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O my Lord I Suffer him to abide in a blessed abode and cause him to enter into a retreat of faithfulness and favor him to everlastingly dwell in the heavenly paradise, the precinct of meeting in the shelter of Thy great mercy! (230:1) Verily, thou art the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Powerful, the Forgiving, the Mighty, the Bestower! (230:2) How many men and women awaited the manifestation of the Messiah after Moses? Yet when His beauty shone forth and His face appeared, they (the people) did not recognize Him, but continued to follow the superstitions of the Pharisees, who used to say: "Where is the authority of the Messiah? Where is the throne of David, the Glorious ? Where is his iron rod Where are his innumerable hosts? Where are his at tacking armies? Where are the angels of heaven? Where do we see justice of government existing among people and even among beasts and insects? Where is his great majesty? Where is his power, which shaketh heaven and earth? Is not this a claim of one who is bewildered and wandering amidst valleys and hills ? Doth he not ride upon an ass, while on his head there is a crown of thorns and he is despised?" (230:3) Indeed, all of the foregoing statements are of the evil opinions which the Pharisees used to proclaim through every man's tongue. But those who had listening ears and clear insight, listened not to such misleading speeches, but realized the Messiah as the rising Sun with His effulgent face, and that the radiance of His illumination was diffused over the whole world. They regarded even the ass on which He (Christ) was mounted as a splendid throne and also the thorns which were upon His head as a brilliant diadem!
(230:4)
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