n had I wrought every good deed, none would
be of any avail, and had I earned every honour and glory, none would serve
to exalt me.

I earnestly beseech Thee then, O my God, to graciously bestow Thy
good-pleasure upon me when Thou dost cause me to ascend unto Thee and make
me appear before Thy holy presence, inasmuch as Thou hast, from
everlasting, been the God of immense bounty unto the people of Thy realm,
and the Lord of most excellent gifts to all that dwell in the exalted
heaven of Thine omnipotence.

"How numerous the souls raised to life who were exposed ..."

How numerous the souls raised to life who were exposed to dire humiliation
in Thy Path for exalting Thy Word and for glorifying Thy divine Unity! How
profuse the blood that hath been shed for the sake of Thy Faith to
vindicate the authenticity of Thy divine Mission and to celebrate Thy
praise! How vast the possessions that were wrongfully seized in the Path
of Thy love in order to affirm the loftiness of Thy sanctity and to extol
Thy glorious Name! How many the feet that have trodden upon the dust in
order to magnify Thy holy Word and to extol Thy glory! How innumerable the
voices that were raised in lamentation, the hearts that were struck with
terror, the grievous woes that none other than Thee can reckon, and the
adversities and afflictions that remain inscrutable to anyone except
Thyself; all this to establish, O my God, the loftiness of Thy sanctity
and to demonstrate the transcendent character of Thy glory.

These decrees were ordained by Thee so that all created things might bear
witness that they have been brought into being for the sake of naught else
but Thee. Thou hast withheld from them the things that bring tranquillity
to their hearts, that they might know of a certainty that whatever is
associated with Thy holy Being is far superior to and exalted above aught
else that would satisfy them; inasmuch as Thine indomitable power
pervadeth all things, and nothing can ever frustrate it.

Indeed Thou hast caused these momentous happenings to come to pass that
those who are endued with perception may readily recognize that they were
ordained by Thee to demonstrate the loftiness of Thy divine Unity and to
affirm the exaltation of Thy sanctity.

"Glory be unto Thee, O Lord! Although Thou mayest ..."

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord! Although Thou mayest cause a person to be
destitute of all earthly possessions, and from the beginning of