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gazing on Thy beauty and from turning in the direction of Thy mercy. This
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hostility failed to cause the fire that burned within them to subside. The
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enemy finally carried away as captive Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy
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beauty and the Revealer of Thy signs, and confined Him in the
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fortress-town of Akká, and sought to hinder Him from remembering Thee and
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from magnifying Thy name. Thy servant, however, could not be restrained
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from carrying out what Thou hadst bidden Him fulfill. Above the horizon of
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tribulation He hath lifted up His voice and He crieth out, summoning all
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the inmates of heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth to the
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immensity of Thy mercy and the court of Thy grace. Day and night He
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sendeth down the signs of Thine omnipotent power and revealeth the clear
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tokens of Thy majesty, so that the souls of Thy creatures may be drawn
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towards Thee, that they may forsake themselves and turn unto Thee, and may
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flee from their misery and seek the tabernacle of Thy riches, and may
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haste away from their wretchedness into the court of Thy majesty and
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glory.
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This is the Lamp which the light of Thine own Essence hath lit, and whose
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radiance the winds of discord can never extinguish. This is the Ocean that
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moveth by the power of Thy sovereign might, and whose waves the influence
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of the infidels that have disbelieved in the Judgment Day can never still.
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This is the Sun that shineth in the heaven of Thy will and the splendor of
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which the veils of the workers of iniquity and the doubts of the evil
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doers can never cloud.
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I yield Thee thanks, O my God, for that Thou hast offered me up as a
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sacrifice in Thy path, and made me a target for the arrows of afflictions
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as a token of Thy love for Thy servants, and singled me out for all manner
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of tribulation for the regeneration of Thy people.
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How sweet to my taste is the savor of woes sent by Thee, and how dear to
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my heart the dispositions of Thy providence! Perish the soul that fleeth
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from the threats of kings in its attempt to save itself in Thy days! I
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swear by Thy glory! Whoso hath quaffed the living waters of Thy favors can
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fear no trouble in Thy path, neither can he be deterred by any tribulation
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from remembering Thee or from celebrating Thy praise.
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I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art my Governor and the Possessor of all names,
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to protect them that have branched out from me (Afnán), whom Thou hast
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caused to be related to Thyself, and to whom Thou hast, in this
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Revelation, shown Thy special favor, and whom Thou hast summoned to draw
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nigh unto Thee and to turn towards the horizon of Thy Revelation. Withhold
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not from them, O my Lord, the outpourings of Thy mercy or the effulgence
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of the Day-Star of Thy grace. Enable them to distinguish themselves
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amongst Thy people, that they may exalt Thy word and promote Thy Cause.
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Aid them, O my God, to do Thy will and pleasure.
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No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most
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High.
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Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the tribulations which are sustained in
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Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized; and were it not for the
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trials which are borne for love of Thee, how could the station of such as
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yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth me witness! The companions
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of all who adore Thee are the tears they shed, and the comforters of such
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as seek Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them who haste to
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meet Thee is the fragments of their broken hearts.
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How sweet to my taste is the bitterness of death suffered in Thy path, and
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how precious in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies when
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encountered for the sake of the exaltation of Thy word! Let me quaff in
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Thy Cause, O my God, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and send down upon me
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in Thy love all Thou didst ordain. By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou
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wishest, and cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all times,
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placed my whole trust and confidence.
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Raise up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this Revelation such as
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shall be counted worthy of Thy name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may
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remember me among Thy creatures, and hoist the ensigns of Thy victory in
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Thy land.
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Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the
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Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
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Glory to Thee, O my God! One of Thy handmaidens, who hath believed in Thee
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and in Thy signs, hath entered beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy
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oneness. Give her to quaff, O my God, by Thy Name, the Manifest and the
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Hidden, of Thy choice sealed Wine that it may take her away from her own
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self, and make her to be entirely devoted to Thy remembrance, and wholly
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detached from any one beside Thee.
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Now that Thou hast revealed unto her the knowledge of Thee, O my Lord,
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deny her not, by Thy bounty, Thy grace; and now that Thou hast called her
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unto Thyself, drive her not away from Thee, through Thy favor. Supply her,
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then, with that which excelleth all that can be found on Thine earth. Thou
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art, verily, the Most Bountiful, Whose grace is immense.
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Wert Thou to bestow on one of Thy creatures what would equal the kingdoms
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of earth and heaven, it would still not diminish by even as much as an
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atom the immensity of Thy dominion. Far greater art Thou than the Great
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One men are wont to call Thee, for such a title is but one of Thy names
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