"The Cause is manifest, it shineth resplendent as the sun, but the people have become veils unto themselves."

 

photo by Trina Ridvan

The disbelievers among the people of the Bayán are like the followers of the Shí‘ih sect and walk in their footsteps. Leave them to their idle fancies and vain imaginings. They are in truth accounted with the lost in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Shí‘ih divines, one and all, are now engaged in reviling and denouncing the True One from their pulpits. Gracious God! Dawlat-Ábádí ¹⁰ too hath followed suit. He ascended the pulpit and gave voice to that which hath caused the Tablet to cry out in anguish and the Pen to wail. Meditate upon his conduct and the conduct of Ashraf ¹¹—upon him be My glory and My tender mercy—and likewise consider those loved ones who hastened to the place of martyrdom in My Name, and offered up their lives in the path of Him Who is the Desire of the world.

The Cause is manifest, it shineth resplendent as the sun, but the people have become veils unto themselves. We entreat God that He may graciously assist them to return unto Him. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

(Tablets of Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/808915679

10. Mírzá Hádí Dawlat-Ábádí, one of the divines of Iṣfáhán, who became a follower of the Báb, later supported Mírzá Yaḥyá, and was appointed his representative in Írán and his successor. During the persecutions against the Bábís he recanted his faith.

11. Mírzá Ashraf, who was martyred in the city of Iṣfáhán. (See God Passes By, Chapter XII, paragraph beginning “Mullá ‘Alí Ján was conducted on foot from Mázindarán to Tihrán…”.)