Chapter C19
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Brief compilation on the Day of Judgement, the Day of the appearance of the Manifestations of God, God's Chosen Ones, one of the two classes of Prophets.
1)
The Day of Judgement brought by the appearance the Bab, a Manifestation of God, an Independent
Prophet:
GLORY be unto Thee, O Lord my God! I beg Thee to forgive me and
those who support Thy Faith. Verily Thou art the sovereign Lord, the
Forgiver, the Most Generous. O my God! Enable such servants of Thine as
are deprived of knowledge to be admitted into Thy Cause; for once they
learn of Thee, they bear witness to the truth of the Day of Judgement
and do not dispute the revelations of Thy bounty. Send down upon them
the tokens of Thy grace and grant them, wherever they reside, a liberal
share of that which Thou hast ordained for the pious among Thy
servants. Thou art in truth the Supreme Ruler, the All-Bounteous, the
Most Benevolent.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 199
Wherefore, let it not be concealed from anyone who looks on these words
that God has caused the creation of the Qur'án to return on the Day of Judgement
through the manifestation of His own Self upon that Day. Whereupon, He
has created all things freshly, as if they had all just been brought
into existence at that very instant For all that has ever been created
was for the Day of the appearance of God, for He it is in which all
things reach their end, and He it is in Whom they achieve their
destiny. After He manifested Himself through the appearance of the
signs of His power, there can be no doubt at all that all things have
reached the Divine Presence in that state of perfection which they are
capable of attaining. God, may He be praised and glorified, has created
the Primal Will once more, and through It He has created all things.
And, since all things have been mentioned in a new creation, this is a
proof that His creation has neither beginning nor end. Wherefore, there
has never been a situation in which God was Lord and there were no
created beings to worship Him. God has existed eternally in the
exaltation of His Holiness, and all others have existed in the
degradation of their own limitations.
-- The Bab, The Persian Bayan
2)
The Day of Judgement brought by the appearance Baha'u'llah ("Him Whom Thou wilt make manifest"), a Manifestation of God, an Independent
Prophet:
SEND down Thy blessings, O my God, upon the Tree of the Bayan, upon its
root and its branch, its boughs, its leaves, its fruits and upon
whatsoever it beareth or sheltereth. Cause this Tree then to be made into a magnificent Scroll to be offered to the presence of Him Whom Thou wilt make manifest on the Day of Judgement,
that He may graciously allow the entire company of the followers of the
Bayan to be restored to life and that He may, through His bounty,
inaugurate a new creation.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 172
Adorn ye your bodies whilst the raiment of God is stained with the
blood of hatred at the hands of the people of denial? Issue forth from
your habitations and bid the people enter the Kingdom of God, the Lord
of the Day of Judgement. The Word which the Son concealed is made
manifest. It hath been sent down in the form of the human temple in
this day. Blessed be the Lord Who is the Father! He, verily, is come
unto the nations in His most great majesty. Turn your faces towards
Him, O concourse of the righteous!
1.113
O followers of all religions! We behold you wandering distraught in the
wilderness of error. Ye are the fish of this Ocean; wherefore do ye
withhold yourselves from that which sustaineth you? Lo, it surgeth
before your faces. Hasten unto it from every clime. This is the day
whereon the Rock [Peter] crieth out and shouteth, and celebrateth the
praise of its Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High, saying: "Lo! The
Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is
fulfilled!" This is the Word which was preserved behind the veils of
grandeur, and which, when the Promise came to pass, shed its radiance
from the horizon of the Divine Will with clear tokens.
1.114
My body hath borne imprisonment that your souls may be released from
bondage, and We have consented to be abased that ye may be exalted.
Follow the Lord of glory and dominion, and not every ungodly oppressor.
My body longeth for the cross, and Mine head awaiteth the thrust of the
spear, in the path of the All-Merciful, that the world may be purged
from its transgressions. Thus hath the Daystar of divine authority
shone forth from the horizon of the Revelation of Him Who is the
Possessor of all names and attributes.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 57
3)
The Day of Judgement brought by the appearance the Baha'u'llah, a Manifestation of God, an Independent
Prophet:
4. Praise be to Him Who hath made the world of being, and hath
fashioned all that is, Him Who hath raised up the sincere to a station
of honour [1] and hath made the invisible world to appear on the plane
of the visible -- yet still, in their drunken stupor,[2] do men wander
and stray.
[1 Qur'án 17:81]
[2 Qur'án 15:72]
He hath laid down the foundations of the lofty Citadel, He hath
inaugurated the Cycle of Glory, He hath brought forth a new creation on
this day that is clearly Judgement Day -- and still do the heedless stay fast in their drunken sleep.
The Bugle [1] hath sounded, the Trumpet [2] hath been blown, the Crier hath raised his call, and all upon the earth have swooned away -- but still do the dead, in the tombs of their bodies, sleep on.
[1 Qur'án 39:68; Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 133]
[2 Qur'án 74:8] 14
And the second clarion [1] hath sounded, there hath followed the second
blast after the first,[2] and the dread woe hath come, and every
nursing mother hath forgot the infant at her breast [3] -- yet still
the people, confused and distracted, heed it not.
[1 Qur'án 39:68]
[2 Qur'án 79:6]
[3 Qur'án 22:2]
And the Resurrection hath dawned, and the Hour hath struck, and the Path hath been drawn straight, and the Balance hath been set up, and all upon the earth have been gathered together [1] -- but still the people see no sign of the way.
[1 Qur'án 34:39]
The light hath shone forth, and radiance floodeth Mount Sinai, and a
gentle wind bloweth from over the gardens of the Ever-Forgiving Lord;
the sweet breaths of the spirit are passing by, and those who lay
buried in the grave are rising up -- and still do the heedless slumber
on in their tombs.
-- Abdu'l-Baha, Selections from the Writings of Abdu'l-Baha, p. 13
4)
The Day of Judgement brought by the appearance of the "Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God", the two classes of Prophets:
And further He saith:
"Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged sword." Know thou that since the
sword is an instrument that divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since
there proceedeth from the mouth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God
that which separateth the believer from the infidel and the lover from
the beloved, this term hath been so employed, and apart from this
dividing and separating no other meaning is intended. Thus, when He Who
is the Primal Point and the eternal Sun desireth, by the leave of God,
to gather together all creation, to raise them up from the graves of
their own selves, and to divide them one from another, He shall
pronounce but one verse from Him, and this verse will distinguish truth
from error from this day unto the Day of Resurrection.
What sword is sharper than this heavenly sword, what blade more
trenchant than this incorruptible steel that severeth every tie and
separateth thereby the believer from the infidel, father from son,
brother from sister, and lover from beloved? For whoso believeth in
that which hath been revealed unto him is a true believer and whoso
turneth away is an infidel, and such an irrevocable separation
occurreth between them that they will cease to consort and associate
with each other in this world. And so it is between father and son, for
should the son believe and the father deny, they will be severed and
forever dissociated from each other. Nay rather, thou witnesseth how
the son slayeth the father and the father the son. Consider in the same
light all that We have explained and related unto thee.
78
Wert thou to behold all things with the eye of discernment, thou
wouldst indeed see that this divine sword doth cleave asunder
generations. Would that ye could understand it! All this is by virtue
of the word of separation that is manifested on the Day of Judgement
and Separation, were the people to take heed in the days of their Lord.
Nay, couldst thou but sharpen thy sight and refine thy heart, thou
wouldst witness that all the material swords which in every day and age
have slain the infidels and waged war against the impious proceed from
this divine and invisible sword. Open then thine eyes, that thou mayest
behold all that We have revealed to thee and attain unto that which
none other hath attained. We verily exclaim: "Praise be to God, He Who
is the Lord of the Day of Reckoning!"54
-- Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 56
5)
The Day of Judgement brought by the appearance Imam Ali, a Manifestation of God, the first Dependent
Prophet in the era of Muhammad:
In like manner, two of the people of Kufih went to Ali [Imam Ali], the Commander
of the Faithful. One owned a house and wished to sell it; the other was
to be the purchaser. They had agreed that this transaction should be
effected and the contract be written with the knowledge of Ali. He, the
exponent of the law of God, addressing the scribe, said: "Write thou:
'A dead man hath bought from another dead man a house. That house is
bounded by four limits. One extendeth toward the tomb, the other to the
vault of the grave, the third to the Sirat, the fourth to either
Paradise or hell.'" Reflect, had these two souls been quickened by the
trumpet-call of Ali, had they risen from the grave of error by the
power of his love, the judgment of death would certainly not have been
pronounced against them.
In every age and century, the purpose of the Prophets of God and their
chosen ones hath been no other but to affirm the spiritual significance
of the terms "life," "resurrection," and "judgment." If one will ponder
but for a while this utterance of Ali in his heart, one will surely
discover all mysteries hidden in the terms "grave," "tomb," "sirat,"
"paradise" and "hell."
--Bahá'u'lláh, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 119
Unto me, too, hath been vouchsafed the Path, the Balance, the Banner,
and the Kawthar. I am the one who shall face the children of Adam on
the Day of Judgement and shall bring them to account and shall direct
them to their habitations. And verily, I am the punishment of fire
meted unto the damned. These are the bounties of God unto me. And
should anyone deny that I shall return after the Return[3], or deny
that I shall come back after the Raj'at[4], or should anyone reject the
truth that I shall appear again, even as I have done from the beginning
that hath no beginning or even unto the end that hath no end, he,
verily, hath denied the truth of all of Us. And verily I say unto you,
he who denies any one of Us, hath denied God... I am the first to acknowledge faith, the
Cord of God that shall not be broken, the One who will raise the world
to justice even as it hath been brought low by oppression. I am the
companion of Gabriel and the archangel Michael is beside Me. I am the
tree of guidance, and the essence of righteousness. I shall gather
together the world of creation through the Word of God that gathers
together all things. I give life unto humanity and I am the treasury of
all divine commands. To Me hath been given the Luminous Pen and the
Crimson Camel[6].
-- Imam Ali, Sermon of Glorification (translation by K. Fananapazir).
Full text available at: https://bahai-library.com/imam-ali_khutbat_iftikhar
6)
The Day of Judgement brought by "a company of His chosen ones", the Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah:
There lay concealed within the Holy Veil, and prepared for the service
of God, a company of His chosen ones [Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah] who shall be manifested unto men,
who shall aid His Cause, who shall be afraid of no one, though the
entire human race rise up and war against them. These are the ones who,
before the gaze of the dwellers on earth and the denizens of heaven,
shall arise and, shouting aloud, acclaim the name of the Almighty, and
summon the children of men to the path of God, the All-Glorious, the
All-Praised. Walk thou in their way, and let no one dismay thee. Be of
them whom the tumult of the world, however much it may agitate them in
the path of their Creator, can never sadden, whose purpose the blame of
the blamer will never defeat.
Go forth with the Tablet of God and His signs, and rejoin them that
have believed in Me, and announce unto them tidings of Our most holy
Paradise. Warn, then, those that have joined partners with Him. Say: I
am come to you, O people, from the Throne of glory, and bear you an
announcement from God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most
Great. In mine hand I carry the testimony of God, your Lord and the
Lord of your sires of old. Weigh it with the just Balance that ye
possess, the Balance of the testimony of the Prophets and Messengers of
God. If ye find it to be established in truth, if ye believe it to be
of God, beware, then, lest ye cavil at it, and render your works vain,
and be numbered with the infidels. It is indeed the sign of God that
hath been sent down through the power of truth, through which the
validity of His Cause hath been demonstrated unto His creatures, and
the ensigns of purity lifted up betwixt earth and heaven....
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 280-284
... For ages and centuries they settled and dwelt in that pleasant and
spiritual station, in that divine and holy rose garden, with perfect
joy and happiness.
Then the gales of divine tests and the winds of lordly temptation blew
from the Sheba of the everlasting Cause. They became distracted by the
beauty of the wine server and grew heedless of the immortal
countenance, to the extent that they imagined the shadow to be the sun
and phantoms to be light. They set out for the ladders of the greatest
name so that they might scale those heavens and arrive at that seat and
place. When they rose toward it, the divine assayers [Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah] descended upon
them with the sacred touchstone, by the irresistible decree of the
lord. When these emissaries did not perceive the scent [fragrance] of the spiritual
youth [Baha'u'llah], they forbade entry to all. Afterwards, there occurred what is
inscribed upon the guarded tablet.
-- Bahá'u'lláh, Tablet of the Holy Mariner (from the Persian). Translation by Juan Cole.
Take heed lest ye hesitate in recognizing this resplendent Beauty when
once He hath appeared in the plenitude of His sovereign might and
majesty. He, verily, is the True One, and all else besides Him is as
naught before a single one of His servants [Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah], and paleth into nothingness
when brought face to face with the revelation of His splendours.
Hasten, then, to attain the living waters of His grace, and be not of
the negligent. As to him who hesitateth, though it be for less than a
moment, God shall verily bring his works to naught and return him to
the seat of wrath; wretched indeed is the abode of them that tarry!
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 54
The days of your life are far spent, O people, and your end is fast
approaching. Put away, therefore, the things ye have devised and to
which ye cleave, and take firm hold on the precepts of God, that haply
ye may attain that which He hath purposed for you, and be of them that
pursue a right course. Delight not yourselves in the things of the
world and its vain ornaments, neither set your hopes on them. Let
your reliance be on the remembrance of God, the Most Exalted, the
Most Great. He will, erelong, bring to naught all the things ye
possess. Let Him be your fear, forget not His covenant with you, and be not of them that
are shut out as by a veil from Him.
Beware that ye swell not with pride before God, and disdainfully reject
His loved ones. Defer ye humbly to the faithful, they that have
believed in God and in His signs, whose hearts witness to His unity,
whose tongues proclaim His oneness, and who speak not except by His
leave. Thus do We exhort you with justice, and warn you with truth,
that perchance ye may be awakened.
-- Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 127
Erelong shall God draw forth,
out of the bosom of power, the hands of ascendancy and might [Dependent
Prophets of Baha'u'llah], and shall
raise up a people who will arise to win victory for this Youth
[Baha'u'llah] and who will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the
ungodly. These hands will gird up their loins to champion the Faith of
God, and will, in My name the Self-Subsistent, the Mighty, subdue the
peoples and kindreds of the earth. They will enter the cities and will
inspire with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants. Such are the
evidences of the might of God; how fearful, how vehement is His might,
and how justly doth He wield it! He, verily, ruleth and transcendeth
all who are in the heavens and on the earth, and revealeth what He
desireth according to a prescribed measure.
1.35
Should any one of them be called upon to confront all the hosts of
creation, he would assuredly prevail through the ascendancy of My Will.
This, verily, is a proof of My power, though My creatures comprehend it
not. This, verily, is a sign of My sovereignty, though My subjects
understand it not. This, verily, is a token of My command, though My
servants perceive it not. This, verily, is an evidence of Mine
ascendancy, though none amongst the people is truly thankful for it,
save those whose eyes God hath illumined with the light of His
knowledge, whose hearts He hath made the repository of His Revelation,
and upon whose shoulders He hath placed the weight of His Cause. These
shall inhale the fragrances of the All-Merciful from the garment of His
Name, and shall rejoice at all times in the signs and verses of their
Lord. As for those who disbelieve in God, and join partners with Him, they
shall indeed incur His wrath, shall be cast into the Fire, and shall be
made to dwell, fearful and dismayed, in its depths. Thus do We expound
Our verses, and make plain the truth with clear proofs, that perchance
the people may reflect upon the signs of their Lord.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 19
39:67 No just estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him: On
the Day of Judgment the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and
the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand: Glory to Him! High is
He above the Partners they attribute to Him!
39:68 The Trumpet will (just) be sounded [appearance of the Bab],
when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such
as it will please God (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded [appearance of Baha'u'llah], when, behold, they will be standing and looking on!
39:69 And the Earth will shine with the Glory of its Lord [the era of Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God]: the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open); the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward [the Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah will be summoned to step forth from the realm of pre-existence and appear on earth] and a just decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).
39:70 And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its Deeds; and (God) knoweth best all that they do.
39:71 The Unbelievers will be led to Hell in crowd: until, when they
arrive, there, its gates will be opened. And its keepers will say, "Did
not apostles [Dependent Prophets of Baha'u'llah] come to you from among yourselves, rehearsing to you the Signs of your Lord [promoting the teachings of Baha'u'llah],
and warning you of the Meeting of This Day of yours?" The answer will
be: "True: but the Decree of Punishment has been proved true against
the Unbelievers!"
-- Qur'an: 39 - AZ-ZUMAR
7)
The Day of Judgement brought by the the appearance of the "Living Temple", a Manifestation of God, a Dependent
Prophet of Baha'u'llah:
1.81
O Living [the pre-existent Dependent Prophet when on the earthly plane] Temple!
We, verily, have made Thee a mirror unto the kingdom of names, that
Thou mayest be, amidst all mankind, a sign of My sovereignty, a herald
unto My presence, a summoner unto My beauty, and a guide unto My straight and perspicuous Path.
We have exalted Thy Name among Our servants as a bounty from Our
presence. I, verily, am the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. We
have, moreover, adorned Thee with the ornament of Our own Self, and
have imparted unto Thee Our Word, that Thou mayest ordain in this
contingent world whatsoever Thou willest and accomplish whatsoever Thou
pleasest. We have destined for Thee all the good of the heavens and of
the earth, and decreed that none may attain unto a portion thereof
unless he entereth beneath Thy shadow, as bidden by Thy Lord, the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have conferred upon Thee the Staff of
authority and the Writ of judgement, that Thou mayest test the wisdom
of every command. We have caused the oceans of inner meaning and explanation to surge from Thy heart in remembrance of Thy Lord, the God of mercy,
that Thou mayest render thanks and praise unto Him and be of those who
are truly thankful. We have singled Thee out from amongst all Our
creatures, and have appointed Thee as the Manifestation of Our own Self unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 43.
8)
O King of Islam! Aid
thou, with the truth, after having aided the Book, Him Who is Our Most
Great Remembrance, for God hath, in very truth, destined for thee, and
for such as circle round thee, on the Day of Judgement, a responsible position in His Path. I swear by God, O Shah! If thou showest enmity unto Him Who is His Remembrance, God will, on the Day of Resurrection,
condemn thee, before the kings, unto hell-fire, and thou shalt not, in
very truth, find on that Day any helper except God, the Exalted. Purge
thou, O Shah, the Sacred Land [Tihran] from such as have repudiated the
Book, ere the day whereon the Remembrance of God
cometh, terribly and of a sudden, with His potent Cause, by the leave
of God, the Most High. God, verily, hath prescribed to thee to submit
unto Him Who is His Remembrance, and unto His Cause, and to subdue,
with the truth and by His leave, the countries, for in this world thou
hast been mercifully invested with sovereignty, and wilt, in the next,
dwell, nigh unto the Seat of Holiness, with the inmates of the Paradise
of His good-pleasure...
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 41
9)
AS to those who have debarred themselves from the Revelation
of God, they have indeed failed to understand the significance of a
single letter of the Qur'án, nor have they obtained the slightest
notion of the Faith of Islam, otherwise they would not have turned away
from God, Who hath brought them into being, Who hath nurtured them,
hath caused them to die and hath proffered life unto them, by clinging
to parts of their religion, thinking that they are doing righteous work
for the sake of God.
How numerous the verses which have been revealed concerning the grievous tests ye shall experience on the Day of Judgement,
yet it appeareth that ye have never perused them; and how vast the
number of revealed traditions regarding the trials which will overtake
you on the Day of Our Return, and yet ye seem never to have set your
eyes upon them.
Ye spend all your days contriving forms and rules for the principles of
your Faith, while that which profiteth you in all this is to comprehend
the good-pleasure of your Lord and unitedly to become well-acquainted
with His supreme Purpose.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 139
10)
WHENEVER the faithful hear the verses of this Book being recited, their
eyes will overflow with tears and their hearts will be deeply touched
by Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance for the love they cherish for
God, the All-Praised. He is God, the All-Knowing, the Eternal. They are
indeed the inmates of the all-highest Paradise wherein they will abide
for ever. Verily they will see naught therein save that which hath
proceeded from God, nothing that will lie beyond the compass of their
understanding. There they will meet the believers in Paradise, who will
address them with the words 'Peace, Peace' lingering on their lips...
O concourse of the faithful! Incline your ears to My Voice, proclaimed by this Remembrance of God. Verily God hath revealed unto Me that the Path of the Remembrance which is set forth by Me is, in very truth, the straight Path of God, and that whoever professeth any religion other than this upright Faith, will, when called to account on the Day of Judgement, discover that as recorded in the Book no benefit hath he reaped out of God's Religion...
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 62
9)
O Qurratu'l-'Ayn! Deliver the summons of the most exalted Word unto the
handmaids among Thy kindred, caution them against the Most Great Fire
and announce unto them the joyful tidings that following this mighty Covenant
there shall be everlasting reunion with God in the Paradise of His
good-pleasure, nigh unto the Seat of Holiness. Verily God, the Lord of
creation, is potent over all things.
O Thou Mother of the Remembrance! May the peace and salutation of God
rest upon thee. Indeed thou hast endured patiently in Him Who is the
sublime Self of God.
Recognize then the station of thy Son Who is none other than the mighty
Word of God. He hath verily pledged Himself to be answerable for thee
both in thy grave and on the Judgement Day,
while thou hast, in the Preserved Tablet of God, been immortalized as
the 'Mother of the Faithful' by the Pen of His Remembrance. Chapter
XXVIII.
-- The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 52
10)
In these times thanksgiving for the bounty of the Merciful One consists
in the illumination of the heart and the feeling of the soul. This is
the reality of thanksgiving. But, although offering thanks through
speech or writings is approvable, yet, in comparison with that, it is
but unreal, for the foundation is spiritual feelings and merciful
sentiments. I hope that you may be favored therewith. But the lack of
capacity and merit in the Day of Judgement
does not prevent one from bounty and generosity, for it is the day of
grace and not justice, and to give every one his due is justice.
Consequently, do not look upon thy capacity, nay, rather, look upon the
infinite grace of the Bounty of ABHA whose grace is comprehending and
whose bounty is perfect.
-- Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v2, p. 242
Say: O ye manifestations [believers]
of My Names! Should ye offer up all that ye possess, nay your very
lives, in the path of God, and invoke Him to the number of the grains
of sand, the drops of rain, and the waves of the sea, and yet oppose the Manifestation of His Cause at the time of His appearance,
your works shall in no wise be mentioned before God. Should ye,
however, neglect all righteous works and yet choose to believe in Him
in these days, God perchance will put away your sins. He, verily, is
the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful. Thus doth the Lord inform you of
His purpose, that haply ye may not wax proud before the One through
Whom whatsoever hath been revealed from all eternity hath been
confirmed. Happy is he who approacheth this Most Sublime Vision, and
woe to them that turn aside!
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 45
11)
Is it their wish to tarry here when already they have one foot in the
stirrup? Look they to return, once they are gone? Nay, by Him Who is
the Lord of Lords! save on the Day of Judgement,
the Day whereon the people shall arise from their graves and be asked
of their legacy. Well is it with him who shall not be weighted down
with his burdens on that Day, the Day whereon the mountains shall pass
away and all shall gather to be questioned in the presence of God, the
Most Exalted. Stern, indeed, is He in punishing!
1.272
We beseech God to purge the hearts of certain divines from rancour and
enmity, that they may look upon matters with an eye unbeclouded by
contempt. May He raise them up unto so lofty a station that neither the
attractions of the world, nor the allurements of authority, may deflect
them from gazing upon the Supreme Horizon, and that neither worldly
benefits nor carnal desires shall prevent them from attaining that Day
whereon the mountains shall be reduced to dust. Though they now rejoice
in the adversity that hath befallen Us, soon shall come a day whereon
they shall lament and weep. By My Lord! Were I given the choice
between, on the one hand, the wealth and opulence, the ease and
comfort, the honour and glory which they enjoy, and, on the other, the
adversities and trials which are Mine, I would unhesitatingly choose My
present condition and would refuse to barter a single atom of these
hardships for all that hath been created in the world of being.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 134
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