A HOLY COVENANT OF THE ASIATIC NATION

1. Ye are the children of one father, provided for by his care; and the breast of one mother hath given you suck.

2. Let the bonds of affection, therefore, unite thee with thy brothers, that peace and happiness may dwell in thy father's house.

3. And when ye separate in the world, remember the relation that bindeth you to love and unity; and prefer not a stranger before thy own blood.

4. If thy brother is in adversity, assist him; if thy sister is in trouble, forsake her not.

5. So shall the fortunes of thy father contribute to the support of his whole race; and his care be continued to you all, in your love to each other.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS OF UNITY

1. The gifts of the understanding are the treasures of Allah; and He appointed to every one his portion, in what measure seemeth good unto Himself.

2. Hath He endowed thee with wisdom? Hath He enlightened thy mind with the knowledge of truth? Communicate it to the ignorant, for their instruction; communicate it to the wise, for thine own improvement.

3. True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The wise man doubteth often, and changeth his mind; the fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things, but his own ignorance.

4. The pride of emptiness is an abomination; and to talk much, is the foolishness of folly; nevertheless, it is the part of wisdom to hear with patience their impertinence, and to pity their absurdity.

5. Yet be not puffed up in thine own conceit, neither boast of superior understanding; the clearest human knowledge is but blindness and folly.

6. The wise man feeleth his imperfections, and is humbled; he laboreth in vain for his own approbation but the fool peepeth in the shadow stream of his own mind, and is pleased with the pebbles which he seeth at the bottom; he bringeth them up and showeth them as pearls and with the applause of his brethren delighteth himself.

7. He boasteth of attainments in things that are of no worth; but where it is a shame to be ignorant, there he hath no understanding.

8. Even in the path of wisdom, he toileth after folly; and shame and disappointment are the reward of his labor.

9. But the wise man cultivates his mind with knowledge; the improvement of the arts is his delight, and their utility to the public crowneth with honor.

10. Nevertheless, the attainment of virtue he accounteth as the highest learning; and the science of happiness is the study of his life.

THE HOLY UNITY OF THE RICH AND THE POOR

1. The man to whom Allah hath given riches, and blessed with a mind to employ them alright, is peculiarly favored and highly distinguished.

2. He looketh on his wealth with pleasure, because it affordeth him the means to do good.

3. He protecteth the poor that are injured; he suffereth not the mighty to oppress the weak.

4. He seeketh out objects of compassion; he inquireth into their wants; he relieveth them with judgments and without ostentation.

5. He assisteth and rewardeth merit; he encourage ingenuity and liberally promoteth every useful design.

6. He carieth his own great works; his country is enriched, and the labor is employed; he formeth new schemes, and the arts receive improvement.

7. He considers the superfluities of his table, as belonging to the poor of his neighborhood; and he defraudeth them not.

8. The benevolence of his mind is not checked by his fortune; he rejoiceth therefore in riches, and his joy is blameless.

9. But woe. unto him that heapeth up wealth in abundance, and rejoiceth alone in the possession thereof; that grindeth the face of the poor, and considereth not the sweat of their brows!

10. He driveth on oppression, without feeling; the ruin of his brother disturbeth him not.

11. The tears of the orphan he drinketh as milk; the cries of the widow are music to his ears.

12. His heart hardened with the love of wealth; no grief or distress can make impression upon it.

13. But the curse of iniquity pursueth him; he liveth in continual fear; the anxiety of his mind and the rapacious desires of his own soul take vengeance upon him for the calamities he has brought upon others.

14. Oh! What are the miseries of poverty in comparison with the gnawings of this man's heart!

15. Let the poor man comfort himself, yes, rejoice; for he hath many reasons.

16. He sitteth down to his morsel in peace; his table is not crowded with flatterers and devourers.

17. He is not embarrassed with a train of dependents, nor teased with the clamors of solicitations.

18. Debarred from the dainties of the rich, he escapeth also their diseases.

19. The bread that he eateth is not so sweet to his taste? The water he drinketh is not so pleasant to his thirst? Yea, far more delicious water than the richest draughts of the luxurious.

20. His labor preserveth his health, and procureth him a repose, to which the downy bed of sloth is a stranger.

21. He limiteth his desires with humility, and the calm of contentment is sweeter to his soul than all the acquirements of wealth and grandeur.

22. Let not the rich, therefore, presume on his riches; nor the poor in his poverty yield to despondence; for the providence of Allah dispenseth happiness to them both.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

MASTER AND SERVANT

1. Repine not, 0 man, at the state of servitude; it is the ap-pointment of Allah, and hath many advantages; it removeth thee from cares and solicitudes in life.

2. The honor of a servant is his fidelity; his highest virtues are submission and obedience.

3. Be patient, therefore, under the reproofs of thy master; and when he rebuketh thee, answer not again. The silence of thy resigna-tion shall not be forgotten.

4. Be studious of his interests, be diligent in his affairs, and faithful to the trust which he reposeth in thee.

5. Thy time and thy labor belong unto him. Defraud him not thereof, for he payeth thee for them.

6. And thou who art a master, be just to thy servant if thou expecteth from him fidelity; and reasonable in thy commands if thou expecteth ready obedience.

7. The spirit of a man is in him; severity and rigour may create fear, but can never command love.

8. Mix kindness with reproof, and reason with authority; so shall thy admonitions take place in his heart, and his duty shall be-come his pleasure.

9. He shall serve thee faithfully from the motive of gratitude; he shall obey thee cheerfully from the principle of love; and fail thou not, in return, to give his diligence and fidelity their proper reward.

MAGISTRATE AND SUBJECT

1. 0 thou, the favorite of Heaven, whom the sons of men, thy equals, have agreed to raise to sovereign power and set as a ruler over themselves; consider the ends and importance of their trust, fax more than the dignity and height of thy station.

2. Thou art clothed in purple, and seated on a throne; the crown of majesty investeth thy temples, the sceptre of power is placed in thy hand; but not for thyself were these ensigns given; not meant for thine own, but the good of thy kingdom.

3. The glory of a king is the welfare of his people; his power and dominion rest on the hearts of his subjects.

4. The mind of a great prince is exalted with the grandeur of his situation; he evolveth high things, and searcheth for business worthy of his power.

5. He calleth together the wise men of his kingdom; he consulteth among them with freedom, and heareth the opinions of them all.

6. He looketh among his people with discernment; he discovereth the abilities of men, and employeth them according to their merits.

7. His magistrates are just, his ministers are wise, and the favorite of his bosom deceiveth him not.

8. He smileth on the arts, and they flourish; the sciences improve beneath the culture of his hand.

9. With the learned and ingenious he delighteth himself; he kindleth in their breasts emulation; and the glory of his kingdom is exalted by their labors.

10. The spirit of the merchant who extendeth his commerce, the skill of the farmer who enricheth his lands, the ingenuity of the artists, the improvements of the scholar; all these he honoreth with his favor, or rewardeth with his bounty.

11. He planteth new colonies, he buildeth strong ships, he openeth rivers for convenience, he formeth harbors for safety, his people abound in riches, and the strength of his kingdom increaseth.

12. He frameth his statutes with equity and wisdom; his subjects enjoy the fruits of their labor in security; and their happiness consists of the observance of the law.

13. He foundeth his judgments on the principle of mercy; but in the punishment of offenders, he is strict and impartial.

14. His ears are open to the complaints of his subjects; he restraineth the hands of their oppressors, and he delivereth them from their tyranny.

15. His people, therefore, look up to him as a father, with reverence and love; they consider him as the guardian of all they enjoy.

16. Their affection unto him begetteth in his breast a love of the public; the security of their happiness is the object of his care.

17. No murmurs against him arise in their hearts; the machinations of his enemies endanger not the state.

18. His subjects are faithful, and firm in his cause; they stand in his defense, as a wall of brass; the army of a tyrant flieth before them, as chaff before the wind.

19. Security and peace bless the dwelling of his people; and glory and strength encircle his throne forever.

HOLY INSTRUCTION FROM THE PROPHET

THE SOCIAL DUTIES

1. When thou considereth thy wants, when thou beholdeth thy imperfections, acknowledge his goodness, 0 son of humanity, who honored thee with humanity, endowed thee with speech, and placed thee in society to receive and confer reciprocal helps and mutual obligations, protection from injuries, thy enjoyments of the comforts and the pleasures of life; all these thou oweth to the assistance of others, and couldst not enjoy but in the bands of society.

2. It is thy duty, therefore, to be a friend to mankind, as it is thy interest that man should be friendly to thee.

3. As the rose breatheth sweetness from its own nature, so the heart of a benevolent man produceth good works.

4. He enjoyeth the ease and tranquility of his own breast, and rejoiceth in the happiness and prosperity of his neighbor

5. He openeth not his ear unto slander; the faults and the failings of men give a pain to his heart.

6. His desire is to do good, and he researcheth out the occasions thereof; in removing the oppression of another, he relieveth himself.

7. From the largeness of his mind, he comprehendeth in his wishes the happiness of all men; and from the generosity of his heart, he endeavoreth to promote it.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

JUSTICE

1. The peace of society dependeth on justice; the happiness of individuals, on the safe enjoyment of all their possessions.

2. Keep the desires of thy heart, therefore, within the bounds of moderation; let the hand of justice lead them aright.

3. Cast not an evil eye on the goods of thy neighbor; let whatever is his property be sacred from thy touch.

4. Let no temptation allure thee, nor any provocation excite thee to lift up thy hand to the hazard of his life.

5. Defame him not in his character; bear no false witness against him.

6. Corrupt not his servant to cheat or forsake him; and the wife of his bosom, 0 tempt not to sin.

7. It will be a grief to his heart, which thou canst not relieve; an injury to his life, which no reparation can atone.

8. In thy dealings with men, be impartial and just; and do unto them as thou wouldst they should do unto thee.

9. Be faithful to thy trust, and deceive not the man who relieth upon thee; be assured, it is less evil in the sight of Allah to steal than to betray.

10. Oppress not the poor, and defraud not of his hire the laboring man.

11. When thou selleth for gain, hear the whispering of conscience, and be satisfied with moderation; nor from the ignorance of thy buyer take any advantage.

12. Pay the debts which thou oweth: for he who gave thee credit, relieth upon thine honor; and to withhold from him his due, is both mean and unjust.

13. Finally, 0 son of society, examine thy heart, call remembrance to thy aid; and if in any of these things thou hath transgressed, make a speedy reparation, to the utmost of thy power.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

CHARITY

1. Happy is the man who hath sown in his breast the seeds of benevolence: the produce thereof shall be charity and love.

2. From the fountain of his heart shall rise rivers of goodness; and the streams shall overflow, for the benefit of mankind.

3. He assisteth the poor in their trouble; he rejoiceth in furthering the prosperity of all men.

4. He censureth not his neighbor; he believeth not the tales of envy and malevolence; neither repeateth he their slanders.

5. He forgiveth the injuries of men, he wipeth them from his remembrance; revenge and malice have no place in his heart.

6. For evil he returneth not evil, he hateth not even his enemies, but requiteth their injustice with a friendly admonition.

7. The griefs and anxieties of men excite his compassion; he endeavoreth to alleviate the weight of their misfortunes, and the pleasure of success rewardeth his labor.

8. He calmeth the fury, he healeth the quarrels of angry men, and preventeth the mischiefs of strife and animosity.

9. He promoteth in his neighborhood peace and good will, and his name is repeated with praise and benedictions.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

GRATITUDE

1. As the branches of a tree return their sap to the root, from whence it arose; as a river poureth its streams to the sea, whence the spring was supplied; so the heart of a grateful man delighteth in returning a benefit recieved.

2. He acknowledgeth his obligation with cheerfulness, he looketh on his benefactor with love and esteem.

3. And if to return it be not in his power, he nourisheth the memory of it in his breast with kindness; he forgetteth it not all the days of his life.

4. The heart of the grateful man is like the clouds of heaven which drops upon the eath, fruits, herbage and flowers; but the heart of the ungrateful is like a desert of sand which swalloweth with greediness the showers that fall, and burieth them in its bosom, and produceth nothing.

5. Envy not thy benefactor, neither strive to conceal the benefit he hath conferred; for though to oblige is better than to be obliged, though the act of generosity commandeth admiration, yet the humility toucheth the heart, and is amiable on the sight both of Allah and man.

6. But receive not a favor from the hand of the proud; to the selfish and avaricious have no obligation; the vanity of pride shall expose thee to shame; the greediness of avarice shall never be satisfied.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

SINCERITY

1. O thou who are enamored with the beauty of Truth, and hast fixed thy heart on the simplicity of her charms, hold fast thy fidelity unto her, and forsake her not; the constancy of thy virtue shall crown thee with honor.

2. The tongue of the sincere is rooted in heart; hypocrisy and deceit have no place in his words.

3. He blusheth at falsehood, and is founded; but in speaking the truth, he hath a steady eye.

4. He supporteth, as a man, the dignity of his character; to the arts of hypocrisy he scorneth to stoop.

5. He is consistent with himself; he is never embarrassed; he hath courage enough for truth; but to lie he is afraid.

6. He is far above the meanness of dissimulation; the words of his mouth are the thoughts of his heart.

7. Yet, with prudence and caution he openeth his lips; he studieth what is right, and speaketh with discretion.

8. He adviseth with friendship; he reproveth with freedom; and whatsoever he promiseth shall surely be performed.

9. But the heart of the hypocrite is hid in his breast; he maketh his words in the semblance of truth, while the business of his life is only to deceive.

10. He laugheth in sorrow, he weepeth in joy; and the words of his mouth have no interpretation.

11. He worketh in the dark as a mole, and fancieth he is safe; but he blundereth into light, and is betrayed and exposed, with dirt on his head.

12. He passeth his days in perpetual constraint; his tongue and heart are forever at variance.

13. He laboreth for the character of a righteous man; and huggeth himself in the thoughts of his cunning.

14. O fool, fool! The pains which thou taketh to hide what thou art, are more than would make thee what thou wouldst seem; and the children of Wisdom shall mock at thy cunning, when in the midst of security, thy disguise is stripped off, and the finger of derision shall point thee to scorn.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

RELIGION

1. There is but one Allah, the author, the creator, the governor of the world; almighty , eternal, and incomprehensible.

2. The sun is not Allah, though his noblest image. He enlighteneth the world with his brightness; his warmth giveth life to the products of the earth. Admire him as the creature, the instrument of Allah, but worship him not.

3. To the one who is supreme, most wise and beneficent, and to Him alone, belong worship, adoration, thanks giving and praise.

4. Who hath stretched forth the heavens with His hands, who hath described with his finger the courses of stars.

5. Who setteth bounds to the ocean, that it cannot pass; and saith unto the stormy winds: "Be still."

6. Who shaketh the earth, and the nations tremble; who dareth His lightnings, and the wicked are dismayed.

7. Who calleth forth worlds by the words of His mouth; who smiteth with His arm, and they sink into nothing.

8. O reverence the majesty of the Omnipotent; and tempt not His anger, lest thou be destroyed.

9. The providence of Allah is ever all His works; He ruleth and directeth with infinite wisdom.

10. He hath instituted laws for the government of the world; He hath wonderfully varied them in all beings; and each, by his nature conformeth to His will.

11. In the depth of His mind, He revolveth all knowledge; the secrets of futurity lie open before Him.

12. The thoughts of thy heart are naked to His view; He knoweth thy determination before they are made.

13. With respect to His prescience there is nothing contingent; with respect to his providence there is nothing accidental.

14. Wonderful is He in all His ways; His counsels are inscrutable; the manner of His knowledge transcendeth thy conception.

15. Pay therefore to His wisdom, all honor and veneration; and bow down thyself in humble and submissive obedience to His supreme discretion.

16. The Father is gracious and beneficent; He hath created the world in mercy and love.

17. His creatures of His hand declare His goodness, and their enjoyments speak of His praise; He clothed them with beauty, He supporteth them with food, He preserveth them with pleasure, from generation to generation.

18. If we lift up our eyes to the heavens, His glory shineth forth; if we cast them down on the earth, it is full of His goodness; the hills and the valleys rejoice and sing; fields, rivers, and woods resound His praise.

19. But thee, He hath distinguished with peculiar favor; and exalted thy station above all creatures.

20. But thee, He hath embued thee with reason, to maintain thy dominion; he hath fitted thee with language, to improve thy society; and exalted thy mind with the powers of meditation, to contemplate and adore His inimitable perfections.

21. And in the laws He hath ordained as the rule of life, so kindly hath He united thy duty to thy nature that obedience to His precepts is happiness to thyself.

22. O praise His goodness with songs of thanksgiving, and meditate in silence on the wonders of His love; let thy heart overflow with gratitude and acknowledgment, let the language of thy lips speak praise and adoration, let the actions of thy life show thy love to His law.

23. Allah is just and righteous, and will judge the earth with equity and truth.

24. Hath He established his laws in goodness and mercy, and shall He not punish the transgressors thereof?

25. O think not, bold men, because thy punishment is delayed, that the arm of Allah is weakened; neither flatter thyself with hopes that He winketh at thy doings.

26. His eye pierceth the secrets of every heart, and He rememebereth them forever; He respecteth not the persons or the stations of men.

27. The high and the low, the rich and the poor, the wise and the ignorant, when the soul hath shaken off the cumbrous shackles of this mortal life, shall equality receive, from the sentence of just and everlasting retribution, according to their works.

28. Then shall the wicked tremble and be afraid; but the heart of the righteous shall rejoice in His judgements.

29. O fear Allah, therefore, all the days of thy life, and walk in the paths which He hath opened before thee. Let prudence admonish thee, let temperance restrain, let justice guide thy hand, benevolence warm thy heart, and gratitude to Heaven inspire thee with devotion. These shall give thee happiness in thy present state, and bring thee to the mansions of eternal felicity in the paradise of Allah.

30. This is the true economy of Human Life.

HOLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE PROPHET

KNOW THYSELF

1. Weak and ignorant as thou art, O man, humble as thou oughtest to be, O child of the dust, wouldst thou raise thy thoughts to infinite wisdom? Wouldst thou see omnipotence displayed before thee? Contemplate thine frame.

2. Fearfully and wonderfully art thou made; praise therefore thy Creator with awe, and rejoice before Him with reverence.

3. Wherefore of all creatures art thou only erect, but that thou shouldst behold his works? Wherefore art thou to behold, but that thou mayest admire them? Wherefore to admire but that thou mayest adore their and thy Creator?

4. Wherefore is consciousness reposed on thee alone, and whence is it derived to thee?

5. It is not in flesh to think; it is not in bones to reason. The lion knoweth not that worms shall eat him; the ox perceiveth not that he is fed for slaughter.

6. Something is added to thee, unlike to what thou seest; something informs the clay; higher than all is the object of thy senses. Behold, what is it?

7. The body remaineth perfect after it is fled; therefore it is no part of it; it is immaterial, therefore it is eternal; it is free to act; therefore it is accountable for its actions.

8. Knoweth the ass the use of food, because his teeth mow down the herbage? Or standeth the crocodile erect, although his backbone is as straight as thine?

9. Allah formed thee as He formed these; after them all wert thou created; superiority and command were given thee over all, and of His own breath did he communicate to thee the principle of knowledge.

10. Know thyself and the pride of His creation, the line uniting divinity and matter; behold a part of Allah Himself within thee; remember thine own dignity; nor dare descend to evil or to meanness.

11. Who planted terror in the tail of the serpent? Who clothed the neck of the horse with thunder? Even He who hath instructed thee to crush the one under thy feet, and to tame the other to thy purpose.