Bahá’í World/Volume 3/Excerpts from Bahá’í Sacred Writings
EXCERPTS FROM BAHÁ’Í
SACRED WRITINGS
FOREWORD
MANY people are still uninformed of the fact that what is said by its believers to be the Bible of Humanity—a Sacred Scripture revealed to the people of all religions and races—has found utterance in this modern age. As members of the Bahá’í Faith declare, the words of Bahá’u’lláh and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, taken down by faithful followers during the long period of imprisonment and exile from 1863 to 1921, constitute a Holy Book accepted by a large body of believers throughout the world. In these words they find an explanation of the prophecies contained in former Bibles, proofs of the spiritual unity of all religions, mystical teachings revealing the divine element in the universe and human life, reconciliation between scientific and religious truth, and powerful impulses toward world brotherhood and peace. The Bahá’í Sacred Books, according to believers, are also unique in that they include a principle for unifying members of the Faith in all lands in one democratic body of service wholly unlike the ecclesiastical organizations which have succeeded the age of the prophet in previous religions.
A few excerpts from the writings of the Báb, of Bahá’u’lláh and of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are quoted here.—Horace Holley.
QUOTATIONS
We desire but the good of the world and the happiness of the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer-up of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment. . . . That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection and unity between the sons of men should be strengthened; that diversity of religion should cease, and differences of race he annulled—what harm is there in this? . . . Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the “Most Great Peace” shall come. . . . Is not this that which Christ foretold? . . . Yet do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind. . . . These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family.—Bahá’u’lláh.
The root of all knowledge is knowledge of God, Glory be to Him! and this knowledge is impossible save through His Manifestation.—Bahá’u’lláh.
O Son of Man! Upon the tree of effulgent glory I have hung for thee the choicest fruits, wherefore hast thou turned away and contented thyself with that which is less good? Return then unto that which is better for thee in the realm on high.
O Son of Spirit! Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.
O Son of the Supreme! To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away from Our desire and seek thine own?
O Son of Being! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds.
O Son of the Supreme! I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?
O Son of Spirit! With the joyful tidings
of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court
of holiness I summon thee; abide therein[Page 66]
that thou mayest live in peace for evermore.
O Son of Spirit! The spirit of holiness beareth unto thee the joyful tidings of reunion; wherefore dost thou grieve? The spirit of power confirmeth thee in His cause; why dost thou veil thyself? The light of His countenance doth lead thee; how canst thou go astray?
O Son of Man! Wert thou to speed through the immensity of space and traverse the expanse of heaven, yet thou shouldst find no rest save in submission to Our command and humbleness before Our Face.
O Son of Man! Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.
O Son of Man! Thou dost wish for gold and I desire thy freedom from it. Thou thinkest thyself rich in its possession, and I recognise thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom. By My life! this is My knowledge, and that is thy fancy; how can My way accord with thine?
O Son of Man! The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I may abide.
O Son of Being! Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.
O Son of Spirit! The bird seeketh its nest; the nightingale the charm of the rose; whilst those birds, the hearts of men, content with transient dust, have strayed far from their eternal nest, and with eyes turned towards the slough of heedlessness are bereft of the glory of the divine presence. Alas! how strange and pitiful; for a mere cupful, they have turned away from the billowing seas of the Most High, and remained far from the most effulgent horizon.
O Son of Dust! Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.
O Bond Slave of the World! Many a dawn hath the breeze of My loving-kindness wafted over thee and found thee upon the bed of heedlessness fast asleep. Bewailing then thy plight it returned whence it came.
O Son of Earth! Wouldst thou have Me, seek none other than Me; and wouldst thou gaze upon My beauty, close thine eyes to the world and all that is therein; for My will and the will of another than Me, even as fire and water, cannot dwell together in one heart.
O Befriended Stranger! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The healer of all thy ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life.
Alas! Alas! O Lovers of Worldly Desire! Even as the swiftness of lightning ye have passed by the beloved one, and have set your hearts on satanic fancies. Ye bow the knee before your vain imagining, and call it truth. Ye turn your eyes towards the thorn, and name it a flower. Not a pure breath have ye breathed, nor hath the breeze of detachment been wafted from the meadows of your hearts. Ye have cast to the winds the loving counsels of the Beloved and have effaced them utterly from the tablet of your hearts, and even as the beasts of the field, ye move and have your being within the pastures of desire and passion.
O Son of My Handmaid! Be not troubled in poverty nor confident in riches, for poverty is followed by riches, and riches are followed by poverty. Yet to be poor in all save God is a wondrous gift, belittle not the value thereof, for in the end it will make thee rich in God, and thus thou shalt know the meaning of the utterance, “In truth ye are the poor,” and the holy words: “God is the all-possessing” shall even as the true morn break forth gloriously resplendent upon the horizon of the lover’s
Views of the public square of Tabríz: The scene of the Báb’s martyrdom. The mark “X” on the upper photograph indicates the spot where He was suspended and shot.
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heart, and abide secure on the throne of
wealth.
O Children of Vainglory! For a fleeting sovereignty ye have abandoned My imperishable dominion, and have adorned yourselves with the gay livery of the world and made of it your boast. By My beauty! All will I gather beneath the one-colored covering of the dust and efface all these diverse colors save them that choose My own, and that is purging from every color.
O Son of Justice! In the night-season the beauty of the immortal Being hath repaired from the emerald height of fidelity unto the Sadratu’l-Muntahá, and wept with such a weeping that the concourse on high and the dwellers of the realms above wailed at His lamenting. Whereupon there was asked, Why the wailing and weeping? He made reply: As bidden I waited expectant upon the hill of faithfulness, yet inhaled not from them that dwell on earth the fragrance of fidelity. Then summoned to return I beheld, and lo! certain doves of holiness were sore tried within the claws of the dogs of earth. Thereupon the Maid of heaven hastened forth unveiled and resplendent from Her mystic mansion, and asked of their names, and all were told but one. And when urged, the first letter thereof was uttered, whereupon the dwellers of the celestial chambers rushed forth out of their habitation of glory. And whilst the second letter was pronounced they fell down, one and all, upon the dust. At that moment a voice was heard from the inmost shrine: “Thus far and no farther.” Verily we bear witness to that which they have done and now are doing.
The mystic and wondrous Bride, hidden ere this beneath the veiling of utterance, hath now, by the grace of God and His divine favor, been made manifest even as the resplendent light shed by the beauty of the Beloved. I bear witness, O friends! that the favor is complete, the argument fulfilled, the proof manifest and the evidence established. Let it now be seen what your endeavors in the path of renunciation will reveal. In this wise hath the divine favor been fully vouehsafed unto you and unto them that are in heaven and on earth. All praise to God, the Lord of all Worlds.
Amongst the proofs demonstrating the truth of this Revelation is this, that in every age and Dispensation, whenever the Invisible Essence was revealed in the Person of His Manifestation, certain souls, obscure and free from all worldly entanglements, would seek illumination from the Sun of Prophethood and Moon of Divine Guidance, and would attain unto the Divine Presence. For this reason, the divines of the age and those possessed of wealth, would scorn and scoff at these people. Even as He hath revealed concerning them that erred: “Then said the chiefs of His people who believed not, ‘We see in thee but a man like ourselves; and we see not who have followed thee except our meanest ones of hasty judgment, nor see we any excellence in you above ourselves: nay, we deem you liars.’ ” They cavilled at those holy Manifestations, and protested saying: “None hath followed you except the abject amongst us, they who are worthy of no attention.” Their aim was to show that no one amongst the learned, the wealthy, and the renowned believed in them. By this and similar proofs they sought to demonstrate the falsity of Him that speaketh naught but the truth.
In this most conspicuous Dispensation, however, this most mighty Sovereignty, a number of illumined divines, of men of consummate learning, of doctors of mature wisdom, have attained unto His Court, drunk the Cup of His Divine Presence, and been invested with the honor of His most excellent favor. They have renounced, for the sake of the Beloved, the world and all that is therein.
All these were guided by the light of
that Sun of Divine Revelation, all
confessed and acknowledged His truth. Such
was their faith, that most of them renounced their substance and kindred, and
cleaved to the good—pleasure of the All-Glorious. They laid down their lives for
their Well-Beloved, and surrendered their
all in His path. Their breasts were made
the target for the darts of the enemy, and
their heads adorned the spears of the infidel.
No land remained which did not drink the
blood of these embodiments of detachment,
and no sword that did not wound their
necks. Their deeds, alone, testify to the[Page 69]
truth of their words. Doth not the testimony of these holy souls, who have so gloriously risen to offer up their lives for their
Beloved that the whole world marveled
at the manner of their sacrifice, suffice the
people of this day? Is it not sufficient witness against the faithlessness of those who
for a trifle betrayed their faith, who bartered away immortality for that which perisheth, who gave up the Kawthar of the Divine Presence for salty springs, and whose
one aim in life is to usurp the property of
others? Even as thou dost witness how all
of them have busied themselves with the
vanities of the world, and have strayed far
from Him Who is the Lord, the Most High.
Be fair: Is the testimony acceptable and worthy of attention of those whose deeds agree with their words, whose outward behavior conforms with their inner life? The mind is bewildered at their deeds, and the soul marveleth at their fortitude and bodily endurance. Or is the testimony of these faithless souls acceptable and worthy of attention, these souls who breathe not but the breath of selfish desire, and who lie prisoned in the cage of their idle fancies? Like the bat of darkness, they lift not their head from their couch except to pursue the transient things of the world, and find no rest by night unless they labor to advance the aims of their sordid life. Immersed in their selfish schemes, they are oblivious of the Divine Decree. In the day-time they strive with all their soul after worldly benefits, and in the night-season their sole occupation is to gratify their carnal desires. By what law or standard could men be justified in cleaving to the denials of such small-minded souls, and in ignoring the faith of them that have renounced, for the sake of the good pleasure of God, their life, and substance, their fame and renown, their reputation and honor?
With what love, what devotion, what exultation and holy rapture, they sacrificed their lives in the path of the All—Glorious! To the truth of this all witness. And yet, how can they belittle this Revelation? Hath any age witnessed such momentous happenings? If these Companions be not the true strivers after God, who else could be called by this name? Have these Companions been seekers after power or glory? Have they ever yearned for riches? Have they cherished any desire except the good pleasure of God? If these Companions, with all their marvelous testimonies and Wondrous Works, be false, who then is worthy to claim for himself the truth? By the righteousness of God! Their very deeds are a sufficient testimony, and an irrefutable proof unto all the peoples of the earth, were men to ponder in their hearts the mysteries of Divine Revelation. “And they who act unjustly shall soon know what a lot awaiteth them!”
Consider these martyrs of unquestioned sincerity, to whose truthfulness testifieth the explicit text of the Book, and all of whom, as thou hast witnessed, have sacrificed their life, their substance, their wives, their children, their all, and ascended unto the loftiest chambers of Paradise. Is it fair to reject the testimony of these detached and exalted beings to the truth of this pre—eminent and glorious Revelation, and to regard as acceptable the denunciations which have been uttered against this resplendent Light by this faithless people, who for gold have forsaken their faith, and who for the sake of leadership have repudiated Him Who is the First Leader of all mankind? This, although their character is now revealed unto all people who have recognized them as those who will in no wise relinquish one jot or one tittle of their temporal authority for the sake of God’s holy Faith, how much less their life, their substance, and the like.-Bahá’u’lláh.
O thou Remnant of God! I have sacrificed myself wholly for Thee; I have accepted curses for Thy sake; and have yearned for naught but martyrdom in the path of Thy love. Sufficient Witness unto me is God, the Exalted, the Protector, the Ancient of Days!—The Báb
Methinks I heard a Voice calling in my
inmost being: “Do thou sacrifice the thing
thou lovest most in the path of God, even
as Husayn, peace be upon him, hath offered up his life for My sake.” And were
I not regardful of this inevitable mystery,
by Him in Whose hand is my soul even if
all the kings of the earth were leagued together they would be powerless to take from
me a single letter, how much less could[Page 70]
those servants who are worthy of no attention, and who verily are of the outcast!
That all may know the degree of my patience, my resignation and self-sacrifice in
the path of God.—The Báb
The Holy Manifestations who have been the sources or founders of the various religious systems were united and agreed in purpose and teaching. His Holiness Abraham, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus, Muḥammad, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, are one in spirit and reality. Moreover each Prophet fulfilled the promise of the one who came before Him and likewise each announced the one who would follow. Consider how His Holiness Abraham foretold the coming of Moses and Moses embodied the Abrahamic statement. His Holiness Moses prophesied the Messianic cycle and His Holiness Christ fulfilled the law of Moses. It is evident, therefore, that the Holy Manifestations who founded the religious systems are united and agreed; there is no differentiation possible in their mission and teachings; all are reflectors of reality and all are promulgators of the religion of God. The divine religion is reality and reality is not multiple; it is one. Therefore the foundations of the religious systems are one because all proceed from the indivisible reality; but the followers of these systems have disagreed; discord, strife and warfare have arisen among them, for they have forsaken the foundation and held to that which is but imitation and semblance. Inasmuch as imitations differ, enmity and dissension have resulted.——‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Each divine revelation is divided into two parts. The first part is essential and belongs to the eternal world. It is the exposition of divine truth and essential principles. It is the expression of the love of God. This is one in all the religions, unchangeable and immutable. The second part is not eternal; it deals with practical life, transactions and business, and changes according to the evolution of man and the requirements of the time of each prophet.—‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
Now in this world of being, the Hand of Divine Power hath firmly laid the foundations of this all-highest Bounty and this wondrous Gift. Gradually whatsoever is latent in the innermost of this Holy Cycle shall appear and be manifest, for now is but the beginning of its growth and the dayspring of the revelation of its Signs. Ere the close of this Century and of this Age, it shall be made clear and manifest how wondrous was that Springtide and how heavenly was that Gift!—‘Abdu’l-Bahá
The Universal Educator must be at the same time not only a material, but also a human and spiritual educator; and he must possess a supernatural power so that he may hold the position of a divine teacher. If he does not show forth such a holy power, he will not be able to educate, for if he be imperfect, how can he give a perfect education? If he be ignorant, how can he make others wise? If he be unjust, how can he make others just? If he be earthly, how can he make others heavenly? . . .
Christ in His blessed day in reality only educated eleven men: the greatest of them was Peter, who, nevertheless, when he was tested, thrice denied Christ. In spite of this, the Cause of Christ subsequently permeated the world. At the present day Bahá’u’lláh has educated thousands of souls who, while under the menace of the sword, raised to the highest heaven the cry of “Ya Baha’ul-‘Abhá." . . .
Now consider the influence of the sun upon the earthly beings: what signs and results became evident and clear from its nearness and remoteness, from its rising or its setting. At one time it is autumn, at another time spring; or again it is summer or winter. When the sun passes the line of the Equator, the life-giving spring will become manifest in splendor, and when it is in the summer solstice the fruits will attain to the acme of perfection, grains and plants will yield their produce, and earthly beings will attain their most complete development and growth.
In like manner when the Holy Manifestation of God, who is the sun of the world of His creation, shines upon the worlds of spirits, of thoughts, and of hearts, then the spiritual spring and new life appear, the power of the wonderful springtime becomes visible, and marvelous benefits are apparent. As you have observed, at the time of the appearance of each Manifestation of
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Glimpses of Bahá’u’lláh’s room in the mansion of Bahjí: the scene of His passing and His interview with the late Professor E. Granville Browne of Cambridge University.
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God, extraordinary progress has occurred in
the world of minds, thoughts, and spirits.
For example, in this divine age see what
development has been attained in the world
of minds and thoughts, and it is now only
the beginning of its dawn. Before long
you will see that new bounties and divine
teachings will illuminate this dark world,
and will transform these sad regions into
the paradise of Eden. . . .
Muḥammad appeared in the desert of Hijaz in the Arabian Peninsula, which was a desolate, sterile wilderness, sandy and uninhabited. Some parts, like Mecca and Medina, are extremely hot; the people are nomads with the manners and customs of the dwellers in the desert, and are entirely destitute of education and science. Muḥammad himself was illiterate, and the Qu’rán was originally written upon the bladebones of sheep, or on palm leaves. These details indicate the condition of the people to whom Muḥammad was sent. The first question He put to them was: “Why do you not accept the Pentateuch and the Gospel, and why do you not believe in Christ and Moses?” This saying presented difficulties to them, and they argued: “Our forefathers did not believe in the Pentateuch and the Gospel: tell us, why was this?” He answered, “They were misled; you ought to reject those who do not believe in the Pentateuch and the Gospel, even though they are your fathers and your ancestors.”
In such a country, and amidst such barbarous tribes, an illiterate man produced a book in which, in a perfect and eloquent style, he explained the divine attributes and perfections, the prophethood of the Messengers of God, the divine laws, and some scientific facts.
Thus, you know that before the observations of modern times, that is to say, during the first centuries and down to the fifteenth century of the Christian era, all the mathematicians of the world agreed that the earth was the center of the universe, and that the sun moved. The famous astronomer,* who was the protagonist of the new theory, discovered the movement of the earth and the immobility of the sun.
* Copernicus.
Until his time all the astronomers and philosophers of the world followed the Ptolemaic system, and whoever said anything against it was considered ignorant. Though Pythagoras, and Plato during the latter part of his life, adopted the theory that the annual movement of the sun around the zodiac does not proceed from the sun, but rather from the movement of the earth around the sun, this theory had been entirely forgotten, and the Ptolemaic system was accepted by all mathematicians. But there are some verses revealed in the Qu’rán contrary to the theory of the Ptolemaic system. One of them is: “The sun moves in a fixed place,† which shows the fixity of the sun, and its movement around an axis.” Again, in another verse, “And each star moves in its own heaven.” ‡ Thus is explained the movement of the sun, of the moon, of the earth, and of other bodies. When the Qu’rán appeared all the mathematicians ridiculed these statements, and attributed the theory to ignorance. Even the doctors of Islám, when they saw that these verses were contrary to the accepted Ptolemaic system, were obliged to explain them away.
It was not until after the fifteenth century of the Christian era, nearly nine hundred years after Muhammad, that a famous astronomer § made new observations and important discoveries by the aid of the telescope which he had invented. The rotation of the earth, the fixity of the sun, and also its movement around an axis, were discovered. It is thus evident that the verses of the Qu’rán agree with existing facts, and that the Ptolemaic system was imaginary. . . .
Since the Sanctified Realities, the universal Manifestations of God, surround the essence and qualities of the creatures, transcend and contain existing realities and understand all things, therefore their knowledge is divine knowledge, and not acquired: that is to say, it is a holy bounty, it is a divine revelation.
We will mention an example, expressly for the purpose of comprehending this subject. The most noble being on the earth
† Qu’rán, Sura 36.
‡ Qu’rán, Sura 36.
§ Galileo.
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is man. He embraces the animal, vegetable,
and mineral kingdoms: that is to say, these
conditions are contained in him to such an
extent that he is the possessor of these conditions and states; he is aware of their mysteries and of the secrets of their existence.
This is simply an example, and not an
analogy. Briefly, the universal Manifestations of God are aware of the reality of the
mysteries of beings, therefore they establish
laws which are suitable and adapted to the
state of the world of man; for religion is
the essential connection which proceeds
from the realities of things. The Manifestation, that is the Holy Lawgiver, unless
he is aware of the realities of beings, will
not comprehend the essential connection
which proceeds from the realities of things,
and he will certainly not be able to establish a religion conformable to the facts and
suited to the conditions. The Prophets of
God, the universal Manifestations, are like
skilled physicians, and the contingent world
is like the body of man: the divine laws
are the remedy and treatment. Consequently, the doctor must be aware of, and
know, all the members and parts, as well as
the constitution and state of the patient,
so that he can prescribe a medicine which
will be beneficial against the violent poison
of the disease. In reality, the doctor deduces from the disease itself the treatment
which is suited to the patient, for he diagnoses the malady, and afterwards prescribes the remedy for the illness. Unless
the malady be discovered, how can the
remedy and treatment be prescribed? The
doctor then must have a thorough knowledge of the constitution, members, organs,
and state of the patient, and be acquainted
with all diseases and all remedies, in order
to prescribe a fitting medicine.
Religion, then, is the necessary connection which emanates from the reality of things; and as the universal Manifestations of God are aware of the mysteries of beings, therefore they understand this essential connection, and by this knowledge establish the Law of God. (Excerpts from “Some Answered Questions.”)—‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
True civilization will unfurl its banner in the midmost heart of the world whenever a certain number of distinguished sovereigns of lofty aims—the shining exemplars of devotion and determination—shall, for the good and happiness of all mankind, arise with a firm resolve and clear vision to establish the cause of Universal Peace. They must make the cause of Peace the object of universal consultation, and seek by every means in their power to convene a conference of the governments of the world. They must conclude a firm treaty, and establish a covenant the provision of which shall be sound, clear and definite. They must promulgate it to the world, and cause it to be ratified by the unanimous decision of the whole human race.
This great and noble undertaking—the real source of the tranquillity of all the world—should be regarded as sacred by all who dwell on earth. All peoples and nations should bend their efforts to insure the stability and permanence of this supreme Covenant. In this universal treaty the limits and frontiers of all nations should be definitely fixed, the principles underlying the relations of governments expressly stated, and all inter-governmental agreements, relationships and obligations ascertained and clearly set forth.
In like manner, the size of the armaments of every government should be strictly limited, for if the preparation for war and the fighting forces of any government advance and increase, the suspicions of other governments will be aroused. The fundamental principle underlying this solemn Agreement should be so fixed that if one of the governments of the world should later violate any one of its provisions, all the governments on earth would arise to reduce it to utter submission, nay the human race as a whole should resolve with every power at its disposal to destroy that government. Should this greatest of all remedies be applied to the sick body of the world, humanity will assuredly recover from its ill and will remain safe and secure for all time. . . .
A few, unaware how much man can do if he will but try, regard this matter as really impracticable, and even beyond the range of human ability. Such is not the case, however. On the contrary, thanks to the unfailing grace of the Lord, to the loving-kindness of the favored of God, to
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Vargá and his son Ruhu’lláh, in prison before their martyrdom.
Badí, bearer of the Tablet of Bahá’u’lláh to Násiri’d-Dín Sháh, awaiting his martyrdom.
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the extraordinary endeavors of wise and
capable souls, and to the thoughts and ideas
of the peerless leaders of the times, nothing
whatsoever can be regarded as unattainable.
Nothing short of the highest endeavor and
the firmest determination can possibly
achieve this end. Many a cause, which past
ages have regarded as a mere dream and
fiction of the fancy, has proved in these days
to be practicable and easy of achievement.
How then can this most great and lofty
cause—the day-star in the firmament of true
civilization and the cause of the glory, the
advancement, the well-being and the success
of all humanity—be regarded as an impossibility? Of a surety, the day will come
when its beauteous light shall illuminate the
assemblage of man. (‘Abdu’l-Bahá: The
Secret of Divine Civilization.)
A thousand years must elapse ere Persia can, by the aid of material power, rise to the height of the peoples and the governments of Europe. Bahá’u’lláh, however, has illumined that land, and will surely raise her high in the eyes of all the world. That country shall so advance and develop as to excite the envy and admiration of the East and West.
The land of Hijaz, though deserted and sterile in its soil and its tribes ignorant and barbarous, yet the power of the Cause of God has made of such a spot a Point of adoration and the focal-center of world devotion.
How foolish are the people of the East to have incarcerated for well-nigh fifty years the like of this glorious Personage! But for His chains and prison, Bahá’u’lláh by this time would have gained absolute ascendancy over the minds and thoughts of the peoples of Europe, would have made of Persia the garden of Paradise, would have raised its sons in the esteem of mankind, nay He would have made it such that all peoples and governments would seek enlightenment from its people.
Consider and reflect upon the result of my few days’ stay in London and the profound effect it has had here and in the surrounding regions. Ponder then in your heart, what the coming of Bahá’u’lláh would have achieved! Had He appeared in Europe, its people would have seized their opportunity, and His Cause, by virtue of the freedom of thought, would by this time have compassed the earth. But alas! this Cause, though it first appeared in Persia, yet eventually it shall be seen how the peoples of Europe have wrested it from its hand. Take note of this and remember it in future. Ultimately you shall see how it has come to pass. And yet behold! how the Bahá’ís are still persecuted by the people of Persia!—‘Abdu’l-Bahá.
