BH00048: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy…

Section 1: “In the Name of our Lord, the Most…”

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

Praise be to God Who hath manifested from the letter Alif the Most Great Steadfastness, and through the letter Ba the distinction between all things, and through the letter Jim revealed the station of him who circumambulated the Throne at eventide and at dawn, and through the letter Dal the submissiveness of God’s loved ones in the Kingdom of Names and their humility and their bowing down when the lights were shed forth from the Luminary of their Lord’s Will, the Lord of the Beginning and the Return. He made the letter Ha the essence of the temple of letters in the Most Exalted Word. When it was adorned with the letter Ba, there was manifested the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery and the Most Great Name whereby the world was adorned.

Glorified be He Who hath revealed Himself by His Own Self unto His Own Self, and hath manifested Himself unto His creation through His signs, His revelations and His evidences. Glorified be He Who hath made all things to speak of the letters of the Book and hath revealed the mysteries of the Beginning in the Return. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bestower. Glorified be the Lord of creation Who was named in the Gospel as the Spirit of Truth, and in the Torah as the Everlasting God, and in the Furqan as the Great Announcement, through Whom this Ancient Structure was raised up. Verily it was preceded by the Cause, which is God’s compelling Will. I pray, offer salutations and glorification upon God’s chosen ones, His pure ones, His loved ones and His emissaries, whom God hath purified from their own desires and made them the manifestations of His Will amidst all creation. These are servants through whom the horizon of the heaven of trustworthiness was illumined.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou by Whose Name the near ones have called out in the wilderness of longing and the sincere ones in the desert of separation. The sweetness of Thy call, which was raised from the direction of Thy Throne in Thy days, hath so transported them that they were drawn to Thee and said:

“Here am I, O Lord, here am I! Here am I, O Lord of the world and the Desire of the nations! Here am I, O Most Great Name and Most Ancient Spirit! Here am I, here am I, O Thou through Whose Name the sealed choice Wine was unsealed and the Self-Subsisting Name was manifested, and through Whom the ocean of utterance surged and the fragrance of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was wafted! Here am I, here am I, O God of existence and Ultimate Goal! Here am I, here am I, O Thou through Whose Name flowed the river of mercy and the Temple of Oneness was established upon the throne of grandeur! Here am I, here am I, O Thou through Whom the Fire spoke in the Tree and the earth shone with the light of Thy countenance! O Thou through Whom the Resurrection arose and the Hour was manifested and decayed bones were quickened! Here am I, here am I, O Goal of the mystics and Ultimate Hope of the yearning ones! Here am I, here am I, O Thou through Whose love the hearts of lovers were melted and through the light of Whose Cause the horizons were illumined!”

I praise Thee for having honored Thy dwellings with Thy presence and pitched Thy tents upon the hills and mountains by Thy Name and Thy power. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the sweetness of Thy utterance and by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued Thy names, to aid Thy servants to turn unto the lights of Thy countenance and to advance toward Thy horizon. O Lord! Keep them not back from the shore of the ocean of Thy bounty, nor deprive them of the table Thou hast sent down from the clouds of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy grace. Then make known to them that which shall profit them in every world of Thy worlds. Thou, verily, art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

And furthermore, letters of that honored one have been received wherein every word eloquently utters mention of the Beloved of all creation, illuminating the realm of the heart and adorning and gladdening the climate of love. How excellent is what was said! How sweet that fragrance when its perfume was diffused in the name of the peerless Friend and its sweet scents were spread abroad! When I found and recognized it, I turned toward the countenance of our Lord, the Master of all creation, and drew near until I reached the Most Exalted Horizon. When I attained His presence, I presented that which the nightingale of your love had warbled upon the branches and the dove of your affection had cooed among the twigs. When this was completed, the Lord of the throne above and the earth below, the Master of the latter and former worlds, spoke that which caused all created things to be attracted. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, the Manifest, the Speaking, the All-Knowing

This is a mention from Us to him who hath turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds, who heard the Call and hastened to the Most Glorious Horizon and drank the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate. From him was diffused such a fragrance of the love of God that the Most Exalted Pen hath borne witness to him in this lofty Castle which was built before the Manifestation and raised up when the Ancient Beauty arrived at the Most Great Prison. Thus doth the Pen recount from the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Abu’l-Fadl! The Dayspring of Justice maketh mention of thee with verses from which the near ones perceive the fragrance of God, the Mighty, the Great. We have heard thy call and have answered thee through Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We have created the world for this Day, which was mentioned by the tongue of My chosen ones and inscribed by the Pen of My will in My perspicuous Book. The All-Merciful hath come and the proof hath appeared in such wise that none can deny it save every aggressive transgressor. The favor hath been completed, the proof perfected, and the heavenly table hath descended from the heaven of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

Behold the servants and what they have wrought in the days of their Lord. They have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have denied Him in Whom they believed and Whom they invoked at morn and eve. Thus have their souls beguiled them in that they followed the daysprings of idle fancies. Blessed is the powerful one whom the might of the world hath not weakened, and the stranger who hath sought the Most Exalted Homeland and witnessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in the beginning and the end. How many a prince hath turned away from the Truth and how many a poor one hath drawn nigh and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Desire of hearts, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Master of creation!”

How many a learned one hath been prevented by his learning from My Self-Subsisting Name, and how many an ignorant one hath heard and responded to his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Blessed is he who hath beheld the Most Great Sign, and he who hath heard the Call of God, the Lord of Lords. Arise to serve the Cause in the name of thy Lord and give the people the glad-tidings of this Manifestation at Whose appearance all names have bowed down and all things have cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Compelling!” Say: O concourse of religions! By what proof did ye believe in God aforetime, and by what evidence do ye turn away from Him by Whom the Temple of Pre-existence was established upon the Most Great Throne and the Revealer of Utterance did speak? By God! That which adorneth the mention of the Scriptures and Tablets hath appeared. Thus have We expounded the verses and sent them down through Our grace, and I am verily the Powerful over what I will. There is no God but Me, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O Fadl! The deeds of nations have become the cause of the world’s upheaval and the afflictions that have befallen it. Observe how years pass, yet the world finds neither peace nor tranquility. Each day its people are afflicted with new trials, yet remain heedless and veiled from their cause. The sweet and gentle ocean appears before their faces, yet in their heedlessness and ignorance they pass it by, turning instead to the mirage. Their vain imaginings, which neither nourish nor satisfy, have deprived them of the effulgent rays of the Sun of Certitude; they have forsaken true knowledge and clung to evident ignorance.

Convey My greetings to the faithful ones in that land and say: Today is the day of pure deeds and service. All that hath befallen you in the path of God hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book. God willing, may ye remain firm and steadfast in this Most Great Cause amidst the peoples in such wise that the cawing of Satan shall not debar you from the choice wine of the All-Merciful. Beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to assist you in preserving that which He hath bestowed. I swear by the Sun of Justice shining from the horizon of the heaven of grace that the stations of those possessed of certitude are, in the sight of God, exceedingly glorious—so much so that they transcend the reckoning of those possessed of computation and the pen. Ye are the arks of God’s bounty for the peoples of the world and His most firm cord for all nations. Know ye and understand your worth and station. This is a Day wherein man can cause to grow a tree whose fruits shall endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. O Fadl! The Wronged One sends His greetings to thee and to them and to those who have not violated God’s Covenant and His Testament.

This evanescent servant beseeches the True One, exalted be His glory, with heart and tongue to assist His loved ones, His chosen ones, and His friends to preserve what they have witnessed and heard in His path. The friends have purchased with their lives the love of the Beloved of all worlds. They must not let this supreme bounty and mighty gift slip from their grasp through the vain imaginings of this or that one. Every precious thing has its thief in pursuit and its betrayer in ambush. All must be vigilant lest thieves find opportunity and proceed to plunder. This evanescent servant is ever engaged in remembering the friends of God—mentioning them with the pen, seeking their protection with the heart, and occupied with both through speech. Verily we are God’s and to Him do we return.

Mention was made of his honor Aqa Mirza ʿAli-Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God. The details concerning him and the account of his circumstances, as heard from the shrill voice of your pen, attained the honor of being submitted before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and there was revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s grace concerning him a Tablet which, in truth, crieth out between the heavens and the earth and summoneth him for whom it was revealed. This servant beseecheth God, his Lord, to grant him the sweetness of His utterance and to make him one of those who are firm, steadfast, and secure. Should one observe with the eye of insight, he would testify that the entire world cannot equal this most holy, most exalted Tablet that hath been sent down from the heaven of pure grace. In each word is concealed the wellspring of bounty, and in each utterance surgeth the ocean of meaning. May the spirit of all else but Him be a sacrifice for His grace.

As to your mention of Mirza Muhammad Husayn Khan, upon him be the Glory of God—his remembrance has been and continues to be in the Most Holy Presence, and all that you wrote was presented before the Most Exalted, Most Holy Presence. The Tongue of Grandeur spoke words which this servant, nay all the peoples of the world, are powerless and incapable of describing. Blessed is he through whose name flowed the river of mercy, and unto whom descended the true heavenly table in the form of letters and words that all the treasures of earth and heaven cannot equal. Previously also, a Tablet specifically for him was revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Goal of all the worlds and was sent forth. His portrait was repeatedly honored to attain the presence and was blessed with the bounty of meeting. Happy is he with the perpetuity of the earthly and heavenly kingdoms. Would that the people of the world had pondered upon that which hath appeared and partaken of the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful. That which their hands have wrought in the past hath prevented them—to this beareth witness He with Whom is the knowledge of the past and future, and every wise command. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

And thy second letter, dated the seventh of Jumada’th-Thani, illumined the world of separation with the star of nearness and attainment. Blessed is the messenger from whom the fragrance of nearness can be inhaled, and blessed is the bearer from whom the sweet-scented breeze of meeting emanates. And the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses, for which there hath been and is no second, inasmuch as they were adorned with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds and were sanctified from the doubts, misgivings and suspicions of the people of creation. After its perusal, reading and becoming acquainted with its contents, it was taken to the Most Exalted Horizon, and after full permission was presented before the Presence. His word, exalted and mighty is He:

He is the Near One, the Answerer

O thou who hast turned toward My horizon! Hearken unto My call from the precincts of My prison. Verily, it hath turned toward thee and speaketh in remembrance of thee, that thou mayest arise to serve the Cause and utter that which the Tongue of My Grandeur hath uttered before the creation of My heaven and My earth: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower.” The servant who is present hath appeared and presented before the Wronged One that which thou didst commune with God, the Lord of the Final End. Blessed is thy tongue for having uttered My remembrance, and thy face for having turned toward My face, and thy heart for having turned toward My station, which God hath made the point of adoration for the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise in the evening and at dawn.

Section 2: “O Abul-Fadl! We have heard thy call…”

O Abul-Fadl! We have heard thy call and answered thee before, and at this time. Be thou grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all created things!” O Abul-Fadl! Arise in My Name and proclaim with wisdom and utterance: “O people of creation! Come ye, that I may recount unto you the Most Great News, through whose mention the Sacred Books and Tablets have been adorned. Come, O people of the earth, that I may show you the Most Exalted Horizon and cause you to hear the Call of God, the Lord of Lords. O concourse of the heedless! Bring forth what ye possess. By the life of God! It shall not profit you on this Day, wherein the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen and its sweetest call have been raised from the horizon of glory.

Fear ye God, O people, and deny not the Sun after its dawning, nor the Most Great Ocean which hath appeared before your faces with majesty and waves. Say: O daysprings of idle fancies! By God, the Truth! The dawning-places of certitude lament because of your tyranny. Fear ye God, and follow not every ignorant doubter.” Thus have We remembered thee and revealed unto thee that which rejoiceth thy heart and the hearts of them who have clung to the hem of the robe of their Lord’s mercy, the Master of the Day of Judgment. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon them who have testified to that whereunto God testified when He was established upon the throne at the beginning of days.

The supplications of that eminent one which were contained in the first and second letters were presented at the Most Holy Court, whereupon the Sun of loving-kindness shone forth in such wise that this servant is truly incapable and powerless to make mention thereof. The verses sent down from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s mercy are themselves a fair witness. Blessed is the eye that beholdeth them and the ear that heareth them.

The spiritual ode of Jinab-i-Thurayya, upon him be the Glory of God, which opened with that hallowed name, was presented at an appropriate time. Thus spoke He Who conversed on Sinai:

“Verily his mention, description and praise have been accepted and adorned with the mantle of acceptance.”

Praised be God that it was adorned with the supreme embellishment of acceptance and was blessed with the effulgences of the Sun of favor. Regarding what was written in the margin concerning two verses suggesting that in these days some learned ones had claimed they too could produce verses like the wondrous verses that are proof of the Author of this new Cause—the response given by that honored one is itself a decisive proof and manifest evidence of the truth of the Truth, exalted be His glory. For in the time of every Revelation, the ungodly of that age, namely the divines, have uttered such vain and worthless words. This is not the first utterance to appear in opposition. Were one to ponder the words of the ungodly of the past, he would testify to what the servant has testified before God, the Lord of all worlds.

Apart from this, consider how devoid of fairness, reason and knowledge they are. One who was never known for learning, was not from among the seminary students, and in his early days earned his livelihood through ordinary worldly means—as all have testified and continue to testify to this fact—yet suddenly oceans of knowledge in the form of verses began to flow from him. How can one deny this or claim there is anything similar to it? Verses like rain, nay greater, are continually streaming down and descending, encompassing the world. Blessed is he who has a tongue, an eye, and an ear to speak the truth and judge with justice concerning that which has appeared from God, the Most High, the Most Great.

The world’s ears are filled with divine verses, yet very few fair-minded ones are to be found. If a fair-minded person were to gaze upon the revealed tablets with clear vision and an unburdened heart, and reflect upon what was foretold before, he would place his right cheek upon the dust and say:

“I have believed, O Lord of Lords! I testify that all else is as nothingness before the manifestations of Thy Revelation and non-existent before the signs of Thy Cause. I testify that by Thy Name the sea was stirred, the fragrance was wafted, and the banner of ʿThere is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed’ was raised. All things are captive in the grasp of Thy power, and verily Thou art the Almighty, the Omnipotent.”

The people are heedless; they know not what has appeared. All scribes are utterly powerless and incapable of recording the verses at the time of their revelation. Whatever this evanescent one has submitted and continues to submit is according to his own capacity and station. By the King of Eternity! The Truth is sanctified, exalted and purified above what I have submitted or may submit.

The mention of the receptive souls referenced in your letter was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. For each one specifically, manifest signs and brilliant evidences have been revealed and have shone forth from the heaven of grace. This is what was revealed for Jinab-i-Khudadad, upon him be the Glory of God. His word, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name, the One Who dominates over what was and what will be

O Khudadad! Fix thy gaze upon this Word which is as a crown upon the head of utterance—be thou observant of that whereby My Cause will be exalted amongst My servants. Though this Word be brief, yet concealed within it is the limitless ocean. Some time ago, unique and sublime verses were sent down specifically for the friends in the land of Kha, and likewise some were dispatched particularly for thee, while others remain suspended in the heaven of God’s Will. God willing, thou shalt in all conditions hold fast unto the cord of His Cause and cling to the hem of wisdom. Blessed is the soul that hath arisen to serve and is occupied with teaching God’s Cause. Rejoice thou in what My Most Exalted Pen hath testified to thy humility and lowliness, thy turning and devotion unto God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This is what was revealed for Shahverdi, upon him be the glory of God:

In My Name, the Wronged One

O Shah! Give thanks that We have acquainted thee with what was hidden in God’s knowledge and given thee to drink of that which flowed from the right hand of the Throne, and shown thee Mine illumined horizon. We created the world for this Day, yet when it appeared, every heedless and remote soul denied it. The trumpet hath been sounded and those in the graves have arisen, yet the people remain behind a thick veil. Rejoice thou in the Most Great Remembrance and render thanks unto thy Lord for this supreme bounty. Whoso hath attained unto My remembrance is assuredly of the people of Paradise in a clear Book. Preserve what hath been revealed unto thee before and after, then recite it unto the myriads who have been attracted by My call, who have soared in My atmosphere and who have spoken My beauteous praise. Thus hath the horizon of proof been illumined by the Sun of knowledge. Blessed is he who hath drawn nigh, and woe unto the heedless. From this station do We send Our greetings upon thee and upon My friends and loved ones whom the powers of the oppressors have not deterred from My straight Path.

This is what was revealed from the Most Great Scene for Ali-Qabli-Asghar:

In My Name, the Most Great

O Ali-Qabli-Asghar! In numerous Tablets thou hast been mentioned by the Lord of Names. By the Lord of all being! Not all the precious jewels of the earth can equal a single word thereof. Reflect upon the oceans of the mercy and bounty of God, exalted be His glory. Despite having mentioned thee repeatedly, now when thy name was heard in the Book of those who love Me, an answer was sent down from the heaven of grace that thou mightest be of the thankful ones. Though discerning souls are rare at present, yet a time shall come when the station of every word and letter of God’s utterances shall become manifest to all the worlds. God willing, thou shalt remain firm and steadfast on the straight path with clear certitude, speaking the praise of the Wronged One.

Soon shall the mention of steadfast souls and what they have manifested in the days of God be spread abroad in the assemblage of the world. This is the word that is assured and shall never change. We convey Our greetings to the friends of that land and remind them of what hath been revealed in the Tablets, that all may at all times drink from the life-giving waters flowing from the Pen of the All-Merciful and attain unto that which is everlasting and enduring. Blessed are they that have attained. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

This is what was revealed for Mashhadi Husayn from the people of Q:

Verily I am the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Informed.

O Husayn! The Wronged One makes mention of thee with that which shall draw thee nearer unto God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Forsake all things and take hold of that which thou art commanded by God, Creator of heaven. Thus have We bidden Our servants aforetime and in a Book that proclaims that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved. Blessed is the eye which no film of vain imaginings hath prevented from turning unto and beholding the horizon of God, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: Through Him the horizons were illumined and the decree of the Covenant was revealed, yet most men perceive not. They have cast away that which is known and clung to that which is forbidden. Thus doth the Lord of Destiny inform you from the precincts of the Prison, did ye but know. We have endowed the Cause with two wings, which are unity and love. Soar with them in this holy and blessed atmosphere. Thus did the ocean surge when My Pen moved in this glorious station. The glory be upon thee and upon thy son, whose name hath been honored by the hearing of the Lord of the visible and invisible.

By your life, O beloved of My heart! The essence of grace hath prostrated itself before my Lord and thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earth, and the reality of bounty hath bowed down at the revelation of a wave from the waves of the ocean of the bounty of our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of the sincere ones.

As for the names mentioned in your letters, unique and exalted Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of God’s Will for each one. God willing, may all attain and drink from their oceans of inner meanings. This Day is exceedingly great and mighty. Although the Lamp of the Cause standeth firm amidst diverse and violent winds, yet at one time this blessed word was uttered from the tongue of Truth, exalted be His glory:

“O servant in attendance! Even lamps possessing but a single wick proved impossible for all on earth to extinguish. How then could they extinguish this blazing Fire which, were all the seas of the world poured upon it, would be transformed into oil?”

Beseech God not to withhold His servants from the ocean of awareness and to guide them to the horizon of vision. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

God is My witness that this evanescent one observeth himself at all times as a melting candle, for he beholdeth the people heedless of the Sun of Truth whose rays have encompassed the world. By the life of the Desired One! My liver is melted, my heart lamenteth, and my inner being crieth out at what hath befallen the Cause at the hands of those who know not their right hand from their left, nor can distinguish between black and white, nor between buzzing and thundering. The servant beseecheth his Lord to grant them fairness and draw them near unto Him through the wonders of His grace and bounty. Verily, He is the Generous, the Munificent.

Although most of the people of the world of every kind are today observed to be deprived of proof and barred from the divine path, yet this servant is grateful to the exalted Truth, for from all your being blazeth the fire of divine love, and the words and letters that have flowed from your pen bear witness to what hath been mentioned. I truly declare that from every word and letter are manifested the effects of burning in divine love, the signs of the fire of separation and remoteness, and the degrees of yearning for the Lord of the Covenant. If some grief should appear due to the heedlessness of the people, praise be to God, the joy of your awareness hath compensated for it. God willing, may you ever soar and wing your flight in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful with the pinions of steadfastness. The Cause is in His grasp; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

In regard to what you wrote concerning the friends of God from Abhar, it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and these sublime words descended from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of Creation, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

In My Name, the Witness, the All-Informed

O thou who hast turned thy face toward My horizon! By My life! It hath at times been observed that His loved ones have been and are capable of bearing afflictions in the path of the Lord of Names. The necks of the swine have not been and are not worthy of the chains of love for the Beloved of the worlds. The people of devotion prefer the chalice of tribulation in the path of God, exalted be His glory, above all things. I swear by the lights of the Divine Countenance that all the tribulations that have been visited upon them shall soon be transformed into the Most Great Gift, the Supreme Blessing, and a Feast the like of which cannot be found. Blessed are they who have been honored with the blessed words “ye are of Us.” The ears of the loved ones have been privileged to hear that which the ears of the world, in times past and still more remote, were deprived of; likewise their eyes. Exalted is the Unconstrained One, through Whose manifestation that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath appeared and been established.

Section 3: “The might of the transgressors, the rebellion…”

The might of the transgressors, the rebellion of the oppressors, and the fire of the mischief-makers shall soon be seen extinguished, vanquished and subdued. These fleeting days appear shorter than an hour and pass more swiftly than lightning. We beseech God to assist all to accomplish that which His Book hath proclaimed, for should they act in accordance with what God hath willed, they would find the earth transformed. In any case, the victory hath ever been and shall remain with God and His loved ones, despite those who have disbelieved in God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O people of Abhar! The Wronged One remembereth you from the Most Great Prison with verses from which every person of perception can detect the fragrance of My loving-kindness, and I am the Kind, the Generous. Tongues and pens have failed to reckon what hath been revealed by the Most Exalted Pen, and I am the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Rejoice in this Most Great Remembrance, which no remembrance in the world can equal. To this beareth witness the Lord of Eternity, and I am the All-Seeing Witness. Ye have heard what caused the Concourse on High to lament in My path. Hearken now unto that wherewith God remembereth you, and I am the Remembering, the All-Hearing. Verily, He hath witnessed what befell you and was with you under all conditions. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

There hath befallen Us in the Land of Ta what hath befallen no one before. Thus hath the matter been decreed, and We are among the patient ones. Blessed is he who was among you and uttered that which the Tongue of Grandeur uttered in the earliest days:

“Verily, there is no God but Me, the Most High, the Most Great.”

We adorned him with the ornament of divine knowledge, illumined him with the lights of the Divine Countenance, gave him to drink of the Kawthar of grace, and guided him to My straight path.

O Abhar! Rejoice thou, for God hath manifested from thee servants who arose and said:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth.”

We have adorned thee with them, and We shall soon make manifest their stations and their traces within thee. Verily, thy Lord is the Bearer of Glad-Tidings, the All-Wise. Blessed is he who was seized in My path, imprisoned for My Name, and martyred for the promotion of the Cause of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

We counsel you, O loved ones of God, to observe wisdom and that whereby this firm, this mighty Cause may be exalted. The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon those who have soared in My atmosphere, and upon those who arose after them to make mention of Me, and upon you, and upon My handmaidens who have heard, turned toward Me, and believed in God when every learned one turned away and every mystic was filled with doubt.

Praise be to God that through that honored one, mention was made before the Most Great Scene of a number of the friends of God, exalted be His glory, and there was revealed especially for them that which shall never be exhausted and which the dust of the world shall not prevent from its delicacy and radiance. I convey greetings and salutations to Master Ali-Akbar Haddad, upon him be the Glory of God, and I give him and other oppressed ones glad-tidings of God’s grace. God willing, may the hand of divine favor protect them and the hand of divine might seize their enemies. By the life of the Desired One! Soon all that hath been mentioned shall become manifest and evident.

The mention which that honored one made regarding the Master, as well as the conversation with him, was presented at the Most Holy Court. The utterances of that honored one were honored with acceptance. He spoke, and His Word is the truth: “Excellent is that which Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be My Glory, hath spoken.” And these supreme words were again revealed from the right hand of the Throne especially for the Master: “Blessed is he, then blessed is he, for he hath repeatedly been honored with the mention of God, and happy is he for having drunk from the cup of tribulation in the path of the Lord of Names, and pleasant it is for him that he now drinketh the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the All-Merciful’s bounty.”

His words, blessed and exalted be He:

“In My Name, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! O Ali-Akbar! My Pen testifieth in My days that thou hast turned to My most exalted horizon when thou didst hear My sweetest call, and there befell thee in My path what befell My chosen ones and My loved ones in the ancient centuries and in this wondrous Day.”

End quote.

This testimony that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen removeth the grief of a world of sorrow, rendeth asunder the veils of cares and anxieties, and leadeth to the greatest joy. Again doth the servant wish to say: “Happy is he and pleasant it is for him.”

Jinab-i-Samandar, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, had also mentioned him some time ago. Every oppressed one should read what hath been revealed for them from the heaven of the All-Merciful. The heedlessness of the oppressors hath reached such a degree that they curse themselves without being aware. Whenever mention is made of former oppressors, they dissociate themselves and express sorrow, unaware that they themselves are committing what is greater than what hath passed. The veils of self have prevented their eyes from seeing and deprived their ears of hearing. All the people of the world are seen as chaff before the violent winds of selfish desires—they move them howsoever they wish, save whom God willeth. They have clung to and relied upon a world that at all times loudly testifieth to its own transiency, nothingness, and unfaithfulness, while turning their eyes away from God’s infinite, everlasting worlds. Soon shall they find themselves in regret and remorse, but neither regret nor remorse shall profit them.

And as for the mention thou didst make of Muhammad-Ali Khan, Mulla Ali, and Aqa Shir-Ali, upon them be the Glory of God—mention of each one was honored to be heard by the Lord of Names, and divine verses were revealed concerning them. God willing, may they taste the honey of recognition from the utterance of the Desired One of the worlds and manifest the greatest steadfastness among all peoples. This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to each one. God willing, may all partake of the heavenly feast in the divine days and become occupied with the mention of the true Sovereign.

O Abul-Fadl! Thou hast spoken the truth and revealed that which lay concealed in His words. The purpose of the Herald, the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake—in mentioning this matter was to rend asunder the veils of people’s vain imaginings. Thou art well aware of what the heedless Shi’ihs have uttered in this regard. At times they have, with the hands of idle fancy, built a Holy Place, and at other times mention of the tunnel and the sea hath flowed from the tongues of their liars, and the mention of Jabulqa and Jabulsa and other matters is clear and evident. All are mounted upon the steed of passion and are rushing about in the desert of doubts and vain imaginings. His Holiness intended that through this mention He might, to some degree, rend asunder the veil, that they might come to know that that Holy Being and Sacred Essence was to appear from physical descent, not in imaginary fabricated cities, for at the beginning of the Cause the people had no capacity to hearken to more than this, and outwardly what He revealed was in conformity with their understanding. That which hath flowed from His Supreme Pen testifieth that He Himself proclaimeth betwixt earth and heaven:

“I am the Mother of Utterance amidst mankind, and the Truth manifest among all created things, and the Expression of the All-Merciful in the contingent world.”

Exalted is He Who mentioneth Him and Who maketh mention of Him at this time. The created things have borne witness unto that which He hath testified. Command belongeth unto God, the Revealer of verses.

Praise be to God! That which hath streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to that which ye have deduced from the aforementioned passage. God willing, may ye ever drink from the chalice of inner meanings and guide the peoples of the contingent world to the horizon of the All-Merciful through wisdom and utterance. The Cause is most evident, yet eyes are veiled and ears are stopped. From the beginning of creation until this time no Cause hath been more manifest than this. All divine Books, Scriptures and Psalms, both of the past and present, have outwardly testified and borne witness to this Most Great Cause, even as that spiritual friend hath mentioned certain verses and removed the veil from the face of clear evidences.

Reflect upon the passage “and ye shall surely know its tidings after a while.” This blessed verse was mentioned by the late Siyyid, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and likewise by the Shaykh before him, upon him be every most glorious glory, and also by the Primal Point, may the spirit of all in the Kingdom be sacrificed for His sake. All have related it to this Revelation, for after the fulfillment of the promise of sixty-eight, in the year nine, this Most Great, Most Wondrous Cause dawned from the horizon of the Will of the Lord of all beings. This is why the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake, hath said: “In the year nine ye shall attain unto all good,” and in another place He saith: “In the year nine ye shall be blessed with the meeting of God.”

Were this evanescent servant to mention all that hath been revealed in the Books of the past and present, as well as in the Bayan, he would need to impose upon you for a long time. Nevertheless, ye must surely have heard what a band of the heedless have said and continue to say. Would that they had reflected upon that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an where He, exalted be He, saith:

“And the trumpet shall be blown, and all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth shall swoon away, save those whom God shall please to exempt. Then shall it be blown again, and lo! arising they shall gaze around them.”

These simple folk have objected to the mention of divinity, whereas if anything else had been manifested they should have objected to that instead. The Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake, hath said:

“He Who speaketh in every condition, verily I am God, there is no God but Me, the Lord of all things, and all besides Me are My creation. O My creation! Worship ye Me.”

Likewise in the Qur’an there appear many decisive verses that openly indicate and suggest this matter, and in previous Books no mention other than this is to be found. This evanescent servant hath in certain instances cited some passages from the heavenly Books, but the blind hath no share in light, and the deaf no portion in the cooing of the dove of paradise. Praise be to God that ye are well-informed and have searched the heavenly Books. God willing, may ye ever be confirmed in mentioning that which shall cause the heedless to awaken, the seated to arise, and the loved ones to rejoice and be gladdened.

This evanescent one beseecheth you to convey greetings and praise to the friends in that land who are adorned with the ornament of tranquility and dignity and who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and say unto them that this servant is at all times occupied with your remembrance and is engaged in serving the Most Great Cause, of which ye are all aware. Say: This servant is at all times engaged in your remembrance and is constant and vigilant in serving the Most Great Cause, of which ye all are aware.

That which today is conducive to the manifestation of the essence of man is well-pleasing and acceptable before God. God willing, may ye be turned, in perfect unity and concord, love and fellowship, unto that whereby the Cause is exalted. In these days this exalted word was specially revealed from the Most Sublime Pen for one of the friends—blessed and exalted be His word: The world is illumined by the light of unity, and the horizons are set ablaze through the warmth of concord. For all things that are seen and perceived, and that enter the realm of observation, there hath been and continueth to be an effect. Likewise, the taste and fragrance of the effects of unity and concord are most mighty. God willing, may that honored one and the friends of God strive that scattered and distracted hearts may ascend to the heaven of unity, and through the hosts of deeds and character take possession of the cities of hearts. This host is mightier than the hosts of the world. Blessed is he who hath arisen for God to render this momentous service. He is assuredly among the sincere ones in the perspicuous Book.

Happy the soul that hath found the sweetness of the divine utterance and hath arisen with steadfastness and love.

Another request is that ye convey greetings to his honor, that peerless friend. God willing, may he in this transient world attain unto that which shall never be severed from the fragrance of eternity. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Almighty, the Powerful. He giveth and withholdeth, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Informed. That which today beseemeth and behooveth him is to take the lead and guide all Persians and draw them to the straight path. This wondrous, luminous garment is, God willing, befitting for his temple. Command and judgment are in God’s hand. Verily He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

As regards what you wrote concerning Aqa Muhammad-Rida, this evanescent servant had previously mentioned the details of this matter. Those souls here were and are outwardly well-known. Several years ago Jinab-i-Mirza Mihdi, son of Jinab-i-Shahid, upon them both be the Glory of God, had taken one of the honored women related to the Sacred Household in the land of K. The point is that the details concerning His Holiness the Martyr and Jinab-i-Dhabih, upon them both be the Glory of God, and their brothers who were hesitant, and their sons, were outwardly clear and known. At one time a letter from the beloved of hearts Jinab-i-Varqa, upon him be the Glory of God, reached this servant mentioning Aqa Muhammad-Rida, and likewise before that he had been mentioned in the Most Holy Presence.

After submission to the Most Holy Presence, out of pure grace their designation was changed from hesitant to soaring bird. They must know the station of this favor and preserve it as the apple of their eye. Their letter arrived and divine fragrances wafted from it. This servant wrote a reply, but due to the weight of the packet it will be sent subsequently. Likewise the accounts sent attained the honor of His presence and the details thereof are mentioned in the letter to that honored one that was revealed. God willing they will attain unto it.

Section 4: “What this servant expects from that honored one…”

What this servant expects from that honored one is that today they should hold fast to that which will cause unity among the hearts of the friends of God, so that all people may testify to the light of unity and the loftiness of concord. That which causes the exaltation of the Word is this: according to the command of that Beloved One, they must exert mighty efforts in this regard. From the beginning of the Revelation until now this matter has repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen, yet its fragrance has not yet been inhaled. God willing they will succeed in accomplishing this mighty deed. Verily God and His Prophets and His Messengers and His chosen ones and the Supreme Concourse and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise and the Most Glorious Kingdom send their blessings upon those who have arisen to create affection between the hearts of His servants and His loved ones. He is verily the Compassionate, the Generous.

In regard to what thou hast written concerning his honour the learned Sahib, upon him be the grace of God, his state of mind and disposition are clear and evident, as is further attested by that which he hath sent. Now, as to his questions, it was not deemed advisable to refer and reply to each one individually, for the response would have run counter to wisdom and been incompatible with that which is current amongst men. Even so, in that which was revealed in his honour from the heaven of divine favour, answers were provided in a language of marvellous concision and clarity. But it appeareth that he hath failed to consider the matter closely, for otherwise he would have readily admitted that not a single point was omitted, and would have exclaimed: “This is naught but a clear and conclusive utterance!” His questions were the following.

First: “The Prophets of Mahabad, together with Zoroaster, were twenty-eight in number. Each one of them sought to exalt, rather than abrogate, the faith and religion of the others. Each one that appeared bore witness to the truth and veracity of the former law and religion and breathed no word about abolishing them. Each declared: We are the bearers of a Revelation from God, which We deliver unto His servants.’ Some of the Hindu Prophets, however, have declared: We are God Himself, and it is incumbent upon the entire creation to bear allegiance unto Us. Whensoever conflict and dissension appear amongst men, We arise to quench it.’ Each one that appeared announced: I am the same One that appeared in the beginning.’ The latter Prophets such as David, Abraham, Moses and Jesus confirmed the truth of the Prophets gone before them, but said: Such was the law in the past, but in this day the law is that which I proclaim.’ The Arabian Prophet, however, hath said: ʿThrough My appearance every law hath proven to be unsound and no law holdeth but Mine.’ Which of these creeds is acceptable and which of these leaders is to be preferred?”

It should first be noted that in one sense the stations of the Prophets of God differ one from another. For instance, consider Moses. He brought forth a Book and established ordinances, whilst a number of the Prophets and Messengers who arose after Him were charged with the promulgation of His laws, insofar as they remained consonant with the needs of the age. The books and chronicles annexed to the Torah bear eloquent testimony to this truth.

Regarding the statement ascribed to the Author of the Qur’an: “Through My appearance every law and religion hath proven to be unsound and no law holdeth but Mine”, no such words were ever uttered by that Source and Fount of divine wisdom. Nay rather, He confirmed that which had been sent down before from the empyrean of the Divine Will unto the Prophets and Messengers of God. He saith, exalted be His utterance: “Alif. Lam. Mim. God! There is no God but Him, the Living, the Ever-Abiding. He it is Who hath sent down to Thee the Book through the power of truth, confirming those which preceded it. He revealed aforetime the Torah and the Evangel as a guidance unto men, and He hath now revealed the Qur’an….”

He, moreover, hath asserted that all the Prophets have proceeded from God and have returned unto Him. Viewed in this light, they are all as one and the same Being, inasmuch as they have not uttered a word, brought a message, or revealed a cause, of their own accord. Nay, all that they have said hath proceeded from the one true God, exalted be His glory. They have all summoned men unto the Supreme Horizon and imparted the tidings of eternal life. Thus the diverse statements recounted by his honour the Sahib are to be seen as concordant letters, that is, letters that form a single word.

Concerning the question: “Which of these creeds is acceptable and which of these leaders is to be preferred?”, this is the station wherein the following blessed words shine resplendent as the sun: “No distinction do We make between any of His Messengers”, while the verse “Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others” pertaineth to the other station of which We have already made mention. Indeed, the answer to all that his honour the Sahib hath asked lieth enshrined within this all-embracing, this weighty and incomparable utterance, hallowed and exalted be His word: “As to thy question concerning the heavenly Scriptures: The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind. He perceiveth the disease, and prescribeth, in His unerring wisdom, the remedy.

Every age hath its own problem, and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present-day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require. Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” Every fair-minded soul will testify that these words are to be viewed as a mirror of the knowledge of God, wherein all that hath been inquired is clearly and conspicuously reflected. Blessed is he who hath been endowed with seeing eyes by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Another question raised by the distinguished Sahib is the following:

“There are four schools of thought in the world. One school affirmeth that all the visible worlds, from atoms to suns, constitute God Himself and that naught can be seen but Him. Another school claimeth that God is that Essence that must of necessity exist, that His Messengers are the intermediaries between Him and His creatures, and that their mission is to lead humanity unto Him. Yet another school holdeth that the stars were created by the Necessary Being, whilst all other things are their effect and outcome. These things continually appear and disappear, even as the minute creatures that are generated in a pool of water. A further school maintaineth that the Necessary Being hath fashioned Nature through whose effect and agency all things, from atoms to suns, appear and disappear without beginning or end. What need then for an account or reckoning? As the grass groweth with the coming of the rain and vanisheth thereafter, so it is with all things. If the Prophets and the kings have instituted laws and ordinances, the proponents of this school argue, this hath merely been for the sake of preserving the civil order and regulating human society. The Prophets and the kings, however, have acted in different ways: the former have said ʿGod hath spoken thus’ that the people might submit and obey, whilst the latter have resorted to the sword and the cannon. Which of these four schools is approved in the sight of God?”

The answer to all this falleth under the purview of the first utterance that hath streamed forth from the tongue of the All-Merciful. By God! It embraceth and comprehendeth all that hath been mentioned. He saith: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements”. For in this day He Who is the Lord of Revelation hath appeared and He Who spoke on Sinai is calling aloud. Whatsoever He may ordain is the surest foundation for the mansions reared in the cities of human knowledge and wisdom. Whoso holdeth fast unto it will be reckoned in the eyes of the Almighty among them that are endued with insight.

These sublime words have streamed forth from the Pen of the Most High. He saith, exalted be His glory:

“This is the day of vision, for the countenance of God is shining resplendent above the horizon of Manifestation. This is the day of hearing, for the call of God hath been raised. It behoveth everyone in this day to uphold and proclaim that which hath been revealed by Him Who is the Author of all scripture, the Dayspring of revelation, the Fount of knowledge and the Source of divine wisdom.”

It is thus clear and evident that the reply to his question hath been revealed in the kingdom of utterance by Him Who is the Exponent of the knowledge of the All-Merciful. Happy are they that understand!

As to the four schools mentioned above, it is clear and evident that the second standeth closer to righteousness. For the Apostles and Messengers of God have ever been the channels of His abounding grace, and whatsoever man hath received from God hath been through the intermediary of those Embodiments of holiness and Essences of detachment, those Repositories of His knowledge and Exponents of His Cause. One can, however, provide a justification for the tenets of the other schools, for in a sense all things have ever been and shall ever remain the manifestations of the names and attributes of God.

As to the Sahib’s reference to the kings, they are indeed the manifestations of the name of God “the Almighty” and the revealers of His name “the All-Powerful”. The vesture that beseemeth their glorious temples is justice. Should they become adorned therewith, mankind will partake of perfect tranquillity and infinite blessings.

Whoso hath quaffed of the wine of divine knowledge will indeed be able to answer such questions with clear and perspicuous proofs from the world without and with manifest and luminous evidences from the world within. A different Cause, however, hath appeared in this day and a different discourse is required. Indeed, with the inception of the year nine the time for questions and answers came to an end. Thus He, hallowed and magnified be His name, saith: “This is not the day for any man to question his Lord. When thou hearest the call of God voiced by Him Who is the Dayspring of grandeur, cry out: ʿHere am I, O Lord of all names! Here am I, O Maker of the heavens! I testify that Thou hast revealed Thyself and hast revealed whatsoever Thou didst desire at Thine Own behest. Thou, in truth, art the Lord of strength and might.”’

The answer to all that the distinguished Sahib hath asked is clear and evident. The intent of that which was sent down in his honour from the heaven of divine providence was that he might give ear to the wondrous melodies of the Dove of Eternity and the gentle murmuring of the inhabitants of the most exalted Paradise, and that he might perceive the sweetness of the call and set foot upon the path.

One day the Tongue of Glory uttered a word in regard to the Sahib indicating that he may erelong be aided to perform a deed that would immortalize his name. When his letter was received in His holy and exalted Court, He said:

“O Servant in attendance! Although his honour Manikchi hath written only to ask concerning the sayings of others, yet from His letter We inhale the sweet savours of affection. Beseech the one true God to graciously aid him to do His will and pleasure. His might, in truth, is equal to all things.”

From this utterance of the All-Merciful there wafteth a fragrant breath. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Another inquiry made by him is the following:

“The laws of Islam are based on religious principles and jurisprudence, but in the Mahabad and Hindu religions there are only principles, and all laws, even those regarding the drinking of water or giving and taking in marriage, are considered a part of these principles, as are all other matters of human life. Kindly indicate which view is acceptable in the sight of God, exalted be His mention.”

Religious principles have various degrees and stations. The root of all principles and the cornerstone of all foundations hath ever been, and shall remain, the recognition of God. And these days are indeed the vernal season of the recognition of the All-Merciful. Whatsoever proceedeth in this day from the Repository of His Cause and the Manifestation of His Self is, in truth, the fundamental principle unto which all must bear allegiance.

The answer to this question is also embodied in these blessed, these weighty and exalted words: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements”. For this day is the Lord of all days, and whatsoever hath been revealed therein by the Source of divine Revelation is the truth and the essence of all principles. This day may be likened to a sea and all other days to gulfs and channels that have branched therefrom. That which is uttered and revealed in this day is the foundation, and is accounted as the Mother Book and the Source of all utterance. Although every day is associated with God, magnified be His glory, yet these days have been singled out and adorned with the ornament of intimate association with Him, for they have been extolled in the books of the Chosen Ones of God, as well as of some of His Prophets, as the “Day of God”.

In a sense this day and that which appeareth therein are to be regarded as the primary principles, while all other days and whatsoever appeareth in them are to be viewed as the secondary ordinances deduced therefrom, and which as such are subordinate and relative. For instance, attending the mosque is secondary with respect to the recognition of God, for the former is dependent upon and conditioned by the latter. As to the principles current amongst the divines of this age, these are merely a set of rules which they have devised and from which they infer, each according to his own opinions and inclinations, the ordinances of God.

Section 5: “Consider for example the question of immediate compliance…”

Consider for example the question of immediate compliance or postponement. God, exalted be His glory, saith: “Eat and drink….” Now, it is not known whether this ordinance must be complied with immediately or if its execution may be justifiably postponed. Some believe that it may be decided by external circumstances. Once one of the distinguished divines of Najaf set out to visit the Shrine of Imam Husayn, peace be upon Him, accompanied by a number of his pupils. In the course of their journey they were waylaid by a group of Bedouin. The aforementioned divine immediately handed over all his possessions. Whereupon his pupils exclaimed: “Your eminence hath always favoured postponement in such matters. What prompteth you now to act with such haste?” Pointing to the spears of the Bedouin, he replied: “The force of external circumstances, my friends!”

The founder of the principles of Islamic jurisprudence was Abu-Hanifih, who was a prominent leader of the Sunnis. Such principles had existed in former times as well, as hath already been mentioned. In this day, however, the approval or rejection of all things dependeth wholly upon the Word of God. These differences are not worthy of mention. The eye of divine mercy casteth its glance upon all that is past. It behoveth us to mention them only in favourable terms, for they do not contradict that which is essential. This servant testifieth to his ignorance and beareth witness that all knowledge is with God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Whatsoever runneth counter to the Teachings in this day is rejected, for the Sun of Truth is shining resplendent above the horizon of knowledge. Happy are they who, with the waters of divine utterance, have cleansed their hearts from all allusions, whisperings and suggestions, and who have fixed their gaze upon the Dayspring of Glory. This, indeed, is the most gracious favour and the purest bounty. Whosoever hath attained thereunto hath attained unto all good, for otherwise the knowledge of aught else but God hath never proven, nor shall it ever prove, profitable unto men.

That which was mentioned in connection with religious principles and secondary ordinances referreth to the pronouncements which the divines of various religions have made, each according to his own capacity. At present, however, it behoveth us to follow His injunction to “leave them to their vain disputes”. He, verily, speaketh the truth and leadeth the way. The decree is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.

Another of his questions:

“Some maintain that whatsoever is in accordance with the dictates of nature and of the intellect must needs be both permissible and compulsory in the divine law, and conversely that one should refrain from observing that which is incompatible with these standards. Others believe that whatsoever hath been enjoined by the divine law and its blessed Author should be accepted without rational proof or natural evidence and obeyed without question or reservation, such as the march between Safa and Marwah, the stoning of the pillar of Jamrah, the washing of one’s feet during ablutions, and so on. Kindly indicate which of these positions is acceptable.”

Intellect hath various degrees. As a discussion of the pronouncements made by the philosophers in this connection would pass beyond the scope of our discourse, we have refrained from mentioning them. It is nonetheless indisputably clear and evident that the minds of men have never been, nor shall they ever be, of equal capacity. The Perfect Intellect alone can provide true guidance and direction. Thus were these sublime words revealed by the Pen of the Most High, exalted be His glory, in response to this question:

“The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is bereft of all things. Turn ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else but Me. I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of every broken bird and start it on its flight.”

Consider how clearly the answer hath been revealed from the heaven of divine knowledge. Blessed are those who ponder it, who reflect upon it, and who apprehend its meaning! By the Intellect mentioned above is meant the universal divine Mind. How often hath it been observed that certain human minds, far from being a source of guidance, have become as fetters upon the feet of the wayfarers and prevented them from treading the straight Path! The lesser intellect being thus circumscribed, one must search after Him Who is the ultimate Source of knowledge and strive to recognize Him. And should one come to acknowledge that Source round Whom every mind doth revolve, then whatsoever He should ordain is the expression of the dictates of a consummate wisdom. His very Being, even as the sun, is distinct from all else beside Him. The whole duty of man is to recognize Him; once this hath been achieved, then whatsoever He may please to ordain is binding and in full accordance with the requirements of divine wisdom. Thus have ordinances and prohibitions of every kind been laid down by the Prophets of the past, even unto the earliest times.

Certain deeds that are undertaken in this day are intended to emblazon the name of God, and the Pen of the Most High hath fixed a recompense for those who perform them. Indeed, should any soul breathe but a fleeting breath for the sake of God, his recompense will become manifest, as attested by this mighty verse which was sent down from the empyrean of the Divine Will to the Lord of Mecca, blessed and glorified be He:

“We did not appoint that which Thou wouldst have to be the Qiblih, but that We might know him who followeth the Apostle from him who turneth on his heels.”

Were anyone to meditate upon this blessed and transcendent Revelation and to ponder the verses that have been sent down, he would readily bear witness that the one true God is immeasurably exalted above His creatures, and that the knowledge of all things hath ever been and shall ever remain with Him. Every fair-minded soul, moreover, will testify that whosoever faileth to embrace the truth of this most great Revelation will find himself powerless and incapable of establishing the validity of any other cause or creed. And as to those who have deprived themselves of the robe of justice and arisen to promote the cause of iniquity, they shall give voice to that which the exponents of hatred and fanaticism have uttered from time immemorial. The knowledge of all things is with God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

One day when this servant was in His presence, I was asked: “O servant in attendance! Wherewith art thou engaged?” “I am penning a reply”, I answered, “to his honour Mirza Abu’l-Fadl”. I was bidden: “Write to Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, may My glory be upon him, and say: ʿMatters have come to such a pass that the people of the world have grown accustomed to iniquity and flee from fair-mindedness. A divine Manifestation Who hath extolled and magnified the one true God, exalted be His glory, Who hath borne witness to His knowledge and confessed that His Essence is sanctified above all things and exalted beyond every comparison-such a Manifestation hath been called at various times a worshipper of the sun or a fire-worshipper. How numerous are those sublime Manifestations and Revealers of the Divine of Whose stations the people remain wholly unaware, of Whose grace they are utterly deprived, nay, God forbid, Whom they curse and revile!’

“’One of the great Prophets Whom the foolish ones of Persia in this day reject uttered these sublime words:”The sun is but a dense and spherical mass. It deserveth not to be called God or the Almighty. For the almighty Lord is He Whom no human comprehension can ever conceive, Whom no earthly knowledge can circumscribe, and Whose Essence none hath ever been or shall ever be able to fathom”.

Consider how eloquently, how solemnly He hath affirmed the very truth that God is proclaiming in this day. And yet He is not even deemed a believer by these abject and foolish ones, let alone seen as possessed of a sublime station! In another connection He said: “All existence hath appeared from His existence, and were it not for God, no creature would have ever existed and been attired with the raiment of being”. May the Lord shield us all from the wickedness of such as have disputed the truth of God and of His loved ones and turned away from that Dayspring whereunto all the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, have testified.”’

From that which hath been mentioned, it is clear that not every intellect can be the criterion of truth. The truly wise are, in the first place, the Chosen Ones of God, magnified be His glory-they Whom He hath singled out to be the Treasuries of His knowledge, the Repositories of His Revelation, the Daysprings of His authority and the Dawning-places of His wisdom, they Whom He hath made His representatives on earth and through Whom He revealeth that which He hath purposed. Whoso turneth unto them hath turned unto God, and whoso turneth away shall not be remembered in the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The universal criterion is that which hath just been mentioned. Whosoever attaineth thereunto, that is, who recognizeth and acknowledgeth the Dawning-place of God’s Revelation, will be recorded in the Book of God among them that are endued with understanding. Otherwise he is naught but an ignorant soul, though he believe himself to be possessed of every wisdom. Now, were a person to see himself standing in the presence of God, were he to sanctify his soul from earthly attachments and evil intentions, and reflect upon that which hath been revealed in this most great Revelation from its inception to this day, he would readily testify that every detached soul, every perfect mind, sanctified being, attentive ear, penetrating eye, eloquent tongue, and joyous and radiant heart circleth round and boweth down, nay prostrateth itself in submission, before the mighty throne of God.

Another of his questions is this:

“Among the Manifestations of the past one hath, in His time, allowed the eating of beef while another hath forbidden it; one hath permitted the eating of pork whereas another hath proscribed it. Thus do their ordinances differ. I entreat the True One, exalted be His name, to graciously specify the appropriate religious prohibitions.”

A direct reply and detailed explanation of this matter would have overstepped the bounds of wisdom, inasmuch as people of diverse faiths associate with the distinguished Sahib and a direct reply would have contravened the laws of Islam. The answer was therefore sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will in an implicit manner. Indeed the statement in the first passage where He saith: “The All-Knowing Physician hath His finger on the pulse of mankind” was, and remaineth, the answer to his question. He further saith: “Be anxiously concerned with the needs of the age ye live in, and centre your deliberations on its exigencies and requirements.” That is, fix your gaze upon the commandments of God, for whatsoever He should ordain in this day and pronounce as lawful is indeed lawful and representeth the very truth.

It is incumbent upon all to turn their gaze towards the Cause of God and to observe that which hath dawned above the horizon of His Will, since it is through the potency of His name that the banner of “He doeth what He willeth” hath been unfurled and the standard of “He ordaineth what He pleaseth” hath been raised aloft. For instance, were He to pronounce water itself to be unlawful, it would indeed become unlawful, and the converse holdeth equally true. For upon no thing hath it been inscribed “this is lawful” or “this is unlawful”; nay rather, whatsoever hath been or will be revealed is by virtue of the Word of God, exalted be His glory.

These matters are sufficiently clear and require no further elaboration. Even so, certain groups believe that all the ordinances current amongst them are unalterable, that they have ever been valid, and that they will forever remain so. Consider a further passage, glorified and exalted be He: “These words are being uttered in due measure, that the newly born may thrive and the tender shoot flourish. Milk must be given in suitable proportion, that the children of the world may attain to the station of maturity and abide in the court of oneness.” For instance, some believe that wine hath ever been and shall remain forbidden. Now, were one to inform them that it might one day be made lawful, they would arise in protest and opposition.

In truth, the people of the world have yet not grasped the meaning of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”, nor have they comprehended the significance of Supreme Infallibility. The suckling child must be nourished with milk. If it be given meat it will assuredly perish, and this would be naught but sheer injustice and unwisdom. Blessed are they that understand. Supreme Infallibility, as I once heard from His blessed lips, is reserved exclusively to the Manifestations of the Cause of God and the Exponents of His Revelation. This matter is mentioned but briefly, for time is short and as scarce as the legendary phoenix.

Yet another question:

“According to the teachings of the Mahabad and Hindu religions, should a person of whatever faith or nation, of whatever colour, appearance, character or condition, be disposed to associate with you, ye should show forth kindness and treat him as a brother. But in other religions this is not so: their followers ill-treat and oppress the adherents of other faiths, consider their persecution as an act of worship, and regard their kindred and their possessions as lawful unto themselves. Which approach is acceptable in the sight of God?”

The former statement hath ever been and will continue to be true. It is not permissible to contend with anyone, nor is it acceptable in the sight of God to ill-treat or oppress any soul. Time and again have these sublime words streamed from the Pen of the Most High, blessed and exalted be He: “O ye children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity”. This subject hath already been set forth and explained in various Tablets.

It behoveth him who expoundeth the Word of God to deliver it with the utmost good-will, kindness, and compassion. As to him that embraceth the truth and is honoured with recognizing Him, his name shall be recorded in the Crimson Book among the inmates of the all-highest Paradise. Should a soul fail, however, to accept the truth, it is in no wise permissible to contend with him. In another connection He saith: “Blessed and happy is he that ariseth to promote the best interests of the peoples and kindreds of the earth.” Likewise He saith: “The people of Baha should soar high above the peoples of the world.” In matters of religion every form of fanaticism, hatred, dissension and strife is strictly forbidden.

Section 6: “In this day a Luminary hath dawned above…”

In this day a Luminary hath dawned above the horizon of divine providence, upon whose brow the Pen of Glory hath inscribed these exalted words: “We have called you into being to show forth love and fidelity, not animosity and hatred”. Likewise, on another occasion, He-exalted and glorified be His name-hath revealed the following words in the Persian tongue, words through which the hearts of the well-favoured and the sincere amongst His servants are consumed, the manifold pursuits of men are harmonized, and mankind is illumined by the light of divine unity and enabled to turn towards the Dayspring of divine knowledge: “The incomparable Friend saith: The path to freedom hath been outstretched; hasten ye thereunto. The wellspring of wisdom is overflowing; quaff ye therefrom. Say: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch.”

Justice, which consisteth in rendering each his due, dependeth upon and is conditioned by two words: reward and punishment. From the standpoint of justice, every soul should receive the reward of his actions, inasmuch as the peace and prosperity of the world depend thereon, even as He saith, exalted be His glory: “The structure of world stability and order hath been reared upon, and will continue to be sustained by, the twin pillars of reward and punishment”. In brief, every circumstance requireth a different utterance and every occasion calleth for a different course of action. Blessed are they that have arisen to serve God, who speak forth wholly for His sake, and who return unto Him.

Another of his questions:

“Hindus and Zoroastrians do not admit or welcome outsiders who wish to join their ranks. Christians welcome those who decide of their own accord to embrace their religion, but make no effort and exert no pressure to this end. Muslims and Jews, however, insist upon it, enjoin it upon others, and, should anyone refuse, grow hostile and regard it as lawful to seize his kindred and possessions. Which approach is acceptable in the sight of God?”

The children of men are all brothers, and the prerequisites of brotherhood are manifold. Among them is that one should wish for one’s brother that which one wisheth for oneself. Therefore, it behoveth him who is the recipient of an inward or outward gift or who partaketh of the bread of heaven to inform and invite his friends with the utmost love and kindness. If they respond favourably, his object is attained; otherwise he should leave them to themselves without contending with them or uttering a word that would cause the least sadness. This is the undoubted truth, and aught else is unworthy and unbecoming.

The distinguished Sahib, may God graciously aid him, hath written that the Hindus and Zoroastrians do not permit or welcome outsiders who wish to join their ranks. This runneth counter to the purpose underlying the advent of the Messengers of God and to that which hath been revealed in their Books. For those Who have appeared at God’s behest have been entrusted with the guidance and education of all people. How could they debar a seeker from the object of his quest, or forbid a wayfarer from the desire of his heart? The fire-temples of the world stand as eloquent testimony to this truth. In their time they summoned, with burning zeal, all the inhabitants of the earth to Him Who is the Spirit of purity.

He hath moreover written that Christians welcome those who decide of their own accord to embrace their religion, but make no effort and exert no pressure to this end. This, however, is a misconception. For the Christians have exerted and continue to exert the utmost effort in teaching their faith. Their church organizations have an expenditure of about thirty million. Their missionaries have scattered far and wide throughout the globe and are assiduously engaged in teaching Christianity. Thus have they compassed the world. How numerous the schools and churches they have founded to instruct children, yet their unavowed aim is that these children, as they acquire an education, may also become acquainted in their early years with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that the unsullied mirrors of their hearts may thus reflect that which their teachers have purposed. Indeed the followers of no other religion are as intent upon the propagation of their faith as the Christians.

In brief, what is right and true in this day and acceptable before His Throne is that which was mentioned at the outset. All men have been called into being for the betterment of the world. It behoveth every soul to arise and serve his brethren for the sake of God. Should a brother of his embrace the truth, he should rejoice that the latter hath attained unto everlasting favour. Otherwise he should implore God to guide him without manifesting the least trace of animosity or ill-feeling towards him. The reins of command are in the grasp of God. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Praised.

We beseech the one true God, magnified be His glory, to enable us to recognize Him Whose unerring wisdom pervadeth all things and that we may acknowledge His truth. For once one hath recognized Him and borne witness to His Reality, one will no longer be troubled by the idle fancies and vain imaginings of men. The divine Physician hath the pulse of mankind within His almighty grasp. At one time He may well deem fit to sever certain infected limbs, that the disease may not spread to other parts of the body. This would be the very essence of mercy and compassion, and to none is given the right to object, for He is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

Another of his questions:

“In the Mahabad and Zoroastrian religions it is said: ʿOur faith and religion is superior to every other. The other Prophets and the religions they have instituted are true, but they occupy different stations before God, even as, in the court of a king, there is a gradation of ranks from the prime minister to the common soldier. Whosoever wisheth, let him keep the precepts of his religion.’ Nor do they impose upon any soul. The Hindus claim that whosoever partaketh of meat, for whatever reason or under whatever circumstances, shall never catch a glimpse of Paradise. The followers of Muhammad, Jesus and Moses maintain that a similar fate awaiteth those who fail to bear allegiance to their religions. Which belief is favoured by God, glorified be His mention?”

Regarding their statement that “our faith and religion is superior to every other”, by this is meant such Prophets as have appeared before them. Viewed from one perspective these holy Souls are one: the first among them is the same as the last, and the last is the same as the first. All have proceeded from God, unto Him have they summoned all men, and unto Him have they returned. This theme hath been set forth in the Book of Certitude, which is indeed the cynosure of all books, and which streamed from the Pen of Glory in the early years of this Most Great Revelation. Blessed is he that hath beheld it and pondered its contents for the love of God, the Lord of creation.

Concerning the remark attributed to the Hindus that whosoever partaketh of meat shall never catch a glimpse of Paradise, this runneth counter to their other assertion that all the Prophets are true. For if their truth be established, then it is absurd to claim that their followers will not ascend unto Paradise. One fain would ask what they intend by Paradise and what they have grasped thereof. In this day whosoever attaineth the good pleasure of the one true God, magnified be His glory, shall be remembered and accounted among the inmates of the all-highest Heaven and the most exalted Paradise, and shall partake of its benefits in all the worlds of God. By Him Who is the Desire of all men! The pen is powerless to portray this station or to expound this theme. How great the blessedness of him who hath attained unto the good-pleasure of God, and woe betide the heedless! Once the validity of a divinely appointed Prophet hath been established, to none is given the right to ask why or wherefore. Rather is it incumbent upon all to accept and obey whatsoever He saith. This is that which God hath decreed in all His Books, Scriptures and Tablets.

A further question that he hath asked:

“The Hindus assert that God fashioned the Intellect in the form of a man named Brahma, Who came into this world and was the cause of its progress and development, and that all Hindus are His descendants. The followers of Zoroaster say: ʿGod, through the agency of the Primal Intellect, created a man whose name is Mahabad and who is our ancestor.’ They believe the modes of creation to be six in number. Two were mentioned above; the others are creation from water, earth, fire, and from bears and monkeys. The Hindus and Zoroastrians both say that they are begotten of the Intellect, and thus do not admit others into their folds. Are these assertions true or not? That wise Master is requested to indicate that which he deemeth appropriate.”

The entire creation hath been called into being through the Will of God, magnified be His glory, and peerless Adam hath been fashioned through the agency of His all-compelling Word, a Word which is the source, the wellspring, the repository, and the dawning-place of the intellect. From it all creation hath proceeded, and it is the channel of God’s primal grace. None can grasp the reality of the origin of creation save God, exalted be His glory, Whose knowledge embraceth all things both before and after they come into being. Creation hath neither beginning nor end, and none hath ever unravelled its mystery. Its knowledge hath ever been, and shall remain, hidden and preserved with those Who are the Repositories of divine knowledge.

The world of existence is contingent, inasmuch as it is preceded by a cause, while essential preexistence hath ever been, and shall remain, confined to God, magnified be His glory. This statement is being made lest one be inclined to conclude from the earlier assertion, namely that creation hath no beginning and no end, that it is preexistent. True and essential preexistence is exclusively reserved to God, while the preexistence of the world is secondary and relative. All that hath been inferred about firstness, lastness and such hath in truth been derived from the sayings of the Prophets, Apostles, and Chosen Ones of God.

As to the “realm of subtle entities” which is often referred to, it pertaineth to the Revelation of the Prophets, and aught else is mere superstition and idle fancy. At the time of the Revelation all men are equal in rank. By reason, however, of their acceptance or rejection, rise or fall, motion or stillness, recognition or denial, they come to differ thereafter. For instance, the one true God, magnified be His glory, speaking through the intermediary of His Manifestation, doth ask: “Am I not your Lord?” Every soul that answereth “Yea, verily!” is accounted among the most distinguished of all men in the sight of God. Our meaning is that ere the Word of God is delivered, all men are deemed equal in rank and their station is one and the same. It is only thereafter that differences appear, as thou hast no doubt observed.

It is clearly established from that which hath been mentioned that none may ever justifiably claim: “We are begotten of the Intellect, while all others stem from another origin.” The truth that shineth bright and resplendent as the sun is this, that all have been created through the operation of the Divine Will and have proceeded from the same source, that all are from Him and that unto Him they shall all return. This is the meaning of that blessed verse in the Qur’an which hath issued from the Pen of the All-Merciful: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return”.

As is clear and evident to thee, the answer to all of the questions mentioned above was embodied in but one of the passages revealed by the Pen of the Most High. Blessed are they who, freed from worldly matters and sanctified from idle fancies and vain imaginings, traverse the meads of divine knowledge and discern in all things the tokens of His glory.

Numerous passages have been revealed in the name of his honour the Sahib. Were he to appreciate their value and avail himself of their fruits, he would experience such joy that all the sorrows of the world would be powerless to afflict him. God grant that he may be enabled to sincerely voice, and to act in accordance with, the following words: “Say: It is God; then leave them to entertain themselves with their cavilings.” May he endeavour to guide those deprived souls who remain secluded in darkness and obscurity towards the light of the Sun. May he seize, through the potency of the Most Great Name, the banner that speaketh of naught save His Revelation and march at the forefront of the people of the former religions, that perchance the darkness of the world may be dispelled and the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth may shine upon all mankind. This, in truth, is the most perfect bounty and the highest calling. Should man fail to attain unto this sublime station, where then can he find comfort and joy? What will sustain and animate him? With whom will he commune at the hour of repose, and whose name will he invoke when he riseth from slumber? Again: “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.”

His last question. “Most of the Tablets that we have seen are in Arabic. However, since the Beloved in this age is of Persian descent, the Arabic tongue should be abandoned and discarded. For to this day the Arabs themselves have not understood the meaning of the Qur’an, whereas the Persian language is highly prized, lauded and admired among the dwellers of the inhabited quarter of the globe. And just as the Persian of the present day is superior to Arabic, so too is Old Persian, which is greatly favoured by the people of India and others. It would therefore be preferable if the words of God, magnified be His mention, were hereafter mainly delivered in pure Persian, since it attracteth the hearts to a greater degree. It is moreover requested that the reply to these questions be graciously written in pure Persian.”

The Persian tongue is in truth exceedingly sweet and pleasing, and ever since this request was submitted in His most blessed and exalted court, numerous Tablets have been revealed in that language. As to the statement concerning the Qur’an implying that its outward meaning hath not been understood, in reality it hath been interpreted in numerous ways and translated into countless languages. That which men have been unable to grasp are its hidden mysteries and inner meanings. And all that they have said or will say is limited in scope and should be seen as commensurate with their rank and station. For none can fathom its true meaning save God, the One, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing.

Section 7: “In this day He Who is the Lord…”

In this day He Who is the Lord, the Ruler, the Fashioner, and the Refuge of the world hath appeared. Let every ear be eager to hearken unto that which will be revealed from the kingdom of His will; let every eye be expectant to gaze upon that which will shine forth from the Daystar of knowledge and wisdom. By Him Who is the Desire of the world! This is the day for eyes to see and for ears to hear, for hearts to perceive and for tongues to speak forth. Blessed are they that have attained thereunto; blessed are they that have sought after and recognized it! This is the day whereon every man may accede unto everlasting honour, for whatsoever hath streamed forth from the Pen of Glory in regard to any soul is adorned with the ornament of immortality. Again, blessed are they that have attained thereunto!

The distinguished Sahib hath written: “Since the Beloved in this age is of Persian descent, the Arabic tongue should be abandoned and discarded.” In this connection these sublime words issued from the Pen of the Most High, magnified and exalted be His glory: “Both Arabic and Persian are laudable. That which is desired of a language is that it convey the intent of the speaker, and either language can serve this purpose. And since in this day the Orb of knowledge hath risen in the firmament of Persia, this tongue deserveth every praise.”

The light of truth is indeed shining resplendent above the horizon of divine utterance, and hence no further elaboration is required from this evanescent soul or from others like unto him. Although there can be no question or doubt as to the sweetness of the Persian tongue, yet it hath not the scope of the Arabic. There are many things which have not been expressed in Persian, that is to say, words referring to such things have not been devised, whilst in Arabic there are several words describing the same thing. Indeed there existeth no language in the world as vast and comprehensive as Arabic. This statement is prompted by truth and fairness; otherwise it is clear that in this day the world is being illumined by the splendours of that Sun which hath dawned above the horizon of Persia, and that the merits of this sweet language can scarcely be overestimated.

All the questions of his honour the Sahib have herewith been mentioned and duly answered. If it be deemed appropriate and advisable, there would be no harm in his perusing these answers himself, and likewise they may be read by the beloved friends in that land, such as Jinab-i-ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Supreme Ordainer, and Jinab-i-aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the Glory of Glories.

This servant beseecheth the one True God-exalted be His glory-to graciously adorn the world of humanity with justice and fair-mindedness, although in truth the latter is but one of the expressions of the former. Verily, justice is a lamp that guideth man aright amidst the darkness of the world and shieldeth him from every danger. It is indeed a shining lamp. God grant that the rulers of the earth may be illumined by its light. This servant further imploreth God to graciously aid all men to do His will and pleasure. He, in truth, is the Lord of this world and of the world to come. No God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Most-Powerful.

Regarding the honored Haji Shaykh Hadi, upon him be the glory of God, who was mentioned—convey greetings on behalf of this ephemeral one. It behooveth him to manifest the greatest steadfastness in the Cause of his Lord, the Lord of all beings. This servant beseeches his Lord to assist him in this, that he may guide people to the path of righteousness. I swear by the Sun of divine utterance that creation itself came into being for this Cause. Although this servant mentions to the gentlemen that which causes exaltation, ascendancy and enkindlement, yet he has been and is forbidden from revealing most matters. Were that which is hidden to be revealed, souls would take flight, solid rock would melt, how much more so hearts.

We beseech God to raise up souls who are pure in motive, that they may engage in purifying the world and its peoples, and through wisdom and utterance cause all to attain the true life-giving waters, that all may be illumined by the light of truth and cast off their old, antiquated, and sullied characteristics in the name of Truth, and be adorned with holy spiritual qualities, goodly words and righteous deeds. O friends! Make an effort—now is the time, now is the time! After a few days, most souls now living will be buried beneath the earth. For these few days, one should not be deprived of eternal life. Strive that all may attain that which, were the people of earth to search throughout the duration of the kingdom and heavenly realm, they would find nothing like unto it. I conclude these words at this point with mention of God’s chosen ones and His friends who have arisen to praise Him and serve His decisive, wise Cause.

That regarding the honored leaf, the wife of Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abdul-Hadi, upon her and upon him be the Glory of God, and her degrees of sincerity, steadfastness, perseverance and service in the path of God which you had written—this detailed account was presented before His presence and He showed His favor. Some time ago, a Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed for Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abdul-Hadi, upon him be the Glory of God, and mention of the leaf was detailed in the Tablet and sent. No one strives in the path of God except that their mention flows from the Supreme Pen. How many souls were engaged in unworthy deeds that in truth were not befitting of God and His loved ones and His days, yet nevertheless He showed them favor due to their love and devotion.

One day in Iraq, a person committed an unseemly act and attained the Most Holy Court. After his departure, He said: “O servant! Since the grace of the divine days is all-encompassing, We showed him favor, otherwise he deserved to be stoned.” Similarly, on another day when He was going out towards the Shrine and this servant was present, He mentioned one of the friends and showed favor from the Dawning-Place of grace. And this servant was somewhat bewildered due to certain matters he had heard and personally observed. This bewilderment was not from questioning, for through His grace this servant had been blessed to know that whatever He says is truth, even if He were to praise the worst of creation with the utmost mention and tribute, for the banner of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” is raised through His name and “He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth” circumambulates. Rather, the bewilderment was from the greatness of His grace and manifestations of His favor.

Immediately He said: “No, no, O servant! Be assured that he is deprived of most divine favors in the infinite worlds. But since the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation have encompassed the world, he has become the recipient of favor according to his capacity due to his devotion and love. Ask God that all may attain the station of contentment and be honored with the greatest favors. And likewise ask God that they may be aided to return, for verily I am the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful. Today the gate of grace is open, the sun of favor is shining, and the ocean of bounty is surging. A single moment of these days is superior to centuries and ages, for the fragrance of the divine garment is diffused therein. Blessed are they that attain!” Similar utterances were repeatedly heard from the Tongue of the Revealer of verses. O beloved of my heart! His favor has reached such a degree that He says: “O Son of Man! Observe My commandments for the love of My beauty.” If a soul were to discover the fragrance of this word and its sweetness and the mercy that can be derived from it, they would declare with a hundred thousand tongues: “I turn unto Thee and return unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!”

Two matters are very essential today: one is the unity of the friends of God, and the other is the sanctification of deeds. These two are the means of ascent for souls, two pillars for the pavilion of knowledge, two wings for the believers, and two oceans for those who thirst in the valley […] and two suns for the heaven of meanings. Once They said:

“O servant, write to His Honor Fadl that he must strive and become the cause of unity. If they act according to what God hath revealed in the Book, the Truth will bestow that which before [its manifestation] the mind was powerless and incapable of comprehending.”

Say: Let them refer to the revealed Tablets that they may become aware and conscious of the power, majesty, knowledge and all-embracing nature of the Truth, exalted be His glory. Verily the Glory preventeth all from following their desires and calleth them unto that which hath been ordained in the Psalms and Tablets.

This evanescent one and that honored one beseech the True One to grant all attentive ears and penetrating vision, that the counsel of counselors, the exhortation of exhorters, and the utterance of the sincere may prove effective and direct the realm of ignorance to the horizon of the heaven of knowledge.

Concerning what you wrote about Siyyid-hood, this is most evident and clear. Those souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of certitude, by the Most Great Ocean, those souls have been and are the Siyyids of the people. If through divine grace and infinite mercy this station is realized for a person, his relation is to the Truth, exalted be His glory. At the head of Tablets, this servant writes the revelation, and afterwards the Two Most Great Branches—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—inscribe the Tablets. However, your Tablet specifically, the Ancient Beauty commanded it to be written in this manner. Write that it is requested that you convey greetings to all the friends in that land. This evanescent one presents his respects to all and beseeches that, God willing, they may hold fast to such means and perform such deeds as will cause the sanctification and glorification of the Cause of God.

This servant has mentioned each one in the Most Holy Court, and likewise has written concerning each one that which he was commanded. In this case, it would seem he has some small claim, and by virtue of this claim he submits that the recompense, reward and acceptance of that service to each one is that from this party, who have been named by the name of God, such qualities should be manifested as will cause the exaltation of the Word, the attraction of people, and the turning of hearts.

And concerning the mention of Aqa Siyyid Ruhu’llah and Mashhadi Baqir, upon them be the Glory of God, it was submitted to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. This is what was revealed for the first, His word, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, the Answerer

Say: O friends, until ye are purified from the defilement of self and desire, ye shall not attain true tranquility. Today this exalted Word shineth as the sun from the horizon of the Divine Book: Act ye in accordance with what beseemeth the days of God, the Lord of the worlds. God willing, may ye be adorned with such an adornment as to attain distinction in the assemblage of the world. O Ruhu’llah! The Wronged One mentioneth thee and commandeth that which is befitting. Strive thou to be blessed in all times with the breath of the Holy Spirit. Today the Spirit crieth out in the wilderness of longing and giveth glad tidings to all who are on earth of the manifestation of Him Who conversed on Sinai. Say: O friends, today is the day of acceptance and today is the day of deeds. Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness and cling to the hem of sanctity. This is the counsel of the Wronged One of the horizons to His loved ones. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon those who have attained unto the Word of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

And this is what was revealed for the latter, I am the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing:

Blessed is he who hath turned unto Mine all-highest horizon, and hath heard the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree, and hath beheld Mine All-Greatest Sign. He is of the people of Baha inscribed in the Crimson Tablet which none hath understood save the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have heard thy mention and have remembered thee, and counsel thee with that wherewith We have counseled Our loved ones, and I am the Counselor, the All-Wise. Shouldst thou become aware of the ocean of My bounty and the heaven of My grace, thou wouldst surely call out this Name by night and by day. Thy Lord is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Whoso hath attained unto My Word and acted according to what is in My Book, he hath attained unto that which no swift scribe can reckon. The glory be upon thee and upon him who hath attained unto My presence and upon him who hath answered his Lord, the Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

No Name among Names remained except that there was revealed for it that which the treasures of the earth cannot equal even one letter thereof. Well is it with them and may it be wholesome for them. This lowly one also conveyeth greetings and glorification to them, and giveth them the glad-tidings of God’s bounties. Blessed is the soul that hath become the recipient of glad-tidings and hath truly attained unto the hearing of the utterance of the All-Merciful. He is assuredly among those who are brought near unto God in His Book, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the bounty of our Lord, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, be upon you and upon those mentioned in your letter and upon those who have attained unto the announcement of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Great.

The servant 14 Sha’ban al-Mu’azzam 1299