s none other
than the recognition of God, and loving Him is none other than loving God.
However, I swear by the sublime Essence of God--exalted and glorified be
He--that I did not wish my identity to be known by men, and gave
instructions that My name should be concealed, because I was fully aware
of the incapacity of this people, who are none other than those who have,
in reference to no less a person than the Apostle of God--incomparable as
He hath ever been--remarked, 'He is certainly a lunatic'.(69) If they now
claim to be other than those people, their deeds bear witness to the
falsity of their assertions. That which God testifieth is none other than
what His supreme Testimony testifieth. Were all the peoples of the world
to testify unto a thing and were He to testify unto another, His testimony
will be regarded as God's testimony, while aught else but Him hath been
and will ever be as naught; for it is through His might that a thing
assumeth existence.

Consider the extent of the adherence of these people to matters of faith.
When dealing with their own affairs they are well content with the
testimony of two just witnesses, and yet despite the testimony of so many
righteous men they hesitate to believe in Him Who is the Bearer of the
divine Truth.

"The evidences which the people demanded from the ..."

The evidences which the people demanded from the Apostle of God through
their idle fancy have mostly been rejected in the Qur'an, even as in the
Surih of the Children of Israel [Surih XVII] it hath been revealed: 'And
they say, by no means will we believe on thee till thou cause a fountain
to gush forth for us from the earth; or till thou have a garden of palm
trees and vines, and thou cause rivers to spring forth from the midst
thereof in abundance; or thou cause the heaven to fall down upon us, as
thou hast given out, in pieces; or thou bring God and the angels to vouch
for thee; or thou have a house of gold; or thou ascend to heaven nor will
we believe in thine ascension, till thou send down to us a book which we
may read. Say, Praise be to my Lord! Am I more than a man, an apostle?'

Now be fair! The Arabs uttered such words, and now, prompted by thy
desire, thou dost demand yet other things? What is the difference between
thee and them? If thou dost ponder a while, it will be evident that it is
incumbent upon a lowly servant to acquiesce to whatever proof God hath
appointed, and not to follow his ow