Genuine joy

 
What is real happiness? And how is it related to genuine love?
The following story would illustrate an aspect of the latter, with reference to the dark, cold, hard iron that takes on the qualities of fire - light, heat and liquidity - when exposed to it. A transcription of a talk given by Mr. Ali Nakhjavani in 2001 in which he comments on and paraphrases the content of a tablet - not yet translated - of 'Abdu'l-Bahá.

(Third story)

...[O]ne day, someone was passing by, and saw this rusted, muddy, piece of iron in the valley. And this piece of iron is a human being. This is an example. So, there is a conversation between the piece of iron and this gentleman or this woman. This is what this [believer] says. "Do you know that there is a fire which is burning and blazing in the world of existence?"

The piece of iron says, "Really, surely I'm interested."

He says, "Come along, I will show you."

They go along, and from a distance, he says, "You see that smoke? Where there's smoke, there's fire." Sometimes, we are so quick in [registering those who acknowledge their belief] that at that point, we say, "You accept that where there's smoke there's fire? Now sign this!" That's too soon, he has not even seen the fire. We go along.

Now, there is a prayer from Baha'u'llah, speaking about this fire. "I know not what the fire is which thou dost kindle in thy land, earth can never cloud its splendour, nor water quench its flame." He is talking about this fire. It's the fire of the Cause. He's talking about that. Then He says, "Blessed are those who hear its roaring."

QUOTE: "Great is the blessedness of him that hath drawn nigh unto it, and heard its roaring." (Baha'u'llah: PM 76)

In other words, as you are approaching the fire, you hear the crackle of the fuel. Already, you see something, you hear something. You haven't seen the fire yet, you approach again, ah, you see the fire, the flames.

The teacher says, "This is not enough, my dear. Let us get closer."

When you get closer, what happens? The metal, the iron feels the warmth and receives the warmth. It was cold, it becomes warm. At that point, you know, I told you this morning, Mr. Enoch Olinga was told by Shoghi Effendi, first is attraction, then there is conversion. This is the stage of conversion, when the piece of iron feels the warmth, and accepts the warmth. It was cold, it becomes warm. At that point, he [declares that he now believes and considers himself a believer].

What about the rest that Mr. Olinga heard from Shoghi Effendi? The teacher says, "This is not finished, my brother, or my sister. Wait, this is not enough... I don't want to frighten you, but I must tell you this, because the process is not complete. It must be completed." So, the teacher says, "Let us throw ourselves into the fire."

What happens to the metal? It is warm, yes, but something else happens, it acquires the qualities of the fire. It has rust all over its body, it shakes off the rust, it becomes brilliant, it acquires the qualities, as I said, of the fire, so much so that you look at the fire, and you look at the piece of iron, you don't know where the fire ends and where the metal begins. They become one. That is dedication. That is consecration. That is the end of the process, when we shake off this rust of selfishness and we become purer and purer all the time, and we acquire the qualities of [heaven].

Now, having said this story about this piece of iron, and the three stages I explained to you this morning, I want to tell you that this story is not mine. It is in one of the tablets of Abdu'l-Baha. He gives the story of this piece of iron. But I explained it a little bit more, I added few things here and there which were of me, for example, in the valley and going here and seeing the smoke, this is all mine, but the essential part, which is seeing, hearing the fire burning, seeing the flame, acquiring the warmth, and the last stage, throwing oneself into the fire, to become brilliant, to become luminous, to acquire the qualities of this Divine Flame, this is why when we describe some people who are on fire with the Cause, we say, he is a flame, that's why, because of this tablet of Abdu'l-Baha. It is a very short tablet which I tried to open up. And explain in the form of this story. ...

Source is here. Go to the latter half of the third story.

Enjoying a study circle in Malaysia.
(Photo: Ryan Lash)
Photo Copyright Baha'i International Community. View here.

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