Volume 042: Early Akka 1868–1873, Part II (2 of 6)

BH11719: These are the holy verses sent down…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted!

These are the holy verses sent down from the presence of God, the One, the Single, the Alone, calling the people to the paradise of eternity, the station of My Most Glorious Name in the heaven of thy Lord, the Most High, the Trusted One. Verily, those endowed with illumined vision behold the effulgences of the Countenance from the direction of God, the One, the Single, the Alone, the Self-Subsisting. When the lights of eternity dawned upon them from the horizon of their Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, they fell prostrate before Him.

O servant! Know thou that thy name hath been mentioned in the holy presence, and We have revealed unto thee decisive verses whereby the eyes of all created things are cleansed from every veil and inflammation. Say: O people! Take hold of the Book of God with strength, cast behind you all that hindereth you from it, and take up your abode in the shade of thy Lord’s mercy, an impregnable station.

O people! Deprive not yourselves of God’s sanctuary, and consort not with those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, and are among those who recognized God’s bounty, then denied it. Purify thyself with the living waters flowing from the right hand of the Throne, then seek His grace, for His grace descendeth upon all created things without measure or count.

Grieve not over the world and its hardships, but place thy trust in all matters in thy Lord. Verily, He preserveth whosoever trusteth in Him and seeketh His aid. He will assist thee with the means of the heavens and earth, and will send down from the clouds of grace that which will draw thee nigh unto Him and distance thee from all who deny and deviate.

O servant! If thou desirest to know what hath befallen the Youth, know that He hath been cast into the well of hatred, and there hath befallen Him from oppression that which hath befallen none else among all created things. To this testify all atoms and beyond them the Most Knowing, Most Truthful, Most Witnessing Tongue of God. Say: O people! Ye have committed that which hath caused the pillars of the Cause to crumble, the foundations of the Throne to tremble, the fire above the air to be extinguished, and the water of paradise to freeze.

Say: God is the Creator of all things and is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. Soon will He assist whomsoever He pleaseth with the hosts of might and power. There is no helper save Him; He causeth whomsoever He willeth to triumph over whomsoever He pleaseth through assembled hosts.

Know thou that I have fallen into the well of rancor and hatred in this most remote and distant prison, and there befalleth Me at every moment that which none can reckon save God. Would that I had not been born into creation, or had I been born, would that I had not been suckled, or had I been suckled, would that I had not been reared, or had I been reared, would that I had not reached maturity, or had I reached maturity, would that I had not been inspired, or had I been inspired, would that I had not revealed the mysteries through utterance, for thereby have risen against Me all who believed in God, then turned away.

Say: We have spent Our soul and all We possess in the path of God. Once was I slain by the sword of hatred in the time of the First Adam, once was I cast into the fire, once was My head severed upon the platter, once was I crucified upon the cross, once was I suspended in the air, and now have I fallen into the pit of envy. We thank God for all this and for what hath befallen Us, and We praise Him for His decree. Verily, He heareth the cry of those who are in distress.

Thus have We revealed unto thee what hath befallen Us, that thou mayest be apprised of My Cause and remain steadfast upon the path of God, the Mighty, the Extended. And glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee among those who have remained firm in their station of certitude in the Cause of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and who are among the people of guidance.

BH01883: Thy letter was presented before the Countenance and was…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

Thy letter was presented before the Countenance and was the object of loving attention. Praise be to God that thou art adorned with the ornament of the praise and glorification of Him Who is the Self-Sufficing, and art embellished with love for the Beloved of all creation. Blessed is the life that is spent in the service of the Truth, blessed is the tongue that speaketh His praise, and blessed is the heart that is gladdened by His remembrance. Give thanks unto God for having been enabled to inhale the fragrance of the garment of thy Lord’s remembrance amongst His servants. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to strengthen thee in that which thou art engaged in, and to inspire thee at every moment with that which shall guide all who dwell in the realms of being to the Cause of thy Lord.

That which thou didst mention concerning the people of M hath been observed. We beseech God, glorified and exalted be He, to aid all to turn unto the true Kaaba. How excellent is the state of those souls who, in these days, have drunk from the Kawthar of the knowledge of the All-Merciful, who have detached themselves from that which the people possess, and who have held fast unto the Truth. Upon them be the glory of their Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Strive with utmost endeavor to unite hearts and souls. He, verily, will aid thee under all conditions. He is with thee and will help thee through the truth. He, verily, is potent over all things.

This land is in great turmoil, and this Wronged One is afflicted between two parties. Consider what hath befallen and continueth to befall the seventy souls in the Most Great Prison. Reflect upon those who were imprisoned with the Point for but a few hours, and likewise those who gathered with the Beloved in Tiberias. When matters became severe, they intensified and committed what they committed. Thus was it ordained and thus will it be ordained. Thy Lord is, verily, the Self-Subsisting, the Almighty, Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate in His purpose. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. That which was revealed in the Tablets sent down in Iraq and in the Land of Mystery, and at the beginning of Our arrival in the Most Great Prison, hath come to pass. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Know thou that Rida-Quli hath rebelled against God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou beholdest Thy servant, who is named Ali, who hath turned towards Thee and set his face toward Thy countenance, who hath inhaled the fragrance of the garment of Thy mercy, who hath arisen to serve Thy Cause and to aid Thy Faith among Thy creatures, and who remembereth Thee amongst Thy servants. I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath prevailed over all things, and by Thy Name which Thou hast made the Sovereign of all names, to aid him in such wise that there may appear through him that which will exalt Thy Cause in Thy lands and uplift Thy Word in Thy realms. O my Lord! Thou hast ever been powerful over whatsoever Thou hast willed, and wilt ever remain as Thou hast been from time immemorial. Ordain for him that which beseemeth the loftiness of Thy glory and the sublimity of Thy majesty. Then write down for him that which Thou hast written for the sincere ones among Thy chosen ones. Then inspire him with that which will draw men nigh unto the shore of the glory of Thy sanctification and bring them to the stronghold of the glory of Thy unity. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of thy Lord in that place, then gladden them with this perspicuous remembrance, and to those who have believed among the people of Sin. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing. Say: O My loved ones! While ye are in your homes, the Lord of all worlds remembereth you in the prison. Rejoice ye in the breezes of the remembrance of your Lord and in the rustling that hath been raised from the Most Exalted Pen for your remembrance, O ye who have turned towards Him. That which beseemeth you is steadfastness in this straight Path. Glory be upon you and upon those on whose faces can be seen the radiance of God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH01880: Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance…

Say: We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance to proceed out of Our throne, that the tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may spring forth from the soil of your hearts. Will ye not be thankful? They who disdain to worship their Lord shall be of those who are cast off. And oft as Our verses are rehearsed unto them, they persist in proud disdain, and in their gross violation of His law, and know it not. As for them who have disbelieved in Him, they shall be in the shadow of a black smoke. “The Hour” hath come upon them, while they are disporting themselves. They have been seized by their forelock, and yet know it not.

The thing that must come hath come suddenly; behold how they flee from it! The inevitable hath come to pass; witness how they have cast it behind their backs! This is the Day whereon every man will fly from himself, how much more from his kindred, could ye but perceive it. Say: By God! The blast hath been blown on the trumpet, and lo, mankind hath swooned away before us! The Herald hath cried out, and the Summoner raised His voice saying:

“The Kingdom is God’s, the Most Powerful, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”

This is the Day on which all eyes shall stare up with terror, the Day in which the hearts of them that dwell on earth shall tremble, save them whom thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, pleaseth to deliver. All faces have turned black except those to whom the God of Mercy hath vouchsafed a radiant heart. Drunken are the eyes of those men that have openly refused to behold the face of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

Say: Perused ye not the Qur’an? Read it, that haply ye may find the Truth, for this Book is verily the Straight Path. This is the Way of God unto all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. If ye have been careless of the Qur’an, the Bayan cannot be regarded to be remote from you. Behold it open before your eyes. Read ye its verses, that perchance ye desist from committing that which will cause the Messengers of God to mourn and lament.

Speed out of your sepulchers. How long will ye sleep? The second blast hath been blown on the trumpet. On whom are ye gazing? This is your Lord, the God of Mercy. Witness how ye gainsay His signs! The earth hath quaked with a great quaking, and cast forth her burdens. Will ye not admit it? Say: Will ye not recognize how the mountains have become like flocks of wool, how the people are sore vexed at the awful majesty of the Cause of God? Witness how their houses are empty ruins, and they themselves a drowned host.

This is the Day whereon the All-Merciful hath come down in the clouds of knowledge, clothed with manifest sovereignty. He well knoweth the actions of men. He it is Whose glory none can mistake, could ye but comprehend it. The heaven of every religion hath been rent, and the earth of human understanding been cleft asunder, and the angels of God are seen descending. Say: This is the Day of mutual deceit; whither do ye flee? The mountains have passed away, and the heavens have been folded together, and the whole earth is held within His grasp, could ye but understand it. Who is it that can protect you? None, by Him Who is the All-Merciful! None, except God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Beneficent. Every woman that hath had a burden in her womb hath cast her burden. We see men drunken in this Day, the Day in which men and angels have been gathered together.

Say: Is there any doubt concerning God? Behold how He hath come down from the heaven of His grace, girded with power and invested with sovereignty. Is there any doubt concerning His signs? Open ye your eyes, and consider His clear evidence. Paradise is on your right hand, and hath been brought nigh unto you, while Hell hath been made to blaze. Witness its devouring flame. Haste ye to enter into Paradise, as a token of Our mercy unto you, and drink ye from the hands of the All-Merciful the Wine that is life indeed. Drink with healthy relish, O people of Baha. Ye are indeed they with whom it shall be well. This is what they who have near access to God have attained. This is the flowing water ye were promised in the Qur’an, and later in the Bayan, as a recompense from your Lord, the God of Mercy. Blessed are they that quaff it.

O My servant that hath turned thy face towards Me! Render thanks unto God for having sent down unto thee this Tablet in this Prison, that thou mayest remind the people of the days of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing. Thus have We established for thee, through the waters of Our wisdom and utterance, the foundations of thy belief. This, verily, is the water whereon the Throne of thy Lord hath been raised. “His Throne had stood upon the waters.” Ponder this in thine heart, that thou mayest comprehend its meaning. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH01888: These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou…

These are, O my God, the days whereon Thou didst enjoin Thy servants to observe the fast. With it Thou didst adorn the preamble of the Book of Thy Laws revealed unto Thy creatures, and didst deck forth the Repositories of Thy commandments in the sight of all who are in Thy heaven and all who are on Thy earth. Thou hast endowed every hour of these days with a special virtue, inscrutable to all except Thee, Whose knowledge embraceth all created things. Thou hast, also, assigned unto every soul a portion of this virtue in accordance with the Tablet of Thy decree and the Scriptures of Thine irrevocable judgment. Every leaf of these Books and Scriptures Thou hast, moreover, alloted to each one of the peoples and kindreds of the earth.

For Thine ardent lovers Thou hast, according to Thy decree, reserved, at each daybreak, the cup of Thy remembrance, O Thou Who art the Ruler of rulers! These are they who have been so inebriated with the wine of Thy manifold wisdom that they forsake their couches in their longing to celebrate Thy praise and extol Thy virtues, and flee from sleep in their eagerness to approach Thy presence and partake of Thy bounty. Their eyes have, at all times, been bent upon the Day-Spring of Thy loving-kindness, and their faces set towards the Fountain-Head of Thine inspiration. Rain down, then, upon us and upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy what beseemeth the heaven of Thy bounteousness and grace.

Lauded be Thy name, O my God! This is the hour when Thou hast unlocked the doors of Thy bounty before the faces of Thy creatures, and opened wide the portals of Thy tender mercy unto all the dwellers of Thine earth. I beseech Thee, by all them whose blood was shed in Thy path, who, in their yearning over Thee, rid themselves from all attachment to any of Thy creatures, and who were so carried away by the sweet savors of Thine inspiration that every single member of their bodies intoned Thy praise and vibrated to Thy remembrance, not to withhold from us the things Thou hast irrevocably ordained in this Revelation—a Revelation the potency of which hath caused every tree to cry out what the Burning Bush had aforetime proclaimed unto Moses, Who conversed with Thee, a Revelation that hath enabled every least pebble to resound again with Thy praise, as the stones glorified Thee in the days of Muhammad, Thy Friend.

These are the ones, O my God, whom Thou hast graciously enabled to have fellowship with Thee and to commune with Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself. The winds of Thy will have scattered them abroad until Thou didst gather them together beneath Thy shadow, and didst cause them to enter into the precincts of Thy court. Now that Thou hast made them to abide under the shade of the canopy of Thy mercy, do Thou assist them to attain what must befit so august a station. Suffer them not, O my Lord, to be numbered with them who, though enjoying near access to Thee, have been kept back from recognizing Thy face, and who, though meeting with Thee, are deprived of Thy presence.

These are Thy servants, O my Lord, who have entered with Thee in this, the Most Great Prison, who have kept the fast within its walls according to what Thou hadst commanded them in the Tablets of Thy decree and the Books of Thy behest. Send down, therefore, upon them what will thoroughly purge them of all Thou abhorrest, that they may be wholly devoted to Thee, and may detach themselves entirely from all except Thyself.

Rain down, then, upon us, O my God, that which beseemeth Thy grace and befitteth Thy bounty. Enable us, then, O my God, to live in remembrance of Thee and to die in love of Thee, and supply us with the gift of Thy presence in Thy worlds hereafter—worlds which are inscrutable to all except Thee. Thou art our Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and the God of all that are in heaven and all that are on earth.

Thou beholdest, O my God, what hath befallen Thy dear ones in Thy days. Thy glory beareth me witness! The voice of the lamentation of Thy chosen ones hath been lifted up throughout Thy realm. Some were ensnared by the infidels in Thy land, and were hindered by them from having near access to Thee and from attaining the court of Thy glory. Others were able to approach Thee, but were kept back from beholding Thy face. Still others were permitted, in their eagerness to look upon Thee, to enter the precincts of Thy court, but they allowed the veils of the imaginations of Thy creatures and the wrongs inflicted by the oppressors among Thy people to come in between them and Thee.

This is the hour, O my Lord, which Thou hast caused to excel every other hour, and hast related it to the choicest among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Self and by them, to ordain in the course of this year what shall exalt Thy loved ones. Do Thou, moreover, decree within this year what will enable the Day-Star of Thy power to shine brightly above the horizon of Thy glory, and to illuminate, by Thy sovereign might, the whole world.

Render Thy Cause victorious, O my Lord, and abase Thou Thine enemies. Write down, then, for us the good of this life and of the life to come. Thou art the Truth, Who knoweth the secret things. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH01924: By Him Who is the Great Announcement! The All-Merciful…

In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate

By Him Who is the Great Announcement! The All-Merciful is come invested with undoubted sovereignty. The Balance hath been appointed, and all them that dwell on earth have been gathered together. The Trumpet hath been blown, and lo, all eyes have stared up with terror, and the hearts of all who are in the heavens and on the earth have trembled, except them whom the breath of the verses of God hath quickened, and who have detached themselves from all things.

This is the Day whereon the earth shall tell out her tidings. The workers of iniquity are her burdens, could ye but perceive it. The moon of idle fancy hath been cleft, and the heaven hath given out a palpable smoke. We see the people laid low, awed with the dread of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. The Crier hath cried out, and men have been torn away, so great hath been the fury of His wrath. The people of the left hand sigh and bemoan. The people of the right abide in noble habitations: they quaff the Wine that is life indeed, from the hands of the All-Merciful, and are, verily, the blissful.

The earth hath been shaken, and the mountains have passed away, and the angels have appeared, rank on rank, before Us. Most of the people are bewildered in their drunkenness and wear on their faces the evidences of anger. Thus have We gathered together the workers of iniquity. We see them rushing on towards their idol. Say: None shall be secure this Day from the decree of God. This indeed is a grievous Day. We point out to them those that led them astray. They see them, and yet recognize them not. Their eyes are drunken; they are indeed a blind people. Their proofs are the calumnies they uttered; condemned are their calumnies by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. The Evil One hath stirred up mischief in their hearts, and they are afflicted with a torment that none can avert. They hasten to the wicked, bearing the register of the workers of iniquity. Such are their doings.

Say: The heavens have been folded together, and the earth is held within His grasp, and the corrupt doers have been held by their forelock, and still they understand not. They drink of the tainted water, and know it not. Say: The shout hath been raised, and the people have come forth from their graves, and arising, are gazing around them. Some have made haste to attain the court of the God of Mercy, others have fallen down on their faces in the fire of Hell, while still others are lost in bewilderment. The verses of God have been revealed, and yet they have turned away from them. His proof hath been manifested, and yet they are unaware of it. And when they behold the face of the All-Merciful, their own faces are saddened, while they are disporting themselves. They hasten forward to Hell Fire, and mistake it for light. Far from God be what they fondly imagine! Say: Whether ye rejoice or whether ye burst for fury, the heavens are cleft asunder, and God hath come down, invested with radiant sovereignty. All created things are heard exclaiming: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Know thou, moreover, that We have been cast into an afflictive Prison, and are encompassed with the hosts of tyranny, as a result of what the hands of the infidels have wrought. Such is the gladness, however, which the Youth hath tasted that no earthly joy can compare unto it. By God! The harm He suffereth at the hands of the oppressor can never grieve His heart, nor can He be saddened by the ascendancy of such as have repudiated His truth.

Say: Tribulation is a horizon unto My Revelation. The daystar of grace shineth above it, and sheddeth a light which neither the clouds of men’s idle fancy nor the vain imaginations of the aggressor can obscure.

Follow thou the footsteps of thy Lord, and remember His servants even as He doth remember thee, undeterred by either the clamor of the heedless ones or the sword of the enemy.…

We have, ere now, sent unto thee a Tablet; and unto every soul in every land have been sent down the verses of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. We beseech God that thine eyes may be comforted thereby and through them; verily He is powerful over all things.

Spread abroad the sweet savors of thy Lord, and hesitate not, though it be for less than a moment, in the service of His Cause. The day is approaching when the victory of thy Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful, will be proclaimed.

Warn the people on behalf of thy Lord; then gather them upon the shore of the sea, and be not of those who are patient. And glory be upon thee from God, the Lord of all worlds, and upon thy family—each one, the young and the old.

BH01938: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted! This is a noble Book sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and all-knowing. Verily it is the Spirit of the Command through which the hearts of them that know are quickened, and verily it is the Lamp of God between the heavens and the earth, and verily it is a mercy and remembrance for all the worlds.

O Mim, hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, from the direction of His Name, the Most High, the Most Great. He calleth thee from the prison at a time when entrance and exit are forbidden, due to that which the hands of the transgressors have wrought. Soon shall the prison door be opened—thus doth thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, apprise thee. He loveth tribulation in the path of His Lord even as they that are sincere love the countenance of their Lord, the Dawning, the Luminous. Sorrows have not prevented Us from remembering the name of Our Lord, the All-Merciful, nor shall the might of the oppressors prevent Me. Remember Him at all times and summon the people unto Him—thus hast thou been commanded by One mighty and powerful.

O Ha’, hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Arise to serve the Cause, then remind the people of this momentous News, that perchance they may arise from the slumber of vain desires and turn towards the supreme horizon in these days wherein the Sun of the beauty of thy Lord hath dawned upon all created things with manifest sovereignty. Be thou of such constancy that the vicissitudes of time prevent thee not from the direction of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, that thy face may shine amongst Our heedless servants. Confine thy affairs to His remembrance and praise, then gather the people unto the Most Great Ocean—thus hath the Tongue of Revelation commanded thee from this remote prison.

O Mim, hearken once again unto the call of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He speaketh the truth: “Verily I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower.” Arise to serve the Cause, then stand firm and say: “O people! The heaven hath been folded up, and the moon hath been cleft asunder, and the All-Glorious hath come upon the clouds of divine knowledge. Fear God and break not God’s Covenant and Testament. Hasten to the Kawthar of grace—this is better for you than all that hath been created in existence.” Behold those who were unjust of old—their traces have been effaced, their roofs have fallen in, and their couches have been rolled up until the flames encompassed them. Soon shall the breezes of torment seize these who have denied God. Verily thy Lord is severe in punishment, and He is the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

O Letter Dal! Call the people with wisdom and utterance—thus have We commanded the servants in all the Tablets, yet most of them understand not. They cast the Command of God behind their backs until sedition seized all regions, and thy Lord witnessed what they did. Had they followed God’s Command it would have been better for them than what they desired. Soon will He raise up His Cause as He pleaseth—there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf, then bring them beneath the shadow of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: O My loved ones! The Pen hath been prevented from remembrance, and behind Me are an oppressive people—otherwise I would have sent down for each one of you verses from the All-Merciful from this praiseworthy station. Be ye united in the Cause of your Lord, then hearken unto him who remindeth you by Our leave, and hold fast in all conditions to the Sure Handle, and trust in Him at all times. He is with you and will aid you with His sovereignty, and with Him is the knowledge of all things, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

Make mention of the worshipper on Our behalf—his name was mentioned at this moment before the Throne, therefore hath the Pen inscribed his name. Thy Lord is possessed of great bounty. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01979: This is a Book wherein is mentioned every good…

He is the Mighty.

This is a Book wherein is mentioned every good thing detailed from God, the Exalted, the Great, and wherein every soul receives its portion according as it is, if ye be of them that understand. Blessed is he who withholds not from himself that which is ordained for him and is of them that are detached. We beseech God at all times that He shut not the gates of mercy before his face and cut not off from him that which descendeth from the heaven of mighty, resplendent glory. Thus have We commanded the servants from a beginning that hath no beginning, and thus do We command them now, if ye be of them that understand.

Then know thou that thy letter hath come before Us and We have learned what was therein, and We were among the witnesses. We have ordained for thee as recompense therefor in the heaven of holiness abundant good which none among the worlds can reckon. Thus have We shown favor unto thee even as We showed favor unto Our near-serving servants, that thou mayest rejoice in thy soul and be steadfast in the love of thy Lord. Verily there is no God but He and He is the protector of the doers of good.

We have learned in thy letter how thou hast made for Us a couch of woven damask and desired to send it unto Us, that thou mightest be of them that send gifts. Know thou that We have accepted it from thee and We beseech God to recompense thee from Us with a goodly recompense and to bestow upon thee the knowledge of His Self, and this is better than whatsoever is in the heavens and earths. However, after accepting it We have bestowed it back upon thee, for We have desired to sit upon the earth in this remote prison, and silk carpets befit not the imprisoned one, if ye be of them that understand. And if thou art not content with this, then send it to Our name the penitent one that he may do what is intended. Thus have We commanded thee in this Tablet that thou mayest be of them that act.

Remind thyself and then thy father not to be heedless of that which the Spirit cast upon him when he was seated before God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful, and not to doubt what We have revealed unto him, that he may be of them that are firmly established. Say: By God, thou hast attained unto that which none in all the worlds hath attained, for when people came before God they knew Him not, and therefore attained not unto that which thou hast attained according as thou wert, and thus none shall surpass thee if thou be of them that are certain.

Be thou steadfast in thy love to such degree that were all who are on earth to draw swords against thee and the Samiri to call thee to all that is on earth with every manifest deception, thou wouldst stand against them through God’s power and sovereignty and God’s might and glory in such wise that thou wouldst neither be troubled in thy soul nor would thine eye turn away from this blessed and luminous Face. And when thou art adorned with what We have cast upon thee of the comprehensive Word, thou wilt be able to soar with Me in the realms of eternity, a station unto which neither the birds of hearts nor minds of the believers can soar. Thus have We inspired thee and taught thee and cast upon thee that which will preserve thee from the darts of satans.

Preserve thou this Tablet and recite it most days lest thou become heedless of what God hath willed for thee therein and be of them that are detached. And the Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon thy father and upon all who have believed in God and His signs, whether female or male, young or old.

BH01962: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! Blessed art thou, for thy letter hath come before Our presence in this mighty prison. Whosoever calleth upon God after the Ancient Beauty hath entered the Most Great Prison, the Supreme Pen recordeth for him that which the people of creation cannot reckon. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

This is the Day of remembrance and utterance. Blessed is he whose letter cometh before the face of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and who is adorned with the ornament of faith. He is, verily, on a straight path. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having enabled thee to attain unto this. This is indeed a manifest grace.

Be thou so steadfast in the Cause that through thee may be made steadfast those servants who are perturbed and hesitant in the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Proclaim the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, with wisdom and utterance. Thus doth the Beloved of the worlds command thee.

Drink thou the pure water of immortality from the word of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. He who drinketh thereof, neither the allusions of all who dwell on earth can deter him from the Lord of Names, nor the veils of the people of idle fancy from drawing nigh unto the kingdom of his Lord, the Most Glorious. Cast behind thee that which occureth to the minds of men and turn thou unto the Most Sublime Vision. Thus doth the Ancient of Days command thee. Verily thy Lord is the Commander, the All-Knowing.

Say: O concourse of divines! Hold your pens, for by God the Supreme Pen moveth upon the Tablet of Destiny. Therefore keep silent about that which ye mention, for lo, the Tree beyond which there is no passing speaketh the truth. Turn ye unto it and be not of the heedless. Are ye occupied with your words? Open your eyes, O company of evil ones! The King of Words hath appeared from the heaven of utterance on the part of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Say: Leave ye the barking of dogs, for the Dove warbleth upon the branches in diverse melodies upon the twigs of the Tree of Manifestation with such strains as draw unto them the hearts of all on earth. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is witness unto what I say. Say: Abandon ye the pond, for lo, the Most Great Ocean hath appeared, gathered from the Kawthar which flowed from the Source of the letter “H” that endeth in the Sovereign of Names. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise you.

Say: Do ye imagine that He desireth aught for Himself? Nay, by the Lord of the worlds! He hath sacrificed Himself for your life. How strange that those who have drawn the swords of passion against the countenance of Him Who desired to admit them into the kingdom of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise! We desired immortality for the people of creation, yet they have gathered to slay Me. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss.

We have nurtured thee for My help and have cast upon thee the Word from the tongue of grandeur that thou mayest arise to make mention of Me amongst My servants and bring them nigh unto the heaven of My loving-kindness and cause them to enter My hallowed and exalted Kingdom. It behooveth thee to be stirred by My will. By this will God exalt thee through a command from His presence. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Adorn thy temple with the ornament of servitude in such wise that the servants who slumber upon their couches may thereby be awakened after the Summoner hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised!” Through this shall the Cause be established and that which thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds, hath purposed shall be confirmed.

Grieve not because of those who have disbelieved and acted unjustly. Turn thou unto God under all conditions. Arise and say: O people! The Self-Subsisting hath come from the Orient of the Will of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Fear ye God and be not of the mischief-makers. Verily thy Lord will protect thee through the truth and will send down upon thee from the heaven of His bounty that which will gladden thy heart. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Wise. And glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee.

BH02009: Know thou that the heedless banished us…

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

Know thou that the heedless banished us from the City of God with such manifest injustice that the voice of weeping was raised betwixt earth and heaven, and the dwellers of the Realm above cried out in lamentation; yet was this Youth filled with perspicuous gladness.

At the time of Our departure one of the believers offered up his life as a sacrifice in his love for God, the Lord of all worlds. In ringing tones We called upon the people, summoning them unto the Court of Holiness; nor did Our tribulations prevent Us on that momentous Day from yielding praises unto God. So continuous was the stream of Verses descending from the Heaven of thy Lord, the Possessor of all Names and Attributes, that their sweet savours encompassed all the worlds. Those in whose hearts was the light of thy Lord perceived the fragrance of Our raiment and, turning their faces towards God, severed themselves from all else but Him; while the heedless inhaled not the sweet breaths of holiness, which passed over them even as the wafting of the dawn breezes over those who slumber.

At length we arrived at the ocean’s shore; then did He Who is the Most Mighty Ocean embark upon the ship, and in this there are signs for them that truly believe. The ship set sail upon its voyage, continuing on its course until at length it came to rest before a city named Izmir. Here the one who hath been designated by Our Name, Munir, fell down upon his face before this Youth, laid hold upon His foot, and begged that he might sacrifice his life in the way of God even as he lay there before Us with his arms clasped around Our foot. Thy Lord, verily, hath power over all things. Ever had Our suppliant entreated of his Lord this exalted, glorious, and peerless station. God granted him his wish, and We commanded that he leave the ship. Shortly after he had disembarked, his soul ascended unto the Supreme Horizon.

By God! The company of God’s well-favoured angels came forth to meet him, and on that day a continual descending and ascending took place as one group from the Concourse on High came down to meet him and another group returned unto their retreats on high. Thus, truly, did it come to pass. Thy Lord, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

Then did the ship continue on its way by the leave of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, until we arrived before the city in which hath been imprisoned He through Whose appearance the eyes of God’s Messengers were gladdened. We disembarked from the ship, and with Us the whole band of Our companions save only four, who were prevented by the oppressors from accompanying Us, and whose hearts so blazed forth that one of them, in his grief at separation from Us, cast himself from the first deck of the ship into the sea. Such was the treatment We received from those who, though they invoke Our Name by day and by night, are bereft of understanding. Even as he cast himself into the sea he called upon God by this Most Great, this Glorious Name, whereupon a company of guardian angels laid hold upon him, as bidden by God, the Sovereign, the Just, the All-Knowing, and bore him up until such time as help could reach him. Thus was it decreed by One Who is the Most Powerful, the Almighty.

God is My witness! The things that have befallen us in the way of God are such as neither the pens of the whole earth can describe nor the tongues of all its peoples recount; yet, filled by a joy with which the joy of all the world cannot compare, We say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God, for having made us the object of Thine irrevocable decree, and for having singled us out to bear tribulations in the pathway of Thy love and Thy good pleasure. I ask Thee by Thine own Self to protect Thy loved ones from whatsoever may prevent them from remembering Thee and from speaking forth Thy praise. Cause them, then, to remain steadfast in these days when most of the people of Thy Kingdom have been held back from turning towards Thy face. Thou, truly, art powerful to do what Thou willest, and Thou, truly, art the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”

The things that befell Us on Our departure and Our arrival had previously been revealed, and now in this Tablet We have reiterated them, that thou mayest be of those who are informed. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!

BH02005: Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses…

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

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses in truth. Verily there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He ordains whatsoever He willeth by His command, and He encompasseth all things. He hath sent down by His command a Word in truth and made it the sword of His Cause between the heavens and the earth, whereby He distinguisheth between the misbeliever and the believer in divine unity, for He is powerful over all things. He hath made it the magnet of attraction between the heavens and the earth, drawing unto itself the essences of existence while leaving behind mere accidents, for He is wise over all things.

O servant! Blessed art thou in that thou hast remained steadfast in the Cause in days wherein the feet of all have slipped, when they were veiled from the beauty of God by the veils of their own selves. When they are asked by what sign they believed in God, they say “the verses.” Yet when the Beauty through Whom were manifested the Manifestations of the past from a beginning that hath no beginning appears before them, they are overwhelmed by the dust of the fire, for thus hath the matter been decreed.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause by Our command and fear no one. Then make mention of thy Lord through what the Spirit hath uttered in thy breast, for He will aid thee at all times. Turn thy face toward God, then turn away from all else, for He will suffice thee against all who dwell on earth. We have received word of thy steadfastness in the Cause of God thy Lord. God will surely reward thee with the most excellent reward and will send down upon thee that which will gladden thy soul, for He is knowing of all things.

Take thou the chalice of glory by the power of thy Lord and pay no heed to anyone. Then drink in the name of this Youth, around Whom circle the kingdoms of names and Whose name hath been recorded by the Pen of the Command in all the Tablets. Know thou that he whom We strengthened, protected and taught, when the breezes of might wafted and he felt secure in himself, rose up like a serpent against the Beauty of the All-Merciful. Thus hath the matter transpired against this Youth Who languisheth imprisoned in this prison.

By God, O thou servant who gazeth upon the Throne! Were We to cast upon thee what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst cut thyself off from all souls, cast ashes upon thy head, and cry out morning and night. But We have concealed it from thee to preserve thy soul. Would that thou wert with Us to witness those whom the people have taken as lords besides God. Alas for them in that they have taken such as their beloved! Thou seest these people only as one dumb who asketh about speech and what of God’s utterance is treasured therein, or as one blind who asketh about the sun—nay, more abject still, and God is witness to this.

Cast them and all they possess beneath thy feet, then ascend to the heaven which God hath raised up at the Pole of eternity, from whose horizon hath shone forth the Sun of eternity with this Name which was, in the Mother Book, gloriously radiant in truth. Thus have We informed thee and made mention of thee, that thou mayest know We have not forgotten thee and that thou mayest be witnessed by Us in the most excellent station in truth. And glory be upon thee and upon those with thee who are faithful and thankful believers.

BH02011: Lawh-i-Zuhur

The Book of Revelation hath been sent down from the heaven of divine bounty unto him who hath turned towards God, the Sender of Winds. Verily, in the establishment of the Ancient Beauty upon the Most Great Throne and the rising of the Sun from the horizon of the Prison are signs for those endowed with insight. Cast aside, O people of guidance, that which your idle fancies bid you. Hold fast unto this Cord, whereby, when it is stirred, the worlds are stirred. It hath dawned from the horizon of Names by the leave of the Creator of Heaven. Then aid thy Lord amidst the concourse of creation. Thus art thou commanded from the Dayspring of Inspiration.

Through My remembrance, the believers soar unto the heights of truth, and the sincere ascend unto the Daybreak of Lights. Through My name copper is transmuted into gold. My love is the religion of the righteous. Through My sweet call the world was set ablaze, and through My Most Glorious Name the rivers gushed forth from the rocks. The Pen hath been so transported by the wine of the love of the Lord of Eternity that were We to reveal it, it would draw unto itself all that dwell in the lands.

Say: Through My Most Exalted Name the Water of Life hath been proffered unto all creation, and through My name, the All-Merciful, the breezes of forgiveness have wafted. Exalted be My renowned Name—when it is mentioned, the Maids of Paradise emerge from their chambers, advancing toward the seat of Revelation. And through its other pillar the Most Great Scene was illumined, and the Lord of Destiny proclaimed: The Beloved is come and the horizons are brightened. For such a Lord praise beseemeth the people of all religions and faiths.

Be fair, O peoples of the world! Say: Do ye sport with that which floweth from His Pen? By My life! Were it to be cast upon the mountain it would soar unto the Lord of Causes, and were its fragrance to pass over Sinai, it would hasten to the seat of Revelation. Fear God, O ye who are endued with insight! Say: Would ye test His power after it hath encompassed the earth and the heavens? Fear God and question not concerning that which ye are forbidden in the Book. Choose for yourselves that which God hath chosen for you—this is the root of the matter, if ye be among them that perceive.

Say: The Spirit was abashed before the delicacy of His nature, and Light was ashamed to appear before His countenance. Ye have committed that which the Pens are powerless to recount. He, beneath Whose feet the mirrors would be ashamed to be trodden, dwelleth in the most desolate of abodes. Have We borne these trials for Our own sake? Nay, rather for your sake—to this testifieth every atom. Is it meet for anyone to hesitate when they hear the All-Loving proclaim: To Me, to Me,’ O ye who comprehend! Have I desired aught for Myself in the kingdom? Ponder My deeds, then speak, O ye that are veiled! Have ye found in that which hath appeared from Me any self-preservation? Nay, by the Lord of Lords! Then did the Most Exalted Pen tremble and raise from it the lamentation of weeping, saying: After Thee there shall be no mention, O Lord of Names, and no pen, O Thou through Whose remembrance all remembrance is obliterated! How can I move across the Tablet after Thee, and how can anyone hear my shrill voice? Nay, by Thy life, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of verses!’

Thus have We revealed unto thee, O thou who art mentioned before the Throne, that which God hath made the crown of the pages of creation. Preserve it as thou wouldst preserve thine eyes, then recite it with the sweetest of melodies. Beware lest anything debar thee from God. Hold fast unto His remembrance and glorify His praise at eventide and dawn. When thou hast attained the Tablet, turn thy face toward the Most Glorious Horizon and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison. May my soul be a sacrifice for Thy prison, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of might and power.

BH02035: O Muṣtafa! Thy letter hath been laid before Us…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Holy, the Most Inaccessible, the All-Glorious.

O Muṣtafa! Thy letter hath been laid before Us, and We have read it—verily We are of them that read. We heard, moreover, the plaint of thy heart in God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and We have answered thee in this Tablet with words whereof not one letter can be matched by all that hath been created in the realm of origination—if thou be of them that know.

And when thou shalt be honoured by attaining His presence, take it in the hands of surrender; then lay it upon thine eyes, and read it in the accents of them that are drawn nigh.

Recall thou to mind My sorrows, My cares and anxieties, My woes and trials, the state of My captivity, the tears that I have shed, the bitterness of Mine anguish, and now My imprisonment in this far-off land. God, O Mustafa, beareth Me witness. Couldst thou be told what hath befallen the Ancient Beauty, thou wouldst flee into the wilderness, and weep with a great weeping. In thy grief, thou wouldst smite thyself on the head, and cry out as one stung by the sting of the adder. Be thou grateful to God, that We have refused to divulge unto thee the secrets of those unsearchable decrees that have been sent down unto Us from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, the Most Powerful, the Almighty.

By the righteousness of God! Every morning I arose from My bed, I discovered the hosts of countless afflictions massed behind My door; and every night when I lay down, lo! My heart was torn with agony at what it had suffered from the fiendish cruelty of its foes. With every piece of bread the Ancient Beauty breaketh is coupled the assault of a fresh affliction, and with every drop He drinketh is mixed the bitterness of the most woeful of trials. He is preceded in every step He taketh by an army of unforeseen calamities, while in His rear follow legions of agonizing sorrows.

Such is My plight, wert thou to ponder it in thine heart. Let not, however, thy soul grieve over that which God hath rained down upon Us. Merge thy will in His pleasure, for We have, at no time, desired anything whatsoever except His Will, and have welcomed each one of His irrevocable decrees. Let thine heart be patient, and be thou not dismayed. Follow not in the way of them that are sorely agitated.

Walk thou in My footsteps, and put thy trust in God in whatsoever may befall thee, and fear not the hosts of the idolaters. Know, moreover, that in those days the cry of the liars was raised, as though they had never in their whole lifetime spoken a single word of truth. They lied, and they made others to lie; then they forged calumnies against the Ancient Beauty, that thereby the fetter of a base youth might be fastened upon the breasts of the rebellious. Leave thou behind thee the mention of them and the thought of them, and whatsoever proceedeth from them; then stand steadfast in the Cause through My power which hath encompassed all contingent things. This is, verily, an injunction from Our presence unto thee: do thou what thou hast been commanded, and be of them that act.

Admonish the people with goodly counsel, and contend not with any one; for We have relinquished the world and whatsoever is in it and upon it unto its people, and what We desire not for Ourself is naught but the hearts of Our near servants. Cleanse thy heart for My love, then thy tongue for My remembrance, then thine eyes for beholding the lights that shall dawn upon thee from this holy, luminous morn.

And whoso possesseth this day a sight too scant to reckon, or a sensibility less than a mustard-seed—by God!—shall recognize, in what they have written concerning Me, the enormity of their falsehood, the fierceness of their rancour, and the abundance of their hatred for this holy, mighty, resplendent Beauty. And glory be upon thee, and upon thy spouse, and upon thy son, and upon whoso remaineth steadfast in the Cause of God, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Most Great.

BH02059: O My Nabil! Most people have asked for poison…

O My Nabil! Most people have asked for poison from God and continue to do so, while in their imagination they sought honey. They have chosen the colocynth of selfish desires over the honey of the Divine Will. By my Lord, the All-Merciful, this is truly loss! If an infant asks poison from an adult, is it permissible to give it? No, by my Self, even if it cries and wails. The affairs of this land are veiled and the poisons of enemies concealed. Were the veil to be rent, death would result.

O Nabil! This servant is in the Most Great Prison while enemies are at the height of opposition. Yet despite the supreme prohibition, by what means do they still consider it permissible to turn toward this direction? A group from every tribe surrounds us—what can be done about their vain imaginings? The essence was God’s good-pleasure, from which most have departed. Would that We could find opportunity to release what is in Our heart! Ah! By My life, if you could see Me with My own eyes, you would see each of My limbs in the mouth of a serpent. Alas, alas for what is concealed and must not be revealed! Soon will its covering be removed.

Seventy souls are imprisoned with the Ancient Beauty—imprisoned according to their belief. By My life, I am the Prisoner! By My Beauty, I am the Prisoner! By My Life, I am the Prisoner! Whose purposes shall be fulfilled? Who shall bear the countless favors? I have no word but “yes,” no answer but “indeed.”

Reflect on past centuries and ages. By My Beauty, none was afflicted as I am afflicted! Yes, in former times Divine Manifestations were among people when outward power existed and none could transgress beyond what God decreed. Would that they understood the cause of the Primal Point’s lamentation in this Revelation! If you would reflect, you would know your own station, not what is with your All-Knowing Lord.

O Muhammad! Hear what I say: Read the Tablets revealed in Iraq along with what was revealed upon Our first arrival here, that you may know and discover what befell the Beloved of God, the Most High, the Most Great. The Herald of My Beauty says He has but two words: “yes” and “no.” Now only “yes” remains. Know thou the melody of utterance and be of those who cry out! Then the Tablet and what appeared—wherein We were.

Your letter reached the Divine Throne. What was mentioned regarding Ali is understood and known. It is very clear that God’s favor was with him. If permissible, We would surely have revealed and sought it ourselves. Abu’l-Qasim Khan has long wandered in the wilderness of bewilderment. We beseech God to make known to him what He intended. He is the All-Wise, the All-Informed.

O Nabil! O Nabil! By My life, you are with Me! How many near ones are strangers, and how many strangers are near! Blessed is he who is near and draws near! This is the red elixir—take it as a trust from Me with you. And glory be upon My people!

Through your mediation, Ali’s coming to Haifa is permitted, but after the passing of numbered days, return to Shahba unto Hadba is most proper, best and closest to righteousness.

As for outward affairs, verily the two names Ha and Mim, from excessive transfers, nearly fled from Akka to Mecca. And peace be upon the best of creation.

BH02039: These are the verses of God which have been…

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

These are the verses of God which have been sent down in remembrance of one of His handmaidens who ascended to the Most Glorious Companion and entered the Garden of Paradise, and whom the mercy of her Lord encompassed. Thus was the matter decreed from the presence of the Mighty, the Powerful. God distinguished her with this station because she bore a servant who loved God and the Manifestation of His Self, and who migrated with Him and was afflicted with sorrows in the path of his Beloved until he entered with Him into a remote prison, and aided his Lord to the extent of his ability, and hesitated not in the Cause for less than a moment. And when the Sun of Eternity dawned upon him from the horizon of Glory, he fell prostrate before a Beauty holy and resplendent. Thus does God assist whomsoever He willeth of His servants and purify the hearts of those who fear God and are possessed of insight.

O handmaiden of God! Glory thou over the Maidens of Paradise, for thy mention hath flowed from the Finger of Eternity—and this is a mighty favor. Blessed art thou, O handmaiden of God, for the breathings of the All-Merciful seized thee from every direction and turned thee toward the right hand of Paradise, an exalted and impregnable station. Therefore eat of whatsoever fruits of Paradise thou desirest, for they have been ordained for thee from the presence of One mighty and wise. And find solace with the maidens of Paradise in chambers of luminous glory. Thus hath God changed thy sorrow to joy and the Hand of Grace hath clothed thee in a beautiful robe of glory. Therefore doth the Tongue of God magnify thee from this Tongue which hath not opened concerning what hath befallen it from the hosts of the wicked and rebellious.

O handmaiden of God! Should the Manifestations of Paradise ask thee concerning the Beauty of the All-Merciful, say: By God! There hath befallen Him that which hath exhausted the tongues of all worlds from mentioning it. By God! The people of wickedness have encompassed Him with swords of hatred, and He remaineth among them alone and solitary. His grief and tribulation have reached such a state that His food is from a piece of His liver and His drink is from His blood, and He writhes upon the dust at every moment like unto Solomon. And whenever He crieth out for help, He is aided by spears, then swords, then sharp daggers. By God! The eye of creation hath not witnessed one oppressed like unto Him, nor any imprisoned equal to Him, nor any wounded similar to Him, nor any sorrowful comparable to Him. Say: By God! He now walketh among the servants without liver or heart or entrails—and God is witness to this.

O Beauty of Eternity! By God! Through what hath flowed from Thy Pen, the hearts of the people of Paradise are set ablaze—how then could they bear to hear what hath befallen Thee from those who have disbelieved in God and His signs from ancient times? Therefore have the tongues of all created things spoken, saying: The curse of God be upon the first oppressor who wronged the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation in His Most Glorious Name, and upon those who fought against Him and disputed His signs and denied His sovereignty and were among the opposers in the Tablets of glorious and wondrous might. Blessed is he who attained His presence and acknowledged His sovereignty and recognized His court and turned to His face and heard from His lips the melodies of God and was among those drawn nigh in the Tablets of glorious and bountiful might. And the Glory which hath shone forth from the horizon of grandeur be upon thee, O handmaiden of God, and upon the maidens who serve thee in the highest Paradise at all times.

BH02112: I know not, O my God, by what call…

In the Name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Impregnable, the Most Glorious!

I know not, O my God, by what call Thou didst draw the hearts of Thy loved ones, or by what fire Thou didst ignite the hearts of Thy chosen ones, or by what arrow Thou didst pierce the breasts of those who love Thee, or by what cord Thou didst bind the necks of those who long for Thee. For I observe, O my Beloved, that whenever the clouds of destiny rain down upon them the showers of tribulation, the soil of their beings grows verdant, bringing forth the ears of Thy love and the flowers of Thy attraction. And whenever the hands of tyranny and oppression are raised against them from every direction to sever the hand of any one of them from the hem of Thy love, they neither can nor are able to do so.

And whenever the oceans of hardship are poured upon them, they neither quench the fire of their attraction nor extinguish the heat of their longing. It is as though in that station, O my God, they are like fish swimming and glorifying Thy remembrance, and should they be cast into the fire, they become as the salamander, living and delighting therein, drawn by the flames of the fire of Thy love and passion. And should the swords of the horizons be raised against them in enmity, they lift up their heads and say:

“The Covenant has come, and this is the cup of the Compact, and here we are, the longing ones!”

By Thy glory, O my God, I am bewildered by them and by what hath appeared from them in the path of Thy love. Blessed are they, and joy be unto them! How the fire of Thy love was kindled in their hearts, and how the lights of Thy attraction appeared in their breasts, and how resplendent was the rising of the sun of Thy verses in the crystal of their realities and the mirror of their hearts! It is as though Thou didst fashion them for Thy love and chose them for Thy attraction and cast into them the spirit of Thy Cause and showed them the beauty of Thy oneness. Therefore they became detached from their selves and their dwellings in Thy path, and every day they were afflicted with a trial in Thy Cause. Yet with all this, tribulations prevented them not from turning to Thy most exalted horizon, nor did the opposition of all in creation bar them from gazing upon Thy most glorious countenance.

Therefore I beseech Thee, O my most glorious God, by Thy Self which Thou hast cast into the Most Great Prison for the liberation of mankind, that Thou assist Thy loved ones at all times through Thy wondrous confirmations and mighty inspirations, that they may all arise to aid Thy Cause and spread Thy remembrance, and that they may all become detached from all else save Thee and turn to none other than Thee, O our Lord, the All-Merciful, and O our Beloved, the Help in Peril!

And among those sanctified souls, O my God, is this one whom Thou hast made a servant to the name of Thy divinity and named him thus in the kingdom of Thy names. Therefore assist him, O my Beloved, to perfect himself in that name and to manifest from him that which befitteth the court of Thy glory and the sanctuary of Thy holiness. Then ordain, O my God, for all Thy most beautiful names that they may find the sweetness of Thy servitude and the delight of Thy obedience, lest there appear from any possessor of attributes aught save Thy Cause, and lest any existent being see its own existence before the sanctuary of Thy manifestation.

For verily Thou art the righteous Ruler and the Doer of what Thou willest. All are Thy servants and within Thy grasp, but we beseech Thee, O my God, to look upon us with the glances of the eyes of Thy bounty and grace, not with Thy justice, for we are weak, and verily Thou art the Generous Sovereign, possessed of great bounty. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Mighty, the Ancient of Days.

BH02095: Glorified is He Who has ordained for all things…

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

Glorified is He Who has ordained for all things whatsoever He hath willed. He, verily, is the One Who ruleth as He pleaseth. He hath created the Word in the form of man, and through it He hath drawn all worlds unto Him. He who is not attracted by the Word of God cannot truly be said to exist. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Through it hath God raised up whom He willeth and distinguished between the ungodly and the believers. It is a fire unto them that have waxed proud, and a light unto them that have turned towards the Dayspring of Revelation. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a preserved Tablet.

Blessed art thou, O servant, inasmuch as thou hast attained and visited thy Lord, the All-Merciful, when He shone forth from the horizon of the Prison with manifest sovereignty, and entered through the gate which they who desired to prevent it seized with tyranny through what Satan had whispered in the hearts of the heedless ones. We have blinded the eyes of them that wished to prevent it and caused you to enter by Our power. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. He ordaineth what He pleaseth with sovereignty from His presence and doeth what He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. They who beheld God’s power and denied it are indeed the lost and are in manifest error.

Remember when thou didst enter the seat of the Throne and didst hear with thine own ears what was uttered by the Tongue of Grandeur while He was in the Most Great Prison through what the hands of the nations had wrought—they who disbelieved after the clear proofs had come unto them from their Lord, the Revealer of verses. They are indeed among the perishing ones. When it was said unto them: “By what crime have ye imprisoned Him through Whom the tooth of faith hath gleamed and the sign of the All-Merciful hath appeared?” they said: “It hath been proven that He desired to change God’s laws and His religion, and He hath no excellence over us; rather, we see Him as one of the mischief-makers.” Thus spoke nations like them before. We seized them for what they said and made them a lesson to them that have insight. Soon shall We seize these as We seized those who were mightier than them in strength. Thy Lord, verily, is powerful over what He willeth and ruleth over what He pleaseth.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having called me through Thy grace, drawn me nigh unto the Manifestation of Thy Self, shown me Thy beauty, and caused me to hear Thy call in days wherein every seeker was prevented, every visitor seized, every observer driven away, every hopeful one distanced, and every rememberer slain.

O Lord! Praise be unto Thee for having enabled me and admitted me into the precincts of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of Names, to inscribe me among the people of Baha who were not hindered by wealth and beauty from turning to Thy face, O my Exalted Lord, and whom the manifestations of the Name of Majesty did not frighten in Thy days, O Thou in Whose hand is the beginning and the end. O Lord! Since Thou hast called me unto Thee, make me steadfast in Thy Cause in all conditions, then grant me what Thou hast ordained for them that are near unto Thee among Thy servants, and decree for me the good of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02169: Lawh-i-Baqa

In the name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! This is the Tablet of Immortality from Baha unto him who hath attained unto the recognition of God, hath quaffed the Living Waters from the chalice of the words of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and hath turned with his heart unto the Supreme Horizon, the Station wherein hath shone forth the countenance of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Hearken unto My voice from the direction of tribulation. Verily, there is no God but Him, and He Who hath appeared with the truth—neither doth the decree prevent Him from making mention of the Lord of Names, nor do the veils of them who have disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Great, conceal Him from that which He desireth.

Know thou, O servant, that thy letter hath come before Us, and We have taken it with the hand of loving-kindness, and the glances of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, have been directed towards it. We have become acquainted with its contents and have ordained for thee in the Tablet a station which, wert thou to behold it, would cause thee to prostrate thyself and say: “Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds!” We have recorded for thee the reward of one who hath attained unto the presence of God, and We shall fulfill that which We have purposed for thee. Verily, thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having sent down unto thee from the heaven of grace this gleaming, this luminous Tablet. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor in all conditions and arise to aid His Cause amidst the heavens and the earth. Beware lest the cawing of them who have disbelieved in God should deter thee, or the veils of them who have turned away from the Face after it hath shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will with manifest sovereignty should hinder thee. He, verily, aideth him who ariseth to serve His Cause and calleth the people unto Him. Blessed is he who hath detached himself from all else save Him and hath turned with his heart unto that which he hath been commanded by One Who is Mighty, All-Knowing.

Know thou, moreover, that We cast upon him who hath wronged a word from Our presence. He turned away therefrom; soon shall We make him a lesson unto all peoples. We sent one of Our servants, attired him in the raiment of detachment, adorned him with the ornament of strength and certitude, and dispatched him unto him with a manifest book. We delivered unto him the messages of his Lord that he might take heed and fear. Verily, thy Lord is He Who judgeth as He pleaseth; the might of the oppressors hindereth Him not. Thus have We informed thee that thou mayest become aware of that which hath been ordained by thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

We had indeed sent aforetime unto Our servant, the Imam, a Tablet that gladdeneth the eyes of the sincere ones. Blessed art thou and he for having attained unto that which most of the servants who claim faith within themselves have failed to attain. When the All-Merciful came with the kingdom of utterance, they denied Him. The curse of God be upon them that have wronged and were among the mischief-makers.

This is not the day of patience save in My remembrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. It behooveth you both to arise at all times to make mention of Me and to aid My Cause in such wise that the might of the oppressors shall not deter you. Remind those who believed before of thy Lord, then clothe them with the garments of glorification and utterance from the tongue of their Lord, the All-Merciful. This, verily, is a great favor. Beware lest thou overstep the bounds of wisdom wherewith We have commanded Our servants from thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Soon shall there be sent down unto thee from the heaven of divine decree that which hath been ordained by thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. When the Tablet of thy Lord reacheth thee, take it with the hand of submission and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!”

BH02152: He has been revealed for the brother who gazes…

He has been revealed for the brother who gazes upon the Face, who was named Abu’l-Qasim, that his heart may rejoice and that he may find for himself a path to God, the Most High, the All-Knowing.

Glorified be He Who sends down verses at all times for people who are aware, for verily there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. All who are in the heavens and earth sing His praise, and all that was and will be.

O servant who believes in God, hear the call of Him Who has been imprisoned in this remote prison, from Whom have been cut off the hands of those who desired the presence of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. He remembers you purely for the sake of God, that you may detach yourself from those who have disbelieved and associated partners with Him in Whom they believed, and who have turned back on their heels in opposition.

Would that you had been with your Lord when He departed from Iraq with manifest sovereignty, and witnessed what befell Him from those who were created by His word “Be!” By God the Truth, those whom We created by Our command and whom We aided at all times and protected from the harm of every harmful one morning and evening—when they witnessed that the Word was exalted and the breezes of power wafted from the direction of your Chosen Lord, they emerged from behind the veil with sharp drawn swords. By God, at every moment I was struck by the arrows of discord from the hypocrites, and at every instant was struck by the swords of hatred, and none knew of this save God your Lord and a few numbered souls. Then they cast Me into the well of darkness in this prison while they rejoiced within themselves. Thus do We inform you that you may be possessed of clear insight.

You must inform the people and remind them of God’s verses that they may remember within themselves and be among those who are certain. Let nothing veil you from remembering your Lord at all times, and grieve not for the world and what befalls you therein. Be among those who have no fear and who do not sorrow. Follow God’s command in what has been ordained in this Tablet and He will protect you from the harm of those who have denied God’s verses and who do not understand. Come forth from the veils of sorrow through the name of your Lord, the Most Merciful, then open your tongue in utterance, for this is best for you, as honored servants bear witness.

Know that your brother Nabil has attained the presence of the Throne and has won what was ordained for him in preserved tablets of glory. He has reached the summit of grace and has heard the verses of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. The lights seized him from all directions—none comprehend this save those who have attained the presence of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Thus have We detailed the matter for you and sent down verses and dispatched them to you that your eyes may be consoled and that you may gaze toward your Lord’s direction with praiseworthy humility. Glory be upon you and upon those who are steadfast in the Cause, who when proof dawns upon them from the Dayspring of the All-Merciful, fall prostrate before God and are among those who bow down in worship.

BH02139: O Dhabih, I speak in the Persian tongue so…

O Dhabih, I speak in the Persian tongue so that whoever wishes may attain its meaning. Today is the Day when all who are in the heavens and earth are present in one place before God. Therefore, whoever has detached himself from all save God and soared in the holy divine atmosphere is mentioned before God as being among the people of the highest Paradise, and whoever has hesitated is counted among the people of the lowest abyss. God has never had and will never have any relation or connection with anyone. Whoever turns to Him is counted as being of Him, and apart from that has been and will be unmentioned.

I swear by the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings that there has not been and is not in this heart anything except the dawning rays of the Morn of eternity, and to the extent possible, nay beyond that, I have strived to aid the Cause of God and for twenty years have never seen comfort or rest, and God is sufficient witness to this. Until, by God’s might and power, the Cause was exalted and this servant arrived at this Most Great Prison.

After that God is witness to what has befallen Me from one for whom, by God besides Whom there is no God, I exerted mighty efforts night and day for his protection, education and training. When I became assured of his character, he arose to kill Me. The hand of divine power prevented what he intended. Afterward he spread abroad what he had done and made accusations against this servant such as no one has ever made against another, sending these to all regions, such that today some of his writings have been sent from various places and are present before Me.

Say: O servants! I swear by the Sun of the morn of holy transcendence that what he has mentioned is pure falsehood and he had no purpose except to cast hatred of this servant into hearts. Whoever has doubts should come to this land to become informed of matters which no one has understood. Although every person of insight perceives that all he has written about this servant has been and will be pure lies and calumny, since not all people possess insight, they must not be content with conjecture. And since it is not possible for all to come to this land, and it would cause harm, therefore two fair-minded persons should come and become informed of all matters and inform the people, so that God’s proof may be completed for all. Otherwise, verily thy Lord is independent of the worlds.

In brief, the harm done to this servant is greater than can be mentioned. I complain of my anguish and grief unto God, for He is the best helper and protector.

BH02163: This is a Book from the Word of God…

This is a Book from the Word of God and the Manifestation of His Cause to him whom the breezes of the All-Merciful have turned from the left hand of temptation to the right hand of contentment, that he may be ever mindful of the remembrance of his Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and be among those who have attained.

O servant! Blessed art thou, for the clouds of holiness have sprinkled upon thee the drops of resplendent glory and purified thee from the allusions of the people of veils, and caused thee to hear the most wondrous melodies from the songs of the birds of the heaven of contentment, and drawn thee to a glorious and wondrous court, and made thee speak in praise of thy Creator, and inspired thee with the knowledge of His Self, the All-Encompassing, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

There hath come before the Countenance that which thy tongue hath uttered in remembrance of this imprisoned, lonely and unique One. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and make thee so steadfast that thou wilt arise with thy spirit, thy soul and thine essence to exalt His Word in this Most Great, Most Glorious, Mighty and Inaccessible Announcement, and aid thee at all times with the Most Great Spirit, and cause thee to speak a word that will shatter the pillars of the satans. How excellent art thou for having drunk from the Kawthar of God’s mercy and attained to the knowledge of Him, after which every learned scholar was veiled therefrom.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Glory lieth not in placing green and white turbans upon your heads. Were glory to lie in this, then the camel that carrieth them from town to town should glory over all the worlds, for it beareth a thousand times what ye wind round your heads, O heedless ones! Beware lest names keep you from the remembrance of your Lord, the Most High, in this Revelation which hath appeared with all signs and holy and wondrous scrolls. Say: Adorn your heads with the turbans of the love of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Beware lest what ye possess prevent you from God, from Whom hath appeared every wise command. Know ye that true knowledge is your detachment from all save God, your Lord, and your recognition of His Self, the All-Encompassing, the Mighty, the Powerful.

And thou, O servant who speaketh in praise of thy Lord, arise to help God and teach the people with wisdom and utterance, and pay no heed to those who have denied Him in Whom they had believed, and whom vain imaginings have so seized that they read the words of God and yet deny their Revealer and Sender, and are not among those who perceive. Arise thou from the horizon of detachment with a face of wondrous radiance, then behold those who claim knowledge among these people beneath thy feet, then soar on the wings of the spirit to the atmosphere wherein waft the fragrances of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.

God hath accepted what thou hast composed in His praise, and He shall surely reward thee justly, for He doth reward His remembering servants. Be thou so enkindled with the love of God that should one of the idolaters confront thee, he would be unable to speak in thy presence. Thus doth the Spirit command thee at this moment when He walketh alone in the house and His tongue uttereth that whereby all created things would be quickened, were they of the assured ones.

Spirit, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon those who have detached themselves from all things and clung to the hem of God, the King, the Mighty, the Ancient.

BH02236: And whosoever wishes to know the mystery of what…

And whosoever wishes to know the mystery of what appeared from the previous Manifestation regarding the sun and His standing before it [BB00020, 7:17]—blessed is he who asks about that and desires to know what was hidden from the hearts of the worlds. Say: By God, He desired naught from the sun except My Beauty which was shining behind the clouds with mighty splendors. When We made the sun among Our greatest signs between earth and heaven, therefore He stood before it in humility before My Self, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Impregnable. And when He stood before it on His first day, He spoke a word than which there was nothing sweeter or greater in thy Lord’s knowledge, wert thou of those who know.

And when His gaze turned to it He said—and His word is the truth:

“Verily the glory from God be upon thy countenance, O rising Sun! Bear thou witness to that which God hath witnessed concerning Himself, that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved,”

that all may be assured of the appearance of the Sun in the mystery of mysteries and may witness what God hath witnessed, that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

Hearken unto this in Persian: In those days the Sun was risen, yet concealed behind clouds, in fulfillment of God’s appointed time. Therefore that Primal Being stood before the Sun, for he was the greatest sign of the True Sun, that his submission to God, the One, the Single, the Unique might be made manifest. And they spoke with this Most Great Name, that all might bear witness in the Day of Manifestation to that which they had testified. This utterance is among the fundamental divine commandments that have been revealed. Today it is incumbent upon every soul, in whatever land they may be, to turn on Friday towards the Sanctuary of God and speak these words, making mention of the Beloved of all worlds. It is evident to those endowed with insight that the sun itself has ever been a sign among the signs of the Lord. How then could it be permissible for that Primal Being, by whose word all created things were brought into existence, to show such humility and submissiveness before a mere sign among signs? Rather, this was done out of love for Him Who was promised in the Tablets, and ever shall be.

Even in outward matters this can be observed—for instance, when one receives a letter from his beloved, he shows the utmost humility and reverence towards it, placing it upon his eyes and head and inhaling its fragrance. To those possessed of vision it is clear that these outward acts are not directed to the letter itself, but rather because of its connection to the beloved, and ever shall be thus. Now consider how heedless the people of the Bayan have become, that they have grown unmindful of Him Whom the Beloved of all worlds showed such love through His verses, and instead followed one unworthy of mention. The original law revealed in the Bayan, whose observance equaled all other deeds, and similar matters pertaining to the Manifestation—of all these they remained heedless, moved by their own desires. Fie upon them and their fidelity!…

BH02196: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Invincible!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Invincible! O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of Husayn, who hath arisen to proclaim the Cause, and against whom all the people have risen up from every direction—some denouncing him as an infidel, some denying him, some opposing him, and some seeking to slay him with grievous wrong. Know thou that he feared no one and championed His Cause until the mention of God became renowned throughout the worlds.

By God! Through him were raised up the pavilion of glory, the tabernacle of knowledge, the canopy of the Cause, and the tents of revelation and inspiration between the heavens and the earth. All peoples, and behind them all governments, united to prevent him from helping the Cause of God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise. Yet he was never deterred, and continued to proclaim the remembrance of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Great, in their midst. Thus did there befall him what had befallen no one before—and God is witness to what I say.

By God! Husayn remained alone amidst the hands of the idolaters, and when imprisoned in this prison, even those servants who served Him and were created by His transcendent command rose up against Him. Every day they plotted to kill Me, yet God aided Me with truth and delivered Me from among them with manifest sovereignty.

As for thee, leave those who have disbelieved, and shouldst thou find any among the people of the Bayan who have turned away from this resplendent Countenance, say:

“O thou that art far removed! If thou didst believe in the Bayan, by what proof hast thou rejected the Beloved of the worlds? By God! Not a word was revealed except in My remembrance and praise, nor was he raised up save to proclaim My Cause—if ye be of them that understand. He spoke not from desire, but spoke as inspired by God concerning this Youth, around whom circle the Manifestations of eternity—if ye be of the assured ones.”

Say: “Fear God, and deny not Him but for Whom the Revelation would not have been sent down to the Beloved, nor would ʿAli have spoken the verses of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Wise.” Say: “O people! By God! Through His appearance were gladdened the eyes of the Concourse on High, and by what befell Him the Spirit of God did weep. Fear God, O people, and oppose not Him against Whom all on earth wage war. Other peoples suffice to oppose Him—leave Him to them, and be not of the wrongdoers.”

Blessed art thou, O servant, in that thou hast been enabled to recognize thy Lord and hast migrated to the city wherein were raised the melodies of thy Lord, the All-Merciful—the city which God hath made the point of adoration for the people of Paradise and the angels brought nigh. We have been with thee at all times, and thy Lord doth observe all things.

Grieve not over the world and its hardships, for soon they shall pass away and the Cause shall remain with thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Convey the Cause of thy Lord to them that are heedless and are as the dead, that perchance they may arise from the sleep of vain desires and turn unto God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

Glory be upon thee and upon them that have turned toward the horizon of the Cause and turned away from the evil ones. Praise be to God, the Beloved of them that know.

BH02214: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

He is the Ever-Abiding, the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by the wondrous dawning rays of the light of Thy Beauty, and the manifestations of the glory of Thy sovereignty and majesty, and by the lamentation of them that yearn for Thee in their separation and remoteness from Thee, and by the cry of them that love Thee at the appearance of the Sun of Thy reunion and presence.

Then I beseech Thee, O my Beloved, by Thy splendor whereby shone forth the lights of the Sun of Thy countenance, and by Thy radiance whereby appeared the manifestations of the glory of Thy Self-Subsistence, and by Thy light whereby Thou didst illumine the Most Beautiful Names in the kingdom of Thy decree, and by Thy knowledge whereby Thou hast numbered all things through Thy sovereignty and power, and by the breezes that blow in the breasts of Thy chosen ones out of love for Thy Beauty, and by Thy words whereby were perfected the mysteries of Thy wisdom and Thy proof was completed against all who dwell in Thy earth and heaven, and whereby Thy favor was perfected upon Thy loved ones and trustees among the people of Thy realm, and by Thy sovereignty which was established over all things and from which appeared the signs of Thy holy Oneness and the evidences of Thy glorious greatness, and by Thy might whereby the breezes of glory wafted over Thy creation and creatures, and by Thy Name preserved in the treasuries of Thy protection, and by Thy Word imprisoned in the land of exile through what the hands of Thy enemies have wrought—that Thou mayest turn this face toward the face of Thy singleness, then give it to drink from the cups of Thy holy oneness, then send down upon it that which will sever it from all who are in the heavens and earth and cause it to dwell in the vicinity of Thy loving-kindness.

Then aid it, O my God, with the power of Thy triumph and victory in such wise that it shall not be heedless of Thee in the watches of Thy night and the ends of Thy day. Then manifest through it the evidences of Thy names and the wonders of Thy attributes. Then inspire it with the translation of Thy Revelation and the wonders of Thy knowledge. Then make it rich through Thy wealth and self-sufficiency. Then exalt it through Thy majesty and glory. Then beautify it through Thy beauty and grace.

Then send down upon us, O our God and our Lord and our Beloved and our Desire, the rain of Thy mercy from the clouds of Thy glory and bounty, and the outpourings of Thy mercy from the clouds of Thy holiness and Thy gifts and favors, lest we be deprived of the wonders of Thy grace and generosity. Then preserve us, O my Beloved, from every affliction and harm and all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth and Who ruleth over whatsoever He desireth. Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Then I beseech Thee, O my Sovereign, by the captives who were taken prisoner in Thy love and affection, and by the tears that flowed from the eyes of them that know Thee concerning what befell the Manifestations of Thy beauty and the Dawning-Places of the glory of Thy sovereignty, and by the sighs that rose from the hearts of them that are near unto Thee in the wilderness of their longing and yearning for Thee, that Thou assist me with every assistance encompassed by Thy knowledge and will, and raise me to a station wherein I shall hear naught except the wondrous melodies of the Dove of Thy holy oneness, and shall behold naught except the beauty of Thy creation, and shall turn to none besides Thee, and that Thou mayest prevent the hands of the oppressors from being laid upon our heads, and destroy our enemies, and exalt our names, and change our abasement. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the All-Informed, the Sovereign, the Judge, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

BH02263: O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! Know…

In the Name of God, Who ruleth over whomsoever He desireth

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! Know that the idolaters made My family and loved ones captives from Iraq and brought them to other lands. Yet the fire of hatred in their breasts was not quieted thereby. Then they turned with blackened faces against faces of light, and banished Us from the Land of Mystery and made Us enter ʿAkka. It is the most desolate of the cities of the world. When We entered the prison, its doors were guarded by souls who had never inhaled the fragrance of faith from the Egypt of certitude, nor had the breezes of the All-Glorious ever wafted upon their hearts. Three successive months passed and We did not enter a bath. Thus did it befall the Youth at the hands of those who denied God’s favor after its descent.

By God! We have not complained of what befell Us, nor shall We ever complain, through God’s might and power. Would that no tribulations had touched anyone in His path save Me! By His glory, I long for all of them in His love and the manifestation of His Cause. Hardship and ease both pass away, and what endures is what is with thy Lord.

Where is he who built As-Sadir? Where is he who sought to ascend to the ether? Where are the Pharaohs and where are the kings of old? Where are their trellised gardens and furnished houses? Where is he who drank pure water while beauties circled round him? Where are their couches and crowns and might and dominion? They have descended from their strongholds to their graves. By My life! If all people were to hear the cry of but one of them, they would forsake the world and turn to the Most Exalted Horizon.

Has not the time come for those who sleep to awaken and those who are heedless to become aware? Do they think they shall not depart, shall not enter the graves, shall not be gathered tomorrow and questioned? Far from it! Their imaginings are false, their abode is the abyss, and they shall find none to protect them unless they return to God, the Lord of creation.

My Pen has been restrained and My body imprisoned. I face toward the Most Exalted Horizon while behind Me a serpent lurks. Soon shall the veil be lifted and the companions emerge. Thus have We related unto thee from the tales of the Youth, of what was and what shall be, after We were forbidden remembrance and utterance. Say: By God! The Youth shall not be prevented from the remembrance of God, though all who are on earth should oppose Him.

Be thou not grieved by anything. Remember thy Lord—He is with thee and will aid thee through His sovereignty. He is the Protector of those who remember Him. Say: O people of Baha! By God, this is the Day wherein the sincere shall stand firm and the doubters shall flee. Say: It behooveth you in such days to manifest your certitude and steadfastness and love for your Lord, the All-Merciful, and your support of His Cause amidst His servants. He will protect you in truth—He hath power over all things.

Convey My greetings to My loved ones, then gather them on the seashore and remind them at all times. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02273: O Ahmad! Hearken thou to the soul-stirring Voice…

In the Name of the Lord of all the worlds!

O Ahmad! Hearken thou to the soul-stirring Voice of thy Most Beloved, calling from the Realm of the All-Glorious. His Word causeth to spring forth, in hearts that are ready and pure souls, the fresh and tender flowers of divine love and the blossoms of affection for the One Beloved. Well is it with him who hath hearkened to His Call and recognized Him. Be thou intimate with God and detached from all else. Praise be to God that through the radiance of His favors thou dwellest beneath His shadow and hast attained His presence. By Him Who causeth me to speak the truth! No station is loftier than this. Well is it with him who hath not squandered this bounty and hath acted according to His good-pleasure. We hope that all may attain this bounty and arise to remember Him, to sit and stand and speak and hear, for all these acts exist through His power and will. This is the station where “there is no power nor strength except through God.”

O Ahmad! Be not grieved at outward circumstances, nor saddened by events that occur. The ocean of joy is surging and the sun of gladness is shining. God willing, thou shalt ever drink from this ocean and attain this joy. What bounty is greater than this bounty, and what station is higher than this station—that thou didst migrate in His path and enter the Most Great Prison for love of Him, and in all conditions the Wronged One of the world was well-pleased with thee. Nothing can equal this—that the word of good-pleasure hath been revealed concerning thee. Hold fast unto it and be of the thankful ones.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the hearts of them that are near unto Thee were drawn to the horizon of Thy revelation and the souls of the sincere were attracted to the Dayspring of Thy signs, to make me of them who were so content with Thy good-pleasure that were they to be afflicted with what their souls abhor, they would not violate Thy Covenant nor be perturbed by the revelations of Thy Cause. In all conditions they hastened unto Thee with their hearts and gazed toward Thee with their eyes. O Lord! I have laid hold on the cord of Thy glory and clung to the hem of Thy might. Preserve me beneath the shadow of the Tree of Thy Cause and give me to drink, at every moment, the choice wine of Thy bestowals and favors, that I may remain steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause in such wise that the signs of them who have turned away from the Dawning-Place of Thy power and the Manifestation of Thy sovereignty may not disturb me. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

O Lord! Send down Thy blessings upon them who have arisen to aid Thy Cause and spoken forth Thy praise and stood firm amidst the revelations of Thy tests and the manifestations of Thy trials. Then ordain for me, O my God, what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have believed in Thee and Thy signs and sought refuge at Thy court and shelter at Thy threshold. O Lord! Thou art the All-Sufficient in every state. I have turned to Thy grace and bounty and favor and loving-kindness. Deal with me as beseemeth Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

BH02282: Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God…

In His Name, the Mighty, the Great!

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of all who dwell in the Kingdom of Names, and my Sovereign and the Sovereign of earth and heaven, and my King and the King of all who abide in the realms of eternity! Thou seest and knowest that I have arisen to make mention of Thee in days wherein the limbs of the world have trembled with fear of the Manifestations of Thy wrath who have disbelieved in Thy most great signs and turned away from Thy most exalted horizon.

O Lord! Thou knowest that I have migrated in Thy path and turned to the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy bounty until I entered the prison by Thy command and was honored by meeting Thee and attained unto the hearing of Thy call and drank the choice wine of reunion from the hands of Thy bestowal. I beseech Thee, O God of the world and Goal of the nations, not to drive me from the door of Thy grace. Ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones.

O Lord! This is the Day wherein Thou didst give the glad-tidings to the servants of Thy manifestation and appearance and the exaltation of Thy Word and the operation of Thy Will. Thou didst say—and Thy word is most sweet—“On the day when thy Lord cometh, or some of the signs of thy Lord,” and “The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the Worlds.” I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the dawn and Subduer of the winds, by this Day and by the Lamp which Thy finger of will hath lit between Thy earth and Thy heaven, to assist Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause.

O Lord! Illumine their faces with the lights of the dawn of Thy manifestation, and their hearts with the splendors of the Sun of Thy knowledge and recognition, and their breasts with the lights of Thy Kingdom and Thy Dominion. O Lord! They have borne for love of Thee what none of Thy servants before them have borne, and have witnessed in Thy path what no eye hath seen and no ear hath heard. Ordain for them, O God of existence, from Thy grace that which befitteth Thy greatness and is worthy of Thy sovereignty.

O Lord! These are days wherein Thou hast sent down Thy Books and Scrolls of glory and Psalms and Tablets, and wherein the stars of Thy commandments have shone forth from the horizons of the heaven of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by them and by those who have submitted to the manifestations of Thy Cause, to ordain for Thy loved ones that which will gladden their hearts and solace their eyes.

O Lord! Illumine the face of the earth with the lights of the sun of Thy justice and adorn its thrones with the temples of the dawning-places of truth and fairness, that the countenances of those who love Thee and who have believed in Thy signs may smile with joy. O Lord! Thou art the Generous, possessed of great bounty. Thou givest and withholdest, and verily Thou are the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Manifestations of Thy unity and the Daysprings of Thy detachment to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones that which will profit us in all the worlds of Thy worlds and preserve us through Thy sovereignty. Verily Thou art He Whom nothing frustrateth and no command preventeth. There is no God but Thee, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And send blessings, O my God, upon Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones and upon those who have advanced toward the arrows of destiny in Thy path and attained unto the Most Great Martyrdom in Thy love. I testify that they are Thy servants who have fulfilled Thy Covenant and drunk the Kawthar of martyrdom in Thy Name, the Bestower, the Generous.

BH02283: Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who hearest the cry…

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

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who hearest the cry of those who are detached and the lamentation of those who are sincere, and Who beholdest what hath befallen them at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures and the transgressors among Thy people. By Thy glory, O King of the kingdoms of justice and Sovereign of the cities of bounty! Such tribulations have come upon them that no pen of creation can recount, and should it attempt to mention them, it would not know what to record. Yet since these afflictions have been endured in Thy path and for love of Thee, they give thanks to Thee in all conditions, saying:

“O Beloved of our hearts and One remembered in our breasts! Should the arrows of tribulation rain down upon us from the clouds of destiny, we would not complain in our love for Thee, but would thank Thee for this, for we have recognized and are certain that Thou hast ordained for us naught but what is best for us. And though our bodies may at times be distressed by these trials, our souls rejoice in them. By Thy glory, O Desire of our hearts and Joy of our breasts! Every punishment in Thy love is mercy, every fire is light, every torment is sweet, every toil is rest, and every sorrow is gladness. O Lord! Whoso complaineth of tribulations in Thy path hath not drunk from the cup of Thy love nor tasted the sweetness of Thy remembrance.”

I beseech Thee by the Sovereign of Names and its King, and the Manifestation of attributes and their Creator, and by those who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and meeting and have tasted the sword’s edge in Thy path, to assist all Thy creatures to recognize the Manifestation of Thy Self, Who is imprisoned in exile for having summoned all creation unto Thee. O Lord! Thy mercy hath preceded Thy wrath, Thy loving-kindness Thy fury, and Thy grace Thy justice. Take hold of the hands of Thy creatures through the wondrous tokens of Thy favors and gifts, and cut them not off from the means which Thou hast ordained for the recognition of Thy Self. By Thy glory! When these are cut off, every soul becometh perturbed, every man of wisdom is bewildered, and every knower is confounded, save him whom the hands of Thy Cause have taken and whom the evidences of Thy grace and the influences of Thy favors have seized.

By Thy glory, O my God! If Thou shouldst regard Thy servants according to their deserts in Thy days, they would merit naught except Thy chastisement and torment. But Thou art the Generous One, possessed of great bounty. Look not upon them, O my God, with the glances of Thy justice, but rather with the glances of the eyes of Thy grace and favor. Then deal with them according to what beseemeth Thy generosity and bounty. Thou art, verily, powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below, the Ruler of this world and of the world to come. Verily, Thou art the All-Merciful, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Send down Thy blessings, O my God, upon Him through Whom the mysteries of Thy Lordship were made manifest, then were exalted the evidences of Thy Divinity, and there appeared the pearls of Thy knowledge and wisdom, and were spread abroad Thy signs, and Thy Word was expounded, and Thy countenance shone forth, and Thy sovereignty was established, and upon those who turned unto Him with pure hearts for Thy sake. Then send down, O my God, upon Him and upon them from the wonders of Thy mercy that which beseemeth Thy presence. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Most Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.

BH02287: He is God, exalted be His glory! Your letter…

He is God, exalted be His glory! Your letter has reached this Prisoner and We have noted its contents. We beseech God to aid you to recognize Him and assist you in His Cause, and to give you to drink from the cup of everlasting life that He may detach you from all created things and draw you nigh unto a station wherein you will inhale the fragrance of the All-Glorious from the garment of the Manifestation of His name, the Most Merciful, in these days when the transgressors have assailed Him and the idolaters have opposed Him—they who were created by His word “Be, and it is.”

The spiritual fragrance from the divine Egypt has ever been and will continue to be wafting and passing by. The mystics have always received and will receive their portion of that merciful fragrance, while those afflicted with the cold of self and desire have been and shall be deprived of this holy and eternal fragrance. The blind have no share in beholding the dawning of the Day-Star of the horizons, and the deaf have no portion in hearing the melodies of the birds of eternity.

That which has ever deprived people from the living waters has been imitation and idle fancy, as you observe among the people—they worship vain imaginings and perceive it not, they bow down before idols and understand not. Consider the physical eye—how by a thin veil it is prevented from beholding all that exists between earth and heaven. Likewise, how can the inner eye, with the thick veils of idle fancy and imitation, perceive the shining of the lights of divine unity without limitation?

In brief, this is the condition of the people that has been mentioned, and this servant has been afflicted among such a group throughout his life. We beseech God that He may cause to appear the Friend of divine might and power, that He may shatter the idols of idle fancy and desire. Verily He is the Powerful, the Unconstrained.

Furthermore, since you have traversed the paths and drawn nigh, joy has appeared—perchance God will bring about through this some matter. It is hoped that with purified vision you will gaze upon the Greatest Scene in such wise that the veils of the people of creation will not prevent you, nor will the opposition and objection of the people of misbelief and hypocrisy become an obstacle. This is not difficult for God.

Moreover, you had expressed bewilderment. Although bewilderment in one station is beloved and acceptable, as the Prince of the Chosen Ones, may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake, has said: “Lord, increase my wonderment in Thee”—for such bewilderment arises from beholding the lights of the revelations of the Beloved. Thus it has been said: “I became not bewildered until I chose Thy love as my path; How great then is my bewilderment if it be not in Thee!”

The glance of love has ever been directed towards you, and it is hoped that through divine assistance you will emerge from the bewilderment you mentioned and enter the paradise of holy unveiling and witnessing, and arrive at the city of certitude and assurance. Peace and mercy be upon you and upon the assured servants of God.

BH02360: O My loved ones! Baha does not know…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

O My loved ones! Baha does not know which of His tribulations to recount to you. Shall He mention what was inflicted upon Him by the oppressors, or what was visited upon you by Satan’s party who disbelieved in their Lord, the All-Merciful?

We were sitting in prison while two watchmen, through whom the clouds were prevented and fires were kindled, stood guard. Whenever anyone entered the city gate turning toward God, they would inform their chief. Thus were the loved ones prevented from drawing nigh unto their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Thus does the Ancient Beauty inform you after grief has seized Him.

And remember when Nabil-i-Akbar sought to attain the presence of the Throne—the heedless ones seized him and expelled him from the city. At this the Dove lamented, all things wept, and the faces of those who had turned to God, the Mighty, the Gracious, grew pale.

Every day these two visited upon Us what had never been visited upon anyone before—with thy Lord is the knowledge of what was and what will be. When We would send Tablets, they would whisper in hearts to seize God’s Tablet and its effect. Thus was the water of life withheld and the gates of reunion were closed to those who had turned to their Lord’s face, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

At all times they consulted on shedding My blood, after they had imprisoned Us for what their hands and the hands of those who denied the proof and disbelieved in the evidence had wrought. When they entered the seat of government they would say “We have disbelieved in God,” but when they saw others like themselves they would say “We are among those who follow what was revealed in the Bayan.” Every atom testifies to their falsehood and the Concourse on High curse them. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We remember God at all times and convey His messages in such wise that the followers of all religions cannot prevent Us. Those who turned away after God came upon white clouds with power and sovereignty are among those upon whose foreheads the Most Exalted Pen has inscribed “This one is among the lost.”

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! Remember thy Lord among His loved ones that they may know what was visited upon Him by the oppressors. Take care not to grieve at anything—put your trust in God your Lord. He aids whomsoever He wishes with hosts of angels—verily He is the Help in Peril.

It behooveth everyone who has turned to God to manifest that whereby God’s remembrance may be exalted among His servants. These are indeed the people of Paradise—thy Lord, the Mighty, the Most High, beareth witness to this.

The people are as dead, except those who have attained the Kawthar of life flowing from the direction of the Throne of the All-Merciful at all times. Blessed is he who hath cast away all else save Me, adorned his heart with the ornament of My remembrance and his face with the lights of My love—he dwelleth within the tabernacles of My mercy, around which circle the denizens of Paradise.

Thus have We recounted for thee what We desire today, and have sent down for thee a decisive utterance, making it a sign for those possessed of understanding.

BH02317: The Most Great, the Most Great! Hearken unto what…

The Most Great, the Most Great! Hearken unto what is being revealed from the direction of tribulation, upon the spot of ordeal and test, from the Divine Lote Tree: Verily there is no God but Me, the Solitary Prisoner. All things lament for what hath befallen the Ancient Beauty from the nations, while He Himself is in manifest joy. We have taken, in Our Most Exalted Name, the cup of tribulation and drink thereof in My Name, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Through tribulation have We adorned the Cause in the kingdom of creation, yet the people remain in a mighty veil. In every moment there befalleth Us what hath befallen no one before, yet the mercy of God, the Almighty, the Powerful, hath preceded His wrath. Can anyone prevent Us from what We desire? Nay, by the Lord of the Exalted Throne! Had We found in the world any good or permanence, We would not have left it to Our enemies. This word sufficeth Our discerning servants.

O loved ones of God and His chosen ones! Seize what remaineth of your days. Beware lest ye squander it. Turn ye unto God and what ye have been commanded, then seek this grace which hath shone forth from the horizon of justice with manifest sovereignty. Say: This is a sun whom clouds cannot obscure, and a moon whom veils cannot eclipse, and a light whom the veils of those who have disbelieved in God, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, cannot prevent.

How many servants have risen against Us in tyranny—We seized them through a power from Us and made them among the perished ones. Where are they who dwelt in palaces and reclined upon the cushions of pride? By My life, We returned them to their graves in manifest sorrow. Where is he who built Al-Khawarnaq? Where is he who warred against the Truth? Where is Pharaoh and his hosts, and Nimrod and his might? We seized them all after We had sent unto them the Prophets and Messengers.

Say: O people! What hath made you heedless of God, and by what reason have ye turned away from His face after He came with the truth in His great glory? He desired naught for you save that ye should turn unto Him and draw near to the glorious horizon. Ye have occupied yourselves with passion and turned away from what is better for you from the Lord of the First and the Last. Fear God, then have mercy upon yourselves and follow not every sinful oppressor.

O thou who gazest toward the direction of the Cause! Guide the people unto this Straight Path, then cast upon them the word whereby We have distinguished between all creatures. Beware lest the waters of rejection from those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, extinguish thee. If thou findest one athirst, be as water unto him, and if thou findest one hungry for the knowledge of God, nourish him with what We have sent down from the heaven of oneness—the eternal feast—that he may know and thank his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Wise. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who limiteth affairs to the remembrance of his Lord and calleth the people unto this luminous horizon. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who are with thee among My loved ones, from one mighty and beautiful. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02328: Praise God that you became an emigrant and made…

In the Name of the One Beloved:

Praise God that you became an emigrant and made your migration, and that which hath been visited upon this imprisoned servant hath also in part been visited upon you. Fear not the divine decree and be content with His good pleasure. Consider not this migration as abasement, but rather know it as the source of eternal glory. I swear by the Sun of Grandeur that were people to become aware of even less than can be counted, all would sacrifice their souls and spirits in the path of the Friend. Consider the wine of divine trials as a bounty—this cup is not the portion of every soul, but rather the share of those who have attained and the portion of those drawn nigh.

Praise be to God that you remained preserved from the tribulation of grievous days which was recorded in the tablets of preservation, and turned toward the direction of the Beloved. Consider it a bounty to remain settled in that land, and with utmost tranquility recline upon the cushions of certitude, preserving yourself from the whisperings of the Evil One who is engaged in suggesting doubts among the people. Place your trust in the Truth and turn away from all else, hold fast to the cord of His grace and detach yourself from all besides Him. In these days the earthly satans have appeared in different forms, as was mentioned in a previous tablet.

O emigrant! The divine verses are distinguished from all else—all that is mentioned and concealed between the heavens and earth cannot equal a single word thereof. Now observe the words of others, that you may become illumined and enlightened by the Sun of meanings which hath dawned from the horizon of divine utterances, and become independent of all else. The Truth was with you at the time when that misbeliever was casting doubts in your heart. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, He knoweth what is manifest and what is hidden, and He is indeed knowing of all things.

Let not your illumined heart be veiled by the allusions in the words of the ungodly and the objections of the hypocrites. For today if books were to appear equal in number to the leaves of the trees, and from them the fragrance of the love of this Youth were not inhaled, they would not be mentioned or accepted in the presence of God.

O emigrant servant! Drink the pure water of meanings and knowledge from the hands of the people of Baha. I swear by the Truth that with but a drop thereof thou wouldst find thyself independent of all else besides God. Mention of these days and their trials hath been recorded in the Tablet of Proofs which was sent down from the heaven of oneness addressed to the maternal uncle, and likewise in other tablets. Should you now observe them, you would become aware of certain mysteries.

And the Spirit be upon you and upon the tranquil servants of God.

BH02334: It has been a long time since the breezes…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the Most Powerful

It has been a long time since the breezes of love have wafted from your direction, and this servant, mindful of prudence, has made no expression. Yet the sublime Truth bears witness that love for you has dwelled in my heart and mention of you upon my tongue. We beseech God that through His grace you may arise to serve His Cause, detached from all else. This is what endures in the Kingdom of your Lord; all else shall perish. The days have passed—we must spend what remains in service to the Beloved of the worlds.

If you ask about this servant’s condition—never before has any Manifestation of the Divine Unity been imprisoned together with seventy souls. From this you can imagine what has transpired and continues to transpire. Yet through divine grace and heavenly favor, We shine forth from the horizon of tribulation, summoning all to the Truth. Whatever befalls Us has been and will be beloved. We beseech God to aid Us to remain steadfast in His Cause and love, for He is the Protector of the sincere ones. Pray that We may meet one day, so that hidden matters may be witnessed unveiled.

Convey My greetings to those who circle round. Tell your sister that if her lack of love stems from love for Yahya, God and all in the heavens and earth bear witness that you had and have no knowledge of his cause, and whatever you have heard was all due to wisdom. Even now, if you reflect purely for the sake of God on what is mentioned, you will become certain.

In any case, your lack of love has had no cause. Setting all else aside, it is not befitting to break the covenant of love due to the suppositions of deluded souls. Hear the call of this Wronged One and speak with fairness. I beseech God to aid you to be just and not to deprive you of the spiritual waters of mercy flowing from the heaven of divine grace. What is mentioned is for God’s sake—this is most evident. This servant has fallen into a barren valley where tribulations have reached such a state that no good decreases them and no evil increases them. We praise God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, in all conditions. God willing, We hope you will break the chains of imitation with the strength of certitude and enter the pleasant expanse of detachment. This intensity and that ease shall both soon pass away—what endures is steadfastness in love and faithfulness. Thus has the All-Merciful testified in the Tablets. We beseech God to aid you in what He loves and is pleased with. Verily, He has power over all things.

BH02403: My remembrance is for him who turned his face…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

My remembrance is for him who turned his face to the Countenance twice and entered the presence of the Throne twice in this Great Prison, that he might rejoice in the remembrance of God and arise to serve Him amongst His servants. Thus did We command him before and in this glorious Tablet. Give thanks to thy Lord for having aided thee to remain steadfast in His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Remember thou the days when thou wert near the mercy of thy Lord and the Ancient Beauty shone upon thee with the lights of His luminous countenance. Grieve not at anything, but put thy trust in God, the One, the All-Knowing. He, verily, will assist whoever hath assisted Him and will aid whoever hath held fast to His mighty cord.

O ʿAli! God willing, mayest thou be ever mindful of God’s remembrance and turned towards His face. In every land thou visitest, convey profound greetings from the Chosen One to the righteous ones. Exert thy utmost effort and endeavor to unite the people of the land. Adorn those of A and Sh with the ornament of the glorification of Truth. Say: O loved ones! The Abha Fountain of Mercy exists and its Bestower is the Countenance of the Desired One. Blessed is the soul who, detached from the world, hath taken and drunk the Fountain of Ancient Days from the hand of the Lord of all peoples. Strive that perchance in this Day, which is the King of Days, ye may attain to the remembrance and praise of the Friend.

The greatest of all things is steadfastness. Ask ye of God that ye may be enabled to attain this supreme nobility and mighty gift, in such wise that the imaginings of the people of creation may not prevent you from the Lord of Names. Hold ye fast to the cord of His bounty and cling to the hem of His mercy, and praise ye the Beloved of the world Who, despite tribulations and afflictions, is occupied with your remembrance in the Most Great Prison. By My life! This is indeed a supreme favor.

Likewise convey greetings to the loved ones in the land of T, both men and women. Since Tablets were sent before, this time it remaineth suspended and preserved in the heaven of the divine Will until such time as it shall shine forth in the realm of manifestation.

O ʿAli! God willing, thou must be as a fire to ignite the hearts and as a spirit to quicken souls, that all may gather in perfect unity and harmony upon the enduring divine Law. And the glory be upon thee and upon thy family and those with thee from God, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful. Then glory which hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity upon Kamali and those who were imprisoned in My path and his family and his descendants. By My life! For those who were imprisoned in God’s path there hath been ordained a mighty station in a preserved Tablet. Blessed are they and their steadfastness in the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH02381: May you ever be occupied with service…

He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient

May you ever be occupied with service to the Self-Sufficing Supreme One and drink from His imperishable Kawthar. By My life! The inner reality of the inner reality of the inner reality unto infinity has appeared in the form of a chalice, that it might be the vessel for this pure water which flows from the right hand of the Throne of the Lord of Manifestation. Then hearken to another strain: Verily the inner reality of the inner reality of the inner reality unto whatsoever God willeth hath appeared in the form of a chalice, that it might bear the sweet waters of thy Lord’s mercy which flow from the direction of the Throne of My Name, the Most High, the Great.

God willing, drink ye of these waters and bestow them upon the people. Shouldst thou attain unto the station We have mentioned, thou wouldst find thyself in such rapture as would render the tongues of all beings powerless to describe it, and thou wouldst reach a station wherein thou wouldst soar in the atmosphere of thy Lord’s love, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. That which He ordaineth for His servants outwardly is a reality around which revolve inner meanings, and thy Lord is sanctified above all that hath been said or shall be said. He is the Mighty, the Generous.

It is desired that you arise with the utmost devotion to serve the Cause and reflect upon the condition of this wronged Prisoner Who hath been afflicted between two factions, and seek to follow His example. The contingent world and all therein is transient. We must all arise to serve the Eternal, that perchance our lives be not wasted and we may render some service. The foundation of all things is the unity of the people upon one Law. Observe ye the Muslim community and its weakness, and ponder its cause. This weakness hath come about solely due to the differences that have appeared therein, as thou canst see how each faction hath chosen its own path and walketh in its own way. And if someone should say “The paths to God are as numerous as the souls of creation” and that these paths have branched from the Most Great Path—even granting this claim, surely if one walketh upon the Most Great and Supreme Path it would be best and ever shall be, and nearest to righteousness. There are countless utterances regarding these matters, but in view of the sorrows that have descended, We have confined Ourselves to this much.

In truth, Our main purpose was to make mention of you, lest you think you have been forgotten from the Most Great Scene. You have ever been remembered and, God willing, shall continue to be. We beseech God to manifest through you that which will revive the hearts of men, attract souls, cause spirits to soar, and raise up every moldering bone. Verily, glory be upon you and upon those who have turned to the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH02417: This is a Book from Us to one who…

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

This is a Book from Us to one who has sought the Desired One and turned with his face toward the face of the Adored One, and traversed land and sea until he entered the City which God has made the point of circumambulation of the Concourse on High and the favored angels, and attained the presence before the Countenance and visited the Ancient Beauty after most of the servants were prevented from attaining His presence. Thus has the matter been decreed from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise.

Blessed art thou, O thou who hast turned, for having turned and arrived and visited the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth. God hath witnessed for thee thy visitation of His Beauty and thy entry into the pavilion of His grandeur. Can any bounty created on earth attain unto this? Nay, by My Self! Be grateful to thy Lord for having enabled thee to attain this. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous.

How many servants desired to come but were turned away at the gate due to what Satan whispered into the hearts of those who ruled in the City, and thereby the eye of Ali wept, and then the eyes of the sincere ones. No harm hath befallen Us and the people of Baha except through what the hands of the people of the Bayan have wrought, and thy Lord beareth witness to this. He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Satan lieth in wait—when anyone entereth seeking the abode of the Desired One, he informeth the government gate. Ask God to raise up one who will suffice to ward off his evil. He hath power over all things.

Inform My loved ones of what hath come to pass, then recount to them what thou hast seen and known, that they may become aware of what hath befallen Us from the hosts of the heedless ones. Convey Our greetings to all who have believed in God and the Manifestation of His Self, and give them glad tidings of mercy from Our presence, that the breezes of mercy may draw them to God, the Lord of creation. Thus hath the Tongue of Unity spoken, as a grace from His presence. He is verily the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having honored me with Thy presence and caused me to hear Thy call and to behold the lights of Thy countenance in these days wherein I was imprisoned in the most desolate of lands and held captive in the hands of the wicked ones. How can I thank Thee, O my God, for what Thou hast bestowed upon me through Thy bounty and honored me through Thy favor, such that Thou didst open before my face the gate of unveiling and meeting after it had been closed through what the hands of the most wretched among Thy creatures and the most rebellious among Thy creation had wrought?

O Lord! By Thy might and majesty, were I to find for myself at every moment a life to sacrifice it for Thy Self, it would be little compared to the manifestation of Thy bestowals and the appearance of Thy gifts. I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of earth and heaven, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause, turning unto Thee, detached from all else besides Thee. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for the sincere ones among Thy creatures and the unified ones among Thy loved ones. Thou art verily the Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art verily the Truth, the Knower of the unseen, and the Powerful over what Thou desirest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

BH02484: This is a Tablet from Us to him who…

This is a Tablet from Us to him who hath walked in the path of God, the manifest, the straight, who hath held fast unto the sure handle and answered the call of his Lord, the Exalted, the Great, that the wine of recognition may so intoxicate him through that which hath flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful that he may be moved to remember and praise Him amidst His servants who have forgotten the Day they were promised in a preserved Tablet.

Arise and say: O people! The Day hath come, and He Who is the Manifestation of the Cause calleth out from the right hand of the Throne unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Fear ye God and follow not those who, when the verses are recited unto them, persist in pride. These, verily, are in grievous torment.

The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, O believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!

Thus hath the matter been decreed, and We have confirmed it through the Pen of Revelation. Thy Lord, verily, is the Omnipotent over what He willeth.

Say: O people! He Who hath sacrificed Himself for your life—would ye oppose Him or slay Him? Alas for you, O company of the heedless! Glorify thy Lord with praise in the morning and the evening, at sunset and at dawn. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee from this remote spot.

We prevented those who sought to draw nigh unto God aforetime only because of what befell Us in those days. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth and of that which is hidden from the eyes of the near ones. All that He commandeth the servants is for their good, and He intendeth naught save to protect them from the Great Terror or draw them nigh unto the seat of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wise. Were they to discover what We possess, they would move only by My luminous, resplendent command.

Say: O people! This is a Day wherein the Face hath shone forth from the horizon of holiness, and the Herald calleth out between earth and heaven: “The Prison belongeth to God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Praiseworthy.” Remember Him in your seats; verily He remembereth you in this Prison and summoneth you to the supreme horizon. This, truly, is a great bounty.

Convey My glory to those servants who have not been held back by veils from the court of their Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Bestowing, who, when they hear My mention, lament My separation and weep for My imprisonment and tribulations. Yet I, by the All-Merciful, am in manifest joy. Whoso hath found the sweetness of tribulation in the path of God, Creator of Names, would not exchange it for aught created in the kingdom of creation. Thy Lord is witness to what I say.

BH02471: Say: God hath heard the words of those who…

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

Say: God hath heard the words of those who dispute concerning this Cause, morning and evening. Among them are those who have turned unto God and those who have turned away. He who hath turned unto God hath ascended to the most exalted seats of holiness, while he who hath turned away hath disbelieved in God and returned to the lowest depths of the fire. Thus hath the matter been decreed.

Say: O people! If ye deny what hath appeared from the Dayspring of this Countenance, by what proof can ye establish your faith in the Manifestations of the Cause who appeared from the horizon of holiness with manifest sovereignty?

Say: Fear ye God and doubt not Him through Whom the heavens of holiness were raised up and the waters of knowledge flowed unto all who drew near. Purify your hearts, for verily He knoweth what is within you, what occupieth you, and what proceedeth from your mouths. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth and the knowledge of all the worlds.

O people! By God, I desire nothing from you. I mention you for the sake of God. Fear ye the Day wherein secrets shall be disclosed and the sinners shall be seized with a chastisement bereft of God’s mercy. Thus do We teach thee that thou mayest stand firm in the Cause and be severed from every sinful idolater.

Then make mention from Us to the servant named Isma’il after Muhammad, that he may remember within himself and be numbered among those remembered in the Tablet. O servant! Stand firm in the Cause through God’s grace and sovereignty, and follow not every rebellious satan. Remind the people of My remembrance, then leave the world behind thee. Thus behoveth everyone who attributeth himself to the Beauty of divine holiness.

Then doth the Pen of the Cause make mention of him who was named Muhammad before Rida, that he may rejoice within himself with the joy of God and be clear-sighted in the Cause. O servant! Purify thyself from doubt and uncertainty, then remember God and fear no one, even should all the idolaters gather against thee. Thus doth God teach thee in this Prison. Follow what thou art commanded, and He will guard thee with the hosts of the unseen with power.

Then make mention of ʿAbdu’llah Ibrahim that he may stand firm in the Cause and draw near to the shore of wondrous glory. O servant! Leave the world to its people, then ascend on wings of detachment to a heaven of exalted glory. Purify thyself from drawing near to those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, then aid thy Lord with whatsoever thou art able. This is God’s command from before and after, if thou be aware thereof.

And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have arisen in the Cause and were mighty therein.

BH02478: My affliction is not My imprisonment, nor what has…

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

My affliction is not My imprisonment, nor what has befallen Me at the hands of My enemies. Rather, My affliction is to be surrounded by those who do not recognize My station. I summon mankind unto life everlasting, yet they cling to every oppressor seeking My death. I desire their salvation, while they dig a pit for My destruction. Thus have the servants who call upon Me day and night become veiled.

Say: O people, open your eyes! This is your Lord, the Chosen One, Who has come with the truth—and every atom proclaims: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling!” Say: Whither do ye flee? Do ye see any protector who can shield you from the Fire? Nay, by My life, though ye search throughout all regions! Say: The heavens have encompassed you—can ye penetrate through them? Nay, by your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving!

O servant who gazeth upon the Countenance! All things testify that thou art he who hath stood firm in the Cause of thy Lord in days when hearts were troubled and eyes were fixed in fear. Upon thee be the glory of God, thy Lord, and the glory of the Concourse on high, then Our chosen servants. Ask God, thy Lord, at all times to strengthen thee in that whereunto thou hast attained and to make thee one who can break the might of the aggressors who have denied God, Who causeth the night and day to succeed each other.

Associate with those whom thou findest to be weak. We love not that the reward of those who have turned to the Countenance should be lost. Thus hath the matter been decreed by thy Lord, the Mighty, the Compelling.

Make mention of My servants and raise them to the kingdom of My loving-kindness that they may behold My signs and the manifestations of My grandeur. Thus hath the tongue of revelation spoken at a time when it was surrounded by the hosts of the wicked.

Arise to make mention of Me and to praise Me, then strike the hearts with the rod of My Name that there may gush forth therefrom rivers. Within them lie the treasures of the waters of My knowledge which, when their veils are removed, flow forth in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One.

Be wise in all matters. Those who exceed the bounds of wisdom are overcome by heedlessness. Thus hath the command been sent down in the Tablets from the Pen of thy Lord, and none understand it save those possessed of insight.

Blessed art thou for having gazed upon the Countenance on a day when skin did creep and the faces of those who disbelieved in the Lord of Lords turned black. Take the chalice of detachment through the remembrance of thy Lord, the Creator of all things. Say: O people, I have come to you from the Dayspring of utterance by the command of your Lord, the All-Merciful. This is the chalice of divine knowledge—drink ye thereof and follow not every doubtful idolater. Adorn your heads with the crown of My remembrance and your hearts with the ornament of My love. Thus have ye been commanded by the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling.

Then make mention of My loved ones there and say: Blessed are ye for having attained unto the recognition of your Lord on the day when He came with the truth and necks were brought low before Him.