king on his own special form,
until at last he reaches the plane where he can befittingly fulfill the
words: "the most excellent of Makers."(71) Just as this is a requirement
of creation and is based on the universal Wisdom, the political world in
the same way cannot instantaneously evolve from the nadir of defectiveness
to the zenith of rightness and perfection. Rather, qualified individuals
must strive by day and by night, using all those means which will conduce
to progress, until the government and the people develop along every line
from day to day and even from moment to moment.

When, through the Divine bestowals, three things appear on earth, this
world of dust will come alive, and stand forth wondrously adorned and full
of grace. These are first, the fruitful winds of spring; second, the
welling plenty of spring clouds; and third, the heat of the bright sun.
When, out of the endless bounty of God, these three have been vouchsafed,
then slowly, by His leave, dry trees and branches turn fresh and green
again, and array themselves with many kinds of blossoms and fruits. It is
the same when the pure intentions and the justice of the ruler, the wisdom
and consummate skill and statecraft of the governing authorities, and the
determination and unstinted efforts of the people, are all combined; then
day by day the effects of the advancement, of the far-reaching reforms, of
the pride and prosperity of government and people alike, will become
clearly manifest.

If, however, by delay and postponement they mean this, that in each
generation only one minute section of the necessary reforms should be
attended to, this is nothing but lethargy and inertia, and no results
would be forthcoming from such a procedure, except the endless repetition
of idle words. If haste is harmful, inertness and indolence are a thousand
times worse. A middle course is best, as it is written: "It is incumbent
upon you to do good between the two evils," this referring to the mean
between the two extremes. "And let not thy hand be tied up to thy neck;
nor yet open it with all openness ... but between these follow a middle
way."(72)

The primary, the most urgent requirement is the promotion of education. It
is inconceivable that any nation should achieve prosperity and success
unless this paramount, this fundamental concern is carried forward. The
principal reason for the decline and fall of peoples is ignorance. Today
the mass of the people are un