forth, and the
stars have been blotted out, and the souls have been raised to life, and
the breath of the Spirit hath blown, and the angels have been arrayed in
ranks, and Paradise hath been brought nigh, and Hell made to blaze!
These things have all come to pass, and yet to this day not a single one
of these people hath recognized them! They all lie as dead within their
own shrouds, save those who have believed and repaired unto God, who
rejoice in this day in His celestial paradise, and who tread the path of
His good-pleasure.
25 Veiled as they remain within their own selves, the generality of
the people have failed to perceive the sweet accents of holiness, inhale
the fragrance of mercy, or seek guidance, as bidden by God, from those
who are the custodians of the Scriptures. He proclaimeth, and His word,
verily, is the truth: “Ask ye, therefore, of them that have the
custody of the Scriptures, if ye know it not.”Qur’án 16:43.
Nay rather, they have turned aside from them
and followed instead the SámiríA magician in the court of Pharaoh during the
time of Moses.
of
their own idle fancies. Thus have they strayed far from the mercy of
their Lord and failed to attain unto His Beauty in the day of His
presence. For no sooner had He come unto them with a sign and a
testimony from God than the same people who had eagerly awaited the day
of His Revelation, who had called upon Him in the daytime and in the
night season, who had implored Him to gather them together in His
presence and to grant that they may lay down their lives in His path, be
led aright by His guidance and illumined by His light—this very people
condemned and reviled Him, and inflicted upon Him such cruelties as
transcend both My capacity to tell and thine ability to hear them. My
very pen crieth out at this moment and the ink weepeth sore and
groaneth. By God! Wert thou to hearken with thine inner ear, thou
wouldst in truth hear the lamentations of the denizens of heaven; and
wert thou to remove the veil from before thine eyes, thou wouldst behold
the Maids of Heaven overcome and the holy souls overwhelmed, beating
upon their faces and fallen upon the dust.
26 Alas, alas, for that which befell Him Who was the Manifestation of
the Self of God, and for that which He and His loved ones were made to
suffer! The people inflicted upon them what no soul hath ever inflicted
upon another, and what no infidel hath wrought against a believer or
suffered at his hand. Alas, alas! That immortal Being sat upon the
darksome dust, the Holy Spirit lamented in the retreats of glory, the
pillars of the Throne crumbled in the exalted dominion, the joy of the
world was changed into sorrow in the crimson land, and the voice of the
Nightingale was silenced in the golden realm. Woe betide them for what
their hands have wrought and for what they have committed!
27 Hearken then unto that which the Bird of Heaven uttered, in the
sweetest and most wondrous accents, and in the most perfect and exalted
melodies, concerning them—an utterance that shall fill them with
remorse from now unto “the day when mankind shall stand before the
Lord of the worlds”: “Although they had before prayed for
victory over those who believed not, yet when there came unto them He of
Whom they had knowledge, they disbelieved in Him. The curse of God on
the infidels!”Qur’án 83:6; 2:89.
Such indeed are
their condition and attainments in their vain and empty life. Erelong
shall they be cast into the fire of affliction and find none to help or
succour them.
28 Be not veiled by aught that hath been revealed in the
Qur’án, or by what thou hast learned from the works of those Suns
of immaculacy and Moons of majesty,The Imáms of
Shí’ih Islám.
regarding the perversion of the Texts by the fanatical or their
alteration by their corruptors. By these statements only certain
specific and clearly indicated passages are intended. In spite of My
weakness and poverty, I would assuredly be able, should I so desire, to
expound these passages unto thine eminence. But this would divert us
from our purpose and lead us astray from the outstretched path. It would
immerse us in limited allusions and distract us from that which is
beloved in the court of the All-Praised.
29 O thou who art mentioned in this outspread roll and who, amidst
the gloomy darkness that now prevaileth, hast been illumined by the
splendours of the sacred Mount in the Sinai of divine Revelation!
Cleanse thy heart from every blasphemous whispering and evil allusion
thou hast heard in the past, that thou mayest inhale the sweet savours
of eternity from the Joseph of faithfulness, gain admittance into the
celestial Egypt, and perceive the fragrances of enlightenment from this
resplendent and luminous Tablet, a Tablet wherein the Pen hath inscribed
the ancient mysteries of the names of His Lord, the Exalted, the Most
High. Perchance thou mayest be recorded in the holy Tablets among them
that are well assured.
30 O thou who art standing before My Throne and yet remain unaware
thereof! Know thou that whoso seeketh to scale the summits of the divine
mysteries must needs strive to the utmost of his power and capacity for
his Faith, that the pathway of guidance may be made clear unto him. And
should he encounter One Who layeth claim to a Cause from God, and Who
holdeth from His Lord a testimony beyond the power of men to produce, he
must needs follow Him in all that He pleaseth to proclaim, command and
ordain, even were He to decree the sea to be land, or to pronounce earth
to be heaven, or that the former lieth above the latter or below it, or
to ordain any change or transformation, for He, verily, is aware of the
celestial mysteries, the unseen subtleties, and the ordinances of
God.
31 Were the peoples of every nation to observe that which hath been
mentioned, the matter would be made simple unto them, and such words and
allusions would not withhold them from the Ocean of the names and
attributes of God. And had the people known this truth, they would not
have denied God’s favours, nor would they have risen against,
contended with, and rejected His Prophets. Similar passages are also to
be found in the Qur’án, should the matter be carefully
examined.
32 Know, moreover, that it is through such words that God proveth His
servants and sifteth them, separating the believer from the infidel, the
detached from the worldly, the pious from the profligate, the doer of
good from the worker of iniquity, and so forth. Thus hath the Dove of
holiness proclaimed: “Do men think when they say ‘We
believe’ they shall be let alone and not be put to
proof?”Qur’án 29:2.
33 It behoveth him who is a wayfarer in the path of God and a
wanderer in His way to detach himself from all who are in the heavens
and on the earth. He must renounce all save God, that perchance the
portals of mercy may be unlocked before his face and the breezes of
providence may waft over him. And when he hath inscribed upon his soul
that which We have vouchsafed unto him of the quintessence of inner
meaning and explanation, he will fathom all the secrets of these
allusions, and God shall bestow upon his heart a divine tranquillity and
cause him to be of them that are at peace with themselves. In like
manner wilt thou comprehend the meaning of all the ambiguous verses that
have been sent down concerning the question thou didst ask of this
Servant Who abideth upon the seat of abasement, Who walketh upon the
earth as an exile with none to befriend, comfort, aid, or assist Him,
Who hath placed His whole trust in God, and Who proclaimeth at all
times: “Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we
return.” Qur’án 2:156.
34 Know thou that the passages that We have called
“ambiguous” appear as such only in the eyes of them that
have failed to soar above the horizon of guidance and to reach the
heights of knowledge in the retreats of grace. For otherwise, unto them
that have recognized the Repositories of divine Revelation and beheld
through His inspiration the mysteries of divine authority, all the
verses of God are perspicuous and all His allusions are clear. Such men
discern the inner mysteries that have been clothed in the garment of
words as clearly as ye perceive the heat of the sun or the wetness of
water, nay even more distinctly. Immeasurably exalted is God above our
praise of His loved ones, and beyond their praise of Him!
35 Now that We have reached this most excellent theme and attained
such lofty heights by virtue of that which hath flowed from this Pen
through the incomparable favours of God, the Exalted, the Most High, it
is Our wish to disclose unto thee certain stations in the
wayfarer’s journey towards his Creator. Perchance all that thine
eminence hath desired may be revealed unto thee, that the proof may be
made complete and the blessing abundant.
36 Know thou of a truth that the seeker must, at the beginning of his
quest for God, enter the Garden of Search. In this journey it behoveth
the wayfarer to detach himself from all save God and to close his eyes
to all that is in the heavens and on the earth. There must not linger in
his heart either the hate or the love of any soul, to the extent that
they would hinder him from attaining the habitation of the celestial
Beauty. He must sanctify his soul from the veils of glory and refrain
from boasting of such worldly vanities, outward knowledge, or other
gifts as God may have bestowed upon him. He must search after the truth
to the utmost of his ability and exertion, that God may guide him in the
paths of His favour and the ways of His mercy. For He, verily, is the
best of helpers unto His servants. He saith, and He verily speaketh the
truth: “Whoso maketh efforts for Us, in Our ways shall We
assuredly guide him.” Qur’án 29:69.
And
furthermore: “Fear God and God will give you knowledge.”
Qur’án 2:282.
37 In this journey the seeker becometh witness to a myriad changes
and transformations, confluences and divergences. He beholdeth the
wonders of Divinity in the mysteries of creation and discovereth the
paths of guidance and the ways of His Lord. Such is the station reached
by them that search after God, and such are the heights attained by
those who hasten unto Him.
38 When once the seeker hath ascended unto this station, he will
enter the City of Love and Rapture, whereupon the winds of love will
blow and the breezes of the spirit will waft. In this station the seeker
is so overcome by the ecstasies of yearning and the fragrances of
longing that he discerneth not his left from his right, nor doth he
distinguish land from sea or desert from mountain. At every moment he
burneth with the fire of longing and is consumed by the onslaught of
separation in this world. He speedeth through the Párán of love and
traverseth the Horeb of rapture. Now he laugheth, now he weepeth sore;
now he reposeth in peace, now he trembleth in fear. Nothing can alarm
him, naught can thwart his purpose, and no law can restrain him. He
standeth ready to obey whatsoever His Lord should please to decree as to
his beginning and his end. With every breath he layeth down his life and
offereth up his soul. He bareth his breast to meet the darts of the
enemy and raiseth his head to greet the sword of destiny; nay rather, he
kisseth the hand of his would-be murderer and surrendereth his all. He
yieldeth up spirit, soul, and body in the path of his Lord, and yet he
doeth so by the leave of his Beloved and not of his own whim and desire.
Thou findest him chill in the fire and dry in the sea, abiding in every
land and treading every path. Whosoever toucheth him in this state will
perceive the heat of his love. He walketh the heights of detachment and
traverseth the vale of renunciation. His eyes are ever expectant to
witness the wonders of God’s mercy and eager to behold the
splendours of His beauty. Blessed indeed are they that have attained
unto such a station, for this is the station of the ardent lovers and
the enraptured souls.
39 And when this stage of the journey is completed and the wayfarer
hath soared beyond this lofty station, he entereth the City of Divine
Unity, and the garden of oneness, and the court of detachment. In this
plane the seeker casteth away all signs, allusions, veils, and words,
and beholdeth all things with an eye illumined by the effulgent lights
which God Himself hath shed upon him. In his journey he seeth all
differences return to a single word and all allusions culminate in a
single point. Unto this beareth witness he who sailed upon the ark of
fire and followed the inmost path to the pinnacle of glory in the realm
of immortality: “Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have
multiplied.”From a Hadíth.
This is the station
that hath been alluded to in the tradition: “I am He, Himself, and
He is I, Myself, except that I am that I am, and He is that He
is.”ibid.
40 In this station, were He Who is the Embodiment of the End to say:
“Verily, I am the Point of the Beginning”, He would indeed
be speaking the truth. And were He to say: “I am other than
Him”, this would be equally true. Likewise, were He to proclaim:
“Verily, I am the Lord of heaven and earth”, or “the
King of kings”, or “the Lord of the realm above”, or
Muhammad, or ‘Alí, or their descendants, or aught else, He would
indeed be proclaiming the truth of God. He, verily, ruleth over all
created things and standeth supreme above all besides Him. Hast thou not
heard what hath been said aforetime: “Muhammad is our first,
Muhammad our last, Muhammad our all”? And elsewhere: “They
all proceed from the same Light”?
41 In this station the truth of the unity of God and of the signs of
His sanctity is established. Thou shalt indeed see them all rising above
the bosom of God’s might and embraced in the arms of His mercy;
nor can any distinction be made between His bosom and His arms. To speak
of change or transformation in this plane would be sheer blasphemy and
utter impiety, for this is the station wherein the light of divine unity
shineth forth, and the truth of His oneness is expressed, and the
splendours of the everlasting Morn are reflected in lofty and faithful
mirrors. By God! Were I to reveal the full measure of that which He hath
ordained for this station, the souls of men would depart from their
bodies, the inner realities of all things would be shaken in their
foundations, they that dwell within the realms of creation would be
dumbfounded, and those who move in the lands of allusion would fade into
utter nothingness.
42 Hast thou not heard: “No change is there in God’s
creation”?Qur’án 30:30.
Hast thou not read:
“No change canst thou find in God’s mode of
dealing”?Qur’án 48:23.
Hast thou not borne
witness to the truth: “No difference wilt thou see in the creation
of the God of Mercy”? Qur’án 67:3.
Yea, by My
Lord! They that dwell within this Ocean, they that ride upon this Ark,
witness no change in the creation of God and behold no differences upon
His earth. And if God’s creation be not prone to change and
alteration, how then could they who are the Manifestations of His own
Being be subject to it? Immeasurably exalted is God above all that we
may conceive of the Revealers of His Cause, and immensely glorified is
He beyond all that they may mention in His regard!
43
Great God! This sea had laid up lustrous pearls in store;
The wind hath raised a wave that casteth them ashore.
So put away thy robe and drown thyself therein,
And cease to boast of skill: it serveth thee no more!
44 If thou be of the inmates of this city within the ocean of divine
unity, thou wilt view all the Prophets and Messengers of God as one soul
and one body, as one light and one spirit, in such wise that the first
among them would be last and the last would be first. For they have all
arisen to proclaim His Cause and have established the laws of divine
wisdom. They are, one and all, the Manifestations of His Self, the
Repositories of His might, the Treasuries of His Revelation, the
Dawning-Places of His splendour, and the Daysprings of His light.
Through them are manifested the signs of sanctity in the realities of
all things and the tokens of oneness in the essences of all beings.
Through them are revealed the elements of glorification in the heavenly
realities and the exponents of praise in the eternal essences. From them
hath all creation proceeded and unto them shall return all that hath
been mentioned. And since in their inmost Beings they are the same
Luminaries and the self-same Mysteries, thou shouldst view their outward
conditions in the same light, that thou mayest recognize them all as one
Being, nay, find them united in their words, speech, and utterance.
45 Wert thou to consider in this station the last of them to be the
first, or conversely, thou wouldst indeed be speaking the truth, as hath
been ordained by Him Who is the Wellspring of Divinity and the Source of
Lordship: “Say: Call upon God or call upon the All-Merciful: by
whichsoever name ye will, invoke him, for He hath most excellent
names.”Qur’án 17:110.
For they are all the
Manifestations of the name of God, the Dawning-Places of His attributes,
the Repositories of His might, and the Focal Points of His sovereignty,
whilst God—magnified be His might and glory—is in His Essence
sanctified above all names and exalted beyond even the loftiest
attributes. Consider likewise the evidences of divine omnipotence both
in their Souls and in their human Temples, that thine heart may be
assured and that thou mayest be of them that speed through the realms of
His nearness.
46 I shall restate here My theme, that perchance this may assist thee
in recognizing thy Creator. Know thou that God—exalted and glorified be
He—doth in no wise manifest His inmost Essence and Reality. From time
immemorial He hath been veiled in the eternity of His Essence and
concealed in the infinitude of His own Being. And when He purposed to
manifest His beauty in the kingdom of names and to reveal His glory in
the realm of attributes, He brought forth His Prophets from the
invisible plane to the visible, that His name “the Manifest”
might be distinguished from “the Hidden” and His name
“the Last” might be discerned from “the First”,
and that there may be fulfilled the words: “He is the First and
the Last; the Seen and the Hidden; and He knoweth all
things!”Qur’án 57:3.
Thus hath He revealed
these most excellent names and most exalted words in the Manifestations
of His Self and the Mirrors of His Being.
47 It is therefore established that all names and attributes return
unto these sublime and sanctified Luminaries. Indeed, all names are to
be found in their names, and all attributes can be seen in their
attributes. Viewed in this light, if thou wert to call them by all the
names of God, this would be true, as all these names are one and the
same as their own Being. Comprehend then the intent of these words, and
guard it within the tabernacle of thy heart, that thou mayest recognize
the implications of thine inquiry, fulfil them according to that which
God hath ordained for thee, and thus be numbered with those who have
attained unto His purpose.
48 All that thou hast heard regarding Muhammad the son of HasanThe twelfth Imám, Muhammad
al-Mahdí, the son of Hasan al-‘Askarí.
—may the souls of all that are immersed in
the oceans of the spirit be offered up for His sake—is true beyond the
shadow of a doubt, and we all verily bear allegiance unto Him. But the
Imáms of the Faith have fixed His abode in the city of Jábulqá,According to Shí’ih
traditions, the twin cities of Jábulqá and
Jábulsá are the dwelling place of the Hidden Imám
(the Promised One), whence He will appear on the Day of
Resurrection.
which they have depicted in strange and
marvellous signs. To interpret this city according to the literal
meaning of the tradition would indeed prove impossible, nor can such a
city ever be found. Wert thou to search the uttermost corners of the
earth, nay probe its length and breadth for as long as God’s
eternity hath lasted and His sovereignty will endure, thou wouldst never
find a city such as they have described, for the entirety of the earth
could neither contain nor encompass it. If thou wouldst lead Me unto
this city, I could assuredly lead thee unto this holy Being, Whom the
people have conceived according to what they possess and not to that
which pertaineth unto Him! Since this is not in thy power, thou hast no
recourse but to interpret symbolically the accounts and traditions that
have been reported from these luminous souls. And, as such an
interpretation is needed for the traditions pertaining to the
aforementioned city, so too is it required for this holy Being. When
thou hast understood this interpretation, thou shalt no longer stand in
need of “transformation” or aught else.
49 Know then that, inasmuch as all the Prophets are but one and the
same soul, spirit, name, and attribute, thou must likewise see them all
as bearing the name Muhammad and as being the son of Hasan, as having
appeared from the Jábulqá of God’s power and from the Jábulsá of
His mercy. For by Jábulqá is meant none other than the treasure-houses
of eternity in the all-highest heaven and the cities of the unseen in
the supernal realm. We bear witness that Muhammad, the son of Hasan, was
indeed in Jábulqá and appeared therefrom. Likewise, He Whom God shall
make manifest abideth in that city until such time as God will have
established Him upon the seat of His sovereignty. We, verily,
acknowledge this truth and bear allegiance unto each and every one of
them. We have chosen here to be brief in our elucidation of the meanings
of Jábulqá, but if thou be of them that truly believe, thou shalt indeed
comprehend all the true meanings of the mysteries enshrined within these
Tablets.
50 But as to Him Who appeared in the year sixty, He standeth in need
of neither transformation nor interpretation, for His name was Muhammad,
and He was a descendent of the Imáms of the Faith. Thus it can be truly
said of Him that He was the son of Hasan, as is undoubtedly clear and
evident unto thine eminence. Nay, He it is Who fashioned that name and
created it for Himself, were ye to observe with the eye of God.
51 It is Our wish at this juncture to digress from Our theme to
recount that which befell the Point of the Qur’án,Muhammad.
and to extol His remembrance, that perchance
thou mayest gain into all things an insight born of Him Who is the
Almighty, the Incomparable.
52 Consider and reflect upon His days, when God raised Him up to
promote His Cause and to stand as the representative of His own Self.
Witness how He was assailed, denied, and denounced by all; how, when He
set foot in the streets and marketplaces, the people derided Him, wagged
their heads at Him, and laughed Him to scorn; how at every moment they
sought to slay Him. Such were their doings that the earth in all its
vastness was straitened for Him, the Concourse on High bewailed His
plight, the foundations of existence were reduced to nothingness, and
the eyes of the well-favoured denizens of His Kingdom wept sore over
Him. Indeed, so grievous were the afflictions which the infidels and the
wicked showered upon Him that no faithful soul can bear to hear
them.
53 If these wayward souls had indeed paused to reflect upon their
conduct, recognized the sweet melodies of that Mystic Dove singing upon
the twigs of this snow-white Tree, embraced that which God had revealed
unto and bestowed upon them, and discovered the fruits of the Tree of
God upon its branches, wherefore then did they reject and denounce Him?
Had they not lifted their heads to the heavens to implore His
appearance? Had they not besought God at every moment to honour them
with His Beauty and sustain them through His presence?
54 But as they failed to recognize the accents of God and the divine
mysteries and holy allusions enshrined in that which flowed from the
tongue of Muhammad, and as they neglected to examine the matter in their
own hearts, and followed instead those priests of error who have
hindered the progress of the people in past dispensations and who will
continue to do so in future cycles, they were thus veiled from the
divine purpose, failed to quaff from the celestial streams, and deprived
themselves of the presence of God, the Manifestation of His Essence, and
the Dayspring of His eternity. Thus did they wander in the paths of
delusion and the ways of heedlessness, and return to their abode in that
fire which feedeth on their own souls. These, verily, are numbered with
the infidels whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of God in His
holy Book. Nor have they ever found, or will ever find, a friend or
helper.
55 Had these souls but clung steadfastly to the Handle of God
manifested in the Person of Muhammad, had they turned wholly unto God
and cast aside all that they had learned from their divines, He would
assuredly have guided them through His grace and acquainted them with
the sacred truths that are enshrined within His imperishable utterances.
For far be it from His greatness and His glory that He should turn away
a seeker at His door, cast aside from His Threshold one who hath set his
hopes on Him, reject one who hath sought the shelter of His shade,
deprive one who hath held fast to the hem of His mercy, or condemn to
remoteness the poor one who hath found the river of His riches. But as
these people failed to turn wholly unto God, and to hold fast to the hem
of His all-pervading mercy at the appearance of the Daystar of Truth,
they passed out from under the shadow of guidance and entered the city
of error. Thus did they become corrupt and corrupt the people. Thus did
they err and lead the people into error. And thus were they recorded
among the oppressors in the books of heaven.
56 Now that this evanescent One hath reached this exalted point in
the exposition of the inner mysteries, the reason for the denial of
these uncouth souls will be described briefly, that it may serve as a
testimony unto them that are endued with understanding and insight, and
be a token of My favour unto the concourse of the faithful.
57 Know then that when Muhammad, the Point of the Qur’án and
the Light of the All-Glorious, came with perspicuous verses and luminous
proofs manifested in such signs as are beyond the power of all existence
to produce, He bade all men follow this lofty and outstretched Path in
accordance with the precepts that He had brought from God. Whoso
acknowledged Him, recognized the signs of God in His inmost Being, and
saw in His beauty the changeless beauty of God, the decree of
“resurrection”, “ingathering”,
“life”, and “paradise” was passed upon him. For
he who had believed in God and in the Manifestation of His beauty was
raised from the grave of heedlessness, gathered together in the sacred
ground of the heart, quickened to the life of faith and certitude, and
admitted into the paradise of the divine presence. What paradise can be
loftier than this, what ingathering mightier, and what resurrection
greater? Indeed, should a soul be acquainted with these mysteries, he
would grasp that which none other hath fathomed.
58 Know then that the paradise that appeareth in the day of God
surpasseth every other paradise and excelleth the realities of Heaven.
For when God—blessed and glorified is He—sealed the station of
prophethood in the person of Him Who was His Friend, His Chosen One, and
His Treasure amongst His creatures, as hath been revealed from the
Kingdom of glory: “but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of
the Prophets”,Qur’án 33:40.
He promised all
men that they shall attain unto His own presence in the Day of
Resurrection. In this He meant to emphasize the greatness of the
Revelation to come, as it hath indeed been manifested through the power
of truth. And there is of a certainty no paradise greater than this, nor
station higher, should ye reflect upon the verses of the Qur’án.
Blessed be he who knoweth of a certainty that he shall attain unto the
presence of God on that day when His Beauty shall be made manifest.
59 Were I to recount all the verses that have been revealed in
connection with this exalted theme, it would weary the reader and divert
Us from Our purpose. The following verse shall therefore suffice Us; may
thine eyes be solaced therewith, and mayest thou attain unto that which
hath been treasured and concealed therein: “It is God who hath
reared the heavens without pillars thou canst behold; then mounted His
throne, and imposed laws on the sun and moon: each travelleth to its
appointed goal. He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs clear, that
ye may have firm faith in the presence of your Lord.”Qur’án 13:2.
60 Ponder then, O My friend, the words “firm faith” that
have been mentioned in this verse. It saith that the heavens and the
earth, the throne, the sun and the moon, all have been created to the
end that His servants may have unswerving faith in His presence in His
days. By the righteousness of God! Contemplate, O My brother, the
greatness of this station, and behold the condition of the people in
these days, fleeing from the Countenance of God and His Beauty “as
though they were affrighted asses”.Qur’án 74:50.
Wert thou to reflect upon that which We have
revealed unto thee, thou wouldst undoubtedly grasp Our purpose in this
utterance and discover that which We have desired to impart unto thee
within this paradise. Perchance thine eyes may rejoice in beholding it,
thine ears take delight in hearing that which is recited therein, thy
soul be enthralled by recognizing it, thy heart illumined by
comprehending it, and thy spirit gladdened by the fragrant breezes that
waft therefrom. Haply thou mayest attain unto the pinnacle of divine
grace and abide within the Ridván of transcendent holiness.
61 He, however, who denied God in His Truth, who turned his back upon
Him and rebelled, who disbelieved and made mischief, the verdict of
“impiety”, “blasphemy”, “death”, and
“fire” was passed upon him. For, what blasphemy is greater
than to turn unto the manifestations of Satan, to follow the doctors of
oblivion and the people of rebellion? What impiety is more grievous than
to deny the Lord on the day when faith itself is renewed and regenerated
by God, the Almighty, the Beneficent? What death is more wretched than
to flee from the Source of everlasting life? What fire is fiercer on the
Day of Reckoning than that of remoteness from the divine Beauty and the
celestial Glory?
62 These were the very words and utterances used by the pagan Arabs
living in the days of Muhammad to dispute with and pronounce judgement
against Him. They said: “Those who believed in Muhammad dwelt in
our midst and associated with us day and night. When did they die and
when were they raised again to life?” Hearken unto that which was
revealed in reply: “If ever thou dost marvel, marvellous surely is
their saying, ‘What! When we have become dust and mouldering
bones, shall we be restored in a new creation?’”cf. Qur’án 13:5.
And in another passage: “And if thou
shouldst say, ‘After death ye shall surely be raised again’,
the infidels will certainly exclaim, ‘This is naught but palpable
sorcery.’”Qur’án 11:7.
Thus did they
mock and deride Him, for they had read in their Books and heard from
their divines the terms “life” and “death”, and
understood them as this elemental life and physical death, and hence
when they found not that which their vain imaginings and their false and
wicked minds had conceived, they hoisted the banners of discord and the
standards of sedition and kindled the flame of war. God, however,
quenched it through the power of His might, as thou seest again in this
day with these infidels and evil-doers.
63 At this hour, when the sweet savours of attraction have wafted
over Me from the everlasting city, when transports of yearning have
seized Me from the land of splendours at the dawning of the Daystar of
the worlds above the horizon of ‘Iráq, and the sweet melodies of
Ḥijáz have brought to Mine ears the mysteries of separation, I have
purposed to relate unto thine eminence a portion of that which the
Mystic Dove hath warbled in the midmost heart of Paradise as to the true
meaning of life and death, though the task be impossible. For were I to
interpret these words for thee as it hath been inscribed in the Guarded
Tablets, all the books and pages of the world could not contain it, nor
could the souls of men bear its weight. I shall nonetheless mention that
which beseemeth this day and age, that it might serve as a guidance unto
whosoever desireth to gain admittance into the retreats of glory in the
realms above, to hearken unto the melodies of the spirit intoned by this
divine and mystic bird, and to be numbered with those who have severed
themselves from all save God and who in this day rejoice in the presence
of their Lord.
64 Know then that “life” hath a twofold meaning. The
first pertaineth to the appearance of man in an elemental body, and is
as manifest to thine eminence and to others as the midday sun. This life
cometh to an end with physical death, which is a God-ordained and
inescapable reality. That life, however, which is mentioned in the Books
of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God is the life of knowledge;
that is to say, the servant’s recognition of the sign of the
splendours wherewith He Who is the Source of all splendour hath Himself
invested him, and his certitude of attaining unto the presence of God
through the Manifestations of His Cause. This is that blessed and
everlasting life that perisheth not: whosoever is quickened thereby
shall never die, but will endure as long as His Lord and Creator will
endure.
65 The first life, which pertaineth to the elemental body, will come
to an end, as hath been revealed by God: “Every soul shall taste
of death.”Qur’án 3:185.
But the second life,
which ariseth from the knowledge of God, knoweth no death, as hath been
revealed aforetime: “Him will We surely quicken to a blessed
life.”Qur’án 16:97.
And in another passage
concerning the martyrs: “Nay, they are alive and sustained by
their Lord.”Qur’án 3:169.
And from the
Traditions: “He who is a true believer liveth both in this world
and in the world to come.”From a Hadíth.
Numerous examples of similar words are to be found in the Books of God
and of the Embodiments of His justice. For the sake of brevity, however,
We have contented Ourself with the above passages.
66 O My brother! Forsake thine own desires, turn thy face unto thy
Lord, and walk not in the footsteps of those who have taken their
corrupt inclinations for their god, that perchance thou mayest find
shelter in the heart of existence, beneath the redeeming shadow of Him
Who traineth all names and attributes. For they who turn away from their
Lord in this day are in truth accounted amongst the dead, though to
outward seeming they may walk upon the earth, amongst the deaf, though
they may hear, and amongst the blind, though they may see, as hath been
clearly stated by Him Who is the Lord of the Day of Reckoning:
“Hearts have they with which they understand not, and eyes have
they with which they see not....”Qur’án 7:179.
They walk the edge of a treacherous bank and tread the brink of a fiery
abyss.cf. Qur’án 9:109; 3:103.
They partake not of the billows
of this surging and treasure-laden Ocean, but disport themselves with
their own idle words.
67 In this connection We will relate unto thee that which was
revealed of old concerning “life”, that perchance it may
turn thee away from the promptings of self, deliver thee from the narrow
confines of thy prison in this gloomy plane, and aid thee to become of
them that are guided aright in the darkness of this world.
68 He saith, and He, verily, speaketh the truth: “Shall the
dead whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained a light
whereby he may walk amongst men, be like him whose likeness is in the
darkness, whence he will not come forth?”Qur’án 6:122.
This verse was revealed with respect to
Ḥamzih and Abú-Jahl, the former of whom was a believer whilst the latter
disbelieved. Most of the pagan leaders mocked and derided it, were
agitated, and clamoured: “How did Ḥamzih die? And how was he
restored to his former life?” Were ye to examine carefully the
verses of God, ye would find many such statements recorded in the
Book.
69 Would that pure and stainless hearts could be found, that I might
impart unto them a sprinkling from the oceans of knowledge which My Lord
hath bestowed upon Me, so that they may soar in the heavens even as they
walk upon the earth and speed over the waters even as they course the
land, and that they may take up their souls in their hands and lay them
down in the path of their Creator. Howbeit, leave hath not been granted
to divulge this mighty secret. Indeed, it hath been from everlasting a
mystery enshrined within the treasuries of His power and a secret
concealed within the repositories of His might, lest His faithful
servants forsake their own lives in the hope of attaining this most
great station in the realms of eternity. Nor shall they who wander in
this oppressive darkness ever attain unto it.
70 O My brother! At every juncture We have restated Our theme, that
all that hath been recorded in these verses may, by the leave of God, be
made clear unto thee, and that thou mayest become independent of those
who are plunged in the darkness of self and who tread the valley of
arrogance and pride, and be of them that move within the paradise of
everlasting life.
71 Say: O people! The Tree of Life hath verily been planted in the
heart of the heavenly paradise and bestoweth life in every direction.
How can ye fail to perceive and recognize it? It will in truth aid thee
to grasp all that this well-assured Soul hath disclosed unto thee of the
essence of the divine mysteries. The Dove of holiness warbleth in the
heaven of immortality and admonisheth thee to array thyself with a new
vesture, wrought of steel to shield thee from the shafts of doubt
concealed in the allusions of men, saying: “Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born
again.”John 3:5–7.
72 Wing then thy flight unto this divine Tree and partake of its
fruits. Gather up that which hath fallen therefrom and guard it
faithfully. Meditate then upon the utterance of one of the Prophets as
He intimated to the souls of men, through veiled allusions and hidden
symbols, the glad-tidings of the One Who was to come after Him, that
thou mayest know of a certainty that their words are inscrutable to all
save those who are endued with an understanding heart. He saith:
“His eyes were as a flame of fire”, and “brass-like
were His feet”, and “out of His mouth goeth a two-edged
sword”.cf. Rev. 1:14–16; 2:18; 19:15.
How could these words be
literally interpreted? Were anyone to appear with all these signs, he
would assuredly not be human. And how could any soul seek his company?
Nay, should he appear in one city, even the inhabitants of the next
would flee from him, nor would any soul dare approach him! Yet, shouldst
thou reflect upon these statements, thou wouldst find them to be of such
surpassing eloquence and clarity as to mark the loftiest heights of
utterance and the epitome of wisdom. Methinks it is from them that the
suns of eloquence have appeared and the stars of clarity have dawned
forth and shone resplendent.
73 Behold, then, the foolish ones of bygone times and those who, in
this day, await the advent of such a being! Nor would they ever bear
allegiance unto him except that he appear in the aforementioned form.
And as such a being will never appear, so too will they never believe.
Such indeed is the measure of the understanding of these perverse and
ungodly souls! How could those who fail to understand the most evident
of the evident and the most manifest of the manifest ever apprehend the
abstruse realities of the divine precepts and the essence of the
mysteries of His everlasting wisdom?
74 I shall now briefly explain the true meaning of this utterance,
that thou mayest discover its hidden mysteries and be of them that
perceive. Examine then and judge aright that which We shall reveal unto
thee, that haply thou mayest be accounted in the sight of God amongst
those who are fair-minded in these matters.
75 Know then that He who uttered these words in the realms of glory
meant to describe the attributes of the One Who is to come in such
veiled and enigmatic terms as to elude the understanding of the people
of error. Now, when He saith: “His eyes were as a flame of
fire”, He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness of
vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away every veil
and covering, maketh known the eternal mysteries in the contingent
world, and distinguisheth the faces that are obscured with the dust of
hell from those that shine with the light of paradise.cf. Qur’án 80:41; 83:24.
Were His eyes not made of the blazing fire
of God, how could He consume every veil and burn away all that the
people possess? How could He behold the signs of God in the Kingdom of
His names and in the world of creation? How could He see all things with
the all-perceiving eye of God? Thus have we conferred upon Him a
penetrating vision in this day. Would that ye believe in the verses of
God! For, indeed, what fire is fiercer than this flame that shineth in
the Sinai of His eyes, whereby He consumeth all that hath veiled the
peoples of the world? Immeasurably exalted shall God remain above all
that hath been revealed in His unerring Tablets concerning the mysteries
of the beginning and the end until that day when the Crier will cry out,
the day whereon we shall all return unto Him.
76 As to the words “brass-like were His feet”, by this is
meant His constancy upon hearing the call of God that commandeth Him:
“Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden.”Qur’án 11:112.
He shall so persevere in the Cause of God,
and evince such firmness in the path of His might, that even if all the
powers of earth and heaven were to deny Him, He would not waver in the
proclamation of His Cause, nor flee from His command in the promulgation
of His Laws. Nay rather, He will stand as firm as the highest mountains
and the loftiest peaks. He will remain immovable in His obedience to God
and steadfast in revealing His Cause and proclaiming His Word. No
obstacle will hinder Him, nor will the censure of the froward deter Him
or the repudiation of the infidels cause Him to waver. All the hatred,
the rejection, the iniquity, and the unbelief that He witnesseth serve
but to strengthen His love for God, to augment the yearning of His
heart, to heighten the exultation of His soul, and to fill His breast
with passionate devotion. Hast thou ever seen in this world brass
stronger, or blade sharper, or mountain more unyielding than this? He
shall verily stand upon His feet to confront all the inhabitants of the
earth, and will fear no one, notwithstanding that which, as thou well
knowest, the people are wont to commit. Glory be to God, Who hath
established Him and called Him forth! Potent is God to do what He
pleaseth. He, in truth, is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
77 And further He saith: “Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged
sword.” Know thou that since the sword is an instrument that
divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since there proceedeth from the mouth
of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God that which separateth the
believer from the infidel and the lover from the beloved, this term hath
been so employed, and apart from this dividing and separating no other
meaning is intended. Thus, when He Who is the Primal Point and the
eternal Sun desireth, by the leave of God, to gather together all
creation, to raise them up from the graves of their own selves, and to
divide them one from another, He shall pronounce but one verse from Him,
and this verse will distinguish truth from error from this day unto the
Day of Resurrection. What sword is sharper than this heavenly sword,
what blade more trenchant than this incorruptible steel that severeth
every tie and separateth thereby the believer from the infidel, father
from son, brother from sister, and lover from beloved?cf. Luke 12:53.
For whoso believeth in that which hath been
revealed unto him is a true believer and whoso turneth away is an
infidel, and such an irrevocable separation occurreth between them that
they will cease to consort and associate with each other in this world.
And so it is between father and son, for should the son believe and the
father deny, they will be severed and forever dissociated from each
other. Nay rather, thou witnesseth how the son slayeth the father and
the father the son. Consider in the same light all that We have
explained and related unto thee.
78 Wert thou to behold all things with the eye of discernment, thou
wouldst indeed see that this divine sword doth cleave asunder
generations. Would that ye could understand it! All this is by virtue of
the word of separation that is manifested on the Day of Judgement and
Separation, were the people to take heed in the days of their Lord. Nay,
couldst thou but sharpen thy sight and refine thy heart, thou wouldst
witness that all the material swords which in every day and age have
slain the infidels and waged war against the impious proceed from this
divine and invisible sword. Open then thine eyes, that thou mayest
behold all that We have revealed to thee and attain unto that which none
other hath attained. We verily exclaim: “Praise be to God, He Who
is the Lord of the Day of Reckoning!”cf. Qur’án 1:4.
79 Yea, inasmuch as these people have failed to acquire true
knowledge from its source and wellspring, and from the ocean of fresh
and soft-flowing waters that stream, by the leave of God, through hearts
that are pure and stainless, they have been veiled from that which God
hath intended by those words and allusions and have remained confined
within the prison of their own selves.
80 We render thanks unto God for that which He hath bestowed upon us
of His grace. He it is Who hath caused us to be assured of the truth of
His Faith—a Faith which the combined forces of earth and heaven are
powerless to resist. He it is Who hath enabled us to acknowledge Him in
the day of His presence, to testify unto Him Whom God shall make
manifest in the latter Resurrection, and to be among them that have
believed in Him ere His appearance, that His favour may be made complete
unto us and unto all mankind.
81 But hear, O My brother, My plaint against them that claim to be
associated with God and with the Manifestations of His knowledge, and
yet follow their corrupt inclinations, consume the substance of their
neighbour, are given to wine, commit murder, defraud and slander each
other, hurl calumnies against God, and are wont to speak falsely. The
people attribute all these deeds unto Us, whilst their perpetrators
remain shameless before God. They cast aside that which He hath enjoined
upon them and commit that which He hath forbidden. Yet it behoveth the
people of truth that the signs of humility should shine upon their
faces, that the light of sanctity should radiate from their
countenances, that they should walk upon the earth as though they were
in the presence of God and distinguish themselves in their deeds from
all the dwellers of the earth. Such must be their state that their eyes
should behold the evidences of His might, their tongues and hearts make
mention of His name, their feet be set towards the lands of His
nearness, and their hands take fast hold upon His precepts. And were
they to pass through a valley of pure gold and mines of precious silver,
they should regard them as wholly unworthy of their attention.
82 These people, however, have turned aside from all this and placed
instead their affections upon that which accordeth with their own
corrupt inclinations. Thus do they roam in the wilderness of arrogance
and pride. I bear witness at this moment that God is wholly quit of
them, and likewise are We. We beseech God to suffer Us not to associate
with them either in this life or in the life to come. He, verily, is the
Eternal Truth. No God is there but Him, and His might is equal to all
things.
83 Quaff then, O My brother, from the living waters that We have
caused to flow in the oceans of these words. Methinks the seas of
grandeur are surging within them, and the gems of divine virtue are
shining within and upon them. Divest then thyself of that which
debarreth thee from this fathomless crimson sea, and to the cry of
“In the name of God and by His grace!” immerse thyself
therein. Let the fear of no one dismay thee. Trust in the Lord, thy God,
for He is sufficient unto whosoever trusteth in Him. He, verily, shall
protect thee, and in Him shalt thou abide in safety.
84 Know thou, moreover, that in this most hallowed and resplendent
city thou shalt find the wayfarer to be lowly before all men and humble
before all things. For naught doth he behold save that he perceiveth God
therein. He beholdeth the effulgent glories of God in the lights of His
Revelation that have encompassed the Sinai of creation. In this station
the wayfarer must not claim the seat of honour in any gathering or walk
before others in the desire to vaunt and exalt himself. Rather must he
regard himself as standing at all times in the presence of his Lord. He
must not wish for anyone that which he doth not wish for himself, nor
speak that which he would not bear to hear spoken by another, nor yet
desire for any soul that which he would not have desired for himself. It
befitteth him, rather, to walk upon the earth with undeviating steps in
the kingdom of His new creation.
85 Know, however, that the seeker, at the outset of his journey,
witnesseth change and transformation, as hath already been mentioned.
This is undoubtedly the truth, as hath been revealed concerning those
days: “On the day when the earth shall be changed into another
earth.”Qur’án 14:48.
These are indeed days the
like of which no mortal eye hath ever seen. Blessed is he that attaineth
thereunto and realizeth their full worth. “We had sent Moses with
Our signs, saying unto him: ‘Bring forth thy people from darkness
into light and remind them of the days of God.’”Qur’án 14:5.
And these are in truth the days of God,
could ye but know it.
86 In this station, all changing and varying realities are manifest
before thee. Whosoever denieth this truth hath verily turned aside from
the Cause of God, rebelled against His rule, and gainsaid His
sovereignty. For it is indeed within the power of Him Who changeth the
earth into another earth to transform all that dwell and move thereon.
Wherefore marvel not at how He turneth darkness into light, light into
darkness, ignorance into knowledge, error into guidance, death into
life, and life into death. It is in this station that the law of
transformation taketh effect. Ponder thereon, if thou be of them that
tread this path, that all thou didst ask of this owly One may be made
plain unto thee and that thou mayest abide within the tabernacle of this
guidance. For He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He
pleaseth. Nor shall He be asked of His doings, whilst all men will be
asked of their every deed.cf. Qur’án 21:23.
87 O My brother! In this stage, which marketh the beginning of the
journey, thou shalt behold divers stations and differing signs, even as
was mentioned in connection with the City of Search. All these hold true
in their respective planes. It behoveth thine eminence in this station
to consider each created thing in its own place, neither abasing nor
exalting its true rank. For instance, if thou wert to reduce the unseen
world to the realm of creation, this would be an act of sheer blasphemy,
and the converse would likewise be the essence of impiety. Wert thou,
however, to describe the unseen world and the realm of creation within
their own stations, this would be the undoubted truth. In other words,
wert thou to witness any transformation in the realm of the divine
unity, no greater sin could be conceived in all creation, but wert thou
to consider transformation in its own place and understand it
accordingly, no harm could befall thee.
88 By My Lord! Notwithstanding all that We have revealed unto thee of
the mysteries of utterance and the degrees of exposition, methinks I
have spoken not a single letter of the ocean of God’s hidden
knowledge and the essence of His inscrutable wisdom. God willing, this
We shall erelong accomplish in its appointed time. He verily,
remembereth all things in their own place, and we, in truth, all yield
praise unto Him.
89 Know thou, moreover, that the bird that taketh flight in the
atmosphere of the realm on high will never be able to soar unto the
heaven of transcendent holiness, nor taste of the fruits which God hath
brought forth therein, nor quaff from the streams which He hath caused
to flow in its midst. And were it to partake but a drop thereof, it
would perish forthwith. Even as thou dost witness in these days with
regard to those who profess allegiance unto Us, and yet perform such
deeds, utter such words, and advance such claims as they have. Methinks
they lie as dead within their own veils.
90 Comprehend, in like manner, every station, sign, and allusion,
that thou mayest perceive all things in their own place and consider all
matters in their proper light. For in this station, the City of Divine
Unity, are to be found those who have entered within the ark of divine
guidance and journeyed through the heights of divine unity. Thou shalt
behold the lights of beauty upon their faces and the mysteries of glory
in their human temples. Thou shalt perceive the musk-laden fragrance of
their words and behold the signs of His sovereignty in all their ways
and doings. Nor wilt thou be veiled by the deeds of them that have
failed to quaff from the crystal springs or to attain unto the cities of
holiness, and who follow their selfish desires and spread disorder in
the land, all the while believing themselves to be guided aright. It is
indeed of them that it hath been said: “These are the abject and
foolish, who follow every clamorous impostor and who bend with every
changing wind.”From a saying of Imám
‘Alí.
The stages of
this journey, station, and abode are clear and manifest to thee and
require no further explanation.
91 Know then that all thou hast heard and witnessed that Daystar of
Truth, the Primal Point, ascribe to Himself from the designations of
former times is only on account of the weakness of men and the scheme of
the world of creation. Otherwise, all names and attributes revolve round
His Essence and circle about the threshold of His sanctuary. For He it
is Who traineth all names, revealeth all attributes, conferreth life
upon all beings, proclaimeth the divine verses, and arrayeth the
heavenly signs. Nay, shouldst thou gaze with thine inner eye, thou
wouldst find that all save Him fade into utter nothingness and are as a
thing forgotten in His holy presence. “God was alone; there was
none else besides Him. He remaineth now what He hath ever been.”
Since it hath been established that God—hallowed and glorified be
He!—was alone and there was none besides Him, how can the law of change
and transformation apply here? Shouldst thou reflect upon that which We
have disclosed unto thee, the daystar of guidance would shine
resplendent before thee in this everlasting morn, and thou wouldst be
numbered therein with the pious.
92 Know, moreover, that all that We have mentioned concerning these
journeys is intended for none but the elect amongst the righteous. And
shouldst thou spur on the charger of the spirit and traverse the meads
of heaven, thou wouldst complete all these journeys and discover every
mystery in less than the twinkling of an eye.
93 O My brother! If thou be a champion of this arena, speed within
the lands of certitude, that thy soul may be delivered in this day from
the bondage of misbelief, and that thou mayest perceive the sweet
savours that waft from this garden. Verily, the perfume-laden breezes
that carry the fragrance of this city blow over all regions. Forfeit not
thy portion thereof and be not of the heedless. How well hath it been
said:
94
His fragrant breaths diffused in Eastern lands could well
To sick ones in the West restore their sense of smell!From the Díván of
Ibn-i-Fárid.
95 After this heavenly journey and mystical ascent the wayfarer will
enter within the Garden of Wonderment. Were I to disclose unto thee the
reality of this station, thou wouldst lament and bewail the plight of
this Servant Who remaineth in the hands of these infidels, Who hath
grown perplexed at his plight, and is lost in bewilderment in this
fathomless ocean. They conspire each day to put Me to death, and seek at
every hour to banish Me from this land, even as they banished Me from
another land. Yet this Servant standeth ready before them, awaiting
whatsoever the Almighty hath ordained and decreed for Us. Nor do I fear
any soul, encompassed as We may be by such trials and tribulations as
are inflicted by the wicked and the malicious and surrounded at this
hour by a myriad woes and sorrows. “Noah’s flood is but the
measure of the tears I have shed, and Abraham’s fire an ebullition
of My soul. Jacob’s grief is but a reflection of My sorrows, and
Job’s afflictions a fraction of My calamity.”ibid.
96 Were I to recount unto thine eminence the dire adversities that
have befallen Me, thou wouldst be so grieved as to forsake the mention
of all things and to forget thyself and all that the Lord hath created
on earth. But as this is not Our wish, I have concealed the revelation
of the divine decree in the heart of Bahá and veiled it from the eyes of
all that move in the realm of creation, that it may lay hid within the
tabernacle of the Unseen until such time as God will have revealed its
secret. “Naught in the heavens or on the earth can escape His
knowledge, and He, verily, perceiveth all things.”cf. Qur’án 10:61; 34:3.
97 As We have digressed from Our theme, let Us leave aside these
allusions and return to Our discussion of this city. Verily, whoso
entereth therein shall be saved, and whoso turneth aside therefrom will
assuredly perish.
98 O thou who art mentioned in these Tablets! Know thou that he who
embarketh upon this journey will marvel at the signs of the power of God
and the wondrous evidences of His handiwork. Bewilderment will seize him
from every side, even as hath been attested by that Essence of
immortality from the Concourse on high: “Increase My wonder and
amazement at Thee, O God!”From a Hadíth.
Well
hath it been said:
99
I knew not what amazement was
Until I made Thy love my cause.
O how amazing would it be
If I were not amazed by Thee!From the Díván of
Ibn-i-Fárid.
100 In this valley the wayfarers stray and perish ere they attain
their final abode. Gracious God! So immense is this valley, so vast this
city in the kingdom of creation, that it seemeth to have neither
beginning nor end. How great the blessedness of him who completeth his
journey therein and who traverseth, through the assistance of God, the
hallowed soil of this heavenly city, a city in which the favoured ones
of God and the pure in heart are overcome with wonder and awe. And We
say: “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”
101 And should the servant ascend to even loftier heights, quit this
mortal world of dust, and seek to ascend unto the celestial abode, he
will then pass from this city into the City of Absolute Nothingness,
that is, of dying to self and living in God. In this station, this most
exalted habitation, this journey of utter self-effacement, the wayfarer
forgetteth his soul, spirit, body, and very being, immerseth himself in
the sea of nothingness, and liveth on earth as one unworthy of mention.
Nor will one find any sign of his existence, for he hath vanished from
the realm of the visible and attained unto the heights of
self-abnegation.
102 Were We to recount the mysteries of this city, the dominions of
the hearts of men would be laid to waste in the intensity of their
longing for this mighty station. For this is the station wherein the
effulgent glories of the Beloved are revealed to the sincere lover and
the resplendent lights of the Friend are cast upon the severed heart
that is devoted to Him.
103 How can a true lover continue to exist when once the effulgent
glories of the Beloved are revealed? How can the shadow endure when once
the sun hath shone forth? How can a devoted heart have any being before
the existence of the Object of its devotion? Nay, by the One in Whose
hand is my soul! In this station, the seeker’s complete surrender
and utter effacement before his Creator will be such that, were he to
search the East and the West, and traverse land, sea, mountain and
plain, he would find no trace of his own self or of any other soul.
104 Gracious God! But for fear of the Nimrod of tyranny and for the
protection of the Abraham of justice, I would reveal unto thee that
which, wert thou to abandon self and desire, would enable thee to
dispense with aught else and to draw nigh unto this city. Be patient,
however, until such time as God will have proclaimed His Cause. He,
verily, rewardeth beyond measure them that endure with patience.cf. Qur’án 39:10.
Inhale then the sweet savours of the spirit
from the garment of hidden meanings, and say: “O ye that are
immersed in the ocean of selflessness! Hasten to enter the City of
Immortality, if ye seek to ascend its heights.” And We exclaim:
“Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we
return.”Qur’án 2:156.
105 From this most august and exalted station, and from this most
sublime and glorious plane, the seeker entereth the City of Immortality,
therein to abide forever. In this station he beholdeth himself
established upon the throne of independence and the seat of exaltation.
Then will he comprehend the meaning of that which hath been revealed of
old concerning the day “whereon God shall enrich all through His
abundance”.Qur’án 4:130.
Well is it with them
that have attained unto this station and drunk their fill from this
snow-white chalice before this Crimson Pillar.
106 Having, in this journey, immersed himself in the ocean of
immortality, rid his heart from attachment to aught save Him, and
attained unto the loftiest heights of everlasting life, the seeker will
see no annihilation either for himself or for any other soul. He will
quaff from the cup of immortality, tread in its land, soar in its
atmosphere, consort with them that are its embodiments, partake of the
imperishable and incorruptible fruits of the tree of eternity, and be
forever accounted, in the lofty heights of immortality, amongst the
denizens of the everlasting realm.
107 All that existeth in this city shall indeed endure and will never
perish. Shouldst thou, by the leave of God, enter this sublime and
exalted garden, thou wouldst find its sun in its noontide glory, never
to set, never to be eclipsed. The same holdeth true of its moon, its
firmament, its stars, trees, and oceans, and of all that pertaineth
thereunto or existeth therein. By Him besides Whom there is none other
God! Were I to recount, from this day unto the end that hath no end, its
wondrous attributes, the love that My heart cherisheth for this hallowed
and everlasting city would never be exhausted. I shall, however, bring
My theme to a close, since time is short and the inquirer impatient, and
since these secrets are not to be openly divulged save by the leave of
God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.
108 Erelong shall the faithful behold, in the day of the latter
Resurrection, Him Whom God shall make manifest descending with this city
from the heaven of the Unseen, together with a company of His exalted
and favoured angels. Great, therefore, is the blessedness of him that
attaineth unto His presence and beholdeth His countenance. We all,
verily, cherish this hope, and exclaim: “Praise be unto Him, for
verily He is the Eternal Truth, and unto Him do we return!”
109 Know, moreover, that should one who hath attained unto these
stations and embarked upon these journeys fall prey to pride and
vainglory, he would at that very moment come to naught and return to the
first step without realizing it. Indeed, they that seek and yearn after
Him in these journeys are known by this sign, that they humbly defer to
those who have believed in God and in His verses, that they are lowly
before those who have drawn nigh unto Him and unto the Manifestations of
His Beauty, and that they bow in submission to them that are firmly
established upon the lofty heights of the Cause of God and before its
majesty.
110 For were they to reach the ultimate object of their quest for God
and their attainment unto Him, they would have but reached that abode
which hath been raised up within their own hearts. How then could they
ever hope to ascend unto such realms as have not been ordained for them
or created for their station? Nay, though they journey from everlasting
to everlasting, they will never attain unto Him Who is the midmost Heart
of existence and the Axis of the entire creation, He on Whose right hand
flow the seas of grandeur, on Whose left stream the rivers of might, and
Whose court none can ever hope to reach, how much less His very abode!
For He dwelleth in the ark of fire, speedeth, in the sphere of fire,
through the ocean of fire, and moveth within the atmosphere of fire. How
can he who hath been fashioned of contrary elements ever enter or even
approach this fire? Were he to do so, he would be instantly
consumed.
111 Know, moreover, that should the cord of assistance binding this
mighty Pivot to the dwellers of earth and heaven be severed, they would
all assuredly perish. Great God! How can the lowly dust ever reach unto
Him Who is the Lord of lords? Immeasurably exalted is God above that
which they conceive in their hearts, and immensely glorified is He
beyond that which they attribute to Him.
112 Yea, the seeker reacheth a station wherein that which hath been
ordained for him knoweth no bounds. The fire of love so blazeth in his
heart that it seizeth the reins of constraint from his grasp. At every
moment his love for his Lord increaseth and draweth him nearer unto his
Creator, in such wise that if his Lord be in the east of nearness, and
he dwell in the west of remoteness and possess all that earth and heaven
contain of rubies and gold, he would forsake it all and rush forth to
the land of the Desired One. And shouldst thou find him to be otherwise,
know assuredly that such a man is a lying impostor. We, verily, all
belong unto Him Whom God shall make manifest in the latter Resurrection,
and through Him shall we be raised again to life.
113 In these days, inasmuch as We have lifted not the veils that
conceal the countenance of the Cause of God, nor disclosed unto men the
fruits of these stations which We have been forbidden to describe, thou
beholdest them drunk with heedlessness. Otherwise, were the glory of
this station to be revealed unto men to an extent smaller than a
needle’s eye, thou wouldst witness them gathering before the
threshold of divine mercy and hastening from all sides to the court of
nearness in the realms of divine glory. We have concealed it, however,
as mentioned before, that those who believe may be distinguished from
them that deny, and that those who turn unto God may be discerned from
them that turn aside. I verily proclaim: “There is no power nor
strength except in God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting.”
114 From this station the wayfarer ascendeth unto a City that hath no
name or description, and whereof one heareth neither sound nor mention.
Therein flow the oceans of eternity, whilst this city itself revolveth
round the seat of eternity. Therein the sun of the Unseen shineth
resplendent above the horizon of the Unseen, a sun that hath its own
heavens and its own moons, which partake of its light and which rise
from and set upon the ocean of the Unseen. Nor can I ever hope to impart
even a dewdrop of that which hath been decreed therein, as none is
acquainted with its mysteries save God, its Creator and Fashioner, and
His Manifestations.
115 Know, moreover, that when We undertook to reveal these words and
committed some of them to writing, it was Our intention to elucidate for
thine eminence, in the sweet accents of the blessed and the
well-favoured of God, all that We had previously mentioned of the words
of the Prophets and the sayings of the Messengers. Time, however, was
lacking, and the traveller who came from thy presence was in great haste
and eager to return. Thus have We cut short Our discourse and contented
Ourself with this much, without completing the description of these
stages in a seemly and befitting manner. Indeed, We have omitted the
description of major cities and mighty journeys. Such was the haste of
the courier that We even forsook the mention of the two exalted journeys
of Resignation and Contentment.
116 Yet, should thine eminence reflect upon these brief statements,
thou wouldst assuredly acquire every knowledge, attain unto the Object
of all learning, and exclaim: “Sufficient are these words unto all
creation both visible and invisible!”
117 Even so, should the fire of love burn within thy soul, thou
wouldst ask: “Is there yet any more?” cf. Qur’án 50:30.
And We say: “Praise be to God, the
Lord of the worlds!”