raised by their opponents,
claim that the Torah and the Gospel have been corrupted, whereas in
reality the references to such corruption pertain only to specific
cases.(51) But for the repudiation of the foolish and the connivance of
the divines, I would have uttered a discourse that would have thrilled and
carried away the hearts unto a realm from the murmur of whose winds can be
heard: "No God is there but He!" For the present, however, since the
season is not ripe, the tongue of My utterance hath been stilled and the
wine of exposition sealed up until such time as God, through the power of
His might, shall please to unseal it. He, verily, is the Almighty, the
Most Powerful.

250 Praise be unto Thee, O Lord My God! I ask Thee by Thy Name, through
which Thou hast subdued all who are in the heavens and all who are on the
earth, to protect the lamp of Thy Cause within the globe of Thine
omnipotence and Thy bountiful favour, lest it be exposed to the blasts of
denial from those who remain heedless of the mysteries of Thy name, the
Unconstrained. Increase, then, by the oil of Thy wisdom, the radiance of
its light. Thou, verily, hast power over all the dwellers of Thine earth
and of Thy heaven.

251 I implore Thee, O My Lord, by that most exalted Word which hath struck
terror into the hearts of all who are in the heavens and on the earth,
save only those who have taken fast hold of Thy Sure Handle, not to
abandon Me amidst Thy creatures. Lift Me up, then, unto Thyself, cause Me
to enter beneath the shadow of Thy mercy, and give Me to drink of the pure
wine of Thy providence, that I may dwell within the tabernacle of Thy
majesty and beneath the canopy of Thy favour. Potent art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

252 O King! The lamps of equity have been extinguished, and the fire of
tyranny hath so blazed on every side that My people have been led as
captives from Zawra'(52) to Mosul, known as Hadba'. This is not the first
outrage that hath been suffered in the path of God. It behoveth every soul
to consider and call to mind that which befell the kindred of the Prophet
when the people took them captive and brought them unto Damascus, known as
Fayha'. Amongst them was the prince of them that worship God, the mainstay
of such as have drawn nigh unto Him, and the sanctuary of those who long
for His presence--may the life of all else be a sacrifice unto him!(53)

253 They