Sifát wa Tasfiyah-yi-Maráya (“On Purification and the Attributes of the Mirrors”)

Posted to the Tarjuman Listserve by Khazeh
Fananapazir in early December, 2001;
Web edition prepared by Mehdi Wolf,
December 2001 and December, 2002
by permission of the translator.

Sifát wa Tasfiyah-yi-Maráya
(“On Purification and
the Attributes of the Mirrors”)

A Provisional Translation
Selections from the Writings of ’Abdu’l-Bahá’,
Vol. 2, Section 76

Trans. Khazeh Fananapazir

   O daughter of the Kingdom!^[1] Thy letter was received its contents were appreciated. It was evidence of thy supplication and prayers and proof of thy attraction and ardour in the cause of God. How great is thy blessedness that thou hast attained this station and this steadfastness!

   O thou daughter of the kingdom! The Lord of the kingdom, the Sun of Truth, shone a radiance and an effulgent light unto all the world and the universe and all beings obtained the light of life from it. All came into true existence because of it. All existent things are like the pages of a mirror upon which the Sun of Truth shines, its grace is the one grace, its effulgence is the one effulgence but the mirrors are different and diverse. Some mirrors are in the utmost purity and delicacy and reflect fully the rays of the Sun of Truth and the sun shines most clearly in them, but other mirrors are clouded by dust and dross and so are deprived of deriving proper grace. The beloved of God are perfect clean mirrors that reflect the light of the luminary of the world completely. Others are like unto stone and sand and are veiled from it. This is especially the case of those who show hatred and enmity, oppression, wrong-doing and blind fanaticism. Such people are so clouded over that they are like a black stone upon which the light of the sun has no radiance or reflection. Now these mirrors who are deprived should not be alienated, estranged and considered as the enemy or as savage and untrainable, but rather, with the utmost love and kindness, one should consider them as members of the human family and recognise them as acquaintances and not treat them as the estranged one. Look upon them as friends and educate them; show them sympathy and consolation. Lead them towards spiritual qualities so that all dust and clouds be removed from the face of the mirrors and the lights of the Sun of Truth may shine brilliantly.

   O daughter of the Kingdom! Beware, beware, lest ye be estranged from anyone, even though he be most savage and negligent of God; rather one should seek at all times oneness, freedom from hate so that all the hate, rancour, animosity, oppression, injustice and calumnies may be totally obliterated, so that the world may become the Abhá paradise and the universe may be transformed into the All-Glorious (Abhá) paradise and that the human race may be transferred into angelic beings and its members, the manifestations of the grace of the most Glorious Lord. In this lies the bounty of the world of humanity and in this consists the guidance ordained by the Lord of sanctity.

   O daughter of the Kingdom! thou has written about the holding of meetings in Buffalo that thou art engaged in teaching in those meetings; if you should show steadfastness and do not show fatigue and apathy, truly the Sun of Truth will shine upon all those regions and territories.

   O daughter of the kingdom! Show the greatest respect and honour to the poor ones, the orphans and the disabled from every country, tribe and people. Show the utmost loving kindness to them like a true servant serve them, treat them as honourable and dignified people and consider yourself their servant night and day.