A Traveler's Narrative
page 36
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the merest tyros, and that therefore they must read the alphabet
from the beginning. Several protracted conferences
were passed in expounding and elucidating the Point and the
Alif of the Absolute, wherein the doctors present were astounded,
and filled with amazement and astonishment at the
seething and roaring of the ocean of His utterance. The report
of this occurrence reached the hearing of far and near, and
deep despondency fell on the adversaries. The regions of Núr
were filled with excitement and commotion at these events,
and the noise of this mischief and trouble smote the ears of the
citizens of Barfurúsh. The chief divine of Núr, Mullá
Muhammad, was in Qishlaq. When he heard of these occurrences
he sent two of the most distinguished and profound of
the doctors, who were possessed of wondrous eloquence,
effective oratorical talent, conclusiveness of argument, and
brilliant powers of demonstration, to quench this fire, and to
subdue and overcome this Young Man by force of argument,
either reducing Him to penitence, or causing Him to despair
of the successful issue of His projects. Glory be to God for His
wondrous decrees! When those two doctors entered the presence
of that Young Man, saw the waves of His utterance, and
heard the force of His arguments, they unfolded like the rose
and were stirred like the multitude, and, abandoning altar and
chair, pulpit and preferment, wealth and luxury, and evening
and morning congregations, they applied themselves to the
furtherance of the objects of this Person, even inviting the
chief divine to tender his allegiance. So when this Young Man
with a faculty of speech like a rushing torrent set out for Ámul
and Sarí He met with that experienced doctor and that illustrious
divine in Qishlaq of Núr. And the people assembled from
all quarters awaiting the result. His accomplished reverence
the divine, although he was of universally acknowledged excellence,
and in science the most learned of his contemporaries,
nevertheless decided to have recourse to augury as to
[whether he should engage in] discussion and disputation.
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