BH00030: Praise, sanctified from all reality and metaphor, befitteth…

Section 1: “Praise, sanctified from all reality and metaphor, befitteth…”

In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord

Praise, sanctified from all reality and metaphor, befitteth and beseemeth that Incomparable Lord Who brought forth from the Point the four pillars, wherefrom appeared the east and west and south and north. His helper is the Supreme Pen, and His hosts are whatsoever hath appeared in the Kingdom of Creation. The veils of the world concealed not His Manifestation, nor did the mists of the nations prevent His dawning. The Luminary of His Will hath risen from the horizon of power, and the Sun of His Purpose hath shone forth from the Dayspring of authority. He standeth before the faces of the kings of the world without veil or covering, speaking that which He willeth. The clamor of the regions is as the buzzing of flies, and the tumult of the horizons is as the barking of dogs. The might of Pharaohs deterred Him not from His purpose, nor did the power of tyrants hold Him back from His Will. He accepted the tribulations of the world for the deliverance of the nations, and bore earthly afflictions for their salvation.

In the Tablet to the Sultan He saith—His word, exalted be His glory, universal be His bounty, mighty be His utterance:

“It is evident to those endowed with vision and those who gaze toward the Most Great Scene that I, in most of My days, was as a servant sitting beneath a sword suspended by a single hair, not knowing when it would descend upon him—whether it would fall in an instant or after a while. Through all this We give thanks unto God, the Lord of the worlds, and praise Him in every condition. Verily, He is witness over all things. The hearts of the Concourse on High are set ablaze by these words, and the hearts of the chaste maidens of the Most Exalted Paradise are stirred by this mention. Not for a moment did He seek to preserve Himself. From the earliest days He was at the mercy of His enemies. Nevertheless, at all times He summoned kings and monarchs, divines and princes, jurists and philosophers and mystics with a clear and manifest Command to the Truth, exalted be His glory, and desired for all eternal life, everlasting rest and perpetual favor. But the smoke mentioned in the Book of God intervened, wherefore eyes were deprived of beholding the signs and ears were prevented from hearkening to the call of the All-Merciful. Man is bewildered, nay the world is bewildered, as to what caused this prevention and what brought about this veiling. Yea, by the Lord of all beings, the cause is but the recompense of deeds. They have forsaken the Sun of Truth and occupied themselves with vain imaginings. They have turned away from the choice sealed wine and clung to mere conjectures. They were worshippers of passion while counting themselves among the people of piety. Glory be to God! How long shall heedlessness endure and how far shall vainglory persist?”

And likewise in the aforementioned Tablet He saith: “The discerning one is not distracted by wealth from contemplating his final end, and the wise one is not held back by riches from turning to the Self-Subsisting, the Most High. Where is he who ruled over all upon which the sun did shine, who spent extravagantly and sought novelties in this world and what was created therein? Where is the owner of the dark-hued hosts and the yellow standard? Where is he who ruled in Zawra, and where is he who oppressed in Fayha? Where are they at whose generosity treasures trembled, and before whose outstretched hands and aspirations the sea withdrew? Where is he whose arm was lengthened in rebellion and whose heart turned away from the All-Merciful? Where is he who sought out pleasures and plucked the fruits of his desires? Where are the ladies of perfection and the possessors of beauty? Where are their swaying branches and their lofty boughs, their towering palaces and their trellised gardens? Where is the softness of their soil, the gentleness of their breeze, the murmur of their waters, the rustling of their winds, the cooing of their doves, and the whisper of their trees?”

Until He says—may the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdom of command and creation be offered up for His sake:

“Do people dispute while they themselves witness? Do they deny while they know? I know not in which valley they wander. Do they not see that they depart and return not? Until when will they raid and sojourn, descend and ascend? Has not the time come for those who believe that their hearts should be humbled at the remembrance of God? Blessed is he who has said or will say, ʿYea, O my Lord, the time has come,’ and detaches himself from all that was, turning to the Lord of all worlds and the King of all possibilities.”

Until He says—may the spirit of all who dwell in the dominion of certitude be offered up for His sake:

“I walk, turning toward the Mighty, the Bestower, while behind me flow the tears. My weeping has intensified until it has soaked my resting place. By God, my grief is not for myself—my head longs for spears in the love of its Lord. I have not passed by any tree but my heart has addressed it saying: ʿWould that thou wert cut down in my name and my body crucified upon thee in the path of my Lord!’ Rather, it is because I see people wandering in their drunkenness, not knowing. They have raised up their desires and put down their God, as though they had taken God’s Cause in mockery, diversion and play, thinking they do well and are protected in the fortress of security. The matter is not as they imagine. Tomorrow they shall see what they now deny.”

If the ears of the world were in truth to be blessed with hearing these mentioned verses, it would suffice them. They would gain some knowledge of the mention, utterance, detachment and tribulations of our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in earth and heaven. They would no longer be saddened by the events of the world. With sanctified heart, penetrating vision and attentive ear, as long as spirit remains, they would be occupied with the mention, praise and service of the Cause of the Lord of Names.

Glorified art Thou, O my Lord, my Creator, my Master, my Support and my King! Thou seest and knowest what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures. Thou didst create them for Thy knowledge and the service of Thy Cause, yet they have drawn the swords of hatred against Thy face and have committed that which hath caused the dwellers of Thy Paradise to lament, and the recipients of Thy knowledge and the sources of Thy commandments and ordinances to weep. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Throne and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty to assist Thy loved ones and them that love Thee, and him who hath traversed land and sea, turning toward the lights of Thy countenance and facing Thy horizon until he arrived and appeared before Thy throne, and stood at Thy door, and heard Thy sweetest call and the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen. O Lord! Write down for him and for those who have ascended unto Thee what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who have spent what they possessed in Thy path. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over what Thou pleasest and dominion over what Thou desirest. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

And when thy letter, which was adorned with the mention and praise of the Desired One of all worlds, arrived—verily doth praise of the Friend pass over every land like the clouds of spring and the vernal breeze, giving life and bestowing freshness and verdure, conferring joy and renewal—after reading and becoming apprised of it, it sought the summit of inner meanings and was presented before the countenance of the Lord of Names, attaining the honor of His hearing. His word, exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:

In My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names

O Ahmad! Be thou prepared to hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He desireth to make mention of thee at this hour. The glances of the grace of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, have been directed towards thee. He hath confirmed thee in turning unto Him when every learned one turned away, and guided thee to the Path when the people were in manifest doubt. He enabled thee to leave thy home, turning towards the Most Exalted Horizon. Thou didst traverse the ways until thou didst arrive and attain His presence and didst hear the call of God, the Lord of the worlds, and didst behold that for which eyes were created to see and ears to hear His wondrous call.

Give thanks unto God for this supreme bounty and be not of them whom sorrows overtake in the days of their Lord, the All-Merciful. We desire to behold thee content with what We love and accept, and to see thee among the joyous ones. By the life of God! He who hath ascended is, in truth, in an exalted station with thy Lord. He desireth not to return thither. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Witnessing, the All-Knowing. We have sent down mention of him in the Crimson Tablet from My Most Exalted Pen. This is a bounty from Our presence which cannot be equaled by what thou seest today in the hands of men. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Merciful, the Most Generous.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-before-Rida, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Lord of all beings, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below, and be of them that have attained. Thou hast indeed attained unto My verses, turned towards My horizon, held fast unto My cord, and clung to the hem of the robe of My mercy, which hath preceded all in the heavens and on earth. Let not the happenings of the world grieve thee. It is the abode of trials and tribulations, as attesteth He Who created the heavens and the Lord of Names. Soon shall all that is therein perish, and there shall endure that which hath flowed from the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Knowing. We have made mention of thee before, and at this time. Render thanks unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Say: My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. Thou didst create me through Thy grace and didst manifest me through Thy bounty and didst enable me to recognize the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Manifestation of Thy Self on a Day whereon most of Thy creation turned away from Thee and violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament and disputed Thy signs and denied Thy proof and Thy testimony. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Goal of the hearts of the mystics and the Beloved of the hearts of the sincere ones, by the breezes of the morn of Thy manifestation and by the fruits of the Tree of Thy Cause and by the fragrances of Thy days and by Thy verses which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy will for Thy servants, to draw me ever closer in all conditions to Thy most exalted horizon and to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen servants.

O my Lord! I am he who hath turned towards the lights of Thy countenance and held fast unto the cord of Thy forgiveness and pardon. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me the sweet waters of Thy mercy nor to deprive me from the ocean of Thy bounty. Wilt Thou withhold the poor one from the ocean of Thy riches? Wilt Thou keep distant the lowly one from the gardens of Thy nearness? I beseech Thee by the pavilion of Thy glory and the banners of Thy signs to ordain for me that which shall accompany me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Educator of all things visible and invisible. There is none other God but Thee, the Most Generous, the Most Bountiful, the All-Hearing, the All-Answering.

Hear in the Persian tongue, O Muhammad-Rida! Praise be to God that through the grace of the Lord of creation thou hast attained unto His signs and His pen, and hast been illumined by the light of His knowledge. Give praise to the Desired One of the world that distance did not prevent thee from His grace—outwardly thou art far but inwardly near. He is the Kind Bestower. The whole world was brought from nothingness into being for this blessed Day, yet heedlessness and pride have prevented all from hearkening to the call of the Speaker on Sinai. They are seen wandering bewildered in the wilderness of ignorance. The recompense of deeds has become manifest and has prevented all save whom God willeth. And ye have attained unto that which hath no likeness or equal. The Cause is in His hands; He guideth whom He willeth to His straight path.

His honor Ahmad, upon him be the glory of God and His grace, hath attained unto that which hath flowed down and been revealed from the Divine Pen in the Book of Inner Meanings. O Ahmad! Upon thee be My glory! Know thou the worth of this station. Convey My greetings to the people of God in that land. Say: I swear by the Sun of Utterance which shineth resplendent from the highest horizon of possibility that all are mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and have attained His grace. Today is the day of remembrance and praise and the day of service. Deprive not yourselves thereof. Ye are the letters of the words and the words of the Book.

Ye are saplings planted by the hand of grace in the earth of mercy and nurtured by the rains of bounty. He hath protected you from the tempests of misbelief and the storms of unbelief, and hath reared you with hands of loving-kindness. Now is the time for fruits and leaves, and the fruits of the tree of man have ever been pure deeds and praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits from the heedless. Impart them with fragrance and joy, with wisdom and utterance. If they accept, the purpose is achieved and life is manifest; if not, leave them to their vain imaginings.

Section 2: “O people of God! Strive that perchance…”

O people of God! Strive that perchance the hearts of the diverse peoples of the world may be cleansed from rancor and hatred through the waters of your forbearance and loving-kindness, and become worthy and receptive to the effulgences of the Sun of Truth. We convey greetings to all and give them the glad-tidings of the dawning lights of God’s grace. O friends! Know ye the value of these days which will soon come to an end. At all times loving counsels have flowed from the Pen of the Most Merciful. Blessed are they who have hearkened and acted, whom neither doubts nor manifestations nor various colors of these two days have prevented from the straight path and the mighty announcement. O people of God! Upon you be the glory of God and His grace, and the mercy of God and His bounty. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Great.

Praise be to God! The Sun of generosity has risen and the Light of bounty is manifest. Such is the grace that it has encompassed the world. Glory be to God! This servant is astonished as to what cause and reason has prevented and deprived the servants from the eternal bounty and infinite mercy. This evanescent servant begs and hopes that the True One, exalted be His glory, will not deprive His servants and will adorn them with the ornament of awareness, that all may not be deprived of its existence and fruit. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. There is none other God but Him, the Compassionate, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This servant is truly abashed in one respect, as the reply has been much delayed. Apart from this, for some time certain blessed Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of divine Will, mentioning all, both living and dead. However, due to certain matters, their dispatch was also delayed, and this servant’s excuse has been and is acceptable to all, as in His presence I am occupied with the transcription of verses, as well as replying to letters from various quarters. If time were to be justly divided, you have received your share. Praise be to God! The grace and favor of the True One towards you and the loved ones of that land has been and is beyond measure. Praise be to Him! Thanks be to Him! Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

Regarding the mention made of the loved ones and friends, and the request for divine Tablets especially for them, previously some Tablets were revealed specially for some, and for others their mention has now been revealed in this servant’s letter from the heaven of Will. God willing, may all attain and drink from the ocean of His bounty. Mention was made of Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God. After being submitted to the Most Holy Court, these verses shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of grace. His mighty utterance and exalted proof states:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O Muhammad! The Day has come yet the people perceive not, and the All-Bestowing has come riding upon the clouds to His destination, yet most people know not. The One Who conversed on Sinai has established Himself upon the throne of Revelation, and the Dove of Utterance has warbled upon the highest branches. The Promise has come to pass and God has come with manifest sovereignty. We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs. Among the people are those who have turned towards, and those who have turned away from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Give thanks to thy Lord for this most great favor. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me in the prison of ʿAkka and reminded me through the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen, and guided me to Thy straight path and Thy mighty Message.

O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned towards Thee, turning away from all else besides Thee. I beseech Thee by the splendors of the lights of the Sun of Thy utterance and the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause. Then forgive me, O my God, through Thy grace and generosity. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous. O Lord! Deprive not Thy servant of Thy sealed wine and Thy ordained Command. Assist me to remember Thee and praise Thee amongst Thy servants with spirit and fragrance. Verily Thou art my Goal and the Goal of all who are in the realm of possibility. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And this is what was revealed for Aqa Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God. The Lord, exalted and sanctified is He, says:

In My Name, the Wronged One, in the Most Great Prison

O My beloved who hath remembered Me! We have remembered thee with such a remembrance from which the near ones inhale the fragrances of the verses of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Husayn! Hear the Call from the Lote Tree beyond which there is no passing, upon the luminous spot: verily there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty. We created the servants to hearken unto My Call and to behold My horizon, but when I manifested Myself they denied and turned away, except those whom God saved through His sovereignty that prevaileth over all things small and great. Thou didst desire to attain My presence and to stand before the gate of My mercy and to behold My most exalted horizon and to hearken unto the scratching of My Most Glorious Pen.

Know thou with the eye of certainty that the Wronged One loveth the presence of His friends and loved ones, but the idolaters prevented and came between Me and My loved ones. Thus did their souls seduce them, and they are today accounted among the oppressors in My perspicuous Book. Grieve thou not. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me and made me recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy power and the Repository of Thy mysteries on a day wherein most of Thy servants have denied Thy proof and Thy testimony and that which hath been sent down from the heaven of Thy Will and the sun of Thy knowledge.

O my Lord! I am he who hath acknowledged Thy oneness. I testify that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been sanctified above the mention of Thy servants and exalted beyond the recognition of Thy creation. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the limbs of all names have trembled and the hearts of the learned and the mystics have been perturbed, to aid me in Thy remembrance where neither kings nor subjects can hinder me. I testify, O my God, to Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty, and to Thy power and Thy might. Thou art He Who hath created all beings with a word from Thy presence. I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones, whom Thou hast made the emblems of Thy guidance among Thy servants and the banners of Thy remembrance unto all in Thy lands, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the reward of attainment unto Thy presence, O Lord of all beings and King of the hereafter and the former times. There is no God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. And praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Ultimate Goal of them that have known Thee.

And this was revealed for Jinab Mirza Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God, who attained unto the transcription of the verses:

He Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon

O Baqir! Be thou ready to hearken unto the Call of thy Lord. He mentioneth thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison, the Station whereon the Ancient King hath established Himself upon His mighty throne. Beware lest the clamor of men prevent thee from the Lord of Destiny, or the veils of the heedless ones who, when the Call was raised between earth and heaven, placed their fingers in their ears, and when the Lord of all beings approached them, turned away and uttered that which caused the dwellers of the cities of inner meanings and utterance to lament. Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, beareth witness unto this in this luminous spot. Say: O people! Fear ye God and follow not the desires of those who have denied the Day of Judgment.

This is the Day wherein the ocean of utterance hath surged in the realm of possibility and the dove of proof hath warbled upon the branches. Dominion belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed is the speaker who hath spoken in praise of his Lord, and the ear that hath attained unto the hearing of His Call, and the eye that hath beheld His traces, and the hand that hath taken hold of His Book, and the pen that hath attained unto the transcription of His verses, and the heart that hath been adorned with the light of His knowledge, and the foot that hath hastened unto His straight Path. The glory from Our presence be upon thee and upon those who have clung to the hem of grace and held fast unto His firm cord.

This was revealed for Jinab Sadr, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name that prevaileth over all names

Hear the call of the Lord of Creation! He has come with the signs of signs from the dawning place of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Powerful. Verily He attracts thee to the Most Exalted Horizon, the station wherein was raised the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and wherein the Tongue of Grandeur spoke while seated upon the Throne of Divine Evidence. Blessed is he who hath heard and turned unto Him, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

The Promise hath come, the Promised One hath appeared, and that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds, hath been made manifest. He hath stood before the faces of all mankind and called all unto the One, the All-Informed. Among the people are those who heard and turned unto Him; among them are those who heard and turned away; among them are those who drew nigh, took and drank, saying: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!”; among them are those who hesitated; among them are those who [wavered]; and among them are those who pronounced that which caused the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise to lament, and those who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide.

Say: O people of the earth! Fear the All-Merciful and follow not the desires of those who denied God’s proof and evidence, and turned away from a Face before which the Holy Spirit bowed down in adoration. We have remembered thee with that which nothing in existence can equal. When thou hearest My mention and perceivest the fragrance of Mine utterance, arise amongst My servants with wisdom and utterance, and say: O people of all possibilities! By God, the All-Merciful hath come with such sovereignty that all who are in the heavens and the earth cannot withstand it. Fear God, O people, and deny not Him Who hath brought you the kingdom of verses and from Whose Pen hath flowed the river of meanings and utterance. Arise from the slumber of vain desire, hastening unto the Lord of all mankind. Thus doth the Mother Book command you, a command from His presence. He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Be thou articulate amongst My servants and mention that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Mine utterance, that the verses of thy Lord may attract them and draw them nigh unto a station wherein naught is seen save the light of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Bestower. Beware lest the might of the world hold thee back from the remembrance of the Lord of Eternity, or the doubts of the divines from the Possessor of all Names. Arise in My Name to serve My Cause. Thy Lord will aid thee through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Exalted, the Bountiful.

We have caused thee to hear the eloquent tongue; We now desire to cause thee to hear the clear Persian tongue: The entire world was brought from nothingness into being for the recognition of the Intended One. When the Finger of Will rent asunder the veils and the effulgences of the lights of manifestation shone forth from the horizon of will, all were seen to be deniers and rejecters save whom God willed. Glory be to God! On the Day of Retribution the Shi’ih sect was seen to be the most lost among the sects of the world. They committed that which no oppressor had ever committed. In the early years they all arose in opposition, and later pronounced the death sentence upon His most pure blood.

Reflection upon the deeds of that sect and their actions before and after is necessary. For years they clung to the idols of names and occupied themselves with cursing one another from the pulpits, while in their own estimation they considered themselves the most learned and exalted of nations. Yet when the Sun of Divine Testing shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of wisdom of the Goal of all the worlds, all returned to hell-fire. Now too the deniers of the Bayan are occupied with forming a sect similar to the Shi’ih sect.

Section 3: “This is the Day of God—a Day wherein…”

Say: This is the Day of God—a Day wherein naught is to be remembered save Him. Thou must, with two wings—trust in God and utter detachment—soar in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful, and busy thyself with the triumph of the Cause of God. Strive thou, that there may proceed from thee that which shall endure through the abiding continuance of the Kingdom of thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting.

Say: O servants of God! Suffer not your ears to be deprived of the hearing of the scratching of the Pen of the Most High, and the rustling of the leaves of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, that ye may arise, ere long, to repair what hath been lost. This is the irrevocable, the divinely-appointed decree, which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the Pen of the Most High, and hath been inscribed and made fast. Beware lest the veils of the world, and the dazzling allurements of the peoples, withhold you. Cast away what the people possess, and turn, with faces set, unto God, the Possessor of all that hath been and all that shall be. From Us be glory upon thee and upon them, and upon all who have turned unto God, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Ended.

This is what hath been revealed for Mirza ʿAli—upon him be the glory of God.

He, verily, is the Hearer, the Seer.

O ʿAli! We have made mention of thee with a remembrance wherewith the remembrances of the world can never compare; and We now call thee to mind by a word, at the descent whereof the very verses were humbled. We desire to hear from thee Our signs, to manifest unto thee Our clear tokens, and to cast upon thee that which shall draw thee toward the horizon of Our loving-kindness. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this place which God hath made the most exalted of stations.

Hearken unto My call, arise amidst My servants, remind them of My verses, and illumine their hearts with the light of thy Lord’s utterance, the Lord of creation. Say: O people of God! This Day is your day. Aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through wisdom and utterance, and follow not those who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and have committed that which hath caused hearts to melt.

Say: The gates of heaven have been flung open, the ocean of bounty hath surged before the faces of all the world, and the Sun of proof hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance. Fear ye God, and follow not every heedless doubter. Beware lest the ornaments of the world hold you back from the Lord of all mankind, or the might of the oppressors debar you from the Lord of all religions. Cast behind you vain imaginings, then advance with radiant faces unto the station wherein the atoms proclaim: The kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all lords!

When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the fragrance of My loving-kindness, say: My God, my God! Aid me to remember Thee and to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen, by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the mysteries of Thy Book and the stars of the heaven of Thy utterance, and by Thy Command wherewith Thou hast subdued Thy lands and Thy servants, to make me steadfast in Thy service in such wise that neither shall the ornaments of the world withhold me from turning unto Thee, O Lord of eternity, nor shall the clamor of nations frighten me, nor shall their might and power and dominion weaken me. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.

And this is what was revealed for His Honor Mulla ʿAbdu’l-Karim, upon him be the Glory of God.

He is the Confirmer, the All-Knowing

O Abdul-Karim! We have desired to make mention of thee and to gladden thee with the bestowals of God, the Mighty, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. Verily He remembereth His loved ones at eventide and at dawn, through the nights and days. Is there any with sight to behold the traces of My Most Exalted Pen? Is there any with ears to hear My Most Sweet Call? Is there any with strength whom the people of error cannot prevent from turning to the Self-Subsisting, the Most High? We have manifested the Cause with a sovereignty before which no sovereignty can stand, and We have called the kings and their subjects to the Dayspring of Light. Neither the might of the oppressors nor the wrath of the tyrants deterred Us.

We stood before all faces and proclaimed: O people! The Self-Subsisting hath come from the horizon of power with the banners of signs. We counsel thee and those who have believed to perform such deeds as would attract the hearts of men, and to manifest such character as would illumine the horizons. We counsel you to fear God, which We have made the lord of all deeds. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it, and woe unto every denying infidel. Thus hath the tongue of the Wronged One spoken in His Most Great Prison, as a grace from His presence, and He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Glory be upon the people of Baha who were not prevented by the turning away of the heedless from turning unto God, the Lord of the beginning and the end.

This was revealed for his honor Amm-Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God. He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Rida! We have made mention of thy father who attained My presence, stood before My face, and heard My call, and We mentioned him at the beginning of My utterance, and We desired to make mention of his brother who was named ʿAli-Qabl-i-Akbar that he might rejoice in My remembrance of him. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. He maketh mention of whomsoever He willeth as a command from His presence. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Bountiful. Blessed art thou for having turned unto My Cause when My servants and My creatures who used to remember Me at eventide and at dawn turned away from it. Hearken unto My call from the kingdom of My utterance. Verily it draweth thee nigh unto the heaven of My mercy and the sun of My grace which hath encompassed all who are in the earth and the heavens. Take heed lest anything grieve thee in the Cause of God, the Lord of all men. Cast aside what the people possess, holding fast unto the cord of the bounty of thy Lord, the Creator of all things. When thou hast attained unto My verses and heard My call, say:

My God, my God! Thy verses have attracted me, Thy clear proofs have stirred me, Thy separation hath consumed me, Thy remoteness hath killed me, and Thy distance hath destroyed me. I beseech Thee, O God of the world and Lord of eternity, by the Kawthar of Thy bounty and the Salsabil of Thy grace and the choice wine of Thy knowledge, to make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love, and speaking Thy praise and glorification. Alas, alas, O Lord of all being! Alas, alas, O Lord of the throne on high and of earth below! How can I see myself at home while I hear Thy call from the direction of the prison?

By Thy glory, O my Best-Beloved and my Hope! Joy and gladness have been cut off at the mention of Thy tribulations among Thy servants and Thy afflictions among Thy creatures. By Thy glory! Thy sorrow hath made the days of the sincere ones like darkest night and their life like a terrible calamity and a destroying affliction. I know not, O my God, my Lord, and my Support, what Thou hast ordained for Thy servant who hath laid hold on Thy cord and clung to the hem of Thy bounty. Hast Thou ordained for him, O my God, what he desired from the ocean of Thy grace and the sun of Thy generosity, or hath Thy Most Exalted Pen been stayed in this?

If the manifestations of Thy will and the modes of Thy purpose have prevented it, then ordain for him from Thy Most Exalted Pen the reward of meeting Thee and attaining Thy presence before Thy throne. Then write for him, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, the best of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This was revealed for his son Muhammad, upon them both be the glory of God.

In the Name of the Peerless Friend

Today the Sun of utterance is rising and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of the All-Merciful’s loving-kindness. Grace exists and mercy is evident. Verses are being revealed and clear proofs are manifest. Blessed is the soul that has attained thereunto and whom neither the perishable things of the world nor the lash of the wrath of rulers has kept back from the Lord of all beings. He is not content with the two fleeting days of earthly life, for his gaze is fixed upon the Most Great Horizon and he seeks the Kingdom of the Lord of mankind’s grace. Neither veils prevent him nor coverings intervene.

O Muhammad, strive that perchance thou mayest achieve a deed whose mention shall endure in God’s Book throughout the sovereignty of earth and heaven. Ye are all remembered in the Most Holy Court and have attained His grace. Beseech God that He may assist you to preserve what He hath bestowed. This Day hath been mentioned in the Books and Scriptures as the Day of God. Blessed is the soul that hath attained to His recognition and beheld itself detached from all else but God. Glory be to God! The Most Great Book is manifest before the eyes of the peoples, yet they remain occupied with this and that, and deprived of it. Say: It is not befitting to mention that which is created in the presence of the Ancient.

Cast aside and take up—cast aside that which is with the people and take up that which hath come from God and is the cause of eternal life and everlasting remembrance. Praise be to the Lord of the world Who hath caused thee to attain unto the traces of the Most Exalted Pen and hath remembered thee in the Most Great Prison. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy sister. Remember them both on behalf of the Wronged One and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and convey unto them a command from My presence, and I am verily the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

The ocean of mercy is surging, the heaven of grace is adorned with the stars of bounty. Each of those mentioned hath attained unto wondrous and sublime grace. May the spirit of the world be a sacrifice unto His bounty and His loving-kindness.

And likewise especially for the honored mother of that one and the honored wife and the light of the eyes—upon them be the Glory of God. These verses have been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of the Lord of all beings. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Muhammad-Rida! We make mention of thy mother who hath believed and turned towards Me and attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen in this noble station. Verily My remembrance is a light that shall accompany her in every world of the worlds of thy Lord. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Blessed is she and blessed is every maidservant who hath inhaled the fragrance of the days of God, the Lord of the worlds. And We make mention of thy wife and give her the glad-tidings of thy Lord’s grace. We have remembered every servant who hath turned towards the Most Sublime Horizon and every maidservant who hath attained unto the days of her Lord, her Creator, her Fashioner and her Supporter.

Blessed be he and she and whoso hath held fast unto My firm cord. And We make mention of My servant and Habibullah. The Countenance of the Ancient Beauty hath turned towards them both on this night and hath revealed for them that from which the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of My loving-kindness and the sweet scent of My luminous garment. O kindred of Ahmad! The Wronged One comforteth you and consoleth you. All that is in the world cannot equal this. Give thanks unto your Lord, the All-Merciful, for this great bounty. Exchange your sorrows for the joy of My remembrance and My manifestation. By My life! Whoso hath inhaled the fragrance of My loving-kindness and attained unto the trace of My Pen, it behooveth him to cast aside all that is possible, rejoicing in what is with his Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken out of love for His loved ones. He is verily the All-Merciful, the Forgiving, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

From the attraction of the divine verses the world is filled with joy. All things at this moment are manifest and evident with the greatest gladness. Through God’s manifestation a new life hath been breathed into all things. The pen and ink are powerless to describe it. To this beareth witness our Lord, the Commander, the All-Informed.

As to their mention of the arrival of the Divine Tablets and likewise the joy of all at these resplendent verses, praise be to God, the gaze of favor hath repeatedly turned in that direction. Again mention of each one hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur—blessed and happy are ye! The mention of another brother hath in this hour flowed and been revealed from the Pen of the Lord of Destiny. His words, blessed and exalted is He:

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Husayn, who ascended unto the Supreme Companion in the days of his Lord, the Lord of all beings. Say: Light be upon thee and glory be upon thee, O thou who hast attained unto the most exalted station through thy mention flowing from the tongue of thy Lord on this darksome night. I testify that thou hast attained unto My mercy which hath preceded all and My favor which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and the earth. We beseech God to send down upon thee at every moment a mercy from His presence, a blessing from His side, and a table spread from His direction. Verily He is the Most Generous of the generous ones and the Most Merciful of the merciful. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

Section 4: “Praise be to God, especially for him hath…”

Praise be to God, especially for him hath been revealed that which in this hour is a fresh mercy and a boundless blessing descended from the heaven of generosity upon him. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Generous, the All-Bountiful. Nothing escapeth His knowledge and the events of the world and the opposition of the nations cannot prevent His outpouring. He hath ordained and will ordain for His loved ones that which none hath comprehended save His Own Self, the Mighty, the Bestower.

And likewise mention was made of that honored brother, His Honor ʿAli, upon him be the glory of God. The gaze of grace turned toward him and these verses were revealed from the heaven of utterance. His words, blessed and exalted is He:

In My Name, the All-Knowing

O ʿAli! All the peoples of the world have been and are awaiting the manifestation of Truth, exalted be His glory. How many edifices have been raised in His name and how many souls have been occupied with His remembrance and praise throughout the nights and days. Yet when the door of meeting was opened and the sea of reunion surged and the Promised Countenance appeared, all were prevented save whom thy Lord willed. And thou art adorned with His love and illumined with the light of His recognition. Give thanks that the Purpose of all the worlds assisted thee and aided thee until thou didst attain unto this most exalted station. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Flowing, the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the Powerful.

They made mention of the loved ones of Sarchah. Each one attained unto that which hath been and shall be peerless. The world and its ornaments cannot compare with the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is the soul that hath attained thereunto—such a one shall be distinguished from all others in all the divine worlds. Exalted is God, our Lord, the Lord of the mighty throne and the Lord of the exalted seat.

This is what hath been sent down from the Kingdom of our Lord, the Lord of earth and heaven, for him who was named His Honor Haji-Baqir, upon him be the glory of God. His words, blessed and exalted is He:

O Baqir! The Promised One hath come yet the people know not, and the Hidden One hath appeared yet most of the people perceive not. The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come with manifest sovereignty. The earth hath shone with the light of her Lord. Blessed is he who hath attained unto Him and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. The servant in attendance hath brought a leaf whereon was thy name. We have mentioned thee as a favor from Us that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

O Mulla Ghulam-Rida! The Lord of all beings maketh mention of thee with that which shall draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Forgiving. We have sent down the Book, yet the people understand not. We have revealed clear proofs, yet most of the people see them not. They have followed their vain desires and cast the command of their Lord behind their backs. Thus have their souls enticed them, and they remain this day in ignorance. Aid thy Lord through wisdom and utterance. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the Protector over what hath been and what shall be. Blessed is he who hath attained in this Day unto a word from His presence. Woe unto every heedless one who is rejected. The Most Great Ocean hath surged before the faces of the world, as attesteth He Who proclaimeth in every matter that there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Lord of all existence.

We make mention of him who was named Aqa Baba and remind him of Our verses and give him the glad-tidings of Our favors, that he may speak amongst the servants in praise of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. Be thou vocal in the remembrance of thy Lord, steadfast in service to His Cause, and hold fast unto His firm cord. Beware lest the cawing of the divines who have turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds, deter thee. And beware lest the might of the oppressors frighten thee. Say: By God! He Who was hidden hath appeared and He Who was promised hath come. Fear God, O peoples of the earth, and be not of the heedless ones. This is the Day whereon your Lord calleth you and summoneth you to the horizon of His Cause, if ye be of them that know. Say: Adorn your hearts with the ornament of the fear of God and your heads with the crown of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Informed. Thus hath the fragrance of utterance wafted throughout all possibility and the ocean of knowledge surged. Blessed is he who hath cast away the world, turning unto the Most Great Name. He is indeed of the people of this glorious station.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Husayn that he may remember his Lord and be of the thankful ones. Hear the call from the Ultimate Lote-Tree raised up in the Most Exalted Paradise: Verily there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. This is the Day whereon He Who conversed with God is established upon the throne of Revelation, and the Point of the Bayan calleth out from the right hand of the Throne: O people of the Bayan! The All-Merciful hath come from the horizon of power, whereby the eyes of them that are nigh unto God have been solaced. Say: Beware lest the doubts of men debar you from the Most Great Scene, or the veils of them who have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment conceal you.

This is the Day whereon the earth hath revealed her treasures, and the seas their pearls, and the heavens their suns and moons. Behold, and be not of them that deny. Say: Do ye know Who calleth unto you, and do ye recognize Who maketh mention of you from His mighty Prison? By God! Were they to know, they would cast away all else, turning with their hearts unto God, the Mighty, the Praised. Their vain desires have prevented them from turning to the lights of the Countenance. They are indeed among the most lost ones in My wondrous Book. When thou dost inhale the sweet fragrance of the All-Merciful’s utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know Thee!

O Muhammad-Hasan! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee at a time when sorrows have encompassed Him from those who have turned away from the All-Merciful and committed that which hath caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament, and them who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide. When thou art intoxicated with the wine of Mine utterance and attracted by the breezes of Mine exposition, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison and guided me to Thy path, O Lord of all worlds, and caused me to hear Thy most sweet call and the crimson of Thy Most Exalted Pen, and shown me Thy greatest signs. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause before which all creation hath bowed down, and by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all things, to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause, to remember Thee amongst Thy servants, and to arise to serve Thee. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by them who have soared on the wings of longing in the atmosphere of Thy love and have spent all they possessed in Thy path, to ordain through Thy Most Exalted Pen for Thy loved ones the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Mulla Ahmad! The Wronged One makes mention of thee that thou mayest remember thy Lord and be of them that have spoken in His remembrance and praise and have arisen to serve His mighty and wise Cause. Thou wert mentioned before the Face aforetime, and at this hour I give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for this manifest bounty. Remember My servants on My behalf. Say: Fear ye God and be not of the lost. We counsel all in the world to trustworthiness and godliness and that whereby their stations may be exalted. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing Counsellor. O My loved ones! Aid Me through deeds and goodly character. Soon shall pass away what ye possess and what the kings possess, and there shall endure for you what hath been sent down from My Most Sweet Pen. To this testifieth every seeing sage. The earth and heaven have been illumined with the lights of the Countenance, yet most of the people are wrapped in thick veils. When thou drinkest the choice wine of revelation and art seized by the rapture of the Cause, say:

My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward the lights of the Luminary of Thy utterance and holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the Word through which Thou didst adorn the unseen with the ornament of being, and didst manifest the gift of Thy knowledge, and didst send down the table of Thy utterance, to aid Thy servants to turn unto Thy most exalted horizon and to hearken unto the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen. O Lord! Thou art He through Whose grace all things exist and through Whose loving-kindness all created things have been brought into being. Withhold not the people of Thy kingdom from the depths of the ocean of Thy oneness, nor from the Salsabil of Thy revelation, the Tasnim of Thy inspiration, and the Kawthar of Thy nearness. Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth and in Whose grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful. O Lord! Forgive me and those with me, and those who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs and have done that which they were bidden in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Single, the One, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

We make mention at this hour of one of Our servants who was named Abdu’l-Ali in the Book of Names, and We give him glad tidings of the traces of My Most Exalted Pen, and I am verily the All-Knowing, Compassionate Rememberer. This is a day wherein the Balance crieth out before the Face saying: I am the All-Wise Distinguisher, and the Path speaketh, yet most of the people are heedless. Blessed art thou for having drunk the choice wine of inner meanings from the cup of thy Lord’s bounteous favor. When thou art stirred by thy Lord’s verses and perceivest the fragrance of loving-kindness and favors, say:

My God, my God! Thou seest the ignorant seeking the ocean of Thy knowledge, the hopeful the heaven of Thy bounty, and the seeker the seat of Thy throne. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and by Thy clear tokens that have encompassed earth and heaven, and by those who have attained unto the lights of the Luminary of Thy leave and have hastened to the most exalted Summit and the ultimate Goal, until they stood before the gate of Thy grandeur and appeared before the throne of Thy manifestation and heard Thy call and drank the Kawthar of reunion from the hands of Thy grace, that Thou write down for me what Thou hast written for them, by Thy mercy that hath preceded all created things. Thou art He Whom neither disobedience can deter from the rain-showers of the heaven of Thy bounty, nor can sins withhold from the wonders of Thy favor and bestowals. Thou hast ever been supreme and transcendent over all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

We make mention of him who hath been named Muhammad-Qablih-Hasan, that he may inhale the sweet fragrance of his Lord’s verses and be of them that attain. We have heard thy call and have answered thee. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. From the precincts of the Prison there hath been revealed for thee that which all the fruits and mysteries of the earth cannot equal. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing. Beware lest the clamor of the divines debar thee from the Lord of all mankind. Cast away what they possess and take hold of that which thou hast been bidden by God, the Commander, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the Invincible, the Ancient of Days. They have violated God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have pronounced judgment against Him unjustly. The Tablet and the Pen lament this, as thy Lord, the Single One, the All-Informed, doth testify.

When thou art gladdened by the Greatest Joy through the verses of thy Lord, the Sovereign of Destiny, say: My God, my God! My heart hath turned toward Thee, my face is set towards the lights of Thy countenance, mine eyes are fixed upon Thy horizon, and my tongue uttereth Thy praise. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy throne, by the mysteries Thou hast revealed in Thy Book, by the fruits of the Tree of Thy Command, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, to ordain for me from the wonders of Thy generosity and munificence that which shall accompany me in every world of Thy worlds. Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Great.

Section 5: “O Ustad ʿAli! The Lord of Destiny hath…”

O Ustad ʿAli! The Lord of Destiny hath turned toward thee from His Most Sublime Vision, and remembereth thee with that which shall endure through the eternity of His Most Beautiful Names and Supreme Attributes. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the signs of God, and woe betide every sinful impostor. The Day of God hath come, wherein none is mentioned save Him. Blessed is every one possessed of true knowledge who hath recognized and attained, and woe to them that deny! The Concourse of the Bayan have turned away from Us and opposed Us without any clear proof or illuminating Book. They have denied God’s favor after its revelation and rejected this manifest grace. Hold thou fast unto My cord and cling to the hem of My mantle, and celebrate My praise amongst My servants. Verily thy Lord heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Darvish ʿAli-Qabl-i-Asghar! The Day hath come, and the people are perishing save whom God, thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds, willeth. This is the Day wherein the Light proclaimeth and saith: The Lord of all mankind hath come—He Who was treasured in the hearts of the Prophets and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Object of them that have known Him. By God! From the Pen of the All-Merciful hath flowed the Living Waters. Blessed is he who hath turned thereunto and drunk therefrom, and woe to the idolaters who have cast God behind their backs, clinging to what they possess of the promptings of Satan. Blessed is the strong one whom the tyranny of the divines hath not weakened, and the seeing one whom the veils of the wayward have not hindered.

When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the fragrance of My loving-kindness, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the hearts of the Messengers, for having remembered me in the Most Great Prison. I testify that Thou art the Sovereign of the kingdom of grace and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and to aid me to act in accordance with what Thou hast revealed from the heaven of Thy wondrous utterance.

The ocean surged and the grace of God, exalted be His glory, appeared at its utmost zenith. Especially for each of the friends mentioned did the ocean of utterance appear and the Clear Book was revealed. I beseech God that they may be enabled to read it and succeed in serving His Cause. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Supreme, the Unconstrained.

On the first day when the Ancient Beauty was seated upon the Most Great Throne in the garden named Ridvan, the tongue of grandeur spoke three verses: First, that the sword is abolished in this Revelation; second, that before the completion of a thousand years, whosoever makes a claim is false, and the year is a complete year—interpretation and explanation of this verse are forbidden; and third, that God, exalted be His glory, at that moment shed the radiance of all His names upon all things. This fourth verse was revealed later, but they said this verse stands at the same level as those three: that whosoever is mentioned before His presence, whether living or dead, shall attain unto the remembrance of the Lord of Eternity. Blessed are they that attain!

Mention was made of Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli-i-Tabib, upon him be the Glory of God. After it was presented before Him, a most mighty and holy Tablet was revealed especially for him and sent, that his eyes might be solaced by beholding the signs of God, the Lord of the worlds. His gift of barberry bushes arrived in the garden. His reward is with God. The deeds of this day are regarded as the most excellent of deeds before God. Blessed is he who attains! This servant beseeches his Lord to aid His servants to do what He loves and is pleased with, and not to deprive them of the outpourings of His days. Verily, He has power over all things.

Mention was made of Muhammad-Quli Khan, upon him be 966 [the Glory of God], who also took the initiative in sending pomegranate saplings. Well done to him! His mention was honored to be heard in the presence. His blessed and exalted Word:

I am the Hearer, the Answerer.

We have mentioned every name that was present in the Most Great Prison. My mention is a heavenly feast, an enduring bounty, and a preserved treasure. Blessed is he who attains unto it, and woe to every heedless doubter. Blessed art thou, for the Countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward thee and mentioned thee in such wise that thy name shall endure as long as the names of God, the Lord of lords, endure. Be thou vocal in the praise of thy Lord and steadfast in serving His Cause amongst the people. We created the world for My knowledge and service, yet when I manifested Myself, most of the servants turned away. Blessed is the ear that hath heard the Call and the face that hath turned toward God, the Lord of all who dwell on earth. When thou hast attained unto the proof of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having made me turn to Thee when most of creation turned away from Thee, and thanks be to Thee for having guided me to Thy path when most of Thy creatures were heedless of it. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the tabernacle of Thy majesty and the places which Thou hast made the seat of Thy throne, and by the lands honored by Thy footsteps and the cities wherein Thy call was raised, and by Thy Most Great Prison, to assist me in all conditions to do what befits Thy days and is worthy of Thy Manifestation. O Lord! I am the hopeful one and Thou art the Bestower; I am the supplicant and Thou art the Generous One. Ordain for me in all the worlds of Thy worlds that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This evanescent servant also beseeches God to decree for him the good of this world and the next. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Mention had been made of the spiritual kinsman Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God, son of his eminence the exalted one whom the Concourse on High visit. This servant wished to conclude the letter with his name. Praise be to God, they turned to Him and attained unto the Purpose of all the worlds. They saw and heard and repeatedly made mention of the friends of that land and its surroundings. Likewise, they sent to the Most Holy Court a page containing the names of the friends, and each one was made the recipient of divine verses. However, due to the abundance of writing, that which was revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur concerning those souls was not sent. Nevertheless, this servant bears witness that they attained unto that which is peerless. In any case, after the mention of their names in the Most Holy Court, these words were revealed from the Tongue of the Purpose of all the worlds, exalted be His utterance:

I am He Who speaketh from Mine All-Highest Horizon.

O Ahmad! Upon thee be My glory! Thou hast turned to the grace of God and attained unto thy heart’s desire. Preserve thou whatsoever thou didst hear from the tongue of grandeur whilst in His presence, and give thou glad-tidings of His special favours to the loved ones in that land. Say: O people of God! This is the Day of remembrance and praise and the Day of service. Deprive not yourselves thereof. It behooveth you to be set ablaze by the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree—a blaze such as would consume the newly-arisen lassitude born of excess moisture from the realm of possibility, that all may turn unto the horizon of the All-Merciful and attain unto that which is befitting.

Say: Know ye the value of this Day. This is the Lord of all days, and deeds performed therein are the lord of all deeds. Praise be to God! Ye are illumined by the lights of the morn of His Revelation and have attained unto the recognition of your Purpose. Know ye the sacredness of this most great station and recognize its worth. That which hath befallen you in the path of God hath caused the denizens of the highest Paradise to weep, and mention thereof hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in God’s Holy Book. Preserve ye this exalted station in the name of God, the Lord of Glory. Erelong shall the fruits of your deeds, as well as their effects, become manifest in the earth.

I swear by the light of divine proof that shineth and gleameth from the horizon of the heaven of the prison: if anyone should draw but a single breath for the sake of God in these days, that breath shall be recorded and preserved with God. Were ye to discover the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and attain unto your purpose, ye would hear from all your limbs and members, nay from every hair, the cry “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Beseech ye God to aid you in such wise that the conditions of the world and all that the nations possess may not withhold you from the truth. Drink ye with utmost joy and assurance from the cup of the love of Him Who is the Goal of all beings. Soon shall all that ye behold today perish, and there shall endure for you this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone forth the Day-Star of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

O people of God! Ahmad, upon him be My glory, hath attained the presence of God. We testify that he hath attained Our presence, and hath heard, and hath seen, and hath drunk the choice wine of reunion from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, and hath attained unto that which none among the peoples of the world have attained, save them whom God, the Lord of creation, hath willed. He made mention of the loved ones of that land, and each one hath attained unto that which the pens of the world are powerless to recount. Blessed are they, and theirs is a goodly resort. It behooveth all to be mindful of the kindred of the honored, accepted, and forgiven one, upon whom be My glory and My loving-kindness. The Tongue of the Ancient of Days hath spoken, after his ascension, that which hath caused the sweet savors of the All-Merciful to waft throughout all creation. Blessed is he who remembereth him in the manner spoken by the Most Exalted Pen. He is indeed of the people of Baha in My mighty Book. Glory be upon him and upon you, and upon those whom the clamor of the idolaters hath not deterred from turning unto God, the One, the All-Informed.

Praise be to God! The light of loving-kindness hath appeared, and the river of mercy floweth, and the lamp of bounty shineth, and the sun of generosity beameth forth. There hath been sent down that whereof every letter is a manifest book and a wondrous bounty. This servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to him and to the kindred of His Holiness the Exalted One, upon whom be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and asketh from God, exalted be His glory, that which endureth and abideth. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Compassionate, the All-Generous.

Moreover, these manifest verses have been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will, specifically for the handmaidens of God in that land, upon them be the Glory of God. His blessed and exalted Word:

O My handmaidens and My leaves! Upon you be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne! Praise be to God that ye have attained unto that which the learned and the wise have been deprived of, save whom God willeth. I swear by the light of utterance which shineth and gleameth from the horizon of the heaven of the Kingdom that all the world and its ornaments cannot be compared with the blessed word “O My handmaiden” which hath been revealed concerning one of the handmaidens. The men of the earth are deprived, while ye are the recipients of divine favor. Know ye the value of this station and occupy yourselves with praise and thanksgiving to the Goal of the worlds.

Most of the people of the world, be they kings or subjects, men or women, have been seized with heedlessness. Ere long they shall return to their stations. The grace of God hath assisted you, His bounty hath guided you, and His visible and invisible aid hath supported you, until ye have attained and become the recipients of this most great favor, this supreme blessing and this mighty gift. Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you and upon My handmaidens in the cities and lands.

If, in truth, the ears of the servants were to turn to the Kingdom of utterance of the Lord of creation and become recipients of hearing, all would attain to the recognition of the Purpose, Who is the purpose of creation. The ocean of mercy surgeth for all, yet it is contingent upon these words:

“The most honored among you in the sight of God is the most righteous.”

This evanescent servant conveyeth his greetings to the honored ladies, the leaves, the chaste ones and the devoted ones of that land, and beseecheth confirmation for all. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer. Glory and praise and honor be upon you and upon the steadfast and firm servants of God. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.