Similarly, the records of all the scriptures bear witness to this lofty
truth and this most exalted word. Moreover, this verse of the Qur’án,
revealed concerning Ḥamzih, the “Prince of Martyrs,”(90) and Abú-Jahl, is
a luminous evidence and sure testimony of the truth of Our saying: “Shall
the dead, whom We have quickened, and for whom We have ordained a light
whereby he may walk among men, be like him, whose likeness is in the
darkness, whence he will not come forth?”(91) This verse descended from
the heaven of the Primal Will at a time when Ḥamzih had already been
invested with the sacred mantle of faith, and Abú-Jahl had waxed
relentless in his opposition and unbelief. From the Wellspring of
omnipotence and the Source of eternal holiness, there came the judgment
that conferred everlasting life upon Ḥamzih, and condemned Abú-Jahl to
eternal damnation. This was the signal that caused the fires of unbelief
to glow with the hottest flame in the heart of the infidels, and provoked
them openly to repudiate His truth. They loudly clamoured: “When did
Ḥamzih die? When was he risen? At what hour was such a life conferred upon
him?” As they understood not the significance of these noble sayings, nor
sought enlightenment from the recognized expounders of the Faith, that
these might confer a sprinkling of the Kawthar of divine knowledge upon
them, therefore such fires of mischief were kindled amongst men.
Thou dost witness today how, notwithstanding the radiant splendour of the
Sun of divine knowledge, all the people, whether high or low, have clung
to the ways of those abject manifestations of the Prince of Darkness. They
continually appeal to them for aid in unraveling the intricacies of their
Faith, and, owing to lack of knowledge, they make such replies as can in
no wise damage their fame and fortune. It is evident that these souls,
vile and miserable as the beetle itself, have had no portion of the
musk-laden breeze of eternity, and have never entered the Ridván of
heavenly delight. How, therefore, can they impart unto others the
imperishable fragrance of holiness? Such is their way, and such will it
remain for ever. Only those will attain to the knowledge of the Word of
God that have turned unto Him, and repudiated the manifestations of Satan.
Thus God hath reaffirmed the law of the day of His Revelation, and
inscribed it with the pen of power upon the mystic Tablet hidden beneath
the veil of celestial glory. Wert thou to heed these words, wert thou to
ponder their outward and inner meaning in thy heart, thou wouldst seize
the significance of all the abstruse problems which, in this day, have
become insuperable barriers between men and the knowledge of the Day of
Judgment. Then wilt thou have no more questions to perplex thee. We fain
would hope that, God willing, thou wilt not return, deprived and still
athirst, from the shores of the ocean of divine mercy, nor come back
destitute from the imperishable Sanctuary of thy heart’s desire. Let it
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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