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O ye friends of this wronged one! Purify your eyes from beholding [any as] strangers. Do ye not see foreignness, nay rather, know all as friends; for with the observation of strangeness, the practice of love and unity is difficult. (389:1) In this wonderful age, according to the divine texts, ye must befriend all nations and communities. Ye must not look upon violence, force, evil intentions, persecutions or hostility, nay rather, ye must raise your eyes to the horizon of glory [and see] that each one of these creatures is a sign of the Lord of Signs and [has] stepped upon the arena of existence through divine favor and supreme energy. Thus they are known and not unknown, are friends and not strangers. We must deal with all according to the above criterion. (389:2) Therefore, the beloved must, with infinite kindness and love, associate and sympathize with both friends and strangers and not look at all upon the merits and capabilities of the persons. Under all circumstances they must show forth genuine love and be not defeated by the intensity of rancor, hatred, quarrel, malice and the grudge of the people. Should they (the people) shoot arrows they (the friends) must administer milk and honey; if they give poison, the believers must impart delicacies; if they cause pain, let the beloved be a remedy; if they strike a blow, let them become the antidote.
(389:3)
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