Volume 037: Edirne I (year unknown, 1864–1868) (2 of 6)

BH00097: Exalted be His grandeur and His majesty, then His…

Section 1: “Exalted be His grandeur and His majesty, then…”

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

Exalted be His grandeur and His majesty, then His power and His dominion, and transcendent be His station above the mention of them that make mention, above the description of them that describe, and above the praise of all the worlds.

This evanescent servant makes known that your letter was received, and from the wondrous words and the pearls of meaning concealed within the shells of its letters was unveiled. And in these days when the joy of creation appears to have been lifted and the tyranny and oppression of those who oppose the Beauty of the King of Names and Attributes has encompassed the world, utmost joy and delight was attained. For you had inquired about certain doubts that the people of uncertainty have brought against the Cause of the King of Oneness. Although today it is not permissible for any soul to gaze upon aught but the Truth, lest doubt and intimation deprive him from the holy and eternal presence, yet since the Ancient Beauty has loved and continues to love those who ask, therefore joy appeared and delight was manifested. Otherwise, I swear by the Beloved of all, such sorrows have in this day befallen the Beauty of the All-Merciful that all things are engaged in lamentation and weeping. For in every age, every oppressor who committed oppression acknowledged his own deed and tyranny and made no claim of being oppressed.

But the oppressors of this age—though by God besides Whom there is no God they have intended to slay the Divine Tree—have attributed Sunnism to it before the Persians of this land, and likewise attributed Shi’ism and heterodoxy before the Sunnis. Nevertheless they have written letters to all regions and attributed all these oppressive acts to the Self of God Who stands for justice. Consider now how much harm has been inflicted, for they have deemed the people foolish and assumed them to be without understanding, thinking they could thereby conceal this holy and eternal Revelation through such words. They are heedless that God has servants who consider hundreds of thousands like these as non-existent and hasten to the holy and praiseworthy court. Nothing affects their hearts save the word of truth, and naught passes over their sanctified hearts save the divine fragrances.

Thou didst write that the truth and authority of the Beauty of Abha, exalted be His station, are as manifest and incontrovertible as the sun in mid-heaven; whereas concerning the falsity of whatsoever is beneath Him—even though it be a personage of renown—words are now uttered. This servant therefore layeth before thee the following: If the authority of the True One, glorified be His station, be known and evident, even as thou hast affirmed, then whosoever rejecteth the Truth must assuredly be rejected, and shall ever remain rejected—be he of the Most Great Names or of those beneath them—for after the Truth there is naught save manifest error.

And if, in the case of certain souls that exist, that authority hath not become clear, nor the truth been established, then we ask: Are such souls charged with a duty, or are they not? If they are not charged, then no blame resteth upon them. But if they are charged, then hath the hand of hidden power, by an act of gracious providence, deposited within them a sign whereby they may recognize their own selves, or hath it not? If it hath not deposited such a sign, and yet hath imposed upon them the obligation of recognition, we take refuge with God from such a thought; for no oppressor hath ever commanded beyond the capacity of the commanded, nor will he ever do so—how much less the very Essence of mercy and the Quintessence of compassion. But if it hath deposited such a sign, then must these souls, of themselves, apprehend the Cause of the True One. In that event, neither the aversion of any man nor the turning of any soul can suffice them; for within them is the sign of divine recognition, that they may know the Truth and distinguish it from all that is other than it.

And once this station is established, it behoveth that, in this day, the very proof whereby the Cause of the Primal Point, exalted be His station, was made firm, should be demanded from the Manifestation Himself; for apart from this, all is but barren and unavailing, and shall ever remain so. This is exceedingly plain. For the Primal Point—magnified be His majesty—made mention of none save the Letters of the Unity and the Mirrors. The Letters of the Unity He described—by the guidance of the Furqan—as fourteen “returns,” the first four being the four Gates, and these souls He named the Letters of the Living, giving them precedence above all that are in the Bayan. After this rank He spoke of the Mirrors; and thou mayest observe that in none of His limited Tablets did He confine the Mirrors, even as He declareth that were infinite Mirrors to stand face to face, in all of them the lights of the Sun would be imprinted and made manifest; and after their turning away He saith that that grace is withdrawn.

He set forth the likeness of the outward mirror and the visible sun, and declared that whoso desireth to attain unto recognition must behold the manifest Sun and the manifest Mirrors. He swept away all the limiting definitions of the Furqan, so that unto every discerning eye it became evident that in the hands of that people there was naught in support of the Truth, and whatsoever they possessed was wholly contrary thereto.

I will now submit unto thee certain matters, that, God willing, thou mayest act with discerning insight. For example, in the first place: if any soul were to maintain that the Qa’im must needs be born, such a one they would account an infidel, and would cause the sentence of death to be executed upon him—nay, would even deem it an obligation. Secondly, they spoke of his being in Jabulqa and Jabulsa; likewise they accounted him rejected who denied this saying. Thirdly, they held as an assured and settled doctrine the “finality,” maintaining that after that none would ever come; and if any soul believed that a Manifestation would yet appear, they would regard him as an infidel and rejected, and reckon him among the inmates of the Fire.

Fourthly, they had certain notions current amongst them regarding the Resurrection, and deemed those who denied them to be unbelievers. Fifthly, as to the vision of God, they considered those who affirmed it to be infidels. Sixthly, they spoke of the Sirat, to what a degree were they devoted to vain imaginings in this respect! Seventhly, they spoke of the “raising,” all of them being agreed that from outward graves the decayed bones must arise; and they accounted the deniers as infidels—and the like of these questions, as many as were in their hands.

Let thine honoured self consider: in not one of these assertions were that people truthful. There is no doubt of it; nay, thou thyself dost testify that they spoke thereof without being aware, even as, in the Manifestation of the Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all else save Him be a sacrifice unto Him—the falsity of them all became evident, inasmuch as whatsoever they possessed was contrary to the Cause of God; so much so that it was as though not a single true matter had remained in the hands of that people. They would utter all these questions without perceiving it, and would deem them the truth, and would declare the denier rejected; yet thou thyself dost acknowledge that they understood none of these matters, and that what they spoke was sheer falsehood and manifest fabrication.

In like manner, compare the rest of the sayings of that people with the matters aforementioned, and cleanse and sanctify the heart from them all. For in this day the chiefs of the Bayan have cast men into such vain imaginings that, by the Truth, no community among the former peoples hath been tainted with the like; and they have busied themselves with the very proofs wherewith the basest of the people of the Furqan were wont to argue, and take pride therein, perchance by these illusory utterances they may deprive mankind of the Beauty of the Chosen One.

As to the questions which thou hast set forth: first, thou didst write that whensoever we contemplate the world of creation, it is observed that gold and ruby, ere they attain unto the stage of perfection, may possibly become corrupted, whereas after they have reached maturity no way is left for such corruption. Yea, questions of this kind have been asked, and from the Most Exalted Pen—may the spirit of all else save Him be a sacrifice unto Him—an answer hath been revealed. Seek it out with diligence, perchance thou mayest attain unto that which sufficeth all the worlds.

Be it, moreover, known unto thee that—even granting the state of “goldness” and “rubyness”—who is there that hath any sure knowledge thereof? Nay, the very essence of goldness is not known. But even should it be so, we say, in the first place: this incapacity belongeth indeed to the realm of the contingent; yet God is powerful over all things. He transformeth whatsoever He willeth. Should He desire to turn the gold of the world into copper, He is free to do so, and able; and if He willeth, He createth the possibility of change in all things by His command, and then altereth them by His sovereignty; verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

And beyond this: gold itself becometh copper, even as the Pen of God hath written; and He hath said that whoso denieth this, let him come into His presence and behold it. Moreover, the sages have declared that gold, if it remain in earth for a time, is changed into earth. But apart from the sayings of the philosophers, there is the saying of God Himself:

“All have I created from dust, and unto dust will I return them.”

It is therefore established that gold becometh dust; and dust—most certainly—is baser than copper. Likewise, a ruby, after it is cast into the fire, becometh as a thing of ashes.

Assume the heart of the believer to be as a ruby. This “rubyness” is true of it only so long as the fire of turning away toucheth it not; but after it hath encountered that fire, it will assuredly be reduced to ashes. This is manifest unto every discerning eye.

Furthermore, no one is aware of divine wisdom to understand what it requires or does not require. Whatever matter appears from His sacred presence is itself the decree that required it to appear. If it was not required, it would not have appeared. Therefore look to the decree itself that has become manifest, rather than imagining in vain that such-and-such does not accord with wisdom.

You had also written, and this is its form:

“As for religious law, after reaching forty years which is true Islam, it is against wisdom for a believer to turn back or become veiled—what do you say about this?”

Consider those believers who were present at the beginning of this wondrous Revelation—they were all among the clergy whose obedience you considered obligatory and deemed obedience to God. What happened that suddenly the decree of unbelief was applied to all except those souls who believed and acknowledged the truth, even if they were among the lowliest of servants? As was observed, those who were not known for scholarship and whom no one paid attention to—when they attained faith in the truth, verses of purification and infallibility were revealed concerning them and they were counted among the Prophets and saints in God’s presence. And regarding infallibility, the Primal Point, exalted and glorified be He, hath declared that whosoever believeth in Him is infallible, and whosoever believeth not is bereft of infallibility. He hath further declared that infallibility is not what the followers of the Qur’an have imagined, who have regarded religious precautions as infallibility. Rather, infallibility belongeth to him who, at the time of the Manifestation, believeth in God, even though he be accounted among the lowliest of creation. Therefore, turn your gaze away from these considerations and fix your eyes upon God and that which proceedeth from His presence, that ye may behold yourselves sanctified from all such questions and doubts.

And furthermore you wrote concerning a tradition that says a Sunni can become Shi’ih but a Shi’ih cannot become Sunni. This is merely a vain imagination that existed among the people of the Furqan. You must surely purify your heart from such utterances. Have you not observed that the Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all within the heaven of might be His sacrifice—states in the Persian Bayan that oftentimes the Tree of Affirmation is considered as the Tree of Negation at the time of the next Manifestation, and likewise Negation becomes Affirmation. Reflect upon this Persian passage so that you may comprehend all the divine mysteries.

The Sunnis at least believe the Qa’im must be born, but those whom you call Muslims—their divines have not even grasped this much. Consider how all the Shi’ih divines did not understand even as much as a single Sunni divine, as evidenced by Muhyi’d-Din, who was among the Sunni mystics and explicitly foretold His Holiness’s birth in Persia, saying “A male child will be born in Persia.” He explicitly mentioned the appearance, birth and blessed name, as His Holiness the Exalted One—may our spirits be sacrificed for His sake—Himself cited these words as proof. Yet the Shi’ih divines were heedless of all these matters and even considered believers to be infidels.

What these divines perpetrated was something that neither Jews nor Christians would do, let alone Sunnis—they suspended that Temple of the Divine Purpose in the air and martyred Him with utmost tyranny. The curse of God be upon the oppressors! And if even one Shi’ih became aware of two words of truth, they excommunicated him and issued a death sentence against him, as happened with Shalmaghani who explicitly made mention and whose words the Primal Point—may the spirit of all in the kingdom be His sacrifice—quoted and cited as evidence in His own Cause:

“O seeker from the Hashimite house and denier from the Khusrawi house, He has disappeared in relation to the Persian lineage in the noble Persian descent.”

Now observe how he mentioned His birth, His appearance from Persia, as well as His appearance from the line of Rida. Nevertheless they excommunicated him and ordered his execution until he was killed, as you all know, and even now they continue to curse him. Such is the condition of these people. Therefore it is a pity for one to recall what is in the possession of this sect.

Now regarding what is mentioned, observe for yourself whether it is truth or spoken from desire. Thus it is that at the time of every Manifestation, all on earth stand equal before God. Whoever from any group believes becomes counted before God among the people of faith, affirmation and the exalted ones. And whoever does not attain to faith is and will be reckoned among the people of denial, the debased, the rejectors and negation. For example, today as the Supreme Lord—may the spirit of all else be His sacrifice—says to Aqa Siyyid Yahya:

“If I knew that on the Day of the next Manifestation you would not believe, I would today pass the judgment of unbelief regarding you. And if I knew that one of the Christians would believe in Him, I would surely make him the apple of Mine eye this day and would pronounce the decree of faith concerning him. Therefore, on this Day turn your gaze away from all else but God and fix it upon the Manifestation Himself. Whosoever believeth in Him, count him among the people of truth, affirmation and faith, even though he be of the lowliest in the Bayan; and whosoever believeth not in Him, reckon him among the people of negation and hell-fire, even though he be of the most exalted in the Bayan. This is the truth, and after truth there is naught but error.”

What benefit is there in mentioning aught but truth, or in the sayings of people—what this sect sayeth or hath said? Leave these mentions to themselves and strive to be counted among those companions mentioned in the Ahsanu’l-Qisas, where He, exalted be His remembrance, saith:

“Verily God hath created around that Gate seas of crimson elixir, and animals bearing the desired fruit, and He hath ordained for it ships of moist red ruby wherein none shall embark save the people of Baha, by God’s leave, the Most High; and He is God, the Mighty, the All-Wise.”

This is what the Primal Point—may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake—hath announced. How blessed, then, are they who are established in this most glorious and ancient Ship, who traverse the crimson sea and witness the manifestations of glory, the signs of oneness, the conclusive decree, and the gems of divine craftsmanship.

Section 2: “Furthermore, let thy honoured self ponder and reflect…”

Furthermore, let thy honoured self ponder and reflect: hast thou ever heard, in the whole realm of creation, or beheld, aught resembling this Most Great Manifestation—that a solitary soul, though all the peoples and all besides them be averse and turn away in the utmost degree, should arise and stand forth; and that Blessed Person, alone and unaided, should rise up against all, should speak and hold converse with them? Even as is evident unto thine own self, how arduous was the Cause in former days—so much so that no one was able to make mention of it in any province. Yet now, by the grace of God, it hath come to pass that in every land the banners of the Word have been uplifted: in ʿIraq and in the Arab countries—wherein all that people take pride in this name—and likewise in other realms it hath become so widely renowned that the greater part of men are filled with wonder and are moved to contemplation.

And had the deniers of the Bayan not raised objections after the manner of those who deem themselves independent, it would now be seen that the majority of the inhabitants of the earth would have attained unto this Cause and submitted thereto. And though all this exaltation and manifestation hath been brought about through the Blessed Person of the Beauty of Abha—may the spirit of all else save Him be a sacrifice unto Him—and all bear witness thereto save the hateful and the fanatical, yet those souls who were even numbered among the friends, and who had been preserving themselves and hiding within chambers and upper rooms, no sooner did the fragrance of assurance waft, and the breeze of glory pass by, than they came forth and rose up to wage war against the Ancient Beauty. Therefore was this sent down from the Kingdom of Eternity:

“O God! curse the first oppressor who oppressed the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation, and disbelieved in His verses, and warred against Him in his own person, and disputed by his sovereignty, and associated partners with Him in his very self, and denied His words, and turned away from His Beauty, and was of them that joined partners with God—written in the Tablets of God by the Pen of Holiness.”

And thou didst also say that the shepherd of the flock must be trustworthy. The mention of this hath flowed from the Pen of God; God willing, thou wilt be honoured by beholding it. For a thousand years the shepherds of the flock have all been wolves, even as in the year sixty this became manifest. Such is the meaning of the Day whereon secrets shall be tried. Now tell me, I beseech thee: why did God deliver men into the hands of wolves? If thou sayest,

“These wolves were not wolves until the time of the appearance; and at the moment of the Manifestation, when they turned away from the Truth, the sentence of wolfishness was pronounced upon them,”

then apply that same judgement now. The Manifestation is manifest, and all who turn away are accounted, in the sight of God, as wolves.

O my lord! Purge and sanctify the ear of the heart and the eye of the inner vision from all these veils and defilements; and know thou the Truth to “do whatsoever He willeth and decree whatsoever He pleaseth.” For whosoever boweth himself to this all-embracing Word will, in no matter, raise objection against the Sovereign of creation. After the setting forth of the conclusive Proof, whatsoever He saith is, and shall ever be, the very truth.

And thou didst further write that there are some whose word is this: that in the blessed Epistle of Khal—which was written by the Pen of Him Who is the Lord of bounties—argument hath been drawn from the verses of the Furqan; and from this it appeareth that the way of God hath not changed. Glory be to God! How strange that they have not perceived this matter, so plain and evident. First, that in that Epistle are recorded wondrous divine verses which have been revealed from the tongue of the All-Glorious One—exalted be His majesty and His power. Second, that it is most clear that speech is measured according to the capacity of minds. That Epistle was written because certain of the kindred of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else save Him be sacrificed unto Him—were in doubt concerning some matters, and had not yet passed from the Furqan unto the Bayan.

Therefore, for the people of the Furqan, proofs were adduced from Qur’anic verses, lest they be troubled, for they had not yet believed in the Bayan so that mention might be made to them of the wondrous verses of the Bayan. Otherwise, for them that have quaffed the Cup of everlasting life, no proof hath been, nor shall ever be, offered save by verses most wondrous and most glorious—whether from the Manifestation that preceded, or from the Manifestation that shall follow. And whatever else is mentioned is only in consideration of the weakness of servants; and God is, in truth, the Strong, the Almighty.

In any case, today you should act according to what has flowed from the Divine Pen in the Persian Bayan. As for what remains suspended in the heaven of God’s will, whoever needs clarification should ask the Source of grace and bounty so that an answer may be revealed. Although the deniers have written what they claim to be the completion of the Persian Bayan, they are unaware that they have committed a grave error, for this right belongs exclusively to the Manifestation of Truth Himself, and not to anyone else. If one reflects, their status is clear from their own words. Despite the fact that the Point of the Bayan, exalted and mighty is He, explicitly stated that no one should write laws or make the slightest change except the next Manifestation, who does what He wills, they have nevertheless recorded fabricated laws. God will never accept from them. Say: O servants! Detach yourselves from all save God, turn your gaze toward God, return unto God, journey in God, act for God, be martyred in God’s path, and draw breath in His good-pleasure. This is the petition of this servant to his Master.

You also mentioned that the Most Glorious Beauty, may our souls be sacrificed for all except Him, would partake of coffee and smoke the water pipe. Yes, in Baghdad, as you wrote, He would go to coffeehouses and partake of coffee and the water pipe, but this was to preserve the Bayan and its people. Beyond this, do not think ill of your Lord, for the Blessed Being has always been and will always be sanctified. Although whatever He does is permissible, you may ask those who entered the House of God in Iraq and attained His presence, so that you may become aware of His absolute sanctification, pure detachment, and supreme purification.

And further: concerning the blessed verse, “The Hour hath drawn nigh, and the moon hath been cleft asunder,” thou didst say that thou hadst reflected upon its number, and it accorded not; but it accordeth with this holy and self-subsisting Manifestation. Thou hast not been, nor art thou, informed of the time of the Manifestation; ponder, therefore, that thou mayest know. Yet leave aside the number, and fix thine gaze upon the verse itself—how plainly it proclaimeth the very truth of this Revelation. For it saith: “The Hour hath drawn nigh, and the moon hath been cleft asunder.” And in all the books they have interpreted the moon as the Wali, the sun as the Prophet, and the stars as the leaders and the divines. In the former Revelation—which is the Revelation of sixty—there was, according to men’s vain imagining, no Wali that should be cleft; for in that year there were only the divines. Now behold: in this Most Great Manifestation the Sun hath arisen, and the imagined Wali—according to men’s supposition—hath been cleft. Therefore say: Blessed be God, the Most Powerful of the powerful! And if thou wilt but meditate upon this single verse, it sufficeth thee and all who are in the Bayan.

And know thou moreover that the Beauty of Abha—exalted be His majesty—hath rejected no soul, nor raised objection against any. Nay, by Him in Whose grasp is the whole of creation! Rather have they that turn away from this Manifest Beauty been accounted by Him as idolaters and unbelievers.

Whosoever, therefore, denieth not the Primal Point in the vesture of the All-Glorious, and confesseth Him, is numbered, in the sight of God, among the people of abiding life—even though he be the most abject of men. But whosoever turneth away is recorded, in the sight of God, among the people of perdition—even though he be the most exalted of created things. Yet as for that well-known person, he openly objected to the Truth, and—by God, besides Whom there is none other—arose to slay the divine Tree. How then can such a one be accounted among the affirmed in the sight of God? Such a person is assuredly of the people of fire, of negation, and of the nether prison; and unto him shall be ascribed all the evils of the world. By God! mankind are sunk in mere fancy. Would that thou couldst see and be informed concerning the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else save Him be sacrificed unto Him—that whatsoever he possesseth is from the bounty of the Beauty of Abha, may the spirit of the worlds be offered up for Him; even as at this moment there appear, in the servants of His threshold, innate traces and spiritual signs in such wise that they have not, nor ever had, any portion thereof of themselves.

And further: concerning the verse, “On that day some faces shall be whitened,” it hath been mentioned that eighty years are the years of the Manifestation: the first dawning was in nine, and with the completion of eighty the Revelation was made manifest in full ascendancy, dominion, and power, even as thou hast heard. And seven years thereafter are the years of hardship, even as their mention is set down in the Tablets of God. And in eighty-eight shall the faces of those who are wholly for God, severed from all besides Him, and victorious over the enemies of God, be seen. Strive thou, therefore, that, God willing, thou mayest be numbered among them—though already some holy souls have appeared whose countenances, by their light, have illumined the faces of the dwellers of the heavens. Well is it with the discerning!

Again, at the end of this saying it hath occurred unto this servant to submit mention of those souls who, in the beginning of the Bayan, believed with the utmost faith in the Beauty of the Merciful, and then, after the passing of a year, or two, or more or less, became unbelievers, and arose in utmost opposition.

Although this matter was mentioned before, there is no harm in repeating any subject, as it has been and will be the cause of steadfastness for the believers. Therefore it is submitted that among the early believers was Khar Valiyani, who was the first to believe and for about a year or more would mount pulpits to promote the Cause and prove its truth, presenting proofs of the truth of Truth, yet afterwards became such an opposer that he issued death sentences against all pure souls. And there were many like him, including Mulla Muhammad-Taqiy-i-Haravi, Mulla Abdu’l-Ali, Mirza Ibrahim-i-Shirazi and others who were all believers but became deniers after a year or two. Apart from these, have you not heard the stories of old, as has now flowed from the Pen of God, about Balaam who was one of the saints and successors of his age whom all the world considered it obligatory to mention, yet when the Interlocutor appeared from the dawning-place of the Cause, he objected to Him and was counted among the idolators?

Likewise Judas Iscariot who was one of the twelve apostles of the Gospel yet delivered Jesus Himself to the Jews, as is recorded in detail in the original Book. And besides these, Satan who was the teacher of the Kingdom in the heavens and was known in each heaven by one of the most beautiful names, yet in the end through one act of pride was counted among the wicked and numbered with the infidels. In any case, you should reflect on these matters and not be heedless of the truth due to such vain words.

Furthermore, observe in the “Istidlaliyyih” of Shaykh Kazim, who drank from the cup of immortality from holy fingers and was recorded by the Pen of God in the tablets of glory as being among the people of Baha, that at the beginning of the tablet he presents as proof this blessed verse revealed from the most exalted holy tongue, His word exalted be His mention: “Say: O God! Thou art the God of Gods! Thou givest divinity to whom Thou willest and takest it from whom Thou willest” to the end of His utterance, exalted be His mention. Then after that His word exalted be His mention: “Say: O God! Thou art the Lord of the heavens and earth” to the end of that verse.

After stating that divinity and lordship are bestowed on whomever He wishes and taken from whomever He wishes, still you doubt that a believer can become an infidel and that a ruby can change. All these degrees are in the grasp of God’s Will—He bestows whenever He wishes and takes away whenever He wishes, and He shall not be questioned about what He does. In any case, purify your heart from these stations and look to that which is evident as the sun in the midst of heaven. And these answers that I have submitted are so that you may convey them to the people lest they slip from the straight path due to such doubts. God willing, you must at all times be occupied with promoting the manifest Cause.

And these answers which I have submitted are intended so that you may convey to the people lest they slip from the straight path due to such doubts. You must, God willing, be engaged at all times in teaching the Manifest Cause, detached from all who are in the heavens and earth, for I have witnessed countless divine favors bestowed upon you in these days, as evidenced in the noble Tablet specifically revealed for you from the heaven of holiness, and likewise in another Tablet being sent at this time. We hope that after reading it, you will arise with all your heart and soul to serve God in such wise that you may wholly purify your heart from all else but Him and sanctify your tongue from mention of aught save Him. And God willing, you shall thereafter become the recipient of special favors from God, if you remain steadfast in your Lord’s Cause and be of the firm ones. And the Glory be upon you and upon those with you among God’s assured servants.

He is God

Regarding what was previously mentioned about the ruby, it has become necessary to explain it in detail. In rubies various types and different colors are observed. All of its colors are altered in fire and its freshness and delicacy are lost, except for the pomegranate-colored and the crimson types—these two, if they encounter mild fire from behind a veil, their color somewhat increases […] But if it encounters the fire that is known among the philosophers, it will certainly change, and if it touches the fire known in natural craft as red sulfur, it will immediately calcify just as gold, silver, copper and other metallic bodies are calcified through various medicines. Thus have I mentioned this for you that you may become informed and be of those who are informed. And beyond this, verily your Lord has power over all things, and it behooveth no one to doubt God’s power. This indeed is the truth, and after truth there is naught but error. Praise be to God, the Lord of grandeur and majesty.

And say at the end: O God! Curse the first oppressor who oppressed the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation, who denied His signs, who fought against His Self, who disputed His sovereignty, who associated partners with His Being, who denied His words, who turned away from His beauty, and who was recorded among the ungodly in God’s tablets by the Most Holy Pen.

The servant of God and His bondsman, Aqa Jan

BH11688: A brief account of this servant is that after…

A brief account of this servant is that after the ascension of the Most Great Luminary to the Most Holy Exalted Companion due to the oppression of the polytheists, this servant became bewildered in the land of Kaf, wondering what duty was incumbent upon him this day and in what direction he should turn, until it was heard that the Most Luminous Beauty of Abha had rent asunder the veils in the region of Iraq and was shining forth like the sun from behind the clouds.

Therefore, casting aside self and all that pertained to this servant, whether from father or mother, and turning wholly unto God and the Kaaba of His presence, I left the aforementioned city without provisions or mount, as some of the people of that land can testify. Thereafter, wandering lost and bewildered in the deserts of separation, with my gaze fixed upon the direction of the All-Merciful, I walked with utmost speed until the path ended at the tumultuous sea.

God is witness to my state when I was afflicted by waves such that there remained no hope of survival, to the extent that all the seafarers lay unconscious and prostrate upon the deck of the ship, until through the winds of the All-Merciful’s grace and the favors of His glorious bounty, I was brought from the abyss of extinction to the shore of deliverance.

After disembarking from the ship, once again for two consecutive months I journeyed through perilous deserts, and on some days such thirst overtook me that I feared perishing, until after countless hardships I arrived in the land of Taff and inhaled the fragrances of the Beloved from the glorious garment of the Desired One. Yet I knew not from which direction this spiritual breeze was wafting until someone informed me that the Most Glorious Sun had risen in one of the dwellings.

This servant hastened with all his soul until he stood before the All-Merciful. At the moment of standing, outwardly He spoke not a word, but inwardly it was observed that a most subtle and delicate breeze was wafting from behind a hundred thousand thousand veils, as if with this breeze He was striking a chord in the innermost heart of all things, and from those strikes strange and wondrous sounds were heard. Yet however much I strove to comprehend anything, I found myself impotent and wanting. However, at that moment it was observed that the fire of longing was kindled in all limbs, veins, organs, members, heart and soul, to such extent that its heat seemed to pervade all existing things.

O what joy from this Day which God made the first dawn of His Majesty’s sovereignty for His servant, and the first morning of the horizon of His knowledge for this evanescent one who at all times has held fast to the cord of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Although on that day I had no awareness of any direction and the veil had not been fully lifted that I might discover what lay concealed behind the pavilions of grandeur and glory, nevertheless the holy fragrances and the attractions of yearning from all directions had seized this wanting, evanescent one. God knows and recognizes what I perceived on that day without any outward means.

He knoweth what I experienced on that day, without intermediary, sign or limitation. Thus did the loving-kindness of the All-Merciful encompass me, if ye be of them that understand. Furthermore, certain wondrous verses and strange signs were observed from that glorious King of Oneness, such that none save the Exalted Truth could enumerate them. Were I to mention but some of these, I would need to compose an entire book. However, since brevity was intended in these Tablets, I have contented myself with this much.

During the period that this resplendent Beauty dwelt in that land, I would occasionally be granted permission to attain His presence, and people of all kinds would come and go. However, that exalted Being, through wondrous melodies of utterance and precious gems of mighty words, would summon the people to another place, such that if anyone expressed servitude to that manifest Beauty of glory, He would firmly forbid them. Yet this servant was perplexed as to how this Most Great Revelation and this mighty Cause could remain concealed or be veiled from the most discerning of the discerning.

After some time, He departed for Baghdad, and however much this servant sought permission to be honored with service, that I might not be deprived of the Beauty of the All-Glorious, He would not consent, and entrusted this servant in the land of Taff to Shaykh Abu-Turab.

After some time, with great hardship and countless difficulties, I went to the City of Peace [Baghdad], and whenever I desired to attain the Most Great Vision, He would forbid it and would give absolutely no one access, save a few who would occasionally come and go without permission. However much I tried to understand the reason for this prohibition, I could not comprehend it. Sometimes I would say it was because of the strangers that the devoted ones were forbidden, lest some corruption arise or sedition appear. Then I would observe that that Pre-existent Beauty had no such considerations whatsoever. At all times my perplexity increased, and occasionally when I was blessed to attain His presence, such sadness would be observed in that Blessed Beauty that my very being would tremble.

Until one night He went to Kazimayn, and it happened that on that night a few souls were present before the Throne. O what joy from that night wherein the lights of the Sun shone forth, and at every moment from the direction of the Throne there appeared effulgences, lights and brilliance that none would comprehend save His All-Knowing, All-Informed Self! I swear by the Sun of the sanctuary of meanings that such bounties were manifest and evident on that night that all the denizens of the most exalted paradise and the dwellers of the pavilion of sanctity and eternity were moved to ecstasy and joy. What more can I say of the manifestations of power that were revealed and evident on that blessed night!

Nevertheless, in that manifest Beauty signs of grief were so evident that the people of that gathering, despite those manifestations of attraction and longing, became inwardly sorrowful and grief-stricken, until the command was given that all should sleep. After all had fallen asleep, a cup from the ocean of eternity was bestowed upon this servant, such that were I to attempt to describe it, I would find myself utterly powerless and wanting, and no ear could bear to hear it. The night drew to a close and dawn broke, and that Sun of sanctified glory, after taking tea, returned to the Abode of Peace.

Those few of the loved ones who dwelt in that city were forbidden from attaining His presence, to such extent that even passing through the street where He resided was prohibited. Through day and night I was consumed with anguish, not knowing the cause of this supreme prohibition and who was responsible for this overwhelming sorrow which increased with each passing moment.

Some time passed thus, until one morning I arose and found myself in such agitation as I cannot possibly describe. I intended to turn towards the Beloved, that perchance I might attain His presence and find peace from this disturbance. When I arose and set forth, Aqa Ahmadi, who was in His service, met me and firmly and emphatically forbade me. Undeterred, I wandered the streets in utter bewilderment and agitation, unable to approach the vicinity of the blessed house, until one of the neighbors, who was not among the believers, brought news that the previous night that exalted Beauty had departed alone, singly, without informing anyone or letting any soul know, not even the members of His household, and none knew in which direction He had gone or what had become of Him. Now all the members of His household were engaged in lamentation and wailing in a state of agitation and trembling. Allah-u-Akbar! What grief encompassed all existence on that day, when that solitary and lonely Wronged One, without helper or supporter, set forth into the wilderness and informed no one, lest any soul become the cause of prevention or spread word among the people.

Then this servant and Mirza Muhammad who was in His service—in a state known only to God—set out for Samarra, hoping He might have gone there. Journeying unto God and trusting in Him, we reached the aforementioned place but found no trace of that Sun of divine glory. God alone knows in what state of grief, crying and lamenting we returned, disappointed, despairing and forsaken—though this servant had no intention of returning, and after failing to find the Beauty of the Intended One, had no thought except self-destruction.

In due time, circumstances were arranged and I attained the presence of that hidden person and served Him. Throughout day and night, I never showed a moment’s negligence or slackness. All the people of the Bayan who were in the City of God bear witness to this. While I was engaged in this service, certain unpleasant winds blew which caused great pain to the heart. However, since I regarded that place as sanctified above all that God abhors, I attributed all such things to other causes and calmed my heart.

During this period of Greater Occultation, such humiliations were visited upon the Cause that none of the friends could meet with one another. For instance, if one of the companions needed to meet with the honored Kalim, he had to come for half an hour in the darkness of night and then return. The few companions who resided in that land lived in such abasement and degradation that its mention would cause distress. In the surrounding regions too, only a few could be found who claimed adherence to this Cause, and even these few were in the utmost state of dejection and withering. I swear by the Beauty of the Beloved that the fire of God’s Cause had been so extinguished that it seemed as if all vigor and movement had been forbidden to all.

We remained in this trial and tribulation for two years or less, during which no trace appeared from that Resplendent and Most Glorious Beauty to indicate in which land He dwelt or in which direction He had turned. All the members of the household were engaged in lamentation and weeping. The reason for this migration, which I later discovered, I hesitate to mention lest doubtful souls become disturbed. However, some of the friends secretly learned of it and kept it concealed.

Then Shaykh Sultan resolved to travel through the lands, hoping to bring news of that Divine Joseph and bestow glad tidings upon the withered hearts. After traveling through various regions for two months without finding any trace, he arrived in Sulaymaniyyih. There, upon inquiry, one of the shaykhs informed him that such a Person as he described dwelt alone on a mountain three days’ journey from that city, and that the path was completely blocked from coming and going—no one could proceed in that direction. However, the shaykh offered to send someone specifically to bring Him back.

After extreme difficulty and hardship, the Beauty of Oneness arrived in Sulaymaniyyih. Though He insisted that the Shaykh return to Baghdad while He would return to His place on the mountain, the Shaykh would not accept and begged that if He would not come to Baghdad, then at least allow him to remain in His service.

In brief, after twenty-two days, that All-Knowing Beauty returned to Baghdad in a state of utter need and distress. He bestowed fresh life upon lifeless bodies and adorned withered spirits with a new and wondrous raiment. At every moment a sovereignty was manifested from that Beauty of the All-Merciful and a power was revealed, and He encompassed all to such an extent that all the people of Baghdad, whether learned or ignorant, merchant or craftsman, all arose to obey Him and girded themselves to serve Him out of love, save for a few malicious ones.

This station needs no mention, for like the sun at its zenith He was ever resplendent with the utmost power and glory, such that the banner of the Most Great Name was raised in all lands and the standards of His Cause were planted in every region. None has denied or will deny this supreme grace and greatest gift, save the perverse and the malevolent. He manifested Himself through the name of the All-Powerful to such a degree that Baghdad became the dwelling-place of the loved ones and the gathering-place of the companions. Every wanderer from this band who had no power to remain in his own land would turn his face toward that direction. Thus does the bounty of your All-Glorious Lord flow, if you be of them that know….

BH00105: To be typed

To be typed.

BH00154: This is a prayer that was sent down…

Section 1: “This is a prayer that was sent down…”

This is a prayer that was sent down on the first day of the month of fasting. Well is it with him that supplicateth God—his Lord, the Most Great, the Almighty, the All-Knowing—therewith.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Eternal, through which the Manifestations of Thy Cause have existed perpetually; by Thy Name, the All-Sufficing, through which every need of the Embodiments of Thy Revelation hath been satisfied; by Thy Name, the Lord of Wealth, through which the dawning-places of Thine inspiration have been made so rich as to be self-sufficient; by Thy Name, the Ever-Abiding, through which the signs of Thy kingdom and the evidences of Thy dominion have been made to subsist forevermore; by Thy Name, the All-Wise, through which the Repositories of Thy sovereignty were vouchsafed with abiding endurance; by Thy Name, the Most Compassionate, through which every being hath entreated Thy mercy; by Thy Name, the All-Powerful, through which all living things have implored Thy strength; by Thy Name, the All-Knowing, through which the Manifestations of Thy knowledge have appeared amidst Thy creation; and by Thy Name, the All-Subduing, through which Thou hast caused Thy most exalted Word to conquer all who are in heaven and on earth, to send down upon Thy loved ones—from the heaven of Thy Will—what will make them able to dispense with all else but Thee, and detach them from all else except Thee.

Send down upon them, moreover, that which shall empower them to vanquish Thine enemies, who have disbelieved in him who is the manifestation of Thine Essence and the Dawning-Place of Thy Signs. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the All-Wise.

O Thou Who art my God, my Master, my Beloved, my highest Hope, and mine ultimate Aspiration! Remove not far from Thee him that hath sought nearness unto Thee, and cast not away him that hath set his face towards the transcendent court of Thy singleness and the hallowed precincts of Thy oneness. Enable them to hear, then, what shall cause them to soar in the atmosphere of their longing for Thee and the firmament of their rapture of Thee, in such wise that they shall become oblivious of all that is not Thee, and moved to celebrate Thy mention and praise. By Thy glory! Whoso remaineth deprived of the sweetness of Thy remembrance hath, in truth, been kept back from every good thing.

For such a one, his death would be better than his life, and his extinction preferable to his continuance. As to me, and to this Thy glory beareth me witness, I am bewildered at them that have withheld themselves from the wonders of Thy remembrance, and have busied themselves with the mention of aught else but Thee. I swear by the power of Thy might that, for them that have tasted the sweetness of communion with Thee, Paradise itself—and whatever of Thy wondrous gifts and favors as can be found therein—can never compare with even a single mention of Thee. Debar me not therefrom, then, and deprive me not thereof. I beseech Thee, moreover, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of decree, to stir me with the winds of Thy Will as Thou pleasest, that I may turn towards that which is met with Thy love and good-pleasure, and repudiate that which Thou abhorrest, O Thou in Whose grasp are the kingdoms of this world and of the next. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful, Whose help is implored by all men.

Lauded be Thy Name, O Lord my God! Every time I am reminded of Thee, I find that Thine awful majesty and power have kept me back, for such remembrance itself beareth witness to my powerlessness to conceive of anything but that which is inevitably different from Thee. This having been established, how can my mention ever ascend unto Thee, or my praise ever adequately befit Thee? Nay, all these are the products of my self and the imaginings of mine inmost being. I flee, therefore, O my God, from such blasphemy unto him who is the king of Thy unity, and I supplicate Thee to nourish me with the chalice quaffed by such of Thy creatures as believe in Thy oneness, and by such of Thy creation as are detached from all else but Thee, who behold in all things the signs of Thy splendor and the evidences of Thy singleness.

As to them that have joined partners with Thee, and have asserted any relationship between Thy creation and Thyself, they have failed to recognize Thee and attain to Thy knowledge. They, amongst all created things, are the farthest removed from Thee and the most ignorant in Thine estimation. Too exalted art Thou to be associated with anything but Thyself, or to be mentioned with a remembrance other than Thine. From everlasting Thou hast been alone with no one else beside Thee, and to everlasting Thou wilt continue to be one and the same.

To none is given the ability to apprehend Thine essence. Every mention of Thee, irrespective of the one who maketh it, must refer ultimately to the most exalted Word and the preexistent Pearl. This is none other than the Primal Will and the Original Point—the initial indication of Thy Revelation and the first of Thine effulgences. This Thou didst generate of its own substance, and didst shed Thy splendor upon it through Thine all-glorious Name. Subsequently, the heavens shone forth with the light of Thy knowledge, and the earth was illumined with the rays of Thy countenance. Thou didst make this Point the very source of all creation, and the furthest Limit to which it may attain. Therewith didst Thou make distinctions among Thy creatures, for through it hath every true believer professed his faith, and by it was every infidel seized with terror. He that supplicateth Thee with this Point is, in truth, of them that have supplicated Thee through Thy Self, and he that rejecteth it hath, verily, failed to supplicate Thee, though he call on Thee for as long as Thy sovereignty shall endure and Thine Essence shall exist.

Is there any one, O my God, that hath supplicated Thee through this Point whom Thou didst not summon in return? Hath there ever been any one who hath set his face towards thee therewith unto whom Thou didst not turn towards to meet his gaze? Hath any one on Thine earth ever made mention of Thee thereby whose name Thou didst not remember in the heaven of Thy Revelation? Nay, and to this Thy glory beareth me witness, for Thy remembrance hath encompassed all things, even as Thy mercy hath encompassed all creation. But for Thy remembrance, who could make mention of Thee? And if not for the knowledge of Thy Self, who would there be to recognize Thee?

When Thy remembrance encompassed Thy servants, they arose to make mention of Thee and celebrate Thy praise; and when Thou didst reveal unto them the paths of nearness unto Thee, and didst show them the ways of Thy good-pleasure, they turned their faces, from every direction, towards the lofty court of Thy oneness and the exalted sanctuary of Thy singleness; and when Thou didst impart unto them Thy love, they leapt forth to assist Thy Cause, and were enraptured by the signs of Thy transcendent sovereignty; and so great waxed their devotion unto Thee that they readily offered up their substance and their very selves in Thy path. I swear by Thy glory, O Best-Beloved of the worlds—Thou Who art the Desire of every yearning soul, and the Ecstasy of every pure heart—that when I quaffed the cup of Thy love, I arose, by Thy power and Thy might, to render Thy Cause victorious, and that I was, moreover, able to dispense with the love of all else but Thee, and every mention other than Thine.

Blessed is he that hath drunk deep therefrom—he that hath hastened unto the ways of Thy good-pleasure and the paths of Thy favors—for he, verily, is one of the richest of Thy servants, and is accounted in Thy sight as among the most exalted of men.

As to me, O my God, so intense hath become my love for Thee that I detest the thought that aught else but me should love Thee; indeed, he that loveth Thee is none other than me. The full measure of Thy love have I chosen to accept, and every tribulation have I consented to face in Thy path. Would that there were none but me to love Thee, and that every calamity borne in Thy path would be mine alone to bear! For Thou, in truth, hast ordained for the one who loveth Thee such adversity as is without parallel in Thy knowledge—and this adversity is a thing despised by most of Thy servants, as a means of protecting themselves and preserving their possessions. I, however, am he who hath been able to dispense, through Thy remembrance, with the mention of the entire creation, and he who hath consented to sustain, in Thy love, all the harm at the world’s disposal.

O would that Thou wouldst impart unto Thy servants the things Thou didst impart unto me, and reveal unto them what Thou hast revealed unto me! Blessed is he who in Thy path hath been beset, at the hands of Thy wicked servants, with the swords of hatred and enmity. Such souls as this have, verily, drunk deep from the chalice of Thy mercy and beneficence; they have enjoyed communion with Thee through Thy remembrance and praise, and the affairs of this world have not deterred them from setting their faces towards Thy countenance. Happy is he that hath communed intimately with Thee and detached himself from all creation, O Adored One of all that is seen and unseen!

How, then, O Thou Who art the Creator of Baha and his sole Desire, can I befittingly recount the wonders of Thy mercy that have pervaded me, and the evidences of Thy bounty that have encircled me? I was fast asleep, O my God, upon the couch of forgetfulness and negligence, when lo, the sweet savors of the raiment of Thy Name, the Most Merciful, were wafted over me. They roused me from my slumber, and moved me to sing Thy praise before the peoples of the earth. Thereafter I arose and summoned all mankind to accept Thy transcendent and most exalted Being. Among them were those who repudiated Thee, gainsaid Thy signs, and rejected Thy tokens in this Revelation, wherein Thou hast manifested Thy Self through Thy Name, the All-Glorious.

Others hesitated in their belief and rebelled against Thee, notwithstanding that what I had conveyed unto them were the very things Thou didst teach me from Thy hidden knowledge, and that what I had revealed unto them were none other than what Thou didst enable me to recognize from among Thy treasured mysteries. I called upon them to observe that which had been sent down in the Bayan, and apprised them of such things as would enable them to recognize Thy Manifestation, whereunto they had been bidden aforetime in the Tablets of Thy behest and the Books of Thy decree. At this they were stricken with terror; they bewailed it, rejected it, and waxed proud before it—except for them that were born anew through the sweet savors of Thy most resplendent signs that have been diffused in this Dispensation, whereby the firmament of vain imaginings hath been cleft asunder, and the idols of men have been abolished by the arm of Thy power, O Thou in the grasp of Whose might are the dominion of decree and the kingdoms of earth and heaven.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most august attributes, and by Thy Name, which Thou hast raised up above every other name and hast caused to overshadow all that are in heaven and all that are on earth—a Name through which Thou didst foster fellowship and make distinction, and didst establish as the decisive Standard in both the beginning and in the end—to so open the eyes of Thy servants that they shall see with Thine eyes and recognize Thee through Thy Self, and turn away from them that have disbelieved in Thee, have gainsaid Thy sovereignty, have taken unto themselves a lord other than Thee, and have made aught else but Thee the object of their adoration. Abandon them not, O my Lord, to themselves, and leave them not to their corrupt desires. Take Thou their hands with the hand of Thy power and Thy grace, and protect them from Thy wicked servants who whisper in men’s breasts, and in so doing prevent them from attaining the shores of Thy oneness and from entering the depths of Thine all-glorious unity.

O my Lord! Illumine the eyes of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge, and give them to drink of those living waters that shall detach him that quaffeth them from the kingdoms of heaven and earth; shall prompt him to turn, with his all, towards Thee; and shall cause him to abide beneath the shade of Thine all-glorious Name, which Thou hast made the sword of Thy Cause amidst Thy creation, and whereby Thou hast separated between the well-favored and the wayward, between light and darkness, between felicity and misery, and between the exponents of truthfulness and the embodiments of denial. He whose sight hath been illumined with the light of Thy Most Great Name hath, in truth, been created anew and raised up at Thy behest, O Lord of the throne on high and of earth below.

Such a one is, indeed, a new creation in Thy realm, fashioned by the fragrances that have been wafted in Thy days. He is recreated through that which he uttereth in Thy remembrance and praise, though he repeat such things as have been ever said in Thy glorification. Such is the station of Thy servants that have been brought into being through the movement of Thy Supreme Pen in the kingdom of creation. And yet, Thy wicked servants reject Thy verses, O Thou Who art without peer on earth or in heaven, and would fain deny their novelty—notwithstanding that through these verses the very concept of novelty hath been established, and that if not for them originality itself would never have come into existence.

Section 2: “I weep, therefore, and with me weep also…”

I weep, therefore, and with me weep also my pen and the Tablet upon which it doth write, by reason of the harm I have sustained and by virtue of the things that have befallen me at the hands of Thine enemies. Whensoever wax severe the calamities that have afflicted me, and have been perpetrated by these servants of Thine that have disbelieved in Thy most mighty signs, I look unto those of Thy gifts that Thou hast singled out for me, inasmuch as Thou hast fashioned me to be the very mention of Thy Self, and hast made whatsoever is manifested from me—be it my standing or my sitting, my walking or my sleeping—to be Thy remembrance amidst Thy creatures, and Thy praise before Thy servants. Indeed, all mine actions Thou hast made to be even as a single act of Thy remembrance. Praise be unto Thee, then, O my God, for this inestimable bounty and this priceless gift.

I beseech Thee, O my God and my Master, to ordain for Thy servants what Thou hast ordained for me. Make Thou no distinction between me and them, neither in this world nor in the world to come. Thou, verily, art the Fashioner of all creation. O my God! Make firm the leaves of this Tree, lest the tempests of trials should cause them to fall. Thou, in truth, art the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Beneficent. Deprive not, moreover, those of Thy servants that have set their faces towards Thee. Enable them, O my God, to bear witness to Thy oneness, to acknowledge Thy singleness, to recognize Thy sovereign might, to turn towards the sanctuary of Thy glory and grandeur, to repair unto Thee for refuge, and to seek Thy presence for protection.

Cast them not away, O my Lord, by Thy grace, and withhold them not from this river that hath flowed from the right hand of the throne of Thy oneness. Suffer them not, O my Lord, to be numbered with them that have broken Thy Covenant, violated Thy Testament, waxed proud before Thee, disputed Thy truth, rejected Thy grace, and turned away from Thee, all in spite of the fact that not a single word hath been inscribed by Thy Supreme Pen wherewith Thou didst not enter into a Covenant with me.

Thou didst condition all that hath been sent down in the Bayan upon mine acceptance and my behest, in such wise that if my mention and praise were to be effaced therefrom, not one word would remain thereof. Thou hast not, moreover, made my Cause dependent upon the approval of any one. And yet, look Thou upon Baha, O Thou Who art his Beloved, and behold what hath befallen him at the hands of Thine adversaries, O Thou Who art his heart’s desire! Thy might beareth me witness that not a single cry hath escaped the lips of Baha to bemoan the things that have befallen him in Thy path, O Thou Who art the Source and Center of his soul.

O would that the people of the Bayan not repeat the transgressions of peoples past! I swear by Thy glory, O Best-Beloved of Baha, that my bitter weeping hath prevented me from making Thy mention and celebrating Thy praise, O Thou in Whose hands are the dominion of decree and the kingdom of ordainment. I am he, O my God, whose love of Thee the enmity of Thine enemies hath failed to hinder, and the one whose praise of Thee the clamor raised by them that have disbelieved in Thy signs hath been powerless to silence. By Thy glory! Were all the peoples of the earth to unite against me in tyranny and oppression, verily my tongue would proclaim Thy mention and praise in their midst.

And were my tongue to be cut out, verily my heart would impart the things wherewith Thou didst inspire me through Thy bounty and beneficence. And were my heart to be severed from my body, verily my vitals, my limbs, and the hair of my head would shout aloud:

O my Lord! This is the one who is Thy light amidst Thy rebellious creatures. Look upon him, then, with the glances of Thy tender mercies. O my Lord! This is he who is mentioned in Thy Scriptures, Thy Books, and Thy Tablets. He is the one for whom Thou didst send down the Bayan to elevate his station, glorify his word, and exalt his Cause. He is the one Thou hast awakened every morning through Thy love of him, and hast laid down to rest every evening through Thy mention of him. Thou didst say, and Thine utterance is most sweet: “But for him, I would not have sent down the Bayan!” Thou didst also say, and Thy word is the truth: “The mention of every goodly thing hath been sent down in the Bayan. I have desired naught but Baha and his beauty.” Look Thou upon him, then, and behold him fallen amidst the people of the Bayan, O Thou Who verily revealed that Bayan!

How sweet, therefore, is the praise Thou givest to me, and the praise I give to Thee! Thou art He Who standeth self-sufficient above the need of any of His creatures. Thou art, moreover, the One Who hath desired to make mention of me in Thy remembrance, and I am the one who hath made no mention except to render Thee praise. Thou beholdest, O my God, how my heart hath been so intensely consumed in Thy love that if all the seas of the earth were to be poured upon that flame, they would be forever powerless to extinguish it, for my body, my soul, and mine inmost being have all been created through Thy love, and Thy love is eternal; it cannot die. Such is the station Thou hast graciously conferred upon me, and none shall ever have the power to lay their hands upon it, O Thou Whose remembrance is my solace and the delight of my heart, Whose decree is my desire, and Whose calamity is my companion.

O my God! Thou seest them that have dishonored Thy name, disgraced Thy Cause, broken Thy Covenant, perverted Thy word, renounced Thy laws, discarded Thy commandments, and caviled at this servant who hath vowed to lay down his life in Thy path—the one through whom Thy Cause hath gained renown, Thy praise hath been exalted, the light of Thy countenance hath shone forth, the Pavilion of Thy law hath been established, the Tabernacle of Thy glory hath been raised, the House of Thy Cause hath been built, the Temple of Thy holiness hath been erected, and the Sanctuary of Thy splendor hath been constructed.

Thou art well aware, O my God, of the lies they have spread and the calumnies they have uttered, and Thou knowest that the acts they have committed in the name of Thy religion have caused the denizens of the everlasting Cities to cry out in lamentation, and have made the Concourse on high to wail with grief. They have written against me, with the fingers of blasphemy, that which hath drawn the curse of the atoms of the earth, the malediction of the manifestations of divine unity, the imprecation of the dawning-places of oneness, the malison of the repositories of Thy revelation, and the execration of the treasuries of Thine inspiration. The wickedness of those wretched souls waxed greater and greater until they declared, in writing, “He hath abrogated the Bayan!”

And this notwithstanding that through me, the laws of the Bayan were revealed and the Sun of the Bayan shone forth, and that his mention hath been fulfilled in making mention of me—and that it was through me, moreover, that the meaning of his words was made clear and his mysteries were unveiled, and that it was through my arising that the letters of his writings were unfolded, his hidden treasures were made manifest, and the pearls of Thy knowledge and the gems of Thy wisdom concealed within him were divulged.

Thou knowest, O my God, that they had recognized Thy bounty, and yet they then rejected it, for Thou didst manifest me invested with that proof wherewith they laid claim to faith in Thee and in him who is the manifestation of Thy Self. Purify, then, their hearts, O my God, and illumine their eyes, that they may recognize Thee with Thine own eyes and detach themselves from all else but Thee. This I ask of Thee, O my God, though I see how they are wrapt even more densely in their veils than the followers of former religions. So wrapt are they in these veils that I myself cannot conceive of any people more wayward than they, nor any souls who have gone further astray.

They read the Bayan even as they reject the one who revealed it and pride themselves in their rejection, and cavil at him through whom Thy word and the Scrolls of Thy commandment have, from time immemorial, been revealed. I swear by Thy glory, O my God, that they have not believed in Thee, for had they believed, they would not have repudiated this Revelation, through which the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree have been made to sing the remembrance of Thy Name, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and through which the tongues of all things have been unloosed to yield Thee praise, O Thou Who art the Lord of this world and of the next. Every word revealed in the Bayan beareth witness that God, verily, beholdeth all things from the all-glorious horizon.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou hearest my groaning and my wailing, and perceivest what befalleth me at every moment at the hands of them who are the manifestations of Satan, the exponents of rebellion, the embodiments of envy, and the incarnations of infernal fire. Behold, O Thou Who hast called Thyself the God of Mercy! Seest Thou on Thine earth any one wronged like me, or any as stricken with sorrow as I? And this notwithstanding that it is through my joy that Thy lovers have soared to the sublimities of Thy nearness and delight, and they who yearn for Thee have ascended unto the heaven of Thy rapture and recognition!

This wronged one, O my God, hath sought the shelter of Thy justice, this lowly one hath longed to abide within the precincts of Thy glory, and this poor creature hath yearned to take refuge beneath the canopy of Thy wealth. Send down upon him, then, that which beseemeth Thee. He, in truth, hath had no desire but Thee, and He possesseth no such desire now. I adjure Thee by Thy power and might, O Thou Who art the King of Baha—Thou Who speakest within the breast of Baha, and rememberest within the heart of Baha! Send down, O my Lord, the word that shall strike the fear of God in the hearts of men, that they may shake off the slumber of their corrupt desires and turn their faces unto the Most Exalted Word, O Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below.

O my God, my Master, my heart’s desire! I bear witness that Thou indeed hast ever been the One Whom all things worship, one and alone, without peer or equal, eternal in the past, eternal in the future, ever-abiding, independent of all things, and self-subsisting. Thou hast taken neither partner nor peer unto Thyself. Unto Thy servants Thou didst send Thy messengers, and make them the repositories of Thy revelation and the treasuries of Thy knowledge, and send down unto them Thy Books in which Thou didst prescribe Thy laws and ordinances, until such time as the Scriptures were culminated through the revelation of the Bayan, and the Messengers attained their final consummation through the one Thou didst name ʻAli [The Bab] in the Realm of Decree and the Kingdom of Names. He, in truth, made himself manifest at Thy bidding, summoned all men unto Thee, and bore the glad-tidings of him whose advent Thou didst herald in Thy perspicuous verses and Thy weighty words. Through him, Thou didst prescribe the scope of Thy laws and ordinances, and didst give a distinct explanation of all things, in which Thou didst forbid Thy servants to shed the blood of them that have believed in Thee and have entered the stronghold of Thy command and Thy protection.

Section 3: “Thus hast Thou forbidden all peoples to take…”

Thus hast Thou forbidden all peoples to take the spouses of Thy messengers as their wives. This is one of Thy perspicuous laws and clear proscriptions, and it is of such great significance that it hath been revealed in all Thy Tablets, Thy Books, and Thy Scriptures. And yet, notwithstanding this clear ordinance and firm command, they have broken Thy Covenant, violated Thy Testament, and cast away what had been bidden them. They have enjoined that which had been forbidden them, and have grown so abject in their heedlessness that passion and desire have seized from them the reins of tranquility and shame, and compelled them to betray the consort of Thy Self [The Bab], the Exalted, the Most High.

Alas, alas, for the deeds he [Mirza Yahya] hath committed and the behavior he hath demonstrated! I swear by God that the veil of Thy sanctity hath been rent asunder amidst Thy creatures, that the Faithful Spirit hath lamented before Thy countenance, and that the eye of Baha hath wept sore by reason of this most great calamity and most dire tribulation. I swear, moreover, that there never befell any of Thy messengers or chosen ones what hath befallen him who is the revealer of Thy Cause—the one Thou didst make the embodiment of Thy sovereignty, the dayspring of Thy divinity, and the dawning-place of Thy supremacy. For this I have wailed aloud with grief, and indeed all things created through Thy most exalted Word have been made to wail.

O my God! Thou, verily, hast always existed, and wilt to eternity continue to exist. Thou didst not set down Thy laws or lay down Thy paths except to ensure the eternity of Thy remembrance amongst Thy creation and the glorification of Thy Cause amidst Thy people. And verily Thou, by Thy Self—the one true God—hast ever been and wilt ever be sanctified from the doings of men and the words of them who fain would praise Thee. Those people, O my God, have indeed felt no shame before Thee, inasmuch as they have dishonored Thee in Thy realm and refused to glorify Thee amidst Thy creatures. Where is the man of insight who will assist me in the midst of my bitter wailing, or the tender-hearted one who will join me in lamenting what hath befallen my Lover and my Beloved, the One Who maketh mention of me and the One of Whom I make mention?

Where is the fair-minded soul who will judge equitably what hath befallen him who is the manifestation of Thy Self at the hands of Thy most heedless servants? By Thy glory, O my God! Were I to be slain by the swords of men, I would cherish this fate more than remaining alive, and would thus behold that which no eye hath ever seen, O Thou in Whose hands are the dominions of earth and heaven.

The lust of leadership prompted that wretched one to shed the blood of him [Dayyan] whom Thou didst single out amidst Thy people, didst make the quintessence of Thy majesty, and didst name “the third Letter” to believe in the one Thou didst make manifest at Thy bidding. Thou didst reveal in the honor of that noble soul such things as have never been revealed for any one apart from him. And when his blood was shed, every trace of daylight was overtaken by darkness. Agitation took hold of every soul living in Baghdad, and they all were thrown into dire straits. Despite this, however, the perpetrators of that heinous crime failed to realize what they had done, and their wickedness and haughtiness waxed greater and greater until they sought to slay the One of Whom they had made mention in the daytime and in the night season.

Yet, Thou didst indeed preserve me by the power of Thy might, and didst protect me with Thine invisible hosts, in such wise that I was able—through Thy will and decree—to depart from the midst of those wicked souls. And when Thou didst frustrate their hopes through the power of Thy sovereignty, they wrote against me such vile things as caused their own pens, their fingers, their ink, their scrolls, and in truth the reality of all things to curse them. Raise up, then, O my God, pure hearts and discerning eyes, that they may look searchingly into Thy Cause and observe carefully what hath befallen Thee.

Alas, alas! The pages of the Bayan, and the eye of inner meaning enshrined within the words of the Bayan, have wept sore by reason of their deeds. They grew oblivious of their own selves and proclaimed,

“Verily, he whom Thou didst make manifest by Thy bidding hath abrogated the Bayan!”

And this notwithstanding that every man of insight will bear witness, were I to call upon them to do so, that the Bayan was revealed for my sake, that the law of the Bayan was fulfilled through my Revelation, and that Thou didst make all that had been revealed therein a gift unto me, conditioned by my leave and dependent upon my behest. Alas, alas! The hem of holiness hath been smirched with the dust of the calumnies of Thy foes, and the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee have been lacerated—at the hands of the rebellious among Thy people—by the things that have befallen him who is the beloved of them that have recognized Thee.

This is, O my God, the first of the days on which Thou hast bidden Thy loved ones to observe the Fast. I ask of Thee by Thy Self and by him who hath fasted out of love for Thee and for Thy good-pleasure—and not out of self and desire, nor out of fear of Thy wrath—and by Thy most excellent names and august attributes, to purify Thy servants from the love of aught except Thee and to draw them nigh unto the Dawning-Place of the lights of Thy countenance and the Seat of the throne of Thy oneness. Illumine their hearts, O my God, with the light of Thy knowledge and brighten their faces with the rays of the Daystar that shineth from the horizon of Thy Will. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

Assist them, O my God, to render Thee victorious and to exalt Thy Word. Suffer them, then, to become as hands of Thy Cause amongst Thy servants, and make them to be revealers of Thy religion and Thy signs amongst mankind, in such wise that the whole world may be filled with Thy remembrance and praise and with Thy proofs and evidences. Thou art, verily, the All-Bounteous, the Most Exalted, the Powerful, the Mighty, and the Merciful.

Praised be Thou, O my God! Every time I attempt to conclude my praise of Thee, I behold how my love for Thee hath not yet ceased. This being the case, how could I possibly still my voice, or end my praise, or stop my wailing, or cease my sighing? Thou hast, verily, O my God, enjoined prayer unto them that are near unto me, and didst, moreover, make the verses irrefutable proofs of my station, and clear evidences of my Cause. And yet, how dearly I would love to make mention of Thee and render Thee praise on the part of all mankind and whatsoever pertaineth unto them, O Thou in Whose grasp lie the kingdoms of earth and heaven!

O my Lord! Aid me with the wonders of Thine assistance, for I verily am the sole emblem of Thine ascendancy, and I alone can befittingly manifest Thy loving-kindness. These distinctions enable me to repair unto the Glorious Companion, and to be delivered from the midst of these ungodly ones, who harbor naught in their hearts but hatred and animosity.

Cause me, then, to ascend unto Thee, O my Lord, O Thou through a movement of Whose pen the kingdom of creation was begotten! My sole purpose in speaking forth that which I have proclaimed before Thee hath been to demonstrate my servitude amongst Thy people. All testify that I, in truth, am but a lowly pauper, and that Thou, verily, art the One from Whom all things are sought, and that I am a humble suppliant, while Thou art the One Who is ready to answer. Were this not so, then I swear by Thy might that my desire would not accord with what Thou hast desired, that my purpose would differ from what Thou hast purposed, and that mine aspirations would run counter to what Thou hast decreed.

Whoso maketh any distinction, therefore, between my will and Thine hath, in truth, blasphemed against Thee and joined partners with Thee in Thy dominion. Indeed, Thy Will is manifested through my will, and but for Thy Will, I would have no will of mine own. May all my desires be offered up for Thee, O Thou Who art the Desire of Baha; may all my aims be yielded up to Thee, O Thou Who art the Aim of Baha; and may my will be wholly dissolved in Thine, O Thou Who hast kindled the fire of Baha, hast lighted the flame within the breast of Baha, and hast spoken through the tongue of Baha!

And then, the Beloved of Baha said: By the righteousness of God! But for Baha, the Dove of remembrance would not warble. O people of hatred! Free ye Baha from your midst and relieve him from your cruelty, which hath cleft the heavens asunder and rent in twain the veil of faithfulness.

And Baha made reply: I have contented myself with Thy decree, O Thou Who art the Lord of the worlds and the Desire of whosoever hath sought Thee! I have wished for myself only what Thou didst wish, and have desired only what Thou didst desire. By Thy glory, I am abashed before the wonders of Thy bounty, through which Thou didst choose me amongst all Thy creatures to be invested with this Revelation.

Thou didst divide all created things one from another, and didst take from them their very essences—and then, O my God, Thou didst cause me to speak forth a single Word from Thy side, and through Thy power and might, didst make that Word a two-edged sword. With one edge, Thou didst separate to one side such among Thy creatures as have waxed proud before Thee, and have hesitated in their recognition of Thy Cause—a Cause greater than any other which Thou hast ever revealed—and with the other edge, Thou didst gather together and foster fellowship among them that have set their faces towards Thy countenance, have believed in Thy resplendent signs, and have detached themselves from all that is in heaven and on earth, yearning for Thy beauty, seeking Thy good-pleasure, turning towards Thy presence, and proclaiming Thy bounty. These Thou hast made the very hands of Thy Cause amidst Thy people, and through them Thou hast manifested such tokens of Thy oneness, and such evidences of Thy singleness, as Thou didst never manifest before. Blessed is he who hath turned his face towards them wholly for love of Thee, and hath heard from them Thy signs and Thy tokens, whose like the denizens of earth and heaven are powerless to produce.

I beseech Thee, then, O my God, by Thy Self—and by this wronged one, the like of whom mortal eyes have never witnessed—to send down from the heaven of creation that which will cause the tender herbs of Thy love and knowledge to spring forth from the hearts of them that yearn for Thee. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

I entreat Thee, moreover, O my God, by the remembrance of Thy Name—the Exalted, the Most High—to give Thy servants to drink from the wine of Thy grace and bounty, that all may recognize Thee with their own eyes, and enter beneath the shade of the tree of Divine Unity. O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of destiny! Grievous indeed would it be for me that Thou shouldst deprive even one of Thy creatures of the mercy which Thou hast reserved for Thy days. By Thy glory! Thy servants fain would harm and afflict me, while I desire their nearness unto Thee and cherish the hope that they may enter the Most Glorious Paradise. Potent art Thou to do what Thou pleasest. Thou knowest all that is in me, and Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved.

BH00160: This is a prayer to be recited…

Section 1: “This is a prayer to be recited…”

This is a prayer to be recited by the Quickener of souls in these days:

In the Name of God, the Most Great, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou hearest my lamentation like unto the lamentation of one who is bereaved, and Thou seest mine eyes turned toward the Most Sublime Horizon. How long, O my God, wilt Thou leave me among those who have denied Thy favor, gainsaid Thy signs, rejected Thy truth, opposed Thee, and turned away from Thee? Deliver me, O my God, through Thy grace and mercy, and manifest what Thou didst promise me before the creation of the heavens and earth. By Thy glory! Whenever I have called Thy servants, their perversity hath increased, and whenever I have recited unto them Thy mighty verses, they have opposed them and said: “This is naught but a fabrication against God.”

Thus have their souls and desires beguiled them, although, O my God, I have shown them naught save what was revealed unto Ali aforetime, and have explained naught save what was sent down in the Bayan—and Thou seest and knowest, O God of the worlds and Purpose of them that have recognized Thee, that they have not sought the sanctuary of Thy Cause nor turned toward Thy countenance, nor do they hearken from me to that which Thou hast commanded me to manifest. Separate me from them, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of command and creation and the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power and ordainest what Thou desirest through Thy Will.

O Beloved of Baha and Purpose of Baha! Whenever I have concealed myself, Thou hast manifested me by Thy command, and whenever I have fled from them, Thou hast returned me to them by Thy power and sovereignty, and whenever I have remained silent in my house, abstaining from Thy remembrance, Thou hast caused me to speak by Thy will and hast enkindled me with Thy love to such extent that the reins of patience were wrested from my hands and I left the house, attracted to Thee, calling out with the loudest voice amidst the concourse of creation, summoning them to the remembrance of Thy Most Exalted Self from this Most Glorious Horizon. Thereupon arose the clamor of the ungodly and the cry of the deniers, and they arose to slay me and to frustrate Thy Cause. Thou hast, through Thy hidden knowledge, recorded and known what they have done and continue to do.

That which Thou hadst ordained by Thy Will hath come to pass, O my God, and that which Thou didst desire through Thy will and power hath appeared. And now Thou seest, O my God, how they have taken the calf as their lord instead of Thee and worship it morning and evening without any clear proof or book. They have reached such a state of heedlessness that they cling to vain imaginings and turn away from the Sovereign of all that is known. They enjoin what Thou hast revealed in the tablets of Thy Cause while forgetting themselves, and they oppose him through whom Thy Cause was sent down, Thy proof appeared, Thy verses were established, and Thy countenance shone forth.

These are they whom Thou hast described in Thy mighty Book which Thou didst reveal unto Thy Prophet and the Seal of Thy chosen ones. Thou didst say, and Thy word is the truth: “They enjoin righteousness upon people while forgetting themselves.” And when it is said unto them: “O people! By what proof did you believe in your Lord, the Most Merciful, and in His Manifestation Who revealed the Bayan, and by what evidence do you oppose Him Who came to you from the Dayspring of the Cause with God’s signs, His proof, His grandeur and His sovereignty?” they say what the ancients said who opposed the Manifestations of Thy Self, the Dawning-places of Thy Revelation, the Daysprings of Thy inspiration, the Treasuries of Thy knowledge, the Repositories of Thy wisdom, the Lamps of Thy guidance, the Paths of Thy will, the Ways of Thy nearness, the Laws of Thy gifts, the Mysteries of Thy unity, the Manifestations of Thy singleness, and the Appearances of Thy beauty.

And when it is said unto them: “O people! Have I not manifested myself with clear signs? Have I not come to you from the Dayspring of Names and Attributes? Have We not adorned the heaven of utterance with the ornaments of meaning and exposition? Have We not called you unto God, your Lord, the Most Merciful? Have We not explained to you the mysteries of divine knowledge with clear evidence and proof? Have I not manifested God’s Cause among His servants? Have not the signs of God become renowned among His creation? Why then did you turn away from Me and deny My verses? They say that which I cannot mention before Thy face, O Beloved of my heart and the One remembered in my soul!

O my God and my Lord! How long wilt Thou leave me among Thy servants? By Thy glory! Even if no proof had appeared from Thee among Thy creation, Thy patience after Thy power, and Thy forbearance after Thy might would suffice to establish Thy grandeur and sovereignty.

O Lord! Why hast Thou entrusted me to those who have denied Thy Self? How long wilt Thou not answer my prayer? Whenever I say, “O Lord, take me unto Thee and deliver me from the oppressors among Thy creation,” after Thou witnesseth my distress and tribulation, Thou sayest: “By My Self, I witness and see all that hath befallen thee hath befallen My own Self, and I have sacrificed thee in My path. Dost thou love what I love not? Dost thou desire what I desire not?” I say: “May my soul be a sacrifice for Thee! My desire is what Thou hast desired, and my beloved is what Thou hast loved.” By Thy glory! I would that I had a thousand souls at every moment to sacrifice in Thy path. But it grieveth me to remain and witness those who have violated Thy sanctity and wronged the Manifestation of Thy Self, knowing they were created by the word of Thy command. Therefore my soul is troubled, mine eyes shed tears, my heart lamenteth, and my skin trembleth.

Thou sayest: “By My Self, I know what is in thy soul and I see what thou seest. Be patient as I was patient. I have ordained for thee what I have not ordained for any other, and I have chosen for thee what I have not chosen for anyone else, for I have sacrificed thee for the life of the world and all within it.” I say: “Praise be to Thee, O Beloved of the worlds! I praise Thee for what Thou hast ordained for me and thank Thee for what Thou hast desired, for Thou art the Lord of the worlds.”

O my God! Inspire me with the wonders of Thy remembrance. By Thy Self, I find no joy save in it, no gladness except through it. Should Thou withhold it from me, my soul would be troubled and my very being and essence would cease to exist. There is no life for anyone except through Thy remembrance and love, and no existence for any soul except through Thy praise and description. Though I know that my remembrance of Thee is but as the remembrance of nothingness for the Ancient Being—and I seek Thy forgiveness for this—nay, no one hath any existence or mention before a single one of Thy signs, how much less before Thy Self! Exalted, exalted is Thy remembrance above the ascent to it of Thy creatures’ remembrance! Exalted, exalted is Thy praise above the return to it of Thy creation’s description!

The highest remembrance of all created things cannot transcend the bounds of contingent existence, so how can it ascend unto Thee, O Thou in Whose recognition the hearts of Thy near ones among Thy chosen ones and the sincere among Thy loved ones are bewildered! Thy Self-remembrance proveth that the remembrance of aught else beseemeth Thee not, nor is worthy of Thy presence. Whenever I remember Thee, O my God, by Thy Name the Ever-Abiding, I witness that the Manifestation of this Name standeth before the Face and declareth:

“I am He Who was ever-abiding and will be as I have ever been. My perpetuity hath no end or cessation.”

Exalted, exalted is He Who created me by a word from His presence! If I call upon Thee by Thy first name, the Manifestation of this Name addresses me and says: “That which thou dost mention returneth unto My Self. Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold Me as the First before every first, and the Last after every last, and the Outward above all things.” Exalted, exalted is my Lord Who created me by a will from His Most Exalted Pen! Exalted, exalted is He Who created me through His Most High and Most Exalted remembrance, that He might be remembered by what was composed in the kingdom of creation! If I call upon Thee, O my God, by Thy name the Powerful, I witness the Manifestation of this Name gazing upon me and saying: “Behold Me, that thou mayest see Me standing, powerful, mighty, and supreme over all things.”

Exalted, exalted is He Who raised me up and fashioned me through His Most Exalted Word! Exalted, exalted is He Who fashioned me and made me manifest in the kingdom of creation! If I call upon Thee by Thy name the All-Knowing, I witness that the Manifestation of this Name weeps and laments, saying: “I am He Who was knowing before all things and shall be knowing after the passing of all things. This is the garment whereby My manifestations have been veiled from knowing My Lord and My Sovereign. I am He Who has ever been fearful and shall remain troubled. I am He Whom my Lord has made to be among the highest of names and the lowest, the greatest and the most insignificant.

Blessed are My manifestations if they make not their knowledge a veil between them and the Lord of Names and Attributes, for they are among the most exalted of creation. Woe unto him whom learning hath withheld from the Sovereign of all knowledge, for he is among the most abject of creation.”

Exalted, exalted is my Creator above being remembered through mention of aught else but Him, or being described by any description save His own. Even should I praise Thee, O my God, and say “There is none like unto Thee,” the Manifestation of this Name would cry out before my face, “I am He besides Whom there is none like unto Him.” Were anyone to claim for himself a likeness or peer, it would negate the signs of unity and the evidences of oneness. I testify that in all things is inscribed the most hidden script of the Most Exalted Pen—this is a sign of unity and manifestation of oneness. Blind is the eye that sees Me not standing over all things, manifest above all things, and prevailing over all things.

Exalted, exalted is my Lord above being remembered through mention of His creation or being described by descriptions of aught besides Him. All are His servants and within His mighty grasp, created by the Word of His command. Exalted, exalted is He above being associated with His creation or being reached by the birds of His servants’ hearts soaring in the atmosphere of His knowledge. Exalted, exalted is He above descending from the heights of His Essence and the summit of His Self. He hath ever been sanctified beyond ascent and descent, and shall ever be exalted above being comprehended by hearts and minds. Whatever hath been mentioned or shall be mentioned is within the realm of possibility and returneth unto that realm. The kingdom endureth in the kingdom, and creation returneth to its form and likeness.

Would that I found, O my God, attentive ears, purified hearts, sanctified souls, illumined breasts and penetrating vision, that I might cast upon them what Thou hast inspired me through Thy generosity and taught me through Thy grace and favors. Thou, O my God, didst awaken me through Thy bounty and establish me in the station of Thy Self, and caused me to speak Thy praise and commanded me to rend asunder the veils. When I rent them asunder—more numerous than can be counted—all within the dominion of command and creation were struck with terror, and all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save a limited number of those who fulfilled their covenant and turned to Thee, detached from all else but Thee, sincere in their devotion to Thy face. The wine of Thy knowledge in this Revelation so intoxicated them that they hastened to the place of sacrifice and the scene of annihilation, speaking Thy praise and mentioning Thy Name. They gave up their spirits in their longing to meet Thee and their quest to draw nigh unto Thee, to exalt Thy Word, manifest Thy sovereignty, and spread Thy signs and remembrance.

I testify that they are among the letters of Thy word of unity, the manifestations of Thy oneness, the dawning-places of Thy Command’s appearances and the daysprings of Thy power’s signs. Through them was Thy Name filled between Thy heaven and earth, and Thy Word was exalted above all in the dominion of Thy command and creation. From their blood did the earth bear the wonders of Thy power’s manifestations and the gems of Thy sovereignty’s mighty signs, and it shall tell its tales when its time comes.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Self and by them, and by the manifestations of Thy most beautiful Names and the dawning-places of Thy most exalted attributes, to make them in every world among Thy worlds among those who speak of Thee and circle round the pavilion of Thy grandeur. Then resurrect them with the lights of Thy countenance in Thy worlds, and separate not, O my God, between Thee and them. Then manifest them, O my God, through the appearances of Thy power, the conditions of Thy might, the signs of Thy grandeur and the traces of Thy majesty. Then manifest through them Thy Cause that all may enter within the precincts of Thy mercy which hath preceded all things. Then send down upon them at every moment from the wonders of Thy hidden mercy and Thy stored bounties. They, O my God, have fulfilled their covenant when I fulfill Thy covenant, and I testify that Thou art the Best of those who fulfill, and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

And I bear witness that Thou art the best of those who keep their promises, the most merciful of the merciful ones, and the Bestower of rewards to the doers of good. Blessed are they, and again blessed are they, in that they have turned towards Thee whilst Thou art well-pleased with them. O my Lord! Rend asunder the veils from before the eyes of Thy creatures, that they may witness what was concealed from them of the manifestations of Thy grace in Thy days. Then acquaint them, O my God, with the repugnance of their deeds and actions, that they may hasten to Thy direction, enter the precincts of Thy mercy, and become assured that Thou hast desired for them naught except that which is better for them than the kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and earth. O my Lord! Illumine the eyes of their hearts that they may recognize what Thou hast ordained for them through Thy bounty and beneficence, and may know that Thou hast not desired the harm of Thy loved ones except for the attainment of Thy servants to the summit of recognition, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of command and the kingdom of creation. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

Section 2: “O Lord! Purify the ears of Thy servants…”

O Lord! Purify the ears of Thy servants from all idle tales of the past, that they may hearken unto the melodies wherewith the Dove of Thy Cause warbleth in the essence of all things, lest they measure Thy Cause by the vain imaginings of those who have denied Thee and Thy signs, and cast doubt into the hearts of Thy creatures. For I find that most of Thy servants are withheld from Thee by their attachment to the idols that exist among them and the tales they have heard from their fathers. O Lord! Create them anew, then cause them to hear what Thou desirest. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

O my God and my Master! Thou seest my tribulation among Thy creatures and what hath befallen me from the oppressors among Thy creation, though Thou didst promise all with my appearance and didst give glad tidings to all of My Self. I desired naught from the Bayan save My beauty, and revealed therein naught save My remembrance and praise. In every aspect, the Manifestation of Thy Self desired naught save My joy, My delight and My gladness. When I took from all who are in Thy earth and Thy heaven the covenant of My Self, I commanded them that none should question Me about anything, lest I be touched by weariness. Thou didst say, and Thy word is the truth:

“Whosoever desireth to question Him at the time of His manifestation should question Me, lest there come upon Me that which would sadden Me and grieve My heart.”

I have ordained the laws of Thy Cause and determined the measures of Thy commandments and ordinances in such wise that nothing hath been left unaccounted for, lest there come upon My heart that which would prevent it from the surging waves of its longing for Thee, from being immersed in the ocean of Thy oneness, and from being occupied with the manifestations of the signs of Thy mighty glory. Through the tongue of Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Dayspring of Thy oneness, Thou didst inform them that He speaketh in all things, saying:

“Verily, I am God, there is none other God but Me. O My creation, behold ye Me!”

And Thou didst make this Word Thy remembrance among Thy servants and the sign of Thy glory in Thy kingdom, and didst sanctify My realm from all things and from the mention of aught except Thee.

I have not made this clear except after Thy knowledge of the tenderness of My heart, the delicacy of My soul, and the purity of My inner being. Therefore, O Beloved of My heart, Purpose of My secret being, and Object of My worship! Despite this tenderness which none knoweth save Thee, Thou seest what hath come upon Me from Thine enemies who read Thy Book and cite Thy verses, yet have made Thy Book a protector of their leadership and a fortress for what their passions command them. Would that they had said concerning Me what the idolaters said concerning the repositories of Thy knowledge and the Manifestations of Thy Self! There hath come upon Me from them that which hath caused the Greatest Terror to appear among the Concourse on high and the dwellers of the cities of names, while they rejoice in their seats and are glad in their homes. Would that they would look upon Me as they look upon the lowliest of Thy servants and creatures!

All this hath come upon Thy Beloved, for Whom, had Thou been in those days, Thou wouldst have made Thyself a shield between Him and the arrows of the idolaters among Thy creation. He from Whom no created thing in the kingdom of creation hath passed except that it hath heard from it “This, verily, is the Beloved of the worlds” is mocked by Thy idolatrous servants. By Thy glory! He desireth that His body be stripped bare, that He be cut off from all, that He repair to the wilderness and find companionship with the beasts.

I testify, O my God, that I know not what crime they impute to my soul. If they say that I have claimed what is beyond my station, Thou, O my God, hast Thyself claimed this for me, and hast written it for me before my manifestation, and hast informed all of this. And if they say I have not uttered verses, I am not their Revealer, but rather Thou art He Who revealeth and will reveal as Thou pleasest, even as Thou didst reveal them aforetime unto Thy Messengers and Thy chosen ones. Thou knowest, O my God, that were the matter in my hands, I would not have manifested myself, nor would I have spoken a word amongst them.

And whenever I desired to conceal myself from the wolves of the earth, Thou didst manifest me through Thy power and Thy sovereignty. And whenever I wished to withdraw, Thou didst will my appearance and my revelation. Thy will hath overcome my will, and Thy Purpose my purpose, until Thou didst establish me in Thine own station and caused me to cry out with the most exalted call amongst Thy creatures. I find no movement in myself except through the winds of Thy Will, nor any stillness save after Thy Command. Blessed is he who seeth in my manifestation the manifestations of Thy Will, and in my burning the fire of Thy love.

Open Thou, O my God, the eyes of Thy servants that they may behold Thee manifest through Thy manifestation. Blind is the eye that seeth Thee not as the Self-Subsisting One above all names and as the Dominator of all things. Thou, O my God, hast made the names but garments for Thy chosen ones. When the garment was changed by another name, all who are in the heavens and earth were struck with terror, save those whose gaze was fixed upon the Most Sublime Horizon and who quaffed the choice wine of inner meaning from the cup of everlasting life through Thy Most Great Name, whereby Thou didst shatter the idols of vain fancy and rent asunder the veils of names. Such are they who have known Thee and worshipped Thee, while they who are veiled from Thee by names are among those who worship them. They have no mention before the throne of Thy grandeur, nor any portion of this ocean which surgeth in Thy days.

I have reached such a state of abasement that the idolaters have said of me that I have uttered but a word or two which I had stolen from the Bayan, after Thou hadst caused to be detailed through me the books of the former and latter generations, and that which existeth with Thy loved ones equalleth that which was revealed unto ʿAli before Nabil, whom Thou didst make the Manifestation of Thy unity, the Dawning-Place of Thy sovereignty, the Revealer of Thy verses, and the Herald of the unseen reality of Thine Essence, whom Thou didst make the Self-Subsisting One over all who are in the heavens and earth, and sovereign over all who are in the kingdom of command and creation, after Thou hadst revealed in the Bayan that no books in the world could equal a single word from Him, for at the time of His manifestation, should anyone read all the books yet not believe in Him, it would profit him nothing, while should he read but one of His verses, it would suffice him.

Therefore do I say: There is no power nor strength except through Thee. I have committed my affairs unto Thee and have placed my trust in Thee. Thou art my Helper, my Succourer, and my Companion in this world and the next. And I testify that through this Word Thou hast distinguished all atoms and hast taken from them their essence, and soon shall the separation appear between those who circle round me, and there shall go forth from among them those across whose hearts waft the odors of self and passion. This is what Thou didst inform me of in Thy Tablets and didst inform the servants before my departure from Iraq in the Tablet wherein were revealed the mysteries of Thy decree and the measures of Thy destiny.

O my God! Have mercy upon Thy servants and Thy loved ones, then guard them through Thy protection lest the darts of allusions be hurled at them by those who have disbelieved in Thee, O Thou Revealer of verses and Lord of names and attributes! Then raise them to such a station that should they be prevented from their rejected deeds, they would not object to Thee, and would see in Thy command and prohibition naught save the manifestations of Thy tender mercies and the revelations of Thy bestowals. I testify that in Thy Cause Thou didst desire naught except their entrance into the ocean of Thy mercy. By Thy Self, O Beloved of the worlds and Worshipped One of those in the heavens and earth!

Grief hath seized me to such extent that the Supreme Pen is withheld from flowing and the Most Glorious Tongue from remembrance and utterance. I have seen in Thy love, O my God, what no eyes of the ancients have seen, and have heard what no ears of the worlds have heard. I behold, O my God, Thy servants upon whom Thou didst send down the Bayan and whom Thou didst create for Thyself, more veiled than all previous peoples, such that they pride themselves on Thy seal and stamp it upon tablets to establish their leadership, after I had sent it to them that they might be made aware. Nay, by Thy glory! Thy seal was naught but on my finger and will never part from me, nor can anyone take it from me.

Blessed is he who readeth what is inscribed therein of Thy hidden mysteries, Thy unique verses, and Thy treasured attributes. Then I know not, O my God, whether Thou rememberest me or I remember Thee.

Separation hath been abolished and union established. My remembrance of Thee is Thy remembrance of me, and Thy remembrance of me is my remembrance of Thee. Remoteness hath been erased by the verse of nearness, and conjecture by the verse of certitude, and Thy manifest beauty hath shone forth from this luminous horizon. O my God! If my sin be the manifestation of Thy power and grace, I desire to be accounted among the sinners in all the worlds. And if my shortcoming be the exaltation of Thy Cause, I desire to be reckoned among those who fall short before both worlds. Thou knowest that when I saw the degradation of Thy Cause among Thy creatures, I arose to exalt it in Thy realm, and in those days there was none who would mention Thee among Thy servants with Thy sovereignty and might.

And those who opposed me concealed their faces in fear of themselves. When Thou didst desire to manifest Thy Word and glorify Thy Cause, Thou didst raise me up, cause me to speak, and make me manifest until the horizons were illumined by the lights of this dawning and the breezes of glory and assurance wafted over all creation. When Thy Word was exalted and Thy greatness appeared and Thy Cause and sovereignty became manifest, they emerged from behind the veil in rebellion against Thy Self and turning away from Thee, to the point of seeking to slay me after Thou hadst made me a fortress for them and a refuge for their souls.

O my God! When I am seated before Thee and awaiting what Thou hast ordained for me of Thy decree which was hidden from the eyes of Thy creatures, by Thy Self, all my limbs and members long to be torn asunder in Thy path. Would that I were in that state at this moment, O Creator of the world and Remembered One in all hearts! How sweet is Thy remembrance to my taste, and how delectable is my servitude to Thy Self! I have attained therein to such a station that whenever I behold any ground I long to prostrate myself upon it in humility before Thy face and in adoration of Thy Self. By Thy glory! Were I not mindful of Thy irrevocable decree, I would have manifested myself only in pure servitude among Thy creatures, but Thou hast ordained through Thy power what Thou didst desire.

Prostrate before Thy Self, by Thy glory, were I not mindful of Thy destined decree, I would not have manifested myself save in pure servitude amidst Thy creatures. But Thou hast ordained through Thy power what Thou didst desire and executed what Thou didst will, that what was revealed in the Bayan might be fulfilled. Otherwise, I would have loved to bow before every countenance that was bowed before Thy face. Those who have transgressed beyond servitude unto Thee have not found its sweetness. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the kingdoms of eternity, to aid me and my loved ones to serve Thee and to show servitude in all conditions unto Thy Self. Then accept, O my God, what we have done and what we have left undone of that which Thou didst prescribe for us.

O Lord, make us steadfast in Thy love and in walking the paths of Thy good-pleasure. Then make us helpers of Thy Cause in such wise that nothing shall prevent us from aiding Thee and exalting Thy Word.

O Lord, set us ablaze with the fire of Thy love in such manner that through us the fire of Thy love may be kindled among Thy creatures, and we may aid Thee in all conditions such that neither the denial of anyone nor the turning away of any soul shall hinder us. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Send down Thy blessings, O my God, upon the Point through which Thy hidden knowledge and treasured mysteries were detailed, and through whom Thou didst take the covenant of the Dayspring of Thy Being and the Manifestation of the Mystery of Thy Oneness, and upon those who were touched by tribulation and adversity in Thy love until they were martyred in Thy path, and upon those who believed in Thee purely for Thy sake and left their homes to exalt Thy Word and manifest Thy Cause, and who bore naught on their journey save Thy love and Thy verses. And though they bore what they bore, their only concern was the spread of Thy signs and the establishment of Thy truth, and their gaze was fixed solely upon Thee. O Lord, bless them with the tongue of Thy grandeur, then shower upon them at all times from the wonders of Thy mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

Glorify, O my God, the Manifestations of the letter Ha who sacrificed their spirits and bodies in this Cause whereby the great terror appeared and the dwellers of the cities of names lamented, and through them Thy Cause was manifested, Thy remembrance spread, and Thy revelation shone forth. O Lord, send down upon them what befitteth Thy station and is worthy of Thy presence, for they have done what was incumbent upon them, and there remaineth what Thou hast prescribed for them. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thyself and by them and by these five, to send upon us the breezes of forgiveness to purify us from disobedience. Then forgive, O my God, our fathers and our kindred from among those who have turned to the sanctuary of Thy Cause and directed themselves toward the court of Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Exalted, the Supreme, the Help in Peril.

BH00203: Lawh-i-Quds 1

Section 1: “This is a sacred Tablet wherein is mentioned…”

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

This is a sacred Tablet wherein is mentioned that which shall ignite in the hearts of the servants a fire by which, God willing, all veils and allusions may be burned away, rendering their souls pure for God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beautiful. By God, the Truth! Whoso reciteth the verses of God in such wise that they flow from his tongue, he shall detach himself from all who dwell in the heavens and on earth and draw nigh unto this holy court, this luminous and radiant Scene. Were the servants to discover the love from which these words flow forth at this moment, they would sacrifice their very selves for this Wronged One, Who findeth Himself amidst the Gog of hypocrisy and hath no helper save God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Dhabih! Hearken unto that which is revealed from the direction of grandeur, the spot whereon is established the throne of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted. Verily I am alive in the Most Glorious Horizon. I hear and see what the idolaters have done to My Other Beauty after My First Manifestation, and I am the Witness over all things, the Powerful, the Protector, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

O Dhabih! Tarry not in the Cause of God. Bear thou witness to that which God hath witnessed before the creation of earth and heaven. Then detach thyself from the manifestations of names and behold Him Who created them by His command, and be not of the doubters. Purify thyself from all allusions, then thy vision from the ophthalmia of words, then behold with Mine eyes My Beauty, then speak My words in My praise, then know through Mine eyes this pure, radiant, holy and wondrous Beauty.

O servant! Arise with My power, then break the chains of imitation through My Name, the Powerful, then the fetters of fancy through My sovereignty, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Encompassing. By Him Who hath caused the Dawn to speak My praise, if thou seekest to know Me through aught else but Me, thou wilt never know Me. Thus have I commanded in the holy, mighty and impregnable Tablets of God.

O Dhabih! We are astonished at these servants. By God the Truth! We have sent down unto them verses which, were they to be recited to the mountains, would cause them to crumble, and to the heavens, would cause them to be cleft asunder, and to the earth, would cause it to split open. Yet they stir not within themselves, nor do they ascend unto God in less than a moment. Their hearts have hardened through following their own selves and desires, and they have turned away from Him at Whose command the heavens and earths were created. By thy life! If anyone were to command them to worship the calf, they would worship it throughout the nights and days, and would take it as their lord instead of God, neither examining to know it nor prostrating with understanding. Thus hath it been, if thou be of them that know. And if God were to come unto them with His sovereignty, and the angels of the heavens were to surround Him, and He were to manifest unto them all signs, they would never believe in Him, but would worship their fancy without any clear proof or lucid Book.

Behold how when Ali came with God’s sovereignty and His signs and His proof, most of the servants turned away from Him, having followed their fancies and being of the heedless. All drew proofs from what they possessed of the words of God and the words of those who were created by a letter thereof, then turned away from Him Who created the Revealer of verses by His firm, transcendent, mighty and impregnable command. Had they beheld God through God and sought to know Him through His Self, they would not have been veiled from God and His meeting, nor would they have strayed from the path. Thus observe in every Manifestation from the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end, that thou mayest be of them that know.

Although My previous Manifestation rent asunder all fancies through God’s power and counseled them in every line not to object to Him Who would appear with the truth, Whose manifestation is longed for by all who are in the Supreme Concourse and all that hath been created between the heavens and earth—yet when He appeared with the truth, they turned away from Him and were veiled by the veils of their own selves, and were of them that turned aside. And when it is said unto them: “By what proof did ye believe in Ali aforetime?” they say: “The verses.” Yet when the verses of thy Mighty, All-Knowing Lord are recited unto them, their faces darken and they flee therefrom, placing the fingers of rejection in their ears lest they should hear the words of God.

Thus have the veils of heedlessness encompassed them, and they are numbered among the lost. If thou wouldst incline the ear of thine inmost heart unto that which issueth from their mouths, thou wouldst hear from them what thou didst hear from the people of the Furqan at the time when God came upon the holy seat of glory and the matter was decreed by the Mighty, the Powerful. If thou hearest from Me, leave them and their remembrance and whatsoever is with them behind thee, then turn thy face to the Beauty of thy Lord and fear no one, and be not of the patient ones. Then take the chalice of immortality with thy right hand and drink it in My Most Glorious Name.

Put thy trust in God, and verily He will cause thee to speak the truth and will acquaint thee with that which no one among all the worlds hath known. Were We to recount unto thee what hath befallen Us, the pen and ink would not suffice, nor would the Tablets be adequate, and God is witness and well-aware of this. However, We beseech God that He may bring thee into the presence of the Throne that thou mayest witness and become apprised of the mysteries which We have concealed from the servants, and whereof We have not mentioned a single letter among all created things. Arise to aid the Cause of God and His Command. By God! That which the people have taken as an object of love for themselves instead of God—would that he had been but like one of them! But the people have been worshippers of idle fancies and idols. Thus doth thy Lord make mention of their names in these days wherein We remained among the people without any helper or supporter.

We had previously sent thee a Tablet, and before it another Tablet, and before that yet another Tablet. We beseech God that He may grant them unto thee and reveal unto thee what hath been treasured therein. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Thy letter hath come before Us in this Prison, and We have read it and found therein the fragrance of thy love for God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. We recognized thy longing for God and thy yearning to attain His presence, and thy desire to arrive at the seat of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. We have not failed in Our promise and We fulfill what We have promised—thus have We prescribed for Our own Self the truth before the creation of the heavens and the earth.

We desired to bring thee into Our presence, but the idolaters interposed themselves between Us and thee, and expelled Us from Our lands until they imprisoned Us in this distant land. If thou desirest to journey unto God and to migrate unto Him, then verily the sun of permission hath dawned from the horizon of command that thou mayest do what thou willest, and We have given thee leave to present thyself before Us and to witness that which no one among the servants hath witnessed, and to become acquainted with that which is concealed from the eyes of all the worlds.

O Dhabih! The Pen of God hath determined to converse with thee in the new and wondrous Persian tongue, for His love hath ever been and, God willing, shall ever be with thee. Hearken, then, to the holy melodies, by a single letter of which the hearts of them that are detached have been and shall be entranced. Thou hast never been forgotten and, God willing, never shalt be. Three exalted Tablets were given to Akhavi to forward. Perchance he hath delayed for some wisdom concealed in His mystery. Nevertheless, behold thou a Tablet for all creation, at the head of which these most sweet words have been inscribed by the Most Holy Pen of the Most High: O servants! The Manifestation of Truth hath never been mistaken for aught else and never shall be. He hath ever been, and shall ever remain, sanctified above all attributes, deeds and actions of all created things, for He is known through His own Self, and all else is known through Him. Beware, O people, lest ye turn to aught else but Him, for all else is created by His command and brought into being by His will.

O servants! Gaze with pure eyes upon the Scene of transcendent glory. Ye have ever been responsible unto your own selves, and the sign of the knowledge of the Countenance of the All-Merciful existeth within you. Verily, He doth not command His servants that which they possess not and are powerless to achieve. If this station existeth in man, then he is responsible unto himself for the knowledge of God and needeth no one else. And if this sign be lacking, no blame attacheth unto him, and the Pen of Command and Prohibition moveth not against him. Hearken, then, to the call of this Singing Bird in all things, and be thou not veiled by any veil, nor hindered by any glorification. Behold with thine own eyes the Cause of God, and ponder the appearance of this Servant amongst men, the concealment of others than Him, and the exaltation of His Cause, that perchance thou mayest become aware of a subtle matter whereof no soul is aware, and attain unto the Kawthar of eternity and the most pure and choice Salsabil.

By Him Who hath caused Me to speak between the heavens and the earth! Were I to make mention of the tribulations that have befallen Me and the calamities that have descended upon this land, thou wouldst surely be grief-stricken and flee to the wilderness. Therefore, to protect thee, these have not been revealed, that perchance they may be mentioned in person, and this is not difficult for God. That honored one is aware that in less time than that, this Servant did not endeavor to preserve His own life. Day and night was He afflicted in the hands of the idolators until the Cause of God was exalted and the Name of the Powerful was established upon His throne.

By God, besides Whom there is none other God! I taught and protected one even as the people of India teach their birds which they call parrots. When he observed that this Servant appeared openly amongst the servants and no harm befell Him, and that in this land none opposed Him, he emerged from behind the veil and arose to slay Me. And when he found himself frustrated, he took up his pen to calumniate and wrote what he wrote. If that honored one were to examine with penetrating vision the accusations he hath made against this Servant, he would observe his falsehood as clear as the sun and would understand that he had no other desire except to prevent people from drawing near to the Source of the Cause.

Now it is evident what this imprisoned servant hath endured. Despite having power over him—and all bear witness that I was capable of whatsoever I willed—nevertheless, with full knowledge of him and what lay within his breast, I protected him through the hands of power. Now he hath come forth and attributed such calumnies to this servant that the Pen is ashamed to mention them. Would that ye were informed of the truth of the matter! If one possessed of insight were found and were to examine his words, he would become aware of his true condition.

Section 2: “Wondrous Tablets have been sent down…”

Wondrous Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of eternity in answer to the objections they have raised against the Truth. God willing, they shall come before your honor’s eyes. Ponder them carefully and reflect upon them. God willing, ye shall attain unto the pearls deposited therein. Hearken in these latter days unto My call: Consider all these people as non-existent and count them as nothing, except those souls who are today steadfast and firm in the Cause of God. This is the word of truth, and after truth there is naught but error. We hope, God willing, that ye shall not be deprived of the clouds of divine mercy nor prevented from the canopy of His grace.

O Zabih! Behold the wondrous tokens of My wisdom. For in all things that have been created betwixt earth and heaven, the signs of wisdom and the evidences of consummate workmanship are manifest and visible. Vain imaginings have, from time immemorial, deprived mankind of the pure glory of His oneness, and of the primal divine nature. Be not disquieted by the changes and transformations of this earthly realm; for in all things such change hath been, and shall ever be. Yet whatsoever appeareth and is made evident, within it a hidden wisdom is surely treasured—one which none can perceive save hearts that are pure, for only such can apprehend that subtle and delicate mystery.

For example, consider the visible sun: it nurtureth all that dwell upon the earth, and in this station the rendering unto every rightful claimant of his due is witnessed from it. Yet unto the lamp it bringeth naught but harm; and likewise unto the moon and the stars, which, in their very selves, would remain without light, deprived of radiance, were it not for the sun. For never, on the Day of divine bounty, did any excellence proceed from these names themselves. Yet no loss befalleth the sun; its rising hath been the cause of the quenching of the light of what is beneath it.

Now reflect: the moon, the stars, and the lamp—though they shine and are accounted among the greatest of created things—are, by reason of the sun’s appearance and its nurturing power, deprived in this station; whereas frail and lowly things, through the sun’s educating influence, attain unto the utmost loftiness and manifestation. Therefore ponder within thine own self, that thou mayest be of them that have attained; perchance thou mayest reach unto the purpose of God, and not be veiled by the idle hints of them that turn away.

Likewise observe the Sun of Meanings and reflect upon the hidden divine mysteries and concealed heavenly allusions, that thou mayest not remain deprived of the effusions of this Most Great Ocean from which all seas, both first and last, have appeared and to which they return. The Tongue of God proclaims: Look to the essence of this Cause in this Revelation and to that which hath appeared through pure power, both of decisive verses and of horizonal and personal signs, that thou mayest remain steadfast in His Cause. Compare not the Word of Truth with the words of others, for it hath been and shall ever remain distinguished from all else, and every soul after hearing it becomes assured that this indeed is the Truth. Consider My first Revelation, when naught but the allusions of words current amongst them deprived the people from the right hand of the All-Merciful. And since unpurified ears were accustomed to former utterances, they were therefore deprived of hearing and comprehending the melodies of the All-Merciful and the words of divine glory on the Day of Resurrection.

This is why in all books, scriptures, psalms and tablets I have revealed with the tongue of power and might that at the time of the Manifestation none should cling to aught save the Manifestation Himself, for the wayfarer on the path of guidance shall never attain to his original homeland, which is the station of the Most Holy Sanctuary within man’s self, unless he sanctifies his heart, sight and hearing from all that he hath heard. This matter hath ever been difficult and arduous for all peoples at the time of Revelation, for each people hath been veiled by thick veils of the allusions of previous utterances, and this is most clear and needeth no elaboration.

In the year sixty that soul beheld with his own eyes and heard with his own ears. Yet it behoveth not the people of the Bayan to remain veiled from the Ancient Beauty Who hath appeared at the point of setting forth with supreme might and glory, for all the veils of the past were rent asunder by My previous Manifestation, Who counselled all in most explicit language and most wondrous exposition. In all the Tablets hath He made the recognition of the divine Being dependent on naught else. Alas for those who have made the recognition of God and of His Self contingent upon that which was created through His firm, His mighty, His wise Command! Verily hath it ever been the way of men that in the days of God, when the Sun is shining resplendent, manifest and evident, they pay no heed thereto, remaining veiled by their selfish desires. Then after Its setting, multitudes newly profess their faith through mere fancy, heedless that the winds of divine tests are ever blowing and the tempests of trials are at all times sent forth from the direction of the All-Merciful, distinguishing particle from particle and hair from hair.

O Pen of the Most High! Alter Thy melody and chant in clear Arabic tongue, that perchance the hearts of all created things may be drawn to Thy holy court and brought near to Thy sacred, pure, most pure and luminous countenance, and be severed from those who cling to the idols of self and passion and who have turned away from Him to Whom all creation testifieth that He is indeed God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Say: O people! Enter ye this gleaming white expanse which hath appeared with the hue of crimson sand on the shore of the Most Great Sea. By the True One! Were ye to behold it through Mine eyes, ye would perceive therein all colors, though God hath sanctified it from all color and from all that hath been created in the heavens and the earth. Say: Do ye deny My Self, yet read that which hath proceeded from My Pen? Alas for you, O company of the heedless!

O Dhabih! Reflect upon him whom We made an example to Our discerning servants, such that should anyone observe his walk, he would be convinced that he hath ever been a denier of God, an idolater, one who turned away from His presence, who doubted His Cause, who clung to aught else but Him and who held fast to the hem of every obdurate misbeliever. After God manifested His sovereignty and sealed prophethood with Muhammad, the Apostle of God, he then seeketh proof through the Imamate and through what Husayn ibn Ruh had said, though he had veiled people through words attributed to him that the Qa’im was in Jabulqa and the like, as thou hast heard with thine own ears and wast among those who heard. If thou wouldst observe today, thou wouldst recognize that the people of the Furqan were veiled from God and the Manifestation of His Self only through what this man had related. God is witness and knoweth what I say.

If thou shouldst see him, say: O thou denier of God, who hast turned away from His presence, who hast associated partners with His Beauty and rejected His verses that have encompassed all worlds! Were We to will today to make all things His friends, We would be able to do so through one word proceeding from My Pen which is moved by the fingers of My power, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the All-Wise. Die in thy wrath, O thou who hast turned away from God since time immemorial, for hadst thou truly believed in God in any age, thou wouldst not have denied His Self in those days when He appeared with a sovereignty that encompassed all created things. Say: O rejected one and manifestation of Nimrod! By what proof did you believe in Ali, and before him in Muhammad the Messenger of God, and before him in the Son who was named the Spirit, and before him in the Interlocutor whom We called from the Tree toward which the gaze of God was directed, and which spoke at all times saying:

“Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Generous.”

Say: O handful of dust! Why did you turn away from the Lord of Lords after the clouds of the Cause were rent asunder and He came upon the heaven of holiness and the matter was decreed from God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise? Say: By God, every atom curses you, as does Ali in the Supreme Horizon, but you have veiled yourself and occupied yourself with that by which you were named with a name through which you boast among your likes, and you were among the veiled ones.

Beware, O Dhabih, lest you be veiled by his veils. By the True God, today Iblis flees from his own deception and the Antichrist from his own misguidance. Guard yourself from his exhalations. By God, they blow from the depths of hell, and God has made him a warning to those who were on earth, such that he cannot walk upon stable ground, much less upon the path of God which is finer than a hair and sharper than a cutting sword of steel. Know you the purpose of God in that which the Tongue of Truth spoke concerning him, that you may be of those who know.

By your life, O Dhabih, there exists not in My heart hatred for any created thing, for God has purified it from every indication and from all whereupon the name of anything may fall, and God is witness to what I say. However, when these people recognized God’s favor with their eyes and hearts, then denied it, there was revealed from the right side, the seat of the throne of your Lord, the All-Merciful, that which would awaken His servants that they might be of the awakened ones, and that the near ones might not draw near to them, and that the breaths of punishment might seize them from Him and from those who disbelieved and associated partners with God after that which was sent down from the heaven of the Cause, while around it were hosts of angels.

Reflect upon that which has flowed from the Pen of God, then ponder His words, that perchance you may attain unto that which is treasured therein of pearls that have no like in creation, and thereby become independent of all the worlds. Thus have We informed you and told you once again, as a grace from your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, unto yourself and unto those who are with you, that you may be apprised of Him and of that which has issued from His Pen and from His mouth, and may be possessed of clear vision, and may say at every moment:

“Praise be to God Who has guided us unto Himself, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.”