Selections From the Writings of the Bab Part 5

O peoples of the earth! Cleave ye tenaciously to the Cord of the All-Highest G.o.d, which is but this Arabian Youth, Our Remembrance-He Who standeth concealed at the point of ice amidst the ocean of fire. _Chapter XXIX._

"O People of the earth! By the righteousness of the One ..."

O People of the earth! By the righteousness of the One true G.o.d, I am the Maid of Heaven begotten by the Spirit of Baha, abiding within the Mansion hewn out of a ma.s.s of ruby, tender and vibrant; and in this mighty Paradise naught have I ever witnessed save that which proclaimeth the Remembrance of G.o.d by extolling the virtues of this Arabian Youth. Verily there is none other G.o.d but your Lord, the All-Merciful. Magnify ye, then, His station, for behold, He is poised in the midmost heart of the All-Highest Paradise as the embodiment of the praise of G.o.d in the Tabernacle wherein His glorification is intoned.

At one time I hear His Voice as He acclaimeth Him Who is the Ever-Living, the Ancient of Days, and at another time as He speaketh of the mystery of His most august Name. And when He intoneth the anthems of the greatness of G.o.d all Paradise waileth in its longing to gaze on His Beauty, and when He chanteth words of praise and glorification of G.o.d all Paradise becomes motionless like unto ice locked in the heart of a frost-bound mountain.

Methinks I visioned Him moving along a straight middle path wherein every paradise was His Own paradise, every heaven His Own heaven, while the whole earth and all that is therein appeared but as a ring upon the finger of His servants. Glorified be G.o.d, His Creator, the Lord of everlasting sovereignty. Verily He is none other but the servant of G.o.d, the Gate of the Remnant of G.o.d your Lord, the Sovereign Truth. _Chapter XXIX._

"O Thou the Supreme Word of G.o.d! Fear not, nor be ..."

O Thou the Supreme Word of G.o.d! Fear not, nor be Thou grieved, for indeed unto such as have responded to Thy Call, whether men or women, We have a.s.sured forgiveness of sins, as known in the presence of the Best Beloved and in conformity with what Thou desirest. Verily His knowledge embraceth all things. I adjure Thee by My life, set Thy face towards Me and be not apprehensive. Verily Thou art the Exalted One among the Celestial Concourse, and Thy hidden Mystery hath, of a truth, been recorded upon the Tablet of creation in the midst of the Burning Bush. Ere long G.o.d will bestow upon Thee rulership over all men, inasmuch as His rule transcendeth the whole of creation. _Chapter x.x.xI._

"O Concourse of Shi'ihs! Fear ye G.o.d and Our Cause ..."

O Concourse of _Sh_i'ihs! Fear ye G.o.d and Our Cause which concerneth Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance of G.o.d. For great is its fire, as decreed in the Mother Book. _Chapter XL._

"Recite ye as much as convenient from this Qur'an both ..."

Recite ye as much as convenient from this Qur'an both at morn and at eventide, and chant the verses of this Book, by the leave of the eternal G.o.d, in the sweet accents of this Bird which warbleth its melody in the vault of heaven. _Chapter XLI._

"Issue forth from your cities, O peoples of the West and ..."

Issue forth from your cities, O peoples of the West and aid G.o.d ere the Day when the Lord of mercy shall come down unto you in the shadow of the clouds with the angels circling around Him,(30) exalting His praise and seeking forgiveness for such as have truly believed in Our signs. Verily His decree hath been issued, and the command of G.o.d, as given in the Mother Book, hath indeed been revealed...

Become as true brethren in the one and indivisible religion of G.o.d, free from distinction, for verily G.o.d desireth that your hearts should become mirrors unto your brethren in the Faith, so that ye find yourselves reflected in them, and they in you. This is the true Path of G.o.d, the Almighty, and He is indeed watchful over your actions. _Chapter XLVI._

"O ye peoples of the earth! Hearken unto My call, ringing ..."

O ye peoples of the earth! Hearken unto My call, ringing forth from the precincts of this sacred Tree-a Tree set ablaze by the pre-existent Fire: There is no G.o.d but Him; He is the Exalted, the All-Wise. O ye the servants of the Merciful One! Enter ye, one and all, through this Gate and follow not the steps of the Evil One, for he prompteth you to walk in the ways of impiety and wickedness; he is, in truth, your declared enemy.(31) _Chapter LI._

"Be Thou patient, O Qurratu'l-'Ayn, for G.o.d hath indeed ..."

Be Thou patient, O Qurratu'l-'Ayn, for G.o.d hath indeed pledged to establish Thy sovereignty throughout all countries and over the people that dwell therein. He is G.o.d and verily He is powerful over all things.

_Chapter LIII._

"By My glory! I will make the infidels to taste, with the ..."

By My glory! I will make the infidels to taste, with the hands of My power, retributions unknown of any one except Me, and will waft over the faithful those musk-scented breaths which I have nursed in the midmost heart of My throne; and verily the knowledge of G.o.d embraceth all things.

O concourse of light! By the righteousness of G.o.d, We speak not according to selfish desire, nor hath a single letter of this Book been revealed save by the leave of G.o.d, the Sovereign Truth. Fear ye G.o.d and entertain no doubts regarding His Cause, for verily, the Mystery of this Gate is shrouded in the mystic utterances of His Writ and hath been written beyond the impenetrable veil of concealment by the hand of G.o.d, the Lord of the visible and the invisible.

Indeed G.o.d hath created everywhere around this Gate oceans of divine elixir, tinged crimson with the essence of existence and vitalized through the animating power of the desired fruit; and for them G.o.d hath provided Arks of ruby, tender, crimson-coloured, wherein none shall sail but the people of Baha, by the leave of G.o.d, the Most Exalted; and verily He is the All-Glorious, the All-Wise. _Chapter LVII._

"The Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me: Verily, verily, I am ..."

The Lord hath, in truth, inspired Me: Verily, verily, I am G.o.d, He besides Whom there is none other G.o.d, and I am indeed the Ancient of Days...

O people of the Kingdom! By the righteousness of the true G.o.d, if ye remain steadfast upon this line which standeth upright between the two lines, ye shall, in very truth, quaff the living waters from the Fountain of this wondrous Revelation as proffered by the hand of His Remembrance...

I swear by your true Lord, by Him Who is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth, that the divine Promise concerning His Remembrance is naught but the sovereign truth and, as decreed in the Mother Book, it shall come to pa.s.s...

Say, O peoples of the earth! Were ye to a.s.semble together in order to produce the like of a single letter of My Works, ye would never be able to do so,(32) and verily G.o.d is cognizant of all things...

O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Say: Behold! Verily the Moon hath faded; verily the night hath retreated; verily the dawn hath brightened;(33) verily the command of G.o.d, your true Lord, hath been accomplished...

Out of utter nothingness, O great and omnipotent Master, Thou hast, through the celestial potency of Thy might, brought me forth and raised me up to proclaim this Revelation. I have made none other but Thee my trust; I have clung to no will but Thy Will. Thou art, in truth, the All-Sufficing and behind Thee standeth the true G.o.d, He Who overshadoweth all things. Indeed sufficient unto Me is G.o.d, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Sustainer. _Chapter LVIII._

"O Thou Remnant of G.o.d! I have sacrificed myself wholly ..."