Selections From the Writings of the Bab Part 18

All men have proceeded from G.o.d and unto Him shall all return. All shall appear before Him for judgement. He is the Lord of the Day of Resurrection, of Regeneration and of Reckoning, and His revealed Word is the Balance.

True death is realized when a person dieth to himself at the time of His Revelation in such wise that he seeketh naught except Him.

True resurrection from the sepulchres means to be quickened in conformity with His Will, through the power of His utterance.

Paradise is attainment of His good-pleasure and everlasting h.e.l.l-fire His judgement through justice.

The Day He revealeth Himself is Resurrection Day which shall last as long as He ordaineth.

Everything belongeth unto Him and is fashioned by Him. All besides Him are His creatures.

"Verily I am G.o.d, no G.o.d is there but Me, and aught ..."

In the Name of G.o.d, the Most Exalted, the Most High.

Verily I am G.o.d, no G.o.d is there but Me, and aught except Me is but My creation. Say, worship Me then, O ye, My creatures.

I have called Thee into being, have nurtured Thee, protected Thee, loved Thee, raised Thee up and have graciously chosen Thee to be the manifestation of Mine Own Self, that Thou mayest recite My verses as ordained by Me, and may summon whomsoever I have created unto My Religion which is none other than this glorious and exalted Path.

I have fashioned all created things for Thy sake, and I have, by virtue of My Will, set Thee sovereign Ruler over all mankind. Moreover, I have decreed that whoso embraceth My religion shall believe in My unity, and I have linked this belief with remembrance of Thee, and after Thee the remembrance of such as Thou hast, by My leave, caused to be the 'Letters of the Living', and of whatever hath been revealed from My religion in the Bayan. This, indeed, is what will enable the sincere among My servants to gain admittance into the celestial Paradise.

Verily, the sun is but a token from My presence so that the true believers among My servants may discern in its rising the dawning of every Dispensation.

In truth I have created Thee through Thyself, then at My Own behest I have fashioned all things through the creative power of Thy Word. We are All-Powerful. I have appointed Thee to be the Beginning and the End, the Seen and the Hidden. Verily We are the All-Knowing.

No one hath been or will ever be invested with prophethood other than Thee, nor hath any sacred Book been or will be revealed unto any one except Thee. Such is the decree ordained by Him Who is the All-Encompa.s.sing, the Best Beloved.

The Bayan is in truth Our conclusive proof for all created things, and all the peoples of the world are powerless before the revelation of its verses. It enshrineth the sum total of all the Scriptures, whether of the past or of the future, even as Thou art the Repository of all Our proofs in this Day. We cause whomsover We desire to be admitted into the gardens of our most holy, most sublime Paradise. Thus is divine revelation inaugurated in each Dispensation at Our behest. We are truly the supreme Ruler. Indeed no religion shall We ever inaugurate unless it be renewed in the days to come. This is a promise We solemnly have made. Verily We are supreme over all things...

"Say: Praise be to G.o.d Who graciously enableth whomsoever ..."

He is G.o.d, the Sovereign Lord, the All-Glorious.

Say: Praise be to G.o.d Who graciously enableth whomsoever He willeth to adore Him. Verily no G.o.d is there but Him. His are the most excellent t.i.tles; it is He Who causeth His Word to be fulfilled as He pleaseth and it is He Who leadeth those who have received illumination and seek the way of righteousness.

Fear thou G.o.d, thy Lord, and make mention of His Name in the day-time and at eventide. Follow not the promptings of the faithless, lest thou be reckoned among the exponents of idle fancies. Faithfully obey the Primal Point Who is the Lord Himself, and be of the righteous. Let nothing cause thee to be sore shaken, neither let the things which have been destined to take place in this Cause disturb thee. Strive earnestly for the sake of G.o.d and walk in the path of righteousness. Shouldst thou encounter the unbelievers, place thy whole trust in G.o.d, thy Lord, saying, Sufficient is G.o.d unto me in the kingdoms of both this world and the next.

The Day is approaching when G.o.d shall bring the faithful together. In truth no G.o.d is there other than Him.

May the peace of G.o.d be with those who have been guided aright through the power of divine guidance.

"Glorified is He to Whom pertaineth the dominion of ..."

He is G.o.d, the Supreme Ruler, the Sovereign Truth, He Whose help is implored by all.

Glorified is He to Whom pertaineth the dominion of the heavens and of the earth, in Whose hand lieth the kingdom of all created things and unto Whom shall all return. It is He Who setteth the measure a.s.signed to each and every thing and revealeth His goodly gifts and blessings in His sacred Book for the benefit of those who offer grat.i.tude for His Cause.

Say, this earthly life shall come to an end, and everyone shall expire and return unto my Lord G.o.d Who will reward with the choicest gifts the deeds of those who endure with patience. Verily thy G.o.d a.s.signeth the measure of all created things as He willeth, by virtue of His behest; and those who conform to the good-pleasure of your Lord, they are indeed among the blissful.

Thy Lord hath never raised up a prophet in the past who failed to summon the people to His Lord, and today is truly similar to the times of old, were ye to ponder over the verses revealed by G.o.d.

When G.o.d sent forth His Prophet Mu?ammad, on that day the termination of the prophetic cycle was foreordained in the knowledge of G.o.d. Yea, that promise hath indeed come true and the decree of G.o.d hath been accomplished as He hath ordained. a.s.suredly we are today living in the Days of G.o.d.

These are the glorious days on the like of which the sun hath never risen in the past. These are the days which the people in bygone times eagerly expected. What hath then befallen you that ye are fast asleep? These are the days wherein G.o.d hath caused the Day-Star of Truth to shine resplendent. What hath then caused you to keep your silence? These are the appointed days which ye have been yearningly awaiting in the past-the days of the advent of divine justice. Render ye thanks unto G.o.d, O ye concourse of believers.

Let not the deeds of those who reject the Truth shut you out as by a veil.

Such people have warrant over your bodies only, and G.o.d hath not reposed in them power over your spirits, your souls and your hearts. Fear ye G.o.d that haply it may be well with you. All things have been created for your sakes, and for the sake of naught else hath your creation been ordained.

Fear ye G.o.d and take heed lest forms and apparels debar you from recognizing Him. Render ye thanksgiving unto G.o.d that perchance He may deal mercifully with you.

This mortal life is sure to perish; its pleasures are bound to fade away and ere long ye shall return unto G.o.d, distressed with pangs of remorse, for presently ye shall be roused from your slumber, and ye shall soon find yourselves in the presence of G.o.d and will be asked of your doings.

Say, how dare ye flagrantly deny the verses sent down from the heaven of justice, yet ye read the Books of G.o.d revealed in the past? How do ye repudiate the meeting with your Lord which was appointed with you aforetime, and fail in this Day to heed His warning? Indeed, by adhering to forms and by following the promptings of your selfish desires, ye have deprived yourselves of the good-pleasure of your Lord, except those whom their Lord hath endowed with knowledge and who in this Day render thanks unto Him for the bounty of being identified with the true Faith of G.o.d.

Therefore announce ye the Message unto those who manifest virtue and teach them the ways of the One True G.o.d, that haply they may comprehend.

Withhold thy tongue from uttering that which might grieve thee and beseech G.o.d for mercy. Verily He is fully cognizant of the righteous, for He is with such of His servants as truly believe in Him, and He is not unaware of the actions of the mischief-makers, inasmuch as nothing whatever in the heavens or on the earth can escape His knowledge.

These verses, clear and conclusive, are a token of the mercy of thy Lord and a source of guidance for all mankind. They are a light unto those who believe in them and a fire of afflictive torment for those who turn away and reject them.

"O Thou who art the chosen one among women! ..."

O Thou who art the chosen one among women!

He is G.o.d; glorified is the splendour of His light. The verses in this Tablet are revealed for the one who hath believed in the signs of her Lord and is reckoned among such as are wholly devoted unto Him. Bear thou witness that verily no G.o.d is there but Him, Who is both my Lord and thine, and that no other G.o.d besides Him existeth. He is the Bountiful, the Almighty.

Yield thee thanks unto G.o.d, for He hath graciously aided thee in this Day, revealed for thee the clear verses of this Tablet, and hath numbered thee among such women as have believed in the signs of G.o.d, have taken Him as their guardian and are of the grateful. Verily G.o.d shall soon reward thee and those who have believed in His signs with an excellent reward from His presence. a.s.suredly no G.o.d is there other than Him, the All-Possessing, the Most Generous. The revelations of His bounty pervade all created things; He is the Merciful, the Compa.s.sionate.

"G.o.d testifieth that there is none other G.o.d but Him, the ..."

G.o.d testifieth that there is none other G.o.d but Him, the Almighty, the Best Beloved.