Volume 032: Writings in Baghdad (to 1863) (3 of 3)
BH04244: It is submitted that your grief and sorrow has…
He is the Living One
It is submitted that your grief and sorrow has not become so manifest as to eliminate or remove your loving correspondence and affectionate communications. However, since these conditions of grief and sorrow are attributes of the self, therefore purification and detachment from them is necessary, just as one of the Prophets asked: “O my God, how can I attain unto Thee?” He replied: “Cast thy self aside and then approach.” Thus it becomes clear that through the deliberation of pure and sanctified hearts, one must become purified and sanctified from the evils and sorrows of the self, and this is of God’s grace which He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth. Although what befell your honor darkened the arena of existence, both seen and unseen—it was as if the sun of joy became concealed and the moon of gladness eclipsed, the maidens of beauty remained hidden behind veils of glory, and matchless countenances became clothed and concealed in garments of limitation.
The eye of the cloud wept crimson tears and the horizon of heaven rained blood from the realm of blindness. However, since these matters pertain to divine decree, their acceptance is necessary and patience in them is obligatory, for divine trials and endless tribulations are among God’s ways with His loved ones and His practice among His servants, and you will find no change or alteration in His way. Therefore all trials, afflictions and tribulations, both hidden and manifest, are beloved and acceptable. There are many more details which the bearer, if he attains your presence, will submit.
BH04246: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I know not…
In the Name of God, Rida! In the Name of our Lord, the Most High!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I know not by what remembrance to raise the banners of Thy guidance for the sincere among Thy servants. Should I remember Thee as the Sovereign of kings—this station pertaineth to the servants. Should I describe Thee as the Manifestation of Light—this matter returneth to the Daysprings of Manifestation. Should I say that Thou art the Lord of the Kingdom—this is a remembrance belonging to the people of the realm of might and a description fitting the denizens of the Kingdom. And should I sanctify Thee above all this and above all that the mystics know—this is an attribute wherewith Thou didst describe from aforetime the Manifestations of Thy Self and the Daysprings of Thy Cause. By Thy glory! I am bewildered before Thee, for if this servant of Thine were to remember Thee by what Thou hast inspired him of the gems of the mysteries of Thy Word, Thy loved ones would be thunderstruck, for this is a mystery that souls cannot bear and minds cannot endure. And were I to remember Thee by what hath been remembered before—this would not be acceptable.
Glorified, glorified art Thou! I beseech Thee by the lamp of Thy divine Essence in the niche of Thy holy Oneness to inspire Thy servants with that which will make them independent of all save Thee and sanctified from all except Thyself. Then send down upon Thy servant whom Thou hast named with the letters Ra and Da from the gems of Thy hidden knowledge and the subtleties of Thy treasured mysteries, that he may gather Thy servants in Thy love and lead them to the canopy of Thy presence. Then make this book for him a garment of Thy beauty and a robe of Thy majesty, that he may inhale the fragrance of eternity from the Egypt of reunion. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the Beloved. Cast then the word of glorification upon those who have journeyed in their inner selves and migrated unto God in their hearts and descended upon Him in their outward being, that the grace from His presence may reach all worlds.
BH04304: He is the Living One! The blessed leaf…
He is the Living One! The blessed leaf which has sprouted from the branches of the Tree of Eternity and grown forth from the twigs of the Tree of Faithfulness has, accompanied by the Faithful Spirit of the Unseen, descended and arrived at the hiding place of poverty and nothingness and the mine of remoteness and existence. Well is it with us and with you! Praise be to God that we have drunk the crimson wine from the cup of glory and the sweet white water from the chalices of the cloud of mystery.
And whatsoever pearls of oneness and glorification you had concealed within the shell of might and praise became manifest, and whatever rare jewels and subtle allusions that were treasured in the seas of words were mentioned. Indeed, you have adorned the heavens of eloquence with the stars of fluency and embellished the ocean of grandeur with the pearls of love and generosity. It is as though the breathings of the Holy Spirit appear from the effect of your pen and the effulgences of the light of fellowship shine forth from its letters. I have drunk the sweetness of eternal life from a draught of love and partaken of the taste of everlasting fruits from the cup-bearer of affection.
And although during this period there may have been some shortcoming in sending missives and conveying them, the cause was not lack of love, but rather that no trustworthy bearer or clear messenger was at hand. Otherwise, no laxity has occurred in the cord of friendship and no weakness has befallen the handle of unity. God willing, hereafter you shall be the place of manifestation and emergence of the degrees of fellowship and delight.
However, much sorrow and grief has appeared due to your illness and poor health. God willing, you will write with the glad tidings of the removal of your ailment and the occurrence of joy together with health.
BH04421: The Falcon of lofty dominion spread its wings anew…
He is the Living
The Falcon of lofty dominion spread its wings anew and soared; and the Raven of jealousy ascended from the western horizon of the soul, and was established upon the heights of the clouded realm of power. At its rising that silent dove set the garden of glory in tumult, and the nightingale of the holy meads, in the kingdom of intimacy, sang forth with a speech that is sanctified above letter and voice. By one strain, the veils of majesty were rent asunder, the pavilions of exaltation were laid low; and by another strain, that Spirit of everlastingness brought solace out of the city of fidelity, and the light of reunion tasted the delicate graces from the attraction of the Ringdove. And the lamp of oneness kindled a light of camphor, and the pure Essence of Nothingness reared the banner of the Eternal upon the mountain of revelation; and the light of self-subsistence, within the crystal of the hidden being, set aflame the fire of singleness, after sanctifying it, from the niche of Names. Blessed the soul that is guided by that light, and happy the being that is warmed by that fire. Thereupon say:
Create in me a pure heart, O my God, and renew a tranquil conscience within me, O my Hope! Through the spirit of power confirm Thou me in Thy Cause, O my Best-Beloved, and by the light of Thy glory reveal unto me Thy path, O Thou the Goal of my desire! Through the power of Thy transcendent might lift me up unto the heaven of Thy holiness, O Source of my being, and by the breezes of Thine eternity gladden me, O Thou Who art my God! Let Thine everlasting melodies breathe tranquillity on me, O my Companion, and let the riches of Thine ancient countenance deliver me from all except Thee, O my Master, and let the tidings of the revelation of Thine incorruptible Essence bring me joy, O Thou Who art the most manifest of the manifest and the most hidden of the hidden!
BH04415: These are the days of tests, and the seas…
He is He
These are the days of tests, and the seas of differences and trials are surging, and the standards of doubtful things are raised from every corner in corruption and loss. It is known that no veiling is more severe than being veiled from the Truth, and no fire is hotter than separation from Him.
At every moment take refuge in God, in the Manifestation of His Self, and act according to what is His good-pleasure—for this is the fruit of existence and the mystery of the intended purpose. Then rest upon the most elevated pavilions and the most impregnable strongholds.
Let not the call of some of the hosts of negation cause you to doubt, and be not heedless of the Truth, for in every Revelation such differences have appeared. But God will establish His Cause, and God will manifest His light though the corrupt may detest it. In all days be watchful over the Cause of God, avoid negation, and dwell in the land of affirmation.
Be prostrate before that Essential Reality Who has ever been and will ever be seated upon the throne of glory. No sanctified and holy being has ever praised His sacred Essence, for He has ever described His glory through His own glorious Essence and praised His bounty through His own bountiful Identity. All bounties have prostrated themselves before His bounty and all glories will bow down before the manifestations of His glory, for everything will come into being through the glory of His bounty. So glorified, glorified is He above what the wrongdoers say!
BH04474: He is the Living One! The Nightingale of Sinai…
He is the Living One! The Nightingale of Sinai calls out: “To Me, O people of immortality!” The Nightingale of faithfulness calls out: “To Me, O people of fidelity!” The Hoopoe of the divine presence warbles: “To Me, O companions of guidance!” The Dove trills: “To Me, O Most Holy One in the Most Glorious Kingdom!”—that they may witness how joy walks before the Face. And then place the crown of glorification upon whomsoever Thou pleasest. His honor Aqa Muhammad Isma’il has turned toward the Most Exalted Point and the First Word, and these verses are mentioned—though they are in Persian, yet there is no harm in it:
O Love! I am by Thee bewildered and distracted, And throughout all the world known for my madness. In the book of those possessed, with my name do they begin, Though ere this I was foremost among the wise. O Wine-Seller mine! Source of my fervor! From Thee comes my cry—I am the reed-flute, Thou the Player! If Thou wishest me to live, breathe into me a breath, For I am dead these hundred years, while Thou art Life like Christ’s. First art Thou and Last art Thou, Manifest art Thou and Hidden art Thou, Veiled from every eye, yet in plain sight art Thou!
But through divine might and heavenly power and the grace of the Eternal Lord, one must be seated upon the carpet of light and traverse the expanse of spirit, until all limitations are witnessed without limitation, and all names and traces are seen without stigma or designation. This is the station of the highest horizon and the Most Glorious Tree and the Tree of Paradise and the Ultimate Fruit. Blessed then are they that know it and drink of it and eat of it and attain unto it.
BH04477: He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God…
He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Beloved! This is a servant who hath drunk from the stream of Thy attraction and love, and hath been seized by the flames of the fire of Thy love, and hath attained unto such a station that he could not endure separation and remoteness from Thee. He drew near with his heart and feet until he reached the paradise of Thy oneness and won the presence of the tree of Thy singleness before the sanctuary of Thy beauty. He sought Thy leave until he entered within the precincts of Thy mercy in the sanctuary of nearness and reunion with Thee, and heard the holy melodies in the highest paradise, and beheld the Beauty of the Divine Identity in the most exalted horizon, and reached such nearness that the clouds of Thy generosity and favor and the rain-clouds of Thy grace and bounty were showered upon him to a degree that none can reckon save Thee alone.
Thou wilt surely remove, O my God, the veil of the coverings from the eyes of Thy creation and the covering of darkness from the sight of Thy creatures, that all may witness the wonders of Thy tender mercies toward Thy loved ones and the manifestations of Thy bounties toward Thy servants, and that all who are in the heavens and on earth may be assured that Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee. Through Thy power Thou dost raise up the lowly and through Thy might Thou dost bring low the proud. Glorified art Thou, glorified art Thou, O my God!
Therefore, since Thou hast confirmed Thy favors upon Thy servant who hath turned his face toward Thee and set his course toward Thy direction, perfect then Thy generosity toward him and complete Thy loving care in his regard, that the breezes of Thy eternal life may blow upon him and the rivers of Thy perpetual knowledge may flow through his heart, that he may enter the city of Thy presence and dwell in the garden of Thy eternity. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Most High.
BH11769: A remembrance from this servant to her who believed…
He is God
A remembrance from this servant to her who believed, was then guided, and returned to her homeland of nearness in the presence of her Lord, the Most Exalted; who heard the call of her Lord from the Divine Lote Tree and was attracted by the holy melodies in the Most Glorious Horizon.
Therefore, give thanks unto God for having acquainted thee with His most resplendent Beauty, for having provided thee with the fruits of eternity from the Farthest Tree, for having honored thee with holy glances from the Most Exalted Scene, and for having strengthened thee with the Spirit in what He commanded and revealed. This is a bounty that none of understanding can surpass.
Glorified be He Who perfected His handiwork in what He uttered and revealed, and Whose beauty shone forth upon all who are in the heavens and beneath the soil. Verily, there is no God but Him, and from the Greatest Scene He giveth to drink unto the detached ones from the ocean of that which was concealed and hidden, and He tormenteth the hypocrites in a blazing, raging fire, and He sendeth down upon the people of eternity from the clouds of grace that which cannot be counted.
Thus doth the Dove of the Spirit warble in the morning and the evening, [calling] the people to the paradise of nearness in the Most Exalted Chambers. Say: Then did the angels of the Cause descend once again, speaking with the melody of paradise in the Most Glorious Horizon. Hearken then unto what God hath revealed through His tongue in that which He mentioned and proclaimed. He guideth the way for whosoever is thankful and faithful, and He calleth:
“Grieve not for anything of this world’s affairs, but rather rejoice in what hath been ordained for thee in His nearest arc.”
And the Spirit be upon those who follow guidance.
BH04651: His Excellency the Minister [O] Muhammad! The divine fragrance…
His Excellency the Minister [O] Muhammad! The divine fragrance has wafted from this glorious raiment, that thou mayest become among the faithful Josephs in the Egypt of the Meeting, written by the Pen of Glory upon the Tablet of eternity with the spirit.
He is His Excellency the Minister who, praise be to God, hath been sustained from the cup of richness and hath drunk from the wine of independence. He hath entered the supreme garden and reposed beneath the Most Exalted Tree. He hath ascended from the dusty earth to the most glorious horizon, and from the lowest clay to the uttermost Tree. He hath traversed in a single step the stations of the attraction of longing that lie within “the distance of two bow-lengths,” and with a single breath hath attained the twin stations and the stations of rapture and taste. He hath journeyed through the pure city of the Sheba of love as it truly is, and hath fully comprehended the phoenix of the heaven of existence. He hath beheld the mighty ocean of unity as though it were a stream, and regarded the sun of the exaltation of glorification as though it were but a star. At times he hath observed the levels of the supreme throne in the depths of the nethermost earth, and at times he hath rent asunder the veils of the pavilions of might and majesty.
With all these divine affairs and occupations with the manifestations of the Lord of Oneness, how can there be time to give news of the ancient friends who are outcasts in different lands and rejected among the servants? Yet God willing, an opportunity shall be granted unto you that they may remember the loved ones. And God loveth those who remember and those who are remembered.
BH05089: In the name of our Lord, the Most High!…
In the name of our Lord, the Most High! Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth through an Arabic tongue most clear. These are verses wherein every wise decree hath been expounded, revealed with such eternal melodies that all creation together is powerless to comprehend them. Therein lieth a consummate wisdom that none save the sincere ones can understand. Thus do We impart unto thee from the melodies of the Spirit and guide thee in the paths of guidance from God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
Know thou that God hath accepted your deeds in that ye have trodden the paths of holiness and entered the land where the temples of them that are nigh cast off their sandals, and ye have ascended the heights of nearness and attained the presence of the Spirit in that seat wherein shine forth the suns of resplendent glory. Thus doth He bestow His bounty upon whomsoever He willeth of His servants, and forgive their misdeeds, and cause them to enter the paradise of nearness, and nourish them with the fruits of paradise.
Therefore give thanks unto God for having strengthened thee through His Cause and admitted thee into the Egypt of certitude and brought thee out of darkness into light in days wherein the pillars of the sincere ones were shaken. Thus have We imparted unto thee the melodies of holiness and sheltered thee in the paradise of nearness and made thee to be of them that stand firm in the stations of love.
Strive thou within thyself to attain unto the seat of nearness and to be of them that are firmly grounded in the religion of God. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon them who are illumined by the lights of a mighty throne.
BH05091: Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I move my lips in remembrance of Thee when I know that my remembrance and my existence are as nothing in the presence of the manifestations of Thy sovereign might and nonexistent before the revelations of Thy holy eternity? And how can I remain silent before the sanctuary of Thy oneness when Thy love hath seized the reins from me and moveth me as it willeth, such that I am rendered powerless in its hands and can neither bear to be patient in Thy love nor endure to carry out Thy command?
And if I restrain the tongue from the wondrous utterances in describing Thee, by Thy might my heart raiseth the banners of Thy remembrance, and if I withhold the heart from what it experienceth lest anyone discover my love for Thee, by Thy beauty my spirit soareth in the heaven of Thy nearness and wingeth its flight in the atmosphere of reunion with Thee, and if I prevent my feet from walking in Thy path, I witness that hands are raised toward the garden of Thy glory and the city of meeting with Thee.
Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can one be restrained who was created with Thy love and whose essence was kneaded with the water of Thy love and whose being was dissolved by the drops of nearness to Thee and whose heart was burned with the fire of reunion with Thee?
Therefore I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy First Light and by Thy Last Manifestation, that Thou make this servant, who hath stood at the door of Thy might and prostrated himself in the dust in submission to Thy command, steadfast in Thy love, yielding to Thy sovereignty, turning toward the sanctuary of Thy beauty, and consecrated to the Ka’bah of Thy glory. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and verily Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.
BH05156: This is a letter from this servant to her…
He is the Mighty, the Beautiful
This is a letter from this servant to her who hath believed in God and was among the devout ones in the pavilion of holiness, content, and who believed in God her Lord and ascended until she attained unto a Day which was ordained in the Mother Book, and who followed the religion of the Bayan and walked upon a path that was stretched forth in the loftiest Paradise.
O handmaiden of God! Give thanks unto thy Lord for what He hath bestowed upon thee through His grace and made thee to be raised up from the dust of the spirit in the holy atmosphere. Then be content with what God hath ordained for thee and bestowed thee upon a servant who was mentioned by the name of God, and grieve not over anything, neither be thou distressed by adversity. Put thy trust in God—verily He will protect thee from the darts of the idolatresses and will render thee victorious in the pavilion of glory. Thus do We cast upon thee from the verses which the hearts of the people of eternity could never comprehend, even were all who are in the kingdom to gather together, that thou mayest rejoice in thy spirit and ascend unto the tabernacles of love which were raised up in the precincts of rapture.
Say: O women of the earth! Deprive not yourselves, and keep not distant from a Law which hath trickled down from the clouds of grace. Soon shall all that hath been spread out today of the ornaments of the world be rolled up, and God shall gather you together in a presence which was inscribed as binding upon all the worlds. At that time, ye shall find for yourselves no helper, and God shall seize you with a fire which was kindled in your hearts.
BH05303: O ʿAli! Ages and cycles have passed, yet thou…
He is the Everlasting above all things!
O ʿAli! Ages and cycles have passed, yet thou wert not present before Our face, nor didst thou hear the melodies of the Dove upon the branches of eternity. It is as though thou wert veiled by a mighty veil. Yet God forgiveth whom He willeth among His creatures, and exalteth those who have detached themselves unto Him and dwelt in the paradise of holiness with joy.
If thou hadst known of Our love for thee and through thee, thou wouldst have traversed the path with thine eyes to reach the divine pavilion in the court of manifest glory. But that which was decreed from thee was decreed, and God shall grant thee what thou hast missed and bestow upon thee from His grace that which shall make thee independent of all the worlds.
Then shalt thou soar in the atmosphere of nearness and witness the Kingdom of grace in the realm of reunion, and become acquainted with the mysteries of the Divine Essence, and pass over the dominion and cross the path like lightning from a cloud of resplendent glory.
Therefore give thanks unto God for what He hath given thee, and cast the Spirit upon thee, and taught thee the ways of guidance, and provided thee with the fruits of eternity in the gardens of sublime light. Thus have We shown Our favor unto thee and raised unto thee this heaven and sent thee this Tablet that it may be unto thee glad-tidings from God and preserve thee from the hosts of Satan.
And glory be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves unto God and were among the patient ones.
BH05440: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This…
He is the Ever-Living, the Most Exalted, the Peerless
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is a handmaiden who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, who hath entered upon the couch of holiness at the dawning-place of Thy Beauty and the dayspring of union with Thee, who hath reclined upon the throne of the divine Essence on the carpet of Thy glory and meeting with Thee, and who hath attained to the pure essence of grace when Thou didst choose her for Thyself, and hath been joined to the very essence of mercy when Thou didst select her for Thy love. Glorified, glorified art Thou! How great is Thy care for her condition, and how mighty is Thy favor toward her soul, inasmuch as Thou hast honored her with the garment of divinity and illumined her with the lights of lordship, and caused her to hear the melodies of glory from the Eternal, and favored her with the songs of majesty from the One.
How lofty are the wonders of Thy mercy toward her! How sweet are the gems of Thy grace concerning her! By Thy might! This servant is powerless to mention a single letter regarding how Thou hast honored her and chosen her and selected her and exalted her, and what Thou hast ordained concerning her condition and fulfilled for her and through her and upon her. Therefore, I beseech Thee, O my God, by the first one whom Thou didst call and who answered Thee, and by the last one whom Thou didst manifest and who proclaimed Thee, that Thou make her content with Thee and patient in Thee. Then preserve her from every disease and affliction, and grant her that which will bring comfort to her eyes, that she may inherit through Thy grace and be a proof of Thee and a path unto Thee. For verily Thou art the Giver of whatsoever Thou willest, and Thou art the Best of inheritors.
BH05441: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon…
He is He
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon Thee in this hour when I am immersed in the oceans of Thy good-pleasure and am clinging, amid the billows of time, to the ark of Thy loving care. All praise be to Thee, O my God, for having perfected Thy bounty upon me and upon the sincere ones among Thy servants, inasmuch as Thou hast caused to shine upon them the lights of Thy holy eternity and the mysteries of the mighty heaven of Thy oneness, and hast enriched all through the sovereignty of Thy loving care by making known to them the pathway of Thy Lordship and the outpourings of Thy guidance, and hast caused them to dwell in the precincts of Thy mercy, and hast sent down upon them the holy verses of Thy sovereignty.
Glorified, glorified art Thou! Who is able to befittingly praise Thee or to thank Thee as beseemeth Thy favors and blessings? By Thy might! All are powerless to offer beautiful praise unto Thee, and all mankind is bewildered before the wondrous tokens of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee at this moment, by the fire of Thy Being and the light of Thy eternity, to grant this handmaiden that which she hath asked of Thee from the wonders of Thy grace. Then preserve her from every illness and calamity, honor her with Thy presence and Thy riches, cause her to enter beneath the shadow of Thy tenderness and generosity, and grant her the good of this world and the next if she hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs and in that which Thou hast sent down upon Thy most exalted Countenance from the wondrous verses of Thy glory and the comprehensive tokens of Thy wisdom. Then make her among the inheritors in the earth.
BH05638: O Aqa Mirza Rida-Quli! He is God, the Exalted!…
O Aqa Mirza Rida-Quli! He is God, the Exalted! Although the book of lovers cannot be completed through utterance, and the letter of the yearning ones cannot be finished by the pen of possibility, yet if one cannot attain an ocean of reunion, one must be content with a dewdrop of remembrance. For some time no bird has taken wing from the city of nearness to Sheba, and no nightingale has appeared in the rose garden. It seems that either the custom of fidelity has vanished from the people of eternity, or the free spirits no longer harbor grief of separation in their hearts, or else the friends do not need a material messenger to reach their goal and are not veiled by the barrier of remoteness.
Without a messenger they send letters, and with the heart they share secrets. Without a pen they write, and without meeting they seek reunion, and in the very midst of separation they attain to nearness. Yes, these stations are true, but they are the portion of the heart, not the share of water and clay. Though the spirit may rejoice in spiritual sustenance, yet the body requires physical nourishment. The outward ear needs an outer melody, while the inner ear yearns for divine harmonies. The eye of mystery beholds eternal beauty, while the physical eye witnesses horizonal majesty. Therefore what is acceptable is to distribute and apportion all stations in their proper measure.
BH05672: O Mihdi! We have heard the melodies of thy…
In the Name of Our Lord, the Most Exalted
O Mihdi! We have heard the melodies of thy secret heart and the raptures of thy breast in thy love for God, thy immersion in Him, and thy passionate devotion to His loved ones, as though thou hadst attained the heights of nearness and reached the treasuries of holiness.
Be assured that We have not forgotten thee, and that thou art ever present before Us, and We behold thee at all times. Yet We counsel thee to fear the one true God and follow the guidance of the Eternal, lest heedlessness overtake thee or temporal concerns preoccupy thee. Sanctify thyself from all that veils thee from the beauty of the Divine Essence, in such wise that thou shalt dwell only in His remembrance, walk only in His name, sleep only by His leave, arise only at His bidding, drink only of His love, gaze only upon His beauty, seek only His presence, and desire only His meeting, that thou mayest enter the City of Immortality in the most exalted Paradise, attain unto every good, and find every light, and be in truth the guided one as thou art named. All this is counsel for thee: act thou upon it and keep it ever before thine eyes, that thou mayest be numbered with the people of the spirit in the most exalted Paradise.
BH05705: This letter descending from the pure essence of acceptance…
He is, He is He
This letter descending from the pure essence of acceptance is to the land of those who are delighted, and God willing, after its arrival it shall be accepted. Every letter that was written by anyone and to any place, and every fragrance and melody that was made manifest by any soul and from anywhere, was from you and has returned to you. What else do you seek? You carry an ocean of the Beloved upon your shoulders yet speak of seeking; you hold a universe of the Loved One in your heart yet search for union with the Friend. All these are from the essence of grace and pure justice with which you have been favored.
For some time there was no news of you in the visible world. Some said you had taken residence in the monastery, while others pointed to the mosque saying you had secluded yourself there. I said this bewildered, passionate one finds rest nowhere but in the divine sanctuary, and this wanderer of separation takes seclusion nowhere but in the Lord’s Ka’bah. It is known that the bird of love soars not without mention of the Friend, and the joyous heart flourishes not except in remembrance of the Light. In any case, since your whereabouts were unknown, mention was delayed, otherwise you shall never be forgotten.
BH05720: These are the verses of holiness sent down…
He is the One Who prevails in His Cause, the All-Knowing, the Most Great
These are the verses of holiness sent down in truth, wherein is mentioned every wise matter and wherein is that which draws those who have believed near to the seats of paradise in the Ridvan of luminous nearness. O servant, know that God has ordained for you in the Book a station of glorious honor, in that you have migrated unto God and endured heat and cold in His path and have entered upon a shore of mighty holiness. All this is a bounty from God and His mercy upon you and upon those who dwell in the arenas of grandeur, then hasten therein. Therefore rejoice within yourself, then give thanks to God your Creator in His days, in that He has given you of the wonders of His favor and caused you to know His Self in the manifestations of His holiness and made you among the guided ones.
Turn with your whole being to your Beloved, then detach yourself from all else, and this is better for you than the heavens and earth and all that the sun shines upon, if you be of those possessed of certitude. Thus does the Dove teach you from the mysteries of eternity and draw you near unto God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Generous. And the Spirit be upon you and upon those who have turned toward God before a time, or after a time, or at the time of times.
BH05789: He is the Living One! The morn of Divine…
He is the Living One! The morn of Divine Unity has dawned from the orient of the soul, and the lights of the radiance of the Sinai of Oneness have appeared from the dawning-place of contingent being. The temples of existence have returned to the realm of spirit clothed in the garment of the return of light, and the mighty remains of beings have been reclothed in the robe of eternal life after unveiling the degrees of separation and remoteness, so that the word “we” in “we shall return” may return, and the letters of “to the One” may be established in “verily your God is One,” that after return they may go forth and after going forth they may return, until the Eternal Dove upon the boughs of the Divine Lote Tree recites the verse “Even as We originated the first creation, so shall We bring it back again.”
This is the Primary Countenance in the form of the Ultimate, and the Outward Face in the form of the Inward, that the Word may be fulfilled which was sent down in the Book that “He is the First and the Last, and the Outward and the Inward, and He is knowing of all things.”
The herald of the land of Qaf has arrived in the land of sorrow with your letter bearing glad tidings, and has delivered it to the Ultimate Countenance. Praise be to God that infinite joy has come from the Primordial Word, and delight and gladness have appeared from its signs. Send greetings to all who circle round and to the holy countenances and the veiled believing women.
BH05799: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He…
He is God, the Ever-Living, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who can never be numbered, Who abideth upon the throne of Thy majesty in the heights of elevation, might and splendor, and Who can never be limited, Who dwelleth upon the seat of Thy sovereignty in the loftiness of power, strength and grandeur. All who are enraptured stand before the gate of the city of Thy mercy, and all who are enchanted yearn for the manifestations of the light of Thy countenance, and all who journey forth traverse the pathways of Thy lordship, and all who arrive drink from the wine of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by Him Whom Thou hast made the All-Compelling over all created things, the Self-Subsisting over all existence, and the Ever-Living in the kingdom of earth and heaven, to cause the ark of my reality to sail upon the sea of Thine essence, that I may bring forth from the depths of the ocean of Thy greatness the pearls of Thy eternality and the fish of Thine everlastingness, so that none may be seen except Thee, and no soul may turn to aught but Thee, and all may turn their faces to the court of Thy holiness, and all in the lands may hasten to the carpet of Thy intimacy, and may behold naught save the pure vision of Thy countenance, and may drink only from the wine of Thy grace from the hands of Thy attraction, and may taste only of the fruits of Thy bounty from the tree of Thine eternity. There is no God but Thee. Verily, we all worship Thee and bow down before Thy countenance.
BH05800: He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God!…
He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest my dwelling place before Thee and my habitation in Thy lands, wherein I find none to love but Thee and none to seek but Thee. All creation longeth to attain Thy presence and all beings hope to visit Thy countenance. I beseech Thee at this moment by the splendor of Thy holy lights wherewith Thou hast illumined all existing things, and by the radiance of Thy attractive grace wherewith Thou hast caused all created things to shine forth, and by the perpetuity of Thy Essence whereby Thou hast drawn unto Thee all renowned things, and by the camphor of Thy Identity whereby Thou hast entranced the hearts of the purified ones, that Thou make us submissive to Thy sovereignty, yearning for Thy countenance, hastening to the dwelling places of Thy holy glory and gazing upon the garments of Thy oneness. For in Thy hand is the kingdom of the throne and the cloud, and the dominion of might and splendor. Thou art the One Who hath power to do as Thou willest, howsoever Thou willest. Verily Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.
Therefore, O my God, send Thy blessings upon the first one who was illumined by Thy light and who shone forth through the dawning of the sun of Thy Self-Subsistence and who was made resplendent through the resplendence of the moon of Thy sanctity, and upon those who entered Thy most exalted Paradise and Thy most glorious Ridvan and who drank from the cup of Thy love in the most sublime heights and the most sheltered habitations. Verily Thou art the Bestower of whatsoever Thou willest through whatsoever means Thou willest. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Beloved.
BH05897: Lawh-i-Maryam 3
In the Name of the Living One! O Maryam! Mihdi arrived in Baghdad with a handful of eternal provisions and a bundle from Muhammad-ʿAli, along with news neither new nor wondrous. A world of ears would be needed to hear this message. All the accounts are from the late Sadr and their narratives from the disorderly versifier. And furthermore he mentioned your grief, that you were sorrowful and distressed due to separation and the death of your sons. This is exceedingly strange, for through God’s grace you have been given to drink from the Tavern of Light and have been nourished by the pure wine. All relationships are linked to you and all spirits refer back to you. What then causes your despondency and why are you sorrowful? Have you ever heard of an ocean weeping from separation from a river, or the sun pursuing fearfully after a star? Sever the head of heedlessness that you may raise up the mystery of “Verily, unto Him we return.” The new creation encompasses all things, for in the new creation there is no room for imperfection, lest “Blessed be God, the Most Perfect of Creators” be rendered false and meaningless. Beyond this I am not permitted to speak, and greetings upon all.
BH06296: From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me…
From the sweet-scented streams of Thine eternity give me to drink, O my God, and of the fruits of the tree of Thy being enable me to taste, O my Hope! From the crystal springs of Thy love suffer me to quaff, O my Glory, and beneath the shadow of Thine everlasting providence let me abide, O my Light! Within the meadows of Thy nearness, before Thy presence, make me able to roam, O my Beloved, and at the right hand of the throne of Thy mercy seat me, O my Desire! From the fragrant breezes of Thy joy let a breath pass over me, O my Goal, and into the heights of the paradise of Thy reality let me gain admission, O my Adored One!
To the melodies of the dove of Thy oneness suffer me to hearken, O Resplendent One, and through the spirit of Thy power and Thy might quicken me, O my Provider! In the spirit of Thy love keep me steadfast, O my Succorer, and in the path of Thy good-pleasure set firm my steps, O my Maker! Within the garden of Thine immortality, before Thy countenance, let me abide for ever, O Thou Who art merciful unto me, and upon the seat of Thy glory stablish me, O Thou Who art my Possessor! To the heaven of Thy loving-kindness lift me up, O my Quickener, and unto the Day-Star of Thy guidance lead me, O Thou my Attractor! Before the revelations of Thine invisible spirit summon me to be present, Thou Who art my Origin and my Highest Wish, and unto the essence of the fragrance of Thy beauty, which Thou wilt manifest, cause me to return, O Thou Who art my God!
Potent art Thou to do what pleasest Thee. Thou art, verily, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Highest.
BH06396: Fatimih Khanum
Fatimih Khanum
In the name of the Friend!
Mahd-i Ulya says, Letters written to the Iraqi friends would be better in the Persian tongue.’ I say that they are also informed of the melodies of Hijaz. She says that the accents of Iraq are more appealing. I say that the melody of Hijaz is more beloved, for members of the Household have drunk deep from the Kawthar of enchantment and quaffed from the ocean of oneness. They have issued forth from the innate Nature and have sprung from the heavenly Branch. To those endowed with innate ability all tongues are one and all accents proceed from the Beloved. They may find the melody of the Nightingale of Hijaz to be enchanting but the warbling of the Songbird of Persia to be intoxicating. All lamentations emanate from the heart. Should those invested with the power of hearing hearken, they would most certainty offer up their souls. However, this bird of the spirit hath other utterances in another tongue.
O sister! Shouldst thou hearken with the ear of the spirit, thou wouldst abandon thy veil and direct thy steps in thy Brother’s path until, in thy quest for reunion, thou dost lay down thy life. A thousand Hijazi eagles obey this Iraqi Bird and a thousand celestial birds serve this Mystic Dove.
Upon thee be greetings, O My sister.
BH11791: This is a mention in a Book…
He is God, the Most High, the Supreme
This is a mention in a Book from the servant to her who hath believed in God and was recorded among the devout ones in the holy scrolls. O dawning-place of love! Fear God, thy Lord, and place thy trust in Him. Then remember Him in thy heart, that thou mayest be numbered among those who remember, recorded in the Mother Book. Be thou gladdened at all times, and let not the evil happenings cause thee grief. The world and its people shall pass away, but sovereignty shall remain with God, thy Lord. This is an irrevocable decree from God, thy Lord. He it is Who hath ordained the destiny of all things in a Book that standeth as a witness to the truth.
And if thou findest the people heedless of the Cause and intoxicated with love, turn away from them and set thy face toward God. Such was the decree issued from the Dayspring of eternity at the breaking of this morn. Be thou assured of God’s favor toward thee. He shall restore unto thee that which was taken from thee and shall grant thee what thou desirest of Him. His mercy toward thee is evident as the sun. Glorified be He Who sendeth down verses in truth, that they may serve as a proof unto all the worlds. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who circle round about thee.
BH11887: O Muhammad! Days have passed and We have not…
He is God!
O Muhammad! Days have passed and We have not heard from the bird of thy heart the melodies of love, nor have We found from thee the sweet savors of longing and affection. It is as though thou hast forgotten Us and forgotten the stations of reunion while the breezes of grace wafted upon thee. And if thou forgettest Us, verily We do not forget thee, and if thou art heedless of Our remembrance, verily We are not heedless of thee. Return, then, to what thou wert before, for the world and its ornaments and its embellishments will profit thee not. What will profit thee is detachment from all save Him and thy turning unto God. Hearken, then, unto Me, and deprive not thy soul of divine meanings, nor thine ear from hearing the melodies of oneness, nor thine eyes from beholding the beauty of the Divine Identity, nor thy feet from standing firm in the Cause of God that hath been sent down, nor thy hands from being raised to the heaven of bounty.
Ponder, then, upon thy affair, and choose for thyself what thou desirest. But if thou wouldst hearken unto Me, choose that which will draw thee nigh unto the meeting with thy Beloved and will unite thee with thy Lord and thy Goal. And peace be upon him who followeth guidance.
BH06433: O Baker of the Divine Unity! We testify concerning…
O Baker of the Divine Unity! We testify concerning thee that thou hast fulfilled thy covenant and performed that which thou didst accept in the atoms of eternity. Therefore God hath rewarded thee from Us with a reward that none in the realm hath ever surpassed. It is as though through thy being God created all bakers, for the purpose of these and the cause of their existence is their recognition of their Creator and their service unto Him, and none among them hath attained unto this save thee. Therefore give thanks unto God, thy Creator, for this and be thou of the thankful ones.
Then know thou that We have not forgotten thee, nor thy father, nor those who have followed the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Wise. But We counsel thee to patience and reliance upon God. Verily He will suffice thee against every deceitful sinner. Thus do We impart unto thee that which will tranquilize thee in this great alarm. Though separation causeth hearts to burn, yet patience after My command is sweeter than all that is sweet. Then convey from Us remembrance to the servants who are in thy household and give them glad tidings of a holy and manifest paradise. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have been patient seeking the face of God, the Mighty, the Wise.
BH06532: He is the Most Exalted, the Most High! This…
He is the Most Exalted, the Most High! This is a mention of the Book from the servant to him who hath believed in God and who was recorded among those near to God in the scrolls of eternity.
This is the Shore of Eternity in the Ocean of Paradise, upon the depths of fire, nigh unto the manifestation of the Mount of Sinai. Enter thou therein, that thou mayest witness the stars of wisdom in the heaven of this knowledge, and that thou mayest learn the mysteries of creation from the Creator of existence, and soar in the holy atmosphere, and that thou mayest worship God upon His eternal path, and find the breezes of nearness from the paradise of eternity at the right hand of this spot, and abide eternally in the garden of life.
Thus did We cast unto thee before the Truth, and shelter thee in the Paran of love, and send thee this garment that thou mightest be recorded in the Preserved Tablet by the All-Compelling Pen among the names of the righteous.
Know thou then that We have witnessed thy letter and have comprehended therein the decree of thy heart, and We have sent unto thee two talismans that thou mayest be preserved from all afflictions and from the fire of self.
And the Spirit be upon thee and upon the name of God, Muhammad, and upon thy son, and upon whomsoever is mentioned in the mount of love.
BH06533: A letter from this servant to him who has…
He is God, exalted is He
A letter from this servant to him who has believed in guidance and who in these days has held fast to the Sure Handle. O servant! Give thanks unto God for His path which hath been raised up in truth, and think not evil thoughts of God, nor follow those in whose hearts thou findest hatred for this servant of God. Trust in Him and hold fast unto Him. Verily He preserveth His servants and aideth whomsoever He willeth among His creation, and exalteth those who have detached themselves unto Him. Thus hath the decree been irrevocably ordained from the heaven of wisdom by God’s command. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not your own selves, nor do what your passions bid you. Rather, follow that which the Spirit inspires in you, and then what God hath revealed in the Book which hath been concealed from the idolaters. These are the ways of truth which We have taught thee in truth, that thou mayest walk along the paths which have been extended in the heaven of eternity. Thus doth the Spirit inspire thee with the melodies of Paradise, that thou mayest be witnessed from the horizon of knowledge in the heaven of this wisdom by God’s leave.
BH06626: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy…
He is the Mighty, the Exalted!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy servant who hath migrated from his home until he entered into Thy precincts and severed himself from all else but Thee and attained unto Thy presence. He hath been touched on the way by heat and cold which Thou hast reckoned through Thy Will and preceded in knowledge through Thy Purpose. Therefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the clouds of Thy grace were lifted and the rain clouds of Thy bounty poured forth, that Thou make him steadfast in his love for Thee and firm in seeking the pathways of Thy good-pleasure. Then purify his heart with the water of Thy oneness and wash his inmost heart with the ocean of Thy singleness and illumine his breast with the lights of Thy holiness, that he may behold with his eyes Thy wondrous Beauty and hear with his ears Thy sublime Melodies and mention with his tongue Thy beautiful remembrances and know with his heart Thy glorious knowledge.
For in Thy hand is the dominion of all things and Thou art, verily, powerful over all things. Therefore, O my God, send Thy blessings upon the First to appear with Thy Beauty and the Last to manifest Thy Majesty, and upon Thy exalted Mirrors and Thy wondrous Letters, and upon those who have migrated unto Thee and arrived at Thy presence. And this is easy for Thee to accomplish.
BH07010: He is God! Many a true morn has dawned…
He is God! Many a true morn has dawned, yet the night of separation has not ended. How many nightingales have burst into song in the gardens, yet no bird has warbled a melody from the city of reunion. It seems the gates of hope have closed and the gardens of despair have opened. A world lies unconscious from the sweet wine of reunion, while these emigrants cry out for but a drop.
When will the dark nights of separation and estrangement finally end? Even if lovers’ souls should depart their bodies, when will the messenger of the soul journey from the Sheba of the Beloved? When will the Egyptian herald bring to the aged one of Canaan glad tidings of Joseph’s garment? It seems the earthly bird soars to the spiritual nest yet fails to attain the presence of reunion.
Therefore we must drink the poison of divine decree as though it were sweet honey, and eagerly seek the unerring arrow of destiny, for submission gives rise to purpose and resignation brings forth desire—until we see what God has ordained and what fate has decreed. And peace be upon you.
BH07161: He is! Glorified art Thou, O my God! I…
He is! Glorified art Thou, O my God! I bear witness at this moment when the waters of Oneness surge from the might of the fire of Thine eternity, and call out to Thee with an accent which none can recognize save those who have ascended to the heaven of the glory of Thy Self-Subsistence, that Thou art He Who hath created all beings through Thy power and hath clothed them with the garment of Thy favor and the robe of Thy bounty, and hast deposited within them a love from Thee that they might be enraptured by Thy beauty and be drawn to the lights of Thy holiness. And Thou hast ordained for them nothing greater than this and more subtle than this.
Therefore, O my God and my Beloved, have mercy upon those who have turned unto Thee and hastened to the court of Thy Cause and sought refuge in the shelter of Thy mercy and the stronghold of Thy grace, and who have beseeched the gems of Thy generosity and the treasuries of the outpouring of Thy bounty and the emblems of Thy forgiveness, and upon him who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs.
And as Thou hast made him great in name, make him beloved in deed, that the sovereignty of Thy power may be manifested in the dominion of names and deeds, for verily Thou art powerful over all things.
BH07162: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon…
He is the Mighty!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon Thee in this hour when the clouds of Thy tribulation have been lifted up, and the mists of Thy decree have gathered, and the winds of hardship have blown from the dayspring of Thy Will, and the breezes of adversity from the setting-place of Thy Purpose—that Thou art God, the Sovereign, the Ever-Living, Who hath ever been sanctified from the description of aught else beside Thee and exalted above the praise of all else except Thyself. Thou didst create the world of immortality in the heaven of the cloud, and made its key from the essence of tribulation. Then didst Thou bring forth, through Thine ancient craftsmanship, the pearls of oneness, and then didst veil them, O my God, behind the veils of Thy protection and the coverings of Thy concealment.
How blessed, then, is he who hath burned away the veils and rent asunder the shrouds and entered, by the key of Thy Name, into the city of Thy attributes, and entered, by Thy leave, into the pavilion of Thy knowledge. This being so, I beseech Thee by the essence of Thy hidden Name and the wonders of Thy manifest attributes to make us among those whom nothing hath deterred from attaining unto Thy presence, though the rains of Thy wrath and decree should pour down upon them. Verily, Thou art powerful over this, and omnipotent.
BH07164: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Before Thee stand…
He is the Ancient, the Self-Subsisting!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Before Thee stand these servants who have detached themselves from their homes, left their dwelling places, and traversed the paths of remoteness until they reached the places of nearness and witnessed in Thy path the heat of summer and the cold of winter, and were touched by such tribulations and hardships as Thou knowest in Thy knowledge and hast numbered through the measures of Thy Self-Subsistence. Their sole desire was to attain unto Thy presence, to enter the garden of Thy beauty, to arrive at the sanctuary of reunion with Thee, to prostrate themselves before the gate of Thy mercy, and to bow down before Thy countenance. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Spirit that hath filled the heavens and earth, to fill their hearts with the lights of the holiness of Thy mercy.
Then cause the ears of their inner being to hear the melodies of the might of Thy Lordship, and enable them to witness with the eyes of their hearts the wonders of the handiwork of Thine eternity, that they may detach themselves from all else but Thee and turn with their whole being to the treasury of meeting with Thee. For in Thy hand is the kingdom of eternity and in Thy right hand the dominion of the heaven of unknowingness. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.
BH07165: He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God!…
He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou dost witness what Thou dost witness, how particles of evil and intimations of doubt have encompassed me, such that they have prevented me from entering the city of Thy reunion and soaring in the atmosphere of the glory of meeting with Thee. I beseech Thee therefore, O my Beloved, by Him Whom Thou hast made the Ruler over all contingent beings and the Sovereign over all who dwell in the earth and the heavens, that Thou mayest purify my heart from the whisperings of Satan, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of might and certitude. Then enable me, O my God, to aid Thy Cause and assist Thy Faith, that I may sacrifice my spirit, my soul and my body before Thy Beauty and in beholding the lights of the glory of Thine eternity.
Perchance I may be enabled to speed through the pavilions of the paradise of Thy oneness and the atmosphere of the holiness of Thine eternal detachment, for this is that which Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones and specified for Thy chosen ones. Then I beseech Thee, O my God, to calm this pain which hath taken from me the reins of patience and forbearance from my inmost being, for in Thy hand is the kingdom of tranquility and the dominion of enablement, and Thou art verily the Almighty, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting.
BH07166: Glorified be Thou, O my God! Behold Thou my…
Glorified be Thou, O my God! Behold Thou my head ready to fall before the sword of Thy Will, my neck prepared to bear the chains of Thy Desire, my heart yearning to be made a target for the darts of Thy Decree, mine eyes expectant to gaze on the tokens and signs of Thy wondrous Mercy. For whatsoever may befall me from Thee is the cherished desire of them who thirst to meet Thee, and the supreme aspiration of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court.
By the glory of Thy might, O Thou my Well-Beloved! To have sacrificed my life for the Manifestations of Thy Self, to have offered up my soul in the path of the Revealers of Thy wondrous Beauty, is to have sacrificed my spirit for Thy Spirit, my being for Thy Being, my glory for Thy glory. It is as if I had offered up all these things for Thy sake, and for the sake of Thy loved ones.
Though my body be pained by the trials that befall me from Thee, though it be afflicted by the revelations of Thy Decree, yet my soul rejoiceth at having partaken of the waters of Thy Beauty, and at having attained the shores of the ocean of Thine eternity. Doth it beseem a lover to flee from his beloved, or to desert the object of his heart’s desire? Nay, we all believe in Thee, and eagerly hope to enter Thy presence.
BH07498: He is God! O thou who hast journeyed…
He is God! O thou who hast journeyed in God, and migrated in His path, and striven in His Cause! I testify that thou hast fulfilled what thou didst covenant, and performed all that befitteth thee and is worthy of thee, and thou hast detached thyself from all who are in the kingdom, and thou hast traversed the pathways of love and piety until thou didst reach the precincts of immortality and the central point of all houses—the Most Exalted House—in the throne of meeting, and thou didst ascend the stairs of the spirit until thou didst hear the singing of the light from the Divine Lote-Tree, as though thou hadst perished all things within thyself for the preservation of thy countenance and the perpetuation of thine essence. Glad tidings, then, be unto thee! And congratulations to thee upon thine arrival at the seat of His Countenance and Beauty, and thy entrance from the hiding place of Glory into the throne of never-ending might and the King of sanctity without compare! And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God and His signs, and upon the name of Jim in the land of Ya, sent down from Ha before Sin.
BH07724: Praised be Thou O Lord My God. This…
Praised be Thou O Lord My God. This is My sister who hath believed in the Manifestations of Thy unity appearing in the garments of Thy eternity and recognized the Dawning-places of Thy constancy in the holy temples of Thy sovereignty. She hath ascended to the station that is detached from all save Thee and hath returned from Thee toward Thee. I ask of Thee, O My God, to free her from the insinuations which have hindered her from entering Thy Crimson Sea and from dwelling in the chambers of eternity on the exalted shore that she may haply recognize Thee in the Manifestation of Thy Beauty, the most hidden Dawning-place. In truth, Thou doest what Thou pleasest. Verily Thou art the Self-Subsisting Who rulest supreme over all things.
To continue: Thy sweet letter hath been presented in the court of the presence of this ephemeral One. We beseech God to gather us together in the gardens of immortality near unto the twin glorious bows, that haply thou mayest witness the secrets of God’s decree within this crimson and effulgent countenance, that the blessing of God upon thee and upon all who are on earth may be made complete.
The Spirit be upon thee and upon the new believers.
BH07857: A melody of the heart in Persian strains descended…
He is the Mighty, the Single One
A melody of the heart in Persian strains descended upon the Iraqi Countenance, and secret lamentations were heard therefrom. Yea, an immortal ear is needed to hear the immortal Word, and an immortal eye is needed to behold the immortal Beauty, for that which is evanescent hath no path into the arena of eternity that it may comprehend the degrees of everlasting glory, and the abject one hath no portion of the cup of glory that he may step into His holy court. Therefore, as thou hast donned the new garment of glory and entered the living stream of mercy, hearken then with the ear of thy soul to these songs of the divine Nightingale, Who, upon the holy and spiritual branch, warbleth in all melodies, that thou mayest sacrifice thy soul in the eternal spiritual atmosphere and wing thy flight to the nest of the Beloved, until thy whole being becometh spirit and ascendeth unto the heaven of light.
Revealed from the B before the H
BH11895: Cupbearer, pass the brimming bowl; Minstrel, sing His Name…
He is God
Cupbearer, pass the brimming bowl; Minstrel, sing His Name of soul— He is that He is.
Piper, unto the concourse cry: The world to His desire doth fly— He is that He is.
O heralds of the spirit, haste Unto the grief-worn and downcast, And bear the tidings: He is that He is.
Bird of faithfulness, why conceal Thy secret flame, thy hidden zeal? Upon thy wing inscribe and seal: He is that He is.
Be wakeful! Many a falcon proud, And many a gnat from out the crowd, Hath fallen within this wondrous shroud— He is that He is.
If thou art bound for His abode, Then softly tread the mystic road, And lightly pace the hallowed sod— He is that He is.
Till from the cry of “I” set free, Thy heart be purged entirely, Thou never wilt be tamed to be His own—He is that He is.
O vintner of the worlds unseen, One drop to us of that rose sheen, That ruby draught with heavenly gleam— He is that He is.
That we may raise these mouldering frames, These lifeless forms, these ashen names, Through Kawthar’s flood and thunderous streams— He is that He is.
Drunken are we, yea, all are we, From bounty’s cup and charity, From mercy’s wine and ecstasy— He is that He is.
Extinguish now the candle’s flare Of “me” and “us,” of self and snare; The Day-Star hath arisen fair— He is that He is.
BH08069: O Muhammad! May God reward thee from Us…
He is the Mighty
O Muhammad! May God reward thee from Us with the best of rewards and cause thee to attain unto a station wherein thou shalt be detached from all created things. Therefore, rejoice within thyself, then stand firm in the Cause and be not of the heedless ones. And grieve not over what hath escaped thee, and fear no one, but place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Say: O people! Shame upon you and upon that which your hands have wrought in the days wherein the Countenance hath appeared from behind a luminous veil, and ye recognized Him not until the Beauty was concealed. Alas for you and for these heedless ones! And thou, render thanks unto God, thy Creator, for having guided thee unto His mighty, straight Path. Thus have We bestowed Our favor upon thee in truth and made mention of thee in a preserved Tablet of holiness. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon the patient servants of God.
BH08306: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy handmaiden whom Thou hast made to be owned within Thy dominion and whom Thou hast attributed to this servant of Thine. At this moment I testify before Thee, O my God, that the servant is naught but one owned by Thy Self, and Thou art none other than the Owner of Thy servant and the Sovereign over Thy creation. Whosoever claims otherwise is among the most wretched of servants in all lands. And verily her master, as people call him, is owned by Thy Self and is a servant before Thy Countenance. How befitting would it be for one who is owned to become an owner, or to become a master? Glorified art Thou, glorified art Thou, above what the servants attribute from one to another! I seek Thy forgiveness for what they imagine. Nay, all are Thy servants and within Thy grasp. Thou hast lifted up pride and lineage save for those who have entered the fortress of Thy Cause and the shadow of Thy providence. Thus hast Thou been powerful over Thy deed, and verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Compelling.
BH08308: Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Abase…
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Abase not him Whom Thou hast exalted through the power of Thine everlasting sovereignty, and remove not far from Thee him whom Thou hast caused to enter the tabernacle of Thine eternity. Wilt thou cast away, O my God, him whom Thou hast overshadowed with Thy Lordship, and wilt Thou turn away from Thee, O my Desire, him to whom Thou hast been a refuge? Canst Thou degrade him whom Thou hast uplifted, or forget him whom Thou didst enable to remember Thee?
Glorified, immensely glorified art Thou! Thou art He who from everlasting hath been the King of the entire creation and its Prime Mover, and Thou wilt to everlasting remain the Lord of all created things and their Ordainer. Glorified art Thou, O my God! If Thou ceasest to be merciful unto Thy servants, who, then, will show mercy unto them; and if Thou refusest to succor Thy loved ones, who is there that can succor them?
Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou! Thou art adored in Thy truth, and Thee do we all, verily, worship; and Thou art manifest in Thy justice, and to Thee do we all, verily, bear witness. Thou art, in truth, beloved in Thy grace. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.
BH08310: In the Name of the Self-Subsisting, the All-Powerful! Glorified…
In the Name of the Self-Subsisting, the All-Powerful! Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who created all contingent beings through a word from the Book of Thy Command, and brought forth all existing things through a drop from the cloud of Thy power. Thou hast ordained no cause for existence save itself, and decreed no attribute for being save its own essence, such that Thou hast placed within its rank no mention of aught else. And this is but a drop from the oceans of Thy Self-Subsistence and an outpouring from the rains of Thy sanctity, that the sovereignty of Thy power might be manifested in the kingdom of identities and the dominion of Thy might might shine forth in the realm of infinitude. And none knoweth how this is save him whom Thou hast acquainted with the repositories of Thy Oneness and the treasuries of Thine eternity. How then can such praise as this befit that Lord? Glorified, glorified art Thou! Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, and I am the poor one possessed of poverty. And I am among those who remember Thee and the first of the worshippers. And send Thy blessings upon Him Whom all shall seek, the Essence of Identity, from God, the Lord of all the worlds.
BH08329: The decree hath come from God, the Powerful…
He is the Mighty
The decree hath come from God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, for My departure from that land, and We are in great thanksgiving. And We departed in such glory as the eyes of them that are nigh unto God had never beheld the like. Thereupon did the eyes of the denizens of Paradise weep, and the dwellers of heaven and earth were thunderstruck. Say: In this are signs for them that are discerning and clear proofs for them that know. Thus do We impart unto thee what hath befallen Us through God’s decree, and this hath been inscribed by a holy and luminous Pen. And when thou hearest this, render thanks unto thy Lord and be not of them that grieve. Through this shall the standards of guidance be raised up, despite the will of the idolaters. Do thou remind the servants and fear no one, and be of them that place their trust in God. The Spirit and glory rest upon thee and upon the women who have believed in God, then upon His sincere servants.
BH08403: Your letter was noted and spiritual melodies…
He is the Mighty, the Beautiful
Your letter was noted and spiritual melodies from the mystic nightingale were heard. The people’s turning away from God and their attachment to vain desires is evident and manifest. To whatever extent they can maintain outward appearances, it is permissible and acceptable. That is, if it is possible to return home in utmost joy and fragrance, that would be best. Otherwise, let not grief enter your noble being, and be exceedingly happy that you have migrated to God and journeyed unto Him. To abandon life and seek solitude with the Beloved in the realm of placelessness is the way of those near to God and the manner of the detached ones. In love, if my blood is spilled according to love’s law, I have not betrayed—rather I have kept faith when I fulfilled my pledge. The law of love has another decree. And the Spirit be upon you and upon all who are with you.
BH08626: Wouldst Thou, O my God, deprive him who hath…
In the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High!
Wouldst Thou, O my God, deprive him who hath turned toward the sanctuary of Thy Being? Wouldst Thou, O my Beloved, cast away him who hath sought refuge in the city of Thy nearness? Wouldst Thou, O my Hope, forsake him who hath clung to the cord of Thy glory? Wouldst Thou, O my Purpose, deny him who hath entered the stream of Thy bounty? Wouldst Thou, O my Adored One, impoverish him who hath held fast to the hem of Thy riches? Wouldst Thou, O my Object of worship, cause to perish him whose heart Thou hast quickened with the light of Thy recognition? Wouldst Thou, O Thou Who art praised, render deaf him whom Thou hast made to hear Thy wondrous verses? Nay, by Thy glory! Thou wilt not deprive him who hath turned to Thee, nor cast out him who hath come to Thee, nor reject him who hath descended into Thy court. For verily Thou art the Most Exalted above all things, the Giver unto all things, and the Ruler over all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thou art, verily, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, the Holy One.
BH08644: Praise be to God that the Holy Countenances…
He is the Living One
Praise be to God that the Holy Countenances of Glory and the Sacred Visages of Intimacy have purified the body of the Eternal Mystery from the veils of otherness and the shrouds of opposition, and stripped bare and free from the allusions of the heaven of ego and the veils of blind imagination, they have arrived at the pavilions of eternality and the hiding places of glory, and they circle round according to the will of God, and thus did God will what He willed, and verily He doeth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Kind. Yea, when the feet of the heart are cleansed from the sandals of vain imaginings, they will surely journey from the valley of darkness to the blessed spot of glory and exaltation. This is a truth like unto the existence of God, there is no doubt therein, were the people to be patient in the days of God and ponder His signs.
BH08722: O aunt! Praise God that thou hast returned…
He is God, exalted be His glory
O aunt! Praise God that thou hast returned from the north of sorrow to the right hand of joy, and hast transformed the darkness of error into the light of guidance. Thou hast purchased the Joseph of faith with thy very soul, and hast sold the Pharaoh of unbelief for naught. Therefore must thou remain steadfast in faithfulness, that thou mayest drink of the chalice of eternity and taste of the fountain of divine presence. What sorrow remaineth, and what grief persisteth? So long as the rose is in the market, the nightingale is wrapt in the remembrance of the Beloved. The lover hath no sorrow save separation, and the yearning one groweth not dispirited save through remoteness. Praise be to God that the Sun of Beauty is manifest, and the Beloved is beheld without door-keeper or guard, and is visible without veil or covering. And the Spirit be upon thee.
BH08904: Praised be Thou O Lord, My God! This…
Praised be Thou O Lord, My God! This is My mother who hath acknowledged Thy oneness, confessed Thy unity, attained the honour of meeting Thy Manifestations in Thy days, reached the station of recognition and entered the tabernacle of Heaven, for she loved Thyself and Thy Servant and held fast to the cord of Thy love through the sanctified Temples of Thy Sovereignty.
I beseech Thee, therefore, O My God, to grant her the honour of beholding Thy Beauty, and vouchsafe unto her the gift of Thy Presence. Give her to drink then from the ocean of Thy mercy and the chalice of Thy forgiveness. Make her to dwell, O My God, in the precincts of Thy mercy in the Heaven of eternity. Grant her to hear Thy holy melodies that she may cast the veil from her head in her eagerness to meet Thee and speed through the domains of Thy nearness and union. Thou art verily powerful over all that Thou desirest, and Thou art verily the Mighty, the Most Luminous.
The servant of God Husayn-‘Ali.
BH09142: O My uncle! Give thanks that thou hast drunk…
O My uncle! Give thanks that thou hast drunk from the incomparable wine of immortality and hast been nourished with the honey of reunion with the All-Glorious Lord. Therefore strive to cleanse the house of thy heart from the remembrance of aught else, and be swift in sacrificing thy life in the path of the Beloved. For if thou shouldst live for ages, thou wilt ultimately fall into death’s grasp. Take hold of the Friend’s robe and detach thy heart from both worlds, that thou mayest attain eternal life and pass into the divine precincts. Pay no heed to the world and set not thy heart upon wealth. Neither lament poverty nor boast of riches, for all these things have come from nothingness and unto nothingness shall they return. Efface thyself that thou mayest endure and return unto everlasting life. Should a sheep die, let not thy heart die—may thou live on.
BH09188: Remember thy Lord at morn and eventide, for verily…
He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!
Remember thy Lord at morn and eventide, for verily He is God and there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Exalted. Say: He is indeed a proof from God unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Soon will His Cause be made manifest in truth, whereat the faces of them that are nigh unto God shall redden, and all necks shall bow before Him. This is a clear truth. And thou, render thanks unto thy Lord for having related thee to His servant, for this is better for thee than all that thou desirest. Place thy trust in God in all matters and be thou of them that are submissive. Thus doth the Dove of Separation remember thee at the time when It taketh flight from Iraq, and this is indeed a grievous sorrow.
BH09244: O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of thy Beloved…
He is the Mighty
O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of thy Beloved in this hour when the heavens and earth weep by reason of what hath befallen Him at the hands of these wrongdoers. Grieve thou not at My departure, for this is among the ways of God that were ordained for those of old, and therein lieth a consummate wisdom and an eternal decree which none knoweth save God, the True King, the Manifest. Be thou not sorrowful at this, and dwell among the people for a brief time or for many days—this is what hath been ordained for thee by the All-Wise, the All-Informed. And when thou hearest tidings from these faithful ones, journey, if thou willest, unto Him to Whom the spirits of those near unto God have journeyed.
BH09268: God willing, may you return to the land…
He is God
God willing, may you return to the land of emergence from the realm of dawning through the melody of the eternal dove from the Orient of the everlasting heaven’s splendor, with holy breaths from the divine cloud, from the essence of the city of faithfulness and the core of the garden of meeting. And you must ignite and enkindle all the manifest and veiled countenances with the kindled fire of love, so that the effect of the kindled fire of God may appear from the source of flowing sweet water, and its fruit may emerge from the tree of existence—how much more so for the sanctified ones of the chambers of glory and the purified ones of the lofty pavilions who are attracted by the warbling of the Spirit’s dove and gladdened by the singing of the bird of light. So glory be to God, your Creator and their Creator, and exalted is He above what they describe.
BH09439: The cause of the creation of all contingent beings…
He is God
The cause of the creation of all contingent beings has been love, as is referred to in the well-known tradition which says:
“I was a Hidden Treasure and I loved to be known, and therefore I created the creation that I might be known.”
Therefore, all must come together at the stream of divine love in such wise that not the slightest trace of variance can be detected among the friends and companions. All must gaze upon love and move in perfect unity, such that no disagreement whatsoever may be observed between any souls. In good and evil, profit and loss, hardship and ease, all must be partners. God willing, we hope that the breeze of unity will waft from the City of the Lord of all beings and clothe all in the garment of oneness and love and detachment.
BH09746: Bear thou witness within thyself that verily He…
He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting
Bear thou witness within thyself that verily He is God and there is none other God but Him. He hath created all things through the Word which He created from His Will that hath appeared and shone forth from the sovereignty of the Divine Purpose in whatsoever was and shall be. He sent forth ʿAli in truth, then sent Him forth in justice, and sanctified Him from the command of the Kaf and the Nun, and made Him the ornament of His beauty in the kingdom of Command and Creation, were ye to know. Through Him were the letters renewed in holy and beloved garments. Thus do We impart unto you the gems of knowledge and wisdom, that ye may ponder upon this Command.
BH09808: Yea, it is incumbent upon all the companions…
Yea, it is incumbent upon all the companions and loved ones to be seated upon the thrones of love and to repose upon the cushions of affection, and to move about in the station of united souls. They must shine forth from a single lamp and be illumined within a single niche, grow from a single tree and be nourished by a single fruit, walk upon a single earth and be seated upon a single carpet, drink from a single stream and be drawn to a single ocean. Such is the attribute of the loved ones, for verily God is independent of all the worlds. And peace be upon the sincere servants of God.
BH09880: The Tree of the Cloud is in motion…
He is God
The Tree of the Cloud is in motion and the Lote-Tree of Faithfulness is in joy, that the Tree of Eternity might be planted in the land of oneness and the leaf of light might be joined with the mystic dove through the arts of the Divine Presence. Perchance from the companionship of these two divine subtleties and these two eternal mysteries a third countenance might appear, that the fruition of “We strengthened with a third” might become manifest in the realm of appearance.
BH09881: The eternal candle hath shone forth from within…
He is the Ever-Living
The eternal candle hath shone forth from within the glass of the eternal, and the lamp of the lights of His Holiness the Everlasting One hath gleamed from within the niche of Ahmad and the lamp of Muhammad, that pure hearts may be cleansed from obscure intimations and frozen signs, and thereafter be seated upon the throne of “Verily we are God’s and to Him shall we return.” And peace be upon thee.
Haji Hasan brought paper. As no reply had come, no further trouble was given. Send the materials which are with you. And peace be upon thee.
BH09915: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy handmaiden who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, who hath hastened to the fields of Thy pardon and Thy meeting, who hath drunk from the cups of Thy forgiveness and reunion with Thee, until she attained unto Thy nearness and Thy presence, and ascended on the wings of servitude until she visited the sun of Thy manifestation and the moon of Thy training, and heard the melodies of the birds of Thy sanctification, and appeared before this Thy servant. I beseech Thee, O my God, to make her well-pleased with Thee and gazing toward Thee, and honor her with the wonders of Thy beauty and the subtleties of Thy intimate communion, for in Thy hand is the kingdom of all things and Thou art powerful over all things.
BH09916: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest that this servant hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and hath sought Thy good-pleasure in the temple of Thy decree, and hath prostrated himself before the countenance of fulfillment in the garments of Thy beauty. Therefore, O my God, when this servant turned toward the fields of Thy mercy and the sanctuary of Thy Being, purify his breast from idle fancies and vain imaginings that he may be enabled to enter the dawning-place of the Cause in the Ka’bah of Beauty and the City of Majesty, that he may hear the melodies of the birds of holiness upon the throne of the cloud, and may abide in the eternity of his Lord and live by the life of his Master. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.
BH09918: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy…
He is!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy servant who obeyed this servant of Thine by Thy command, and journeyed in Thy path, and endured the heat of the sword and the cold of winter in his migration in obedience to Thee and patience under Thy decree. Therefore I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Exalted Name, to make him among those who are patient under Thy decree and who drink from the cups of Thy beauty. Then cause him to appear on earth and all who dwell thereon through the radiance of the lights of Thy countenance, that he may rest upon the throne of eternity in the precincts of Thy sovereignty and dwell upon the seat of the heaven of mystery beneath the shadow of Thy grace. Then bestow upon him, O my God, that which he loves and with which he is content. Verily, Thou art the One with power over this, the Omnipotent.
BH09978: This letter was written in the Hijazi melody…
He is
This letter was written in the Hijazi melody and sent forth, and this writing is cast in the Persian tongue so that thou mayest hear the sweet songs of the soul from the divine nightingale and receive the wondrous melodies of the Beloved from the spiritual bird, that thou mayest step into the lane of the Friend and become detached from all else but Him. Praise be to God Who, through His all-encompassing mercy, guided His servants from the west of error to the east of guidance and caused them to attain from the darkness of doubt to the dawn of certitude. Therefore, blessed is the one who was illumined by this true dawn, and deprived is the soul who remained bereft and destitute.
BH10005: The abode of bounty is most excellent and desirable…
He is the Living One
The abode of bounty is most excellent and desirable, and the Ka’bah of purpose is sanctified from all directions and from despair and hope. It is utterly bare and pure of nearness and union, remoteness and separation. They do not accept woven and sewn garments—meaning that after manifestation, concealment is nonexistent, and after the mystery, manifestation is lost.
My Lord! I possess nothing in creation save myself, and I seek naught but Thy good-pleasure in whatever Thou hast pleased for me and decreed upon me. Verily Thou art the Decreer of whatsoever Thou willest, and verily Thou art the Mighty, the Beloved.
BH10241: How wonderful is this supreme honor and greatest glory…
He is the Most Exalted, the Most Faithful
How wonderful is this supreme honor and greatest glory that hath caused all the atoms of contingent beings, from the most exalted summit to the lowest point, to rejoice and hath given them to drink of the wine of radiance and the sweet crystal water, so that all created things and all that is mentioned may inscribe with the Pen of bounty upon the Tablet of thought:
“Verily He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and He is God, the Witness over all things.”
And peace and glory be upon you all.
The trust was received.
BH10252: At the hour when the Sun of the heaven…
He is the Living One
At the hour when the Sun of the heaven of existence cast aside the veil of manifestation from Its countenance, and the Moon of the cloud of purpose raised high the covering of limitations above the hills of power, the face of the former became sanctified from the multiplicities of the servants, and the rising of the latter became purified from the attractions of the lands. God willing, may you ever drink from the wine of love and be sustained by the vintage of the decree of affection. Glorified then be God beyond that which we were in His love, and exalted be He above what they mention. Then convey My greetings unto her who was with thee, and greetings upon thee and upon the sincere servants.
BH10387: It is known that the favors of God transcend…
He is God
It is known that the favors of God transcend all other blessings, and in the servant’s attainment to this exalted station, the absence of worldly ornaments and adornments matters not. For the eyes of the lovers are illumined by divine bestowals and their hearts are calmed by the wonders of His remembrance. If thou attainest intimacy with God, thou wilt pass beyond the transient kingdom and find thy dwelling in the realm of rest, and thou wilt see sorrow no more and count not grief. And the spirit be upon thee. Always send news of your condition and mention the word of victory with love.
BH10408: The Face of the Beloved is unveiled…
He is the Living One
The Face of the Beloved is unveiled and the Countenance of the Praised One is manifest and visible, so that the mirrors of contingent being may ascend from the unseen realm of existence to the divine holy world, and after the removal of the veils of majesty they may become strong and resplendent from the pure Beauty of the Eternal, that they may rejoice in the manifest Word and make mention of the all-embracing Word, so that the seas and waves may be reminded by your remembrance, that they may be seated upon the crimson carpet and rest upon white cushions, for this is the sweetness of existence and divine joy and heavenly gift, and peace be upon you.
BH10559: That which was inscribed has become manifest…
He is God
That which was inscribed has become manifest, and that which was concealed has become renowned. Praise be to God that He has caused the fruits of the trees of oneness to be encompassed within a single fruit and to appear from a single tree. Blessed are those who are in the heavens and on earth, for through divine bounty and through the grace and generosity of the eternal Sovereign, these servants have attained to that which was the hope of His chosen ones, and these companions have been honored with that which was the desire of His sincere ones.
BH10597: The envoys in the wilderness of separation and forgetfulness…
He is the Ever-Living
The envoys in the wilderness of separation and forgetfulness, and the strangers in the desert of abasement and silence, in the land of exile and utmost humiliation, are mindful of their gratitude to the Eternal Lord and the Peerless Sovereign, and with this wondrous remembrance and exalted word they warble: Should the arrow of tribulation come, behold our souls are its target; yet through divine grace this abasement is the glory of all glory, and this poverty the sovereign of all wealth. Such is God’s bounty which He bestoweth on whomsoever He willeth.
BH10619: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy…
He is the Beloved
Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is Thy servant who hath turned toward the realms of the sanctity of Thy divinity, and desired to enter the sanctuary of Thy Being and to gain admittance to the house of Thy oneness, that he might witness the subtleties of Thy beauty in the manifestations of Thine identity. Therefore, O my Beloved, send him unto this most exalted station, and grant him fruits which no hands of any of Thy servants can reach save those who are sincere among Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art, of a truth, the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent.
BH10620: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I call upon Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst raise up the heavens upon the thread of Thine eternity and didst elevate the pavilions of the Cause upon the throne of the glory of Thine oneness, that Thou mayest send down upon those who have mentioned Thy Most Exalted Name and who have followed the path of Thy love in the realm below, and then raise them up, O my God, unto the stations of holiness in Thy presence, that they may dwell in Thy habitations and drink from the cup of Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over all things, and Thou art the Mighty, the Beloved.
BH10653: Mirza Yahya has for some time desired to journey…
He is the Ever-Living
Mirza Yahya has for some time desired to journey and travel in the company of one of the friends of God in the wide-reaching plains of love. As he has begun from God, he will, God willing, return unto God, and from all else besides God will he return, and with God shall his return be. And after traversing the stages of love, he shall attain and reach the divine homeland and the ultimate goal. This is of God’s grace which He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth, and God is the Most Great.
BH11907: O my God! At this moment I call upon…
He is God, the Mighty, the Ever-Living, the All-Compelling
O my God! At this moment I call upon Thee, by the mysteries of the might of Thy Lordship and the signs of Thy holy Self-Subsistence, to make this handmaiden one of Thy maidservants, then choose her for Thy service, then send down upon her that which will comfort her eyes, give rest to her soul, tranquilize her spirit and gladden her being. Verily, Thou art the Ever-Living, the Most Exalted, the Self-Subsisting. Thou dost spend as Thou pleasest for what Thou pleasest, and givest to whom Thou pleasest of what Thou pleasest. And verily, Thou art the Single One, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.
BH10808: The Beauty of the Unseen lifted the veil…
He is the Truth, the One Who has power over all things
The Beauty of the Unseen lifted the veil of Glory from the Countenance of the Exemplar, and immediately His face appeared—and unto God belongs the most glorious similitude—manifest and visible from the Throne of the Divine Cloud. O joy to him who is illumined by the lights of His presence, the Self-Subsisting, and who is brightened by the radiance of His holy countenance. And glory be upon you, O companions of God and those who are with you in His Cause, and peace.
BH10821: The Cup-Bearer of ʿAma offers the goblet…
He is the Ever-Living, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting
The Cup-Bearer of ʿAma offers the goblet of the wine of faithfulness with radiant light, that ye may become enraptured in the Sinai of love through the manifestation of Beauty, and after attaining unto “when he recovered from his swoon,” ye may hear from the tongue of the heart the blessed verse “And to God belongeth the Kingdom of the heavens and of the earth,” that ye may enter, intoxicated, into the gathering of love and the assembly of affection and become thankful. And peace be upon you.
BH10846: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by the beauty of Thy countenance, through which the lights of Thy sun of pre-existence and the splendors of Thy moon of oneness have shone forth upon all created things, that Thou make Thy servant who hath believed in Thee one of the temples of Thy divine unity, and raise him to such a station that he may dwell in the precincts of Thy mercy and rest beneath the shade of Thy loving-kindness. Make him, then, to be virtuous in deed even as Thou hast named him virtuous in name, for verily Thou art the One with power over all things.
BH11043: The Sea of Eternity is in waves…
He is [the Ever-Living]
The Sea of Eternity is in waves, and the Light of Grandeur is in vibration, and the honored Temple is in joy. So blessed are ye and those who are with you in what your Lord hath bestowed upon you and your Creator hath honored you with. And peace be upon you.
BH11048: Praise be to God that while Moses the Interlocutor…
He is He
Praise be to God that while Moses the Interlocutor beheld the Face of Guidance without beginning from the fire of the Tree that was neither of the East nor of the West and was guided, as He said “I perceive guidance at the fire,” these companions have become illumined and guided by the light of the divine Lote Tree and the manifestation of the Essence of the Eternal. Well is it with them that have attained!
BH11081: The holy maidens of the celestial throne…
The holy maidens of the celestial throne and the veiled beauties of the divine paradise and the immaculate houris of the pavilion of chastity and the maidens confined to the tabernacle of virtue are, upon the carpet of the throne of beauty, engaged with the spirit of fellowship in melodious songs and heavenly anthems, that perchance dead hearts may come to everlasting life and divine melodies and attain the presence of their Beloved.
ʿAli
BH11085: Make this land, O my God, blessed and secure…
Make this land, O my God, blessed and secure for me. Guard me, then, O my God, at the time of my entering into it and my going out from it. Make it, then, a fortress for me and for whomsoever worships Thee and bows down before Thee, that I may be protected therein through Thy bounty and kept safe within it from the darts of those who have disbelieved in Thee, through Thy strength. Thou, verily, art the Potent, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Merciful.
BH11089: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…
He is the Mighty!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most exalted attributes and Thy most great names, and by Thy Most Perfect, Most Ancient and Most Exalted Word, to rain down upon this people from the clouds of Thy mercy and the heavens of Thy grace the showers of Thy bounty and favors, that Thou mayest cleanse them from whatsoever preventeth them from the wondrous tokens of Thy loving-kindness and bestowals. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.
BH11433: The eternal Nightingale and the everlasting Dove are manifest…
He is He
The eternal Nightingale and the everlasting Dove are manifest and joyous on the right hand of Sinai with resplendent verses. O what joy for those who draw nigh unto them and hear their melody and attain to their knowledge! And peace be upon you.