A new version of the Bahá’í Reference Library is now available. This ‘old version’ of the Bahá’í Reference Library will be replaced at a later date.
The new version of the Bahá’i Reference Library can be accessed here »
38: That supreme affliction, the passing of … |
1
That supreme affliction, the passing of
‘Abdu’l-Bahá, was the direst of ordeals; it was an
anguish of mourning. The parting with mankind’s
Beloved set fire to the hearts of all His lovers, and the
souls of the believers dissolved in its burning. Even
the beauteous dwellers in the Abhá Paradise cried
out and wept, and in their empyrean abode the
Maids of Heaven moaned and lamented. The gems
of holiness fell a prey to crushing grief, the essences
of sanctity bowed down in sorrow.
|
That One whom the world has wronged could
rest neither day nor night. From moment to
moment, at the hands of every betrayer, yet another
cruel arrow was shot into His heart, and ever and
again, from one or another assailant, He was
calumny’s target. In the dark of the night, out of the
depths of His bosom, could be heard His burning
sighs, and when the day broke, the wondrous music
of His prayers would rise up to the denizens of the
realm on high.
|
That Prisoner, grievously wronged, would hide
His pain, and keep His wounds from view. In the
depths of calamity He would smile, and even
when enduring the direst of afflictions He would
comfort the hearts. Although He was hemmed
about with disasters, and living at the whirlwind’s
core of grief, He would still proclaim the Cause of
146
God, and protect the Holy Faith, and He brought
God’s Word to the ears of those in East and West. He
trained and nurtured friends of such a kind that
whensoever their names were on His lips or spoken
in His presence, His blessed face would glow and
His whole being would radiate with joy. Many and
many a time He would express His trust and
confidence. In the gatherings held toward the close
of His days, He would repeatedly tell of the apostles
of Jesus. Among other things He would say that
when the Spirit
2
left this nether world and hastened
away to the glorious Kingdom, He had but twelve
disciples, and even of these, one was cast off; and
that this small number, because they sacrificed all
they had for Jesus, and immersed themselves in the
radiance of that sweet and comely Being, and lost
themselves in Christ, they lit the world. ‘Now when
I depart,’ He would say, ‘I have loyal loved ones that
number 50,000 or more, and each one of these is a
mighty fortress to guard the edifice of God, each
one, for the Ark of the Faith, is strong as armour-plate.
They are rooted firm as the high mountains,
they are bright and rising stars, they are jewels, they
are pearls.’ Today, God be thanked, these qualities
are radiating from the faces of the righteous, and
shining upon their brows.
|
That blessed Being perfected His bounties for the
people of Bahá, and His grace and favour were
extended to those of all degrees. In the best of ways,
he manifested at the end what had been shown forth
147
at the beginning, crowning all His gifts with His
Will and Testament, in which He clearly made
known the obligations devolving upon every stratum
of the believers, in language most consummate,
comprehensive and sound, setting down with His
own pen the name of Shoghi Effendi, as Guardian of
the Cause and interpreter of the Holy Writ. The first
of His bounties was the light He shed, the last of His
gifts was that He unravelled the secrets by lifting the
veil.
|
1. | Shavval 1340 A.H. (28 May-25 June 1922 A.D.), to a believer in Karachi [ Back To Reference] |
2. | Jesus. [ Back To Reference] |