BH00043: Glorified be God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom…

Section 1: “Glorified be God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom…”

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

Glorified be God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom of earth and heaven! Glorified be God, the Possessor of might and celestial dominion! Glorified be God, the Master of both sovereign and subject, the King of both the wealthy and the destitute! Glorified be He Who hath, through His might and power, exalted His loved ones and caused them to soar in the atmosphere of divine knowledge above all who dwell on earth! Glorified be He Who hath drawn them nigh unto Him and given them to drink of the Kawthar of divine proof from the hand of His bounty, and taught them that which His servants throughout all ages and centuries were powerless to comprehend! He, verily, is the Almighty, the Unconstrained. And glory and splendor rest upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward the Supreme Horizon, and whom the might of princes and divines hath failed to prevent from gaining access to that most sublime station, that place whose eminence God hath raised above the heavens. He, verily, is the Lord of all men in both the beginning and the end.

O beloved of my heart! Centuries have passed and ages have come to an end, yet this evanescent servant hath not succeeded in expressing that which would testify to what lies within concerning the mention of that true Beloved and the praise of that spiritual Master. However, that honored one himself beareth witness to this servant’s sincerity and love, and to the abundance of this fading one’s writings in His presence throughout nights and days, and various affairs and scattered writings. God, our Lord and the Lord of the Throne and earth, knoweth that the delay in receiving assurance from that Beloved was the cause. At all times, petitions and letters were flying from all directions, and among the exalted words which the Tongue of Grandeur uttered in the Land of Mystery was this blessed passage—His exalted Word:

“If names to the number of raindrops were to appear before the Divine Countenance, mention of each would flow from the Most Exalted Pen.”

Therefore, for those souls who have newly turned to the Most Great Ocean and have drunk from the wine of inner meanings, the Most Exalted Pen moveth and is occupied especially for them. In such case, if there be delay, pardon is hoped for. Furthermore, by God’s grace and favor, they are ever remembered in the heart and are present and standing in the most holy and exalted Court before the face of the Lord of all mankind. This servant beseecheth his Lord to make your honor the breaker of the might of the aggressors and the raiser of the standard of edification among the peoples of the world.

Your letter, which was in truth a bearer of the pearls of wisdom, utterance, love, affection and knowledge, arrived. Blessed was its step and auspicious its coming. Glorified be God! Each of its words was a fruit-bearing tree and an effective remedy. It was a key to the gates of joy, delight and gladness. It spread a new carpet and brought fresh joy, for it was adorned with the mention and praise of the Goal of all the world’s peoples—may the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdom of Command and Creation be a sacrifice for Him! The fragrance of the Beloved’s love was diffused from every letter. After reading and learning of its contents, I offered praise and thanksgiving, and after mentioning and glorifying God, exalted be His glory, the glad tidings of that beloved one’s health renewed my soul.

A hundred thousand praises upon the word that causeth hearts to be united and is the interpreter of souls—it revealeth the hidden secret and discloseth the treasured mystery, and informeth the detached and sincere ones of concealed mysteries. And after these stages, the supreme goal and most exalted summit was intended, and it was presented before the face of the Lord of all mankind and achieved the honor of His attention. After countless utterances, according to His command I was bidden to write these exalted words in reply. The Lord, exalted and sanctified is He, saith:

He is the Hearer, the Beholder, and the Answerer

O thou who art remembered before My face, inscribed in the Book, and gazing towards the horizon of Revelation in the final return! Hear the call from the direction of grandeur, to the right of the luminous spot: Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. The Hidden hath appeared through My Name, and the Treasured through My providence which hath encompassed all regions. I complain unto thee of what hath befallen Me at the hands of those who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament, and who have denied the proof and evidence. Among them is he who said that He hath plagiarized the verses of the Point and revealed them in His Name. At this My Most Exalted Pen hath lamented, and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise. The Mother Book beareth witness to this in the most sublime station.

O thou who soarest in My atmosphere and gazest toward My horizon! The idolaters and the wayward have clung to calumnies the like of which the ears of the world have never heard. Woe unto them for having followed their desires! Verily they are among the lost in the estimation of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. We have brought forth from the treasuries of Our Most Exalted Pen pearls of wisdom and utterance the like and equal of which the eye of creation hath never beheld. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto every doubting denier. Can all that is in the world be compared with that which hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty? Nay, by My Command which dominateth all who are in the earth and the heavens! All mention hath submitted to My Most Great Remembrance, and all books have circled around this Mighty Announcement which hath been mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of Lords.

And among them is he who said that He hath altered the Bayan. Say: Woe unto thee! The Bayan circleth around Him. Blessed are they who possess insight! Thus did their souls prompt them to a matter, and today they are in doubt and error. We leave mention of them at this time and desire to remember thee with that which attracteth the hearts of the people of understanding. The servant who is present hath presented thy letter and read it before the face of the Wronged One. We have answered thee with that by which the Names were attracted and circled around God’s providence, the Lord of all men. We have found from each of thy words the fragrance of thy love, thy turning and thy devotion to the Dawning-Place of lights. Through thy remembrance the fragrance of certitude hath wafted through the contingent world. Blessed is He Who hath strengthened thee, caused thee to know, drawn thee nigh, and inspired thee with the Cause of this Most Great Announcement whereby feet have slipped.

Happy art thou for having drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cup of bounty and for having traveled to distant lands to exalt the Word of God, the Lord of creation. O thou who gazest toward the Most Sublime Horizon! Counsel the people with that wherewith God hath counseled His loved ones before and after, and remind them of the loftiness of His Cause and the greatness of this Announcement whereby the heaven hath been cleft asunder, the earth hath been rent, and the mountains have crumbled. Adorn the servants of God with trustworthiness and godliness and with that whereby the station of man is exalted in the contingent world. Say: O people of the earth! Ye were not created for rancor and hostility, nor for tyranny and transgression. Ye have been created to manifest His favor and that whereby the light of unity may shine forth in all regions. Thus have We manifested the light of love and amity and have revealed that which shall endure through the perpetuity of My remembrance in the Books and Tablets.

O thou who drinkest the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful! The intention is that the eloquent tongue should be transformed into the language of light. The opposers have clung to the vain imaginings of the past—at times they speak of alteration, and at times they utter calumnies the like of which the ears of the world have not heard. Among these is that the Kitab-i-Iqan, which was specifically revealed in Iraq for the Afnan, the honored and departed Khal, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, and wherein the journey of the Wronged One is mentioned—this they have attributed to another.

Glory be to God! The pearls of utterance which have appeared from the treasury of the Pen of the Lord of eternity are as distinct from all else as the sun, yet they have said that which no oppressor hath ever said. What has become of discernment, and whither has discrimination fled? What has veiled and hindered justice and fairness? Man is astonished, the world is astonished. Beseech ye God that He may cause the sun of justice to emerge from behind the clouds of oppression, grant deliverance, and adorn His creation with the ornament of fairness. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. The pure and holy Tree with its heavenly fruits is manifest before the faces of the world, and the waves of the divine ocean of utterance are visible before all eyes; yet the people remain heedless and deprived. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee at all times in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make thee a standard of His mention in His lands and an ensign of His utterance amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hearken unto thy words concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the mighty throne and the elevated seat.

O beloved of My heart! By thy life, it behooveth one to shed blood instead of tears, and hearts should be set ablaze and livers consumed, for that which is heard is such as giveth rise to the vain imaginings of the past. Glory be to God! The fragrance of truthfulness hath been lifted from among the people. How many similar utterances have been revealed from the Supreme Pen, yet they say they take from the Bayan and write. That beloved of the heart well knoweth the distinction between utterances, which is clear and manifest to every fair-minded one. They attribute it to one who is incapable of comprehending the Kitab-i-Iqan. Several years ago, one of the Afnan—upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God—wrote to this servant from the Land of Ya, saying that in these days the covenant-breakers are endeavoring to collect the wondrous verses, taking and writing them, and it is not known what new stratagem they have resorted to. Would that the people knew! Would that they understood!

As to what thou hast written regarding turning towards the regions, the lands and countries of God, and likewise the acceptance and turning of capable souls who have attained unto new life from the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful—these matters were presented before the Presence and were honored to be heard. This is what the Ancient Beauty hath spoken in response, exalted be His glory:

O thou who standeth, giving voice to the remembrance of God and service to His Cause! We beseech God to manifest through thee that which shall quicken them that lie in their graves in this Revelation, whereby the Trumpet was sounded and all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save whom God willed, the Almighty, the Powerful. God willing, may all the world attain unto the ornament of eternal life through the Kawthar of utterance, and drink from the chalice of life. Praise be to God, they have been and continue to be confirmed in the victory of the Cause. Remind the people in My days through My verses, that perchance they may be freed from suppositions, vain imaginings, and old and soiled garments, and become illumined by the effulgent lights of the Sun of Proof shining from the horizon of the heaven of utterance. Renew their garments through My Name, illumine them with the lights of My utterance, and cause them to soar on the wings of My loving-kindness. Verily, We have sent down for every name thou hast mentioned that from which the sincere shall inhale the fragrance of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

This was revealed for His Honour Mirza Nabil-i-Qa’in, upon him be the Glory of God. His word, exalted be His glory:

He is the Dawning-Place from the horizon of utterance

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath appeared in truth is verily the Object of adoration of the Concourse on High and the Most Exalted Paradise, and through Him the mysteries were revealed and the Dove of Remembrance warbled upon the highest branches. He hath come, Who was mentioned in the hearts of them who are nigh unto God and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. We bear witness that thou didst turn unto Him when the servants turned away, and thou didst acknowledge Him when every remote oppressor denied Him, and thou didst hasten with thy heart when most of the people were among the hesitant ones, and thou didst testify to that which God had testified when the people were in manifest silence. We beseech God to aid thee in that which beseemeth His days and to ordain for thee every good thing that He hath sent down in His Book. Verily, He is thy Protector and the Protector of the sincere ones. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon every steadfast and upright one.

This was revealed for His Honour Muhammad Kushkih-Bagh, upon him be the Glory of God.

He is the All-Hearing, the Responding One

O Muhammad! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One. He speaketh in every state that which draweth the people nigh unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Say: He hath come with the truth, and on His right is the banner that there is none other God but He, and on His left the standard of ʿHe doeth whatsoever He willeth’ from God, the Sovereign of existence. Be thou steadfast in the service of the Cause with such steadfastness as shall cause the servants to arise, then utter such words as shall quicken them that lie in their graves. O Muhammad! Knowest thou Who calleth thee from the Supreme Horizon, and Who speaketh with thee from this praiseworthy station? We have rent asunder the veils and manifested the Cause with a sovereignty before which armies cannot stand. When the rapture of My call seizeth thee and the wine of My utterance intoxicateth thee, raise thy hands with such detachment as shall cause the hands of all created things to be lifted up unto God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. This behooveth thee and those who hold fast to the cord of My Name, the Mighty, the Loving.

Section 2: “He who beareth My trust hath mentioned thee…”

He who beareth My trust hath mentioned thee. We make mention of thee in this Tablet from whose horizon shineth the luminary of the might of My utterance, the Mighty, the Beloved. Findest thou anyone in the realm who can taste the sweetness of My utterance? Say: Thou art the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Findest thou one who will help My Cause? Say: Thou knowest better than I, and Thou art the Protector of what was and what shall be. We make mention of him who was named Abbas, who hath held fast to My extended cord. O Abbas! Thou didst stand before all faces in the early days when We summoned all to that which would draw them nigh unto the Much-Frequented House, that they might circle round it at eventide and at dawn, at dusk and at morn.

They cast the Command of God behind their backs, following every heedless and rejected one. O Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar! Thy name was present before the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee with that which shall endure as long as the names of thy Lord, the Sovereign of the realms of might, endure. Thou hast attained unto the Day of God concerning which the Concourse of the Bayan lamented, save whom God willed, the Sovereign of the kingdoms. Blessed art thou, for thou hast turned with thy heart to the Dawning-Place of God’s signs on a day whereon every heedless and veiled one turned away.

And this was revealed for His Honor Mulla Abdul-Hamid, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]:

He is the One through Whom the ocean of utterance surged in the contingent world

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One to him who hath chosen for himself a path to the Lord of the Throne, that the fragrances of his Lord’s Book might attract him to a station that was indeed exalted. O Abdul-Hamid! Say: O people of the Bayan! By God, the All-Merciful hath come with a sovereignty with which none on earth can vie. He needeth no other than Himself to establish His Cause. Every matter dependeth on His bidding and every book on His acceptance. Thus hath the Command been inscribed by the Pen of Revelation with justice. He hath sent down the verses and manifested the proofs. Blessed is he who hath heard and seen, and woe unto every heedless one who was far from the truth. Say: O company of the deniers! Fear ye God, then behold the Tree and its fruits. They are before your faces. Be fair and follow not him who hath broken God’s covenant and His testament, and was deprived of the choice wine of utterance. When thou hearest the call from the Supreme Horizon, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of heaven and Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison, for having guided me to Thy path, for having caused me to hear Thy call, for having shown me the traces of Thy Pen and the fruits of the Tree of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, by the lights of Thy countenance, and by the mysteries of Thy Books, to protect me from the doubts of the suspicious ones and the signs of the barking ones who have denied Thee and Thy verses. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

And this was revealed for His Honor Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God:

In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful

Today it is necessary, nay obligatory, upon every soul to safeguard people from superstitions and vain imaginings to the extent possible, for the opponents of the Cause have, like the people of the past, clung to that which leads to the misguidance and destruction of the servants of God. Glory be to God! Until now they have not reflected upon what became of the deeds of that heedless Shi’ih sect on the Day of Reckoning. Night and day they were occupied with the mention of God in mosques and upon pulpits, yet when the splendors of the Sun of Revelation illumined the world, they all arose in opposition and issued the decree for His death. And now upon the pulpits of Iran the divines are occupied with cursing and reviling the Goal of all the worlds. The ultimate end of these heedless souls who have again clung to the same vain imaginings is clear and evident. Beseech ye God to adorn the world of existence with the ornament of justice, equity, awareness and knowledge. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Praise be to the Goal of the world Who recorded thy name from the Pen of Grace in the Most Great Prison. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The Sun of grace, bounty, bestowals, mercy, kindness and faithfulness hath risen and shone forth from the heaven of each word of the Goal of all the worlds. Praise be to God, each of the aforementioned names hath attained unto the Kawthar of everlasting grace. This evanescent servant beseecheth the eternal Truth to assist each of His loved ones to achieve that which causeth the attraction of all who dwell on earth and the manifestation of the lights of the Most Great Luminary. And I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, to grant the success to preserve that which hath been bestowed, for names have deprived people of reality. Consider how by the single word “successor” all were deluded and debarred from the outpourings of the Day of Reckoning.

A certain one in these parts claimed to be the Mihdi and a hundred thousand souls gathered round him. The Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of Iran, yet with utmost degradation they extinguished His light and cut down the Tree of His being with the sword of tyranny. Reflection on what hath come to pass is necessary, for if man truly becomes aware, a hundred thousand names would neither prevent nor hinder him; he would pass beyond the river and make for the Most Great Ocean. Confirmation and success are from God, our Goal and your Goal, our Beloved and your Beloved, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

And this is what was revealed for his honor Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin, upon him be the glory of God, exalted be His utterance:

He is the Manifest Book

Blessed is He Who hath appeared and revealed what He willed, and sent down verses as a token of His grace that the servants might draw nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Zaynu’l-Abidin! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the King, the Just, the Manifest Truth. The verses bear witness and the atoms of creation testify that from the beginning of this Cause, in the days when the people of the Bayan were veiled behind a veil, this Wronged One called all with the loudest voice, before the faces of princes, to the straight path and the mighty announcement. No matter prevented Him, no tyranny held Him back from justice. In the prison of the land of Ta, He spoke the blessed word “The Lord of creation hath come,” and in chains and fetters He uttered the remembrance of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The oppression of the oppressors and the assault of the aggressors did not deter Him. His entire life was spent in the hands of the heedless. All the people of Iran, both followers of the Qur’an and the Bayan, are witnesses to what hath been mentioned. We bore what none other hath borne. In Mazandaran, We were paraded through the streets and lanes, and they inflicted upon Us that which would cause the destruction of the people of the cities of justice and fairness.

And when the light of the Cause became somewhat manifest, the people of the Bayan did that which caused the eyes of grandeur to weep. At times they claimed these verses were taken from the Primal Point, whereas every person of insight testifieth to countless differences apparent between them. These matters have been and continue to be mentioned repeatedly, that they might remain in the vision of the friends and in their treasuries of understanding, lest the doubts of the suspicious and the whisperings of satan cause them to slip. The equivalent of the Bayan, nay more, and likewise the equivalent of the heavenly Books is now present. Yet one who is engaged in service in His presence they have taken as lord besides God, and have drawn the swords of hatred against the Wronged One.

We beseech God to assist thee and make thee successful in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to give thee to drink from the cup of bounty the wine of steadfastness. Verily, He is the Lord of creation and the Possessor of the Light of Oneness. He ordaineth what He willeth for whom He willeth, and He is the Mighty, the Glorious, the Unconstrained. The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, and upon those who have not broken God’s Covenant and His Testament and have recognized that which hath been sent down from His Supreme Pen from His wondrous and mighty Kingdom.

And mention was made of the friends of Shahrud, upon them be the Glory of God, the King, the Mighty, the Loving. After being presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, this blessed Tablet was specifically revealed for them from the heaven of will. His utterance, mighty is His statement and exalted His proof:

In the Name of the Speaker, the Everlasting

O My friends in Shahroud! Hearken with your inner ear to the call of the Wronged One. He it is Who hath shattered the idols and opened the gate of joy amid sorrows, leading humanity to that which God hath willed. We beseech God to aid souls to serve His Cause with wisdom and utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath adorned its head with the crown of detachment and its temple with the fear of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. The Most Great Word attracteth hearts and souls, from which floweth the Living Waters. O people of Shin, Alif and Ha! Your petitions have previously reached Us and attained unto the glance of favor, and there hath been ordained for you that which the people of the world are powerless to comprehend. Soar with true wings and circle in this holy atmosphere. In one of the Tablets this most great verse was revealed, addressing one of the servants:

“Verily We desired to draw thee nigh unto the Most Great Sea, not with feet like the feet of men, nor with wings like the wings of birds, but through a divine spiritual movement swifter than the lightning that dazzleth the sight.”

Today the Sun of Truth is risen and the waves of the ocean of the Most Merciful’s utterance are manifest. Hold fast unto unity and accord, engage in service to the Cause, and strive that perchance the rancor in the hearts and souls of men may be calmed through the living waters of loving counsel, and the light of truth may shine forth from the horizons of hearts. O My friends in that land! Blessed are ye for having turned toward the horizon of the Cause, wherein neither the veils of the divines nor the might of princes prevented you. Ye have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, and have attained unto that which most of mankind have been debarred from.

Arise with complete steadfastness to serve the Cause of the Lord of all beings. It hath been repeatedly mentioned that one who was a fisherman became, through God’s grace, exalted be His glory, the leader of the people of divine knowledge and the guide of all who dwell on earth, and a shepherd became the bearer of the Standard. Today the triumph of the Cause hath been and shall be through the hosts of God, and His hosts are goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. Conflict, corruption and contention are strictly forbidden in this Most Great Revelation, in My Books, My Scrolls, My Scriptures and My Tablets. We beseech God to assist you with the hosts of wisdom and utterance, and to confirm you in that which beseemeth His days. He is verily the Confirmer, the All-Knowing, the Commander, the All-Wise.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn thy face unto him who was named Ghulam-i-Rida, that he may hear the call from the direction of Akka and be drawn to the Most Glorious Station, and that the hand of bounty may give him to drink of the Greatest Kawthar of steadfastness, whereby the doubts of those who have denied God, the Lord of Lords, shall not cause him to slip.

Some of the friends have beseeched from the ocean of the bounty of the Goal of the world’s desires that He may keep them steadfast in His Cause and that they may ascend at the time of their passing with manifest certitude. Say: O My friends! Throughout the ages and centuries, each party hath deemed itself the most mighty, the most learned, the most jurisprudent, and the most pious, and with white and green turbans, serving as banners amongst the servants, they busied themselves with the promotion of the luminous Law—so they claimed. But when the Revealer of verses and the Manifestor of clear tokens lifted the veil and shone forth from the horizon of His Will, these very souls uttered that which no oppressor had ever spoken and committed deeds which no idolater had ever perpetrated.

If a soul desireth to drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness and to attain unto the station of certitude in God, it must free and liberate the heart from all save God. Hadi Dawlat-Abad hath exerted strenuous efforts in misleading the people, hath turned toward names whilst turning away from their Creator. He hath clung to the vain imaginings of the party of old which have been the cause of the perdition of all. By the life of God! Verily, he is in manifest loss and shall not be numbered among those who perceive. He claimeth faith in one of the Letters—if indeed it be a living, real Letter—yet hath denied the Mother Book which speaketh before all faces: There is no God but He, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The people of Persia have been and are familiar with vain imaginings. It is therefore incumbent upon the friends of God in this Day to protect the people, as far as possible, from such idle fancies. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the All-Wise.

Section 3: “O servant! If thou dost perceive the wafting…”

O servant! If thou dost perceive the wafting fragrance of the divine utterance from the words of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, say:

My God, my God! Thou seest me advancing toward Thee and turning away from all else beside Thee. I beseech Thee by the steadfastness whereby the feet of most of Thy creatures have slipped, and by the light of Thy Cause which hath shone forth from the horizon of Thy will, to ordain for me through the Pen of Thy bounty that which shall profit me in the world to come and in this life. By Thy glory, O Thou Goal of the world and Ruler of nations! I desire in all conditions to hold fast unto Thee and to cleave to the cord of Thy bounty. O Lord! I am he from whom hath slipped away that which beseemeth Thy days. Ordain for me from the heaven of Thy generosity and the sun of Thy grace that which shall draw me nigh unto Thee and cause my remembrance to endure amongst Thy servants. Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful. By Thy glory! This servant knoweth not what lieth with Thee nor what shall profit him. Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We make mention of thy son with a remembrance that shall not be erased, nor shall any decree change it, nor shall the passing of centuries and ages alter it. O Mihdi! There hath come before the Wronged One thy letter which thou didst send to one of My Afnan, upon whom rest My glory and loving-kindness. The servant in attendance hath laid it before Us. We have answered thee with that which no mention can equal, and thou hast been mentioned by Him Who hath spoken My praise, soared in My atmosphere, and arose to aid My Cause—through which the sincere ones have drawn nigh and every hesitating doubter hath turned away. Praise be to God that in thy early youth thou didst attain unto the mention and praise of the Truth and wert successful in serving His loved ones.

This bounty hath been and is from God. Although the deniers of the Bayan have sullied the expanse of the world with the dust of vain imaginings and names, nevertheless the grace of God requireth mention, that perchance a few may not be confined by the veils of names and remain not deprived of the Presence of the Worshipped One. Whoso hath heard My call—it behooveth him to conquer the world through one of My words. This beseemeth the people of the Crimson Ark. Otherwise, that which the deniers from among the people of the Bayan have clung to befitteth their own selves, not God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Remember on My behalf thy mother and thy sister, then thy other sister, and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and My mercy that have preceded existence. O My handmaidens! Give thanks unto your Lord, for He hath aided you to turn towards Him when every remote scholar turned away from Him.

We desire at this moment to make mention of him who was named Rida from the land of Ba and Ya, that he may find the fragrance of My loving-kindness from My verses and give thanks unto his Lord, the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing.

O Rida! Hearken unto the Call. We have manifested the Cause before the faces of princes and divines. The kings and their subjects have risen against Me and perpetrated that which hath caused the hearts of the denizens of the most exalted Paradise and the companions of the supreme Heaven to melt, and thereby was the Wronged One in manifest joy and great patience. Then there joined the factions the party of the Bayan, who claim belief in the Point of the Bayan while they disbelieve in Him Whom He sent with the truth and unto Whom He revealed verses. Thus have their souls enticed them, and today they are in manifest opposition. Say: By the life of God! That which ye possess of names and all else will profit you not today except through this Speaking Book, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Blessed art thou for having been mentioned before the Wronged One and for having attained unto the traces of His Pen, which no thing whatsoever can equal. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the All-Knowing.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having mentioned me through the tongue of the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Ocean of Thy utterance. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the shells of the ocean of Thy knowledge and wisdom to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and to drink the choice wine of Thy revelation from the hand of Thy bounty. Then make me so upright that names shall not cause me to slip from their Sovereign, their Creator, and their Originator. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have hastened to the place of sacrifice for the exaltation of Thy Word and the manifestation of Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, the Almighty to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

We desire to make mention of him who ascended to the Most Exalted Companion, and of those who ascended in this Great Announcement. O Ali! Bear thou witness that thou hast believed in God and hearkened unto the Call when it was raised from the Supreme Horizon, and hast attained to the recognition of God, the Lord of the Exalted Throne. We beseech God to forgive thee and His loved ones who drank the choice wine of certitude from the hands of the mercy of the All-Merciful and were among the steadfast. Through their mention at this time, the ocean of forgiveness and pardon hath surged, as a mercy from the All-Merciful. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. God hath adorned their heads with the crowns of forgiveness and mercy, and their temples with the ornament of pardon. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. We make mention of My loved ones from that land whose names thou didst mention, that they may give thanks unto God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

O My loved ones! We counsel you to be steadfast in this Great Announcement concerning which the people have differed, and at which the limbs of the idolaters have quaked. Blessed are ye for having believed in God, the One, the All-Informed. O Husayn! We have seen thy mention and make mention of thee, and We counsel thee and My loved ones to praiseworthy conduct and goodly deeds. He, verily, is the Counsellor, the All-Knowing. O Baqir! The Mother Book hath made mention of thee in the Final Return. Blessed is he who hath heard, and woe unto the heedless. Be thou vocal in the praise of thy Lord and steadfast in His service before the faces of the transgressors.

We beseech God to aid thee and to ordain for thee that which He hath ordained for those who act according to His mighty Book. Give thanks unto God that He hath assisted thee to turn unto Him and hath mentioned thee in this Luminous Tablet. O Ali! Be thou not afflicted by names and cleave unto that which profiteth thee. That is to say, those names which the idolaters have taken besides God. The Hand of Power hath rent asunder the veils, yet the wayward ones of the Bayan are again engaged in misleading and veiling the people through ancient tales and the names they possess. We beseech the True One to protect thee and the loved ones from the adversities of the world and whatsoever appeareth therein. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

We desire to make mention of him who was named Abu’l-Qasim, that he may inhale the sweet fragrances of remembrance and be among those who are steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped, save those whom God, the Lord of creation, hath willed. Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and We have heard how thou didst praise God for that which was sent down from the Kingdom of Mine utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We beseech God to ordain for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We make mention of My loved ones in that place whom thou didst mention in thy letter, that they may remember God, their Lord, at morn and at eventide.

O Siyyid Qabli-Rida! Well is it with thee, for thou hast drunk the choice wine from the cup of the bounty of thy Lord, the Lord of the beginning and the end. O Pen! Give glad tidings unto the youth of what the Lord of all being hath desired to mention from the most exalted horizon. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto My call and acted according to what was commanded in the Mother Book. Rejoice in that thy name hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. O Beloved of God! Thy name was mentioned before the Wronged One, and the ocean of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all beings, surged. Today We have arisen as a herald of My Name and as one standing in service to the Cause of God. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord. He hath turned unto thee and made mention of thee in such wise as nothing possessed by the people can equal. To this doth He Who conversed with God testify from His most exalted station.

Convey My greetings to all the handmaidens in that land. We beseech God to keep them steadfast and to adorn them with the ornament of chastity. The most glorious ornament of the highest paradise, specially ordained for the handmaidens, is the raiment of chastity. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath adorned her temple therewith. O handmaidens of God! Know ye the value of the divine Word. The treasures of kings cannot equal a single letter thereof. Ere long its station shall be made manifest to all the world. Occupy yourselves with His praise and glorification by night and by day, for He hath enabled you to recognize a Cause from which all others are veiled and debarred, save whom God willeth.

We make mention of those names which thou didst mention at the end of thy letter, and We beseech God to send down upon them from the heaven of His bounty a blessing from His presence, and to ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Him and preserve them from aught else beside Him. He, verily, is powerful over all things and worthy to answer.

O Tongue of Grandeur! Make mention of him who hath been named Muhammad-Rida, whose letter sent to one of My loved ones hath been presented, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. We have, during the nights and days, made mention of Our loved ones who have turned with radiant faces toward God, the Mighty, the Loving. O Muhammad-Rida! Preserve the trust of thy Lord within thine eye, through His Name, the One Who hath dominion over what was and what shall be. We have made mention of thee and thy father as a bounty from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge, and He is in truth the Knower of things unseen. We make mention of thy mother in the Most Great Prison as a mercy from God, the Lord of existence. Give her the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and remind her of My verses, and illumine her heart with this remembrance whereby the idolaters have lamented and the rebellious one hath cried out. We have made mention of every name that was presented before Our face, both of the living and the dead. And verily We are the All-Merciful, the Forgiving, the Kind.

The splendor that hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon you, O friends of God and His party, and upon those who have cast away what they possessed and taken hold of the Book of God with the strength and power granted by Him. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Hasan, that the verses of his Lord may draw him to a station wherein naught in all the world shall hinder him from the Most Great Name. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the kingdom of utterance, and I am the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Rejoice thou in My mention of thee, then render thanks unto thy Lord. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He heareth what the tongues of the world utter and beholdeth their deeds. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge, and He is the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Then make mention of him who was named Ghulam-i-Rida, that he may hear the call from the Supreme Horizon and be of them that are assured. We have caused the rain of utterance to shower upon the hearts of all who dwell within the realm of possibility, that there might spring forth therefrom the ears of wisdom and inner meanings from God, the Mighty, the Beauteous.

Say: O people of the earth! Be fair in the Cause of God and His Manifestation. Look ye to the right, that ye may hear the call of Sinai—verily it crieth out with the most exalted call, saying: “Blessed am I to have attained unto Him Who converseth with me!” Then turn ye to the left—verily the Tree calleth out: “By God! He hath come Who was speaking in my outer form and inner reality!” Then turn ye forward, where ye shall behold the waves of the ocean of God’s utterance, the Lord of all worlds.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Be fair in God’s sight, then acknowledge that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of God’s knowledge, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By God’s life! The books of the world cannot compare with that which hath been sent down in truth, were ye of them that judge fairly. Fear ye God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him Who hath come from the horizon of power with manifest sovereignty. Thus hath the All-Merciful shone forth upon the kingdom of utterance, and there hath appeared from Him that which the heavens and earth are powerless to reckon.

Section 4: “O thou wronged one! Turn unto him who…”

O thou wronged one! Turn unto him who hath been named Muhammad, who was mentioned by Him Who turned in the early days unto the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Neither the sciences and arts nor what the people possessed in that day prevented him from God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Thus was the call raised in the prison of Akka. Blessed is he who hath found its fragrance, and woe unto every heedless one who remaineth veiled.

Say: O concourse of the Bayan! Have ye the living waters of proof? Then bring them forth before God, the Lord of all existence. Present yourselves before the Face, that ye may witness the waves of the ocean of My utterance and the words of the Sun of My Revelation. Perchance ye will abandon what ye possess, clinging unto that which is with God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.

Say: By God! Neither names nor what ye possess will profit you except through this Name, at Whose appearance the herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved!” By God’s life! No refuge have ye this day, nor any place of flight. Fear ye God and be not of them who look on and deny.

Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, for having turned unto Me when the people turned away, and for having attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen while the servants were sunk in the pit of vain imaginings. Thus hath the matter been made manifest as a grace from Our presence, and I am He Who overshadoweth what hath been and what shall be.

Verily, the Kingdom of Utterance hath turned unto God’s loved ones in the cities and lands, making mention of them in that whereby their remembrance shall endure in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Loving, that they may find the sweetness of utterance on a Day illumined by the light of His countenance. This is a Day wherein the names have shone forth through the light of their Lord. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto every heedless one who remaineth far removed from the court of nearness.

O My loved ones in Kha! Your Lord, the All-Merciful, calleth you from a station wherefrom light is visible at its horizon. Beware lest the might of the world hold you back from Him Who hath come from the heaven of utterance with a proof that encompasseth all the worlds. Say: Cast away what the people possess and take what ye are commanded in a Book inscribed by the Pen of God. Beware lest the doubts of the people and the hints of him who was justly deprived of the ocean of utterance in the days of the All-Merciful veil you.

O Son of My Most Sincere Name! Hear the Call from the Prison’s direction. Arise to serve the Cause amidst humanity and remind them of that which will draw them to a station blessed through God’s glory. We beseech God to aid thee in His remembrance and praise, and in that which will diffuse the fragrance of His good-pleasure throughout the cities and villages. Verily thy Lord aideth whom He willeth through His grace. He, verily, hath power over all things.

O ʿAli! Be thou prepared. Verily, the Most Great Ocean desireth to cleanse thee with the waves of wisdom and utterance. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth. Nothing among all things can prevent Him, nor can any matter benefit Him. He hath ever been independent of all worlds.

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison when I was imprisoned unjustly among the servants. They observed not Thy right in regard to Thee and committed that which caused Thy Most Exalted Paradise to lament, and then that which descended from the heaven of inner meanings by a command inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Tablet.

O Kazim! Grieve not for anything, for thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One, and there hath been sent down for thee from the heaven of utterance that which hath attracted the heart of every learned one who was endowed with true vision. When the utterance of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, attracteth thee, soar on the wings of longing in the atmosphere of love and fellowship. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having remembered me when I was wronged in the hands of the aggressors. Thus did the ocean of utterance surge before the faces of the religions, and the Most Merciful appeared with a Cause that was hidden from those possessed of sight.

O children of the Friend and heirs of Him Who conversed with God! Sanctify your ears to hearken unto My Most Exalted Word, whereby all things have been attracted and the Kingdom hath proclaimed: “The dominion belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds!” God hath indeed shone forth upon you from the Dayspring of His signs and the Manifestation of His Self, Who hath come from the Dawning-Place of eternity with a sovereignty before which the necks of the ungodly have bowed low. Verily the Mount hath circled round the Manifestation, and the call of the Tree hath been raised in the Sinai of knowledge. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

We counsel you in this night to fear God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Aid your Lord through wisdom and utterance. Beware lest ye follow your desires. Follow Him Who counseleth you for the sake of God, the Lord of the sublime Throne. We have remembered you before and have revealed unto you that from which the near ones have inhaled the fragrance of holiness from this Garment whereby every blind one hath seen, every poor one hath been enriched, every lowly one hath been exalted, every mute one hath spoken, and the straight path of God and His mighty Message have been made manifest. Rejoice in that the countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward you from His Most Great Prison, and hath sent down unto you that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Most Merciful throughout all possibilities. Blessed is he who hath found and attained.

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics! We beseech Thee for pardon, trusting in Thy grace and bounty which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. O Lord! We are Thy servants and we acknowledge our misdeeds and sins, and have turned unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Munificent, the Possessor of great bounty. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful. We beseech Thee, by the waves of the ocean of Thy forgiveness and mercy which have preceded Thy servants, to aid us in that which Thou lovest and approvest. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

The glory from Our presence be upon the people of Baha who have turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon with illumined hearts and radiant faces, and who have attained that which God ordained for them in the Guardian of Names, and made them companions of the Crimson Ark. By the life of God! These are servants around whom circle angels drawn nigh. Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.

And We make mention of My handmaidens who have believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and who have taken the cup of immortality with love for the Lord of all beings, and have drunk therefrom through His All-Wise remembrance. We beseech God to adorn them with the most excellent adornment and to ordain for them the best of the hereafter and of this world. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Bountiful, and the Most Merciful of the merciful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

A hundred thousand suns of grace, moons of bounty, and stars of generosity have risen and become manifest from the horizons of every word. The Kawthar, Salsabil and the choice sealed wine are visible like the sun. The Tasneem crieth out, clinging to His Most Generous Name, saying:

“Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having singled me out for the companions of Thy Ark!” And the Camphor saith: “Thanks be to Thee, O my Best-Beloved, for having singled me out for the people of the Manifestation and the companions of the Mount, who have circled round Thy will and acted according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.”

Glory be to God! Every mention from amongst the mentions, every letter from amongst the letters, and every word from amongst the words of God, exalted be His glory, is distinguished from all else like the sun. Nevertheless, the calumniators have uttered that which befitteth their own souls. Are those possessed of hearing and sight extinct? For anyone gifted with vision, even less than the eye of a needle, would perceive the difference. O my brothers! O my masters! Relinquish not justice. Reflect upon and examine the manifest evidences from our Lord, and likewise upon that which hath been sent down from the heaven of utterance by the Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—and that which hath been revealed in the Persian tongue.

At that time your eyes shall be solaced and your souls assured, and the doubts of the babblers and the words of the calumniators shall not cause you to slip, and you shall find yourselves immersed in the ocean of certitude. Verily, our Lord and your Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Bestower. He hath made known to you the stations of His Manifestation, taught you His way, and caused you to hear His call. He is our Guardian and our Goal, and He hath sent down for us that which draweth us nigh unto Him and hath taught us that which beseemeth His glorious and wondrous Day.

As for the names mentioned in the august letter, each hath been blessed with the effulgent lights of the Luminary of utterance. For some, Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, and others have been mentioned in the Tablet of Shahrud and have attained the sacred writings of the Most Exalted Pen. It is hoped that they will not be deprived of the infinite outpourings that stream forth in the Days of God, and that they will drink from the Kawthar of grace and favors that lie hidden within the exalted words. Several petitions and letters arrived from certain loved ones, each containing several names. After being presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most August Court, there was revealed for each name that which giveth eternal life to the servants.

This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, that He may cause all to attain. In truth, on this occasion that honored one hath become the cause of universal outpourings; its fragrance hath perfumed the world. Blessed are they that have attained and they that have drunk, who have quaffed from the hand of their Lord’s bounty the choice wine of utterance and the pure water of knowledge. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them to do what He loveth and pleaseth. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over what He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Concerning the obligatory prayer which his honor mentioned: in truth, whosoever recites it purely for the sake of God will attract all things and bestow fresh life upon the world of existence. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist His loved ones in that which will free them from the vicissitudes, conditions, troubles and darkness of this world, and adorn them with that which will draw them near unto Him in all circumstances. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

This prayer is different from the one revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. That prayer, along with the writings of the Primal Point, may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake, was, due to matters of wisdom, sent elsewhere. And after several years another prayer was revealed, which is also not available. Then these mentioned prayers were revealed from the heaven of bounty of the Goal of all the worlds. The intention is to perform one of these three prayers—that is, if one of the three is performed, the other two are not obligatory. Likewise, regarding individual and congregational prayer, instruction will come later, and by command, whatever has been revealed concerning the ordinances will be sent subsequently. This same explanation was given to His Holiness ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God.

Regarding certain matters that were written about, these were presented before His presence. By His command, that which is befitting will be written to Aqa ʿAli-Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God. Likewise, specifically for the honored leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of favor and sent. God willing, she will attain unto it. Verily, He is the Bestower, the Compassionate, the Generous. Whenever your kindred were mentioned previously, He would show favor to all. His grace toward you has been evident and manifest in all conditions. Similarly, specifically for Aqa Faraj’u’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, who was engaged in service, a blessed Tablet was revealed from the heaven of grace. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist him in that which He loves and is pleased with, and to grant him the blessing of receiving his glorious and wondrous Tablet. This servant has ever been anticipating whatever may come from that Beloved One. Indeed, mention and expression are the primary cause of love, unity, harmony and infinite stations of divine love. Finally, he entrusts all affairs to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

Glory, remembrance and praise be upon your honor, upon those with you, upon those who love you and who hear your word concerning the Cause of our Goal, your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.