The Need for the Imam — Page 46
46 verities, Quranic truths and heavenly blessings. I do not wish to inconvenience him. If my inspired friend can only expound in public the truths and verities of surah Al-Ikhl a s , and if I fail, on my part, to expound its verities which are a thousand times superior to his, then I shall submit myself before him. 41 In any case, if you possess the truths, the spiritual verities and the blessings, that are miraculous in na- ture, then not only myself, but all my followers will also enter into your Bai‘at. Only an extremely unfor- tunate person will refuse to do so. I do not know how to put it, but I am sorry to have to mention that when I heard your revelations, I noticed in them a number of grammatical errors. Pray, do not take offence; it is only out of honest intent, humility and religious obli- gation that I mention this. But, at the same time, I do not believe that grammatical error in a revelation re- ceived by an ignorant or illiterate person, makes that revelation in any way objectionable. This is a very profound and delicate issue which requires detailed consideration, but this is not the occasion for it. A 41 Persian couplet: If you have nothing to say, nobody will bother you; But since you have spoken, bring forth your arguments. [Publishers]