…reflect upon the state and condition of Mary. So deep was
the perplexity of that most beauteous countenance, so grievous her case, that
she bitterly regretted she had ever been born. To this beareth witness the text
of the sacred verse wherein it is mentioned that after Mary had given birth to Jesus,
she bemoaned her plight and cried out: “O would that I had died ere this, and
been a thing forgotten, forgotten quite!” [Qur’án 19:22] I swear by God! Such
lamenting consumeth the heart and shaketh the being. Such consternation of
soul, such despondency, could have been caused by no other than the censure of
the enemy and the cavilings of the infidel and perverse. Reflect, what answer
could Mary have given to the people around her? How could she claim that a Babe
Whose father was unknown had been conceived of the Holy Ghost? Therefore did
Mary, that veiled and immortal Countenance, take up her Child and return unto
her home. No sooner had the eyes of the people fallen upon her than they raised
their voice saying: “O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of wickedness,
nor unchaste thy mother.” [Qur’án 19:28]
And now, meditate upon this most great convulsion, this
grievous test. Notwithstanding all these things, God conferred upon that
essence of the Spirit, Who was known amongst the people as fatherless, the
glory of Prophethood, and made Him His testimony unto all that are in heaven
and on earth. (Baha’u’llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan)
