Volume 038: Edirne II (year unknown, 1864–1868) (4 of 6)

BH01702: God hath heard that wherewith thou art concerned…

He is the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy

God hath heard that wherewith thou art concerned, and therefore doth He make mention of thee through His grace. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who hath attained unto these days and recognized the Manifestation of God’s Self in this wondrous garment, and whom nothing between the heavens and earth hath withheld from God. Blessed is the eye that hath beheld His beauty, and blessed is the ear that hath heard His melodies, and blessed are the tongues that have voiced His praise, and blessed are the hearts which God hath made receptacles of His love and mirrors of His radiant and luminous countenance.

Remember Him, O people, for His remembrance is better for you than the remembrance of all mankind, for true worship is realized after His love and knowledge, and without this naught shall be accepted from anyone even if he should bring forth the deeds of all the world. Say: O people, fear God, then shun the hosts of Satan who have taken vain imaginings as their lord instead of God, and who recite His words at all times yet when the verses of God, the Just King, the All-Wise, are recited unto them, they deny them and return unto their households in abasement.

Say: O people, associate not partners with God, for such association is a grievous wrong. Bear witness unto that which God Himself witnessed before the creation of all things, that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Say: He hath appeared with the truth and with Him are the proofs of all the Prophets and Messengers, and whoso hath hesitated in His Cause hath verily hesitated in the Cause of God from time immemorial and was recorded among the idolaters in the Preserved Tablet.

Say: O people, this is the glance of Ali which in truth from this horizon beholdeth what ye do, and He is the Witness over all created things. And this is the ear of Ali which from this horizon hearkeneth unto that which ye dispute concerning His Cause, O heedless ones. And this is the tongue of ʿAli which speaketh among you with the verses of God, the Mighty King, the All-Praised, and saith: O people of the Bayan! The Most Merciful Himself hath come unto you, and by Him have been attracted the realities of all creation—they who have purified their vision from the limitations of the wicked ones and turned their gaze toward the scene of their Lord, the Chosen One, and were numbered among the triumphant.

Beware lest ye object unto Him as did the peoples of old object unto God’s Messengers, and as did the people of the Furqan object unto My wronged and lonely Self. We revealed the Bayan for His sake and made it as a leaf among the leaves of the gardens of His knowledge, were ye to be of them that know. Yet ye deny Him and make mention of My Name, and imagine that ye are of them who sought My presence and attributed themselves unto My Self. Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! Whoso denieth Him hath denied Me, and whoso objecteth unto Him hath objected unto My Self, and whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from God, the Mighty King, the All-Knowing. I verily disavow those who have hesitated in His Cause. Do ye make mention of My Name while ye slay My Being and My Beloved? What aileth you, O ye that turn aside! Thus hath the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoken from the right hand of the Throne, that His sincere servants might hear it.

O Taqi, hold fast unto the cord of righteousness, then detach thyself from self and passion, then turn thy face toward the precincts of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old. Say: O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having made known unto me the Manifestation of Thy Self. I beseech Thee, then, not to withhold from me that which Thou hast ordained in this Most Great, Most Mighty Revelation, and leave me not to myself, but make me to voice His praise and celebrate His remembrance and turn toward the Kaaba of His good-pleasure and the sanctuary of His glory. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O my Lord! Purify me from the allusions of them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, then dedicate me wholly to Thy radiant and resplendent countenance. Then send greetings from God upon thy mother and thy kindred and upon them who are established upon the thrones of certitude in this All-Wise Remembrance. And praise be to God, my Beloved and the Beloved of all the worlds.

BH01704: This is an epistle from a penitent servant…

In the Name of God, the Manifest, the Most Manifest!

This is an epistle from a penitent servant to those who have soared in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful and have detached themselves from all created things. These are among the most exalted of creatures in the sight of God, the King, the Mighty, the Beautiful. You shall hearken unto the words of this Prisoner and become acquainted with what hath befallen Him at the hands of the hosts of the idolaters.

O servants of God! Be steadfast in the Cause and follow not every sinful infidel. Remember God, your Creator, then walk in the ways of His good-pleasure and be not of the heedless. Know ye that there hath befallen Us that which hath befallen no one else in creation, were ye of them that hear. Those who were in My service have risen against Mine own Self, and thereby have they violated the sanctity of God amongst His hesitant servants. They have attached themselves to every soul and entered every house to seize dirhams and dinars, and yet they claim detachment for themselves. Behold then the servants who follow them without any clear proof or enlightening Book.

O people! Make your vision penetrating, lest matters become confused to you and ye be numbered with them that perceive. Know ye that the Truth and whatsoever hath appeared from Him shall be distinguished from the deeds of all created things. O people! Fear God and spread not corruption in the land after it hath been set in order, and be not of them that slumber. Lift up your heads from sleep, for the sun hath risen to its zenith. Glorified be God, the King, the Mighty, the Most High, the Great!

O My Name! Thou wert with Us for a number of years, and We concealed from thee that which was hidden, and We were of them that conceal. We informed thee not of that which was concealed from the eyes of certain servants, preserved for His sake, which the idolaters took for themselves as a lord besides God, the King, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Although thou didst become acquainted with some of his affairs, We concealed most of his deeds from the eyes of men, out of a wisdom known to none save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

By God, O My Name! He was in the land of Ta standing before My face, and We were revealing verses unto him while he would write them and send them to the servants. Thus was the matter in the innermost mystery, and none was aware of this save God, my Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all worlds, lest any should turn their attention to the seat of the Cause, and thus were We doing. Whoso possesseth understanding and insight will be convinced that the matter was as We have cast it unto thee in truth, requiring no proof, and will be of them that are assured.

When his name was elevated amongst the servants, he committed that which none in all the worlds had committed. Would that thou hadst known that which he decreed against thyself, but We concealed it from thee. When he turned against God, We turned against him and revealed the hidden aspects of his secret and his deceit amongst Our knowing servants. Were We to mention what he hath committed in this land, the Tablets and pens would not suffice, and God is witness to what I say.

Leave these ones and their like, then turn wholly toward God. Remember the people and be not of them that remain silent. Soon will Satan come to you with tablets of fire—leave him and what he possesseth in the depths of hell. Say: By God! We have been made independent of the worlds through His Own Self, and through Him have We become independent of all things, and through His praise have We become independent of the praise of every praiser who knoweth.

Let the loved ones of God gather upon the Most Great Word—this is better for them than whatsoever hath been created between the heavens and the earth. Thus have We commanded thee in this Tablet and mentioned thee out of love for thyself, that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Creator, and remain steadfast in the Cause of God, the King, the Truth, the Mighty, the Wise. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy kindred whom God hath specially chosen for thee and made them to be of the believers. Then convey Our greetings to the faces of My loved ones who have remained steadfast in the Cause and have detached themselves from the worlds.

BH01706: This is an epistle from the Prisoner unto him…

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

This is an epistle from the Prisoner unto him who hath believed in God, the All-Possessing, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, and who answered God when He said “Am I not your Lord?” by saying “Yea, verily Thou art God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Best-Beloved.” Blessed art thou, O servant, inasmuch as thou hast attained unto the recognition of God in these days wherein God came in the name of ʿAli with the truth, accompanied by hosts of angels who circle round the Throne, glorifying Him, and all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck save those who at that time made mention of the name of the Bayan.

But when the Beloved came once again with His Most Great Name, most of them denied Him, and all in the kingdom of creation and command were terror-stricken, save His honored servants. Say: Verily, He liveth now in the Most Glorious Horizon, beholding and witnessing what ye do, and He saith:

“O people! I have come to you from the Dayspring of Revelation with the tidings of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, and this Return is the Return whereat the people of the Mount were thunderstruck.”

Thus have We informed you in the Tablets, would that ye might know.

O people! Do ye read My verses, yet slay My Self and My Beloved? Why do ye not understand? Say: O people! Should ye prostrate yourselves upon the surface of the entire earth before God, your Lord and the Lord of all that was and shall be, and should ye worship God at every spot on earth for seventy thousand years, it would profit you naught except through love of the Youth, would that ye might know. Did that which the people of the Gospel wrought profit them when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came to them with manifest sovereignty? And did that which the people of the Furqan possessed profit them when the Sovereign of the Messengers came with the signs of God, the All-Possessing, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting? Nay, by My life! Nothing profited anyone save through faith. Thus hath the Pen of Command inscribed upon preserved tablets of glory.

Say: O people! Fear God and dispute not with Him through Whom the Sun of Utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of His name, the All-Merciful, with manifest radiance. Deny not the signs of God after their revelation, nor His power which hath encompassed all that was created between the Kaf and the Nun. And thou, O servant, stand firm in the Cause with authority from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say: By God! The Sun of inner meanings and utterance hath risen from the horizon of this exalted heaven, and hath appeared upon the temple of the Youth. How wonderful is this Beauty, manifest, apparent, yet concealed!

Say: O people! Fear God and be not veiled by what ye possess. Turn ye unto His merciful countenance which hath appeared at the center of creation and speaketh in all things that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say: He is God’s trust among you and His covenant within you. Beware lest ye break it.

Arise for the Cause of God and His victory, which is to teach His Cause among the servants. Thus was the command revealed aforetime and now, would that ye might understand.

Beware of shedding blood, for it hath been forbidden unto you in all the Tablets, would that ye might perceive. Sanctify your souls and your deeds in such wise that all atoms shall testify to your sanctification, and this verily is the true victory, would that ye might know.

Say: Beware, O people, lest ye commit that which would dishonor the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, for whatsoever ye commit, the people attribute to the Source of the Cause, as ye yourselves witness. Should the people gather in the religion of God, then impart unto them that which God hath imparted unto thee, that their faces might be illumined. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act according to what thou hast been commanded and be not of those who tarry after receiving the command.

Arise for the victory of God and His Cause, and fear no one. He will assist thee in truth by a command from His presence, for He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the Compassionate, the All-Forgiving. Then convey Our greetings unto the faces of those who have believed in God, be they young or old, female or male.

BH01716: O concourse of ardent lovers! I swear by God!…

O concourse of ardent lovers! I swear by God! This is a Night the world of creation hath never seen its like. Such is the evidence of the heavenly grace vouchsafed by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

In this Night the divine Spirit did intone a melody which hath stirred up the souls of all mankind, proclaiming: Rejoice! ye dwellers of the realm of Glory within the retreats of Paradise! And the Voice of God was raised from behind the pavilion of holiness and tender mercy, exclaiming: This is indeed the Night in which He Who is the Manifestation of the Essence of the Merciful Lord hath been born, wherein the Pen of the All-Glorious hath set forth every eternal decree with clarity. Rejoice then and be of good cheer, O people of the Bayan! And therein the Nightingale hath warbled its notes upon the boughs and the branches crying out: Rejoice, O concourse of the people of Paradise!

Say, in this Night the veil of glory hath been rent asunder before the eyes of the faithful and the Bird of Heaven hath chanted and twittered in the midmost heart of Paradise. Rejoice then, O Tabernacle of holiness in the City of Zaman! And therein God did manifest Himself resplendent in the plenitude of the glory of all His mighty Names, and did establish His seat in every pure and radiant heart. Rejoice therefore, O people of the Bayan!

In this Night oceans of forgiveness have surged and the reviving breeze of His benevolence hath been diffused. Be then of good cheer, O companions of the Merciful Lord! And therein all the trespasses committed by the people of the earth have been forgiven. This is indeed a joyful tiding unto all those that dwell in the hidden recesses of the world.

Say, this is the Night wherein the assigned measure of God’s blessings and bounty hath been prescribed in the Scrolls of Glory and Faith, that thereby every trace of grief and sorrow may be banished form all created things, for all times and throughout all ages. Rejoice then in your hearts, O ye that have stepped into the realm of existence! Thereupon the Herald of the Spirit raised His Voice from the centre of the Kingdom of Eternity, the celestial Seat of loftiness and glory, exclaiming: Such is the evidence of the heavenly grace vouchsafed by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

And the cups of the ruby-coloured wine have been borne round by the hand of the peerless Joseph. Such is the evidence of the heavenly grace vouchsafed by God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Make haste then, O members of the human race, and quaff your fill from this choice wine of eternal life. Such is the evidence of the heavenly grace vouchsafed by God, the Exalted, the Bountiful.

Say, O concourse of ardent lovers! The Countenance of the Desired One hath shone forth, unveiled and conspicuous. Such is the evidence of the heavenly grace vouchsafed by God, the Exalted, the Bountiful.

O company of the loved ones! The Beauty of the Beloved hath risen above the horizon of holiness. Hasten ye, then, and come with your souls, O companions of the Bayan! This is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful. The proof and the testimony have been made manifest, whereupon the Resurrection hath been established through the uprising of God, in the Person of His own eternal Manifestation; and this is of the bounty of God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Ages have surged, and worlds have been shaken, and lights have exulted, through God’s revelation upon every tree laden with branches; and this is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful. Come ye, O concourse of the pure, for souls have been raised, winds have been loosed, forms have been consumed, and the tongues of eternity have cried aloud upon every tree with boughs; and this is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful. By God! the veils have been consumed, the luminous barriers rent asunder, the signs disclosed, the allusions unveiled, and the hints uplifted by One puissant and sovereign; and this is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful.

Rejoice ye—and keep this hidden; conceal this subtle, most hidden, most secret symbol, lest the strangers come to know of what ye are drinking from this wine, which is full of delight and attraction; and this is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful.

O concourse of the Bayan! By God! the bounty hath been completed, mercy hath been perfected, and the Countenance hath shone forth with spirit and sweet savours; and this is of the bounty of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful.

Drink ye, O concourse of companions, and rejoice ye, O company of the loved ones, of this Salsabil—luminous, pearl-like, and resplendent. This, verily, is of the grace of God, the Most High, the All-Bountiful.

BH01726: The remembrance of God in the Tree of Paradise…

He is the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower

The remembrance of God in the Tree of Paradise: God, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, Who hath ordained the measures of the Cause in the Tablets of a watchful Glory. In His hand is the dominion of all things, and He is powerful over all things. His is the bounty and grace, His the power and justice. He singles out whom He willeth through His command, and He encompasseth all things.

O Beauty of Holiness in the Most Great Word! Rend asunder the veils and fear no one. Place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Most High, the All-Wise. Cast upon the people that which We have cast upon thee from beyond the ocean of destiny. Tarry not for less than a moment, and be not of the patient ones. Come forth from behind the veils of light with the adorning of God, then arise from the horizon of holiness with manifest lights of glory. And if thou art touched with tribulation and adversity in My love, grieve not, for this is My way with the Messengers. Remind the servants of that which will cause them to turn to the direction of an assured holiness. Then recount unto the people the bounty of thy Lord.

And if these unbelievers object to thee, say:

“By God! The Spirit of Holiness hath appeared in a novel holy vesture, and verily the pebbles do at this moment glorify in this sacred, luminous Hand. The Call hath returned in this blessed Tree which hath been raised upon the Mount of Musk, and this is indeed a mighty trial.”

Say: “This is the Cave wherein took refuge the Youth of Eternity when they said: ʿOur Lord! Grant us mercy from Thy presence and dispose our affair aright,’ and Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful. We heard their cry and sheltered them therein, and made them a remembrance for all the worlds.” Say: “This is the Cave wherein Muhammad, the Apostle of God, was preserved from the hands of the hateful ones.” Say: “This is the Ark wherein the Son of Mary ascended in truth, if ye be of them that know.” Say: “We have believed in God and in what hath been sent down unto us and what was sent down unto God’s Messengers aforetime, and what was sent down unto Ali before Nabil.” Say: “He is the Sovereign of the Messengers, and God created by one letter from Him all who are in the heavens and the earth, if ye be of the assured ones.”

Say: “We were behind seventy thousand veils and We concealed the Face lest anyone of the worlds should behold it. But when the ungodly imprisoned Us, We unveiled the Face and manifested it like the sun from behind thick clouds. When they turned away, We turned against them to spite them and spite those who waxed proud before God and were among the opposing ones.”

Know then that We have found the fragrances of love from thy letter and have sent thee this Tablet that thine eyes might be solaced thereby, and the eyes of those who have turned unto God and are of them that return. But beseech God that He cut not off from thee these fragrances sent forth by the Mighty, the Generous, for the bird of sedition hath taken flight from the direction of destiny. Thus hath the matter been decreed from the Pen of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Sovereign, the Subduer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

And thou, preserve this Tablet, then recite it with wondrous melody every day, that God may preserve thee through His grace, for He is the Best Preserver and Helper. And if thou findest pure hearts, cast upon them that which We have cast upon thee of the gems of the Cause, that thereby the hearts of the sincere may rejoice. We have indeed sent thee what hath been revealed in this Prison that thou mayest become aware of the mysteries within the veils of light and be of them that know. Then write it in thy finest hand and send it to near and far places, then spread it before Our servant Ja’far that he may give glad tidings unto the people through the signs of his Lord and be of them that give glad tidings.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves wholly unto God and are of the doers of good. Then convey Our greetings to all who are in thy land, both male and female, that Our grace may be completed upon them from Our presence, and this is indeed a mighty grace.

BH01729: Glorified be He Who sendeth down verses anew…

He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Inaccessible, the Exalted!

Glorified be He Who sendeth down verses anew, in a manner that draweth unto Him all them that are nigh unto God, and hath ordained therein the measures of all things in such wise that all who are in the heavens and on earth are powerless before it. Thus hath the matter been inscribed at this hour by the Pen of Glory upon the Tablet of eternity with majesty.

Verily, they who have ascended unto God and turned away from earthly dominion, and have drunk from the ocean of life—these are they who recognize the melodies of Paradise and bear witness that all this is a revelation from the presence of One Who is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. These are they from whose faces radiance doth shine forth, and from whose hearts the remembrance of God is heard, and who have been enraptured in the atmosphere of the spirit by the melodies of God. They drink deep from the chalice of beauty, and move at the mention of God’s name, and partake of the wine that hath descended from the clouds of knowledge.

Thus do We relate unto thee from the chronicles of truth, and cast upon thee the melodies of Paradise, that they may attract thee unto thyself and turn thee toward the shore of eternity in the Most Exalted Pavilion, and raise thee to a station that transcendeth all knowledge.

O beloved! Hear what the deniers say: “We find no spirit in these melodies.” Say: “Woe unto you, and to how Satan hath made your deeds seem fair in your own eyes, for verily the spirit of life from this Paradise hath been sent unto all the worlds.” Say: “When We found none in the kingdom worthy, We concealed the Beauty of the Divine Identity in camel’s hair, lest ye should recognize Me. When ye turned away with the fetters of your hearts, We revealed the Face from behind the pavilion of light, and ordained the matter in a tablet that was hidden from all eyes.”

Say: “Cast, then, the ropes of your sorcery and the staves of your idle fancies, that this Serpent might, by God’s leave, swallow them up, that the power of God might be witnessed by all the worlds, even as this sun in the midst of heaven.” Say: “We had restrained the Pen of Power lest it move across the Tablet, but when We perceived from you the odor of hypocrisy, We moved it less than the beating of a gnat’s wing, that ye might witness the surging of this ocean, and perchance the beacons of love might be kindled in your hearts, and ye might become like moths circling round the flame by God’s leave.”

Say: “O people! Fear God and fabricate not against His servant. Then have mercy upon yourselves and deprive not your souls of the breezes that blow from the right hand of sanctity. This world shall pass away, and all that groweth and is planted therein, and ye shall return to the place wherein the balance of God shall be set up by the hands of power, whereby all deeds of every soul shall be weighed on the day when the sun of justice shall shine forth from the horizon of divine decree, and God shall come with a matter that transcendeth all comprehension.”

Hear, O people of the earth, My words, and occupy not yourselves with that which profiteth you not in this vain life, neither grieve for what hath passed you by of earthly ornaments, but soar in the atmosphere of detachment on the wings of submission. And thou, remind the people of what We have cast upon thee, and forget not God’s covenant with thee, but hold fast unto His protection, for this is better for thee than all that hath been amassed in the kingdom.

Thus do We teach thee through grace and cast upon thee that which is dearer unto God than all wisdom that hath been mentioned. And peace be upon thee and upon all who are steadfast in their love for their Lord, and upon every grateful servant.

Although no letter was observed from you, nevertheless this servant sent a reply. In any case, he has been striving with the utmost diligence to preserve the Cause of God, lest any new developments that might cause the extinction of the Cause should become manifest. From Iran, someone wrote two brief words about you and Mirza Mihdi. Mirza Aqa Jan is sending a copy of it, but the purpose was not clear and perplexity arose.

BH01781: He is the Mighty! We remember the veiled ones…

He is the Mighty! We remember the veiled ones of the City in a land that is sanctified from nearness to anyone and purified from union with any soul, and in remoteness and separation has reached such a state that the hands of the hopeful and feet of the seekers fall short of reaching it. Although for those ascending to the heaven of nearness and rising to the atmosphere of love, no distance proves far and no barrier becomes an obstacle, for though the earthly path may be distant, the heart’s path is nearer than the jugular vein. This is the path of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

In any case, these days we reside in Adrianople. Although it is a great city and vast country, yet the heart finds no rest or tranquility due to separation from friends, and the heart’s agitation has made all affairs agitated and scattered. In any case, O friends and companions, do not forget these emigrants and captives. The clouds of divine destiny and the mists of heavenly decree have risen from every direction, and the rains of tribulations and calamities have poured down in such measure that neither can the eye find relief in weeping to comfort withered hearts, nor can the tongue find strength in lamentation to provide solace.

Each day we passed over a mountain and arrived at another mountain and hill. We traversed a hundred thousand deserts and crossed a hundred thousand mountains. How many unseen things were seen and how many unheard matters were heard. We never heard of such glorious captivity nor saw such mighty abasement. Outwardly we were in the utmost glory, majesty and sovereignty, although we were afflicted among enemies. The power and ascendancy of the true Sovereign was evident in this journey.

After traversing all these aforementioned stages, we reached the sea. Glory be to God! What transpired and occurred with the waves of the sea, the various winds, and these small children! Until by the aid of the Most Great Sea we crossed the Lesser Sea and arrived at the seashore which is the city of Constantinople. From there we took a carriage to the residence assigned by the government. We remained four months in that unillumined city and left there the fruit of the divine Tree and the leaf of the heavenly Lote-Tree.

From there like captives we arrived in another city named Adrianople. Forty days of captivity had been heard of, but six months had never been heard of. Throughout this period several children were sick and ill until we found residence beyond Qaf. And now strange and alone, without companion or friend, without associate or helper, in this dark city we pass these transient days. This is the detailed account of our affairs. Now whoever has a true eye should weep, and whoever has opened the spiritual ear should hear the moaning and lamentation, for the metaphorical eye is not worthy of this weeping nor is the physical ear worthy of this hearing.

All this was decreed for Us by God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. We thank Him in all this and praise Him for all of this and for all that was ordained from His presence, and We shall be, God willing, among the patient ones. O dear sister without expression, if you send a letter, send it detailed and extensive like this blessed letter, otherwise even that one word will remain in mouth and tongue. Why do you leave the poor helpless one without shelter and home and send him on a distant journey? Thus does He teach you with truth that you may be among the doers. And praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.

BH01783: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful! This is a Book from Us to him for whom God hath ordained a lofty and glorious station, that he may hearken unto that which the Tongue of Grandeur doth speak from the direction of a mighty Throne, and act according to that which the Spirit teacheth him of the verses of his Lord, and be among the God-fearing in this Cause.

Say: Knowledge is within Our grasp; We bestow it upon whomsoever We wish among Our servants, and verily We have power over all things. Whoso feareth God, him shall We teach of the wonders of His knowledge, for He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth, and He encompasseth all things. Verily, the highest of all knowledge is His recognition and the recognition of His Manifestations on the Day when He appeared in truth with manifest sovereignty.

Say: Knowledge is a light We cast into the heart of whomsoever We wish—thus was it sent down aforetime from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise. Apart from this knowledge, that which profiteth men not are mere words that breed naught but heedlessness and pride.

Say: O people! Fear God and be not veiled by your learning from Him Who, should He wish, could expound from a single Point the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be, and what lieth concealed behind the pavilions of glory. Beware lest ye approach Him with your learning, for in these days nothing shall profit you, even if ye should come with all the knowledge of earth combined. Say: O people! Purify your hearts from the allusions of men, then turn with radiant hearts to the treasury of knowledge.

And thou, O thou who gazeth toward the direction of the Cause, hearken unto the call of this Prisoner from this horizon which shineth with truth resplendent, that the words of thy Lord may draw thee nigh unto a glorious and holy seat. Know thou that from every verse of thy Lord there waft the breezes of life upon all created things, whereby the dead are raised from the graves of allusions and advance with great lights toward the seat of holiness. Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee that they may draw thee to a mighty and glorious kingdom.

Arise to serve the Cause of God and to praise Him, then guide the people to this Paradise wherein hath been established the throne of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, round which circle the hosts of revelation with wondrous standards. Tarry not within thyself, neither be silent. Deliver unto the people this Great Announcement which hath been inscribed in all the Tablets by the Pen of God.

Say: He it is Who sent down the Bayan unto Himself, and He is the Beloved enshrined within the heart of Baha. He hath come unto you from the horizon of the Cause with manifest signs. O people! Fear God and spread not corruption in the land after its reformation, and be not among those who tarry about the Path. Pass by it in the name of God, the Most Exalted, the Most High, and be not among the doubtful concerning this Cause which hath appeared in truth with mighty sovereignty.

That the servants of God should gather together upon the law of His Cause is better for thee than all that is on earth. Say: O people! Unite in the Cause of God, then drink from this Salsabil which floweth in truth from the direction of the throne of your Lord, the All-Merciful, in this Paradise which shineth in truth with the lights of beauty. Convey Our greetings unto the faces of them that have believed in God and His signs, on whose countenances can be seen the radiance of a glorious name.

Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to that which thou hast been commanded, and fear not any overbearing doubter. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy kindred and upon those who have burned away the veils of self and desire through the heat of their love for their Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, and who have severed themselves from every remote idolater.

BH11715: O Kalim! Hearken unto the voice of the Ancient…

In the name of the peerless Lord!

O Kalim! Hearken unto the voice of the Ancient Beauty and stand firm in the Cause of God with such steadfastness that the feet of the perturbed ones may be made firm on the Straight Path. Say: O servants! I swear by the Manifestation of Creation and the Sovereign of the Day of Return that what ye have heard from the Mouth of God by His leave, ye shall never hear from anyone else, even should ye traverse forever the wildernesses of vain desires and wander therein. The value of the days of attainment was veiled, for all were soaring in the atmosphere of passion and wandering in the desert of fancy and blindness. When the Kalim of the horizons disappeared from the horizon of Iraq, most turned to the Samiri and that which he fashioned, although We had previously informed all of subsequent events, even as was recorded by the Pen of Power in the Tablets of Migration, and likewise all the events of this land were mentioned in the Tablet that was inscribed by the Finger of Power in Ushshash. Alas for the people of the Bayan! How quickly did they alter the divine favor! I know not in what valley they are wandering.

Say: O servants! Not every bird is capable of soaring in the pleasant atmosphere of the All-Merciful. Let not the divine Cause become dubious to you, for His Cause is distinguished and manifest from all else. Can the cooing of the dove and the tracing of the Most Exalted Pen be confused with the croaking of the raven of the desert? Nay, by the Most High Self of God! Strive that ye may not regard creation as truth, and know Him to be sanctified from all else. The light of day is clearly distinguished from the darkness of night. Set not your hearts on the world, and turn not to the tree of annihilation, for such has been and shall ever be the reality of this world.

Say: O servants! In the days of trial it is beloved to walk in the path of the All-Merciful with the feet of certitude. Otherwise, in the days when the breeze of might wafteth from the Ridvan of the All-Glorious, there shall be many claimants to faith, but such faith hath no merit and dependeth upon another decisive word. In brief, O Kalim, soon thou shalt behold most to be sick, drinking from the cup of hell-fire, and turning away from the Garden of Delight. God willing, thou shalt ever be seen before God as one who drinketh from the Tasnim of eternity and dispenseth it, that perchance mortal frames may drink the Kawthar of divine knowledge from thy loving fingers and, becoming intoxicated, may turn their gaze toward the dwelling-place of “Am I not your Lord?”

O Kalim! Give thanks to God that thou hast been adorned with the ornament of faith and blessed with the new-born child—and this is what We foretold thee aforetime in preserved Tablets of glory. This is one of those tidings that were ordained in the Kingdom of Destiny and were later revealed and made manifest after the completion of its appointed time. Observe the previous Tablets that thou mayest be well informed and be convinced that with Him is the knowledge of all things, and the knowledge which none hath known save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Although thou hast been and, God willing, shall continue to be assured through God’s grace—excellent is that which thou hast entitled and named, and We have accepted what hath proceeded from thee—therefore be thankful and be of the thankful ones.

God willing, may you be joyous at all times, and should any sorrow touch you, know with certainty that after it joy is ordained. Indeed, divine bounty towards thee is beyond reckoning. And if any sorrow should touch you, know with certainty that after it joy is ordained. Indeed, divine bounties bestowed upon you have been limitless and beyond counting, and if in certain matters some deficiency hath appeared, it hath been due to your own negligence in your affairs. And the spirit and glory and splendor be upon you and upon those who are with you and upon those who counsel each other regarding this firm, unshakeable, and mighty Cause.

BH01802: In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable…

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Sorrowful, the Most Glorious!

O thou Manifestation of Bounty! Hearken unto that which the Pen, encompassed by sorrows from the hosts of Satan, imparteth unto thee. By God, the True One! Wert thou to become aware of that which hath befallen the Beauty of the All-Merciful, thou wouldst weep at all times. Verily, he whom We created by a word of Our command doth every day commit that which causeth the hearts of the denizens of Paradise to burn and the eyes of the All-Merciful to shed tears. He hath risen in opposition and stingeth, like unto a serpent, the Beauty of the All-Glorious every day, and in every moment there appeareth from him that which causeth the Cause of God to be lost, although His Cause is sanctified above all that His good-pleasure abhorreth. But the people, being seized by veils, regard the matter through other eyes. Thus do We impart unto thee, O Manifestation of Bounty, that which hath set aflame the realities of the people of the Ridvan.

One day he writeth unto his like, with whom it beseemeth not the loved ones of God to converse—may my spirit be a sacrifice unto thee—and another day he sendeth his representative to the chief of the city to lodge a complaint against the Beauty of God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful. By God! Were We to recount unto thee that which hath appeared and continueth to appear from him at every moment, thou wouldst cry out within thyself and weep continuously, by God, the King, the Supreme, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Glorious. In all this he seeketh naught but to beg from his like and to cause the Cause of God to be lost amongst His servants. Reflect then upon that which hath befallen Us from him who, by God the True One, causeth even the people of reckoning to flee from his deeds.

The matter hath reached such a pass that We desired to give him all that We possessed, that perchance the fire of his greed might be stilled. By God, it shall never be quenched, but shall blaze forth at every moment like unto flames of fire. By God, the True One! The eye of creation hath not witnessed his like, nor have the eyes of invention beheld his peer. He committeth the deed of Nimrod, then crieth out within himself; he severeth at every moment the head of the Wronged One, yet calleth out amongst men. Such hath been his deed, and he is not ashamed before God Who created him by a command from His presence. Thus doth he write unto various lands without any evidence or proof. Behold then the state of those who have taken him as a friend instead of God. Alas for them and for him, by reason of that which they have committed in their vain life and were numbered with the people of tyranny and unbelief.

Reflect then upon My tribulations: Hath their like been witnessed in former ages? Nay, by My Self, Which hath encompassed all contingent things in the kingdoms of earth and heaven! And thou, grieve not, but arise to serve the Cause of God, then be patient and long-suffering, and put thy trust in God. Verily, He is with thee, through thee, and for thee. Grieve not on account of the hosts of Satan.

Say: O people! Fear ye God, and take not unto yourselves at every moment a lord besides God. Fear ye the Day whereon all things shall be terrified and all who are in the heavens and on earth shall tremble, save him whom God hath preserved through His power and sovereignty. Beware lest ye join partners with God. Verily, He hath ever been One in His Essence, and hath taken unto Himself neither partner nor likeness nor kinship nor offspring. All before Him are equal, and whoso ascendeth unto Him and cleaveth unto Him is of those who have attained the highest Paradise, and whoso denieth and joineth partners with God, verily, he is not of Him and He is quit of him, whereunto the realities of all things bear witness, but the people comprehend not a word from God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Merciful.

And sorrow be upon thee from these sorrows which have encompassed the Pen of the All-Glorious.

BH01803: O Najaf-ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord…

He is the Ever-Abiding, the Eternal, the All-Powerful, the Most Glorious!

O Najaf-ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from the right hand of the Throne, and be thou enraptured by the holy melodies. Beware lest thou hearken with the ear wherewith thou hearest the sounds of created things, but rather with that hearing which God hath made specially for His melodies, that He may strengthen thee in His Cause and raise thee to the heaven of glorious love, and bring thee to that station wherein thou shalt stand before Him, even though thou be far removed from the gardens of nearness. And thou shalt drink at all times from the cup of His bounty such that none shall be able to prevent thee from attaining this station which is, in truth, praiseworthy.

Beware lest thou turn to anyone save thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Place thy trust in Him, and He shall suffice thee against all who dwell on earth. Know thou that We have loved thee aforetime and now, and have ordained for thee in the Tablet a station which none can attain save those who have attained the presence of their Lord and have been illumined by the lights of manifest glory. This is of God’s bounty unto thee, that thou remain steadfast in His love at a time when the feet of the mystics slip from the straight path of exalted glory.

Therefore, render thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having made thee to know the Manifestation of His Self, and caused thee to be among those who associate with His Beauty, and made thee to journey with Him through months and years, and acquainted thee with mysteries whereof none are aware save those who have followed His good-pleasure and have detached themselves from every rebellious rejecter. Thou hast witnessed the sovereignty of God with thine own eyes and heard the melodies of God with thine own ears, and wert in the pavilion of eternity and the tabernacle of glory both evening and morn. And thou hast reckoned His sovereignty and His power and His might and His grandeur, such that all who are on earth were in the grasp of His power like a handful of dust.

Beware lest thou forget the bounty of thy Lord or doubt His power and sovereignty, for He will not leave thee to thyself but will preserve thee from every rejected satan. Act thou according to what We have counselled thee aforetime, and follow the words of God after their revelation, and walk thou the paths of justice.

O My servant! Hearken unto the counsels of thy Beloved Who loveth thee, that thou mayest be, through thy Lord’s grace, victorious amongst the peoples of the world. First, forget not the bounty of thy Lord, then walk thou the paths of His good-pleasure in this Path which is, in truth, manifest. Beware lest thou associate partners with God, thy Lord, or pride thyself over anyone, and stand thou upon the path of courtesy before thy Lord. Though thou seest Him not, verily He seeth thee, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and the knowledge of what was and what will be, and He doth encompass all things.

Then be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord to such a degree that if all who are on earth were to gather against thee otherwise, nothing would enter thy mind, and thou wouldst stand firm like unto the letter “alif” at the end of My name. Thus doth the Pen of counsel teach thee from these Fingers which were, through grace, extended. Be thou possessed of the attributes of thy Lord, and humble before those who love thy Master—this is My command unto thee and unto every possessor of sublime love. Be thou as fire unto His enemies and as light unto His loved ones, that thy fragrance may be diffused throughout the East and West of the earth, and thou mayest become a luminous lamp among the worlds.

Then remind every soul that hath submitted to thy Lord with that wherewith We have reminded thee, and inform them that the Ancient Beauty hath entered into two prisons, one of which thou knowest and every possessor of knowledge knoweth with insight, and the other none knoweth save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all things and the Lord of all the worlds.

BH01816: O honored Siyyid Mirza Aqa! He is the Mighty…

O honored Siyyid Mirza Aqa! He is the Mighty, the Beloved. Your letter has come before Us and We have read it, for verily We are the All-Reading. Bear thou witness in thy inmost heart that there is none other God but Him, and that Ali before Muhammad was the Manifestation of His Self and the Dawning-Place of His Beauty unto all in the kingdom. Through Him did the Dove warble upon the branch of eternity, and the Light shine forth from the Lamp of holy radiance. Through Him did the Fire appear from this lofty, blessed, eternal, most holy and bountiful Tree.

Say: By God! Were but a single letter of the Bayan to descend upon every lofty and towering mountain, and every mighty and elevated peak, thou wouldst behold it humbled and submissive before the sovereignty of God. Such are the examples We offer thee that thou mayest be of the assured ones. Say: With Him is the knowledge of the unseen, and the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and knowledge of what was and what shall be, if ye be of those who know. His are the most beautiful names, the most exalted Word, and the most glorious sovereignty. All who are in the heavens and earth glorify Him.

Therefore hearken thou to the Call of God from this Tree of Unity in this blessed spot, from this Primal Beauty, that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Then read what hath been revealed unto thee in this Tablet, for verily a single letter thereof is more precious in the sight of God than the worship of both humans and jinn. Soon shalt thou witness how the deniers turn away from this Light whereby the Sun of Glory hath shone forth from the horizon of a manifest dawn. But thou, be patient within thyself and turn not to anyone, nor be thou of the perturbed. Stand firm as thou hast been commanded by the Truth from the presence of One mighty and ancient, until the breezes of glory waft from the paradise of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth and sent thee the fragrances of musk from this garment, that thou mayest magnify God thy Lord in thy days and be of the content. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon His sincere servants.

Then know thou that We have heard how thou didst supplicate God thy Lord that He might enable thee to attain such station wherein thou wouldst never deny the signs of God at the time of their revelation, and be of the assured ones. Excellent is what thou hast desired for thyself, for this is a matter greater and more glorious in the sight of God thy Lord than any other matter, if thou be of those who perceive, and nothing that hath been created between the heavens and earth can compare with it. We beseech God to assist thee in this and raise thee to such station wherein thou recognizest His verses apart from all else and art firmly grounded therein. And praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.

Then know thou that there hath reached Us the page bearing the trace of God, and this is more beloved to Me than all who are in the heavens and earth and all that was and shall be. We beseech God to reward thee with the most excellent reward from His presence, to raise thee to a praiseworthy station of glory, to grant thee the good of this world and the next, to enable thee to attain such station as is beyond the reach of any outstretched hands, and to honor thee with His presence in His subsequent Manifestation. This indeed is the most excellent good and the most noble of all matters.

And grieve thou not that God hath placed between Us and thee the paths of land and sea and towering mountains raised high. For all this only comes between the hearts of those who are heedless of God’s remembrance, who turn away from Him, deny His verses, and are of those who join partners with their Lord. As for those whose hearts are purified through the love of God, nothing can come between them and their Creator. But God intervenes between a man and his heart when He willeth and desireth, for He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

BH01823: This is a Tablet from which waft the breezes…

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

This is a Tablet from which waft the breezes of forgiveness upon all beings and mercy descends upon those who have believed in God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. Say: Should God so desire, He would renew all created things through a word from His presence. He, verily, is the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth and Who ruleth over whatsoever He desireth. Say: Should He wish to adorn all things with the ornament of His names, He would be able—there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Whither do ye flee? The word of chastisement hath been fulfilled against him who hath denied the All-Merciful in this Revelation which hath shone forth from the horizon of all existence with manifest sovereignty. Say: Do ye imagine within yourselves that were ye to deny this Revelation, your faith in any of God’s Messengers would remain firm? Nay, by your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great! Ye have no escape save either to deny all the Messengers of God or to acknowledge this Ambassador upon whose brow the Hand of Grandeur hath, with the seal of might, inscribed upon all things that, by God, this is the Beloved of the worlds. By God the Truth! There hath been inscribed by the Most Glorious Pen upon the cheek of all things:

“This, verily, is He through a mere sign from Whose eyebrow was created the kingdom of names, and those who abide behind the pavilions of grandeur, and the denizens of the Concourse on High, and the dwellers of the cities of eternity.”

Thus was the matter decreed in the Tablet of Destiny by your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

O servant! Arise to serve the Cause of God and leave those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, for they are like unto children who ought to play with clay. Indeed, those endowed with keen vision behold them as worthless rabble. Leave them to their vain imaginings and take what hath been sent down unto thee from the heaven of God’s dominion, the Protector, the Mighty, the Ancient of Days. Purify thy heart from all allusions and sanctify thy breast from the whisperings of the deniers, that the effulgences of thy Lord may be reflected therein, and that there may appear from thy countenance the radiance of the All-Merciful and from thy tongue the Salsabil of utterance in commemoration of this Most Great, Most Momentous News. When the clamor of the ungodly is raised, grieve not. Place thy trust in God—He will suffice thee in truth and make thee independent of all created things. All things are within the grasp of His power, and He, verily, is none other than the Single One, the One, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Arise to aid the Cause of God by Our command. He will, verily, assist thee in truth. He is with His servants who remember Him—those whom nothing hath prevented from the remembrance of God, their Creator. Upon such as these do the inhabitants of the Concourse on High shower their blessings, and around them circle the realities of those brought near. Whoso is established in this Cause—all that hath been created between the heavens and earth cannot equal him. Thus was it inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in a previous Manifestation, if thou be of them that comprehend. He spoke—and His word is the truth—“A drop in the subsequent Revelation shall be mightier than all that was created in the Bayan.”

Yea, by thy Lord, the All-Merciful! Were it not so, He would not be able to rend asunder that which hath caused the hearts of the people of the Bayan to tremble. This is God’s decree from aforetime. Now behold what issueth from the mouths of these people—they speak that of which they are unaware, thinking themselves to be among the guided ones. All things disavow them and atoms curse them, while they remain dead within the veils of their own selves. Thus have We explained to thee that which most people have neglected, that thou mayest aid thy Lord through utterance and be among those endowed with certitude.

Convey Our remembrance to thy wife and then to thy children, and impart unto them the glad-tidings of God, that they may be among those who rejoice. God hath ordained for thee and for them an exalted and glorious station. Glory be upon thee, then spirit be upon thee and upon those who have believed in this Revelation, wherein the feet of the doubtful have slipped. Praise be to God, the Beloved of the sincere ones and the Goal of them that have knowledge.

BH01824: This is a Tablet sent down in truth…

He is the Mighty, the Triumphant, the Powerful, the Self-Subsisting!

This is a Tablet sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and powerful, wherein the measures of the Cause have been ordained by a holy and exalted Pen. It speaketh the truth in the heaven of eternity, even should all who are on earth oppose it. Say: They who have believed in God and in what hath been sent down from Him, these are guided by their Lord and are possessed of a mighty remembrance. The angels of the Cause shall receive them and give them glad tidings of a paradise which hath been opened in the sublime heights. Say: O people of the earth! Hearken unto My call, and deny not the signs of God after they have been sent down in truth, and be not oppressors and wretched ones. He it is Who aideth whomsoever He willeth with the hosts of the heavens and earth, and ordereth all things as He pleaseth. Who is more powerful in sovereignty than God, and more truthful in utterance? He it is Who causeth night to be succeeded by day and ordaineth the measure of all things, and He, verily, hath power over all things.

Know thou that thy letter hath come before Us in this prison, and We have learned of its contents and have answered thee with these verses which God hath made a proof unto all who are on earth. What thou didst mention regarding the occurrence of that which We had formerly told thee is truth from the presence of One wise and informed. Yet thou dost not turn to this, nor to what the people possess; rather turn thy face unto a beauty mighty and beauteous. Know thou that all We have told thee is truth from God—it hath appeared and shall appear, and We, verily, have knowledge of all things. After this there shall appear a test which shall cause all who are in the heavens and on earth to burst asunder, save those who have ascended wholly unto a beauty mighty and resplendent. Be thou not disturbed by this, but find peace in this Tablet which hath been sent down in truth from a heaven sublime and exalted.

Say: We believe in what hath been sent down unto Us in this Tablet, and in what was sent down unto Moses and Jesus, and in what was sent down unto Muhammad the Messenger of God, and in what was sent down unto ʿAli before Nabil from holy and exalted verses. We make no distinction between any of them, and We are, verily, on a straight path. Should abasement overtake thee for My name’s sake, grieve not but be patient within thyself, and put thy trust in God, and be clear-sighted in the Cause. Say: We were among you for many years, yet none of you recognized Us until the promise came and the matter was decreed by One powerful and wise. When We entered the prison We revealed Our countenance and lifted the veil with manifest sovereignty. Thus do We recount unto thee what was then sent down in truth, and We have revealed what was hidden behind a delicate and holy veil.

Know thou that the idolaters have denied God’s favor and turned away from a path mighty and lofty. Say: O people of the Bayan! Do ye imagine that ye shall be left alone when ye say “We believe” and the test cometh not unto you from a quarter mighty and near? By God! This is the test whereby the sincere ones shall flee—how much more these people! And God doth take account of all things. None shall escape therefrom save he who holdeth fast unto this luminous cord, and God is witness unto this. Convey unto the people what thou art able, and turn not to thy right or thy left, but hold fast unto this mighty pillar which standeth firm in the Cause. We have indeed sent unto thee what was revealed in the prison, and verily a single letter thereof is greater than the creation of the heavens and earth, and through it God’s proof, His evidence, His testimony and His signs have been perfected for all, whether small or great.

BH01827: He is established upon the throne of grace!…

He is established upon the throne of grace! The doors of My favors, which from the beginning that hath no beginning until now had remained sealed, are now opened in truth by the finger of ancient glory. And verily thou, say: In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful. And after beginning with My blessed Name, give glad tidings to all created things and proclaim between earth and heaven that whosoever desireth to ask a question may present it to the Manifestation of ancient glory—an answer will descend from the heaven of grace. And any learned one who wisheth to inquire about knowledge, let him surely present it to the most holy and pure court, for he shall not be deprived. And any who thirsteth for the wine of verses and longeth for words and verses from the heaven of names and attributes of the King of attributes, let him ask and it shall be granted without delay or postponement.

I swear by My beauty that were it not for the prevention of preventers, the oppression of oppressors, and the obstruction of deniers from among the people of the Bayan, We would have commanded all things to seek knowledge of what was and what will be, and would have honored them all with this mighty robe and this most glorious garment. But how can these people be capable when they remain veiled by a mere allusion to a letter of the Most Great Word, and are kept far from the subtle and delicate fountain of grace by a thick veil? And if anyone today should ask questions numbering as the drops of rain from the clouds, all would receive answers in a wondrous tongue in verses sent down and dispatched from the holy heaven of grace.

Exalted then is this breeze that hath encompassed the worlds! Exalted is this grace that hath become renowned among all created things! Exalted is this countenance at whose light’s dawning the faces of the people of the highest paradise fell prostrate! There hath never been any delay in the wonders of My grace, but since people have veiled themselves with imaginary veils, they have remained deprived of the wonders of grace and the gems of glorious bounty.

For I made the servants the manifestation of My wealth and established in all things the sign of wealth above all else. And since they remained veiled from this mighty sign, they have been afflicted with accidental poverty. How excellent then is the state of those souls who free themselves from all else but God and turn with all their might to the Beauty of the One, that the wondrous manifestations of power which I have deposited within their souls may become apparent and evident, and they may witness themselves as wealthy and independent of all who are in the heavens and earth. And whosoever attaineth unto this station hath attained unto the presence of God within his own self, by his own self.

And let not the ignorant among the people cling to these words and step into the arena of pride and vainglory, as hath been observed in some who, after being called for years to absolute wealth by the melodies of the Spirit, have finally claimed independence from the Truth. We seek refuge in God from this! For all these riches appear from and return to the contingent Will. Beware lest at the time of manifestation ye cling to station and recognition or to all who are in the heavens and earth, becoming occupied with these and remaining deprived of My Beauty, Who with a single word can draw all who are in the heavens and earth to the treasury of wealth.

In brief, wealth apart from Me hath been beloved, not My Self; and severance from all save Me hath been sought, not My Beauty. Thus doth the Pen of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Powerful, inform you.

BH01835: Rejoice in thy soul, O Muhammad, inasmuch…

He is the All-Powerful!

Rejoice in thy soul, O Muhammad, inasmuch as a noble and holy Book hath been sent down unto you. In it is that which shall detach thee from the dominion of heaven and earth and cause thee to attain unto the threshold of manifest glory.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou seest my weakness and my powerlessness, my woes and my misery. Send down upon me, from the sweet-savors of Thy holiness that which, even if it doth waft in proportion to the black of an ant, is capable of drawing the former and latter generations nigh unto the sovereignty of Thy luminous Beauty and ennobling them by the lights of Thy resplendent Face. O my God! I am he who hath held fast unto Thy firm cord within the Most Perfect and Mighty Word and hath clung to the hem of Thy loving-kindness in Thy Name, the Exalted, the Most High, the All-Knowing. Therefore, O my God, debar me not from this living water which Thou hast caused to flow from the spring of the noble Throne after Thou hadst honored me by Thy Presence and made known unto me the Manifestation of Thy Self. Suffer me not, O my God, to be kept back from Thy transcendent grace and Thine ancient and bountiful favors which Thou hath sent down from the clouds of Thy sublime Mercy.

Say: O people! I swear by God, the Truth, that the Primal Point hath been clearly set forth in this Word, if ye be of those who know, and the fire of oneness hath been manifested in this exalted Tree round which all the worlds circumambulate. Say: The Holy Spirit hath appeared in a new garment! Say: Verily, the pebbles glorify God in this luminous, white hand! Say: Verily, the Beauty of God hath come forth from behind the veil of light! Wherefore, glorify God, the Sovereign of Sovereigns. Say: The dense veils hath been rent asunder and the Youth hath risen from the dawning-place of His name, the Compassionate, the Merciful. This is that which none hath previously known, neither the inner light of the soul nor the wisdom of the wise. At this very moment He is speaking in the atmosphere of this heaven, calling aloud unto all who are in the heavens and on earth, and announcing the Paradise of God unto all created things and calling them unto a holy and praiseworthy station. Say: Whosoever doth not cleanse his heart of the veils of blind imitation shall be unable to approach this sublime, irradiant Face.

O Muhammad! Soar in this heaven with the wings of detachment and fear no one. Rely, then, upon God, Thy Lord, the Gracious, the Beneficent, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. Pay heed to no one, even if the most deleterious person in all of creation doth oppose you. Leave, then, the people to God and to that which hath been sent down in the Bayan and be not of those who fear.

Say: O people! Fear God and follow His precepts (sunan Allah) with both your inner and outer being and been not of the negligent, lest negligence debar you from each Court of divine nearness.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, through which disobedience is blotted out by forgiveness, and wrath is replaced by mercy, and by which Thou doth usher the sinners into the Tabernacle of Thy beautiful clemency, not to abandon me to myself for less than a moment. Sever me not from the cord of Thy loving kindness nor withhold me from the knowledge of Thy Beauty in Thy latter resurrection. Suffer me not to be far removed from His Presence on a Day in which the eyes are glazed over and the minds of the negligent are stupefied and the feet of the mystic knowers falter.

O My God! Thou art He Who is the Sovereign over all creation and their Maker and the Ruler of all existent things and their Source. Verily, Thou art He Whose mercy hath encompassed all things and Whose loving kindness hath permeated all who are in heaven and on earth. Verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Almighty, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the All-Wise. Therefore, I have sought shelter, O my God, in Thy sovereignty and Thy might and I have taken refuge in Thy grace and Thy good favors. Deprive me not of Thy mercy and Thy kindness nor remove me far from the Paradise of Thy love and Thy remembrance. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and upon Thy servants be Thy mercy and forgiveness.

BH01841: He is the All-Knowing in the Heaven of Eternity…

He is the All-Knowing in the Heaven of Eternity. His honor Mihdi hath been specially favored with spiritual bounties, and after that Muhammad-ʿAli—upon him be the glory of his Lord—may he remain steadfast in the Cause, for the Cause today is from one perspective easy and from another impossible to grasp save by those endowed with knowledge and understanding.

O thou honored one! Today tarrying is not permitted. It is incumbent and obligatory upon all to convey the Message before the crowing. Then know that the Qaf is in the Qaf, and in this Name there is a lesson for those possessed of insight. The Truth hath summoned affliction to the hill, and in this there is wisdom for those who love.

Tablets have been sent—write them with utmost haste and dispatch them to all regions. A mighty missive was sent in the name of Fath along with copies of other Tablets. If it reaches him it would be most pleasing, that perchance the people may be freed from their veils and attain to the maturity of the Cause.

O friend! Pass beyond all contingent beings, gird up firmly the loins of service, and keep the victory of God’s Cause before thine eyes at all times.

Tablets have been revealed to Sultan-Abad and Nayriz—assuredly deliver them quickly. And if someone specifically travels to those parts for the love of God to teach the Cause, it would be most pleasing. Likewise to Yazd, to Radi’r-Ruh, along with copies regarding Muhammad-ʿAli wherein mention is made of the people of that land.

Soon fiery Tablets will be dispatched to all regions, especially in company with the Name Qaf. Then say: This is naught but Thy trial. Assuredly they will write and send to your honor as well, but all are commanded to write words in response to those who have rejected God. Details are mentioned in the Tablets which you will become aware of. This much was known—that no one was aware of the root of this Cause before the return of Qaf. Send whatever mighty words are possible to all lands before that. Thus hath it been ordained by the All-Powerful, the Ancient.

His honor Muhammad-ʿAli will mention the details of what has transpired and you will become informed. Show forth unity and love toward him. Beware, beware lest ye differ among yourselves. Rather, unite in the Cause and be of those who are united.

Tablets have been revealed [to the land of Sad]—deliver them. Furthermore, his honor Muhammad-ʿAli Akbar—may God cause him to enter the Most Great Scene—requested the letter Qaf, therefore it was revealed and summoned.

No news has arrived from the beloved Mirza Aqa—assuredly write. Likewise from Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin. Soon what was mentioned in the Tablets will become manifest—blessed are they who are steadfast. No mention was made of his honor Mirza Ja’far and Muhammad-Sadiq—make mention of them. Convey greetings from God to all the friends, Arab and Persian, male and female.

A Tablet was revealed to Mulla Ja’far—if deemed advisable deliver it, otherwise not, for such souls who have opened the eye of leadership are never susceptible to guidance. In any case, be not secure from his craftiness for he is most cunning and deceitful. Therefore be on your guard and keep your distance.

Although the divine hand of change and transformation is encompassing and engaged, yet verily We have veiled the people with a mighty veil. Blessed are they who rend asunder the veils. Keep this missive concealed for mention of Qaf is in it, until that which is hidden becomes manifest.

A Tablet was revealed to Muhammad-Husayn in the land of Kaf—deliver it quickly. Show much love to Rasul for he is beloved of God.

BH01852: O Haji Siyyid Mihdi! The King of existence…

O Haji Siyyid Mihdi! The King of existence, the Herald of God, continuously calls from the right hand of the Throne, yet none but the hearing ear has hearkened. Consider the times of the appearance of the Manifestations of the All-Merciful in the past: although all appeared with clear verses and firm, impregnable proof, nevertheless in each Manifestation most people, through satanic whisperings, remained deprived of recognition of the Manifestation of the All-Merciful and were, in these transient days, forbidden from eternal, everlasting life.

The Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all in the realms of existence and possibility be sacrificed for Him—appeared with divine decisive verses and took from all the covenant of this most wondrous, most exalted Manifestation, to such extent that He made all the Bayan and what was revealed therein contingent upon the confirmation of this Cause. Nevertheless, some among the people of the Bayan committed that which no religious community had ever committed. Woe unto them from the punishment of a barren day!

One must at all times take refuge in truth, lest the armies of ignorance prevail over knowledge and wisdom, and the hosts of conjecture and doubt triumph over certitude. Praise be to God that you are among the stars of the exalted heaven and among the branches of the divine Lote-Tree. You must, through the power of the Lord of Names and Attributes, rend asunder all veils completely, in such wise that should all the world arise in opposition, it would but increase your certitude.

The divine Sun has shed its effulgences upon you in sleep; if these have not faded from sight, then rend asunder the veils and gaze beyond them with a luminous countenance. Verily your Lord is with you and with Him is the knowledge of the first and the last. In every Manifestation of glorious divine revelation, He sheds His effulgences upon all, but upon some in sleep and upon others in wakefulness, and this is God’s way in every Manifestation, and verily your Lord is knowing of all things. We beseech God to preserve you from trials, and verily He has power over all things.

In the days of God all else stands on one level, and the breezes of the All-Merciful waft equally from the paradise of grace and favor upon the peoples of all realms. Whosoever perceived from that sweet spiritual breeze the fragrance of the divine raiment attained unto eternal life, and all others returned to the fire by reason of what their hands had wrought.

The tests and trials are discriminating angels of God who are occupied with separation and gathering—this is the meaning of what was revealed aforetime: “By those who drag forth violently.” The intent is those discriminating angels who are charged with drawing forth and removing garments and spirits until distinction and separation become clear and evident.

How excellent is the state of those souls who have remained firm in this Most Great Manifestation and who act according to the blessed verse “Say: God; then leave them to their vain disputations.” To such degree that they have not been deprived by the world and all within it from the flowers of the garden of eternity. Those souls are preserved from all trials. Blessed are they!

God willing, in this divine dawn you will drink of the choice sealed wine from the hands of grace and gaze upon the Most Great Scene. Ere long the foul odors of malicious souls will waft over that land. God willing, you will remain preserved in those days. Verily God is with you if you turn to Him.

Today is the day of certitude and the obliterator of the doubts and fancies of the people of doubt, who have ever been deprived of the treasury of knowledge of the All-Glorious, while the people of certitude rest settled and at ease upon the throne of mighty assurance.

And glory be upon you, O branches of the Tree of the Cause, and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

BH01855: O Preacher! In the Name of God, the Self-Subsisting…

O Preacher! In the Name of God, the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal! This is a Tablet from Us to him who hath desired the countenance of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, that he may give thanks unto God his Lord and make mention of Him amidst His heedless servants. We have created man and taught him utterance that he might make mention of his Lord between the heavens and the earth. And whoso looseth his tongue, it behooveth him to speak in praise of his Creator amidst the company of the veiled ones. All matters end in the remembrance and praise of God, yet the people are in grievous heedlessness.

Hearken unto the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen, then to the cooing of the Dove which speaketh upon the branches of the furthermost Lote-Tree at the appearance of the Spirit of God, the Most High, once again with this Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Name, that there is no God but He, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We have built mosques and attributed them to Our name, then placed pulpits therein that Our preaching servants might ascend them and counsel the people and advise them that they might take unto God a path. Yet they were heedless and perverted the words of God from their places, and changed God’s favor unto themselves, and altered what We had ordained for them to attain unto a station of mighty glory—to such extent that they ascend the pulpits and make mention of that which God hath not permitted them. Thus have they transgressed in the matter and changed and were changed and became among the lost. And We have not heard of anyone ascending them with the mention of Truth, and they were among those who committed what they were forbidden in a Tablet mighty and preserving.

And verily thou, ascend the pulpit by Our leave and be of them who make mention. Counsel the people and remind them of this Mighty News. Say: O people! The clouds have been rent asunder and the Lord of Lords hath come. Thereupon hath trembling seized all them that dwell on earth save such as have detached themselves from all things and turned unto God with power and might and sovereign authority.

Say: O people! Consider within yourselves by what proof ye believed in the Manifestations of the All-Merciful in the past—bring it forth if ye be of the truthful! That I might know what is with you. Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! What ye possess will not profit you this Day. Cast it all aside, then turn unto the Most Great Scene, the Seat of your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Beware lest ye reject the truth of God by what ye possess and deny Him in Whose grasp are the proofs of the Prophets and Messengers. Fear ye God, then have mercy upon yourselves and trust not in the vain life which will perish more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye, and ye shall return to dust with great regret and remorse. Do ye follow the desires of your souls and forsake the Best of Creators?

Say: O people! Hear My words and deprive not yourselves of the outpourings of this cloud which hath been raised up in truth and from which rain down the showers of mercy and loving-kindness upon the hearts of all who turn in repentance. Thus have We inspired thee and commanded thee to convey the Cause of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance such that no mischief may arise, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

Then know thou that God hath ordained for thee in the Tablet a glorious and noble station if thou remainest firm in His love in such wise that the whisperings of Satan influence not thy heart, for they have appeared in every city in every form. Thus have We informed thee of the truth that thou mayest be of them who know. Shun every idolater and hold fast unto the Sure Handle—verily it will lead the servant unto the Most Glorious Ark which saileth upon the Crimson Sea by God’s leave, the Creator of Names. And whoso entereth it shall behold all besides God beneath its shade. Thus hath moved the Most Exalted Pen upon the Tablet of Destiny from One All-Knowing, All-Informed.

And the Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon every discerning servant.

BH01866: This is a Tablet revealed for the first one…

This is a Tablet revealed for the first one who made pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of God, exalted be His Glory. He is the Mighty.

O Salman! May God magnify thy reward and accept thy obedience, inasmuch as thou hast journeyed unto God time and again, and hast migrated unto God, and hast endured hardship on the path such that thou wert exposed to the heat of the sword and the cold of winter, until thou didst enter this remote prison. Neither the length of the journey nor the lack of a guide deterred thee. Well is it with thee for having been preceded by grace and encompassed by mercy, and for having entered the spot of acceptance and the station of attainment.

Therefore give thanks to God, thy Creator, for having aided thee in this and provided thee with His love and the love of His friends, and caused thee to reach a station from which the hands of those who turned away, disbelieved and associated partners with God were cut off. By God! Thy name hath been mentioned in the Supreme Concourse and the most exalted Horizon, at the Tree of Eternity, and verily the denizens of the realm of might and the inhabitants of the dominion of sovereignty and the kingdom know thee even as the people of earth know thee—nay, more than that.

Therefore strive within thyself to remain steadfast in thy love for thy Lord, lest thou be cut off from this everlasting, unified, eternal, perpetual dominion. Eschew thine own desires, O servant, and draw near unto the side of God, thy Lord. Grieve not over what hath befallen thee in the paths of thy Creator and what shall befall thee in the love of thy Lord, for unto Him is thy return and abiding place. With Him no deed of any doer is lost, nor the reward of any who earns reward, nor the truthfulness of any truthful one, nor the migration of any emigrant, nor the wayfaring of any wayfarer, nor the certitude of any possessor of certitude. Unto Him ascend good words and pure deeds. Thus have We imparted unto thee from the wisdom of God, Who hath perfected all things through His sovereignty and ordained therein consummate wisdom, that thou mayest thank Him in thy days and be of those who gave thanks, and persevered, and met their Lord, and sought, and attained, and aimed, and found.

As to what thou asked regarding the verse of triumph, know that God, thy Lord, hath ever been and shall ever be triumphant, standing, mighty. None can frustrate Him and no affair can prevent Him. He hath been and shall ever be in the heights of triumph, power and majesty, and in the summit of might, grandeur and independence. And verily, whatsoever thou hast heard and known regarding the mention of triumph pertaineth to My servants. Soon shalt thou behold them triumphant even as they triumph this day.

Hast thou not seen and heard how this Servant journeyed in His journey and migration with great power and manifest sovereignty, such that the necks of every mighty one bowed before Him and the heads of every proud one were humbled before Him, although all were Our enemies inasmuch as they turned away and opposed Us and showed pride towards God in relation to Us? Thus recognize thou the power of God, His triumph, His sovereignty and His glory. Say: By God! Through this journey the Cause of God hath been exalted. Soon shalt thou find those who turned away beneath the feet of the believers. Thus have We taught thee that thou mayest be of those possessed of certitude.

And withal, by God, O Salman, We would make peace with the people of the Bayan: if they will not love Me, let them not hate Me. By God! Thou shalt find their turning away from this Light which hath shone forth from the horizons with a luminous countenance, a mighty proof and a supreme evidence.

The Spirit and the light and the glory be upon thee and upon those who have recognized the mysteries of the Cause from this mighty quarter.

BH01867: O Ali Muhammad in the City! He…

O Ali Muhammad in the City! He is the Ever-Abiding, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting! O Ali, bear thou witness in thy soul, thy being and thy spirit that verily He is God, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Say: O people, this is the Beauty of God which hath appeared in truth, and this is the Proof which hath been sent down through grace unto a people who are guided. There is no God but Him—His is the creation and the command. He giveth life to whomsoever He willeth through His leave and causeth to die whomsoever He desireth through His power, and all shall return unto Him.

Say: O people, believe in God and in that which was revealed in the Bayan, and transgress not His bounds. Fear ye God and break not your covenants which ye made with Him in a praiseworthy station of nearness, and forget not God’s favor when He reciteth unto you at every moment from the verses of God, the Mighty, the Beloved, and imparteth unto you the gems of knowledge and wisdom, and revealeth unto you the mysteries of a hidden knowledge.

Say: Verily the grace, knowledge and wisdom have all appeared in the temple of a concealed Name, Whose manifestation was veiled by His beauty in such wise that none among creation recognized Him, could ye but know it, though He moved among them all the days as one of them, as though they were veiled by their own selves and were as blind, deaf and dumb, in that they beheld not the Beauty of God nor heard the melodies of God, though all these were before their eyes morning and evening. Thus doth God withhold what He willeth through His command and extend mercy unto whom He pleaseth, for He is the Sovereign, the Single, the Exalted, the All-Powerful.

Say: When the idolaters opposed Us, We opposed them and manifested Our Self in spite of those who disbelieved in God’s signs. O Ali, know thou that every wise command hath appeared from this firm, mighty and manifest Cause, and every decree wherewith God hath decreed in every age and dispensation hath dawned from this great and hidden Decree. Whoso denieth this Cause hath denied God’s Cause in all ages and dispensations, and whoso turneth away from it hath turned away from the Manifestations of God, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

As for those whom ye find walking in the darkness of their souls, associate not with them but shun them and turn unto God your Lord, then put your trust in Him, for in Him let the trusting put their trust. God shall soon raise up one who shall take My right from them and render them as scattered dust. Thus do We impart unto thee from the verses at which are bewildered the minds of those who ponder the signs of God.

I counsel thee to turn to none else and to hold fast unto naught save the cord of God, for this is better for thee and for those who set their faces toward this Countenance. Forget not what We counseled thee before, then stand firm in thy love for thy Lord and be not of those who forgot God’s covenant during My absence in these numbered days. Rend asunder the veils from thy heart’s face and fear no one in thy Lord’s path, then burn away the shrouds of idle fancy and be as God’s sword and His might against His enemies and those in whom thou findest hatred for this resplendent, exalted, transcendent and glorious Light.

Then convey Our greetings to those who are with thee, both men and women, and to thy spouse who hath believed in her Lord and remained upon a mighty extended path.

BH01869: In the Name of Him Who was sanctified beyond…

In the Name of Him Who was sanctified beyond mention and utterance! O servant! If thou desirest to know what befalleth Me of tribulations, reflect upon the state of the Spirit among the company of the Jews, and Muhammad among the company of the wicked, and Ali among the people of the Qur’an, and His Beloved One among the people of the Bayan who recite His verses yet deny His own Self. Then know thou that the most grievous of all tribulations is the trial of Truth at the hands of one renowned by His name, as thou witnesseth in these days that Truth hath been tried at the hands of an oppressor who hath become known for justice. This is a tribulation wherewith no one hath been afflicted before. Therefore do I weep, and the realities of all things weep, and I lament, and the Prophets lament around thy Lord’s throne. Yet the people are veiled from what they have wrought and are heedless of that for which they were created. Woe unto them and unto those who follow them!

If thou desirest to help this Wronged One, help Him through mention and utterance. Then prevent the loved ones of God from warfare and disputation. Say: By God! The Ancient Beauty hath been sent with mercy and loving-kindness. Whoso associateth himself with Him yet warreth with anyone—God is quit of him and We are quit of him. Thus hath the matter been decreed in this Revelation.

Say: O people! Fear God Who created you, and commit not what ye have been forbidden, and abandon not what ye have been commanded in the Tablets of God, your Creator. For He hath ordained that His victory shall come through the promotion of His Cause. Blessed is he who helpeth his Lord as He hath commanded. Say: Your help is first to detach yourselves from all save God, your Creator. And whoso detacheth himself from all else out of love for His Beauty and teacheth the people His Cause—him shall all in the heavens and earth assist, and the hosts of the seen and the unseen. Thus hath the matter been ordained, yet the people perceive not.

Say: O people! Commit not that which would destroy God’s honor amongst His servants and extinguish the fire of His Cause in the hearts of His creatures. Fear God, O people, and be of them from whom waft the sweet fragrances of holiness and detachment, and to whose sanctity the Concourse on High bear witness. These are God’s loved ones on earth and His trustees in all lands. By the light of their countenance are illumined worlds which none hath discovered save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Purify thou thy heart from all save God, thy Lord. Then drink thou the Most Pure Wine in this Paradise which hath been adorned with the mention of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Highest. Then speak forth His praise in the kingdom of creation, that perchance they who slumber on the couch of heedlessness may awaken and turn, then hasten at God’s call to the Most Pure and Most Glorious Wine, and be of them who have drunk the Living Waters from the hand of the All-Merciful and have said:

“Praise be to God Who hath fulfilled what He promised us and given us to drink a pure drink, and honored us with the fragrances of His days, and chosen us from among His creatures for the recognition of His Self, the Dominant, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!”

The Spirit be upon thee and upon those whom the veils of glory have not prevented from turning unto God, the Mighty, the Most High. Then know thou that this Tablet was not revealed in the manner of verses, nor in the manner of sermons and supplications and intimate communion, that it might tell of My tribulation and My trials through that which We have ordained for Our Self in the path of My Lord and My Beloved and My Master and My Sovereign and My Purpose and My Worshipped One and My Refuge and My Shelter.

BH01870: In the City. O Ahmad of the people…

In the City. O Ahmad of the people of Kaf! He is God, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious!

O Ahmad! At all times have conclusive proofs been made manifest unto thee, yet thou hast remained heedless. In every season hath the heavenly stream of divine grace been made to flow towards thee, yet thou hast not partaken of a single drop thereof. Would that matters had ended there! Certain statements proceeded from thee which were unworthy. Although at the time of thy presence thou wert counseled to speak naught but the truth and to become not the cause of people’s perplexity, yet didst thou utter that which caused the people to be veiled, and at no time didst thou speak the truth. This servant hath never desired, nor will He ever desire, aught from God’s servants save truthfulness and fairness—God is sufficient witness unto this. Thou didst cling to vain imaginings and become detached from the firm handle of certitude.

Hearken unto My call: Barter not religion for the world, and speak not according to idle fancy. We have passed over all else. Was it not evident to thee that this servant withholdeth not bread from anyone, nor hath He ever reproached any soul concerning bread, nor denied the riches of this world to any person? Nevertheless, when the letter from those people arrived containing those calumnies which they had attributed to the truth, why didst thou not speak such words as would make all people aware of the falsity of the statements they had attributed to the truth? For thou wert present and didst witness that were all the treasures of the earth to be gathered together, they would not be withheld from any soul, nor will they ever be. By God, O Ahmad! That very letter from those people completed God’s proof against thee, for thou art certain they wrote falsely. Hearken, then, to the call of the True One, the Trusted One, and emerge from the darkness of fancy into the illumined realm of certitude.

O Ahmad! Hearken unto My call. Consider him to whom thou didst cleave—how he hath begged from the people, writing that they give him no bread, that they have cut off his stipend, and that they have housed him in a ruined dwelling. Thou knowest that whatsoever was possible in the visible realm was never withheld from him, and after thee I never associated with him. Reflect now somewhat upon the wealth and independence thou didst witness from the Truth, and upon his base conduct in writing such calumnies and displaying such meanness. Would that he had been content with what he wrote and sent to Iraq! He hath also written to the governor of this land, complaining and begging for bread. Thou art certain that were all the peoples of the world to come unto this servant, they would forever feast at the banquet of His bounty and would never be deprived or excluded. By God, O Ahmad! If thou wouldst but reflect upon these very deeds they have committed and words they have written to various quarters, thou wouldst distinguish truth from falsehood.

By God, O Ahmad! My love for thee hath caused this Tablet to be sent, else thy Lord is independent of all worlds. We hope that thou wilt soar in holy atmosphere and enter the realm of truth, becoming detached from all the world and them that are therein, and returning unto the Truth. Glory be upon thee if thou hearest what thy Lord hath counseled thee and returnest from fancy to certitude. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01878: Your letter hath come before Us and We have…

He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Omniscient!

Your letter hath come before Us and We have taken note of the hidden expressions of thy love therein, and We were among the witnesses. We have answered thee with these words from which the sweet-scented breezes of holiness waft upon thee and upon all the worlds. Be thou thankful unto God for having arrived at the shore of the sea which none hath reached unto its beach, much less unto its depths. This is of the bounty wherewith God hath preferred thee above many of His servants, if thou be of them that are assured.

Therefore, beseech thou God with these words, that perchance He may bestow upon thee from His everlasting bounty in His most exalted Paradise, beneath the shadow of His Most Great Name, and may establish thee beneath the shade of the Tree of the Cause, and may detach thee from all that is in the heavens and the earth. And this, verily, is a great bounty.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst create all beings and didst send them down from the heaven of command unto the earth of destiny, and whereby Thou didst attract the hearts of them that have recognized Thee, and didst cause the minds of them that have professed Thy unity to ascend unto the court of Thy resplendent sanctity, that Thou withhold not from me the wondrous tokens of Thy gifts, nor debar me from the cloud of Thy gracious favor. O Lord! Return me not thirsty after Thou hast led me to the shore of Thy surging, billowing, mighty ocean. O Lord! Withhold me not from the breezes of the manifestations of Thy loving care, nor drive me from Thy door, from which none hath ever been turned away disappointed—even thus hath Thy mercy encompassed all the worlds.

O Lord! Purify my soul, then my heart, then my breast, my body and my frame, that I may be worthy of the revelations of the lights of Thy glorious Oneness and befitting for the manifestations of the signs of Thy holy Unity. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Compelling. Then grant me, O my God, the good of this world and the next, and preserve me from all evil and from whatsoever is repugnant unto Thy good-pleasure, for Thy mercy hath preceded all things and Thy grace hath encompassed all created things.

Thus have We taught thee that whereby God may make thee independent of all else besides Him. This is of His grace upon thee and upon His sincere servants. And if thou hearest with the ear of thine inborn nature that which the Spirit hath now cast down of the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Powerful, thou shalt surely find thyself detached from all things and from all who are in the heavens and on earth, and shalt attain unto that which thou didst desire in the hidden recesses of thy heart, and shalt taste the delight of them that have recognized Him.

As to thy question about going to the city, excellent is that which thou hast intended and wert among those who desire it. Hold fast unto that which was sent down aforetime unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God and Seal of the Prophets. Unto God belongeth the East and the West; whithersoever ye turn, there is the face of God. This was sent down from the heaven of God’s might, the Powerful, the Omnipotent.

Strive then, O my brother, within thyself that Satan erase not from thy heart the remembrance of thy Lord. And when thou art adorned therewith, proceed to whatsoever land thou desirest, for nothing shall harm thee if thou be of them that are assured.

As to thy desire to serve me—verily, I am a servant among the servants of God and I love to serve, with my soul and my body, those who have believed in God and His signs, and God is witness unto what I say. How can one who is a servant take a servant for himself? This is a sin beyond compare, if thou be of them that know. I love to be a servant unto the loved ones of God and His chosen ones, and to lower my wing unto those who desire His face, according to His exalted Word: “And lower thy wing unto the believers.” And peace be upon thee from this lonely, solitary prisoner.

BH01901: He hath revealed unto Qasim Khan of Sirjan…

He hath revealed unto Qasim Khan of Sirjan. In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Great!

Hearken unto My call from the direction of the Prison, that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been one God, Single, Self-Subsisting, the Eternal, and will forever remain as He hath been. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Generous.

O people! Dispute not concerning the Cause of God. Unite in His love and good-pleasure, then walk in the path of truth—this is indeed the straight path. Follow God’s laws and ordinances, and be not of the transgressors. Purify your hearts from the allusions of those who have disbelieved, even should they come with the books of the ancients. Say: Today no soul’s faith shall profit it unless it believeth in God in this Most Great, this Mighty Manifestation. Turn wholly unto God, then detach thyself from the doubtful ones who claim faith in Ali aforetime, yet when their Beloved came unto them they denied Him. The curse of God be upon the liars!

Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in all matters in thy Ancient Lord. Say: O people! That which ye were promised in the Bayan hath come to pass. It behooveth you therefore to render thanks unto God at all times, yet ye are struck with terror in your souls. Alas for you and for those who have denied God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Powerful! Open your eyes that ye may behold the lights of your Lord’s countenance shining forth from this manifest Horizon. Fear ye God, and commit not that which they committed who denied God from time immemorial and were deprived of Paradise after its gates were opened unto all in the heavens and earth.

O people! He hath appeared with the signs of Ali, the proof of Muhammad, the evidence of the Spirit, the testimony of Moses, the traces of the Friend, and the proofs of all the Prophets and Messengers. Think not of Him as ye have thought of God’s Messengers of old. Follow your Lord, the All-Merciful, then cross the path through My Name and sovereignty, and be not of them that hesitate. Say: He hath been tried before all religions, and behind them the people of the Bayan and their leaders whom We nurtured in those days and protected from the harm of the oppressors.

O people! I have reached such a point in affliction that the very essence of affliction weepeth for My soul, were ye but to know. The evil ones of the Bayan have united with the evil ones of the Furqan to violate My honor, until I was prevented from mentioning God. Woe unto them! Then burning fire be upon them for having committed that which the oppressors never committed. At every moment they plot in God’s Cause, but God is more subtle in His plotting. Soon will He seize them with His might, for He is the severest of avengers. Thus hath befallen the Youth in this Prison from His servants, yet the people are in grievous heedlessness.

Thou, therefore, aid thy Lord with all thy power, and follow not them that have disbelieved and associated partners with God. Follow thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. He sufficeth thee against all who are in the heavens and earth, and He is the Protector of the sincere. Fear no one in the path of thy Lord. Protection is in His hand—He protecteth whom He willeth by His command. There is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Wise. Occupy thyself with His remembrance and praise amongst His creatures, then shun the hosts of Satan. And may the Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the Cause be upon thee and upon Our assured servants.

BH01902: In the name of the Imprisoned Youth Who was…

In the name of the Imprisoned Youth Who was imprisoned in the path of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting

O Hasan! Hearken to the murmuring of the waters of inner meanings which flow in the paradise of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. By God! Through its murmuring the hearts of the Concourse on High were attracted and the hearts of those who drank the choice wine of the Most Glorious from the Youth Who was named with Our Most Exalted Name were set ablaze. We sent Him in truth and made Him a mercy to all the worlds. Say: He who was barred from this Revelation had not drunk of the Kawthar of the All-Merciful from the hand of the Point of the Bayan, and should he claim this, all who are in the heavens and earth would give him the lie. Say: He manifested Himself solely for My firm and wondrous Cause and came unto you only for My revelation and sovereignty, as attested by what We revealed unto Him, if ye be of those who perceive. Whoso hath believed in this Revelation hath verily drunk of the rivers of the Bayan from the hand of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and was among the triumphant. Say: Were it not for My remembrance, the Bayan would not have been revealed nor would the Beloved of the worlds have offered up His life.

Know then that thy letter hath come before Us and We have learned of its contents. We beseech God to draw thee nigh unto Him with a nearness after which no remoteness followeth. Verily He hath power over all things. Blessed art thou for having attained unto this Cause whereby the Names and their kingdoms were overturned, and the quaking of the Command and the might of divine wrath seized them all save whom God preserved through a sovereignty from Him and upheld through His grace. Verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Make mention of My imprisonment and tribulation among My creatures that perchance they may make good what hath escaped them in this wondrous and exalted Cause. They who soared in the atmosphere of My nearness and ascended to the heights of My Cause—a single hair of one of them is better than all previous peoples combined. He who hath not cast behind him all who are in the heavens and earth shall never be able to turn toward My shining and luminous countenance. And whoso turneth toward it, the dwellers of Paradise turn toward him and the angels drawn nigh circle round about him.

Say: O people! Purify your tongues from mention of these base ones and sanctify your hearts from remembrance of these transgressors who have taken their passions as a god besides God and disbelieved in Him in Whom they had believed. And when it is said unto them by what proof do they adduce what the peoples of old adduced, say: By God! Ye and what ye possess and that whereby ye seek to prove shall never be mentioned before God, and ye are now among the lowest of the low. Verily he who hath recognized this Revelation placeth his foot upon their heads and leaveth them to themselves, turning instead to Him through a mere gesture from Whose servant’s finger the veils were rent asunder, the allusions were erased, and every lofty and towering mountain was crushed.

Rejoice thou in My love and grieve not save at My grief. Thus doth the Pen of My Command enjoin thee and the Tongue of My mercy and favor give thee glad-tidings, and We were ever watchful over thee. Know then that the Wanderer in the realm of Oneness was with Us, swimming in the depths of glorification and sanctification, and the Sun of Beauty dawned upon him from the horizon of grandeur with manifest radiance. And since he is now in another land, God sends greetings from him to thee and to thy wife and children, and to those who have believed in God, the One, the Peerless, the Unique, the Incomparable. Convey My greetings to My loved ones and kindle them with the heat of the mention of thy Lord’s Name, the Most High, the Supreme, Who speaketh in all things saying:

“There is no God but Me, the Ever-Abiding King, the Just, the All-Wise.”

BH01904: He is the Mighty, the EverlastingO Breeze of Paradise!…

He is the Mighty, the EverlastingO Breeze of Paradise! Waft upon all created things even as the breezes of holiness have wafted upon thee from this transcendent, mighty and luminous Quarter. Fear no one in the Cause of thy Lord, but place thy trust in God, the Omnipotent, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Remind those who have believed of that wherewith We have reminded thee from behind the Mountain of the Spirit, the Spot of God, the All-Knowing, the Generous. Pay no heed to the people and what they possess, for they have clung only to a coarse rope. Thus do We cast upon thee from the verses of innovation according to the nature of God, the Supreme, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Impregnable.

Close thine eyes to all who are in the heavens and on earth, save those whom thou findest upon the straight line in this crimson Thread. Beyond this, turn not to anyone, but remain in a mighty sanctity. And if thou findest a pure, holy and luminous heart, cast upon it that which God hath cast upon thy heart, and inform it, in the inmost mystery, of this Most Great, Most Upright News concerning which most of the servants differ, and thereby return to the lowest fire in the depths of hell. And if thou findest not such a one, make no approach to anyone, for God is independent of the knowledge of these people and of all the worlds.

Say: O people! Deny not the verses of God after they have been sent down in truth, and be not of those who turn away. Say: Did We not take from you a covenant in the atoms of the Furqan, and before it in the Gospel, and before it in the Torah, and in the atoms of the Bayan, that ye should not change the favor of God nor oppose His verses nor wax proud against them, if ye be of those who know? Yet ye broke your covenant and cast the testament of God behind your backs, and were of those who believed and then disbelieved, and were a most evil and lost people.

By Him Who sent down the verses in truth! Were I to utter today but a single letter of truth, the heavens and earths would be rent asunder. But We were patient before and shall be patient hereafter, that what was sent down in tablets of exalted glory might be fulfilled. And We have ordained for thee from the good which none can reckon save God thy Lord, that He might bring forth the people from the darkness of fancy and cause them to enter the pavilion of assured dignity. Thus have We given thee glad tidings in truth, that thou mightest rejoice in thy soul and that all in the kingdom might rejoice therewith.

Then remind the letter Jim from Us and give him glad tidings of a holy, preserved tablet which We have sent down unto him, a single letter of which cannot be equaled by all that hath been created in the realm of Lahut, then in the realm of Jabarut, then in the realm of Malakut, then in the heavens and earths. It shall reach thee when God willeth and desireth, for He is verily the Ordainer, the Giver, the Raiser, the Single, the Transcendent, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Then glorify on Our behalf all in whose heart thou perceivest the fragrance of the All-Merciful and in whose countenance thou beholdest the radiance of paradise. And from those who emit not the breezes of love, turn away and face them not, but turn thy face toward the face of God thy Lord. He is with thee wheresoever thou art, and My Self sufficeth as a witness unto that. And the spirit and glory and splendor be upon thee and upon those who are with thee every morn and eve.

If this Tablet be concealed from those who are not worthy of it, it would be most fitting, for the truly blind one is not capable of beholding the spiritual Sun, and the truly deaf one is not worthy of hearing the divine melody.

BH01915: The remembrance of God in the Divine Tree…

He is the Mighty, the Everlasting, the Exalted, the Glorious, the Most Glorious

The remembrance of God in the Divine Tree in the spot which God hath blessed above all places on earth. God, there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He hath created creation out of nothing by His power and ordained for them through His knowledge whatsoever He hath willed and desired. This is a bounty from His presence and a grace from His court, did ye but know. He sent unto them Messengers and revealed with them the Book lest His servants go astray on earth and that they might be guided thereby. He hath detailed all things in the Book as guidance and mercy for people who believe.

Say: O people, fear ye God and spread not corruption in the land, and be not of those who are not guided by God’s guidance. Be not like those who mention God with their tongues yet are veiled from the Beauty of the One remembered, and who worship God in cloisters and mosques yet flee from the countenance of the Worshipped One in His days. When asked “Who is your God?” they will say “God”, yet they turn away from His presence and His signs. It is as though they worship names for which God hath given no authority, and thus do they cleave to idols within themselves while perceiving not. They mention God without His authority being manifest to them, yet when it is manifested they turn back on their heels. Thus do ye recognize these people, O people, then turn away from them.

Turn ye with all your being unto God, then thank Him for having chosen you from among His creation and aided you in His Cause and made you know the Manifestation of His Self and taught you the paths of glory and piety and sheltered you on the sacred shore beyond the Sea of Spirit in the holy and beloved spot and rent asunder the veils from you and purified you from allusions and raised you to a station wherein ye heard holy melodies from the tongue of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and sent upon you the fragrances of His days for which honored servants died in longing. By God, were we to possess a thousand souls and a thousand bodies and sacrifice them in His path it would be little compared to His bestowals, did ye but know.

Thus have We related unto you spiritual tales that ye might know God’s grace upon you and not separate yourselves from this glorious and beloved Cause, and that ye might stand firm in the love of God and the Manifestations of His Self such that the evil whisperings of your souls mislead you not, nor the blame of the blamers veil you from this luminous and extended Path which hath been raised in the divine Paradise in the name of God, the Exalted, the Transcendent, the Witnessed.

O people of the Bayan! Remember within yourselves what We have mentioned unto you in truth from this hidden and luminous Pen, and grieve not over anything, and turn not to the world and its ornaments and all that pertaineth to it and is in it and upon it, but turn to what is with God for that is better for you, if ye approach the shore of this counsel with the foot of detachment. Thus do We expound the verses unto you in truth and reveal unto you that which will bring you to the divine Ridvan wherein ye shall enter by God’s leave and wherein ye shall rejoice. Be not veiled, O people of the Bayan, from this bounty which hath descended from the holy heaven while ye witness it with your own eyes. Beware lest ye deny it as did nations of old who denied God’s signs. And the Spirit be upon you and upon those who follow God’s laws.

BH01921: In the Name of the Counselor! God testifieth…

In the Name of the Counselor! God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His is the creation and the command; all worship Him. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him; all bow down before Him. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him; all seek Him. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him; all act according to His command. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him; all turn unto Him. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and whoso desireth to attain His presence must detach himself from whatsoever preventeth him from treading His manifest and evident path. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and whoso desireth to be mentioned must needs till the soil of certitude that the ears of divine knowledge may grow therefrom. Thus hath the decree been ordained in a preserved Tablet.

O servant! Hearken unto the call of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. Be not heedless of the fruit of existence, nor occupy thyself with fruits that are produced by the tree of limitation. Plant thou the divine tree of explanation in thy heart, then water it with the living waters of the mention of My Name, the All-Merciful, that it may yield thee the fruits of inner meanings which shall endure, while that with which thou art occupied shall perish and profit thee not save in the measure that is ordained. Art thou occupied with the outward earth while heedless of the holy, blessed and goodly earth wherein whatsoever groweth proclaimeth: There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Best-Beloved?

We created thee that thou mightest cultivate the earth of divine knowledge wherefrom grow the ears of divine unity. Beware lest thou be veiled from that for which thou wert created and be among the heedless ones. By God the Truth! Should anyone purify his ear and hearken unto the call of God from the direction of the Prison, he would detach himself from whatsoever hath been created between earth and heaven and would offer up his soul in the path of this Prisoner.

If thou occupiest thyself with teaching the Cause of God, We shall assuredly plant for thee, by the hands of divine will in goodly soil, that which shall profit thee throughout the eternity of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Glorious, the Most Loving. Hearken unto My words, then speak forth in praise of thy Lord—this is better for thee than what thou possessest, if thou be of them that are certain. Beware lest thou burn the enduring trees with perishable ones. Fear God and be of the God-fearing.

Occupy thyself with affairs to a known measure, in such wise that thou wilt not be in need. Be independent through His Name, the Self-Sufficing, then put thy trust in Him in all affairs. Verily thy Lord loveth those servants who earn their livelihood, but only to such measure as their earning preventeth them not from the remembrance of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Thus have We counseled thee in truth and chosen for thee what We have chosen for honored servants.

Cast behind thee whatsoever preventeth thee from mentioning thy Lord, then make mention of thy Lord amongst Our heedless servants, that they may arise to serve the Cause and glorify their Lord and be of the penitent ones. Verily He is independent of all mention and praise, and all things bear witness to His sanctification, yet none hear it save the hearing ear. That which We enjoin upon the servants is a bounty from God unto them, but few among His servants know this and render thanks.

Aid thy Lord through utterance and associate with those who make mention of God in private and in public, whose hearts are set ablaze by this Fire from whose sighing is heard:

“He is God; there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.”

Convey Our greetings to the faces of those who have sought the Most Great Sanctuary and have detached themselves from the idolaters. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have passed over the Bridge. By God! They are honored servants.

BH01937: O Mulla ʿAbdu’r-Razzaq, in the QafIn the Name…

O Mulla ʿAbdu’r-Razzaq, in the QafIn the Name of God, the Most Wondrous, the Most WondrousThis is a Book which hath been sent down in truth, that through it the light of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful, may shine forth in the hearts of them that have believed.

O servant! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the direction of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, that through thy Lord’s revelation there may arise that which will establish thee in the assistance of God and His remembrance, and sever thee from them that have disbelieved and joined partners with God and were among the heedless.

By God! Whoso hearkeneth today unto the words of his Lord with the ear of his heart will be so attracted that he will never turn to the world and all that is therein, nor will aught but the remembrance of God, the True King, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, ever rest within his soul.

Ascend the ladder of inner meanings unto that station which none hath entered save he who hath witnessed the sovereignty of his Lord and His all-encompassing power over all worlds. Purify thy soul and heart from those who affirm their faith in ʿAli through what was revealed unto him of the verses of God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, yet when His verses are recited unto them once again, they object to them and are not among those who perceive.

Soon will the clamor of the idolaters be raised in that place, and shouldst thou hear their uproar, be not perturbed in thy soul, but turn away from them and set thy face toward the sanctuary of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and be not of the perplexed. Drink the Kawthar of steadfastness and assurance from the wellspring of thy Lord’s words, that it may attract thee to a station wherein the souls of the agitated find peace.

Say: O people! By God, the entire Bayan was revealed in My remembrance and praise. Be ye ashamed before God Who created you by His command and gave you glad tidings of this resplendent, luminous Beauty. Fear God, O people, and deny not Him Who hath come to you from the direction of the Spirit with a most great, mighty Name, and Who summoneth you at all times unto God, your Creator, desiring from you no recompense, for His reward is with God, the Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing.

O people! Be fair in the Cause of God and deny not His verses, and follow not the ways of the oppressors who utter falsehoods against God, then proclaim within themselves that they may cause the matter to appear dubious unto the servants, and thus do they plot at every moment and instant.

And thou, O servant, purify thy sight from gazing upon aught except Me, and sanctify thy heart from turning to anyone besides Me. Beware lest thou exchange the choice wine of My loving-kindness for scalding water. Leave the idolaters to themselves, then ascend at all times unto God, and verily He is with thee and heareth and seeth thy condition, and He is the Friend of the righteous.

Then make mention from Us of thy brother Mihdi and give him the glad tidings of Our remembrance of him, that he may be of them that rejoice. Say: O servant! Whenever thou findest thyself in thy native land, remember this Exile in this strange land. Then convey Our greetings unto thy other brother who is named ʿAbdu’llah, that he may remember within his soul and be among them that are firmly established in the Cause of Him Who hath appeared with the truth, from Whom every wicked sinner hath turned away.

We beseech God to assist thee and them both in praising His Self and to nourish you from the fruits of the Tree of His loving-kindness and shelter you beneath the shade of His mercy which hath preceded all worlds. And the spirit and glory and splendor be upon you and upon your father and upon whoso is with you in your house, and verily when the breezes of holiness blow from the direction of grace, they take hold of everyone, young and old. And praise be to God, the Creator of all beings.

BH01956: In the Name of God, the Render of Veils!…

In the Name of God, the Render of Veils! God makes mention of His servant that he may be gladdened through His grace. Say: Through His remembrance hearts are purified from doubt and misgiving, and therein is kindled the fire of the love of God, and they speak forth that there is no God but Him and that He Who hath come with the truth is indeed a manifest sovereign.

Say: O people! Do ye doubt the Cause of God after He hath appeared with the truth with a mighty proof? Look ye at the proofs of the Prophets of old—have ye heard of an Appearance greater than this Appearance which hath appeared with the truth? Ponder, then be fair, that ye may take the Beloved as a friend unto yourselves. Cast doubt behind you and misgiving beneath your feet, that ye may soar on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of your Lord, the All-Merciful. This is better for you than what ye possess, and God is witness unto this.

O servant! We behold thee wavering between two paths. Hearken unto the call of thy Lord and say: In the Name of God and by God! Then turn to the right. Thus have We ordained for thee in a Tablet which was mighty in truth. Beware lest thou deprive thyself of that which hath been ordained for thee. Seek thou in the days of thy Lord a way unto Him.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the waters of Thy bounty which flowed from the clouds of Thy mercy and the heaven of Thy favors, whereby Thou didst purify whom Thou didst will from the dust of disobedience, that Thou mayest purify my heart from all doubt and misgiving, that I may detach myself wholly from all else save Thee and turn toward the sanctuary of Thy good-pleasure. O Lord! I have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounty and clung to the hem of the robe of Thy favor and grace. Deprive me not in these days of the fragrant breezes of Thy contentment, nor from hearing the warbling of the Dove of Thy Cause. And distance me not, O my Beloved, from the shore of the ocean of Thy nearness and presence.

Verily Thou art He Who hath ever been God before all things and will be God after all things. Thou didst create all contingent beings through Thy power and sovereignty and didst clothe them with the garment of existence through Thy command and decree. Then Thou didst cast upon them Thy most exalted Word as Thou didst ordain in the heaven of destiny. Thereby were the pillars of Thy servants shaken and their faces were transformed. Thereupon Thou didst raise Thy right hand and didst take the hands of certain of Thy servants through Thy sovereignty and power, according to what their hands had wrought before, and Thou didst leave other servants through Thy constraint and might.

Those whom Thou didst preserve, Thou didst make them helpers of Thy Cause, turning unto Thy face, drawing nigh unto the sanctuary of Thy union and presence, circling round the Kaaba of Thy beauty, and drinking from the choice wine of Thy bounty and gifts in the days wherein the Hidden Mystery and Thy treasured Secret were made manifest, whereby appeared that which had never appeared in creation. Exalted then be this bounty which hath encompassed all worlds! And those whom Thou didst leave, Thou didst make them manifestations of negation and dawning-places of misbelief, and Thou didst make them accursed in this world and the next, deprived of every good thing and far removed from the gardens of nearness and reunion.

Therefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by this power which Thou hast extended over the worlds, that Thou make me not to hesitate in Thy Cause. Strengthen me through Thy sovereignty that I may pass over the Bridge through Thy might and power and bounty and grace, that my face may shine between earth and heaven and I may be mentioned among the Concourse on High as one of the people of Baha. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest and Thou art encompassing all things and knowing and seeing Thy servants.

BH01961: Blessed be thy days which have been joined…

In the Name of God, the Wondrous!

Blessed be thy days which have been joined to the Days of God, and blessed be thine ear in that it hath heard wondrous melodies of glory. Blessed be thy faithfulness in that thou didst associate with He Who beareth My name, Who came unto you in days when every upright man was shaken. Through thee was the name of faithfulness adorned. Moreover, thou art he who gave shelter to the Manifestation of Our name, the All-Bountiful, when He came unto thee in grievous days. Say: God did verily deliver Him through the truth and aid Him with a sovereignty from His presence when He was in prison, and brought Him forth through His grace, and preserved Him through the hosts of heaven and earth, until He caused Him to enter the seat of a mighty throne. He attained the presence of the Countenance, and the lights of Beauty shone upon Him from the Dayspring of Glory. Thus doth God single out whom He willeth through His grace, and He, verily, hath power over all things.

Say: O people! We forewarned you aforetime of the tribulation that would occur in the days of adversity, that your souls might not be troubled at its appearance. Thus was the matter decreed in the Tablet. Say: The Spirit—were it not to be sacrificed in the path of God, would it profit you in aught? Nay, by His very Self, were ye but to know. Blessed is he who hath sacrificed himself in God’s path and ascended unto a sublime heaven of glory. They who were not corrupted and were martyred—these have attained the heights of the Ridvan and say:

“Praise be to God Who hath fulfilled His promise to us and made us inherit Paradise, and hath severed us from every remote misbeliever.”

Were We to lift the veil, the people would assuredly be drawn away from their souls in their longing for the Concourse on High, and God is witness to this.

Say: O people! Mock not those who have been afflicted with trials in God’s path. These are among the most exalted of creation, and through them doth mercy descend upon the peoples of the world, were ye but to know. Is one who eats and sits at ease like unto him who lieth under chains and fetters in God’s path? Nay, by your Lord, the Mighty, the Most High! To this doth every just and discerning one bear witness. Say: O people! Consider ye the story of ʿAli, when he came with the truth and delivered My messages, until he was martyred in My love with manifest joy. Then look upon those who believed in him—among them were those who were slain, those who were imprisoned, and those who forsook wealth and children and took unto God a path. All of these did We favor with Our favors, and We caused the believers to attain unto the most exalted and wondrous station of glory. Such hath been Our way in the past and in the future, and no change wilt thou find in Our way. Say: We desire that which ye flee from, as doth every informed and certain one.

Blessed art thou, O youth who sittest upon the throne of love! Then mercy be upon thee from the presence of One mighty and wise. Whoso hath love for the Youth in his heart is young though a thousand years should pass over him, while he who is deprived thereof is in the depths of age though he be in the prime of youth. Thus hath the Most High Pen inscribed upon this snow-white tablet from the presence of One all-knowing. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then convey unto the people that which thou hast been commanded in the tablets from the presence of One wise. Be thou assured in thyself—by God, thou art with Me in a praiseworthy and glorious station. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy sons and thy daughter and those who are with thee. By My life! They are none other than in a garden of delight.

BH01976: This is a Book from the Prisoner to him…

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most High, the Most Exalted.

This is a Book from the Prisoner to him who believed in the Spirit in His days and was quickened by the Most Great Word whereby all who are in the heavens and earth were terrified, except the servants of God, the near ones, whose faces shine between the heavens and earth even as the face of the sun shineth from a horizon of manifest glory. These are servants whose faces were not changed on the Day when the faces of those who hesitated in God’s Cause, the King, the Mighty, the Great, were darkened. These are servants the like of whom the eye of creation hath not seen, and through them the clouds of inner meanings were raised up and rained upon the breasts of the chosen ones that which purified them from the allusions of the deniers.

Know then that most of the people of the Bayan rose up against God and denied Him in Whom they had believed, and were among the lost. Say: O people, do ye imagine within yourselves that ye believed in the Revelation of ʿAli (the Bab)? Nay, by His Self, the All-Knowing, the Wise! For had ye believed in Him, ye would not have denied these verses which have descended from the heaven of mighty glory. Say: Fear God and wrong not the Manifestation of His Cause. He hath indeed come to you with the truth and calleth you unto it, desiring naught save to draw you nigh unto God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old. Fear God, O people, and dispute not about the verses of God after their revelation. Purify your ears from that which ye have heard that ye may hearken unto the melodies of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous, the Inaccessible. Say: O people, do ye adduce God’s verses to prove what is with you, and then slay His very Self? What aileth you, O heedless ones!

And thou, O servant, hearken unto the words of thy Lord, then detach thyself from all else besides Him, then thank Him at all times for having caused thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Self and made thee one of the sincere ones. Then convey the Cause of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance, that perchance the people may remember the mention of their Creator and be of the steadfast. God hath prescribed unto everyone the duty of teaching His Cause. Verily there is no Commander but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all are preserved with Him in a mighty Book.

Grieve not over any matter but place thy trust in all things in Him. He sendeth down what is ordained for every soul, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Not an atom’s weight escapeth His knowledge, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earths. Remember thy Lord throughout all days and be not veiled from Him. Indeed His remembrance is better than whatsoever hath been created in the realm of existence, wert thou of them that know. Through His remembrance souls find peace and the hearts of them that remember are gladdened.

Then remember this Prisoner and what hath befallen Him from those who circled round Him at eventide and at dawn. Thus hath God revealed what was hidden in their breasts before His servants who seek Him. He who prided himself on My name and whom We taught throughout days and nights hath pronounced sentence of death against Me out of hatred for God Who created him and created all things by His firm and mighty command.

And if thou findest the loved ones of God, remind them from Me, then glorify God before their faces, that perchance through this glorification they may turn with their hearts to the court of their Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate, and that they may remember My tribulation and My grief and My imprisonment and My trials at the hands of these oppressors. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have laid hold on the Sure Handle in the days of God, the King, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And praise be to God, the Beloved of them that know.

BH01977: O Mulla Baqir! In the Name of God…

O Mulla Baqir! In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Most High! This is an epistle from the Prisoner unto him who hath believed in God and hath been numbered among those who profess His unity in the Tablets.

O servant! Hearken unto the call of this Wronged One from the precincts of thy Lord’s throne, the All-Merciful, that He may purify thee from the allusions of the peoples of the worlds, and sanctify thee from the manifestations of Satan, and cause thee to turn toward the countenance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and enable thee to soar in an atmosphere which God hath sanctified from the winds of every malicious misbeliever.

Say: O people! By God, the Truth, the Most Great Treasure of God hath appeared, and the Primal Point hath been detailed, and the dominion of God hath been manifested with sovereign might and majesty. Fear ye God, O people, and be God-fearing in this Cause. If ye believe not in Him, oppose Him not, nor be ye tyrannical and wretched. He hath sacrificed His soul for all who are in the heavens and on earth out of His love for God Who created all things by His command—thus hath it been sent down in tablets of mighty, impregnable glory.

Say: Verily the Sun of the Primal One hath risen in truth from this Most Glorious Horizon and calleth out to you: O people! Be ye ashamed before My beauty and deny not Him of Whom We informed you in all the Tablets—but for Him I would not have revealed a single letter nor uttered a single word, and God is witness unto this.

Say: When He appeared in truth, the ungodly opposed Him and spoke concerning Him that which those who disbelieved before had not spoken, and were rebellious against their Lord’s command. Know then that God created the tongue for remembrance and utterance—emerge thou from behind the veils of silence and speak in praise of thy Lord. He will verily protect thee through hosts of the unseen with mighty power.

We have forbidden the servants from discord and corruption and commanded them to unity, yet they have abandoned that which they were bidden and committed that which they were forbidden in a mighty tablet. Say: O people! Fear ye God and commit not that which ye have been forbidden, for God hath sent Me to gather you upon an ancient shore of glory and draw you nigh unto the Self of the All-Merciful and bring you to a station wherefrom the Sun of utterance was witnessed from its horizon. I desire naught from you, for My reward is with Him Who sent Me and commissioned Me with the truth with manifest sovereignty.

And thou—arise thou in the Cause of God and His remembrance, leave all else behind thee, and place thy trust in Him. He will suffice thee against all who dwell on earth.

Say: O concourse of unbelievers! Die in your wrath! The clouds have been rent asunder and the Youth hath come with the hosts of divine inspiration with a white radiance that shineth with truth. Those who have denied these verses while claiming to believe in what was revealed in the Bayan—by God, the Primal Point curseth them and all things laugh at them, and none denieth this save one whose heart is aflame with the fire of hatred and hath taken Satan as his path.

I complain unto thee of those who have wrought corruption in the earth without leave from Us, and for this reason have We withheld the Tablets from being sent to every discerning believer. Be thou assured by thy Lord’s grace, then gaze upon thy Lord’s countenance, the Most High, with penetrating vision. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth that thou mayest be at peace within thyself and stand firm in the truth.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves from all else and have ascended to a luminous and glorious station.