equally
estimated. "If justice is not dealt out, if these oppressions are not
removed and if thou dost not obey God, the foundations of thy government
will be razed, and thou shalt become evanescent, become as nothing. Thou
shouldst gather all the learned men, and then summon Me. There I shall be
present. I will then advance proofs and evidences as to My validity. I
will manifest My proof and anything that you may ask. I am ready. But if
no attention is paid to this book, thou, like unto the kings who became
nonexistent, shalt likewise become nonexistent." The _Sh_ah did not answer
this Epistle of the Blessed Perfection. Then God destroyed the foundations
of his sovereignty.

Among those to whom Baha'u'llah wrote was the Sultan of Turkey. In it He
arraigned him, saying, "Verily, thou didst incarcerate and make Me a
prisoner. Dost thou imagine that imprisonment is a loss to Me, that
imprisonment is a humiliation for Me? This imprisonment is a glory for Me
because it is in the pathway of God. I have not committed a crime. It is
for the sake of God that I have received this ordeal. Therefore, I am very
happy; I am exceedingly joyous. But thou must wait; God will send thee a
punishment; thou shalt receive retribution. Erelong thou shalt observe how
ordeals shall descend upon thee like rain, and thou shalt become
nonexistent." And even so it was.

Likewise, He sent messages to the other kings and crowned heads of the
earth, summoning all of them to love, equity, international peace and the
oneness of humanity in order that mankind might become unified and agreed;
that strife, warfare and sedition should pass away; that bitterness and
enmity might cease and all arise to serve the one God.

In brief, two kings arose against Baha'u'llah: the _Sh_ah of Persia and
the Sultan of Turkey. They imprisoned Him in the fortress of Akka in order
to extinguish His light and exterminate His Cause. But Baha'u'llah while
in prison wrote severe letters of arraignment to them. He declared that
imprisonment was no obstacle to Him. He said, "This imprisonment will
prove to be the means of the promotion of My Cause. This imprisonment
shall be the incentive for the spreading of My teachings. No harm shall
come to Me because I have sacrificed My life, I have sacrificed My blood,
I have sacrificed My possessions, I have sacrificed all and for Me this
imprisonment is no loss." And just as He declared, so it came to pass. In
prison He hoisted His b