r the father of Badi. They arrested that wronged one, and ordered
him to curse and revile his Faith. He, however, through the grace of God
and the mercy of his Lord, chose martyrdom, and attained thereunto. If ye
would reckon up the martyrs in the path of God, ye could not count them.
Consider his honor Siyyid Isma'il--upon him be the peace of God, and His
loving-kindness--how, before daybreak he was wont to dust, with his own
turban, the doorstep of My house, and in the end, whilst standing on the
banks of the river, with his eyes fixed on that same house, offered up, by
his own hand, his life.

Do thou ponder on the penetrative influence of the Word of God. Every
single one of these souls was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his
faith, yet none was found to prefer his own will to the Will of God.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! In former times he that was chosen to be slain was but one
person, whereas now this Wronged One hath produced for thee that which
causeth every fair-minded man to marvel. Judge fairly, I adjure thee, and
arise to serve thy Lord. He, verily, shall reward thee with a reward which
neither the treasures of the earth nor all the possessions of kings and
rulers can equal. In all thine affairs put thy reliance in God, and commit
them unto Him. He will render thee a reward which the Book hath ordained
as great. Occupy thyself, during these fleeting days of thy life, with
such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Divine good pleasure, and will
be adorned with the ornament of His acceptance. The acts of his honor,
Balal, the Ethiopian, were so acceptable in the sight of God that the
"sin" of his stuttering tongue excelled the "_sh_in" pronounced by all the
world. This is the day whereon all peoples should shed the light of unity
and concord. In brief, the pride and vanity of certain of the peoples of
the world have made havoc of true understanding, and laid waste the home
of justice and of equity.

O _Sh_ay_kh_! That which hath touched this Wronged One is beyond compare
or equal. We have borne it all with the utmost willingness and
resignation, so that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word of God
be exalted. While confined in the prison of the Land of Mim (Mazindaran)
We were one day delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst well
imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some time happen to visit the
dungeon of His Majesty the _Sh_ah, ask the director and chief jailer to
show thee those two chains