ndant the thorns and briars which they have strewn
over His path! It is evident that that wretched generation, in their
wicked and satanic fancy, regarded every injury to that immortal Being as
a means to the attainment of an abiding felicity; inasmuch as the
recognized divines of that age, such as 'Abdu'llah-i-Ubayy, Abu'Amir, the
hermit, Ka'b-ibn-i-A_sh_raf, and Nadr-ibn-i-Hari_th_, all treated Him as
an impostor, and pronounced Him a lunatic and a calumniator. Such sore
accusations they brought against Him that in recounting them God
forbiddeth the ink to flow, Our pen to move, or the page to bear them.
These malicious imputations provoked the people to arise and torment Him.
And how fierce that torment, if the divines of the age be its chief
instigators, if they denounce Him to their followers, cast Him out from
their midst, and declare Him a miscreant! Hath not the same befallen this
Servant, and been witnessed by all?

For this reason did Muhammad cry out: "No Prophet of God hath suffered
such harm as I have suffered." And in the Qur'an are recorded all the
calumnies and reproaches uttered against Him, as well as all the
afflictions which He suffered. Refer ye thereunto, that haply ye may be
informed of that which hath befallen His Revelation. So grievous was His
plight, that for a time all ceased to hold intercourse with Him and His
companions. Whoever associated with Him fell a victim to the relentless
cruelty of His enemies....

Consider, how great is the change today! Behold, how many are the
Sovereigns who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and
kingdoms who have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to
His Faith, and pride themselves therein! From the pulpit-top there
ascendeth today the words of praise which, in utter lowliness, glorify His
blessed name; and from the heights of minarets there resoundeth the call
that summoneth the concourse of His people to adore Him. Even those Kings
of the earth who have refused to embrace His Faith and to put off the
garment of unbelief, none-the-less confess and acknowledge the greatness
and overpowering majesty of that Day Star of loving-kindness. Such is His
earthly sovereignty, the evidences of which thou dost on every side
behold. This sovereignty must needs be revealed and established either in
the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His
true habitation in the realms above....

It is evident that t