Volume 039: Edirne III (year unknown, 1864–1868) (2 of 6)

BH03070: Verily thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted…

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

Verily thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, from this Most Glorious Horizon calleth unto all who are in earth and heaven, saying:

“Behold Me, for I am your Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. Then turn your hearts toward My direction, for I am the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Then ask of Me whatsoever ye desire, for none hath ever been disappointed at the door of My mercy, and I am the Bestower, the Munificent, the Mighty, the Powerful. Let him who is poor become enriched through My wealth, for I am the Self-Sufficient, independent of all worlds. Let him who is sick seek healing from My ocean of healing, for I am the Healer, the One Who maketh whole, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Let him who is sorrowful rejoice through My grace and loving-kindness, for I am the Ruler over all that I will.”

O servant! Know thou that We have ordained joy and gladness for Our near servants, while We have ordained for Our own Self sorrows in the path of the All-Merciful—and God is witness to this. We desired for you tranquility in your homelands, while for Myself exile and imprisonment, even as I am imprisoned in this remote prison. Arise to promote the Cause of God, then summon the people to this mighty, irrevocable Command, that perchance they may purify their ears from the croaking of the idolaters and hear the call of God from this luminous, shining horizon, and may detach themselves from the world and its vain imaginings, and follow the path of certitude.

Say: O people! Have ye occupied yourselves with the world and become heedless of the Beloved of the worlds? By God! Were ye to behold with the eye of God, ye would sacrifice yourselves in the path of the Youth, then hasten with your hearts to this straight path. Thus have We commanded thee that thou mayest assist thy Lord to the extent of thy power, and this is a bounty from Us unto thee. Soon shalt thou witness and be assured, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord with manifest constancy.

Convey Our remembrance to thy son who hath been named with the first of My names, and give him the glad-tidings of My remembrance of him, that the dove of his Lord’s love, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, may warble within his breast. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon him and upon the servants of God who are detached.

BH03073: O Most Exalted Pen! Move in remembrance…

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate!

O Most Exalted Pen! Move in remembrance of the name of My servant Rahim, that he may be attracted by God’s remembrance of him and be illumined in these days when darkness hath overtaken all who dwell on earth, save those who have attained to the recognition of their Lord and are counted among those who have turned towards Him.

O Rahim! Know thou that thy Lord’s mercy hath preceded all created things, and of His mercy is His remembrance of thee, if thou be of them that understand. By His remembrance are drawn the hearts of them that have attained. He who is heedless of thy Lord’s remembrance is but an infant in the Book, sucking from the breast of ignorance the milk of doubt and misgiving, and is accounted among the lost.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having attained unto His recognition and turned towards Him after His servants who are veiled had turned away. Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in all matters in God, the Almighty, the Powerful. Guard thou the shop which hath been opened in Our name for pilgrims, and which is known by My name, if thou be of them that understand. Then strive to manage and improve its affairs. Whosoever returneth unto it returneth unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to what thou hast been bidden by One All-Wise, All-Informed.

Blessed art thou for having attained the presence of God, for having heard His melodies, for having been illumined by the lights of His beauty, for having attained His presence and been numbered among the successful ones. Be thou not perturbed by anything, but place thy trust in thy Lord at all times. He, verily, aideth those who have desired His Face and assisteth His steadfast servants. They who have disbelieved in God in this Revelation shall be consumed by the fire of negation and desire, and shall not be among those who perceive. And they who have believed—upon them shall pray the denizens of the seen and unseen realm, and this truthful and trustworthy Tongue.

Sanctify thyself from the allusions of them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, lest the cawing of Satan affect thee. Seek assistance from God, thy Lord, then place thy reliance in Him rather than in others, for He sufficeth thee against all created things. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, and be not of the heedless ones.

And the glory which hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity be upon thee and upon every assured and perceiving one.

BH03086: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful! These are the verses of God, the King, the Truth, the Manifest Justice, unto him who was guided by the guidance of the Spirit and turned toward the holy precincts until he entered the spot of Paradise after the Sun of Grandeur and Glory had set therefrom, and he lamented with the lamentation of those who have lost.

O servant! Know thou that thy yearning in separation from the Luminary of the horizons when He departed from the precincts of Iraq was greater in the sight of God than the worship of most of the servants. Thus have We distinguished thee with the truth, and verily We have power over all things. We were with thee and heard thy cry and thy yearning, and We have ordained for thee in the Tablets a reward that was truly great. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord and grieve not for anything, but place thy trust in God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Generous. God hath written down for thee the reward of one who attained the presence of the Countenance and won the meeting with his Lord. Verily, He doth not suffer to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

Arise in the Cause of God, then strive within thyself that there may be manifested from thee that which will raise up the Cause of thy Lord amongst His heedless servants. For God hath prescribed for every soul the teaching of His Cause, and He loveth that there should appear from the Lote-Trees of existence the fruits of wisdom and utterance. Thus hath He willed by His command—there is no God but He, the All-Knowing, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Purposing.

Arise to serve God and say: “O people of the Bayan! Your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath come with manifest sovereignty. Fear ye God and deny not Him for Whose path the blood of those near unto God was shed.” Say: “Verily, He Who came unto you by the name of ʿAli was the Herald of this Most Great, Most Glorious Manifestation, and His Most Exalted Pen moved only in My remembrance and praise, and there flowed from His ink naught but this wise Remembrance, until He sacrificed His soul in My love that ye might not commit in the time of the Manifestation what the people of the Furqan, and before them the people of the Torah and the Gospel, committed.” Thus doth the Pen of Command instruct thee. Act thou according to what thou hast been commanded and be not of the heedless ones.

And the mercy which hath descended from the heaven of grandeur upon thee and upon the detached servants of God.

BH03139: The fire of the All-Merciful from the Divine Lote-Tree…

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

The fire of the All-Merciful from the Divine Lote-Tree in the human realm blazeth forth in truth in this Ridvan, and every ember thereof proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him, and that He, verily, hath ever been independent of all worlds. Through it the warmth of the love of the Beloved is kindled in hearts, and the Beloved draweth souls unto an exalted and impregnable sanctuary. Through it are the hearts of lovers set aflame, and they become detached from all else. Thus hath the decree been inscribed in truth by the Most Exalted Pen upon the White Tablet.

God well knoweth that thou hast been set aflame by this fire and hast been attracted by the melodies of God. Preserve thou the fire, lest it be extinguished by the waters of idle fancies of those who have denied God and been deprived of the breezes of holiness. Arise to promote the Cause of God and convey unto men these tidings which have caused all who are in the heavens and on earth to tremble, save those whom God hath protected through His manifest sovereignty.

Say: O people! The test hath come to you from the direction of your Lord, the All-Merciful, and at this moment the idolaters are in great turmoil. Say: This trial is a trial for those who have not drunk from the cup of certitude offered by the Youth of the All-Merciful, Who was sent forth from the light of the Throne. As to those who have partaken thereof, their feet shall never slip from aught, for they are they who have taken for themselves a secure station beneath the shadow of the All-Merciful. Neither the tempests of trials nor the storms of tribulations can move them, for they are preserved within the stronghold of God’s protection. Upon them do the dwellers of Paradise shower their blessings, morning and evening.

Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth and revealed unto thee that which rejoiceth thy heart and the hearts of all who are endowed with insight. Convey thou the greetings from God unto the faces of them that have believed in God and are steadfast in His Cause. Lead thou the people into the religion of God and tarry not even for a moment, for this is the glory of the servant in this Day wherein God hath brought forth a wondrous Cause. Gather thou My loved ones together and be thou their helper in all things.

And upon thee, and upon thy son and daughter, rest the glory that proceedeth from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. And praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.

BH03144: This is a letter from Him Who is imprisoned…

In the name of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

This is a letter from Him Who is imprisoned to one who has believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Worship none but Him, and be detached from those who are veiled. Verily those who have denied God in these days are burning in the fire. If thou wouldst look with the eye of certainty, thou wouldst see them wailing and lamenting in the fire. But those who have believed, these are in the mercy of their Lord and are rejoicing in the holy Ridvan, while the maidens of Paradise wait upon them and they delight in the fruits of divine knowledge.

Know thou that God hath prescribed for every soul the teaching of His Cause. Arise to teach His Cause and fear not those who have denied God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say: O people, cross over the bridge and tarry not around it. Fear God and turn not back. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath appeared with the truth. Beware that ye delay not. Hasten to the remembrance of God and His Cause, and be not of those who hesitate. Thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin you, if ye would hear. If ye hear, it is for your own sake, and if ye turn away, verily He is independent of you and of what was and what will be.

Turn thy face toward the holy court and say: O my God and my Beloved! Deprive me not in these days of the breezes of Thy mercy and the melodies of the Dove of Thy gracious favors. Make me ever looking toward Thee and detached from all else besides Thee. Then send down upon me what Thou hast ordained for me and withhold not from me what is with Thee. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Protecting, the Most High, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O my God! How can I be at rest in my place when I witness that Thy Beloved is imprisoned among the tyrannous ones of Thy creation and the rebellious among Thy creatures? And how can I rejoice within myself when the winds of sorrow blow from the direction of Thy mighty throne? And how can I preserve myself when Thy Self was beneath the claws of those who denied Thee from time immemorial? I therefore beseech Thee by this and by what is with Thee that Thou make me not heedless of what hath befallen Him, that I may mention His tribulations and afflictions among Thy servants. There is no God but Thee, the All-Giving, the Most High, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH03146: This is a letter from the servant to those…

In the Name of our Lord, the Helper

This is a letter from the servant to those who have been illumined by the lights of their Lord’s countenance, the Mighty, the Bestower, who have detached themselves from the world and whatever was created therein, and who have turned with spirit and fragrance toward the Dayspring of the Cause.

O servant! Hear My call from the direction of the prison that there is none other God but Him, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Compassionate. Detach thyself from all else save God and arise to aid His Cause in these days wherein most of the people have veiled themselves from Him Who came to them from the Dayspring of the Command with power and sovereignty. Soon shall they say:

“Oh, woe unto us for what we neglected toward God and for our heedlessness and loss!”

Hear thou My words and avoid those who have taken the Evil One as their lord instead of God—they are but the companions of delusion.

Say: O people! Cast not the ordinances of God behind your backs. Fear ye the Day when souls shall be convulsed and foundations shall tremble. He commands you only that which draws you nigh unto Him. Fear God and be not of those who have shown pride toward God. Take for yourselves a path to the Divine good-pleasure. Beware, O people, lest ye transgress what hath been ordained in God’s Book and follow every doubting idolater.

O people! Hesitate not in this Cause—it hath appeared in truth from God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. Purify your ears to hearken unto the Word of God, then your hearts from the mention of aught else, that the revelations of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Glorious, may be imprinted upon them.

Would that thou hadst been with Us in those days and discovered what was concealed within the veils of power and grandeur! But what was decreed hath been decreed by thy Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Be content with what God hath decreed for thee and say:

“Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name whereby Thou hast guided them that know unto the court of Thy good-pleasure and them that are sincere unto the realm of Thy decree, that Thou leave me not to myself and my desires. Raise me up through Thy sovereignty to the heights of knowledge that I may know Thee by Thy Self and detach myself from all else besides Thee. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest and verily Thou art the Protector, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.”

BH03147: This is an epistle from the Prisoner to him…

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

This is an epistle from the Prisoner to him who hath been guided by the lights of the Spirit in this Dawn which hath been illumined by the splendors of the Countenance, and who hath been attracted by the melodies of his Lord in days which were promised in the Tablet.

Blessed art thou for having tasted of the fruits of the Tree of God in this Springtime wherein the temples of them that are detached were adorned with the ornament of a wondrous Name.

Say: O people! Were ye troubled for your own sakes in the days of tribulation after We had forewarned you thereof in a mighty and impregnable Tablet? Say: We loved the Spirit and preserved it that We might sacrifice it in the path of God—and God Himself is witness to what I say—and besides this nothing profiteth Us, nor would We turn Our attention to it for less than a moment. Say: O people! Were We to lift the veil from your faces, ye would sacrifice your very souls with your own hands that ye might attain the station which was raised up in truth through the Word of God. Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear your Lord, the All-Merciful, and deny not Him at whose mention alone the Most Exalted Pen hath moved. Consider what hath been revealed in the Bayan, that ye may perchance find a way unto God. Say: Reflect within yourselves for less than a moment why We have remained in this prison and borne what no other among all creation hath borne, that ye may arise from the slumber of vain desire and turn towards this Sun which hath dawned above the horizon of grace with manifest splendor.

Know thou that We had previously sent down verses unto thee and dispatched them to thee, but they who were heedless intervened between thee and them, and committed that which they were forbidden in a preserved Tablet. Grieve thou not, but be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor, for verily He is with thee and guardeth thee through His sovereign might, and He, verily, hath power over all things. Aid thy Lord to the extent of thy power—thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin thee at a time when sorrows have encompassed it from every direction and it remaineth solitary amidst the idolaters.

And glory be upon thee and upon them that are with thee, who have detached themselves from all directions and turned with radiant faces toward the Dayspring of Revelation.

BH03186: O Nabil, before Sadiq! Hearken unto what is revealed…

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

O Nabil, before Sadiq! Hearken unto what is revealed unto thee from the right hand of the Throne, which is better for thee than all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. He, verily, there is none other God but Him. His are the greatness and grandeur, the power and transcendent sovereignty. He giveth life and causeth death, then causeth death and giveth life, and He, verily, is the Self-Subsisting in His Own Being, the Self-Sufficient in His Essence, exalted above the comprehension of all created things.

O Pen of Command! Make mention in the Tablet of that which Satan uttered in those days when he said unto his hosts:

“Come ye and help me, that your names may endure upon the earth.”

Thus did he whisper into the breasts of the idolaters. Say: O thou who associateth partners with God! Did his name profit Pharaoh upon the earth, or Nimrod by that which the servants make mention of him? Nay, by Him Who holdeth my soul in His hands! Nothing profited them, and they are now among those brought before the fire.

Say: O people! Consider his followers. By God! They worship names and perceive it not. Nay, were ye to ponder upon them, ye would find them to be worshippers of their own names. Thus hath it been sent down in truth, that ye may be among those who understand. Look, then, upon him and those who follow him. Woe unto him and unto them! They shall soon return to their abode in the nethermost depths. By God, the Truth! They soar in the atmosphere of vain imaginings and worship vain imaginings, and their purpose in what they do is none other than to lead astray those who have turned towards the Most Sublime Vision and were of them that drew nigh.

Say: O people! Guard yourselves against these ones, then take refuge in God from their scheming. Thus doth your Lord command you in a preserved Tablet of might. Detach yourselves from them and hold fast unto God, your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: We have sufficed with God apart from all else, and become independent through Him from all creation. Thus have We taught thee in truth that thou mayest be possessed of clear certitude.

Verily, for those who are steadfast in this Cause, a mighty station hath been ordained, and they are indeed among the most exalted of creation in the sight of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old.

And glory be upon thee and upon those who have been illumined by this Sun which hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH03191: O Handmaiden of God, Ruhani! In My Name…

O Handmaiden of God, Ruhani! In My Name, the Most Spiritual! O fragrant flower of remembrance and spiritual in title! Hearken to the call that hath been raised from the direction of thy Lord’s Throne, the Most High, the Most Great. Verily, through the call of God are drawn the hearts of the pure ones, and were all who are in the heavens and earth to hear it, they would detach themselves from all things and turn toward the precincts of the Throne, the seat whereon thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, is established.

Blessed is thy tongue for having been loosened in remembrance of thy Lord, and thy heart for having recognized thy Lord, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Praiseworthy. That which thou didst compose out of love for God, the Beloved of those who know Him, hath come before the Countenance, and unto it were directed the glances of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be thou steadfast in thy love for thy Lord, then speak forth His remembrance and praise amongst His devoted handmaidens, that they may be drawn to the Dayspring of the Countenance, this hallowed and luminous horizon. Verily thy Lord is with thee under all conditions and will aid thee through utterance in remembrance of His Self, the Most Merciful. He, verily, is powerful over all things. Speak thou! Remember thou! Be thou devoted! This is better for thee than all the treasures of earth. Thus doth thy Lord testify with a wondrous tongue of truth.

Turn thy face toward the precincts of the Throne and say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Master and my Beloved, for having caused me to recognize the Manifestation of Thy Most Exalted Self in this latter resurrection, and for having enabled me to voice His praise between earth and heaven. I beseech Thee then, by Thy Beauty through which were gladdened the eyes of the denizens of the most exalted Paradise, not to deprive me of what lieth with Thee of Thy great gifts and mighty favors. Thou, verily, art powerful to do what Thou willest, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thus doth command thee the Beloved One Who is imprisoned in the land of exile through what the hands of the iniquitous have wrought. Convey from Us Our greetings upon the countenance of thy father and mother, and upon those handmaidens who have believed in God, the True King, the Manifest Justice. The Spirit be upon thee, then the Glory be upon thee, then the Light be upon thee from the presence of One mighty and beauteous. Blessed are the handmaidens who hearken to thy melodies in remembrance of thy Lord, and blessed are Our successful handmaidens and successful servants.

BH03193: O servant! Know thou the value of these days…

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

O servant! Know thou the value of these days. By God! The eyes of those gone before have not witnessed their like, nor shall the eyes of those to come behold their equal. Know that this Revelation hath no peer nor likeness. God hath sanctified it above all semblances and similitudes, and none knoweth this save Our sincere servants. Seize thou its worth, then seek thy Lord’s grace therein, and be in manifest joy and delight. Grieve thou for naught save My imprisonment and tribulation, and weep not except for separation from Me. Thus doth this Most Holy, Most Exalted Pen command thee.

Be thou so steadfast in thy Lord’s Cause that the words of men shall not affect thee. Cast behind thee every mention and hold fast to the remembrance of the name of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Purify thy heart from all allusions, then make it a receptacle for the love of My Name, the All-Merciful, and be not of the heedless. Guard thyself lest the whisperings of Satan change thee. Seek aid in the remembrance of God, thy Lord, then draw strength from His power and sovereignty, and hold fast to His strong cord. Forget not His covenant, and consort not with those on whose faces thou findest the darkness of fire. Be companion to My loved ones whose faces shine with the radiance of bliss.

Taste thou the sweetness of utterance from that which the Pen of the All-Merciful hath set in motion, for He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth through His firm, wondrous command. Restrain thyself from that which thou art forbidden, then be content with what hath been ordained for thee in the heaven of God, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Preserve what hath been sent down to thee from the heaven of grace, then recite it throughout the days and be not of the heedless ones. Verily thy Lord is with thee, exalting whom He willeth as He pleaseth, and strengthening those who have believed as He desireth.

Convey Our glorification to thy mother’s face, then gladden her with tidings of My good-pleasure, My grace, My loving-kindness and My mercy that have preceded all the worlds. And glory be upon the people of glory whose faces are illumined by the lights of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

BH03221: God makes mention of His servant that he may…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous!

God makes mention of His servant that he may find joy in His remembrance. O Karim! Hearken unto the call of this Prisoner. He verily heard thy cry at the time when thou didst respond to His Cause, and He is, in truth, the All-Knowing. Know thou that God hath accepted thy turning unto Him and hath inscribed thy name upon a Tablet that was, in truth, magnificent—among those who attained the presence of His Countenance, and heard His call, and were blessed with His meeting, and were honored thereby, and were illumined by the lights of His resplendent face. Blessed art thou for having attained unto this most exalted station and this most glorious state. He, verily, is merciful towards His servants.

We bear witness that thou hast visited the Sanctuary of God and circumambulated the Kaaba of His Cause—and this is assuredly a great bounty. Guard thou My affairs and be not impatient regarding them. Thus doth the Pen of Glory command thee from the presence of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. There hath been ordained for thee in the All-Glorious Paradise a noble station.

Make mention of Me in My land, that I may make mention of thee in My heaven. Then hold fast unto the cord of My bounties, for it will lead thee to a station of sublime glory. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to recognize Him and for having made His Self known unto thee, after every remote misbeliever had opposed Him. Be thou steadfast in My love, then be thou enkindled with this Fire through which the heart of every insightful mystic hath been set ablaze.

How wonderful is this bounty which hath appeared in truth and encompassed both small and great! Say: O people! Deprive not yourselves thereof, and deny not Him to Whose sovereignty and grandeur the denizens of the all-highest Paradise and the realities of all things bear witness. Tarry not upon the path—pass ye beyond it, and be not tyrannous transgressors. Say: Have mercy upon yourselves and oppose not Him—for whoso opposeth Him is cursed by the inhabitants of Paradise and by those who bear the Throne of thy Lord with manifest power.

Associate with My loved ones and shun Mine enemies. Thus doth the Pen of might and glory command thee. And the Glory be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves from the world and have laid hold on a handle that is sure.

BH03222: The remembrance of God from the Divine Lote-Tree was…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Help in Peril

The remembrance of God from the Divine Lote-Tree was at that time raised up, even as My call was raised from the Sinaitic Tree unto Moses, He Who conversed with God, that “There is none other God but Him” and verily He encompasseth all things. Say: We have sent forth the Word in human temple and adorned it with the ornament of Mine own Self amidst the Concourse of Names, and thus was the matter decreed in the preserved tablets of glory. Say: He is the Creator of names—beware, O people, lest ye be veiled by them from Him Who created them by His command, and whoso is veiled is recorded before the Throne as among the worshippers of names.

Say: O people, drink ye the water of life from the hands of the mercy of your Lord, the All-Merciful, in this Paradise which hath been made manifest at the heart of creation as a testimony to the truth. Say: This indeed is the Youth of God among you Who calleth you unto Him and reciteth unto you verses which were sent down in truth with the truth, and Who awaiteth at every moment what hath been ordained for Him in the tablets of decree, if ye be aware of this. And at every moment He saith: O my God! Leave Me not in the midst of these ones, but raise Me up unto Thee, for verily Thou hast power over all things.

And Thou knowest, O my God, that most of the servants desire to shed My blood, and I have longed for what they desire, and verily Thou art knowing of Thy creation. They love Me not and I love them not—so separate between Me and them, for verily Thou art wise over all things.

O servant who art mentioned! Blessed art thou in that thou hast drunk from the Salsabil of certitude and turned with thy heart to a station which was in truth praiseworthy. Remember thou My tribulations and afflictions, then speak in praise of thy Lord, and He will aid thee in His Cause, for verily He hath ever been nigh unto the doers of good. We make mention of thee in truth, and at this moment the breezes of remembrance which were sent from the paradise of the Command unto the worlds shall draw thee. And glory be upon thee and upon those with thee who have turned toward the holy precincts and were drawn by the melodies of God.

BH03233: Glorified be He before Whom all in the heavens…

In the Name of our Lord, the Self-Subsisting!

Glorified be He before Whom all in the heavens and earth bow down in worship—among them are those who have recognized Him and prostrate themselves before His luminous, holy, and resplendent countenance, and among them are those who worship Him yet know Him not and remain among the heedless. Say: O people, this is a servant of God among you who was lying upon his couch when the breezes of your Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Beautiful, awakened him and raised him up to His Cause, causing him to speak forth in praise of His Self among the worlds. He commands you to that which God, your Beloved and the Beloved of those who know, has commanded, and forbids you that which you were forbidden in God’s ancient and revealed Book.

Say: He has sacrificed his spirit in His path and conveyed that which he was commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The multitude of enemies did not deter him after they all rose up against him and sought to shed his blood without any proof or clear Book. He spoke at all times what the Spirit commanded him, to which every fair-minded and informed one bears witness. He now stands before the hands of enemies, awaiting what has been ordained for him in the preserved Tablets of glory.

Say: He has commanded you only to that which would purify your souls from the turbidities of self and passion, yet you heeded not his word and followed the ways of the corrupt. In all the Tablets He forbade you to shed blood, yet you committed that which violated His sanctity before all creation. Fear God, O people, and spread not corruption in the land after its reformation, and cast not the ways of God behind your backs, and be not of those who forsake them. Act according to what you were commanded in all the Tablets, then abandon what you were forbidden—this is better for you, were you of those who perceive.

O servant! Rejoice within yourself at what has been mentioned in this Tablet and be of those who are gladdened. We beseech God to assist you in His Cause and those who have turned to His shining and luminous countenance. And the Spirit be upon you and upon those who have heeded God’s counsel and were among the detached ones. And praise be to God, the Beloved of those who know.

BH03251: Your letter has come before Us and We found…

He is the Most Manifest

Your letter has come before Us and We found from it the fragrance of your love for your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. We beseech God to assist you in His Cause, to purify you from those who have disbelieved, to sanctify you from all that His good-pleasure abhors, to make you pure for His Own Self, the Mighty, the Wondrous, to draw you nigh unto Him and to cause you to enter the pavilion wherein shineth His holy, radiant and luminous countenance, and to grant you His presence in all ages. This indeed is a great bounty.

And if you wish to know what hath befallen Me in this Prison at the hands of the hosts of the idolaters, know that the Ancient Beauty hath been afflicted at the hands of the people of the Bayan, these idolaters, even as ʿAli was afflicted at the hands of the people of the Furqan, and Muhammad at the hands of the people of the Gospel, and the Spirit at the hands of the Jews. Thus was the matter decreed against this lonely Wronged One.

Then know that from Shin three, then Fa, Nun and Kha and Sin, then Qaf and Ya, and the first, then the second and the third, and Shin—they were sent in a temple and rose up against Me in battle. The curse of God be upon his vile and accursed temple! By God the Truth, I know not how to recount what befell Me on the day he sought to kill Me, and on the day he complained of Me, and on the day he sent his wife before the rulers where she complained of this Youth, that they might decree for him that which would satisfy the belly of the greedy one—and verily it shall not be satisfied except by the fire in his abode. Evil indeed is the abode of the deniers! All things weep for Me, for by his actions the sanctity of God hath been violated amongst all created things.

But grieve not for what hath befallen Us, for this is God’s way with His chosen ones in centuries past. Therefore be patient, show forth patience, then stand firm in the Cause. He will verily aid thee with the truth, and He is the Helper of the chosen ones.

And upon thee be glory, and upon those with thee. Convey Our greetings to the faces of those who are with thee among God’s sincere servants.

BH03271: In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable…

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy! This is a Book from Us to him whom tribulations have touched in the path of God, that the words of his Lord may detach him from all that hath been created in the heavens and on earth and draw him nigh unto God, his Ancient Lord.

O servant! Grieve not for what hath befallen thee, for there hath befallen Us what hath befallen no one before, and thy Lord is, verily, witness to what I say. Be thankful unto thy Lord for having attained unto His recognition and His love, and whoso hath attained His love should glory over all creation.

Know thou that God hath ordained for this Revelation souls whom neither the winds of trials nor the tempests of tests can move. These are among the most exalted of creatures in the Tablet of imperishable glory. They are servants who call all who are on earth behind them and turn toward the countenance of God with pure and illumined hearts. Those who have paused at the stage of names are unable to soar in this holy and wondrous atmosphere.

Say: O people! Purify your hearts from whatsoever can be called a thing, that the evidences of the remembrance of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, may be imprinted thereon from this most luminous Horizon. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen counsel you in this glorious Tablet. Turn not unto the world and its ornaments, for by My life, they shall all perish as decreed in the Tablets of destiny, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: O people! Fear not for yourselves in the path of your Lord. Blessed is the soul that hath been purified for its Lord and hath been martyred in the path of God, the Just King, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He whose face hath been reddened with his blood out of love for God, by God, the faces of the denizens of the most exalted Paradise and then the dwellers of the cities of eternity shall be illumined thereby, and all things bear witness to this, were ye of them that hear.

Thus hath spoken the Tongue of Unity from the right hand of the Throne of Grandeur, as a mercy from Him unto thee and unto the sincere servants of God. And glory be upon thee throughout the eternity of God, the Sovereign, the Everlasting, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, shouldst thou remain steadfast in thy love for Him and be not shaken by the intimations of the idolaters.

BH03273: In the name of God, the Most Beautiful…

In the name of God, the Most Beautiful, the Most Beautiful! This is a Book which hath been sent down in truth and in it is that which draweth people nigh unto God, the Most High, the Most Great. Blessed is he who hath clung to the cord of grace in these days wherein the Sun of Utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, the Most High, the All-Knowing.

Say: O people! Dispute not concerning the verses of God, and deny not Him through Whom the Tree of the Furthermost Boundary hath borne fruit, the heaven of destiny hath been upraised, and the Dove of Eternity hath warbled upon the twigs of the Tree of Paradise—this Most Holy, Most Wondrous, and Most Beauteous Spot. Fear God, O people of the Bayan, and deny not the verses of the All-Merciful which have been sent down in truth with the hosts of revelation from the heaven of God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

They who have denied this Revelation, these have not believed in God from time immemorial, to this all things bear witness, yet the people are in grievous error. Do ye worship the calf and oppose God, the Lord of all worlds?

Say: This is He Who was promised in all the Tablets, if ye be of them that know. And this, verily, is He Who was intended in the Books of God, the Ancient of Days. Say: The Qa’im is he who hath arisen to promote My Cause, and the Guardian is he who hath circled round the Kaaba of My Beauty, and the Imam is he who hath sacrificed his soul in My path, if ye be of them that understand.

And thou, sever thyself from all else but Me, then speak My praise amongst My servants, that perchance they may arise from the sleep of heedlessness and passion, and turn with their hearts to the Perspective of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all creation. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon the sincere servants of God, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

He is the Most Glorious! Stand firm in the Cause of God, then gather the people unto the law of His love lest they differ in the Cause of God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Be thou enkindled that the people may be enkindled through thy love. Thus doth command thee the Pen of Command from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Beware lest thou tarry in rendering assistance. Convey that which hath been revealed unto thee and be not silent in the remembrance of God, the Beloved of the worlds. Convey greetings from thy Lord to thy mother, brother and sister, then to the faces of Our assured servants.

BH03276: This is a Tablet from this servant who glories…

He is the One who abides through the abiding of His Essence

This is a Tablet from this servant who glories in his servitude to God, Who created him by a command from His presence, awakened him from his slumber, and made him among those who remember, unto those who have believed in God and are secure from the greatest terror.

Say: O people! Blessed are ye for having attained unto the recognition of God and the Manifestation of His Self, and for having detached yourselves from the idolaters. Hold fast to the cord of God—verily it is His Most Great, Most Mighty Remembrance. Then call upon Him that He may make you steadfast in His love and protect you from those who have disbelieved in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Verily He hath need of no one, and He is indeed independent of what hath been and what shall be. That which He commandeth His servants is out of His grace, were ye to be among those who know. He desireth for no one save that which will draw him nigh unto the sacred court, the station wherein whosoever entereth will behold himself as a mirror of His beauty, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O people! Detach yourselves from all save God, your Lord, and turn unto Him with radiant countenance. Verily His herald calleth you at all times and summoneth you unto the perspective of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Turn your hearts at all times unto Him and He will suffice you against all created things. In His right hand is a chalice of the Kawthar of immortality and He saith: Come and drink, O people of Baha, and be not of the patient ones. Whoso drinketh a drop therefrom shall abide through the abiding of God, the Most High, the Most Great. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves thereof, for whoso is deprived is in manifest loss.

And thou, O servant, take the chalice with power from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Then drink therefrom in the name of thy Lord and be not of them that hesitate. Though thou hast drunk before—and verily thy Lord is All-Knowing, All-Informed—yet God commandeth thee once again that He may thereby purify thy breast from all allusions and thou mayest attain unto manifest assurance.

The Spirit and glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto Me with a pure and radiant heart.

BH03289: My God, my Well-Beloved! No place is there…

My God, my Well-Beloved! No place is there for any one to flee to when once Thy laws have been sent down, and no refuge can be found by any soul after the revelation of Thy commandments. Thou hast inspired the Pen with the mysteries of Thine eternity, and bidden it teach man that which he knoweth not, and caused him to partake of the living waters of truth from the cup of Thy Revelation and Thine inspiration.

No sooner, however, had the Pen traced upon the tablet one single letter of Thy hidden wisdom, than the voice of the lamentation of Thine ardent lovers was lifted up from all directions. Thereupon, there befell the just what hath caused the inmates of the tabernacle of Thy glory to weep and the dwellers of the cities of Thy revelation to groan.

Thou dost consider, O my God, how He Who is the Manifestation of Thy names is in these days threatened by the swords of Thine adversaries. In such a state He crieth out and summoneth all the inhabitants of Thine earth and the denizens of Thy heaven unto Thee.

Purify, O my God, the hearts of Thy creatures with the power of Thy sovereignty and might, that Thy words may sink deep into them. I know not what is in their hearts, O my God, nor can tell the thoughts they think of Thee. Methinks that they imagine that Thy purpose in calling them to Thine all-highest horizon is to heighten the glory of Thy majesty and power. For had they been satisfied that Thou summonest them to that which will recreate their hearts and immortalize their souls, they would never have fled from thy governance, nor deserted the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness. Clear away, then, the sight of Thy creatures, O my God, that they may recognize Him Who showeth forth the Godhead as One Who is sanctified from all that pertaineth unto them, and Who, wholly for Thy sake, is summoning them to the horizon of Thy unity, at a time when every moment of His life is beset with peril. Had His aim been the preservation of His own Self, He would never have left it at the mercy of Thy foes.

I swear by Thy glory! I have accepted to be tried by manifold adversities for no purpose except to regenerate all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. Whoso hath loved Thee, can never feel attached to his own self, except for the purpose of furthering Thy Cause; and whoso hath recognized Thee can recognize naught else except Thee, and can turn to no one save Thee.

Enable Thy servants, O my God, to discover the things Thou didst desire for them in Thy Kingdom. Acquaint them, moreover, with what He Who is the Origin of Thy most excellent titles hath, in His love for Thee, been willing to bear for the sake of the regeneration of their souls, that they may haste to attain the River that is Life indeed, and turn their faces in the direction of Thy Name, the Most Merciful. Abandon them not to themselves, O my God! Draw them, by Thy bountiful favor, to the heaven of Thine inspiration. They are but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

BH03305: Thus calls out the Tongue of God from behind…

In the Name of God, the Most Wondrous, the Most Glorious!

Thus calls out the Tongue of God from behind the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End, addressing those who dwell on earth and in heaven, saying: Blessed is he who hath found intimacy with My remembrance, who hath recited My verses, who hath spoken in praise of My Self, who hath turned with his heart toward My direction, who hath witnessed the lights of My Beauty from the horizon of My grandeur, who hath been drawn by My fragrances that waft from My paradise, who hath detached himself from all else save Me, who hath placed his trust in My Self, who hath relied upon My sovereignty, who hath clung to the hem of My providence, who hath held fast to the cord of My loving-kindness, who hath found peace in My manifestation, who hath stood firm in My Cause, who hath not been troubled by Mine enemies, who hath departed from the city of fancy through My power, My might and My authority, who hath shattered the idol of conjecture by the strength of My Will, My decree and My transcendence, who hath rent asunder the veils of remoteness through My nearness, My gifts and My favors, and who hath appeared among the servants adorned with My ornaments, My signs, My fragrances and My detachment.

By My Beauty! The inhabitants of the realms of My eternity, the dwellers of the cities of My immortality, and the companions of the depths of My grandeur yearn to meet this servant, and around him circle the Houris of the chambers of My paradise and the chaste maidens of My garden of paradise and good-pleasure. Thus hath the matter been ordained in the tablets of My Will, the volumes of My Purpose, the pages of My Decree, the books of My Judgment, the tablets of My Permission, and the leaves of My firm and impregnable Wisdom.

Blessed art thou, O servant, in that these verses have been sent down unto thee, verses by which the hearts of My chosen ones and the souls of My trusted ones have been drawn. Give thanks unto thy Lord, then recite them that thy self, thy spirit and thine essence may be drawn by them, and that thou mayest be numbered among God’s successful servants. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have heard the melodies of God in these days and were among the successful ones. And praise be to the Beloved of the mystics.

O youth! Accept thou what God, thy Lord, hath decreed, then detach thyself from the idolaters. Say: This is what hath been decreed by our Lord; we are indeed of those who are certain. Convey My greetings unto thy brother and thy family that they may give thanks unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03307: Hearken, O My Name! Then diffuse from the Crimson…

He is the All-Knowing!

Hearken, O My Name! Then diffuse from the Crimson Hill even as musk diffuseth from the Garden of thy Lord, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Powerful, that thou mayest perfume all created things, and that the fragrances of possibility may be scattered abroad, and all may turn unto the face of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Rahim! Come forth from the chambers of stillness and be thou a herald from Our presence amongst the worlds. Detach thyself from thine own self in the path of thy Lord, then migrate to whatsoever land thou desirest in My Name, the All-Desiring, the Triumphant, the Great. And shouldst thou be alone, find solace in the remembrance of thy Lord, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Wise. Verily, if thou hearest what the Beauty of Knowledge hath taught thee, by God thy word would influence all things, nay every firm and lofty mountain. Arise from thy place, then be thou enkindled with this Fire whereby all things have been enkindled, that there might appear from thee the heat of the love of God in the hearts of the believers.

By God, O Rahim! We have found the people of the Bayan in such delusion as cannot be compared with the delusion of anyone in the kingdom. Therefore have the eyes of My inner being wept for My lonely and friendless Self. Say: O people! Aid ye the Youth, for He is the One through Whom your religion hath been exalted, your names uplifted, your power made manifest, and the beauty of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wondrous, hath appeared. O people! Deprive not yourselves of this bounty which hath been raised up in truth. Fear ye God, unto Whom is your return and the resort of all the worlds. Arise by God’s leave, then remind the people of that wherewith the Spirit of Holiness remindeth thee on this luminous night.

O My Name! If thou art poor in weakness, then seek wealth through My Name, the Powerful. If thou art sick in body, then seek healing through My Name, the Healer. If thou art weary in speech, then seek utterance through My sovereignty, the Speaker, the All-Knowing, the Eloquent. And when thou desirest to guide the people unto God, then will the Spirit speak upon thy tongue and there shall flow from thee the fountains of wisdom and utterance, and God is witness to what I say. Thus doth thy Lord give thee glad tidings that thou mayest give glad tidings unto the people of the paradise of a near and glorious presence.

BH03321: In My Name, the Most Glorious, the Most Glorious!

In My Name, the Most Glorious, the Most Glorious!

O Abu-Talib! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from the direction of immortality, then listen to what is revealed unto thee from this Most Glorious Sacred Tree, that thou mayest be steadfast within thyself. Follow the religion of the Spirit in My Cause and turn not unto those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God. Then follow what is sent down unto thee from the Pen of thy Lord.

Know thou that thy father fulfilled his covenant and broke not God’s testament, and followed this Beauty Whom none among creation hath known—to this doth the tongue of thy Lord bear witness. He ascended unto a station which no mystic can ever know and which no eloquent one can ever attain. Thus did We ordain for him in the Book of thy Lord. We raised him to this station because he showed no pride when the Sun of Sanctification dawned from the horizon of this Garment which the idolaters had stained crimson with the blood of hatred. Thus do We relate unto thee from the stories of thy Lord.

When the Beauty of God shone upon him from the horizon of this Countenance, he fell prostrate upon the dust and tarried not for less than a moment. Thus did the mercy of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, precede him, as a grace from the wonders of thy Lord’s bounty.

If thou desirest to soar in this atmosphere wherein the wings of the birds of the divine cloud-realm have never stirred, sanctify thyself from all else save God, thy Lord, that thou mayest be enabled to fly in this Paradise and become acquainted with the mysteries of what was and what shall be, before his gaze returneth unto the handiwork of thy Lord. Thus have We related unto thee the story of Paradise, lest thou render thyself deprived thereof and of the breezes of the All-Merciful, and that perchance thou mayest seek it within thyself and be of those who have sought the House of thy Lord.

However, We are content with thy heart’s intention rather than physical presence, for in that lieth temptation which none knoweth save the Self of thy Lord. Thus have We bestowed upon thee and distinguished thee among Our servants, and We have sent unto thee this Garment that thou mayest find therein the fragrance of thy Lord.

BH03322: O My handmaiden! If thou wert to hear what…

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

O My handmaiden! If thou wert to hear what hath befallen Me, thou wouldst weep and lament. By God, there hath befallen Me that which hath befallen no soul, and the Beloved was in such a state as the Friend was, in truth, a witness.

O My handmaiden! Grieve not for anything, but put thy trust in God, then remember thy Lord in private and in public, for verily His remembrance hath been a companion to them that are devoted to His unity. Despair not of the spirit of God, nor lose hope in His breathings which have been sent, in truth, from the name of the All-Merciful to the peoples of all the worlds. Blessed is he who hath detached himself from all who are in the heavens and on earth, and hath turned with radiant countenance toward God.

Verily the world shall pass away, and what endureth is that which hath been ordained by One mighty and powerful. If He so willeth, He can make all that is on earth endure through a word from His presence, and if He so desireth, He can make it perish through another word, for verily He hath encompassed all things.

He who possesseth the vision of steel perceiveth in the Word of God that which he heard from the angel named Israfil, for through it the breezes of life blow upon the bodies of those who have turned with radiant faces toward God. Likewise doth he witness what he heard from the angel named ʿAzra’il, for through God’s Word are the souls of the idolaters seized, and thus hath the matter been decreed in a preserved tablet.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, be patient and grieve not, then strive within thyself that there may appear from thee that which will exalt the sanctity of the Cause, and that thou mayest be among those women who have turned with all their being toward the Mighty, the Beautiful. We have been with thee and have heard thy remembrance and thy call, and verily thy Lord hath been unto thee the best helper and assistant. Be thou steadfast in the love of God, then let His remembrance suffice thee in place of the remembrance of all the worlds. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have taken, beneath the shadow of their Lord’s mercy, a station that was, in truth, sublime.

BH03348: O Zamani! Hearken to the call from around…

In the Name of God, the Most Glorious

O Zamani! Hearken to the call from around the Shrine of God—there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Grieve not over any matter concerning thy Lord. Soon shall the carpet of the world be rolled up by the command of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Know thou that the letter “Z” is among the letters of My Name, the Sanctified. We have made it the forefront of thy name—know this and be of the thankful ones. And We have made it an adornment of thy name among the worlds. It behooveth thee to be sanctified, that thou mayest reflect this Great Name. Know thou that God’s purpose in this Name is the sanctification of the soul from His enemies. Thus hath it been sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and knowing.

This is what is mentioned in the first degree, wherewith thou hast been favored—be grateful and among the devout. And in the second degree is the sanctification of the soul from all that God hath abhorred and revealed in His perspicuous Book. Through the love of God, nothing shall harm thee in His days. Thou art among those mentioned in the Tablet by the Pen of God, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By God! Wert thou to behold what is with thy Lord, thou wouldst soar to the Most Glorious Horizon.

We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions and to grant thee what He hath ordained for thee. He is thy Protector and the Protector of the sincere ones. Arise to aid thy Lord with wisdom, then seek bounty from His presence. He is indeed kind and merciful unto thee.

The letter “Sh” hath migrated unto God until he arrived in the Prison-land. When he was prevented from attaining Our presence, We ordained for him twice the reward of those who attained the presence of the Throne. Verily thy Lord encompasseth all things. And he had a portion before, when the Sun of nearness shone forth from the horizon of Iraq. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed is he and those with him. We have found from them both the fragrance of trustworthiness and fidelity. We beseech God to assist them to praise His Exalted and Great Self. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Soon shall the prison door be opened, and whosoever willeth shall enter. With thy Lord is the knowledge of all things preserved in a guarded Tablet.

BH03350: Glorified be He Who hath revealed Himself through His…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous!

Glorified be He Who hath revealed Himself through His Name, the All-Powerful, over all created things, and through Whom have appeared those endued with power and might, who have attained such a station therein that they subdue all things through a word from their Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. All power that ye behold in the universe hath appeared from this revelation, were ye of them that perceive. Were it not for Him, no power would have been manifested in creation, nor could any soul move from its place. Thus do We cause to flow from the ocean of mysteries upon the temples of the righteous.

O people! Ponder the words of God and that which hath been sent down from Him. By God! Within each word thereof are treasured the pearls of knowledge—bring them forth, O concourse of the righteous! Not a single letter hath been revealed save that it possesseth, in each of His worlds, meanings and effects which none knoweth save God and those endowed with knowledge of the Scrolls and Books.

Be thankful unto God, O people, for what ye have been given in these days wherein the Ancient Beauty hath been established upon His Most Great Throne, around which circle the denizens of the Supreme Concourse at eventide and at dawn. Thus have the verses of the Cause been sent down from the right side of this Spot, whose very atoms proclaim at the dawning of the lights of His Countenance that there is none other God but Him, the One, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Blessed art thou, O servant, for thy heart hath been adorned with the ornament of divine knowledge and thy temple with the robe of certitude, and the breezes of holiness have stirred thee toward the Dayspring of Lights. Be steadfast in My love, then leave the world to its people. Turn with thy whole being unto God Who hath created all things by His command. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and be severed from the wicked.

And upon thee be the Spirit and Glory and Splendor, and upon those who have held fast unto God in this Day wherein all things proclaim that sovereignty belongeth unto God, the One, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

BH03351: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth as a mercy from His presence unto all the worlds. There is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. None can reverse His decree, none can escape His dominion, and there is no refuge for anyone save in His blessed, hallowed, mighty and luminous presence.

O reader! When the Tablet of God cometh unto thee in truth, read it and remain not silent even for a moment. Say: O concourse of readers! By God, ye were created to read that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God, the Most High, the Most Great. If ye read all scriptures and tablets but read not this hallowed, mighty and wondrous Tablet, it shall not be accepted from you—to this do Our insightful servants bear witness. But if ye read even a single word from among the words of God that have been sent down in these days, God shall inscribe for you in the Tablet of Destiny a magnificent reward.

Say: Lift up your heads from the couch of heedlessness and desire, then turn toward the holy Dayspring that ye may witness the Sun of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: Verily it hath shone forth in truth—blessed is he who hath turned toward it with evident humility.

Say: Seek ye the help of God, O concourse of readers, then rend asunder the veils that have come between you and the Lord of all names, that ye may attain unto that which was promised you in God’s Tablet, the King, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Say: Do ye read what We sent down aforetime while forgetting its Revealer? Woe unto you, O concourse of the veiled ones! By God, He hath appeared by Whose finger’s beckoning the verses were sent down before and the tongue was loosened in remembrance of the All-Merciful, if ye be of them that know. Cast aside what ye possess, then take hold of the Book of God with a power from His presence, and be not of them that hesitate.

Thus have We sprinkled upon thee from this Sea the holy sprinkling as a mercy from Our presence unto thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have turned toward God with a face resplendent and gleaming.

BH03357: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech…

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

Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the breezes of Thy mercy in Thy days, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy oneness, and by Thy signs whereby the hearts of them that love Thee among Thy creatures were attracted, and by Thy manifestations whereby the faces of them that yearn for Thee were turned toward the court of Thy grace and bounty, to send down upon Thy handmaiden from the clouds of Thy decree and the heavens of Thy providence that which will sanctify her from all else except Thee and draw her nigh unto the seat of the throne of Thy mercy and the dawning-place of the lights of the Sun of Thy divinity.

O Lord! She hath turned toward Thee, and hath acknowledged Thy unity and confessed Thy singleness, and hath called upon Thee in her privacy and openly, and her call hath ascended to the heaven of Thy oneness and the dawning-place of Thy dominion and command. O Lord! Make her not deprived of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen handmaidens, and keep her not far from the sanctuary of Thy nearness and good-pleasure.

O Lord! Sprinkle upon her heart from the depths of the ocean of Thy remembrance that which will attract her unto Thee and cause her to speak of Thy praise and glorification among Thy handmaidens. Then inscribe upon the tablet of her heart with Thy Most Exalted Pen the verses of Thy love and the mysteries of Thy knowledge in such wise that the affairs and manifestations of the world shall not efface them.

O Lord! Write down for her that which is best for her and ordain for her that which will gladden her heart and rejoice her soul. Thou art He Who hath ever been powerful over whatsoever He willeth and shall ever remain as Thou hast been from time immemorial. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most High.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Manifestation through Whom the Hour was thrown into commotion and the Resurrection took flight, and every intimate friend and confidant fell away, and through Whom darkness was illumined and the Word shone forth and the proof was perfected, to clothe her with the robe of forgiveness and purify her from transgression. Then enable her, O my God, to serve Thy servant whom Thou hast chosen for Thy love and named the Beauty. Verily, Thou art the Lord of grace and bounty, the Creator of earth and heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH03390: O My Beloved! The book of mystical knowledge hath…

O My Beloved! The book of mystical knowledge hath been sent down from the Countenance of Certitude. It carried away the heart and bestowed the spirit, it bore away strength and granted power. It seemed as though a letter thereof was an ocean, giving the water of life to the thirsty ones in the valley of love, and bestowing the wine of reunion upon the wanderers in the land of separation.

Yea, if there be an attentive ear, it will surely distinguish the call of the Dove from the croaking of the raven. After all, the melody of the divine Nightingale differeth greatly from the cry of the earthly crow. If imitation be cast aside, the holy breath will rise from the depth of the soul, and with the eye of the spirit one will behold the beauty of the Beloved and perceive the countenance of the Beloved One behind a thousand veils.

O my soul and my spirit! The unity of the worlds of oneness hath fresh stations and infinite degrees. In one station it is sanctified above description and utterance, mention and explanation, and at this level form and body and flesh and name and trace have no place at all, that anyone should find a way unto it or comprehend love and affection or enumerate longing and rapture. It is treasured in the invisible treasury and stored in the vessels of mystery.

And in another station it comprehendeth all names and attributes, that is, all names refer back to it and become manifest from it. In this station the people of the Furqan have clung to mere fancy, and the companions of the Bayan have held fast to limitations. Neither have those ones drunk from the eternal sea of mystical knowledge, nor have these ones reached the eternal dwelling place of God.

Therefore we must pass beyond transient allusions and enter the eternal garden, that we may drink from the eternal spring and taste of the eternal fruit, that we may detach our hearts from aught else and attach them to the court of the Beloved, that we may comprehend the virgin meanings from the spiritual countenance.

Were I to speak, it would overwhelm all minds; Were I to write, many a pen would break.

BH03395: In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! This is a book from thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, that thou mayest rejoice therein and be of them that remember.

When it reacheth thee, take it with the power bestowed by Us and place it upon thy head. Then inhale from it the fragrance of the garment of the Youth Who hath been tried among the wolves of the earth—they who have denied God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Through one of His fragrances the realities of all created things are quickened, if thou be of them that know.

Cast behind thee all things and hold fast to the Most Great Handle, whereby the Sure Handle hath been suspended between the heavens and the earth. Beware lest thou be veiled in these days by them who have denied God and His signs. By God! They are in naught but error and flame.

Soon will the tablets of the idolaters be spread among you. Cast them behind you and be not of the hesitating ones. Say: God sufficeth us, the Lord of all worlds. We have detached ourselves from all else save Him and become independent through Him of all creation.

Blessed art thou, O servant, in that thou hast attained the presence of My Most Great Name and wert with Him in the Land of Taff—the spot which God hath made a place among the places of Paradise and honored above most places on earth through His grace. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Blessed be thine ear, for it hath heard His melodies, and thine eye, for it hath fallen upon His beauteous countenance. For everyone who hath visited that place and remained steadfast in His love, God hath written the reward of one martyred in His path, even though he be living at that time. Thus hath His mercy preceded all worlds.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord, then aid Him through remembrance and be not of them that remain silent. Verily silence is praiseworthy except in My remembrance and praise, if thou be of them that know. Cast behind thee all created things, then turn to the Lord of the First and the Last. He will protect thee from the harm of the idolaters. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon them who have taken unto God in this Cause a way.

BH03397: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Great!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Great! This is an epistle from the Youth to him who hath believed in God, detached himself from the idolaters, and ascended unto the heaven of divine knowledge until he recognized the Manifestation of God’s Own Self, the Most High, the Great. Blessed is he who hath detached himself from self and passion, and turned unto his Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, in this Most Holy, Most Luminous Revelation, and was among those who attained.

With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth—He knoweth the treachery of eyes and what the breasts of the deceivers conceal, and He knoweth those who have believed in Him and detached themselves from all else. He desireth naught from His servants save fairness, and He Himself is witness and all-knowing of this. Whoso showeth fairness will testify in less than a moment that there is no God but Him, and that He Who hath appeared with the truth is indeed His Revelation, His grandeur, His majesty and His sovereignty between the heavens and earths.

Fear God, O people of the Bayan, and corrupt not the earth after its reformation, neither shed blood nor follow every sinful idolater. Give life unto men through the Most Great Remembrance—such is the way of those who have detached themselves from the world and turned unto God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and were among the sincere ones. Fear ye God and transgress not the bounds of God, neither abandon His ways behind your backs, nor pursue those who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds.

Remember your Lord by night and day, then put your trust in Him and He will suffice you against all who dwell on earth. Be thou thankful unto God for having made thy heart a place for the revelations of the knowledge of His Self, the Most High, the Great. Beware lest thou grieve over aught—be thou steadfast in the love of thy Ancient Lord, then take comfort in His remembrance and fear not the hosts of the idolaters. He will assist whoso assisteth Him and will aid those who have turned unto Him, and He is with His beneficent servants.

And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH03401: O Jinab Aqa Siyyid Aqa! In the Name…

O Jinab Aqa Siyyid Aqa! In the Name of God, the All-Knowing! This is a Tablet from before the Youth to him who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Glorious, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who hath detached himself from all faces and held fast to the Sure Handle which hath appeared in truth from before God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bestowing.

Say: O people! The Suns of eternity have shone forth from the Most Glorious Horizon, and the Command hath been detailed in the Tablets of Destiny, and the Hands of Power have emerged from the sleeves. Say: The heavens of turning away have been cleft asunder, and the earth have been eclipsed, and the clouds have been rent, and God hath come in canopies of cloud, and by Him all things have been adorned with the garments of names, and He hath been established upon the throne of His name, the All-Merciful, and on His right was the Point of the Bayan, and on His left were the hosts of revelation and inspiration.

Say: We gave you glad tidings before in all the Tablets of this Manifestation Who hath appeared in truth, and then of these days. Say: He hath come with the truth, and by Him the fruits have fallen from the trees, and the souls of the righteous were stirred, and the pillars of creation were shaken. They who have denied this Manifestation yet claim belief in the previous Manifestations—by God the Truth, they are but as cattle.

Say: By Him the earth was established and heaven was raised up, and the sun of grandeur shone forth from the horizon of eternity, then the standards were upraised. Say: O people! Deny not Him Who calleth you unto God. Fear God, then rend asunder the veils of idle fancies.

And thou, distance thyself from all things and draw nigh unto God thy Lord. He sufficeth thee through His grace, and He is verily the Generous, the Bountiful. He giveth to whom He willeth and withholdeth from whom He willeth, and raiseth up whom He willeth and bringeth low whom He willeth, and preserveth whom He willeth from illness. Be thou steadfast in My Cause and fear not Mine enemies. Verily thy Lord will protect thee from those who have denied God on the Day of Resurrection.

And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have drunk the choice wine sealed from the hand of this Youth.

BH03405: He is the Ever-Abiding One! He it is Who…

He is the Ever-Abiding One! He it is Who maketh mention in the Tablet of every goodly remembrance, that thereby the people may draw nigh unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

O Isma’il! When thy letter came before Us, it was as though thou hadst forgotten Us, yet We preceded thee in remembrance, that Our mention might precede all else in every pure and luminous heart.

Know thou that calamities have encompassed Us from every side, until We were cast into a manifest prison. Days passed over Us in such hardship as hath no like, no equal, and no parallel. Yet We thank God and praise Him for what hath befallen Us, drawing nigh unto Him in His good-pleasure, for verily He is near unto the well-doers.

Remember thou My days, and forget not God’s covenant within thyself. Call upon Him throughout thy days, for verily He is the All-Hearing, the Answerer, Who answereth the prayer of the supplicant when he calleth upon Him, and He is the All-Knowing.

Be thou at peace in thy heart and soul through God’s grace and mercy, and be thou in great joy and hope. Should harm touch thee, grieve not, but remember My grief and place thy trust in God, thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Soon shall joy and gladness vanish from every unbeliever and fortunate one, for all this is mentioned within the bounds of contingent being and hath no permanence or endurance, as every sound soul doth testify.

Strive thou within thyself to hold fast unto the luminous and mighty handle, that it may raise thee to a station wherein no harm from these idolators shall touch thee. Therefore, lift thy foot from the dust, then ascend to a station that shall never pass away, through the eternity of God, the King, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bountiful. Therein shalt thou find rest from every opponent and peer, from every ailment and sickness, and from every fresh calamity.

Thus doth the Spirit teach thee on this night and make mention of thee with most goodly remembrance, that thou mayest be of them that know. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and upon every assured knower.

BH03512: Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved!…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! Thou dost witness and see how the dogs of Thy creatures and the swine of Thy creation have gathered against us, though we commanded them only to approach the shore of the ocean of Thy oneness and to enter the gate of the city of Thy knowledge and bounty. Whenever we gave them glad tidings, O my God, of the wafting of the breezes of Thine eternal glory, they denied us because of what Satan cast into their hearts, and turned away from Thy Self. And whenever we strengthened them with the gems of Thy love, they rose up to wage war against us before Thee.

How long will the hands of power not emerge from the sleeve of Thy sovereignty? And how long will Thy might and dominion not be manifested upon them, though they have rebelled against Thee to such extent that they have driven the best of Thy creation from Thy lands?

By Thy glory, O my Lord, I do not complain of what has befallen me in Thy path, for I yearn for all tribulations in Thy love. But O my Beloved and my Purpose, when I hear from them what the Jews said concerning Thee, then my innermost being is shaken and my heart trembles, for they say “God’s hand is chained”—this from their rebellion against Thee and Thy trustees, though Thy hands of power were ever outstretched over all contingent things and extended over all created things.

And they have reached such heights in their false statements that they have become hopeless of the sweet fragrances of Thy holy bounty and deprived of the gems of Thy grace and mercy. If it were said to them that the breezes of generosity and grace have wafted from the Ridvan of immortality, or that the Countenance of the Cause has appeared from the Most Exalted Kingdom, they would deny it and cry out, saying that God has ended succession with the family of Muhammad and none can be raised up besides them, as though they had knowledge of what lies within Thy knowledge.

Glory be unto Thee, glory be unto Thee, O my God, above their rebellion against Thee and above the wonders of Thy patience regarding them. Therefore, O my God, cut them off from all that keeps them occupied with aught else but Thee, that they might return unto Thee and become detached from all save Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the Bestower, the Generous.

BH03442: O M.S.! Take the Book of God to His…

O M.S.! Take the Book of God to His servants, then inform them of what thou hast seen and known, that they may gather together in remembrance and praise of God, shun the manifestations and dawning-places of negation, and turn with their hearts to the spot whereon the throne of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is established. Be thou detached from all things that have been created in earth and heaven, that thy words may influence the hearts of them that have turned unto the countenance of their Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and that they may become severed from the manifestations of Satan. Be thou a warner from Our presence and a bearer of glad-tidings from Our side, then rejoice in the gladness of the Cause and grieve not for what hath been ordained for thee of separation.

Be content with what God hath ordained for thee, for this is better for thee than all that hath been created in the contingent world. Whoso draweth but a single breath in His Cause and good-pleasure is verily of the dwellers of Paradise. Beware lest thou be saddened by the commandment of thy Lord. Journey through the lands with joy and radiance and remind the people of that which We have imparted unto thee, then recount unto them the story of the Youth as thou hast witnessed it. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen command thee from before God, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Help in Peril.

Say: O people! The Sun hath shone forth at its noontide zenith. Beware lest ye occupy yourselves with disputation. Purify your hearts from all things, then turn ye unto this Cause which hath appeared from the horizon of bounty. And if thou shouldst see them that have believed in God and find from their faces the radiance of Baha, magnify them from Our presence, then give them the glad-tidings of this Ridvan. Say: God hath written down the names of them that have turned unto Him, and He shall soon send down upon them that which He hath ordained for them. Verily, there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious.

Blessed art thou for having attained the presence of the Countenance and for having won the lights of God and for being content with what He hath ordained for thee, and this is better than all that hath been created in the realm of possibility. And upon thee be glory, and upon them that have set their hearts upon the sanctuary of God and have turned unto Him with humility and contrition.

BH03453: O loved ones of God! Were ye to become…

In the Name of my Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved!

O loved ones of God! Were ye to become aware of what hath befallen this Prisoner, ye would weep and lament. Verily, He remained alone and solitary in the midst of His servants who had circled round about Him. We adorned them with the raiment of names that they might aid their Lord in those days, yet they rose up in opposition and pronounced judgment against Him, as ye well know. At every moment they plot against My Cause, seeking to shed this sanctified, mighty and beloved blood. Say: I am indeed Hussein in your midst, and Ali, did ye but know it. At all times do I summon you unto God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. I remind you of the wonders of His remembrance, that ye may be mindful. I impart unto you what the Spirit hath imparted to My breast from the ordinances of God, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Fear ye God, O people, and transgress not beyond what hath been ordained in the Book, mighty and beloved, which hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen and wherein lieth the knowledge of what hath been and what is to come. O people! Wage not war with anyone, dispute not with any soul, and be ye God’s trusted ones in His earth and His chosen ones in His lands. This is what hath been ordained for you, if ye but act accordingly. Answer the call of God, and follow not the ways of those who wronged aforetime and who were among those that associated partners with their Lord. Be just among men, for thus have ye been commanded in all the Tablets, did ye but know.

Grieve not over what befalleth you in this vain life, for with God ye have a station the like of which none knoweth save His own Self, and He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Gather ye in your meeting places and remember God, your Creator. Through His remembrance are hearts illumined. Thus have We commanded you in this Tablet, that ye may attain unto all good.

And mercy be upon you, O loved ones of God, and upon His servants who are well-assured of His signs. And praise be to God, the King, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH03456: O thou who believest in God!

He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing

O thou who believest in God!

Bear witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, and that ʿAli-before-Nabil is the Manifestation of His Essence and the Manifestation of His Cause unto all the worlds. Through Him His proof hath appeared, His testimony been perfected, His Word been fulfilled, His countenance hath shone forth, and His evidence been established for all who are in the heavens and on earth—and God is witness unto this. Through Him the Resurrection hath come to pass, the Hour hath arrived, the Balance hath been set up, and the Bridge hath been raised aloft—a matter that was inscribed as exalted in the Mother Book. Through Him all things have been resurrected and all who dwell on earth, whether rich or poor, have been gathered together. Say: By God! He is verily the Sovereign of the Messengers and His Tablet is the Mother of Tablets, and through a single letter from Him was everything created with the ornament of luminous glory.

Take thou this Book with power and hold fast to what is therein, and fear no one. Place thy trust in God, thy Lord, and He shall suffice thee against all the worlds, and He doth take account of thee. Open thy sight and ponder what hath been sent down unto thee, and take it with strength that is firmly grounded in truth. Then emerge from behind the veils and arise in the name of God from a holy and resplendent horizon. Aid thy Lord with whatsoever thou art able and remain pure in nature.

Know thou that We have been cast into prison through what the hands of the oppressors have wrought—this hath been decreed in truth upon preserved holy tablets. We give thanks to God for what hath befallen Us and remember Him every day, nay every moment and instant.

The Spirit and the Glory and the Splendor be upon thee and upon those who were possessed of insight into the Cause, then convey Our greetings to those who were God-fearing in the Name and to those who were with thee, whom God made faithful to the Covenant.

BH03473: These are the verses of God which have been…

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

These are the verses of God which have been sent down in truth from the heaven of exalted glory and which call the people to the recognition of His Self, the Most High, the Supreme, the All-Knowing.

O handmaiden of God!

Hearken unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee at this time when He hath seated Himself alone in the house, His gaze fixed upon His loved ones, His tongue speaking in remembrance of His Self, the ocean of His heart surging with the verses of His grandeur, and the ink of His pen flowing in praise of His handmaidens who have turned with their whole being unto this Wronged One, the Stranger, the Alone.

Give thanks unto God for having deposited within thy heart His love and for having purified thee from the defilement of those who have denied His Self and opposed that which hath been sent down from His presence. By God! Through what they have perpetrated the hearts of those near unto God have been consumed.

O My handmaiden! Soar with the wings of My love in the atmosphere of My mercy and bounty, then drink the wine of everlasting life from the hands of My grace, then sing My praise and glorification, then be ignited with the fire of My love, then detach thyself from all else save Me, and know that thy Lord loveth him who loveth Him, desireth him who desireth Him, remembereth him who remembereth Him, draweth nigh unto him who draweth nigh unto Him, and provideth the heavenly feast unto him who seeketh sustenance from His all-pervading grace. He verily forgetteth not His lovers, disappointeth not those who hope in Him, and driveth not away those who long for Him. His mercy hath indeed encompassed all created things, yet the people are heedless.

O My handmaiden! Take comfort in My remembrance, then adorn thy tongue with My praise, thy head with the crown of My love, thy neck with the cord of My servitude, thine eyes with the kohl of detachment from all else save Me, and thy body with the robe of My loving-kindness which hath encompassed all worlds. Thus have We remembered thee on this night that thou mayest rejoice within thyself, though thy Lord be in grievous sorrow.

And glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have turned with their hearts unto My countenance, the radiant, the shining, the gleaming, the hallowed, the beautiful.

BH03548: This is a Tablet from God unto him who…

In the name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Powerful!

This is a Tablet from God unto him who hath been guided through the splendours of the Spirit and is of them that have believed and been led aright.

O servant! Say:

“In the name of God, by God and in the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!”

Soar then upon the wings of true knowledge to the supreme Habitation, that thou mayest hear the melodies of God from the Divine Lote-Tree. Shouldst thou soar once more, thou wilt again hear that which the people of understanding have not heard. And shouldst thou find within thyself the power and the capacity, soar thou yet again, that thou mayest behold the revelations of thy Lord, and witness, shining upon thee, the splendours of the Countenance of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted.

Say, verily He is at this moment calling aloud from His seat of effulgent glory to all creation through His sweet and wondrous melodies; beware lest ye tarry in these days. Tread ye the Straight Path by the leave of your Lord, the Merciful, and be not of them that have erred and strayed. Say, verily He hath been sent down once again from the heaven of Divine Decree and reciteth unto you His mighty verses. This is indeed better for you than the dominion of this world and of the next.

Say, O people! Will ye dispute with the Spirit concerning what He hath seen and witnessed,[cf. Q53:12] after He hath proclaimed the truth in the heart of ‘Ali [the Bab], and before Him in the heart of Muhammad and in the hearts of all Who have related the verses revealed unto Them by God, the Exalted, the Most High? Say, O people of the Bayan! Should ye arise together with all the inhabitants of the earth to lead astray but one of the loved ones of God, ye would fail to do so. Die, therefore, in your wrath, O people of oppression and ignorance!

As for thee, do thou sanctify thy soul from corrupt desires; enter, then, the realms on high and follow not them that fly upon the wings of evil passions. Be firm in the Cause of God and His religion, remember that which He hath endured at the hands of His enemies, and be not of the heedless and forgetful. Spirit and glory rest upon thee and upon them that have held fast to the Handle of God and have been guided by the light of sanctity.

BH03552: In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! This…

In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! This is a Book from Us to him who hath attained the meeting with his Lord, the Mighty, the Most High, until he entered the Prison, the place wherein were unveiled the veils of glory by the fingers of power and majesty, and he attained the presence of the Countenance and heard the call of his Lord, the Most Merciful, and the lights of Beauty shone upon him.

Arise and say: O people! The clouds have been rent asunder and your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, hath come in the shadows of the clouds. Fear God and hesitate not in His Cause. Fear Him unto Whom returneth the decree of the beginning and the end. Say: Is there any doubt about God, or about His signs which have been sent down from the heaven of Command, or about His power? Fear God, O people! Reject not the truth by that which ye possess, for truly He is severe in punishment. Soon shall ye behold the wrongdoers fearful through dread of thy Lord, and they shall find for themselves no protector nor any refuge in that Day wherein the earthquake shall appear.

Say: Abandon the cups of self and passion, then take the cup of eternity in the name of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, then drink thereof and follow not the people of error.

Say: O people! If ye are disturbed by the might of the days, We are not disturbed and We summon the people both secretly and openly. And thou speakest not amongst the people save that which thou hast heard and seen, and thus did We command thee before, and now be thou of such manner that through thee the Cause of God may be exalted amongst His servants. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen command thee from before God, the Mighty, the Chosen One.

Thy letter hath come before the Countenance and We have taken note of its contents and have sent down a Tablet for him who was mentioned therein, and verily it shall suffice him above all the worlds if he heareth and acteth according to that which is therein. Verily thy Lord is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. He is, verily, potent over all things. And glory be upon thee and upon every steadfast believer.

BH03557: This is a Book sent down from the heaven…

In the Name of God, the Help in Peril

This is a Book sent down from the heaven of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower, that it may attract one of His loved ones in these days wherein the Lord of Lords hath come upon clouds of glory. Arise and say:

O people! By God the Truth, He Who was promised hath come with wondrous sovereignty, and all who are in the heavens and on earth were struck with terror save those who approached God with humility and turned unto Him. Say: Beware lest ye pause upon the Path—pass ye beyond it and be not of them who halted and failed. Rend asunder the veils of glory by My power and sovereignty, then burn away the barriers. Say: This indeed is He Who hath come unto you once again with His Most Great Name, and upon His brow hath been inscribed by the Pen of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. This verily is the Beloved of the heavens and earth, through Whom the trumpet was sounded and the mountains were moved and the fruits fell from the trees and faces fell prostrate in the dust before God, in Whose grasp is the kingdom of verses and Who ruleth the beginning and the return. Say:

O people! Deny not Him in Whom ye believed and from whom the Beauty of the All-Merciful took your covenant in the realm of the Bayan. Fear God, O ye who are endued with insight! Stand firm in the Cause of thy Lord, then convey unto the people this Revelation which hath caused flesh to creep and the feet of them that doubted the meeting with their Lord to slip, and hath brought joy to the eyes of the loved ones. Be not silent in thy Lord’s remembrance, and regard not those who disbelieve save as ashes scattered by the tempests of self and desire, carried wheresoever they list, finding no rest on the Day of Reckoning.

In the Mother Book hath been ordained for thee a station from which the fragrances of sweet herbs are wafted. Gird up thy loins to assist the Cause of God and fear not them that have joined partners with God their Lord—they are naught but in perdition. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon them that have believed in God and have detached themselves from every doubting idolater.

BH03561: This is a leaf which the winds…

In the Name of the Most Inaccessible, the Most Glorious

This is a leaf which the winds of the Will of the All-Merciful have stirred, that it might draw nigh unto them who have believed in God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving, and that they might read what hath been inscribed therein by the Pen of Power. The Hour hath struck and God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Unconstrained, hath come.

Say: O people! Believe in Him through Whom the earth and heaven were illumined, and Who hath established Himself upon the Throne which no vision can perceive. We have, verily, sent down verses unto thee aforetime in Tablets that cannot be equaled by whatsoever hath been treasured in secret or made manifest. And now have We mentioned thee in truth time and again that thou mightest be enkindled with the fire of the love of God and not be of them whom fear and trepidation have overtaken.

Know thou, moreover, that whatsoever the people flee from, We desire it in the path of God, as they who are endued with insight do testify. Would that this blood might be shed in His path! This is what I beseeched God for before the creation of the heavens and earth. Though what hath been ordained for Me—He, verily, is the Unconstrained. I am content with what He hath been pleased to ordain for Me, and I thank Him for that wherewith I have been afflicted at the hands of these wicked ones.

Say: O people! Deny not Him Who was promised you in the Bayan and Who calleth you unto God, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling. Beware lest ye slay Him with the swords of your rejection. Fear God and be not of the companions of the Fire.

Stand thou firm, then, in the love of God and shun them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God after their Lord, the All-Merciful, had come unto them and the Cause had been decided in truth. There is no God but Him. His is the command and the creation. All who are in the heavens and on earth glorify Him by night and by day. Take comfort in thy Lord, then withdraw thyself from the wicked ones who have openly denied God—they are but in perdition. And the glory be upon thee and upon them who have believed in God in this Revelation—they are, verily, among Our chosen servants.

BH03591: Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, then act…

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

Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, then act according to that which thou art commanded by One All-Knowing, All-Informed, that thou mayest be among those who follow the command of thy Lord as revealed in the holy Tablets, vigilant and watchful. Then bear witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, and that He is, in truth, powerful over all things. Then remind the people according to thy capacity, and pay no heed to anyone, but place thy trust in God, thy Lord, for He doth suffice as thy Reckoner. Then render thanks to Him at all times for having made thee to know thyself and for having sent down unto thee a Tablet mighty and impregnable.

Say: O concourse of the earth! Do ye take your vain desires for your god and forsake Him Who created you as complete human beings? Say: O people! Do ye dispute with Him Who hath come unto you with God’s verses and reciteth unto you words wondrous and mighty? Say: If ye deny these verses, by what proof did ye believe in God’s Messengers of old? Thus do We cast upon thee that which shall make thee steadfast in the Cause.

Those who believed not in God and in what was revealed unto Ali before Nabil—these have denied God’s favor and turned away from a Beauty mighty and luminous. And when it is said unto them: “By what proof did ye believe in God?” they will say: “By what was revealed unto him.” Yet when that by which they seek to prove their faith is recited unto them, their faces turn black. What aileth these people that they can scarce comprehend any utterance?

Thus have We expounded the verses unto thee and revealed unto thee that which shall make thee steadfast in the Cause, though all the world should oppose thee. Free thyself from the veils of fancy and desire that thou mayest soar with Me in this atmosphere that encompasseth all created things. We have sent unto thee that wherewith We have cleansed Our hands, that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Lord, and be filled with joy and gladness supreme.

Spirit, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon those who stand firm in the truth.

BH03610: In the Name of God, the Most Ancient…

In the Name of God, the Most Ancient, the Ancient! O Husayn! The Tongue of Grandeur and Glory now addresseth thee, saying: Blessed art thou, and blessed the mother who suckled thee, and the loins from which thou didst spring, and the earth wherein thou wast born, and the breezes that wafted over thee, and the zephyrs that passed over thy temple, and the clouds beneath whose shade thou didst shelter, and the house wherein thou didst dwell. Know thou the favor of thy Ancient Lord. All this is in recompense for thy migration unto God, thy Lord, and thy arrival at the Paradise-spot, the seat of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

Know thou thy station and do not that which would harm thy standing. Thus doth this Youth, Who is imprisoned in this land through what the hands of the heedless have wrought, command thee. Go forth, by God’s might and power, unto His City, then inform My loved ones of what hath befallen My person, that they may become aware and be numbered among those who understand.

Convey My greetings unto their faces and say: The Youth hath been afflicted with the harm of all the worlds, were ye to be of them that know, and matters have become so severe for Us that We have been prevented from remembrance and utterance through what Satan hath whispered in the breasts of the doubters. O My loved ones! Rejoice in the remembrance of God though the Youth be in grievous tribulation. Sorrow not over anything. Seek victory from your Lord, the All-Merciful, and be not of them that despair. That which hath befallen Us was naught but from Us. Thus have We decreed in a preserved Tablet.

Gather ye together, then unite in the love of God, then remain steadfast in His Cause. He is with you at all times and will aid His detached servants. We desired to write unto each one that which would gladden his heart, but We were prevented. Thy Lord is, of a truth, All-Knowing, All-Informed. Say: God remembereth you and forgetteth not any one of you, and God is witness to what I say.

And upon them and upon thee be the glory from this holy and luminous Horizon.

BH03611: O Husayn and Husayn! Hearken unto My call, then…

O Husayn and Husayn! Hearken unto My call, then be attracted by My words, then arise to make mention of Me and praise Me amongst all creatures, then give thanks to your Lord for having brought you forth from the loins of him who loved God, his Lord, and was of the sincere ones. Be steadfast in the Cause of God and His love, for through His love do His detached servants become enriched.

O first Husayn! Wert thou to become aware of Husayn, thou wouldst weep and lament as do those who have lost their beloved. Indeed, Husayn of old beheld his slayer on that day until he was martyred in My mighty, impregnable path. And this Husayn doth behold in every moment the letter Shin on his right, and the Sin on his left, and the Kha before his face, were ye of them that hear. By God! He was martyred only to establish My remembrance, out of love for My Self, and longing to attain My presence. Yet they who weep for him pronounce death sentences against this singular Husayn.

O second Husayn! By God! Wert thou to become aware of what hath befallen Me of tribulation and adversity, thou wouldst be struck with such terror that the supreme terror would become manifest between the heavens and the earth through thy terror. Say: Verily, Husayn of old was slain in the path of God and offered up his spirit in his longing to attain His mighty, impregnable presence. None did mock him, nor did any soul slander him, as ye have heard from the preachers. But this Husayn hath stood before the enemies, and among them are those who mock him, and those who dispute with him, and those who violate his honor, and those who pronounce death sentences against him. Alas, alas for this Husayn! Husayn weepeth, yet the people are in grievous heedlessness.

Thus have We cast upon you both the verses of sorrow, whereat the pillars of the mighty throne were made to quake and tremble. Therefore have We held back the tongue from utterance and contented Ourselves with what We have sent down in truth in this luminous Tablet.

BH03626: O Ali! With the ear of thy soul hearken…

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

O Ali! With the ear of thy soul hearken unto the melodies of the All-Glorious from the Ridvan of the All-Merciful, and like unto a spiritual breeze pass through all the worlds and whatsoever hath been ordained in the realm of possibility. Hold fast unto the sure handle and detach thyself from all the worlds.

O Ali! Throughout all days and nights I was afflicted at the hands of enemies, and now I am imprisoned in this Most Great Prison. There is no companion in speech to hear the most wondrous melodies of the All-Merciful, nor any possessor of wings to soar with spiritual pinions in this holy and spiritual atmosphere.

O Ali! The celestial Bird of the Divine Throne hath fallen prey to the hunter of hatred, and the Dove of the Divine Sanctuary remaineth in the hands of the idolaters, with no helper or supporter. All people dwell at rest in their homes, while these Birds of the realm of detachment remain imprisoned and alone in their nests of solitude. In such circumstances, both the benefit and harm of friends and foes alike remain far removed from this most holy and exalted Sanctuary.

Therefore the desire of the Ancient Beauty for His loved ones is that they should stand firm upon a single path, for the discord among the loved ones of God brings joy to the enemies and sorrow to His chosen ones.

O Ali! Whatsoever hath shone forth from the horizon of the Divine Finger hath been for the good of His servants themselves, else the Truth hath been and will ever be sanctified above all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Ali! Remain steadfast in thy love for Me and keep thy distance from Mine enemies. This is a command that nothing that hath been or will be created can equal. God willing, mayest thou forever drink from the Salsabil of My loving-kindness and be nourished by the Tasnim of My grace. By My life! This is assuredly a mighty favor.

The Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee on the path of God, the King, the Peerless, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH03627: O Ali! Your letter was received and perused. Praise…

He is God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

O Ali! Your letter was received and perused. Praise be to the Beloved that the fragrances of His grace have wafted upon you from the direction of mercy, and the breezes of His bounty have blown upon your heart and soul. His grace has ever been and will ever be upon you, God willing.

However, O Ali, I swear by this Silent Speaker that if you were to become aware of the grief of these days that has befallen the Beloved, you would flee to the wilderness and detach your heart from all who dwell on earth. Yet my grief has rent asunder the garment of remembrance and cast off the robe of utterance from its temple, for it cannot be known through remembrance and utterance, nor can it become manifest. None save the Ancient Being is aware of it, nor can any reckon it.

O Ali, forget not the days of attainment to My presence, and erase not the words of the Beloved from your heart. Consider the whole world as non-existent save those who have entered beneath the shadow of your Lord. Associate with My loved ones and be detached from My enemies. Be confident in God’s grace, for His bounty has seized you and will continue to seize you. Each day you are remembered before God.

The glory from Us be upon you and upon your brother who was named Muhammad, that he may be among those who rejoice. Say: O Muhammad, praise God, your Lord, for having caused you to recognize His Self and for having directed you to His countenance and made you among the successful ones.

Today the essence of the Cause is that all the loved ones of God be united and stand firm on a single path. O people! Eat of the fruits with which the Tree of Grace has been laden, then take shelter in its shade and be of those who are gathered together in unity. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03633: He is the Ever-Abiding! These are the verses…

He is the Ever-Abiding! These are the verses of holiness which have been sent down from the heaven of the Command to all who have believed in God and have attained. They speak amongst all created things with words that draw souls unto themselves and cause them to overflow.

O Beauty of Victory! Hear the call of thy Lord from around this Tree which hath been raised up in truth, that the call may bring thee within the sanctuary of grandeur and guide thee to the place of security—that station wherein all faces are turned toward the Face of God and wherein all things are transformed and colored anew.

O servant! Be at rest within thyself, then stand firm in the Cause in such wise that no wind shall move thee and no misbeliever shall cause thee to slip, and purify thy face for God Who hath perfected His favor unto thee and made it to overflow.

Say: O people! Dispute not about the verses of God when they are sent down in truth, nor about this Beauty through Whom the suns of the Command have shone forth and reached their fullness. We did aforetime send down unto thee Tablets wherein by a single letter hearts are guided and made to overflow. Beware lest thou cast the Book of God behind thy back or follow in this any misbeliever who hath turned away and transgressed.

Arise in the Cause, then stand firm and say: O people! If ye deny these verses, then by what sign did ye believe in God’s Messengers? Then shall ye hear from them what thou didst hear from the people of the Furqan when ʿAli came with clear signs and they said “This is naught but sorcery” whereby the hearts of those near unto God were cloven asunder. Even so did they speak before and do they speak in these days wherein the Calf doth call out and bray.

Then make mention from Our presence unto thy brother Rida and say: O servant! Be thou content with thy Lord’s decree in this conclusive Proof, with whose appearance none was content save whom thy Lord willed. Thus doth God render vain the deeds of those who denied His grace and turned away from His beauty, then followed every base and clinging thing.

BH03634: The Book hath been sent down from the presence…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most High

The Book hath been sent down from the presence of One mighty and all-knowing unto him who hath migrated unto God and whom tribulations have touched in his Lord’s path, even as was ordained for him in a preserved tablet.

O servant! Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast attained the presence of the Beloved and heard with thine ears that for which countless souls have died in their yearning. Say: He hath appeared in truth from a glorious horizon. Say: O people! Do ye worship the calf and forsake Him by Whose command the sun hath dawned from the horizon of the name of the Most High, through Whom the Books have been sent down throughout all ages, and through Whom the treasuries of the Cause have appeared from One mighty and powerful? Fear ye God and deny not Him in Whom ye have believed, and all that ye have heard that He hath appeared from Our presence—thy Lord, the All-Knowing, is witness to what I say.

Aid thy Lord with whatsoever thou canst, then shun every sinful idolator. Verily he who speaketh falsehood, he is Satan himself—guard yourselves against him, O My loved ones, and make for yourselves a path unto God. Say: With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth and the knowledge of all things, and He doth encompass all the worlds. Leave the creatures to themselves, then leave them in their vain imaginings and turn with a luminous face toward the dawning-place of a mighty Name. Say: He hath come without clouds or mists, and speaketh now amongst mankind with manifest sovereignty.

Thus have We remembered thee in this Tablet that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and convey the Cause of thy Lord unto those who dwell in these regions, that they may take the All-Merciful as their friend. And when thou returnest with God’s Tablet unto thy dwelling-place, convey Our greetings unto those servants who have drunk the living waters from the cup of their Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Bestower, and who have remained firm upon the straight path. And the glory be upon thee and upon every pure and sincere believer.

BH03646: God makes mention of His servant that he may…

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

God makes mention of His servant that he may rejoice within himself, and this is indeed a mighty favor. Seek thou the grace of thy Lord at all times, for His mercy hath preceded all created things and His grace hath drawn nigh unto thee. Detach thyself from all else save Him. Those who summon men unto Satan, these are in darkness and grievous unbelief. Leave them to themselves, then turn with thy whole being unto God, in Whose grasp lies the kingdom of all things, and He will suffice thee against all who dwell on earth. He desires whomsoever hath desired Him, and loves whomsoever hath loved Him, and draws nigh unto those who have drawn nigh unto Him, and He is indeed merciful to His servants.

Cast behind thee the customs of men and take hold of the ordinances of God through a power from Us, then shun every doubting opposer. Say: Fear ye God and hesitate not in this Cause whereof ye have been given glad tidings in a beauteous Tablet. Drink thou a draught from the living waters from the cup of thy Lord’s love, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Then return to thy dwelling place and remind the people of this Cause at which all who are on earth have been dismayed, save those upon whom the breezes of thy Lord’s mercy have wafted, and who have been turned from the left hand of idle fancy to the right hand of certitude by a word from Him, and He is indeed the Observer of all things.

Say: O My loved ones! Stand ye firm in the Cause and follow not every contemptible liar. Await ye the grace from the direction of God, your Lord, and His grace doth indeed encompass you. Blessed is he who hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings and delivered the Abraham of faith from the hosts of wicked unbelief.

Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen teach thee on this darksome night, that thine eyes may be solaced thereby and thou mayest stand firm in the Cause whereby the feet of every denying transgressor have slipped. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who have hearkened to the call of their Lord and have responded with illumined hearts.

BH03647: This is a mention of the mercy of thy…

In the Name of God, the Most Great, the All-Glorious

This is a mention of the mercy of thy Lord bestowed upon His servant—him who hath chosen for himself a path leading unto God, and who desired to stand before the Throne—after that the Beauty of the Ancient of Days had been restrained through what the hands of the wicked have wrought: they who, when asked, “By what proof have ye believed in God?” reply, “By the Bayan”; yet when the Sovereign of meanings came shadowed forth in the clouds of elucidation, they disbelieved in God, their Lord, the All-Merciful. Thus have We seized the guilty, laid bare what their breasts concealed, and made them a lesson unto the servants. Take warning, O ye who have eyes to see!

Say: This is the Day whereon the tribes of the earth have wailed, the very worlds have been shaken, and in the faces of the transgressors thou beholdest the tidings of the Fire. Say: By God! the Hour hath been convulsed, the Trumpet lamenteth over itself, the concourse of them that are nigh hath laid hold on the hem of God, crying, “Have mercy upon us, O Lord of lords!” And the angels stand ranged before the Throne, powerless to utter a word save after the leave of your Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

Fear God, O people, and oppose not Him through the gesture of Whose finger the heaven of religions hath been cleft asunder, the earth of idle fancy rent in twain, the idols cast down, and the pillars of falsehood uprooted. Say, O people: This is He for Whose sorrow the Point of the Bayan hath mourned, and Whose call the Point of the Furqan hath hearkened unto. Fear ye the All-Merciful, O concourse of the impious!

Grieve not at anything. By God! there hath been ordained for thee that whereat eyes shall draw nigh in wonder. If thou remain steadfast in the Cause—by the might and power of God—in such wise that the allusions of them that have disbelieved in their Lord, the Unconstrained, hinder thee not from His remembrance.

Upon thee be the glory, and upon them that have arisen from amongst the dead and turned their faces toward a Countenance through whose light the horizons have been illumined.

BH03655: In the Name of God, the Most High…

In the Name of God, the Most High, the Most Glorious! My remembrance of My servant shall be his glory amongst all worlds. Verily, My remembrance of him is better for him than all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. God shall soon raise up this remembrance upon a countenance that, were all things to behold it, they would exclaim: “Blessed be God, the Most Excellent of Creators!”

And verily, He shall be with thee in thy solitude, and in the hour when thou enterest a place wherein there is neither lamp, nor bed, nor helper, nor assistant. And He shall be with thee and shall not part from thee in thy exile and thy solitude. And when thou enterest the seat of thy Lord’s throne on a mighty day, then shall He walk before thee, and all created things shall be illumined by the lights of His countenance.

Blessed art thou, O servant, for having migrated in My path and kept company with My noble one who hath traversed the way out of love for God, the One, the Mighty, the Beautiful, and who hath passed through the lands out of love for God his Lord, and hath conveyed unto the people this mighty and wondrous remembrance. And in the hour when thou didst walk with him, the denizens of the all-highest Paradise and the Concourse on high did magnify thee. Thus doth God single out whom He pleaseth from among His servants, and verily He is nigh unto the doers of good.

And the glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon those who have turned with radiant countenance toward the Luminary of Paradise. And praise be to God, my Lord and thy Lord, my Beloved and thy Beloved, my Purpose and thy Purpose—and verily He is this, wert thou to know. He hath appeared in the Most Glorious ornament—exalted be this Sovereign, the Mighty, the Powerful. He hath come from the heaven of destiny with the kingdom of verses, and the realities of all things circle round Him, then the angels brought nigh. But the people of the Bayan recognized Him not, save a few among them who are of Our near servants.

Then again, the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy mother—We have repeated these words as a bounty from Us unto thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones.

BH03658: Glorified be He Who hath revealed Himself through His…

In the Name of the Most Holy, the Most Holy

Glorified be He Who hath revealed Himself through His Name, the All-Knowing, unto all created things, and from Whom have appeared servants who have spoken of this Name in the kingdom of creation and who have ascended to such a station that they have witnessed, with the eyes of their hearts, His sublimity and His sovereignty, and then His greatness and His majesty, and have recognized His oneness and His singleness. These are My servants who have sought shelter beneath the canopy of My loving-kindness and the pavilions of My mercy. Upon them rest My blessings and My glorification and My gifts.

O servant! Turn with thy heart toward the holy direction, that the breezes of fellowship that blow from the direction of thy Lord’s Throne, the All-Merciful, in the Pole of Paradise, may stir thee, and may detach thee from all existence and contingent beings, and draw thee nigh unto God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the Helper. Then shalt thou witness My manifestation and My majesty and My beauty. Sanctify thyself from all things, then stand firm in the love of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, for He hath appeared in His Most Glorious Beauty and doth speak: O concourse of earth and heaven! Hearken unto My melodies and then unto My songs.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having remembered thy name before His Face and for having moved the Most Exalted Pen to make mention of thee at this time when the hosts of revelation ascend and the hosts of inspiration descend from the direction of My Throne and the seat of My sovereignty. Preserve this Tablet which We have sent unto thee, then read it at all times that thy spirit may be attracted to the paradise of My power and the gardens of My bounties.

Grieve not at anything. Rejoice in the fruits of knowledge with which thou hast been provided from the Tree that was planted by the hands of the All-Merciful in the paradise of My Will and My decree. Thus have We imparted unto thee the Word of Truth that the melodies of God may attract thee and detach thee from all else—a bounty from Us unto thee and unto the sincere ones among My servants and My creatures. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon him who is firm in My love and hath drunk the choice sealed wine of My Cause and the Kawthar of My presence and hath clung to the hem of My loving-kindness.

BH03660: Glorified be He Who hath appeared betwixt the heavens…

Glorified be He Who hath appeared betwixt the heavens and the earth with a sovereignty that hath encompassed all created things! Verily, He is the Almighty, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. By this hath rancor been aroused in the breasts of them that waxed proud against God on the day when He established Himself upon the Throne with His sovereignty and power.

O people! Fear ye God and deny not Him in Whom ye have believed after He hath come unto you beneath the shadow of His Cause. By this have the feet of the knowers slipped, and eyes been transfixed in wonder.

And thou, O Most Great Name, forget not My melodies whilst thou wert seated before the Throne when the lights were shedding their radiance upon thee. Know thou that We have donned the garment of sorrows by reason of that which the hands of every idolatrous deceiver have wrought. By God! Such grief hath encompassed Me as the eyes of creation have never beheld its like, and thus have the decrees been ordained unto Us from God, the Mighty, the Compelling.

Shouldst thou desire to apprehend the mysteries of the Cause, depart from the city wherein thou dwellest, then enter the wilderness, then dwell within thyself, then keep silence from all remembrance. Then turn thy heart, whereupon thou shalt hear the lamentation of all things and their wailing in My grief. Perchance thou mayest discover that which none among creation hath discovered. Thus do We impart unto thee, in the secret of allusions, the gems of mysteries.

Be steadfast, O servant, in thy love and turn not aside unto that which might deter thee from the love of the Youth, even should it be the essences of the heavens and the earth, or forms and bodies. For all this was created by My Word, whereunto beareth witness the Tongue of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Seeing.

Thus have We addressed thee and recounted unto thee what hath befallen Us from every direction by these iniquitous ones. Then remember, from Our presence, those servants who are round about thee and who have turned unto their Lord, the Mighty, the Forgiving.

BH03669: From the Burning Bush beyond the Radiant City upon…

He is the Glorious, the Most Glorious

From the Burning Bush beyond the Radiant City upon the hallowed Spot of God’s Command, the Mystery of God hath, by the power of the spirit, been witnessed, and speaketh in truth saying:

“O people of the Bayan! Have ye disbelieved in the One through Whom ye believed in God aforetime? Here is My Beauty, which hath been revealed through His grace; yet have ye allowed them that are the manifestations of names in the kingdom of creation to shut you out therefrom; notwithstanding that they were all created by His Word. He, verily, is powerful over all things.”

O Most Great Name! We, verily, have made thee to be among the greatest of names, that thou mayest issue forth from the abode of silence, and rise above the dawning-place of utterance to proclaim a Cause that hath encompassed all worlds. Unloose therefore thy tongue in truth, and announce unto the people that whereof, by the power of the Spirit, He hath informed thee in this Tablet, which was sent down from the right hand of the throne. Beware lest aught deter thee from commemorating thy Lord. Burn away the veils of sorrows through the Name of thy Lord, the God of Mercy; then shine forth above the horizon of remembrance with a perspicuous light.

Beware lest thou forget the occasion when thou didst enter into the Beatific Spot, and didst come before the throne; when We cheered thee with tidings of all good, and ordained for thee on earth an exalted station. Break not the Covenant thou didst enter into before God, neither violate His Testament, but be steadfastly loyal to thine undertaking. Be constant in thy love for thy Lord: beware lest thou withhold thyself from that which We have destined for thee, that thou mayest be reckoned in the Mother Tablet among such as are well grounded in their belief.

Write then in vindication of this Cause whatsoever the Spirit infuseth into thy breast; He, verily, will inspire thee with the truth, and assist thee in a matter whose outcome hath been predetermined by the Pen of God. Spirit, Honour and Glory be upon thee, and upon those who are with thee at the dawning of the Cause; at the eventide of holiness; and at every moment.

BH03684: The Sun [of Glory] hath dawned from the horizon…

He is the Most Inaccessible, the Most Exalted

The Sun [of Glory] hath dawned from the horizon of eternity with the ornament of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Exalted. Say: Die, O concourse of the wretched ones! Every time the idolaters increased in their turning away, verily it appeared with another light greater than the first. Glorified then be the power of my Lord, the Most Glorious! Therefore die, O concourse of the hateful ones!

O beetle, verily the gates of Paradise have been opened by the finger of the All-Merciful and the sweet-scented breezes of the All-Glorious have wafted from the direction of My Name, the All-Praised. Flee thou with thy deaf hosts! By God, O bat, the day of thy death hath come, for the Sun of Beauty hath risen at the meridian with the sovereignty of grandeur and majesty. Woe unto thee and unto him who disbelieved and turned away! O thou gnat of misbelief, annihilation hath come upon thee and existence hath been cut off from thee. Choose thou flight over remaining, for the breath of God hath come from the direction of the Most Glorious and encompassed earth and heaven. Say: Die, O concourse of the hateful ones!

The Lord of Lords hath come upon the clouds of His Name, the All-Bestowing, and hath rent asunder the veil from His face. Say: Die, O concourse of doubt and suspicion! The King of Glory hath come and the Day of Union hath appeared and the temples of misguidance have perished through this Cause which hath dawned from the horizon of acceptance. Say: Die, O concourse of contention!

Blessed are ye then, O people of Baha, in that ye have drunk the cup of eternity from the hand of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and have embarked upon the Ark of Grandeur and have detached yourselves from the world. Say: Woe unto you, O concourse of the hateful ones! Rejoice, O people of Paradise, in the sweet savors of intimacy, then soar in the atmosphere of holiness on the wings of righteousness. Say: Die, O concourse of the wretched ones! Give thanks, O chosen ones of God, in that God hath singled you out for Himself and caused you to know that which hath confounded the hearts of all possessed of knowledge and wisdom. Say: Die, O people of unbelief and hatred!

BH03698: The Supreme Pen proclaims: Whatsoever hath been manifested…

In the name of Him Who hath been made a prisoner in the land by the oppressors.

The Supreme Pen proclaims: Whatsoever hath been manifested from the Ancient Beauty hath been a proof unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Were the servants to reflect, they would become assured of His sovereignty through His arising amidst His enemies, and would acknowledge His power. However, as they walk in the wilderness of self and desire, they remain veiled from the dawning of the Sun of Baha from the horizon of eternity, and have turned unto those who would protect themselves from a gnat, thus depriving themselves of the Beauty of Divine Unity.

Say: O people! My deeds, like My manifestation, shine resplendent between earth and heaven. Whosoever, in less than a moment, purifies his heart from satanic whisperings will attain unto the knowledge of the Lord of all worlds and the Master of the Day of Judgment.

And thou, O servant, hearken unto the divine call and guard thyself from the venom of the souls of the idolaters. I swear by My beauty that today such a venom blows from the direction of the hearts of the idolaters that were it to pass over all the trees of human souls, it would deprive them all of their lofty, ripe and glorious fruits. Therefore, at all times take refuge in God, that thou mayest remain protected from the barren wind. Trust in God, thy Lord, fear no one, and be of the detached ones. Make My remembrance thy shield and thy trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Glorious, the All-Powerful, thy fortress. God willing, through the breezes of the divine springtime thou shalt attain unto the fruits of knowledge and inner meanings.

And the light that hath shone forth from the direction of the Ancient Beauty be upon thee and upon those who have passed by this world and all that is therein like the passing of clouds. Thus hath the command been sent down from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH03702: This is a Book revealed by Us unto him…

In His Name the Ever-Lasting the Ever- Abiding

This is a Book revealed by Us unto him who believed in God on the Day whence them who hearkened to the call of God from amongst the people of the graves, were resurrected. These are the ones who quaffed the Choice Sealed Wine in this Revelation. Verily, upon them the angels descend from every side. Peace be upon you inasmuch as you have attained the Days of God, the Gracious, the Forgiving. Indeed, these are the ones who are not kept back by the world, though they rule upon the East and the West of the earth. Verily, it is by them that the clouds have rained their rain, and darkness hath been chased away by light. The Mercy of God that hath encompassed females and males be upon them. As for them who have disbelieved in Him, they indeed are deserving of chastisement. They shall verily enter the fire. Thus hath it been decreed in the recorded Tablet.

Say: O people! Do ye protest against Him in Whose Name the Truth appeared, and the Balance of Justice hath been raised, and the Trumpet hath been blown? Fear ye God, O people, and walk not in the footsteps of them who disbelieve the presence of the All-Merciful. Follow ye the People of God, the Creator of darkness and light. Say: He hath verily offered up the Manifestation of Himself as a ransom for summoning you to draw nigh unto the station foreordained for you by the Flowing Pen.

I swear By Him! Were God to rend the veils asunder, you would offer up yourselves as a sacrifice for His Love. He, in truth, has the knowledge of all things, which He revealeth not save in a preordained measure. Say:

“Fear God and spread not disorder on earth after it hath been well-ordered, neither shed the blood of anyone, for such things are forbidden you in the Book and in this Outspread Roll.”

O thou who hast fixed his gaze upon God! Cleanse thou thine heart of attachment to all the vain allusions of men, and persevere in the path of thy Lord, the God of all names and attributes, that He may aid thee with a power and might from Himself, and render thee victorious over all people of iniquity who disbelieve in God, the Lord of the Frequented Fane. Thus commandeth thee the Pen of the Ancient of Days in this dawntide.

The glory of God be upon thee and upon whomsoever boweth down in adoration for the sake of God in the Days of His Manifestation.

BH03713: Your letter which was written to Kalim was received…

Your letter which was written to Kalim was received and perused. However, mournful fragrances wafted from its words in such manner as to increase the sorrow of the Sorrowful Beauty. Although these are days of sorrow, yet concealed within them is a joy the like of which the eye of creation hath never beheld.

Today you must at all times remind the people through wondrous mention, and be not grieved by their acceptance or rejection. Say: I make mention solely for the sake of God and desire neither recompense nor thanks.

You sent an account—you have been and will remain trustworthy, God willing. You shall not be called to account for what you mentioned, and that which you shall be called to account for is My command, the difficult made easy. Grieve not over anything, but in all that befalleth thee place thy trust in thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Not for an instant is delay permitted in teaching the Cause of God, for the deniers have appeared with a scheme the like of which hath never been heard of in creation.

Convey My greetings to all the friends, both Arab and Persian, and say: O people, remain steadfast in the Cause of God and His love, then detach yourselves from all else.

And if you ask about conditions in this land and what hath befallen Me, at all times I have been and am afflicted at the hands of the murderous enemy, the irreligious Khuli, the obstinate Shaddad, the rejected Nimrod, the accursed Pharaoh, the stubborn Jews, the envious Abu Jahl, and the hateful Cain. Thus have I been and thus shall I remain unless God should change the situation, for He hath power over all things.

Remind Mirza Mihdi and the friends of the sorrow of this Prisoner, and likewise the members of the household. Dominion on that Day shall be God’s. Remember Majid.

BH03718: In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! This is a Book from Us to him who hath believed in God, the Almighty, the Most Glorious, the All-Wise, that he may rejoice in God’s remembrance of him and turn with his heart unto his Ancient Lord. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having made Himself known unto thee and numbered thee amongst those endowed with certitude. Stand firm in His love, for Satan hath appeared with mighty guile.

Say: O people, fear ye God and measure not His words by any other words, for all else was created by His command, did ye but know.

Say: O people, purify your hearts from the intimations of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Bountiful, that the Sun of grandeur and majesty may shine upon them from the horizon of the beauty of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: This is He Who was promised unto you in all the Tablets, and all things were created for His presence and His days, were ye but aware. Do ye turn away from God and worship a mere name among names which We created by a word from Us? And verily I am the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: O people, there hath come unto you the proof from the All-Merciful, which God hath made a testimony unto all in the heavens and on earth. Do ye say what the servants before you said? What then is the difference between you, O heedless ones? Say: They clung to names and denied their Creator, and ye do as they did. They dwell in the nethermost fire. Shatter the might of the evil one through My Name, the Self-Subsisting. Thus doth He command you Who hath come with the Kingdom of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O servant! Grieve not over anything, for thou art known among the Concourse on High as one of the people of Baha. By God, this sufficeth thee above all who dwell on earth. Then make mention of thy Lord with wisdom lest harm befall thee from those who have disbelieved in God, the One, the Single, the Peerless, the Creator, the Quickener, the Destroyer. And the glory rest upon thee and upon thy father and mother from this resplendent horizon.

BH03721: In the Name of God, the Powerful, the Mighty…

In the Name of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Glorious. This is a Book from the Prisoner to him who hath been guided by the guidance of his Lord and who hath been numbered among the beneficent in the sight of God.

O thou servant who gazeth upon the Countenance! Hearken unto the Call of the Spirit from this holy quarter, this sacred spot, from whose directions hath been raised up the mention of God, that there is none other God but Him, and that He is one in His essence, one in His attributes, and one in His deeds. He hath created all things by a command from His presence, and He hath ever encompassed all the worlds.

Turn thy face toward God, then detach thyself from all else and say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the Word whereby Thou hast distinguished between Thy servants and Thy creatures, that Thou deprive me not of Thy breezes whereby Thou hast quickened all created things. Then cause me, O my God, to be severed from all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth, and grant me of the fruits of the Tree of Thy knowledge. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and Thou hast ever been powerful over all things.

O my God and my Lord! Preserve me within the shelter of Thy protection, then enable me to do that which Thy good-pleasure loveth. Then rain down upon me from the clouds of Thy bounty the good of this world and the next. Then make firm my steps upon the path of Thy love. Thou hast ever been the Answerer of those who call upon Thee.

O Lord! Leave me not to myself. Take my hand by the hand of Thy power, then deliver me from the depths of self and passion, that I may be wholly devoted to Thy love, speaking forth the praise of Thy Self, gazing upon Thy countenance, turning toward the Kaaba of Thy nearness, and detached from all the worlds.

Thus have We made mention of thee in the Tablet, that thy heart may be purified from the promptings of every rejected idolater, and that thou mayest read what hath been sent down unto thee. God will preserve thee thereby from every ailment and disease, even as He hath preserved thee in truth through a sovereignty that hath encompassed all the worlds.

BH03722: In the Name of God, the Ever-Abiding! This…

In the Name of God, the Ever-Abiding! This is an epistle from this Prisoner unto him who hath believed in God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, that the Word of God may stir him and cause him to speak forth the praise of His Self amidst those who have disbelieved and joined partners with God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

Turn thou with thy whole being unto God, then detach thyself from every rejected idolater. Purify thy heart from the world, then convey unto the people this hidden Announcement. Say: He hath appeared in truth, did ye but know it. He is indeed the One by Whose command that which was and that which shall be hath appeared. Say: O people! This is the Youth of God in your midst, Who calleth you unto Him. If ye believe not in Him, deny Him not.

And thou—break thou the seal of the vessel of love through My Name, then fill the chalice of Command with that which floweth therein of the Kawthar of My knowledge. Then drink thereof, making mention of Me and praising Me, and fear not those who comprehend not. Then will thy words influence the hearts of the servants and from them will spread the fragrances of the Cause throughout all lands. Thus doth God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Loving, counsel thee.

Although We know that thou hast drunk from this cup—and with Us is the knowledge of all things—yet the people do not believe with certainty. We have commanded thee to drink at all times that thou mayest find thyself each day in a different condition, and that in every moment there may be opened before thy heart’s face a door of the doors of knowledge. Verily thy Lord is, every day, in a new state, and He speaketh in all things that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Arise to serve the Cause through My leave and sovereignty, then strive that there may appear from thee that whereby the Cause of God shall be exalted. This behooveth thee and those who are detached. And the glory be upon thee and upon thy spouse and upon those who have heard the call of God and answered it, and have detached themselves from every rejected idolater.