that He hath undertaken these things for outward leadership, and to possess the tinsel of the mortal world?
Praise be to God! In His first Book which He hath entitled "Ghayoumi Asma" (the "Self-Subsistent of the Names")—the first, greatest and most mighty of all books—He prophesied His own martyrdom. In a certain place He hath mentioned this verse: "O Thou remnant of God, I have wholly sacrificed myself unto thee; I have been pleased with curses in Thy path, and have wished nothing except death in Thy love; whereunto only God the Exalted, the Defender, the Pre-existent is a sufficient witness!"
Likewise He craved martyrdom in "Tafsiri Ha" (" Interpretation of the letter H"), thus: "It is as if I heard a crier proclaiming in mine innermost heart—'Sacrifice thou in the path of God the thing which is most beloved by thee, even as Hosein (Peace be upon Him!) sacrificed Himself in My way'; and were I not regardful of this real mystery, by Him in whose Hand is my soul, even if all the kings of the earth were assembled, they could not take from me a single letter, how much less can such servants who are of no importance in this and are of those who are rejected? That all may know the degree of my patience, resignation and sacrifice in the path of God."
Could it be asserted that the author of these words walks in any other than the path of God, or hath desired aught else save His Good Pleasure? In this
