O peoples of
the earth! Give ear unto God's holy Voice proclaimed by this
Arabian Youth
Whom the Almighty hath graciously chosen for His Own Self.
He is indeed
none other than the True One, Whom God hath entrusted with
this Mission
from the midst of the Burning Bush. O Qurratu'l-`Ayn! Unravel
what Thou pleasest
from the secrets of the All-Glorious, for the ocean is
surging high
at the behest of the incomparable Lord. Chapter XXIV.
-- The Báb,
Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 50
O peoples of
the earth! Cleave ye tenaciously to the Cord of the All-Highest
God, which
is but this Arabian Youth, Our Remembrance--He Who standeth
concealed at
the point of ice amidst the ocean of fire. Chapter XXIX.
O people of
the earth! By the righteousness of the One true God, I am the
Maid of Heaven
begotten by the Spirit of Bahá, abiding within the Mansion
hewn out of
a mass of ruby, tender and vibrant; and in this mighty Paradise
naught have
I ever witnessed save that which proclaimeth the Remembrance
of God by extolling
the virtues of this Arabian Youth.
Verily there is none
other God but
your Lord, the All-Merciful. Magnify ye, then, His station,
for behold,
He is poised in the midmost heart of the All-Highest Paradise
as the embodiment
of the praise of God in the Tabernacle wherein His
glorification
is intoned.
-- The Báb,
Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 54
Abú-`Abdi'lláh,
questioned concerning the character of the Mihdí, answered
saying: "He
will perform that which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, hath
performed,
and will demolish whatever hath been before Him even as the
Messenger of
God hath demolished the ways of those that preceded Him."...
In the "Aválím,"
an authoritative and well-known book, it is recorded: "A
Youth from
Baní-Háshim shall be made manifest, Who will reveal a new
Book and
promulgate
a new law;" then follow these words: "Most of His enemies will be
the divines."...
In another passage,
it is related of Sádiq, son of Muhammad, that he spoke the
following:
"There shall appear a Youth from Baní-Háshim, Who will bid
the people
plight fealty
unto Him. His Book will be a new Book, unto which He shall summon
the people
to pledge their faith. Stern is His Revelation unto the Arab. If ye
hear about
Him, hasten unto Him." How well have they followed the directions of
the Imáms
of the Faith and Lamps of certitude! Although it is clearly stated:
"Were ye to
hear that a Youth from Baní-Háshim hath appeared, summoning
the
people unto
a new and Divine Book, and to new and Divine laws, hasten unto Him,"
yet have they
all declared that Lord of being an infidel, and pronounced Him a
heretic....
And now, consider
this other tradition, and observe how all these things have
been foretold.
In "Arbá'in" it is recorded: "Out of Baní-Háshim there
shall come
forth a Youth
Who shall reveal new laws. He shall summon the people unto Him,
but none will
heed His call. Most of His enemies will be the divines. His bidding
they will not
obey, but will protest saying: `This is contrary to that which hath
been handed
down unto us by the Imáms of the Faith.'" In this day, all are
repeating these
very same words, utterly unaware that He is established upon the
throne of "He
doeth whatsoever He willeth," and abideth upon the seat of "He
ordaineth whatsoever
He pleaseth."
-- Bahá'u'lláh,
The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 240-243