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which have arisen from the most mighty Ocean whereby God
revived the earth after its death; from us His signs are diffused,
His evidences are manifested, and His tokens appear; and with
us are His mysteries and His secrets.' It was said, `For what
fault [then] were ye afflicted?' He said, `For the love of God
and our severance from all beside Him.'
"Verily We have not repeated his expressions (upon him be peace), but rather We have made manifest a spray from the Ocean of Life which was deposited in his words, that by it those who advance may live and be aware of what hath befallen the trusted ones of God on the part of an evil and most reprobate people. And today We see the people censuring those who acted unjustly of yore, while they oppress more vehemently than those oppressed, and know it not. By God, I do not desire sedition, but the purification of [God's] servants from all that withholdeth them from approach to God, the King of the Day of Invocation.
"I was asleep on My couch: the breaths of My Lord the Merciful passed over Me and awakened Me from sleep: to this bear witness the denizens [of the realms] of His Power and His Kingdom, and the dwellers in the cities of His Glory, and Himself, the True. I am not impatient of calamities in His way, nor of afflictions for His love and at His good pleasure. God hath made affliction as a morning shower to this green pasture, and as a match for His lamp whereby earth and heaven are illumined.
"Shall that which anyone hath of wealth endure unto him,
or avail him tomorrow with him who holdeth his forelock? If
any should look on those who sleep under slabs and keep
company with the dust, can he distinguish the bones of the
king's skull from the knuckles of the slave? No, by the King of
Kings! Or doth he know governors from herdsmen, or discern
the wealthy and the rich from him who was without shoes or
carpet? By God, distinction is removed, save for him who
fulfilled righteousness and judged uprightly. Where are the