Selections from the Writings of the Báb

3 EXCERPTS FROM THE PERSIAN BAYÁN

THE Bayán shall constitute ...

THE Bayán shall constitute God's unerring balance till the Day of Resurrection which is the Day of Him Whom God will make manifest. Whoso acteth in conformity with that which is revealed therein will abide in Paradise, under the shadow of His affirmation and reckoned among the most sublime Letters in the presence of God; while whoso deviateth, were it even so much as the tip of a grain of barley, will be consigned to the fire and will be assembled neath the shadow of negation. This truth hath likewise been laid bare in the Qur'án where in numerous instances God hath set down that whoever should pass judgement contrary to the bounds fixed by Him, would be deemed an infidel...

In these days how few are those who abide by the standard laid down in the Qur'án. Nay, nowhere are they to be found, except such as God hath willed. Should there be, however, such a person, his righteous deeds would prove of no avail unto him, if he hath failed to follow the standard revealed in the Bayán; even as the pious deeds of the Christian monks profited them not, inasmuch as at the time of the manifestation of the Apostle of God--may the blessings of God rest upon Him--they contented themselves with the standard set forth in the Gospel.

Had the divine standard laid down in the Qur'án been truly observed, adverse judgements would not have been pronounced against Him Who is the Tree of divine Truth. As it hath been revealed: `Almost might the heavens be rent and the earth be cleft asunder and the mountains fall down in fragments.'[Qur'án 19:92] And yet how much harder than these mountains their hearts must be to have remained unmoved! Indeed no paradise is more glorious in the sight of God than attainment unto His good-pleasure.