18. Part One — 17

1Such contradictions and oppositions have been among the people in every age and cycle. They have ever been occupied with vain sayings, that a certain sign hath not appeared and another hath not come to pass. Such diseases affected them only because of adherence to the divines of the age in their approval or denial of these pure Essences and Divine Temples. The divines being submerged in selfish conditions and engaged in paltry and evanescent affairs, found these Immortal Suns contrary to their learning and understanding and opposed to their judgment and decision. They also interpreted and explained the meanings of the Divine words and the traditions and records of the "Letters of Unity" literally, according to their own understanding. So they bereft and deprived both themselves and the people from the shower of Divine Grace and Mercy. Yet they acknowledge the well-known tradition which says "Our Word is arduous and intricate." It is also said in another place, "Verily our matter is arduous and intricate; no one can bear it except an angel of Nearness, a Prophet sent or a servant whose heart God hath tested for faith." They know to a certainty that none of these three is true concerning them. As to the first two, this is clear; as to the third, they have never been proof against the tests of God, and at the appearance of the Divine Touchstone they showed forth nothing but alloy.

2Praise be to God! Notwithstanding their knowledgment of this tradition, these divines, who are still in uncertainty and doubt regarding religious questions, nevertheless claim knowledge of the abstruse questions of Divine principles and the essential mysteries of the Words of Holiness. They assert that such and such a tradition which is one of the signs of the appearance of Gha'im (Mahdi), is not yet fulfilled, while they have not apprehended a scent of the meanings of traditions; unconscious that all the signs have appeared, that the "bridge of the Command" is extended and that the faithful are crossing it with the swiftness of lightning; while they are still expecting the appearance of the signs. Say, O Concourse of the ignorant, await ye, even as those before ye are awaiting!

3Were one to question them concerning the fact that among the signs of the manifestation of subsequent Prophets recorded in the verses of former Books, some relate to the appearance and rise of the Mohammedic Sun already mentioned; and as none of these signs hath literally come to pass, therefore by what proof and argument do they reject the Christians and similar nations, and declare them as infidels? finding themselves unable to answer, they cling to this, that these Books have been interpolated and that they are not and have not been from God; although the words of the verse testify to its being from God. The tenor of this same verse is also in the Koran; were ye of those who know! Truly I say, during this time they have not understood what is meant by interpolation.

4Yea, in the revealed verses and in the utterances of the Ahmadic Mirrors (Imams), there is mention made of "alteration by the self-exalting ones" and "interpolation by the proud ones;" but these are spoken of in connection with special instances. Among them is the story of Ibn-Souria (a Jewish Rabbi). When the people of Khaibar questioned the Point of the Koran (Mohammed) concerning the sentence against adultery committed between a married man and a married woman, His Holiness said that the sentence of God is stoning. They contradicted Him, saying "there is no such command in the Pentateuch." His Holiness said: "Among your Rabbis, whom do you consider an authority and whose words do you acknowledge?" They agreed upon Ibn-Souria. His Holiness summoned him and said: "I adjure thee by God who cleft the sea for you, sent down manna for you, overshadowed you by the cloud, delivered you from Pharaoh and his people and exalted you above men to tell us that which Moses hath ordained concerning the sentence against adultery between a married man and a married woman." He replied, "O Mohammed, it is stoning." His Holiness said, "Why then is this sentence abolished and not enforced among the Jews?" He replied, "When Nebuchadnezzar burned Jerusalem and put the Jews to death, only a small number survived. The divines of that age, considering the small number of the Jews and the multitude of the Amalekites, assembled in consultation and concluded that should they act according to the decree of the Pentateuch, even those who had escaped from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar would be destroyed by the verdict of the Book. For this reason they entirely set aside the death penalty."

5Meanwhile Gabriel descended to His enlightened heart and submitted this verse, "They have transposed words from one place to another" (K. S. 4).