23. Part Two — 3
1Furthermore, by sovereignty is meant the prevalence and power of His Holiness over all the contingent things, whether it appears in the material world with an outward predominance or not. This depends upon His Own Will and Desire. But it is evident to your Honor that the purpose of sovereignty, wealth, life, death, revival and resurrection as recorded in the former Books, is not that which these people conceive and apprehend in this day; nay rather, by dominion is intended the dominion which appears during the days of the manifestation of each one of the Suns of Truth by Himself in Himself. It is that inward authority by which they prevail over all in the heavens and earth, and which afterward appears in the phenomenal world according to the capacity of the world, time and creatures. For instance, the sovereignty of His Holiness the Messenger (Mohammed) is now evident and manifest among people, whereas in the beginning, His Cause was as you have heard. How the people of unbelief and error the divines of that age and their followers afflicted that essence of Intuition and quintessence of Character! What thorns and refuse were strewn in the pathway of His Holiness! It is evident that according to their wicked and satanic imaginations, those persons considered injury to that Temple of Eternity conducive to their salvation. For all the learned of the age, such as Abdallah Obei, Abu-Amer the hermit, Ka'ab-Ibn-Ashraf and Nazr'Ibn-Harith falsely denied Him and accused Him of madness and calumny; such accusations that God forbids the ink to flow, the pen to move, or the page to speak in their mention. Yea, these accusations caused people to oppress His Holiness. It is evident and clear what will befall one whom the divines of the age reject, repudiate and consider faithless. It hath been seen what hath befallen this servant. Therefore His Holiness said: "No prophet has been persecuted as I have been persecuted." The accusations they made and the injuries they inflicted upon His Holiness are all mentioned in the Koran; refer thereto that thou mayest be informed of the occurrences. Finally it became so difficult for His Holiness that for some time none held intercourse with Him and His companions, and the utmost injury was inflicted upon whomsoever went into His presence.
2In this connection We mention one verse. If thou dost open the eye of discernment, thou wilt mourn and lament all thy life over the oppression of His Holiness. This verse was revealed at a time when His Holiness was greatly dejected and depressed by the violence of calamities and opposition. Gabriel descended from the Sadrat-El-Muntaha of Nearness and chanted this verse: "If their aversion (to thy admonitions) be grievous unto thee if thou canst, seek out a cave (whereby thou mayest penetrate) in (the inmost part of) the earth, or a ladder (by which thou mayest ascend) into heaven" (K. S. 6). The import of this utterance is that there is no remedy and they will not withhold their hands from thee unless thou dost hide thyself underground or flee to heaven.
3Consider in this day how many rulers bow down before the name of His Holiness and how many countries and the inhabitants thereof abide under His shadow, glorying in their relationship to Him and mentioning that blessed name with profound reverence and respect from pulpits and minarets! Even those kings who have not entered His shadow and have not cast away the garment of unbelief, confess and acknowledge the greatness and majesty of that Sun of Providence. This is the outward kingdom which thou seest. This sovereignty will necessarily appear and be established for all the Prophets either during their lives or after their ascension to the Ideal Abode, as is witnessed in the present day. But that Dominion which is intended, is forever and ever revolving around them, is always with them and not separated from them for a moment. It is that Inner Dominion which hath encompassed all in the heavens and earth.
4The following is one instance of that Dominion which appeared from that Sun of Oneness. Hast thou not heard how through one verse He distinguished between light and darkness, the righteous and the wicked, the faithful and the infidel? By the revelation of the same verse, all the signs and indications of the Day of Judgment of which thou hast heard, such as resurrection, revival, opening of the Book, and others became manifest. This revealed verse was also a mercy to the righteous; that is, to those who, hearing, said: "O our Lord, we heard and we obeyed." Likewise it became a punishment to the wicked; that is, to those who, hearing, said: "We heard and we disobeyed." It was as the sword of God to separate the faithful from the infidel; father from son. Thou hast seen how those who acknowledged and those who rejected sought after each other's lives and property! How many fathers turned away from sons and how many lovers shunned their beloved! This wonderful sword was so keen and trenchant that it cut asunder every relationship. On the other hand, it united them; for it hath been witnessed that a multitude of people, among whom the Satan of self had for years sown seeds of rancor and hostility, became so united and harmonious through faith in this wonderful and impregnable Cause that it seemed as if they had sprung from the same loins. Thus God unites the hearts of those who are sincerely devoted to Him, believe in His signs, and are of those who drink from the Kawther of Grace through the Hands of Might. Moreover, how many people of different beliefs, creeds and customs have been clothed with the new garment of Oneness through this breeze of the Rizwan of Divinity and Spring-garden of Ideal Sanctity, and have drunk the cup of Singleness!