“And after three days and a half the spirit of life from God entered into
them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them that
saw them.”(52) Three days and a half, as we before explained, is twelve
hundred and sixty years. Those two persons whose bodies were lying
spiritless are the teachings and the law that Muḥammad established and
‘Alí promoted, from which, however, the reality had departed and only the
form remained. The spirit came again into them means that those
foundations and teachings were again established. In other words, the
spirituality of the Religion of God had been changed into materiality, and
virtues into vices; the love of God had been changed into hatred,
enlightenment into darkness, divine qualities into satanic ones, justice
into tyranny, mercy into enmity, sincerity into hypocrisy, guidance into
error, and purity into sensuality. Then after three days and a half, which
by the terminology of the Holy Books is twelve hundred and sixty years,
these divine teachings, heavenly virtues, perfections and spiritual
bounties were again renewed by the appearance of the Báb and the devotion
of Jináb-i-Quddús.(53)
The holy breezes were diffused, the light of truth shone forth, the season
of the life-giving spring came, and the morn of guidance dawned. These two
lifeless bodies again became living, and these two great ones—one the
Founder and the other the promoter—arose and were like two candlesticks,
for they illumined the world with the light of truth.
“And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up
hither. And they ascended up to heaven,”(54) meaning that from the
invisible heaven they heard the voice of God, saying: You have performed
all that was proper and fitting in delivering the teachings and glad
tidings; you have given My message to the people and raised the call of
God, and have accomplished your duty. Now, like Christ, you must sacrifice
your life for the Well-Beloved, and be martyrs. And that Sun of Reality,
and that Moon of Guidance,(55) both, like Christ, set on the horizon of
the greatest martyrdom and ascended to the Kingdom of God.
“And their enemies beheld them,”(56) meaning that many of their enemies,
after witnessing their martyrdom, realized the sublimity of their station
and the exaltation of their virtue, and testified to their greatness and
perfection.
“And the same hour there was a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the
city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand.”(57)
This earthquake occurred in _Sh_íráz after the martyrdom of the Báb. The
city was in a turmoil, and many people were destroyed. Great agitation
also took place through diseases, cholera, dearth, scarcity, famine and
afflictions, the like of which had never been known.
“And the remnant was affrighted and gave glory to the God of heaven.”(58)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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