The Behai Proofs
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Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters.
Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Mírzá
‘Abu’l-Faḍl, The Behai Proofs, bahai-library.com.
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MIRZA-ABUL-FAZL
HUJAJ'UL BEHEYYEH
(THE BEHAI PROOFS)

BY

MIRZA-AB UL-FAZL
o. GVLPAYGAJf. PaulA.

TaANlLATItD BY

ALI KULI                KHAN.

N •• Yo.x:
THE 1. W. PJlATT CO., PJlINTEJlS
,. to 511 DvAn STuft.

Igo ••
CopJrlcht, 19CD.
by A. P. 8AuJ:y.
of WuhiDiton, D. C.
CONTENTS.

PAGK

Translator's Preface                            5

Sketch of the Leaders of the Behai Religion    22

His Holiness the Great Bab                     26

His Holiness Beha-Ullah                        45

His Holiness Abdul-Beha                       109

Exordium                                      120

First Introduction / •                        123

The Second Introduction                       141

The Third Introduction                        159

The Fourth Introduction                       u8

The Fifth Introduction                        287
Translator's Preface.
In the Name of our Lord the EI-Beha I
Praise be unto Thee, 0 Thou God of the world
and Creator of nations I Exalted is Thy praise
and sanctified is Thy name! 0 Lordi Enable us to
accomplish our work through Thy mercy, and
facilitate unto us our affairs I
Verily, Thou art the Bestowerl There is no
God but Thee, the First and the Last!

As many thoughtful people of the United States
of America have expressed their desire to obtain
information concerning the Behai Religion, and
since there is no book to be found in Europe or
America, ffee from religious prejudice and fanaticism, furnishing full
particulars upon this subject;
I have therefore determined to translate two of
the writings of the Honorable Mirza-Abul-Fazl
of Gulpaygan, Persia, which contain the required
information. By this means, I hope to be of
service to humanity; for an exact statement of historical facts, free from
religious and racial bias, is
bound to be of great service to the world, inasmuch as it concerns the
greatest religious movement of the age.
Although the art of translation is one of the
difficult branches of literature and composition,
yet, trusting in the Divine Confirmation and
6            Translator's Preface.
strengthening of my weak efforts, I hope to bring
the substance of these two works to the notice
of the reader, in as close conformity with the
original sense as my knowledge of English and
the difficulty of the text permit.
The first work of the author, following this
preface, is my translation of a short sketch in
Persian, of the history and lives of the leaders of
this Religion. The second is a translation from
the Arabic, of an introductory work to a forthcoming book, which he is writing
in compliance
with the Command of our Master, Abdul-Beha-
Abbas. The subject of this later work will be
interpretation of the Holy Books of former religions, in order that the
principal doctrines,
proofs and arguments of the Behais may be known
to the world.
These writings, I have translated in compliance
with the especial Command of our Lord Abdul-
Beha. One night, about fourteen months ago,
while I was in Haifa, and the author at Port Said,
Our Lord inquired from Ahmad Yazdi (who had
arrived fr~m Port-Said), concerning the welfare of
Mirza-Abul-Fazl; to which he replied that Mirza
was well and engaged in writing his book. A number of American and Paris
visitors, who had also
arrived from Port-Said, were present. Then our
Beloved Master turned to me, saying:-"Khan:
you must translate this book into English. God
will confirm you therein." I bowed to Him and
said it would be the greatest honor for me to
comply with His Command.
Translator's Preface.                 7

In the following I will give a succinct account
of the life of the author:-
Mirza-Abul-Fazl was born in 1844, in Gulpaygan, a small Persian town, founded
by Humay,
the daughter of Darius 1. The family to which
his parents belong is one of the most distinguished
of that city, and, even to the present time, is wellknown for learning and
knowledge. His father,
Mirza-Reza, was one of the most noted Shi'ite
doctors of religion in Persia; he died in 1871,
at the age of seventy.
In the prime of youth, Mirza-Abut-Fazl travelled to Isfahan and Irak, with the
object of
perfecting his studies. Even in his, boyhood he
was noted for intelligence, sound memory, and
diligence in discovering subtle scientific points,
to such an extent, that these qualities seemed to
the people supernatural.
Last spring, in Paris, one of the Persian stu-
(tents, named Nassr-Ullah-Khan, spoke of Haji-
Mollah-Hassan, a great scientific lecturer of
Isfahan, who had been one of the pupils of Mirza-
Abul-Fazl. In the course of conversation, he said
that when, in 1866, the first edition of the Arabic
Dictionary, entitled "Firooz-Abadi," one of the
most authoritative and well-known works, was
published in Tabriz, Persia, the students of the
College of Sadr of Isfahan brought a copy of it
to Mirza-Abul-Fazl for criticism. He, in one
evening, examined the whole contents of the book,
about 1,400 pages, and asserted that it contained
but two words with wrong accentuation. After
8            Translator's Preface.

a long and careful examination by the learned
~holars of Isfahan, it was found that this statement, made by the author after
a few hours' investigation, was correct.
Before he was twenty-two years of age, Mirza-
Abul-Fazl had perfected himself in the branches
of Arabic learning, such as Grammar, Rhetoric,
Etymology and Composition; although Arabic is
a foreign language to Persians. In accordance
with the wishes of his father, he also acquired a
perfect knowledge of Mohammedan Theology and
Laws. At the same time, he studied Mathematics,
Algebra, Arithmetic, Geometry, and Astronomy
according to the Ptolemian system. He also mastered the Aristotelian as well
as the rational
Mohammedan philosophy.
In October, 1873, he left the town of Gulpaygan and went to Teheran, the
capital of Persia,
where he took up his residence. A short time
after his arrival, he was appointed the superintendent and professor of one of
the oldest first class
Arabic Universities of Teheran, named the "School
of Hakim-Hashem." There, students of different
sciences gathered around him and attended his
lectures.
In 1875, he became acquainted with a merchant
named Aga-Abdul-Kerim of Isfahan, an adherent
of the Behai Religion. As this merchant found
Mirza-Abul-Fazl sagacious and free from prejudice, he invited him to join his
religion. Although
Aga-Abdul-Kerim had no schooling, yet he possessed a shrewd, acute mind and an
excellent
Translator's Preface.               9

character. He arranged interviews for Mirza·
Abul-Fazl with learned Behai teachers, such as
His Holiness the great N abil, entitled "The
Learned One of Ka-'een," the late Haji Mohammed-Ismail of Kashan, entitled
"Zabih" (sacrificed), Aga-Mirza-Heydar-Ali of Ardistan, and
others. They continued the controversy and religious and scientific debate
during eight months.
Finally, in September, 1876, after this ample discussion and tedious argument,
Mirza-Abul-Fazl,
.anding himself unable to refute and resist the
proofs and demonstrations of the Behais, and
esteeming the evidences of this movement
stronger than the proofs of other religions, acknowledged and embraced the
truth of the Religion of Beha-Ullah, and became a convert to it.
Among the proofs and evidences which he frequently related, are the following
from his own
words:-
"The oppression, deposition and murder of
Sultan Abdul-Aziz of Turkey, which happened
approximately in May, 1876; as well as the full
particulars and details of the Turko-Russian war,
were explained to us in the early days of October,
1875, by Haji Mohammed Ismail Zabih, from the
prophecies of Beha-Ullah. In that meeting, Aga-
Abdul-Kerim of Isfahan, Aga-Mohammed-Hadi,
the book-binder, of Isfahan, and Aga-Mirza-
Ahmad, the braider, of Isfahan, were present.
Haji Zabih read to us some Tablets, including
the Tablet of Samandar (the title of Aga-Sheikh-
Kazem, an old and prominent Behai teacher of
10           Translator's Preface.
Kazwin, still living in that city), which contained
a clear and explicit statement of these events.
Then I said to Aga-Abdul-Kerim of Isfahan :-'1£
the deposition of the Sultan and the Turko-
Russian war take place and come to pass, this
will be considered a great proof of the truth of
Beha-Ullah,-greater than the miracles performed
by former prophets.'''
Most of the students of Teheran h~ve also heard
the same subject spoken of by the author. For,
in those days, the spread of the Religion of Beha-.
Ullah had just begun, and the persecutions, bloodshed and pillage inflicted
upon the Behais were
so great and violent, that no one dared mention
their names in Persia, much tess to praise them.
But, as the author was considered a prominent
man of learning, and had a great following of
students, he spoke of these events in his lecture
rooms with astonishment. Moreover, at this
time, he had not yet become a Behai, nor could
he or anyone imagine that the Behais would overcome him in controversy, and
thus change his
religion.
Afterward, in 1876, when, Mirza-Abul-Fazl acknowledged the truth of this
religion, and, on
account of the straightforwardness for which he
was noted, could not conceal his belief, he openly
propounded proofs and arguments of the truth of
Behaism, in his lectures to the students.
Consequently, enemies who were jealous of him,
always waiting to accomplish his downfall, availed
themselves of this opportunity to speak of him
Translator's Preface.              II

in the presence of the clergy and prominent statesmen of Teheran. The clergy
denounced him, and,
in December of the same year, he was arrested
and put in chains by the command of Prince
Kamran-Mirza, entitled Nayeb-Essultana (Prince
Regent), the third son of the late Nasser-
Ed-Din Shah, who was then the governor of
Teheran, Guilan and Mazanderan. This imprisonment lasted about five months. As
a result of
this imprisonment, he lost all the property which
he had inherited from his father. At the end of
five months, he and other Behais imprisoned with
him on account of their faith, were released, owing
to the efforts of the late Haji-Mirza-Hussien-
Khan, entitled Mushire-Dawla, who was then
Minister of War. Upon his release, the clergy
of Teheran tried their utmost to persuade him to
verbally acknowledge Mohammedanism, and not
to openly uphold the truth of the Behai Religion.
To this he would not agree, and patiently endured
the most violent persecutions and afflictions rather
than accede to the clergy and statesmen. Afterward he gained his living by
means of his pen, and
diligently labored in spreading the Behai Religion. Finally, in 1300 A. H.
(1882 A. D.), came
a great historical calamity. Large numbers of
Behais were arrested in various Persian cities, for
now this religion had become very prevalent
throughout Persia and the Caucasus. A considerable number of the nobility,
comprising Mohammedans, Jews, Zoroastrians, N usseyrites, etc.,
had embraced it with the utmost sincerity, and
Translator's Preface.
even did not recant when in danger of their lives.
Consequently the fire of envy and hatred flamed
anew in the clergy and statesmen of Teheran, who
considered themselves defenders of the first-named
religion. They agreed with the Prince Kamran-
Mirza to persecute the Behais. So they falsely
accused and calumniated them before the Shah.
Also in Resht, Isfahan and Mazanderan, most of
the clergy and statesmen determined to eradicate
the Behais, and arrested a great number. Among
these was Mirza-Abul-Fazl, who was arrested in
Teheran, along with a multitude of the Behais of
prominence, merchants, traders, etc. He was
confined for about one month in the house of the
Prince, and several controversial meetings and
debates were held in the presence of the Prince,
concerning this Religion.
The opponents of the Behais, consisting principally of members of the royal
family, religious
doctors and statesmen, constantly accused them
of sedition and plots. Great efforts were made to
alienate the mind of the Shah from them and to
persuade him to decree their suppression and
slaughter. But as they could not be charged with
any violation of the laws of the Government, the
Shah became convinced of their innocence, and
would not consent to sentence them to death, but
commanded them to be put in chains in the royal
prison. Thus Mirza-Abul-Fazl and a number of
the stanch Behais were imprisoned in chains and
fetters for twenty-two months, subject to rigorous
distress and hardship. During most of this time,
Translator's Preface.                13

nobody was allowed to see them. Twenty-four
of them were, for fourteen days, chained to two
long, heavy chains in a dark underground dungeon. Mirza-Abul-Fazl relates that
for about six
months they received daily news of the plots and
intrigues of their enemies, and expect1!d death at
any moment, having entirely resigned themselves
to the will of God.
After the lapse of twenty-two months, the falseness of the accusations of the
enemy was proven
to the Shah, and he commanded that the prisoners
should be set free.
Released from this rigorous imprisonment,
Mirza-Abul-Fazl took up his residence in the village of Gholo-hak, one of the
well-known and delightful summer resorts of Teheran, where he
remained about seven months, engaged in lecturing and writing. Again the
Prince found excuse
for his arrest, a third time. He was imprisoned
for six months in the royal building named Otake-
Nezam (the military department), whence he was
released February 5th, 1886.
The purpose of this brief account of Mirza-Abul-
Fazl's life and sufferings, is to inform the thoughtful people of this
country, concerning the strength
of the faith of the adherents of this religion. The
full details and circumstances of his experiences
are far beyond the limits of this short article.
Some of the learned men of Syria and Egypt have
written his biography.
For about thirty years, he has been travelling
in remote countries. He has journeyed north-
14           Translators' Preface.
ward through Persia, Turkey, the Caucasus, Tartary and Russia, as far as
Moscow; eastward as
far as the confines of China and Kash-Kar; to
Syria and Egypt; and at the time of this writing,
is making a trip through Western Europe and
America. During his arduous travels, he has
everywhere secured a good name for himself and
his countrymen; has consorted with the men of
learning of different religions, nationalities and
schools; and has acquired a vast range of knowledge which it would be
impossible to attain without undertaking extensive and toilsome journeys.
In 1303 A. H. (1886 A. D.), he received the
Tablet written by Beha-Ullah in 1300 A. H., in
which he is commanded to travel for the purpose
of teaching the Word of God; and during his distant journeys, undertaken in
compliance with this
Command, many holy Tablets were revealed in
praise of his strength and fidelity to the Cause.
While travelling, he has written numerous
books, being considered a standard writer in 1ncient and modern Persian, as
well as in Arabic.
The following statement was made by him in reo
gard to his writings:-

"In the early years of my conversion, I refused
to write books, supposing that in the days in which
the Supreme Pen was moving, its sound would be
heard in all regions. Therefore, I reasoned, it
would be a great presumption for a man to attempt writing and composition.
Finally in 1887,
when in Azerbeyjan, I was favored with the privi-
Translator's Preface.
lege of meeting Wargha the Martyr,· and he
encouraged me to write and compose. He said-
"During the days when I was at the brilliant city
of Akka, and attained the honor of meeting the
Blessed Perfection, the Blessed Tongue repeated
the Command of the 'First Point,' which was that
the believers should each one write books demonstrating the truth of 'He whom
God shall manifest.' I inquired if He deemed it advisable to
employ Mirza-Abul-Fazl in this service. Then He
said :-'As the 'First Point' has commanded it.
such persons sho~ld employ themselves in writing
and propounding arguments.'
"When I heard this statement from his holiness
Wargha the Martyr, I ventured to undertake writing. Other believers from all
parts, were urging
me both verbally and by letters, to write books of
explanatiPn and proofs. Therefore in 1888, when
I went to the city of Hamadan, one of the great
princes there, asked me to work out the date of
the Manifestation of the Command of God, from
the Koran. As in those days, the Cause of God
had penetrated among the Hebrews, and the Jewish Behais were widely renowned,
one of the
learned Jews of Teheran, by name Dr. Mirza-
Ayoob, had asked many queuions from the Jewish Behais of Hamadan, and they
requested me to
write answerJ to them. Consequently I wrote
a brief treatise in reply to the request of the prince
e-rt.e &CC01IIIt of the KartJn10m of KIru-AlI-KoIwIuu4 the poet.
ODe of lbe _Deh Deb&!.. wllb Bouh-Allah hl8 - . Ie ~ya In the
.'111eta17 of ~ JIoY.mMlt<' which toJlowe thJe prelece. Waraha Ie
lb. utJe of thle l1l&I1:71', _IDC ''DIPUDple'' 01' "doYe,"
16            Translator's Preface.
and the Je\\ish Behais, which book was entitled
'Shar'he-Ayate-Mowarrakhe' <an account of the
texts, giving dates). I furnished therein, an
interpretation of those verses of the Heavenly
Books, in the Old and New Testament, the Koran,
the Zend Avesta of the Parsees, which contain indications of the date of the
Appearance of the
Cause of God. This treatise was written in Persian, and many unrevised copies
of it are circulated
In Hamadan, etc:. The learned Jews have translated into Hebrew that part of it
which concerns
the Jewish religion, and have spread it throughout
Persia."
CIA revolt was stirred up against me in Hamadan, through the instigation of
the Oergy.
I was arrested, confined for five days, and then
compelled to leave the city; which prevented me
from revising the book. However, in the year
18go, when in Samarkand (Turkistan), I revised
It, and manusc:ript copies were sent to different
parts."
"In those years, Ostad-Jawan-Mard, the lecturer of the Zoroastrian College of
Yezd, wrote a
petition to the Holy Presence of Beha-Ullah, asking various questions. Among
other things, he
asked concerning the genealogy of Beha-Ullah;
for the Parsees, according to the text of their
Heavenly Book, expect the Greatest Manifestation, the Promised Lord, to appear
from Penia
and to be of Zoroastrian descent. In answer to
this question, Beha-Ullah wrote in a Tablet to
him, the following passage:-
Translator's Preface.               17

"'Abul-Fazl of Gulpaygan (upon him be My
Beha!) hath written upon this subject, from the
Heavenly Scriptures, things which are effective in
guiding capable, prepared souls.'
"In 18g2, this book was sent by Aga-Mirza-
Abdul-Kerim of Ardebeel, from Askabad to the
Holy Presence of Abdul-Beha, in compliance with
His own command. It was approved in the following Tablet written by His own
Blessed
Hand:-
" 'The treatise containing proofs, written by the
pen of that pure soul, was read and noted. We
opened our mouth to give thanks for the Favors
of the Threshold of Oneness, Who, through the
'Confirmation of His Kingdom the EI-Abha, hath
caused such souls to arise for the guidance of all
the religions of the world, so that no one among
the nations of the world can equal or resist their
speech, utterance and the strength of their
argument. We thank Him that He hath caused
thee to speak His praise, raised thee to explain
His argument, demonstrate His proofs and evidences, and to declare His Cause
in the Kingdom
of His Creation! Were people to possess attentive ears, sound minds, tranquil
souls, and pure
hearts, this (thy) treatise would be sufficient for
them. Verily, I beseech God to make thee a sign
of Guidance, a standard of Righteousness, a lamp
of Knowledge, a dawning-place of Assurance, a
preparer of the Path, a guide to enable people to
make straight the road throughout the concourse
of existence, and a leader of the hosts of Life, ~n
18            Translator's Preface.
the Kingdom of the visible world. Verily, He is
the confirmer of whomsoever He willeth I Verily,
He is powerful in all things! Upon thee be EI-
Beha!'                   'Abdul-Beha-Abbas.' "

In 18g2, Mirza-Abul-Fazl wrote, in Samarkand, the book entitled "Fassl'
UI-Khetab" (conclusive proof), in answer to questions asked by
Mirza-Heydar-Ali of Tabriz, one of the learned
men of Azerbeyjan. This book he wrote in the
style of the doctors of theology, and in the introduction is given an account
of the controversy in
Samarkand between himself and Dr. Marcard
Assadorian, a Protestant teacher, in a meeting held
by men of learning. In 18gB, he wrote the book of
"EI-Farayed" in Persian, in compliance with the
command of our Lord Abdul-Beha. In this work,
he answers the objections of Sheikh-Abdus-Salam,
entitled Sheikh-El-Islam (a Mohammedan pontiff) of TitUs. The same year, he
wrote the book
of "Dorar-UI-Beheyeh" (the brilliant Pearls), in
Arabic, in answer to Dr. Noor-Edin of India.
His other epistles and pamphlets, which are
scattered in all parts, are too numerous for mention in this article.
Mirza-Abul-Fazl has a wonderful genius in explaining subtle philosophical
points, which skill is
his specialty. He himself thinks that he has received this gift as a
fulfillment of the prayer which
the Blessed Perfection made for him in a Tablet
written to Haji-Mohammed-Kazen of Isfahan.
It is as follows :-"1 beg of God to enable Fazl
Translator's Preface.

(Mirza-Abul-Fazl) to teach 'His Truth, and to
unveil that which is hidden and treasured in His
Knowledge, with wisdom and explanation. Verily
He is the Mighty, the Bestowerl"
One of the theories originated by Mirza-Abul-
Fazl, is the "Proof of Stability," in demonstrating
the Essence of the Self-existent One; as will be
noticed in this book, by discerning minds. This is
one of the greatest and clearest logical arguments
for proving the Divine validity of the religions
and demonstrating the Essence of the Almighty. By a single rational proof, it
demonstrates both the existence of God ana the truth of
the true Prophets. He first propounded this argument in the book of
"Fassl-ul-Khetab," in 1892,
and for the second time, in the book of "EI-
Farayed," in 1897.
He is the first one of the Behais who has demonstrated by rational and logical
arguments, that
miracles are not sufficient to prove the truth of the
Manifestations of God. He is the first one who
has clearly explained the purpose of what was
spoken by the Prophets, in the Holy Scriptures, as
to the "words being sealed," to be opened at the
"last days." For it is said by Beha-Ullah in the
Holy Tablets :-"Verily, We have opened the seal
of the 'sealed Wine.''' He is also the first to explain that the great
religions of the world which
have changed and governed the conditions of
society, are seven in number; and that the "seven
heavens" is a term by which the Prophets have
symbolized the Divine Religions. Before Mirza-
::to         Translator's Preface.
Abul-Fazl propounded his theory, the point was
not understood, for this number was not spoken
of in thp. Divine Books and Tablets, nor in historical works; so historians
had different views
upon the subject. Dr. C. Vandyke of America,
professor in the University of Beyrout, who has
compiled well-known works, has stated in bis
"Geography," that the principal religions are four
in number. Nufel George of Tripoli (Syria), who
is one of the noted men of learning, has counted
six in his historical work entitled "Soussane-Suleyman" (the "Lily of
Solomon"). Likewise the
European writers have each stated a certain number which is not sustained by
any argument.
Mirza-Abul-Fazl is the first one who demonstrated by rational proofs, why the
Pagan religions
are considered as polytheism, although they owe
their origin to the Almighty, and acknowledge one
God. For if by worshipping images, people are to
be considered as polytheists, the Greek Church and
Roman Catholics must also be considered such,
while they are in reality, the "people of the book,"
and believers in Divine Unity and true Religion.
Mirza-Abul-Fazl has especially asked me to
translate the following from his own words, in
which he expresses his gratitude for the assistance
and help he has received from noble souls:-
"Although this book has been written in compliance with the Command of our
Lord Abdul-
Beha, who is the Centre of the Circle of Names,
the Light shining from the Horizon of Glory and
Grandeur, and whose Advent has been announced
Translator's Preface.
in the Books of Prophets and Chosen Ones (Upon
Him is Glory, Might and Praise!), yet, were it not
for the untiring efforts of the brilliant Pearl, the
verdant Leaf, the revered Miss B. (May God increase her honor and excellence
I), not one of the
pages of my compositions would have been written during this arduous journey.
For it is an evident fact to the learned, and notably to those who
are writers, that a man of advanced age, and weak
constitution, who, in less than one year, has travelled from Egypt to Syria,
thence to Europe and
America, hurrying from city to city, moving from
place to place, addressing meetings two or three
times a week, continually speaking to people of
different tastes, both ignorant and learned, prejudiced and unprejudiced,
would not be able to produce over two thousand pages upon philosophical
subjects,--containing explanations of the most intricate and abstruse points,
proofs, arguments, and
interpretations of Scriptural verses,-were it not
for the kind efforts and thoughtfulness of such an
excellent soul. She has taken much trouble and
labor for the writer, in order that his works may
be published.
"Likewise I express my thanks and praise to the
revered lady Miss R. (Upon her be Beha-Ullah!).
She also has exercised the utmost effort in helping
the translation of this book, and has rendered
every possible help to the translator."
Verily, God is Powerful in All Things!
The Servant of Abdul-Beha, ALI KULI KHAN.
April, 1902.         (Ish'te'a'l Ebn-Kalanter).
A short historical and biographical
sketch of the leaders of the Behai
Religion, written by the Honorable
Mirza-Abul-Fazl, in answer to the
request of one of the esteemed
Doctors of Chicago, December,
19 0 1.
In the name of our Lord the EI-Beha!
It is known to men of learning, that down
to the present year, this new Movement, the light
of which has penetrated most of the eastern and
western countries; this religious belief upon which
depends the reformation of the World and the unification of Nations; according
to the testimony of
the Holy Scriptures, has been founded and upheld
by three holy persons. As those who have attempted to write of this Movement,
particularly
the writers of newspapers and magazines, have
mixed up true and false statements, and have colored historical facts with
personal prejudices, it is
therefore impossible for readers and students to
rely upon and profit by their accounts. Even the
very sources of their records and the obvious contrast between them, bear
testimony of their unreliability. It has therefore been deemed necessary
to depict in these pages, a true, substantial and
succinct account concerning the birth, fountain-
H
Sketch of the Leaders.
source and circumstances of these "Three Lights,"
which cannot be disputed or doubted. With regard to misrepresentations made by
prejudiced
people concerning certain facts, we leave the exposure of these to the natural
and inevitable laws
of development and progression; for time and circumstances do not permit the
writer to enter into
details of proofs and arguments upon all these
points. God the Exalted will enable us to accomplish our undertaking.
We preface the subject by saying that religions
are distinguished and differentiated from each
other by three points. First, by the difference of
founders and institutors. For instance, the religions of Zoroaster, Moses, and
Mohammed are
distinguished and named by three different names,
on account of their being founded by these three
different personages.
Second, by the difference of the inspired Books
of the religions. Thus, the Divine Book of the
Zoroastrians is the Zend-Avesta, that of the Jews
is the Old Testament, and that of the Moslems is
the Koran.
Third, by the difference of laws, ordinances,
rites and customs. For instance, as the laws and
ordinances of the above religions are different from
each other, therefore they are accounted as three
religions. In other words, as the devotional acts,
rites and beliefs of Christianity are different from
those of the Confucianists; and as those of the latter are different from
those of the Brahamans,
therefore these are considered different religions
Sketch of the Leaders.
and peoples; otherwise they would all be regarded
as one religion and one people.
According to this theory. the writer. in his former works, has shown that the
number of the principal religions of the world. which have effected
the organization and origin of independent nations, and changed human society.
is seven. He
has likewise interpreted the "seven heavens"
spoken of in Heavenly Books, to be these religions;
even .though they have all emanated from one
Divine Source, all worship one God, and all seek
the same attainment of eternal life and salvation.
This introductory statement will show men of
learning and sagacity the difference between the
Behais and Babis, and will enable them to distinguish one from the other. For
the founder of the
Babis was the Great Bab, the "First Point"; while
the founder of the Behais was the Blessed Perfection, the Greatest Name,
Beha-Ullah. The book
of the Babis is the Beyan, which was revealed by
the Great Bab in the mountain of Maku; while
the principal book of the Behais is the "Kitabel-
Akdas" and Tablets belonging to it, all of which
were revealed by Beha-Ullah. after declaring His
Mission, in Adrianople and Akka. Likewise. some
of the Ordinances of the Bab are rigid and rigorous, in contrast with the
benign ordinances of
Beha-Ullah, all of which are in conformity with the
praiseworthy civilization of the present day, suitable for the preservation of
human society. and
adapted to the rights and interests of all the eastern and western nations of
the world. But, as His
Sketch of the Leaders.               's
Holiness the Great Bab has announced in His
Books and Epistles, the good tidings of the Manifestation of Beha-Ullah. by
the name "He whom
God shall manifest"; as He has revealed that the
appearance of Beha-Ullah would be nine years
after His own advent; as He has fixed the date of
Beha's declaration and the removal of His own
religion to be nineteen years subsequent to (the
Bab's) Advent; as He has made His own ordinances and laws dependent upon the
will of Beha-
Ullah-Who has the right to change or reform
them; and as He has used His best efforts and
endeavors upon all occasions, to deliver the Message of Beha-Ullah;-therefore
we people of Beha
recognize that Brilliant Flame to be the true precursor of the Blessed
Perfection; know Him to be
the Forerunner who prepared the road before the
Divine Manifestation. and the first one to establish
this Law of God.
After this introduction, we now begin to treat
of the lives of each one of these three above-mentioned Lights; while begging
God the Exalted
for His Confirmation and Assistance.
His Holiness the Great Bab.
The Bab's name was Mirza-Ali-Mohammed. He
was born from a distinguished family of the descendants of Mohammed, in the
first day of the
Arabic month Mohar'ram 1235 A. H. (Oct. 1819,
A. D.), in the; city of Shiraz, the principal city of
Fars, situated in the south of Persia. His father's
name was Seyd-Mohammed-Riza, a merchant of
woolen goods, in Fars. He died before his son
Mirza-Ali-Mohammed was weaned; Therefore his
only child was placed in care of a maternal uncle,
Haji-Mirza-Seyd-Ali of Shiraz, a man noted for his
excellent sanctity, virtue and great piety, and who
exercised utmost care in His development and
training.
When the Bab reached the age of seven and
eight, He was engaged in reading Persian books,
under a tutor known as Sheikhi-Moallem, a
learned man. This instruction followed the ordinary routine of education which
the Persian merchants receive. When He reached maturity, He
went into trade, in partnership with His maternal
uncle; and afterward, for business purposes, resided at Bushire, situated upon
the coast of the
Persian Gulf, with another uncle, Haji-Mirza-
Seyd-Mohammed.
From His earliest childhood, the Bab was characterized with piety and virtue.
He was exceedingly handsome in appearance and of a grave and
His Holiness the Great Bab.             27

venerable deportment. Furthermore, it is the
unanimous testimony of both friends and enemies,
that He was unequalled in beauty, gravity and
politeness, and that He never failed to observe the
exact time of prayer, devotion and other religious
requirements. He was, in the excellence of His
attributes and good qualities. a complete madeLof
human perfection, a standard of refinement and
elegance. To prove this fact, it is sufficient to
observe that the Shrite historians, who, in fabricating ta,lsehood and
calumnies, especiany when
being supported by the Government and people,
write the most shameless and scurrilous statements, have not been able to find
any Raw in the
history of His life. Lacking other material for
criticism and abuse, these historians have asserted
tbat His extravagance and persistence in devotions and discipline finally led
to the confusion of
His mind, and ended in melancholy hallucination.
When He reached the age of twenty-four, the
Bab declared before some of the principal men of
learning, who were distinguished for virtue and
devotion, that God the Exalted had elected Him
to the station of Babhood (doorship). He
claimed that He had been sent to warn people of
the approach of the "time of the end" and of the
coming of the Great Hour; to announce to them
the descent of the Spirit of God (Christ),
spoken of in the Heavenly Books. He read unto
them a book which God had revealed from His
mouth. Being cognizant of the fact that He had
not had any further preparation than the study of
2H      His Holiness the Great Bab.
the elementary books taught to children in preliminary schools, these men of
learning were
amazed to find such an extraordinary knowledge
proceeding from Him, and the majority of them
believed in the truth of His claim, on account of
His great piety and integrity. These were His first
believers and became known later as "the Letters
of the Living" Each one of these "Letters of the
Living," in compliance with the Bab's command,
went to different parts of Persia and Turkey,
spreading the news of His advent, without mentioning who He was or where He
had appeared.
In the meantime, the Bab set out for a journey to
Mecca and Arabia. In Mecca, He put forward His
claim to more than a hundred thousand Mussulmans assembled there at the time
of the annual
pilgrimage. Therefore the news of His appearance was universally announced,
causing a great
commotion and disturbance in Persia and in Irak-
Arabi. By the title Bab, the Mussulmans understood Him to be a representative
of their promised Mahdi, whose coming had been foretold by
Mohammed; because the Bab gave people to understand in His discourses and
other epistles,
that He was the precursor of another who would
appear after Him.
After performing the rites of pilgrimage, completing the visit to Mecca and
Medina, and fulfilling religious acts of worship, He returned to His
native land, and arrived at Bushire.
As the news of the Bab's appearance became
widely spread in Shiraz, through the letters for-
His Holiness the Great Bab.             29

warded by the pilgrims of that city from Mecca
and Medina, and as the number of His converts
increased daily through the fervent endeavors of
"the Letters of the Living," the Shi'ite doctors, who then exercised great
influence, arose
against Him, and persuaded Hussein-Khan, entitled Nizam'Ud-Dawla, the Governor
of Fars, a
fanatical, tyrannical ruler, exceedingly loyal and
obedient to them, to undertake the Bab's suppression and subjugation. He first
sent ten horsemen
to Bushire to conduct the Bab to Shiraz. They
met Him midway between Bushire and Shiraz and
escorted Him thither. When He arrived at Shiraz,
the Governor called a meeting, to which he invited the prominent clergy of the
city, and also
summoned the Bab to be present. The Bab declared His mission openly before all
the members
of the assembly. He claimed that the Lord of the
Universe had sent His Door (Bab), and had confirmed Him by causing verses to
be revealed from
His pen and tongue; that by this manifest proof
and weighty miracle, His truth might be proven
to the people of the world, and they might be
dir('cted to their destination. No sooner had the
Mohammedan clergy heard Him mention the word
"verses," than they could hardly control their feelings; inasmuch as the
founder of their religion
had said in the Koran, that were all the men and
genii to unite together, or all the people of the
world co-operate, they would not be able to
produce even one chapter like the Koran. Although the Bab had not studied the
Arabic lan-
30       His Holiness the Great Bab.
guage and knew only Persian j and although He
was neither a scholar nor scientist, yet He wrote
'Passages in Arabic, similar to the Koran, in answer to their scientific and
abstruse questions.
Most of them He wrote in their presence, without
pause or reflection, not even writing a rough copy
first, as is customary with men of learning and
literature. Naturally they were astonished at the
appearance of such wonders and were unable to
answer Him. Finally they were reduced to say
that whosoever, after Mohammed, lays claim to
any revelation of verses, is an infidel. Consequently the chief among the
Shiraz clergy gave
verdict that the Bab should be put to death, and
the Governor of Fars did not refrain from insulting and striking Him and
persecuting His followers. Surety having been furnished by His maternal uncle,
Haji-Mirza-Seyd-Ali, the Bab was sent
to his house, under strict injunction to hold intercourse with no one. In
obedience to this command of the Governor, the Bab secluded Himself
and did not admit visitors for some time. N otwithstanding this, His followers
continually increased in number, and the news of His virtue and
dignity was disseminated throughout all parts of
Persia. Meanwhile some of the prominent clergy
and men of dignity in Persia, acknowledged His
truth, and endeavored to promulgate His cause.
Among these were Seyd-Yahya of Darab, the
eldest son of Seyd Jawad of Kerbela; and a great
number in Teheran, including Beha-Ullah.
His Holiness the Great Bah.              31

Consequently, the clergy of Shiraz: again rose in
uproar and hostility, accusing the followers of the
Bah of having made political claims, and instigating the Governor of Shiraz to
murder Him. Then
the Governor ordered Abdul-Hamid-Khan, the
High Constable, to surround the house of the Bab
at midnight, with a number of men, and break
into the place. The Constable discovered nothing
indicating conspiracy in the Bab's house; in
fact found nobody in it except the Bab
and one of His followers named Seyd-
Kazim of Zenjan. However, he took the Bab to
his own house and imprisoned Him there. But at
this time, cholera was epidemic in Shiraz, which
compelled the Governor and the majority of the
chief citizens to flee from the city. Not having
discovered anything to fear in the Bab, they released Him upon condition that
He should leave
Shiraz, lest His presence might stir up the clergy
of Fars to make further trouble.
Consequently, the Bab left the city for Isfahan,
accompanied by His above-mentioned disciple. In
Isfahan He resided in the house of the Imam-
]om'a (a leading clergy), according to the order of
Menu-Che'hr-Khan of Georgia, a venerable Christian, who was then the Governor
of Isfahan.
Having arrived in the house of Imam lom'a,
He had remained there but thirty t() forty dar-r,
when the whole city was in a clamor. Mtdtitudes
of the prominent students and traders, as well as
the general public, visited Him every day, and
most of them were astonished at His piety, gravity
32      His Holiness the Great Bab.
and excellence. They were led to confess the fullness of His knowledge and His
spiritual power,
by the prompt way in which He answered the
questions importunately put to Him by men of
learning. Therefore the number of His adherents
grew in the city of Isfahan, which is the residence
of the prominent clergy and the center of learning in Persia.
One thing which greatly astonished the people,
was that Menu-Che'hr-Khan, the Christian Governor, who was one of the great
statesmen of Persia
and renowned for his discernment and intenigence,
openly acknowledged the truth of the Bab's mission. Also Mirza-Seyd-Mohammed
the Imam-
Jom'a, entitled "Sultan' UI-Ulema" (the Sultan of the Ulema), became devoted
to Him. Therefore the other Divines and doctors of Isfahan, who
were the most distinguished in Persia on account
of their power and influence, made a great uproar
against the Bab. The Governor, with the object of
exposing the weakness of the clergy and demonstrating the power and virtue of
the Bab, gave orders that all should hold a debate and discussion
with the Bab, in the presence of himself and the
Imam-Jom·a. He commanded that the discussion
should be faithfully reported by secretaries and the
report sent to the Shah at Teheran, in order that
the decision might be left in his hands.
As two of their erudite sages, Aka-Mohammed-
Mahdi of Calbass, and the eminent Platonist,
Mirza-Hassan of Noor, had once conferred with
the Bab, in the presence of the Governor, without
His Holiness the Great Bab.             33

being able to discomfit Him, the Divines refused
this discussion and conference, giving as a ptctcxt
that it would bring the Mohammedan Law into
contempt. At the same time, they unanimously
determined to put Him to death.
The Governor, seeing the unanimity of the
clergy, and fearing that their influence and authority would cause the Bab's
murder, concealed Him
in his own quarters and gave currency to a report
that He had been sent to Teheran in compliance
with the Shah·s order; thus for a time, allaying the
trouble stirred up by the clergy.
Meanwhile, Manu-Chehr-Khan died, and Gurguin-Khan, his nephew, who was the
Vice-Governor of Isfahan, forwarded a petition to Haji-Mirza-
Akassi, the Prime Minister, informing him of the
death of the Governor, and of the Bab's concealment in the quarters of the
government; and asking for instructions regarding the latter. Mohammed Shah,
who was personally of a mystic tendency and who entertained no real regard for
the
clergy, had also heard from unbiased people, the
repon of the Bab's fame, and of His purity and
spiritual attraction, and was willing to see Him.
But the Prime Minister, who had been a tutor and
teacher of the Shah in his childhood, and for whom
the Shah entertained a devoted respect, fearing
lest the interview with the Bab might lessen the
Shah's respect and .esteem for himself. issued a
strict command to Gurguin-Khan to disguise the
Bah and send Him in charge of Nusseyri horsemen to Teheran.
34       His Holiness the Great Bab.
Accordingly Gurguin-Khan sent the Bah to
Teheran. As the city of Kashan is situated between Isfahan and Teheran, the
Bab was detained
three days there, during which many of the clergy
and merchants of the city believed in Him.
When he arrived at the last halting-place before Teheran, the Prime Minister
gave a fresh order that He should not be brought to Teheran, but
held in the village of Kalin, until the matter had
been brought before the Shah's notice. The Bab
was detained there about twenty days, during
which he forwarded a letter to the Shah, asking
for an interview. The Prime Minister prevented
this, by pointing out that the Shah was upon the
eve of departure to Herat, to wage war with the
Afghans and that should the Bab arrive at Teheran, the clergy there would stir
up a revolt in the
same manner as the clergy of Isfahan had done.
He reasoned that it therefore would be advisable
to place him in the fortress of Maku, at the borders of Azerbeyjan, until the
Shah should return·
from the conquest of Herat, and look into the
matter at his leisure. As Mohammed-Shah was
not informed of the real motive of the Prime Minister, he approved this view
and wrote a respectful
letter with his own hand, to the following effect :-
"Since we are at the point of setting off for a
journey, you will now abide for a while in Maku.
On our return, we will meet you and the matter
will be decided."
In this letter, he also requested the Bab to pray.
in his behalf. The Bab was consequently sent to
His Holiness the Great Bab.             35

Azerbeyjan, escorted by Mohammed-Bey the
courier, who was a Nusseyrite. Some maintain
that the reason why the Prime Minister always
placed the Bah in the charge of N usseyrite
mounted guat'ds, was that the latter, not being
Mussulmans, and knowing nothing of the Koran,
the Traditions, or of the belief in the appearance
of the Mahdi and his signs, would not become His
converts. Notwithstanding all these precautions,
before they had reached the town of Gazwin, wnich
is about S4 miles from Teheran, Mohammed-
Bey had become one of the Bab's followers. At
the same time, He (the Bab) made many converts
in the cltles of Gazwin, Abhar and Zinjan, through
which He passed on His way to Azerbeyjan. Thus
the fame of His appearance was spread in all the
provinces of Persia, and every meeting was fired
with argument and discussion upon this topic.
When the Bab reached Azerbeyjan, He stayed for
forty days in the city of Tabriz, but not one of the
clergy there conferred with Him. He was then sent
to Maku and put in the charge of Ali-Khan, who
was the Governor of those districts. Ali-Khan
showed Him respect on account of His being a descendant of the Prophet and
because of the piety,
devotion and gravity which were manifest in Him;
but in $=ompliance with the order of the Government, he rarely permitted
people to converse with
Him. Meanwhile the Bab's religion spread day by
day through all parts of Persia, and in every city
the numbers of His converts were augmented.
Therefore the clergy of Azerbeyjan, like those of
36       His Holiness the Great Bab.
other cities, made a disturbance, and seriously requested the local Government
to punish and restrain the Bab and His followers, and remove Him
from Maku to a more remote place. The Government in compliance, ordered Him to
be removed
from Maku to Chib-rik, which is one of the distant
fortresses of Azerbeyian, where He was in charge
of Yahya-Khan the Kurd, who exeraNd tIM
greatest care in guarding Hi.r::a.
The Crown Prince of Persia, who was afterwards entitled Nassir 'Ud-Din Shah,
was, at that
time, the Governor of Azerbeyjan. In order to enquire into the matter and
silence the clergy, he
summoned the Bab back to Tabrir. When He
reached Tabriz for the second time, the Crown
Prince called some of the pronrinent clergy.to..
meet the Bab in his presence. A compulsory and
unjust discussion and dispute took place. This
discussion is recorded by the historians of each
side, in a different way; but from the account given
by the Bab's opponents, although it is a very inaccurate record, it may be
easily discovered that the
purpose of the prominent clergy and learned religious doctors of Persia has
not been to make a
thorough enquiry, but only to dispute in a contemptuous manner, and to deride
and threaten
Him.
After much clamor and outcry, it was decided to
beat and chastise Him. But the Farrashes of the
Government refused to carry out this sentence.
Therefore Mirza-Ali-Askar the Sheikh 'UI-Islam
of Tabriz, who was one of the prominent Seyds
His Holiness the Great Bab.             37

and doctors, determined to execute this sentence,
so he brought Him into his own house, and applied
the rods with his own hands. After this, they sent
Him for the second time to the fortress of Chihrik.;
subjected Him to a rigorous incarceration and
strictly prohibited people from converse with Him.
In those days, the appearance of the Bab was
the chief topic discussed throughout Persia and
Iralt-Arabi. Consequently, commotion and clamor
were continual, and fierce discussions would take
place between the Moslems and the Bab's followers. For the Moslem clergy do
not deal
gently with one whom they consider to be alien to
their own religion, no matter who he may be; nor
do they converse with him in the spirit of courtesy,
respect and humanity. Even in the course of controversy, their words very
often are fuU of contempt and derision, and are reinforced by curses
and execrations.
Finally the Persian clergy unanimously decided
to eradicate and suppress the Bab and His people.
Some of the governors in Persia, being tyrants,
ready to plunder and pillage the inhabitants,
availed themselves of this decision, and in some
parts of Persia, they began immediately to murder
and rob the Babis. They even did not refrain from
murdering children and women. The local ~over­
non and eYeD some of me ministers of the State
assisted the enemies of the Babis with regular
soldiers, and the political heads joined with the
civil chiefs in destroying and suppressing these
people. When the late Mohammed Shah died in
38          His Holiness the Great Bab.
1848 A. D., the Crown Prince Nassir 'Ud-Din
Shah ascended the Throne, September loth of the
same year. Mirza Taki-Khan of Farahan, entitled
Itabaki-A'zm (the greatest tutor), who was
a blood-thirsty and selfish man, attained the position of Prime Minister; a
function and title which
embodied the greatest dignity of the Government.
Meanwhile, war broke out in three different districts of Persia, between the
Mussulmans and
Babis. As the clergy had given the sentence to
murder and eradicate the Babis, and as some of
the local governors were seeking to confiscate
their lives and property, the Babis decided to defend themselves, and waged a
war of defense
against their oppressors in Neiriz (a district in
Fars), Zenjan (in Persian Irak), and in the Fortress Sheikh-Tabarsi in the
county of Mazanderan.
Although the Babi defenders were very few in
number, yet the *fighting continued a long time,
and the extraordinary valour of the Babis caused
their name to be a subject of great awe to the Mohammedans. Therefore,
Mirza-Taki-~ owing
to his lack of administrative capacity, concluded
that this revolt would be stopped by murdering
the Bab; so without seeking permission from
Nassir 'Ud-Din Shah or taking counsel with ministers, he issued the order for
His death, to Hamza-
Mirza, entitled Hishmat 'Ud-Dawla, the Shah's

el n thOM dl.7-' the Babla foqht In defen41q tbelr IIvu. accordlnc
to the Law. of Mohammed. In which extremity. He haa allowed ....
Uc\ou. war. At that time. Beha-IDIah had not declared HlmAlf. and
tbe Book of Akd... In which H. hu atrlet17 prohibited warfare. oon-
Diet. .trlte. ete.. wa. Dot revealed.
His Holiness the Great Bab.            39

uncle, who was at that time the ruler of Aarbeyjan. The latter, however,
refused. to execute
the order, and excused himself by speaking of the
great virtue and real devotion which he had witnessed in the Bab. He openly
stated in a council
meeting, that he would prefer to resign his post
rather than take part in the Bab's murder. He
also ironically said that he expected that the Persian Government would
commission him to make
war on one of the great empires, but he never expected to be commanded to
execute one of the
descendants of the Prophet, who had not departed
from any of the legal obligatory ordinances of the
religion.
After this refusal on the part of the Governor,
the Prime Minister issued a second order to his
own brother, Mirza-Hassan-Khan, Commander-in-
Chief of the army of Azerbeyjan, directing him to
execute the Bab. The Bab was again conducted
to Tabriz, and on the.28th Sha'aban 1266 A. H.
Guly, 1850 A. D.), they suspended Him with one
of His youthful followers, Aga-Mohammed-Ali,
who belonged to one of the noble families of Tabriz, against the wall of the
old Barrack Square,
which is now occupied by traders and artisans. At
first, Sam-Khan the Armenian and an Armenian
regiment were in charge of this service. When they
fired their volleys, the bullets severed the ropes,
without injury to the Bab or to the youth. After
the smoke cleared away, they saw the young man
standing, and the Bab talking with His amanuensis, Aga-Seyd-Hussein, in a
cell, close to the same
40       His Holiness the Great Bab.
wall. They again suspended the Bab and His companion from the same wall, and
gave orders to fire.
Siun-Khan the Armenian, this time refused to fire,
from fright. Another regiment of Azerbeyjan undertook the execution, and made
the Bab and Aga-
Mohammed-Ali a target for their bullets. This
time their bodies were riddled, and both of them
died instantly. Then they removed their bodies
from the square to the edge of the moat outside
the city, and engaged a party of sentinels to watch
them.
It is a custom of the oriental nations, especially
in Persia, that when a person is executed by order
of the Government, his body is exposed for a certain time in sight of the
public, so that the people
may be intimidated by the sight, and may avoid
wrong-doing.
On the second night, the Babis carried away the
Bab's body, through the help of the Kalantar
(Mayor) of Tabriz. They bore it to a silk-tissue
factory belonging to one of the people of Azerbeyjan, where they packed it in
a case like a bale
of goods, and forwarded it to His Holiness Beha-
Ullah in Teheran.
Undoubtedly Mirza-Taki-Khan hoped that the
disturbance would be put down, and that this community would be utterly
extinguished through the
execution of the Bab, whom he considered to be
the source of the power of this religion. He had
also quenched the fire of battle in a treacherous and
disgraceful way. For instance, in. . ~'{azanduan. at-:-..
though the number of the Babis did not exceed
His Holiness the Great Bah.              41

three or four hundred, this small number defended
themselves over eleven months against twenty-five
thousand trained soldiers who were furnished with
artillery and perfect weapons. They even made
sorties against their enemies, many times overturning their camps and
defeating them. Finally, when
the Persian Commander was unable to subdue the
Babis, he made a treaty with them, stipulating that
if they would surrender and cease fighting, h~
would guarantee their protection and send each
one of them to his respective city. For this little
Babi army had collected from all parts of the country; brought together by
faith in the Bab. Accordingly, the Commander and the Governor took
an oath to this effect, confirming it by vows plighted upon the Koran. When
the s.tarving Bahia
yielded (none of them having eaten any food for
several days), they were brought into a place where
food was prepared. Suddenly, by order of the Governor and General,
notwithstanding their oat~ the
army surrounded and slew all of them with bullets
and swords. 7he affairs of Zenjan and N eyriz terminated in a similar manner,
and so the flames of
war were extinguished. But the Babi cause did
not die away, nor was the fire ignited by the penetration of the Bab's Word,
quenched; and each
day the number of the Bab's adherents increased.
Mirza-Taki·Khan was unable to check the movement, and shortly afterward his
tyrannical life
came to an end. For the statesmen ceased to support him because he sought to
entirely monopolize and dictate the affairs of the Government. The
42      His Holiness the Great Bab.
young King having become cognizant of his secret aims, and offended at the
failure of his administrative policy, finally dismissed him from his
state positions, and exiled him to the village of
Feen, situated within three miles distance from
the city of Kashan. About the third or fourth
year of the Shah's accession, he was put to death
in the bath at Feen, by the royal order.
The Bab wrote many books after He had declared His mission, including a
commentary upon
the Surat of Joseph in the Koran. This book He
entitled "Ah'san-UI-Kassas" (the best of the
stories). At the request of the famous learned Aga-
Seyd Yahya of Darab, He also wrote, with the
most amazing rapidity, a commentary upon the
Surat of the Koran, called "Kawthar." Likewise,
without meditation, He wrote, in Isfahan, a commentary upon the Surat of
Wal'Assr, at the request of the Sultan 'Ul Ulema; and in answer to
the wish of Manu-Cheh'r-Khan, the Governor of
Isfahan, He produced a book proving "The Especial Mission." In addition to
these, He wrote a
great many treatises, discourses, prayers, and
answers to scientific problems, both in Arabic and
Persian, which He named "The Five Styles" and
the "Divine Revelation." He silenced and discomfited the Persian DiviDC£ by
the swift manna&'
in which He wrote and spoke these words.
They flowed from Him without any reflection,
and He challenged His antagonists either to produce their like or to
acknowledge their truth.
The greatest book of the Bab is the Persian
His Holiness the Great Bab.             43

"Beyan," written by Him in the mountain of Maku.
In it He recorded His new laws and ordinances.
This book treats of the qualifications of a Promised
One who should appear, of whom the Bab considered himself the Door, and whose
name He has
given as "He whom God shall manifest," stating
that He himself had arisen to announce His Appearance. Following the custom of
the Prophets
and Divine Messengers, the Bab alluded to the
time of His Manifestation by allegories and symbols. In arranging the books
revealed from His
blessed pen, the Bab has stated in a special chapter concerning the subject
:-"Blessed is he who
will g'aze upon the arrangement of Beha-Ullah, for,
verily, He shall inevitably appear."
In the Beyan, He has changed all the laws and
rites, and instituted sDecial ordinances for devotional acts, ceremonies and
usages. He changed
the lunar system formerly held by the Persians,
into the solar reckoning of the year, which He
divided into nineteen months of nineteen days, and
has named each one of the days of the year after
the names and attributes of God. He also gave
new names to the oays of the week. In writing
the name of any of His prominent adherents, in
His Epistles, He would make it conform with the
numerical value of one of the names of God and
would write it at the head of the letter. This he
did without meditation and in an astonishing manner. For instance, the
numerical equivalent of the
name Rab (Lord) is 202, which corresponds with
Ali-Mohammed; the name Dayyan (65), with
44      His Holiness the Great Bab.

Assad (the name of Mirza-Assadullah of Khoy);
the name Waheed, with Yahya (Aga-Seyd-Yahya
of Darab), etc. Therefore He called each one of
them Ism 'U1tah (the Name of God), and even
till the present day, this word has remained a title
of the companions of the Bab.
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
The next Light is Beha-UUah, son of Mirza-
Abbas, renowned as Mirza-Bozork of Noor. The
Nooris are one of the well-known families of
Mazanderan. During the reigns of Kadjar the
present Persian Dynasty, the members of this
family have usually occupied the highest positions
in the state, such as Prime Minister, Minister,
Secretary, and other civil and military dignities.
Even in the present day, most of them are in
the Government. Some have retired from their
positions, but their names are enrolled upon the
financial and military staff.
Beha-Ullah was born in Teheran, on the 2nd
day of the month Moharram 1233 A. H. (Nov.
1817 A. D.). When He reached the age of eight
and nine years, the marks of great distinction and
sagacity were already manifest in Him. He was not
instructed nor taught by anybody. Apparently He
had acquired the elements of Persian reading and
writing from His father and other near kinsmen.
In His youth, His father, who was one of the ministers of the state, died, and
the charge of His
brothers and sisters, who were all younger than
Himself, fell upon Him. He did not care to enter
any of the Governmeot services, but provided sustenance for the whole family
through the management of His inherited lands and properties. When
the Bab appeared in Shiraz, Beha-Ullah, who was
4S
46         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
about twenty-seven years of age, publicly accepted
His claim, and endeavored to the utmost to promote the word of the Bab -both
in Teheran and
Mazanderan, especially among the principal
clergy. He spent some time at Noor, the home of
the Noori family, furthering the advance of the
Religion, and while the~e, had remarkable discussions with the religious
doctors, so that the renown of His knowledge and the power of His reasoning
raised an excitement among the leading
men of those districts. By this, many were led to
embrace the Religion, while others were stirred to
jealousy and insolence.
After He had resided and travelled in the different districts of Mazanderan,
He returned to
Teheran, where He continued to spread the principles of the religion and
spiritual teachings, supporting and encouraging the Babis, until the
attempt against the life of Nasser Ud-Din Shah
happened. The substance of this event is as follows :-A young man of Tabriz,
Mohammed Sadek
by name, who was a servant of one of the prominent Babis, and devotedly
attached to his master,
became depressed and bereft of reason on account
of the martyrdom of the latter. Having made up
his mind to blood-revenge, he divulged this secret
to one of his confidential friends whom he knew to
be one of the stanch believers in the Bab. These
two went to Teheran, concealing their intention from all their friends and
even from the Babis.
As the Shah was out of the city, sojourning among
his country resorts at Shamiran, they directed
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.                 47

their steps toward the village of Niavaran. On
Sunday, 15th August, 1852 (1268 A. H.), they were
in the vicinity of the village, near the Royal Palace,
with the intention of carrying out their plot. When
the Shah went out to ride, Mohammed Sadek advanced, and fired a pistol at him.
The shot missed
its mark, as the horse bolted, and the Shah being
much agitated, fell off his horse and fainted. The
attendants rushed forth, picked up the Shah, and
slew Mohammed Sadek on the spot. As he was
killed instantly, he could not be questioned as to
what led him to commit this abominable act, and
as to who had been his associate. But as he had
been a servant of one of the prominent Babis, that
community was unjustly accused of the deed, and
notwithstanding they knew nothing whatever of
this plot, they were arrested and fell victims to the
wrath of the revengeful Shah. Eighty of them
were seized in Teheran, and given up separately to
a different class of people to be executed. The
administrators deemed it advisable to have each
one of these victims murdered by one section of
the citizens, and thus sow hatred and enmity between the different classes of
Shi'ites and the Babis.
By this means they sought to prevent the spread
of the Bab's religion. Consequently they distributed the helpless Babis to
various parties of people;
one to the book-keepers, one to the soldiers, one
to the learned doctors, one to the merchants, carpenters, blacksmiths,
drapers; even the shoemakers, cobblers, rice merchants, etc. Each one of
these classes slew its victim as they chose. Some
48        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
were cut lengthwise alive; some blown from mortars, and some chopped into
pieces. The Kadjar
youths of Astrabad, in order to try the strength of
their arms, cut their unfortunate captives into
halves with their swords. Among them, one who
died in an incredibly horrible manner, was Suleyman-Khan the son of Yaha-Khan
of Tabriz, who
was a most devoted follower of the Bab. When the
order was issued for his execution, they first
stripped him, and made holes in his body with
knives. In these holes they placed lighted waxcandles, put a halter through
his nose and paraded
him around the markets of Teheran. When a candle burned down to his flesh and
was consumed,
they would put another one in its place. Bystanders were watching the scene
and following in great
crowds; while he was silent and patient, not
evincing the least trace of agitation; nor did he
groan or plead for mercy, which is the natural
tendency of man under such circumstances. Nay,
he expressed great joy and cheerfulness, with a
shining face, while singing and chanting verses of
yearning, so that the hard hearts of the bystanders
were affected with emotion, and all the inhabitants
of Teheran, both old and young, were astonished.
Finally, after this torture, they cut him in half
lengthwise, and hung the two parts upon either
side of the old city gate of Abdul-Azim. It is said
that when the matter waxed so frightful, the Imam
Joma (chief leader of prayer) of Teheran,conferred
with the Shah and blamed him for these outrages.
Some state that one of the foreign Ambassadors
His Holiness Beha-U1lah.                49

warned the Shah that should another Babi victim
show forth such steadfastness at the time of his
execution, half of the people would embrace Bahism, after which, checking the
matter would be
extremely difficu~t. The Shah therefore prohibited the taking of any action
against the Babis
without investigation; but since that time, the justice awarded to these
de-voted. people has been sim-
. ilar to that given by the Council- of the Inquisition
-to the heretics in Rome. In fact, a matts-acknowledgment of Babism, before
the Government, was
considered as confessing the greatest crime, which
should be punished with death, no matter how high
a character or what qualifications of virtue and
sanctity he possessed. Very often the finding of
a Babi Book in a person's possession, his conversing or dealing with the
Babis, or pleading for one
accused of Babism, would be considered as a crime
by the clergy. Many a time, if they found in the
pocket of an accused one a tom piece of paper
bearing the words "Allaho Abha" ("God is glorious"), or the name Beha or Bab,
they needed no
further witness to prove his infidelity.
One of the men arrested and imprisoned was
the blessed person of Beha-Ullah. He was in the
village Afcha, one of the surrounding districts of
Teheran. When the report of the attempt upon
the Shah's life came to Him, He, knowing that the
prominent Babis had no connection with the matter, rode forth with perfect
composure to Niyavarano Immediately after His arrival, He was arrested,
imprisoned, and chained for about four
so        His Holiness Beba-Ullab.
months in the gaol of Teheran. After a strict examination and enquiry, it was
finally proven that
He had no connection whatever with the criminals, and that He knew nothing of
the matter. The
Shah therefore ordered that He should depart to
Irak Arabi, and abide in the holy sanctuaries of
the Shi'ite Imams (Kerbela, Nejef and Baghdad),
which are places of exile for the men of distinction of Persia. Accordingly,
in the year 126g
A. H. (1852 A. D.), he departed to Irak, escorted
by some of the delegates of the Persian Government, and took up his residence
at Baghdad.
, The majority of the Babis and some others believe, that when it was proven
that Beha-Ullah did
not know Mohammed Sadek, the Russian Ambassador interceded for Him and
effected His release.
They have even recorded that wh~n Beha-Ullah
set off for Baghdad, accompanied by the horsemen
of the Government, the Russian Ambassador also
sent one of his attendants, to guard Him, lest the
Persian delegates might seek to take His life on
the way. Thisdoes notseem to be a confirmed fact,
for the Russian Ambassador had only testified to
the purity of Beha-Ullah's character, and had
never made any intercession or interference in His
behalf. But unquestionably, the testimony of the
Russian Ambassador in praise of Beha-Ullah was
used by Mirza-Aga-Khan, the Prime Minister, as a
means to silence the Shah, and persuade him to
issue the order for the release of Beha-Ullah. The
real cause of His deliverance was that it was con-
His Holiness Beha-U1lah.             51-

elusively proven to the Shah that Beha had no
share in the plot against him.
In these days, the Babis were in a very confused
and depressed condition. On one hand, the persecutions inflicted by the clergy
and statesmen, and,
on the other hand, the calumnies invented by pea..
pIe against them, had made them so suspected and
hated by the people, that most persons refused to
have any communication with them; nay rather,
their suppression was considered a religious duty.
The deeds and actions of most of the Babis were
considered entirely contrary to the usual customs
of the public; while the bad management of some
of their ignorant chiefs caused many evil deeds to
be attributed to them. If a censurable action was
committed by one of the Babis, it would be equally
attributed to all of them, for they had no power to
defend themselves against the calumny, owing to
the violent persecutions of their enemies. Thus the
good were not distinguished from the bad. Since
the Bab had, in every book, announced the approach of the Great Manifestation,
a number of
the Babis, among whom were Seyd-Ala in Irak,
Haji-Mirza-Musa (the chief custodian of the Holy
Shrine) in Kome, Haji-Molla Hashem of Nerag in
Kashan, and Mirza-Assadullah, entitled Day'yan,
in Azerbeyjan, insolently put forward claims, and
each gained the allegiance of a certain number of
Babis, thus subdividing the community into different sects. This division and
difference of beliefs
also gave rise to unseemly acts, and increased the
accusations against the Babis, causing people to
sa        His Holiness Beha-U1lah.
hate them. The most prominent among these
claimants, was Mirza-Yahya, whom the Bab, in
His Tablets, addressed by the title Ismullah 'EI-
Ezel (the name of God, Ezel). Although he
claimed to be the representative of the Bab, yet in
his writings, termed "epistles," which were spread
among his followers, he put forward the most exalted claims of divinity, and
considered his own
words as Heavenly Revelation. Most of the Babis
believed in him and recognized him as their aim.
He frequently travelled in disguise and concealment; sometimes in the garb of
dervishes, sometimes in the costume of traders or Arabs. Some
believe that the appointment of Mirza-Yahya as a
successor, had been decided between the Bab and
Beha-Ullah; because, in the beginning of Nasser'
Ud-Din-Shah's reign, the object of Mirza-Taki-
Khan was to arrest the original source of this
movement, and stop the water at the fountainhead. Therefore, after consulting
together, they
made Ezel appear as the Bab's successor, through
Mirza-Abdul-Karim of Kazwin, who was employed
to manage and forward the Epistles of the Bab.
In this manner they preserved the Center of the
Cause, Beha-UUah, from the interference of Mirza-
Taki-Khan.                        .
But according to the author's belief, it was the
appearance of different claimants from various
places which kept Him from being recognized as
the Center of this Community, and protected Him
from the interference of the Prime Minister; and
His Holiness Beha-U11ah.              S3

that thus the source of this movement was concealed.
To be brief; when Beha-Ullah arrived at Baghdad, the center of the Irak
province, He found the
Babis in a confused condition. They were a small
multitude, like sheep without a shepherd, dispirited, divergent in thoughts
and ideas. They bad
DO leader to bring them into unity of ideas, no record of good deeds by which
they might attract the
hearts of people, no security or assured safety
which would enable them to employ themselves in
earning their living, no organization or numbers
to silence their enemies, and no money or riches to
enable them to travel. There was no brilliav.t
leader among them, to light their way with a lamp
of guidance, through their gloomy conditions. No
rightly directed sympathizer had appeared to bring
back to the path of peace those wanderers who
were far from righteousness and salvation.
To sum up; they found in Beha-Ullah's face
the Light of Guidance, and read the verses of Deliverance from the book of His
character; so
they severed themselves from all and joined
Him. He determined to elevate their character, reform their deeds, and
transform their weakness into strength and uprightness, through His
beautiful speech and righteous example. In a
short time, as a result of His admirable training,
their weakness changed into power, their inharmony into unison, their evil
habits into good deeds
and their numbers also largely increased. At the
same time, their evil repute changed into good
54         His Holiness Beba-Ullah.
report, while the hatred and unsociability of outsiders changed into
friendship and affection toward them. The learned men of Baghdad opened
their mouths in praising Beha-Ullah, and the
leaders _of that land were persuaded to converse
with the Babis. But these circumstances produced
hostility among some of the Babi chiefs, who put
f9rward claims of leadership, until their jealousy
far exceeded the enmity of the outsiders.
In order to quench this interior fire of dissension, Beha-Ullah decided to go
into exile. Without having divulged His purpose to friends or
relations, He departed toward Kurdistan. He remained for a short while in
Suleymaniyye, but for
the greatest part of the time lived in the mountains of Sarkalu, in that
district. This exile and
seclusion lasted nearly two years. Finally, after
great search, some of His principal companions
ascertained the place of His retirement. Having reasoned that a continuance of
His separation
from them would result in dispersion and disinte-
. gration of their number and reduce their power to
weakness, they hastened to Him and succeeded in
gaining His consent to return with them. On His
arrival at Baghdad, the hearts which were restless
in His absence became tranquilized, and the power and penetration of His Word
became more manifest. From all parts of Persia and Arabia people
sought His Presence, and were benefited by the
copious shower of His Utterances. Then, returning to their countries, they
brought other souls to
His Holiness Beha-U11ab.              55

acknowledge Him, and greatly exerted themselves
to promote His Cause.
In a short time, the number of His followers was
greatly multiplied, and aU hearts were filled with
respect for them, until their fame became widely
spoken by other nations, and the record of their
lives and circumstances was considered important
by writers and historians. Now the jealousy and
hostility of the clergy of Irak began to be aroused.
The cities of Kerbela, Ne;ef, Kazemeyeh, and
Samereh, the most famous in Irak, are the important centers of the Shi'ite
sect. Here the tombs
of most of the twelve Imams, who are the leaders
and examples of the Shi'ites, are located. Each
year, vast numbers wend in pilgrimages to these
sanctuaries, from Persia, India, Yemen, and other
countries. Moreover, these cities are the headquarters of learning, centers
whence the Persian
divines secure their certificates of religious law.
Therefore the prominent Shi'ite doctors reside at
Kerbela and Nejef; men celebrated for their influence and prominence in public
esteem among
the Shi'ites in general, and respected by them in
all parts of the world.
When the doctors of Irak realized the effectiveness of the word of the Babis,
and especially the
influence of Beha·Ullah, they assembled together
under the leadership of Sheikh-Abdul-Hussein the
Mujtahid, and determined to suppress them. But
the most distinguished and respected divine,
Sheikh·Murtaza Ansari refused to aUy himself
with their plan and withdrew from their
S6             His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
party. • Finally they appointed one of the doctors,
and sent him as an envoy to Beha-Ullah. \Vhen
this envoy returned from Baghdad, a manifest
emotion was visible in him, for his heart was filled
with respect and reverence toward Beha-Ultah
and His CaUBe.
Briefly, he reoorted to the doctors that the truth
concerning Beha-Ullah and His community was
exactly contrary to what they had imagined or
believed; and that He was a veritable sea, boundle'ss and overflowing with
knowledge. He also
stated that Beha-Ullah was ready to confer at any
time with the divines and the public, in order to
elucidate and demonstrate the truth of His teaching, furnishing them decisive
proofs and solid
arguments. If the erudite doctors were not satisfied with mere scientific
controversy, seeking
heavenly proofs and a Divine Sign, He was ready
to furnish, on this appointed occasion, whatever
the doctors should unanimously desire; and thus
to end the matter.
The doctors fled from His challenge, and
shunned this proof, for their purpose was not to
discover the reality of the fact, and distinguish
truth from falsehood, but to threaten and abase
the Bahls, and thus prevent the propagation of
their religion. Through the report of this deputation, however, their aim was
frustrated, and the
majority among them were disappointed. Therefore the reverend doctors occupied
themselves in
hatching a new plot and sought the help of ad-
-"" tuJJv _ t aC thIa - u q .. -""- later .. tile IIoc*.
His Holiness Beba-illlah.              57

ministrative officials. So they opened communication and correspondence with
the Ambassador residing at Constantinople and with the statesmen
at Teheran, until finally, at the request of the Persian Government, an order
was issued from the
Turkish Government, summoning Beha-Ullah to
Constantinople, and the Governor of Baghdad
forwarded the order to Beha-Ullah.
In compliance with this order, Beha-Ullah left
Baghdad on the evening of a day in April, 1862
A. D. (2nd of the month Zul-Ka'da, 1279 A. H.),
and remained for twelve days at the garden of
Najib Pasha, the former Governor of Irak. This
period of "twelve days" is regarded by the Behais
as the "Most Great Feast," and considered as the
days of the Manifestation of Beha-Ullah. It is
said that during these days, Beha-Ullah declared
His Mission before His notable fonowers, strictly
commanding and exhorting them to be patient,
setr-restrained, steadfast, forbearing, striving to
beautify their characters and reform their morals. He assured them that if
they continued to
practise these virtues, they would be assisted by
the Divine Confirmation. After the lapse of the
twelve days, He departed for Constantinople via
Mosul, accompanied by some of His servants and
followers. Ezel, who had travelled in disguise
with a band of Bedouin Arabs, joined Him at
Mosul. From here they went on to Constantinople via Samsoon, and resided at
the quarters appointed for them by the Turkish officials. After a
few days they were moved to another abode,
58         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
where they stayed four months. During His residence there, Beha-Ullah did not
pay a visit to the
Minister of Foreign Affairs or the Prime Minister,
And asked no assistance or protection from the
civil and administrative chiefs. The Persian Ambassador utilized this to
poison the minds of the
Turkish statesmen against Him, and make false
accusations. Shortly afterward, an order was issued by the Turkish Government,
that Beha-
Ullah and His followers should reside at Adrianople, one of the Turkish cities
most remote from
Persia. They remained in Adrianople about five
years.
While in Adrianople, His mission obtained great
celebrity and His Message was widely spread. The
majority of the Babis acknowledged Him and became known as Behais.
Consequently the fire of
jealousy against Beha-Ullah flamed in the hearts
of the Shi'ites and the remaining Babis. The leading followers of Ezel agreed
with the chief Shi'ites
to antagonize the Behais, and prejudiced the high
officials of Turkey against this community by all
kinds of plots and intrigues. Finally, ooe day, the
soldiers, acting under orders of the Porte, besieged
the house of Beha-Ullah, preventing everybody
from entrance or exit. It is said that the Behai
Household was without water for drinking and
other requirements three days. Some supposed
that an order had been issued from the Porte to
destroy all of them. As the inhabitants of Adrianople, both Christians and
Mussulmans, had witnessed for five years the excellence, greatness and
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.                             59

compassion of Beha-UUah, crowds of them gathered around the house, weeping
loudly. The
Christians, in whom the fire of sympathy had been
especially enkindled, wept more bitterly than the
rest. One of the confirmed facts is that during this
period, Beha-Ullah clearly foretold to Omar-Aga,
one of those who were commanded to banish Him,
the future events of the Ottoman Government,
such as the deposition of the late Sultan Abdul-
Aziz, and the subsequent revolt. He has clearly
named in numerous Tablets, the particulars of
these events, such as the Tablet of K. Z., addressed
to Sheikh Kazem Samandar of Kazwin.·
Then, in accordance with the command of Sultan-
Abdul-Aziz, an order was issued by the Ottoman
Prime Minister, banishing Beha-Ullah, His
Household and some of His followers and servants, to the city of Akka in
Syria; a city wellknown in those days, for its evil climate, and a
place of exile for the suspects of the Government.
Accordingly they left Adrianople on the 20th of
Rabi 'Us-Sani 1285 A. H. (Aug. 1868 A. D.), and
arrived at Akka on the twelfth Jamadi-UI-Ula
(Sept.) of the same year. The Behais believe that
this banishment fulfilled the Divine prophecies in
connection with the Holy Land. The glad tidings
given by the Israelitish Prophets concerning the
Manifestation of the Glorious Lord, was thereby
realized, and the time had come for the promised
emancipation of the children of Abraham from
their long degradation and violent shame.

"Tb_ Tablet. ..... wrltteu In Adrt&llOPle In 1801, aboat elpt ,..,..
before tbe propbecl.. made In tbem .ere tulft1lec1.
60         His Holiness Beba-U11ah.
When Beha-Ullah and His followers arrived at
Akka, they first resided for about two years, at
the military barrack, which is a fortress built of
rocks. They afterward dwelt in houses situated
within the city.
The fortified city of Akka is so ancient, that the
"Crusades," which lasted two hundred years, are
but modem events in connection with its history.
The stones scattered round about it are as the
dust of woeful calamities, which the hand of time
has strewed over the heads of unfortunate victims;
its turbid water like the blood of humanity poured
by Fate into the cup of the affliction of its inhabitants.
In the year 1312 A. H. (1894 A. D.), when the
author resided in that district, he was accustomed
to walk for recreation in the plains of Akka, which,
in the spring time, are filled with flowers and myrtles. Looking upon them,
the past rose up in
vivid retrospect. In the red anemones, he saw the
rosy-cheeked legions who had carpeted the earth
with their devoted bodies and drenched the soil
with their life-blood. In the yellow tulips, were
faces of youthful warriors grown sallow and sickly
in hardships and long marches over hot, burning
sands; while the pure, beautiful white flowers
were the lilies and jasmines of beloved and devoted
souls who had brightened the earth for a short
time by their evanescent beauty and purity. Meditating in this way, he noticed
a cave close by the
Talli-Fakbar (the potter's hill), filled with mouldering bones of the slain
which had been thrust into
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              61

such holes and left there as a warning to posterity.
As he looked at this grim object-lesson of the past,
he said, in pensive retrospection:-"Q. Abul-Full
these relics which have remained as a memorial of
bygone peoples, are the best proof of the hardness
of the hearts and the evil thoughts of former generations." "Even those who do
not believe in Divine Revelation and Laws, must testify to the superiority of
Beha-Ullah, and to the advantage of
following His Religion; inasmuch as He has not
only forbidden warfare, but even prohibited His
followers from conflict, dispute and assault. He
has entirely abolished bloodshed from religion.
He has called the world one native-land, and all
the people thereof, leaves of one tree, so that the
fanaticism of the ignorant may be blotted from
memories, and the hostility resulting from difference of races may be removed
from minds.
Henceforth the people may not use the Divine Religions which the Prophets have
instituted for unity and harmony, as a means for destruction and
discord, and may not take the holy ordinances enacted for harmony and love, as
pretexts for fighting and bloodshed."
Absorbed in this reflection, he suddenly realized
that the dust of jealousy has sown corrupt seeds of
discord even in this Divine Garden; and has planted the tares of dissension
and disunion in the field
of the Behai union and harmony. Therefore he
became ashamed, disheartened and sorrowful, but
soon the verdure of hope grew up from the field of
desire; for he saw that the Most Great Spirit of
62         His Holiness Beha-U1lah.
God (Christ) has chanted this glorious Melody in
the texts of the Gospels; that at the harvest of the
world, the Divine reaper will gather the tares and
will burn them in the inextinguishable fire of
wrath, while the good grain he will gather into
barns. In other words, the discords created by
the "violators" (those who violated the Covenant
of Beha-UlIah, by disobeying the Center of the
Covenant Abdul-Beha) will be removed through
the power of the Firm Covenant of God, and the
darkness of disunion will be dispelled by the rise of
the lights of the Day-Spring of the Testament.
Thus the matter hath been decreed and decided I Although the calamities and
aBlictions
suffered by the Blessed Perfection during His stay
in Akka, were beyond the endurance of man, yet,
through the providence of God and His assistance, these torrents of disaster
did not prevent
Him from reforming the character of His followers, and the assault of
hardships and grievances
did not stop the spread of His Teachings. For
the tribulations of Beha-Ullah were not only confined to the contradictions of
the tyrannical
clergy, or the calumnies of fanatical Divines. Nor
were His sufferings caused only by the injustice of
statesmen and the covetousness of rulers, who accounted oppression of
strangers and showing hostility towa;rds those outside their faith, as a
religious duty. It was a greater task to beautify
the character of His own people, than to defend
Himself against exterior enemies. Guarding His
followers from committing unseemly actions was
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.                63

more difficult than enduring the persecutions of
the outsiders. For these people who had just embraced the Behai religion were
formerly Babis,
and during the time of "Fatrat" (interval between
two prophets or the time between the martyrdom of the Bab and the rise of
Beha-Ullah) they
had frequently departed from the limit of moderation, owing to the evil
training of different leaders.
Thus they had grown to consider many censurable
actions as allowable and justifiable, such as disposing of men's property and
pillaging the defeated.
This latitude and laxity of principle likewise extended to the conflict and
bloodshed permitted by
their former religion, Islam. The Babis generally were ignorant of the
ordinances of the Bab,
and supposed them to be similar to the doctrines
of the Shi'ites, which they considered the source of
the Babi religion. This ignorance was due to the
fact that the Babis were strictly prohibited by the
Persian rulers from holding intercourse with 01"
visiting the Bab, while the latter was in prison.
Thus they had been deprived of the opportunity of
seeing Him and receiving instruction in His
taws and ordinances. Warfare and pillage were
absolutely violations of the fundamental basis of
the Religion of Beha-Ullah, which was established
for the express purpose of spreading universal
brotherhood and humanity. It was a supernatural deed to reform the character
and morals of a
community, all the members of which were scattered in different cities and
countries. For when
the Bab appeared, the Mohammedans in general,
64        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
particularly the Shi'ites of the "Church of the
Twelve," were looking with all earnestness of soul
for the appearance of the promised Mahdi, whom
they supposed would be the promoter of their
laws. Although the prominent and learned among
the Shi'ite clergy of Persia joined the circle of
the Bab's followers, yet His cause did not penetrate any other religion. Nor
was it embraced by
the people of any other country, except Irak Arabi, which can scarcely be
considered foreign, on
account of the Shi'ite Imams situated there, and
of the considerable number of Shi'ites residing in
it! When Beha-Ullah appeared, however, it was
but a short time before His followers became
noted for their good deeds and just characters.
As a result of His training, they soon became successful in promoting His
Word, rendered spiritual
assistance to His cause, and were grounded in admirable religious beliefs. Day
by day, His followers increased in number and the power of His
Word became more and more manifest, so that in
a short space of time it was introduced into other
countries and penetrated other religions besides
Islam. Even the Jews, Zoroastrians, Nusseyrites
and other remote peoples who were considered
as being absolutely extinct and lifeless, attained,
by thousands, the honor of accepting His Cause.
For this they fell victims to the tyranny and persecutions of the Moslems and
their own former
co-religionists; quaffing the cup of martyrdom
with joy, steadfastness, triumph and forbearance.
This was a matter of astonishment to sagacious
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.             65

men, for these people were many in number and
belonged to the rich classes; numbers of them
were merchants and traders, and thus could not be
supposed to have embraced Behaism in order to
gain riches or fame. For the followers of Beha-
Ullah did not possess any wealth, affluence or
material power which might induce people to join
them. Moreover, after embracing this religion,
they showed such steadfastness, that no fear of
losing their lives and property could shake their
faith. Therefore the Behais recognized this
firmness, forbearance and endurance of calamities
to be a proof of the truth of this religion, and as
the most manifest evidence and witness of the
power of the Word of Beha-Ullah.
After His arrival at Akka, Beha-Ullah avoided
holding intercourse with the general public, except persons who were
especially desirous of visiting Him. This gave Him time for writing answers to
myriad questionings of people and also
prevented the enemy from inventing calumnies
and accusations against Him. He charged His
eldest son, named after His grandfather Mirza
Abbas, and who is also entitled the "Greatest
Branch of God," to hold intercourse with the people. For nine years after He
moved from the
fortress, He did not go out of the house where
He resided; nor during this time did He go for a
recreation to the gardens outside the walls of
Akka. Later on, He sometimes went to a garden
belonging to Him, situated outside the city.
Finally He left Akka and lived in a building situ-
66        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
ated near the village Behji, and belonging to one
of the wealthy men of that city. A few years before His departure, He visited
Haifa, Mt. Carmel,
and also a convent built by the monks of the Carmelite order, just above
Elijah's cave. In this
convent, He rested for more than an hour, and
while there one of His Holy Tablets was revealed
from His blessed pen. From that time on He
stayed each year for a period at Haifa, where the
Behaists of different sects, religions, and lands,
visited Him. There they partook of the table of
His generosity and became filled with the
pure water of the sea of His knowledge.
FinalJy, Beha-UlJah departed to the Everlasting
World and ascended to the Supreme Horizon, on
the 2nd day of the Arabic month, Zulka'da 1309
A. H. (May 28th, 18g2). On the day of His
Departure, all the inhabitants of Haifa, Akka
and neighboring places, assembled together in the
presence of His eldest son,-the "Greatest
Branch of God,"-and interred His remains, with
extraordinary respect, close to the Mansion of
Behji, which is situated a short distance from
Akka.
The Books, Tablets, and Divine Revelations of
Beha-UlJah, contain treatises, written generally
in answer to questions asked by people, both
Behais and outsiders.    For during His stay in
Irak, Adrianople and Akka, when His Name had
become renowned in the world, and the penetration of His Word attracted the
attention of intelligent minds, the Seekers after Truth, who were
His Holiness Beba-Ullah.             67

earnest in the search of knowledge and wisdom.
went to Him. asking intricate and abstruse questions. Those who were not able
to visit Him on
account of the strict prohibition of rulers and
other obstacles, asked Him difficult questions
through correspondence. He answered them instantly without delay or
hesitation, although subject to rigorous calamities and afflictions. These
answers were forwarded after a copy of them had
been reserved. Chief among the questioners
were the Babis, who had believed in Him. They,
as already explained, had been prevented from receiving instructions from the
Bab, on account of
the strict prohibition of the Government, and were
not informed of His laws. He also wrote certain
Tablets which He sent to the crowned heads and
to the chief religious doctors and divines. Thus,
in a short time, His books and epistles were
scattered like rose-petals throughout different
cities, and the teachings given therein were
poured forth like unto raindrops over all regions.
So the voice of His Manifestation reached the
West and East like a flash of lightning and His
Cause penetrated other countries and nations.
Some of the Tablets He wrote in Modem Persian,
while others written in answer to the learned and
leading Zoroastrians, are in pure Old Persian.
Some He has written in eloquent Arabic and
others in ordinary Arabic of to-day, so that they
may be comprehended by the common people. All
of them are in the most graceful and elegant style.
and although wri~ten without premeditation or re-
61         His Holiness Beba-U11ab.

flection, are nevertheless in the most excellent
form of composition. Historians have stated the
number of these Tablets to be over one thousand,
but this computation and estimate is mere guesswork and approximation, for
though numerous
volumes of the Tablets of Beha-Ullah are already
published, a still larger quota has not yet been collected and compiled. Not
until all of them have
been collected, will their number be accurately
known. According to His own statements in the
Tablets themselves, Beha-Ullah said that the
Tablets revealed from His Pen, are equivalent to
all the Heavenly Books of the extant religions of
the world. This is one of the proofs and evidences
of the Truth of His Mission. The Epistles and
Treatises of Beha-Ullah contain four different
styles and classes of knowledge. Upon the understanding of these depends, as
is believed by the
Behais, the knowledge of the Truth of all the
Divine Religions.      Without this understanding
man cannot be thoroughly informed of the
benefits of religion, nor can ideal refinement' and
civilization be realized. Some of them contain
laws and regulations whereby the rights and interests of all the nations of
the world can be perpetuated, for these statutes are so enacted that
they meet the necessities of every land and
country and are acceptable to every man of intelligence. In this universality
they resemble the
laws of Nature, which secure the progress and
development of all peoples; and they will bring
about universal union and harmony. The most
His Holiness Beba-Ullab.              69

important and best known among these is the
~'Book of Akdas" and its supplementary Tablets.
revealed in answer to questions asked concerning
the texts of Akdas; also the Tablets of "Ishrakat.t.
"Tarazat," etc. To this class belong the Tablets
written upon the conduct of the "ascetic" seekers
and strivers after truth. Such is the Book of the
"Seven Valleys," written in answer to Sheikh
Abdul Rahman of Kerkoot, one of the prominent
Sufi Sheikhs of Irak Arabi. Although Beha-
Ullah has forbidden Sufiism, Monkhood and inactivity, i. e., abandoning the
practice of trade
and profession, yet, in 'these Tablets, He has explained the manner of real
devotion. Some others
contain solutions of the intricate points of the
Heavenly Books of former peoples, which, before
His Manifestation, were sealed by the seal of the
Prophets; God having decreed that their opening
and interpretation should be effected at the Day
of the Lord's Appearance. As the learned attempted to interpret them before
the appointed
time, they fell into error in apprehension of their
real purport, and thus misled people instead of
enlightening them I The Behais believe that this
very point caused the Jews to falsely deny our
Lord Jesus Christ, and the Zoroastrians to consider all the Israelitish
prophets as impostors.
The Behais also believe that former interpretations of the Book are but false
imaginations of
man, and inversions of the Divine Word. To
this class of His writings belong the well-known
book of "Ighan" and the Book entitled "Jawahir
70         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
'ul A.'rar" C1Gems of Mysteries"), revealed in
Baghdad at the request of one of the nobility of
Fars; in which He has opened the seals of the
former prophetic books. Some others contain
prayers and divine eulogies, which instruct men in
the mode of worship; supplications and communes, which are means of communion
between
the worshipper and the Adored One. The benefits imparted by such devotional
acts are the illumination and purification of man's conscience, by
which the faculty of Divine Apprehension is
strengthened, the brutal qualities of man are refined and the worshipper
attains true realization
and certainty. Some others contain discourses
and exordiums in which He has explained the real
meaning of the Unity of the Divine Essence and
has demonstrated and elucidated the original purpose of the mission of
prophets, as well as the
stations of the separation and union of those
dawning places of the Command of God. In
other words, in these Tablets, Beha-Ullah bas
solved intricate theological questions in the clearest way, whereby He not
only has demonstrated
the truth of the new Cause, but also the truth of
the founders of former religions. In this connection, M. Gabriel de Sassy, one
of the noble Christians of Cairo, made the following statement in a
speech delivered by him before an assembly of
learned men in Paris, during the Exposition of
190 1 : -
"When the Behais wish to make a convert to
their religion, they endeavor from the very first to
His Holiness Beha-Ul1ah.              71

confirm him in his own religion, thus enabling him
to become cognizant of the principal proofs whereby the Divine religions are
demonstrated and to
distinguish a Prophet from an impostor. Consequently, the Old Testament of the
Behais consists
of all the Heavenly Books revealed through the
former Prophets, while their New Testament comprises the Tablets of
Beha-Ullah, which in fact reconcile these books and contain the interpretation
and explanation of them I"
The meaning of M. de Sassy's statement is, that
what makes a people deny the Manifestation is
necessarily their ignorance of the real proofs and
arguments. Because of this ignorance the Jews
denied Christ; and the Zoroastrians and Hindoos rejected Moses, Christ, and
other prophets.
To sum up; during the interval between the time
of His Holiness Beha-Ullah at Baghdad and His
Departure at Akka, four rivers of knowledge
flowed from His swift Pen, without which the religions of the world could not
be developed and
refreshed, and the Tree of Union and harmony
would not have been planted in the Greatest Paradise. The writ~r believes that
the four rivers
spoken of in the former Heavenly Books as flowing out from the Divine Throne
in the Garden of
Eden, signify these four styles. For the spiritually-minded realize that the
Spirit of God can only
be manifested through the Holy Temple of Man,
and therefore, to them, the rivers flowing from this
great Throne to water all the regions of the
world, are none other than rivers of spiritual
knowledge.
72        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
During Beha-Ullah's residence at Baghdad, it
was His custom to write the Tablets with His own
hand; but in Adrianople they were usually written
by the Pen of His Eldest Son, the "Greatest
Branch of God." During the exile at Akka they
were dictated to different amanuenses, including
Mirza Aga Jan of Kashan (the servant of Beha-
Ullah), Mirza Mohammed Ali, Mirza Zia 'Ullah,
Mirza Badi 'Ullah (the children of His Holi.
ness Beha·Ullah) and Mirza Majd'ud-Din, his
son-in-law. These amanuenses wrote them in
His Presence from His dictation, and after collating and revising them, copies
thereof would be
forwarded to the questioners. As to the letters
and supplications sent to Him through Mirza Aga
Jan, the amanuensis of Beha-Ullah, to which
He wrote the answers, these were also dictated by
Beha-Ullah Himself.      Even the texts written
upon the envelopes were worded by Beha-UI.
lah, for Mirza Aga Jan was a man of a very
ordinary education, and uneducated people are
naturally unable to explain intricate scientific
subjects. The fact that all the Tablets forwarded
in answer to the questions asked through Mirza
Aga Jan were dictated to him by Beha-Ullah
Himself, became clearly evident during the later
days of Beha-Ullah, for Mirza Aga Jan acknowledged this before an assembly of
believers. Moreover, his writings after the Departure of the
Blessed Perfection, obviously and indisputably
proved that the former Tablets were not his wording and compositions. "Things
are known by
their opposites."
His Holiness Beba-Ullab.                73

As to the devotional ordinances instituted by
Beha-Ullah, these comprise prayer, fasting, and
the pilgrimage to the House of God, according to
details explained in the Book. These are duties
which are incumbent upon all, if circumstances
permit their performance. There are also, invocations and prayers which the
Behais chant in
their meetings as a blessing, or the pious recite in
private, while communing with God. Most of
these Tablets are already collected and compiled.
His ethical ordinances comprise laws commanding good qualities and excellent
virtues, such as
sincerity, faith, devotion, love, integrity, chastity,
purity, trustworthiness and piety; and forbidding
people from evil conduct and abominable deeds,
such as lying, backbiting, slandering, murder,
theft, fornication, disputing and striving, even
with enemies, etc. He has, in numerous Tablets1
commanded His followers in the most graceful
and emphatic manner to possess those good characteristics, without which the
world of humanity
would be as a lifeless body; and has forbidden
what is unbecoming to the honor of humanity.
In the Book of Akdas which supersedes all former
books, and is a touch-stone of hearts and souls, He
says: -"Decorate yourselves with the garment of
deeds; whosoever attains God's good pleasure by
deeds is of the people of Beha, and he will be
spoken of before the Throne. Assist ye the King
of Creation, first by deeds, then by wisdom and
utterances. Thus ye have been commanded in
most of the Tablets from the Presence of the
74        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
Oement One. Verily He is the Knower of that
which I say I Let no one denounce another, and
let no one slay another. This is that from which
we have forbidden you in the Book and which was
concealed beneath the awning of Might. Do you
kill him whom God hath quickened with a spirit
from Himself? Is not this a sin, which is great
before [Our] Throne?" He has expressed these
ordinances in the most forcible manner possible.
Not only has He forbidden murder, conflict, and
strife, but also slavery, self-exaltation and all
that may cause grief and offence to men; and
He has commanded meekness and humility.
It is revealed in the Book of Akdas as follows:-
ICYe are not allowed to buy male or female slaves.
No servant has the right to buy another servant, as
this is forbidden in the Tablet of God; thus hath
the matter been written through mercy with the
Pen of Equity. No one should glory over another; all are servants unto Him,
and show that
verily there is no God save Him.-Verily He is
wise in all things" I In another place in the
same Book He says:-uDecorate your heads with
the crown of trustfulness and faithfulness; your
hearts with the robe of piety, your tongues
with pure truthfulness, and your temples with
the mantles of courtesy. All of these are befitting to man, were ye of those
who perceive."
He has commanded people to sincerely love every
nation, without exception, as their own brothers;
no matter to what religion and sect they may belong, and to consider it a most
obligatory duty to
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              7S

purify their hearts and souls from former raneour.
Therefore, He has commanded His friends to shun
every word which might cause the slightest discord: to avoid cursing,
execration and all that
gives offence; to serve all people: to glory not in
loving our country, but rather in loving all the
world. In this connection, He has said in the
Book of Akdas :-uConsort ye with all the religions with joy and fragrance, so
that they may
discover from you the odor of the Merciful. Beware not to be overtaken by the
bigotry of the
-Jaheliyye ainong men.-All come from God
and will return to Him. Verily, He is the origin
of the people and the goal of the creatures" I
In a Tablet revealed in 1299 A. H. (1882 A. D.),
in favor of Mirza Abul Fazl He says:-
"In this Day, a Sun hath risen from the horizon
of Divine Providence, and this exalted Word is
written upon its brow, 'Verily we have created you
for love and faithfulness and not for hostility and
raneour.''' In the same Tablet He says:-uVerily, God, His Prophets,
Messengers, Chosen Ones,
the Supreme Concourse, and the people of the
Exalted Paradise and the Lofty Kingdom, bless
those who arise to bring about affinity between
the hearts of His Servants and beloved. Verily,
He is the Compassionate and the Benevolent" I
In a Tablet written in answer to the questions of
one of the prominent Zoroastrians, He says:-
"The Peerless Friend commands-Say, 0 friends,
76        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
the Pavilion of Unity is erected; do not gaze at
each other with the eyes of strangers. Ye are all
the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one
branch." In the Book of Ah'd, which He wrote
during His later days and in which He clearly
appointed the "Center of the Covenant," the Day
Spring of the Lights of the Testament, and commanded all the branches, twigs,
relatives and people of Beha to obey the Powerful "Branch" extended from the
Excellent and Ancient Root,
He says :-"Truly I say: Piety is the greatest
commander for assisting the Divine Cause, and
the hosts which are worthy of this commander
are pure, agreeable deeds and characters. Say,
a servants, do not make the means of order a
subject for disorder and do not make the reason
of union, an instrument for discord. It is hoped
that the people of Beha will observe the words,
'Say-All are from t-he Presence of God.' This exalted word is like unto water
for quenching the
fire of animosity and rancour hidden and deposited within hearts and breasts.
Different religions
will attain to the light of real union through this
single word. Verily, He says the Truth and
guideth to the path. And He is the Powerful, the
Mighty, the Beautiful" I
To sum up; in His Tablets He has revealed
wonderful words regarding the beautifying and
perfecting of human characters and virtues which,
as brilliant pearls, adorn and decorate the crown
of the kings of the world, and from which people
inhale the fragrance of roses. They have proved
His Holiness Beha-Ul1ah.              77

effective in training and reforming the character
of the Behais and in straightening the crookedness of the Babis, so that,
notwithstanding their
greatly increased numbers, they have become universally celebrated for good
conduct, noted everywhere for excellent morals; and nothing contrary to
humanity or against the laws of the governments proceeds from them. In 1300 A.
H.
(1882 A. D.), without any justification, the Behais were arrested and
imprisoned in Teheran and
other Persian cities and were pillaged and plundered by the clergy and rulers.
One evening in
the month Rabi'us-Sani of the same year, the
Prince Nayeb'us Saltana Kamran Mirza (then
Governor of Teheran and Mazanderan and the
Commander-in-Chief of the Persian Army) summoned the author into His Presence.
He discussed these matters for two hours with some of
the Behais. Among other things he said :-"1£
the Persian Government sometimes interferes
with the Babis it is in the right and not to be
blamed; for the Shah and his statesmen have not
forgotten the former actions of this community,
nor are the battles they fought in Mazanderan,
Zanjan, and Neyriz effaced from memories."
Then Mirza-Abul-Fazl said :-"Although some
unseemly actions which proceeded from the Babis
at the outset of the Cause can by no means be
denied, nor can they be excused in any way, yet
to arrest the Behais for the sins committed by the
Babis is, in fact, the greatest error and oppression
upon the part of the Government. For punishing
78         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
an innocent one in lieu of the sinner is far from
equity and justice. These unfortunate ones who
are now subjected to the wrath and anger of the
great Prince, have no connection with the Babis,
nor are they of the same religion and creed; nor
have they ever seen any of those Babis who
fought against the Government. . Should this fact
be unknown to others, it is well known to your
highness, the Governor of this province. You
have very often arrested and imprisoned adherents of these two communities and
know of the
contrasts between their beliefs and doctrines and
of the violent hatred and hostility which the Ezelis
show toward the Behais. Therefore, you must
realize that the division existing between the two
communities is caused by their difference of opinions, conduct and beliefs.
Had the Behais approved the conduct of the Babis and behaved accordingly, they
would not have become subject to
their hostility and rancour. If you carefully read
tablets, books, and writings which have been
taken from the Behais by force and pillage, you
will observe that His Holiness Beha-Ullah has,
in all of them, commanded His people to bear allegiance to the Government, to
show respect to
princes and rulers and to reverence men of learning. He has even forbidden
them from smuggling their effects through custom-houses and
prohibited them from infringing upon the laws in
any way. Have you ever seen similar ordinances
among the Babis or in their books? You also
know that the people of Beha regard His Com-
His Holiness Beha-U11ah.             79

mands as Divine and they are more assiduous in
carrying them out than are other religions and
communities in obeying their laws. You should
appreciate these facts and be certain that nothing
contrary to the Shah and the Persian Government will ever proceed from the
Behais. While
you have the opportunity you can do that which
may greatly benefit your posterity, bring you
to enjoy everlasting distinction, and cause your
name to be well spoken of in the history of the
world." Then, in order to make him thoroughly
cognizant of this point, Mirza-Abul-Fazl asked
him:-"O, Prince, how long have you been the
Governor of Teheran and neighboring localities?"
He replied :-"From ten to twelve years."
"During this long period, while the Behais
were more in number in Teheran than in any
other city, have you ever heard anyone complain
about them before the Government, for any other
reason than because of their religion and doctrine? In other words, have you
ever heard a
Behai accused of drinking wine, rioting, wounding anybody, murder, theft,
gambling, refusing to
pay taxes, smuggling or conspiracy?" He answered:-"No." "Then how can you have
more
obedient subjects than the Behais, and how is it
you do not appreciate this benefit? If any other
government possessed such subjects, every just
and unprejudiced ruler would greatly appreciate
them and would recognize the necessity of protecting them. Were the leading
~en of the Persian Government to justly reflect upon these
80         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
points they would acknowledge the favor and
providence of the Blessed Perfection, and open
their mouth in His praise. Moreover, if those
leaders and statesmen who still consider the
Babis and Behais as one community and blame
the innocent for the sin of the guilty, were to
use sound judgment they will clearly see that
the very errors which you assert were committed by the Babis were due to the
bad management of both the civil and religious leaders. For
if different rulers in Persia had not, by the command of the ignorant clergy,
prevented the Babis
from intercourse with the Bab and had not so
strictly repressed religious freedom, the Babis
would not have remained ignorant of the ordinances and brilliant character of
the Bab, and
fought in self-defence, as required by their former
religion. How is it that the Behais, while their
number is now greatly multiplied and they are far
more persecuted by the Government than the former Babis, instead of defending
themselves, do
not even complain of any injustice? Why is it
that their endurance and self-restraint is a matter
of amazement to strangers, and their good conduct universally approved by all
nations? It is
because they are commanded to obey the Government and to love the people of
the world.
Through Beha-Ullah's teachings the roses of
grace and compassion have grown up in the
grounds of their hearts, instead of the thorns of
enmity and hatred, and by Him the breeze of obedience and peace has replaced
whirlwinds of de-
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              81

fence and resistance. So the Behais have increased and their tranquility,
dignity and constancy become renowned throughout all regions
and climes, while obedience to government, love
and brotherhood with all the different nations
have become their obligatory belief."
To sum up; Mirza-Abul-Fazl submitted these
points to him with all sincerity and truthfulness, so that, if he had not been
embittered with fanaticism through the influence
of the clergy, he would have been able to
greatly benefit himself and the Persian Government, and would have made the
royal family an object of real allegiance to the people
of Beha. But, alas, the hearts of some of the
leading men of state were so filled and saturated
with ignorant bigotry that no miracle could
move them, much less the words of a man like
Abul-Fazl, who at that moment was a prisoner
in their hands, and his life dependent upon their
immediate verdict. But the author has since
learned, through numerous evidences, that although at that time the Prince was
prevented by
prejudice from realizing the truth of his words,
yet now, twenty years after that event, he is sure
of the fact that all this was said in sincerity,
loyalty and allegiance, and were it not for
fear of the extreme fanaticism of the clergy and
the people, he would acknowledge this to be
true. In the same year the author and twentyfour other Behais were confined in
the house of
this Prince, and during most of the days and
82        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
nights held two hours' intercourse with him. The
only praiseworthy quality witnessed in this Prince
was that he would converse with a prisoner with
the utmost quietness and composure, without feeling offended or becoming
irritated. In fact, he
exhibited a great power of control, so that he
could conceal hostility and rancour under the
cover of outward cheerfulness and calmness;
and disguise the most violent kind of hard-heartedness and asperity in the
garb of compassion and
mercy. It was due to these characteristics that
the author and the other Behais, who were men
of learning, had the opportunity of talking with
him upon these subjects, and did not refrain from
giving him admonition and advice, as is the duty
of righteous souls. The purpose of this digression and deviation from our
general subject of
the laws and. ordinances, is to make men o{
perception realize the result of the utterances
of the Blessed Perfection, and understand how
rapidly the Divine laws proved effective and
penetrative in reforming the characteristics of
the Behais.    For it is not an easy matter that
a community of recent organization, composed
of different peoples and assemblages, scattered
in various lands, should be so trained and
supported by their leader that during the
forty years of His appearance among: them
nothing contrary to the laws of governments
should proceed from them, and that none
should be accused of evil deeds or bad morals.
When a man of insight considers the heavenly
His Holiness Beha-U1lah.                83

laws and regulations of fonner Divine religions, he
will find them divided into three classes in relationship with their objects.
The first class contains ordinances which refer to the duty of a servant to
thank, praise and supplicate his Creator,
so that his heart may be purified and his soul and
conscience sanctified. Thus the truth of all things
may be reflected in the pure and clear mirror of
this servant, and he may be led to the true realization of a position of
perfect obedience to the principles of religious doctrines. Such ordinances
are communes, prayers, thanksgivings, praises
and other devotional acts which are the pillars of
every religion. For without these the love of
God and fear of Him, which are the solid foundation of humanity, cannot be
realized, nor can a
perfect faith upon which is based the penetration
of the Word, its prevalence, and the formation of
morals, be secured. "Adore Thy Lord, so that
real certainty may overtake Thee." In the line
of such devotional acts, after enacting laws of
prayer, fasts, pilgrimage and alms-giving, which
He has explained in detail in His Tablets, the
Blessed' Perfection has revealed great numbers of
invocations and communes. In all of these, He
has commanded the Worshippers to entreat God
to beautify their character and endow them with
excellent virtues. In order to awaken the intelligent man, we will utilize the
following illustration.
In performing the ablution of the hands before
prayer, He has commanded the people of Beha
to recite the following:-"Oh my God, strengthen
84         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
Thou my hands to take hold of Thy Book, with
such steadfastness, that the hosts of the world will
fail to hinder it. Then protect them from disposing of any thing not owned by
them, verily
Thou art the Powerful the Mighty."
In washing the face, to repeat the following:-
"Qh my God, I have turned my face unto Thee;
illumine it with the lights of Thy Face and keep
it from turning to any but Thee." It must be
evident to men of perception who ponder over
this fact, that when the worshipper repeats these
points several times a day and begs of God their
realization in himself, he will become well-rooted
in the high qualities of steadfastness, power and
firmness in religion. Also that in abstaining from
disposing of the property of others, and in perfect
resignation unto God under all circumstances,
these qualities which are accounted as the highest
characteristics of man and effect the security of
human society will become manifest in him. The
second class comprises ordinances which, besides
the benefits they impart to society, refer to individuals. For they ordain the
virtues of cleanliness, purity, dignity, calmness, chastity, etc. God
the Almighty, in accordance with the noble and
excellent form and image of man the most
comely in the world of creation, has commanded
each soul to practice these virtues, in order that
they may be ingrafted and well rooted within him.
These excellent qualities are necessary for man,
whether he be alone or in society; whether
other men appreciate them in him or not; whether
His Holiness Beha·Ullah.              8S

they praise him for them or not; for, apart from
the benefits they impart to society, they are the
approved characteristics of true manhood. The
forcible way in which Beha-Ullah has stated the
necessity of these cleanly virtues to the people of
Beha, and the eloquent manner in which He has
demonstrated their properties and benefits, has
never before been equalled in the heavenly books
of other religions. Notwithstanding ~an's difficulty in forsaking old habits
and his natural slowness in spiritual advancement, the reformation of
the character of the Behais was perfectly effected
in a very short space of time, and their good qual·
ities witnessed in the writings of outsiders. In regard to cleanliness,
notwithstanding the manifest
advancement of some of the refined nations, it is
evident that this praiseworthy quality is still imperfect among' the masses.
In the books of the
Moslems, Jews, Zoroastrians and Hindoos, al·
though the laws of cleanliness and ordinances
concerning clean and unclean things are minutely
recorded, yet there are very few of these people
who are really cleanly. But many who pretend
and affect cleanliness and purity, shunning those
outside their religion and abstaining from touching' certain animals, appear
in the most impure
clothing and bodies. Oftentimes they have carried
this artificial idea of cleanliness to the extremes
of insanity and melancholy. Stories and romances
illustrating this subject furnish extraordinary records of a kind of acquired
insanity which is amazing to people of intelligence.
86        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
Although the American and European Christians, more particularly the
inhabitants of HoI-
land, France, England and Germany, are far more
advanced than other nations in the cleanliness of
their persons, clothing, residences, roads and
streets, yet they do not deem it necessary to
cleanse the soil of impurities, unless they cause
visible dirt. For in the New Testament no command is definitely given to avoid
that which is
filthy and impure. Consequently, one who has a
conception of real cleanliness would not hesitate
to conclude that perfect cleanliness as a practice
is in its infancy, even among the most refined nations of the world, awaiting
the time when God
the J}xalted, shall bring it to the highest pitch of
perfection. Now, in order to show forth the
abundant and perfect benefits of God in this great
dispensation, to protect people from the melancholic imaginations of former
nations and deliver
more than one-half of the popUlation of the earth
from an acquired insanity, the Blessed Perfection
has pronounced all things clean. At the same
time He has emphatically commanded all to
avoid everything filthy and to cleanse dresses,
bodies and household furniture, etc., from every
pollution. He has revealed these ordinances in
the Book of Akdas and numerous Tablets, so that
real cleanliness and perfect purity, which are high
attributes of heavenly souls, may shine forth
throughout all regions, and reach the highest
zenith of perfection among all nations. Thus it
is revealed in the Book of Akdas:-"Oeanse
His Holiness Beha-IDlah.                         87

every impure thing with a water which will not
change by the 'three' (color, taste, smell);
beware not to use a water which is infected by
the air (stagnant) or by any other thing. Be
the essence of cleanliness among mankind. This
is that which your Master, the Mighty, the Wise,
has desired for you. Thus, God hath removed the
decree of uncleanliness from all things, and from
other nations, as a gift from God. Verily, He is
the Forgiving, the Beneficent. All things are
being submerged in the Sea of pureness. In the
first (Day) of Rizwan,· when We manifested Ourself to all in the world with
Our most Comely.
Names and Our exalted Attributes, all things have
been submerged in the Sea of pureness. This is
through My Favor, which surrounds all the creatures, so that they may consort
with all religions,
and deliver the Cause of your Lord the Clement.
Verily, this is ,he Crown of all deeds, were ye of
those who know I And the great pureness was
commanded and cleansing from dust; how much
more from solid impurity and other things? Fear
God, and be of the pure ones I Whosoever has impurity upon his clothing, his
prayer will not ascend
to God, and the Heavenly Concourse will shun him.
Make use of rose-water, and also pure attar. This
is what has been pleasing to God from all eternity,
so that what is wished by your Lord, the Mighty,
the Wise, may be diffused from you."
In another place of the same book, He says:-
-oza the lint day Of tbe F~...t of RIIl.an, the BI_ed P~rfecUoD
proDOunced all th\Dp pure.
88        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
"Beware lest heedlessness may prevent you from
what you have been commanded by the Mighty,
the Great I Immerse yourselves in pure water; a
water which has been used is not allowable. Beware not to approach the
reservoirs of the baths·
in Persia. Whosoever goes near to them will inhale a foul smell even before
entering therein. 0
people, turn aside from them and be not of the
debased ones! Verily, it is like unto foul
matter, were ye of those who know I Likewise,
forsake the foul tanks (in/the houses), and be of
those who are pure. Verily, we have desired to
see you the manifestations of Paradise on earth,
so that there may emanate from you that whereat
the hearts of the near ones shall rejoice. Whosoever pours water upon himself
and thus bathes
his body, it is sufficient, and he does not need to
be immersed therein. Verily, God hath desired to
make things easy for you.. as a favor. so that you
may be of those who are thankfu1."
It is necessary to explain these points, so that
the inhabitants of America and Europe, who,
owing to the universal spread of civilization
during the last century, enjoy all the benefits of
cleanliness, neatness, and protection from fatal
epidemic diseases resulting from uncleanliness,
may become cognizant of the disasters of the
Orient, and be informed of the reason why such
ordinances have been revealed. For except one
is acquainted with the foulness of the waters of
the public baths of Persia, the putrid tanks of
their houses and mosques, the impurity of the
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              89

drinking water of the inhabitants of Bokhara and
other vast countries of Tartary; and understands
how cleanliness and neatness are neglected by
these two great nations, it is impossible to realize
the Bounty of God the Exalted, Who has revealed
such ordinances, or to thoroughly understand the
necessity of these laws. For it is customary with
the Persian people to have but one public bath for
every district which contains from one thousand
to fifteen hundred houses, and their means of
bathing and cleanliness is confined to this one
bath. It consists of two houses, built of stone,
brick and cement; one for disrobing, the other
containing the hot bath, for bathing and cleansing their bodies. At one side
of the latter, there
is a reservoir of hot water, about three metres in
length and breadth and one metre and a quarter
in depth. All the inhabitants immerse and wash
themselves in this hot reservoir, and there are
usually from five to ten men in it, some of them
sound in body, others afflicted with all sorts of
fatal diseases. When leaving the reservoir, they
seat themselves upon the floor, and by means of
hand sacks and black porous stones, they cleanse
their bodies. They are frequently shaved and dye
their hair in the same place. Then washing themselves with soap, they take a
final plunge into the
same reservoir, the water of which is the foulest
and most impure thing imaginable; and then leave
the bath. Such are the baths used by fifty millions of Shi'ites who inhabit
Persia, Turkestan and
India. The reservoirs of Bokhara and Tartary,
90         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
which contain the drinking water of the inhabitants, are 'also used for
bathing and cleansing, like
the Persian baths. In these countries a pond is
built at different places in every town and village
and surrounded with mulberry trees, etc. In
these ponds, the inhabitants perform their ablutions and expectorate, while at
the same time they
wash their feet and handkerchiefs therein. The
decaying leaves and fruits of the surrounding
trees also fall into them. This same water is used
by the inhabitants, for drinking and cooking.
Very often the water in these tanks becomes
green, and worms are found in it, yet the inhabitants believe it allowable to
use, and it is called
"pure water" by the law. Therefore most of the
inhabitants of Bokhara are afflicted with "Filaria
medinensis," and the people of Khookand with
goitre. When men of discernment ponder
over the facts here briefly indicated, they
will be able to realize the mercy of God in institating such ordinances for
the preservation of a
community numbering over three hundred millions. For it is impossible to
change by compulsion of kings or advice of wise men, certain rooted
practices of a people who believe these practices
to be commanded by their religion. These customs and habits can only be
removed by new laws
instituted by manifestations of the Command of
God. For instance, the traditional customs of
the Jews, extracted from the Book of Meshna,
and which are not enacted in the original Bible,
could not be changed through the power of any
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              91

mighty king or sagacious philosopher. This is
also the case with the corrupt practices of the
Hindoos and Magians. To sum up; a number of
moral ordinances which secure the perfecting of
human virtues have been revealed from the Supreme Pen, but to explain their
benefits is beyond
the limits of a short treatise. The third class comprises laws and ordinances
about matters which
refer to general interests and the preservation of
society. These ordain justice, equity, faithfulness,
truthfulness, trustworthiness, chastity, etc., without which tranquility
cannot be obtained and
society cannot be preserved. This class of ordinances is vast in range, and
the majority of the
regulations belong to it. Included among them
are laws concerning business transactions, administration of government
enactments, the rights of
rulers and subjects, laws of marriage, heritage,
etc. For man has been created a social being and
his life and permanence depend upon co-operation
and society. Therefore, the institutors of divine
laws have assigned the greater part of them to
administrative affairs, and have considered the assistance, advancement and
development of the
people as the most important part of their mission. Moreover, the author
believes that religion
is none other than an institution which secures
the preservation and advancement of society. As
human minds are discordant, and as it is usually
impossible for the possessors of sound minds to
agree upon that which will secure the protection
and development of peoples, therefore God the
92         His Holiness Beha-UUah.
Exalted, has assigned the enactment of such laws
to the Manifestations of His Own Command.
These Holy Souls, through their divine perception, enact rules and regulations
by which the support and progress of society is accomplished and
advanced for about one thousand years. Then,
in accordance with the law of progression and decline, which is one of the
essential decrees of the
world of Nature, the same Divine spirit will be
manifested in another Manifestation Who renews
these laws and regulations. From the above
statement it is now evident that religion includes
the preservation of these laws and rules, as well
as attaining the knowledge of the source
and fountain-head thereof. Therefore, the life
and sustained vitality of nations can only be assured by appreciating this
great gift. Mere faith
in religion, without observing its laws and ordinances, can by no means secure
our salvation and
emancipation. Even love for God, without com-
. pliance with His laws and commandments, which
form the cornerstone of all religious ordinances,
will be considered as mere imagination and sheer
pride. From this it is also understood that any
nation which ignores and disobeys these holy
laws, refusing to acknowledge the Dawning-place
thereof, is a dead nation and will be finally extinguished and destroyed; even
though it may have
prevailed oyer the dominions of the east and west,
and been honored by brilliant learning, glorious
influence and powerful armies. This is made
clear bv reflecting upon the rise and fall of the
His Holiness Beha-U11ah.              93

Pharaohs of Egypt, the Pagan Cresars of Rome,
the Keyanian kings of Persia, the Yemen princes
of ancient Arabia, and the kings and descendants
of Gengiz-Khan the Mongol. But whatever nation acknowledges a Holy
Manifestation and
obeys His Holy Law, will become a living nation,
and enjoy victory, permanence, influence, and
fame; even though it may seem, at the beginning,
weak, oppressed, and few in number. This point
was vividly illustrated in the Israelites at the Appearance of Moses; in the
Christians at the Advent of Christ; and in the Arabs at the Rise of
Mohammed.
The author submits that the Beauty of EI-Abha
(Exalted is His Glory!) has enacted laws and regulations concerning every
point or subject referring to the preservation of society and the perfecting
of human virtues; greater laws than which
cannot be imagined by the possessors of intelligence. They concern manners and
conditions of
mutual intercourse, the founding of administrative organizations, the mutual
rights of rulers and
subjects, the spread of knowledge, respect due to
philosophers and learned men, commands to refrain from rebellion against kings
and princes,
obedienc~ and reverence to parents, the laws of
marriage, and the mutual rights of the wife and
husband, laws of inheritance and other regulations. It is only through such
laws that the union
and harmony among nations of different religions
and tongues can be effected; for, in enacting laws
upon every subject, He has taken two points into
94         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
consideration. First, that obeying and carrying
them into practice may be possible for all peoples,
notwithstanding the difference of their countries.
Second, that they may not excite selfish prejudices and fanaticism. Through
these laws, the
breezes of ideal mercy and compassion will blow
through hearts and souls, and the lights of real
humanity will shine forth from all breasts. Thus,
through the assistance of God, the spirit of disunion, discord and hostility
which divides nations,
will be removed, and all the earth wilt be considered as one Paradise and one
home. For instance,
as we have already stated, Beha-U1lah has not only
forbidden all evil acts in detail (such as murder,
backbiting, cursing, etc.), but He also has commanded that no one should open
his mouth in selfglorification, or interfere with the affairs of others;
because this would offend souls and grieve hearts,
and finally end in inharmony and discord.
In order to cause the spread of learning and enlightenment, He has made it
incumbent to
educate children of both sexes, and to train
them in lofty morals. Should anyone disregard these commands, and neglect the
training of his children, the Government shall educate
and train them in the schools, and assess the expenses upon the father. Should
the father be
poor, the Government must furnish the funds out
of the money given to God, according to the law
instituted in the Book; so that excellent morals
may be universally spread throughout the world,
and praiseworthy qualities may be firmly im-
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.              9S

planted in the hearts of both sexes from their
childhood. He has so emphasized this command
to educate children, that no righteous man will
fail to realize the necessity of complying with it.
He has included the teachers of children in the list
of heirs, so that their care and fatherhood may be
ever appreciated by the world, and they may be
encouraged to educate their pupils. The substance
of what He has said in the book of Akdas upon this
subject is as follows :-"Whosoever educates one
of the children of the people who love God, it is as
though he has educated one of the branches of the
Blessed Divine Tree, and he is worthy of praise,
blessing and mercy of God." When one reflects
upon this point, he will find that as God has
strictly commanded the spread of enlightenment
and education, and as the power of the Word of
God will assist it, this law of educating children
will cause the removal of the darkness of ignorance and barbarity from all
regions of the world,
and the promise of God, "The earth shall be illumined with the light of its
Lord," will be clearly
realized.
In connection with occupations and professions,
He has said that God the Almighty has, during
this great Manifestation, made it obligatory for
all to occupy themselves in professions which are
praiseworthy, such as trade, agriculture, handicraft, etc. He has also stated
that gaining one's
living through means which benefit society is
considered as worshipping God the Exalted. He
has re-enforced this command by enjoining upon
96        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
the people of Beha, abstinence from monkhood,
Sufi'ism, and retirement, as well as from ascetic
discipline. He has commanded them to marry
and to be engaged in the spread of knowledge
which leads to the prosperity and welfare of peoples, and the restoration of
the world. He has
clearly demonstrated to intelligent men, that
corruptions of Divine Religions, and the appearances of ruinous, discordant
beliefs, divisions, sects and heresies, have been invented
worships resulting from Sufi'ism and asceticism.
For when, like a paralysis, such practices afflicted
any religion or people, enthusiasm, fervour, high
understanding and perception were destroyed.
and lethargy. inactivity and seclusion established
instead. This finally led to heretical worships
and beliefs, and the corruption and destruction of
the religion. Indeed, if we consider the manner
of the rise of monkhood in Christianity and
Sufi'ism in Islam, we readily understand that their
origin was the Platonic philosophy. The dread·
ful wars, fictitious beliefs and practices which
arose during the existence of Christianity and
Islam, dividing these two religions into numerous sects and causing great
national calamities, were clearly the results of monkhood and
Sufi'ism. We must then realize the great Favor
which God has shown to the Behais, and appreciate the great benefits of this
strict command for
all the peoples of the world. For during the last
centuries preceding the appearance of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the flourishing nation of Greece was
His Holiness Beha-U1lah.              97

renowned for its abundance of knowledge and
wisdom, and its extensive glory and empire. The
Greek dominion prevailed in Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the coasts of the
Red Sea, and a
great number of the learned men of this nation inhabited these countries. This
naturally caused
the spread of Greek learning among their inhabitants. In those days the Greek
philosophy was
divided into two main branches, each of which
contained great philosophers and men of learning.
First was the Platonic philosophy, which was
founded upon abstaining from physical luxuries
and perfecting spiritual virtues. That is, a seeker
of perfection and of the highest degree of advancement should forsake every
material delight
and shun worldly occupations; he should dwell in
retirement and seclusion; should practice meditation, reflection and
mortification, such as
vigils, abstinence and perseverance in prayer and
recitations. By this his spirit may ascend to the
Supreme Kingdom, and, before his natural death,
he may dwell in Heaven by suffering this kind of
voluntary death. According to the terms and
teachings of this philosophy, he may thus be associated and in close communion
with the Divine
Essence, the Identity of God. Apparently this
kind of philosophy was transported to Greece
from the Brahman ascetics of India, and by them
injected into Greek Sabeanism. For during a
long period the learned men of India have been
renowned for this line of wisdom, and have been
engaged in severe discipline, seclusion and retirement.
98         His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
The second branch was the Aristotelian philosophy, which was based upon
understanding the
reality of things by proving and examining causes
and reasons, and by resting upon rational arguments and logical syllogisms.
This theory
taught that men of learning, in order to become
true philosophers, should trust in clear and conclusive arguments, follow the
reasons and causes
of beings and effects, and look into the origin of
things with the utmost freedom, in order that
they may attain the knowledge of real facts. According to the author's belief,
this branch of
learning was brought to the Greeks from the Persians. For it is an
indisputable fact to the oriental historians, that when Alexander the Great
of Macedonia subdued the Keyan Dynasty and
conquered the Persian countries he commanded
their Zoroastrian religious books, which, according
to his belief, were contradictory to the Pagan Sabean religion, to be burnt
and destroyed; but their
scientific books, which contained all sorts of learning, he ordered to be sent
to Greece. Ebn-Kaldoon
of Maghreb, whom the European writers believe to
be one of the most reliable historians of the 14th
century, says in the 13th chapter of the 6th part
of the first book of his well-known history, after
speaking of the conquest of Sa'd-Ebn-Kakkas, the
Arab general, over Persia, the fall of the Sassanide
Dynasty, and the burning 'of the Persian books according to the command of the
Mohammedan
Khalif Omar, son of Khattab, as follows;-
"Verily, this learning reached Greece from Persia
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.             99

when Alexander slew Darius, subdued the Keyan
Dynasty, and disposed of an indescribable quantity of their books. When the
land of Persia was
conquered (in the days of Omar), and considerable numbers of books were found
there, Sa'd-
Ebn-Abi-Wakkas wrote to Omar for instructions
to carry them to the Mussulmans. Omar
wrote him orders to throw them into the water;
for, he said, 'if these books contain guidance, God hath guided us to a
greater guidance
(the Koran), and if they are misleading, God hath
protected us therefrom.' Then these books were
thrown into the water and fire, and thus the Persian learnings were destroyed
and did not reach
us."
When, according to historians, Christ appeared
330 years after Alexander, and His blessed Cause
subdued great nations through the Heavenly
Power, a considerable number of pure souls from
Greece, Rome, and Syria embraced His Religion.
In those days Greek Philosophy had a great renown in Egypt and Syria. The
famous schools of
Alexandria were the headquarters of students, and
the fame of the Platonists, Stoics, Academics, and
Eclectics was extended throughout east and
west. Consequently, when, in the 2d Century,
some of these philosophers, including Athenagoras, Pantaenus, Oem ens and
other great men,
were converted, they became the most famous
Christian philosophers. Among them was Ammonius Saccas, the founder of the
celebrated
School of Alexandria, who remained a Christian
100        His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
up to his death. Also Justin, who, owing to his
abundant knowledge, purity of character and good
deeds, finally suffered martyrdom for the sake of
his Faith. As Platonism was believed by these
great philosophers to be the nearest to the purity
and chastity of Christianity, they thought it conformable to the manner of
Christian worship, and
introduced it into that Religion. They frequently
encouraged their pupils in private worship, to live
in seclusion and in deserts, and instructed them as
well as atl the Christians, in the doctrines of Plato;
demonstrating the Essence of God, the state of the
soul after leaving the body, and in his teachings
concerning angels, etc. Thus Platonic philosophy
became graduatly the accepted belief of Christian
people. Asceticism and abstinence from worldly
occupations was deemed the most excetlent act of
worship. As people do not usually practice moderation in anything, but carry
every habit and custom to excess, either through prejudice, love of
notoriety, or by inadvertence, this indulgence in
asceticism and self mortification finatly waxed so
great that a considerable number in Europe, Asia,
and Africa, notably in Egypt and Syria, went into
the wilderness, and wandered in plains and deserts
like wild beasts, without any fixed dwelling-place.
Most of them lived upon herbs, shrubs, roots, and
the barks of trees. Finatly, monkhood grew out of
this great spiritual wisdom,-the Platonic philosophy,-and numerous classes of
monks and hermits were founded. In the 4th Century these
monks were particularized by distinctive names.
His Holiness Beha-U11ah.             101

Such were the Cenobites, who lived and ate t()o
get her in the same house and worshipped in company; the Eremites, who led a
solitary life, dwelling in hovels or cells: the Anchorites, called
Vagrants, who roamed about desert places with
no kind of shelter and made their living without
labor, by pretended miracles, theft and other impositions, not averse to any
kind of corruption or
sin. During the 5th Century the chief among
these classes laid down certain regulations for
themselves, and became known by the name Augustinians and Basilians. Likewise,
century after
century, new names and branches of heretical beliefs were established, such as
the Benedictines,
etc. In the 6th Century this order had such
great renown that, according to the record of
Moshein, whole armies of monks were enrolled
in it. The orders of Dominicans, Franciscans,
Capuchins, Carmelites and Mystics were also established in the medireval
centuries of Christianity. Their deeds and customs are clearly recorded
in church histories. The Dominican monks led
the horrible Council of Inquisition in burning and
destroying hundreds of thousands of persons and
in confiscating and pillaging the property of one
million widows and orphans. These monks, in
hard-heartedness and atrocity, far surpassed Genghiz and Tamerlane, who left
such evil records in
history. Later, the order of Jesuits, the records of
whose lives are medleys of light and darkness, benefits and losses, was
founded. The
Jesuits were an object of awe to the govern-
10:1      His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
ment and people, whose thoughts were occupied in
preserving themselves against this numerous and
impertinent army of monks. The introduction of
Sufi'ism into Islam also resulted from the Platonic
philosophy. In the first and second centuries of
Mohammed, His religion was promulgated in
vast and extensive countries of Asia, Africa and
some parts of Europe. The tyrannical, usurping
Arab Khalifat then gained its importance and
prevalence. Abbaside Khatifs in the east and the
Omayad Khalifs in the west, as well as their subordinate kings and princes,
exerted themselves to
the utmost in spreading learning and sciences and
in the increase of culture and the arts. The object
of this was both to satisfy the people's need of
knowledge and to protect their dominion from decline and downfall. Especially
Ma'moon-el-Rashid,
the most valiant, cultured and famous of the Khalifs, assembled a meeting of
men of learning at
Baghdad, and commanded them to translate into
Arabic the scientific books of the philosophers of
Greece; Persia and Chaldea. He indicated more
especially the Greek text-books upon nature, theology, medicine, ethical
philosophy, astronom},geometry, etc. Consequently, the Aristotelian and
Platonic systems were introduced into Islam in
like manner as into Christianity, and were taught
by the Mohammedan doctors under the names of
Illuminati and Peripatetic. This divided the religion into numerous sects.
From the scientific
philosophy held by the followers of Aristotle,
which is based upon argument and demonstration,
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.             103

appeared the different sects of Mo'tazaleh, Karrameyeh, and Ash'arieh. From
the ethical philosophy of Plato, which taught seclusion and abstinence from
worldly affairs and luxuries, appeared
the Sufis and Illuminati. Also different subclasses and branches appeared from
Sufi' ism,
such as Kadareyeh, Shazeleyeh, Naksh-bendeyeh,
Cheshteyeh, etc., among the Sunnites; and the Jelalis, Nemat 'Ullahis,
Haydaris, Aveysis and others
among the Shi'ites. On one hand, the appearance
. of these sects in Islam caused the fall and extinction of other useful
sciences, such as physics, astronomy, geometry and geography; and on the
other hand, they entailed wars and administrative
divisions. Thus were created heretical beliefs and
abominable practices. Men were led to seeking
help from Sufi Sheiks and leaders, giving rise to
spurious claims to Mahdihood. In short, Sufi'ism
brought the same calamities and evils into Islam,
which were caused by monkhood in Christianity.
Although monkhood occasioned civil wars and religious disasters in
Christianity, yet a great many
of the learned monks left worthy memorials in the
Christian world, and different branches of sciences
and arts were indebted to their labors and
writings. Maltibran, the Frenchman, writes in
his Geography as follows:-
"The perfection of the science of Geography
and the removal of former mistakes, appeared
from the habit of the monks." Thus this writer
has acknowledged their labors. Those who study
the general history of the world clearly realize
104        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
the great pains and efforts put forth by learned
monks in upholding and spreading Christianity, in
eradicating fictitious Pagan beliefs, and in writing
excellent scientific books. But from the 7th Century A. H. onward, nothing
appeared from the
dervishes and Sufis, except smoking hashish, inactivity, mendicancy,
indolence, seclusion, public and
private recitations, playing tambourines, ridiculous dances, etc., instead of
acts of worship.
To set forth the life and circumstances of each
one of these classes would need special volumes,
so that their historical result might be clearly realized by men of
discernment, and the minds of wellinformed people be awakened.
The above-mentioned points show the effects
which followed the appearance of monkhood and
Sufi'ism in the Divine Religions, and enable us to
realize the great Bounty of God the Exalted, who
has forbidden these corruptions during this Manifestation. For if the
prohibition of invented worships and asceticism had been clearly revealed in
the Heavenly Books of former nations, people
would never have introduced such things into Divine Religion, nor would they
have practised severe discipline or ascetic acts which were not commanded in
the Divine Word.
One point that must not pass unnoticed by the
men of learning is, that what has been mentioned
concerning the abominable acts of the Christian
monks and Mohammedan Sufis, does not refer to
all of them. For there is no doubt that among
them have appeared a few in every century who
His Holiness Beba-U11ab.             105

have been engaged in worship and devotion with
all sincerity of intention and purity of mind; men
who have occupied themselves in a God-like spirit
to educate youth and to beautify both their own
character and that of others. Therefore the Lord
Beha-Ullah has revealed passages in some of His
Tablets, the essence of which is as follows:-
"Those devouts and disciplined ones who, sincerely, for the sake of God, have
practised separation (from the world) and devotion; all their deeds
and devotional acts have attained the acceptance
of God the Exalted. But they must henceforth
leave cells of retreat for the open (ordinary
dwellings), and be occupied in that which will
profit people. N or must they refrain from marriage which causes procreation
and multiplication
of the servants (of God)."
To sum up; during this Holy Manifestation,
clear laws and regulations have been instituted
concerning the deeds and actions of men, so that
the servants (of God) may act with clear perception under all circumstances,
and that they may
not be tempted or deluded by the imaginations,
superstitions and theological vagaries of the ignorant doctors and divines.
Beha-Ullah has commanded the people of Beha to refer to the Book
for the rules of action, devotion and conduct. But
there is a certain class of laws which must vary
according to the differences of times and circumstances. These laws, He has
commanded, shall
be instituted by the Houses of Justice (established
in every country, city and government), according
106        His Holiness Beha-U11ah.
to the necessities of the times. He has made obedience to these laws
obligatory, so that Religion
may not become a plaything of divines and
of those who seek leadership. To fully set
forth these points is far beyond the limits of this
short account, but, God willing, they will be explained in full particulars,
at some future date.
No such effect as that produced by the Divine
Verses of this Great Manifestation, in attracting
the hearts and souls of men, has been witnessed in
any former Manifestation and past religion. For
the Word of God proved so effective in those who
believed in it, that they endured all sorts of calamities, gave up their
lives, and were bathed in their
own blood, without recanting or lamenting. To
reflect upon this will also make men realize how
much greater is this cause than that of former
Manifestations. For during the Manifestations of
Moses and Christ no one ever gave his life for the
sake of the Lord, while the Sun of Truth was
shining and the Manifestation of God lived among
men. But in this Manifestation people vied with
each other in offering their lives, and displayed
the utmost endurance and composure in the time
of persecution. They sacrificed themselves with
all cheerfulness and joy, in love for the "Beloved
of the creatures." For instance; in the earlier
years after Beha-Ullah's declaration, they arrested
a youth of Zanjon, by name Mirza N ejef Ali, who
was a ~essenger of Beha-Ullah. He was on his
way from Kashan to Teheran, accompanied by a
dervish whom he supplied with food and travelling
His Holiness Beha-Ullah.             10 7

expenses. When they reached Teheran the dervish informed the Government that a
Behai messenger had arrived with mails. Accordingly he
was arrested, branded with red-hot irons for several days and afflicted with
all kinds of torture.
Finally, as he would neither deny his religion nor
recant, they beheaded him and dragged his corpse
along the ground to the place of the gallows. In
each year similar cases occurred, which served but
to attract the hearts of the people.
A very striking event which happened later was
the martyrdom of Wargha and his little son Mirza
Rouha'llah. It is a matter of amazement to men
of perception, when they reflect upon the great
self-restraint and endurance of these two holy
souls and the hard-heartedness of the wicked.
Wargha the Martyr was learned and a venerable
man, expert in medical science and well versed in
literature and composition. He wrote poetry in
Persian with the utmost elegance and beauty.
Wargha and his little son Mirza Rouha'llah were
arrested while on their way to Teheran, in the year
18g6, for no other reason than being Behais, and
put in chains in the royal prison of Teheran. The
child, although only eleven or twelve years old,
had been educated and trained by his father and
was very intelligent. During the month of May
in the same year, Jaffar Kuli Khan, entitled
"Hajib-ed-Dawla," the chief of the prison, without
the knowledge of the Government, went one day
to the jail with several executioners, and commanded them to bring Wargha
before him. In
108           His Holiness Beha-Ullah.
the presence of the little boy they forced the head
of that great man into the hole of a torturing machine, constructed of blocks
of wood and thick
rods of iron; an apparatus in which they fasten the
feet of criminals in Persia. Then they cut his
body into pieces with a poniard. After having in
this way executed Wargha, Jaffar Kuli Khan told
the little son to repudiate his father's religion,
promising that he would then appoint him to a
high position with the sons of the Shah; otherwise
he would cause him to share the same fate which
his father had met before his eyes. Mirza Rouha'llah, whose face shone with
the light of joy and
happiness, expressing the spirit of steadfastness
and reverence, refused this proposal with the
greatest fervency and promptness, saying he
would by no means waver from the right path or
reject the Divine Religion for the sake of the transient life of this world
and its fleeting honors.
Finally, they martyred the innocent child and concealed both mutilated corpses
in a private place.
Scarcely a year passes without similar dreadful
events occurring in Persia, and the blood of these
people is still shed for the sake of the Behai Religion. Even in 1901, three
Behais were martyred in a shocking manner in Abargoo, situated
between Yezd and Isfahan. *
-'!'be DUll.. of th_ three. the full partlculan Of their mart)'rdom
aDd the Tableta reYea1e4 for them 11)' the Kuter. were MDt to me ID
l'eb.. 11102, trom Akita. By the Kuter'. eommaDd I ha,.. tl'lUalate4
aDd will pubUah them ID a HPU&te pamphlet.-TraDalator.
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.
As to the birth and life of our Lord Abdul-Beha
(Glorified is His Name) :-He was born in Te-.
heran, on the 5th day of the month Jamadi-ul-
Aval, 1260 A. H. (May 23d, 1844); the same day
in which the First Point (Exalted is His Supreme
Name) had declared Himself. He was reared in
that city under the training of Beha-Ullah. The
author has heard from His own blessed lips, as
well as from many others, that He very often suffered persecution and
execrations, while yet a
child, from the fanatics of Teheran, during the disasters which followed the
Appearance of the Bab.
When Beha-Ullah was in chains in the Prison of
Teheran, Abdul-Beha visited Him. During the
time Beha-Ullah resided at Baghdad by command of the Persian Government, 126g
A. H.
(1852-1853), His Holiness the Master was in His
service and constantly in His Presence.
Although He had not studied in any school, yet,
from His youth, fountains of knowledge flowed
in His fluent explanations. The first trace which
emanated from His Holy Being in the world of
knowledge was the treatise He wrote in His early
youth at Bag-hdad. This was a commentary upon
the holy tradition :-"1 was an invisible Treasury;
as 1 loved to be known, therefore 1 created men to
know Me." He wrote this commentary in answer
110        His Holiness Abdul-Beha.
. to the request of one of the Pashas. The author
was present at a meeting, when some one asked
Haji-Seyd-Jawad Taba-Tabay of Kerbela concerning the life of Beha-Ullah. The
great Seyd
answered :-"That Holy Being must be a Shining
Light whose great Son hath written such a treatise
during his childhood." By this the learned Seyd
meant that while it is impossible even for a scholar
to show forth such great knowledge, how much
more impossible would it be for a person to write
such a treatise in his childhood without having
studied. Therefore, such knowledge is heavenly
and not earthly; it is Divine wisdom, not human,
and it owes its origin to the Holy Spirit of God.
Thus, even in His childhood, the signs of grandeur and dignity were manifest
from His brow and
He showed forth phenomenal intelligence and wisdom. His wonderful speech in
explaining abstruse points, astonished men of intelligence, and
His marvellous eloquence everywhere attracted
hearts and souls. His acute judgment was a brilliant lamp in elucidating
intricate obscurities and
His penetrative discernment in managing and deciding different affairs,
improved the condition of
young and old. He was the companion of Beha-
Ullah, and the sharer of His afflictions during His
successive banishment from Baghdad to Constantinople, thence to Adrianople,
and finally to
Akka. All the people of Beha resorted to Him in
their difficulties and obeyed His decision.
More especially during the twenty-four years of
Beha-Ullah's residence at Akka, the troubles of
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.                III

Abdul-Beha were so great that no one but Himself could have endured such
calamities. The very
fact that Akka was a place of exile for Turkish
suspects and prisoners, meriting the name "Great
Prison," given to it by the Supreme Pen, is a sufficient testimony of the
tribulations and vicissitudes
which Abdul-Beha has suffered. For, as we have
formerly remarked, Beha-Ullah, during His residence at Akka, would not, as a
rule, converse with
any save the Behais, unless some one especially
asked permission to visit Him. His Holiness
Abdul-Beha, however, held intercourse with all the
men of different religions, aims, tastes, characters,
and degrees, and each one would submit to Him
his individual wishes. Consequently, different
classes and nationalities of Moslems, Christians,
Behais, Arabs and Turks, as well as Persians belonging to the governing and
learned classes,-
likewise great merchants and people of the lower
orders,-visited Him from early morning until
midnight. Some of them sought His presence for
the benefit of His spiritual explanation; others
for their personal affairs and requests. Anyone
informed upon the manners of oriental governments, and thoroughly acquainted
with the conditions of the inhabitants of those countries, will realize the
great difficulties which surrounded that
Holy Being. He, under all circumstances, would
receive the people with a cheerful face, and endeavor as far as possible to
grant their wishes and
assist them. Even in the present day, His Holiness is the resort of the people
of that land, and all
III       His Holiness Abdul-Beha.
refer their wishes and hopes to Him. He is a physician to every invalid, a
shelter to every exile, a
refuge to every seeker for help, and a dispeller of
sorrow to every grieved soul. As God knows and
witnesses, the author, during the ten months he
stayed as guest in His beneficent shelter, can testify that even those
fettered in the jail and deprived of seeing the daylight, received His
benefits and favors; and exiles forsaken in the cells of
oblivion were visited by Him. These excellent
characteristics were inborn in Him, and no one
can show forth such virtues through imitation or pretence. Even the greatest
men in
the world could not manifest their like. There is
an old proverb :-"Nothing manufactured is like
unto the natura1."
Abdul-Beha was named Mirza-Abbas after His
grandfather, but subsequent to their arrival at
Baghdad He was called "His Holiness the
Master." After the declaration of the "Blessed
Perfection," He was given several lofty titles by
Him, such as "Sir 'UUah" ("Mystery of God"),
"Gusn 'Ullah 'EI-A'zam" ("Greatest Branch of
God"). By these titles He was addressed verbally and in writing by Beha-Ullah
and all the believers.
In the earlier days of Beha-Ullah's declaration,
the blessed Book of Akdas was revealed. This is
considered the greatest book of the Behais, and
contains all the Divine Laws and Ordinances.
The following irrefutable command was revealed
therein:-
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.             113

"When the sea of (My) meeting sinks, and the
book of the Origin is achieved to the end, tum ye
your faces to 'He who is desired by God'; the
One who is extended from this Ancient Root."
Likewise it is recorded in another part of the same
Book :-"When the Nightingale soareth from the
grove of Praise, and repaireth to the furthermost
concealed Destination, refer ye that which you understand not from the Book,
to the Branch extended from this Firm Root." Thus all the people
of Beha were informed of the One who will be the
"Center of the Cause of God" and their resource,
after the disappearance of the "Sun of Truth" and
the departure of the Beauty of Oneness. Thus
they have hope in and rely upon this Providence
shown forth by God the Exalted to them. They
recognize in Abdul-Beha the Expounder of the
Divine Book and the Solver of the intricate points
of the Heavenly Revelation; whose decision is
conclusive; through whose explanation every discord and divergence is removed,
and the seekers
are brought to perfect realization, accord and affinity. They thank and praise
God the Exalted,
and manifest the utmost joy and happiness at His
Appointing the Resort of the Cause of God. To
the people of Faith, the clear appointment of the
Center of the Cause, after the Departure of the
Manifestation, is considered the most important
point in religious matters, as it is the greatest
channel which connects the servants of God with
Holy and Divine Truth. For it is only through
His explanation and decision that all discord is
114       His Holiness Abdul-Beha.
removed. Consequently the Behais appreciate
the determining of the "Appointed Center" as the
greatest of the Divine Providences, and account
His blessed Being as an impregnable fortress
which protects the Divine Religion from the
doubts of the sceptic and fanciful imaginations of
men. They were all sure and convinced that the
purpose of God the Exalted, in these two blessed
Verses, has been no other than His Holiness the
Lord Abdul-Beha; for, apart from the Divine
signs that were manifest in Him, Beha-Ullah
clearly and imp~icit1y, verbally and in writing, directed all of His servants
to the blessed Person of
Abdul-Beha, and, under all circumstances, clearly
showed that He was far distinguished above
others, in order that all the servants should look
unto Him alone, and follow His Commands. But
notwithstanding all this, as Beha-Ullah foresaw,
that when His Beauty of Oneness was concealed
under the veils of disappearance, the people of
desire, through jealousy, would hold to groundless doubts and suspicions, and,
disregarding the
prohibition to interpret the Book, would divert
the real meaning of the two verses above quoted,
away from the "Appointed Center." He, therefore, prior to His Departure,
revealed the blessed
Kitab-el-' A'hd (Book of the Covenant, the Will of
Beha-Ullah). This He wrote, and sealed it with
His own blessed Hand and Seal, in order that the
darkness of discord might not again obscure the
brilliant Horizon of the Cause of God, and the calamities and disasters which
afflicted other re-
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.               liS

ligions might not overtake this movement. In this
Book (His Covenant) He clearly indicated that
the purpose of the "Branch extended from the
Ancient Root," revealed in the blessed Verse of
Akdas, was the Center of the Circle of Names, the
Exalted Branch of the Blessed Tree of Abba, His
Holiness Abdul-Beha. Then He, for the second
time, enjoined, through an unchangeable and irrefutable command, all His
"branches," "twigs,"
"relatives" and the people of Beba without exception, to look unto that
Dawning-place of Divine
Light, and to know Him as the Source and Origin
of the commands and prohibitions of the Heavenly
Religion. He desired, by this clear elucidation, to
counteract the imaginations of the ignorant, extinguish the world-consuming
flame of the jealousy and hatred of people of error, and guard the
Divine Religion from divisions and sects which
are, according to the judgment of common sense
and the clear texts of the Holy Tablets of God, the
most deplorable for religion and humanity. By
this He sought to preserve the Divine Word from
human doubts, suspicions and artifices.
But alas I All these clear texts of God, commanding people to turn to the
Day-spring of the
Light of the Covenant, did not check the evil
thoughts of the people of discord; and His repeated exhortations and advices
did not soften
the hard hearts of the men of hostility, nor prevent
them from ruinous discords and divisions. For
when, in May, 18g2 A. D. (2nd Zul-Ka'da, 1309
A. H.), Beha-Ullah ascended to His Most Holy
116       His Holiness Abdul-Beha.

Station, and nine days after His Departure, the
Book of the Covenant of God was chanted in the
Holy Tomb in the Assembly of Believers, the gloom
of animosity and disappointment became instantly
manifest upon the faces of those who had groundless pride and desire for
leadership, and who
sought to raise discord and contradiction. On
the other hand, cheerfulness and joy were manifest in the shining faces of
those who had no desire but that of seeking the Truth and telling the
Truth. Some were seated upon the right hand of
certainty, firmness and steadfastness in the solid
covenant of God, and some stood upon the left
hand of unhappiness, in their impossible desire
and erroneous thoughts. The former became distinguished for their firmness and
inflexibility;
noted for the effectiveness of their word, their
good name and success in assisting the cause,
while the latter were distinguished by their instability, degradation and
shame. From that day,
the thorn of violating the "Covenant of God" grew
in the Garden of the Behai community and the
signs of senseless hatred and hostility proceeded
from a limited number of persons who are known
as the "Nakezeen" (violators of the Covenant).
The one community of Beha-Ullah which was as
the breeze of Paradise and the fragrance of the
morn of Providence, free from the foul odors of
animosity and discord, became divided through
the evil intrigues of these few, and the Holy
Word which He had strictly forbidden to be
altered or transposed, became colored with the
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.               117

dark doubts and false interpretations of those hostile men. They spread many
false and insignificant pamphlets for the purpose of creating doubts
and sedition, and put forth all sorts of untrue accusations and calumnies.
'Fhey cursed and insulted
the visitors to the Holy Tomb of the Blessed Perfection, and made the Holy
Threshold,-which is
the Point of prayer and supplication, the Sacred
House of commune and invocation,-as a place
for distressing and confusing hearts. Finally, it
was feared that some of the youthful believers
would no longer be able to endure the evil tongues
and cursing of the N akezeen, and a disturbance
might arise which would be contrary to the tranquil disposition of the Behais
and would desecrate
the Holy Tomb. Consequently His Holiness Abdul-Beha asked the local Government
to supply a
guard to accompany the Believers upon the days
of visiting the Holy Tomb, so that they might be
protected from unseemly disturbance and be able
to engage in prayer and devotion with composure.
Although these people who violated the Covenant
received, during the life of Beha-Ullah and
after His Departure, every kindness and favor
from His Holiness Abdul-Beha, who considered their welfare and prosperity
before His
own and that of the faithful believers, yet, on account of jealousy and
selfishness, they violated
the cause of God. Thus came to pass that
which was prophesied by the Prophets,-especially
Christ,-concerning the people of the right hand
and the people of the left hand; and each will re-
118      His Holiness Abdul-Beha.
ceive the reward of his deeds according to the
justice of God. Two important points increased
the flame of the fire of jealousy in the hearts of
these Nakezeen, whose number does not exceed
thirty. One was that the Behais of all countries
refused to accept the seditious books and pamphlets forwarded to them by the
Nakezeen. According to the command of Beha-Ullah, they
unanimously determined not to pay any attention
to. these intrigues and temptations, but took shelter, with the utmost union
and harmony, under the
banner of the Center of the Covenant. Another
point was that during a short space of time the
cause of God became far more widely spread than
before, through the fluent pen and brilliant explanations of Abdul-Beha; so
the number of the Behais became enormously mUltiplied since the departure of
Beha-Ullah. The fame of the Dawning Place of the Light of the Covenant spread
throughout all regions, and His Holy Tablets became scattered as rose-petals
throughout all countries. His Great Name filled the world with
awe and the renown of His glorious deeds reached
all in the east and west. Therefore, the people
of hostility and violation availed themselves of political machinations, and
disturbed the minds and
thoughts of fanatical men in those lands, until,
finally, in 1901, the great imprisonment was renewed and the life of
Abdul-Beha became subject
to the same disasters which formerly befell Beha-
Ullah. As this extraordinary happening (the violation by the Nakezeen) is one
of the most aston-
His Holiness Abdul-Beha.               119

ishing events which human prejudice has ever created in the world, and the
author has not now
sufficient time to give it in detail, he confines himself to this short
account, while begging God to
enable him to write the full particulars at a future
time, and to bring it to the notice of the righteous.
Exordium.
In the Name of God, The Oement, The Mercifull 0 ye just ones! Verily, I praise
for you
our Lord the Behi-UI-Abha, and offer the most
excellent homage and exaltation to His Beauty,
The Most Luminous, The Most Holy, The Exalted, The Supreme; and I salute and
glorify the
excellent Branch which is extended from the Exalted Tree, the blessed
"Sadrat," planted in the
center of the "Paradise of perpetual abode"; the
Lord of mankind and the Possessor of the hearts
of the prudent. The hearts of the righteous are
forever turned unto Him, and the heads of the
holy ones are humbled before Him, so long as the
sun is shining from heaven; to Him the Birds of
Sanctity are warbling hymns of glorification and
praise.
An illustrious Command hath issued from the
Holy Court, that I should compile for you a book
for the solution of the allegories of the Heavenly
Scriptures and interpretation of the intricacies in
the texts of the Divine and Holy Writings. To
discover their hidden facts, explain the meanings
of their symbols, open their seals, reveal their purport, and unveil their
treasures; so that the gems
of their mysteries may sparkle forth, and their
precious and peerless pearls may gleam; this,
then, shall be the motive of my humble endeavor,
Exordium.                  ur

the measure of my privilege and the witness of my
obedience to the revered and authoritative Command emanating from the Court of
Holiness.
By your life, 0 ye noble, just ones I This glorious Command hath indeed moved
and rejoiced
me. The receipt of this praiseworthy Mandate
hath fortified and encouraged me to arise in compliance with the blessed and
honorable Command,
and overcome the manifold difficulties which intervene to prevent the
fulfilment of this important and serious work.
Verily, all the Heavenly Books, Writings and
Texts are songs sung by the Birds of Holiness, in
the praise of our Lord EI-Abha; hymns warbled
by the Doves of Harmony, proclaiming the signs
of His Beloved Manifestation; verses and rhythms
uttered by the Tongues of Prophets, declaring the
tokens of the Hour of the greatest Resurrection;
melodies chanted in the assemblies of the people
of Sanctity, clearly indicating the Day-Spring of
the Lights of His Covenant and Testament, The
Most Mighty, The Supreme. How excellent,
then, is the mentioning and explanation thereof I
How delightful is the interpretation and solution
thereof I How sweet is the recital and elucidation
thereof I
For this Day is no other than the end of the
ages; no other than the illumination of the horizons of earth, both east and
west, with the Lights
of the Forgiving Lord; no other than the changing of darkness into light, and
of sorrow into joy
and gladness; whereby hearts are cheered, souls
u:a                Exordium.
are tranquilized, eyes are consoled and breasts
are dilated. This is the Day of God.
Consequently we take the pen and commence
our treatise, relying, under all circumstances, upon
God the Exalted I We beseech His Lofty Threshold to render easy unto us the
accomplishment of
this glorious work, and vouchsafe the ability to
achieve it in perfect form, with speed.
N ow we place before our beloved ones certain
Introductions which may help them to apprehend
the above-mentioned hidden and veiled meanings,
and understand the symbolic aims which have been
sealed, during generations, since olden times.
First Introduction.
Explaining briefly "The Day of God" and the
realization of the mighty "Hour" ("Day of Judgment").
o ye people of Beha and companions of the
Red Ark! Know-may God the Exalted assist ye
through a spirit sent from Him I-Verily, when ye
consider carefully the announcements in the Heavenly Books and perceive the
glad-tidings in the
Holy, Divine Writings, ye will find they agree in
promising the coming of "the Day of God" and
foreshadowing the arrival of the "Hour" wherein
the Face of God will be manifested, the regions of
heavens and earths will be illuminated by His coming, all former things will
be changed by His rising,
and every sorrow effaced. The essence of all that
is recorded concerning these glad-tidings is this,
that when oppression and tyranny prevail throughout the world; when distress
and tribulations are
intensified among the nations; when divergences
of religions and creeds become grave and widespread, and the heaven of worship
of the Merciful
God is riven and overthrown; when the greed of
souls grows fierce to violate men and property;
when terrors and adversities prevail; at that time
the Divine Herald will arise, the Holy Heavenly
Spirit will descend, announcing the coming of the
Manifestation of the promised Lord and proclaiming the approach of the dawn of
the Orb of His
First Introduction.
Glorious Beauty. Then will the Path be made
plain, hearts brought nigh unto God, breasts
healed, griefs dispelled and tears wiped away.
Then will the glorious Lord arise and utter a Call
which shall shake the pillars of this lofty edifice.
He will cry out in a voice which shall fill the expanse of the world and
summon all the nations of
the earth, both east and west, to God, The
Mighty, The Glorious I Then will He institute
for them new laws, and trace out for them a
plain, direct path.
And after the setting of the Sun of His Beauty,
the breeze of His Presence being hushed, the
Glorious Branch extended from the Tree of His
Essence will arise; the dawning moon will shine
from the horizon of the Heaven of His Bounty,
diffusing the lights of His Religion, establishing
the Temple of His Worship, and sitting upon the
Throne of His Glory. His holy Word will penetrate all regions until the saying
be fulfilled,
"The earth will be illuminated with the Light of
its Lord, in the Day of Judgment."
With the rising of such Divine Souls and the
shining forth of such Heavenly Lights, the clouds
of fictitious beliefs will be dispersed and the pearls
of the Realities of Knowledge will become manifest; religious divergences will
be removed and
nations will be united in worshipping the Merciful
One. So the worship of Satan shall pass away.
In that Day, God will "make all things new." Everywhere, affairs will change,
until all parts of the
earth shall rejoice. Enlightenment, learning, arts
First Introduction.
and trades will become universal among mankind.
The remote ones of the world will be brought
nigh; nations and peoples will be harmonized; the
rancours and animosities hidden in breasts shall
be removed, and love, affection, attraction and
brotherhood become general throughout the
world. Then souls will be cheered by the wafting
of the fragrances of joy, and hearts will rejoice at
the blowing of the Breezes of Gladness. The
Lord will destroy all vestiges of tyranny, oppression and rebellion, through
His Power, and will
propagate evidences of Equity, Justice and Charity.
He will judge between nations, render justice
between people, correct souls and unite hearts.
Then the time of spoiling will pass away, and the
days of warring cease; the swords will be made
into plough-shares, the spears into pruninghooks; no nation will raise sword
against another,
and no "multitudes will wage wars together."
To resume; the Fragrances of Resurrection
will stir and the Breezes of Life will blow; the
dead will be quickened, the darkness of former
things be dispelled, and the lights of ideal virtues
will shine; the emblems of true humanity will be
raised in all places, and the Lord of Heaven and
Earth will illumine all regions, both east and west.
These are some of the signs appointed as pertaining to the Day of God, and
decreed for the Age
of the Manifestation of God, which we have
brought to your notice. Were ye to consider
them with the eye of thoughtfulness and percep-
126            First Introduction.
tion, ye would find them facts clearly recorded in
all the Books and Scriptures; written by the Pen
of God during the bygone centuries and ages.
Likewise, the clear judgment must consider the
necessity for the fulfilment of these promises and
the attainment of the world to its loftiest height.
As this, our world is created spherical as to form
and rotation, so likewise it is spherical in its physical revolutions, such as
ascent and descent, advancement and recession, progress and decline,
until God may allow its destruction and destine its
extinction. This is what is interpreted by philosophers of Divinity to be the
arc of ascent and descent of the circle of creation; and by the natural
philosophers to be the laws of development and
retrogression. As in this age our world is upon
the ladder of ascent, which fact is indisputably acknowledged by the
philosophers and scientists;
therefore it must needs ascend to its loftiest degrees of perfection, and
attain its point of equilibrium. Far be it from the Divine Wisdom and
the Sublime Heavenly Power to permit the leaves
of the Book of the Universe to remain scattered,
the Epistle of Creation mutilated, the ground of
capacities fallow, and the trees of humanity fruitless I Mankind must of
necessity reach the loftiest destination, the highest goal, the exalted
grade and supreme station.
The Guardians of the Divine Revelation
(Prophets) have interpreted this station to be "Regeneration."
First Introduction.
Then, when ye, 0 people of Beha, carefully consider the world, ye will
perceive that all the nations of the ancient world have been totally incrusted
by false worships of paganism and Sabeanism; the darleness of imaginations and
fictitious ideas has prevailed in every region, and entangling beliefs and
evil customs accumulated in
every clime. Inasmuch as the above-mentioned
nations were ignorant of the meanings and original purposes of the texts
revealed in the Heavenly Books, such as ascent and descent, return
and restitution, heaven and earth, sun, moon and
stars, resurrection, death and life, and many similar words which were upon
the lips of the prophets since the ancient days, and were uttered by
the Tongue of God from the foundation of. the
world; and as they understood such words according to their literal sense;
therefore these nations
fell into the gulf of the fictitious beliefs of paganism. Among these pagan
notions were transmigration of souls, transformation of embodiments,
worship of stars, animals and trees, services of
genii, controlling spirits and other ruinous practices and pernicious
beliefs,-which facts are evident to every informed historian, and to every
student and archa:ologist. As the gloom of
fictitious and superstitious beliefs prevailed in all
parts of the world; as the clouds of ruinous practices, the dusk of pernicious
actions, densely enwrapped all regions, and veils of suspicion hung
upon every side; and as the earth was entirely
covered by darkness upon darkness, therefore the
128           First Introduction.
prophets (peace be upon them!) have interpreted
that long duration as the "gloomy night," and the
time of its disappearance as the "bright morning,"
"the day when it shineth."
The Great Lord Moses, the "Interlocutor,"
was the first one who arose in that dark and
gloomy period, and announced to the Israelitish
people the coming termination of that long night.
He proclaimed the advent of the glorious "Day of
God." He taught them the Unity of God; made
known to them the way of worshipping God; implanted in their hearts the
expectation of the arrival of the "Day of God," and explained to them
the signs, symbols, tokens and wonders thereof.
So also in the past days, that "Abraham" who
was entitled Zoroaster, appeared in Persian regions and taught the Parsee
nation the worship
of the merciful God, abolishing idolatry from
among them, announcing the coming of the
"Hour," reminding them of the future Resurrection, explaining the signs and
tokens thereof, and
unveiling the appointed time. Moreover, he
clearly stated to them that, verily, the sun of the
promised Beauty should dawn from the horizon
: of the east, and that the blessed Sadrat would
spring forth from a well-rooted tree of Persia.
But, as at that time the darkness was overcoming
the light, and the hours of gloomy night were still
far from the dawning-place of Manifestation, the
false imaginary beliefs and pernicious worship of
paganism again prevailed even among the Hebraic and Persian nations. Thus the
worship of
First Introduction.
God was mingled with fire-worship, and the kings
of Judea and Ephraim associated with nations
rooted in paganism, such as the Egyptians, Phenicians, Assyrians, Chaldeans
and Greeks, because
the latter had assumed dominion over the lands
of Palestine and the inhabitants thereof. On this
account the Hebrews were compelled to live under
the laws of those governments, to obey their
kings, adore their demons and worship their idols.
Yet, among them, the Israelitish prophets, such
as David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah, and
others (peace be upon them I), were, during fifteen
hundred years, reminding the people of the coming of the "Day of God," and
reviving hopes in
their hearts of the "Manifestation of God." So
these prophets were, in their cycles, as beaming
stars which shone forth from the uttermost horizon of heaven; as lamps
enkindled and aflame in
the gloomy and obscure night.
In that way many generations passed, until the
glorious Saviour arose and the brilliant star
dawned from the horizon of Galilee. Then the
planet of the Son shone from among the posterity
of Abraham, the melodies of the Gospels pealed
forth and the descent of calamities upon the chil- -
dren of Israel drew nigh. Our Lord Christ (upon
Him is Glory and Grandeur I) arose and cried with
loudest voice :-"Repent ye, for the Kingdom of
God is at hand I" "Awaken and be mindful! The
Hour of the Coming of the Kingdom of God approacheth !" "Blessed are the pure
in heart, for
they shall see God I" "Blessed are the peace-
First Introduction.
makers, for they shall be called the children of
God I"
Likewise, during His lifetime, He was continually reminding them of the
approach of the
"promised Day," renewing and establishing the
Signs of the Appearance of the Beauty of the
Adored One, which had been prophesied by the
prophets of Israel.
Christ declared that in "that Day" He will sit
upon the right hand of His (the Father's) Throne;
will be authorized to make His commands effective; will be established upon
the Seat of His
Glory, and become the shepherd of His sheep,
through His Permission. He (Exalted is He I)
heralded the approach of the Great Hour, the
Mighty Day of Resurrection, until H..e ascended
to the Supreme Friend. Then Apostles arose to
spread His Cause and promote His Word, until
now all the European regions are illuminated by
the lights of His Command, and are becoming
purified from the filth of paganism.
Six centuries lapsed after the departure of
Christ, until the Beams of Dawn appeared from
Arabian horizons and the shining of Morning
Light was transmitted from the direction of
Hedjas. The greatest signs of the Hour appeared
and the mightiest Tokens of the Day of Judgment became manifest. Mohammed
arose, crying
out with the loudest call :-"The Sentence of God
will surely come (to be executed); wherefore do
not hasten it." This voice was heard from
heaven :-"The time of their accounts hath drawn
First Introduction.
nigh unto the people, while they are turning away
therefrom." He clearly stated that the gloomy
night had expired and the dawning of the Sun of
Truth from the Supreme Horizon was at hand.
Through the light of His word and the power of
His prophethood He illumined great nations and
multitudes, from the remotest parts of Africa to
the distant east; peoples who knew nothing concerning Unity and had tasted no
drop from the
fountain of Oneness; those who had denied the
Prophets and falsely accused the Chosen Ones.
The Word of Mohammed and His prophetic testi~
mony drove them out of the darkness of pagan':'
ism.toward the Light of the Worship of God.
Thus they were turned from denial of Prophets
to belief in the line of holy messengers from Adam
to Jesus the Spirit of God. Mohammed announced to them the coming of the Day
of God,
and made with them a covenant to expect the descent of the Spirit (Christ)
from the Heaven of
the command of God. But He also clearly stated
that the Precursor, who shall arise before His descent, to prepare the way
before His coming, will
come forth from His (Mohammed's) posterity;
that through Him (Christ) God will fill the earth
with equity after it had been filled with injustice,
and illuminate all regions with justice after they
had been darkened by tyranny. Then He established books of traditions and
prophecies, and
filled pages with signs arid tokens. The earth of
enlightenment rolled around its axis for 1260
years, until the Hour drew nigh and the appoint-
First Introduction.
ed time arrived. Then the Star of Guidance
dawned, the Planet of Purity shone forth, the
Fountains of Knowledge gushed out in one of the
best lands of the Orient, and the Tree of Grace
was ignited in the city of Shiraz, the chief town of
the province of Fars. The Most Great Bab
(Gate) arose, preaching to the multitudes and peoples, heralding again the
expiration of the gloomy
night, foreshadowing and clearly declaring the
coming of the great and dreadful "Day of God."
He raised this call betwixt the heaven and earth:-
"Rejoice r Rejoice r The Mom of Guidance hath
indeed appeared, the gloomy night hath cleared
away, and the Dawning of the Beauty of God, EI-
Abha is at hand. The spring-time of the Return
of the Realities of Regeneration hath come." All
regions trembled with this most sweet call and
the Resurrection appeared through the supreme
Message. The storms of oppression blew and
the whirlwinds of rancour stirred in the breasts of
religious doctors. Then the brilliant Flame was
extinguished, the spiritual Fragrance ceased and
the Beauty of the Merciful One was martyred in
the city of Tabriz, the chief town of Azerbeyjan,
under the sentence of a satanic and impious one.
Calamities and afflictions appeared, animosity and
malice showed forth and the dark clouds of discord became violent; until the
appointed time
came and the Signs of the arrival of the "Day of
God" were manifest in all directions.
Then dawned the Sun of the Beauty of the
Promised One; then rose and beamed the Orb of
First Introduction.              133

the Face of the Adored One. The Hour arrived,
the Resurrection came, the trumpet sounded and
the dawn of the Manifestation shone forth. Beha-
Ullah-EI-Abha arose; the Beauty of the Supreme
God appeared and called out with a voice that
filled all regions, causing the "seven strata of the
earth" to tremble. Now the promised God hath
indeed come, the Beauty of the Adored One hath
appeared, the appointed Day of God hath dawned
and His irrefutable and glorious Command hath
arisen. The Lord hath descended in the shadow
of clouds; the earth is shining with the Light of
the Face of its Lord, the Bestower; the Bridge is
extended, the Book is appointed, the curtain is
lifted and the veil is removed. Showers of Verses
have fallen, branches of Knowledge have put
forth leaves and become flourishing in all directions. The dead have arisen
and the lifeless are
resurrected. The rivers of Knowledge and enlightenment have flowed from His
Supreme Pen
and He hath broken the seal of the "Sealed Wine"
with His Generous Fingers. He hath explained in
His Holy Tablets the realities of the Words of
the Prophets, and hath disclosed in His precious
Writings the meanings of the symbols of the
Elect, until all the seals of the Prophets have been
opened and the aims of the Messengers become
unveiled to the possessors of pure hearts. He
instituted new laws which are destined to unite all
nations and multitudes; issued a glorious Command which will bring together
all religions and
creeds, enjoined His Saints to love all nations
134             First Introduction.
and exhorted them to serve all the people of the
world. He enacted for them devotional ordinances, such as fasting, prayer,
pilgrimage, almsgiving and other rites and ceremonies. He forbade crimes and
sins, such as murder, adultery,
theft, backbiting, lying, calumny and other iniquities and offences. He
commanded ,them to
submit to the laws of governments, urged them
to obey kings and princes and to respect those
who are good among the learned men and doctors. He exhorted them to
universally spread enlightenment, to educate their children of both
sexes and absolutely prohibited them from that
which may create oppression and hatred in the
world. He forbade them from cursing, execration, insult, strife, conflict and
all that is calculated
to separate hearts or perturb souls. He even forbade them from carrying arms
without the permission of rulers, and from everything that may
cause confusion.
During His last days He wrote the Kitab-el-
Ah'd (The Book of the Covenant, Testament or
Will) with His blessed Fingers, in which He
clearly stated and appointed the "Center of the
Covenant," directing peoples to the Orb of the
Universe. In this Book He again exhorted His
friends and followers to show forth good characteristics and noble attributes,
so that there may
appear pure and chaste souls among His believers; shining and beaming stars in
the heaven of
His Cause.
First Introduction.              135

Likewise, the torrent of His Verses and the
shower of His Graces abundantly poured down,
until the time of Disappearance drew nigh, and
the Sun of Truth was concealed in the veil of Absence. The Lord ascended to
the Supreme Court
of His Might, and His blessed Identity was hidden in His Invisible,
Furthermost Essence. This
calamitous event and lamentable disaster happened on the 2nd of the month
Zi-Ka'da, 1309 A.
H., which corresponds to the 16th of May, 1892
A. D.
When the Sun of Guidance was set and the
rustle of the Sadrat-el-Muntaha hushed, then the
Orb of the Covenant dawned and the "Moon" of
the Testament appeared with the utmost brilliancy and effulgence. The glorious
"Branch extended from the Ancient Root" arose to promote
the Word of the King of the Day of Judgment,
and now He is crying and heralding throughout
all regions :-"The Judgment of God hath come;
respond ye, respond ye unto the Call of God I
Hearken ye, hearken ye to the Melodies of God I
Inhale ye the Fragrances of God I Be illumined,
be illumined with the lights of the Face of Beha-
Ullah t The promises of the Prophets have already been fulfilled, the
prophecies of the Messengers realized; the Day of Judgment hath come,
and mankind hath stood before the Lord of the
creatures!"
After the breezes of the Testament had blown
and the Fragrances of the Covenant wafted, the
pure writings rapidly circulated and were spread
First Introduction.

throughout all regions; just as the petals of roses
are scattered in spring-time and light diffuses its
effulgence; souls were revived and breasts dilated;
"thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten
thousand ministered unto Him," and all in the
graves arose. Then the signs of violation appeared in the faces of the people
of discord, and
armies of retreat joined the ranks of the people of
opposition. Souls were taken away and branches
were cut down; those of the right hand were divided from those of the left
hand; the dwellers in
hell-fire were distinguished from the abiders in the
Exalted Heaven, and the suspicious were separated from the people of
Assurance. Blessed are
those who attain I Glad-tidings unto those who
are assured I
o people of Beha and faithful ones I Were ye
to consider, for a third time, the utterances of the
Prophets and the words of the Chosen Ones, ye
will find that not one of those who appeared before the Manifestation of
Beha-Ullah has ever
claimed to be the Greatest Manifestation of God
who should come and pacify the World,-whose
Day is the Day of God unanimously agreed upon
by all nations and peoples.
The Prophets and messengers are all manifestations of One Reality. This will
be explained in
the treatise upon "Unity."
The qualities which differentiate the prophets
and manifestations of God are their individual
characteristics and peculiarities. These distinguish them in their outward
station and function
First Introduction.                137

of manifestation, but do not affect their inner station of Reality and Oneness
with the All-Source;
and pertain to the illumination manifest in them,
but not to the Essence whence that illumination proceeds and to which they all
have the same
relationship. Forasmuch as the Essence is hidden
in its own Reality and incomprehensible in its own
innermost Identity, therefore, in order to understand these matters, a seeker
and striver after
truth must needs consider that which every
Prophet has explained in His Book concerning
His station, and understand the names and titles
which He has assigned to Himself.
As to Moses and the Israelitish prophets (peace
be upon them I), one fact is evident in their books
and prophecies. If we study the Old Testament
we find that after law, ordinances and some
prophecies concerning Tyre, Sidon, Egypt, etc.,
the only thing recorded therein is but one solid
and important message. It is this, that, verily the
Israelitish Kingdom will be utterly destroyed in
the Holy Land and the tribes will be scattered to
all parts of the earth, where they will taste the bitterness of lowliness and
abasement, and undergo
great affliction and terrible calamities. The days
of their tribulations will be prolonged, as a consequence of their sins and
crimes, until the coming
of the Lord, when He will arise to save them from
such extreme degradation, free them from captivity, gather their scattered
ones, restore to them
their fonner abodes, and plant them in their original dwellings,-an abiding
which will not be
First Introduction.
followed by any dispersion or removal, and a
growth which will not undergo any extirpation or
distress.
The Book of every Prophet, without exception,
contains clear warnings regarding the long degradation which will befall the
Israelites; announces
to them the coming of the Day of the Glorious
Lord, and their deliverance from violent torture.
Naught is heard from the books of the Old Testament except the melodies of the
Birds of Sanctity
for the Manifestation of the Beneficent Lord; the
cooings of the Doves of Peace concerning the
signs of that Great Day, and the deliverance of
the Children of Israel from painful affliction.
Therefore, it is not possible to consider the appearances of these Prophets to
be the Manifestation of the Promised Lord, nor their days to be
the Day of the Glorious Lord.
As to Christ (Glory be to Him I), He did not
claim that His appearance was that of God; nay,
rather, He clearly stated Himself to be the Son
of God. N either did He claim His day to be the
Day of God, but expressed Himself as a herald of
its coming and approach, as is shown by His
words :-"Repent ye, for the Kingdom of God is
at hand." Nor did He announce to the Israelites
any honor and dominion, but rather warned them
against the approach of their long abasement and
violent desolation, as is clearly shown in the Gospel of St. Matt. (ch.
xxiii., 37-39):-"0 Jerusalem,
Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and
stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often
First Introduction.               139

would I have gathered thy children together, even
as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings,
and ye would not I Behold, your house is left
unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall
not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed
is he that cQmeth in the name of the Lord."
Whosoever studies and searches the texts of
the Gospels and the Epistles of the Apostles, will
find that they are all in perfect harmony with what
is recorded in the books of the Israelitish prophets, regarding the coming of
the Day of God, its
signs and events. Therefore, it is not possible to
interpret Christ's appearance into the words of the
Israelitish prophets which announce the coming
of the Glorious Day of God, the illumining of the
earth with the lights of His Beautiful Face and
emancipation of the Children of Abraham from
their long degradation.
As to Mohammed, His title, "the Seal of the
Prophets," clearly demonstrates that His appearance was not the Manifestation
of God, nor was
His day the Day of God. He commanded the
world of Islam to call out, five times a day, the
formula, "I testify that, verily, Mohammed is the
Messenger of God I" Moreover, one-third of the
Koran consists of prophecies concerning the approach of the Day of God's
coming, and signs
foreshadowing the near arrival of the Cause of
God.
As to the Most Great Bab, the glorious Precursor, the First Point, the Supreme
Model (Glorified
is His Most Mighty Exalted Name I), this is a suf-
First Introduction.
ficient fact, that He hath entitled Himself "the
Bab," which refers to His being the Gate of the
Manifestation of God; and He hath foreshadowed
the coming of the Promised One in the name of
"He whom God shall manifest." He has alluded
to, nay rather, clearly stated in the 3d chapter of
the sixth Unit of the Book of Beyan, that verily
His Holiness the Promised One will appear at the
term of 19 years after His own glorious Rise. In
the same book He says His advent was to make
the way straight before the Manifestation of God,
and to prepare the path for the coming of "He
whom God shall manifest."
Consequently, on account of the facts that we
have clearly explained, it is impossible to hold that
the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures and the Divine Books are fulfilled in
any other than Beha-
Ullah-EI-Abha, and in His Supreme and Most
Holy Dawn. He (Exalted and Glorified is His
Name I) hath alone claimed that, verily His Appearance is the promised
Manifestation of God,
His Face is the Face of God the Adored, and His
Day is the appointed Day of God.
Prudent is he who considers this Supreme
Truth and lofty Aim I Verily, unto God will be
the end of aliI He is the Lord of the Next World
and the present one I
The Second Introduction.
Treating of the meaning of Divine Unity, the
disagreement of the nations as to the way of understanding It and the manner
of Its demonstration. .
o ye people of Beha! May God illumine your
insight with the Lights shining from the Beha
of His Face! Know, verily the nations have
unanimously agreed in confessing the Oneness of
the Essence of God the Exalted; but learned doctors have disagreed in
understanding its meaning
and the explanation of its import.
Verily the Pagans acknowledge and believe in
the Oneness of God and in His Singleness, even as
the Jews, Christians and the people of Islam have
confessed.
If ye should question any Buddhist, Brahamanist,
or Sabean, concerning God the Exalted, he will,
without consideration or hesitation, answer, that
he believes in one God who is perfect in all His
attributes and free from every imperfection; and
that idols and images are no other than the visible
representations of that Holy Essence; dawning
places of that One Reality; channels through
which the Divine Bounties are gained; or intermediaries for worshipping that
Invisible Identity.
These idols and images, as is known to the doctors of archreology, are none
other than images
of men who arose in bygone days and instituted a
142        The Second Introduction.
belief or performed glorious deeds among the ancient nations. As a
confirmatory evidence of this
statement, see Mosheim's "History. of the
Church" (Book 1., Cent. I., Part I., par. 9):-
"The greater part of the gods of all nations were
ancient heroes, famous for their achievements and
their worthy deeds; such as kings, generals, and
founders of cities; and likewise females who were
highly distinguished for their deeds and discoveries, whom a grateful.
posterity had deified."
It is clear, therefore, that the doctors, philosophers, priests and jurists
first placed these idols
and images in their temples and homes as memorials of their ancestors and
heroes, to continue
their remembrance, show their gratitude and do
honor to their persons, until finally, visiting and
paying homage to these images became a part of
their worship, and adoration of them became an
essential part of their religions. With the lapse
of time their superstitions brought astonishing
events and great performances, such as signs and
miracles, into their worship of these images, as is
witnessed by the usage of the common people in
every religion.
Briefly, the plurality of the gods of the idolaters does not contradict their
acknowledgment
of the Oneness of God, even as the doctrine of
Trinity, held by Christians, is not contradictory to
their belief in the Unity and Singleness of God the
Most High. Verily all the Christian peoples are
of one accord in believing in the Oneness of the
Essence of God, notwithstanding their belief in
The Second Introduction.              143

the plurality of the Trinity and the difference of
names and meanings therein.
It is evident from the Holy Scriptures that the
ancient Sabeans considered their spiritual men as
gods. To explain it more clearly; just as the
Christians regard their illuminated exponents as
"saints," and Mussulmans reverence their great
spiritual men as "owleya" (holy ones), so likewise
the Sabeans considered their heroes as gods.
The purpose and meaning of the word "god" to
idolaters is therefore the same as that intended
by the word "saint" to the Christians, and as the
title "holy ones of God" to Islam. This fact is
proved by the verse of the Acts, ch. xxviii. :-"And
when Paul (in the island of Melita) had gathered
a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there
came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his
hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous
beast hang on his hand . . . ; but after they had
looked a great while, and saw no harm come to
him, they changed their minds and said that he
was a god." By this they meant that he was one
of the "holy ones" of God, or one of the "saints,"
because they witnessed in him such an evident
wonder; even as would be the case among villagers and rustics of the present
time. The same
meaning is alluded to in the 1st verse of Psalm
lxxxii., thus:-"God standeth in the congregation
of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods." This
means that God the Exalted will stand, judge and
rule in the congregation of the saints. This also
corresponds perfectly with that which is revealed
I....      The Second Introduction.
in many other places in the Holy Scriptures; such
as in Jude, v. I4:-"Behold, the Lord cometh with
ten thousands of His saints." It is also recorded
in Psalm lxxxii, vs. 6, 7 :-"1 have said, Ye are
gods; and all of you are children of the Most
High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one
of the princes."
All these verses clearly indicate that by "gods"
is meant "saints." The interpretation thereof is
that verily God the Exalted wished that His Chosen Ones should possess piety
and sanctity; therefore He elected them to be His holy ones; but
they fell into tests, because, like other princes,
they persisted in pernicious and ruinous ideas.
By the two blessed verses is meant the chiefs of
the Nakazeen (the violators of the Covenant) and
the leaders of the companions of the "left hand,"
who are plunged into the depths of error. They
claimed to be the sons of God, and that their Lord
has chosen them for Himself; but they have fallen,
in violation of the Covenant of God. In the same
Psalm, David (Peace be upon him!) has recorded
prophecies concerning the Manifestation of God
and referred to the signs of the Day of God; as is
proved by the last verse :-"Arise, 0 God, judge
the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations."
It is, therefore, clearly evident that among the
bygone peoples the word "god" signified "saints"
to the Christians, and "holy ones" to the Moslems. This form was introduced
into the verses
of the Holy Scriptures and used by the Israelitish
prophets in some passages to which we have al-
The Second Introduction.             145

luded when quoting the verses of the Psalms; in·
asmuch as this was, in those days, one of the
prevalent words or usual terms adapted from idol·
aters and Sabeans. The words of God have al·
ways been revealed in accordance with the language of people, so that the
benefit thereof may
become universal; which fact is evident to the dis.
cerning and to such as have the knowledge of the
Book.
The Israelitish people, early in their cycle and
in the beginning of their rise, applied the word
"prophet" to their religious chiefs; because in
those times religious leaders were accustomed to
interpret dreams, and people relied upon them as
men who were inspired in visions. Those ancient
days were, as we have recorded in the former introduction, as the dark and
gloomy night, on account of the agglomeration of fictitious beliefs,
the gloom of pagan tenets, and natural trend to
barbarism; for Sabeanism and Paganism were then
prevalent in all states and regions.     It was as
though darkness prevailed in all parts of the earth,
except the Syrian countries, which were at that
time planting-ground for the tree of Prophethood,
and the dawning-place of the light of Unity and
Guidance. As darkness then dominated all parts
of the earth, the prophets therefore considered
those days as the "dark night" in the cycles of the
world, and symbolized them by the word "gloomy
night," which term they applied to them in numerous places in their writings.
It was in accord
with such conditions that revelation and inspira-
146        The Second Introduction.
tion came to them in "dreams," and so explanation of visions was considered
important. They
even applied the word "dreamer" to a prophet, as
is clearly manifest in many passages in the Holy
Scriptures; and thus the word "prophet" came
into common use and was applied to all who had
significant dreams among the Israelitish nation.
From them, this term found its way among the
Arabs, and became of current usage in the religion
of Islam.
From the above-mentioned statements, it is
clearly evident that the term "god" to the idolaters, "prophet" to the
Israelites, "saint" to the
Christians, and "holy one" to the Mussulmans,
has been used and applied in the same sense of religious leaders, whom these
creeds regarded as
the nearest of men to God the Exalted, and the
only ones who were considered as esteemed before Him.
Since the nations unanimously agree upon the
Unity of God, and that the gods, prophets, saints
or holy ones,-according- to the difference between languages, interpretations,
and terminologies,-are none other than the means of attainment to Spiritual
Bounties from the One Reality
of God; it proves that these leaders were only
the Manifestations of power for the institution of
Divine Laws among mankind. Now let it be
known that verily different doctors in every creed
have explained the essential Unity of the Almighty
God in diverse ways, and have respectively demonstrated it by logical,
scriptural or inspirational
The Second Introduction.             147

proofs. The philosophers and theorists of every
nation rely upon logical proofs and analogical
reasoning, in demonstrating the existence of the
Self-existent One, and in proving His Unity and
Oneness. But the theologians and divines rest
upon authoritative proofs, which, they maintain,
are derived from Heavenly Books. Thus, the Jewish doctors rely upon the texts
of the Old Testament, the theologians of Christianity trust in the
texts of the Gospels, and the Mussulman doctors
of theology hold to the words of the Koran. Such
is the case with all the religions and creeds. All
the extant religions clearly state in their Heavenly
Books the Oneness of God the Exalted, His Singleness, and that He is far above
being associated
or classed with His creatures. All these logical
or scriptural proofs which the doctors of every
creed use in demonstrating the existence of God,
His Unity and Singleness,-provided we suppose
them to have any efficacy in proving their purpose, and ~anted they can prove
the truth of
their assertion,--cannot go beyond demonstrating the conception of an absolute
and indefinite
God. In other words, these proofs and arguments do not impart the knowledge of
God, but
only impart the understanding of the existence of
God. Knowledge of the existence of God is other
than the knowledge of God,-the Glorified, the
Great. The difference between the knowledge of
God and the knowledge of the existence of God
is evident to the intelligent, and the great divergence between the custodians
of these two knowl-
148       The Second Introduction.
edges is clear to the men of perception. A man
who has the knowledge of the existence of God
and not that of God, resembles a man who knows
and believes in the existence of a precious stone
called ruby, but who does not know the ruby itself,
nor can he distinguish between it and other
stones. Such a man is frequently cheated; and
buys a base and worthless stone or colored glass
instead of ruby. But a man who has the knowledge of God, is like one who knows
the ruby with
real knowledge of its qualities, and distinguishes
between it and other stones with due discrimination. Such a man will not be
deluded by the misrepresentations of the dishonest, nor deceived by
the sellers and tradesmen.
Hence many nations have been misled and
many peoples deceived, mistaking devils for
saints, worshipping idols and falsely denying the
Prophets. They never worshipped the devil except in the name of God the
Exalted. This is alluded to in St. Matt. (ch. xxiv.), and clearly expressed in
the 2nd chap., Second Epistle of the
Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians.
As to the people of Beha, the companions of
the Red Ark, who have attained knowledge of the
realities of Oneness, from the traces of the Supreme Pen; who have taken the
lesson of Unity
from the rustle of the Sadrat-ul-Muntaha, and
have studied the problems of Singleness in the
Chambers of the Schools of Paradise, through the
melodies of their Lord the Abha; they believe
that the Essence of God the Exalted is an im-
The Second Introduction.              149

pregnable, invisible One, a hidden treasury, absolutely single in its Identity
and Reality. Therefore it is not possible to qualify It with any
qualifications of ingress or egress, ascent or descent,
occupancy or possession, concealment or exposure, absence or presence, rest or
motion, advance or withdrawal, or with other similar qualities and attributes,
peculiarities or grades. These
are the characteristics and attributes of matter,
while the Essence of God is abstracted therefrom,
and is in Its Identity contrary to and far above
being qualified by its qualities or specified by its
descriptions. Neither can It be defined by any
definitions, referred to by any reference, nor determined by the application
of any pronoun; because
names, attributes, peculiarities and praises befit
only a thing which can be perceived through and
apprehended by physical senses. It is beyond the
power of mind to apprehend a general subject except by investigating
particulars, studying the
qualities of individuals, and deducing from them
general forms and logical meanings. But an abstract cannot be apprehended by
any of the physical senses. Therefore it is utterly impossible for
the mind to assign to it any especial character, or
to particularize it by any name or definite attribute. All that man may think
of this state is
but imagination and has no connection whatever
with any definite truths or real conceptions.
Consequently it is recorded in the writings of
certain Oriental saints, rebuking those who were
discussing the Divine Essence, thus: "All that ye
150       The Second Introduction.
distinguish through your imagination, in its most
subtle meanings, is a creation like yourselves, and
returns to yourselves only."
As it is proved that the way to the comprehension of the Essence is closed,
and that it is impossible for us to reach its depth, therefore God
the Exalted has created a glorious person among
mankind for the manifestation of this holy Essence
and sole Reality. He has selected a precious Gem
among the pure gems of humanity, foe the showing forth of Its light and
traces, so that He may
be as a throne for His Essence, a horizon for the
rising of the lights of His Splendor, a manifester
of His hidden Reality, an emanator of His invisible Identity, a recipient of
His Names and Attributes, a tongue to reveal His Revelation and Inspiration, a
channel for His Laws and Ordinances,
an elucidator of His Signs and Evidences, and a
deliverer of His Commands and Messages. By
Him, God manifests, in the first grade and primary
station, His Knowledge, Wisdom, Power, Dominion, Grandeur, Unity, Will,
Beauty, Glory, Grace,
Perfection, Mercy and Beneficence. He (the
Manifestation) is named by all the mighty Names
revealed in the Divine Books, and is the subject
of the prophetic melodies recorded in the Heavenly
Scriptures. He is the "Spirit of God sent down,"
the prevailing "Word," the brilliant "Face of God,"
"His outstretched hand"; He is the eloquent
"Tongue of God," "His discerning Eye"; He is the
"Preserved Tablet," the "Supreme Pen," the
"Manifest Horizon," the "Outlook of EI-Abha";
The Second Introduction.              151

He is the "Great Throne," "the Lofty Seat," the
"Everlasting Paradise," the USadrat-ul-Muntaha."
"By whatever title He may be called, His are the
most comely names."
Such an excellent Person, glorious Man, preserved Gem, and Greatest Name must
needs exist
in every cycle, age and time,-as is asserted by
Prophets and Messengers,-in order to be the
Temple for the worship of God. He is the Channel of the Knowledge of God; so
that the proofs of
God, His evidences and signs may not be void, the
Path of Unity and Oneness may not be concealed,
the breeze of Devotion and Sanctity may not be
hushed, the door of Faith and Assurance may not
be closed, and that mankind may not be finally lost
in barbarism.
A sound judgment also considers the truth of
this fact; that interruption of effects from an abstract (the first Cause), is
unreasonable, and that
it is utterly impossible for any action to issue
from an abstract, except through the instrumentality of bodies (matter). This
is evident to such as
are grounded in logical arguments, and are gifted
with brilliant sight in Divine and natural enlightenments. The essential
Oneness is not invalidated
by the plurality of its manifestations, nor is the
sun made manifold by the number of its dawningplaces. The spirit of anyone of
mankind is not
multiplied nor altered by the change of his body,
that is, by the transformation of the substance of
his organism, from his earliest childhood and youth
until his decrepitude and decline. For the only
15 2       The Second Introduction.
thing to rely upon in the realization of I~entity and
the demonstration of Oneness, is the unity of the
Spirit, and not of the body. As already mentioned,
bodies are but instruments for the Essence.
Neither does the Essence of God the Exalted become plural by manifesting
Itself in plural manifestations. Believing in Oneness is to recognize
that Single Essence in numerous manifestations;
and Faith in Unity is to seek light from the One
Sun of Truth through Its manifold day-springs.
Therefore, we find many passages in the Holy
Scriptures, in which the Manifestations of God are
considered as one person, in regard to the Oneness
of the Essence and the Divine Spirit, although
they are different and varying in names, forms,
places and times. Their laws and religions are,
therefore, considered as one law and one religion,
in respect to the Oneness of the Institutor and the
Founder of those laws, notwithstanding their difference in precepts,
ordinances, rites and ceremonies. The Spirit (Christ, Glory be upon Him!)
has declared John, the son of Zacharias (peace be
upon him I), to be Elias the Prophet, saying:-
"And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for
to come. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Likewise, the same fact is recorded in St. Matt.,
ch. ii., and in numerous other passages in the
former Books. In reference to this point, the elect
and favored saint, Peter the Apostle has said in
his First Epistle (ch. i., vs. 10, II) :-"Of which
salvation the prophets have enquired and searched
diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should
The Second Introduction.                153

come unto you: Searching what, or what manner
of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them
did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the
glory that should follow."
Consider,-may God assist ye,-how it is clearly
stated that the Spirit speaking through the
prophets, was the same spirit in Christ (Glory and
Beha be upon Him!). This is the clearest proof
of the Unity of that excellent Reality, and of the
fact that He will not become pluralized by the
number of His Manifestations. This verse has no
reference to the false and ridiculous idea of transmigration and
reincarnation, into which pitfall the
footsteps of a great number of simple people have
slipped, and in which notion multitudes among
the past and present nations persevere.
The Spirit of God is the One Abstract Identity
in every respect. In this It is contrary to human
spirits and human mental faculties, which are separate in individuality and
identity. That which
returns of beings is their generic form and the
qualities and signs pertaining to it; not the individual form and that which
is in connection with
it of characteristics and personal particularities.
By the return of the Holy Reality is meant the
return of the Essence which is One in every respect, and the manifestation of
the Identity which
is single in essence. It is the Exalted Reality and
the excellent Essence.. the center of the circle of
Names, and the Spirit of God descended from
heaven, through the knowledge of which the realities of things are unfolded,
and the secrets of hearts
154        The Second Introduction.
disclosed in the world of Creation. The believers
in Divine Unity are thereby distinguished from
polytheists, the convinced from sceptical, the truthful from the false, and
the firm from the vacillating.
When such a holy Essence manifests itself in a
body, and this sun of Truth shining forth from a
dawning-place is denied, opposed, rejected, turned
aside from or disputed by an ignorant and heedless one, such a person may not
be truly named
a believer in Unity, and his knowledge of the existence of the Essence will
not benefit him. For
his belief has not transcended the limit of imagination, and his knowledge of
the existence of a god
is only an indefinite knowledge. By understanding this abstruse subject, it
will become evident
why the term, "believer in Unity," is not true of
some nations and religions (e. g. Sabeans), although
they may believe in one God. Likewise, the difference between the knowledge of
God and the
knowledge of the existence of God will become
manifest, as we have already explained. Verily,
the knowledge of each one of the aforesaid nations
terminates either in what is created by their own
superstitions about the Essence of God, even
though they are philosophers and doctors, or in
their knowledge of one of the former Day-springs
and Dawning-places, even though they are blind
and simple followers.
Therefore, according to our demonstration, it
is proved that such a degree of knowledge of the
state of Divine Unity is not sufficient, nor can one
rely upon this knowledge as complete; nor can one
The Second Introduction.                15S

trust in it against being snared in the toils of
devil-worship. Likewise, the meaning of "Return"
will be clearly understood, whereat the minds
of nations are astonished, and whereby people are
tested. All former and present nations have been
and are awaiting the return of some certain person
or persons who have existed in bygone ages, expecting them to appear in the
"latter days," as a
fulfillment of their prophec:ies. The Jews believe
in the return of Elias the Prophet. Among the
Mohammedans, the Shi'ah sec:t trust in the return
of Hussein the son of Ali (the 3rd Imam), and
Mohammed the son of Hassan Askari (12th Imam).
The Christians as well as the Sunnite sect of Islam
believe that Christ will return at the end of the
days; whic:h fac:t is known to suc:h as are informe,d
upon the doc:trines of religions.
By "Return," is meant the return of the Manifestation of that Sacred Reality.
"Resurrec:tion"
is the rise of Its Appearanc:e and Dawning-place
among mankind. By the "Hour" is intended the
hour of Its dawn and rising, after Its disappearance. But the "Return" and
"Resurrection," if
they are taken according to the meaning which
, people believe and nations await, is an unintelligible matter, inasmuch as
it is contrary to the natural laws, and against the Divine Sentences:-
"Thou shalt not find any change in the sentence of
God," nor )Vill there be any change in the laws
whereupon God hath based His Creation.,
Such glorious Manifestation and great Man is
known and distinguished from the rest of mankind
15 6       The Second Introduction.
by the Attributes of God which proceed from Him,
and by the qualities and characteristics of God
which appear through Him. From Him shine
Knowledge and Wisdom, Glory and Majesty,
Power and Might, Sway and Dominion, and other
attributes of excellence and qualities of Perfection,
without His having acquired knowledge by study
in scientific schools. Nor have His Power, Dominion, Grandeur and Sway been
assisted by any material kingdom or ruler, or by financial wealth
and affluence; or through any family connection
and support. This is the case with His other
qualifications, dispositions and conditions. Nay,
rather, all these endowments and attributes are
manifest in Him in His Identity, and are confirmed
through His Words and Verses. He is, in every
one of His attributes, a miracle to others. He
puts to silence and discomfits such as may arise
to resist and oppose Him. The most particular
and clear among His Attributes is the Mighty
Power which proceeds from Him in instituting
laws and religions, and in promoting and establishing them throughout the
world. Through these,
every possessor of authority and power who may
oppose or antagonize Him is abased. This is an
incomparable Power among nations, and is a glorious dominion and kingdom which
can never be
vanquished by any in the world. For though
kings have long wrestled with it, they were beaten;
and though doctors and prominent men withstood
it, they were discomfited. Because, love for an old
and familiar religion is firmly rooted in the hearts
The Second Introduction.               157

of all the people, and dying for its preservation,
and suffering ruin in opposing its removal, is a
well-known characteristic of all the nations.
When anyone appeared, claiming to be the
Prophet of God, bringing a glorious Book and declaring it to be the Book of
God, two manifest
powers and evident energies proceeded from Him
and His Book. First, a Knowledge, whereby all
the sicknesses of nations were removed; because
it changed their infidelity into belief in unity, their
faithlessness into faith, their ignorance into wisdom, their discord into
harmony, their hostility
into love, and their treachery into trustworthiness.
So also it transformed their other attributes, manners and qualifications.
Second, a Power whereby the world was subdued, notwithstanding all the people,
including the
prophet's own relatives and family, resisted it; just
as the Jews and others withstood the spread of
Christiani ty.
Consequently, there is no ground for doubt as to
the truth of His claim and the reality of His Word,
nor as to the necessity of obeying Him. Verily His
power and might are connected with the Holy
Omnipotence, are caused by the Invisible Power
proceeding from the Divine Essence, and have
descended from the Exalted and Heavenly Reality.
There is no doubt that a new religion is an outcome and result which must
needs have a cause
and reason. As all material causes, such as acquired sciences, outward
dominion and power,.
financial riches and family influence have been lack-
15 8       The Second Introduction.
ing, therefore no thoughtful person, not even the
philosophers who believe in reasons and effects,
would doubt that these powers are caused by the
Reason of reasons and the Cause of causes. That
is, they have proceeded from the Divine Essence,
the Heavenly Reality, and Supreme Identity,
which is interpreted to be the "Self-Existent One"
(Glorified is His Grandeur and Exalted is His Station f)
This glorious Man, whom we have mentioned
and described,-while He is exalted and magnified
above being praised by any praises,-in His oneness expresses the Oneness of
God; in His desire,
the Desire of God; in His will, the Will of God;
in all of His names and attributes, the Names and
Attributes of God. Knowing Him, therefore, is
knowing God, obeying Him is obeying God, rejecting and falsely denying Him is,
therefore, identical
with rejecting and falsely denying God.
This is the real theory of Unity, the ideal and
confirmed knowledge of Oneness. All else is but
polytheism of the infidel, imagination of the superstitious, gloomy thought of
the so-called philosophers, and erroneous ideas of religious usurpers.
Praise be to God, the Lord of the Creatures f
The Third Introduction.
Treating of the proofs and arguments which
prove the truth of the Divine Manifestations:-
o ye people of Beha, firm ones in the Covenant
of "Him around Whom all names revolve" I May
God quicken your hearts through the fountain of
His Gifts which are pouring from His Glorious
Reality I Know ye that one of the subjects upon
which all nations have agreed, is the fact that
there has ever been in the world the appearance
of a truth and a falsehood, the rise of a guide and
a misleader, the true claim and the false one, the
call of the Lord and that of a Satan. In other
words, many men have arisen in the past and perhaps others will arise in the
future, claiming to
have appeared by the permission of God and
arisen by the Command of God; men who were
true in their claim and right in their words. On
the other hand, many others have falsely and erroneously made the same claim.
There must be of necessity certain signs and
tokens in a Divine claimant and in every Manifestation of Truth, which signs
and tokens may confirm the truth of His claim. Likewise there must
be proofs, arguments and evidences to establish
the validity of His words, so that Truth may be
distinguished from falsehood, a guide from a misleader, and the right path
from the wrong; so
J60        The Third Introduction.
that the Lord may be differentiated from Satan,
and proofs may be made perfect to all in the Universe.
Then know (may God assist ye I), we have
stated and proved in the previous introduction,
that verily the Manifestations of the Cause of God
are the Manifestations of One Reality and One
Essence, and that all of them are considered as
one man and one person. Their first is identical
with their last; their former with their latter; they
are only distinguished from each other through
the Attributes of God which appear from them,
and the Essence of God which is manifest within
them. From this it follows that the way of
knowing them, the proof of their truth, the evidence of the validity of their
claim, and the argument for the demonstration of their Word, should
be also one. For these tokens, signs, proofs and
ar~ments are no other than the signs of the Divine Attributes, which are
manifest in them, and
are similar to the rays and lights gleaming from
the Sun of Truth. As the Sun is one, its light
must needs be one, and the rays which shine from
it must be also alike and similar. But of these
Manifestations, those who appear later or nearer
to the end, that is, nearer to the Great Resurrection and Glorious Hour, are
of a greater brilliancy
and splendor, and their proofs and arguments are
clearer and stronger, on account of the law of
progression. This point may be clearly understood by investigating the proofs
of the reality of
religions which have appeared in former times.
The Third Introduction.               161

These proofs and arguments, although they cannot be confined within definite
limits, as we have
already said, are, in reality, the signs of the Divine
Attributes which are manifest in the Manifestations of God, and are as lights
which gleam from
the Sun of the Truth of His Essence. Yet the
proofs held by the adherents of religions and
laws, and which are produced in case of demonstration as being the clearest
and most evident,
are four in number.
First, the Heavenly Revelation, that is, the
Divine Book. Second, the Logical Proof or Argument (called by Mohammedan
Theologians the
"Proof of Stability"). Third, Signs and Miracles. Fourth, Prophecies and
Records (of previous Books).
In the following, we briefly treat of the reality
of these proofs and the manner in which they
demonstrate the Manifestation of the Command
of God; while trusting in God, the aim of the
pious and the Illuminator of Sight and Insight.
FIRST PROOF; THAT IS, THE HEAVEN-
LY REVELATION AND DIVINE UTTER-
ANCE:-This signifies the truths which are
revealed to the heart of the Manifestation
of the Command of God, through the mediation of the Holy Spirit of God
manifest within Him; truths given forth from His tongue;
knowledge cast in the mould of words, through
His Utterance and Explanation. This definition
proves that, verily, the Divine Words and scriptural Verses are the first
Bounty which pours
162        The Third Introduction.
forth from the Merciful Reality, and are the highest and greatest Gift which
is sent down and bestowed upon human beings. These Words and
Verses are like unto the dew and the heavenly
rains. They descend from the clouds of Holy
Temples (prophets), and the old world is clad with
the new garment of youth through their descent
and fall. They are the rays of the Sun of Truth
which dawn from Holy Day-Springs, dispelling
the darkness of ignorance and superstition. They
are the Breezes of the Spring-time of Manifestation, the Fragrances of the Mom
of Resurrection,
throughout time and ages. By them the sweet
odor of Knowledge is diffused in the Universe,
and the Spirit of Life is breathed into laws and
religions. They are rivers flowing from the
fountains of Divine Wisdom into that ever fresh
and verdant spiritual Garden. By their pure, livings waters the filth of
barbarism and coarseness
is abolished and the graces of civilization and enlightenment appear.
The Words of God have clear preference and
manifest grandeur above all other proofs and arguments; inasmuch as they are
everlasting signs,
and can easily be reached by every one. In this
respect they differ from works and miracles, which
are temporary and vanishing, and cannot be transferred to remote countries and
distant lands. The
Words are the greatest proof of the Prophets, inasmuch as nothing in the world
is more highly esteemed and valued than knowledge. The depository of knowledge
is the Book, as is evident to
The Third Introduction.             163

all men of understanding. It is through the
'Vords of God that the benefits of training and
education are realized, regulations are enacted,
and laws are instituted. These laws constitute
the basis upon which the refinement of peoples,
civilizations of nations, preservation of society,
and culture of the world, are founded.
Let us take for granted that Moses (Peace be
upon Him I) has, as is believed by the Jews, cloven
the sea, brought forth water from the rock,
changed his rod into a crawling serpent, and manifested other great signs. Let
us concede that
Christ (Glory be to Him I) has quickened the dead,
restored those born blind, and cured lunatics.
How can all these wonders be of any value when
compared with the Gospels and the Bible? Verily
these, even though they might be literally true,
were witnessed by a limited number of men,
whereas the lights of the Heavenly Books are
shining, their signs are radiating, their hymns and
verses are sung, their psalms and prophecies
chanted, throughout all lands and regions, during
cycles and ages. Every reader reads them, every
hearer hears them, every seeker finds them, and
every man of capacity is profited by them.
Through them insight is illumined, eyes ate consoled, morals are reformed,
souls are quickened-,
and hearts and breasts are dilated.
The Words of God are not distinguished and
known from the words of man by their eloquence, fluency, composition,
harmonious phrases,
nor by the grace of their allegories, as is
164        The Third Introduction.
maintained by some people. Neither are they
supported by the testimony of ancient monuments
and relics, as is held by certain classes; nor by
beliefs which people have inherited from their ancestors and great men, and to
which beliefs they
have submitted in blind imitation, considering
them indisputable truth, as is the case in all religions. As all such views
would be ignored by the
majority of the people, and could not be demonstrated to the world as being a
perfect proof and
a satisfactory argument; therefore, accepting
them would be only through blind imitation and
taking the words of others, without any proof
upon which wise men could rely.
The people of Beha, who cling to the Hem of
"Him around Whom all names revolve," distinguish the Words of God from the
words of man,
through their perfect efficacy in the guidance of
souls, enlightenment of hearts, quickening of nations, reformation of
character, reorganization of
society, institution of wonderful, everlasting and
refining laws, overthrow of such proud people as
may resist them, and domination over whatever
tyrant nations may prevent or antagonize them.
The Behais name this quality the "creative and
dominating power," which differentiates the Divine Words from those invented
by man.
For it is evident to every discerning and prudent man, that, verily, the
mission of Prophets,
the arising of Messengers, the institution of laws,
and the enactment of regulations, are only for the
guidance of souls and the removal of spiritual
The Third Introduction.              165

sicknesses, just as medical science is for the healing of physical sicknesses
and the preservation of
bodies. When a prophet appears with a Divine
Book, whereby souls are guided, hearts are quickened, infidelity changed into
belief in Unity, uncertainty into faith, rebellion into obedience, ignorance
into knowledge and wisdom. batred into
love and affinity, to such an extent that He founds
a living, independent and everlasting community,
and institutes a reforming and guiding law; then
there can be no doubt that such a book is the Book
of God; that the Revea1er thereof is appointed by
the Command of God, and is assisted and fortified
by the Spirit of God. Because the guidance of
men is a function which belongs to a prophet
and is a confirmatory proof of His Prophethood, even as the power of curing
sickness and
establishing health is a quality pertaining to medical science, and an
evidence of the claim of the
physician. To this point the Words of our Lord
Christ have reference, in the 12th ch. St. Matt.,-
"The tree is known by his fruit." For it is unreasonable to believe that peace
and harmony
should proceed from the source of falsehood and
corruption, or that a tree of error and misleading
should bring forth the fruits of happiness and
guidance.
In Deuteronomy, ch. xviii. God, referring to the
appearance of Prophets and the rise of claimanta,
both false and ~ hu dearly indicated that the
only rule by which to discriminate betweeA them
is the efficacy of their words and the penetrating
166        The Third Introduction.
power of their speech, in guiding souls and illuminating hearts; in uplifting
nations and refining
peoples (v. 21) :-"And if thou say in thine heart,
How shall we know the word which the Lord hath
not spoken?" (v. 22) "When a prophet speaketh in
the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor
come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord
hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it
presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him."
Now consider (May God the Exalted assist
ye I) how He has appointed the correct standard
for the distinction between false and true to be
the inefficiency of the words of the false one.
Likewise note that He has not made eloquence,
miracles, or the testimony of antique monuments, distinguishing proofs. The
above-mentioned verses do not exclusively refer to prophecies of future
events, as some commentators say,
because if they did, people might be ~ for
their lack of faith before the fuUillment of til.
prophecies, and thus the words of the Prophets
would not establish a Religion, nor could they be
demonstrated by any proofs or arguments. But
their effectiveness and power is the only distinction and single standard; the
clear sign by which
to distinguish the Words of the Glorious Lord
from the words of man. Even the first one who
has believed in a true Prophet and acknowledged
a real claim, would not have believed in nor submitted to His Station had he
not realized in himself the manifest guidance and evident power in
that Prophet's Words.
The Third Introduction                16 7

Consider the condition of the Hebrew nation
before the appearance of Moses (Peace be upon
Him I). Compare their state of baseness and humility, slavery and shame, to
their condition after
the appearance of Moses and the Bible's Revelation. Their circumstances and
manners were
vastly improved, and they produced kings, rulers,
and great prdphets. Thus we are able to realize
some of the signs of the revelation of Divine
Words, and see how much they effected in bringing nations from darkness to
light, from death to
life, from barbarism to civilization and refinement.
Likewise the records of an nations and peoples
east and west, who have embraced the Heavenly
Religions, will show how the downpour of the
Shower of Revelation from the Clouds of the Divine Providence has taken effect
in them. That
which is revealed in the 55th ch. Isaiah as reference to this fact :-(v. 8.)
"For my thoughts are
not your thoughts, neither are your ways my
ways, saith the Lord." (v. 9.) "For as the heavens
are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways, and my thoughts than your
thoughts." (v. 10.) "For as the rain cometh down,
and the snow from heaven, and returneth not
thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it
bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the
sower, and bread to the eater:" (v: I I.) "So shan
my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it
shan not return unto me void, but it shan accomplish that which I please, and
it shall prosper in
the thing whereto I sent it." This suffices the
168        The Third Introduction.
people of faith. and is enough to satisfy the people
of Assurance. Time and circumstances do not
permit further enlargement. Therefore. we trust
in God the Lord. and rely upon Him. both in the
origin and end.
SECOND OR LOGICAL PROOF:-That
Mighty Divine Power and Heavenly Energy to
which we have alluded. and which has been explained in a brief way in former
passages. is a
Power which institutes a new law and a new religion. This Power is not
assisted by any material or phenomenal kingdom or authority. nor by
any glory. majesty. family influence. financial
wealth or affluence. When we find such a resistless Power triumphing
unassisted by any such instrumentality. we may conclude that undoubtedly
it owes its origin to the Cause of causes and the
Reason of reasons. that is to the Divine Will. the
Supreme Pleasure. the Essential Invisible Power.
Otherwise. things would be the outcome of a concatenation of causes. which
theory is held as false
and unreasonable by great philosophers and by
pillars of learning and wisdom.
The explanation of this argument in detail is.
that this great Power and manifest Potency. which
proceeds from the Institutor of a new Religion.
must. of necessity. have a rational cause and reason. Philosophers seek
reasons and inquire about
causes. N ow a religion is necessarily an effect;
and the idea of a new religion being outside
causation is absurd. for everyone would most decidedly refuse to embrace it.
But this penetrative
The Third Introduction.               169

Power which founds a new religion resists the
efforts of all the people of the world, and subdues
and overcomes all nations; this action, therefore,
must needs have a cause; this remarkable phenomenon and manifest Power must
have an origin and
motive.
If it be said that this Power which organizes new
religions and preserves them for long periods, is
reinforced by any family influence, we find that
this motive is absent in such cases, and thus cannot
be an origin and source for the appearance of this
strong Power. The lack of this influence in
Christianity is too evident a fact to leave any
ground for doubt; inasmuch as the relatives of our
Lord Christ (Peace be upon Him!) were of the
Jews, who, after the lapse of so many centuries and
generations, are still denying His religion, and are
the strongest antagonists of His Name among the
nations.
As to the Religion of Moses, the Bible testifies,
-in spite of the obscurity of the old histories and
the discord of the historians as to the compiler of
the five books of Moses,-that the Israelites were
antagonistic to the mission of Moses, and disputed
most of His actions, until finally they were about
to stone Him for the manifold calamities and afflictions which they suffered
through the oppressions of the Pharaohs and the hostility of the
Egyptians. In such a case it is impossible that
this wonderful Power which causes the institution
of a new re.1igion should be assisted by family
co-operation or produced by the help of kindred.
170         The Third Introduction.
The cause of this manifest hatred and opposition, this evident enmity and
hostility to a new
religion, is clear to men of insight. Verily, the
disease which pervades and attacks all religions is
the idea held by their respective adherents that
their laws are unalterable and everlasting.
The Jews, Christians aQ.d M ussulmans regard
their respective law and religion as being everlasting and permanent, never
allowing any of its
ordinances to be changed. Great numbers among
them have given up their lives and properties, and
forsaken their families and children to preserve
their ordinances and texts. This is also the case
with the Sabeans and other Pagan peoples. Thus
everybody hates and dislikes to relinquish his hereditary religion and embrace
a new faith. This
is the case with all people, no matter whether they
are related to the Prophet or are strangers, enemies or friends, obscure or
distinguished.
A man can rarely be found who is in himself
awakened to the fact that the institutor of a new
religion and the appearance of a Manifestation
is appointed by the Command of God; that such a
Manifestation declares Himself by the permission
of God, and fulfills the Will of God; that He enacts
laws and ordinances applicable to the occasion, circumstances, places and
times, and not in conformity with the various opinions, wishes and ideas of
peoples and nations, and the difference of their
beliefs and understandings.
From the above statements, we can understand
how false is the view Ebn-Kaldoon (a famous
The Third Introduction.              17 1

Oriental historian) has sustained, that a religious
claim can never stand firm nor be accomplished
except by family influence. He supports his statement by the following obscure
tradition:-
uGod never raised a prophet except in the guardianship of his relatives."
This writer has imagined that the penetration of
the Divine Word and the maintenance of a prophetic claim depend upon the
influence of relatives, and not upon any Heavenly Invisible Power.
From this tradition he has regarded the prophecies concerning the appearance
of Mahdi (the Precursor) as invalid, because of the dissolution of
the Hashemite lineage and the dispersion of the
Ali-ite race. This is contrary to the clear records
of the Heavenly Books, and contradictory to the
testimony of history.
It is sometimes said that this Power which institutes new laws has been aided
by acquired learning and school sciences j that is, that the founders
of Divine Religions have been instructed by prominent learned men, and have
thus mastered the various branches of learning, such as Philosophy,
Natural Sciences, Astronomy, Geometry, Arithmetic, Geography, etc. On this
account the
learned men are made humble before them, and
the minds of the philosophers are illumined
through their enlightenment, and so the common
and ignorant have followed and obeyed them.
But we find that even this has been wanting in
connection with the prophets. If this statement
cannot be realized in the case of Moses (Peace be
17 2        The Third Introduction.
upon Him I), on account of the obscurity of ancient
history, which is beyond the reach of discovery and
research, yet it is very clear and explicit in regard
to the Manifestation of our Lord Christ. He was
never educated in the contemporary schools of
Greece and Egypt. He had not undertaken to
study their sciences and philosophies, nor is there
any book attributed to Him containing such learning. No record or history
testifies that Christ was
numbered among the learned of His Age, or accounted a philosopher or doctor.
Moreover, there
is no likeness between the knowledge which hath
proceeded from the Holy Manifestations and the
acquired human sciences; inasmuch as the former
is spiritual, quickening spirits and souls, and healing the sicknesses of
minds and hearts, while the
latter is material, and its use is for definite objects
and limited applications pertaining to matter. The
uses of Geometry, for instance, are applied to the
knowledge of surfaces, those of Arithmetic to
numbers, those of Medicine to the health of
bodies. So also with other sciences and learnings,
as is clear and evident.
It is certain that the Greek and Egyptian philosophers and the Persian and
Chaldean doctors,
who were, in those days, the sources of these sciences, could not deliver
themselves, their neighbors and their colonists from the fetters of corrupt
beliefs, or purify them from the filth of shameful
practices. History shows the prevalence of such
customs as offering children in sacrifice before
idols, worshipping animals, trees and rivers; violat-
The Third Introduction.                173

ing chaste women in the cult of the goddess of
Beauty, drinking oxen's urine and the ablution of
the face therewith (the two latter are ceremonies
called Bareshnum, held by the Zoroastrians);
burying girls alive, burning the living with the
dead, considering fire as sacred and forbidding the
arts and crafts connected with it; avoiding
strangers, prohibiting the touching of others with
wet hands, forbidding to eat with others, even
though they were of the same race, country and religion (Hindus), and many
similar practices which
we refrain from mentioning here.
Moreover, philosophers and doctors have been,
in those days, defenders of such beliefs and shameful practices; eager, even
at the risk of their lives,
to preserve them from any change, transformation, removal or abolishment.
Consider (may God the Exalted illumine your
sight and insight!) the Arabian people and the difference in their condition
before and after the appearance of lslam. By this comparison you· may
perchance become cognizant of that which we
have alluded to, concerning the clear difference
between Divine Knowledge and philosophical sciences, in connection with
quickening humanity
and removing spiritual sicknesses. The Greek
and Egyptian philosophers, near neighbors of the
Arabs, notwithstanding their abundant learning,
vast enlightenment, the copious means and instruments at their disposal and
the assistance rendered by governments in their behalf, were unable
to spread civilization among the Arabs, who were
174        The Third Introduction.
all adherents of the same Sabean religion and followers of the same form of
idolatry. Certainly
this was easier of accomplishment than the recovery from Spiritual sicknesses
and the removal of
religious ailments. But the rise of a single illiterate man removed from their
necks the fettei s of
ignorance, untied the shackles of bondage from
their feet, awakened them from the unconsciousness of sleep and breathed into
them a new Spirit
of Life. They were invigorated, developed, illuminated and enlightened, until
they transmitted
the lights of Knowledge and civilization, and
spread the virtues of refinement and humanity, not
only in Arabian lands but also throughout the extensive countries of the East,
abolishing those
ruinous beliefs and habits among the Zoroastrians
and Pagans.
o ye honorable men I After ye understand
this clear point and evident fact, ye could equally
comprehend that, verily, God the Exalted has assigned the institution of His
Religion and the promotion of His Word to the illiterate, and not to
philosophers or scholars. This He has done in
order that it may be more effective in removing all
doubts, that it may be beyond the reach of accusation, and to demonstrate the
fact that this Sacred
Power has no connection with the studied sciences,
nor origin from any acquired learning.
George Sale, of England, the erudite writer of
the life of Mohammed and Islam, has neglected
this point and ignored this fact, as is evident from
the 33d page of his "Preliminary Discourse," pre-
The Third Introduction.               175

ceding his translation of the Koran :-"(Mohammed's) followers instead of being
ashamed of their
Master's ignorance, glory in it, as an evident proof
of his divine mission, and scruple not to call him,
as he is indeed called in the Koran itself, 'an illiterate prophet.' tt
This learned man has imagined that the illiteracy of any of the prophets
should be an object
of shame and dishonor to his followers, whereas
it is recorded in St. John's Gospel, ch vii., that
Christ (Glory be to Him I) was also illiterate:-
(v. IS.) "And the Jews marvelled, saying, How
knoweth this man letters, having never learned?"
(v. 16.) "Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that
sent me." This
statement clearly shows that His learning was
spiritual and inspired, therefore, not acquired and
studied.
How can this erudite historian excuse himself
upon this point, admitting, as he must, that Christ
(Glory be to Him I) left the Keys of Heaven in the
hands of an illiterate fisherman, and inspired the
heart of a common Jewish tax-gatherer with the
spirit of Apostleship and Guidance? Is not this a
declaration of the Power of God the Exalted, proving to all the people that He
discomfits the armies
of tyrants and subdues the swords of Pharaohs
through a shepherd's rod? Is it not clear that He
makes of the fisher a fisher of men and the overturner of the emperors'
thrones; that He ordains
an illiterate one, through His Supreme Kingdom,
to instruct Persian philosophers and the sons of
17 6        The Third Introduction.
kings? Is not this a proof of God's Grandeur;
making these ignorant ones the evidence of His
Manifestation and of His Will and Desire? Is
not their separation from acquired learning and
sciences a clearer proof of the Divine Omnipotence? Is it not the most
explicit argument of
immanent heavenly power: the best means for
suppressing the superstitions of the followers of
fancy and refuting the doubt of the suspicious
ones?
It is evident from the statements already made
that all the power and energy which proceeded
from the Apostle Paul, in promulgating the Divine Word throughout the Pagan
world, during
the early growth of Christianity, was imparted to
and made manifest in him by the Word of our
Lord Christ. His power came not from acquired
sciences or from the amplitude of his scholastic
learning, as is main.tained by most of the Christian
people. The proof of this is that before his belief
in Christ, his knowledge and learning were the
same as the endowments of the other Jewish doctors, such as in reading,
writing, and recognition
of the ordinances of the Hebraic laws. Paul was
not accounted as a philosopher of that age, nor is
he said to have been educated in any of the
Athenian or Egyptian schools. We have no book
written by him upon philosophy, natural science,
astronomy, arithmetic, geometry, medicine or any
other branch of intelligence and learning. Moreover, he himself has repudiated
the acquired philosophy and Greek learning in several passages of
The Third Introduction.             177

his epistles; as is recorded in the Epistle to the
Colossians, ch. ii., v. 8, thus:-"Beware lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit,
after the tradition of me~, after the rudiments of
the world, and not after Christ."
He has likewise recorded in his First Epistle to
the Corinthians, ch. i., vs. 22, 23:-uFor the Jews
require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a
stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness."
The Jews were constantly demanding signs and
miracles from the disciples of our Lord Christ,
while the Greeks were asking from them sciences
and wisdom, thus testing them through learning
and philosophy. But that upright saint and eloquent orator (St. Paul) silenced
and resisted them
through the power of Christ's Kingdom; the
lights of which Kingdom had risen, and its power
appeared in the illiterate disciples, those persecuted companions and
penniless friends of Christ.
This may be the greatest proof of the Power of
God. It is written :-"But God hath chosen the
foolish things of the world to confound the wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world
to confound the things which are mighty." (I.
Cor., ch. i., v. 27.)
Consequently, it is clearly proven that the disciples of Christ (Glory be to
Him!) promoted His
Word and confirmed His religion through the
Divine Power which they had gained from Him,
and not through the learning and sciences with
which their enemies abounded, but of which they
178        The Third Introduction.
themselves had none; as is evident to those who
study their lives and history.
If it be said that this Power, which founds a new
law and a new Religion, has been assisted by any
worldly kingdom or dominion, or by any financial
wealth or riches, it is also evident that these were
not possessed by the prophets and founders of
laws and religions. This plain fact does not
need any further argument, demonstration or
prolix discussion to hearts free from fanaticism.
How could the power and wealth of Moses (Peace
be upon Him!) and the Israelites be compared with
the wealth and influence of the Pharaohs? Could
the riches of the companions of our Lord Christ
be compared with the wealth and pomp of the
emperors, or could the dominion of any prophet be
compared with the power of contemporary hostile
kings and tyrants? It has been charged against
Islam that it was promulgated and spread by the
swords of the Arab generals, just as the Persians,
Jews, Buddhists and Hindoos say that Christianity
. was spread through the military power of emperors, and strengthened and
established by the
sword of tyrant kings. But all this is a foolish
surmise and a fictitious statement. The truth is
that the Word of Islam was spread among the
Arabs even before the flight of Mohammed, just
as Christianity penetrated and was promulgated
before the conversion of Constantine the Great
and the assistance of the C~sars. Moreover, all
those armies, defenders and swords were founded,
established and organized through the effect of
The Third Introduction.              179

the Word of God and the immense influence of
the Will of God. Were it not for the Divine
Books, these armies would have stood to assist
infidelity and these destructive swords would have
been drawn to promote idolatry, and not to further
and spread the Unity. This is evident to such as
are endowed with a brilliant insight and innate understanding. But God the
Exalted, on account of
His boundless Mercy, abundant Grace, the appearance of His Power and the
shining forth of
His Argument, has desired to entirely remove
such charge and doubt against this latter-day Glorious Manifestation and Most
Splendid and Exalted Dawn. Therefore, He has strictly and absolutely
prohibited not only conflict and warfare, but
even that which might be aggravating to souls
and creative of hostility within hearts, such as reviling, execration,
vainglory and pride; so that the
Power of the Divine Word may become manifest,
and that all doubts and suspicions may be allayed
during coming centuries and generations.
o ye believers I Now that you have understood
the reality of the "Proof of Stability" and the
meaning of the "Logical Argument," know (may
God illumine your cheerful faces with the Beha of
His Luminous Countenance I) that the nations
have neglected this evident proof and denied this
manifest highway because of two things in which
they have been instructed by their doctors and
leaders since their childhood. These two ideas
have become to them as real facts, and so wellrooted in their hearts as to be
considered religious
necessities.
180        The Third Introduction.
The first thing is each nation's denial of the
other's religion. The Jews deny the truth of
Buddhism, the Buddhists that of the Jews; the
Mussulmans deny the truth of Brahamanism, the
Brahamans that of Islam; the Christians that of
the Zoroastrians, and the latter that of Christianity.
The second thing is their denial of the appearance of new Manifestations and
new Religions.
The Jews denied the truth of the appearance of
our Lord Christ (Glory be to Him I); the Christians denied the appearance of
Mohammed; and
the Mussulmans denied that of the Manifestation of our Lord Beha-Ullah
(Glorified is His
Grandeur I). The Jews considered Christianity
as indisputably false; their hearts hated it and
their souls were offended with it. Likewise
is the falsehood of Islam to the Christians,
and the falsehood of Buddhism, Brahamanism,
and Sabeanism to the Jews, Christians, and
Mussulmans. Moreover, their disgust and offence were increased because of the
shameful
calumnies and the abominable beliefs and deeds
which their respective religious doctors attributed
to each other. These slanders became well-rooted
in their minds in bygone days, owing to the want
of communication between different nations The
lack of information of the one concerning the. real
doctrine of the other resulted generally from their
religious books not being translated, and from the
difficulty in spreading scientific writings. This
condition was aggravated by the fact that the art
The Third Introduction.              18.

of printing had not as yet been invented, and because of the weakness of some
nations and their
fear of divulging their beliefs to their enemies.
Therefore, slanders and calumnies spread far
and wide, the circle of scandal increased, and lies
and false accusations became universal among nations. In this way the Jewish
doctors have slandered our Lord Christ, and such calumnies have
pt'e\'ented the Jews from believing in Him for
over 1800 years.
The Jews suffered great calamities, unbear.able
afflictions and painful disasters during long centuries; endured bitter
hardships, violent misfortunes, and all kinds of sorrows and woes, rather
than acknowledge His truth, believe in His Word,
or ponder even one hour over the proofs and arguments of His Revelation. So,
also, other religions, faiths, creeds and sects, did not refrain
from fabricating every disgraceful calumny against
whoever might contradict their religion, laws,
creed and doctrine. It is evident what a great
effect this had in the hearts of their followers and
adherents.
A potent influence against unity of belief was
the introduction of heretical and debased rites and
ceremonies into the old religions,-from which
none are free. For instance, we see idol and image worship introduced into
Buddhism and Brahamanism; fire worship into Zoroastrianism; the celebration of
the anniversary of saints' birthdays,
devouring serpents, and dancing into the Sunnite
sects; the dramatic representation of the life of
182         The Third Introduction.
Imams and martyrs, and wounding their heads
with daggers, into the Shi'ah sects. All this
caused the people to doubt and give credit to these
detractions and accusations, for they considered
these debased rites as proofs and evidences of the
falsehood of other religions.
For instance, if it be said to a Christian or Mussulman that Buddhism was
originally inspired by
God, and that its founder was sent from God, he
would be astonished, bewildered, offended and
filled with hatred at the claim and statement. He
would say:-"How could idolatry be a Divine
Truth and how could the founder of such a religion
be considered a true prophet?" At the same time,
he would fail to understand the fact that the worship of idols and images was
not a fundamental
truth of Buddhism, Brahamanism or even Sabeanism. He would see that these
false ceremonies were
introduced into those religions just as the worship
of the pictures of the saints, adoration of the relics
of martyrs, and many other similar practices were
introduced into Christianity; although not one of
these ideas are revealed or alluded to in the Holy
Gospels.
From what we have already mentioned in detail, two evident conditions are
produced in all religions, which gave rise to two clear results.
THE FIRST RESULT-is the inability of
people to prove the truth of their religion and the
reality of their prophet by clear argument and
evident demonstration, whereby their respective
religions and prophets might be distinguished,
each from the other.
The Third Introduction.               183

If the followers of any religion cling to the miracles which they attribute to
their prophet, and
which are recorded in their books, they will find
the same is the case with other religions. The
Jews have collected the miracles of Moses (Peace
be upon Him I) in their historical works; the Christians have written of the
miracles of Christ (Glory
be to Him!); the Mussulmans have set forth the
miracles of Mohammed in their compilations; likewise the Buddhists, Brahamans,
and Zoroastrians relate the miracles of their prophets in their
books.
In the "Debistan," a work containing historical
records of religions and creeds, we find stories and
traditions concerning the Brahaman and Zoroastrian miracles, the like of which
scarcely exist in
other religions and sects.
Yet, miracles and wonders are not a fundamental
testimony of the truth of the Manifestations of the
Command of God; nay, rather, their testimony is
of a secondary and auxiliary nature. They are simply confirmatory and
non-essential proofs,-which
fact will be explained in its proper place, if it
please God.
If the adherents 9f any religion maintain that
they possess a book which they believe to be Divine, they will find the same
statement and claim
in other religions. Thus, the Jews believe in the
Bible, the Christians in the Gospels, the Moslems
in the Koran,-each regarding them as Heavenly
Books and inspired writings. Likewise, the Hindus have held to the Vedas, the
Zoroastrians to
1 84       The Third Introduction.
the Zend-Aveita, and the Confucians to the book
of Confucius.
If they adhere to their precepts, ordinances, regulations and laws which
appertain to spiritual devotions and development of man, they will find
them equally existing in other religions and
creeds. "Thou canst not find any difference in
the creation of the Merciful One."
If they hold to the prophecies in earlier books
and ancient records,-as the Moslems hold to the
texts of the Gospels when proving the truth of
Mohammed, and as the Christians rest upon the
utterances of the Israelitish prophets in demonstrating the truth of our Lord
Christ,-it would
then be necessary to prove the validity of the
givers of the prophecies; inasmuch as an earnest
seeker would not be satisfied without being led
to a valid conclusion.
This will finally necessitate the acknowledgment
of the Divine and Great Power, the heavenly and
dominant Energy; the ultimate arrival at an inevitable conclusion, which we
have termed the "Logical Proof" and, decisive Argument. But the leaders of
religions, as we have already stated, do not
wish to admit this manifest proof or to walk in this
clear highway. This would prevent their denial
of the Manifestations of God, and entirely counteract their rejection of the
Day-Springs of the Command of God. As this Divine Power is given to
each one of the Dawning-places of the Lights of
God, these religious leaders, should they acknowledge it, would be compelled
necessarily to ac-
The Third Introduction.               18s

knowledge all of them. As they are not able to
prove the truth of their religion, and do not know
how to demonstrate the validity of their prophet,
they adhere to every falsehood and cling to every
abomination, satisfying their followers with fictitious ideas, and deluding
them with confused
dreams. Should they adhere to the above-mentioned clear truth and manifest
argument, they
would avoid the need of such deplorable action.
THE SECOND RESULT-is the appearance
of great numbers who repudiate all the religions,
and so encourage the spread of blasphemous beliefs, such as denying the
prophets and contradicting Divine laws, notwithstanding their acknowledgment
of the existence of God. This is the case
with most of the material philosophers and belated
wanderers in the deserts of natural phenomena.
Such philosophers deny all the prophets and messengers and believe that the
instituting of laws a.nd
religions is the product of human intellect, instead
of being the outcome of the Divine, Invisible Will.
They, however, believe in the existence of a god
which is not beyond the limit of imagination.
This has already been described under the subject
of "Divine Unity," and demonstrated in explaining
the meaning of Oneness.
Among them, some have gone so far as to deny
even the existence of the Essence of God the Exalted, persevering in this
opinion and contradicting everything supernatural. Some others have
persisted so far in these false ideas and superstitions that they have been
driven into the wilder-
186         The Third Introduction.
ness of obscure beliefs, have become heedless of
the victorious Power of God, deluded by the deceitful flashing sophistries of
human learning, imagining their own weak souls capable of instituting
laws, and their fickle and inefficient minds as able
to found religions. They have arisen and put forward false claims, assuming
great and lofty positions, such as prophethood or Divinity itself, and
instituting religious systems. This is demonstrated in history and evidenced
by the present
conditions.
Moreover, the evil deeds of the spiritual chiefs
and doctors of laws, such as the Mussulman divines, Christian bishops, Jewish
priests, and other
religious leaders among the Zoroastrians, Buddhists and Hindus, have greatly
aided them in their
pride and encouraged them in maintaining such
evils as denying the Divine Essence, contradicting
heavenly laws, or putting forward false and daring claims. The ignorance of
these leaders as to
the religious facts, their shameful deeds and evil
management in educating the people, and their adherence to religious tricks
and intrigues in satisfying men with fictitious beliefs, have led numbers
of people to doubt the origin of Divine Religion,
and have rendered them apt to incline toward the
beliefs of natural philosophers. Great congregations and parties have been
multiplied and propagated, notably during the last century, who deny
the prophets, scoff at all religions, ridicule every
spiritual calling and reject all the devotional acts
and religious ceremonies. Their evil end, great
The Third Introduction.                           r87

dismay and misfortune, are known to men of discernment, as is clearly spoken
by Peter the Apostle in His prophecies and epistles.
From what we have already explained and set
forth, it is evident that all these corruptions and
evils have resulted from the denial and ignorance
of such people concerning the Heavenly and Great
Power which God has made to be an evident characteristic of His Prophets, a
manifest sign of
His Chosen Ones, a clear standing light
for His Road and· Pathway and an accurate
standard for recognizing the proof and argument
of His Truth. How often has God proven the
weakness of human strength and the feebleness
and impotence of the material and phenomenal
against this heavenly Power? The people of the
world have long resisted it, but were finally dismayed; nations both of the
East and West have
wrestled with it, but were overthrown. This
Power was opposed, in the appearance of Moses,
by the Pharaohs; in the Manifestation of Christ; by
the Jews and emperors; and in the rise of Mohammed, by the Persian kings and
Arabs. It has also
been opposed by false prophets, who have attempted to found a religion without
the permission of God; falsely and presumptuously laying
claim to prophet hood, as is testified and recorded
in history. The histories of *Mazdak, in the days
"The .tory nf J4udak. In tbe da,.. of KIn" Kobad. tbe tather ot the
Oreat Anoehlnran. I. given In tbe bl.tory of "Sbab-Nameh" of FIrdo",y. and a1~
In all the Penlan hl.torleo.
188             The Third Introduction.
of King Kobad; of the Jew, 'Sad Dawlah; of
"Argoon-Khan, the Mongol, in Persia; 'Ala'adin
EI Khaledge, in India; and the French Philosophers during the Revolution of
1792, are all
warnings and admonitions to the prudent and
to the people of the Book. These philosophers, wise men, kings and statesmen
attempted,
through their great ingenuity and the abundance
of their science and learning, to institute a religion
of simpler laws, regulations, doctrines and principles within the range of
average capacities and
minds, suitable to all tastes and conformable to
the time and circumstances. Conditions proved
favorable to their desires, and the civil and military
leaders submitted to their opinions and plans.
But God frustrated their ideas, disappointed their
hopes, dispersed their congregations, and showed
the folly of their imaginations, until their histories
remain as warnings to the men of honor and as
admonitions to the people of discernment and perception.
For what reason have the doctors of Darwinism
taken the resemblance of some human bones to
those of ourang-outangs as a decisive proof of the
fact that mankind has descended from the apes?
Why have they considered this evidence, notwith-
'864 Dawlah, the lew. wu tbe Visier of Arsooa-1tbaD, tbe Koupl.
In Penl ••
"AJ'coon-1tbaD W&l tbe _       of Abak. .Kban, tbe _     or Butakoo-
Khan, tbe aon of TUtuJ', tbe .on or GeDCbt.-Kban. the Koupt.
Arsoon-Khan relpe4 In Perala from 1181 to IlOO A. B. (1281 .6.. D.).
HI. life II recorded In tbe blltory written bJ' wuaar, the oontempoJ'aJ'J'
and bl.tortan or thle DJ'DutJ'.
'AI.'.dln Et Kh.le4p .... the KIne of Indl...t DeIhl, Ia 888 A. B.
Be wu a ereat Klq or India 4nrlq the latter part of the Il1th CentUry, and
belonpd to the DJ'n&atJ' of Kbaledp. FUll partlculara 000-
cemln.r hl. .ttempt to found • De.. relltrlon an trlven Ia the bletoJ'J'
of Jl'arlehtt, ODe or the ....te.t bletorlc&l won. or India.
The Third Introduction.               189

standing its shallowness and invalidity, as being
a final certificate that man has gained his growth,
existence and heredity from the race of ourangoutangs? They have regarded apes
as their ancestors, but have not considered the Power which
alone has conquered the world and subdued nations as being a proof of the fact
that the Manifesters and Dawning--p1aces. of this Power have
been Divine men and heavenly personages. Could
the habit of smoking, evidenced by a single ourangoutang, and its likeness in
body to the form of
some of the African savages, prove its homogeneity with mankind? The apes
differ widely from
savages in numerous things, such as intelligence,
the comprehension of general subjects, the
capacity of attaining perfection, etc. Shall all this
be esteemed and admitted as proof, while the subjugation of Pharaohs,
domination of kings and
tyrants by the rise of a single individual, without
assistance or encouragement by any ruler, authority or learning, is not
considered evidence that such
a man is assisted by an Invisible, Divine Power?
Indeed, this is a strange philosophy,-an amazing wisdom and discernment I How
true is the
warning of the great Apostle Paul :-"Beware, lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit."
From what we have described and explained, it
follows that the "Logical Proof" is the greatest
and clearest argument as to the truth of the Manifestations of the Command of
God. It also follows that the stability of the Word and the
190        The Third Introduction.
continuance of a religion is the strongest proof
and firmest evidence as to the truth of a mission
and the founder of a Faith. For should we disregard this clear proof and
evident argument, as
is the case with every denier and opposer, the
philosophical-minded among people would be compelled to accept unknown
imaginations and absurd and unintelligible theories, such as the chain
and concatenation of causes, or the absence of
cause and origin, as previously explained. The
religious-minded among them would then be necessarily unable to prove the
truth of their religion
and the validity of their faith.
This proof is named the proof of continuance
or stability, because the continuance of a religion
and the stability of the Word is an establishment
of its truth, made by God, and is a testimony of
its reality. It is absurd to think God incapable
of annulling falsehood and crushing the umeaJ.
He has not forgotten His promises to suppress
faJse claimants and destroy seducers. This is confirmed in books and writings,
and preserved in the
prophecies uttered by saints and prophets.
THIRD PROOF-THE WORKING OF
WONDERS AND MIRACLES:-By these are
meant deeds which are beyond the normal
power of mankind to perform; wonders which
proceed from the Manifestations of the Cause
of God, as a favor or performed in accordance with the demands of people.
Among
these are causing stones to speak, trees to move,
quickening the dead, changing a rod into a serpent,
The Third Introduction.               19 1

and numerous other miracles which are said to
have been performed by the prophets and saints.
The ancient peoples regarded such events as Ayat
(Signs). The word Ayeh (Sign) means literally a
token, and is derived from the Semitic language,
out of which the Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac, Babylonian, and some of the African
languages have
originated.
Whenever a messenger of God announced his
mission, he would be asked to reveal the sign of
his prophethood, that is, the token of the truth
of his statement and the genuineness of his claim.
We find it recorded by St. Matt., ch. xii., vs. 38 to
40 :-"Then certain of the scribes and of the
Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see
a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto
them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh
after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to
it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as
Jonas was three days and three nights in the
whale's belly; so shall the Son of Man be three
days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Likewise, in (ch. xvi., vs. I to 5) the same Gospel:-
"The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and
tempting desired him that he would shew a sign
from heaven. He answered and said unto them,
When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather:
for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be
foul weather to-day : for the sky is red and lowering.
o ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the
sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after
1,2         The Third Introduction.
a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it,
but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left
them, and departed."
The interpretation of these verses is, that a
num~er of the Jewish doctors temptingly asked our
Lord Jesus Christ (Glory be to Him!) to show
them a heavenly miracle and a Divine wonder, as
a sign of His Truth and a token of His Christhood;
so that they might believe in Him and confess His
Religion. He answered, that they, by their sagacity, had reached such a degree
of intelligence that
they could foretell fair weather and rain from the
aspect of the sky; that the husbandmen and viI·
lagers, when they saw the sky red at sundown,
would take it as a sign of fair weather, while a
"lowering red" at sunrise presaged rain.
He silenced them by saying, that they who could
discern the face of the sky and distinguish the times
of the change of weather should be able to know
the signs of the time of the coming of prophets,
and of the renewal of laws and religions; inasmuch
as they posed as doctors of religion, and were considered the heirs and
guardians of the knowledge
of prophets and messengers. Christ meant that
the divergence of beliefs and sects, the variety of
thoughts and opinions, the indifference of people
toward Divine ordinances and regulations, and
their indulgence in low desires and bodily luxuries,
-all of which are described by prophets as the
Wlrending of the heavens," the "shaking of the
pillars of the firmament,"-are the stroRgest
proofs of the approach of the Manifestation
The Third Introduction.              193

of God, and the clearest signs of the coming
of the time of the renewal of the religion of God.
Thus He said :-"A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and
there shall no sign
be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas." By this Christ has repeated the application of the term "Sign" to
miracle and wonder,
and has confirmed the truth that seeking after
miracles and temptingly demanding signs from the
Manifestations of the Command of God is a characteristic of the wicked and
adulterous, the reason
of which will be explained later on.
In the Koran, also, the word "Sign" is applied to
miracle or wonder, as is clearly shown in the verse
speaking of the deniers:-"Let him (Mohammed)
come unto us therefore with some sign, in like
manner as the former prophets were sent." Also
(ch. T. H.) :-"(The unbelievers) say, Unless he
come unto us with a Sign from his Lord, (we will
not believe on him). Hath not a plain declaration
come unto them, of that which (is contained) in the
former volumes" (of Scripture), (by the revelation
of the Koran)?
That is to say, the deniers of his prophethood
argued:-"If Mohammed is a prophet sent by God,
why then does he not show unto us a Divine
miracle and a heavenly wonder, as a proof of the
truth of his mission and word?" Then Mohammed answered:-"Have I not brought
you the
Koran. which is a clear explanation of the Bible,
the Gospels, and the writings of the Israelitish
prophets ?"
194        The Third Introduction.
As we have demonstrated in the course of the
first argument, the Book of God is the first sign
which indicates the truth of a prophetic word. It
is the greatest argument of a Divine mission, especially when this great sign
and glorious miracle
fortifies itself by explaining that which has been
symbolically uttered in the old Divine volumes and
closed and sealed up in the former heavenly Scriptures, such as prophecies of
future events, mysteries of Resurrection and the renewal of Creation,
determination of their appointed times, the record
of their evidences and conditions, and even the
announcement of the Dawning-Place from which
these signs and mysteries will appear. Inasmuch
as philosophers and wise men were not able to
apprehend these points, solve these allegories or
break their seals before their realization and occurrence, how could this be
done by one who had
never studied in a college nor read in any school?
Whence the power and wisdom of one who had
never been occupied in teaching or learning, nor
considered a student? Is not this the clearest evidence that the Book was a
heavenly sign, a spiritual
gift, and the greatest proof and argument that the
words and passages it contained had proceeded
from the Holy Reality and descended from the
pure Divine Essence?
During the middle ages of Islam the Mohammedan doctors applied the word
"miracle" to wonders which human beings are unable to perform,
and termed them supernatural. They divided
supernatural things into many kinds; for instance,
The Third Introduction.                       195

when these wonders proceeded from a man and
coincided with his claim of prophethood, they called
them Mo'jaza (miracles). When performed by a
prophet before he claimed his mission, they were
designated Ir-hass (miracles previous to the mission). When these supernatural
actions appeared
from saints and holy ones, they were named
Keramat (liberality); but when such appeared
from misleaders and impious ones, they were called
Seh'r (sorcery). These words and terms were circulated in the language of
writers and doctors,
until finally, becoming literary words and secondary
facts, they were introduced into dictionaries. But
all of these terms, except the word "miracle," which
has a clear relation with the intended meaning, are
weak terminologies and deficient deductions.
They have proceeded from ignorance of scientific
facts and theoretical analogies, as is known to such
as have sound discernment in etymological points;
especially the meanings of the words Keramat
(liberality) and Khareki-Adat.*
Liberality is the antonym of avarice, and thus it
can be applied to the generosity and liberality
shown forth by the saints of God; for this is the
personal honor which they have gained through
their nearness to the Divine Threshold, and has no
relation to superstitions and inventions.
As to the term Khareki-Adat: this signifies the
changing of the natural habits and customs of

.Tbb Jlterally _      "tblDp wbleb reD4 01' cbaDp tbe heblt. I)f
meD"; but tbe OrIeDtal docton bav. ml8Ued thl. term and taken It to
mean ··auperuaturaL· f
196         The Third Introduction.
men by a prophet; such as the changing of the
natural customs of the Hebrews in the rites of
their religion and ceremonies of their laws. As
one of the signs of the coming of the Manifestations of God is the changing of
the rites and ordinances of the former religion and laws,-as those
of the Jews were changed with the advent of Christ
(Glory be to Him I), and those of the Sabeans and
Parsees by Mohammed,-therefore, men of discernment have considered these
changes as being
one of the greatest signs and clearest proofs of the
power of the Word of God and the appearance
of the Prophets of God. See ch. vii., v. 12, of the
Epistle to the Hebrews:-"For the priesthood being changed, there is made of
necessity a change
also of the law." That is, when the prophethood is
renewed, there will be of necessity a renewal of
laws and a change of ordinances.
This is the real and reasonable meaning of the
word Khareki-Adat, instead of that which is imagined by the people of
superstition and false ideas.
That which is not customary to people cannot
be regarded as natural and customary, in order
to justify the application of the term "changing
the custom" (Khareki-Adat) to the performance of
the opposite. It cannot be assumed that "not
raising the dead" has been a natural habit of people, to show that "quickening
of the dead" might
be regarded as supernatural. Nor can it be said
that "not dividing the sea," "not drying the river,"
or "not cleaving the moon" have been natural
habits of people, so that the performance of such
The Third Introduction.            197

actions could be termed "supernatural." But observing the Sabbath day has been
one of the natural habits of the Jews which was rent by our
Lord Jesus Christ, and changed into the observance of Sunday. Divorce,
sacrifice, polygamy,
and similar other rites, were also rent, changed
and reformed by Christ. Likewise, burying female children alive, showing
homage to images,
praying before idols, fire-worshipping, and other
similar practices were confirmed habits of the
Arabs and Persians,-all of which habits were destroyed by Mohammed, and
changed into Mohammedan laws. These are the supernatural things
which the prudent consider as the deeds of the
prophets and the characteristics of the heavenly
messengers, and not what has been invented by
the imaginations of the superstitious or forged by
the thoughts of the ignorant.
As to Seh'r (sorcery); its meaning, in ordinary
acceptance, is but a remnant of the imaginations
of former dark ages, the dense obscurity of which
was dispersed by the lights of the dawn of the Sun
of Truth, and its clouds cleared away by the blowing of the Breezes of
Knowledge and Wisdom.
The word "sorcery" spoken of in the holy books,
means Batil (falsehood); inasmuch as the antagonists of the prophets held to
false things, and
considered the deeds of the prophets to be the
same. Therefore the words "sorcery" and "sorcerers" were applied to falsehood
and the adherents of vanities, in the words of the Elect. But
with the lapse of time and centuries they became
198        The Third Introduction.
wrapped up in the webs of superstition, and thus
their real meanings became concealed, as is the
case with all the words revealed in the writings of
the Elect. This is a sufficient explanation to those
who are endowed with perception and insight.
o ye people of Behal Now that you understand the meanings of such words, know
you (may
God illumine your insight, increase the purity of
your conscience, enlighten your hearts and minds
through His Manifest Light I) that the proofs and
arguments must needs be in connection with the
subject which is to be proven and demonstrated;
otherwise they cannot be accounted as proofs,
even though they might be very wonderful and
astonishing. For instance, if a certain person
claims to be a physician and seeks to prove the
validity of his claim by flying in the air, the truth
of his claim would not, of necessity, be proven,
even if he did so. Flight in the air is not a characteristic endowment of a
physician, and there is no
connection between the medical profession and
flight, even though soaring in the air is extremely
amazing. But healing sicknesses, removing diseases, physical diagnosis and
treatment are characteristics of medical science and confirmatory evidences of
the truth of a physician's claim. Again,
if a man claims to be an engineer, his proof canPOt
be in quickening the dead. If he claims to be a
writer, his evidence is not in the fact that he causes
stones to speak; or if he claims to be an orator, his
proof is not in cleaving the sea asunder, etc. Such
performances cannot prove their respective state-
The Third Introduction.               199

ments, validate their claims, nor be considered as
proofs and arguments. Thece is .no connection
whatever between these practices and claims; as is
clearly and decisively evident to such as reflect
upon the meaning of proof and argument.
It is said by the erudite Professor Cornelius
Vandyk, of America, in the 8th part of his book,
written in Arabic and entitled, "Naksh-Fil-Hajar"
("Engraving on Stone"), on "Logic" :-"Man being subject to mistake as to
logical matters, it is
good for him to avail himself of applied logic,
which may preserve him from mistake and direct
him to the real fact. So that he may not consider
as a cause, things which are not causes, nor as conclusions things which are
not conclusions; and
may not build on a corrupt foundation, nor regard
as arguments, things which are not arguments.
It is said by Imam-el-Ga.zali.-'If a man say that
the number four is more than ten, and that he
demonstrates this by transforming a rod into a
serpent, even though I be astonished at the trick
of the performer, yet I will finnly stand by the fact
that four is less than ten, etc.' This evinces that
in such a case, there would not be any relation
between the argument and the matter which is to
be proven; therefore it cannot be considered as
an argument."
Since we understand this introduction, we now
can easily apprehend that there is neither connection nor relationship between
having the faculty
of producing miracles and wonders and the claim
of prophet hood. Verily, prophethood is no other
100        The Third Introduction.
than the mission of a man on the part of God the
Exalted for the guidance of people, and this fact
has no connection whatever with cleaving seas
asunder, bringing water out of rocks, causing
stones and trees to speak, etc. These actions
have no connection with the meaning of prophethood, which signifies
mediatorship between the
creatures and their Creator, delivery of His ordinances and messages,
instructing them in His laws
and devotional acts. The prophet's mission is
reformation of moral principles, development of
spiritual graces, and beautifying characters.
Verily, demanding miracles from the prophets and
temptingly seeking signs from the Manifestations
of the Command of God, is like asking governors
and rulers to show forth deeds which are becoming to kings and absolute
sovereigns, in order to
prove the truth of their claims as rulers; so that
the subjects may deem it their duty to obey them.
In fact, their dignity can only be demonstrated by
the firmans of their kings. and corroborated by
the charters of their governments. For example,
a man may claim to be the ruler of Egypt on the
part of the Sultan. A party of the inhabitants of
the country deny him, and demand of him an
evidence of the truth of his authority. Naturally
he proves his position by the charter of his Sultan
and the firman of his Government. Should they
repudiate his firman, deny his charter and demand that he show forth some of
the actions pertaining to the characteristics of the kings and sovereigns,
such as fitting out armies, conquering
The Third Introduction.              201

countries, destroying fortresses, slaying and capturing men, dismissing
ministers and appointing
chiefs,-he certainly will not fulfill their demand,
nor grant their wishes, but will depend upon his
firman and prove his authority through the charter of his King, even though he
may possess the
power to perform the demands made upon him.
There are certain reasons and times for executions, imprisonments,
appointments, discharges,
equipment of armies, and the conquest of countries. Rulers do not perform
these things except
when expedient for the circumstances and demanded by the law. To this
particular point the
following verse revealed in the Heavenly Books
refers :-"And no apostle doth bring a sign, unless
by the permission of God." This proves that the
mission of prophets and the sending of spiritual
messengers is similar to the appointment of rulers
and the sending of governors in the phenomenal
world, as is evident to the men of perception and
to such as are endowed with sight.
Since we now understand the lack of connection
between the claim of prophethood and the power
of doing things habitually impossible, and realize
the contrast between them, we can comprehend
the meaning of that which has been formerly mentioned, viz.,-that miracles and
wonders are auxiliary and confirmatory evidences and not essential
and principal arguments. We see also that they
are as secondary supports to the truth of the manifestations of the Command of
God, and not primary indications. This is the reason why the
202         The Third Introduction.
prophets refused to produce such signs, rely upon
them, and adduce them as proofs, as is outlined
from the verses recorded in St. Matt., ch. xii., v. 39,
and ch. xvi., v. 4:-"A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign;
and there shall no
sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet
Jonas."
Verily the Prophets, on account of their evident
proofs, their great powers, the effectiveness of
their words, and the prevalence of their ordinances,
are in no need of producing proofs which show
no indication of the truth of their claim and the
validity of their mission. This of itself is a clear
and principal indication,-a manifest and evident
proof.
Moreover, temptingly demanding signs and
miracles from the Manifestations of God is identical with tempting the Lord
Himself, which act is
prohibited by God the Exalted, in the Holy Bible.
He has warned us expressly against this:-"Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." As formerly
explained and proved, tempting the Essence of
God the Exalted is no other than tempting Its
Manifestations and Dawning-places; and testing
the prophets by seeking signs and miracles from
them, is the meaning of "tempting the Lord."
This is identical with pride evinced towards God,
contradicting the Desire of God, antagonizing His
wm, and thwarting His Wisdom; all of which
lead to ruin and desolation, and entail destruction and perdition. I t is also
revealed in the
Heavenly Books :-"And we send not signs but for
intimidation."
The Third Introduction.              20 3

Thus Jesus Christ (Glory be to Him!) silenced
the Jewish tempter, who had set Him upon a pinnacle of the Temple of Solomon,
and tempted Him
to cast Himself down from that lofty edifice, by
saying to Him :_uIf thou be the Son of God . . •
He shall give his angels charge concerning thee as
it is written." Christ answered him:-uIt is written again, Thou shalt not
tempt the Lord thy
God." This signifies that testing Christ was identical with testing and
tempting God, an act strictly
prohibited in the Book of God. This answer, notwithstanding its brevity and
conciseness, is full
of grace and strength, for besides being an argument forbidding the demanding
of miracles from
the Manifestations of the Command of God, it also
silenced by showing that in citing the texts of the
Book against Christ the tempter had himself contradicted its commandments and
ordinances.
It is characteristic of the enemies of God to
hold to the literal form of the words of the Books
of God, in denying the Manifestations of His Command and Behest, while they
neglect those texts
which clearly indicate the truth of their Manifestation, prove the reality of
their Dawn, confirm their
word, and eloquently pronounce the validity of
their claim. Thus they fulfill this verse revealed
in the Book :-uDo you therefore believe in part
of the Book and reject other part thereof? But
whoso among you doth this, shall have no other
reward than shame in this life, and on the day of
Resurrection they shall be sent to a most grievous
punishment."
20 4       The Third Introduction.
The prophets' refusal to work miracles is not
because of their bt;,ing absurd and impracticable,
or that they are impossible, as is imagined by some
so-called philosophers; for possibility and impossibility are not of the
essential qualities of things;
nay, rather, they are relative and comparative.
There are many facts which are accounted as possible for a certain species,
while the same are impracticable for another. The actions which are
peculiar to mankind are possible to man, yet impossible to other species of
animals, supernatural
to them and beyond their power. Likewise the
acts natural to animals are possible for them and
impracticable to the vegetable. Therefore miracles seem impossible to mankind,
yet are possible
to the Manifestations of the Command of God, because of the perfection of the
Holy Spirit manifest
within them, and the comprehensiveness of the
Sacred Power which has descended upon them.
In truth, a Man in whom the Supreme Power is
manifest and from whom Divine Attributes proceed; who has singly subdued the
world and
dominated nations; who has prophesied future
events in a particular as well as general sense, all
of which prophecies are fulfilled and have come to
pass, even after the lapse of ages and centuries;-
nothing is beyond the capacity of a Man who has
done all these things through His perfect Spirit,
pervading Power, lofty essence and vast strength,
nor is He neglectful of any matter. Refusal to
show wonders and signs demanded is not on account of their inability to
perfornl them, or be-
The Third Introduction.               205

cause they are impracticable; but it is because of
the fact that miracles and wonders are not things
which can prove the truth of their mission and the
validity of their claim. Nor are they a complete
and primary indication which could satisfy a diligent seeker and earnest
investigator, as has been
already described in detail. For it is clear to an
intelligent enquirer that, should he confine himself to wonders and miracles
in attempting to
prove the truth of the prophets, it would end in
a collision of proofs and a conflict between arguments. Because such wonders
and miracles are
not permanent and everlasting proofs, as are the
verses of the Book. To these proofs every one
may have access and recourse; may be directed to
the conclusion, and may demonstrate the cause by
the effect. Moreover, these wonders will necessarily be handed down to others
through traditions and records, especially throughout future
centuries and generations. If every nation gave
credit to that which was handed down to it concerning its prophet, the founder
of its faith, its religious leaders and saints, and the sepulchres of its
holy men,-there would be, in such case, a collision
of proofs and a conflict of arguments. Thus the
right path would be concealed, the finger-posts of
guidance destroyed, the highway of religion darkened, and the lights of truth
and assurance disappear. Are not the Roman Catholics resting
upon the wonders and miracles which they narrate of their former bishops and
monks? Does
not the Greek Church rest upon those related of
206        The Third Introduction.
their monks and bishops; the Sunnites upon the
wonderful acts and supernatural deeds attributed
to their doctors and holy ones; and the Shi'ah
upon those narrated of their Imams and leaders?
Such is the case with other religions and creeds.
o thou excellent reader I Strip thyself from thine
old garment of imitation, abstain from religious
fanaticism and racial egotism; ascend through the
power of perception to the summit of investigation, and place the adherents of
all the religions,
peoples, creeds and sects, before thy view. Then
look with the gaze of a discerning man from that
lofty and exalted station. Thou wilt see different
peoples, various and contradictory nations, each
renouncing the other; while each possesses books
filled with wonders and miracles attributed to its
own prophets and saints.       These books contain
the adulation of their chosen ones, and the wondrous conditions and lives of
their leaders; a mass
of reading which could not be completed in cycles;
and numerous lives would pass away before they
could be finished. So look upon them, consider
them, and answer by thy truth: if all these contradictory miracles and various
wonders be considered as a reliable proof and argument which
could be rested upon, how then could the true
among them be known from the false, the right
from wrong, the guides from misleaders; and what
could distinguish between guidance and error, the
way of salvation and the way of perdition?
From what has been clearly explained in detail,
it is manifest that miracles and wonders are not
The Third Introduction.               20 7

proofs of a primary nature which could independently indicate the truth of the
claimant; nay,
rather, they are only secondary proofs and auxiliary demonstration as to the
truth of the Manifestations of the Command of God and the Dawning-places of
the Religion of God. It is impossible to
deny the ability of the Manifestations of God to
perform miracles, in face of what has been explained concerning the inherence
of their power;
to which fa"Ct their disciples and the contents of
their books and writings testify. Even granting
this, however,. it is impossible to believe all the
miracles and wonders which are related of them.
One of the correct rules held by the divines and
theologians, in connection with this subject, is that
miracles traditionally related of a prophet or
founder of a Religion, and not contradictory to his
own words, are undoubtedly true. These can be
taken as a proof of his truth and a confirmatory
evidence of the validity of his claim. Such are the
miracles which have been witnessed by former
nations, and those which have been authenticated
in the Manifestation of the Cause of God during
this sacred and manifest Century. But if there is
any contrast or discrepancy between the alleged
miracles and the Prophet's Words, then the miracles must be considered as
allegorical narrations
which need to be explained, so that they may harmonize with the usages of the
Prophets of God
and agree with the Utterances of the Manifestations of the Command of God.
208         The Third Introduction.
But the general rule, which is regarded as authoritative by the learned and
philosophers, is that
if the wonders and miracles related of the Prophets
are connected with the perfection of the Sacred
Spirit manifested in them and with Its power and
predominance, then such can be considered as real,
accurate facts, and secondary auxiliary proofs.
Otherwise, they will be accounted mere fabricated
traditions; falsities invented by pretended love
when it deviates from the true path.
What has already been mentioned is sufficient
for such as have a clear perception of the Divine
methods and of the natural laws after which the
world is made.
THE FOURTH PROOF:-This relates to
the prophecies revealed in the Heavenly Books,
concerning the appearance of a subsequent
manifestation, whom God will send to guide
nations, found laws of religion and renew them
at the appointed time. Such are the prophecies
given by Moses and the Israelitish prophets concerning the Manifestation of
Christ (Glory be to
Him!); those given by Mohammed and the Imams
of his household regarding the Appearance of the
Mahdi (Precursor); and the utterances of all the
Prophets and founders of religions concerning the
coming of the Day of God, and the Manifestation
of the Spirit for promoting the Cause of God.
There is no extant religion whose founder has
not reserved a part of his book for prophecies
concerning one whom God would manifest subsequent to him: one who would renew
religion and
The Third Introduction.               20 9

its glory. All religions, likewise, contain prophecies re~rding the "Final
Salvation" by the "Great
Manifestation," the Mighty "Resurrection," and
the "Most Great Hour," which former books have
likewise unanimously announced. This proof is
one of the clear arguments, manifest and reliable
evidences which demonstrate the truth of our Lord
the Exalted, the Supreme. It has been proved in
the previous introductions that the appearance of
the Manifestations of the Cause of God are really
the Manifestations of the Holy and Divine Reality,
Single in Essence, and that all the prophets are respectively the
Manifestations of that Single Reality and One Essence. So no difference exists
among them, nor is there any variance in their
truths. During the past centuries and former
ages God the Exalted has entered into a covenant
with nations, through the tongues of His prophets
and messengers, concerning His next Manifestation. This Covenant has been
recorded in the
prophets' books and writings, so that mankind
might await the coming of the Day of His Manifestation, be prepared for the
illumination of His
Light, lay hold of the handle of His religion, and
be enlightened with the lamp of His laws and regulations. For it is
inconceivable that the people
of tJ;te world could ever be without need of the Divine Manifestations; that
the order of human society could be founded upon anything but religious
principles, or that human-made laws could suffice
for the establishment of nations. That nations
are in need of laws and regulations whereby their
:no         The Third Introduction.
interests, properties, and lives may be preserved
and their prosperity and permanence secured, is a
clear fact, beyond need of any further explanation
or production of argument. Religion is no other
than a code of Divine regulations whereby society
is supported and attainment to everlasting felicity
is secured. To formulate such laws is far beyond
the highest intellect of man, and the genius of the
men of learning can never agree thereupon unless
reinforced by Divine Sources. This fact is witnessed in the conditions of
those former nations
which had ascended the ladder of learning and civilization.
Have not the philosophers, doctors of divinity
and chiefs among the great nations which ascended the summit of glory and
excellence, such
as the Persians, Chaldeans, Egyptians, Greeks,
Turks and Indians, failed to produce such laws?
Notwithstanding their abundant learning and great
enlightenment, have laws been forthcoming upon
which all their opinions would agree, and which
would secure their happiness and permanence?
The laws they have created, invariably failed to
abolish savage and abominable customs, which
their descendants and posterity ridicule, even in
the present day.
Therefore, among these high nations, such practices have prevailed as offering
children in sacrifice
before idols, worshipping images, interring female
children alive, violating chaste women in order to
gain the favor of the goddess of Beauty, praying
to fire, animals, rivers, trees; and numerous other
The Third Introduction.             211

ruinous practices and vile deeds. These were considered by them as standard
customs, the most excellent laws and modes of adoration.
But God the Exalted prevented and abolished
these, through the appearance of Divine Religions,
and illumined human minds by the light of the
Words of the Holy Manifestations. Similar ruinous customs and fictitious
beliefs are still being
discovered among all the present religions and extant nations, the removal and
abolition of which
God the Almighty has ordained to be effected by
the appearance of the Powerful Lord and the final
great Salvation. This is evident to every one of
discernment and perception.
All that has been said indicates that verily the
appearance of Divine Religions has been the
greatest gift of Heaven for the preservation of society and the most glorious
Divine bestowal for
the accomplishment of human virtues. The
Prophet's words concerning the Appearance of the
next Manifestation, prepare those endowed with
sound judgment for the acceptance of it, and
make ready the possessors of pure hearts for response to it after its
Appearance. Therefore,
prophecies concerning a Manifestation whom God
would cause to appear later for the quickening of
the spiritually dead and reformation of existing
laws, are considered as one of the greatest proofs
and arguments, and a powerful confirmatory evidence of the truth of the
Manifestations of God,
the Lord of the Creatures. But, understanding
these prophecies and apprehending their minute
212        The Third Introduction.
points and realities, depends upon having sound
minds, pure hearts, sanctified breasts, and chaste
souls. This will become evident through the clear
and manifest proofs which will be explained later.
Consequently the prophecies are regarded as
secondary proofs in comparison with the Divine
Book and Logical Argument. They are but literal proofs. Literal proofs
necessarily contain allegories and symbolism. As languages radically
change in the course of centuries and generations.
these prophecies can scarcely be understood without interpretation after the
lapse of one thousand
years. Therefore it is impossible to rely upon
their meanings without decisive analogies. So,
literal proofs are accounted by the philosophers and
rhetoricians as oral arguments, and not decisive
ones. Moreover, the Divine prophecies recorded
in the Holy Scriptures, as is clearly testified by
their yery texts, are no other than symbolical
and sealed words, and the essential purpose
thereof is closed up and unknown. But the opening of these seals and the
elucidation of these allegories have been apportioned to the coming of
the time of the end, and to the advent of the great
Hour. In face of this fact, the prophecies can
only be regarded as auxiliary proofs, and not of
the primary logical arguments. God willing, this
subject will be considered in detail, in the course
of the future introductions, and sufficient explanation will be given about
it.
We will now consider some of the principal
points upon which depend the understanding of
The Third Introduction.               21 3

the texts of the Holy Scriptures, the solution of
the symbols and allegories, the breaking of their
seals and the opening of their treasuries. In this
we rely upon God, the Revealer of Verses, the
Manifester of proofs and evidences, the dispeller
of the darkness of former things from heaven and
earth.
First,-Verily, the Prophets and Manifestations
of God employed various metaphors in their writings, and embellished their
graceful explanations
by all sorts of allegories and similes. Just as
they have been in spirit, the Manifestations of the
Names and Attributes of God and the Dawningplaces of His Identity and Essence,
so also they
have been in bodily form, the manifestations of humanity. Thus they were
subject to all human
needs, such as food, drink, sleep, speech, social intercourse, and liable to
physical accidents and
other conditions. Indeed they were the most perfect of mankind in regard to
these qualities, and
every human attribute has been manifest in them
in its highest condition and greatest glory. As
grace of explanation and eloquence of discourse
are considered highest human accomplishments,
inasmuch as they are the outcome of genius, lofty
taste and brilliant minds ;-so these qualities have
been manifest in the Messengers and Prophets
who were the most excellent of mankind and were
endowed with genius and brilliant intellects.
Their explanations have appeared in the form of
verses, and their words were revealed in songs.
They surpassed all the men of eloquence in grace
214           The Third Introduction.
of style, and in the form of their explanations.
They used symbolical points and concealed subtle
meanings under the veils of allegories and allusions. Therefore the people of
error have estimated these productions as fantastic trifles and
mere poetry; the result of insanity and hallucination. Thus the ignorant have
gone so far as to
say:-"Shall we abandon our Gods. for a distracted
poet?" (*Koran, ch. 37). All this is lack of knowledge of the Words of God,
and inability of the
spiritually dense to distinguish between the Heavenly Revelation and human
thoughts. God is far
exalted above what the unjust assert, and holy
above the imagination of the ignorant I
Second,-All that has been revealed in the Holy
Books concerning the prophecies of the Day of
God, Resurrection, the Manifestation of the Lord,
the coming of the Hour, its signs, tokens, conditions and events, is in the
form of symbols and allegories, as explained above. Such are the "darkening of
the sun and moon," the "falling of stars,"
the "rending of the heavens," "their disappearance
and changing," the "trembling of the pillars of the
earth," the "renewal of the earth," the "descending of the Lord in the
clouds," and similar other
signs spoken of in the Books, and evident to men
of perception.
These words must of necessity have reasonable
meanings outside their literal sense, as is clearly
stated in the Heavenly Scriptures, thus:'-:"(Isaiah,
·Tble reten to the objectione made bJ' the Papn Anile to the wrttlnee ot
Mohammed.
The Third Introduction.              21 5

ch. vi., vs. 9, Io)--"And he said, Go, and tell this
people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not;
and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the
heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy,
and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and understand with their
heart, and convert, and be healed."
God sealed the hearts of the Jews lest they understand the real meanings
thereof, and shut their
eyes lest they see them. For God had ordained
the overthrow of their dominion and their degradation. He decreed their
dispersion and suppression, because of their injustice and evil deeds, and
their great sin in falsely denying our Lord Christ,
whose Manifestation they anxiously awaited. For
the only source of the felicity or misery of every
people and the origin of its honor or degradation,
is the way it understands the words of its prophets during the Manifestation
of the Promised One.
This One alone is the nation's resource; and its
honor and continuity depend upon its belief in
Him. As the Jews did. not understand the real
meanings of the signs given in their Book concerning the Manifestation of the
Promised One,
but expected their literal fulfillment, which they
did not see in the Manifestation of Christ, therefore they falsely denied and
rejected Him. Thus
they brought about their own utter ruin, became
subject to humiliation and degradation, and have
been scattered in all countries and lands, even
unto the present day. Had they apprehended the
inner truths of these signs, they would have be-
216        The Third Introduction.
lieved in our Lord Jesus Christ, and would have
thereby ascended the zenith of grandeur and glory.
This is clearly stated in the Book and is evident to
men of judgment.
Likewise it is revealed in the Book of Daniel,
ch. xii., v. 4:-"But thou, 0 Daniel, shut up the
words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end." Also, v. 9:-"And he said, Go thy way,
Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till
the time of the end." These two verses clearly
indicate that the purpose of the texts of the Book
is not their literal, outward meaning which can be
understood by every man and apprehended by
every soul. Nay, rather, they have concealed
meanings which would be necessarily closed up
until the coming of the "end" and the Appearance
of the Sun of Truth.
Third,-The aforesaid great signs of the coming
of the Day of God, the tokens of the appearance of
the Manifestation of the Command of God and the
emblems of the Hour and Resurrection, have all
been revealed from the tongues of the prophets
in every one of the Heavenly Books. They appear
in the same style and in the same similes and allegories, although in
different languages.
Mohammed prophesied the coming of the Lord
in the clouds, with His Angels, in the following
words in the Koran :-
"Do they expect less than that God should come
down to them overshadowed with clouds, an~ the
Angels also? but the thing is decreed, and to God
shall all things return.
The Third Introduction.              21 7

"The day whereon the Spirit and the Angels
shall stand in order, they shall not speak, except
he to whom the Merciful shall grant permission,
and who shall say that which is right."
God, addressing Mohammed, said :-"And thy
Lord shall come, and the angels rank by rank."
Likewise, Mohammed said :-"On the day
whereon the heaven shall appear in a visible
smoke."
He also spoke of the sun and moon, the falling
and scattering of stars, the cleaving of heaven, the
trembling of the pillars of earth, thus :-"When
the sun shall be folded up; and when the stars shall
fall; and when the mountains shall be made to pass
away." "When the heaven shall be cloven asunder, and when the stars shall be
scattered."
"When the heaven shall be rent asunder, and
shall obey its Lord, and shall be capable (thereof);
and when the earth shall be stretched out."
"When the earth shall be shaken as by earthquake; and the earth shall cast
forth her burdens."
"0 men, fear your Lord. Verily, the shock of
the (last) Hour will be a terrible thing. On the
day whereon ye shall see it, every woman who giveth suck shall forget (the
infant) which she suckleth, and every (female) that is with young shall
cast her burden; and thou shalt see men (seemingly) drunk, yet they shall not
be really dntnk:
but the punishment of God will be severe."
Speaking of the changing of heaven and earth,
and their renewal, he said :-"But they make not
a due estimation of God: since the whole earth
u8          The Third Introduction.
(shall be but) his handful, on the day of Resurrection; and the heavens shall
be rolled together in
his right hand. Praise be unto him I and far be
he exalted above what they associate with him I"
"The day (will come, when) the earth shall be
changed into another earth, and the heavens (into
other heavens); and men shall come forth before
God, the One, the Mighty I"
There are also many other verses which cannot
be quoted for lack of space.
The same signs are spoken of in the Gospels, as
revealed by God in St. Matt., ch. xxiv., v. 29:-"Immediately after the
tribulation of those days shall
the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give
her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven ..•.. "
This passage contains all the signs spoken of in the
Koran, concerning the descending of the Lord in
the clouds with angels, the darkening of the sun,
the shaking of the powers of heaven, and other
fearful events. Likewise, clear points are recorded
in the Second Epistle of St. Peter, ch. iii., concerning the passing away of
the heavens and earth, the
melting of the elements, and the coming of the
new heaven and earth with their light and effulgence. The 2 I st ch. of
Revelation also contains
prophecies concerning the new heaven and new
earth, the passing away of former things, and
other signs and tokens. Similar texts are revealed in the Old Testament, as
follows:-
Deut., ch. xxviii., vs. 23, 24:-"And thy heaven
that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth
that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall
The Third Introduction.             21 9

make the rain of thy land power and dust: from
heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be
destroyed." Also in Isaiah, ch. lxv., vs. 17-19:-
"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new
earth: and the former shall not be remembered,
nor come into mind. But be ye glad and rejoice
for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I
create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.
And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my
people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more
heard in her, nor the voice of crying." Likewise,
ch. lxvi., v. 22:-"For as the new heavens and the
new earth, which I will make, shall remain before
me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your
name remain."
Concerning the clouds, gloom and desolation, it
is prophesied in Zephaniah, ch. i., vs. 14, 15:-
"The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and
hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the
Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and
distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day
of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and
thick darkness." And in Joel, ch. ii., v. lo:-"The
earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall
tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and
the stars shall withdraw their shining." And in
v. 31 :-"The sun shall be turned into darkness,
and the moon into blood, before the great and the
terrible day of the Lord come."
Similar signs are also prophesied in the book of
Haggai, ch. iL, vs. 6, 7:-"For thus saith the Lord
220         The Third Introduction.
of hosts; yet once, it is a little while, and I will
shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and
the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the
desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this
house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts."
It will clearly and manifestly appear to those
who consider and reflect upon these passages, that
bv these verses all the prophets meant to explain
the same fact, and that all of them used these
words in an allegorical and symbolical manner
to illustrate the same subject; although these
prophets were of different languages and appeared in different countries and
times. The essential cause of this fact is that the Revealer of all
the Books, the Sender of all the Prophets, and the
Appointer of all the Messengers, is the One God,
as explained in the treatise upon "Divine Unity."
And as He has prophesied the coming of the One
Great Day of Resurrection, the signs and tokens
given thereof must be the same.
Fourth,-Verily, all the Holy Books contain
texts and clear statements to the effect that the
above-mentioned signs are closed up and sealed;
that the door of understanding them is barred
until the coming of the "end" and the Day of Resurrection; and that whosoever
attempts to interpret them before the coming of that great day, will
be in error. This fact is referred to in Isaiah, ch.
vi., vs. IC-I2:-"Make the heart of this people fat,
and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest
they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart, and convert, and
The Third Introduction.             221

be healed. Then said I, Lord, how long? And
he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses
without man, and the land
be utterly desolate, And the Lord have removed
men far away, and there be a great forsaking in
the midst of the land."
Likewise, Daniel, ch. xii., v. 4:-"But thou, 0
Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even
to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall be increased." vs. 9, 10:-
"And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words
are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried;
but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the
wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand."
All these verses clearly indicate and prove that
the real sense of the signs given concerning the
Day of God, the Appearance of the Lord, and the
coming of the end, was closed up and sealed, so
that no one could understand them until the coming of the "end" and the advent
of the "Hour."
Even then, the wicked were not to understand
them, but only the righteous and just ones should
apprehend their real meanings.
In 1888 A. D. (1306 A. H.), when the writer
travelled from Teheran to Isfahan, and stopped a
few days in the city of Kashan, there was a meeting held in the house of a
Jewish merchant called
Lazarus, for the purpose of investigating and considering the arguments of the
Manifestation and
the signs of the coming of the day of Resurrection.
222        The Third Introduction.
For in those days the promulgation of the Word
and the spreading of this faith among the Jews
had just begun. The meeting was composed of
prominent Jewish rabbis and men of learning.
Three of their most celebrated doctors were present. The oldest among them was
named Mordecai, a man over seventy years of age, of fair complexion, cheerful
face, very learned in Hebrew,
and quick in scientific debate. When the proofs
of the Cause of God were discussed in full detail,
the weakness of Mordecai's doubts were exposed
and no ground left for his objections and refutations. Nevertheless, he clung
to the non-fulfillment of the outward and literal sense of the signs
and tokens. He said :-"That the appearance of the
Promised One must necessarily be preceded by the
darkening of the sun and moon, the falling of
stars, the dwelling together of the sheep and wolf,
the calf and the lion, the infant playing with serpents and asps, and the
scattering of the holy
people in all directions; whereas not one of these
signs had appeared, so that the truth of the
prophets' promises in these texts had not been
realized." Then we answered him, saying:-"O
honorable man I Do you alone understand outward meaning and literal sense from
these
verses, or do all the Jews likewise interpret them
in the same way?" "Yes"; he replied, "all the
Jews, both in the East and West, Asiatics as
well as Europeans, understand these prophecies
in the same manner, and interpret them as I
do; therefore they do not give credit to the
The Third Introduction.               223

claims of Jesus and Mohammed, nor do they regard them as being the true
Prophets spoken of
by Moses. For none of these clear signs were
manifest in Jesus and Mohammed, nor did the prophetic promises come to pass in
their days." We
answered :-"We have read in the book of Isaiah,
that God commanded him to seal the hearts of the
Israelites and shut their eyes, so that they may
not understand the meaning of the Holy Book.
He likewise commanded Daniel to seal the Book
and shut up its meanings. Is this true or not?"
He said :-"Yes, this is an indisputable fact which
cannot be doubted." We then said:-uAs one
great prophet was commanded to seal your hearts
and shut your eyes, so that you might not understand the Book; and as another
great prophet
was commanded to seal the Book, shut up its
meanings and veil its purposes from all mankind.
-in such a case how can a discerning man rely
upon your comprehension and interpretation of
the Book, and put his trust in your explanations
and elucidations? For if your interpretations of
the Holy Books be regarded as reliable and your
understanding of the texts as true. then the sealing of hearts and shutting up
of the Book would
not be fulfilled." Mordecai was silenced and unable to answer, while the
believers rejoiced.
The Holy Gospels also contain numerous verses
and evidences of the sealing of the texts, the difficulty of understanding
them, and the intricacy of
their meanings. Even the disciples of Christ,
who were the chosen of God and His saints, fre-
224         The Third Introduction.
quently did not understand the meanings of words,
and asked Christ to solve their mysteries. For
He mostly spoke to them in symbols and allegories, and taught them through
parables, as is said
by St. Matt., ch. xiii., vs. 34, 3S:-"All these things
spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and
without a parable spake he not unto them: That
it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying, I will utter things which have
been kept secret from the foundation of the
world."
It is evident to intelligent minds that the commands, exhortations, ordinances
and regulations
revealed in the Holy Books, are not concealed matters and have not sealed
meanings; therefore
Christ did not explain them in parables and symbols, or cover them under the
veils of allegories
and allusions. Verily, the prophets revealed commands and ordinances in a
clear manner, without
concealment and obscurity, so that the laws of
devotion and conduct may thereby be secured
among men, and human society sustained
throughout aU centuries and cycles. But by the
"things which have been kept secret from the
foundation of the world," is meant the mysteries
of the "day of Judgment" and "Resurrection," the
"darkening of the sun and moon," the "falling of
stars," the "coming of the Lord in the Clouds,"
the "rising of the dead from the earth," the illumination of the earth from
the "east to the west"
with the light of the Lord of Lords, and other
great signs revealed in the Book; the purpose and
The Third Introduction.                            225

meaning of which have been ever obscure and
sealed to the students and seekers.
But our Lord Christ (Glory and Beha be upon
Him!) promised that these seals should be opened
and these prophecies understood at the time of the
Lord's coming from Heaven, Who would then explain their reality. St. John, ch.
xvi., vs. 12, 13:
_"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." Likewise, St. John, ch. vi., v. 27:-"Labor not for the meat which peri
sheth, but for that
meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which
the Son of man shall give unto you: for *it hath
God the Father sealed."
It is clear to every one endowed with perception that the source of
everlasting life is no other
than the Words of God; as is said by Christ in
answer to the tempter; St. Matt., ch. iv., v. 4:-
"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."
As God the Almighty has sealed His Words,
which are the source of salvation and the origin' of
life, it is therefore not possible for anyone to unseal them, except Himself.
Thus revelation has
been assigned to Prophets, and the interpretation
and unveiling of the Words given to the Exalted
Lord at the time of His coming from Heaven to
remove the covering from all things.
-ThIa pronoun I'@fera to the "meat" In the ArabIc BIble, from whIch
the author h .. quotecl the Te..... But tbe EQlpb Teralon I'@t.... It to
the "Son of Man" and ctT" a mueullne pronoun ("blm") IlIIItead of
"It." The rend..l1q here .. accordlq to the Arabic text quoted bJ' the
author.-Tranalator.
226        The Third Introduction.
The verses of the Koran also clearly indicate
that the interpretation of the Words of God will
be effected at His coming and at its appointed and
determined time; Ch. AI-A'raf:-"And now we
have brought unto them a book: we have explained it with knowledge; a
direction and mercy
unto people who shall believe. Do they wait for
any other than the interpretation thereof? On the
day whereon the interpretation thereof shall come,
they who had forgotten the same before, shall say,
'Now the Messengers of our Lord came unto us
with truth': shall we therefore have any intercessors, who will intercede for
us? Or shall we be
sent back, that we may do other works than what
we did? But now have they found themselves in
loss: and that which they impiously imagined
hath fled from them." Likewise, in the Chapter
of "Jonas," he said:-"But they have charged that
with falsehood, the knowledge whereof they do
not comprehend, neither hath the interpretation
thereof come unto them."
The prominent men among the tribe of Koraish
and the Arab chiefs disbelieved in the possibility of
the fulfillment of such signs. They said "Mohammed deludes his followers,
infatuates his companions, and gives them promises and hopes of things
which cannot be realized or even imagined to
occur." Therefore the above-mentioned verse was
revealed, clearly indicating that they had meanings and interpretations, which
God will surely
manifest in an appointed day, when the Manifesta-.
tion of the Self-subsistent Lord will unveil their
The Third Introduction.              227

truth and open their seals. By interpretation is
meant bringing to light the esoteric meanings expressed in symbolical words;
which meanings remained concealed and hidden during cycles and
generations, and were not understood even by the
loftiest minds, until the time when God permitted
the removal of their veils and the opening of their
seals. Then the doors of their. paradise opened,
the fragrances of their signs were diffused, and
filled all the regions of the world with their sweet
perfumes. Then the rose-petals of truth were
scattered upon their breezes, and the nostrils of
the righteous were perfumed with their sweet
odor. Then the truths of the Holy Books became manifest to the possessors of
quickened
hearts and calm souls, which fact will appear from
the interpretation which will be given to the men
of brilliant insight and sound minds.
The Fourth Introduction.
Treats of Comparing the Four Proofs with the
Manifestations of the Command of God.
o ye righteous onesl Now that ye have understood the reality of the four
arguments, the quality of their evidence and indication of the truth of
the Manifestations of the Command of God,
know (may God illumine your beautiful faces with
His manifest and clear Light, and strengthen your
exalted words with the signs of prosperity and
success!) that, verily, these proofs and arguments
confirm the truth of the Manifestation of God in
this present time much more clearly and evidently
than they demonstrated the truth of the Manifestations in bygone ages and past
generations. As
heretofore we have discussed the substance of
these arguments, their limits, definition, and the
validity of their evidence in a general way, we now
speak of their specific relationship with each one
of the Manifestations of God, so that it may be
proven and become apparent that these arguments
are weighty and complete in this Most Great Manifestation and glorious exalted
Dawn. For these
arguments demonstrate the Manifestation of our
Lord Beha (Exalted is His Name I) more abundantly than they prove the mission
of the prophets
previous to Him. Therefore, whosoever denies
this great Manifestation and rejects His clear
proofs, cannot demonstrate the truth of anyone of
The Fourth Introduction.             229

the former religions; as will be conclusively shown
in the following demonstrations.
Consider (may God the Exalted assist you with
His Spirit I) the mission of His Holiness Moses
(Peace be upon Him I).
In view of the four proofs already described and
explained, let us ascertain by what argument the
Israelites can demonstrate the truth of His religion.
As to the Book, which we have regarded as
being the most complete proof and the greatest
argument: The only part of the Book which can be
attributed to Moses is the Taurat or Pentateuch
of the Old Testament. To be more critically accurate, the only part of the
Pentateuch which can
be directly attributed to Moses,-as, God willing,
will be explained,-is the Law of the Ten Commandments, revealed in the sth·
chapter of
Deut., and the Song and Blessings recorded in
Deut., chs. xxxii., xxxiii. The rest of the Pentateuch contains laws and
ordinances written and enacted by Joshua the son of Nun, the successor of
Moses. This was added to the Taurat, as is evident
in the 25th and 26th verses of the 24th chapter of
the Book of Joshua. As to the histories and legends: these were written and
compiled by Ezra the
priest, after the emigration from Babylon and the
return of the tribes to Palestine, subsequent to the
second restoration of Jerusalem under Artaxerxes
of Persia; which fact is manifest after a careful investigation of ancient
history.
As to the Logical Proof, that is the heavenly
Power bestowed upon the Manifestations of the
230       The Fourth Introduction.
Command of God for the purpose of instituting
laws and reforming the morals of humanity; its
extent appears from the comparative effect which
their words make in the guidance of peoples, while
at the same time it is connected with the capacity
of men to accept this guidance. It is an evident
fact that the prophetic word, during the Manifestation of Moses, was effective
only in guiding one
nation, that is, the Israelites, the former inhabitants of Palestine; for
during 1,500 years the
Word of Moses and the Israelitish prophets influenced but this one nation. No
result appeared
from it among other peoples and countries.
As to the prophecies: No book of the prophets
Enoch, Noah, and Abraham, who lived previous to
Moses, exists; nor is Moses' name spoken of or
alluded to in the books of the founders of the
other religions, such as the Buddhists, Brahamans,
Zoroastrians, or Sabeans. Therefore, no prophecy exists which can prove the
Mosaic Religion.
There is but one passage from Enoch, the 7th
from Adam, whom some of the prominent historians have supposed to be "Edris,"
spoken of in
the Arabic books. This passage is recorded in
the Epistle of St. Jude. It refers to and clearly
indicates the Manifestation of God, or that of the
Lord with "ten thousands of His Saints." This
prophecy has no connection with the Manifestation of Moses, nor with any other
prophetic Mission.
As to the Miracles: The only source from which
it could be proven that miracles have proceeded
The Fourth Introduction.              23 1

from Moses, is the record of the Five Books. or
the testimony given by those who came after him.
such as our Lord Christ (Glory be upon Him I)
and Mohammed. As the Jews have denied the
truth of these two Manifestations. there is nothing
more difficult for them than to prove the Miracles
of Moses to the Buddhists and Brahamans. as well
as to the other great nations. The only authority
for the miracles of Moses are the writings of one
man. Ezra the priest. and this is a very weak authority; as is evident to the
men of insight and
discernment.
Now. consider (may God the Exalted assist you
through the Power of His Kingdom!) the Cause
of our Lord Christ (Glory be to Him I). the proofs
and arguments which demonstrate the truth of
His Blessed Word and the validity of His Holy
Mission.
As to the Divine Book: The Holy Gospels
alone contain teachings which can be regarded as
the true Words of God; and these teachings do
not exceed the contents of a few pages. The rest
of the Gospels consist of the traditions and records
written and inscribed by His disciples or the disciples of His disciples.
concerning His life and
circumstances. Moreover. His teachings are not
preserved in their original language. which was
the dialect of the people who inhabited the Syrian
countries at that time; nor were they written in
His own days. But they were written and recorded after His Ascension to the
Heaven of the
Nearness of God. at periods variously estimated by
23 2       The Fourth Introduction.
the European historians as between forty and
seventy years subsequent to His birth. They
have been translated into Latin and Greek later.
As to the Miracles and Signs which have proceeded from Him: "The authority for
these is the
four Gospels. They have been narrated therein
by four men; two were His apostles and the
other two disciples of their disciples. Moreover,
many of their texts contain certain allegories and
symbolisms which very often bear other than literal meanings. Consider the 9th
ch. of the Gospel of St. John, where it is recorded that Christ
(Glory be upon Him!) restored the blind man, and
on account of this there was a division among
the Pharisees. It is also recorded in the 39th verse
of the said chapter :-"And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world,
that they which
see not might see; and that they which see might
be made blind." This verse clearly shows that by
blindness He has meant ignorance and error, and
by sight, knowledge and guidance. This meaning
is explicitly proven by the next verses, thus:-
"And some of the Pharisees which were with him
heard these words, and said unto him, Are we
blind also? Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind,
ye should have no sin; but now ye say, We see;
therefore your sin remaineth."
Consequently, how can it be understood that
the sight given to the blind man, as recorded in
the first part of this chapter, was not of this kind?
Especially is this true when we consider the customs of the Jewish writers in
those olden times.
The Fourth Introduction.             233

They made use of enigmas and allegories in their
books and writings, and concealed their meanings
under subtle and intricate symbols. It is said by
the learned historian, John Lawrence Mosheim,
of the University of Gottingen, in his "Ecclesiastical History," translated
from the original Latin
by James Murdoch, of the U. S.; also translated
into Arabic by Henry H. Jessep, of U. S., and published i(l 1875 A. D. in
Beyrouth (Syria); as follows:-
Part II., Ch. 3, Cent. I, Par. 2:-"Those who expounded the Scriptures, studied
simplicity and
plainness. Yet it is not to be denied, that even in
this century, the perverse Jewish custom of obscuring the plain language of
Scripture, by forced
and frigid allegories, and of diverting words from
their natural and proper meaning in order to extort from them some recondite
sense, found some
admirers and imitators among Christians. Besides others, Barnabas, whose
epistle is still extant, is proof of them."
If one ponders over the detail of what we have
said upon the question of Miracles; studies our
arguments to the effect that God the Exalted has
refused to perform things in any other manner
than in accordance with natural laws ; and reflects
upon what the distinguished and learned Mosheim
has recorded as to the Jewish custom of using obscure and symbolic allegories,
there can be no
doubt that the records of giving sight to the blind
and quickening the dead, refer to mental insight
and spiritual life. For the samoe meanings are
234        The Fourth Introduction.
applied to them in many places in the very texts
of the Heavenly Books and Prophetic Words.
As to the Logical Proof: That is the power of the
penetration of His Word and the sway of His Religion. This power in Christ so
far surpassed the
penetrative power of the Word of Moses, that
there is no ground for a just investigator who does
not indulge in false arguments to doubt that it
was the Divine Word and of a Spiritual authority.
That His Holy Word proved effective in numerous
nations, and was conducive to the guidance of
great peoples, is a fact that can only be denied by
an arrogant and ignorant person or by a disputing sophist. Yet centuries and
generations
passed before it proved effective through the assistance of the Roman Czsars.
Then it poured
forth with a power the like of which had never
before appeared in any of the other Divine Religions. Consequently, many of
the prominent
historians have even doubted the very existence
of Christ (Glory be upon Him!). There are always many who have the same
tendency, for
nothing about Him and His Religion is recorded
in any of the histories written in the first and second centuries after Him,
by either Romans, Jews.
Persians, Indians, or Chinese. This is a clear
proof of the fact that His Cause had not played
any important role in the first two centuries, nor
had it been so widely spread as to be recorded by
the historians.
Mosheim has written in his "History of the
Church" (Part I., Ch. 2, Cent. 13, Pars. 2 and 3),
as follows:-
The Fourth Introduction.             835

"The Latin writers of those times (thirteenth
cent.), often complain of public enemies of the
Christian religion, and even of mockers of the Supreme Being. N or are these
complaints entirely
vain and incredible. For men of discernment who
critically inspected the religion which the Roman
pontiffs and their servants and friends preached
and inculcated as being the only true religion
taught by Christ; and which they maintained by
fire and the sword, might easily be led to believe,
that Christianity was a fabrication invented and
propagated by the priests for their own advantage; and especially was such a
conclusion easy,
as there were none to teach them better. Besides, the Aristotelian philosophy,
which reigned
in all the schools of Europe and was regarded as
sound reason, led not a few to discard the doctrines commonly held and
preached respecting divine providence, the immortality of the Soul, the
Creation of the World, and other points, and thus
to become the promoters of irreligion.
"At the head of all the enemies of Christianity,
stood the emperor Frederic II., if credit is to be
given to the sovereign pontiff Gregory IX., who
in the year 1239, charged him before all the kings
and princes of Europe, with saying that the whole
world had been deceived by three barrators, (impostors), Jesus Christ, Moses,
and Mohammed.
This heavy charge the emperor deemed it necessary to refute, by a public
profession of his religious faith. It rested on the testimony of some
German princes, and particularly of Henry Raspo.
136       The Fourth Introduction.
landgrave of Thuringia, who said they had heard
Frederic utter such language. Perhaps something like this did fall from the
lips of Frederic,
when in a violent passion, for he was not infrequently imprudent; and among
the many learned
men that attended him, there were some from the
Aristotelian school who might have suggested to
him such impious thoughts. Hence a fabulous
story was handed down to posterity, respecting a
detestable book on the three impostors, which was
said to have been written either by the emperor
himself, or by Peter de Vincis, a native of Capua
and a man of great credit and influence, who was
the emperor's prime minister."
These statements of this historian who, far from
being accused of unorthodoxy, was firm and
staunch in Christianity, clearly indicate that the
antagonists of Christianity had not discovered any
mentioning of Christ's name; otherwise they
would not have denied Him, but would have refuted the teachings given by the
Roman pontiffs.
Indeed, many of the people of deception and falsehood among those who did not
recognize the
power of the Divine Word and its independence
from human intrigues, have introduced His Name
into the old hi~torical works, so that they might
thereby withstand the opposers, and defend the
prophets and messengers. Yet this has been
more harmful to Christianity than profitable, as
they had intended it to be; for their intrigues and
machinations were divulged, thus increasing the
suspicions of the deniers. This is the case with
The Fourth Introduction.               237

the translation of the book of Josephus, the Jew,
made from the European languages into Arabic.
Into this translation they have introduced the
Name of Christ; at the same time suggesting to
some of the writers of scientific newspapers published in Cairo, Egypt, to
insert in them that the
book Josephus is not possessed by Jews. Thus
they intended to conceal their artifice and ruse.
All this, notwithstanding the fact that many manuscript copies of Josephus are
in possession of the
Jews, and that we have investigated and discussed
it in the city of Hamadan, Persia. Even in the
original copies on file in public libraries in Europe,
no reference is made to the name of Christ. Dr.
Keith, of England, has clearly explained this point,
in his work upon the testimonies given by the Israelitish prophets,
demonstrating the Mission of
our Lord Jesus· Christ (Glory be to Him I).
Therein he says that Josephus has done his utmost
to make no mention of the name of Christ in his
book. This book has been translated from the
English into Persian by the Abbots of the Church,
in the City of Ormiah, Azerbeyjan, Persia, and
published in Edinburgh in 1846.
To resume. Those who are heedless of the
power of the Word of God, have artfully interpolated the name of Christ into
the old histories, supposing this to be profitable to pure Christianity.
Yet by this, they have done Christianity a mischief
which no one denies except the ignorant; for the
exposure of their artifice caused numerous divisions and parties to appear
among Christians,
23 8      The Fourth Introduction.
who were thus led not only to deny this Divine
Religion, but the very existence of Christ (Peace
be upon Him I). The proof of the existence of
Christ, is in no need of such intrigues, or of the
testimony of historians. His blessed existence is
confirmed by two great evidences:-First, that
which the Manifestations of the Command of God
give of His existence and truth, which testimony
is no other than that of God, and is more effective
than anything in the world. Consider the evidence given by Mohammed as to
Christ being
the "Spirit of God." Mohammed's word has to
such an extent convinced the world and satisfied
nations, that about three hundred millions of Mussulmans testify that Jesus is
the "Spirit of God,"
and that He is the "Word of God." This witness,
given by Mohammed, they engrave in their hearts
and preserve it from generation to generation;
whereas, before the appearance of Mohammed,
they did not know Christ, nor did they acknowledge His truth.
Verily, all the people of the world will be humbled before the Name of our
Lord Christ, and will
shortly testify that He is the exalted Word; inasmuch as our Lord the Abha
(Glorified is His
Supreme NameQ has borne witness of Him. St.
John has recorded in his Gospel, in reference to
this point (ch. viii., v. IS), thus:-uI am one that
bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent
me beareth witness of me."
The witness borne by the Father is that which
is borne by the Lord Beha, because the idea that
The Fourth Introduction.               239

testimony is given by the Essence in any way except through Its
Manifestations, is unreasonable,
as we have already explained and demonstrated in
the subject of Divine Unity.
Now that the testimony of two Manifestations
of God, relative to the existence of our Lord Christ,
has convinced half the population of the earth as
to the truth of His Word and the validity of His
Claim, of what importance can be the testimony
of a few historians, whether they acknowledge or
deny Him?
The second evidence is that an effect can be adduced as the proof of a cause;
and this is a rational
and visible evidence. There is no doubt that the
Christian Religion, which has changed the conditions of the old world, is an
effect, and every effect
'Pust, of necessity, have a cause and origin. No
man or body of men has ever claimed to be the
originator of this religion, nor has its institution
ever been attributed to anyone except Jesus Christ
(Glory be to Him!). Consequently, it is obvious
that He has been its only founder and sole upholder. When a wise man reflects
upon the origin
of this invincible Power which· has surpassed the
powers of the World; when he considers the supernatural ken and judgment which
have reformed the
defects of nations, healed the sicknesses of hearts,
and reconciled tribes of peoples, it would be unreasonable for him to think
that this origin could
be veiled and obscure, or wrapped up in the cobwebs of oblivion and
negligence. If man permits
himself to doubt such a clear matter, how much
240        The Fourth Introduction.
more would he be apt to dispute all subjects?
Such scepticism would confuse the order of society, and would corroborate
sophistical theories.
Having treated of these subjects which needed
explanation, we will now return to the point which
we were discussing, in connection with the proofs
whereby the truth of the Mission of Christ can be
demonstrated.
As to the prophecies revealed in the Holy Books,
contained in the Old Testament: when we observe
the essential Oneness existing among the Manifestations of the Command of God,
which we have
demonstrated in speaking of the Divine Unity,
there is no doubt that most of these prophecies,
testified of and were fulfilled in the appearance of
our Lord Christ; which fact was confirmed by
those who appeared after Him. But when we c0Il.-
sider the individual characteristics of these holy
Manifestations; personal qualities which differentiate and distinguish each
one of them from the
other, there is no doubt that many prophecies were
not fulfilled in Christ's first coming. This will be
explained in the commentaries upon the texts of
the Scriptures, with the assistance of God the Lord
of Lords.
A fact which must not pass unnoticed by the
possessors of insight, is that the commentators of
the Holy Books have unanimously endeavored to
interpret all the prophecies recorded in the Old
Testament and the writings of the Israelitish
prophets. into the Manifestation of our Lord
Christ. In this endeavor they have mainly exerted
The Fourth Introduction.              241

themselves and spent their lives and property;
strenuously attempting to demonstrate to the
seekers, that the purpose of these prophecies is
none other than showing forth the events of the
day of His Manifestation and Mission, and describing His sufferings and
trials. Some have re·enforced this point by artifice, some by violence.
Others, finding themselves unable to convince
people by argument, have tried to coerce them by
the power of the sword and fire; a fact testified to
by the histories of every country. Moreover, it
has been customary with most of the theologians
and commentators of the Holy Books, to satisfy the
people and prove their religious tenets by a method
of argument called "economical"; no matter
whether it agreed with truth and fact or not.
With them, the only purpose has been to overcome
antagonists, relying upon their customary principle,
-"The end justifies the m~ans." Absolutism and
the lack of freedom which then prevailed among
nations, assisted them in fulfilling their aims and
rendering their beliefs prevalent. So arose false,
inverted, remote and insignificant interpretations
of the Holy Books. To this point, Mosheim refers
in his "History of the Church" (Part II., Cent. 3,
Ch. 3, Pars. 10, II):-"But it must by no means pass
unnoticed, that the discussions instituted against
the opposers of Christianity in this age (3rd cent.),
departed far from the primitive simplicity, and the
correct method of controversy. For the Christian
doctors, who were in part educated in the schools
of rhetoricians and sophists, inconsiderately trans-
242       The Fourth Introduction.
ferred the arts of these teachers to the Cause of
Christianity; and therefore considered it of no importance, whether an
antagonist were confounded
by these artifices, or by solid arguments. Thus
that mode of disputing, which the ancients called
economical, [It signifies to do a thing artfully and
dexterously, or with cunning and sagacity, as a
shrewd manager of a household controls those
under him-see footnote given by Murdock], and
which had victory rather than truth for its object,
was almost universally approved. And the Platonists contributed to the
currency of the practice, by
asserting that it was no sin for a person to employ
falsehood and fallacies for the support of truth,
when it was in danger of being borne down."
"This vicious inclination to circumvent and confound an adversary, rather than
confute him with
sound argument, produced also a multitude of
books falsely bearing on their front the names of
certain distinguished men. For the greater part
of mankind, being influenced more by the authority of names, than by arguments
and Scripture
testimony, the writers conceived they must prefix
names of the greatest weight to their books, in
order to oppose successfully their adversaries.
Hence those canons which were falsely ascribed to
the apostles: . . . ."
Of these canons, Murdock speaks in the footnote, thus:-"(The apostolic canons
are eighty-five
ecc1esiast~cal laws or rules, professedly enacted by
the Apostles, and collected and preserved by
Clemens Romanus. The matter of them is an-
The Fourth Introduction.               . 243
dent; for they describe the customs and institutions of the Christians,
particularly of the Greek
and Oriental churches, in the second and third
centuries. But the phraseology indicates a compiler being in the third
century. See W. Beveridge's Notes on these Canons, and his 'Codex
Canonum Eccles., Primitivae Vindicatus et Illustrat,' London, 1678,
4t~Schl.)."
Likewise, Mosheim has recorded in the events of
the fourth century (Book II., Part I., Par. 23):-
"For it is manifest that the untiring zeal of the bishops and other holy.men,
the pure and devout lives
which many of the Christians exhibited, the translations of the sacred Volume,
and the excellence of
the Christian religion, were as efficient motives
with many persons, as the arguments from worldly
advantage and disadvanta~e were with some
others. As for miracles, I cheerfully unite with
those who look with contempt on the wonders
ascribed to Paul, Antony, and Martin. I also grant,
that many events were inconsiderably regarded as
miracles, which were according to the laws of nature; not to mention likewise
pious frauds."
There are many similar statements in this book
and in other credible historical works, all of which
clearly indicate that the writers of the early centuries, who are considered
more brilliant and pure
than those of the later centuries, and whose works
became the foundation and ground-work upon
which the beliefs and writings of recent centuries
are based, cared more to triumph over and discomfit their antagonists than to
rely upon truth
'44        The Fourth Introduction.
and explain the real fact. They were more anxious
to satisfy the Jews and compel them to accept their
commentaries, than to convince the Pagans; for
the former were the root of the tree of Christianity,
and the source throue-h which the Holy Scriptures
had been revealed. They did their utmost, and
availed themselves of every possible strategy and
means, in order to persuade that intelligent and
unfortunate people that the purpose of all the
prophecies given in the Holy Scriptures concerning
the coming of the "Lord," referred to the Manifestation of Jesus Christ; and
that all prophecy predicted the events of His days, and foreshadowed
lIis sufferings and afflictions. Yet their diligence
in interpretation and fabrication, and their zealous
attempts to demonstrate this fulfillment, far from
bringing the Jews nearer to Christ, withheld them
from believing in Him. For the Jews who read
the Book every day with perfect attention, consulting and depending upon it in
all their affairs, were
cognizant of the purport of the prophecies, and
knew the falsity of such economical (forcible) argument. They were eye
witnesses to the fact that
the prophecies of the Holy Scriptures, especially
those which foreshadowed the end of their nation,
did not conform nor correspond to the Manifestation of our Lord Christ (Glory
be to Him !), although the Christian commentators insisted upon
their correspondence, by availing themselves of this
"economical" mode or argument, to maintain it.
Verily, the prophecies of these Holy Books,-for
the preservation of which the Jews shed their
The Fourth Introduction.                245

blood, sacrificed their property and children,' and
upon which alone they rested their hopes,-proclaim with the clearest voice
that after the decline
of the dominion of the Israelites; after their scattering and dispersion
throughout all countries; their
suffering every calamity; their being cursed and
reviled by all nations; after their country being possessed by foreigners and
trampled under the feet
of barbarous tribes; their cities and towns deserted
and ruined;-then the powerful Lord will appear,
His shining Beauty will dawn forth from the East,
and become manifest in the Holy Land. His voice
will be raised from the holy mountain; He will
assemble the scattered Israelites from the east,
west, north and south; He will gather them from
out all peoples. Then, according to these prophecies, they will proceed from
darkness toward light,
their sorrow will be changed into joy, their unbelief into real faith, their
rebellion into obedience,
their shame into honor, and their weakness into
power. They will become blessed after having
been execrated, victorious after having been subdued; the glory of the Holy
Land will be restored,
and distant nations will be blessed thereby. The
mouth of the Promised Lord will change its name
of the Holy Land, and the blessed and excellent
"Branch" will build His Temple. It will be named
"Desire" after its having been rejected; it will be
sought for after having been deserted. Its lost
honor will be eternally established and its peoples
will be firmly planted therein. All the prophesied
events will happen at their appointed time, which
246        The Fourth Introduction.
is determined in the Book, and known to men of
discernment. Superstitions will not change them,
nor will the alterations of the transposers and the
doubts of the sceptical shake them. These predicted events were reversed at
the appearance of
our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time, the Israelites
were established and tranquil in the Holy Land,
but after the Appearance of Christ, they were scattered by the conquest of
Titus the Roman, who
destroyed Jerusalem and slew over one million of
the Jews, according to historical record. Afterward, he sold the remnant of
them to the nations,
as beasts of burden. Their humiliation and misery
still increased when Omar, the Mohammedan Kalif,
a
vanquished the city of Elias erusalem), and made
a compact with Saphronius, Bishop of Jerusalem.
forbidding the Jews to inhabit Palestine. With
this decree and compact he destroyed their daily
sacrifice; the Holy Land fell into the hands of
foreigners and became the arena of murder and
field of conflict between the Arabs, Romans, Turks,
Crusaders and Mamelukes. The Jewish cities were
ruined, their buildings overthrown, their dwellings
desolated, their societies scattered; and during
these long generations, this forlorn people became
the plaything of storms of calamities, the subject
of whirlpools of afflictions, until the nineteenth
century. This was the century of the Dawn of the
Light of lights, the time of the rending of veils, and
the rise of the Sun of Knowledge in the brightness
of day. Then these ruinous storms and fatal convulsions were partly hushed;
the Holy Land at-
The Fourth Introduction.               '47

tained tranquility and quietude, and is still advancing therein, until that
which was foreshadowed by the prophets in bygone centuries and
ages, shall be fulfilled in it.
The Holy Land was flourishing and was inhab·
ited by the Jews before Christ appeared; but after
His Manifestation, they became scattered, and
none of the prophecies of which we have spoken
were fulfilled at His advent. Thus, Christ cannot
be accounted as the fulfillment of those prophecies.
The commentators have devised a way to close
this breach, and to bridge over this chasm, which
cannot be effected by any artifice. They have interpreted the word
"Israelite," recorded in the
Holy Scriptures, to mean the "Christian Church,"
in order to demonstrate that the prophecies were
fulfilled with the appearance of Jesus Christ (Glory
be to Him 0, and were realized in His Advent. Although we agree with this
interpretation in some
passages, yet most of the prophecies of the Holy
Scriptures clearly indicate that they refer to the
children of Israel, and not to the believers who
might join them through the Spirit of Faith. They
announce that the Israelites whom God had
stricken with curse and degradation, are to return
to blessing and restoration, as is plainly spoken of
by Paul the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans,
ch. xi., vs. 25 to 27:-"For I would not, brethren,
that ye shoul~ be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye
should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to
Israel, until the fullness
of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall
248        The Fourth Introduction.
be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of
Sion the Deliverer, and shall tum away ungodli.
ness from Jacob. For this is my Covenant unto
them, when I shall take away their sins."
This text clearly shows that the Israelites will
be saved and their sins taken away after the Manifestation of Christ; at the
end of the days, when
the Manifestation of the Lord will appear in Sion.
Therefore how could the commentators interpret
"children of Israel" as being the Christian Church?
In a similar way, they interpre~ the term "New
Testament" to be the "Holy Gospels." The word
"New Testament" (or Covenant) is recorded in
Jeremiah, ch. xxxi., vs. 31 to 34, as follows:-"Behold, the days come, said
the Lord, that I will make
a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and with
the house of Judah. Not according to the Covenant that I made with their
fathers in the day that
I took them by the hand to bring them out of the
land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake,
although I was an husband unto them, saith the
Lord. But this shall be the covenant that I will
make with the hO!Jse of Israel. After those days,
says the Lord, I will put my law in their inward
parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their
Lord, and they shall be my people. And they shall
teach no more every man his neighbour, and every
man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for they
shall all know me from the least of them unto the
greatest of them, saith the Lord. For I will for·
give their iniquity, and I will remember their sin
no more."
The Fourth Introduction.               249

Have the prophecies given in these verses been
fulfilled? Did the Lord forgive their iniquity and
sins? Were they ever without need of a teacher
or adviser to exhort and lead them to believe in
their Lord; so that the Holy Gospels might become the "New Testament" (or
Covenant)? Whosoever reads these verses with earnest attention,
will duly realize that the prophecies in this chapter refer to the Israelites
themselves, and not to
those who have joined them by faith. For the
Israelites, termed in Scripture, "the back-sliding
daughters," are the children of Ephraim, the capital
of whose country was Samaria, and the children of
Judah, the capital of whose country was Jerusalem.
It is also reported in the Book of Jeremiah, ch.
xxxi., vs. 27, 28:-"Behold, the days come, saith
the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the
house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the
seed of beast. And it shall come to pass, that like
as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to
break down, and to throw down, and to destroy,
and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build,
and to plant, saith the Lord." Does the sense of
these prophecies refer to the Christian Church?
Moreover, the prophesied restoration of the
Holy Land is an everlasting restoration which will
never be overthrown; a permanent holiness which
will never be effaced; for it is clearly stated at the
end of the chapter, that "It shall not be plucked
up, nor thrown down any more forever." After
the ascension of our Lord Christ (Glory be upon
Him I), the Holy Land was destroyed twice; the
25 0      The Fourth Introduction.
first time, by the command of Titus and Adrian.
Afterward, the Israelitish people were scattered,
and the desolation of the Holy Land and the dis.
persion of its people were completed by the conquest of Islam, at which time
the daily sacrifice
was taken away, as we have formerly explained.
As these facts were evident to the Jews, the explanations and interpretations
made by the Christians, did not satisfy them. Nay rather, such
methods kept them farther from the truth. So
they denied Christ and refused to investigate and
enquire into His Cause. The delegates of the great
pontiffs during every century, attempted to compel the Israelites to accept
these interpretations,
and join the sacred Church. As they could not
satisfy them through the power of argument, they
laboured to convince them by the power of the
sword and rigid persecution.
Mosheim has recorded in his "History of the
Church, Part I., Cent. vi., Ch. i., Par. 3, thus:-
"But it should be added, that far more were (the
Jews) induced to make profession of Christianity,
by the rewards offered by the princes and by the
fear of punishment, than by the force of arguments.
In Gaul during the reign of Childeric, the Jews
were compelled to receive baptism: and the same
thing was done in Spain."
To resume. As on one hand, the Jews saw these
confusing interpretations, and on the other, false
arguments and rigid punishments, they doubted
not that these oppressions were taught by Christ.
So, bewildered and led astray in the desert of re-
The Fourth Introduction.              25 1

mote ness and error, they clung to their own ideas,
until finally the warnings and prophecies of the
prophets became fulfilled in them. Although they
deserved punishment for their denial of Christ and
objection to the chastity of the Virgin Mary, by
which their adversity and shame before God were
increased; yet the greater part of their sin in remaining unbelievers, is due
to the aforementioned
commentators, sophists and persecutors, who alienated the Jews from the truth,
and obscured the
path unto them. Had the commentators interpreted the verses according to their
true purpose
and demonstrated the truth of the Word of our
Lord Christ in the right manner, they would have
made it easy for the Jews to embrace the Truth,
and would have brought them nearer to the highway of obedience. For there are
proofs and verses
in the very texts of the Bible and in the prophetic
Books, which clearly explain the truth of our Lord
Christ; and had the commentators held to them,
they would have been in no need of false argument
and persecution. God willing, we will explain this
point in the course of our interpretations regarding
the subject.
Now consider, 0 ye beloved ones, the Mohammedan cause, and the proofs whereby
its adherents
endeavor to prove the truth of Mohammed.
As to the Heavenly Book and Divine Revelation: This they hold to be the Koran.
Its texts were
written in the days of Mohammed, and collected
and arranged in the days of His khalifs by congregations composed of His chief
followers and saints.
25 2       The Fourth Introduction.
The Moslems, notwithstanding their variance and
difference of sects and creeds, have universally
agreed upon one book, even without entertaining
any disagreement or difference as to one word or
letter in it. Y c:.t it is but one volume, containing
thirty sections, the texts of which, they maintain,
were revealed gradually to Mohammed at different
times, during twenty-three years. Mohammed
was of the tribe of Koraish, a tribe noted for eloquence and speech among the
Arabs. Even the
majority of the Mohammedan doctors have regarded the eloquent language and
elegant style of
the Koran, as a perfect proof and decisive miracle.
But we have refuted this point in several books,
and have explained the reason why heavenly Revelations are miraculous, s~owing
the manner whereby they are distinguished from the words of man;
in a way that should convince every one of discernment and perception.
As to the penetration of His Word and the
propagation of His religion: this was not fully witnessed, except among the
Arabs, until the second
century of the Hejira, when it was introduced
among the Persians, the inhabitants of the Caucasus, the Turks and Indians.
The conquests of the
Islam princes, in the first century, reached eastward to Furgana (near China),
and' westward to
Sicily and Spain. The Islam princes, with a few
exceptions, it is said, did not compel any nation to
accept the religion, for they gave people the choice
between paying taxes or embracing the faith.
The Fourth Introduction.               253

The success of the Mohammedan conquerors
was sufficient inducement for people to embrace
a religion far more advanced than their ancient
idolatry and fire-worship; especially when we add
to this, the attractive simplicity of life of the Mohammedan devotees, who
were numerous at that
time. Notwithstanding this, the inhabitants of the
Caspian countries and Trans-Euxine provinces, did
not accept Mohammedanism before the second and
third century of Hejira, as we have mentioned
above.
As to the miracles and wonders which it is said
were demanded from Mohammed by his adversaries, and which the Mohammedan
doctors are
craftily attempting to prove in his behalf; these are
disproved by the clear texts of the Koran. There
are verses in this book which plainly indicate that
God the Exalted did not wish to show forth any
sign in the Islam Manifestation, except the Book;
for signs are warnings concerning destruction and
ruin. It is recorded in the Koran, in the "chapter
of the Israelites" (,'The Night Journey," Sale's
translation):-"Nothing hindered us from sending
(thee) with miracles, except that the former (nations) have charged them with
imposture. We
gave unto (the tribe of) Thamud (at their demand),
the she-camel visible (to their sight); yet they dealt
unjustly with her; and we send not (a prophet) with
miracles, but to strike terror."
That is, God the Exalted has refused to send any
miracles in the Manifestation of Mohammed; for
the former nations, such as the Egyptian, Ad, and
254        The Fourth Introduction.
Thamitd, demanded miracles from the prophets,
then afterward charged them with imposture, and
denied them; therefore God destroyed them on account of their denial. God does
not send signs or
miracles, except as a warning of destruction and
threatening of desolation. There are many other
similar verses in the Book, which we have spoken
of in detail in "Fara-yed," "Dorar-el-Baheyeh," and
"Fassl-ul-Khatab" (books by the same author).
As to the miracles which are said to have proceeded from Mohammed even before
being demanded: These have no authority except the traditions and records
which are not reliable save to
those who wish to believe. And if we add to this,
the weakness of miracles in proving the truth of a
claimant to prophethood, as we have formerly explained, there would not remain
anything worthy
of reliance or production, as an argument. But
there are prophecies concerning future events, recorded both in the Koran and
in the authoritative
traditions attributed to Him, which cannot be disregarded and rejected by any
except a bigoted disputant. In them, Mohammed has foretold the conditions of
His religion, and all that would happen
to it, including its advance and decline, prosperity
and adversity, weakness and power, subdivision,
desolation, etc.; everything in full details and particulars, until the lapse
and termination of its
cycle.
Likewise, He foreshadowed the events which
would happen at the end of His cycle, concerning
the Manifestation of Mahdi (the Precursor), the
The Fourth Introduction.               255

descent of the "Spirit of God" (Christ), the rise of
false prophets, the appearance of impostors, the
major Resurrection, the minor Resurrection, and
their signs and tokens. These, He has also prophesied in full detail,
including their dates and places;
things which no one can apprehend through human comprehension or foretell
through political
forecasts. The like has never before been witnessed in the texts of any holy
Manifestation previous to Him. Yet these traditions being collected
during the second and third centuries of Hegira,
before which they had been preserved in memories,
and related by word of mouth, must needs contain
some blunders and inconsistencies, due to human
forgetfulness and mistakes. Moreover, the relating of prophetic traditions was
regarded by the
Moslems in those days, as a high dignity and calling, and was used as a means
for the attainment
to worldly aims, by ambitious men. The tyrant
Khalifs who were constantly afraid of the pure
lineage of Ali and the household of Mohammc!d,
bought the adherence of some of their immediate
companions and followers with gold. These faithless ones fabricated for them
traditions in praise
of the enemies of the imams of Mohammed's
household, and sought by this artifice to turn away
the attention of people from the family of Ali, and
secure their own usurped dominion and khaliphat.
In this way, trading in traditions, and markets for
fabricating records were started, and thus truth and
falsehood became intermingled. Books of such
prophetic traditions were compiled, which the doc-
25 6       The Fourth Introduction.
tors of religion accepted through fear, greed, and
desire; which finally ended in misleading the people
and casting them into the depths of degradation.
Yet the possessors of clear insight were not prevented from recognizing the
authentic traditions
and distinguishing them from those which are not.
reliable. Verily, the words of the prophets and
messengers, and the depositories of their wisdom
and knowledge, are endowed with certain virtues
and qualities which are not concealed from those
capable of understanding them. By authentic traditions, we do not mean in the
sense understood
by Mohammedan doctors, both Shi-ite and Sunnite. For the Sunnites regard as
authentic a tradition which agrees with their own creed and is
related by one of their sect; disregarding every
other tradition, even though it may be from a reliable and trustworthy source.
Likewise, the Shi-ite
doctors give no credit to the traditions which are
not in accordance with their own doctrine. This
does not satisfy any seeker of truth, nor can it be
a means of distinguishing truth from falsehood, or
removing discord; for no community agrees
with the opinion of another. But to the followers
of Truth, by an authentic tradition is meant one
which conforms with the Book of God ("for it
contains the explanation of all things"), or which
agrees with a fact of real occurrence. Such are
the traditions containing prophecies which have
come to pass and are fulfilled.
To resume. The traditions predicting future
events wer~ proofs whereby the Moslems could
The Fourth Introduction.               257

demonstrate the truth of the founder of their re-
Iigion; but they themselves corrupted them and
mixed with the truth they contained their own
fabrications, in order to gain the favor of the tyrannical Khalifat of the
lineage of Abi-Sofyan, the
"Angel of the bottomless pit," spoken of in the 9th
and 12th chapters of Revelation, and the "cursed
tree" alluded to in the Koran. These are interpreted to mean this khalifat.
As to the prophecies given in the Holy Bible and
in the Books of the other Israelitish prophets concerning Mohammed; these are
as pure and limpid
drops of water falling from the fissures of the rocks
of involved enigmas, as we will, God permitting,
set forth in future statements.
The prophecies given in the New Testament,
concerning the appearance of Mohammed, are even
clearer and more manifest; especially in the 11th
and 12th chapters of Revelation. At the same
time they are all prefaces and signs of the Advent
of the "DiY of God"; the arrival of the "Great
Hour," and the Manifestation of the "Beauty" of
God," the "Behi-EI-Abha."
o ye pious souls! Now that ye have understood
the manner of the propagation of the former religions and in what measure
these four proofs can
be used by their adherents, know ye (may God pour
upon you a light from His Kingdom the EI-Abhal),
that the aforementioned proofs demonstrate this
most holy and Supreme Manifestation, in a far
clearer and more perfect way than is the case with
other religions. Therefore should anyone of the
2S8        The Fourth Introduction.
followers of the fonner prophets deny this one, it
would be absolutely impossible for him to prove the
truth of his own religion; to which fact we have
made reference in fonner demonstrations.
We must now speak of each one of the aforesaid
proofs in connection with this Most Great Manifestation, just as we have
spoken of them in connection with other religions,-so that the superior
significance of their application to Him, may be
clearly realized by every man of faith.
As to the Divine Book, namely, the Heavenly
Revelation. Verily, our Lord the ABHA, notwithstanding that He was subject
during the days
of His Manifestation, to all kinds of physical calamities, afflictions, and
great tribulations, which we
will not now enlarge upon; although He was not
a man of learning nor a student of any university;
yet his Holy Tablets, both Persian and Arabic, are
spread throughout all regions, and it is no exaggeration to say that they
exceed in quantity the
Heavenly Books and Divine Writingi possessed
by all the different nations of the earth. They embody the solutions of the
intricacies of the prophetic Books, interpretations of the Words of the
Chosen Ones, and contain answers to the abstruse
questions of the leading philosophers and doctors,
which knowledge was sealed and closed up by the
prophets of bygone cycles, so that the minds of the
wisest men of every century were unable to comprehend it.
His Holy Tablets contain laws, ordinances, regulations and ethical teachings
whereby the character
The Fourth Introduction.              359

of the most barbarous peoples are reformed, the
rights of all nations can be preserved, and upon
which all the world can agree.
They contain discourses upon the subtle meanings of Divine Unity, the mode of
the Manifesta-·
tion of Prophets, the station and mission of the
Chosen Ones, and praises of the Glorious God.
They contain prayers, invocations, supplications,
communes, directions to be humble toward God
and submissive in His Presence; all of which call
forth compassion, soften the character, and create
that fear of God, that solid foundation, upon which
the Wisdom proceeding from the Spirit of Assurance and firm faith, is based.
To this, God has
made reference, thus :-"Adore thy Lord, that
positive Realization may come to thee."
During His blessed Days, four rivers flowed
forth from His Supreme Pen and sweet Utterances,
containing such Divine and Exalted Knowledge,
such lofty, heavenly Wisdom, that hearts are quickened, souls rejoiced, the
dead are raised, and
breasts dilated. These are the same four rivers
flowing from the Throne of God in the exalted
Paradise; the fountains pouring out the Water of
Life from the Supreme Concourse, spoken of by
the Guardians of Revelation. Also it is said by God
through the tongue of Moses:-"My doctrine shall
drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew,
as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the
showers upon the grass."
As to the excellent "Branch extended from the
Ancient Root," the Light risen from the Heaven
260        The Fourth Introduction.
of the Will of our Lord the Clement, the Merciful;
the pen of a fluent writer fails to describe His Holy
Tablets and Utterances or the nature of His marvellous character and
qualities. There are thousands of His Tablets spread in all parts, as blossoms
scattered from the trees in spring time.
Like fragrance wafted by the breeze of dawn, does
His fluent Pen diffuse life in all cities. When in
IB94 A. D., the author travelled to the Holy Land,
and through the assistance of the Divine Favors,
attained unto the visit of His Holy Threshold, he
was amazed to behold in Him all virtues and perfections. These were witnessed
during ten months
residence in the shelter of His nearness. Many a
time we were in His holy Presence, when multitudes of prominent people were
there, such as
judges, doctors, and great military and civil officials
of different nationality, religion, and language.
While He was in their midst, large packages of
letters from all parts and countries of the world
were brought to Him. Although encompass~d
with insurmountable difficulties, He (Glorified is
His Name and Grandeur!) continued to answer
questions and requests made by those present,
while He wrote replies to each letter. These
Tablets and replies were written without meditation, pause of pen, or
preliminary rough-copy, and
without the help of a scribe. All regions are filled
with His Tablets and hearts are attracted through
their spread. He has caused the Voice of His Lord
the EI-Abha, to reach the high heavens. Through
the words of His widespread epistles which exhale
The Fourth Introduction.              261

the purest fragrances of His Utterances, souls are
uplifted; and from their verses, the fountains of
knowledge and wisdom flow onward.
As to the "First Point," the Supreme Model, the
Precursor of the Beauty of our Lord, the Behi-UI-
Abha (Glorified is His Name!): He was born of
one of the noblest households and most holy families, and engaged in trade
with His maternal uncle,
who was an example of virtue and sanctity. When
twenty-five years old, through ~he permission of
His Lord the EI-Abha, He declared His mission in
Mecca, amidst a great congregation, at which announcement, all quarters of the
world trembled,
and the pillars of the earth quaked, Thence He
returned to the city of Bushire situated on the
coast of the Persian Gulf; His face shining and
gleaming as the moon in mid-heaven. On His arrival thither, He remained in His
uncle's house;
then, after a few days, He left for Shiraz. On the
road, He was overtaken and captured by a squad
of cavalry sent by the Government. The days of
His mission lasted for almost seven years, all of
which He passed in banishment and imprisonment,
either in His own house or in the quarters of the
Government. Finally, He was exiled to Azerbeyjan,
Persia; and in Tabriz, the principal city of that
province, He suffered martyrdom and ascended to
the shelter of God. During these long afflictions,
He revealed volumes of verses, discourses, communes, and scientific treatises,
both in Persian and
Arabic, which astounded men of learning, and
silenced disputing doctors and philosophers. He
362        The Fourth Introduction.
wrote His Holy Tablets without premeditation. He
challenged men of learning, openly demanding of
them to produce even one similar verse. Most of
them, He wrote in the presence of the king,
princes, and prominent men of learning and literature. At the same time, His
blessed life was at
the mercy of His strongest antagonists, and subject to the word of the most
unjust, hard-hearted,
ignorant religious doctors.
Yet they could not find any ground of objection
to His verses, except that they contained things
contrary to grammatical rules, which, they said,
destroyed their eloquence and fluency.            He
silenced them by showing similar examples revealed in the Koran. We have
completely discussed this point in detail, in our book "Fara'-yed."
But all their argument served only to prove that
His exalted Word became effective and prevalent solely through the Power of
God and His
Heavenly Will; and not through material and human means, such as scholastic
learning and rhetorical eloquence. By the Life of God, nothing baffles
or silences the sceptic, except the fact that in spite
of every difficulty, doubt and obstacle, the Word
of God prevails.
God the Almighty sent Mohammed with the
verses of the Koran, containing every beauty of
style; and it was said:-"Verily, Mohammed deludes people by the charm of his
speech and by
adorning the words of his Koran." Then He sent
the "First Point" with the verses of The Beyan and
simplicity of explanation; and it was said that the
The Fourth Introduction.             26 3

Bab's words were vernacular and ungrammatical.
How can God the Almighty deal with these contradictory opinions and
inconsistent objections,
except to do "whatsoever He willeth and command whatsoever He desireth?" Thus
He abandons these sceptics to bewilder themselves in their
doubts and indulge in their objections. Concerning the Tablets of our Lord the
Master, Abdul-
Beha, the Glory of all in the Kingdom of Names;
notwithstanding their beauty of explanation and
the grace of their style, which is acknowledged by
every eloquent man and fluent writer, the most astonishing objection was made
by the center of Violation, the leader of the Nakazeen, who said:-
"As his words contain no grammatical errors, they
do not resemble Divine Words." What was said
by our Lord Jesus Christ, is fulfilled in them
(Matt., ch. xi., vs. 16 to 19):-"But whereunto
shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the
markets, and calling unto their
fellows, and saying, we have piped unto you, and
ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you,
and ye have not lamented. For John came
neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath
a devil. The son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man
gluttonous, and
a winebibber, a friend of pUblicans and sinners.
But wisdom is justified of her children." Let us
leave the deniers to wander in the abyss of imagination, and return to our
subject.
As to the Logical Argument, that is the prevalence of His Word, and the
promotion of His
2 64      The Fourth Introduction.
Cause, without the assistance of any human
means, but only through the Divine Will and
heavenly evidences; this point is too clear to need
any further explanation and demonstration. Notwithstanding that the progress
of His Holy Word
was prevented by the power of tyranny with all
manners of prohibition, yet in less than one quarter of a century, His
Manifestation and Cause
penetrated all religions and peoples, affecting most
of the creeds and sects. By its power, numerous
souls among Moslems, Christians, Zoroastrians,
Nusseyrites and Jews have come to'believe in His
teachings; their morals have been reformed, their
tastes purified, their learning expanded, their manners beautified, and the
Spirit of Faith and the
Breath of Assurance have filled their hearts. In
time of tribulation they have preferred to die
rather than abandon their faith, surrendering their
lives in the path of their Beloved with the utmost
delight. During afflictions their faces beamed
with the joy of sacrifice, and while in the clutches
of the enemy, they sang melodies of thanks and
glorification. It is very rare to find one of the
people of Beha who is not willing in heart to suffer
martyrdom for the sake of God; or one firm in the
"Covenant of Him around whom all Names revolve," who is not rejoiced in Spirit
to sacrifice
himself for promoting the Word of God. This is
a sign of the most complete realization and perfect
faith. This is a confirmatory and real testimony
of the Word of the Manifestation of the Cause of
God, the Lord of the Creatures.
The Fourth Introduction.              265

The attitude of the Hebrew and Zoroastrian
peoples is most amazing; for as is known to the
men of understanding, enmity toward Christ and
Mohammed was from time of old, inborn in their
hearts, and their whole being was filled with
hatred for these two manifest lights, to such an
extent that none of the leaders of these two religions could convert even one
Jew or Zoroastrian, except by force and compulsion. But the
people of Beha have converted thousands of them
through their clear arguments, whereby their souls
are illumined, their eyes are opened, their morals
reformed, their characters renewed, their hatred
changed into love, their discord into harmony,
their infidelity into faith, and their hostility into
obedience and loyalty. These converts have even
directed other peoples and religions. to the fountain of truth, and thus the
words of God are fulfilled in them :-"And we were minded to be gracious unto
those who were weakened in the land,
and to make them leaders of religion and to make
them the heirs (of the Kingdom and the holy
Land)."
Likewise, the words of Zechariah were fulfilled,
as written in ch. viii., v. 23:-"Thus saith the Lord
of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that
ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the
nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him
that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we
have heard that God is with you."
The words of Christ are also fulfilled in them
(Rev., ch. vii., v. 4):-"And I heard the number of
266         The Fourth Introduction.
them which were sealed: And there were sealed
. an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the
tribes of the Children of Israel."
As to Miracles and Wonders: As the time of
this Manifestation is recent, it is possible for every
seeker to investigate the sources of these wonders
and the character of their narrators. Thus the
truthful may be recognized among them, and
those whose words can be relied upon. Therefore these acts and wonders are
nearer to acceptance than the miracles of the former prophets, the
sources of which cannot be investigated, nor their
narrators examined. Almost all those who have
been in the presence of our Lord the EI-Abha,
and whose good character and deeds testify 'to
their purity of heart; those whose words can be
trusted, have witnessed His manifest miracles and
clear signs. Even numbers of people who are
outside of His Religion, have given testimony of
His Miracles, which evidences we have written in
our book "Ferayed." This fact is one of the
characteristics of this most luminous and glorious
Manifestation, the power by which it transcends
all former Manifestations. The author can testify, and God the Exalted bears
witness to the
truth of the circumstances in connection with the
oppression of Abdul-Aziz, Sultan of Turkey, and
the events which followed it. The late Zabih
(Haji Mohammed Ismael, who suffered martyrdom
in Persia) informed the author of their full particulars, in 1293 A. H. (1876
A. D.), and read unto
him, the Tablet of Rais and the Tablet of K.Z.
The Fourth Introduction.              267

(an abbreviation of the name of Sheikh Kazem of
Kazwin, entitled Samandar, an old faithful Behai
merchant and prominent teacher still living in
Kazwin, Persia). Thus we possessed information of them nearly seven months
before their occurrence. At that time we were in our father's
religion, and could not believe that the events
spoken of in those Tablets would come to pass.
Yet his honor Aga-Abdul-Karim, of Isfahan.
our teacher of the Truth, guaranteed it, and finally
they were completely fulfilled.
Still clearer are the prophecies he has made in
His Tablets concerning future events, which
prophecies he calls "evidences"; of the fulfillment
of which the world will be informed, and the
sleepers will be cognizant thereof, after their appearance.
Some of the events which occurred in the days
of our Lord the EI-Abha (Glorified is His Name I),
deserve to be noticed by the men of perception.
Very often meetings were held by the men of
learning and by members of the Government, at
which prominent people discussed how to resist
the effectiveness of the Word of God, as revealed
in Our Lord; and demanded public miracles. Finally, they concluded to resort
to violence and persecution, as is the established custom of tyrants.
One of these events oc~urred in 1882 A. D.
(1300 A. H.), when a number of Behais were arrested without cause or reason,
through the instigation of doctors of religion. This oppression
was by the command of the prince Kamran·Mirza,
268       The Fourth Introduction.
the third son of the late Nasser-eddin-Shah, then
entitled Nayeb~EI-Saltaneh (Prince Regent), Gov~
ernor of Teheran. Some of the Behais were
arrested in the city of Rasht. the principal town of
Guilan, Persia, and others were taken in Isfahan
and Hamadan. This stirred all parts of Persia.
and persecutions prevailed throughout all cities.
The doctors of religion and the rulers availed
themselves of this opportunity to plunder the
property of the people of faith. By this, they
showed forth the hatred which they bore, as well
as their inability to resist the people of Beha with
proofs and arguments. Among those arrested
and imprisoned in Teheran was Mirza-Mohammed-Reza of Mohammed-Abad (well-known
as
Yazdi), a gray-bearded man of seventy, lionhearted and noted for
steadfastness. He (may
the Mercy of God be upon him!) was a symbol of
piety, sanctity, truthfulness and steadfastness in
the Cause of God. Even the most violent of his
enemies have confessed his virtues, and his brilliant character raised
sympathy in the hardest
hearts of his persecutors.
In those days meetings for discussion with the
believers of God were held in the house
of the above-mentioned prince. The purpose of these meetings was to silence
and confute the Behais, and not for inquiry or investigation. They used the
most evil kinds of execration, which constitutes the only armor of an ignorant
man when discomfited, and supplies a
sword to the debased and wicked. Their habit in
The Fourth Introduction.             26 9

controversy was to first uphold their own theological doctrines, which assert
that the Mahdi who
will arise in the Cause of God, shall not be permitted to contradict any of
their beliefs, or to
change any of their rites and customs. This implies that they, and not God,
send the Forerunner
of the Cause of God, and cause the "Spirit of God"
to descend. Thus they have ordained fixed laws
and regulations, and have traced a certain path for
God's messenger before His appearance, without
allowing that any change or departure could be
made therefrom. And this is characteristic of
each religious sect, notwithstanding the divergence and difference between
their beliefs, customs
and creeds. In such a case, how could the Mahdi
satisfy the different communities and peoples?
Must he comply with the wishes of the Sunnites,
who insist that He should conform to the law of
Hanafieh, or with the desires of the Shi-ites who
require him to follow the theory of the Imamat?
God is far exalted above what the unjust men say!
To be brief. While the believers put them to
silence in this arena, by arguments, texts of the
Koran and the traditions, they still clung to miracles; temptingly demanding
signs. These insolent and ease-Io.ving individuals did not even take
the pains to present themselves before the Manifestation of God, as did the
former nations; but,
while remaining in their own home and country,
each one demanded whatever happened to be dictated by his own imaginations,
thoughts, views
and desires.
'7 0       The Fourth Introduction.
The believers answered them, that verily, miracles are of no value in similar
cases, nor do they
give the benefit of assurance and conviction to the
seeker; and that the only cause of the ruin of former nations was in demanding
miracles from their
prophets, and tempting their messengers through
their groundless requests. They said, if you deem
it necessary, agree together in demanding a certain sign upon an appointed
day; announce to the
people of Teheran what you have decided upon;
then ask it from the Day-spring of the lights of
God, the Behi-EI Abha. He will show forth unto
you that great sign. For it is not rea'sonable that
the Manifestations of the Command of God should
grant all the individual wishes and whims of the
seekers of wonders. Even people who are not
seeking after religion or the understanding of
truth, would continually demand miracles for their
own amusement and delight; and thus the assemblies of the prophets and
messengers, the abodes
of wisdom and guidance, would be changed into
gatherings for amusement and jugglery. Thus it
was said by God :-"1£ the truth had followed their
desires, verily, the heavens and the earth had been
corrupted"; that is, the peoples and religions
would have been corrupted. Here the exalted
Lord hath interpreted the word "heaven" to be
the heaven of religion, and "earth" to be the hearts
of the faithful. It is spoken of as the "earth of
Knowledge and Assurance" in the Book of
"Ighan."
The Fourth Introduction.             27 t

While the author was imprisoned in the house
of the prince Nayeb-Essaltanah (the late Shah's
third son, then Governor of Teheran), we were,
one day, summoned into his presence. When
seated before him, while a number of princes and
generals stood by, he addressed us, saying:-
"0 Abul-Fazl, verily, Mirza-Mohammed-Reza
says that we may demand by a telegram, any miracle that we may decide upon,
from Beha-Ullah,
and that He will undoubtedly manifest through
His Divine Power, the miracle we seek for, in response to our request. He
further says, that if
Beha-Ullah did not show forth the miracle we
ask,-which supposition is impossible,-then he
(Reza) would himself denounce Him in all the
Moslem countries. By this statement he ,has
shown his great belief and trust in the Founder of
His Faith." Then we answered :-"Mirza-Mohammed-Reza must needs be very certain
of the
appearance of the miracle which he has so seriously promised you without doubt
or hesitation.
He is known by you to be very fearless, sincere and
steadfast in this Cause." Then the Governor questioned us saying :-"What is
your
opinion as to whether we should demand
the miracle or abandon the idea ?" We answered :-"What is the cause of your
hesitation and the reason of your delay in demanding
a miracle and concluding the matter? We have
frequently heard you saying, that if Beha-Ullah
is the very Manifestation of the Lord, promised in
the Koran, why does He not show us a miracle?
27 2      The Fourth Introduction.
Here are the people of Beha, ready to answer your
demand and enable you to attain your aim. Verily they have declared the proof
unto you and
propounded the evidence for you, while you are
heedless of the evil result wh.ich might follow.
Should you not look into this matter with the eye
of a just investigator and not as a contentious oppressor? Then your name may
be spoken of with
respect during future times, and that which befell
the former nations, may not happen unto you!
Know, 0 prince, verily suppression, prohibition,
imprisonment, murder, and similar persecutions
will not prevent the propagation of this Cause.
People will not submit to kings in matters of religion, nor will they, for the
sake of their nobles
and princes, turn away from the one whom they
have followed as the means of their salvation.
Nay, rather, were you to behold with a discerning
eye, you would find that hindrance and restriction
tend but to increase man's search after the Truth
and his belief in it. The murder and imprisonment of believers but adds to the
credit and respect of the Cause, in the sight of men of perception. By the
Life of God, man does not despise
that for which he' has spent gold and property;
then how can he abandon that for which souls and
lives are sacrificed, and for the sake of which the
severest calamities and afflictions are accounted a
delight? Has not forty years' experience been
sufficient to make known unto you these evident
facts? Therefore you should not forsake your
own judgment at the instigation of ignorant doc-
The Fourth Introduction.             273

tors of religion, who are known to be the most
violent enemies of your government, and the most
bitter antagonists of your rule? You should consider these things if your
purpose is to protect the
people from being led astray in regard to religion,
although 'you have not been sent as guardian
unto them.' And if you intend to guard your government and preserve your
dominion, by God, I do
not see any ground for fearing this movement.
The great Lord Beha-Ullah has commanded His
followers to love all nations, to have respect for
philosophers and learned men, to forsake strife
with any sect and creed, to bear allegiance to
kings and princes, to obey the laws of the Government, and not to interfere
with political affairs.
By a prohibition which cannot be doubted,
changed or otherwise interpreted, He has strictly
forbidden conflict, quarrel, and all that may create
hatred and animosity in souls and hearts, such as
contention for glory and honor; so that nothing
contrary to humanity or to the preservation of
society may arise."
"Consequently, you find the people of Beha enduring every injustice and
humiliation, every
abasement and persecution, without sigh, complaint, or deviation from the
highway of obedience and loyalty. But this is not from cowardice,
fear or baseness, for you have witnessed their
great fortitude, dumb endurance, and great patience under persecutions; you
know well their
firmness of heart under the attack of enemies.
Nay, rather, all this is in compliance with the Com·
274       The Fourth Introduction.
mand of their Lord the EI-Abha, and for the purpose of attaining true human
virtues, which are
the only means for the reformation of the world."
"0 great prince, it is not an ordinary thing for
governments to find subjects who regard allegiance to the commands of their
empire as religious duty; who practice obedience to the laws of
government as a Divine Commandment. If you
judge with fairness, you will acknowledge that this
is the greatest Bounty of God which has yet appeared for the amelioration of
the world; the highest heavenly Gift which has descended for the removal of
the rancour concealed in the hearts of
peoples."
To be brief. We discoursed concerning the demand for miracles and upon other
subjects which
deserved consideration, giving him every possible
proof, and sincerely admonishing him. But he
was surrounded with hostile suggestions of the religious doctors and the plots
of the ignorant, so
that nothing affected his opinion. So they assembled together and consulted
how to suppress and
eradicate the people of Beha, who, whether in joy
or sorrow, only wished them good in return and
who, in all circumstances, endeavored to lead them
to honor and felicity. But God frustrated their
evil plans and exertions, dispersed their meetings,
scattered their gatherings, and their histories and
records remain in the books and writings, as warnings to men of discernment
and perception.
More wonderful and important than that which
has already been mentioned, is the event which oc-
The Fourth Introduction.             275

curred in Irak-Arabi, when the city of Baghdad
was illuminated by the lights of the "Orb of the
Universe." The pith of this event is that when the
sun of the face of EI-Beha shone forth from the
horizon of the "Abode of Peace" (Baghdad), and
His brilliant lights overcame the obscurity of the
dense clouds which prevailed in the Cause of the
"First Point," dispelling the darkness; then the
Cause of God scintillated with lights, the scattered
believers of God were brought together, and the
penetration and effectiveness of the Word of God
increased. This provoked the hatred and animosity of the Shi'ite doctors, who
have great influence
and are regarded of high importance in Irak, because the sanctuaries and tombs
of the Imams are
situated there. To these shrines the pilgrims of
the Shi·ite "Church of the twelve" travel from all
countries.
In those days, Sheik-Abdul-Hussein of Teheran,
the Mujtahid, resided at Irak. As he was feared
for his ingrained folly, pride, rashness, and proneness to revolt, the Persian
Government had removed him thither, under the pretence of giving
him a special appointment at the holy Sanctuaries.
This appointment secured for him among the doctors, a kind of leadership, and
gave him an absolute power and influence over people in general.
When this Sheik saw the prevalence of the light
of the Cause and Divine Word, he deliberately determined to resist the Word of
God by force, eradicate the Behais, and to shed the blood of a considerable
number of them by exciting a revolt. He
27 6       The Fourth Introduction.
ealled a meeting of prominent Shi-ites, who discussed plans among themselves,
and agreed to
summon in council in the city of Kazemi-yeh
(within 3 miles' distance from Baghdad), a large
number of the doctors of Karbela and Najef, and
the leading Shi-ites who resided in these places.
The Persian Consul who then lived at Baghdad,
was in accord with them. They also invited the
great Divine Sheik-Mortaza-EI-Ansari, a lofty personage, who was universally
accepted by all the
Shi-ites both in the East and West for his knowledge and piety. He was the
chief among the Persian doctors of religion (may God cause the
clouds of mercy and forgiveness to shower upon
him I). But these plotters invited him nominally to
a feast and concealed from him the real purpose of
this council; for he was quite free from revolutionary plans, and entirely
given to acts of devotion
and to scientific lectures. He had rigorously abstained from listening to any
complaint or evil
word against the Babi community, believing that
this subject (Behaism) pertaided to the fundamental facts of religion, in
which God has not allowed
His servants to follow the opinion of others, or to
rest upon theological decisions. Nay, rather, he
reasoned, God has rebuked and rejected those who
follow the opinion of their fathers, leaders, kings
and divines, and has given a perfect freedom to
every individual to investigate these facts himself
with his own eyes, apprehending them through his
own effort and exertion. Thus God has promised
them guidance as a fruit of this exertion, and has
The Fourth Introduction.              277

clearly stated that they shall attain the Truth.
Far be it from Him to break His promise I
These doctors knew this to be his opinion in
theology, but they imagined that when he entered
into their assembly and saw their number and
unanimous agreement, he would also conform and
be in one accord with them.
The appointed day came; the doctors and prominent men assembled together in
the city of Kazemi-yeh, and people gathered around them from
every quarter. Then arose the headstrong Sheik-
Abdul-Hussein who, in the course of an address,
divulged the purpose of their assembly, and laid
bare unto them his plan for suppressing the Babis.
When the late Sheik-Mortaza-EI-Ansari heard
his speech and understood this object, he instantly
arose and went out from among them. No matter how they insisted upon his
remaining, showed
the necessity of his presence, and tried to persuade
him to agree with them, he would not assent, but
persisted in leaving them. He did not even stop
in that city, but immediately departed to the City
of Najef, where the tomb of Ali is located, and
which was his headquarters for religious lectures.
When he left, the members of the assembly were
confused, and .their plans changed, yet because of
their high rank and great number, they were not
diverted from putting their plans into practice.
By vote, they resolved to send a representative to
the holy presence of Beha-Ullah, inquiring about
His aim and the purpose of His Claim, a~ well as
His proofs and Arguments. This mission was
27 8       The Fourth Introduction.
entrusted to one of the doctors named Mollah-
Hassan the Amoo, a prominent Persian divine, residing at Irak, who was greatly
trusted by Sheik-
Abdul-Hussein, and valued by him for his eloquence, judgment, constancy and
firmness. When
this delegate arrived at Baghdad, he attained the
honor of entering into the presence of the Most
Holy Abha, through the intercession of one of the
Persian nobility who was there at that time. He
delivered the message of the doctors. Then the
Tongue of Grandeur engaged in discourse and explanation, and the reins of
Utterance were loosened in the arena of proof and argument. Then
was demonstrated the truth of the mission of the
"First Point," through explanations which
quicken souls and spirits, attract hearts and minds,
unveil the essential evidences and irrefutable
proofs, and entirely destroy and remove the suspicions of the sceptic.
Finally, Mollah-Hassan was
requested to inform the doctors of what he had
seen and heard concerning the signs of his Lord
the EI-Abha, and to ask them to present themselves before Him, so that He
might make the'
Truth as clear to them as the sun in mid-heaven,
and thus conclude the matter satisfactorily. When
the delegate found in the Power of His proof:l
and the fullness of His explanation, that which
was beyond his expectation, he was so overwhelmed with the waves of the sea of
Beha-Ullah's
Knowledge and Utterance, that he could not
avoid acknowledging His Grandeur and Might,
and submitting to the shining lights of His Argu-
The Fourth Introduction.              279

ments. He bowed down in obedience, saying:-
"Truly, it is impossible to demonstrate the truth
of any other of the heavenly religions and Divine
Matters, with such clearness, elucidation, and
measure of proof and argument. The straight
Highway path appeared clear as the sun, and the
Morn of Truth hath risen as a bright dawn which
follows a dark night. Yet the condition of the
doctors and the criticism of the divines must be
evident to the Presence of -lil-Abha. If they are
not contented with scientific proofs and decisive
arguments, is there any way to show them Divine
miracles and heavenly Signs?"
By this, he meant to ask the Lord's permission
to promise the doctors the appearance of a great
sign, which might silence the ignorant and cut
the ropes of the superstitious. The Lord of mankind gave him a direct answer,
saying :-"Let the
assembly of doctors agree together to demand a
particular sign and a definite miracle from the holy
Presence of EI-Abha, so that God the Exalted,
may manifest the required sign and miracle.
Thus no ground will be left for doubt and denial;
even as during former centuries, God hath dealt
with the rebellious nations of the past."
When Mullah-Hassan the delegate heard this
clear promise from the Tongue of Grandeur, he
returned to Kazemeyeh with joy and gladness, supposing that he could thereby
satisfy those exorbitant and unjust souls, and thus prevent the calamities
which might result from that ominous and violent revolutionary meeting. When
he met the
280        The Fourth Introduction.
doctors and informed them of the perfect proofs,
clear arguments and the promise finally given by
Beha-Ullah concerning the showing forth of a decisive miracle, the violence of
the insolent Sheik-
Abdul-Hussein increased. He was frenzied with
anger as he listened to the account of the promise
of a sign. For the Sheik, because of his excessive
pride, vanity, arrogance, and violent hostility
toward the "First Point" and His followers, could
not bear the sight of any of the Babis. How then
could he be supposed to agree to a scientific debate and a demand for heavenly
Signs? In truth,
he was more afraid of being discomfited in the
discussion and defeated in the field of controversy,
than of the appearance of a great Sign at which
heads would bow down, and whereby the light of
the Sun of the Divine Word might become manifest throughout all regions. These
are general
characteristics inherent in the doctors of every religion, because their
natures are cramped by the
dryness of their theological faculty, and their
thoughts confined to the narrow circle of scholastic learning. This inevitably
results in melancholic
excitement and desire for securing their religious
leadership.
Finally, the opinions of that body of doctors differed; their plans were
frustrated and their assembly scattered. When the Sheik found his meeting
and council abortive, and that the only result was
ill-success and failure, the flame of his enmity in..
creased, and the tempest of his hostility became
violent. He resolved to resort to political rna-
The Fourth Introduction.              281

chines, in combination with those high Persian
dignitaries and officials whose only occupation
was the murder of the pious, pillage of the poor,
and dispersion of the Persian subjects throughout
all countries and regions. So the Sheik, excited
and embittered by his disappointment, began to
correspond with these princes and communicate
with such as he knew to be antagonistic to the
people of Beha. Thus arose wicked plans and
cunning religious stratagems which were intended
to spread dissension. But God the Exalted disclosed their schemings, ruined
their efforts, defeated their hopes, quenched the fire of their revolts, and
cut off their root. Naught remains but
their histories which express the folly of their
dreams, their lack of understanding, and the inefficiency of their deeds.
These monuments of wickedness remain as a subject for meditation and a
warning to such as are willing to be admonished.
A fact more evident and important than all the
great events spoken of, and one which demonstrates the perfectness of the
proofs of our Lord
the Abha, is the "Epistle to the King," revealed in
the Kitabel-Hykl, from the Pen of the Merciful,
to the Shah of Persia. This Tablet was sent to him
in 1869 A. D. (1286 A. H.), when he was in the
neighborhood of Teheran. The bearer was a
youth named Badi, who astonished the world by
the power of his faith, his great devotion, constancy, and wonderful endurance
in suffering the
bitterest kind of death, with all joy, and steadfastness. The hard-hearted
executioners, for three
282        The Fourth Introduction.
successive days, branded him all over the body
with red-hot irons, until his flesh was severed from
his bones, and every limb was out of joint. Yet
he did not grieve or show the least evidence of
flinching, nor during the continuance of this
frightful ordeal, did he display the slightest symptom of distress or plead
for mercy.
So he breathed his last; his marvellous life
ended, and his strong. heroic soul ascended to the
courts of the Exalted Friend; to the Outlook of
EI-Abha. where with brilliant and cheerful face,
the lights of his glorification beam forth as the sun
in mid-day.
In that excellent Epistle. Beha-Ullah gave full
explanations, and expounded proofs concerning
the truth of His Mission, as far as an epistle could
contain; and these He expressed with the utmost
grace of speech and elegance of style. He explained how the morals of the
Babis were changed,
and how their deeds and disposition had been reformed through His appearance
among them in
Baghdad; how they were thus enabled to patiently endure the bitter afflictions
and violent calamities which were unceasingly pouring upon
them through the fanaticism of the clergy and the
caprice of rulers; how during that long period.
they had committed no act which might disturb
the Government or trouble the thoughts of statesmen. In this explicit Tablet.
He demonstrated to
them, by clear arguments and decisive statements,
that the purpose of the mission of a Manifestation
of the Cause of God is not to seek after dominion
The Fourth Introduction.               283

or attain lofty temporal power. This is the favorite argument of accusation
against the Behais
by the ignorant Shi-ites. He proved that political
dominion has been conferred by God upon kings
and rulers, and that no Behai is allowed to infringe
upon their regulations, contradict their opinions,
interfere with their political management, or stir
up sedition in their empire. He also clearly explained that the appearance of
the Manifestation
of God was in connection with religious affairs and
spiritual matters, for the purpose of reforming
morals, silnctifying souls, beautifying actions, and
illuminating hearts. This was the mission for
which they were promised in the Heavenly Books;
and that function has no relation with political
matters.
To resume. This Epistle contained things revealed by His Supreme Pen, whereby
the Persian
statesmen could attain everlasting glory, had they
been endowed with sagacity and discernment.
Soon will their posterity lament over their negligence!
At the end of the Epistle, the Lord EI-Abha
asked the Shah to arrange that the Persian doctors
should meet Him in the Shah's presence, in order
to discuss the pr02fs of the truth of this Cause; that
they might ask an explanation of all that lies hidden in their minds and
hearts; so that the Truth
might be distinguished from falsehood, and the
pathway of Guidance from that of error. Then He
placed the final decision in the Shah's hands. By
this, His purpose was not to seek help or assist-
,84       The Fourth Introduction.
ance from the Shah, but to publicly show forth the
Truth, and make clear its distinction from falsehood, as a proof and
accomplishment of His Mission. For God the Almighty, is alone sufficient
to assist His Manifestation and help His Messenger. Verily, He is independent
from all the world,
and in His hand are the hosts of heaven and earth!
Were the just to judge with fairness, they would
acknowledge that in bygone ages, no similar event
has ever occurred in the Appearance of the Manifestations of God, nor has the
like of it been witnessed in past centuries. For the sake of brevity,
we will not treat of the events and results which
followed the "Epistle to the King," all of which are
matters of history. We now return to our discussion upon religious arguments,
whereby the truth
of the Manifestation of El-Abha can be demonstrated.
As to the prophecies, that is the predictions revealed in the Holy Scriptures:
Know ye (may
God illumine your faces, brighten your hearts,
strengthen your limbs, and dilate your breasts!)
that it was ordained in the Knowledge of God and
His Great Wisdom to accomplish the amelioration
of the conditions of the world and the unification
of nations. Know ye, likewise, that former conditions should be changed; the
ages darkened by
clouds of division and discord should be ended
through the Manifestation of His Glorious Face
and the Advent of His Great Day. Therefore He
prophesied to all countries and regions the Hour
of His Coming, and made the Covenant of His Ap-
The Fourth Introduction.              285

pearance with all creeds and communities, through
the tongues of the prophets. For there is no
founder or institutor of a religion who has not
made the acceptance of the Faith inseparable from
belief in the "latter day," and who has not strictly
commanded his adherents to await the "final salvation" of that great and
important time. No cycle
has passed without the appearance of a Heavenly
Man, firmly proclaiming and loudly heralding the
advent of the "Great Hour," the inevitable coming
of the great day of Resurrection, the rising of the
Supreme Lord and the Manifestation of the Beauty
of God, the Behi-EI-Abha. Thus the glad tidings
of that Manifestation have reached the high heavens, have spread throughout
all regions, and filled
all prophetic writings and books. Consequently,
we find the adherents of every one of the seven
extant religions of the earth, awaiting the coming
of the great "hour," and believing firmly in the
advent of the great "Resurrection." We find also
that in the Book which they recognize to be a
divine and heavenly Revelation, all the signs,
tokens, events and occurrences of that Day are
recorded in full particulars. These particulars
specify the country and place where its lights shall
rise, the time of its realization and the date of its
appearance. This fact is clear to those who study
these Books, look into their prophecies and consider the principal purposes of
the references made
therein. By the Life of God, were the possessors
of mature minds to look into the pages of the Holy
Scriptures, they would find nothing but a collection
386       The Fourth Introduction.
of songs uttered by the tongues of the prophets in
glorification of their Lord the EI-Abha; melodies
sung by the birds of Holiness announcing His
coming and Appearance in the great Day of Resurrection. To this we have called
attention in our
former treatises, and will speak of them in our
future interpretations, God willing.
The Fifth Introduction.
Treating of the Causes which Led People to Deny
the Manifestations of God in the Days of their
Appearance.
o ye people of Beha, who have taken hold of a
"Strong Handle which shall not be broken," as
ye have been promised by our Lord the EI-Abhal
Now that ye understand the proofs and arguments
which demonstrate the truth of the Manifestations
of the Command of God in general, and especially
are illumined by the perfect proof of this holy
Cause, know ye (may God illumine your inward
sight, cause you to devote your wishes and hopes
to the service of all the world, and irradiate your
hearts and minds with the light of pure love for
humanity!), that although the Manifestations of
God were endowed with clear evidences and arguments; although they manifested
great power and
were distinguished from ordinary people in their
character and deeds, yet we find that people denied
them in the days of their appearance, and even
their own kindred and race contradicted them.
These people sacrificed their property in order to
antagonize the Manifestations; endured afflictions
and calamities in contradicting them; fabricated lies
and calumnies to injure them; strove to make the
hearts of people hate them; and availed themselves
of every artifice to raise the wrath of the ignorant
against them. All this opposition, contradiction
288         The Fifth Introduction.
and obstinacy resulted from the doubts which had
imbued their minds, obscured their insight, blinded
their hearts and darkened their reason. Thus they
supposed themselves right in this prejudice and
opposition, without investigating or discussing the
matter. It never occurred to them that they might
be mistaken and led astray. Nay, rather, they were
convinced that their views were sound, and so
finnly did they trust in the correctness of their
opinions when falsely denying the Messenger of
God, that they prayed God, saying:-"O God, if
this be the truth from Thee, rain down stones upon
us from Heaven." For it is unreasonable to think
that a sane man would endanger his safety and be
hostile to himself by falsely denying a prophet, if
he was convinced of the authenticity of that
prophet's claim and the validity of His mission.
This would be foolishly seeking his own destruction. How much more
unreasonable then, would
it be to believe that a great people could have
acted thus during long periods. All this was therefore a result of the doubts
which possessed their
minds and prevented their eyes from seeing. The
clearest proof of the effect' of these doubts is that
the Hebrew nation has continued for a period exceeding 1800 years, to preserve
its own beliefs and
falsely deny our Lord Jesus Christ. During this
long period, the Jews have endured, both in the
East and West, the most violent persecutions, such
as death, execration, humiliation and degradation,
without forsaking their false beliefs, or allying
themselves with the Christian Church, except
The Fifth Introduction.                             289

through force, compulsion or other base means.
During this time, not a day has passed without
their stretching forth hands of supplication toward
God the Exalted, begging Him with sighs and
tears for the Manifestation of the Messiah, and beseeching the approach of the
day of His advent.
Is not this caused by their clinging to the doubts
which were firmly imbedded in their hearts' and
minds? Unquestionably this is the effect of these
doubts upon their beliefs and tendencies.
Know, 0 ye just onesl These above-mentioned
doubts, which have darkened the regions of the
earth with their dust, and the gloomy darkness of
which has obscured the sight of nations, are not (
the same in every individual. Verily, a shrewd
mind finds every contradictor possessing his own
peculiar doubt or objection; an invention and fabrication of his imagination,
whereby he rejects the
Manifestation of the Command of God. Even
great philosophers and writers of the present day
have not refrained from opposing this Manifestation of God, on account of sins
formerly committed
by others against humanity; and by considering the
wars and dissensions among different sects in former centuries, as decisive
arguments against the
Behais.· Such intelligent men may be likened to
those who would propose to persecute and murder
all children born in their days, simply because a
-An artlele appeared In the n_apaper "The Cau_a" of Tllna
(Ruatda) 1881, In whleh Ita autbor pye a tl'&llalatlon of the Tablet Of
"Xahrakat" revealed b,. Beha-Ullab, and pralaed the teaeblnp of Deb&-
lam; bUt warned people qalnat It. Bec:auae. he ..... d. eyel')' rellctoua
movement bad ended In atrlfe and bloodahed; then eltlD&' Lutberanlam
and other eumple..
290          The Fifth Introduction.
great number of children who were formerly born,
became murderers, thieves and brigands when they
grew up. Or like unto those who would sanction
the closing of schools and barring the way of education, because a great many
students became
heretics and innovators, after they advanced in
knowledge and study. Truly, how evil and abortive! is this philosophy, in its
theory and conclusionl
It may be said that doubts are as numerous as
the deniers, for they cannot be confined to a regular order. Verily, every
contradictor when hearing the call of one who invites people unto God,
endeavors to refute Him by clinging to a certain
imaginary and individual suspicion or doubt, which
has no connection with the real proof and argument. l!or the real proof and
argument is the
authoritative standard by which to distinguish between truth and falsehood,
and to recognize a
prophet. It is not that he should conform with
the discordant desires and contradictory inclinations of individuals. Yet
doubts may be, according to their nature, classified into four great
divisions, each of which may be regarded by a man of
wisdom and perception, as being a universal pestilence for the destruction of
communities and peoples. Doubt is a prevalent sickness, attacking all
religions and creeds.
The First Division comprises the doubts which
come to a man because of his ignorance of the real
proof and argument. For a real proof leads a
seeker and investigator toward his aim, and is like
unto a road by which a traveller reaches his destina-
The Fifth Introduction.              29 1

tion. So a mistaken proof prevents a man apprehending the real fact, and is a
wrong road which
leads a traveller astray. Thus the science of logic
and syllogism was founded, and rules for formulating correct conclusions were
laid down, in order
to protect men of perception as much as possible.
from falling into error in reasoning. By this they
are prevented from building upon false foundations, and taking as proofs,
things which are not
proofs, or as conclusions, things which are not conclusions.
We have previously pointed out that the Egyptians and Syrians who denied
Moses; that the Jews
and Romans who refused to acknowledge the truth
of our Lord Christ (Glory be to Him I), were not
influenced by personal enmity or selfish prejudices.
That is to say, they did not recognize the truth of
Christ and Moses, and at the same time deny them.
These nations were not so foolish and distracted
as to deliberately deny these Manifestations, and
thereby expose themselves and their families to the
anger and wrath of God. Nay, they rejected and
opposed Christ and Moses on account of their conviction of the falsehood of
their Mission and Word.
This was a result of illogical reasoning, which prevented them from arriving
at a sound conclusion,
as we have mentioned above. For they took as
proofs things which were not proofs, and accepted
as arguments things which were not arguments.
Thus they drew wrong conclusions. The door of
mistaken proofs through which nations have entered into denial of the
Day-springs of the Lights
89 2        The Fifth Introduction.
of God, is very wide. We find that every nation,
nay, rather, every individual has invented a particular doubt, through. which
the Manifestations of
God have been denied. For instance, one rejects
Moses because of His war and pillage; another rejects Mohammed on account of
His marriage and
polygamy, and because, like Moses, He has taken
part in warfare and battles. The Hindoos and
Brahamans reject Moses, Jesus and Mohammed,
because they allowed people to eat meat; esteeming slaughtering and eating
animals as one of the
most pernicious habits, and contrary to the principle and character of
humanity. They believe
that this habit hardens the heart, darkens the mind
and conscience, leads men to commit abominable
acts and become like the beasts themselves.
One reason the Jews gave for rejecting Christ,
was His being a native of Galilee and Samaria; another was His eating and
drinking. Their denial
also resulted from the fact that some regarded such
things as abstinence from war, celibacy, vegetarianism, a prophet's
birthplace, and his eating and
drinking, as proofs for distinguishing between the
truth or falsehood of a Manifestation. These
things could not be an indication of the validity of
a mission inasmuch as there is no connection between the premises and
conclusion.
What chiefly led nations into error, was their
persistente in demanding miracles and asking intricate philosophical
questions, in order to test the
holy Manifestations and distinguish them from impostors. These two points
have, since the founda-
The Fifth Introduction.               293

tion of the world, been stretched as a snare before
the intelligent men of learning, and laid as a pitfall
into which great philosophers and wise men have
plunged. For they consider it a necessity that the
Manifestations of God should be able to do and
know all things. They have imagined the demanding of wonders, and solving of
abstruse questions
to be the best means of knowing false prophets
from true ones. Those who have considered themselves wise, deemed it proper to
demand from one
claiming a Divine Mission, absurd and impracticable inventions of their
individual thoughts and
imaginations, such as soaring in the air, causing
trees to speak, drying up seas, changing day into
night, transforming a rod into a serpent, quickening the dead, causing rocks
to sing, mountains to
dance, and other absurdities contrary to the laws
of Nature. Even the most learned among them
believed it right to test the prophets by abstruse
philosophical points, which they thought concerned real facts. Such was the
question they
asked Christ concerning the meaning of resurrection (Matt. 22.). Similarly
they questioned Mohammed about the "two-horned," the "crescent,"
and the "Spirit" (see the Koran); and asked the
Bab concerning the rapidity or slowness of the
revolution of the heavens. But these tempters
never reflected whether the solving of such questions could have any
connection with or could be
proof of the validity of their missions. Had they
pondered over this point, they would have been
awakened to the fact that there is not the least
194         The Fifth Introduction.
connection between such questions and the mission of a Prophet, nor could
these things be a
proof or argument of the truth of His Qaim. Had
they done so they would not have fallen into the
deep pit of tempting the Lord, which action is prohibited in the Bible:-"Thou
shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God."
As to the miracles: We have already pointed
out when explaining the proofs and arguments,
that these do not bear any primary indication of
the truth of a prophetic claim. Likewise we have
shown by clear and decisive argument, that there
is no relation or connection between prophethood
and the power of producing impossibilities.
Therefore miracles are to be considered as secondary and auxiliary proofs, and
not primary and real
proofs.
To ask scientific questions as a test for distinguishing between the truth and
falsehood of a
Manifestation of God, is even more foolish than
demanding miracles; for the purpose of philosophy
and science is only to lead man toward the truth
of things, and to the knowledge of causes, reasons
and effects. I t is an indisputable fact to the possessors of brilliant minds,
that the unknown is constantly more than the known, and the latter, in
comparison with the former, is as a drop compared
to a vast sea. As it is said:-"Man is not accounted
as learned except when he knows his own ignorance." Therefore, who can claim
to know the
realities and causes of all things, that he should
presume to be able to test the knowledge of the
The Fifth Introduction.               195

Manifestations of the All-Knowing God? Verily,
the Prophets and the Manifestations of God are
sent to make people of one accord, guide them
to that which leads to their happiness and continuance, and cause them to
relinquish that which may
conduce to their ruin and destruction. These
heavenly messengers are not sent as astronomers,
mathematicians, philosophers, naturalists or histo·
rians. Should the prophets wish to dispute the
philosophical views, historical opinions, and- scientific theories of people,
this would be contrary to
their real mission, which is the guidance and unification of mankind. By this
the meetings for religion and guidance would be changed into gatherings for
scientific debate. Have not the theories
of the Greek philosophers, ancient Chaldeans, the
Arabs and Modern Persians proven false upon certain points, which they
considered as indisputable
facts? Such ideas as the limited dimensions of the
Universe, the simplicity of the four elements, and
similar ideas, which we do not treat of in this place,
have been disproved and dismissed by modem
science. Should the Prophets desire to dispute
these points which were thought to be undeniable
truths, would it not end in strife and wrangling?
Would not the people use this as an excuse to deny
and contradict them? Would not this make their
mission abortive and useless? Mosheim has stated
in his "Church Hist~ry," that in the 8th Century,
Boniface, the delegate of the Germans, persecuted
the priest Virgilius, in Bavaria, for maintaining
that the earth was spherical, and that, consequent-
296                The Fifth Introduction.
Iy, the other side of it was inhabited by people and
illuminated by the sun and moon. Boniface looked
upon this as a gross heresy. So he accused the man
before the Pope, who actually excommunicated
him as a heretic. Likewise, the story of the imprisonment of Galileo, the
Italian, by command of the
Pope, is known to all. When, in the 17th century,
Galileo arose, affirmed the correctness of the
Copernican theory, maintained that the sun is the
center of our system, and that the earth revolves
around it, his opinion was rejected by everybody.
He was immediately arrested under the terrible Inquisition, imprisoned, and in
danger of being burnt
alive. During almost 18 centuries, philosophers
and scholars, as well as the public, had held the
Ptolemian System of Astronomy. This theory
which prevailed from the time of Ptolemy, who
lectured in the College of Alexandria, about 130
years before Christ, and which continued down to
the rise of Galileo, asserted that the earth was the
center of the Universe, and that the sun and the
other planets revolved around it.
The discussions· between Khosrow Perviz (a
Persian King contemporary with Mohammed, and
the son of Anoshirwan) and his favorite, Sapor, the
philosopher,-which discussion is contained in the
"five books" of Nezami Ganjawy, one of the great
poets and philosophers of the 6th century of Islam,
-concerned the Copernican and Ptolemian systems.
'In thle dleeuulon. Khoolrow held to the Copel'Dlcan q.t..... while
the favorite upheld the Ptolemlan. thue ..tutln.. the KIne. B.n.... ..-en
In thoee   4&7..
aome waled who doubted the Ptolemtao &A4 held to Ule
Copernican .,.tem.
The Fifth Introduction.                297

The people believed the Ptolemian theory to be
a proven fact confirmed by the evidence of sciences;
and anyone who denied this, would be contradicted
and considered insane. Even the "First Point"
has not deemed it advisable to write anything upon
this subject beyond the following statement contained in the "Holy Beyan":-
"Yerily, astronomical facts are not as the doctors
of our time have supposed them to be." For, at
the time of the revelation of "the Beyan," the
Copernican system was unknown to the Persians,
and the theories of European men of learning had
not been introduced into Persia.
From this explanation, it is clearly shown that
we are not justified in relying upon scientific questions for proving the
Divine Manifestations. For
it is an indisputable fact that the world is in a state
of progression, and progression means the advancement of learning and
inventions, the increase
of discovery, and expansion of the circle of knowledge. Therefore, during the
progress of the world,
many mistakes and errors of human opinion have
been laid bare. Just as the mistaken theories of
the ancient, philosophers are brought to light, so
also the errors of present philosophers will appear
in their due time; in order that the meaning of
progress may be realized, and the truth of origin
and creation may become manifest. The vanity
of the proofs demanded in former days from the
Prophets, will appear, and the meaning of the following saying of Mohammed
will be shown:-
"We Prophets were sent to talk to the people according to the measure of their
minds."
298         The Fifth Introduction.
Verily, the Prophets, as already mentioned, notwithstanding their
all-pervading Spirit, and their
knowledge of that which was and will be~ were
sent and appointed for the spiritual guidance of
people, and to bring them into accord. So they
did not consider the people's learning and acquired
knowledge, of importance, and left discoveries and
inventions to their proper course of advancement
in science and civilization.
It is now clearly proven that tempting the Manifestations of God by requiring
signs and miracles,
or asking them scientific questions, is the greatest
pit into which nations have fallen. The fatal danger of their reliance upon
false proofs and mis-·
taken reasoning is therefore convincingly shown.
To this point, Paul the Apostle refers in the first
Epistle to the Corinthians, ch. i., vs. 22, 23:-
"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek
after wisdom (philosophy): but we preach Christ
crucified; unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and
unto the Greek foolishness." Also: Coloss., ch. ii.,
v. 8:-"Beware lest any man spoil you through
philosophy and vain deceit."
When the Cause of Christ, after His Ascension
to the Supreme Concourse, was spread by His
disciples, the Jews considered themselves the heirs
of the 'Prophets and the custodians of their writings and well-known miracles.
They supposed
that the best way by which to know the truth of
Christ's Mission, was to test His disciples by the
texts of Moses, Joshua, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and
other Israelitish prophets. On the other hand,
The' Fifth Introduction.              299

the Greeks regarded themselves as being the heirs
of great philosophers, the possessors of knowledge
and learning, the discoverers of inventions and sciences. They imagined that
the best means for
understanding the truth of Christ's Mission was
to test the upholders thereof, by scientific questions and philosophical
theories which had been
laid down by their great philosophers and leaders,
such as Plato, Aristotle, Pythagoras, Hippocrates, Socrates, and others, in
whom they gloried
and the fame of whose knowledge and wisdom is
spread forever throughout the world. But that
elect Apostle Paul sounded a warning, that what
the Jews and Greeks demanded were as stumblingblocks, foolishness and error.
Paul taught that
the greatest power and proof lay in the Divine
Word received from the blessed Beauty of Christ,
the truth of which was testified to by his steadfastness in enduring
afflictions, and by the sacrifice
of His pure Life for the salvation of the world.
Consider (may God assist you through the Spirit
of intelligence f) how the Jews have suffered tribulations for 19 centuries.
They will never be awakened and restored to their glory and honor except
by acknowledging the truth of Christ under the
banner of the covenant of our Lord El-Abha, and
turning unto the Day-Spring of the Lights of His
Testament.
As to the Greek philosophers, the falsity of their
systems, and their errors in science and theology,
have been shown since the 17th century, by the intellectual investigations of
American and Euro-
300        The Fifth Introduction.
pean men of learning. The 19th verse of the
above-mentioned chapter refers to this fact: "I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence
of the prudent will I reject."
If with shrewd intelligences we look into the
history of religions, we find that the old Pagan
philosophy of Greece was the chief thing which deteriorated both Christianity
and Islam. The Platonic philosophy created monkhood in Christianity and
resulted in the corrupt practices of Sufism
in Islam. This philosophy gave rise to certain
classes of monks who afflicted Europe with great
disasters during many centuries. The Aristotelian philosophy resulted in
agnostic beliefs, which,
during every century, armed thousands of men in
combat against the Divine Religions, and denial
of every heavenly law.
There are also many other calamities which we
have not mentioned; all of them proceeding from
mistaking the way, and from wrong methods of
reasoning.
Verily, God is the Protector of all things I
The Second Division is that which refers to the
subject of "Return." The adherents of every one
of the extant religions believe in and expect the
return of a definite person or persons, for the
spread of their religion and the continuance of
their law. Thus the Christians are awaiting the
return of our Lord Christ (Glory be to Him I),
faithfully believing that He will, without doubt,
descend from heaven. The Jews expect the appearance of Elias the Prophet,
before the Manifes-
The Fifth Introduction.            301

tation of the Promised Lord and His rise in the
appointed day. Likewise, among the Moslem nations, the Sunnites believe in the
descent of Jesus
Christ subsequent to the appearance of the Mahdi
(Precursor); and the Shi-ites, followers of "the
Church of the twelve," hold primarily the return
of the Mahdi. This Mahdi they believe to be
Mohammed, the son of Hassan-EI-Askari, who disappeared in the year 260 A. H.,
and who was the
twelfth of the Imams of Mohammed's household.
Secondly, they believe that after the appearance of
the Mahdi, the martyred Hussein, son of Ali the
third Imam, will return. This return they speak
of as the "Husseynite Manifestation." As to the
Zoroastrians; they await the return of the famous
Persian King of the dynasty of Keyan, erroneously
interpreted by some of the European historians to
be Cyrus. He, they believe, will return during the
days of the promised Manifestation whom they
look for at the "end of the time," and who will
come from Persia to raise the dead and unify religions. They also await the
return of certain
others, whose names, and the manner of their
coming we do not mention, for lack of space. This
expectation of a return is found generally in all
the other religions and creeds, as is known to
every student of religious systems. This brief account shows that the "Return"
of their Prophets
is one of the important subjects in which the followers of religions are
entangled, and by reason of
which they have falsely denied and turned away
from the Manifestations of the Command of God,
during all ages.
302         The Fifth Introduction.
In the 8th century of Islam, the well-known
historian, Ebn-Kaldoon Magreli arose and denied
that the Mahdi would appear. This he set forth
in his great work, and some of the possessors of
weak minds and darkened consciences followed
his opinion, so that through them there was fulfilled that which was
prophesied by the Imams in
the following tradition :-
"Verily, the Mahdi shall rise at the time of disappointment and despair." That
is, when heedless souls have given up hope of his appearance,
and deny the prophecies in connection with his
rise, and have despaired of the coming of the one
who is to save them from the day of calamities and
afflictions, He will appear.
Similarly, a large number among the Christians
denied the return of Christ in the flesh, and transposed the clear prophecies
given concerning His
Coming and Manifestation. They interpreted
them to mean the prevalence of His religion and
of His followers; which interpretation by no means
conforms with the said prophecies. Thus what
was said by the elect Apostle Peter, was fulfilled
in them (II. Epistle, ch. ii., vs. I, 2 : -u But there
were false prophets also among the people, even
as there shall be false teachers among you, who
privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought
them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by
reason of whom the
way of truth shall be evil spoken of"; and so on
till the end of the chapter. But we ask the men of
The Fifth Introduction.                  30 3

perception to reflect upon and look deeply into
the contents of this chapter. Verily, that elect
Apostle has foreshadowed with clearest explanation and most eloquent style,
all similar events
which occurred in Christianity during the last few
centuries. These prophecies he uttered in detail,
and this very fact proves a pure and sacred spirit
in him; comprehension and cognizance of future
events in their full particulars.
When a people hold as an established fact that,
in spite of spiritUal prophecies, Christ shall not
come from heaven; and when this idea becomes a
general and approved belief, they will of necessity
deny Him in His Manifestation, and speak evil of
His way. Thus there will be fulfilled in them that
which was said by the great Apostle:-"Even
denying the Lord that bought them . . . .
'by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil
spoken of." This was fully realized in this most
brilliant age of El-Abba, and the 'truth of this
prophecy is now perfectly evident.
Likewise, it is said in the same Epistle (ch. iii., v.
34) :-"Knowing this first, that there shall come
in the last days scoffers, walking after their own
lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things
continue as they were from the beginning of creation" ; so on till the end of
the chapter. This passage is a proof of the above-mentioned fact; that
a great number would deny the coming of our
Lord Christ (Glory be to Him I). Therefore it is
not surprising that many people deny His coming
30 4       The Fifth Introduction.
and misinterpret prophecies which clearly point to
His Advent. This whole chapter also contains
jewels of lofty and hidden meanings; which, God
willing, we will clearly interpret in the proper
place.
What is necessary to be noticed is, that just as
the false argument of those who deny the coming
of Christ in the flesh, caused doubts in beclouded
hearts, on the other hand it created an equal
amount of knowledge and faith in pure hearts, and
steadfastness in chaste souls. For there is no
stronger and clearer argument to prove the authenticity of the source of these
prophecies, and
their essential purport,-which is the descent of
the Spirit of God (Christ) in the body of man,-
than their fulfillment after the lapse of centuries
and cycles. The prophecies of that elect apostle
were made at a time in which the Christians had
not yet any congregation or society to render
them worthy of description by the writers and historians. Yet as they
concerned events which
have occurred and are fulfilled after the lapse of
nineteen centuries, we have absolute and strongest
proof that they were heavenly prophecies and predictions inspired by Divine
Power.
The Third Division pertains to the signs and
tokens revealed in the Heavenly Books. We
have already mentioned that all the prophets or
founders of religions have, without exception, assigned a part of their Books
to explaining the
coming of the Day of God, and announcing the
appearance of the Face of God. Likewise they
The Fifth Introduction.             30 5

have mentioned certain signs and tokens concerning this great Manifestation,
and have described
certain events and occurrences about the day of
Its appearance. Some of their announcements have
been couched in symbols and allegories, and some
are explicitly stated, according to the language of
every age and cycle. Such symbolical signs
are the "darkening of the sun and moon," "rending of the heavens," "falling of
stars," "renewal of
heaven and earth," "rise of the dead," "the passing away of former things,"
and other similar
events. These shall be set forth in detail, in the
course of our treatises, in order that the students
of the Holy Books will understand, and the adherents of laws and religions may
discuss them.
Such signs undoubtedly need to be accepted, but
the doctors of every religion, in understanding and
apprehending their meanings, have relied upon
their own conceptions. Thus they have interpreted and described them in their
books, according to their exoteric literal sense. They have also
taught them to the people in their lectures, and
inculcated them in their schools and congregations until these literal
meanings have seemed
incontrovertible facts and indisputable points necessary to religious beliefs.
These ideas have become still more firmly rooted in hearts and memories,
because they have been handed down as a
heritage for long periods. Whenever a Divine
Sun dawned forth from the Heaven of the Command of God, and the spirit of the
Invisible W orId
shone forth from any of the Holy Dawning-places,
306         The Fifth Introduction.
He was denied by nations and contradicted by
peoples, because the aforesaid prophecies were
not fulfilled according to the ideas of the people
and the signs did not appear as they expected
them. In other words, not one of the great
prophets ever appeared, and not one of the holy
souls ever arose to found a religion by the Command of God, except these very
signs and tokens
were the first things through which the nations denied Him. For instance, what
first caused the
Jews to deny Christ was, that they held that there
are certain signs and tokens, confirmed and clearly
written in the Book concerning the coming of the
Messiah, which were not then realized; and that
the non-fulfillment thereof necessarily disproved
the truth of Christ's claim. When Jesus appeared..
they said :-"Where is the darkness of the sun"?
"Where is the changing of the moon into blood"?
"Where is the falling of stars"? "When did the
wolf dwell with the lamb, and the lion eat straw
as an ox"? "When did the child put his hand in
the adder's hole, as is clearly spoken of by Isaiah"?
"Where is the changing of the heaven into brass,
the earth into iron, and the rain into dust, as was
prophesied by Moses"? "Where is the 'new Covenant that the Lord will make with
all the Israelitish tribes'; 'assembling of them together from the
north, south, east and west, after their scattering
and division'; 'honoring them after their degradation and fall'; 'planting
them after their extirpation' "? "Where is the 'gathering which shall
never be dispersed,' the 'honor which shall never
The Fifth Introduction.              30 7

change,' and the 'planting which shall never be uprooted' "? "Where did the
Lord 'restore Zion' ; a
restoration and building 'which shall never be destroyed,' as was prophesied
by J eremiah" ? "Did
all these events occur during the manifestation of
Jesus, or has God deceived His servants by saying
such things"? "Be this far from the Might of His
Glory and the exaltation of His Beneficence and
Bounty" J "Therefore all these prophecies must
needs come to pass and these promises be fulfilled,
even though many centuries and ages might first
elapse" J
In like manner did the Christian' repudiate the
founder of Islam; the Moslems deny the "First
Point," and the people of Beyan contradict the
Beauty of EI-Abha. The most astonishing fact to
be noticed, is that each one of the above-mentioned peoples followed the
example of the other,
and walked in the highway of the same error.
N or did anyone of them reflect upon the purifying and cleansing tests, the
hard trials and afflictions which befell the adherents of former religions.
Had they done so, they might have avoided the
precipice, refrained from what destroyed other
nations, and been rightly directed toward their
Lord. This explanation proves that the expectation of the fulfillment of these
signs, is one of the
greatest tests which has prevented bygone nations
from responding to the Divine Messenger, during
all centuries and cycles.
The Fourth Division concerns the idea that
ordinances are perpetual, and that religions can-
308         The Fifth Introduction.
not be changed. There are none of the adherents of any of the extant religions
and sects who do
not believe that all of their laws, regulations, customs and ceremonies are
everlasting, and that it is
not allowable to change any of their rules and
ordinances. For instance, we find the believers
in the Greek Church regard theirs to be the permanent religion and sole law
announced by Christ
to the people of the world. The Catholics consider their own sect similarly
permanent and unchangeable. So likewise the Protestants and
other smaller sects, such as Nestorians, etc.,
maintain their own way to be the truth. Among
the Mohammedans, the Sunnites and Haneefites
believe that when Christ shall descend from
heaven, He will judge according to the laws
of Haneefa. Yet the Shi'ites, Malekis, and
Hambalis protest against this monopoly of the
Haneefites, and each one of these sects claims that
when Christ descends, He will judge people according to their respective
doctrines. The Shi-
'ites of the "Church of the twelve," go far beyond
the followers of other sects and creeds, in this
claim. They regard themselves as the nearest to
the Mahdi (Precursor), and to the Christ; consequently their expectation of
the appearance is
greater than that of others. The divines of this
sect never allow any of their laws and customs to
be changed. They persistently refuse to alter any
of their regulations or ceremonies, such as representations of the lives of
the martyrs, the wounding of their heads, and beating upon their breasts,
The Fifth Introduction.                30 9

which rites they perform in their gatherings and
meeting-places. They hold that the Mahdi, who
will arise after the Command of God, and the
Spirit of God (Christ), when He descends from
Heaven, must both of necessity follow their opinions and regulations in regard
to religion. This
is the case with all other creeds and sects branched
from the Buddhist, Brahaman, Sabean and Zoroastrian religions; likewise many
others which we
do not mention in this brief account. Each one
believes his own sect to be the way of salvation,
the announcement and promulgation of which is
incumbent upon the One who appears through the
Command of God. As this is the case with sects
and their doctrines and ordinances, notwithstanding their unimportance in
comparison with the beliefs and laws of religious systems, we need not be
astonished to find that the Jews preserve their beliefs, or that Christians,
Moslems, Zoroastrians,
Buddhists, Brahamans and Sabeans hold to the
principles of their religions, and consider their
original laws obligatory and permanent necessities.
When we find a people considering it a most important necessity to maintain
and preserve its secondary and dogmatic tenets, we need not wonder
to see it sacrificing everything pertaining to this
life and the life to come, in order to sustain its principal religious
beliefs. Therefore we can realize
from this point of view, the greatness of the Divine Power given to the
Manifestations of the
Command of God; who have changed former religions and separated nations from
their beliefs.
3 10        The Fifth Introduction.
This we have previously explained. But those
who were heedless of this manifest Power and
erred from the right Path, became bewildered iq
the gloomy darkness, were dispersed in the deserts of imaginations and
underwent great calamities. The purpose of this was that they might
perchance be directed to the Dawning-place of this
Power and to the Day-Spring of its lights. God in
His mercy intended that they might through suffering, be blest by its
inspiration, illumined by its
radiance, and enkindled by its fire; that they might
ultimately find guidance, spirituality and fragrance
in the Garden of delight, and return to the Shelter
of the Mercy of their Lord, the Qement, the Merciful.
Consequently, it is proven that belief in the unchangeableness of laws and
religions is one of the
great calamities which has descended upon bygone
nations, and the most disastrous influence which
led to their ruin and destruction. Even if they
found it easy to relinquish their belief regarding
the subject of "Return," or other signs, yet they
would never sanction changing their religious ordinances, or altering any of
their laws.

(In the succeeding edition the author intends to
continue the Proof and Elucidation of the Behai
Religion, from this point).
    — The Behai Proofs (Used by permission of the curator)