"The first light which shone forth from the horizon of..."
The first light which shone forth from the horizon of Eternity, the first radiance which was cast forth from the Morn of Guidance, and the first mercy which descended from the Kingdom of Heaven, be upon thee,(173) O thou manifest light, thou "strong rope," and the beloved one of the denizens of the exalted heaven, who hast suffered martyrdom in the path of the Lord of the Creatures, and who art submerged in the sea of favors, through the grace of thy Lord, the Clement! the Merciful! El-Baha be upon thee! Praise be upon thee!
By G.o.d, the True One! The angels of mercy bless thee in the Kingdom of El-Baha, and the nostrils of the chosen ones are perfumed with the sweet odor which is wafting from the garden of the Supreme Concourse upon thy sepulchre; and hearts are burning, tears are being shed, the power of endurance is cut off by the grievous disaster and great martyrdom, whereby all hearts are consumed!
I testify that, verily, thou art a martyr of faithfulness, thou art peerless among the beloved, thou art matchless among the chosen ones and art fortunate among the pious! Blessed art thou, for they pierced thy shining brow with a nail, and suspended upon it thine outward decoration, tortured thee by reins, made thee to ride on a furious bull, paraded thee in the city, cut off thine ear with a sharp-edged blade, and by force and compulsion made thee to devour it, tormented thee with the torture of the wicked, persecuted thee with a rage like unto the ferocity of ravenous wolves of the plain and desert, and consumed thy pure body with the torture of fire!
Blessed is the pure blood which was shed on the perfumed soil, and which was poured out in the path of the forgiving Lord! Blessed is thy body which was burned by the hand of every transgressor! Blessed is thy throat which was cut by the poniard of every traitor! Blessed is thy breast which was stricken by the oppressors" darts! Blessed is thy heart which was wounded by a sharp sword! Blessed art thou, for thou hast showed forth all happiness and joy when hou wert being paraded in the streets of the people of haughtiness and the people of wickedness were clapping their hands and oppressing thee with innumerable blows and wounds, whilst thou wert clapping thy hands with them-O thou manifestor of light!-and wert warbling melodies, whereby the people of the Kingdom of El-Abha were moved and b.r.e.a.s.t.s dilated (with joy)!
By G.o.d, the True One! Verily, Abdul-Baha inhaleth the odor of faithfulness from that remote region, the soil of which is reddened by thy pure blood, and beholdeth the lights of bestowal successively pouring upon thy resplendent tomb, and the rains of grace dropping upon thy blessed resting-place, which is fragrant, brilliant and magnificent!
Blessed is he whosoever may roll his face in the dust of thine excellent grave! Blessed is he whosoever may press his brow on thy great sepulchre!
Upon thee be El-Baha! Upon thee be praise! Upon thee be bestowal, O thou honorable martyr, who hast severed thyself from all things in the pah of thine Ancient Lord, who hast sacrificed thy soul, blood and body in the path of thy Most Beautiful Beloved One!
Upon thee be grace from thy Lord, the Exalted! the Great!
"O ye beloved servants of Abdul-Baha and the maid-servants..."
O ye(174) beloved servants of Abdul-Baha and the maid-servants of the Merciful One!
It is the early dawn and the soul-refreshing breeze of the Paradise of Abha is wafting upon all the contingent beings, but it displays the effect only in pure hearts and perfumes only the healthy mind. A seeing eye beholdeth the splendors of the sun and a hearing ear listeneth to the melody of the Supreme Concourse. Although the mercy of the vernal shower and the heavenly outpouring descend upon all the earth, yet only from a virgin soil vegetation groweth while the brackish ground is deprived and unproductive, for the traces of the outpouring are not evident and manifest. Now the holy Fragrances of Abha are diffused in every clime, but only the spiritual souls are attracted and draw benefits. It is hoped by this imprisoned one, from the bounty of the Living Self-Subsistent, that, through the dominating power of the Word of G.o.d, the nostrils of the heedless ones becomes opened and partake a share from the fragrances of the Rose-Garden of Mystery.
O ye friends of G.o.d! The real friends are the skillful physicians and the divine instructions are the antidote of the Merciful One and the remedies of the hearts. They (the believers) heal the nostril affected with rheum, make mindful the negligent ones, give a share to the deprived ones and make hopeful the hopeless ones. In this day if anyone liveth in accord with the heavenly teachings and instructions, he shall become a spiritual physician to the world of humanity and the trumpet of Israfel(175) to quicken the dead; for the confirmations of the Kingdom of Abha are uninterrupted and the victory of the Supreme Concourse is the a.s.sociate of every one who is pure in heart. The weak gnat will become the strong royal falcon and the sparrow is transformed into the eagle soaring toward the apex of the Ancient Glory. Therefore, look ye not upon your own capability and merit, nay rather, lay your confidence in the bounty and protection, favor and grace of the Blessed Perfection-may my life be a sacrifice to His beloved ones!-and, mounting upon the charger of magnanimity, rush ye toward the arena of martyrdom, so that ye may win the polo of favors in this vast field of G.o.d!
O ye maid-servants of the Merciful One! The queens of the world went down to the tombs and disapeared and vanished from the face of the earth. There remained for them no fruit, no name, no trace, no fame and no existence.
But every one of the maid-servants in the court of Oneness shone forth like unto the brilliant stars from the glorious Ancient Horizon, cast their rays upon centuries and cycles, attained to their utmost desires in the Kingdom of Abha and drank from the wine of meeting (with G.o.d) in the a.s.sembly of the Almighty. These souls have taken a share from (the benefits) of being and obtained results.
O ye friends of the wronged one! Purify your eyes from beholding [any as]
strangers. Do ye not see foreignness, nay rather, know all as friends; for with the observation of strangeness, the practice of love and unity is difficult.
In this wonderful age, according to the divine texts, ye must befriend all nations and communities. Ye must not look upon violence, force, evil intentions, persecutions or hostility, nay rather, ye must raise your eyes to the horizon of glory [and see] that each one of these creatures is a sign of the Lord of Signs and [has] stepped upon the arena of existence through divine favor and supreme energy. Thus they are known and not unknown, are friends and not strangers. We must deal with all according to the above criterion.
Therefore, the beloved must, with infinite kindness and love, a.s.sociate and sympathize with both friends and strangers and not look at all upon the merits and capabilities of the persons. Under all circ.u.mstances they must show forth genuine love and be not defeated by the intensity of rancor, hatred, quarrel, malice and the grudge of the people. Should they (they people) shoot arrows they (the friends) must administer milk and honey; if they give poison, the believers must impart delicacies; if they cause pain, let the beloved be a remedy; if they strike a blow, let them become the antidote.
O my G.o.d! O my G.o.d! Verily, these are Thy weak servants and Thy submissive, faithful ones and Thy sincere maid-servants who are humbled before Thy illumined Threshold, acknowledging Thy Oneness which hath appeared like unto the appearance of the sun in midday, listening to Thy call from Thy mysterious Kingdom and uttering Thy prayers with hearts overflowing with Thy love and devotion!
O my Lord! Pour upon all of them the rain of Thy mercy, [cause to] descend upon every one the showers of Thy bounty from the clouds of Thy munificence, make them graceful plants in Thy divine Rose-garden and suffer these myrtles to become verdant, green and refreshed by the outpouring from the Cloud of Thy Singleness.
Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Most High, the Mighty and Omnipotent, and the Creator of the earth and heaven, and verily there is no G.o.d but Thee, the Lord of the Manifest Signs!
"O servants of the Blessed Beauty!..."
O servants(176) of the Blessed Beauty!
It is a well known fact that, owing to the frequency of disturbances, the work of delivering the Message hath been for a short time discontinued. In consequence, persons travel less frequently to the different parts of the country. It is known and clear that today the unseen divine a.s.sistance encompa.s.seth those who deliver the Message. And if the work of delivering the Message be neglected, the a.s.sistance shall be entirely cut off, for it is impossible that the friends of G.o.d could receive a.s.sistance unless they be engaged in delivering the Message. Under all conditions the Message must be delivered, but with wisdom. If it be not possible openly, it must be done quietly. The friends should be engaged in educating the souls and should become instruments in aiding the world of humanity to acquire spiritual joy and fragrance. For example: If every one of the friends (believers) were to establish relations of friendship and right dealings with one of the negligent souls, a.s.sociate and live with him with perfect kindliness, and meanwhile through good conduct and moral behavior lead him to divine instruction, to heavenly advice and teachings, surely he would gradually arouse that negligent person and would change his ignorance into knowledge.
Souls are liable to estrangement. Such methods should be adopted that the estrangement should be first removed, then the Word will have effect.
If one of the believers be kind to one of the negligent ones and with perfect love should gradually make him understand the reality of the Cause of G.o.d in such a way that the latter should know in what manner the Religion of G.o.d hath been founded and what its object is, doubtless he will become changed; excepting abnormal souls who are reduced to the state of ashes and whose hearts are like stones, yea, even harder.
If by this method every one of the friends of G.o.d were to try to lead one soul to the right path, the number of the believers would be doubled every year. But this should be carried out with perfect wisdom and in such a manner that no harm would ever result therefrom.
In the same way those who deliver the Message should travel to all parts of the country. And if delivering the Message should be the cause of disturbance, let them then be engaged in encouraging and educating the friends, in order that those souls receive spiritual attraction and rejoice, seek delight and ecstasy, acquire new life and through the fragrances of sanct.i.ty gain vivacity and freshness.
The object is this, that in the time of peace and safety this work of delivering the Message should be carried on with the utmost fervor. But when there is no peace and safety, extreme wisdom should be exercised, though no complete cessation of effort is permissible, for in that case the divine a.s.sistance shall be entirely cut off.
With regard to the formation of benevolent a.s.sociations, surely this subject should be given due attention. The disciples of His Holiness Christ-may my life be a sacrifice unto Him!-were only eleven persons and they had established a benevolent fund. So the establishment of the fund had that degree of importance.
"O ye sincere ones! O ye favored ones! O ye beseeching..."
O ye(177) sincere ones! O ye favored ones! O ye beseeching ones! O ye supplicating ones!
Verily, I set my forehead on the dust and turn my face toward the Lord of Lords and invoke my Lord with intense fervor and attraction, that He may look upon you with the glances of the eye of His providence, watch over you with the gaze of His protection, unite your hearts, dilate your b.r.e.a.s.t.s, harmonize your souls, rejoice you with gladness, exhilarate you with the chalices of salvation, make you steadfast in the divine Cause and that He may enable you to cling to the hem of the Almighty, to hasten toward the place of sacrifice and to be sheltered under the shadow of the Blessed Tree whose roots are planted firm and whose branches are extended to heaven:
O my Lord! O my Lord! These are the chosen ones whose faces are illumined with the light of guidance, who found the heavenly table pleasing to their tastes, who submitted willingly to every matter which happened in the land and sought help from the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. Their feet are indeed made firm, their banners hoisted, their deeds righteous and their actions just. O Lord! Make them fragrant plants of Thy paradise, flowers of the garden of nearness, verses of Thy glorious book, words of Thy "Published tablet" unto the people of the world and as falcons soaring on the loftiest summit. Verily Thou art the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower!
O my dear friends! Yours was not merely a letter; it was perfumed with amber and diffused a sweet fragrance. Every word thereof was a rose in the rose-garden of the love of G.o.d and was a flower, a hyacinth.
When the breeze of Providence blows from the direction of gift, the gardens of hearts attain thereby exceeding purity and freshness. Such significances arise from the soul and consciousness and impart joy and fragrance.
O friends! It is the wish of Abdul-Baha that the friends may establish general unity and not a particular meeting of unity. You must have great consideration for this fact, for during the past cycles though such events (founding of particular, i.e., exclusive unity meetings) were, in the beginning, a means for harmony, they became in the end the cause of trouble.
We are all servants of one Threshold, attendants at one Court, waves of one sea, drops of one stream, the dust before one door and plants of one garden. There must arise no trouble to deprive one from that which is the real purpose. The beloved of G.o.d must be friendly even with strangers and intimate even with outsiders-how much more with others among the righteous (i.e., believers)!
To organize a.s.semblies is praiseworthy and acceptable, but these must be established for certain matters. For example: a.s.semblages for teaching (the Truth), gatherings for the spread of the fragrances of G.o.d, gatherings for the relief of the orphans, gatherings for the protection (i.e., feeding, etc.,) of the poor, a.s.semblages for the spread of learning and, in a word, there must be gatherings for matters which concern the well-being of men, such as organizations of a society of commerce, societies for the expansion of agriculture. To be brief, similar societies are very acceptable and praiseworthy and concern all in general and not a particular number.
In a word: That which is conducive to the life (or growth) of the people is acceptable and whatever is the cause of disaffection is blameworthy. I hope all the friends of the East and West shall rest in the same a.s.semblage and adorn one gathering, appearing with all the heavenly attributes and virtues in the world of humanity.
O my Lord! O my Lord! Enable me to witness the most great sign and to realize the fulfillment of this hope throughout all regions. Verily Thou art the Bestower, the Beneficent, whose bounties are great!
Some of the friends have asked to present themselves in these parts. In these days this does not conform with wisdom. G.o.d willing, permission shall be given at some favorable time.