A Traveler's Narrative
page 69
guard-stars to the earth; nay, between them is a limitless
distance.'
"`So likewise He saith:
"`O child of the world! Many a morning hath the effulgence
of My grace come unto thy place from the day-spring
of the placeless, found thee on the couch of ease busied with
other things, and returned like the lightning of the spirit to the
bright abode of glory. And I, desiring not thy shame, declared
it not in the retreats of nearness to the hosts of holiness.'
"`So likewise He saith:
"`O pretender to My friendship! In the morning the breeze
of My grace passed by thee, and found thee sleeping on the bed
of heedlessness, and wept over thy condition, and turned
back.'
Finis.
"In the presence of the King's justice, therefore, the statement
of an adversary ought not to be accepted as sufficient.
And in the Furqán, which distinguisheth between truth and
falsehood, He says, `O ye who believe, if there come unto you
a sinner with a message, then discriminate, lest you fall upon a
people in ignorance and on the morrow repent of what ye have
done.' (31) And it hath come down in holy tradition, `Credit not
the calumniator.' The matter hath been misapprehended by
certain doctors, neither have they seen this Servant. But those
persons who have met [Him] testify that this Servant hath not
spoken contrary to that which God hath ordained in the Book,
and recite this blessed verse: He saith (exalted is He) `Do ye
disavow Us for aught save that We believe in God, and what
hath been sent down unto Us, and what was sent down
before?' (32)
"O King of the age! The eyes of these wanderers turn and
gaze in the direction of the mercy of the Merciful One, and
31. Qur'án 49:6.
32. Qur'án 5:64.
[Previous Page] [NextPage] [Jump to a Page] [Whole Text]
[Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá] [Bahá'í Writings] [Notes on Writings]