BH00041: Lawh-i-Jamal-i-Burujirdi II

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who is sanctified…”

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

Praise be to God Who is sanctified in His Glory, unique in His Majesty, exalted above weariness, and holy beyond all hopes! He it is Who has ordained the terms for all lives, Who speaks from all eternity, and Who is manifest in the end. There is no God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

And praise be to God Who has accepted the deeds of those who were attracted by His call, who were intoxicated by the wine of His revelation, who were made to speak His praise, who recognized the Sun of His Beauty, who were made manifest in His days, who were aided to know His Self, and who were enabled to achieve His good-pleasure. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over what He willeth. There is no God but Him, the All-Compelling, the All-Powerful.

Praise be to God Who illumined the horizon of the world with the Most Great Light. When He was established upon the throne, He gave glad tidings to the people of the manifestation of the ocean of His favors and the suns of His grace. Blessed is he who, being steadfast, cast away that which held him back and hastened to His most exalted horizon. Woe unto him who hesitated because he followed the vain imaginings of those who appeared in the guise of men.

I glorify, pray, and send greetings upon those whom vain desires have not kept back from God, the Lord of Names. Through them the star of divine knowledge has shone forth in most lands. They are honored servants, they are working servants, they are near servants, they are sincere servants, they are triumphant servants, they are servants who stand firm in the service of their Lord, and they are they who speak with wisdom and utterance amongst the servants.

I testify that they have attained unto the Kawthar of life which flows from the right hand of the throne of the All-Merciful, and they have achieved that which none before them has achieved. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Bountiful.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your steadfastness and your constancy! I was sitting silent, contemplating the Cause of God and what had befallen it from His servants, when one of the loved ones of God brought your letter. When I opened it, I found the fragrance of your love for our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the world, our Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. I read it and understood what was in it concerning your service, your steadfastness, your praise, and what you have borne in the path of God.

Thereafter, I approached the Most Exalted Station, the seat of the throne of our Most Glorious Lord. When I entered and found myself before His presence, I presented that wherewith you had called upon God. Then the Beloved smiled and said:

“He has no merit in this. We aided him to remember Me, so he remembered Me. We caused him to know My horizon, so he turned to My face. We enabled him to serve Me, so he arose to serve by My leave. All bounty belongs to My Self, and I am the Ancient Bestower. Were it not for the outpourings of the ocean of My grace, he would not have known Me, and were it not for the attraction of My verses from the kingdom of My utterance, he would not have turned to My path.”

O My Name Jamal [Beauty]! Reflect upon the kings and that which We have revealed unto thee, that thou mayest comprehend what thy Wise Lord hath spoken. Verily, one of the kings was immersed in the seas of dominion and attached to the world and its ornaments and colors. On one of the nights, the sun of detachment dawned upon him from the horizon of My will, and We unveiled him. He abandoned all that he possessed and went forth from his house, turning toward the wilderness, and none knew of this save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. And were We to unveil to the people as We have unveiled to thee, they would all arise to serve Me and to remember Me and praise Me. Thus hath My tongue spoken that thou mayest be among the joyous ones. Verily, thy Lord loves jest at times.

Thus did My tongue speak, that thou mayest be among those who rejoice. Verily thy Lord loveth jesting at times and doth jest. He, verily, doeth what He willeth. None can object to that which proceedeth from Him. The Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, bear witness to this.

As to what thou didst manifest of the signs of powerlessness and nothingness, and confession of sins and shortcomings, He said:

“O My Name! We have forgiven thee aforetime and accepted thy service, thy obedience, thy presence, thy meeting with Us, and We have heard thy yearning, thy sighing, thy cry, thy lamentation and the sighings of thy heart in thy love for God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.”

And concerning what thou didst write that this error of turning towards the land of Kha added to previous errors, after this was presented, the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance that which none among the people of creation can comprehend. By thy life! The pens of the world are powerless to describe it, nor can the hearts of the mystics grasp it. At the end of the utterance He said: Write in the name of the Beauty, upon Him be the Glory of God, that this service was and shall be accepted, for His Honor the Name of Ha, upon him be the Glory of God, wrote to you, and We testify that he is among those who have been set ablaze with the fire of the love of God and was immersed in the ocean of His grace, and in such a state, when he heard what occurred in the Prison Land, he cried out within himself and informed the people of what had appeared.

Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou assured that We have accepted what thou hast done in the path of God, and be thou of the thankful ones. Verily the rain of grace from the heaven of My bounty hath been directed toward thee, and the glances of My mercy have been fixed upon thy love. Remember thy Lord in all conditions with wisdom and utterance. He verily heareth and seeth. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Jamal! Some souls are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon and, with utmost longing, yearning, attraction and enkindlement in the divine path, they hold nothing back and take precedence in service to the Cause. These are the people of Baha in My crimson Book. And some have not yet reached this exalted, most high station, therefore they are not protected from the promptings of their hearts. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing.

Thus when the aforementioned news reached the Holy Land, the Command shone forth from the Source of Command and the decree of prohibition descended from the heaven of divine Will. Among these was the command to Jawad, upon him be the Glory of God, who circumambulates, to write to the land of Ta and Qaf that no one should request anything. Similarly, His Honor the Name of Ha, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory from God, was commanded regarding the lands of Kha and Kaf and Ta. This decree of prohibition was not specific to the land of Kha. Perfect bounty hath appeared from the Dawning-Place of favors toward the loved ones of that land. Verses have been revealed for them before, which if anyone should read them, they would discover God’s grace and mercy toward them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Informed.

There hath been and is no doubt that every one of the aforementioned souls who arose to serve, did so for God and acted in the path of God. Therefore their deeds are surely accepted and their reward is inscribed with God by the Most Exalted Pen. They must be occupied with the remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds with utmost joy and gladness. We glorify their faces and make mention of them in such wise that their names shall endure in the material world and in My wondrous Kingdom.

This servant submits that this imperative matter was revealed at a time when the names of those who had succeeded in serving the Cause were not, in appearance, mentioned in the Most Holy Presence, and after the mention of souls it was accepted, and concerning whatever funds had been received, it was commanded that they be distributed among certain loved ones of God who dwelt in that land. And the details of distribution were sent, according to the command, by Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Muhammad-ʿAli of Qa’in—upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. Care must be taken lest it become a cause of distress to accepted souls, for all are honored in the sight of God. Today, whosoever hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon hath been and is the recipient of perfect grace, for mighty is this Cause. We beseech God—exalted and glorified be He—to adorn all with the raiment of steadfastness and to give them to drink, at all times, of the most pure wine. Verily, He is the Munificent Giver.

It is entirely clear and evident that from the time the Kitab-i-Aqdas was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will, it remained concealed for several years, until certain accepted and assured souls from various regions asked about the divine laws and made their earnest and humble petition. Therefore the command to send forth the Kitab-i-Aqdas was given, and it was ordained that none should demand the Huququ’llah, this matter being contingent upon the willingness of the souls themselves. This continued until the years culminated in the previous year, when the command was issued from the Source of Authority that whosoever wished to pay the Huququ’llah, it should be accepted from them. And in truth, this too is a great bounty for the servants, as it is the cause of purification and divine blessing and grace. Blessed is he who doeth what hath been commanded in the Book.

Although it is known that your honor hath acted with perfect wisdom and detachment, and not a word contrary to the command hath proceeded from you, yet since you were specifically determined in this matter, therefore the command of prohibition was revealed, for some people are weak. Otherwise, by God, besides Whom there is none other God, your deed was and shall ever be accepted and your effort appreciated. One day these words were heard from the blessed tongue:

“O servant who standeth before the Throne! We have created all for My service and My days, for the triumph of My Cause, the recognition of My Self, the turning unto My face, and presence before the gate of My mercy. And what they possess was but a drop from the ocean of My bounty. Were you to seek from them what I have bestowed upon them through My grace, you would find them different from what you had previously observed. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

And likewise in Persian He said—though this servant is not capable of recounting all that was heard from the Kingdom of Utterance, yet what remaineth in mind shall be mentioned—He said:

“Although the entire world is from God, and all acknowledge and confess this, and whatever hath been given to the people of the earth hath been from the bounties of the ocean of His grace, nevertheless, if they were commanded to spend what they possess, you would surely find some deficient and hesitant, while others, through the effulgences of the lights of detachment, have attained to such a station that they have spent with utmost love and sincerity in the path of God whatsoever they possessed. This too hath been witnessed.”

End.

The wish of this evanescent servant is that such arrangement be made that the people of the land of Kha be not saddened, but rather be adorned with the ornament of joy in the name of God, for this is beloved in the sight of God, inasmuch as the perfection of divine favors toward the friends is manifest and evident from the horizon of grace. And concerning what was written about the aforementioned one who sent a gift to your honor and expressed his desire to render service—God willing his service has been accepted. In any case, arrange matters in such wise that none may be saddened. Any matter wherein both the negation and affirmation thereof are for God’s sake is assuredly beloved. No grief shall then remain for anyone in this regard. This much is submitted: that this journey of yours was for God, and all deeds are manifest and evident before the Truth.

And concerning what you wrote about having written to the land of Kha according to instructions that it was not accepted, they said this word would cause grief, for they would think they are not acceptable in the sight of God. Arrangements should be made that all may know that the glance of favor hath been and, God willing, will continue to be directed towards them. This is the end of that matter, and the reason is what was submitted before. God willing, may all be gladdened by and attain unto divine favors.

And concerning what was written about some of those souls having given funds as Huququ’llah, they said:

“Excellent is what they have done, for the Huquq is a word which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book.”

It is incumbent upon all to be mindful thereof and act accordingly. However, since what transpired outwardly gave rise to other impressions among some of the weak ones, therefore the decree of prohibition was sent down from the heaven of command. Verily, He is the Ruler, the Unconstrained.

O My Name “Jamal”! We have answered thee out of My grace, and We love thee through My all-compelling favor that surroundeth the world. We behold those whom God hath adorned in the land of Kha with the ornament of humility, submissiveness and sincerity. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. They are those who have attained unto the wine of revelation and have been intoxicated by the living waters of thy Lord’s bountiful favor. We hear and see those who make mention of Me and act in My straight Path. Nothing whatsoever escapeth thy Lord’s knowledge. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily those who soar in My atmosphere and act as bidden in My path shall soon find themselves in stations which the tongues of speakers are powerless to describe.

We send Our greetings from this Most Exalted Station, which hath been named ʿthe Most Great Prison’ in the Book of Names, to the faces of those who have believed in God, the Lord of the worlds, and have acknowledged and recognized what He hath sent down from the heaven of grace. Verily thy Lord is the Ever-Giving, the Ancient of Days. We beseech God to assist them to remain firm with great steadfastness, lest their feet slip from what is mentioned in creation and from the cawing of the cawers.

Section 2: “Here endeth the response to your honored letter…”

Here endeth the response to your honored letter which you sent from Yazd, answered point by point. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The second writing of that eminent one, which was inscribed from the land of Sad, arrived when this lowly servant was outside the city. God knoweth that I opened and read it, finding it adorned, embellished, honored, blessed, and perfumed with the remembrance of God, my Beloved and your Beloved, my Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all the worlds. God, exalted and mighty be He, is my witness that this servant, beholding the enkindled fire that blazed forth from divine love in that noble one’s breast, read it time and again. Later, at a special hour, it was presented before the Throne. Verily my Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Thereupon the Ancient Beauty turned toward the servant and said, exalted be His grandeur and majesty:

“We have heard the mention of My name, his call, and his supplication, and We have seen his turning and his entreaty, and verily We kindle the fire of My love in his breast, for I am the Almighty, the Powerful. O My Name! Sorrows have overtaken Me to such extent that were I to tell thee of them, thou wouldst weep as those who are bereft. There hath appeared in this land that which should not appear in the days of God and His Manifestation, and I am the Wronged, the Lonely One. We have made the prison-land a garden among gardens, sent down blessings therein, and released the path of those who were in a mighty fortress, and opened the gate of the City that whoso willeth may go forth and whoso desireth may enter therein. But when that which appeared appeared, they found themselves in manifest straits. Grieve thou not over anything, for thy Lord, though encompassed by sorrows, is in great joy. Give glad tidings to those who have turned to the Supreme Horizon with My remembrance, and greet their faces on My behalf, for I am the Forgiving, the Merciful. We make mention of those who have believed in God throughout the nights and days. Verily thy Lord is the True One, the All-Informed. Convey My greetings unto all who are related to thee, male and female, young and old.”

And when the final passages of that noble one’s supplication, which indicated the arrival of the Most Mighty Tablet and expressed joy, delight, gratitude and praise, were presented, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke again:

“O My Name! We saw thee immersed in the ocean of contentment. Blessed art thou for having attained unto this noble station. Be thou in all conditions as thou hast been. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen counsel thee in this mighty prison.”

And concerning what thou didst mention about the Tablet of Mulla ʿAli-Jan, upon him be the Glory of God, it is indeed exactly as thou hast written. Such matters caused the heavenly sustenance to be cut off, such that for a time the Most Exalted Pen was stilled. O beloved of my heart! If the servants would act in accordance with what they have been commanded by the Lord of Creation, by thy life, thou wouldst see the world transformed beyond recognition—nay, even more than what that eminent one hath written. Indeed, at one time the Ancient Tongue, addressing the servant, said that some of the divine Tablets which were revealed from the heaven of will as pure bounty now lie buried beneath the earth—one who had possession of them concealed them out of fear, and some gave tablets to others who gave them to still others. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing.

From this blessed word it is evident that many unacceptable deeds have occurred regarding the matter of the Tablets. We must all—you, this servant, and all the friends—beseech the True One, glorified and exalted be He, and with the utmost humility and need implore and supplicate that He may adorn all with the ornament of steadfastness, trustworthiness, truthfulness and faithfulness. By Him Who has caused all things to speak forth His Most Great, Most Glorious Name! Had they acted upon the divine counsels of the All-Merciful, now would the Sun of the Divine Word be seen rising and manifest from every city, and dawning and visible from every horizon. The matter is finished, and it behooveth the tongue to maintain evident silence.

God willing, through the grace and favor of the True One, it is foreseen that all who drink from the Kawthar of reality will become so enkindled with the fire of love that naught shall remain save oneness and unity, until all speak with one tongue and act with one hand. If the prayers of this servant are not answered due to the seas of disobedience, it is hoped that the prayers of that honored one and the other friends will be accepted before God. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, He is the Generous, He is the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

Another matter: Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, wrote to this servant that someone from Mazandaran has come here and desires to go to the Most Holy Court. When this was presented at the Threshold of the Throne, a special Tablet was revealed in these days for Mulla ʿAli-Jan, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise concerning that person mighty and exalted verses were revealed from the heaven of God’s will and sent forth. And it was specifically commanded that the bearer should bring the special Tablet to you, and after your perusal deliver this exalted Tablet to its owner.

And another matter: At one time They commanded: Write to the one bearing the name of Beauty that prolonged stay in any place is not necessary. Rather, like the morning star, thou must rise from the horizon of every land so that some of the friends who have grown cold may become enkindled with the fire of divine love. Just as food is necessary for bodies, likewise for spirits it is essential. The food of the spirit is the exalted, delicate, fresh heavenly sustenance that hath been sent down from the heaven of divine favor. If the food of the spirit reacheth it not, it will surely grow weak. Therefore, from time to time, with perfect wisdom, turn to various regions for the purpose of teaching. What is necessary and essential is the remembrance of receptive souls, so that all may, through divine assistance, attain to the ornament of steadfastness, trustworthiness, truthfulness, and that whereby God’s Cause is exalted.

In these days a Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of the will of the Lord of all beings concerning detachment and its station. It is mentioned here that perchance it may be the cause of the purification of souls. We beseech the True One, glorified and exalted be He, that He may cause all to drink of this wine and attain unto this most glorious and most exalted station. And whosoever attaineth unto the ornament of detachment will assuredly be observed to be trustworthy, truthful and steadfast. O how wonderful is this most pure station! O how wonderful is this most luminous station! O how wonderful is this most resplendent station! And O how wonderful is this most exalted station! This is a copy of what God hath revealed in the Book.

In My Name, the Writer

Detachment is as the sun; in whatsoever heart it doth shine it quencheth the fire of covetousness and self. Thus doth He Who is the Lord of all men inform you, did ye but know it. He whose sight is illumined with the light of understanding will assuredly detach himself from the world and the vanities thereof. Unto this beareth witness thy Lord, the All-Merciful, in this exalted and glorious station.

Consider, then remember Nu’man who was among the most exalted of kings, and before him another from among creation. When the sun of detachment dawned upon their hearts, they forsook all they possessed and went forth into the wilderness, and none knew of them save God, the All-Knowing. Verily, Nu’man was seated upon the throne of sovereignty when We caused him to hear one of My most exalted words. He was stirred, pondered, was amazed, then arose and addressed himself, saying:

“There is no good in what thou dost possess today, for tomorrow another shall possess it.”

Thus did We awaken him, and verily I am the Almighty, the All-Powerful. When morning breathed and the sun rose, the nobles found the throne abandoned. They were bewildered and searched throughout the realm until they despaired of that which they sought. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

By God! Were We to lift the veil from eyes as We lifted it from his, thou wouldst witness the people forsaking the world behind them and abandoning that which withholdeth them from this luminous horizon. Blessed is he who is illumined by the lights of detachment; he is, before God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, of the people of the Crimson Ark. Blessed is the city from whose horizon the sun of detachment hath dawned, and the land that hath been illumined by its lights. By My life! Had these regions been blessed by a ray of its dawning light, Baha would not have suffered among His enemies. Thus doth the Lord of Names recount unto thee that thou mayest be of them that know. Were I to tell thee what hath befallen the Wronged One, thou wouldst weep and lament as do they who have lost their loved ones..” Now if a soul were to observe this Tablet with outward eyes, solely for the sake of God, and ponder upon it, he would discover that which would profit him and illumine the world.

O thou beloved of my heart! Most people have been reared in the school of ignorance and wander in the wilderness of falsehood and hypocrisy. Where is the seeing eye and where is the hearing ear? Where are the penetrating visions and the attentive ears? He who martyred the Third Letter of the Living who believed in Him Whom God shall make manifest—as attested by the Point of the Bayan, may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for His sake—through tyranny and aggression, and likewise the one who accompanied him from Persia to Iraq, and others—each one of whom he condemned to death on some pretext—yet he wrote that they are killing holy souls and forcibly seeking leadership.

Consider how he did not count the Third Letter among the holy souls, and as for Aqa Jan known as Kaj-Kulah—God the One is witness that the people of this land cried out because of his reprehensible deeds—let them inquire in Persia, Istanbul, Damascus and this place until the truth becomes known about this person who has been made one of the holy souls in service to that imaginary person.

And that great person you mentioned to whom that imaginary one wrote a letter—it would be well to ask him about the details of Aqa Jan, for Aqa Jan’s sister was in the household of Navvab Firidun Mirza, and among the holy souls of that imaginary one was Rida-Quli, about whom you yourself know that his brother said in your presence that “my lack of belief is due to the kind of belief that my brother Rida-Quli claims, for I know him better and am more aware of his deeds, yet I see that he considers himself one of the chosen ones of this Cause.” The other details about him are known to you, and you are aware of why he was banished from the Most Holy Court, and if he was a follower of Yahya, what was he doing in Akka?

By God, besides Whom there is none other God, such things proceeded from him and his sister as caused the dwellers of the Kingdom to lament. These are among those whom whoever has seen them has testified to their falsehood and hypocrisy. They are they who cast aside God’s Cause and His laws, and followed what their desires commanded them—to this beareth witness what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book. By thy life, eyes have shed tears because of their deeds and hearts have melted at the oppression they have wrought against God’s Cause and His envoys—to this beareth witness everyone adorned with the robe of justice.

How desirable it would be for someone to ask His Excellency Mushiru’d-Dawlih about the reason for Siyyid Muhammad’s going to Istanbul, so that it might become clear to every person of insight how much these imaginary liars have caused the Cause of God to be wasted. Beyond all this, you yourself are aware that no one associated with those souls. For several months the Ancient Beauty had ceased associating with anyone, the door was closed and attainment to His presence was forbidden, and in those days occurred what occurred. The servant beseecheth his Lord to make known to the servants what He possesseth and to guide them to His straight path.

Up to this point is the reply to your letter which you had sent from the land of Sad, and an answer was submitted several months ago. However, since it was lengthy and contained various subjects and statements, and circumstances were unsettled, it was not sent. Until today, which is the fifth day of the blessed month of Ramadan, it remained delayed and postponed until recently when your other letter, which you had written outside the land of Ta, namely at Imamzadeh Hasan, became the cause of joy and gladness to the heart. After perusal, it was presented to the Most Holy Court, all of it was submitted. He says, exalted be His grandeur and His glory:

O Jamal! At times we behold thee in manifest joy, and at other times in a sorrow that saddeneth the hearts of the sincere ones. If thou hast attained unto supreme joy, what meaning can sorrow have, and if thou art truly certain of the evanescence of the world and aware of the spreading of the divine carpet, for what purpose dost thou mention contraction? O My Name “The Beauty”! Knowest thou Who speaketh unto thee? He is the One for Whose call Moses sacrificed his spirit, for Whose meeting the Beloved offered up his life, and for the fragrance of Whose raiment the Spirit laid down his life. Can sorrows remain with thee after these utterances which have streamed forth from the fountains of the mercy of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate? We bear witness that thou art among them that have attained, that thou art among the assured ones, and that thou art among them that are well-informed.

Section 3: “O Jamal! First, in these days when…”

O Jamal! First, in these days when the sea of joy is surging and the winds of gladness are blowing due to the appearance of the Manifestation of Revelation, it behooveth not the souls who have accepted and remained steadfast to make mention of sorrows, except in regard to tribulations that pertain to the Cause of God. And since thy sorrows have been of this nature, there is no harm in this. However, thy sorrows shall be transformed into joy through the bounties of the Beloved, for He is the Comforter, and He is the Consoler. But what is to be done about the tribulations that have befallen the Wronged One? Is there any comforter to comfort Him, or any consoler to console Him in what hath come upon Him? Nay, by His Self, the All-Subduing over the worlds!

O Jamal! The mention of the sorrows of the Beloved of all creation containeth an ocean of solace. Well is it with them that understand. The elaboration of this matter is not timely at present, as the servant is present and desireth that thy letter be presented point by point and answers be revealed from the Kingdom of utterance, that perchance these answers may, like the water of life, flow through the bodies of all contingent beings and enable all to inhale the fragrances of the days of God. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Jamal! Ever remember the loved ones who have turned unto the horizon of the All-Merciful and have quaffed the choice wine of mystical knowledge from the Beloved of all creation, that all may manifest such virtuous and goodly characteristics as shall cause the exaltation of God’s Cause. O Jamal! Had the land of the Prison been adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness, the Beloved of the world would not have been observed to be sorrowful. You must call the friends to trustworthiness and truthfulness, that they may attain unto these two greatest luminaries which have shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s commandments.

In one of the Persian Tablets this word hath been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will:

“Today befitting deeds are needed and praiseworthy actions are meet. Every goodly deed is in itself a promoter of the Cause.”

The witness to this utterance are the words that have been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in other Tablets. If today a soul be adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness, it is more beloved in the sight of God than one who would journey on foot toward the Most Holy Court and attain the presence of the Worshipped One at the glorified station. Trustworthiness is to the city of humanity as a fortress, and to the temple of man as the eye. Whoso is deprived of it shall be recorded and accounted as blind in the presence of the Divine Throne, even though in keenness of sight he be like Zarqa of Yamamih.

O Jamal! Be confident in the divine favors and arise to serve the Cause in such wise that neither the happenings of time nor the perturbations of the contingent world may prevent thee from serving the Beloved of the worlds. Yea, perturbation is one of human characteristics and in every case it seizeth man. Be not deterred by the troubles of contingent existence from serving the Well-Beloved of all worlds. Indeed, trouble is among human traits and in every case it seizes man and makes him despondent, yet upon holy souls it has not had, nor does it have, complete effect. The body may be sorrowful, but the spirit dwells in joy and fragrance, even as the Son of Mary said:

“The body is sorrowful but the spirit is in delight and gladness.”

O Jamal, count this mention as great, for the rain of the All-Merciful’s mercy has showered upon thee from the heaven of bounty. Be thou grateful and be among the thankful ones. Be thou grateful and be among those who praise.

It behooveth not this evanescent servant to submit any word, for the King of Words hath made mention of that exalted one, and the Sovereign of Meanings hath ascended the throne of bounty. O beloved of my heart and mentioned in my soul! Were all the world and its peoples to become one ear, they would not fully attain unto the hearing of a single letter of the Word of God. Ye have heard and know this, while the people are in evident stupefaction. Since mention of trustworthiness and truthfulness hath appeared from the Tongue of Unity, therefore doth this servant make mention of two Tablets from the Tablets of God which were revealed concerning these stations, that ye may convey them unto the friends with wisdom and utterance, that perchance they may be disseminated and all may attain unto that which God hath willed.

He is the Sovereign in the Realms of Utterance

We were contemplating the earth and heard its tale and its tidings when lo, there emerged from one of the chambers of Paradise a radiant Maid who walked until she stood in mid-air and cried out with the most beauteous of voices:

“O concourse of earth and heaven! I am a Maid who hath been named ʿTrustworthiness’ in the preserved and inscribed Tablet. I have unveiled my face by the leave of my Lord that ye might behold my beauty and my majesty, my grace, my creation and nature, and that ye might witness mine eye darkened with kohl, my crimson cheek, my brilliant countenance, and my raven tresses. I adjure you, O concourse of creation, by the Lord of all beings and the Sovereign of both this world and the next, that ye veil me not with the veils of treachery, greed and passion, nor abandon me before them. By the life of God! Treachery is among mine enemies, and its nature is rancor and hatred. I beseech you by the One, the Single, that ye let not mine arch-enemy gain mastery over me. Have mercy upon me, O people of the earth, and be not of the wrongdoers.”

Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee and acquainted thee through allusion with what hath befallen Us in the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest be of those who are informed. We praise God for what hath come upon Us of tribulation in His straight Path. When thou readest the Tablet and knowest what is therein, remind My loved ones on My behalf and proclaim unto their faces greetings from the Wronged One, the Stranger.

In My Name, the Wondrous

Here is the Book of Truthfulness, sent down in truth from the presence of the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily, it is the Messenger of Truth to all lands, that it may remind the people of its exalted station and acquaint them with its supreme position, its most glorious abode, show them its most wondrous beauty, its most elevated station and its most impregnable and glorious sovereignty. By the life of God! It walketh, and on its right walketh acceptance, on its left assurance, before it the standards of glory, and behind it the hosts of dignity. To this beareth witness He Who causeth the rivers to flow, verily He is the Knower of all things. It calleth out saying: “O concourse of humanity!

I have come to you from the presence of the Most Great Truth to make known to you its loftiness, its transcendence, its beauty, its perfection, its station, its glory and its splendor, that ye may find a way to its straight path.” By God! He who is adorned with this supreme ornament is indeed of the people of this luminous station. Beware, O people, lest ye abandon it to the claws of falsehood. Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. Its likeness is as the sun—when it shineth forth from its horizon it illumineth the regions and brighteneth the faces of those who have attained. Whoso is deprived of it is indeed in manifest loss. We say: “O Messenger! Canst thou enter the cities and regions, and canst thou find therein any helper?” It saith: “I have no knowledge save that which Thou hast taught me, verily Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

We have sent down this Tablet as a grace from Our presence that thou mayest remind the people of that which is therein from the presence of a mighty Commander. The glory be upon thee and upon him who reciteth the verses of the All-Merciful with joy and fragrance and is of them that are steadfast.

In this year most of the verses have flowed from the Supreme Pen—that is, the Truth, exalted be His glory, Himself wrote them. The mention of detachment, trustworthiness, faithfulness, truthfulness and other sublime attributes is evident and manifest in most of the Tablets. And since certain unpleasing matters occurred in this land, therefore the Supreme Pen, with regard to the education of the servants, has repeatedly revealed mention of those deeds, qualities and attributes that are the cause of the exaltation of sanctified souls, the upliftment of God’s Cause, the assurance of the people of the world, and the preservation of all. Your honor and this servant must supplicate and beseech with utmost humility and devotion the Truth, exalted be His sovereignty, that He may aid His servants to achieve that which pleaseth Him and adorn them with that which is befitting and worthy. Verily He is the Powerful, the Exalted, the Answerer, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Another submission is that for those souls mentioned in your honored letter, after presentation before the Most Holy Presence, verses were revealed from the heaven of bounty specifically for each one. God willing, may all attain unto them and recite them with both outer and inner tongue. This is what was revealed for the sister of your honor’s wife:

O Jamal! Rejoice in that the All-Glorious, the Most High, makes mention of thee on this Day wherein Justice waileth like unto one bereft, by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. By God! The Temple of Justice lieth prostrate in the dust, while the Temple of Tyranny hath been raised upon the exalted throne through manifest pride. Yet, by thy life, the throne mocketh him, and the air foretelleth his torment, and the very ground seeketh refuge from him. By God, thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful! Behold and make mention of the one whom the people have made their leader instead of God, who is designated as “the Speckled One” in the Book of God, the Most High, the Most Great. He hath committed that which hath caused the Apostle to lament and the Chaste One to cry out, yet the people are in grievous schism. Verily thy Lord hath seized her through His authority and made her a warning to those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

O Jamal! Grieve not over anything, for verily He hath seized in this Revelation every oppressor who hath oppressed, and He will seize those whom thou seest today seated upon the thrones of religious authority without any evidence from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. They laugh in their houses while those whom they have wronged wail in Paradise and the Concourse on High. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names in this station which hath been named by all names in the Book of Names by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Pen! Cease the mention of the Speckled One, and make mention of her who turned unto God, and heard, and believed, and attained until she soared unto the Most Exalted Companion and the Supreme Paradise—the station wherein the Tongue of Eternity proclaimeth: “The Kingdom is Mine Own Ancient Beauty!”

O Jamal! By My life, the Leaf hath soared unto the Divine Lote-Tree and beareth witness even as she bore witness in the transient days. Verily thy Lord is the Observer, the Witness. O Leaf! We make mention of thee as a bounty from Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. I bear witness that thou didst believe in God and turn unto Him on the day when the Most Great Branch appeared through that which the hands of the heedless had wrought.

The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the Word of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Rejoice in the Supreme Paradise, for God hath borne witness unto thee while seated upon His mighty throne.

And We make mention in this station of him who was named Samad, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Single, the One, the Forgiving, the Merciful:

O Samad! Be thou assured by the grace and mercy of God. Verily He maketh mention of thee in truth and will continue to mention thee as a bounty from Him, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. Hold fast unto the Book of God and His Way, then praise Him for this bounty which is incomparable to aught else created on earth. Verily thy Lord is the True One, the Trustworthy. We have made mention of thee and thy wife in this Tablet, and We make mention of their mother who believed in God, the Lord of all worlds. Grieve not over that which hath befallen you. By the life of God! The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall endure that which hath been ordained for you in My mighty and exalted Kingdom. Your names have been treasured in this Treasury which hath been named the Tablet by the tongue of God, and it shall verily endure as long as His names endure. To this beareth witness every discerning mystic.

This Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Will specially for the handmaiden of God Khadijih, who in the Blessed Tablet hath been designated as “the Leaf.” God knoweth that she hath attained unto that which the heavens and earth cannot equal. In truth, in this wondrous and transcendent Tablet, you and the servant ʿAbdu’s-Samad and the Leaf and that holy consort have all been made the recipients of God’s special favors—may the spirit of the world be a sacrifice for His grace. Mention hath also been made therein of the martyrdom of the two luminous lights, and likewise of Kazim—upon them be the glory of God.

Although the events in the land of Sad caused hearts to be consumed and the servants to raise their voices in lamentation, yet the man of insight who pondereth deeply and gazeth with detachment from all else but God will observe that no matter could be more glorious than that which came to pass. For this servant hath been aware of all details concerning the twin luminous lights from the beginning until now. They attained the presence of the Most Holy Court in Iraq, where the utmost favor was shown unto them. At first this matter ran counter to the imaginings of some, yet the hand of God’s power raised them up and adorned them with the raiment of glory, and showered upon them the blessings of His gracious favors, until they reached such a station as your honor hath seen and heard. After returning from the Most Holy Court to the land of Sad, they submitted two petitions, and with the utmost humility and supplication, they besought from the All-Possessing Lord this very thing that came to pass.

Section 4: “Now observe: praise be to God, throughout their…”

Now observe: praise be to God, throughout their lives they were manifested with the utmost glory among the servants through God’s grace, and such love for them was instilled in hearts that none but God could reckon it. At the end of their lives they attained the most great martyrdom which they themselves had sought, and afterward you have seen what was revealed concerning them from the Supreme Pen. By God’s life! Through that which was revealed for them, all things lament, the rocks cry out, and the denizens of Paradise weep. Should a soul possess and sacrifice the whole world, he would not attain to this station—a station which all the Messengers and near ones have longed for and still long for.

Thus far, nearly a hundred Tablets, nay more, have been revealed concerning this supreme calamity, for even now in some Tablets mention is made of the martyrs. Now what station could be more exalted than this station, what rank more great than this rank? On one occasion He said: “O servant! Although such events as these have been and are the cause of countless sorrows, yet they are the cause of the exaltation of God’s Cause. One should complain of matters that cause the Cause to be wasted.” We beseech God—glorified and exalted be He—to guide all and assist them to that which He loveth and which pleaseth Him. And He said: “Write: O Beauty! The Cause of God was seen as more glorious than all things in the Prison Land, but now it hath reached a point where mention of it would cause fresh sorrows. Verily thy Lord is the All-Patient, the All-Forbearing.”

Regarding your renewed mention of the land of Kha, this is what hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance:

O Jamal! Give them the glad-tidings of My grace, My loving-kindness and My mercy that have preceded all created things. We make mention of them and will continue to mention them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We have accepted what they sent after their names appeared before the Throne. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the All-Wise. Those whose names thou didst mention in thy letter—We have made mention of them in such wise as to attract the hearts of the sincere ones, and We send from this station Our greetings upon their faces and give them the glad-tidings that they shall have a station of glory most noble. Bounty is in His hand—He giveth to whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth for whomsoever He desireth that which shall bring delight to the eyes of them that behold.

As for what thou didst write concerning Mirza ʿAli-Rida, it was submitted. This is what the All-Merciful hath revealed in reply:

He is the One Who speaketh the truth in the Kingdom of Utterance

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the blessing and made manifest the Word—and verily it is the Path which hath been set up in truth by God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. And verily it is the Most Great Balance, though the people understand not. And verily it is the Most Great Trumpet which hath been blown, whereat all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save them whom the hand of thy Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Loving, did rescue. Blessed art thou for having turned toward the Most Sublime Horizon when mankind turned away therefrom. Thy Lord is verily the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Blessed be the one who, strong in faith, hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings, turning unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Thy name hath been mentioned in the Book of My namesake who believed in My Self and acknowledged that which I have acknowledged in My Kingdom, who attained unto My presence before My throne and circled round about Me and soared in My atmosphere and bore hardships in My path, and who was named “The Beauty” by God, the Lord of existence. We make mention of thee that he may rejoice and be of them who speak forth the praise of God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. We have made mention of all who have turned toward the Countenance, that My remembrance may be a treasure unto them in My Kingdom, the Inaccessible, the Exalted. Thus have We remembered thee and revealed for thee that which brings joy to the eyes.

And likewise mention was made in the Most Holy Presence of His Honor Buzurg, upon him be 96[Baha], which was in that distinguished One’s handwriting. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke:

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Ancient, the Most Glorious

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of Names and in Whose grasp is the reins of all things! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name, whereby the nations were shaken except for those whom the hand of Thy power did preserve, that Thou assist me to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee in such wise that the cawing of the ignorant ones who have cast Thy commandments behind their backs, who dispute Thy signs, deny Thy Cause and turn away from Thy Beauty may not hinder me. O my Lord! Send down from the clouds of Thy mercy that which shall cause to grow the plants of Thy wisdom and the roses of Thy knowledge in the breasts of those who have attained unto the wine of Thy revelation and the water of Thy inspiration.

O my Lord! Aid every one who turneth toward the triumph of Thy Cause and who standeth firm in his love for Thee. Thou art He Who hath ever been powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Then write down for me, O my God, whatsoever beseemeth the heaven of Thy generosity and the ocean of Thy grace. Thou art verily the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Thy knowledge. Thou hearest and seest, and Thou art verily the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

And likewise the other names, upon them be the Glory of God, which were in your book were submitted one by one. Wondrous and sublime verses were revealed specifically for each one. God willing, they shall attain unto them.

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious.

O Nasr! The Wronged One witnesses thy turning and devotion to God, and hath revealed for thee that which shall solace thine eyes and gladden thy heart and the hearts of them that hear. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then make mention of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful. He hath turned toward thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison and hath remembered thee with that which is more precious than the Water of Life in the sight of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the worlds! The glory rest upon thee and upon thy wife who hath believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mu’min, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Lord of the Final End. We have remembered thee before as a bounty from Us, and We are the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Blessed is the soul that hath turned unto My Kingdom and drunk the choice wine of My favor from the hands of My bounty and hath spoken forth My wondrous remembrance. Indeed thy mention was inscribed in the Book of My Name, and We have sent down for thee these verses that outweigh the treasuries of the heavens and earth. The glory rest upon thee and upon thy wife who hath attained in the days of God, the Single, the All-Informed.

We make mention of him who hath been named Ali, who hath turned to the Most Sublime Horizon, and We counsel him with that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of Creation, may be uplifted. O Ali! Hearken unto My call, then rejoice in the remembrance of thy Lord through Whom the horizons were illumined. Blessed is he who hath heard the call of the Wronged One and hath turned, detached from all directions, toward His path. The glory rest upon thee and upon thy son who hath believed in the Single One, the Chosen.

We make mention of Ali-Askar who hath believed in God, the Lord of Destiny, on a day wherein every man of learning was shaken, every theologian turned away, and every philosopher objected, save whom God willed, the Lord of the worlds. How many a learned one have We made his knowledge as fire unto him, how many a scholar have We passed by and made him a lesson to them that observe, how many a rich one hath been deceived by riches until he turned away from the Lord of all mankind, and how many a poor one hath attained the Kawthar of eternity in the days of God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

We make mention of him who hath been named Shir-ʿAli that every believer may be assured that We remember those who remember their Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Hearken unto My call that calleth thee from the precincts of My distant prison. Beseech God to make thee steadfast in His Cause and speaking forth His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mirza that he may rejoice in the remembrance of his Lord and be of them that are steadfast. O servant! Trust thou in God in all matters, then remember My days and My tribulation and that which hath befallen My Self and My chosen ones who have believed in My verses and have turned unto My luminous horizon. Thus have We sent down the verses as a bounty from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Revealer, the All-Bountiful.

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted

O Muhammad-Taqi! Hearken unto the Call from the precincts of ʿAkka, the place wherein this Wronged One, the Mighty, hath been imprisoned. The Call hath encompassed them that are in earth and heaven, yet most of the people are heedless. Blessed art thou for having cast away idle fancies and turned unto the Lord of all beings Who hath come with manifest sovereignty. Joy be unto thee for having taken the choice wine of recognition and drunk in the name of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful. How many a servant turned away in the days of God from the Dawning-Place of Revelation, and how many a servant came forward and received that which was bestowed from God, the Lord of the worlds. Thus doth the morn of utterance breathe forth when the temple of the All-Merciful was established upon His mighty throne. The glory rest upon him who mentioned thee in his Book, and upon thee and upon thy wife whom God hath associated with His Name. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O My Name “Jamal”! Verily, We make mention of all My loved ones together, and from the precincts of My prison I pronounce My glorification upon their faces, and I bless them and remember them at every morn and eve. O Beauty! Give them the glad-tidings of the ocean of My loving-kindness, the heaven of My grace, and the sun of My mercy which hath encompassed the worlds. Say: By God! The Supreme Pen moveth in remembrance of you, and the Countenance of the Ancient One hath turned towards your faces from this glorious and exalted Station. Rejoice ye in My remembrance, then drink in My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We bid you to be joyful and We make mention of My party on this day wherein Mine ear hath heard what hath befallen My sister at the hands of the oppressors. We testify that she turned unto God and attained and soared in Mine atmosphere and heard My call and moved by My leave and My will. Thus doth the Supreme Pen bear witness, but most of the people are in evident doubt. Blessed is he who visiteth her and turneth unto her purely for the sake of his Lord, the Beneficent, the Giver, the Generous.

O Jamal! The Point of the Bayan hath said that all were created to be mentioned in that Most Holy, Most Luminous, Most Exalted Presence. Now observe and know the value of this bounty, that the Supreme Pen, at a time when all sorrows have encompassed it, is occupied with the mention of His loved ones. By My life! Neither the hosts of the contingent world nor its events have prevented Me. I have spoken at all times and summoned all unto the All-Informed One. Convey greetings from the Wronged One of the horizons to all the friends. Several calamities have occurred, and lastly the news about the sister was outwardly presented to the Most Holy Court. In truth she was wronged, and there befell her secretly that which none save God can enumerate. Blessed is she, and My glory be upon her for her patience in God and for bearing hardships in His straight Path.

Furthermore, numerous Tablets have been sent from the heaven of divine bounty especially for you, including a Tablet specifically for you and other Tablets through Aqa Siyyid ʿAli-Akbar. Likewise, through Ibn-i-Asdaq—may the Glory of God rest upon them both—a Tablet was revealed and sent specifically for you, and now too a most mighty and impregnable Tablet has been sent by post. With such divine favors and lordly bounties, you must at all times be engaged with utmost joy and fragrance in the mention of the Beloved of the worlds, in such wise that those unconscious from the wine of heedlessness may become conscious, the withered ones in the valley of idle fancies may become fresh, and the dead in the graves of rejection may become alive and enduring. The Glory be upon you, and Peace be upon you, and the Mercy be upon you, and the Loving-kindness of God be upon you.