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
However, the substance and essence of the subject is this, that there can
be no doubt that from everlasting God hath been invested with the
independent sovereignty of His exalted Being, and unto everlasting He will
remain inaccessible in the transcendent majesty of His holy Essence. No
creature hath ever recognized Him as befitteth His recognition, nor hath
any created being ever praised Him as is worthy of His praise. He is
exalted above every name, and is sanctified from every comparison. Through
Him all things are made known, while too lofty is His reality to be known
through anyone but Him. The process of His creation hath had no beginning
and can have no end, otherwise it would necessitate the cessation of His
celestial grace. God hath raised up Prophets and revealed Books as
numerous as the creatures of the world, and will continue to do so to
everlasting.
If thou art sailing upon the sea of God’s Names, which are reflected in
all things, know thou that He is exalted and sanctified from being known
through His creatures, or being described by His servants. Everything thou
beholdest hath been called into being through the operation of His Will.
How can such a created thing, therefore, be indicative of His essential
oneness? God’s existence in itself testifieth to His Own oneness, while
every created thing, by its very nature, beareth evidence that it hath
been fashioned by God. Such is the proof of consummate wisdom in the
estimation of those who sail the ocean of divine Truth.
If, however, thou art sailing upon the sea of creation, know thou that the
First Remembrance, which is the Primal Will of God, may be likened unto
the sun. God hath created Him through the potency of His might, and He
hath, from the beginning that hath no beginning, caused Him to be
manifested in every Dispensation through the compelling power of His
behest, and God will, to the end that knoweth no end, continue to manifest
Him according to the good-pleasure of His invincible Purpose.
And know thou that He indeed resembleth the sun. Were the risings of the
sun to continue till the end that hath no end, yet there hath not been nor
ever will be more than one sun; and were its settings to endure for
evermore, still there hath not been nor ever will be more than one sun. It
is this Primal Will which appeareth resplendent in every Prophet and
speaketh forth in every revealed Book. It knoweth no beginning, inasmuch
as the First deriveth its firstness from It; and knoweth no end, for the
Last oweth its lastness unto It.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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