Kitab-i-Iqan — Paragraph 117

Source (Persian)

و حال امروز مشاهده نما که چقدر از سلاطين به اسم آن حضرت تعظيم می نمايند و چقدر از بلاد و اهل آن که در ظلّ او ساکن اند و به نسبت به آن حضرت افتخار دارند، چنانچه بر منابر وگلدسته ها اين اسم مبارک را به کمال تعظيم و تکريم ذکر می نمايند. و سلاطينی هم که در ظلّ آن حضرت داخل نشدهاند و قميص کفر را تجديد ننمودهاند ايشان هم به بزرگی و عظمت آن شمس عنايت مقرّ و معترف اند. اين است سلطنت ظاهره که مشاهده می کنی. و اين لابدّ است از برای جميع انبياء که يا در حيات و يا بعد از عروج ايشان به موطن حقيقی ظاهر و ثابت می شود چنانچه اليوم ملاحظه می گردد. و ليکن آن سلطنت که مقصود است لم يزل و لايزال طائف حول ايشان است و هميشه با ايشان است و آنی انفکاک نيابد و آن سلطنت باطنيّه است که احاطه نموده کلّ من فی السّموات و الارض را.

Translation

Consider, how great is the change today! Behold, how many are the Sovereigns who bow the knee before His name! How numerous the nations and kingdoms who have sought the shelter of His shadow, who bear allegiance to His Faith, and pride themselves therein! From the pulpit-top there ascendeth today the words of praise which, in utter lowliness, glorify His blessed name; and from the heights of minarets there resoundeth the call that summoneth the concourse of His people to adore Him. Even those Kings of the earth who have refused to embrace His Faith and to put off the garment of unbelief, none the less confess and acknowledge the greatness and overpowering majesty of that Day-star of loving kindness. Such is His earthly sovereignty, the evidences of which thou dost on every side behold. This sovereignty must needs be revealed and established either in the lifetime of every Manifestation of God or after His ascension unto His true habitation in the realms above. What thou dost witness today is but a confirmation of this truth. That spiritual ascendency, however, which is primarily intended, resideth within, and revolveth around Them from eternity even unto eternity. It can never for a moment be divorced from Them. Its dominion hath encompassed all that is in heaven and on earth.