BH00016: Praise be unto our Lord Who hath made manifest…

Section 1: “In the name of our Lord, the Most…”

In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious!

Praise be unto our Lord Who hath made manifest from the drop the waves of the sea, and from the atom the lights of the sun, and hath detailed from the Point the books of what hath been and what shall be. He it is Who hath created creation as a token of His bounty and as a manifestation of His might, His grandeur and His sovereignty. He hath made them the mines of His knowledge and wisdom, the treasuries of the pearls of His remembrance and utterance, the dawning-places of justice and equity, and the manifestations of munificence and grace. He hath deposited within them two signs: the sign of light and the sign of fire. When creation was completed, He adorned it with character, and through it revealed the station of man in the contingent world.

Exalted be the Lord of Destiny, Who hath appeared at the Greatest Scene, Who on the Day of Gathering called the servants unto the Most Sublime Horizon and the Ultimate Goal. Among them were those who denied their Lord by following their desires, and those who were inflamed with the fire of hatred such that they turned away from God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens. Among them were those who pronounced judgment against Him Who created them by a word from His presence, and those who said “In the Name of God” and “By God” and broke the chains of idle fancy through the strength of might, and rent asunder the veils of vain imaginings through the Name of God, the Lord of all mankind.

They hastened like lightning, crying: “Here am I, here am I, O Lord of the Kingdom and Sovereign of Might! Here am I, here am I, O Breaker of the might of the aggressors and Light manifest and gleaming on the Day of Judgment!”

They have prospered who were attracted by the breezes of revelation and acted in accordance with what they were commanded in the Book. And they have lost who broke God’s covenant and His testament—they went astray and led others astray until they caused their people to dwell in the abode of perdition. Do those who denied God’s proof and His evidence suppose they follow a command from His presence? Nay, by His Self that rules supreme over all names and His power that encompasses all things! Say: Die in your wrath! The Chosen One hath come, and He Who revealeth the mysteries hath appeared with the standards of power and might. Neither the veils of your idle fancies nor the obscuring clouds of your allusions can hinder Him.

He it is Who hath spoken from His most exalted station, and through Him the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing hath spoken in the kingdom of creation. O people of the Bayan! Have ye forgotten God’s covenant and His testament, and neglected what He commanded you in His Book? What aileth you that ye understand not and perceive not? Ye have taken fancy for truth and cast truth behind your backs, imagining that ye do well. Nay, by the Lord of the Throne and of earth! The Point of the Bayan disavoweth you, as did before Him the Revealer of the Furqan. To this all things bear witness, yet ye comprehend not. Through dust ye have been withheld from the Lord of Lords, and through clay ye have been heedless of the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Say: The dust is your own selves and the clay your vain imaginings, did ye but know it.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through a drop from the clouds of the heaven of Whose bounty the oceans of Thy knowledge have surged in the hearts of them that yearn for Thee and are sincere among Thy servants and creatures! Through a light from the lights of Thy countenance the earth of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy grace have been illumined, and through a breath from Thy garment the trumpet was sounded and the dwellers of the graves arose at Thy manifestation and Thy establishment upon the throne of Thy Will. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through a single letter of which appeared that which none has understood save Thyself, and by Thy Command whereby Thou hast subdued the people of Thy cities and lands, to protect Thy loved ones from the evil of the oppressors among Thy creatures. O my Lord! Thou seest how one of Thy loved ones is encompassed by the wolves from the thickets of rancor and hatred and the beasts from the forests of heedlessness and misery. Take his hand, O my God, with the hand of Thy power, then assist him with the hosts of the unseen and the visible. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all creation.

O my Lord! Thou seest how the people of the Bayan have turned away from Thee and from Thy proof, and have disputed Thy verses after Thou didst come to them with a sovereignty that transcended all names and with evidences clearer than the sun at noontide, clinging to the letters of their own selves, turning away from the ocean of verses, holding fast to the hem of idle fancies, and denying that which has shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of power and might. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the breezes of the dawn of Thy Revelation and by Thy fragrances which have perfumed the places wherefrom appeared the Manifestations of Thy Self and the Daysprings of Thy verses, to enable them that have turned away to turn towards the horizon of Thy oneness, to face Thy countenance, and to ponder that which hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scriptures and Tablets.

O my Lord! Deprive them not of the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. O my Lord! My heart lamenteth their heedlessness and remoteness. Teach them, O my God, Thy path and make known unto them that whereof they were heedless in Thy days. Who is able, O my God, to describe himself by any description before the court of Thy glory, O Lord of all names! The servant testifieth in this his station that all bounty is within Thy grasp and all mercy is in Thy right hand. Thou singliest out whom Thou willest with Thy care and Thy favors and Thy compassion and Thy gifts.

Were it not for Thy grace and bounty, all creation would be in nothingness. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of eternity, the Possessor of knowledge, and the Ordainer of good for the peoples. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

And further: your letter adorned with the traces of your pen reached me. When I opened it, I found therein the fragrance of your love for our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. The servant asketh his Lord to enable you to serve the Cause with a power that the power of the world cannot frustrate and with a might that the might of the nations cannot prevent, and through you to guide the heedless to the path of guidance and protect you from the evil of those who have denied the Source and the Return. O beloved of my heart! Thy remembrance is the cause of my joy and thy letter the reason for my gladness, my delight and my expansion, for it proclaimeth with most eloquent utterance and mentioneth your turning unto God, your sincerity and your steadfastness in the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord. Well is it with you and pleasant it is unto you. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist you and grant you success in all conditions. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

After I read and understood it, I approached the Most Exalted Station and the Supreme Summit until I attained the presence before the Face and presented what was therein after the sun of permission shone forth from the horizon of grace. When this was completed, the Tongue of the All-Bountiful spoke in reply, exalted be His utterance:

Verily, I am the Hearer, the Answerer

O Muhammad! The servant in attendance has delivered what thou didst send unto him, and mention was made thereof before the Face of the Wronged One, Who hath borne tribulations for the life of the world and the salvation of all nations. We have heard and respond to thee through this perspicuous Tablet. Blessed art thou for having turned toward the Supreme Horizon when the people turned away, save those whom God, the Lord of all worlds, did will. Thou art he who hath drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, and hast believed in Him when the divines of the earth and its doctors and those who followed them without clear proof from God, the Commander, the All-Wise, did deny Him.

Say: O concourse of men! He Who is the Lord of Destiny hath come, through Whom every hidden matter hath been revealed. Fear ye God and be not of those who turn aside. Judge fairly concerning that which hath appeared in truth and be not of those who would make mention of God throughout the days and nights, yet when the Dawn of His Manifestation broke forth and the Speaker on Sinai spoke, they turned against Him with swords of hatred and slew Him with such injustice as caused the pillars of the Temple to shake and the eyes of the near ones to weep. Behold the people of the Bayan and their vain imaginings. They have denied Him through Whom God’s Cause was revealed from time immemorial and through Whom the Books were sent down unto the Prophets and Messengers.

Say: Be fair before God—if ye deny this Most Great Cause, by what proof can ye establish your faith in God? Produce it then, and be not of the patient ones. Say: By God’s life! Nothing shall profit you this Day save through this Manifestation, which was mentioned in the hearts of the chosen ones and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Cast away vain imaginings and be not of the heedless. Say: This is God’s Day, were ye of them that know. None is mentioned therein save Him—to this testifieth every seeing believer. Say: Consider the people of the Furqan, their deeds and words, and what they committed when the Desired One came with manifest sovereignty. They deemed themselves the most excellent and learned of all peoples, yet when the test came, We found them the most worthless of all sects—to this testifieth every fair-minded and upright just one.

O Pen! Leave the mention of these people and remember the party of God who have cast behind their backs the dawning-places of vain imaginings, turning unto the One, the All-Informed—they who broke not God’s Covenant and His Testament, who arose and said:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

Thus did the Pen speak when the Ancient of Days was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those whom neither the doubts of the people of the Bayan nor the allusions of the people of the Furqan prevented, who turned with radiant faces unto God, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

After the rustling of the Divine Lote Tree has been raised among humanity and the waves of the ocean of inner meanings have surged from the Word of God, the Lord of all names, how can this servant speak or utter or make mention or say anything? Nay, by His very Self, the Truth! He sees his tongue faltering and his pen halted. How can the ailing one describe or make mention of Him Who created the water of life through a word from His presence? The mention of one such as I and my like before His countenance was and is as nothingness and non-existence. Were I to describe Him through metaphors, the fragrance of existence would be diffused therefrom.

This befitteth not one who is as naught. Though this servant hath arisen to render a service whose greatness hath been testified to by the tongue of his Lord and Master, and though he is occupied at all times before His face with His mention and the inscription of His verses, he is ashamed to make mention of himself before the court of His might and greatness and majesty. Nay, by His glory, he is ashamed to make mention of those who have circled round His Cause and spoken His praise and arisen to serve Him and testified to that which the tongue of His grandeur hath spoken forth when He unfurled the banner of His Revelation on the day when He was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name.

I beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist your honor with the hosts of wisdom and utterance and to protect you from the evil of those who have arisen in hypocrisy and broken the Covenant, who have gone astray and led others astray. By the life of the Lord! This servant is astonished at their words and deeds. They know not, neither do they understand. They have followed their own desires and today they perceive not.

As to what you wrote regarding the beloved of the heart and Haji Amin, upon him be the Glory of the Most Glorious, and their expressions of love—praise be to God, they have arisen to serve from the earliest days. They turned to God, acted for the sake of God, and have been and are focused on God. The Supreme Pen hath made mention of them in the Books and Scriptures and Tablets. There was and is no need for this evanescent one to make mention of them. After this matter was presented in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, He spoke these blessed words:

“Excellent is what the Trustworthy One hath done. He assisteth those who have arisen to serve the Cause. They have done what is befitting. All the friends should show love to him. We beseech God to assist all to serve Him and serve His friends and loved ones. Verily, He hath power over all things.”

End quote.

And regarding what you wrote about Aqa Siyyid Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise your mention of his love and kindness and steadfastness—these matters were presented in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence of the Goal of the worlds. These are His blessed and exalted words in response:

Section 2: “Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One…”

He is the Compassionate, the Generous

Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One from the precincts of the prison and ponder upon what hath befallen Him. Perchance through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, thou mayest attain unto such steadfastness that neither the divines of the earth nor its rulers, nor those above them or below them, can prevent thee therefrom. The vain imaginings of the divines of the Shi’ih sect have deprived those poor souls from the ocean of divine affluence and the rain of infinite mercy. Would that they had been content with this much! Nay, rather, in the early years all were engaged in cursing, denouncing and that which the pen is loath to describe. That Beloved One, Whose remembrance they had uttered night and day, and Whose presence they had yearned to attain—when the horizon of the world was illumined with the dawning light of His Revelation, they all turned against Him with faces darkened by hatred and hearts filled with rancor, and all gave verdict to shed His most pure blood.

Such was the fruit of the deeds of that heedless people. They considered themselves the best of all creation, yet were observed to be the most debased of servants. Now the people of the Bayan, those souls who have turned away from God, have clung to these same vain imaginings. Arise ye for the sake of God, that perchance ye may protect the servants from the vain imaginings of the past. Should the person of insight reflect even briefly, he would find himself bewildered by the heedlessness, misguidance, malice and hatred of that people.

O Javad! We beseech God to assist thee and grant thee success, that thou mayest exert thy utmost in service to His Cause to the extent of thy capacity. Verily, He is with whomsoever desireth Him, and He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away vain imaginings, holding fast unto My strong cord. The light of the All-Merciful’s utterance has encompassed the world, and His call has been raised before the faces of all people from the beginning of this Cause and continues to be. Despite this, the heedless and veiled remain. For what day are ears created, and sight for what time? If they remain deprived today, when will they attain?

May God, exalted be His glory, bestow justice. The Lord of all desire, from Whose heaven of grace verses have been sent down like rain, equivalent to all divine books before and after, nay more, is now present. Yet the cawers persist in leading people astray, whispering into people’s hearts. The station which the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—describes saying “Verily, I am the first of worshippers,” Ibn Ja’far Kirmani and Hadi Dawlat-Abadi have spoken of in ways that no unjust one has spoken before, despite having no knowledge of the Cause whatsoever. Where is justice? Where has fairness gone? What has become of vision? We belong to God and to Him we return.

One stands bewildered. This evanescent servant beseeches the True One, exalted be His station, to grant justice and provide guidance, that they might return and at least not hold back the helpless people from the path, lest they become afflicted like the Shi’ih sect in the wilderness of fancy and vain imaginings. That sect which counted itself the highest of creation did what neither the Jews nor Christians committed—no people committed what that sect perpetrated, for they issued the death warrant for the Master of the world and occupied themselves with cursing and execration from pulpits, and still do. Yet again they have firmly girded themselves to lead astray the people of the Crimson Ark. The fruits of that sect’s deeds were witnessed; the fruits of these souls will likewise be seen after another thousand two hundred years. I beseech the Most High to adorn His servants with the ornament of justice and fairness and guide them to His straight path.

Regarding the mention made of the loved ones of Kermanshah, Sahneh, Kangavar, Asadabad and Kurdistan—all were presented before the Most Holy Court, and the loved ones of each city were honored with the mention of the Lord of Names. Blessed are they. This evanescent servant beseeches the Truth to assist and confirm all, that they may attain to the recognition of God’s Day and be adorned with true unity. As commanded, convey greetings to each of the mentioned souls and give them glad tidings of the mention of the Wronged One of the horizons. He said: Today is the day of service, triumph, mention and praise. Count time as precious and deprive not yourselves of the outpourings of these days of the true Generous One. Make an effort—an effort that the might of the world cannot prevent. Arise—an arising that the doubts of the people of the Bayan and the allusions of the people of the Furqan cannot disturb or shake.

He also mentioned the land of Qaf and Za, and those souls who broke the chains of vain imaginings and held fast to the cord of the grace of God, glorified be His majesty. He said all were presented before Him. His blessed and exalted word:

O Muhammad! Blessed art thou for having turned thy face toward a land wherefrom thou didst inhale the fragrance of My glorious and inaccessible love. His honor Abdu’r-Rahim, upon him be My glory, the fragrance of whose love hath been and still is diffused. Likewise Ababasir and Ashraf and his honor Hakim—all attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. The friends in that land, one and all, have been and are beneath the glances of grace. Blessed are they who have rent asunder the veils and turned toward the Point of God. Convey to each one greetings from the Wronged One and give them glad-tidings, saying: O friends! Some of you have witnessed the waves of the ocean of utterance and have heard the call of the Ultimate Tree. Know ye the worth of this most exalted station and cling to His most pure hem with such tenacity that the world shall have no power to separate you therefrom.

This evanescent one offered thanks to God that his honor Aqa Naqd-Ali had attained, for it would have been most regrettable had he remained deprived. This servant beseeched the True One day and night, seeking confirmation and assistance for him. In any case, I convey greetings and salutations to him and all others. O beloved of my heart! Most were and are unaware, and those who became aware remained silent and mute as commanded. Thus some are seen to be veiled, but there is hope that the dawn of manifestation will overcome the darkness and illumine all the peoples of the world.

Mention was made of the beloved of the heart, his honor Samandar, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God. He is among those who arose in the earliest days to serve God and to make mention of Him and praise Him. He hath not for a moment failed in his mission. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to ordain for him from the Supreme Pen that which befitteth His bounty and generosity.

And as for the mention made of his honor Aqa Mirza Ali, son of him who ascended unto God, and his honor Ustad Kazim, brother of his honor Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon them be the glory of God, it was presented in the Most Holy Court. His mighty utterance, exalted be His proof: “His honor Ali, upon him be My glory, hath repeatedly been mentioned by the Supreme Pen. We have mentioned him in numerous tablets and We give him glad tidings at this moment with My glorious and wondrous remembrance.” We beseech God to assist him and the relatives of the deceased and exalted one in that which He loveth and is pleased with. “And We give glad tidings to Kazim with My remembrance both before and at this moment, that he may rejoice and be among the thankful ones.”

And regarding the mention of the lands between Qaf and Ya and Ash and Sa and Kaf, and meeting with the friends in those regions—each one hath attained the grace of God, exalted be His glory. Mention of all hath been uttered from the Tongue of Grandeur. Happy are they and blessed are they. This evanescent one also conveyeth greetings to all and beseecheth God for the success of each one. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer. Mention was made of Alif and Ra and their association with the friends of God. This matter was presented in the Most Holy Court. His word, exalted be His remembrance above all mention:

O Muhammad! All that thou hast mentioned hath attained unto true remembrance. The loved ones in that land are each and all remembered in the presence of the Wronged One and recorded by the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to aid them all to drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness—a draught whereby neither the might of the peoples of the world nor the opposition of nations shall hold them back. Implore God not to afflict His loved ones with the vain imaginings and idle fancies as befell the Shi’ih sect. May they all gaze towards the Most Exalted Horizon alone and be illumined by the lights of true unity. Until now most remain heedless and veiled from the blessed words “There is none other God but Him.” We beseech God, exalted be He, to protect them from the clamor of the atheists, the croaking of the croakers, and the imaginings of the idolaters.

Regarding thy mention of the distinguished, steadfast, firm, upright and sanctified souls of that land—this attained unto the hearing of the Lord of Names. His mighty utterance, exalted be His words above all expression:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O Hasan! Upon thee be the Glory of God and His praise! Blessed art thou for having drunk the choice wine of inner meanings from the cup of thy Lord’s bounty, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We have made mention of those who have believed in God and His signs with such remembrance as shall cause the sincere to perceive the fragrance of their Lord’s loving kindness, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Blessed be thy face for having turned unto the Countenance of the Ancient of Days, and thy tongue for having voiced His praise and glorification, and thy heart for having turned unto Him on a Day whereon the people turned away and opposed Him, following the desires of those who cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to their vain imaginings—these are indeed among the lowly ones.

Take thou the reins of the Cause by My command and remind the people of that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance, lest they be led astray by the People of the Bayan who have turned away from the All-Merciful, and lest their feet slip through the doubts of the suspicious ones. Say: By God! The horizon of Revelation hath shone forth and He Who conversed on Sinai calleth aloud amidst all beings. Joy unto them that have turned towards Him and heard, and woe unto those that have turned away. We made mention of thy father before, and We mention him at this time with that which all things cannot equal—to this beareth witness He with Whom is the perspicuous Book.

We make mention of thy brother Husayn and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. O Husayn! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison, at a time when sorrows have encompassed Him from the people of the Bayan who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and were among the wrongdoers. Arise to promote the Cause with such steadfastness that neither the clamor of the divines nor the power of princes shall deter thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Commanding, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe wisdom, lest there appear that which might agitate the souls of the weak ones. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We make mention of Nuru’llah as a token of Our grace, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones. Take, O people of God, the chalice of salvation in the name of Him Who sendeth the winds, then drink ye therefrom in remembrance of Him by Whom the hearts of them that are nigh have been attracted. Beware lest the doubts of the people debar you from the Self-Subsisting One Who hath come riding upon the clouds of utterance with manifest sovereignty.

O ʿAli-Qabli-Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the precincts of the Prison and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world! I testify that Thou hast appeared and revealed that which was hidden in God’s knowledge and recorded in the Books of the Messengers. When the appointed time came and the Manifestation of clear evidences appeared with the standards of signs, all the divines turned away from Him and pronounced judgment against Him with such injustice as caused the dwellers of the highest Paradise and the people of this exalted station to lament. Thus did their souls entice them, and they are assuredly among the wrongdoers in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We make mention of Husayn and ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar and then those who have believed in that place, and We beseech God to grant them success and assist them to be steadfast in the Cause and preserve them from the evil of the barking ones who have turned away from Him through Whom God’s decree was established in the past and will be in the future. They are assuredly among the most lost ones in My manifest Book.

Blessed is My servant Muhammad for having remembered you in his letter which he sent to the servant who attends the Wronged One. When it was presented and read, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which hath perfumed the worlds of inner meanings and utterance and the realms of justice and fairness. He mentioneth whom He willeth as a token of His grace, and He is the One with power over whatsoever He pleaseth and the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Praise be to the Beloved of the world! They have attained unto verses from every letter of which the Sun of grace dawns and the Moon of bounty shines forth. Glory be to God! One is astonished at what the ungodly have said and continue to say. They utter that which their own foundations deny, yet they neither hear nor perceive. The signs have encompassed the world, and the evidences are more manifest than the sun, yet through the sayings of this one and that, they have remained deprived of the Purpose of all the worlds. It is not known by what proof they establish their own faith, and by what evidence they deny this Most Great Announcement. Fie upon them and their loyalty!

It is not known where they have been until now—behind what veil were they concealed in the years of adversity, and by what barrier were they barred? The atoms of creation bear witness that the One True God stands before the faces of the world, calling out with the most exalted voice. Now that some signs have appeared and they have emerged from behind the veil, bringing that which none had brought before, we must beseech the True One that He deprive none, illuminate all with the lights of the Most Great Name, and guide them to the straight path.

Section 3: “This evanescent servant, upon hearing mention of those…”

This evanescent servant, upon hearing mention of those loved ones whom your honor had described, observed boundless joy within himself. Praise be to the Purpose of all worlds, Who confirmed them and granted them such success that there was revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning them that which its fragrance shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven shall last. Happy are they and blessed are they! I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to ordain them among the steadfast ones, the firm ones, and the promoters of His Cause. Convey greetings and salutations to his honor Aqa Mirza Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, and to the others. I beseech God for confirmation and assistance for each one. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and praise be to Him, for He is the Purpose of all worlds and the Beloved of those who know. This much I submit: that all the souls of that land, both the gentlemen and the women, have been honored before God with the greatest mention. Upon them be the Glory of God and the glory of His chosen ones, His pure ones, and His loved ones.

And regarding the mention made of Abbas, it was presented before His presence. His mighty utterance, exalted be His proof:

“O Abbas! If less than a needle’s eye of the station of those who have turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and have drunk from the wine of recognition were to be made manifest, thou wouldst behold all the people of the world having forsaken what they possess, turning toward and advancing to the Friend. We beseech God to confirm thee in steadfastness, for the beginning of the recognition of God, exalted be His glory, and acting according to what He hath revealed in the Book, and its end is steadfastness in His Cause, for this Cause hath been and is mighty. All divine Books, both of the past and present, have testified to its greatness. Blessed are they who know, and blessed are they who are steadfast.”

This evanescent servant beseeches the Ever-Abiding Truth to confirm that honored one in wisdom, for this matter hath streamed forth and been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen in numerous Tablets. Today, whosoever acteth according to that which God hath commanded him shall be recorded among those near unto Him in the Perspicuous Book.

The other letter from that beloved one, dated the twenty-second of the month of Shawwal, was received, and its effect was like that of flowing water to one who thirsteth, for it was adorned with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds, and the fragrance of love was wafted therefrom. After reading and perusing it, I approached the Most Exalted Presence, and, having gained permission, presented it. He—may the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdoms of Command and Creation be sacrificed for His sake—said:

“O servant in attendance! His honor Muhammad—upon him be My glory in the path of God—hath turned towards the outlying regions. Beseech the Truth to create new ears and fresh eyes through His wondrous and blessed Word, that perchance they may hear the divine verses and recognize the Truth with their own eyes. The people of the world have been reared in vain imaginings. They have ever been deprived of the splendors of the Sun of certitude and forbidden from the ocean of divine knowledge. Throughout ages and centuries they have been occupied with the mention of that which is imagined and have soared in the atmosphere of idle fancies. When the Sun of Truth, by the will of the Ancient Lord, shone forth from the horizon of the world, all engaged in cursing and execration from pulpits in their mosques, even though the Truth, exalted be His glory, had rent asunder the veils and coverings with the finger of power. Nevertheless, all have been and still are awaiting an imaginary manifestation.

Strange it is that the children of the Friend and the inheritors of Him Who conversed with God have attained, and have drunk from the ocean of the favors of the Truth, exalted be His glory, and have received their portion of the sealed wine by My Name, the Self-Subsisting. Likewise, some of the people of this land and its surroundings, who in the eyes of the Shi’ih faction were regarded as the most abject of all the peoples of the world, have drunk from the cup of reunion; yet that heedless faction remaineth until now oblivious and veiled. They have not been awakened by the call, the cry, and the trumpet blast. In the wilderness of error, they are observed to be intoxicated with the wine of heedlessness and pride, nay rather, they appear as dead. And since in this Most Great Revelation, conflict, contention, cursing, execration, killing and the like have been forbidden, the people of God must guide all the peoples of the world with joy and fragrance to the horizon of the All-Merciful, and must beseech the Truth to guide all unto the Dayspring of favors and the Source of His Command, and to make them aware. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.” End.

Exalted is His mercy, glorified His grace, magnificent His bestowals and favors! Despite the tribulations that have befallen Him, the evident hatred, and the manifest oppression against His servants, He hath mentioned and continueth to mention such words from which flow and spread the rivers of mercy. Exalted is His generosity, His grace, His munificence and His beneficence!

Concerning what you wrote about Aqa Rida, his petition arrived some time ago and was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, and a response descended from the heaven of divine will and was sent forth. The petition was forwarded by Aqa Shaykh Mihdi, upon him be the glory of God, in accordance with what that beloved one had written in a letter to this servant. This servant wrote a letter in response to them containing the verses of God. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, that it may reach them and they may receive their full portion from the ocean of divine verses. I send greetings and praise to Jinab-i-Shaykh and beseech God for confirmation and success, that He may aid him to teach His Cause in such wise that no obstacle may hinder him.

Likewise, I pray for success for Aqa Rida, that in his youth he may arise to serve the divine Cause with steadfastness and firmness. The purpose is that he may spend his days in love for the Revealer of verses and the Manifestation of clear proofs. Give him the glad tidings that he has attained the ornament of forgiveness. This is what I heard with mine own ears from the tongue of grandeur. You mentioned the love of Jinab-i-Shaykh and his hospitality—this was accepted in the divine presence. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. Good deeds are the cause of divine success and confirmation. Blessed are they that act.

As for what you wrote concerning Aqa Mirza Ali, upon him be the glory of God, it was presented before Him Who conversed on Sinai, and these exalted words descended from the Dayspring of verses. His word, exalted be His glory: “O Ali! Vain imaginings have seized the world and deprived eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. All have clung to that which is vain and remained heedless and veiled from the True One. Throughout ages and centuries they awaited His appearance, yet when the horizon of the world was illumined with the lights of the Most Great Luminary, all turned away. And the Shi’ih sect, who considered themselves the most exalted of all sects and the most learned, rose up with utmost tyranny against the Divine Lote-Tree and brought about that which caused every seeing one to weep and every person of heart to lament. Such is the condition of these worthless creatures that thou observest. We beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to make thee aware and grant thee a portion from the ocean of knowledge, that thou mayest discover the fragrance of the garment of His Revelation and not be deprived of the sweet savors of His days. Say:

My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have aimed for the Ultimate Goal, the Most Exalted Summit, and Thy Most Sublime Horizon. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, the mysteries of Thy Book, and the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, to confirm me in steadfastness in Thy Cause and in Thy love, whereby the feet of the learned ones and divines of the earth have slipped. O my Lord! I have turned to Thee. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what lieth with Thee. Then write down for me, with the pen of Thy grace, that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

Praise be to God, they have attained unto the waves of the ocean of the Merciful’s utterance. This evanescent servant beseeches the exalted Truth to aid them in that which is pleasing to Him, to strengthen them in steadfastness in His Cause, and to bestow upon them that from which the fragrance of His presence may be diffused. He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. How many are the learned who are seen to be deprived and forbidden, and how many are the souls who, though not counted among the learned, are yet regarded by God as people of insight, hearing, vision and knowledge. The key of grace is in the right hand of His power. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Strong, the Powerful.

As to your mention of the presence of the friends of God at the gathering where that honored one was called with sincerity—from the honored Chief and his eminence Sir, and the honored Shaykh and Aqa Rida-Bala and the honored Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon them be the glory of God—blessed is the land that in these days becometh the seat of the friends. By the life of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven, the heaven declareth in most eloquent utterance:

“Blessed art thou, O earth, in that God hath made thee the footstool of His feet and the dwelling-place of His friends! Blessed is the people among whom His remembrance is raised!”

Today the earth glorieth, and with justice. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to favor that gathering with His special grace, that each one may drink from the ocean of divine knowledge and fix their gaze solely upon the supreme horizon.

As to their mention that before his acceptance of the Truth, the idolaters incited Aqa Rida-Bala to harm his eminence Sir 1111 [Ali-Rida], upon him be the glory of God—after this matter was presented before the throne of the Lord, exalted be His glory, the Tongue of Grandeur uttered this most exalted and blessed word—His utterance, blessed and exalted be He:

“The Truth, exalted be His glory, preserved him twice from the evil of those heedless, heretical, and wicked souls. Verily God preserved him twice through the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and He will preserve him as a grace from His presence and will open before his face the gate of His mercy. Verily, He is powerful over all things.”

End quote.

As to what you wrote regarding the honored Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be 966 [the glory of God], and his acceptance, steadfastness, firmness and constancy—this account, together with his petition, was presented before the Intended One of all the worlds on Wednesday night, the fifteenth of the month of Safar, two hours after nightfall. A most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of grace and was sent. It is hoped that they will attain unto it and drink from the Water of Life that is concealed within the divine words, and that this evanescent one may, without delay or hesitation, utter the words “Well done! Well done!” This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in reply—His utterance, exalted be His exposition and mighty be His proof:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

The book sent by thee hath reached the Wronged One, and from it We perceived the fragrance of thy turning toward the Most Exalted Horizon on a Day wherein the divines and princes of the earth turned away. Blessed is he whom the doubts of men have not kept back, and blessed the steadfast one whom the clamor of those who have broken God’s Covenant and Testament did not cause to sit, when the Promised One came with a sovereignty that subdued all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Husayn! The Wronged One calleth thee from the precincts of the Prison, and remembereth thee with that which will never cease to spread its fragrance throughout the eternity of My Best Names and Most Exalted Attributes. Verily, thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

We have heard thy call and have answered thee, and have seen thy turning toward Us and have turned toward thee, and have cast upon thee that which shall be with thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth, and sent them unto thee that thou mightest thank thy Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

We found thy book purified from doubts and idle fancies, giving voice to the praise of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid thee and make thee successful, and to ordain for thee through His Most Exalted Pen the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to decree for thee what He hath decreed for His chosen ones. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the Answerer.

Remember My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad tidings of My bounty, My mercy, and My loving-kindness which have preceded existence itself. To this beareth witness the Most Great Book of God in this exalted station. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those whom the doubts of the followers of religions have not kept back from the Daystar of Certitude, and whom the might of every remote oppressor hath not frightened.

Section 4: “Every word of God’s utterances, exalted be His…”

Every word of God’s utterances, exalted be His grandeur, is like a lamp that shall accompany you. In one station it is the living water, for the life of all created things depends upon and is connected to it. In another station it is like the sun, nay its light is seen to be greater and its effect more perfect. This evanescent servant beseeches and implores God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive any of creation from this light, nor withhold from them that living water, so that all may, as one soul, engage in His praise and glorification beneath the blessed Tree, and at all times be sustained by the heavenly food and true bounties. Yet most difficult is the attainment of this supreme station—not every soul is capable. Until now, the deniers have failed to comprehend the station of this Day. They occupy themselves with the doubts, vain imaginings, and limitations of the past which, after twelve hundred years, resulted in the martyrdom of the Beloved of the world. They walk in those same footsteps.

This evanescent one mentions here one word, and this is the word that has been revealed by the Supreme Pen in numerous tablets. Thus speaks He, blessed and exalted be He: “O concourse of divines! Not one among you at the dawn of the Manifestation attained to faith. You all, along with your ignorant followers, engaged in cursing and denouncing. Throughout ages and centuries, you imagined yourselves to be commemorating God and following His commandments. Yet when the dawn of hope appeared and the blessed Tree sprouted forth, you arose with swords of hatred to cut it down and issued decrees for the shedding of His most pure blood. From the beginning of Islam until now, not one among you has understood the truth of the Cause, nor attained even an atom’s weight of true knowledge, for none of you, from beginning to end, achieved the recognition of the Promised One and the existence of that Essence of Being in the loins.

Now set aside your ignorant prejudices and speak with justice and fairness. The horizon of the world is illumined and adorned with the lights of the manifestation of Him Who conversed with Moses. Behold Him with His own eyes. This is a firm command—the Primal Point counseled all concerning it, and it is specific to this Most Great Manifestation.

“Now some among the people of the Bayan have opened the door of misinterpretation. If a word is spoken from any station, they say it has been misinterpreted. Say: O oppressors! The people of the Furqan, because of such sayings, remained deprived of the supreme horizon, the ultimate goal, and the knowledge of the Lord of Names, and committed injustices that none among previous peoples—neither Jews, Zoroastrians, nor Christians—ever perpetrated. If one truly contemplates what has flowed from the Supreme Pen in this leaf, he would cry out and find himself immersed in the ocean of wonderment. O people of the Bayan! Abandon the sayings of this one and that. Today the Primal Point proclaims I am the first of the worshippers’ and speaks as the first of them that bow down in adoration.’ Fear God, O people, and be not of the transgressors. By God! The world has been stirred with longing for My manifestation and My presence. The dwellers of the graves have arisen through My sweet savors, and the decomposed bones through My call, while you remain among the slumberers, nay among the dead. Say: The Pen counsels you for the sake of God and informs you of what you have missed in the days of your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, and relates to you the tales of old for your awakening and return to God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: Be fair, O people! Turn unto Him! Verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

The followers of vain imaginings and idle fancies have committed such acts as no faction hath ever committed. They have called disbelief faith, and reckoned turning away as turning towards. They have failed to distinguish between the buzzing of a fly and the call of the Lord of Lords. Once again the veins of the neck have swollen in pride and unseemly words have gained currency. For some time the market of vanities was bereft of splendor and esteem; now it hath appeared and they sell perpetual loss. I beseech the Truth to confirm and protect His party in all conditions.

O My beloved! Concerning the events that have transpired—the first letter from that beloved one shall be answered last, as the letters were each placed in different locations. Whichever was at hand, its contents and matters were mentioned. The letter dated the 12th of Rajab was one containing true and sincere words, from which, in truth, the fragrances of firmness, steadfastness and constancy were diffused. The servant praised God for having confirmed you in utterances that no person of insight and fairness, no one possessed of justice and hearing, could deny. In any case, it was read until reaching the false statement of Fath’u’llah who claimed “We have a hundred volumes of books from the Point and Yahya.” After this matter was presented to the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, this supreme word was revealed: “Say: By the Lord of the Ka’bah, thou hast lied!” In any case, whatever is from the Primal Point must be sent to the Holy Presence, as its acceptance depends on that, and whatever is from others, read it and judge fairly. By God’s life, it does not equal a single verse. End.

What that beloved one hath mentioned in response to the heedless souls was true and right, the Truth in which there is no doubt. The Truth, exalted be His glory, hath protected and will protect His Holiness Sh R (upon Him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]), otherwise it would have been a great plot and mighty deception. However, “the prayer of the disbelievers is naught but in error.” Soon that which is hidden shall be made manifest. The Command is in His hand—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth.

As to what thou didst write concerning Haji Mahmud, it was submitted; and this is that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Will of our Lord in reply—His Word, blessed and exalted be He:

O Mahmud! Reflect upon what transpired in the centuries and ages past, and likewise at the inception of the manifestation of the Point of the Bayan. The faction that counted itself foremost among all factions and deemed itself possessed of the pearls of the ocean of divine knowledge, who at all times waited in such wise that their tears flowed in separation and their sighs ascended—when the horizon of the world was illumined with the lights of the manifestation of the Herald, namely the Point of the Bayan, all the divines of that faction and their followers pronounced anathema and turned away, issuing the death warrant for the Lord of mankind. This Wronged One seeketh justice: What were the fruits of the deeds of the Shi’ih who counted themselves more entitled than all the factions of the world, and what became of them? Now again the people of the Bayan cling to the same vain imaginings, desiring to afflict anew the helpless servants in centuries and ages to come. The fruits of these souls’ deeds will ultimately be as before. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, observe with thine own eyes and hear with thine own ears. The treacherous lie in wait, and the thieves pursue this Wronged One.

From the people of the world We have sought and seek naught but justice and fairness. In the days when the world was agitated and distressed by the might of monarchs, We openly proclaimed before all faces, without any veil or covering, and summoned all to the supreme horizon. No fair-minded person can deny this fact, for they are witness and aware, if they speak truthfully. Yet when the lights of the Countenance shed but a glimmer of radiance, they emerged from behind the veil with the swords of malice, striving to cut down the Divine Tree, and continue to do so. They have made calumnies their pretext, and the helpless people, like sheep, move by the movement of these souls and turn by their bidding. How pitiful the state of a people whose leader is their most oppressive one and whose shepherd is their most misguided one. Would that a wolf were the leader of the people!

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God and the God of all things, the Purpose and Purpose of all created beings! I beseech Thee by Him Who came forth from the Hiding Place of the Unseen with the standards of the verses, to make me turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and stand firm in Thy Cause, O Creator of the heavens and Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names! O Lord! Thou seest me wavering in Thy Cause. Make clear to me Thy path even as Thou didst make manifest to me Thy proof. Verily Thou art the Powerful One Whom neither the might of hosts can withhold nor the clamor of multitudes can deter. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power that hath encompassed all things, and decreest what Thou pleasest through Thy command that hath pervaded earth and heaven. Give me to drink, O my God, of Thy sealed wine whose seal was broken by Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting, that my heart may be assured and mine eyes be gladdened and my breast be dilated and my foot made firm. Verily Thou art He Who hath never disappointed those who have hoped in Thee, nor turned away those who have sought Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Praised be God! The waves of the ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance have appeared in such wise that no fair-minded soul can find cause for hesitation, rejection or objection. Should anyone observe with an eye of fairness and reflect, he would discover the truth and station thereof even through the objections of heedless souls, for the fire of hatred blazeth in their hearts. Those possessed of keen sight and attentive ears perceive that which is concealed and hidden in the hearts of the deceivers. This evanescent servant is bewildered. If he remaineth silent, he witnesseth how oppressive souls, although utterly unaware of this Cause, have, out of their opposition to God, said whatsoever they have said. Therefore, this servant is compelled to mention certain matters, yet if he were to do so, he seeth that it would lead to increased enmity and hatred. Would that this servant had never become aware of the truth of this Cause from the beginning; perchance he might have maintained silence for a few days.

O people of God! By the life of Him Who is our Purpose and your Purpose, our Beloved and your Beloved, these heedless and calumnious souls are unaware of the Cause, speaking and acting according to their desires. Their vain imaginings move them as they please, and they neither understand nor perceive this Day. Convey my greetings and praise to that distinguished person, and mention that in regard to the Qa’im, the truth lay with the Sunnis, for the Desired One appeared from physical descent in accordance with their beliefs, while the Shi’ih divines have been and continue to be in error from the beginning of Islam until now. Even now they await the appearance of an imaginary person from an imaginary Jabulqa.

God protect us and you from the evil of such people. Nevertheless, they show no shame. The likes of these turbaned ones that are seen today, together with Ja’far and his sons before them, have led the helpless people astray and cast them into the well of vain imaginings. The Sun is shining and manifest, yet they shut their eyes and blindly search for Jabulqa and Jabulsa. Such is the station of these souls and the divines that preceded them back to the beginning of Islam. May God protect the sheep of the earth and guard them from wolves. Verily, He hath power over all things.

And as to thy mention of Mulla ‘Ali-Murtada, it was laid before the Most Holy, the Most Exalted Court, and was honoured with the privilege of attentive hearing. His Word—blessed and exalted be He:

O Ali! The Wronged One of the world sends greetings and salutations and summons thee to the light of the Sun of Truth. Today the Sun of Divine Unity has risen and none is mentioned save God alone. The heedless people in all ages and centuries have perpetrated against the Manifestations of Truth that which ye have heard. Read what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an: “There cometh not unto them a Messenger…” and so forth.

Today the gate of grace is opened wide and the fragrances of revelation waft from the garden of inner meanings. The fragrance of the Word of God is distinct and separate from all else. Should one be enabled to observe with his own eyes, he would behold the Sun of Truth at its meridian. The people have forsaken the Self-Subsisting Lord and cling to their own idle fancies, holding fast to the hem of self and desire.

Say: Today a mere drop sufficeth not, and a single word bestoweth not independence. The Most Great Ocean surgeth and the Mother Book is manifest and speaketh. Deprive not yourselves of the purpose of all worlds through the sayings of this one or that. Say: O people of the Bayan! Like unto the people of the Furqan, ye defile yourselves with conflict, disputation, rancor and hatred. The lies and calumnies of twelve hundred years suffice. O Ali! By the life of God! The people are in manifest error. Beseech the Truth that He may enable thee to serve His Cause and to mention His praise, detached from the world and holding fast to the wisdom We have revealed in the Book. Stand for God’s sake and speak for God’s sake, that perchance the servants may be educated and arise to that which profiteth them.

The honored Shaykh hath made mention of thee, wherefore this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of the utterance of the All-Merciful, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We are immersed in the ocean yet are unaware of the water; we are bathed in the light yet know not of the sun. If God, exalted be His glory, bestoweth not insight, all shall remain deprived. We beseech Him not to shut the door of His mercy and to pour forth the rain of His bounty. May He assist His servants that all may return and arise to compensate for that which hath escaped them. Yet this appeareth most difficult, for it is the recompense of deeds and actions that hath overtaken them. In any case, the tree of hope hath not been cut down. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Section 5: “Concerning what thou didst write about Haji Muhammad…”

Concerning what thou didst write about Haji Muhammad Rahim and Aqa Muhammad Rafi’ and their love and enthusiasm in the fire of divine love, this matter was presented before the throne of the Lord, exalted be His glory. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in the Kingdom of Knowledge. He saith, exalted and mighty be He:

O Ramhim! Reflect upon the deeds of those factions which, though destined for perdition, counted themselves among the saved. Say: Whither went those lamentations? What became of those sighs? Why were those tears shed? Through nights and days they bewailed and beseeched the Almighty, pleading for the appearance of the Qa’im, and at His mention would cry “May God hasten His advent!” Yet when the veil was rent asunder by the finger of might and the light of His countenance shone forth, they all arose to slay Him and issued decrees to shed His most pure blood. This same Ahmad who now stands in opposition—at first, like all the Shi’ih divines who turned away from Truth and clung to falsehood—perpetrated such acts as no denier or idolator had ever done since the beginning of the world.

The opposition and denial of the people of Persia stemmed from the opposition of the divines, as in the early years all were occupied with cursing and execration, as you have surely heard and witnessed. Now the faction that claims adherence to the Bayan is afflicted with these same diseases. At first they were opposers, deniers and hypocrites, but when some measure of peace and security prevailed, they counted themselves among the foremost believers and busied themselves with leading astray the helpless people, rushing from city to city. By the life of God! They are engaged in deceit and guile at every moment, though they perceive it not. Such is the condition of heedless souls. Leave them to themselves; verily God is quit of them. We beseech God to assist thee to aid His Cause with wisdom and utterance in such wise that none can resist or prevent it. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

We make mention of thy brother as a token of Our grace, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. Say: By God! The appointed time hath come, and the Lord of Days hath appeared, and with Him are the tribes of the Concourse on High and the Kingdom of Names. He hath spoken before the faces of all the world: “The Most Great Name hath come with a sovereignty that hath conquered all who are in earth and heaven.” Thus hath the Cause appeared from the Dawning-Place of signs. Say: O people of the Bayan! Come ye, come ye, that I may show you My most exalted horizon and cause you to hear My sweetest call. Say: By God!

This is the Day of Revelation wherein the Mount speaketh: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower.” Be fair, by God—by what proof did ye believe in the Primal Point, and before Him in Muhammad the Apostle of God, and before Him in the Spirit, and before Him in Him Who conversed with God? Fear God, O people, and be not of those who disputed God’s signs after they came to them from the heaven of Command with the standards of wisdom and proof. Among them were those who said “He hath forged a lie against God,” and among them were those who arose in opposition, to such extent that the clouds cried out: “Look not to the creatures and what issueth from their mouths, but to the Truth and His sovereignty that hath encompassed the horizons.” Glory be upon thee and upon him and upon every people that hath believed in God, the Lord of Lords.

My beloved, Jinab-i-Aqa Shaykh Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God and His care, hath made mention of thee and thy brother, and likewise of the handmaidens of God. Therefore this most holy, most exalted Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty. It is hoped that ye may drink from the ocean of its meanings and may bestow thereof, that perchance the heedless people may become sanctified from vain imaginings and doubts and may turn to the most exalted horizon of certitude.

When mention was made of Aqa Siyyid Asadu’llah, it was submitted at the Most Holy Court, whereupon He said:

“O thou who art present! Beseech God that He may strengthen him in turning unto Him, in recognition, in certitude and in steadfastness, in such wise that the doubts of the divines, who have been the cause and reason for the greatest hindrance to the servants in the days of every Manifestation, may not withhold him from the straight path and the clear and evident proof, and that the attractions of the world may not deprive him of true tranquility. The life of this world is like unto a bird that entereth through one door and goeth out through another—it hath not been, nor is it, worthy of attention. We beseech God not to deprive him who hath been mentioned of the choice wine of revelation, nor to withhold him from the fragrances of His days. Today the Most Exalted Pen maketh mention of all and summoneth all to the supreme horizon. Blessed are they that advance, blessed are they that attain, and woe unto the heedless and the transgressors.”

And likewise concerning Aqa Ali-Askar these sublime words were revealed from the Dawning-Place of verses—blessed and exalted be His utterance:

“The world was created for the knowledge of God, glorified be His majesty. All were brought from nothingness into being, and the divine hand of training hath nurtured all with the utmost spirit and joy until they reached maturity. Thereafter did He bestow His grace and showed the way. The proof and evidence were made manifest and the path became visible, yet thieves and betrayers held back the people from the path of God. Thus were some hindered, but others, through the finger of divine power, rent asunder the veils and tore away the shrouds, detached themselves from all else but God and turned unto the supreme horizon. These are souls who, like lightning, have passed over the bridge; the gulf of vain imaginings hath not deprived them of the ocean of inner meanings. Blessed are they, and unto them be a goodly beginning and end. O Ali-Askar! The Wronged One of the world maketh mention of thee in the Most Great Prison. For the sake of God hath He spoken and doth speak. Know thou the value of this mention and arise with wisdom and utterance to make mention of the Goal of the worlds. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with. There is none other God but He, the Lord of the worlds to come and of the first.”

As to their mention of the people of Ravar and Sirjan, that they are ablaze with the fire of love and are awaiting the bounties of God, exalted be His glory—these details were submitted before the face of Him Who is our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply—blessed and exalted be His utterance:

He is the Dawning-Place from the horizon of the heaven of divine knowledge

“A mention from Our presence to the friends of God and His loved ones who have not broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and who have turned with radiant faces to the Most Exalted Horizon, and who heard when the Call was raised and answered their Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous, that the Call might draw them to the Divine Lote-Tree and bring them near to a station wherein naught is seen save the lights of the face of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O people of Ravar! Hear the call of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, then judge with fairness concerning that which hath appeared by His firm and irrevocable Command. This is a Day wherein the heaven of divine knowledge hath been adorned with the stars of wisdom and utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath turned unto it and attained, and woe unto them that have turned away.

When the fragrance of the Revelation was diffused and the Speaker of the Mount gave voice, the people opposed Him. Some turned away, some objected, some denied and disbelieved, and some pronounced judgment against Him without any clear proof from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We found the people of the Bayan to be the most vehement in opposition after We came to them from the Dayspring of Power with verses that all the books of the world cannot equal, as every fair-minded and clear-sighted one doth testify. We informed all of the clamor when the Light was shining from the horizon of Iraq, as attested by that which was sent down from the heaven of the will of your Lord, the Ancient Sender.

O people of the Bayan! Fear the Most Merciful and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who hath come to you with a clear authority. By God! He Who was treasured in the hearts of the trustees and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds, hath come. Fear God and oppose not Him through Whom every proof was established and every wise matter was made manifest. Were it not for Him, neither would the Point of the Bayan have come, nor Muhammad the Messenger of God, nor the Spirit, nor before Him the Interlocutor. Every luminary hath shone forth through My Name, and every Prophet hath attained through My mention, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Verily, the Revealer of the Bayan hath circled round Me and made the Bayan contingent upon My acceptance, as testified by that which was revealed by Him, if ye be of them that know. O people of Sirjan! The Most Merciful remembereth you in His Most Great Prison that He might draw you nigh unto the ultimate goal and the most exalted summit. Give thanks unto God for this great bounty. Cast behind you all idle fancies, turning unto the horizon of certitude by the command of God, the Lord of this blessed and mighty Day.

Remember, then remember what the people of the Furqan committed when there came unto them the Manifestation of My most beautiful Names and My most exalted Attributes, Who was named ʿAli before Muhammad in My Book, which none hath known save My all-knowing Self. When He rent asunder the veil and revealed Himself, they rose against Him with such injustice as caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. Say: O people of the Furqan! Judge fairly by God—for what crime did ye rise against Him and decree the shedding of His pure and radiant blood? By the life of God! The people of the Bayan are more oppressive and more lost than they. They have risen up and said that which none before them had ever said, save that they are among the companions of the Fire in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We counsel you and the party of God with that whereby His Cause may be exalted among His servants, and with trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness and faithfulness. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken at this time when the Most Great Announcement hath been established upon the throne of His Great Name. Praise be to God, the Lord of this mighty and glorious Day.

Glorified be God! The blind ones of the world have objected to the Lord of the world. To what cord do they cling and to what hem do they hold fast? Do the people of the Bayan intend to walk in the ways of the Shi’ih sect and hold to the deeds of those souls, or to speak words like unto theirs? O ye who are endowed with sight! Ye have witnessed with your outward eyes the fruits and consequences of their deeds. Ask ye of God, exalted be His glory, whatsoever conduceth to salvation and prosperity. That sect, after twelve hundred years, committed that which neither Shaddad nor Pharaoh perpetrated. For Pharaoh did not, by mere word, pronounce judgment against the Interlocutor, whereas this erring Shi’ih sect, in the first year of the Manifestation, caused both the divines and their followers to decree the death of that Essence of being.

Haji Mirza Karim Khan, who was the chief of the Shaykhis, committed that which caused the denizens of the all-highest Paradise to lament. Every year he would write a book in refutation of the Truth, exalted be His glory. And now those who were at first counted among his dead followers raise objections against the Divine Lote-Tree. Fie upon them and their sense of fairness! The fruits of these souls’ deeds will, after a thousand years and more, be like unto the fruits of the former sect.

O people of God! Wherever ye are dwelling and in whatever land ye reside, arise to serve the Cause, trusting in God and detached from all else. Perchance through the hosts of wisdom and utterance ye may protect the helpless people, lest they be again deprived of the Sun of Truth through the vain imaginings of the leaders and be forbidden from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. Are there to be found in the world those possessed of hearing ears? Do penetrating eyes exist? This evanescent servant beseecheth and imploreth the King of the Kingdom of inner meanings to protect His loved ones from the chains of idle fancies and the arrows of vain imaginings. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

This servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to the people of God wherever they may be found, and entreateth God, exalted be His glory, to raise up each one like unto a banner in His praise and glorification, that all may find in them the attributes and characteristics of God and thereby be guided to the Most Great Ocean. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Glory and praise and exaltation rest upon you and upon those who are with you and upon those who hearken unto your words concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. And praise be to Him, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.