Volume 039: Edirne III (year unknown, 1864–1868) (5 of 6)

BH06957: O Nazar!

In the Name of God, the Help in Peril

O Nazar!

Gaze with the Most Great Vision. By God, the Truth! The Cause hath been exalted and made manifest, and Paradise hath been adorned with the ornament of oneness at the right hand of the Command of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious. Then hell and the infernal fire were kindled. Say: The Ordainer of Destiny hath appeared, and all are in continuous resurrection. Blessed is he who is guided by the lights of the Countenance, and woe unto him who turned away and denied. Say: The clouds have been rent asunder and the Sun of Days hath shone forth, then the moon was cleft asunder.

Blessed art thou for having drunk from the choice sealed wine from the hand of the Youth of inner meanings, through His Most Manifest, Most Luminous Name.

Unite with My loved ones, for through unity the Cause will be made manifest among the servants in these days wherein the idolaters shall find for themselves no escape nor resting place, except by turning in repentance unto God Who created them by His command, and drinking from this Most Pure Kawthar.

And glory be upon thee and upon him who, when afflicted with trials in the path of his Lord, the Most Glorious, remained patient and thankful.

BH06958: O leaf! Give thanks unto thy Lord, then make…

In the name of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, the All-Wise!

O leaf! Give thanks unto thy Lord, then make mention and be devoted to that which God hath made thee from the Tree of His Cause—and this verily is a great bounty. Hold fast unto God lest thou fall from the Tree when the winds of hypocrisy blow from the direction of the ungodly. Then be patient in adversities, for He verily is the Rewarder of the patient ones.

Glorified be He Who hath created in the kingdom of utterance a Word whereby He hath distinguished between the believers in divine unity and the ungodly. There is no God but Him. His is the Command and the Creation. He ordaineth through His sovereignty whatsoever He willeth.

Turn not thy attention to anything but set thy face toward God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. Know thou that if He be with thee, the harm of all created things combined cannot touch thee. Strive that thou be not heedless of the remembrance of thy Lord, for through His remembrance His loved ones become independent of all that hath been created in the heavens and earths.

Thus have We made mention of thee in this Tablet, that it may be a remembrance from Us unto thee and unto the sincere servants of God.

BH06976: O sister of Husayn!

O sister of Husayn!

May you ever remain occupied with the remembrance of God and detached from aught else. God, exalted be His grandeur, has never forgotten and will never forget His servants, whether male or female. His remembrance, mercy, grace and loving-kindness have ever had and will ever have precedence. He is both the Rememberer and the Remembered—the Rememberer, inasmuch as before the appearance of His servants in the earthly realm, He remembered them all, and His remembrance of His servants is the cause of their remembrance of Him; and the Remembered, inasmuch as all tongues are moved to His praise and glorification. Thus do all seek after God, though they be veiled from Him. Every praise and description that proceeds from the tongue of any who would praise returns to its source, even though that praiser and describer knows not the One described. Blessed is the soul that knows Him and remembers Him.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH06983: O servant of God!

O servant of God!

Many years have passed during which, morning and evening, I have been afflicted with countless trials, until by divine decree I came to reside in a place where the hands of the loved ones were prevented from reaching my hem and the feet of those who sought me were cut off from entering my dwelling.

I swear by the world-illuminating Sun which today remains concealed behind clouds due to the oppression of those who claim attachment, that it was ever my wish that my life be sacrificed in the path of the Friend and hasten from dust to the Supreme Companion, yet I have not yet attained to this.

For most of the people of the Bayan are fit only to worship the calf rather than prostrate before the Truth, just as most people on earth today are idol-worshippers, as is recorded in certain books that half the people of earth worship idols while the other half comprise different religions.

God willing, may you become detached from all else save Him and attain and be honored with the robe of “Verily, unto God do we belong.”

BH06984: O Javad! If thou wouldst purify thy heart…

He is the One Who speaks the Truth!

O Javad! If thou wouldst purify thy heart from attachment to the world and all that is therein, and with a sanctified and merciful spirit enter the blessed spot of the divine Oneness at the right hand of the Mount of Sinai, then in such case thou art both permitted and it is fitting and timely.

And it is known that the bird of the yearning heart in separation is like an agitated fish upon the dust. Verily the mystical fish seeks the Most Great Sea of the Lord, and the deprived seeker yearns for the sanctuary of the Desired One.

But as these are days the like of which the eye of creation hath never seen, and a mighty test hath appeared, therefore one must, God willing, hold fast to the strong cord of divine favor and cling to the cloud of gracious mercy, that perchance He may illumine spiritual eyes with the beauty of the celestial Youth, and through the wonders of His grace deprive not the seekers of the Merciful Ka’bah and the dwellers in the sanctuary of divine Singleness.

Thus have the counsels been ordained from the presence of a faithful counselor.

BH07016: These are the verses of the Spirit sent down…

These are the verses of the Spirit sent down in truth from the presence of One powerful, mighty, and omnipotent, bringing glad tidings to the people of the Day of Gathering—the Day whereon God shall come with His Cause upon clouds of a Name that hath been resplendent with truth. On that Day shall the believers rejoice in God’s joy, and victory shall appear from the horizon of glory. On that Day shall the Balance be set up and the deeds of all, both small and great, shall be weighed.

O people!

When the Light cometh unto you and the Manifestation appeareth, deal not with Him as ye dealt with My Self and with Him Who came unto you with clear sovereignty from the beginning that hath no beginning, exalted and inaccessible.

Say: God is the most powerful above all who possess power, the most great above all who possess greatness, the most glorious above all who possess glory, the most mighty above all who possess might, the most victorious above all who possess victory, and the most beauteous above all who possess beauty. Nothing can frustrate His will, and He is possessed of transcendent glory.

BH07019: In the name of God, the Most High…

In the name of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted! These are the verses of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. They have been sent down in truth from the heaven of sublime glory, and they are God’s proof and His testimony of what was and what shall be. Through them He hath sent forth the Messengers, testifying that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

O people! Believe in God and make not your desires your god. Fear ye the Day whereon the pillars of the treacherous shall tremble.

O people! This is the Youth of God who standeth among you and calleth you unto the path of His good-pleasure. He hath sacrificed His soul for His Cause, the Mighty, the Powerful. Follow ye what hath been revealed in the Tablets and be not of them that turn aside. Cast not the Messenger of God behind your backs and be not of the lost. He desireth for you that which will draw you nigh unto a holy and sublime sanctuary.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, give thanks unto thy Lord for having attained unto My recognition and for being numbered among them that have won the victory.

The Spirit be upon him who followeth the Command of God and is of the doers of good.

BH07101: He is the Everlasting in the everlastingness of His…

He is the Everlasting in the everlastingness of His Essence. Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth for people who understand. There is no God but Him—His is the glory and the power. No God is there except Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. He giveth sovereignty to whomsoever He willeth and withholdeth it from whomsoever He willeth. Within His grasp is the Kingdom of names and with Him is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. He hath created all things by a command from Him and hath sent down every command according to a fixed decree. He raiseth up whomsoever He willeth by His command and bringeth down whomsoever He desireth, for He is the Mighty, the Loving.

Say: O people, fear God and commit not that which ye have been forbidden. Whoso committeth it is indeed in manifest loss.

Say: O people, oppose not him who hath come to you with the verses of God, your Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne.

O handmaiden of God!

Give thanks unto thy Lord, then remember Him in the morning and the evening. Take comfort in My remembrance, for through My remembrance do the near ones among God’s servants find comfort.

BH07121: Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Lord!

In the Name of God, the Most Luminous!

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Lord!

I beseech Thee to adorn this servant with the ornament of faithfulness amidst the concourse of creation, in such wise that Thou mayest make me one of those who have been martyred in Thy path and who have surrendered their spirits in Thy love and good-pleasure.

By Thy glory, O my God! Whenever I reflect that the body of Ali was suspended in the air while I remain between earth and heaven, my heart is troubled, my limbs tremble, my skin crawls, and my body is shaken. Therefore, woe unto myself and lamentation upon my being!

I beseech Thee then by Thy Most Glorious Beauty and by Thy Most Exalted Name to deny me not that which Thou hast ordained for those martyred in Thy path in the tablets of Thy decree, and leave me not to myself, for verily it is prone to evil and Thou art fully aware of it.

Therefore, O my God, I have raised my right hand to the heaven of Thy bounty that Thou mayest grasp it in the grip of Thy power and deliver me from the depths of idle fancy and vain desire, and draw me near unto meeting Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

And praise be unto Thee, O Thou before Whose sovereignty all necks have bowed low.

BH07150: Blessed art thou, O thou who walkest…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Blessed art thou, O thou who walkest in the path of God, who hast migrated unto Him, and who hast turned thy face toward His countenance, according to His exalted Word: “Whithersoever ye turn, there is the face of God.”

Thou hast attained, and witnessed, and heard. Blessed be thine eye, and thine ear, and thy countenance! Detach thyself from all else but God, then remember Him in thy coming and going. Make thy provision reliance upon Him, and thy work that which draweth thee nigh unto Him, and thy strength that which maketh thee purified from the mention of aught else but Him.

And when thou seest My loved ones, mention to them what thou hast heard and witnessed. Say: Forget not the Youth, for He hath fallen into a mighty pit, yet the heat of God’s love hath seized Him in such wise that no occupation distracteth Him, nor can anything extinguish it though all the seas of the world be poured upon it.

Give thanks unto God for having shed thy blood in the presence of His countenance and caused it to flow upon thy body in His love. This, verily, is a mighty favor. Remind My loved ones on My behalf, that they may be set ablaze with the fire of My love between the heavens and the earth.

Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH07222: Say: O people of the earth!

Say: O people of the earth!

Do not oppose him in whose heart there is naught but the manifestation of the lights of the morn of the cloud of unknowing. Fear God, O people, and do not oppose. He is God, the Most High, the Most Exalted.

None can love Me save those who are brought nigh, for My love is a fire that consumeth the hearts—how then can any draw near unto it? He is the Most Holy, the Most High, the Most Glorious.

O concourse of spirits!

Ye shall be prevented from My love, for hearts cannot contain Me, souls cannot bear Me, and minds cannot sustain Me. He is the Judge who executes judgment with authority.

Say: This servant is as a lamp unto this Light, lest the winds of darkness from the souls of the ungodly blow upon it. He is the Ever-Living, the Most High, the Most Splendid.

The peoples shall differ regarding this Ancient Light, and hatred shall appear among them concerning this Mighty Pillar, that the good may be distinguished from the evil, and light from darkness. He is the Living Water, the Everlasting, the Most Enduring.

Know thou that My love is the sword of the Almighty that separateth the righteous from the wicked, and by it are the hearts of the free ones made cool while the souls of the infidels are set ablaze.

BH07223: In the Name of Him Who heareth and seeth…

In the Name of Him Who heareth and seeth and calleth unto the people of the Bayan from this most holy and most glorious horizon!

Say: O people, this indeed is the Beloved Who hath come unto you without veil or concealment. Fear ye God, O ye who are endowed with insight! Do ye worship the calf and forsake God, your Lord, and imagine that ye are numbered among the dwellers of the Paradise of refuge? Say: Evil is that which ye have imagined, could ye but behold with the eye of certitude—ye would witness yourselves in the lowest abyss.

O servant! Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast heard the most sweet melodies of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and He, at this moment, calleth unto thee from the right side of the Throne, the most remote station, that verily there is none other God but Him, and that He is the Lord of the hereafter and of the former times. Blessed then is He Who hath made thee to know the Manifestation of His Self, and by this hath inscribed thy name by the Most Exalted Pen in the Tablet which none hath discovered save God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible.

And the glory rest upon thee and upon whoso hath turned unto Him and shunned him who hath gone astray and remained heedless.

BH07278: The Fire of God from the Divine Lote-Tree hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Holy!

The Fire of God from the Divine Lote-Tree hath been witnessed in the horizon of the Brow. Warble what the Dove of Glory hath warbled upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree, that there is none other God but Him. And He is God, Who hath ever been wise over all things.

Verily the Divine Lote-Tree hath been planted by the hand of this Most Great Remembrance in a Paradise that was hidden from the eyes of the ungodly. It hath been raised up through this Name, as We watered it from the Water of Life which flowed from a luminous and holy Finger. And verily it encompasseth all who are in the heavens and the earth, were ye to know this. And every leaf thereof speaketh in melodies that draw unto them all the hearts of them that are nigh unto God. And whosoever turneth with the ear of innate nature unto it shall hear its melodies in these days wherein the All-Glorious hath been established upon the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful, with mighty sovereignty.

O thou leaf! Hearken unto its call and despair not of thy Lord’s mercy, for verily it hath preceded all females and males.

BH07285: This is a Youth whom God hath raised up…

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

This is a Youth whom God hath raised up for His Cause and made to speak forth His praise and remembrance among the worlds. For this did most of the people rise up against Him, even to the point of seeking to put Him to death—and God is my witness to what I say.

He had a brother who protected Him for a number of years and taught Him a letter from the Tablet of the Command. Through this he grew proud before God Who had created him by the word of His command, and became one of the transgressors. The names so deluded him that he sought to slay his Brother without any proof from God or any enlightening Book. None in the heavens or on earth can reckon his schemes. The fire of hatred blazed in his breast and by it his faith in God, the Lord of all worlds, was consumed.

Thus was it decreed for the Youth, as inscribed upon preserved and mighty Tablets.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, when thou knowest what hath befallen Us, weep thou for this grievous tribulation. And may mercy be upon thee and upon the believing handmaidens and the believing servants.

BH07286: This is the Book of God, the King…

He is the Most Sorrowful above all who are sorrowful

This is the Book of God, the King, the Mighty, the Chosen, unto him whom God hath related unto His servant, that the rains might be sprinkled upon him from these clouds which have been raised in the heaven of grace and which rain down upon all regions. Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the holy precincts, the Seat of the Throne, the station of Him Whom eyes perceive not, that verily there is none other God but Him. He hath uttered a Word whereby He hath distinguished between the evil and the righteous. O servant! Purify thy heart from all that thou hast heard, then enter with thy heart the holy precincts with longing and free will. Say: By God! The Desired One hath appeared with the sovereignty of grandeur and power. Hasten, O people, to the Kawthar of eternity, then remember your Lord, the Most Glorious, in private and in public. Thus have We sent unto thee, O servant, the fragrance of the garment from Joseph the Imprisoned through this Tablet whereby the eyes of the righteous are consoled. And peace be upon thee and upon him who hath believed in God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

BH07288: This is a Book from God unto him who…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

This is a Book from God unto him who hath been named Abdullah, that he may call to mind the remembrance of God, the All-Subduing, the Mighty, the All-Wise, and may forsake that which is with the people and take hold of the Tablet of holiness with power and great might.

O servant! Follow what We have sent down unto thee aforetime, then walk in the paths of the sanctified ones.

Say: O people! Gather ye together in the Cause of God and differ not concerning Him Who hath come unto you with every wise command. Look not upon God as ye look upon your own selves. Fear God and be of the God-fearing. Say: God desireth for you naught save what is better for your own selves than all that ye have chosen, were ye of them that comprehend.

Arise to help the Cause of God, then walk in the ways of justice and shun the paths of the oppressors. Thus hath the word of truth been sent down from the heaven of Command as a token of grace from the presence of One mighty and generous. Blessed is he who hath heard the Word of God and hath detached himself from the words of all else.

BH07291: This is a Book from Us to her who…

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

This is a Book from Us to her who hath believed in God, her Lord, and hath attained unto the lights of holiness and drunk the choice wine of love from the hands of the All-Merciful in her days.

O My handmaiden! Remember thy Lord in private and in public in this hour whose time hath come. Be not grieved about any matter, then turn with thy heart toward this horizon from which hath risen the Sun of Glory with its radiant mention of thy Lord’s name. Take shelter in the shade of the Tree of the Divine Command, then leave behind all things and take hold of the Word of God with a strength bestowed by Us. Blessed is the one who hath attained unto it and upon whom its breezes have wafted.

Verily, He forgeteth not His handmaidens who have turned unto Him. Soon shall their faces be illumined by the lights of this Sun and its radiance. Blessed art thou and blessed is the handmaiden who hath attained unto that which was ordained for her in the Book wherein is recorded for every soul its recompense. And glory be unto the handmaiden who hath turned with her heart unto the Lord of the Last and the First and hath left the world behind her.

BH07294: In the name of God, the All-Sufficient! This…

In the name of God, the All-Sufficient! This is a Book from Us unto thee that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Lord, and turn with thy heart toward the quarter of resplendent glory. Blessed art thou in that thou hast passed over the Bridge and entered the Most Glorious Paradise, a station of gracious glory.

Say: We exalted the name of one of Our servants lest anyone should know Us, and when his fame became widespread he denied God and waxed proud before Him, and thus did Satan behave rebelliously toward the All-Merciful.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then remind the people of this announcement which hath been witnessed from the horizon of the Cause. Say: O people! Deny not Him in Whom ye have believed, and take not Satan as your helper. Rather seek refuge in God from his evil, and take Him as your friend.

We have indeed sent down unto thee aforetime clear verses, and now again have verses been sent down from the heaven of glorious and resplendent might, that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Lord, at all times and be steadfast in His Cause. And glory be upon the people of glory from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

BH07295: This is a Book from Baha to one…

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

This is a Book from Baha to one of the handmaidens of God, that she may remember her Lord at morn and eventide. O My handmaiden! Be thou submissive and prostrate thyself before thy Lord Who created thee by a command from His presence. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Most High.

Blessed is the handmaiden who hath attained unto the recognition of her Lord in these days wherein the Sun of Grandeur and Glory hath shone forth from the horizon of holiness.

O My handmaiden! Grieve not over anything and place thy trust in all matters in God, through Whose word the clouds of idle fancy were rent asunder, the foundations of all things were shaken, and the mountains were scattered.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having been mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen, and this is a bounty unexcelled by any bounty from beginning to end. Taste thou of the fruits of the Tree of Grace, then detach thyself from those who have disbelieved in God and have walked in the paths of idle fancy and error.

And peace be upon thee and upon those who have been illumined by the lights of Beauty.

BH07296: This is a Book from God, the Protector…

In the Name of God, the Most Manifest!

This is a Book from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, unto His loved ones, that they may be quickened through the words of God, the Mighty, the Beloved, and be set ablaze with the fire of His love, and speak forth in praise of His Being in such wise that the opposition of those who have disbelieved in the signs of God after their revelation and followed every rejected idolator shall not deter them.

And thou, O servant, taste thou the fruits of assurance from the Lote-Tree of Certitude which hath been planted by the hands of the All-Merciful, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Grieve not over anything, and fear no one, for God, the Sovereign of the realms of the spirit, hath made His loved ones such that it behooveth them not to be concerned with their physical bodies even should the swords of hatred descend upon them. Thus hath the command been sent down in truth that ye might not sorrow.

Place your trust in all matters in God, and verily He will protect you in truth and will give you that which would cause all the kings of the earth to marvel. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Thus have We made mention of thee in truth that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and be of them that rejoice in the gladness of God.

BH07298: This is a Book from the Prisoner…

In the Name of my Lord, the All-Merciful!

This is a Book from the Prisoner to the loved ones of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Powerful. Therein is mentioned that which will draw them nigh unto God, their Creator. This, verily, is a supreme bounty.

O people! Fear God and commit not that which is unseemly. Do that which ye have been commanded in the Tablets of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Beware lest ye be debarred from His grace in these days wherein the Sun of the loving-kindness of your Lord hath dawned from the horizon of His Most Great Name.

Make then your deeds pure for His sake. Beware lest ye do that which is displeasing unto Him. Then walk in the ways of them that are detached, who have soared on the wings of certitude in the atmosphere of nearness to your Lord, the All-Merciful, and who have aided Him through their utterance betwixt earth and heaven. Neither the blame of the blamer nor the scorn of the ungodly hath deterred them from the remembrance of their Beloved.

Thus have We made mention of thee in this Tablet that thou mayest take unto God a path, stand firm in His Cause, and be of them that are assured. Glory be upon you, O loved ones of God, male and female, young and old.

BH07300: He is the Mighty. This is a Book…

He is the Mighty. This is a Book which speaks with truth and gives glad tidings to the people of the sublime and holy Ridvan, and draws near the near ones to the sacred court and causes them to attain to the glorious heaven of might.

Then it makes mention of those who have believed in God and His verses and upon whom have descended such afflictions as cause tears to flow from every faithful believer. Say: Verily he who has died from among you has been raised unto God and God is witness to this. By God! He has returned to the Primal Point in a mighty and impregnable station.

O loved ones of God! Do not grieve over this, but rather rejoice with the joy of God, then trust in Him, then be content with His decree, then be patient in trials and ordeals, and be well-pleased in the Cause. Every soul shall taste of death—this is what has been inscribed by the Pen of God upon a preserved and mighty tablet.

We beseech God to raise you to a station wherein no grief shall touch you from near or far. And upon you all be the Spirit and Glory.

BH07302: This is a Tablet from the Prisoner…

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

This is a Tablet from the Prisoner to a leaf of the leaves of the Tree of Ridvan, that the winds of her Lord’s Will, the All-Merciful, may stir it and draw it nigh unto God, the Lord of Names and Attributes. O leaf! Hearken thou unto My call from the direction of the Prison, that there is none other God but Him. He ordaineth what He willeth through His command, and He, verily, is the Fashioner of earth and heaven. Remember thou thy Lord through these words which have been sent down from God, the Revealer of verses:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Sun of Thy Beauty hath shone forth from the horizon of Thy Will and Power, and by which the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee among Thy creatures were illumined, to send down upon me that which will gladden my soul and tranquilize my heart. Then grant me, from Thy presence, goodly offspring who will remember Thee on earth amidst Thy creatures and aid Thee in Thy domains. Then cause me to drink, O my God, from the Kawthar of Thy bounty that which will purify me from all else save Thee and draw me nigh unto Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou, verily, art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH07440: All that is in the heavens and on earth…

He is the All-Conquering, the Almighty!

All that is in the heavens and on earth praise God, and verily He has power over all things. All who dwell in the realms of eternity and the Divine Throne bow down before Him, and verily He encompasses all the worlds. He exalts whomsoever He willeth and abases whomsoever He willeth, and bestows upon whomsoever He willeth the holy and gracious lights. His is the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, and His is the dominion of Command and Truth, and He is the majestic and mighty Sovereign.

All things praise Him, all things remember Him, all things sanctify Him, and all things call upon Him, and verily He encompasses all things. He sendeth down mercy upon whomsoever He willeth and withholdeth mercy from whomsoever He willeth, and He sendeth upon whomsoever He willeth the holy and sublime fragrances. His mercy hath preceded all things and His grace hath encompassed all things, and He hath established His Cause with justice throughout all the worlds.

BH07455: O handmaid of God, Hajar, who hath migrated unto…

O handmaid of God, Hajar, who hath migrated unto God! He is the One, the Kind. Although through the oppression of the enemies the hearts of the loved ones are agitated, to such extent that most of them appear to be veiled, despite the fact that the purpose of life itself was to be sacrificed in the path of the All-Merciful. I swear by God’s Most Great Name that if one does not attain to this station, in the realm of inner meanings they have been and will be in utmost regret. It is most astonishing that they would deprive themselves of the eternal, everlasting Kingdom for the sake of this transient life. Indeed, every soul has been ordained a portion and assigned a share. The spider busies itself catching flies, while the divine Phoenix of Qaf hunts for inner meanings. This verse is befitting to mention at this point:

Leave the hunting of wild asses in their graves, Instead hunt for meaning from Mount Sinai’s ways

God willing, may that handmaid of God be ever intimately associated with the remembrance of the Beloved and occupied with His mention. This is from the most great bounty of the Lord of the worlds. And the Spirit be upon thee.

BH07495: O My handmaiden! Hearken unto My call…

In His name, the All-Bountiful

O My handmaiden! Hearken unto My call from the direction of My Ridvan, then be thou attracted by the fragrances of My companionship and the melodies of My holiness that have been raised from the right hand of My throne. Follow that which thy Lord, the Mighty, the Exalted, the Unconstrained, hath commanded thee.

Grieve thou not over anything, and know that Ism-i-Mihdi is in the presence of his Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, the Mighty, the Bestower, at the Divine horizon, and the lights have shone upon him from the Beauty of God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

We have named her whom We gave to thee and him “Bahiyyih” in the Kingdom of Names, and We have entitled her “Handmaiden of the Remembrance” that thou mayest be among the thankful.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having been intimate with him whom God hath loved in the worlds of His holiness, and verily were We to rend asunder the veil, thou wouldst behold him established upon a mighty and exalted station.

And upon thee be the glory, and upon the steadfast women who have believed in God, the One, the Single, the All-Powerful.

BH07496: O my handmaid! Hear My call…

He is the Self-Subsisting!

O my handmaid! Hear My call, by which the souls of the pure ones are stirred, and then the realities of the holy ones, and by the call of God the hearts of the sincere ones are attracted. Blessed is he who hath heard the call of his Lord and hath prevented his ear from hearing the croaking of the deniers who opposed God and disbelieved in His verses and were among the rejecters.

God will soon punish them with a chastisement from Him, and verily He is the severest of avengers. And when the decree cometh upon them they shall be confounded and shall find for themselves no helper nor protector.

And those who have believed, the people of the Paradise of the All-Highest shall circle round them with cups of the Kawthar of the knowledge of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful. And the people of the Supreme Concourse shall visit them and shall find from them the fragrances of the love of God, the Exalted, the Great. Blessed are they and those who love them. Woe unto the opposers!

Thus have We sent down the verses in this Tablet and dispatched it unto thee as a mercy from before the Mighty, the All-Knowing. And praise be to the Beloved of the worlds.

BH07497: O handmaiden of God! Bear witness within yourself…

He is God, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O handmaiden of God! Bear witness within yourself that there is no God but Him, and that the Beauty of Oneness and Pure Eternity, who was named ʿAli before Nabil, is the Spirit of God and His Chosen One, the Glory of God and His Beloved. All were sent by His command and all shall be gathered unto Him.

Be thankful to your Lord in your sleep and wakefulness, in your standing and sitting, in your bowing and prostration, and at every dawning and setting. Do not grieve within yourself nor be distressed in your heart.

Should God will, He would adorn your bed with His Name, the Praised Muhammad, and would renew your covenant with Him, grant you His presence, and draw you nigh unto Him as the soul draweth nigh unto the spirit and the beloved unto the Beloved. Therefore raise your hand unto God that He may send down unto you this promised feast.

And glory be unto you for your patience in the Cause of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

BH07502: O Husayn! Know thou that We have not forgotten…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting

O Husayn! Know thou that We have not forgotten thee at any time or moment, but rather have remembered thee with a tongue of truthful knowledge. Say: We have been cast into a mighty prison by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought, and We are content with that which God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, hath decreed for Us in the Tablets of His decree.

And thou, remind the loved ones not to bring harm upon Us after this great harm, and not to waste the Cause of God amongst them, and not to differ regarding the command of God, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Powerful. For by God, thou shalt find their turning away from this Servant—who was naught to them but an affectionate brother and a noble companion after He came to them with the proof of God and a straight testimony—then convey Our greetings to thy wife and give her glad tidings of the mercy of God and His holy and resplendent good-pleasure.

And glory be upon the people of Baha from this effulgent and radiant Glory.

BH07506: O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of this Most…

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

O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of this Most Exalted One. By God! He is verily the Most High, Who now speaketh from the direction of the Divine Throne that there is none other God but Him, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. He hath appeared time after time, and in this cycle hath drawn aside all the veils from the face of the Unseen, manifesting Himself in such wise that even the eyes of those near unto God cannot behold Him as He truly is. Yet those servants who claim to believe in the Manifestation of His Self Who came unto them in the year sixty have disbelieved in Him.

O youth! Purify thyself from the allusions of those who have disbelieved, then detach thyself from the idolaters. Stand firm in His Cause and associate not any partners with His Self, even should all who dwell in the heavens and earth rise up against thee. Remember thy Lord in thy days, then occupy thyself with His praise amongst His servants. This is better for thee than that wherewith all creation is occupied.

And the splendor rest upon thee and upon whoso remaineth steadfast in the love of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH07515: In the Name of God, the Most Manifest…

In the Name of God, the Most Manifest, the Most Manifest! O leaf! Hold fast to this Tree lest the winds of trials that blow from the direction of tests, from thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, cause thee to fall. Move by the winds of the Divine Will, for verily they will turn thee from the left of doubt to the right of certitude. These winds are indeed the quickener of bodies in this holy and wondrous Spring, and through them the roses of knowledge grow in this exalted Paradise.

Blessed art thou for having believed in God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. God hath named thee the Leaf and related thee to the Tree of His Own Self, the Almighty, the Powerful. Take comfort in the remembrance of God, thy Lord, then detach thyself from every sinful idolator.

Thus doth counsel thee the Dove Who hath spoken and warbled in the paradise of eternity upon the branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, that there is none other God but He, the King, the Truth, the Just, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon every maidservant who hath believed in God, the One, the Mighty, the Peerless.

BH07611: The servant maketh mention of one of the loved…

In the Name of the Most Wondrous, the Wondrous!

The servant maketh mention of one of the loved ones of God, that he may rejoice in His remembrance of him and be numbered among them that are steadfast in this Cause, from which the feet of the mature have slipped—how much more those who are as sucklings still drinking from the breast of heedlessness and ignorance, and who wander in the wilderness of self and passion!

Say: Verily, he who hath not believed in God is but a suckling, even though seventy years may have passed over him. Blessed art thou for having believed in God and recognized the Manifestation of His Self, and art numbered among the successful ones.

Grieve thou not over anything save My grief, and rejoice not in aught except in My remembrance and praise. Then read what hath been sent down from My presence, for thereby are the hearts of them that have knowledge attracted. Thus have We commanded thee, as a favor from Our presence upon thee.

Act thou according to what thou hast been bidden by God, the Exalted, the Great. And glory be upon thee and upon the servants of God who remember Him.

BH07615: In the Name of God, the Composer of Unity!…

In the Name of God, the Composer of Unity! This is a mention from Us to a servant among the servants of God, that he may rejoice within himself and remain steadfast in love. Blessed art thou for having migrated unto God and entered the precinct of Paradise and attained the presence of the mighty throne.

This Most Exalted Pen hath been moved to make mention of thee—the Pen whose shrill voice hath attracted the hearts of all who are endowed with knowledge and wisdom. Know thou that We have ordained for thee to care for him with whom thou wert. Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Tablet.

O loved ones of God! Show him honor, for he hath turned toward the Dawning-Place of a luminous Name. The reward of one who acteth in His path shall not be lost with God, and verily His grace draweth nigh unto the doers of good.

Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth. Follow that which thou art bidden, and in all matters place thy trust in God, Who loveth unity among His servants and Who watcheth over them that believe in His oneness. And upon you, O people of Baha, be the glory from One mighty and beautiful.

BH07633: A mention from the Sacred Leaf to His servant…

He is the Mighty

A mention from the Sacred Leaf to His servant Ali, that he may give thanks to God his Creator and await the Day when God shall come in manifest clouds of glory. Say: O people, fear God in this Day and tarry not for less than a moment, then hasten to a holy and praiseworthy seat. Take not from the Book that which is ambiguous therein, but take what God hath made firm, not deviating from the truth, and which hath been established by covenant. O people, interpret not the words of God according to your own opinions and desires. Fear God, then stand firm upon this exalted Path which God hath made a guidance and mercy for those who have followed the command of their Lord and who manifest a witnessed love, such that the lights of love shine forth from their faces and the remembrance of God from their hearts, and they are among the gems of existence.

BH07645: Glorified is He Who sendeth down the verses…

In the Name of Him Who is the Manifest One!

Glorified is He Who sendeth down the verses as He pleaseth, and verily He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

O servant! Hear My call, then soar in the atmosphere of My love and grieve not over what hath befallen thee from the power of the Cause, and be thou among those who rejoice whenever tribulation cometh in the path of the Beloved. He is the Beloved, but the people understand not. By His beauty! I long that every sword should fall upon Me in His path, and this is what My heart desireth, did ye but know. Can there be found in existence anything sweeter than affliction in His path and tribulation in His love? Nay, by His Self, the True One, if ye but knew!

Know thou that preservation lieth in His hand—He preserveth whom He willeth by a command from His presence, but the people perceive not. Be thou thankful unto God for having made Himself known unto thee. By God! This is a bounty greater than whatsoever existeth between the Kaf and the Nun.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon all who witness and are witnessed.

BH07649: Glorified be He Who created the heavens and earth…

He is God!

Glorified be He Who created the heavens and earth and made the winds subservient. The thunder glorifies Him in fear and the clouds in awe. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most High.

Say: The heaven of vain imaginings hath been cleft asunder, the veils of glory have been lifted, the Sun of Beauty hath shone forth, and judgment hath been decreed by God, in Whose hand lies the dominion of all things. He is the Ruler in the beginning and in the end.

O thou who gazest upon the Face!

When thou hearest the verses of God, arise to aid His Cause and say: O people! The Beloved hath come with sovereignty, grandeur and glory. Beware that ye oppose Him not. Fear God and associate not with Him in Whom ye have believed. Whoso opposeth Him is accounted among those who disbelieved in God from all eternity.

Thus doth the tongue of thy Lord teach thee that thou mayest remind the people of that which thou hast been commanded by the Transformer of all conditions. And the glory be upon thee from God, Whose decree of passing away prevaileth not over what He willeth.

BH07655: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by the lamp which Thou didst kindle with the oil of Thy wisdom and didst place upon the niche of Thy bounty, and by which Thou didst illuminate the sincere ones among Thy creatures, that Thou make me wholly detached unto Thee, clinging to the cord of Thy favors, enkindled with the fire of Thy love, illumined by the lights of Thy countenance, ascending to the heaven of Thy self-subsistence, and rising to the atmosphere of Thy lordship, so that there may remain within my soul no remembrance save the remembrance of Thee, no description save Thy description, and no deed except that which is done for love of Thee and Thy good-pleasure. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy most exalted Word, and Who hath dominion over whatsoever Thou desirest through Thy sovereignty which hath transcended all who are in earth and heaven. Verily Thou art the Sovereign, the Transcendent, the Powerful, the Glorious, the All-Merciful. And praise be to God, the King, the All-Compelling, the Powerful, the Resurrector, the Holy, the All-Glorious.

BH07666: In the name of God, the Most Mighty! Glorified…

In the name of God, the Most Mighty! Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Beloved and my Hope! I call upon Thee at this moment when I have detached myself from all that hath been created between earth and heaven, and have turned my face toward Thy Most Exalted Countenance in Thy Later Manifestation through the Most Glorious Manifestation of Thyself.

Wherefore, O my God, behold this poor one who hath clung to the cord of Thy riches, and this thirsty one who hath hastened to the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, and this needy one who hath laid hold on the hem of Thy bounty, and this evanescent one who desireth to enter the stronghold of Thy eternity and drink from the Tasnim of Thy providence and soar in the atmosphere of yearning for Thee and ascend unto the heaven of union with Thee and meeting Thee.

Therefore, O my Beloved, deprive me not, through Thy grace and favor, of the fruits of the Most Glorious Paradise, and shut me not out, through Thy generosity and bounty, from the Gate which hath been opened before the faces of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

There is no God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Bountiful, the Most High, the Compassionate, the Forgiver, the Merciful, the All-Giving. Praise be to God, the Most Exalted King.

BH07678: Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings…

Glory to Thee, O my God! The first stirrings of the spring of Thy grace have appeared and clothed Thine earth with verdure. The clouds of the heaven of Thy bounty have rained their rain on this City within whose walls is imprisoned Him Whose desire is the salvation of Thy creatures. Through it the soil of this City hath been decked forth, and its trees clothed with foliage, and its inhabitants gladdened.

The hearts of Thy dear ones, however, will rejoice only at the Divine Springtime of Thy tender mercies, whereby the hearts are quickened, and the souls are renewed, and the trees of human existence bear their fruits.

The plants that have sprung forth, O my Lord, in the hearts of Thy loved ones have withered away. Send down upon them, from the clouds of Thy spirit, that which will cause the tender herbs of Thy knowledge and wisdom to grow within their breasts. Rejoice, then, their hearts with the proclamation of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy sovereignty.

Their eyes, O my Lord, are expectantly turned in the direction of Thy bounty, and their faces are set towards the horizon of Thy grace. Suffer them not, through Thy bounty, to be deprived of Thy grace. Potent art Thou, by Thy sovereign might, over all things. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

BH07699: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, the rightful Sovereign. The heaven praiseth Him through its loftiness, the earth through its motion, the sun through its radiance, the stars through their light, the trees through their fruits, the seas through their waves, the winds through their blowing, and the waters through their flowing. He giveth life and causeth death, then causeth death and giveth life. He is the unknowable Sovereign and the incomprehensible King. In His grasp lies the kingdom of all things. There is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Glorious, the All-Merciful.

Thou must bear witness unto that which God hath witnessed, and pay no heed to those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, the Lord of names and attributes. He preserveth whomsoever He willeth through His sovereignty, and within His grasp lies the kingdom of might and power. No vision can grasp Him, but He graspeth all vision, and with Him is the knowledge of all things in the Book. And praise be to God, the King, the Mighty, the Most Exalted.

BH07700: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

He is the Almighty

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His is the might and the majesty, His the greatness and the glory, His the loftiness and the independence. All were created by His command and all act by His command. With Him is the knowledge of the unseen in the heavens and earth, and the knowledge of what was and what will be.

And thou, O letter Ayn, forget not My love for thee and My affection towards thee, and be not of those who have broken God’s covenant and His testament and who fall short in God’s religion. Remind God’s servants of pure fear of God such that nothing distracts them from the remembrance of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Then remind from Us thy brethren not to let any matter block them from the paths of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

And blessings be upon thee and upon them and upon she who was in thy house and upon all the women and men.

BH07713: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bountiful. God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, the All-Conquering, the Almighty. His is generosity and grace, and His are mercy and justice, and He encompasseth all things.

Say: He it is Who giveth life and causeth death, then causeth death and giveth life; and verily He is the Ever-Living Who dieth not, and the Manifest One Who hideth not. And verily He encompasseth all things and is wise, all-knowing, and aware, wise and powerful. And unto God belongeth the creation of the heavens and earth; He createth what He willeth by His command, more swiftly than the light returneth to its source.

This is a Book from God, the Mighty, the Single, the Exalted, the Holy, the Most Great, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, unto those who have believed in God and His signs and His Messengers and His angels, and were among the guided ones.

O people!

Be steadfast in the love of God and His Cause, and when verses are sent down unto you, be not ye among the proud ones.

BH07745: We have heard that which thou didst call upon…

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

We have heard that which thou didst call upon God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. By God! Through His remembrance are quickened the hearts of them that have known Him, and through it are severed from all that hath been created between the heavens and earth the souls of those whom the overpowering raptures of longing have seized.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made the Sovereign of all names, and whereby the pillars of the lands were shaken and the hearts of Thy doubting servants were thunderstruck, that Thou sever me from whatsoever can be called a thing, and cause me to stand firm in exalting Thy Word and raising the standards of Thy remembrance and knowledge amongst Thy creatures. By Thy glory, O my Beloved! I find no bounty greater than this today, nor any glory mightier than this. Therefore make me to speak Thy praise, then to celebrate Thy remembrance, then kindle me with the fire wherewith the hearts of Thy creation and the slumbering ones among Thy creatures are set ablaze, that all may arise to fulfill that which Thou hast commanded them in the Tablets of Thy decree and the Scrolls of Thine irrevocable judgment.

Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH07769: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing! The breezes of grace have at this moment wafted from the direction of a mighty throne. Turn thyself wholly unto them, that they may cleanse thee from the malady of them that doubt, and sanctify thee from the hints of those who have disbelieved, and render thee pure for the sake of thy Beloved, the Mighty, the Peerless.

Trust in God, then detach thyself from all else but Him, then through Him find thyself independent of all the worlds. Verily He loveth those who have loved Him, and aideth them who have voiced His praise amidst His slumbering servants.

Say: Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, desireth to draw you nigh unto Him, yet you flee from Him. What aileth you, O heedless ones! You have slept through most of your days. Wherefore awaken ye, then behold the Most Great Scene, the Spot wherein shineth forth the countenance of God, the Exalted, the All-Wise.

Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth, that thou mayest remind those upon whose faces thou perceivest the radiance of divine bounty and glory. Upon thee, and upon them who have attained unto the recognition of God, the Sovereign, the Just, the Bestowing, the Forgiving, the Merciful, be praise unto God, the Lord of all the worlds.

BH07836: God’s gaze is ever fixed upon His servants…

He is God!

God’s gaze is ever fixed upon His servants, and were He to withdraw that glance of favor from the earth and all who dwell thereon for less than that, all would assuredly return to nothingness. However, in this day it is beloved that the loved ones of God should appear among His servants with spiritual qualities, that from every soul the sweet fragrances of the dwellers of all worlds might be inhaled. Those who claim to love must show proof. Not all that is uttered by the tongue finds acceptance at the threshold of the All-Merciful. Today deeds take precedence over words. Therefore strive that praiseworthy actions may be manifested from all your limbs. If someone claims to be of the divine paradise, that claim alone does not prove it, rather those endowed with spiritual perception must inhale. If they detect the fragrances of the gardens, it will be accepted; otherwise it is rejected. O my brothers! The shrill voice of the Supreme Pen is far more distinct and excellent than the buzzing of flies.

BH07860: This is the Book of God which hath been…

He is the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy

This is the Book of God which hath been sent down in truth, yet most people perceive not. Therein doth God command you to practice righteousness and piety, and forbiddeth you from transgression and indecency, would that ye might understand. There hath come before Us what thou didst compose of elegant and eloquent words, and God will surely reward thee with the most excellent reward from His presence, for He is verily the Bestower, the Beloved. If thou wouldst turn with thy whole being to this luminous and beloved Beauty, God would cause to flow from thy tongue that which hath never occurred to the hearts of those who compose verses day after day. Arise to serve God, thy Lord, and fear no one. Be thou in praiseworthy love, and should thou see anyone who beareth enmity toward Me, avoid him even if he be thine own eye. Thus doth the Ancient Beauty command thee, if thou be of them that understand. Then convey Our remembrance unto those who are with thee and give them the glad-tidings of a holy and inaccessible paradise.

BH07861: He is the Mighty! This is a noble Book…

He is the Mighty! This is a noble Book sent down from the presence of God, the Most High, the Supreme. Verily it is from the Sovereign, and verily it is in the Name of God, the Most Invincible, the Most Holy, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be thou not perturbed when there cometh to thee a matter at which every lofty and towering mountain would crumble, and the heavens and earths would be cleft asunder. Say: By God! He hath appeared with the truth with manifest sovereignty and speaketh with the truth that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Transcendent, the Invincible, the Inaccessible.

Then know thou that We have answered thee before and made mention of thee in holy and preserved Tablets, that thou mayest rejoice in thy innermost being and be detached from the worlds in such wise that nothing shall prevent thee from entering this Sanctuary round which circle the hearts of them that are nigh unto God. And We have sent unto thee that which shall solace thine eyes and the eyes of them that profess the unity of God. And praise be to God, the King, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

A shirt hath been sent that thou mayest inhale from it the fragrance of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

BH07864: This is a letter from the servant…

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

This is a letter from the servant to a handmaiden among the handmaidens of God.

Associate not anything with God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Remember Him at all times, for by His remembrance hearts are illumined. Verily, they who are heedless of His remembrance are in a mighty veil, while they who remember Him dwell in the gardens of delight.

Soon shall the world pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Take heed lest the world occupy thee from God, thy Beloved and the Beloved of all worlds.

Hold fast to the cord of thy Lord’s grace, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. He verily sufficeth thee in truth and guardeth thee from the harm of the idolaters. In His hand is the kingdom of might and power—He exalteth whom He willeth and abaseth whom He willeth, and He is powerful over all things.

And mercy be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have believed in God, their Lord and the Lord of all creation. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH07865: This is a Book from God to her who…

He is God!

This is a Book from God to her who hath believed in her Lord and was among the devout ones.

Worship none but God, and purify thy heart from the intimations of those who disbelieved in God when He came with the Kingdom of signs. Rejoice thou in the gladness of the Cause, and be devoted to this Most Great Remembrance through Whose command the names and attributes were created. Grieve not for him who hath ascended unto God, and be content with God thy Lord. Verily He is with His remembering handmaidens.

Turn thy face toward Him Who created the earth and the heavens. Find solace in the remembrance of God, for through His remembrance sorrows are lifted and mercy and joy descend from all directions. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath held fast to the Most Great Handle and hath detached herself from the world and all that is therein out of love for God, the Manifest One of clear signs.

And upon thee, O handmaiden of God, and upon His submissive handmaidens rest the Spirit, O thou who belongeth to God, the Lord of the Cause, the One possessed of grandeur and power.

BH07866: He is the Most High, the Most Great! This…

He is the Most High, the Most Great! This is a Book from God wherein is mentioned that which guideth the people unto His All-Knowing, All-Wise Self.

O servant! Detach thyself from the world, then ascend unto God with mighty submissiveness. Say: God hath ever been more knowing than everyone possessed of knowledge. He knoweth whatsoever moveth upon the earth and ascendeth unto heaven. There is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: He hath made all things the treasuries of His contingent knowledge, and none hath comprehended it save His Own Experienced Self, and then those who have been given penetrating vision—these comprehend according to their capacity. There is no God but Him, [the Ordainer], the All-Seeing.

And the knowledge which pertaineth to His Essence is confined to His Own Self, and none among the peoples of the heavens and the earth hath comprehended His knowledge. Therefore testify within thyself that there is no God but Him, and that He Who appeared with the name of Husayn before ʿAli was a manifestation of His Self and His sovereignty unto all the worlds.

BH07870: This is a Book from the Compassionate, the Merciful…

In the Name of the Most Exalted

This is a Book from the Compassionate, the Merciful, unto him who hath believed in God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: O people! We desire to offer up Our life in the path of God, though ye be of them that detest it. Say: We bear tribulations in the path of Baha through God’s might and power, and We thank Him for this supreme bounty. Say: Blessed is the dust that is reddened with this blood out of love for God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

Know thou that We have found in thee the love of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. We have therefore sent down unto thee this Tablet that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Knowing. Arise to teach God’s Cause among His heedless servants. Whosoever teacheth, verily the Spirit will aid him at all times. Thus hast thou been commanded from the presence of One knowing, wise. And the Glory be upon thee and upon thy wife and upon her two sisters, from God, the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of all creation.

BH07871: This is a Tablet from the Spirit unto…

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

This is a Tablet from the Spirit unto the handmaiden of God who hath believed in her Lord and was numbered among the devout ones in the Tablets. Blessed art thou, O My handmaiden, for having turned unto a Spot that was hidden from the eyes of the world and for having recognized the Manifestation of God’s Self after most men were deprived thereof. Know thou that every woman who hath believed in God and purified her soul is better than a thousand men who have disbelieved in God and were remote from the paradise of nearness. Thy son, who hath been honored to attain the presence of God time and again and who hath been seized by the breathings of the days which were recorded in all the Tablets by the Pen of God, hath appeared before Us. Grieve thou not over anything, but place thy trust in all matters in God, for verily He is thy guardian.

And the glory be upon thee and upon him who hath taken the All-Merciful as his helper.

BH07873: In the Name of God, the Most High…

In the Name of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted! This is a Tablet from the Prisoner to him who hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance and hath believed in God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, and who hath entered the prison and attained the presence of God, his Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Thus hath been ordained for him a station of glorious honor from God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Wise, that he may be steadfast in the Cause of God and walk this straight path.

Know thou that Our name “the Guide” hath appeared before the Countenance and beseeched God that He send down verses unto thee. Thus have they been sent down in truth that thou mayest be kindled with the fire of thy Lord’s love, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Forget not God’s favor, for His favor upon thee is great indeed. He hath created thee in truth and caused thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Self and made thee among the sincere ones.

Meet with My loved ones and unite with them in My love, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Thus have We commanded thee in truth that thou mayest be among those who act.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who are with thee among Our believing servants.

BH07874: This is a Book sent down in truth…

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

This is a Book sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and all-knowing unto her who hath believed in her Lord and hath attained unto the knowledge of God on a momentous day.

O handmaiden of God!

Thy name hath been mentioned before the Divine Countenance, and there hath been revealed for thee that which will gladden thy heart, and this is indeed a great favor. Follow thou the Spirit in His days, and He will suffice thee above all the peoples. We have ordained in the Tablets for Our steadfast handmaidens a magnificent reward.

Grieve not for what hath befallen thee in the path of God, for He will soon seize the wrong-doers with His might, and He hath power over all things. Verily My handmaidens are the leaves of the Tree of My good-pleasure; it behooveth them to be stirred by the winds of My will. Thus hath it been ordained in a preserved Tablet.

The glory be upon thee and upon him who hath taken the All-Merciful as his friend. Then the Spirit be upon thy daughter who hath believed in God, her Lord, and hath chosen for herself a path unto Him.

BH07968: O Majid! That which you addressed to God, your…

He is the Mighty!

O Majid! That which you addressed to God, your Lord, has come before Us, and We have answered you with this Tablet as a mercy from Us upon you and upon the sincere ones. We beseech God to aid you to attain His love and good-pleasure, and to ordain for you companionship with His Most Glorious Beauty in the highest companionship. Verily, He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth.

O Mihman! Be not grieved at anything, but put thy trust in God and remember Him at eventide and at dawn.

O Badr! Be as a full moon in the love of God, that the handmaidens who are steadfast may be illumined by thee.

O Khadijih! Grieve not over what Our servant Muhsin hath done, for verily thy Lord is with thee at all times. She who hath found intimacy with her Lord, it behooveth her to cut herself off from intimacy with all else. Nevertheless, We beseech God that He may cause him to return unto thee in humility and repentance. Verily, He is wise in whatsoever He willeth. And the glory be upon you all.

BH08141: Do ye imagine, O people of the Bayan…

Do ye imagine, O people of the Bayan and all who are on earth, that ye have believed in God and will not be tested thereafter? Nay, God will surely test you through His Cause that He may distinguish those who are upon truth from God’s presence and are steadfast in God’s religion. God shall soon annihilate your bodies and erase your traces and your names and all that ye have pursued and gathered unto yourselves and stored in your houses, and shall return you on the Day when the Sovereign of Eternity shall come with manifest dominion. Then shall ye recognize all that ye have wrought in your days and shall say:

“Woe unto us for what we have clung to and for having turned away from the Lord of all worlds!”

But neither regret nor remorse shall profit you, O heedless people!

Fear God, then hear My word, then turn to God with sublime turning and repent unto Him, then entrust your affairs to His sovereignty and rely upon Him, and be of those who trust in Him. And say at all times:

“We have entrusted all affairs unto Thee, for Thou art the Lord of all worlds.”

BH08003: Hear what is revealed unto thee from the holy…

In the name of the All-Glorious One!

Hear what is revealed unto thee from the holy sanctuary by thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted.

Say: Verily, in this moment He calleth aloud from the Most Glorious Horizon betwixt earth and heaven unto all beings, declaring: By God! This is the Lord of the Last and the First! Say: He speaketh not out of desire, if ye be of them that understand. Say: Even were He to speak from desire, it behooveth you not to object to Him, O ye possessed of insight, for in His desire is seen naught save the desire of God, your Best-Beloved, the Most High, the Most Glorious, and in His Self naught save the Self of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.

Joy be unto thee, O servant, in that thou hast ascended unto the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and attained the ultimate goal, which is none other than the recognition of God in the Manifestation of His Self, Who hath come yet again. And glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath believed and been guided.

BH08035: In the Name of God, the Most Manifest! Hearken…

In the Name of God, the Most Manifest! Hearken unto the Call of God from the direction of Paradise. By God! Whosoever heareth it but once with the ear of innate nature shall be quickened once again with the spirit of eternity through the breathings of the Word of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

Stop thine ear from the call of them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, then turn thy face toward the melodies of God, the Mighty, the Bestower. Be thou steadfast among the people in thy love for God such that they may witness from thy countenance the radiance of the All-Merciful, from thy heart the stirring of the Divine Lote-Tree, and from thy spirit eagerness and attraction.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having cut me off from all else but Thee and made known unto me that which caused the realities of them who disbelieved and associated partners with God to be perturbed, and guided me to Thy Most Exalted, Most High, Most Glorious Self. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful. Glory and splendor be upon Thee and upon them who have drunk the water of life from the hand of the Youth.

BH08051: O loved ones of God! The winds of tests…

He is the Mighty, the Beloved!

O loved ones of God! The winds of tests have blown upon you from the direction of your Lord, the All-Merciful, in the year of shidad—and this is what We have informed you of in all the Tablets, and you know it. Blessed is he whom the winds did not move and who remained steadfast in the Cause. By God! They are honored servants upon whom the denizens of the Supreme Concourse shower their blessings, and for whom the people of Paradise pray morning and evening. Those who have wronged—they are the ones who sleep. By God! Were they to arise from the slumber of passion, they would lament and weep for their own souls. And you—do not grieve over anything, but trust in Him in all matters. There is nothing but that its treasuries are with Him, and He sends down upon whomsoever He wishes according to a measured decree. And the Spirit be upon you and upon those servants who are ever mindful of God’s remembrance. And praise be to the Praiseworthy Lord.

BH08052: Hearken unto the call of Him Who summoneth thee…

He is the Almighty, the Eternal

Hearken unto the call of Him Who summoneth thee from this Prison which lieth beyond a thousand towering mountains, which the hands of the ungodly and the believers can never reach, and which God hath made forbidden unto these two peoples. Find thou solace in the remembrance of God, then content thyself with Him alone and consort not with any rebellious satan. Remember thou My days, then My exile and My grief, then My banishment and My tribulation, then My sorrow and My trials at morn and at eventide. Stand thou firm then in thy love at the time when the breezes of hatred waft upon thee from every sinful misbeliever, in such wise that thy feet shall not slip even should all the small and the great unite against thee.

The Spirit be upon thee and upon those who walk with thee upon a straight path.

BH08053: In the Most Wondrous, Most Wondrous Name of God!

In the Most Wondrous, Most Wondrous Name of God!

O My handmaiden, detach thyself from all else besides Me, then soar in the atmosphere of My nearness, that thou mayest witness the heaven of My majesty and the kingdom of My grandeur, and visit the House of My remembrance and the Kaaba of My knowledge, and behold My lights from the horizon of My appearance and My beauty, and journey through the realms of My holiness and the domains of My greatness and the heaven of My might and the pavilions of My glory and My splendor and the sanctuary of My mysteries and the tent of My grace and favor and the tabernacles of My power and sovereignty.

Thus hath warbled the Dove of My Cause upon the Lote-Tree of My will and wisdom and purpose. Blessed is he who is attracted by that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My mercy and the atmosphere of My bounty upon all worlds.

And peace be upon thee and upon whosoever hath purified himself from all else save Me and hath turned with his heart toward My face, the dawning-place, the mighty, the holy, the exalted, the wondrous, the luminous.

BH08055: O handmaiden of God! Hearken unto the call…

He is God, the Most Holy, the Most Holy

O handmaiden of God! Hearken unto the call of Him Who summoneth thee to God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Then rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned by the Pen of Command—and this, verily, is a great bounty. Detach thyself from the world, then make mention of thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Bountiful. There is no Beloved except Him, and no One to be remembered save His Own Self, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Every goodly mention returneth unto Him, and verily He is the Answerer of the prayers of those who are in distress. No praise riseth unto Him save the praise of Him Who is sanctified from the praise of all the worlds, and naught ascendeth unto Him except a goodly word. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a preserved Tablet. Free thyself from all things and turn thy face toward Him with an illumined heart. Thus have We commanded thee on this night, as a remembrance from One Who is mighty and wise. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon such handmaidens as God hath purified from the deeds of the ungodly.

BH08056: O Baqir, bear witness within yourself that there…

He is the Almighty

O Baqir, bear witness within yourself that there is no God but Him and that Ali is His servant and His beauty and His radiance unto all who are on earth. God hath made him the throne of His manifestation and the seat of His concealment, that all may testify within themselves that He hath power over all things.

O servant! Give thanks unto God for having caused thee to know His Self and bestowed upon thee the knowledge of His Cause and made thee to be numbered among those who are guided, as recorded in the Mother Book.

Beware lest thou waver when the winds blow from near and far. Be steadfast in thy love for thy Lord and turn thy heart toward the holy and resplendent Beauty. Thus doth the Dove counsel thee and inspire thee with that which will gladden thy soul, if thou be possessed of insight.

Then convey Our remembrance to all who have believed in God and His signs and who are well-pleased in God’s religion.

BH08060: O Abdullah!

O Abdullah!

Hearken to My call, then be attracted by My melodies, then ascend with thy heart unto My heaven, then mention Me with My tongue, then rejoice in that which passeth over thee from before My throne, then grieve for that which hath befallen My beauty from My loved ones and My enemies, then drink the cup of holiness from the hands of My mercy, then occupy thyself with My praise, then be severed from all else save Me, then assist My Cause.

Therefore keep My counsel and remember the days of meeting Me and attaining My presence and My nearness and My manifestation and My effulgence.

Thus have We sent unto thee from the essence of utterance and the Pen the musk of wisdom and meanings that thou mayest find therefrom the fragrance of the All-Merciful and be attracted to the throne of certitude.

Blessed art thou, O thou who art mentioned by the Pen of holiness in this inscribed Tablet and remembered in the holy presence, the seat of God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Praising.

BH08102: Verily I am God! There is no God but…

Verily I am God! There is no God but Me, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. Verily I am God! There is no God but Me, the Sovereign, the Most Great.

Verily I am He Who created all beings through My command and brought all contingent things into existence through My grace, and I am the Almighty over whatsoever I desire, and I am the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Through My command did the sun shine forth from the horizon of heaven, and the Nightingale of Holiness sang out that this is the Beauty of God in the human realm of beginning, and the Manifestation of God in the heavenly kingdom on high, and the Concealment of God in the realm of might and immortality, and the Essence of Eternity in this radiant, snow-white garment.

Thus have I been from the beginning of every beginning—God the Single, the One, the Unique, the Self-Subsisting, the Everlasting, the Ever-Abiding, the Ever-Living, the All-Willing, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient. And I shall ever remain the Sovereign, the King, the Judge, the All-Knowing, the Omnipotent—from all eternity unto all eternity, Ever-Living, Ever-Abiding, Ever-Existing, the One Worshipped.

BH08157: These are the verses of the Spirit sent down…

He is the Mighty.

These are the verses of the Spirit sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and powerful. They speak the truth in the kingdom of command and creation, and call the people to the holy and exalted Ridvan.

O servant! Grieve not over anything, fear no one, and pay no heed to any sinful deceiver. Then turn to God thy Lord, detach thyself from those in whom thou perceivest the stench of death, avoid them and draw nigh unto a holy and luminous seat.

Know thou that We have not forgotten thee and make mention of thee now, that thou mayest rejoice in thy soul and be filled with great gladness. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned toward the court of sublime glory.

Then make mention from Us to thy brother and give him glad tidings of a mighty and glorious station.

BH08158: These are the verses of God, the King…

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

These are the verses of God, the King, the True, the Manifest, which have been sent down in truth from the heaven of ancient glory. O youth! Hear My call, for verily He is none other than the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Grieve not for thy father. He hath ascended unto God and attained a station from which the hands of the idolaters are cut off. He hath then taken up his seat in the Most Glorious Paradise, a sacred and generous station. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as God hath brought thee forth from his loins and guided thee through His grace and confirmed thee in this Cause whereby the feet of those who deemed themselves the most exalted among men have slipped when the Truth came unto them with manifest sovereignty. Thus doth God reveal that which is hidden in the breasts, for He hath power over all things. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon those who have held fast to this firm and mighty handle.

BH08177: In this most manifest, wondrous and impregnable Revelation, We…

He is God

In this most manifest, wondrous and impregnable Revelation, We have forbidden all the servants of God from murder, corruption, tyranny and enmity, and all have been commanded to wisdom and utterance. Nevertheless, some have transgressed the divine bounds and have defiled the fortress of divine commands and prohibitions with the clay of their carnal desires. The deed of one ignorant one has caused all corruption to be attributed to this Wronged One by its perpetrators. And afterwards, such anxiety overwhelmed the assured souls that they became utterly deprived of the breaths of the Lord of Lords. Perhaps other breezes will waft from the direction of the All-Merciful and bestow new life upon the dead. In any case, transgression of divine bounds has been and will be the cause of loss in this world and the next.

BH08182: In the Name of God, the Most Wondrous…

In the Name of God, the Most Wondrous, the Most Inaccessible! God makes mention of one of His loved ones, that he may stand firm in the Cause of his Lord and soar on the wings of detachment to the atmosphere of transcendent glory, and that he may sever himself from those who have disbelieved and turn with his heart toward the seat of resplendent glory.

O Salih, blessed art thou inasmuch as thou hast recognized the Manifestation of the Self of thy Lord and hast held fast unto that handle which God hath made the link between Him and His creation. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Fear God, then turn thy face toward the Most Holy, the Most Great. Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Perfect Name not to leave me cast down at the seat of self and desire. Then cause me to ascend, through Thy bounty, to the heaven of immortality that I may attain, through Thy grace, to such a station wherein I speak naught except Thy remembrance and move not save through Thy love and good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Supreme, the Glorious, the All-Forgiving.

BH08233: Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses…

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

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses with truth, and verily He hath power over all things. The thunder praiseth Him in fear, and the heavens tremble in awe of Him, and the winds are subdued by His command. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Before Him prostrate themselves all who are in the heavens and the earth, and all who are in the kingdoms of Command and Creation. He ordereth what He pleaseth for whom He pleaseth, and taketh away what He pleaseth from whom He pleaseth. Verily He is severe in chastisement and great in bounty. There is no God but Him, and verily He is mighty in power. O servant! Arise and glorify thy Lord in the depths of the oceans of divine knowledge, then remember Him at eventide and at dawn. Thus doth the Manifestation of God’s Self command thee in this Dayspring which hath shone forth from the horizon of this Beauty. And praise be to the Self of the Beloved, the One possessed of power and might.

BH08238: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by that Name through which Thou didst rend asunder the veils of all created things and burn away the coverings of all beings, and by which the birds of the hearts of the sincere ones soared to the atmosphere of Thy nearness and meeting, and the breasts of them that are nigh unto Thee were set ablaze with the fire of Thy love and yearning, that Thou mayest cause me to be detached from all else save Thee and enable me to attain unto the station wherein I may tear apart the veils that have come between me and the lights of Thy Most Glorious and Most Exalted Countenance.

O Thou by Whose command the Supreme Pen moveth upon the tablets of destiny and through Whose will the decree of fate appeareth in the kingdom of creation! I moreover beseech Thee, O my God, that Thou cast me not out, deprived, from the gate of Thy grace, nor exclude me from the outpourings of the clouds of Thy mercy. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Forgiving.

All praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the hearts of the righteous ones!

BH08284: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and that the Point of the Bayan is His servant and His splendor, and that the guides of the Living One are the Letters of His Self, and all are created by His command.

O Abraham!

The Wronged One loveth him who hath loved Him, and desireth him who hath desired Him; nay, He loveth the world by virtue of its connection to the word that must be obeyed. However, the people of idle fancy have come between Me and those who desired to attain the presence and meeting. They speak according to their vain imaginings that which the ancients never uttered, and thus hath appeared the decree of prohibition.

We beseech God to assist thee in that which He loveth and approveth, and to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to write down for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit thee. Verily He knoweth what is with Us while We know not what is with Him, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We send greetings from this station upon thee and upon God’s righteous and sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH08309: Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my…

He is the Eternal

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my Hope, my Shelter, my Refuge, my Dwelling-place, my Abode, my Glory, my Abasement, then my Ease, my Hardship, then my Wealth and my Poverty!

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thy sovereignty was exalted, Thy grandeur elevated, and Thy power raised above all who are in the heavens and the earth, to assist those who have recognized none but Thee, who have turned to none except Thee, and who have clung to none other than Thee. Verily, Thou art the Answerer of the distressed and the Helper of the poor.

Then I beseech Thee, O my God, by the wonders of Thy names and the beauty of Thy attributes, to make this servant among those who tread no path except the path of Thy good-pleasure and who walk only in the footsteps of Thy contentment. Verily, Thou art the Fulfiller of the needs of the seekers, and Thou art powerful over all things.

BH08373: Say: The Book of God hath appeared and His…

Say: The Book of God hath appeared and His proof hath come, and His beauty hath dawned, and His light hath shone forth, and His evidence hath been perfected, and His balance hath been set up, and His countenance hath become manifest, and His splendor hath been revealed, and His face hath been illumined between the heavens and the earth. And verily He is possessed of mighty sovereignty.

His is the command and the creation. He quickeneth whom He willeth and causeth to die whom He willeth, and manifesteth whom He willeth through a sovereignty of might transcendent and a dominion of ancient and bountiful holiness.

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses in truth as He sent them down before and before that, and verily He doth encompass all the worlds. And He shall manifest the Cause as He willeth through His grace, even as He manifested it before and before that, and verily He hath power over a mighty and wondrous sovereignty and a dominion of transcendent glory.

Thus do We cast upon all created things the verses of Divine unity. 152

BH08460: This is a Book of holiness in this Paradise…

This is a Book of holiness in this Paradise which hath been sent down by God’s leave. God hath made it from His presence a proof, and from His realm a testimony unto all creation.

O Muhammad!

Bear thou witness within thyself to that which the Most Exalted Pen doth testify in the Most Glorious Paradise, that there is none other God but Him, and that ʿAli is His light and His splendor between the heavens and the earth.

Thus hath the promise been fulfilled and the decree hath been inscribed by this Hand which hath emerged from behind the veils of light and hath seized all created things with the sovereignty of might with a mighty seizure, then doth He extend it unto whomsoever He willeth through His grace, and thus hath the decree been recorded in the Tablet.

Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having sent down unto thee the verses through divine nature that He might cause all worlds to be fashioned according to the nature of God.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who are with thee in an exalted station of glory.

BH08463: This is a letter from one servant to another…

He is the Most Manifest Beloved

This is a letter from one servant to another servant that he might be stirred by what hath been revealed therein and be numbered among the steadfast. Blessed is he who is stirred by the breezes of God’s Will which come at every moment and awaken those servants who sleep upon their couches. Say: These are His signs, were ye of those who know. Verily those who have taken for themselves a friend other than God—these are the heedless ones and shall be numbered among the dead. Say: The Youth is like none among you. He is the One for Whose presence the denizens of the highest Paradise yearn and by Whose melodies the hearts of the mystics are entranced. O servant! Find solace in the remembrance of thy Lord, for through His remembrance mercy descendeth upon His servants, and verily His mercy hath preceded all worlds. Thus have We imparted this unto thee in this Prison that it might be a sign from Us unto thee and unto God’s assured servants.

BH08471: This is a letter from the Prisoner to him…

In the Name of God, the Ever-Abiding, the Everlasting!

This is a letter from the Prisoner to him who hath chosen for himself a path unto God and believed in the Manifestation of His Self in these days wherein most of the servants remain veiled from Him, save those who have quaffed the Kawthar of divine favor and have detached themselves entirely from every remote idolater.

O servant! Take thou the chalice of eternity in My Most Glorious Name, then drink what hath been ordained therein, and tarry not even for a moment. Thus have We addressed thee and commanded thee in truth, and He is, verily, over all things wise.

Follow thou the ways of God, then cast behind thee the ways of men. This, verily, is My bidding unto thee and unto every sincere soul. And the glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath heard the call of God and hath answered it with a pure heart and an eloquent tongue, and hath turned toward the Dayspring of the Cause with a sanctified soul.

BH08473: This is a Book sent down in truth…

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

This is a Book sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Verily it is the Greatest Cause among all created things, and through it the fire is kindled in the breasts of the righteous, and the Dove of Utterance warbleth upon the branches of the Chosen Lote-Tree with wondrous melodies.

Arise thou to the Cause of God amongst His servants, then remind them of this Mystery which was inscribed in the Mother Book as something momentous.

Say: O people! This is He Whose meeting ye were promised. He hath come from the heaven of the Cause with holy adorning. Fear God and follow not every ungrateful tyrant. Turn ye unto Him, O people, with pure hearts and shining faces. Stand firm in the Cause, then leave behind thee the mention of all the peoples.

And upon thee be the glory from this Glory which hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the Cause with brilliant lights.

BH08475: This is a Tablet from Us to him who…

In the name of God, the Ever-Abiding.

This is a Tablet from Us to him who hath believed and been guided, and hath attained unto the recognition of God, the Lord of the former and latter worlds. Therein hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen that which will draw him unto God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Glorious.

O servant! Detach thyself from self and desire, and incline with the ear of thine inmost heart unto that which the Dove warbleth upon the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree, that thou mayest be among those who have heard the verses of their Lord, the Most Great, from the direction wherein was established the Most Great Name and wherein He shed His radiance upon all who are in the heavens and the earth and beneath the soil.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause and turn thy heart at all times unto God, the Lord of the visible and invisible. And the glory rest upon thee and upon him who hath turned unto God and detached himself from him who disbelieved and turned away.

BH08480: He is the Hidden One! This is a leaf…

He is the Hidden One! This is a leaf We have sent unto thee. Verily, at all times it singeth within itself that there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Were all created things to hear its melodies, they would surely detach themselves from whatsoever they possess and draw nigh unto a praiseworthy station.

Say: O people! This is the servant of God in your midst who calleth you unto everlasting life, yet ye slay His loved ones. What aileth you that ye understand not? We summon you unto the light in this Revelation, yet ye burn Our loved ones with fire. What aileth you that ye perceive not?

As to thee, be thou assured through thy Lord’s grace, then seek His help, for He assisteth whomsoever He willeth through the hosts of the unseen. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things invisible. Ere long He shall send down upon His loved ones that which shall make them victorious over all things, and after they have been overcome they shall triumph.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who are turned towards God.

BH08751: I hope that thou art occupied with the sweet…

I hope that thou art occupied with the sweet fragrances of the love of the Beloved and the breezes of attraction to the countenance of the Desired One, having transcended the world and all who dwell therein and hastened to the realm of placelessness. For whatsoever is other than the remembrance and love of the Beloved Lord is but a passing shadow and a vanishing phantom, possessing no stability. The divine wisdom in the creation of these ephemeral ornaments hath been that strangers might become occupied with these worthless adornments and thus remain deprived and veiled from the beauty of the Friend. All that existeth in the world of dominion and the kingdom is but a reflection and shadow of the hidden divine realms, yet the heedless ones hunt after and seek these shadows and reflections. Thus do they hasten for a hundred thousand years, only to return at last in despair to the dust.

BH08672: O Beauty of the Ancient Days! Remind the servants…

In His Name, the All-Glorious, the All-Glorious!

O Beauty of the Ancient Days! Remind the servants of what hath been sent down from the heaven of grace and power, that they may remain steadfast in Thy love in such wise that the oppression of the tyrants may not shake them in these days wherein the Worshipped One hath come and the faces of the wicked have been darkened. Arise and say: O people! Fear not those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God while walking in His path. Rather, sacrifice yourselves in His path with joy and free will. Say: whosoever desires to protect himself, let him read this verse at night and at morn:

“O God, my God, I ask Thee by Thy name whereby Thou didst protect Abraham from the fire and Moses from Pharaoh and Baha from Yahya, to guard me from the wicked ones among Thy creatures. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Forgiving.”

BH08674: O Hasan!

In His Name, He is the Most Holy, the Most Holy!

O Hasan!

Grieve not over anything, but be content with whatsoever God hath ordained for thee, for He ordaineth for His servants only that which causeth them to remember His remembrance, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Call thou to mind the days when thou wert in Our presence, and We were revealing unto thee, at every moment, the verses of God, the Mighty, the Invincible. Beware lest thou forget the favor of thy Lord. Arise to make mention of Him and to praise Him amongst all created things.

Take heed lest thou forget what We counseled thee when thou wert in Our presence, for it is better for thee than all that hath been created in the heavens and on earth. Show kindness unto those whom God hath made thy kindred, then do that which the God-fearing servants of God would love. Thus have We commanded thee that thou mayest be of those who act.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon God’s sincere servants.

BH08675: O David!

In the Name of the Most Glorious!

O David!

We have made thee one who mentioneth Our Name in the earth. Remember thy Lord in the evening and at dawn. Cast the Most Great Remembrance upon thyself and upon the souls of the servants. Thus hath the decree shone forth from the horizon of the Will of the Lord of all horizons.

Cast aside all created things and take what hath been sent down from the presence of the Sovereign of Names and Attributes. Shun the hypocrites who have denied God and taken the calf as their lord instead of God. Their efforts have gone astray and they are among the people of discord.

The glory from before the Glory be upon thee and upon thy wife and thy sister and upon those with thee who have believed in God in these days wherein leg is entwined with leg. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH08676: O messenger! Hear My call at all times…

He is the One in truth!

O messenger! Hear My call at all times, that verily there is none other God but He, and He Who hath appeared is indeed His Glory unto all the worlds.

Then know thou that Al-Baqir is with Us and hath attained the lights of the countenance and been honored with the presence of God, his Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earths. And verily his rib which God attributed to thee, We have in truth raised to an exalted and impregnable station, and now she dwelleth joyfully in the Most Glorious Paradise with her daughter.

Rejoice thou in this, then give thanks unto thy Lord, for He hath ever been vigilant over His servants. He raiseth up whomsoever He willeth through His sovereignty and power, and verily His mercy encompasseth all the worlds.

Thus hath it been sent down at this time from the glorious and resplendent Kingdom on high. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon all who are with thee, women and men alike.

BH08677: O Abdul-Karim!

O Abdul-Karim!

Hearken unto what the Dove inspireth thee with words of transcendent holiness, and remembereth thee with the remembrance of God, and draweth thee nigh unto the all-glorious and exalted canopy.

Then know thou that We have not differed in Our utterance, but the ungodly have differed and were in manifest treachery. They violated the Covenant of God after its confirmation and cast the Testament of God behind their backs and were engaged in great deception and guile.

And thou, be patient in thyself, then show forth patience in what hath befallen thee, then be content with what hath been ordained from the glorious and resplendent Pen. Then beseech God that He may make firm thy feet upon this Path and raise thee up in the form of an upright human temple.

And glory be upon thee and upon those who were endowed with clear vision in the Cause.

BH08681: O servant of God!

He is God, the Most Manifest!

O servant of God!

Hearken unto the call of this Youth Who speaketh from the branches that there is no God but Him, and He hath ever encompassed all the worlds. Grieve not for thy father, for he hath been martyred in the path of God and now sitteth upon a throne of ruby, while the maidens of Paradise circle round about him at all times, and upon his head is set a crown whereon is inscribed in the Most Glorious script:

“This is he who hath been martyred in the path of God and was mentioned in the Tablets as being among the people of Baha.”

Thou shouldst not grieve over anything, for verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is with thee and will aid thee with truth, and He doth ever keep watch over thee. And the Spirit be upon thee.

BH08687: O Hashim! Blessed art thou, blessed art thou, inasmuch…

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

O Hashim! Blessed art thou, blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast shattered the idol of vain imaginings and desire, and hast attained unto the lights of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and art numbered among them that have attained.

Be thou steadfast in My love, then make mention of Me amongst My servants. Verily silence is better, except in making mention of Me, the Mighty, the Wondrous. And grief is forbidden, save for that which hath befallen My own Self at the hands of these idolaters.

Be thou at peace through the mercy of thy Lord, which hath preceded all worlds. Were He to will it, He would send down from the clouds of His mercy that which would purify all created things. Verily He hath power over all things. But He hath ordained for every soul its turning unto God. Thus hath it been inscribed by the Pen of Holiness on a preserved tablet.

The Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon such servants of God as are assured.

BH08688: O leaf!

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

O leaf!

This is a leaf We have sent unto thee that thou mayest discover from it the fragrance of God and be among the devout ones. Whoso findeth from it what hath been ordained therein, he verily turneth not unto the world and what hath been ordained therein. Thus hath the command been sent down from the heaven of verses.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having caused thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Self in days wherein the Manifestation of Manifestations hath appeared.

Every handmaiden who hath arisen in love of her Lord is better in the sight of thy Lord than a thousand men and than His heedless handmaidens. Blessed is she over whom the breezes of God have wafted and awakened her from her slumber and made her among the pure ones.

The Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon the handmaidens who have sanctified themselves from sins.

BH08725: O divine friends, be occupied with her remembrance…

In the name of the Sun of Inner Meanings

O divine friends, be occupied with her remembrance and be joyful in thoughts of her. For joy and gladness were created in their primal reality for the loved ones of God, and all others have been and shall remain in sorrow, even if they enjoy all the bounties of earth. They are poor, even if they possess all treasures. In God’s sight, the wealthy one is he in whose heart’s treasury the pearl of divine love lies concealed, and joyful is he who, in remembrance of Him, becomes detached from all the worlds.

In truth, the All-Merciful Himself has borne the sorrows of His loved ones, as He is imprisoned in this remote prison and afflicted in the hands of enemies. Drink ye with perfect joy and assurance from the Fountain of Glory and become those who describe His attributes.

BH08738: O bondsmaid of the True One, the purified hem…

In the name of God, the Peerless!

O bondsmaid of the True One, the purified hem is soiled with the dust of the calumny of the accusers, and the lamp of the world is prevented from shedding light and illumination by the blowing of the winds of dissension. What a great regret for the people who circumambulate idols and worship fancy imaginations!

Though thou art a woman, arise like unto a man and break the deity of idle imagination with the might of Abraham; render asunder the intervening veils with the power of the All-Glorious One; receive the Kawthar of meaning from the hand of the divine Youth and quaff it, and close thine eye to the whole world, for sight is created to behold the beauty of the Beloved, and heart has been brought into being for His recognition. If they do not attain that great honour, they would be fruitless, and like unto a dark lamp they would be useless and without any worth.

BH08768: O Mirza Mihdi! God willing, may you ever remain…

He is the Ever-Abiding

O Mirza Mihdi! God willing, may you ever remain steadfast upon the straight path of love and find repose in the seat of affection. Close your eyes to the world and detach your heart from aught else save the Beloved, and with perfect composure rest upon the cushions of certitude. It was intended to write a detailed letter, but the breath of divine decree became a hot wind and remained suspended in the heaven of God’s will. Convey my countless remembrances to the members of the household and at all times seek forgiveness on my behalf. Your letter that you sent to Kalim was noted. May you ever abide in the proximity of your Lord’s mercy among those who are at rest. The subject was not completed, but as the weather is hot and its heat affecting, therefore these few words will suffice. Adorn all the loved ones with the fresh and wondrous garments of remembrance.

BH08828: Magnified art Thou, O Lord my God! I ask…

Magnified art Thou, O Lord my God! I ask Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast set up above all other names, through which the veil of heaven hath been split asunder and the Day-Star of Thy beauty hath risen above the horizon, shining with the brightness of Thy Name, the Exalted, the Most High, to succor me with Thy wondrous help and to preserve me in the shelter of Thy care and protection.

I am one of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord! Unto Thee have I turned, and in Thee have I placed my trust. Grant that I may be so confirmed in my love for Thee, and in fulfilling that which is well-pleasing unto Thee, that neither the defection of the infidels among Thy people, nor the clamor of the hypocrites among Thy creatures, may avail to keep me back from Thee.

Purge Thou mine ear, O my Lord, that I may hearken unto the verses sent down unto Thee, and illuminate my heart with the light of Thy knowledge, and loose my tongue that it may make mention of Thee and sing Thy praise. By Thy might, O my God! My soul is wedded to none beside Thee, and my heart seeketh none except Thine own Self.

No God is there beside Thee, the All-Glorious, the Great Giver, the Forgiving, the Compassionate.

BH08833: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

In the Name of God, the Most Manifest

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all names were transformed from their kingdom and all attributes were brought down from their dominion, and through which the faces of the deniers were darkened while the lights of bliss shone forth from the faces of the sincere ones—to purify me, through the Kawthar of Thy grace and the Salsabil of Thy bounties, from whatsoever is abhorrent to Thy good-pleasure, that I may enter the kingdom of Thy generosity and the dominion of Thy favors, and hearken unto the wondrous melodies of Thy voice, and behold with mine eyes the splendors of the light of Thy countenance. Thou art He, O my Beloved, from Whose door none of Thy servants hath ever been turned away disappointed, nor hath anyone ever returned dejected from the court of Thy grace and bounty. Here am I, standing before the door in repentance and contrition. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but Thee, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving.

BH08840: Glory be to Thee, O my God!

In the Name of God, the Mighty!

Glory be to Thee, O my God!

This is Thy servant who hath believed in Thee and in Thy signs. Do Thou assist him through the wonders of Thy victory, then make him steadfast in Thy love, then cause him to drink that which will purify him from all else save Thee, that he may become one who speaketh in Thy remembrance, who gazeth upon Thy countenance, and who turneth toward Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Exalted.

O my God! Send down upon him from the heaven of Thy mercy that which Thou hast ordained in the tablet of Thy decree. This is Thy servant whose brother hath emigrated with him, and who now serveth Thee in the evening and at dawn. Verily, Thou art the One Who beholdeth those who have attained unto Thy love, both in the beginning and in the end. And verily, Thou are the Mighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bestowing.

BH08843: Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved!…

In the Name of God, the Everlasting, the Ever-Abiding!

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which, when Thou didst call it to the heaven, countless suns rose from its horizon, and when Thou didst cast it upon the seas, they surged in remembrance of Thy Most Exalted Name, and when Thou didst cast it upon all the trees, they brought forth the fruits of Thy knowledge and the produce of Thy bounty, and bore witness unto them once through Thy most wondrous and most sweet tongue—whereupon the Hour was established—that Thou mayest make me content with whatsoever Thou hast ordained through the Most Glorious Pen upon the Tablet of Decree. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. All Thy servants are poor, nay utterly lost, possessing neither existence, nor mention, nor life, nor death, nor resurrection for themselves. And praise be unto Thee, first and last.

BH08900: Hearken unto what is revealed unto thee from this…

He is the Mighty One!

Hearken unto what is revealed unto thee from this Tree upon this blessed spot from this Divine Fire, that verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

The Light hath appeared in the niche of the name of Ali in truth, and this is Ali made manifest. Say: By God! The Beauty of the Divine Identity was among you and ye were among those who denied Him, until He departed from your midst. Then, alas for you, O heedless ones!

Soon shall ye witness the opposition of the deniers to this praised Light, despite His coming with God’s authority and His proof, and God’s evidence and His might, and God’s power and His grandeur, and with knowledge of what was and what shall be. Say: By God! This is the state of His loved ones, did ye but know.

And verily thou, hold fast to this concealed and luminous handle.

BH09040: Your letter is before Me, but in these days…

He is God!

Your letter is before Me, but in these days the Pen of Command is perplexed in reply, for it is not known which souls have been elevated to the highest heaven by the fragrances of trials wafting from the right hand of the Will of the All-Merciful, and which have been cast down to the lowest depths. Although the condition of all is witnessed and remembered before God, yet since He has named Himself the Concealer, He has concealed and continues to conceal it.

In any case, in those days you were fresh and alive from the holy fragrance of divine oneness. God willing, through divine favor, you will not lose this heavenly bounty which has ever endured within your own self, and will remain forever turned toward the holy realm, in such wise that the disturbing winds of mortality will neither make you heedless of the Beauty of Divine Unity nor deprive you thereof.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH09048: The fragrances of the All-Merciful from this Paradise…

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

The fragrances of the All-Merciful from this Paradise which hath appeared in the temple of man have indeed wafted over all the worlds, and through them are the bodies of all created things revived, and God is, verily, witness unto this. O handmaiden of God! Make mention of thy Lord in His days—days which were promised in the Mother Book. Withhold not thyself from the fragrances of thy Lord, for whoso withholdeth himself therefrom is indeed deprived of all good. Then be thou obedient, and bow down, and prostrate thyself before God Who hath created the heavens and the earth by His command, for He is, verily, powerful over all things. And glory be upon the people of glory, whether male or female.

BH09050: This is a remembrance unto My servant Sadiq…

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

This is a remembrance unto My servant Sadiq of Yazd, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God and be detached from all else—and this is indeed a mighty favor. We created thee for My remembrance and praise, and thus do We remember thee in the kingdom of Our Cause that thou mayest remember Me in My earth. Therefore, hearken unto the word of thy Lord and be of them that remember. Leave behind all created things, then turn thy face toward the court of the All-Merciful, the seat of the throne of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Strive within thyself that through thee the Cause of God may be exalted—for this wert thou created by His firm and unshakeable command. He who leaveth no trace in the world shall be subject to the decree of extinction. Thus do We impart unto thee that thou mayest be among those who are firm in this Cause, whereby the foundations of the heedless have been shaken. And the glory rest upon thee and upon Our sincere servants.

BH09053: This is the Book of Husayn to him who…

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

This is the Book of Husayn to him who was named with this name and who abided in the vicinity of his Lord’s mercy for numbered months until he emigrated by His command, and thus it behooveth every patient and grateful one. We sent thee a Tablet before, and now one is sent down once again from the presence of the Self-Subsisting, the Guardian. We beseech God that He may enable thee to attain unto His love and good-pleasure and that through thee He may set ablaze the breasts of those whose warmth of love had been quenched. Seek thy Lord’s grace at all times, then put thy trust in Him. Verily He will assist those who have attained His presence and who have become detached from the worlds. And the Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon those who have aided their Lord, the Most Merciful, at every daybreak and sunset.

BH09055: This is a Book from God, the Mighty…

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

This is a Book from God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, unto all that are in the heavens and on earth, that they may witness His signs and be of them that are assured.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, blessed art thou inasmuch as thou hast attained unto the recognition of the Manifestation of His Self, and thy name hath been inscribed among them that are assured in the preserved Tablets of might.

Read thou the verses of thy Lord, then take comfort in them, for they are the best of helpers and supporters, since with every verse from the verses of thy Lord there accompanieth a host of the angels that draw nigh. Thus do We make mention of thee in this Tablet that thou mayest be attracted by the melodies of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, and mayest detach thyself from the world and turn with thy heart toward the paradise of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

And the Glory be upon thee and upon the handmaidens of God who remember Him and His servants who remember Him.

BH09057: This is a Book from God to her who…

He is the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious

This is a Book from God to her who believed in her Lord when He appeared yet another time, that thou mayest detach thyself from those who disbelieved and hold fast to the Sure Handle of God. O My aunt! Hearken unto My call, then grieve with My grief, then weep over My tribulations, then rejoice in My remembrance, then soar with My love, then ascend through My grace, then prostrate thyself and be submissive, then rise unto My most exalted Kingdom. The Gate hath been opened, the Doorkeeper expelled, the veils burned away, and the Sun hath shone forth from behind the clouds. Come ye and hasten, O concourse of loved ones! Then hasten with thy heart, O My aunt, to the Ultimate Dwelling, the Most Glorious Horizon. This is better for thee and for them than the kingdom of earth and heaven. And the Glory be upon thee and upon the people of guidance.

BH09063: This is a Book from the Prisoner…

He is the Eternal

This is a Book from the Prisoner to the handmaidens of God that they may praise God every morning and evening, and may be steadfast in His Cause and His love. And this is from the bounty which is immense in the Tablet.

O handmaiden of God, quaff the Kawthar of love from the chalice of the utterance of thy Lord which hath appeared in the temple of letters in the Tablet. And with this word the blessing of counselling is perfected for thee and for the handmaidens who have believed in God in the days wherein the step of every mystic with insight hath shaken, save him whom the Hand of Bounty hath protected and who hath been spared by His sovereignty. And His bounty hath ever preceded the world of being…

BH09069: In these days there hath been sent down unto…

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

In these days there hath been sent down unto thee a Tablet of wondrous glory, and likewise unto everyone whose name was mentioned in thy letter. Verily, thy Lord’s favor toward thee is abundant.

He who set out for the Most Great House and was numbered among the triumphant ones in the Tablet hath attained the presence of the Countenance, and the hand of grace hath turned him from the left of doubt to the right of certitude with mighty sovereignty. Blessed art thou for having traversed the paths of submission and contentment, and for being illumined by the lights of His Countenance.

Make mention of thy Lord, then glorify His praise. Verily, He is with thee in all conditions, and He will surely give full recompense to the doers of good, and He is verily the Observer of all things.

And the Glory rest upon thee and upon those who are with thee among My loved ones, who are at this hour mentioned before the Throne.

BH09075: O friends of God! Be the mercy of God…

O friends of God! Be the mercy of God and His light unto My loved ones, and the sword of God and His vengeance unto Mine enemies. This is a revelation from God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Mighty.

O Abraham! Hear My call and be not of the heedless ones. Remember thy Lord in thy rising up and sitting down, and in every morning and evening. Beware lest thou forget My remembrance and cast the love of God behind thy back, and be not of them that are veiled. Then remind the servants of God that they neglect not any of the matters of their Lord, and follow not their idle fancies, and be not of them that turn away. Then convey Our greetings unto thy brethren and remind them from Us with a goodly reminder.

And the Spirit and glory be upon you, O concourse of them that love Me!

BH09089: O my God and my Beloved!

O my God and my Beloved!

How can I make mention of Thee through words, after my certitude that they were created by Thy command and Thy will? And how can I make mention of Thee through utterance, when verily it appeared through Thy Will and Thy leave? And how can I describe Thee through meanings when they are known through letters, and these appeared from the Pen of Thy decree and the trace of Thy signature? By Thy might, I witness that the path to Thy description is blocked—how much more so the path to the knowledge of Thy Self! And verily the loftiest description of all created things leadeth but to conjecture and imagination.

Therefore, since Thou hast caused me to recognize my own powerlessness and the poverty of my being, I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Most Exalted, the Most High, that Thou deprive me not of the glances of Thy favor in this Most Great, Most Glorious Manifestation. Then send down through it upon me that which will make me independent of all that hath been created in earth and heaven. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

BH11844: The letter from that handmaiden of God arrived at…

In the name of the Lord of all worlds!

The letter from that handmaiden of God arrived at a time when, due to the sorrows that have befallen [Us], the divine fragrances were cut off and the pen was prevented from movement. Nevertheless, out of love for God, a reply is being written to that handmaiden of God according to what my Lord desires.

Although it is not known whom the winds of tests have cast into the gardens of paradise and whom they have consigned to the fires, for it is observed that most of those who set out seeking the right hand of the All-Merciful have been transformed by Satan’s breath and remained deprived of the bounty of the clouds of the All-Glorious. However, I beseech God to protect that leaf and other handmaidens of God from the evil of Satan and his hosts.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH11417: This is a Book which speaketh with truth

This is a Book which speaketh with truth…

O Hadi, emerge from the veils of darkness and rend asunder the curtains of vain imaginings through the power of the divine Youth, and enter into the celestial atmosphere of the throne of mighty sovereignty, which is the seat of certitude and steadfastness. O Hadi, pass beyond self and desire, and soar in the holy atmosphere of the divine presence. Exit from the prison of fancy and traverse the highest heaven of certitude. These are the holy counsels of the Eternal One which have been sent down from the right hand of the Most Glorious Throne. If thou hearest, thou art indeed the best of hearers, and if thou turnest away, verily God is Self-Sufficient, Most Praiseworthy….

By Him Who holdeth the soul of Husayn in His hand! My purpose hath been none other than the proclamation of the Cause of God. Have ye not seen that the life of this servant hath been and shall be in peril, and that never have I safeguarded it for a moment, nor have I ever compromised in the Cause of God with the enemies.

BH09413: God testifies that there is no God but Him…

He is the Mighty!

God testifies that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. And He testifies that We [answered] Muhammad, Our servant, before and after, and that this was inscribed upon a preserved holy Tablet.

But you were not content with what We ordained for you, and remained veiled from God, your Lord, to such extent that you failed to recognize Him even after you were with Him for years and months.

Therefore, rend asunder the veils of idle fancy and hold fast to this luminous and beloved Handle. Be joyful within yourself and grieve not over anything, and maintain such an expanded heart that it shall never be contracted. Then associate with the loved ones of God in joy and delight.

Thus does God counsel you, and every praiseworthy servant.

BH09447: Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Beloved…

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Beloved and my King!

Thou seest my poverty and neediness, then my distress and anguish and my tribulation before both the loved ones and the enemies. Praise be to Thee, O my God, for Thy decree and destiny, and thanks be to Thee, O my Lord, for Thy management and execution. We bear witness that Thou art the One praised in Thy deeds, the Ruler in Thy Cause, the Sovereign in Thy dominion, and Thou art powerful over all things.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst manifest Thy Beauty, perfect Thy Cause, exalt Thy proof, elevate Thy names and reveal Thy attributes, that Thou mayest cause Thy servants to ascend unto the station wherein they behold Thee upon the throne of Thy majesty and the seat of Thy glory. Verily, Thou art powerful and wise over all things.

BH09196: Although the tribulation of the year of shidad hath…

In the Name of God, the Everlasting!

Although the tribulation of the year of shidad hath caused most of the people to become heedless of the direction of the Beloved, yet the wondrous outpourings of His grace and bounty have never ceased, nor shall they ever cease. Should the entire world rise up to oppress and prevent, the tongue of God’s Will shall not be prevented from proclaiming His Cause, nor shall the Kawthar of divine remembrance and utterance be cut off from the spring of the Pen of God’s Command. The former shall forever speak and the latter shall forever flow.

May thy honor hearken unto it with a pure ear and taste thereof at all times with a refined palate. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee among God’s assured servants.

BH09239: O scion of the family of Husayn!

He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Merciful!

O scion of the family of Husayn!

Hearken to the call of this Wronged One Who hath been afflicted at the hands of the ungodly from among the people of the Bayan, and Who found none to help Him save God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Glorious. We had previously sent thee a leaf from the Divine Lote-Tree, and soon shall We send thee a branch thereof that thou mayest taste of its fruits at all times. Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in God, thy Lord, for verily He is with thee. There is none other God but Him, the King, the Sovereign.

Stand firm in the Cause, then convey the command of thy Lord. He will verily protect thee through His truth from those who have turned away from God and turned unto the manifestations of Satan. All praise be to God, the King, the Powerful, the Bestower!

BH09277: O handmaid of God!

O handmaid of God!

Mention was made of thee in this prison, and therefore thou hast been favored with the remembrance of the Pen. Hearken unto the counsel of this divine servant: Empty thy heart from all else save God, that it may be illumined with the splendors of the light of the Beloved.

It is incumbent upon all to manifest themselves with praiseworthy character, goodly deeds and pure actions. Those souls who attribute themselves to the All-Merciful yet act according to the ways of Satan—verily God was and ever shall be sanctified and holy above such souls.

God willing, may they ever abide preserved beneath the canopy of divine protection and find repose in the shade of His all-encompassing mercy. And the spirit be upon thee.

BH09320: These are verses which God hath made a proof…

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

These are verses which God hath made a proof for all who are in the heavens and on earth, and hath made them an evidence of His Own Self, a testimony to His Cause, and a guardian over all created things.

O servant! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from the direction of the Throne, then rejoice in that which hath been revealed from the Pen of Command, for this is indeed a great bounty. Cast the world behind thee, then hold fast to the hem of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Most High, the All-Knowing. Beware lest thou grieve over anything, for God sufficeth thee as a Helper and Protector. Thus doth the Ancient King teach thee through this Pen which moveth by His binding command, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

And glory be upon thee and upon Our sincere servants.

BH09322: These are the verses of God which have descended…

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

These are the verses of God which have descended in truth from the heaven of lofty glory. Blessed is he who hath purified his ears to hearken unto the Word of God, and blessed the heart that hath tasted the sweetness of His love, and blessed the eye that hath turned toward the court of His loving-kindness, and blessed the foot that hath walked in the path of His good-pleasure, and blessed the soul that hath been purified and made good and illumined by these lights which have shone forth from the Dayspring of eternity with wondrous radiance.

O Hasan! Remember thy Lord, for thou wert created for His remembrance. Follow not those who worship the calf instead of God—these are indeed far removed from the Tree of Nearness. Be thou steadfast, then remain firm in the love of thy Lord. He will verily suffice thee in truth above all created things.

BH09374: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Sun of Grandeur and Immortality hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will, and through which the sincere ones have soared unto the atmosphere of Thy nearness and meeting, and those drawn nigh unto the seat of Thy Cause and reunion with Thee, that Thou mayest cleanse me with the Kawthar of Thy mercy and favors, that I may turn wholly unto Thee and be detached from all else save Thee, and attain unto a station wherein I witness the sanctification of Thy Self from the veils of glory and the exaltation of Thy Being above all similarities and likenesses. O Lord! Deprive me not of the wonders of Thy grace and bounties, and distance me not from Thy nearness and presence. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Exalted, the Great, the Compelling.

BH09380: Glorified art Thou, O my God!

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable!

Glorified art Thou, O my God!

I beseech Thee by Thy Word through which Thou hast brought all created things into being and given life to all existing things, and which Thou hast made a balance for Thy Cause and a pathway between Thy heaven and Thy earth, and by which Thou hast turned the faces of them that are near unto Thee toward the horizon of Thy favors, and the hearts of the sincere ones toward the Dayspring of Thy bounty and bestowals—not to deprive me in these days of the holy glances of Thy mercy and the sweet-scented breezes of the glory of Thy favors and gifts, and leave me not to myself and my desires.

Then sever me from all else save Thee and turn me toward Thy Face and Thy Beauty.

Verily Thou art He Who hath ever been the Doer of whatsoever Thou pleasest and the Ruler over whatsoever Thou willest. Thou art, in truth, the All-Powerful, the Supreme, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Bountiful.

BH09384: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He…

He is the Ever-Abiding

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who hath so attracted the hearts of Thy loved ones that they rush forth to martyrdom in Thy path, yearning to meet Thee and seeking Thy good-pleasure. The raptures of Thy revelation have so seized them that they hasten on foot to the place of their martyrdom and death, out of love for Thy beauty, remembering and calling upon Thee beneath the swords until their spirits ascend to the horizon of Thy Cause and the heaven of Thy presence. O my Beloved! If Thou wert to give Thy enemies to drink what Thou hast given Thy loved ones to drink, they would all sacrifice themselves in Thy path. But Thou, in Thy hidden wisdom, hast withheld the Kawthar of immortality from the heedless among Thy creatures and ordained it for the sincere ones among Thy chosen ones. Thou art the One praised in Thy deeds and beloved in Thy decree. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH09440: O servant! Bear thou witness, as God did witness…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting

O servant! Bear thou witness, as God did witness before the creation of the heavens and the earth and before He created the glorifying angels, that He is the One God, Single, Self-Sufficient, Whom the support of those who turn unto Him cannot exalt nor the rejection of those who turn away from Him harm, and that Ali is His splendor and His light unto all created things. Beware lest thou break God’s Covenant, and remain steadfast in thy pledge. Then give thanks unto God, thy Creator, for having remembered thee in this remote prison, and for having taught thee to know His Self, and sent down unto thee a noble Book. Verily He hath sent it down in truth from God, the Lord of the worlds. The Spirit and Glory and Splendor rest upon thee and upon the sincere ones.

BH09487: In the heaven of divine decree, the tablets…

He is God, the Helper!

In the heaven of divine decree, the tablets of destiny have been ordained, and We have not sent them for wisdom’s sake. Soon We shall send them when God wishes and desires. Be thou assured through thy Lord’s grace, then guard thyself lest the breezes of trials extinguish thy longing, ardor and attraction in these grievous days. Soon there shall come to thee that from which thou shalt find the fragrance of the garment and whereby thy eyes shall be consoled. Thus hath the matter been decreed in the tablets of righteousness. Blessed art thou for having won to this Cause whereby souls have been disturbed and hearts consumed. Be thou steadfast in the love of God, then be content with this draught which We have sent thee from this Most Great Sea, then await what We have promised thee. Verily He doth not fail in His promise.

BH09523: O God!

O God!

Though chicory appears outwardly bitter, inwardly it is most sweet. This describes the outer chicory that appears in earthly gardens. But you are the chicory of the paradise of sanctification and the leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree—from you every taste perceives a flavor. You are the divine sugar of Egypt, yet in the taste of lovers, while being colocynth in the mouths of unbelievers. For the people of divine unity you are the fruit of detachment, and for the people of limitation you are the effect of the severe day. You are the punishment of sinners and the blessing of those drawn nigh—a flowing spring of mercy for seeking hearts, and a cup of wrath specially for the hearts of those who turn away. God forgives what has passed from His loved ones, verily He knows all things.

BH09553: Grieve not in hardship nor rejoice in ease…

In the Name of the All-Sufficing!

Grieve not in hardship nor rejoice in ease, for with every hardship comes ease and with every ease comes hardship. Both shall pass away and perish. Therefore ask God to grant thee a station sanctified from these two conditions—and this is thy paradise, even as its atmosphere is temperate and changeless, and likewise whosoever entereth therein shall never alter.

Peace be upon him who followeth guidance!

Blessed art thou in that thou hast resolved, attained, achieved and returned. Sufficient unto thee is God Who created thee and aided thee. When thou arrivest, convey the Greatest Name to all whom thou meetest among the loved ones of God and His chosen ones. And mercy be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy brothers and thy kindred among those who have believed in God, the Single, the Great.

BH09587: This is a Book from God unto him who…

He is the Most Truthful!

This is a Book from God unto him who hath been guided by the lights of the Countenance and who hath embarked upon the Ark of Holiness which was fashioned by the hand of the Noah of eternity with love in the name of Baha. Give thanks unto God for having clung unto it. By God! Whoso cleaveth unto it is assuredly among those who are nigh unto God, as hath been inscribed by the Pen of the All-Merciful in the Mother Book.

Be thou ignited with the heat of thy Lord’s love and pay no heed to them that have disbelieved, even should they bring thee all the scrolls of the earth. Then drink thou from the Kawthar of inner meanings which hath flowed from the finger of a mighty Name. Thus have We given thee to drink of the Salsabil of utterance from the mouth of thy Lord’s Will, the Mighty, the Bountiful, that thou mayest be known among the worlds for thy love of the Youth.

And the Spirit be upon thee.

BH09588: This is a Book from Us to a handmaiden…

In the Name of God, the Ever-Abiding

This is a Book from Us to a handmaiden among the handmaidens of God, that she may rejoice in God’s remembrance of her. Taste thou of the fruits of the Tree of Paradise in these days, then render thanks unto thy Lord for having been nourished by its fruits. Be not heedless of God, thy Lord, for less than a moment, then thank Him for having sent down unto thee verses of which a single word cannot be equaled by all who are on earth. Grieve not over anything, for He ordaineth as He pleaseth for whomsoever He pleaseth, and sendeth down for every soul that which hath been ordained for it in its days. And the glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath been blessed with the fruits of the Garden of the All-Glorious and hath been nourished by its bounties.

BH09590: This is a Book from before the Youth…

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

This is a Book from before the Youth to those who are in the heavens and on earth, that perchance the words of God may draw them and bring them nigh unto the Most Great Prospect, the Station whose very dust particles testify that I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Most High, the Most Great.

O handmaiden of God! When thou hast drunk from the Salsabil of divine knowledge from this Tablet which We have sent unto thee, render thanks unto thy Lord for having attained unto that which God’s sincere servants have attained. Know thou that the words of God have been raised up in truth [for the hearing] of His loved ones, and this is indeed a manifest bounty. And whoso is deprived thereof, no mention hath he before God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears of old.

BH09652: O my Lord, my God, and my Beloved!

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

O my Lord, my God, and my Beloved!

I beseech Thee by the wafting of the breezes of Thy grace whereby Thou didst quicken all created things and caused them to speak forth Thy praise, and didst bring forth all beings and shed upon them the lights of Thy countenance, that Thou wilt not, in this springtime, deprive me of the garment of Thy grace and favors, nor leave me distant from the paradise of Thy reunion and meeting.

Then cause me to drink, O my God, from the Kawthar of life from the hands of the youths upon whose countenance hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen:

“By God, the Truth, the Sovereign, the Manifest One, the Beloved of the worlds hath appeared!”

that I may wholly detach myself from all else save Thee and turn unto the direction of Thy good-pleasure.

There is no God but Thee, the Overshadowing, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving.

BH09883: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

He is the Mighty, the Everlasting.

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bountiful. His is the grace and bounty, and His is the mercy and justice. He aideth whomsoever He willeth through the hosts of the heavens and earth.

O servant! Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for what He hath sent down unto thee of holy and wondrous verses, which have been sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and wise. Therein He hath expounded that whereby the beauty of love is made manifest from a holy and luminous cloud, that thou mayest be assured that His mercy hath preceded all created things and His grace hath encompassed all the worlds.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

BH09755: O thou who art called by the name…

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

O thou who art called by the name of God, who gazest upon His countenance, and who speaketh in remembrance and praise of Him!

Hear thou once again the call of this Youth, and make thy will the will of thy Lord and thy desire that which He hath desired. Then aid thou His Cause through His name, for verily thy Lord is the best of helpers.

Let none prevent thee in the Cause of thy Lord and in exalting His remembrance amongst His servants. Rather, it behooveth every soul to assist thee in that which thou hast purposed, for He is the protector of the doers of good.

The Pen hath been forbidden to mention that which it desired, but God inspireth whomsoever He willeth with whatsoever He willeth, and the knowledge of all the worlds escapeth not His knowledge.

BH09758: O remnant of the family of Malih!

He is God!

O remnant of the family of Malih!

Your letter arrived and your cry was heard. Praise be to God that you have been adorned with the ornament of divine love and blessed with an everlasting bounty. Your heart has become a treasury of the Beloved’s love and your breast a dawning-place for the lights of the Desired One.

However, beseech God that the pearls of love may remain protected from thieves and manifestations of Satan, for they have appeared with all manner of deceptions—the treacherous one appears in the guise of the trustworthy, and the corrupt one in the cloak of piety.

God willing, you must, through divine grace, remain steadfast on the straight path of the Cause and act according to praiseworthy good deeds.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH09760: O Hasan!

He is the Beloved!

O Hasan!

You and your brethren entered through the gate of Paradise, yet were not honored with meeting the Lord of Lords. Therefore did My eye weep for you, in that you were deprived of the glances of your Lord, the Most Merciful. However, God has accepted what has passed from you and heard the cry of your inmost hearts—to this My Pen and My Self, with Whom is the knowledge of the Book, bear witness.

O Hasan! Do not grieve, but be content with what has been ordained in the Tablets from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Opening. Call upon your Lord at eventide and at dawn, that He may send down from the heaven of His grace that which will gladden the hearts of the loved ones, and beyond them, this Heart which has been pierced by the arrows of every hypocrite who has denied the Day of Reckoning.

BH09762: O ʿAli! Hear My call and be not…

He is the Mighty.

O ʿAli! Hear My call and be not of the heedless ones.

We have sent down unto thee a Book in clear Arabic tongue, and We sent it not save for a wisdom which none shall attain except those who have detached themselves from all who are in the heavens and on earth. We shall send it to thee when God willeth and desireth, and verily there is no God but Him. He ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God willing, may you be in the utmost joy and delight. This servant hath never forgotten and will never forget you. We remember the friends, both female and male.

BH09765: O Mihdi!

O Mihdi!

We have sent down for all those mentioned in your book verses that cannot be equaled by anyone in the heavens. Therefore, cast them upon them that they may give thanks to God their Creator and remain firmly established.

Then convey Our greetings to the one named Rida after Nabil and give him glad tidings of God’s own remembrance of him, then to those with him among God’s sincere servants.

Then convey greetings to Muhammad and those with him, both male and female, as a remembrance from Us to him that he may be among the thankful ones.

Then to those who have believed in God among Arabs and Persians—verily His mercy encompasses all the worlds.

BH09780: O handmaid of God!

He is God!

O handmaid of God!

You were mentioned in My presence. God willing, you will at all times drink from the cups of the words of the Lord of the worlds of the most pure wine. Although the trials of these days are severe and have rendered most people lifeless, those who have been enkindled with the fire of God and have attained to His love are not veiled by trials. Rather, the more severe the trials become, the more their fire of love surges forth. These are the souls whose existence the denizens of the Supreme Concourse take pride in and whose presence they eagerly anticipate. Therefore strive that the Joseph of divine love not be seized by the wolves of trials.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH09798: O My handmaiden!

He is the Ever-Abiding!

O My handmaiden!

Be not sorrowful at separation from the Ancient Beauty. In whatever land thou dwellest, thou art in the presence of God, for thy services shall not be lost. Be patient and content with My good-pleasure. And if thou enterest the City of God, inform My handmaidens of My tribulation and affliction, and walk in complete sanctification, and be not heedless of the wonders of My remembrance. Convey My greetings from My tongue to My messenger, and likewise to all thy family.

O My handmaiden! Be not neglectful of service to the House of God and of visiting it, and be not veiled from the Beloved of the worlds. And the glory be upon thee.

BH09822: Be dependent upon God in all matters and do…

He is the Mighty

Be dependent upon God in all matters and do not be heedless for a moment. Exercise the utmost care and wisdom in all affairs. Be in the utmost joy and delight and fix your gaze on naught but God, for the winds of differences are blowing from all directions. You must remain steadfast, firm and resolute in all conditions, and verily He will suffice you against all who are in the heavens and on earth. Convey greetings to whichever of the assured ones among the beloved who circle round about, and remind the people of the Shrine of the mention of God.