he Almighty, the Ancient of
Days, until ye entered the Land of Mystery at a time when the fire of
oppression was ablaze and the croaking of the raven of discord had been
raised. Ye are My partners in My tribulations, for ye were present with Us
during the darksome night in which the hearts of those who testify to the
unity of God were agitated. Ye entered this land for the sake of Our love,
and departed therefrom through Our command. By the righteousness of God!
Because of you the earth itself glorieth over heaven. How excellent is
this most sublime, this glorious and exalted bounty! Ye have been deprived
of your nest, O birds of eternity, for the sake of your Lord, the
Unconstrained, but your true abode is beneath the wings of the grace of
the All-Merciful. Blessed are they that understand.

16 O My Dhabih! May the breaths of the spirit waft upon thee and upon such
as have sought communion with thee, inhaled from thee the sweet fragrance
of My presence, and hearkened unto that whereby the hearts of the true
seekers are sanctified. Render thanks unto God inasmuch as thou hast
attained unto the shores of this Most Great Ocean, and give ear to the
very atoms of the earth proclaiming: "This is the Best-Beloved of the
worlds!" The dwellers of the earth have wronged Him and failed to
recognize the One Whose name they ceaselessly invoke. Lost are such as
have remained heedless and have opposed Him for Whose loved ones it would
have behoved them to offer up their lives, how much more for His own
luminous and resplendent Beauty!

17 Be thou patient, though thy heart be consumed in its separation from
God, for He hath granted thee an exalted station in His presence. Nay,
thou art even now standing before His face, and We are imparting unto
thee, through the tongue of might and power, such words as even the ears
of the sincere ones have been deprived of hearing. Say: Were He to utter
but one word, that word alone would exceed in sweetness all the sayings of
men.

18 Had Muhammad, the Apostle of God, attained this Day, He would have
exclaimed: "I have truly recognized Thee, O Thou the Desire of the Divine
Messengers!" Had Abraham attained it, He too, falling prostrate upon the
ground, and in the utmost lowliness before the Lord thy God, would have
cried: "Mine heart is filled with peace, O Thou Lord of all that is in
heaven and on earth! I testify that Thou hast unveiled before mine eyes
all the glory of Thy power and the full m