"O my Lord!..."
O my Lord!(279)
Thou knowest that the people are encircled with pain and calamities and are environed with hardships and trouble. Every trial doth attack man and every dire adversity doth a.s.sail him like unto the a.s.sault of a serpent.
There is no shelter and asylum for him except under the wing of Thy protection, preservation, guard and custody.
O Thou the Merciful One! O my Lord! Make Thy protection my armory, Thy preservation my shield, humbleness before the door of Thy Oneness my guard, and Thy custody and defense my fortress and abode. Preserve me from the suggestions of myself and desire, and guard me from every sickness, trial, difficulty and ordeal.
Verily, Thou art the Protector, the Guardian, the Preserver, the Sufficer, and verily, Thou art the Merciful of the Most Merciful!
"O thou who art advancing unto G.o.d!..."
O thou who art advancing unto G.o.d!
Verily, I read thy letter and noted its contents. Rest a.s.sured in the bounty of thy Lord. Verily, He confirmeth whomsoever He willeth in all aspects and conditions.
I supplicate G.o.d to sustain thee and thine honorable husband, to open for you the door of comfort and rest and protect you from the harm of every hateful one.
If thou wishest to guide the souls, it is inc.u.mbent on thee to be firm, to be good and to be imbued with praiseworthy attributes and divine qualities under all circ.u.mstances. Be a sign of love, a manifestation of mercy, a fountain of tenderness, kind-hearted, good to all and gentle to the servants of G.o.d, and especially to those who bear relation to thee, both men and women. Bear every ordeal that befalleth thee from the people and confront them not save with kindness, with great love and good wishes.
"O thou lamp glowing with the fire of the Love of..."
O thou lamp glowing with the fire of the Love of G.o.d!
Know that the garden drew near and the paradise hath been adorned with the sweet-basils of the knowledge of G.o.d. Be, therefore, a gilly-flower of fragrant smell in the Garden of El-Abha, that, through thy perfumed breaths, the spirits and hearts be quickened and animated.
O thou friend of Abdul-Baha! I do mention thee now while my heart is throbbing through the breezes that are blowing from the verdant gardens of the love of G.o.d. Accordingly, it is inc.u.mbent upon thee to be purely sincere, to turn to the holy Kingdom and to generously give the spirit in the cause of the Lord of Might. Verily, this is no other than an eternal and everlasting life which hath no end in the world of existence.
"O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!..."
O thou fragrant rose blooming in the Garden of Guidance!
Thank thou G.o.d for that He hath removed from off thine eyes the covering, made thee to see the signs of the Kingdom of thy Lord, the supreme, filled for thee the cup of bounty and gave thee to drink the pure wine of fidelity which He hath promised to the sincere in the holy Books and Tablets.
O thou my dear! The cup of knowledge is overflowing; blessed are they who partake in draughts! The fountain of life is issuing forth; blessed are they who drink! The doors of the Kingdom are opened; O what good news to those who advance! The garden of paradise is drawn near; O what a pleasure to those who enter! The dove of holiness is cooing; O what a happiness to those who hear! The gates of heaven are open; blessed are they who see!
The hosts of angels are standing in battle order; what a joy to those who gain the victory! The trumpet of life is sounding; how good it is to those who are awake!
As to thee: Realize the bounty of thy Lord as it is, and thank thou thy Lord and praise Him for that He hath directed thee to the right path.
"O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the..."
O thou who art controlled by the attractions of the Fragrance of G.o.d!
Thy terse and eloquent letter, showing the excess of thine attraction as caused by the fragrances of G.o.d, was read by me.
I, therefore, supplicate G.o.d to confirm thy glorious children, Frederick, Robert and Herbert, to surround them with the glances of His merciful eye, to direct them to the path of guidance and to make them enter the Ark of Safety which is cleaving the sea of this contingent world in the midst of the deluge of tests; that they may become righteous, guiding the people to the Kingdom of the glorious Lord, the doors of which are open before the faces of all beings.
I implore Him to appoint thee one of the angels of the Spirit, that thou mayest blow the spirit of life into the hearts which are good and pure through the love of G.o.d; that He may strengthen the elect in America to spread the fragrances of G.o.d and to reveal the spirit of knowledge to the hearts which are cheered by the breaths of G.o.d.
"O ye dear children!..."
O ye dear children!(280)
Your father is compa.s.sionate, clement and merciful unto you and desireth for you success, prosperity and eternal life in the Kingdom of G.o.d.
Therefore, it is inc.u.mbent upon you, dear children, to seek his good pleasure, to be guided by his guidance, to be drawn by the magnet of the love of G.o.d and be brought up in the lap of the love of G.o.d; that ye may become beautiful branches in the Garden of El-Abha, verdant and watered by the abundance of the gift of G.o.d.
"O thou advancer to the Kingdom of G.o.d!..."
O thou advancer to the Kingdom of G.o.d!
Shouldst thou come with the whole of thy being to G.o.d and be attracted to the lights of the Kingdom of G.o.d and be enkindled by the fire of the love, of G.o.d, then wilt thou see that which thou canst not see today, wilt comprehend the inner significance of the Word of G.o.d and thoroughly understand the mysteries contained in the holy books.
But as to the Jewish doctors, Christian priests and monks who read those Books, verily, they know the letter only and they utter the words, as parrots, without understanding their inner meanings. They comprehend them not, because they are engrossed in worldly desires and l.u.s.ts and their hearts are attached to mundane allurements. Verily, are they not heedless of G.o.d and understand nothing and find not the right path?
"Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the..."
(281) Announce on my behalf respectful greeting to the maid-servant of G.o.d, Madam ........., and say:
"Praise be to G.o.d! that thy house hath become the nest and the shelter of the divine birds and thy face is illumined and brightened by the light of the love of G.o.d and thy tongue is loosened in uttering heavenly proofs and evidences. Therefore, in order to [give] thanks for this bestowal, add, day by day, to thy love of G.o.d and be thou engaged in service."