233 Again concerning the divines of the Latter Days, He saith: “The religious doctors of that age shall be the most wicked of the divines beneath the shadow of heaven. Out of them hath mischief proceeded, and unto them it shall return.” And again He saith: “When the Standard of Truth is made manifest, the people of both the East and the West curse it.”(37) Should anyone dispute these Traditions, this Servant will undertake to establish their validity, since the details of their transmission have been omitted here for the sake of brevity. 234 Those doctors who have indeed drunk of the cup of renunciation have never interfered with this Servant. Thus, for example, Shaykh Murtaḍá(38)—may God exalt his station and cause him to repose beneath the canopy of His grace!—showed forth kindness during Our sojourn in ‘Iráq, and never spoke of this Cause otherwise than as God hath given leave. We beseech God to graciously assist all to do His will and pleasure. 235 Now, however, all have lost sight of every other consideration, and are bent upon the persecution of this people. Thus, if it be inquired of certain persons who, by the grace of their Lord, repose beneath the shadow of thy royal mercy and enjoy countless favours, “What service have ye rendered in return for these royal favours? Have ye through wise policy annexed a further territory to the realm? Have ye applied yourselves to aught that would secure the welfare of the people, the prosperity of the kingdom, and the lasting glory of the state?”, they will have no other reply than to designate, justly or falsely, a group of people before thy royal presence as Bábís, and forthwith to engage in massacre and pillage. In Tabríz, for instance, and in the Egyptian town of Manṣúríyyih, a number of this people were ransomed and large sums were seized, yet no account of these matters was ever made in the court of thy presence. 236 The reason for which all these things have come to pass is that their persecutors, finding these unfortunate ones without protection, have forgone more weighty matters and occupied themselves instead with harassing this afflicted people. Numerous confessions and divers creeds abide peacefully beneath the shadow of thy sovereignty. Let this people be also numbered with them. Nay, those who serve the King should be animated by such lofty aims and sublime intentions as to continually strive to bring all religions beneath the shelter of his shadow, and to rule over them with perfect justice.