Volume 038: Edirne II (year unknown, 1864–1868) (1 of 6)

BH00822: These are the verses of God, the King…

In the name of God, the Most Great, the Great!

These are the verses of God, the King, the Truth, the Just, the Manifest, which have been sent down in truth from the heaven of mighty grace. Verily they are the proof of God amongst His creation and His testimony amongst all created things. And verily they are a revelation from One Who is Mighty, All-Knowing. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not every ignorant doubter. Follow Him Who desireth naught for you save to draw you nigh unto the court of nearness, the station wherein are raised the melodies of your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

Verily thou, O thou who gazest towards the direction of the Cause, hearken unto what is revealed unto thee from the precincts of the Prison, this Spot wherein the Youth hath been imprisoned through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. There is no God but Him; within His grasp lies the dominion of Command and Creation. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

Blessed art thou for having been enkindled by the fire of the love of God and for having turned thy heart towards the direction of His mighty House. Arise to champion the Cause of God and His love, and tarry not for a moment. Convey unto the people that which the Spirit hath cast upon thy heart, and be not of them that are silent.

Should anyone question thee about this Youth, say: By God, He is the Announcement of God in the Tablets of Command, and His Beauty hath been made manifest in truth with great sovereignty. Verily, He is the Most Exalted Who hath come unto you with the signs of your Lord, were ye but to know. He hath sacrificed His spirit in the path of God that He might bring you nigh unto the seat of a mighty throne.

Beware, O people, lest ye reject the truth by that which ye possess, for that which ye possess, even if it be founded on truth, hath been sent down from Our presence and ordained from Our court, were ye but to know. Inhale ye the fragrance of whatsoever appeareth from Him; should ye perceive the fragrance of the Beloved, fear ye God and be not of the wrongdoers.

O people! Wrong not Him against Whom all the peoples of the earth have banded together. O people! If ye deny these verses, then by what evidence have ye believed in ʿAli aforetime and in God’s signs in the age of the Messengers? Stand firm in the Cause, then proclaim unto the people this Most Great, this Mighty Announcement. Gather My loved ones unto the law of My love—this is My command unto thee. Act according to that which thou hast been commanded, and be not of the patient ones.

Loose thy tongue in utterance to celebrate thy Lord, the Most Merciful, that Our slumbering servants might arise at thy mention. Say: O people! The Most Great Ocean hath appeared, the Lamp of the Cause hath been lit, and the Sun of eternity hath shone forth from the horizon of this luminous dawn. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of its lights, for they that deprive themselves are indeed a wicked and most lost people.

Say: O people! If ye desire to hear the melodies of God, hearken unto that which hath been inscribed in this Preserved Tablet, and if ye wish to ascend unto the heights of nearness, read ye what hath been revealed therein, and be not of them that are silent. O people! Have mercy upon yourselves and commit not what was committed by those who preceded you and who denied the signs of God and His Messengers, until the earth was dyed with their blood, and for this were they cursed in this world and the next, and were among the idolaters.

Take thou the cup which hath appeared in the form of the Word and hath been filled with the Kawthar of thy Lord’s knowledge, the Most High, the Most Great. Then drink thereof in My Name and pass it among the concourse of lovers, that all may be attracted by this wondrous, this mighty Kawthar. Whosoever drinketh but a drop thereof shall never die, but shall endure as long as his Lord, the Mighty, the Eternal, the All-Wise, endureth.

Thus hath this Prisoner counseled thee that thou mightest aid Him in truth and be among them that stand firm in this Cause, at which all who are in the heavens and on earth have trembled, save those who have detached themselves from all things and have turned towards this glorious, this resplendent Direction.

Mention from Us unto him who hath been named Kazim, that he may call to mind the remembrance of God his Lord and aid Him through utterance. This is what hath been ordained for every soul in this Revelation from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise. Blessed be thy father in that he attained the presence of God and remained with the Beloved until he sacrificed himself in the path of God, the Best-Beloved of the worlds.

We loved him in such wise as cannot be mentioned in words. Blessed be he and his days and all that pertaineth unto him. He is now in the Supreme Horizon with his Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, were ye of them that know. And thou, O servant, walk thou in his footsteps. Thus have We counseled thee before, and now as a command from God thy Lord. Verily He knoweth all things, and naught escapeth His knowledge. With Him is the knowledge of the unseen in the heavens and earth, and He hath power over all things.

Then glorify from Us him who hath been named Ibrahim, that he may behold the kingdom of the heavens and earth and be of them that are assured. Follow thou the way of the Friend in thy love for this Youth. Say: O people, make Him your merchandise and sell Him not for dirhams and dinars. Arise to serve God and aid Him, and say: O people, abandon that which your selves and desires command you. Then take hold of God’s laws with strength from Us and be not of the heedless.

Then glorify from Us the countenance of her who was with thee and give her glad tidings from this Youth Who hath been imprisoned in the path of God, the Just Sovereign, the Mighty, the Wise. We desire that the people of that house be united and as one soul. Thus doth this Wronged One command you out of His love for you, were ye of them that know. Cast aside differences, then unite in My love, My remembrance and My praise, for this is better for you than all that hath been created in the heavens and earths.

Then glorify from Us the countenance of her whose companion was martyred in God’s path and ascended to the Supreme Horizon in the vicinity of the mercy of his Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Though he committed that which was forbidden, yet God forgave him and the breezes of pardon wafted upon him, cleansing him of transgression and causing him to dwell in His paradise, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O ʿAli, deliver the messages of thy Lord and be not of them that fear. It behooveth His loved ones to detach themselves from all else but God and to arise in His Cause in such wise that the clamor of the oppressors shall not deter them. Whenever trials descend from the clouds of tribulation, they are in the utmost joy and delight, for the sun of utterance hath shone upon them from this luminous and radiant horizon.

Say: Today, should one detach himself from all who are in the heavens and earth and turn with his heart toward the Holy Court, he would subdue all created things through one of the names of his Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: The Sun hath dawned with such splendor as hath never appeared in former ages. Be illumined, O people, by its lights and be not of the patient ones.

Say: Have mercy on yourselves and deprive not your souls of the fragrances of these days, and be not of them that are brought low. Fear God, then recognize the worth of that which hath been sent down to you from the clouds of the mercy of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Turn to Him with a pure and luminous heart.

Thus have We imparted unto thee the truth, that thou mayest impart unto the people that which the Spirit hath cast into thy breast, that perchance they may arise from the slumber of heedlessness and desire, and draw near unto God Who created them and created all things, and be of them that attain. And glory be upon thee and upon those who have shattered the idols of vain imaginings through the power of the Friend, who at this moment declareth: Praise be to God, the Goal of all worlds.

BH00841: Although for some time no breeze of loving-kindness has…

He is God, exalted be His Glory!

Although for some time no breeze of loving-kindness has wafted from your direction upon this lowly one’s heart, and the pen of affection has not inscribed this evanescent one’s name, yet this servant, in accordance with “the believers are one soul, one spirit, and one body,” has observed degrees of love and unity within myself and you. Thus have I regarded you in like manner, until in these days Jinab-i-Shaykh Ruhullah—may his spirit be sanctified—turned his face toward the Beloved and attained the presence of the Desired One before the Throne, along with two others: Jinab-i-Aqa ʿAli Akbar and Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Ashraf.

When the appointed time for their sojourn near the mercy of the Gracious Sovereign was completed and permission for return was sent down from the heaven of divine will, this servant deemed it necessary to make mention of himself to your presence through this letter, so that the degrees of love concealed in the heart might be made manifest in the visible realm, and the inner might be adorned with the garment of the outer, and the outer with the ornament of the inner.

For the Beloved, the All-Glorious, has ever wished that all the deeds of those who consider themselves related to Truth should be fully manifested in action—that is, whatever proceeds from them should be befitting both outward matters and inward conditions, that their outer might indicate their inner state and their inner state their outer condition.

And thereafter, were this servant to attempt to mention the calamities that have befallen and the afflictions that have descended in this land upon the Beauty of Divine Unity, he would surely find himself incapable and would only increase your grief. Therefore, this servant has not engaged in such mentions and has left it to those returning, that they might surely convey, according to their capacity, what they have understood.

However, I submit to your presence that it is evident to your honor that these days have had and will have no likeness, similitude, or equal. It is incumbent upon every soul to spare no effort, according to their capacity, in establishing the divine Cause and proclaiming the Manifestation of the glory of the Eternal, and to strive with all their powers to assist the Cause, which is pure teaching.

What more can I say about the veiling of some, despite the Sun of Glory’s acceptance having shone forth from the holy horizon of majesty in such wise that it has encompassed all the world and appeared with perfect power and sovereignty? Yet some have clung to vain imaginings and remained far from recognizing the Beauty of the All-Knowing Sovereign. What regret for such souls!

Despite the healing counsels and conclusive admonitions that have been sent down from the Source of Divine Unity in the revealed scriptures, they are seen to be more remote than previous nations and more heedless than all who dwell on earth. One must at all times take refuge in God, that perhaps through His encompassing novel favors and His extended mercy, He may not deprive these servants from the shore of ancient glory and may establish them firmly upon the path of His Cause, which today encompasses all the world.

At this moment it is revealed from the right of the Throne:

Write to the remnant of God’s people on earth:

O thou who art the manifestation of My truth! If thou art slumbering upon thy couch, lift up thy head; and if thou art seated, by the power of My name, arise; and if thou art standing, in thy yearning for My beauty, take flight; and if thou art in flight, through My sovereign might, ascend; and if thou art in ascent, by the majesty of My Cause, halt in the firmament of the Spirit.

Open then thy lips in My name, the Opener. Move then thy tongue in My name, the Mover. Intone then My melodies and proclaim: O denizens of earth and heaven! By the one true God, verily, He Who is the Lord of Eternity hath appeared and shone forth above the horizon of creation through the power of His most lofty, His most exalted sovereignty.

Then He changed the garment of His Name and appeared with His Most Glorious Name above the Most Exalted Horizon—the Station round which circle the Kingdom of Names and Attributes.

O people! If ye desire to witness the power of God, behold His power that hath encompassed all things; if ye desire to see the sovereignty of God, behold His sovereignty that hath conquered all things; if ye seek to observe the mercy of God, behold His mercy that hath preceded all things; if ye desire to look upon the greatness of God and His dominion, turn your gaze to His greatness that hath been established over all things; if ye desire to hear His melodies, then hearken to His Word that hath been created by His command and hath been raised above all things; if ye desire to be honored by His presence, by God, this is His Beauty that hath been manifested unto all things.

Thus hath spoken the Tongue of the Ancient of Days at this time. Hearken then unto that which hath been revealed unto thee, then convey it to the servants that they may purify themselves from the defilement of idle fancies and attain unto the station that hath been ordained for them. Thus hath the Pen of Command enjoined thee at this time from the presence of God, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Therefore, O manifestation of My truthfulness, strive that thou mayest appear in the earth in accordance with this Name. The truthfulness that is beloved in the sight of God is that thou shouldst arise to praise His Being and occupy thyself with the mention of His Cause, for no truth can equal the Word wherewith God speaketh. Blessed, therefore, are they who attain unto this most exalted and glorious station.

For truthfulness there are countless stations ordained with God that cannot be contained in this leaf. Among these stations is the truthfulness that is known among men. Having attained unto this station, as God willing thou hast, it behooveth thee to make a mighty effort that thou mayest attain unto and be sustained by the Most Great Truth that circleth round the Most Great Scene. Well is it with them that attain thereunto. Here endeth the words of God.

This servant at the end of this petition submitteth that God willing thou wilt ever be occupied with the mention of the Beloved in such wise that its influence may become manifest throughout all the world. There is no word but hath an effect with thy Lord. Thus hath it been ordained by the Mighty, the Ancient. I beseech God that I may be blessed with attaining thy presence that I may convey, without tongue or utterance, the hidden secrets and concealed mysteries.

Convey, on behalf of this servant, expressions of sincere praise in sublime and glorious terms to his honor the son who hath been the object of the regard of God, exalted be His glory. The degrees of this servant’s love for that exalted person are too evident to be described by mention or proven by utterance. God is aware of what is in my heart and He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Moreover, remember with infinite mention from this servant the other loved ones of that land—those who have drunk from the cup of detachment and been sustained by the chalice of oneness. Spirit, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, then upon them all.

Abdullah, the servant of His loved ones, Aqa Jan

BH00854: Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Kingdom…

Blessed is He in Whose hand is the Kingdom of everlasting dominion, then the realm of might and splendor, and within His grasp are all who dwell in the kingdom of creation and command and whatsoever hath been created between the heavens and the earth.

O Word of Victory! Know thou that this Day is the day of thy victory. Arise to aid the Cause of God and His Command amongst the worlds. Stand forth in such wise that there shall be manifest from thine every member that which shall reveal the victory of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing. Beware lest the cawing of the idolaters and the clamor of those who have disbelieved in God openly hold thee back, after they had been given the glad tidings of this Manifestation from the tongue of Him Who was the Manifestation of My Self, Whom We sent in truth and made a mercy unto all the worlds.

Among them are those who turned away and said “He hath appeared too soon.” Say: He, verily, is the One with power over all things. He hath manifested Himself in truth and made it a testimony unto all created things. Is it that He doeth what He willeth, or are ye of those who do? He hath sent down from the heaven of His will whatsoever He desired, for He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Say: Woe unto you, O heedless ones! By God the Truth! Whosoever uttereth this word, his name hath been recorded in the Tablets with the Jews, were ye but to perceive it. For they said “God’s hand is chained up,” and ye say the like thereof, and ye are not among those who understand. The body of God hath been pierced by the arrows of your rancor while ye rejoice within yourselves and are of those who are glad.

And among them are those who turned away and said that such and such a one hath not believed in God’s Cause. Say: Woe unto you, O ye deniers! Have ye not heard what hath been sent down in truth, that every light shall be dimmed before His splendor? By God! This indeed is His splendor which hath appeared in truth with clear and manifest signs. Have ye not heard what was revealed in the Tablets, that the Sinaitic spirits would expire at the appearance of this crimson Light? Yet ye have not been mindful of that which was sent down in the preserved Tablets of glory.

Apart from what was revealed in the Tablets, ye have not seen him whom ye took as lord unto yourselves, nor have ye understood him or his condition. By God the Truth! All that ye heard from him appeared by My binding, transcendent, and all-knowing Command.

And among them is he who said that no harm or tribulation had touched Him. Say: Hast thou not heard, O idolater, that He was cast into prison four times in the path of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Praised? In each instance there befell Him what had befallen no one before Him, as witnessed by the dwellers of the cities of eternity, and beyond them, My Own invincible, mighty, and peerless Self.

Apart from imprisonment, I stood against the enemies in My days, and there fell upon Me at every moment arrows of hatred and rancor from diverse peoples, as ye have heard and are among those who have heard. And beyond what befell Me at their hands, there hath befallen Me at the hands of the people of the Bayan that which cannot be recounted in words, as the Tongue of the All-Merciful beareth witness, were ye even among the deniers.

Whosoever possesseth the least discernment would testify that My standing firm against the enemies in days when the hearts of men of understanding were sorely shaken was better than the worship of the Concourse on High and all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth.

O Name of Victory! Know thou that in My days My food was but morsels of My own liver, and My drink naught but the blood of My heart. Yet We concealed all this from Our servants, and God is witness and well aware of what I say.

Say: Fear ye God, O people, and commit not that which none before you hath ever committed. Take hold of the tablets of God with might and turn not unto that which floweth from the pen of the calumniators. They have disbelieved in God, therefore hath been sent down concerning them that which hath been sent down, and verily it is a revelation from One mighty and powerful.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Were ye not commanded in the tablets of God to behold Him with His own eyes and not to be veiled on the Day of His Manifestation by what was revealed in the Bayan, nor by its letters and mirrors? Yet ye have violated God’s covenant and His testament, and have clung to fancy and desire, and become of those who have turned away.

Say: His words can never be confounded with the words of any other, and that which hath appeared from Him beareth witness unto His own Self, the Most Exalted, the Most Holy, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Fear ye God and render not your works vain, and spread not corruption in the earth after its reformation, and be not of those who are veiled.

Say: All things have been stirred by the breezes of God, and every barren land hath been made verdant by the vegetation of His bounty, and every withered tree hath borne fruit through fruits holy, incomparable and wondrous, while ye have made yourselves deprived of the fragrances of those days and forbidden from the sweet scents that have been wafted from the direction of your All-Merciful Lord, and ye have been of the heedless ones.

Say: Would that ye had contented yourselves with this! Nay, by the Self of God! Rather have ye arisen to turn away in such wise that at every moment ye hurl at His body the darts of hypocrisy, as though ye were created from the fire of hell.

Say: Verily your All-Merciful Lord, should He desire to take a handful of dust and raise from it what was and what will be, is able to do so through His sovereignty, the Mighty, the All-Encompassing. Beware lest ye slay the Self of God; if ye believe not in Him, oppose Him not and be not of the ignorant ones.

Say: O company of those who have turned away! The dwellers of the all-highest Paradise now witness your evil state and place their fingers of remorse and bewilderment between their teeth by reason of what hath appeared from you in this Manifestation which hath appeared with the truth with a holy and glorious adorning. If ye fear not God, then be ye ashamed before these, that haply ye may find a way unto Him Who occupieth the throne.

And thou, O servant, ascend on the wing of inner meanings unto the heaven of utterance, then help thy Lord, the All-Merciful, with whatsoever thou art able, and be not of the patient ones. Strive within thyself to soar unto a station wherein thou shalt behold those who have turned away and what they possess beneath thy shadow, and wherein thou shalt find thyself in an atmosphere of holy and subtle grace.

Leave behind the worlds and whatsoever is therein, then journey in this atmosphere which hath been spread through the will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Beware lest the coldness of the allusions of the deniers extinguish the heat of thy love. Be thou consumed at every moment with the heat of My love, then drink at every instant from the wine of My bounty, then soar at every hour in the atmosphere of My companionship, then hearken at every minute to My melodies from the direction of My Most Great and Supreme Throne.

Say: Blind is the eye that beholdeth not the gleaming lights of its Lord’s countenance, the All-Merciful, and deaf is the ear that heareth not His verses, and severed is the tongue that moveth not in His remembrance. The praise of Him has made blind the eye that would not see His splendor, and has clipped the wing that would not soar in the atmosphere of His knowledge, and has broken the neck that would not bow before the manifestations of His sovereignty – He Who hath encompassed both the first and the last.

Thus do We make mention of thee at a time when sorrows have compassed Us round from every side to such extent as to prevent Us from remembrance, and God is sufficient witness to what I say. And the Glory rest upon thee and upon them that have held fast unto the Most Great Ark which hath sailed upon the sea of grandeur through My Most Glorious Name, and were of them that have attained.

BH00857: This servant hath desired naught from any…

This servant hath desired naught from any of the servants of God save truthfulness and justice; and thou art well aware, O Ahmad, that in the service of the emigrants no negligence, within the bounds of possibility, was ever shown, and that every effort was exerted to bring satisfaction to each one, especially to the kindred. And yet, notwithstanding, My brother hath written unto divers quarters that he had been wronged, deprived of his stipend, and that attempts had been made upon his life. Shouldst thou say that thou art unaware of the hidden matters and knowest them not, it hath by now become sufficiently clear and evident unto thee that all these accusations which they have set forth are but sheer calumny, and that his true intent hath been to hew down the divine Tree.

Thou art thyself a witness that never hath this servant withheld bread or stipend from any soul, much less from the kindred. By God, besides Whom there is none other God! After thy departure, whatsoever was received from the government was distributed amongst all the inhabitants of this land—emigrants and brethren alike—while for Mine own part I reserved naught save a small portion set aside for the sacred Household. Month by month it reacheth My brother and others. Nevertheless, with the express intent to undermine the Cause of God and to beg from men, he hath written such calumnies unto divers quarters.

Consider the account of Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani, which thou knowest was sent without fail each month. O Ahmad! Hearken unto the holy, eternal melodies! By the Sun of the heaven of inner meaning, the deeds of Truth are distinguishable from all else, would that men might perceive! Yet the one who is the Truth hath written to divers places that his stipend was withheld. Nay, by My life, the All-Merciful, if ye did but know! Alas for him and for those who follow him!

If ye would but show a mere particle of fairness and reflect upon what he hath written and attributed to this servant, ye would recognize the falsity of all his words and deeds. Thou knowest that what they have set down is pure fabrication. And if the veils of idle fancy have prevented the people from understanding certain matters, thou wast thyself present and didst with thine own eyes behold that never was this servant pleased with the harm of any soul, nor withheld aught from any one. Consider now what this person hath brought upon this servant through these successive years. By God, O Ahmad! Throughout all days I strove for his protection and honour, while he stood ready to compass My death and harm.

Nor was this confined to him alone; for from every soul upon whom the utmost love had been lavished there came, in the end, that which came not even from the manifest embodiments of negation unto the Ancient Beauty. And of those things which thou didst witness—things sufficient to rend the veils from the eyes of the servants—thou spakest not, but didst, whether by thine own words or by his, relate that which tended to harm this servant. O Ahmad! Verily, thy Lord is ever watchful.

O Ahmad! Know thou of a certainty: never have the calumniators of this Manifest Beauty prospered, nor shall they ever prosper. Soon shalt thou behold it. Nothing escapeth His knowledge; He, verily, knoweth what is in the hearts.

In truth, what the True One hath ever desired of thee and of others is that ye should speak forth that which ye have witnessed and perceived, and never depart from the bounds of equity. Praise be to the Ancient Beauty Who, on divers occasions, made manifest unto thee His station—first, in the matter of Dhabih, thy brother, and second, in the Persian Tablet which was revealed in response to the poem of Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli. Judge now with fairness: he who comprehendeth not the meaning of a poem, as thou thyself hast discovered, thou didst nevertheless support, remaining heedless of the truth.

By God, O Ahmad! My love for thee hath moved My Pen to counsel thee, that perchance thou mayest speak the truth amongst the peoples of the world. Rend asunder the veils of idle fancy, and be not of those who, while the Truth is manifest, resplendent, and evident in this day, hasten from distant places to bow before mere dust, and at times recount fabricated miracles, yet deem themselves the most God-fearing and exalted among men.

O Ahmad! Speak forth the truth, and be not the cause of the people’s delusion. The world is unworthy of falsehood. Be not of those who fashion idols with their own hands and then bow down before the work of their own making. What difference is there between such as these and those who utter fabricated words in praise of one in whom naught is to be seen but the promptings of vain desire—words whereby they seek to exalt themselves amongst men—and then fall prostrate before that which their own tongues have contrived? In the sight of God there is no difference between these two: the one worshippeth what his hands have fashioned, the other, what his tongue hath devised.

Woe unto them for what their hands have wrought during the days of their vain life! Soon shall they return unto their abode—an evil, indeed, is the abode of the idolaters and the liars.

O Ahmad! Every soul is adorned with that which pertaineth to its faith. Wert thou to ponder with a discerning eye, thou wouldst perceive that whenever the Truth—exalted be His remembrance—hath described any soul, He in truth hath described His own Self. This is the divine revelation of love which He hath shed upon all created things through His Most Beloved Name.

And any soul that turneth toward the Sun of this Name, the rays of that Sun will be reflected within it; and whatsoever description the Truth—exalted be His glory—bestoweth upon that soul is but the description of the rays of the revelation of the Sun of His own Name. These stations and attributes endure so long as that revelation endureth; but once that soul turneth away from such confrontation, and those rays are extinguished, it shall, in the sight of God, be as though it had never been and shall never be.

O Ahmad! Purge thine ear of idle fancies, hearken unto the holy melodies of the Beloved, and ponder: never in all creation hath such a Cause appeared, nor shall it ever appear, save as thy Lord, the All-Glorious, willeth. That which proceedeth from the Truth is manifestly distinguished from that which proceedeth from falsehood; the breathings of the Holy Spirit are diverse in their tokens and manifold in their tokens.

Account not the false as true, nor suppose the counterfeit to be the source of truth. O Ahmad! The breathings of truth are clearly manifest and stand apart from falsehood. Hearken unto the call of the True and Trusted One, and regard all else save God as non-existent. Abide beneath the shade of thy Beloved and be at rest. Behold the Cause of God with thine own eyes, and with thine own ears apprehend its melodies.

Know the Truth through the Truth itself. Say: O people! Know God through God; for whoso seeketh to know Him through aught else shall never attain unto Him.

We hope, if God so willeth, that thou wilt turn from the most fragile of cords unto the Strong Rope which none can sever, and that thou wilt not remain deprived of the clouds of divine mercy. God guideth whomsoever He willeth unto the straight Path. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH00885: Lawh-i-Javad

He is the Ever-Abiding! In His Most Glorious Name!

O beloved of my soul and cherished one of my spirit! Have you chosen stillness while the Chosen Beauty sits in utmost distress amidst the wicked? Do you draw peaceful breath from the cage of the body while the Beauty of Oneness is surrounded by wolves in human form with corrupt souls? At every moment that Manifest Beauty calls out with sorrowful voice to His loved ones, summoning them to the victory of God’s Cause, not to the victory of His own sacred Self. For from time immemorial and unto eternity He has sacrificed His blessed Self in the path of the All-Glorious, as is evident to every fair-minded observer that in all their days they have not sought to protect themselves from enemies, but have ever shone like the sun in the holy firmament—none deny this save every deprived deceiver.

Thus it is clear that by victory is meant the triumph of God’s Cause, and ever shall be. By God! If a soul should draw but one breath in aid of this wondrous and exalted Cause, it would equal all the acceptable deeds of the dwellers of earth and heaven—nay, it cannot be compared with anything, would you but reflect. Their victory through the sword of utterance and the tongue is beloved of God, not through swords of steel, for They have never been pleased with harm to any soul, and in all verses They emphasize this matter.

The King of Creation declares: O Javad! Draw forth the sword of the tongue from the scabbard of utterance through the power of the All-Merciful, and proclaim this Cause in such wise that no created thing shall find means to turn away, for these loved ones are aided by the Holy Spirit when they speak. O Javad! The brilliant morn has drawn breath from the Merciful Breath, and “by the Dawn when it breathes” has once again become manifest. Strive mightily, God willing, lest the darkness of corrupt souls and satanic temples with the veils of the ungodly conceal this luminous morn from the eyes of men.

O Javad! Several wolves have appeared in sheep’s clothing. One must at all times take refuge in God to remain protected from the deceptions and schemes of these deceivers who have plotted against the Lord of all worlds. O Javad! Today if all who are in the heavens should claim divinity and chant the verses of the first and the last without mention of your Lord, the Most Exalted, in His final advent through His Most Glorious Name, they are and shall be rejected. For the creation of words is like unto the creation of souls—just as the purpose of creating souls has been the recognition of God’s Self, the purpose of creating their words, from whatever tongue they may flow, shall be the mention of Truth. And if this station be absent from the melodies, they shall be like the words of the marketplace—nay, the latter is more excellent in God’s sight, even should those melodies be uttered in the most beautiful tones.

Consider the lamp-niche—though it be fashioned of delicate glass or brilliant crystal, its purpose is to hold the lamp. If it attains not to this station, it is but a useless instrument that neither nourishes nor avails. Thus the purpose of the niche of words is the kindling of the lamp of the mention of the All-Beautiful, and without it they are but satanic whispers, even if that book of words be observed to encompass the kingdom of names and attributes.

O Javad! The purpose of the trees is the human temples which bear the fruits of knowledge. If a tree is not honored with this grace, it is deemed as a withered garden tree, worthy of being cut down and burned—and would that it be burned for preparing the feast of the Beloved! And perchance it may be taken to cook the food of the ungodly according to what their hands have earned aforetime. We seek refuge in God from this! O Javad! My appearance among the loved ones and my standing amongst the enemies in days when every man was shaken and all hands trembled from the might of those days was a clear proof, greater than the proofs of the first and the last, were people to be fair.

There was and shall be no proof of My Self save My own Being. The purpose of verses was to establish the Cause among people who were veiled, otherwise those who drink the purest wine from the Most Glorious Cup recognize Truth by Truth and look to naught else. O Javad! By God! My manifestation among these people is greater than the creation of the heavens and earth and all that was and will be, but the servants are dead in the stupor of their own selves. In these days the children of the sanctuary speak such verses that the hearts of those near to God remain enthralled and astonished. And this is not difficult for God.

Some time ago the Surih of the Companions was revealed from the heaven of eternity and the right hand of the Most Great Throne, and was sent in the name of God, the Most Great, to His Eminence the most luminous, most radiant and most glorious—upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Eternity. Mention of your honor was made in that wondrous tablet. Request it from them that you may attain to the revealed divine favors. And the glory that has shone forth from the horizon of the countenance of Glory be upon you and your family.

BH03017: From time immemorial until now, whosoever hath detached himself…

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

From time immemorial until now, whosoever hath detached himself from all save God and turned unto Him hath, in every station, attained his heart’s desire, for in the stages of spiritual nearness, physical distance hath never been, nor ever shall be, a barrier. That which hath forever stood as a veil between the Truth and creation hath been the veils of self and desire. So long as these veils persist, the servant remaineth far removed from the assemblage of nearness, even should he stand before the Divine Throne. Yet after these veils are rent asunder, he standeth before His countenance, though outwardly he be a hundred thousand leagues distant. The purpose of man’s existence hath been that, through the grace of the All-Merciful, he should be cleansed and purified from the defilements of creation, that he might become worthy to appear before the Greater Manifestation and enter the immortal celestial dominion of God.

Should any soul fail to attain this station, no benefit would accrue to him even if he were to possess the whole earth and whatsoever is therein. As can be observed, preoccupation with this world and its trappings is the cause of affliction and abasement, not the source of freedom and repose. All the wondrous counsels and words of wisdom that God hath uttered through the tongues of His own Manifestations have been for the elevation of the souls of His servants, for verily He, the Most High, hath ever been, and shall ever remain, sanctified and exalted above the conditions of His creation and all that they possess.

As to what thou didst write expressing wonder at this forbearance despite such power—yea, in this are signs for the mystics, evidences for them that are nigh unto God, tokens for the hopeful, and intimations for the sincere. In darkness the light of the stars shineth bright and clear, and through the touchstone pure gold is distinguished from brass. In times when the descent of trials enshroudeth all contingent things in the darkness of might, the countenances of them that are nigh unto God and are sanctified shine forth with a crystalline radiance—those souls who have regarded all save the Beloved as non-existent and counted as nothing. Similarly, in the appearance of the touchstone and trials, he that turneth toward God is distinguished from him that turneth away.

Whatsoever hath come to pass and shall come to pass hath been and shall be manifestations of divine wisdom, and none hath knowledge of its wisdom save His own Self, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. In all the Tablets mention hath been made of the trials of grievous years, that haply, when they should appear, the loved ones of God might not be perturbed. Nevertheless, that which was to appear hath appeared. All that hath been manifested and shall be manifested hath been and shall be by His command. None can avert His decree and none can repel His judgement. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

As regards what was asked concerning the mixture of the four elements, it is known to thee that the combination of separated, external, and opposing elements is not possible. Indeed, the masters of the craft [of alchemy] consider four elements necessary in their work, for they regard all things as subsisting through the four elements. In truth, all four are necessary to earth, for it is the seat of manifestation. Verily earth cannot bring forth vegetation without water, as is evident, hence water is necessary—“and from water We made all things living.” And earth deprived thereof brings forth neither herbage nor fruit. Fire too is necessary, for motion arises from heat and ever has, and in its absence no motion can occur, hence fire is necessary. And air, which is the cause of mixture and the source of colors, is assuredly necessary, and therein is ordained what is not ordained elsewhere, though people know it not. Indeed it is fire through its heat and water through its moisture, thus the work is perfected therein, were ye of those who know. And therein is combined what is not combined elsewhere—thus hath it been ordained by One mighty and powerful.

The four elements—namely fire, air, water and earth—after combination and coalescence manifest two qualities each: in fire there is heat and dryness, in air moisture and heat, in water cold and moisture, and in earth dryness and cold. Therefore in the hidden work some have been content with two elements, calling them male and female, spirit and body, for in two elements the four are manifest. This station they have expounded in detail and called by all names. Were the details of these degrees to be mentioned, the discourse would surely grow lengthy. Therefore it is briefly stated that in the aforementioned work one must search and find something from which these four elements themselves become manifest. For if they emerge from different things, their mixture is very difficult, just as water never has and never will mix with oil, unless there be found a water in whose depths oil is concealed, and through alchemical processes the inner oil overcomes the outer form—then that water, which is in reality oil, can mix and unite with oil.

In brief, what is intended by the hidden craft is that thou shouldst separate the four elements from a single thing, and after purifying each element from incidental impurities through dissolution and coagulation, unite these elements. The purpose of purification is that they be cleansed of impurities that prevent and obstruct, that they may become capable of true mixture. Now consider what thing is that stone from which the four elements are separated.

Beware lest thou engage in practice before knowledge, for knowledge precedeth practice. Therefore strive to attain knowledge, then undertake the work. The stone exists in one of the three kingdoms and is visible in the streets and markets. Reflect that thou mayest know. And if thou findest it and separate it, then ask God to teach thee what He hath ordained therein, for with Him is the knowledge of all things, and the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and knowledge of what was and what shall be.

In these days that which is beloved and desired is that thou shouldst take somewhat of the active essence, which is love for the Servant of God, and place it upon the conflicting elements of the human temple, so that all may be cleansed, through the assistance of that Most Great Essence, from the dross of earthly realms and enter the eternal kingdom. This is that greatest elixir which transmuteth all the copper of existence into pure gold, and this is that crown of victory which by God’s command prevaileth over all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed are they that attain! Thus have We imparted unto thee the truth. Ponder thou, therefore, that thou mayest recognize that which lieth concealed within the treasuries of thy Lord’s protection, the Most High, the Most Great. All praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH00903: This is a Book which guideth unto the Truth…

He is the Mighty, the Everlasting!

This is a Book which guideth unto the Truth and remindeth men of the days of the Spirit, and beareth them glad tidings of the good-pleasure of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. It sendeth down at all times upon the sincere ones the fruits of holy and glorious bounty, and bestoweth upon the people of the realm of might that which turneth them unto God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved, and upon the people of the Kingdom that which causeth them to enter the precincts of glorified might. Say: This Tablet is in itself a hidden Book which hath ever been treasured in the vaults of God’s protection, and its verses were inscribed by the finger of power, would ye but know it. It hath now appeared through grace that it might quicken the hearts of them that circle round the Cause, who behold naught save the Tree of the Cause itself and what shineth forth therefrom of the lights of God, the Exalted, the Adored. The veils deter them not, nor do allusions hinder them, for they gaze with the eye of God upon the very essence of the Cause. Nothing shutteth them out from beholding the Beauty, as they observe with spiritual sight the holy verses and ponder the wonders of the Cause.

Say: O people! Fear ye God in His Cause, and follow not those who walk not in the path of God. O people! Be not like those who read the Book of God, and yet deny His verses, who follow His commandments in their days, and yet turn away from His Beauty. Say: The Beauty of God was among you, and His countenance shone forth between earth and heaven like a lustrous and burnished pearl, yet were ye veiled from Him, such that not one among you recognized Him, would ye but understand. The veil of His face was none other than His very manifestation, would ye but comprehend. Ye were present before Us every eve and morn, and were with Me every morning and evening, and witnessed whatsoever appeared from Me, My rising up and My sitting down, yet it was as though ye had never heard the melodies of God though ye heard them constantly, and had not attained His presence though ye witnessed it every moment. Thus do We mention in the Tablet that which escaped you, that perchance ye may now arise from the couches of heedlessness and become aware within yourselves.

And thou, O My namesake, hearken unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee of the mysteries of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Arise with thy whole being to serve God, and transgress not that which thou hast been commanded, and be not of those who turn not toward the holy court. Thou wert with Me most days and heard from Me what thou hadst not heard from any other, and saw what thou hadst not seen from any soul, yet thou didst not recognize Me for less than a moment, and this is a known truth. Thus were We possessed of power over all things, and We veiled thine eyes and the eyes of the people though We were shining among them like the manifest, radiant, and visible sun.

By My life! Hadst thou recognized Me in less than the twinkling of an eye and asked Me concerning the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be, We would have taught thee in truth more swiftly than a loved one heareth the call of his beloved. Thou didst hear from Me at times that which would suffice thee beyond all else but God, yet thou didst not heed it, for vain imaginings and idle fancies veiled thee from the knowledge of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Wherefore, when God’s appointed time was fulfilled and the idolaters cast Us into prison, We lifted the veil from the face of the Cause and manifested Our own Self through the truth, despite those who associated partners with their Lord. Say: O concourse of idolaters! Did ye imagine that My imprisonment would cause God’s Cause to be lost or changed through My abasement? Wretched indeed is what ye have imagined within yourselves and in all your vain fancies. Nay, through this His Cause is exalted in truth, even as it was exalted aforetime, would ye but perceive it.

And thou, grieve not for what hath escaped thee in Our days, but seek the grace of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. Then give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having loved thee and sent down unto thee this Tablet from which the breezes of God waft, if ye would but sense them. Say: O people! This Tablet is in itself a proof unto you and unto all who dwell in the heavens and the earth, if ye would behold it with the eye of God. Say: O concourse of the earth! If ye possess a greater proof than this, or a mightier evidence, or a more exalted sign, then bring it forth, if ye be truthful. And if ye have no proof or evidence, then by what reason have ye held yourselves back from this exalted and extended Path?

Know thou then the mystery of the eighty and what was promised unto you in the nine, that thou mayest be assured that God fulfilleth His promise and ordaineth the measure of all things in a guarded Book. Thus hath God’s favor been completed, His beauty appeared, His verses been sent down, His words been perfected, and His countenance been revealed, if ye would but witness and hearken.

Then hearken unto My counsel at the end of the Tablet, and be of them who take counsel from God’s admonition. First, shun those in whom thou perceivest the stench of malice and hypocrisy, and sit not with them in any gathering. This is God’s command unto thee and unto those who ascend unto the heights of the spirit. Thou hast sat with them on several occasions—and We know this from the knowledge which God hath taught Me—therefore We forbid thee and those who would soar unto the heaven of nearness. Beware lest thou be swayed by their tongues; rather, look to their hearts and thou wilt find therein malice and hatred, and what lieth hidden in their breasts will become manifest unto thee.

This is what the Truth counseleth thee in these days wherein minds are bewildered. Guard thyself against such as these, even as light guardeth itself from darkness and the believer from the idolater. Turn away from them, then turn towards God, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Should they recite God’s verses, they recite them only out of the deceit that lies within their hearts, and though they may mention God’s ordinances, they remember them not. Say: O assemblage of the malicious! Know ye that God hath made Me a test for you, such that your faith can never be complete except through love for Me, even if ye were to worship and prostrate yourselves for all eternity.

And as a final counsel, grieve not for the hardships and difficulties thou art in. Know that this world and all that is therein shall perish, and what God hath ordained for thee is, by God, better for thee than all thou beholdest on earth or that the mystics know. If thou remainest patient in all matters and puttest thy trust in God, thy Lord, and art not dismayed by circumstances, then be patient, O My brother, in what befalleth thee. Then remember My days, morn and eve, My exile and separation, My distress and tribulation, My melodies and utterance, My chants and beauty, My trials and ordeals, My imprisonment and estrangement in this forbidden land.

BH00926: This is a Tablet which was revealed aforetime…

This is a Tablet which was revealed aforetime, and the original thereof, should God so will, He will send unto thee through a trusted one among His servants.

In the Name of Him before Whose face all prostrate themselves!

This is a Book from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, unto him who hath believed in Him and hath sought guidance from the lights of the Spirit in these days wherein have changed the faces of those who doubted meeting with their Lord and denied the signs of God.

O servant! Were We to recount what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst detach thyself from thy self, thy spirit and thine essence, and flee unto the mountains until thou sacrificest thyself in My path. Thus was the decree, yet the people perceive not.

Know thou that He Who through the movement of His finger hath manifested justice and its expressions hath been accused of tyranny by the idolaters. Woe unto them and unto what they have earned in their vain life, and they understand not. And He Who through His command planted the trees of truth hath been charged with falsehood. Thus have they done unto My Self, if ye be of them that know.

Say: O people! Fear God and spread not corruption in the land after its reformation, and commit not that which is shameful against your own selves, and be not of them who disbelieve. Fear God, O concourse of earth! This indeed is My garment from which every Prophet hath inhaled the fragrance of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. And through what hath been sent down from His presence have descended the Scriptures of God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Best-Beloved. And verily, were He to desire to efface what is established among the servants, He is able through a word from His presence, if ye but understand. And were We to will it, We would reveal in every letter what hath been revealed from time immemorial, yet the people are dead in the veils of their selves.

Say: O people! By God the Truth, ye have committed what neither the Jews, nor the Christians, nor those who suspended the beauty of ʿAli in the air and unjustly slew him, have committed, if ye would but ponder within yourselves. Say: Verily, the people of the Qur’an shed the blood of My Name Who appeared with the truth, and ye shed the blood of His Beloved at every moment, yet ye understand not. Say: Then if ye would turn with the ear of innate nature toward the Supreme Horizon, by God ye would surely hear their lamentation, then their cry, then their wailing at what hath befallen Him through Whose one letter was created what was and what shall be, and through another letter hath come the Ancient Beauty in the shadows of the clouds with manifest and visible sovereignty, and through a word from His presence hath He adorned the temple of Lordship with the robe of glorious and beloved majesty.

And were there to be found on earth one possessed of insight, by God he would witness that through His will appeared the kingdom of all names, then the dominion of all attributes in their completeness, then through another will He removeth the ornament of Name from the manifestations of names. Thus was thy Lord powerful over what He willeth, yet the people know not.

O Jews! If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you. Deal with Me as ye wish, for I have vowed to lay down My life in the path of God. I will fear no one, though the powers of earth and heaven be leagued against Me. Followers of the Gospel! If ye cherish the desire to slay Muḥammad, the Apostle of God, seize Me and put an end to My life, for I am He, and My Self is His Self. Do unto Me as ye like, for the deepest longing of Mine heart is to attain the presence of My Best-Beloved in His Kingdom of Glory.

Such is the Divine decree, if ye know it. Followers of Muḥammad! If it be your wish to riddle with your shafts the breast of Him Who hath caused His Book the Bayán to be sent down unto you, lay hands on Me and persecute Me, for I am His Well-Beloved, the revelation of His own Self, though My name be not His name. I have come in the shadows of the clouds of glory, and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. I, verily, anticipate from you the treatment ye have accorded unto Him that came before Me. To this all things, verily, witness, if ye be of those who hearken.

O people of the Bayán! If ye have resolved to shed the blood of Him Whose coming the Báb hath proclaimed, Whose advent Muḥammad hath prophesied, and Whose Revelation Jesus Christ Himself hath announced, behold Me standing, ready and defenseless, before you. Deal with Me after your own desires.

Say: By God, this breast of Mine yearneth for your arrows—shoot then as ye please and tarry not. This neck of Mine it stretched out in its love for God and awaiteth your swords—strike then as ye desire. This head of Mine yearneth for the spears of your hatred—raise it upon them and parade it through the lands as ye wish.

Say: O people of the Bayan! If it be God’s crime in your eyes that He hath sent unto you Him Whose meeting ye were promised and Who was pledged in all the Tablets, then pardon Him and make not yourselves deserving of God’s vengeance, the King, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. And if My crime be that His verses were revealed unto Me and We recited them unto you morning and evening, then forgive Me and thereby make not yourselves deprived of the meeting with God, the Mighty, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Beloved. And if your objection be to God for having sent Me so soon, then it behooveth you to thank God for this and say:

“Praise be to God Who hath fulfilled His promise and accomplished what He promised us. Our Lord is indeed the All-Forgiving, the Kind.”

Fear God, O people, distinguish between gratitude and complaint, and deny not the Cause of Him for Whose sake all in the heavens and earth were created.

What aileth you, O people, that ye understand not? Have ye ever seen anyone to whom God’s favor was sent who would deny it? Nay, by Him Who holdeth My soul in His hand, ye have seen none but yourselves, would ye be fair. The Promised One hath come unto you from nearby, yet ye denied Him. Had He appeared from afar, what would ye have done?—when it behooveth you to sacrifice yourselves in His path and thank your Lord, the Most Merciful, for having sent you this hidden and treasured blessing.

O Pen! Hold thy reins and conceal thyself, revealing no more than this. By God, were what is treasured within thee to be unveiled, all who are in the heavens and earth would swoon away, and no helper or supporter would remain for thee, for all people have opposed God and are walking in the wilderness of misbelief.

O servant! Raise thy hands in My Name and through My sovereignty, then rend asunder the veils through My power, My grandeur and My majesty, and fear no one. Thy Lord will protect thee from those who have disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Drink from the cup of My remembrance and knowledge and praise, then give the servants to drink therefrom. By God, this is better for thee than what was and what will be. Thus doth thy Lord command thee—act as thou art bidden and be not of those who, after being commanded, do tarry.

The Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon such servants as have turned toward the holy court, the spot wherein the lights of the Youth’s countenance shine forth with a radiance manifest and visible.

BH00941: O servant! Hearken unto the Call of God, then…

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

O servant! Hearken unto the Call of God, then act according to what thou art bidden by thy Lord, and be not of those who, when the Sun of Beauty dawned forth from the Horizon of Grandeur, wrapped themselves in darkness and were overcome with doubt and misgiving. Beware lest thou ascribe partners unto Him Who hath ever been One in His Essence and hath taken neither peer nor likeness unto Himself. To this beareth witness all that hath been sent down aforetime from the presence of the Mighty, the Bestower. Verily, he who was named Muhammad-ʿAli, and whom God related unto His own Self, is but a leaf among the leaves of that Tree. By the True One! Were We to withdraw from him for less than a twinkling of an eye the outpourings of the divine Command, he would surely turn yellow and fall upon the dust. O servant! Dost thou sport with the Cause of God and desire to be of them who at every moment take unto themselves a lord besides Me, a god other than Me, a worshipped one other than Me, and a beloved one beyond Me? By God! Their feet have slipped and their faces have been blackened. Therefore take ye warning, O concourse of the beloved!

Know thou that I alone have ever been the Beloved of all things and the God of all who are in the heavens and on earth. I have taken no partner unto Myself in sovereignty. Thus have I been from before all beginning and will be unto the end that hath no end. Bear thou witness, then, to that whereunto God Himself hath testified, and be not of them that doubt and are veiled. We created the Son by Our command and through Our power, and caused him to speak in praise of Our Self, that the possessors of insight might remember and bear witness to the power of their Lord, and be assured that He is verily the Potent over all things. He causeth whomsoever He willeth to speak through His sovereignty, and unto Him returneth the decree of the beginning and the end.

As to those who have not attained the presence of the Throne, nor heard the melodies of God, nor been illumined by the light of Beauty—should they speak according to their vain imaginings and be veiled by their delusions, perchance God may forgive them after their return unto Him, for they were not acquainted with the foundation of the Cause and remained behind a thick veil. But thou, O servant, wert present before the Throne and didst witness with thine eyes and recognize in thy heart that every possessor of splendor boweth down before My countenance, every possessor of glory is glorified through My remembrance, every possessor of radiance shineth through My bounty, every possessor of light circleth around Me, and every possessor of authority hath appeared through My command. By God! Were thy vision to be unveiled, thou wouldst witness how all lords have prostrated themselves before the majesty of thy Lord.

Every wave that thou beholdest from this Ocean maketh mention, in its station, of the cause of its appearance being the grace of this Ocean which hath encompassed all created things. Fear God, and corrupt not the earth after its reformation. Turn wholly unto God and shun the wolves who have emerged from the thickets of malice bearing hatred and rancor toward God, and who have joined partners with Him. Thus do We teach thee the truth as a grace from Us unto thee, that thou mayest detach thyself from all the worlds and take shelter beneath this canopy.

O servant! Associate not with My remembrance the remembrance of anyone among all created things, nor with My Self the self of anyone among all existing things, for all else besides Me hath been created by a mere movement of My finger. Hast thou not witnessed how every heaven hath been cleft asunder, how every earth hath been rent apart, how every moon hath been eclipsed, and how the mountains have passed away like passing clouds? Hast thou not witnessed that every prideful is as naught before the manifestations of My glory, and all possessed of might tremble in fear of Me. Fear God and make not the Cause of God a subject of mockery. Be of them who have cast behind their backs all who are in the heavens and on earth and have turned with submission and lowliness unto this Countenance that hath appeared in truth.

Repent and turn unto God, and grieve not those in whose hearts thou findest the sweet fragrance of My love. Rather, lower unto them the wing of humility, purely for My sake. Verily We know that thou hast grieved him who loveth God, his Lord. With Us is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and the knowledge of all things in preserved tablets and books. Be thou assured that nothing escapeth Our knowledge, whether in the heavens or on earth, and not an atom moveth except by My command. All things are at all times present before My throne, recounting what is within them, what pertaineth unto them, what hath come upon them, and what hath proceeded from them. Thus hath been the command of thy Lord, as attested by such servants as have detached themselves from all directions and, through My sovereignty, have rent asunder all veils.

O servant! We have answered thee before and commanded thee to associate with the loved ones in submission and lowliness, and to remind them of this Wronged One against Whom have risen up such servants as have disbelieved in God, associated partners with His Beauty, and warred against His Self, that perchance they may remember within themselves God Who created all things by His command, and unto Whom all shall return on the Day of Reckoning. We commanded thee to rend asunder the veils of idle fancy, yet thou hast increased in some souls what thou hast increased. Therefore, purify thy self, thy spirit, and thine essence from all else but Me, then remind the people with goodly counsel of this Beauty Who hath been established upon the throne of sorrows in these days and hath found no helper save His own Self, the Mighty, the Bestower. And the glory be upon thee and upon whoso hath followed the command of his Lord and remained steadfast unto Him after all souls were seized with trembling and perturbation.

O Rahim! Hearken unto the most wondrous and sweet melodies from this place of supreme sorrow, and conduct thyself with the utmost courtesy and forbearance toward the servants of God. Move with pure detachment in such wise that the signs of truth may be manifest from thee. Dispute not with anyone, and remind the people with wisdom and counsel. O servant! Be adorned with My attributes, for We have lifted the decree of conflict and disputation and have manifested the Cause with power and might, without any from among the peoples of the world taking notice thereof, for power lieth in My will, not in warfare and disputation.

Thus doth the tongue of thy Lord counsel thee from the direction of the Throne of Glory, that thou mayest be of them that are assured. Think not the Cause of God to be such that any soul may, in any day or hour, arise to make claims thereto. Adorn thyself with servitude unto God, the True One, alone, and be not of them who walk at every moment upon a new path. And the glory be upon thee.

BH00949: Your letter has come before Us, and We have…

He is God, the Most High, the Most Exalted!

Your letter has come before Us, and We have answered you with truth as a mercy from Us unto you, that you may be thankful for the grace of God, your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Praise be to God Who has preserved you through the truth, given you life through His breaths, and protected you from the idolaters. This is a favor greater than all greatness and mightier than all might. Know your worth in having attained this most mighty, most glorious, and impregnable station. Were you to possess all the gold of the heavens and earth but not attain to this grace, it would profit you not at all. Thus do We testify, that you may be among those who know. Were you to rule over all upon which the sun shines, but know not God in this Revelation, you would be poorer than any poor one, for the wealth and independence of a servant lie in his knowledge of God; without this he shall not be mentioned and shall be more remote than any remote one.

Be grateful to God for having attained this most great station and for having won the recognition of the Manifestation of His Self among the worlds. Be steadfast in God’s Cause, then remain firm, for this is indeed a great favor. Be illumined by the effulgences of this Sun which has risen from the horizon of Revelation with a brilliant and radiant light, that you may be enlightened among the servants. Thus have We ordained for you in the Tablets, that you may be among those who know. Deprive not yourself of the favor We have ordained for you in the heaven of exalted glory. Beware that you grieve not over anything, for grief befits those who are heedless of God, their Lord, and are among the dead. He who is alive with the life of his Lord and has entered the kingdom of immortality shall find nothing lost to him that he should grieve for it, and shall find all he desires in an instant. Thus is it ordained for God’s sincere servants. Rejoice and be not sad, for We have given you in this Tablet glad tidings most great, if you but knew what has been sent down therein from your Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

We have ordained for you in the Tablets what you desired, that you may be assured that the Cause is in the grip of His power. He ordains what He willeth for whom He willeth, and He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous. Be enkindled with the fire of your Lord’s love and be of such a station that whosoever associates with you will find in you the traces of your Lord. Thus ought it to be with Our triumphant servants.

As to what you asked of God, your Lord, that He make you not dependent on His creatures: He has heard your call and fulfilled your need. He is verily the Fulfiller of the needs of all who ask. Follow what you have been commanded in the Tablets as a grace from Him, and be not of the heedless ones. Should He wish, He could fulfill the needs of all men and jinn in less than a moment, for He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling. Attend to your affairs, for God loves not a servant who walks the earth without engaging in some occupation. He has refused to cause things to happen except through their means, and thus has it been ordained in the Tablets of mighty preservation. Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! Engage yourselves in some occupation or craft. Thus has God willed in this most impregnable and wondrous Revelation. And you, occupy yourself with your work, then put your trust in God. He will send down to you what He has ordained for you, and He is the best of ordainers.

As for what thou hast beseeched God throughout thy life, He hath ordained for thee what He hath willed. Be thou assured in thy soul and be of the thankful ones. Verily, He giveth unto whomsoever He willeth through His grace, and increaseth unto whomsoever He pleaseth among His creatures. He, verily, is powerful over all things. Beware lest thou grieve over aught. Stand firm in the Cause, then rest assured in the bounty of thy Ancient Lord. He hath been with thee and hath aided thee in numerous instances, if thou be of those who know. Nothing escapeth His knowledge, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and the earth.

As for thy question concerning those who passed away before this Revelation, know thou that they abide in a paradise of exalted glory. Those who believed in the Point of the Bayan have indeed attained unto God and His presence. Whosoever among them died hath ascended unto God and entered the paradise of grace, whereupon he sayeth:

“Praise be to God Who hath fulfilled His promise and hath caused me to inherit a paradise whose breadth is as the breadth of the heavens and the earth.”

Thus was the matter decreed in truth from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise. Thus did the matter continue until the Beauty of the Primal One appeared once again with manifest sovereignty. Then all matters returned to the grasp of His power, and in His right hand was the kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Whoso hath hesitated regarding Him hath indeed turned away from the Path and hath rejected God and the Manifestations of His Cause from among the Prophets and Messengers. No deed shall be accepted from him, even should he perform the deeds of both races, nor shall aught profit him, even should he recite the entire Bayan at all times. Thus hath it been sent down in truth from the heaven of God, the Most High, the Most Great. For verily the Bayan and all that is therein were revealed for this Manifestation, if ye be of the assured ones.

He who dieth in a state of rejection, by God the Truth, is assuredly among the companions of the Fire—nay, the Fire itself fleeth from him and Hell itself seeketh to escape from him. Never shall he inhale the fragrance of holiness, and God shall chastise him with a punishment that hath no equal in creation, nor any likeness or comparison. Say: O people! Fear ye God and oppose not Him Who hath come to you from the Dayspring of Revelation through the inspiration of God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Whosoever today desireth the Primal Point, behold, He is this One—witness ye this, O company of seekers! And whosoever desireth to hear the Bayan, say: Hearken unto that which hath been revealed from His presence as a favor unto you and unto God’s believing servants. Say: All things have been created for My sake, if ye be of those who know. Say: O people of the Bayan! The Chosen One took from you the covenant of My Self in the atoms of the Bayan before the mention of His own Self. Beware lest ye break God’s covenant, for whoso breaketh it is indeed in manifest loss.

Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth as a mercy from Our presence and a remembrance unto all the worlds. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy son who hath believed in God and whom adversity and tribulation have touched in his Lord’s path. Say: Grieve not, for He is with thee and hath ordained for thee a station of glorious honor. Take comfort in My loved ones, then shun Mine enemies and be thou of sure certainty. Then convey Our glorification unto thy other son as a bounty from Our presence unto thee and unto him, that he may be of the thankful ones. And mercy from Our presence be upon Our sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00958: From time immemorial the divine fragrances have wafted…

He is the Mighty!

From time immemorial the divine fragrances have wafted from the paradise of God’s loving-kindness, and unto time everlasting shall the spiritual breezes blow from the right hand of the celestial Throne. The clouds of bounty and generosity have never ceased to shower their exalted bestowals, nor has the rain-laden cloud of grace and mercy ever paused in its outpouring of heavenly favors. Praised be God that the sun of loving-kindness is shining bright and the moon of generosity is rising from the horizon of glory. Yet souls that are preoccupied and confined beings remain deprived of this primal mercy and eternal blessing, and shall continue to be veiled and excluded by the veils of fancy and the shrouds of idle imagination.It is evident to your honour that

The purpose of God in creating man hath been, and will ever be, to enable him to know his Creator and to attain His Presence. To this most excellent aim, this supreme objective, all the heavenly Books and the divinely revealed and weighty Scriptures unequivocally bear witness. Whoso hath recognized the Dayspring of Divine guidance and entered His holy court hath drawn nigh unto God and attained His Presence, a Presence which is the real Paradise, and of which the loftiest mansions of heaven are but a symbol. Such a man hath attained the knowledge of the station of Him Who is “at the distance of two bows,” Who standeth beyond the Sadratu’l-Muntaha. Whoso hath failed to recognize Him will have condemned himself to the misery of remoteness, a remoteness which is naught but utter nothingness and the essence of the nethermost fire. Such will be his fate, though to outward seeming he may occupy the earth’s loftiest seats and be established upon its most exalted throne.

He Who is the Dayspring of Truth is, no doubt, fully capable of rescuing from such remoteness wayward souls and of causing them to draw nigh unto His court and attain His Presence. “If God had pleased He had surely made all men one people.” His purpose, however, is to enable the pure in spirit and the detached in heart to ascend, by virtue of their own innate powers, unto the shores of the Most Great Ocean, that thereby they who seek the Beauty of the All-Glorious may be distinguished and separated from the wayward and perverse. Thus hath it been ordained by the all-glorious and resplendent Pen.

We hope, God willing, that your honour will not deprive himself of the wine of divine mercy, nor sully pure vision with transient means, that he may pass from the vanishing mirage to the eternal ocean.

That the Manifestations of Divine justice, the Daysprings of heavenly grace, have when they appeared amongst men always been destitute of all earthly dominion and shorn of the means of worldly ascendancy should be attributed to this same principle of separation and distinction which animateth the Divine Purpose. Were the Eternal Essence to manifest all that is latent within Him, were He to shine in the plentitude of His glory, none would be found to question His power or repudiate His truth. Nay, all created things would be so dazzled and thunderstruck by the evidences of His light as to be reduced to utter nothingness. How, then, can the godly be differentiated under such circumstances from the froward?

This principle hath operated in each of the previous Dispensations and been abundantly demonstrated, as hath reached your hearing. It is for this reason that, in every age, when a new Manifestation hath appeared and a fresh revelation of God’s transcendent power was vouchsafed unto men, they that misbelieved in Him, deluded by the appearance of the peerless and everlasting Beauty in the garb of mortal men, have failed to recognize Him. They have erred from His path and eschewed His company—the company of Him Who is the Symbol of nearness to God. They have even arisen to decimate the ranks of the faithful and to exterminate such as believed in Him.

Indeed, through the migration of these emigrants to this land, the fame and exaltation of this Cause hath encompassed all regions of earth, such that all the peoples of these parts have become aware. This victory hath been achieved by the King of Oneness through the hand of the enemies themselves, without anyone being conscious or aware of it. This is the meaning of that Persian verse which sayeth: “Even or odd, Thou wilt win the wager.”

Consider at all times the sovereignty exercised by the Ideal King, and behold the evidences of His power and paramount influence. Sanctify your ears from the idle talk of them that are the symbols of denial and the exponents of violence and anger. The hour is approaching when ye will witness the power of the one true God triumphing over all created things and the signs of His sovereignty encompassing all creation. On that day ye will discover how all else besides Him will have been forgotten and come to be regarded as utter nothingness.

It should, however, be borne in mind that God and His Manifestation can, under no circumstances, be dissociated from the loftiness and sublimity which They inherently possess. Nay, loftiness and sublimity are themselves the creations of His Word, if ye choose to see with My sight not with yours.

Furthermore, this servant hath ever been engaged in remembrance of that friend, and the precedence of thy friendship hath never been forgotten, nor shall it ever be forgotten, God willing, subject to certain conditions, of which I am one. We hope that this remembrance shall not be cut off by forgetfulness, nor this affirmation be followed by obliteration. We cherish the hope from the Lord of Glory that despite utmost physical remoteness thou mayest attain the heights of spiritual nearness, such that all who dwell on earth may not become a veil between thee and the Object of thy desire. For besides this nearness and remoteness mentioned, there is a nearness with God that hath no likeness, opposite, or equal in the realm of limitations and physical places. Strive thou that through the favors of the King of Oneness thou mayest enter into that station, that thou mayest be wholly purified and sanctified from the tree of remoteness with all its fruits and leaves. This is a nearness that will never be transformed into remoteness and will endure through the eternity of God. And God guideth whom He willeth unto a straight path.

That which this servant desireth from thee, for God, in God, and through God, is this: that his honor Haji Mirza Ahmad—may God cause him to enter beneath the shadow of His favor—who hath emigrated with this servant and accompanied him on this supreme journey, and who hath endured the utmost hardship, should be assisted by thee with the fullest measure of effort and care in his affairs. The wealth of his honor Haji that remaineth from the plunder of the idolaters is only that which remaineth in thy care. God willing, thou shouldst ensure it reaches him, and whatsoever lieth within thy power regarding his affairs, thou shouldst not delay, for it shall not be lost in the sight of God.

BH00973: In the name of Him at Whose finger’s beckoning…

In the name of Him at Whose finger’s beckoning the Hour hath come and all who are in the heavens were thunderstruck!

This is a Book wherein the Kawthar of life floweth from the hands of the All-Merciful, that He might quicken thereby the peoples of all worlds, that they might turn with their hearts toward the direction of the Beloved and be numbered with the triumphant.

Say: O people! Deprive not yourselves of these waters which flow from the Finger of Command, and be not of the heedless. Drink ye thereof and tarry not even for a moment, for were We to lift the veil from the face of the Cause, ye would sacrifice your very selves for a single drop thereof. Thus do We make mention in truth, that ye may be of them that know.

Say: Through one drop thereof were the realities of the Concourse on High attracted, and through another drop the Lote-Tree of the Furthermost Boundary was raised up, then through yet another drop did the Dove of Eternity warble in the paradise of God, the Omnipotent, the Most High, the Most Great—through this remembrance whereby all remembrances were originated, trees yielded their fruits, rivers flowed, and rain descended from clouds of transcendent glory.

Say: O people! We forewarned you in the Tablets of the days wherein souls would be agitated, the sun darkened, the moon eclipsed, the stars would fall, and the tribes of the earth would lament—days We designated as the days of tribulation, were ye to hearken. Yet when they came and therein appeared what was destined to appear, agitation seized you such that the Dove of Remembrance trembled in your breasts, and ye were among the fearful.

Say: Do ye not desire to sacrifice your bodies in the path of God, your Lord, that God might make you sovereign in the kingdoms of the Spirit, that ye might soar on holy wings in the kingdom of My names and the empire of My perpetuity, and enter the pavilion of grandeur—the spot wherein My countenance hath been illumined with tremendous lights?

Say: We made mention of the year of tribulation in the Tablets only to forewarn you thereof and to strengthen you in the Cause of God at its appearance, yet ye were heedless of it and were among the slumberers. Say: We have sent down in the Book the decree of all things, yet none knoweth it save those endowed with penetrating vision.

O servant who art mentioned before the Throne!

Know thou that the tablets of fire have been spread throughout all regions, yet thou, leave them behind thee and say: The Word of God is greater than whatsoever hath been created between the heavens and the earth. We have found it sufficient, independent of all worlds. Through it every tongue speaketh, every sick one is healed, every ailing one is cured, through it the ocean of knowledge surgeth in the hearts of them that are near unto God, and through it God distinguisheth between the people of Baha and the companions of hatred and transgression, sending forth holy fragrances upon the sincere ones. When the idolaters gather there, fear them not, but scatter them through My Name, the Omnipotent, the Powerful.

Say: O people! This is ʿAli in your midst, speaking truth and calling you to the Supreme Horizon. Beware lest ye oppose him, for ye were created for his own self, the Mighty, the Great.

Say: The Primal Point desired naught but what I desire, and I desire naught but what He desired, and that which hath appeared through Me is the beloved of His heart, if ye be of them that know. Say: He is present before the Throne and weepeth for what hath befallen Me at the hands of the people of the Bayan who recite His verses, then slay His Beloved, and are not ashamed before His luminous countenance.

Say: O people, judge ye fairly by God—by what proof did ye believe in Him, and by what evidence do ye now deny God, the Lord of all worlds? Verily, from the right hand of the Throne He crieth out, saying:

“O people! Did ye not witness that in My days I made mention of My Beloved’s name, spoke in praise of His Self, recalled the wonders of His remembrance, and heralded His glorious and wondrous Beauty? Have ye not seen how I sacrificed My life in His path? By God! When My blood was spilled upon the earth, there was traced therefrom the mention of His exalted and noble Name. Have ye not read what was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen upon the tablets of eternity in remembrance of this Beauty through Whose manifestation the Hidden Mystery was revealed? Blessed be God, the Best of creators!”

That paradise wherein the breezes of His love blow not hath ceased to exist, and that earth wherein the trees of His remembrance are not planted hath sunk low, and those feet that walk not upon the path of Him Who hath appeared between the heavens and the earth have stumbled. Verily, I made the Bayan and all that was revealed therein as but a leaf from the leaves of Paradise to be present before Him, and thus was the Command revealed in the Bayan, and ye were among the witnesses. And I took from all who believed in God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Invincible, the covenant of His Self. Yet when He appeared in truth, ye denied Him and allied yourselves with those who sought to shed His blood. The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people!

Fear ye God and look not upon Him with your eyes but with His eye. This is what ye were commanded in the Tablets, and to this testify My Self and, beyond Me, His Self, the Protector, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Therefore, hear My words, O My servants: if ye believe not in Him, oppose Him not. Have mercy upon Him through Whose will appeared the command of the Kaf and the Nun in the tablets of glory well-preserved. The denizens of the Supreme Paradise weep while ye rejoice within yourselves, and the pillars of the Throne have quaked at your deeds, yet ye remain heedless and are among the most lost people. Thus hath the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoken in this Paradise, that perchance the people may become aware within themselves and not be among the heedless.

And thou, O servant, hearken unto the call of thy Lord, then detach thyself from all that hath been created between earth and heaven. Then summon the people unto this Cause through which the sun of the Bayan hath shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Mighty, the Bountiful, and the Cock of the Throne hath crowed in this Paradise which hath appeared in the name of God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Wise. Beware lest anything prevent thee from the remembrance of thy Lord. Stand thou firm in the Cause with steadfastness from Us, and fear not the hosts of the ungodly. Immerse thyself in this Most Great Ocean that thou mayest discover what lieth hidden therein of the pearls of thy Lord’s remembrance, the Mighty, the Generous. Strip not thy head of the crown of faithfulness, nor thy temple of the Most Glorious adorning, nor thy heart of the Kawthar of eternity, nor thy tongue of My wondrous and glorious remembrance.

O Tree of humanity!

Be thou enkindled by this Fire that hath been lit in the heart of this Paradise, that through thee may be ignited the hearts of Our seeking servants. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to what thou hast been commanded, by Our decree, for this is better for thee than the kingdoms of the heavens and earth. And the Spirit and glory be upon thee and upon God’s sincere servants.

BH00997: This most wondrous, most inaccessible, most holy Tablet hath…

This most wondrous, most inaccessible, most holy Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of the Merciful Will, addressed in particular unto the people of the village of Zirik, that the Leaf of Paradise—that is to say, Ikht-Bab Mulla Muḥammad—may take it and read it aloud unto the companions of that village

In the Name of God, the One, the Single!

O friends of the Beauty of the All-Merciful! Without concealment or veiling, He hath risen from the horizon of creation, manifest and evident, in such wise that none possessed of sight hath any excuse to deny Him, save such as are unworthy to behold the Most Great Countenance. Even as is witnessed, the Sun shineth resplendent, yet the blind one remaineth deprived and bereft of beholding it. How blessed, then, are they who in this Day gaze upon the Most Pure Station and the Most Great Countenance. By the lights of the Morn of sanctification! These are they who are accounted more precious than the most precious ruby.

The winds of trials and tests have ever blown, and shall continue to blow, from the dawning-place of the justice of the All-Merciful, that the one who turneth away may be distinguished from the one who advanceth. Yet blessed are they who remain unperturbed when these winds blow. We did aforetime warn all people of the days of hardship and their tribulations, that perchance when the winds of destiny stirred they would not be deprived of turning toward the Friend, and would protect the lamp of divine love with the glass of trust and detachment from diverse winds. Nevertheless, when they descended, most people were heedless, save whom thy Lord willed, to such extent that broken glasses, extinguished lamps, troubled hearts, and wavering souls were witnessed.

Yet this is most evident, that the beauty of the spirit and its worth lie in its being spent in the path of the Friend. Blessed is the soul that spendeth and the Friend accepteth. Since the eye of the heart remaineth veiled by the veils of self and desire, it hath therefore been deprived of perceiving this station. Were a soul to gaze with the most pure vision, it would gladly sacrifice a hundred thousand lives.

God willing, all must remain so steadfast in the path of God’s Cause that the opposition and objection of all on earth shall not cause them to slip. In times when the winds of tests blow, the lovers of the Beauty of the All-Merciful are distinguished from the people of loss, and they who remain steadfast in these days are accounted before God among the people of the shadowless Paradise and are so recorded.

O ye beloved of God! Hearken unto His call from the Prison, and seek at all times refuge in God, that ye may be protected from the evil of these days and from that which appeareth therein from the manifestations of Satan. The glance of God’s loving-kindness hath ever been and shall ever be directed towards you. Be not grieved during these few fleeting days, but occupy yourselves with His remembrance and praise, and be joyous in His remembrance. Move amongst men with godly qualities, that all people may inhale His fragrances from your deeds, acts and words, and turn towards the Friend. Every tree must yield befitting and worthy fruit, for if a tree beareth no fruit, it is fit only for the fire, and so shall it ever be. Therefore must the trees of human souls in this divine springtime bring forth wondrous fruits. The fruit of these trees hath ever been and shall ever be the knowledge of God and goodly deeds that are pleasing unto Him. God willing, ye must all be adorned with the ornament of detachment, and in this springtime of the All-Merciful be honored with the robe of acceptance, and remain not deprived of the Salsabil of His grace and favor.

I swear by the Sun of inner meanings that a gate of Paradise hath been opened such as was not opened before and shall not be opened hereafter. Therefore know ye the value of these days and be ye detached from all save God, in such wise that none shall be able to exercise influence over your hearts. For in these days the holy and divine Manifestations appear with utmost sanctity and detachment, and likewise the manifestations of Satan are visible with the utmost deceit and guile, moving among men in human form. Therefore turn ye unto God, that through His grace and mercy ye may be protected from the evil of such degenerate and whispering souls. If ye apprehend the realm of existence and immortality, ye will not be disturbed and shaken by the outward non-existence and extinction in the path of the Friend. Set not your hearts upon this narrow, transient space; soar in the unlimited atmosphere of the spirit, until ye arrive at a station wherein ye shall behold the entire world and its people as non-existent and extinct.

The breezes of grace are wafting from the right hand of the Throne of the All-Merciful with such power that were the peoples of the world to turn to them but slightly, all would be purified from the defilement of this transient world and would return to the Most Pure Horizon. How unfortunate are the souls who in these days remain heedless and deprived! And ye, O friends, praise ye the Beloved of all creation, in that the winds of His grace have passed over you and guided you to the City of His Oneness. Know ye then the value of this bounty and be ye occupied at all times with His praise. All matters are visible in His presence, and He is aware of the hearts of His loved ones. He is, verily, knowing of all things. We beseech God to protect you from the evil of those who have disbelieved, and to give you to drink from the cup of His love at all times. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! These are Thy servants who have turned to the effulgent rays of Thy countenance and who are illumined by the manifestations of the glory of Thy divine unity in Thy days. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which trembling seized the whole creation and intoxication overtook those servants who were heedless of Thy remembrance and Thy meeting, and by which the sincere ones arose to celebrate Thy praise and glorification, not to deprive these souls of the breathings of Thy revelation and inspiration, and the manifestations of the glory of Thy divine unity and the evidences of Thy holy oneness. Moreover, O my God, guard them from the darts of doubts and the arrows of allusions, and purify them with the Kawthar of Thy favors and the Tasnim of Thy gifts, that they may move only by Thy leave and command, and speak naught except in praise of the Manifestation of Thy Most Exalted and Most Glorious Self. Verily, Thou art the One Who doeth whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Compelling, the All-Glorious, the Unconstrained.

BH01004: Unto God belongs the knowledge of the heavens…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing

Unto God belongs the knowledge of the heavens and earth. He has manifested Himself through His Name, the All-Knowing, unto all things. Blessed is he who has turned unto Him, for He is the Mirror of His knowledge amongst creation, and He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The beginning of all knowledge is the recognition of Him. Whoso has attained unto this has attained unto all knowledge, and whoso is deprived of it cannot truly be called learned, even should he possess the knowledge of the first and the last ones. For the knowledge that is intended is the recognition of Him Who has appeared with the truth—the recognition of God amongst all peoples. Blessed is the learned one who has attained unto Him Who is the Known, and has cast aside vain imaginings in these days of his Lord. He is among the most exalted of beings in the sight of God, and his is a station of glorious honor.

He who has studied all branches of knowledge yet has failed to recognize Him Who is the Known is accounted as the most ignorant among men, and his name is not inscribed in the Preserved Tablet of glory. We have counseled all the manifestations of knowledge, one and all, not to hesitate in this Cause, even should they possess all the gems of wisdom and learning. Thus has the Truth decreed, and thus has the matter been ordained by God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

When the promised hour was come, and the heaven was cleft with clouds, and the Promised One appeared invested with manifest sovereignty, they who were created by His word rose up in اعتراض against Him, and disbelieved in God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Say: Knowledge is the mirror of oneness, wherein are imprinted the effulgent manifestations of divine knowing, from the presence of a wise Lord. Through it are faces made radiant, hearts are set at rest, the breasts of the sincere are illumined, and the Concourse on high rejoiceth.

Happy is the learned man who walketh upon the face of the earth and summoneth the people unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Most Great. By God! the earth boasteth of him, and the heaven glorieth in his being; all things extol him at every moment. Through him are the traces of God spread abroad among His servants, and the pillars of religion are established amongst all created things. Such, indeed, is that knowledge which guideth men unto God, their Lord and the Lord of their fathers of old.

But he who calleth men unto ignorance and hindereth them from God is even as a serpent that hath, in former ages as thou hast heard, bitten into the livers of the Prophets; and in this most impregnable, most wondrous Revelation thou hast witnessed the same. Woe unto a learned man by whose deeds the Holy Spirit hath wept, and the Concourse on high hath lamented, and the dwellers in the cities of eternity have cried aloud, and the angels nigh unto God have wailed; through him have the faces of the righteous been yellowed, the blood of the free been shed, and the heads of them that believed been lifted upon the spears of the idolaters. By God! were knowledge to vanish from the world, it were better than that a man should be learned and yet deny the Cause of God at the hour of His manifestation; for by such as these hath the earth been reddened with the blood of them that draw nigh unto God.

And were any soul to ascend unto the heights of holiness, and should God unveil for his sight the veils of vain desire, he would behold the livers of the pure and chosen pierced through and interlaced with the arrows of those divines who, in every age, have opposed the Manifestations of the Cause; and by their opposition hath befallen them that which caused the leaves of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing to fall, the hearts of the holy ones to tremble, and the eyes of the knowers to overflow with tears. Blessed is the learned man whose learning hath not withheld him from turning unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise; and woe unto the learned man who hath drawn the sword of knowledge and with it made war against God, his Lord and the Lord of the former and the latter peoples.

And call thou to mind the hour when the True One came unto Me upon the clouds of the Bayan, and the divines of the Furqan denied Him, until these oppressors slew Him unjustly—after He had come with a proof whereby their own faith, and the faith of their fathers, had been established in God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Powerful. Likewise, behold those days when one named Muhammad, of the people of Qaf, was beguiled by his learning, insomuch that he disbelieved in God, turned away from His verses, and became the leader of the idolaters unto the lowest hell. Yet there was another who presented himself before the countenance in ʿIraq, and upon whom the Luminary of the horizons shed the lights of wisdom and meaning, and he was of them that attained.

In those same days that former one rose up against the All-Merciful, whispering into the breasts of men, and sought to extinguish the Truth by what he possessed—though he had gleaned from outward learning naught but a measured portion—and by this was he veiled from Him Who hath knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. And yet he was assured that the Bayan was revealed for none other end than this Cause, and that the Pen of God moved not save to proclaim this irrevocable tidings.

Likewise, behold him who was named after Him from among the people of Sad, who emigrated with God yet was unable to speak in the presence of even one of Our servants. When We arrived in the Prison, he committed that which was forbidden. When We banished him with justice, he arose in hypocrisy and did what even Nimrod did not do. He united with one whom We had nurtured for numbered years, then joined with the enemies of God, each day plotting anew to extinguish the fire of God, whose roaring proclaims that there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thus have We recounted unto thee what befell this imprisoned Youth, though We called all to naught but God and protected them from the harm of those who turned away on a day when the hearts of men were troubled and minds were bewildered. Blessed art thou, O thou who gazeth upon the Countenance, for having believed in God and His signs, for having heard His call, and for being among those who hasten toward the precincts of grace. The clamor of the ungodly hath not prevented thee from turning to God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Arise then to the Cause, and convey unto men the mention of thy Lord, that perchance the slumberers may arise. Grieve not over anything, but place thy trust in God, Who created thee, fashioned thee, and aided thee to recognize His Self, when all were turning away save those who quaffed the choice wine of the All-Glorious in the name of their Lord, the Most Exalted, who detached themselves from all that hath been created in earth and heaven, and whom the clamor of the wicked prevented not from turning toward the sacred precincts of God, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

Strive lest thou lose what thou art capable of in the aid of thy Lord. This is the best of all deeds in the sight of God, before Whom prostrate themselves all who are in the kingdoms of the unseen and the visible. Glory be upon thee and upon those who hearken to thy words in remembrance of God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Self-Subsisting.

BH01018: Your letter, adorned with wondrous mention of the Lord…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

Your letter, adorned with wondrous mention of the Lord of Lords, reached the Nest of Tribulation and the Treasury of Tests, was taken in hand and perused with sorrowful glances. This is the decree of the All-Powerful Ordainer. Praise be to God that you have been made to partake of the Kawthar of the recognition of the Most Merciful, from which most of the people of the contingent world remain deprived this day. How glorious is this wondrous bounty which hath appeared in creation without peer or likeness and without pause or cessation, and the believers drink of the wine that hath been mingled with the love of God.

It was mentioned that you had intended to circumambulate the House of God but were prevented by certain obstacles. How excellent was what was ordained, for therein lies a mighty wisdom. Soon shall you become aware of the hidden wisdom, even as you have witnessed in all that was previously ordained by your Lord manifest wisdom. Nothing escapes His knowledge, and verily, He is cognizant of all things. Be content with the irrevocable decrees of the eternal Sovereign and be not distressed, for that which is ordained by your Lord cannot be altered by anything in the heavens or on earth.

As is known among the servants, two terms have been ordained for all things—the first contingent, and the second irrevocable. Yet what they have mentioned regarding these two stations is neither nourishing nor profitable, for they are deprived of the foundation of divine knowledge and the consummate wisdom of the Eternal, save whom thy Lord willeth. Most people acknowledge their inability to comprehend these two stations. To elucidate this matter, an example is given that perchance you may understand its reality and, through God’s protection and power, safeguard people from contingent terms, that they might attain to the irrevocable term and recognize it with certitude.

Consider the lamp that is lit. Its irrevocable term is the exhaustion of its oil and wick, for as long as these two remain, the lamp continues to burn and give light. When these are exhausted, its extinction is inevitable and it will surely be extinguished. No change or alteration can occur in this station—it will neither hasten by a moment nor delay. This is evident and observable. However, it will attain this inevitable end only if the contingent terms that are created within existence by the power of the All-Merciful do not seize it and extinguish it first. These contingent terms are evident in all things due to the unceasing, universal divine power.

Blessed is he who attains unto the source of knowledge, who ponders the signs of his Lord, and who attains to God’s purpose in His words. Well is it with them that understand and reach this station. For example, this same lamp may often be extinguished before reaching its end by winds passing over it or by other created means, as is plainly visible.

All knowledge is manifest and evident in the essence of all things, for all things are God’s creative Words, and divine knowledge is concealed and treasured within the repositories of His Words, except for that knowledge which is exclusive to the Ancient Being and to which none can gain access. Glorified be He above what the learned attribute to Him!

Although in one station all that transpires is and shall be irrevocable, and the very act of its execution is proof of its inevitability, yet its mention still abides in the heaven of divine Will, until such time as it descends from the heaven of Will to the kingdom of utterance and is inscribed by the Pen of Destiny. These limitations of station and rank that are mentioned relate to human limitations and earthly means which are created by contingent will and return unto it. That which is with God and His Will is sanctified above all limiting conditions.

Therefore, that honored one must strive today to the extent possible to watch over the Cause of God and protect His servants, lest the lamps of recognition—the recognition of self—which are kindled in the hearts of men be extinguished by the winds of the satanic self and its party, that they might attain their destined goal and praiseworthy station. Effort is necessary, but God doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. Be patient in separation and consumed by the fire of longing, for the burning of those who long for Him is beloved in the sight of God, and in their consumption in separation God giveth them the reward of attainment. Thus hath it been ordained in the dominion of destiny.

You must, God willing, be detached from all save God in all conditions and be focused on His bounties. Moreover, you must today adorn the temple of being with the ornament of servitude and move among the servants with pure and absolute servitude. By the Ancient Beauty! Any soul who today worships with pure servitude stands higher in the sight of God than all other souls, for the opponents of the religion of the Lord of the worlds appear at every moment with a new scheme and have placed novel notions in the hands of the ignorant that they might thereby deprive people from the path of the All-Glorious. You shall later become aware of this.

In any case, may you ever drink from the cup of favor of the King of grace and dwell at rest in the shade of His mercy. It is necessary to prevent the friends from traveling to this land, as harm will surely result. At all times remind the servants of God with clear counsels, lest holy souls be sullied with the stain of sins and remain far from the paradise of divine nearness. Never be saddened henceforth and do not move without permission. However, God willing, if the hand of divine power removes the impending dangers of this land, you will surely be summoned to the court of His presence. And God is with the patient ones.

BH01023: O Habib! We sent thee aforetime Tablets containing…

He is the Most Glorious, the All-Glorious!

O Habib! We sent thee aforetime Tablets containing that which would suffice all the worlds, yet no response from thee reached Our presence; therefore did We restrain the Pen until thy Lord’s appointed time. When it was fulfilled, We sent down unto thee verses from a holy and exalted Dominion. O Habib! Ascend unto the celestial heights and fear no one, but place thy trust at all times in the Beauty of sublime and impregnable glory. Then rend asunder the veils by Our command and arise between earth and heaven upon this Word which hath been mentioned from the direction of the Throne. Rend asunder the veils of men through that which God hath bestowed upon thee, that perchance thereby God’s fire may be kindled in all else but Him, and the Spirit may proclaim in all things that there is none other God but I, the One Who hath power to do what He willeth, and verily I have been independent of all worlds.

Know thou that when We found the people immersed in the delusion of ignorance and the intoxication of desire, We lifted the hem of the veil with the fingers of Command less than can be counted. Then arose the clamor of the denizens of Sinai at the station of pause, the veils of the righteous were rent asunder, every known name was struck with awe, and servants who were created by My command rose up against Me and returned to what they were, and thus was Satan veiled from the Self of the All-Merciful. And thou, come forth from behind the veil of concealment, then loose thy tongue in utterance, for the Spirit will aid thee from the presence of the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Know thou that they who were veiled behind the veil feared for themselves. Yet when We raised up the Cause and the breezes of assurance wafted from the direction of the All-Merciful, they then rose against Me with swords of hatred and showed no shame before God Who created them from fetid water. Thus was their rebellion against Me and their transgression against God Who created all things by His command, and verily He encompasseth all things.

Say: O people! By God, ye and all who are on earth are in God’s sight but as the blackness in the eye of an ant, or less than that, and thy Lord’s Self sufficeth as witness to this. They in whose breasts burned the fire of hatred, these took their leaders as lords besides God. What aileth this people that they comprehend not a single word?

O Habib! When the hosts of thy Lord’s inspiration descended in the guise of verses, then were the faces of those who waxed proud before God blackened, and they were far removed from the pavilion of security. Their leadership deluded them to such degree that they denied what they had believed in and manifested evident rebellion. And thou, take hold of the reins of the Cause with power from Us and neither pause nor keep silent, for silence is praiseworthy only in the remembrance of thy Lord—thus hath the command been sent down from the cloud of grace. Sanctify the hem of holiness from the touch of the idolaters, then stand firm between earth and heaven with mighty power. By God! Upon the heart of whoso remaineth steadfast in My love shall descend the Most Great Spirit, and the Holy Spirit shall speak upon his tongue, and shall aid him at all times.

Say: O concourse of the Bayan! Enter ye into the presence of God, then judge fairly within your own selves, and be ye God-fearing in this Cause. Should ye deny these verses, by what evidence can ye prove your faith in God and the Manifestations of His Self? Bring forth your proof if ye be capable thereof. Then shall ye behold upon their faces the darkness of fire from the wrath of their Lord, the All-Powerful, and they shall speak as spoke the people of the Furqan when ʿAli came upon clouds of light from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Wise. O beloved! Arise in this Cause, then offer the pure wine ere the great cry be raised. Thus have We commanded thee in truth in this Tablet which hath been inscribed by the finger of might. Remind the people of this Most Great Remembrance and fear no one, for He will protect thee with the hosts of power and might, will strengthen thee with the Spirit, and cause thee to speak between earth and heaven with the melodies of the Dove in the midmost heart of eternity. Thus hath the decree been witnessed from the horizon of the Cause.

By God, O beloved! Shouldst thou examine the body of Baha, thou wouldst find no place thereon but hath been struck by the arrows of fate from those filled with hatred, whereat have wept the eyes of the people of eternity behind the pavilions of concealed glory. They slay the Self of God with the swords of their malice, then recite His verses. Say: Ye shall have no mention today in the presence of God, even should ye bring forth the deeds of all creation combined.

Among them are those deceived by the name of the Mirror, and those seized by the veils of fancy. Rend thou these two veils through the power of might and strength, and be thou supremely sanctified in truth. Leave behind all names and their kingdoms, then ascend on the wings of holiness to that station where all created things shall take shelter in thy shadow, and thou shalt behold thyself established upon the most holy seat of glory. Should thou find thyself alone in My love, grieve not, for this is a matter none can bear save him who is detached from all in the heavens and earth. Thus doth God purify the hem of sanctity from the touch of every rejected misbeliever. Take comfort in thy Lord, then forget all else, then convey unto the people what the Spirit teacheth thee from the presence of the Self-Subsisting.

Know thou that the Youth of the Spirit hath fallen into the well of hatred, and there was no caravan of eternity to let down the bucket of faithfulness save His own Most Exalted Self. Soon shall He raise him up in truth and aid him through a Cause that encompasseth all the worlds. Shouldst thou hearken with the ear of innate nature, thou wouldst hear the lamentation of all things for this Beauty Who hath been wronged among the ungodly.

Thus have We cast upon thee a letter from the tablets of destiny that thou mayest discover what is hidden and be illumined with clear insight. The Spirit, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon those with thee whom God hath strengthened in His love and made steadfast in His Cause.

BH01024: O Bird of Inner Meanings and Utterance! Wing thy…

He is God, the Most Manifest, the Most Manifest!

O Bird of Inner Meanings and Utterance! Wing thy flight in the atmosphere of divine knowledge, then hearken to the melodies of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, that they may detach thee from the contingent world and all that hath been ordained within the realm of possibility, and draw thee nigh unto the Ridvan wherein the Sun of Utterance hath dawned from the horizon of exposition, and wherein the Nightingale of Glory warbleth its various melodies upon the branches of the Tree that was planted by the hands of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful, the Powerful, the Inaccessible, the Impregnable.

O Nightingale of Remembrance! Soar in the atmosphere of My nearness, then in the heaven of My loving-kindness. Then hearken to My melodies from the direction of My Throne. Then detach thyself from all else but Me. Then speak forth My remembrance and My praise amongst My servants and My creatures. Fear not the wicked among My servants nor the oppressors among My creation. Illumine thy countenance with the lights of My face, then thy heart with the white radiance of My knowledge and loving-kindness. Then inhale the fragrances of the All-Merciful from My garment and the breezes of Glory from My wondrous words. By God! Through these have the hearts of the sanctified ones, the minds of the mystics, the tongues of those who remember, and the realities of the Concourse on High been stirred, raised up, quickened, called out and cried aloud.

Thus have We imparted unto thee from the words of thy Lord that He might guide thee to the Ridvan of My nearness, distance thee from all else but Me, establish thee in the paradise of My grace, loose thy tongue with the wonders of My remembrance, and cause the breezes of the Cause to move thee with longing for My reunion and desire for My good-pleasure. Thus hath the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost Boundary brought forth fruits through the mention of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High. Take shelter, then, beneath its shade and partake of its fruits. Well is it with him who hath found its sweetness, tasted its flavor, and is numbered among the successful ones.

Say: O people of creation! The Beauty of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, hath come upon the clouds of destiny, with the Kingdom of eternity proceeding before Him and the hosts of the unseen from the Concourse on High following after Him. Say: By God! He hath come to quicken the world and unite all its peoples. O people of the Bayan! Fear ye your Lord, the All-Merciful, dispute not with Him, and oppose Him not. Fear God, O heedless ones!

Know thou that the tale of weeping hath returned in this Most Glorious Youth, whom His wicked servants have cast into the well of darkness. By God, the Truth! O youth who walketh in the atmosphere of love and faithfulness! The garment whereof every thread proclaimeth “There is none other God but Him, the Most Exalted, the Most High” hath now been pierced by the spears of hatred. Were this garment to be revealed, even less than can be counted between earth and heaven, verily the people of the Concourse on High would pass away, the pillars of the Throne would quake, the leaves of the Furthermost Tree would fall, and the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost Boundary would be cast down upon the darkened earth.

And if thou wouldst hear with the ear of God and be detached from all else save Him, thou wouldst surely hear the lamentation of ʿAli in the Ridvan of eternity, the cry of Muhammad in the chambers of the Cloud of Mystery, and the call of the Spirit in the heaven of destiny. But the people of the Bayan laugh and rejoice, then mock their Lord God and remain unaware.

And there hath been inscribed by the Pen of God upon the cheek of all else but Him from this blood which was shed in God’s path, in the secret of the line: By My beauty, My grandeur, and My majesty! This, verily, is the Wronged One Who hath been slain in My path throughout all ages. Through one of His sighs have the suns of rapture and yearning dawned in the hearts of the righteous ones. Through the fire of His love hath the heat of God’s love appeared in every age. Through the tears of His eyes have the clouds poured forth their rain. And through the shrill voice of His pen the Most Exalted Pen hath be set in motion, and a voice from the direction of grandeur calleth out: O people of the Bayan!

This, verily, is the Essence of the All-Merciful and the Reality of the All-Glorious. If ye believe not in Him, oppose Him not, nor contend with Him. Sufficient unto Him was what the peoples of former times inflicted upon Him in Iraq, in days when all who are in the heavens and on earth were sorely troubled. Thereupon did the Spirit of God return unto Itself, and the breezes of the All-Merciful unto their Source, and the sweet savors of eternity were withheld from the realms of holiness, and the fragrance of glorification from the kingdoms of creation, and the gates of the Ridvan were shut by reason of what the manifestations of Satan wrought against His exalted and mighty Self.

Say: O people of the Bayan! If ye persist in your ways, why then did ye leave the community of the Furqan and enter into the party of God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great? For We observe you speaking as did the peoples of former times in those days, and advancing the same arguments as did the followers of religions past. It would behoove you, then, to return to your former path and follow your forbears of old. Ye slay Ali with the swords of opposition, then busy yourselves with his praise and glorification. Therefore do all things give you the lie, and the denizens of the highest Paradise disown you. Thus hath the Pen of Destiny inscribed upon the Tablet of Divine decree, were ye of them that perceive. Would that people would discover this Cause which hath appeared with the truth, and that which they have taken as a lord besides God. Then would the tongue of all things proclaim: Would that the people of the Bayan knew what was veiled from them, for they are of the heedless! Is there one possessed of vision, of understanding, of intelligence, of heart and soul who would ponder this Cause and discover that which none among Our slumbering servants hath discovered?

O Nightingale of remembrance! Know thou that from the Most Exalted Pen of thy Lord, which is now moved by the fingers of holiness from the hand of the Most Glorious, proceed such melodies and such notes that were but one of them to be sounded, all who dwell in the heavens and on earth would be struck down, except such as have detached themselves from all that is mentioned amongst men and have turned with pure, sanctified, and luminous hearts unto God. Thus have We made mention unto thee of the gems of wisdom and utterance, that the melodies of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate, might draw thee unto Him, might sanctify thee from all allusions, might illumine thee with the lights of this Sun which hath dawned from the horizon of the divine Essence with manifest splendor, and might cause thee to speak forth, through the attraction of the Almighty, in praise of His mighty and chosen Self in such wise that neither the evil whisperings of the wicked nor the words of the impious among the company of unbelievers shall deter thee. And upon thee, and upon those who have entered this most sublime and mighty stronghold, be the Spirit, the Light, the Glory and the Splendor.

BH01025: O servant! How can I recount to thee what…

He is God, the One, the Single, the Unique, the Most Glorious!

O servant! How can I recount to thee what hath befallen Me in this Prison at the hands of those who prided themselves on serving Me, standing in My presence, and keeping watch at My gate? When they found Me imprisoned in this far-off land, they rose up against Me with tyranny, opened their lips in lies and calumny, and spoke against Me what they perceived in the mirror of their own souls and hearts. Thou art indeed aware of some of these matters. We beseech God to aid thee to manifest pure truthfulness and to speak among the people of what thou hast witnessed and seen. Beware lest thou add or subtract a single letter. Remind the people of what thou knowest, that perchance God may cause what proceedeth from thy mouth to cast from their hearts all that distanceth them from self and passion and draweth them nigh unto God, their Lord.

Hearken unto My words: Detach thyself from the world, its ornaments, its embellishments, and all that hath been created therein and thereon. Soon shall all that thou beholdest and seest pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with thy Lord. Strive, therefore, in this world that thy purpose may be that which God hath purposed for thee, for that which He hath purposed should be the purpose of every soul. Choose not for thyself save that which He hath chosen for thee and commanded thee, for He is the Unconstrained, and hath chosen what His righteous servants, they that are among the most virtuous, have chosen. Hearken unto My words and forget not that which this servant counseleth thee. By God! We have never before commanded anyone, nor do We now command thee, except with that which is better for thee and for them, that perchance souls may be detached from all that preventeth them from arriving at the shore of the love of God and His commandments.

Make provision for thy journeys through reliance upon thy Chosen Lord, let thy drink be His love and knowledge, and let thy raiment be the fear of God—which is to shun the wicked and their deeds and actions—and steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

And when thou departest from that land and enterest another, perform ablutions, and while washing, call upon God, thy Lord and the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and say:

“O my Lord! Even as Thou hast cleansed my body with this water, purify me from all that veils me from knowing Thee between earth and heaven. O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy manifest Name to send down at this moment from the clouds of Thy mercy the holy rain of Thy favors, that thereby my soul and heart may be cleansed from the defilement of those who have disbelieved in Thy signs, warred against Thy Self, and turned away from Thy proof. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things.”

And when thou hast completed thy ablutions and donned thy garment, prostrate thyself upon the earth before God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, and say:

“O my Lord! This is Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, who hath sought refuge in Thee and clung to the hem of Thy mercy and held fast to the cord of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the breezes of forgiveness have wafted over the sinners among Thy servants, that Thou forgive me and have mercy upon me. Then make me, O my God, sincere in my devotion to Thy Cause, obedient to Thy command, looking toward the horizon of Thy bounty, firm in Thy love, established in Thy affection, assured of Thy grace, certain of Thy Lordship, submissive to Thy Oneness, acknowledging Thy sovereignty, and confessing Thy grandeur and majesty. O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Beautiful Names and Thy Most Exalted Words, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast guided the seekers to the manifestations of the light of Thy Beauty and the yearning ones to the paradise of the glory of Thy presence and reunion, that Thou leave me not to myself and my desires, nor deprive me of the oceans of Thy grace and bounty, nor occupy me with that which Thy good-pleasure abhorreth. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Wise.”

Then raise thy head and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to achieve this and for having caused me to hear the call of Thy servant.” And when thy task is completed, say “In the Name of God and through God,” then place thy trust in Him with thy tongue and thy heart, and proceed to the dwellings with the fragrances of thy Lord.

And when thou beholdest the loved ones of God, say:

“O people! Fear God, and spread not corruption in God’s earth, and wage not war against men, and dispute not with them, and consume not their wealth unjustly, and refute not the truth by what ye possess, and say not that which ye do not practice, and commit not that which ye have been forbidden in the Book of God, and shed not blood, and engage not in that which displeaseth God’s good-pleasure and your own minds. Fear God, O people! Purify your hearts from the remembrance of those who have disbelieved in God, then your eyes from gazing upon them, then your souls from turning unto them. Remind men with wisdom and utterance, and transgress not that which ye have been commanded by your Lord, the Mighty, the Merciful. Adorn your temples with the robes of detachment, and your tongues with truthfulness, and your hearts with sincerity, then make your breasts free from all deceit and guile and doubt. Be adorned, O people, with the qualities of the spiritually-minded, and deny not God’s grace and mercy after ye have witnessed it with your eyes and it hath encompassed you from all sides. Fear God, and whoso feareth Him shall fear no one, nor shall anything that hath been created in the earth cause him fear. Fear God, O people! Be God’s trustees in His earth, and the lamps of His Cause in His lands, and the torches of His remembrance amongst His servants. And thou, O servant, if thou hearkenest unto what this servant hath counseled thee and detachest thyself from all else but God, He will kindle in thy breast such a fire of His love that its heat shall reach His servants, and the slumbering shall awaken by its warmth, and the heedless shall be reminded thereby. Strive within thyself that there may be manifested in thee what God hath desired for thee, then turn away from those who speak that which they know not and utter that which they understand not. Blessed is the servant who hath detached himself from the world and turned unto his Lord, and hearkened unto that which he was commanded, and turned away from the idolaters. Then remind from Our presence the loved ones of God whom God hath sanctified from the allusions of them that glory in appearances, and who were of the firmly assured. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God and were steadfast.”

BH01036: In the Name of God, the Most Wondrous…

In the Name of God, the Most Wondrous, the Most Manifest, the Most Pure, the Most High, the Most Exalted!

This is a Book which is penned by the Most Exalted Pen at an hour when it weeps and laments in the secret of its writing by reason of what hath befallen it from those who have disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. From its weeping the tribes of the Concourse on high do weep, yet the people neither hear nor perceive.

O servant! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, though in these days We find none who would hear the melodies of his All-Merciful Lord from the direction of the Ridvan, for all the people of the Bayan have opposed God after they were created for the recognition of My Own Self, the Inaccessible, the Holy, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Among them is he who hath rejected God and disbelieved in Him in Whom he had believed, being unaware of his own self and numbered among the heedless. And when it is said unto him: “By what proof didst thou believe in the Manifestation of My Self, Whom We named ʿAli in the Kingdom of Names?” he saith: “By the verses of God that were revealed unto him.” Yet when these are recited unto him again, he placeth the fingers of denial in his ears, turneth away his face, and becometh of those who disbelieve.

And among them is he who prideth himself on his connection to one of the Letters of the Furqan, and by this hath waxed proud before his Lord, the All-Merciful, and opposed God in such wise as neither Nimrod opposed the Friend nor Pharaoh the Interlocutor. Thus hath Satan made his deeds appear fair unto him and rendered him among the idolaters. Say: All the Letters at each Revelation have been created by My word “Be,” and it is.

Say: O concourse of the Bayan! Fear ye God, and confound not the Cause within your own selves. His melodies and His words, and whatsoever hath appeared from His presence, can never be mistaken for aught besides, could ye but comprehend. Can the buzzing of a fly be confounded with the warbling of the dove, or the croak of a raven with the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen? No—by the life of the Beauty!—were ye to ponder the signs of your Lord.

Beware lest ye veil your souls with the veils of idle fancy. Rend ye the veils, in the Name of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing—so mightily that the inmates of the Concourse on high may hear the sound of their rending. Such beseemeth every praiseworthy soul that hath truly renounced. Verily, they who in those days cut themselves off from all save God and turned unto Him—upon these do the denizens of Paradise invoke blessings. Then doth the Tongue of Grandeur, from behind the Pavilion of exalted glory, proclaim: “God is my Lord!” Leave, then, the unbelievers to wander in their vain disputations. Thus do We command thee in truth, that thou mayest be of them that act.

Say: O people! Fear God, and be not veiled by the screens of fancy and desire, even as the people of the Furqan were veiled, and after them the people of the Torah and the Gospel and the Psalms. Say: Whoso cherish in his heart hatred for this Youth, the Satan hath entered into his mother’s bed—of this do all things bear witness, and likewise the honoured servants.

Say: O people! Be ye not of them who, in every age, have followed their divines and their chiefs, and by their objections have objected against God and the Manifestations of His Self. By God! they are the most ignorant of the ignorant, could ye but behold with the eye of the spirit. For from the first day whereon the Sun of abiding life shone forth in the Name of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, they recognized not the very root of the Cause, but walked in the paths of fancy and desire without knowing. For had they known the Manifestation of God and His sovereignty, they would not have occupied themselves with the mention of imamate and wilayat and the like.

Say: O concourse of idolaters! Great is the word that proceedeth out of your mouths; by it all atoms curse you at every eventide and at every dawn. Lift up, then, your heads from the slumber of heedlessness, of wrongdoing, and of error; then bear witness unto your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, invested with sovereignty, majesty, and glory. Verily, He hath come upon the clouds of trial: before Him march the hosts of Revelation, and on His left the hosts of inspiration. O concourse of beasts! how long will ye walk in the ways of hypocrisy? Say: We have rolled up the carpet of those “names” which ye have taken as lords besides God. Mention not what is with you; nay, mention what is with God, your Lord. This is better for you in these days wherein the Sun of horizons hath shone forth.

Say: Fear God; sever not the limbs of the Cause; break not the branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; hinder not the blowing of the winds of grace from the hearts of men. And if ye believe not, then object not; and look not upon God with any eye save His own—nay, look ye with His eye. Such is the decree of God upon you in the Tablets of rectitude. Say: Think ye that your faith profiteth Us, or that your turning away harmeth Us? No—by Our very selves, the Truth!—were ye but just. Say: The Beauty of the All-Merciful hath come to quicken the worlds with a life that no extinction shall follow. Fear ye God, O concourse of the wretched! Draw not against Him the swords of hatred. Thus doth the Dove counsel you, if ye would but hearken.

And thou, O servant who hast quaffed of the Cup of abiding life! If thou stand firm in the Cause of thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious, then convey unto men what the Spirit hath inspired thee in this mighty and well-beloved Tablet, that perchance they may cut themselves off from what they possess and hasten unto the holy, mighty, all-protecting, self-subsisting Kawthar of God. I was seized by the attraction of God at the moment of the descent of these words, in such wise that the reins of ordering were taken from my hand. This was not from me, but from the presence of One Mighty and Beloved. Say: O people! By God! the Most Great Spirit speaketh in this ancient Temple whatsoever He willeth and desireth. This is not from me, but from Him, could ye but perceive.

And though the rustling of this Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing shall never cease nor be exhausted, yet, when We found the people drunken with turning away, We withheld the Pen from the mention of mysteries until that which hath been decreed in guarded Tablets of might be fulfilled. Therefore have We contented Ourselves with that which hath been written in truth at the hour when the swine of the earth encompassed Me on every side, and We remained without helper or support, if ye but know. And the Spirit be upon thee, and upon those whom the barking of dogs hath not withheld from turning unto the direction of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing; who have leaned upon the cushions of steadfastness through the power of their Lord, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the Sovereign, the King, the Compassionate, the Loving.