will make him wholly
devoted to God and enable him to utter His praise, turn himself toward Him
and to put his whole trust in Him. Verily He is the Potent, the Forgiving,
the Merciful. Praised be God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

This lowly one hath read the descriptions of the dialogue with the
traveller which thou hast recounted in thy letter to my Lord, may my life
be offered up for His sake. The explanations which were set forth awaken
the people from the slumber of heedlessness. Indeed the actions of man
himself breed a profusion of satanic power. For were men to abide by and
observe the divine teachings, every trace of evil would be banished from
the face of the earth. However, the widespread differences that exist
among mankind and the prevalence of sedition, contention, conflict and the
like are the primary factors which provoke the appearance of the satanic
spirit. Yet the Holy Spirit hath ever shunned such matters. A world in
which naught can be perceived save strife, quarrels and corruption is
bound to become the seat of the throne, the very metropolis, of Satan.

How vast the number of the loved and chosen ones of God who have lamented
and moaned by day and by night that haply a sweet and fragrant breeze
might blow from the court of His good-pleasure and dispel altogether the
loathsome and foul-smelling odours from the world. However, this ultimate
goal could not be attained, and men were deprived thereof by virtue of
their evil deeds, which brought upon them the retribution of God, in
accordance with the basic principles of His divine rule. Ours is the duty
to remain patient in these circumstances until relief be forthcoming from
God, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord of all beings and Desire of all created
things! I beseech Thee, by the Word which hath caused the Burning Bush to
lift up its Voice and the Rock to cry out, whereby the well-favoured have
hastened to attain the court of Thy presence and the pure in heart the
dayspring of the light of Thy countenance, and by the sighing of Thy true
lovers in their separation from Thy chosen ones and by the lamentation of
them that long to behold Thy face before the dawning splendour of the
light of Thy Revelation, to graciously enable Thy servants to recognize
what Thou hast ordained for them by Thy bounty and Thy grace. Prescribe
for them then through Thy Pen of Glory that which will direct their steps
to the ocean of Thy genero