...man is said to be the greatest sign of God—that
is, he is the Book of Creation—for all the mysteries of the universe are found
in him. Should he come under the shadow of the true Educator and be rightly
trained, he becomes the gem of gems, the light of lights, and the spirit of
spirits; he becomes the focal centre of divine blessings, the wellspring of
spiritual attributes, the dawning-place of heavenly lights, and the recipient
of divine inspirations. Should he, however, be deprived of this education, he
becomes the embodiment of satanic attributes, the epitome of animal vices, and
the source of all that is oppressive and dark.
This is the wisdom of the appearance of the Prophets: to
educate humanity, that this lump of coal may become a diamond and this barren
tree may be grafted and yield fruit of the utmost sweetness and delicacy. And
after the noblest stations in the world of humanity have been attained, further
progress can be made only in the degrees of perfection, not in station, for the
degrees are finite but the divine perfections are infinite.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Table talks in
Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014 revised
translation by the Baha’i World Centre)
