/>
that thereby the sign of His sovereignty might be manifested in all

things. Exalted then be He, the Sovereign Lord of all, the Almighty, the

Supreme Protector, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.



Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee,

as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy

melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso

reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the

scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of

the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every

righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its

effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner

or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of

the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the

Source of power and wisdom.



O _Kh_alil! God beareth Me witness. Though My Pen be still moving on My

Tablet, yet, in its very heart, it weepeth and is sore distressed. The

lamp burning before the Throne, likewise, weepeth and groaneth by reason

of the things which the Ancient Beauty hath suffered at the hands of them

who are but a creation of His Will. God, Himself, knoweth and testifieth

to the truth of My words. No man that hath purged his ear from the loud

clamor of the infidels, and inclined it to all created things, can fail to

hear the voice of their lamentation and weeping over the trouble that hath

befallen Us at the hands of those of Our servants that have disbelieved

in, and rebelled against, Us. Thus have We disclosed to thee a glimmer of

the woes that have come upon us, that thou mayest be made aware of Our

sufferings, and patiently endure thy sorrows.



Arise to aid thy Lord at all times and in all circumstances, and be thou

one of His helpers. Admonish, then, the people to lend a hearing ear to

the words which the Spirit of God hath uttered in this irradiant and

resplendent Tablet. Say: Sow not, O people, the seeds of dissension

amongst men, and contend not with your neighbor. Be patient under all

conditions, and place your whole trust and confidence in God. Aid ye your

Lord with the sword of wisdom and of utterance. This indeed well becometh

the station of man. To depart from it would be unworthy of God, the

Sovereign Lord of all, the Glorified. The people, however, have been led

astray, and are truly of the heedless.



Unlock, O people, the gates of the hearts of men with the keys of the

remembrance of Him Who is the Remembrance of God and the Source of wisdom

amongst you. He hath chosen out of the whole world the hearts of His

servants, and made them each a seat for the revelation of His glory.

Wherefore, sanctify them from every defilement, that the things for which

they were created may be engraven upon them. This indeed is a token of

God's bountiful favor.



Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls

with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not

treacherously with any one. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His

creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that

follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations, have erred and dissipated

their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost. Strive, O people, that your

eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be

attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently

upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His

good-pleasure. Such are the counsels which I bequeath unto you. Would that

ye might follow My counsels!