Tadhkirah — Page 29
E ARLY Y EARS – 1881 29 life which could be compared with the delight that the heart and soul experienced through beholding them. I am given to understand that these columns were a representation of the interaction of the love between God and His servant. That is to say, it was a light that proceeded upwards from the heart and there was a second light that descended from above. The meeting of the two took the shape of a column. These are spiritual experiences which the world cannot understand because they are far above the reach of the world’s eyes. But there are some in this world who are made aware of these phenomena. In short, the wonders that were vouchsafed to me on account of this long period of fasting consist of these various kinds of visions…. But I would not advise all and sundry to undertake such an exercise, nor did I do so of my own accord…. It should be remembered that I adopted this hard physical discipline for nine to ten months in compliance with a divine command conveyed to me in a clear vision and I endured the extremes of hunger and thirst. Then I gave it up as a continuous discipline but had recourse to it from time to time. [Kit a bul-Bariyyah, pp. 164–167 footnote, R uha n i Khaz a ’in, vol. 13, pp. 197–200 footnote] 1876 I once beheld angels in the guise of humans. I cannot recall whether there were two or three of them. They were conversing amongst themselves and said to me: ‘Why do you endure so much hardship? It is apprehended that you