BH03636: Lawh-i-Jawhar-i-Hamd II

Section 1: “As to what you wrote regarding the Name…”

As to what you wrote regarding the Name of God’s instruction that you should send a petition to the Most Holy Court every month and number your future petitions—the servant bears witness that he spoke the truth and that from it wafted the fragrance of his love for His Presence. Take heed! What station could be greater than that the mention of that beloved one should repeatedly come before the Most Holy Court and attain unto the honor of being heard? But this word of that beloved one which you have mentioned is also pleasant and sweet, that even if I should send petitions throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven and receive no reply, I would not transgress the command of His Honor the imprisoned Name of God, for he is certain that whatever they have spoken is from the divine, unseen inspirations.

After this word was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, the Kingdom of Utterance spoke this most exalted word. He says, exalted be His glory and universal His bounty: “O servant present! Verily the Truth has testified that he spoke the truth. Ask God to make him a leader of My servants through My Name and their guide through My wise remembrance. Give him the glad tidings of My word, My grace and My mercy, then attract him through My sweetest utterance that he may soar on the wings of longing in this atmosphere. And I am the All-Bountiful.

O Muhammad-Taqi! The doors of grace have never been closed to your face, for verily it is open to those who enter, and His house is witnessed by those who circle round, and His Cause is known to those who hold fast, and His robe is wide and long for those who cling to it. You were mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One on a day when your letter was not present at the Throne and your call did not attain the honor of being heard. Our mercy and grace have preceded you, and We shall assist you through a command from Us, and verily I am the Helper, the All-Wise.”

O son of him who hath circled round My Cause! This recent sedition hath not been, nor is it, of great moment. The fear of some hath been without cause. However, sedition is that which appeareth contrary to the good-pleasure of God. Soon shall the raven croak. The harm that hath ever been inflicted upon the Divine Lote-Tree hath come from heedless souls who have attributed themselves to the Truth and have committed that which hath caused the Cause to be wasted among the servants. Ask thou God, thy Lord, to protect His loved ones from the evil of these people. We pray for Our loved ones in Ta and its surroundings. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

This lowly one submitteth that God, exalted be His glory, hath answered all servants and handmaidens before their supplication, and His favor hath encompassed all before its manifestation. That same primal Word which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered encompasseth all: “This is a Book from the All-Merciful unto all who are in the lands,” and likewise His word, exalted be His glory: “O My loved ones in the lands.” This verse hath encompassed all. The steed of hope is galloping while despair with its hosts is put to flight. Thus hath the standard of hope been raised high and the banner of despair been lowered. Today there is no place or station for despair and despondency, for the rain of mercy hath ever been pouring and the seas of hope are surging.

For years people possessed but a portion of the Qur’an, yet all held fast to it. Now some suppose there may exist several times as many books as the Qur’an. By the life of your Beloved and our Beloved! A bounty hath been manifested that hath had and hath no likeness or peer. A hundred thousand earths and horizons and heavens would be needed to recount but an atom of the effulgences of the Sun of His favor. Otherwise, whatsoever existeth is unworthy of this station. We beseech God to cause to appear from the hearts, in service to that Beloved One, that which is sanctified from despair and despondency and the like. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning that which thou didst write regarding the veiled lady, the wife of His exalted Honor Aqa Siyyid Abu’talib—upon him be the glory of God, His mercy, and His loving-kindness: repeated mention of that exalted personage hath proceeded from the blessed Tongue, and likewise the petitions of his consort have more than once attained unto the Most Holy Presence, and answers were sent. From the Land of Ta and from Hadba, through His Holiness Ismu’llah, Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin—upon him be the most glorious of all glories—and through other friends as well, their supplications were received and replies dispatched. And this is that which hath, at this time, been revealed for her from the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds:

O My handmaiden! We have previously made mention of thee in such wise as to cause eyes and visions to be gladdened, and We revealed for him who ascended that whereby the treasures of knowledge and inner meanings and the repositories of utterance were made manifest in all creation. Thy Lord is verily the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Knowing. By God’s life! We were with him when he ascended to the Most Exalted Companion, and the people of Paradise inhaled from him the fragrance of My raiment. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur bear witness from the most exalted station. We verily honored him and adorned him, and revealed for him that which the near ones shall remember throughout ages and centuries. O handmaiden of God! Rejoice in thy Lord’s favor, for there hath been sent down from the Kingdom of grace that which was the spirit of life unto temples and bodies.

Give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He is with you and He is the Watchful, the Self-Subsisting. Hold fast unto goodly deeds and unto that which thou hast been commanded in the Book from thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath held fast unto My commandments, and the servant who hath clung to the hem of My laws. We counsel every servant who hath turned to the Most Sublime Horizon, and every handmaiden who hath heard the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree, to hold fast unto that whereby the Cause of God hath been raised up amongst mankind. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon those who have heard and responded and held fast unto that which they were commanded in the Scriptures and Tablets.

As to what thou didst write concerning the distress of that honored lady, God willing, His grace shall encompass her condition. The people of the earth, though some have usurped the rights of God and some have hoarded wealth, and the heedlessness of the rich hath reached such a state that they shun the poor, yet still they make accusations and every year busy themselves kindling the fire of oppression. These souls act with the utmost kindness and mercy, while those souls act with the utmost oppression, pride and dominion. However, that which hath no connection to God hath been and shall ever be transient and ephemeral. How many days have they partaken and do partake of this world? Where are their fathers and their great ones and their ministers of old who arose to oppose and disputed the signs of God, the Lord of all worlds?

And where are their treasures and their riches, and where their influence and their power? Let them look into the graves; perchance they may repent and return unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. But their unworthy deeds have blocked the paths of awareness and awakening. They are afflicted by their own deeds until they return to their abode. The Command is in His grasp; He doeth and judgeth as He pleaseth, and He is the Commander, the All-Wise.

And regarding the property, let them consult. If that assemblage be adorned with the friends of God, exalted be His glory, it is assuredly more luminous, excellent and radiant, and let them act according to whatsoever emerges from that assemblage. Thus hath He Who is our Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth decreed.

As regards what you wrote concerning that leaf’s attention to serving that loved one and the honored Name, upon him be the Glory of God—this matter was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence—may my spirit be sacrificed for all in the kingdoms of command and creation. He expressed great favor, saying, glorified be His majesty:

“Blessed is she and those who arise to serve My loved ones. They are indeed leaves of My most exalted Paradise. God will surely reward them with the most excellent reward. Thus has the matter been decreed from God, the Lord of Lords.”

Blessed are those souls who in the days of testing arose to serve to the extent possible. In truth, that service was for the Cause of God and for the love of God. The Truth, exalted be His glory, Himself gives glad tidings to His leaves and handmaidens of special rewards. Those handmaidens who have been mindful of the circumstances of the Name of God and those with him have ever been and are beneath the gaze of His favor.

O son of him who ascended to My Most Glorious Horizon! Some women in that land are observed to be two-faced. God has concealed and continues to conceal this. Pray that He may adorn them with the ornament of steadfastness and cause them to attain the exalted station. Say: God, then leave them to their vain imaginings.

The believing wife, upon them both be My glory and mercy, is mentioned before the Wronged One. She attained the presence when the Light was shining from the horizon of Zawra. We have mentioned her and do mention her as a grace from Us, and I am the All-Remembering, the All-Wise.

Blessed are the leaves and handmaidens who today are occupied with serving the Cause and are moved to assist God’s loved ones. We have adorned their heads with crowns of utterance from the All-Merciful, and We shall soon send down for them that from which the sincere shall find the fragrance of My loving-kindness. And I am the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.

As for mentioning the honored beloved, the son of ʿAyn-Ta, upon them both be the Glory of God and His favor—praise be to God, from the first days he attained recognition of the Beloved of the worlds and has ever been and is mentioned in the Most Holy Presence. This lowly one presented at a special time in the Most Holy Presence whatever you mentioned regarding them and Haji Muhammad Rahim, upon him be the Glory of God. This is what was revealed for them from the heaven of our Lord’s gracious favor. His blessed and exalted Word:

O ʿAyn-Qabl-Ta! The servant in attendance submitted your letter sent in his name to the Most Holy Presence and it attained the honor of being heard. Praise be to God, from the first days you have been adorned with the mention of the Truth, exalted be His glory. He loves whoever loves Him, remembers whoever remembers Him, and turns to whoever turns to Him, as a grace from Him. And He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

We make mention of the Merciful One who migrated out of love for God until he arrived at the luminous Spot and heard the Call from the Dawning-Place of grandeur: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Generous.” Behold, then remember when thou wert standing before the Countenance and didst hear the call of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have made mention of thee in such wise that nothing on earth can equal it, as doth testify to this He with Whom is the perspicuous Book. And We make mention of thy brother who was with thee and attained unto that which was promised by the tongues of the Prophets and Messengers. And We make mention of your mother who attained unto the recognition of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

She is the one at whose mention My Most Exalted Pen is moved, as doth bear witness to this the Lord of Names in His exalted station. And We make mention of My handmaidens from whom the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of the learned have slipped, as have those of every heedless ignorant one. And We make mention of the daughter of My Name, the Wronged One, who was named the Most Truthful in My Great Tablet. He cast the world behind him, turning unto the Lord of Eternity and Sovereign of nations, until he attained the presence of the Countenance and heard the call of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

O Leaf! We wish to behold thee steadfast in the Cause in such wise that neither the clamor of all who dwell on earth shall shake thee nor the signs of those who have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment shall veil thee. Verily thy brother hath attained to the service of the Cause. We have aided him and raised him up through a command from Us. Recognize thou his station. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. He arose to serve My Cause, spoke in My praise, traveled through the lands for My Name, soared in My atmosphere, and guided the people to My path, bearing hardships for My mighty, powerful Cause. The glory be upon you, O My loved ones! Give thanks unto your Lord, the Most Merciful, for this manifest bounty.

O My loved one and he who is mentioned before My Lord! From the wondrous and exalted verses, the favor of the True One, exalted be His glory, is evident and clear regarding them. May they, God willing, be assisted to act righteously and remain unperturbed by the vicissitudes of the days. And concerning what they wrote to His Holiness Ismu’llah Jamal, upon him be all the Most Glorious of Glory, that “through various means we attained deliverance from imprisonment”—after this gained the blessing of reaching the hearing of the True One, exalted be His glory, He said: “The intermediary they took walketh outside the path.” Then He said: “The brothers and souls from that household who are steadfast have all been and are under the protection and safeguarding of the True One, exalted be His glory.”

When His Honor Haji, upon him be the Glory of God, intended to return, at the time of farewell he attained the presence, and after being dismissed, the word “protection” regarding him and his brothers was heard from the tongue of the Lord of Names. This is a bounty that sufficeth him and His all-pervading Self over all in the heavens and earths. These matters of imprisonment and arrest had and have no importance, for praise be to God, the friends of God have been and are of pure breasts, illumined hearts and radiant faces, and such souls, by the life of the Beloved, are victorious. Blessed is the mother, for she hath arisen to serve the Cause and the friends of the True One. Every good deed manifested by them is mentioned before the Throne and adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Assuredly the True One, exalted be His glory, will exalt that household, for it hath been the dwelling place of His friends and chosen ones. I beseech and implore the True One, exalted be His glory, to protect that household from certain winds and wholly sanctify it from whatsoever is unseemly, that all souls dwelling in that house may be associated with the True One alone and be mentioned by His Name.

Section 2: “These games of men—now arresting, now…”

These games of men—now arresting, now imprisoning—will all soon return to nothingness. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of proof that hath risen from the Most Great Prison that all they now possess and in which they take pride and glory is and was unworthy of mention. All is seen as perishable and non-existent. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to adorn the people of that household, as He mentioned from the beginning unto the endless end, with this most exalted, most holy and most glorious ornament. Verily, He is powerful over all things. This servant conveyeth greetings and praise to each one—to the exalted matron, the mother, upon her be the Glory of God, and their honors the brothers, and the leaf, daughter of His Holiness Ismu’llah Al-Asdaq, upon him be all the Most Glorious of Glory, and likewise the handmaidens in that household who hold fast to the cord of the True One, exalted be His glory, and seeketh confirmation for each one. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Concerning your mention of him named Tahmasb from the region of Dar al-Marz, that after two days of arrival in the land of Ta he ascended to the most exalted holy precincts—this matter was presented in the Most Holy Court. His blessed and exalted Word:

“There hath befallen My loved ones there that which hath caused the Holy Spirit and the dwellers of the precincts of intimacy to lament. Blessed is every one who hath turned unto God and been touched by tribulation in the path of God, the Lord of Names, and woe unto every oppressor who hath oppressed and thereby earned for himself a grievous punishment. By the life of God! He hath lost in this world and in the next shall see himself among the most lost.”

O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! Upon thee be My glory, My mercy and My loving-kindness! Behold and then call to mind when the idolaters in the land of M rose up against My loved ones and My chosen ones. They seized them, reviled them, beat them and plundered them. Say: O concourse of idolaters! Ye have committed that which hath caused the Supreme Horizon to darken and the denizens of the highest Paradise to lament. God hath lifted the Pen from children, yet through your tyranny there befell them that which caused the Temple of Justice to cry out from its exalted station. Ye have earned for yourselves that which shall never be touched by the fragrance of forgiveness throughout the duration of the names of your Lord, the Most Merciful. He Who speaketh from this station doth testify to this. Woe unto him who hath wronged the loved ones of God and His chosen ones, and unto those who followed them without clear proof or a Book from God, the Lord of the worlds.

We make mention of each one of them even as We mentioned them before, and I am verily the All-Hearing Witness. We were with them when the oppressors advanced upon them, and We heard their cry, and We recount from Our Most Exalted Pen what befell them on this straight path. Say: O My loved ones in that land! Remember what the oppressors inflicted upon God’s Messengers and His chosen ones of old, and what befell Muhammad the Apostle of God, and before Him the Spirit, and before Him the Interlocutor. There hath befallen you what befell them. The Tongue of Grandeur doth testify to this, seated upon His mighty throne. Blessed are ye, and blessed is he who loveth you, and he who hath aided and will aid you, and he who remembereth your tribulations in this Announcement whereby the mountains were crushed and the pillars of every distant realm were shaken.

O son of him who turned to My most exalted horizon! The world hath become pregnant through this oppression, and soon shall its signs appear. The heedlessness of the servants hath reached such a state that were God to seize them all and spare but a few, those few would again rise up in sedition, except whom God willeth. How many wicked and oppressive souls who later rose up against God Himself with utmost tyranny and injustice, and the hand of divine wrath seized them all and returned them to the lowest of the low. Yet despite this, the rest of the people never became aware nor drank from the fountain of knowledge. The veils of glory have prevented their eyes from beholding the lights of beauty, and the cotton of heedlessness hath deprived their ears from hearing the Most Exalted Word.

A hundred thousand blessings upon those souls who in R and Sh and the land of M were afflicted with great tribulations in the path of the Lord of Oneness. The denizens of the Kingdom of Names, the Concourse on High, and the highest Paradise send their prayers upon them, and behind them the Tongue of God, the King, the Just, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of the Kingdom that whenever any of them ascended, the exalted hosts, the cherubim, and the near-stationed angels all descended to receive his purified spirit and ascended with him. Verily the Truth with His tongue maketh mention of him who hath ascended and will make mention of him who will ascend, and mentioneth in this station His servant Nasir who ascended unto God in the prison of R and Sh.

O Nasir! Hearken unto what the Wronged One mentioneth unto thee from the precincts of the prison, and congratulateth thee on the favors and bounties of God and what He hath ordained for thee in a clear Book. I testify that thou didst hear the Call and answer God, the Lord of Names, and didst make His love thy highest aim. I have made My ultimate goal thy love and good-pleasure, and to act in accordance with what He hath revealed in His mighty Book. By My life! If people knew thy station and beheld God’s bounty towards thee, they would sacrifice their souls and all they possess in thy path. To this testifieth every atom and, beyond them, He Who speaketh that there is none other God but Me, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

O Nasir! The denizens of the Kingdom stand astonished at thy steadfastness, thy firmness and thy constancy in this mighty Cause. There befell thee and thy noble person that which caused the Maidens of Heaven to swoon upon hearing it, and those who circle round the exalted Throne. Say: O oppressor! Thou hast committed what neither Pharaoh, nor Nimrod, nor he through whose tyranny the hearts of the dwellers of Paradise were melted and the hearts of them who are nigh unto God were consumed, had committed. Remember what befell Husayn and his companions at the hands of those who denied God’s right and His sovereignty, who disputed His signs and disbelieved in Him when He came from the Dawning-Place of utterance with a perspicuous command. By God! The Divine Lote-Tree and its leaves, fruits and branches weep with the weeping of those who are bereft.

Ye have heard My voice which was raised in sorrow. Should ye hear My sweeter voice once again in mention and praise of you, We would give you glad-tidings of the greatest joy which hath come to you from God, the Goal of them who know. O My Most Exalted Pen! We have caused thee to hear what hath befallen My loved ones in the land of Mim, then Ra and Shin. Dost thou wish to hear the lamentation of the loved ones from another city?

He saith: O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven! My heart hath melted, my breast is aflame, my limbs tremble, and my being is convulsed by what I have heard from Thy most sweet tongue concerning what hath befallen Thy chosen ones. O Lord! The universe is nigh to swooning and returning to nothingness. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, the manifestations of Thy justice, the waves of the ocean of Thy generosity, and the effulgences of the sun of Thy bounty, to have mercy upon Thy servants. Thou art He before Whose utterance the waves of the ocean of utterance bow down, and before Whose manifestations of will the wills of the world prostrate themselves. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the Almighty.

O Pen! Be not disturbed by what thou hast heard. By My life! What I have mentioned to thee of the ocean of tribulation is but a drop, and of the oppression of the wicked but a letter. I have not recounted to thee what the Nightingale sang upon the prison branch in the land of Ra and Shin, nor what the Dove sang in the land of Alif and Ba. We behold thee, O My Pen, silent, speechless and bewildered, not knowing what the ungodly have wrought with the Book of God and its people. Were We to recount it to thee, thou wouldst, by the Lord of the worlds, be struck unconscious. We have veiled from thee what hath befallen those whom God hath made the letters of His Book and the signs of His Cause. Hold fast unto the cord of patience until God shall issue His decree and manifest what He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing.

O ʿAndalib! We have received thy letter, and what thou didst compose and send hath come before the Wronged One, and the servant in attendance before the face of thy Wronged and Exiled Lord hath chanted it. Blessed art thou, and blissful art thou and they who have attained unto imprisonment in the path of God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, and the Lord of this exalted Station. Blessed art thou, O Land of Alif and Ba, in that God hath adorned thee with the lights of the countenances of His loved ones, through whose names the horizon of steadfastness was illumined and by whose mention all things have spoken. The kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Great. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, as a command from Him in this station which hath been built in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We have heard the lamentation of the people of earth and heaven, wherefore We stayed the Pen and chose silence, and I am the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

O beloved of my heart! This letter was written six years ago and reached this point, and then due to the imprisonment of the friends in those days and the sorrows that befell them, the tongue remained silent and the pen stayed still until those days and nights ended, reaching this time when the moment for remembrance and utterance has come, for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. In truth, thy letters arrived one after another and set in motion the cord of love and faithfulness. Therefore at this time, when one hour and nine minutes have passed from Thursday night, the 24th of the month of Sha’ban al-Mu’azzam 1306, I am present before the face of the Goal of the worlds, and thy detailed letter which arrived in these days was, after permission was granted, presented and attained the honor of being heard. His word, exalted be His majesty and mighty be His utterance:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

O son of him who turned to My Kingdom and attained My grace and acceptance and soared in the atmosphere of My love! Hear My call on this night wherein sorrows have encompassed Me from all directions because of what the hands of the wolves have wrought in the land of Sad. By My life! The dwellers of My Kingdom and the people of My Dominion have lamented at their tyranny, and then those who circle round God’s throne, the Lord of the Frequented Fane and the Praised Station. Say: O people of the earth! Be fair in the Wronged One’s Cause and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who speaketh in every matter: “Verily, I am God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting.”

O thou who gazest upon the Face! By My life! My grief from the deeds of My loved ones exceeds what hath come upon Me from Mine enemies. My heart and My Pen bear witness unto thee—the Pen through which the Trump was blown and all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save whom God willed, the Lord of the worlds and the Master of existence. The Day hath come, yet the people perceive not. The Call hath been raised between earth and heaven, yet they hear not. They have cast aside what God made as a healing for their ills and have taken what harmeth them. Verily they understand not.

Blessed is the servant who hath forsaken all that is in the world, taking what was given from God, the King, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Loving. O Ibn Abhar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of this Scene. There hath appeared in the Great City that which hath caused trustworthiness, religion, truthfulness and faithfulness to cry out. By God’s life! Justice lamenteth and equity weepeth, and the Wronged One saith:

“Be fair, O people, and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who hath come from the heaven of bounty with a clear proof.”

My Most Exalted Pen moveth only toward that which elevateth the station of man in the contingent world, but the people have turned away from what behooveth them and have turned to every ignorant remote one. Say:

My God, my God! Thou knowest and seest what hath befallen Thy Cause at the hands of them who have attributed themselves to Thee. They have committed that which hath caused the dwellers of the cities of justice and equity to lament in Thy days, hath disquieted the hearts of Thy loved ones and chosen ones, and hath caused grief to take hold of the inhabitants of Thy kingdom, Thy realm and Thy dominion. With their tongues they confess what hath been sent down from Thee, yet their deeds give them the lie. Then, as to those who have circled round the throne of Thy grandeur and held fast to the cord of Thy grace—O Lord, aid them to turn unto Thee and to acknowledge before Thine eyes what they have committed. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all worlds, to ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and purify them from the promptings of self and passion. Thou art, verily, the Lord of all created things, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Hear thou the voice of the Wronged One in the Persian tongue. In the great city there occurred that which inflicted humiliation upon the glory of God and encompassed the Concourse of the near ones with profound sorrow.

The Afnan, upon them be My glory and loving-kindness, desired to open an establishment for commerce in that city. Permission was granted, and this Wronged One’s purpose was that perchance the fragrances of trustworthiness, faith, truthfulness and sincerity might be diffused, and that the deeds and conduct of His loved ones might guide the manifestations of His names. However, self and passion prevailed, and the temple of tyranny drew the sword of cruelty against the temple of godliness. Treachery prevailed over trustworthiness, and falsehood over truth, bringing about that which causeth perpetual grief to endure. For the sword of oppression, through inequity, fell upon the head of justice, although no harm had come to that person from any quarter. The utmost consideration and love were shown to him, yet the fire of greed and covetousness so inflamed him that night and day he warred against his brother with arrows of rancor and spears of hatred, that perchance the commerce of that land might be confined to him alone.

In short, he made peace with the enemy and assailed the friend, heedless that his affairs were manifest and evident in the presence of God. In his own estimation he interpreted the concealing grace and kindness of God, unmindful that this is the Day which hath been mentioned aforetime in these blessed words:

“Lo! if it be but the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it forth. Verily God is Subtle, Informed! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to regard His servants with the glance of His loving-kindness and bounty, and to enable those who have turned away to turn unto Him, those who have denied to acknowledge, those who have associated partners with God to recognize His unity, and the oppressors to act with justice. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Bountiful, and He is the All-Generous, the Merciful.”

Section 3: “Blessed is the sprinkling that has been shed…”

Blessed is the sprinkling that has been shed upon the friends and loved ones from the ocean of divine favor. In truth, were the eye of fairness to be opened and the ears of justice attentive, one would hear all things proclaiming the glad-tidings of the Days of God. Today the very atoms of all created things give voice to His praise and glory, yet most of the people on earth remain heedless. The wonder is that until now they have failed to recognize the purpose of the Sovereign of being and the Lord of the seen and unseen, imagining that this most great Revelation would bring harm to the world and its peoples—even though the signs of God’s infinite mercy and the manifestations of the Sun of divine grace and favor have encompassed all. Through pure and goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct, His purpose stands clear and evident.

This evanescent one beseeches the Eternal Truth to enable all to attain unto that which leads to their exaltation and glory, and to inspire in them whatsoever is His wish, that all may arise with complete assurance to accomplish that which is befitting, and that the entire earth, despite its diverse regions, lands and places, may be seen as one country, one land, one homeland and one realm. This is the greatest bounty and the purpose of the Ancient King. We hope His will shall encompass all and bring to light that which is now concealed. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning what you wrote regarding matters that would bring comfort and cause prosperity, wealth and employment for the friends—these points were presented in detail before His Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. Here is what He says, exalted be His glory and mighty be His utterance:

O Ibn Abhar! In all matters one must consider their consequences. Every matter which today is conducive to the exaltation of the Word of God, the attraction of hearts, the magnetization of souls, the elevation of station, the uplifting of rank, and the benefit of existence—to this must one hold fast. The first command that hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning these stations is the ordinance of consultation. You and those few who are numbered and accounted before God as Hands of the Cause, as well as those assured souls who act and speak purely for the sake of God, must arrange an assembly wherein they shall consult together. Whatsoever the opinions of these souls shall settle upon, to that must they hold fast, placing their reliance in God. Assuredly in this way they shall be inspired with that which is the cause and source of success and prosperity. Verily God will accomplish His purpose. God hath ordained a measure for all things.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones on behalf of the Wronged One, and remind them of that which hath been revealed. We beseech God to make all aware of the station of this Most Great Cause, the excellence of these days, their recompense and reward, and the manifestations of their signs and fruits throughout centuries and ages. For were they to become aware, they would arise with heart and soul to serve in every aspect and station. That which hath been revealed in every aspect and station is beyond the power of all to reckon. However, if the people of Baha, who in the Books and Tablets have been designated as the party of God, should resolve to reform the world and its peoples, they shall assuredly be aided and confirmed. Verily God is the Strong, the Dominant, the Powerful. No matter can frustrate Him, no force can weaken Him, no rejection of the rejecters nor oppression of the oppressors can prevent Him, and nothing escapes His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We beseech God to aid one of His loved ones to compile all that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen in various stations concerning the absence of conflict, contention and corruption, as well as counsels, consummate wisdom, and the unity and concord of the servants. Verily He is the Helper, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Great.

Likewise the mention of those souls who in this Most Great Revelation, with perfect attraction and enthusiasm, with longing and yearning, have sought the station of sacrifice and have offered up their lives in the path of the love of the Beloved of the worlds—these matters are acceptable and praiseworthy before God.

If through the favors of the Desired One of the worlds unity and concord be realized, the doors of glory, mercy, comfort and wealth shall be opened before the faces of all. This evanescent servant, and that beloved one, and the other loved ones must beseech God, exalted be His glory, to enable all to attain unto this most exalted station and this supreme rank.

As to what you wrote regarding the two souls and their arising in love, fellowship and service—after being submitted before the Most Holy Court, these exalted words were revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur, exalted be His utterance:

“We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them and those who have desired to do good in this most mighty, most luminous and most glorious path, in accordance with what He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for them what He hath ordained for those who circumambulated around the Will in the beginning and the end.”

Their intention, even before their deed, hath been honored with the mention of the Wronged One. Blessed be they both! In all circumstances, one must hold fast to that which was previously mentioned. Verily He is the Counselor, the All-Knowing, the Helper, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

As for the mention of Aqa Muhammad Husayn and his wife, upon them be the glory of God, praise be to God that they have attained to the mention of the Goal of all the worlds. The effulgent rays of the Orb of grace have ever shone resplendently upon His loved ones without cessation or delay. The pen can never adequately describe this station, nor can the tongue make mention of it. The servant beseeches his Lord to aid all to draw nigh unto His loved ones and to serve His chosen ones. Verily He is the Answerer of prayers and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

You made mention of the Kitab-i-Iqan and its publication and distribution. This is a momentous matter, a great bounty, and a perfect good. I beseech and implore God that He may aid all to do what is befitting in this day. After these matters were presented before the Divine Throne, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these exalted words, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

O Ibn-i-Abhar! We beseech God to adorn thy head with the crown of detachment, thy heart with the ornament of patience and forbearance, thy temple with the pearls of wisdom and utterance, and to cause to flow from thy tongue that which will attract the servants to the Creator of all existence. Say: O people of God! The power of piety and contentment is mightier and more penetrating than the hosts of earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath laid hold on these and attained unto them. Piety is the lord of deeds and virtues, and hath power to transform the servants. It is a blessed captain with a vast domain and a wondrous command. Its hosts too are blessed and propitious—they are goodly deeds and radiant attributes.

You made mention of the Books—who can reckon them? If people were granted but a drop from the ocean of fairness and attained unto a single Tablet, all would turn, detached from all on earth, to the horizon of the heaven of the Manifestation. Thus hath spoken the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O My beloved! The fire of tyranny, injustice, ignorance and unwisdom melteth man’s being. By the life of God, our Lord and your Lord! Night and day, verses have descended from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of all beings like rain—nay, even more copiously. In truth, all are powerless and incapable of gathering and preserving them. They have been so widely dispersed that none but God, exalted be His glory, can hope to gather them all together, save whom God aideth through a power from Him and a strength from His presence. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

As for what you mentioned regarding Mashhadi Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the glory of God, and his arising to serve the Cause, his assistance, and his conduct in accordance with God’s good-pleasure, exalted be His glory—after these were presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused the realities of all things to be attracted. Exalted be His utterance and sublime His proof:

In My Name, the Generous

This is a Book sent down from the All-Knowing to him who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Wise, that he may drink from the words of the All-Merciful the wine of understanding and may thank Him with his outer and inner tongue. Verily He is the Single, the One, the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O Muhammad-ʿAli! The path of guidance is as clear and evident as the sun, and the Divine Lote-Tree standeth adorned with delicate, ripe fruits before the faces of the world. Blessed is the servant who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having remembered thee from the prison and revealed for thee that which hath cooled the eyes of understanding in all creation. Blessed be the All-Merciful, the Manifestation of whatsoever He willeth through His all-pervading grace. When thou hast attained unto the fruits of knowledge from the All-Merciful, say:

O my God, my God! I testify that Thou art my Creator, my Fashioner, my Sustainer and my Helper. Thou didst raise me up among the dead and adorn me with the ornament of life. Thou didst give me to drink from the Kawthar of divine knowledge and didst strengthen me to stand firm amidst all creation. Thou didst adorn me with the pearls of resignation, reliance, and devoted attachment. I know not, O my God, by which of Thy bounties I should remember Thee, thank Thee, and praise Thee. Through Thy great mercy Thou didst awaken me when I was asleep, cause me to speak when I was silent, draw me near when I was far, and bestow Thy favors upon me when I was hesitant.

O my God, I am surrounded by the bounties of remembrance, nearness, care and kindness. I beseech Thee, O Transformer of all things and He Who is established upon the throne of manifestation, by Thy power before which the might of the world hath bowed down, and by Thy strength which hath encompassed all nations, to make me hold fast unto Thee and be detached from all else save Thee. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee to make me among those who move only by the winds of Thy Will and Purpose. O Lord! Thou seest the stranger seeking the most exalted homeland, and the lover drawing nigh unto the station of nearness and meeting. Ordain for him that which will make him renowned among Thy servants and distinguished by that which befitteth Thy Manifestation, Thy sovereignty and Thy days.

O Lord! Forgive me and those with me, then accept from me what I have done in Thy love and Thy path. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Bountiful. O Lord! Thou seest Thy handmaiden turning toward Thy most exalted horizon, hoping from the ocean of Thy bounty that which will cause her to hold fast unto Thee and Thy verses. O Lord! Aid her to remember and praise Thee among the handmaidens that she may draw them unto the court of nearness, holiness and eternity. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all servants and the Speaker on the Day of Reckoning.

This was revealed for Mashhadi Agha as a favor from our Lord, the King of the Kingdom of Names. Glorified be His station, His majesty and His utterance.

He is the All-Knowing

O Mashhadi Agha! Today the world is illumined by the lights of the countenance of the Ancient King, and the Sun of utterance is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of the Mother Book. The ocean of knowledge is surging and the heaven of wisdom is upraised. Is there any possessor of sight who will behold, any possessor of knowledge who will understand, any possessor of ears who will hear that which the Lord of Destiny uttereth from His Most Great Prospect? Is there any just one who will show justice regarding this Most Great Cause and this Mighty News whereby the heart of every wise one was troubled, the foot of every learned one slipped, and the face of every denier was darkened? Nay, by My true Self, save him who cast away vain desire, seeking the path of guidance. He is of the people of Baha in the crimson scroll. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this in this exalted station. Thank thy Lord for having mentioned thee in such wise that thy mention shall endure throughout the eternity of His mighty and wondrous kingdom.

We make mention at this time of him who is named Rahim, that he may drink the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and be of those who are firmly established.

Today steadfastness, after the recognition of God, is the most excellent of all deeds. O Rahim! Hold thou fast unto it and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world and the Beloved of nations, for having mentioned me in Thy Most Great Prison when I was in the hands of the heedless. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Section 4: “What utterance, and what mention, could ever suffice…”

What utterance, and what mention, could ever suffice to discharge the due of this most great favor that hath encompassed the friends? Nay, by God! Every tongue hath been and remaineth impotent, every soul powerless, and every expression inadequate. Wherefore, in such a case, one must supplicate with utter humility and entreaty, saying: O my God, my God! Aid Thou Thy loved ones through Thy grace; then accept from them that which they desire to perform in Thy days. O Lord! None can arise to serve Thee, to remember Thee, and to praise Thee, unless Thou dost sustain him with the hosts of Thy mercy and loving-kindness, and with the battalions of Thy might and bounty. Send down, then, O my God, upon Thy loved ones from the heaven of grace a mercy from Thy presence and a blessing from beside Thee. O Lord! Glorify them through Thy glory, draw them nigh through Thy bounty, and write for them that which shall make known unto them Thy generosity and Thy favors. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty, and art meet to answer prayer.

Mention hath also been made of Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim—upon him be the glory of God—and of his wife and his wife’s sister—upon them both be the glory of God. In their names there hath dawned the Day-Star of Utterance, with a shining wherewith the horizons of the people of the cities of wisdom and knowledge have been illumined. He, blessed and exalted be He, saith: He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

O Ibrahim! Thou hast been mentioned by one who hath quaffed the sealed wine from My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and who hath been seized by the intoxication of the Kawthar of My utterance, to such extent that the reins of choice were taken from him, causing him to soar in the atmosphere of My loving-kindness, to hold fast unto the cord of My love, and to be immersed in the ocean of My mercy. We make mention of thee through My grace, for I am the All-Bountiful. Hearken unto the Call from the Supreme Horizon; verily it draweth thee unto Him and bringeth thee nigh unto a station which God hath made the circumambulation point of the Most Exalted Paradise and the Highest Heaven. Verily, He is the One Who doeth what He willeth, and He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

When thou hearest the Call, say with utmost lowliness and supplication:

“Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glorification be unto Thee, O my Heart’s Desire, and splendor be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose manifestation the mountains were moved and the earth was shaken!”

Blessed art thou for having inhaled the fragrance of the breeze of God as it wafted with grace, and for having turned toward the Horizon of Revelation on a Day wherein most men were prevented from turning unto Him.

We make mention of thy wife who hath shattered the back of vain imaginings through the name of her Lord, the Master of the Beginning and the End, and We give her the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and My mercy which have preceded all ages. Blessed art thou, O My handmaiden, for having turned unto God when most people were in doubt and error.

And We make mention of thy sister whom God hath assisted to celebrate His praise and commemoration, and caused her to speak that which hath stirred the hearts of the valiant. O My leaf! Hear My call from the direction of My prison. Verily, He will assist thee in that which will draw thee nigh unto Him, despite every learned one who hath forbidden and every woman who hath forbidden. Verily thy Lord taketh whom He willeth through His command; He is severe in punishment.

Say: “My God, my God! Unto Thee be glory and splendor, and unto Thee be bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by the oceans of Thy grace and the stars of the heaven of Thy bounty and generosity to forgive me and my sister, through Thy loving-kindness which hath preceded all created things and through Thy favors which have encompassed all beings. Enable us to remember Thee and to praise Thee in all conditions.”

Splendor be from Us upon thee, O Ibrahim, and upon those with thee, and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath prevented from God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, and who have uttered the praise of their Lord at eventide and at dawn, at night and at day’s end.

The splendors of the Sun of Grace and the effulgences of the Luminary of Mercy have encompassed the world. What else can this evanescent servant say? Every letter of the letters and every word of the words, with utmost eloquence and power of expression, invites the servants to the most exalted Paradise and bestows the water of life upon the people of contingent being. Will the earth bring forth that which hath been deposited therein? In truth, this matter appeareth difficult, except through the assistance of the Hands of His power. His hands are outstretched, and in His grasp are the keys of the heavens and earth and every wise command.

This was revealed for Ustad Ibrahim, upon him be the glory of God.

He is the All-Wise Expositor.

O people of God! The divine Tree of Love is adorned and manifest with the fruits of wisdom, utterance, knowledge and understanding. By the life of God! It standeth before all faces, yet the unjust people are heedless, nay, rather, disbelievers. Today the Hand of God bestoweth the Kawthar of eternity. O ye that thirst, hasten! O ye that are heedless, become aware!

O Ibrahim! The great bounty is manifest and the Beauty of the All-Knowing is evident. Say: O people of the world! The Most Great Name hath rent asunder the veils and with the hand of power hath removed that which barred the way, and like unto the sun is visible and manifest. Deprive not yourselves and forbid not yourselves from the Countenance of the All-Merciful because of the sayings of this one or that. Soon shall perish that which hath occupied you and prevented you from attaining unto and drawing nigh unto the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

We make mention of thy sister who hath drunk the choice wine of certitude and hath attained unto the recognition of God in His glorious and wondrous Day. O My leaf! He who hath loved Me hath made mention of thee. We make mention of thee. Say: My God, my God! Assist Thy leaves to accomplish that which Thou hast ordained for them, that they may be stirred by the winds of Thy Will and the breezes of Thy Purpose. O Lord! Thou seest a handmaiden among Thy handmaidens who hath attained unto Thy days and desireth from the ocean of Thy bounty the pearls of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the Hands of Thy Cause and the effulgences of the lights of the Luminary of Thy justice to make me steadfast in Thy love. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

This was revealed for Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli, son of Muhammad-Hashim Mishki-baf, upon them be the glory of God. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Hearer and the Speaker.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to turn unto Him, for having shown thee His path, for having guided thee through His grace, and for having illumined thy heart with the light of His knowledge, and brought thee out of darkness into light. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Kind, the Forgiving. O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! We counsel thee with that whereby thy station shall be exalted among the servants, and We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for thee the Most Great Steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of men have slipped save whom God hath willed, the Lord of Names and Creator of heaven. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon My steadfast handmaidens who have adorned themselves with the ornament of chastity and fidelity and have acted according to what was commanded in the Book of God, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

The tongue of justice declareth: Is there anyone in the world who can reckon the waves of the ocean of the bounty of our Lord, the Lord of earth and heaven? Nay, by His own Self, the True One! We are all powerless.

And concerning what ye mentioned about Ustad ʿAli-Muhammad, son of Ustad Mihdi-Banna, upon them be the glory of God, after being presented before the Throne of the Lord, exalted be His glory, these manifest verses were revealed from the Kingdom of grace. His word, exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:

In My Name that is sanctified above all names

Praise be befitting and worthy of the Lord of all desires, Who hath made the hearts of His loved ones repositories of the pearls of His love, such that the pharaohs of the world and the tyrants of the nations are powerless and incapable to possess or transform them. The heavenly sustenance hath ever been and shall be the food of enkindled souls. They drink from the Kawthar of utterance and are nourished by the bounty of recognition. O ʿAli-Qabli-Muhammad! Thy name hath attained the honor of My hearing and thy heart the light of My knowledge. We beseech God, exalted be He, to give thee to drink from the cup of His grace, the Salsabil of His bounty. Verily, He is the Generous Giver. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Great.

We make mention in this station of thy son who was named Abdu’r-Rahim and give him the glad-tidings of his Lord’s mercy which hath preceded existence in both the unseen and visible worlds. O Abdu’r-Rahim! Be steadfast in the love of thy Lord, speaking His praise with wisdom and utterance, clinging unto Him, placing thy trust in Him, and committing all thy affairs unto Him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

We make mention at this time of thy brother Qasim who hath ascended unto God. God hath forgiven him through His mercy and grace. We beseech Him to cause him to enter Paradise. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Responding One. Blessed is he! We testify that he hath attained the mention of My Most Exalted Pen in My Great Prison.

This is what hath been revealed for the son of Jinab-i-Dhabih, upon them both be the glory of God, His mercy and His loving-kindness. He is the Compassionate, the Generous.

O youth! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Some time ago thy letter attained the Most Holy Court and an answer was revealed, but its dispatch was delayed. If God should will and desire, it shall be sent this time. Thou hast ever been and art remembered. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee, make thee successful, and honor thee with beholding His signs. Verily, He is the Helper, the All-Wise. Make mention of the kinsmen on behalf of the Wronged One and remind them of the verses of God. Verily, He is the Hearing, the All-Seeing. God hath forgiven the one for whom thou didst seek forgiveness, Muhammad-Rida. Verily, He befriendeth whosoever befriendeth Him and answereth those who call upon Him.

The Tablet for that honored one was revealed during the presence of the beloved of hearts, His Holiness ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. This servant beseeches his Lord to honor thee with it and grant thee the bounty of meeting him. Verily our Lord is the Generous, the Bountiful. The mention of that spiritual beloved hath ever been in the heart. The Forgiving Lord knoweth and He is the Witness.

Thou didst make mention of the handmaiden of God, Sarih Khatun, who is related to Jinab-i-Qurratu’l-ʿAyn Aqa Mirza Mustafa, upon them both be the Most Glorious Glory of God. After being presented before the Most Exalted Horizon, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these blessed words, exalted be His glory:

O My leaf! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. The calamities of this world, however severe and great they may be, shall pass away and come to an end. However, the calamities that cause endless tribulations are those of turning away from the Truth, which transform the realm of joy into sorrow and melt the soul. Praise be to God that that leaf hath clung to patience and held fast to the hem of forbearance. Beautiful patience is among the great divine favors. Pray for the handmaidens of God. We beseech from the Truth that He make all of them dawning-places of sanctification and daysprings of purification, and cause them to be the means of deliverance and success for the people of the earth. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

We hope that through the grace of the Desired One of the worlds, the handmaidens of that land and other regions who are associated with the Truth and have attained unto the blessed word “O My handmaiden” may become sources of goodness among women. Verily our Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful, and He is the Hearing, the Responding One.

The mention was made of Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim and Aqa Mirza Abdul-Wahhab, upon them be the glory of God. After being informed, He turned toward the Most Exalted Station and was honored to hear these words—exalted be His utterance and glorified His praise:

He is the All-Knowing Expositor

O Ibrahim! Verily the Friend calleth unto his Glorious Lord from the fire, and the Beloved, amidst His enemies, speaketh saying:

“O God of Names and Creator of heaven! Thou seest the Wronged One in the hands of the enemies of Thy Cause, and beholdest what hath befallen Him in Thy path. There hath descended upon Him that which hath descended on no one before. The wolf hath seized His flock, the oppressor hath sunk His ark, and the serpent hath opened its mouth and swallowed one of His loved ones. I beseech Thee, by Thy Name through which Thou hast illumined the world, to assist Thy loved ones to stand firm in Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou seest Thy servant who is named Ibrahim turning to the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity. Illumine him with the lights of Thy knowledge, then grant him the food of Thy heaven, then ordain for him and his wife that which will draw them near unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.”

And this is what was revealed for Aqa Muhammad Husayn, son of the wronged one who hath been raised up:

He is the One Who ruleth over all names

O Muhammad-Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He calleth thee from the horizon of the heaven of grace with that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. We beseech God to make every one who hath turned unto Him a herald of His Name, one who uttereth His praise amongst His servants, one who is illumined by His attributes amongst His creation, and one who acteth in accordance with that which will attract the servants unto Him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Say: O people of the earth! Behold and then judge with fairness that which hath appeared in truth from One mighty and powerful. By God! The door of the treasury hath been opened by the hand of power, and the pearls of knowledge and wisdom have appeared from One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which will elevate your stations in the earth. He, verily, is the Counselor, the All-Informed. We have borne hardships and tribulations that ye might draw nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken while in His Most Great Prison. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, by His generosity which hath encompassed existence and by His bounty which hath encompassed the world, to forgive everyone who hath turned unto Him with evident submission. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who are with thee. Convey My greetings unto their faces and remind them of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My bounty, and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Section 5: “The mention was made of Baba Khan, upon…”

The mention was made of Baba Khan, upon him be the glory of the All-Merciful, who is named Fath-ʿAli Khan. On this day, which is one of the days of the revered month of Sha’ban, two hours before sunset, having turned toward the Most Sublime Horizon and the Supreme Summit, it was presented before His presence and was honored to be heard, and this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed especially for him from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s will, that the verses might attract him to a station wherein nothing whatsoever shall prevent him from drawing nigh unto Him. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, exalted be His proof and glorified His sovereignty:

In His Name, Who calleth from the Divine Lote-Tree and Who was manifested upon the Mount

Verily We desired to send unto thee from the Most Great Ocean pearls of wisdom and utterance, and from the palm tree of knowledge fresh and tender proofs, and from the Sidrat al-Muntaha a fruit from among its fruits, that these may draw thee unto the station of sanctity and nearness and immortality, and assist thee in serving the Cause in such wise that nothing among all things, no name among all names, and no mention among all mentions shall prevent thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

The call of the Lote-Tree hath been raised amidst all religions, and the murmur of the Kawthar of utterance hath been heard throughout all creation, and the warbling of the nightingales of knowledge upon the highest branches. Blessed is the soul that hath turned towards it, and the eye that hath beheld the signs of the Most Exalted Pen of God, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

We have heard thy call, and thy name hath been present before the Wronged One. We have revealed for thee that which no mention can equal.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Be fair in this Cause and follow not the manifestations of fancy and idle imagination. Then turn thy face unto the people of the Furqan and say: Come ye, come ye! By God, the All-Merciful hath come with power and sovereignty. Cast away what ye possess and take what ye are commanded by God, the Lord of creation. The tales of old profit you not this Day. Purify your ears that ye may hear the call of God from the most exalted station. Say: O people of the Spirit! Fear ye God and refute not the truth by what ye possess. He Who was mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen and promised in the Books, Scriptures and Tablets hath come. Shatter the idols by the name of your Lord, the Lord of mankind. This is the Day whereon secrets have been unveiled, fruits have appeared, and the earth hath told its tidings before the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Say: O people of the Torah! Open your eyes. The Revealer of verses hath come, through Whom the ocean hath surged, the fragrance hath wafted, and the Tongue hath spoken in the kingdom of utterance. The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of Lords. By God! Neither the whisperings of your divines nor the Judaism of your leaders shall profit you. Cast away what ye possess and take what is with God, the Lord of the Final Return. Say: Fear ye God. He hath come with a light that hath outshone the sun and its splendor, and with a Cause before which all who are in the heavens and on earth shall not stand. If ye deny this Revelation and what hath appeared from Him, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess?

Be fair, and be not of them who have cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to what they possess of vain imaginings. This is He Who hath stood before the faces of the world and revealed what He desired. He is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. The might of the Pharaohs of the earth deterred Him not, nor did the hosts and factions frighten Him. He concealed not Himself for less than a moment. He revealed that which made the limbs of them that disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection, to quake.

We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee in serving the Cause and to draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. When the breezes of revelation stir thee and the Kawthar of utterance taketh thee from the hand of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me and made known to me Thy Most Great Path, and for having given me to drink the choice wine of Thy utterance from the hand of Thy bounty. O my Lord! I was asleep; Thy most sweet call awakened me. I was heedless; the dawning splendors of the morn of Thy Revelation aroused me. I was far; the hands of Thy grace and bounty drew me nigh. I beseech Thee by the Word through which the sincere hastened to the place of sacrifice and the believers to the Most Sublime Horizon, to make me steadfast, firm and upright in Thy love and Thy Cause. Thou art verily the All-Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

All praise and bounty belong unto Him, and unto Him all generosity, mercy and bestowal. Through a hundred thousand proofs and evidences is His grace established, and none to this day has been able to reckon His endless showers of mercy, all confessing their powerlessness and limitation. When even these rains, which through the favor of the All-Powerful descend from the clouds, cannot be counted, how then can one enumerate the rains of mercy that descend at all times from the clouds of divine knowledge and wisdom? The way to enumeration is barred, and the path to limitation is closed. This evanescent servant beseeches the Eternal Truth to assist His Excellency the Khan in that which shall cause his mention to endure among all mentions. The Command is in His hands; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

You mentioned Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the glory of God. The hope of this evanescent one is that those loved ones who in this time have attained unto the Kawthar of the utterance of the Desired One of the worlds and have drunk the wine of recognition from the hand of bounty, may hold fast with supreme steadfastness in such wise that all who dwell on earth shall find themselves powerless to prevent them, and that they may arise like unto kindled fire and the sun shining from the horizon of God’s will, turning their attention to the reformation and purification of the world and its peoples. Blessed is he who heareth and acteth; he is indeed of the people of this noble station.

After mention was made of the name of His Honor Asad and his desire for the forgiveness of the tailor who ascended in the prison, following the presentation of these matters before the countenance of the Lord of all beings, these most great verses were revealed from the heaven of supreme bounty. His word—exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:

He is the One Who speaketh the Truth

O Asadu’llah! Today the ocean of divine unity hath appeared before the face of the Lord and His servants, and each wave thereof with eloquent tongue uttereth the blessed words “God hath come with manifest sovereignty.” The people of the land pride themselves over the people of the sea through the light of attainment, and in utmost joy and delight are occupied with the remembrance and praise of meeting their heart’s desire, the Desired One of all worlds. From the homes of the hearts of those brought nigh and the sincere ones arise melodies and songs of the lovers in the paradise of the Beloved. The orator of the city of love hath been seized with mighty rapture and ecstasy until God, exalted be His glory, shall ordain what He willeth and manifest what He desireth. Say:

My God, my God! I testify that this Day is Thy Day and this Cause is Thy Cause. Thou seest me, O Ravisher of the hearts of those brought nigh, O Ecstasy of the hearts of the yearning ones! I beseech Thee by Thy manifest light and Thy mighty, firm Command to make me of those who have been seized by the rapture of the call from the supreme horizon. O Lord! I am he who hath sought Thy station and presence before Thy face and standing at Thy door. I beseech Thee by the spirits that have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and by the souls that have shed their blood in Thy days, to assist me and those who have believed in Thee and Thy signs in that whereby Thy Cause may be exalted amongst Thy servants. O Lord! Thou seest how the wolf hath seized Thy sheep and how the grunting of swine hath been raised in Thy lands. I beseech Thee to conquer Thy cities through the hosts of utterance. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Bountiful.

We make mention of your father and mother, and We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to forgive them both, and then him for whom thou didst seek forgiveness, through His mercy that hath preceded all created things and His grace that hath encompassed all contingent beings. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. O my Lord! Withhold not Thy servants from the ocean of Thy bounty. Ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

The purpose hath been achieved and the prayer answered. God hath forgiven you and those who emigrated with you. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Forgiving, the Generous. He doth not suffer the reward of the righteous to be lost. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Goal of them that know Him.

As to what thou didst mention concerning Aqa Muhammad-Hashim, son of Haji Mulla Muhammad-Amin, after learning of his circumstances, We approached the presence of the Lord of Creation and presented his case, which was honored to be heard. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Dawning-Place from the horizon of the heaven of utterance!

O Muhammad-before-Hashim! Reflect upon the cause of rejection, opposition, rancor, hatred, tyranny, wickedness, and loss of the former people. For if one becomes aware of its reason and cause, he will not slip from the straight path nor remain heedless of the momentous News. In brief, certain tales and titles deprived those souls from the Supreme Horizon and afflicted them with grievous misfortune. I speak the truth when I say that this is a great Day and His grace is infinite. Whosoever desires to enter the depths of the sea of oneness must purify his heart from the stories of old and exalted titles. The word “successorship” adorned the realm of fancy and built the cities of vain imaginings. O people of God!

Know ye the value of this Day. Reflect upon the ignorance of the Shi’ih. When the Qa’im appeared in truth and unveiled the mysteries for the triumph of truth—He Who had been the object of devotion of hearts and minds throughout ages and centuries—the divines of that sect gave Him no chance to speak or show the way. With the sword of malice, the spear of hatred, and the arrow of cruelty, they removed from their midst that Manifestation of Divine Power and that Dawning-Place of His decree and destiny, through an oppression at which the Pen is ashamed to recount and the Tablet is powerless to bear.

Now consider the Sunnis, when someone in Sudan claimed to be the Mahdi, most people in various lands accepted him and arose to serve him with a vigor that caused the limbs of armies to tremble. By the life of God! Had they received the full outpouring of the revealed Tablets contained in the seven writings [athar-i-sab’ih], they would all have embraced the Cause and would have circumambulated the dawning-places of divine verses and the repositories of heavenly knowledge. Now observe in what station the Cause stood and in what station the Shi’ih. They prided themselves before the world with the name of successorship, while that very pride and vainglory became a barrier between truth and falsehood and deprived them of drawing nigh unto God.

We hope that henceforth they will not remain deprived of the truth because of such mentions, nor be bereft of the shore of the divine ocean of knowledge. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, and He is the Munificent in both beginning and end. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee in His remembrance, to aid thee in remaining steadfast in His love, to cause thee to hear His verses and to show thee the signs of His Pen. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

His honor the Perfumer—upon him be the Glory of the Self-Subsisting—hath in these days repeatedly been mentioned in the presence of Him Who is the Lord of all mention. In truth, from the beginning of days until now, he hath been occupied with that for which every existing thing was honored with the garment of being for this most exalted station. Blessed be he!

The statements regarding the guidance of faithful and devoted souls, and likewise the mention of their purposes and aspirations before the Most Holy Court and seeking permission for these matters were presented before the Throne, and this response has appeared from the horizon of the will of the Lord of Creation. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Make mention of the people of God in that land on behalf of the Wronged One. Say: Blessed are ye for having attained to the grace of these days and for being illumined by the light of recognition. The preservation of this lofty station and noble rank is essential, for the highway robbers have been and are lying in wait. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to preserve you from the evil of His enemies and from those who have denied the Day of Judgment. By the life of God! Those who have drunk from the cup of utterance have ever been and shall ever be mentioned.

And regarding their seeking permission for attendance: in these days events have occurred that have caused the greatest sorrow and supreme anxiety. Were this Wronged One to mention what hath befallen Him, the tribes of the earth would be seized with trembling. Therefore, if the souls mentioned would share the expenses of the journey and deliver half thereof to Ali Haydar, in view of the absence of Amin, this Wronged One will reveal and send forth from the Most Exalted Pen mention of their turning and devotion and presence before the Face. The command is in His hands—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth. And afterward that which His will hath determined shall be commanded to the aforementioned one.

Section 6: “As to their desire that the friends, both…”

As to their desire that the friends, both living and deceased, be mentioned in the divine presence that they might attain His grace and be adorned with the ornament of forgiveness—this supplication hath been mentioned before the Mentioned One, and these exalted words have been revealed in response from the heaven of mercy. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Verily We have heard thy call and thy mention and thy praise and thy request and what thou didst desire for the sake of God, thy Lord. We have answered thee that thou mayest give thanks to Him Who aided thee in turning to Him and in making mention of Him. He is the Helper, the All-Knowing. Well is it with what thou hast done in mentioning those who desired from the sea of thy Lord’s bounty the pearls of pardon and forgiveness. He hath forgiven them as a grace from His presence. By My life! When mention of them was made before the Face, the Sun of God’s loving-kindness shone forth. Verily the ocean of bounty surged and the fragrance of faithfulness wafted and the lights of His mercy which have preceded existence in both the unseen and visible worlds encompassed them.

O Asadullah! Rejoice in that the Wronged One hath turned toward thee and made mention of thee in such wise that the rains of grace and bounty have been showered upon thee and upon those who have ascended to the Supreme Companion, as a favor from God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Upon thee be the glory of God and His mercy and loving-kindness, and the glory of the Supreme Concourse, and the glory of those who have sacrificed their spirits and bodies and all they possessed in the path of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And We make mention from this Most Great Scene of him who was named Ja’far, who believed in God and held fast to His firm cord. O Ja’far! Verily the heaven desired thee and the sun turned toward thee and the light shone before thy face by virtue of the Ancient Face having turned toward thee from this manifest horizon. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having made thee in this time to associate with the Prophets and Messengers in a Paradise whose boundaries are not fixed, whose fruits never fall, and whose leaves are never still, moved by the breezes of will and purpose from the presence of One powerful and mighty.

O Ghulam-Husayn! Thy name hath been mentioned in the Most Great Vision, and the Lord of the world hath remembered thee with such remembrance as hath enraptured the hearts of those who desired to attain the presence of their Lord, the Mighty, the Great. We beseech God to send down upon thee, at all times, the rain of mercy and forgiveness. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

As to the honored Karbila’i Mihdi, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, that which was revealed concerning him two days ago is the cause of eternal grace and everlasting bounty. His Holiness Ismu’llah M.H., upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, mentioned him and he attained unto the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. Joy be unto him!

Likewise concerning the departed and elevated Hajiyyih, upon her be the glory of God, the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed about that virtuous lady. God willing, that beloved one will attain unto it. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Forgiving, the Compassionate.

And mention was made of the kinsmen. Praise be to God, both before and after, that which was revealed concerning them is such as crieth out in the Books. Blessed are they that hear and joy be to them that are turned unto Him. And this matter attained unto the hearing of the Lord of Names in the Most Exalted Horizon. His blessed and exalted Word:

“The suns of loving-kindness and favor have shone forth upon the kinsmen with such brilliance that all the pens of the world and tongues of nations are powerless to describe and praise it. We testify that they have drunk the choice wine of understanding from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and have attained unto that which none among the people have attained, save whom God, the Lord of the worlds, hath willed. Upon them be My glory and the glory of all who dwell in My Kingdom and My Dominion, and the glory of this Most Exalted Station, and the glory of the cities of justice and fairness at every morn and eventide.”

Unto Him be thanksgiving and glory and might and praise. Each of the mentioned names hath received their portion and share from the Luminary of the utterance of the Goal of all the worlds. Joy be unto every servant and maidservant who hath attained! And likewise those souls who have ascended and passed on have all attained unto the waves of the ocean of forgiveness of the All-Merciful Lord. This servant hath ever said and continueth to say that the time of death in these days is blessed, for one attaineth unto the pearls of the mention and praise of the Lord of all beings. Were they to become aware of the influences of these remembrances, all would seek and supplicate for this station.

And regarding thy mention of the friends of the earth, upon them be the glory of God, after being presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these manifest verses were revealed specially for all. God willing, they will attain unto them. His blessed Word:

In My Name, the Speaking, the All-Knowing

O My friends in affliction! Hear ye the Voice of Him Who hath been cast into prison. He calleth the loved ones unto the Lord of Lords—they who have quaffed the wine of divine knowledge from the chalice of My bounty, despite every denier who hath rejected God in the end. O My friends! Hear ye My call which draweth you nigh unto the most exalted Paradise—that station wherein all things proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of all men!” Ye have attained unto My remembrance, both before and after, at whose revelation all verses have bowed down in humility. Blessed is the servant whom neither books have hindered from the Mother Book, nor scriptures and psalms from the Mother Tablet. Take hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him, whereupon the limbs of every obstinate infidel shall tremble. Can any remembrance compare with His remembrance, or any verses with His verses, or any revelation with His revelation? By God! When He appeared, Sinai cried out in most eloquent utterance: “O people of creation! The Summoner hath come with power, and He Who revealeth with might and sovereignty.” Cast aside the books of those who have turned away from God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Say: O people of Iran! Fear ye the All-Merciful. Verily, the Proof hath appeared in the form of a human temple and proclaimeth before the faces of all religions. Hearken and hasten to God’s mercy and pardon, and follow not the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings. The earth hath revealed its treasures, the heaven its suns, the sea its waves, and the light its radiance. Fear ye God and be not of them who have denied the Proof and Evidence. Say: By God! That which ye possess shall profit you not, nor shall your riches suffice you, nor shall your fancies save you. Cast aside what ye possess and take what ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of the Throne and of all ranks. There hath descended from the heaven of bounty the table of divine knowledge, and from the cloud of grace that blessing which God hath sanctified from decline […] God’s treasury of the pearls of wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who hath seen, and woe unto every idolater who hath denied God when He came from the heaven of bounty with the standards of verses. The glory from Us be upon you and upon those whom the veils of the people of error have not withheld from the Dayspring of Revelation.

O people of God and His servants! Most people cling to vain imaginings, especially the people of Iran who have been nurtured on suspicions and fancies. The Book of God is manifest before all faces, and the Sun of Truth shineth from the midmost heaven, and the light of the Cause is radiant and resplendent, yet all remain heedless and veiled save those who have held fast to this mighty cord. O people of God! Hear ye the voice of the Wronged One, and purify your hearing and sight from the tales of old and that which is with the people, that ye may perchance attain unto the divine traces and hearken unto His Word. How many are those who read, yet are unacceptable before God!

For if one were truly to hearken, he would find himself established upon the throne of steadfastness. The deniers of the Word and the clamorous ones have been and are lying in wait, and this is news which the Most Exalted Pen hath announced from Prison. Blessed is the servant who hath cast vain imaginings behind him, turning unto God, the One, the All-Informed. The world shall be seized by change and extinction. Take ye that which shall endure through the endurance of the Kingdom and the Realm. He, verily, is the All-Counselling, the All-Knowing.

We make mention of the handmaidens of that land and counsel them to be steadfast, chaste, and engaged in remembrance and praise. O handmaidens of God in that place! Blessed are ye, for ye have attained unto that which the divines of Iran failed to attain. They deemed themselves most profitable, yet were found to be most lost; they counted themselves most exalted, yet were observed to be most abased. Today even the Jews take pride over such souls, for those faithless people martyred the Desired One of the world. The deniers of the Bayan are seen to be more lost than those people, as doth testify unto this the Mother of Tablets in this exalted station. The mother and sister—upon them be My glory and loving-kindness—have been and are mentioned in the Most Exalted Paradise. The glory shining from the heaven of My mercy be upon you, O people of Ra, and upon those whom the hosts of names prevented not from turning to the Most Great Ocean, each drop whereof proclaims: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the mighty throne and the exalted seat.

We hope that the people of God in that land will spend all their time in matters that cause the exaltation of the Cause. Under all conditions hold fast unto wisdom and utterance, and engage in the salvation of souls for the sake of God. Soon shall the world and all that is therein pass away. Blessed is the soul that attaineth unto that which changeth not and which shall never perish. Verily our Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful, and He is the Kind, the Merciful. This servant’s request is that ye convey greetings to the loved ones of the land of Ta. Each one hath been and is mentioned in the Holy Presence. I beseech God to unite the loved ones and illumine them with the light of harmony, for this is the greatest means for the order of the world. For all I beg such success as will increase their piety, steadfastness, purity and detachment. He is verily the Hearer, the Answerer.

Regarding the reprinting of the Book, the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken these exalted words: We previously made it contingent upon consultation, but in these days the printing of the Book is not permitted in that city, for mischief-makers are present who would immediately report it and exaggerate in their declarations, and this would cause an uproar among the ignorant. Until now they know not what this Wronged One’s purpose is, nor what His intention may be. They speak based on conjecture and soar with the wings of idle fancy. Leave them in their vain imaginings. Some time ago, permission was given to Habibu’llah, but the intention was for a limited number. A detailed explanation of this matter was mentioned to ʿAli-Akbar. God willing, they shall also attain unto its reading and become aware of the intention. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to honor the people of the world through His might, to make them know His path and His Cause, and to aid them to recognize what He hath willed. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Today let not that Beloved One and the other loved ones be saddened by what hath appeared and continueth to appear from the heedless ones. By the life of our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and earth, the Cause of God shall soon be made manifest through His command, and the horizons shall be illumined by the light of His justice. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Although hearts are grieved by the deeds perpetrated in the great city, yet at one time this exalted word shone forth from the Dayspring of utterance, the Goal of all the worlds—His word, exalted be His glory: “O servant present! Now, as these are the days of Revelation, forgiveness and mercy and grace prevail and are manifest before all faces. When the Sun of Justice dawneth, its appearance will cause the deeds of all to be tempered with moderation, for it is the cause of the manifestation of unity and concord. Therefore one must not be saddened by the conditions and occurrences of these days.

In the days when the people of God were imprisoned in the land of Ta, how many souls arose to render service and from every direction showed forth love and affection! The men from one side and the women from another were engaged in nursing and service with complete love. God Himself is witness, and these services of those days have not been and will not be forgotten, and in the Crimson Book the name of each one hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen. The reward of no one hath been or will be lost. We beseech God to adorn those souls with such an ornament that the world of deeds may be illumined and brightened thereby.”

These letters that were sent also testify to the service of all and to the mercy and favor of God, exalted be His glory, and to the acceptance of deeds. Blessed are they who serve and who bear in the days of God, the Lord of earth and heaven. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon every one who hath turned unto God, and every assured one, and every steadfast one, and every detached one, and every upright one who hath arisen to serve the Cause of God and hath detached himself from all else.