Volume 033: Istanbul and Early Edirne (mid-1863 to March 1866) (1 of 3)
BH01069: Lawh-i-Hawdaj (=Lawh-i-Samsun)
These are verses that appeared in the pavilion of eternity and the canopy of holiness when the Most Great Name arrived from the direction of the All-Glorious in the land of Samsun, which is near a great sea. Then the hosts of God’s revelation descended with such adorning power that all who are in the heavens and earth were struck with awe, and before them shone the Sun of Beauty in a holy and refined temple. And He addressed the Ark with that which had flowed from the Pen of God aforetime in the Tablet wherein We addressed the celestial Mariner with a hidden sorrowful call, and with that which was revealed at that time in this Tablet from a holy and luminous Pen. And whosoever wishes to become acquainted with the mysteries of the Cause from the presence of One wise and knowing, let him look into these two Tablets that he may recognize the mysteries of God, that his eyes may be solaced thereby, and that he may be among those endowed with certitude.
The time of the noon-tide hath been fulfilled in the pavilion of holiness, and the Beauty of the Divine Identity hath emerged with a noble and glorious countenance. Say: The journey through dust hath ended at the shore of a mighty ocean. Therefore doth the eternal pavilion weep, and the luminous holy ark rejoice. O Divine Mariner! The promise We made thee with the tongue of truth all-knowing hath come to pass. Make thyself ready to transport the Spirit of God upon the ark of all creation through this Cause both new and ancient. All that We promised thee shall be made manifest unto thee in truth, if thou be of the patient ones. We informed thee beforehand of all that would transpire, yet none among the peoples of the world took notice thereof. We kept them unaware by reason of that which their hands had wrought, and this is manifest justice. By God! Those who enter beneath thy shadow shall be seized by the torment of a great trial.
Say: By God! This is God’s touchstone, established with justice, distinguishing between truth and falsehood, and doubt from certitude. But do thou purge thy vision from human limitations and turn not thy gaze away from this luminous countenance. Waft upon them the sweet savors of grace, that perchance they may be delivered from their vain imaginings and be turned unto God, the Mighty, the Wise, and that their hearts may be purified from their desires and they may attain unto a holy and wondrous homeland, and that perchance the veils of blind imitation may be consumed and the beauty of divine unity may shine forth from the niche of refined hearts. Weigh not the servants by God’s measure, for they weigh at all times and are among the unfaithful.
Rather forgive them and overlook their misdeeds, for thou art indeed the Generous, the Lord of abundant grace. When thou hast closed thine eyes to transgression and opened them with beneficence, there waft over the peoples of all worlds the sweet-scented breezes of holiness, that they may become aware within themselves how God hath preferred them above all creation, made them His companions, honored them with His presence, and sent down unto them the fruits of union from a manifest holy tree, clothed them in the raiment of distinction, preferred them above all that was and shall be, and inscribed their names in preserved tablets of glory. All this shall be confirmed in them if they alter not God’s favor unto themselves, recognize His bounties unto them, and render thanks at all times.
And thou, O Ark of the Cause, bear thou these souls and sail upon the sea by God’s leave, the Mighty, the Powerful. O Ship of Holiness! Rejoice within thyself, for upon thee hath come the glorious and noble Beauty. O Sea of Eternity! Let thine eyes be solaced, for upon thee hath come the Sea of the subtle Spirit. For this wert thou created before all seas, that thou mightest be among the perceiving ones. Therefore, honor the guests of God, the servants who have embarked upon thee and come unto thee, and be not among the agitated ones. Guard the trust of God and be not unfaithful in thyself, and be not among the treacherous ones.
O Fish of the sea! Rejoice within yourselves, then remember your Creator, for ye have attained unto the presence of God in days wherein the Sun of Beauty hath shone forth from the dawning-place of an ancient Name.
O Air of the sea! Waft upon the pure and luminous bodies whom God created from the light of His Essence before the creation of the heavens and earth, and be thou gladdened within thyself and rejoice in thy spirit, for God hath provided thee with a subtle spiritual breeze. By God! The dwellers of the sea have rejoiced and [the inhabitants] of the land have cried out, for the Beauty of the Divine Identity hath departed from the pavilion of eternity and settled upon an ark of sublime nearness.
Say: O people of mystery! Grieve not over anything, but instead rejoice in the holy, exalted, all-knowing joy of God. Say: This is indeed the joy that hath seized all created things and encompassed all who dwell in the worlds, and it shall seize none to the exclusion of others who turn unto the holy, glorious and luminous countenance of God.
Say: This is the grace that transmuteth all atoms into the beauty of the Divine Identity, closer than the mention of ʿBeloved’ by the lover. Thus do We cast down the verses of the Spirit and spread the carpet of grace over all who dwell in the kingdom. And verily, We call unto thee, O Fount of Holiness, at the end of this utterance, for upon thee hath descended the Fount of God, the All-Subduing, the Mighty, the Most Upright.
O Ocean of Oneness! Be thou gladdened within thyself, for upon thee hath settled the Ocean of Joy—and this is indeed a great bounty. O Sea of Glory! Be thou delighted in thy spirit, for upon thee hath descended the Sea of God, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Blessed art thou, for around thee have gathered the spirits of those near unto God, and in that moment all atoms came forth and arose in thy atmosphere, and were among those who gazed, that the breezes of holiness might waft over them from the direction of oneness, from this Paradise that is veiled yet revealed, hidden yet manifest, concealed yet visible. Blessed are they and blessed is he who entereth beneath its shade, is honored by attaining its presence, drinketh from its cup, and holdeth fast unto its strong and mighty cord.
Thus have We perfected Our grace upon those of old and those of latter days, and have sent down from the clouds of holiness that which purifieth the hearts of the mystics. We have ordained for all things the garment of guidance, that they might turn unto Him and be numbered among the God-fearing. Thus have We ordained in the heaven of Our command that which enricheth all the worlds.
BH02416: He is the Mighty! This is a Book…
He is the Mighty! This is a Book from God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, unto those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved. Therein are mentioned two words through which God’s grace is completed for those who walk upon the shoulders of the earth, and through which the proof and counsel reach their ultimate end, the Word is perfected in itself, and all existence is honored by the meeting with God, the Holy, the Mighty, the Praised.
The first is: forget yourselves and be intimate with God, the Powerful, the Living, the Manifest. And the second is: turn away from all that distracts you from your Creator, then advance toward a holy and exalted shore.
Thus does the Dove teach you when it flew from Iraq through what the hands of the oppressors had wrought before and what they continue to perpetrate. Say: The tree of sorrow has once again been planted in the soul of Husayn, whereby the pillars of existence have been shaken. Say: The tradition has returned and God’s way has been renewed in His own self, if you but knew.
Say: O people of the earth, rejoice not at what hath befallen Us, nor be gladdened by what God hath ordained for Us, for there shall come upon you the torment of a promised day. Say: By God, were you to sense within yourselves less than a moment thereof, you would cry out, then instantly fall upon your faces for what you wrought in the days of the Spirit while turning away from Him.
Say: This indeed is Husayn in truth, and His intimacy with tribulations is as the intimacy of the lover with the beloved. He fears no one even if all the powerful and mighty were to gather against Him—this is a known truth. Say: Whoso fears God fears no one, and whoso knows God knows none beside Him and is content with Him apart from all else.
To this do the angels of the Cause bear witness, and beyond them this holy and manifest Pen wherein are ordained the mysteries of knowledge and wisdom, and wherein is known what has been and what will be. Say: By God, were this Pen to desire to move or transform you with but a letter, it would be able to do so in less than the twinkling of an eye, did you but know. But it desires naught save what God, the King, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved, hath desired, that He might thereby distinguish those who have hastened to the shore of holiness from those who hasten to the valley of self.
Say: He who is detached unto God is instantly touched by tribulations at every moment, yet his yearning increases for he hath tasted the love of God, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.
Thus have We detailed for you in this Tablet that which will cause your breasts to boil with the heat of love and transform you toward a praiseworthy right hand, that your hearts might find peace thereby and your inner beings find rest, such that nothing will disturb you in the Cause, and you will be as firmly-fixed mountains. And glory be upon you, O concourse of the loved ones, from God, the Sovereign, the Helper, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved.
BH02683: He is the Mighty! These are the verses…
He is the Mighty! These are the verses of the Spirit sent down in truth from a penitent servant, that thou mayest hear the melodies of the Cause and be of those who are guided by the lights of glory. Take heed lest thou forget God’s favor upon thee and be of the heedless. Sanctify thyself from all who are in the heavens and on earth. Know thou that the world and its ornaments shall perish, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful.
Say: The Bird hath flown from the branches of Iraq and sought other boughs by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. This is of God’s ways which have preceded concerning His near servants. Say: In this departure is the exaltation of God’s Cause, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and therein lie concealed mysteries of wisdom which none knoweth save God, the Lord of all worlds. Soon shall the Cause be made manifest in truth and the name of God, the Most High, the Most Great, shall be uplifted. Remind the servants as thou art able, and be not of the patient ones. Put thy trust in God and He shall suffice thee above all else. In Him let the sincere ones put their trust.
Say: O people of hatred! Die in your wrath, for the Tree of Holiness hath yielded leaves of glorious grace and its branches have reached unto a station wherefrom are cut off the hands of the falsifiers. Those who rejoice at the departure of this Bird, by God, they are in manifest heedlessness. God shall soon turn their joy to grief and seize them with the chastisement of a barren day.
Say: This servant hath spent his spirit for God, the Beloved of the knowers, and feareth no one even should all the kings of the earth and those who follow them, these hateful ones, unite against him, for he hath turned unto God and trusted in Him, and He sufficeth him above all in the kingdom. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon whosoever holdeth fast to the cord of God, the Most High, the Most Great.
He is the Mighty! God willing, I hope that you will act contrary to past and future, and becoming wholly purified from the self and its conditions, will step into the pleasant atmosphere of the spirit. Speak naught but truth and walk in no path save that of justice. Sanctify your heart and purify your mind. The world shall soon pass away and its manifestations shall not endure. Finally, hear My call and be not of the heedless ones. Nothing in the kingdom shall profit thee save what We have cast upon thee in truth, even should all creation bow before thee. And the Spirit be upon thee if thou hearest the call of this strange Exile.
BH02684: These are the verses of holiness which have descended…
He is the One Who acts with truth! There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Beautiful.
These are the verses of holiness which have descended from the direction of the eternal realm, from the spot wherein God calls out with the most beauteous and wondrous voice. Whoso hears this call is transformed from his self and turns to the countenance of Him before Whom prostrate the peoples of the heavens and earth. Hearken thou to that which is revealed unto thee from behind the veils of grandeur upon the shore of the crimson sea. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Generous. In His hand is the dominion of Command, and within His grasp is the kingdom of creation, and all act according to His bidding. His name encompasses all who are in the heavens and earth, and His mercy hath filled all the worlds. Wert thou to hear this call with the ear of thine heart, thou wouldst swoon away at once, and the raptures of longing would seize thee in such wise that thou wouldst behold in the realm naught save the lights of God, the Holy, the Mighty.
O how blessed art thou if thou attainest unto this station from which the hands of those who have reached maturity are cut off. Then wouldst thou rejoice in all that We have decreed for thee and grieve not at anything, and be among those who are gladdened by God’s joy.
Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Make me content with what Thou hast apportioned unto me, lest I be among those who complain of Thee, for Thou art the Most Powerful of the powerful. Then make me steadfast, O my God, in Thy Cause in such wise that my feet slip not from Thy path after the departure of Thy servant, for Thou art the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Informed.
Thou knowest, O my God, that those who worship their own desires are more numerous than those who bow before Thy luminous Beauty. When Thou didst send down upon us this decree which caused the pillars of the sincere ones to crumble and tears to flow from the eyes of those near unto Thee, make us then steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that I hear not the [clamors] of the liars who wished to spread corruption in Thy land after Thou didst forbid them from this. Thou knowest them better than we do, and Thou art the Most Knowing of the knowing ones.
Then I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy generosity which hath encompassed all contingent things and by Thy grace which hath preceded all created things, that Thou cut not off from us the holy fragrances of Thy days, for this is better for us than all that hath been and shall be created, and Thou art powerful over all things.
And furthermore, we now bear witness that thou hast fulfilled God’s command regarding thyself and hast been faithful to what thou didst see in thy dream, that thou be steadfast in thy Cause and not be among the perturbed ones.
BH06947: He is God! O Rida! Hear My call…
He is God! O Rida! Hear My call in truth and be not of the doubters. Bear witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, and that the Primal Point is His Cause and His Beauty, and that His Mirrors are the first creation of God—all are His servants and all bow down at His bidding. Then know thou that this Bird hath taken flight from the branches of Iraq, and this was ordained by the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. Dispute not after Me, but gather ye together around the Cause, for this is what God desired for you in the atomic realm before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Then know that after Me the breezes of discord shall blow—blessed is he who remaineth steadfast in God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, who is patient within himself and is content with his Lord above all who dwell on earth. Thus do We impart unto thee verses of the Spirit that thou mayest stand firm in thy Lord’s Cause and be of them that are steadfast therein. And the Glory rest upon thee and upon whosoever followeth the Cause of his Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.
BH07995: Message to the Perisan Ambassador on the eve of Baha’u’llah’s banishment to Edirne
What did it profit thee, and such as are like thee, to slay, year after year, so many of the oppressed, and to inflict upon them manifold afflictions, when they have increased a hundredfold, and ye find yourselves in complete bewilderment, knowing not how to relieve your minds of this oppressive thought….
His Cause transcends any and every plan ye devise. Know this much: Were all the governments on earth to unite and take My life and the lives of all who bear this Name, this Divine Fire would never be quenched. His Cause will rather encompass all the kings of the earth, nay all that hath been created from water and clay….
Whatever may yet befall Us, great shall be our gain, and manifest the loss wherewith they shall be afflicted.
BH00759: Lawh-i-Naqus (Subhanaka Ya Hu)
He is the All-Glorious. This is the garden of Paradise, wherein arise the anthems of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting; wherein ascend the soul-entrancing melodies warbled by the Nightingale of Eternity upon the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree; wherein abide the Maids of Heaven whom none hath touched save God, the All-Glorious, the Most Holy; and wherein lieth enshrined that which draweth the needy to the shores of the ocean of true wealth and guideth the people to the Word of God. And this, verily, is naught but the manifest truth.
By Thy name “He”! Verily Thou art “He”, O Thou Who art “He”!
O Monk of the Divine Unity! Ring out the bell, for the Day of the Lord is come and the Beauty of the All-Glorious hath ascended His blessed and resplendent throne. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Hud, Prophet of the Divine Decree! Sound the clarion in the name of God, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful, for the Temple of holiness hath been established upon the seat of supernal glory. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Countenance of immortality! Pluck with the fingers of the spirit the sacred and wondrous strings, for the Beauty of the Divine Essence hath appeared, arrayed in a silken vesture of light. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Angel of light! Sound a blast upon the trumpet at the advent of this Revelation, for the letter Ha’ hath been joined to the letter of ancient glory. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Nightingale of heaven! Warble upon the boughs of this celestial garden in the name of the Beloved, for the beauty of the Rose hath appeared from behind an impenetrable veil. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Songster of Paradise! Trill out upon the twigs in these wondrous days, for God hath cast His effulgent rays upon all created things. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Bird of eternity! Soar aloft in these heights, for the Bird of faithfulness hath soared in the atmosphere of divine nearness. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O denizens of Paradise! Sing out and chant in the sweetest of tones, for the melody of God hath been raised within the Tabernacle of matchless sanctity. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O inmates of the Kingdom! Intone the name of the Beloved, for the beauty of His Cause hath shone forth from behind the veils, adorned with a luminous spirit. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O dwellers of the kingdom of names! Bedeck the furthest reaches of heaven, for the Most Great Name is come, riding upon the clouds of transcendent majesty. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O inhabitants of the Dominion of divine attributes in the Realm of Glory! Make ready to enter the presence of God, for the soft breezes of holiness have wafted from the sanctuary of the Divine Essence, and this, verily, is a conspicuous bounty. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O paradise of the Divine Unity! Rejoice within thyself, for the paradise of God, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, hath appeared. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O heaven of grandeur! Render thanks unto God within thine inmost being, for the heaven of holiness hath been upraised in the firmament of a heart of stainless purity. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O sun of worldly dominion! Eclipse thy face, for above the horizon of a resplendent morn there have shone the rays of the Day-Star of eternity. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O earth of knowledge! Swallow up thy learning, for the Earth of true knowledge hath been outspread through Him Who is the Self of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful, the Most High. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O lamp of earthly sovereignty! Put out thy light, for the Lamp of God hath been lit within the niche of eternity and hath illumined all that are in heaven and all that are on earth. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O seas of the world! Still the pounding of your waves, for a most wondrous Cause hath made to surge the Crimson Sea. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Peacock of the Divine Unity! Utter thy plaintive cry amidst the thickets of the celestial world, for the melody of God hath sounded near on every side. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O Cockerel of eternity! Sound thy call in the forests of the empyrean heaven, for the Summoner of God hath cried out from every lofty height. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O concourse of ardent lovers! Rejoice in your souls, for the day of separation hath ended, and the Covenant hath been fulfilled, and the Beloved hath appeared arrayed in sublime and majestic beauty. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
O assemblage of mystic knowers! Let your hearts be filled with joy, for the time of remoteness hath passed, and the spirit of certitude hath appeared, and the countenance of the celestial Youth hath beamed forth, adorned with the ornament of holiness in the paradise of His name, the Almighty. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
Glorified art Thou, O Lord, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Day through which Thou didst bring forth all other days, and in a single moment whereof Thou didst reckon up the appointed time of all that have been and all that shall be—Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!—
And by Thy Name which Thou hast made the sovereign of the kingdom of names and the ruler of all who are in heaven and all who are on earth—Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!—
To graciously enable Thy servants to dispense with all but Thee, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to become detached from aught else save Thee. Thou, verily, art the God of power, of might and mercy. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
Enable them then, O my God, to bear witness to Thy unity and to testify to Thy oneness in such wise that they may behold naught save Thee and shut their eyes to all else. Thou, in truth, art powerful to do what pleaseth Thee. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
Kindle, then, within their breasts, O my Beloved, the fire of Thy love, that it may burn away the mention of aught else, and that they may testify within themselves that from everlasting Thou hast dwelt within the inaccessible heights of Thine eternity, that Thou wert alone with none beside Thee, and that Thou wilt continue unto everlasting to be what Thou hast ever been. No God is there but Thee, the Lord of might and bounty. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
For were Thy servants who long to scale the heights of Thy unity to set their hearts upon aught except Thee, they could not be reckoned among such as have truly believed, nor would the sign of Thy singleness be found within them. Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Such being the case, I implore Thee to send down from the clouds of Thy mercy that which shall purify the hearts of Thine ardent lovers and sanctify the souls of those who adore Thee. Raise them up, then, through Thy transcendent power, and render them victorious over all who dwell on earth. This, indeed, is that which Thou hast promised Thy loved ones through Thy word of truth: “And We desire to show favour to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs.” Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art “He”, O Thou besides Whom there is none but “He”!
BH02661: Glad-tidings, then glad-tidings, that the decree hath come once…
He is the Mighty
Glad-tidings, then glad-tidings, that the decree hath come once again, and this is what hath been inscribed upon the Tablets by a holy, luminous Pen. They have expelled Us from that land even as they expelled Us the first time, and We are now in great thankfulness. By this We rejoice within Our souls and thank God, Our Creator, with a truthful, clear tongue. Say: The Bird of Divinity hath soared in this atmosphere and sought the holy expanse in other lands, by reason of what the hands of the oppressors have wrought. The Phoenix of Yearning hath flown to the Qaf of Paradise, and thereby the breeze of separation hath wafted over all who are in the heavens and on earth. At the time of ascension It calleth out to the loved ones of God with a mighty, attractive call and counseleth them with counsel that bringeth all existence unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Differ not in the Cause of God and fear no one, but place your trust in God, the Mighty, the Wise, for in this there lieth a wisdom none knoweth save those who have detached themselves from all who dwell in the realm. Soon will it become manifest like the sun in the midst of heaven, if ye be of them that know.
Say: This is Husayn Who hath truly come unto you with every clear proof from God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing—proofs that the minds of the wise and the hearts of the mystics are powerless to comprehend. He dwelt among you for successive years, His countenance shining like the light of dawn from a brilliant morning horizon, yet ye, O heedless ones, knew Him not, until God’s way was fulfilled in His own Self and He migrated from your land to a distant country. Then did the eyes of eternity weep, and the livers of the mystics were consumed, and the hearts of the lovers. Say: The Spirit hath departed from the body of Iraq, for the Sun of the horizons hath set, and thereby the eyes of the weepers have been blinded. Say: This is a Dove that feareth no one and is not disturbed by any soul, though all the kings of the earth and behind them the company of the hypocrites should gather against It. Nay, rather, Our eyes are gladdened at the descent of tribulation, for it appeareth from the Beloved, and thereby it becometh sweeter than every delicate sweetness. And the Spirit, and the Glory, and the splendor be upon you and upon those who were patient. 152.
When thou meetest Jinab-i-Javad, remind him from Us and be of them that remember.
BH02022: Lawh-i-Ahmad (Arabic)
He is the King, the All-Knowing, the Wise!
Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.
Verily this is that Most Great Beauty, foretold in the Books of the Messengers, through Whom truth shall be distinguished from error and the wisdom of every command shall be tested. Verily He is the Tree of Life that bringeth forth the fruits of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Great.
O Ahmad! Bear thou witness that verily He is God and there is no God but Him, the King, the Protector, the Incomparable, the Omnipotent. And that the One Whom He hath sent forth by the name of Ali was the true One from God, to Whose commands we are all conforming.
Say: O people be obedient to the ordinances of God, which have been enjoined in the Bayan by the Glorious, the Wise One. Verily He is the King of the Messengers and His book is the Mother Book did ye but know.
Thus doth the Nightingale utter His call unto you from this prison. He hath but to deliver this clear message. Whosoever desireth, let him turn aside from this counsel and whosoever desireth let him choose the path to his Lord.
O people, if ye deny these verses, by what proof have ye believed in God? Produce it, O assemblage of false ones.
Nay, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, they are not, and never shall be able to do this, even should they combine to assist one another.
O Ahmad! Forget not My bounties while I am absent. Remember My days during thy days, and My distress and banishment in this remote prison. And be thou so steadfast in My love that thy heart shall not waver, even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the earth arise against thee.
Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones, and be not of those who doubt.
And if thou art overtaken by affliction in My path, or degradation for My sake, be not thou troubled thereby.
Rely upon God, thy God and the Lord of thy fathers. For the people are wandering in the paths of delusion, bereft of discernment to see God with their own eyes, or hear His Melody with their own ears. Thus have We found them, as thou also dost witness.
Thus have their superstitions become veils between them and their own hearts and kept them from the path of God, the Exalted, the Great.
Be thou assured in thyself that verily, he who turns away from this Beauty hath also turned away from the Messengers of the past and showeth pride towards God from all eternity to all eternity.
Learn well this Tablet, O Ahmad. Chant it during thy days and withhold not thyself therefrom. For verily, God hath ordained for the one who chants it, the reward of a hundred martyrs and a service in both worlds. These favors have We bestowed upon thee as a bounty on Our part and a mercy from Our presence, that thou mayest be of those who are grateful.
By God! Should one who is in affliction or grief read this Tablet with absolute sincerity, God will dispel his sadness, solve his difficulties and remove his afflictions.
Verily, He is the Merciful, the Compassionate. Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.
Then give Our remembrance to all who dwell in the City of God, the Beautiful King, from among those who have believed in God and in Him Whom God shall send on the Day of Resurrection, and who walk in the paths of truth.
BH00249: Lawh-i-Ahmad (Persian)
Section 1: “These are the wondrous counsels divine which He…”
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High
These are the wondrous counsels divine which He uttereth with the tongue of power from His sanctuary of grandeur and His holy seat of glory. Hearken, then, with the ears of the spirit, and deprive not yourselves from hearkening unto the counsels of the Beloved.
O banished and faithful friend! Quench the thirst of heedlessness with the sanctified waters of My grace, and chase the gloom of remoteness through the morning-light of My Divine presence. Suffer not the habitation wherein dwelleth My undying love for thee to be destroyed through the tyranny of covetous desires, and overcloud not the beauty of the heavenly Youth with the dust of self and passion. Clothe thyself with the essence of righteousness, and let thine heart be afraid of none except God. Obstruct not the luminous spring of thy soul with the thorns and brambles of vain and inordinate affections, and impede not the flow of the living waters that stream from the fountain of thine heart. Set all thy hope in God, and cleave tenaciously to His unfailing mercy. Who else but Him can enrich the destitute, and deliver the fallen from his abasement?
O My servants! Were ye to discover the hidden, the shoreless oceans of My incorruptible wealth, ye would, of a certainty, esteem as nothing the world, nay, the entire creation. Let the flame of search burn with such fierceness within your hearts as to enable you to attain your supreme and most exalted goal–the station at which ye can draw nigh unto, and be united with, your Best-Beloved
O Ahmad! Deny not thyself the surging, tempestuous, and hidden oceans, and deprive not thyself of the clear and straight path. Illumine thine eye and brighten it with manifest light, that thou mayest enter the blessed and goodly Sinai which is the place of radiance and the dawning-place of divine splendor, and be illumined by the endless manifestations of light, and hear without interruption the soul-entrancing call of “Look and thou shalt see Me” from the dayspring of divine utterance. The Beauty of the Unseen speaketh in the Temple of Manifestation:
O Ahmad! A fragrance from the holy rose-garden of My spiritual presence hath wafted over the world of being, adorning all created things with the holy ornaments of the Self-Subsisting; and a drop from the ocean of My grace hath been bestowed upon the worlds, rendering all intoxicated with this holy wine of “Am I not?” From mere nothingness I have brought them to the arena of everlasting existence.
O Ahmad! Purify and sanctify thine eye that thou mayest behold the endless manifestations of light from all directions, and cleanse thine ear from the defilement of blind imitation that thou mayest hear the melodies of the Nightingale of oneness and divine unity from the eternal boughs of the human realm.
O Ahmad! The eye is My trust; sully it not with the dust of desire and passion. The ear is a manifestation of My bounty; debar it not from hearkening to My sweet and divine melodies. The heart is My treasury; surrender not its treasured pearls to the thief of self and passion. The hand is a symbol of My loving-kindness; withhold it not from taking hold of My preserved and hidden Tablets.
Say: O servants! The outpouring of My limitless grace descendeth from the heaven of My timeless generosity like torrential rain. Hasten ye thereunto with sanctified eyes, purified ears and unwavering constancy.
Say: O My servants! Fetter not yourselves with the bonds of self-limitation and blind imitation, for imitation is as a mirage in the deadly desert that hath never quenched nor ever will quench the thirst of its seekers. Turn away from the vanishing mirage and partake of the imperishable, matchless and crystalline waters of Mine own stream. Distinguish ye between the divinely-fashioned pearl and the artificial one, for the artificial pearl vanisheth upon contact with water, while the divine pearl groweth more lustrous and radiant. Strive then with all your might to obtain, without intimation, the pearl of divine sanctity—which is none other than the recognition of the Manifestation of My Self—which hath ever lived and shall forever live through the waters of My grace.
O My servants! The Ancient Beauty declareth: Hasten from the shadow of desire, remoteness and heedlessness unto the shadow of eternity, nearness and mercy. Be ye like unto earth in submission, that the sweet-scented, varied and holy flowers of My knowledge may spring forth from the soil of your being. Be ye aflame as fire, that ye may burn away the thick veils and quicken the frozen bodies through the heat of divine love. Be ye gentle as air, that ye may enter the sacred precincts of My divine friendship.
O My servants! Come forth from the imaginary city of idle fancy through the power of trust in God, and enter the impregnable and well-fortified city of certitude. Be not despairing of His all-encompassing mercy and His all-embracing grace in any circumstances, for I brought all the forms of existence from sheer nothingness into the realm of being solely through bounty and generosity. Without request did I bestow favor, without question did I grant response, and without capacity did I lavish the utmost grace and bounty. You are all trees of My holy paradise, which I planted with the hand of mercy in the blessed earth, nurtured with the eternal spring rains of My mercy, and protected through guardian angels from worldly events and earthly dangers. Now, be not heedless of your Planter, Guardian and Nurturer, and prefer not others before Him, lest the scorching and devastating winds pass over you and deprive you all of wondrous leaves, ripened fruits, lofty branches and tender boughs.
Hear the words of My wisdom from the tongue of My previous Manifestation, who said unto the Son of Mary that no keeper of an orchard would leave a withered tree in his garden, but would surely cut it down and cast it into the fire, for dry wood is fit and deserving only of fire. Therefore, O trees of My holy paradise, protect yourselves from the poison of corrupt souls and devastating winds, which are association with the ungodly and the heedless, lest the trees of existence be deprived of the holy fragrances and gentle breezes through the bounty of the Worshipped One, and may they ever remain fresh and verdant in the holy paradise of oneness.
O servants! Demolish not the foundation of the Egypt of certitude of the All-Glorious Lord through the pickaxe of fancy and conjecture, for conjecture has never sufficed and will never guide any soul to the straight path.
O servants! Ye have imagined My outstretched, extended and exalted hand of sovereignty to be fettered, and have deemed My descending, precedent and uninterrupted mercy to be interrupted, and have supposed the elevated and exalted cloud of My bounty and generosity to be prevented and withheld from raining down. Have the wonders of the power of the Sovereign of Oneness vanished, or has the influence of My Will and the encompassing nature of My Purpose been prevented from reaching the worlds? If ye believe not so, why then do ye prevent the Beauty of Divine Unity from being made manifest, and forbid the Manifestation of the Essence of Glory Most Glorious from appearing in the heaven of eternal holiness? Were ye to open the eye of fairness, ye would behold all the realities of created things intoxicated with this new and wondrous wine, and would find all the atoms of existence radiant and illumined by the splendor of its light. Evil is that which ye have imagined and evil is that which ye imagine.
O servants! Return ye unto your Source, and rising above the heedlessness of self and desire, set your faces toward the Sinai of the Spirit in this holy Mount beyond concealment and revelation. Alter not the blessed, all-embracing First Word, and turn not aside from the seat of glory of sanctification and pure detachment.
Say: O heedless servants! Though the wonders of My mercy have encompassed all the kingdoms of the seen and the unseen, and the manifestations of My grace and bounty have outstripped all atoms of creation, yet most severe is My chastisement, and most terrible is the revelation of My wrath. Hearken with ears sanctified from pride and desire unto My loving counsels, and with the eyes of both body and spirit observe the wonders of My Cause. Deprive not yourselves of the waves of My ocean of mercy, before which all infinite seas are but a drop, and withhold not yourselves from My sweet, flowing, holy and palatable fountainhead. I swear by My hidden Essence that were ye to attain unto awareness less than an atom’s weight, ye would hasten breast to breast unto the Sinai of the Spirit, and with your own eyes would enter the illumined, manifest and holy fountainhead, and would hear the call of the Holy Spirit from the Speaking Tree in the illumined breast, and would not be heedless.
O Ahmad! From the fetters of blind imitation, step thou into the holy garden of detachment and the paradise of glorious unity. Say: O servants! Close not with hands of tyranny and rejection the gate of My mercy which I have opened unto the peoples of the heavens and the earth, and cut not down through oppression and transgression the elevated Tree of My loving-kindness. In truth I say: The heart is the treasury of My priceless and incomparable jewels; make it not the receptacle for the worthless potsherds of this base world. The breast is the place where grow the hyacinths of My love; soil it not with the dark dust of hatred. Adorn yourselves with My attributes, that ye may be worthy to enter My holy dominion and be admitted into My sanctified realm. All things are My perspicuous Book and My firm and mighty tablets. With pure and sanctified eyes and illumined and holy hearts, behold ye the wonders of My divine wisdom.
Section 2: “O My servants! Whatsoever I have ordained…”
O My servants! Whatsoever I have ordained in My sacred and holy Tablets through My Most Perfect Word and My All-Embracing Speech is intended solely for the elevation of receptive souls to the heaven of divine unity. Otherwise, My Beauty is sanctified above the vision of the mystics, and My Glory is exalted beyond the comprehension of those who have attained. Consider the bright, luminous, radiant Sun: should all beings, whether possessed of sight or sightless, exert themselves to the utmost in its praise or, contrariwise, strive to disparage it, these two stations of affirmation and negation, of acceptance and rejection, of praise and blame, all pertain to the limited realm of those who accept or reject. The Sun itself remains established in its station, shining with perfect radiance and bestowing its light and effulgence without any change or alteration. Likewise, observe the luminous lamp that brightens your dark night: whether it be extolled with the most sublime praise or condemned with the basest description—would this increase or diminish its light? Nay, by Him Who holds my soul in His hand! Rather, in both these conditions it diffuses its light equally, while such praise and blame return only to those who utter them, as is evident to behold.
Therefore, O servants, deprive not yourselves of the holy and exalted Lamp that burneth within the niche of divine glory, but rather kindle the lamp of divine love with the oil of guidance within the niche of steadfastness in your illumined hearts, and protect it with the glass of trust in God and detachment from all else from the gusts of the breath of the idolaters.
O servants! The example of My holy and unified Manifestation is as an ocean in whose deepest depths lie concealed countless precious and brilliant pearls. Every seeker must needs gird up the loins of endeavor and make their way to its shore, that they may obtain, in the measure of their search and striving, their portion preordained in the hidden and preserved Tablets. Now if any soul should fail to set foot upon its holy shore or arise not in its quest, would this diminish aught from that ocean or its pearls, or cause any loss to befall it? Evil is that which ye have imagined within yourselves, and evil is that which ye continue to imagine.
O servants! By God the Truth, that Most Great, Fathomless, and Surging Ocean is very close and near, nay, nearer than your life-vein. In an instant you can attain and achieve that divine bounty, celestial grace, merciful generosity, and glorious All-Baha benevolence.
O servants! Were you to become aware of the wondrous tokens of My generosity and grace which I have deposited within your own selves, you would surely become detached from all things, attaining unto the knowledge of your own self, which is the same as knowledge of Me, and would see yourselves independent of all save Me, beholding with your outer and inner eyes the ocean of My loving-kindness and the sea of My favor shining within you like the resplendent sun from My Most Glorious Name. Squander not this most exalted and holy station through the desires of idle fancy and passion, or the imaginings of doubt and blindness. Your likeness is as that of a bird which, with mighty wings, soareth with the utmost joy and contentment in the pleasant atmospheres of the All-Glorious, in perfect confidence, but then, imagining some grains, inclineth toward the water and clay of earth, and with utter greed defileth itself with water and dirt.
Then, when it desireth to ascend again, it findeth itself powerless and defeated, for wings soiled with water and clay were never meant for flight, nor ever shall be. At such time, that bird of the exalted heaven findeth itself a dweller in the mortal earth. Now, O servants, soil not your feathers with the clay of heedlessness and idle fancy, or the dust of malice and hatred, lest ye be deprived and forbidden from soaring in the holy heavens of mystic knowledge.
O servants! I have, through divine might and spiritual power, brought forth the pearls of the shell of the ocean of the All-Merciful from the treasury of divine knowledge and wisdom, and have caused the maidens of the chambers of concealment and protection to appear in the manifestations of these firm verses, and have unsealed the musk-vessel of divine oneness with the hand of power, bestowing its hidden holy fragrances upon all created things. Now, despite all these encompassing sublime bounties and these radiant manifest favors, if ye deprive yourselves, the blame shall rest upon your own souls, now and forever.
O people of the Bayan! Today ye have come to know the purpose of your own creation, for ye are the gems of God’s lofty mountains and the pearls of the seas of divine unity’s grace, and all else that is visible in the heavens and earth are gathered beneath your shadow and receive sustenance and bounty by association. Consider, for example, the good and fertile earth—the farmer’s purpose in watering is to water his own crop, though often hard and solid rocks in that field are watered incidentally. Thus the purpose of the outpouring of the All-Bountiful’s grace is the fields of His loved ones, which are the places where the plants of knowledge and wisdom grow, while those besides them—the enemies and the heedless who are like abandoned stones of the earth—receive but incidental benefit from the sprinkling grace and raindrops from the clouds. O people of the Bayan! Despite all these lofty stations and transcendent ranks, seek not to be heedless of yourselves, nor withdraw from the Truth, nor become negligent in observing God’s Cause in all conditions, and strive that ye compare not divine words with aught else.
O servants! If ye possess sight, enter ye the city of the seeing; if ye be people of hearing, step ye into the realm of them that hear; and if ye be possessed of hearts, choose ye residence in the stronghold of the assured ones, that ye may not remain deprived of beholding the lights of the Most Glorious Beauty in these darksome days. For this year is the year of the great sifting and mighty trial.
O servants! Inscribe ye upon the tablet of your hearts, with the pen of submission and the ink of acknowledgment and certitude, the counsels of the Spirit, and at every moment turn ye unto them, lest ye become heedless of a single letter thereof. With utmost earnestness, turn ye unto the Truth and turn away from aught else, for this is the essence of the Divine Command that hath sprouted from the Divine Tree.
O servants! Naught dwelleth in this heart save the effulgences of the morn of the Divine Presence, and it speaketh naught but the pure truth from your Lord. Therefore, follow not your desires, break not God’s covenant, and violate not His testament. Turn ye unto Him with complete steadfastness in heart, soul and tongue, and be not of the foolish ones. The world is but an illusion without reality, and a nothingness adorned in the guise of existence. Set not your hearts upon it, sever not yourselves from your Lord, and be not of the heedless ones. Verily I say, the world is like unto a mirage which appeareth as water; they who thirst pursue it with intense effort, yet when they reach it, find themselves bereft and portionless. Or it is like the image of a loved one, devoid of life and spirit; when the lover attaineth unto it, he findeth it neither nourishing nor satisfying, gaining naught but great toil and evident regret.
O servants! If in these visible days and this present world, there should occur somewhat contrary to your wish from the realm of divine decree, be not disheartened, for the joyous days of the All-Merciful will come and the holy realms of the spirit will be made manifest. In all those days and worlds, a portion is ordained for you, a pleasure appointed, and a sustenance decreed. Assuredly shall ye attain unto them all if ye exchange the garment of the transient for the garment of the eternal, and enter the Most Glorious Paradise, the dwelling-place of sanctified and glorious spirits. All things testify to your existence, if ye emerge from the dark dust of nothingness. Be not distressed by the troubles of these numbered days, nor be ye saddened by the destruction of the outer body in the path of the Beloved, for after every destruction a building is intended, and within every hardship the comfort of ease lieth concealed.
O servants! Seek ye the sweet Salsabil from the holy, pure fountain, and take ye the lofty fruits of the Paradise of Oneness from the Divine Tree, for in the barren, dry valley neither the pleasant Tasnim of submission nor the holy Kawthar of glorification can be found, and from the withered tree no sublime and noble fruit can be observed.
O seekers of the spiritual wine! The holy, luminous Beauty, from the spiritual tree in the divine Sinai of the All-Merciful, without the veil of “Thou shalt never see Me,” declareth: Deprive not the eyes of your hearts and souls, and hasten ye to the dawning-place of the effulgence of His Beauty. Thus doth the Tongue of God counsel you, that perchance ye may direct yourselves toward the realm of the Spirit.
BH00870: Lawh-i-Anta’l-Kafi (Long Healing Prayer)
He is the Healer, the Sufficer, the Helper, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
I call on Thee O Exalted One, O Faithful One, O Glorious One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Sovereign, O Upraiser, O Judge! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Peerless One, O Eternal One, O Single One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Most Praised One, O Holy One, O Helping One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Omniscient, O Most Wise, O Most Great One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Clement One, O Majestic One, O Ordaining One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Beloved One, O Cherished One, O Enraptured One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Mightiest One, O Sustaining One, O Potent One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Ruling One, O Self-Subsisting, O All-Knowing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Spirit, O Light, O Most Manifest One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou Frequented by all, O Thou Known to all, O Thou Hidden from all! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Concealed One, O Triumphant One, O Bestowing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Almighty, O Succoring One, O Concealing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Fashioner, O Satisfier, O Uprooter! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Rising One, O Gathering One, O Exalting One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Perfecting One, O Unfettered One, O Bountiful One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Beneficent One, O Withholding One, O Creating One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Most Sublime One, O Beauteous One, O Bounteous One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Just One, O Gracious One, O Generous One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O All-Compelling, O Ever-Abiding, O Most Knowing One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Magnificent One, O Ancient of Days, O Magnanimous One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Well-guarded One, O Lord of Joy, O Desired One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou Kind to all, O Thou Compassionate with all, O Most Benevolent One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Haven for all, O Shelter to all, O All-Preserving One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou Succorer of all, O Thou Invoked by all, O Quickening One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Unfolder, O Ravager, O Most Clement One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou my Soul, O Thou my Beloved, O Thou my Faith! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Quencher of thirsts, O Transcendent Lord, O Most Precious One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Greatest Remembrance, O Noblest Name, O Most Ancient Way! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Most Lauded, O Most Holy, O Sanctified One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Unfastener, O Counselor, O Deliverer! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Friend, O Physician, O Captivating One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Glory, O Beauty, O Bountiful One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O the Most Trusted, O the Best Lover, O Lord of the Dawn! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Enkindler, O Brightener, O Bringer of Delight! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Lord of Bounty, O Most Compassionate, O Most Merciful One! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Constant One, O Life-giving One, O Source of all Being! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou Who penetratest all things, O All-Seeing God, O Lord of Utterance! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Manifest yet Hidden, O Unseen yet Renowned, O Onlooker sought by all! Thou the Sufficing, Thou the Healing, Thou the Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
I call on Thee O Thou Who slayest the Lovers, O God of Grace to the wicked!
O Sufficer, I call on Thee, O Sufficer!
O Healer, I call on Thee, O Healer!
O Abider, I call on Thee, O Abider!
Thou the Ever-Abiding, O Thou Abiding One!
Sanctified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy generosity, whereby the portals of Thy bounty and grace were opened wide, whereby the Temple of Thy Holiness was established upon the throne of eternity; and by Thy mercy whereby Thou didst invite all created things unto the table of Thy bounties and bestowals; and by Thy grace whereby Thou didst respond, in thine own Self with Thy word “Yea!” on behalf of all in heaven and earth, at the hour when Thy sovereignty and Thy grandeur stood revealed, at the dawn-time when the might of Thy dominion was made manifest. And again do I beseech Thee, by these most beauteous names, by these most noble and sublime attributes, and by Thy most Exalted Remembrance, and by Thy pure and spotless Beauty, and by Thy hidden Light in the most hidden pavilion, and by Thy Name, cloaked with the garment of affliction every morn and eve, to protect the bearer of this blessed Tablet, and whoso reciteth it, and whoso cometh upon it, and whoso passeth around the house wherein it is.
Heal Thou, then, by it every sick, diseased and poor one, from every tribulation and distress, from every loathsome affliction and sorrow, and guide Thou by it whosoever desireth to enter upon the paths of Thy guidance, and the ways of Thy forgiveness and grace.
Thou art verily the Powerful, the All-Sufficing, the Healing, the Protector, the Giving, the Compassionate, the All-Generous, the All-Merciful.
BH01547: Lawh-i-Haqq
This is the Tablet of Truth which hath been sent down from the heaven of Command. Whoso readeth it and pondereth thereon, God shall raise him up in the midmost heart of the Ridvan adorned with such glory that the lights of the All-Merciful shall shine forth from him and illuminate thereby the peoples of the highest paradise.
He is the Truth Who hath ever been witnessed at the horizon of truth, through truth, upon the truth. O people of truth! The Truth hath appeared from the horizon of truth in this Truth Who hath dawned from the Dayspring of truth, Who speaketh the truth and remindeth you of the truth. Beware lest ye forget the truth at the time when He took from you the covenant of His own truth, and be not of them who turned away from the truth and were among the heedless.
Say: By God! The Truth now calleth out before Him and informeth all created things that this indeed is the Truth Who hath appeared through truth, and verily He is the Truth through Whom truth was established aforetime and shall be established hereafter.
O people of truth! Behold ye the Truth in what shineth forth from the sun of His beauty, then hearken unto the melodies of truth that proceed from His lips, then drink from the Salsabil of truth that He offereth you from the cup of His bounty, and eat of the favors of truth that have been sent down from the heaven of His mighty sovereignty and the clouds of His holy grace. Then take shelter in the shade of the Tree of Truth, this Youth, Who when He moveth within Himself causeth to move thereby all manifestations of truth and suns of oneness, and when He remaineth still within Himself, the beauty of truth and His temple are established upon an exalted and impregnable throne.
O people of truth! If ye would but cleanse your eyes from the dust of contingent things and whatsoever proceedeth therefrom that befitteth not the sovereignty of names and attributes, ye would witness that the Manifestations of truth, its Daysprings, its Dawning-places and its Repositories all circle round this Truth Who hath appeared through truth and been established through truth upon the throne, before Whose shadow all who are in the heavens and on earth prostrate themselves, though they recognize it not and are unaware within themselves, being among those who are heedless of this Truth Who, were He to rend asunder the veil of glory from the face of beauty, would cause all things to proclaim, confirmed by the Holy Spirit even as the Beauty Himself was confirmed in the realm of eternity:
“Verily I am the Truth, there is no God but Him, and verily we all, at the appearance of this Truth, are among those who prostrate themselves.”
And verily this is He before Whom walk the Manifestations of truth, behind Whom proceed the Daysprings of divinity, at Whose right hand move the Essences of glory and at Whose left advance the Temples of the All-Merciful, all of them speaking, crying out and proclaiming: “O people of the Bayan! By God, the tongues of the All-Merciful have given the lie to your claims that ye believe in God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. For ye claimed within yourselves that ye had believed in God and in His Manifestation Who was named Ali before Nabil, yet when His Messenger came with authority from the divine Command upon clouds of holiness in the most exalted Paradise, ye denied Him and rejected Him, even to the point where ye pronounced sentence of death upon Him just as the divines of the Qur’an pronounced sentence upon Ali aforetime, the Manifestation of His exalted, transcendent, powerful, supreme and omnipotent Self.
Therefore nothing do ye pass by that doth not give you the lie and dissociate itself from you and seek refuge in God from meeting with you. By God! Were ye to judge fairly within yourselves, ye would witness that the very breath that proceedeth from you giveth you the lie, that the heaven raised above your heads dissociateth itself from you, and that all that raineth down from the clouds denieth what issueth from your tongues, were ye but of them who hear.
Through you have the clouds of mercy and grace been withheld, and the life of the people of the highest paradise transformed, and the countenance of grandeur turned pale, for ye have done what none before you have done. We have concealed it through Our grace, for verily We are the All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the All-Wise. What We have manifested among men is but a drop from the ocean of your deeds; otherwise, were I to speak the truth concerning what ye have done, the command of what shall be would return to what was, existence would revert to absolute and utter nothingness, and all that is witnessed in the kingdom would be transformed to dust. Thus hath the Command been sent down from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, if ye be of them who are mindful.”
BH02170: Lawh-i-Nuqtih
He is the Mighty One! This is the Most Holy Tablet which God has made its station to be the station of the Point, just as from the Point all letters and words were differentiated, and likewise from this Tablet has been differentiated what was sent down from the beginning that has no beginning and will be differentiated unto the end that has no end. Say: Though it be motionless in its place, yet through it all contingent things were set in motion and appeared from nothingness in the garments of existence. Glorified be God, the Sovereign of the powerful ones!
Say: The Essence of Pre-existence has appeared with the truth—exalted be God, the Educator of both worlds and the Lord of all the worlds. And thou, O servant, hearken unto the call of God from the Lote Tree of the Heart which hath been illumined in a translucent, radiant breast. Then know that the Announcement which was before all before hath been differentiated from this Most Great Announcement, and the Command which had proceeded from the most ancient origin hath shone forth from this Most Ancient, Most Upright Ornament.
Say: O people of the earth, by God, one Tablet from the traces of God is better than the kingdom of the first and the last ones—nay, I seek forgiveness from God for this, for by one letter thereof were all these created, were ye of those who perceive. And one letter thereof is sweeter than what hath appeared through the Pen and flowed from the tongue and been uttered behind the holy veils by the glorifying concourse.
Thus hath this Bird been seized by the raptures of longing on this Night which prideth itself above the bright dawn and every radiant morn, such that there floweth from His Pen that which His will had not preceded, and before which the mountain of the mystics who look not toward the Most Exalted Horizon and who were among those gazing through veils and allusions would crumble. Purify, O people, your ears from all that ye have heard or known, and sanctify your hearts from all that hath been imprinted therein and thereon from mortal images, that there might be imprinted thereon the beauty of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, the Great, the Ancient.
O people of the depths of Paradise! If ye desire to read this luminous, eternal leaf, then first perform ablutions with the water of Tasnim which floweth from the right hand of the Throne, then wash therewith your outer and inner selves that ye might hear how the Dove of the All-Merciful warbleth in this Garden with wondrous, unprecedented melodies. Without this ye shall never find its hidden delights nor recognize the jewels of His wisdom that are treasured therein, even should ye read it all the days of your life, morning and evening, or at every moment.
Thus doth the Dove warble in this atmosphere which God hath made sanctified from the faces of the ungodly, whose air is pure, whose breezes are sweet, whose fragrance is perfumed, and whose musk is diffused. Therefore seek it out, O ye who are brought nigh! Thus doth God bestow His eternal, everlasting, single, heavenly favors upon the worlds.
And ye, O Concourse of the highest heaven and O assemblage of humanity in the earthly realm, deprive not yourselves therefrom and deny it not. Fear God with true fear and be not of the heedless ones. Blessed is he who is sustained thereby and therefrom without turning to the peoples of the heavens and earth. And this spirit from the Spirit be upon you, O ye who draw nigh!
BH11580: First Tablet to Ali Pasha (lost)
To be typed.
BH00151: Lawh-i-Qina’
Section 1: “One of the divine friends wrote a letter…”
One of the divine friends wrote a letter to Haji Muhammad Karim Khan containing several questions, and it was heard that the aforementioned Khan, heedless of the meanings, clung to mere words and raised objections to refute the truth with what he possessed. But he was unaware that God confirms the truth through His words and cuts off the root of the ungodly. The letter began with these adorning words:
“Praise be to God Who removed the veil from the face of His chosen ones.”
The aforementioned Khan objected that this phrase was incorrect, and the writer of this letter must not have attained even a letter of knowledge and the terminology of the people, since ʿqina’ (veil) is specifically used for women’s heads. He occupied himself with objections to words while remaining oblivious that he himself was bereft of both knowledge and understanding.
The divine companions today consider what he deemed knowledge to be a disgrace. The knowledge that is beloved is that which guides people to the truth. When one fails to attain it, that knowledge has been and will be the greatest veil. None of his objections were seen except this one instance that was heard and reached the Most Great Vision. Therefore, from the Manifestation of the Cause, this most wondrous, most holy, most pure Tablet was revealed in response to his objection, that perhaps people might not remain deprived of the Lord of Names and Attributes due to such objections, and might distinguish the Most Exalted Word from the base word, and turn toward the direction of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted. Whosoever is guided, it is for his own soul, and whosoever turns away, truly God is Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy. In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O thou who art known for learning yet standeth on the brink of the abyss of ignorance! We have heard that thou hast turned away from the Truth and hast objected to one of His loved ones who sent thee a gracious letter to guide thee to God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Thou didst object to him and follow the ways of the ignorant, and thereby didst lose thy dignity among the servants of God, for through thy objections We found thee in profound ignorance. Thou hast not understood the rules and conventions of the people, nor hast thou entered the garden of meanings and eloquence, but wert among the heedless. Thou hast not known rhetoric and eloquence, nor metaphor, nor literal meaning, nor simile, nor allegory. Therefore We shall impart to thee that which shall acquaint thee with thine ignorance, that thou mayest be of the fair-minded.
Hadst thou followed the paths of the people of letters, thou wouldst not have objected to his use of the word “veil”, nor wouldst thou have been among the disputants. Similarly hast thou objected to the words of God in this wondrous Revelation. Hast thou not heard mention of Al-Muqanna, known as Al-Muqanna Al-Kindi, who was Muhammad ibn Zafar ibn Umayr ibn Far’an ibn Qays ibn Aswad, and who was among the renowned? Were We to mention his forebears one after another until reaching the First Creator, We would be able to do so through what My Lord hath taught Me of the knowledge of the ancients and the moderns, though We have not studied your sciences—and God is Witness and All-Knowing to this.
He was the most beautiful of people in countenance, the most perfect in creation, and the most upright in stature. Look in the books of the people that thou mayest know and be among those who understand. When he would unveil his face, the evil eye would afflict him and he would fall ill. Therefore he would not walk except veiled—that is, with his face covered. Thus is it mentioned in the books of the pure Arabs, the men of letters, and the eloquent ones. Look therein that thou mayest be among those who are informed.
He is the one who became proverbial for beauty, just as Zarqa al-Yamama became proverbial for keen sight, and Ibn Asma’ for breadth of narration—if thou wert among the learned. Likewise is Muhalhil for seeking vengeance, Al-Samaw’al for faithfulness, Qays ibn Zuhayr for sound judgment, Hatim for generosity, Ma’ ibn Za’ida for forbearance, Quss ibn Sa’ida for eloquence, Luqman for wisdom, Sahban Wa’il for oratory, ʿAmir ibn Tufayl for insight, Iyas ibn Mu’awiya ibn Al-Qurra for intelligence, and Hammad for memory. These are among the famous Arabs by whom proverbs are coined. Study the books that thou mayest not reject the truth through what thou hast, and be among the mindful.
Be assured that the scholars of literature have used the word “veil” for men, as We have mentioned to thee in clear and evident explanation. Know then that the veil is specific to women, with which they cover their heads, but it has been used metaphorically for men and the face, if thou art among those who are informed. Similarly, the face-veil is specific to women—it is said “the woman veiled” meaning she fastened the veil over her mouth—then it was used for men and the face, as mentioned in books of literature: “he unveiled his face” meaning he removed the covering.
Beware lest thou object with words to him before whose radiant and luminous countenance the verses have bowed down. Fear God Who created thee and fashioned thee, and do not cause to rejoice those who believe and have sacrificed their souls and their wealth in the path of God, the King, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Our purpose in what We sent thee was none other than that thou shouldst be mindful of thy negligence in the Cause of God, and that thou shouldst choose for thyself a path unto Him. We desired thy guidance, but thou didst desire to harm Us and didst mock Us even as the people before thee mocked, and they are this day in the nethermost fire. Thou art of those who, when the Furqan was sent down from the presence of the All-Merciful, said: “This is naught but tales of the ancients,” and objected to most of its verses. Look then in the Itqan and other books that thou mayest see and know what thou didst object to aforetime concerning Muhammad, the Apostle of God and Seal of the Prophets. We have acquainted thee with thyself that thou mightest know it and be among those possessed of insight from the All-Seeing.
Say: With my Lord are the treasuries of all knowledge and the knowledge of all created things. Raise thy head from the couch of heedlessness that thou mayest behold the mention of God, the Most Great, established upon the throne of manifestation even as the letter “H” is established upon the letter “W”. Arise from the slumber of desire, then follow thy Lord, the Most Exalted. Cast behind thee what thou hast and take what hath come to thee from God, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: O thou ignorant one! Look upon the words of God with His sight that thou mayest find them sanctified above the allusions of men and their rules, though with Him be the knowledge of all worlds. Say: Were the verses of God to be revealed according to your rules and what ye possess, they would be like unto your words, O ye that are veiled! Say: They have been sent down from a station wherein none is mentioned save Him, and God hath made it sanctified above the knowledge of all worlds. How canst thou and thy like comprehend them, O thou remote denier! They have been revealed in the tongue of the people, not according to thy contrived rules, O thou that turnest aside in doubt!
Be fair in God’s name—were all the power of the world to be placed in thy heart, wouldst thou be able to withstand a Cause that is opposed by the people and behind them the kings and rulers? Nay, by my Lord! None can withstand it, nor can any soul save him whom God hath established in His own station. He, verily, is this One Who uttereth in every condition:
“There is no God but Him, the One, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”
If the heart of any of the servants of the sovereign were to be troubled by thee for less than a moment, thou wouldst be disturbed instantly, and if thou deniest Me in this, the sincere servants of God would bear Me witness. Yet thou dost object to Him Who hath been opposed by governments over the course of several years, and upon Whom there hath descended that which hath caused the Faithful Spirit to lament, until He was imprisoned in this remote prison.
Say: Open thine eyes! The Cause hath been exalted and manifested, and the Tree speaketh forth the mysteries of destiny. Dost thou see for thyself any refuge? By God! There is no refuge for anyone, nor any resting place save for him who turneth unto the Most Sublime Vision, this Most Pure Station whose mention hath spread among the worlds. Say: Dost thou object with a veil to Him Who hath believed in the Sovereign of creation and invention? He who objecteth today is counted as the basest of the base before God, the Fashioner of the heavens and earths. Say: O heedless one! Hearken unto the cooing of the Dove upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, and be not of the ignorant. This, verily, is He of Whom Kazim and Ahmad, and before them the Prophets and Messengers, gave you tidings. Fear God and dispute not His verses after their revelation. They have been revealed by nature from the heaven of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and they are God’s proof throughout all ages, which none can understand save those who have detached themselves from all else and turned unto this Momentous Announcement.
O remote one! Were thy Lord, the All-Merciful, to manifest Himself according to thy limitations, His verses would be revealed according to the rules thou followest. Repent unto God and say:
Glorified art Thou, O my God! I am he who hath been negligent in his duty toward Thee and hath opposed that which hath been sent down from Thy presence. Then did I follow my passions and desires, and was heedless of Thy Most Exalted and Most Glorious remembrance. O my God! Take me not to task for my transgressions. Cleanse me from disobedience, then send down upon me, from the direction of Thy grace, the sweet-scented breezes of forgiveness. Then ordain for me a seat of truth before Thee, and number me with Thy sincere servants. O my God and my Beloved! Deprive me not of the fragrances of Thy most exalted Words, nor of the sweet perfumes of Thy Most Glorious Robe. Then make me content with whatsoever Thou hast sent down and ordained. Verily, Thou doest what Thou willest, and Thou art indeed the Ever-Forgiving, the Bountiful, the Bestower, the Gracious.
Hearken unto My words. Leave allusions to their exponents and purify thy heart from such words as would cause the face to be darkened in both worlds. Emerge from behind the veils and allusions, and turn with a luminous countenance toward the Lord of Names and Attributes, that thou mayest find thyself in the most exalted station, from which the allusions of the doubters are cut off. Thus doth the Supreme Pen counsel thee. If thou acceptest it, it shall be for thine own good, and if thou turnest away, it shall be against thyself. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is independent of all that was and all that shall be, and He, verily, is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.
In the Persian tongue do I speak, that perchance thou mayest perceive the fragrance of the All-Merciful’s raiment from these Persian verses, and turn, detached from all else, towards the realm of oneness. Though not every bird hath partaken of the seeds of divine mercy and the harvest of eternal wisdom, nor is capable of gathering therefrom, the bird of utterance must soar in the holy atmosphere of the All-Merciful and gather its portion from the harvests of inner meanings, lest hearts and minds, occupied with the mention of this or that, be deprived of the fragrance of the gardens of paradise.
Hearken unto the counsel of this Prisoner and with the arm of certitude build a mighty and impregnable fortress, that thou mayest be protected from the Gog of self and passion, and through the grace of the Khidr of these days attain unto the Kawthar of eternity and turn toward the most great vista. The world hath no permanence, and its seekers shall find no faithfulness therein. Place not thy trust in the world; reflect upon its changes and vicissitudes. Where are they who built Al-Khawarnaq and As-Sadir? Where are they who sought to ascend to the heavens? How many a palace wherein its builder reposed at eventide in health and prosperity, yet on the morrow belonged to another! How many a house raised high, wherein at night was heard laughter and the song of the thrush, yet at dawn naught but weeping and lamentation! What mighty one was not humbled? What matter was not transformed? What spirit did not pass away? What oppressor drank not the cup of retribution?
Moreover, pride not thyself in outward knowledge, for above every possessor of knowledge there is One All-Knowing. Know thou that every sharp sword groweth blunt, every joy turneth to sorrow, every might to weakness, and every learned one to error. Choose piety and enter the school of divine knowledge. “Fear God; God will teach you.” Purify thy heart from the allusions of the people, that it may be illumined by the manifestations of the divine names and attributes. Close the eye of estrangement and open the eye of justice, and raise not objection against the loved ones of God. By the Sun of the horizon of Revelation! Had thou truly partaken of outward knowledge as is its due, thou wouldst not have objected to the word “veil” used in reference to the friends of the Lord of creation and invention.
Still thy tongue regarding His chosen ones, O thou who wanderest in the wilderness of ignorance and blindness! It would be well for thee to study somewhat the books of the Bayan and the Badi’, that thou mayest become acquainted with the outward rules. For hadst thou been cognizant of reality and metaphor, and the stations of transferred attribution, metaphor and allusion, thou wouldst not have objected that “veil” was not used properly. Look not upon the words of them who love the Lord of all worlds through the eyes of the ungodly. As for “qina”’ and “muqanna’ah,” these are two garments wherewith women cover their heads, specifically for women’s heads, but metaphorically used for men and faces. Likewise “litham” is that wherewith women cover their mouths, as the Persians and Turks call “bishmaq,” and it is metaphorically used for men and faces, as mentioned in literary works. Look, therefore, in the books of the people that thou mayest find what thou hast overlooked.
Section 2: “That letter was written to thee by one…”
That letter was written to thee by one of God’s loved ones, whose purpose was to deliver thee from the darkness of self and draw thee to the realm of oneness. Yet thou didst display thy learning, but thine arrow missed its mark and thy station hath become evident to those possessed of knowledge. Hear My words: oppose not him who counsels you, be not impatient with him who admonishes you, and follow not your giving with injury. Rather, be humble before the loved ones of God, the Lord of the first and the last. Abandon learning, for it has barred you from the Sovereign of all knowledge. Prefer him who counsels you over yourself; better would it be for you to walk barefoot, sleep without a pillow, and lament in the wilderness than to sadden one who has believed and been guided.
O agitated one! Make not haste to object, and be not like the venomous snake. He who hastens in blame falls into regret. Hold back your tongue and pen from opposing the Lord of Eternity. Make not yourself deserving of wrath. Soon shall you return to the Lord of all peoples and be questioned about what you acquired in your vain life, on a Day when hearts and eyes shall be upturned from the might of God, the Powerful, the Subduer. How long will you follow the path of wickedness and oppose the Lord of all names? Have you forgotten your return and your abode, or are you heedless of your Lord’s justice? If you feel secure from the grave, then follow what your self and desires command; otherwise hasten to Him Who called you to God and make up for what you lost in your former days before your latter days. Fear God Who created and fashioned you. Turn to Him, remember Him morning and evening, for unto Him is your return and your dwelling place.
Moreover, you have reached such a state of heedlessness in objecting to the words of God’s loved ones that you have even objected to the words of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—Who gave the people glad tidings of this Manifestation. You have written books opposing God and His loved ones, thereby rendering your deeds void, though you perceive it not. You and your like have claimed that the words of the Most Great Gate and the Most Perfect Remembrance are incorrect and contrary to the rules of the people. You have not yet understood that the revealed divine words are the standard for all things, and nothing else can be its standard. Any rule that contradicts divine verses is invalid.
We remained in Baghdad for twelve years, and whatever We desired that a gathering of the learned and fair-minded servants be convened so that truth might be distinguished from falsehood, none came forward. The verses of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—were not contrary [to the rules], but you are ignorant of the people’s rules. Moreover, what say you about the verses of this Most Great Manifestation? Open your eyes that you may know that rules are derived from the words of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.
Were it not for the sorrows that have befallen Us and Our physical ailments, We would have written tablets concerning divine sciences, and you would have testified that divine rules encompass human rules. We beseech God to make you steadfast in His love and good-pleasure, for He answers whosoever calls upon Him.
Consider the days when the Qur’an was sent down from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s will, how much the rebellious objected. It seems to have vanished from your sight, hence it became necessary to mention some of it, that you might recognize yourself and how much you objected when the Muhammadan Sun dawned from the horizon of eternal glory. The ultimate truth is that in those days you were known by another name, for had you not been among those souls, you would never have objected to the Truth in this Manifestation.
Among the objections of the idolaters was to this blessed verse which declareth “We make no distinction between any of His Messengers.” They objected that “ahad” cannot be used between, and thus did they mock and protest against this divine and conclusive Word. Likewise did they object to the blessed verse “He it is Who hath created for you all that is on earth, then turned He to the heaven and fashioned it as seven heavens,” saying it contradicted other verses wherein the creation of heaven preceded that of earth. They also objected to the blessed verse “We created you, then fashioned you, then told the angels: Prostrate to Adam,” claiming that the angels’ prostration preceded the forming of creation. Ye have surely heard the objections they raised concerning this blessed divine verse.
Similarly did they object to the blessed verse “The Forgiver of sin, the Accepter of repentance, the Stern in punishment,” saying that “stern in punishment” being an attribute of the subject, cannot serve as a definite qualifier. And in the story of Zulaykha where it saith “Ask forgiveness for thy sin. Lo! thou art of the sinful,” they objected that it should be “sinful women” according to their rules for the feminine plural. They also objected to the blessed verse “and a Word from Him whose name is the Messiah,” saying that “Word” is feminine and its pronoun should therefore be feminine. Likewise with “one of the greater” and similar instances.
In brief, there are nearly three hundred instances where the divines of that age and after raised objections against the Seal of the Prophets and the King of the Chosen Ones, both in meaning and in words. They declared most of these words to be incorrect, and attributed madness and corruption to that Source of wisdom. They said “These verses and chapters are mere fabrications.” For this reason, most people followed the divines, straying from the straight path of truth and turning to the very foundation of hellfire. The names of these Jewish and Christian divines are recorded in books.
Furthermore, how many verses did they attribute to Imru’l-Qays, claiming that Muhammad had plagiarized them, such as the blessed Surih “When the earth is shaken” and “The Hour draweth nigh,” and they preferred poems known as the Mu’allaqat and likewise the Mujamharat, which were in the second rank after the Mu’allaqat, to the divine words. Until divine grace encompassed all, and some were not prevented by these objections but were guided by the lights of the greatest guidance. Then came the decree of the sword, and people entered God’s religion willingly or unwillingly. The verse of the sword erased the verse of ignorance, and after God’s Cause prevailed, the eye of justice was opened and the gaze of objection was cut off and veiled. The same deniers who had called the verses of God fabrications came to enumerate seventy points of rhetorical and literary excellence in some of the revealed verses.
Since the discourse concerned the objections of the ungodly, I did not wish to mention more than what has been stated. Now render some justice and judge between yourself and God. There is no doubt that the Qur’an was revealed from God, and there is also no doubt that the divine words are sanctified above what they have imagined, as it later became clear that those objections stemmed from rancor and hatred. Though some scholars have answered certain objections according to established rules, yet its knowledge is with Us. Ask, that thou mayest know the Point from which the knowledge of what was and what shall be was expounded. Perchance thou shalt become aware and cease objecting to the loved ones of God. All knowledge has been and shall remain within God’s mighty grasp, and whatsoever is revealed through nature descends upon the original divine nature.
These objections arise because this Cause has not outwardly gained strength, the loved ones of God are few and His enemies many. Therefore each soul clings to some objection hoping thereby to gain people’s approval. O helpless one! Go thou and concern thyself with glory and leadership. How canst thou step into the arena of the detached ones—those souls who have detached themselves from all else but Him and for love of God have forsaken wealth, position, fame, name, possessions and life, as thou hast seen and heard? These are servants who said “God is our Lord” and then detached themselves from the worlds. Soon souls shall appear in knowledge and arise with perfect assistance, recording conclusive and firm proofs in answer to every objection, for their hearts shall be inspired by divine heavenly inspirations. Hearken to the call of Him Who summoneth unto God and be not of the veiled ones. Perchance thou shalt not remain deprived of the divine fragrances in these days of this glorious and merciful Manifestation. And peace be upon him who followeth guidance. If one lacks the sense of smell, what fault lies with the garden’s rose? One without taste cannot distinguish honey from colocynth.
A copy of a letter from the late Shaykh Ahmad concerning the Qa’im was observed. Now I beseech you to interpret it fairly, and if you find yourself unable, to inquire of the Most Great Ocean of God, that through God’s abundant grace and mercy you may enter beneath the shade of the divine Lote-Tree. The details are that during the days of residence in Iraq, Mirza Husayn of Qum came to this servant with a copy of the letter saying that the Shaykhi friends had requested an explanation and interpretation of these words. This servant, seeing that the questioners were not seeking the divine Kawthar of knowledge, did not undertake to answer, for the pearls of divine knowledge are concealed from the sight of those without insight. Though some mention was made, it was through allusion and metaphor. The exact text of that letter has been copied in this Tablet without addition.
The exact text of that letter is quoted in this Tablet without addition or omission. This is the text of what was written by the most exalted and distinguished Shaykh, the Manifestation of Islam and Ka’bah of mankind, Shaykh Ahmad Al-Ahsai, who was the lamp of knowledge among the worlds, in response to one who said that the Qa’im is in the loins. We have omitted its beginning and written what is intended:
In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate
I say it is reported that after the passing of MS by MR, the Mahdi (peace be upon him) will arise. The Alif has come upon the end of Sad, and the Sad with you is wider than the two thighs, so how can it be one of them? Moreover, the Waw is three letters: six and one thousand and six, and six days have passed, and the Alif is completion, and there is no more discourse, so what of the six and the latter days? Otherwise, the return would not occur, for it is the mystery of inversion for the symbol of the chief. If acknowledgment of the remaining six is obtained from others, the matter is completed with proof, and the Greatest Name appears with the two Alifs standing with the letter which is two letters from Allah, as they are eleven, and with them thirteen, so the Waw which is Ha appeared.
Where then is the separation? But the one between the six and six is determined by the passing of MS by MR, so the mystery of sixty-six appeared in its sixth which is its quarter, and the completion of the sixth which is the quarter with the thousand merged within it. And its mystery is the descent of the Alif from the wide point with the six and six, and the second descended in the blessed night with the eleven, and it is He Who is the Mystery and the First Hidden Name appearing in the mystery of Thursday, so the mystery will be completed on Friday, and the flowing water will flow on the day when the sky brings forth a manifest smoke.
This while all is in the inverted Waw from the whispered Ha, so where is the connection according to one who affirms separation? There is not in the One nor between it other than One, otherwise it would not be One. And these are the parables We set forth for mankind, but none understand them except those who know.
We testify that every word of these luminous words is like an abandoned well containing the water of life, wherein is concealed the youth of meanings and utterance, and no caravan of seekers has come to it to let down their bucket and bring forth the youth of knowledge and say:
“Blessed be God, in Whose grasp is the dominion of knowledge, and He encompasses all things.”
Likewise We testify that every letter thereof is like a glass wherein shines the lamp of knowledge and wisdom, yet none has been illumined by it save whom God willed, for He has power over all things. In brief, the purpose is that these words should be interpreted in clear and evident language. And peace be upon whoever follows the truth. And if you do not follow the command of your Lord, perhaps God will raise from your offspring one who will turn to his Lord and detach himself from all else. Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH00395: Lawh-i-Sayyah (Suratu’l-Widad)
Section 1: “In My Name, the Most Glorious, the Most…”
In My Name, the Most Glorious, the Most Glorious
O ʿAli! Bear thou witness that I am the Manifestation of God in the heaven of eternity, His Hidden Mystery in the unseen realm of the divine cloud, the Ancient Beauty in the kingdom of glory, and the Primal Spirit in the most exalted vesture. All were created by My command and circle round Me, all act by My bidding, and all have prostrated themselves before My countenance and clung to the hem of My loving-kindness, even though they perceive it not within themselves in this wondrous Temple. Say: This is the Point from which the words of God have been expounded, and from which have appeared the holy scrolls of detachment and the tablets of glorious preservation. Say: This is the Word of God from which the Points have appeared and unto which they return, then through which they are renewed in an instant. Say: Through it hath appeared the proof in every age, and the Word of God and His evidence unto all worlds have been perfected.
Say: Were He to manifest but a single letter, it would surpass all that hath been mentioned in the kingdom from time immemorial and all that hath flowed from the Pen upon preserved tablets of glory. Say: By God! It is sweeter than all that hath been uttered by holy tongues, spoken by the denizens of the most exalted Paradise, or voiced behind the pavilion of sinlessness by those who swim in the depths of praise. Say: By God! By one note thereof hath the Dove warbled upon the branches and the proof of the All-Merciful hath shone forth with mighty sovereignty. Say: O heedless ones! The chastisement and wrath of God have come upon you. Die, then, from the fire which God hath kindled within your souls, then place your fingers of rejection in your ears, then return to the nethermost fire in the depths of hell.
Say: This is the thunderbolt of God that hath appeared from the cloud of power, and with it a penetrating flame to prevent the evil ones from hearkening unto these mysteries which lay beneath the veil of power, and to keep them from drawing nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: By God! None hath any escape on this Day save by believing in this manifest and glorious proof, this all-sufficient, perfect, wondrous and mighty evidence, or by rejecting God’s proofs of old, His signs, His Messengers and His chosen ones, if ye be of them that know. Say: God will not accept aught from anyone this Day, even should they worship Him forever or remember Him with all that hath been sent down from the heaven of glory in the time of the Messengers, except that they enter this pavilion which hath been raised in truth and beneath whose shade dwell the inmates of the most exalted Paradise. And whosoever entereth not beneath the shade of this countenance hath gone forth from the shade of God, and none shall be exempted from this decree among all the worlds.
Say: We were among you for years untold and We veiled Our face from every perceiving eye lest anyone from among the people of the earth should recognize Us, and God is witness and knower of this. When the idolaters persisted, We lifted the veil of concealment from the face of Beauty and made it appear like the sun at high noon. Blessed then be God, the Creator of all creation! Say: The test hath come from the direction of God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Great, and the Balance hath appeared with justice whereby all deeds shall be weighed, if ye be of them that bear witness.
Say: O people of the earth! If ye desire to hear the melodies of God, hearken unto these sweet and wondrous melodies, and if ye wish to behold the beauty of God, behold this glorious and radiant Beauty. Say: By God! None in this Day can hearken unto the Call of the Almighty save he who purifieth his ears from all that he hath heard from the peoples of the world, and consumeth utterly the veils that intervene, and leaveth the world and all that dwell therein in the shadow thereof. Then, and only then, can he draw nigh unto the Lote-Tree of Glory and give ear to the summons of God from the fire that blazeth forth from this exalted and impregnable Tree.
O Ali! Say: By God, the Spirit has verily returned in truth in this Beauty, the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Perpetual, the Self-Subsisting, the One, the Ancient. He calls you unto God, the Most High, and to that which was revealed in the Bayan from the presence of a mighty and glorious Sovereign. He brings you glad tidings of God’s good-pleasure and guides you to the shore of holy munificence. Hasten then, O people, to God’s guidance and His presence, and deal not with Him as ye dealt with God’s Messengers of old. Fear God, O people, and be not of the corrupt.
O people! Prevent not God’s clouds from their outpouring, nor His breeze from its wafting, nor His beauty from this resplendent ornament. Be fair then unto yourselves, O people of the Bayan! If ye believe not in these verses, in what thing did ye believe before, if ye be of the fair-minded? Are ye content within yourselves to do as the peoples of the Furqan did? Alas for you, O heedless ones! Have ye forgotten when the Sovereign of the Messengers came unto you in the name of Ali with truth, bearing a luminous whiteness, a clear Book and a mighty Tablet? Then rose up against Him the idolaters with such opposition as cannot be compared with aught in the heavens and earth, and they did unto Him what I cannot mention and what no ear of the believers can bear to hear. Thus do We recount unto thee what hath come to pass, that perchance the people may become aware within themselves and not do unto His servant more than what was done before, and may be of those who return unto God, unto Whom shall be their return and their abode on the Day when all creatures shall be gathered together.
O Horseman of Glory! Remind the servants of what We caused thee to witness in thy journey when thou didst travel from the Dawning-Place of the divine cloud to the Day-Spring of eternity in the highest pavilions, moving by the holy cord in the atmosphere of the Spirit. Say: We journeyed until We reached beyond the Mountain of Musk in the Spot of Radiance. We beheld people from among the sanctified ones around this Spot, stationed in the name of one of the names, who were sanctifying God from what hath appeared in the worlds of names and attributes and from all that the highest realities of contingent beings comprehend collectively. Then We arose before their eyes and remained among them and revealed Ourselves unto them with the ornament of God, and thus was the matter decreed in truth in the Valley of Glory. And We were in that state for a duration that cannot be limited by the pen, as Our mercy had preceded through grace unto all the worlds collectively, that they might turn to Him Whom they were sanctifying in their days and might recognize their Creator and Lord after they had been calling upon Him in every ancient time.
When We found them clinging to the cord of names and heedless of the Sovereign of the Named One, We veiled Our face from them and ascended from their midst and passed by them until We arrived at the holy Paran beyond the Mountain of Ruby in a beloved holy spot. Then We found people who were worshipping God in their standing, their sitting, their bowing and their prostration, and We turned unto them with a holy and manifest Beauty, that perchance they might recognize their Ancient Lord and be honored by His presence and enter beneath the shade wherein the Countenance shineth forth like the sun from the horizon of glory. But having found them clinging to the cord of devotions while heedless of the Sovereign of all created things—through but one word from Whom the laws of the Cause were made to flow in the rivers of wisdom—We left them to their vain imaginings and ascended to hidden sanctified destinations, soaring in the atmosphere of nearness until We reached the ultimate station possible in existence: a blessed valley of glory.
Section 2: “There We found a people among the believers…”
There We found a people among the believers who would unitize God in both private and public, witnessing God’s handiwork in the horizons of possibilities and in themselves—thus was the matter truly witnessed. It was as though in Divine Unity they had reached the furthest limit, a station above which the wings of the possessors of understanding cannot soar, except as God—your Lord, my Lord and the Lord of all worlds—may will. It was as though they witnessed nothing except that they witnessed God established and self-subsisting over it. They were settled upon the thrones of witnessing and unveiling, and upon seats of glorious uniqueness. They remained in that station until the test and trial came to them according to what was ordained in the Tablets and inscribed by the Pen of Destiny upon the Tablet of Command.
Then We wafted upon them the breaths of the All-Merciful and sent them the fragrance of the garment from this Youth, that they might perceive these wafting breaths that were sent forth from God’s paradise of good-pleasure. Yet We found them in the realm of heedlessness of these messages—one breath of which transformed all existing things to the court of a praiseworthy nearness. Thereafter We appeared in truth among them with a beloved holy beauty, that perchance the lightning flashes of the Countenance might remind them and guide them to Him Whom they had been unitizing in their days, and immerse them in the depths of attainment to that station from separation from which the eyes of those near to God were filled with tears. We remained above their heads for countless months and unlimited years, yet found not in them awareness even to the extent of an atom. Thus have We recorded their deeds in this Tablet which was then set upon the thigh of God.
Since Our mercy preceded all worlds, We did not abandon them but moved again from above their heads and turned to face their eyes, patiently remaining in that station for a duration beyond the reckoning of the worlds, that they might not be deprived of that for which they were created and for which they had been unitizing Him in their days and numbered years. Yet We found them intoxicated with the matter and heedless of Him through but one word from Whom they had been created in the worlds of names. Finding them in that state, We wept over them and over My solitude and estrangement, and We departed from them as the morning breeze departs from a flourishing holy paradise, until We arrived at the Noble Valley, this spring from which flows the Salsabil upon this Name through which appeared the Kingdom of Names, sanctified above the description of the worlds.
And We found a people who welcomed Us with radiant glorious faces and holy unique temples, holding in their hands banners of victory upon which was inscribed in crimson ruby script:
“By God, these are indeed God’s banners of victory which were forever raised in the shadow of this Name through the endurance of God.”
These were they who loved God in their private and public lives as though they were aware of naught else and naught besides Him was heard by them. They would worship God in the inmost secret according to this secret enshrouded in secrecy, according to the treasured and hidden symbol. And thus did We make them witnesses and encompassed their Cause which was praiseworthy in the words of God, and verily their deeds and their souls became the very Cause of God itself, without distinction or separation. And they would make mention of God in this Most Perfect, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Word in this station which was detached from all directions.
Then the Herald proclaimed:
“God shall soon raise up one who will cause the people to enter beneath the shadow of these Standards through a sovereignty from Him and a power from His presence, that grace in this dispensation might descend upon all the worlds from the paradise of the Word.”
Thus do We impart unto thee what We witnessed in this journey, that thou mayest thereby become acquainted with the mysteries that were hidden in the pavilion of the Cause behind a veil of light. Say: O people! Fear God, then recognize Him Who came to you aforetime in His other vesture, then hearken unto His melodies from these songs that were raised on God’s melody amongst the worlds.
Say: By God! If ye recognize Him not in this Beauty and hear not His verses in these verses, your recognition of His own Self on the Day when He came to you with the truth and will come to you with what ye were promised in the preserved tablets of holiness shall not be credited unto you. Say: O people! This is the Youth of God, His servant, His attendant, His proof, His sovereignty, His beauty, His might, His grandeur, His evidence, His testimony, and His grace unto all who are in the heavens and on earth, and thus was the Cause at that time inscribed upon this Tablet by the truth from the heaven of the Command.
Whosoever wishes, let him hasten to the presence of God with his heart or his feet, and whosoever wishes, let him return to the wrath which was kindled from the fire of unbelief by God’s command. Can anyone object to these verses while claiming faith in his soul? Nay, by Him Who holdeth my soul in His hand! Rather, he would be one who associates partners with God, His verses, His Messengers and His chosen ones, and to this doth testify this Tablet which speaketh with truth, and behind it a holy and manifest tongue. And if abasement touch thee for My name’s sake, be patient and grieve not, and put thy trust in God, thy Lord, and He will suffice thee against all the worlds.
And if thou seest the name of God, Javad, spread thy letter before him that he may read it with his heart and tongue, then make mention of him from Our presence with a gracious mention. Then make mention of him who was with him, that God’s remembrance of them both and of the people might precede in truth. Then make mention of those in thy land who have believed in God and remained steadfast in love. And the Spirit and the Light and the Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, every small one and great one.