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Know Thou That According To What Thy

Sources: Gleanings From The Writings Of Baha'u'llah

Know thou that, according to what thy Lord, the Lord of all men, hath

decreed in His Book, the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have been,

and will ever remain, limitless in their range. First and foremost among

these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of

understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except

to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God--exalted
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His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all

things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover

the secrets of creation. Next in rank, is the power of vision, the chief

instrument whereby his understanding can function. The senses of hearing,

of the heart, and the like, are similarly to be reckoned among the gifts

with which the human body is endowed. Immeasurably exalted is the Almighty

Who hath created these powers, and revealed them in the body of man.



Every one of these gifts is an undoubted evidence of the majesty, the

power, the ascendancy, the all-embracing knowledge of the one true

God--exalted be His glory. Consider the sense of touch. Witness how its

power hath spread itself over the entire human body. Whereas the faculties

of sight and of hearing are each localized in a particular center, the

sense of touch embraceth the whole human frame. Glorified be His power,

magnified be His sovereignty!



These gifts are inherent in man himself. That which is preeminent above

all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God

Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the

Creator upon man, be it material or spiritual, is subservient unto this.

It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh

down from Heaven. It is God's supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of

His truth, the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His

all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most loving providence, the

symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this

highest gift of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day.



Render thanks unto thy Lord for having vouchsafed unto thee so great a

bounty. Lift up thy voice and say: All praise be to Thee, O Thou, the

Desire of every understanding heart!



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