Volume 041: Early Akka 1868–1873, Part I (2 of 5)

BH01624: Lawh-i-Rida

Section 1: “My life and my very being be…”

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious.

My life and my very being be a sacrifice unto Thee! How blessed the portion Thou hast won through Thy letter, whose opening was adorned with the diadem of the mention of our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, and whose very frame was embroidered with the ornament of love for the Best-Beloved of the worlds. Its outward form drew me unto it by reason of the breezes of certitude that wafted therefrom in the Cause of our Lord, the All-Merciful; and its inner meaning gave me to drink the wine of life, pressed from the fingers of steadfastness in praise of God, the Powerful, the Almighty. When I attained thereto, and found, and knew, I arose and entered into the presence of the Throne, and read before the face of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, after the Sun of leave had dawned from the horizon of the will of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

My soul be a sacrifice unto thy soul, O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Qiblih of them that know! My spirit be a sacrifice unto thy spirit, O thou who, when thou didst hear the Call, didst cry out:

“Here am I, O God of all who are in the heavens and on the earth!”

Blessed is thine attainment unto the days wherein the fount of loving-kindness and bounty gushed forth in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Blessed is thy pen, in that it flowed in His remembrance and His praise, after most of them that dwell on earth had become heedless of Him. O spirit of this exalted station! Should I call it a lamp, I behold that the lamp illumineth only the outward show of things; whereas the lamp of thy mention, in setting forth our Lord, the All-Glorious, illumines the hearts of the near ones. My very being be a sacrifice unto thy fire, O thou who hast been enkindled by the fire of God that blazeth amidst all worlds! My inmost reality be a sacrifice unto thy water, O thou who hast revived, by the waters of the knowledge of thy Lord, every mouldering bone!

I have attained unto many of His Tablets, and great joy and gladness have been mine through beholding that countenance. That my answer was delayed was due to the insecurity of the way—though, even now, it remaineth beset with the same peril. Yet since the one enkindled with the fire of God and steadfast upon the path of uprightness and guidance—Mirza Muhammad Mustafa (upon him be, from every glory, its most glorious effulgence)—and likewise that traveller in the path of God, that bearer of hardships for love of his Lord, I mean Mustafa (upon him be, from every splendour, its most resplendent radiance), were setting out for that region, I addressed myself to writing this epistle, that perchance a remembrance of this fleeting one might be mentioned in the service of that Presence and of the loved ones of God.

In one of His Tablets wherein He had made mention of the arrival of Shaykh Nabil (upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory), He had written certain petitions to be laid before the Most Great Throne. Among them were the questions of Mashhadi Rida Sabbagh concerning the station of Abraham and Ishmael, the offering, and the state of Gabriel. This is that which hath shone forth from the horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He—exalted be His might, and glorified be His majesty—hath said:

“O Rida! Mention of thee hath been made before the Throne, and this is the answer to what thou didst desire in thy question. It behoveth thee to soar, through longing, in the air of the love of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Bestower. Verily We ransomed the son, and none hath been made aware of what thy Lord purposed—neither Gabriel, nor the angels nigh unto God.

“Know, moreover, that We wrote for Our servant al-Khaliq, who was of the Concourse of the Spirit, a word which We will cast upon thee once again, as a bounty from thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Unto him did We reveal it when he asked a question: ʿO thou who gazest upon the Most Wondrous Scene! This is not the day of questioning. When thou hearest the Call of thy Lord, say: Here am I, O Best-Beloved of the worlds!’

“In every year of this Dispensation have We raised up an Ishmael and sent him unto the place of sacrifice; yet We ransomed him not by a slaughter. Thus hath the matter been decreed by thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen.

“Among them was that Ishmael who hastened, with utmost speed, unto the seat of sacrifice in ʿIraq, after he had been drawn by a Word from Our presence, and did offer up his life, severed from all that is, and wholly detached from the worlds. And among them was Ashraf, who was remembered among men by the remembrance of his Lord, the King of the Day of Calling; and whatsoever they forbade him, his longing for God increased, until he offered up his life and soared in the air of nearness, and entered the seat of security—the station which We have made the loftiest of stations.

“And among them was Basir (upon him be the praise of God and His remembrance). By My life! the realities of all things were drawn by his call when he arose from the horizon of his home in praise of his Lord, and was crying out amongst the people by this Name whereat cities were shaken, until he drank the cup of martyrdom and attained unto that which none before him had attained. Even so have We sent down the command in the Tablets.

“And among them were they who offered up their lives in Ta; and among them was he who cut his throat when he beheld Me oppressed in the hands of the wicked; and among them was he whom the love of God seized with such power that he cast himself into the sea. Say: Take ye warning, O ye who have eyes! I know not which sacrifice I should recount unto thee, O thou who art mentioned by the tongue of thy Lord in this night around which the day circleth.

“And among them was Fakhr al-Shuhada’, whom We brought into Our presence and created by a Word from Our own Self; then We sent him forth with the Book of thy Lord unto him that followed his own desire. We set forth therein that whereby the Proof of God was made complete upon him, and His evidence upon all around him. Thus hath the matter been ordained by One Almighty, behind Whose command the very Essence of Power proclaimeth unto thee greatness and might.”

O thou that askest! The Tongue of the Ancient of Days declareth: According to the speech of men, severed heads were many; yet more beloved unto Our house than these sacrifices is this—that thou shouldst ponder them, and traverse, in thought, the realms of the attraction, the longing, the rapture, the ardent yearning of these souls that have been named, and the stations to which they attained. They are they who, of their own choice and by their own will, offered up their lives in the path of the Well-Beloved of all horizons, and returned not from the scene of sacrifice. Behold, thou hast before thee so many “Ishmaels” ready at hand, and of the condition of some thou art thyself informed; this present treasure sufficeth thee. And how many other souls, after they were seized, revealed the utmost steadfastness—such that, until the very moment when the spirit departed from the body, they were uttering aloud the Most Great Name! The like of these souls hath not been manifested in the world of creation. Didst thou but reflect, thou wouldst fall upon the dust and cry out: “To Thee belong majesty and glory, O Quickener of all that are in the worlds!”

That which thou hast heard concerning Abraham, the Friend of the All-Merciful, is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. The Voice of God commanded Him to offer up Ishmael as a sacrifice, so that His steadfastness in the Faith of God and His detachment from all else but Him may be demonstrated unto men. The purpose of God, moreover, was to sacrifice him as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all the peoples of the earth. This same honor, Jesus, the Son of Mary, besought the one true God, exalted be His name and glory, to confer upon Him. For the same reason was Husayn offered up as a sacrifice by Muhammad, the Apostle of God.

No man can ever claim to have comprehended the nature of the hidden and manifold grace of God; none can fathom His all-embracing mercy. Such hath been the perversity of men and their transgressions, so grievous have been the trials that have afflicted the Prophets of God and their chosen ones, that all mankind deserveth to be tormented and to perish. God’s hidden and most loving providence, however, hath, through both visible and invisible agencies, protected and will continue to protect it from the penalty of its wickedness. Ponder this in thine heart, that the truth may be revealed unto thee, and be thou steadfast in His path.

And concerning what thou didst ask of Gabriel: then did Gabriel arise before the Countenance and say: “O thou that askest! Know thou that when the Tongue of Oneness uttereth His most exalted Word—ʿO Gabriel, dost thou behold Me existing in the fairest of forms in the manifest of the manifest?’—marvel not at this; for thy Lord is, in truth, the Powerful, the Almighty.” What hath been asked, and what is asked, hath, before and after, been revealed in the Tablets of God, by hint and by plain statement; and today the melody of the Pen of the Ancient of Days is: “There is none other God but Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. This is that which ye were promised in the Bayan, from the All-Merciful—would that ye might know!”

And as to what thou didst mention concerning Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim the baker—how, after his return unto God and his turning away from them that turned aside, he sought forgiveness of the True One; and likewise his son, and another, named Barat, all of whom implored pardon and mercy—these were all laid before the Throne. In matchless Persian was this revealed:

“Every soul that turned unto the Most Holy Court, at that hour the breezes of forgiveness passed over him, and do pass; and he is beheld in the presence of God adorned with the ornament of the mercy of the All-Merciful. Yet must they, God willing, with complete devotion, turn their illumined hearts toward the Beloved, and strive that they may appear among mankind with the Most Great Steadfastness; that each may have regard unto reform, and wholly depart from corruption and whatsoever pertaineth unto it. Blessed are they, in that their names were mentioned before the Throne, and the Pen of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen, occupied itself with their remembrance.”

Section 2: “And further, concerning Muhammad Rahim of the people…”

And further, concerning Muhammad Rahim of the people of Sad.—that which thou didst write was submitted before the Countenance; a particular and impregnable Tablet was revealed and sent. Let it be forwarded.

And as to what thou didst write regarding the fulfilment of the needs of certain souls: according to that same detail was it laid before the Throne. And this is that which was revealed in reply—glorified be His Majesty:

“Give ear unto that which the Sun of Utterance proclaimeth from the horizon of the will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful; and announce unto the people the grace of God, His bounty, His generosity, His solicitude. Verily He is the Bestower, the Mighty, the Most Bounteous. Whosoever hath purposed any matter and asked it of the Court of the Throne, it hath assuredly been answered, and shall be answered. Yea, if, in the case of certain souls, its outward fulfilment hath been delayed, it is by reason of consummate wisdom and the welfare of mankind. Exalted, immeasurable is His grace! Exalted, immeasurable His greatness! Exalted, immeasurable His generosity! Exalted, immeasurable His giving! Exalted, immeasurable His bounty and His munificence!”

In one of the Tablets revealed unto Nabil the Most Great it was sent down:

“O Nabil! Certain of the servants of God ask of Him a deadly poison, and do ask it, and in their own vain fancy imagine they have sought surpassing honey. If an infant were to ask for poison, would it be lawful for a grown man to give it—nay, by My life—even though the child should cry aloud and weep?”

Even as thou hast heard, and some have witnessed, that certain persons in Iraq stood before the Countenance and asked of the True One—glorified be His station—what they asked; and after it was granted, there appeared from them that which became the cause of their loss. Among them was one who, when the Beauty of the Ancient of Days departed from His place, was therefore granted leave to attain His presence with a company of the people of Iraq. He appeared before Him and presented divers requests—though it was made plain unto him that to be content with that which had been decreed for him would be nearer unto his welfare. Yet when helplessness and vehement insistence were manifest in him, a word was cast into his heart, upon certain conditions; and thereafter he attained unto more than he himself had desired.

Though he had been occupied with utmost steadfastness in serving the poor and the loved ones of God, yet the abundance of worldly adornments and preoccupation with outward affairs so beguiled him that he became ensnared in every shameful deed, until he reached such a pass that, twice in the two years before the migration, he presented himself at the Gate and was not granted leave to enter. His heart was not wholly deprived of the ornament of the love of the All-Merciful, and his tongue uttered the praise of God; yet, by reason of worldly occupation, he remained banished from the loftiest station. Nevertheless, God forgave him and bestowed upon him in the Kingdom that which is better than all that are upon the earth. Thy Lord, verily, doeth whatsoever He willeth, and judgeth as He pleaseth.

And other souls, after attaining what they sought, turned wholly away from God—some returned, and some remained in utter rebellion. Thy Lord is, indeed, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. In certain Tablets revealed before the appointed hour of the Most Great Manifestation from the heaven of the will of the Lord of mankind, these degrees were set forth in detail. The purpose is this: that the loved ones of God be not distressed nor sorrowful should there be delay in that which they have asked of their Generous Lord. For that Source of bounty, that Treasury of munificence, that Fountainhead of limitless outpourings and the Dawning-place of unbounded favours, hath ever been, and will ever remain, the Giver, the Bestower. Verily He is the Mighty, the Generous. This is that which hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance.

Certain trusts, in the name of Aqa Hasan (upon him rest the glory of Baha’u’llah, the All-Glorious), have been dispatched; let them be delivered into his hands. A special packet, in the name of Khalil (upon him rest the glory of Baha’u’llah, the Sovereign, the All-Glorious), hath likewise been sent; let it reach him. Convey, from Our part, limitless acclamations unto all, and we beseech God to make him a lion of steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all created things.

Nine Tablets—each in a separate envelope—have been revealed from the heaven of the Self-Subsisting; and a Tablet, also, addressed to Aqa Abdu’l-Karim, who hath attained unto the meeting with God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath been sent in its own packet. The names have not been specified—this is, in the judgment of that blessed Presence, expedient; yet it behoveth Aqa Abdu’l-Karim to bear them. Moreover, a Tablet unto Aqa Yusuf hath been revealed from the heaven of the Cause—sent down from the right hand of the Throne. From the True One convey unto him Our greetings and boundless takbir. And this lowly servant maketh mention in these words:

“O Lord! Strengthen him and Thy loved ones to serve Thy Cause, and to remember Thee and to praise Thee among Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Lord of them that remember.”

The divine injunction is this: that His loved ones should avoid such places as exhale the odour of dissension; for today dissension is a greater harm to the very root of the Tree. We beseech God to cause souls to know their own selves, that they may learn they are powerless before the workings of His might, and naught before the disclosures of His sovereignty. He is powerful to do whatsoever He willeth. Thus hath the word ended.

And further: a special packet for the people of Kha, in the name of Nabil—may the remembrance of God and His splendour be upon him—must be delivered to them. It should be carried with the utmost wisdom and caution. These matters must remain concealed from all, whether within or without; for there are some who, without intent, utter but a word, and that word becometh the cause of tribulation.

Moreover, those who circle round the Throne of the All-Merciful, one and all, offer their acclamations and greetings unto all. Unto that noble, honoured and exalted lord—His Eminence the Physician (upon him rest the glory of Baha’u’llah and the glory of all things)—I make mention, in utter nothingness and self-effacement. All his letters that have reached this land have been a source of joy and gladness—most especially the one wherein he had written that certain souls regarded the divine prohibition as lightly as a sneeze. That letter was laid before the Throne; He smiled, and this word was sent down from the Dayspring of the Word: Whosoever accepted not the counsel of the Physician (upon him rest the glory of Baha’u’llah), his acceptance found no favour before the Throne.

Upon those very souls, moreover, grievous hardships descended. Strange is it that, despite an explicit prohibition and forewarning of the lightning-flash, they were not restrained! This is plain indeed. Were this land a place of safety, and free from harm, the gathering of all would have been desired; yet this land is such that earning and trade therein have become exceedingly difficult; and it is straitened—when one person entereth, he is immediately known, and all are engaged in enquiring after his state. This, too, is evident: the cause of the corruption of Adrianople was the assembling of the friends; and for two years now the winds of scarcity have been inhaled each day. In these days, which have grown hard upon the people, all are supplicating, yet know not toward whom they should turn.

And again, the divine injunction is this: that all the loved ones should utter no word that would cause fear among them that dwell upon the earth, or from which opposition to kings and the like might be scented. All must act with wisdom and utterance, and with perfect rectitude and soundness—wholly severed from corruption—so that in the lands they may be known, renowned, and mentioned, in the name of the Lord of creation, for righteousness and good order. Most especially should those who have returned from the presence of the Beloved conduct themselves, with outward and inward courtesy, and with the wisdom sent down, among mankind. Thus hath the command been concluded.

And likewise it hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will: “O My loved ones! In the City of Hadba’ upon you be My remembrance, and My glory, and the praise of all things, and the praise of them that are in the heaven of creation and the kingdom of invention. Ye are they who have borne hardships in My path, and calamities in My love. By My life! We shall assuredly exalt your names, and raise your degrees and stations, and shall make known among the peoples what hath befallen you in the path of your Lord. My gaze hath ever been upon you, and shall ever remain as it hath been. Blessed are you, in that your names have been joined unto this Most Great and Mighty Name.

“Beware lest ye grieve in anything. Guard your stations; and beware lest aught appear from you that would change what hath been ordained for you by One All-Knowing, All-Wise. Hold fast to the cord of God and to His providence; then sever yourselves from whatsoever His good-pleasure abhorreth. This is better for you than what ye behold upon the earth. He is your Protector, and the Protector of them that befriend you, and the Protector of them that love you, and who remember what hath befallen you. This is a word wherewith We have adorned the Tablets of your being—would that ye might know—and embroidered the brocade of your souls—would that ye might understand. Its trace shall abide, outwardly and inwardly, in the Kingdom. Thus hath spoken your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Glory be upon you, O My loved ones in that place! Gather together in My Cause, and My remembrance, and My praise amongst My servants; then drink the cups of triumph through My Name and My remembrance. Thus hath it been sent down unto you from One Ancient. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.” Ended is that which hath been sent down from the heaven of grace and loving-kindness.

My life be a sacrifice unto thee! From that Presence I earnestly entreat that, before the countenances of all those radiant and illumined faces—shining with the splendours of the lights of divine love, upon them the flashes of those lights that have dawned from the horizon of the brow of the Best-Beloved—men and women, young and old—thou wilt convey, from this lowly servant, these longing supplications, these blessed and impregnable remembrances, and this pure, simple love and unalloyed sincerity.

Upon them be the glory of God and His praise, and the praise of all that are in the worlds.

The servant of God

BH00285: This Wronged One has been and continues to be…

Section 1: “This Wronged One has been and continues…”

He is God—Exalted be His Glory, the Most Great, the Most Luminous

This Wronged One has been and continues to be between the fangs of wolves. In this state, the flow of the Supreme Pen has not ceased, nor has the call of the Desired One of the world been stilled. At all times have We summoned the peoples of the world to the horizon of the All-Merciful. When the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation encompassed the world, a faction arose with sword and spear against the Desired One of all worlds. They utter that which no idolater has ever uttered, and each day some ignorant one speaks a word. Verily, many worshippers of the calf may appear in these lands, even as We previously announced the cawing of the crows, which has appeared and continues to appear in every city. We beseech God to protect His loved ones from the evil of such souls and to illumine hearts with the lights of unity and fellowship.

O people of God! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Reflect upon the crows of the past, how many souls they have afflicted with doubts and idle fancies. They said “Truth” and martyred Him; they said “Qa’im” and cursed Him from their pulpits. Such is the state of heedless souls—they committed that which caused the world of justice to weep and the realm of equity to lament. A heedless one arrived in this land, outwardly showing harmony and faith while inwardly harboring infidelity and discord. Yet the Concealer concealed and made no mention of it. He thought God was unaware, supposing from His non-disclosure that He had no knowledge, ignorant that the name “the Concealer” had sought the hem of “the Chosen One” and asked for concealment.

O friends! Be steadfast and firm in the Cause. Should anyone utter a word, say in reply:

“That which has appeared has, through a single effulgence from the lights of His Cause, illumined the world, and a single utterance from the heaven of His Will has made all independent of the books of the world and the utterances of nations.”

Blessed is he who has attained unto God and His signs and turned away from every remote cawer.

Verily, any soul who today makes mention of that which causes discord is rejected in the sight of God. By God’s life! The Cause is complete and perfect, and the manifestations have reached their end. Yet crafty souls, like those of the past, exist and love discord. We beseech God to aid them, to assist them in helping His wondrous Cause, to prevent them from that which causes division among people, and to protect them from the whisperings of Satan.

O Samandar! Thy letter which thou didst write to him who was named Jud, upon him be My glory, was presented before the Most Holy Court. Thou didst mention several of the loved ones. Praise be to God that from the beginning until now thou hast been enabled to make mention of God and praise Him, and likewise to make mention of His loved ones. Thou hast turned unto Him, faced Him, and arisen to serve Him. Who can deny that which the tongue of the Wronged One hath uttered in His manifest prison?

His honor Nabil-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny, has reportedly departed to other regions for the purpose of teaching. We beseech God to assist him and enable him to do that which He loves and is pleased with. His honor Javad, upon him be the glory of God—he and his relatives are occupied with praise, glorification and service to the Cause. This is from God’s bounty upon him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Thou didst mention his honor, the teacher. We have mentioned him before and after with a wondrous mention. Likewise the mention of other souls—each has attained to that which is recorded and inscribed in all the divine books and scrolls. O Ustad Qabil-i-ʿAli, say:

My God, my God! All praise be unto Thee for having guided me, caused me to hear, recognized me, and taught me Thy path from which most of Thy servants and creatures have turned away. I beseech Thee by the Point through which Thou didst detail the Books, the Psalms and the Tablets, and through which Thou didst reveal the scrolls of Thy glory and the mysteries of Thy Cause, to make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that the doubts of those who will come and whisper dissension among the servants on the Day of Meeting shall not prevent me. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all horizons and the One Who uniteth all hearts through Thy Name, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Hasan! Hear the call from the precincts of the Prison. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. When thou beholdest the stars of the heaven of My utterance and drinkest the choice wine of knowledge from the cup of My bounty, say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having awakened me and remembered me in Thy prison, and strengthened me to turn unto Thee when most of Thy servants turned away. I beseech Thee by the standing, the sitting, the speech, the silence, the appearance, the radiance, the stillness and the movement of the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Source of Thy laws, to make me, in all conditions, one who calleth unto Thy Name with wisdom and utterance, and who remaineth steadfast in Thy Cause amidst all religions. O Lord! Withhold me not from the Kawthar of Thy grace, nor from the chalice of Thy bounty. Ordain for me that which will cause me to be detached from all else save Thee and to hold fast unto Thy cord. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Muhammad-Rida! The call hath been raised, and the Wronged One hath ever been in the hands of enemies. The tyranny of the oppressors, the turning away of the deniers, the onslaught of the transgressors, the malice of the divines and the hatred of the rulers have not prevented Him from mentioning the Lord of Names and the Creator of heaven. Before all faces, with the most exalted call, We summoned all, but the people accepted not the Word of truth and remained occupied with vain imaginings. Especially did the deniers among the people of the Bayan change affirmation into denial and gratitude into complaint. We beseech God to aid thee to be steadfast and to preserve what He hath bestowed. He is the Bestower, the Merciful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of Siyyid Abdul-Ghani that his mention may attract him to the Dayspring of the Sun of steadfastness. O Pen! This is the day of utterance. Say what must be said. Deprive not the friends of God from the true choice wine, and withhold them not from the divine ocean of bounty. The Day is Thy Day; bestow from the treasuries of meanings and utterance that which befitteth these days. Say: O friends! The divine light shineth from the most exalted horizon of the world. He is the Sun of Truth and the Dayspring of Knowledge. The Sun of Manifestation hath been called by every name; nay rather, the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes have ever circled and continue to circle round Him. Gaze with penetrating eyes and turn with detached hearts. Vision is a magnet for the gate of knowledge, awareness and wisdom. Understanding cometh from the sight of the eye. Blessed is the soul that hath recognized the straight path and held fast unto it.

We make mention in this station of thy father who hath ascended to the Supreme Companion, as bidden by God, the Lord of Lords. We have purified him with the Kawthar of pardon and forgiveness and caused him to enter a station which the pens are powerless to describe. The glory from Us be upon him and upon those who remember him through that which the Most Exalted Pen hath uttered in this exalted station. The breezes of grace and favor have wafted over him from all directions. This is from the bounty of God, the Lord of all men. We make mention in this station of his wife and those who have believed in God, the Lord of all religions. Thus hath the Pen spoken while the Ancient King was in His Most Great Prison through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought.

O Samandar! The mention of the friends in the land of Ra and Shin and its surroundings hath repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. The pearls of the shell of divine knowledge have ever been sent by the hands of those who have turned towards God. Remember them all on behalf of the Wronged One and convey to them His greetings, that perchance the fragrances of the utterance of the All-Merciful may purify them from their sorrows and grant them access to the Most Great Joy.

Thou didst make mention of Aqa Siyyid Ahmad. Convey to him greetings on behalf of the Wronged One. We beseech God that He withhold not the rain of mercy which descendeth and floweth from the heaven of grace. O Ahmad! Thou hast attained unto the divine verses; strive that thou mayest attain unto such deeds whose fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. The treasures of the world cannot compare with the Word of God. Know thou the value of the Word of God and hold fast unto it. There are many barking dogs; seek protection from God. He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

We wish to make mention of him who was named Husayn, who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of the worlds. By the Sun of the horizon of the heaven of inner meanings! whatsoever floweth and is revealed from the Most Exalted Pen regarding those souls who have ascended unto the Most Glorious Horizon doth, at that very moment, bestow strength upon those pure spirits, and furthermore increaseth their glory, exaltation, bounty and repose. For the preservation of the servants, consummate wisdom hath concealed these stations. Every verse from among the verses of this Revelation is a perspicuous Book. From the mention of the Point described in the Tablets, the station of verses, letters and words is clear and evident to them that are endued with insight. Praise be to God that Husayn, upon him be My glory, hath attained through the Blessed Verse unto that which hath no peer or likeness.

Section 2: “O Samandar! The divine grace hath taken hold…”

O Samandar! The divine grace hath taken hold of the servants, and the Name of the Forgiver and the Concealer hath manifested His favors in such wise that justice is hidden and the luminary of grace is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of bounty. Blessed are they who sail upon this sea and find that which beseemeth wisdom.

O Ghulam-ʿAli! Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One and be steadfast in the Cause of God in such wise that thou mayest find thyself, through God’s grace, independent of all else but Him. If thou attainest unto this station, thou shalt be preserved from the barking of the dogs and from those who love sedition and discord. Give thanks unto the Goal of all creation Who hath made mention of thee and caused thee to attain unto the verses of the Most Exalted Pen. Vain imaginings and idle fancies have ever been worthy of them that indulge in them. Fix thy gaze upon the lights of certitude and hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness. The friends have repeatedly been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and for all We beseech steadfastness. He is the Kind, the All-Merciful.

O Abu-Turab! Your mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One, and thou hast been honored with the remembrance of the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to aid thee in such wise that neither the happenings of the world, nor the clamor of the nations, nor the intimations of the ignorant, nor the utterances of the feeble, nor the doubts of the learned shall sadden thee. Be thou joyous in the name of the True One and intimate with Him. At all times drink thou from the choice wine of the love of the Beloved of the worlds, and in His remembrance forget the world. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to Taqi, glory be upon him, and give him the glad-tidings of the effulgences of the light of the Orb of bounty.

Perchance this glad-tiding may cause the people of the world to awaken. None hath comprehended the power of the Most Exalted Pen and the penetrating influence of the Most Great Word. Every utterance that appeareth from the horizon of the heaven of the Will of Him Who is the Desire of the worlds—its fragrance pervadeth and perfumeth the world. Blessed are they who perceive and find. The glory from Us be upon you both and upon those who heard the Call when it was raised from the Most Exalted Horizon and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics and the Beloved of the sincere ones!”

O Samandar! The Most Exalted Pen, through pure grace and favor, hath willed in the Prison of Akka to make mention of M.L.K., glory be upon him, and to gladden him with the effulgences of the Sun of utterance of the All-Merciful. O Muhammad-i-Qabil-i-Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He calleth at all times before the faces of all religions and summoneth them unto God, the Lord of the worlds. We make mention of them through My Pen, remind them of My signs, and give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. We have stood before all faces in days wherein the feet of the learned have slipped—He Who possesseth the perspicuous Book beareth witness to this. We have heard thy call, made mention of thee and turned toward thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and opened before the faces of the servants the gates of favor and bounty from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We have commanded them to that which draweth them nigh unto Him and aided them through His grace that hath encompassed the world and His mercy that hath preceded all in the heavens and the earth. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My utterance and drinkest the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having mentioned me and sent down for me that whose fragrance shall never cease throughout the duration of Thy kingdom. I testify, O my God, to Thy oneness and Thy singleness. I beseech Thee by the penetrating power of Thy Will and the all-encompassing nature of Thy Purpose, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the lights of the Orb of Thy proof, to make me detached from all else save Thee and wholly turned toward Thee. My God, my God! Thou seest my turning unto Thee and my clinging to Thy cord. Illumine my outer and inner being with the lights of Thy knowledge. O Lord! Deprive me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, nor withhold from me that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Word whereby the mountains of idle fancies were scattered and the heaven of religions was cleft asunder, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love in such wise that neither the croaking of the croakers shall prevent me from turning to Thy horizon, nor the onslaught of the oppressors from taking hold of Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

At this juncture We make mention of him who was named Lutf-Ali, that he may give thanks unto the One Who remembered him when he was in the hands of the oppressors. O Lutf-Ali Samandar, upon thee be My glory! He made mention of thee, and these special words have been revealed from the Mother Book, that they may revive thy spirit and strengthen thy limbs and cause thee to remain firm and steadfast in God’s Cause. How many souls cling to vain imaginings and have turned away and continue to turn away at a mere word! Beseech thou the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may aid all and bestow upon them the power of smell, and likewise the power of hearing and sight, that they may discover and see and hear. O Mihdi! The people of the Bayan beheld the Shi’ih faction and their vain imaginings and fancies, and likewise their deeds and stations on the Day of Reckoning; yet despite this they occupy themselves in organizing such a faction. Such is the condition of the servants. Know thou this and be of the discerning ones.

Praise be to God! Each of the loved ones mentioned in the Book of Samandar attained unto the outpourings of the true Effulgent One. We conclude Our discourse with mention of Khalil and those with him. By the life of God! He hath been remembered before the Wronged One with a remembrance whose light shall never fade, nor shall the happenings of the world alter it, nor the tempests of nations, nor the veils of the transgressors. O Khalil! Hearken unto the Call. He is God; there is none other God but Him. He hath appeared and made manifest His Cause, the firm, the mighty. Neither have the tales of the world prevented Him, nor the oppression of those who denied the Day of Judgment.

O Khalil! The most abject people in the world have been and are the faction of Iran. By the Sun of Utterance which shineth from the highest horizon of the world, the lamentation of the pulpits of that land is raised at all times, and in the early days this lamentation was heard in the Land of Ta [Tehran]. For the pulpit was established for the mention of God, exalted be His glory, but now in Iran it hath become the seat of cursing the Goal of all the worlds. Observe what the most abject of factions hath done and said. The deniers of the Bayan likewise follow in the footsteps of that faction. His honor Haydar-ʿAli, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath written from the Land of Sad that the deluded ones of that land are calling people to the dawning-place of vain imaginings through the Book of Iqan. Such is the condition of the servants. Where is justice and where is fairness? Leave them to their vain disputes.

We make mention of Muhammad-Karim and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Remember him through My verses and give him the glad-tidings of My mercy which hath preceded all things and My grace which hath encompassed existence. God willing, may they be enkindled with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree, illumined by its light and hold fast unto its branches in such wise that they may regard the world as non-existent and null. The glory be upon thee and upon him and upon those who are with you both and upon all who are firm and steadfast.

We make mention of him who was named Yahya, who attained unto Our presence and won the victory, and whom God aided to be fair in this momentous News. O Yahya! Thou wert present and didst hear and see when the Supreme Pen spoke, as it sat upon its exalted throne. Blessed is he who hath drunk the choice wine of inspiration from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Lord of all beings, and who hath held fast unto the wisdom which We have sent down in diverse Tablets and unto that which We have enjoined upon the servants in My perspicuous Book.

BH00349: O Ism-i-Jud! Tablets have been revealed equal in number…

Section 1: “In the Name of Him Who…”

In the Name of Him Who is the Overseer of all who are on earth and in heaven!

O Ism-i-Jud! Tablets have been revealed equal in number to the raindrops, and books to match the number of all knowledge, psalms, scriptures and what lies between them, which none has comprehended save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The essence of utterance has reached such a station that every letter thereof is a clear book establishing the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds. Infinite realms are set ablaze, yet most of the people of this world remain deprived and veiled. That which has been revealed is beyond the reckoning of those present. The hearing ear is rare and the seeing eye non-existent. Beseech ye God to bestow upon the world attentive ears and penetrating vision. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, the Overseer, the Self-Subsisting.

His honor Haydar-ʿAli, upon him be My glory, hath mentioned certain souls who have turned towards God, and We desire to send down for them from the heaven of Will and Purpose that which will draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. O Pen! Make mention of Muhammad, who turned towards the Dayspring of Revelation when the people were in manifest rejection. He hath attained unto My Tablet once, and again unto another Tablet from whose horizon shone the sun of his Lord’s tender mercy, the All-Bountiful. O Muhammad! Hear the call from the Uttermost Tree upon the shore of the Sea of Eternity: Verily, there is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The Dawning-Place of favors hath come with the banners of justice and fairness, yet the Evil Whisperer remaineth in strange delusion. He whispereth in the breasts of men—yet he is among the most lost in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We have sent down for thee from the heaven of grace that which shall testify in thy favor in every world among the worlds of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. Give thanks unto God for this supreme bounty and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the nations, for having caused me to turn towards Thy horizon, to gaze upon the lights of Thy countenance, and to speak in Thy beauteous praise. My Lord! Aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause, then ordain for me that which befitteth Thy bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

O Amanu’llah! Hearken unto the shrill voice of My Pen and the rustling of My Tree, then look to the Most Exalted Horizon that thou mayest behold the dawning lights of My Manifestation and that which hath been ordained in that station by the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. By God! When the call was raised from the Supreme Pen, the call of all things was raised. The gate of heaven was opened and the Lord of Names came with clear sovereignty. Through His appearance the ocean of utterance surged in the contingent world, and by His uprising the people arose for the Lord of the worlds. Give thanks unto God, for My Pen hath moved to make mention of thee and My tongue hath spoken thy name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O Hasan! We have observed thy devotion and heard thy call. At the outset of this utterance, We counsel thee to be steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and in that which will exalt this wise Remembrance, through which the limbs of all names have trembled and the Most Exalted Pen hath proclaimed: “Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” Be thou eloquent in My praise, hold fast unto My cord, cling to the hem of the robe of My loving-kindness, turn thy face toward the lights of My countenance, and be thou a helper of My Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that proceedeth from Him.

Verily, He hath mentioned thee in that which shall never perish. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this exalted station. Verily, He once reposed upon the dust in the Prison of Ta, and at another time in the land of Mim, then He ascended the throne in this Great Prison. Thus hath the Divine Lote-Tree spoken as a token of Our favor unto thee. Be thou grateful unto thy Lord and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!” I beseech Thee by the power before which nothing can stand firm among all things, to make me a helper of Thy Cause and one who speaketh Thy praise, wherein the affairs of creation and the doubts of those who have denied Thy blessed, pure and luminous Name shall not hinder me.

O servant of God! Thou wert silent and thoughtful regarding the manifestations of My power and the expressions of My loving-kindness. Thou hast heard the cry of all things—how the stones call out to the trees:

“This is the Day of the Chosen One. It behooveth us to sing in the days of God.”

The attraction of the verses hath seized the dwellers of earth and heaven. Blessed is the soul that hath been drawn by the breezes of revelation, and woe unto the heedless. Say: O peoples of the earth! Open your eyes. The sun of inner meanings hath shone forth before your faces. Fear God and be not of them that slumber. He hath appeared unto Whom all in the heavens and earth have bowed down in praise, and through Whose remembrance all in the heavens and earth make mention of Him. We counsel thee and them that have believed to act in accordance with what hath been sent down in the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Ali-Askar! The Most Exalted Pen proclaimeth: The clamorous ones have appeared with deception and guile, desiring to veil the lights of the Sun of Truth with the clouds of their idle fancies and to prevent Its shining forth. They have contrived calumnies whereby they have prevented those helpless servants from the Dayspring of the Light of Divine Unity. Say: O worthless ones! The entire world beareth witness that from the first day this Wronged One hath stood forth before the faces of men in the name of the Self-Subsisting, steadfast in the Cause, calling all with the most exalted call to the supreme horizon. His Cause is manifest, His decree evident, and His deeds witnessed, for He hath never concealed Himself behind veils nor sought protection for Himself. At all times countless souls have dwelt and found rest in His vicinity. Nevertheless, a company of the heedless have turned away. By God’s life! They have turned to that which neither nourisheth nor endureth. Glory be to God! What have they seen and what have they heard? The world of knowledge is astonished at these souls.

O people of God! Ye must, with complete steadfastness, arise for the Cause of the Lord of mankind, and labour for the betterment of the peoples of the world, that ye may be aided, and cleanse the hearts of the nations from rancour and hatred. O people of God! Until now the servants have been, and still are, heedless of the blessed word: “He doeth whatsoever He willeth, and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” For whoso is made to attain unto this blessed word will remain firm, assured, and upright in the Cause of God.

We convey our acclamations unto the loved ones of the True One—glorified be His majesty—and bear them glad tidings through His grace. Blessed are they that hear, and blessed are they that act. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning His Eminence Ismi—upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness—we have repeatedly made mention of him. Praise be to God: he hath been, and is, beneath the gaze of divine favour. In these days, moreover, there hath been sent down for him from the heaven of bounty that which is the wellspring of the life of the world and the dawning-place of light among the peoples. Its text is with Majd—upon him be My glory. God willing, after returning from the land of Ba and Ya, he will convey it.

And likewise, for Dil‘-i-Shahid—upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness—there was revealed that whose fragrance shall endure and remain; hereafter its grace shall be made manifest.

O Ism-i-Jud! The letter of Husayn—upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness—which he wrote unto thee, the Greatest Branch laid before the Most Holy Court and was honoured to be heard. This is that which hath been sent down for him from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Section 2: “O Husayn! Hearken unto the call…”

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon!

O Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He maketh mention of thee with that which God hath made a spirit unto all bodies, a light unto all horizons, and a treasure and honor unto all who are in the heavens and the earth. This is a Day wherein the atoms themselves have testified that the Promise hath come to pass and that which was hidden in the hearts of the chosen ones and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been fulfilled. On this Day all things proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praiseworthy!” Say: O people of God! We have enjoined upon you in the Psalms and Tablets that which will exalt the Cause of God and manifest the station of His party amidst all parties.

Say: Blessed is the arm that hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings through the power of the Name of God, the Lord of all lords. We have made mention of the people of Shin, and We make mention of them at this time through verses that have illumined the horizons. By God! All things were stirred by the scratching of My Most Exalted Pen, and yet the people remain heedless and veiled. Their desires have withheld them from My horizon, and their idle fancies from the straight Path.

Say: O concourse of divines! Die in your wrath! The Hour hath come to pass and the mountains have been scattered. This is the Day of Reckoning. The recompense of your deeds hath prevented you from Him Whom ye mentioned throughout the nights and days, at eventide and at dawn. Open your eyes! The Sun hath dawned from the horizon of proof by the command of God, the Lord of all men.

O My loved ones in Shin! Ye have been blessed by My remembrance in My days and have inhaled the fragrances of revelation when every ignorant doubter was debarred therefrom. Blessed are your eyes for what they have beheld and your ears for what they have heard: the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree as it was raised up by God, the Mighty, the Bestower. We counsel you to perform such deeds as will guide those who turn towards the Dayspring of lights, and to manifest such virtues as will lead all servants to the Source of commandments and ordinances. Aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through deeds and virtuous character. This is what ye have been commanded in the Psalms and Tablets. Beware lest the clamor of the divines or the tyranny of those who have denied the Beginning and the End frighten you. Soon will God seize them even as He seized those before them. Verily, He is severe in punishment. The might of kings cannot frustrate Him, nor can the ranks of subjects. He calleth out before all faces with the most exalted call:

“The Sovereign hath come, and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained!”

We give glad tidings unto Our loved ones who have not broken Our Covenant of that which hath been ordained for them by the Pen of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O Husayn! Be thou enkindled with the fire of My love, that the peoples of the lands may be set ablaze thereby, and be thou attracted by My verses, that the servants may be drawn unto them. Say: Cast aside what the people possess, and hold fast unto that which hath come from the Dayspring of Power with the standards of His verses. Beware lest the might of the world weaken you, or the power of the wicked render you helpless. Thus hath the Ocean of Proof revealed His utterance, and that which was hidden in the shells—the pearls of the wisdom of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind—hath appeared. By God! The Sun hath manifested its radiance, the Words their light, the Pen its traces, and the Tree its fruits. Blessed is he who hath turned, witnessed and beheld, and woe unto every denying infidel.

O Husayn! Hearken unto the divine call in the Persian tongue, that perchance the ears of the world may hear that for which they were created. The friends of God must be as firm mountains, unchanged by the events of time and the rains. Glory be to God! Some are like clods that dissolve at the touch of moisture, or like dried leaves stirred by every wind. Today the people of God must fix their gaze upon the highest horizon and remain steadfast in His Cause with complete firmness. Their deeds must be for God and their attention turned to God.

O friends of God on earth! Be not grieved by the happenings of the age, for they are limited to prescribed bounds. Strive to attain eternal stations in this transient realm. Reflect upon past centuries and ages—how many souls emerged from dust and returned to dust. By the Sun of Proof that shineth from the highest horizon of possibility, that which hath been ordained for the sincere ones and those near unto God hath neither likeness nor equal. Thus hath the Pen spoken, yet the people perceive not, save him who hath cast away what he possessed in his longing for that which is with God. He, verily, is among the sincere ones in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.

What is needed today is the sanctification of hearts and breasts from rancor and hatred. Blessed is the one who reclines upon the couch of ease while his breast is illumined with the light of love for all the peoples of the world. Unity and concord are beloved today and have ever been. Associate with all the peoples of the world with the utmost spirit, fragrance, dignity and composure, that your goodly character may spread its fragrance among them. This fragrance hath ever been and shall ever remain a guide. Consult in all matters and strive earnestly in that which will exalt the Word of God. Blessed are those souls who have arisen to render assistance and have guided the wayward to the straight path and the mighty, unshakeable way through the utterances of the Goal of all creation.

We convey Our greetings to the friends in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. We have not mentioned names as this would be contrary to wisdom. The Command is in His hands—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

As for the mention of journeying from those lands, this is acceptable at the Divine Threshold, as perchance directing oneself to the land of Shin may cause the exaltation of the Word. We beseech God that He may enable that one, sanctified from the world, to reach that land, and that all may attain through his endeavors to that which beseemeth the Cause of God and the Word of God.

The book mentioned previously for publication has been delayed in these days, for due to the maliciousness of certain souls its writing has been prevented until God brings about His decree.

Mention was made of Mulla Shafi’; his response has been sent down from the heaven of grace and will be dispatched later. Some time ago, a Most Holy, Most Great Tablet was sent specifically for him, Jalal, and the other friends of that land. We beseech God that they may attain unto it and receive their portion from the ocean of divine utterances’ inner meanings. In these days, mention of Jalal’s relatives also reached the Most Holy Court, and each was favored with special bounties. And those souls who have ascended to the Supreme Companion were each mentioned before the Divine Presence and were favored with grace—God hath forgiven them as a bounty from His presence, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Today, whosoever ascendeth unto God in love, the Concourse on High welcometh that sanctified spirit and inhale from it the fragrance of God, and with exclamations of “No God is there but Him” and “God is Most Great” and praise, they usher it into the station ordained for it. By the life of God! Were but an atom of that station to be revealed, all who are on earth would fall senseless. Verily His bounty is great and His mercy hath preceded all existence, both seen and unseen. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of My grace and clung to the hem of My bounty, and upon those whom We have caused to join the Supreme Companion, through Our command, for I am the Commander, the Ancient of Days.

BH00371: O thou who art the adornment of them…

Section 1: “O thou who art the adornment of them…”

In the name of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!

O thou who art the adornment of them that are nigh unto God! Remind My servants on My behalf, then gladden them with tidings of My mercy and My loving-kindness, then My grace and My generosity, that none may despair of the mercy that hath encompassed all the worlds. Say: By God! Were it not for the Youth, mercy would not have been manifested, nor would the Word have been fulfilled, nor would the Kingdom of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful, have been sent down.

Remind, from Our presence, Our servant who hath been named Mihdi and those who are there, that they may give thanks unto God Who created them and aided them to know Him and made them to be numbered with the doers of good. O Mihdi! Grieve not at anything, for thy Lord is possessed of great bounty. Be thou confident in the grace of thy Lord, for He is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful. He will help thee with the truth and will aid thee in His Cause and will make thee speak in praise of His Self, and He, verily, hath power over all things.

Magnify, from Our presence, those servants who have turned unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Those who have repented and turned back, God hath forgiven them through His grace, and hath absolved them of their misdeeds, and made them pure as on the day they were born of their mothers. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

O Mihdi! Kindle in the hearts of My servants the fire of My love, that it may blaze forth in such wise that the waters of the world shall not quench it. Say: This is a fire which, when it toucheth aught, transformeth it into oil, thereby increasing its blaze, yet the people are in grievous heedlessness. O people! Be steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the clamor of the idolaters shall not prevent you from remembering the name of your Lord. Soon will Satan come unto you with tablets of fire and a book from hell—cast them behind you. Thus have We informed you of the truth that ye may be of them that act.

With thy Lord is the knowledge of all things in a perspicuous Book. They who have been given insight from God, these shall find in their words the exhalations of hell. Say: O people! Purify your hearts from the mention of aught else but Him, then settle yourselves upon the thrones of certitude, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through utterance. This is what He hath commanded you in all the Tablets, if ye be of them that know. And rejoice in that the breezes of forgiveness have wafted over you, and God hath thereby purified you from the defilement of those who have disbelieved in Him on this Day wherein all things bear witness that sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Compeller.

Then remind, from Our presence, Qasim who came unto you with the tablets of God, the King, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: O people! Read ye the verses of God in such wise that the hearts of the heedless may be attracted thereby. Grieve not over what hath escaped you, but in all matters put your trust in Him. Verily, He forsaketh not His servants who place their trust in Him. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth as a mercy from Us, and verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! Praise God that the people of that land have rent asunder the veils and turned their faces toward the Lord of Lords. Whosoever is in the least perceptive and ponders the verses revealed in the Bayan from the Pen of the All-Merciful will assuredly know that today there is no refuge for any soul save in clinging to His Most Firm Cord. Observe the heedlessness of the servants, how some have not even succeeded in pondering why the entirety of the Bayan was made contingent and dependent upon the acceptance of this Most Great Revelation and His leave and good-pleasure.

The Divine Manifestations Who were sent forth in former ages would, after proclaiming God’s commandments and prohibitions, make brief mention of the subsequent Revelation, as is evident to every person of insight. The Point of the Bayan, however, exalted be His glory, made mention at all times of this wondrous Remembrance, to such extent that He made Himself, the Bayan, and all that was revealed therein contingent upon a single word that would shine forth from the horizon of the mouth of the Sovereign of meanings. All these degrees were in view of the greatness of this Revelation, the full description of which hath not yet been given. In one of the Tablets, a drop from the ocean of this Most Great Sea was revealed, yet until now no one hath attained unto it.

By the life of the Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for His sake!—I have neither liked nor do I like to mention the revealed verses concerning the loftiness of this Revelation. Indeed, even those matters from which His existence might be inferred have not been beloved by this servant. And this much that hath been mentioned was only due to God’s decisive command and His binding decree, lest weak souls should again fall prey to the vain imaginings of malicious people. Even now it can be observed that each day fabricated words emerge from the direction of the liars. Among these, in recent days they have reported that the Primal Point wrote a letter stating that someone would appear in the year nine claiming to be the Promised One, and that he would be a liar.

Now observe to what degree their wickedness hath reached. Your honor hath seen what verses of nine were revealed from the heaven of command, yet they lack even the discernment to realize that if anyone were to attribute falsehood to this Most Great Revelation or deny this grace, that very denial would first and foremost rebound upon themselves, and through such words they have proclaimed the falsehood of the Point and all the Messengers, yet they perceive it not.

All this audacity and presumption stems from people’s lack of capacity, for some of the foolish ones would certainly accept whatever they hear from such ignorant souls—otherwise how would they dare to utter such fabricated, slanderous, false words? This, despite the fact that all are aware and any person of understanding would perceive that He had no independent existence from the very beginning, and whatever was mentioned in His name was intended to preserve the Seat of the Cause that was encompassed by the ungodly, as well as other consummate divine wisdoms, some of which have been mentioned in the Tablets.

They have also written that the year nine mentioned by the Point of the Bayan refers to the year nine after the appearance of Him Whom God shall make manifest at the time of Mustaghath. Observe now—hath any ignorant one ever uttered such words? Nay, by the Lord of all the worlds! They have spread a web of vain imaginings greater than the webs of former peoples.

At the time of emergence from between Gog and Magog, who were two idolaters, I sent a box containing blessed writings of the Exalted One and Aqa Siyyid Husayn, along with His seal, to that one who turned away from God. And in the early years of the new Cause, for four years We commanded him to copy from the writings of His Holiness, such that now writings of that apostate in the style of His Holiness exist. In these days he hath begun using those same writings and writing whatever Satan inspires in him, sealing it with His Holiness’s seal and showing it to vile souls like himself. The deceit hath reached such a degree that it cannot be described.

Section 2: “O servants! Where hath understanding and wisdom gone?…”

Say: O servants! Where hath understanding and wisdom gone? Every word indicateth its author, and from the fragrance of every breeze it is evident from what place it hath arisen and over what it hath passed. The sweet fragrances of the divine paradise are clearly distinct from the stench of putrid carrion. The most wicked of men, namely Siyyid Muhammad, hath claimed divinity, and his purpose in these acts he hath committed was his own self, using another as pretext, even though “This is one of the people of hell” is clearly written on his ill-omened forehead. Nevertheless, these subhuman beings have desired to ascend to the heights of divine glory through him. Such is the state of the servants.

Had there been the slightest discernment, or had any soul inhaled the fragrance of God’s garment, they would never consent to walk in the direction where that wicked one dwelleth, let alone turn towards it. But the people do not understand nor comprehend. Today it behooveth you and all the loved ones of God to exert the utmost effort and striving in protecting and preserving the Cause, lest the foul odors of Satan prevent and deprive people from the sweet fragrances of the All-Merciful. The Command is in His hand—He doeth what He willeth, and He is powerful over all things.

In these days Persian Tablets concerning divine ordinances are being revealed. Although all are commanded to use the Persian tongue, since some ordinances were not revealed therein and some were only alluded to, therefore, as a grace upon humanity, they have been revealed in clear and evident expressions so that none might remain deprived of the ocean of bounty and favor. God willing, they shall be sent hereafter.

Concerning what you mentioned about certain servants looking toward forgiveness—God hath forgiven them and purified them from transgression. Verily He is the Possessor of great bounty.

As for what thou didst mention regarding their needs and the healing of illnesses—verily He answereth the prayer of the supplicants. God hath sent down for them what is best for them, and He shall soon send down in truth, for He is the Most Generous of the generous ones.

As for she who gave up her spirit and he who took his own life—God hath forgiven them both through His encompassing grace and admitted them into His vast mercy. Verily He is the most powerful of the powerful ones.

Regarding what thou didst mention about ʿAbdu’r-Rahim who believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting—We have not forgotten him and had previously written him a tablet, and before that another tablet, and now We mention him in truth in this Clear Tablet. We beseech God to assist him in His Cause, to make him steadfast in His religion, to make him mindful of His Most Great and Wondrous Remembrance, and to send down upon him what he loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is powerful over all things.

Send a copy of this Tablet to your own land to Jinab-i-Mihdi, and if it be sent to other lands as well, it would be praiseworthy, for the people are like fish and the divine Tablets like water. Although the breezes are ever flowing and never cease, yet in sending forth the Tablets no delay is permissible insofar as possible, for the diffusion of the Words of God among His servants bestows new and exalted spirits. And whatsoever that soul may write concerning the objections of those who are veiled is most acceptable and praiseworthy, that perchance it may be the cause of guidance to the servants. Verily, He aideth those who help Him, and He is the Succorer of those who love Him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O servant who gazeth toward God! Weep thou for this Wronged One, the Prisoner, Whom no one hath known and none hath discovered what hath befallen Him save whom thy Lord willeth. Even should they hear, by God, they have not heard, and should mention be made, no mention hath been made. Great, great is My tribulation, and grievous, grievous is My trial. And whoso regardeth the Bayan with the eye of the All-Merciful and what hath been revealed from the Pen of Command in this Revelation shall discover that which hath been concealed from the eyes of men and shall know what hath befallen the Beloved of God and His Purpose. And after discovering this, the hardships and afflictions of the world shall not sadden him. He shall see himself in the Most Exalted Horizon before his Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, and shall aid Him at all times. By God, he seeth the world as naught but the eye of a dead gnat, nay less. The carrion befitteth the dogs, and reality befitteth the loved ones of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Consider how wondrously the Point of Being hath made mention of the Intended One in the Bayan, in such wise that nothing higher can be conceived. He even declared that should anyone make a claim, before any evidence from him appeareth, all the kings and rulers and leaders of the earth should, with the utmost submissiveness, humility, resignation and contrition, present their petitions before His Most Pure Seat and send the keys of their treasuries, asking and beseeching that He manifest a proof. And should a Tablet be revealed from the realm of the Will of the King of Oneness as a bounty to the servants, all should submit; and if they accept it not, they should remain silent or again confess their powerlessness.

By Him Who shattered the idols of names through the power of His sovereignty! Were creatures to ponder but this one utterance, all would turn to the living waters of the All-Merciful. And it is most evident that the purpose of this utterance was, in the knowledge of that Essence of possibility, this Revelation; otherwise such words would never have been uttered, for many false claimants have appeared before and will appear hereafter, and never have such firm and mighty conditions for the future Manifestation been sent down from the heaven of divine Command. And should souls be enabled to recognize but this one utterance, they would somewhat comprehend the greatness of this Revelation. Nevertheless, every day the idolaters return from one fire to another, and cling to one falsehood after another, making the fresh claim that the Primal Point—may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake—stood in a position of servitude to that essence of wickedness and wretchedness. Strange it is that people give ear to such statements. By God, it would have been better for such souls to have been born deaf than to hear and accept such words. Woe unto them! Soon shall they be gathered with their masters in the nethermost fire, and they shall find for themselves neither escape nor deliverance.

BH00409: Lawh-i-Basitatu’l-Haqiqah

He is God, exalted be His station, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

As to what the questioner asked concerning the saying of the philosophers that “the Simple Reality is all things,” say: Know that what is meant by “things” in this context is none other than existence and the perfections of existence insofar as it is existence, and by “all” is meant that which possesses and encompasses. This “all” admits of no part, nor is it opposed by any portion. In essence, since the Simple Reality is simple from all aspects, it possesses and encompasses all perfections that are without limit or end, as has been said: “His creation has no bounded limit.”

In Persian it may be expressed thus: The philosopher’s intent by “things” in the aforementioned statement refers to the perfections of existence insofar as it is existence, and by “all” is meant possession—that is, the possession and encompassing of all infinite perfections in a simple way. Such statements have been made in contexts discussing unity, and the power and intensity of existence. The philosopher did not mean that the Necessary Being dissolves into infinite existences—glorified, glorified be He above that! As the philosophers themselves have said: “The Simple Reality is all things yet is not any of the things,” and in another context: “The lights of the Simple Reality are seen in all things.” This depends on the vision of the beholder and the perspective of the observer. Those of penetrating sight behold in all things the signs of divine unity, for all things are and have ever been manifestations of the divine names, while the Truth has ever been and will ever be sanctified above ascent and descent, limitations, conjunction and connection. Things exist and are witnessed in their limited places, as they have said: “Though the existence of the Necessary Being is of perfect power and intensity such that, were it possible, it would dissolve into infinite existences, yet this is not possible and has not occurred.”

There is much that could be said about this statement, and were the full intent of the philosophers to be expressed, the matter would become lengthy. As the hearts of the free are perceived to be subtle and sensitive, therefore the pen has chosen to be brief. Two stations are observed in unity: existential unity, which is the negation of all through “no” and the affirmation of the Truth through “except”—meaning they do not consider anything other than the Truth to exist, in the sense that all things are and will be utter nothingness before His manifestation and mention. “All things perish except His face” means that in His presence, none is worthy of existence nor can existence be attributed to them, as has been said: “God was, and there was nothing else beside Him, and now it is as it was before”—even though things are observed to exist now as they did before.

The meaning is that in His presence, nothing has or had existence. In existential unity, all is perishing and evanescent while the Face, which is the Truth, is eternal and everlasting. Witnessed unity is that in all things are beheld the signs of unity, the manifestations of eternity, and the revelations of the light of divine oneness, as has been revealed in the Divine Book: “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in themselves.” In this station, the manifestations of the signs of the Simple Reality are visible and evident in all things.

The philosopher did not mean that the True One dissolves into infinite existences—exalted, exalted is He above dissolving into anything. He was never bounded by bounds nor joined with anything in creation. He has ever been sanctified above all else and exalted beyond aught besides Him. We testify that He was one in His essence and one in His attributes, and all are within the grasp of His power that dominates the worlds.

And in one station, all that hath been or will be mentioned returneth unto the First Mention, for the Truth, glorified and exalted be He, is an impenetrable Mystery that cannot be comprehended. In this station, He was and ever shall be sanctified beyond all mentions and names, and exalted above the understanding of all created things. The way is barred and the quest forbidden. Therefore, whatever wondrous mentions and exalted descriptions flow from the tongue and pen refer to the Most Great Word, the Supreme Pen, the Primal Point, the true Home, and the Dawning-Place of the All-Merciful Revelation. He is the Source of unity and the Manifestation of the light of oneness and detachment. In this station, all the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes return unto Him and go not beyond Him, as it hath been said that the Unseen is sanctified beyond all mentions, and the station of the light of unity, though outwardly designated by a name and limited by bounds, is in its inner reality simple and sanctified beyond all limitations—though this simplicity is relative and comparative, not absolute in all respects.

In this station the meaning is thus: the Primal Word and the Dawning-Place of the light of oneness is the educator of all things and possesseth infinite perfections. Concerning this Word in this station there is an explanation hidden in the treasuries of infallibility and inscribed in the Preserved Tablet which it is not fitting to mention at this time. God willing, He shall reveal it, for He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Furthermore, the objection of some to the words of the philosopher was without proof, for they understood not the speaker’s intent. In truth, one cannot be content with the outward meaning of words and rise up in derision, except in the case of those who openly profess unbelief and idolatry, whose words admit of no interpretation. The philosophers have been and are of different schools. Some derived their statements from the Books of the Prophets. The first to study philosophy was Idris, hence he was named thus, and he was also called Hermes. In every tongue he has a name, and in every branch of wisdom he gave sufficient and complete explanations. After him, Balinus extracted certain sciences from the Hermetic tablets, and most philosophers derived their scientific and philosophical arts from his words and explanations. In any case, this philosopher’s statement is susceptible to both praiseworthy and limited interpretations. Some of the mature ones, to safeguard God’s Cause, have outwardly rejected it, but this imprisoned servant mentioneth naught but good.

Moreover, today is not the day for man to occupy himself with understanding such statements, for knowledge of this and similar statements hath never made man self-sufficient, nor will it ever do so.

For instance, the philosopher who uttered these words, were he present today, and those who agreed with what he said, and those who objected to him—all are observed to be in the same position. Each one, after the raising of the call of the King of Names from the right hand of the luminous Spot, was made acceptable and praiseworthy through the word “Yea,” and without it was rejected. How many souls who deemed themselves to be at the highest pinnacle of knowledge and understanding, to such extent that they imagined whatsoever proceeded from their mouths to be the balance by which all utterances are weighed, and the astrolabe whereby the beginning and end of all things are measured—yet when the springtime of the All-Merciful appeared and the winds of trials blew, We found in them neither acceptance nor steadfastness. Should anyone today encompass all the sciences of the earth, yet hesitate at the word “yea,” he shall not be mentioned before God and shall be accounted among the most ignorant of people. For the purpose of all knowledge hath been the recognition of the True One. Whosoever remaineth deprived of this most exalted and holy distinction is recorded among the dead in the Tablets.

O Husayn! The Wronged One declareth: Words require deeds. Words without deeds are as bees without honey, or as trees without fruit. Consider the Sage of Sabzivar—in his verses he hath penned poetry suggesting that no Moses existeth, else would the cry “Verily I am God” be heard from every tree. He hath uttered these words in exposition, meaning that one who knoweth God ascendeth to such heights that his eyes are illumined by beholding the lights of divine manifestation, and his ears are privileged to hear His call from all things. The aforementioned sage had no share of these stations, as is evident. This was mere utterance, but when it came to deeds, we observe that he hearkened not at all to the call of the Divine Lote-Tree, raised explicitly and without interpretation from the most exalted spot in the wilderness, calling aloud unto all. Had he truly hearkened, he would have arisen to proclaim it. Now we must say either these words were borrowed and merely passed his lips, or from fear of shame and love of fame he remained deprived of this station and its acknowledgment. He knew yet concealed, recognized yet denied.

How many souls have spent their entire lives establishing their own vain imaginings, yet remained deprived when the lights of the Known One shone forth from the horizon of the Self-Subsisting Name. The command is in God’s hands—He giveth whom He willeth what He willeth, and withholdeth from whom He pleaseth what He desireth. Verily He is the One praised in His command and obeyed in His decree. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

In these days it was revealed in one of the Tablets: How many turbaned ones have rejected and turned away, and how many veiled ones have recognized and accepted, saying “Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds!” Thus have We made their highest ones lowest, and their lowest ones highest. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

O Husayn! Say to the one who asked: Leave the pond when the Most Great Ocean is before thee. Draw nigh unto it, then drink therefrom in the name of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! It will bring thee to a station wherein thou shalt see in the world naught save the manifestation of the Ancient Beauty, and shalt hear from the Lote-Tree raised upon the Standard: “Verily there is no God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling.” This is a Day wherein it behooveth every soul, when hearing the Call from the Dayspring of the Beginning, to leave all else behind, arise and say “Yea, O my Heart’s Desire!” then “Here am I, O Beloved of the worlds!”

Say: O questioner! Were the wine of thy Lord’s utterance to intoxicate thee, and wert thou to recognize the wisdom and exposition contained therein, thou wouldst renounce all possibility and arise to aid this wronged and lonely One, and proclaim:

“Glorified be He Who hath manifested the flowing in the frozen, the finite in the boundless, and the hidden in the manifest—He Who, when beheld outwardly, appeareth in human temple before the hands of the oppressors, yet when pondered inwardly, is seen to be supreme over all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

Hearken unto that which the Fire proclaimeth from the luminous Lote-Tree raised upon the crimson spot:

“O people! Hasten with your hearts toward the direction of the Beloved.”

Thus hath the decree been fulfilled and the command gone forth from the presence of a mighty, faithful One.

O questioner! Thy mention hath been made before the Countenance in this manifest prison. Therefore hath this Tablet been sent down, from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Know thou its worth and cherish its value, for this is better for thee, shouldst thou be of them that comprehend. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and His remembrance, and to ordain for thee what is best for thee in this world and in the world to come. Verily, He is the Answerer of the prayers of them that supplicate, and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O servant! When thou art attracted by the sweet savors of the intimations of the Lord of Names, and illumined by the lights of the Countenance that hath dawned from the Dayspring of eternity, turn thou toward the Supreme Horizon and say:

O Creator of the heavens and Lord of Names! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast opened unto Thy creation the doors of meeting with Thee, and caused the sun of Thy loving kindness to shine upon all within Thy dominion, to make me steadfast in Thy love, detached from all else save Thee, standing firm in Thy service, gazing toward Thy face, and speaking forth Thy praise. O Lord! Aid me in the days of the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause to such extent that I may, through Thy grace and bounty, rend asunder the veils and burn away the coverings through the fire of Thy love. O Lord! Thou art the Mighty, and I am the weak; Thou art the Wealthy, and I am the poor.

I beseech Thee, by the ocean of Thy bounty, not to deprive me of Thy grace and Thy gifts. All things testify to Thy greatness, Thy glory, Thy power and Thy might. Take my hand with the hand of Thy will and deliver me through Thy sovereignty. Then write down for me what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who have turned toward Thee, fulfilled Thy covenant and Thy testament, soared in the atmosphere of Thy will, and spoken Thy praise amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Supreme, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH00413: Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself as He…

Section 1: “In the Name of Him Who…”

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Powerful over those on earth and in heaven!

Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself as He pleased and willed, at a time when the hearts of the wise could not comprehend Him and when the servants who followed vain imaginings rose in opposition against Him. Among them were those who said He appeared too soon. Say: By my Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High! Doth the Cause rest in His hands or in yours? Be fair, O ye heedless ones! He judgeth as He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful over what He desireth. Say: This is the Wondrous One of the heavens and earth, if ye be of those who see. He is not bound by time nor by any other limitations. He is the Render of veils. But for Him, the law of creation would not have appeared in the world of existence, and but for Him, the Dove of the Cause would not have warbled upon the branches. This is He the like of Whom hath not appeared in creation. This is the Wondrous One at Whose recognition all who are in the heavens and on earth are bewildered. Say: Even as His Essence cannot be known, neither can the time of His appearance be recognized. Thus hath the decree been ordained by the Lord of the Pens.

When the promise came to pass, He dawned from the horizon of the Cause and appeared in a way that pleased not the desires of those who denied God, the Revealer of verses. Say: He cannot be comprehended by what ye possess. Read ye the Bayan, that ye may be informed of the mystery of this Manifestation whereby the horizons have been illumined. This is a Cause which no one had known before, nor had those possessed of insight comprehended it. At His appearance the Bell rang out, the Dove cooed, and the Trump proclaimed: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Compelling!”

Say: Whither will ye flee? Today there is no refuge for you. Blessed is he who hath stood firm in this Cause, at whose appearance the heaven of idle fancies was cleft asunder and the hearts of the wicked were shaken. Say: O people! Behold Me with Mine own eyes. This is what God hath enjoined upon you in the Scriptures and Tablets. Blessed is he who hath cast away all else, turning to My countenance in such wise that neither the veils of allusions nor the words of those that are veiled have hindered him. We have ordained that turning unto Us should be with the hearts, inasmuch as the barking of dogs hath increased around the city wherein the call of God, the Lord of lords, hath been raised. When they see any of the loved ones turning to the All-Giving, they rise against him. They are indeed of the hypocrites.

O Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree! Blessed are ye for having kept the covenant and testament of God and cast away that which the wayward have clung to. Ye are of those who have rent the greatest veil when the Lord of Destiny came with majesty and power. Should anyone from the wilderness of phantoms come unto you, seek refuge in God, Creator of the realm of might, Who hath come with the kingdom of proof. What We tell you is the truth from God. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Soon shall the crier cry out and the croaking of the raven be heard.

O Pen of the Cause! Turn unto him who hath turned unto thee, then let him hear thy rustling in this remembrance whereby all creation hath been set in motion. Hearken unto the call of God from this most exalted station, from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. May the attraction of the Merciful’s utterance seize thee in such wise that the affairs of the world disturb thee not, and thou findest within thyself a joy that no sorrow can alter. We bear witness that thou art among those who turned to God and faced Him on a day when feet did slip. Rejoice in God’s testimony and remain steadfast in the love of thy Lord.

This verily is the greatest of all deeds. Blessed art thou, for thy letter hath reached the Most Great Prison while the Wronged One calleth upon His Lord in private and in public. When We broke its seal, the fragrance of thy Lord’s love, the Manifestor of religions, wafted forth. We beseech God to assist thee under all conditions, and to make thee steadfast in this Cause from which the transgressors have fled. Sorrow not over anything, for verily He is with thee and hath ordained for thee that which is better than all that hath been created in the realms of existence. Thus did the ocean of thy Lord’s bounty surge when the Dayspring of His Cause was in the hands of the ungodly.

Counsel Our servants with a word from Us—this is what the Wronged One of the land commandeth thee. Say: Hearken not unto that which is unworthy to be heard, and fix not your gaze upon that which hath flowed from the pen of the wicked. Leave behind what the people possess and take what is with your Lord, the Master of all necks.

God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful, Who hath ever been and ever shall be, may you abide at rest beneath the shade of the Beloved, the Self-Sufficing, detached and free from all else but Him. Your letter reached the Most Great Prison and in truth brought joy to the sorrowing heart of this Prisoner, for the divine Tree hath ever loved and continues to love the bearing of Its branches and Their fragrances. Praise be to God that through the attraction of the utterances of the All-Merciful and the influence of the pen of the Beloved of all creation, all have attained unto God’s eternal Law and have been blessed by the outpourings of the rain of His mercy. This is what We desired aforetime and revealed in the Tablets. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Concerning what you wrote about petition-writing being a cause of added disgrace and sin—this is not so. Rather, it is the essence of what is right and the reality of what is meritorious, and will continue to be so. Write whatever you wish and say whatever you desire, for verily He loves to hear your words and to find the fragrance of your love, O beloved of those who know Him. What is desired this day from you and from all is steadfastness in the love of God, to such a degree that no one can cast upon you the vain imaginings of the deluded ones or the words of the idolaters. This station is most exalted, for the satans lie in wait and the hosts of the ungodly appear with utmost hatred.

Whosoever wishes to attain to this station must be wholly detached from all save God, that he may achieve that most great steadfastness which is the foundation of all good. This matter is in one respect most mighty, and in another respect most simple. Its might is evident and manifest and is recorded in the Tablets of God. Its simplicity and ease lie in a single word—if people would be assisted to grasp that divine word which encompasses the infinite words of the Lord, it would suffice them all and keep them firm upon the straight path of His Cause, in such wise that at all times they would drink and give to drink the water of life from the hand of the All-Merciful’s bounty.

And that word is His saying: “Behold Him with His eye, not with your eyes.” This is a statement which, should any soul hear it with the ear of the heart, would never stray from the straight path nor remain far from the Beloved of the worlds.

Section 2: “Most people have remained deprived of the purpose…”

Most people have remained deprived of the purpose of the world due to the vain imaginings of the past and tales of the ancients. One must detach oneself from whatever stories, words and allusions exist in the hands of people, and turn with heart and soul to the precinct of the All-Merciful. If a soul looks to past imaginings, he will never drink from the incomparable pure wine. This most pure wine has no likeness or similarity by which analogies might comprehend it. Observe the people of the Qur’an—how tales of the past and vain imaginings kept them all far from the path of the Lord of all beings. Had they closed their eyes to the signs, traditions and imagined conditions they possessed, and beheld with His eye, they would surely have attained to the lights of the divine countenance and the manifestations of the Lord’s effulgences.

The matter of those souls is simple. Reflect upon the people of the Bayan: despite having witnessed that what they previously possessed was pure fancy, and having failed to truly comprehend even one statement from the divine utterances concerning the Resurrection, the Hour, the Path, the Balance, the gathering and dispersal, the Qa’im and His appearance—just as for centuries and ages they had been worshipping vain imaginings unknowingly while counting themselves the greatest, most exalted, most ascetic and most God-fearing of all on earth—nevertheless through other veils some today remain deprived of the life-giving waters of the All-Merciful and the ocean of divine knowledge. Fie upon them and their loyalty! Had they acted upon the divine word that was mentioned, they would never have remained veiled.

Say: O friends! Behold the Truth with His eye, for with other than His eye you will never see Him. This is the Word of Truth that hath appeared and shone forth from the Dayspring of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Blessed are they that comprehend, blessed are they that behold, blessed are they that are steadfast, blessed are they that are sincere, and blessed are they that attain. Today the world-illumining Sun of Truth shineth with perfect radiance and light, and the heaven of knowledge is adorned and made visible with the stars of wisdom and utterance. Blessed are the souls that have turned with their own vision and attained thereunto.

And as for that which thou didst desire concerning the sun of thy Lord’s bounty, it is most evident and clear that the attribute of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, hath been and ever shall be to bestow. In whatsoever manner that honored one desireth, He bestoweth His grace. The heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them have been created for His loved ones. Thus hath it flowed from the Most Exalted Pen when it moved across the Tablet by the leave of thy Lord, the Mover, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be assured that ye have been and will be, God willing, under the shelter of the favors of the Lord of all beings, and whatsoever He deemeth expedient He will assuredly bring to pass, inasmuch as ye are reckoned as His own and are related unto Him. If in such matters there hath been delay or postponement, it hath been due to God’s all-encompassing wisdom, and will continue to be so. Henceforth, be not sorrowful, for ye are accounted before His Presence among those who are nigh, and praise be to God, ye have, at the Dayspring of Days, drunk from the hands of the Lord of all beings the Kawthar of reunion and have attained thereunto.

We have written for him who is steadfast in the Cause and hath detached himself from all else the reward of those who have stood before the Presence at eventide and at dawn. We beseech God to give thee to drink from the choice wine of joy and to enable thee to attain unto a station wherein thou mayest soar at all times on the wings of the spirit and sweet fragrance in the atmosphere of the love of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Let them persevere in this prayer: Say:

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Purpose, my Hope and my Beloved! Verily the sweet-scented breezes of Thy Revelation have drawn me to the horizon of Thy favors, and the fragrances of Thine inspiration have turned me toward the realm of Thy bestowals, and the call from the Dayspring of Thy Cause hath awakened me in Thy days. Therefore, O my God, I have turned to Thee with my whole being, detached from all else but Thee, and standing before the door of Thy grace which Thou hast opened to all who are in earth and heaven. I beseech Thee by Thy Word through which Thou hast subdued all created things, through which all possibilities have been moved, and through which Thou hast given the sincere ones to drink of the Kawthar of Thy presence and the pure in heart the choice wine of reunion with Thee, and by Thy Name through whose revelation the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery were unveiled, to make me in all conditions one who remembers Thee and utters Thy praise, who soars in the atmosphere of Thy knowledge and walks in the kingdoms of Thy Cause and power.

O Lord! I have hastened to Thy shelter and turned my face toward Thy countenance. Deny me not the waters of Thy mercy nor the ocean of Thy bounty. Every limb of my body testifieth to Thy dominion over all things and Thy power over all who dwell in earth and heaven. Ordain for me that which will make me detached from all else save Thee, that I may behold myself as a sign of Thy detachment in Thy realm and an evidence of Thy sanctification in Thy lands. Moreover, decree for me, O my God, what Thou hast intended from the heaven of Thy generosity and the clouds of Thy grace. Verily Thou art He Whose beneficence hath encompassed all in existence and Whose bounty hath embraced all in creation. Then choose for me, O my God, what will profit me in this world and the next. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

And I beseech Thee, O Possessor of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen, to immerse me at all times in the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, that I may be moved by Thy Will, actuated by Thy Purpose, and focused on what Thou hast intended for me from the wonders of Thy favors. O Lord! I have clung to the cord of Thy love. I beseech Thee to inscribe me among those who have circled round Thy throne throughout the everlastingness of Thy might and Thy dominion and Thy glory, O God of the worlds and Desired One of those who have recognized Thee! This is my request, my hope, my desire and my aspiration. Thou art He Who hath bidden me to pray and hath promised to answer.

Therefore answer what I have asked through Thy grace and generosity, Thy bounty and favor. Verily Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, the Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Lord! Send Thy blessings upon the people of Baha who have remained firm in the Ark of Steadfastness by Thy command and authority, and in the Ship of Constancy by Thy power and might, and whom Thou hast assisted to manifest Thy Cause amongst Thy creatures and to demonstrate Thy sovereignty among Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH00414: Lawh-i-Yusuf 1

Section 1: “O Joseph! Upon thee be the Most Great…”

O Joseph! Upon thee be the Most Great, the Most Glorious Beauty of God! From the horizon of the Cause there hath dawned the Sun, whereon hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Unconstrained.” The moon of knowledge hath been eclipsed when the Self-Subsisting appeared, riding upon the clouds. Blessed art thou, for thou hast inhaled the fragrance of holiness from this Garment through which the breezes of divine revelation have wafted throughout all creation. Drink thou the Kawthar of purity in the name of the Lord of the Manifestation, then the Salsabil of utterance in the name of the All-Merciful. Thus hast thou been commanded by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Leave the idolaters to their vain imaginings. They wander astray even as their forefathers wandered before. Take what We have sent unto thee. By My life, through it the horizons have been illumined. This is not a day for tarrying. Soar in the atmosphere of detachment in the name of thy Lord, the Creator of all things. Thus doth the Pen of Command direct thee from God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Say: O concourse of the learned! Abandon your learning, for the All-Knowing hath come with the banners of His signs. Rend ye the greatest veil in the name of the Lord of Destiny, then turn with your hearts to the Most Pure Horizon, the station wherein the Tongue of Revelation speaketh with the sovereignty of might and power. Say: Rend ye the veils! This is the Lord of Lords Who hath come with the Kingdom of grandeur and majesty.

Among the people are those who have clung to falsehood, turning away from the Kingdom. Say: Woe unto thee, O thou idolatrous doubter! We have manifested the Cause in such wise that all necks have been humbled before it. How many a learned one hath been kept back by the veils of fancy, and how many a child hath rent the veils through My Name. How many a wise one hath turned away from the Divine Dominion, and how many a heedless one hath drawn nigh until he entered the Kingdom of his Lord, the Mighty, the Most High.

Say: Grace is in the hand of God; verily He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. Say: Drink ye the water of life from the utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful, not that by which minds are veiled. Fear God, O ye who are endued with understanding. When ye have drunk the wine of immortality through this Name that hath dawned from the horizon of destiny, and have delighted in the meats which have descended from heaven, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of names. We testify that Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

O Joseph! Illumine the hearts with the remembrance of the Beloved and the faces with this Name whereby earthquakes have seized all the tribes and the idols have lamented. Blessed be thy tongue for having been moved to remember thy Lord, and thy heart for having turned to the Dayspring of lights. We hear thy mention in this Most Great Remembrance. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thus have We addressed thee and sent down for thee the verses that the breezes of utterance might seize thee in this Day wherein the Dove hath warbled and the Raven hath croaked. Grieve not at what thou hearest from the people. Soon shall they glory in thy name, though today they are in heedlessness and error. And the Glory be upon thee and upon those who hear thy call in the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

O Pen of the Most Ancient, remind the nations through My Most Great Name, that the utterance may draw them to God, their Lord, the All-Merciful. Then make mention of Taha who turned to the Countenance and whom vain imaginings deterred not from the path of God, Lord of all men. The wine of love so intoxicated him that when he heard the call from the direction of his Lord, the Most Glorious, he said: “Yea, O Lord of Lords!” Blessed is the eye that hath seen, the heart that hath turned, and the face that hath directed itself toward the Dawning-Place of inspiration. Grieve not because of those who have wronged. Soon shall We seize them as We seized the factions before them.

Through their oppression hath the Cause been uplifted and the mention of thy Lord’s name spread throughout the lands. Through their opposition hath acceptance appeared and through their tyranny hath the sun of justice dawned. Ponder that ye may understand, O people of insight! Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Tablet from thy Lord, the Revealer of verses. God shall soon raise the banners of His sovereignty in every city and the traces of those who disbelieved in the Day of Return shall be destroyed. Be thou independent of all save God in all conditions, then remember Him at morn and eventide. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O thou who sittest still! This is not the day for sitting. By My life, the Spirit hath arisen to serve thy Lord. Beware lest thou be of them that remain seated. Arise to serve thy Lord with such arising whereby all created things shall arise. This behooveth thee and those who have laid hold on this cord through whose movement all things were moved. Thus hath the matter been decreed by One mighty and powerful. Be thou steadfast in serving thy Lord at all times in such wise that the censure of the censurers deterreth thee not. Verily he who hath been illumined by the light of the Countenance remaineth standing, by the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Sleep overtaketh him not though he may slumber this day, but the people are in evident obscurity.

He is standing though thou mayest see him seated. When he lieth down the tongue of his heart proclaimeth “The Desired One hath come,” and when he ariseth he pointeth with the finger of certitude toward the direction of the Adored One, saying: “This is the Dawning-Place of the verses of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” How many who stand are among those who sit, and how many who sit are among those who stand! How many who speak are silent before thy Lord, and how many possessed of life are among the dead! He who speaketh of My remembrance, he is the speaker; he who turneth away therefrom is a mere noise-maker though he be among the speakers.

Blessed is he who hath been quickened by this life-giving spirit—by My Lord the All-Merciful, he is among the triumphant. When thou hast received the Tablet, read it and say: “My spirit be a sacrifice for Thy prison, O Thou through Whom the spirits soared and the faces of them that are nigh were illumined!”

O Sa’id! God hath indeed made thee happy through His recognition and aided thee until thou didst turn to the Qiblih of existence and believe in God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Hearken unto His call once again from the direction of My Most Glorious Name in the white spot from the crimson Tree: “Verily there is no God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” Blessed is he whom the attraction of the Almighty hath so seized that it hath severed him from all else, turning him toward his Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. When the Chosen One appeared, the transgressors objected. Among them were those who said: “Where is the straight path?” Say: “It hath been set up, by the Lord of what was and what shall be.”

Among them were those who said: “Hath the Hour come?” Say: “Nay, it hath passed, by this Name that dominateth all that witness and are witnessed.” And among them were those who said: “Where are the earthquakes?” Say: “The tribes have been seized while ye rush toward the Fire and perceive it not.” Say: “This is God’s path for all who are in the heavens and on earth, and His balance for all who are in the kingdom of Command and Creation. Blessed are they who know.” The smoke of doubt hath enveloped them and they are a blind people. Those who clung to vain imaginings when the Sun of Certitude shone forth from the horizon of the All-Merciful are deaf and blind. By My life, they shall not be victorious.

Section 2: “Unite, O loved ones of God! By this…”

Unite, O loved ones of God! By this shall the hearts of them that have denied the Promised Day be sorely troubled. Aid ye God with wisdom. Thus hath the Lord of all creation commanded you. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. Blessed is the strong one who hath stood firm in the Cause, and the one who remembereth and causeth the people to remember this Remembrance whereby faces are illumined. The people are drunk with the wine of vain imaginings and are as dead, save those whom thy Lord hath willed. With Him is the knowledge of all things, yet the people comprehend not.

O Pen of destiny! Make mention of Ja’far who hath turned toward the Most Great Scene, that the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of mankind, may draw him to a station that was recorded by the Pen of the All-Merciful in the Mother Book. Blessed art thou for having cast aside vain desire and taken hold of that which thy Lord, the Most Glorious, hath commanded thee on a day when the light was visible from the horizon of His countenance. Let not the multitude of enemies grieve you. God shall soon render them as dust, and thou shalt hear their clamor as no more than the buzzing of flies. He, verily, is cognizant of all things. Can anything withstand His Cause, or can the tyranny of the oppressors defeat it? Nay, by My true Self! Soon shall they that are possessed of unity behold the standards of the Cause upon the highest heights. Thy Lord, verily, hath power over all things.

Say: O concourse of ardent lovers! This is your day, for the Day Star of the horizons hath dawned. Turn ye unto Him with hearts illumined by the lights of the Throne. The head of Baha hath been adorned with the crown of tribulation. Thus hath it been decreed in a Tablet sealed with God’s seal. Take heed lest tribulation deter thee from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Leave all created things behind thee. He, verily, shall suffice thee. He, verily, is wise over all things. Despair not of God’s Spirit and His mercy. Blessed is he who hath detached himself and taken unto himself a path. Among the idolaters are those who have opposed God and taken Satan for their friend.

Say: This day shall nothing profit anyone, even should he cling to all who are in the heavens and on earth, except that he repent and return unto God Who created all things by His command. Thus hath judgment been decreed in a Tablet inscribed by the finger of glory. This is the lamp of the All-Merciful unto all who dwell in the realms of being, and His Most Great Name amongst the nations. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it and sought shelter beneath the pavilion that hath been raised up in God’s name. Say: Associate not partners with God. This is the Sun of Divine Unity that hath shone forth from the horizon of detachment with lights that encompass the worlds. They who have ascribed partners unto Him are lost in the wilderness of error and shall find no helper.

O Pen of Command! Make thou mention of Our servant Salih in this noble Book which hath been sent down from God, the Mighty, the Wise. He is among those who turned unto God on a day whereon the faces of the ascetics who had visited the House were darkened, and who, when He came Who fulfilled through His utterance “the House,” denied Him, even to the point where they pronounced their verdict against Him. These, verily, are among the abased ones. How many a man of understanding hath been kept back from the truth by that which he had formerly committed, and how many a heedless one hath attained to it and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!”

Remember when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, he who was chief among the people in learning turned away from Him, while he who was but a shepherd believed in Him. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. How many a maidservant hath turned unto Him and prospered, and how many a man thou beholdest among the heedless ones! Say: The Cause is in God’s hands. He giveth to whom He willeth what He willeth. He, verily, is the Ruler over what He willeth. They who have turned away this day shall soon find themselves in manifest loss. Blessed is the strong one who hath rent the veils asunder through the power of his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bestowing, and hath turned with his heart to the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Are they who have turned away possessed of any authority? Nay, by the Lord of the Mighty Throne!

Arise in My Name and say: O people! The Day hath come and that which ye were promised in the Tablets of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised, hath been manifested. Verily, it is the Manifestation of God among you, His proof unto you and His testimony unto all who dwell on earth. Cast away vain imaginings, for your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, hath appeared. This is better for you than all that ye possess, as every discerning and informed one doth testify. The wine of idle fancy hath intoxicated the dwellers of the kingdom of creation, save those who have detached themselves from all that is with the people and have turned unto the countenance of God, the Radiant, the Luminous. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the days of God and discovered the fragrance of His Robe. Be thou thankful and numbered among them that praise Him. Be thou mindful of wisdom in thy remembrance and utterance, then conceal what We have revealed unto thee lest that occur which would disturb the hearts of them that have turned unto Him.

O Pen of Utterance! Make mention of him who beareth the name of the Sultan. Say: Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful from this Lote-Tree raised above the horizon of possibility—verily there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Single, the All-Informed. I have created hearts for My knowledge, tongues for My praise, bodies for My service, and eyes for My beauty. Behold this Face, radiant and luminous! Say: This is the Pen through whose movement all created things are moved, and through whose stillness souls find repose in their bodies. Exalted is this Moving, this Still One, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Preserve ye the pearls of the Beloved’s love within the vessels of hearts through this Name whereby the idol hath lamented and the Spirit of God hath called out.

O Muhammad! Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that neither the might of kings nor the turning away of the subject shall deter thee. This beseemeth thee and those who hold fast unto this Name whereby the eyes of them that are nigh unto God have been solaced. Seest thou any permanence in what thou beholdest? Nay, by My Name that ruleth over the worlds! The world and all that is therein shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Can the clamor of men prevent that which thy Lord, the Possessor of Destiny, hath willed? Nay, by His most luminous Beauty! From this Most Great Scene He summoneth all unto God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The Sun of Baha hath dawned from the horizon of tribulation in such wise that the veils of them that are wrapped in veils have failed to obscure it. Hold thou fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s mercy and cling to the hem of the Ancient of Days. Give thanks unto God for having remembered thee from the Pen of the Ancient of Days and revealed thy name in this holy and luminous Tablet. Can the treasures of earth equal this bounty? Nay, by the Dayspring of Revelation, wert thou of them that know! The infant distinguisheth not between the pearl and the stone; when he attaineth maturity, he understandeth and becometh of the thankful. Blessed is he who, having attained unto maturity, recognizeth the station of this Day and in My love detacheth himself from the idolaters.

BH00420: Blessed art thou, O Rida, for having hearkened unto…

Section 1: “Blessed art thou, O Rida, for having hearkened…”

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

Blessed art thou, O Rida, for having hearkened unto the most sweet call when it was raised from the Divine Lote-Tree in the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, and for having believed in God, the Sovereign, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Be thou a herald of this Name amongst the servants and one who makes mention of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. If thou findest in thyself the power, rend asunder the veils of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O people, the Day hath come and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty.

Should thou behold one who turneth away from the Countenance while styling himself the Guide, say: O servant, be fair for God’s sake! Were it not for the Glory (Baha), who would exalt the mention of thy Lord between earth and heaven? Reflect and be of the fair-minded. The Rock hath cried out with the loudest voice: The Desired One hath come and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily, they who have turned away have not found the fragrance of the All-Merciful in the Bayan—nay, they are among the bewildered ones. Say: Read thou the Bayan, detached from all else, by the Most Merciful! If thou regardest it with the eye of certitude, thou wilt cast aside all creation and hasten to the court of thy Lord, saying:

“I believe in Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

Say: Do ye behold anyone having mention in His presence? Nay, by the Lord of the Throne, were ye of them that know! There hath dawned from the horizon of grace a Sun whereon hath been inscribed by the Pen of Revelation:

“He Who was hidden in the knowledge of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised, hath appeared.”

Say: While under the swords of the enemies, I summon the peoples of creation unto the Lord of Names. Thus have I been commanded by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. I call thee at this daybreak, purely for the sake of God, detached from thyself and all that thou hast and all that is on earth—to this every fair-minded and discerning one beareth witness. I have not compromised in God’s Cause with the rulers of the earth. We have sent down to each one of them that which perfected God’s proof and evidence unto all created things. Read thou what was revealed in the Tablet to the Sultan and ponder it, that perchance the eye of fairness may be opened and thou mayest not oppose God through tyranny, and mayest be convinced that through Him every wise command hath been revealed.

Say: Hath the crowing of the crow prevented thee from turning to thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful? Fear God, then return unto Him with a sound heart. By God! The fragrance of the All-Merciful hath wafted throughout all contingent being. Blessed is he who hath found it and perceived it and hastened and said: “Thou art, Thou art, O Desire of them that know!” I know not by what proof he hath turned away from the All-Merciful. Say: Hast thou not heard what was revealed aforetime by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible? Beware, beware lest the Bayan and its letters and what was revealed therein prevent thee from Him by Whose acceptance all things were made to testify. This is what hath been sent down from the Pen of Revelation from One Who is mighty and beautiful. Verily, He hath made the Bayan one of My signs, yet ye cast at Me the arrows of denial at every moment. Delude not yourselves. Open your eyes unto the Most Great Vision that ye may recognize Him Who suspended the Bayan by the movement of His finger, the One with power over all worlds. When the way of men was barred, We ordained acceptance through hearts. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

Then turn to the perfumer who was named Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli. Say: O servant, abandon the buzzing of flies! The All-Giver hath come, riding upon the clouds. Then hearken unto what the Dove warbleth upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, on this Day whereon the Sovereign of Names hath been established upon the throne of grandeur and power. By My life! The ears have been created to hearken unto My Word, and the eyes to behold My Beauty, and the tongues to make mention of Me, which mention God hath made the sovereign of all mentions. The sincere ones shall find naught in the Bayan save the fragrance of My Name, whereby all regions have been perfumed. O perfumer! Doth it beseem thee to deprive thyself of this perfume which hath been wafted from the garment of the All-Merciful at the midmost heart of creation? Nay, by His own Self, the Mighty, the Bountiful! Turn thy face toward Paradise and say: My soul be a sacrifice for Thy tribulation, O Dawning-Place of Names, and my spirit be a ransom for Thy imprisonment, O Thou through Whom the convulsions seized the peoples of all worlds!

It behooveth thee to abandon vain imaginings and proclaim amongst the people: The Self-Subsisting hath come! Hasten unto Him with your hearts, O people of understanding! Whoso turneth away from this Cause, every atom shall denounce him. Were it not for My remembrance, the Bayan would not have been revealed, nor would the Tablets have been adorned with My Name. The believers have taken flight, and the idols have lamented, and the mountains have passed away. If thou fearest for thy faith, preserve this Tablet, so that when thou art questioned in the presence of God by what proof thou didst believe, bring it forth from the horizon of thy pocket and say: By this Book from which the breezes of the All-Merciful have wafted throughout all regions.

Then shalt thou witness the Prophets approaching thee, taking it, kissing it, placing it upon their eyes, and saying: Blessed art thou for having found the fragrance of the All-Merciful when He came with power and sovereignty. By Him Who caused the tongue of dawn to speak His praise! If thou wouldst abandon vain imaginings and turn thy gaze toward the Most Great Vision, and ponder that which hath been sent down from the presence of the Lord of Destiny, thou wouldst at once fall unconscious, and when thou didst arise thou wouldst proclaim the Most Great Name amongst the servants. There is no hatred in My heart for anyone. I call thee purely for the sake of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One. Then will the Holy Spirit speak from the horizon of nearness: The proof and evidence have been perfected for thee through this Tablet whereby the horizon of utterance hath shone forth.

Then turn to him who was named Hashim: Say: Shatter the idols of vain imaginings for [the sovereignty of] thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Turn with thy heart to the Qiblih of the world. Say: I have turned to Thee, O Thou by Whose Name the standards have been raised aloft. Art thou content with the pool when the Most Great Ocean is before thy face? Cast all created things behind thee, turning to thy Lord. Then drink the Salsabil of utterance in the name of thy Lord Who controlleth the winds. They who argue from what they possess to prove what they believe—these but play with their own vain imaginings as children play. This is not the day for doubt. Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold the Sun of Certitude at its noontide splendor. This is a call which, had the Beloved heard it, He would have cried:

“Here am I, O Thou Beloved of all in earth and heaven!”

I know not by what proof ye have been kept back from the Lord of all proofs, O people of the religions. Rend asunder the veils of idle fancy with the fingers of certitude. Thus hath the All-Merciful revealed it in the Bayan.

Section 2: “Observe the words of others and what hath…”

Observe the words of others and what hath been revealed in this Tablet, then judge fairly, O people of understanding. Reflect on what hath appeared from others and what hath shone forth from the horizon of this Cause, then discriminate, O people of insight. Were the Word of God to be confined to a single word, verily that word would be the sovereign of all words. The sincere ones would find in it that by which spirits soar. Would that ye knew that to which ye cling—that which is hidden behind the veil! Do ye follow him who is unable to speak face to face? To this testify the servants who were with Us when We migrated from Baghdad for the sake of God, the Lord of all men. Have mercy on yourselves and oppose not Him through Whom the Laws were ordained and religions were established. The eye of compassion weepeth for humanity while they are in joy and delight. Soon shall they know that from which they were heedless, whereupon they shall find for themselves no protector.

O my God! Thou knowest that in this Tablet I have desired naught save to manifest Thy Cause unto Thy servants and to exalt Thy Word amidst Thy creation. I have not compromised with anyone in that which Thou didst command me through Thy sovereignty, and I called out to all in such wise that my call encompassed those who dwell in Thy earth and heaven, until I raised the standards of Thy Cause in Thy domains and the lights of Thy countenance shone forth in Thy lands. Among the people are those who denied Me, those who rejected My proof, those who desired to slay Me, those who rose in opposition, those who claimed that “he hath stolen the verses and writeth them in his name among the servants,” and those who fabricated against Me that which is beyond the power of utterance to describe.

The fire of hatred grew so intense that they cast Me into the Most Great Prison. When I entered therein, I arose once again to raise the call, moved by the ecstasy of Thy love, O Lord of all names! I sacrificed my all for Thy Cause, O Thou in Whose hand is the kingdom of earth and heaven. I delivered Thy messages unto the kings with clear proof and evidence, that they might know that tribulation hath not deterred Me from that which I purposed, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of creation. I sent to each one of them a Tablet wherein I opened the gates of meaning and exposition, and from whose horizon shone forth the Sun of truth and explanation for all who dwell in the realm of possibility.

Thou knowest, O my God, that in all this I desired not myself nor my survival, but rather to establish Thy oneness among the people of Thy realm and to manifest Thy singleness unto those who dwell in Thy lands. Because of this, the oppressors among Thy creatures gathered against Me time and again and desired what they desired. Praise be to Thee in all conditions! I have entrusted all affairs unto Thee and I yearn for what Thou hast ordained for me in Thy Tablets. Verily Thou knowest what is within my soul, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thou knowest, O my God, that my pen hath not moved except in remembrance of Thee and with Thy leave, nor hath my tongue spoken save by Thy command and Thy will.

When the appointed time came, I desired to remind Thy servants who were veiled in Thy days and who hesitated in Thy Cause, that they might turn toward the direction of Thy good-pleasure and the horizon of Thy favors. O my God! If Thou seest them worthy of the outpourings of Thy mercy which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy Will and the clouds of Thy grace, make them know the Manifestation of Thy Self, through Whom Thou hast adorned the Tablets of the Book of Thy creation and embellished the heaven of Thy grace and will. Aid them to turn toward the direction of Thy gifts, that they may unite in Thy Cause and speak forth Thy Name.

This is what Thou didst command all in Thy Book. Verily, I have called them, O my God, purely for Thy sake, lest their desires keep them back from the shore of the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Thou hast ever been independent of all else besides Thee. The acceptance of all who are on earth profiteth Thee not, nor doth their turning away harm Thee. Every atom testifieth that Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

In the name of the Beloved of the worlds

O Rida! God willing, through divine grace and heavenly bounties, mayest thou be occupied at all times with the mention of the All-Merciful. I swear by the Most Great Name that the tongue was created for the remembrance of God—if it attaineth not thereunto it is assuredly severed—and the ears were created to hearken unto His words, and likewise all the limbs and members. How excellent is the state of that soul who in these days is occupied with the remembrance of God and uttereth His praise. His book is present before the Throne and the gaze of God is fixed upon it. Be thou thankful and numbered with them that praise Him.

Verses have been revealed in this Tablet specifically for certain veiled souls who are in that land. However, thou must recite them with the utmost wisdom to each of these souls individually, that perchance they may hear the call and forsake all they possess for the love of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Give not the original Tablet into their hands except after their complete certitude.

O Rida! Teaching hath several conditions. Thus hath spoken the tongue of the Truthful, the Trustworthy. Whosoever desireth to teach, if he be bound for a destination, must sanctify and purify his outward being from all things of the world and his inward being from their remembrance. Thus must he be who would teach the Cause of his Lord, the Protector, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. His provision must be the fear of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and his armor must be his detachment from all else save Him and his trust in Him. At such time is it befitting to teach God’s Cause and make mention of the Ever-Abiding Beloved. And if he desireth to teach in his own city, he must arise from his place through God’s power and turn his face toward God and walk with complete detachment until he entereth that place, and then speak with utmost wisdom of that which he is commanded. This is the command of Truth that hath flowed from the Fountainhead of the utterance of the All-Merciful.

First read thou this most exalted Tablet several times until thou thyself becomest aware of its hidden mysteries and sublime utterances, and then recite it with the melody of the heart to each one. And the glory be upon thee and upon thy sister who hath believed and turned toward God and attained His presence and seen and heard and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Thou hast ever been and art remembered in the Holy Court. God willing, thou must strive to serve the Truth in a manner befitting. Be not grieved by the world and whatsoever pertaineth unto it. Verily He ordaineth what He willeth for whomsoever He pleaseth. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.