XIX

XIX

The legions of the world cannot withstand this mighty Army. Its weapons are divine knowledge and assurance, and its sword is its world-encircling light. Physical powers are capable of resisting earthly armies but are impotent before the onslaught of the hosts of heaven. Thousands of times this hath been tried and proven.

The wicked people of Th̲amúd who manifested fierce hostility towards Ṣáliḥ were unable to withstand His indomitable power. Likewise, the tribes of ‘Ad perpetrated revolting outrages, but the spiritual sword of Húd remained unsheathed and the divinely kindled light proved unquenchable. Although the clash of the arms of the wretched Nimrod reached the ears of all peoples, he failed to suppress the glory of Abraham. The misguided Copts marshalled their troops against Moses, yet could not engage Him in battle. The Jews who gainsaid God’s Cause aroused violent commotion, regarded the Beauty of the Promised One¹⁶ as a fire no longer bright, stirred up fierce opposition, and launched a campaign of attacks and aggression against Him, but in the end their opposition proved of no avail. The leaders of Ḥijáz inflicted grievous ordeals and atrocities upon the Prince of Mecca,¹⁷ tormented and injured Him as much as it lay in their power, until their assaults grew so vehement that the Lord of the righteous migrated unto Medina, where He proclaimed the Word of God. Later, various kindreds and peoples leagued themselves together, waged tribal war, and encircled that focal Centre of Light from every direction, but failed to subdue Him. This is but a brief account of past experiences.

Nevertheless, it is highly deplorable that subsequent generations, wholly unaware of this outstanding truth, still seek to oppose the Beauty of the Promised One with utter heedlessness. They have armed themselves with a myriad darts of iniquity and swords of transgression and are engaged in unrelenting attacks. Erelong will they realize the grievous mistake they have committed.

They seek to compress the unlimited ocean; they try to stop forthwith the wondrous outpourings of the vernal showers. But alas for them! The reviving breeze that bloweth from the direction of the Abhá Kingdom cannot be halted, and the musk-laden fragrance of faithfulness that wafteth from the rose-garden of the All-Glorious can never be arrested.

During the ministry of Christ, the Cause of God did not pass beyond the regions of Jerusalem. Whatever else was achieved came afterwards. Likewise, in the days of the Prince of Mecca—may the souls of the favoured ones of God be offered up for His sake—the reputation of His sublime Faith was confined to the boundaries of Ḥijáz. However, the fame of this glorious Cause reached the East and the West during the lifetime of the Blessed Beauty, and Tablets were revealed for the crowned heads of the world.

This blameworthy people have already heard and learned how the wicked grievously failed in their opposition towards the Prince of the righteous, yet they are still heedless. This blessed, this mighty Cause which hath stirred the whole earth to its foundation cannot be restrained by the hostility that these bands of weaklings have unleashed. Erelong will they find themselves in manifest loss.