Volume 043: Prior to 1873 1290 A.H., Part I (2 of 4)

BH00936: This is a Book that speaketh the truth, wherein…

He is God, the Mighty, the Beneficent

This is a Book that speaketh the truth, wherein is that which will guide mankind to the shore of divine unity, nourish them with the fruits of knowledge and wisdom, and lead them into the holy and resplendent paradise. Therein is that which will guide men to the court of glory and grace, and sever them from all who dwell in the heavens and the earth.

Say: O people! Hearken unto My words and be not of those who deny the signs of God and turn away. Follow the truth in His days—this is better for you than all who dwell in the kingdom. Say: O people! Answer the call of God’s Herald among you and be not heedless of Him, after ye were created for this purpose, as the angels near unto God do testify.

Say: By God! The gates of Paradise have been opened wide, and there hath come the Command of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The Dove hath warbled upon the branches of the Tree of Eternity—thus hath it been ordained by the All-Wise, the All-Informed. The breezes of bounty and grace have wafted, and the gardens of the Cause have been adorned, if ye be of those who perceive. Fear God, and follow not your own desires, neither turn your faces toward the evil ones, for they bid you to transgression and wickedness, while God commandeth righteousness and salvation, if ye be of them that hear.

Say: Have ye not heard what was revealed aforetime unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God, of holy and glorious verses? He said—and His word is the truth—“On the day when thy Lord cometh, or certain of the signs of thy Lord.” And these verses were truly revealed, and the heavens and earth were filled thereby. And have ye not heard “On the day when the heaven shall be cleft asunder by clouds”—these are the clouds whereby the heavens of existence were rent asunder, if ye be of those who understand the signs of God. And it was revealed “On the day when the heaven shall bring a manifest smoke”—this is the smoke that hath blinded your eyes, whereby ye recognized not your Lord and turned away from the Beauty of divine holiness and glory, though ye were promised this in preserved scrolls. This hath been inscribed on the Preserved Tablet, as witnessed by the denizens of the highest Paradise.

Say: O people! Have mercy upon yourselves, then fear the Day wherein ye shall return to a mighty and holy seat, and shall be questioned concerning what ye have wrought in your vain life, and shall be recompensed for your deeds. Thus hath it been inscribed by the Pen of Command upon a clear and glorious Tablet.

And thou, O Breeze of Glory, if thou pass over the land wherein the Name of God is buried, remind thou its people with the cry of this Exile, Who hath severed Himself from all things and hath migrated unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: O people of that land! Hearken unto that which the dove of separation warbleth when it taketh flight from the regions of ‘Iraq, through that which the hands of the hypocrites have wrought; and it calleth to your remembrance that which hath escaped you, that haply ye may retrieve somewhat of what hath slipped from your hands, and be numbered among them that turn unto Him.

Then, from Our presence, admonish thou him whose name was renowned among all created things. Say: O servant! Hear thou the call of Him Who calleth thee, and be not of the heedless. Then wipe away from thine heart the signs of limitation, that the tokens of unity may be established therein from thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. Thy days have passed, and thou hast come to the lowest stage of life; wherefore have mercy upon thine own soul, and turn unto the shore of nearness, and be not of them that are patient in heedlessness.

By God! wert thou to become aware of what hath escaped thee, thou wouldst weep and cry aloud at all times, and wouldst flee unto God with thy whole being, and wouldst lament with the lamentation of them that are bereft. This Bird was amongst you for years unnumbered, and yet thou didst not attain His meeting—though His meeting were better for thee than all thou hast wrought in thy days. God is sufficient witness unto what I say. Yet wast thou heedless thereof, and didst busy thyself, in thy days, with words whereof not one letter hath any of the Messengers uttered.

Hearken, then, to My counsel: migrate from your self to God, detach yourself from all that keeps you from knowing Him, and be not of the slumberous ones. Let what your hands have wrought suffice you, and fear God Who created and fashioned you, and be of those who seek forgiveness. You were as one sleeping upon the couch of heedlessness, so deep in slumber that you heard not the cry of the strivers, though that cry had encompassed all who dwell in earth and heaven, and had caused these deniers to swoon away.

How many heads were raised upon spears in the path of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful! How much blood was shed upon the earth while you remained unmindful thereof and were not among those who remembered! How many bodies were cast upon the dust while you questioned not concerning them, as though you had never been created to be among the just! You remained seated in your house and aided not your Lord, nor were you among the helpers.

Is one who turns away from God his Lord like unto one who turns toward Him? Glory be to Him, far above what these idolaters imagine! Have you not heard what was revealed aforetime unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God and Seal of the Prophets? “Woe to every sinful impostor who hears the verses of God recited unto him, then continues proudly, as though he heard them not. Announce unto him a painful punishment.” You heard the verses of God, then waxed proud against them, and were not conscious thereof for even a moment.

By God! The eyes of your inner being weep for you, for you turned away from God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. You answered not God’s Herald, cast His verses behind your back, and were among those submerged in the ocean of heedlessness. Hearken, then, to the words of this servant—this is better for you than the sovereignty of the heavens and earth. Arise from your seat through God’s power, then detach yourself from all else but Him. Fear no one, but put your trust in Him, for unto Him do the affairs of those who trust return. Your days shall pass away and you shall return to dust, and then shall you be in manifest loss.

By God! I desire naught through this epistle save to deliver you from the prison of self and to sanctify you from all that prevents you from entering a seat of sublime glory. Know then that this Dove has offered up Its soul in the path of God. The praise of any praiser adds not to Its worth, nor does the censure of any critic diminish It, for Its whole affair returns to God, the Lord of all worlds. It fears no one, even should all who are in the kingdom combine against It. Say: Verily, It has soared unto God, and unto Him is Its return and resting-place, if you be of those who know. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH00948: Lawh-i-Aqa Siyyid Hasan

Revealed for Siyyid Hasan that he may read it and be numbered among those who remember in the Mother Book.

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Self-Subsisting!

The Call of God hath been raised from the right hand of the Ridvan with a Voice which all things between earth and heaven can hear, proclaiming:

“I am God, there is no God but Me, the One, the Single, the Unique!”

O peoples of the earth, stop not your ears from hearkening to the Word of God in these days, but turn with pure and sanctified hearts toward the Holy Court. Come ye forth from the city of fancy and imitation, then enter the Ridvan of Divine Unity. This is what ye have been commanded in all the Tablets from God, the All-Knowing, the Single, the Self-Subsisting.

Sanctify yourselves from the veils of desire that ye may hear the Call of God from the Tree raised up at the Gate, that this is the Beauty of Glory and Mystery of the All-Merciful, Who hath appeared in human temple and uttereth what was treasured in the Bayan from the presence of the Mighty, the Trustworthy. Bear witness, O people, that there is no God but Him, and that He is the Chosen One in all that He willeth. Nothing can prevent Him from that which He hath created between earth and heaven, and He bestoweth mercy upon whomsoever He willeth among His servants without limit or count.

Say: The heaven hath come with the smoke of trial, and the people are covered by the veils of test, and on that day dominion shall be God’s alone, in Whose hand is the Kingdom of all things, and Who hath taken neither partner nor offspring.

Say: The essence of knowledge in these days is the knowledge of God and the Manifestation of His Self. Whoso hath attained unto these twain hath attained unto all good, and whoso hath turned away from them shall not be mentioned before God nor be counted. This is of the knowledge that changeth not throughout the eternity of God, while all else changeth according to His Will and His Command. Thus hath the Dove warbled, then trilled:

Beware lest ye be veiled at the time of the Manifestation by anything created between the heavens and earth, and be not of those who are veiled by the veils of limitation and thereby kept from the seat of Divine Unity, and are among those who have deprived themselves of the meeting with God and fled from His mercy.

Then after, O loved ones of God, leave behind all who are in the heavens and earth. Doth not God, Who created all things by His Command, suffice you? There is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and in His grasp are the measures of all things, which He sendeth down according to a fixed degree.

Verily those who have denied the signs of God and His proof, and then His grandeur and His sovereignty—these have no station before God, and He shall soon punish them with extended pillars.

O people, preserve yourselves from the touch of Satan and his manifestations, for they have spread throughout the earth and sit in wait on every path and lookout. Hold fast to God’s grace and mercy that He may preserve you from the hosts of rejection. There is no preserver but Him. He preserveth whom He willeth by His sovereignty and aideth those who believe with marshalled hosts.

Nothing escapeth His knowledge, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and the knowledge of what was and what will be, in a Book inscribed by the Finger of Destiny. That which is ordained therein neither perisheth nor endeth.

O people! Believe in God and His signs, and when the Sun of Glory dawneth upon you from the horizon of grandeur in the days of your Lord, the Most High, fall prostrate upon your faces before God and be ye among those who have bowed down and prostrated themselves, and know that whatsoever ye have been commanded in the revealed verses of God and His Book concerning the recognition of His Self and obedience to His commandments—this is that which shall profit your souls in the hereafter and in this world. Verily, He is independent of all who are in the heavens and on earth, and sanctified from all that is mentioned and witnessed.

Hath there been created in all possibility aught sweeter than the remembrance of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted? Nay, by the Self of Baha! Therefore, O people, detach yourselves from all things and find solace in the Most Great Remembrance, and cleave not unto any misbeliever who hath denied God.

Thus have We expounded unto you the truth and detailed the verses, lest ye be of them who have adopted for themselves a cause and clung to it in such wise that were the Spirit to cast upon them that which they possess not, they would arise in opposition and be numbered with them who have denied and turned aside. Say: God teacheth whomsoever He willeth that which shall guard him from the darts of ignorance and draw him nigh unto the wellspring of wisdom and grace, that he may be numbered with them who have known their Lord and then given thanks.

Say: O people, adorn yourselves with the attributes of God, then beautify your beings and your temples with the raiment of knowledge and refinement, and with forgiveness and justice. Be ye united in the Cause of God and His ways, and when anyone is given aught, whether in matters of religion or of the world, be ye content therewith and be not of them who transgress and envy. Verily, envy is a fire that consumeth first the envious one, then those who draw nigh unto him, and there existeth not on earth any fire more intense than this, as would be attested by all who are informed of what hath befallen the Ancient Beauty and have borne witness.

O people, be content with what God hath ordained, then take advantage of the repast of knowledge that hath descended upon you from the clouds of grace, and be not of them who have recognized God’s favor and then denied it. By God! There have fallen upon Me from the swords of envy such as none can reckon save God, Who hath numbered all things, and verily He is the All-Knowing, the Truth. He knoweth what occureth to the hearts of His servants and what lieth concealed in the breasts of them who have denied and associated partners with God from all eternity unto all eternity.

O people, purify your hearts from rancor and envy, and your vision from all veils and soreness of eye, that ye may witness the craftsmanship of God Who hath perfected the creation of all things in this Holy, Pure, and Glorious Tablet. Thus hath shone forth from the horizon of exposition the Sun of wisdom and utterance, that ye may know the paths of truth and testify in your hearts and openly that there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the Peerless, the Unique, the Self-Subsisting. Spirit, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon them who have taken hold of the Book of God with strength from Him and were among those who have bowed down and prostrated themselves.

BH00947: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou beholdest my…

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou beholdest my state and hearest my cry, and Thou knowest what Thy servants have wrought against us in Thy dominion—how they have driven us from our homes and native lands after seizing us, plundering our possessions, slaying our loved ones, taking our families captive, violating Thy sanctity in us, increasing in their wickedness and multiplying in their unbelief until they stretched forth their hands against all who believed in Thee and Thy signs. The matter reached such a pass that the cries of the distressed, the lamentations of the sincere, and the wailing of them that are nigh unto Thee ascended to Thee from every city.

Thereafter Thy chosen ones were scattered throughout Thy lands and wandered through Thy realms. Months and years passed thus, until the Sacred City was raised up through the mystery of Thy Most Bountiful Name. Therein was built Thy House, its doors were opened to all in the heavens and earth, and through it Thou didst guide Thy servants until honored servants and righteous men gathered round about it. All occupied themselves with wondrous remembrance of Thee and the promotion of Thy Cause, detaching themselves from all else but Thee, turning unto Thee, shunning all save Thee.

While they were in this most exalted condition and supreme gift, the breezes of Thy decree stirred and the winds of Thy providence were set in motion, until the clouds of trials were raised up and the mists of tribulation poured down novel afflictions and fresh calamities. Thereby were they scattered after having been gathered, their souls were troubled, their hearts effaced, their bodies shaken, their frames agitated, their hearts saddened, their eyes shed tears, their cheeks were bathed in tears, their very beings were consumed, their essence melted away, their pillars crumbled, and their realities were rent asunder.

While they were in this great sorrow and supreme calamity, Thy decisive command came for the departure of Thy Most Great Name from among these peoples and the departure of the Dove from among the loved ones. By Thy might, O my God and my Master! The life of Thy loved ones was thereby transformed and matters became so difficult for them that all power of patience and forbearance was wrested from their hands, and they were brought to such a state that the denizens of the Supreme Paradise and the dwellers of the crimson pavilions in the realms of eternity wept over them, tears flowed from the eyes of the Maids of Heaven in their lofty chambers, and all in earth and heaven grieved in their sorrow.

By Thy might, O my God! The Pen of Creation is powerless to record their state and what befell them in their separation and remoteness from Thee, and utterance fails to describe what they endured in their distance from Thy presence after their yearning to meet Thee, their intimacy with Thy beauty, and their wont to attend the seats of Thy majesty. Alas, alas for what befell them in Thy days and descended upon them in Thy dispensation!

Therefore, O my God, since Thou hast removed them from Thy beauty, remove them not from the sweet-scented breezes of Thy holiness, and since Thou hast deprived them of Thy presence, deprive them not of the stations of Thy revelation and inspiration. I beseech Thee by this Day wherein Thou didst shine upon all contingent things with the lights of Thy Essence and didst transcend all created things through the manifestations of Thy names and attributes—the Day wherein the breezes of Thy grace wafted, the seas of Thy mercy surged, the Dove of Thy love warbled, and the clouds of Thy tender mercy rained down—to clothe their frames in the robe of Thy glorious forgiveness, to provide them with the fruits of Thy bounty and favor, then to inscribe their names among those who fulfilled Thy covenant and responded to all that Thou didst call them to in the morn of Thy Cause.

Accept from them then, O my God, whatsoever they have forsaken in Thy days in the performance of Thy right and the rendering of Thy service. Then raise them up, O my God, unto that station wherein neither the tests that assail them in Thy days, nor the trials that encompass them in Thy presence, shall cause them to waver. Then open their eyes, O my God, that they may know Thee above all else, and purify their ears, O my Beloved, that they may distinguish Thy holy melodies from all other sounds. Thou, verily, art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Exalted Name and by this Name which none among all created things hath attained unto the heaven of its knowledge, to make firm our steps in Thy love and Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the One possessed of great bounty and mighty sovereignty.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! Thou seest what hath befallen me in this journey wherein I have migrated from Thee unto Thee, and what hath transpired in the paths of Thy good-pleasure and the ways that lead to Thy contentment, and how the fire of jealousy and hatred hath been kindled in the hearts of Thy servants, though I desired for them naught save what I desired for myself, and preferred them in all things to mine own self and being. Wherefore, O my God, send down upon them that which may quiet the fire of their souls and hearts, and grant them of the fruits of Thy love from this Garden which Thou hast created for Thine own Self and manifested for Thine own Being, that their breasts and hearts may be illumined thereby and their souls be purified, for they are poor before Thee and possess neither benefit nor harm, neither life nor resurrection for themselves. Verily, Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Thou knowest, O my God, that I do not complain of my harm and distress, nor of all that hath befallen me in Thy path, for I swear by Thy might that I yearn for Thy torment and Thy fire because of their relation to Thee, and Thy light for its guidance unto Thee, and in this station these two matters are judged alike due to the manifestation of the signs of Thy glorious oneness and the dawning of the lights of Thy holy uniqueness. Is there, O my God, any ordainer besides Thee that I might complain of him? Is there any illuminator other than Thee that I might rejoice in him? Nay, by Thy might! Rather, all hath appeared from Thee and been originated by Thy command and come to pass by Thy will.

Since this is so, it behooveth not those who have recognized Thy unity among Thy creation and those who are near to Thee among Thy creatures to flee when the winds of Thy decree blow or to be dismayed when the signs of Thy trials appear. Rather, they must witness in all things the signs of the glory of Thy favors and the tokens of the sanctity of Thy bounties. This, verily, is the station of those among Thy servants who know Thee, the seat of those among Thy creation who have attained unto Thee, and the homeland of those among Thy creatures who love Thee.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by the lights of the glory of Thy holy Oneness to deprive not Thy servants of this station and withhold them not from this sacred sanctuary. Then grant us the good of this world and the hereafter, and honor us with the presence of Him Whom Thou shalt make manifest on the Day of Judgment. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH00940: O Ahmad! I swear by the True God…

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

O Ahmad! I swear by the True God that His proof has been perfected upon thee and His evidence made complete against thee, wert thou of them that understand. For others have been seized by vain imaginings from the direction of self and passion, and have not heard a single letter of the Cause, and were of them that fancy on tablets well-preserved. But thou didst attain Our presence and didst witness him who warred against Us after claiming within himself that he was the Mirror of God, the All-Possessing, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Therefore bring thy presence before God and judge fairly within thyself: Hast thou witnessed from any other what thou hast witnessed from Me? Nay, by My Beauty, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great! Indeed, wert thou fair, thou wouldst witness all else as non-existent before My holy court, such that none could speak in My presence—to this testify all created things, if thou be of them that deny.

And ponder within thyself: Were the angels of the Cause to bring thee before thy Lord, the Most High, and ask thee:

“O servant, by what proof didst thou believe in My Self, and by what evidence didst thou turn away from My luminous, radiant Beauty?”

If thou didst believe in Me through what was revealed unto Me of the verses of God, the All-Powerful, the Sovereign, the Most High, the All-Wise—by God, these are My verses, revealed in such wise that were a single note thereof to appear as ordained, all in the heavens and earth would be struck senseless. And thou, O Ahmad—hast thou seen from another what thou hast not seen from Him? Bring thy proof and be not of the patient ones. Then would bewilderment and shame seize thee, such that thou couldst not speak in the presence of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers.

By God, O Ahmad, wert thou fair in thyself, thou wouldst find none like unto Me, nor any partner, nor in all that hath appeared from Me, if thou be of the fair-minded. Beware, beware lest thou follow thy passion. Look with the Greatest Vision and say:

“O people, by God, that which had never appeared in the worlds hath appeared!”

Purify thy heart from the allusions of the people and from all that hath barred thee from thy Lord’s path, for today nothing shall profit thee, even shouldst thou cling to all things. Thou wouldst confirm Me wert thou to ponder My Cause and be of them that reflect.

Say: By God, this is the Glory of the Concourse on High, His Light for them in the Kingdom of Eternity, His Word for them in the depths of Names, and His Book for all creation. By God, O Ahmad, the Spirit speaketh not from passion, but speaketh what God hath placed in his pure, crystal heart—that there is no God but He, and that Husayn-ʿAli is His servant, His Glory, His Remembrance and His proof unto all between earth and heaven, if thou be of them that know.

Then know that after thy departure, We left these people and dwelt alone in the house, closing the door, that perchance thereby the fire of hatred might be stilled in the breasts of the deceivers. Thou knowest that I spoke not a word with my brother nor associated with him. When there appeared from him what he desired and God revealed what was hidden in his breast, he arose with mighty calumny and wrote tablets wherein he attributed to My wronged, lonely, estranged Self what he wished within himself.

You know that I was a refuge in my absence from those people, and in my isolation from those who desired to kill me without proof or illuminating Book. You were with Us—did you dispute with him regarding his cause after he was secretly writing in the Tablets that which would set aflame the hearts of those drawn nigh? Apart from this, he arose to shed my blood after We had nurtured him and protected him from the evil of every evil one. And if you deny this, the Tongue of God, the True, the Faithful King bears witness to it. You knew from him what no one else knew, for the people were in doubt and thick veils.

Have you forgotten what was asked of him by one of God’s servants named ʿAli [before] Nabil, when he was unable to answer, and God only revealed this to awaken the heedless? Therefore, hear My words and sanctify yourself from all allusions, then reflect on what you witnessed from Me and heard about Me. Then take for yourself a path to God. Speak among the people with pure truth and with what you witnessed and saw, and be not of those who recognize God’s favor and then deny it. This is My counsel to you—if you accept it, all good destined for God’s righteous servants will return to you. Beware, beware lest you transgress the decree of justice, for through it the servant is raised to a station which none but the just and discerning can reach.

By the True God! I sacrificed My spirit at the time when God made Himself known to Me and caused Me to speak His verses and sent Me with truth to the worlds. There was no hatred in My heart for you nor for any created thing. Rather, I love that you should detach yourself from those who have wronged and return to God, your Lord, with evident humility. We ask God to make you successful in His Cause and to give you to drink from the cup of eternity from the hand of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, in My Most Glorious Name, that He may purify your heart from the whisperings of Satan and make you sincere for your Lord’s sake and sever you from the idolaters.

Know God through God, not through aught else, for all else was created by His Word, if you be of those who know. Beware lest you look upon Me through what is with the people. If you wish to know Me, look with My eye. This is what We have counseled you in all the Tablets, if you be of those who witness. Say: Today, nothing of what exists between the heavens and earth will profit you except that you detach yourselves from what you have and turn towards the direction of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Detach yourself from the world and what is therein, for it will never profit you. What will profit you is what has been ordained in the Kingdom of the Cause by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thus have We counseled and advised you—act according to what you have been commanded and be not of the heedless ones. And if you see your brother, convey to him Our greetings, then remind him of this Great News. And the Spirit and Glory and Eternity be upon you if you board the Ark of Baha which sails upon the crimson sea by God’s leave, the Creator of Names, and be of those who are firmly established.

BH00952: Suratu’l-Kifaya

In the Name of God, Who is none other than Him, and He is God and hath been mighty over all things!

O people of Ha! Hearken unto the song of the Crimson Leaf in the atmosphere of the cloud of unknowing, that verily He is Light, the Temple of Glory, Who hath been, from God unto the worlds, a manifest light. And witness ye the Countenance of Manifestation from the garments of light appearing behind the Qaf on the right side of the Mount, that verily He is the Truth, the Essence of Oneness, the Source of Camphor, Who hath been the Singer. Come ye forth from your dwellings and enter the garden of the heart, the house of light, at the time of heedlessness from the city of jealousy, by God’s leave. This is a drop from the oceans of command inscribed in the Tablet of Life around the Fire. If ye desire to meet the Countenance of God, ascend ye to the heaven of the air until ye hear the call of thy Lord, the Almighty, that “There is none other God but Him, the One, the All-Compelling,” and He is God Who hath ever encompassed all things.

O people of earth! Hearken to the call of the Leaf of Identity, sprouting from the Tree of Eternity, planted in the soil of eternality, warbling with verses of divine rapture, that verily He is the Truth, there is none other God but Him, and He is God Who hath been independent of all worlds.

O people of the cloud of unknowing! This is the Paradise of Oneness, the Garden of Eternity. Dwell ye therein by leave of God, Who is none other than Him, and He is God Who hath been knowing of all things. Hearken ye to the rapturous melody from the Countenance of Him Who sitteth upon the Throne of Nearness, the Point of Manifestation, the Mystery of Concealment, the Hidden Secret of the Book, that verily He is the Truth, there is none other God but Him, and He is God Who hath been witness unto all things. Thus doth God cause you to turn through the two quiescent letters that ye may know that God hath been powerful over all things.

Search ye in secret for the Temple of the Manifest in your hearts; ye shall find a trust from God that ye may testify that God is indeed the Self-Sufficient, Who hath been the Lord of all the worlds. Enter ye the house of light, the white land, the crimson corner—that abode which is the Hereafter, the mystery of the First, which is indeed the Life recorded in the Mother Book—that ye may find peace therein and be preserved from the veils, the allusions, and the trial of blindness, if ye be knowing of the melody of the Word.

O people of the Concourse! Hearken to the song of the Ant of Eternality [warbling] with verses of Oneness, that He is the Truth, the Point of the cloud of unknowing, the Essence of Identity. Exalted then be God, the True King, Who hath been mighty over all things. This is the call of the Hoopoe of Servitude in the heaven of justice before the Presence of Glory, that He is the Unseen, pure Manifestation, the Mystery of Beauty. Glorified be He! He is God Who hath been witness unto all things.

O people of the cloud of unknowing! Sanctify yourselves from the clouds of allusions, their negation and their rule. That is the decree of justice from the cloud of grace upon the temple of heaven that hath been sent down.

O people of creation! Eat of the fruit borne by the crimson tree planted in the land of accomplishment—the Point of Beginning, the Mystery of the End, the Hidden Secret of Destiny. This indeed is the decisive decree from God in the Mother Book. Come ye forth from your dwellings to attain the presence in the sacred sanctuary, the cloud of intimacy, whose decree in the Tablet of the Heart by leave of God, the Most High, hath been witnessed.

Bear thou witness, O Letter of the Unseen, that the very essence of knowledge is pure manifestation in the Book of God, of which not a single letter can be comprehended by anyone, and this hath been inscribed in the Tablet of Command from God, the Lord of the worlds. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and the knowledge of the earth. He is God, Who knoweth all things, and is the All-Knowing. He it is Who knoweth whatsoever descendeth from heaven and whatsoever ascendeth from the earth, and whatsoever entereth therein and whatsoever emergeth therefrom, and whatsoever mounteth unto it—all this is encompassed in His knowledge, which is preserved in the Book of Light with God, the Most High.

I testify that the essence of creation is the essence of knowledge in the realm of possibility, but knowledge in the Divine Essence is the Essence Itself—none knoweth how it is save Him, and He is God, the All-Witnessing. He it is Who aideth whomsoever He willeth through the angels of light, through the mystery of that Manifestation which was the Pillar of Praise, the Mystery of Glory in the plane of abstraction, the Cloud of Oneness that was witnessed. With Him is the knowledge of the Tablets and the knowledge of all things in the Book of the Spirit, yet people are unable to perceive even a symbol thereof, and He is God, the All-Knowing. Glorified be He in Whose hand is the Kingdom of verses; He sendeth them down as He willeth by His command, and He is God, the Reckoner of all things.

O people of the earth! If ye desire to know true knowledge, then know ye the Dayspring of Light. Say: Glory be to God! He is God, Who hath ever been sanctified above the knowledge of all who exist from eternity.

O Letter of Bounty! Say: Glory be to God! He is God, Who hath ever been hallowed beyond the description of all who are detached, and He is the Truth, Who hath ever been known through His own Self. Say: Glory be to God! He is God, Whom no thing can know and no soul can comprehend, and He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and verily His pure creation hath ever been known to all things.

O ye people of the Concourse! Think not evil thoughts about God, nor speak of that which ye know not, even if ye be acquainted with a letter from the Book of the Command. O Manifestation of Bounty! Bear thou witness that the essence of thy bounty hath ever been prostrate before the bounty of God, the Mighty, the One, besides Whom there is no God, and He is God, the All-Witnessing.

Say: Have ye not witnessed what God revealed aforetime unto the First Beloved, the Very Object of Love—that the covenant of God shall never reach the wrongdoers and the proud? He it is before Whom prostrate themselves whosoever is in the heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them, and He is God, the Preserver of all things. Glorified be He in Whose hand is the Kingdom of the Unseen and the Dominion of the Manifest; He manifesteth whomsoever He willeth by His command, and verily He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and He is God, independent of all worlds. He it is from Whose knowledge nothing escapeth, whether in the heavens or on the earth or between them, and He is God, Who encompasseth all knowledge.

BH00980: Revealed for he who hath partaken of the wellspring…

Revealed for he who hath partaken of the wellspring of the letter Sad and hath been mentioned by this name amongst the Concourse of eternity in the most glorious horizon.

O thou who art the remnant of Our Most Beautiful Names! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the Ancient Scene, the seat of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. O thou who art the remnant of what was left of the family of Husayn in the land of Taff! Arise to promote the Cause between the heavens and the earth, then let the herald call out that he may summon the servants in these grievous days to the Manifestation of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Verily, those who today are veiled in heedlessness—these have forgotten the remembrance of their Lord, and their souls have suggested to them a course of action, but thy Lord, the Help in Peril, is independent of them and of all created things.

Say: O people! Fear God and deny not Him through Whom every wise command hath been made manifest, and unto Whom the Cause shall return in the hereafter and the former times—a promise binding upon Us; verily We are they who cause all to return. And whoso is not detached today from all things shall never be able to enter the Kingdom of God, thy Lord. Thus hath the command been sent down from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Say: O people! Follow that which hath been revealed in the Book and be not of the ignorant. Purify yourselves through the remembrance of God and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Say: By God! We have sanctified Our soul from all things and have veiled Our countenance from the gaze of all peoples, and were silent from all remembrances and from every new remembrance, and We witnessed that the people were veiled from the Cause of God, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the Most High, the All-Knowing. And there was none to remind the people and draw them nigh unto Paradise and guide them to the path of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Thereupon We arose to promote the Cause and manifested the Face with clear sovereignty until the Cause reached the East of the earth and its West, and the power of God was made manifest and encompassed all peoples, and the hearts of the troubled were set at rest, and the sun of assurance shone forth from the horizon of might with manifest and glorious lights.

Behold! When the concourse of the Bayan rose up against Me, and denied Me, and rejected Me with whatsoever power they possessed, God was witness thereunto and cognizant thereof. Say: O concourse of the Bayan! Did not God take from you the Covenant in all the Tablets, that should any soul come unto you with the verses of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, ye would not be veiled by aught from that which He hath created, but would hasten unto Him and be of them that make haste? Yet ye have disbelieved in Him and in Him from Whom all verses have been revealed in every age since the generations of old. Ye have clung fast to the verses, yet have denied Him Who revealed them. Woe unto you, O ye heedless ones!

By God, the True One! He Who uttereth today the verses of God in the Bayan—should any soul fail to believe in this Cause, the very verses themselves and their reality shall confound him, and every just and knowing one beareth witness thereunto. And whosoever hath in his house the Tablets of the Bayan, yet remaineth veiled from that which God hath revealed in truth, him do the Tablets themselves belie—nay, all things, were he of them that hear. And they address him in his secret heart, saying:

“O thou heedless one! By what proof hast thou taken me as thy path unto God, while thou hast left My Revealer behind thee? Remember, then, and be not of the silent ones!”

By God, the True One! Thy likeness is as the likeness of those whose houses were filled with the Books of God and His Scriptures, yet who denied His verses, warred against His very Self, rejected His meeting, and were of them that join partners with God.

Say: O My people! By God, I am naught but a servant who hath believed in God and His verses. Beware lest ye deny Me; then have mercy upon Mine own soul and the souls of the servants, and be not of them that reject.

Did aught avail the people of the Furqan when the Sun of the Name ʿAli shone forth in truth from the horizon of the Will of God, your Lord and the Lord of all the worlds? Nay, by My Beloved! Nothing availed them, nor shall aught ever avail them, and they are indeed in manifest loss.

Say: O people! Turn unto God Who created you and fashioned you and sent down unto you the Tablets of His Cause through His messengers, that they might give you glad tidings of the paradise of His mercy and convey unto you that which would draw you nigh unto a most exalted and holy seat. When the days were fulfilled unto this Day, then did He manifest Me in truth and send Me unto you with all the signs, were ye of those who recognize.

And among the people are those who say that naught hath passed of God’s days save a numbered few and certain known years, and therefore it behooveth not that anyone should appear. Thus have they limited God’s Cause by their own limitations, even as did those before them, and were among the idolators. They say what the people of the Furqan said when God came in the temple of His name, the Most High, the Most Great. These have left not a letter of what was uttered by the people of the Furqan; nay, We find them more veiled than the peoples of old, as ye would testify were ye among those who ponder the verses of God and what issueth from their mouths.

Such as these have denied all God’s bounties and have made His signs into fragments. Thus do We recount unto thee the tale of the idolators, then do We expound unto thee the tale of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: O people! Judge fairly within your own selves which of the two parties is nearer unto God and His way. Set forth, O concourse of the Bayanis! And thou, turn aside from those who have openly denied God, even though thine eyes [behold them]. Thus hath the Tongue of the All-Merciful commanded thee when He was encompassed by sorrows from the manifestations of Satan and was in evident grief.

By God, O thou who art assured in God! When the deniers witnessed that the verses had been sent down from the heaven of Command and had encompassed the worlds, they arose to slay Me. When the hosts of victory descended and God preserved Me from their evil, they arose with another plot through what Satan had whispered in their hearts, and thus was the matter, wert thou of them that hear.

They fabricated against Me that which beseemed their own selves and attributed unto Me that which their own souls and hands had committed, that they might cast the fetters of the Youth into the hearts of the believers. By God, the Truth! Whoso hath drunk from this cup will never turn unto all who are in the heavens and the earth and will be independent of all the worlds.

Thus have We expounded the matter unto thee and bestowed upon thee yet another favor that thou mightest thank God, thy Lord, and be of the thankful ones. And the mercy that hath no beginning and no end be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and upon those who hearken unto thy words concerning God, thy Lord and their Lord and the Lord of all creation.

BH01001: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted.

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of the world and the Ruler of the nations! I testify that Thou hast from eternity been sanctified above the mention of all created things and exalted beyond the loftiest descriptions of Thy creatures. Whensoever Thy devoted servants sought to ascend unto the station of Thy recognition, the hosts of Thy knowledge barred their way; and whensoever Thy near ones desired to gain admittance to the heaven of Thy nearness, the overpowering majesty of Thine utterance kept them back. We bear witness that the loftiest of the divine names are but servants at Thy door, and that their most glorious manifestations bow down before Thy countenance and are humbled in Thy presence. Thou art, in truth, He Who can neither be described in letters, nor evoked by words, nor even contained within the hidden meanings they conceal. For these are all circumscribed by the inherent limitations of speech which characterize all the utterances of the peoples of the world.

Exalted, immeasurably exalted, art Thou above the mention of every soul and the understanding of every heart! Exalted, immeasurably exalted, art Thou above the description of anyone save Thyself and beyond every conception of Thy creatures! Were Thine own Manifestations to soar upon the wings of the seen and the unseen, yet would they fail to attain unto the first effulgence shining from the horizon of Thy most exalted Countenance and the dawning-place of Thy most sublime Revelation. And were the Exponents of Thy Lordship enabled to ascend for as long as the kingdoms of earth and heaven endure, yet would they be forever powerless to draw nigh unto the Day-Star of Thy beauty.

Blessed be the one who comprehendeth Thine enduring reality and the evanescence of all else but Thee, and who acknowledgeth Thy sovereign authority and the powerlessness of all save Thyself. And as the evanescence of all things is established before the surging ocean of Thy remembrance, O King of all names, it likewise becometh evident that their every mention and description falleth short of Thy might and grandeur and ill beseemeth Thy loftiness and power. And yet in spite of this, O my God, Thou hast, out of the wonders of Thy grace and munificence and as a token of Thy bounty and Thy favour, enjoined upon all to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee, and hast accepted their glorification of Thee out of Thy grace and generosity. Wherefore doth Thine own Self call on Thy Self and Thy very Essence invoke Thine Essence on behalf of Thy lovers who have borne every hardship in Thy path and every adversity out of love for Thee and contentment with Thy good-pleasure, in this blessed day which Thou hast made to be a festival for the inmates of Thy kingdom and for those who have kept the Fast by Thy command and obeyed Thy resistless decree.

Exalted be this blessed and glorious day which Thou hast designated by that beloved Name which is both hidden and manifest, and which, when it shone forth above the horizon of eternity, the Divine Lote-Tree called out, saying: “By God! The Lord of creation hath come, Whom no name can describe.” Whereupon Paradise was set astir and proclaimed with joy and fervour: “O concourse of the world! He hath come, round Whom circle the Daysprings of the All-Merciful, the Manifestations of the All-Praised, and the Dawning-Places of inspiration.” And all things cried aloud: “This is that Tablet with which the kingdom of creation hath been adorned and through which the gate leading unto the Divine Presence hath been flung open unto all who are in heaven and on earth.” Happy the one who hath forsaken every desire and hath drawn nigh unto the One Whose reality no word or utterance can convey.

By God! This is the Day whereon from the murmur of the waters can be heard: “No God is there but Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting”, and from the whispering of whose breezes can be heard: “No God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved”, and from the rustling of whose trees can be heard: “No God is there but Him, the Most Powerful, the Ever-Giving, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving”, and beyond them, from the Tongue of Grandeur can be heard: “This is the Day of the appearance of Him Who is manifest yet hidden, Who is visible yet concealed. Hasten unto Him, O ye who are the daysprings of the divine names, and draw nigh unto Him, O ye who dwell in the kingdom of creation, with hearts that have been purified from superstitions and vain imaginings and sanctified from the idle talk of men!”

Immeasurably exalted is the state of Thy loved ones who have clung to the cord of Thy command, held fast to the hem of Thine ordinances, uttered that which hath been permitted unto them in Thy Tablets, transgressed not the bounds ordained in Thy Book, and spoken out in Thy lands with wisdom as decreed in the scrolls of Thy bounty and the epistles of Thy grace. O Lord! Assist them to arise for the triumph of Thy Cause through what Thou hast expounded unto them with Thy most exalted Pen and what Thou hast instructed them in certain of Thy Tablets. O Lord! Leave them not to themselves, but keep them safe through Thy sovereignty and power and assist them through Thy might and bounty.

O Lord! They are Thy servants and bondsmen who have believed in Thee and have drawn nigh unto the heaven of Thy bounty. Suffer them not to be deprived of the tokens of Thy tender mercies in Thy days; neither do thou withhold from them the fragrance of the roses of Thy wisdom. Guide them then, O my God, to the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, that in Thy Name they may immerse themselves therein, and that they may not be saddened by that which their own minds have conceived, nor grieved by all that they have witnessed in Thy path. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful One Whose might every powerful one hath recognized, Whose sovereignty every possessor of majesty hath acknowledged, before the waves of the ocean of Whose knowledge every learned one confesseth his ignorance, and before the evidences of Whose power every soul endued with strength admitteth his helplessness.

Thou art the One, O my God, to Whom every name is abashed to be related, and in Whose presence all things shrink for shame from being mentioned. From eternity Thou hast dwelt in those transcendent heights that are exalted above all mention and description. How great are Thy sovereignty and Thy power and how mighty Thy grandeur!—this, though all things acknowledge that Thou art entirely sanctified from, and immeasurably exalted above, all but Thine own Self. Thou hast subdued the entire world through a single Word that hath been related to the kingdom of Thine utterance and from which the fragrance of the robe of Thy Command hath been wafted.

O Lord of all being and Educator of all things visible and invisible! Grant us ears that are pure, hearts that are sanctified, and eyes that see, so that we may discover the sweetness of Thine enthralling utterance, may fix our gaze upon Thy supreme horizon, and may come to know whatever hath been sent down through Thy bounty, O Thou Who art the King of Names! Kindle then the fire of Thy love in Thy lands, that the hearts of Thy creatures may be set ablaze thereby, that they may turn towards Thee, may recognize Thy unity and acknowledge Thy oneness. O Lord of all names! Rend asunder before their faces the veils of glory, and make known unto them the excellence of this Day which hath been adorned with Thy Name and illumined with the light of Thy Countenance. Thou, verily, art He Whom the good works of the people can never exalt nor their evil deeds deter, Whom the ascendancy of the rulers cannot humble nor the power of the mighty vanquish. Thou doest through Thy sovereignty whatsoever Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Send down, then, upon Thy loved ones, O my God, from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will cause them to fix their gaze upon Thee and to act in accordance with Thy will and behest. Ordain for them, then, what will profit them and preserve them, what will draw them nigh and set them free. Verily Thou art their Lord, their Creator, and their Helper. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

I beseech Thee, moreover, O my God, to unite the hearts of Thy loved ones and to join them together in harmony and fellowship in Thy Cause, that naught may appear from them that would ill beseem them in Thy days. Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

BH01027: Lawh-i-Tabib

This is what hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance: Regarding what ye had mentioned about the upheaval and discord in Iran—this is what We promised in the Tablets.

O physician! Before the sending of Badi’, the divine proof was not complete and conclusive for the people of that land, for the ruler had not been fully informed of the details, nor had anyone openly conveyed to him a word of truth. However, after the appearance of Badi’, through divine power and the delivery of the divine Word and Book, the proof and evidence became complete and conclusive. When they turned not to the spiritual bounty, they were deprived of outward blessings as well. This tribulation was decreed by God, the Lord of Names. Now one must ponder what caused the drops from the ocean of divine wrath to grant respite to the ruler while seizing the others. With thy Lord is the knowledge of what was and what shall be. He is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Had people reflected upon these occurrences and this great calamity, thou wouldst have found all turning toward the shore of divine unity. But that which He willed hath come to pass. He, verily, is the One Who is desired. O physician! Vain imaginings have prevented the people from the Lord of all beings. Observe the People of the Furqan, who through vain and idle fancies were deprived of the King of utterance. Two matters were established and confirmed among that people, to such extent that they occupied themselves day and night with their mention: one was the mention of the Qa’im, and one the mention of succession. Regarding the Qa’im, thou hast witnessed that what they held was mere fancy. Now leave aside the People of the Furqan and observe certain People of the Bayan who have once again clung to former vain imaginings, even as the evil one of Isfahan mentioned succession to everyone he met, hoping that through reference to former imaginings he might deprive people from the shore of justice—although that evil one himself knew that there was never any mention of succession in the Bayan, and moreover he was not informed about Yahya’s cause. Nevertheless, he and his followers, through their whisperings, prevent people from the Countenance of the Chosen One.

This is why people have not yet attained maturity. Were they mature, they would not be prevented from the One mentioned by such mentions, nor would they remain distant from Him through Whose one word a hundred thousand saints are created. Blessed is the soul who rendeth asunder all veils of fancy and with penetrating vision gazeth upon the Dawning-Place of divine oneness.

Although the People of the Bayan witnessed that all they formerly possessed was mere fancy, still they remain veiled from the Lord of creation through the imaginings of the idolaters. Today, if one doth not consider all these stations as non-existent and null, he is not counted as human in God’s sight, let alone achieving lofty stations. With the ear of the spirit, hearken to the call of the All-Merciful saying: Verily the wayfarer on the white path and the crimson pillar shall never reach the station of his homeland—that is, the station of meeting his Lord—except by emptying his hands of what is in people’s hands, what their tongues speak, and what their hearts imagine. How excellent is he who hath attained unto this most exalted station, this ultimate goal, this highest summit!

The followers of the Bayan have risen up against Me with a cruelty unparalleled in the world. Had they but observed with the eye of equity and turned unto that which God hath desired, the fragrance of the divine Robe would have embraced them all. By Him Who hath caused Me to speak the truth, they are seen to be so bereft of justice and heedless that naught above it can be imagined. I beseech God to assist them to recognize this Manifestation, than Whom the eye of creation hath seen none more wondrous. Say: By God! He is the Originator of the heavens and earth, and He is the Lamp of God unto all the worlds.

As to what thou didst mention concerning the Mim, he hath indeed transgressed. Soon shall he witness his loss for what he hath committed, except he repent and return. He, verily, is the Judge, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. We have withheld the Pen concerning his state, for he hath no opinion of his own but is governed by those around him. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a mighty Tablet. Grieve not over this, for God shall soon render victorious His loved ones and seize those who have wronged. This, verily, is a truth assured.

O Physician! We hear the lamentation of the House. It saith:

“O Lord! Deliver me from the wrongdoing people. O my God! Send forth one who will take me, free me, and restore me. Thou art, verily, powerful over this, and Thou art the Mighty, the Omnipotent. How long shall I remain in the possession of those who have denied Thee and Thy mighty signs? O Lord! Deliver me from these unbelievers who heard not Thy call nor answered Thee. Vain imaginings have so seized them that they turned away from Thee and opposed Thee after Thou didst come unto them from the Dayspring of grace with manifest sovereignty.”

If someone could be found there who would lease it even temporarily, this would be favored. The matter is in God’s hands. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. Convey My greetings to My loved ones and give them glad tidings of My remembrance of them. We beseech God to assist them to remain steadfast in His love, for nothing in creation can equal it. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Convey My greetings to Abdul-Rahim. We beseech God to strengthen him in His love such that he may cast vain imaginings beneath his feet and shatter the idol of idle fancies through the name of his Lord, the Mighty, the Wise, and assist him to serve and obey Him, sanctify him from the whisperings of the corrupters, and make him mindful of Him among His servants. He is the Protector of whosoever turneth unto Him. There is no God but He, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. May the glory be upon thee and upon him and upon them from One Mighty and Wise.

BH01052: Thou art the Most Exalted in the Abha horizon

Thou art the Most Exalted in the Abha horizon.

This is a Book wherein is mentioned that which causeth tears to flow from the eyes of them that are nigh unto God. O Pen! Make mention of that which hath befallen the Remembrance of God and His Beauty, that perchance God may thereby raise up one who will regard this Cause with his own eyes and will not be hindered by the clamor of the ungodly, who will ponder this Revelation in the days when He was among the servants, encompassed by the hosts of Satan, who will sanctify himself from all allusions and will consider the proofs of the Prophets and Messengers.

Say: O people! Fear ye God, then be ashamed before Him Who created you and created the heavens and earth, and sent down unto you that which made you independent of all peoples of the past, and made you the evidence of His Self amongst all worlds, and counseled you in all the Tablets not to follow your desires on the Day of Revelation, and not to be veiled by the Primal One of the Bayan nor by what was revealed in My Book. For verily all that appeareth from Me is dependent upon His command and is suspended upon the will of Him Who is with Him. Verily He doeth what He willeth. Not a line remaineth but that He hath counseled you therein concerning this irrevocable and mighty Cause.

Ye recognized Him and believed in Him, as ye claimed, and accepted what was sent down unto you from the heaven of mighty and sublime glory. When those days passed, He appeared with another name and sent down unto you what He had sent down before of the mighty, powerful and wondrous verses of God. Ye witnessed from Him what ye had not witnessed from any other, and none denieth this save every aggressive transgressor. He sacrificed Himself at every moment for the Cause of God, His Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Yet ye believed not in Him and denied after your profession of faith, and were not content with what God had chosen for you. Rather, ye assailed Him each day with fresh attacks and rose up to war against Him after all religions had opposed Him. Ye feared not God Who created you for His meeting and gave you glad tidings of His Own Self, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Would that ye had been content with those deeds! Nay, ye increased in your wretchedness until ye purposed to shed this pure and luminous Blood. Say: Away with you! Ye beheld the grace of God and then denied it. Perish, then, ye concourse of the heedless! And when ye found yourselves powerless to accomplish that which ye desired, ye rose up to fabricate calumnies, that ye might cast hatred into the breasts of them who sought the Face at eventide and at morn, and lead them astray from the manifest and straight Path of God. Can the Cause of God be nullified because His servants, the transgressors, speak ill of Him? No, by the Lord of the worlds!

Say: Have ye disbelieved in God, and yet argue with the very proofs whereby the divines of the Furqan contended in those days when the heaven of vain imaginings was rent asunder, and God came down with the lofty heights of His holiness, and the matter was decreed by One Who is Wise, All-Knowing? Then did the divines, one and all, deny Him, and cried out within themselves, and reasoned, saying: “This man hath claimed prophethood for himself,” after God had set down in His glorious Book that He had sealed prophethood with Muhammad, the Messenger of God. So did they object with the signs that were in their possession, until at length they slew Him wrongfully. The curse of God be upon the unjust!

Yet ye—though ye possess not the like of those words—while the Text of the Bayan itself hath expressly ordained that He shall come and none can avert Him; yea, it hath announced unto you, and unto all that are in the heavens and on the earth, His Manifestation and His sovereignty; and it hath enjoined upon you that ye do not act as did the people of the Furqan, but be ye of the God-fearing.

It hath moreover declared that He—glorified and exalted be He—cannot be known without Him; and that even should He reveal Himself again in another hour, no one hath the right to object unto Him, for He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He desireth. Yet, notwithstanding all this, ye have done, O people of the Bayan, that whereat the Spirit of Faithfulness sat upon ashes and wept, and the eyes of the inmates of Paradise wept; then did the dwellers behind the Veil of holiness weep; and even now the Eye of Grandeur weepeth, whilst ye rejoice and are numbered among the rejoicers.

God is My witness, O people! I was asleep on My couch, when lo, the Breeze of God wafting over Me roused Me from My slumber. His quickening Spirit revived Me, and My tongue was unloosed to voice His Call. Accuse Me not of having transgressed against God. Behold Me, not with your eyes but with Mine. Thus admonisheth you He Who is the Gracious, the All-Knowing. Think ye, O people, that I hold within My grasp the control of God’s ultimate Will and Purpose? Far be it from Me to advance such claim. To this I testify before God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Had the ultimate destiny of God’s Faith been in Mine hands, I would have never consented, even though for one moment, to manifest Myself unto you, nor would I have allowed one word to fall from My lips. Of this God Himself is, verily, a witness.

And if my Beloved were to command me to bear stones from the mountains, this would be dearer unto me than to consort with these idolaters. Alone did I withdraw from among the servants, and I journeyed for two years in the wilderness, severed from all that dwell in the kingdom. Then, when the appointed promise came, He returned me unto the servants once again; and the decree proceeded from Him, not from myself nor from my desire. To this do all the atoms bear witness, would ye but hearken.

Would that men had been informed of the origin of the Cause! By the True One! none became acquainted therewith save myself; yet did We conceal it, and caused the mention of him whom I had reared by my word to be spread abroad, in order to safeguard the Dayspring of the Revelation. And when he beheld his name made renowned, he rose up in warfare against my wronged and peerless self.

And thou, O servant, ponder the Cause of God, for His Cause is too great to be concealed, and His signs too manifest to be veiled by the shrouds of the ungodly. Would that thou wert with Me and knew what hath befallen My soul! But what is decreed hath come to pass. Therefore arise to serve the Cause, then aid God as thou art able, and be not of the patient ones. Forsake the world, then take the cup of eternity and drink therefrom, and be not of them that hesitate. Purify thyself from all allusions, then ascend unto the horizon of God, the Most High, the Most Great. Thus do We command thee out of love for thyself, lest thy feet should slip from the path of God, the Manifest, the Mighty, the Luminous. And glory be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

BH01049: Blessed art thou, O Samandar of the Fire, inasmuch…

In the name of God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted!

Blessed art thou, O Samandar of the Fire, inasmuch as thou hast been enkindled by the fire that hath appeared upon the Temple of the Chosen One in these days wherein veils have enshrouded all who are in the heavens and on earth, save for a number of the letters of Our Most Beautiful Names. By God, the True One! They are, at this hour, among those who dwell in the highest Paradise. Hearken unto that which God hath cast upon thee, and at this moment He casteth upon thee a Book of glorious and noble nature. Verily it is from thy Lord, and it beginneth: In the Name of God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Most Wondrous, the Most Beauteous.

We have ordained in each letter thereof a paradise wherein thou mayest enter by thy Lord’s leave and partake of that which thy Lord, the Mighty, the Merciful, hath ordained of His bounties. And We have caused to flow in each paradise rivers that flow only by virtue of My Name, the All-Flowing, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, the Holy, the Luminous, that thou mayest drink therefrom cup after cup, then goblet after goblet, then bowl after bowl, then pitcher after pitcher, then vessel after vessel, that thou mayest be so transported by thy Lord’s choice wine that thy melodies may attract all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus do We strengthen whom We will, and elevate whom We will, and distinguish with favor from Our presence Our sincere servants.

There hath come before the Throne from thee a letter, then another letter thereafter, and We found them purified from the allusions of them that make allusion, sanctified from the references of them that make reference, and detached from the mention of aught else but Me. Thus it behooveth thee and those who have been raised up by Our Will and a spirit from Our presence—thus were We the Senders. The Hand of Power took thy letter and toward it was directed the gaze of God, thy Lord, as a favor from Him unto thee, that thou mightest be of the thankful. We commanded him who was present before the Throne to read it, and when he read, there spread from it the fragrance of holiness that wafted from the direction of thy heart. Thus do We teach whom We will and inspire whom We will among Our near-serving servants.

We have heard thy cry in thy longing to meet thy Lord, the Most Merciful, in those days wherein all the peoples of the realms were veiled from His beauty, save those whom the hand of the All-Glorious seized and delivered from the depths of self and passion, and brought nigh unto the shore of a mighty sea. We witnessed the fire of thy love in thy words, as though it were ablaze in every letter of thy letter. Blessed be the loins from which thou didst spring forth and the mother who bore thee! At that moment the Concourse on High take pride in thy noble being. We have indeed raised him up at this hour in the most excellent manner and have accepted from him what escaped him in the former life and have ordained for him an exalted and glorious station. All this is of Our favor unto thee and Our mercy toward thee, for thou hast entered a station which none enter save they whose eyes turn not to what hath been created in the realm of origination and invention, and who turn only to the Manifestation of God, the Mighty, the Sublime, the Great.

Blessed art thou for having attained unto this station and having drunk from the cup of certitude and having detached thyself from all the worlds. Verily, they who have hastened this day to their Lord’s grace—these are the most excellent of people and the most distinguished in the sight of thy Lord. By God, the True One! The people of Paradise glory in their presence, and the servants who dwell beyond the pavilions of eternity send their prayers upon them. These are servants whom God hath honored above His creatures and His servants, and made them pure from the defilement of idle fancy, and chosen them for His Own Self, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Encompassing. Be thou steadfast, O servant who gazeth upon the Throne, in the Cause, such that all else shall testify that on that Day none amongst them shall be mentioned between the heavens and the earth.

What thou hast mentioned in thy letter was that which We had revealed aforetime in the Best of Stories, which We made a testimony unto all created things. By My life! Thy mention of this verse is better in the sight of thy Lord than the kingdom of the heavens and earth and all that hath been and shall be created. My All-Knowing Self sufficeth as witness to what I say. We have therefore accepted thee in truth, nurtured thee with the hands of grace, and caused thee to drink from the ruby cup of divine dominion the choice wine proffered by this Youth, in Whose praise the denizens of the Kingdom have spoken, saying:

“By God! This is no mortal. This is none other than a noble angel.”

We have arrayed thee with the robes of grace, caused thee to dwell beneath the sacred Lote-Tree, and preserved thee from the mischief of every mischief-maker—they who had believed in My Self aforetime, but when We changed the garment of Names and manifested the Countenance with another name, they denied My Self, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Thus was their falsehood in the former time made manifest. The curse of God be upon the liars!

Arise to fulfill thy Lord’s command, then teach the people with such wisdom as thou art able, for thus have We ordained for every soul, and We are verily powerful to do so. And if thou seest those who turn away from this Beauty, say:

“O people! Fear God and be fair in your own selves. If ye deny this Beauty Who hath appeared with all signs, by what proof do ye uphold your faith and in your hearts rejoice? Do ye imagine that ye believed in the Bab aforetime? Nay, by My Self! For He hath now appeared with all names and is established upon a mighty and glorious throne, calling you with all signs, yet ye answer Him not. Rather, ye assail Him with the darts of discord and feel no shame before Him Who strengthened you in His Cause, made Himself known to you, and gave you glad tidings of this sacred, mighty, and exalted Manifestation.”

Say: “O people! Come, let us take what we have and enter the abode of those who were among the concourse of the Torah and the Gospel. I shall read from God’s Tablet, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Powerful, and ye shall read what ye have, and we shall ask them which is greater, that perchance through their confirmation the sun of fairness may shine from your hearts and ye may be numbered with the fair-minded.” Thus have We commanded thee, taught thee, inspired thee, imparted to thee, and mentioned thee in the Tablet, that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and be of those who remember and render great thanksgiving.

And the splendor that hath shone forth from the direction of the Throne be upon thee, thy brother, thy sister, and thy kindred who have believed in God and His signs and who are steadfast in a straight and true path.

BH01048: May this evanescent servant be a sacrifice unto…

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

May this evanescent servant be a sacrifice unto that divine friend! O beloved of my soul and spiritual friend! In the assemblage of the All-Merciful, in the presence of the All-Glorious, in the sacred precincts of the Most Glorious—how we miss your presence, how we miss your presence! Though outwardly that beloved one has become distant from the sacred precincts near the Beloved and from the intimate gathering of the Countenance of the Desired One, in reality you have always been and continue to be present in the most pure presence, and God’s gaze from the greatest vista remains fixed upon you. Blessed art thou, blessed art thou!

For months you dwelt in the Seat of Revelation of the Lord of Names and Attributes, circling round the Ancient Beauty, exalted be His glory, and were intimate with the Branches and Twigs of the divine Lote-Tree, magnificent be their station and glorious be their praise. Every night you were blessed with the effulgences of the eternal Sun and heard directly the divine utterances from the Tongue of grandeur and majesty. Were all the tongues of contingent beings and the realities of [existence] to attempt to enumerate but a drop from the oceans of grace that flowed from the Repository, Source and Fountainhead of the Most Great Bounty unto you, they would surely find themselves utterly powerless and wanting. All this is from the grace of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

From the right of the Most Great Throne has been revealed, exalted be His glory: “O Hasan! Upon thee be the glory of God, His remembrance and His praise.” The Most Ancient Pen declares: The wayfarers have become a barrier between the Sun and Its radiating lights, thus the delivery of divine trusts has been delayed. Grieve not at this, for every matter is dependent upon its appointed time. When its time comes to pass, that which thy Lord, the Possessor of Names and Attributes, hath ordained shall be made manifest. God willing, be in the utmost joy and fragrance and be not saddened by this. The essence of every matter and above every deed has been and shall ever be the love of God. Whosoever attains unto this, it behooveth him to be content with whatsoever God hath decreed for him. Blessed art thou for having attained, heard, seen and known. Be steadfast and be of the thankful ones.” Thus endeth what the Tongue of Revelation hath spoken.

Furthermore, convey infinite expressions of devotion and greetings on behalf of this servant to Mulla ʿAbdu’l-Husayn. All his petitions were presented before the Most Holy Throne. We beseech God to assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with. However, what this evanescent servant deems advisable is that he should turn his face toward the Desired One and attain the presence of the Throne, that is, to accompany you on your return.

Additionally, according to the blessed command, if there be any Huququ’llah available with the aforementioned Haji, fifty […] should be taken and distributed among the loved ones of God and the children of those who were martyred in His path, and the handmaidens who remain without spouse, according to the following details: Baba, upon him be the glory of God […] the sons of Abdu’l-Wahhab Bey who was martyred in the path of God […] the handmaids of God who remain without spouse, the wife of Mirza Khuda-Virdi who left her husband and believed in God […] the wife of Abdu’l-Fattah who was martyred in His path […] the sister of Najaf-Ali Amu who believed in God […] [Mah] Bibi ʿAmmih […] five tumans […]

Furthermore, broadcloth should be purchased and given to Asadu’llah Bey who was a servant of the Cause. They said:

“O Hasan! Worldly means are not available, otherwise these amounts would not be fitting. That which is worthy and befitting the souls of the believers shall, by My life, before the Truth, remain treasured and preserved, and ere long they shall attain unto it.”

End.

A single seal bearing the Greatest Name, may His glory be exalted, which was promised has been sent. However, it is commanded that no one should make a copy of it or reproduce it on paper. This has been forbidden to the believers. After completion, it should be placed in a location and its cover sealed firmly with a seal and sent to the Most Holy Court. God willing, they have been and will be vigilant in all matters [pertaining to the Cause of God] and mindful of [the divine counsels] which they heard without veil or barrier from the tongue of the Lord of Lords, and be ever-mindful of these among His servants. The request and hope of this evanescent servant is that you convey to all the loved ones of God whom you meet in every quarter boundless expressions of devotion and the Most Sublime, Most Mighty, Most Glorious greeting on behalf of this servant.

Furthermore, the Most Great Consort of God and [the Most Great Consort of God], may God sanctify the mention of [their gestures] above the pen, desired to write something special with the pen of loving-kindness and mercy, but an eye ailment prevented Their Honors from expressing what they intended. They instructed this servant to specifically convey Their greetings and glory to your honor. Upon you be the glory and grandeur of God from the dwellers of the pavilion of His might and the domes of His exaltation and the sanctuary of His holiness and the house of His infallibility.

Moreover, if you hear mention of any marriage arrangement regarding the Greater Branch, may his glory and station be exalted, pay no attention to it whatsoever and remain occupied with what you had intended, whether concerning the Most Great Branch or the Greater Branch, exalted be their mention and may the spirit of all worlds be sacrificed for them both. Upon you be the glory of God and the glory of the denizens of all the worlds. Likewise, the blessed Leaf of the divine [Lote-Tree], exalted and mighty be their most glorious glory, conveyed wondrous greetings and mighty, sublime glory. Then upon you be the glory of God from the branches of the Tree of His singleness and the leaves of the Tree of His oneness and the twigs of His majesty and grandeur. The Tablets of Q and T and T and […] have all been sent to your honor to be delivered.

BH01072: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! In this…

In the name of God, the Sanctified, the Mighty, the Beautiful!

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! In this moment I confess and acknowledge my powerlessness to know Thy supreme Self in Thy Most Exalted Name, and my incapacity to comprehend Thy Essence, O Thou in Whose grasp lie the kingdoms of names. For the loftiest hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee, and the highest understanding of them that are devoted to Thy unity, are bound by Thy will, held within Thy grasp, and created by Thy command. How then can the created soar in the atmosphere of nearness to the Essence, or attain unto the Lord of earth and heaven?

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! O my God, I testify in this my station before Thee that the most eloquent have not reached the court of Thy singular glory, and the most learned have not comprehended the wonders of Thy knowledge and understanding. All who are enamoured cry out in the wilderness of separation, yearning for Thy nearness, and all who are longing call forth in the Sinai of longing, seeking reunion with Thee. Some have attained the ultimate of what they sought of the gems of Thy mercy and the essence of Thy bounty, while others have perished in their exile and separation from Thee, never finding the path to Thy nearness and meeting with Thee.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Whenever I consider my self and my deeds in Thy kingdom, bewilderment and sorrow seize me to such degree that I become despairing of the sweet fragrances of Thy glorious mercy and deprived of the glances of Thine eye of grace. Yet whenever I turn, O my God, to the wonders of Thy mercy and the gems of Thy bounty, the breezes of assurance waft upon me from the direction of grace and loving-kindness.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Beloved, my Lord and my Support! Beseemeth it One like Thee to deprive him who hath placed his whole trust in Thee, who hath detached himself from all in the heavens and the earth, and who hath taken refuge in the sovereignty of Thy grace? By Thy glory, O my Beloved! Even shouldst Thou give me all that Thou hast created and shalt create, and make me sovereign over all who dwell in the kingdom of Thy Cause and creation, and seat me upon the throne of grandeur and power and the seat of loftiness and independence, yet deny me the sweet fragrances of Thy mercy and the breezes of Thy bounty for less than a moment—by Thy glory, my soul would not be content, my heart would not find peace, and my spirit would find no rest.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee, O my Beloved! How exalted are the stations of Thy sovereign glory, and how abject are the ranks of Thy servant’s lowliness in his love for Thee! How resplendent are the manifestations of Thy wealth, and how evident are the expressions of poverty in Thy servant! By Thy beauty, O my God, my abasement and poverty, then my distress and desperation have reached such a state that abasement itself flees from my abasement, and the very essence of adversity takes flight from my adversity.

Hast Thou decreed, O my God, that the glances of Thine eye of mercy shall never again turn to Thy glory? Hast Thou inscribed, O my Beloved, upon the tablet of Thy preservation that Thou wilt not send upon Thy servant the holy winds of Thy grace? Then would weeping itself weep at my weeping, and the secret of fire would burn from my burning. I know not, O my God, in what thing I might find joy in Thy dominion, or by what matter I might find solace in Thy realm, after my shirt has been stained with my blood through what hath befallen me from the swords of hatred and rancor, and my heart has been pierced by the spears of the people of tyranny and wickedness. They have been made happy by Thy irrevocable decree and Thy destined destiny. Yet with all this, O my Most Exalted God and my Most Glorious Beauty, I have nothing wherewith to occupy myself, or find solace in, or trust in, such that I find myself stripped of every praiseworthy attribute and devoid of every acceptable quality.

O my God! Thou hast not given me a pen wherewith I might write the verses of Thy glorious oneness, nor knowledge whereby I might ascend to the sublime heaven of Thy unity, nor wisdom through which I might soar to the holy precincts of Thy singleness, nor certitude by which I might travel through the realms of Thy divine dominion. I have no heart to comprehend the wonders of the signs of Thy sovereignty, no wings to fly in the atmosphere of Thy oneness, no power to enumerate the manifestations of Thy craftsmanship in the horizons of Thy knowledge and the souls of Thy wisdom, no strength to raise the banners of Thy triumph and victory, no eye to witness the radiance of the lights of Thy beauty, no tongue to mention Thee in the paradise of Thy exaltation, no sense of smell to inhale the fragrance of the garment from the Joseph of Thy mercy, no ear to hear the melodies of the dove of Thy rapture and longing, no hand to grasp the scrolls of Thy unity, and no foot to hasten to the shore of the ocean of Thy nearness and reunion.

Therefore, O my God, what wilt Thou do with this poor one who hath confessed all this against himself, and who, despite this utter destitution, hath arisen before the gate of the city of Thy supreme mercy and arrived at the pavilions of Thy mighty grace? Wilt Thou, O my God, turn him away from Thy gate, from which Thou hast never turned away anyone throughout all eternity? Nay, by Thy glory! Thou wilt not disappoint him of the garment of Thy grace, nor wilt Thou deprive him of the sanctuary of Thy reunion and the shelter of Thy mercy, unless he should seek from Thee aught except Thyself—and this can never be, for Thou wert when naught existed with Thee, and Thou wilt ever be as Thou hast been. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst bring the contingent beings into existence and didst manifest all created things, and through which Thou didst rend asunder the veils from the face of all who are in the heavens and on earth, that Thou mayest cause this poor one and these poor ones who have emigrated with him to enter the city of Thy riches within the pavilion of Thy glory and might. Then assist us with the wonders of Thy help, clothe us in the garment of Thy love, and deprive us not, O my God, of what lieth with Thee—and nothing lieth with Thee save Thyself—and my hope is in none save Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH01071: Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I…

In the name of God, the Most Holy

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! I testify that Thou wast a hidden Treasure wrapped within Thine immemorial Being and an impenetrable Mystery enshrined in Thine own Essence. Wishing to reveal Thyself, Thou didst call into being the Greater and the Lesser Worlds, and didst choose Man above all Thy creatures, and didst make Him a sign of both of these worlds, O Thou Who art our Lord, the Most Compassionate!

Thou didst raise Him up to occupy Thy throne before all the people of Thy creation. Thou didst enable Him to unravel Thy mysteries, and to shine with the lights of Thine inspiration and Thy Revelation, and to manifest Thy names and Thine attributes. Through Him Thou didst adorn the preamble of the book of Thy creation, O Thou Who art the Ruler of the universe Thou hast fashioned!

I bear witness that in His person solidity and fluidity have been joined and combined. Through His immovable constancy in Thy Cause, and His unwavering adherence to whatsoever Thou, in the plentitude of the light of Thy glory, didst unveil to His eyes, throughout the domains of Thy Revelation and creation, the souls of Thy servants were stirred up in their longing for Thy Kingdom, and the dwellers of Thy realms rushed forth to enter into Thy heavenly dominion. Through the restlessness He evinced in Thy path, the feet of all them that are devoted to Thee were steeled and confirmed to manifest Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures, and to demonstrate Thy sovereignty throughout Thy realm.

How great, O my God, is this Thy most excellent handiwork, and how consummate Thy creation, which hath caused every understanding heart and mind to marvel! And when the set time was fulfilled, and what had been preordained came to pass, Thou didst unloose His tongue to praise Thee, and to lay bare Thy mysteries before all Thy creation, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names, and the Fashioner of earth and heaven! Through Him all created things were made to glorify Thee, and to celebrate Thy praise, and every soul was directed towards the kingdom of Thy revelation and Thy sovereignty.

At one time, Thou didst raise Him up, O my God, and didst attire Him with the ornament of the name of Him Who conversed with Thee (Moses), and didst through Him uncover all that Thy will had decreed and Thine irrevocable purpose ordained. At another time, Thou didst adorn Him with the name of Him Who was Thy Spirit (Jesus), and didst send Him down out of the heaven of Thy will, for the edification of Thy people, infusing thereby the spirit of life into the hearts of the sincere among Thy servants and the faithful among Thy creatures. Again, Thou didst reveal Him, decked forth by the name of Him Who was Thy Friend (Muhammad), and caused Him to shine brightly above the horizon of Hijaz, as a token of Thy power and an evidence of Thy might. Through Him Thou didst send unto Thy servants what enabled them to scale the heights of Thy unity, and to yearn over the wonders of Thy manifold knowledge and wisdom.

I testify, O Thou Who art the Lord of the whole creation, and the Desire of whosoever hath sought Thee, that, amidst Thy creatures, They resemble the sun which no matter how often it riseth and setteth is still the one and the same sun. Whoso maketh any distinction between any of Them hath truly failed to attain the ultimate purpose, and to reach the highest goal, and hath been deprived of the mysteries of unity and of the lights of sanctity and oneness. I testify, moreover, that Thou hast decreed that none on the face of the earth should equal Them, and none of Thy creatures be able to be compared with any of Them, in order that Thine own singleness and peerlessness might be recognized and established.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified be Thy name, O my God! How can I ever befittingly mention Thee or sufficiently praise Thee, that Thou hast manifested Him by the power of Thy might, and caused Him to shine above the horizon of Thy will, and made Him the Day-Spring of Thy signs, and the Dawning-Place of the revelation of Thy names and Thine attributes? How bewilderingly mysterious, moreover, O my God, is His nature and all that Thou hast infused into Him, through Thy strength and by the power of Thy might! At one time He appeareth as the water which is Life indeed, sent down out of the heaven of Thy grace, and poured forth from the clouds of thy mercy, that Thy creatures may be endued with new life, and live as long as Thine own Kingdom endureth.

Every drop of that water would suffice to quicken the dead, and to set their faces in the direction of Thy favors and Thy gifts, and to rid them of all attachment to aught else except Thee. At another time He revealeth Himself as the Fire which Thou didst kindle in the tree of Thy unity, whose heat melted the hearts of Thine ardent lovers when He Who is the Day-Star of the world shone forth above the horizon of ʿIraq. I testify, O my God, that through Him the veils of human fancy were burnt up, and the hearts of men were set towards the scene of Thy most resplendent glory. I implore Thee, O Thou Who art the Supreme Ordainer, not to suffer me to be deprived of the breezes which are wafted in Thy days, the days whereon the sweet smell of the raiment of Thy mercy hath been shed abroad. Neither do Thou keep me back from Thy most great Ocean, every drop of which crieth out and saith:

“Great is the blessedness that awaiteth him who hath been awakened from his sleep by the breath of God which, from the source of His mercy, hath blown over all such of His creatures as have set themselves towards Him!”

Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants are held captive by their own selves and desires. Redeem them from their bondage, O my God, by the power of Thy sovereignty and might, that they may turn towards Thee when He Who is the Revealer of Thy names and attributes is manifested unto men.

Cast upon this poor and desolate creature, O my Lord, the glance of Thy wealth, and flood his heart with the beams of Thy knowledge, that he may apprehend the verities of the unseen world, and discover the mysteries of Thy heavenly realm, and perceive the signs and tokens of Thy kingdom, and behold the manifold revelations of this earthly life all set forth before the face of Him Who is the Revealer of Thine own Self. Direct, then, his eyes, O my God, towards the horizon of Thy loving-kindness, and make steadfast his heart in its attachment to Thee, and unloose his tongue to praise Thee, and make him able to hold fast the cord of Thy love, and to cling to the hem of Thy bounteousness, and to proclaim Thy name amidst Thy creatures, and to recount Thy virtues throughout Thy realm, in such wise that no obstacle will deter him from turning to Thy name, the All-Bountiful, and no veil shut him out from Thee, in Whose hand is the dominion of utterance and the kingdom of all names and attributes!

Hold Thou the hand of this seeker who hath set his face towards Thee, O my Lord, and draw him out of the depths of his vain imaginations, that the light of certainty may shine brightly above the horizon of his heart in the days whereon the sun of the knowledge of Thy creatures hath been darkened through the shining of the Day-Star of Thy glory; the days whereon the moon of the world’s wisdom hath been eclipsed through the appearance of Thy hidden knowledge, and the manifestation of Thy well-guarded secret, and the revelation of Thine enshrined mystery; the days whereon the stars of men’s doings have fallen through the rising of the orb of Thy unity and the shedding of the radiance of Thy transcendent oneness.

I beg of Thee, O my God, by Thy most exalted Word which Thou hast ordained as the Divine Elixir unto all who are in Thy realm, the Elixir through whose potency the crude metal of human life hath been transmuted into purest gold, O Thou in Whose hands are both the visible and invisible kingdoms, to ordain that my choice be conformed to Thy choice and my wish to Thy wish, that I may be entirely content with that which Thou didst desire, and be wholly satisfied with what Thou didst destine for me by Thy bounteousness and favor. Potent art Thou to do as Thou willest. Thou, in very truth, art the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

Happy is the man who hath recognized Thee, and discovered the sweetness of Thy fragrance, and set himself towards Thy kingdom, and tasted of the things that have been perfected therein by Thy grace and favor. Great is the blessedness of him who hath acknowledged Thy most excellent majesty, and whom the veils that have shut out the nations from Thee have not hindered from directing his eyes towards Thee, O Thou Who art the King of eternity and the Quickener of every moldering bone! Blessed, also, is he that hath inhaled Thy sweet savors, and been carried away by Thine utterances in Thy days. Blessed, moreover, be the man that hath turned unto Thee, and woe betide him that hath turned his back upon Thee. Praised be Thou, the Lord of the worlds!

BH11700: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

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

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth and made them a proof from Him unto all the worlds, and through them hath caused to descend from the heaven of His command that which draweth men nigh unto the knowledge of His Self, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Powerful. And therein hath God testified of Himself by His Self that there is none other God but Him and that He is, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. He hath created all things out of nothing by His Will, and brought forth all beings out of non-existence by His Word. Blessed, then, be God, the Best of creators!

He hath sent unto them in every age a Messenger to guide them to the court of sublime glory and to draw them nigh unto God and to detach them from all else save Him—a mercy from His presence, for He, verily, is the Most Merciful of the merciful. Among the people were those who believed, and among them were those who turned away and disbelieved, and were among the arrogant ones, until the days culminated in the Day whereon the Sun of Eternity shone forth from the horizon of holy splendor, accompanied by clear proofs, manifest evidences, and consummate wisdom, which all creation proved powerless to comprehend. Most of the servants disbelieved in Him and rose up against Him in opposition until they slew Him unjustly.

The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people! And by this did the Temples of Names weep in the crimson chambers and the Daysprings of Attributes in the white pavilions, and the hearts of them that are nigh unto God were consumed. Thus did every nation deal with their Messenger, disputing with Him vainly to conceal the beauty of God behind the veils of self and passion. But God destroyed them by His power and made His Cause to triumph through His sovereignty. Verily, there is none other God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

And thou, O servant, know that mention of thy name hath been made before Us. When We found in thy heart the love of God and the Manifestation of His Self, We caused to descend from the clouds of grace verses of holy grandeur and sent them unto thee, that thou mightest inhale therefrom the fragrance of Paradise and be of them that are secure. When this reacheth thee, arise from thy place, then place God’s tablet and trace upon thy head and say:

O my God, my Lord and my Beloved! I have turned my face toward Thee and held fast to the cord of Thy grace and favor, and clung to the hem of the robe of Thy loving-kindness and bounty. Therefore, O my God, disappoint me not of that which lieth with Thee, then send down upon me that which shall detach me from all else save Thee and remind me of the wonders of Thy remembrance at every morn and eve. O Lord! Deprive me not of the breezes of Thy merciful loving-kindness, nor cause me to despair of the dawning splendors of the lights of Thy grace and favors. O Lord! I am the poor one who hath arrived at the shore of Thy riches, and I am the lowly one who hath been stirred in the atmosphere of Thy glory and power. Take my hand with the hand of Thy power and deliver me from the depths of self and passion, and free me from that which preventeth me from soaring in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and knowledge. Verily, Thou hast power over whatsoever Thou willest, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.

Thus have We commanded and taught thee. Act thou according to what thou hast been bidden and be of the thankful. We beseech God to aid thee in His Cause and to establish thee in His love, for verily He is the Protector of them that do good. Know thou that the world and all that is therein shall pass away, and that which shall endure is what hath been ordained for thee in the dominion of God, the Sovereign, the Most High, the Great. Strive then within thyself to attain unto that which hath been ordained for thee by thy Lord, for verily it shall never perish but shall endure as long as thy Lord, thy God, willeth. Then place thy trust in all things in Him, and verily He shall suffice thee above all peoples.

Whoso possesseth the love of God is among the most affluent of men, though he should not have so much as a mustard seed of this world and its ornaments, and whoso is bereft thereof is the poorest of the poor, though he should possess the treasures of the heavens and the earth. Arise with utmost steadfastness in the Cause, then assist thy Lord, and be not of the patient ones. Verily His assistance is His remembrance amongst His servants and the promotion of His firm, unshakeable, and mighty Cause. Be thou enkindled with this crimson fire of the love of God, which blazeth from the midmost heart of the horizons, that thereby the servants may be set ablaze in their love for their Ancient Master.

Say: O people! Commit not that which is unseemly within yourselves, follow not the footsteps of Satan, speak naught save with pure truthfulness, and do not that which ye have been forbidden in the Book of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Glorious. Strive within yourselves that your stations with God may be elevated day by day, and be not of an evil people, the lost. Say: O people! Answer the call of God that hath been raised amongst you, and cast not His words behind your backs. Fear God and be of the God-fearing. Deprive not yourselves of this bounty which hath shone forth from the horizon of holiness with manifest sovereignty, which commandeth you to righteousness and guidance, and forbiddeth you from that which would remove you far from the good-pleasure of God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.

O people! Purify your hearts that the lights of your Lord’s revelation, the Merciful, the Compassionate, may be imprinted thereon. Then purify your tongues that they may move in remembrance of your Creator, for this is better for you than all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth, were ye but to know. Verily, they who have turned away from God in these days, these are they whom their own selves and desires have overcome. Soon shall they return to dust with great sorrow and remorse. They shall find for themselves neither helper nor succourer, nor shall they find any protector to shield them from the punishment of a barren day. And they who have believed in God in these days, these shall God cause to ascend unto the holy place, the seat of mighty glory, and He shall send down upon them at all times from the wonders of His mercy which shall never be exhausted. Thus hath it been inscribed in the Tablets by a holy and luminous Pen. The Spirit, the glory and the splendor be upon thee and upon those who have followed that which hath been sent down unto them from a mighty and wondrous Kingdom.

BH01079: These are the verses of God which have been…

He is the Speaker in the Most Exalted Dominion

These are the verses of God which have been sent down in truth, and verily they are a manifest Book. He hath made them a proof from Him and a remembrance for all the worlds. By them have the measures of the Cause been determined and every wise matter distinguished. He hath made them an enduring testimony for all who are in the heavens and on earth—none shall deny them save every heedless and remote one. Verily they are the living waters whereby the hearts of all created things are quickened. They are the Kawthar of the All-Merciful—whoso drinketh thereof shall never thirst. Blessed are they that drink! By them God distinguished between truth and falsehood, light and darkness in centuries past, and will continue to distinguish thereby unto the end that hath no end. Thus hath the matter been decreed upon tablets of sublime glory.

O servant! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the direction of thy Lord’s throne, the Most High, the Most Great—that there is no God but Him. He created all things for the knowledge of His Own Self, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. He sent to every city a Messenger from His presence to bring them glad tidings of God’s good-pleasure and draw them nigh unto the seat of security, the holy and exalted sanctuary. Among the people were those who were guided by God’s guidance, attained His presence, and drank from the hands of submission the pure water of life, and were of the assured ones. And among them were those who turned away and denied God’s signs, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

The centuries passed until they culminated in the Lord of Days, the day whereon the Sun of the Bayan shone forth from the horizon of the All-Merciful and the Beauty of the All-Glorious appeared with a mighty name. Then did all arise in opposition. Among them were those who said: “This is naught but a man who hath forged a lie against God, the Ancient of Days.” And among them were those who said he was possessed, as did one of the divines declare in My presence—and We are witness to this. And among them were those who said: “He speaketh not from his innate nature, but hath stolen God’s words and combined them with his own words.” By reason of that which proceeded from their lips, the eyes of Grandeur have wept, whilst they, upon their seats, remained among the rejoicing.

And He said: ʿO My people! By God, I have come unto you with the Cause of God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old. O My people! Look not upon that which ye possess, but rather gaze upon that which hath been sent down from God, for this is better for you than all things, if ye be of them that know. O My people! Turn your sight unto that which ye have with you of God’s Proof and His testimony, and that which was revealed in that Day, that the truth might be made manifest unto you through clear and perspicuous signs. O My people! Follow not the footsteps of Satan, but follow ye the Faith of the All-Merciful, and be ye of the believers.’

Can aught profit anyone after the appearance of God? Nay, by My Self, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The more He counselled them, the more did their hatred increase, until they slew Him through injustice. The curse of God be upon the wrong-doers! And there believed in Him a few of the people, yea, a few of Our servants who render thanks.

And He enjoined these, in all the Tablets—nay, in every beauteous line—that when the Manifestation should appear, they should not cleave unto aught that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. And He said: ʿO My people! I have manifested Myself for His sake, and I revealed the Bayan for naught save the establishment of His Cause. Fear ye God, and oppose Him not as the people of the Qur’an opposed Me. And when ye hear mention of Him, hasten ye unto Him and take that which is with Him, for without Him naught shall avail you, though ye lay hold on the proofs of the former and the latter generations.”’

When the appointed months and numbered years had elapsed, the heaven of destiny was rent asunder, and the Beauty of the Most High came with the truth upon the clouds of names, clothed in another garment. Thereupon they rose up in hypocrisy against this Light shining from the horizon, broke the Covenant, disbelieved in Him, warred against His person, disputed His verses, denied His evidence, and were numbered among the idolaters until they arose to slay Him. Such was the condition of these heedless ones. When they found themselves powerless to achieve this, they resorted to craftiness and in every season they bring forth a new plot to destroy thereby the Cause of God. Say: Woe unto you! By God, thereby you destroy yourselves, and verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is independent of all worlds. Nothing can add to Him nor can any decree diminish Him. If you believe, it is for your own sake, and if you disbelieve, it returns unto you, and His hem is sanctified from the defilement of the idolaters.

O servant who believeth in God! By God, were I to recount to thee what hath befallen Me, souls and minds could not bear it, and God is witness to this. As for thee, guard thyself and follow not these people, and be of those who ponder the Cause of thy Lord. Know thy Lord by His own Self, not by aught else, for naught else will suffice thee in any way, and all things bear witness to this, if thou art of them that hear. Come forth from behind the veil by thy Lord’s leave, the Mighty, the Bestower. Then take the chalice of immortality in the name of thy Lord, the Most High, between earth and heaven. Then drink thereof and be not of the patient ones.

By God, at the moment the cup toucheth thy lips, the Concourse on High will exclaim, “Happy art thou, O servant who hath believed in God!”, and the denizens of the cities of eternity will cry, “Joy be to thee, O thou who drinketh from the cup of His love!”, and the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim, “Glad tidings to thee, O servant, for thou hast attained unto that which none have attained save those who have detached themselves from all that is in the heavens and the earth and were of them that are detached.” Thus have We inspired thee and taught thee that thou mightest rejoice within thyself and follow the command of thy Master, the Ancient of Days. And glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH01099: We remind those who drink from the Salsabil…

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

We remind those who drink from the Salsabil of love and traverse the desert of affection of words that will guide pure hearts to the ocean of oneness, draw assured souls to the eternal paradise, lead the figuratively poor to true wealth, bestow the crown of everlasting glory upon the spiritually abased, and shower divine knowledge and holy wisdom upon all created things, were the people to turn to the wondrous rays of Beauty.

It is clear and evident to every person of insight that the purpose of the creation of beings has been and ever shall be the knowledge of God. It is manifest and certain that this knowledge cannot be perfected through imagination, nor completed through conjecture and words, for in the realm of words all differing sects are partners. As may be observed, all the dwellers of earth, one and all, consider themselves creatures and recipients of sustenance, and deem themselves to be dwelling beneath the shadow of God’s names and attributes. Thus in every nation and religion there exist certain names which they consider to be channels of divine grace and means of divine mercy.

In this regard, therefore, all who dwell on earth are alike and similar, differing only in the names they use, just as the tongues of all the earth’s inhabitants differ, and likewise the names of their chosen ones and saints differ. In such circumstances, the people of truth must needs have a conclusive proof and an established evidence and station, that they may be distinguished from all created things and not be content with that to which people cling. For all today walk according to their own desires while attributing these to God, exalted be His mention. All are immersed in error while calling it guidance.

Thus did the Supreme and Most Exalted Sovereign establish for Himself a touchstone and criterion, that it might become known which soul has attained to the knowledge of God and which has remained deprived. The day when this divine touchstone appears is known as the Day of Distinction, for on that day the truthful are distinguished from the false, and the lover from the deceitful. This touchstone is the manifestation of the divine meaning in a new temple and novel attire. Thus, whosoever acknowledges and submits to that absolute meaning in this new and glorious attire is truthful in his cause; otherwise he was and shall remain a worshipper of words and fancies. For the purpose of mention and words has been the knowledge of God, and one who has not recognized the Source in His manifestation—what value or effect could the derivative possibly have?

The acts of God are in themselves proof of His truth, as has been and is observed—what mighty matters and great tribulations have occurred and continue to occur, such that no one had or has the capacity to bear even a drop thereof, yet He alone has borne them all. No testimony has been or is more conclusive than these matters. Furthermore, beyond these stations, the Truth is distinguished from all the world and its peoples by His every movement and stillness, such that any eye that is cleansed of the dust of jealousy will, upon mere encounter and observation, recognize Him, and every heart that is sanctified from the veils will instantly attain unto His knowledge, distinguish truth from aught else save Him, and discern the difference between them.

Today all the mystics who have claimed and still claim to possess mystical knowledge have contented themselves with the knowledge of an imaginary Invisible One, and with a mere word have they satisfied themselves in lieu of the spiritual realms. They have not yet grasped this truth: that every invisible must have a visible manifestation, and every word must possess a meaning. A word bereft of meaning can never yield fruit, and an imaginary invisible can never bestow wealth. Therefore the people of truth who hold fast unto the Truth must recognize the Beloved in His new attire, and hasten with heart and soul to His love, that they may be set ablaze with the fire of His love and return to the Source of His presence, which is the goal of immortal hearts and the dawning-place of the resplendent Sun.

This is the revelation of the Bayan in the heaven of utterance. Therefore, O friends, hearken unto the call of your true Friend, and occupy not yourselves with the things of this world and whatsoever is therein. Deprive not yourselves of attaining the presence of the Beauty of your Beloved, Who desireth for you naught save everlasting dominion and an eternal kingdom. He hath never desired aught for Himself, and hath had no purpose except the manifestation of justice and the attainment of His loved ones to the eternal, holy gathering-places. God sufficeth as a witness, and those who possess the knowledge of the Book.

Now some effort is needed, that the Friend be not seen as a stranger, and the rose be not considered as a thorn. The fragrance of the rose is sufficient witness for it, and the very being of the Friend is adequate proof. I hope, God willing, that a soul from among the people of truth in that land may arise with divine love and gather all the people of that land on the shore of the ocean of oneness, that all the people of that region may become as one soul, and the coldness of remoteness and separation may be wholly transformed and eliminated by the warmth of nearness and union. All this is from the grace of God, the Most Exalted, the Most High. And peace be upon him who followeth guidance.

BH01126: These are the verses of the Book sent down…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High!

These are the verses of the Book sent down in truth from God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. It giveth glad tidings to them that believe in the unity of God of His good-pleasure and His presence, and warneth the idolaters of the chastisement of God, the Protector, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

O concourse of light! Hear ye the call of God from this crimson Tree upraised upon this blessed white spot, that verily there is none other God but Him, and that this is His Manifestation and His sovereignty unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth. None knoweth this save him whom God hath aided in His Cause and made him to be among them that are endued with insight.

O Ali-Naqi! Purify thine ears from all that thou hast heard, that thou mayest hearken unto the melodies of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling. By My life! If there remaineth in thine ear a single word of all that hath been mentioned in creation, the Word of thy Lord will not enter therein, for it cannot be joined with aught else. None comprehendeth this save Our chosen servants. And should it enter, thou wilt not find its sweetness, nor wilt thou attain unto the treasures of meaning and mysteries that lie concealed therein.

Likewise the heart—if it be not purified from the love of the world and all that is therein, the lights of thy Lord’s revelation will never be reflected therein, for they cannot be joined with aught else. None denieth this save every froward denier.

Say: O people! Compare not the words of God with aught else, for they shine forth in the heaven of meaning and utterance even as the sun shineth forth at noontide through the power of My Name, the Mighty, the Effulgent. If after the rising of the sun thou shouldst find any radiance or light in the stars, then after the revelation of God’s Word thou wouldst find traces in all else. Nay, by My Self, the Chosen One, if thou be of them that perceive!

Free thyself from the veils of fancy and desire, then turn with thy whole being unto God, thy Lord, the Protector, the All-Forgiving. Blessed art thou, O servant, for having entered the precincts of the Throne and attained the presence of God, thy Lord, at a time when the sun of the beauty of thy Lord was about to shine forth from behind the veils and coverings.

When the promise was fulfilled and the days were accomplished, the Beauty of the Youth appeared more times than can be reckoned. Thereupon every idolatrous unbeliever was thunderstruck. The matter reached such a pass that most of the servants dispersed from around thy Lord, and sovereignty remained with God, the King, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling.

Should thou ask them by what reason they believed in Ali [the Bab] before, yet by what cause they turned away from this Manifestation, there would issue from their mouths that which issued from the mouths of them that disbelieved in God on the day He came with the truth upon clouds of light.

Say: O heedless ones! Fie upon you and upon what ye have acquired in your vain life! Soon shall ye find yourselves and your deeds turned to dust. Thus hath the matter been ordained in a Tablet wherefrom escapeth not whatsoever the servants have wrought in secret and in public.

Say: O people! Fear ye God and dispute not with Him Who hath come to you from the Dayspring of the Spirit with sovereignty and power. Deny not God’s favor after its revelation, and draw not nigh unto the trees that have grown from the root of hell, whose fruits are naught but association with God on a day wherein most eyes were blinded and backs were broken, save those whose backs God strengthened for the triumph of His Cause and upon whom He sent down tranquility from His presence. Verily, there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He aideth whom He willeth through His command and denieth whomsoever He pleases through His authority, and all things have their measure with Him.

And you, O servant, sever yourself from those who have denied God after being encompassed by the verses from all directions, and who wander in the wilderness of evil to such extent that they have taken their vain imaginings as lord instead of God. Thus do We inform you that you may understand the matter and guard yourself against these evil ones. And if they are asked “Who is your God?” they will surely say “God,” yet when God’s verses are recited to them or His manifest power is related to them, their faces darken and they turn away. O servant, hold fast to the cord of God and His grace, for He will protect you from their assault and will send down to you that which will make you independent of all else. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Concealer.

Beware lest you forget God’s favor to you when you entered the Garden of Paradise and heard the melody of God, your Lord, and attained to that for which the righteous died in grief. Hold fast to this Tree in such wise that neither the tempests of trials nor the storms of temptation shall move you, and you shall remain steadfast in the Cause of God, your Lord, remembering Him at eventide and dawn.

Say: Those who plot against God’s Cause—God shall turn their plots back upon themselves, and the plotting of the idolaters leads only to ruin. Say: O concourse of idolaters, rejoice not within yourselves. Wait until the breezes of chastisement encompass you from all directions and the angels of wrath come upon you from every quarter. Then shall you find no helper or supporter for yourselves, and whenever you cry for help, you shall be helped only with further punishment. Thus has it been ordained by God, the Compeller, the All-Compelling.

O servant, take the tablet of God with power from Him, and be a light and mercy unto His loved ones and a flame of fire unto His enemies. Thus have We commanded you. Act according to what you have been commanded and be not of those who mention God with their tongues while heedless of the Sovereign of remembrance. And glory be upon you and upon every discerning believer.

BH01151: In My Name, the Stranger, the Wronged One

In My Name, the Stranger, the Wronged One

All the days have been honoured, O my God, by the arrival of the days upon which Thou hast conferred the name of Ha, each of which Thou hast made a herald and a messenger announcing unto the people the advent of the days on which Thou didst enjoin Thy creation and Thy people to observe the Fast. Thus may every soul prepare himself to behold these days and appoint a place for them in his heart and purify it by Thy Name, the Lord, for their appearance.

O God of existence, and Sovereign over all that is seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Excellent Names and Thy Most Exalted Attributes, and by the Manifestations of Thy Cause in the Kingdom of Creation and the Daysprings of Thy Revelation in the Realm of Eternity, to rain down upon those who have fasted in Thy love the showers from the clouds of Thy mercy and the effusions from the heaven of Thy grace. O Lord! Withhold not from them the recompense of what they have wrought in Thy love and for Thy pleasure.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names, Creator of the heavens, Author of Names, Sovereign of Names, and Raiser and Preserver of the firmament, to open unto the faces of those who have bowed before Thy command the gates of Thy bounty, Thy mercy, and Thy loving-kindness. O Lord! They are the poor, and with Thee are the oceans of wealth; they are the weak, and Thou art the Powerful through Thy might and the Triumphant through Thy sovereignty. O Lord! Thou seest their eyes fixed upon the horizon of Thy bestowals and their hearts turned toward the direction of Thy gifts. Look, O my God, upon the hearts which Thou hast made the thrones of Thy sovereignty and the dawning-places for the manifestation of the lights of Thy love. Sprinkle upon them, O my God, from the ocean of Thy generosity that which shall make them the manifestations of this Name amongst Thy servants.

O Lord! Aid them in that whereby Thy Cause may be exalted in Thy realm. Then make manifest through them that which shall immortalize their names in Thy Kingdom and Thy dominion. O Lord! They are they who have been consumed by the fire of Thy love in Thy lands and have witnessed every hardship in Thy path and have tasted every bitterness, hoping for the honey of bounty from the heaven of Thy generosity. O Lord! They are they who have borne in Thy love what none among Thy servants and creatures have borne. O Lord! The sincere ones are consumed by the fire of separation from Thee—where is the fountain of Thy presence? The near ones have perished in the desert of remoteness from Thee—where then is the sweet water of reunion with Thee?

Hear, O my God, the sighing of Thy lovers, and dost Thou see, O my Beloved, what hath befallen them that long for Thee? By Thy Self! Thou hearest and seest, and Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Thou art He Who, O my God, didst announce unto all my days and my manifestation, and didst make every Book of Thy Books a herald of my Name between earth and heaven, giving glad tidings of the appearance of Thy Most Glorious Beauty. Yet when the world was illumined with the lights of the Most Great Name, each party clung to one of Thy names, and thereby remained heedless of the ocean of Thy knowledge, the sun of Thy wisdom, and the heaven of Thy recognition.

O my God and the God of all things, the Educator of all names! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Manifest, the Hidden, and by Thy Beauty, the Shining, the Treasured, to adorn Thy loved ones with the vesture of trustworthiness among all creatures, and deprive them not of this most exalted station and this most holy, most mighty, most glorious attribute. For Thou hast made it a sun in the heaven of Thy decree and an ornament in the book of Thy laws, and through it is manifested the sanctification of Thy Essence from all surmises and imaginings, and the exaltation of Thy Self above whatsoever hath occurred to the hearts of men. O Lord! Send down upon Thy loved ones from the heaven of Thy grace that which shall purify them from the mention of any one except Thee. Then grant them the chalice of steadfastness from the hands of Thy bounty and generosity, lest intimations debar them from the direction of Thy manifestation.

O Lord! Through Thy name, the All-Bountiful, hath shone forth the luminary of my hope, and through Thy name, the Most Generous, hath been raised the hand of my supplication. By Thy glory, O Beloved of my heart and Goal of my desire! I acknowledge at this moment Thy generosity, even shouldst Thou deny me all that is in Thy earth and Thy heaven. My limbs and members, my blood and flesh, my skin and hair all testify to Thy bounty and favor, even shouldst Thou banish me from Thy realms and lands and render me in need of the meanest thing in Thy kingdom. By Thy might, O Fire of the world and Light of the nations! My tongue and heart cry out and confess Thy pardon and forgiveness, even shouldst Thou torment me throughout the duration of Thy sovereignty. How can one who acknowledgeth not this confess that Thou art the Praised One in Thy deeds and the Obeyed One in Thy command?

O Lord! Thou seest how the fire of Thy love hath encompassed me and taken full possession of my heart and my being. O Lord! Have mercy on him who hath clung to the cord of Thy bounty and held fast to the hem of Thy generosity, who hath found solace in Thy remembrance and circled round Thy will, who hath fasted in Thy love and broken his fast at Thy bidding, and who hath fled from his own self, taking refuge in the stronghold of Thy protection.

O my God, my Lord and my Support! Illumine the hearts of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge, aid them to act in accordance with Thy good-pleasure, and acquaint them, O my God, with the reward of their deeds which Thou hast ordained in Thy kingdom and dominion and in the worlds which none knoweth save Thyself and which none can reckon except Thy knowledge.

O Lord! I am he who standeth before Thy gate and gazeth toward Thy most exalted horizon, hoping for Thy grace for Thy loved ones and anticipating Thy favors for Thy chosen ones. Ordain, O my God, for each of Thy servants that which shall make him well-pleased with Thee, turning unto Thee, steadfast in Thy Cause, drinking the choice wine of revelation from the hand of Thy bounty, and soaring in the atmosphere of Thy love and affection in such wise that he shall see all else as non-existent at the dawning of the Sun of Thy Revelation and as null before the manifestations of the lights of Thy countenance.

O Lord! Write down for Thy loved ones, with Thy Most Exalted Pen which no obliteration can touch, the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, Thou art the Possessor of the Throne and the dust, the All-Manifest One Who gazeth from Thy most glorious horizon. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH01180: Praise be to God Who caused the Sun…

He is the All-Conquering, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting

Praise be to God Who caused the Sun of Baha to dawn from the Horizon of Eternity, by which were illumined the denizens of the highest Paradise who circle round the Throne. Verily there is none other God but Him. He giveth life and causeth death, then causeth death and giveth life, and all are recorded with Him in a preserving tablet.

O Mir-Qabl-Muhammad! Hearken unto that which the Nightingale of Separation warbleth unto thee at this hour when leg was wrapped around leg, when every covenant was broken save the Covenant of God thy Lord, the Creator, and when every book and page was rendered void save the Tablets of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful. O Mir! Detach thyself from the world and all that is therein, all that lieth between, and all that is upon it. Follow not the steps of the idolaters, but put thy trust in God thy Lord and be of them that are steadfast in the Faith of this Youth, the Divine, the Iraqi, the Manifest One. Through Him have all religions been established since the time when Adam was created from water and clay, and shall continue to be established unto the end that hath no end.

O Mir! Purify the mirror of thine heart from every defilement, that thou mayest discern therein the shadow of this wronged and captive One, fallen beneath the swords of hatred through that which the hands of these idolaters have wrought—these who say with their tongues: “By God! we believed in ‘Ali before Nabil.” Yet when He came invested with a sovereignty from the Cause, they denied Him and rejected Him, until they pronounced judgment for His slaying, even as the peoples aforetime pronounced judgment against the Prophets and the Messengers. Their own inmost tongue beareth witness to this: that they are they who lie at every hour of every day.

Say: O people! Is he who fixeth his gaze toward the direction of God like unto him that worshippeth idols, or unto him that followeth the idolaters? By God, O Mir! when thou speakest of them, their faces grow dark, and they twist their tongues within their mouths, nor shall they be able to answer thee. This, verily, is the word of truth, wouldst thou but hearken.

O Mir! canst thou rejoice within thy soul after the gladness of Baha hath been changed into a great sorrow? Canst thou exult in thy spirit after the glad tidings of God have vanished and manifest grief hath come? Canst thou drink water when the Beauty of Baha was athirst in the wilderness? God is witness unto what I say.

Say, O Mir: by God, he whose name hath been noised abroad throughout the lands rose up for His slaying, and would deny Him at every moment and in every time, until the matter reached this station wherein thou dost behold and witness what hath befallen this wronged and captive One, Who in the Kingdom of eternity hath been named Baha. This is that which hath descended from the Pen of a sanctified and radiant One. And thou, O Mir—aid Him with the power of God, that thou mayest be numbered among the helpers of the Beauty of Eternity.

Dost thou, O Mir, dwell at ease in houses after Husayn hath fallen beneath the swords of the people of outward devotion? Dost thou sleep upon a couch while the Light of the horizons stood before these profligates? Yet, in the Cause of God, he will not slumber—neither in the beginning that hath no beginning, nor in the end that hath no end. Thus do I tell thee in truth, that thou mayest be informed of that which hath befallen this trustworthy, resplendent Beauty at the hands of these wicked oppressors.

O Mir! Purify thine eye from the bounds of mortal men, and follow not the footsteps of guile and treachery. Then look upon this Most Great Scene, that thou mayest become aware of that which lieth hidden in the treasuries of manifest holiness. Then recite this prayer:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Beauty, by the splendours of the Sun of Thy bounty and Thy gifts, to cut me off from all that Thou hast created in the heavens and on the earth, and to make me wholly devoted to Thy luminous, most luminous Countenance, and sincere in Thy exalted, most exalted religion—O Thou Who wast sanctified above all that can be known or spoken, and above all that tongues can testify.

I beseech Thee further, O my God, by the clouds of Thy generosity and Thy munificence, and by the showers of Thy loving-kindness and Thy mercy, to rain upon the soil of my heart the downpours of the glory of Thy tenderness, that there may spring therefrom the plants of Thy knowledge and Thy wisdom, and that Thou mayest make me steadfastly reliant upon the dawning of Thy most glorious Beauty.

O Lord! The idolaters have not known the essence of Thy Being, and have veiled their eyes with the veils of association, until they pronounced judgment for the slaying of the Manifestation of Thine own Self, the luminous, most luminous, and arose to accomplish it, that the people might rise to commit this deed. They caused some to slip from Thy path, through the lying words that issued from their mouths. Wherefore, O my Beloved, seize Thou them with Thy grievous chastisement for that which their hands have wrought. Verily Thou art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest: Thou doest what Thou pleasest and ordainest what Thou desirest; Thou art, indeed, the Beginning and the Return, and Thou art the Hearer, the Answerer.

Then forgive me, O my Beloved, my trespasses; then cover me, O my Adored One, my faults; and suffer me not, for the twinkling of an eye, to be heedless of the remembrance of Thy Beauty. Verily Thou art the Truth; there is no God but Thee. Unto Thee is the beginning and the end. None possessed of sound reason can comprehend Thy inmost Essence.

And thou, O Mir—before Muhammad—hearken unto My call, and be not of the heedless. Sever thyself from all that is created of dust; it shall perish, but the words of thy Lord shall endure for ever and ever.

And the spirit, and glory, and greatness be upon thee, and upon all who hearken unto My word.

BH01194: O thou who gazeth upon My countenance, who drinketh…

In the Name of Him Who is the Ordainer of Sorrows

O thou who gazeth upon My countenance, who drinketh from the cup of My loving-kindness and the chalice of My mercy and bounty, who dwelleth beneath the shade of My majesty, who inhaleth the fragrance of My raiment, who immerseth himself in the ocean of My remembrance, who ascendeth unto the heights of My Cause, and who celebrateth My praise amidst My servants! Hearken unto My call from the right hand of the Garden of Paradise upon the holy hill from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Gracious. Beware lest thou allow the fire of thy love to be extinguished. Preserve that which We have kindled within thy breast and be thou of the thankful ones.

Know thou that We have raised up one of Our servants, strengthened his heart, and adorned him with the ornament of certitude amidst all creation, and sent him unto the Sovereign with thy Lord the All-Merciful’s Book, wherein We conveyed unto him the messages of the All-Glorious, without veil or concealment. Thus hath the matter been decreed by thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, that perchance he may awaken unto himself, arise from the slumber of passion, turn towards the Most Glorious Vision, and become assured that the might of kings hath not deterred Us from making mention of the King of Kings, nor have tribulations prevented Us from remembering the Lord of Names. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

In these darknesses that have encompassed Us, We have shone forth from its horizon with the sovereignty of grandeur and power, and We deliver what We will, and those who have wronged Us do not frighten Us, and thy Lord is witness unto all things. By Him Who hath sent down the verses and rent asunder the veils! Should all who are on earth gather together against him who speaketh the truth, with whatsoever of strength and power they possess, thou wouldst witness thy Chosen Lord proclaiming openly amongst them: “O people! Verily, I am your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised!”

Though We found not from him any fragrance of acceptance, yet did We deliver it unto him for the exaltation of thy Lord’s Word between the heavens and the earth, and that he might know that were We to will it, matters would not be as they are. We have breathed into the heart of one of Our servants the spirit of might and power and sent him unto him. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Wise. Aforetime had God’s proof not been perfected unto him, nor had anyone conveyed it to him as it ought to have been conveyed. When the appointed time came and the promise was fulfilled, We sent down unto him clear verses and completed thy Lord’s proof upon him—the Supreme, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Beauteous.

Consider those who conceal themselves behind veils and who have clung to them that denied God from time immemorial to harm him who summons mankind unto God without regard to himself. These are assuredly the companions of the fire. Woe unto them who have followed them and taken them as protectors for themselves instead of God. These are the friends of the Evil One, but they understand not. The wonder is not of those who have claimed what was not ordained for them, but rather the wonder is of those who behold the signs of their Lord and deny them, and who pursue him who is, in the sight of God, inferior to them, all the while imagining they are among the doers of good.

Among their leaders is he who was named Ali-Muhammad. He allied himself in Iraq with the oppressors against Our Cause, and when trials came he was seized and declared, “I have denied God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” He disavowed his leader, and when he felt secure he called the people to the first one who denied God, the Master of the Day of Judgment. Behold those who follow him even after knowing what was manifested through him. God’s curse be upon the wrongdoing people. Likewise did his leader cling to Nimrod, and when judgment came he was seized the first time and found no escape for himself. They deny God openly before those possessed of might, but when alone with their like they summon people to themselves and say “We are among the guides of the Bayan.” We testify that the All-Merciful is clear of them, and the angels brought nigh curse them.

Beware lest change prevent thee from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Deliver unto the people that which thou wast commanded before, and summon the people of thy land and all others unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Hold fast unto wisdom. Beware lest thou exceed its bounds, lest there occur that which would distress the servants, as thou hast witnessed with thine own eyes. Thus have ye been commanded in most of the Tablets. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Witnessing, the All-Knowing. Gather together the captives there and remind them at all times, lest there occur among them that which would divide their hearts. Thus hath thy Lord, the Mighty, the Peerless, commanded.

Remember what was revealed in the Land of Mystery in the first year to Our servant the Mihdi, wherein We informed him of what would befall the House thereafter, lest he be grieved by what had previously occurred from him who transgressed and stole. With thy Lord is the knowledge of the heavens and the earth. We have spoken, and Our word is the truth. Then know that this is not the first weakness that hath befallen My House. Before this it was afflicted by what the hands of the oppressors had wrought, and there shall descend upon it such humiliation as will cause tears to flow from every seeing eye. Thus have We imparted unto thee that which was hidden behind the veils of the Unseen, which none hath discovered save God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Then shall pass days wherein God will raise it up in truth and make it a standard in the kingdom, around which shall circle a company of them that know. This is the word of thy Lord from before the day of terror cometh. We have informed thee of it in this Tablet lest thou be saddened by what hath befallen the House through what the hands of the transgressors have wrought. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.