O friends of God! O spiritual companions!
The Lord of the peoples of the world declares in the
beneficent Qur’an: "And there is for you in the Prophet of God a good
example" That is to say, to follow His Holiness is a good example and to
imitate that Real Leader is the means of acquiring success in both of the
worlds. The followers of the Prophet were commanded to follow Him in all
affairs and manners, and when some individuals, having recognized this safe
path as the Straight Road, traveled therein, they became Kings in the Land of
the Righteous and the Kingdom of the Elect. And those souls who tried to
acquire comfort with ease, deprived themselves of all bounties and perished in
the lowest ditch of despair. Their days came to an end and their happiness
terminated Their bright morn became dark, and their transparent cup became full
of dregs and rust. Their uprising star descended, and their bright luminary
set.
But those pure souls who followed (in the footsteps of the
Prophet) shone in the Highest Horizon as the Stars of Guidance and arose from the
Dawning place of hopes with matchless brilliancy. They sat on the Throne of the
Kingdom of Eternity and rested on the couch of Divine Success. Their traces are
clear and their lights brilliant; their star is luminous and their attendants
are the armies of angels of the Heavens of Immortality. Their palace is firm
and their edifice is strong. Their light is illumining the world and their heat
is confirming the world.
His Exalted Majesty (the Bab) from the beginning of the
arising of His Beauty to the day of the Greatest Martyrdom, spent days and
nights under severest trials, in the Path of God; He made His breast a target
for thousands of arrows of calamities, and with a breast pierced and torn,
hastened to the Most Glorious Kingdom.
The Eternal Beauty the Greatest Name (Baha’u’llah) tasted of
the poison of every calamity, drank of the cup brimful of all kinds of trials,
made His breast the target for every arrow, made His neck indebted to every
sword. He was incarcerated in a prison and was bound in merciless chains. He
was exposed to the derision of the crowds of enemies and became a butt for the
stones of miscreants. He was subjected to chains and collars, and was tightly
bound with ropes and fetters. He was exiled from His native land and was
carried to the land of Bulgers and Serbs. In the Most Great Prison (Acca) He
suffered inexorable calamities and His blessed days ended in this cruel prison
and dark dungoon, while a prisoner of oppression and injustice and He ascended
to His Kingdom.
Now, O faithful friends and companions of that Bright
Countenance! Is it becoming that we should sit idle, even for one moment,
practice delay, and seek ease and comfort so that we be exposed to temptation
and indolence, be occupied with our own thoughts and lose our hearts to
strangers and kindred? Nay, by God, we ought not to rest for one moment day nor
night; we ought not to pollute our pure hearts with the attachment to this
world; we must prepare Divine Assemblies, establish Feasts of Love, sing the
melody of the Most Glorious Kingdom, accompanied with stringed instruments and
with drums and flutes; hasten, dancing and laughing with joy, to the altar of
martyrdom, and offer body and soul, head and trunk, as a sacrifice!
O friends, be loyal!
O beloved ones, be firm and steadfast!
O imploring ones, trust in God and rely upon Him!
O humble ones, be attached to God and cling to Him!
Let us encourage each other and set all in motion. Let us
strive to diffuse the Fragrance of God and engage ourselves in exalting the
Word of God!
Let us ever be alert through the influence of the gentle
breeze wafted from the Garden of Favor, and enjoy the Sweet Fragrance of the
Garden of Unity!
Let us put enthusiasm and commotion into the hearts of the
righteous, and excitement and joy into the hearts of the free!
Praise be to God, that the hosts of the Most Glorious
Kingdom are coming together in large numbers and the Stars of the Highest
Horizon are in uprising and ascension! The Banner of Guidance is in motion, the
Cloud of Bounty is descending in a shower, and the Luminary of the Horizon of
Significance is shining! The Feast and the enjoyment of the Kingdom are in
complete harmony, and the Dawn of Favor is breaking with the Light of Guidance!
It is the Melody of the Kingdom of Abha which is descending from the Supreme
Concourse, saying:
O dead one, who art without heart and soul! Become alive!
Become alive!
O sleeping one, in the water and clay! Be awake! Be awake!
O intoxicated one, who art witless and gone astray! Become
sensible! Become sensible!
The horizons are full of fragrance! The eyes are full of
light arid the East is pouring down fire! Get rid of body and soul!
The time of sacrifice has come; the Merciful Breath abounds
and the Divine Secrets are disclosed! Be
a leader of lovers! Be a leader!
The sweet song of the melodious singing bird from the Branch
of the Cypress Tree in the Garden is expounding the problems of spirituality!
Be acquainted with the mysteries! Be acquainted with the mysteries!
‘Abdu’l-Baha Abbas
(Translated in 1909)
(Star of the West, vol. 4, no. 4, May 17, 1913)