To the beloved of God in Persia!

O ye dear friends of Abdul-Baha! It is some time since any heart-thrilling melody hath reached the ear of life from certain countries, and life and conscience have not found happiness and joy. Howbeit all are remembered at all times and are indeed present before the sight. For, verily, the chalice of the heart is overflowing with the wine of the love of the friends; and their attachment and the desire to see them flow and circulate in the veins and arteries, even as the spirit.

In this condition it is evident how sad and grieved the heart is. In this storm of ordeal, whose wave hath reached the Supreme Apogee, and the arrow of hate hath come in succession from the six points; with every breath there is bewildering news and every day astonishing signs in the Blessed Spot.

The center of violation [1] supposed that through mere pride the foundation of the Covenant and Testament could be destroyed and that the righteous ones would shun and disobey the ordinances of God. Therefore, he spread writings of suspicion to all parts and busied himself with secret plans.

At one time he cried that "The Divine Foundation is overthrown, the law of God is abrogated, therefore the Covenant and Testament of God are annulled!" Again, he moaned and grieved that "We are exiles and captives, hungry and thirsty, night and day!" One day he effected disturbance and commotion, saying, "The Oneness of God is abolished, and the Manifestation, before the lapse of a thousand years, hath appeared!" [2]

Upon finding that these fictions were not successful, he gradually planned corruptions and caused commotion. He grasped every garment (means); he calumniated to the government and he became acquainted with some of the unfriendly, associated and became confidential with them. Together they compiled a report and presented it to the center of the government, which disturbed the members of the cabinet.

Among their fictitious reports was this: That this oppressed one [3] has hoisted the banner of independence; upon that banner he has inscribed "Ya Baha El-Abha!" and circulated it in all this country, [4] in the cities and hamlets, even among the tribes in the desert, and that he has summoned them all to assemble under the banner.

O God, verily I seek shelter in Thee from this action which is contrary to the precepts of Baha', nay, it is a great wrong, committed only by every persistent sinner. For Thou hast enjoined upon us obedience to kings and rulers!

Among the fictions was that the building upon Mt. Carmel was purposed to be a fort, built with perfect solidity and strength, assigned it to be the "illumined city" and made the Holy Tomb, the Sacred Mecca; when in truth that is a building containing six vaults.

Among other fictions was, that he has founded a new monarchy (kingdom) and that he has called all the friends to this great wrong. God forbid; God forbid; God forbid! Praise be to Thee! [5] --this is a great calumny!--that since the Sacred Tomb [6] has become a visiting center for the world, it shall be a great misfortune to the country and to the public! and that the center of violation is not connected with these affairs, nay rather, he is a Suni, Sanavi, Bekri, and Omari. [7] That he knows the Blessed Perfection [8] to be only one of the reformers among the people, and a follower of the Path, and that these affairs were instituted by this oppressed one.

In short, an inquisitory body was appointed by the center of the great government--may her glory increase! --and was sent to this land, taking up its abode directly in the home of one of the plaintiffs. The parties who joined in compiling the report and who were co-partners of my brother were sent for and questioned regarding the truth of the report. They amplified the contents of the report, explained them, confirmed them and above all added to them. They were the plaintiffs, the witnesses and the judge. Now that body hath returned to the Capital and every day terrible and frightful news is received.

But Abdul-Baha--praise be to God!--is in perfect peace, composure and rest. He is not even disturbed through this calumny and fiction, but rather hath referred all affairs to the pre-ordained decree and in perfect joy and happiness is ready to give up his life, expecting every ordeal.

Praise be to God!--the kind friends of God are also in a state of resignation and submissiveness. All are happy, thankful, joyful, and content. But the center of violation presumed that after the shedding of the blood of this oppressed one, or the throwing of him into the Mediterranean Sea, he will become nameless, traceless and forgotten, and that he [himself] would find an arena to gallop in and could win, with the spear of suspicions and fictions, the object of his hopes and desire. In vain! In vain! If there be no permanence to the fragrance of the musk of faithfulness, will any one be attracted by the vile odor of jealousy? If the deer of God be torn asunder by dogs and wolves, no one will run after the blood-thirsty wolf. If the nightingale of significances end his days, no one will listen to the croaking of the raven, nor to the cawing of the crow. what vain imagination is this, and what an ignorant display! Their actions are like unto a mirage in the desert, which the thirsty imagines to be water, but when he reaches it, finds it to be nothing.

In sooth, O ye friends of God, make firm your feet and heart, make perfect resolve through the power of confirmation of the Blessed Beauty; engage in the service of the Cause of God and withstand the nations and the peoples with the firmness, the solidity and and the steadfastness of the people of Baha'. Thus may others wonder how these hearts are fountains of trust and mines of the love of His Majesty, the Merciful One. Thus may ye remain unshaken by the painful occurrences in the Holy Land, and may remain firm through the disastrous events. If all the friends oppose (the Cause of God) with sword and one remain (firm), he will be the proclaimer of God, a divine herald, and will stand before all upon the earth.

In sooth, you must not mind the events in the Radiant Spot. The Holy Land is ever in danger and the flood of ordeal comes from every side, for the call hath become world-wide and the summons hath spread throughout the earth, and enemies, both the unfamiliar and the familiar, are engaged in their plans, their stratagems and schemes to calumniate; and it is evident that such a place is in danger, for against calumny there is no defence, nay rather, some wandering oppressed souls are imprisoned in a fortress, having no helper, assistant nor shelter from the sword of accusation and the teeth of calumny, save God!

Ye must think of this: How many dear friends have hastened to the divine altar; how many blessed souls have sacrificed life; what holy blood was shed; what pure hearts were drowned in blood; how many breasts were offered as targets for the arrows of malice, and how many sanctified bodies were cut to pieces. What is our duty? To be thinking of our own life and to dissimulate and associate with enemies and friends, or should we also follow the righteous and walk in the footprints of those who are great?

The numbered days (of life) will vanish away, and the present existence disappear. The garden of being will lose its freshness and fragrance, the orchard of mirth will miss its joy and beauty. The spring of life will change into the autumn of death, the joy of happiness of the palaces will change into the gloomy darkness of the grave. Therefore, it is not worth attachment and the wise person will not set his heart thereon. The wise and great man seeketh heavenly glory and divine might, desireth eternal life and seeketh nearness to the Threshold of God.

For in the tavern of the mortal world the bile of the man of God is not removed. He will not rest a moment here and will not stain himself with the attachments of the world. Nay, rather, the friends are the stars of the summit of Providence and the planets of the firmament of Guidance. with perfect strength do they dispel darkness and destroy the foundation of envy and enmity. They wish for the world and its denizens unity and peace; they destroy the basis of war and strife; they seek integrity, faithfulness and friendliness, and are well-wishes even of the evil-disposed enemy. Thus they make this prison of infidelity the sublime mansion of fidelity, and this dungeon of envy a delectable paradise.

O ye friends, endeavor with life and heart that this world may become the mirror of the world of the Kingdom; that the earthly kingdom be filled with the bounty of the heavenly; that the voice of the Supreme Concourse may be raised in commendation, and that the traces of the bounty and grace of the Beauty of Abha may envelop the earth!

His honor, Ameen [9] , hath praised highly the honored servants and the maid-servants of the Manifest Light; commending each one separately and eulogizing the firmness and steadfastness of all; that--praise be to God!--the friends and maid-servants of the Merciful in all Persia are in perfect resignation and firm and steadfast, like unto a firm and solid foundation, and in an absolute state of ecstasy and attraction are engaged in spreading the fragrance of the Lord of Lords.

Through this news, at this time of great jeopardy, much happiness was realized, for the supreme hope and desire of this oppressed one is the spirituality of the hearts and the radiance of the beings of the friends. When this gift is obtained every ordeal is for him as an abundant bounty and a great shower.

O my God! O my God! Thou seest me drowned in the sea of ordeals, seized upon by the fire of infidelity, with tears flowing in the dark night rolling in the bed of sleeplessness, mine eyes expectant to see the dawn of the lights of Faith. And when I am anxious, as the fish whose bowels are inflamed upon the dust, I anticipate the manifestation of Thy bounties from all sides!

O Lord! Surround the friends in other regions with Thy great bounties and uplift those who are weak among Thy chosen, through Thy strength and providence, in every remote place!

O Lord, verily they are the captives of Thy love and the prisoners of Thy host, the birds of the atmosphere of Thy guidance, the fish of the sea of Thy providence, the stars of the horizon of Thy bounty, the army of the fortress of Thy law, the banners of Thy remembrance, the eyes of Thy mercy, the fountains of Thy grace and the springs of Thy generosity. Therefore, guard them with the eye of kindness, confirm them in promoting Thy Word, strengthen their hearts in Thy love, reinforce their backs in Thy service, make firm their loins in Thy servitude, spread through them Thy fragrances, reveal through them Thy signs, manifest through them Thy proofs, accomplish through them Thy words and perfect through them Thy mercy!

Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, and, verily, thou art the Clement, the Merciful!

Notes

1. [Unkind brother.]

2. [Accusation that Abdul-Baha was claiming to be a Manifestation who is promised after a lapse of a thousand years.]

3. []

4. []

5. [Expression of astonishment.]

6. [Tomb of the Bab on Mt. Carmel.]

7. [Expressions are intended to convey the inference that he is orthodox.]

8. []

9. [Of the teachers of the Bahai Revelation in Persia.]