Volume 037: Edirne I (year unknown, 1864–1868) (5 of 6)

BH00410: O thou Inscribed Tablet! Hearken unto the call…

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

O thou Inscribed Tablet! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from the direction of His inhabited House, that His joyous fragrances may attract thee to the sacred, mighty and generous seat of God. O thou who art named the Luminous One of God! Hear what the Spirit imparteth unto thee in this hour when sorrows have encompassed Him through the hosts of Satan, to such extent that His tongue moveth not in remembrance of the Beloved nor of the Friend, and whenever a word issueth forth from Him, it is accompanied by sighs and lamentations that consume the hearts of all beings—yet most of the people remain heedless thereof, having occupied themselves with earthworms, and thus their deeds have come to naught and God hath erased their names from the preserved Tablet of holiness.

And thou, O servant, when thou findest none steadfast in the Cause of God thy Lord, then suffice thou with thyself, remain firm, and be steadfast with manifest steadfastness. Behold the Concourse of the Bayan and that which issueth from their mouths. Among them are those who say: “Can the fruit of the Tuba tree possibly be transformed?” Say: Yea, by my life, the All-Merciful! First, We do not confirm thy vain imagination in what thou hast imagined, for neither thou nor anyone else hath any knowledge of His Cause. And should anyone claim such knowledge, he hath indeed lied against the Lord of all worlds. And even if We were to accept what thou sayest—woe unto thee! Dost thou entertain doubts about the Tuba tree, or its like such as the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End, the Farthest Tree, and whatsoever else hath been mentioned by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Powerful?

Say: Beware lest thou imagine vain things and render these names objects of fancy. Know thou that all these names which are mentioned in the Book have no other purpose save Our unified servants—they are the blessed tree, the Farthest Tree, and the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End. Likewise, every goodly name returneth unto these, if ye be of those who know. These names are true for them in the time of their faith in God, and after their turning away, every name that is not goodly returneth to them, if ye be of those who witness. How many a tree of affirmation is transformed into a tree of negation at the time of manifestation, and likewise the reverse, if ye be of those who perceive.

And among them are those who have said:

“Can the fruit be changed, and its sweetness be turned to bitterness?”

Thus do they speak as their passion commandeth them in these days wherein the Sun hath shone forth from the pole of decline with a resplendent and wondrous radiance. Say: Thy sight hath been blinded, O thou that turnest away! Dost thou not bear witness, by God, that the fruit is created from dust and unto it doth it return, as ye yourselves do witness and are of them that testify? Beyond this, verily, the impotence lieth within your own selves, and He is the Mighty over whatsoever He willeth and the Doer of whatsoever He desireth. Were He to will to make all things manifestations of His goodly Names, He is able to do so, and He is the Mighty, the Most High, the All-Wise. And likewise, were He to will to strip from their temples the robes of names, verily He is the Powerful through the power of His sovereignty, and He is not to be questioned concerning His acts, if ye be of them that know.

And among them are those who have said:

“The stone riseth until it attaineth to the station of the ruby, and after this attainment, how can it be changed?”

And he marvelleth within himself when he witnesseth his own powerlessness in this regard, as though he were perplexed concerning the power of God his Lord, and was of them that doubt. Say: The purpose of the ruby in souls is their faith in God, and should they disbelieve in God, then would the ruby of their faith be changed into stone, if ye be of them that understand. And beyond this, know thou that if He wisheth to transform a ruby into any other thing, He is able to do so by His compelling, firm, and mighty command. Place thou the ruby in fire and observe how it changeth, for fire altereth all that is sound and soundeth all that is altered. Likewise, whosoever placeth the ruby of his faith upon the fire of self and desire, it shall be transformed in an instant. This is of the wisdom which none shall comprehend save those whose eyes God hath opened, and who are among the perceiving ones.

Among the people are those who claim authority of successorship in him whom they have taken as lord besides God. Say: Woe unto you, O company of liars! Verily We have effaced this name and its like in the Bayan, lest anyone be veiled by these names from their Source, and lest they be among the deluded ones.

Say: Have ye not witnessed that Prophethood and Messengership were sealed with Muhammad, the Messenger of God, through His word “but He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets”? And have ye not heard that He Who appeared in the year sixty is the Manifestation of God among the worlds?

Beware, O people! Ascribe not to God any peer, opposite, partner, minister, successor, or guardian. For all these are equal in His sight, all were created by His command, and all are among those who bow down before Him. God hath no worldly treasures to be distributed by His successor, His Cause abideth with Him and departeth not from Him that He should need another. This is what hath been sent down in truth, a revelation from One Mighty, Wise.

Moreover, have ye not heard what the previous Manifestation uttered: “Verily I am alive in the Most Glorious Horizon”? After His appearance and His establishment of His Cause, doth He need anyone besides Him? Nay, by His Own Self, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Great!

Verily He hath ordained mirrors in the tablets, and hath not limited them by bounds, if ye be of those who witness. For instance, behold in these days if all the mirrors of creation were to face this Sun which hath dawned from the horizon of eternity, the lights of this Sun would be reflected in them. After turning away, the light returneth to its source and the created thing returneth to its form and likeness, as ye observe and are of those who perceive. After turning away, the designation of mirror no longer applieth to it; rather, every name save good returneth to it, if ye be of those who know.

Say: O people! Fear God, then efface from your hearts these allusions, then ascend to the station wherein ye shall witness all things under the shadow of a name from among the names of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted—how much more His Own holy, inaccessible, and glorious Self! Whoso harbors in his heart any allusion from among the people’s allusions, or any expression from what they utter, the radiance of the Sun’s lights shall never be impressed upon him. The Tongue of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Glorious, beareth witness to this.

Though all who are on earth today be near ones, chosen ones, mirrors, letters and beyond these, should they hesitate in this Cause, they shall instantly return to their former station. Thus have We detailed the matter in all the tablets, and We detail it now as a grace from Us to those who have believed in God in these days wherein the faces of the veiled ones have been darkened.

And concerning what thou hast written about the Sacrifice (Dhabih) from the Land of Kaf, that he desires to attain the presence of the Countenance—this is befitting for him and for Our sincere servants. When thou seest him, convey My remembrance unto him and say: O Dhabih! Arise, warn the people, then gladden them with the Most Great Paradise. Put thy trust in God, the Ancient King. Then rend asunder the veils at their roots and bonds, and speak forth the remembrance of thy Lord between the heavens and the earth. Then write concerning this Cause that which God hath cast into thy heart, that those who seek the Countenance and have been held back by the allusions of the idolaters may be guided thereby.

Then deliver the Cause of thy Lord to the extent thou art able, tarry not, and be not of the patient ones. And if thou findest thyself in such station that were the whole earth to be filled with impenetrable mirrors, divine rubies, eternal crystals and more besides, and were they all to pause in this Cause for less than a moment, thou wouldst detach thyself from them and regard them as though not one of them had ever been mentioned. Then shalt thou be able to enter the pavilion which God hath sanctified from the knowledge of every knower, purified from the indication of every indicator, and exalted above the allusion of every sinful idolater. By God, O Our radiant Name!

We love to behold him and have him appear before Us, to be apprised of that which none before hath been apprised, and to be among those who are certain. If he is able and hath the power to journey unto God with utmost secrecy such that no one becomes aware thereof, then We grant him leave to be among the emigrants.

Say: O Dhabih! By God, all that thou hast heard before hath appeared from Us, but We concealed it as a wisdom from Our presence, and none knew of it save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. When We revealed the Cause and the breezes of assurance wafted, then he emerged from behind the veil—he whom, by the True One, I had nurtured as a tender father nurtures his child—and arose to oppose the Countenance that created him by His will. Then his name and mention became renowned among all creatures. And wert thou to appear before the Throne, thou wouldst be apprised of mysteries of which none hath been apprised, and besides this thou shalt perceive naught except what God casteth into thy heart, for He is the best of inspirers. Beware, beware lest thou be veiled by his words or by the fame of his name. By God, none hath any refuge today except to believe in God or to deny what He hath sent from the beginning that hath no beginning, and God is witness and knowing of this.

Say: O people, behold Me with Mine own eye, not with any other, that ye may find a path to your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. O people, know God by God, not by aught else, for He is now manifest, speaking, uttering, witnessed among the worlds. And when thou seest him, impart what the Spirit hath imparted unto thee; otherwise send him the divine fragrances wafting from the direction of the Tablet, that he may rejoice within himself and be among the glad ones.

Then know that the braying of the idolaters hath risen, then their cawing hath appeared, and thereby doth God test the hearts of His servants to distinguish between the believers and the idolaters. And verily, were We to recount unto thee that which hath befallen Us, thou wouldst be grieved in thy soul. For this reason have We not set forth for thee a detailed account, in preservation of thy soul, lest thou shouldst sorrow and be numbered among them that mourn. By God the True One, all that they have wrought by their own hands, uttered with their tongues, and earned for themselves has returned unto God, the Purifier, the Holy, the Luminous, the Resplendent. With this verse We have sufficed, excluding all else. Therefore, draw forth from it whatsoever thou desirest to learn concerning the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing.

Know thou moreover that We have previously revealed Tablets which were named “The Hidden,” and We desired to send them to thee, but found no messenger. We shall send them in due time that thine eyes may be solaced thereby and thou mayest be filled with evident joy and gladness. Finally, beware lest thou be patient in the Cause of thy Lord. Rather, rend asunder all the veils of men through the power of God, thy Lord, and be not of the patient ones. This is My bidding unto thee, both before and hereafter, and therein lieth a great good.

We had previously sent thee a Tablet in the Persian tongue, perspicuous and clear. God will assuredly bring it to thee, a promise from His presence, and He is the best of those who bring. Upon thee be glory, and splendor, and radiance, and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears of old. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

He is the Wondrous

Were We to mention all that hath befallen Us, it would be impossible. This much is known: even as the pure essence of truth and holiness hath become manifest and evident, so too hath the very essence of falsehood, misery, tyranny, indecency, lies, and opposition been made apparent. The curse of God be upon him who wronged the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation, who warred against Him, then calumniated Him. As for the known person who desired to attain Our presence and had expressed this in the previous year—if it be possible without harm and the touch of sorrows, permission is granted; if not, then nay. Perchance he may come and learn what hath befallen Us, and be among those who know. God willing, at all times and moments, detached from all contingent beings and existence, you shall speak the mention of Truth and prevail over the enemies, though indeed you have been and shall ever be victorious, even if no one be with you. Upon thee and those with thee be glory, mercy and praise.

No word hath yet been received from Mulla Muhammad. Write of his news, though verily thy Lord is aware of all things. Two Tablets were previously revealed and sent specifically for him.

BH00424: This is a letter from the Prisoner to him…

Section 1: “This is a letter from the Prisoner…”

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Holy

This is a letter from the Prisoner to him who hath believed in God, the Omnipotent, the Single, the One, the Almighty, that he may rejoice in God’s remembrance of him and be numbered among those who have attained.

O thou who art young in love and mature in wisdom! Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thy days have been linked with the Days of God, through whose effulgent lights the denizens of the Concourse on High have been illumined and the eyes of those near unto God have been solaced. Say: Whoso harboureth in his heart the love of God is verily in the springtime of youth, though a thousand years may have passed over him; and whoso is deprived thereof is indeed in the depths of age, though he be but in the prime of life. Thus hath the decree been inscribed in a preserved and mighty Tablet.

Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto the Word of God and hast been quickened thereby. Arise, therefore, among the servants to praise My Supreme and Most Great Self. Let not the happenings of the world grieve thee. Detach thyself from all things, then turn unto God, thy Beloved and the Beloved of all the worlds. He hath not forgotten thee and hath been with thee under all conditions. He is aware of thy love for Him and hath sent down verses unto thee as a testimony for thee and an evidence unto all the worlds.

Gladden the people with this Cause and grieve not over those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, the Sovereign, the Omnipotent, the All-Wise. Say: These are the days whereof We forewarned you aforetime, that the sincere ones would be in grave peril. Shun the enemies of God, then draw nigh unto those on whose faces thou perceivest the radiance of the All-Merciful. Thus doth the Supreme Pen command thee in this resplendent and luminous morn.

Say: O people! Ali hath come unto you with the truth, and this is His Temple among you, speaking from the right hand of the Throne: O people of the Bayan! By God, this is indeed My Self and My Beloved Who hath come unto you with manifest sovereignty. Beware lest ye differ concerning Him and dispute with Him as did the people of the Furqan when I came unto them from the dawning-place of the Spirit with a mighty command. Fear God, O people, and reject not the truth through what ye possess, and turn not back on your heels, and be not of the lost. This is God’s proof among you, and His evidence within you, and His testimony amongst all created things. Hold fast unto it, then detach yourselves from those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, your Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne.

O thou who gazest toward the sanctuary of holiness! Be thou assured in thy soul that God hath ordained for thee in His presence a station of glory and honor. Blessed is he who entereth therein and abideth therein, and this is indeed a bounty that equals not whatsoever hath been created in the heavens and the earth.

Say: O people! Believe in Him Who hath come unto you with the truth and Who calleth you unto God, your Lord, and be not of them who join partners with Him. He desireth naught for you save to draw you nigh unto a station of sublime glory. Fear God and deny not Him in Whom ye believed aforetime, and be ye of the faithful. Aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through utterance, and follow not those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. Thus doth God counsel you in truth that ye may be among those who act.

And thou, convey the Cause of thy Lord and be not silent in remembering thy Lord, and be of those who remember. Verily, whoso conveyeth His Cause, He will strengthen him with the truth through angels drawn nigh. Unite the loved ones of God in that land, then gather them unto the Law which hath flowed in truth from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Make mention in the Book of Muhammad, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God and be of them that are glad. O Muhammad! Be praiseworthy in deed, and arise amidst men with the praise of thy Lord, for this is the most excellent of all deeds, wert thou of them that know. God hath prescribed unto every soul the promulgation of His Cause, and whoso quickeneth a soul with the life of faith, it is as though he had quickened all them that dwell on earth. Beware lest thou grieve over aught. Take thou fast hold of the Most Great Handle within thyself and be not of them that slumber.

Then make mention in the Book of him who hath been named Ali in the Kingdom of God, the Most High, the Most Great. O Ali! Blessed art thou in that thou hast been named with this Most Great Name, whereby the heavens of Command were rolled up and spread out again, and this is a truth certain. By it was established the Balance of Justice and the Dove of Eternity warbled upon the twigs of the mighty Tree. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord and fear not the hosts of Satan. Thy Lord, verily, aideth him who aideth Him and strengtheneth him with the hosts of the unseen. He, verily, is powerful over all things.

Then make mention in the Book of him who hath been named Hasan, that he may be benevolent in the Cause of God, his Lord and the Lord of all worlds. O Hasan! Dost thou sleep upon thy couch while the Beloved is in the hands of the oppressors? Dost thou take thy ease while the Temple of the Youth lieth imprisoned in this remote prison? Say: Verily, He is content with God’s good-pleasure, though the clouds of destiny may rain down upon Him the darts of tribulation at every moment, before and after. He giveth thanks unto His Lord in all this, and yearneth to meet Him in a station of glorious and resplendent might. He crieth out:

“O Beloved of the worlds! If my body be a veil between me and Thee, then lift it by Thy sovereign might and power. And if my form be a barrier between me and Thee, then render it non-existent through Thy power that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

Thus warbleth the Cock of the Divine Throne, when He descended from the highest branches of the Lote-Tree of the Far Boundary and found solace with God’s loving servants. Beyond this, this Bird hath melodies which none in all the worlds can hear save him who hath detached himself from all things and hath tasted the sweetness of remembrance from this Most Great, Most Ancient, and Most Glorious Remembrance.

Then make mention from Our presence of thy son who hath been named with this Name, whereby they who disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, were struck with terror, whereby the faces of them that have professed the unity of God were illumined, and whereby the hearts of them that yearn have soared unto the dominion of God, the King, the Just, the Wise. O Husayn! Wert thou to learn of this Husayn, thou wouldst surely weep in the wilderness like unto the bereaved, nay more grievously still, and God is witness unto this. Wert thou to open thine eye and behold Me, thou wouldst find My soul at that moment beneath the dagger of Shimr, then the point of the spear, then the swords of the idolaters.

Yea, by the life of the Beloved! Thus it behooveth My soul, and I besought God for this ere the creation of the heavens and the earth. For verily, a body that hath not been made a target for the spears of the idolaters, the swords of the perverse, and the arrows of the hypocrites—by God, it would never profit Me, nor would I ever desire it. To this testify all atoms, but the people are in profound heedlessness. Say: The Spirit belongeth unto the Lord of the Spirit, and none among all the worlds can dispose of it. By My life! Were but one word to be cast upon you from that station, ye would surely sacrifice your souls for love of My beauty and out of attachment to My transcendent, mighty and wondrous Self. O Most Exalted Pen! Take hold of thy reins and rend not further the veil of mysteries.

Section 2: “Then make mention of him who was named…”

Then make mention of him who was named Zaynu’l-Abidin, that he may be mindful of his Lord’s remembrance amidst Our heedless servants. O Zaynu’l-Abidin! Hearken unto My call from the direction of the Prison, that there is none other God but Him. His is the greatness and the power, His is the might and the dominion, and in His grasp lies the kingdom of the hidden and the manifest, and He encompasses all things. Moreover, He Who hath come unto you is the Proof of God unto His creation and His Balance amongst the worlds. Bear thou witness, O servant, to that which God hath witnessed, and be not of the silent ones. Arise to praise thy Lord—loose thy tongue in utterance concerning this Youth Who hath been afflicted at the hands of the oppressors. Thus have We commanded thee in truth, out of Our love for thee and for the loved ones.

Then convey My greetings unto the devoted women who have believed in God, that they may remember their Lord at eventide and at dawn, and be detached from all the worlds. Let them be patient in God and trust in Him in all matters, for verily He loveth His devoted maidservants and His devoted servants.

Then make mention from Us to the son of him who was named ʿAbdu’llah, that the winds of his Lord’s will may move him—winds that blow from His exalted, transcendent and mighty paradise. O servant! Blessed art thou for having been mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen in these days wherein the Sun of Eternity hath shone forth from the All-Glorious Horizon, by which the denizens of the highest Paradise and the Concourse on high were illumined, were ye of those who know.

Say: O people! Fear God and spread not corruption in the land after its reformation, and shed not blood. Thus doth the Pen of Command admonish you in this remote Prison. Say: O people! Adorn yourselves with the ornament of righteousness, your tongues with the praise of God, and your hearts with His love—this is better for you than the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Beware lest ye differ in the Cause of God. Gather ye together around His Cause, whereby the faces of those who have recognized His unity will be illumined. Thus have We counseled those who have believed in God and were among the successful ones.

And thou, O youth, give thanks unto God thy Lord, then turn thy face toward the House and say:

O my God and my Master! I am he who hath turned his face toward the seat of Thy throne, and I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all who are in the heavens and on earth were shaken, save those whom Thou didst preserve through Thy grace and didst number among the sincere ones, that Thou withhold not from me the wonders of Thy gifts and favors, and that the sweet fragrances of Thy mercy and bestowals be not cut off from me. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Compelling, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious. O Lord! Make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause in such wise that my feet shall not slip even though all created things should oppose me.

Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to what thou hast been bidden by One Forgiving, Merciful.

O Most Exalted Pen! Return to the mention of him in whose name this Tablet hath been revealed, as a token of grace unto him from his Lord, the Most High, the Great, that he may rejoice once again in his soul at these verses which have been sent down from the heaven of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and that he may inhale the fragrance of the Youth from the raiment of utterance and be of the thankful ones. O servant! Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having singled thee out for this supreme grace, for verily His mercy hath preceded all created things and His bounty hath encompassed all who dwell in His realm.

Convey Our greetings unto him who was named Muhammad-ʿAli, that he may detach himself from the world and turn unto God, his Lord, and draw near unto the shore of this Most Great, this Mighty Ocean. Say: It behooveth one like thee to detach thyself from all allusions and to burn away the veils with the fire of the love of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Arise to serve God and His Cause, then forbid the people from that which displeaseth His good-pleasure. Thus hath the command been revealed in this Revelation, and thy Lord is, verily, witness and well-informed of this. We have forbidden the servants from transgression and wickedness, and have commanded them to fear God, the Mighty, the Wise. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then guide the people to the spring which hath flowed forth from the Will of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, in this wondrous and sublime Paradise.

Say: O people! Aid the religion of God through your deeds, and be not of the transgressors. Beware lest ye cast the ordinances of God behind your backs and follow the ways of the oppressors. We showed thee aforetime in thy dream that which would guide thee to this Paradise. Ponder, that thou mayest recognize and be filled with manifest joy. Nothing escapes His knowledge, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and the earth. Say: Knowledge is the recognition of God and the Manifestation of His Self in these days, were ye of them that perceive. Without this, nothing shall be mentioned before God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old. Satan shall soon appear unto you in human form; take ye refuge in God from his evil, O concourse of believers!

Verily, they who have not believed in this Revelation, nothing shall profit them, even if they possess all the books of the ancients and the moderns. And the mercy which descendeth from the clouds of grace be upon thee and upon those who have turned towards the direction of God with pure and luminous hearts. The Most Glorious. If thou art able to attain unto the presence of the Countenance, We have verily permitted thee to do so, as a bounty from Us and a mercy from Our presence upon thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. However, this should be without causing any grief or creating any disturbance; otherwise, remain in thy place and then proclaim the Cause of God. This is greater than all that is great.

BH00425: This is a letter from the Prisoner to him…

Section 1: “This is a letter from the Prisoner…”

In the Name of God, the Most Exalted, the Most High!

This is a letter from the Prisoner to him who hath believed in God, his Lord, the Most High, the Most Great, and who hath attained the presence of the Youth and heard from Him what none else hath heard, were ye to be of the fair-minded.

Upon him have shone the lights of the Countenance, and the breezes of the All-Merciful have stirred him, and the melodies of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the All-Knowing, have attracted him. Hearken unto the words of Him Who calleth thee, then cast behind thee all that thou hast and take what thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, hath given thee. Beware lest thou be veiled by what hath been revealed in the Bayan from Him through Whose will the religions of former times were manifested. Beware lest thou be veiled by its letters and its mirrors and what was created therein from Him through Whose word all things proclaim “There is none other God but I, the Mighty, the Wise.”

This is what We have commanded thee in the outward realm of the Cause, even as it was sent down in the Bayan from the presence of the Ancient Sender. If thou wouldst observe with keen sight, by God the Truth, thou wouldst not find in the Bayan a single word but that thou wouldst discover therefrom the fragrance of My mighty and wondrous remembrance. For every word God took the covenant of My Self before His Own Self, wert thou of those who know. Say: The Point of the Bayan moved only by My Name, breathed only in My remembrance, and spoke only in My praise. To this testifieth what was revealed by Him, and His own self beareth witness to what I say.

And verily, at this moment, He liveth in this sublime horizon and declareth:

“O Muhammad! Hearken unto the words of Him Who calleth thee unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Commit not that whereby the sanctity of the Cause would be violated amongst the people, and be not of those who were veiled from God on the day when the clouds were cleft asunder and the Beloved came with His name, the Most High, the Most Great.”

These are they who rose in opposition and protest, and among them were those who denounced Him as an infidel, and those who warred against Him, and those who cited the verses of the past and thereby objected to His wronged and lonely Self.

O Muhammad! Hearest thou not the melodies of God in this mighty and glorious melody? Perceivest thou not the fragrance of God from this luminous and shining raiment? Beholdest thou not the power of God in this power that hath encompassed the worlds? Hast thou not seen the sovereignty of God and heard His uprise amidst the hosts of His enemies? By God, all that hath appeared from Him is a proof and evidence, yea, a testimony unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say: This indeed is the path of God, therefore walk ye therein and be not of the patient ones. This verily is the melody of God which hath been raised from the direction of the Throne; hearken unto it, O people, and be not of the doubters. This indeed is His countenance which hath shone forth from the horizon of the will of the Most Merciful in this most wonderful and wondrous Paradise.

O Muhammad! This is verily the News that had been inscribed in all the Tablets, and this is the Cause at which all who are in the heavens and on earth were dismayed, except such as God preserved through His grace and power from His presence, and gave to drink of the Kawthar of immortality from the fingers of thy Lord’s will, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and made them among those who are firmly established. Should this Countenance be veiled by whatsoever countenance ye desire, be ye among those who turn towards it. O Muhammad! By God, this is verily the Beauty of the heavens and earth, wert thou of them that are assured. This is the Beauty the like of which hath never appeared in all creation. Ponder then, that thou mayest witness what God hath testified in the atoms of the Bayan and at this very moment.

O Muhammad! Should anyone come forth and adduce all that was revealed from time immemorial, it would profit him not a whit except he acknowledge this Manifestation which hath dawned in this luminous Morn. Say: Truth itself moveth with Him, were ye of them that know. Know thou moreover that every tree planted in the Bayan was planted solely for this Most Great, this Mighty Manifestation. Hear My words, then detach thyself for the sake of God, thy Beloved and the Beloved of them that know. Then incline thine inward ear unto the melodies of the birds of sorrow in the Paradise of exposition in My remembrance and praise, that haply thou mayest detach thyself from all else but Me and turn unto the face of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Not a letter, nor a word, nor any utterance was recorded in the Bayan except it was revealed concerning My Cause, and to this testifieth all things, wert thou of the fair-minded. Wouldst thou be of them who hesitated in the Cause of God on the day when the Manifestation of His Self came unto them with manifest sovereignty, who clung to the words revealed aforetime and objected thereby to His Self, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent? If thou fearest for thy faith, preserve this Tablet, and should anyone object to thee by any proof concerning thy belief in God, bring forth this Tablet and say: By this holy, mighty and resplendent Book! By God, I intended naught in these words save to proclaim the Cause of thy Lord, and God is indeed witness and knowing of this. I desired not Mine own self, but rather what God desired for His near servants. My will was naught but His Will, and what He desired was indeed My desire, wert thou of them that know. I speak not except by His leave, and move not except by His binding, firm and mighty command.

Hear My words, then cast aside what thou hast and arise to serve the Cause of God, thy Lord. He will verily aid thee with the truth, and His help through the sincere ones is nigh. Come forth from behind the veils of allusion, then turn thy face unto the concourse of the Furqan and say: The test hath come to you from the direction of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Fear God and be not of them that hesitate. Say: This is verily a Youth Who hath come unto you with God’s testimony, His proof, His evidence, His signs, His grandeur and His sovereignty. Nothing can withhold Him from His Cause, nor can the heavens and earth stand against Him. The Kingdom of God marcheth before Him, and behind Him are the hosts of divine revelation and inspiration, and on His right hand a company of angels.

Then turn unto the concourse of the Gospel and say: The Most Great, the Mighty News hath come unto you. By God, He Who ascended unto heaven hath in truth descended and standeth before the Face. Fear God and be not of the heedless. He hath come to give life unto the world and to unite all its peoples, and this is better for you, did ye but know. He hath sacrificed His spirit once again for all who are in the heavens and on earth, out of His love for God, the Almighty, the August, the Inaccessible.

Section 2: “Say to the priest: Beware lest thou ring…”

Say to the priest: Beware lest thou ring the bells. By the True One! The Most Great Bell hath appeared, rung by the fingers of the Will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, in the Throne of Glory, and by it have been attracted the realities of all created things—they who have purified their vision from human limitations and turned unto this Most Great Prospect, the Seat of God, the Almighty, the Great, the Glorious. Fear thou no one. Arise through My power and sovereignty, then deliver My messages, and be not of the patient ones.

Then turn thy gaze unto the concourse of the Torah and say: He hath come unto you—the Sovereign of Names and Attributes, within Whose grasp lieth the kingdom of verses, and there hath appeared at His right hand that which was promised unto you of the House of David. Indeed, He is the Promised One in your midst, and now He calleth unto you from the right of the throne of your Lord, the Loving. O concourse of the Jews! How long will ye slumber upon the couch of ignorance and heedlessness? Lift up your heads, for lo! the Sun hath risen from the horizon of majesty and hath reached its zenith. Be illumined by its light and be not of them that are veiled.

Say: In the name of God and by God! Then turn to the people of the Bayan and say: O people! Have ye not been promised in the Tablets of your Lord, the All-Merciful, this Revelation which hath come to you with the proof of God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing? If ye deny it, by what proof can ye establish your faith in God, your Lord? Bring it forth and be not of the patient ones. This is the Self of ʿAli in your midst, the Manifestation of Muhammad among you, and the Spirit of the Spirit between the heavens and the earth. He desireth naught for Himself and calleth you at all times unto God, your Lord. Have mercy, O people, and slay Him not with the swords of hatred, and be not of the wrongdoers.

Judge fairly within yourselves: Have ye found in the Bayan aught that would not serve as evidence of My remembrance and praise? Nay, by His Self, the Ancient of Days! Were ye to inhale the leaves of the Bayan, from every leaf thereof ye would discover the fragrance of My holy and glorious Raiment. Beware, O people, lest ye pierce Him with the arrows of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and be of the lost. I desired not to manifest Myself amongst you, but God did manifest Me in truth, caused Me to speak His verses, and sent Me unto all the worlds. This indeed is the Lamp which your Beloved and the Beloved of the mystics hath kindled, and this is the Fire which the Will of your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath ignited at the heart of all creation. Were anyone to hearken unto the sighing of but a single spark thereof, he would hear that this is the Beloved of God Who hath appeared among you, and this is the Object of worship of all worlds.

I possess nothing of Mine own, for He speaketh by My tongue as He willeth. If this be My crime, then I am not the first of the transgressors. Ponder upon God’s Messengers and His Emissaries: They all spoke as this Spirit hath spoken among you, as testify the realities of all things and the bearers of the mighty throne. If ye help not this Wronged One, at least oppose Him not. Fear ye God Who sent down the Bayan and the former Books.

By the righteousness of God, my Well-Beloved! I have never aspired after worldly leadership. My sole purpose hath been to hand down unto men that which I was bidden to deliver by God, the Gracious, the Incomparable, that it may detach them from all that pertaineth to this world, and cause them to attain such heights as neither the ungodly can conceive, nor the froward imagine.

Thou knowest that I have found no safe haven in My days, but have at all times been at the mercy of the oppressors, and there hath befallen Me that which hath befallen no one before Me—thou wouldst bear witness to this wert thou to be of the fair-minded. I have arisen to make mention of God amidst His creation to the extent of My ability, and have not fallen short in proclaiming His Cause throughout the heavens and the earth. These are days the like of which the eye of creation hath never seen, and in the like of which none of God’s Messengers hath appeared save this most wondrous and incomparable Revelation. Through this Revelation is the decree of origination made manifest, were ye of them that are assured, and through this Revelation hath the power of God been established among His servants and His sovereignty manifested unto all possessed of keen insight and knowledge.

O Muhammad! We have indeed answered thee before this, and thou wast present before Us and heard from Us that which most of mankind have not heard, and thou hast become acquainted with My nature and My remembrance amongst these heedless ones. Beware lest thou deprive thyself of this Most Great, this Mighty Ocean. Verily, he whom the people had taken as their lord appeared before the Presence with evident submissiveness. Yet when We exalted his mention, he sought to shed My blood by following his self and his passion, and thus did he deal with Us in this remote Prison. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not those who cannot distinguish their left from their right. Thus have We recounted unto thee what hath befallen the Youth, and cast upon thee that which shall draw thee nigh unto God, thy Lord, that thou mayest be of them that attain.

Detach thyself from thine own self, then from the world, and arise to serve thy Lord’s Cause with manifest power. If mankind were to gather around this Ocean which surgeth within itself for its own sake, and from each of whose waves there proclaimeth every billow that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Gracious! Beware lest names withhold thee from Him Who brought them into being, and dominion from its Possessor. Purify thyself from all things, then thy tongue from the mention of all peoples. Then, shouldst thou make mention before men of the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, thy words would influence them, save those from whom the spirit of life hath been taken. These are but ashes of the earth; they shall never be quickened, even should the spirit be breathed into them throughout the duration of God’s kingdom, the Mighty, the Powerful.

We have sent thee aforetime Tablets of transcendent glory, a single word of which sufficeth all created things. Hearken unto that which We have commanded thee, for love of thine own self, and be not of the transgressors. This beseemeth thee and will render thee independent of all that thou hast known and learned, and of all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. And the Spirit and glory rest upon thee and upon those who have believed in God and are of them that are well-assured.

BH00431: Lawh-i-Ibna’

He is God, the King, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting!

These are the verses of God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting, unto those who have believed in God and His verses, and who are secure from the terror of misbelief. Say: O people! Why do ye deny Me when ye witness that I have come to you with verses that cause the hearts of them that have believed to tremble and minds to be bewildered?

O people! Have ye forgotten the decree of God that was sent down in the Bayan from the presence of the Mighty, the Well-Beloved, and the covenant He took from you in every Book, nay in every recorded scroll, that ye should not deny the verses of God when they are revealed in truth, nor dispute with Him Who cometh unto you with preserved tablets of glory? And if ye believe not in Him, oppose Him not. Fear God, then deny not His Beauty. We have indeed sent down aforetime unto Muhammad, the Messenger of God, if ye but understand. None dispute the verses of God except those who disbelieve. Thus was it sent down aforetime from the presence of God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting. Say: O people! Fear God and be not proud before Him at Whose might all are dismayed. Beware lest ye render your works vain and cling to what ye possess rather than to that which hath been sent down in truth from the presence of the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Sanctify thyself, then remind the servants of what the Spirit hath cast upon thee. Fear no one and grieve not for what hath befallen thee of adversity and hardship. Put thy trust in God, thy Lord, and be not of those who reflect not upon the verses of God. By God! If thou wert to arise for the love of God and His servant, God would assist thee against all who are on earth. Verily, there is no God but Him. He aideth whom He willeth through His word “Be,” and it is! Thus do We recite unto you of the verses of God and cast upon you that which will tranquilize your hearts and the hearts of those who behold naught save through the Greatest Vision in this concealed and luminous Beauty. And thou, rend asunder the veils of idle fancy, then emerge from behind the clouds with a power from Us and a might from Our presence, that thou mayest witness what no one among creation hath witnessed. This is what We have caused thee to witness in truth in this holy and praiseworthy station. Beware lest thou be like unto those who follow naught but their vain desires and who wander in the valley of idle fancy.

As to what thou hast asked concerning the innate nature, know thou that all men have been created according to the nature of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. He hath ordained for every soul the measures of His decree as inscribed in the preserved tablets of glory. Yet all this manifesteth through your own volition, even as ye witness in your own deeds. Consider, for instance, that which hath been forbidden unto the servants in the Book, as ye observe in the Bayan, wherein God hath permitted what He willeth by His command and forbidden what He pleaseth by His sovereignty. Say: All this is in the Book—do ye not witness it? Yet people, after knowing that from which they were prohibited, still commit it.

Can this be attributed to God or to their own selves, if ye be fair-minded? Say: No good thing proceedeth from any source except from God, while no evil originateth from any source except from yourselves. Do ye not comprehend? This hath been revealed in all the Tablets, if ye but knew. Yea, He knoweth your deeds before their appearance, even as He knoweth them after they are manifest. There is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all things are preserved with Him in the tablets of holy concealment. This knowledge doth not cause the deed in His creation, even as your knowledge of something is not the cause of its appearance in what ye have willed or will, have known or will know.

Thus do We cast upon thee from the verses of divine innovation and expound them with truth, that perchance the people may become assured of the signs of their Lord. Therefore, ponder within thyself concerning that which thou hast asked, that God may open unto thy heart the gates of knowledge and wisdom, and cause thee to witness the creation of all things, and acquaint thee with the mysteries of what was and what will be. By God! All this is easier with Him than all else. He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth among His creation by a command from His presence, and verily He is the Mighty, the Glorious, the Best-Beloved.

And thou art a bird soaring in the holy atmosphere wherein move the breezes of the Ever-Living. Beware lest thou be of them who stand still. Rather, strive within thyself to ascend at every moment to another heaven and another atmosphere, that thou mayest discover at every instant the mysteries of a hidden innovation. For there is no end to the heaven of His grace, nor any beginning to the earth of His bounty, that it might be completed by foot or wing or the comprehension of minds.

Rend asunder the veils by My Name, the Mighty, the Beloved, and turn not unto anyone except God, thy Lord. Set thy face toward the luminous and visible Countenance, that the greatness of turbans may not prevent thee from entering the sanctuary of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Holy. For We have found the people of the Bayan to be like the people of the Furqan, nay rather more veiled, if ye but knew. They speak as others spoke before and act as did the nations of old. Soon shall ye know. Strive thou, therefore, within thyself lest thou walk in their footsteps. Rather, walk in the footsteps of God, thy Lord, on this luminous, blessed, and extended path. Were thou to ask them concerning the difference between themselves and others, they would speak without understanding. Thus have their souls enticed them, and their hearts have hardened through that which they have earned.

As to what thou hast asked of me, know thou that I am a servant who hath believed in God and His signs and His Messengers and His Books, making no distinction between any of them, and thus have I been commanded by God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. I have believed in all that hath been sent down from Him and in that which is now being revealed from the heaven of holy love. I follow what I have been commanded in the Book, by God’s might and power, and I desire not to transgress a single letter thereof. To this do bear witness mine own self and mine essence, then my tongue, if ye be of them that perceive.

I declare lawful unto myself whatsoever God hath made lawful in the Bayan, and forbidden whatsoever He hath forbidden, and I believe in all that hath been revealed therein, if ye be of them that believe. Verily they who make lawful what God hath forbidden them and forbid what God hath made lawful in the Book—these understand nothing and know not. But this question beseemeth no one among men, for this is a station whereon the Pen moveth not, nor doth ink flow, if ye be of them that know. Were this question from another than thee, We would not have answered with a single letter, but as We desired for thee a certain station, We have answered thee that thou mayest perchance awaken unto thyself and be of them that are guided in these days wherein every soul is intoxicated and all have turned away from His beauty, save them who have detached themselves wholly from all they have heard and who behold with the eye of sanctity.

By the True One! Thou hast asked about a station greater than the creation of the heavens and earth, which God hath placed above the testimonies of His servants—none shall understand it save them that are endued with knowledge. Yea, people understand according to their ranks and stations, not according to that which hath been ordained for it. Glorified, glorified be He above all that ye ask! If thou wouldst rend asunder the veil from thine eyes and ascend unto the holy atmosphere in this air that wafteth in this heaven, and detach thyself from all who are in the heavens and earth and from every prolonged matter, the Spirit would cast into thy breast from this station that which would make thee independent of all that hath been created and shall be created, and sufficient unto thee above all things that were and that shall be.

Thus doth the Pen of Command recite unto thee from God’s wisdom, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and cast upon thee that which shall draw thee nigh unto a glorious and praiseworthy station, from whose precincts most of the servants have been debarred, and none shall attain thereunto save they who recline upon the couches of eternity.

And as to what thou hast asked concerning my son, know thou that my sons, if they follow the ordinances of God and transgress not beyond that which hath been decreed in the Bayan, the Book of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, and enjoin upon themselves and upon the servants that which is good and forbid that which is evil, and bear witness to that which God hath testified in His decisive and irrevocable verses, and believe in Him Whom God shall manifest on the Day when the time of the first and the last shall be reckoned, and on which all shall be brought before God, their Lord, and differ not in the Cause of God nor transgress His sacred Law that hath been ordained and inscribed—then know ye that they are the leaves of the Tree of Unity and its fruits, and through them the clouds rain down and the mists are lifted by grace, if ye be of them that are assured.

They are the kindred of God among you and the people of His household in your midst, and His mercy unto all worlds, if ye be of them that know. Through them the breezes of God waft over you and the winds of might pass over them that are nigh, and they are the Pen of God and His Command and His Word amongst His creatures, and through them He taketh and giveth, if ye be of them that understand. Through them the earth hath been illumined with the light of thy Lord and the signs of His grace have appeared unto them that deny not the signs of God. Therefore, whoso harmeth them hath harmed Me, and whoso turneth away from them hath turned away from the path of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Soon shall become manifest the turning away of them that have turned aside and their pride against Us and their transgression against Our souls without any clear proof or preserved scripture. Say: O people! They are the signs of God among you. Beware lest ye dispute with them or slay them or be of them who act wickedly and perceive it not. They are the captives of God on earth and have fallen beneath the hands of the oppressors in this land which lieth behind exalted mountains. All this befell them at a time when they were but children in the kingdom and had committed no sin, but rather for the sake of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved.

And from among them, he in whom this quality is innate, God causeth to flow from his tongue the verses of His power, and he is of them whom God hath specially chosen for His Cause. Verily, there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and we all act by His command. We beseech God to aid them to obey Him and to grant them that which will gladden their hearts and the hearts of them that turn at all times toward the court of God, and to forgive their misdeeds and make them to be of them that shall inherit the Paradise of the All-Highest from God, the Mighty, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Thus have We bestowed Our favor upon thee in this Tablet and revealed unto thee that which was concealed from others, as a grace from Us unto thee and unto them who are guided by God’s guidance at this dawning-place. And thou, preserve this Tablet as thou wouldst thine eye. Beware lest thou disclose it to anyone save them that are worthy. Thus doth the Command of God enjoin thee concerning that which is hidden. Transgress not beyond that which thou hast been bidden, for We have found the people of the Bayan to be more veiled than all the peoples of the earth, save whom thy Lord willeth. Thus have We taken account of the matter, if ye be of them that reckon. We beseech God to aid them to follow His Cause that they may rend asunder the veils and emerge from behind the clouds with authority from God, the Powerful, the Most Holy.

Know then that We answered thy questions at the time when thy letter in eloquent Persian appeared before Us. But as no messenger was found to convey it to thee, We cast it into the sea by Our command, lest thereby the clamor of the idolaters be raised. In His hand is the dominion of all things. He eraseth what He willeth and confirmeth what He pleaseth, and with Him are the holy and preserved Tablets. Therefore, We answered three of them in an eloquent Arabic tongue, and withheld the Pen from the remaining two by virtue of a wisdom which none should know save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. The Pen shall flow in its time when the Command cometh from the horizon of holy and glorious might. Should God will and desire it—verily there is no God but Him—He ordaineth what He pleaseth and manifesteth what He desireth. All spirit and glory and eternity be upon thee, that thou mayest be among those who are steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord.

BH00437: Prayer for the Fast (Iftar)

Section 1: “This is a Prayer revealed, at the time…”

This is a Prayer revealed, at the time of breaking the fast, from the presence of God, the Almighty, the All-Chosen. He is the Ordainer.

Exalted art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by those whom Thou hast bidden to observe the Fast for the sake of Thy love and good-pleasure, who have demonstrated their allegiance to Thy law and followed Thy verses and precepts, and who have broken their fast while enjoying near access to Thee and beholding Thy countenance. By Thy glory! Since they are turning to the court of Thy good-pleasure, all their days are days of fasting. Were the mouth of Thy will to address them saying: “Observe, for My beauty’s sake, the fast, O people, and set no limit to its duration,” I swear by the majesty of Thy glory, that every one of them will faithfully observe it, will abstain from whatsoever will violate Thy law, and will continue to do so until they yield up their souls unto Thee, for they have tasted the sweetness of Thy call, and become inebriated with Thy remembrance and praise and with the words proceeding from the lips of Thy command.

I beseech Thee, O Lord, by Thyself, the Exalted, the Most High, and by Thy Latter Manifestation through Whom the kingdom of names and the dominion of attributes have been convulsed, and the inhabitants of earth and heaven became intoxicated, and all who dwell in the realms of Revelation and creation trembled except such as have fasted from all that is repugnant to Thy good-pleasure and restrained themselves from turning toward aught besides Thee, to include us among them and to write down our names on the Tablet whereon Thou hast inscribed their names. O God, through the wonders of Thy might and the tokens of Thy sovereignty and grandeur, Thou didst send forth their names from out of the sea of Thy names, and didst create their inner essences out of the substance of Thy love, and their inmost beings from the spirit of Thy Cause.

Theirs is a reunion not succeeded by separation, a nearness that knoweth no remoteness, and a perpetuity that hath no end. Verily, these are servants who ever recount Thee, who eternally circle round Thee, and who circumambulate the sanctuary of Thy presence and the Kaaba of reunion with Thee. Thou hast ordained, O my God, no distinction between them and Thee, except that when they beheld the lights of Thy countenance, they set their faces towards Thee, and prostrated themselves before Thy beauty, submissive to Thy greatness and severed from all things besides Thee.

We have fasted this day, O my Lord, by Thy command and Thy bidding in accordance with what Thou hast revealed in Thy perspicuous Book. We have withheld our souls from passion and from whatsoever Thou abhorest until the day drew to an end and the time arrived to break the Fast. Wherefore, I implore Thee, O Desire of the hearts of ardent lovers and Beloved of the souls of them who are endued with understanding, O Rapture of the breasts of them that yearn after Thee and Object of the desire of them that seek Thee, to cause us to soar in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and the heaven of Thy presence, and to accept from us what we have performed in the pathway of Thy love and good-pleasure.

Write down our names, then, among those who have acknowledged Thy oneness and confessed to Thy singleness and who have humbled themselves before the evidences of Thy majesty and the tokens of Thy grandeur, those who have taken refuge in Thy nearness and sought shelter in Thee, who have expended their lives in their eagerness to meet Thee and attain the court of Thy presence, and who have cast the world behind their backs for love of Thee and severed every tie with aught save Thee in their eagerness to draw nigh unto Thee. These are servants whose hearts melt in ardent desire for Thy beauty at the mention of Thy Name, and whose eyes overflow with tears in their longing to find Thee and enter the precincts of Thy court.

This is, O my Lord, my tongue which testifieth to Thy unity and peerlessness, mine eye which beholdeth the seat of Thy generosity and manifold bounties, and mine ear which is ready to hearken unto Thy summons and Thine utterance, for I am assured, O my God, that Thou hast decreed the words proceeding out of the mouth of Thy will to be inexhaustible, and unto them the ears which Thou hast sanctified to hear Thy words and verses are at all times hearkening. And these are my hands, O my Lord, uplifted toward the heaven of Thy favor and tender mercy. Wilt Thou, then, turn away this poor one who hath taken to himself no beloved except Thee, no bestower beside Thee, nor king other than Thee, no shelter save beneath the shadow of Thy mercy, and no refuge but before Thy gate, which Thou hast opened unto all who dwell in Thy heaven and on Thine earth?

Nay, by Thy glory! I am he whose confidence in Thy loving kindness will remain undaunted even though Thou wert to afflict me with torments for the duration of Thy dominion; and should anyone ask me about Thee, every limb of my body would proclaim: “He is beloved in His acts and obeyed in His decree, merciful in His nature and compassionate to His creatures!”

Thy might beareth me witness, O Well-Beloved of the hearts of them that yearn after Thee, wert Thou to turn me away from Thy door and abandon me to the swords of the tyrants amongst Thy servants and to the rods of the ungodly amongst Thy creatures, and should someone ask me about Thee, every hair of my body would still declare: “He is, in truth, the Best Beloved of the worlds; He is the Most Bountiful; He is the Ever-Abiding! He draweth me nigh whilst distancing me from Himself; He granteth me His sanctuary whilst debarring me from His presence. None found I more merciful than He, by Whom I have become independent of all else but Him and have been raised up above aught besides Himself.”

Well is it with the one, O my God, who hath been so enriched by Thee as to be made independent of the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Rich is the one who hath held fast to the cord of Thy wealth, is submissive before Thy face, and for whom Thou art sufficient above all things. Poor is the one who hath dispensed with Thee, waxed proud before Thee, turned away from Thy presence, and disbelieved in Thy signs. Suffer me, then, O my God and my Beloved, to be numbered with those whom the breezes of Thy will move as they list, not with those whom the wind of self and passion stirreth and directeth as it pleaseth. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Most Bountiful.

All glory be to Thee, O my God, for Thou hast graciously enabled me to fast during this month which Thou hast related to Thy Name, the Most Exalted, and called ʿAla (Loftiness). Thou hast commanded that Thy servants and Thy people should fast therein and seek thereby to draw nearer unto Thee. The days and months of the year have culminated with the Fast, even as the first month began with Thy Name, Baha, that all might testify that Thou art the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden, and be well assured that the glory of all names is conferred only through the glory of Thy Cause and the word expounded by Thy will and revealed through Thy purpose. Thou hast ordained that this month be a remembrance and honor from Thee, and a sign of Thy presence amongst them, that they may not forget Thy grandeur and Thy majesty, Thy sovereignty and Thy glory, and may be well assured that from time immemorial Thou hast ever been and wilt ever be Ruler over the entire creation. Nothing created in the heavens or on the earth can hinder Thee in Thy governance, nor can anyone in the realms of Revelation and creation prevent Thee from fulfilling Thy purpose.

I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy name whereby all the kindreds of the earth have wailed, except such as Thou hast safeguarded with Thine unerring protection and sheltered beneath the shadow of Thy transcendent mercy, to make us so firm in Thy Cause and steadfast in Thy love that were Thy servants to rise up against Thee and Thy people turn away from Thee, and no one would remain on earth to invoke Thy name or set his face toward the sanctuary of communion with Thee and the Kaaba of Thy sanctity, I would still arise singly and alone to render Thy Cause victorious, to exalt Thy word, to proclaim Thy sovereignty, and to celebrate the praise of Thine august Self. And this, O Lord, even though each time I venture to extol Thee by any name, I am filled with perplexity, for I am fully aware that all of Thine exalted attributes and all of the most excellent names which I associate with Thee and by which in Thy holy presence I supplicate Thee, reflect naught but the measure of mine own understanding, inasmuch as whenever I have regarded a name to be laudable, I have associated it with Thyself.

Section 2: “Immeasurably exalted is Thy true state above…”

Immeasurably exalted is Thy true state above the description or knowledge of anyone besides Thee, and sanctified art Thou from the glorification of Thy creatures and the praise of Thy servants in their attempts to ascend unto Thee. Whatsoever appeareth from Thy servants is limited by the limitations of their own selves and is created by their own idle fancies and imaginings.

Alas, alas, O my Beloved, for mine inability to befittingly praise Thee and for my shortcomings during Thy days! If I acclaim Thee, O my God, as Him Who knoweth all things, I readily perceive that shouldst Thou point to a mute rock with a single finger of Thy will, Thou wouldst enable it to unfold the knowledge of all past and future ages; and if I extol Thee as the All-Powerful, I find that one word issuing from the mouth of Thy purpose is sufficient to convulse the heavens and the earth.

Thy glory beareth me witness, O Beloved of all that recognize Thee, should any learned one fail to confess his ignorance before the revelations of Thy knowledge, he would be accounted the most ignorant of Thy people; and should any mighty one refuse to admit his weakness before the evidences of Thy power, he would be considered the weakest and the most heedless of Thy creatures. Given my knowledge and certainty that this is so, how can I extol Thee or describe and praise Thee? Wherefore, knowing my weakness, I have hastened toward the shelter of Thy strength; and realizing my poverty, I have sought refuge under the shadow of Thy wealth; and recognizing my powerlessness, I have arisen to stand before the tabernacle of Thy power and might. Wilt thou cast away this poor one after he hath taken no one but Thee as his succorer, or turn away this stranger after he hath found no one but Thee to be his true beloved?

Thou knowest all that is in me, O Lord, but I know not what is in Thee. Have mercy then upon me through Thy loving providence and inspire me with that which shall give peace to my heart during Thy days and tranquillity to my soul through the revelations of Thy sacred presence. All created things have been illumined with the splendors of the lights of Thy countenance, O Lord, and the dwellers of earth and heaven are shining resplendently on account of the manifestations of Thine incomparable majesty, in such wise that I behold nothing without first beholding within it the revelation of Thyself, a revelation which is hidden from the sight of those among Thy servants who lie fast asleep.

Deprive me not, O my Lord, of Thy grace which hath encompassed all the realms of existence, whether visible or invisible. Wilt Thou stay far removed, O my God, after Thou hast invited all mankind to return and draw nigh unto Thee, and urged them to hold fast to Thy cord? Wilt Thou cast me out, O my Beloved, even when Thou hast promised in Thine incorruptible Book and in Thy wondrous verses to gather all those who yearn after Thee within the pavilion of Thy gracious providence, and those who desire Thee under the shadow of Thy bountiful favor, and those who search for Thee under the canopy of Thy mercy and loving-kindness?

I swear by Thy might, O my God, that my lamentations have halted my heart within me, and its groans have seized the reins from my hands! At whatever time I reassure myself and gladden my soul with the wonders of Thy mercy, the tokens of Thy gracious providence, and the evidences of Thy generosity, I tremble before the manifestations of Thy justice and the signs of Thy wrath. I recognize that Thou art known by these two names and described by these two attributes, yet Thou carest not whether Thou art invoked by Thy name the Ever-Forgiving, or Thy name the Wrathful. By Thy glory, were it not for my knowledge that Thy mercy surpasseth all things, the limbs of my body would have ceased to exist, my reality been extinguished and my inner being reduced to utter nothingness. But when I behold that Thy grace encompasseth all things and Thy mercy embraceth the entire creation, my soul and my inmost being become well assured.

Alas, alas, O my God, for the things that have escaped me during Thy days, and again alas, alas, O Desire of my heart, for what I have left undone in service and obedience to Thee during these days the likes of which the eyes of Thy chosen ones and trusted ones have never witnessed! I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Self and by the Manifestation of Thy Cause Who is seated upon the throne of Thy mercy, to confirm me in Thy service and good-pleasure. Guard me, then, from those who have turned away from Thee and disbelieved in Thy verses, who have denied Thy truth, resisted Thine evidences, and violated Thy Covenant and testament.

All praise, O Lord my God, be unto Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine Essence, the Dayspring of Thy oneness, the Mine of Thy knowledge, the Source of Thy Revelation, the Repository of Thine inspiration, the Seat of Thy sovereignty, and the Dawning-Place of Thy Divinity—He Who is the Primal Point, the Most Exalted Countenance, the Ancient Root, and the Quickener of nations; and glory be upon him who was the first to believe in Him and in His verses, whom Thou didst make a throne for the ascendancy of Thy most sublime Word, a focal-point for the manifestation of Thy most excellent names, a dayspring of the radiance of the Sun of Thy providence, a dawning-place for the appearance of Thy names and attributes, and a treasury of the pearls of Thy wisdom and Thy commandments. And all honor be upon him who was the last to come unto Him, whose arrival was like His arrival, and Thy manifestation in him like Thy manifestation in Him , except that he was illumined with the lights of His face and prostrated himself before Him and testified to his servitude unto Him; and glory be upon those who were martyred in His path and who offered up their lives for love of His beauty.

We testify, O my God, that these are servants who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs, who have sought the sanctuary of Thy presence and turned toward Thy countenance, who have directed their faces toward the court of Thy nearness and walked in the path of Thy good-pleasure, who have worshipped Thee according to Thy desire and detached themselves from all but Thee. O Lord, confer upon their spirits and their bodies at all times a share of the wonders of Thine all-encompassing mercy. Thou art, verily, powerful to do as Thou pleaseth. No God is there save Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

I beseech Thee, O Lord, by Him and by them, and by Him Whom Thou hast established on the throne of Thy Faith and caused to overshadow all the dwellers of earth and heaven, to purify us from our transgressions, to ordain for us a seat of truth in Thy presence and to cause us to associate with those whom the adversities of the world and its misfortunes have not hindered from turning toward Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Protector, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

BH00524: The Manifestations of God have ever appeared with conclusive…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Impregnable

The Manifestations of God have ever appeared with conclusive proofs and clear and evident testimonies, and yet in every Dispensation there hath been visited upon these sacred Temples that which the pen is powerless to recount. Much reflection is needed as to what could be the cause and reason for this. In the Persian Tablets which were formerly revealed especially for the kindred, the divine wisdom and purpose and the reason for mankind’s rejection of the Manifestations of Divine Unity have been set forth in detail. That honored one should peruse those Tablets with fairness.

This world hath no permanence nor worth. Ere long shall the autumn winds pass over the springtime of human existence and, by the command of the Lord of Lords, return all to dust. Therefore, while there is yet time, endeavor that ye may not be deprived of the imperishable Kawthar of the All-Glorious Lord, and that ye may not, through the clamor of the ignorant who today are known for their learning, deny yourselves the wine of immortality.

Reflect upon past ages: no harm ever befell any of the Manifestations of God except by permission of the divines of the age. If outward learning were sufficient, then surely the leaders of the Christian faith should today be counted among the believers, for they have attained such heights in the outward sciences as cannot be surpassed. They have even written a book in Arabic superior to the Maqamat of Hariri, which is acknowledged by the scholars of the age as the standard in Arabic learning, eloquence and rhetoric. Similarly in other sciences such as theology, jurisprudence and philosophy they have reached the utmost degree of perfection and have authored books in every branch of learning. Yet in the sight of God they are counted among the ignorant.

Thus it is clear and evident that outward learning is not the criterion, rather the purpose of knowledge is the recognition of God. Whosoever is deprived of this fundamental aim and ultimate goal shall never be reckoned among the learned in the sight of God.

This servant hath ever wished that the branches of the Tree might not be deprived of the breezes of the All-Merciful—and God is sufficient witness. At all times have We sought that all of that kindred should turn, sanctified from allusions and freed from intimations, toward the good-pleasure of the Friend. It is abundantly clear that the people’s allegiance to this imprisoned servant hath yielded and shall yield no fruit, for I am captive in the hands of enemies who have blocked all paths. Were I to give the details, ye would surely be saddened.

Ere long shall even this prison land be transformed, such that this modicum of ease which people imagine exists shall also change. Yet despite Our knowledge of what We have related unto thee, We remain in supreme joy and delight. Whatsoever is mentioned hath been and shall be out of love for thee, that perchance thou mayest not be deprived of the boundless mercy of the All-Merciful and the clouds of divine bounty. Had this world been worthy, We would surely have protected Ourself from afflictions.

Hearken unto the counsel of the Most Exalted Pen, which counseleth purely for the sake of God. Should anyone, God forbid, turn away from this Cause, by what proof and evidence could he establish any truth? Nay, by God! Whoso turneth away from this Cause hath indeed turned away from all the Prophets and Messengers. Were the power of all the world to be lodged within a single heart, could it, thinkest thou, accomplish a deed before which the chiefs of both nation and state would rise up in protest? Nay, by Him Who hath inspired Me to extol His praise amidst all mankind, none is able to bear such afflictions save only that Soul Who appeareth from the presence of God.

Consider what hath been the purpose of this servant and of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. Should anyone say it was for worldly gain, it is most evident that such a one is the most ignorant among men, for whoever seeketh the world must first act in such wise as to preserve his own existence, and thereafter strive to acquire worldly things. Your honor is well aware that that blessed Being was ever encompassed by tribulations, until He ascended to the Most Glorious Horizon. The circumstances of this servant are likewise known to you—you have heard what manifold trials and afflictions have befallen him at all times, and even now he is in grave peril. We cherish the hope that, God willing, you may soar on the twin wings of sanctity and detachment in the atmosphere of the love of the Sovereign Lord of creation and the King of invention, and at all times inhale the divine fragrances from the garment of spiritual glory. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Hear My words: purify thy sight from human limitations, then look with the Greatest Vision. By God! The Cause hath appeared in such wise that none denieth it save he who disbelieveth in God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Hold fast unto the Sure Handle which hath appeared in truth between the heavens and the earth. Come forth from behind the veil in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and fear not the clamor of the idolaters. And should anyone prevent thee from the path of the All-Merciful, know that he is Satan, though he appear in human form. Shun him, then turn to thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate.

Beware lest the insinuations of the people prevent thee from the Lord of the heavens and earth. Cast behind thee all insinuations and take the chalice of life in the name of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, then drink therefrom in His name, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Pass by this world and all that is therein as a passing cloud, for it shall never profit thee. That which shall profit thee hath been ordained for thee in the heaven of mighty glory. Deprive not thyself thereof, and seek thy Lord’s grace in every morn and eve. Make up for what thou hast missed in the days of thy Lord, that thou mayest find thyself in a station of gracious glory. If thou hearken unto what We have counselled thee, God shall open before thy face the gates of mercy and bounty. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Thus have We imparted unto thee and given thee glad tidings from God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

During Our years of sojourn in Iraq, multitudes from that land and from other regions, both from among the learned and others, attained Our presence. No soul who came before Us departed bereft of the outpourings from the Most Great Ocean of divine knowledge, until the renowned divines became agitated, and all arose to extinguish the divine Lamp. They gathered in Kazimayn, and this servant Himself desired that all should assemble in one place and voice whatever objections their base selves had concealed in their hearts. Were they to hear the answer, they should act upon that which God had commanded for this day and cease to oppose the divine Cause; and if they would not turn towards the realm of oneness, they should at least heed the counsel of the believer from among the people of Pharaoh, of whom God, exalted be His glory, hath spoken thus:

“And a believing man of Pharaoh’s family, who hid his faith, said: Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when he hath brought you clear signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he is telling the truth, then some of that calamity wherewith he threateneth you will strike you.”

Yet none came forward.

By God! It would have been better for those souls never to have come into existence than to appear and oppose the Truth. Would that they knew—they would taste ashes, dwell in the valleys, and weep until their spirits departed their bodies. Soon shall they know at the hour of death, when the angels of chastisement come to them with mighty wrath, and they shall find for themselves neither protector nor refuge. God willing, that soul should purify his heart from the suggestions of such people and adorn it with the manifestations of the Lord of Names and Attributes. They speak that which they understand not and claim that which they possess not. Such are dead within the veils of their own selves. And the Glory rest upon you, if you heed the counsel of your Lord and be of those who are certain.

Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! My tongue beareth witness to Thy unity, my heart to Thy singleness, and my limbs and members to Thy lordship which hath encompassed all created things. I beseech Thee therefore, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast caused them that love Thee to soar to the atmosphere of the glory of Thy mercy, and hast caused them that long for Thee to ascend unto the heaven of Thy holy bounty, and hast drawn them that seek Thee to the seat of Thy nearness and presence, not to leave me to myself and to my desires. Take Thou my hand by the sovereignty of Thy power and might, then give me to drink, O my God, from the Kawthar which floweth from the right hand of the throne of Thy favors, that it may cleanse me from the love of any beside Thee, in such wise that I may detach myself from all except Thee and turn unto Thee.

By Thy glory, O my God! Whenever I consider my heedlessness, I am well-nigh in despair of the breathings of Thy mercy; yet whenever I turn to Thy gifts and favors, Thy dealings with Thy devoted servants fill me with hope. O my God! Deprive me not of the breezes of Thy days wherein Thou hast renewed the temples of all things with the garment of names. Then clothe me, through the hands of Thy loving-kindness, with the robes of guidance that I may glory therein in the kingdom of command and creation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. O my God! Make my sight illumined that I may know Thee through Thee and not through aught else, for that which is beside Thee hath never been a proof of Thee except what Thou hast made as evidence from Thee amidst Thy creation. Purify mine ear that I may hearken unto Thy Most Exalted Word, and my heart for the remembrance of Thy Most Glorious and Most Beauteous Self, and my tongue for Thy praise in the kingdom of creation.

Lo, O my God! I have raised the hands of hope toward the heaven of Thy mercy and forgiveness. I beseech Thee by the hands that were severed in Thy path that Thou wilt not send them back empty of what they seek from Thy grace and bounty. Thou art He, O my God, from the door of Whose mercy none of Thy servants hath ever been turned away disappointed, and he who hath been disappointed is he who hath turned away from Thee and hath not turned toward the court of Thy grace. Therefore strengthen me, O my God, in the knowledge of Thyself and sanctify me from those who have turned away from Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Bestower, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH00544: O Letter of the Living! Hearken unto the beating…

He is the Most Wondrous, the Most Glorious, the All-Highest!

O Letter of the Living! Hearken unto the beating of the wings of this Bird that soareth in these heights with wings of ruby, with holy splendors, with feathers of grace, with pinions of authority, and with shoulders of radiant holiness, that thou mayest become aware of the conditions of this singing Leaf that moveth and ascendeth upon this Tree which hath been raised up in truth and under whose shade all worlds have sought shelter, save those whom thou findest in the abode of hypocrisy. Thus doth the Luminary of the horizons impart knowledge unto thee that thou mayest be among those who know.

We had previously sent thee a letter, and before that a letter, and before that yet another letter. And We had previously shown thee from Our Temple a Beauty, and before that a Beauty, and before that yet another Beauty, that thou mightest be among those who are certain. We had manifested unto thee the Beauty of the Primal One in the garment of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, and We revealed it unto thee and unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. And once We revealed Ourself unto thee through one of Our names when We were in Iraq, and none among all creation perceived it. Then We revealed Ourself unto thee through this Beauty by a light from whose lights have shone forth the suns of grandeur, then the suns of bounty, then the suns of infallibility, then the suns of might and power, then the suns of loftiness and strength, that thou mightest recognize thy Lord and be among those who stand firm in His Cause—a Cause wherein none can stand save he who detacheth himself from all things, from his own self and desires.

Thus do We recount unto thee from the true stories that thou mayest follow the command of thy Lord and be among those who attain unto the Beauty which none hath attained save him whose eye God hath opened, whom He hath caused to know His Self, and whom He hath made to be among those who know. Say: Those who are veiled by allusions from Him Who is the Source of all allusions, and who are held back by evidences from Him Who is the Source of all evidences—these cannot move in this atmosphere which God hath made to encompass the East and the West of the earth, and those who are in the heavens and the earth, and those who were behind holy veils in vast and glorious cities.

Beware, beware lest anything hold thee back, even if it be weightier than the creation of the heavens and earth. For verily, if thou dost not cast it from thy back, thou wilt not be able to move in this atmosphere which hath been spread in this court that hath appeared in this Glory, the Radiant, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Cast from thy back every weight and from thy heart all that thou hast laden upon it, then purify thyself from all that thou hast seen, that thou mayest be illumined by this Fire which hath been kindled in the wilderness of knowledge beyond the Mount of grandeur and utterance, and that thou mayest be among the steadfast.

When this Tablet reacheth thee, if thou art seated, arise; if thou art sleeping, awaken; if thou art walking, hasten. Then loose thy tongue with power by Our leave and with Our will, and fear no one but place thy trust in My Beauty, the Mighty, the Radiant. Then take this Tablet to those who have hesitated regarding this Cause—a Cause concerning which none hesitate save every deceiver who is peerless in his deceit. Say: Whosoever denieth this hath denied all the Messengers of the past, as evidenced by all that hath been sent down in the Bayan, if ye be of those who perceive.

And if thou seest one with the name of Ha, remind him of what We have sent down unto thee of verses of transcendent glory, then deliver unto him the command of thy Lord and fear him not. If he heareth thy words, the glad-tidings from the presence of the Mighty, the Beauteous, will seize him. And if he denieth thee, he hath indeed denied God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Say: O servant, fear God Who created thee and fashioned thee, and be not of the ignorant ones. Take hold of the Book of God with the power bestowed by Us. Verily, a single letter thereof is more precious in the sight of God than the creation of the heavens and earth and of all the first ones and the last ones. Days have passed while thou wert lying upon the couch of heedlessness. Therefore, banish Satan from thy soul, then seek refuge in thy Lord, the Bestower, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Glorious.

Say: O my Lord! Let me hear Thy melodies wherewith Thou didst sing in the paradise of Thy words, and deny me not that which is therein, and deprive me not of the sanctuary of Thy holy precincts. O my Lord! I am he who secluded himself without leave from Thy presence, and my self and my desires occupied me from recognizing Thy Beauty, the Exalted, the Transcendent, the Holy, the Mighty.

O my Lord! Deprive me not of that which is with Thee, then honor me with Thy presence, then enable me to acknowledge Thee and Thy verses, for verily, O my God, I believed not in Thy former Manifestation in the beauty of our Lord, the Most High, except through what was revealed from His presence of Thy mighty and wondrous verses. And as I witness that they descend from the clouds of Thy mercy in inexhaustible measure, thus have We recorded the matter in the tablets of Thy luminous glory.

O my Lord! I now testify that were I to deny these verses from Thee, I would have denied all that Thou hast revealed before time immemorial and wilt reveal until the end which none among the last ones can reckon. Therefore, O my God, leave me not to my self, for it indeed commandeth unto evil. I fear lest it cause me to turn away from Thy Beauty after my certitude, that were I to deny this grace, I could never claim faith within myself, for in such case everything would deny me, and though my tongue might not confess it, my heart and my innermost being and my spirit would testify to it before all the worlds.

For Thou, O my Beloved, hast made no proof among Thy servants save the wonders of Thy verses, and no manifestation among all created things save the manifestations of the lights of Thy Beauty. And now Thou hast revealed them through Thy sovereignty, and none can object to Thee except he who denieth Thy verses and disputeth Thy manifestations and contendeth with Thy Self and warreth against Thy exalted Being at the dawning of the gleaming lights of Thy luminous Beauty.

Therefore enable me, O my God, to know Thy Self in these days which none have known save the sincere ones among Thy creatures and the chosen ones among Thy servants. Then I beseech Thee, O my God, not to send me back to my self athirst after Thou hast caused to flow from the clouds of Thy mercy the waters of holy radiance. Then give me to drink, O my God, through Thy grace and Thy mercy, that I may be replenished from this Kawthar which floweth from the right hand of the mighty throne.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Beauty in the most holy and exalted horizon, that Thou cut me off from all that Thy good-pleasure loveth not. Verily Thou art supreme over that, and Thou art the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Sublime. Thus have We inspired thee and taught thee that thou mayest follow the command of thy Lord and be of those who know.

Inasmuch as We have quickened all created things through the Letters of the Living, and thou art indeed one of these Letters, it behoveth thee, therefore, in this Day, to rank foremost among those who are engaged in the propagation of the Cause of thy Lord, the Unconstrained. Gird up the loins of thine endeavor, and, with the utmost earnestness and devotion, shut thine eyes to the kingdoms of heaven and earth and to whatsoever is created between them of the peoples of opposition, that thou mayest, through a special favor, be honored to set foot in advance upon the field of teaching the Cause of the All-Bounteous.

O Letter of the Living! Strive with all thy might, that through thy life all created things may be invested with a new and wondrous life, and be quickened with the Water of Life that floweth from the knowledge of God. For every name must needs possess its Named One, and every letter its meaning, lest thou be numbered among those letters devoid of meaning and those names bereft of their Named One; for, in this Day, a multitude of such names are to be seen without number or limit. How many are the names that We have chosen from the Kingdom, and arrayed with the robe of renown, revealing and exalting them amidst the company of the chosen! And yet, all these names have busied themselves with the manifold and unceasing favors bestowed upon them, and have remained veiled from the Sovereign of Days.

Consider the Suns that are mirrored forth in polished mirrors: these reflections have, from everlasting, derived their splendour from the Sovereign Sun, and will continue so to derive it, in such wise that, should all the mirrors of contingent being turn towards it even for less than a moment, they would all reflect its effulgence; and should they turn away, they would one and all be as naught, as though that Sun of the all-glorious Eternity had never shone upon the reality of these mirrors.

Pass thou, then, O Letter of the Living, beyond the path of idle fancy, that thou mayest attain unto the Paradise of certitude, and win thy way to the realm of the placeless, the station of the Throne of the All-Merciful. At no time neglect to watch over the Cause, and in the paths of teaching walk with all determination, that haply, through the bounties of the infinite grace and the outpourings of the sanctified gifts of the All-Merciful, thou mayest bring a company of wanderers to the court of the Almighty, the Most Glorious, and cause the thirsty to quaff from the sacred stream of the Water of Life.

Know thou that if, in this Day, a soul fail to walk in a manner pleasing unto the Friend, verily non-existence is better for him than existence, and extinction more fitting than survival. Thus have We inspired thee with the essence of the mysteries beneath the veils and coverings, and awakened thee from the slumber of heedlessness, that thou mayest arise to the service of the Cause of thy Lord and give glad-tidings unto the people of this Ridvan which no eye among former generations hath ever beheld.

The Spirit, the Blessing, the Splendour, the Might, the Majesty, the Glory, the Exaltation, the Sovereignty, the Ever-Abiding Dominion, the Power, the Remembrance, and the Praise be upon thee, O Letter of the Living, from Our presence, from that Day until the Day when I shall arise to the service of another Cause, in My primal Beauty. And on that Day shall the concourse of the Bayan, from among these perverse ones, rise up to oppose Us.

By the Beauty of the True One! Every single letter of these revealed verses and these hallowed words is a fountainhead of the musk of the All-Merciful, a treasury of the ambergris of the sanctity of the sovereign Lord of Eternity. So potent and pervasive are the breezes they waft abroad, that were but a single letter thereof to appear, unveiled, from the Orient of the realm beyond space, all the denizens of the realms of being and existence would, enraptured by this spiritual fragrance, hasten with all speed to the sanctified retreats of the eternal “Yea.”

But for the veils of rancour and the obstruction of hatred, which shut out and debar all, none would be deprived of this grace. Thus doth the bounty of thy Lord encompass all things, if thou be of them that understand. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH00545: Verily He is at this moment living in this…

In the Name of God, the Most High, the Most Glorious

Verily He is at this moment living in this luminous and glorious horizon. He witnesseth and seeth and addresseth the Concourse of the near ones:

“Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have attained unto the presence of God and recognized Him, and have shattered the idols of vain imaginings and desire, and have won the lights of His countenance in these mighty and impregnable days.”

Say: Whosoever hath known God hath attained unto His presence and entered the paradise wherein one of its palaces is equivalent to the heavens and earths. Blessed are they who have established themselves upon the Ark of Glory and have detached themselves from those who disbelieved in God, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: Whoso turneth unto Him hath turned unto God and His Messengers, and whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from His Creator and then from His Messengers. Say: O people, fear God and follow not those who have broken God’s Covenant and turned back upon their heels in rejection. By God, they have bowed their heads in these days in the presence of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thus was the matter ordained, but the people are in a great veil.

He is the One Who hath spoken in all things saying “I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bountiful,” and Who speaketh now in all things declaring “I am the Beloved of the mystics, the Goal of all worlds, and the Glory of all who are in the heavens and the earth.”

Say: Every word that proceedeth from His mouth verily quickeneth all bodies, would that ye be of them that know. All that ye witness on earth hath appeared by His exalted, transcendent, and wondrous command. When the sun of His name, the Creator, dawneth from the horizon of His mouth, through it are made manifest the arts throughout all ages—this is an indubitable truth. This name riseth upon all things that exist, and through it are revealed the arts through the agencies of the kingdom, were ye of them that are assured. All the wondrous and novel manifestations of craftsmanship that ye behold have appeared from this Name, and there shall appear hereafter that which ye have never heard before. Thus hath it been ordained in the Tablets, and none comprehendeth this save those possessed of penetrating vision.

Likewise, when the sun of My name, the All-Knowing, dawneth from the horizon of utterance, every thing receiveth from this Name the wondrous knowledge according to its capacity and measure, and there appeareth therefrom in these days by the command of the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Similarly, observe all the names and be thou assured with certainty.

Say: Every letter that proceedeth from the mouth of God is verily the mother of letters, and likewise every word that appeareth from the Source of the Command is verily the mother of words, and His Tablet is the Mother of Tablets. Blessed are they that understand. This is what hath been sent down in the outward sense of the Command, but whoso gazeth upon the inner meaning is assured that in every letter revealed from the heaven of the utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful, there lieth treasured the spirit of all former and latter generations, and nothing that hath been created between the heavens and earth can equal it.

Thus have We sent down unto thee the verses in truth, for unto thee hath been ordained a station among stations, that thou mayest stand firm in the Cause of this imprisoned Stranger Who hath been confined in this land, and against Whom His weak servants who had believed in Him in His previous Manifestation have risen up. When He appeared in another garment they denied Him—nay, the curse of God be upon the liars! They were wont to conceal their faces in fear of their own selves, but when We made manifest the Cause with evident sovereignty, they emerged from behind their veils and concealment and warred against God, their Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Thus doth God reveal what is hidden in the breasts of those who are in grave doubt and mighty hypocrisy.

Be thou a shepherd of God’s flock, then guard them from the wolves of the earth and be not of the heedless, for the wolf howleth behind them and waiteth to find an opportunity. Thus have We made clear the matter unto thee that thou mayest be of the knowing ones. Gather together the servants of God, then protect them from the darts of satans, for soon will their traces and their forms appear in every land. Then shun them and put thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Invincible. Thus did We inform Our servants aforetime, and now inform thee as a grace from Our presence upon thee and upon Our assured servants.

Say: O people! This is ʿAli in truth Who hath come to you with His verses, then with His clear proofs, then with His Most Great and Mighty Proof. He speaketh even as He spoke before, as every fair-minded and perceiving one doth testify. Fear ye God and commit not that which ye have been forbidden in all the Tablets, and dispute not with Him by Whose will ye and the denizens of the highest Paradise, then the dwellers of the pavilions of grandeur and immortality, then the inhabitants of the heavens and earth were created. He hath dawned from the Most Glorious Horizon—glorified be His most exalted Self! From His right hand flow rivers of mighty glory—whoso drinketh but a drop thereof shall never die. This is what hath been inscribed by the Pen of Power on a preserved and mighty tablet.

Say: O people! Deprive not yourselves of that which hath been ordained for you, and be not of the heedless. Say: The Youth desireth naught from you, as every fair-minded and knowing one doth testify. He hath sacrificed His spirit out of love for those who are in the heavens and on earth, that He might purify them from whatsoever preventeth them from ascending unto the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. There hath befallen Him at every moment that which hath not befallen any of God’s Messengers before, as ye would acknowledge were ye to be fair-minded.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Sufficient unto Me are the past peoples who opposed Me and visited upon Me at every moment that which caused the eyes of those near unto God to weep. Have mercy, then, upon My soul and upon your own selves. Fear ye God and be not of the wrongdoers.

Arise to promote the Cause through My power and sovereignty, and fear no one even should all created things rise up against thee. Dost thou love thyself more than God? By God! This beseemeth thee not, for thou art of those whose names have been inscribed on the Tablets of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Verily the world shall pass away—it behooveth not My loved ones to turn unto it. Purify thyself from it and be wholly detached. Soar at all times unto My heaven that thou mayest hear My melodies and drink from the fountain of My life-giving waters, and journey through the realms of My companionship and the spheres of My holiness, and become acquainted with the mysteries of My Cause. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen command thee that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and be steadfast in wondrous constancy. Convey My greetings from God unto thy mother and sister, then give them the glad-tidings of the Spirit that they may be among those who receive glad-tidings in a mighty and glorious tablet.

Then commemorate on Our part Our servant al-Ba, and glorify him from thy Lord God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O servant! Dost thou dwell in thy house while the Beloved is in grievous affliction? Dost thou take thy rest while the Spirit lies beneath the claws of the ungodly? Beware lest thou forget the remembrance of thy Lord, for by His remembrance are kindled the hearts of the sincere ones who have arisen for the love of God and His Cause. By God! They are servants upon whom the denizens of the Paradise of the All-Highest and the angels of the near ones shower their glorification. Say: His victory lies in teaching His Cause. Beware lest ye transgress therein, O people of unity! Those who shed blood are in grievous heedlessness.

Say: O people! If ye desire to struggle against God’s enemies, then struggle against your own selves. This is nearer to righteousness, were ye of those who know. If ye are able within yourselves, then quicken Our servants who are dead, that they may arise through the spirit of faith to serve the Cause of God, their Lord and the Lord of their forefathers. Say: O people! Shed not blood, for it hath been forbidden unto you in the Book from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise. Say: God hath sent Me for harmony and unity. Fear God, O people of the earth, and be not of the wrongdoers. Whoso commits evil, the ungodly attribute it to My oppressed and lonely Self. Fear God and commit not that which would bring harm to the Tree of God, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Sublime. Be thou at peace through God’s grace and mercy, for His mercy hath preceded all worlds. Whoso remains steadfast in this Cause is among the most exalted of creation in God’s sight, and around him circle the denizens of the highest Paradise. And the glorification of God be upon thy wife that she may praise God her Lord and be of the thankful ones, in a preserved holy tablet.

Then commemorate on Our part Our servant 1454 [104540 Mihdi] that he may rejoice in God’s remembrance and be of those firm in this Cause, whereby all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck save whom God preserved through His grace, and He hath power over all things. O servant! Arise to serve God’s Cause, for thy arising in His Cause is better for thee than all that hath been created between the heavens and earths. Deprive not thyself of this Kawthar which hath flowed in truth from the finger of thy Lord, the Just, the Ancient. Then drink thereof in Our Most Glorious Name and fear not the ungodly who, when they behold the water of life, drink not thereof, but when they find putrid water they become among those who drink.

Purify thyself from what thy Lord God abhorreth, then shun His enemies and hold fast to this firm handle. Make thy purpose what God hath purposed, then be content with what He hath ordained for thee, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. Then commemorate on Our part thy wife that she may rejoice within herself in the remembrance of God, the Exalted, the Great. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon her and upon thy son and daughter from the presence of the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Muhammad!

Convey the messages of thy Lord in truth and justice, then remind the people of this Most Great and Mighty Announcement, that all may arise to praise their Creator amidst all created things. Thus warbleth the Dove upon the boughs of the Tree of Eternity, that Her melodies may draw you nigh and bring you closer to God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and may detach you from all else save God, and enable you to attain unto that station wherein the countenance of the All-Merciful hath shone forth from the horizon of His exalted and mighty Self. Blessed is he who hath attained unto this station and hath heard the verses of his Lord and hath drunk from this Kawthar which floweth from the right hand of the Throne, and from which the detached servants of God shall drink. And the spirit, and glory, and splendor be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves from all things and soared in the atmosphere of the love of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH00552: This is a Book sent down in truth…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Pure, the Most Glorious!

This is a Book sent down in truth from the heaven that encompasseth all the worlds, from which there descendeth at every moment that which quickeneth the hearts of the servants, if they alter not the grace of God within themselves and remain steadfast upon the straight path. Blessed, then, is he whom the breath of God hath quickened in these days, whom the Spirit hath awakened, whom it hath turned from the left of fear to the right of security, and who hath entered the pavilion that hath been raised in truth through this Name, from whose horizon the suns of holiness have dawned with wondrous splendor.

Say: O people! The Cause hath returned in the person of ʿAli, and He hath appeared with a sovereignty that is, in truth, mighty. O people! The holy ascension hath appeared; ascend unto it on the Buraq of detachment that ye may witness what no eye in all creation hath witnessed, and attain unto a station of glory resplendent. Say: The divine Paran hath poured forth in this Most Great Paradise, the station wherein the Face hath been illumined with a light that shineth from the countenance of the All-Merciful.

O Salman! By God the Truth! The Beauty of the All-Glorious hath appeared and been established upon the throne of His name, the All-Merciful. Give thou the glad-tidings to all creation that the sun of thy Lord’s beauty, the All-Bountiful, hath dawned at the midmost heart of all creation with such a Command as hath caused all who are in the heavens and on earth to swoon away, save them whom God hath protected by the hand of grace and delivered from the depths of idle fancy and desire, preserving them through the sovereignty of His Name, through which were created the Kingdom of Names and the Dominion of eternity. Tarry not in that which thou hast been bidden, and be steadfast upon the straight path.

By God the Truth! O Salman! There existeth in My heart naught save the effulgences of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Wert thou to hearken with the ear of thine inmost nature, thou wouldst assuredly hear from this Most Exalted Pen the most excellent and sweetest melodies, and from My fingertips the anthems of the birds of eternity, and from My lips the songs of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and from My very hair the melodies that none can bear to hear—and whoso heareth them would assuredly sacrifice his soul in his longing for the meeting with his Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most Splendid, from Whose raiment the denizens of the highest Paradise perceive the fragrance of eternity, though at every moment the people cast against Him the darts of hatred.

O Salman! Should you pass by the dominions of the All-Merciful and someone ask you about the Ancient Beauty, say: By God, He hath been afflicted among His servants and subjects in such wise that He findeth no helper or champion for Himself.

Say: O company of loved ones! Do ye rejoice among yourselves whilst the Eye of God raineth crimson tears and lamenteth, reciting unto all creation the verses of sorrow with a mournful voice? O Salman! Say: O people of the Bayan! Do ye dwell in your homes whilst the Beauty of the All-Merciful hath been exiled through the deeds of every wicked oppressor? Say: They that circled round My Self have been so deluded by the world that they have warred against Me with a sharp and cutting sword.

O Salman! The garment of patience hath been rent among the company of the righteous. Say: Ye rest in your houses, heedless of what hath befallen the Beauty of your Chosen Lord at the hands of these wicked ones. Is there any faithful one who will fulfill his covenant and not break God’s pact in these days when every tyrannous oppressor hath opposed God?

O Salman! Proclaim amongst the servants, then make mention of what hath befallen the Lord of Creation in the year of tribulation from the manifestations of adversity, and be not silent even for a moment. O Salman! Forget not the remembrance of thy Lord. Remember Me among My loved ones, then weep over My exile, My imprisonment and My trials, that perchance there may arise thereby one who will help Me and ward off with the sword of utterance the evil of every base idolater.

O Salman! Remember Me among the servants of the one true God, that I may remember thee in the heaven of holiness among the nigh-approaching angels with wondrous verses of glory. O Salman! Though My tribulations cannot be fully expressed in words, yet mention thou what thou art able. Destroyed be the house wherein My remembrance and praise are not raised at morn and eventide! Mute be the tongue that remembereth not My trials! Blind be the eye that weepeth not over My afflictions and tribulations! And perished be the hearts from which wafteth not the sweet fragrances of resplendent glory!

O Salman! Remember Me openly in My land, that I may remember thee in My Kingdom with clear and evident utterance. O Salman! By God, the tears of Mine eyes have appeared in the form of clouds and rain upon all created things, if thou be of them that know. And the fire of My heart hath appeared in the form of the sun, thus doth its heat affect all things, if thou be of them that perceive.

Therefore hath the Nightingale of Eternity been prevented from warbling its melodious songs, and the Pen from flowing, and the Tongue from utterance. And wert thou to hear with Mine ear, thou wouldst hear how ‘Ali bewaileth My Soul in the Most Glorious Companion, and Muhammad weepeth in the Most Exalted Horizon, and the Spirit smiteth his head in the heaven of destiny by reason of what hath befallen this Wronged One at the hands of every sinful transgressor.

O Salman! We have reared thee through months and years, and preserved thee from the harm of every harmful one, and raised high thy mention between the heavens and the earth. Beware lest thou forget My favor and My manifold mercies upon thee, for My favor hath ever been abundant toward thee.

O Salman! Transgress not the bounds of justice in regard to Me. We have reared thee for this Day. Rend asunder the veils through the sovereignty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and be steadfast in the path. Forget not My love for thee, and withhold not thyself from this Most Great Ocean which surgeth by virtue of its own self, and which no Prophet hath reached save that he paused upon its shore and removed from his feet the sandals of desire and from his heart the remembrance of all created things, then raised his hands unto God in manifest humility and said:

O Lord! I beseech Thee by this Ocean and what lies concealed therein of the pearls of Thy knowledge and the fishes of Thy wisdom which none hath discovered save Thyself, that Thou wilt not deprive me of turning unto it, of finding tranquility beneath its shade, and of entering into its depths. Thou, verily, hast ever been omnipotent over all things. O Lord! This is a station which Thou hast sanctified from the entrance of every misbeliever and the approach of every denier, and hast made it exclusively Thine own and for them who love Thee from among Thy near angels and Thy chosen ones.

Preserve, O my God, its people whom Thou hast associated with Thy Most Glorious Name between earth and heaven, and whom Thou hast made detached from all else save Thee and turned unto Thyself, from the evil of every denier and the wickedness of every stubborn misbeliever. Then curse, O God, my Lord, those who have warred against Thy Most Glorious Self, through a drop of Whose ocean of bounty this sea and its dwellers were created, and what was treasured therein of the wonders of Thy wisdom and the pearls of Thy knowledge, and who disputed with Him and usurped His rights and denied His signs. Then, O my God, chastise them with the scourges of Thy might and the fire of Thy wrath. Verily, Thou art He Who doeth what He pleaseth with a sovereignty that encompasseth the Truth.

O Salman! By the truth of God, he moveth not from his place, nor lowereth his hands from their supplication, but that he weepeth over My tribulations, My trials, My sorrows, My exile and My distress; and with him weep all the tribes of the denizens of heaven and those who dwell beyond them among the angels on high and the Cherubim. Thus do We unveil for thee a mystery among mysteries through a hidden sign.

O Salman! Were We to find one who hath attained maturity, We would reveal unto him that which would enable him to soar in every heaven beneath this heaven which hath been raised up in truth through this Name that was exalted in the Tablet. But since We find none trustworthy, We have veiled the Cause while the oceans surge within My Being and the suns shine forth from My mystery, and We move among the servants like one of them.

Therefore hath the station of God become obscure to the servants, to such degree that they who cannot distinguish their right hand from their left lay claim to this station for themselves, and every day someone raiseth a call. Say: Fear God, O people, transgress not your bounds, and be God-fearing in His religion.

O Salman! Inform My servants not to spread corruption in the earth. Say: Hold fast to the cord of servitude, for through it God’s Cause shall be made manifest, your influence shall be exalted among the servants, and the countenance of every sincere seeker shall be illumined. Then know, O Salman, that We desire from Our servants naught but that they speak with pure truthfulness and transgress not the bounds of justice.

Thus did We counsel them before, and now counsel through a truthful and trustworthy Pen. Make known unto the people what thou knowest of that which hath befallen Us, in truth. Thus doth the Spirit command thee in truth from the presence of the Mighty, the Powerful. Fear no one, for God will protect thee as He protected thee before, and He watcheth over thee.

O Salman! God preserved thee throughout numbered years and protected thee beneath the wings of protection, and thou wert a visitor to the Self of God, circling round His house and attaining His presence before His throne. Blessed art thou, for in every year the glances of God were directed toward thee, and this indeed was a supreme favor founded upon truth.

Arise to thy Lord’s bidding, then go forth to the lands with the fragrance of the All-Merciful, that perchance the people may perceive the sweet scents of the garment and arise to promote the Cause and aid this Wronged One with the sword of utterance and repel the swords of opposition from Him and from the people of God in these days wherein the Ancient Beauty hath been established upon the throne of mighty glory.

O Salman! Leave the world and whatsoever hath been created therein to its people, then proclaim between earth and heaven that sovereignty on that Day belongeth unto God, in Whose hand is the Kingdom of all things and in Whose grasp is the dominion of exalted might.

The melodies of the Spirit have now ended upon thee, and We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause, to purify thee for His sake, to strengthen thee to promote His Cause, to enable thee to speak His praise, to detach thee from all else besides Him, for verily He answereth who calleth upon Him and is nigh unto who seeketh Him. And the radiance which hath shone forth from the direction of Baha be upon thee, upon thy wife, upon thy daughter, and upon whoso hath held fast to the holy and resplendent Ark.

BH00553: This is a Book that speaketh the truth…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!

This is a Book that speaketh the truth and casteth into hearts the mysteries of God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Mighty. Therein doth the Spirit proclaim a Word such as no ear hath ever heard, at which the heavens and earth would be rent asunder, save whom thy Lord willeth, the Mighty, the Sovereign, the Everlasting, the Peerless, the All-Knowing. Say: Verily He speaketh the truth in the atmosphere of eternity from this Station, wherefrom are severed the hands of the peoples of earth and heaven, save those who have freed themselves from the veils of fancy and have clung to this luminous and radiant Cause. Say: By God! The Hidden Book hath appeared in this ancient Temple. Say: The trial hath come unto you, O peoples of the earth, from every near direction, and the proof of God hath appeared at a station wherefrom are cut off the hands of the mystics.

Say: Those who have taken for themselves a protector other than God, these are they whom their wretchedness hath overwhelmed and they are not of those who are guided. Say: By God! The Truth moveth with me even as the shadow moveth with the sun, if ye be of them that know. Say: The Spirit proclaimeth above my head that this indeed is He Who is the Intended One, Who hath appeared in the mantle of holy and gracious sanctity, and He shall not remain among you save for days ordained in the Tablets of mighty preservation. Say: When the idolaters imprisoned Us in this prison, We revealed the Face in truth that they might witness that He is indeed the One Who doeth what He willeth and is powerful over all things.

And thou, grieve not over anything, nor over what hath befallen thee after Me. Be patient, then be steadfast, and be not of them that are perturbed. All that they have stolen from thee was naught but the ornaments of this world, and they befit those who stole them. Be thou in supreme purity—sanctify thy soul, then purify thine essence, then illumine thy heart from all else save God, thy Lord, the Lord of all creation. Ask thou God to grant thee that which cannot be reached by the hands of thieves, that which will not change throughout the eternity of God, will not be followed by extinction, and will not be touched by the hands of the idolaters, even as He hath granted thee in truth His love, His remembrance and His glory, if thou be of them that know.

Verily thy letter hath come before Us wherein thou didst call upon God, thy Lord, with myriads of holy ones. By God! It is sweeter in My sight than all the pearls of mighty and precious glory that have appeared on earth. He whom God hath blessed with such grace will never grieve over anything, even should the harm of all the world befall him. And thou, close thine eyes to what hath befallen thee and place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Invincible. Purify thy vision from human limitations and turn not thy gaze from this radiant Scene. This was revealed in the previous year from My Pen, if thou be of them that bear witness. Though what was in My house was as My very Self, and they who did this were as though they had betrayed My very Self—and God is witness to this—nevertheless We have forgiven those who did this, should they not repeat such deeds and be of them that repent unto God, with Whom is the knowledge of the heavens and earth and the knowledge of all things.

There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Generous. Though this deed is in itself a sin greater than the creation of the heavens and earth, yet thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. He forgiveth whomsoever among His creation He willeth to return unto Him and repent before Him; otherwise He seizeth them with His wrath, for He, verily, is the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

Know then that all We have mentioned to thee is thy most exalted horizon when thou ascendest unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Wise. However, in matters of creation, be utterly precise and discerning such that none can take anything from thee. Thus doth the Dove counsel and instruct thee with justice that thou mayest be among those who know. Disclose not thy secret to anyone, nor spread thy cause among the servants, lest any among the sinful become aware of what thou possessest. This is among the wise counsels We inspired in the heart of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, aforetime, and caused Him to speak it in a perspicuous Arabic tongue. Conceal thy gold, thy going forth, and thy religion from those who have taken their idle fancies for their god and were among the treacherous. Know thou moreover that guile towards the guileful is a virtue, and likewise deceit towards the deceitful. Therefore practice thou deceit with every sinful deceiver and guile with every vile trickster. All this is among the characteristics of the believers. We have imparted this unto thee that thou mayest be possessed of great sagacity.

O Mihdi! Know thou, know thou that what hath befallen thee is as naught compared to what hath befallen Me. The eyes of the denizens of Paradise would weep at this, and the hearts of them that are nigh unto God would be sorely troubled. By God! Were anyone to become aware of what hath befallen Me, he would dwell in the wilderness and flee from all companionship, would find solace in none and would partake of nothing until he had sacrificed his soul in His love, this resplendent Beauty. All that hath outwardly befallen Me is as nothing, that I might recount it unto you, O concourse of lovers. Rather it is what hath inwardly befallen Me, which the dwellers of the heavens could not bear, nor could all who are in the kingdom together sustain it.

By God! I cannot mention a single letter thereof, and were I to mention but one letter, the heavens and earth would be rent asunder. Therefore in this Prison I cry out to my Lord: “Where is Thy grace, O Succorer of the oppressed? Where are the wonders of Thy mercy, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of the worlds?” By God! I have fallen into the pit of tyrannical souls, yet I shall be patient in this even as I was patient before through God’s might and power. Verily He recompenseth the patient. And I say: “Praise be to God, for He is the Lord of all worlds, the Succorer of the oppressed and the Merciful unto the distressed.”

Know thou moreover that this is not the first humiliation that hath descended upon My house. It descended before through what the hands of the oppressors had wrought, and there shall descend upon it such abasement as would cause tears to flow from every seeing eye. Thus have We imparted unto thee that which was hidden behind the veils of the Unseen, which none hath known save God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Then days shall pass and God shall raise it up in truth and make it a banner in His kingdom, around which shall circle the company of them that know.

He is the Mighty

The truth is that infinite harm hath befallen that honored one. Be patient even as We were patient, and in all matters be detached—that is, keep in mind detachment of heart. Whatever may come to pass in this Cause hath been and shall ever be most acceptable in the sight of God. If the opportunity arises to leave that land, you are free to do so, but with utmost care.

Certain Tablets had been written, and copies of some were inscribed in a special treatise and sent. If you can disseminate these to all lands, no task today is greater than this, yet let copies be made and sent with utmost discretion, lest it become widely known in the city and the leaders thereof, whether governors or others, become aware. In all cases, discretion is beloved, save with those who are guided by the lights of God. The Tablets were written and sent after Salman’s arrival. Let them act as they deem wise. And if you yourself should journey somewhere, keep with you a copy of the treatise, that perchance someone may awaken from slumber and inhale the fragrance of God. Otherwise, the Cause is in God’s hands. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. It appears that none have moved with sincerity with you, all following their own desires, save those of pure nature.

In any case, all are and shall be visible before God. Be not grieved in any way. I am much perplexed as to what to mention. In all conditions, trust in God is most beloved of all. Verily unto God do all matters return. It would be well if it reached Jinab-i-Rida in Yazd, and likewise in the Land of Kha and elsewhere. It is surely best to guard yourself from association with certain people, and this is most beloved before God. Act with utmost wisdom. Whatever is destined shall come to pass. A copy of the Tablet of Haji Kamal is in the aforementioned portions. Deliver it to him. Beware that thou grieve not over anything, but put thy trust in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Consider carefully and act upon what was previously sent and this Tablet. This servant hath been struck with utter bewilderment at all these new developments and hath settled in this prison. Perchance God will thereby bring about some matter. I have suspended the sending of the treatise in view of recent developments at this hour.

A separate Tablet was sent for Haji Kamal and a special Tablet was also sent to the custodian. If you become certain that he will not mention it to anyone, you may give it to him or read it to him, but keep the original. If it becomes known in that land among the rulers that writings are being sent from this land, great harm would befall this imprisoned servant. Salman will explain the details of this matter. In all conditions, utmost concealment is beloved today. A Tablet was written to Mulla Zaynu’l-Abidin and some of the people of Sad, which Salman himself will deliver, and likewise to Kalimiy-i-Fath. However, a Tablet written to Mulla Rida is in your package—deliver it through whomever you deem appropriate. A special prayer was sent for you, but since it mentions some of the friends who have ascended to God in separation, therefore send a copy of it with one circle to the wife of Aqa Muhammad-Rida. Convey sublime mention to all the friends. A special mention has been revealed for all, but we sent copies of some while copies of others are not yet complete, therefore they will be sent later. Mirza Aqa Jan is alone and could not manage it all. Salman will explain the details of this.

BH00555: This is what was sent down from the right…

This is what was sent down from the right hand of the Throne to the Name of God, the Most Truthful, the True, the Trustworthy. Upon Him be the Glory of God, the King, the Mighty, the Wise.

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Glorious.

O My remnant! Hear My call from the direction of My Throne, that My fragrances may attract thee to the heaven of My loving-kindness, may detach thee from all else save Me, and teach thee that which is concealed within the scrolls of My knowledge and that which is hidden within the treasuries of My wisdom. By God! Shouldst thou read but one word from the scroll of My Cause, thou wouldst discover the knowledge of all that hath been in the treasuries of My power and all that shall be in the repositories of My might and grandeur.

O thou who bearest My traces! Hear My call and let not the fire of love be quenched in thy longing to attain My presence and thy desire to be united with Me. Be thou so enkindled that the heedless among My servants may be set ablaze and the slumbering ones among My creatures may arise.

O remnant of My family! Hear thou this Call which no one hath ever heard before. By God! None shall ever hear its like hereafter, if thou be of them that comprehend. Know thou that His call unto thee is better for thee than whatsoever hath been created between the heavens and the earth.

Verily, he that perceiveth not the fragrances of God and remaineth stationary in his place is afflicted with the cold of this world, and thus is he numbered among the patient ones. By My Self and My Beauty, then by My Might and My Grandeur! Whoso perceiveth shall consume himself in love for My sanctified, resplendent, mighty and luminous Self.

We sent thee a garment aforetime, and before that another garment, and through a breath thereof were attracted the realities of the people of the Supreme Concourse and then Our near servants. O thou who bearest My Name! Know that through the fragrances of My garment the Manifestation of the Past arose to praise My Self and sacrificed himself in My path. Look thou in the Bayan that thou mayest find what We have cast upon thee in truth, that the fire of My love may ignite thee, the sun of My beauty illuminate thee, and the winds of My will move thee and bring thee to a station wherein thou shalt not rest save through My remembrance, nor be occupied except with My praise and the proclamation of My Cause amongst all created things.

Hearken unto that which issueth from the mouths of the ungodly who have clung to My words yet were veiled from My Self, who secluded themselves with the names which I created by My word and whereby they objected to Him through Whose will were created the realities of the first and the last ones.

Say: O people, fear God and follow not your desires. Follow your Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Among the idolaters are those who say “This Manifestation hath appeared too soon.” Say: Woe unto you, O concourse of the veiled! And among them are those who say “He is not the Promised One Who was promised to the servants.” This is their transgression against God, the Almighty, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: If this be not what ye were promised in the Tablets, then wait as did wait the Jews, then the people of the Gospel, then the concourse of the Qur’an. Thus do We make clear unto thee that which shall awaken Our slumbering servants. Say: The Promised One is My Own Self, and were He not My Own Self, by God, He would still circle round Me, and that which hath appeared from Me is My proof, My testimony, and My evidence. Die then in your wrath, O concourse of idolaters! Say: O crimson-clad people, have ye found in the Tablets that if One should come unto you with clear authority, with God’s signs—the Sovereign, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great—and with the clear tokens of God, the Holy, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, that ye should not believe in Him?

Nay, by His own Self, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate! Naught was revealed in the Bayan save mention of Me, and all that was ordained therein was held within the grasp of My power, as attesteth all that was sent down aforetime unto Ali from One mighty and beauteous. Say: Woe unto you, O concourse of idolaters! Ye have denied Him but for Whom the Bayan would not have been revealed, nor would Ali have appeared with the truth, nor would the heavens and earths have been created. Say: His purpose was none other than My Self and the dawning of My Manifestation from this luminous and resplendent horizon. Fear God, O people of the Bayan! Oppose not Him Whom all religions have opposed and for Whose grief the denizens of the highest Paradise weep. Ye dwell in your homes while the Ancient Beauty languisheth in a mighty prison. Ye rejoice in that which ye possess while your Lord, the All-Merciful, is in manifest sorrow. Do ye rest in comfort while the Spirit of God is in the hands of His enemies? What aileth you that ye remain at rest?

O My Name! God hath not reckoned any more veiled than the people of the Bayan—thus hath His tongue testified from the precincts of His throne of the All-Merciful, that perchance the people may become among the awakened ones. As for thee, purify thyself from all who are in the heavens and on earth, then arise to praise Me and to propagate My Cause. This is better for thee than the worship of both worlds. Beware lest thou overstep the bounds of wisdom and that which thou hast been commanded in all the Tablets, and likewise Our successful servants. Verily, those who spread corruption in the earth and shed blood—these have been heedless of their Lord’s command and are within thick veils.

Say: O people! The Youth hath appeared to bid you unite and to forbid corruption, and thus was I commanded by One mighty and powerful. At the outset of this Revelation We forbade the people to shed blood and then to engage in corruption, yet they cast the command of God behind their backs and committed that which their own selves and desires prompted them to do. By God! They are in manifest error. Say: O people! Whosoever wisheth to oppose anyone, let him first oppose Me. This is dearer to Me, and God is witness to what I say. We have ordained victory through remembrance and utterance; thus was it sent down in the Tablets, were ye of them that know.

Soon will the Sovereign come unto you with tablets of fire. Beware thereof and put your trust in God, the Beloved of the worlds. Thus did We inform thee aforetime of the tidings inscribed in preserved tablets of glory, and now We inform thee once again lest thou forget that which thou wert commanded and be of them that are firmly rooted. Arise to the Cause and cast aside all else, for it shall suffice thee against all the worlds. Say: O people! Adorn yourselves with My virtues that the servants may perceive from you the sanctity of My exalted and mighty Self, for through you are manifested the signs of God amongst His servants and the breezes of His Cause waft through the lands.

Beware lest ye commit that which would violate the sanctity of God’s Cause among these heedless ones, as committed he whom the concourse of the Bayan took as lord besides God. By God! Through him was the sanctity of the Cause violated, yet he rejoiceth within himself and is of them that perish.

O thou who art named after Me! Be thou enkindled with the fire of God and guide the people through wisdom and utterance to the Law of the All-Merciful. This is a Day the like of which hath never appeared in creation, and wert thou to reflect even less than that, thou wouldst surely testify to that which hath been revealed from the Pen of Glory. Thou art My remnant among My servants. Every possessor of spiritual sense must perceive from thee the fragrance of My garment and enter the divine Egypt. Be not grieved by the grievous trials of this year, for We have, in all the Tablets of protection, foretold the trials of these grievous days, that perchance the servants might not stumble when they appear and be not deprived of the truth.

Nevertheless, that which was decreed hath come to pass. Ye must, God willing, remain steadfast in your gaze toward the Cause and be occupied with guiding the people. This is the essence of God’s Cause in this Most Great Day. Blessed are they that attain thereunto! Corruption hath never been, nor shall ever be, loved, especially in this Revelation wherein naught is intended save the unity and concord of the people. Say: O loved ones of God! Your glory hath not been, nor shall ever be, in slaying souls, but rather in quickening souls that are dead. Strive ye that through the incomparable, flowing waters of the Fountainhead of the Everlasting Lord ye may quicken and give life to dead souls. This is the station of them that love God. Beware lest ye transgress beyond it, O concourse of them that are assured!

Then God Himself turned toward your son who was named Ali in Our Most Exalted Kingdom, and addresses him that he may rejoice in the call of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing:

O Ali! Upon thee be My remembrance and My praise and My peace and My mercy, and the glorification of all things at all times. Beware lest thou transgress the bounds of wisdom, for thou art a name among Our most beautiful names in the tablets of mighty glory. Guard thyself, then thy father, for he is My remnant between you and all the worlds. Blessed is he who hears his words in My remembrance and praise, and is guided thereby to the paradise of My Cause and the pavilion of My glory and the tabernacle of My majesty and the Kaaba of My union and the house of My presence and the sanctuary of My grandeur and the mighty, supreme, firm, perfect, transcendent, precious and impregnable fortress of My authority.

Blessed art thou, again blessed art thou, for having remained steadfast in a Cause from which all who are in the heavens and earth fled in terror, save those whom God protected through truth and gave to drink from the Kawthar of His knowledge and preserved from the hosts of Satan. Be thankful to thy Lord for this and be in great joy. Then ask Him at all times to aid thee to remain steadfast in His Cause, and this is better than all that hath been and shall be created, wert thou of those who know. And the splendor which hath shone forth from the direction of the throne be upon thee and upon thy father and upon those who are with you among the steadfast handmaidens and servants of God, and praise be to the Beloved of the worlds, Who even now speaketh the truth and uttereth in all things that there is none other God but Me, the Powerful, the Exalted, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.