| Kitáb-i-Íqán | 187 |
heart that this so-called learning is and hath ever
been, rejected by Him Who is the one true God.
How can the knowledge of these sciences, which
are so contemptible in the eyes of the truly learned,
be regarded as essential to the apprehension of the
mysteries of the "&Mi'raj," whilst the Lord of the
"&Mi'raj" Himself was never burdened with a
single letter of these limited and obscure learnings,
and never defiled His radiant heart with any of
these fanciful illusions? How truly hath he said:
"All human attainment moveth upon a lame ass,
whilst Truth, riding upon the wind, darteth across
space." By the righteousness of God! Whoso
desireth to fathom the mystery of this "&Mi'raj,"
and craveth a drop from this ocean, if the mirror
of his heart be already obscured by the dust of
these learnings, he must needs cleanse and purify
it ere the light of this mystery can be reflected
therein.
In this day, they that are submerged beneath the
ocean of ancient Knowledge, and dwell within the
ark of divine wisdom, forbid the people such idle
pursuits. Their shining breasts are, praise be to
God, sanctified from every trace of such learning,
and are exalted above such grievous veils. We have
