Part 19 (1/2)
Fix your gaze upon Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest in the Day of Resurrection, then firmly believe in that which is sent down by Him.
Say, G.o.d hath undisputed triumph over every victorious one. There is no one in heaven or earth or in whatever lieth between them who can frustrate the transcendent supremacy of His triumph. He calleth into being whatsoever He willeth through the potency of His behest. Verily G.o.d is the mightiest Sustainer, the Helper and the Defender.
”When the Day-Star of Baha will s.h.i.+ne resplendent above ...”
When the Day-Star of Baha will s.h.i.+ne resplendent above the horizon of eternity it is inc.u.mbent upon you to present yourselves before His Throne.
Beware lest ye be seated in His presence or ask questions without His leave. Fear ye G.o.d, O concourse of the Mirrors.
Beg ye of Him the wondrous tokens of His favour that He may graciously reveal for you whatever He willeth and desireth, inasmuch as on that Day all the revelations of divine bounty shall circle around the Seat of His glory and emanate from His presence, could ye but understand it.
It behooveth you to remain silent before His Throne, for indeed of all the things which have been created between heaven and earth nothing on that Day will be deemed more fitting than the observance of silence. Moreover, take ye good heed not to be reckoned among those of the past who were invested with knowledge, yet by reason of their learning waxed proud before G.o.d, the Transcendent, the Self-Subsisting, inasmuch as on that Day it is He Who is the All-Knowing, the Omniscient, the Source of all knowledge, far above such as are endued with learning; and it is He Who is the Potent, the All-Compelling, the Lord of power, in the face of those who wield power; and it is He Who is the Mighty, the Most August, the Most Glorious before such as display glory; and on that Day it is He Who is the Lofty, the All-Highest, the Source of exaltation, far above those who are elevated in rank; and it is He Who is the Almighty, the Source of glory and grandeur, far above the pomp of the mighty; and it is He Who is the Omnipotent, the Supreme Ruler, the Lord of judgement, transcending all such as are invested with authority; and it is He Who is the Generous, the Most Benevolent, the Essence of bounty, Who standeth supreme in the face of such as show benevolence; and it is He Who is the Ordainer and the Supreme Wielder of authority and power, inconceivably high above those who hold earthly dominion; and it is He Who is the Most Excellent, the Unsurpa.s.sed, the Pre-eminent in the face of every man of accomplishment.
Ye have, one and all, been called into being to seek His presence and to attain that exalted and glorious station. Indeed, He will send down from the heaven of His mercy that which will benefit you, and whatever is graciously vouchsafed by Him shall enable you to dispense with all mankind. Verily on that Day the learning of the learned shall prove of no avail, neither the accomplishments of the exponents of knowledge, nor the pomp of the highly honoured, nor the power of the mighty, nor the remembrance of the devout, nor the deeds of the righteous, nor the genuflexion of the kneeling wors.h.i.+pper, nor his prostration or turning towards the Qiblih, nor the honour of the honoured, nor the kins.h.i.+p of the highly born, nor the n.o.bility of those of n.o.ble descent, nor the discourse of the eloquent, nor the t.i.tles of the prominent-none of these shall be of any avail unto them-inasmuch as all these and whatever else ye have known or comprehended were created by His word of command 'Be' and it is. Indeed if it be His Will He can a.s.suredly bring about the resurrection of all created things through a word from Himself. He is, in truth, over and above all this, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Omnipotent.
Beware, O concourse of Mirrors, lest on that Day t.i.tles make you vainglorious. Know ye of a certainty that ye, together with all those who stand above you or below you, have been created for that Day. Fear ye G.o.d and commit not that which would grieve His heart, nor be of them that have gone astray. Perchance He will appear invested with the power of Truth while ye are fast asleep on your couches, or His messengers will bring glorious and resplendent Tablets from Him while ye turn away disdainfully from Him, p.r.o.nounce sentence against Him-such sentence as ye would never pa.s.s on yourselves-and say, 'This is not from G.o.d, the All-Subduing, the Self-Existent'.
Glory be unto Thee, O my G.o.d, Thou art well aware that I have proclaimed Thy Word and have not failed in the mission Thou didst enjoin upon me. I entreat Thee to guard the people of the Bayan on that Day in order that they may not p.r.o.nounce censure against Thee nor contend with Thy signs.
Protect them then, O my G.o.d, through the power of Thy might which pervadeth all mankind.
”Glory be unto Him Who is the Lord of all that are in ...”
He is the Almighty.
Glory be unto Him Who is the Lord of all that are in the heavens and on the earth; He is the All-Wise, the All-Informed. It is He Who calleth into being whatsoever He willeth at His behest; He is indeed the Clement, the Fas.h.i.+oner. Say, verily He is equal to His purpose; whomsoever He willeth, He maketh victorious through the power of His hosts; there is none other G.o.d but Him, the Mighty, the Wise. His is the kingdom of earth and heaven and He is the Lord of power and glory. Such as have believed in G.o.d and in His signs are indeed the followers of truth and shall abide in the gardens of delight, while those who have disbelieved in G.o.d and have rejected that which He hath revealed, these shall be the inmates of the fire wherein they shall remain forever. Say, most people have openly repudiated G.o.d and have followed the rebellious wicked doers. Such people resemble those who have gone before them, upholding every hostile oppressor. Verily no G.o.d is there but G.o.d; His is the kingdom of heaven and earth and He is the Clement, the All-Knowing. G.o.d testifieth that there is no G.o.d but Him, and He Who speaketh at the bidding of His Lord is but the First to wors.h.i.+p Him. He is the peerless Creator Who hath created the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them, and all do His bidding. He is the One Whose grace hath encompa.s.sed all that are in the heavens, on earth or elsewhere, and everyone abideth by His behest.
”It behooveth you to await the Day of the appearance of ...”
It behooveth you to await the Day of the appearance of Him Whom G.o.d shall manifest. Indeed My aim in planting the Tree of the Bayan hath been none other than to enable you to recognize Me. In truth I Myself am the first to bow down before G.o.d and to believe in Him. Therefore let not your recognition become fruitless, inasmuch as the Bayan, notwithstanding the sublimity of its station, beareth fealty to Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest, and it is He Who beseemeth most to be acclaimed as the Seat of divine Reality, though indeed He is I and I am He. However, when the Tree of the Bayan attaineth its highest development, We shall bend it low as a token of adoration towards its Lord Who will appear in the person of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest. Perchance ye may be privileged to glorify G.o.d as it befitteth His august Self.
Indeed ye have been called into being through the power of the Point of the Bayan while the Point Himself is resigned to the Will of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest, is exalted through His transcendent sublimity, is sustained by the evidences of His might, is glorified by the majesty of His oneness, is adorned by the beauty of His singleness, is empowered by His eternal dominion and is invested with authority through His everlasting sovereignty. How then could they, who are but the creation of the Point, be justified in saying 'why or wherefore'?
O congregation of the Bayan, and all who are therein! Recognize ye the limits imposed upon you, for such a One as the Point of the Bayan Himself hath believed in Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest, before all things were created. Therein, verily, do I glory before all who are in the kingdom of heaven and earth. Suffer not yourselves to be shut out as by a veil from G.o.d after He hath revealed Himself. For all that hath been exalted in the Bayan is but as a ring upon My hand, and I Myself am, verily, but a ring upon the hand of Him Whom G.o.d shall make manifest-glorified be His mention! He turneth it as He pleaseth, for whatsoever He pleaseth, and through whatsoever He pleaseth. He, verily, is the Help in Peril, the Most High.
7: PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS