Part 17 (1/2)

Say, G.o.d shall of a truth cause your hearts to be given to perversity if ye fail to recognize Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest; but if ye do recognize Him G.o.d shall banish perversity from your hearts...

That day whereon ye were, by G.o.d's Will, initiated into the Bayan, did any of you know who were the Letters of the Living or the Witnesses or the Testimonies or what the names of the believers? Likewise doth G.o.d wish you to recognize Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest on the Day of Resurrection.

Beware lest ye shut yourselves out as by a veil from Him Who hath created you, by reason of your regard for those who were called into being at the bidding of the Point of the Bayan for the exaltation of His Word. Did ye possess, ere the Point of the Bayan had called you into existence, any trace of ident.i.ty, how much less a writ or authority? Disregard then your beginnings, perchance ye may be saved on the day of your return. Indeed had it not been for the exaltation of the name of the Primal Point, G.o.d would not have ordained for you the Letters of the Living, nor those who are the Testimonies of His Truth, nor the Witnesses of His Justice; could ye but heed a little. All this is to glorify the Cause of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest at the time of His manifestation; would that ye might ponder a while.

Therefore it behooveth you to return unto G.o.d even as ye were brought forth into existence, and to utter not such words as why or nay, if ye wish your creation to yield fruit at the time of your return. For none of you who have been born in the Bayan shall gain the fruit of your beginning unless ye return unto Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest. He it is Who caused your beginning to proceed from G.o.d, and your return to be unto Him, did ye but know. XVI, 15.

”How great the number of people who deck themselves ...”

How great the number of people who deck themselves with robes of silk all their lives, while clad in the garb of fire, inasmuch as they have divested themselves of the raiment of divine guidance and righteousness; and how numerous are those who wear clothes made of cotton or coa.r.s.e wool throughout their lives, and yet by reason of their being endowed with the vesture of divine guidance and righteousness, are truly attired with the raiment of Paradise and take delight in the good-pleasure of G.o.d. Indeed it would be better in the sight of G.o.d were ye to combine the two, adorning yourselves with the raiment of divine guidance and righteousness and wearing exquisite silk, if ye can afford to do so. If not, at least act ye not unrighteously, but rather observe piety and virtue...

But for the sole reason of His being present amongst this people, We would have neither prescribed any law nor laid down any prohibition. It is only for the glorification of His Name and the exaltation of His Cause that We have enunciated certain laws at Our behest, or forbidden the acts to which We are averse, so that at the hour of His manifestation ye may attain through Him the good-pleasure of G.o.d and abstain from the things that are abhorrent unto Him.

Say, verily, the good-pleasure of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest is the good-pleasure of G.o.d, while the displeasure of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest is none other than the displeasure of G.o.d. Avoid ye His displeasure, and flee for refuge unto His good-pleasure. Say, the living guides to His good-pleasure are such as truly believe in Him and are well-a.s.sured in their faith, while the living testimonies of His displeasure are those who, when they hear the verses of G.o.d sent forth from His presence, or read the divine words revealed by Him, do not instantly embrace the Faith and attain unto cert.i.tude. XVI, 14.

6: EXCERPTS FROM VARIOUS WRITINGS

”Say, G.o.d is the Lord and all are wors.h.i.+ppers unto ...”

Say, G.o.d is the Lord and all are wors.h.i.+ppers unto Him.

Say, G.o.d is the True One and all pay homage unto Him.

This is G.o.d, your Lord, and unto Him shall ye return.

Is there any doubt concerning G.o.d? He hath created you and all things.

The Lord of all worlds is He.

Say, verily any one follower of this Faith can, by the leave of G.o.d, prevail over all who dwell in heaven and earth and in whatever lieth between them; for indeed this is, beyond the shadow of a doubt, the one true Faith. Therefore fear ye not, neither be ye grieved.

Say, G.o.d hath, according to that which is revealed in the Book, taken upon Himself the task of ensuring the ascendancy of any one of the followers of the Truth, over and above one hundred other souls, and the supremacy of one hundred believers over one thousand non-believers and the domination of one thousand of the faithful over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth; inasmuch as G.o.d calleth into being whatsoever He willeth by virtue of His behest. Verily He is potent over all things.

Say, the power of G.o.d is in the hearts of those who believe in the unity of G.o.d and bear witness that no G.o.d is there but Him, while the hearts of them that a.s.sociate partners with G.o.d are impotent, devoid of life on this earth, for a.s.suredly they are dead.