Volume 032: Writings in Baghdad (to 1863) (1 of 3)

BH00612: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This servant…

Glorified art Thou, O my God! This servant of Thine hast Thou stripped of the garment of Thy Divinity and distanced from the gardens of nearness to Thy Lordship. Thou hast removed from him the robes of understanding fashioned from the wonders of Thy knowledge through the gems of Thy decree that befell him, and divested him of the shirt of certitude wrought of the essence of Thy wisdom through the swords of Thy retribution that descended upon him. Thou hast made him seek Thee through Thyself, turn to Thine Essence through Thine Essence, and gaze upon the hem of Thy countenance through Thy direction. Thou hast imprisoned him in the prison of earthly dominion by Thy power and sealed against his face the doors of grace by Thy might.

All this descended upon him in such wise that the heavens were rent asunder at comprehending it, the earth shook at its occurrence, the spirits were troubled at hearing it, the waters ceased their flow, beings were brought to naught at its execution, essences were demolished at its reckoning, and the sun was darkened by what befell it. Yet he sits before Thee at a time when he finds no helper, no supporter, no companion, and no friend. He is among people yet not of them, speaks with servants though not being one of them, sits with them while not desiring them, and walks among them though loving them neither secretly nor openly.

All this appeared solely through the measures of Thy Cause, the resources of Thy wisdom, and the tokens of Thy abasement which Thou ordained for Thy guides and decreed for Thy loved ones. Yet, O my God, after Thou didst clothe me in the garment of poverty and abasement and dressed me in the raiment of sorrow and anguish, Thou didst comfort me through inspiring me that all this flowed only from the subtlety of Thy grace and the precision of Thy gift. Even as Thou showed me the creation of the heavens of Thy Cause, how Thou raised them by the sovereignty of Thy power and ordained therein brilliant stars and manifest planets, decreeing for them neither setting nor eclipse. All revolve in the heaven of Thy direction, moving through the cycles of Thy ordainment and sanctification, illumined by the dawning rays of the sun of Thy Self-Subsistence and brightened by the flashing lights of the moon of Thy holiness, moved by Thy command and circling round Thee, such that they are untouched by what befalls the suns in the heavens of Thy holy oneness and what descends upon the moons in the horizon of the cloud-veiled heaven of Thy glorification through the eclipses of Thy decree and the settings of Thy execution.

All this stemmed only from the hidden aspects of Thy wisdom and the conditions of Thy glorious sovereignty, and this is among that which appeared from Thy timeless action and Thy mighty handiwork, and what resembles it from what Thou hast manifested from the treasuries of Thy power and the storehouses of Thy might. Thus dost Thou plant the tree of Thy singleness in the sacred soil of Thy will and preserve it through the sovereign of Thy grace in these nights and days by the hands of Thy generosity. Thou sendest upon it the breaths of Thy eternal holiness and waterest it from the rivers of the camphor of Thy glorious oneness, guarding it with the hosts of the unseen which none can reckon save Thee, until Thou hast raised high its branches and boughs, brought forth the fruits of Thy identity, and caused it to put forth leaves through the wonders of Thy favors and blessings.

After Thou didst raise it to the highest horizon and cause it to ascend to the most exalted kingdom, children gather around it and stone it so that there might fall upon them its fruits from the paradise of Thy eternality and there might descend from it the fruits of the bounty of Thy mercy. All this befalls it because of its fruits, for verily a tree without fruit is desired by none. No soul draweth nigh unto it, nor shall there descend upon it the misfortunes of abasement and what is beneath them.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! How wondrous are the marvels of Thy handiwork, and how sweet are the manifestations of Thy craftsmanship! Thou hast ever humbled Thy loved ones through what Thou hast ordained for them of the conditions of Thy might, and Thou wilt ever exalt Thine enemies through what Thou hast decreed for them of the retribution of Thy sovereign power. Thou hast concealed the wisdom of this from the eyes of Thy servants and hidden its pearls in the shells of Thy power in the seas of Thy grandeur, such that none save Thee should become aware thereof.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Despite my recognition of all this and my certitude in all that Thou hast taught me of the wonders of the craftsmanship of Thy heavens of ordainment, the ornaments of the movements of the cycles of Thy sovereign handiwork, and the revolutions of the pillars of the manifestations of Thy glorious might, I am consumed by the fire whose ember sets ablaze all existence, and I weep tears from which all the seas find their essence. How could it be otherwise, after I heard the call of one of Thy loved ones whom Thou didst love in the privacy of Thy mystery, unknown to any soul? He cried out before Thee with such a cry that the hearts of existence were set aflame, and he lamented with such a lamentation that the spirits of the ethereal beings in the palaces of manifest glory were troubled, and the life of the secluded ones in the chambers of heaven before the countenance of the All-Praised was transformed.

The seas of grandeur grew still from their waves in the depths of the seas of the Divine Essence, falling into repose. The winds of love were cut off from the gardens of the holy and beloved One, as Thou didst will to make him drink from the springs of separation and remove him from the throne of intimate communion, after Thou hadst filled his heart with the essence of Thy rapture, the pure substance of Thy attraction, the splendor of Thy love, and the radiance of Thy glory.

Thou didst call him through Thy mystery to the thrones of Thy nearness, and hasten him through Thy call to the arenas of Thy reunion and meeting. Thou didst cause him to dwell in the vicinity of Thy mercy and gave him to drink of the pure wine of Thy favor from the hands of Thy generosity. Thou didst make him taste the sweetness of Thy remembrance from the fruits of the tree of Thine eternity, and caused him to hear, through the inner realities of existence, the melodies of the dove of Thy mighty heaven and the doves of Thy glorious kingdom.

Judge then, O my God, and be fair, O my Beloved, at this moment—how can anyone bear this, or how can anyone endure this? How befitting is it for Thy sovereignty to treat anyone as Thou hast treated him through the wonders of Thy deeds, or to send down upon any soul what Thou hast sent down upon him of the gems of Thy wisdom? Yet inasmuch, O my God, as he was gazing upon Thy mercy, bowing in adoration before Thy Countenance, well-pleased with Thy decree, and patient in the pathways of Thy command, I thereupon call upon Thee with his voice before Thy face, entreating Thee on his behalf in the sanctuary of Thy holiness, and adjuring Thee, with the tongue of his inmost heart from his very self, by the Lamp which Thou hast kindled with the light of Thy love, by the Flame which Thou hast ignited with the fire of Thy affection, by the Niche of Thy being which Thou hast made to shine with the flashes of the lights of Thy Countenance, and by the Path of Thy glory which Thou hast exalted in the hearts of them who are drawn nigh among Thy loved ones, that Thou wilt not abandon Thy Friend whom Thou hast honoured in Thy mystery and cherished within Thy heart; that Thou wilt not abase Thy Word which Thou hast lifted up to the heaven of Thy might; that Thou wilt not quench the pure one whom Thou hast illumined with the lights of Thy attraction; that Thou wilt not congeal the camphor which Thou hast caused to flow from the realities of the manifestations of the lights of the morn of Thine oneness; that Thou wilt not cast down the standard which Thou hast raised up through the dawnings of the morn of Thine eternity; that Thou wilt not drive away from the streams of Thy bounty him whom Thou hast made to flow from the springs of Thy Lordship; that Thou wilt not debar him from the wellspring of Thy sustenance, nor sever the cord which Thou hast bound between him and Thy Friend.

O my God! In his separation, make for me a means of attaining unto Thy presence, and in meeting him, grant me the attainment of Thy covenant. Cause him to return unto Thee as Thou didst cause him to return the first time, and bring him back as Thou didst bring him back before. Verily Thou art the Originator of all things and their Return, the Restorer of all things and their Haven. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou lovest, and Thou art the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

Then, O my God, make him steadfast in Thy love, patient in Thy good-pleasure, yearning for Thy union and Thy meeting, walking in the paths of Thy paradise, and treading the ways of Thy good-pleasure. This station is greater than the creation of the heavens and earth, such that no other station can equal it, no matter can parallel it, and nothing can compare with it, neither in the heaven of Thy mercy’s tender affections, nor in the realm of Thy power’s majestic manifestations. For this is the station which Thou hast specially ordained for the sincere ones among Thy loved ones and the near ones among the people of Thy affection—they who behold none but Thee, who turn to none but Thee, who trust in none but Thee, who find intimacy with none save Thy beauty, who immerse themselves in naught but the seas of Thy good-pleasure, who breathe not except by Thy leave, and who speak not except by Thy command.

Glorified art Thou! Glorified art Thou! How exalted are the wonders of Thy mercy upon them, how sublime are the jewels of Thy favors concerning their station! How pure are the essences of Thy generosity in their inmost hearts and their outward beings, their visible and their hidden aspects, their beginning and their end, their origin and their return! Thus dost Thou exalt whom Thou willest, elevate whom Thou willest, love whom Thou willest, and do what Thou willest unto whom Thou willest. Within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of all things. Thou orderest them according to Thy measure and Thy decree. Verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Therefore, O my God, send Thy blessings upon Him Who raised the pavilions of Thy grandeur through Thy celestial might, Who manifested the tabernacle of Thy loftiness through Thy divine power, Who sat upon the throne of Thy Lordship and reclined upon the couch of Thy Divinity, Who was seated at the right hand of Thy power, before Thy might, to the south of Thy grandeur and to the north of Thy loftiness. Thou didst make Him the Supreme Ruler over all Thy names and attributes in the kingdom of Thy Command, and the Self-Subsisting, the Transcendent One in the heaven of Thy creation, through all that Thou art able and dost love. Verily, Thou art the Most Exalted, the All-Subduing, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Luminous.

BH00623: I have taken up the pen at this moment…

He is

I have taken up the pen at this moment, O my God, from Thee, and have placed the ink before Thee, not knowing what Thou desirest to cause to descend upon it and to manifest through it of the wondrous measures of Thy handiwork and the wise counsels of Thy glory. Whether Thou causest to flow from the ink the oceans of Thy grandeur or the rivers of Thy holy oneness—who can prevent Thee in this, O my God? And shouldst Thou manifest from the pen the signs of Thy glorious singleness and the tokens of Thy holy greatness—who can hold Thee back in Thy Cause, O my Beloved? For Thou hast ever been powerful over Thy Cause, mighty in Thy deeds, and supreme in whatsoever Thou willest to bring forth of the wonders of Thy decree, and sovereign in whatsoever Thou desirest to reveal of the decisiveness of Thy Will. To such an extent that wert Thou to gather all names within a single one of Thy names, Thou wouldst be praised in this; and shouldst Thou wish to sanctify it above all that and whatsoever pertaineth to the kingdom of creation and the realm of glory, Thou wouldst be obeyed in Thy Cause and loved in all that proceedeth from Thee and is attributed unto Thee.

And shouldst Thou, O my God, through a single letter thereof, resurrect the cycles of the two weighty ones in the two names—this would be befitting of One like Thee, and none could reject what Thou hast decreed. And wert Thou to move through a single word thereof the ages of the two kings in the two mysteries—this would be a judgment from Thee, and none could prevent what Thou hast ordained. And shouldst Thou take all of this away from it and render it nonexistent, such that no name nor trace nor fruit nor sign would remain thereof—this would be a command from Thy presence, and none could resist what Thou hast caused to flow. Yet by Thy glory, I am not content with any of this and do not wish to turn to anything thereof, except that Thou make me wholly detached unto Thee, returning unto Thee, and pleased with Thee.

And this shall come to pass when Thou beholdest my hair dyed with my blood while I am seated upon the dust, my head bare, my feet unshod, my body trembling and my spirit agitated with thirst. Then shall I look to the right and find no helper besides Thee, and turn to the left and behold no succorer other than Thee who might assist me in aught, or give me a drink of water, or accompany me in my distress, or console me in my anguish and tribulation.

Then shall I rise from my place, yet be unable to stand due to the weakness that hath overtaken me, and fall prostrate upon my face in the dust once again, calling out to Thee at that moment in my inmost heart: “O my Beloved! Hast Thou accepted from me and art Thou pleased with me?” And Thou shalt answer me: “O My beloved! Blessed art thou in having fulfilled thy covenant and kept thy pledge.” Thereupon shall I swoon before Thee from the profusion of blood flowing from my veins, such that the entire earth shall be reddened thereby, and I shall remain in my swoon for a duration that none can reckon save Thee. And after my spirit returneth, I shall commune with Thee in the most hidden recesses of my heart without letter, sound or mention, or Thou shalt speak through my tongue with the evident tokens of Thy mercy, without description, attribute or symbol, lest anyone discover the stations Thou hast concealed in the hidden repositories of Thy Cause and the pavilions of Thy glory. Then shall there appear before me he whom Thou hast made the most wretched of servants in all lands and the most misguided of people in guidance, that he might sever my head and raise it upon a spear.

By Thy glory! After my spirit soared into the holy atmosphere of Thy Essence and my light ascended to the horizon of the heaven of Thy Oneness, then did I traverse the firmament of the gems of existence and journey through the realms of pure manifestation. And I declared:

“How pleasing to me, O my Beloved, are the wonders of Thy mercy! How blessed, O my Heart’s Desire, are the ornaments of Thy tenderness!”

And I sang with a melody that drew forth the gems of existence, and chanted with a tune that gladdened the pure ones in their slumber. All this was a bounty from Thee unto me and an honor bestowed upon me from Thy presence, wherewith I take pride in the kingdom of Thy Cause and the dominion of Thy creation.

I testify this day that Thou hast fulfilled all that I asked of Thee, granted all that I desired of Thee, and accomplished all that I hoped from Thee. For Thou art too exalted and too great to delay in what Thou art called upon to do, too glorious and too gracious to alter what Thou art beseeched and hoped for. Nay, Thou hast ordained for me what was never ordained for anyone before me, and caused to flow what shall never flow for any soul after me. Yet none save Thee can know this, and no one but Thyself can reckon it. For just as Thou canst not be perceived by eyes, likewise Thy deeds cannot be comprehended by thoughts. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Compelling.

All this was revealed at the time when Thou didst cause me to hear the disputation of Thy servants regarding my station, after Thou hadst ordained for me no station save servitude to Thyself, humility before the gate of Thy mercy, and lowliness before the manifestations of the lights of Thy countenance. For Thou hast ever been sovereign over me, and I have ever been a servant before Thy face. I was master of myself yet owned by Thee, abased before Thy presence, insignificant before Thy sovereignty, non-existent before the manifestation of Thy power, and nullified before the revelation of the lights of Thy eternal might.

This is to the shame of those who seek to spread corruption in Thy land, to exalt themselves in Thy domains, and to bring about in the kingdom that which was not ordained for their own selves and stations. Glorified, glorified art Thou above all this and above whatsoever I have attributed to Thee! For Thou canst not be comprehended so as to be described, nor known so as to be characterized. Rather, this servant of Thine is a servant to those who serve Thee, prostrate before those who prostrate themselves to Thee, a servant to those who serve Thy Cause, submissive to Thy sovereignty, a helper to those who seek Thee, and an aid to those who aid Thee in Thy heaven and desire to assist Thee in Thy lands.

By Thy glory! I find for myself no greater honor than this, no higher station than this. And whoever carries in his heart ardent longing for Thee and passion in Thy love will recognize the love wherewith Thou hast honored me through the gems of Thy mercy and pure bounty. He will inhale from this rose-leaf the fragrant breezes of the garden of immortality and the sweet scents of the city of faithfulness, and will witness how this candle melts and dissolves in the lamp of his heart through what hath befallen it and descended upon it in the Cause of its Lord.

Glorified, glorified art Thou, O my Beloved! If at this moment Thou wouldst accept from me what I have mentioned of what Thou hast taught me through Thy generosity and caused to flow through my pen by Thy grace, then I would do what befitteth Thy station and perform what beseemeth Thy grace and favor—as a manifestation of Thy generosity and honor toward Thy servant, though I deserve none of this and am not worthy of less than this. For all my limbs have been occupied with other than Thee and have been heedless of Thy remembrance. Yet how could I be worthy to recall the wonders of Thy favors and the outpourings of Thy glorious mercy, or count the gems of Thy bounty and the essences of Thy bestowals, for how can an eye that hath turned to other than Thee be worthy to behold the revelations of the lights of Thine eternity?

And how can a heart occupied with anyone but Thee be capable of recalling the tokens of Thy glory and oneness? And how can a tongue that hath spoken other than Thy name be worthy to speak that which Thou hast spoken upon the throne of Thy Lordship? And how can feet that have moved in paths other than Thy good-pleasure ever approach the precincts of the sanctity of Thy meeting? And how can ears that have heard verses other than Thine be capable of hearing the enchanting melodies of the Dove of Thy oneness or delight in the mention of the letters of Thy eternal glory?

By Thy might! At such a time my wings are clipped by the assaults of Thy decree for what I have committed before Thee, and I shall never be able to soar to the canopy of the heaven of grace and the gardens of primordial glory. Therefore it behooveth the King of Thy mercy to raise up this servant through the power of Thy will to the summit of the heavens of Thine eternity, and to cause this sinner to ascend unto the horizon of the heaven of Thy oneness and the inmost heart of the paradise of Thy forgiveness and pardon, that thereby the dwellers of the realm of divinity may remember him in the ascents of grandeur and the denizens of the Kingdom may be stirred in the pavilions of infallibility.

Glorified, glorified art Thou, O my God! How wondrous are the marvels of Thy handiwork in my affair which Thou hast caused to flow from this Pen of mine, whereby I behold at one time that Thou causest it to rise from the dayspring of words, and there floweth from it the sweet water of life without cessation, delay or hindrance, as though it had counted all things in their places and had set in motion all possibilities and what they contain, and all created things and what lieth upon them, by a movement from its mouth; and at another time I behold that Thou veilest it in the setting-place of allusions and concealest it in the darkness of symbols, whereupon it becometh still in its motion as though it were powerless over anything.

Exalted be Thy power in Thy dominion, and glorified be Thy grandeur in Thy lands, and triumphant be Thy might over Thy servants! At such a time, when the matter hath reached this station before Thee, it behooveth me to return the utterance to another strain, that haply thereby the servants may ascend unto the Most Exalted Horizon and the all-glorious canopy.

And now the tablet is ended, though the degrees of yearning in the breast of the Dove and the stations of ardor in the heart of faithfulness are not complete. But since it is finished and concluded, I seal this remembrance with the declaration that there is no God but Him, and that the Most Exalted Beauty is His light and His radiance, and the Holy Countenance is His glory and His beauty, and the Temple of Light is His essence and His lamp. We, verily, are all assured of them.

BH00212: Lawh-i-Kimiya 6

Section 1: “First, one must know wherein the All-Wise Lord…”

In the name of God, the Sufficient, the Helper!

First, one must know wherein the All-Wise Lord and All-Knowing Sovereign hath placed this mighty matter and sublime mystery. Then must one purify and sanctify the soul and spirit from the cage of self and desire, that it may become worthy of this divine trust and heavenly artifice.

Take then the luminous water from the dark fire, that the high may be distinguished from the low, and separation be made between water and earth. After separation, let purification occur that it may be fit for marriage and mixture. That is, burn the sulfur with gentle fire, which is the moist putrefaction of the wise ones, until the earth of sulfur is extracted from the water of sulfur.

Apply this subtle, sharp, luminous water to this dark earth repeatedly through distillation and redistillation until no water remains in the earth and all water has been obtained. Then apply some of this water to the purified earth and leave it in the aforementioned moist putrefaction. Repeat this until this sulfurous water unites with the mercurial earth.

Then feed some of this water to new mercury twenty-one times, or less or more, until this earth becomes waxy. At this point the lunar elixir is complete. If you wish, you may apply the first distillate to the sulfurous earth repeatedly until this divine water dissolves whatever essence of soul remains in this earth, such that no trace of soul remains therein. At this point the pillars of the Stone—which are spirit, soul and body—will be prepared.

Herein is revealed the mystery of divine unity in this wondrous art. Then apply some of this profound solution, which is the mercury of the prophets, to this purified earth until this divine water dissolves this silver taken from mineral gold and makes it part of itself—that is, until the sulfurous earth unites with the mercurial water, meaning it becomes waxy. Then leave this waxy earth in solution for some days until you achieve the end of waxing, which is the first station of dissolution. This is the complete degree of the gates of the lunar elixir.

Thereafter, if you wish to feed the aforementioned purified oil, which is the same as the soul, to this illuminated waxy earth, the solar elixir will be completed. This is among the greatest gates—whoever attains it has attained the ultimate goal.

Know also that some seekers of this art attempt to marry incompatible spirit and body without proper measurement and preparation, hoping to achieve mixture—but this is extremely unlikely and they will never reach their aim. This word in this science is among the secrets of the prophets and sages: that spirit will not dwell in a foreign body, nor will body accept a foreign spirit. If this matter is understood, you will attain all that you seek.

Some have called the Stone the microcosm, taken from the macrocosm, for they consider man to comprise the three genera, which are vegetable, mineral and animal. Though the form of this temple is of the lesser world, yet its inner reality reflects the greater world. They have likened the creation of stone to the creation of man—that is, it appears from the earth and returns to the earth. But nothing grows from the earth except through water. Therefore understand, O seeker, the signs of mysteries in the inner meanings of words.

I shall mention one of the symbols of the Prophets so that you may become aware of all the mysteries of this Cause. If you comprehend its symbols, know that God, blessed and exalted be He, created the earth from water and created the sun to shine upon the earth. Then vapors and smoke arose, and thus the heaven was created. Then, through consummate wisdom, it was known that the heat of the sun would harm the earth, so through perfect power He created the clouds to rain upon the earth, causing all its hues and colors to appear. Furthermore, know that the greatest pillar in these works is fire, through whose aid all these stations must be completed—yet it must be a gentle, subtle fire, for the swift effect of fire upon oil is evident and clear and needs no mention or proof.

If you wish to work in a new way and follow a fresh path, gather together the breaths of minerals and their spirits and bodies according to the natural measure that is hidden from the sight and understanding of men. Then purify them until they are cleansed and purified of all dirt and blackness, so that each may manifest a color according to its natural disposition—that which is disposed to whiteness becoming white, and that which is capable of redness becoming red and crimson. Then blend these with a true universal blend, for no universal blend takes form except by turning all into flowing liquid water. Then let them dissolve until they blend and unite in a true union from which they can never separate or divide, even if you employ every possible stratagem.

This is the station of the immortality of bodies and the resurrection of forms from their place to the paradise of eternity, which is the station where this mercurial spirit becomes eternal in the immortal sulphuric body—meaning that the removal of tincture or any change or alteration is impossible at this station, unless God so wills. At this point the resurrection of bodies in this degree is complete. This is one of the secrets of nature and jewels of the knowledge of creation in the natural world that I have imparted to you. Therefore be grateful for this supreme bounty and mighty favor that none has ever attained before, neither among the sincere ones nor among the cherubim.

Some of the Prophets completed the work with mercury alone, the mention of which has never been permitted and never will be permitted, and which has ever been hidden in the treasuries of infallibility and stored in the vaults of power.

And know that if you return this illumined subtle solution, which you have taken from the divine tree of wisdom, three times to its base until it becomes sharp and […] with mercury, which is sulphur, and the tincture, which is the purified earth, it combines—that is, it dissolves and then coagulates. At this time it manifests and appears with the color of ruby, and is ready for all bodies—meaning it penetrates, volatilizes and tinges all [types of] minerals.

And know, O seeking wayfarer, that within the visible minerals are hidden subtle [glorious] tinctures for those servants who have been blessed with this greatest result, although the animal tincture is more potent, subtle, noble, strong and suitable. And know that the noblest minerals that carry the tincture are four: mercury, sulphur, arsenic and sal ammoniac. And their bodies are gold, silver, lead, iron and copper. The greatest of all for producing the redness of gold is from copper, and for the whiteness of silver is from lead. As for the essence of redness, it is sulphur, and the essence of whiteness is arsenic and mercury. And the purification, union and combination is the work of sal ammoniac. These are all the categories of minerals that were mentioned.

As for the divine mineral which is from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, it is known from the essence of words and manifest jewels, as has been shown. Thus it became known that the foundation of the work is from mercury and sulphur, but not the common mercury and sulphur. “The filter they prepare for their work is not with the trembling, flowing mercury of commerce.” Although it is the same market mercury and sulphur that encompasses all the earth, such that no place is deprived of it—this is only due to the expansion of God’s infinite mercy and divine favors. The purpose is to open these two pillars so they may open and combine by their own aid without interference from others. The key is elemental fire, by whose aid they open and combine. Each soul has gone a path and devised a method according to their own penetrating vision.

And know that the science of balance [tadbir], which was among the most difficult sciences for the ancient philosophers and others, such that volumes were written about it, all depends upon your insight and intellect—there is no need for external weights.

Do not think that what has been mentioned was taken from anyone—I have never studied wisdom nor been taught it, rather it was bestowed by the subtle spirit of grace.

Since the explanation has reached this point, I shall renew the subject regarding the different names mentioned in books, so that you may understand all the degrees and no doubt or uncertainty remains for you. So know that the foundation of this firm matter and great mystery is from the sun and moon, which are the mercury and sulphur of the prophets and sages. They are mentioned by many names so that the subtle matter remains hidden from view and protected from strangers, lest any unauthorized person become privy to divine secrets and knower of the treasuries of eternal wisdom—such as mercury and sulphur, heaven and earth, spirit and body, male and female, eastern mercury and western mercury, water, soul, and body—head and tail, manifest and hidden, black and white—has been called by all these names, while some have abbreviated it to a single name, calling it “stone.”

Thus they became cognizant of the mysteries of the process, and took a water which they named eastern mercury, sulfuric water, sharp water, concentrated vinegar, alum water, virgin’s milk, universal key, living water, wine, vinegar, calf’s urine, and children’s urine. When the distillation was completed three times—that is, when the first water taken from the olive tree was returned to the sediment and left to putrefy until three cycles were complete—they called it triple water, and it is the key to the divine treasure. Similarly, its earth has been called by countless names such as lead, antimony, philosophical copper, white lead, magnesia, litharge, mineral head, body, western mercury, and so forth.

Section 2: “Know that these names were not mentioned…”

Know that these names were not mentioned in vain; rather, in the stages of the process, according to each condition and color, they established a name and determined a designation. For example, before processing and purification, when blackness remains in it, it is termed pitch, antimony, copper, and black lead. After being freed from impurity, blackness and darkness, it is called white magnesia, whitening sulfur, white lead, lime of eggs, purified earth, new earth, child, silver and moon. After marriage and refinement it is referred to as leaven, gold, seed of gold, red sulfur, the sun, Roman disk, and philosophical anemones—just as man is designated and described by different names and titles in each state, from the condition of a clot until being invested with the robe of “Blessed be God, the best of creators.” Likewise are the stations of all created things and all that is mentioned, if thou wouldst observe with a pure and clear eye. All these different names were mentioned so that minds would not slip and become confused by the diversity of terms. This is naught but pure mercy and the essence of grace.

All the Prophets and sages have mentioned this matter through symbols, riddles and different names, as when the Commander of the Faithful was asked while delivering the Sermon of Exposition: “O Commander of the Faithful, does alchemy exist?” He replied: “Yes, by my life, it did exist, does exist, and will exist.” They asked: “What is it?” He said: “Verily in flowing mercury, lead, vitriol, saffron-colored iron, and green copper rust lie earth’s treasures.” They said: “O Commander of the Faithful, we do not understand.” He replied: “Make some of it earth and some water, then cleave the earth with water, and the work is complete.” They said again: “We do not understand.” He replied: “No more than this, for the ancient philosophers added no more lest people make sport of it.” And it is related that Abraham the Friend said: “Knowledge is in the egg, though not an egg.” He was asked: “What then is the work, and what is the egg?, and what is other than the egg?” And [the Prophet] (peace be upon him) said that the egg is the world, containing the four natures wherein lies all knowledge.

It is said that Jesus, the Spirit of God and His Word, stated that it exists. When asked what it is, he said: “The Word of God.” People were divided between religious law and wisdom concerning it, for he said “He who has no sword, let him buy one,” and added nothing more to that. And Balinas the Wise mentioned this when describing the inscription on the tablet in Hermes’ hand, saying with absolute certainty that the higher comes from the lower and the lower from the higher, performing wonders from the One, just as all things came from One—its father is the Sun and its mother is the Moon. He also said that the subtle is more noble than the gross, the Light of Lights through the Power of Powers ascends from earth to heaven, then descends becoming master over earth and heaven, the higher and the lower. Know that God, blessed and exalted, took a line and split it lengthwise, then turned one around the other, thus creating the world. The line is formed from the point when moved—understand what we say.

Then know that when God created all things from the four elements—fire, air, earth and water—the four primary natures emerged: heat, cold, moisture and dryness. When combined, fire became two parts heat and dryness; water two parts cold and moisture; earth two parts cold and dryness; and air two parts heat and moisture. Then God Almighty created from this the higher and lower worlds. What had balanced natures remained over time, while what was unbalanced returned to corruption. As we said regarding the composition of the two luminaries, when the Almighty created the Sun He balanced its natures except for fire which He increased, thus it came with the color of fire. And He created the Moon with balanced parts but water dominated the parts, thus it came with the color of water. So the two active ones came, not the passive ones, for the active ones are fire and water while the passive ones are earth and air. Know this, O Abbas, then understand. As for what has balanced natures, fire cannot burn it nor can pools drown it—this is pure gold which nature has cooked. Know this, for by God I have revealed to you the two great gates of practice and knowledge, and mentioned all that you need and seek.

Know then, O seeker, that this hidden work has been called “animal” for two reasons: first because just as animals have spirit, soul and body, so too does the Philosophers’ Stone contain these; and second because the origin of this work is from purified oil which is related to animals, thus it was given this name. And it was called “air” because the three things and three elements in the atmosphere of the realm of possibility constitute this greatest pillar, and after its pillars appear in the outer world of existence it becomes external. The application of the name “stone” to this thing is because the stone attracts iron through the spiritual power inherent therein, and likewise this mighty pillar attracts and transforms all bodies through spiritual power and divine force.

No symbol, riddle, metaphor or mystery remains in this matter except that We have unveiled and made it clear. Although I have never had and do not have any desire to write, nevertheless I have mentioned this blessing in such detail and precision so that you may witness within your inmost heart the sign of God’s power and ascendancy in the realm of bodies, and become prepared for the encounter with the Most Great Elixir, the honored Essence and the glorious, mighty Spirit—He Whom God shall make manifest—for He is the transformer of spirits, the renewer of elements, and the resurrector of hearts and minds.

Having reached this blessed name, purely for His sake I mention another explanation of this science, so that the honor and favor of that Remembrance may endure among the servants until the appearance of that Sun of Truth, that hidden Purpose and praiseworthy Point. Then take from the white resin which is the purified, whitened sulfuric earth—meaning in a state of true whiteness with no darkness remaining—and afterward mix it with red resin which is the moist soul, meaning the purified oil that has been cultivated with lime and has reached the state of non-burning oil and is truly red. Let it dissolve until nothing of the earth remains except that it has been dissolved. At this point the work is complete, and this reaches its end in small measure.

When the dawn of inner meaning and exposition breaks forth from the horizon of certitude, hold fast to it that you may hold fast to the sure handle and the most exalted luminous thread and the most complete firm cord, that you may be among those who have drunk from the gems of inner meanings from the springs of the All-Glorious and be among those who are firmly grounded therein.

Know then that this science, for all its nobility and loftiness, pertains to the natural world. How can one who does not comprehend the natural realms comprehend the science of what lies beyond nature? Yet despite all these degrees they consider themselves learned. Glory be to God above what they say about that which they do not understand!

After all these stages of utterance, explanation, elaboration and exposition, I counsel you that attaining the Most Great Elixir will make you independent of all that exists in the visible kingdom and that which you need of food, drink, clothing and necessities. However, you will still remain needy and constrained, even more intensely than before, for unity indicates separation and wealth is the path to poverty. Therefore seek that which will make you independent of the elixir and all who are in the heavens and earth—for that is the furthermost Tree, the supreme subtlety, the most glorious pavilion and the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, and the stations of nearness in the dwelling place of eternity. This is the counsel of this servant. Although occupation with these matters does not bar this door—say: Enter therein, O people, in security. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00730: This is a Book from this servant to those…

This is a Book from this servant to those who have believed in God and His signs, and were among those who are guided by God’s signs—for verily in the movement of leaves, the gushing forth of rivers, the holy manifestations in the mirrors of the righteous, the shining of the sun from the horizon of lights, and the rising of the clouds of grace are signs for those who walk upon the sacred shore and whose hearts are sanctified from worldly allusions and deceptive indications, and who soar on two wings of detachment in the holy and luminous atmosphere. There has come before Us a tablet from someone complaining about this servant in veiled words, after We had sheltered him on the shore of nearness and made him among those who are certain of their Lord’s signs.

Say: Have you not heard “He shall not be asked of His doings”? It is as though you were in the sleep of heedlessness and were among the slumbering ones. Have you not heard “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”? This is from the command of God, the Mighty, the Ancient. If you do not understand these allusions, then I shall cast upon you other proofs that you may be at peace within yourself and be among those who know. Know at the outset that these words are from Us, but We did not direct them to all of you. We intended only those who claim to love God and then cast at Him a clear flame, who attribute themselves to God and the Manifestations of His Cause, yet afterward walk in the valley of heedlessness.

Therefore be fair, O servant, after what has befallen the Manifestations of God’s Cause which you have heard and seen, until matters reached such a pass that they expelled this needy servant from the land, as you yourselves witness and behind you the near angels bear witness. Until We entered this land and servants gathered around Us, and We loved them with utmost love and sheltered them in this land, desiring them to become standards of victory among all creatures, such that from their faces would shine the lights of divine unity and from their deeds and actions would appear signs of sanctity and detachment—and God bears witness to this if you be of those who know. We associated with them every day and every hour that perchance there might be kindled in their hearts the fire of love and they might be set ablaze with love for God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. We were at all times saddened by their sadness and among those who rejoiced at their joy. We did not exalt ourselves above them but were a companion to them, with them and among them, and you all acknowledge this if you be of the fair-minded.

Therefore consider, after all this, what these deniers have done—claiming to love God while turning away through their deeds, reaching through their actions a point that has bewildered the minds of the knowing ones. We were aware of their deeds but since they were secret We concealed them and did not reveal what they had done. Yet they were not content with this until they made the matter public and thereby raised the standards of the corrupt ones. They turned to gross and impure directions and turned away from the direction of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. They followed their own desires at all times and hastened to do whatever their souls commanded them. Then after this they attributed themselves to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Is it seemly for anyone to claim within his soul love for God and for the Manifestations of His Cause, and yet to commit such deeds as cause the tears of the sanctified to flow, after We had willed for them to be a sign of holiness in the lands, to be Our supporters, and to aid God with their very selves, their spirits, their actions and their deeds, and to be among those who in the kingdom are of the helpers—such that, were We to command them to aught, they would not hesitate therein, but would hasten to accomplish that which they were bidden? This is what We hope from them, if thou art of them that comprehend. And We have counseled them in all the Tablets that those who claim belief in God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, should be such that if they were to pass by the kingdom of beauty and the temples of majesty they would pay no heed thereto.

This is what hath been inscribed by the finger of power upon luminous and holy tablets. Likewise, should they pass by cities of gold, they would pay no attention nor turn towards them, that they might thereby become signs of sanctification in the dominion of the heavens and earths. Yet they have turned away from all this as though they had not heard a single letter from the Book. Then they followed whatsoever their souls commanded them, and God is aware and witness to all this. And whatsoever they do, people attribute it to Us, as thou hast heard in numerous instances if thou hast not forgotten, and its harm returneth to the root of the Tree, if ye be of those who are certain.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Do ye not witness how all the dogs of the earth have gathered against Me, and at every moment cast at Me the darts of hatred and animosity, such that were they to drink My blood, by God, the thirst of their hatred would not be quenched, nor would the fire of their opposition be extinguished? At all times they wait to attribute to Us deeds from which all people turn away in aversion. Despite all this, doth it beseem those who claim to love Us to assist them in their purposes, such that through their actions they cut off Mine arm and become supporters of the hypocrites? Say: O people! If ye will not help God and His loved ones, at least stand not against Him, and be not among the transgressors.

By God! Were ye to discover the sorrow of My heart and the lamentation of Mine inmost being, ye would weep as those who have lost their loved ones weep, and would never laugh, nor would ye find joy within yourselves, if ye be among the lovers. For the lover is not content with that which displeaseth the One Whose love he claimeth, and walketh not save in the paths of the sincere ones. Therefore ponder within thyself, then bring thyself into the presence of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

In whatsoever God hath commanded His servants in His ordinances, or forbidden them in His prohibitions, doth He seek His own good or your good? Nay, by Him Who holdeth My soul in His hand! He desireth naught save your preservation among the worlds. Do ye not witness how He cast Himself before His enemies, and how He sacrificed His spirit, His soul, and His body among all created things? By God! In this He desired naught save that His loved ones might find peace in the Cause and not be among the hesitant ones, and that ye might be assured within yourselves that this is truth from One mighty and powerful, and that those endowed with spiritual insight might testify that this was not in vain, and might be among the perceiving ones.

Despite all this, how can We be content to abandon all that We have been commanded in the Book from Him, and commit that which We have been forbidden? Alas for Us, O concourse of lovers! By God! Then doth the lamp weep at My state and My poverty, and the Pen lamenteth My lack of helpers, and the Tablet crieth out at My loneliness. And I say:

“Sufficient unto Me is God. There is no power nor strength save in God, the Great, the Generous.”

We seek refuge in none save Him, and We seek help from none save Him. He is the best Helper and the most excellent Supporter.

If thou findest in thy heart the love of God, arise from thy place, then remind the people of their excesses against themselves and their transgression against God, if thou be among those who seek victory. Otherwise, remain tranquil in thy house and dwelling place. He will assuredly assist His Cause as He pleaseth, more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye. And in all this I say:

“Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and the end belongeth to the patient ones.”

Then it behooveth them to return unto God and seek His forgiveness seventy times, that perchance He may forgive them through His grace and remit their evil deeds, and make them to be of those who have repented and returned with their souls, spirits and bodies unto God, the Mighty, the Praised. Let them take none as helper save Him, nor any companion except Him, nor any joy save from Him, nor any gladness except through Him. Thereafter, let them walk upon the earth with tranquility from God and dignity from His presence, in such wise that the angels of the worlds rejoice thereat, and let them ascend in their ascent unto God to such a station as is hoped for by the denizens of the pavilions of eternity and, beyond them, the concourse of the near ones.

BH00777: A luminous remembrance from this servant to him who…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High!

A luminous remembrance from this servant to him who hath believed in God and been guided by the Sun that hath shone from the horizon of the Spirit, and who hath ascended unto God until he reached the station of nearness in the pavilion raised above the horizon of holiness, and who hath heard the melodies of the Dove upon branches planted by the hand of God in the paradise of the Divine Essence. Thus doth God exalt whomsoever He willeth through His command and abaseth those who have waxed proud before God and who this day are debarred from the beauty of God.

O servant! Grieve not over anything, and fear no one. Place thy trust in God. There is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and unto Him returneth the decree, preserved in a Tablet from the hands of the oppressors. Say: O people of guidance! Should sorrow or tribulation touch you, rejoice within yourselves. And should the oppressors desire your body, surrender it unto them, that ye may don the crimson robe and mount the steed of the spirit, and soar in the atmosphere of destiny upon the winds of the divine command.

Then preserve thyself and the souls of them who have believed in God and His signs according to thy capacity. And should destiny unveil the countenance of tribulation, be patient and content, that ye may walk in God’s good-pleasure and tread the path of submission. All this is God’s command and His decree, preserved in the pavilion of destiny upon a tablet concealed from eyes.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Follow not your selfish desires, and dispute not about the Cause of God. When a verse descendeth unto you, bow down in humility before it and be not among those who are puffed up with pride. This is what the servant counseleth you, advising you through a command sent down from the heaven of oneness through God’s clouds.

Say: O people! Consider those who came before you, how they met their end in heedlessness. Walk not in their ways nor follow their guidance. Rather, follow Him Who was raised up in the depths of light through God’s nature. Turn not to any of the world’s ornaments, nor to those in whose hearts ye find rancor against God and His loved ones. Hasten instead to a law sent down from the clouds of glory.

Thus do We turn you toward the traces of God’s mercy and cast upon you from the wisdom that was, in the eternity of eternities, veiled behind the veils of light. Say: O people! Deprive not yourselves, and distance not yourselves from a paradise wherein blow the breezes of the celestial realm. Say: Those who would bar you from the path of immortality have no love within them and are recorded among the heedless on holy tablets by the Pen of the Spirit.

Those in whose hearts is kindled the fire of love are deterred by nothing and held back by no command. They hasten with their very beings toward a station forbidden to the worlds. O essence of love! Should anyone ask thee what thou hast gained from thy journey, turn thy face from him and say: God hath sanctified our souls from all that ye have known, and we have attained unto a station recorded in the Mother Book in hidden script. We have soared in the atmosphere of reunion until we reached a city whose gates God hath shut against the likes of thee. Then seek God’s help, and He will inspire thee in thy response with melodies of the immortal Dove, that thou mayest be enchanted by the holy strains.

And thus do We impart unto thee mysteries of knowledge and wisdom, that thou mayest advance swiftly along the paths of divine recognition. Thus have We given thee glad tidings through the Spirit and cast upon thee meanings that were inscribed in the Tablets of the divine decree in the invisible realm. Therefore ponder what God hath shown thee in thy vision, then preserve it in the treasuries of thy heart and relate it not to those who have turned away and waxed proud, whose sole concern in this world is but to amass counted coins. When We impart unto them any mention, they turn away their faces—such is the measure of their understanding. Would the dung beetle desire to enter a garden wherein spiritual fragrances are wafting and sweet scents are diffused? Nay, by Him Who hath made me His servant, they will never incline unto it, but rather flee unto their own base selves which are consumed in a fire kindled by the faggots of idolatry. These are they who have cast the Word of God behind their backs, and Satan hath made their deeds seem fair unto them. Therefore hath God seized them for their sins and caused them to be burned in the fire of unbelief.

O beloved! Hearken unto My call and take what We have inspired thee with by the hand of power, and be as a flame of fire that thou mayest ignite the fire in the hearts of those who have detached themselves unto God and whose breasts are consumed by the flames of longing. Then accept what We have enjoined upon thee in the Concourse on high and be not of those whose fire of divine love is extinguished in the valley of devotion. Say: Those who hasten unto good deeds in this fire are they whose hearts God hath tested for certitude and whom He hath distinguished with the robe of divine recognition from among the garments of understanding. The angels of the Cause receive them and teach them the ways of piety and give them glad tidings of mysteries that were mentioned in the Mother Book.

Say: O people! This is but a servant of God, like unto any one of you, who calleth you unto a Paradise wherefrom the Spirit hath been bestowed upon the frame of all created things. He commandeth you naught save the pure truth, that He may bring you unto a knowledge that was raised aloft upon the Mount of Light. Say: Now hath the Face appeared from behind the veil, and the angels of the Spirit have descended, and God hath come upon clouds that were mounted in the heaven of holiness. Say: O people! Hasten unto God and fear no one, and despair not of the Spirit of God. This is what We have mentioned unto thee in this Book and made thee a bearer of glad tidings from Us unto all the worlds, that thou mayest waft the holy breaths upon hearts and remind them of days wherein verses descended from the clouds of grace in wondrous wise.

And should the Name of God meet thee, spread these words before him that he may rejoice within himself and not be veiled from the gems of the Cause. And say unto him: Dost thou love thy head more than God? Say: Glory be to God! I love it only that it may be raised upon the spear in Thy love, if this be acceptable unto Thee. Or is thy breast dearer unto thee than God? Say: Glory be to God! I have preserved it only for the arrows of the enemies in Thy path, and this lieth manifest before Thee.

Say: Fear no one and strip thyself of veils, for all good is in God’s hands—He preserveth whom He willeth by His command, and His grace hath ever been witnessed by the worlds like unto this sun in the horizon above. Detach thyself from the world, then soar in the atmosphere of nearness and yearning, that thou mayest be even as the phoenix of longing, finding intimacy in the fire of God. These numbered days shall swiftly pass away, and all that they contain shall be folded up. Return to a pavilion that was spread out before God from all eternity and say: Verily, we have loved Thee and made mention of Thee in the Concourse on High, yet found not from Thee the fragrance of love.

Therefore have we made mention of Thee in the Tablet, that it might draw Thee unto a spot that was sanctified above the hearts of them that are nigh unto God. This is from the Dove of the Cause, warbling unto you with the melodies of Paradise, that it might render you entranced by the strains of God and bring you to the stream of life and shelter you beneath the shade of mercy that was stretched forth in the Garden of Eden. And we seal these words with the remembrance of the Beloved in the tabernacle of the heart, that the book of the Best-Beloved might be sealed with the seal of preservation. Then clothe with the robes of glorification, wrought of the silk of eternity, those in whose faces thou findest the light, and who abide forever in the garden of detachment.

BH00783: This is a Book from this humble one who…

In the Name of my Best Beloved, the Most High!

This is a Book from this humble one who calls all who are in the heavens and earth unto his Lord, the Mighty, the Compelling. Say: Verily, in the boiling of the seas, the flowing of the rivers, the alternation of night and day, the manifestations of oneness in the garments of light, the blowing of winds, and the signs of creation in the fruits, are signs for those possessed of sight. Say: O concourse of earth! Behold ye the signs of God’s power, how He created all who are in the heavens and earth by one word from His Pen, and breathed into them the spirit of life by another word. Thus do We impart unto you what was concealed in the depths of the ocean of mysteries. He sent ʿAli before Muhammad and revealed with him clear signs which every possessor of knowledge and power is powerless to understand. Thereby was the earth of knowledge cleft asunder, the heavens of wisdom were split, the clouds of grace were raised up, and the rain descended upon you. All this is a reminder to you of the truth and a lesson to those possessed of understanding, guiding those who are detached unto the precincts of holiness, while it increaseth naught for the wrongdoers save loss.

Say: O people! This is what God promised you in the Tablets. He hath come to you upon clouds of fire, surrounded by angels of the spirit, giving you glad tidings of the good-pleasure of oneness in that seat wherefrom the lights shine forth. Those who were given the vision of justice by the decree of the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, turned unto Him, while those in whose breasts was rancor against God turned away and were of those who disbelieved in God in every age and epoch. This is what hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen upon tablets traced by the finger of God, the Protector, the Compelling.

Say: O people! Be fair unto yourselves for less than a moment and ponder thereon, O ye possessors of thought! If ye believe not in Him Who hath come with clear signs, then to what face will ye turn today, O possessors of justice? Have ye not heard aforetime of the Day when your Lord or some of the signs of your Lord would come? And this is He Who hath come in the shadows of light with signs that render powerless all who are in the heavens and earth, signs that stupefy the minds of the mystics and the hearts of the righteous.

Say: O people! Arise from the couches of heedlessness and turn unto God, the One, the Powerful, the All-Wise. Say: Verily in the creation of your souls, the utterance of your tongues, and the movement of your hands are signs for those possessed of vision. Say: O people! Let not the world and its ornaments prevent you, nor what hath been sent down upon you from every proud doubter hinder you, and fear not those whom God hath given power only over your bodies for numbered days, that He may test which of you in the kingdom is most patient and enduring. All this hath not been sent down upon you save by what was ordained in the Preserved Tablet by measure and destiny. Soon shall pass away all tribulations that have touched you in less time than it takes for vision to return unto you. Fear God and be afraid of Him Who hath power over you, over your souls and bodies. None can prevent His command. He doeth what He willeth and is not asked of what He willeth. He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Say: Those who have been patient in the earth, God shall soon reward them with the most excellent of rewards. They shall ride upon the crimson Steed and shall pass at all times through every region and quarter.

Say: O people! This is the She-Camel of God, grazing upon what God hath caused to grow for her in the land of Paradise, giving you to drink of the milk whereby souls and bodies are quickened. O people! Wrong her not through the evil of your own selves, and follow not your selfish desires, but follow Him Who calleth you unto God. Then remember Him in your hearts in the night seasons and at dawn.

Say: Doth it not suffice you that He hath sent down unto you the Book wherein every matter is distinctly set forth, which is recited unto you at eventide and at daybreak, and which giveth you the glad tidings of the Day when the faces of the wrongdoers shall be covered with the dust of the fire, when the mountains of knowledge shall crumble, when the earth of unbelief shall be cleft asunder, and when rivers shall burst forth?

Say: This is the Day whereof ye were promised in the Tablets, when the heavens shall be folded up in the right hand of Power, when the earth shall be grasped by the hand of Will, and when the seas shall be set ablaze. This is what the Pen of Command hath inscribed from the hidden mysteries with manifest clarity.

Then shall those nigh unto God rejoice at the meeting with their Lord, while every proud deceiver shall be shaken. The angels of light shall lead those who have believed unto the Paradise of perpetual abode in the pole of heaven, while the angels of torment shall drive those who have disbelieved unto a most evil dwelling place. Thus do We cast upon thee from the mysteries of the Cause, and recount unto thee what they who disbelieved did aforetime, even as these transgressors now disbelieve, that thou mayest be apprised of what was decreed before and mayest be steadfast in God’s Cause in such wise that no disbelieving denier may cause thee to slip.

Know thou that those who were given the Torah were promised One Who would come after. Yet when Jesus came unto them with clear signs from the Spirit, they said: “This is naught but a lying man.” Then those who possessed the Gospel were given glad tidings of One Who would come after them. Yet when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came unto them, every deceitful dissembler waxed proud against Him. Ask, then, concerning those who were given the Furqan: When the Apostle came unto them from God, they said: “This is naught but a sorcerer.” Yet when He returned to the holy seats beneath the canopies of grandeur, they began to yearn for Him at all times and to supplicate Him night and day. Thus did they who came before—before whom there was none—and thus shall they continue to do unto the end—beyond which there is no end.

This is what We have recounted unto thee concerning those who disbelieved and turned away after clear proofs came unto them from every direction, and who plotted against God according to their power. But the plotting of the unbelievers endeth only in ruin.

Even as thou seest today: When He came unto them with the truth with clear proofs and scriptures, they said: “We were not promised this by our forebears.” Then they grew proud against Him and fled like frightened asses. Such is their portion in the kingdom, and thus hath Satan made their deeds seem fair unto them, such that they perceive not what they say. Thus have We informed thee of all things with clarity, that thou mayest be among those endowed with insight.

Say: Consider likewise those who were given the Bayan: Should anyone come unto them with manifest signs, clear proofs, brilliant evidences, comprehensive words, and luminous verses, they would shut their eyes to all of this, break God’s covenant, turn upon their heels, and would accept him only with flying arrows. By this thou canst be certain that in all dispensations the true believer hath been as rare as red sulfur. This is what hath been sent down from the heaven of the Spirit upon the hearts of the righteous.

Say: O people! Should ye come to possess all the treasures of earth, and should ye rule over all that lieth beneath the light of the sun, and should ye partake of every fruit that hath appeared upon the trees, and should ye don every robe that hath been woven of silk and attire in all the lands, and should ye take possession of every virgin maiden—by God! none of these things shall profit you in the least when the angels of death shall come unto you from a compelling and almighty Lord and shall sever you from all these things in less than the twinkling of an eye, as though ye had never been created in the kingdom. This is a truth that hath been inscribed in the scrolls by God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling.

Thus have We prescribed unto you the law of admonition and shown you the paths of holiness and taught you the ways of Paradise and imparted unto you the wisdom of the Cause that ye may draw nigh unto the Mighty, the All-Powerful. Say: O concourse of earth! Whoso willeth, let him take this counsel as a path unto God, and whoso willeth, let him turn away and return to his abode in the fires of hell. And glory be upon thee and upon those who have hearkened unto the melodies of the Spirit and ascended unto the station of resplendent holiness.

BH00788: O people of the Bayan and whosoever hath believed…

O people of the Bayan and whosoever hath believed in God and His verses in the realm of exposition! Hearken unto that which the Dove of Identity warbleth unto you from the uttermost heights of Its ecstasy in the love of God and the pinnacle of Its passionate longing for God, Its self-effacement and Its subsistence in God, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling. Fear ye God and dispute not concerning the Cause of God, worship none but Him, and spread not corruption in the land of divine knowledge.

Then accept the counsel given unto you by this Servant, upon whom the arrows of destiny have rained down from the crimson clouds in such measure as none can reckon save God, and none can comprehend save Him. Have mercy, O people of the earth, and burn Him not with the fire of your selves, harm Him not with the suspicions of your idle fancies, imprison Him not in the jail of your heedlessness, slay Him not with the swords of your hypocrisy, and drive Him not away with the spears of your tyranny and fetters, inasmuch as He hath called you to naught save God and will never summon you except unto the Manifestations of His Self and the Mirrors of His Being, and by Him Who standeth in the station of His Cause.

Say: Fear ye God, oppose not the truth, and transgress not the essence of counsel. Know ye that whosoever spreadeth corruption in this good and blessed land, upon him be the curse of God; whosoever raiseth his hands without God’s good pleasure or without permission from His presence, upon him be the curse of God; whosoever moveth his feet without obedience to God, he is deprived of God’s mercy; whosoever taketh his hands from his pockets and followeth his desires, casting the Cause of God behind his back, he is excluded from God’s shadow even should he dwell in the precincts of God’s sanctuary.

Whosoever breatheth or speaketh according to his desires in this land wherein the countenance of God hath been established, he is bereft of the wonders of God’s grace; whosoever severeth not himself from all that are in the heavens and on earth cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; whosoever followeth his desires and attributeth them to God, he is deprived of the gardens of God’s loving care; whosoever harboureth in his heart aught save the love of God can never enter the City of God; whosoever conveyeth a message to anyone without God’s permission, upon him be God’s vengeance; whosoever spreadeth God’s words before anyone without being authorized by God, upon him be God’s might.

Say: Fear ye God, this is the holy land wherein the Spirit of Oneness hath removed Its sandals to enter therein. Whosoever conceiveth corruption against it in his heart hath turned away from the face of God; whosoever guardeth not his tongue, his feet, his hands and all his members, from his heart to his vitals, upon him be the vengeance of God; whosoever slayeth a soul without explicit permission from God hath transgressed the Cause of God, and whosoever transgresseth the Cause of God, upon him be the curse of God; whosoever backbiteth another and the sun riseth upon him for three days while he hath not repented unto God, he is debarred from the presence of God; whosoever lieth down at night upon his bed while harboring hatred in his heart for his believing brother, glad tidings unto him of God’s vengeance and chastisement.

Close not, O people, to the face of the poor, the portals of bounty, lest there be shut against you the gates of the grace of God. Whoso entereth not the garden of resignation and contentment hath indeed gone forth from the stronghold of God; and he that hath gone forth from the stronghold of God is verily blind to the vision of the light of God. Say: Fear ye God, and expend upon your needy that which hath been allotted unto you from the presence of God; then seek ye His aid, that He may cause to descend upon you the showers of His all-encompassing mercy.

And if ye desire to enter the abode of peace, surrender yourselves and purify your hearts and illumine your spirits, for therein are treasured the pearls of God’s wisdom and concealed the beauty of God’s essence. Whoso entereth and visiteth the land wherein is enshrined the Temple of God’s Throne, it is as though he were seated at the right hand of God’s majesty. And whoso standeth at the gate where gather the angels nigh unto God, while in his heart lurketh the slightest trace of desire, the breezes of God’s spirit shall not waft over him.

O people! Know ye your station, inasmuch as ye abide beneath the shade of the Tree of God’s Paradise. Have mercy upon yourselves and depart not therefrom if ye be birds soaring in the heaven of God’s oneness. Ye shall be tried with a blind and deaf test, but whoso keepeth his feet firm upon God’s path, it is as though he walked in the precincts of God’s sovereignty. This Dove shall warble in this atmosphere, and ye shall neither witness what ye have witnessed nor hear what ye have heard. Blessed are the eyes for what they have seen, and the ears for what they have heard, and the hands for what they have grasped.

And whoso heareth not what ye have heard is deprived of God’s melodies and deaf to the cooing of God’s Dove. This is the final counsel of this servant in these words which have appeared through the grace of God’s eternal dawn. Act upon them, O servants of God, that the essences of God’s bounty may be perfected upon you.

Say: O people! Sanctify your spirits and purify your hearts and empty your souls and turn not to anything nor let anything prevent you nor let this fleeting dominion veil you. Enter into the Egypt of God’s love and dwell in the precincts of His mercy and find solace in His remembrance. Then turn away from aught else. Then drink from the oceans of His grace, then enter the sanctuary of His beauty, then burn away the veils of limitation that prevent you from His union and meeting, and delight in the everlasting, enduring blessings of life through His wondrous favors.

Be not of those who feared not God and His loved ones, and who were not ashamed before the Manifestations of His Cause and the Daysprings of His glory, and who were of those who exceeded the bounds in His Cause and spread corruption in His wisdom and denied His signs and turned away from His beauty, and thereby departed from the party of the All-Merciful and entered the party of Satan, and were among those who perish.

And I send blessings and peace upon the First Dawn that rose and shone forth, and upon the Last Dawn that illumined and revealed, and upon Him Whom God shall make manifest on the day of His advent from the canopies of light in a cloud of fire, and upon those who guided unto Him on the day of His manifestation and drew nigh unto Him on the day of meeting Him, that the lights of His essence may be perfected upon all who are in the heavens and earths. At that time I say: Praise be unto Him for He is the Lord of the worlds and the Beloved of the mystics.

He. O My beloved and intimate friend! Since certain unseemly deeds have appeared from some which are contrary to the good-pleasure of God, therefore these few words concerning the elevation of the stations of spiritual conduct have been set forth, that the dwellers in this land may walk upon this straight path and shining way, so that no sorrow may find its way to anyone. And since Mirza Javad was setting forth to circumambulate the Kaaba of the All-Bountiful, these degrees of unity were expressed in this Tablet of wisdom, that all may be preserved from the hardships of the Cause and the intensity of self, and that the ships of hearts and minds may rest upon the Ararat of piety and acceptance. How excellent is the reward of those who recite, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Convey My glorious mention to his honor Mulla Rajab-Ali and Aqa Ali-Muhammad. I remember the honored Sayyah and all the friends. In truth, Mirza Aqa Jan was the cause of sending this page, otherwise this servant would not have been so bold.

BH00916: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He…

In the name of Him Who is the Manifest, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who created all beings through the force of Thy Self-Subsistence, and manifested all things through the power of Thy Unity. Thou hast clothed them with the garments of Thy all-knowledge and adorned them with the robes of Thy holiness, that all might testify to Thy eternal sovereignty in the realm of divine essences, and all might bear witness to Thy singular dominion in the world of contingent beings. Thou hast made the Point of Existence the essence of all knowledge in the dawning of creation, and hast stripped away all signs, such that no mention was ordained for aught else in His presence, nor any glory for another in His kingdom. Thou didst ordain no separation between them, no connection, no mention, and no description, lest any soul be veiled by beholding created things from attaining unto the beauty of Thy countenance, and lest any being be kept back, at the manifestation of known things, from gazing upon Thy majesty.

Glorified, glorified art Thou above the knowledge of all known things! Glorified, glorified art Thou beyond the description of all created things! By Thy glory, O my Lord, were all names in their fullness and all attributes in their grandeur to be bestowed upon any sign of Thy dominion, it would be fitting, though nothing would be manifested therefrom throughout all eternity, nor would a single letter emerge from the veils of majesty. Glorified, glorified art Thou! How great is Thy power, how mighty Thy sovereignty, whereby Thou hast made all existence the dawning-place of Thy knowledge and the treasury of Thy glory!

By Thy life! Should any of those who point unto Thee desire to bring forth all knowledge from a speck of dust, he would be able, for the sovereign power of Thy grace hath permeated the mystery of unity, and the king of Thy bounty hath stirred within the innermost essence of eternity. All this is but a token of the knowledge whereby Thou didst create all visible things and bring forth all that hath been mentioned, without anything departing from or entering into the sign of Thy unity. But the knowledge that is Thy Self none shall ever know save Thee, and none can describe it except Thee. It hath no description save its own essence, no mention save its own being, no attribute save its own self. Glorified, glorified art Thou far above whatsoever Thy servants assert in describing Thy attributes!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I know not how to make mention of Thee after Thou hast cut off all ways before me and encompassed me from every direction. Yet how can I refrain from mentioning Thee after Thou hast commanded me by the sovereign power of Thy remembrance and guided me by the king of Thy loving-kindness? By Thy glory, O my Beloved! I desire none but Thee, I describe none but Thee, I seek none but Thee, I ask for none but Thee, and I exist solely for Thee, and through none but Thee.

By Thy glory, which is Thy very Self! Were I not fearful lest the feet of them that know Thee might slip and the minds of the united ones be confounded, I would have declared Thee sanctified above all things, hallowed beyond every description, and would have returned all the attributes wherewith people describe Thee to a speck of dust, that the sovereignty of Thy might might become manifest in the realm of divine essences and the king of Thy transcendence might be proven in the kingdom of unity. But how can this be, after Thou hast sealed my tongue by Thy power? And how can this appear, after Thou hast removed me far by Thy might?

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! Thou art He Who seated me within the pavilions of Thy grandeur, then took away their pillars; Who caused me to dwell in the tabernacle of Thy loftiness, then cut its cords. Praise be to Thee, O my God, for what Thou hast sent down upon Thy servant from the drops of Thy might, and thanksgiving be to Thee, O my Hope, for what Thou hast caused to descend upon this son of Thy handmaiden from the outpourings of Thy power, such that the signs of Thy wrath have encompassed me from every direction. None shall be able to withstand me in the face of the manifestation of the signs of Thy wrath, nor can any soul endure to be with me at the revelation of the tokens of Thy chastisement.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! How great is my grief, and how severe my tribulation, that even wert Thou to seat me upon the throne of glory and give me to drink from the chalices of oneness before the countenance of beauty, and conceal me in the robes of grace behind the tabernacles of might and bounty, and cause me to enter the pavilions of grandeur at the dawning of the sun of eternity—by Thy glory, the sorrow of my heart would not be dispelled, nor would the anguish of my soul be lifted, nor would the burning of my heart be stilled, nor would the grief of my being be extinguished. I know not, O my God, why Thou hast caused to remain on earth one whom no created thing desireth, and how Thou hast delivered unto the kingdom one whom no creature loveth.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! Never have I found any as patient as Thee, nor known any as forsaken as I. Yet by Thy glory, even if Thou wert to slay me with every sword, and pierce my heart with every arrow, and raise my head upon every spear, and parade it throughout the lands until the people do with it as they wish—I would remain content with Thy decree, obedient to Thy command, accepting of Thy deeds, and loving what Thou lovest. It is not for me to object with a single word, for I, in my weakness and abasement, have known and become certain that Thou wilt not deal with me save in that which benefiteth me, and this is the ultimate expression of Thy grace toward Thy servant and the supreme manifestation of Thy loving-kindness toward the son of Thy handmaiden. But none can understand this save those whose vision Thou hast made penetrating this Day, and sufficient art Thou as witness to what I say.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! Verily, I have been among the wrongdoers, and I call upon Thee in the darkness of remoteness that there is no God but Thee. Glory be unto Thee! Verily, I am of those who repent. Answer Thou my prayer and have mercy upon me, for Thou art the Beloved of them that know Thee, and praise be unto Thee, for Thou art God, the Lord of all worlds. Dost Thou see within Thyself, O my God, that Thou shouldst not have mercy upon me, after I have become certain that Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful? Dost Thou perceive in Thy inner being, O my Lord, that Thou shouldst not gladden me, after I have known that Thou art the Lord of all worlds?

Glorified art Thou, O my God! If Thou art not with Thy servant, who then can be his companion? And if Thou art not with the son of Thy handmaiden, can any other than Thee be his reckoner? Nay, by Thy presence! For by the power of Thy grace Thou hast cut him off from all directions, and by the sovereignty of Thy mercy Thou hast sanctified him from all contingent things, whether this be in opposition to his self or in accordance with it, such that nothing remaineth for him save the dawning-places of Thy remembrance and the manifestations of Thy praise. If Thou acceptest these, then unto Thee be praise—praise that causeth grace to descend from the heavens of Thine eternity, praise that manifesteth tenderness from the splendors of Thine essence, praise that befitteth the sovereignty of Thy oneness and beseemeth the dominion of Thy unity.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! Verily, I have been among the heedless, and I say: Have mercy upon me, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of all worlds.

BH01050: I addressed unto thee aforetime an Epistle…

In the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High!

I addressed unto thee aforetime an Epistle in the lucid Arabian tongue, and I now reveal for thee this Tablet in wondrous Persian prose, that thou mayest hear, in the glorious accents of the Nightingale of ʿIraq, the sweet melodies of the nearness of the heavenly Paradise that had, ere this, been intoned in the language of Hijaz. Perchance thou mayest become pure spirit; attain, without taking a single step, the loftiest stations of mystic ascent; and explore, without leaving thine outward habitation, the furthermost reaches of the worlds of inner significance. Thereupon wouldst thou, with a divine rapture, experience true spiritual attraction, lay down thy life in the path of the Friend, and sacrifice thy soul in the wilderness of His love. This indeed is the meaning of stillness in flight and flight in stillness, of fluidity in solidity and solidity in fluidity.

To continue: It is clear that the wayfarers in the wilderness of search and longing, of attainment and reunion, have numerous degrees and countless stations. Some, after spiritual struggle and physical toil, ascend from the lower reaches of “no God is there” to the lofty bowers of “but God”, flee from the shadow of negation to abide in the limitless realm of affirmation, and abandon the privation of a transient existence for the bountiful assemblage of reunion. This is the uttermost limit of the realm of effort and striving.

Others, without receiving the least intimation of “no God is there”, pass beyond the highest horizon of “but God”; without even tasting a dewdrop of the degrees of self-surrender ascend unto the kingdom of life everlasting; and without partaking from the wellspring of utter abnegation quaff the wine of the Ancient of Days. These souls, as they traverse the stages of wayfaring and ascend unto the stations of reunion, walk a different path and occupy a different rank.

Still others, without having perused a single letter of the kingdom of names or acquired the faintest intimation from the realm of attributes, which pertaineth to this world, dawn above the invisible horizon of eternity and return again thereunto. A hundred thousand seas of glory surge in their luminous hearts, and yet to outward seeming their lips are parched; a myriad rivers of holiness stream within their breasts, and yet no trace thereof is to be seen; the books of God’s consummate wisdom are recorded upon the tablets of their hearts, and yet they breathe not a word thereof in the world of appearances. They dwell in the Egypt of certitude and journey in the lands of resignation. They are intoxicated with the beauty, and entranced by the glory, of Him Who is the All-Glorious.

Heart to heart they whisper hidden secrets; soul to soul they unfold abstruse matters. The mysteries of the Divine Essence glow upon their brows, and the lights of Divine Unity shine from their peerless faces. They clothe themselves in the robe of concealment and cast their sleeves over both this world and the world to come. Without wings they soar, without feet they walk, without hands they grasp and hold. They speak an unknown tongue and observe an unseen grammar, of which all the world’s inhabitants know not a single letter, save those whom thy Lord hath willed. Unto each hath a share been vouchsafed in His Book, and they shall all attain unto that which hath been destined for them.

It is clear and evident that, in this Dispensation wherein the banner of utterance hath been raised aloft and the candle of discernment hath been lit, there is no Lord but the Exalted One. He it is Who is one in His essence and one in His attributes, single in the kingdom of names and peerless in the realm of actions. It is by virtue of His blessed name that the seas of Divine Unity have been made to surge; it is through the power of His resistless command that the immutable decrees of destiny have been enforced; it is through the potency of His sovereign might that the dictates of fate have been fixed. Who hath the power to soar in that exalted atmosphere or to cherish another beloved than Him?

We all abide beneath His shadow and seek our portion from the ocean of His grace. However far the gnat may fly, it can never traverse the length and breadth of heaven, and however high the sparrow may soar, it can never attain the tree of immortality. Since all do not possess the same degree of spiritual understanding, certain statements will inevitably be made, and there shall arise, as a consequence, as many differing opinions as there are human minds, and as many divergent beliefs as there are created things. This is certain and settled, and can in no wise be averted. Now, it is clear that some are virtuous, others are sinful, and still others are rebellious. One must call the people to love and faithfulness, to zeal and contentment, that the sinful may be admonished and the ranks of the virtuous may swell.

Nor is it possible that there be no sinners: So long as the name “the Ever-Forgiving” shineth resplendent above the horizon of existence, there will be sinners in the world of creation, for the latter cannot appear without the former and the former cannot exist without the latter.

Our aim is that thou shouldst urge all the believers to show forth kindness and mercy and to overlook certain shortcomings among them, that differences may be dispelled; true harmony be established; and the censure and reproach, the hatred and dissension, seen among the peoples of former times may not arise anew. Perchance they may be educated and, in the latter Resurrection, inflict not upon that cherished Spirit and Essence of existence, that exalted and subtle Reality, the least of that which the Point of the Bayan was made to suffer.

Moreover, a reply to thine enquiries was sent aforetime. It is evident that whatever question is asked will be answered through the ocean of eternal grace, but such questions also add to the burden of duties imposed upon the servants. That which hath been recorded at God’s behest in the Persian Bayan is indeed sufficient unto all, and none will be held to account for what it hath not commanded. Consider how numerous were those in the early days of the Revelation who obeyed, without the slightest deviation, every least one of its injunctions and yet reaped no benefit therefrom. The beginning of religion is love for God and for His Chosen Ones, and its end is to manifest that love to His servants.

I swear by God! Whoso faileth to obey the commandments of God can in no wise be numbered among His loved ones, for among the conditions of His love is to follow His commandments and observe His prohibitions. But since these are the days of concealment, and the Sun of eternity remaineth hidden beneath the horizon of being, one must gather together everyone with love and protect them. The time for the completion of the commandments and the perfection of deeds will assuredly come.

BH00925: I know not, O my God, for whom I…

I know not, O my God, for whom I shall describe Thee and through whom I shall make mention of Thee. By Thy glory, I am bewildered, after Thou didst place me in the land of abasement like unto a distressed fish. Whenever I desire to make mention of Thee, my tongue cannot utter a sound due to the severity of tribulations that have befallen me therein. And whenever I find the love of remembrance in my heart, no cry ascends from my inmost being due to the multitude of calamities with which Thou hast surrounded me, to such extent that I find my lips, through the subtleties of power, make mention of Thee, yet my ears hear not what describes Thee. I know that my heart, with the perfection of its love, praises Thee, yet my tongue knows not how to remember Thee. And this is naught but a bounty from Thee and a favor from Thy presence. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest how all the servants are asleep upon their beds while the eyes of Glory await the wonders of Thy mercy. All mankind lie slumbering upon their couches while the Countenance of Beauty lies upon the dust, yearning for the manifestations of Thy compassion. It is as though I behold all directions like unto a sinner who is led to be crucified, looking to his right and his left that perchance he may receive a sign of Thy loving-kindness and the dawning of Thy mercy. Yet have I not witnessed it until now, nor after now. The command is in Thy hands alone. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beloved.

I know not, O Sovereign of my Glory, which of my afflictions to complain of before Thee, and which of my tribulations to mention in Thy presence, after the sighs of tears have prevented me from the sovereignty of remembrance when visiting Thy tribulation, and drops of tears have veiled me from the King of description at the manifestation of Thy trials. How great is Thy tribulation and how mighty Thy retribution! Whenever Thou didst preserve me, O my God, from one tribulation, Thou didst deliver me unto another, and whenever Thou didst save me from one abasement, Thou didst rear me for an abasement greater than the first, to such extent that no garment of humiliation remained except that Thou didst clothe me therewith, and no sea of hardship existed except that Thou didst make me drink therefrom, and no fruit of adversity was seen except that Thou didst make me taste thereof.

Alas, alas! Would that I had never existed in the kingdom and had never been mentioned on earth! Alas, alas, for what Thou hast decreed through the wonders of Thy power, and ordained through the manifestations of Thy might, and brought into being through the sovereignty of Thy Lordship, and numbered through the authority of Thy Self-Subsistence, and inscribed upon the tablets of creation by the hands of Thy leave, and ordained upon the face of invention at the exaltation of Thy remembrance!

I know not, O my Beloved, how I can endure before the surging of the winds of Thy power and be still at the manifestation of the signs of Thy might, after the pillars of the sanctuaries of the Kingdom have been demolished at the sprinkling of the tokens of Thy might, and the foundations of the towers of the Realm of Power have been destroyed at the brandishing of the signs of Thy sovereignty. Alas, alas, for the intensity of my weakness at the descent of Thy tribulation! Alas, alas, for my lack of patience at the appearance of Thy vengeance!

By Thy glory, tribulations in their entirety have seized me, and calamities in their fullness have encompassed me. I beseech Thee by what Thou art, to send the breezes of light which Thou hast nurtured in the heart of heaven, that perchance thereby the heart of Glory may find rest. Nay, by Thy glory, it shall not find rest even if Thou seat me upon the throne of the heaven and give me to drink from the crimson vessels by the snow-white countenance, and cause me to hear the melodies of the dove at the tree of accomplishment from the point of destiny. For verily, by my Lord, the Lord of the heavens and earth, in no matter have I desired aught save to follow Thy command, to be submissive at the manifestation of Thy sovereignty, and to be humble before the gate of Thy mercy.

O my God! Though I may not be a champion of Thy Cause, yet I am a servant of Thy loved ones; and though I may not be obedient to the sovereignty of Thy will, yet I am a helper of Thy chosen ones. Glorified, glorified art Thou! Verily Thou art the First of the forgivers, and I am the last of the penitent. Have mercy upon me through the wonders of Thy mercy, and show me kindness through the effulgent rays of Thy bounty. Thou art the Bestower without being asked, and the Ever-Enriching without decline. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Kind.

Whenever I wander, O my God, in the wilderness at eventide, I behold that the birds return to their nests, and the sheep to their folds, and the beasts to their lairs, while I find myself bewildered and distracted, knowing not whither to go nor to whom to turn, for all the people have driven me from their lands and all mankind have cast me out from their dwellings, until I remain alone and solitary in creation, not knowing which way to direct my steps, to which country to turn, or where to dwell.

Nay, by Thy might! I shall not turn to anyone but Thee, even should I face worse afflictions, nor shall I seek any but Thee, even should I be brought lower than this. For I have known none other than Thee to cleave unto, and have witnessed none besides Thee to turn to. If Thou drivest me from one door, I shall enter through another; if Thou keepest me distant from one direction, I shall draw near to Thee from another; if Thou slayest me with one sword, I shall await another. For Thou knowest, O my God, that though Thou mayest have servants better than I, yet I have no sovereign greater than Thee; and though Thou mayest have servants mightier than I, yet I have no master like unto Thee, nor any lord resembling Thee.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! If these eyes be not worthy to behold the lights of Thy beauty, then change them as Thou pleasest; and if this earth be not fit for the descent of Thy sovereignty, then transform it by Thy power, as Thou hast promised in the scrolls of Thy glory and the tablets of Thy might, that I may be among those who seek refuge at Thy gate, who take shelter in Thy presence, who drink from the cups of Thy grandeur, who gaze upon Thy countenance alone, who ascend to the pavilion of greatness by Thy power of eternality, who rise to the dawning-place of oneness by Thy might of unity, who warble the verses of Thy attraction, who repose upon the carpet of Thy lordship, who hold fast to the cord of Thy sovereign grace, who shelter beneath the shade of the tree of Thy eternity, who sit within the tabernacles of greatness at the manifestation of the sun of Thy oneness, who dwell in the tents of eternity at the revelation of the signs of Thy singleness, who drink from the cups of detachment at the gleaming of the beauty of Thy grandeur, and who are enriched by the melodies of attraction at the warbling of the dove of Thy glory.

Perchance then my heart may find peace, my essence be gladdened, my soul rejoice, my spirit be stirred, the fire of my love be kindled, the light of my mystery shine forth, my face be illumined, my body move with longing, my form ascend with joy, and I may be among those who, through Thy grace, find rest and through Thy favor make their petition. O my God! Send Thy blessings upon him whom Thou hast loved before and whom Thou wilt love hereafter, and upon him whom Thou wilt manifest on the day when Thou raisest up the heavens of Thy creation and causest the sun of Thy power to shine forth, in accordance with what Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest, and verily Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH01073: Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved!…

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! All servants exalt Thee above any other, and all created things sanctify Thee from all else. Yet I, in my powerlessness and poverty, have found none besides Thee from whom to exalt Thee, and have witnessed none except Thee by which to sanctify Thee. By Thy glory, O my God, whenever I have sought other than Thee, I found it naught, and whenever I desired other than Thee, I witnessed it not. And whenever I descend from the most exalted heights to the lowest depths of earth, I find nothing except signs of Thy oneness, tokens of Thy singleness, intimations of Thy lordship, and evidences of Thy self-subsistence, to such extent that were Thou to remove Thy signs from existence, nothing would remain in Thy kingdom and no letter would be witnessed in Thy realm.

Thus hast Thou made the night and day as two signs, effacing the sign of night and making the sign of day illuminating, that the sovereignty of Thy power might endure in the dominion of all possibilities, and the lights of Thy countenance might shine forth in the kingdom of all created things. None shall attain to the mystery thereof save him whom Thou hast made to dwell in the kingdom and then made him as a proof of the sun.

Glorified art Thou! How mighty is the sovereignty of Thy power which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and the earth and all that lieth between them! How resplendent is the dominion of Thy might which hath filled all who dwell in the realm of the divine cloud and all below it! Glorified art Thou, O my God! All existence seeketh Thee yet findeth Thee not, and all [witnesses] witness Thee yet know Thee not, for when they turn to their own stations and conditions apart from Thee, they forget Thee. And when they forget Thee, Thou causest them to forget themselves, as recompense for their deeds. Thus are they veiled from visiting Thy presence, beholding Thy countenance, and gazing upon Thy beauty, and they become of those deprived of meeting Thee, rejected from Thy presence, barred from Thy court, and are among the lost and the remote ones.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I know not by what tongue I should call upon Thee nor by what utterance I should invoke Thee. I know not, O Thou Who art my heart’s desire, how Thou wishest me to describe Thee. Shall I describe Thee by Thyself or mention Thee through another? If Thou desirest to hear Thy description from Thyself—and this is worthy of One like Thee—yet none can do this save those whom Thou hast made repositories of Thy knowledge and treasuries of Thy light. And if Thou desirest to witness Thy description from another—this is impossible for One like Thee, for mention of that which cometh not from Thee befitteth Thee not, nor is worthy of Thee, nor can ascend to the heavens of Thine eternity, nor rise to the sanctuaries of Thine oneness.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! All descriptions fail to reach the court of Thy glory and all attributes cannot attain to the sovereignty of Thy power, for Thou hast not determined for Thyself the true measure of Thy station, nor hast Thou limited Thy countenance to the description of Thy creation. By Thy glory, O Beloved, none can describe Thee and none can mention Thee, for Thou hast not described Thyself save by Thyself, nor characterized Thine Essence save by Thine Essence. Glorified art Thou! I have been among those sincere at Thy gate and those repentant in Thy remembrance.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by him whom Thou hast chosen for the wonders of Thy Cause, fashioned for the ornaments of Thy power, selected for the repositories of Thy mystery, and singled out for the splendors of Thy countenance, that Thou inspire me with what Thou lovest of the comprehensive words of Thy remembrance, clothe me in the garments of Thy pardon, shelter me with the cloaks of Thy loving-kindness, and give me to drink from the cups of Thy forgiveness, for I am Thy servant and am in Thy hand, seeking refuge at Your threshold, taking sanctuary in Your presence, clinging to the sovereignty of Your mercy, and beseeching the King of Your grace.

Would You, O my God, distance one whom You reared for Your servitude? Would You, O my Aspiration, forsake one whom You trained for Your service? Would You, O my Hope, deprive one whose eyes await the descent of Your mercy? Would You, O my Lord, deny one whose sight You caused to be fixed upon the manifestation of Your pardon? Far be it from You, nay far be it from You, to cast out whom You have drawn nigh, reject whom You have honored, destroy whom You have quickened, or silence whom You have caused to speak. Glory be unto You! Glory be unto You! You are He Who does what He pleases and ordains what He desires. None can resist Your command or prevent Your deed. There is no God but You, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting.

I know not, O my God, if You do not wish me to describe You throughout the lands, why then have You inspired me with these words? And if You love that I should mention You among Your servants, why then have You cast me away from all directions? Nay, by Your glory! Rather, You have honored me, even if You have seated me upon a speck of dust, and You have called me, even if You have turned me away from all doors. How mighty is the sovereignty of Your Lordship over me, and how sweet is the dominion of my servitude to You! How exalted are the wonders of Your glory toward me, and how resplendent are the tokens of my abasement before You!

Glory be unto You! I have been foremost among sinners, and You are the Most Merciful of the merciful. Hear my call, for in Your hand is the dominion of all worlds. I bear witness before You, O my God, at this moment when none is with me besides You, that I am a servant who has believed in You, in Your verses sent down from Your presence, and in Your Book dispatched from Your side, such that I have believed in every sign before its appearance and after its setting, and at the time when its beauty shone forth and its light gleamed, submissive to Your command and humble before the sovereignty of Your countenance. I have commanded the servants only what I heard from Your tongue or witnessed in Your Book, lest they differ in Your Cause and spread corruption in Your lands.

In all matters I have desired only to spread Your favors and manifest Your knowledge, and I desire naught but to follow Your command and to stand firm upon what the Countenance of Your glory and the King of Your presence has willed, that the fire of Oneness might be kindled from the Tree of Your eternity and the reality of Your Absolute Unity might be proven upon the throne of Your grandeur. Glory be unto You! Glory be unto You! I am among those who remember and worship You, and I say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01176: This is submitted: Your esteemed letter indicating the good…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Mighty!

This is submitted: Your esteemed letter indicating the good health of your blessed person arrived like the Egyptian Bashir as a herald of glad tidings, reaching the spiritual Canaan which is the city of the heart. The fragrance of faithfulness was inhaled from this garment; it brought joy and increased comfort. The realms of sorrow were rolled up and the carpet of delight was spread forth. The banner of love was raised high while anguish bowed its head.

However, there was complaint about the brevity of the correspondence. Indeed, the friends in the true garden who are intoxicated in the spiritual rose garden by the divine wine, who are stirred to ecstasy by the spiritual melody, who are unconscious of their own existence and are effervescent from the wine of mercy, are not content with little and do not become hung over from much. Before them, the books of contingent existence are as a mere letter, and the ocean of utterance as but a single cup, for they have withdrawn from contingent existence and chosen seclusion in the realm beyond space. The vat cannot satisfy love’s hangover, nor can the ocean cool the heat of longing. These two verses were spoken in this regard:

“What thou hast stored within the vault no gall of Love can ever break; So bring, O Saqi, from that Wine—a sea of spirit—for my sake.

That this veiled, love-distracted heart may surge at last with clamorous roar, And this God-drunken, heaven-taught soul rise from its swoon—awake once more.”

The fish is never sated with water, nor the lover satisfied with the beloved. Should the loved one gaze upon the beauty of the beloved for a thousand years, it would seem but an hour, and should he drink for ages the pure wine from the honey of union, it would seem but a moment. Their joy is in sacrificing heart and soul, and their sorrow in being occupied with this and that. As Rumi says:

“Lovers drain the cup of joy only when Their beloveds slay them with their own hands.”

In any case, this time the letter—like the register of the disobedient—hath grown dark, and, like the course of the guilty, obscure; for from every offence it yieldeth a token, and from every crime it displayeth a sign. By reason of its excessive prolixity and its chain-like writing, it is as though the sequence hath fallen into the circle of repetition and, at the very first step, remaineth arrested. I fear lest, again, thou wilt not deem it sufficient, and wilt begin to complain—though thou thyself bearest witness that I have barred the doors of companionship, cut off the path of correspondence, and that this which I have done for thee hath been contrary to all accustomed practice.

And further: what can one say of these thankless people? Thou knowest what measure of envy they harbour in their hearts, and what store of rancour they conceal within their breasts. They will draw no breath save at the bidding of self, and will seek naught but the idol of desire—as He saith: Hast thou seen him who hath taken his own desire for his god? With all this—plain and manifest unto thee, yet hidden from any save thyself—how can the Nightingale of God, upon a bough of spirit, sing a subtle strain? How can the Hoopoe of Sheba recount aught of the City of Eternity?

Silence is better than clamour. The gnostics of the Beloved, by this saying, have strung the pearls of utterance: two things, above all else, are sweetest and most pleasing—first, a heart that is receptive to speech; and then, a word that is acceptable to the heart. Now, in which heart among this company shall I seek such receptivity? From what rose shall I inhale the fragrance of this flower? God hath set a seal upon their hearts, and upon their hearing, and over their eyes is a covering. It is evident that none heareth the melody of the spirit save the true ear, and none beholdeth the countenance of the Well-Beloved save the eye of the soul. “They have eyes, but see not thereby; and they have ears, but hear not thereby”.

And though the Truth is, of itself, distinguished from falsehood—as the sun from the shadow of non-existence—yet have a few laid claim to being, and have raised the standard of oppression. They have not penned so much as a letter from the ocean of knowledge, nor tasted a drop from the sea of consummate wisdom; and yet they ascribe to these recluses of the Egypt of unity that which they themselves deserve and are fit for. The envious man is wrathful toward him who hath no fault; but by the grace of the Lord their hands are restrained, and the palm-tree of the All-Sufficing’s power is raised exceeding high. God refuseth to suffer His light to be quenched, though the idolaters abhor it. In this station the Mathnavi speaketh well:

“O Diya’u’l-Haqq, Husamu’d-Din, both heart and soul, Before whose presence heart and soul stand abashed; These pieces of clay, in their envy, Seek to veil thy sun from sight.”

What can I say? The song of the nightingale is different from that of the raven, and the cooing of the dove from the cawing of the crow. Though I have no ensign but silence, and seek no token but obscurity, all these meaningless utterances have arisen. Alas! Should this Bird of Iraq warble melodies of the Hijaz, and this divine Falcon adorn the gathering with holy celestial tunes, and bring the intoxicated ones to their senses through the song of the immortal birds, then would it become evident how far these lost ones have strayed from the lofty stations of divine knowledge. It seems they have no share of the ocean of certitude, and have not reached the goal of reunion which is the purpose of creation. O ears bereft of hearing! O hearts devoid of understanding! God willing, through divine grace and Muhammadan virtue, may we gather at the shore of the sea of unity and partake of the wine of detachment, that we may sever our hearts from all else and bind them to the Friend.

BH01310: In the name of Him Who was the Self-Subsisting…

In the name of Him Who was the Self-Subsisting over all who are in the earth and the heavens! Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, who hath entered into the precincts of Thy sanctity and, laden with manifold sins, hath hastened from every direction unto the court of Thy gracious bounty. He desireth to drink from the chalices of Thy mercy and seeketh the wonders of Thy grace which Thou hast specially ordained for the Letters of Thy might and the Words of Thy holiness, that he may become on earth a reflection of Thy countenance, a mirror of Thy beauty, a guide unto Thee, one turned toward Thee, and one who speaketh of Thee, for in Thy hands is the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, the Exalted.

Yet I have not attained that which I have sought until now. Rather, whenever I sought shelter beneath the tree of Thy Lordship, Thou didst drive me away by Thy power, and whenever I lay down upon the couch of Thy Divine Unity, Thou didst awaken me by Thy might and then remove me by Thy power, as if Thou hadst not created me in Thy dominion and wouldst not recognize me in the realm of creation among Thy servants. Whenever I desired to soar in the atmosphere of Thy holy sovereignty, Thou didst burn my wings with the fire of Thy dominion, then cast me down into a valley which none can reckon save Thee, wherein I remained without count, extent, time, age, eternity, covenant, epoch, cycle, or revolution, until Thou didst show mercy unto me thereafter, and didst honor me and grant me two wings of moist red ruby in the mystery of Thy Most Exalted Name.

Then after that, Thou didst cause me to ascend by Thy power to the heavens of Thy Cause, yet Thou didst not grant me time to reach them and didst bring me down and return me to another valley. All this didst Thou do unto one than whom none on earth knoweth Thee better, and none in the kingdom loveth Thee more ardently. What then is the recompense of him who turneth away from Thy presence, is heedless of Thy countenance, and ascribeth partners to the sovereignty of Thy oneness? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! How wondrous are the manifestations of Thy deeds toward me! How mighty are the expressions of Thy handiwork concerning me! Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for all of this and the entirety thereof, and unto Thee be thanks, O my Beloved, for all that Thou hast sent down or wilt send down, hast willed or wilt will, hast loved or wilt love.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! This servant of Thine hath come before Thee once again, with a tongue grown weary and speech become burdensome. He knoweth not a single letter of the wonders of Thy knowledge with which to remember Thee, nor comprehendeth any mystery from the lines of the universality of Thy grace’s outpouring with which to describe Thee. Yet, since he is as a seed from Thy holy land, he desireth that Thou plant him by the hands of Thy bounty in the soil of Thy Divine Unity, that he may yield the fruits of Thine eternity in the cloud of Thy Lordship and put forth the leaves of Thy oneness in the atmosphere of the intimate fellowship of the heaven of glory of the King of Thy bounty.

This is an infant who desireth to drink from the breast of Thy grace the milk which Thou hast stored in the essence of the camphor of Thy concealment. This is a fish that hopeth to plunge into the depths of the seas of Thy glorious exaltation, a dove that seeketh to perch upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Thy might, an ember that must be kindled from the fire of Thy love, a star that is fit to shine in the heaven of the generosity of Thy mercy, a thirsty one who hath come unto the seas of Thy greatness, a lowly one who hath sought refuge with Thee that Thou mightest admit him into the garden of Thy might, an ailing one who desireth to drink from the rivers of Thy healing, and an ignorant one who hath come before the manifestations of the treasuries of Thy knowledge at the dawning-places of Thy glory and the aspects of Thy holiness.

For my heart will not be content with aught else, even wert Thou to give it all that Thou hast numbered in Thy heaven and earth, for from the wellspring of Thy riches hast Thou caused me to spring forth, and from the seas of Thy generosity hast Thou made me to flow, and from the mount of Thy greatness hast Thou cleft me, and with the flames of the light of Thy countenance hast Thou illumined me, and from the brands of the fire of Thine eternity hast Thou made me to appear. This is a station that no other station in Thy kingdom can equal, a bounty that no other bounty in Thy realm can match, and no matter in Thy lands can compare with it. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. None can reverse Thy decree, none can alter Thy judgment, none can prevent Thy doing, and none can oppose Thy command. Verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

I beseech Thee, O God, O my God, at this moment, by Him Whom Thou hast made a treasure for all created things, a shelter for all existence, and a fortress for all who dwell in the kingdoms of earth and heaven, to send down upon our hearts the love of Thy loved ones and the affection of Thy chosen ones, that we may become pure mirrors, holy crystals, and luminous lamps, reflecting the wonders of the pure camphor of Thy countenance and proclaiming the gleamings of the cloud of might of Thy presence, that we may be as one servant and one soul in the earth, all prostrating before the sovereign of Thy majesty and submitting to the king of Thy beauty, for we are all Thy servants and within Thy grasp. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Luminous, the Beloved.

BH01429: Consider the mercy of thy Lord unto all who…

In the name of our Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted!

Consider the mercy of thy Lord unto all who dwell in the world, and how He hath clothed all existence with the raiment of grace, that His mercy might precede all who are in the worlds. Verily, they who answered not the Call of God and turned away from the Beauty of the Most High, the Best-Beloved—these have disbelieved in God and have lost their souls in this world and in the next. Sufficient unto them is their remorse in having deprived their souls of this grace.

Say: O people! This is of the grace which all who are in the heavens and earth do seek, yet none have attained it save a few sanctified souls. Thus do We ordain all things in the holy Tablets from God, the Most High, according to a fixed decree.

Say: O people! Fear your Lord, the All-Compelling, and be ye afraid of Him Whose might over the worlds is severe. Should He seize you, none could deliver you, even if all who are on earth were to gather to aid you—ye would find yourselves without help.

Know then, O servant, that thy letter hath come before the Servant, and We have understood all that was contained therein, and have become aware of what was inscribed therein concerning the trials that have befallen thee, and all that lay concealed within the pavilion of thy heart. Whereupon We have answered thee with this reply, that thou mayest read it at all times and place it before thine eyes, that the vision of joy might return to thee. This is of the promise that was promised in the Mother Book, which God hath decreed for whomsoever He willeth among His creation, and His promise hath ever been truly fulfilled.

Grieve thou not over anything, neither be thou distressed by poverty, for thou possessest that which nothing in the heavens and earth can equal, and this is from a command that hath been witnessed by thee and all creation. For in thy heart is the love of God and His chosen ones, and this is of the treasure that all in the kingdom collectively need. Nothing can compare with it, nothing can equal it, nor can it be purchased with all the treasuries of the heavens and earth. Thus do We acquaint thee with what thou possessest, that thou mayest see thyself enriched with the riches of thy Lord, and not be saddened in the kingdom by the lack of gold. Rejoice then in thy spirit and be gladdened in thy being, until rapture seizeth thee from every direction and bringeth thee to a praiseworthy station of holiness.

Say: O people! Know ye what God hath given you of His grace, in that He hath deposited in the shells of your hearts the pearls of His love, and honored you with that which is more precious in His presence than red sulphur—this is what hath been inscribed on the preserved Tablets of glory.

Say: O people! This is of the wealth that nothing created on earth can equal, and this is of the truth that hath been known to the worlds. For gold leadeth men astray and rendereth its possessor the poorest of servants through the greed that God causeth to overcome him, which hath no bound. Moreover, this wealth impoverisheth him from all that hath worth before God, for it occupieth him in the world to such an extent that the remembrance of the Beloved is not mentioned in his heart. Apart from this, it shall not endure on earth and shall perish in less than a moment—this hath been witnessed by the worlds.

Therefore, it behooveth thee to abandon all this and trust in God, thy Lord, that thou mayest be preserved in His shadow from all that distracteth thee from Him. Then seek from Him that which will enrich thee beyond gold and what exceedeth it, that thou mayest soar in the highest concourse on wings of ruby. For all that thou beholdest shall not endure, while that which is with God shall remain—this is of the matter that hath been symbolized in the Tablets.

Hear My words and My counsel, and grieve not over what hath passed thee by of the ornaments of the kingdom. Rather, rejoice in the treasures that God hath made hidden in thy heart. Then beseech God that He may make thee steadfast in His love and in the love of those who call thee to God in the evenings and mornings. When thou attainest unto this, know that all things have been created for thee, and all that thou knowest or knowest not is for thee and within thee, and hath been created for thy sake.

Thus have We cast upon thee the mysteries of guidance, that thou mayest follow the guidance of God and not turn back upon thy heels. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have ascended unto God and who have been raised in the atmosphere of glory, and the Fire be upon those who have disbelieved and turned away, and who have become like a vanishing shadow.

BH01524: How can a tongue that calls upon other than…

How can a tongue that calls upon other than Thee be worthy to make mention of Thee, and how can a heart that hath turned to any save Thee be fitting to become a mirror of Thy beauty and be warmed by Thy love? How can an eye that hath beheld aught except Thee and turned toward any direction but Thine be capable of witnessing the wondrous handiwork of Thy creative Oneness or be honored by beholding the glory of Thine eternal majesty? How can an ear that hath perceived the finite words of Thy servants possibly hear the comprehensive verses of Thy divine unity or the sweet melodies of the Dove of Thy reality? How can feet that have walked in paths other than Thy good-pleasure move in the arenas of Thy holiness and reunion? And how can a body occupied with aught save Thee be worthy to drink from the pure wine of Thy love, or find intimacy with the pristine countenance of Thy divine sovereignty, or with the beauty of Thy hidden divinity, or be submissive to Thy Lordship, or prostrate before the face of Thy loving-kindness?

O my God! After all this, I am ashamed of my deeds before Thee and abashed at making mention of Thee. Yet since I know that all this cometh from none other than Thee and from Thy presence, my soul findeth rest and my being is calmed, for Thou art the Doer of all things and the Omnipotent over all things.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! How great is my bewilderment at the wonders of Thy deeds and the marvels of Thy handiwork! How wondrous is my perturbation at the manifestations of Thy power and the expressions of Thy might! At times Thou clothest the temple of lowliness and poverty with the mantle of grandeur and raisest it to the heavens of Thy favor; at times Thou strippest the garment of glory from the form of might and majesty and returnest it to the source of Thy humiliation and the mine of Thy poverty. At times by Thy will Thou causest the essence of the most high to descend to the lowest dust, and at times by Thy desire Thou raisest the pure essence of the lowly to the most exalted throne. At one moment I witness that Thou clothest the point of tyranny with the robe of the glory of Thy justice and majesty, and at another I see that Thou strippest the essence of justice of the garments of Thy mercy and beauty and hidest it in the veils of tyranny, such that it is known and described by naught else.

In all this Thou art powerful through the power of Thy sovereignty and dominant through the all-encompassing nature of Thy might and divinity. Thou art not to be questioned about that which Thou art pleased to manifest, nor art Thou to be prevented from whatsoever Thou desirest to do, such that if Thou shouldst make glory the very essence of abasement, who could prevent Thee, or if Thou shouldst make the essence of remoteness the very substance of nearness, who could forbid Thee? Nay, by Thy glory! The sovereignty of Thy power hath ever flowed through the kingdom of Thy creation, and the dominion of Thy might shall forever hold sway in the empire of Thy realm and creatures.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I make mention of Thee with words with which children play and which the people of contingent being utter? Nay, by Thy countenance! I love not to be thus, nor do I wish to be such, even though Thou shouldst manifest but a single letter thereof in the garment of Thy wondrous glory and the vesture of Thy new and sublime exaltation. By Thy glory! None would be able to utter a letter thereof or make it an enduring proof from Thee, a complete word from Thy presence, and an everlasting treasure greater than the creation of the heavens and earth.

Yet withal, I beseech Thee by the fire of Thy Being which hath ever been concealed in the mystery of Thine Essence, and by the ocean of Thy greatness which hath ever flowed in the reality of Thy Being, to teach me from Thy holy tongue which Thou hast sanctified from the hearing of Thy creation and hallowed from the understanding of Thy servants, and to honor me with the melodies of Thy rapture which none can hear, perceive, or know, for were but a single note thereof to appear, all who are in the heavens and on earth would be thunderstruck by the strange nature of its tune and the wondrous character of its pattern.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! I ask Thy forgiveness for what hath flowed from my pen concerning its cause and decree. I have not occupied myself with aught save Thee, for the essence of Thy Being and the pure reality of Thy Spirit have been engaged with the sweet-scented breezes of Thy holiness and the raptures of Thy glory, yet I have left all this and occupied myself with ink, as though I had turned away from love and inclined toward that which profiteth me not before Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of glory and grace. For to turn to aught besides Thee is a sin unequaled by any other sin and unpreceded by any error. Therefore forgive me and pardon me, for Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Generous of the generous.

BH01585: He is God. The Sun of Divine Beauty hath…

He is God. The Sun of Divine Beauty hath risen from the Dayspring of the unseen realm of the Lord, and hath shed its radiance upon all created things. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou be illumined by its splendours.

He is God. The Lamp of God hath been kindled, that by its light it may enkindle the candles of the hearts of men. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost seek illumination from its radiance.

He is God. The Tree of severance from all save God hath, in this hallowed land, been planted by the hand of the Beloved, and hath cast its shade upon the Paradise of holiness. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that abide beneath its shadow, and of them that are nourished by its fruits.

He is God. The Burning Bush proclaimeth with the tongue of “Verily, I am God!” Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost hearken unto its melodies.

He is God. The Phoenix of holiness hath spread its shade over all created things. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost take shelter beneath its shadow.

O dervish! Sever thyself from the fleeting world, that thou mayest wing thy flight unto the everlasting realm. Sever thyself from the world, that God may cause thee to ascend, exalted, unto the heaven of holiness.

O dervish! Pass beyond the hue and colouring of the world, that thou mayest be adorned with the wondrous hue of the Beloved. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that act accordingly.

He is God, the Desired One. The incomparable Beauty of the Lord of Glory hath dawned from the Dayspring of the unseen and everlasting realm. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost attain unto His presence and art of them that are honoured by beholding His manifest and perspicuous Beauty.

He is God. The Divine Cupbearer proffereth the wine of the Lord from the chalice of the All-Merciful. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that drink of His wine.

O ‘Alí! Barter not the everlasting life for this mortal life, that thou mayest ascend unto the heaven of nearness. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that act accordingly.

He is God. With the wings of the spirit, soar unto the heaven of the holiness of thy Lord; pass beyond the world, that in the realm of the Beloved thou mayest enter the gate of the All-Glorious. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that hearken.

He is God. The fire of God hath been kindled upon the Sinaitic Tree, and, communing with the Moses of the spirit, proclaimeth: “Verily, I am God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.” Wherefore, blessed art thou, if with the ear of truth thou dost hear its utterances, and with the eye of the fire thou dost behold therein its flames.

He is God. The Nightingale of immortality, perched upon the Tree of reunion, warbleth with the melodies of the Dove, saying: “O people! This is the Most Great Beauty of God, Who hath dawned from this most luminous Dayspring and hath lifted the veil from His most pure Countenance.” Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that have attained unto His Beauty.

He is God. Open thou the true eye, that thou mayest behold a luminous and resplendent Beauty, and cry out with the tongue of the inner mystery: “Blessed be God, the Best of Creators!”

O thou adorned with the ornament of reality! The Nightingale of spiritual holiness singeth with the fairest of melodies, more wondrous than every song. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that hearken.

O ‘Alí! Pass beyond the husk of contingent being, that thou mayest set foot upon the throne of the Placeless.

He is God. The royal falcon of love hath appeared from the horizon of Divine holiness, that by its wondrous strains it may enrapture and bewilder all the birds.

He is God. The Peacock of Bahá hath outspread its beauteous plumes, that it may adorn the Paradise on high with its ornament. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou art of them that, with a radiant, luminous, and discerning eye, gaze upon His majesty.

He is God. The bird of immortality hath passed beyond the perishing nest of this world, and hath made its abode in the everlasting nest of the Divine Dove.

He is God. This is the Rose of eternity, the unfading Rose, by whose breaths the heavens on high and the earths below are quickened and refreshed. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost inhale its fragrances.

He is the Beloved. This is the Rose of eternity, whereby the throne of the denizens of the Concourse on high, above the lofty heavens, is perfumed. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost hear its warblings.

He is God. With the inner ear hearken unto the sweet words from this speaking Tongue, and stop thine ear against the speech of all else besides Him.

He is God, the Beloved. This is the Rose of glory, whereby the roses of the Paradise of the Cloud of Unknowing are perfumed with wondrous fragrances. Wherefore, blessed art thou, if thou dost inhale its breaths.

He is God. The divine Hoopoe hath appeared in splendour from the horizon of the holiness of the All-Glorious. Wherefore, blessed are ye, if ye behold its beauty.

He is God. This is the Tree of holiness, which hath been planted in the Sinai of the spirit, and proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Him.” Wherefore, blessed is he who heareth its warblings, then abideth beneath its shade, and partaketh of its fruits.

BH01587: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He…

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who hath brought forth all created things from the treasury of Thine eternity, and raised up all creatures from the ocean of Thy generosity and bounty. Thou hast rolled up the cycles from eternity unto eternity, and turned the ages from pre-existence unto everlastingness, whereupon the seas of Thy mighty Will did surge, and upon them sailed the ships of Thy desire, and upon them settled the ark of Thy decree from the heaven of Thy providence.

Thereafter, Thou didst move the thread of pre-existence through the garments of nothingness, and breathed the spirit of life into the essence of sublime glory, that thereby the countenance of Thy names might be revealed in the kingdom of Thy attributes, and the beauty of Thy face might be made manifest in the realm of Thy grandeur. Among these, Thou didst single out one of Thy servants, clothing him in the garment of Thy grace and the robe of Thy guidance, giving him to drink from the water of Thy love and the Kawthar of the manifestation of Thy good-pleasure. Thou didst nurture him with the hands of Thy mercy and suckle him from the breasts of Thy generosity until he grew mighty in the sovereignty of Thy power and the dominion of Thy lordship.

Thou didst make him firm in his faith in Thee and in Thy signs, a servant to Thy presence and a slave at Thy threshold. He walked upon the earth according to what Thou hadst ordained for him, and what Thou hadst decreed through Thy divine sovereignty and godhood. That which Thou didst ordain for him from the wonders of Thy power came to pass, and that which Thou didst determine from the essence of Thy might and the quintessence of Thy wisdom was fulfilled, until the time which Thou hadst fixed in Thy Book, wherein falsehood cannot enter, nor can what is written therein be delayed by a single hour or hastened forward.

Thereafter, when his appointed time was fulfilled and his days were ended, Thou didst return him unto Thee as Thou hadst brought him forth from Thee, concealing him in the treasuries of Thy hidden knowledge and the repositories of Thy mystery. All this proceeded solely from Thy consummate wisdom and Thy perfect handiwork, from the hidden stores of Thy knowledge and the jewels of Thy concealed mystery. Yet when the understanding of this became veiled behind the curtains of Thy jealousy and the pavilions of Thy grandeur, Thy servants were troubled and Thy bondsmen were grieved—though by Thy glory, they would not grieve over any aspect of Thy descending decrees or occurring affairs.

Glorified, glorified art Thou! I beseech Thee at this moment, by Him Whom Thou hast made the heaven of Thy Will and the earth of Thy Purpose, the sun of Thy decree and the moon of Thy determination, to send down patience into the hearts of His loved ones and Thy loved ones, for none shall be found among His loved ones save through the revelation of the sun of Thy love and the manifestation of the moon of Thy affection. Then strip from the frame of his father and mother the garments of sorrow and the robes of grief, for this Thou lovest in the kingdom of Thy most exalted might, the pavilion of Thy most glorious majesty, and the paradise of Thy most holy sanctity. Then clothe them in the purest vestures of Thy bounty and the most protective veils of Thy joy. Verily, Thou art the Giver of whatsoever Thou willest in whatsoever way Thou pleasest, and Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I adjure Thee at this moment by Thy Word through which the mystery of Thy Self was established upon the throne of Thy sovereignty, and the Essence of Thy Being upon the seat of Thy grandeur, that Thou extinguish not the lamp which Thou hast kindled with the light of Thine eternity, nor still the dove which Thou hast caused to soar by the essence of Thy rapture and the quintessence of Thy yearning. Then grant tranquility, O my God, to Thy servant who burneth with love for Thy beauty, who crieth out in secret with longing to meet Thee, who waileth in his heart seeking reunion with Thee, who weepeth from the intensity of his passionate desire for Thee and the overwhelming force of his yearning for Thee.

Though in the very midst of attainment, he seeketh reunion with Thee; though at the very height of nearness, he is consumed by the fire of Thy love. There have descended upon him drops of a grief that cannot be quenched and waves of anguish that shall never cease, such that the mystery of Thine eternity, the garments of Thy lordship, and the essence of Thy divinity have been saddened thereby. His drink in these days is from the tears of his eyes, and his food in the nights is from the sighs of his heart and the blood of his soul.

Therefore, O my God, send down into his heart a tranquility from Thy presence and a patience from Thy court, that he might find rest upon the throne of Thy strengthening and the seat of Thy composure, lest he be disturbed by what befalleth him from the hidden aspects of Thy Cause and the manifest tokens of Thy wisdom. For in Thy hands is the kingdom of the heavens, in Thy right hand is the empire of radiance, and in Thy grasp is the realm of destiny. Verily, Thou art the Bestower, the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Powerful.