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Me witness, and every atom in existence is moved to testify that such
means as lead to the elevation, the advancement, the education, the
protection and the regeneration of the peoples of the earth have been
clearly set forth by Us and are revealed in the Holy Books and Tablets by
the Pen of Glory.
We entreat God to graciously aid His servants. What this Wronged One doth
expect from everyone is justice and fairness. Let no one be content with
mere hearing; rather doth it behove everyone to ponder that which this
Wronged One hath revealed. I swear by the Day-Star of utterance, shining
above the horizon of the Kingdom of the All-Merciful, had there been any
expounder or speaker discernible, We would not have made Ourself the
object of the censure, ridicule and slander of the people.
Upon Our arrival in ‘Iráq We found the Cause of God sunk in deep apathy
and the breeze of divine revelation stilled. Most of the believers were
faint and dispirited, nay utterly lost and dead. Hence there was a second
blast on the Trumpet, whereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these
blessed words: ‘We have sounded the Trumpet for the second time.’ Thus the
whole world was quickened through the vitalizing breaths of divine
revelation and inspiration.
Certain souls have now sallied forth from behind the veils, intent on
inflicting harm upon this Wronged One. They have hindered and denied the
outpouring of this priceless bounty.
O ye that judge with fairness! If this Cause is to be denied then what
other cause in this world can be vindicated or deemed worthy of
acceptance?
Such as have turned away from the Cause of God are diligently seeking to
collect the Holy Writings of this Revelation; and they have already,
through gestures of friendship, managed to secure certain of these
Writings from those who held them in their possession. Moreover, when they
meet the followers of any religion, they hold themselves out as believers
therein. Say, die ye in your wrath! Verily He hath appeared with so great
an authority that no man of vision, of hearing, of insight, of justice or
of equity can ever deny Him. Unto this beareth witness in this resplendent
Hour the Pen of Him Who is the Ancient of Days.
O Jalíl! Upon thee be My glory. We exhort the loved ones of God to perform
good deeds that perchance they may be graciously assisted and may hold
fast to that which hath been sent down from the heaven of His Revelation.
The benefits arising from this divine utterance shall fall upon such as
observe His precepts. We beseech God to enable them to do that which is
pleasing and acceptable unto Him, to grant that they may deal equitably
and may observe justice in this all-compelling Cause, to acquaint them
with His Holy Writings and to direct their steps towards His straight
Path.
Our Exalted Herald—may the life of all else besides Him be offered up for
His sake—hath revealed certain laws. However, in the realm of His
Revelation these laws were made subject to Our sanction, hence this
Wronged One hath put some of them into effect by embodying them in the
Kitáb-i-Aqdas in different words. Others We set aside. He holdeth in His
hand the authority. He doeth what He willeth and He ordaineth whatsoever
He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the All-Praised. There are also
ordinances newly revealed. Blessed are they that attain. Blessed are they
that observe His precepts.
The people of God should make the utmost endeavour that perchance the fire
of hatred and malice which smouldereth in the breasts of kindreds and
peoples may, through the living waters of utterance and the exhortations
of Him Who is the Desire of the world, be quenched and the trees of human
existence may be adorned with wondrous and excellent fruit. He is, in
truth, the Admonisher, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.
May the brightness of His glory shining above the horizon of bounty rest
upon you, O people of Bahá, upon every one who standeth firm and steadfast
and upon those that are well grounded in the Faith and are endued with
true understanding.
As to thy question concerning interest and profit on gold and silver: Some
years ago the following passage was revealed from the heaven of the
All-Merciful in honour of the one who beareth the name of God, entitled
Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín(49)—upon him be the glory of the Most Glorious.
He—exalted be His Word—saith: Many people stand in need of this. Because
if there were no prospect for gaining interest, the affairs of men would
suffer collapse or dislocation. One can seldom find a person who would
manifest such consideration towards his fellow-man, his countryman or
towards his own brother and would show such tender solicitude for him as
to be well-disposed to grant him a loan on benevolent terms.(50) Therefore
as a token of favour towards men We have prescribed that interest on money
should be treated like other business transactions that are current
amongst men. Thus, now that this lucid commandment hath descended from the
heaven of the Will of God, it is lawful and proper to charge interest on
money, that the people of the world may, in a spirit of amity and
fellowship and with joy and gladness, devotedly engage themselves in
magnifying the Name of Him Who is the Well-Beloved of all mankind. Verily
He ordaineth according to His Own choosing. He hath now made interest on
money lawful, even as He had made it unlawful in the past. Within His
grasp He holdeth the kingdom of authority. He doeth and ordaineth. He is
in truth the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
Render thou thanks unto thy Lord, O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabín, for this manifest
bounty.
Many ecclesiastics in Persia have, through innumerable designs and
devices, been feeding on illicit gains obtained by usury. They have
contrived ways to give its outward form a fair semblance of lawfulness.