Selections From the Writings of the BábBab, ʻAli Muhammad Shirazi
Religion
Selections From the Writings of the Báb
Bab, ʻAli Muhammad Shirazi
Babism; Bahai Faith
Every man of perception who hath scaled the noble heights of detachment,
and every man of eloquence who hath attained the most sublime station,
beareth witness that Thou art God, the Incomparable, and that Thou hast
assigned no associate unto Thyself in the kingdom of creation, nor is
there anyone to compare with Thee in the realm of invention. Men of
wisdom, who had but a notion of the revelation of Thy glory, conceived a
likeness of Thee according to their own understanding, and men of
erudition, who had gained but a glimpse of the manifold evidences of Thy
loving-kindness and glory, have contrived peers for Thee in conformity
with their own imaginations.
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O Lord! Every man of insight
is far astray in his attempt to recognize Thee, and every man of
consummate learning is sore perplexed in his search after Thee. Every
evidence falleth short of Thine unknowable Essence and every light
retreateth and sinketh below the horizon when confronted with but a
glimmer of the dazzling splendour of Thy might.
Bestow on me, O my Lord, Thy gracious bounty and benevolent gifts and
grant me that which beseemeth the sublimity of Thy glory. Aid me, O my
Lord, to achieve a singular victory. Open Thou the door of unfailing
success before me and grant that the things Thou hast promised may be
close at hand. Thou art in truth potent over all things. Refresh my heart,
O my God, with the living waters of Thy love and give me a draught, O my
Master, from the chalice of Thy tender mercy. Let me abide, O my Lord,
within the habitation of Thy glory, and suffer me, O my God, to emerge
from the darkness in which Thy divine obscurity is shrouded. Enable me to
partake of every good Thou hast vouchsafed unto Him Who is the Point and
unto such as are the exponents of His Cause, and ordain for me that which
beseemeth Thee and well becometh Thy station. Do Thou graciously forgive
me for the things that I have wrought in Thy holy presence, and look not
upon me with the glance of justice, but rather deliver me through Thy
grace, treat me with Thy mercy and deal with me according to Thy bountiful
favours, as is worthy of Thy glory.
Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Glorious, the Bestower of favours and
gifts, the Lord of grace abounding. Verily no God is there but Thee. Thou
art the All-Possessing, the Most High.
Sanctified art Thou, O Lord, Thou unto Whom all render thanksgiving.
Whatever I may affirm of Thee would be but a wanton crime before Thee, and
whatever mention I may choose to make of Thee would be the essence of
transgression, and whatever the praise whereby I may glorify Thee, it
would amount to sheer blasphemy. No one else besides Thee hath been or
will ever be able to fathom Thy mystery, neither hath any one succeeded
nor will anyone succeed at any time in discovering Thine Essence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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