ّر ء Mysterious Forces of Civilization Secret of Divine Civilization
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رء ّ Mysterious Forces of Civilization Secret of Divine Civilization ّ اّ ّا ا In the name of God the Merciful, the Clement! 1. In the Name of God the Clement, the Merciful .1 ا و و ا و س در اّ Renewed thanks and comprehensive praise are justly due to 2. Praise and thanksgiving be unto Providence that out of .2 the Threshold of Unity of the Omni potent. He hath all the realities in existence He has chosen the reality of ّ وردر اا از ّ ء distinguished and glorified humanity, from amongst man and has honored it with intellect and wisdom, the two ّ ّا را ا وه ش ا ن و all the realities in the world of being, by decreeing its most luminous lights in either world. Through the agency true state to be that of wisdom and understanding, the two of this great endowment, He has in every epoch cast on the ا و ز د و از .great luminaries of the universe mirror of creation new and wonderful configurations. If و ر ن ه در ه و ت ا He hath adorned the mirror of creation with new and .3 wonderful manifestations of his will, by the effect and we look objectively upon the world of being, it will ر و ش و د . ا influence of those great gifts. become apparent that from age to age, the temple of ء در ود د دد از Thus, if you look with clear eyes into the world of being existence has continually been embellished with a fresh .4 it will be apparent to you that in every dispensation, the grace, and distinguished with an ever-varying splendor, ت و دا ه در ه دور و .world, by means of the graces of thought and wisdom, hath deriving from wisdom and the power of thought رّو ه been adorned with a new revelation and distinguished by an excellent new gift. و ا ا ا او ه در و ف ء This greater sign of the Incomparable Creator has 3. This supreme emblem of God stands first in the order of .5 exceeded transcendental possibility, in his creations and creation and first in rank, taking precedence over all 1 ت و دا و ( أ ّ ّ و ل ا his glory. And the Hadeeth commencing “Before all things created things. Witness to it is the Holy Tradition, “Before ا ) ه ا و در ر اد در ه ا God created wisdom” beareth witness to this fact. He all else, God created the mind.” From the dawn of indeed existed before all things, and was made clear in the creation, it was made to be revealed in the temple of man. ّر ا ّد .temple of humanity He is pure and holy, who, by the splendors of the 4. Sanctified is the Lord, Who with the dazzling rays of this .ّ و ا او ات ا ار ا ء lights of the divine grace hath made this dark world the strange, heavenly power has made our world of darkness the ّ ّ ر ا ء ا را د ( و أ envy of the worlds of light: “He dazzleth the earth envy of the worlds of light: “And the earth shall shine with the 3 ّ رضا ر ) ر . سّا وردر و with the light of her Lord.” light of her Lord.” Holy and exalted is He, Who has caused the 6. Exalted and holy is the Omnipotent God who made nature of man to be the dayspring of this boundless grace: “The ّ تا را ا ه د ( ّ ا humanity the dawning-place of this infinite grace: "The God of mercy hath taught the Qur’án, hath created man, hath 4 ّا ن ّ ان ا ن) ”.Merciful One inspired the Quran, created man, and taught him articulate speech taught him the explanation thereof." 2 1 Hadeeth, a tradition or saying attributed to Muhammad or to one of his descendants (through Ali), which, having been transmitted orally, constitutes one of the sources of the religion. 2 Explanation, in Arabic al biyan, the title given by the Bab to his principal work, and consequently to his dispensation. 3Qur’án 39:69. 4Qur’án 55:1–3. رء ّ Mysterious Forces of Civilization Secret of Divine Civilization 7. Now, O ye who are wise, arise in gratitude for this 5. O ye that have minds to know! Raise up your suppliant . ل ا هان اء ا ا د ز great goodness, and lift your heads in praise to the Court hands to the heaven of the one God, and humble yourselves and ّ ر رب از ع ّوا ل د ا او of the Lord who hath no associate. And with humble be lowly before Him, and thank Him for this supreme ّ ن د applications, address him, praying that you may at this endowment, and implore Him to succor us until, in this present time be favored, and that the manifestations of the age, godlike impulses may radiate from the conscience of ّاز و انس دروا تر Godhead may appear clearly through the discoveries of mankind, and this divinely kindled fire which has been entrusted ّ ّ اّ و ددا ر ءر دوع .the souls of men; and that the blazing fire of God, to the human heart may never die away which is deposited within the hearts of men, may no ّ ا درا ء د .longer remain without a flame 8. Behold with the eyes of discernment and see: these 6. Consider carefully: all these highly varied phenomena, these . ء ت ا ر و ار و signs and thoughts, knowledge, science, art, handicrafts and concepts, this knowledge, these technical procedures and رف و ن و و م و و ا ء wonderful inventions, all spring from the wealth of philosophical systems, these sciences, arts, industries and ّ ازت ّ wisdom and understanding. Every nation and tribe which inventions—all are emanations of the human mind. Whatever hath dipped deep in this infinite ocean, hath advanced people has ventured deeper into this shoreless sea, has come to و دا ا . ه و ء در ا ن ahead of all others. The glory, honor and prosperity excel the rest. The happiness and pride of a nation consist in ّ د از و .ّت و of a nation depend upon this: that like the sun they rise this, that it should shine out like the sun in the high heaven of from the horizon of sound learning. "Are they indeed knowledge. “Shall they who have knowledge and they who ّ در از دتها رف ن the same—they who know, and they who do not know?" have it not, be treated alike?” 5 And the honor and distinction of ق د ( ّن ه ا ّ ن ) وا و The nobility and glory of man consist in the fact the individual consist in this, that he among all the world’s .9 that, amidst the beings, he is the dawning place of multitudes should become a source of social good. Is any larger ا و ت ان در righteousness. Can any greater blessing be imagined by bounty conceivable than this, that an individual, looking within ان دد . در ود man than the consciousness that by divine assistance the himself, should find that by the confirming grace of God he has means of comfort, peace and prosperity of the h uman become the cause of peace and well-being, of happiness and ا از ّ ن ر ا ان ن در د د race are in his hands? advantage to his fellow men? No, by the one true God, there is ّ ه ت ا و را و دت .No, by Allah, there is no greater or more complete no greater bliss, no more complete delight .10 pleasure nor happiness than this. ّا و ه ّت ود ّ و ااّو ا از ا 5Qur’án 39:12. رء ّ Mysterious Forces of Civilization Secret of Divine Civilization How long then shall we seek our own selfish desires on 7. How long shall we drift on the wings of passion and vain و ه واز و در ا the wings of egoism? How long shall we continue desire; how long shall we spend our days like barbarians in the ن اّ ؟ وردر ,like savage people in the depths of ignorance and misery? depths of ignorance and abomination? God has given us eyes ّن د د ر ق وو ء و God has provided us with eyes in order that we should that we may look about us at the world, and lay hold of seek throughout the world, and turn towards the causes whatsoever will further civilization and the arts of living. He ّا نو شا ن ا ت of civilization and progress: ears are granted to us that, has given us ears, that we may hear and profit by the wisdom of ّ ء و دان را اع د و .having listened to the wise precepts of the learned, we scholars and philosophers and arise to promote and practice it may become instructed, and that girding up the loins of Senses and faculties have been bestowed upon us, to be devoted ّ ا ت ن س او ا ه resolution, we may follow their excellent example. Senses and to the service of the general good; so that we, distinguished ّ در اّ ر ءّف ّ ,inner faculties have been bestowed upon us, that we may above all other forms of life for perceptiveness and reason use them for the good of mankind, and that we should should labor at all times and along all lines, whether the و دور ا س و ا ادات ز become distinguished from the lower nature of men by occasion be great or small, ordinary or extraordinary, until all دً ر ّا ً ّ اداّ ّ ر ّ و دل و the solidity and justness of our judgment, and continually mankind are safely gathered into the impregnable stronghold of engage ourselves in well-doing.