The Shining Lamp — Page 8
8 day his fabrications began, as is the case with me? A liar is crushed like a bed bug and popped into oblivion like a bubble. If liars and fabricators of lies were granted respite for such extended periods and Signs of the truthful were manifested in their support, the world would have been overcome with tyranny and lawlessness and the Divine enterprise ruined. Thus, when you witness a great uproar raised against a claimant, and the multi- tudes are moved to oppose him, and many storms and calami- ties befall him yet he suffers no harm, then immediately restrain yourselves and proceed with taqw a [righteousness] lest you be adjudged amongst those who fight with God. A truthful one will never perish at your hand and a righteous one cannot be ruined by your machinations. Do not let misfor- tune take matters too far, for the very extent of cruelty you per- petrate will certainly backfire upon you. And the more you desire to disgrace him, the more it will be thrown right back upon you. O unfortunate ones! Do you even believe in God or not? How can God give preference to your desires over His own? Why, for your sake, should He destroy this Movement which He had des- tined [to bring into being] since time immemorial? Would any of you demolish your own home, cut down your own orchard, and strangle your own children merely upon the bidding of a madman? Hence—O ye foolish ones! And O ye bereft of the wisdom of God!—how could it ever be possible that God would accept your foolish supplications and destroy and eradicate His own garden, His own house, and His cherished servant? Come to your senses and pay heed to what the heavens are saying. Recognize the times and the seasons of the earth, that you may prosper and not be cut down like a dead tree, and the days of your life be many. Abandon absurd objections and refrain from making unjust nitpicking