BH00046: O beloved of my heart! Where is the one…

Section 1: “O beloved of my heart! Where…”

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

O beloved of my heart! Where is the one who heareth and where is the one who seeth? The verses speak, the clear signs give utterance, the sun beareth witness, and the moon and stars testify; yet the powers of sight and hearing are weak. The blessed Tablet which was revealed specifically for his honour ʿAli-Qabli-Muhammad, son of His Holiness the Most Truthful Name of God, upon both of whom be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, was adorned with these sublime words—thus saith the Lord, exalted and sanctified be He:

“O son of My Name! Were the entire spiritual realm to be transformed into the power of hearing, one could say it would be worthy of hearkening to these utterances that have flowed from the Pen of the Most Merciful. Otherwise, the visible ears have not been and will never be capable of hearing this call, save for a numbered few. Beseech God to grant thee insight and bestow upon thee the power of hearing, that perchance His helpless servants may not remain deprived of the sweet fragrances of this divine Day.”

Today the horizons of the heavens of the unseen and the seen are illumined with the lights of the Day-Star of utterance, yet an eye capable of beholding is rarer than the red elixir. The recompense of deeds hath prevented most of the people of the world from drawing nigh and deprived them of the outpourings of the days of the All-Bountiful Lord. Throughout ages and centuries the peoples of the world have awaited the days of His manifestation and still do—the followers of Moses in temples, the followers of the Spirit in churches, and the followers of the Qur’an in mosques, all beseeching and hoping to attain His presence in the days of His appearance and not to be deprived of the ocean of His utterance.

Yet when the lights of the manifestation of the Desired One of all worlds shone forth from the horizon of will, all remained heedless and veiled save whom God willing. The Christian says the Spirit must appear from heaven in great glory; that people remain heedless and deprived through such vain imaginings. And the Shi’ih sect says the Qa’im must come and appear from the imaginary Jabulqa and the fictitious Jabulsa. I testify that all sects worship their own desires and are devoted to the idols of their fancy. They follow heedless and ignorant souls and cling to their vain imaginings, while turning away from the light of the Sun of Manifestation. Such is the condition of the people of the world.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the nations and Master of eternity! I beseech Thee by Thy Cause through which the ocean of knowledge surged in creation and the Day-Star of utterance shone forth from the horizon of proof, to aid the people of Thy earth to turn toward the court of Thy nearness and to attain presence before Thy countenance. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy mercy not to withhold Thy servants from the outpourings of Thy days. Draw them nigh, O my God, through Thy power, teach them the ways of Thy guidance, and make them know the manifestations of Thy greatness and the evidences of Thy might.

Then ordain for them that which will keep them from all else save Thee and will guide them to Thy Mighty Announcement, whereby the limbs of all names trembled and the hearts of all in the kingdom of creation were convulsed. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of earth and heaven. Moreover, I beseech Thee, O my God, my Master and my Support, by the station which was honored by Thy footsteps and by the verses which descended from the heaven of Thy grace, to assist whosoever hath turned toward Thee and desired of the wonders of Thy bounty, and to ordain for him what Thou hast ordained for such of Thy servants as are nigh unto Thee, who have arisen to aid Thy Cause. Then write down for him the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And furthermore, O beloved of my heart! Your letters, like abundant rain, have arrived in succession. Their effect was as the spring breeze of inner meaning, and their fruit as the produce of the garden of utterance and significance, for every letter thereof was a truthful testimony and an eloquent witness to your acceptance, attention and steadfastness in the Cause of God, exalted be His glory. Each instance was a cause of joy and a source of delight, and the presence of each one spoke of the station of nearness and attainment. Blessed be your pen and joyous be your ink! After their observation, reading and review, they ascended to the supreme heights and most exalted horizon. In the presence of the Countenance of the Purpose of all worlds, they attained the honor of being heard, and in each instance the ocean of the utterance of the Most Merciful surged in such wise that the minds of the world were incapable and powerless to reckon it. And on this occasion, after being presented before Him, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these verses—thus speaks the Lord, exalted and sanctified is He:

“In My Name, through which the suns of manifestation have dawned from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge!”

O Ali! Hear My call from the direction of My prison. By God, through it the ocean of divine knowledge surged in creation, and the Luminary of proof shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of certitude, and the Dove of the Cause warbled upon the highest branches, “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

We have seen what thou didst send before and after, and We heard thy call therefrom. We answered thee with that wherewith the Lote-Tree of the Ultimate Boundary was adorned with the leaves of wisdom and utterance, but the people are in a strange sleep. We have seen thy devotion and have turned unto thee, and have brought forth from the treasuries of My Most Exalted Pen the pearls of favor and grace that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

Give glad tidings to My loved ones with My remembrance and remind them of what hath been sent down from the heaven of My Will. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing. Say: Beware lest the tyranny of any oppressor, or the turning away of any rejecter, or the might of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, hold you back.

Say: Beware, O people of the Bayan, lest ye deprive yourselves of the Living Waters which flow from the Pen of God, the Lord of all worlds. Cast aside vain imaginings, then hasten with your hearts to the Most Great Ocean and drink therefrom in My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Say: By God, were the Point of the Bayan to circle round the Throne of the All-Merciful before your faces—fear God and deny not the Truth through your idle fancies. Verily He hath come from the horizon of power with manifest sovereignty. We have raised Him up in truth and sent Him to give glad tidings unto men of this Most Great Cause and this Mighty News.

Say: Fear God, O people of the Bayan, and be not of them who denied God’s proof after its revelation and disputed His signs after their manifestation. He counseleth you out of His grace, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

O Ali! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. This is that call for the hearing of which the world was created. Convey My greetings to the loved ones of God in that land and its surroundings. The mention of each of those who have turned unto God hath ever flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur, that perchance they may attain such a station through the light of the Word and the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree that the seas of the doubts of the ungodly, atheists and traducers may not quench it nor stay its burning.

How many widespread dominions hath the hand of destiny rolled up and cast away, consigning both kings and subjects to the dust! What morning hath no evening to follow it, and what life hath not death pursuing it? Soon shall that which is visible be seized by the might of annihilation and return to non-existence. Say: O friends! These are days for which the Prophets, the Chosen Ones, and the Messengers sought audience with God, exalted be His glory. Each of you, through God’s grace, hath attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. Know ye the value of this station and illumine the horizons with the light of unity. One mention in this Day excelleth the remembrances of centuries, and one deed in these days surpasseth the deeds of ages. Strive ye that perchance ye may achieve a deed which shall be adorned with the crown of acceptance and shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endureth.

In these days the thief entereth in the guise of the trustworthy, and the manifestations of tyranny appear in the name of justice. We have formerly informed all of that which would later appear. O people of God! Give not credence to every speaker, and be on your guard against the claimants. This is the binding command of the Most Exalted Pen which hath been manifested in the prison. The Glory which is manifest, evident, radiant, and shining from the horizon of My utterance be upon thee.

Be on your guard against the pretenders—this is the imperative command of the Most Exalted Pen that hath been revealed in prison. The Glory that is manifest, evident, radiant and shining from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance be upon thee and upon My party, whom neither the might of the aggressors, nor the riches of the heedless, nor the doubts of the suspicious, nor the croakings of the detractors have deterred from God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

At this moment We make mention of My handmaidens. By God’s life, all are remembered in the presence of the Wronged One and have attained unto divine bounty. We give them all the glad-tidings of God’s mercy and remind them through resplendent verses. For each one We beseech that which hath flowed from the Pen of the Lord of all beings and hath been recorded in the Crimson Scroll. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

Praise be unto our Lord, our Goal and our Beloved, Who hath manifested such grace as pens are powerless to recount, such mercy as tongues fail to describe, and such loving-kindness as souls fall short of comprehending. This evanescent servant, with utmost humility and supplication, beseecheth the True One, exalted be His glory, to aid His loved ones in that which is befitting of His days and worthy of His grace. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Missives from that honored personage arrived in succession, both before and after—some addressed to this evanescent one, and others unto His Holiness Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious. God be praised! Each one bore witness to the devotion, steadfastness, remembrance and turning of that spiritual beloved, and each was submitted unto the Most Holy and Inaccessible Presence, attaining the honor of being heard. From the heaven of bounty descended that which hath perfumed the world with its fragrances, and there flowed forth that beside whose merest drop the oceans are in truth as naught. This servant standeth bewildered—what praise can prove worthy of these favors, and what thanksgiving adequate unto these bestowals? Exalted is His loving-kindness, transcendent His mercy, and supreme His gifts!

These exalted words once shone forth from the Dayspring of Utterance—glorified and exalted be He—saying: O servant in My presence, write unto Ali, upon him be My Glory: O Ali! These immature ones of the world have not been, nor are they, capable of recognizing this Most Great Cause and Mighty Announcement. They have sprung from the loins of idle fancies, have been nurtured in vain imaginings, and cling fast unto illusions. They have not been, nor are they, worthy to behold the effulgent lights of the Orb of true Divine Unity, and likewise are they incapable of hearkening unto this Call. Nay, We have written unto the son of Asdaq, upon him be My Glory: were the power of the spirit wholly transformed into the power of hearing, it might then be said that he is worthy to hearken unto this Call.

O Ali! The ocean of light surgeth and waveth through the breaths of the verses that have been revealed, and the realm of utterance is illumined by the proofs of truth. Where are the eyes that are dimmed, and where are these lights? Where are the ears that are debarred, and where is this Call? This people have been, and are, fit only to hearken unto the dawning-places of idle fancies. Leave them to plunge in their vain discourses and to sport therein.’ Of late have they clung to names. Mention hath been made of a successor. God come to the aid of His servants! For certain among the unjust of the world have purposed to establish anew a sect from among the Shi’ah. Have they not beheld the former sects and witnessed their deeds? The Jews, in the Day of Resurrection, were observed to be better and more exalted than that sect, inasmuch as they pronounced no decree against the Essence of Truth Himself!

I shall make mention of but one utterance from the Bab, haply some may become aware of and attain unto that which is the purpose and discover it. The Bab—may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake—sent a Tablet to Shaykh Muhammad-Hasan-i-Najafi, and the bearer thereof was Mulla Ali-i-Bastami. This Shaykh was the chief divine of the Shi’ihs. He rejected the Tablet, waxed proud, disdained it, and spoke that which befitted his own station. Thereafter the Bab—may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake—revealed another Tablet wherein He addresseth the aforementioned Shaykh, saying: “Verily, We raised up Ali from his resting-place and sent him unto thee with a Book…” unto the end of His utterance, exalted and glorified be He.

The purport of the blessed Tablet is this: “We raised up ʿAli from his resting-place and sent him unto thee with a Book. Hadst thou recognized him and prostrated thyself before him, We would assuredly have raised up from the first letter of thee the first letter, and from the second letter the third letter. But since thou didst not recognize him, all thy deeds were rendered null and void, thou didst enter into the fire, and thou wast unaware thereof.” By God! Were anyone to meditate upon this utterance of the Bab which hath been mentioned, he would know of a certainty that there existeth a station with God wherein names have no access. Now they have turned away from Him at Whose mention the Point of the Bayan [the Bab] said “I am the first to worship Him.”

Section 2: “By My life! If a soul were…”

By My life! If a soul were to contemplate this heralding utterance that hath been mentioned, he would know with absolute certainty that with God there is a station wherein names have no access. Now they have turned away from a station concerning which the Point of the Bayan hath said, at the mention of His name, “I am the foremost of them that worship,” and have clung to former tales and names. It is not known what these unjust people have understood from the previous Dispensation. The divines of Persia cursed and reviled the Truth from all pulpits. By God’s life! Pure and attentive ears in this hour hearken to the lamentations of these pulpits, engaged in mourning and weeping.

Say: Die in your wrath! Until ye pass beyond the gulf of names, ye shall not attain, nor ever will attain, to the ocean of inner meanings. The Kingdom of Names circleth round, and the companions of the Mount are occupied with praise and glorification. Where are they who behold all save God as non-existent and as naught? These are they who have quaffed the choice wine that is sealed, who soar above the world. These repose on the thrones of certitude, recline upon the couches of assurance, and are seated upon the cushions of tranquillity. The divine Books, both past and present, speak of such souls. Blessed are they that hear!

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land and its surroundings. Say: O people of God! The delusions of the past have appeared; they speak of perversion and utter similar words. Enter ye into the impregnable, mighty fortress “We belong unto God” and behold yourselves detached from the world and all who dwell therein. This is the counsel of God from the Tongue of the Goal of all the worlds. His grace towards His loved ones is evident and manifest. Today the breezes of bounty are wafting and the ocean of generosity is surging. The disobedience of the world hath not withheld His mercy, nor hath the waywardness of the nations veiled the Sun of His bounty. Blessed are they who are adorned with the ornament of steadfastness and who utter the blessed words “We turn unto Thee.”

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon thee and upon My loved ones whom the calumnies of the denouncers and the assaults of the aggressors have not deterred, who have turned their hearts to the Most Sublime Horizon and have said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings and Master of the Throne on high and of earth below, for having guided us unto Thy straight path and Thy mighty announcement. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

The waves of the visible sea are manifest, and the lights of the sun are evident. Unto Him be praise and glory, unto Him be gratitude and splendor. He hath ever mentioned His loved ones with most excellent utterance, an utterance from which the fragrances of the One mentioned are diffused. I beseech God to aid His loved ones to perform such deeds as are worthy of these endless favors. Verily, He is the Munificent, the Kind. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Most Generous of the generous ones.

The petition that was previously sent by the loved ones of God reached the Most Holy Court and was honored to be heard. His blessed and exalted Word: O Ali! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of all worlds. Thy letter and that wherewith thou didst call upon God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, hath reached Us. We have heard that which thy outward and inner tongue did utter, and have answered thee with this manifest Book, each letter of which speaketh before the faces of the world. The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come with mighty sovereignty. O Ali! Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad tidings of My loving-kindness, that the sweet savors of divine revelation may attract them to a station wherein the fire of tyranny shall not deter them from the direction of God, the Almighty, the Powerful. O Muhammad-Taqi! We have heard thy call and beheld thy name. We make mention of thee in this perspicuous Tablet. When thou hearest the call of Him Who is wronged from the precincts of the Prison, and art attracted by My choice sealed wine, say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me, for having made me know Thee, and for having caused me to hear Thy verses and Thy days. I beseech Thee by the Word through which the dead were raised up, the trumpet was sounded, and the mountains were moved, to make me one of those whom neither the might of the world hath deterred from drawing nigh unto Thy Most Great Name, nor the clamor of men hath kept back from turning toward Thy Name, the Most High, the Self-Subsisting. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and by the lights of the suns of Thy favors to make me not deprived of the manifestations of the Sun of Thy unity, nor withheld from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

We make mention of him who hath been named ʿAli (Mulla) in the Kingdom of Names, that the Call may attract him to the Most Exalted Horizon and the Hand of Bounty may give him to drink of the choice wine of Glory through My Most Glorious Name. Thus have We sent down the verses as a grace from Us, and I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Take thou the Book with the power bestowed by Us, and be not of the patient ones. Beware lest the hosts of the world frighten thee or the might of the sovereigns weaken thee. Cast aside what the people possess in this Day wherein the Self-Subsisting calleth and summoneth the servants unto His sealed wine, which if anyone should drink thereof, neither the croaking of the croakers would sadden him, nor would the doubts of the doubters hinder him.

We counsel thee and those who have believed to be trustworthy and chaste, and to that whereby the stations of man are exalted. Thy Lord is verily the Manifest Counselor. God hath forgiven thee and thy father and thy mother as a mercy from Him, and We ask Him to ordain for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto Him and benefit thee in all His worlds. He is verily the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Karbila’i Isma’il! Praise be to God that thou hast turned unto the waves of the divine ocean of utterance and the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of inner meanings, unto the Straight Path and the Great News. This is a great bounty and a mighty station. Implore thou His protection from Him. That which thou didst beseech from God, exalted be His glory, hath been heard, but it is more fitting that thou shouldst commit all affairs unto Him and hold fast unto the cord of trust in Him, for man knoweth not what profiteth or harmeth him. None knoweth the unseen save Him. Say:

My God, my God! This servant of Thine hath turned unto Thee and confesseth his ignorance before the dawning of the Sun of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee to ordain for him that which shall profit him. Thou knowest what he hath and he knoweth not what Thou hast, and Thou art verily the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O Haji Malik-Muhammad! He who loved Me hath mentioned thee. We have mentioned thee with verses that are not equaled by whatsoever hath been created on earth. Thy Lord is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful. Thy name hath attained unto My presence. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to recognize Him Who was hidden in the eternity of eternities and treasured in the hearts of the Messengers. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me in Thy Most Exalted Station and for having sent down for me that whose fragrance shall never fade throughout the continuance of Thy Name, the All-Compelling over those who are in the heavens and on earth. I beseech Thee to ordain for me steadfastness in Thy Cause. Thou art verily the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Karbila’i Ramadan! We have heard thy call and have turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison. Praise be to God that thou hast turned unto Him and hast attained unto the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of bounty of the One desired by all the worlds. Today the ocean of grace is manifest before all faces and the sun of generosity is shining from the horizon of the world. Blessed are they whom the events of the world have not prevented, nor kept back from remembrance and praise. Take thou My Book and say: Unto Thee be glory, O Thou Desire of the world, and unto Thee be praise, O Thou Beloved of them that have recognized Thee.

O Ibrahim (Haji Mulla), hear My call which hath been raised from the precincts of My prison, summoning mankind unto Mine horizon, heralding unto them My mercy, and drawing them nigh unto the Mighty, the Great. We have heard thy call and have addressed thee from the Most Exalted Paradise’s right hand side. There is none other God but He, the Compassionate, the Generous. He hath appeared and revealed whatsoever He willeth, a command from His presence, and He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent. The world’s might hath not hindered Him, nor hath the oppressors’ tyranny frightened Him. He hath spoken before all faces: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all worlds.” Blessed is he who hath heard the call and responded to his Ancient Lord.

Woe betide him who hath denied and turned away from this Momentous News. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to turn towards Him when every ignorant one remote from Him turned away. Behold the divines of Iran who awaited throughout centuries and ages the advent of God and His sovereignty. Yet when the Promise was fulfilled and the Promised One came from the heaven of their Lord, the Unconstrained’s will, they arose in opposition until they pronounced against Him an injustice whereat the realities of all things lamented, and beyond them the near ones and the sincere. Thus have We adorned thee with the traces of My Most Exalted Pen that thou mayest rejoice and be among the thankful.

O Muhammad, My glory be upon thee! Thou didst seek bounty for the people of Kakhk. A blessed tablet hath been sent down and dispatched from the Kingdom of divine knowledge. We beseech God to cause all to attain unto it, that they may drink from the ocean of utterance and be illumined by the lights of the Day-Star of true divine unity. He is the All-Bountiful, He is the Generous.

O Rida, say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the mysteries of Thy knowledge to make me among those who desire naught save what Thou hast desired for them through Thy bounty and decreed for them through Thy command. O my Lord! I testify to Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and that Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee. I beseech Thee to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to ordain for me the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of the Throne and earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Muhammad Husayn, thy name hath been mentioned and these verses have been revealed and inscribed in thy honor. His grace hath encompassed the world and His mercy hath embraced all, yet in most cities the hosts of self and passion have prevailed over godliness. We beseech God to grant strength and power that the servants of earth may attain unto that for which they were brought from nothingness into being.

O Nasrullah, hear what the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an:

“When God’s help and victory come, and thou seest men entering God’s religion in throngs.”

In truth, on the day of victory and triumph, all are seen submissive and humble. Blessed is the soul that in these days hath attained the honor of acceptance. The Messenger of God—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—commanded holy war. The Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—commanded assistance. Yet this Wronged One hath strictly forbidden in the Tablets all conflict, strife, sword and spear, and hath commanded all to assist God’s Cause through the hosts of goodly deeds and praiseworthy character, and to conquer the cities of hearts. Blessed are they who act accordingly.

O Kuchak, thy mention hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and the Wronged One’s countenance is at this moment turned toward thee, making mention of thee. Shouldst thou comprehend this station’s rank, thou wouldst, until the grave, utter the blessed words “Praise be unto Thee, O Single One, O Unique One.” The glory shining from the heaven of My mercy’s horizon be upon My loved ones who have attained unto My days and have acknowledged that which hath been sent down from the heaven of their Lord’s will, the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing.

O Ali! Each of the aforementioned names has attained that which has had and has no likeness or equal. Some have desired to attain Our presence; however, due to certain circumstances in these days, it was not and is not expedient. You should give glad-tidings to all on behalf of the Wronged One and gladden them with the Tablet of God.

O My beloved! The exalted standards and divine banners are manifest and evident from the clear signs. This servant beseeches and hopes for the divine grace that He may cause His loved ones to attain that which befits His Day. His standards and banners have been and are the manifestations of His commandments and prohibitions. Repeatedly from the Most Exalted Pen this most sublime word hath been revealed, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

“The hosts of divine ethics and deeds are the helpers of this Cause, and the commander of these hosts is the fear of God.”

Section 3: “This is the word that should any fair-minded…”

This is the word that should any fair-minded person hear it, he would speak with justice and converse with equity. O My beloved! The sending of the reply to the letter was greatly delayed. In any case, forgiveness has been and is sought, for time was lacking and opportunity absent. I beseech you and the loved ones to pray for divine assistance and confirmation for this evanescent one, as time is outwardly short and the task momentous. There is no power nor strength except through God, the Most High, the Most Great.

Concerning the mention made of Aqa Muhammad-Rida and Aqa Siyyid Muhammad, upon them be the glory of God, and likewise their degree of enkindlement with the fire of God’s love, after presentation before Him, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

This is a mention from Us unto him who was named Muhammad before Rida, that the mention may draw him unto God, the Lord of all names, and make him of those whom the veils of the world have not caused to slip nor the signs of the deniers hindered. We have heard thy mention and make mention of thee with a mention whereby the hearts of those near unto God are drawn. We counsel thee and those who have believed to fear God, the Lord of all worlds. Say:

My God, my God! Thy call hath attracted me, Thy grace hath delivered me, Thy verses have taken hold of me, and the light of Thy Cause hath guided me to Thy straight path. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the effulgences of the sun of Thy manifestation to make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I have turned to Thy most exalted horizon and supreme height. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones in Thy days. I am he who, O my God, hath acknowledged Thy Book and what hath been sent down therein of Thy commandments and ordinances and that which the tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken. I beseech Thee, O Quickener of the graves and Manifestor of light, by Thy most glorious path and Thy most great announcement, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficing, the Most Exalted.

And this is what was revealed for Siyyid Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God:

O Muhammad! Hear My call from the precincts of My prison. Verily it will draw thee nigh unto Mine horizon, and will aid thee to stand firm in My Cause, and will give thee to drink of the Kawthar of Mine utterance from the hand of My bounty, and will guide thee to the station which God hath made the most exalted of stations. We have manifested the Cause before the faces of all peoples—among them are those who turned away, those who hesitated, those who pronounced sentence upon the shedding of My blood, and those who turned towards Me and said:

“Here am I, O Thou Desire of the Worlds! Here am I, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth the reins of all men!”

Blessed is the servant who hath heard and responded, and woe unto every denier who hath turned away from God in his final end. O Muhammad! Take thou the chalice of immortality in My Most Great Name, then drink therefrom in spite of the enemies who turned away from the Face, having followed the sources of vain imaginings. Thus hath the Divine Lote-Tree spoken that which draweth the hearts of the righteous. When thou hast drunk of My choice-sealed wine in My Self-Subsisting Name, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call and for having made known unto me the Dayspring of Thy signs, the Manifestation of Thy clear tokens and the Source of Thy commandments. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Kingdom and the mysteries of Thy Dominion to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the worlds to come and of those gone before. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.”

Mention was made of Karbila’i Muhammad (the barber), upon him be the Glory of God. After it was presented before the Most Holy Court, this utterance was revealed from the Kingdom of divine grace—exalted be His glory: O Muhammad! The friends of God have ever been and are blessed with the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. Thy mention is remembered and thy name is known. God willing, thou shalt hold fast unto the Book of God with such firmness that all the world shall be powerless to separate thee from it. Praise be to God that thou hast hearkened unto the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen and hast drunk from the ocean of knowledge of the Desire of the worlds.

We beseech God to aid thee to remain steadfast in this Most Great Cause. We ask God to forgive thee, thy father, thy mother, and thy wife. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. We counsel thee and those who have believed in that which beseemeth this glorious and wondrous Day. We have mentioned and continue to mention the loved ones of that land, one and all, and We command them all to fear God, which is the crown of all deeds. Blessed are they who act, and woe unto those who neglect. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

An incalculable bounty hath been manifested, such that were all the atoms of creation to be transformed into pens, and all the seas into ink, they would be unable to render thanks for these manifest and resplendent favors. Who hath the capacity and power to offer fitting thanks? However, since the acknowledgment of powerlessness is beloved, perchance this powerlessness may become the cause of acceptance and lead to success. Night and day He hath remembered His loved ones and commanded them to that which will exalt their stations and ranks, through utterances from whose every letter doth shine forth the sun of loving-kindness. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous. There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

A petition submitted in the name of Muhammad Husayn (son of Mulla Abu’l-Qasim) and Aqa Khalilu’llah and Aqa Asadu’llah, the two nephews of the honored teacher—upon him and upon them be the Glory of God—was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and these manifest verses were revealed from the Dayspring of bounty and the Ocean of grace specifically for them—blessed and exalted be His Word:

In the name of the One God

O My loved ones! Your letter was presented before the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison and gained the honor of being heard. Praise be to God, it testified to your awareness and to your acceptance, attention and love for the Beloved of the worlds. We beseech God to assist you in exalting His Word through wisdom and utterance, and to sanctify you from whatsoever is unworthy of the station of man. Today the Tongue of Grandeur proclaims: By God’s life! The sun has neither shone nor risen upon such a day. All must recognize the value of these divine days and aid the Cause of God through goodly deeds. Praise ye the Desired One of the world Who has mentioned you—a mention whose fragrance is everlasting and enduring.

We beseech God to assist you in that which He loves and is pleased with, to make you among those who have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cups of their Lord’s bountiful gifts, the Compassionate, the Generous, and to ordain for you that which shall be as light before your faces in all the worlds of His worlds. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, and worthy to grant this prayer. Glory be upon you and upon those who have attained unto this mighty Cause and this Great Announcement.

And likewise the petition of the two sons of the martyred Ni’matullah and Nasrullah, upon him and them be the Glory of God, was presented before Him and gained the honor of being heard, and these verses were revealed from the Kingdom of the All-Merciful’s utterance specifically for them. His exalted Word:

In the Name of the Desired One of the World

The servant was present with your petition and presented it all, and this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed in response from the Sacred Kingdom, that ye may drink from the Euphrates of utterance and receive your portion from the Kawthar of divine knowledge. The relatives of the departed, elevated teacher—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God—and the martyr have ever been and are mentioned before the Wronged One. We beseech God to enable you to preserve the pearls of His love. The treacherous have been and are lying in wait for this precious gem. The ignorant and heedless servants who are unaware of the root of the Cause are striving and struggling to mislead sanctified souls, and through various forms of deceit and guile have been and are attempting to prevent them.

We beseech God to assist you with such assistance that the ranks of the world shall be powerless to prevent and the might of nations shall not weaken you. Stand firm in His Cause through divine power and might, and be vocal in His remembrance and praise. We counsel all to observe calmness, dignity and wisdom, lest the clamor of the ignorant be raised in ignorance. There are learned ones who are deprived and prevented from the Dawning Place of divine revelation and the ocean of heavenly knowledge. We mention the loved ones of that land and its surroundings and counsel them to that which is befitting. Glory be upon you, O My loved ones, from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The Sun of Divine Utterance has shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s mercy in such wise that its light has encompassed the dust of earth and indeed all the world, and its fragrance has perfumed it. Should one possessed of the sense of smell be in the furthermost parts of the world, he would detect this diffused fragrance, would turn with heart and soul, and would remain occupied with remembrance and praise throughout his life. One is astonished at what has prevented the eyes of the people of the world and what has veiled the sense of smell of the nations. Strange and wondrous is it that some of the ignorant ones of the world have denied this Most Great Cause and seek to establish another. Glory be to God! If this Cause be denied, what other cause would be worthy of affirmation or mention? We must beseech God that perchance the oppressors may attain unto justice and the workers of tyranny unto equity.

Likewise the petition of Aqa Ali-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. This is what was revealed for him from the heaven of the will of our Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful. He says, blessed and exalted be He:

“O Ali-Akbar! Thy letter arrived and We saw and heard it. Praise be to God that thou hast turned unto Him and attained the honor of recognition. Thou didst seek His presence from the Wronged One. O ʿAli-Akbar! The heedless servants have become a barrier and have prevented the people from the Truth. Be not grieved at being deprived of His presence and meeting. Beseech God that He may ordain for thee from the Most Exalted Pen the reward of His presence. He is the Lord of Command and the Sovereign of Decree. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. The creatures of the first and the last are powerless to prevent His Will. The power of His Word and the penetration of His Purpose are manifest as the sun. Blessed is the eye that seeth and woe unto every heedless doubter. The souls mentioned in thy petition have each attained unto the Luminary of Utterance, the Goal of all the worlds. We give them glad tidings of My remembrance and My favor, and We counsel them with that which beseemeth the days of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne and the Possessor of the Exalted Seat.”

Praise be to God! All have achieved victory and have been adorned with the lights of the utterance of our Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of the earth. This servant petitioneth the Almighty, glorified be His glory, that He may confirm and make successful all mankind in such deeds, actions, and character as shall ensure the permanence of His dominion throughout the Kingdom of earth and heaven. Verily, our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful, and He is the Compassionate, the All-Knowing.

Likewise, two petitions from Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid ʿAli and Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Baqir—upon them be the glory of God—were received. After being submitted before the presence of the Lord of all mankind, two luminous Tablets specific to them were revealed. He speaketh—blessed and exalted be He:

In the Name of Him Who is the Manifest, the Witnessed

O ʿAli! Hearken unto My Call with the ear of thy heart. By My life! Wert thou to hear it with true attention, it would draw thee unto a station wherein the sorrows of the world and the tribulations of the nations would cause thee no grief, and thou wouldst find thy spirit sanctified from the doubts of the wayward and independent of whatsoever is in the hands of kings and sultans. Hearken unto the Call from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing: Verily, there is no God but He, the One, the All-Knowing. The servant who is present hath come with thy letter and hath presented it before the Wronged One. We have answered thee with this luminous Book which proclaimeth throughout the world and summoneth all unto God, the Lord of all the worlds. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for that He hath confirmed thee in turning toward Him and hath made known unto thee that which hath been withheld from the men of the earth and its champions. Verily, bounty is in His grasp, and He is the Compassionate, the Generous. When the wafting of the verses doth move thee, turn thy face and thy heart unto the Dawning-Place of the clear tokens. Say:

Section 4: “My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee…”

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call, shown me Thy tokens and summoned me from the precincts of Thy prison. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause, through which they that are sincere hastened to the seat of sacrifice and they that are devoted to the highest horizon, to ordain for me that which shall make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love, such that neither the hosts of the oppressors nor the might of the ungodly shall prevent me. O my Lord! I testify that Thou hast created me to know the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Source of Thy commandments and ordinances, and to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Tablets. I beseech Thee by Thy bounty through which the ocean of existence hath surged, and by the generosity through which Thou hast quickened the world and its peoples, to ordain for me and for those with me that which shall cause us to be numbered with them that have attained unto Thy good-pleasure and have quaffed the choice wine of detachment from the hands of Thy bestowal. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This was revealed for Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God.

He is the One Who ruleth over all who are in earth and heaven.

The Call of God hath, from everlasting, been uplifted on high; and the resplendent Luminary of His Revelation hath arisen and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Tur. Behind this Light there have, indeed, followed dark clouds, and after it have swept the mists of hatred. Though, in these days, they have hindered the rays of the Sun of Truth from shedding their splendour, yet shall the Light, in the end, prevail, the Cause be made manifest, and the all-compelling decree be witnessed in its ascendancy.

We admonish the loved ones of God—exalted be His glory—to cleave unto trustworthiness and uprightness, and to whatsoever will lead to the exaltation and advancement of the Word of God. O people of God! From among your attributes must the attribute of God be made evident; and your deeds, your motions and your stillness, must become the mirrors of the Will of God. This Wronged One hath ever enjoined upon them that turn unto Him and them that love Him that which causeth loftiness and sublimity. The atoms of creation bear witness and testify that He hath desired nothing for Himself. Render thanks unto the Ancient Lord, Who hath mentioned thee in a time when thou art encompassed by the slanders of the peoples. We beseech God to bestow upon thee, and upon the loved ones in that land, His bounty of success, and to aid them to persevere in remembrance and praise, in wisdom and utterance. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Ordainer, the Judge, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Take counsel together in thine affairs; whatsoever proceedeth from consultation, that do thou carry out—for in divers Tablets have We commanded all men to consult. We ask God to confirm thee and His loved ones in that which He loveth and approveth; and We ask Him to forgive thy father and thy mother, and then those who have ascended unto Him. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful, and the God of all who are in the heavens and on the earth. End.

To render befitting thanks for these favours no one hath been, nor can ever be, capable—by the righteousness of His own Self, the One, the True. Though the pens of the world and the tongues of all peoples were to utter His praiseworthy remembrance, the praises of the first and the last, they would assuredly not be equal to a single word of those words which shine forth from the Dayspring of His Will. Yet, since we are bidden to praise and glorify Him, we cling to the cord of remembrance; else, what are the praises of created things, and where is the all-holy, most pure, most sanctified Court? In every state we are of Him, and from Him we implore that which is worthy of His bounty.

This servant beseecheth the Lord of Existence to kindle His loved ones with such a fire that the world itself may be set aflame. Verily our Lord is the Omnipotent, the Almighty. There is none other God but He, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Concerning that honoured beloved, Haji Mirza ʿAli-Akbar—upon him be the glory of God—of whom they wrote, and whose steadfastness and ardour they made mention: after this was laid before the Most Holy, the Most Exalted Court, these mighty verses were sent down from the Kingdom of the grace of the Lord of all mankind. He saith, Exalted, the Sanctified be He:

O ʿAli-Akbar! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One. He verily remembereth thee and draweth thee nigh and teacheth thee that which beseemeth the days of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears. Repeatedly hath thy mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and time and again hast thou been favored with the tokens of the Pen of Command. Ponder thou upon that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s will. In every utterance lieth concealed the Kawthar of divine knowledge. Blessed are they that drink thereof! I swear by the Sun of Truth that whosoever shall today observe the divine verses with the eye of justice and fairness shall be sustained by the Kawthar of steadfastness and shall find himself detached from all else but God. When thou art illumined by the lights of the Orb of My proof and hast drunk the Salsabil of knowledge from the chalices of My verses, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having remembered me and magnified me and honored me and made me to know Thee. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the world and Light shining amidst the nations, by Thy Most Great Name through which the limbs of the aggressive ones among Thy servants and the idolaters among Thy creatures have trembled, to make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love and acting according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

This servant likewise beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to aid him to champion His Cause in such wise that the fame of his steadfastness may spread throughout all lands and regions. Should they consider the signs, tokens and verses of the Messengers, and ponder that which hath been revealed and made manifest in this Most Great Revelation from the heaven of bounty, they would testify with absolute certainty to the greatness, power, sovereignty and all-encompassing nature of this Most Great Revelation over all past and future Manifestations. God willing, they are aided to make mention and offer praise and serve the Cause of God—our purpose and the purpose of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be to Him, for He is the Goal of them that know.

As for what was mentioned in the previous letter regarding traveling to different regions for the purpose of teaching God’s Cause, after its presentation They said that in these matters consultation must be made. We beseech God to establish this decree—that is, consultation—which We have in these days made binding, that all may adhere to it henceforth. O ʿAli! In the path of God thou hast witnessed and heard that which caused the greatest sorrow. No deed is ever lost in the sight of God, nor shall it ever be. The deeds of His loved ones in His path are each like unto a treasure in the keeping of a Trustee to Whose trustworthiness all things have testified and do testify.

As for appointing this evanescent one as representative specifically for visitation on Friday the seventeenth of the month of Rabi’u’l-Avval at noon, after permission was granted, this one presented himself and there was fulfilled that which hath been the purpose of that Beloved One and all the chosen ones of God, past and future. How blessed are mine eyes and thine eyes, and how blessed am I and art thou! We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid us in remembrance and praise, and in attaining His presence and circumambulating His shrine. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

And as to what thou hast written concerning the honoured Aqa [Shahviri] and Aqa Shahvirdi—upon them be the glory of God—and thy mention of their pleasing qualities and their pure deeds, and likewise thy remembrance of the trustworthiness and integrity of the loved ones in that land: these matters were submitted in the presence of His holy Court. He—blessed and exalted be He—hath spoken:

“Out of sheer grace and favour We drew the sons of Abraham and the heirs of Moses from the dust of the earth unto the Most Exalted Horizon, and guided them from the north of idle fancy unto the right hand of certitude. Convey, on behalf of the Wronged One, to these two, Our greetings of magnification. Their mention hath been, and shall ever remain, in the precincts of the Wronged One; and each hath attained unto the traces of the Pen of the Most High and to other favours besides. We beseech God to confirm them, that they may arise with perfect steadfastness to render service unto the Cause of the Lord of mankind. O ʿAli! Implore of God that He may adorn, one and all, the heirs of Kalim with trustworthiness and integrity, with sanctity and purity. Some, in the regions round about, are acting in a manner unbefitting; beseech thou God that He may strengthen all to cleave unto that which causeth exaltation and advancement.” End.

The supplication of Jinab-i-Ibn-i-Azghandi—upon him be the glory of God—was laid before the Most Holy, the Most Exalted Presence, and was honoured with His listening ear; and this most holy and mighty Tablet was revealed especially for him, that he might drink from the cups of the utterance of our Lord, the All-Merciful, the Kawthar of wisdom and understanding. He—blessed and exalted be He—hath spoken:

In the Name of Him Who speaks with wisdom

O son of Azghand, upon thee be the Glory of God! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and the servant in attendance before the Throne hath presented it. We have revealed for thee a Tablet whereby the cities of knowledge and wisdom have been perfumed. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We counsel thee and those who have believed to be characterized by trustworthiness, righteousness, truthfulness and purity. Blessed is the servant who acteth in accordance with what hath been ordained in the Book of God, the Lord of all lords. Hearken unto the call from the direction of ʿAkka—verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Blessed be thy father, again blessed be he! He informed My servants of My Manifestation before I manifested Myself. Verily nothing is hidden from thy Lord’s knowledge. He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We have mentioned him in the Crimson Tablet with My Most Exalted Pen in such wise that his remembrance shall endure among all mentions and his spirit among all spirits. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Take hold of God’s Tablet with the power bestowed by Him and follow not those who follow the sources of fancy and imagination. Say: O people of the Bayan! By God, the All-Merciful hath come, He for Whom the Point of the Bayan sacrificed Himself in His path. Fear God, O people of fairness! Be just concerning God’s Cause and His Manifestation. He hath come from the heaven of proof with verses which have left those of understanding powerless to comprehend them. Say: Cast away what ye possess and take what ye have been given by God, the Illuminator of all horizons. O son of Ahmad, upon him be My glory, My mercy and My loving-kindness! When the breezes of My revelation stir thee and the wine of My utterance intoxicates thee, say:

O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Prison, and by Thy imprisonment in the Land of Ta, and by another imprisonment in another land, and by Thy mighty signs, to assist me and Thy loved ones in that which befitteth Thy days and beseemeth Thy station. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and clinging to Thee. Ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Bountiful. I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, by the banners of Thy signs and the emblems of Thy power and sovereignty, to make me steadfast, firm, upright and unwavering in Thy Cause, through which the limbs of the learned have quaked, the hearts of the divines have trembled, and the feet of the wise have slipped, save those whom the hands of Thy favor have delivered. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Such bounty and mercy hath been manifested as the eye of creation hath neither seen nor shall see the like thereof. O people of God! Know ye the worth of this most exalted station and this ultimate goal, and at all times hold fast unto service to His Cause. The victorious hosts are wisdom and utterance and deeds and character. Blessed is he who aids the Cause of his Lord through wisdom and utterance and through that which hath been revealed in the Book. Convey my greetings and salutations to all the friends in that land and its surroundings. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist them in that which beseemeth this blessed Day. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon God’s loved ones there and upon all who are steadfast and upright. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Wise.

The servant 18th of Rabi’u’l-Avval 1305