Steadfastness, perseverance and faithfulness: firmly settled as the immovable mountain

The second Tajalli is to remain steadfast in the Cause of God--exalted be His glory--and to be unswerving in His love.

O seeker of righteousness, be steadfast in the station of divine unity! God, the Exalted, hath said: "As for those who say 'Our Lord is God' and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them, saying: 'Fear not, neither be grieved, and rejoice in the Paradise which ye were promised.'"

Today in the market of wisdom, the jewel of steadfastness is of great price; the precious gems of the world cannot equal it. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto it and hath preserved it from the treacherous and the thieves.

However, there is one station which is greater than all stations, and this servant and you and they and all the friends must at all times beseech it from the Praiseworthy Lord with the utmost humility, submissiveness and supplication, and that is steadfastness, then steadfastness, then steadfastness unto infinity - steadfastness until the last breath, steadfastness until the spirit departs, steadfastness. For this matter has been mighty in all ages, times, dispensations and centuries, and its importance great, especially in this Most Great Manifestation whose greatness and grandeur is recorded and inscribed in all divine books, tablets and scriptures.

By God! Whoso remaineth steadfast in My love, God shall make him powerful over all things and shall raise him up before the Throne in the Most Great Paradise with such beauty as shall shine with the light of glory. Be thou so firm in the Cause that the words of those who have disbelieved and joined partners with God and have strayed far from the shore of justice shall not cause thee to slip.

O handmaid of God! Steadfastness in the Cause is mentioned in the Tablets and set forth by the Pen of the Ancient of Days.

And those who have believed, then migrated, then entered this town whose people are oppressors - were they to remain steadfast on the straight path, they would attain a station more exalted in the sight of your Lord than those who remained seated in their homes.

This day no garment is more excellent, more radiant and more beauteous for man than the garment of steadfastness in the Cause of God. Ye must hold fast unto it and occupy yourselves with the service of God's Cause.

What is beloved from you today is steadfastness and assistance. Steadfastness attracts the favor of God. Until now no steadfast one has been deprived, as testifies to this He Who possesses the Clear Book.

Say: O friends! The Lord of all creation proclaims: The crown of all deeds is steadfastness - hold fast unto it! It is the most exalted of all stations - fix your gaze upon it! It is the most great gift that preserves its possessor from the allusions of the ungodly, the whisperings of Satan, and the cawing of the ravens. It is an armor woven by the hands of the True Creator - whosoever adorns himself therewith shall be protected from the darts of Satan.

God shall soon assist those who have turned unto Him and shall turn away from those who have denied the signs of God, the King, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The first word recorded by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book was steadfastness in the Cause. That honored one must, God willing, drink and give others to drink from this cup according to his capacity.

O you who are steadfast on the path of God's Cause! Steadfastness is the greatest attribute of the human world and the most glorious gift of the All-Merciful Lord. As He says: "Those who say 'Our Lord is God' and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them." The proof of this steadfastness and evidence of this gift is sacrifice and zeal and fervor in the divine path.

Verily I say unto thee that if thou be steadfast in this Cause, and arise with all thy power to promote the Word of God in those regions, and exert thine utmost effort to breathe the spirit of life into the hearts of the righteous, thou wilt find thyself assisted by the angels of heaven and the hosts of the Concourse on high.

I counsel all to manifest the Most Great Steadfastness, for this hath been and shall ever be the greatest of all things. Whoso attaineth unto it hath attained unto the source of all good, its essence and its refuge.

Steadfastness in the Cause of God is among the greatest gifts of the Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting One, and the steadfast person is promised the assistance of the hosts of the Supreme Concourse. This is among the special characteristics of the gems of existence, but it is extremely difficult.

Today steadfastness is the essence of glory, indeed it is the greatest miracle in the human world.

Among the proofs they cited was steadfastness. The Prophet Muhammad said "The verse 'Be thou steadfast as thou art commanded' hath made me old." The Bab showed the utmost steadfastness in the face of the deniers. Steadfastness itself is a proof.

By the fragrant breezes of the All-Merciful's utterance! Were the station of but one steadfast and firm soul to be made manifest on earth, all would be thunderstruck by its greatness and the radiance of its effulgence, save whom God willeth.

Say: O loved ones of God! What behooveth you is steadfastness in His Cause, and what behooveth Him is grace and bounty and loving-kindness. He shall surely give you your rewards. Be assured and be of those who are firmly established.

Today, divine nearness comes through steadfastness in His Cause. Every steadfast soul, though outwardly among the lowest people, is in reality drawn near to the Most Glorious Kingdom and intimate with the Supreme Concourse.

The magnet attracting these bounties is steadfastness and firmness.

This is the Day of effort and steadfastness. Steadfastness is the essence of all essences and appeareth from the mine of humanity. None can determine the value of this precious pearl, nor can any writer describe its qualities. Its station hath been hidden in God's knowledge, the Lord of all worlds.

The first counsel We have enjoined upon Our loved ones in the Book is the Most Great Steadfastness. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it and attained its pure wine through My Name, the All-Compelling, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

I swear by God! So great are the things ordained for the steadfast that were they, so much as the eye of a needle, to be disclosed, all who are in heaven and on earth would be dumbfounded, except such as God, the Lord of all worlds, hath willed to exempt.

After arriving at this most exalted station, two things are necessary and obligatory for every soul: first, steadfastness in the Cause of God such that if all people should try to prevent him from the Source of the Cause they would be powerless to do so; and second, following the divine ordinances which have flowed from the fountain of the Pen of God's Will, for the knowledge of God is not complete and perfect except through following what He has commanded and what has been revealed in God's Book.

Although at present thy readers are few and thy volume small and thy voice weak, yet shouldst thou stand unshakable and become the object of the attention of the friends and the center of the generosity of the firm ones in the Covenant, in future thy readers shall embrace throngs upon throngs like waves of the sea, thy volume shall increase, thy arena shall become vast, thy voice and fame shall be raised and become world-wide and at last thou shalt become the first paper of the world.

Yet all these depend upon firmness, firmness, firmness!

Then make me steadfast, O my God, in Thy Cause wherein none can stand firm save him who hath detached himself from all else except Thee. Then preserve me, O my God, lest I associate any partners with Thee, or dispute Thy signs, or contend against Thy Self.

True listening consisteth in man's first perceiving with the ear of his spirit the call of the All-Merciful, and then remaining so steadfast in observing the divine precept and command that were he to witness from the peoples of the world naught save denial, enmity, and rejection, he would in no wise be deflected from walking in the Straight Path of God.

O leaf stirred by the breezes of the gardens! What you had written was noted. It was evidence of firmness and proof of steadfastness. However, this firmness and steadfastness must be supported and accompanied by contentment.

Be thou steadfast in the Faith as though thou wert standing in the presence of God - this is indeed a manifest balance.

And steadfastness is to know God alone as the One who prevails over all things, watches over all things, knows all things and encompasses all things, and to consider all else as non-existent and evanescent in His court.

And today the meaning of steadfastness is that they should see themselves independent and in need of none save God, exalted be His glory. This is the meaning of true wealth and spiritual riches that hath been manifested from God.

Despite this he did not flag or fall short.

… The proof of steadfastness is to acquire the characteristics of the people of sanctity - truthfulness, trustworthiness, love, religious devotion, enthusiasm and warmth, tranquility and detachment, diffusing the divine fragrances, and exalting the Word of God in speech and deed.

A tree whose roots are firm will withstand every tempest. A ship that is staunch and strong will not fear the surging of waves. A building whose foundation is solid will not be anxious about incidents and revolutions. Since thou art firm in the Covenant, rest thou assured that these darksome trials shall ultimately be transformed into the light of bounty and the utmost joy and gladness shall be attained.

It is My hope that thou, too, wilt be patient and steadfast and become the cause of firmness and steadfastness to other souls.

But the universal remedy that quickens every temperament and revives every extinguished flame is that antidote of grace which engenders steadfastness.

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Steadfastness and firmness in the divine Covenant become evident through deeds, actions and self-sacrifice.

Silence and quietude are the cause of steadfastness and firmness, because promotion is forbidden in these parts and this prohibition is explicitly stated.

I remember well that I was teaching thee at that time how to stand firm in the torrent. I told thee to place thy back to the torrent and pu[t] [thy] hands firmly on the ground, plant thy feet strongly on the ro[cks] and bend thy neck a little. Soon the torrent reached and circled us and w[e] found ourselves in the path of the most terrific storms [sic]. The noise and the voices of the waters were awful and almost everything was washe[d] before it. We sat steadfastly in our places, sometimes the turbulent water reaching to our necks.

One must be steadfast, must be firm, must have strength of heart, must not be agitated. If the Children of Israel had possessed steadfastness, neither the events of Nebuchadnezzar nor the events of Titus would have occurred.

All must today, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, seek steadfastness, for the clamor is raised high, the traitor follows behind, the thief lies in ambush, and the ungodly watch from their lookouts.

The beginning of the matter is the recognition of God, and its end is steadfastness in His Cause, for the demons have been and are lying in wait.

… Be not grieved by any matter.

… Though for some days affairs may be observed contrary to what is pleasing, be not saddened.

… Glory be upon you and upon those who have attained unto the Most Great Steadfastness in this mighty, exalted Cause.

Hold fast to two commands: first is turning unto God, which thou hast already attained, and second is steadfastness in the Cause of God, and this matter hath been and will ever be the foundation of the Cause.

From the Source of the Command it has been revealed: It is incumbent upon all the loved ones of Truth to reflect upon steadfastness and its degrees, so that they may comprehend the wisdom of God's utterance, Who in most Tablets has called the people unto steadfastness.

Whoso hath inhaled the sweet fragrance of the All-Merciful, and recognized the Source of this utterance, will welcome with his own eyes the shafts of the enemy, that he may establish the truth of the laws of God amongst men. Well is it with him that hath turned thereunto, and apprehended the meaning of His decisive decree.

… Be ye as firmly settled as the immovable mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

The beloved of the Lord must stand fixed as the mountains, firm as impregnable walls. Unmoved must they remain by even the direst adversities, ungrieved by the worst of disasters. Let them cling to the hem of Almighty God, and put their faith in the Beauty of the Most High; let them lean on the unfailing help that cometh from the Ancient Kingdom, and depend on the care and protection of the generous Lord.

Praise be to God, ye are firm and steadfast; be ye thankful that like unto blessed trees ye are firmly planted in the soil of the Covenant. It is sure that every firm one will grow, will yield new fruits and will increase daily in freshness and grace.

And now I give you a commandment which shall be for a covenant between you and Me -- that ye have faith be steadfast as a rock that no storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end; even should ye hear that your Lord has been crucified, be not shaken in your faith; for I am with you always, wether living or dead, I am with you to the end. As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be. This is the balance -- this is the balance.

Every tree that hath firm roots deriveth benefit from tempests, winds and whirlwinds, for its roots are firm; but any tree whose roots are weak is shaken by the gentlest breeze, let alone by violent storms, tempests and devastating whirlwinds, for the tests are severe.

O ye spiritual friends! Such must be your constancy that should the evil-wishers put every believer to death and only one remain, that one, singly and alone, will withstand all the peoples of the earth, and will go on scattering far and wide the sweet and holy fragrances of God.

As for you, O ye lovers of God, make firm your steps in His Cause, with such resolve that ye shall not be shaken though the direst of calamities assail the world. By nothing, under no conditions, be ye perturbed. Be ye anchored fast as the high mountains, be stars that dawn over the horizon of life, be bright lamps in the gatherings of unity, be souls humble and lowly in the presence of the friends, be innocent in heart.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that should all who are in the heavens and on earth oppose thee, thou wouldst not be disturbed within thyself and wouldst be of them that are firmly established.

Stand firm in such wise that should all the Manifestations of Our most beauteous Names descend and seek to turn thee from that whereon thou standest in thy Lord's Cause, thou wouldst not turn unto them nor unto what they possess, by My sovereignty that hath dawned from the horizon of holiness with wondrous lights.

The purpose is that the loved ones of God must be like mountains of iron - steady and firm, showing the utmost dignity and composure, neither disturbed by any incident nor confused by any event. The winds of upheaval may move a straw, but not a mountain, and contrary winds and the tempest of events may extinguish a weak lamp, but not the flame of light and the radiance of Sinai.

O ye who are steadfast in the Covenant and Testament! Praised be God that the barred path hath been cleared and communication hath been reestablished. Joyful news hath been received from the friends in those lands, bearing the tidings that they are steadfast in the Cause of the Ever-Living, Self-Subsisting Lord, and stand as firm as a lofty and immovable mountain in faith and certitude.

That is, arise to exalt the Word of God, to diffuse the sweet savours of God, to strive to spread the light of God, to kindle the fire of the love of God, to hold fast unto the Covenant and Testament of God, and to stand firm, by His gracious aid, in the Cause of God. It behoveth one such as thee to be even as a banner raised above all other banners, which waveth in the breezes of holiness wafting from the meads of the loving-kindness of thine Ancient Lord, and is set astir by the sweet-smelling fragrances that are shed abroad from the Abha Kingdom.

Strong winds uproot weak trees but do not move firmly rooted trees, for they have strong roots and show great stability. The friends of God must be like firmly established mountains - steadfast and unmoved.

But thou must, through the assistance and bountiful favor of God, remain in one state, and bear witness to the verse: "No change is there in the creation of God."

Be ye firm. Be ye not like a piece of straw to be blown hither and thither by the contrary winds. You must be unshakable like mountains and be imperturbable under all the ordeals and calamities.

Man should not be like the chameleon, changing color; at every hour assuming a new condition, and each day breathing another air. He must determine for himself one path and fix one point of attention. In that path, toward that point, he must move, for therein lie the utmost of his hopes and aspirations. Then let him never waver.

Say: O people of God! Be as mountains in the Cause of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, in such wise that neither the blasts of allusions nor the storms of expressions from those who have turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds, may move you.

Be so firm and steadfast in the Cause of God and the love of God that you become the envy of Mount Qaf and the object of admiration for the pillars of the world of creation.

When man stands firm on the straight path with feet steadfast on the white way, God makes him like a blessed tree whose root is firmly fixed and whose branch reaches unto heaven."

I am telling this so that thou mayest know that I am encircled with an impending danger, thus if anything should happen, thou mayest convey my Message to all the believers of God, and it is this:-

"The friends of God, must not be shaken by any test.

As the lofty mountains, you must stand firm in the Cause.

As the tempestuous sea, you must never become calm and still.

As the brilliant stars, you must ever shine and gleam.

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When thou findest thyself like unto a mountain which neither storms can move nor thunderbolts displace, then hast thou attained the summit of the Cause and its ultimate end.

Inwardly they are like surging oceans, while outwardly they remain steady and firm as mountains. These are the souls who are seated upon the cushions of light and recline upon the pillars of certitude, for they gaze toward the horizon of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth" and are steadfast in their adherence to the blessed words "He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth."

He said: The people of truth must not be disturbed by outward differences. They must be as firm and steadfast as a mountain. This world, its beginning and end, its bounties and favors and ornaments, have not been, nor ever shall be, worthy of mention. By the Sun of the heaven of divine utterance! Had it possessed worth even to the extent of a needle's eye, the people of God would not have abandoned it, nor would they have accepted such tribulations.

Be ye as firm mountains in your Lord's Cause and hold fast unto this strong cord. Verily it is more enduring than the heaven and whatsoever hath been created therein. Blessed is he who holdeth fast thereunto, and woe unto them that turn away.

Thus We call unto thee from beyond the sea of grandeur, upon the crimson land, above the horizon of tribulation. Verily, no God is there save Him, the Almighty, the Most Generous. Walk thou steadfastly in My Cause and follow not the ways of those who, upon attaining unto the object of their desire, denied God, the Lord of Lords.

Most strange it is that souls who claim the station of steadfastness and certitude become agitated and shaken by the merest whiff from the embodiments of vain imaginings. The tales of old have held people back from steadfastness, and lack of understanding hath deprived them of this supreme bounty, heedless that whatsoever they have heard before was pure falsehood and sheer calumny.

Even if like pure gold you must be melted in the fire of tribulations - burn and endure. Now is the time for the field of action and testing of men, for the mighty edifice of God's Cause rests upon the pillar of the Covenant and Testament, and the heaven of God's religion is illumined and radiant through the star of the Covenant.

One, like unto a candle, will shine forth in every assembly, while another, like unto an inauspicious owl, will seek a safe hole in a dark corner in which to hide. One will cry out loudly Ya Baha'u'l-Abha! while another will clamor, "I indeed am free of God!" One will become intoxicated with the wine of martyrdom, while another will become drunk with the liquor of vanity and pride, and will consort with the people of inequity.

And should there be no trials, nothing will be accomplished. But when trials appear many will greatly develop. That is to say: those who are sincere believers, firm in the Cause, will develop and advance; but, on the contrary, those who are weak in their faith will escape. But My hope is that you will show forth firmness."

None had imagined that, despite the intensity of tests, those souls would remain happy and beaming with joy! This can be attributed to naught but the great bounty of God in these days-- that in the depths of sacrifice, His loved ones stand firm and immovable and are constant and steadfast in the Covenant and Testament.

This is a bounty unto the righteous and a calamity unto those who are weak. Render thanks unto God that your feet are firm and your faces, like pure gold, are aglow in the fire of tests. I beseech the one true God that day by day ye may increase in firmness and steadfastness.

In such days when steadfastness is as rare as the philosopher's stone, praise be to God they attained unto it. How many were the servants who claimed love and sent petitions to the Most Holy Court, and in response to each a perfect proof and conclusive testimony was sent. Nevertheless, they remained deprived of the Lord of Lords by the buzzing of a fly, and were barred from the Most Great Ocean by the whisperings of souls who never had and have not any awareness of this Cause.

O loved ones of God! Be not of those who, when the breezes of might blow, say "We believe in God, the Lord of all creation," but when trials come are so shaken that the fire of divine unity is extinguished in their breasts. Hearken unto My call from this Prison and stand firm in the Cause of God, your Lord, the All-Merciful, in such wise that neither trials nor tribulations shall hold you back.

O thou whose eyes are fixed upon the Abha Kingdom! In this grievous day, when dire adversities have shaken the pillars of the earth, and the tests and trials sent by God have rocked the foundations of the world, remain thou firm and staunch in His Cause through the power of the Kingdom and the confirmations from on high. Be thou as steadfast as an immovable mountain, an impregnable stronghold, a solid bulwark, and an impenetrable barrier. Be not perturbed by the winds of tribulations or dismayed by grievous calamities.

How many strong souls have been seen to waver and become agitated when the winds of tests blew, and how many weak ones who, through divine favor, were adorned with the ornament of supreme steadfastness.

Thou beholdest how the tempestuous winds of tests have caused the steadfast in faith to tremble, and how the breath of trials hath stirred up those whose hearts had been firmly established, except such as have partaken of the Wine that is life indeed from the hands of the Manifestation of Thy name, the Most Merciful.

Praise thou God that in tests thou art firm and steadfast and art holding fast to the Abha Kingdom. Thou art not shaken by any affliction or disturbed by any calamity.

O Divine Herald! Though severe attacks beset you from every side and enemies lie in wait, since this hardship is in the path of the charming Beloved, it is the very essence of joy.

Indeed, the more the storms of trials increase in the Blessed Spot, the more the friends should advance in steadfastness and firmness.

Be not sorrowful on this account: For this is a glorious proof of the fact that thou art drawing nigh unto God. It is the law (or method) of God to test the sincere ones with great trials. Make firm thy feet in this Path, and stand the severest calamity, for this is conducive to progress and attainment to Life Eternal and Unchangeable....

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Faith must be like a rock. It must be like a mountain which withstands very torrent, test, and trial.

There is no doubt that these tests are very great, and all will not remain firm. Those who have weak faith will surely be shaken, but the ones who are strong--they will remain as firm as a mountain. Whatever storms of tests may come they shall not be shaken.

A weak tree may stand if there are no winds to oppose it. But the strong tree that withstands every attack has developed its strength only through resisting wind and storm. A weak light will go out with the slightest breeze but a torch only grows the stronger as the storm attacks it.

Let nothing cause thee to be sore shaken, neither let the things which have been destined to take place in this Cause disturb thee. Strive earnestly for the sake of God and walk in the path of righteousness.

How many the leaves which the tempests of trials have caused to fall, and how many, too, are those which, clinging tenaciously to the tree of Thy Cause, have remained unshaken by the tests that have assailed them, O Thou Who art our Lord, the Most Merciful!

How many a servant did We counsel to be steadfast, yet when he heard a word from him who disbelieved, he turned away and drew back on his heels as though he had never known the Countenance nor heard the counsel of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Praise be to God that thou hast kept steadfast with all firmness under the millstone of tests like unto a grain of diamond.

Steadfastness and firmness in times of comfort, security and safety - even a weak ant can manage that. But when the storm is severe, if the captain can unfurl the sails on the Most Great Ocean and steer the ship and bring it to the shore of safety - that shows skill.

Steadfastness and firmness on such a day are accepted and praiseworthy, and attention and devotion and supplication in such days are beloved. Until fierce winds and powerful storms and tempests blow, the firm tree cannot be distinguished from the unstable one.

In any case, keep your heart firm and withstand the trials. Observe the outcome. Meet constriction with expansiveness of heart.

The troubles in thy affairs are solely that thou mayest share in the tribulations and trials of 'Abdu'l-Baha, for in times of comfort and ease every soul would participate, keep company, show friendship, manifest agreement and demonstrate steadfastness.

Soon thou shalt see how the spreading of the leaves of doubts caused firmness and steadfastness in the hearts of the friends in all directions.

During times of severe trials and tribulations, when one remains steadfast, a different kind of spirituality emerges within him. A different state, a state of detachment takes hold - it is a very wonderful state. But if one wavers, it is bad for him, very bad indeed - beyond description. How terrible is despair. One is overcome. If patience wears thin, every minute feels like a thousand years. But if one is steadfast and assured, it is a most wonderful state.

...rather, thou hast firmly resolved to flee, that thou mightest escape from the field of tribulation and the place of tests. Far, far from it! Ye have not yet been sustained by the arrows of the enemy as was intended, nor have ye been afflicted by the gloating of the wicked ones. Your existence is essential for the manifestation of the name of the oppressed. Assuredly, cast out from your mind the thought of flight and efface it from your heart, and with utmost steadfastness establish yourselves in the dwelling-place of calamities.

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We withstood all these trials with forbearance, and enjoined upon God's servants to show forth patience and fortitude. Removing Ourself from their midst, We took up residence in another house, that perchance the flame of envy might be quenched in Our brother's breast, and that he might be guided aright.

O Remembrance of God, be patient for God's sake with beautiful patience in truth.

Convey My greetings to all the friends on behalf of the Wronged One and say: O My loved ones! Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness through My power, and cling to the hem of patience through My Name, the All-Patient, the Mighty, the Wise. Know ye the value of these days and deprive not yourselves of the infinite bounties.

When thou art disdained and rejected by the wicked doers be not cast down; and at the power and stiffneckedness of the presumptuous be neither vexed nor sick at heart; for such is the way of heedless souls, from time out of mind.

Days pass, whether more bitter than poison or sweeter than honey and sugar - both pass away. But the difference lies in that during your lifetime you saw stings not honey in God's path, cruelty not fidelity, tribulations not gifts, bore afflictions not endless comfort and bounty.

Give thanks unto God for having made thee patient in tribulation, steadfast upon burning coals, and capable of bearing every calamity in His path. This is a bounty He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth among His chosen servants.

Thou knowest full well, O my God, that I endure patiently whatsoever toucheth me in Thy path. Nay, I perceive that all the members and limbs of my body long for tribulation, that I may manifest Thy Cause, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names!

Yet their patience did not fail though their hearts burned and tears flowed. Rather, they bore these calamities with expanded hearts, broadened breasts, attracted souls and joyful spirits, clinging to the signs of Thy holy might.

Make patience and forbearance your way, and endurance and steadfastness your attribute. There is no garment more adorning to clothe the temple of existence than the shirt of patience, and no raiment more blessed than endurance and contentment with which to adorn the celestial form.

In tribulations they are patient, and in adversities they are tranquil, inasmuch as they have detached themselves from creation and clung unto the Truth. Exalted be their stations and sublime their steadfastness! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to elevate them among His servants and to adorn them with the ornament of justice in His kingdom, and to ordain for them that which will make them the letters of His Book and the words of His Tablets.

Thus ye have initiated every believer into the ways of steadfastness and fortitude. You showed them the meaning of forbearance, of constancy, and of sacrifice, and what leadeth to dismay and distress.

Praise be to God, thou art assisted and confirmed, for he is to the utmost degree satisfied with thee, while his contentment is a source of happiness to the hearts of all, especially at this time when he hath been assailed by tests; yet praise be to God, despite such trials he remaineth patient and steadfast, and I fain would hope that, through the grace of the Almighty, his peace and composure may reach the point of perfection.

Let not the oppression of the powerful grieve thee. Be patient even as thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, was patient. We were with thee and heard what thou didst speak concerning God, and We saw what befell thee in the path of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Loving.

For joy and gladness during sudden tribulation are characteristics of the chosen ones, and hidden glad tidings and inner delight during times of human oppression are requirements of the pure ones.

He must be patient and cast it into the corner of forgetfulness. 'Abdu'l-Baha was afflicted with thousands of such trials, but when He showed patience and calm, finally all passed away and these clouds dispersed and the horizon of existence became bright and radiant.

Thus indeed doth it beseem the loved ones of God to conduct themselves, so that when they are beset by hardships or hemmed in by dire affliction they may be able to comfort others and impart consolation unto them, their faces may glow with the light of radiant acquiescence, and they may deliver to the flames the veil of moaning, sighing, and lamentation, inasmuch as resort to sadness and grief in the midst of tribulation is but an indication of lack of assurance and certitude.

O God! Thou knowest all things and whatsoever the doers do for Thy face, and Thou hast promised through the tongue of Thy chosen ones that those who show patience in face of the words of Thine enemies shall receive the reward of a thousand martyrs from among Thy servants.

Be thou not, then, grieved by aught. Be patient, and then yet more patient, for the end is for such as endure with constancy. And if hardships touch thee, be not disquieted, but put thy whole trust in God, the Ever-Abiding, the All-Glorious.

The day of patience hath come, and the hour of steadfastness and remembrance of God, the Sovereign, the Unconstrained. In truth, this is the day of patience. That honored one must become the dawning-place of patience and steadfastness.

I practice patience, you practice patience; I show forbearance, you show devotion.

There is a well-known saying: "If you are patient you will be rewarded, and God's decree will be carried out; and if you complain you will be deprived, and God's decree will be carried out." Therefore it is better that you show patience and forbearance so that you may receive your share of the Lord's mercy and attain a great reward.

What is incumbent upon the people of Baha is patience, calmness, steadfastness and forbearance in all things.

For everything there is a sign. The sign of love is fortitude under My decree and patience under My trials.

Remember My days during thy days, and My distress and banishment in this remote prison. And be thou so steadfast in My love that thy heart shall not waver, even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the earth arise against thee.

… Rely upon God, thy God and the Lord of thy fathers. For the people are wandering in the paths of delusion, bereft of discernment to see God with their own eyes, or hear His Melody with their own ears. Thus have We found them, as thou also dost witness.

Verily, I have heard Thy call, O All-Glorious Beloved; and now is the face of Baha flaming with the heat of tribulation and with the fire of Thy shining word, and He hath risen up in faithfulness at the place of sacrifice, looking toward Thy pleasure, O Ordainer of the worlds.

In your love for God and your attachment to 'Abdu'l-Baha, accept ye every tribulation, every sorrow. Endure the aggressor's taunts, put up with the enemy's reproaches. Follow in the footsteps of 'Abdu'l-Baha, and in the pathway of the Abha Beauty, long at every moment to give up your lives. Shine out like the daystar, be unresting as the sea; even as the clouds of heaven, shed ye life upon field and hill, and like unto April winds, blow freshness through those human trees, and bring them to their blossoming.

Be thou steadfast in thy love for the Youth, then convey unto the people the Command of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance, lest the clamor of the heedless and the howling of the wicked be raised.

The first is steadfastness in His love, such steadfastness that neither the clamor of the enemy nor the claims of the idle pretender can deter him from cleaving unto Him Who is the Eternal Truth, a steadfastness that taketh no account of them whatever.

None of the kings of the earth hath power to hinder me from remembering Thee or from extolling Thy virtues. Were they to be leagued -- as they have been leagued -- against me, and to brandish their sharpest swords and most afflictive spears against me, I would not hesitate to magnify Thy name before all them that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth.

Every punishment in Thy love is mercy, every fire is light, every torment is sweet, every toil is rest, and every sorrow is gladness. O Lord! Whoso complaineth of tribulations in Thy path hath not drunk from the cup of Thy love nor tasted the sweetness of Thy remembrance."

The true friend is one who becomes so intoxicated with the sweet wine of the love of the Friend that he desires naught but His good-pleasure - that is, he should have no wish, desire or thought of his own, but should see all things as consumed in the good-pleasure of the Friend. He moves not except by His leave, and desires naught save that wherein lies His good-pleasure.

Grieve not for what hath befallen Us. By God! The Youth doth not lament in the love of God even should all tribulations descend upon Him, and thy Lord is witness unto what I say. Stand firm in the Cause, then aid it through wisdom and utterance.

Were all the wicked doers of the earth to band themselves against us, and to cast us into a fire such as no man hath kindled, they would be powerless to distract our gaze from the horizon of Thy name, the Most Exalted, the Most High, and would fail to turn aside our hearts from the seat of Thine effulgent glory.

In this day the most vital and momentous matter is steadfastness in the love of the Manifestor Of Light on the Mount of Sinai and endurance of ordeals and unaccountable calamities in this Cause.

Today, whosoever hath clung to the divine Will and attained unto His Purpose hath attained unto the most great martyrdom, for he is extinct in his own will and purpose and alive through the Will and Purpose of God, exalted be His glory and abundant be His favors.

Perish the soul that fleeth from the threats of kings in its attempt to save itself in Thy days! I swear by Thy glory! Whoso hath quaffed the living waters of Thy favors can fear no trouble in Thy path, neither can he be deterred by any tribulation from remembering Thee or from celebrating Thy praise.

O maidservant of God! Hold not cheap the precious gem of love, and remain thou steadfast in His love. Such is Our perspicuous and mighty counsel unto thee.

I swear by the ocean of the All-Merciful's utterance that in all conditions We have been and are thankful. Divine love transformeth hardship into ease and severity into relief. Tribulation in His path is acceptable and beloved by the lovers and the eager ones. The sincere and near ones have freely sacrificed and continue to sacrifice their lives in the path of the Beloved of the worlds.

Even should he find himself alone in his love for his Lord, such that he witnesseth none throughout all the kingdoms of earth and heaven who hath turned towards Him, he shall not be troubled in his soul, nor shall he be of them that waver.

Assuredly strive with utmost endeavor and mighty effort to remain steadfast upon the straight path of love, and so long as this station endureth, all grace and good shall endure.

Today nothing is more difficult than remaining firm in this Cause, and this is that most mighty and formidable matter which none beareth save whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, willeth.

If like Abraham I must enter the fire, Or like John have my blood flow free,

If like Joseph in prison I must expire, Or in poverty match Christ's degree,

I'll not turn from Thee, nor from Thee retire, My soul and body are both sworn to Thee.

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By God! Even if drawn swords were to threaten me, and deadly arrows were aimed at me, and hostile armies and tyrannical forces were to attack me, my tongue would not tire from praise, nor would my soul weary from prayer, nor would my call in the name of my Most Glorious Lord be cut off among the people.

Baha calleth out between earth and heaven, whilst standing firm in that which He hath been commanded, His hands raised toward God, the Lord of Names, saying: I have chosen, in My love for Thee, the afflictions of all who are on earth, and I fear not, by Thy might and Thy power. … Through Thy love nothing affrighteth me, and through my turning unto Thee the turning away of all who are on earth harmeth me not.

I swear by Thy Might, O My God and My Master, shouldst Thou slay me with the swords of Thy Decree, torment Me with every torment, or burn Me with the fire of Thy justice and vengeance, My soul will not be emptied of its love for Thee, nor My tongue stilled from mentioning Thee, nor My heart busied with anyone save Thyself.

Briefly then, O ye that stand fast in the Covenant! Render praise and thanksgiving to the Lord that ye abide beneath the canopy of the Covenant and are sheltered within the stronghold of the care and protection of the Day-Star of the world.

O ye loved ones of God! Be ye firm of foot, and fixed of heart, and through the power of the Blessed Beauty's help, stand ye committed to your purpose. Serve ye the Cause of God. Face ye all nations of the world with the constancy and the endurance of the people of Baha, that all men may be astounded and ask how this could be, that your hearts are as well-springs of confidence and faith, and as mines so rich in the love of God.

O ye who are holding fast unto the Covenant and Testament! This day, from the realms of the All-Glorious, from the Kingdom of Holiness where hosannas of glorification and praise rise up, the Company on high direct their gaze upon you.

Whensoever their gaze lighteth upon gatherings of those who are steadfast in the Covenant and Testament, then do they utter their cry, 'Glad tidings! Glad tidings!' Then, exulting, do they lift up their voices, and shout, 'O ye spiritual communion! O ye gathering of God! Blessed are ye! Glad tidings be unto you! Bright be your faces, and be ye of good cheer, for ye cling to the Covenant of the Beloved of all the worlds, ye are on fire with the wine of His Testament.

It is this: Never let your hearts be troubled or distressed by anything that may happen here. Never let My difficulties or hardships distress or affect you. If you should receive news in America that I have been thrown into the sea, or carried away by armed men to an unknown place; if you should receive word that I have been tortured, dismembered and killed, change not, grieve not; nay, rather, be more firm, be more steadfast, whether I am in this world or not; for wherever I may be, here or in the world to come, I will always be with you, and always ask assistance for you.

By God the True One, the power of the Testament and the trembling of the Covenant have seized all in the horizons. The weak ones flounder in their vain imaginings, regretting, agitating, showing pride, weeping and lamenting, while the steadfast ones rejoice in their Lord's bounty, are gladdened, are moved to joy, show humility and submissiveness, offer praise and thanks for this gift that burns and shines like a lamp in the glass of contingent being, this mercy that encompasses all creation, this power before which all heads and necks bow in humility and submission.

Be so firm and steadfast in the divine Covenant and Testament and the will of the All-Merciful Beauty that the hosts of doubts cannot imagine otherwise and cannot cause division in the Cause of God.

What has taken place was a test: the friends must be firm and steadfast in the midst of tests. If an angel would manifestly come down from heaven, and if a word contrary to the teachings of Baha'u'llah would proceed from his lips, it would be wrong, and you should not heed it.

Cling thou to the hem of the Robe of God, and take thou firm hold on His Cord, a Cord which none can sever. Beware that the clamor of them that have repudiated this Most Great Announcement shall not deter thee from achieving thy purpose.

Even if 'Abdu'l-Baha is raised upon the gallows, or finds his place in the depths of the sea, or becomes lost and nameless in the endless desert, let them not falter or fall short. Rather, let them shine like a candle and raise such a sweet melody in praise of the Beauty of Abha that it brings joy to the denizens of the Supreme Concourse.

O steadfast one! The condition of steadfastness is following in all things - that is, whatever I say, you must say, and whatever I promote, you must promote, and whatever I believe, you must believe.

O handmaiden of God! Today chastity and purity consist in steadfastness in God's Covenant. Whosoever is confirmed therein dwells in the shelter of chastity and the stronghold of purity.

And after the Youth hath departed from your midst, it behooveth you to remain steadfast in faithfulness to My Cause, than which nothing else standeth, whether in the heavens or on the earth, or in what was or what shall be - if thou be of them that perceive.

O ye beloved of God, know that steadfastness and firmness in this new and wonderful Covenant is indeed the spirit that quickeneth the hearts which are overflowing with the love of the Glorious Lord; verily, it is the power which penetrates into the hearts of the people of the world! Your Lord hath assuredly promised His servants who are firm and steadfast to render them victorious at all times, to exalt their word, propagate their power, diffuse their lights, strengthen their hearts, elevate their banners, assist their hosts, brighten their stars, increase the abundance of the showers of mercy upon them, and enable the brave lions (or teachers) to conquer.

Praise be to God you are firm in the Covenant and steadfast in the Testament. Firmness and steadfastness are of the greatest conditions of Faith and Assurance.

Thou must needs be so steadfast that if from the horizon of the Cause there should appear a decree contrary to the desire of all who are on earth, thou wouldst say in utmost steadfastness: "This indeed is the truth." The mightiest of all things is steadfastness, and the greater the Cause, the more numerous its trials.

Hasten, hasten, O ye free souls, unto firmness and steadfastness! Hasten, hasten, O ye righteous ones, unto immovability in this Cause, whereby the pillars of discord shall be shaken for ever and ever! Hasten, hasten, O ye lights, to shine forth with the splendors of fidelity; for thereby shall ye triumph over the enemies from among all the nations of the world, and shall be aided by the hosts of the Abha Kingdom and by the angels of inspiration from the Supreme Horizon.

For instance, if you receive news that the Holy Land is entirely changed, you must not become relaxed at all; nay rather you must become firmer, more steadfast and more attracted and more engaged in the service of the Kingdom.

Truly they are firm in the Covenant and steadfast in the Pact and Testament of the Lord God, for firmness and steadfastness are matters of the heart and soul, not mere words and tongue.

Therefore, as ye are a heavenly host and have become the army of life, ye must remain firm and unshakeable in unity, steadfastness, and concord, that ye may win spiritual victories.

With tearful eyes, I supplicate at the Divine Threshold that ye may be confirmed in steadfastness and constancy and may become the cause of the guidance of the people of that land.

O messenger of the Solomon of love! Seek thou no shelter except in the Sheba of the well-beloved, and O immortal phoenix! dwell not save on the mount of faithfulness. Therein is thy habitation, if on the wings of thy soul thou soarest to the realm of the infinite and seekest to attain thy goal.

O My Name! Hearken thou unto My Voice coming from the direction of My Throne. He wisheth to make mention of thy name at all times inasmuch as thou hast proved thyself steadfast in extolling His virtues amongst men. Indeed thy Lord loveth fidelity as found in the realm of creation, and He hath given it precedence over most of the praiseworthy qualities.

O friends, show forth your fidelity! O my loved ones, manifest your steadfastness and your constancy! O ye who invoke His Name, turn ye and hold fast unto Him! O ye who lift up your hearts and implore His aid, cling to Him and walk in His ways!

Regard faith as a tree: its fruits and leaves, its branches and boughs are, and ever have been, truthfulness, trustworthiness, rectitude of conduct, and forbearance.

Blessed is the soul that has remained faithful to God's Covenant, whom no blame from any blamer in the Cause of God could deter, and whom the arrows of doubt from perverted souls, veiled spirits, and sick minds heedless of God's remembrance could not affect. Blessed is the soul whose outward is the same as its inward, and whose inward is the same as its outward; whom its Lord has guided, whose veils He has rent asunder, whose abode He has honored, and whom He has given to drink of a cup tempered with camphor.

O Mir-i-Vafa! In the world of existence there is no quality more excellent, more pleasing, and more sweet than faithfulness. This virtue is among the greatest foundations of the divine religion. If a person be deprived of all praiseworthy attributes but be characterized by this holy quality, he shall ultimately attain to all perfections. And if one should possess all excellent qualities but lack faithfulness, all those perfections will be transformed into imperfection, that good into evil, that light into darkness, and that glory into abasement.

O thou faithful one!

One of the requirements of faithfulness is that thou mayest sacrifice thyself and, in the divine path, close thine eye to every pleasure and strive with all thy soul that thou mayest disappear and be lost, like unto a drop, in the ocean of the love of God.

The work was that which the apostles of Christ did - they were faithful to Christ. After Christ they did not draw an easy breath. Not for a minute did they rest. Night and day they spent in promoting the Cause of God and in calling to the Kingdom of God and arose to attract and ignite souls.

When man has faith, even the mountains of the world can not oppose him, nay, he bears every trial and calamity, and nothing can conduce to his weakness. But one who is not a true believer, and does not possess real faith will lament over the least disappointment and complain of the slightest thing which may mar his peace and pleasure.

This visit is a proof of faithfulness, proof that we have not forgotten one another. In the world of existence nothing is greater than faithfulness, for it allows love to remain unimpaired in spite of the length of time.

Morning and evening you came and showed forth faithfulness. You endured every oppression and bore every ordeal.

They said to him: "Why cast yourself into these flames blazing to the heart of heaven? These oppressed ones can hardly be saved from this dark calamity even if you throw yourself into this terrible disaster. It is not the way of the wise to cast themselves by their own hands into great destruction."

He replied: "Faithfulness! Faithfulness! O my two companions! This is the day of testing and the dawn of trial. Leave me to cast myself among the enemies that I may attain the supreme martyrdom, or else I will throw myself from this lofty mountain into the deep valley. You protect yourselves on this impregnable mountain and elevated shelter, while I alone cast myself into this mighty tribulation."

Consider a while: the greater the affliction they suffered, the higher was raised the banner of devotion and faithfulness; and the more grievous the trials they endured, the more abundant were the outpourings of grace from the Abha Beauty.

O thou who hast inhaled the fragrance of faithfulness! Every divine reality and every reality in creation, whether outward forms or inner meanings, possesses a fragrance and bestows a breath of spirit. The reality of faithfulness, like a hundred-petaled crimson rose, bestows the life-giving fragrance of musk and grants souls both spirit and sweet perfume. Thus there exists a sweet fragrance in steadfastness and firmness in the Covenant and Testament.

O friends! Fix your gaze in all conditions upon steadfastness and trustworthiness. These two qualities are as two great luminaries shining forth and manifest from the heaven of the divine Tablet. Blessed is the state of the one who is illumined by the light of these two luminaries.

One must plant firm steps and make steadfast the heart, and demonstrate clearly to the world that the faithful are not hurt by faithlessness, and lovers of the Friend's face do not wither at the oppression of the hateful ones.

In the sight of the True One, faithfulness is the greatest of all matters.

The condition of faithfulness among the loved ones is to bear great hardship so they may arise with the mystery of sacrifice.

If today the populace take hold of a thousand average ministers of the Gospel and bringing them in the public square address them: 'you must either deny Christ or you will be killed.' I wonder how many of them will remain firm!

… But on the other hand, if they take us to the square and with the sword of execution over our head command us to state that Christ was only the prophet of God and then be free we will cry out: Verily, Christ was the Word of God and the Spirit of God. We will most joyfully give up our lives for Christ.

If the celestial sphere and the material universe are thrown together in utter confusion, I remain steadfast to my Faith.

We must utter the truth under all circumstances. We must be the champions of Truth.

It is evident that faithfulness hath ever been the attribute of God's friends, and they have always been successful in achieving and practicing it. In truth, the fragrance of faithfulness wafted from your letter.

Wherefore must the loved ones of God, laboriously, with the waters of their striving, tend and nourish and foster this tree of hope. In whatsoever land they dwell, let them with a whole heart befriend and be companions to those who are either close to them, or far removed. Let them, with qualities like unto those of heaven, promote the institutions and the religion of God. Let them never lose heart, never be despondent, never feel afflicted. The more antagonism they meet, the more let them show their own good faith; the more torments and calamities they have to face, the more generously let them pass round the bounteous cup.

Stand firm in the Name of Truth and arise to make good what hath been lost. Time is most precious, nay more precious than the red sulphur. Counsel the people to spiritual attributes and goodly deeds. Blessed are they who act for God's sake and are turned toward Him.

The friends must act with perfect steadfastness, perseverance and wisdom. They must have complete confidence.

The main thing is to remain staunch and firmly rooted, and persevere to the end.

I hope by the favor of His Holiness the Almighty that day by day you may add to your faith, assurance, firmness and steadfastness, and become instruments for the promotion of the holy fragrances.

Go thou straight on and persevere in that which the Pen of God, in truth, commandeth thee, and remain upon the straight path of God, steadfast in His Cause.

… Be thou steadfast in the Cause of God, and in that which hath been prescribed unto thee, and fear no one.

O thou yearning flame, thou who art afire with the love of God! I have read thy letter, and its contents, well-expressed and eloquent, delighted my heart, showing as they did thy deep sincerity in the Cause of God, thy persevering steps along the pathway of His Kingdom, and thy staunchness in His Faith -- for of all great things, this is the greatest in His sight.

Persevere thou conscientiously in the service of the Cause and, through the power of the Name of thy Lord, the Possessor of all things visible and invisible, preserve the station conferred upon thee.

If this activity is well organized, rest thou assured that it will yield great results. Firmness and steadfastness, however, are necessary, otherwise it will continue for some time, but later be gradually forgotten. Perseverance is an essential condition. In every project firmness and steadfastness will undoubtedly lead to good results; otherwise it will exist for some days, and then be discontinued.

But the worker in the cause of God is like a gardener. The more attention he gives his garden, the more fruit will reward his efforts, or, like the traveler who has a great goal before him, no matter how hard the road, if he only keep on walking and is not turned aside by discouragements, he is sure, eventually, to reach his goal.

The essence lies not in turning to God, but rather in remaining firm on this Straight Path, in the increasing fire of the love of God at every moment, in enduring when great trials descend, and in withstanding every severe storm.

However, firmness and steadfastness are necessary - not that they continue for some days and then become scattered and dispersed.

Rest thou confident that day by day thou shalt progress and wax greater in firmness and in constancy.

Man must be tireless in his effort. Once his effort is directed in the proper channel if he does not succeed today he will succeed tomorrow.

Obstacles have appeared and will continue to appear before the wayfarer in the divine path, but those powerful and mighty souls who have partaken of the Kawthar of steadfastness - no barrier can deter them and no waters of the world can quench their ardor. They are set ablaze by the Word of God and are gazing toward and turning to the horizon of His Cause with such devotion that all the world is powerless to prevent.

However, you must progress in these qualities day by day and have no point of stopping, for after stopping comes descent.

Exert thyself with all heart and soul so that it may continue and be stable and constant until blessed results may ensue therefrom, for without firmness and steadfastness no matter shall prove effective in existence. Some of the friends organized meetings for teaching in the neighborhood of that region, but owing to lack of steadfastness those meetings scattered with great rapidity.

To enter the Kingdom is easy, but to remain firm and constant is difficult.

However, you must show forth steadfastness in your work and occupation, for without steadfastness success is impossible and unattainable. God has so ordained and commanded it.

Perseverance and steadfastness in every aim will ultimately bring about its fulfillment and realization.

Recite the Obligatory Prayer and supplications as much as thou art able, so that day by day thou mayest attain to increased firmness and steadfastness and find greater joy and gladness. Thus the circle of divine knowledge will grow wider, and the fire of the love of God will burn brighter within thee.

It is hard to be steadfast, to follow the straight path -- there is nothing harder. There are many who take ten steps in this path, some travel ten miles, are tired, and then stop. Some travel only four miles, but there are some who never grow tired and keep traveling as long as breath lasts and reach the home.

The second path is a pleasant path but the traveler makes slow progress. He advances surely but slowly. Step by step he comes nearer and nearer to the goal. It may take many years but the persevering, determined, cheerful traveler goes on and on.

Therefore, be thou steadfast as thou art bidden, and be patient with what hath befallen thee in the path of the remembrance of thy Lord's name, for verily unto them that strive is ordained a holy station, inscribed with thy Lord.

The day is approaching when God will have exalted His Cause and magnified His testimony in the eyes of all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Place, in all circumstances, Thy whole trust in Thy Lord, and fix Thy gaze upon Him, and turn away from all them that repudiate His truth. Let God, Thy Lord, be Thy sufficing succourer and helper.

… Place not thy reliance on thy treasures. Put thy whole confidence in the grace of God, thy Lord. Let Him be thy trust in whatever thou doest, and be of them that have submitted themselves to His Will.

The source of all good is trust in God, submission unto His command, and contentment with His holy will and pleasure.

… The source of all glory is acceptance of whatsoever the Lord hath bestowed, and contentment with that which God hath ordained.

… The essence of understanding is to testify to one's poverty, and submit to the Will of the Lord, the Sovereign, the Gracious, the All-Powerful.

Hold fast to the cord of His grace and cling to the hem of His bounty. The world hath ever been and shall ever be in transition. Grieve not over what hath passed thee by. Rather, rejoice in My beauteous remembrance and say: 'Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me in Thy prison and sent unto me that which hath brought joy to the eyes of them that know.'

It is incumbent, in this Day, upon every man to place his whole trust in the manifold bounties of God, and arise to disseminate, with the utmost wisdom, the verities of His Cause. Then, and only then, will the whole earth be enveloped with the morning light of His Revelation.

Rely upon God. Trust in Him. Praise Him, and call Him continually to mind. He verily turneth trouble into ease, and sorrow into solace, and toil into utter peace. He verily hath dominion over all things.

Thou must be firm and unshakable in thy purpose, and never, never let any outward circumstances worry thee. … Let not thy heart be troubled. If thou goest away with this unchanging condition of invariability of inner state, thou shall see the doors of confirmation open before thy face, thy life will be a crown of heavenly roses, and thou shalt find thyself in the highest station of triumph.

Never lose thy trust in God. Be thou ever hopeful, for the bounties of God never cease to flow upon man. If viewed from one perspective they seem to decrease, but from another they are full and complete. Man is under all conditions immersed in a sea of God's blessings. Therefore, be thou not hopeless under any circumstances, but rather be firm in thy hope.

Place thy trust in God in all matters, then aid thy Lord, for in such days as these the gaze of God is fixed upon those who have stood firm in His love and aided His Cause. He boasts of them in the kingdom of His Command.

Therefore, it is more fitting for any opposer to prevent the winds rather than prevent the leaf, for the will and movement of the leaf depends upon this divine breeze and holy, glorious zephyr. And as long as He continues to blow and pass by, this leaf shall remain in motion, attraction and fervor.

If at times outward means fail to assist, be not disheartened, for the appearance of every matter has its appointed time, and whatsoever divine wisdom requires will assuredly appear in the realm of manifestation.

From the time I was born up to this hour I have been under the protection of God, and now He will take care of me. I am not afraid of these things. They shall make no difference to me. If they made any difference to me, I would not have accepted exile and incarceration.'

Say: O friends! Fear and anxiety have never befitted and do not befit the people of truth. Death shall seize man but once, and if it occurs in the path of the Friend, it is assuredly most excellent, most beloved, most exalted and most glorious.

One must lift one's gaze from outward causes and temporal events and fix it upon the supreme horizon, such that whatever occurs will not become a source of prevention and disturbance. Blessed is the state of one who has been and continues to be engaged in service under all conditions.

I Myself never hesitated for a moment in advancing God's Cause, nor did I compromise with anyone. I shone forth amidst the enemies with the holy and luminous lights. Among the idolaters, some declared that in those days He would be seized and sent to the Persian king to do with Him as he pleased. Others said He would be slain in that land. Still others said they would soon seize Him with His family and banish them to other lands. Some cried out that they would drown them in the river.

Notwithstanding all this, I stood against Mine enemies manifest as the sun and appeared before the dwellers of the heavenly kingdom bright as the moon. Not for an instant did I seek to preserve Mine own life, and not for a moment did I pursue Mine own ease and comfort. I offered up My soul in the path of My Beloved and laid down My life for His sake. My fortress was My reliance on God, and My shield Mine attachment to that peerless Friend; Mine armour was Mine unfailing trust in Him, and My hosts Mine ardent hope in His grace.

Tribulations shall not prevent Us from mentioning the Lord of Names. I summon the people as commanded, and neither the turning away of all on earth nor the might of any proud oppressor shall prevent Me.

Yet this Wronged One hath clung to gracious patience and, utterly detached from all else save God, hath remained engaged in His remembrance with the utmost joy and fragrance. In truth, in His path fire is light and hardship is mercy.

But know thou and be assured that the calamities in the path of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Great, do not dismay Us, nor can the winds of tribulations extinguish this Lamp from which the heavens and earth are illumined.

By God, were the idolaters to put Us to death at every moment with a torment unprecedented and unparalleled in all creation, yet would they find Us patient and thankful through God's might and power. He bestoweth patience upon whomsoever He willeth among His believing servants.

Say unto them: this is a Youth for if He were to be drowned in the sea He will praise God in the company of the fish of the sea, and if His head be raised on the cross He will make mention of His God, the All Merciful. And if every member of His body be cut, that cut member will raise its voice testifying: "in truth I have attained to that which was my highest hope and highest aspiration."

Every morning when I awoke I praised God there was another day to serve Him in His prison. Every night I thanked Him that He had permitted me to serve His Kingdom one more day in His prison. I was in a Turkish prison forty years but every day was a day of perfect joy.

Say: This indeed is Husayn in truth, and His intimacy with tribulations is as the intimacy of the lover with the beloved. He fears no one even if all the powerful and mighty were to gather against Him - this is a known truth.

These souls have never held, nor shall they ever hold any grievance. Nay, their blood continually imploreth and beseecheth the Lord of the worlds that it might be spilt upon the dust in His path, and their heads yearn to be borne aloft on spears for the sake of the Beloved of hearts and souls.

That enraptured lover of God never gave way, but withstood them all. At last, however, they drove him out--drove out that man who saw what they did not--and he went up to Tihran, where he was a fugitive, and homeless.

Despite the hunger with which Our companions were afflicted, only one among them, a certain Mirza Husayn-i-Matavalliy-i-Qumi, showed any desire to eat of the food the sovereign had chosen to spread before us. With a fortitude that was truly heroic, Our fellow-prisoners submitted, without a murmur, to endure the piteous plight to which they were reduced. Praise of God, instead of complaint of the treatment meted out to them by the Shah, fell unceasingly from their lips--praise with which they sought to beguile the hardships of a cruel captivity.

The believers in London are indeed steadfast and true, they are resolute, they are constant in service; when put to the test, they do not falter, nor doth their fire abate with the passage of time; rather, they are Baha'is.

O Lord! No sobbing was heard from them in the painful prison, no moaning arose from them under the iron rods, no groaning was reported from them under the swords of every stubborn tyrant, and no crying rose from them in the intense blazing of the fire - in acceptance of Your decree, in submission to Your will, in attraction to Your Kingdom, in being set ablaze by the fire of Your love, and in longing to meet You.

No sooner did she behold the face of her son, than she spoke to him such words as caused the hearts of the lovers of God, and beyond them those of the Concourse on high, to cry out and be sore pained with grief.

… And when addressing him she said: "My son, mine own son! Fail not to offer up thyself in the path of thy Lord. Beware that thou betray not thy faith in Him before Whose face have bowed down in adoration all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Go thou straight on, O my son, and persevere in the path of the Lord, thy God.

They have sustained every tribulation and displayed patience in the face of grievous injustice. They have forsaken all comfort and prosperity, have willingly submitted to dire suffering and adversity in the path of Thy love, and are still held captive in the clutches of their enemies who continually torment them with sore torment, and oppress them because they walk steadfastly in Thy straight path.

How many women have, in the path of God, seized the ball of precedence and advancement from men in the arena of firmness and steadfastness. … Likewise in this Most Great Dispensation, certain steadfast devoted women have appeared as firm as immovable mountains, with the manifest sign of steadfastness in the Cause of God so evident in their essence that they shine forth from the manifest horizon of the world, and all tongues speak their praise.

Verily, the steadfastness of these souls under the swords of oppression, their submission and resignation before countless enemies, the joy and gladness of these luminous beings at the altar of the All-Merciful, the firmness of assured women and the strength of faith of sanctified handmaidens, their endurance of murder, beating, plunder, and the martyrdom of children, and the steadfastness of the young ones, constitute the greatest proof of the truth and sincerity of the friends.

In the time of Jesus Christ the greatest one of the disciples was Peter, yet he denied his Master three times. But the followers of Baha'u'llah under the most severe torture, were repeating the Name of Baha'u'llah and never denied it, not only one, a hundred or a thousand, but twenty thousand followers hastened thus to martyrdom.

"Even the Sword is no test to the Persian believers. They are given a chance to recant; they cry out instead: 'Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!' Then the sword is raised," -- He shot up His arm as though brandishing a sword -- "they cry out all the more 'Ya Baha'u'l-Abha!'

One evening 'Abdu'l-Baha said that "both Peter and Paul suffered martyrdom with all steadfastness by the order of Nero." He said, "This is a clear and indisputable fact." This statement proved of great benefit to me; for I had not yet seen any text in the revealed words of this Manifestation in regard to the martyrdom of St. Paul.

They willingly bore the chains of tyranny for His love's sake, and in their eyes the taunts of enemies and the torments of the wicked appeared as praise. Exalted, exalted be their station! Exalted, exalted be their remembrance! Exalted, exalted be their power and their steadfastness and their constancy!

However, with heart and soul I constantly sigh and lament at the divine threshold and seek boundless aid and grace for the spiritual friends, especially for the loved ones of Nayriz who, praise be to God, are brimming and overflowing with the wine of the love of God, and who [in the path of the Blessed Beauty] have traversed every valley and each day sacrificed their lives.

O thou divine Mishkin!

A thousand praises be to the one true God, that for years thou didst suffer in the path of the Heavenly Beauty, enduring separation, affliction, and captivity, and no sooner was there some respite in restrictions, than thou didst hasten to the Most Great Prison, turned thy face away from all else but Him, melted away in the fire of His love, sought His good-pleasure, and recognized the Candle of the Covenant.

The available source contains an omission or incomplete wording; sentence boundaries need review.

He steadfastly refused, saying: 'Nay, rather do I wish to be sacrificed for my God.'

… Still she cried aloud, rejoicing that she had given her dearest treasure for the Cause of God -- and they beat her till she, too, died.

She was greater than all the disciples of Jesus because she alone stood firm after His death, and never wavered.

Indeed, the old friends are very precious, for they are tested and proven believers who have been melted in the crucible of a thousand afflictions, have endured a thousand blows in the path of God, and have tasted the deadly poison from every cup of tribulation in the path of the love of God.

No one heard from you any sound, whisper, moaning or outcry when your limbs were being severed by the spears and blades of the people of hatred.

He remained firm and steadfast through severe tests. For instance, consider how in the fortress, while besieged, the cruel oppressors continuously bombarded the fort with cannons, and the friends, including Ismu'llah, went eighteen days without food, to the point where they ate the leather of their shoes. Finally, they were reduced to water alone. Each morning they would drink just one sip of water, and from weakness, all had fallen to the ground. Whenever the army would assault the fortress, a divine strength would come upon them and they would arise and drive the army from the fortress.

In Yazd an ordeal transpired unparalleled in history. After the enemies had besieged the quarter inhabited by the believers, they assaulted them with rifles, revolvers and swords. The beloved did not at all defend themselves; whereas, as a matter of fact, one single believer could have overcome ten of the enemy. In the utmost of submission they faced the ordeal. The enemy assaulting cut them into pieces, looted their properties, ruined their homes, and mutilated their bodies. These martyrs held in their hands rock candy for the express purpose of offering it to the executioner to whom they said: 'Have a sweet taste before offering us the cup of sacrifice.' Thus did they show such kindness to those who hatefully discharged their arrows at them, and used their revolvers and swords against them. Of some families not a single vestige remained.

Notwithstanding these occurrences, to-day the remaining numbers (that is, members of the families who remained), are the most enkindled ones among the friends. They are in the utmost of poverty, and yet are fully engaged in teaching, and night and day are they occupied with the commemoration of GOD. They either pray or hold communion with GOD, or do they teach.

What firmness is this! Peter, notwithstanding his greatness, denied the Lord thrice.

These are real believers! Well assured, self-sacrificing, enraptured with the Blessed Beauty!

He sacrificed his life in such wise that the light of steadfastness shone forth resplendent from his luminous brow. The Manifestations of God's Most Beautiful Names in the Most Exalted Paradise have gloried in his presence, his sacrifice and his steadfastness.

Aid him in this world of being to remain steadfast and firm in Thy love and grant that this broken-winged bird attain a refuge and shelter in Thy divine nest that abideth upon the celestial tree.

Make firm our steps, O Lord! in Thy Path and strengthen Thou our hearts in Thy obedience.

Make me firm in the path of faithfulness, assist me to be steadfast in Thy mighty Covenant, and suffer me to be numbered with Thy chosen servants.

… To those that stand fast and firm in Thy Covenant Thou, verily, art gracious and generous.

I beseech Thee that Thou wilt fortify both myself and them that love me in our love for Thee, and wilt keep us firm in Thy Cause.

And do Thou ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones, them that have quaffed the wine of divine inspiration from the chalice of Thy bounty and hastened to do Thy pleasure and observe Thy Covenant and Testament.

I implore Thee by the Dawning-place of Thy signs and by the Revealer of Thy clear tokens to grant that I may, under all conditions, hold fast the cord of Thy loving providence and cling tenaciously to the hem of Thy generosity.

I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy sovereignty that hath transcended the entire creation, and by Thy Word which was hidden in Thy wisdom and whereby Thou didst create Thy heaven and Thy earth, both to enable us to be steadfast in our love for Thee and in our obedience to Thy pleasure, and to fix our gaze upon Thy face, and celebrate Thy glory.

Empower me, I implore Thee, to cling steadfastly unto whatsoever Thou hast bidden me observe.

Send down, therefore, O my Lord, upon me and upon them that love me, that which will cause us to become steadfast in Thy Faith.

I give Thee thanks, also, for having sent down upon me from the clouds of Thy will that which hath so sanctified me from the hints of the infidels and the allusions of the misbelievers that I have fixed my heart firmly on Thee, and fled from such as have denied the light of Thy countenance. Again I thank Thee for having empowered me to be steadfast in Thy love, and to speak forth Thy praise and to extol Thy virtues, and for having given me to drink of the cup of Thy mercy that hath surpassed all things visible and invisible.

I entreat Thee to enable me to cleave steadfastly to Thy Love and Thy remembrance.

I pray Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to aid all them that have believed on Thee and on Thy signs to be steadfast in Thy love and to set themselves towards the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy loving-kindness. Inspire them, then, O my God, with what will unloose their tongue to praise Thee, and will draw them nigh unto Thee in the life that now is and the life that is to come.

Vouchsafe, then, unto him the good of both this world and the next, and grant unto him the station of righteousness in Thy presence, that his feet may not slip from Thine all-glorious and most exalted path.

Render thou thanks unto the Beloved of the world for having graciously aided thee to attain confirmation in this glorious Cause. Entreat Him moreover to make His loved ones steadfast therein, for the inflammatory writings of the mischief-makers are widespread and the clamor of the foreboders of evil is raised high.

Keep me safe, then, from whatsoever may be abhorrent unto Thee, and graciously assist me and my kindred to obey Thee, and to shun whatsoever may stir up any evil or corrupt desire within me.

I beseech Thee by them to assist me in the promotion of Thy Cause and to make me steadfast in Thy love, that my footsteps may not slip on account of the clamor of Thy creatures.

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names, by Thy name through which Thou hast subdued all created things, to graciously aid Thy servants and Thy loved ones to cleave steadfastly to Thy Cause.

Keep us steadfast in the path of Thine ardent love and enable us to abide within the precincts of Thy holiness.

I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all being, and overshadowest all things visible and invisible, by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued the hearts and the souls of men, and by the billows of the Ocean of Thy mercy and the splendors of the Daystar of Thy bounty, to number me with them whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from setting their faces toward Thee, O Thou Lord of all names and Maker of the heavens!

These are the servants who, as soon as Thy call reached them, hastened in the direction of Thy mercy and were not kept back from Thee by the changes and chances of this world or by any human limitations.

… Cause me, O my Lord, to be reckoned among them who have been so stirred up by the sweet savors that have been wafted in Thy days that they have laid down their lives for Thee and hastened to the scene of their death in their longing to gaze on Thy beauty and in their yearning to attain Thy presence.

This is a Prayer revealed, at the time of breaking the fast, from the presence of God, the Almighty, the All-Chosen. He is the Ordainer.

Exalted art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by those whom Thou hast bidden to observe the Fast for the sake of Thy love and good-pleasure, who have demonstrated their allegiance to Thy law and followed Thy verses and precepts, and who have broken their fast while enjoying near access to Thee and beholding Thy countenance. By Thy glory! Since they are turning to the court of Thy good-pleasure, all their days are days of fasting. Were the mouth of Thy will to address them saying: "Observe, for My beauty's sake, the fast, O people, and set no limit to its duration," I swear by the majesty of Thy glory, that every one of them will faithfully observe it, will abstain from whatsoever will violate Thy law, and will continue to do so until they yield up their souls unto Thee, for they have tasted the sweetness of Thy call, and become inebriated with Thy remembrance and praise and with the words proceeding from the lips of Thy command.

I beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thyself, the Exalted, the Most High, and by Thy Latter Manifestation through Whom the kingdom of names and the dominion of attributes have been convulsed, and the inhabitants of earth and heaven became intoxicated, and all who dwell in the realms of Revelation and creation trembled except such as have fasted from all that is repugnant to Thy good-pleasure and restrained themselves from turning toward aught besides Thee, to include us among them and to write down our names on the Tablet whereon Thou hast inscribed their names. O God, through the wonders of Thy might and the tokens of Thy sovereignty and grandeur, Thou didst send forth their names from out of the sea of Thy names, and didst create their inner essences out of the substance of Thy love, and their inmost beings from the spirit of Thy Cause. Theirs is a reunion not succeeded by separation, a nearness that knoweth no remoteness, and a perpetuity that hath no end. Verily, these are servants who ever recount Thee, who eternally circle round Thee, and who circumambulate the sanctuary of Thy presence and the Kaaba of reunion with Thee. Thou hast ordained, O my God, no distinction between them and Thee, except that when they beheld the lights of Thy countenance, they set their faces towards Thee, and prostrated themselves before Thy beauty, submissive to Thy greatness and severed from all things besides Thee.

We have fasted this day, O my Lord, by Thy command and Thy bidding in accordance with what Thou hast revealed in Thy perspicuous Book. We have withheld our souls from passion and from whatsoever Thou abhorest until the day drew to an end and the time arrived to break the Fast. Wherefore, I implore Thee, O Desire of the hearts of ardent lovers and Beloved of the souls of them who are endued with understanding, O Rapture of the breasts of them that yearn after Thee and Object of the desire of them that seek Thee, to cause us to soar in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and the heaven of Thy presence, and to accept from us what we have performed in the pathway of Thy love and good-pleasure. Write down our names, then, among those who have acknowledged Thy oneness and confessed to Thy singleness and who have humbled themselves before the evidences of Thy majesty and the tokens of Thy grandeur, those who have taken refuge in Thy nearness and sought shelter in Thee, who have expended their lives in their eagerness to meet Thee and attain the court of Thy presence, and who have cast the world behind their backs for love of Thee and severed every tie with aught save Thee in their eagerness to draw nigh unto Thee. These are servants whose hearts melt in ardent desire for Thy beauty at the mention of Thy Name, and whose eyes overflow with tears in their longing to find Thee and enter the precincts of Thy court.

This is, O my Lord, my tongue which testifieth to Thy unity and peerlessness, mine eye which beholdeth the seat of Thy generosity and manifold bounties, and mine ear which is ready to hearken unto Thy summons and Thine utterance, for I am assured, O my God, that Thou hast decreed the words proceeding out of the mouth of Thy will to be inexhaustible, and unto them the ears which Thou hast sanctified to hear Thy words and verses are at all times hearkening. And these are my hands, O my Lord, uplifted toward the heaven of Thy favor and tender mercy. Wilt Thou, then, turn away this poor one who hath taken to himself no beloved except Thee, no bestower beside Thee, nor king other than Thee, no shelter save beneath the shadow of Thy mercy, and no refuge but before Thy gate, which Thou hast opened unto all who dwell in Thy heaven and on Thine earth? Nay, by Thy glory! I am he whose confidence in Thy loving kindness will remain undaunted even though Thou wert to afflict me with torments for the duration of Thy dominion; and should anyone ask me about Thee, every limb of my body would proclaim: "He is beloved in His acts and obeyed in His decree, merciful in His nature and compassionate to His creatures!"

Thy might beareth me witness, O Well-Beloved of the hearts of them that yearn after Thee, wert Thou to turn me away from Thy door and abandon me to the swords of the tyrants amongst Thy servants and to the rods of the ungodly amongst Thy creatures, and should someone ask me about Thee, every hair of my body would still declare: "He is, in truth, the Best Beloved of the worlds; He is the Most Bountiful; He is the Ever-Abiding! He draweth me nigh whilst distancing me from Himself; He granteth me His sanctuary whilst debarring me from His presence. None found I more merciful than He, by Whom I have become independent of all else but Him and have been raised up above aught besides Himself."

Well is it with the one, O my God, who hath been so enriched by Thee as to be made independent of the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Rich is the one who hath held fast to the cord of Thy wealth, is submissive before Thy face, and for whom Thou art sufficient above all things. Poor is the one who hath dispensed with Thee, waxed proud before Thee, turned away from Thy presence, and disbelieved in Thy signs. Suffer me, then, O my God and my Beloved, to be numbered with those whom the breezes of Thy will move as they list, not with those whom the wind of self and passion stirreth and directeth as it pleaseth. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Most Bountiful.

All glory be to Thee, O my God, for Thou hast graciously enabled me to fast during this month which Thou hast related to Thy Name, the Most Exalted, and called 'Ala (Loftiness). Thou hast commanded that Thy servants and Thy people should fast therein and seek thereby to draw nearer unto Thee. The days and months of the year have culminated with the Fast, even as the first month began with Thy Name, Baha, that all might testify that Thou art the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden, and be well assured that the glory of all names is conferred only through the glory of Thy Cause and the word expounded by Thy will and revealed through Thy purpose. Thou hast ordained that this month be a remembrance and honor from Thee, and a sign of Thy presence amongst them, that they may not forget Thy grandeur and Thy majesty, Thy sovereignty and Thy glory, and may be well assured that from time immemorial Thou hast ever been and wilt ever be Ruler over the entire creation. Nothing created in the heavens or on the earth can hinder Thee in Thy governance, nor can anyone in the realms of Revelation and creation prevent Thee from fulfilling Thy purpose.

I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy name whereby all the kindreds of the earth have wailed, except such as Thou hast safeguarded with Thine unerring protection and sheltered beneath the shadow of Thy transcendent mercy, to make us so firm in Thy Cause and steadfast in Thy love that were Thy servants to rise up against Thee and Thy people turn away from Thee, and no one would remain on earth to invoke Thy name or set his face toward the sanctuary of communion with Thee and the Kaaba of Thy sanctity, I would still arise singly and alone to render Thy Cause victorious, to exalt Thy word, to proclaim Thy sovereignty, and to celebrate the praise of Thine august Self. And this, O Lord, even though each time I venture to extol Thee by any name, I am filled with perplexity, for I am fully aware that all of Thine exalted attributes and all of the most excellent names which I associate with Thee and by which in Thy holy presence I supplicate Thee, reflect naught but the measure of mine own understanding, inasmuch as whenever I have regarded a name to be laudable, I have associated it with Thyself.

Immeasurably exalted is Thy true state above the description or knowledge of anyone besides Thee, and sanctified art Thou from the glorification of Thy creatures and the praise of Thy servants in their attempts to ascend unto Thee. Whatsoever appeareth from Thy servants is limited by the limitations of their own selves and is created by their own idle fancies and imaginings.

Alas, alas, O my Beloved, for mine inability to befittingly praise Thee and for my shortcomings during Thy days! If I acclaim Thee, O my God, as Him Who knoweth all things, I readily perceive that shouldst Thou point to a mute rock with a single finger of Thy will, Thou wouldst enable it to unfold the knowledge of all past and future ages; and if I extol Thee as the All-Powerful, I find that one word issuing from the mouth of Thy purpose is sufficient to convulse the heavens and the earth.

Thy glory beareth me witness, O Beloved of all that recognize Thee, should any learned one fail to confess his ignorance before the revelations of Thy knowledge, he would be accounted the most ignorant of Thy people; and should any mighty one refuse to admit his weakness before the evidences of Thy power, he would be considered the weakest and the most heedless of Thy creatures. Given my knowledge and certainty that this is so, how can I extol Thee or describe and praise Thee? Wherefore, knowing my weakness, I have hastened toward the shelter of Thy strength; and realizing my poverty, I have sought refuge under the shadow of Thy wealth; and recognizing my powerlessness, I have arisen to stand before the tabernacle of Thy power and might. Wilt thou cast away this poor one after he hath taken no one but Thee as his succorer, or turn away this stranger after he hath found no one but Thee to be his true beloved?

Thou knowest all that is in me, O Lord, but I know not what is in Thee. Have mercy then upon me through Thy loving providence and inspire me with that which shall give peace to my heart during Thy days and tranquillity to my soul through the revelations of Thy sacred presence. All created things have been illumined with the splendors of the lights of Thy countenance, O Lord, and the dwellers of earth and heaven are shining resplendently on account of the manifestations of Thine incomparable majesty, in such wise that I behold nothing without first beholding within it the revelation of Thyself, a revelation which is hidden from the sight of those among Thy servants who lie fast asleep. Deprive me not, O my Lord, of Thy grace which hath encompassed all the realms of existence, whether visible or invisible. Wilt Thou stay far removed, O my God, after Thou hast invited all mankind to return and draw nigh unto Thee, and urged them to hold fast to Thy cord? Wilt Thou cast me out, O my Beloved, even when Thou hast promised in Thine incorruptible Book and in Thy wondrous verses to gather all those who yearn after Thee within the pavilion of Thy gracious providence, and those who desire Thee under the shadow of Thy bountiful favor, and those who search for Thee under the canopy of Thy mercy and loving-kindness?

I swear by Thy might, O my God, that my lamentations have halted my heart within me, and its groans have seized the reins from my hands! At whatever time I reassure myself and gladden my soul with the wonders of Thy mercy, the tokens of Thy gracious providence, and the evidences of Thy generosity, I tremble before the manifestations of Thy justice and the signs of Thy wrath. I recognize that Thou art known by these two names and described by these two attributes, yet Thou carest not whether Thou art invoked by Thy name the Ever-Forgiving, or Thy name the Wrathful. By Thy glory, were it not for my knowledge that Thy mercy surpasseth all things, the limbs of my body would have ceased to exist, my reality been extinguished and my inner being reduced to utter nothingness. But when I behold that Thy grace encompasseth all things and Thy mercy embraceth the entire creation, my soul and my inmost being become well assured.

Alas, alas, O my God, for the things that have escaped me during Thy days, and again alas, alas, O Desire of my heart, for what I have left undone in service and obedience to Thee during these days the likes of which the eyes of Thy chosen ones and trusted ones have never witnessed! I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Self and by the Manifestation of Thy Cause Who is seated upon the throne of Thy mercy, to confirm me in Thy service and good-pleasure. Guard me, then, from those who have turned away from Thee and disbelieved in Thy verses, who have denied Thy truth, resisted Thine evidences, and violated Thy Covenant and testament.

All praise, O Lord my God, be unto Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine Essence, the Dayspring of Thy oneness, the Mine of Thy knowledge, the Source of Thy Revelation, the Repository of Thine inspiration, the Seat of Thy sovereignty, and the Dawning-Place of Thy Divinity--He Who is the Primal Point, the Most Exalted Countenance, the Ancient Root, and the Quickener of nations; and glory be upon him who was the first to believe in Him and in His verses, whom Thou didst make a throne for the ascendancy of Thy most sublime Word, a focal-point for the manifestation of Thy most excellent names, a dayspring of the radiance of the Sun of Thy providence, a dawning-place for the appearance of Thy names and attributes, and a treasury of the pearls of Thy wisdom and Thy commandments. And all honor be upon him who was the last to come unto Him, whose arrival was like His arrival, and Thy manifestation in him like Thy manifestation in Him , except that he was illumined with the lights of His face and prostrated himself before Him and testified to his servitude unto Him; and glory be upon those who were martyred in His path and who offered up their lives for love of His beauty.

We testify, O my God, that these are servants who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs, who have sought the sanctuary of Thy presence and turned toward Thy countenance, who have directed their faces toward the court of Thy nearness and walked in the path of Thy good-pleasure, who have worshipped Thee according to Thy desire and detached themselves from all but Thee. O Lord, confer upon their spirits and their bodies at all times a share of the wonders of Thine all-encompassing mercy. Thou art, verily, powerful to do as Thou pleaseth. No God is there save Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

I beseech Thee, O Lord, by Him and by them, and by Him Whom Thou hast established on the throne of Thy Faith and caused to overshadow all the dwellers of earth and heaven, to purify us from our transgressions, to ordain for us a seat of truth in Thy presence and to cause us to associate with those whom the adversities of the world and its misfortunes have not hindered from turning toward Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Protector, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Send down, then, upon me, O my Beloved, that which will enable me to be steadfast in Thy Cause, so that the doubts of the infidels may not hinder me from turning towards Thee.

Blessing and peace, salutation and glory, rest upon Thy loved ones, whom the changes and chances of the world have not deterred from turning unto Thee, and who have given their all, in the hope of obtaining that which is with Thee.

Adversities are incapable of estranging them from Thy Cause, and the vicissitudes of fortune can never cause them to stray from Thy pleasure.

I beseech Thee by the compelling force of Thy Revelation, and by the power of Thy might, and by the exaltation of Thy word, and by the sublimity of Thy sovereignty, to number us with them whom the world hath been powerless to hinder from turning towards Thee.

Supply me, then, with what Thou hast written down for the chosen ones among Thy creatures, whom neither the blame of the blamer, nor the clamor of the infidel, nor the estrangement of such as have withdrawn from Thee, hath deterred from turning towards Thee.

O my God! O my God! This, Thy servant, hath advanced towards Thee, is passionately wandering in the desert of Thy love, walking in the path of Thy service, anticipating Thy favours, hoping for Thy bounty, relying upon Thy kingdom, and intoxicated by the wine of Thy gift.

Write us up, then, with those who have fulfilled their pledge to Thy Covenant in Thy days, and who, through their love for Thee, have detached themselves from the world and all that is therein.

I pray Thee, by Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs and the Manifestation of Thy names, and the Treasury of Thine inspiration, and the Repository of Thy wisdom, to send upon Thy loved ones that which will enable them to cleave steadfastly to Thy Cause, and to recognize Thy unity, and to acknowledge Thy oneness, and to bear witness to Thy divinity.

Number us, we implore Thee, with them who have stood fast in Thy Cause until their souls finally winged their flight unto the heaven of Thy grace and the atmosphere of Thy loving-kindness.

Have mercy on them through Thy mercy, show compassion to them through Thy grace and generosity, guard them from the arrows of doubts and the veils of allusions, and make them like firmly-fixed mountains in Thy ancient covenant and mighty testament, that storms and tempests may not shake them, nor destructive blasts and whirlwinds blowing from the direction of the hearts of the prodigal move them.

Do Thou ordain, moreover, for every one who hath turned towards Thee what will make him steadfast in Thy Cause, in such wise that neither the vain imaginations of the infidels among Thy creatures, nor the idle talk of the froward amidst Thy servants will have the power to shut him out from Thee.

I beg of Thee, O my God, by those who have fasted for love of Thee and have quaffed the living waters of submission from the hands of Thy bounty, to ordain for Thy loved ones, who under the blaze of the orb of Thy trials have clung to the cord of patience, all the good Thou hast reckoned in Thy Books and Thy Tablets.

No refuge is there to flee to except Thee, and no shelter to seek except Thy shelter, and no protection except Thy protection. Woe betide him who hath taken as Lord any one beside Thee, and blessed are the ones who have rid themselves of all attachment to all the dwellers of Thine earth, and clung to the hem of Thy bounteousness.

I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name Who hath been shut up in the prison-town of 'Akka, and Who -- as Thou beholdest, O my God -- hath fallen into the hands of His enemies, and is threatened by the swords of the wicked doers, to make me steadfast in His Cause, and to direct mine eyes continually towards His court, in such wise that nothing whatsoever will have the power to turn me back from Him.

Endue them, then, with such constancy that they will arise to proclaim Thy Cause, and will call on Thy name, before all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, in such wise that the Pharaohic cruelties inflicted by the oppressors among Thy servants will not succeed in keeping them back from Thee.

Then strengthen their hearts in such wise that the power of those who have disbelieved in Thee and Thy signs will not frighten them.

Well is it with him whom the changes and chances of this world have failed to deter from recognizing the Day Spring of the Unity of God, who hath quaffed, with unswerving resolve, and in the name of the Self-Subsisting, the sealed wine of His Revelation.

Catalogue reference: BH07594 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

He, verily, shall increase the reward of them that endure with patience. The virtues and attributes pertaining unto God are all evident and manifest, and have been mentioned and described in all the heavenly Books. Among them are trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity of heart while communing with God, forbearance, resignation to whatever the Almighty hath decreed, contentment with the things His Will hath provided, patience, nay, thankfulness in the midst of tribulation, and complete reliance, in all circumstances, upon Him. These rank, according to the estimate of God, among the highest and most laudable of all acts.

Catalogue reference: BH00021 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Perseverance is the magnet that will, in these days, attract the promised blessings of the Almighty Author of our beloved Faith.

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Supremely lofty will be thy station, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord.

Catalogue reference: BH00513 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Baha'u'llah and the Master have both urged us repeatedly to disregard our own handicaps and lay our whole reliance upon God. He will come to our help if we only arise and become an active channel for God's grace. Do you think it is the teachers who make converts and change human hearts? No, surely not. They are only pure souls who take the first step, and then let the spirit of Baha'u'llah move them and make use of them.

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This day the powers of all the leaders of religion are directed towards the dispersion of the congregation of the All-Merciful, and the shattering of the Divine Edifice. The hosts of the world, whether material, cultural or political are from every side launching their assault, for the Cause is great, very great. Its greatness is, in this day, clear and manifest to men's eyes. It is therefore incumbent upon all who have come within the shade of the protecting wing of God's gracious providence to evince, by His divine and merciful assistance, such conspicuous steadfastness and firmness as will arrest the gaze and astound the minds of all.

Catalogue reference: AB00348 · passage alignment is approximate; supplied wording retained.

Though he be ever so tired by repeated failure, let him begin his operations again and again; for fortune greatly favors the man who perseveres in his undertakings. Laws of Manu 9.300

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