BH00017: O ʿAndalib! Hear thou the Call, for verily it…

Section 1: “O ʿAndalib! Hear thou the Call, for verily…”

In the Name of the Most Great, Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious!

O ʿAndalib! Hear thou the Call, for verily it appeareth at times in the name of the Beloved, and at other times in My name the Well-Beloved, and yet again in the name of My Most Exalted Pen, and at times by this Name whereby the limbs of all names have trembled and all who are in earth and heaven have been thunderstruck, save whom God willeth—thy Lord, the Protector of all things. He, verily, is the Single One, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We have mentioned thee before in such wise that the fragrance of utterance was wafted throughout all possibility and the breeze of God passed over all who are in the heavens and on earth. By God! The Sacred Valley hath perceived the fragrance of the garment of the Lord of Names, and the Hijaz hath quivered and cried out: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds, for having manifested Thyself unto Thy servants and honored Thy lands with Thy footsteps!” I testify that through Thee the Object of desire hath appeared and every beloved one hath turned toward God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. The Spirit in the wilderness of longing calleth unto the Lord of creation, saying: “Here am I, O Desired One of the world! Here am I, O Beloved of them that know!”

This is the Day whereon all things have been illumined by the lights of the Manifestation, yet most of the people remain heedless. The Mount of Sinai crieth out before the Manifestation and summoneth all unto the gathering-place of the Messengers. Behold then the people and their stations. They were waiting through nights and days for Him Whom they were promised aforetime in the Book of God, yet when the time came and the banner of the Manifestation was raised, they turned away from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We shall cease mention of them and make mention of those who have believed there, with such mention as shall draw their minds and hearts in such wise that the divines of the earth shall not deter them from My straight path. By God! They are worshippers of fancy and idle imaginings. Knowledge itself hath disowned them, as doth My tongue testify in My mighty and glorious kingdom. They are they who turned away from the Countenance and opposed God when He came with an evidence that hath conquered all things and with a Cause before which all in the heavens and earth are powerless.

The letter which thou didst send to Ism-i-Jud hath come before the Wronged One, and the servant in attendance before the Throne hath read it. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. We have desired to mention every name that was in thy letter, that they might rejoice in the bounty of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

O Mihdi! The Book, in the form of My Most Great Name, speaketh throughout the world: “There is none other God but I, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.” Blessed is the ear that hath been honored to hear the Call of God, and woe unto him who hath turned away and followed every heedless doubter. At all times it calleth unto all who are in the realm of possibility and summoneth the people unto God, the Lord of all men. Thy mention hath been made in the prison, and there hath been sent down for thee that which hath made the lips of utterance to smile. Rejoice thou in My mention, then thank thy Lord Who created thee and made thee to know the Dawning-Place of His verses and aided thee in this Cause whereby feet have slipped. Blessed art thou, and blessed are thy father, thy mother, thy sister and thy spouse. We send Our greetings upon him and upon them from this Spot which God hath made the Dawning-Place of His verses.

O Ali! Give thanks for the tongue of grandeur hath made mention of thee from its most exalted horizon and calleth thee and all who are on earth to the Most Great Ocean which hath appeared before all faces through My Name, the One Who holdeth dominion over all created things. We desired to draw the peoples near unto God, the Lord of eternity, yet they rose up to harm Us in such wise as caused the Concourse on High to lament, and the dwellers of Paradise and they who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn to weep. We have heard thy call and have answered thee from the Most Great Scene wherefrom the Lord of Decree proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.”

Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto My days, and the tongue that hath spoken My praise, and the eye that hath turned toward My horizon, and the house wherein My remembrance is exalted, and the one who hath hastened to the straight path. We make mention of Baqir and Asghar and give them glad-tidings of the Most Great Remembrance which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen in the most exalted station. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon them and upon thy mother and thy sister from God, the Revealer of verses.

We make mention of Our handmaiden and say: O My handmaiden! How many a queen hath failed to recognize God, and how many a king hath remained heedless of Him Who remembereth him night and day. How many a prince hath been deceived by the world, and how many a great one hath been veiled by all things. Yet thou hast turned unto thy Lord and recognized Him and composed in His remembrance that which hath gladdened the hearts of them who are endued with understanding. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee in His Cause and made thee know the Dawning-Place of His names from Whom the servants are veiled. Blessed is the tongue that hath spoken My praise, and the heart that hath been adorned with the ornament of My love, and the countenance that hath turned toward God, the Lord of all religions. Thy praise hath been read before the Throne and We have accepted it as a bounty from Us and recorded it in the Book. Sing, O My handmaiden, upon the branches of the tree of My knowledge. Verily it shall profit thee in all the worlds of My worlds. Thy Lord, the Sender of winds, beareth witness unto this.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath believed in God, the Lord of Names, that he may rejoice and be of them that are steadfast. O Joseph-ʿAli! We have observed thy turning unto Us and We have turned unto thee from this Station which God hath made the seat of His mighty Throne. God hath elevated the station of the Prison to such a degree that every lofty station is beneath it. I bear witness to that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and earth: There is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is verily the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery. He hath appeared in truth with a sovereignty that the hosts of the earth could not withstand, nor could the oppressors’ might prevent it.

Say: O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the Name that hath been sanctified from letters and words and exalted above tongues and voices, to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise in Thy remembrance and praise. O my Lord! I am he who hath turned his face toward Thy face. I beseech Thee to cause me to be immersed in the ocean of Thy forgiveness and to hold fast unto the cord of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Messenger! The Lord of existence and the Lord of Hosts makes mention of thee from this praiseworthy station. We inform thee of the Messenger who soared in Mine atmosphere and spoke My praise amongst My servants and was seized by the Kawthar of Mine utterance to such extent that he sacrificed his spirit in My path. Thus doth mention thee He with Whom is the preserved Book.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of ʿAbdu’r-Rasul, who was martyred in Zawra. He it was who was entrusted with the giving of water at My Sacred House after the servant in attendance before the Throne of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. He went forth at dawn to give water at the House of God on the Day of the Covenant, whereupon the idolaters slew him with tyranny. All things lamented for him, as did those who circle round the Throne with humility and reverence.

Make mention of him on My behalf and say: O thou who didst speak in remembrance of the Lord of Names and who didst turn toward the Most Exalted Horizon! The first fragrance that wafted from the rose-garden of inner meanings be upon thee. I testify that thou didst hear the Call and didst turn toward Zawra, the seat of thy Lord’s throne, the Creator of heaven, until thou didst enter the praiseworthy station and didst attain the presence of God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Thou art he whom the clamor of the nations did not deter, nor did the affairs of the world. Thou didst turn with thy face, thine eyes, thy heart and all thy limbs toward God, the King of Kings, and thou didst circle round the House until thou didst drink the choice wine of martyrdom in the path of the Wronged One. Upon thee be the glory of God and the glory of all who are in the heavens and the earth, and the glory of all who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Loving.

Verily We make mention of him who hath turned towards My horizon and clung to the cord of My loving-kindness, he who hath been named Muhammad-before-Mihdi, that he may rejoice in My remembrance, He at Whose appearance the Nightingale of Utterance warbled upon the branches “There is none other God but Him,” and all things between earth and heaven proclaimed “The Promised One hath come from the heaven of grace and favor.” The Kingdom hath cried out: “By God! The Lord of Dominion hath appeared with such sovereignty that none in the heavens and earth can withstand!” And the Maids of Paradise cried out from the Most Exalted Paradise: “Blessed be the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, Who hath appeared and manifested Himself through His most beautiful names unto all who dwell in the kingdom of command and creation.

Draw nigh, O people of earth, and be not of the heedless! By God, the Day of God hath appeared and the veil hath been lifted from that which was hidden, treasured, and concealed behind the veils of the Unseen. When the appointed time was fulfilled, He revealed Himself as a favor from His presence. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful. This is the Day whereon the Herald of Sinai speaketh and the Lord of Hosts proclaimeth before all the world: ʿThere is none other God but I, the Peerless, the All-Informed.’ Blessed art thou for having rent asunder the veils and turned unto the All-Bestowing One, while every heedless and remote one turned away. Behold those who claim allegiance to the Qur’an and profess knowledge—they pride themselves in My name amongst My servants, yet when I revealed Myself they turned away and denied Him in Whom they had believed.

Thus doth the Wronged One make mention of thee that thou mayest be among them that know. Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned by My Most Exalted Pen. By God, this is better for thee than all that is on earth—to this My tongue in My remote prison doth testify.

We make mention too of thy son who hath attained unto the loving-kindness of his Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Whoso hath today turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon and acknowledged that which the Lord of Names hath acknowledged, he is of the people of Baha in a preserved Tablet. We beseech God to assist thee and him and to strengthen you both to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause. Blessed art thou, O Huda, for having turned unto God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, the Lord of the Beginning and the End, on the Day whereon the earth was cleft asunder and the mountains were crushed. Joy be to the one who hath shattered the idols in the name of the Lord of all men, and hath drunk the sealed wine in His name, the Self-Subsisting, and hath voiced His praise amidst the factions. We have seen thy devotion and have turned toward thee, and have heard thy call and have answered thee with this Book, at whose revelation in truth the books of the world cried out and proclaimed:

“By God, the Mother Book hath appeared, having dawned from the horizon of utterance in the name of thy Lord, the Most Merciful!”

Say: O people of creation! By God, the gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come upon the clouds. Come ye forth from the dwellings of fancy and vain imaginings. By the life of God! The Days have come whose mention hath adorned the holy Books and Tablets.

Hearken, O Javad, to the shrill voice of the Pen of My Will, and the flowing of the water of My loving-kindness, and the rustling of the breezes of Revelation in My days, and the murmuring of the Divine Lote-Tree which hath been raised up through this Name before which all necks have bowed low. Beseech thou God to make thee enkindled with the fire of His love and speaking in praise of His Self, and turning in all conditions toward the door of His grace, for which no doorkeeper hath been ordained. Take thou the chalice of eternity in the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, then drink from it the crystal pure water once in My name and again in remembrance of Me, before Whom all remembrances bow down. Thus hath the preamble of the Book of Utterance been adorned with the mention of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. When thou hast attained unto this, render thanks and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of the verses!”

Section 2: “O Ali! The Wronged One addresses thee…”

O Ali! The Wronged One addresses thee from this station that the rapture of thy Lord’s utterance, the Lord of all being, may seize thee. I bear witness to that which God hath witnessed, that there is none other God but Him, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is the tongue that hath confessed what the Tongue of Grandeur hath confessed, and the face that hath turned toward the face of God, the Lord of the Kingdom. Say: This is the Day whereof Muhammad, the Apostle of God, gave tidings aforetime, and before Him the Gospel and the Psalms. Fear ye God, O people, and deny not this bounty that hath encompassed both the seen and the unseen. Cast away what ye possess and take what is with God.

Thus doth the Dawning-Place of Revelation command you in this perspicuous Tablet. Shun, O people, those who have followed their own desires and disbelieved in God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Hold fast unto the hem of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and say: Praise be unto Thee for having made known unto me the Manifestation of Thy Self and enabled me to remember and glorify Thee on a Day whereon faces were darkened. I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have fulfilled Thy Covenant and aided Thy irrevocable Cause.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! We give thee the glad-tidings of God’s manifestation, His sovereignty, His power and His might, that thou mayest rejoice and be of them that render thanks. The horizon of the world hath been illumined with the Most Great Name’s splendor, yet the nations are wrapt in a manifest veil. All things have been set ablaze by the fire of thy Lord’s Word, the Lord of all names, yet the concourse of creation hath followed their desires and turned away from that which was promised them in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. Whenever the Pen is restrained from mentioning the Ancient King, it seizes the hem of its Lord, the Creator of the heavens, with the hands of supplication and saith: O Lord of the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name not to deprive me of Thy remembrance in Thy days. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Grant me leave, O my God, to inform the people of what Thou hast taught me of the mysteries of Thy wisdom and shown me of the pearls of Thy knowledge, that by them may be attracted the hearts of Thy servants who have turned unto Thee when most of Thy creation turned away.

Thus was the matter decreed when the Ancient Beauty walked in this noble scene. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as the face of God hath turned toward thee, and the Speaker of Sinai converseth with thee as a token of His grace. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

O Mahmud! Hear My call from My glorious station, then bear witness to that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath witnessed: that there is none other God but Me, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting. We have sent the Messengers and revealed the Books, and have expounded therein that which will raise the servants to the ultimate goal and the supreme Paradise. Yet the people turned away, having followed every rejected barker. How many a scholar hath clung to the Law and thereby condemned its Revealer! The dwellers of the pavilion of My majesty and the tabernacle of My protection bear witness to this, yet most people are heedless. Blessed is the seeing one whom desires have not kept back from the Lord of all beings, and the hearing one who hath turned and heard the call of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Loving.

O Rida! By God! Whoso hath gained My good-pleasure, he is of the people of My Kingdom. The Concourse on High pray for him and the dwellers of the Cities of Names. The Creator of heaven beareth witness to this in this irrevocable Book. He that attaineth unto it hath attained unto all good, and he that is debarred therefrom is of the people of the tomb. Blessed is the soul that hath cast away what it desired and taken what God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, hath willed. In God’s knowledge there is no station greater than this. Well is it with him who hath quaffed this choice wine from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Forgiving.

Didst thou but know the sweetness of thy Lord’s utterance, thou wouldst soar in the air and walk upon the water, and cry out in the wilderness of the world: “Here am I, here am I, O God of existence! Here am I, here am I, O Lord of the seen and unseen! Here am I, here am I, O King of kings!” I testify that through Thee the world hath been honored, and at Thy manifestation the Mount was stirred, and it proclaimeth, saying: “All praise be unto Thee, O Thou through Whom all things have spoken and the hidden treasures have appeared!” Thus have We adorned the horizon of the heaven of utterance with the sun of knowledge. Give thanks, then praise thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

O ʿAli-Qabl-i-Naqi! We make mention of thee purely for My sake, that My call may draw thee unto My Kingdom and bring thee nigh unto the ocean of My grace. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful. One word of thy Lord excelleth all the treasures of the earth. Know thou this and be of them that give thanks. Reflect upon thy Lord’s favor—He remembereth thee in the Most Great Prison with a mention that surpasseth what the kings and rulers possess. When thou hast quaffed the choice wine of My utterance and attained unto My Book, arise, turning toward the Qiblih of all existence, and say:

O God of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy days and the sweet scents of the garment of Thy grace, to make me steadfast and firm in Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp is the Kingdom of Names. Thou doest what Thou pleasest and ordainest what Thou desirest.

O Asad! Hearken unto the call of the One, the Unique. He calleth thee unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Among the people are those who desire to extinguish the light of God. Say: Woe betide thee, O heedless and remote one! He hath established His Cause upon a foundation firm and unshakeable, which neither the winds of the world nor the signs of the nations can move. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a guarded Tablet. Say: O concourse of divines! Why have ye turned away from Him through Whom your names were exalted and your stations elevated? Fear God and be not of those who have disbelieved in God’s proof after its appearance and have turned away from God’s favor after its descent.

Thus doth the Lord of all beings counsel you as a favor from Him, and He is the All-Wise Counselor. Say: Through your tyranny the Messengers of God have lamented in the most exalted station and the denizens of Paradise in a noble place. Fear God and pronounce not judgment against Him by Whom the Balance hath been set up and the path of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath appeared. Would ye slay Him Who calleth you to the most sublime horizon and sendeth down to you from the heaven of the Spirit that which attracteth the minds of the discerning? Fear God and be not of the oppressors. The ocean of knowledge hath appeared before your faces while ye wander bewildered in the desert of idle fancies. Raise your heads, for the Sun is at its zenith. Thus doth God remind you as a favor from Him. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

O Nasrullah! Let not the affairs of the world grieve thee, nor the might of nations cause thee fear. Place thy trust in all conditions in the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily He witnesseth and seeth, and within His grasp is the Kingdom of the beginning and the end. He ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth the reward of them that have attained His presence and have drunk from the ocean of His reunion. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. Say: That which was never manifested in the world hath appeared. Hearken, O people, unto the call of Him Who speaketh amidst the nations. Beware lest the affairs of creation debar you from the Truth. Leave them to themselves and turn ye unto the Mighty, the Praised. The glory from the Lord of Heaven be upon every servant who hath turned and believed, and upon every maidservant who hath heard and drunk the pure water of her Lord’s love, the Self-Sufficient, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

O Most Exalted Pen! Turn toward them that have believed in God, the Creator of the heavens, and withhold not from them thy most sweet voice. We have made thee the interpreter in the kingdom by thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Give glad-tidings to Our servant who hath been named Iskandar of that which the Lord of Destiny hath mentioned him from the Most Sublime Vision, that he may rejoice and be of them that are thankful. Say: Thou hast drunk from the Water of Life, from which the first Alexander was debarred. To this beareth witness the King of nations and the Remover of ills, Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison amidst the nations. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He traversed the lands but attained not his desire, whilst thou hast attained it in thine abode, through the bounty of One Who is Forgiving, Generous. Say: The Water of Life is the love of the All-Merciful in creation. Exalted is he who hath taken and drunk in My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Reflect upon the generations of old. Where is Alexander and his like? Where are their victorious standards and their upraised banners? Where are their brandished spears and their flying arrows? Where are their outstretched necks and their lofty palaces? Where are their pitched tents and their raised pavilions? Where are their effective commands and their towering strongholds? Where is the clash of their swords and the neighing of their steeds? Where are the warbling of their birds and the melodies of their singers? Where is the cooing of their doves and the murmuring of their rivers? Where is he at whose might the world trembled and nations were distressed? Where is he who prided himself in dominion while turning away from the Kingdom?

Where is he whom vainglory seized until he turned away from the Lord of Might? Where is he who ruled the horizons? Where is he who broke the Covenant? Where is she at whose swaying and stature the willow branch was put to shame, and at the unveiling of whose beauty and countenance the sun stood still? Where are the palaces of the Caesars and the branches of the Pharaohs? Where is the might of the Chosroes and the tyranny of oppressors? Where is he whom ranks deceived and who saw thousands behind him? Where is he who soared in the atmosphere of vainglory and turned away from God, the Lord of Resurrection? Where are their carpets and their delights, their glory and their power?

Where are their treasures and their ornaments, their commands and their temples? God hath brought them down from the highest chambers of their palaces to the lowest depths of their graves. Were anyone to search therein, could he distinguish the skulls of kings from subjects, or the fingers of the wealthy from the destitute? Nay, by the Lord of the Kingdom and the Sovereign of the Realm! They have returned to their dwellings and rest in their tombs. Their stations and conditions have been taken from them. Verily, we are God’s and to Him we shall return. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken amongst creation. Read and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the worlds. Therefore, beseech God to make thee steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord and to bring thee to a station wherein the hosts of the oppressors shall not prevent thee.

A mention from Us to him who was named Muhammad-Hasan, that the remembrance of God may draw him nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, from whose surging waves can be heard: “There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Loving.”

O people of the earth! Make not God’s religion a cause of variance among you. Verily it hath been sent down in truth for the unification of all who dwell in the world. Fear God and be not of the ignorant. Blessed is he who loveth the world purely for the sake of his Lord, the Bountiful. Hold fast unto the Most Holy Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down from His holy and inviolable Kingdom. Verily it is God’s Balance amongst you, whereby all deeds are weighed, from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Blessed is he who hath found in it the sweetness of his Lord’s utterance and hath drunk from its words the Kawthar of God’s commandments, the Lord of all worlds.

Section 3: “Revile no one among you, nor follow…”

Revile no one among you, nor follow in the footsteps of the heedless. We have come for the unity and concord of all who dwell on earth. To this beareth witness that which hath appeared from the ocean of Mine utterance amongst My servants, yet most of the people are in manifest remoteness. Should anyone revile you or harm befall you in God’s path, be patient and put your trust in the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He verily witnesseth and seeth, and doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty. He is, in truth, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Ye have been forbidden to engage in conflict and contention in God’s Book, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Hold fast unto that which profiteth you and the peoples of the world. Thus doth command you the Lord of all being, Who hath appeared with the Most Great Name. He is, in truth, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

When thou receivest My Book, say:

“I testify that Thou art He by Whom the Bridge was erected, the Balance was set up, the Trumpet was blown, and all in the heavens and earth were struck down, and there appeared a preserved tablet.”

God’s countenance hath willed to turn toward one of His servants and mention him as a bounty from His presence. He is, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

O Siyyid Asad! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee and calleth thee to God, the Lord of the worlds. Be thankful that My Pen hath moved to remember thee, My face hath turned toward thee, and there hath been sent down for thee from the kingdom of My revelation that which, were it to be laid upon the mountains, thou wouldst behold them humbled and brought low before God, the Single, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Say: My God, my God! At every stone I love to call Thee by Thy gracious Name, and at every clod to remember Thee by Thy merciful Name. In the mountains I love to raise my cry in love for Thy beauty, and upon the hills my lamentation and call in yearning for Thy presence. Ordain for me, O my God, what hath been decreed by the Pen of Thy ordainment in Thy path and Thy good-pleasure. Thou seest, O my God, my tears in my separation from Thee and my sighs in my reunion with Thee. I beseech Thee by the Most Exalted Word whereby Thou art extolled between earth and heaven, that Thou write down for Thy servant from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall render him wholly detached unto Thee, holding fast unto Thee, standing firm in Thy service, and awaiting Thy command. O Lord! The ocean of poverty hath been stirred within itself when it beheld the waves of the ocean of Thy riches. Ordain for him, O my God, what beseemeth Thee in Thy days. Thou art verily the Powerful over what Thou willest. Within Thy grasp is the kingdom of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Possessing, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Thus have We opened unto thy face the gate of utterance that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Informed.

And We make mention of him who was named Sadiq, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of his Lord and be of those who have turned with their whole being unto God, the Lord of all men. Say:

O my God, my God! Wherefore didst Thou create eyes for Thy servants and bestow upon them insight through Thy grace? If Thou didst grant them to behold Thy beauty and to gaze upon the lights of Thy countenance, then remove from them the veils through Thy bounty and favors that they may behold Thee established upon the throne of Thy greatness in Thy days. And if Thou didst create them, O my God, for aught else, then all things bear witness that they are in a loss than which there can be none greater in Thy dominion. By Thy glory, O Beloved of my heart and Purpose of my being! I would rather Thou shouldst chastise me with a chastisement than which there can be none greater in Thy knowledge, and ordain for me the sweetness of meeting Thee.

O Lord! I was asleep when the breeze of Thy day of manifestation stirred me, and when it awakened me, Thou didst inspire me with that of which I had been heedless in Thy days. O Lord! I perceived Thy fragrance and hastened unto Thee. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of what Thou hast ordained in Thy Book from the wonders of Thy grace, nor to forbid me from standing firm in Thy Cause. Write down for me then, O my God, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of this world and the world to come. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Ali! The heart of the world hath turned to its loved ones and counseleth them with that wherewith We counseled one of Our Branches who was named Badi’u’llah in the Book of Names and Ali-Muhammad in the Tablet wherein He speaketh that there is none other God but I, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We counsel all to patience, calmness and trustworthiness, which is God’s trust among His creatures. Blessed are they who raise high its standards and preserve its station.

We said: O Badi’! Be generous in prosperity and grateful in adversity. Be trustworthy in all things, cheerful in countenance, a treasure to the poor and a counselor to the rich. Be answering to the call, faithful to thy promise and fair in thy judgment. Be silent in the multitude, just in thy verdict, submissive unto man. Be as a lamp in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, a helper and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a stronghold for the fugitive. Be eyes to the blind, a guiding light unto the feet of the erring.

Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility. We ask God to protect thee from the heat of jealousy and the cold of hatred. He verily is nigh, ready to answer. Thus hath My tongue spoken unto one of My Branches and We have mentioned it unto Our loved ones who have cast away idle fancies and taken that which they were commanded in the Day in which the Sun of Certitude hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn! Hear what the Wronged One calleth unto thee. He mentioneth thee purely for the sake of God, that thou mayest arise to celebrate His praise and glorification amongst His servants. Let not the affairs of men grieve thee, nor the intimations of those who have denied the Beginning and the End cause thee fear. Cast aside what the people possess, as bidden by Us, and take what thou art given in the Book. Say: O concourse of earth! By God, the Preserved Tablet hath appeared, and He walketh among His servants, saying:

“This is the Day ye were promised in God’s Books of old.”

Fear God, and follow not every doubting idolater. Rend asunder the veils in My Name and burn away the shrouds with the fire of My love. Thus commandeth you He Who speaketh the truth from the most exalted station.

Blessed is the stranger who seeketh his true home, the distant one who hasteneth to the ocean of nearness, and the ailing one who turneth to the Kawthar of healing on the Day when all things proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of lords!” Know thou the worth of these days and take the chalice of detachment in the name of thy Lord, the Possessor of all mankind. Then drink thereof with joy and fragrance. Behold, then mention the world and what thou observest therein of its conditions, its changes and variations. By God! It constantly calleth unto its people, saying: “Take ye warning, O ye who are endowed with insight!” It remindeth men and informeth them of its transience and evanescence, yet the people remain in wondrous drunkenness.

Hear My call and act in accordance with what thou art bidden in this Book, to which the atoms themselves bear witness. How many a man of learning hath been misled by his knowledge and learning, and how many an ignorant one hath drawn nigh unto the Most Sublime Horizon and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast caused me to know the Dawning-Place of Thy signs on this Day when the thunder lamenteth and the clouds cry out by reason of what hath befallen the chosen ones of God at the hands of such as have been kept back by their wealth and their souls from God on the Day of Return!”

Blessed is the eye that hath won illumination from the light of the Countenance and the heart that hath turned toward the Qiblih of all horizons.

O Bird of Utterance! Warble upon the branches in the name of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Then make mention of him who hath been named Baha’u’d-Din, that the rapture of his Lord’s verses may so grip him that he may soar on the wings of longing at all times unto God, the Lord of the Day of Separation. This is a Book sent down by the All-Bountiful when He came upon the clouds, and all parties turned away save whom God, the Lord of all men, willed. By God! This indeed is the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery. He hath come from the Dawning-Place of the Spirit with verses which all who are in the heavens and on earth were powerless to comprehend, save whom God aided through His grace. He is, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We have heard what the Nightingale—who was thus named by the tongue of God, the Lord of creation—warbled, and We have heard thy mention. We make mention of thee through this Book which proclaimeth throughout the world that there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Blessed art thou and thy father who soared to My horizon, heard My call, and was so enraptured by My verses that he offered up his life in My path. To this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from the most exalted station. We make mention of him as We mentioned him before, as a token of Our grace, for We are the Mighty, the All-Bounteous. Upon him be My glory and the glory of the denizens of My Kingdom and My Realm, and the glory of them that circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn. Hold thou fast unto the cord of wisdom, then beseech God to give thee to drink, with the hands of grace, from the Kawthar of steadfastness, and to ordain for thee what He hath ordained for every patient believer.

O Muhammad-Sadiq! Rejoice in that which the Countenance of God, the Sovereign Lord, the Self-Subsisting, hath turned towards thee, and remembereth thee with that which causeth the fragrance of the All-Merciful to be diffused throughout all creation. Blessed be God, the Lord of what was and what shall be! When the horizon of the heaven of knowledge was illumined and the river of wisdom flowed forth, the divines turned away therefrom and pronounced their verdict against Him, the mention of Whom adorneth the Preserved Tablet. They had awaited the days of God, yet when He appeared with the truth, they disbelieved in both the Witness and the Witnessed.

Say: O concourse of divines! Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. Leave your abodes, turning towards God, the Lord of all being. Your knowledge and all that ye possess will profit you not this day. Cast away your vain imaginings and take hold of that which hath been given you by God, the Lord of the Kingdom. How many a mystic hath given verdict against Him Who is known, how many a learned one hath passed judgment against Him Who is the All-Knowing, and how many an unlettered one hath entered the Kingdom in the name of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving. If thou art intoxicated by the choice wine of My utterance and attracted by the living waters of My knowledge, take thou the chalice of detachment in My Name, then drink from it in remembrance of Me, the Well-Beloved. Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken when the Lord of all names was established upon the most exalted heights with a sovereignty that subdued both the seen and the unseen.

O Supreme Pen! Make mention once again of the Nightingale who hath turned towards God, the Lord of creation, while every learned one turned away from Him, every mystic opposed Him, and every judge pronounced his verdict of unbelief in God, the Lord of all worlds. By God! My sighs have ascended, My tears have fallen, the eye of My loving-kindness hath wept, and My heart hath lamented to behold the servants turning away from the ocean of My mercy, the sun of My bounty, and the heaven of My generosity which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. The tongue of Him Who is the Desired One giveth them glad-tidings and calleth them to the praiseworthy station, yet they pronounce judgment against Him with manifest tyranny. They have violated the Covenant of God and His testament, and have disbelieved in Him in Whom they had formerly believed. He Who possesseth the pearls of knowledge from the presence of One knowing and wise doth testify to this.

Section 4: “This is a Day wherein the Balance crieth…”

This is a Day wherein the Balance crieth out, saying: “By God! The All-Merciful is come, and I am the All-Discerning, the All-Informed,” wherein the Straight Path proclaimeth: “The Straight Way hath appeared,” and wherein the atoms cry out: “O peoples of earth and heaven! The Revealer of verses hath come with a sovereignty before which neither the hosts of the world can prevail, nor the might of those who have been heedless of this momentous Cause.” That which had never appeared in creation hath been made manifest, yet most of the people remain heedless.

O Ashraf! Thou art he who hast followed the example of thy Lord. The clamour of all who dwell on earth deterred Him not from the Cause. He proclaimed with loudest voice and summoned all to the Almighty, the All-Praised. Thou hast verily aided the Faith of God and His Cause, and hast occupied thyself with teaching in these days wherein the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, and whereby the Books of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beauteous, have been adorned. Thou art he whom the affairs of the world have not withheld from the mention of the Lord of all creation. To this beareth witness the Lord of the throne and of earth in this exalted station. Grieve not at anything. Put thy trust in God. He is with thee under all conditions. He is verily the All-Seeing Witness.

Say: O peoples of the earth! Fear God and follow not your desires. Hasten unto the Most Great Ocean which hath surged amongst creation through a sovereignty that hath subdued the worlds. Remember when the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in the Most Great Prison at the beginning of days: The ocean of tribulation hath surged and its waves have encompassed the Ark of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.

O Mariner! Be not dismayed by the winds. Verily the Cleaver of the Dawn is with Us in this darkness that hath encompassed the worlds. Thus hath shone forth the Sun of Utterance from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the All-Merciful, yet most of the people are sunk in slumber. They have not been awakened by the Call of God nor have they found the sweetness of His verses. To this testifieth every knowing, perceiving one.

Say: O peoples of the earth! By God, the Ship of God hath sailed upon the ocean of utterance, and verily it passeth over land and sea, were ye of them that comprehend. Hold fast unto it in the name of God, your Lord. He will save you through His grace. He is verily the Forgiving, the Bountiful. When thou didst inhale the fragrance of My utterance from My raiment and didst attain unto My Book, say: Unto Thee be glory, O Beloved of the worlds, and unto Thee be praise, O God of those who are in the heavens and on earth. Rejoice in that the Wronged One hath mentioned thee time and again with verses whose sweet savours shall never be cut off from the world. To this beareth witness the Lord of eternity from this luminous horizon.

O Most Exalted Pen! Say: Through My most sweet call have all things been enraptured, and through My Most Great Name hath surged the ocean of names, and the fragrance of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, hath been wafted. Say: Through this Revelation hath returned the discourse of Sinai, the trumpet hath been blown, and the servants have stood before God, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: By My finger hath been broken the seal of the Choice Wine, and the Self-Subsisting hath appeared and hath arisen to promote the Cause in such wise that neither the clamour of the people nor the might of hosts could deter Him. O ʿIsa! Rejoice that the Lord of the throne and of earth maketh mention of thee. By God! This is a station with which nothing on earth can compare. Ponder and say: Unto Thee be praise, O God of the seen and the unseen.

Say: This is the land wherein was raised the call of the Son of Mary, who gave the glad-tidings to the people of this Revelation, at whose appearance the Concourse on High proclaimed: The Hidden Mystery hath come with evident sovereignty. This is a station round which circled the Spirit and the denizens of the highest Paradise. To this testifieth the Lord of Names, yet the people hear not. Cast aside all else and take hold of My Book. Thus commandeth thee the Tongue of My grandeur from this Spot wherein naught can be seen save God, the Lord of existence.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful in all lands! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One Who hath appeared with His Name, the Self-Subsisting. He summoneth all to the supreme horizon and the most exalted station. To this testifieth all things, yet most of the people are turned away. Bear ye witness as God hath borne witness before the creation of the heavens and earth that there is none other God but I, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We counsel you with that wherewith We counseled one of Our Branches through Our Pen, who was named Diya’u’llah in Our Preserved Tablet. God beareth witness that I have believed in Him through Whose remembrance the near ones have quaffed the choice sealed wine, and the sincere ones that which none in the heavens and earth can comprehend, save whom God willeth, the Lord of all worlds.

O Diya! Be patient in tribulation, content in all matters, assured in truth, swift to good works, submissive unto God, a concealer of people’s faults, detached from passion, hastening unto truth, like unto a cloud for mankind, tender in error, forgiving in transgression, steadfast in the Covenant, and firm in the Cause. Thus doth the Wronged One counsel thee. Moreover, He counseleth thee to fear God, then to be trustworthy and truthful. Hold fast unto these—yea, hold fast unto these. Blessed art thou and those who love thee for the sake of God, and woe betide those who hate thee and turn away from that which is ordained in the Book.

O Abraham! Hear the call of God, the Single, the Wise. He hath heard thy call and answered thee through His grace. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous. When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the fragrance of My utterance, turn thy face toward My direction and say: I testify that by Thee the Resurrection hath appeared, by Thy manifestation the trumpet hath been blown, and by Thy supreme Word all things have spoken: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Single, the All-Informed.” Shouldst thou taste the sweetness of Mine utterance, thou wouldst soar on the wings of yearning in Mine atmosphere and witness that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath witnessed in the kingdom of Mine utterance. Thy Lord is verily the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing.

We make mention of thy brother and those with you who have turned unto God on a day wherein the limbs of every remote oppressor did quake. Thus have We adorned the ocean of utterance with the ark of inner meanings, which saileth thereon through My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. It behooveth you to thank God in all conditions for this supreme bounty.

O Safa! The Lord of Names, Who hath appeared with His Name, the Self-Subsisting, maketh mention of thee—He through Whom the seal of the choice sealed wine was broken. Blessed is he who hath sought, drunk, and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Say: He hath come with God’s proof and His evidence, and uttereth at all times: “The Kingdom is God’s, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” O people of the earth! Fear God and follow not those who have turned away from the Face whereby the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Great, hath been illumined. By God! By the movement of My Pen the Concourse on High was stirred, and by My call the cry was raised from the Retreats of Grandeur, yet most of the people are heedless. He calleth all unto the Most Great Ocean, yet most of the nations are turned away. Thus hath the horizon of utterance been illumined by the Luminary of My wondrous utterance.

O Vahhab! Hear the call of Him Who summoneth thee from the Final Goal and calleth all to this horizon whereby appeared what was inscribed in the Books of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Let nothing grieve thee. Leave the world behind thee and hold fast unto the Most Great Name through which appeared what was hidden behind the veils of the Unseen and treasured within God’s knowledge, the Lord of existence. Be thou of such constancy that the affairs of the earth shall not shake thee from this Cause whereby every firm edifice hath been shaken. The earth and all that is therein and thereon shall perish, and there shall endure what hath been ordained for My loved ones in My Preserved Tablet.

O Abu-Talib! The One, the Single, maketh mention of thee with such remembrance as causeth the sincere ones to inhale the fragrance of God, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: O people of the Furqan! The All-Merciful hath come with manifest sovereignty. Beware lest the affairs of creation debar you from the Truth. Cast away your idle fancies and take hold of that which ye are bidden by God, the Lord of the unseen and the seen. Say: O people of the Gospel! The gate of heaven hath been opened and He Who ascended thereunto hath come. Indeed, He calleth aloud on land and sea and beareth unto all the glad-tidings of this Revelation through which the Tongue of Grandeur hath proclaimed: “The Promise is fulfilled and this is the Promised One.”

Be thou in such wise that the affairs of earth cause thee not to slip. Take thou the chalice of steadfastness in the name of the Lord of creation, then drink therefrom by the leave of God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom. The clamor hath been raised throughout all regions—this is that whereof We informed the servants in a perspicuous Book. Should one who is perverse bring you the book of hell, cast it behind you, turning unto God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Soon shall tablets of fire be spread abroad throughout the lands. Thus doth He inform you, with Whom is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Hold ye fast unto the cord of God and unto His mercy that hath preceded both the witness and that which is witnessed.

Verily, We make mention of the Alif and the Qaf before the Alif and the Jim, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. O people of the earth! The Day of Victory hath come, and He Who conversed on Sinai hath appeared with such verses as have rendered impotent all who are in the heavens and on earth. We have forbidden all from corruption and conflict, and have ordained victory through remembrance and utterance. Thus hath the matter been decreed by the All-Merciful in His manifest Book.

Say: Spread not corruption in the earth and follow not your idle fancies. Follow that which ye are commanded by One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed. Hold fast unto the Greater Steadfastness in the days of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind. He commandeth you that which profiteth you. There is none other God but He, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

When thou attainest unto God’s Tablet and findest the fragrance of the garment, turn thy face toward the Prison and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having caused me to hear Thy call and recognized in me the Dayspring of Thy signs, and taught me Thy straight path. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which Thy Most Exalted Pen hath written for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones. Thou art He to Whose generosity, grace, bounty and power all created things have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

O Masum! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee and counseleth thee concerning the protection which We have sent down in the Psalms and Tablets. Whoso achieveth the Greater Steadfastness in this Cause, whereby the limbs of all names have quaked, is accounted among the protected ones in the Books of God, the Lord of Lords. Blessed is the servant whom God hath protected from turning away and guided unto the Dayspring of His signs. We created all mankind for this Day, yet the people have turned away therefrom, having followed the dawning-places of vain imaginings. We have ordained knowledge that it might give glad-tidings unto men and guide them unto this Revelation whereby the realm of possibility hath smiled; yet the divines thereof have turned away from the Dayspring of Revelation and have waxed proud before God, the Cleaver of daybreak. Blessed is the mighty one who hath rent asunder the veils through My Name, the All-Bountiful. The glory be upon thee and upon thy kindred and upon those who have been faithful to the Covenant.

Section 5: “O Tongue of Utterance! Turn thy face toward…”

O Tongue of Utterance! Turn thy face toward them that have believed in God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Then make mention of him who was named Ghulam-i-Qabli-Husayn and give him the glad-tidings of the breath of God that hath wafted from the garden of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. Say: This is the Day wherein every wise decree hath been made manifest, the Day wherein they that are nigh unto God have prospered while the idolaters are in manifest loss. This is the Day whereon God calleth out with the tongue of grandeur and summoneth all to His straight path. O peoples of the earth! Fear ye God and follow not every remote ignorant one. Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye have been bidden by God, the Single, the All-Informed. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the kingdom of utterance, yet most of the people are heedless.

O Muhammad-i-Qabli-Sadiq! The One, the Single, maketh mention of thee from this spot round which circle the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise at eventide and at dawn. Blessed is he that hath purposed to attain unto My horizon, and blessed is he that hath spoken in My praise, and blessed is he that hath turned unto this exalted and impregnable station. Say: By God! That which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been made manifest. He, verily, is He Who was named in the Torah as Jehovah, in the Gospel as the Spirit of Truth, and in the Qur’an as the Great News. Hold fast, O people, unto that which ye were promised aforetime by the tongue of the Prophets and Messengers. Beware lest the tablets of fire withhold you from the Chosen One and the book of the wicked withhold you from the manifest Truth. O thou who hast turned unto Me! Drink from the Kawthar of utterance in the name of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds!

A missive from the Wronged One unto him who desireth the sealed wine from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed art thou, O Samad, for having turned unto God and turned away from them that disbelieved when the Speaker of the Mount uttered His call. By My life! This is the Day of profit, yet the people perceive not; this is the Day of Resurrection, yet mankind comprehendeth not. Joy unto him who is set ablaze this Day with the fire of the love of God, and woe unto every heedless and deprived one. The ocean of utterance hath appeared at the pole of possibility, yet the people know not. They have cast certainty behind their backs and taken hold of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Beware lest the intimations of the people withhold thee from My Self-Subsisting Name. Be steadfast in the Cause and speak forth this Name at Whose appearance the Kingdom proclaimed:

“The dominion belongeth unto God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible!”

We have manifested the Cause and revealed the verses, yet most of the people are turned away. The Sun of knowledge hath shone forth from the horizon of divine Will, yet the people are in gross ignorance. The star of nearness hath risen, yet the people are in manifest remoteness. The Tree hath spoken betwixt the Mount and creation, saying: “Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of them that know!” Every station hath been honored by the advent of its Lord and every Book by this Most Great Name. This is the Day wherein the sighing of the lovers can be heard from every horizon, to which testifieth the Lord of the Covenant Who hath come with manifest glory.

Blessed art thou, O Ghulam-i-Qabli-Husayn, for having turned unto Me and having won that which nothing on earth can equal. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Give thanks unto God for having turned unto thee and revealed for thee that from which the fragrance of the All-Merciful was wafted between earth and heaven. O Concourse of Names! The Creator of the heavens hath come with a Cause against which the hosts of earth and heaven cannot prevail. Say: The Preserved Tablet hath appeared, yet ye remain heedless. This is an inscribed Tablet, traced by My Most Exalted Pen through My binding and wise command. The Cry hath been raised in truth, and the Proof hath prostrated itself before the face of the All-Merciful, and the Evidence hath circled round My mighty Throne.

O Jim-before-Alif! The Mother Book hath appeared and all the books of the world have bowed down before it, yet the peoples are in grievous opposition. Blessed is he who hath cast away vain imaginings and turned with his heart to the All-Knowing One. O people of insight! The Most Great Vision hath appeared, wherein the Lord of Destiny calleth out amidst humanity, summoning them unto God, the Revealer of verses. O concourse of religions! Abandon that which ye possess. By God! The All-Merciful hath come with proof and evidence. Be fair in God’s name and reflect upon that which the All-Giving hath revealed in the Book. Beware lest earthly affairs hold you back from the Lord of Names, or the intimations of creation debar you from the Truth that hath come with power and sovereignty.

O Mihdi! Rejoice in that the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from this Station, whereunto the Finger of Grandeur pointeth, saying:

“By My life, this is My station, upon which I have gazed from time immemorial.”

This indeed is the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret, through whose mention the Sacred Scriptures and Tablets have been adorned. Thus have We adorned the heaven of utterance with the sun of proof. Blessed is he who hath discerning eyes to recognize, and hearing ears to hearken unto this sweet call.

O Husayn! The Wronged One remembereth thee while sorrows encompass Him from those who have denied God, the Lord of Lords. Thou didst stand firm in the Cause on a day when limbs trembled and foundations shook. When God’s Cause was exalted, the buzzing of flies emerged from behind the veil. They cast aside fairness and embraced tyranny when the morn breathed and the horizons were illumined by the lights of the countenance of God, the Lord of Return. Beware lest any mention hold thee back from this Most Great Remembrance, or anything veil thee from the Dayspring of verses. Hold fast unto God; verily He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thus did the Ark sail, the rivers flow, and the seas proclaim: “Dominion belongeth unto God, the One, the Concealer.”

O Letter B after B! The Glory remembereth thee, at Whose appearance all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save whom God, the Lord of the worlds, willed. Do people hear yet comprehend not? Do the folk see yet deny? What aileth them that they believe not in God, the Mighty, the Loving, Who hath come with the banners of verses and proclaimeth:

“Verily I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.”

Say: This is the Day of Supreme Joy, yet ye perceive not. The ocean of knowledge surgeth before your eyes, yet ye see not. Say: The gate of My most exalted Paradise hath been opened, yet the people turn away therefrom. Verily God remembereth who remembereth Him, and turneth unto who turneth unto Him, and draweth nigh unto those who have cast aside their desires and taken what God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, hath willed. Say: None should turn toward the Prison except by His leave. Thus have We sent down the command and that which the Desired One hath willed.

O Muhammad-Qablih-Ibrahim! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from this horizon whereby the horizon of the world was illumined and every wise decree was made manifest. Hearken unto the call from the precincts of My Most Great Prison, then summon the servants unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Say: O people! He cannot be pointed to by your gestures, nor does He walk in your ways. He hath appeared with truth and made manifest His straight path. He is the One mentioned in the ancient scriptures and the Promised One in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds. He is the One through Whom the veils were rent asunder, the verses were sent down, and the clear proofs appeared, yet most of the people are heedless, and most of mankind are among the deniers. They have cast certitude behind their backs and followed every doubting learned one. Say: We have ordained knowledge that it may guide people to the path of God, the Most High, the Most Great. Blessed is the learned one who hath found the fragrance of the All-Knowing and turned with clear certitude to the Most Exalted Horizon. And woe unto every learned one who hath waxed proud before God and turned away from His binding and mighty Command.

Beware lest the tales of old withhold thee from the Lord of all creation. Break the idols of the servants in the name of thy Lord, the Possessor of Creation. Thus doth command thee He Who hath summoned all unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The Wronged One makes mention of thee for the sake of God and commands thee to that which shall profit thee in the Hereafter and in this first life. To this testifieth every fair-minded and discerning one.

Say: O people! The Day of Rising hath come. Arise from your seats and glorify your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By My life! If thou shouldst discover the fragrance of My utterance and hear with the ear of the heart My call, thou wouldst arise to serve the Cause in such wise that neither the hosts of the world nor the cannons of those who are heedless of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, would deter thee. The Cry hath been raised, the Hour hath come, and the Calamity hath appeared, yet the people are in thick veils. Leave what the people possess and take what hath come from the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s revelation with power from Him and might from His presence. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: O Thou in Whose hand are the reins of all beings and the control of all things! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst rend the veils and didst manifest Thy Cause in the end, to aid me in recovering what hath passed me by in Thy days. Then make me among those who have soared in Thy atmosphere and drunk the wine of martyrdom in Thy name and for love of Thee. O my Lord! I am the poor one who hath turned to the horizon of Thy grace, and the ignorant one who hath sought the ocean of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what is with Thee. O my Lord!

Enable me to rend asunder the veils of Thy servants and Thy creation that I may make known to them Thy mighty Book and Thy straight path, and remind them of that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and hold them back from all else besides Thee. Thou art the Almighty, to Whose greatness and power all atoms have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the Most Exalted Pen and by Thy Most Holy, Most Great, Most Impregnable, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Name to forgive me through Thy bounty and grace, and to absolve my sins through Thy loving-kindness and favors. Then make me steadfast in Thy service and speaking in Thy praise and glorification. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

O Asad! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One Who hath endured tribulations and trials in the path of God, the Lord of all names, until He was cast into the most desolate of lands. He summoned the people unto the exalted Paradise, yet they seized Him and paraded Him through cities and lands. How many a night did sleep flee from the eyes of My loved ones through their love for Me, and how many a day did the factions rise against Me. At times I found Myself upon the highest mountains, and at others in the prison of Ta, bound in chains and fetters. By the life of God! In all conditions I remained thankful, speaking, remembering, turning towards Him, content, submissive and humble. Thus did My days pass until they ended in this Prison, whereby the earth was shaken and the heavens lamented.

Blessed art thou for having cast away idle fancies when the Hidden Unseen came with the banners of divine verses. He hath informed the people of what hath appeared and what shall appear, yet the people are in strange drunkenness—they hear the verses of God and deny them. Thus have their souls beguiled them on this Day which is the Dawning-point of all days. Before their faces surgeth the ocean of life, yet they hasten toward the mirage. Thus have We illumined the heaven of hearts with the sun of wisdom and utterance.

Section 6: “We make mention at this hour…”

We make mention at this hour of the third letter, he who believed in Me, against whom the Dayspring of tyranny pronounced judgment without proof or scripture. He turned toward Zawra until he arrived and stood before the gate, and entered after permission into the presence of the Countenance, and heard and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the seen and unseen, and glory be unto Thee, O Lord of lords! I testify that Thou wert hidden in the eternity of eternities and hast manifested Thyself in this Thy Day. Blessed is he who hath believed in Thee and drunk the choice wine from the hand of Thy bounty, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all things.”

The glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon him and upon those whom the buzzing of gnats hath not kept back from God, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Joseph! Joseph of Baha calleth thee from this darksome pit and summoneth thee to the station of nearness and holiness—the station which none save God, the Lord of all worlds, can comprehend. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of God and in His love to such an extent that the utterances of the ungodly who dispute God’s verses and proofs and turn away from Him when He came with manifest sovereignty, shall not deter thee. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrances of God in His days and witnessed what God had testified before the creation of the heavens and earth that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Let not the affairs of the people grieve thee. Put thy trust in God—verily He loveth those who trust in Him. Know thou the value of these days, then give thanks to thy Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, Who hath sent down for thee that which naught in all creation can equal. To this doth the Lord of Names bear witness in this noble station.

O Ali! Verily My name Ali gave thee glad tidings and informed thee of this Promised Day. He spoke—and His words are most sweet—saying: “Expect the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai.” By God! It is He, and He proclaimeth with the most exalted call: “God hath come upon clouds of light, yet the people understand not.” This is a word taught to him by the Messenger of God aforetime. With Him is the knowledge of all things in a Preserved Tablet. Say: The Divine Lote-Tree calleth out with the most exalted call, and Sinai speaketh: “He that was hidden hath come with manifest sovereignty.” Is there any possessor of scent who can inhale the fragrance of My raiment? Is there any possessor of sight who can behold My horizon and My countenance? Is there any possessor of hearing who can hear this most sweet Call whereby all things were attracted? And is there any fair-minded one who will judge justly concerning that which God hath sent down from this glorious station?

O ʿAli! The Lord of all creation remembereth thee and giveth thee glad tidings of that wherewith the Herald of the Primal Point gave glad tidings. He spoke—and His words are most sweet—saying:

“I have taken an essence in His remembrance, namely that He cannot be indicated by My indication nor by what was mentioned in the Bayan. The Bayan was revealed only for My remembrance, and it is but a leaf from the garden of My utterance and a ring upon My finger. Thy Lord doeth what He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth.”

Say: He weigheth all things with the Most Great Balance and revealeth that which was hidden in the Books and Tablets. They who failed to recognize Him despite all that was mentioned in the Bayan opposed Him because of a single word therefrom. Lo! They are among the people of error. They have cast the Revealer of the Bayan behind their backs and clung to that which profiteth them not in the days of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Say: Die in your wrath! He hath appeared with the truth and all the books of the world cannot withhold Him. He hath come from the heaven of immortality with power and sovereignty.

O Sadiq! Truth crieth out between earth and heaven saying:

“Is there anyone who loveth me and chooseth me for himself for the sake of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise?”

We have sent down concerning truthfulness a Tablet. Blessed is he who readeth it and holdeth fast unto it, as bidden by the Ordainer, the All-Informed. Blessed art thou, O Sadiq, for having attained unto the recognition of God in thy early days and for having turned unto the horizon from which every stubborn tyrant hath turned away. Hold thou fast unto the Sure Handle and cleave unto the hem of the mercy of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken in this station which hath been adorned with the sweet savors of the revelation of thy Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Husayn! Hearken unto what the Speaker of the Mount uttereth, and cast aside what thou hast heard of tales and reports. Reflect upon what thou beholdest today, for it shall suffice thee and guide thee to the straight path. The Wronged One hath come to remind you and guide you to the most exalted station. Among the people are those who have heard and turned towards Him, and those who have turned away from God, the Lord of Lords. The Kingdom hath appeared and the Throne hath been established thereon, then He, with Whom is the Mother Book, settled upon it. Say: O people! Deprive not yourselves of the Most Great Bounty, and follow not every ignorant doubter. Arise and make good what hath escaped you, then return unto God with humility and contrition. By God! All that ye behold today shall perish, and that which hath been ordained by the Supreme Pen shall endure, by God’s leave, He Who causeth the winds to blow.

O Supreme Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Husayn in the Kingdom of Names, and give him glad tidings of that which the Tongue of Eternity hath spoken at the station which God hath made the seat of His mighty Throne. He verily speaketh the truth and remembereth those who have turned unto Him with radiant faces. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. We counsel Our loved ones with that whereby the Cause of God may be exalted above all else, and with trustworthiness, through which man’s station is uplifted and his glory made manifest among the servants. He Who hath subdued the world through His Name, the Mighty, the Powerful, beareth witness unto this.

Be thou grateful that My Pen and My Tongue have been moved to make mention of thee in My glorious and impregnable Kingdom. Say: O people! Spread not corruption in the earth, shed not blood, consume not the substance of others wrongfully, and follow not every clamorous evil one. When thou attainest unto the verses of thy Lord, arise from thy seat, turning unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: Glory be unto Thee, O God of existence, both seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the earth was shaken, the heaven was cleft asunder, the mountains were moved, and the regions were convulsed, to aid me to remember Thee and praise Thee in such wise that the veils of them that have turned away from the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration may not hinder me. Thou art, verily, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

O Nasir! The All-Informed remembereth thee and remembereth the days when thou didst stand before the Gate and didst hear the call of God, the Lord of Lords. Thou art he who turned towards the Supreme Horizon and traversed land and sea until thou didst enter and attain the presence, and didst witness and hear the verses of thy Lord, the Master of all necks. He remembereth thee now as He remembered thee before, and draweth thee nigh when thou turnest towards Him, and sanctifieth thee when thou ascendest unto God, the Lord of creation. Behold and remember when the Speaker of the Mount conversed with thee and the Countenance of the Manifestation turned towards thee in this station, round which circle the Frequented Fane, at eventide and at dawn. Blessed are they who observe the rights of My friends and serve them for love of My Beauty. They are assuredly of the people of the pavilion of My glory and the tabernacle of My grace that hath encompassed all creation. We counsel the servants of God to be patient and forbearing, calm and dignified, that the Cause of God may be made manifest to all who are in the heavens and on earth.

The glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away idle fancies and chosen for themselves a path unto God, the Lord of the Day of Reckoning.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from the Most Great Prison, that He may draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds, Who hath manifested Himself through the Manifestation of His Self and the Dawning-Place of His signs. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful. Blessed is he who hath turned towards My horizon, and blessed the hearer who hath hearkened unto My verses, and blessed the seer who hath witnessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur did witness before the creation of the heavens and earth—that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Great. Give thanks unto God that the face of the Wronged One hath turned towards thee and hath sent down for thee that wherefrom the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Beware lest the affairs of the world withhold thee from the Lord of all names. By God’s life! All on earth shall perish, and there shall endure for thee what hath been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s will, the Mighty, the Gracious. Thus hath the horizon of the Tablet been illumined by the light of thy Lord’s utterance, the Kind, the Merciful.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Hearken unto the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven. Verily it beareth glad-tidings unto the world, yet the people remain behind a clear veil, save him who hath shattered the idols of vain fancy in the name of his Lord, the Lord of all beings, and hath arisen to serve the Cause in such wise that the doubts of the divines who have turned away from God, the Lord of the worlds, have failed to deter him. Behold, then make mention of the generations of old who cast the signs of God behind their backs and pronounced judgment against the Manifestations of the Cause with manifest tyranny. How many a learned one lamented in separation and yearned, beseeching through nights and days, to attain the presence of one of the Names, yet when the Creator of the heavens appeared, he turned away from Him and denied God’s proof and evidence, and rose up in such oppression as caused the eyes of the Messengers to shed tears.

Be thou not grieved at anything. Put thy trust in God in all affairs. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Thus have We adorned thee with the ornament of remembrance. Be thankful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world!” We have seen thee and heard thy call. We have answered thee with this utterance, round which circle the Concourse on High and the dwellers of this luminous Station. Arise to make mention of Me and to praise Me amongst My servants, and say: “By God! The appointed time hath come and the Revealer of verses hath appeared with a wondrous Command. Verily He is the Originator of the heavens and earth. Blessed is he who hath recognized and witnessed this great Day.” Blessed art thou for having quaffed the choice wine from the hand of thy Lord’s bounty, the Gracious. We counsel thee and My loved ones to observe supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby feet have slipped and the hearts of the mystics have been perturbed.

Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Most Great, Most Mighty Remembrance.

O ʿAndalib! We have sent down verses for every name that was in thy letter, as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Arise to serve the Cause and remind the people of the Day of God and His appearance through the wisdom We have sent down in a clear Book. Convey My glorification to the faces of My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy, My providence and My favor which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. We counsel them at the end of the Book with that which shall manifest man’s station in the contingent world. This is better for them than all that is on earth. Verily thy Lord is the True One, the Manifest, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: Beware lest transient affairs withhold you from the Lord of creation. Leave what ye possess and take what ye have been commanded with power from God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Glory be upon you and upon My handmaidens who have turned towards Me, hearkened, and responded to the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.