The Holy Manifestations of God are the source of miracles
and wonderful signs. To them even the impossible things are possible, and from
them most wonderful things appear, but they have an especial mode of
expression.
To them miracles are of no importance. They do not mention
them. If miracles were proofs, it would be for those present, not for those who
are absent. For example: you might tell a Zoroastrian that wonderful miracles
have been performed by Moses and Christ, but he would not believe you; even
idolaters say that wonderful things were accomplished by their idols. In India
many books are written in which endless miracles are ascribed to the masters.
So the Zoroastrian would say: How can I decide which is true? If I accept one,
I must accept all, if they rest on this proof.
If miracles are a proof for these who are present, they are
no proof for those who are absent; but if the true inner sight is opened at the
time of each Manifestation, everything which appears from them is a proof, and
no other proof is so important as the Manifestations themselves. For what is
the importance of causing the blind to see, if finally through death they must
lose their sight? What is the importance of bringing a dead body to life? Being
material, it must finally be decomposed. But that which is of importance is to
give the sight which is everlasting; is to give the life which is immortal.
This material life even at the time of its existence, is
nothingness. For instance: at the time of Christ, people had this life, but He
said: ‘Let the dead bury their dead.’ Those who merely lived the physical life
were to Christ as though they were dead, for the real life is the life of the
spirit, the life eternal.
Therefore, if it is mentioned in the Holy Books that the dead were raised, the meaning is that they received life eternal. If the blind were cured, the meaning is they received inward sight. If the deaf were healed, the meaning is that they found heavenly hearing. This is explained in the text of the Bible itself, and as Christ quoted the words of Isaiah: ‘Ears have they and they hear not; eyes have they but they see not…’
The meaning is not that the Manifestations are not able to
perform miracles — for they are able — but the meaning is that to them the
inward sight, the heavenly hearing, the eternal life, is that which is
acceptable; and when it is mentioned in the Holy Books, this is the true
meaning.
When the blind are healed, it means spiritual sight -- knowledge.
They were ignorant and became wise; heedless and became faithful; asleep and
became awakened; dark and became light; worldly and became heavenly.
~ ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Words of 'Abdu'l-Baha recorded by Mary L. Lucas; ‘A brief
Account of My Visit to Acca’, Chicago Publishing Society, 1905)
