Thou Seest, O My God, How Thy Servants Have

Sources: Prayers And Meditations

Thou seest, O my God, how Thy servants have been cleaving fast to Thy

names, and have been calling on them in the daytime and in the night

season. No sooner, however, had He been made manifest through Whose word

the kingdom of names and the heaven of eternity were created, than they

broke away from Him and disbelieved in the greatest of Thy signs. They

finally banished Him from the land of His birth, and caused Him to dwell
< r /> within the most desolate of Thy cities, though all the world had been

built up by Thee for His sake. Within this, the Most Great Prison, He hath

established His seat. Though sore tried by trials, the like of which the

eye of creation hath not seen, He summoneth the people unto Thee, O Thou

Who art the Fashioner of the universe!



I beseech Thee, O Thou the Shaper of all the nations and the Quickener of

every moldering bone, to graciously enable Thy servants to recognize Him

Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Revealer of Thy transcendent

might, that they may cut down, by Thy power, all the idols of their

corrupt inclinations, and enter beneath the shadow of Thine

all-encompassing mercy, which, by virtue of Thy name, the Most Exalted,

the All-Glorious, hath surpassed the entire creation.



I know not, O my God, how long will Thy creatures continue to slumber on

the bed of forgetfulness and evil desires, and remain far removed from

Thee and shut out from Thy presence. Draw them nearer, O my God, unto the

scene of Thine effulgent glory, and enrapture their hearts with the sweet

savors of Thine inspiration, through which they who adore Thy unity have

soared on the wings of desire towards Thee, and they who are devoted to

Thee have reached unto Him Who is the Dawning-Place of the Day-Star of Thy

creation.



Cleave asunder, O my Lord, the veils that shut them out from Thee, that

they may behold Thee shining above the horizon of Thy oneness and shedding

Thy radiance from the dawning-place of Thy sovereignty. By Thy glory! Were

they to discover the sweetness of Thy remembrance and apprehend the

excellence of the things that are sent down upon them from the right hand

of the throne of Thy majesty, they would cast away all that they possess,

and would rush forth into the wilderness of their longing after Thee, that

the glance of Thy loving-kindness may be directed towards them and the

radiance of the Day-Star of Thy beauty may be shed upon them.



Let their hearts, O my Lord, be carried away by Thy remembrance, and their

souls enriched by Thy riches, and their wills strengthened to proclaim Thy

Cause amidst Thy creatures. Thou art, verily, the Great Giver, the

Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.