Source (Persian)
و اين است آن غمامی که سماوات علم و عرفان کلّ من فی الارض به آن می شکافد و شقّ می گردد منع می نمايد از مشاهده شمس ظاهری، همين قسم هم اين شئونات مذکوره مردم را منع می نمايد از ادراک آن شمس حقيقی. چنانچه مذکور است در کتاب از لسان کفّار: "و قَالُوا مَا لِهَذَا الرَّسُولِ يَأکُلُ الطَّعامَ وَ يَمشی فِیالاَسواقِ لَولااُنزِلَ إلَيهِ مَلَکٌ فَيَکُونَ مَعَهُ نَذيراً." مثل اينکه ملاحظه می شد از انبياء فقر ظاهری و ابتلای ظاهری و همچنين ملزومات عنصريِ جسدی از قبيل جوع و امراض و حوادث امکانيّه. چون اين مراتب از آن هياکل قدسيّه ظاهر می شد مردم در صحراهای شکّ و ريب و بيابان های وهم و تحيّر متحيّر می ماندند که چگونه می شود نفسی از جانب خدا بيايد و اظهار غلبه نمايد بر کلّ من علی الارض و علّت خلق موجودات را به خود نسبت دهد چنانچه فرموده: "لَو لاکَ لَما خَلَقْتُ الاَفلاکَ." و مع ذلک به اين قسم ها مبتلا به امور جزئيّه شود؟ چنانچه شنيدهاند از ابتلای هر نبيّ و اصحاب او از فقر و امراض و ذلّت، چنانچه سرهای اصحاب ايشان را در شهرها به هديه می فرستادند و ايشان را منع می نمودند از آنچه به آن مأمور بودند و هر کدام در دست اعدای دين مبتلا بودند به قسمی که بر ايشان وارد می آوردند آنچه اراده می نمودند.
Shoghi Effendi Translation
These are the “clouds” that cause the heavens of the knowledge and understanding of all that dwell on earth to be cloven asunder. Even as He hath revealed: “On that day shall the heaven be cloven by the clouds.” Even as the clouds prevent the eyes of men from beholding the sun, so do these things hinder the souls of men from recognizing the light of the divine Luminary. To this beareth witness that which hath proceeded out of the mouth of the unbelievers as revealed in the sacred Book: “And they have said: ‘What manner of apostle is this? He eateth food, and walketh the streets. Unless an angel be sent down and take part in His warnings, we will not believe.’” Other Prophets, similarly, have been subject to poverty and afflictions, to hunger, and to the ills and chances of this world. As these holy Persons were subject to such needs and wants, the people were, consequently, lost in the wilds of misgivings and doubts, and were afflicted with bewilderment and perplexity. How, they wondered, could such a person be sent down from God, assert His ascendancy over all the peoples and kindreds of the earth, and claim Himself to be the goal of all creation,—even as He hath said: “But for Thee, I would not have created all that are in heaven and on earth,”—and yet be subject to such trivial things? You must undoubtedly have been informed of the tribulations, the poverty, the ills, and the degradation that have befallen every Prophet of God and His companions. You must have heard how the heads of their followers were sent as presents unto different cities, how grievously they were hindered from that whereunto they were commanded. Each and every one of them fell a prey to the hands of the enemies of His Cause, and had to suffer whatsoever they decreed.
