Editing Kitab-i-Iqan/Page2/GPT4 29

The phrase "after the distress of those days" means a time when people are afflicted with hardship and constriction. This happens when the traces of the Sun of Truth and the fruits of the Lote-Tree of Knowledge and Wisdom disappear among people, when the reins of society are taken over by the ignorant, when the gates of Divine Unity and knowledge - which is the main purpose of human creation - are closed, when knowledge turns into conjecture, and guidance succumbs to misguidance. This is observed today as the reins of every group have fallen into the hands of the ignorant who guide their people according to their desires. Among these people, nothing of God remains except a name, and nothing of the ultimate purpose remains except words.

The winds of desires and self-interests have blown so strongly that they have extinguished the lamps of reason and the heart in many souls. Even though the gates of divine knowledge have been opened by the keys of divine power and the potential existences have been illuminated and guided by the light of knowledge and the holy effusions. So much so, that in everything a gate of knowledge has been opened, and in every atom traces of the Sun have become apparent.

Despite all these manifestations of knowledge that have encompassed the world, they still consider the gate of knowledge closed and the showers of mercy to be severed. Clinging to conjecture, they have distanced themselves from the firm handhold of knowledge. It seems as if they have no natural inclination towards knowledge and do not even fantasize about its appearance because they have found doors in conjecture to earn their livelihood and in the appearance of the manifestation of knowledge, they have found nothing but sacrificing their lives.

They are fleeing from this and clinging to that. And although they consider the divine command to be one, they observe two breaths on one command. They do not seek anything other than divine desire and they do not want a path other than error. They consider leadership as the ultimate attainment of the desired and pride and arrogance as the peak of maturation towards the beloved. They prefer self-deception over divine determinations. They have bypassed submission and contentment and are busy with scheming and pretense. They try with all their might and power to preserve these positions so that no deficiency finds its way into their grandeur or any defect touches their glory. 

And if an eye is brightened with the kohl of divine knowledge, it will observe a few predators that have fallen upon the carcasses of the souls of servants.