Paragraph 202

Inasmuch as they have not apprehended the meaning of Knowledge, and have called by that name those images fashioned by their own fancy and which have sprung from the embodiments of ignorance, they therefore have inflicted upon the Source of Knowledge that which thou hast heard and witnessed.

Paragraph twelve of the twenty-two that look at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy. But now He is beginning to look at how we react to new information.

We are so used to thinking in dichotomies, either one thing or another, that it is sometimes difficult to see how two things can be true at the same time. The Manifestations of God are absolutely identical in the realms of reality, yet they also occupy different stations in the realm of this world. "Knowledge is a single point which the ignorant have multiplied."

So let's look at what He is saying here.

We think we know what we're talking about. We have these ideas which have actually come from our "own fancy and which have sprung from the embodiments of ignorance". We call what we think we know "knowledge", but are we really certain we understand what that word means?

We know from "Words of Wisdom" that "The source of all learning is the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory, and this cannot be attained save through the knowledge of His Divine Manifestation." But that tells us the source, not what it actually is.

Knowledge, in essence, is awareness, understanding, information, and familiarity about a subject or reality, acquired through experience, education, or learning. It encompasses facts, skills, and insights that form a cognitive connection to the world, whether through practical skills, like knowing how to ride a bike, or theoretical understanding, like knowing scientific principles.

When it comes to religious knowledge, most of what we think we know is just fanciful imagination. We hear the prophecies and come with our own ideas of what the next Manifestation must look like.

All those questions that were asked way back in the beginning of the book? Those questions about why the people denied the promised One? The answer always comes back to this. They acted out of ignorance. They acted hastily and harshly based on their own false expectations.

Even so recently as paragraph 183, He pointed out to us that the people have regularly "turned their face toward their own thoughts and desires". This is so reprehensible that He even refers to it as "folly and perversity".

These "thoughts and desires" though, go far beyond what we think the next Messenger may look like, or how they may act. It also affects how we perceive God, humanity, and virtually everything else.

When talking about God, Baha'u'llah Himself approaches the subject with such humility. In Prayers and Meditations LXXV, He says, "I know not how to sing Thy praise, how to describe Thy glory, how to call upon Thy Name. If I call upon Thee by Thy Name, the All-Possessing, I am compelled to recognize that He Who holdeth in His hand the immediate destinies of all created things is but a vassal dependent upon Thee... And if I attempt to describe Thee by glorifying the oneness of Thy Being, I soon realize that such a conception is but a notion which mine own fancy hath woven, and that Thou hast ever been immeasurably exalted above the vain imaginations which the hearts of men have devised."

To be aware of the limitations of our own knowledge means that we can walk forward more surely, more humbly. It means being keenly aware of the difference between fact and our own opinion. So much of this paragraph focuses around this theme. Because we are unaware of the difference between these two, between our own opinions and actual truth, we "have called those images fashioned by (our) own fancy" as fact. Then when we act on these imagined ideas as if they are somehow universally true, we end up in all sorts of strange and dangerous places, lost amidst the wilds of error.

As we move forward in this book, Baha'u'llah seems to use this awareness, and the coming negative example of one who did not act in this way, as a prelude to our own search. He will preface it with a more lengthy description of the attributes of a true seeker, and then proceed to give us His argument for how we can know that the Bab was a true Manifestation of the Divine.

Paragraph 201

Likewise, in the verse concerning the “Spirit,” He saith: “And they will ask Thee of the Spirit. Say, ‘the Spirit proceedeth at My Lord’s command.’” As soon as Muḥammad’s answer was given, they all clamorously protested, saying: “Lo! an ignorant man who knoweth not what the Spirit is, calleth Himself the Revealer of divine Knowledge!” And now behold the divines of the age who, because of their being honored by His name, and finding that their fathers have acknowledged His Revelation, have blindly submitted to His truth. Observe, were this people today to receive such answers in reply to such questionings, they would unhesitatingly reject and denounce them—nay, they would again utter the selfsame cavils, even as they have uttered them in this day. All this, notwithstanding the fact that these Essences of being are immensely exalted above such fanciful images, and are immeasurably glorified beyond all these vain sayings and above the comprehension of every understanding heart. Their so-called learning, when compared with that Knowledge, is utter falsehood, and all their understanding naught but blatant error. Nay, whatsoever proceedeth from these Mines of divine Wisdom and these Treasuries of eternal knowledge is truth, and naught else but the truth. The saying: “Knowledge is one point, which the foolish have multiplied” is a proof of Our argument, and the tradition: “Knowledge is a light which God sheddeth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth” a confirmation of Our statement.

On to paragraph eleven of the twenty-two that look at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy. Baha'u'llah is still looking at the theme of rejecting the truth based on one's own desires.

Why is He addressing this theme here? How does it fit in with His overall argument?

In these paragraphs He is talking about the twin stations of the Manifestations of God, and the argument could be made that He is no longer talking about that. No problem. But for us, this all fits under that category. Every single Manifestation has had to face the problem of giving a truthful answer to the questions of the religious leaders of the day, only to be accused of ignorance or insanity. This is part of their absolute unity. But they have all had to face it in their own way, in their own time. This is part of their differences based on when and where they lived.

We think Baha'u'llah is talking about this here because it is relevant to where the uncle of the Bab is about to be. In just a few paragraphs He will begin His actual defence of the Bab, giving proofs of His mission from the the Qur'an, a demonstration of His efficacy through His followers, and finally from the Bab's own life. It would be so easy to deny any of these if we were caught up in the snare of egotism, so it seems fitting that He is giving us this final warning before reminding us of the necessary positive qualities of the true seeker, and then moving on to His argument.

In terms of Muhammad's response to the question about the spirit, we can see now that He gave a truthful answer about a subject we can never really understand. The spirit does come from God's command. No Muslim would deny this. But at the time, it probably seemed like a non-answer, and went against the common understanding, which was obviously flawed. So rather than explore the response, the people of the day just denied Muhammad.

We know that there were many similar instances where the authorities denounced the Bab based on similar responses.

By reminding the uncle of this, Baha'u'llah is encouraging him to really consider any and all responses, regardless of his immediate reaction to it. He is pointing out to him the importance of not presuming that we have knowledge and everyone else must agree with us. We are not the final authority, the standard by which we must judge all else. He said this way back in paragraph 2 when He cautioned us not to "regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard". This includes ourselves. We must always be fair-minded.

The last two quotes in this paragraph are a good reminder that there is only one truth in the universe, no matter how we may try to break it down to smaller, more easily understood bits. And that this light we call knowledge is, in the end, given to us by God's good will.

Finally, this all hearkens back to paragraph 6 where He tells us "the more closely you observe the denials... the firmer will be your faith..." As we recall this particular denial, it is hoped that we will avoid offering up the exact same objection.

Paragraph 200

For instance, when Muḥammad, the Lord of being, was questioned concerning the new moons, He, as bidden by God, made reply: “They are periods appointed unto men.” Thereupon, they that heard Him denounced Him as an ignorant man.

We're already at paragraph ten of the twenty-two that look at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy. For right now Baha'u'llah is looking at the theme of rejecting the truth based on one's own desires. These next three paragraphs will look at a few examples of people asking questions of Muhammad.

When we look at the passage cited, we can see that Muhammad answers the question in terms of how it relates to Fasting. And while we could easily go into a long post about the spiritual meaning of the response, and the truths contained within it, we feel this is actually a distraction from the important point Baha'u'llah is making.

Questions are very important in life, but more important is how we ask them.

We may recall the "well-known divine", mentionedback in paragraph 40, who came to visit Baha'u'llah. This man offered a fairly silly interpretation of a quote, and Baha'u'llah gently said that while that was the common understanding, couldn't it be understood differently? This man, rather than scoff at Baha'u'llah's "ignorance", sincerely asked what this other interpretation could be. That showed a sincerity and humility that could not be denied, and he was rewarded with a far better understanding of a spiritual truth.

The story of Muhammad that Baha'u'llah is referencing is in contrast to this. These people asked the Prophet some question about astronomy, which they presumably knew. He did not give them the answer they wanted to hear, so they denounced Him. A thousand years later we can read this and say, "We know the type of people that ask these sorts of questions." They are not looking for information, they are looking for confirmation. The question from these astronomers is not about a sincere search for the truth. It is about confirming one's own belief. It is a form of boosting one's own ego, and showing pride in their position by belittling anyone who has a different opinion.

And most importantly, because they were expecting a specific answer that was in conformity with their own ideas, and Muhammad gave them an answer referring to a spiritual truth about the Fast, they denied Him. They did not even consider what He said, but just flat out called Him ignorant.

Over and over in the various religions we see this exact scenario playing out. People expect a specific response, and then turn around and deny the Messenger because they answer the question in a different way.

In relation to the current section about the two stations the Messengers occupy, it shows on the one hand how they all face this type of challenge, another form of their absolute oneness. On the other hand, they each are challenged in their own way, unique to the times in which they live.

Paragraph 199

Those words uttered by the Luminaries of Truth must needs be pondered, and should their significance be not grasped, enlightenment should be sought from the Trustees of the depositories of Knowledge, that these may expound their meaning, and unravel their mystery. For it behooveth no man to interpret the holy words according to his own imperfect understanding, nor, having found them to be contrary to his inclination and desires, to reject and repudiate their truth. For such, today, is the manner of the divines and doctors of the age, who occupy the seats of knowledge and learning, and who have named ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice. Were these to ask the Light of Truth concerning those images which their idle fancy hath carved, and were they to find His answer inconsistent with their own conceptions and their own understanding of the Book, they would assuredly denounce Him Who is the Mine and Wellhead of all Knowledge as the very negation of understanding. Such things have happened in every age.

Paragraph nine of the twenty-two that look at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy is quite interesting. It builds on the theme of rejecting the truth based on one's own desires. The next three look at some examples of this occurrence in the time of Muhammad, and then goes on to use the negative example of Haji Mirza Karim Khan using the Word of God to boost his own fragile ego.

Starting at the beginning, we have to ask which words He means when He says "Those words". Those would be the ones quoted in paragraph 196, in which the Messengers of God describe their station in all these different ways. He has already stated that they "must be attentively considered", and now adds that they "must needs be pondered". He really is drawing our attention to them, and making sure we know to take the time to internalize His explanation.

Following this, the next two sentences have an interesting thing in common, in that they are very easy to misinterpret. It is so natural to try and read each one as referring to multiple things, when they are both using caveats for clarification.

In the sentence beginning "For it behooveth no man..." He uses the word "nor" in the middle. This means that both parts of the statement must be false, or else the word "or" would have been used. In other words, it is not a condemnation of interpreting the Word of God for ourselves, for this would violate the principle of independent investigation of truth. Instead, it is a warning. He is saying that we should not reject the Word of God based on a faulty interpretation that goes against our "inclinations and desires". Instead, we should either reexamine our interpretation so that it is more in line with the truth, or reexamine our "inclinations and desires" to make sure they do not get in the way of our recognition of the truth.

In the following sentence, beginning with "For such, today, is the manner...", it would be easy to see this as a blanket condemnation of all "the divines and doctors of the age". But again, it isn't. It is a condemnation of those who occupy that lofty station, but then "have named ignorance knowledge, and called oppression justice". This is where the problem is, not the position, but the promotion of the denial of truth from that position, probably due to their own "inclination and desires".

All of this builds upon that theme that was first introduced way back in paragraph 2: "... man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious... unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets." This is a theme He has built on throughout the book, and this is the latest iteration of it.

From here He will go on and give an example of people rejecting Muhammad based on their own faulty understanding. As He said, "Such things have happened in every age."

Paragraph 198

By virtue of this station, they have claimed for themselves the Voice of Divinity and the like, whilst by virtue of their station of Messengership, they have declared themselves the Messengers of God. In every instance they have voiced an utterance that would conform to the requirements of the occasion, and have ascribed all these declarations to Themselves, declarations ranging from the realm of divine Revelation to the realm of creation, and from the domain of Divinity even unto the domain of earthly existence. Thus it is that whatsoever be their utterance, whether it pertain to the realm of Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or Servitude, all is true, beyond the shadow of a doubt. Therefore, these sayings which We have quoted in support of Our argument must be attentively considered, that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Daysprings of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex the mind.

We are now at paragraph eight of twenty-two that look at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy.

There are many things in this paragraph that we could focus on, but we haven't looked at the development of a path of words for a while, so let's check it out here.

Why does Baha'u'llah list these words in order: "Divinity, Lordship, Prophethood, Messengership, Guardianship, Apostleship or Servitude"? Of course, we don't really know, but we just presume there is a reason.

As we read over this list it feels to us like a decrescendo, which is unusual in the Writings. Almost everywhere else, Baha'u'llah builds up in a crescendo. So seeing this begin with Divinity and end with Servitude has made us sit up and pay attention.

Why would it be a decrescendo? Perhaps because this whole section is about that movement from God down to and through the Manifestations to us. The order of these words highlights that fact.

It begins with the vast scope of Divinity, that overarching... everything. That all-encompassing reality that is the Divine.

From there it moves down to the Lordship, which feels like the One that is overseeing the rule of creation, as if on behalf of that Divine Essence.

We move to Prophethood, which can, in a sense, be seen as that advisor to the Lord, informing Him of what is coming.

Messengership is that turning point in the list, that central pivot where we move from looking upwards and perhaps inwards, to looking down towards the rest of creation. It is that station of taking the message from above and conveying to those below.

With the station of Guardianship, we have to keep in mind that this is not referring to the Guardian, but rather to that station of Guarding. The question, of course, is what is being guarded? We feel it is the integrity of the Message. In other words, we have the Messenger giving that divine message, and then we have the one protecting it from corruption.

The Apostles then take that pure and intact divine message and bring it to the masses.

These people who receive that message are the ones who should live in servitude to it, ensuring that it is spread to all regions, intact. They are the ones who carry out its provisions and transform the world into a new creation.

In addition to all of this, the very last sentence has also caught our attention. He has said, "these sayings which We have quoted in support of Our argument must be attentively considered...", but which sayings is He referring to? The ones He quoted in paragraph 196 in regards to the different roles that the Manifestation fulfills. They are the ones in which They say:

• “I am God!”
• “I am the Messenger of God”
• "I am the Seal of the Prophets”
• “We are the servants of God”

The differences in these statements have been a source of great confusion for so many. They have also been the cause of many people turning away from the Faith. After all, it is a very different thing to hear them say that they are a "servant of God", as opposed to "I am God". But Baha'u'llah has taken the time to draw our attention to this matter, explaining how they are all true in their own way.

Why does He do this? So "that the divergent utterances of the Manifestations of the Unseen and Daysprings of Holiness may cease to agitate the soul and perplex the mind." But He knows that this is not an easy thing to grasp. That is why He says "these sayings... must be attentively considered..." It will take work, but it is worth it in the end.

Paragraph 197

In this day the breeze of God is wafted, and His Spirit hath pervaded all things. Such is the outpouring of His grace that the pen is stilled and the tongue is speechless.

We are at paragraph seven of twenty-two looking at those two stations that the Manifestations of God occupy. But it' a short paragraph, and that means that there is probably quite a bit to say about it, so let's look at the context of it.

He began part two by talking about the nature and station of the Manifestations in creation. He then talked about some of the qualities they exhibit, such as sovereignty. He's now explaining why so many of us are confused about their Return, showing their dual nature. On the one hand there is their absolute unity in the spiritual realm, and on the other is their station of distinction based on where and when they were born.

In addition to all of this, He has also just shown how the various statements they make about their reality are all true, even though they appear to be contradictory.

Here, in this paragraph, He has moved from looking at the past to commenting about the present day.

The "breeze of God" obviously "wafted" at the time of Jesus, and during the time of Muhammad. Today, he says, it is wafting again. While He is obviously referring to the Bab, He is also likely referring to himself. After all, even though He has not yet declared His Mission, He is obviously pouring out His wisdom to humanity. In just a short time He has given us The Hidden Words, The Seven Valleys, The Four Valleys, Gems of Divine Mysteries, The Book of Certitude, plus so much more. All of this within the space of a couple of years.

Within a few short paragraphs He will begin to give us the example of a "famous divine" whose pen was not stilled, and was in fact used to attack the Bab. This will be the negative example used to contrast the more positive examples of sincere seekers He has already mentioned.

So why is He pausing here to mention the stillness of the pen and the silence of the tongue? What possible reason could He have? And what can we learn from it?

In the previous paragraph, He spoke of the Manifestations, concluding, "...they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy... In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression."

It is not them who speak. It is not the Manifestations who write. Their pen is moved by the Hand of God Himself. Their speech is dictated by the Tongue of God. In the face of that reality, they have nothing to say, there is nothing that they can write.

And what does it mean that the "breeze of God is wafted"? To waft means to pass easily and gently through the air. So He seems to be saying that the great teachings, the incredible spirit of this day is there, in everything. But it is not a forceful imposition. It is gentle, yet pervading.

Over and over throughout this book, He is sharing with the uncle of the Bab these incredible insights in a gentle manner. He doesn't blow the uncle away with the force of His argument, like a hurricane blowing over the land. He is gentle, allowing the uncle to embrace these ideas. They filter through everything He says, permeating His argument at every level. Even in the most minute details we find the evidences of the unity He is trying to convey. And at every step He strives to uplift our vision, never tearing down an idea or belittling our understanding of the Manifestations of the past. He is always raising our vision, conveying the oneness of all things, and constantly moving us forward along this spiritual path.

We, too, can do the same thing in our teaching work.

If we recall the manner in which He spoke of Noah way back in paragraph 7, He mentioned "there remained with Him only forty or seventy-two of His followers". And then in paragraph 9, when talking about Hud, He said that Hud taught the people for "seven hundred years, according to the sayings of men". In both instances He did not criticize anyone's belief, as these details were not important. He was so gentle and certain to not offend.

His overarching message of peace and unity, like the gentle breeze, pervades everything He does. It has truly wafted within His writings, and pervades all His works.

Paragraph 196

Were any of the all-embracing Manifestations of God to declare: “I am God!” He, verily, speaketh the truth, and no doubt attacheth thereto. For it hath been repeatedly demonstrated that through their Revelation, their attributes and names, the Revelation of God, His name and His attributes, are made manifest in the world. Thus, He hath revealed: “Those shafts were God’s, not Thine!” And also He saith: “In truth, they who plighted fealty unto thee, really plighted that fealty unto God.” And were any of them to voice the utterance: “I am the Messenger of God,” He also speaketh the truth, the indubitable truth. Even as He saith: “Muḥammad is not the father of any man among you, but He is the Messenger of God.” Viewed in this light, they are all but Messengers of that ideal King, that unchangeable Essence. And were they all to proclaim: “I am the Seal of the Prophets,” they verily utter but the truth, beyond the faintest shadow of doubt. For they are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the “Beginning” and the “End,” the “First” and the “Last,” the “Seen” and “Hidden”—all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: “We are the servants of God,” this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain. Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were deeply immersed beneath the oceans of ancient and everlasting holiness, or when they soared to the loftiest summits of divine mysteries, they claimed their utterance to be the Voice of divinity, the Call of God Himself. Were the eye of discernment to be opened, it would recognize that in this very state, they have considered themselves utterly effaced and nonexistent in the face of Him Who is the All-Pervading, the Incorruptible. Methinks they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness, and deemed their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy. For the slightest whispering of self, within such a Court, is an evidence of self-assertion and independent existence. In the eyes of them that have attained unto that Court, such a suggestion is itself a grievous transgression. How much more grievous would it be, were aught else to be mentioned in that Presence, were man’s heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way.

We are at paragraph six of twenty-two looking at the two stations the Manifestations of God occupy. Of course, there are many ways to look at this book, and even this little section of it. We have just chosen to see it as twenty-two paragraphs here for our own convenience. Nothing more. It helps us get a better understanding of how Baha'u'llah is approaching His teaching of the uncle of the Bab.

While at first this paragraph may seem a bit overwhelming due to its length, we find that it is very simple in its outline. It moves from one statement by the Manifestations to the next, from the broadest statement to the most concise, each one receiving a few lines describing it. Those four statements are:

• “I am God!”
• “I am the Messenger of God”
• "I am the Seal of the Prophets”
• “We are the servants of God”

It goes from the highest statement of "I am God Himself" to "I am the Messenger of that great King of Creation" to "I am the last of those Messengers", as that phrase is commonly understood, to "I am but a servant".

Imaging if someone were to say the following:

• I am the King
• I am the messenger of the King
• I am the last in my dynasty
• I am the King's servant

Anyone who would make all of those statements would be seen as either crazy or lying. So how are we to understand this? How can we make any sense of the Manifestations being able to make all those statements truthfully? It is no wonder that people are confused about all of this.

In many ways, it's more appropriate to see how one individual could be referred to in a number of different ways. For example, as a parent they might say "I am your father." As a manager at work, they might say, "I am your boss." To the owner of the company, they might say, "I work for you." We all fulfill many different roles in our life, and every statement will be exactly true in its circumstance. Those last two may seem contradictory, but in reality they are not.

After he has briefly expounded on each of these four statements, He then mentions the circumstances in which these statements are made. Beginning with the phrase, "Thus in moments in which these Essences of being were deeply immersed", He talks about how they all stated that their words were not from themselves, but from God. Over and over, in all the different religions, we see this concept. We may think of it as a form of humility, but it is a humility the likes of which we have never seen. He says that "they have regarded themselves as utter nothingness" and even think of "their mention in that Court an act of blasphemy". They are so effaced before God that "the slightest whispering of self" is abhorrent to them.

Can we even begin to imagine such humility?

And yet, is it not related to the detachment that we are asked to show at the very beginning of this book? Did He not say that those who want to walk on this path of faith must "cleanse themselves of all that is earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth"? To pay attention to anything other than God, while walking this path, will lead us to nothing but error. After all, "were man’s heart, his tongue, his mind, or his soul, to be busied with anyone but the Well-Beloved, were his eyes to behold any countenance other than His beauty, were his ear to be inclined to any melody but His voice, and were his feet to tread any way but His way", where else could that lead?

Again, it is not that we are to ignore the world around us, but that we should not "busy" ourselves with it. In another passage He says that we need to be "anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in", so we do need to be aware. But our heart should be focused on God. We should focus our conversation on God. We should constantly be thinking about God. Our soul should be centred on God. Even when we look at another person, we should be sure to see that spark of the divine within them, hear the divine truths in what they say, no matter how obscured it may be. But most of all, we should be certain to continually walk in His way and be steadfast in the Faith of God.