"Erelong shall God draw forth, out of the bosom of power, the hands of ascendancy and might, and shall raise up a people who will arise to win victory for this Youth and who will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly. These hands will gird up their loins to champion the Faith of God, and will, in My name the Self-Subsistent, the Mighty, subdue the peoples and kindreds of the earth. They will enter the cities and will inspire with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants. Such are the evidences of the might of God; how fearful, how vehement is His might, and how justly doth He wield it! He, verily, ruleth and transcendeth all who are in the heavens and on the earth, and revealeth what He desireth according to a prescribed measure."
Comments:
• We explored the historical background associated with the metaphor of drawing forth “out of the bosom” in the comments portion associated with Paragraph 1.23.
• In this paragraph Baha’u’llah makes a reference to the appearance of “a people”, raised by God, who “will arise to win victory” for Baha’u’llah and who “will purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly.” Let’s consult the Writings to see how we could enrich our understanding about these two groups of people, the ungodly and the outcasts. Before we do it, let’s remind ourselves that all we could do is to “strive” to gain a better perspective on such issues in light of the explanations provided in the Writings and that this “learning” process has no end, as Baha’u’llah has stated: “Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth for ever, thou must, likewise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted. They who are its appointed interpreters, they whose hearts are the repositories of its secrets, are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom.” (Baha'u’llah, Gleanings LXXXIX) And, that furthermore, Baha’u’llah has said: “"Verily I say! No one hath apprehended the root of this Cause. It is incumbent upon everyone, in this day, to perceive with the eye of God, and to hearken with His ear. Whoso beholdeth Me with an eye besides Mine own will never be able to know Me. (Baha’u’llah, quoted by Shoghi Effendi inThe Advent of Divine Justice, p. 77)
• Responding to a question raised by one of the believers about a passage in the Tablet of Ahmad concerning the phrase to 'eschew all fellowship with the ungodly”, the Guardian explained that: "In the passage 'eschew all fellowship with the ungodly’, Bahá'u'lláh means that we should shun the company of those who disbelieve in God and are wayward. The word 'ungodly' is a reference to such perverse people. (Shoghi Effendi: Dawn of a New Day, p. 200; Lights of Guidance, p. 483)
• A review of some passages from the Writings will further help us appreciate the context in which the word “ungodly” is used. It appears that the phrase “ungodly” could be a reference to individuals, things, or vices. These passages are summarized below:
Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 28)
Guard it within the globe of trust and detachment from all else but God, so that the evil whisperings of the ungodly may not extinguish its light. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 325)
Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants have left their homes in their longing to meet Thee, and how they have been hindered by the ungodly from looking upon Thy face, and from circumambulating the sanctuary of Thy grandeur. (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 18)
Thou seest, therefore, O Thou Beloved of the world, Him Who is dear to Thee in the clutches of such as have denied Thee, and beholdest Thy heart's desire under the swords of the ungodly (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 40)
The source of all evil is for man to turn away from his Lord and set his heart on things ungodly.(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 156)
O would that that which interveneth between the children of men and their Creator were dispelled that they might be enabled to behold God's invincible sovereignty and dominion, quaff from the wellspring of His heavenly streams, be sprinkled with the outpourings of the ocean of true understanding and be purged from the defilements of the ungodly and the suspicious. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 186)
At this moment We call to remembrance Our loved ones and bring them the joyous tidings of God's unfailing grace and of the things that have been provided for them in My lucid Book. Ye have tolerated the censure of the enemies for the sake of My love and have steadfastly endured in My Path the grievous cruelties which the ungodly have inflicted upon you. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 246)
Obey ye My commandments, and follow not the ungodly, they who have been reckoned as sinners in God's Holy Tablet. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 43)
Hast thou not heard how with one single verse He hath sundered light from darkness, the righteous from the ungodly, and the believing from the infidel? (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 111)
Treasure the companionship of the righteous and eschew all fellowship with the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
O YE SONS OF SPIRIT!
Ye are My treasury, for in you I have treasured the pearls of My mysteries and the gems of My knowledge. Guard them from the strangers amidst My servants and from the ungodly amongst My people. (Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words)
The company of the ungodly increaseth sorrow, whilst fellowship with the righteous cleanseth the rust from off the heart. (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
O SON OF DUST!
Beware! Walk not with the ungodly and seek not fellowship with him, for such companionship turneth the radiance of the heart into infernal fire (Baha'u'llah, The Persian Hidden Words)
Say: O people! Is it your wish to conceal the beauty of the Sun behind the veils of your own selfish desires, or to prevent the Spirit from raising its melodies within this sanctified and luminous breast? Fear ye God, and contend not with Him Who representeth the Godhead. Dispute not with the One at Whose bidding the letter "B" was created and joined with its mighty foundation. Believe in the Messengers of God and His sovereign might, and in the Self of God and His majesty. Follow not those who have repudiated what they had once believed, and who have sought for themselves a station after their own fancy; these, truly, are of the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 31)
Follow the Lord of glory and dominion, and not every ungodly oppressor. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 60)
The pure in heart behold the Kingdom of God manifest before His Face. Make haste thereunto and follow not the infidel and the ungodly. (Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 64)
• We are further told in this Paragraph that those people that Baha’u’llah’s “hands of ascendancy and might” “shall raise up” will:
o “arise to win victory” for Him;
o “purge mankind from the defilement of the outcast and the ungodly”;
o “champion the Faith of God”;
o “subdue the peoples and kindreds of the earth” in Baha’u’llah’s Name, “the Self-Subsistent, the Mighty”; and
o “will enter the cities and will inspire with fear the hearts of all their inhabitants.”
• It’s a thought provoking concept: to “inspire with fear the hearts of” people! Baha’u’llah reminds us that the “might” of the Manifestation of God is “vehement”, and “fearful”, and that He would use it “justly”. Furthermore, that the Manifestation of God “ruleth and transcendeth all who are in the heavens and on the earth” and that He “revealeth what He desireth according to a prescribed measure.”
