on of man. To them that are possessed of true
understanding and insight the Surah of Hud surely sufficeth. Ponder a
while those holy words in your heart, and, with utter detachment, strive
to grasp their meaning. Examine the wondrous behaviour of the Prophets,
and recall the defamations and denials uttered by the children of negation
and falsehood, perchance you may cause the bird of the human heart to wing
its flight away from the abodes of heedlessness and doubt unto the nest of
faith and certainty, and drink deep from the pure waters of ancient
wisdom, and partake of the fruit of the tree of divine knowledge. Such is
the share of the pure in heart of the bread that hath descended from the
realms of eternity and holiness.

Should you acquaint yourself with the indignities heaped upon the Prophets
of God, and apprehend the true causes of the objections voiced by their
oppressors, you will surely appreciate the significance of their position.
Moreover, the more closely you observe the denials of those who have
opposed the Manifestations of the divine attributes, the firmer will be
your faith in the Cause of God. Accordingly, a brief mention will be made
in this Tablet of divers accounts relative to the Prophets of God, that
they may demonstrate the truth that throughout all ages and centuries the
Manifestations of power and glory have been subjected to such heinous
cruelties that no pen dare describe them. Perchance this may enable a few
to cease to be perturbed by the clamour and protestations of the divines
and the foolish of this age, and cause them to strengthen their confidence
and certainty.

Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He
prayerfully exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security
and peace. None, however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His
blessed person such pain and suffering that no one believed He could
survive. How frequently they denied Him, how malevolently they hinted
their suspicion against Him! Thus it hath been revealed: "And as often as
a company of His people passed by Him, they derided Him. To them He said:
'Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at you hereafter even as ye
scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.'"(3) Long afterward, He several
times promised victory to His companions and fixed the hour thereof. But
when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled. This caused a
few among the small number of His followers to t