The Splendour of God, by Eric Hammond, [1909], at sacred-texts.com
The Third Valley:
The Valley of Divine Knowledge
He will be led from doubt to certainty, and directed from the darkness of the error of worldly desire to the light of guidance of piety.
His inner eye will be opened, and he will engage in close communion with his Beloved.
He will open the portal of truth and devotion and close the doors of superficiality.
In this state he will yield to the Divine Decree, will see war as peace, find the Significances of life in death, perceive the mysteries of the "other world" in the regions of creation . . . with the outward and inward eye; and, with a spiritual heart he will behold the Eternal Wisdom in the infinite manifestations of God.
In an ocean he will see a drop, and in a drop he will detect the mysteries of an ocean.
'The core of whatever mote thou mayest split, therein thou wilt find a sun.'
In this valley, through absolute vision, a traveller does not see in God's creation any difference or contradiction; and at every moment he will say, 'Thou canst not see, in the creation of the Most Merciful One, any difference. Turn thou thine eyes whether thou can see any flaws!' (Koran).
He will see justice in injustice and witness grace in justice; he will find many a knowledge concealed in ignorance. . . .
He will break the cage of body and desire, and be attached to the spirit of the people of immortality. He will ascend on ideal ladders, and hasten to the heaven of Significances. . . .
If he experience any oppression he will endure it with patience, and if he see any wrath he will show forth affection. . . .
The people of the valley beyond this see the beginning and the end as one; nay, rather, they see no beginning and no end; 'without beginning without end. . . .'
As it is said, 'A perfect realisation of Divine Unity is to strip it from all attributes. . . .'
Hence, in this connection, Khaji Abd-‘Allah has set forth a subtle point and consummation in his interpretation of the verse 'Direct us in the Right Way' (Koran), and it is this: 'Point unto us the right way, that is bless us with Love, thine Essence; so that, becoming free from all regard for ourselves, and for all else save Thee, we may be wholly captivated by Thee, so as to know none but Thee, to see naught save Thee, to think of naught beside Thee.' (Khaji Abd-‘Allah was, adds Ali Kuli Khan, a high, mystic Sufi leader, of the house of Ansar, in the middle ages of Islam. His tomb is situated in Herat. 'Ansar' literally means 'helpers';—hence, a
term denominating those people of Medina who first believed in Mohammed.)
Nay, they pass even beyond this station, as it is said, 'Love is a screen between the lover and the Beloved.' . . .
At this time the morn of knowledge hath dawned, and the lamps of travelling and wayfaring are put out."
At this point we are bidden to note that "travelling and wayfaring after truth, under the direction of the Sufi leaders, are of the characteristics of mystic Sufis. These leaders, Sufis call 'lights,' whereby to find the truth. But the appearance of the manifestations of God is that of the Sun of Truth itself. Hence it is said by Ali, 'Quench the light (lamp) when the Sun hath already dawned.' Here Baha‘u‘llah teaches that in these days men must depend on the Sun of Truth which has become manifest.
If thou art a man of prayer and supplication, fly on the wings of saintly effort, so that thou mayest see the mysteries of the Friend, and attain to the light of the Beloved.
'We are God's, and unto Him shall we surely return.'
After journeying through the Valley of Knowledge, which is the last station of limitation, the traveller reaches the first stage of the Valley of Divine Unity.
