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