s ago; and ever
since the inception of the Cause of thy Lord I have warned thee to fear
God and not to be of the ignorant. I despatched a messenger unto thee with
a truly resplendent Tablet, but the followers of the devil turned him away
disdainfully and interposed themselves between him and thee. They expelled
him from the land whereof thou art the undisputed sovereign. Thus hath the
good of this world and of the next escaped thee, unless thou submit to the
commandment ordained by God and be of them that are rightly guided.

On My return from the sacred House of God(6) I sent thee a Message similar
to, nay even greater than the one I had previously sent unto thee. Indeed
God is the best protector and witness. I despatched a messenger unto thee
with Epistles revealed by Me, that thou mightest obey the command of God
and not be of them that have repudiated the Truth. The oppressor, however,
committed a thing the like of which no one would commit, not even any of
the wicked, nor anyone among the vile wrong-doers...

The tribulations which I have suffered in this land, no one of old hath
suffered. Verily unto God shall revert the whole affair, and He in truth
is the best protector and is cognizant of all. The things which have, from
the first day till now, befallen Me at the hand of thy people are but the
work of Satan.(7) Ever since the Cause of thy Lord hath appeared none of
thy deeds hath been acceptable, and thou hast been lost in palpable error
while all thou couldst see appeared to thee as deeds performed for the
sake of thy Lord. In truth thy day is nigh at hand and thou shalt be
questioned concerning all this, and assuredly God is not heedless of the
deeds of the wicked.

Had it not been for thee, thy supporters would not have disdainfully
rejected Me, though they have gone more widely astray than the foolish.

Dost thou imagine him whom thou hast appointed Chancellor in thy kingdom
to be the best leader and the best supporter? Nay, I swear by thy Lord. He
will bring thee into grievous trouble by reason of that which Satan
instilleth in his heart, and verily, he himself is Satan. He comprehendeth
not a single letter from the Book of God and is seized with fear by reason
of that which his hands have wrought. Fain would he extinguish the light
which thy Lord hath kindled, so that the old impiety which is concealed in
his inner being may not be revealed. Hadst thou not appointed him as thy
Chancellor no one would ha