Selections from the writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá — John Shaqi
Selections from the writings of ‘Abdu'l-BaháʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Religion
Selections from the writings of ‘Abdu'l-Bahá
ʻAbdu'l-Bahá
Bahai Faith
O thou who art captivated by the truth and magnetized by the Heavenly
Kingdom! Thy long letter hath come and it brought great joy, as it clearly
betokened thy strenuous efforts and high purposes. Praised be God, thou
wishest well to men, and yearnest after the Kingdom of Bahá, and art
longing to see the human race press forward. It is my hope that because of
these high ideals, these noble intimations of the heart, and these tidings
of heaven, thou shalt become so luminous that down all the ages the light
of thy love for God will shed its glory.
Thou hast described thyself as a student in the school of spiritual
progress. Fortunate art thou! If these schools of progress lead to the
university of heaven, then branches of knowledge will be developed whereby
humanity will look upon the tablet of existence as a scroll endlessly
unfolding; and all created things will be seen upon that scroll as letters
and words. Then will the different planes of meaning be learned, and then
within every atom of the universe will be witnessed the signs of the
oneness of God. Then will man hear the cry of the Lord of the Kingdom, and
behold the confirmations of the Holy Spirit coming to succour him. Then
will he feel such bliss, such ecstasy, that the wide world with its
vastness will no longer contain him, and he will set out for the Kingdom
of God, and hurry along to the realm of the spirit. For once a bird hath
grown its wings, it remaineth on the ground no more, but soareth upward
into high heaven—except for those birds that are tied by the leg, or those
whose wings are broken, or mired down.
O thou seeker after truth! The world of the Kingdom is one world. The only
difference is that spring returneth over and over again, and setteth up a
great new commotion throughout all created things. Then plain and hillside
come alive, and trees turn delicately green, and leaves, blossoms and
fruits come forth in beauty, infinite and tender. Wherefore the
dispensations of past ages are intimately connected with those that follow
them: indeed, they are one and the same, but as the world groweth, so doth
the light, so doth the downpour of heavenly grace, and then the Day-Star
shineth out in noonday splendour.
O thou seeker after the Kingdom! Every divine Manifestation is the very
life of the world, and the skilled physician of each ailing soul. The
world of man is sick, and that competent Physician knoweth the cure,
arising as He doth with teachings, counsels and admonishments that are the
remedy for every pain, the healing balm to every wound. It is certain that
the wise physician can diagnose his patient’s needs at any season, and
apply the cure. Wherefore, relate thou the Teachings of the Abhá Beauty to
the urgent needs of this present day, and thou wilt see that they provide
an instant remedy for the ailing body of the world. Indeed, they are the
elixir that bringeth eternal health.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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