The Book of the Epistle to the Son of the Wolf CHAPTER ONE 2 страница
They that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. 5. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. 6. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, 7. inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favor, 8. unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets. 9. Consider the past. How many, both high and low, have, at all times, yearningly awaited the advent of the Manifestations of God in the sanctified persons of His chosen Ones? 10. How often have they expected His coming, how frequently have they prayed that the breeze of divine mercy might blow, and the promised Beauty step forth from behind the veil of concealment, and be made manifest to all the world. 11. And whensoever the portals of grace did open, and the clouds of divine bounty did rain upon mankind, and the light of the Unseen did shine above the horizon of celestial might, they all denied Him, and turned away from His face the face of God Himself. 12. Refer ye, to verify this truth, to that which hath been recorded in every sacred Book. 13. Ponder for a moment, and reflect upon that which hath been the cause of such denial on the part of those who have searched with such earnestness and longing. 14. Their attack hath been more fierce than tongue or pen can describe. 15. Not one single Manifestation of Holiness hath appeared but He was afflicted by the denials, the repudiation, and the vehement opposition of the people around Him. 16. Thus it hath been revealed: ? the misery of men! No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn. 17. Again He saith: Each nation hath plotted darkly against their Messenger to lay violent hold on Him, and disputed with vain words to invalidate the truth. 18. In like manner, those words that have streamed forth from the source of power and descended from the heaven of glory are innumerable and beyond the ordinary comprehension of man. 19. To them that are possessed of true understanding and insight the S?ah of H? surely sufficeth. 20. Ponder a while those holy words in your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive to grasp their meaning. 21. Examine the wondrous behavior of the Prophets, and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation and falsehood, 22. perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. 23. Such is the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the realms of eternity and holiness. 24. Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets of God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position. 25. Moreover, the more closely you observe the denials of those who have opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be your faith in the Cause of God. The Book of Certitude CHAPTER TWO Divisions 26-50 1ST CERTITUDE 26. Accordingly, a brief mention will be made in this Tablet of divers accounts relative to the Prophets of God, that they may demonstrate the truth that throughout all ages and centuries the Manifestations of power and glory have been subjected to such heinous cruelties that no pen dare describe them. 27. Perchance this may enable a few to cease to be perturbed by the clamor and protestations of the divines and the foolish of this age, and cause them to strengthen their confidence and certainty. 28. Among the Prophets was Noah. For 950 years He prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. 29. None, however, heeded His call. 30. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. 31. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! 32. Thus it hath been revealed: And as often as a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. 33. To them He said: Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know. 34. Long afterward, He several times promised victory to His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled. 35. This caused a few among the small number of His followers to turn away from Him, and to this testify the records of the best-known books. 36. These you must certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly you will. 37. Finally, as stated in books and traditions, there remained with Him only 40 or 72 of His followers. 38. At last from the depth of His being He cried aloud: Lord! Leave not upon the land a single dweller from among the unbelievers. 39. And now, consider and reflect a moment upon the waywardness of this people. 40. What could have been the reason for such denial and avoidance on their part? 41. What could have induced them to refuse to put off the garment of denial, and to adorn themselves with the robe of acceptance? 42. Moreover, what could have caused the nonfulfillment of the divine promise which led the seekers to reject that which they had accepted? 43. Meditate profoundly, that the secret of things unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a spiritual and imperishable fragrance, 44. and that you may acknowledge the truth that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will continue to try, His servants, 45. so that light may be distinguished from darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error, happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. 46. Even as He hath revealed: Do men think when they say we believe they shall be let alone and not be put to proof? 47. And after Noah the light of the countenance of H? shone forth above the horizon of creation. 48. For well-nigh 700 years, according to the sayings of men, He exhorted the people to turn their faces and draw nearer unto the Ridvan of the divine presence. 49. What showers of afflictions rained upon Him, until at last His adjurations bore the fruit of increased rebelliousness, and His assiduous endeavors resulted in the willful blindness of His people. 50. And their unbelief shall only increase for the unbelievers their own perdition. The Book of Certitude CHAPTER THREE Divisions 51-85 1ST CERTITUDE 51. And after Him there appeared from the Ridvan of the Eternal, the Invisible, the holy person of Salih, Who again summoned the people to the river of everlasting life. 52. For over 100 years He admonished them to hold fast unto the commandments of God and eschew that which is forbidden. 53. His admonitions, however, yielded no fruit, and His pleading proved of no avail. 54. Several times He retired and lived in seclusion. 55. All this, although that eternal Beauty was summoning the people to no other than the city of God. 56. Even as it is revealed: And unto the tribe of Thamud We sent their brother Salih. 57. O my people, said He, Worship God, ye have none other God beside Him. 58. They made reply: “Salih, our hopes were fixed on thee until now; forbiddest thou us to worship that which our fathers worshipped? 59. Truly we misdoubt that whereunto thou callest us as suspicious.” 60. All this proved fruitless, until at last there went up a great cry, and all fell into utter perdition. 61. Later, the beauty of the countenance of the Friend of God appeared from behind the veil, and another standard of divine guidance was hoisted. 62. He invited the people of the earth to the light of righteousness. 63. The more passionately He exhorted them, the fiercer waxed the envy and waywardness of the people, except those who wholly detached themselves from all save God, and ascended on the wings of certainty to the station which God hath exalted beyond the comprehension of men. 64. It is well known what a host of enemies besieged Him, until at last the fires of envy and rebellion were kindled against Him. 65. And after the episode of the fire came to pass, He, the lamp of God amongst men, was, as recorded in all books and chronicles, expelled from His city. 66. And when His day was ended, there came the turn of Moses. 67. Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of divine knowledge, and proceeding from the P? of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. 68. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. 69. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon that blessed Tree. 70. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flame of divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp of everlasting dominion. 71. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the burning of the flame, and such blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and walk in the way of God's holy will and pleasure. 72. How well hath a believer of the kindred of Pharaoh, whose story is recounted by the All-Glorious in His Book revealed unto His beloved One, observed: 73. And a man of the family of Pharaoh who was a believer and concealed his faith said: 74. Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? 75. If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what he threateneth will fall upon you. 76. In truth God guideth not him who is a transgressor, a liar. 77. Finally, so great was their iniquity that this selfsame believer was put to a shameful death. 78. The curse of God be upon the people of tyranny. 79. And now, ponder upon these things. 80. What could have caused such contention and conflict? 81. Why is it that the advent of every true Manifestation of God hath been accompanied by such strife and tumult, by such tyranny and upheaval? 82. This notwithstanding the fact that all the Prophets of God, whenever made manifest unto the peoples of the world, have invariably foretold the coming of yet another Prophet after them, and have established such signs as would herald the advent of the future Dispensation. 83. To this the records of all sacred books bear witness. 84. Why then is it that despite the expectation of men in their quest of the Manifestations of Holiness, and in spite of the signs recorded in the sacred books, such acts of violence, of oppression and cruelty, should have been perpetrated in every age and cycle against all the Prophets and chosen Ones of God? 85. Even as He hath revealed: As oft as an Apostle cometh unto you with that which your souls desire not, ye swell with pride, accusing some of being impostors and slaying others. The Book of Certitude CHAPTER THREE Divisions 86-110 1ST CERTITUDE 86. Reflect, what could have been the motive for such deeds? 87. What could have prompted such behavior towards the Revealers of the beauty of the All-Glorious? 88. Whatever in days gone by hath been the cause of the denial and opposition of those people hath now led to the perversity of the people of this age. 89. To maintain that the testimony of Providence was incomplete, that it hath therefore been the cause of the denial of the people, is but open blasphemy. 90. How far from the grace of the All-Bountiful and from His loving providence and tender mercies it is to single out a soul from amongst all men for the guidance of His creatures, 91. and, on one hand, to withhold from Him the full measure of His divine testimony, and, on the other, inflict severe retribution on His people for having turned away from His chosen One! 92. Nay, the manifold bounties of the Lord of all beings have, at all times, through the Manifestations of His divine Essence, encompassed the earth and all that dwell therein. 93. Not for a moment hath His grace been withheld, nor have the showers of His loving-kindness ceased to rain upon mankind. 94. Consequently, such behavior can be attributed to naught save the petty-mindedness of such souls as tread the valley of arrogance and pride, are lost in the wilds of remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow [not] the dictates of the leaders of their faith. 95. Their chief concern is mere opposition; their sole desire is to ignore the truth. 96. Unto every discerning observer it is evident and manifest that had these people in the days of each of the Manifestations of the Sun of Truth sanctified their eyes, their ears, and their hearts from whatever they had seen, heard, and felt, they surely would not have been deprived of beholding the beauty of God, nor strayed far from the habitations of glory. 97. But having weighed the testimony of God by the standard of their own knowledge, gleaned from the teachings of the leaders of their faith, and found it at variance with their limited understanding, they arose to perpetrate such unseemly acts. 98. Leaders of religion, in every age, have hindered their people from attaining the shores of eternal salvation, inasmuch as they held the reins of authority in their mighty grasp. 99. Some for the lust of leadership, others through want of knowledge and understanding, have been the cause of the deprivation of the people. 100. By their sanction and authority, every Prophet of God hath drunk from the chalice of sacrifice, and winged His flight unto the heights of glory. 101. What unspeakable cruelties they that have occupied the seats of authority and learning have inflicted upon the true Monarchs of the world, those Gems of divine virtue! 102. Content with a transitory dominion, they have deprived themselves of an everlasting sovereignty. 103. Thus, their eyes beheld not the light of the countenance of the Well-Beloved, nor did their ears hearken unto the sweet melodies of the Bird of Desire. 104. For this reason, in all sacred books mention hath been made of the divines of every age. 105. Thus He saith: O people of the Book! Why disbelieve the signs of God to which ye yourselves have been witnesses? 106. And also He saith: “O people of the Book! Why clothe ye the truth with falsehood? 107. Why wittingly hide the truth?” 108. Again, He saith: “Say, O people of the Book! Why repel believers from the way of God?” 109. It is evident that by the “people of the Book,” who have repelled their fellowmen from the straight path of God, is meant none other than the divines of that age, 110. whose names and character have been revealed in the sacred books, and alluded to in the verses and traditions recorded therein, were you to observe with the eye of God. The Book of Certitude CHAPTER SIX Divisions 111-135 1ST CERTITUDE 111. With fixed and steady gaze, born of the unerring eye of God, scan for a while the horizon of divine knowledge, and contemplate those words of perfection which the Eternal hath revealed, 112. that haply the mysteries of divine wisdom, hidden ere now beneath the veil of glory and treasured within the tabernacle of His grace, may be made manifest unto you. 113. The denials and protestations of these leaders of religion have, in the main, been due to their lack of knowledge and understanding. 114. Those words uttered by the Revealers of the beauty of the one true God, setting forth the signs that should herald the advent of the Manifestation to come, they never understood nor fathomed. 115. Hence they raised the standard of revolt, and stirred up mischief and sedition. 116. It is obvious and manifest that the true meaning of the utterances of the Birds of Eternity is revealed to none except those that manifest the Eternal Being, and the melodies of the Nightingale of Holiness can reach no ear save that of the denizens of the everlasting realm. 117. The Copt (Egytpian) of tyranny can never partake of the cup touched by the lips of the Sept of justice, and the Pharaoh of unbelief can never hope to recognize the hand of the Moses of truth. 118. Even as He saith: “No one knoweth the meaning thereof except God and them that are well-grounded in knowledge.” 119. And yet, they have sought the interpretation of the Book from those that are wrapt in veils, and have refused to seek enlightenment from the fountainhead of knowledge. 120. And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth from the dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. 121. They clamored that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfill the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the law of divorce and of the sabbath day, the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. 122. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? 123. These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! 124. How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! 125. Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire. 126. And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. 127. As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the face of God. 128. And they still await His coming! 129. From time immemorial even unto this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness.
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