The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 410
LETTER TO NAWWAB MUHAMMAD ALI KHAN one can have the courage and fortitude to be ready to oppose the whole world despite being a solitary individual. Await, therefore, with certainty, for the days are coming- nay, they are close at hand-when the enemy shall be humili- ated and friends shall be exceedingly happy. Who is a friend? The very one who accepted me before seeing a Sign and who dedicated his life, property, and honour as if he had seen thou- sands of Signs. So, this indeed is my Jamāʻat and they belong to me for they found me alone and helped me, they saw me sor- rowful and shared my sorrow, though unacquainted with me, they honoured me as an acquaintance—may God Almighty bestow His mercy upon them! What shall it matter to me if someone accepts an open truth after seeing Signs and what reward will accrue to such a one and what honour can such a one have in the sight of the Lord of Honour? In essence, they alone have accepted me who have seen me through a keen vision, who weighed my claims in the balance of discernment, who studied my circumstances and listened to my words and pondered over them. And thus, God Almighty opened their breasts based only on such indications, and they joined me. Only he is with me who gives up his own desires for the sake of my wishes, who takes me for an arbiter regarding what his soul adopts or abandons, who treads upon my path, who annihilates himself in rendering obedience to me, and who divests himself of all self-conceit. I have to say it with a deep sigh that those who demand manifest Signs cannot attain such praiseworthy titles and hon- ourable ranks in the presence of my God which will be appor- tioned to those who were able to recognize a concealed secret and who were able to discern the fragrance of one who was hidden under the 'mantle' of Allah, glorified be His eminence. What excellence is there in a man who, for example, upon see- ing a prince marching along with his army in great pomp and 409