# Some Answered Questions

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Abdu'l-Bahá, Some Answered Questions, Bahá'í World Centre, 2014, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> Some Answered Questions
> 
> Abdu'l-Bahá
> 
> Bahá'í World Centre, 2014
> 
> original date
> 
> 1908
> 
> 1. Complete book
> (with foreword, preface, and notes)
> 
> The official, authorized version of this book is available for download from the
> 
> Bahá'í Reference Library in PDF and Word versions. See the following links:
> 
> Start page:
> bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/abdul-baha/some-answered-questions
> 
> Download PDF:
> some-answered-questions.pdf
> 
> Download Word:
> some-answered-questions.docx
> 
> 2. PDF of both translations side-by-side
> (prepared by Adib Masumian)
> 
> abdul-baha_saq_comparison_table.pdf
> 
> [220 pages, 1.8MB]
> 
> 3. Word document of above PDF
> 
> abdul-baha_saq_comparison_table.docx
> 
> 4. "Diff" tool to compare both
> 
> Click here to compare differences
> .
> 
> 5. Original translation:
> 
> bahai-library.com/abdul-baha_some_answered_questions-original
> 
> -->
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> 
> Jump to a particular paragraph:
> 
> Part 1: On the Influence of the Prophets in the Evolution of Humanity
> 
> Chapter 1--Nature Is Governed by a Universal Law
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> Chapter 2--Proofs and Arguments for the Existence of God
> :
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> 1
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> Chapter 3--The Need for an Educator
> :
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> Chapter 4--Abraham
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> Chapter 5--Moses
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> Chapter 6--Christ
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> Chapter 7--Muḥammad
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> Chapter 8--The Báb
> :
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> 1
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> Chapter 9--Bahá’u’lláh
> :
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> Chapter 10--Rational Proofs and Traditional Arguments from the Sacred Scriptures
> :
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> Chapter 11--Commentary on the Eleventh Chapter of the Revelation of John
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 12--Commentary on the Eleventh Chapter of Isaiah
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> Chapter 13--Commentary on the Twelfth Chapter of the Revelation of John
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 14--Material and Spiritual Cycles
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 15--True Felicity
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 7
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> 
> Part 2: Some Christian Subjects
> 
> Chapter 16--Intelligible Realities and Their Expression through Sensible Forms
> :
> 
> 1
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> Chapter 17--The Birth of Christ
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 7
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> Chapter 18--The Greatness of Christ
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 6
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> Chapter 19--True Baptism
> :
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> 1
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> Chapter 20--Baptism and the Changing Law of God
> :
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> 1
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> Chapter 21--The Bread and the Wine
> :
> 
> 1
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> Chapter 22--The Miracles of Christ
> :
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> 1
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> Chapter 23--The Resurrection of Christ
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 24--The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
> 
> Chapter 25--The Holy Spirit
> :
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> 1
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> 2
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> Chapter 26--The Second Coming of Christ and the Day of Judgement
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
> 
> Chapter 27--The Trinity
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 5
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> 7
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> 
> Chapter 28--The Pre-existence of Christ
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
> 
> Chapter 29--Sin and Atonement
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 
> Chapter 30--Adam and Eve
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 
> Chapter 31--Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 32--“Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen”
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
> ,
> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 
> Chapter 33--The Return of the Prophets
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 
> Chapter 34--Peter and the Papacy
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 35--Free Will and Predestination
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
> ,
> 3
> ,
> 4
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> 5
> ,
> 6
> 
> Part 3: On the Powers and Conditions of the Manifestations of God
> 
> Chapter 36--The Five Kinds of Spirit
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
> ,
> 3
> ,
> 4
> ,
> 5
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> 6
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> 
> Chapter 37--The Connection between God and His Manifestations
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 
> Chapter 38--The Three Stations of the Divine Manifestations
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 
> Chapter 39--The Human and the Divine Stations of the Manifestations
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 
> Chapter 40--The Knowledge of the Divine Manifestations
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 6
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> 9
> 
> Chapter 41--Universal Cycles
> :
> 1
> ,
> 2
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> 3
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> 4
> ,
> 5
> 
> Chapter 42--The Power and Perfections of the Divine Manifestations
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
> ,
> 6
> 
> Chapter 43--The Two Kinds of Prophets
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 
> Chapter 44--The Rebukes Addressed by God to the Prophets
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 5
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> 6
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> 10
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> 11
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> 13
> 
> Chapter 45--The Most Great Infallibility
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
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> 10
> 
> Part 4: On the Origin, Powers, and Conditions of Man
> 
> Chapter 46--Evolution and the True Nature of Man
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
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> 
> Chapter 47--The Origin of the Universe and the Evolution of Man
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
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> 8
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> 9
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> 10
> ,
> 11
> 
> Chapter 48--The Difference between Man and Animal
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 12
> 
> Chapter 49--Evolution and the Existence of Man
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 
> Chapter 50--Spiritual Proofs of the Originality of Man
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
> 
> Chapter 51--The Appearance of the Spirit and the Mind in Man
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
> 
> Chapter 52--The Appearance of the Spirit in the Body
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
> ,
> 6
> 
> Chapter 53--The Connection between God and His Creation
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 54--The Procession of the Human Spirit from God
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 
> Chapter 55--Spirit, Soul, and Mind
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 56--The Outward and the Inward Powers of Man
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 4
> 
> Chapter 57--The Differences in Human Character
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 58--The Extent and Limitation of Human Comprehension
> :
> 
> 1
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> 4
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> 5
> 
> Chapter 59--Man’s Comprehension of God
> :
> 
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> 
> Chapter 60-The Immortality of the Spirit (1)
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 61--The Immortality of the Spirit (2)
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 4
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> 6
> 
> Chapter 62--The Infinite Perfections of Existence and the Progress of the Soul in the Next World
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 4
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 63--The Progress of All Things within Their Own Degree
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
> 
> Chapter 64--The Station of Man and His Progress after Death
> :
> 
> 1
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 65--Faith and Works
> :
> 
> 1
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> 4
> 
> Chapter 66--The Subsistence of the Rational Soul after the Death of the Body
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 67--Eternal Life and Entrance into the Kingdom of God
> :
> 
> 1
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> 10
> 
> Chapter 68--Two Kinds of Fate
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
> 
> Chapter 69--The Influence of the Stars and the Interconnectedness of All Things
> :
> 
> 1
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> Chapter 70--Free Will and its Limits
> :
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> 
> Chapter 71--Spiritual Disclosures
> :
> 
> 1
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> 
> Chapter 72--Healing without Medicine
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 73--Healing by Material Means
> :
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> 1
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> 2
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> 4
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> 5
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> 7
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> 
> Part 5: Miscellaneous Subjects
> 
> Chapter 74--On Good and Evil
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 3
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
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> 7
> 
> Chapter 75--Two Kinds of Torment
> :
> 
> 1
> ,
> 2
> 
> Chapter 76--The Justice and Mercy of God
> :
> 
> 1
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> 2
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> 4
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> 5
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> 6
> 
> Chapter 77--The Punishment of Criminals
> :
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> 
> Chapter 78--Strikes
> :
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> 1
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> 13
> 
> Chapter 79--The Reality of the World of Being
> :
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> Chapter 80--Pre-existence and Origination
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> Chapter 81--Reincarnation
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> Chapter 82--The Unity of Existence
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> Chapter 83--The Four Criteria of Comprehension
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> Chapter 84--Good Deeds and Their Spiritual Prerequisites
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> Notes
> 
> Some Answered Questions
> 
> ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá
> 
> Collected and translated from the Persian
> by Laura Clifford Barney
> 
> Newly Revised by a Committee
> at the Bahá’í World Centre
> 
> Foreword
> 
> The spread of
> the Faith of Bahá’u’lláh to the West, in the closing decade of the nineteenth century,
> soon gave rise to a reciprocal eastward movement: Within a few short years the first
> groups of Western pilgrims arrived in the prison city of ‘Akká, where the earthly
> life and ministry of the Author of the Faith had come to a close and where ‘Abdu’l-Bahá,
> the Centre of His Covenant, continued to reside. One of the most outstanding figures
> among those early pilgrims was Laura Clifford Barney, the daughter of a socially prominent
> family of scholars and artists from Washington, D.C. She was introduced to the new
> Faith by May Bolles Maxwell in Paris around 1900 and soon thereafter made the first
> of what would be many successive visits to ‘Akká.
> 
> These were the most perilous and dramatic years of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s ministry, when He
> was confined within the walls of the prison city by the Ottoman authorities, subjected
> to continual surveillance, and confronted with the constant threat of further exile
> or of execution. Under such circumstances of stricture and suspicion, it was dangerous
> to receive visitors of any kind, let alone host prominent Western guests. Yet ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> was determined to nurture the seeds of faith so recently germinated. Thus, in the
> heart of this dark period, during the years 1904–1906, Miss Barney was able to make
> several extended visits, sometimes for weeks or months at a time, during which she
> was privileged to join Him on numerous occasions and to pose questions on a wide range
> of subjects. Many of the conversations took place at the lunch table. Arrangements
> were made for one of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s sons-in-law, or for one of His three secretaries
> of that time, to take down in Persian the text of His replies. From the resulting
> collection of notes a selection was made; ‘Abdu’l-Bahá then corrected these notes
> twice in His own hand, sometimes substantially revising them in the process as well
> as carefully reviewing the final wording.
> 
> At the completion of the selection and revision process, three different first editions
> of
> Some Answered Questions
> were released by major publishing houses in 1908: the original Persian text by E.
> J. Brill in Holland; Miss Barney’s English translation by Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner
> & Co. in London; and a French translation by Hippolyte Dreyfus (whom Miss Barney later
> married) by Ernest Leroux in Paris.
> 
> A brief perusal of the Table of Contents conveys a glimpse of the breadth of the subject
> matter covered.  includes a set of introductory talks on the influence exerted
> throughout human history by the Founders of some of the world religions, as well as
> several chapters elucidating certain prophecies of the Bible.
> Part 2
> offers fresh
> interpretations of essential elements of Christian doctrine, such as baptism, the
> Trinity, the Eucharist, and the resurrection of Christ.
> Part 3
> concerns the powers
> and conditions of the Manifestations of God—Their unique station in the world, the
> source of Their knowledge and influence, and the cyclical nature of Their appearance
> on the stage of history.
> Part 4
> addresses the origins, powers, and conditions of man,
> including the implications of human evolution on earth, the immortality of the soul,
> the nature of the mind, and the connection between the soul and the body.
> Part 5
> concludes
> with miscellaneous topics, from practical subjects such as labour relations and the
> punishment of criminals to more abstruse topics such as reincarnation and the Sufi
> notion of the unity of existence.
> 
> Broad and wide-ranging as the topics treated in
> Some Answered Questions
> may be, the book was not intended to be an exhaustive exposition of a self-contained
> system of thought, as attested by the volume’s title. A number of fundamental teachings
> of the Faith are, therefore, not explicitly mentioned. Moreover, in the course of
> the months and years that the talks were given, the same topic would sometimes be
> addressed from different perspectives in separate conversations, with the result that
> the concepts required to fully understand a given subject may be spread across different
> chapters, or the contents of a subsequent chapter may form the basis for the understanding
> of an earlier one. Finally, it should also be noted that, although ‘Abdu’l-Bahá reviewed
> and corrected the text, He did not attempt in the process to alter the basic form
> of the replies or to reorganize and consolidate the material. To develop a fuller
> picture of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s exposition of a given subject, then, the attentive reader
> should consider any chapter within the context of the entire book, and the book within
> the larger context of the entire body of the Bahá’í Teachings.
> 
> A notable case in point is the treatment of the subject of the evolution of species,
> which is taken up explicitly in
> Part 4
> , and which must be understood in light of several
> Bahá’í teachings, especially the principle of the harmony of science and religion.
> Religious belief should not contradict science and reason. A certain reading of some
> of the passages found in Chapters
> 46
> –51 may lead some believers to personal conclusions
> that contradict modern science. Yet the Universal House of Justice has explained that
> Bahá’ís strive to reconcile their understanding of the statements of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> with established scientific perspectives, and therefore it is not necessary to conclude
> that these passages describe conceptions rejected by science, for example, a kind
> of “parallel” evolution that proposes a separate line of biological evolution for
> the human species parallel to the animal kingdom since the beginning of life on earth.
> 
> A careful review of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s statements in this volume and in other sources
> suggests that His concern is not with the mechanisms of evolution but with the philosophical,
> social, and spiritual implications of the new theory. His use of the term “species”,
> for example, evokes the concept of eternal or permanent archetypes, which is not how
> the term is defined in contemporary biology. He takes into account a reality beyond
> the material realm. While ‘Abdu’l-Bahá acknowledges elsewhere the physical attributes
> that human beings share in common with the animal and that are derived from the animal
> kingdom,
> 1
> in these talks He emphasizes another capacity, a capacity for rational consciousness,
> that distinguishes man from the animal and that is not found in the animal kingdom
> or in nature itself. This unique capacity, an expression of the human spirit, is not
> a product of the evolutionary process, but exists potentially in creation. As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> explains, “…since man was produced ten or a hundred thousand years ago from the same
> earthly elements, with the same measures and quantities, the same manner of composition
> and combination, and the same interactions with other beings—it follows that man was
> exactly the same then as exists now”. “And if a thousand million years hence,” He
> goes on to say, “the component elements of man are brought together, measured out
> in the same proportion, combined in the same manner, and subjected to the same interaction
> with other beings, exactly the same man will come into existence.”
> 2
> His essential argument, then, is not directed towards scientific findings but towards
> the materialist assertions that are built upon them. For Bahá’ís, the science of evolution
> is accepted, but the conclusion that humanity is merely an accidental branch of the
> animal kingdom—with all its attendant social implications—is not.
> 
> Over the years since the original publication of
> Some Answered Questions
> , it has become increasingly clear that the translation would benefit from a careful
> and thorough revision. Miss Barney, as she herself stated, was a student of the Persian
> language and, however able, could not have entirely mastered its intricacies; and
> she could not of course have taken advantage of the brilliant illumination that was
> later to be cast upon the Sacred Texts of the Faith by the authoritative translations
> of Shoghi Effendi. Moreover, only a few necessary corrections had been made to the
> English translation during the course of its many reprintings, leaving it largely
> unchanged from the text of the first edition.
> 
> The centenary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s journeys to the West, then, presents a fitting occasion
> both to honour Laura Clifford Barney’s imperishable contribution as the primary catalyst
> and first translator of this volume, and to present an improved translation of these
> “priceless explanations”.
> 3
> The main objective of this retranslation has been to better represent the substance
> and the style of the original, in particular by capturing more clearly the subtleties
> of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s explanations, approximating more closely a style that is at once
> conversational and elevated, and by rendering more consistently the philosophical
> terms used throughout the text. While not bound by the original translation, this
> version nevertheless strives to retain many of its elegant expressions and felicitous
> turns of phrase.
> 
> Since its release,
> Some Answered Questions
> has been an authoritative repository of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s profound insight and an indispensable
> component of every Bahá’í library. Shoghi Effendi observed that the book expounds
> the basic beliefs of the Cause in a simple and clear language and regarded its content
> as essential for grasping the significance and implications of the Bahá’í Revelation.
> In
> Some Answered Questions
> , he wrote, one “will find the clue to all the perplexing questions that agitate the
> mind of man in his search after true knowledge. The more this Book is read with care
> and patience, the greater are its revelations, and the more complete the understanding
> of its inner truth and significance.”
> 4
> It is hoped that the new translation will assist future generations to access this
> inexhaustible mine “of knowledge regarding basic spiritual, ethical, and social problems”.
> 5
> 
> Author’s Preface to the First Edition
> 
> “I have given to
> you my tired moments,” were the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as He rose from table after
> answering one of my questions. As it was on this day, so it continued; between the
> hours of work, His fatigue would find relief in renewed activity; occasionally He
> was able to speak at length; but often, even though the subject might require more
> time, He would be called away after a few moments; again, days and even weeks would
> pass, in which He had no opportunity of instructing me. But I could well be patient,
> for I had always before me the greater lesson—the lesson of His personal life.
> 
> During my several visits to ‘Akká, these answers were written down in Persian while
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá spoke, not with a view to publication, but simply that I might have them
> for future study. At first they had to be adapted to the verbal translation of the
> interpreter; and later, when I had acquired a slight knowledge of Persian, to my limited
> vocabulary. This accounts for repetition of figures and phrases, for no one has a
> more extensive command of felicitous expressions than ‘Abdu’l-Bahá. In these lessons
> He is the teacher adapting Himself to His pupil, and not the orator or poet.
> 
> This book presents only certain aspects of the Bahá’í Faith, which is universal in
> its message and has for each questioner the answer suited to his special development
> and needs.
> 
> In my case the teachings were made simple, to correspond to my rudimentary knowledge,
> and are therefore in no way complete and exhaustive, as the Table of Contents may
> suggest—the Table of Contents having been added merely to indicate the subjects treated
> of. But I believe that what has been so valuable to me may be of use to others, since
> all men, notwithstanding their differences, are united in their search for reality;
> and I have therefore asked ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s permission to publish these talks.
> 
> Originally they were not given in any special order, but have now been roughly classified
> for the convenience of the reader. The Persian text has been closely followed, at
> times even to the detriment of the English, a few alterations being made in the translation
> merely where the literal rendering seemed too involved and obscure; and the interpolated
> words, required to make the meaning clearer, have not been indicated in any way in
> order to avoid the too frequent interruption of the thought by technical or explanatory
> signs. Also many of the Persian and Arabic names have been written in their simplest
> form without strictly adhering to a scientific system which would be confusing to
> the average reader.
> 
> Laura Clifford Barney
> 
> Part 1
> 
> On the Influence of the Prophets in the Evolution of Humanity
> 
> – 1 –
> 
> Nature Is Governed by a Universal Law
> 
> Nature is that
> condition or reality which outwardly is the source of the life and death, or, in
> other words, of the composition and decomposition, of all things.
> 1
> 
> This nature is subject to a sound organization, to inviolable laws, to a perfect order,
> and to a consummate design, from which it never departs. To such an extent is this
> true that were you to gaze with the eye of insight and discernment, you would observe
> that all things—from the smallest invisible atom to the largest globes in the world
> of existence, such as the sun or the other great stars and luminous bodies—are most
> perfectly organized, be it with regard to their order, their composition, their outward
> form, or their motion, and that all are subject to one universal law from which they
> never depart.
> 2
> 
> When you consider nature itself, however, you see that it has neither awareness nor
> will. For instance, the nature of fire is to burn; it burns without consciousness
> or will. The nature of water is to flow; it flows without consciousness or will. The
> nature of the sun is to shed light; it shines without consciousness or will. The nature
> of vapour is to rise; it rises without consciousness or will. It is therefore evident
> that the natural movements of all created things are compelled, and that nothing moves
> of its own will save animals and, in particular, man.
> 3
> 
> Man is able to resist and oppose nature inasmuch as he discovers the natures of things
> and, by virtue of this discovery, has mastery over nature itself. Indeed, all the
> crafts that man has devised proceed from this discovery. For example, he has invented
> the telegraph, which connects the East and the West. It is therefore evident that
> man rules over nature.
> 4
> 
> Now, can such organization, order, and laws as you observe in existence be attributed
> merely to the effect of nature, notwithstanding that nature itself has neither consciousness
> nor understanding? It is therefore evident that this nature, which has neither consciousness
> nor understanding, is in the grasp of the omnipotent Lord, Who is the Ruler of the
> world of nature and Who causes it to manifest whatsoever He desires.
> 5
> 
> Some say that human existence is among those things that have appeared in the world
> of being and that are due to the exigencies of nature. Were this true, man would be
> the branch and nature the root. But is it possible that there could exist a will,
> a consciousness, and certain perfections in the branch which are absent in the root?
> 6
> 
> Hence it is clear that nature, in its very essence, is in the grasp of God’s might,
> and that it is that Eternal and Almighty One Who subjects nature to ideal laws and
> organizing principles, and Who rules over it.
> 7
> 
> – 2 –
> 
> Proofs and Arguments for the Existence of God
> 
> Among the proofs
> and arguments for the existence of God is the fact that man has not created himself,
> but rather that his creator and fashioner is another than he. And it is certain and
> indisputable that the creator of man is not like man himself, because a powerless
> being cannot create another being, and an active creator must possess all perfections
> to produce his handiwork.
> 1
> 
> Is it possible for the handiwork to be perfect and the craftsman imperfect? Is it
> possible for a painting to be a masterpiece and the painter to be deficient in his
> craft, notwithstanding that he is its creator? No: The painting cannot be like the
> painter, for otherwise it would have painted itself. And no matter how perfect the
> painting may be, in comparison with the painter it is utterly deficient.
> 2
> 
> Thus the contingent world is the source of deficiencies and God is the source of perfection.
> The very deficiencies of the contingent world testify to God’s perfections. For example,
> when you consider man, you observe that he is weak, and this very weakness of the
> creature betokens the power of One Who is Eternal and Almighty; for were it not for
> power, weakness could not be imagined. Thus the weakness of the creature is evidence
> of the power of God: Without power there could be no weakness. This weakness makes
> it evident that there is a power in the world.
> 3
> 
> Again, in the contingent world there is poverty; hence there must be wealth for there
> to be poverty in the world. In the contingent world there is ignorance; hence there
> must be knowledge for there to be ignorance. If there were no knowledge, neither could
> there be ignorance; for ignorance is the non-existence of knowledge, and if there
> were no existence, non-existence could not be.
> 4
> 
> It is certain that the entire contingent world is subject to an order and a law which
> it can never disobey. Even man is forced to submit to death, sleep, and other conditions—that
> is, in certain matters he is compelled, and this very compulsion implies the existence
> of One Who is All-Compelling. So long as the contingent world is characterized by
> dependency, and so long as this dependency is one of its essential requirements, there
> must be One Who in His own Essence is independent of all things. In the same way,
> the very existence of a sick person shows that there must be one who is healthy; for
> without the latter the existence of the former could not be established.
> 5
> 
> It is therefore evident that there is an Eternal and Almighty One Who is the sum of
> all perfections, for otherwise He would be even as the creatures. Likewise, throughout
> the world of existence the smallest created thing attests to the existence of a creator.
> For instance, this piece of bread attests that it has a maker.
> 6
> 
> Gracious God! The change in the outward form of the smallest thing proves the existence
> of a creator: Then how could this vast, boundless universe have created itself and
> come to exist solely through the mutual interaction of the elements? How patently
> false is such a notion!
> 7
> 
> These are theoretical arguments adduced for weak souls, but if the eye of inner vision
> be opened, a hundred thousand clear proofs will be seen. Thus, when man feels the
> indwelling spirit, he is in no need of arguments for its existence; but for those
> who are deprived of the grace of the spirit, it is necessary to set forth external
> arguments.
> 8
> 
> – 3 –
> 
> The Need for an Educator
> 
> When we consider
> existence, we observe that the mineral, the vegetable, the animal, and the human
> realms, each and all, are in need of an educator.
> 1
> 
> If the land is deprived of a cultivator, it becomes a thicket of thriving weeds, but
> if a farmer is found to cultivate it, the resulting harvest provides sustenance for
> living things. It is therefore evident that the land is in need of the farmer’s cultivation.
> Consider the trees: If they remain uncultivated, they bear no fruit, and without fruit
> they are of no use. But when committed to a gardener’s care, the barren tree becomes
> fruitful, and, through cultivation, crossing, and grafting, the tree with bitter fruit
> yields sweet fruit. These are rational arguments, which are what the people of the
> world require in this day.
> 2
> 
> Consider likewise the animals: If an animal is trained, it becomes domesticated, whereas
> man, if he is left without education, becomes like an animal. Indeed, if man is abandoned
> to the rule of nature, he sinks even lower than the animal, whereas if he is educated
> he becomes even as an angel. For most animals do not devour their own kind, but men
> in the Sudan, in the middle of Africa, rend and eat each other.
> 3
> 
> Now observe that it is education that brings East and West under man’s dominion, produces
> all these marvellous crafts, promotes these mighty arts and sciences, and gives rise
> to these new discoveries and undertakings. Were it not for an educator, the means
> of comfort, civilization, and human virtues could in no wise have been acquired. If
> a man is left alone in a wilderness where he sees none of his own kind, he will undoubtedly
> become a mere animal. It is therefore clear that an educator is needed.
> 4
> 
> But education is of three kinds: material, human, and spiritual. Material education
> aims at the growth and development of the body, and consists in securing its sustenance
> and obtaining the means of its ease and comfort. This education is common to both
> man and animal.
> 5
> 
> Human education, however, consists in civilization and progress, that is, sound governance,
> social order, human welfare, commerce and industry, arts and sciences, momentous discoveries,
> and great undertakings, which are the central features distinguishing man from the
> animal.
> 6
> 
> As to divine education, it is the education of the Kingdom and consists in acquiring
> divine perfections. This is indeed true education, for by its virtue man becomes the
> focal centre of divine blessings and the embodiment of the verse “Let Us make man
> in Our image, after Our likeness.”
> 
> 1
> 
> This is the ultimate goal of the world of humanity.
> 7
> 
> Now, we need an educator who can be at the same time a material, a human, and a spiritual
> educator, that his authority may have effect at every degree of existence. And should
> anyone say, “I am endowed with perfect reason and comprehension, and have no need
> for such an educator”, he would be denying the obvious. It is as though a child were
> to say, “I have no need of education, but will act and seek the perfections of existence
> according to my own thinking and intelligence”, or as though a blind man were to claim,
> “I have no need of sight, for there are many blind people who get by.”
> 8
> 
> It is therefore clear and evident that man stands in need of an educator. This educator
> must undeniably be perfect in every way and distinguished above all men. For if he
> were like others he could never be their educator, particularly since he must at once
> be their material, human, and spiritual educator. That is, he must organize and administer
> their material affairs and establish a social order, that they may aid and assist
> each other in securing the means of livelihood and that their material affairs may
> be ordered and arranged in every respect.
> 9
> 
> He must likewise lay the foundations of human education—that is, he must so educate
> human minds and thoughts that they may become capable of substantive progress; that
> science and knowledge may expand; that the realities of things, the mysteries of the
> universe, and the properties of all that exists may be revealed; that learning, discoveries,
> and major undertakings may day by day increase; and that matters of the intellect
> may be deduced from and conveyed through the sensible.
> 10
> 
> He must also impart spiritual education, so that minds may apprehend the metaphysical
> world, breathe the sanctified breaths of the Holy Spirit, and enter into relationship
> with the Concourse on high, and that human realities may become the manifestations
> of divine blessings, that perchance all the names and attributes of God may be reflected
> in the mirror of the human reality and the meaning of the blessed verse “Let Us make
> man in Our image, after Our likeness” may be realized.
> 11
> 
> It is clear, however, that mere human power is incapable of fulfilling this great
> office, and that the results of human thought alone cannot secure such bounties. How
> can a single person, with no aid or assistance, lay the foundations of such a lofty
> edifice? A divine and spiritual power is therefore needed to enable him to carry out
> this mission. Behold! One sanctified Soul revives the world of humanity, transforms
> the face of the globe, develops the minds, quickens the souls, inaugurates a new life,
> establishes new foundations, orders the world, gathers the nations and religions under
> the shadow of one banner, delivers man from the realm of baseness and deficiency,
> and exhorts and encourages him to develop his innate and acquired perfections. Certainly
> nothing short of a divine power could accomplish this feat! One must examine this
> matter fairly, as this indeed is an occasion for fairness.
> 12
> 
> A Cause which all the governments and peoples of the earth, notwithstanding all their
> powers and their armies, are unable to promote and promulgate, one holy Soul promulgates
> without aid or assistance! Can this be accomplished through the agency of mere human
> power? No, by God! For example, Christ, alone and single-handed, raised the banner
> of peace and amity—a feat that the combined forces of all the mighty governments of
> the world are unable to accomplish. Consider how numerous are the divers governments
> and peoples—such as Italy, France, Germany, Russia, England, and the like—who have
> been gathered together under the same canopy! The point is that the advent of Christ
> brought about fellowship among these differing peoples. Indeed, some among the peoples
> who believed in Christ were so closely united as to offer up their life and substance
> for one another. Such was the case until the days of Constantine, through whom the
> Cause of Christ was exalted. After a time, however, and as a result of differing motives,
> divisions broke out again among them. Our meaning is that Christ united these nations,
> but after a long while the governments caused the resurgence of discord.
> 13
> 
> The main point is that Christ accomplished what all the kings of the earth were powerless
> to achieve. He united differing nations and changed ancient customs. Consider what
> great differences existed between Romans, Greeks, Syrians, Egyptians, Phoenicians,
> and Israelites, as well as other peoples of Europe. Christ abolished these differences
> and became the cause of concord among these peoples. Although after a long while the
> governments disrupted this unity, Christ had indeed accomplished His task.
> 14
> 
> Our meaning is that the universal Educator must be at once a material, a human, and
> a spiritual educator, and, soaring above the world of nature, must be possessed of
> another power, so that He may assume the station of a divine teacher. Were He not
> to wield such a celestial power, He would not be able to educate, for He would be
> imperfect Himself. How then could He foster perfection? If He were ignorant, how could
> He make others wise? If He were unjust, how could He make others just? If He were
> earthly, how could He make others heavenly?
> 15
> 
> Now, we must consider fairly whether these divine Manifestations that have appeared
> had all these attributes or not. If they were devoid of these attributes and perfections,
> then they were not true educators.
> 16
> 
> Therefore it is through rational arguments that we must prove to rational minds the
> prophethood of Moses, of Christ, and of the other divine Manifestations. And the proofs
> and arguments which we provide here are based on rational and not on traditional arguments.
> 17
> 
> It has thus been established by rational arguments that the world of existence stands
> in utmost need of an educator, and that its education must be achieved through a celestial
> power. There is no doubt that this celestial power is divine revelation, and that
> the world must be educated through this power which transcends human power.
> 18
> 
> – 4 –
> 
> Abraham
> 
> Among those who
> possessed this divine power and were assisted by it was Abraham. The proof is this:
> Abraham was born in Mesopotamia of a family that was ignorant of the oneness of God;
> He opposed His own people and government, and even His own kin; He rejected all their
> gods; and, alone and single-handed, He withstood a powerful nation. Such opposition
> and resistance were not simple or trivial. It is as though one were in this day to
> deny Christ among Christian nations who firmly cling to the Bible, or as though one
> were—God forbid!—to blaspheme Christ in the papal court, oppose all His followers,
> and to act thus in the most vehement manner.
> 1
> 
> These people believed not in one God but in many gods, to whom they ascribed miracles,
> and hence they all rose up against Abraham. No one supported Him except His nephew
> Lot and one or two other individuals of no consequence. At last the intensity of His
> enemies’ opposition obliged Him, utterly wronged, to forsake His native land. In reality
> He was banished that He might be reduced to naught and that no trace of Him might
> remain. Abraham then came to these regions, that is, to the Holy Land.
> 2
> 
> My point is that His enemies imagined that this exile would lead to His destruction
> and ruin. And indeed, if a man is banished from his native land, deprived of his rights,
> and oppressed from every side, he is bound—even if he be a king—to be reduced to naught.
> But Abraham stood fast and showed forth extraordinary constancy, and God changed His
> exile into abiding honour, till at last He established the oneness of God, for at
> that time the generality of mankind were idol worshippers.
> 3
> 
> This exile became the cause of the progress of Abraham’s descendants. This exile resulted
> in their being given the Holy Land. This exile resulted in the diffusion of Abraham’s
> teachings. This exile resulted in the appearance of a Jacob from the seed of Abraham,
> and of a Joseph who became ruler in Egypt. This exile resulted in the appearance of
> a Moses from that same seed. This exile resulted in the appearance of a being such
> as Christ from that lineage. This exile resulted in a Hagar being found, of whom Ishmael
> was begotten, and from whom Muḥammad in turn descended. This exile resulted in the
> appearance of the Báb from the lineage of Abraham. This exile resulted in the appearance
> of the Prophets of Israel from the progeny of Abraham—and so will it continue forevermore.
> This exile resulted in the whole of Europe and most of Asia entering under the shadow
> of the God of Israel. Behold what a power it was that enabled an emigrant to establish
> such a family, to found such a nation, and to promulgate such teachings. Now, can
> anyone claim that all this was purely fortuitous? We must be fair: Was this Man an
> Educator or not?
> 4
> 
> It behoves us to ponder awhile that if the emigration of Abraham from Ur to Aleppo
> in Syria produced such results, what will be the effect of the exile of Bahá’u’lláh
> from Ṭihrán to Ba
> gh
> dád, and from thence to Constantinople, to Rumelia, and to the
> Holy Land!
> 5
> 
> Behold then what an accomplished Educator Abraham was!
> 6
> 
> – 5 –
> 
> Moses
> 
> Moses was for
> a long time a shepherd in the wilderness. To outward seeming He was a man Who had
> been reared in the bosom of tyranny, had become reputed among men as a murderer, had
> taken up the shepherd’s staff, and was fiercely hated and reviled by Pharaoh’s government
> and people. It was such a man Who freed a great people from the fetters of captivity
> and persuaded them to leave Egypt and settle in the Holy Land.
> 1
> 
> That people had sunk to the depths of degradation and were lifted up to the heights
> of glory. They were captives and were set free. They were the most ignorant of peoples
> and became the most learned. By virtue of that which He established, they so progressed
> as to be singled out among all nations, and their fame spread to every land, to such
> a degree that when the inhabitants of neighbouring lands wanted to praise someone
> they would say, “Surely he must be an Israelite!” Moses established laws and ordinances
> that conferred new life upon the people of Israel and led them to attain the highest
> degree of civilization at that time.
> 2
> 
> Such was their progress that the philosophers of Greece would come to seek knowledge
> from the learned men of Israel. Among them was Socrates, who came to Syria and acquired
> from the children of Israel the teachings of the oneness of God and the immortality
> of the spirit. He then returned to Greece and promulgated these teachings, whereupon
> the people of that land rose up in opposition to him, accused him of impiety, arraigned
> him before the court, and condemned him to death by poison.
> 3
> 
> Now, how could a man who was a stammerer, who had been brought up in the house of
> Pharaoh, who was known among men as a murderer, and who out of fear had long been
> a fugitive and a shepherd, establish in the world so mighty a Cause that the wisest
> philosophers of the earth would be incapable of producing a thousandth part thereof?
> This is clearly an extraordinary feat.
> 4
> 
> A man with a stammering tongue can hardly sustain an ordinary conversation, let alone
> accomplish what He did! No: Were He not assisted by a divine power, He would never
> have been able to carry out such a mighty task. These are arguments that none can
> deny. The materialistic thinkers, the Greek philosophers, and the great men of Rome
> who became renowned in the world were each versed in but one branch of learning. Thus
> Galen and Hippocrates were celebrated for their skill in medicine, Aristotle in logic
> and speculative reasoning, and Plato in ethics and divine philosophy. How can a mere
> shepherd lay the foundation for all these branches of learning? There is no doubt
> that He was assisted by an extraordinary power.
> 5
> 
> Observe how the people are subjected to tests and trials. Moses struck down an Egyptian
> to prevent an act of oppression, became known among men as a murderer—especially since
> the victim belonged to the ruling nation—and was obliged to flee, and it was after
> all this that He was raised up as a Prophet. Behold how, in spite of His disrepute,
> He was aided through an extraordinary power to establish such great institutions and
> mighty undertakings!
> 6
> 
> – 6 –
> 
> Christ
> 
> Afterwards Christ appeared
> , saying, “I am born of the Holy Spirit.” If it is easy today, among Christians, to
> acknowledge the truth of this claim, at the time it was very difficult. Thus, according
> to the text of the Gospel, the Pharisees said, “Is this not the son of Joseph of Nazareth,
> whom we know? How then can he say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
> 
> 2
> 
> 1
> 
> Briefly, this Man, Who appeared lowly in the eyes of all, arose nonetheless with such
> power as to abrogate a fifteen-hundred-year-old Dispensation, notwithstanding that
> the least deviation from its laws would expose the offender to grave danger and bring
> about his death and annihilation. Moreover, in the time of Christ the general morals
> and manners of the Israelites had become entirely confused and corrupted, and Israel
> had fallen into a state of utmost degradation, misery, and bondage. At one time they
> fell captive to the Chaldeans and the Persians; at another they were under the yoke
> of the Assyrian Empire. One day they became the subjects and vassals of the Greeks;
> another they were subjugated and humiliated by the Romans.
> 2
> 
> This young Man, Christ, through an extraordinary power abrogated the ancient Mosaic
> Law and undertook to reform the morals of the people. He once again laid the foundation
> of eternal honour for the Israelites—nay, He undertook to rehabilitate the fortunes
> of the entire human race—and spread abroad teachings that were not reserved for Israel
> alone but formed the basis for the universal happiness of human society.
> 3
> 
> The first to arise to destroy Him were the Israelites—His own people and kindred.
> And to outward seeming they indeed overcame Him and reduced Him to utter abasement,
> till at last they crowned Him with the crown of thorns and crucified Him. But this
> Man, while outwardly immersed in deepest affliction, proclaimed: “This Sun will rise,
> this Light will shine resplendent, My grace will encompass the world, and all Mine
> enemies will be confounded.” And even as He spoke, so it came to pass, for all the
> kings of the earth were unable to resist Him. Nay, all their standards were cast down,
> while the standard of that Wronged One was raised to the loftiest heights.
> 4
> 
> Is this at all possible in accordance with the rules of human reason? No, by God!
> Then it is clear and evident that this glorious Being was a true Educator of the world
> of humanity and that He was aided and assisted by a divine power.
> 5
> 
> – 7 –
> 
> Muḥammad
> 
> Now as to
> Muḥammad, the people of Europe and America have heard certain tales about the Prophet,
> to which they have given credence even though the providers of these accounts, many
> of whom belonged to the ranks of the Christian clergy, were either ignorant or ill-intentioned.
> Likewise, a number of ignorant Muslims relayed unfounded tales concerning Muḥammad,
> which in their minds redounded to His glory. Thus some benighted Muslims made His
> polygamy the object of their highest praise and held it to be a sign of His wondrous
> powers, since these ignorant souls considered the multiplicity of wives to be a miraculous
> thing. The accounts of European historians rely for the most part upon the sayings
> of such ignorant people.
> 1
> 
> For example, a foolish individual once told a Christian priest that the proof of true
> greatness lies in surpassing bravery and bloodshed, and that in a single day one of
> the followers of Muḥammad had beheaded a hundred men on the battlefield! This led
> the priest to surmise that the proof of Muḥammad’s religion consisted in killing,
> which is nothing but vain imagination. On the contrary, Muḥammad’s military expeditions
> were always defensive in nature. The clear proof is this: For thirteen years both
> He and His companions endured in Mecca the most intense persecutions and were the
> constant target of the darts of hatred. Some of His companions were killed and their
> possessions pillaged; others forsook their native country and fled to foreign lands.
> Muḥammad Himself was subjected to the severest persecutions and was obliged, when
> His enemies resolved to kill Him, to flee Mecca in the middle of the night and emigrate
> to Medina. Yet even then His enemies did not relent, but pursued the Muslims all the
> way to Medina and to Abyssinia.
> 2
> 
> These Arab tribes were most barbarous and rapacious, and in comparison with them the
> wild and fierce natives of America were the Platos of the age, for they did not bury
> their children alive as these Arabs did their daughters, claiming this to be an act
> of honour and taking pride therein. Thus many of the men would threaten their wives,
> saying, “If a daughter is born to you, I will kill you.” Even to the present day the
> Arabs dread having daughters.
> 3
> 
> Moreover, one man could take a thousand wives, and most husbands had more than ten
> wives in their household. When these tribes waged war against each other, the victors
> would take captive the women and children of the vanquished, regard them as slaves,
> and engage in buying and selling them.
> 4
> 
> If a man died and left behind ten wives, the sons of these women would rush at each
> other’s mothers, and as soon as one of them had thrown his mantle over the head of
> one of his stepmothers and claimed her as his lawful property, that unfortunate woman
> would become the captive and slave of her stepson and the latter could do with her
> as he pleased. He could kill her; or shut her up in a pit; or beat, curse, and torment
> her day after day until at last she perished. In all this he was, in accordance with
> the laws and customs of the Arabs, free to do as he pleased. The rancour and jealousy,
> the hatred and enmity that must have existed between the wives of a man and their
> respective children are perfectly clear and require no elaboration. Consider then
> what the life and condition of those wronged women must have been!
> 5
> 
> Moreover, these Arab tribes subsisted upon mutual pillage and robbery, so that they
> were perpetually engaged in strife and warfare, killing one another, plundering each
> other’s property, and seizing the women and children and selling them to strangers.
> How often would the sons and daughters of a prince spend the day in luxury and ease
> and find themselves at nightfall reduced to utter abasement, wretchedness, and bondage.
> Yesterday they were princes, today they are captives; yesterday they were honoured
> ladies, today they are slaves.
> 6
> 
> It was among such tribes that Muḥammad was sent forth. For thirteen years He suffered
> at their hands every conceivable tribulation, till at last He fled the city and emigrated
> to Medina. And yet, far from desisting, these people joined forces, raised an army,
> and attacked with the aim of exterminating every man, woman, and child among His followers.
> It was under such circumstances and against such people that Muḥammad was forced to
> take up arms. This is the plain truth—we are not prompted by fanatical attachment,
> nor do we blindly seek to defend, but we examine and relate matters with fairness.
> You should likewise consider in fairness the following: If Christ Himself had been
> placed in similar circumstances and among such lawless and barbarous tribes; if for
> thirteen years He and His disciples had patiently endured every manner of cruelty
> at their hands; if they were forced through this oppression to forsake their homeland
> and take to the wilderness; and if these lawless tribes still persisted in pursuing
> them with the aim of slaughtering the men, pillaging their property, and seizing their
> women and children—how would Christ have dealt with them? If this oppression had been
> directed towards Him alone, He would have forgiven them, and such an act of forgiveness
> would have been most acceptable and praiseworthy; but had He seen that cruel and bloodthirsty
> murderers were intent upon killing, pillaging, and tormenting a number of defenceless
> souls and taking captive the women and children, it is certain that He would have
> defended the oppressed and stayed the hand of the oppressors.
> 7
> 
> What objection, then, can be directed against Muḥammad? Is it this, that He did not,
> with His followers and their women and children, place himself at the mercy of these
> lawless tribes? Moreover, to free these tribes from their bloodthirstiness was the
> greatest gift, and to curb and restrain them was pure bounty. It is like a man who
> holds in his hand a cup of poison and who is about to drink it. A loving friend would
> certainly shatter the cup and restrain the drinker. If Christ had been placed in similar
> circumstances, He would have undoubtedly delivered, through an all-conquering power,
> those men, women, and children from the claws of such ravenous wolves.
> 8
> 
> Muḥammad never fought against the Christians; on the contrary, He treated them with
> consideration and accorded them complete freedom. In Najrán there lived a community
> of Christians, and they were under His care and protection. Muḥammad said: “Should
> anyone infringe upon their rights, I myself will be his enemy and will charge him
> before God.” In the edicts He promulgated, it is clearly stated that the lives, property,
> and honour of Jews and Christians are under the protection of God; that a Muslim husband
> may not prevent his Christian wife from going to church, nor oblige her to wear a
> veil; that if she died he must entrust her remains to the care of a priest; and that
> if the Christians desired to build a church the Muslims must support them. Furthermore,
> in time of war between Islam and her enemies, the Christians were to be exempt from
> fighting, unless they desired of their own accord to join and assist the Muslims in
> battle, in view of the protection they enjoyed. In compensation for this exemption,
> they were to pay each year a small amount. In short, there are seven lengthy edicts
> on these subjects, copies of some of which are to this day extant in Jerusalem.
> 
> 3
> 
> This is the very truth and not merely my own assertion: The edict of the second Caliph
> 
> 4
> 
> is still in the custody of the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the matter is
> beyond doubt. Nevertheless, after a time, rancour and envy arose between Muslims and
> Christians as transgressions were committed by both sides.
> 9
> 
> Beyond this truth, whatever Muslims, Christians, or others may say is pure fabrication
> and proceeds from fanaticism, ignorance, or intense hostility. For example, the Muslims
> claim that the moon was cleft asunder by Muḥammad and fell upon the mountain of Mecca.
> They imagine the moon to be a small body which Muḥammad divided in twain, casting
> one part on one mountain and the other part on another! These tales are prompted by
> sheer fanaticism. Likewise, the accounts that the Christian clergy provide and the
> charges that they level are always exaggerated and often baseless.
> 10
> 
> Briefly, Muḥammad appeared in the desert of Ḥijáz in the Arabian Peninsula, which
> was a treeless and barren wilderness: sandy, desolate in the extreme, and in some
> places, such as Mecca and Medina, exceedingly hot. Its inhabitants were nomads, had
> the morals and manners of desert-dwellers, and were entirely bereft of knowledge and
> learning. Even Muḥammad Himself was illiterate, and the Qur’án was originally written
> upon the blade-bones of sheep or on palm leaves. Infer then from this the conditions
> prevailing among the people to whom Muḥammad was sent!
> 11
> 
> His first reproach to them was this: “Why do you reject the Torah and the Gospel,
> and wherefore do you refuse to believe in Christ and in Moses?” This statement came
> indeed hard upon them, for they asked: “What then is to be said of our fathers and
> forefathers, who did not believe in the Torah and the Gospel?” He answered, “They
> had gone astray, and it is incumbent upon you to renounce those who do not believe
> in the Torah and the Gospel, though they be your own forefathers.”
> 12
> 
> It was in such a land and amidst such barbarous tribes that an illiterate Man brought
> forth a Book in which the attributes and perfections of God, the prophethood of His
> Messengers, the precepts of His religion, and certain fields of knowledge and questions
> of human learning have been expounded in a most perfect and eloquent manner.
> 13
> 
> For example, as you know, before the observations of the renowned astronomer of later
> times,
> 
> 5
> 
> that is, from the first centuries down to the fifteenth century of the Christian
> era, all the mathematicians of the world were unanimous in upholding the centrality
> of the earth and the movement of the sun. This modern astronomer was the source of
> the new theory that postulated the movement of the earth and the fixity of the sun.
> Until his time, all the mathematicians and philosophers of the world held to the Ptolemaic
> system, and whosoever uttered a word against it was considered ignorant. It is true
> that Pythagoras, and Plato during the latter part of his life, conceived that the
> sun’s annual movement around the zodiac did not proceed from the sun itself but from
> the earth’s movement around it, but this theory was entirely forgotten and the Ptolemaic
> theory was universally accepted by all mathematicians. But in the Qur’án a number
> of verses were revealed which contradicted the Ptolemaic system. One of them, “The
> sun moves in a fixed place of its own”,
> 
> 6
> 
> alludes to the fixity of the sun and its movement around an axis. Likewise, in another
> verse, “And each swims in its own heaven”,
> 
> 7
> 
> the movement of the sun, the moon, the earth, and the other celestial bodies is specified.
> When the Qur’án was spread abroad, all the mathematicians scoffed and attributed this
> view to ignorance. Even the Muslim divines, finding these verses contrary to the Ptolemaic
> system, were obliged to interpret them figuratively, for the latter was accepted as
> incontrovertible fact and yet was explicitly contradicted by the Qur’án.
> 14
> 
> It was not before the fifteenth century of the Christian era, nearly nine hundred
> years after Muḥammad, that new observations were made by a famous mathematician,
> 
> 8
> 
> that the telescope was invented, that important discoveries were made, that the rotation
> of the earth and the fixity of the sun were proven, and that the latter’s movement
> about an axis was likewise discovered. Then it became evident that the explicit text
> of the Qur’án was in full agreement with reality and that the Ptolemaic system was
> sheer imagination.
> 15
> 
> In short, multitudes of Eastern peoples were reared for thirteen centuries under the
> shadow of the Muḥammadan Faith. During the Middle Ages, while Europe had sunk to the
> lowest depths of barbarity, the Arabs excelled all other nations of the earth in sciences
> and crafts, mathematics, civilization, governance, and other arts. The Educator and
> Prime Mover of the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, and the Founder of the civilization
> of human perfections among those contending clans, was an illiterate Man, Muḥammad.
> Was this illustrious Man a universal Educator or not? Let us be fair.
> 16
> 
> – 8 –
> 
> The Báb
> 
> As for the Báb
> 
> 9
> 
> —may my soul be His sacrifice!—it was at a young age, that is, in the twenty-fifth
> year of His blessed life, that He arose to proclaim His Cause. Among the
> Sh
> í‘ihs
> it is universally acknowledged that He never studied in any school, nor acquired learning
> from any teacher. To this the people of
> Sh
> íráz, each and all, bear witness. Nevertheless,
> He suddenly appeared before the people, endowed with consummate knowledge, and though
> but a merchant, confounded all the divines of Persia. Alone, He undertook a task that
> can scarcely be conceived, for the Persians are known throughout the world for their
> religious fanaticism. This illustrious Being arose with such power as to shake the
> foundations of the religious laws, customs, manners, morals, and habits of Persia,
> and instituted a new law, faith, and religion. Though the eminent men of the State,
> the majority of the people, and the leaders of religion arose one and all to destroy
> and annihilate Him, He single-handedly withstood them and set all of Persia in motion.
> How numerous the divines, the leaders, and the inhabitants of that land who with perfect
> joy and gladness offered up their lives in His path and hastened to the field of martyrdom!
> 1
> 
> The government, the nation, the clergy, and prominent leaders sought to extinguish
> His light, but to no avail. At last His moon rose, His star shone forth, His foundation
> was secured, and His horizon was flooded with light. He trained a large multitude
> through divine education and exerted a marvellous influence upon the thoughts, customs,
> morals, and manners of the Persians. He proclaimed the glad-tidings of the manifestation
> of the Sun of Bahá to all His followers and readied them for faith and certitude.
> 2
> 
> The manifestation of such marvellous signs and mighty undertakings, the influence
> exerted upon the thoughts and minds of the people, the laying of the foundations of
> progress, and the establishment of the prerequisites of success and prosperity by
> a young merchant constitute the greatest proof that He was a universal Educator—a
> fact that no fair-minded person would ever hesitate to acknowledge.
> 3
> 
> – 9 –
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh
> 
> 10
> 
> appeared at
> a time when Persia was plunged in the darkest ignorance and consumed by the blindest
> fanaticism. You have no doubt read at length the accounts that European histories
> provide of the morals, manners, and thoughts of the Persians during the last few centuries,
> and these require no repetition. Suffice it to say that Persia had sunk to such abysmal
> depths that foreign travellers would all deplore that a country which had in former
> times occupied the pinnacle of greatness and civilization had by then fallen into
> such abasement, desolation, and ruin, and that its people had been reduced to utter
> wretchedness.
> 1
> 
> It was at such a time that Bahá’u’lláh appeared. His father was a court minister,
> not a divine, and it is well known throughout Persia that He never studied in a school
> or associated with the learned and the divines. He passed the early part of His life
> in the utmost comfort and happiness, and His companions and associates were Persians
> of rank rather than learned men.
> 2
> 
> As soon as the Báb revealed His Cause, Bahá’u’lláh proclaimed: “This great Man is
> the Lord of the righteous, and it is incumbent upon all to bear allegiance unto Him.”
> He arose to promote the Cause of the Báb, adducing decisive proofs and conclusive
> arguments of His truth. Although the divines of the nation had obliged the Persian
> government to exert the most vehement opposition; although they had all issued decrees
> ordering the massacre, pillage, persecution, and annihilation of the Báb’s followers;
> and although throughout the land the people had undertaken to kill, burn, and plunder
> them, and even harass their women and children—despite all this, Bahá’u’lláh was engaged,
> with the utmost constancy and composure, in exalting the word of the Báb. Nor did
> He seek for a moment to conceal Himself, but associated openly and visibly with His
> enemies, occupied Himself with adducing proofs and arguments, and became renowned
> for exalting the Word of God. Time and again He suffered intense adversities, and
> at every moment His life was in grave danger.
> 3
> 
> He was put in chains and thrown into a subterranean dungeon. His extensive hereditary
> possessions were entirely plundered, He was four times exiled from land to land, and
> in the end He came to abide in the Most Great Prison.
> 
> 11
> 
> 4
> 
> Notwithstanding all this, the call of God was ceaselessly raised and the fame of His
> Cause was noised abroad. Such were the knowledge, learning, and perfections He evinced
> that everyone in Persia was astonished. All the learned people—friend and foe alike—who
> attained His presence in Ṭihrán, Ba
> gh
> dád, Constantinople, Adrianople, and ‘Akká
> received a complete and convincing answer to their every question. All readily acknowledged
> that in every perfection He was peerless and unique throughout the world.
> 5
> 
> It often happened in Ba
> gh
> dád that Muslim, Jewish, and Christian divines and European
> men of learning would be gathered in His blessed presence. They would each ask a different
> question and, despite their varying beliefs, would each receive so complete and convincing
> a reply as to be fully satisfied. Even the Persian divines residing in Karbilá and
> Najaf
> 
> 12
> 
> chose a learned man by the name of Mullá Ḥasan ‘Amú and dispatched him as their representative.
> He came into His blessed presence and asked a number of questions on their behalf,
> to which Bahá’u’lláh responded. He then said, “The divines fully recognize the extent
> of your knowledge and attainments, and it is acknowledged by all that you are without
> peer or equal in every field of learning. It is moreover evident that you have never
> studied or acquired this learning. But the divines say that they are not satisfied
> with this and cannot acknowledge the truth of your claim on the basis of your knowledge
> and attainments alone. They therefore ask you to produce a miracle in order to satisfy
> and assure their hearts.”
> 6
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh replied, “Although they have no right to ask this, since it is for God
> to test His creatures and not for them to test God, yet their request is in this case
> accepted and allowed. But the Cause of God is not a theatrical stage where every hour
> a new performance may be offered and every day a new demand presented. For otherwise
> the Cause of God would become the plaything of children.
> 7
> 
> “Let the divines, therefore, assemble and choose unanimously one miracle, and let
> them stipulate in writing that once it has been performed they will no longer entertain
> any doubt, but will all acknowledge and confess the truth of this Cause. Let them
> seal that paper and bring it to Me. They must fix this as the criterion of truth:
> If it be performed, they should have no remaining doubt; and if not, We shall stand
> convicted of imposture.”
> 8
> 
> That learned man arose and replied, “There is no more to be said.” He kissed Bahá’u’lláh’s
> knee, even though he was not a believer, and departed. Then he gathered the divines
> and conveyed Bahá’u’lláh’s message. They consulted together and said, “This man is
> a magician; perchance he will perform some enchantment, and then we will have no recourse”,
> and so they dared not respond.
> 9
> 
> Mullá Ḥasan ‘Amú, however, reported this fact in many gatherings. He left Karbilá
> for Kirmán
> sh
> áh and Ṭihrán, where he provided all with a detailed account of this
> episode and spoke of the fear and inaction of the divines.
> 10
> 
> Our point is that all the adversaries of Bahá’u’lláh in the East acknowledged His
> greatness, distinction, knowledge, and learning, and that in spite of their enmity
> they referred to Him as “the renowned Bahá’u’lláh”.
> 11
> 
> In brief, this most great Luminary appeared suddenly above the horizon of Persia,
> and all the people of that land, whether ministers, divines, or the general populace,
> rose against Him with the fiercest animosity, claiming that He was bent upon annihilating
> and extinguishing their religion, laws, nation, and empire, even as had been said
> of Christ. Yet Bahá’u’lláh, alone and single-handed, withstood them all without faltering
> in the slightest.
> 12
> 
> At last they said, “So long as this man is in Persia there will be no peace or tranquillity.
> He should be banished, that Persia might again find rest.” They subjected Bahá’u’lláh,
> therefore, to severe hardships so that He would be forced to seek permission to leave
> Persia, and they imagined that the lamp of the Cause would be thereby extinguished.
> But this persecution produced the contrary effect: The Cause grew in stature and its
> flame waxed brighter. It had until then spread only within Persia; this caused it
> to spread to other regions. Later they said, “Iraq is too close to Persia; we must
> dispatch Him to distant lands.” Thus the Persian government persisted until Bahá’u’lláh
> was exiled from Iraq to Constantinople. But again they saw that He did not falter
> in the least. They said, “Constantinople is a crossroads for divers peoples and nations,
> and there are many Persians there.” Hence they took further steps and had Him exiled
> to Adrianople. But that flame gathered still more intensity and the Cause grew even
> greater in stature. Finally the Persians said, “None of these locations was a place
> of humiliation: He must be sent to a place where He will be disgraced and subjected
> to trials and persecutions, and where His kindred and followers will suffer the direst
> afflictions.” Thus they chose the prison city of ‘Akká, which was reserved for rebels,
> murderers, thieves, and highway robbers, and in this wise they made Him associate
> with such people. But the power of God was made manifest, for this prison became the
> means of the promotion of His Faith and the glorification of His Word. The greatness
> of Bahá’u’lláh became apparent in that He succeeded, from within such a prison and
> under such humiliating circumstances, in wholly transforming the condition of Persia,
> in overcoming His enemies, and in proving to all the resistless power of His Cause.
> His sacred teachings spread to all regions and His Cause was firmly established.
> 13
> 
> In every province of Persia His enemies arose with the utmost hatred, seizing and
> killing, beating and burning, uprooting a thousand households, and resorting to every
> violent means to extinguish His Cause. Notwithstanding all this, He promoted His Cause
> and promulgated His teachings from within this prison of murderers, thieves, and highwaymen,
> awakening many of His most virulent enemies and making them firm believers. Such was
> the influence of His actions that the Persian government itself arose from its slumber
> and regretted what had been wrought at the hands of the wicked divines.
> 14
> 
> When Bahá’u’lláh arrived at this prison in the Holy Land, discerning souls were awakened
> to the fact that the prophecies which God had voiced through the tongue of His Prophets
> two or three thousand years before had been realized and that His promises had been
> fulfilled, for He had revealed unto certain Prophets and announced unto the Holy Land
> that the Lord of Hosts would be manifested therein. All these promises were fulfilled,
> and, but for the opposition of His enemies and His banishment and exile, it can scarcely
> be imagined how Bahá’u’lláh could have left Persia and pitched His tent in this sacred
> land. His enemies intended that this imprisonment should completely destroy and annihilate
> His Cause, but His incarceration became instead the greatest confirmation and the
> means of its promotion. The call of God reached the East and the West, and the rays
> of the Sun of Truth illumined every land. Praise be to God! Though He was a prisoner,
> His tent was raised on Mount Carmel, and He moved about with the utmost majesty. And
> whoever entered His presence, be it friend or stranger, would exclaim, “This is not
> a captive but a king!”
> 15
> 
> Immediately upon His arrival in prison, He addressed an epistle to Napoleon which
> He sent through the French ambassador, the substance of which was: “Ask what crime
> We have committed to be confined in this prison.”
> 
> 13
> 
> Napoleon made no reply. Then a second epistle was issued, which is contained in the
> Súriy-i-Haykal, and which in substance says: “O Napoleon! Since thou hast failed to
> heed and answer My call, thou shalt lose Thy dominion and be reduced to naught.”
> 
> 14
> 
> This epistle was dispatched to Napoleon by post, through the care of César Catafago
> 
> 15
> 
> and with the full knowledge of His companions in exile. The text of this address
> quickly reached all of Persia, for the Kitáb-i-Haykal was sent at that time to every
> corner of that land and this address was included therein. This took place in the
> year 1869, and as this Súriy-i-Haykal had been circulated throughout Persia and India,
> all the believers had it in their hands and were awaiting the outcome of this address.
> Not long after, in 1870, the fire of war was ignited between Germany and France, and
> although no one at the time anticipated the triumph of Germany, Napoleon was resoundingly
> defeated, surrendered to his enemies, and saw his glory changed into deepest abasement.
> 16
> 
> Tablets were likewise dispatched to other kings, among them an epistle to His Majesty
> Náṣiri’d-Dín
> Sh
> áh. In that epistle Bahá’u’lláh said: “Summon Me to thy presence
> and gather all the divines, and ask for proof and testimony, that truth might be distinguished
> from error.”
> 
> 16
> 
> His Majesty sent Bahá’u’lláh’s epistle to the divines and assigned them this task,
> but they dared not undertake it. He then asked seven of the most renowned divines
> to respond to this epistle. After a while they returned it, saying, “This man is an
> opponent of the Faith and an enemy of the King.” His Majesty the
> Sh
> áh of Persia
> was sorely vexed and said, “This is a matter of proof and testimony, of truth and
> error. What has it to do with enmity towards the government? How pitiful that we have
> shown forth such respect to these divines, and yet they cannot even reply to this
> address.”
> 17
> 
> Briefly, all that was recorded in the Tablets to the kings has come to pass. One need
> only compare their contents with the events that have transpired since the year 1870
> to see that every prediction has been fulfilled, save for a few that remain to be
> manifested in the future.
> 18
> 
> Moreover, foreign peoples and non-believers attributed wondrous works to Bahá’u’lláh.
> Some believed He was a saint, and some even wrote accounts to this effect, such as
> Siyyid Dávúdí, a Sunní divine of Ba
> gh
> dád, who composed a short treatise in which
> he related in some connection certain extraordinary feats of Bahá’u’lláh. To this
> day there are people throughout the East who do not believe in Bahá’u’lláh as a Manifestation
> of God, but who regard Him as a saint and attribute miracles to Him.
> 19
> 
> To summarize, not a single soul, whether friend or foe, who attained Bahá’u’lláh’s
> presence failed to acknowledge and attest to His greatness. Although he might not
> become a believer, he would invariably bear witness to His greatness. No sooner would
> someone appear before Him than the encounter would produce such an impression as to
> prevent him, in most cases, from uttering a word. How often would a bitter enemy resolve
> in his heart to say such-and-such or to argue so-and-so when he had attained His presence,
> only to find himself amazed, bewildered, and reduced to utter silence!
> 20
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh never studied Arabic, had a teacher or tutor, or entered a school. Nevertheless
> His eloquence and fluency in spoken Arabic, as well as in His Arabic Tablets, would
> astonish the most articulate and accomplished among the Arab men of letters, and all
> acknowledged that in this His attainments were without peer or equal.
> 21
> 
> If we carefully examine the text of the Torah, we see that none of the Manifestations
> of God ever said to those who denied Them, “Whatever miracle you desire, I am ready
> to perform, and I will submit to whatever test you propose.” Yet in His epistle to
> the
> Sh
> áh Bahá’u’lláh clearly stated: “Gather together the divines and summon Me
> to thy presence, that the proof and testimony might be established.”
> 22
> 
> For fifty years Bahá’u’lláh withstood His enemies like a mountain: They all sought
> to annihilate Him; they all assailed Him; they plotted a thousand times to crucify
> and destroy Him; and throughout those fifty years He was in the greatest peril.
> 23
> 
> As to Persia, which to this day remains in such an abject and ruinous state, every
> man of wisdom, whether from within or without her borders, who knows her true state
> of affairs recognizes that her progress, her prosperity, and her civilization depend
> entirely upon the promulgation of the teachings and the dissemination of the principles
> of this glorious Being.
> 24
> 
> In His blessed lifetime Christ educated, in reality, only eleven souls, the greatest
> of whom, Peter, nonetheless denied Him thrice when put to the test. Notwithstanding
> this, behold how the Cause of Christ subsequently pervaded the whole earth! In this
> day Bahá’u’lláh has educated thousands of souls who, under the threat of the sword,
> have raised to the highest heaven the cry of “O Thou the Glory of Glories!”
> 
> 17
> 
> and whose faces have shone as brightly as gold in the crucible of trials. Infer then
> from this what shall transpire in the future!
> 25
> 
> Now, we must be fair and acknowledge what an Educator of mankind this illustrious
> Being was, what marvellous signs He has manifested, and what power and might have
> been realized in the world of existence through Him.
> 26
> 
> – 10 –
> 
> Rational Proofs and Traditional Arguments from the Sacred Scriptures
> 
> Today at table
> let us speak a little of proofs. Had you come to this blessed spot in the days of
> the manifestation of that most resplendent Light,
> 
> 18
> 
> entered the court of His presence, and beheld His luminous countenance, you would
> have recognized that His utterance and His beauty were in want of no further proof.
> How numerous the souls who, upon attaining His presence, became at once confirmed
> believers, dispensing with any further proof ! Even those who were steeped in the
> deepest hatred and denial would, upon meeting Bahá’u’lláh, testify to His greatness,
> saying, “This is indeed a distinguished man, but how regrettable that he makes such
> a claim! For whatever else he might say would be acceptable.”
> 1
> 
> Now, since that Luminary of truth has set, all stand in need of proofs, and so we
> have been occupied with providing rational proofs. Let us mention another, and this
> undeniable proof should alone suffice any fair-minded soul: It is that this illustrious
> Being advanced His Cause from within the Most Great Prison, whence His light shone
> forth, His fame encircled the globe, and the word of His glory reached both East and
> West. To this day such a thing has never come to pass, if the matter be examined with
> fairness. But there are certain souls who, even if they were to hear every proof in
> the world, would not judge fairly! Governments and peoples with all their might failed
> to resist Him, while He, alone and single-handed, wronged and imprisoned, accomplished
> whatsoever He had purposed.
> 2
> 
> I will not mention the miracles of Bahá’u’lláh, for the hearer might say that these
> are merely traditions which may or may not be true. Such, too, is the case with the
> Gospel, where the accounts of the miracles of Christ come down to us from the Apostles
> and not from other observers, and are denied by the Jews. Were I nonetheless to mention
> the supernatural feats of Bahá’u’lláh, they are numerous and unequivocally acknowledged
> in the East, even by some of the non-believers. But these accounts cannot be a decisive
> proof and testimony for all, since the hearer might say that they are not factually
> true, as the followers of other denominations also recount miracles from their leaders.
> For instance, Hindus recount certain miracles of Brahma. How can we know that those
> are false and that these are true? If these are reported accounts, so too are those;
> if these are widely attested, then the same holds true of those. Thus such accounts
> do not constitute a sufficient proof. Of course, a miracle may be a proof for the
> eyewitness, but even then he might not be sure whether what he beheld was a true miracle
> or mere sorcery. Indeed, extraordinary feats have also been attributed to certain
> magicians.
> 3
> 
> In brief, our meaning is that many marvellous things appeared from Bahá’u’lláh, but
> we do not recount them, for not only do they not constitute a proof and testimony
> for all mankind, but they are not even a decisive proof for those who witnessed them
> and who may ascribe them to magic.
> 4
> 
> Moreover, most of the miracles attributed to the Prophets have an inner meaning. For
> instance, it is recorded in the Gospel that upon the martyrdom of Christ darkness
> fell, the earth shook, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, and the dead arose
> from their graves. If this had outwardly come to pass, it would have been a stupendous
> thing. Such an event would have undoubtedly been recorded in the chronicles of the
> time and would have seized with dismay the hearts of men. At the very least the soldiers
> would have removed Christ from the cross or would have fled. But as these events have
> not been recorded in any history, it is evident that they are not to be understood
> literally but according to their inner meaning. Our purpose is not to deny, but merely
> to say that these accounts do not constitute a decisive proof, and that they have
> an inner meaning—nothing more.
> 5
> 
> Accordingly, today at table we will refer to explanations of traditional arguments
> drawn from the Sacred Scriptures, for all that we have spoken of thus far have been
> rational arguments.
> 6
> 
> Since this is the station of searching after truth and seeking the knowledge of the
> real—that station wherein the sore athirst longs for the water of life and the struggling
> fish reaches the sea, wherein the ailing soul seeks the true physician and partakes
> of divine healing, wherein the lost caravan finds the path of truth and the aimless
> and wandering ship attains the shore of salvation—the seeker must therefore be endowed
> with certain attributes. First, he must be fair-minded and detached from all save
> God. His heart must be entirely directed towards the Supreme Horizon and freed from
> the bondage of vain and selfish desires, for these are obstacles on the path. Furthermore,
> he must endure every tribulation, embody the utmost purity and sanctity, and renounce
> the love or hatred of all the peoples of the world, lest his love for one thing hinder
> him from investigating another, or his hatred for something prevent him from discerning
> its truth. This is the station of search, and the seeker must be endowed with these
> qualities and attributes—that is, until he attains this station it will be impossible
> for him to gain the knowledge of the Sun of Truth.
> 
> 19
> 
> 7
> 
> Let us return to our theme. All the peoples of the world are awaiting two Manifestations,
> Who must be contemporaneous. This is what they all have been promised. In the Torah,
> the Jews are promised the Lord of Hosts and the Messiah. In the Gospel, the return
> of Christ and Elijah is foretold. In the religion of Muḥammad, there is the promise
> of the Mahdi and the Messiah. The same holds true of the Zoroastrians and others,
> but to belabour this matter would prolong our discourse. Our meaning is that all have
> been promised the advent of two successive Manifestations. It has been prophesied
> that, through these twin Manifestations, the earth will become another earth; all
> existence will be renewed; the contingent world will be clothed with the robe of a
> new life; justice and righteousness will encompass the globe; hatred and enmity will
> disappear; whatever is the cause of division among peoples, races, and nations will
> be obliterated; and that which ensures unity, harmony, and concord will be promoted.
> The heedless will arise from their slumber; the blind will see; the deaf will hear;
> the dumb will speak; the sick will be healed; the dead will be quickened; and war
> will give way to peace. Enmity will be transmuted into love; the root causes of contention
> and strife will be eliminated; mankind will attain true felicity; this world will
> mirror forth the heavenly Kingdom; and the earth below will become the throne of the
> realm above. All nations will become one nation; all religions will become one religion;
> all mankind will become one family and one kindred; all the regions of the earth will
> become as one; racial, national, personal, linguistic, and political prejudices will
> be effaced and extinguished; and all will attain everlasting life under the shadow
> of the Lord of Hosts.
> 8
> 
> Now, one must prove the advent of these twin Manifestations by reference to the Sacred
> Scriptures and by inference from the sayings of the Prophets. For our intention now
> is to provide arguments drawn from the Sacred Scriptures, since rational arguments
> establishing the truth of these two Manifestations were presented at table a few days
> ago.
> 
> 20
> 
> 9
> 
> The Book of Daniel fixes the period between the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the martyrdom
> of Christ at seventy weeks,
> 
> 21
> 
> for it is through the martyrdom of Christ that the sacrifice is ended and the altar
> destroyed. This prophecy thus refers to the advent of Christ.
> 10
> 
> These seventy weeks begin with the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem, concerning
> which four edicts were issued by three kings. The first was by Cyrus in 536 B.C.,
> and this is recorded in the first chapter of the Book of Ezra. The second edict regarding
> the rebuilding of Jerusalem was issued by Darius of Persia in 519 B.C., and this is
> recorded in the sixth chapter of Ezra. The third was issued by Artaxerxes in the seventh
> year of his reign, that is, in 457 B.C., and this is recorded in the seventh chapter
> of Ezra. The fourth edict was issued by Artaxerxes in 444 B.C., and this is recorded
> in the second chapter of Nehemiah.
> 11
> 
> What Daniel intended is the third edict, which was issued in 457 B.C. Seventy weeks
> makes 490 days. Each day, according to the text of the Bible, is one year, for in
> the Torah it is said: “The day of the Lord is one year.”
> 
> 22
> 
> Therefore, 490 days is 490 years. The third edict of Artaxerxes was issued 457 years
> before the birth of Christ, and Christ was thirty-three years old at the time of His
> martyrdom and ascension. Thirty-three added to 457 is 490, which is the time announced
> by Daniel for the advent of Christ.
> 12
> 
> But in Daniel 9:25 this is expressed in another manner, that is, as seven weeks and
> sixty-two weeks, which outwardly differs from the first statement. Many have been
> at a loss to reconcile these two statements. How can reference be made to seventy
> weeks in one place and to sixty-two weeks and seven weeks in another? These two statements
> do not accord.
> 13
> 
> In reality Daniel is referring to two different dates. One begins with the edict Artaxerxes
> issued to Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem, and corresponds to the seventy weeks which came
> to an end with the ascension of Christ, when sacrifice and oblation were ended through
> His martyrdom. The second begins after the completion of the rebuilding of Jerusalem,
> which is sixty-two weeks until the ascension of Christ. The rebuilding of Jerusalem
> took seven weeks, which is equivalent to forty-nine years. Seven weeks added to sixty-two
> weeks makes sixty-nine weeks, and in the last week the ascension of Christ took place.
> This completes the seventy weeks, and no contradiction remains.
> 14
> 
> Now that the advent of Christ has been proven through the prophecies of Daniel, let
> us establish the advent of Bahá’u’lláh and of the Báb. So far we have only provided
> rational arguments; let us now turn to traditional ones.
> 15
> 
> In Daniel 8:13 it is said: “Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said
> unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily
> sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the
> host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred
> days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”, until it says: “at the time of the end
> shall be the vision”. That is to say, how long shall this misfortune, this ruin, this
> abasement and degradation endure? Or, when will the morn of Revelation dawn? Then
> he said, “two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed”.
> Briefly, the point is that he fixes a period of 2,300 years, for according to the
> text of the Torah each day is one year. Therefore, from the date of the edict of Artaxerxes
> to rebuild Jerusalem until the day of the birth of Christ there are 456 years, and
> from the birth of Christ until the day of the advent of the Báb there are 1,844 years,
> and if 456 years are added to this number it makes 2,300 years. That is to say, the
> fulfilment of the vision of Daniel took place in A.D. 1844, and this is the year of
> the advent of the Báb. Examine the text of the Book of Daniel and observe how clearly
> he fixes the year of His advent! There could indeed be no clearer prophecy for a Manifestation
> than this.
> 16
> 
> In Matthew 24:3 Christ clearly says that what Daniel meant by this prophecy was the
> date of the advent, and this is the verse: “As He sat upon the mount of Olives, the
> disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and
> what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Among the words
> He uttered in reply were the following: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination
> of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth,
> let him understand).” Thus He referred them to the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel,
> implying that whoever reads it should grasp when that time shall be. Consider how
> clearly the advent of the Báb has been specified in the Torah and the Gospel!
> 17
> 
> Let us now establish the date of the advent of Bahá’u’lláh from the Torah. This date
> is calculated in lunar years from the revelation of the mission and the emigration
> of Muḥammad. For in the religion of Muḥammad the lunar calendar is used, and all the
> ordinances regarding religious observances have been expressed in terms of that calendar.
> 18
> 
> In Daniel 12:6 it is said: “And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon
> the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders? And I heard
> the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up
> his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever
> that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when He shall have accomplished
> to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”
> 19
> 
> As I have already explained the meaning of “day”, no further explanation is needed,
> but let me briefly say that each day of the Father is equivalent to one year, and
> each year consists of twelve months. Thus three and a half years makes forty-two months,
> and forty-two months is 1,260 days, and each day in the Bible is equivalent to one
> year. And it is in the very year 1260 from the emigration of Muḥammad, according to
> the Muslim calendar, that the Báb, the Herald of Bahá’u’lláh, revealed His mission.
> 20
> 
> Afterwards, in verses 11 and 12, it is said: “And from the time that the daily sacrifice
> shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate be set up, there shall
> be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh
> to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
> 21
> 
> The commencement of this lunar reckoning is from the day of the proclamation of the
> prophethood of Muḥammad in the land of Ḥijáz; and that was three years after the revelation
> of His mission, because in the beginning the prophethood of Muḥammad was concealed,
> and no one knew of it save
> Kh
> adíjih and Ibn-i-Nawfal,
> 
> 23
> 
> until it was publicly announced three years later. And it was in the year 1290 from
> the proclamation of the mission of Muḥammad that Bahá’u’lláh announced His Revelation.
> 
> 24
> 
> 22
> 
> – 11 –
> 
> Commentary on the Eleventh Chapter of the Revelation of John
> 
> In Revelation
> 11:1–2 it is said: “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel
> stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship
> therein. But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not;
> for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty
> and two months.”
> 1
> 
> By this reed is meant the Perfect Man, and the reason for His being likened to a reed
> is that when the latter is entirely freed and emptied of its pith, it becomes capable
> of producing wondrous melodies. Moreover, these songs and airs proceed not from the
> reed itself but from the player who blows into it. In the same way, the sanctified
> heart of that blessed Being is free and empty of all save God, is averse to and exempt
> from attachment to every selfish inclination, and is intimately acquainted with the
> breath of the Divine Spirit. That which He utters proceeds not from Himself but from
> the ideal Player and from divine revelation. Hence He is likened to a reed, and that
> reed is like a rod; that is, it is the succour of the weak and the support of every
> mortal soul. It is the rod of the True Shepherd by which He guards His flock and leads
> it about in the pastures of the Kingdom.
> 2
> 
> Then it is said that the angel addressed him, saying, “Rise, and measure the temple
> of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein”; that is, weigh and gauge. To
> gauge is to determine the quantity of a thing. Thus the angel said: Weigh the Holy
> of Holies, and the altar, and them that are worshipping therein—that is, investigate
> their true condition; discover their rank and station, their attainments, their perfections,
> their conduct, and their attributes; and acquaint thyself with the mysteries of those
> holy souls who abide in the station of purity and sanctity in the Holy of Holies.
> 3
> 
> “But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is
> given unto the Gentiles.” When, in the beginning of the seventh century of the Christian
> era, Jerusalem was conquered, the Holy of Holies—that is, the edifice that Solomon
> had erected—was outwardly preserved, but its outer court was seized and given over
> to the Gentiles.
> 4
> 
> “And the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months”; that is, the
> Gentiles will seize and subdue Jerusalem for forty-two months, or 1,260 days, or—each
> day being equivalent to a year—1,260 years, which is the duration of the Qur’anic
> Dispensation. For according to the text of the Bible each day is a year, as it is
> said in Ezekiel 4:6: “thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days:
> I have appointed thee each day for a year”.
> 5
> 
> This is a prophecy concerning the duration of the Dispensation of Islam, when Jerusalem
> was trodden underfoot, meaning that it was dishonoured, while the Holy of Holies remained
> preserved, guarded, and honoured. This state of affairs continued until the year 1260.
> This 1,260 years is a prophecy concerning the advent of the Báb, the “Gate” leading
> to Bahá’u’lláh, which took place in the year A.H. 1260. As the period of 1,260 years
> has been completed, the Holy City of Jerusalem is now beginning to prosper and flourish
> again. Anyone who saw Jerusalem sixty years ago, and who sees it again today, will
> recognize how it has come to prosper and flourish and how it has regained its honour.
> 6
> 
> This is the outward sense of these verses of the Revelation of John, but they also
> have an inward interpretation and a symbolic meaning, which is as follows. The religion
> of God consists of two parts: One is the very foundation and belongs to the spiritual
> realm; that is, it pertains to spiritual virtues and divine qualities. This part suffers
> neither change nor alteration: It is the Holy of Holies, which constitutes the essence
> of the religion of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muḥammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh,
> and which will endure throughout all the prophetic Dispensations. It will never be
> abrogated, for it consists in spiritual rather than material truth. It is faith, knowledge,
> certitude, justice, piety, high-mindedness, trustworthiness, love of God, and charity.
> It is mercy to the poor, assistance to the oppressed, generosity to the needy, and
> upliftment of the fallen. It is purity, detachment, humility, forbearance, patience,
> and constancy. These are divine qualities. These commandments will never be abrogated,
> but will remain in force and effect for all eternity. These human virtues are renewed
> in every Dispensation; for at the close of each Dispensation the spirit of the law
> of God, which consists in the human virtues, vanishes in substance and persists only
> in form.
> 7
> 
> Thus, at the end of the Mosaic Dispensation, which coincided with the advent of Christ,
> the true religion of God vanished from among the Jews, leaving behind a form without
> a spirit. The Holy of Holies was no more, but the outer court of the Temple—which
> signifies the outward form of the religion—fell into the hands of the Gentiles. In
> the same way, the very heart of the religion of Christ, which consists in the greatest
> human virtues, is no more, but its outward form has remained in the hands of the priests
> and monks. Likewise, the foundation of the religion of Muḥammad is no more, but its
> outward form remains in the hands of the Muslim divines.
> 8
> 
> Those foundations of the religion of God, however, which are spiritual and consist
> in human virtues, are never subject to abrogation but are eternal and everlasting,
> and are renewed in every prophetic Dispensation.
> 9
> 
> The second part of the religion of God, which pertains to the material world and which
> concerns such things as fasting; prayer; worship; marriage; divorce; manumission;
> legal rulings; transactions; and penalties and punishments for murder, assault, theft,
> and injury, is changed and altered in every prophetic Dispensation and may be abrogated—for
> policies, transactions, punishments, and other laws are bound to change according
> to the exigencies of the time.
> 10
> 
> Briefly, what is meant by the term “Holy of Holies” is that spiritual law which can
> never be changed or abrogated, and what is meant by the “Holy City” is the material
> law which may indeed be abrogated; and this material law—the Holy City—was to be trodden
> underfoot for 1,260 years.
> 11
> 
> “And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two
> hundred and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth.”
> 
> 25
> 
> By these two witnesses are intended Muḥammad the Messenger of God and ‘Alí the son
> of Abú Ṭálib. In the Qur’án it is said that God addressed Muḥammad, saying, “We made
> Thee a witness, a herald, and a warner”;
> 
> 26
> 
> that is, We have established Thee as one Who bears witness, Who imparts the glad-tidings
> of that which is to come, and Who warns of the wrath of God. A “witness” means one
> by whose affirmation matters are ascertained. The commandments of these two witnesses
> were to be followed for 1,260 days, each day corresponding to a year. Now, Muḥammad
> was the root and ‘Alí the branch, like Moses and Joshua. It is said they were “clothed
> in sackcloth”, meaning that they appeared to wear not a new raiment but an old one.
> In other words, they would initially appear to be of no consequence in the eyes of
> other peoples and their Cause would not seem new. For the spiritual principles of
> the religion of Muḥammad correspond to those of Christ in the Gospel, and His material
> commandments correspond for the most part to those of the Torah. This is the symbolism
> of the old raiment.
> 12
> 
> “These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of
> the earth.”
> 
> 27
> 
> These two Souls have been likened to olive trees, since all the lamps of that time
> were lit at night with olive oil. In other words, these are two Souls from whom the
> oil of divine wisdom—which is the cause of the illumination of the world—will appear,
> and through whom the lights of God will shine bright and resplendent. Thus have they
> also been likened to candlesticks. The candlestick is the locus of the light and the
> place from whence it emanates. In the same way, the light of guidance would shine
> resplendent from these luminous Countenances.
> 13
> 
> They are “standing before God”—that is, they have arisen in His service and are educating
> His creatures. For instance, they so educated the barbarous, desert-dwelling tribes
> of the Arabian Peninsula as to cause them to attain the loftiest heights of human
> civilization at the time and to spread their fame and renown throughout the world.
> 14
> 
> “And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth
> their enemies.”
> 
> 28
> 
> This means that no soul would be able to withstand their might. That is, should anyone
> seek to subvert their teachings or their law, he would be overcome and defeated by
> virtue of that law which proceeds, whether in brief or in full, from their mouth.
> In other words, they would issue a command that would destroy any enemy that would
> attempt to harm or oppose them. And so it came to pass, for their opponents were all
> vanquished, dispersed, and destroyed, and these two witnesses were outwardly assisted
> by the power of God.
> 15
> 
> “These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy.”
> 
> 29
> 
> This means that they would rule supreme in that age. In other words, the law and
> teachings of Muḥammad, and the exposition and commentaries of ‘Alí, are a heavenly
> grace. Should they wish to bestow this grace, it is in their power to do so, and should
> they wish otherwise, no rain will fall, and by “rain” is meant here the outpouring
> grace.
> 16
> 
> “And have power over waters to turn them to blood”.
> 
> 30
> 
> This means that the prophethood of Muḥammad was similar to that of Moses, and the
> power of ‘Alí like that of Joshua. That is, it was in their power, had they so desired,
> to turn the waters of the Nile into blood for the Egyptians and the deniers—or, in
> other words, to turn, in consequence of their ignorance and pride, that which was
> the source of their life into the cause of their death. Thus the sovereignty, wealth,
> and power of Pharaoh and of his people, which were the source of that nation’s life,
> became, as a result of their opposition, denial, and pride, the very cause of their
> death, ruin, destruction, degradation, and wretchedness. Hence these two witnesses
> have power to destroy nations.
> 17
> 
> “And to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will”.
> 
> 31
> 
> This means that they would also be endowed with outward power and ascendancy, that
> they might school the workers of iniquity and the embodiments of oppression and tyranny.
> For God had granted these two witnesses both outward might and inward power, and so
> it is that they reformed and educated the wicked, bloodthirsty, and iniquitous Arabs
> of the desert who were like ravening wolves and beasts.
> 18
> 
> “And when they shall have finished their testimony”
> 
> 32
> 
> —that is, when they have accomplished that which they were bidden, and have delivered
> the divine message, and promoted the religion of God, and spread abroad His heavenly
> teachings, so that the signs of spiritual life might be manifested in the souls of
> men, the light of human virtues might shine forth, and these desert tribes might achieve
> substantive progress.
> 19
> 
> “The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and
> shall overcome them, and kill them.”
> 
> 33
> 
> By this beast is meant the Umayyads, who assailed these witnesses from the pit of
> error. And indeed it came to pass that the Umayyads assailed the religion of Muḥammad
> and the truth of ‘Alí, which consist in the love of God.
> 20
> 
> “The beast made war against these two witnesses.”
> 
> 34
> 
> By this is intended a spiritual war, meaning that the beast would act in complete
> opposition to the teachings, conduct, and character of these two witnesses, to such
> an extent that the virtues and perfections that had been diffused among the peoples
> and nations by virtue of their power would entirely vanish, and animal qualities and
> carnal desires would predominate. Therefore, this beast would wage war against them
> and would gain ascendancy, meaning that the darkness of the error propagated by this
> beast would prevail throughout the world and slay those two witnesses—that is, it
> would extinguish their spiritual life amidst the people, obliterate their divine laws
> and teachings, and trample underfoot the religion of God, leaving behind naught but
> a dead and soulless body.
> 21
> 
> “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually
> is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”
> 
> 35
> 
> By “their bodies” is meant the religion of God and by “the street”, exposure to public
> view. “Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified” refers to the land of Syria
> and especially to Jerusalem, for the Umayyads had their seat of power in this land
> and it was here that the religion of God and the divine teachings first disappeared,
> leaving behind a soulless body. “Their bodies” refers to the religion of God, which
> remained as a dead and soulless body.
> 22
> 
> “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead
> bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in
> graves.”
> 
> 36
> 
> As was already explained, in the terminology of the Sacred Scriptures three days
> and a half signifies three years and a half, and three years and a half represents
> forty-two months, and forty-two months—1,260 days. Since according to the explicit
> text of the Bible each day is equivalent to a year, this means that for 1,260 years,
> which is the duration of the Qur’anic Dispensation, the nations, tribes, and peoples
> would behold their bodies; that is, they would keep the religion of God before their
> eyes but would not act in accordance with it. Yet they would not suffer these bodies—the
> religion of God—to be laid to rest in the grave. That is, they would hold fast to
> its outward form and not let it entirely vanish from their midst nor allow the body
> to be wholly destroyed and annihilated. Rather, they would forsake its reality while
> out-wardly preserving its name and remembrance.
> 23
> 
> That which is intended here are such kindreds, peoples, and nations as were gathered
> beneath the shadow of the Qur’án. These are they who would not allow the Cause and
> religion of God to be destroyed and annihilated outwardly as well. Thus, some manner
> of prayer and fasting was practised among them, but the very foundations of the religion
> of God, which are goodly character, upright conduct, and the knowledge of the divine
> mysteries, had disappeared; the light of human virtues, which proceeds from the love
> and knowledge of God, had been extinguished; the darkness of oppression and tyranny,
> of carnal desires and satanic attributes, prevailed; and the body of the religion
> of God, like unto a corpse, was exposed to public view.
> 24
> 
> For 1,260 days, each day being a year—that is, for the duration of the Islamic Dispensation—all
> that these two Persons had established as the foundations of the religion of God was
> forfeited by their followers. To such an extent were the traces of human virtues—which
> are the bestowals of God and which constituted the spirit of this religion—erased
> that truthfulness, justice, love, concord, purity, sanctity, detachment, and all the
> heavenly attributes vanished from their midst, and what remained of the religion was
> mere prayer and fasting. This condition lasted for 1,260 years, which corresponds
> to the Dispensation of the Qur’án. It was as though these two Persons had died and
> their bodies were left without a soul.
> 25
> 
> “And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall
> send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on
> the earth.”
> 
> 37
> 
> By “them that dwelt on the earth” is meant other peoples and nations, such as those
> of Europe and of distant Asian lands, who, seeing that the character of Islam had
> entirely changed; that the religion of God had been forsaken; that virtue, decency,
> and honour had vanished; and that characters had been subverted, rejoiced that the
> morals of the Muslims had been corrupted and that they stood therefore to be vanquished
> by other nations. And this indeed came to pass in a most conspicuous manner. Witness
> how this people who once wielded supreme power have been abased and subjugated!
> 26
> 
> The other nations “shall send gifts to one another”, meaning that they would help
> each other, for “these two prophets tormented them that dwelt upon the earth”; that
> is, they subdued and subjugated the other peoples and nations of the earth.
> 27
> 
> “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and
> they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.”
> 
> 38
> 
> Three days and a half, as we explained earlier, is 1,260 years. These two Persons
> whose bodies were lying soulless—that is, the teachings and the religion that Muḥammad
> had established and that ‘Alí had promoted, whose reality had vanished, and of which
> only an empty form had remained—were again endowed with spirit. That is, the spirituality
> of the religion of God that had become materiality, the virtues that had become vices,
> the love of God that had become hatred, the light that had become darkness, the divine
> qualities that had become satanic attributes, the justice that had become tyranny,
> the mercy that had become malice, the sincerity that had become hypocrisy, the guidance
> that had become error, the purity that had become carnality—all these divine teachings,
> heavenly virtues and perfections, and spiritual bounties—were, after three and a half
> days (which by the terminology of the Sacred Scriptures is 1,260 years) renewed by
> the advent of the Báb and by the allegiance of Quddús.
> 28
> 
> Thus did the breezes of sanctity waft, the light of truth shine, the life-giving springtime
> arrive, and the morn of guidance dawn. These two dead bodies were once again quickened
> to life, and these two great Personages—one the Founder and the other the promoter—arose
> and were as two candlesticks, for they illumined the whole world with the light of
> truth.
> 29
> 
> “And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they
> ascended up to heaven in a cloud”,
> 
> 39
> 
> meaning that from the invisible heaven they heard the voice of God, saying: You have
> accomplished all that was called for with regard to educating the people and conveying
> the glad-tidings of that which is to come. You have delivered My message to the people,
> raised the call of Truth, and fulfilled your every obligation. Now, even as Christ,
> you must lay down your lives in the path of the Beloved and suffer a martyr’s death.
> And so that Sun of Reality and that Moon of Guidance
> 
> 40
> 
> both set, Christ-like, beneath the horizon of the supreme sacrifice and ascended
> to the realm of Heaven.
> 30
> 
> “And their enemies beheld them.”
> 
> 41
> 
> That is, many of their enemies realized after their martyrdom the sublimity of their
> station and the excellence of their virtues, and testified to their greatness and
> their perfections.
> 31
> 
> “And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell,
> and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand.”
> 
> 42
> 
> This earthquake occurred in
> Sh
> íráz after the martyrdom of the Báb. The city was
> plunged into turmoil, and many people were killed. Great agitation ensued, moreover,
> from diseases, cholera, scarcity, famine, starvation, and other afflictions—an agitation
> the like of which had never before been witnessed.
> 32
> 
> “And the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.”
> 
> 43
> 
> When the earthquake took place in Fárs, the survivors were wailing and lamenting
> day and night, and were occupied with praising and imploring God. So great was their
> fear and agitation that at night they could find no rest or composure.
> 33
> 
> “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.”
> 
> 44
> 
> The first woe was the advent of the Apostle of God, Muḥammad the son of ‘Abdu’lláh,
> peace be upon Him. The second woe was that of the Báb, upon Him be glory and praise.
> The third woe is the great Day of the advent of the Lord of Hosts and the revelation
> of the promised Beauty. The explanation of this matter is provided in the thirtieth
> chapter of Ezekiel, where it is said: “The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,
> Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day!
> For the day is near, even the day of the Lord is near.”
> 
> 45
> 
> It is therefore evident then that the day of woe is the day of the Lord; for in that
> day woe is upon the heedless, the sinners, and the ignorant. That is why it is said,
> “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” This third woe
> is the day of the manifestation of Bahá’u’lláh, the Day of God, and it is near to
> the day of the appearance of the Báb.
> 34
> 
> “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The
> kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and
> He shall reign for ever and ever.”
> 
> 46
> 
> That angel refers to human souls who have been endowed with heavenly attributes and
> invested with an angelic nature and disposition. Voices will be lifted up and the
> appearance of the divine Manifestation will be proclaimed and noised abroad. It will
> be announced that this day is the day of the advent of the Lord of Hosts, and this
> Dispensation the merciful Dispensation of the Divine Providence. It has been promised
> and recorded in all the Sacred Books and Scriptures that in this Day of God His divine
> and spiritual sovereignty will be established, the world will be renewed, a fresh
> spirit will be breathed into the body of creation, the divine springtime will be ushered
> in, the clouds of mercy will rain down, the Sun of Truth will shine forth, the life-giving
> breezes will blow: The world of humanity will be arrayed in a new garment; the face
> of the earth will become even as the highest paradise; humanity will be educated;
> war, dissension, strife, and contention will vanish; truthfulness, uprightness, peace,
> and godliness will prevail; love, concord, and union will encompass the world; and
> God will rule forevermore—that is, a spiritual and everlasting sovereignty will be
> established. Such is the Day of God. For all the days which have come and gone were
> the days of Abraham, Moses, Christ, or of the other Prophets, but this day is the
> Day of God, inasmuch as the Sun of Truth will shine forth therein with the utmost
> intensity and radiance.
> 35
> 
> “And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their
> faces, and worshipped God, saying, We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which
> art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power, and
> hast reigned.”
> 
> 47
> 
> In every Dispensation there have been twelve chosen ones: In the time of Joseph there
> were twelve brothers; in the time of Moses there were twelve heads or chiefs of the
> tribes; in the time of Christ there were twelve Apostles; and in the time of Muḥammad
> there were twelve Imáms. But in this glorious Revelation there are twenty-four such
> souls, double the number of all the others, for so does its greatness require.
> 
> 48
> 
> These holy souls are in the presence of God seated upon their thrones, meaning that
> they reign eternally.
> 36
> 
> These twenty-four glorious souls, though they are established upon the throne of everlasting
> sovereignty, nonetheless bow down in adoration to, and are humble and submissive before,
> that universal Manifestation of God, saying, “We give Thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
> which art, and wast, and art to come; because Thou hast taken to Thee Thy great power,
> and hast reigned.” That is, Thou wilt promulgate all Thy teachings, gather all the
> people of the earth under Thy shadow, and bring all men together under a single tabernacle.
> And although sovereignty has always belonged to God, and He has ever been and will
> forever continue to be the supreme Sovereign, the reference in this instance is to
> the sovereignty of the Manifestation of His own Self, Who will promulgate such laws
> and teachings as are the very spirit of the world of humanity and the cause of everlasting
> life. That universal Manifestation will subdue the world through a spiritual power,
> not through war and strife. He will array the world with peace and harmony, not with
> swords and spears. He will establish this divine sovereignty through genuine love,
> not through military might. He will promote these divine teachings through kindness
> and amity, not through violence and arms. Even though these nations and peoples are,
> in view of the divergence of their conditions, the disparity of their customs and
> characters, and the diversity of their religions and races, even as the wolf and the
> lamb, the leopard and the kid, and the sucking child and the asp, He will so educate
> them that they will embrace, consort with, and confide in each other. Racial antipathy,
> religious animosity, and national rivalries will be entirely effaced, and all will
> attain perfect fellowship and complete harmony under the shade of the Blessed Tree.
> 37
> 
> “And the nations were angry,” for Thy teachings ran counter to the selfish desires
> of the other nations, “and Thy wrath is come,”
> 
> 49
> 
> meaning that all suffered grievous loss for failing to follow Thy counsels, admonitions,
> and teachings; were deprived of grace everlasting; and were veiled from the light
> of the Sun of Truth.
> 38
> 
> “And the time of the dead, that they should be judged”
> 
> 50
> 
> means that the time has come that the dead—that is, those who are deprived of the
> spirit of the love of God and bereft of that life which is holy and everlasting—should
> be judged with equity, meaning that each should be raised up according to their worthiness
> and capacity, and that the truth should be fully divulged as to what depths of degradation
> they occupy in this world of existence and how they should, in reality, be accounted
> among the dead.
> 39
> 
> “That Thou shouldest give reward unto Thy servants the prophets, and to the saints,
> and them that fear Thy name, small and great”;
> 
> 51
> 
> that is, that Thou wilt single out the righteous for Thy boundless grace, cause them
> to shine even as heavenly stars above the horizon of ancient glory, and aid them to
> show forth such conduct and character as to illumine the world of humanity and to
> become the means of guidance and the source of everlasting life in the divine Kingdom.
> 40
> 
> “And shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth”.
> 
> 52
> 
> That is, Thou wilt entirely deprive the heedless; for the blindness of the blind
> will be exposed and the sight of them that see will become evident; the ignorance
> and folly of the exponents of error will be recognized and the knowledge and wisdom
> of the rightly guided will be manifested; and thus the destroyers will be destroyed.
> 41
> 
> “And the temple of God was opened in heaven.”
> 
> 53
> 
> This means that the divine Jerusalem has appeared and the Holy of Holies has become
> manifest. Among the people of true knowledge, the Holy of Holies refers to the essence
> of the religion of God and His true teachings, which have remained unchanged throughout
> all the prophetic Dispensations, as was explained previously, while Jerusalem encompasses
> the reality of the religion of God, which is the Holy of Holies, as well as all the
> laws, mutual relationships, rites, and material ordinances, which constitute the city.
> That is why it is called the heavenly Jerusalem. Briefly, in the course of the Dispensation
> of the Sun of Truth, the lights of God will shine forth with the utmost splendour,
> and thus the essence of the divine teachings will be realized in the world of being,
> the darkness of ignorance and folly will be dispelled, the world will become another
> world, spiritual illumination will encompass all, and hence the Holy of Holies will
> appear.
> 42
> 
> “And the temple of God was opened in heaven.”
> 
> 54
> 
> This means also that through the dissemination of these divine teachings, the disclosure
> of these heavenly mysteries, and the dawning of the Sun of Truth, the portals of progress
> and advancement will be flung open on all sides and the signs of celestial blessings
> and bestowals will be made manifest.
> 43
> 
> “And there was seen in His temple the ark of His Testament.”
> 
> 55
> 
> This means that the Book of His Covenant will appear in His Jerusalem, the Tablet
> of the Testament will be recorded, and the meaning of the Covenant and Testament will
> become evident. The call of God will resound throughout East and West, and the earth
> will be filled with the renown of the Cause of God. The violators of the Covenant
> will be humbled and abased, and the faithful will attain honour and glory, for they
> hold fast to the Book of the Covenant and are firm and unwavering in the path of the
> Testament.
> 44
> 
> “And there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great
> hail”,
> 
> 56
> 
> meaning that after the appearance of the Book of the Covenant there will be a great
> tempest, the lightning of divine anger and wrath will flash, the thunder of the violation
> of the Covenant will break, the tremor of doubt will shake the earth, the hail of
> torments will rain upon the violators of the Covenant, and those who claim to believe
> will be subjected to tests and trials.
> 45
> 
> – 12 –
> 
> Commentary on the Eleventh Chapter of Isaiah
> 
> In Isaiah
> 11:1–9 it is said: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and
> a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
> the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit
> of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; And shall make him of quick understanding
> in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither
> reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor,
> and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with
> the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And
> righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his
> reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with
> the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child
> shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down
> together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play
> on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’
> den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall
> be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”
> 1
> 
> This “rod out of the stem of Jesse” might seem to apply to Christ, for Joseph was
> a descendant of Jesse, the father of David. However, since Christ had come into being
> through the Divine Spirit, He called Himself the Son of God. Had this not been the
> case, this passage could have indeed applied to Him. Moreover, the events that are
> said to occur in the days of that rod, if they be interpreted figuratively, came to
> pass only in part, and if they be taken literally, failed absolutely and entirely
> to take place in the days of Christ.
> 2
> 
> For instance, we might say that the leopard and the kid, the lion and the calf, the
> sucking child and the asp, represent the various nations, the hostile peoples and
> contending kindreds of the earth who in their opposition and enmity were even as the
> wolf and the lamb, and who through the breezes of the messianic Spirit came to be
> endowed with the spirit of unity and fellowship, were quickened to life, and associated
> intimately one with another. But the condition referred to in the statement “They
> shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of
> the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” did not materialize in the
> Dispensation of Christ. For to this day there are various hostile and contending nations
> in the world: Few acknowledge the God of Israel, and most are deprived of the knowledge
> of God. Likewise, universal peace was not established with the advent of Christ; that
> is, peace and well-being were not realized among the hostile and contending nations,
> disputes and conflicts were not resolved, and harmony and sincerity were not attained.
> Thus, even to this day intense enmity, hatred, and conflict prevail among the Christian
> peoples themselves.
> 3
> 
> But these verses apply word for word to Bahá’u’lláh. Moreover, in this wondrous Dispensation
> the earth will become another earth and the world of humanity will be arrayed with
> perfect composure and adornment. Strife, contention, and bloodshed will give way to
> peace, sincerity, and harmony. Among the nations, peoples, kindreds, and governments,
> love and amity will prevail and cooperation and close connection will be firmly established.
> Ultimately, war will be entirely banned, and when the laws of the Most Holy Book are
> enacted, arguments and disputes will, with perfect justice, be settled before a universal
> tribunal of governments and peoples, and any difficulties which may arise will be
> resolved. The five continents of the world will become as one, its divers nations
> will become one nation, the earth will become one homeland, and the human race will
> become one people. Countries will be so intimately connected, and peoples and nations
> so commingled and united, that the human race will become as one family and one kindred.
> The light of heavenly love will shine and the gloomy darkness of hatred and enmity
> will be dispelled as far as possible. Universal peace will raise its pavilion in the
> midmost heart of creation and the blessed Tree of Life will so grow and flourish as
> to stretch its sheltering shade over the East and the West. Strong and weak, rich
> and poor, contending kindreds and hostile nations—which are like the wolf and the
> lamb, the leopard and kid, the lion and the calf—will treat one another with the utmost
> love, unity, justice, and equity. The earth will be filled with knowledge and learning,
> with the realities and mysteries of creation, and with the knowledge of God.
> 4
> 
> Now, in this glorious age, which is the century of Bahá’u’lláh, consider how far knowledge
> and learning have progressed, how fully the mysteries of creation have been unveiled,
> and how many great undertakings have been embarked upon and are multiplying day by
> day! Soon will material knowledge and learning, as well as spiritual knowledge, make
> such progress and display such wonders as to dazzle every eye and to disclose the
> full meaning of the verse of Isaiah: “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge
> of the Lord”.
> 5
> 
> Consider likewise that in the short span of time since the advent of Bahá’u’lláh,
> people of all nations, kindreds, and races have entered beneath the shadow of this
> Cause. Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Persians all consort
> together with perfect love and fellowship, as if for a thousand years they had belonged
> to the same kindred and family—indeed, as if they were father and son, mother and
> daughter, sister and brother. This is one of the meanings of the fellowship between
> the wolf and the lamb, the leopard and the kid, and the lion and the calf.
> 6
> 
> One of the great events which is to occur in the Day of the manifestation of that
> Incomparable Branch is the hoisting of the Standard of God among all nations. By this
> is meant that all nations and kindreds will be gathered together under the shadow
> of this Divine Banner, which is no other than the Lordly Branch itself, and will become
> a single nation. Religious and sectarian antagonism, the hostility of races and peoples,
> and differences among nations will be eliminated. All men will adhere to one religion,
> will have one common faith, will be blended into one race and become a single people.
> All will dwell in one common fatherland, which is the planet itself.
> 
> 57
> 
> Universal peace and concord will be established among all nations. That Incomparable
> Branch will gather together all Israel; that is, in His Dispensation Israel will be
> gathered in the Holy Land, and the Jewish people who are now scattered in the East
> and the West, the North and the South, will be assembled together.
> 7
> 
> Now, observe that these events did not take place in the Christian Dispensation, for
> the nations did not enlist under that single banner—that divine Branch—but in this
> Dispensation of the Lord of Hosts all nations and peoples will enter beneath His shadow.
> Likewise Israel, which had been scattered throughout the world, was not gathered together
> in the Holy Land in the course of the Christian Dispensation, but in the beginning
> of the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh this divine promise, which has been clearly stated
> in all the Books of the Prophets, has begun to materialize. Observe how from all corners
> of the world Jewish peoples are coming to the Holy Land, acquiring villages and lands
> to inhabit, and increasing day by day to such an extent that all Palestine is becoming
> their home.
> 8
> 
> – 13 –
> 
> Commentary on the Twelfth Chapter of the Revelation of John
> 
> We have explained
> before that what the Sacred Scriptures most often mean by the Holy City or divine
> Jerusalem is the religion of God, which has at times been likened to a bride, or called
> “Jerusalem”, or depicted as the new heaven and the new earth. Thus in Revelation,
> chapter 21, it is said: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven
> and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the
> holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride
> adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the
> tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His
> people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
> 
> 58
> 
> 1
> 
> Consider how unmistakably “the first heaven” and “the first earth” refer to the outward
> aspects of the former religion. For it is said that “the first heaven and earth were
> passed away; and there was no more sea”. That is, the earth is the arena of the last
> judgement, and in this arena there will be no more sea, meaning that the law and teachings
> of God will have spread throughout the earth, all mankind will have embraced His Cause,
> and the earth will have been entirely peopled by the faithful. Thus there will be
> no more sea, for man dwells upon solid land and not in the sea—that is, in that Dispensation
> the sphere of influence of that religion will encompass every land that man has trodden,
> and it will be established upon solid ground whereon the feet do not falter.
> 2
> 
> Likewise, the religion of God is described as the Holy City or the New Jerusalem.
> Clearly, the New Jerusalem which descends from heaven is not a city of stone and lime,
> of brick and mortar, but is rather the religion of God which descends from heaven
> and is described as new. For it is obvious that the Jerusalem which is built of stone
> and mortar does not descend from heaven and is not renewed, but that what is renewed
> is the religion of God.
> 3
> 
> Furthermore, the religion of God is likened to an adorned bride who appears with the
> utmost grace, as it has been said in chapter 21 of the Revelation of John: “And I
> John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared
> as a bride adorned for her husband.”
> 
> 59
> 
> And in chapter 12 it is said: “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman
> clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve
> stars.” This woman is that bride, the religion of God, that descended upon Muḥammad.
> The sun with which she was clothed, and the moon which was under her feet, are the
> two governments which are under the shadow of that religion, the Persian and the Ottoman,
> for the emblem of Persia is the sun and that of the Ottoman Empire is the crescent
> moon. Thus the sun and the moon allude to two governments under the shadow of the
> religion of God. Afterwards it is said: “upon her head a crown of twelve stars”. These
> twelve stars represent the twelve Imáms, who were the promoters of the religion of
> Muḥammad and the educators of the nation, and who shone as stars in the heaven of
> guidance.
> 4
> 
> Then it is said: “And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained
> to be delivered”,
> 
> 60
> 
> meaning that this religion will suffer great difficulties and endure great toil and
> trouble until a perfect offspring is produced therefrom—that is, until the subsequent
> and promised Manifestation, Who is a perfect offspring, is reared in the bosom of
> this religion, which is even as its mother. By this offspring is meant the Báb, the
> Primal Point, Who was in truth born from the religion of Muḥammad. In other words,
> that sacred Reality which was the child and the result of the religion of God—its
> mother—and which was its Promised One, came into being in the heavenly kingdom of
> that religion, but was caught up unto God to elude the ascendancy of the dragon. After
> 1,260 days the dragon was destroyed and the offspring of the religion of God, the
> Promised One, was made manifest.
> 5
> 
> “And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having
> seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the
> third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.”
> 
> 61
> 
> This dragon represents the Umayyads, who seized the reins of the religion of Muḥammad;
> and the seven heads and seven crowns represent the seven dominions and kingdoms over
> which they came to rule: the Roman dominion in Syria; the Persian, the Arabian, and
> the Egyptian dominions; the dominion of Africa—that is, Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria;
> the dominion of Andalusia, which is now Spain; and the dominion of the Turkish tribes
> of Transoxania. The Umayyads gained power over all these dominions. The ten horns
> represent the names of the Umayyad rulers, for, barring repetition, they are ten sovereigns,
> or ten names of chiefs and rulers. The first is Abú Sufyán and the last is Marván.
> Some of their names have been repeated, including two Mu‘áviyihs, three Yazíds, two
> Valíds, and two Marváns. If, however, these names are each counted only once, they
> number ten in total. These Umayyads—the first of whom was Abú Sufyán, the former chief
> of Mecca and founder of the dynasty, and the last of whom was Marván—destroyed a third
> of the holy and sanctified souls who descended from the pure lineage of Muḥammad and
> who were even as the stars of heaven.
> 6
> 
> “And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour
> her child as soon as it was born.”
> 
> 62
> 
> This woman is the religion of God, as was before explained. The dragon’s standing
> near her signifies that it was keeping watch to devour her child as soon as it had
> been delivered. This child was the promised Manifestation, Who is the offspring of
> the religion of Muḥammad. The Umayyads were ever anxious to lay hold on the Promised
> One Who was to appear from the lineage of Muḥammad, that they might destroy and annihilate
> Him, for they greatly feared His advent. And so wherever they found a descendant of
> Muḥammad who was respected in the eyes of the people, they killed him.
> 7
> 
> “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.”
> 
> 63
> 
> This glorious son is the promised Manifestation, Who was born of the religion of
> God and reared in the bosom of the divine teachings. The iron rod is a symbol of might
> and power—it is not a sword—and means that He will shepherd all the nations of the
> earth by virtue of His divine might and power. And by this son is meant the Báb.
> 8
> 
> “And her child was caught up unto God, and to His throne.”
> 
> 64
> 
> This is a prophecy concerning the Báb, Who ascended to the Kingdom, the Throne of
> God, and the Seat of His sovereignty. Consider how closely this conforms to what indeed
> came to pass.
> 9
> 
> “And the woman fled into the wilderness”;
> 
> 65
> 
> that is, the religion of God betook itself to the desert, meaning the vast desert
> of Ḥijáz and the Arabian Peninsula.
> 10
> 
> “Where she hath a place prepared of God”;
> 
> 66
> 
> that is, the Arabian Peninsula became the home, the habitation, and the focal centre
> of the religion of God.
> 11
> 
> “That they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days”.
> 
> 67
> 
> According to the terminology of the Bible, these 1,260 days mean 1,260 years, as
> was before explained. Thus for 1,260 years the religion of God was fostered in the
> vast desert of Arabia, until the Promised One appeared. After these 1,260 years that
> religion ceased to be in effect, for the fruit of that tree had been manifested and
> its result had been produced.
> 12
> 
> Consider how closely the prophecies correspond one to another! The Book of Revelation
> fixes the advent of the Promised One after forty-two months. The Prophet Daniel specifies
> three times and a half, which is also forty-two months or 1,260 days. Another passage
> of the Revelation of John directly states 1,260 days, and it is explicitly indicated
> in the Bible that each day signifies one year. Nothing could be clearer than this
> agreement of the prophecies with each other. The Báb appeared in the year A.H. 1260
> according to the calendar followed by all Muslims. There are no clearer prophecies
> than this in the Bible for any Manifestation. If one be fair, the agreement between
> the times indicated by these glorious Souls is the most conclusive proof and can in
> no wise be subject to any other interpretation. Blessed are the fair-minded who search
> after truth.
> 13
> 
> When justice is lacking, however, the people challenge, dispute, and deny the obvious.
> Their conduct is like that of the Pharisees in the time of Christ, who would obstinately
> deny the interpretations and utterances He and His Apostles made, and who would wilfully
> obscure the truth before the ignorant masses, saying, “These prophecies do not apply
> to Jesus, but to the Promised One Who will erelong appear according to the conditions
> mentioned in the Torah”—among which being that He would be a king, sit upon the throne
> of David, enforce the law of the Torah, inaugurate the most great justice, and cause
> the wolf and the lamb to gather at the same spring. And thus did they veil the people
> from recognizing Christ.
> 14
> 
> – 14 –
> 
> Material and Spiritual Cycles
> 
> In this material
> world, time has changing cycles and place is subject to varying conditions. Seasons
> follow one another and individuals progress, regress, and develop. At one point it
> is springtime and at another the autumn season; at one point it is summer and at another
> it is winter.
> 1
> 
> The vernal season has rain-laden clouds and musk-scented breezes, life-giving zephyrs,
> and perfectly mild weather. The rain falls; the sun shines; the reviving winds blow;
> the world is renewed; and the breath of life reveals itself in plant, animal, and
> man alike. Earthly beings pass from one condition to another. All things are clothed
> with a new vesture: The black earth is swathed in abundant grass, mountains and plains
> don an emerald-green robe, trees bear leaves and blossoms, gardens bring forth flowers
> and sweet herbs, the world becomes another world, and all creation is imbued with
> a new life. The earth, which was as a soulless body, finds a new spirit and displays
> the utmost beauty, grace, and charm. Thus the springtide produces a new life and infuses
> a new spirit.
> 2
> 
> Then comes summertime, when the heat intensifies and growth and development manifest
> the fullness of their power. The life force reaches its plenitude in the vegetable
> kingdom: Fruits and crops appear, the harvest time arrives, the seed becomes the sheaf,
> and provision is made for the winter months.
> 3
> 
> Then comes unrelenting autumn, when unwholesome gales blow, barren winds waft, and
> the season of dearth and want arrives. All things wither; the pleasant air becomes
> hard and chill; the breezes of spring turn into the blasts of fall; trees, once green
> and verdant, become wasted and bare; flowers and herbs fade away in sorrow; and delicate
> gardens become darksome heaps of dust.
> 4
> 
> There follows the winter season, when cold winds blow and tempests arise. It snows
> and storms, it hails and rains, it thunders and lightens, and lethargy and torpor
> take hold. Plants become as dead, and animals languish and waste away.
> 5
> 
> When this stage is reached, the life-giving springtide returns once again and a new
> cycle is inaugurated. Springtime, with its hosts of vitality and grace, and in the
> plenitude of its greatness and majesty, pitches its tent upon the mountains and plains.
> Once more the temples of created things are revived and the creation of contingent
> beings is renewed. Living bodies grow and develop, fields and plains become green
> and verdant, trees put forth blossoms, and last year’s spring returns once again in
> the height of its majesty and glory. The very existence of things must ever depend
> upon, and be perpetuated through, these cycles and successions. Such are the cycles
> and revolutions of the material world.
> 6
> 
> The spiritual cycles associated with the Prophets of God proceed in like manner. That
> is, the day of the advent of the Holy Manifestations is the spiritual springtime.
> It is divine splendour and heavenly grace; it is the wafting of the breeze of life
> and the dawning of the Sun of Truth. Spirits are revived, hearts are refreshed, souls
> are refined, all existence is stirred into motion, and human realities are rejoiced
> and grow in attainments and perfections. Universal progress is achieved, the souls
> are gathered up, and the dead are quickened to life—for it is the day of resurrection,
> the season of commotion and ferment, the hour of joy and gladness, and the time of
> rapture and abandon.
> 7
> 
> That soul-stirring springtime then gives rise to the fruitful summer. The Word of
> God is proclaimed, His Law is promulgated, and all things reach a state of perfection.
> The heavenly table is spread, the breezes of holiness perfume the East and the West,
> the teachings of God conquer the whole earth, souls are educated, laudable results
> are produced, universal progress is made in the human realm, the divine bounties encompass
> all things, and the Sun of Truth shines above the horizon of the heavenly Kingdom
> in the height of its power and intensity.
> 8
> 
> When that Sun reaches its zenith it begins to decline, and that summer season of the
> spirit is followed by autumn. Growth and development are arrested; soft breezes turn
> into blighting winds; and the season of dearth and want dissipates the vitality and
> beauty of the gardens, the fields, and the bowers. That is, spiritual attractions
> vanish, divine qualities decay, the radiance of the hearts is dimmed, the spirituality
> of the souls is dulled, virtues become vices, and sanctity and purity are no more.
> Of the law of God naught remains but a name, and of the divine teachings naught but
> an outward form. The foundations of the religion of God are destroyed and annihilated,
> mere customs and traditions take their place, divisions appear, and steadfastness
> is changed into perplexity. Spirits die away, hearts wither, and souls languish.
> 9
> 
> Winter arrives—that is, the chill of ignorance and unawareness envelops the world,
> and the darkness of wayward and selfish desires prevails. Apathy and defiance ensue,
> with indolence and folly, baseness and animal qualities, coldness and stone-like torpor,
> even as in the wintertime when the terrestrial globe is deprived of the influence
> of the rays of the sun and becomes waste and desolate. Once the realm of minds and
> thoughts reaches this stage, there remains naught but perpetual death and unending
> non-existence.
> 10
> 
> When, however, the winter season has run its course, the spiritual springtime returns
> again and a new cycle reveals its splendour. The breezes of the spirit blow, the radiant
> morn breaks, the clouds of the Merciful rain down, the rays of the Sun of Truth shine
> forth, and the world of being is invested with a new life and arrayed in a wondrous
> robe. All the signs and bestowals of the former springtime, and perhaps even greater
> ones, reappear in this new season.
> 11
> 
> The spiritual cycles of the Sun of Truth, like the cycles of the physical sun, are
> in a state of perpetual motion and renewal. The Sun of Truth can be likened to the
> material sun, which rises from many different points. One day it rises from the sign
> of Cancer and another from the sign of Libra; one day it casts its rays from the sign
> of Aquarius and another from that of Aries. Yet the sun is but one sun and one single
> reality. The possessors of true knowledge are lovers of the sun and are not attached
> to its dawning points. Those who are endued with insight are seekers of the truth
> itself, not of its exponents and manifestations. Thus they bow in adoration before
> the sun, from whatever sign and above whatever horizon it may appear, and seek the
> truth from any sanctified soul who might reveal it. Such people inevitably discover
> the truth and are not veiled from the light of the Sun of the divine firmament. Thus
> the lover of the rays and the seeker of the light will always turn towards the sun,
> whether it be shining from the sign of Aries, or bestowing its grace from the sign
> of Cancer, or casting its rays from the sign of Gemini.
> 12
> 
> But the foolish and the ignorant are enamoured with the zodiacal signs and enraptured
> with the dawning points, not with the sun itself. When it was in Cancer they turned
> towards it, but when it passed into Libra they continued, attached as they were to
> the former sign, to fix their gaze upon and hold fast unto that sign, and thus they
> deprived themselves of the rays of the sun when once it had moved. Thus the Sun of
> Truth at one time shed its rays from the sign of Abraham; later it dawned above the
> sign of Moses and illumined the horizon; and later still it shone forth with the utmost
> power, heat, and radiance from the sign of Christ. Those who were searching after
> truth worshipped it wherever they saw it, but those who were attached to Abraham,
> when once that Sun cast its rays upon Sinai and illumined the reality of Moses, were
> deprived thereof. And those who clung to Moses, when once the Sun of Truth shed its
> heavenly splendour in the fullness of its radiance from the point of Christ, were
> likewise veiled, and so forth.
> 13
> 
> Therefore one must search after truth, become enraptured and enthralled with any sanctified
> soul in whom one finds it, and become wholly attracted to the outpouring grace of
> God. Like a moth, one must be a lover of the light, in whatever lamp it may shine;
> and like a nightingale, one must be enamoured of the rose, in whatever bower it may
> bloom.
> 14
> 
> Were the sun to rise from the west, it would still be the sun. Indeed, from whatever
> point the sun may rise, it is still the sun. One must not take its appearance to be
> confined to a single point and regard the other points as deprived. One must not be
> veiled by its rising in the east and consider the west as the place of its setting
> and decline. One must seek after the manifold grace of God, search out the divine
> effulgences, and become enraptured and enthralled with any reality in which they are
> clearly and plainly found. Consider that, if the Jews had not clung to the horizon
> of Moses but had fixed their gaze upon the Sun of Truth, they would have undoubtedly
> beheld that Sun shining in the fullness of its divine splendour in that true dawning
> point that was Christ. But a thousand times alas! They clung to the name of Moses
> and deprived themselves of that supernal grace and heavenly splendour.
> 15
> 
> – 15 –
> 
> True Felicity
> 
> The honour and
> exaltation of every existing thing are contingent upon certain causes and conditions.
> 1
> 
> The excellence, adornment, and perfection of the earth consist in this, that through
> the outpourings of the vernal showers it should become green and verdant; that plants
> should spring forth; that flowers and herbs should grow; that blossom-filled trees
> should produce an abundant yield and bring forth fresh and succulent fruit; that gardens
> should be arrayed; that meadows should be adorned; that plains and mountains should
> don an emerald robe; and that fields and bowers, villages and cities should be decked
> forth. This is the felicity
> 
> 68
> 
> of the mineral world.
> 2
> 
> The height of exaltation and perfection of the vegetable world consists in this, that
> a tree should stand tall beside a stream of fresh water, that a gentle breeze should
> blow and the sun bestow its warmth upon it, that a gardener should tend it, and that
> day by day it should grow and yield fruit. But its real felicity consists in progressing
> into the animal and human worlds and in replacing that which has been consumed in
> the bodies of animals and men.
> 3
> 
> The exaltation of the animal world is to possess perfect members, organs, and powers,
> and to have all its needs supplied. This is the height of its glory, honour, and exaltation.
> So the supreme felicity of an animal resides in a green and verdant meadow, in a flowing
> stream of the sweetest water, and in a forest brimming with life. If these things
> are provided, no greater felicity can be imagined for the animal. For example, were
> a bird to build its nest in a green and verdant forest, in a pleasant height, upon
> a mighty tree, and atop a lofty branch, and were it to have at its disposal all the
> seed and water that it requires, then this would constitute its perfect felicity.
> 4
> 
> But true felicity for the animal consists in passing from the animal world into the
> human realm, like the microscopic beings that, through the air and the water, enter
> into the body of man, are assimilated, and replace that which has been consumed in
> his body. This is the greatest honour and felicity for the animal world, and no greater
> honour can be conceived for it.
> 5
> 
> Therefore, it is clear and evident that such material ease, comfort, and abundance
> are the height of felicity for minerals, plants, and animals. And indeed no wealth,
> prosperity, comfort, or ease in our material world can equal the wealth of a bird,
> for it has all the expanse of the fields and mountains for a dwelling place; all the
> seed and harvests for wealth and sustenance; and all the lands, villages, meadows,
> pastures, forests, and wilderness for possessions. Now which is the richer—this bird
> or the wealthiest of men? For no matter how many seeds that bird may gather up or
> give away, its wealth does not diminish.
> 6
> 
> Then it is clear that the honour and exaltation of man cannot reside solely in material
> delights and earthly benefits. This material felicity is wholly secondary, while the
> exaltation of man resides primarily in such virtues and attainments as are the adornments
> of the human reality. These consist in divine blessings, heavenly bounties, heartfelt
> emotions, the love and knowledge of God, the education of the people, the perceptions
> of the mind, and the discoveries of science. They consist in justice and equity, truthfulness
> and benevolence, inner courage and innate humanity, safeguarding the rights of others
> and preserving the sanctity of covenants and agreements. They consist in rectitude
> of conduct under all circumstances, love of truth under all conditions, self-abnegation
> for the good of all people, kindness and compassion for all nations, obedience to
> the teachings of God, service to the heavenly Kingdom, guidance for all mankind, and
> education for all races and nations. This is the felicity of the human world! This
> is the exaltation of man in the contingent realm! This is eternal life and heavenly
> honour!
> 7
> 
> These gifts, however, do not manifest themselves in the reality of man save through
> a celestial and divine power and through the heavenly teachings, for they require
> a supernatural power. Traces of these perfections may well appear in the world of
> nature, but they are as fleeting and ephemeral as rays of sunlight upon the wall.
> 8
> 
> As the compassionate Lord has crowned the head of man with such a refulgent diadem,
> we must strive that its luminous gems may cast their light upon the whole world.
> 9
> 
> Part 2
> 
> Some Christian Subjects
> 
> – 16 –
> 
> Intelligible Realities and Their Expression through Sensible Forms
> 
> There is a
> point that is pivotal to grasping the essence of the other questions that we have
> discussed or will be discussing, namely, that human knowledge is of two kinds.
> 1
> 
> One is the knowledge acquired through the senses. That which the eye, the ear, or
> the senses of smell, taste, or touch can perceive is called “sensible”. For example,
> the sun is sensible, as it can be seen. Likewise, sounds are sensible, as the ear
> can hear them; odours, as they can be inhaled and perceived by the sense of smell;
> foods, as the palate can perceive their sweetness, sourness, bitterness, or saltiness;
> heat and cold, as the sense of touch can perceive them. These are called sensible
> realities.
> 2
> 
> The other kind of human knowledge is that of intelligible things; that is, it consists
> of intelligible realities which have no outward form or place and which are not sensible.
> For example, the power of the mind is not sensible, nor are any of the human attributes:
> These are intelligible realities. Love, likewise, is an intelligible and not a sensible
> reality. For the ear does not hear these realities, the eye does not see them, the
> smell does not sense them, the taste does not detect them, the touch does not perceive
> them. Even the ether, the forces of which are said in natural philosophy to be heat,
> light, electricity, and magnetism, is an intelligible and not a sensible reality.
> Likewise, nature itself is an intelligible and not a sensible reality; the human spirit
> is an intelligible and not a sensible reality.
> 3
> 
> But when you undertake to express these intelligible realities, you have no recourse
> but to cast them in the mould of the sensible, for outwardly there is nothing beyond
> the sensible. Thus, when you wish to express the reality of the spirit and its conditions
> and degrees, you are obliged to describe them in terms of sensible things, since outwardly
> there exists nothing but the sensible. For example, grief and happiness are intelligible
> things, but when you wish to express these spiritual conditions you say, “My heart
> became heavy”, or “My heart was uplifted”, although one’s heart is not literally made
> heavy or lifted up. Rather, it is a spiritual or intelligible condition, the expression
> of which requires the use of sensible terms. Another example is when you say, “So-and-so
> has greatly advanced”, although he has remained in the same place, or “So-and-so has
> a high position”, whereas, like everyone else, he continues to walk upon the earth.
> This elevation and advancement are spiritual conditions and intelligible realities,
> but to express them you must use sensible terms, since outwardly there is nothing
> beyond the sensible.
> 4
> 
> To cite another example, knowledge is figuratively described as light, and ignorance
> as darkness. But reflect: Is knowledge sensible light or ignorance sensible darkness?
> Certainly not. These are only intelligible conditions, but when you wish to express
> them outwardly you call knowledge light and ignorance darkness and say, “My heart
> was dark and it became illumined.” Now, the light of knowledge and the darkness of
> ignorance are intelligible realities, not sensible ones, but when we seek to express
> them outwardly, we are obliged to give them a sensible form.
> 5
> 
> Thus it is evident that the dove which descended upon Christ
> 
> 69
> 
> was not a physical dove but a spiritual condition expressed, for the sake of comprehension,
> by a sensible figure. For example, in the Old Testament it is said that God appeared
> as a pillar of fire.
> 
> 70
> 
> Now, that which is intended is not a sensible form but an intelligible reality that
> has been expressed in such a form.
> 6
> 
> Christ says, “The Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father.”
> 
> 71
> 
> Now, was Christ within God or was God within Christ? No, by God! This is an intelligible
> condition which has been expressed in a sensible figure.
> 7
> 
> We come to the explanation of the words of Bahá’u’lláh when He says: “O King! I was
> but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious
> were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing
> is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing.”
> 
> 72
> 
> This is the station of divine revelation. It is not a sensible, but an intelligible
> reality. It is sanctified from and transcendent above past, present, and future. It
> is a comparison and an analogy—a metaphor and not a literal truth. It is not the condition
> that is commonly understood by the human mind when it is said that someone was asleep
> and then awoke, but signifies a passage from one state to another. For example, sleeping
> is the state of repose, and wakefulness is the state of motion. Sleeping is the state
> of silence, and wakefulness is the state of utterance. Sleeping is the state of concealment,
> and wakefulness is that of manifestation.
> 8
> 
> For example, in Persian and Arabic it is said that the earth was asleep, spring came,
> and it awoke; or that the earth was dead, spring came, and it found life again. These
> expressions are comparisons, analogies, similes, and figurative interpretations in
> the realm of inner meaning.
> 9
> 
> Briefly, the Manifestations of God have ever been and will ever be luminous Realities,
> and no change or alteration ever takes place in Their essence. At most, before Their
> revelation They are still and silent, like one who is asleep, and after Their revelation
> They are eloquent and effulgent, like one who is awake.
> 10
> 
> – 17 –
> 
> The Birth of Christ
> 
> Question: How was
> Christ born of the Holy Spirit?
> 1
> 
> Answer: In regard to this question, the divine and the material philosophers disagree.
> The former believe that Christ was born of the Holy Spirit, while the latter deem
> such a thing to be impossible and untenable, and hold that He must have necessarily
> had a human father.
> 2
> 
> In the Qur’án it is said: “And We sent Our Spirit to her, and He took before her the
> form of a perfect man”,
> 
> 73
> 
> meaning that the Holy Spirit assumed a human form, as an image appears in a mirror,
> and conversed with Mary.
> 3
> 
> The material philosophers believe that there must be pairing, and assert that a living
> body cannot come into being from a lifeless one or materialize without the union of
> male and female. They believe that, beyond man, this is impossible in animals, and
> that, beyond animals, it is impossible even in plants. For this pairing of male and
> female exists in all the animals and plants. They even argue that the Qur’án itself
> affirms this pairing of all things: “Glory be to Him Who hath created all the pairs,
> of such things as earth produceth, and out of men themselves, and of things beyond
> their ken”;
> 
> 74
> 
> that is, man, animals, and plants are all found in pairs. “And of everything have
> We created two kinds”;
> 
> 75
> 
> that is, We have created all things in pairs.
> 4
> 
> Briefly, they say that a man without a human father cannot be imagined. The divine
> philosophers, however, reply: “Such a thing is not impossible, although it has not
> been observed, and there is a difference between that which is impossible and that
> which has merely not been observed. For example, in the days before the telegraph,
> the instantaneous communication of East and West had not been observed but was not
> impossible; likewise, the photograph and the phonograph had not been observed but
> were not impossible.”
> 5
> 
> The material philosophers insist upon their belief, and the divine philosophers reply:
> “Is this terrestrial globe eternal or was it originated?” The material philosophers
> answer that, according to well-established scientific findings, it is proven to be
> originated; that in the beginning it was a molten sphere and gradually became temperate;
> that a crust was formed around it; and that upon this crust plants came into being,
> then animals, and finally man.
> 6
> 
> The divine philosophers say: “It follows clearly from your statement that the human
> species upon the terrestrial globe was originated and is not eternal. Then surely
> the first man had neither father nor mother, for the existence of the human species
> has an origin in time. Now, which is more problematic: that man should come into being,
> albeit gradually, with neither father nor mother, or that he should come into being
> without a father? As you admit that the first man came into being with neither father
> nor mother, whether it be gradually or in a short period of time, there can remain
> no doubt that a man without a human father is also possible and logically admissible.
> One cannot therefore simply reject this as impossible, and to do so would betray a
> lack of fairness. For example, if you say that this lamp was once lit with neither
> wick nor oil, and then say that it is impossible for it to be lit without the wick,
> this betrays a lack of fairness.” Christ had a mother, but the first man, according
> to the material philosophers, had neither father nor mother.
> 7
> 
> – 18 –
> 
> The Greatness of Christ
> 
> Question: What is
> the virtue and benefit of being without a father?
> 1
> 
> Answer: A great man is a great man, whether or not he is born of a human father. If
> being without a father were a virtue, Adam would excel and surpass all the Prophets
> and Messengers, for He had neither father nor mother. That which is conducive to greatness
> and glory are the splendours and outpourings of the divine perfections. The sun is
> born of matter and form, which can be likened to father and mother, and still it is
> absolute perfection; darkness has neither matter nor form, neither father nor mother,
> and yet it is sheer imperfection. The matter of Adam’s physical life was dust, but
> the physical matter of Abraham was a pure seed; and it is certain that a pure and
> goodly seed is superior to earth and stone.
> 2
> 
> Furthermore, in John 1:12–13 it is said: “But as many as received Him, to them gave
> He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were
> born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
> 
> 76
> 
> It follows clearly from this verse of John that even the existence of the Apostles
> proceeds from a spiritual reality rather than from a material power. The honour and
> greatness of Christ reside not in His being without a father, but rather in His divine
> perfections, outpourings, and splendours. Were the greatness of Christ due to His
> lacking a father, Adam would be even greater, for He had neither father nor mother.
> 3
> 
> It is said in the Old Testament, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,
> and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
> 
> 77
> 
> Observe that Adam is said to have come into being from the spirit of life. Moreover,
> John’s utterance in regard to the Apostles proves that they also proceeded from the
> heavenly Father. Hence it is clear and evident that the holy reality—the true existence—of
> every great man proceeds from God and owes its being to the breath of the Holy Spirit.
> 4
> 
> Our meaning is that, if being without a father were the greatest of human attainments,
> then Adam would surpass everyone, for He had neither father nor mother. Is it better
> for a man to be created from living matter or from dust? Certainly it is better to
> be created from living matter. But Christ was born from, and came into existence through,
> the Holy Spirit.
> 5
> 
> In brief, the honour and glory of those sanctified Souls, the Manifestations of God,
> are due to Their heavenly perfections, outpourings, and splendours, and to nothing
> else.
> 6
> 
> – 19 –
> 
> True Baptism
> 
> In Matthew
> 3:13–15, it is said: “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized
> of him. But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest
> Thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
> becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him.”
> 1
> 
> Question: Given His innate perfection, what need did Christ have of baptism and what
> was the wisdom thereof?
> 2
> 
> Answer: The essence of baptism is purification by repentance. John admonished and
> exhorted the people, caused them to repent, and then baptized them. It is evident
> then that this purification is a symbol of repentance from all sin, as though one
> were saying: “O God! Just as my body has been cleansed and purified from material
> defilements, so cleanse and purify my spirit from the defilements of the world of
> nature, which are unworthy of Thy divine threshold.” Repentance is the return from
> rebelliousness to obedience. It is after experiencing remoteness and deprivation from
> God that man repents and purifies himself. Thus, this purification is a symbol saying:
> “O God! Render my heart goodly and pure, and cleanse and sanctify it from all save
> Thy love.”
> 3
> 
> As Christ desired that this custom instituted by John be practised by all at that
> time, He Himself submitted to it, that souls might be awakened and that the law which
> had issued from the former religion might be fulfilled. For even though this custom
> was instituted by John, it represented in reality the purification of repentance which
> has been practised in all the divine religions.
> 4
> 
> It is not that Christ was in need of baptism, but He submitted to it because at that
> time this action was praiseworthy and acceptable before God and presaged the glad-tidings
> of the Kingdom. However, He later said that true baptism was not with material water
> but with spirit and with water, and, elsewhere, with spirit and with fire.
> 
> 78
> 
> What is meant here by “water” is not material water, for elsewhere it is explicitly
> stated that baptism must be with spirit and with fire, and the latter makes it clear
> that the intention is not material fire and water, since baptism with fire is impossible.
> 5
> 
> Therefore, by “spirit” is meant divine grace; by “water”, knowledge and life; and
> by “fire”, the love of God. For material water cleanses not the heart of man but his
> body. Rather, the heavenly water and spirit, which are knowledge and life, cleanse
> and purify the heart of man. In other words, the heart that partakes of the outpouring
> grace of the Holy Spirit and becomes sanctified is made goodly and pure. The purpose
> is that the reality of man be purified and sanctified from the defilements of the
> world of nature, which are vile attributes such as anger, lust, worldliness, pride,
> dishonesty, hypocrisy, deceit, self-love, and so on.
> 6
> 
> Man cannot free himself from the onslaught of vain and selfish desires save through
> the confirming grace of the Holy Spirit. That is why it is said that baptism must
> be with the spirit, with water, and with fire—that is, with the spirit of divine grace,
> the water of knowledge and life, and the fire of the love of God. It is with this
> spirit, this water, and this fire that man must be baptized, that he may partake of
> everlasting grace. For otherwise, of what avail is it to be baptized with material
> water? No, this baptism with water was a symbol of repentance and of seeking remission
> of sins.
> 7
> 
> But in the Dispensation of Bahá’u’lláh this symbol is no longer required, for its
> reality, which is to be baptized with the spirit and the love of God, has been established
> and realized.
> 8
> 
> – 20 –
> 
> Baptism and the Changing Law of God
> 
> Question: Is the
> purification of baptism useful and necessary or is it useless and unnecessary? If
> the former, why was it abrogated despite its necessity? And if the latter, why did
> John practise it despite its being unnecessary?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The change and transformation of conditions, and the succession and revolution
> of ages, are among the essential requirements of the contingent world, and essential
> requirements cannot be separated from the reality of things. Thus it is impossible
> to separate heat from fire, or wetness from water, or the rays from the sun, for these
> are essential requirements. And since change and transformation are among the requirements
> of all contingent things, the commandments of God are also changed in accordance with
> the changing times. For example, in the days of Moses, that which was required by
> and consonant with the conditions prevailing at that time was the Mosaic Law. However,
> in the days of Christ, those conditions had so changed as to render the Mosaic Law
> unsuited and ill-adapted to the needs of mankind, and it was therefore abrogated.
> Thus Christ broke the Sabbath and forbade divorce. After Him four disciples, Peter
> and Paul among them, permitted the eating of such animal foods as had been forbidden
> in the Torah, excepting the consumption of the meat of animals that had been strangled,
> of sacrifices made to idols, and of blood. They also forbade fornication.
> 
> 79
> 
> Thus they maintained these four commandments. Later, Paul permitted the eating of
> strangled animals, of those sacrificed to idols, and of blood, but maintained the
> prohibition of fornication. Thus in Romans 14:14 he writes: “I know, and am persuaded
> by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth
> any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.” Moreover, in Titus 1:15 it is written:
> “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving
> is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”
> 2
> 
> Now, this change, alteration, and abrogation was due to the fact that the age of Christ
> could not be compared to that of Moses. The conditions and requirements had entirely
> changed, and the former commandments were therefore abrogated.
> 3
> 
> The body of the world can be compared to that of a man, and the Prophets and Messengers
> of God to able physicians. A human being does not remain always in the same condition:
> Different ailments occur and each calls for a specific remedy. Thus an able physician
> does not treat all ailments in the same manner but varies the treatments and remedies
> in accordance with the requirements of these various ailments and conditions. One
> person may suffer severely from an ailment caused by an excess of heat: The able physician
> perforce administers cooling medicines.
> 
> 80
> 
> When, at another time, this person’s constitution changes and the heat is supplanted
> by an excess of cold, the physician, of necessity, sets aside the cooling medicines
> and prescribes heating ones. This change and alteration is required by the condition
> of the patient and is an evident proof of the skill of the physician.
> 4
> 
> Consider, for example: Could the Law of the Torah be enforced in this day and age?
> No, by God! This would be entirely impossible, and it is for this reason that at the
> time of Christ the Law of the Torah was perforce abrogated by God. Consider, likewise,
> that in the days of John the Baptist the purification of baptism served to awaken
> and admonish the people and to cause them to repent of all sin and to await the advent
> of the Kingdom of Christ. But today in Asia, the Catholics and the Orthodox plunge
> infants into a mixture of water and olive oil, in such wise that some fall ill from
> this ordeal and tremble and struggle at the time of baptism. Elsewhere the priest
> sprinkles the baptismal water onto the forehead. But in neither case do these children
> experience any spiritual feelings. What good then can this do? Other peoples wonder
> and question why this infant is being plunged into the water, since it confers neither
> spiritual awareness nor faith nor awakening but is merely a custom that is being followed.
> In the time of John the Baptist, however, it was not so: John would first admonish
> the people, lead them to repent of sin, and exhort them to anticipate the advent of
> Christ. Then, whoever received the purification of baptism would repent of his sins
> with utmost meekness and humility, cleanse and purify his body likewise from outward
> defilements, and with perfect yearning await, night and day and from moment to moment,
> the advent of Christ and admittance into His Kingdom.
> 5
> 
> In brief, our meaning is that the change and transformation in the conditions and
> exigencies of the times is the cause of the abrogation of religious laws, for the
> time comes when those earlier commandments no longer suit the prevailing conditions.
> Consider how greatly the exigencies of the modern age differ from those of medieval
> times! Is it possible that the commandments of former centuries could be enforced
> in these latter times? It is clear and evident that this would be entirely impossible.
> Likewise, after the lapse of many centuries, that which is called for at the present
> time will no longer be suited to the needs of that future age, and change and transformation
> will be inevitable.
> 6
> 
> In Europe the laws are continually being changed and modified. How numerous the laws
> that once existed in European systems and canons and that have since been annulled!
> These changes are due to the transformation of thoughts, customs, and conditions,
> and without them the well-being of the human world would be disrupted.
> 7
> 
> For example, the Torah prescribes the sentence of death for whoever breaks the Sabbath.
> There are indeed ten such death sentences in the Torah. Could these commandments be
> carried out in our time? It is evident that it would be utterly impossible. Thus they
> have been changed and transformed, and this change and transformation in the laws
> constitutes in itself a sufficient proof of the consummate wisdom of God.
> 8
> 
> This subject requires deep consideration, and the reason is clear and evident. Well
> is it with them that reflect!
> 9
> 
> – 21 –
> 
> The Bread and the Wine
> 
> Question: Christ said
> : “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread,
> he shall live for ever.”
> 
> 81
> 
> What is the meaning of this utterance?
> 1
> 
> Answer: By this bread is meant the heavenly sustenance of divine perfections. In other
> words, whoso partakes of this sustenance—that is, whoso acquires the outpouring grace
> of God, draws illumination from His light, and obtains his portion of the perfections
> of Christ—will attain everlasting life. What is meant by blood, likewise, is the spirit
> of life, which consists in divine perfections, heavenly splendours, and eternal grace.
> For all the parts of the body acquire the substance of life from the circulation of
> the blood.
> 2
> 
> In John 6:26 it is said: “Ye seek Me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because
> ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.” It is evident that the loaves of which
> the disciples ate, and with which they were filled, were the heavenly grace, for in
> verse 33 of the same chapter it is said: “For the bread of God is He which cometh
> down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.” It is evident that the body of
> Christ did not descend from heaven but came from the womb of Mary: What descended
> from the heaven of God was the spirit of Christ. The Jews, presuming that Christ was
> speaking of His body, objected, as is recorded in verse 42 of the same chapter: “And
> they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?
> how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?”
> 3
> 
> Consider how evident it is that what Christ intended by the heavenly bread was His
> spirit, His manifold grace, His perfections, and His teachings; for in verse 63 of
> the aforementioned chapter it is said: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh
> profiteth nothing.”
> 4
> 
> It has therefore been made evident that the spirit of Christ was a celestial bounty
> which descended from heaven, and that whosoever receives the outpourings of this spirit—that
> is, embraces its heavenly teachings—will attain everlasting life. Thus it is said
> in verse 35: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to
> Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.”
> 5
> 
> Observe that He expresses “coming to Him” as eating, and “believing in Him” as drinking.
> It is therefore clearly established that the heavenly sustenance consists in the divine
> bounties, spiritual splendours, heavenly teachings, and all-embracing truths of Christ,
> and that to eat means to draw nigh unto Him and to drink means to believe in Him.
> For Christ had both an elemental and a heavenly body. The elemental body was crucified,
> but the heavenly one is alive, eternal, and the source of everlasting life. The elemental
> body was His human nature and the heavenly body His divine nature. Gracious God! Some
> imagine that the bread of the Eucharist is the reality of Christ, and that the Divinity
> and the Holy Spirit have descended into it and are present therein, whereas when once
> the Eucharist is taken, in a few minutes it is wholly disintegrated and entirely transformed.
> How then can such an error be conceived? I beg the forgiveness of God for such a grave
> delusion!
> 6
> 
> The purport of these words is that, through the manifestation of Christ, the sacred
> teachings, which are everlasting grace, were spread abroad, the lights of guidance
> shone forth, and the spirit of life was conferred upon human realities. Whosoever
> was guided aright found life, and whosoever remained astray was overtaken by everlasting
> death. That bread which came down from heaven was the celestial body of Christ and
> His spiritual elements, of which the disciples ate and through which they attained
> everlasting life.
> 7
> 
> The disciples had taken many meals from the hand of Christ; why then did the last
> supper come to be distinguished? It is thus evident that by the heavenly bread is
> meant not this material bread but the divine sustenance of the spiritual body of Christ,
> that is, the divine grace and the heavenly perfections of which His disciples partook
> and with which they were filled.
> 8
> 
> Consider likewise that when Christ blessed the bread and gave it to His disciples,
> saying, “this is My body”,
> 
> 82
> 
> He was visibly and distinctly present with them in person and in body, and was not
> transformed into bread and wine. Had He become the bread and wine itself, He could
> not have remained distinctly present before them in body and in person.
> 9
> 
> It is therefore clear that the bread and wine were symbols, meaning: My grace and
> My perfections have been given you, and since you have partaken of this manifold grace,
> you have attained everlasting life and received your share and portion of the heavenly
> sustenance.
> 10
> 
> – 22 –
> 
> The Miracles of Christ
> 
> Question: Certain miracles
> have been attributed to Christ. Should these accounts be taken literally or do they
> have other meanings? For it has been established through sound investigation that
> the inherent nature of each thing does not change, that all created things are subject
> to a universal law and organization from which they cannot deviate, and that hence
> nothing can possibly violate that universal law.
> 1
> 
> Answer: The Manifestations of God are sources of miraculous deeds and marvellous signs.
> Any difficult or impossible matter is to Them possible and permitted. For They show
> forth extraordinary feats through an extraordinary power, and They influence the world
> of nature through a power that transcends nature. From each one of Them, marvellous
> things have appeared.
> 2
> 
> But in the Sacred Scriptures a special terminology is used, and in the sight of the
> Manifestations of God these marvels and miracles are of no importance, so much so
> that They do not even wish them to be mentioned. For even if these miracles were considered
> the greatest of proofs, they would constitute a clear evidence only for those who
> were present when they took place, not for those who were absent.
> 3
> 
> For example, were a non-believing seeker to be told of the miracles of Moses and Christ,
> he would deny them and say: “Miracles have also long been ascribed to certain idols
> by the testimony of a multitude and recorded in books. Thus the Brahmans have compiled
> an entire book regarding the miracles of Brahma.” The seeker would then ask: “How
> can we know that the Jews and the Christians speak the truth and that the Brahmans
> lie? For both are traditions, both are widely attested, and both have been recorded
> in a book. Each can be viewed as plausible or implausible, as with every other account:
> If one is true, both must be true; if one is accepted, both must be accepted.” Therefore,
> miracles cannot be a conclusive proof, for even if they are valid proofs for those
> who were present, they fail to convince those who were not.
> 4
> 
> However, in the day of God’s Manifestation, they that are endued with insight will
> find all things pertaining to Him to be miraculous. For these things are distinguished
> above all else, and this distinction is in itself an absolute miracle. Consider how
> Christ, alone and single-handed, with no helper or protector, with no legions or armies,
> and with the utmost meekness, raised aloft the banner of God before all the peoples
> of the world; how He withstood them; and how at last He subdued them all, even though
> outwardly He was crucified. Now, this is an absolute miracle which can in no wise
> be denied. Indeed, the truth of Christ stands in no need of further proof.
> 5
> 
> These outward miracles are of no importance to the followers of truth. For example,
> if a blind man is made to see, in the end he will again lose his sight, for he will
> die and be deprived of all his senses and faculties. Thus, causing the blind to see
> is of no lasting importance, since the faculty of sight is bound to be lost again
> in the end. And if a dead body be revived, what is gained thereby, since it must die
> again? What is important is to bestow true insight and everlasting life, that is,
> a spiritual and divine life; for this material life will not endure and its existence
> is tantamount to non-existence. Even as Christ said in reply to one of His disciples:
> “let the dead bury their dead”; for “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and
> that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
> 
> 83
> 
> 6
> 
> Consider that Christ reckoned as dead those who were nonetheless outwardly and physically
> alive; for true life is life eternal and true existence is spiritual existence. Thus
> if the Sacred Scriptures speak of raising the dead, the meaning is that they attained
> everlasting life; if they say that one who was blind was made to see, the meaning
> of this seeing is true insight; if they say that one who was deaf was made to hear,
> the meaning is that he acquired an inner ear and attained spiritual hearing. This
> is established by the very text of the Gospel where Christ says that they are like
> those of whom Isaiah once said, They have eyes and see not, they have ears and hear
> not; and I heal them.
> 
> 84
> 
> 7
> 
> Our meaning is not that the Manifestations of God are unable to perform miracles,
> for this indeed lies within Their power. But that which is of import and consequence
> in Their eyes is inner sight, spiritual hearing, and eternal life. Thus, wherever
> it is recorded in the Sacred Scriptures that such a one was blind and was made to
> see, the meaning is that he was inwardly blind and gained spiritual insight, or that
> he was ignorant and found knowledge, or was heedless and became aware, or was earthly
> and became heavenly.
> 8
> 
> As this inner sight, hearing, life, and healing are eternal, so are they truly important.
> Otherwise, what importance, worth, and value can mere animal life and powers possess?
> Even as an idle fancy, in a few days it will pass. For instance, if an unlit lamp
> is lighted, it will be extinguished again, but the light of the sun always shines
> resplendent, and this is what is important.
> 9
> 
> – 23 –
> 
> The Resurrection of Christ
> 
> Question: What is
> the meaning of Christ’s resurrection after three days?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The resurrection of the Manifestations of God is not of the body. All that
> pertains to Them—all Their states and conditions, all that They do, found, teach,
> interpret, illustrate, and instruct—is of a mystical and spiritual character and does
> not belong to the realm of materiality.
> 2
> 
> Such is the case of Christ’s coming from heaven. It has been explicitly stated in
> numerous passages of the Gospel that the Son of man came down from heaven, or is in
> heaven, or will go up to heaven. Thus in John 6:38 it is said: “For I came down from
> heaven”, and in John 6:42 it is recorded: “And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son
> of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down
> from heaven?”, and in John 3:13 it is stated: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven,
> but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
> 3
> 
> Consider how it is said that the Son of man is in heaven, even though at that time
> Christ was dwelling upon the earth. Consider likewise that it explicitly says that
> Christ came from heaven, although He came from the womb of Mary and His body was born
> of her. It is therefore clear that the assertion that the Son of man came down from
> heaven has a mystical rather than a literal meaning, and is a spiritual rather than
> a material event. The meaning is that though in appearance Christ was born of the
> womb of Mary, yet in reality He came from heaven, the seat of the Sun of Truth that
> shines in the divine realm of the supernal Kingdom. And since it is established that
> Christ came from the spiritual heaven of the divine Kingdom, His disappearance into
> the earth for three days must also have a mystical rather than a literal meaning.
> In the same manner, His resurrection from the bosom of the earth is a mystical matter
> and expresses a spiritual rather than a material condition. And His ascension to heaven,
> likewise, is spiritual and not material in nature.
> 4
> 
> Aside from this, it has been established by science that the material heaven is a
> limitless space, void and empty, wherein countless stars and planets move.
> 5
> 
> We explain, therefore, the meaning of Christ’s resurrection in the following way:
> After the martyrdom of Christ, the Apostles were perplexed and dismayed. The reality
> of Christ, which consists in His teachings, His bounties, His perfections, and His
> spiritual power, was hidden and concealed for two or three days after His martyrdom,
> and had no outward appearance or manifestation—indeed, it was as though it were entirely
> lost. For those who truly believed were few in number, and even those few were perplexed
> and dismayed. The Cause of Christ was thus as a lifeless body. After three days the
> Apostles became firm and steadfast, arose to aid the Cause of Christ, resolved to
> promote the divine teachings and practise their Lord’s admonitions, and endeavoured
> to serve Him. Then did the reality of Christ become resplendent, His grace shine forth,
> His religion find new life, and His teachings and admonitions become manifest and
> visible. In other words, the Cause of Christ, which was like unto a lifeless body,
> was quickened to life and surrounded by the grace of the Holy Spirit.
> 6
> 
> Such is the meaning of the resurrection of Christ, and this was a true resurrection.
> But as the clergy did not grasp the meaning of the Gospels and did not comprehend
> this mystery, it has been claimed that religion is opposed to science, for among other
> things the ascension of Christ in a physical body to the material heavens is contrary
> to the mathematical sciences. But when the truth of this matter is clarified and this
> symbol is explained, it is in no way contradicted by science but rather affirmed by
> both science and reason.
> 7
> 
> – 24 –
> 
> The Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
> 
> Question: It is
> recorded in the Gospels that the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles. What was
> the manner and meaning of this descent?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The descent of the Holy Spirit is not like the entrance of air into the human
> body. It is a metaphor and an analogy rather than a literal image or account. That
> which is intended is like the descent of the sun into a mirror, that is, when its
> splendour is reflected therein.
> 2
> 
> After the death of Christ the Apostles were troubled and diverged in their thoughts
> and opinions; later they became steadfast and united. At Pentecost they gathered together,
> detached themselves from the world, forsook their own desires, renounced all earthly
> comfort and happiness, sacrificed body and soul to their Beloved, left their homes,
> took leave of all their cares and belongings, and even forgot their own existence.
> Then was divine assistance vouchsafed and the power of the Holy Spirit manifested.
> The spirituality of Christ triumphed and the love of God took hold. On that day they
> received divine confirmations, and each departed in a different direction to teach
> the Cause of God and unloosed his tongue to set forth the proofs and testimonies.
> 3
> 
> Thus the descent of the Holy Spirit means that the Apostles were attracted by the
> messianic Spirit, attained constancy and steadfastness, found a new life through the
> spirit of God’s love, and saw Christ to be their ever-living helper and protector.
> They were mere drops and became the ocean; they were feeble gnats and became soaring
> eagles; they were all weakness and became endowed with strength. They were like mirrors
> that are turned towards the sun: It is certain that the rays and the effulgence of
> the sun will be reflected therein.
> 4
> 
> – 25 –
> 
> The Holy Spirit
> 
> Question: What is
> meant by “the Holy Spirit”?
> 1
> 
> Answer: By “the Holy Spirit” is meant the outpouring grace of God and the effulgent
> rays that emanate from His Manifestation. Thus Christ was the focal centre of the
> rays of the Sun of Truth, and from this mighty centre—the reality of Christ—the grace
> of God shone upon the other mirrors which were the realities of the Apostles.
> 2
> 
> The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles means that that glorious and divine
> grace cast its light and splendour upon their realities. For otherwise egress and
> regress, descent and inherence are characteristics of bodies and not of spirits—that
> is, egress and inherence pertain only to sensible realities, not to intelligible subtleties;
> and intelligible realities, such as reason, love, knowledge, imagination, and thought,
> do not enter, exit, or inhere, but rather denote relationships.
> 3
> 
> For example, knowledge, which is a form acquired by the mind, is an intelligible thing,
> and to speak of entering into the mind or exiting from it is absurd. Rather, it is
> a relationship of acquisition, even as images are reflected in a mirror.
> 4
> 
> Thus, as it is evident and established that intelligible realities do not enter or
> inhere, it follows that it is in no wise possible for the Holy Spirit to ascend, descend,
> enter, exit, commingle, or inhere. At most it appears as the sun appears in a mirror.
> 5
> 
> Moreover, in certain passages of the Sacred Scriptures where allusion is made to the
> Spirit, a specific person is intended, as it is conventionally said in speech and
> conversation that such-and-such a person is spirit personified, or is the embodiment
> of mercy and generosity. In this case the focus is not upon the lamp but upon the
> light.
> 6
> 
> For instance, in reference to the Promised One that must come after Christ, it is
> said in John 16:12: “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them
> now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:
> for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak.”
> 7
> 
> Now consider carefully that the words “for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever
> he shall hear, that shall he speak” clearly imply that the Spirit of truth is embodied
> in a Man Who has a soul, Who has ears to hear and a tongue to speak. Likewise Christ
> is called the “Spirit of God”, in the same way that we speak of the light and yet
> mean both the light and the lamp.
> 8
> 
> – 26 –
> 
> The Second Coming of Christ and the Day of Judgement
> 
> It is recorded
> in the Sacred Scriptures that Christ will return and that His return is conditioned
> upon the fulfilment of certain signs: When He returns, He will be attended by those
> signs. Among them: “The sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,
> and the stars shall fall from heaven.” At that time “all the tribes of the earth”
> shall “mourn” and lament, and “the sign of the Son of man” shall appear “in heaven”,
> “and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great
> glory”.
> 
> 85
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh has provided a detailed interpretation of these verses in the Kitáb-i-Íqán,
> and it need not be repeated here. Refer to it and you will grasp their meaning.
> 
> 86
> 
> 1
> 
> Now, I would like in turn to say a further word on this subject, which is the following.
> The first coming of Christ was also from heaven, as has been explicitly stated in
> the Gospel. Even Christ Himself says that the Son of man came down from heaven, and
> the Son of man is in heaven; and no man hath ascended up to heaven but He that came
> down from heaven.
> 
> 87
> 
> Thus it is admitted by all that Christ came down from heaven, whereas to outward
> seeming He came from the womb of Mary. Thus it is admitted by all that Christ came
> down from heaven, whereas to outward seeming He came from the womb of Mary.
> 2
> 
> Now, just as He came the first time in appearance from the womb but in reality from
> heaven, so will He come the second time in appearance from the womb but in reality
> from heaven. The conditions that have been recorded in the Gospel for the second coming
> of Christ are indeed the same as had been specified for His first coming, as was explained
> before.
> 3
> 
> The Book of Isaiah announces that the Messiah will conquer the East and the West,
> that all the nations of the earth will gather under His shadow, that His kingdom will
> be established, that He will come from an unknown place, that the sinners will be
> judged, and that justice will prevail to such a degree that the wolf and the lamb,
> the leopard and the kid, the sucking child and the asp will all gather at one spring,
> in one meadow, and in one abode. The first coming was also subject to these conditions,
> although none of them came to pass outwardly. Thus the Jews cavilled at Christ, and—God
> forbid!—called Him a monster,
> 
> 88
> 
> regarded Him as the destroyer of the edifice of God and the breaker of the Sabbath
> and the Law, and sentenced Him to death. Now, each and every one of these conditions
> had an inner meaning, but the Jews failed to understand and were therefore veiled
> from recognizing Him.
> 4
> 
> The second coming of Christ follows a similar pattern. All the signs and conditions
> that have been indicated have inner meanings and are not to be taken literally. For
> otherwise it is said, among other things, that the stars will fall upon the earth.
> Yet the stars are endless and innumerable, and modern mathematicians have established
> and proven that the mass of the sun is approximately one and a half million times
> greater than that of the earth, and that each one of the fixed stars is a thousand
> times larger than the sun. If these stars were to fall upon the surface of the earth,
> how could there be room for them? It would be as though a thousand million mountains
> as mighty as the Himalayas were to fall upon a grain of mustard seed. Such a thing
> is, by reason and by science (and indeed as a matter of simple common sense), utterly
> impossible. And yet even more astonishing is that Christ said: Perchance I shall come
> when you are sleeping, for the coming of the Son of man is like the coming of a thief.
> 
> 89
> 
> Perhaps the thief will be in the house and the owner will be unaware.
> 5
> 
> It is therefore clear and evident that these signs have inner meanings and should
> not be taken literally. These meanings have been fully explained in the Kitáb-i-Íqán:
> Refer to it.
> 6
> 
> – 27 –
> 
> The Trinity
> 
> Question: What is
> the meaning of the Trinity and of its three Persons?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The reality of the Divinity is sanctified and exalted beyond the comprehension
> of all created things, can in no wise be imagined by mortal mind and understanding,
> and transcends all human conception. That reality admits of no division, for division
> and multiplicity are among the characteristics of created and hence contingent things,
> and not accidents impinging upon the Necessary Being.
> 2
> 
> The reality of the Divinity is sanctified above singleness, then how much more above
> plurality. For that divine reality to descend into stations and degrees would be tantamount
> to deficiency, contrary to perfection, and utterly impossible. It has ever been, and
> will ever remain, in the loftiest heights of sanctity and purity. All that is mentioned
> regarding the manifestation and revelation of God pertains to the effulgence of His
> light and not to a descent into the degrees of existence.
> 3
> 
> God is pure perfection and the creation is absolute imperfection. For God to descend
> into the degrees of existence would be the greatest of imperfections; rather, His
> manifestation, dawning, and effulgence are even as the appearance of the sun in a
> clear, bright, and polished mirror.
> 4
> 
> All created things are resplendent signs of God. For instance, the rays of the sun
> shine upon all earthly things, yet the light that falls upon the plains, the mountains,
> the trees and fruits is only in such measure as to make them visible, to ensure their
> growth, and to cause them to attain the object of their existence. The Perfect Man,
> however, is even as a clear mirror in which the Sun of Truth is revealed and manifested
> in the fullness of its attributes and perfections. Thus the reality of Christ was
> a bright and polished mirror of the greatest purity and clarity. The Sun of Truth,
> the Essence of the Divinity, appeared in that mirror and manifested its light and
> heat therein, yet it did not descend from the heights of holiness and the heaven of
> sanctity to reside within it. No, it continues to abide in its loftiness and sublimity,
> but has been revealed and manifested in the mirror in all its beauty and perfection.
> 5
> 
> Now, if we were to say that we have beheld the Sun in two mirrors—one Christ and the
> other the Holy Spirit—or, in other words, that we have seen three Suns—one in heaven
> and two upon the earth—we would be speaking the truth. And if we were to say that
> there is only one Sun, that it is absolute singleness, and that it has no peer or
> partner, we would again be speaking the truth.
> 6
> 
> The purport of our words is that the reality of Christ was a clear mirror wherein
> the Sun of Truth—that is, the divine Essence—appeared and shone forth with infinite
> perfections and attributes. It is not that the Sun, which is the Essence of the Divinity,
> was ever divided or multiplied—for it remains one—but it became manifest in the mirror.
> That is why Christ said, “The Father is in the Son”, meaning that that Sun is manifest
> and visible in this mirror.
> 7
> 
> The Holy Spirit is the outpouring grace of God which was revealed and manifested in
> the reality of Christ. Prophethood is the station of the heart of Christ, and the
> Holy Spirit is the station of His spirit. It is thus evident and established that
> the Essence of the Divinity is absolute oneness and has no peer, equal, or likeness.
> 8
> 
> This is the true meaning of the three Persons of the Trinity. Otherwise, the foundations
> of the religion of God would rest upon an illogical proposition which no mind could
> ever conceive, and how could the mind be required to believe a thing which it cannot
> conceive? Such a thing could not be grasped by human reason—how much less be clothed
> in an intelligible form—but would remain sheer fancy.
> 9
> 
> Now, this explanation clarifies the meaning of the three Persons of the Trinity and
> establishes at the same time the oneness of God.
> 10
> 
> – 28 –
> 
> The Pre-existence of Christ
> 
> Question: What is
> the meaning of the verse in the Gospel of John: “And now, O Father, glorify thou
> me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.”
> 
> 90
> 
> 1
> 
> Answer: Pre-existence is of two kinds. One is essential pre-existence, which is not
> preceded by a cause but which exists in itself. For example, the sun shines in itself
> and does not depend on the radiance of the other stars for its light. This is called
> essential light. But the light of the moon is derived from the sun, for the moon is
> in need of the sun for its radiance. Thus, with respect to light, the sun is the cause
> and the moon the effect. The former is ancient, antecedent, and prior, while the latter
> is preceded by something else.
> 2
> 
> The second kind of pre-existence is temporal pre-existence, which has no beginning.
> The transcendent Word of God is sanctified beyond time. The past, the present, and
> the future are all equal in relation to God. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow do not
> exist in the sun.
> 3
> 
> There is likewise precedence with regard to honour and distinction; that is, the most
> distinctive precedes the distinctive. Thus the reality of Christ, Who is the Word
> of God, undoubtedly precedes all created things in essence, in attributes, and in
> distinction. Before appearing in human form, the Word of God was in a state of utmost
> sanctity and glory, abiding in perfect beauty and splendour in the height of its majesty.
> When, through the wisdom of the Most High, that Word shed its light from the pinnacle
> of glory upon the corporeal world, it was assaulted through the flesh. Thus it fell
> into the hands of the Jews, became the captive of the ignorant and the unjust, and
> was at last crucified. That is why He called upon God, saying: Release Me from the
> bondage of the corporeal realm and deliver Me from this cage, that I may ascend to
> the heights of greatness and majesty, regain the former sanctity and glory which I
> enjoyed before inhabiting the world of the flesh, rejoice in the everlasting dominion,
> and wing My flight to My true abode, the placeless realm of the unseen Kingdom.
> 4
> 
> As you have observed, after His ascension the greatness and glory of Christ was established
> both in the realm of the hearts and across the reaches of the earth, even unto the
> very dust itself. So long as He dwelt in the corporeal world, He was despised and
> reviled by the weakest nation on the earth, the Jews, who saw it fit that a crown
> of thorns be placed upon His blessed brow. But after His ascension the gem-studded
> crowns of all the kings became humble and submissive before that crown of thorns.
> 5
> 
> Behold the glory that the Word of God attained even in this world!
> 6
> 
> – 29 –
> 
> Sin and Atonement
> 
> Question: In
> 1 Corinthians 15:22 it is written: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
> all be made alive.” What is the meaning of these words?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that there are two natures in man: the material and the spiritual. The
> material nature is inherited from Adam, while the spiritual nature is inherited from
> the reality of the Word of God, which is the spirituality of Christ. The material
> nature is born of Adam, but the spiritual nature is born of the grace of the Holy
> Spirit. The material nature is the source of every imperfection, and the spiritual
> nature is the source of all perfection.
> 2
> 
> Christ sacrificed Himself so that mankind might be freed from the imperfections of
> the material nature and endowed with the virtues of the spiritual nature. This spiritual
> nature, which has come to exist through the grace of the divine Reality, is the sum
> of all perfections and proceeds from the breath of the Holy Spirit. It is the divine
> perfections; it is light, spirituality, guidance, exaltation, high-mindedness, justice,
> love, generosity, kindness to all, and charitable deeds: It is life upon life. This
> spiritual nature is an effulgence of the splendours of the Sun of Truth.
> 3
> 
> Christ is the focal centre of the Holy Spirit; He is born of the Holy Spirit; He has
> been raised up by the Holy Spirit; He descends from the Holy Spirit—that is, His Reality
> does not proceed from the lineage of Adam but is born of the Holy Spirit. The meaning
> of 1 Corinthians 15:22 where it says: “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall
> all be made alive” is therefore as follows: Adam is commonly referred to as the “father
> of man”; that is, He is the cause of the material life of mankind and holds the position
> of material fatherhood. He is a living, though not a life-giving, soul, whereas Christ
> is the cause of the spiritual life of man, and with regard to the spirit He holds
> the position of spiritual fatherhood. Adam is a living soul; Christ is a life-giving
> spirit.
> 4
> 
> In this material world, man is subject to the force of instinctual desires, of which
> sin is the inevitable consequence, for these desires are not bound by the laws of
> justice and righteousness. The body of man is a prisoner of nature and will act in
> accordance with whatsoever nature dictates. It follows that sins—such as wrathfulness,
> envy, contentiousness, greed, avarice, ignorance, rancour, corruption, pride, and
> cruelty—must exist in the material world. All these bestial attributes exist in the
> nature of man. A man who has been deprived of spiritual education is even as an animal,
> like those inhabitants of Africa whose actions, manners, and morals are purely instinctual
> and who act according to the dictates of nature, to the point of rending and eating
> one another. Thus it becomes evident that the material world of man is a world of
> sin, and that on this plane man is indistinguishable from the animal.
> 5
> 
> All sin is prompted by the dictates of nature. These dictates of nature, which are
> among the hallmarks of corporeal existence, are not sins with respect to the animal
> but are sins with regard to man. The animal is the source of imperfections such as
> anger, lust, envy, greed, cruelty, and pride. All these blameworthy qualities are
> found in the nature of the animal, and do not constitute sins with regard to the animal,
> whereas they are sins with regard to man.
> 6
> 
> Adam is the cause of man’s material life, but the reality of Christ, that is, the
> Word of God, is the cause of his spiritual life. It is a life-giving spirit, meaning
> that all the imperfections imposed by the material life of man are, through the instruction
> and guidance of that Essence of detachment, transmuted into human perfections. Therefore,
> Christ was a life-giving spirit and the cause of the spiritual life of all mankind.
> 7
> 
> Adam was the cause of material life, and since the material world of man is the realm
> of imperfections, and since imperfection is tantamount to death, Paul compared the
> former to the latter.
> 8
> 
> But the majority of the Christians believe that Adam sinned and transgressed by eating
> from the forbidden tree, that the dire and disastrous consequences of this transgression
> were inherited for all time by His descendants, and that Adam has thus become the
> cause of the death of man. This explanation is irrational and clearly mistaken, for
> it implies that all men, even the Prophets and Messengers of God, through no fault
> or sin of their own, and for no other reason than their descent from Adam, became
> guilty sinners and suffered the torments of hell until the day of Christ’s sacrifice.
> This would be far from the justice of God. If Adam was a sinner, what was the sin
> of Abraham? What was the fault of Isaac and of Joseph? What was the transgression
> of Moses?
> 9
> 
> But Christ, Who was the Word of God, sacrificed Himself. This has two meanings—an
> outward meaning and a true meaning. The outward meaning is this: Since Christ intended
> to promote a Cause that entailed the education of the human race, the quickening of
> the children of men, and the enlightenment of all humanity, and since promoting such
> a mighty Cause—a Cause that would antagonize all the peoples of the earth and withstand
> the opposition of every nation and government—was bound to bring about the spilling
> of His blood and to lead to His crucifixion and death, therefore at the moment He
> revealed His mission He offered up His life, welcomed the cross as His throne, regarded
> every wound as a balm and every poison as sweetest honey, and arose to instruct and
> guide the people. That is, He sacrificed Himself that He might bestow the spirit of
> life, and perished in body that He might quicken others in spirit.
> 10
> 
> However, the second meaning of sacrifice is this: Christ was like a seed, and this
> seed sacrificed its form so that the tree might grow and develop. Although the form
> of the seed was destroyed, its reality manifested itself, in perfect majesty and beauty,
> in the outward form of the tree.
> 11
> 
> The station of Christ was that of absolute perfection. Those divine perfections shone
> even as the sun upon all believing souls, and the outpourings of that light became
> manifest and resplendent in their realities. That is why He says: “I am the bread
> which came down from heaven; whosoever shall eat of this bread will not die”;
> 
> 91
> 
> that is, whosoever partakes of this divine sustenance will gain eternal life. Thus,
> whoever partook of this grace and acquired a share of these perfections found eternal
> life, and whoever sought illumination from His ancient grace was delivered from the
> darkness of error and illumined by the light of guidance.
> 12
> 
> The form of the seed was sacrificed for the tree, but its perfections were revealed
> and manifested by virtue of this sacrifice: For the tree, its branches, its leaves,
> and its blossoms were latent and hidden within the seed, but when the form of the
> seed was sacrificed, its perfections were fully manifested in the leaves, blossoms,
> and fruit.
> 13
> 
> – 30 –
> 
> Adam and Eve
> 
> Question: What is
> the truth of the story of Adam and His eating from the tree?
> 1
> 
> Answer: It is recorded in the Torah that God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden to
> work and tend it, and said to Him: “Eat freely of every tree of the garden, save for
> the tree of good and evil, for if thou wert to eat thereof thou wouldst surely die.”
> 
> 92
> 
> Then it is said that God caused Adam to sleep, took a bone from His ribs, and created
> a woman to be His companion. Further on it is said that the serpent tempted the woman
> to eat of the tree, saying: “God has forbidden you to eat from the tree, that your
> eyes may not be opened and that you may not discern good from evil.”
> 
> 93
> 
> Then Eve ate from the tree and gave unto Adam, who also ate. Whereupon their eyes
> were opened, they found themselves naked, and they covered their nakedness with leaves.
> God then reproached them, saying to Adam: “Hast Thou eaten of the forbidden tree?”
> Adam answered: “Eve tempted Me.” God then reproved Eve, who said: “The serpent tempted
> me.” For this the serpent was cursed, and enmity was established between the serpent
> and Eve and between their descendants. And God said: “The man is become like unto
> Us, knowing good and evil. Perhaps He will eat of the tree of life and live forever.”
> So God guarded the tree of life.
> 
> 94
> 
> 2
> 
> If we were to take this account according to the literal meaning of the words as indicated
> by their common usage, it would indeed be exceedingly strange, and human minds would
> be excused from accepting, affirming, or imagining it. For such elaborate arrangements
> and details, such statements and reproaches would be implausible even coming from
> an intelligent person, let alone from the Divinity Himself, Who has arranged this
> infinite universe in the most perfect form and arrayed its countless beings in the
> utmost order, soundness, and perfection.
> 3
> 
> One must pause awhile to reflect: If the outward meaning of this account were to be
> attributed to a wise man, all men of wisdom would assuredly deny it, arguing that
> such a scheme and arrangement could not possibly have proceeded from such a person.
> The account of Adam and Eve, their eating from the tree, and their expulsion from
> Paradise are therefore symbols and divine mysteries. They have all-embracing meanings
> and marvellous interpretations, but only the intimates of the divine mysteries and
> the well-favoured of the all-sufficing Lord are aware of the true significance of
> these symbols.
> 4
> 
> These verses of the Torah have therefore numerous meanings. We will explain one of
> them and will say that by “Adam” is meant the spirit of Adam and by “Eve” is meant
> His self. For in certain passages of the Sacred Scriptures where women are mentioned,
> the intended meaning is the human self. By “the tree of good and evil” is meant the
> material world, for the heavenly realm of the spirit is pure goodness and absolute
> radiance, but in the material world light and darkness, good and evil, and all manner
> of opposing realities are to be found.
> 5
> 
> The meaning of the serpent is attachment to the material world. This attachment of
> the spirit to the material world led to the banishment of the self and spirit of Adam
> from the realm of freedom to the world of bondage and caused Him to turn from the
> kingdom of Divine Unity to the world of human existence. When once the self and spirit
> of Adam entered the material world, He departed from the paradise of freedom and descended
> into the realm of bondage. He had abided in the heights of sanctity and absolute goodness,
> and set foot thereafter in the world of good and evil.
> 6
> 
> By “the tree of life” is meant the highest degree of the world of existence, that
> is, the station of the Word of God and His universal Manifestation. That station was
> indeed well guarded, until it appeared and shone forth in the supreme revelation of
> His universal Manifestation. For the station of Adam, with regard to the appearance
> and manifestation of the divine perfections, was that of the embryo; the station of
> Christ was that of coming of age and maturation; and the dawning of the Most Great
> Luminary
> 
> 95
> 
> was the station of the perfection of the essence and the attributes. That is why
> in the all-highest Paradise the tree of life alludes to the focal centre of absolute
> sanctity and purity, that is, the universal Manifestation of God. For from the days
> of Adam until the time of Christ there was little mention of life eternal and of the
> all-embracing perfections of the Kingdom on high. This tree of life alludes to the
> station of the reality of Christ: It was planted in His Dispensation and adorned with
> everlasting fruits.
> 7
> 
> Now consider how closely this interpretation conforms to reality: For when the spirit
> and the self of Adam became attached to the material world, they passed from the realm
> of freedom into the realm of bondage; this condition was perpetuated with each succeeding
> generation, and this attachment of spirit and self to the material world—which is
> sin—was inherited by His descendants. This attachment is the serpent which will forever
> be in the midst of, and at enmity with, the spirits of the descendants of Adam, for
> attachment to the world has become the cause of the bondage of the spirits. This bondage
> is that sin which has been transmitted from Adam to His descendants, for it has deprived
> men of recognizing their essential spirituality and attaining to exalted stations.
> 8
> 
> When the holy breaths of Christ and the sanctified lights of the Most Great Luminary
> were spread abroad, human realities—that is, those souls who turned towards the Word
> of God and partook of His manifold grace—were saved from this attachment and sin,
> were granted eternal life, were delivered from the chains of bondage, and entered
> the realm of freedom. They were purged of earthly vices and endowed with heavenly
> virtues. This is the meaning of Christ’s words that I gave My blood for the life of
> the world.
> 
> 96
> 
> That is, I chose to bear all these trials, afflictions, and calamities, even the
> most great martyrdom, to attain this ultimate objective and to ensure the remission
> of sins—that is, the detachment of spirits from the material world and their attraction
> to the divine realm—that souls may arise who will be the very essence of guidance
> and the manifestations of the perfections of the Kingdom on high.
> 9
> 
> Note that if these words were taken literally, as imagined by the people of the Book,
> 
> 97
> 
> it would be sheer injustice and absolute predestination. If Adam sinned in approaching
> the forbidden tree, what then was the sin of glorious Abraham, the Friend of God,
> and the error of Moses, Who conversed with God? What was the offence of Noah the Prophet
> and the transgression of truth-speaking Joseph? What was the fault of the Prophets
> of God and the failure of John the Chaste? Would divine justice have suffered these
> luminous Manifestations to endure, by reason of Adam’s sin, the torment of hell until
> such time as Christ should come and by His sacrifice rescue them from the nethermost
> fire? Such a notion is beyond the pale of every rule and principle, and no rational
> person can ever accept it.
> 10
> 
> Rather, the meaning is that which was already mentioned: Adam is the spirit of Adam
> and Eve His self; the tree is the material world and the serpent is attachment to
> it. This attachment, which is sin, has been transmitted to the descendants of Adam.
> Through the breaths of holiness, Christ rescued souls from this attachment and delivered
> them from this sin.
> 11
> 
> This sin in Adam, moreover, is relative to His station: Although this worldly attachment
> produced substantial results, yet in relation to attachment to the spiritual realm
> it is nonetheless regarded as a sin, and the truth of the saying, “The good deeds
> of the righteous are the sins of the near ones” is established. Again, it is like
> the power of the body, which is imperfect in relation to the power of the spirit—indeed,
> it is sheer weakness in comparison. Likewise, material life, compared to eternal existence
> and the life of the Kingdom, is regarded as death. Thus Christ referred to this material
> life as death and said, “let the dead bury their dead”.
> 
> 98
> 
> Although those souls enjoyed material life, yet in His eyes that life was even as
> death.
> 12
> 
> This is but one of the meanings of the biblical account of Adam. Reflect, that you
> may discover the others.
> 13
> 
> – 31 –
> 
> Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
> 
> Question: “All manner
> of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy
> Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son
> of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it
> shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.”
> 
> 99
> 
> 1
> 
> Answer: The sanctified realities of the Manifestations of God have two spiritual stations:
> One is that of the state of divine manifestation, which can be compared to the orb
> of the sun, and the other is that of radiance and revelation, which may be likened
> to the divine light and perfections—the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit is the manifold
> grace and perfections of God, and these divine perfections are even as the rays and
> heat of the sun. Now, the sun is the sun by virtue of its effulgent rays; without
> these rays it would not be the sun. If the perfections of God were not revealed and
> manifested in Jesus, He would not be Christ. He is a Manifestation of God precisely
> because the divine perfections are revealed in Him. The Prophets of God are Manifestations,
> and the divine perfections—that is, the Holy Spirit—are that which is manifested in
> Them.
> 2
> 
> If a soul distances himself from the Manifestation, he may yet be awakened, for he
> may have failed to know Him and to recognize Him as the Embodiment of the divine perfections.
> But if he loathes the divine perfections themselves, which are the Holy Spirit, this
> shows that, bat-like, he is a hater of the light.
> 3
> 
> This hatred of the light itself is irremediable and unforgivable; that is, it is impossible
> for such a soul to draw near to God. This lamp here is a lamp because of its light;
> without the light it would not be a lamp. A soul that abhors the light of the lamp
> is, as it were, blind and cannot perceive the light, and this blindness is the cause
> of eternal deprivation.
> 4
> 
> It is evident that souls receive grace from the outpourings of the Holy Spirit which
> are apparent in the Manifestations of God, and not from the individual personality
> of the Manifestation. It follows that if a soul fails to partake of the outpourings
> of the Holy Spirit, it remains deprived of God’s grace, and this deprivation itself
> is equivalent to the denial of divine forgiveness.
> 5
> 
> That is why there have been many souls who opposed the Manifestations of God, not
> realizing that They were Manifestations, but who became Their friends once they had
> recognized Them. Thus, enmity towards the Manifestation of God was not the cause of
> eternal deprivation, for they were enemies of the candleholder and knew not that it
> was the seat of God’s effulgent light. They were not the enemies of the light itself,
> and once they understood that the candleholder was the seat of the light, they became
> true friends.
> 6
> 
> Our meaning is that remoteness from the candleholder is not the cause of eternal deprivation,
> for one may yet be awakened and guided aright, but that enmity towards the light itself
> is the cause of eternal deprivation and has no remedy.
> 7
> 
> – 32 –
> 
> “Many Are Called, but Few Are Chosen”
> 
> Question: Christ says
> in the Gospel: “many are called, but few are chosen”,
> 
> 100
> 
> and in the Qur’án it is written: “He singleth out for His mercy whomsoever He pleaseth.”
> 
> 101
> 
> What is the wisdom of this?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that the order and perfection of the universe require that existence
> should appear in countless forms. Created things cannot therefore be realized in a
> single degree, station, manner, kind, or species: Differences of degree, distinctions
> in form, and a multiplicity of kinds and species are inevitable. So there must necessarily
> be mineral, vegetable, animal, and human kingdoms; for through man alone the world
> of existence could not be adequately arranged, adorned, organized, and perfected.
> By the same token, with the animals, plants, or minerals alone, this world would not
> possess such a wondrous appearance, sound arrangement, and subtle adornment: There
> must be differences of degrees and stations, of kinds and species, for existence to
> shine forth with the utmost perfection.
> 2
> 
> For example, if this tree were to become entirely fruit, the perfections of the vegetable
> kingdom could not be attained, for leaves, blossoms, and fruit are all needed for
> the tree to appear in the utmost beauty and perfection.
> 3
> 
> Consider likewise the body of man, which must of necessity be composed of different
> parts, limbs, and organs. The beauty and perfection of the human body require the
> existence of the ear, the eye, the brain, and even the nails and hair: If man were
> all brain, eyes, or ears, this would be tantamount to imperfection. So the absence
> of hair, eyelashes, teeth, and nails is imperfection itself, for even though in comparison
> with the eyes the latter are insentient and resemble the mineral and the plant, yet
> their absence in the body of man is most disagreeable and displeasing.
> 4
> 
> Now, so long as the degrees of created things are different, some will naturally rank
> above the others. Thus, since the election of certain creatures, such as man, for
> the highest degree; the maintenance of others, such as plants, in the middle degree;
> and the relegation of yet others, such as minerals, to the lowest degree are each
> and all due to the divine will and purpose, it follows that the singling out of man
> for the highest degree is through the grace of God, and that the differences among
> men with regard to spiritual attainments and heavenly perfections are likewise due
> to the choice of the All-Merciful. For faith, which is life eternal, is a token of
> grace and not the result of justice. The flame of the fire of love, in this world
> of earth and water, burns by the power of attraction and not through human effort
> and striving, although through the latter one may indeed acquire knowledge, learning,
> and other perfections. It is the light of the divine Beauty, then, that must stir
> up and move the spirit through its attractive power. Wherefore is it said: “many are
> called, but few are chosen”.
> 
> 102
> 
> 5
> 
> As for material beings, they are not to be blamed, judged, or held accountable for
> their own degrees and stations. Thus the mineral, the plant, and the animal are each
> acceptable in their own degree, but if they were to remain deficient in that degree
> they would be blameworthy, the degree itself being wholly perfect.
> 6
> 
> Now, the differences among mankind are twofold: One is a difference of degree, and
> this difference is not blameworthy. The other is a difference with respect to faith
> and certitude, the absence of which is blameworthy; for the soul must have fallen
> prey to its own lusts and passions to have been deprived of this bounty and bereft
> of the attractive power of the love of God. However praiseworthy and acceptable it
> may be in its human degree, yet as it is deprived of the perfections of that degree,
> it has become a source of deficiency and is held accountable for that reason.
> 7
> 
> – 33 –
> 
> The Return of the Prophets
> 
> Question: Will you
> explain the subject of Return?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Bahá’u’lláh has set forth a lengthy and detailed explanation of this matter
> in the Kitáb-i-Íqán.
> 
> 103
> 
> Read it, and the truth of this matter will become clear and manifest. But since you
> have raised the question, a brief explanation will also be provided here.
> 2
> 
> We will preface our remarks with the text of the Gospel. It is recorded therein that
> when John the son of Zacharias appeared and announced unto the people the advent of
> the Kingdom of God, they asked him, “Who art thou? Art thou the promised Messiah?”
> He replied, “I am not the Messiah.” They then asked him, “Art thou Elias?” He replied,
> “I am not.”
> 
> 104
> 
> These words clearly establish that John the son of Zacharias was not the promised
> Elias.
> 3
> 
> But on the day of the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, Christ explicitly said that
> John the son of Zacharias was the promised Elias. In Mark 9:11 it is said: “And they
> asked Him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come? And He answered
> and told them, Elias verily cometh first, and restoreth all things; and how it is
> written of the Son of man, that He must suffer many things, and be set at naught.
> But I say unto you, That Elias is indeed come, and they have done unto him whatsoever
> they listed, as it is written of him.” And in Matthew 17:13 it is said: “Then the
> disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the Baptist.”
> 4
> 
> Now, they asked John the Baptist, “Art thou Elias?” and he answered, “I am not”, whereas
> it is said in the Gospel that John was the promised Elias himself, and Christ clearly
> stated this as well. If John was Elias, why did he say he was not, and if he was not
> Elias, why did Christ say he was?
> 5
> 
> The reason is that we consider here not the individuality of the person but the reality
> of his perfections—that is to say, the very same perfections that Elias possessed
> were realized in John the Baptist as well. Thus John the Baptist was the promised
> Elias. What is being considered here is not the essence
> 
> 105
> 
> but the attributes.
> 6
> 
> For example, last year there was a flower, and this year there has also appeared a
> flower. When I say that the flower of last year has returned, I do not mean that the
> same flower has returned with the selfsame identity. But since this flower is endowed
> with the same attributes as last year’s flower—as it possesses the same fragrance,
> delicacy, colour, and form—it is said that last year’s flower has returned, and that
> this is that same flower. Likewise, when spring comes we say that last year’s spring
> has returned, since all that was found in the former is to be found again in the latter.
> This is why Christ said, “Ye will witness all that came to pass in the days of the
> former Prophets.”
> 
> 106
> 
> 7
> 
> Let us give another illustration: Last year’s seed was sown, branches and leaves appeared,
> blossoms and fruit came forth, and in the end a new seed was produced. When this second
> seed is planted, it will grow into a tree, and once more those leaves, blossoms, branches,
> and fruit will return, and the former tree will once again appear. As the beginning
> was a seed and the end likewise a seed, we say that the seed has returned. When we
> consider the material substance of the tree, it is different, but when we consider
> the blossoms, leaves, and fruit, the same fragrance, taste, and delicacy are produced.
> Hence the perfection of the tree has returned anew.
> 8
> 
> In the same way, if we consider the individual, it is a different one, but if we consider
> the attributes and perfections, the same have returned. Thus when Christ said, “This
> is Elias”, He meant: This person is a manifestation of the grace, the perfections,
> the qualities, the attributes, and the virtues of Elias. And when John the Baptist
> said, “I am not Elias”, he meant, “I am not the same person as Elias.” Christ considered
> their attributes, perfections, qualities, and virtues, and John referred to his own
> substance and individuality. It is like this lamp: It was here last night, tonight
> it is lit again, and tomorrow night it will shine as well. When we say that tonight’s
> lamp is the same as last night’s and that it has returned, we mean the light and not
> the oil, the wick, or the holder.
> 9
> 
> These considerations have been explained at length in the Kitáb-i-Íqán.
> 10
> 
> – 34 –
> 
> Peter and the Papacy
> 
> Question: In the
> Gospel of Matthew Christ says to Peter: “thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will
> build My church”.
> 
> 107
> 
> What is the meaning of this verse?
> 1
> 
> Answer: This utterance of Christ is an affirmation of Peter’s reply, when Christ asked:
> “Whom do ye believe Me to be?” and Peter answered: “I believe that Thou art the Son
> of the living God.” Then Christ said to him: “thou art Peter”
> 
> 108
> 
> —since “Cephas” in Aramaic means “rock”—“and upon this rock I will build my church”.
> For others, in answer to Christ, had said that He was Elias, or John the Baptist,
> or Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets.
> 
> 109
> 
> 2
> 
> Christ meant, through metaphor and allusion, to affirm the words of Peter. And so,
> since the latter’s name meant “rock”, He said: “thou art Peter, and upon this rock
> I will build my church”. That is, your belief that Christ is the Son of the living
> God will become the foundation of the religion of God, and upon this belief the foundation
> of the church of God—which is the Law of God—shall be established.
> 3
> 
> As to the existence of Peter’s tomb in Rome, it is doubtful and disputed; some say
> that it is in Antioch.
> 4
> 
> Moreover, let us measure the deeds of certain popes against the religion of Christ.
> Christ, hungry and destitute, subsisted on the herbs of the wilderness and would not
> consent to see any heart saddened. The pope rides in a gilded carriage and passes
> his days in the utmost majesty, occupied with such pleasures and pursuits as to surpass
> the opulence and self-indulgence of all the kings of the earth.
> 5
> 
> Christ did not harm anyone, but certain popes put many innocent souls to death. Refer
> to the history books. How much blood have the popes spilled merely to secure their
> temporal authority! How many thousands of servants of humanity, among them learned
> men who had discovered the mysteries of the universe, have they tortured, imprisoned,
> and slain, all for mere differences of opinion! How vehemently have they opposed the
> truth!
> 6
> 
> Consider the admonitions of Christ and investigate the customs and conduct of the
> popes: Is there any resemblance between the admonitions of the former and the administration
> of the latter? We do not like to find fault, but the pages of the history of the Vatican
> are indeed astounding. Our meaning is that the instructions of Christ are one thing
> and the conduct of the papal government is quite another: They do not agree in the
> slightest. See how many Protestants have been slain by order of the popes, what wrongs
> and cruelties have been countenanced, what tortures and punishments have been inflicted!
> Can the sweet fragrances of Christ be at all inhaled from these actions? No, by the
> righteousness of God! Such people did not obey Christ, while Saint Barbara, whose
> portrait is before us, obeyed Him, walked in His path, and acted upon His admonitions.
> 7
> 
> Among the popes there have indeed been some blessed souls who followed in the footsteps
> of Christ, particularly in the early centuries of the Christian era when earthly means
> were lacking and heaven-sent trials were severe. But when the means of temporal sovereignty
> were secured, and worldly honour and prosperity were obtained, the papal government
> entirely forgot Christ and occupied itself with earthly dominion and grandeur, with
> material comforts and luxuries. It put people to death, opposed the diffusion of learning,
> persecuted men of science, obstructed the light of knowledge, and gave the order to
> slay and to pillage. Thousands of people, men of science and learning and innocent
> souls, perished in the prisons of Rome. With such ways and deeds, how can the claim
> of the vicarship of Christ be accepted?
> 8
> 
> The Holy See has consistently opposed the expansion of knowledge, to such a degree
> that in Europe it has come to be held that religion is the enemy of science and that
> science is the destroyer of the foundations of religion. Whereas the religion of God
> is the promoter of truth, the establisher of science and learning, the supporter of
> knowledge, the civilizer of the human race, the discoverer of the secrets of existence,
> and the enlightener of the horizons of the world. How then could it oppose knowledge?
> God forbid! On the contrary, in the sight of God knowledge is the greatest human virtue
> and the noblest human perfection. To oppose knowledge is pure ignorance, and he who
> abhors knowledge and learning is not a human being but a mindless animal. For knowledge
> is light, life, felicity, perfection, and beauty, and causes the soul to draw nigh
> to the divine threshold. It is the honour and glory of the human realm and the greatest
> of God’s bounties. Knowledge is identical to guidance, and ignorance is the essence
> of error.
> 9
> 
> Happy are those who spend their days in the pursuit of knowledge, in the discovery
> of the secrets of the universe, and in the meticulous investigation of truth! And
> woe to those who content themselves with ignorance, who delight in thoughtless imitation,
> who have fallen into the abyss of ignorance and unawareness, and who have thus wasted
> their lives!
> 10
> 
> – 35 –
> 
> Free Will and Predestination
> 
> Question: When an
> action which someone will perform becomes the object of God’s knowledge and is recorded
> in the “Guarded Tablet” of destiny, is it possible to resist it?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The knowledge of a thing is not the cause of its occurrence; for the essential
> knowledge of God encompasses the realities of all things both before and after they
> come to exist, but it is not the cause of their existence. This is an expression of
> the perfection of God.
> 2
> 
> As to the pronouncements which, through divine revelation, have issued from the Prophets
> regarding the advent of the Promised One of the Torah, these likewise were not the
> cause of Christ’s appearance. But the hidden mysteries of the days to come were revealed
> to the Prophets, who thus became acquainted with future events and who proclaimed
> them in turn. This knowledge and proclamation were not the cause of the occurrence
> of these events. For instance, tonight everyone knows that in seven hours the sun
> will rise, but this common knowledge does not cause the appearance and rising of the
> sun.
> 3
> 
> Likewise, God’s knowledge in the contingent world does not produce the forms of things.
> Rather, that knowledge is freed from the distinctions of past, present, and future,
> and is identical with the realization of all things without being the cause of that
> realization.
> 4
> 
> In the same way, the record and mention of a thing in the Scriptures is not the cause
> of its existence. The Prophets of God were informed through divine revelation that
> certain events would come to pass. For instance, through divine revelation they came
> to know that Christ would be martyred, which they in turn proclaimed. Now, did their
> knowledge and awareness cause the martyrdom of Christ? No: This knowledge is a sign
> of their perfection and not the cause of His martyrdom.
> 5
> 
> Through astronomical calculations, the mathematicians determine that at a certain
> time a solar or lunar eclipse will occur. Surely this prediction is not the cause
> of the eclipse. This of course is merely an analogy and not an exact image.
> 6
> 
> Part 3
> 
> On the Powers and Conditions of the Manifestations of God
> 
> – 36 –
> 
> The Five Kinds of Spirit
> 
> Know that in
> general there are five kinds of spirit. First is the vegetable spirit,
> 
> 110
> 
> which is the power that results from the composition and combination of the elements
> according to the wisdom and decree of the Most High, and from their mutual arrangement
> as well as their influence upon, and their interconnection with, other created things.
> When these parts and elements are separated, the associated power of growth likewise
> ceases to exist. So, to give an analogy, electricity results from the composition
> of certain constituent parts, and as soon as these parts are separated, the electrical
> force is immediately dissipated and lost. Such is the vegetable spirit.
> 1
> 
> After this is the animal spirit, which also results from the combination of elements
> that are brought together in a single composition. But this composition is more complete,
> and when by the decree of the almighty Lord it reaches a fuller degree of combination,
> the animal spirit, which consists in the power of the senses, comes to exist. This
> power perceives sensible realities—that which can be seen, heard, tasted, smelled,
> or touched. After the separation and dissolution of these composed elements, this
> spirit will also naturally cease to exist. It is like this lamp before you: When oil,
> wick, and flame are brought together, light is produced; but when the oil is exhausted,
> the wick consumed, and the constituent parts separated, the light will also be extinguished
> and lost.
> 2
> 
> As to the human spirit, its likeness is that of a glass and the bounty of the sun.
> That is, the body of man, which is composed of the elements, is the most perfect form
> of composition and combination, the soundest arrangement, the noblest composition,
> and the most perfect of all existing things. It grows and develops through the animal
> spirit. This perfect body can be compared to a mirror, and the human spirit to the
> sun: If the glass is shattered or the mirror destroyed, no harm befalls the outpouring
> grace of the sun, which continues unabated.
> 3
> 
> This spirit is the discovering power that encompasses all things. All the wondrous
> signs, all the crafts and discoveries, all the mighty undertakings and momentous historical
> events of which you are aware, have been discovered by this spirit and brought forth
> from the invisible realm into the visible plane through its spiritual power. Thus
> it abides upon the earth and yet makes discoveries in the heavens, and deduces that
> which is unknown from known and visible realities. For example, man is in this hemisphere,
> but through the power of reason he discovers, as Columbus did, another one—the Americas—which
> until then was unknown. His body is heavy, but he flies through the air by means of
> vehicles of his own devising. His movement is slow, but he journeys rapidly through
> East and West by the aid of the devices which he has fashioned. In short, this power
> encompasses all things.
> 4
> 
> But this human spirit has two aspects: one divine and one satanic—that is, it is capable
> of both the greatest perfection and the greatest deficiency. Should it acquire virtues,
> it is the noblest of all things; and should it acquire vices, it becomes the most
> vile.
> 5
> 
> As to the fourth degree of spirit, it is the heavenly spirit, which is the spirit
> of faith and the outpouring grace of the All-Merciful. This spirit proceeds from the
> breath of the Holy Spirit, and through a power born of God it becomes the cause of
> everlasting life. It is that power which makes the earthly soul heavenly and the imperfect
> man perfect. It cleanses the impure, unlooses the tongue of the silent, sanctifies
> the bondslaves of passion and desire, and confers knowledge upon the ignorant.
> 6
> 
> The fifth degree of spirit is the Holy Spirit, which is the mediator between God and
> His creation. It is like a mirror facing the sun: Just as a spotless mirror receives
> the rays of the sun and reflects its bounty to others, so too is the Holy Spirit the
> mediator of the light of holiness, which it conveys from the Sun of Truth to sanctified
> souls. This Spirit is adorned with all the divine perfections. Whensoever it appears,
> the world is revived, a new cycle is ushered in, and the body of humanity is clothed
> in a fresh attire. It is like the spring: When it arrives, it transports the world
> from one condition to another. For at the advent of springtide the black earth, the
> fields, and the meadows become green and verdant; flowers and sweet-scented herbs
> of every kind spring forth; trees are endowed with a new life; wondrous fruits are
> produced; and a new cycle is inaugurated.
> 7
> 
> It is the same with the manifestation of the Holy Spirit: Whensoever it appears, it
> invests the world of humanity with a new life and endows human realities with a new
> spirit. It clothes all existence with a glorious attire, disperses the darkness of
> ignorance, and causes the light of human perfections to shine resplendent. It is with
> such a power that Christ renewed this cycle—whereupon the divine springtide pitched
> its tent, with utmost vitality and grace, in the realm of humanity and perfumed the
> senses of the enlightened souls with its life-giving breezes.
> 8
> 
> In the same way, the manifestation of Bahá’u’lláh was a new springtide which appeared
> with the sweet savours of holiness, with the hosts of everlasting life, and with a
> power born of the celestial kingdom. He established the throne of God’s sovereignty
> in the midmost heart of the world and, through the power of the Holy Spirit, revived
> the souls and ushered in a new cycle.
> 9
> 
> – 37 –
> 
> The Connection between God and His Manifestations
> 
> Question: What is
> the reality of the Divinity and its connection to the Daysprings of Lordly splendour
> and the Dawning-Places of the light of the All-Merciful?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that the reality of the Divinity and the nature of the divine Essence
> is ineffable sanctity and absolute holiness; that is, it is exalted above and sanctified
> beyond every praise. All the attributes ascribed to the highest degrees of existence
> are, with regard to this station, mere imagination. The Invisible and Inaccessible
> can never be known; the absolute Essence can never be described. For the divine Essence
> is an all-encompassing reality, and all created things are encompassed. The all-encompassing
> must assuredly be greater than that which is encompassed, and thus the latter can
> in no wise discover the former or comprehend its reality. No matter how far human
> minds may advance, even attaining the highest degree of human comprehension, the uttermost
> limit of this comprehension is to behold the signs and attributes of God in the world
> of creation and not in the realm of Divinity. For the essence and the attributes of
> the all-glorious Lord are enshrined in the inaccessible heights of sanctity, and human
> minds and understandings will never find a path to that station. “The way is barred,
> and all seeking rejected.”
> 
> 111
> 
> 2
> 
> It is evident that whatsoever man understands is a consequence of his existence, and
> that man is a sign of the All-Merciful: How then can the consequence of the sign encompass
> the Creator of the sign? That is, how can human understanding, which is a consequence
> of man’s existence, comprehend God? Thus the reality of the Divinity lies hidden from
> all understanding and is concealed from the minds of all men, and to ascend to that
> station is in no wise possible.
> 3
> 
> We observe that every lower thing is incapable of comprehending the reality of that
> which is higher. Thus, no matter how far they may evolve, the stone, the earth, and
> the tree can never comprehend the reality of man or imagine the powers of sight, hearing,
> or the other senses, even though the former and the latter alike are created things.
> How then can man, a mere creature, comprehend the reality of the sanctified Essence
> of the Creator? No human understanding can approach this station, no utterance can
> unfold its truth, and no allusion can intimate its mystery. What has the speck of
> dust to do with the world of sanctity, and what relationship can ever hold between
> the limited mind and the expanse of the limitless realm? Minds are powerless to comprehend
> Him, and souls are bewildered as they attempt to describe His reality. “No vision
> taketh in Him, but He taketh in all vision, and He is the Subtile, the All-Informed!”
> 
> 112
> 
> 4
> 
> Thus, in this connection, every statement and explanation is deficient, every description
> and characterization is unworthy, every conception is unfounded, and every attempt
> to contemplate its depths is futile. Yet for that Essence of essences, that Truth
> of truths, that Mystery of mysteries, there are splendours, effulgences, manifestations,
> and appearances in the world of existence. The Daysprings of those effulgences, the
> Dawning-places of those revelations, and the Sources of those manifestations are those
> Exponents of holiness, those universal Realities and divine Beings Who are the true
> mirrors of the sanctified Essence of the Divinity. All the perfections, bounties,
> and splendours of the one true God are plainly visible in the realities of His Holy
> Manifestations, even as the light of the sun is fully reflected with all its perfections
> and bounties in a clear and spotless mirror. And if it be said that the mirrors are
> the manifestations of the sun and the dawning-places of the daystar of the world,
> this is not meant to imply that the sun has descended from the heights of its sanctity
> or has become embodied in the mirror, or that that limitless Reality has been confined
> to this visible plane. God forbid! This is the belief of the anthropomorphists. No,
> all these descriptions, all these expressions of praise and glory, refer to these
> holy Manifestations; that is, every description, praise, name, or attribute of God
> that we mention applies to Them. But no soul has ever fathomed the reality of the
> Essence of the Divinity so as to be able to intimate, describe, praise, or glorify
> it. Thus all that the human reality knows, discovers, and understands of the names,
> attributes, and perfections of God refers to these holy Manifestations and leads nowhere
> else: “The way is cut off, and all seeking rejected.”
> 5
> 
> Yet we ascribe certain names and attributes to the reality of the Divinity and praise
> Him for His sight, His hearing, His power, His life and knowledge. We affirm these
> names and attributes not to affirm the perfections of God, but to deny that He has
> any imperfections.
> 6
> 
> When we observe the contingent world, we see that ignorance is imperfection and knowledge
> is perfection, and thus we say that the sanctified Essence of the Divinity is all-knowing.
> Weakness is imperfection and power is perfection, and thus we say that that sanctified
> and divine Essence is all-powerful. It is not that we can understand His knowledge,
> His sight, His hearing, His power, or His life as they are in themselves: This is
> assuredly beyond our comprehension, for the essential names and attributes of God
> are identical with His Essence, and His Essence is sanctified above all understanding.
> If the essential attributes were not identical with the Essence, then there would
> be a multiplicity of pre-existences and the distinction between the Essence and the
> attributes would therefore also be firmly established and pre-existent. But this would
> imply an infinite chain of pre-existences, which is an evident error.
> 7
> 
> It follows that all these names, attributes, laudations, and praises apply to the
> Manifestations of God Themselves, and that all that we may construe or conceive besides
> them is sheer delusion, for we can never find a path to the Invisible and Inaccessible.
> Thus it is said: “All that ye vainly believe to have discerned and expressed in your
> subtlest terms is but a creature like unto you and returneth unto your own selves.”
> 
> 113
> 
> 8
> 
> It is evident that if we attempt to conceive the reality of the Divinity, that conception
> would be encompassed and our mind would be that which encompasses it—and assuredly
> that which encompasses is greater than that which is encompassed! Thus it follows
> that any reality that we might conceive for the Divinity besides that of the holy
> Manifestations would be mere delusion, as there is no means of approach to that divine
> Reality which is entirely beyond the reach of the mind. And all that we might conceive
> is pure imagination.
> 9
> 
> Consider then how the peoples of the world are circling round their own vain imaginings
> and worshipping the idols of their own thoughts and fancies, without the least awareness
> of doing so. They regard these vain imaginings as that Reality which is sanctified
> above all understanding and exalted beyond every allusion. They consider themselves
> to be the proponents of the Divine Unity and all others as worshippers of idols, even
> though idols at least enjoy a mineral existence, whereas the idols of human thoughts
> and imaginations are sheer illusion and have not even the existence of stones. “Take
> ye good heed, O people of insight!”
> 
> 114
> 
> 10
> 
> Know that the attributes of perfection, the outpourings of divine grace, and the effulgences
> of divine revelation shine resplendent in all the Manifestations of God, but that
> the all-encompassing Word of God—Christ—and His Most Great Name—Bahá’u’lláh—have appeared
> with a revelation beyond all conception. For not only do They possess all the perfections
> of the former Manifestations, but They also evince beyond those such perfections as
> to make all others even as Their followers. Thus the Prophets of Israel were all recipients
> of divine revelation, and so too was Christ, but what a difference between the revelation
> of Him Who was the Word of God and the inspiration of an Isaiah, a Jeremiah, or an
> Elijah!
> 11
> 
> Consider that light consists in the vibrations of the ether, whereby the nerves of
> the eye are stimulated and vision is produced. Now, though the vibrations of the ether
> exist both in the lamp and in the sun, yet what a difference there is between the
> light of the sun and that of the stars or of the lamp!
> 12
> 
> The human spirit has certain signs and manifestations in the stage of the embryo,
> and yet other splendours and expressions in the stages of childhood, adolescence,
> and maturity. The spirit is one, and yet in the embryonic stage it lacks the powers
> of sight and hearing, whereas in the stages of adolescence and maturity it appears
> with the utmost splendour and radiance. In the same way, the seed at the beginning
> of its growth appears only as a leaf, which is the place of appearance of the vegetable
> spirit; and in the stage of fruition that same spirit, that is, the power of growth,
> becomes manifest in the plenitude of its perfection—yet how far is the station of
> the leaf from that of the fruit! For from the fruit a hundred thousand leaves will
> in time appear, even though they all grow and develop through the same vegetable spirit.
> Pause then to reflect upon the difference between the virtues and perfections of Christ
> and the splendours and effulgences of Bahá’u’lláh, on the one hand, and the virtues
> of the Prophets of the House of Israel, such as Ezekiel or Samuel, on the other. All
> were the recipients of divine revelation, but between them there is an immeasurable
> distance.
> 13
> 
> – 38 –
> 
> The Three Stations of the Divine Manifestations
> 
> Know that, while
> the Manifestations of God possess infinite virtues and perfections, They occupy only
> three stations: The first is the material station; the second is the human station,
> which is that of the rational soul; and the third is that of divine manifestation
> and heavenly splendour.
> 1
> 
> As for the material station, it has an origin in time, for it is composed of the elements,
> and every composition must ultimately be decomposed. It is indeed impossible for composition
> not to be followed by disintegration.
> 2
> 
> The second station is that of the rational soul, which is the human reality. This
> also has a beginning, and the Manifestations of God share it in common with all humanity.
> 3
> 
> The third station is that of divine manifestation and heavenly splendour, which is
> the Word of God, the everlasting Grace, and the Holy Spirit. This station has neither
> beginning nor end; for firstness and lastness pertain to the contingent world and
> not to the world of God. For God the beginning and the end are one and the same. Similarly,
> the reckoning of days, weeks, months, and years—of yesterday and today—is made with
> respect to the earth; but in the sun such things are unknown: There is neither yesterday,
> nor today, nor tomorrow, neither months nor years—all are equal. Likewise, the Word
> of God is sanctified above all these conditions and exalted beyond every law, constraint,
> or limitation that may exist in the contingent world.
> 4
> 
> Know that, although human souls have existed upon the earth for a myriad ages and
> cycles, the human soul is nonetheless originated. And since it is a sign of God, once
> it has come into being it is everlasting. The human spirit has a beginning but no
> end: It endures forever. Likewise, the various species found upon the earth have an
> origin in time; for it is acknowledged by all that there was a time when these species
> existed nowhere on the face of the earth, and indeed a time when the earth itself
> did not exist. But the world of existence has always been, for it is not confined
> to this terrestrial globe.
> 5
> 
> Our meaning is that, although human souls are originated, they are nevertheless immortal,
> enduring, and everlasting. For the world of things is a world of imperfection in relation
> to that of man, and the world of man is a world of perfection in relation to that
> of things. When imperfect things reach the stage of perfection, they become everlasting.
> This is meant as an example: Seek to grasp the true intent.
> 6
> 
> Now, the reality of prophethood, which is the Word of God and the state of perfect
> divine manifestation, has neither beginning nor end, but its radiance varies like
> that of the sun. For example, it dawned above the sign of Christ with the utmost splendour
> and radiance, and this is eternal and everlasting. See how many world-conquering kings,
> how many wise ministers and rulers have come and gone, each and all fading into oblivion—whereas
> even now the breezes of Christ still waft, His light still shines, His call is still
> upraised, His banner is still unfurled, His armies still do battle, His voice still
> rings sweetly, His clouds still rain down life-giving showers, His lightning still
> streaks forth, His glory is still clear and indisputable, His splendour is still radiant
> and luminous; and the same holds true of every soul that abides beneath His shade
> and partakes of His light.
> 7
> 
> It is therefore evident that the Manifestations of God have three stations: the physical
> station, the station of the rational soul, and the station of divine manifestation
> and heavenly splendour. The corporeal station will inevitably perish. As to the station
> of the rational soul, despite having a beginning, it has no end and is endowed with
> everlasting life. But as to that holy Reality of which Christ says “the Father is
> in the Son”,
> 
> 115
> 
> it has neither beginning nor end: Its “beginning” refers merely to His revelation
> of His own station. Thus, by way of analogy, He likens His silence to sleep: A man
> who is silent is like one who is asleep, and when he speaks, it is as though he has
> awakened.
> 
> 116
> 
> And yet the sleeping and the wakeful man are one and the same person: No change has
> taken place in his station, his loftiness, sublimity, inner reality, or innate nature.
> It is merely that the condition of silence has been likened to sleep, and that of
> manifestation to wakefulness. A man, whether sleeping or awake, is the same man: Sleep
> is simply one possible state, and wakefulness another. And so it is that the period
> of silence is compared to sleep, and the period of manifestation and guidance to wakefulness.
> 8
> 
> In the Gospel it is said: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”
> It follows then that Christ did not attain His Messianic station and His perfections
> at the moment of His baptism, when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form
> of a dove. Rather, the Word of God has always been, and will ever remain, in the loftiest
> heights of sanctity.
> 9
> 
> – 39 –
> 
> The Human and the Divine Stations of the Manifestations
> 
> We stated before
> that the Manifestations of God have three stations: first, the material reality,
> which pertains to the human body; second, the individual reality, that is, the rational
> soul; and third, the heavenly manifestation, which consists in the divine perfections
> and is the source of the life of the world, the education of the souls, the guidance
> of the people, and the enlightenment of all creation.
> 1
> 
> The corporeal station is human in nature and is subject to disintegration, for it
> is an elemental composition and that which is composed of elements must of necessity
> be decomposed and dispersed.
> 2
> 
> But the individual reality of the Manifestations of the All-Merciful is a sanctified
> reality, and it is so because it surpasses in essence and in attributes all created
> things. It is like the sun, which, by virtue of its inherent disposition, must inevitably
> produce light, and cannot be compared to any satellite. For instance, the constituent
> parts of the sun can in no wise be compared to those of the moon. The composition
> and arrangement of the former necessarily produce rays, whereas the constituent parts
> of the latter require the acquisition, rather than the production, of light. So the
> other human realities are souls, which, like the moon, acquire their light from the
> sun, but that sanctified Reality is luminous in and of itself.
> 3
> 
> The third station is that of divine grace, the revelation of the beauty of the Ancient
> of Days and the effulgence of the lights of the ever-living and omnipotent Lord. The
> individual realities of the holy Manifestations cannot be separated from divine grace
> and revelation any more than the corporeal mass of the sun can be separated from its
> light. Thus the ascension of the holy Manifestations is simply the abandonment of
> Their elemental bodies. For example, consider the lamp that lights this niche. Its
> rays may cease to fall upon the niche if the latter is destroyed, but there is no
> interruption in the bounty of the lamp itself. The pre-existent grace of the holy
> Manifestations is even as the light, Their individual realities as the glass globe,
> and Their human temples as the niche: If the niche is destroyed, the lamp continues
> to burn. The Manifestations of God are like so many different mirrors, as They each
> have Their own distinct individuality, but that which is reflected in these mirrors
> is one and the same sun. Thus, it is evident that the reality of Christ is different
> from that of Moses.
> 4
> 
> From the beginning, that sanctified Reality is undoubtedly aware of the secret of
> existence, and from childhood the signs of greatness are clearly manifested in Him.
> How then could He fail, in spite of such bounties and perfections, to be conscious
> of His own station?
> 5
> 
> We mentioned the three stations of the Manifestations of God: that of corporeal existence,
> of individual reality, and of perfect divine manifestation, which can be likened to
> the sun, its heat, and its light. Other individuals also share the corporeal station
> and the rational soul—the spirit and mind. Thus the passages that state, “I lay asleep
> when the breeze of God wafted over Me and roused Me from My slumber”
> 
> 117
> 
> are akin to Christ’s saying, “The flesh is full of sorrow but the spirit is rejoiced”,
> or again, “I am afflicted”, or “I am at ease”, or “I am troubled”: All these refer
> to the corporeal station and have no bearing on the individual reality or on the state
> of manifestation of the divine Reality. Consider, for example, that thousands of vicissitudes
> may occur to the body of man of which the spirit remains wholly unaware. It is even
> possible for certain members of the body to be completely impaired and for the essence
> of the mind to remain unaffected. A garment may sustain a myriad rents and tears and
> the wearer may yet remain unharmed. Thus, the words of Bahá’u’lláh, “I lay asleep
> when a breeze wafted over Me and roused Me from My slumber”, refer to the body.
> 6
> 
> In the world of God there is no past, present, or future: All of these are one. So
> when Christ said, “In the beginning was the Word,”
> 
> 118
> 
> He meant that it was, is, and shall be; for in the world of God there is no time.
> Time holds sway over the creatures but not over God. So in the prayer where Christ
> says, “Hallowed be Thy name”,
> 
> 119
> 
> the meaning is that Thy name was, is, and shall be hallowed. Again, morning, noon,
> and evening exist in relation to the earth, but in the sun there is neither morning,
> nor noon, nor evening.
> 7
> 
> – 40 –
> 
> The Knowledge of the Divine Manifestations
> 
> Question: What are
> the limitations imposed upon the powers of the Manifestations of God and, in particular,
> upon Their knowledge?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Knowledge is of two kinds: existential knowledge and formal knowledge, that
> is, intuitive knowledge and conceptual knowledge.
> 2
> 
> The knowledge that people generally have of things consists in conceptualization and
> observation; that is, either the object is conceived through the rational faculty,
> or through its observation a form is produced in the mirror of the heart. The scope
> of this knowledge is quite limited, as it is conditioned upon acquisition and attainment.
> 3
> 
> The other kind of knowledge, however, which is existential or intuitive knowledge,
> is like man’s knowledge and awareness of his own self.
> 4
> 
> For example, the mind and the spirit of man are aware of all his states and conditions,
> of all the parts and members of his body, and of all his physical sensations, as well
> as of his spiritual powers, perceptions, and conditions. This is an existential knowledge
> through which man realizes his own condition. He both senses and comprehends it, for
> the spirit encompasses the body and is aware of its sensations and powers. This knowledge
> is not the result of effort and acquisition: It is an existential matter; it is pure
> bounty.
> 5
> 
> Since those sanctified realities, the universal Manifestations of God, encompass all
> created things both in their essence and in their attributes, since They transcend
> and discover all existing realities, and since They are cognizant of all things, it
> follows that Their knowledge is divine and not acquired—that is, it is a heavenly
> grace and a divine discovery.
> 6
> 
> Let us provide an example merely to illustrate the point. The noblest of all earthly
> beings is man. In him are realized the animal, the vegetable, and the mineral kingdoms;
> that is, all these degrees are contained in him in such wise that he is endowed with
> them all. And, being endowed with all these degrees and stations, he is informed of
> their mysteries and aware of the secrets of their existence. This is only an example
> and not an exact analogy.
> 7
> 
> Briefly, the universal Manifestations of God are aware of the truths underlying the
> mysteries of all created things, and thus They found a religion that is based upon,
> and consonant with, the prevailing condition of humanity. For religion consists in
> the necessary relationships deriving from the realities of things. If the Manifestation
> of God—the divine Lawgiver—were not informed of the realities of things, if He did
> not understand the necessary relationships deriving from these realities, He would
> assuredly be incapable of establishing a religion consonant with the needs and conditions
> of the time. The Prophets of God, the universal Manifestations, are even as skilled
> physicians; the world of being is as the body of man; and the divine religions are
> as the treatment and remedy. The physician must be fully aware and informed of all
> the parts and organs, the constitution and condition of the patient, in order to prescribe
> an effective remedy. Indeed, it is from the disease itself that the physician deduces
> the remedy, for he first diagnoses the ailment and then treats its underlying cause.
> Until the ailment is properly diagnosed, how can any treatment or remedy be prescribed?
> The physician must therefore have a thorough knowledge of the constitution, the parts,
> organs, and condition of the patient, and be likewise well acquainted with every disease
> and every remedy, in order to prescribe the appropriate cure.
> 8
> 
> Religion, then, consists in the necessary relationships deriving from the reality
> of things. The universal Manifestations of God, being aware of the mysteries of creation,
> are fully informed of these necessary relationships and establish them as the religion
> of God.
> 9
> 
> – 41 –
> 
> Universal Cycles
> 
> Question: Mention has
> been made of universal cycles which occur in the world of existence. Please explain
> the truth of this matter.
> 1
> 
> Answer: Each of the luminous bodies of this limitless firmament has its cycle of revolution,
> that period wherein it completes the full circuit of its orbit before beginning a
> new one. The earth, for example, completes a revolution every 365 days, five hours,
> forty-eight minutes and a fraction, and then begins anew along the same orbit. In
> the same way, the entire universe, whether with respect to the realm of nature or
> the realm of man, proceeds through cycles of major events and occurrences.
> 2
> 
> When a cycle comes to a close, a new one is inaugurated, and the previous cycle, on
> account of the momentous events which transpire, vanishes so entirely from memory
> as to leave behind no record or trace. Thus, as you are aware, we have no record of
> twenty thousand years ago, even though we established before through rational arguments
> that life on this earth is very ancient—not one or two hundred thousand, or even one
> or two million years old: It is ancient indeed, and the records and traces of ancient
> times have been entirely obliterated.
> 3
> 
> Each of the Manifestations of God has likewise a cycle wherein His religion and His
> law are in full force and effect. When His cycle is ended through the advent of a
> new Manifestation, a new cycle begins. Thus, cycles are inaugurated, concluded, and
> renewed, until a universal cycle is completed in the world of existence and momentous
> events transpire which efface every record and trace of the past; then a new universal
> cycle begins in the world, for the realm of existence has no beginning. We have previously
> presented proofs and arguments concerning this subject, and there is no need for repetition.
> 
> 120
> 
> 4
> 
> Briefly, our claim is that a universal cycle in the world of existence comprises a
> vast span of time and countless ages and epochs. In such a cycle, the Manifestations
> of God shine forth in the visible realm until a universal and supreme Manifestation
> makes the world the focal centre of divine splendours and, through His revelation,
> brings it to the stage of maturity. The duration of the cycle He ushers in is very
> long indeed. Other Manifestations will arise in the course of that cycle under His
> shadow and will renew, according to the needs of the time, certain laws pertaining
> to material affairs and transactions, but They will remain under His shadow. We are
> in the cycle which began with Adam and whose universal Manifestation is Bahá’u’lláh.
> 5
> 
> – 42 –
> 
> The Power and Perfections of the Divine Manifestations
> 
> Question: How far
> do the powers and the perfections of those Thrones of truth, the Manifestations of
> God, extend, and what are the limits of Their influence?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Consider the world of existence, that is, the material creation. The solar
> system is wrapped in darkness. Within its circumference, the sun is the centre of
> all light, and all the associated planets revolve around it and are illumined by the
> outpourings of its bounty. The sun is the source of life and light, and is the cause
> of the growth and development of all things within the solar system. Were the bounty
> of the sun to cease, no living thing could continue to exist therein: All things would
> grow dark and be reduced to naught. It is therefore clear and evident that the sun
> is the centre of all light and the source of the life of all things in the solar system.
> 2
> 
> In like manner, the holy Manifestations of God are the focal Centres of the light
> of truth, the Wellsprings of the hidden mysteries, and the Source of the effusions
> of divine love. They cast Their effulgence upon the realm of hearts and minds and
> bestow grace everlasting upon the world of the spirits. They confer spiritual life
> and shine with the splendour of inner truths and meanings. The enlightenment of the
> realm of thought proceeds from those Centres of light and Exponents of mysteries.
> Were it not for the grace of the revelation and instruction of those sanctified Beings,
> the world of souls and the realm of thought would become darkness upon darkness. Were
> it not for the sound and true teachings of those Exponents of mysteries, the human
> world would become the arena of animal characteristics and qualities, all existence
> would become a vanishing illusion, and true life would be lost. That is why it is
> said in the Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word”; that is, it was the source of
> all life.
> 
> 121
> 
> 3
> 
> Now consider the pervasive influence of the sun upon all earthly beings, and behold
> what visible effects and outcomes result from its proximity or remoteness, its rising
> or setting. At one time it is autumn, at another it is spring. At one time it is summer,
> at another it is winter. When the sun crosses the equinox, the life-giving spring
> appears in all its splendour, and when it reaches the summer solstice, the fruits
> attain their full maturity, grains and plants yield their produce, and earthly things
> attain the plenitude of their growth and development.
> 4
> 
> In like manner, when the holy Manifestation of God, Who is the Sun of the world of
> creation, casts His splendour upon the world of hearts, minds, and spirits, a spiritual
> springtime is ushered in and a new life is unveiled. The power of the matchless springtide
> appears and its marvellous gifts are beheld. Thus you observe that, with the advent
> of each of the Manifestations of God, astonishing progress was attained in the realm
> of human minds, thoughts, and spirits. Consider, for example, the progress that has
> been achieved in this divine age in the world of minds and thoughts—and this is only
> the beginning of the dawn! Erelong you will witness how these renewed bounties and
> heavenly teachings have flooded this darksome world with their light and transformed
> this sorrow-laden realm into the all-highest Paradise.
> 5
> 
> Were we to fully explain the influence and bounties of each of the Manifestations
> of God, it would take a very long time. Ponder and reflect upon it yourself in order
> to grasp the truth of the matter.
> 6
> 
> – 43 –
> 
> The Two Kinds of Prophets
> 
> Question: How many
> kinds of Prophets are there in general?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Prophets are in general of two kinds. Some are independent Prophets Who are
> followed, while others are not independent and are themselves followers.
> 2
> 
> The independent Prophets are each the Author of a divine religion and the Founder
> of a new Dispensation. At Their advent the world is clothed in a new attire, a new
> religion is established, and a new Book revealed. These Prophets acquire the outpouring
> grace of the divine Reality without an intermediary. Their radiance is an essential
> radiance like that of the sun, which is luminous in and of itself and whose luminosity
> is an essential requirement rather than being acquired from another star: They are
> like the sun and not the moon. These Daysprings of the morn of Divine Unity are the
> fountainheads of divine grace and the mirrors of the Essence of Reality.
> 3
> 
> The other kind of Prophets are followers and promulgators, for their station is contingent
> rather than independent. They acquire divine grace from the independent Prophets and
> seek the light of guidance from the reality of universal prophethood. They are like
> the moon, which is not luminous and radiant in and of itself but which receives its
> light from the sun.
> 4
> 
> The universal Prophets Who have appeared independently include Abraham, Moses, Christ,
> Muḥammad, the Báb, and Bahá’u’lláh. The second kind, which consists of followers and
> promulgators, includes Solomon, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. For the independent
> Prophets are founders; that is, They establish a new religion, recreate the souls,
> regenerate the morals of society, and promulgate a new way of life and a new standard
> of conduct. Through Them a new Dispensation appears and a new religion is inaugurated.
> Their advent is even as the springtime, when all earthly things don a new garment
> and find a new life.
> 5
> 
> As to the second kind of Prophets, who are followers, they promulgate the religion
> of God, spread His Faith, and proclaim His Word. They have no power or authority of
> their own, but derive theirs from the independent Prophets.
> 6
> 
> Question: To which category do Buddha and Confucius belong?
> 7
> 
> Answer: Buddha also established a new religion and Confucius renewed the ancient conduct
> and morals, but the original precepts have been entirely changed and their followers
> no longer adhere to the original pattern of belief and worship. The founder of Buddhism
> was a precious Being Who established the oneness of God, but later His original precepts
> were gradually forgotten and displaced by primitive customs and rituals, until in
> the end it led to the worship of statues and images.
> 8
> 
> Consider, for example, that Christ admonished the people time and again to heed the
> Ten Commandments of the Torah and insisted upon their strict observance. Now, one
> of the Ten Commandments forbids the worship of images and statues.
> 
> 122
> 
> Yet today there are a myriad images and statues in the churches of certain Christian
> denominations. It is clear and evident, then, that the religion of God does not preserve
> its original precepts among the people, but that it is gradually changed and altered
> to the point of being entirely effaced, and thus a new Manifestation appears and a
> new religion is established. For if the former religion had not been changed and altered,
> there would be no need for renewal.
> 9
> 
> In the beginning, this tree was full of vitality and laden with blossoms and fruit,
> but gradually it grew old, spent, and barren, until it entirely withered and decayed.
> That is why the True Gardener will again plant a tender sapling of the same stock,
> that it may grow and develop day by day, extend its sheltering shade in this heavenly
> garden, and yield its prized fruit. So it is with the divine religions: With the passage
> of time, their original precepts are altered, their underlying truth entirely vanishes,
> their spirit departs, doctrinal innovations spring up, and they become a body without
> a soul. That is why they are renewed.
> 10
> 
> Our meaning is that the followers of Buddha and Confucius now worship images and statues
> and have become entirely unaware of the oneness of God, believing instead in imaginary
> gods, as did the ancient Greeks. But such were not their original precepts; indeed,
> their original precepts and conduct were entirely different.
> 11
> 
> Again, consider to what an extent the original precepts of the Christian religion
> have been forgotten and how many doctrinal innovations have sprung up. For example,
> Christ forbade violence and revenge and enjoined instead that evil and injury be met
> with benevolence and loving-kindness. But observe how many bloody wars have taken
> place among the Christian nations themselves and how much oppression, cruelty, rapacity,
> and bloodthirstiness have resulted therefrom! Indeed, many of these wars were carried
> out at the behest of the popes. It is therefore abundantly clear that, with the passage
> of time, religions are entirely changed and altered, and hence they are renewed.
> 12
> 
> – 44 –
> 
> The Rebukes Addressed by God to the Prophets
> 
> Question: Certain words
> of rebuke have been addressed to the Prophets of God in the Sacred Scriptures. To
> whom are they addressed and to whom do they ultimately refer?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Every divine utterance that takes the form of a rebuke, though it be outwardly
> addressed to the Prophets of God, is in reality directed to Their followers. The wisdom
> of this is naught but unalloyed mercy, that the people might not be dismayed, disheartened,
> or burdened by such reproaches and rebukes. These words are therefore outwardly addressed
> to the Prophets, but, even so, they are inwardly intended for the followers and not
> for the Messenger.
> 2
> 
> Moreover, the mighty and sovereign monarch of a land represents all who inhabit that
> land; that is, whatsoever he may utter is the word of all, and whatsoever covenant
> he may conclude is the covenant of all, for the will and purpose of all his subjects
> is subsumed in his own. Likewise, every Prophet is the representative of the entire
> body of His followers. Therefore, the covenant that God makes with Him and the words
> that He addresses to Him apply to all His people.
> 3
> 
> Now, the divine reproach and rebuke tends to burden and afflict the hearts of the
> people, and the consummate wisdom of God demands, therefore, such a form of address.
> For example, it appears from the Torah itself that the Israelites rebelled against
> Moses, saying: “We cannot fight the Amalekites, for they are mighty, fierce, and courageous.”
> God then spoke with rebuke to Moses and Aaron, although Moses was in complete obedience
> and not in rebellion.
> 
> 123
> 
> Surely such a glorious Being, Who is the channel of God’s grace and the champion
> of His law, must be obedient to the divine command.
> 4
> 
> These holy Souls are like the leaves of a tree which are stirred into motion by the
> breeze and not of Their own accord, for They are attracted by the breaths of the love
> of God and have forsaken Their own will. Their word is the word of God; Their commandment
> is the commandment of God; Their prohibition is the prohibition of God. They are even
> as this glass globe whose light comes from the flame of the lamp. Although the light
> appears to emanate from the glass, in reality it proceeds from the flame. Similarly,
> the movement and repose of the Prophets of God, Who are His Manifestations, proceed
> from revelation and not from mere human whim. Were it not so, how could the Prophet
> act as a faithful representative and chosen envoy of God? How could He promulgate
> God’s commandments and prohibitions? All the shortcomings ascribed to the Manifestations
> of God in the Sacred Scriptures must therefore be understood in this light.
> 5
> 
> Praise be to God that you have come here and met the servants of God! Have you inhaled
> from them aught save the fragrance of the good-pleasure of the Lord? Indeed, no! You
> have seen with your own eyes how they strive night and day to no other end but to
> exalt the Word of God, to foster the education of the souls, to rehabilitate the fortunes
> of mankind, to ensure spiritual progress, to promote universal peace, to show forth
> kindliness and goodwill to all peoples and nations, to sacrifice themselves for the
> common good, to forsake their own material advantage, and to promote the virtues of
> the world of humanity.
> 6
> 
> Let us return to our subject. In the Torah it is said in Isaiah 48:12: “Hearken unto
> Me, O Jacob and Israel, My called; I am He; I am the first, I also am the last.” It
> is evident that the intended meaning is not Jacob who was called Israel, but the Israelites.
> Also in Isaiah 43:1 it is said: “But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O
> Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have
> called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.”
> 7
> 
> Furthermore, in Numbers 20:23–4 it is said: “And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron
> in mount Hor, by the coast of the land of Edom, saying, Aaron shall be gathered unto
> his people: for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children
> of Israel, because ye rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah”; and in 20:13:
> “This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord,
> and He was sanctified in them.”
> 8
> 
> Observe that it was the people of Israel who had rebelled, but the reproach was outwardly
> addressed to Aaron and Moses, as it is said in Deuteronomy 3:26: “But the Lord was
> wroth with me for your sakes, and would not hear me: and the Lord said unto me, Let
> it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter.”
> 9
> 
> Now, this reproach and rebuke was in reality addressed to the children of Israel,
> who, on account of their rebellion against the commandments of God, were made to dwell
> for a long period in the barren desert beyond the Jordan, until the time of Joshua.
> This reproach and rebuke appeared to be addressed to Moses and Aaron, but in reality
> it was directed to the people of Israel.
> 10
> 
> Similarly, in the Qur’án it is said to Muḥammad: “We have granted thee a manifest
> victory, that God may forgive thee thy past and future sins.”
> 
> 124
> 
> Now, these words, though apparently addressed to Muḥammad, were in reality meant
> for all His people; and this proceeds from the consummate wisdom of God, as we said
> previously, so that hearts might not be troubled, perplexed, or dismayed.
> 11
> 
> How often have the Prophets of God and His universal Manifestations confessed in Their
> prayers to Their sins and shortcomings! This is only to instruct other souls, to inspire
> and encourage them to be humble and submissive before God, and to acknowledge their
> own sins and shortcomings. For these holy Souls are sanctified above every sin and
> freed from every fault. For example, it is said in the Gospel that a man came to Christ
> and called Him “Good Master”. Christ answered, “Why callest thou me good? there is
> none good but one, that is, God.”
> 
> 125
> 
> Now, this did not mean—God forbid!—that Christ was a sinner, but rather His intention
> was to teach humility, lowliness, meekness, and modesty to the man He was addressing.
> These blessed Souls are light, and light cannot be united with darkness. They are
> life everlasting, and life cannot be gathered in with death. They are guidance, and
> guidance cannot be brought together with waywardness. They are the very essence of
> obedience, and obedience cannot join hands with rebellion.
> 12
> 
> In brief, our meaning is that the rebukes recorded in the Sacred Scriptures, though
> outwardly addressed to the Prophets—the Manifestations of God—are in reality intended
> for the people. Were you to peruse the Bible, this matter would become clear and evident.
> 13
> 
> – 45 –
> 
> The Most Great Infallibility
> 
> It is said
> in the blessed verse: “He Who is the Dawning-place of God’s Cause hath no partner
> in the Most Great Infallibility. He it is Who, in the kingdom of creation, is the
> Manifestation of ‘He doeth whatsoever He willeth’. God hath reserved this distinction
> unto His own Self, and ordained for none a share in so sublime and transcendent a
> station.”
> 
> 126
> 
> 1
> 
> Know that infallibility is of two kinds: infallibility in essence and infallibility
> as an attribute. The same holds true of all other names and attributes: For example,
> there is the knowledge of the essence of a thing and the knowledge of its attributes.
> Infallibility in essence is confined to the universal Manifestations of God; for infallibility
> is an essential requirement of Their reality, and the essential requirement of a thing
> is inseparable from the thing itself. The rays are an essential requirement of the
> sun and are inseparable from it; knowledge is an essential requirement of God and
> is inseparable from Him; power is an essential requirement of God and is likewise
> inseparable from Him. If it were possible to separate these from Him, He would not
> be God. If the rays could be separated from the sun, it would not be the sun. Therefore,
> were one to imagine the Most Great Infallibility being separated from the universal
> Manifestation of God, He would not be a universal Manifestation and would lack essential
> perfection.
> 2
> 
> But infallibility as an attribute is not an essential requirement; rather, it is a
> ray of the gift of infallibility which shines from the Sun of Truth upon certain hearts
> and grants them a share and portion thereof. Although these souls are not essentially
> infallible, yet they are under the care, protection, and unerring guidance of God—which
> is to say, God guards them from error. Thus there have been many sanctified souls
> who were not themselves the Daysprings of the Most Great Infallibility, but who have
> nevertheless been guarded and preserved from error under the shadow of divine care
> and protection. For they were the channels of divine grace between God and man, and
> if God did not preserve them from error they would have led all the faithful to fall
> likewise into error, which would have wholly undermined the foundations of the religion
> of God and which would be unbefitting and unworthy of His exalted Reality.
> 3
> 
> To summarize, infallibility in essence is confined to the universal Manifestations
> of God, and infallibility as an attribute is conferred upon sanctified souls. For
> instance, the Universal House of Justice, if it be established under the necessary
> conditions—that is, if it be elected by the entire community—that House of Justice
> will be under the protection and unerring guidance of God. Should that House of Justice
> decide, either unanimously or by a majority, upon a matter that is not explicitly
> recorded in the Book, that decision and command will be guarded from error. Now, the
> members of the House of Justice are not essentially infallible as individuals, but
> the body of the House of Justice is under the protection and unerring guidance of
> God: This is called conferred infallibility.
> 4
> 
> Briefly, Bahá’u’lláh says that “He Who is the Dawning-place of God’s Cause” is the
> manifestation of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”, that this station is reserved to
> that sanctified Being, and that others receive no share of this essential perfection.
> That is, since the essential infallibility of the universal Manifestations of God
> has been established, whatsoever proceeds from Them is identical with the truth and
> conformable to reality. They are not under the shadow of the former religion. Whatsoever
> They say is the utterance of God, and whatsoever They do is a righteous deed, and
> to no believer is given the right to object; rather must he show forth absolute submission
> in this regard, for the Manifestation of God acts with consummate wisdom, and human
> minds may be incapable of grasping the hidden wisdom of certain matters. Therefore,
> whatsoever the universal Manifestation of God says and does is the very essence of
> wisdom and conformable to reality.
> 5
> 
> Now, if certain souls fail to grasp the mysteries concealed within a given commandment
> or action of the True One, they should raise no objection, for the universal Manifestation
> of God “doeth whatsoever He willeth”. How often has it happened that a wise, accomplished,
> and sagacious person took a course of action, and those who were incapable of grasping
> its wisdom objected and questioned why he said or did thus. This objection is prompted
> by ignorance, and the wisdom of that wise man is free and sanctified from error.
> 6
> 
> In like manner, a skilled physician “doeth whatsoever he willeth” in treating the
> patient, and the latter has no right to object. Whatsoever the physician may say or
> do, the same is sound and true, and he must be regarded by all as the embodiment of
> “He doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” The physician
> will doubtless prescribe remedies that are at variance with popular notions, but is
> it permissible for those who have no knowledge of science and medicine to object?
> No, by God! On the contrary, they must all acquiesce and follow whatsoever the skilled
> physician prescribes. Thus, the skilled physician “doeth whatsoever he willeth”, and
> the patients have no share in this station. First, the skill of the physician must
> be ascertained, and once this has been done, he “doeth whatsoever he willeth”.
> 7
> 
> Likewise, a general who is unrivalled in the art of war “doeth whatsoever he willeth”
> in all that he says or commands, and the same holds true of the ship’s captain who
> masters the art of seafaring, and of the True Educator Who possesses all human perfections:
> They do whatsoever they will in all that they say and command.
> 8
> 
> In sum, the meaning of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” is that if the Manifestation
> of God issues a command, enforces a law, or performs an action whose wisdom His followers
> cannot grasp, they should not think for a moment of questioning His words or actions.
> All souls are under the shadow of the universal Manifestation, must submit to the
> authority of the religion of God, and are not to deviate so much as a hairsbreadth.
> Rather, they must conform their every act and deed to the religion of God, and should
> they deviate from it they will be reproved and held accountable before God. It is
> certain that they have no share of the station “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”, for
> it is confined to the universal Manifestation of God.
> 9
> 
> Thus Christ—may my soul be a sacrifice for His sake!—was the embodiment of the words
> “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”, but His disciples had no share of this station,
> for they abided under His shadow and were not granted leave to deviate from His will
> and command.
> 10
> 
> Part 4
> 
> On the Origin, Powers, and Conditions of Man
> 
> – 46 –
> 
> Evolution and the True Nature of Man
> 
> We now come
> to the question of the transformation of species and the evolutionary development
> of organs, that is, whether man has come from the animal kingdom.
> 
> 127
> 
> 1
> 
> This idea has entrenched itself in the minds of certain European philosophers, and
> it is very difficult now to make its falsity understood; but in the future it will
> become clear and evident, and the European philosophers will themselves recognize
> it. For in reality it is an evident error. When one examines creation with a penetrating
> eye, when one grasps the intricacies of created things and witnesses the condition,
> the order, and the completeness of the world of existence, one is convinced of the
> truth that “there is naught in creation more wondrous than that which already exists”.
> 
> 128
> 
> For all existing things, whether on earth or in the heavens, even this limitless
> firmament and all that it contains, have been most befittingly created, arranged,
> composed, ordered, and completed, and suffer no imperfection. To such an extent is
> this true that if all beings were to become pure intelligence and to reflect until
> the end that has no end, they could not possibly imagine anything better than that
> which already exists.
> 2
> 
> If in the past, however, the creation had lacked such completeness and adornment,
> if it had been in an inferior state, then existence would have necessarily been wanting
> and imperfect and, as such, incomplete. This matter requires the utmost attention
> and thought. Imagine, for example, the entire contingent world—the realm of existence—as
> resembling the body of man. If the composition, the arrangement, the completeness,
> the beauty, and the perfection which now exist in the human body were in any way different,
> the result would be imperfection itself.
> 3
> 
> So if we were to imagine a time when man belonged to the animal kingdom, that is,
> when he was merely an animal, existence would have been imperfect. This means that
> there would have been no man, and this chief member, which in the body of the world
> is like the mind and the brain in a human being, would have been lacking, and the
> world would thus have been utterly imperfect. This is sufficient proof in itself that
> if there had been a time when man belonged to the animal realm, the completeness of
> existence would have been destroyed; for man is the chief member of the body of this
> world, and a body without its chief member is undoubtedly imperfect. We regard man
> as the chief member because, among all created things, he encompasses all the perfections
> of existence.
> 4
> 
> Now, what we mean by “man” is the complete human being, the foremost person in the
> world, who is the sum of all spiritual and material perfections, and who is like the
> sun among all created things. Imagine, then, a time when the sun did not exist as
> such, in other words, when the sun was merely another celestial body. Undoubtedly,
> at such a time the relationships between existing things would have been disrupted.
> How can such a thing be imagined? Were one to carefully examine the world of existence,
> this argument alone would suffice.
> 5
> 
> Let us give another, more subtle proof: The innumerable created things that are found
> in the world of existence—be they man, animal, plant, or mineral—must each be composed
> of elements. There is no doubt that the completeness seen in each and every thing
> arises, by divine creation, from the component elements, their appropriate combination,
> their proportionate measure, the manner of their composition, and the influence of
> other created things. For all beings are linked together like a chain; and mutual
> aid, assistance, and interaction are among their intrinsic properties and are the
> cause of their formation, development, and growth. It is established through numerous
> proofs and arguments that every single thing has an effect and influence upon every
> other, either independently or through a causal chain. In sum, the completeness of
> each and every thing—that is, the completeness which you now see in man, or in other
> beings, with regard to their parts, members, and powers—arises from their component
> elements, their quantities and measures, the manner of their combination, and their
> mutual action, interaction, and influence. When all these are brought together, then
> man comes into existence.
> 6
> 
> As the completeness of man stems entirely from the component elements, their measure,
> their manner of combination, and the mutual action and interaction of other beings—and
> since man was produced ten or a hundred thousand years ago from the same earthly elements,
> with the same measures and quantities, the same manner of composition and combination,
> and the same interactions with other beings—it follows that man was exactly the same
> then as exists now. This is a self-evident truth and cannot be doubted. And if a thousand
> million years hence, the component elements of man are brought together, measured
> out in the same proportion, combined in the same manner, and subjected to the same
> interaction with other beings, exactly the same man will come into existence. For
> example, if a hundred thousand years hence one were to bring together oil, flame,
> wick, lamp, and a lighter of the lamp—briefly, if all that is needed now be combined
> then—exactly the same lamp will be produced.
> 7
> 
> This matter is evident and these arguments conclusive. But those which the European
> philosophers have adduced are speculative and inconclusive.
> 8
> 
> – 47 –
> 
> The Origin of the Universe and the Evolution of Man
> 
> Know that it
> is one of the most abstruse questions of divinity that the world of existence—that
> is, this endless universe—has no beginning.
> 1
> 
> We have already explained that the very names and attributes of Divinity require the
> existence of created things. Although a detailed explanation of this matter was already
> provided,
> 
> 129
> 
> a brief mention will again be made here. Know that a lord without vassals cannot
> be imagined; a sovereign without subjects cannot exist; a teacher without pupils cannot
> be designated; a creator without a creation is impossible; a provider without those
> provided for is inconceivable—since all the divine names and attributes call for the
> existence of created things. If we were to imagine a time when created things did
> not exist, it would be tantamount to denying the divinity of God.
> 2
> 
> Apart from this, absolute non-existence lacks the capacity to attain existence. If
> the universe were pure nothingness, existence could not have been realized. Thus,
> as that Essence of Oneness, or divine Being, is eternal and everlasting—that is, as
> it has neither beginning nor end—it follows that the world of existence, this endless
> universe, likewise has no beginning. To be sure, it is possible for some part of creation—one
> of the celestial globes—to be newly formed or to disintegrate, but the other countless
> globes would continue to exist and the world of existence itself would not be disrupted
> or destroyed. On the contrary, its existence is perpetual and unchanging. Now, as
> each globe has a beginning, it must inevitably have an end as well, since every composition,
> whether universal or particular, must of necessity be decomposed. At most, some disintegrate
> quickly and others slowly, but it is impossible for something that is composed not
> to ultimately decompose.
> 3
> 
> We must know, then, what each one of the great existent things was in the beginning.
> There is no doubt that initially there was a single origin: There cannot have been
> two origins. For the origin of all numbers is one and not two; the number two is itself
> in need of an origin. It is therefore evident that originally matter was one, and
> that one matter appeared in a different form in each element. Thus various forms appeared,
> and as they appeared, they each assumed an independent form and became a specific
> element. But this distinction attained its full completion and realization only after
> a very long time. Then these elements were composed, arranged, and combined in infinite
> forms; in other words, from the composition and combination of these elements countless
> beings appeared.
> 4
> 
> This composition and arrangement arose, through the wisdom of God and His ancient
> might, from one natural order. Thus, as this composition and combination has been
> produced according to a natural order, with perfect soundness, following a consummate
> wisdom, and subject to a universal law, it is clear that it is a divine creation and
> not an accidental composition and arrangement. That is why from every natural composition
> a living thing comes into existence, but from a chance composition no living thing
> will appear. So, for example, if man, with all his astuteness and intelligence, were
> to gather together and combine certain elements, a living being will not be brought
> into existence as it would not be according to the natural order. This is the answer
> to the implicit question that might arise, that since these beings come into existence
> through the composition and combination of these elements, then can we not also gather
> together and combine the very same elements and thus create a living thing? This idea
> is mistaken; for the original composition is a divine composition, and the combination
> is produced by God according to the natural order, and it is for this reason that
> a living being is created from this composition and an existence is realized. But
> a composition made by man produces nothing because man cannot create life.
> 5
> 
> Briefly, we have said that from the composition of the elements; from their combination,
> manner, and proportion; and from their interaction with other beings countless forms
> and realities and innumerable beings have come to exist. But it is clear that this
> terrestrial globe in its present form did not come into existence all at once, but
> that this universal existent gradually traversed different stages until it appeared
> in its present completeness. Universal existences can be likened and compared to particular
> ones, for both are subject to one natural order, one universal law, and one divine
> arrangement. For instance, you will find the smallest atoms to be similar in their
> general structure to the greatest entities in the universe, and it is clear that they
> have proceeded from one laboratory of might according to one natural order and one
> universal law, and can therefore be compared to one another.
> 6
> 
> For example, the human embryo grows and develops gradually in the womb of its mother
> and assumes different forms and conditions until it reaches maturity with the utmost
> beauty and appears in a consummate form with the utmost grace. In like manner, the
> seed of this flower which you see before you was, in the beginning, a small and insignificant
> thing, but it grew and developed in the womb of the earth and assumed different forms
> until it appeared with such perfect vitality and grace in this degree. It is likewise
> clear and evident that this terrestrial globe came to exist, grow, and develop in
> the matrix of the universe and assumed different forms and conditions until it gradually
> attained its present completeness, became adorned with countless beings, and appeared
> in such a consummate form.
> 7
> 
> It is therefore evident that the original matter, which is like unto the embryo, initially
> took the form of composed and combined elements, and that composition gradually grew
> and developed over a myriad ages and centuries, passing from one shape and form to
> another until, through the consummate wisdom of God, it appeared with such completeness,
> order, arrangement, and soundness.
> 8
> 
> Let us return to our subject. From the beginning of existence in the womb of the terrestrial
> globe, man gradually grew and developed like the embryo in the womb of its mother,
> and passed from one shape and form to another until he appeared with this beauty and
> perfection, this power and constitution. It is certain that initially he did not possess
> such loveliness, grace, and refinement, and that he has only gradually attained such
> form, disposition, comeliness, and grace. There is no doubt that, like the embryo
> in the womb of the mother, the embryo of humankind did not appear all at once in this
> form and become the embodiment of the words “Hallowed be the Lord, the most excellent
> of all creators!”
> 
> 130
> 
> Rather, it gradually attained various conditions and assumed divers forms until it
> attained this appearance and beauty, this perfection, refinement, and grace. It is
> therefore clear and evident that the growth and development of man on this planet
> unto his present completeness, even as the growth and development of the embryo in
> the womb of the mother, has been by degrees and through passing from state to state,
> and from one shape and form to another, for this is according to the requirements
> of the universal order and the divine law.
> 9
> 
> That is, the human embryo assumes different conditions and traverses numerous stages
> until it reaches that form in which it manifests the reality of the words “Hallowed
> be the Lord, the most excellent of all creators!” and shows forth the signs of full
> development and maturity. In like manner, from the beginning of man’s existence on
> this planet until he assumed his present shape, form, and condition, a long time must
> have elapsed, and he must have traversed many stages before reaching his present condition.
> But from the beginning of his existence man has been a distinct species. This is similar
> to the embryo of man in the womb of the mother: It possesses at first a strange appearance;
> then this body passes from shape to shape and from form to form until it appears in
> the utmost beauty and perfection. But even when it possesses, in the womb of the mother,
> a strange form entirely different from its present shape and appearance, it is the
> embryo of a distinct species and not of an animal: The essence of the species and
> the innate reality undergo no transformation at all.
> 10
> 
> Now, were one to establish the existence of vestigial organs, this would not disprove
> the independence and originality of the species. At most it would prove that the form,
> appearance, and organs of man have evolved over time. But man has always been a distinct
> species; he has been man, not an animal. Consider: If the embryo of man in the womb
> of the mother passes from one form to another which in no way resembles the former,
> is this a proof that the essence of the species has undergone transformation? That
> it was at first an animal and that its organs developed and evolved until it became
> a man? No, by God! How feeble and unfounded is this thought! For the originality of
> the human species and the independence of the essence of man are clear and evident.
> 11
> 
> – 48 –
> 
> The Difference between Man and Animal
> 
> We have already
> had one or two conversations on the subject of the spirit, but they were not written
> down.
> 1
> 
> Know that the people of the world are of two kinds; that is, they belong to two groups.
> One group denies the human spirit and says that man is a kind of animal. Why? Because
> we see that man and animal share in common the same powers and senses. The simple
> and individual elements that fill the space around us are brought together in countless
> combinations, each of which gives rise to a different being. Among these are sentient
> beings possessed of certain powers and senses. The more complete the combination,
> the nobler the being. The combination of the elements in the body of man is more complete
> than in any other being, and its elements have been combined in perfect equilibrium,
> and thus it is more noble and more perfect. It is not, they say, that man has a special
> power and spirit of which the other animals are deprived: Animals too have sensory
> perceptions, but man’s powers are simply more acute in certain respects (although
> with respect to the outer senses, such as hearing, sight, taste, smell, and touch,
> and even with regard to inner powers such as memory, the animal is more richly endowed
> than man). The animal, they say, possesses the powers of intelligence and understanding.
> All they will concede is that man’s intelligence is greater.
> 2
> 
> Such are the claims of the present-day philosophers. Such are their words, such are
> their claims, and such are the dictates of their imaginations. And so, after extensive
> research and armed with powerful arguments, they place man in the lineage of the animal,
> saying that at one time man was an animal, and that the species gradually changed
> and evolved until it reached the human degree.
> 3
> 
> But the divine philosophers say: No, this is not so. Although man shares the same
> outward powers and senses in common with the animal, there exists in him an extraordinary
> power of which the animal is deprived. All sciences, arts, inventions, crafts, and
> discoveries of realities proceed from this singular power. This is a power that encompasses
> all created things, comprehends their realities, unravels their hidden mysteries,
> and brings them under its control. It even understands things that have no outward
> existence, that is, intelligible, imperceptible, and unseen realities such as the
> mind, the spirit, human attributes and qualities, love and sorrow—all of which are
> intelligible realities. Moreover, all the existing sciences and crafts, all the great
> undertakings and myriad discoveries of man were at one time hidden and concealed mysteries,
> and it is that all-encompassing human power that has discovered them and brought them
> forth from the invisible into the visible realm. So the telegraph, the photograph,
> the phonograph—all such great inventions and crafts were once hidden mysteries which
> that human reality discovered and brought forth from the invisible to the visible
> realm. There was even a time when this piece of iron before you, and indeed every
> mineral, was a hidden mystery. The human reality discovered this mineral and wrought
> its metal into this finished form. The same holds true for all the other discoveries
> and inventions of man, which are innumerable. This matter is irrefutable and there
> is no point in denying it.
> 4
> 
> If we were to claim that all these effects proceed from the powers of the animal nature
> and the physical senses, then we see plainly and clearly that, with regard to these
> powers, the animals are superior to man. For example, the sight of animals is much
> keener than that of man, their hearing is more acute, and likewise with their powers
> of smell and taste. Briefly, in the powers which man and animal share in common, the
> animal often has the advantage. Take the power of memory: If you carry a pigeon from
> here to a faraway country, and there set it free, it will remember the way and return
> home. Take a dog from here to the heart of Asia, set it free, and it will return home
> without ever losing its way. And so is it with the other powers, such as hearing,
> sight, smell, taste, and touch. It is clear then that if man did not possess a power
> beyond the animal powers, the animal would perforce surpass man in significant discoveries
> and in the comprehension of realities. It follows from this argument that man is endowed
> with a gift, and possesses a perfection, which is not present in the animal.
> 5
> 
> Moreover, the animal perceives sensible things but cannot perceive conceptual realities.
> For example, the animal sees that which is within the range of its vision but cannot
> comprehend or conceive that which lies beyond it. Thus it is not possible for the
> animal to comprehend that the earth has a spherical shape. But man can deduce the
> unknown from the known and discover hidden realities. So, for example, from observing
> the inclination of the heavens man infers the curvature of the earth. The Pole Star
> at ‘Akká, for instance, is at 33 degrees; that is, it is inclined 33 degrees above
> the horizon. When one goes towards the North Pole, the Pole Star rises one degree
> above the horizon for every degree of distance travelled; that is, the inclination
> of the Pole Star will reach 34 degrees, then 40, 50, 60, and 70 degrees. When one
> reaches the North Pole, the inclination of the Pole Star will be 90 degrees and the
> star will be seen at the zenith, that is, directly overhead.
> 6
> 
> Now, the Pole Star is a sensible reality, and so too is its ascension, that is, the
> fact that the closer one goes to the Pole, the higher the Pole Star rises. And from
> these two known realities an unknown reality is discovered, namely, that the heavens
> are inclined, meaning that the sky above the horizon at each latitude is different
> from that at another latitude. Man comprehends this relation and reasons from it a
> previously unknown thing, namely, the curvature of the earth. But this comprehension
> is impossible for the animal. It is likewise impossible for the animal to comprehend
> that the sun is the centre and that the earth revolves around it. The animal is a
> prisoner of the senses and is circumscribed by them: It cannot comprehend anything
> that lies beyond the reach or control of the senses, even though it excels man in
> the outward powers and senses. It is therefore clearly established that man is endowed
> with a power of discovery that distinguishes him from the animal, and this power is
> none but the human spirit.
> 7
> 
> Praise be to God! Man ever aspires to greater heights and loftier goals. He ever seeks
> to attain a world surpassing that which he inhabits, and to ascend to a degree above
> that which he occupies. This love of transcendence is one of the hallmarks of man.
> I am astonished that certain philosophers in Europe and America have consented to
> lower themselves to the animal realm and so to regress, whereas all existence must
> ever aspire towards exaltation. And yet, were you to call one of them an animal, he
> would be most hurt and offended.
> 8
> 
> What a difference between the world of man and the world of the animal! What a difference
> between the loftiness of man and the abasement of the animal, between the perfections
> of man and the ignorance of the animal, between the light of man and the darkness
> of the animal, between the glory of man and the degradation of the animal! An Arab
> child of ten years can subdue two or three hundred camels in the desert and lead them
> about with his mere voice. A feeble Indian can so subdue a mighty elephant as to compel
> it to move in strict obedience. All things are subdued by the hand of man, who withstands
> nature itself.
> 9
> 
> All other beings are captives of nature and cannot free themselves from its exigencies:
> Man alone can withstand nature. So nature attracts all bodies to the centre of the
> earth, but through mechanical means man moves away from it and soars in the air; nature
> prevents man from crossing the sea, but man builds ships and traverses the heart of
> the great ocean, and so forth—the subject is endless. For example, man traverses mountains
> and plains in vehicles and gathers in one place the news of the events of East and
> West. This is how man withstands nature. The sea in all its vastness cannot deviate
> one iota from the rule of nature; the sun in all its greatness cannot stray so much
> as a needle’s point from the rule of nature, nor can it ever comprehend the states,
> conditions, properties, movements, and nature of man. What then is the power residing
> in man’s puny form that encompasses all this? What conquering power is this that subdues
> all things?
> 10
> 
> One more point remains. Modern philosophers say: “Nowhere do we see a spirit in man,
> and, although we have investigated the inmost recesses of the human body, nowhere
> do we perceive a spiritual power. How then are we to imagine a power which is not
> sensible?” The divine philosophers reply: “The spirit of the animal is not sensible
> either and cannot be perceived through our material powers: How do you infer its existence?
> There is no doubt that it is from its effects that you infer in the animal the existence
> of a power which is lacking in the plant, and that is the power of the senses—sight,
> hearing, and the other powers. It is from these that you infer that there is an animal
> spirit. Infer, likewise, from the aforementioned signs and arguments the existence
> of a human spirit. Thus, since there are signs in the animal that cannot be found
> in the plant, you say that this sensory power is one of the hallmarks of the animal
> spirit. You see likewise in man signs, powers, and perfections that do not exist in
> the animal: Infer then that there is a power in him of which the animal is bereft.”
> 11
> 
> If we were to deny all that is not accessible to the senses, then we would be forced
> to deny realities which undoubtedly exist. For example, the ether is not sensible,
> although its reality can be proven. The power of gravity is not sensible, although
> its existence is likewise undeniable. Whence do we affirm their existence? From their
> signs. For instance, this light consists in the vibrations of the ether, and from
> these vibrations we infer its existence.
> 12
> 
> – 49 –
> 
> Evolution and the Existence of Man
> 
> Question: What do
> you say regarding the theory of the evolution of beings to which certain European
> philosophers subscribe?
> 1
> 
> Answer: We discussed this matter the other day, but we will speak of it again. Briefly,
> this question comes down to the originality or non-originality of the species, that
> is, whether the essence of the human species was fixed from the very origin or whether
> it subsequently came from the animals.
> 2
> 
> Certain European philosophers hold that species evolve and can even change and transform
> into other species. Among the proofs they advance for this claim is that, through
> careful geological research and investigation, it has become clear and evident to
> us that the existence of the plants preceded that of the animals, and that the existence
> of the animals preceded that of man. They hold, moreover, that both vegetable and
> animal kingdoms have undergone transformation; for in certain strata of the earth,
> plants have been discovered which existed in the past but which have since disappeared,
> meaning that they evolved, became hardier, and changed in form and appearance, and
> thus the species have changed. Likewise, in the strata of the earth there are certain
> animal species which have changed and altered. One of these is the snake, which has
> vestigial limbs, that is, signs indicating that it once had feet, which have disappeared
> over time and left behind only a remnant. In like manner, there is in man’s vertebral
> column a vestige indicating that like other animals he once had a tail, of which,
> they assert, traces still remain. At one point that member was useful, but as man
> evolved, it lost its utility and hence it gradually disappeared. Likewise, as snakes
> came to live beneath the ground and became creeping animals, they were no longer in
> need of feet and so the latter disappeared, leaving behind a remnant. Their principal
> proof is that these vestigial limbs are evidence of the existence of earlier limbs
> that have gradually disappeared for want of use, and that they no longer have any
> benefit or reason to exist. Thus, the fit and necessary limbs have remained, while
> the unnecessary ones have gradually disappeared as a result of the transformation
> of the species, but have left behind a remnant.
> 3
> 
> The first answer to this argument is that the antecedence of animals to man is not
> a proof that the essence of the human species was altered or transformed or that man
> came from the animal kingdom. For so long as it is acknowledged that these different
> beings have appeared in time, it is possible that man simply came into existence after
> the animal. Thus we observe in the vegetable kingdom that the fruits of different
> trees do not appear all at once; on the con-trary, some appear earlier in the season
> and others later. This priority is not a proof that the later fruit of one tree was
> produced from the earlier fruit of another.
> 4
> 
> Secondly, these minor traces and vestigial limbs might have some great underlying
> wisdom which the human mind has so far been unable to fathom. How many things are
> found in this world whose underlying wisdom to this day has not been grasped! Thus,
> it is said in physiology—the science of the relations of the body’s organs—that the
> underlying wisdom and cause of the differences in the colouration of animals and of
> human hair, or of the redness of the lips, or of the variety of the colours of birds,
> are still unknown and remain hidden and concealed. But it has been discovered that
> the blackness of the pupil of the eye is due to its absorbing the rays of the sun,
> for if it were of another colour—say, uniformly white—it would not absorb these rays.
> Now, so long as the wisdom underlying the things that we have mentioned is unknown,
> one may well imagine that the reason and wisdom of the vestigial limbs, whether in
> the animal or in man, is also unknown. Such an underlying wisdom of course exists,
> even though it may not be known.
> 5
> 
> Thirdly, even if we were to suppose that certain animals, or even man, once possessed
> limbs which have now disappeared, this would not be a sufficient proof of the transformation
> of the species. For man, from the conception of the embryo until the attainment of
> maturity, assumes different forms and appearances. His appearance, form, features,
> and colour change; that is, he passes from form to form and from appearance to appearance.
> Yet, from the formation of the embryo he belongs to the human species; that is, it
> is the embryo of a man and not of an animal. But at first this fact is not apparent;
> only later does it become plain and visible.
> 6
> 
> For example, let us suppose that man once bore a resemblance to the animal and that
> he has since evolved and transformed. Accepting this statement does not prove the
> transformation of species, but could instead be likened to the changes and transformations
> that the human embryo undergoes before reaching its full development and maturity,
> as was earlier mentioned. To be more explicit, let us suppose that man once walked
> on all fours or had a tail: This change and transformation is similar to that of the
> fetus in the womb of the mother. Even though the fetus develops and evolves in every
> possible way before it reaches its full development, from the beginning it belongs
> to a distinct species. The same holds true in the vegetable kingdom, where we observe
> that the original and distinctive character of the species does not change, while
> its form, colour, and mass do change, transform, and evolve.
> 7
> 
> To summarize: Just as man progresses, evolves, and is transformed from one form and
> appearance to another in the womb of the mother, while remaining from the beginning
> a human embryo, so too has man remained a distinct essence—that is, the human species—from
> the beginning of his formation in the matrix of the world, and has passed gradually
> from form to form. It follows that this change of appearance, this evolution of organs,
> and this growth and development do not preclude the originality of the species. Now,
> even accepting the reality of evolution and progress, nevertheless, from the moment
> of his appearance man has possessed perfect composition, and has had the capacity
> and potential to acquire both material and spiritual perfections and to become the
> embodiment of the verse, “Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness.”
> 
> 131
> 
> At most, he has become more pleasing, more refined and graceful, and by virtue of
> civilization he has emerged from his wild state, just as the wild fruits become finer
> and sweeter under the cultivation of the gardener, and acquire ever greater delicacy
> and vitality.
> 8
> 
> The gardeners of the world of humanity are the Prophets of God.
> 9
> 
> – 50 –
> 
> Spiritual Proofs of the Originality of Man
> 
> The arguments we
> have adduced thus far for the originality of the human species have been rational
> ones. Now we will provide spiritual arguments, which are indeed the fundamental ones.
> For we established the existence of God through rational arguments, and it was likewise
> established through rational arguments that man has been man from his very inception
> and origin, and that the essence of his species has existed from eternity. We will
> now present spiritual proofs that human existence—that is, the human species—is a
> necessary existence and that without man the perfections of Divinity would not shine
> forth. But these are spiritual and not rational arguments.
> 1
> 
> We have established time and again through proofs and arguments that man is the noblest
> of all beings and the sum of all perfections. Indeed, all existing things are the
> seat of the revelation of the divine splendours; that is, the signs of the divinity
> of God are manifest in the realities of all things. Just as the earth is the place
> where the rays of the sun are reflected—meaning that the light, heat, and influence
> of the sun are plain and manifest in all the atoms of the earth—so too does each one
> of the atoms of the universe in this infinite space proclaim one of the perfections
> of God. Nothing is deprived of this: Each is either a sign of the mercy of God, or
> of His power, or His greatness, or His justice, or His sustaining providence, or His
> generosity, or His sight, or His hearing, or His knowledge, or His grace, and so on.
> 2
> 
> Our meaning is that every existing thing is of necessity the seat of the revelation
> of the divine splendours; that is, the perfections of God are manifested and revealed
> therein. It is even as the sun which shines upon the desert, the sea, the trees, the
> fruits, the blossoms—upon all earthly things. Now, the world of existence, indeed
> every created thing, proclaims but one of the names of God, but the reality of man
> is an all-encompassing and universal reality which is the seat of the revelation of
> all the divine perfections. That is, a sign of each one of the names, attributes,
> and perfections that we ascribe to God exists in man. If such were not the case, he
> would be unable to imagine and comprehend these perfections. For example, we say that
> God is all-seeing. The eye is the sign of His sight: If this faculty were lacking
> in man, how could we imagine the sight of God? For one born blind cannot imagine what
> it is to see, any more than one born deaf can imagine what it is to hear, or the lifeless
> what it is to be alive.
> 3
> 
> Thus, the divinity of God, which is the totality of all perfections, reveals itself
> in the reality of man—that is, the divine Essence is the sum total of all perfections,
> and from this station it casts a ray of its splendour upon the human reality. In other
> words, the Sun of Truth is reflected in this mirror. Thus man is a perfect mirror
> facing the Sun of Truth and is the seat of its reflection. The splendour of all the
> divine perfections is manifest in the reality of man, and it is for this reason that
> he is the vicegerent and apostle of God. If man did not exist, the universe would
> be without result, for the purpose of existence is the revelation of the divine perfections.
> We cannot say, then, that there was a time when man was not. At most we can say that
> there was a time when this earth did not exist, and that at the beginning man was
> not present upon it.
> 4
> 
> But from the beginning that has no beginning to the end that has no end, a perfect
> Manifestation has always existed. This Man of Whom we speak here is not just any man:
> That which we intend is the Perfect Man. For the noblest part of the tree, and the
> fundamental purpose of its existence, is the fruit. A tree without fruit is of no
> use. Therefore, it cannot be imagined that the world of existence, whether in the
> realms above or below, was once populated by cows and donkeys, cats, and mice, and
> yet was deprived of the presence of man. What a false and vacuous notion!
> 5
> 
> The word of God is as clear as the sun. This is a spiritual argument, but it cannot
> be presented to the material philosophers at the outset. Rather, we must first present
> the rational arguments and only afterwards the spiritual ones.
> 6
> 
> – 51 –
> 
> The Appearance of the Spirit and the Mind in Man
> 
> Question: Did the
> mind and the spirit appear in the human species from the very beginning of its growth
> and development on earth, or was it a gradual process? And, if the latter, was this
> achieved over a short span of time or over a long period?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The beginning of the formation of man on the terrestrial globe is like the
> formation of the human embryo in the womb of the mother. The embryo gradually grows
> and develops until it is born, and thereafter it continues to grow and develop until
> it reaches the stage of maturity. Although in infancy the signs of the mind and the
> spirit are already present in man, they do not appear in a state of perfection, and
> remain incomplete. But when man attains maturity, the mind and the spirit manifest
> themselves in the utmost perfection.
> 2
> 
> Likewise, at the beginning of his formation in the matrix of the world, man was like
> an embryo. He then gradually progressed by degrees, and grew and developed until he
> reached the stage of maturity, when the mind and the spirit manifested themselves
> in the utmost perfection. From the beginning of his formation, the mind and the spirit
> existed, but they were hidden and appeared only later. In the world of the womb, too,
> the mind and the spirit exist in the embryo but are concealed and appear only afterwards.
> It is even as the seed: The tree exists within it but is hidden and concealed; when
> the seed grows and develops, the tree appears in its fullness. In like manner, the
> growth and development of all beings proceeds by gradual degrees. This is the universal
> and divinely ordained law and the natural order. The seed does not suddenly become
> the tree; the embryo does not at once become the man; the mineral substance does not
> in a moment become the stone: No, all these grow and develop gradually until they
> attain the limit of perfection.
> 3
> 
> All beings, whether universal or particular, were created perfect and complete from
> the beginning. The most one can say is that their perfections only become apparent
> gradually. The law of God is one; the evolution of existence is one; the divine order
> is one. All beings great and small are subject to one law and one order. Every seed
> has, from the beginning, all the perfections of the plant. For example, all the vegetable
> perfections existed in this seed at the outset but were invisible and appeared only
> gradually. So it is the shoot which first appears from the seed, then the branches,
> leaves, and blossoms, and finally the fruit. But from the beginning of its formation,
> all of these existed potentially, albeit invisibly, in the seed. Likewise, from the
> beginning the embryo possesses all perfections, such as the spirit, the mind, sight,
> smell, and taste—in a word, all the powers—but they are invisible and become apparent
> only gradually.
> 4
> 
> Similarly, the terrestrial globe was created, from the beginning, with all its elements,
> substances, minerals, parts, and components, but these appeared only gradually: first
> the minerals, then the plants, then the animals, and finally man. But from the beginning,
> these kinds and species were latent in the earthly realm and appeared gradually thereafter.
> For the supreme law of God and the universal natural order encompasses all things
> and subjects them to its rule. When you consider this universal order, you see that
> not a single thing reaches the limit of perfection immediately upon coming into existence,
> but grows and develops gradually until it reaches that stage.
> 5
> 
> – 52 –
> 
> The Appearance of the Spirit in the Body
> 
> Question: What is
> the wisdom of the appearance of the spirit in the body?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The wisdom of the appearance of the spirit in the body is this: The human
> spirit is a divine trust which must traverse every degree, for traversing and passing
> through the degrees of existence is the means of its acquiring perfections. So, for
> example, when a man travels in an orderly and methodical manner through many different
> countries and regions, this will most certainly be the means of acquiring perfections,
> for he will see at first hand various sites, scenes, and regions; learn about the
> affairs and circumstances of other nations; become familiar with the geography of
> other lands; acquaint himself with their arts and wonders; become informed of the
> customs, conduct, and character of their inhabitants; witness the civilization and
> the advancements of the time; and be apprised of the manner of government, the capacity,
> and the receptivity of each country. In the same way, when the human spirit traverses
> the degrees of existence and attains each degree and station—even that of the body—it
> will assuredly acquire perfections.
> 2
> 
> Moreover, it is necessary that the signs of the perfections of the spirit appear in
> this world, that the realm of creation may bring forth endless fruits, and that this
> body of the contingent world may receive life and manifest the divine bounties. So,
> for example, the rays of the sun must shine upon the earth and its heat must nurture
> all earthly beings; if the rays and heat of the sun were not to reach the earth, it
> would remain idle and desolate and its development would be arrested. Likewise, were
> the perfections of the spirit not to appear in this world, it would become dark and
> wholly animalistic. It is through the appearance of the spirit in the material body
> that this world is illumined. Just as the spirit of man is the cause of the life of
> his body, so is the whole world even as a body and man as its spirit. If man did not
> exist, if the perfections of the spirit were not manifested and the light of the mind
> were not shining in this world, it would be like a body without a spirit.
> 3
> 
> By another token, this world is even as a tree and man as the fruit; without the fruit
> the tree would be of no use.
> 4
> 
> Beyond this, the members, constituent parts, and composition that are found within
> man attract and act as a magnet for the spirit: The spirit is bound to appear in it.
> Thus, when a mirror is polished, it is bound to attract the rays of the sun, to be
> illumined, and to reflect splendid images. That is, when these physical elements are
> gathered and combined together, according to the natural order and with the utmost
> perfection, they become a magnet for the spirit, and the spirit will manifest itself
> therein with all its perfections.
> 5
> 
> From this perspective one does not ask, “Why is it necessary for the rays of the sun
> to fall upon the mirror?”; for the relationships that bind together the realities
> of all things, whether spiritual or material, require that when the mirror is polished
> and turned towards the sun it should manifest the rays thereof. In like manner, when
> the elements are composed and combined according to the noblest order, arrangement,
> and manner, the human spirit will appear and manifest itself therein. Such is the
> decree of the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.
> 6
> 
> – 53 –
> 
> The Connection between God and His Creation
> 
> Question: What is
> the nature of the connection between God and His creation, between the Absolute and
> Inaccessible One and all other beings?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The connection between God and His creation is that of the originator and
> the originated, of the sun and the dark bodies of the universe, of the craftsman and
> his handiwork. Not only is the sun sanctified in its very essence above all the bodies
> that receive its illumination, but its light is also, in its essence, sanctified from
> and independent of the earth. So, though the earth is nurtured by the sun and is the
> recipient of its light, the sun and its rays are nonetheless sanctified above it.
> But were it not for the sun, the earth and all terrestrial life could not exist.
> 2
> 
> The procession of creation from God is a procession through emanation. That is, creation
> emanates from God; it does not manifest Him. The connection is that of emanation and
> not of manifestation. The light of the sun emanates from the sun; it does not manifest
> it. Appearance through emanation
> 
> 132
> 
> is like the appearance of the rays from the sun: The sanctified Essence of the Sun
> of Truth cannot be divided or descend into the condition of the creation. In the same
> way, the sun does not divide itself or descend upon the earth, but its rays—the outpourings
> of its grace—emanate from it and illumine the dark bodies.
> 3
> 
> But appearance through manifestation is like the manifestation of the branches, leaves,
> blossoms, and fruit from the seed; for the seed itself becomes the branches and fruit,
> and its reality descends into them. This manifestational appearance would be sheer
> imperfection and utterly impossible for the Most High, for this would require unconditioned
> pre-existence to take on the attributes of the originated, absolute independence to
> become abject poverty, and the essence of existence to become pure non-existence;
> and this is in no wise possible.
> 4
> 
> It follows that all things have emanated from God; that is, it is through God that
> all things have been realized, and through Him that the contingent world has come
> to exist. The first thing to emanate from God is that universal reality which the
> ancient philosophers termed the “First Intellect” and which the people of Bahá call
> the “Primal Will”. This emanation, with respect to its action in the world of God,
> is not limited by either time or place and has neither beginning nor end, for in relation
> to God the beginning and the end are one and the same. The pre-existence of God is
> both essential and temporal, while the origination of the contingent world is essential
> but not temporal, as we have already explained another day at table.
> 
> 133
> 
> 5
> 
> Though the First Intellect is without beginning, this does not mean that it shares
> in the pre-existence of God, for in relation to the existence of God the existence
> of that universal Reality is mere nothingness—it cannot even be said to exist, let
> alone to partake of the pre-existence of God. An explanation of this matter was provided
> on a previous occasion.
> 6
> 
> As for created things, their life consists in composition, and their death in decomposition.
> But matter and the universal elements cannot be entirely destroyed and annihilated.
> No, their annihilation is merely transformation. For instance, when man dies, his
> body becomes dust, but it does not become absolute non-existence: It retains a mineral
> existence, but a transformation has taken place, and that composition has been subjected
> to decomposition. It is the same with the annihilation of all other beings; for existence
> does not become absolute non-existence, and absolute non-existence does not acquire
> existence.
> 7
> 
> – 54 –
> 
> The Procession of the Human Spirit from God
> 
> Question: In what
> manner does the human spirit proceed from God, since in the Torah it is said that
> God breathed the spirit into the body of man?
> 
> 134
> 
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that procession is of two kinds: procession and appearance through emanation,
> and procession and appearance through manifestation. Emanational procession is like
> the procession of the handiwork from its author. For example, the writing proceeds
> from the writer. Now, just as the writing emanates from the writer and the discourse
> from the speaker, so does the human spirit emanate from God. But it does not manifest
> Him; that is, no part has been separated from the divine Reality to enter into the
> body of man. No, the human spirit has emanated, just as speech emanates from the speaker,
> and become manifested in the body of man.
> 2
> 
> As for manifestational procession, it is the manifestation of the reality of a thing
> in other forms, like the procession of this tree or this flower from their seeds,
> for it is the seed itself that has become manifested in the form of the branches,
> leaves, and flowers. This is called manifestational procession.
> 3
> 
> The spirits of men proceed from God by emanation, in the same way as the discourse
> proceeds from the speaker and the writing from the writer; that is, the speaker himself
> does not become the speech, any more than the writer becomes the writing: The connection
> is rather one of emanational procession. For the speaker remains in an absolute state
> of ability and power, as the discourse emanates from him, even as the action emanates
> from its author. The true Speaker, the divine Essence, ever remains in the same condition
> and experiences no change or alteration, no transformation or vicissitude. It has
> neither beginning nor end. The procession of human spirits from God is therefore an
> emanational procession. When it is said in the Torah that God breathed His spirit
> into man, this spirit is even as speech that has emanated from the true Speaker and
> taken effect in the reality of man.
> 4
> 
> Now, if we were to understand manifestational procession as “appearance” rather than
> “division into parts”, we have already stated that this is the manner of the procession
> and appearance of the Holy Spirit and the Word, which are from God. As it is said
> in the Gospel of John, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.”
> 
> 135
> 
> It follows then that the Holy Spirit and the Word are the appearance of God and consist
> in the divine perfections that shone forth in the reality of Christ. And these perfections
> were with God, even as the sun which manifests the fullness of its glory in a mirror.
> For by “the Word” is not meant the body of Christ but the divine perfections that
> were manifested in Him. Thus Christ was like a spotless mirror which was turned towards
> the Sun of Truth, and the perfections of that Sun—that is, its light and heat—were
> plainly manifest in that mirror. If we look into the mirror, we see the sun and we
> say it is the sun. Therefore, the Word and the Holy Spirit, which consist in the perfections
> of God, are the divine appearance. This is the meaning of the verse in the Gospel
> which says: “the Word was with God, and the Word was God”,
> 
> 136
> 
> for the divine perfections cannot be distinguished from the divine Essence. The perfections
> of Christ are called the Word since all created things are like individual letters,
> and individual letters do not convey a complete meaning, while the perfections of
> Christ are even as an entire word, for from a word a complete meaning can be inferred.
> As the reality of Christ was the manifestation of the divine perfections, it was even
> as a word. Why? Because it comprised a complete meaning, and that is why it has been
> called the Word.
> 5
> 
> And know that the procession of the Word and the Holy Spirit from God, which is a
> manifestational procession and appearance, should not be taken to mean that the reality
> of the Divinity has been divided or multiplied, or has descended from its heights
> of purity and sanctity. God forbid! If a clear and spotless mirror were placed before
> the sun, the light and heat, the form and image of the sun would appear therein with
> such a manifestational appearance that if a beholder were to say, “This is the sun”,
> he would be speaking the truth. But the mirror is the mirror and the sun is the sun.
> The sun is but one sun, and remains one even if it appears in numerous mirrors. There
> is no place here for inherence, egress, commingling, or descent; for egress, regress,
> inherence, descent, and commingling are among the characteristics and requirements
> of bodies, not of spirits—how much less of the holy and sanctified Reality of the
> Divinity. Glorified is God above all that ill beseems His holiness and sanctity, and
> exalted is He in the heights of His sublimity!
> 6
> 
> The Sun of Truth, as we have said, has ever remained in the same condition and undergoes
> neither change nor alteration, neither transformation nor vicissitude. It has neither
> beginning nor end. But the sanctified Reality of the Word of God is even as a clear,
> spotless, and shining mirror wherein the heat and light, the form and image of the
> Sun of Truth—that is to say, all its perfections—are reflected. That is why Christ
> says in the Gospel, “The Father is in the Son”,
> 
> 137
> 
> meaning that the Sun of Truth shines resplendent in this mirror. Glorified be He
> Who has cast His splendour upon this Reality that is sanctified above all created
> things!
> 7
> 
> – 55 –
> 
> Spirit, Soul, and Mind
> 
> Question: What is
> the difference between mind, spirit, and soul?
> 1
> 
> Answer: It was already explained that, in general, spirit is divided into five categories:
> the vegetable spirit, the animal spirit, the human spirit, the spirit of faith, and
> the Holy Spirit.
> 
> 138
> 
> 2
> 
> The vegetable spirit is that power of growth which is brought about in the seed through
> the influence of other created things.
> 3
> 
> The animal spirit is that all-embracing sensory power which is realized through the
> composition and combination of the elements. When this composition disintegrates,
> that spirit likewise perishes and becomes non-existent. It may be likened to this
> lamp: When oil, wick, and flame are brought together and combined, it is lit; and
> when this combination disintegrates—that is, when the constituent parts are separated
> from one another—the lamp also is extinguished.
> 4
> 
> The human spirit, which distinguishes man from the animal, is the rational soul, and
> these two terms—the human spirit and the rational soul—designate one and the same
> thing. This spirit, which in the terminology of the philosophers is called the rational
> soul, encompasses all things and as far as human capacity permits, discovers their
> realities and becomes aware of the properties and effects, the characteristics and
> conditions of earthly things. But the human spirit, unless it be assisted by the spirit
> of faith, cannot become acquainted with the divine mysteries and the heavenly realities.
> It is like a mirror which, although clear, bright, and polished, is still in need
> of light. Not until a sunbeam falls upon it can it discover the divine mysteries.
> 5
> 
> As for the mind, it is the power of the human spirit. The spirit is as the lamp, and
> the mind as the light that shines from it. The spirit is as the tree, and the mind
> as the fruit. The mind is the perfection of the spirit and a necessary attribute thereof,
> even as the rays of the sun are an essential requirement of the sun itself.
> 6
> 
> This explanation, however brief, is complete. Reflect upon it and, God willing, you
> will grasp the details.
> 7
> 
> – 56 –
> 
> The Outward and the Inward Powers of Man
> 
> There are five
> outward material powers in man which are the means of perception—that is, five powers
> whereby man perceives material things. They are sight, which perceives sensible forms;
> hearing, which perceives audible sounds; smell, which perceives odours; taste, which
> perceives edible things; and touch, which is distributed throughout the body and which
> perceives tactile realities. These five powers perceive external objects.
> 1
> 
> Man has likewise a number of spiritual powers: the power of imagination, which forms
> a mental image of things; thought, which reflects upon the realities of things; comprehension,
> which understands these realities; and memory, which retains whatever man has imagined,
> thought, and understood. The intermediary between these five outward powers and the
> inward powers is a common faculty, a sense which mediates between them and which conveys
> to the inward powers whatever the outward powers have perceived. It is termed the
> common faculty as it is shared in common between the outward and inward powers.
> 2
> 
> For instance, sight, which is one of the outward powers, sees and perceives this flower
> and conveys this perception to the inward power of the common faculty; the common
> faculty transmits it to the power of imagination, which in turn conceives and forms
> this image and transmits it to the power of thought; the power of thought reflects
> upon it and, having apprehended its reality, conveys it to the power of comprehension;
> the comprehension, once it has understood it, delivers the image of the sensible object
> to the memory, and the memory preserves it in its repository.
> 3
> 
> The outward powers are five: the power of sight, of hearing, of taste, of smell, and
> of touch. The inward powers are also five: the common faculty and the powers of imagination,
> thought, comprehension, and memory.
> 4
> 
> – 57 –
> 
> The Differences in Human Character
> 
> Question: How many
> kinds of character are there in man and what are the causes of the differences and
> variations among them?
> 1
> 
> Answer: There are the innate character, the inherited character, and the acquired
> character, which is gained through education.
> 2
> 
> As to the innate character, although the innate nature bestowed by God upon man is
> purely good, yet that character differs among men according to the degrees they occupy:
> All degrees are good, but some are more so than others. Thus every human being possesses
> intelligence and capacity, but intelligence, capacity, and aptitude differ from person
> to person. This is self-evident.
> 3
> 
> For example, take a number of children from the same place and family, attending the
> same school and instructed by the same teacher, raised on the same food and in the
> same climate, wearing the same clothing and studying the same lessons: It is certain
> that among these children some will become skilled in the arts and sciences, some
> will be of average ability, and some will be dull. It is therefore clear that in man’s
> innate nature there is a difference in degree, aptitude, and capacity, but it is not
> a matter of good or evil—it is merely a difference of degree. One occupies the highest
> degree, another the middle degree, and yet another the lowest degree. Thus man, the
> animal, the plant, and the mineral all exist, but the existence of these four kinds
> of beings is different. Indeed, what a difference there is between the existence of
> man and that of the animal! Yet all these do exist, and it is evident that in existence
> there are differences of degree.
> 4
> 
> As to differences in inherited character, they arise from the strength and weakness
> of man’s constitution; that is, if the parents are of weak constitution, then the
> children will be likewise, and if they are strong, then the children will also be
> robust. Moreover, the excellence of the bloodline exerts a major influence; for the
> goodly seed is like the superior stock that exists, likewise, among plants and animals.
> For example, you see that children born of a weak and sickly mother and father will
> naturally have a weak constitution and nerves, will lack patience, endurance, resolution,
> and perseverance, and will be impulsive, for they have inherited the weakness and
> frailty of their parents.
> 5
> 
> Aside from this, certain families and lineages have been singled out for a special
> blessing. Thus the descendants of Abraham received the special blessing that all the
> Prophets of the House of Israel were raised up from among their ranks. This is a blessing
> that God bestowed upon that lineage. Moses, through both His father and His mother;
> Christ, through His mother; Muḥammad; the Báb; and all the Prophets and Holy Ones
> of Israel belong to that lineage. Bahá’u’lláh too is a lineal descendant of Abraham,
> for Abraham had other sons besides Ishmael and Isaac who in those days emigrated to
> the regions of Persia and Afghanistan, and the Blessed Beauty is one of their descendants.
> 6
> 
> Hence it is evident that inherited character also exists, to such a degree that if
> one’s character does not conform to that of one’s forebears, one would not be accounted
> among that lineage in spirit even if one were a descendant in body. Such is the case
> of Canaan, who is not reckoned among the descendants of Noah.
> 
> 139
> 
> 7
> 
> As to the differences of character arising from education, they are great indeed,
> for education exerts an enormous influence. Through education the ignorant become
> learned, the cowardly become courageous, the crooked branch becomes straight, the
> acrid and bitter fruit of the mountains and woods becomes sweet and succulent, and
> the five-petalled flower puts forth a hundred petals. Through education barbarous
> nations become civilized and even animals take on human-like manners. Education must
> be accorded the greatest importance; for just as diseases are highly communicable
> in the world of bodies, so is character highly communicable in the realm of hearts
> and spirits. The differences caused by education are enormous and exert a major influence.
> 8
> 
> Now, someone might say that, since the capacity and aptitude of souls differ, such
> difference in capacity must inevitably lead to a difference in character.
> 
> 140
> 
> But this is not so, for capacity is of two kinds: innate and acquired. The innate
> capacity, which is the creation of God, is wholly and entirely good—in the innate
> nature there is no evil. The acquired capacity, however, can become the cause of evil.
> For example, God has created all men in such a fashion, and has given them such a
> capacity and disposition, that they are benefited by sugar and honey and are harmed
> or killed by poison. This is an innate capacity and disposition that God has bestowed
> equally upon all men. But man may begin little by little to take poison by ingesting
> a small quantity every day and gradually increasing it until he reaches the point
> where he would perish if he were not to consume several grams of opium every day,
> and where his innate capacities are completely subverted. Consider how the innate
> capacity and disposition can be so completely changed, through variation of habit
> and training, as to be entirely perverted. It is not on account of their innate capacity
> and disposition that one reproaches the wicked, but rather on account of that which
> they themselves have acquired.
> 9
> 
> In the innate nature of things there is no evil—all is good. This applies even to
> certain apparently blameworthy attributes and dispositions which seem inherent in
> some people, but which are not in reality reprehensible. For example, you can see
> in a nursing child, from the beginning of its life, the signs of greed, of anger,
> and of ill temper; and so it might be argued that good and evil are innate in the
> reality of man, and that this is contrary to the pure goodness of the innate nature
> and of creation. The answer is that greed, which is to demand ever more, is a praiseworthy
> quality provided that it is displayed under the right circumstances. Thus, should
> a person show greed in acquiring science and knowledge, or in the exercise of compassion,
> high-mindedness, and justice, this would be most praiseworthy. And should he direct
> his anger and wrath against the bloodthirsty tyrants who are like ferocious beasts,
> this too would be most praiseworthy. But should he display these qualities under other
> conditions, this would be deserving of blame.
> 10
> 
> It follows therefore that in existence and creation there is no evil at all, but that
> when man’s innate qualities are used in an unlawful way, they become blameworthy.
> Thus if a wealthy and generous person gives alms to a poor man to spend on his necessities,
> and if the latter spends that sum in an improper way, that is blameworthy. The same
> holds true of all the innate qualities of man which constitute the capital of human
> life: If they are displayed and employed in an improper way, they become blameworthy.
> It is clear then that the innate nature is purely good.
> 11
> 
> Consider that the worst of all qualities and the most odious of all attributes, and
> the very foundation of all evil, is lying, and that no more evil or reprehensible
> quality can be imagined in all existence. It brings all human perfections to naught
> and gives rise to countless vices. There is no worse attribute than this, and it is
> the foundation of all wickedness. Now, all this notwithstanding, should a physician
> console a patient and say, “Thank God, you are doing better and there is hope for
> your recovery”, although these words may be contrary to the truth, yet sometimes they
> will ease the patient’s mind and become the means of curing the illness. And this
> is not blameworthy.
> 12
> 
> This question has now been elucidated most clearly.
> 13
> 
> – 58 –
> 
> The Extent and Limitation of Human Comprehension
> 
> Question: How far
> does human comprehension extend, and what are its limitations?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that comprehension varies. Its lowest degree consists in the senses of
> the animal realm, that is, the natural sensations which arise from the powers of the
> outward senses. This comprehension is common to man and animals, and indeed certain
> animals surpass man in this regard. In the human realm, however, comprehension differs
> and varies in accordance with the different degrees occupied by man.
> 2
> 
> The foremost degree of comprehension in the world of nature is that of the rational
> soul. This power and comprehension is shared in common by all men, whether they be
> heedless or aware, wayward or faithful. In the creation of God, the rational soul
> of man encompasses and is distinguished above all other created things: It is by virtue
> of its nobility and distinction that it encompasses them all. Through the power of
> the rational soul, man can discover the realities of things, comprehend their properties,
> and penetrate the mysteries of existence. All the sciences, branches of learning,
> arts, inventions, institutions, undertakings, and discoveries have resulted from the
> comprehension of the rational soul. These were once impenetrable secrets, hidden mysteries,
> and unknown realities, and the rational soul gradually discovered them and brought
> them out of the invisible plane into the realm of the visible. This is the greatest
> power of comprehension in the world of nature, and the uttermost limit of its flight
> is to comprehend the realities, signs, and properties of contingent things.
> 3
> 
> But the universal divine Intellect, which transcends nature, is the outpouring grace
> of the pre-existent Power. It encompasses all existing realities and receives its
> share of the lights and mysteries of God. It is an all-knowing power, not a power
> of investigation and sensing. The spiritual power associated with the world of nature
> is the power of investigation, and it is through investigation that it discovers the
> realities and properties of things. But the heavenly intellectual power, which is
> beyond nature, encompasses, knows, and comprehends all things; is aware of the divine
> mysteries, truths, and inner meanings; and discovers the hidden verities of the Kingdom.
> This divine intellectual power is confined to the holy Manifestations and the Daysprings
> of prophethood. A ray of this light falls upon the mirrors of the hearts of the righteous,
> that they may also receive, through the holy Manifestations, a share and benefit of
> this power.
> 4
> 
> The holy Manifestations have three stations: the corporeal station, the station of
> the rational soul, and the station of perfect divine manifestation and heavenly splendour.
> Their bodies perceive things only according to the capacity of the material world,
> and so it is that They have at certain times expressed physical weakness. For example:
> “I was asleep and unconscious; the breeze of God wafted over Me, awoke Me and summoned
> Me to voice His call”;
> 
> 141
> 
> or when Christ was baptized in His thirtieth year and the Holy Spirit descended upon
> Him, having not manifested itself in Him before this time. All these things refer
> to the corporeal station of the Manifestations, but Their heavenly station encompasses
> all things, is aware of all mysteries, is informed of all signs, and rules supreme
> over all things. And this is equally true both before and after the intimation of
> Their mission. That is why Christ said: “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last”
> 
> 142
> 
> —that is, there has never been, nor shall there ever be, any change or alteration
> in Me.
> 5
> 
> – 59 –
> 
> Man’s Comprehension of God
> 
> Question: To what
> extent can human perception comprehend God?
> 1
> 
> Answer: This subject requires ample time, and to explain it at table will be difficult.
> Nevertheless, a brief explanation will be given.
> 2
> 
> Know that there are two kinds of knowledge: the knowledge of the essence of a thing
> and the knowledge of its attributes. The essence of each thing is known only through
> its attributes; otherwise, that essence is unknown and unfathomed.
> 3
> 
> As our knowledge of things, even of created and limited ones, is of their attributes
> and not of their essence, how then can it be possible to understand in its essence
> the unbounded Reality of the Divinity? For the inner essence of a thing can never
> be known, only its attributes. For example, the inner reality of the sun is unknown,
> but it is understood through its attributes, which are heat and light. The inner essence
> of man is unknown and unfathomed, but it is known and characterized by its attributes.
> Thus everything is known by its attributes and not by its essence: Even though the
> human mind encompasses all things, and all outward things are in turn encompassed
> by it, yet the latter are unknown with regard to their essence and can only be known
> with regard to their attributes. How then can the ancient and everlasting Lord, Who
> is sanctified above all comprehension and imagining, be known in His Essence? That
> is, as created things can only be known through their attributes and not in their
> essence, the reality of the Divinity, too, must be unknown with regard to its essence
> and known only with respect to its attributes.
> 4
> 
> Furthermore, how can a reality that is originated encompass that Reality which has
> existed from all eternity? For comprehension is the result of encompassing—the latter
> must take place in order that the former may occur—and the divine Essence is all-encompassing
> and can never be encompassed.
> 5
> 
> Moreover, differences of degree in the world of creation are a barrier to knowledge.
> For example, as this mineral belongs to the mineral kingdom, however far it may rise,
> it can never comprehend the power of growth. The plants and trees, however far they
> may progress, cannot imagine the powers of sight or of the other senses. The animal
> cannot imagine the human degree, that is, the spiritual powers. Thus, differences
> of degree are a barrier to knowledge: The inferior degree cannot comprehend the superior.
> How then can a reality which is originated comprehend that Reality which has existed
> from all eternity?
> 6
> 
> Knowing God, therefore, means the comprehension and knowledge of His attributes and
> not of His Reality. And even this knowledge of His attributes extends only so far
> as human power and capacity permit, and remains wholly inadequate. Philosophy consists
> in comprehending, so far as human power permits, the realities of things as they are
> in themselves. The originated reality has no recourse but to comprehend the pre-existent
> attributes within the intrinsic limits of human capacity. The invisible realm of the
> Divinity is sanctified and exalted above the comprehension of all beings, and all
> that can be imagined is mere human understanding. The power of human understanding
> does not encompass the reality of the divine Essence: All that man can hope to achieve
> is to comprehend the attributes of the Divinity, the light of which is manifest and
> resplendent in the world and within the souls of men.
> 7
> 
> When we examine the world and the souls of men, the perspicuous signs of the perfections
> of the Divinity appear clear and manifest, for the realities of all things attest
> to the existence of a universal Reality. The reality of the Divinity is even as the
> sun, which from the heights of its sanctity shines upon every land, and of whose radiance
> every land and every soul receives a share. Were it not for this light and this radiance,
> nothing could exist. Now, all created things tell of this light, partake of its rays,
> and receive their portion thereof, but the full splendour of the perfections, bounties,
> and attributes of the Divinity shines forth from the reality of the Perfect Man, that
> is, that unique Individual Who is the universal Manifestation of God. For the other
> beings have each received only a portion of that light, but the universal Manifestation
> of God is the mirror held before this Sun, and the latter manifests itself therein
> with all its perfections, attributes, signs, and effects.
> 8
> 
> The knowledge of the reality of the Divinity is in no wise possible, but the knowledge
> of the Manifestations of God is the knowledge of God, for the bounties, splendours,
> and attributes of God are manifest in Them. Thus, whoso attains to the knowledge of
> the Manifestations of God attains to the knowledge of God, and whoso remains heedless
> of Them remains bereft of that knowledge. It is therefore clearly established that
> the Holy Manifestations are the focal centres of the heavenly bounties, signs, and
> perfections. Blessed are those who receive the light of divine bounties from those
> luminous Daysprings!
> 9
> 
> We cherish the hope that the loved ones of God, like unto an attractive force, will
> draw these bounties from their very source and arise with such radiance and exert
> such influence as to become the perspicuous signs of the Sun of Truth.
> 10
> 
> – 60 –
> 
> The Immortality of the Spirit (1)
> 
> Having established the
> existence of the human spirit,
> 
> 143
> 
> we must now establish its immortality.
> 1
> 
> In the heavenly Books, mention is made of the immortality of the spirit, which is
> the very foundation of the divine religions. For rewards and punishments are said
> to be of two kinds—one being existential rewards and punishments and the other, ultimate
> rewards and punishments. Existential paradise and hell are to be found in all the
> worlds of God, whether in this world or in the heavenly realms of the spirit, and
> to gain these rewards is to attain life eternal. That is why Christ said: Act in such
> a manner that you may find eternal life, be born of water and of the spirit, and thus
> enter into the Kingdom.
> 
> 144
> 
> 2
> 
> Existential rewards consist in the virtues and perfections that adorn the human reality.
> For example, man was immersed in darkness and becomes luminous; he was ignorant and
> becomes informed; he was heedless and becomes aware; he was asleep and is awakened;
> he was dead and is quickened to life; he was blind and begins to see; he was deaf
> and begins to hear; he was earthly and becomes heavenly; he was material and becomes
> spiritual. Through these rewards he is reborn in spirit, is created anew, and becomes
> the manifestation of the verse in the Gospel that says that the Apostles “were born,
> not of blood, nor of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God”
> 
> 145
> 
> —that is, they were delivered from the animal characteristics and qualities that are
> inherent to human nature, and acquired divine attributes, which are the outpouring
> grace of God. This is the true meaning of being born again. For such souls, there
> is no greater torment than to be veiled from God, and no worse punishment than selfish
> qualities, evil attributes, baseness of character, and engrossment in carnal desires.
> When these souls are delivered from the darkness of these vices through the light
> of faith, when they are illumined by the rays of the Sun of Truth and endowed with
> every human virtue, they reckon this as the greatest reward and regard it as the true
> paradise. In like manner, they consider spiritual punishment—that is, existential
> torment and chastisement—to consist in subjection to the world of nature; in being
> veiled from God; in ignorance and unawareness; in engrossment with covetous desires;
> in absorption in animal vices; in being marked by evil attributes, such as falsehood,
> tyranny, and iniquity; in attachment to worldly things; and in immersion in satanic
> fancies—all of which they reckon to be the greatest of torments and punishments.
> 3
> 
> The ultimate rewards, which consist in life everlasting, have been explicitly recorded
> in all the heavenly Scriptures. They are divine perfections, eternal bounty, and everlasting
> joy. The ultimate rewards are the gifts and perfections that man attains in the spiritual
> realms after his ascension from this world, while the existential rewards are those
> true and luminous perfections which are attained while still abiding in this world,
> and which are the cause of everlasting life. For the existential rewards are the advancement
> of existence itself and are analogous to the passage of man from the stage of the
> embryo to that of maturity and becoming the embodiment of the verse, “Hallowed be
> the Lord, the most excellent of all creators!”
> 
> 146
> 
> The ultimate rewards consist in spiritual bounties and bestowals, such as the manifold
> gifts of God that are vouchsafed after the ascension of the soul, the attainment of
> the heart’s desire, and reunion with Him in the everlasting realm. Similarly, ultimate
> retributions and punishments consist in being deprived of the special bounties and
> unfailing bestowals of God and sinking to the lowest degrees of existence. And whoso
> is deprived of these favours, though he continue to exist after death, is accounted
> as dead in the eyes of the people of truth.
> 4
> 
> A rational proof for the immortality of the spirit is this, that no effect can be
> produced by a non-existent thing; that is, it is impossible that any effect should
> appear from absolute nothingness. For the effect of a thing is secondary to its existence,
> and that which is secondary is conditioned upon the existence of that which is primary.
> So from a non-existent sun no rays can shine; from a non-existent sea no waves can
> surge; from a non-existent cloud no rain can fall; from a non-existent tree no fruit
> can appear; from a non-existent man nothing can be manifested or produced. Therefore,
> so long as the effects of existence are visible, they prove that the author of that
> effect exists.
> 5
> 
> Consider how, to this day, the sovereignty of Christ has endured. How can a sovereignty
> of such greatness be manifested by a non-existent sovereign? How can such waves surge
> from a non-existent sea? How can such heavenly breezes waft from a non-existent garden?
> Consider that as soon as the constituent parts of anything, be it mineral, plant,
> or animal, are disintegrated and its elemental composition is dissolved, all effect,
> influence, and trace thereof vanish. But it is not so with the human spirit and reality,
> which continues to manifest its signs, to exert its influence, and to sustain its
> effects even after the dissociation and decomposition of the various parts and members
> of the body.
> 6
> 
> This question is very subtle: Consider it attentively. This is a rational proof that
> we are providing, that rational minds may weigh it in the balance of reason and fair-mindedness.
> But if the human spirit be rejoiced and attracted to the Kingdom, if the inner eye
> be opened and the spiritual ear attuned, and if spiritual feelings come to predominate,
> the immortality of the spirit will be seen as clearly as the sun, and heavenly tidings
> and intimations will encompass that spirit.
> 7
> 
> Tomorrow we will give other proofs.
> 8
> 
> – 61 –
> 
> The Immortality of the Spirit (2)
> 
> Yesterday we were
> discussing the immortality of the spirit. Know that the influence and perception
> of the human spirit is of two kinds; that is, the human spirit has two modes of operation
> and understanding. One mode is through the mediation of bodily instruments and organs.
> Thus it sees with the eye, hears with the ear, speaks with the tongue. These are actions
> of the spirit and operations of the human reality, but they occur through the mediation
> of bodily instruments. Thus, it is the spirit that sees, but by means of the eye;
> it is the spirit that hears, but by means of the ear; it is the spirit that speaks,
> but by means of the tongue.
> 1
> 
> The other mode of the spirit’s influence and action is without these bodily instruments
> and organs. For example, in the state of sleep, it sees without eyes, it hears without
> ears, it speaks without a tongue, it runs without feet—in brief, all these powers
> are exerted without the mediation of instruments and organs. How often it happens
> that the spirit has a dream in the realm of sleep whose purport comes to be exactly
> materialized two years hence! Likewise, how often it happens that in the world of
> dreams the spirit solves a problem that it could not solve in the realm of wakefulness.
> Awake, the eye sees only a short distance, but in the realm of dreams one who is in
> the East may see the West. Awake, he sees only the present; in sleep he beholds the
> future. Awake, by the fastest means he travels at most seventy miles in an hour; in
> sleep he traverses East and West in the blink of an eye. For the spirit has two modes
> of travel: without means, or spiritual travel, and with means, or material travel—as
> birds that fly, or as being carried in a vehicle.
> 2
> 
> While asleep, this physical body is as dead: It neither sees, nor hears, nor feels,
> and it has neither consciousness nor perception—its powers are suspended. Yet the
> spirit is not only alive and enduring but also exerts a greater influence, soars to
> loftier heights, and possesses a deeper understanding. To hold that the spirit is
> annihilated upon the death of the body is to imagine that a bird imprisoned in a cage
> would perish if the cage were to be broken, though the bird has nothing to fear from
> the breaking of the cage. This body is even as the cage and the spirit is like the
> bird: We observe that this bird, unencumbered by its cage, soars freely in the world
> of sleep. Therefore, should the cage be broken, the bird would not only continue to
> exist but its senses would be heightened, its perception would be expanded, and its
> joy would grow more intense. In reality, it would be leaving a place of torment for
> a delightsome paradise; for there is no greater paradise for the grateful birds than
> to be freed from their cage. So it is that the martyrs hasten to the field of sacrifice
> with the utmost joy and elation.
> 3
> 
> In wakefulness the eye of man sees, at most, as far as one hour’s distance; for the
> influence of the spirit through the intermediary of the body extends only so far,
> but with the mind’s eye it sees America, understands that land, is apprised of its
> condition, and arranges affairs accordingly. Now, if the spirit were identical with
> the body, its power of vision would extend no further. It is therefore evident that
> the spirit is different from the body, that the bird is different from the cage, and
> that the power and influence of the spirit is more pronounced without the intermediary
> of the body. Now, if the instrument becomes idle, its wielder continues to exist.
> For example, if the pen is abandoned or broken, the writer remains alive and well;
> if a house is destroyed, its owner lives on. This is one of the rational arguments
> proving the immortality of the soul.
> 4
> 
> Another proof is this: Man’s body may become weak or robust, sick or healthy, tired
> or rested; it may suffer the loss of a hand or leg; it may decline in material powers;
> it may become blind, deaf, dumb, or paralysed—in short, it may become gravely impaired.
> And yet, despite this, the spirit maintains its original condition and spiritual perceptions,
> suffering no impairment or disruption. But when the body is afflicted with a major
> illness or calamity, it is deprived of the grace of the spirit, like a mirror that
> is broken or covered with dust, and that can no longer reflect the light of the sun
> or manifest its bounty.
> 5
> 
> We have already explained that the spirit of man is not contained within the body,
> for it is freed and sanctified from egress and regress, which are among the properties
> of material bodies. Rather, the connection of the spirit with the body is like that
> of the sun with the mirror. Briefly, the human spirit is always in one condition.
> It neither falls ill with the illness of the body nor is made healthy by the latter’s
> health; it does not become weak or incapacitated, wretched or downtrodden, diminished
> or lessened—that is, it suffers no harm or ill effect on account of the infirmities
> of the body, even if the body were to waste away, or if the hands, feet, and tongue
> were to be cut off, or if the powers of sight and hearing were to be disrupted. It
> is therefore evident and established that the spirit is different from the body and
> that its immortality is not conditioned upon the latter’s, but that the spirit rules
> supreme in the world of the body, and that its power and influence are as plain and
> visible as the bounty of the sun in a mirror. But when the mirror is covered with
> dust or broken, it will be deprived of the rays of the sun.
> 6
> 
> – 62 –
> 
> The Infinite Perfections of Existence and the Progress of the Soul in the Next World
> 
> Know that the
> degrees of existence are finite—the degrees of servitude, of prophethood, and of
> Divinity—but that the perfections of God and of creation are infinite. If you examine
> the matter with care, you will see that even in their most outward sense the perfections
> of existence are infinite; for it is impossible to find any created thing such that
> nothing superior to it can be imagined. For example, one cannot find in the mineral
> kingdom a ruby, or in the vegetable kingdom a rose, or in the animal kingdom a nightingale,
> such that an even better specimen cannot be imagined.
> 1
> 
> As the grace of God is limitless, so too are the perfections of man. If it were possible
> for the reality of anything to reach the very summit of perfection, then it would
> become independent of God and the contingent reality would attain to the station of
> the necessary reality. But every created thing has been assigned a degree which it
> can in no wise overpass. So he who occupies the degree of servitude, no matter how
> far he may progress and acquire endless perfections, can never reach the degree of
> divine Lordship. The same holds true of all other created things. No matter how far
> a mineral may progress, it can never acquire the power of growth in the mineral kingdom.
> No matter how far this flower may progress, it can never manifest the power of sensation
> while it is in the vegetable kingdom. So this silver mineral can never gain sight
> or hearing; at most it can progress in its own degree and become a perfect mineral,
> but it cannot acquire the power of growth or sensation and can never become living:
> It can only progress in its own degree.
> 2
> 
> For example, Peter cannot become Christ. At most, he can attain infinite perfections
> in the degrees of servitude, for every existing reality is capable of progress. As
> the spirit of man lives forever after casting off this elemental frame, it is, like
> all existing things, undoubtedly capable of progress, and thus one may pray for a
> departed soul to advance, to be forgiven, or to be made the recipient of divine favours,
> bounties, and grace. That is why, in the prayers of Bahá’u’lláh, the forgiveness and
> pardon of God are implored for those who have ascended to the next world. Moreover,
> just as people are in need of God in this world, so too are they in need of Him in
> the next. The creatures are ever in need, and God is ever completely independent of
> them, whether in this world or in the world to come.
> 3
> 
> The wealth of the next world consists in nearness to God. It is certain therefore
> that those who enjoy near access to the divine threshold are permitted to intercede,
> and that this intercession is approved in the sight of God. But intercession in the
> next world bears no resemblance to intercession in this world. It is an altogether
> different condition and reality, which cannot be expressed in words.
> 4
> 
> Should a wealthy man choose to bequeath, upon his death, a portion of his wealth to
> the poor and needy, perchance this action will bring about divine pardon and forgiveness
> and result in his progress in the Kingdom of the All-Merciful.
> 5
> 
> Likewise, parents endure the greatest toil and trouble for their children, and often,
> by the time the latter have reached the age of maturity, the former have hastened
> to the world beyond. Rarely do the mother and father enjoy in this world the rewards
> of all the pain and trouble they have endured for their children. The children must
> therefore, in return for this pain and trouble, make charitable contributions and
> perform good works in their name, and implore pardon and forgiveness for their souls.
> You should therefore, in return for the love and kindness of your father, give to
> the poor in his name and, with the utmost lowliness and fervour, pray for God’s pardon
> and forgiveness and seek His infinite mercy.
> 
> 147
> 
> 6
> 
> It is even possible for those who have died in sin and unbelief to be transformed,
> that is, to become the object of divine forgiveness. This is through the grace of
> God and not through His justice, for grace is to bestow without desert, and justice
> is to give that which is deserved. As we have the power to pray for those souls here,
> so too will we have the same power in the next world, the world of the Kingdom. Are
> not all the creatures in that world the creation of God? They must therefore be able
> to progress in that world as well. And just as they can seek illumination here through
> supplication, so too can they plead there for forgiveness and seek illumination through
> prayer and supplication. Thus, as souls can progress in this world through their entreaties
> and supplications, or through the prayers of holy souls, so too after death can they
> progress through their own prayers and supplications, particularly if they become
> the object of the intercession of the holy Manifestations.
> 7
> 
> – 63 –
> 
> The Progress of All Things within Their Own Degree
> 
> Know that nothing
> that exists remains in a state of repose—that is, all things are in motion. They
> are either growing or declining, either coming from non-existence into existence or
> passing from existence into non-existence. So this flower, this hyacinth, was for
> a time coming from non-existence into existence and is now passing from existence
> into non-existence. This is called essential or natural motion, and it can in no wise
> be dissociated from created things, for it is one of their essential requirements,
> just as it is an essential requirement of fire to burn.
> 1
> 
> It is therefore clearly established that motion, whether advancing or declining, is
> necessary to existence. Now, as the human spirit continues after death, it must either
> advance or decline, and in the next world to cease to advance is the same as to decline.
> But the human spirit never transcends its own degree: It progresses only within that
> degree. For example, no matter how far the spirit and reality of Peter may progress,
> it will never reach the degree of the reality of Christ but will progress only within
> its own inherent limits.
> 2
> 
> Thus, you see that however much this mineral may progress, its progress remains within
> its own degree; you cannot possibly bring this crystal, for example, to a state where
> it gains the power of sight. The moon, howsoever it may progress, can never become
> the shining sun, and its apogee and perigee will always remain within its own degree.
> And however far the Apostles might have progressed, they could never have become Christ.
> It is true that coal can become a diamond, but both are in the mineral degree and
> their constituent parts are the same.
> 3
> 
> – 64 –
> 
> The Station of Man and His Progress after Death
> 
> When we examine
> all things with the eye of discernment, we observe that they are generally confined
> to three categories: mineral, vegetable, and animal. Thus there are three classes
> of beings and each class has its associated species. Man is the most distinguished
> species in that he combines the perfections of all three classes—that is, he possesses
> a material body, the power of growth, and the power of sensation. Beyond the mineral,
> vegetable, and animal perfections, however, he also possesses a special perfection
> of which other created things are bereft, namely, the perfections of the mind. Thus
> man is the noblest of all existing things.
> 1
> 
> Man is in the ultimate degree of materiality and the beginning of spirituality; that
> is, he is at the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. He is at the
> furthermost degree of darkness and the beginning of the light. That is why the station
> of man is said to be the end of night and the beginning of day, meaning that he encompasses
> all the degrees of imperfection and that he potentially possesses all the degrees
> of perfection. He has both an animal side and an angelic side, and the role of the
> educator is to so train human souls that the angelic side may overcome the animal.
> Thus, should the divine powers, which are identical with perfection, overcome in man
> the satanic powers, which are absolute imperfection, he becomes the noblest of all
> creatures, but should the converse take place, he becomes the vilest of all beings.
> That is why he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection.
> 2
> 
> In no other species in the world of existence can such difference, distinction, contrast,
> and contradiction be seen as in man. For instance, it is upon man that the effulgent
> light of the Divinity has been shed, as it was with Christ—see how glorious and noble
> man is! At the same time, he worships stones, trees, and lumps of clay—see how wretched
> he is, that the object of his worship should be the basest degrees of existence, that
> is, lifeless stones and clods of earth, mountains, woods, and trees! What greater
> wretchedness can there be for man than to worship the lowliest of all things?
> 3
> 
> Moreover, knowledge is a human attribute but so is ignorance; truthfulness is a human
> attribute but so is falsehood; and the same holds true of trustworthiness and treachery,
> justice and tyranny, and so forth. In brief, every perfection and virtue, as well
> as every vice, is an attribute of man. Consider, likewise, the differences that exist
> among the members of the human race. Christ was in the form of a man and so was Caiaphas;
> Moses was a man and so was Pharaoh; Abel was a man and so was Cain; Bahá’u’lláh was
> a man and so was Yaḥyá.
> 
> 148
> 
> That is why man is said to be the greatest sign of God—that is, he is the Book of
> Creation—for all the mysteries of the universe are found in him. Should he come under
> the shadow of the true Educator and be rightly trained, he becomes the gem of gems,
> the light of lights, and the spirit of spirits; he becomes the focal centre of divine
> blessings, the wellspring of spiritual attributes, the dawning-place of heavenly lights,
> and the recipient of divine inspirations. Should he, however, be deprived of this
> education, he becomes the embodiment of satanic attributes, the epitome of animal
> vices, and the source of all that is oppressive and dark.
> 4
> 
> This is the wisdom of the appearance of the Prophets: to educate humanity, that this
> lump of coal may become a diamond and this barren tree may be grafted and yield fruit
> of the utmost sweetness and delicacy. And after the noblest stations in the world
> of humanity have been attained, further progress can be made only in the degrees of
> perfection, not in station, for the degrees are finite but the divine perfections
> are infinite.
> 5
> 
> Both before and after casting off this elemental frame, the human soul progresses
> in perfections but not in station. The progression of all created things culminates
> in perfect man, and no greater being than him exists: Man, having reached the human
> station, can progress only in perfections and not in station, for there is no higher
> station to which he can find passage than that of a perfect man. He can progress solely
> within the human station, as human perfections are infinite. Thus, however learned
> a man may be, it is always possible to imagine one even more learned.
> 6
> 
> And as the perfections of man are infinite, he can also advance in these perfections
> after his ascension from this world.
> 7
> 
> – 65 –
> 
> Faith and Works
> 
> Question: It is
> said in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas: “…whoso is deprived thereof, hath gone astray, though
> he be the author of every righteous deed”.
> 
> 149
> 
> What is the meaning of this verse?
> 1
> 
> Answer: The meaning of this blessed verse is that the foundation of success and salvation
> is the recognition of God, and that good deeds, which are the fruit of faith, derive
> from this recognition.
> 2
> 
> When this recognition is not attained, man remains veiled from God and, as he is veiled,
> his good works fail to achieve their full and desired effect. This verse does not
> mean that those who are veiled from God are all equal, whether they be doers of good
> or workers of iniquity. It means only that the foundation is the recognition of God
> and that good deeds derive from this knowledge. Nevertheless, it is certain that among
> those who are veiled from God there is a difference between the doer of good and the
> sinner and malefactor. For the veiled soul who is endowed with good character and
> conduct merits the forgiveness of God, while the veiled sinner possessed of bad character
> and conduct will be deprived of the bounties and bestowals of God. Herein lies the
> difference.
> 3
> 
> This blessed verse means, therefore, that good deeds alone, without the recognition
> of God, cannot lead to eternal redemption, to everlasting success and salvation, and
> to admittance into the Kingdom of God.
> 
> 150
> 
> 4
> 
> – 66 –
> 
> The Subsistence of the Rational Soul after the Death of the Body
> 
> Question: After the
> body has been cast off and the spirit has taken flight, through what will the rational
> soul subsist? Let us suppose that those souls who are aided by the outpourings of
> the Holy Spirit attain true existence and everlasting life. But what becomes of those
> rational souls who are veiled from God?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Some hold that the body is the substance and that it subsists by itself, and
> that the spirit is an accident which subsists through the substance of the body. The
> truth, however, is that the rational soul is the substance through which the body
> subsists. If the accident—the body—is destroyed, the substance—the spirit—remains.
> 2
> 
> Secondly, the rational soul, or the human spirit, does not subsist through this body
> by inherence—that is to say, it does not enter it; for inherence and entrance are
> characteristics of bodies, and the rational soul is sanctified above this. It never
> entered this body to begin with, that it should require, upon leaving it, some other
> abode. No, the connection of the spirit with the body is even as the connection of
> this lamp with a mirror. If the mirror is polished and perfected, the light of the
> lamp appears therein, and if the mirror is broken or covered with dust, the light
> remains concealed.
> 3
> 
> The rational soul—the human spirit—did not descend into this body or subsist through
> it to begin with, that it should require some substance to depend upon after the constituent
> parts of the body have decomposed. On the contrary, the rational soul is the substance
> upon which the body depends. The rational soul is endowed from the beginning with
> individuality; it does not acquire it through the intermediary of the body. At most,
> what can be said is that the individuality and identity of the rational soul may be
> strengthened in this world, and that the soul may either progress and attain to the
> degrees of perfection or remain in the lowest abyss of ignorance and be veiled from
> and deprived of beholding the signs of God.
> 4
> 
> Question: Through what means can the spirit of man—the rational soul—progress after
> departing from this mortal world?
> 5
> 
> Answer: The progress of the human spirit in the divine world, after its connection
> with the physical body has been severed, is either purely through the grace and bounty
> of the Lord, or through the intercession and prayers of other human souls, or through
> the significant contributions and charitable deeds which are offered in its name.
> 6
> 
> Question: What happens to children who die before reaching the age of maturity or
> before the appointed time of birth?
> 7
> 
> Answer: These children abide under the shadow of the Divine Providence, and, as they
> have committed no sin and are unsullied by the defilements of the world of nature,
> they will become the manifestations of divine bounty and the glances of the eye of
> divine mercy will be directed towards them.
> 8
> 
> – 67 –
> 
> Eternal Life and Entrance into the Kingdom of God
> 
> You have asked
> concerning eternal life and entrance into the Kingdom. The Kingdom is outwardly referred
> to as “heaven”, but this is an expression and likeness and not a factual statement
> or reality. For the Kingdom is not a material location but is sanctified above time
> and place. It is a spiritual realm, a divine world, and it is the seat of the sovereignty
> of the almighty Lord. It is exalted above bodies and all that is corporeal, and it
> is freed and sanctified from the idle conjectures of men. For to be confined to place
> is a characteristic of bodies and not of spirits: Time and place encompass the body,
> not the mind and the soul.
> 1
> 
> Observe that the body of man abides in a limited space and occupies no more than two
> spans of earth. But the spirit and mind of man traverses all countries and regions
> and even the limitless expanse of the heavens; it encompasses all existence and makes
> discoveries in the spheres above and in the infinite reaches of the universe. This
> is because the spirit has no place: It is a placeless reality, and for the spirit
> earth and heaven are the same, since it makes discoveries in both. But the body is
> confined in space and is unaware of that which lies beyond.
> 2
> 
> Now, life is of two kinds: that of the body and that of the spirit. The life of the
> body consists in material life, but the life of the spirit is a heavenly existence
> which consists in receiving the grace of the Divine Spirit and being quickened through
> the breath of the Holy Spirit. Although material life has existence, yet in the eyes
> of holy and spiritually minded souls it is utter non-existence and death. Thus man
> exists and so does this stone, but what a difference between the existence of man
> and that of the stone! Although the stone exists, in relation to the existence of
> man it is non-existent.
> 3
> 
> What is meant by “eternal life” is receiving the grace of the Holy Spirit, even as
> a flower partakes of the gifts and breezes of spring. Observe that in the beginning
> this flower had a purely mineral life, yet through the advent of springtime, the outpouring
> of its vernal showers, and the heat of its shining sun, it found another life and
> appeared with the utmost vitality, delicacy, and fragrance. Compared to its latter
> life, the former life of the flower was even as death.
> 4
> 
> Our meaning is that the life of the Kingdom is the life of the spirit, and that it
> is eternal and sanctified above time and place, even as the human spirit, which is
> placeless. For were you to search throughout the human body, you would be unable to
> find a specific place or location for the spirit. The spirit is absolutely placeless
> and immaterial, but it has a connection with the body, even as the sun has a connection
> with this mirror: The sun occupies no place within the mirror, but it has a connection
> with it. In the same way, the world of the Kingdom is sanctified above all that can
> be seen by the eye or perceived by the other senses, such as hearing, smell, taste,
> or touch.
> 5
> 
> Where then can one find in man this mind that resides in him and whose existence is
> beyond doubt? Were you to examine the human body with the eye, the ear, or the other
> senses, you would fail to find it, even though it clearly exists. The mind, therefore,
> has no place, although it is connected with the brain. So it is with the Kingdom.
> Likewise, love has no place, but it is connected with the heart. And in the same way,
> the Kingdom has no place, but it is connected with the human reality.
> 6
> 
> Entrance into the Kingdom is through the love of God, through detachment, through
> sanctity and holiness, through truthfulness and purity, through steadfastness and
> faithfulness, and through self-sacrifice.
> 7
> 
> It follows clearly from these explanations that man is immortal and everlasting. Those
> who believe in God, who cherish His love, and who have attained certitude, enjoy that
> blessed life which we call life eternal; but those who are veiled from God, though
> they be endowed with life, yet they live in darkness and their life, in comparison
> with that of the believers, is non-existence.
> 8
> 
> Thus, the eye is alive and so too is the fingernail, but the life of the fingernail
> in relation to that of the eye is non-existence. The stone and the man both exist,
> but in relation to man the stone has no existence or being. For when man dies and
> his body is disintegrated and destroyed, it becomes like the stone, the earth, and
> the mineral. It is therefore clear that even though the mineral exists, it is non-existent
> in relation to man.
> 9
> 
> Likewise, those souls who are veiled from God, although they exist both in this world
> and in the world to come, are non-existent and forgotten in relation to the sanctified
> existence of the children of the divine Kingdom.
> 10
> 
> – 68 –
> 
> Two Kinds of Fate
> 
> Question: Is fate
> , which is mentioned in the Holy Books, an irrevocable thing? If so, what use or benefit
> will come from seeking to avoid it?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Fate is of two kinds: One is irrevocable and the other is conditional, or,
> as it is said, impending. Irrevocable fate is that which cannot be changed or altered,
> while conditional fate is that which may or may not occur. Thus, the irrevocable fate
> for this lamp is that its oil will be burnt and consumed. Its eventual extinction
> is therefore certain, and it is impossible to change or alter this outcome, for such
> is its irrevocable fate. Likewise, a power has been created in the body of man whose
> depletion and exhaustion leads inevitably to the disintegration of the body. It is
> even as the oil in this lamp: After it has been burnt and consumed, the lamp will
> assuredly be extinguished.
> 2
> 
> But conditional fate may be likened to this: While some oil yet remains, a strong
> wind blows and extinguishes the lamp. This fate is conditional. It is expedient to
> avoid this fate, to guard oneself against it, and to be cautious and prudent. But
> the irrevocable fate, which is like the depletion of the oil of the lamp, cannot be
> changed, altered, or delayed. It is bound to occur, and the lamp will undoubtedly
> be extinguished.
> 3
> 
> – 69 –
> 
> The Influence of the Stars and the Interconnectedness of All Things
> 
> Question: Do the
> stars of the heavens have a spiritual influence upon human souls or not?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Certain celestial bodies exert a physical influence upon the earth and its
> creatures which is clear and apparent and which requires no explanation. Consider
> the sun, which, through the help of divine grace, nurtures the earth and all its creatures.
> Indeed, were it not for the light and heat of the sun, all earthly things would entirely
> cease to exist.
> 2
> 
> As to spiritual influences, although it might seem strange that these stars should
> exert a spiritual influence upon the human world, yet were you to reflect deeply upon
> this matter you would not be greatly surprised by it. My meaning, however, is not
> that the deductions that the astrologers of old made from the motions of the stars
> and planets were true, for these were mere figments of the imagination which had their
> origin with the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Chaldean priests, or rather stemmed from the
> idle conjectures of the Hindus and the superstitions of the Greeks, the Romans, and
> the other star worshippers. My meaning, instead, is that this endless universe is
> like the human body, and that all its parts are connected one with another and are
> linked together in the utmost perfection. That is, in the same way that the parts,
> members, and organs of the human body are interconnected, and that they mutually assist,
> reinforce, and influence each other, so too are the parts and members of this endless
> universe connected with, and spiritually and materially influenced by, one another.
> For example, the eye sees and the entire body is affected; the ear hears and every
> limb and member is stirred. Of this there is no doubt, for the world of existence
> is also like a living person. Thus, the interconnection that exists between the various
> parts of the universe requires mutual influences and effects, whether material or
> spiritual.
> 3
> 
> For those who deny the spiritual influence of material things, we mention this brief
> example: Beautiful sounds, wondrous tones, and harmonious melodies are accidents which
> affect the air; for sound consists in vibrations of the air, and through these vibrations
> the nerves of the tympanum are excited and hearing results. Now consider how the vibrations
> of the air, which are an accident among accidents and which are accounted as naught,
> attract and exhilarate the spirit of man and move him to the utmost: They cause him
> to laugh and to weep, and can even induce him to throw himself in harm’s way. Observe,
> then, what a connection exists between the spirit of man and the vibrations of the
> air, that the latter can transport him to another state and so overwhelm him as to
> entirely deprive him of patience and composure. Consider how strange this is, for
> nothing comes forth from the singer and enters into the listener, and yet great spiritual
> effects are produced. This intimate relationship between all created things is therefore
> bound to give rise to spiritual influences and effects.
> 4
> 
> It was already mentioned that the parts and members of the human body mutually influence
> one another. For instance, the eye sees and the heart is affected. The ear hears and
> the spirit is influenced. The heart finds peace, the thoughts expand, and all the
> members of the body experience a state of well-being. What a connection and relationship
> this is! And if such relationships, such spiritual influences and effects, are found
> among the various members of the body of man, which is only one particular being among
> many, then there must assuredly exist both spiritual and material relationships among
> the countless universal beings. And although our present methods and sciences cannot
> detect these relationships among the universal beings, their existence is nonetheless
> clear and indisputable.
> 5
> 
> In sum, all beings, whether universal or particular, are mutually connected in accordance
> with God’s consummate wisdom and mutually influence one another. Were it not so, the
> all-embracing organization and universal arrangement of existence would become disordered
> and disrupted. And as all created things are most soundly connected one with another,
> they are well ordered, arranged, and perfected.
> 6
> 
> This matter deserves close examination and calls for careful attention and deep reflection.
> 7
> 
> – 70 –
> 
> Free Will and its Limits
> 
> Question: Is man
> free and unconstrained in all his actions, or is he compelled and constrained?
> 1
> 
> Answer: This is one of the most important questions of divinity, and it is most abstruse.
> God willing, another day we will explain this matter at length from the beginning
> of our lunch. For now, we will briefly say a few words, as follows.
> 2
> 
> Certain matters are subject to the free will of man, such as acting with justice and
> fairness, or injustice and iniquity—in other words, the choice of good or evil actions.
> It is clear and evident that the will of man figures greatly in these actions. But
> there are certain matters where man is forced and compelled, such as sleep, death,
> sickness, failing powers, misfortune, and material loss: These are not subject to
> the will of man and he is not accountable for them, for he is compelled to endure
> them. But he is free in the choice of good and evil actions, and it is of his own
> accord that he performs them.
> 3
> 
> For example, should he so wish, he can pass his days in praise of God, and should
> he so desire, he can occupy himself with that which is other than Him. He can light
> the candle of his heart with the flame of the love of God and become a well-wisher
> of the world, or he can become an enemy of all mankind or set his affections on worldly
> things; he can choose to be just or iniquitous. All these deeds and actions are under
> his own control, and he is therefore accountable for them.
> 4
> 
> But another question arises: Man’s condition is one of utter helplessness and absolute
> poverty. All might and power belong to God alone, and man’s exaltation and abasement
> depend on the will and purpose of the Most High. Thus it is said in the Gospel that
> God is like a potter who makes “one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour”.
> 
> 151
> 
> Now, the dishonoured vessel has no right to reproach the potter, saying, “Why did
> you not make me a precious cup that would be passed from hand to hand?” The meaning
> of these words is that souls occupy different stations. That which occupies the lowest
> station of existence, like the mineral, has no right to object, saying, “O God, why
> have you denied me the perfections of the plant?” Likewise, the plant has no right
> to protest that it has been deprived of the perfections of the animal realm. And,
> similarly, it is not befitting for the animal to complain of the want of human perfections.
> No, all these things are perfect in their own degree and must pursue the perfections
> of that degree. As we have said previously, that which is inferior in rank has no
> right or qualification to aspire to the station and perfections of that which is superior,
> but must progress within its own degree.
> 
> 152
> 
> 5
> 
> Moreover, man’s stillness or motion itself is conditioned upon the aid of God. Should
> this assistance fail to reach him, he can do neither good nor evil. But when the assistance
> of the all-bounteous Lord confers existence upon man, he is capable of both good and
> evil. And should that assistance be cut off, he would become absolutely powerless.
> That is why the aid and assistance of God are mentioned in the Sacred Scriptures.
> This condition can be likened to that of a ship that moves by the power of wind or
> steam. Should this power be cut off, the ship would become entirely unable to move.
> Nevertheless, in whatever direction the rudder is turned, the power of the steam propels
> the ship in that direction. If the rudder is turned to the east, the ship moves eastward,
> and if it is directed to the west, the ship moves west. This motion does not arise
> from the ship itself, but from the wind or steam.
> 6
> 
> In like manner, all the doings of man are sustained by the power of divine assistance,
> but the choice of good or evil belongs to him alone. It is like when the king appoints
> an individual as governor of a city, grants him full authority, and shows him that
> which is just and unjust according to the law. Now, should the governor commit injustice,
> even though he acts by the power and authority of the king, yet the king would not
> condone his injustice. And should the governor act with justice, this too would be
> through the royal authority, and the king would be well pleased and satisfied with
> his justice.
> 7
> 
> Our meaning is that the choice of good and evil belongs to man, but that under all
> circumstances he is dependent upon the life-sustaining assistance of Divine Providence.
> The sovereignty of God is great indeed, and all are held captive in the grasp of His
> power. The servant can do nothing of his own will alone: God is almighty and all-powerful
> and bestows His assistance upon all creation.
> 8
> 
> This question has been clearly explained and elucidated.
> 9
> 
> – 71 –
> 
> Spiritual Disclosures
> 
> Question: Some people
> believe that they have spiritual disclosures, that is, that they converse with spirits.
> How is this?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Spiritual disclosures are of two kinds: One, which is commonly referred to
> among other peoples, is mere imagination, while the other is true spiritual visions
> such as the revelations of Isaiah, of Jeremiah, and of John.
> 2
> 
> Consider that man’s contemplative powers produce two kinds of conceptions. One kind
> consists in sound and true conceptions, which, when combined with resolution, become
> outwardly realized, such as proper arrangements, wise opinions, scientific discoveries,
> and technological inventions. The other consists in false ideas and baseless imaginations,
> which yield no fruit and have no reality. They surge like the waves of the sea of
> delusion and fade away like idle dreams.
> 3
> 
> In like manner, spiritual disclosures are of two kinds. One is the visions of the
> Prophets and the spiritual disclosures of the chosen ones of God. The visions of the
> Prophets are not dreams but true spiritual disclosures. Thus when they say, “I saw
> someone in such a form, and I spoke such words, and he gave such a reply”, this vision
> takes place in a state of wakefulness and not in the realm of sleep. It is a spiritual
> discovery that is expressed in the form of a vision.
> 4
> 
> The other kind of spiritual disclosures is mere illusion, but these illusions take
> such a tangible form in the mind that many simple-hearted people imagine them to be
> real. The obvious proof of this is that no concrete result or outcome ever follows
> from this supposed compelling or summoning of spirits. No, these are mere fables and
> fictions.
> 5
> 
> Know, therefore, that the human reality encompasses the realities of all things and
> discovers their true nature, their properties, and their mysteries. For instance,
> all the existing crafts, inventions, sciences, and branches of learning have been
> discovered by the human reality. At one time they were all hidden and concealed mysteries,
> but the reality of man gradually discovered them and brought them forth from the invisible
> world into the visible realm. It is therefore evident that the reality of man encompasses
> all things. Thus it is in Europe and discovers America; it is on the earth and makes
> discoveries in the heavens. It unravels the mysteries of all things and apprehends
> the realities of all beings. These true disclosures which conform to reality are similar
> to visions—which consist in spiritual understanding, heavenly inspiration, and the
> close communion of human spirits—and thus the recipient will say that he saw, or said,
> or heard such a thing.
> 6
> 
> It is therefore clear that the spirit has powerful perceptions that are not mediated
> by the organs of the five senses, such as the eyes and the ears. And, with respect
> to spiritual understandings and inner disclosures, there exists among spiritual souls
> a unity that surpasses all imagination and comparison and a communion that transcends
> time and place. So, for example, when it is written in the Gospel that Moses and Elijah
> came to Christ on Mount Tabor, it is clear that this was not a material communion
> but a spiritual condition that has been expressed as a physical meeting.
> 7
> 
> The other kind of summoning of, and conversation and communication with, spirits is
> vain imagination and pure illusion, although it may appear to be real. The mind and
> thought of man at times discovers certain truths, and this thought and discovery produce
> definite results and benefits. Such thoughts have a solid foundation. But many things
> come to mind that are like the waves of the sea of delusion; they bear no fruit and
> produce no result. In the world of sleep, too, one may have a dream which exactly
> comes true, while on another occasion one will have a dream which has absolutely no
> result.
> 8
> 
> Our meaning is that this condition which we call conversation or communication with
> spirits is of two kinds: One is sheer delusion, and the other, which consists in the
> visions mentioned in the Bible, such as those of Isaiah and John and the meeting of
> Christ with Moses and Elijah, is real. The latter exert a marvellous effect upon minds
> and thoughts and produce powerful attractions in the hearts.
> 9
> 
> – 72 –
> 
> Healing without Medicine
> 
> Question: Some heal
> the sick by spiritual means—that is, without medicine. How is this?
> 1
> 
> Answer: A detailed explanation of this matter was provided earlier. If you have not
> fully grasped it, we will repeat it so that you may. Know that there are four kinds
> of treatment and healing without medicine. Two are due to material causes and two
> to spiritual ones.
> 2
> 
> As to the two material kinds, one is due to the fact that in reality both health and
> sickness are contagious. The contagiousness of disease is rapid and violent, whereas
> that of health is exceedingly slow and weak. If two bodies are brought into contact
> with each other, it is certain that microbial particles will be transmitted from one
> to the other. In the same way that disease is rapidly and violently transmitted from
> one body to another, the strong health of a healthy person may also alleviate a very
> slight condition in a sick person. Our meaning is that the contagiousness of disease
> is rapid and violent, while that of health is very slow and of limited effect, and
> it is only in minor ills that this modest effect can be felt. In such cases, the strength
> of the healthy body overcomes the slight weakness of the sick body and brings about
> its health. This is one kind of healing.
> 3
> 
> Another kind of healing is through the force of bodily magnetism, where the magnetic
> force of one body affects another body and brings about the cure. This force, too,
> has only a slight effect. Thus someone may lay his hand upon the head or stomach of
> a patient and perchance the latter will benefit from this. Why? Because the effect
> of the magnetism, and the impression made upon the psyche of the patient, may dispel
> the disease. But this effect is also very slight and weak.
> 4
> 
> The two other kinds are spiritual; that is, the means of healing is a spiritual power.
> One is when a healthy person focuses his whole attention upon a sick person, and the
> latter in turn fully expects to be healed through the spiritual power of the former
> and is wholly convinced thereof, to such an extent that a strong connection is created
> between their hearts. Should the healthy individual then bend every effort to heal
> the sick one, and should the latter have full faith that health will be attained,
> an excitement may be produced in his nerves from these soul-to-soul influences and
> bring about the cure. So, for example, when a sick person is suddenly given the good
> news that his most ardent wish and desire has been realized, a nervous excitement
> may result that will entirely dispel the ailment. In the same way, when a terrifying
> event suddenly comes to pass, such an excitement may be produced in the nerves of
> a healthy person that he immediately falls ill. The cause of the illness is not a
> material thing, for that person has not ingested or come into contact with anything:
> The nervous excitement alone has brought about the illness. Likewise, the sudden realization
> of a most cherished desire may impart such joy as to excite the nerves and restore
> health.
> 5
> 
> In brief, a complete and perfect connection between the spiritual physician and the
> patient—that is, one where the physician concentrates his entire attention on the
> patient and where the patient likewise concentrates all his attention on the spiritual
> physician and anticipates healing—causes a nervous excitement whereby health is regained.
> But this is effective only to a point and not in all cases. For instance, should someone
> contract a grave illness or be physically injured, these means will neither dispel
> the illness nor soothe and heal the injury—that is, these means have no sway over
> grave illnesses unless assisted by the constitution of the patient, for a strong constitution
> will often ward off an illness. This is the third kind of healing.
> 6
> 
> But the fourth kind is when healing is brought about through the power of the Holy
> Spirit. This depends neither upon physical contact, nor upon sight, nor even upon
> presence: It is not dependent upon any condition. Whether the disease be mild or severe,
> whether there be contact between the bodies or not, whether a connection be established
> between patient and physician or not, whether the patient be present or not, this
> healing takes place through the power of the Holy Spirit.
> 7
> 
> – 73 –
> 
> Healing by Material Means
> 
> Yesterday at table
> we mentioned, in connection with the question of spiritual medicine and healing,
> how illnesses can be cured through spiritual powers.
> 1
> 
> Now we will speak of material healing. The science of medicine is still in its infancy
> and has not yet reached maturity. But when it reaches that stage, treatments will
> be administered with things that are not repulsive to the senses of taste and smell,
> that is, through foods, fruits, and plants that have an agreeable taste and a pleasant
> smell. For the cause of the intrusion of illness into the human body is either a physical
> agent or a nervous excitement and stimulation.
> 2
> 
> As to physical agents, which are the primary cause of illness, their effect is due
> to the following: The human body is composed of numerous elements according to a particular
> state of equilibrium. So long as this equilibrium is maintained, man is preserved
> from sickness, but should this fundamental balance, which is the central requirement
> of a sound constitution, be upset, the constitution will be disrupted and illnesses
> will supervene.
> 3
> 
> For instance, if there is a deficiency in one of the component parts of the body and
> a surfeit of another, the state of equilibrium is disturbed and illness occurs. So,
> for example, equilibrium may require one component to be a thousand grams and another
> to be five grams. Should the former fall to seven hundred grams and the latter increase
> in such wise that the state of equilibrium is disturbed, then illness will supervene;
> and should equilibrium be restored through medicines and treatments, the illness will
> be overcome. Thus if the sugar component becomes excessive, the health is impaired;
> and when the physician forbids sweet and starchy foods, the sugar component diminishes,
> equilibrium is restored, and the illness is banished.
> 4
> 
> Now, the equilibration of these bodily components can be accomplished by one of two
> means, either through medicines or with foods, and when the constitution has recovered
> its equilibrium, the illness is banished. Since all the constituent elements of the
> human body are also found in plants, if one of these components were to become deficient,
> and if one were to partake of foods that are rich in that component, then equilibrium
> would be restored and the cure realized. So long as the aim is the equilibration of
> the component parts of the body, this can be equally effected through medicines or
> various foods.
> 5
> 
> The majority of the illnesses that afflict man also afflict animals, but the animal
> does not treat them through medicines. The animal’s physician in the mountains and
> the wilderness is its powers of taste and smell. The sick animal smells the plants
> that grow in the wilderness, eats those that its smell and taste find to be sweet
> and fragrant, and is cured. The reason is this: When, for example, the sugar component
> in its body becomes deficient, it craves sweet things and thus eats of sweet-tasting
> plants, for nature so urges and guides it. Thus, as the animal eats things that are
> pleasing to its smell and taste, the sugar component increases and it regains its
> health.
> 6
> 
> It is therefore evident that it is possible to cure illnesses by means of fruits and
> other foods. But as the science of medicine has not yet been perfected, this fact
> has not been fully understood. When this science reaches perfection, treatments will
> be administered with fragrant fruits and plants as well as with other foods, and with
> hot and cold waters of various temperatures.
> 7
> 
> This is only a brief explanation. God willing, and the occasion permitting, we will
> provide a more detailed explanation another time.
> 8
> 
> Part 5
> 
> Miscellaneous Subjects
> 
> – 74 –
> 
> On Good and Evil
> 
> To explain the
> truth of this matter is difficult indeed. Know that created things are of two kinds:
> material and spiritual, sensible and intelligible. That is, some are perceptible to
> the senses, while others are only perceived by the mind.
> 1
> 
> Sensible realities are those which are perceived by the five outer senses: So, for
> example, those outward things which the eye sees are called sensible. Intelligible
> realities are those which have no outward existence but are perceived by the mind.
> For example, the mind itself is an intelligible reality and has no outward existence.
> Likewise, all human virtues and attributes have an intelligible rather than a sensible
> existence; that is, they are realities that are perceived by the mind and not by the
> senses.
> 2
> 
> Briefly, intelligible realities such as the praiseworthy attributes and perfections
> of man are purely good and have a positive existence. Evil is simply their non-existence.
> So ignorance is the want of knowledge, error is the want of guidance, forgetfulness
> is the want of remembrance, foolishness is the want of understanding: All these are
> nothing in themselves and have no positive existence.
> 3
> 
> As for sensible realities, these are also purely good, and evil is merely their non-existence;
> that is, blindness is the want of sight, deafness is the want of hearing, poverty
> is the want of wealth, illness is the want of health, death is the want of life, and
> weakness is the want of strength.
> 4
> 
> Now, a doubt comes to mind: Scorpions and snakes are poisonous—is this good or evil,
> for they have a positive existence? Yes, it is true that scorpions and snakes are
> evil, but only in relation to us and not to themselves, for their venom is their weapon
> and their sting their means of defence. But as the constituent elements of their venom
> are incompatible with those of our bodies—that is, as these constituent elements are
> mutually opposed—the venom is evil, or rather, those elements are evil in relation
> to each other, while in their own reality they are both good.
> 5
> 
> To summarize, one thing may be evil in relation to another but not evil within the
> limits of its own being. It follows therefore that there is no evil in existence:
> Whatsoever God has created, He has created good. Evil consists merely in non-existence.
> For example, death is the absence of life: When man is no longer sustained by the
> power of life, he dies. Darkness is the absence of light: When light is no more, darkness
> reigns. Light is a positively existing thing, but darkness has no positive existence;
> it is merely its absence. Likewise, wealth is a positively existing thing but poverty
> is merely its absence.
> 6
> 
> It is thus evident that all evil is mere non-existence. Good has a positive existence;
> evil is merely its absence.
> 7
> 
> – 75 –
> 
> Two Kinds of Torment
> 
> Know that there
> are two kinds of torment: subtle and palpable. For example, ignorance is itself a
> torment, but it is a subtle torment; indifference to God is itself a torment; falsehood
> is itself a torment; iniquity and treachery are torments. Indeed, all the human imperfections
> are torments, but they are subtle torments. A person endowed with a conscience will
> certainly prefer to be killed rather than to sin, and to have his tongue cut out rather
> than to slander and lie.
> 1
> 
> The other kind of torment is palpable and consists in physical punishments such as
> imprisonment, beating, expulsion, and banishment. But for the people of God, to be
> veiled from Him is still more grievous than all these torments.
> 2
> 
> – 76 –
> 
> The Justice and Mercy of God
> 
> Know that justice
> consists in rendering to each his due. For example, when a workman labours from morning
> till evening, justice requires that he be paid his wage, but bounty consists in rewarding
> him even when he has done no work and expended no effort. So when you give alms to
> a poor man who has made no effort and done nothing for your benefit to deserve it,
> this is bounty. Thus, Christ besought forgiveness for those responsible for His death:
> This is called bounty.
> 1
> 
> Now, the question of the excellence or baseness of things is determined either by
> reason or by religious law. Some believe that it is based on religious law: Such is
> the case with the Jews, who believe that all the commandments of the Torah are binding
> and that they are matters of religious law rather than of reason. Thus they say that
> one of the commandments of the Torah is that meat and butter cannot be eaten together,
> for this is “trefah” (and “trefah” in Hebrew means unclean, while “kosher” means clean).
> This they say is a question of religious law and not of reason.
> 2
> 
> But the divine philosophers hold that the excellence or baseness of things depends
> upon both reason and religious law. Thus, the prohibitions on murder, theft, treachery,
> falsehood, hypocrisy, and iniquity are based on reason: Every rational mind can grasp
> that these are all vile and reprehensible. For if you merely prick a man with a thorn
> he will cry out in pain: How well must he realize then that murder, according to reason,
> is vile and reprehensible. And were he to commit such a crime, he would be held accountable
> for it whether the prophetic message had reached him or not, for reason itself grasps
> the reprehensible character of this deed. Thus, when such a person commits such base
> actions, he will assuredly be held to account.
> 3
> 
> But if the prophetic injunctions have not reached a place and the people fail, as
> a result, to act in conformity with the divine teachings, then they are not held accountable
> according to the laws of religion. For instance, Christ enjoined that cruelty should
> be met with kindness. If a person remains unaware of this injunction and acts according
> to the promptings of nature, that is, if he returns injury for injury, then he is
> not held accountable according to the laws of religion, for this divine injunction
> has not been conveyed to him. Although such a person is not deserving of divine bounty
> and favour, God will nevertheless deal with him in His mercy and grant him forgiveness.
> 4
> 
> Now, vengeance is reprehensible even according to reason, for it is of no benefit
> to the avenger. If a man strikes another, and the victim chooses to exact revenge
> by returning the blow, what advantage will he gain? Will this be a balm to his wound
> or a remedy for his pain? No, God forbid! In truth the two actions are the same: Both
> are injuries; the only difference is that one preceded the other. Therefore, if the
> victim forgives, or better still, if he acts in the opposite manner, this is praiseworthy.
> 5
> 
> As for the body politic, it punishes the aggressor but not to exact revenge. The purpose
> of this punishment, rather, is to deter and dissuade, and to oppose iniquity and aggression,
> so as to prevent others from extending their hand likewise in oppression. But if the
> victim chooses to forgive and to show instead the greatest mercy, this is most approved
> in the sight of God.
> 6
> 
> – 77 –
> 
> The Punishment of Criminals
> 
> Question: Should a
> criminal be punished, or should he be forgiven and his crime overlooked?
> 1
> 
> Answer: There are two kinds of retributive actions: One is revenge and retaliation,
> and the other—punishment and requital. An individual has no right to seek revenge,
> but the body politic has the right to punish the criminal. Such punishment is intended
> to dissuade and deter others from committing similar crimes. It is for the protection
> of the rights of man and does not constitute revenge, for revenge is that inner gratification
> that results from returning like for like. This is not permissible, for no one has
> been given the right to seek revenge. And yet, if criminals were entirely left to
> their own devices, the order of the world would be disrupted. So while punishment
> is one of the essential requirements of the body politic, the wronged and aggrieved
> party has no right to seek revenge. On the contrary, he should show forgiveness and
> magnanimity, for this is that which befits the human world.
> 2
> 
> The body politic, however, must punish the oppressor, the murderer, and the assailant,
> to dissuade and deter others from committing similar crimes. But that which is essential
> is to so educate the masses that no crimes will be committed in the first place; for
> a people can be so educated as to shrink entirely from any crime, and indeed regard
> the crime itself as the greatest chastisement and the most grievous torment and punishment.
> Thus no crimes would occur in the first place such that punishments would be required.
> 3
> 
> We must speak only of that which is practically feasible in the world. There is indeed
> an abundance of lofty ideals and sentiments that cannot be put into effect. Therefore
> we must confine ourselves to that which is practicable.
> 4
> 
> For example, if someone wrongs, injures, and assaults another, and the latter retaliates
> in kind, this constitutes revenge and is blameworthy. If Peter kills the son of Paul,
> Paul has no right to kill the son of Peter. Were he to do so, it would be an act of
> vengeance and blameworthy in the extreme. Rather, he must act in the opposite manner
> and show forgiveness, and, if possible, even be of some assistance to his aggressor.
> This indeed is that which is worthy of man; for what advantage does one gain from
> revenge? The two actions are indeed one and the same: If one is reprehensible, so
> too is the other. The only difference is that one preceded the other.
> 5
> 
> But the body politic has the right to preserve and to protect. It holds no grudge
> and harbours no enmity towards the murderer, but chooses to imprison or punish him
> solely to ensure the protection of others. The purpose is not revenge but a punishment
> through which the body politic is protected. Otherwise, were both the victim’s heirs
> and the community to forgive and return good for evil, the wrongdoers would never
> cease their onslaught and a murder would be committed at every moment—nay, bloodthirsty
> individuals would, like wolves, entirely destroy the flock of God. The body politic
> is not prompted by ill will in meting out its punishment; it acts without prejudice
> and does not seek to gratify a sense of vengeance. Its purpose in inflicting the punishment
> is to safeguard others and to prevent the future commission of such vile actions.
> 6
> 
> Thus when Christ said, “Whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him
> the left one also”,
> 
> 153
> 
> the purpose was to educate the people, not to imply that one should assist a wolf
> that has fallen upon a flock of sheep and is intent upon devouring them all. No, if
> Christ had known that a wolf had entered the fold and was about to destroy the sheep,
> He most certainly would have prevented it.
> 7
> 
> Just as forgiveness is one of the attributes of God’s mercy, so is justice one of
> the attributes of His lordship. The canopy of existence rests upon the pole of justice
> and not of forgiveness, and the life of mankind depends on justice and not on forgiveness.
> Thus, if a decree of amnesty were to be enacted henceforth in all countries, the whole
> world would soon be thrown into disarray and the foundations of human life would be
> shattered. Likewise, if the powers of Europe had not resisted the notorious Attila,
> he would not have left a single soul alive.
> 8
> 
> Some men are like bloodthirsty wolves: If they were to see no punishment ahead, they
> would kill others solely for the sake of their own pleasure and diversion. One of
> the tyrants of Persia killed his tutor for mere amusement. Mutavakkil, the famous
> Abbasid caliph, would summon his ministers, deputies, and trustees to his presence,
> have a box full of scorpions let loose among them, and, forbidding anyone to move,
> would burst into boisterous laughter whenever one of them was stung.
> 9
> 
> In sum, the proper functioning of the body politic depends upon justice and not forgiveness.
> So what Christ meant by forgiveness and magnanimity is not that if another nation
> were to assail you; burn your homes; plunder your possessions; assault your wives,
> children, and kin; and violate your honour, you must submit to that tyrannical host
> and permit them to carry out every manner of iniquity and oppression. Rather, the
> words of Christ refer to private transactions between two individuals, stating that
> if one person assaults another, the injured party should forgive. But the body politic
> must safeguard the rights of man. Thus, if someone were to attack, injure, oppress,
> and wound me, I would in no wise oppose him but would show forgiveness. But if someone
> were to attack Siyyid Man
> sh
> ádí here,
> 
> 154
> 
> I would of course prevent him. Although to the assailant non-interference would appear
> as kindness, it would be sheer oppression towards Man
> sh
> ádí. So if a savage Arab
> were to enter the room at this moment brandishing a sword and bent upon assaulting,
> wounding, or killing you, I would of course prevent him. Were I to abandon you to
> that man, this would be oppression, not justice. But if he were to harm me personally,
> I would forgive him.
> 10
> 
> One final point: The body politic is engaged day and night in devising penal laws
> and in providing for ways and means of punishment. It builds prisons, acquires chains
> and fetters, and ordains places of exile and banishment, of torment and hardship,
> seeking thereby to reform the criminal, whereas in reality this only brings about
> the degradation of morals and the subversion of character. The body politic should
> instead strive night and day, bending every effort to ensure that souls are properly
> educated, that they progress day by day, that they advance in science and learning,
> that they acquire praiseworthy virtues and laudable manners, and that they forsake
> violent behaviour, so that crimes might never occur. At the present time the contrary
> prevails: The body politic is ever seeking to strengthen penal laws and securing means
> of punishment, instruments of death and chastisement, and places of imprisonment and
> exile, and then waiting for crimes to be committed. This has a most detrimental effect.
> 11
> 
> But if the masses were educated so that knowledge and learning increased day by day,
> understanding was broadened, perceptions were refined, morals were rectified and manners
> reformed—in a word, that progress was made with respect to every degree of perfection—then
> the occurrence of crime would subside.
> 12
> 
> Experience has shown that crime is less prevalent among civilized peoples—that is,
> among those who have acquired true civilization. And true civilization is divine civilization,
> the civilization of those who combine material and spiritual perfections. As ignorance
> is the root cause of crime, the more knowledge and learning advance, the less crime
> will be committed. Consider the lawless tribes of Africa: How often they kill one
> another and even consume each other’s flesh and blood! Why do such savageries not
> take place in Switzerland? The reason, clearly, is education and virtue.
> 13
> 
> Therefore, the body politic must seek to prevent crimes from being committed in the
> first place, rather than devise harsh punishments and penalties.
> 14
> 
> – 78 –
> 
> Strikes
> 
> You have asked
> about strikes. Great difficulties have arisen and will continue to arise from this
> issue. The origin of these difficulties is twofold: One is the excessive greed and
> rapacity of the factory owners, and the other is the gratuitous demands, the greed,
> and the intransigence of the workers. One must therefore seek to address both.
> 1
> 
> Now, the root cause of these difficulties lies in the law of nature that governs present-day
> civilization, for it results in a handful of people accumulating vast fortunes that
> far exceed their needs, while the greater number remain naked, destitute, and helpless.
> This is at once contrary to justice, to humanity, and to fairness; it is the very
> height of inequity and runs counter to the good-pleasure of the All-Merciful.
> 2
> 
> This disparity is confined to the human race: Among other creatures, that is, among
> the animals, a certain kind of justice and equality prevails. Thus there is equality
> within a shepherd’s flock, or within a herd of deer in the wilderness, or among the
> songbirds that dwell in the mountains, plains, and orchards. The animals of every
> species enjoy a measure of equality and do not differ greatly from one another in
> their means of existence, and thus they live in perfect peace and joy.
> 3
> 
> It is quite otherwise with the human race, where the greatest oppression and injustice
> are to be found. Thus you can observe, on the one hand, a single person who has amassed
> a fortune, made an entire country his personal dominion, acquired immense wealth,
> and secured an unceasing flow of gains and profits, and, on the other, a hundred thousand
> helpless souls—weak, powerless, and wanting even a mouthful of bread. There is neither
> equality here nor benevolence. Observe how, as a result, general peace and happiness
> have become so wanting, and the welfare of humanity so undermined, that the lives
> of a vast multitude have been rendered fruitless! For all the wealth, power, commerce,
> and industry are concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, while all others
> toil under the burden of endless hardships and difficulties, are bereft of advantages
> and benefits, and remain deprived of comfort and peace. One must therefore enact such
> laws and regulations as will moderate the excessive fortunes of the few and meet the
> basic needs of the myriad millions of the poor, that a degree of moderation may be
> achieved.
> 4
> 
> However, absolute equality is just as untenable, for complete equality in wealth,
> power, commerce, agriculture, and industry would result in chaos and disorder, disrupt
> livelihoods, provoke universal discontent, and undermine the orderly conduct of the
> affairs of the community. For unjustified equality is also fraught with peril. It
> is preferable, then, that some measure of moderation be achieved, and by moderation
> is meant the enactment of such laws and regulations as would prevent the unwarranted
> concentration of wealth in the hands of the few and satisfy the essential needs of
> the many. For instance, the factory owners reap a fortune every day, but the wage
> the poor workers are paid cannot even meet their daily needs: This is most unfair,
> and assuredly no just man can accept it. Therefore, laws and regulations should be
> enacted which would grant the workers both a daily wage and a share in a fourth or
> fifth of the profits of the factory in accordance with its means, or which would have
> the workers equitably share in some other way in the profits with the owners. For
> the capital and the management come from the latter and the toil and labour from the
> former. The workers could either be granted a wage that adequately meets their daily
> needs, as well as a right to a share in the revenues of the factory when they are
> injured, incapacitated, or unable to work, or else a wage could be set that allows
> the workers to both satisfy their daily needs and save a little for times of weakness
> and incapacity.
> 5
> 
> If matters were so arranged, neither would the factory owners amass each day a fortune
> which is absolutely of no use to them—for should one’s fortune increase beyond measure,
> one would come under a most heavy burden, become subject to exceeding hardships and
> troubles, and find the administration of such an excessive fortune to be most difficult
> and to exhaust one’s natural powers—nor would the workers endure such toil and hardship
> as to become incapacitated and to fall victim, at the end of their lives, to the direst
> need.
> 6
> 
> It is therefore clearly established that the appropriation of excessive wealth by
> a few individuals, notwithstanding the needs of the masses, is unfair and unjust,
> and that, conversely, absolute equality would also disrupt the existence, welfare,
> comfort, peace, and orderly life of the human race. Such being the case, the best
> course is therefore to seek moderation, which is for the wealthy to recognize the
> advantages of moderation in the acquisition of profits and to show regard for the
> welfare of the poor and the needy, that is, to fix a daily wage for the workers and
> also to allot them a share of the total profits of the factory.
> 7
> 
> In brief, insofar as the mutual rights of the factory owners and the workers are concerned,
> laws must be enacted that would enable the former to make reasonable profits and the
> latter to be provided with their present necessities and their future needs, so that
> if they become incapacitated, grow old, or die and leave behind small children, they
> or their children will not be overcome by dire poverty but will receive a modest pension
> from the revenues of the factory itself.
> 8
> 
> For their part, the workers should not make excessive demands, be recalcitrant, ask
> for more than they deserve, or go on strike. They should obey and comply and make
> no demands for exorbitant wages. Rather, the mutual and equitable rights of both parties
> should be officially fixed and established according to the laws of justice and compassion,
> and any party that violates them should be condemned after a fair hearing and be subject
> to a definitive verdict enforced by the executive branch, so that all affairs may
> be appropriately ordered and all problems adequately resolved.
> 9
> 
> The intervention of the government and the courts in the problems arising between
> owners and workers is fully warranted, since these are not such particular matters
> as are ordinary transactions between two individuals, which do not concern the public
> and in which the government should have no right to interfere. For problems between
> owners and workers, though they may appear to be a private matter, are detrimental
> to the common good, since the commercial, industrial, and agricultural affairs, and
> even the general business of the nation, are all intimately linked together: An impairment
> to one is a loss to all. And since the problems between owners and workers are detrimental
> to the common good, the government and the courts have therefore the right to intervene.
> 10
> 
> Even in the case of differences that arise between two individuals with regard to
> particular rights, a third party, namely the government, is needed to resolve the
> dispute. How, then, can the problem of strikes, which entirely disrupt the country—whether
> they arise from the inordinate demands of the workers or the excessive greed of the
> factory owners—remain neglected?
> 11
> 
> Gracious God! How can one see one’s fellow men hungry, destitute, and deprived, and
> yet live in peace and comfort in one’s splendid mansion? How can one see others in
> the greatest need and yet take delight in one’s fortune? That is why it has been decreed
> in the divine religions that the wealthy should offer up each year a portion of their
> wealth for the sustenance of the poor and the assistance of the needy. This is one
> of the foundations of the religion of God and is an injunction binding upon all. And
> since in this regard one is not outwardly compelled or obliged by the government,
> but rather aids the poor at the prompting of one’s own heart and in a spirit of joy
> and radiance, such a deed is most commendable, approved, and pleasing.
> 12
> 
> This is the meaning of the righteous deeds mentioned in the heavenly Books and Scriptures.
> 13
> 
> – 79 –
> 
> The Reality of the World of Being
> 
> The sophists hold
> that all existence is illusory, indeed, that each and every being is an absolute
> illusion that has no existence whatsoever—in other words, that the existence of created
> things is like a mirage, or like the reflection of an image in water or in a mirror,
> which is merely an appearance devoid of any basis, foundation, or ascertainable reality.
> 1
> 
> This notion is false, for although the existence of things is an illusion compared
> to the existence of God, yet in the contingent world it is established, proven, and
> undeniable. For example, the existence of the mineral is non-existence compared to
> that of man—since man’s body becomes mineral when he physically dies—but the mineral
> indeed exists within the mineral realm. It is therefore clear that dust is non-existent
> or has an illusory existence compared to that of man, but that within the mineral
> realm it exists.
> 2
> 
> In like manner, the existence of created things is sheer illusion and utter non-existence
> compared to that of God and consists in a mere appearance, like an image seen in a
> mirror. But although this image is an illusion, its source and reality is the person
> reflected, whose image has appeared in the mirror. Briefly, the reflection is an illusion
> compared to that which is reflected. It is therefore evident that although created
> things have no existence compared to that of God, being instead like a mirage or an
> image reflected in a mirror, yet in their own degree they exist.
> 3
> 
> That is why Christ referred to those who were heedless of God and denied His truth
> as dead, even though to outward seeming they were alive; for in relation to the faithful
> they were indeed dead, blind, deaf, and dumb. That is what Christ meant when He said,
> “let the dead bury their dead”.
> 
> 155
> 
> 4
> 
> – 80 –
> 
> Pre-existence and Origination
> 
> Question: How many
> kinds of pre-existence and origination are there?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Certain sages and philosophers hold that there are two kinds of pre-existence—essential
> and temporal—and that there are likewise two kinds of origination—essential and temporal.
> 2
> 
> Essential pre-existence is an existence which is not preceded by a cause; essential
> origination is preceded by a cause. Temporal pre-existence has no beginning; temporal
> origination has both a beginning and an end. For the existence of each and every thing
> depends upon four causes: the efficient cause, the material cause, the formal cause,
> and the final cause.
> 
> 156
> 
> So this chair has a creator who is a carpenter, a matter which is wood, a form which
> is that of a chair, and a purpose which is to serve as a seat. Therefore, this chair
> is essentially originated, for it is preceded by, and its existence is conditioned
> upon, a cause. This is called essential or intrinsic origination.
> 3
> 
> The world of existence, in relation to its Creator, is intrinsically originated. Likewise,
> since the body depends upon and is sustained by the spirit, it is, in relation to
> the spirit, essentially originated. Conversely, the spirit can dispense with the body
> and is therefore essentially pre-existent in relation to the body. Although the rays
> are always inseparable from the sun, the sun is pre-existent and the rays are originated;
> for the existence of the rays depends upon that of the sun, but the converse does
> not hold true: The sun is the bestower of grace and the rays are the grace itself.
> 4
> 
> The second consideration is that existence and non-existence are both relative. If
> it be said that a certain thing was brought forth from non-existence, the intent is
> not absolute non-existence; rather, it is meant that the former condition was non-existence
> in relation to the present one. For absolute non-existence cannot become existence,
> as it lacks the very capacity to exist. Man exists, and the mineral likewise exists,
> but the existence of the mineral is non-existence in relation to that of man; for
> when the body of man is destroyed, it becomes dust and mineral, and when dust progresses
> into the human world, and that inanimate body of matter becomes living, man comes
> into existence. Though the dust—the mineral—enjoys existence in its own station, yet
> in relation to man it is non-existence. Our meaning is that both exist, but the existence
> of dust and mineral, in relation to man, is non-existence, for when man dies he becomes
> dust and mineral.
> 5
> 
> Therefore, although the contingent world exists, in relation to the existence of God
> it is non-existence and nothingness. Man and dust both exist, but how great the difference
> between the existence of the mineral and that of man! The one in relation to the other
> is non-existence. Likewise, the existence of creation is non-existence in relation
> to that of God. Thus, even though the universe has existence, in relation to God it
> is non-existence.
> 6
> 
> Thus it is clear and evident that although created things exist, in relation to God
> and to His Word they are non-existent. This is the firstness and the lastness of the
> Word of God, Who says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega”, for He is both the source of
> grace and its ultimate goal. The Creator has ever had a creation, and the rays have
> ever emanated and shone forth from the Sun of Truth; for a lightless sun would be
> impenetrable darkness. The names and attributes of God require the existence of things,
> and no cessation in the outpouring of God’s ancient grace can ever be contemplated,
> for this would be contrary to the divine perfections.
> 7
> 
> – 81 –
> 
> Reincarnation
> 
> Question: What is
> to be said about reincarnation, which is a belief upheld by the followers of certain
> religions?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Our purpose in what we are about to say is to express the truth and not to
> denigrate the beliefs of others: It is merely to explain the facts of the matter and
> nothing more. Otherwise, we are neither inclined to dispute anyone’s deeply held beliefs,
> nor do we sanction such conduct.
> 2
> 
> Know, then, that the reincarnationists are of two kinds. The first do not believe
> in spiritual rewards and punishments in the next world. They hold instead that man
> receives his punishment or recompense through reincarnation and return to this world;
> they regard heaven and hell to be confined to this material realm, and they do not
> believe in the world beyond. This group is itself divided in two: One division holds
> that, as a severe punishment, man may at times assume an animal form in returning
> to this world, and that after enduring this painful torment he proceeds from the animal
> realm into the human world, and this they call transmigration. The other division
> holds that man returns to the same human world whence he departed, and that the rewards
> and punishments of the former life are experienced in his return, and this they call
> reincarnation. Neither of these divisions believes in a world beyond this one.
> 3
> 
> The second group of reincarnationists believe in the next world and see reincarnation
> as the means of becoming perfect, in that man gradually acquires perfections by departing
> from and returning again to this world until he attains to the very heart of perfection.
> That is, man is composed of matter and energy: In the beginning, or in the first cycle,
> the matter is imperfect, but upon returning repeatedly to this world it progresses
> and acquires refinement and subtlety until it becomes like a polished mirror; and
> then the energy, which consists in the spirit, is fully realized therein with all
> its perfections.
> 4
> 
> Such is a brief account of the beliefs of the reincarnationists and transmigrationists.
> Were we to enter into the details, much time would be lost—this summary will suffice.
> Such persons have no rational proofs or arguments for their belief, which is based
> on mere conjecture and circumstantial inference and not on conclusive proofs. It is
> proofs that one must demand from the reincarnationists and not inference, conjecture,
> and presentiment.
> 5
> 
> But you have asked me for proofs and arguments of the impossibility of reincarnation,
> and we must therefore explain the reasons for its impossibility. The first proof is
> that the outward is the expression of the inward: The earthly realm is the mirror
> of the heavenly Kingdom, and the material world is in accordance with the spiritual
> world. Now observe that in the sensible world the divine appearances are not repeated,
> for no created thing can be identical with another in every way. The sign of Divine
> Unity is present and visible in all things. If all the granaries of the world were
> filled with grain, you would be hard-pressed to find two grains that are absolutely
> identical and indistinguishable in every respect: Some difference or distinction is
> bound to remain between them. Now, as the proof of the Divine Unity exists within
> all things, and the oneness and singleness of God is visible in the realities of all
> beings, the recurrence of the same divine appearance is in no wise possible. Therefore
> reincarnation, which is the repeated manifestation in this world of the same spirit
> with its former essence and conditions, would be the selfsame appearance and is thus
> impossible. And since the recurrence of the same divine appearance is impossible for
> material beings, the repeated assumption of the same station, whether on the arc of
> descent or on the arc of ascent, is likewise impossible for spiritual beings, for
> the material world corresponds to the spiritual world.
> 6
> 
> With respect to the species, however, return and recurrence are plainly visible in
> material realities; that is, the trees which in years past bore leaves, blossoms,
> and fruit will in the years to come bear the same leaves, blossoms, and fruit. This
> is called recurrence of species. Were anyone to object that the leaf, the blossom,
> and the fruit have decomposed, have descended from the vegetable to the mineral world,
> and have returned again to the former, and that there has thus been a recurrence,
> we would reply that the blossom, the leaf, and the fruit of last year were decomposed,
> and their component elements were disintegrated and dispersed. It is not that the
> same particles of last year’s leaf and fruit that had decomposed have recombined and
> returned, but that the essence of the species has returned through the combination
> of new elements. Likewise, the human body is fully disintegrated after the decomposition
> and dispersion of its constituent parts. Were this body to return from the mineral
> or vegetable world, it would not comprise the selfsame constituents as the former
> person, for its elements were decomposed, disintegrated, and dispersed in space. Afterwards
> other elemental constituents were combined and another body was formed. And while
> it may be the case that certain constituents of the former body entered into the composition
> of the latter, those constituents have not been exactly and completely conserved,
> without any addition or diminution, so as to be composed again and to give rise through
> their composition and combination to another individual. One cannot deduce, then,
> that this body has returned with all its constituent parts, that the former individual
> has become the latter, and hence that a recurrence has taken place—that the very same
> spirit, like the body, has returned and that after death its essence has regained
> this world.
> 7
> 
> And were we to claim that reincarnation is intended to bring about perfection, so
> that matter might gain in purity and refinement and that the light of the spirit might
> appear therein with the utmost perfection, this too would be mere imagination. For
> even if we granted such an assumption, the renewal of an object’s existence cannot
> bring about the transformation of its essence. For the substance of imperfection,
> by returning, will not become the reality of perfection; total darkness will not become
> a source of light; abject weakness will not become power and strength; and an earthly
> essence will not become a heavenly reality. However often it may return, the infernal
> tree
> 
> 157
> 
> will never bring forth a sweet fruit, nor will the good tree bear a bitter one. It
> is thus clear that recurrence and return to the material world are not the means of
> attaining perfection, and that this supposition rests on no proof or evidence; it
> is merely a conjecture. No, the attainment of perfection is in reality dependent upon
> the grace of God.
> 8
> 
> The Theosophists believe that man will return time and again on the arc of ascent
> until he reaches the Supreme Centre, where matter becomes as a spotless mirror, the
> light of the spirit shines forth in the plenitude of its power, and essential perfection
> is attained. However, those who have thoroughly investigated the questions of divinity
> know of a certainty that the material worlds terminate at the end of the arc of descent;
> that the station of man lies at the end of the arc of descent and the beginning of
> the arc of ascent, which is opposite the Supreme Centre; and that from the beginning
> to the end of the arc of ascent the degrees of progress are of a spiritual nature.
> The arc of descent is called that of “bringing forth” and the arc of ascent that of
> “creating anew”. The arc of descent ends in material realities and the arc of ascent
> in spiritual realities. The point of the compass in describing a circle does not reverse
> its motion, for this would be contrary to the natural movement and the divine order
> and would disrupt the regularity of the circle.
> 9
> 
> Moreover, this material world is not of such worth or advantage that one who has been
> freed from its cage should seek once again to be caught in its snare. No: By God’s
> eternal grace the true capacity and receptivity of the human reality is made clear
> and manifest through traversing the degrees of existence and not through recurrence
> and return. When the shell is opened but once, it is made plain and clear whether
> it conceals a shining pearl or worthless matter. When a plant has grown but once,
> it puts forth either flowers or thorns: It need not grow again. Apart from this, advancing
> and moving through the worlds in a direct line and according to the natural order
> is the cause of existence, and moving against the natural order and arrangement of
> things is the cause of extinction. The return of the spirit after death is incompatible
> with the natural movement and contrary to the divine order.
> 10
> 
> Thus it is in no wise possible to attain existence through returning: It is as if
> man, after being freed from the world of the womb, were to return to it. Consider
> how unfounded the conceptions of the reincarnationists and transmigrationists are!
> They conceive of the body as a vessel and the spirit as its contents, like water and
> cup, with the water being emptied from one cup and poured into another. This is indeed
> a childish notion: They do not reflect deeply enough to realize that the spirit is
> an entirely incorporeal thing, that it does not enter or exit, and that, at most,
> it is connected with the body as the sun is with the mirror. If the spirit could indeed
> traverse all the degrees and attain to essential perfection by repeatedly returning
> to the material world, then it would have been better if God had prolonged the life
> of the spirit in this material world in order for it to acquire virtues and perfections,
> and hence there would be no need for it to taste of the cup of death and enter this
> life a second time.
> 11
> 
> This idea has its origin in the fact that certain reincarnationists imagine existence
> to be confined to this fleeting world, and deny the other worlds of God, whereas in
> reality the latter are infinite. If the worlds of God were to culminate in this material
> world, then all creation would be in vain and existence itself would be a childish
> game. For the ultimate result of this endless universe, the most noble reality of
> man, would go hither and thither for a few days in this ephemeral abode and receive
> his rewards and punishments. In the end, all would attain perfection, the creation
> of God with its infinite beings would be completed and consummated, and thus the divinity
> of the Lord and the names and attributes of God would cease to have any effect and
> influence upon the spiritual beings which now exist. “Far from the glory of thy Lord,
> the All-Glorious, be that which His creatures affirm of Him!”
> 
> 158
> 
> 12
> 
> The limited minds of the philosophers of old, such as Ptolemy and others, held that
> the realm of life and existence was confined to this terrestrial globe, and imagined
> that this infinite space was contained within the nine celestial spheres, all of which
> were void and empty. Witness how limited were their thoughts and how deficient their
> reasoning! The reincarnationists likewise imagine the spiritual worlds to be confined
> to those realms that the human mind can conceive. Some of them, such as the Druze
> and the Nuṣayrís, even imagine existence to be confined to this material world. What
> an ignorant supposition this is! For in this universe of God’s, which appears in the
> utmost perfection, beauty, and grandeur, the luminous bodies of the material universe
> are infinite. Pause to infer, then, how infinite and unbounded the spiritual realms
> of God, which are the very foundation, must be! “Take ye good heed, O people of insight!”
> 
> 159
> 
> 13
> 
> But let us return to our original theme. In the Holy Books and Sacred Scriptures there
> is mention of a “return”, but the ignorant have failed to grasp its meanings and have
> imagined it to refer to reincarnation. For what the Prophets of God meant by “return”
> is not the return of the essence but of the attributes; it is not the return of the
> Manifestation Himself but of His perfections. In the Gospel it is said that John the
> son of Zacharias is Elijah. By these words is not meant the return of the rational
> soul and personality of Elijah in the body of John, but rather that the perfections
> and attributes of Elijah became plain and manifest in him.
> 
> 160
> 
> 14
> 
> A lamp was lit in this room last night: When another lamp is lit tonight, we say that
> the light of last night is shining again. When the water that had ceased to flow from
> a fountain flows a second time, we say that it is the same water flowing once again,
> or we say that this light is the same as the former light. Likewise, last spring flowers
> and sweet-scented herbs bloomed and delicious fruits were produced; next year we say
> that those delicious fruits and those blossoms, flowers, and sweet herbs have returned.
> It is not that the very same constituents of last year’s flowers, after decomposing,
> have recombined and returned. No, the meaning is that the same freshness and delicacy,
> the same pleasing fragrance and wondrous colour that characterized last year’s flowers
> are to be exactly found in the flowers of this year. Briefly, the point is the resemblance
> and similarity between the former and the latter flowers. This is the “return” which
> is mentioned in the heavenly Scriptures. It is fully explained by Bahá’u’lláh in the
> Kitáb-i-Íqán: Refer to it, that you may be informed of the truth of the divine mysteries.
> Upon you be greetings and praise.
> 15
> 
> – 82 –
> 
> The Unity of Existence
> 
> Question: What is
> the nature of the “unity of existence” propounded by the Theosophists and the Sufis,
> and what in reality do they intend by it?
> 
> 161
> 
> Is this belief true or not?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that the idea of the unity of existence is ancient and is not restricted
> to the Theosophists and the Sufis alone. Indeed, it was espoused by some of the Greek
> philosophers, such as Aristotle, who said: “The uncompounded Reality is all things,
> but it is not any single one of them.”
> 
> 162
> 
> “Uncompounded” stands here in contrast to “composed”—that is to say, that solitary
> Reality, which is sanctified and exalted above composition and division, has resolved
> itself into countless forms. Thus, real Existence is all things, but it is not any
> single one of them.
> 2
> 
> The proponents of the unity of existence hold that real Existence is even as the sea,
> and that all created things are like unto its waves. These waves, which signify the
> created things, are the countless forms which that real Existence assumes. Hence,
> that sanctified Reality is the pre-existent sea, and the countless forms of created
> things are its originated waves.
> 3
> 
> Likewise, they compare this to the One and the infinite numbers, in that the former
> has manifested itself in the degrees of the latter, for numbers are the repetition
> of the One. Thus two is the repetition of one, and so on with the other numbers.
> 4
> 
> Among the proofs they adduce is this: All created things are the objects of the divine
> knowledge, and no knowledge can be realized without objects of knowledge, since knowledge
> pertains to something that exists, not to that which is non-existent. Indeed, how
> can utter non-existence attain specification and individuation in the mirror of knowledge?
> It follows that the realities of all created things, which are the objects of the
> knowledge of the Most High, had an intelligible existence, for they were the forms
> of the divine knowledge, and that they are pre-existent, for the divine knowledge
> is pre-existent. As long as the knowledge is pre-existent, so must be its objects.
> And the specifications and individuations of created things, which are the objects
> of the pre-existent knowledge of the divine Essence, are identical to the divine knowledge
> itself. The reason for this is that the reality, the knowledge, and the objects of
> the knowledge of the divine Being must be realized in a state of absolute unity. Otherwise,
> the divine Essence would become the seat of multiple phenomena, and a plurality of
> pre-existences would become necessary, which is absurd.
> 5
> 
> Thus, they reason, it is established that the objects of knowledge are identical with
> the knowledge itself, and that the knowledge is in turn identical with the Essence,
> which is to say that the knower, the knowledge, and the objects of knowledge are one
> single reality. Any other conception would necessarily lead to a plurality of pre-existences
> and to an infinite regress, and indeed to countless pre-existences. And since the
> individuations and specifications of created things in the knowledge of God were identical
> to, and completely indistinguishable from, His Essence, true unity prevailed and all
> the objects of knowledge were comprised and incorporated, in an uncompounded and undivided
> manner, in the reality of the divine Essence. In other words they were, in an uncompounded
> and undivided manner, the objects of the knowledge of the Most High and identical
> with His Essence. And through the manifestational appearance of God, these individuations
> and specifications, which had an intelligible existence—that is, which were the forms
> of the divine knowledge—found actual existence in the external world, and thus that
> real Existence became resolved into countless forms. Such is the basis of their argument.
> 6
> 
> The Theosophists and the Sufis comprise two groups. One group consists of the generality,
> who believe in the unity of existence out of sheer imitation and who have not grasped
> the true intent of the teachings of their renowned leaders. For the generality of
> the Sufis understand by “Existence” that common existence which is conceived by the
> mind and intellect of man, that is, which man can comprehend.
> 7
> 
> This common existence, however, is only one accident among others that enter upon
> the realities of created things, while the essences of beings are the substance. This
> accidental existence, which is dependent upon things in the same way that the properties
> of things are dependent upon them, is but one accident among many.
> 8
> 
> Now, the substance is undoubtedly superior to the accident, for the substance is primary
> and the accident secondary; the substance subsists through itself while the accident
> subsists through something else—that is, it needs a substance through which it can
> subsist.
> 9
> 
> In this case, God would be secondary to and in need of His creation, and the creation
> could dispense entirely with Him.
> 10
> 
> To illustrate further, whenever individual elements combine in accordance with the
> universal divine order, a certain being comes into the world of existence. That is,
> when certain elements are combined, a vegetable existence is produced; when others
> are combined, an animal existence is produced; when yet others combine, other things
> come into being. In each case, the existence of things is a consequence of their realities.
> How then could such an existence, which is an accident among others and which requires
> a substance through which it can subsist, be essentially pre-existent and the Begetter
> of all things?
> 11
> 
> But the truly learned among the Theosophists and Sufis have concluded, after deep
> consideration of this matter, that there are two kinds of existence. One kind is this
> common existence which is conceived by the mind of man. This existence is originated
> and is an accident among others, whereas the realities of things are the substances.
> But what is meant by unity of existence is not this commonly perceived existence,
> but that real Existence which is sanctified and exalted above all expression, an Existence
> through which all things are realized. This Existence is one; it is that One through
> which all things—such as matter, energy, and that common existence which is conceived
> by the human mind—have come to exist. This is the truth behind what the Theosophists
> and the Sufis believe.
> 12
> 
> In brief, the Prophets and the philosophers are in agreement on one point, namely,
> that the cause through which all things are realized is but one. The difference is
> that the Prophets teach that God’s knowledge does not require the existence of created
> things, whereas the knowledge of the creatures requires the existence of objects of
> knowledge. If the divine knowledge stood in need of aught else, then it would be like
> the knowledge of the creatures and not that of God; for the Pre-existent is incommensurate
> with the originated and the originated is opposite to the Pre-existent. That which
> we affirm for creation to be among the requirements of origination we deny in God;
> for to be sanctified and exalted above all imperfections is one of the characteristics
> of the Necessary Being.
> 13
> 
> For instance, in the originated we see ignorance; in the Pre-existent we affirm knowledge.
> In the originated we see weakness; in the Pre-existent we affirm power. In the originated
> we see poverty; in the Pre-existent we affirm wealth. Hence the originated is the
> source of all imperfections, and the Pre-existent is the sum of all perfections. And
> since the knowledge of the originated is in need of objects of knowledge, the knowledge
> of the Pre-existent must be independent of their existence. It follows that the specifications
> and individuations of created things, which are the objects of the divine knowledge,
> are not pre-existent. Moreover, the attributes of divine perfection are not so yielding
> to the exertions of the human mind as to enable us to determine whether the divine
> knowledge is in need of objects or not.
> 14
> 
> Briefly, that which was mentioned earlier is the foremost proof of the Sufis, and
> if we were to mention all of their arguments and respond to them, it would take a
> very long time. However, what was said represents the most decisive proof and the
> clearest argument that the learned among the Sufis and the Theosophists have advanced.
> 15
> 
> The real Existence through which all things are realized, that is, the reality of
> the divine Essence through which all things have come to exist, is acknowledged by
> all. The difference resides in the fact that the Sufis maintain that the realities
> of all things are the manifestation of the One, whereas the Prophets say that they
> emanate therefrom. And great indeed is the difference between manifestation and emanation.
> Appearance through manifestation means that a single thing becomes manifest in infinite
> forms. For example, when the seed, which is a single thing endowed with the perfections
> of the vegetable kingdom, manifests itself, it becomes resolved into the infinite
> forms of the branches, leaves, flowers, and fruit. This is called manifestational
> appearance, whereas in appearance through emanation the One remains transcendent in
> the heights of its sanctity, but the existence of the creatures is obtained from it
> through emanation, not manifestation. It can be compared to the sun: The rays emanate
> from it and shine forth upon all things, but the sun remains transcendent in the heights
> of its sanctity. It does not descend; it does not resolve itself into the form of
> the rays; it does not appear in the identity of things through specification and individuation:
> The Pre-existent does not become the originated; absolute wealth does not fall captive
> to poverty; unqualified perfection is not transformed into utter imperfection.
> 16
> 
> In summary, the Sufis speak only of God and creation, and believe that God has resolved
> Himself into, and manifested Himself through, the infinite forms of His creation,
> even as the sea which appears in the infinite forms of its waves. These originated
> and imperfect waves are identical to the pre-existent Sea, which is the sum of all
> the divine perfections. The Prophets, however, hold that there are the world of God,
> the world of the Kingdom, and the world of creation: three things. The first emanation
> is the outpouring grace of the Kingdom, which has emanated from God and has appeared
> in the realities of all things, even as the rays emanating from the sun are reflected
> in all things. And that grace—the rays—appears in infinite forms in the realities
> of all things, and is specified and individuated according to their capacity, receptivity,
> and essence. But the assertion of the Sufis would require that absolute wealth descend
> into poverty, that the Pre-existent be confined to originated forms, and that the
> very quintessence of power be reflected in the mirror of powerlessness and be subjected
> to the inherent limitations of the contingent world. And this is a self-evident error,
> for we observe that the reality of man, who is the noblest of all creatures, cannot
> descend to the reality of the animal; that the essence of the animal, which is endowed
> with the power of sensation, does not abase itself to the degree of the plant; and
> that the reality of the plant, which is the power of growth, does not degrade itself
> to the reality of the mineral.
> 17
> 
> In brief, superior realities do not descend or abase themselves to the degree of inferior
> realities. How, then, could the universal Reality of God, which transcends all descriptions
> and attributes, resolve itself, notwithstanding its absolute sanctity and holiness,
> into the forms and realities of the contingent world, which are the very source of
> imperfections? This is pure fantasy and untenable conjecture. On the contrary, that
> Essence of sanctity is the sum of all divine and lordly perfections, and all creatures
> receive illumination from His emanational appearance and partake of the lights of
> His celestial perfection and beauty, in the same way that all earthly creatures acquire
> the grace of light from the rays of the sun, without any descent or abasement of the
> latter into the recipient realities of these earthly beings.
> 18
> 
> After dinner, and considering the lateness of the hour, there is no time to explain
> further.
> 19
> 
> – 83 –
> 
> The Four Criteria of Comprehension
> 
> There are only
> four accepted criteria of comprehension, that is, four criteria whereby the realities
> of things are understood.
> 1
> 
> The first criterion is that of the senses; that is, all that the eye, the ear, the
> taste, the smell, and the touch perceive is called “sensible”. At present all the
> European philosophers hold this to be the most perfect criterion. They claim that
> the greatest of all criteria is that of the senses, and they regard it as sacrosanct.
> And yet the criterion of the senses is defective, as it can err. For example, the
> greatest of the senses is the power of vision. The vision, however, sees a mirage
> as water and reckons images reflected in mirrors as real and existing; it sees large
> bodies as small, perceives a whirling point as a circle, imagines the earth to be
> stationary and the sun to be in motion, and is subject to many other errors of a similar
> nature. One cannot therefore rely implicitly upon it.
> 2
> 
> The second criterion is that of the intellect, which was the principal criterion of
> comprehension for those pillars of wisdom, the ancient philosophers. They deduced
> things through the power of the mind and relied on rational arguments: All their arguments
> are based upon reason. But despite this, they diverged greatly in their opinions.
> They would even change their own views: For twenty years they would deduce the existence
> of something through rational arguments, and then afterwards they would disprove the
> same, again through rational arguments. Even Plato at first proved through rational
> arguments the immobility of the earth and the movement of the sun, and then subsequently
> established, again through rational arguments, the centrality of the sun and the movement
> of the earth. Then the Ptolemaic theory became widespread, and Plato’s theory was
> entirely forgotten until a modern astronomer revived it. Thus have the mathematicians
> disagreed among themselves, even though they all relied on rational arguments.
> 3
> 
> Likewise, at one time they would establish a thing by rational arguments and disprove
> it at another, again by rational arguments. So a philosopher would firmly uphold a
> view for a time and adduce a range of proofs and arguments to support it, and afterwards
> he would change his mind and contradict his former position by rational arguments.
> 4
> 
> It is therefore evident that the criterion of reason is imperfect, as proven by the
> disagreements existing between the ancient philosophers as well as by their want of
> consistency and their propensity to change their own views. For if the criterion of
> intellect were perfect, all should have been united in their thoughts and agreed in
> their opinions.
> 5
> 
> The third criterion is that of tradition, that is, the text of the Sacred Scriptures,
> when it is said, “God said thus in the Torah”, or “God said thus in the Gospel.” This
> criterion is not perfect either, because the traditions must be understood by the
> mind. As the mind itself is liable to error, how can it be said that it will attain
> to perfect truth and not err in comprehending and inferring the meaning of the traditions?
> For it is subject to error and cannot lead to certitude. This is the criterion of
> the leaders of religion. What they comprehend from the text of the Book, however,
> is that which their minds can understand and not necessarily the truth of the matter;
> for the mind is like a balance, and the meanings contained in the texts are like the
> objects to be weighed. If the balance is untrue, how can the weight be ascertained?
> 6
> 
> Know, therefore, that what the people possess and believe to be true is liable to
> error. For if in proving or disproving a thing a proof drawn from the evidence of
> the senses is advanced, this criterion is clearly imperfect; if a rational proof is
> adduced, the same holds true; and likewise if a traditional proof is given. Thus it
> is clear that man does not possess any criterion of knowledge that can be relied upon.
> 7
> 
> But the grace of the Holy Spirit is the true criterion regarding which there is no
> doubt or uncertainty. That grace consists in the confirmations of the Holy Spirit
> which are vouchsafed to man and through which certitude is attained.
> 8
> 
> – 84 –
> 
> Good Deeds and Their Spiritual Prerequisites
> 
> Question: Those who
> do good works, who are well-wishers of all mankind, who have a praiseworthy character,
> who show forth love and kindness to all people, who care for the poor, and who work
> for universal peace—what need do they have of the divine teachings, with which they
> believe they can well afford to dispense? What is the condition of such people?
> 1
> 
> Answer: Know that such ways, words, and deeds are to be lauded and approved, and they
> redound to the glory of the human world. But these actions alone are not sufficient:
> They are a body of the greatest beauty, but without a spirit. No, that which leads
> to everlasting life, eternal honour, universal enlightenment, and true success and
> salvation is, first and foremost, the knowledge of God. It is clear that this knowledge
> takes precedence over every other knowledge and constitutes the greatest virtue of
> the human world. For the understanding of the reality of things confers a material
> advantage in the realm of being and brings about the progress of outward civilization,
> but the knowledge of God is the cause of spiritual progress and attraction, true vision
> and insight, the exaltation of humanity, the appearance of divine civilization, the
> rectification of morals, and the illumination of the conscience.
> 2
> 
> Second comes the love of God. The light of this love is kindled, through the knowledge
> of God, in the lamp of the heart, and its spreading rays illumine the world and bestow
> upon man the life of the Kingdom. And in truth the fruit of human existence is the
> love of God, which is the spirit of life and grace everlasting. Were it not for the
> love of God, the contingent world would be plunged in darkness. Were it not for the
> love of God, the hearts of men would be bereft of life and deprived of the stirrings
> of conscience. Were it not for the love of God, the perfections of the human world
> would entirely vanish. Were it not for the love of God, no real connection could exist
> between human hearts. Were it not for the love of God, spiritual union would be lost.
> Were it not for the love of God, the light of the oneness of mankind would be extinguished.
> Were it not for the love of God, the East and the West would not embrace as two lovers.
> Were it not for the love of God, discord and division would not be transmuted into
> fellowship. Were it not for the love of God, estrangement would not give way to unity.
> Were it not for the love of God, the stranger would not become the friend. Indeed,
> love in the human world is a ray of the love of God and a reflection of the grace
> of His bounty.
> 3
> 
> It is clear that human realities differ one from another, that opinions and perceptions
> vary, and that this divergence of thoughts, opinions, understandings, and sentiments
> among individuals is an essential requirement. For differences of degree in creation
> are among the essential requirements of existence, which is resolved into countless
> forms. We stand therefore in need of a universal power which can prevail over the
> thoughts, opinions, and sentiments of all, which can annul these divisions and bring
> all souls under the sway of the principle of the oneness of humanity. And it is clear
> and evident that the greatest power in the human world is the love of God. It gathers
> divers peoples under the shade of the tabernacle of oneness and fosters the greatest
> love and fellowship among hostile and contending peoples and nations.
> 4
> 
> Observe how numerous were the divers nations, races, clans, and tribes who, after
> the advent of Christ, gathered through the power of the love of God under the shadow
> of His Word. Consider how the differences and divisions of a thousand years were entirely
> abolished, how the delusion of the superiority of race and nation was dispelled, how
> the unity of souls and sentiments was attained, and how all became Christians in truth
> and in spirit.
> 5
> 
> The third virtue of humanity is goodly intention, which is the foundation of all good
> deeds. Some seekers after truth have held intention to be superior to action, for
> a goodly intention is absolute light and is entirely sanctified from the least trace
> of malice, scheming, or deception. Now, one can perform an action which appears to
> be righteous but which is in reality prompted by self-interest. For example, a butcher
> raises a sheep and guards its safety, but this good deed of the butcher is motivated
> by the hope of profit, and the end result of all this care will be the slaughter of
> the poor sheep. How many are the goodly and righteous deeds that are in reality prompted
> by self-interest! But the pure intention is sanctified above such faults.
> 6
> 
> Briefly, good deeds become perfect and complete only after the knowledge of God has
> been acquired, the love of God has been manifested, and spiritual attractions and
> goodly motives have been attained. Otherwise, though good deeds be praiseworthy, if
> they do not spring from the knowledge of God, from the love of God, and from a sincere
> intention, they will be imperfect. For example, human existence must encompass all
> perfections in order to be complete. The power of sight is highly prized and precious,
> but it must be aided by that of hearing; the hearing is highly prized, but it must
> be aided by the power of speech; the power of speech is highly prized, but it must
> be aided by that of reason; and so on with the other powers, organs, and members of
> man. When all these powers, senses, parts, and organs are combined together, perfection
> is attained.
> 7
> 
> In the world today we meet with souls who sincerely desire the good of all people,
> who do all that lies in their power to assist the poor and succour the oppressed,
> and who are devoted to universal peace and well-being. Yet, however perfect they may
> be from this perspective, they remain deprived of the knowledge and the love of God
> and, as such, are imperfect.
> 8
> 
> Galen the physician wrote in his commentary on Plato’s treatise on the art of governance
> that religious beliefs exert a profound influence on true civilization, the proof
> being as follows: Most people cannot grasp a sequence of logical arguments, and stand
> therefore in need of symbolic allusions heralding the rewards and punishments of the
> next world. The sign of this is that we see today a people called Christians who believe
> in the rewards and punishments of the next world and who show forth goodly deeds that
> are like those of a true philosopher. Thus we all plainly see that they have no fear
> of death and that they are, by virtue of their ardent yearning for justice and equity,
> to be regarded as though they were true philosophers.
> 
> 163
> 
> 9
> 
> Now observe closely how great the sincerity, the self-abnegation, the spiritual emotions,
> the pure intentions, and the good deeds of the Christian believers must have been
> for Galen—a philosopher and physician who was not himself a Christian—to attest to
> the morals and the perfections of these people and call them true philosophers. Such
> virtues and qualities cannot be attained through good deeds alone. If virtue only
> meant that some good be obtained and bestowed, then why do we not praise this burning
> lamp which lights the room, even though its light is without a doubt a good thing?
> The sun nurtures all earthly things and fosters their growth and development by its
> heat and light—what greater good is there than this? Nonetheless, since this good
> does not flow from goodly motives and from the love and knowledge of God, it does
> not impress in the least. But when someone offers a cup of water to another, he is
> shown appreciation and gratitude. An unthinking person might say, “This sun which
> gives light to the world and manifests this great bounty must surely be praised and
> glorified. For why should we praise a man for such a modest gift and not yield thanks
> to the sun?” But if we were to gaze with the eye of truth, we would see that the modest
> gift bestowed by this person stems from the stirrings of conscience and is therefore
> praiseworthy, whereas the light and heat of the sun are not due to this and thus are
> not worthy of our praise and gratitude. In like manner, while those who perform good
> deeds are to be lauded, if these deeds do not flow from the knowledge and love of
> God they are assuredly imperfect.
> 10
> 
> Aside from this, if you consider the matter with fairness you will see that these
> good deeds of the non-believers also have their origin in the divine teachings. That
> is, the Prophets of old exhorted men to perform them, explained their advantages,
> and expounded their positive effects; these teachings then spread among mankind, successively
> reaching the non-believing souls and inclining their hearts towards these perfections;
> and when they found these actions to be laudable and to bring about joy and happiness
> among men, they too conformed to them. Thus these actions also arise from the divine
> teachings. But to see this, a measure of fair-mindedness is called for and not dispute
> and controversy.
> 11
> 
> Praise be to God, you have visited Persia and have witnessed the loving-kindness which,
> through the sanctified breezes of Bahá’u’lláh, Persians have come to show forth to
> all humanity. Formerly, if they chanced upon a follower of another religion, they
> would set upon him, display the utmost enmity, hatred, and malice, and even regard
> him as impure. They would burn the Gospel and the Torah and would wash their hands
> if they had been soiled by touching these Books. But now, most of them recite and
> interpret, as required by the occasion, from the contents of these two Books in their
> assemblies and gatherings, and expound and elucidate their inner meanings and mysteries.
> They show kindness to their enemies and treat bloodthirsty wolves with tender care,
> as they would the gazelles of the meadows of God’s love. You have seen their conduct
> and character, and you have heard of the morals which the Persians had in former times.
> Can this transformation of morals and this rectification of speech and conduct be
> brought about other than through the love of God? No, by God! If we undertook to spread
> such morals and manners merely by means of knowledge and learning, a thousand years
> would pass and still they would not have been achieved among the masses.
> 12
> 
> In this day, thanks to the love of God, this has been achieved with the greatest ease.
> Take heed, then, O ye of understanding heart!
> 13
> 
> Notes
> 
> Foreword
> 
> See, for example,
> Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá
> ,
> 30.2
> ;
> The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit
> to the United States and Canada in 1912
> , trans. Howard MacNutt (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 2012), p.
> 427
> ;
> Paris Talks: Addresses Given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in 1911
> ,
> 2.1
> and
> 28.6
> .
> 
> ↩
> 
> 1
> 
> Chap. 46, par.
> 7
> .
> 
> ↩
> 
> 2
> 
> Shoghi Effendi,
> God Passes By
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1974, 2012 printing), p.
> 410
> .
> 
> ↩
> 
> 3
> 
> From a letter dated 13 March 1923 written by Shoghi Effendi to the Bahá’ís of Australasia.
> 
> ↩
> 
> 4
> 
> From a letter dated 14 November 1940 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer.
> 
> ↩
> 
> 5
> 
> Part 1: On the Influence of the Prophets in the Evolution of Humanity
> 
> Gen. 1:26.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 1
> 
> Cf. John 6:42.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 2
> 
> Cf. Jurjí Zaydán,
> Umayyads and ‘Abbásids: Being the Fourth Part of Jurjí Zaydán’s History of Islamic
> Civilization
> , trans. D. S. Margoliouth (London: Darf Publishers, 1987), pp. 125–31.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 3
> 
> ‘Umar.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 4
> 
> Copernicus.
> 
> ↩14
> 
> 5
> 
> Qur’án 36:38.
> 
> ↩14
> 
> 6
> 
> Qur’án 36:40.
> 
> ↩14
> 
> 7
> 
> Galileo.
> 
> ↩15
> 
> 8
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá refers to the Báb by His title Ḥaḍrat-i-A‘lá—His Holiness the Exalted
> One—but He will be designated here by the name under which He is known in the West.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 9
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá refers to Bahá’u’lláh here by His title Jamál-i-Mubárak (the Blessed
> Beauty). He is also called Jamál-i-Qidám (the Ancient Beauty) and Qalam-i-A‘lá (the
> Pen of the Most High), but He will be designated throughout as Bahá’u’lláh, the title
> by which He is known in the West.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 10
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh was exiled first from Ṭihrán to Ba
> gh
> dád, then to Constantinople (Istanbul),
> then to Adrianople (Edirne), and was imprisoned in ‘Akká, “the Most Great Prison”,
> in 1868, in the precincts of which He passed away in 1892.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 11
> 
> Two cities in Iraq which contain the tombs of the first and the third Imáms of the
> 
> Sh
> í‘ah denomination, respectively, and which are important centres of pilgrimage.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 12
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh’s first Tablet to Napoleon III was revealed in Adrianople (see
> Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
> , trans. Shoghi Effendi [Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1988, 2001 printing],
> p.
> 45
> ), which Bahá’u’lláh called the “remote prison”.
> 
> ↩16
> 
> 13
> 
> Cf. Súriy-i-Haykal (Súrih of the Temple),
> ¶138
> .
> 
> ↩16
> 
> 14
> 
> The son of the French consul in Syria who, according to Nabíl-i- A‘ẓam, was a follower
> of Bahá’u’lláh; see H. M. Balyuzi,
> Bahá’u’lláh: The King of Glory
> (Oxford: George Ronald, 1980), p. 320.
> 
> ↩16
> 
> 15
> 
> Cf. Súriy-i-Haykal,
> ¶221
> .
> 
> ↩17
> 
> 16
> 
> “Yá Bahá’u’l-Abhá”, an invocation of the Greatest Name of God (the All-Glorious or
> Most Glorious).
> 
> ↩25
> 
> 17
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 18
> 
> Cf. Kitáb-i-Íqán (The Book of Certitude),
> ¶213
> .
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 19
> 
> See Chapters
> 8
> –9 above.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 20
> 
> See Dan. 9:24.
> 
> ↩10
> 
> 21
> 
> Cf. Num. 14:34; Ezek. 4:6.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 22
> 
> That is, Muḥammad’s wife and her cousin Varaqih-ibn-i-Nawfal.
> 
> ↩22
> 
> 23
> 
> As Muḥammad began His public ministry ten years before the Hijrah, this date corresponds
> to the year A.H. 1280, or A.D. 1863.
> 
> ↩22
> 
> 24
> 
> Rev. 11:3.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 25
> 
> Qur’án 48:8.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 26
> 
> Rev. 11:4.
> 
> ↩13
> 
> 27
> 
> Rev. 11:5.
> 
> ↩15
> 
> 28
> 
> Rev. 11:6.
> 
> ↩16
> 
> 29
> 
> Rev. 11:6.
> 
> ↩17
> 
> 30
> 
> Rev. 11:6.
> 
> ↩18
> 
> 31
> 
> Rev. 11:7.
> 
> ↩19
> 
> 32
> 
> Rev. 11:7.
> 
> ↩20
> 
> 33
> 
> Rev. 11:7.
> 
> ↩21
> 
> 34
> 
> Rev. 11:8.
> 
> ↩22
> 
> 35
> 
> Rev. 11:9.
> 
> ↩23
> 
> 36
> 
> Rev. 11:10.
> 
> ↩26
> 
> 37
> 
> Rev. 11:11.
> 
> ↩28
> 
> 38
> 
> Rev. 11:12.
> 
> ↩30
> 
> 39
> 
> The Báb and Quddús.
> 
> ↩30
> 
> 40
> 
> Rev. 11:12.
> 
> ↩31
> 
> 41
> 
> Rev. 11:13.
> 
> ↩32
> 
> 42
> 
> Rev. 11:13.
> 
> ↩33
> 
> 43
> 
> Rev. 11:14.
> 
> ↩34
> 
> 44
> 
> Ezek. 30:1–3.
> 
> ↩34
> 
> 45
> 
> Rev. 11:15.
> 
> ↩35
> 
> 46
> 
> Rev. 11:16–17.
> 
> ↩36
> 
> 47
> 
> “Regarding the four and twenty elders: The Master, in a Tablet, stated that they are
> the Báb, the 18 Letters of the Living and five others who would be known in the future.”
> (From a letter dated 22 July 1943 written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi to an individual
> believer.) ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in a Tablet identified one of the remaining five as Ḥájí Mírzá
> Muḥammad-Taqí Afnán, Vakílu’d-Dawlih.
> 
> ↩36
> 
> 48
> 
> Rev. 11:18.
> 
> ↩38
> 
> 49
> 
> Rev. 11:18.
> 
> ↩39
> 
> 50
> 
> Rev. 11:18.
> 
> ↩40
> 
> 51
> 
> Rev. 11:18.
> 
> ↩41
> 
> 52
> 
> Rev. 11:19.
> 
> ↩42
> 
> 53
> 
> Rev. 11:19.
> 
> ↩43
> 
> 54
> 
> Rev. 11:19.
> 
> ↩44
> 
> 55
> 
> Rev. 11:19.
> 
> ↩45
> 
> 56
> 
> The translation of the paragraph to this point follows Shoghi Effendi’s revision of
> this passage as quoted in
> The World Order of Bahá’u’lláh: Selected Letters
> (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 1991, 2012 printing), pp.
> 204
> –5, and
> The Promised Day Is Come
> ,
> ¶297
> . It should be noted that the word
> nahál
> , which corresponds to “rod” in English and which has been rendered as such in paragraphs
> 1–2, has been rendered in this paragraph as “Branch”. In both cases the reference
> is to Bahá’u’lláh.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 57
> 
> Rev. 21:1–3.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 58
> 
> Rev. 21:2.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 59
> 
> Rev. 12:2.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 60
> 
> Rev. 12:3–4.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 61
> 
> Rev. 12:4.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 62
> 
> Rev. 12:5.
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 63
> 
> Rev. 12:5.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 64
> 
> Rev. 12:6.
> 
> ↩10
> 
> 65
> 
> Rev. 12:6.
> 
> ↩11
> 
> 66
> 
> Rev. 12:6.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 67
> 
> The word
> sa‘ádat
> , rendered here as “felicity”, has further connotations of prosperity, joy, and well-being.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 68
> 
> Part 2: Some Christian Subjects
> 
> Cf. Matt. 3:16–17; Mark 1:10–11; Luke 3:22.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 69
> 
> Cf. Exod. 13:21–2.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 70
> 
> Cf. John 10:38.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 71
> 
> From Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablet to Náṣiri’d-Dín
> Sh
> áh, in Súriy-i-Haykal,
> ¶192
> .
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 72
> 
> Qur’án 19:17; cf. Luke 1:26–8.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 73
> 
> Qur’án 36:36.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 74
> 
> Cf. Qur’án 13:3.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 75
> 
> John 1:12–13.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 76
> 
> Gen 2:7.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 77
> 
> Cf. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 78
> 
> Cf. Acts 15:20.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 79
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá refers here to the notions of heat and cold that played an important
> role in traditional Islamic medicine.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 80
> 
> John 6:51.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 81
> 
> Matt. 26:26.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 82
> 
> Matt. 8:22; John 3:6.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 83
> 
> Cf. Matt. 13:14–15; John 12:39–40.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 84
> 
> Cf. Matt. 24:29–30.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 85
> 
> See Kitáb-i-Íqán, ¶¶
> 27
> –42 and
> 66
> –87.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 86
> 
> Cf. John 3:13.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 87
> 
> Masí
> kh
> 
> (monster), a distortion of
> Masíḥ
> (Messiah).
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 88
> 
> Cf. 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 89
> 
> John 17:5.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 90
> 
> Cf. John 6:50–1.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 91
> 
> Cf. Gen. 2:16–17.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 92
> 
> Cf. Gen. 3:5.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 93
> 
> Cf. Gen. 3:11–15, 22.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 94
> 
> Bahá’u’lláh.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 95
> 
> Cf. John 6:51.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 96
> 
> I.e., Jews and Christians.
> 
> ↩10
> 
> 97
> 
> Matt. 8:22.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 98
> 
> Matt. 12:31–2.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 99
> 
> Matt. 22:14.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 100
> 
> Qur’án 2:105 and 3:74.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 101
> 
> Matt. 22:14.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 102
> 
> See, for example, Kitáb-i-Íqán, ¶¶
> 156
> –79.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 103
> 
> Cf. John 1:19–21.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 104
> 
> That is, the individuality of John.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 105
> 
> Cf. Matt. 23:34–6.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 106
> 
> Matt. 16:18.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 107
> 
> Peter’s given name was Simon, but Christ called him Cephas, which corresponds to the
> Greek words
> petros
> or
> petra
> , meaning “rock”.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 108
> 
> Cf. Matt. 16:14–18.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 109
> 
> Part 3: On the Powers and Conditions of the Manifestations of God
> 
> Elsewhere ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s classification also includes the mineral spirit; see, for
> example, Chapter
> 64
> ;
> Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l- Bahá
> , sec.
> 30
> ; and
> The Promulgation of Universal Peace: Talks Delivered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá during His Visit
> to the United States and Canada in 1912
> , trans. Howard MacNutt (Wilmette, IL: Bahá’í Publishing Trust, 2012), pp.
> 95
> ,
> 264
> –5,
> 
> 336
> ,
> 360
> , and
> 377
> –8.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 110
> 
> From a Tradition attributed to Imám ‘Alí.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 111
> 
> Qur’án 6:103.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 112
> 
> From a Tradition attributed to Imám ‘Alí.
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 113
> 
> Qur’án 59:2.
> 
> ↩10
> 
> 114
> 
> Cf. John 14:11 and 17:21.
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 115
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá here anticipates a question about the beginning of Bahá’u’lláh’s Revelation,
> which is taken up in greater detail in Chapters
> 16
> and
> 39
> .
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 116
> 
> Cf.
> Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
> ,
> XLI
> ; and Súriy-i-Haykal,
> ¶192
> .
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 117
> 
> John 1:1.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 118
> 
> Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 119
> 
> See, for example, Chapter
> 14
> .
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 120
> 
> John 1:1.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 121
> 
> Cf. Exod. 20:4–5; Deut. 5:8–9.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 122
> 
> Cf. Num. 13–14.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 123
> 
> Qur’án 48:1–2.
> 
> ↩11
> 
> 124
> 
> Matt. 19:16–17.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 125
> 
> Kitáb-i-Aqdas (The Most Holy Book),
> ¶47
> .
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 126
> 
> Part 4: On the Origin, Powers, and Conditions of Man
> 
> The word
> naw‘
> , translated here and in following chapters as “species”, has a range of meanings
> including kind, sort, and type. ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is not using the word in the modern biological
> sense but in the sense of changeless archetypal forms.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 127
> 
> In a Tablet, Bahá’u’lláh attributes these words to Hermes.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 128
> 
> See, for example, Chapters
> 2
> and
> 80
> .
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 129
> 
> Qur’án 23:14 and Persian Hidden Word no.
> 9
> .
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 130
> 
> Gen. 1:26.
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 131
> 
> As will be seen in the
> next chapter
> , ‘Abdu’l-Bahá uses the terms “appearance through
> emanation” and “procession through emanation” interchangeably.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 132
> 
> See Chapter
> 80
> .
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 133
> 
> Cf. Gen. 2:7.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 134
> 
> John 1:1.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 135
> 
> John 1:1.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 136
> 
> See, for example, John 14:10–11 and 17:21.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 137
> 
> See Chapter
> 36
> .
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 138
> 
> See Gen. 9:22–7.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 139
> 
> That is, that people cannot be held responsible for their own character.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 140
> 
> Cf.
> Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh
> ,
> XLI
> , and Súriy-i-Haykal,
> ¶192
> .
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 141
> 
> Cf. Rev. 22:13.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 142
> 
> See Chapter
> 48
> .
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 143
> 
> Cf. John 3:5.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 144
> 
> Cf. John 1:13.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 145
> 
> Qur’án 23:14.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 146
> 
> ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is here directly addressing Laura Clifford Barney, whose father had passed
> away in 1902.
> 
> ↩6
> 
> 147
> 
> Mírzá Yaḥyá, half-brother and avowed enemy of Bahá’u’lláh.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 148
> 
> “The first duty prescribed by God for His servants is the recognition of Him Who is
> the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Fountain of His laws, Who representeth the
> Godhead in both the Kingdom of His Cause and the world of creation. Whoso achieveth
> this duty hath attained unto all good; and whoso is deprived thereof hath gone astray,
> though he be the author of every righteous deed.” (Kitáb-i-Aqdas,
> ¶1
> .)
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 149
> 
> See Chapter
> 84
> for a fuller discussion of this subject.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 150
> 
> Rom. 9:21.
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 151
> 
> See Chapters
> 32
> ,
> 62
> , and
> 63
> .
> 
> ↩5
> 
> 152
> 
> Part 5: Miscellaneous Subjects
> 
> Cf. Matt. 5:39.
> 
> ↩7
> 
> 153
> 
> A Bahá’í sitting at table.
> 
> ↩10
> 
> 154
> 
> Matt. 8:22.
> 
> ↩4
> 
> 155
> 
> Cf. Aristotle,
> Physics
> 194b16–195a1.
> 
> ↩3
> 
> 156
> 
> The Tree of Zaqqúm, mentioned in Qur’án 17:60, 37:62–6, 44:43–6, and 56:52–3.
> 
> ↩8
> 
> 157
> 
> Cf. Qur’án 37:180.
> 
> ↩12
> 
> 158
> 
> Qur’án 59:2.
> 
> ↩13
> 
> 159
> 
> See Chapter
> 33
> for a fuller discussion of this subject.
> 
> ↩14
> 
> 160
> 
> While, as ‘Abdu’l-Bahá explains, the idea is of ancient origin, its history in Islamic
> thought begins with Ibnu’l-‘Arabí (1165–1240). “Ibnu’l-‘Arabí is a thoroughgoing monist,
> and the name given to his doctrine (
> vaḥdatu’l-vujúd
> , the unity of existence) justly describes it. He holds that all things pre-exist
> as ideas in the knowledge of God, whence they emanate and whither they ultimately
> return.” R. A. Nicholson, “Mysticism”,
> The Legacy of Islam
> , ed. Sir Thomas Arnold and Alfred Guillaume (Oxford University Press, 1931), p. 224.
> 
> ↩1
> 
> 161
> 
> Cf. Plotinus,
> Ennead
> 5.2.1: “The One is all things and not a single one of them…” (Armstrong’s trans.);
> and Plato,
> Parmenides
> 160b2–3: “Thus, if there is a One, the One is both all things and nothing whatsoever,
> alike with reference to itself and to the Others” (Cornford’s trans.). In the tradition
> of the Islamic philosophers, certain of the writings of Plotinus are attributed to
> Aristotle.
> 
> ↩2
> 
> 162
> 
> See Ibn Abí Uṣaybi‘ih,
> ‘Uyúnu’l-Anbá’ fí Ṭabaqáti’l-Aṭibbá’
> (Cairo,1882), 1:76–7.
> 
> ↩9
> 
> 163
> 
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> 
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> ,
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> ,
> AB00081[SAQ#03]
> ,
> AB00556[SAQ#04]
> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
> AB01889[SAQ#08]
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
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> ,
> AB00206[SAQ#41]
> ,
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> AB00168[SAQ#44]
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