The Essence of Islam – Volume IV — Page 300
300. Essence of Islam-IV cast into the firewood. There are some who were sincere in the beginning and possessed anguished hearts, but now they are greatly constricted and no longer exhibit the eager sincerity and light of loving discipleship. Like Bal‘am they are only left with their cunning and, like a rotten tooth, they deserve only to be pulled out and cast underfoot. They have become tired and fatigued and this worthless world has caught them in its fraudulent trap. I tell you truly that they will soon be cut asunder from me, except such of them whom the hand of God Almighty should take hold of afresh. Still, there are many whom God has given me forever and they are the flourishing branches of the tree of my being. [Fat-he-Islām, Rūḥānī Khazā'in, vol. 3, p. 40]. Though I am grateful to God Almighty for such good friends, yet it is a part of my faith that even if there remains not a single person with me and all of them go their way leaving me alone, I would still have no fear. I know that God Almighty is with me. Even if I am trampled underfoot and crushed and become less than a particle, and experience persecution and abuse and curses from every direction, still I shall ultimately be victorious. No one knows me, but He is with me. I cannot be destroyed. Vain are the efforts of my enemies and useless are the designs of the envious ones. . O ye foolish and blind ones! was there ever a righteous one before me who was ruined so that I should be ruined? Was there ever a truly faithful one who