A Gift for Baghdad — Page 23
Reply to the Announcement & Letter 23 allow them to come to naught, nor does He abandon them as their Protector, even if every leaf on every tree, every drop in all the oceans, every granule from all the rocks, and everyone else in the world becomes their adversary. On the contrary, those who render obedience to Him and seek only His pleasure are a people whose grief lies only in separation from Him. When they find what they seek, neither anxiety nor affliction remain, even if they are killed or incinerated. Neither the insults of people nor the curses of any sect harm them. Allah makes every curse a source of blessing for them and every offense a source of mercy. Does not our Lord know what is in our hearts? Are you more knowledgeable than Him? Do not, therefore, be among those who are hasty. O my brother! I have not abandoned the Path, nor have I disobeyed the Exalted Lord. Our Book is naught but the Noble Furq a n [the Holy Quran] and our Prophet and beloved is none but the Merciful Mu st af a [the Chosen One, i. e. the Holy Prophet Muhammad s as ]. The curse of Allah is upon those who deviate from His religion by even one iota; they shall enter hell as accursed ones. But—O my brother! —there are subtleties and insights in the Book of Allah which do not contradict any doctrine nor conflict with any commandment. They are not vouchsafed to anyone except he who is one of the devoted emissaries during the time destined for their revelation. And Allah has secrets, and secrets beyond secrets, whose stars do not rise except at their appointed time. So, do not argue with Allah regarding His secrets. Would you be so audacious as to question your Lord: ‘Why did You do this and why did You not do that?’