Volume 044: Prior to 1873 1290 A.H., Part II (1 of 4)

BH01697: He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God!…

He is God! Glorified art Thou, O my God! I make mention of Thee in this hour when the doves of the sanctity of Thy sovereignty warble, and from the clouds of Thy oneness there rain down wondrous verses of Thy grandeur, and from the clouds of Thy mercy there pour forth the rains of Thy gracious favors, and from the paradise of Thy oneness there waft the breezes of Thy bountiful mercy, whereby the trees of the sanctity of Thy divinity are planted, and the Lote-Tree of Thy singleness puts forth leaves of the knowledge of Thy Being, and the branches of Thy mercy bear the fruits of Thy grace, and all who are in the heavens and earth hasten to the fields of Thy riches, and all who are in the depths of creation dwell near to Thy Lordship, and drink from the cups of Thy beauty, and ascend to the highest horizon of Thy glory, and the lovers mount up to the pavilion of nearness to Thee, and those who have attained soar in the atmosphere of union with Thee, and those drawn nigh race in the gardens of Thy presence, and the sincere are enshrouded thereby in the heaven of Thy eternity.

Glorified, glorified art Thou above all that those who make mention of Thee mention, or those who describe Thee describe! For all mention returns to its nest in the realities of Thy servants, and all description descends to its place in the hearts of Thy creatures. And since this is so, how can the description of Thy creation reach unto Thee? By Thy glory, O my Beloved! All eyes are bewildered before the wondrous dawning of the lights of Thy beauty, and every tongue falls silent before the melodies of the nightingale of Thy majesty, and all ears are deaf before the manifestations of the dawning-places of Thy wisdom’s might, and all minds are as nothing before the modes of Thy novel sovereignty, and all souls vanish before the emergence of the sanctity of Thy knowledge, and all bodies tremble before the signs of Thy creative power, and all bones turn to dust before the shining forth of the mysteries of Thy strength.

Therefore, O my God, since the servant acknowledges all this and confesses to all this, it behooveth the wonders of Thy bounty and the fullness of Thy grace and favor to make him detached from all else but Thee and to cause him to return from all save Thee to the stream of meeting with Thee, that there may flow from his tongue the wondrous oceans of Thy wisdom, and from his heart the signs of Thy mighty power and strength, and from his tongue the embroideries of Thy melody, and from his inmost heart the traces of Thy favor. For Thou, O my God, didst create him by Thy command and teach him the interpretation of Thy Book and make known to him the treasuries of Thy knowledge and inspire him with the jewels of Thy wisdom and teach him what Thou hadst concealed from others by Thy grace.

Dost Thou see within Thyself, O my God, that Thou shouldst drive away a poor one who hath detached himself unto Thee, or turn back a needy one who hath stood before the sanctuary of Thy beauty, or abase a lowly one who hath clung to the cord of Thy glory? Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! Thou art too great to disappoint one who hath stood before the pavilions of Thy grandeur or to withhold from one who hath come to the canopies of Thy grace and mercy.

Therefore I beseech Thee, O my God, if my blood be acceptable in Thy path, then shed it by Thy bounty, and if my heart be worthy of Thy knowledge, then burn it with Thy fire, and if my head be fitting for Thy good-pleasure, then raise it upon the spear by Thy power, that I may follow Thy chosen ones in Thy realm and walk in the footsteps of Thy trusted ones in Thy lands. By Thy glory, O my God! My heart yearns for Thee, and mine eyes hope for Thy beauty, and my heart awaits meeting with Thee, and shouldst Thou will to delay in all this, to burn me in these days and torment me in these nights among these transgressors, then accept from me that which Thou didst desire from me in the Most Exalted Concourse before Thy near angels, though none knoweth the knowledge thereof save after its appearance in Thy land, and shouldst Thou change all this to manifest Thy sovereignty—verily Thou art powerful over this, and Thou art the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Then I beseech Thee, O my God, by Him Whom Thou didst manifest on the day of Thy arising and by Him Whom Thou wilt manifest in the resurrection of Thy beauty, to make her to whom this Tablet hath been returned one of the dwellers in the chambers of Thy good-pleasure. Then grant her, O my God, that whereby her eyes may be consoled, for Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

BH01699: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He…

He is the Mighty!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou art He Who hath raised up the heavens by Thy command and established the earth by Thy will, and ordained between them that which befitteth Thy sovereignty and beseemeth Thy glory. Then after this, Thou didst create by Thy will and manifest all beings by Thy wisdom, and didst send unto them Messengers from Thy presence and reveal unto them Books from Thy side, and didst manifest Thyself unto the chosen ones among Thy Messengers through the lights of Thy mighty Self-Subsistence, and didst raise them to the heights of Thy glorious Divinity, such that Thou didst make them the Dawning-Places of Thy oneness and the Manifestations of Thy Self-Sufficiency and the Daysprings of Thy Identity and the repositories of Thy eternal wisdom. And Thou didst give them a proof from Thee and evidence from Thy presence, and didst make Thy greatest proof to be the verses sent down from the heaven of Thy uniqueness, and Thy mightiest evidence to be the melodies appearing from the tones of Thy wondrous Self-Sufficiency.

Then after this, Thou didst command the servants to obey them in Thy dominion and to turn unto them in Thy kingdom, that all might submit to the Manifestations of Thy Self and follow the Dawning-Places of the Sun of Thy Beauty, that they might gather all the servants upon the path of Thy grace and cause them to drink from the oceans of Thy bounty and to enter the paradise of Thy oneness and to dwell in the precincts of Thy mercy. And Thou didst not desire in all this, O my God, save that Thou mightest cause them to enter the eternal, everlasting City and join them to the immortal, sempiternal pavilions.

Despite this, they differed regarding Thy Cause and objected to Thy chosen ones and showed pride before the Manifestations of Thy Self, until they separated themselves from the precincts of Thy mercy and fled from the shadow of Thy loving-kindness. And the days passed and the nights elapsed until the matter reached unto Thy Most Great Manifestation in the beauty of Thy Most High Name. Then was the veil removed from Thy beauty and the sun of Thy grace shone forth and the moons of Thy bestowals appeared and the stars of Thy favors dawned and the seas of Thy power surged and the breezes of Thy might stirred and the paradise of Thy glory was adorned and the dove of Thy meeting warbled. Despite all this, all denied Thy truth and turned away from Thy beauty and showed pride before Thy presence, and none answered Thee in this and none turned to Thy good-pleasure, and they visited upon the Dawning-Place of Thy beauty that which maketh the Pen tremble to recount and the ink to weep for what befell Him and the people of Paradise to lament for what descended upon Him and the dwellers of the heavens to cry out for what was inflicted upon Him.

And after this, when His beauty was concealed from Thy servants and raised to His holy station and returned to His mighty hiding place in the throne of Thy grandeur, then did most of Thy servants claim to love Him and the people of Thy kingdom made mention of Him and Thy creatures prostrated themselves before Him. Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! How great is the heedlessness of Thy servants at the manifestation of Thy Being and how mighty their turning unto Thee after the concealment of Thy majesty! By Thy might, O my God, these people walk only in the paths of blind imitation after the setting of the sun of Thy guidance, and they follow Thee only after the disappearance of Thy countenance.

Glory be unto Thee! Glory be unto Thee! The people of the pavilions of the Divine Realm are bewildered by Thy Cause, how much more the people of the Kingdom in the lands of the mortal world! All the mystics are naked of the wonders of Thy wisdom, and all the divines are foolish before the manifestations of Thy knowledge, and all the philosophers are powerless before the tokens of Thy mighty sovereignty, and all the eloquent ones fall short of attaining the arenas of Thy grandeur, and all the wealthy ones are poor before the surging of the seas of Thy riches, and all the learned ones are ignorant before Thee, and all the mighty ones are as nothing before Thee.

By Thy might! The streams of Thy knowledge have ever flowed and the wonders of Thy wisdom have ever been manifest and the gates of Thy paradise have ever been open, yet none can enter therein or drink therefrom or witness its mystery save those who have detached themselves unto Thee and turned with their whole being unto Thee.

I beseech Thee therefore, O my God, by Thy all-encompassing mercy and Thy manifest favors and Thy consummate wisdom, that Thou protect us in the fortress of Thy protection and provide us with the fruits of Thy paradise and give us to drink from the cups of Thy beauty. Then raise us to a station wherein we behold no difference among Thy chosen ones and witness no variation in Thy signs, for verily Thou art the Omnipotent over all things and verily Thou art the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

BH01727: The remembrance of God unto the Leaf of Paradise…

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

The remembrance of God unto the Leaf of Paradise, that she may hear the melodies of the Leaf of Eternity from this Branch which hath been raised up in His Most Glorious Name, that she may be drawn by the breezes of God. O blessed Leaf! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord once again from this most delicate and sweet Voice. By God! Were all things to hear but one note of His melodies with the ear of their inmost nature, they would surely be drawn unto the court of glorified might. Blessed art thou in that thou hast sanctified thyself from all else save God thy Lord and hast taken up thy dwelling beneath the shade of thy Lord’s protection in a station that is, in truth, impregnable.

Fear God, then remember Him with thy tongue and thy heart, and turn not unto those who have disbelieved and turned away after having believed, and who were far removed from the shore of grace. Guard thy heart from allusions, then taste of the fruits of this blessed, pure and lofty Tree which hath appeared in truth at the midmost heart of the horizons with lights whereby every percipient soul hath been illumined. Be thou assured within thyself that God is with thee and by thee, and He is indeed nigh unto His servants. He will never deprive thee of the breezes of His holiness and will remember thee in truth, and He doth watch over thee. Grieve not for the adversity and hardship that hath touched thee, for God shall soon transform them through His mercy from His presence, and He hath power over all things.

Say: O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Beauty which Thou hast manifested and raised up in truth and sent unto all the worlds, and which Thou hast named in the Concourse on High as the Most Great Announcement and among the hosts of creation as Ali, then by His latter manifestation in the Most Glorious Name, that Thou deprive me not of the breezes of the might of Thy mercy, and cast me not far from the shore of the grace of Thy nearness and bounty, for Thou hast ever been the All-Wise over all things. O my Lord! Give me to drink from the Kawthar of Thy favor and the Tasnim of Thy grace and bounty, that it may purify me from all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth and deliver me from this malady that hath seized me, for Thou hast ever been the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful unto Thy servants.

O my Lord! Rend asunder the veils that have come between Thee and me, then heal me with the Kawthar of healing from the fingers of Thy mercy which have preceded all things and encompassed all who dwell in the kingdom. O my Lord! Cast me not into despair of Thy wondrous gifts and beauteous bounty, then grant me what Thou hast of the cups of eternity and make me steadfast in Thy Cause, for Thou hast power over all things.

He is God! God willing, may that divine Leaf be ever mindful of this remembrance that hath been revealed, and be assured of God’s tender mercies which have ever encompassed that Leaf and, God willing, will continue to do so. Regarding what you mentioned about the mother of His Holiness the Exalted One (may my soul be sacrificed for all else beside Him) desiring that you should turn in that direction—it would be most welcome should you choose to go; no harm shall come to you. God willing, may you ever repose beneath the divine Tree and dwell within the pavilion of the protection of the Cause.

Be not distressed by the tribulations that have befallen you, for trials have ever been and shall ever be the portion of God’s chosen ones. How excellent, then, is the state of one who is content and thankful for whatsoever befalleth them, for nothing descendeth upon any soul from God save that which is better for that soul than all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. Since people are unaware of this mystery and the mystery thereof, they find themselves sorrowful when trials overtake them. God willing, may you ever dwell in the abode of assurance and be nourished by the fruits of understanding, for He is indeed the Best of Providers and the Best of Protectors.

And the Spirit and Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon every penitent servant, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01737: This is a Book which speaketh with truth…

He is the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious.

This is a Book which speaketh with truth and maketh mention of them that have believed in God and His sovereignty in these days wherein the pillars were shaken and feet did slip, and heedlessness seized all who dwell on earth save them who purified their hearts from all who are in the heavens and on earth and entered beneath the shadow of a mercy that encompasseth all the worlds. By God! They walk in this earthly life with legs of iron upon holy ground, and in the next life they soar with two wings of the Cause unto an atmosphere that hath been raised above the comprehension of the worlds, until they alight upon the thrones of oneness at the right hand of the throne of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and there circle round them the youths of Paradise who were created from the breath of God. Thus doth God single out whom He willeth through His grace, and provide His servants with a bounty that hath been sent down from the heaven of grace.

O Jamal! Bear thou witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath appeared with the truth is indeed the Primal Manifestation between earth and heaven, and through Him hath appeared the sovereignty of God and His power, then His greatness and His majesty, and through Him hath shone forth the Sun of Justice from a holy and luminous horizon, and through Him was perfected the proof of God and His evidence, and was exalted the Word of God and His glory, and through Him was established the Beauty of the Ancient of Days upon the throne of manifest might.

Know thou moreover that thy letter came before Us and We became aware of what was therein of thy love for the direction of nearness, the spot wherein all things proclaim that there is none other God but Him and that He is indeed powerful over all things. However, We withheld the Pen and caused it not to flow with a reply, due to a wisdom that had been inscribed in the Mother Book by the Holy Finger. And when the appointed time arrived, We sent down this Tablet from the heaven of command and dispatched it unto thee as a mercy from Us upon thee, and as guidance and remembrance for them that have taken God as their guardian.

We have ordained for thee in the Tablets of destiny a station that was exalted in truth. Beware lest thou deprive thyself of thy portion. Then stand firm in the Cause in such wise that if the idolaters were to gather against thee, thou wouldst not turn unto them, by My sovereignty that encompasseth the worlds.

Say: O people! Fear ye God and sever not the hands of the Cause with the swords of turning away, for this is an injustice that hath been grievous before the Throne. By My life! Whoso in this day findeth the fragrance of his Lord from the garment of these words shall abandon what he possesseth, even were it the kingdoms of the heavens and earth, and shall regard the earth and all that is thereon as the most paltry thing in his sight, and shall take unto himself a path unto God.

Arise in the Cause of thy Lord, then remind the people with wisdom and utterance, and tarry not for less than a moment. Preserve thou this Tablet, then read it with spirit and fragrance that it may attract thee to a holy and exalted court. Thus have We commanded thee and inspired thee and cast upon thee that thou mayest thank God, thy Lord, and be preserved in an impregnable stronghold.

And if thou findest a pure heart, cast upon it what the Spirit hath cast upon thee, and if thou findest one who turneth away, leave him to himself that he may be consumed by his own fire, then turn with a beauteous countenance unto God, thy Lord. Verily He shall suffice thee against all who are in the heavens and on earth, and shall aid thee in the Cause that thou mayest be steadfast on the straight path.

O Jamal! Be thou beautiful in the Cause of thy Lord and turn not unto the world and what hath been created therein, then seek from God, thy Lord, a station that was praiseworthy in truth. And glory be upon thee and upon them that have detached themselves from all things and held fast unto the handle that was manifest in truth.

BH01734: Despair not of the Spirit of God, with us…

He is God In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Despair not of the Spirit of God, with us art thou familiar and by us art thou perceived.

“’Attar traversed love’s seven cities, While we remain in the bend of a single lane. When thy musk-laden pen remembers us, It earns the reward of freeing two hundred slaves.”

This weak servant and frail countenance knows not by what meaningless and obsolete words to express his thoughts, for whatever is presented before that Presence is mere falsehood, and whatever is mentioned is pure misbelief.

“Were people not veiled and dense, And were throats not constricted and weak, In thy praise I would render justice to meaning, And would open lips with speech other than this.”

But as the saying of the great ones goes, “That which cannot be fully attained should not be fully abandoned.” Therefore, with a dull tongue and ailing body, I venture to express and submit that the sprinkling which descended from the cloud of thy gracious heaven upon the soil of words, and the outpouring which was bestowed from the rain-laden cloud of thy mercy upon the essences of allusions, became a light and entered the hearts of the yearning ones, and became a joy and descended upon the breasts of the sorrowful ones. Indeed, how can the meadow smile until the cloud weeps?

Glory be to God! Was this musk-laden breeze from Paradise that made all we possessed paradisiacal? Or was this the blast of the trumpet from the Tree of Sinai that made us transcend our very souls and join the Beloved? When I heard mention of the Friend, I immediately arose and said:

“Whence comes this musician who spoke the Friend’s name? That I might sacrifice my soul and garment for the Friend’s message. The heart comes alive with hope for the beloved’s faithfulness, The soul dances to the melody of the Friend’s words.”

Not finding the messenger, I sat down and again endeavored to peruse the letter. All the pearls of unity that were hidden in the shell of praise became manifest. Truly it gave fresh spirit to the dejected state and boundless light to the consumed soul, as though the Holy Spirit breathed within it. This is what they meant when they said,

“The earth has a share from the cup of the noble ones.”

It was as if I began life anew and drank the honey-wine of grace from the fountain of the Beloved’s mouth.

“May thy divine realm be intimate with the human realm, Blessed be thy hand and arm.”

And if the established carpet-spreader were to lay out the carpet of oneness and spread the blessed cushions of love, perhaps the eyes of the yearning ones would be illumined by the rays of the pure light of Beauty, and the eyes of the enraptured ones would be brightened by the fountain of distinction of the Sovereign of Glory. Although these words will not be pleasing to the lofty taste and discriminating mind of your exalted presence, since we have an excuse for expression, surely you will have forgiveness on your tongue, for “The excuse of the noble ones is accepted.”

In the degrees of love and stations of affection, these two verses suffice:

“O arrow of Thy grief, the lovers’ hearts its target, A world absorbed in Thee, while Thou art absent from their midst. Sometimes in the monastery confined, sometimes in the mosque residing, Meaning I seek Thee, house to house. My purpose in the Ka’bih and the temple is Thou, Thou art my purpose, the Ka’bih and temple but pretexts.”

Alas for this pen, and injustice from this ink and paper that have rendered me helpless! I know not what you will experience upon reading it. Therefore I say: Verily, we are God’s, and verily, unto Him do we return.

BH01785: This is a Book from Us to him who…

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

This is a Book from Us to him who has surpassed all others in the service of God, his Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, and who has arisen to serve his Lord in a manner befitting Him. Verily thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Sorrow not over anything, for by My Self, the Truth, thou art with Us in the kingdom of earth and heaven. Can anything be hidden from His knowledge? Nay, by His Self, the One Who dominates all that was and shall be. Our trusted servant has appeared before Our presence and mentioned what thou didst desire in thy love for thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions and aid thee in serving His Cause. He, verily, is the Witness of all deeds and transcendent above all that is witnessed.

After the letter Sin, along with all the Tablets and materials, met with trials, and then through divine assistance safely reached the seat of the throne, and when the petitions of the people all fell into the hands of untrustworthy souls and some were lost and did not reach the Most Holy Court, yet that which pertained to your honor arrived safe and sound at the seat of the Cause. This is from God’s bounty to you.

Regarding the aforementioned matter, His Honor Ism-i-Mihdi has written the details, and regarding the land matter, the details were conveyed to Amin. He mentions that at first the intention was for it to be kept in utmost secrecy, but later some of the servants made it public, therefore Amin himself was instructed to keep it in complete secrecy. He will mention it to your honor. A special Tablet was revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will for Aqa Siyyid Muhammad-Rida and was sent. They must act according to the conditions mentioned therein. Review whatever Tablets reach that land and then deliver them. And regarding certain Tablets containing certain mentions, We commanded the Greater Branch—they were written repeatedly and sent to certain places. It would be appreciated if a copy of the Tablet of Aqa Siyyid Muhammad-Rida could be sent to the land of Kha and Nun.

We beseech God to ordain for thee that which shall gladden the eyes of creation. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. And may He make thee a banner of the mention of His name amongst His servants. Thus do We show thee at this hour. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having enabled thee to serve His Cause and ordained for thee that which none knoweth save His all-knowing Self. We beseech Him to send down upon thee from the heaven of His bounty that which shall increase thy love and steadfastness at all times in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

I am seated and the servant in attendance before Me is before his Lord’s face, writing what descends from the heaven of Command on this night from whose horizon hath shone forth the Sun of Certitude. Can anything grieve thee after We have given thee to drink of the choice sealed wine and singled thee out for Our mention among the worlds? By My life! Thy head hath been adorned with the crown of thy Lord’s love, the Most High, the Most Great. The denizens of the highest Paradise behold it and send their blessings upon thee. Thy Lord, verily, is the Witness unto all things. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Say: O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having mentioned me in Thy Tablets and made me turn to Thy will, and become effaced before Thy good-pleasure, and a servant of Thy Cause, and one who speaks Thy praise amongst Thy servants, and one who seeks protection in Thy custody and shelter in Thy presence. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all things spoke and the sun of power and might shone forth from the horizon of Thy will, to behold me at all times with the glances of Thy mercy, then send down from the heaven of Thy grace that which will make me soar in the atmosphere of my love and yearning for Thee. Thou art verily the Almighty, the Transcendent, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH01820: Your letter hath reached the dawning-place of grief…

He is the Mighty, the Sorrowful.

Your letter hath reached the dawning-place of grief and arrived at the dayspring of tribulations. May God reward thee with a goodly reward which no alteration shall follow, for He, verily, hath power over all things.

O Ibrahim! The idol of self and desire hath encompassed the world. All have turned away from God and become worshippers of desire. Beseech the True One that He make manifest a Friend who, through the power of the All-Glorious, may shatter and cast down the idols of creation.

Though it hath ever been the custom of men to turn eagerly to vain imaginings while turning away from the Sovereign of certitude, until the Spirit of God appeared manifest and evident among all things, yet all remain occupied with the vain imaginings of their own souls, to such extent that they cling to the cord of fancy while cut off from the Sure Handle.

Consider My first Manifestation: when it appeared from the most holy and exalted Horizon, none turned towards that Essence of Oneness. Yet they would endure countless hardships and become detached from all things that they might attain to circumambulating a stone which, according to some, was created. The Lord of Lords had risen from the horizon of His name, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, yet all would run through the wilderness that they might be blessed with visiting dust.

Observe this Day, which is the Lord of all days and the most wondrous time before and after. The True One, exalted be His grandeur, hath appeared with complete manifestation and concealment, yet should any soul observe with the slightest fairness, he would testify that the like of this Revelation hath never appeared in creation. Nevertheless, they cling to a name, of whose reality none had any knowledge, while turning away from Him Who brought it into being. Fie upon them and their deeds!

Even though at the time of departure He informed all that the Calf would bellow after the departure of the Ancient Beauty, and the Samiri would appear, and the birds of night would stir after the setting of the Sun, yet though all witnessed this, they recognized it not. Rather, most became worshippers of the Calf and followers of Samiri, turning entirely away from the Truth. Their abode is naught but the fire—how wretched the dwelling-place of the deniers!

O Ibrahim! Walk with perfect steadfastness upon the path of God. Close thine eyes to all else but Him and open them to His beauty, for all today are evanescent and accounted as utter nothingness before God. Fix thy gaze ever upon the essence of the Cause and that whereby the Cause is established.

Seek not to rely upon anyone in thy recognition of the Truth, for that Essence of eternity hath never been and shall never be known except through Itself. It hath never depended upon the acceptance or rejection of anyone. Its proof hath been Its Own Self, and Its evidence that which It hath revealed through Its grace. Were one to observe with illumined vision, all the movements of the Truth—whether standing or sitting, walking or resting, speaking or silent—would be seen as distinguished and sanctified above the deeds of all who are in the heavens and the earth. The Truth hath never been confused with aught else, yet doubt hath ever existed and shall continue to exist in deluded souls.

Purify thy breast from the allusions of the veiled ones and sanctify thy heart from doubt. Strive to the extent of thy capacity to teach the Cause of God. This is the fruit of existence for every existent being today. The eye of God hath ever been and shall be, God willing, fixed upon thee. Moreover, convey to all the friends, both men and women, greetings from the tongue of God. God willing, may thou circle round the Truth as a shadow circles round the sun.

BH01822: Lawh-i-Amr

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

This is the Tablet of Command which hath been sent down from the presence of Him Who is the Lord of Destiny, that He might draw mankind nigh unto the Most Great Scene, this Most Pure Station, round which circle the angels brought near. Say: The Hour hath passed, and the stars have fallen, and the moon hath been cleft asunder, if ye would but understand. And the Herald hath cried out between earth and heaven: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting!” Every atom beareth witness unto Him Who sendeth down the verses, yet most men do not testify. Their wretchedness hath overcome them, and their desires have held them back, and today they rush headlong in the wilderness of error. When it is said unto them: “Have ye not heard the Call of Truth?” they say: “Yea.” And when it is said unto them: “Have ye not witnessed God’s majesty and power?” they say: “We saw and we disobeyed.” Nay, they are unaware.

There hath appeared in this Revelation what hath never appeared before. As to the infidels that have witnessed what hath been manifested, they murmur and say:

“Verily, this is a sorcerer who hath devised a lie against God.”

They are indeed an outcast people.

Tell out to the nations, O Pen of the Ancient of Days, the things that have happened in ʿIraq. Tell them of the messenger whom the congregation of the divines of that land had delegated to meet Us, who, when attaining Our presence, questioned Us concerning certain sciences, and whom We answered by virtue of the knowledge We inherently possess. Thy Lord is, verily, the Knower of things unseen. “We testify,” said he, “that the knowledge Thou dost possess is such as none can rival. Such a knowledge, however, is insufficient to vindicate the exalted station which the people ascribe to Thee. Produce, if Thou speakest the truth, what the combined forces of the peoples of the earth are powerless to produce.” Thus was it irrevocably decreed in the court of the presence of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Loving.

“Witness! What is it thou seest?” He was dumbfounded. And when he came to himself, he said: “I truly believe in God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.” “Go thou to the people, and tell them: Ask whatsoever ye please. Powerful is He to do what He willeth. Nothing whatsoever, be it of the past or of the future, can frustrate His Will.’ Say: O ye congregation of the divines! Choose any matter ye desire, and ask your Lord, the God of Mercy, to reveal it unto you. If He fulfill your wish, by virtue of His sovereignty, believe ye then in Him, and be not of those that reject His truth.”’ “The dawn of understanding hath now broken,” said he, “and the testimony of the All-Merciful is fulfilled.” He arose and returned unto them that sent him, at the bidding of God, the All-Glorious, the Well-Beloved.

Days passed and he failed to come back to Us. Eventually, there came another messenger who informed Us that the people had given up what they originally had purposed. They are indeed a contemptible people. This is what happened in ʿIraq, and to what I reveal I Myself am witness. This happening was noised abroad, yet none was found to comprehend its meaning. Thus did We ordain it. Would that ye knew this!

By My Self! Whoso hath in bygone ages asked Us to produce the signs of God, hath, no sooner had We revealed them to him, repudiated God’s truth. The people, however, have, for the most part, remained heedless. They whose eyes are illumined with the light of understanding will perceive the sweet savors of the All-Merciful, and will embrace His truth. These are they who are truly sincere.

O thou who hast turned to God! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the Sinai of grandeur and power. Verily, there is no God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. I have created all contingent things for Myself and have brought all beings into existence through My command. I am the One Who doeth what He willeth through My word “Be” and it is. Grieve not at anything. Arise to aid thy Lord, detached from all who dwell on earth. A station hath been ordained for thee in a guarded Tablet. Be as God’s fire unto all else, that through thee the hearts of creation may be set ablaze. Thus have We commanded thee from the presence of One mighty and wise.

Say: O my Lord! I am he who is content with Thy good-pleasure and who hath desired naught save Thy face, and have caused my will to be extinguished in what Thou hast willed. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name, through which the ocean of eternity surged, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for the people of Baha who are established upon the Crimson Ark and who sail upon the sea of grandeur. Thou art the Lord of Names and the Creator of earth and heaven. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH01804: O Leaf of Paradise! Bear thou witness within thyself…

He is the Most Exalted, the Resplendent, the All-Glorious

O Leaf of Paradise! Bear thou witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, and that ʿAli before Muhammad is His Beauty, His Mystery, His Command, His Grace, His Mercy, His Remembrance, His Manifestation and His Concealment to all who are in the heavens and on earth. Through Him were the heavens raised up and from the earth were revealed treasures of transcendent glory. Through Him were the clouds lifted up, the sun did shine, and the moon of the Cause gleamed forth from a holy and luminous dayspring. Through Him did rivers flow, seas surge, and fire appear from the Divine Lote Tree made manifest.

Therefore render thanks unto God that the All-Merciful established Himself upon thee in the form of the name ʿAli, and that thou wert the Throne of God though none among the believers, even the most distinguished, knew thereof. Thou didst commune with God thy Lord and didst enter the depths of union with Him in ancient times. Thy soul was joined to the soul of the All-Merciful and thou wert overtaken by the lights of the daybreak of His presence—a station none hath attained, whether lowly or great. Thou didst experience the Resurrection and enter the highest paradise in His presence, and wert honored with the meeting of God before the creation of the heavens and earth—this hath been sent down from the Pen of the Most Resplendent Name. Thine eyes beheld the Eye through whose movement all created things offered up their souls, as testified by a clear and glorious Tablet. Thou didst hear the melodies of God with thine ears and wert established in the most exalted Paradise. Thou wert a mirror of God as the sun of love shone upon thee in perfect form, and thou wert anointed by thy Lord every morn and eve.

Blessed art thou, O Leaf of Eternity, O Land of Faithfulness, O City on High in the sacred precincts of nearness! Thou art the first Throne to appear in creation, as ordained in a preserved and mighty Book. Thou art the first earth upon which descended the waters of longing, drinking from a sweet and flowing spring. Thou art the first garden wherein sang the Nightingale of Holiness with verses that encompassed all worlds. Thou art the first station whereon shone the Pre-existent Sun, though thou knewest it not. Thus did thy Lord’s mercy precede thee and His grace encompass thee from the presence of One Mighty, Praiseworthy.

All this came upon thee while thou wert heedless thereof. And when thou didst become aware within thyself and turn to God, We revealed unto thee what had been hidden from thee and from all possessed of insight. Thus do We bring forth the earth’s treasures and pearls for whomsoever We wish, for verily We have power over all things. Were We to wish, We could bring forth from every land its pearls and mysteries and whatsoever is treasured therein, but what is decreed is decreed and judgment hath been passed.

Know thou that what indicated thy love for thy Lord hath come before Us, and We have answered thee with verses that would confound the minds of the wise and the understanding of every knower. This is that thy heart might find peace, thy soul be tranquil, and thou rejoice with exceeding joy. Preserve thou this Tablet and recite it every day. Let none prevent thee, even if all on earth should try.

Thou art the best among the women of the world if thou remainest steadfast in love. Recite this Tablet with sweet and manifest melody that thy song may ascend to the Divine Lote Tree and thy fragrance draw thee to a faithful and holy dawning-place. The Spirit, Glory and Great Declaration be upon thee, that thy protection may encompass all worlds.

BH01813: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is the Most Wondrous in the Most Glorious Horizon!

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth and made them a guidance and remembrance for all the worlds, and through them hath caused the servants to know His exalted and mighty Self, and through them hath caused all created things to speak forth that which He hath testified of Himself by His own Self, that there is none other God but I, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

He whose vision God hath made penetrating recognizeth Him by His own Self and by His manifestation between the heavens and the earth. And for him who is powerless to recognize His Self by His Self, He hath made the verses a proof, lest he be deprived of the Sun of Divine knowledge in the days of his Lord, and that His proof may be completed unto all His servants. This is of His grace unto them, that they may be thankful and be numbered among the grateful ones.

Be thou steadfast, O thou who gazest upon God, in the Cause of thy Lord. By God the Truth! There hath appeared a test whereby all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save those whose hands God took within the hands of grace and delivered from the wrongdoing people, and aided them through the truth, and sent down upon their hearts tranquility from His presence, and severed them from the idolaters. But the test is a test for those who are not firm in the Cause. As for him who is established upon the throne of certitude and hath recognized God by His own Self, the tempests of trials shall not move him, nor shall the hurricanes of tests, and they shall not turn their gaze from a holy and gracious scene. These have passed beyond this world and all that is therein, even though outwardly they may be occupied with its bounties, for God hath made their hearts purified from the mention of aught else but Him and hath chosen them for His most wondrous and glorious remembrance.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that should all who are in the heavens and on earth oppose thee, thou wouldst not be disturbed within thyself and wouldst be of them that are firmly established. Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth that thy heart may be gladdened thereby and thou mayest remember thy Lord amongst His idolatrous servants.

Know thou that thy letter hath come before Us and We have witnessed that wherewith thou didst call upon God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Blessed art thou, O servant, for having attained unto the recognition of thy Lord. However, strive within thyself to be among the steadfast ones whom no hindrance can hinder, nor the gloating of enemies, nor the turning away of all creation. Rend asunder the veils, then behold thy Lord with thine own eyes, then detach thyself from the eyes of all the worlds, for whoso gazeth upon Him with any eye but His own shall never know Him, and this is an undoubted truth.

Know thou further that God hath accepted from thee what thou hast done and what thou hast not done, as a grace from His presence, for He is indeed the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. He hath ordained for thee in the heaven of His Cause that which He hath desired for thyself. Soon shall it descend upon thee—fear not, neither be thou grieved, for He is the Protector of the doers of good. He shall provide thee with the good of this world and the next if thy feet slip not from this Path which hath been raised up in truth from the presence of One mighty and wise. He knoweth what is in thy heart and in His grasp is the kingdom of all things. He giveth what He willeth and taketh what He pleaseth.

Beware lest thou grieve over anything save that which hath befallen My own Self from him who was created by My word, and God is witness unto this. Today the feet have slipped of those who have taken vain imaginings as their lord instead of God and were behind a mighty veil. Beware lest thou consort with those in whose hearts thou perceivest hatred for God, thy Lord and the Lord of all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. Thus have We instructed thee and made mention of thee at this time when sorrows have encompassed Me from every direction from those who have been heedless of the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

The Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee among those who have been seized by the breezes of the Cause from this exalted Paradise.

BH01814: In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable…

In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most High! God beareth witness that there is no God but Him and that this is indeed ʿAli Who hath appeared from the horizon of the Most Glorious. He heareth and seeth and speaketh in all things saying “I am God, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Luminous.”

I have sent the Messengers from before which hath no before, and I shall send until an end which none among contingent beings can reckon save My All-Numbering, All-Knowing Self. We have ordained in every name the dawning-places of Our most beautiful names and the manifestations of Our most exalted attributes, and We reveal from it as We wish according to a measured decree, if ye be of those who know. And We have made all things mirrors of My Self that they might face this Sun, the Dawning, the Holy, the Manifest, the Wondrous. Thus hath My mercy encompassed all contingent things and My grace all the worlds.

And thou, O First Pillar of My Name, hear My call from this Tree which hath been raised up in truth and speaketh at the pole of eternity that “There is no God but Him and that this Beauty is His splendor unto all who are in the heavens and the earth.” Thy mention hath been made before the Face, therefore have We sent down unto thee the verses and dispatched them to thee as a grace from Us upon thee that thou mayest be of the thankful. We have heard the yearning of thy heart and thy longing for God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in these days wherein all souls are disturbed and all feet have slipped save those whom God hath preserved through a power from Him, for He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Then know thou that he whom We created through a breath from the breaths that appeared from a Pen of ancient glory—when the sweet savors of might wafted forth he emerged from behind the veil and warred against My Supreme, Most Great Self. When God preserved Me from his plot, he then arose with another plot. By God the Truth! He hath fabricated such words against Me whose falsehood would be recognized by anyone possessed of discernment though it be less than a barley-corn. Were someone to say that the Most Great Sea containeth no water, would any soul accept this? No, by My True Self, save every remote ignorant one. And were it to be said the sun hath no light, would any soul believe it? No, by My True Self, if ye be of the certain ones. By God the Truth! All that he hath attributed to My Holy, Transcendent, Mighty, All-Knowing Self—its falsehood is more obvious than what We have mentioned to thee, were people to look with their eyes and be of those who see.

And thou—purify thyself from all veils then place these ones beneath thy left foot. Put thy trust in God in all matters and be of those who trust. Take care that thou grieve not at anything—rather rejoice in the gladness of the Cause though at this moment the Eye of God weepeth and His heart yearneth and His tongue uttereth this wise remembrance. And were We to detail for thee what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst forget all that thou hast heard from the beginning of creation until now, and God is witness and knowing of this. But We have concealed it, and God shall soon manifest one who will mention it truthfully among all creatures.

Say: O people! By God! These fabricated, false words will never veil the Ancient Beauty nor change the Cause of God though all the worlds should oppose from behind these ones. And thou, O servant, hear My call then be steadfast in My Cause and fear no one, for thy Lord will guard thee from the hosts of devils. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who are steadfast in the Cause through the sovereignty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH01821: This is a Book sent down in truth…

He is the Most Wondrous, the Most Inaccessible!

This is a Book sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and beautiful. Therein doth God make mention of one of His servants, that he may be of them that remember, and that He may quicken thereby his heart and his inner being, and that he may give thanks unto God and be of the thankful ones.

O thou who believest in God! Thou hast visited the House of God aforetime and wast among them that made pilgrimage. Therefore, strive within thyself to visit the Most Great House of God which hath appeared in the temple of the Youth. Blessed be God, the best of creators, through Whom every direction was intended, every house confirmed, and every wise matter made manifest.

Say: The sanctuary of God hath appeared and the Most Great House hath been built by the hands of might and power from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Say: By God! This is verily the sanctuary of God and His House, round which circle the denizens of the All-Highest Paradise and the angels drawn nigh. By His command have appeared the Place of Commemoration, the Holy Place, and the Spot of Security for all who are in the heavens and on earth. And verily it is God’s perspicuous Book.

Say: O people! Wage not war against Him Who hath come unto you with a proof from God and Who summoneth you unto His Self that standeth over the worlds. He desireth from you no recompense; His reward is with Him Who sent Him with the truth and dispatched Him unto all created things. O people! Make not your deeds null and void, and deny not what hath been sent down in truth from God, the Most High, the Most Great. And should ye deny it, what proof have ye for your cause? Bring it forth then, and be not among them that tarry.

Beware lest ye dispute concerning God after He hath appeared with all the signs, which none denieth save every hateful enemy. Verily, they who have disbelieved and joined partners with God, were God to come unto them from the heaven of His Cause surrounded by a company of angels, were the earth to be cleft asunder and to yield up its treasures, and were the sky to be rent—they would never believe. Nay, were they to witness every sign their associating of partners would but increase. Thus have their souls enticed them, and they were among the deniers.

And thou, O servant, hearken unto the words of Him Who counseleth thee for the sake of God, and be not of the heedless. Purify thyself, then look into the proof whereby God hath manifested His Cause in every age, then into this firm and mighty proof, that thou mayest be assured in the Cause of God to such degree that were all who are in the heavens and earth to oppose thee, thou wouldst not turn unto them and wouldst remain possessed of clear vision and manifest proof.

Say: God is the Creator of all things and standeth over every soul. He witnesseth what His servants commit and recompenseth them for what they have wrought. And verily He is the Rewarder of the doers of deeds.

Turn thy heart at all times toward the court of God, thy Lord, with sublime humility, that the breezes of grace may waft over thee and the breathings of holiness may take hold of thee from the direction of a mighty throne. By God, besides Whom there is none other God! A single breath thereof excelleth whatsoever hath been created between the heavens and earths.

Shun all that directeth thee unto passion, and draw nigh unto the court of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, with a pure and radiant heart. Grieve not for this world and what lieth therein, for it shall perish more quickly than a moment, and there shall endure what hath been ordained for thee by thy Lord, whereby thine eyes shall be solaced, thy soul find rest, thy body repose, and thy heart rejoice. Thus doth the Pen of the Command give thee glad tidings through God’s favor unto thee, that thou mayest be of them that are gladdened.

Beware lest thou deprive thyself of the bounty of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. And glory be upon thee and upon them that have entered beneath the shadow of their Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

BH01845: God makes mention of one of His handmaidens…

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

God makes mention of one of His handmaidens to establish her in the Cause and turn her wholly toward God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, and to detach her from those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, that her face may be illumined by this Light which has appeared and shone forth from this Dayspring, from whose horizon have risen suns whose number none knows save God, with Whom is the knowledge of all things in a preserved and mighty Tablet.

O handmaiden of God! Thy letter came before the Throne and We learned of its contents and have answered thee with these words which God has made a testimony unto all who are in the heavens and on earth, that thou mayest read them morning and evening and give thanks to thy Lord that the Pen of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved, has flowed over thy name. And wert thou to be present before the Throne and hear what has been revealed from the mouth of God, thou wouldst swoon away within thyself and be attracted by the raptures of God, the King, the Mighty, the Speaking, the Manifest.

Beware, beware lest thou grieve over anything. Then guard thyself lest the blasts of chastisement from the breaths of those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and were among the heedless prevent thee. And when it is said unto them, “By what proof have ye believed in God?” they will surely say “The verses.” Yet when the verses of thy Lord are recited unto them, their faces turn black and they return to their abodes in a punishment that no device of any schemer, nor plot of any plotter, nor deception of those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and turned upon their heels, can avert.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that should all who are on earth gather against thee, thy feet would not slip from the straight path of God, the manifest, the extended. Take refuge in the protection of thy Lord, then purify thy heart from love of those who have disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Guard thyself in these days wherein relationship with all things has been severed and most of the servants have turned away from God after He appeared with all the signs and every destined matter.

If thou hearest My word, leave the world behind thee, then detach thyself wholly from all save God, thy Lord. This is My counsel unto thee if thou art of those women who have believed in God, the King, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Then mention from Our presence unto him who was named ʿAbdu’llah that he may remember within himself and be of those who remember. O servant! Be thou steadfast in the Path—by God, it is most subtle, most subtle! Then be firm in the Cause—verily it is most mighty, most mighty! Then guard thyself from Satan for he is accursed, accursed! Then turn to the face of God, thy Lord, with humility and submissiveness well-pleasing. Thus doth God command thee in this Tablet that thou mayest act according to what thou hast been commanded and be of those who turn their faces toward their Lord.

Then convey Our greetings unto the handmaiden who was named Sahib. Hearken unto the call of God from this Tree which has been raised up in truth and every leaf of whose leaves doth speak in a world among the endless worlds, saying:

“There is none other God but I, the One with power over what I will, Who doeth what I desire through His word ʿBe’ and it is.”

Hear My word, then purify thy heart from all else but Me. This is My command unto thee and unto those women who have believed in God and testify that there is none other God but He—no partner hath He, nor minister, nor likeness, nor similitude, nor equal that can be limited. Thus doth the Ancient Beauty command thee on this eve that thou mayest be among those who remember, inscribed on mighty tablets.

BH01858: O Ni’mat! The greatest divine bounty in the first…

He is the One Who speaks with justice and is manifest through grace.

O Ni’mat! The greatest divine bounty in the first station and primary rank has been and is His recognition, and likewise His verses are counted as bounty. All that has become manifest and apparent to the servants from the realm of His favor is recorded and inscribed as bounty. Blessed are the souls who have attained to this bounty. This is that bounty concerning which it was revealed in the Qur’an: “Our Lord! Send down to us a table from heaven.” Beseech the True One not to deprive His loved ones of this bounty. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

O Hasan! Hear the call from the direction of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Verily it has been raised in truth. Blessed is he who has attained to hearing it, and woe to every heedless and veiled one. When thou hast attained to the Tablet of God and its influence, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink the Kawthar of Thy utterance from the hand of Thy bounty and for having reared me beneath the canopies of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee, O Illuminator of the horizons and Speaker on the Day of Meeting, by Thy Name through which discord was transformed into concord and difference into unity, to assist me in Thy remembrance in such wise that the wolves of the earth and its wicked ones will not frighten me. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O Pen! Make mention of him who is named Ahmad that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones. O Ahmad! Be not grieved at what hath come to pass. Reflect upon what befell the friends of God in former ages and centuries from His enemies. Whenever the Daysprings of God’s Cause would shine forth from the horizon of His Will, the people would arise in rejection and denial, and would strive day and night to extinguish the light of His manifestation. They have lost indeed who wished to extinguish the light of God or prevent His firm and mighty Cause. Soon shall the veils be rent asunder, the Cause appear, the light shine forth, the Word become clear, the Manifestation become resplendent, and the Will become manifest. In His grasp is the control of all things and He is the Powerful over what He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Nuru’llah! Hear My call. There are ranks for hearing, for whosoever attaineth to true hearing—that is, heareth but one word of the divine words as befitteth—he attaineth to a station wherein all the hosts of the world find themselves powerless to prevent him. Blessed is he who hath attained to this most exalted station and supreme rank.

O Nasru’llah! Upon thee and upon thy father be My loving-kindness and mercy. We made mention of him at the time of his ascension with a mention that caused the breezes of thy Lord’s mercy to waft, the ocean of His forgiveness to surge, and the fragrance of His pardon and bounty to be diffused. Thy Lord is verily the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist thee and those who have believed with the means of the heavens and earth, and to aid you to be trustworthy, truthful and faithful. He is verily the Compassionate, the Generous, the Hearing, the Responding. There is none other God but Him, the Powerful over what He willeth through His word, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

We make mention of My handmaiden and give her the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the worlds. We beseech God to aid her in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and in that which will draw her nigh unto Him. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

And We make mention of My other handmaiden with a mention whereby the hearts of the holy maidens in the Most Exalted Paradise in the crimson chambers and the chaste women in the sublime Garden have been attracted. Give thanks to thy Lord for this and say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom! I beseech Thee by the breathings of Thy revelation to ordain for Thy handmaidens that which Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who circle round Thy mighty throne. Thou art verily the Powerful, the Mighty, the Great.”

BH01847: O Nabil! The Sun of the mention of thy…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

O Nabil! The Sun of the mention of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, hath risen from the horizon of utterance through My Name, the Mighty, the Impregnable. It hath called out in the wilderness of guidance:

“The Day hath drawn nigh—the Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise!”

Verily, it hath given glad tidings unto all who are in the heavens and on earth of the Kingdom of their Lord. Thus was it sent down in the Bayan from the presence of One mighty and all-knowing. Among the people are those who have followed guidance and turned unto God, the Lord of the Last and the First, and among them are those who have disdained it. Blessed are they who have turned unto Him—these are they who perceive. These are servants who examine all matters and choose the best thereof. These are of the people of Baha, as inscribed in a Tablet by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: Do ye dispute concerning the truth after that which hath come from the heaven of your Lord, the All-Merciful, with manifest authority? Beware lest ye reject the truth through that which ye possess. Cast away your allusions—these are clear signs sent down from the heaven of bounty by your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. They who have turned away have followed Satan within their souls—these are the companions of the fire. They who have turned their faces unto the Countenance are of them that have attained. These have drunk from the Kawthar of life from the hands of the mercy of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and have turned with their hearts unto the Dawning-Place of Revelation in such wise that neither the hosts of the earth nor the opposition of the oppressors could withhold them.

Say: O people! Spread not corruption in the land, and enter not houses save by permission. This is that which ye have been commanded in the Tablets. He, verily, is witness over all things. Beware lest ye wrongfully consume the substance of others. Follow ye the ways of God and His religion, and be not of them who hold fast to words but cast away deeds—these are in manifest error. Hearken unto the counsel of Our Most Exalted Pen and follow not the steps of Satan. We have commanded you that which draweth you nigh unto God and removeth you from desire. This is of My grace unto you, did ye but know. All that ye have been commanded benefiteth you, and all that ye have been forbidden harmeth you in this world and the next. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bountiful.

We have borne hardships for your ease, and tribulation for your deliverance. O ye that sleep! Arise in My Name from the couch of heedlessness and desire, and shatter the idols of wickedness and vice. This is better for you, as doth testify he whose heart hath been illumined with the light of certitude. If a transgressor bring you news, verify it not. How many are the servants who speak from desire and fear not God, the Creator of Names! Their tongues utter that which their souls command them. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! Be steadfast through the power of God and convey unto My servants that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My mercy, that they may inhale the fragrance of the Divine Robe and be of them that are guided. Let not tribulation withhold thee from the mention of the Creator of earth and heaven. Be adorned with the characteristics of thy Lord, the Ancient. Verily, as tribulation increased, He increased in that which He desired, and as He was seized with oppression, He loosed the reins of utterance in celebration of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and called out to all in creation with this momentous News.

Thus have We imparted unto thee that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance, that thou mayest remember thy Lord and be of them who have arisen to aid their Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Follow that which We have revealed unto thee, then tread the path of wisdom. Beware lest thou be of them who have transgressed against it after We commanded them thus in a clear Book. If thou findest one ready, cast upon him the verses of thy Lord, that he might take a path unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears. Be thou in such wise that sorrows touch thee not in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Trust in Him—He sufficeth thee.

By the Lord of thy forebears of old! Be thou in such wise that sorrows shall not overtake thee in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Put thy trust in Him, for verily He shall suffice thee, and verily He hath power over all things.

BH01828: Then did the Tongue of God speak in all…

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

Then did the Tongue of God speak in all things, saying: “Verily, I am alive in this horizon which hath appeared with truth and hath been named in the Concourse on High by the name of the Most Exalted, then in the cities of names by the name of the Most Glorious, then among the concourse of creation by this Name whereat the cry hath been raised from all who are in the heavens and earth save them whom God preserved through His grace and delivered from the floods of fancy and desire and caused to ascend unto the divine Lote-Tree in this most distant sanctuary round which circle all that was and will be. Yet the people have veiled themselves from that which hath shone forth with truth and manifested itself among the worlds with a sovereignty that encompasseth the truth.

O people! I swear by the one true God! This is the Ocean out of which all seas have proceeded, and with which every one of them will ultimately be united. From Him all the Suns have been generated, and unto Him they will all return. Through His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation have yielded their fruits, every one of which hath been sent down in the form of a Prophet, bearing a Message to God’s creatures in each of the worlds whose number God, alone, in His all-encompassing Knowledge, can reckon. This He hath accomplished through the agency of but one Letter of His Word, revealed by His Pen—a Pen moved by His directing Finger—His Finger itself sustained by the power of God’s Truth.

Thus doth the Ancient Beauty intone in these dark and gloomy days. Would that there were someone with hearing to hear His melodies and detach himself from all the worlds!

O servant who gazeth toward the direction of Glory in this Day wherein the souls of every distant misbeliever are agitated! Know thou that what God inspired in thy heart hath come before Our presence and We have witnessed it with the eye of mercy and bounty and have sent down unto thee these words whereby every irrevocable decree and every hidden secret hath been made manifest. Know thou further that God hath forgiven thee through His grace and purified thee from sins at the time when thou didst make mention in thy letter of this remembrance whereby the skin of every base heedless one doth creep, and the breezes of eternity wafted upon thee from the direction of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, and turned thee toward the Ultimate Shore at a time when thou wert heedless of Him. Thus hath God’s favor and grace been perfected upon thee that thou mayest be among the thankful in thyself and be content with the truth.

We have verily sent down in this Tablet the table of the Cause from the heaven of grace. By God! Whosoever partaketh thereof shall find himself independent of all who are in the kingdom.

As to what thou hast asked about God thy Lord concerning what We revealed aforetime unto Muhammad in Arabic, know thou that the first one We sent with truth was Ali whom We caused to shine forth from the Persian horizon and sent down upon clouds of the Spirit from an exalted heaven, and the last one We sent was also Ali whom We named in the Supreme Concourse by Our Most Holy Name, if thou be of them that know. And We strengthened them both with this Beauty Who hath appeared with truth and shone forth from the horizon of the Cause with manifest sovereignty. Were We to desire to interpret this verse for thee, all the ink and pens would not suffice, but We have abbreviated what We have explained to thee since We are in those days engaged in a mighty matter and find not the opportunity. Yet should God will and desire, We shall interpret and expound it as a mercy from Us unto thee, for My mercy upon thee is abundant.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then remind the people with wisdom and counsel and dispute not with anyone. Thus hath the Tongue of Holiness commanded thee. Act according to what thou hast been commanded and be steadfastly persevering.

BH01876: The Mystery of God hath appeared in truth…

In the name of Him Who is manifest above all things!

The Mystery of God hath appeared in truth from a holy and resplendent horizon. He hath appeared in the temple of the Youth. Blessed be God Who created Him through the sovereignty of His Command and sent Him forth in truth and dispatched Him unto all the worlds.

He lamenteth within Himself at this moment and calleth out between the heavens and the earth: “O people! If ye will not believe in God your Creator, then at least be ashamed before Him and deny not Him Who was promised in all the Tablets and recorded and mentioned in the treasuries of the Sacred Scriptures. He hath come unto you with the Criterion of the Command, and around Him circle the Kingdom of God, and before Him march the hosts of the unseen in mighty array. He hath aided his Lord to the extent of His power, and He will aid Him in truth even though all existence, both seen and unseen, should oppose Him. My proof is My deeds and then My actions, if ye be possessed of knowledge.

Blind are the eyes of those who have denied this bounty, after which, at His bidding, the clouds of grace were raised up and rained down upon all created things showers of mighty glory. Whoso is quickened by Him is quickened by the life of his Lord, and his name is inscribed by the finger of mighty power upon the Tablet. O people! Be fair within yourselves, then look with the eye of justice upon God’s proof and that whereby He hath confirmed your faith and raised your station. Be not of those who denied Him in Whom they had believed and were turned back upon their heels. Fear God and war not against His Self, and dispute not His signs after they have filled both East and West and your own souls bear witness unto what I say.

Take ye the chalice of eternity from the fingers of holiness, then drink therefrom by the leave of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and tarry not even for a moment. By God! Whoso turneth unto God in these days, the denizens of the Concourse on High will seek blessings from him, and whoso turneth away, his deeds are rendered vain and he returneth to his abode in the nethermost fire. Thus hath the Command been sent down from the presence of the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: Have ye heard in all creation the like of what hath appeared in this Announcement, which was promised in the Books of the Command by the Pen of Glory? Nay, by My own Self, the Truth! The eye of creation hath not witnessed its like, yet the people have denied and turned away, and for this reason the breezes of chastisement have seized them from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise. Fear God, O people! Deny not the Sun after its light hath illumined all who dwell in the kingdom of Command and Creation and those who abide behind the ocean of grandeur in an exalted and holy station.

Cast away what ye possess and take what God hath graciously given you, then journey in the wilderness of His knowledge and tarry not even for a moment. Whoso striveth in Our path, We shall cause him to behold Our beauty and shall raise him to a station which was in truth exalted. And glory be upon thee, O servant, if thou remainest firm in the Cause of thy Lord on this Day wherein all the idolaters have dispersed far from Him.

Aid thy Lord in this Beauty and fear no one, but place thy trust in Him. He will verily preserve thee in truth through His grace, and He hath power over all things. Say: In the name of God and by God! Then turn from the north of pause to the right hand of justice and pass by the people as the passing of a cloud. Thus have We commanded thee in truth that thou mayest remain steadfast in the Cause. Then glorify from Our presence the countenance of those who have believed in God and from whose faces shineth the radiance of holy splendor.”

BH01884: Your numerous letters were received in the presence…

He is God, exalted be His glory

Your numerous letters were received in the presence of this Countenance, and the servant in attendance mentioned them all. As to what you wrote describing the friends in that land—We bear witness to what you have witnessed, but We counsel them to fear God, your Lord and the Lord of the worlds. For through fear of God the greatness of the Cause and the sanctification of Truth have been and continue to be made manifest among creation. By My life! If anyone were to taste the sweetness of the fear of God, they would hold fast to it all their days. This is a manifest truth. They have ever been and are before Our gaze, and the glance of Our loving-kindness has been and, God willing, will continue to be directed towards them. Those who have assisted the friends of God will soon receive the rewards of their deeds. Praise be to God that they have been enabled to attain this supreme bounty and greatest gift. Convey greetings to all.

Let Muhammad not be saddened, nor let the lack of outward means grieve him. Verily all affairs are dependent on their means. Convey greetings to Majid and the guest and her sister and their children—they are of Us. Likewise Abdullah and the others—all have been and are before Our gaze. All have been mentioned at the Throne and all are among the loved ones of God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Whatever has reached or reaches some of them should be given with the utmost humility. Verily your Lord will repay what they have spent. He is their Protector. This word suffices them, would that they understood.

Then convey greetings to the servant Rahim from this Wronged One, the Unique. Say: O servant, be steadfast in the Cause. By My life! This is a mighty Cause the like of which has not appeared in creation. Through it the atoms speak:

“This is the Wonder of the heavens and earth! Through it all mention has been erased and the Tablets adorned with the ornament of the remembrance of the Lord of creation.”

But the people are in thick veils. Have you heard anything like what has appeared? No, by the Lord of the worlds! Blessed is he who has rent asunder the veils through the name of his Lord, the Bestower, and who has torn away the shrouds through this wise Remembrance.

Arise in the Cause in such wise that you see yourself ascendant over the servants and what they possess of the words of the opposers. It behooves one who has turned to God in this Day to leave behind all else and say:

“I believe in God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. No soul or mention or description can be associated with Him. Verily He is established upon the throne of His mighty Name.”

Read what has been sent down for you and ponder it, that you may find the sweetness of the utterance which has been sent down from the heaven of grace from your Lord, the Mighty, the Generous. Blessed are you for having turned when the Wronged One was in the hands of the oppressors. Be not grieved by the intimations of those who have turned away. Leave them to their vain desires and hold fast to God, the Single, the All-Informed. We have sent down for you in every instance the verses of your Lord. By My life! They are clear proofs to all in the heavens and earth. Give thanks to your Lord for this bounty and say: “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

O Tabib! You sent the letter of M and We learned what was in it, and We have sent down verses for each one mentioned in his letter—verses by which the hearts of the sincere are illumined. We sent them to you that you might forward them to him. Verily your Lord is possessed of great bounty. He has not left any name unmentioned—the Supreme Pen has moved to mention each one. Thus does God reward His servants who have turned to Him and His righteous loved ones. Let any soul who has not moved remain still, for this land is in motion and they are preventing. That which was hidden therein has appeared and will appear.

BH01868: We have accepted you in all meanings, and We…

In the name of the meanings, I am the Manifestation of meanings.

We have accepted you in all meanings, and We have given you all meanings in love of these meanings, and We have manifested you with truth at the appearance of meanings, and We have confirmed you with acknowledgment upon the temple of meanings, and We have sent down upon your heart the waters of meanings, and We have quickened you through the breaths of meanings. Thus has spoken the Creator of meanings from the Pen of meanings, and has sent down upon you the Word of meanings, and has sent it to you from the mercy of meanings.

The Supreme Pen declares: O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! Stand firm in the Cause of God with such firmness that all who are in the heavens and earth shall be made firm by your steadfastness. Convey to the loved ones of God a wondrous mention from the tongue of God, and then proclaim that until these days the faith of the people of faith and others was not known, for pure and illumined hearts have perceived naught save the subtle essences of the jewels of the words of Divine glory, and purified ears have not been sullied by hostile words. Therefore all souls remained concealed in their own mines, though they were and shall be visible before God. But in these days when the cawing of the ungodly has been raised and the braying of the calumniators has ascended.

O loved ones of God, detach yourselves from all else but God and hold fast unto Him and seek His presence, and stand firm in the Cause of God that ye may be safe from the terror of the Most Great Fear. For those souls who were created by the hand of mercy and were known by the garments of names have disbelieved in God and associated partners with His oneness and warred against His Self and denied His signs whereby their faith had been established. By Him Who is unique in His sovereignty, then in His mercy, then in His singleness—one whom I nurtured throughout all nights and days, and showered upon him the outpourings of the seas of knowledge and wisdom, and preserved him in the fortress of power and grandeur, arose to cut down the Divine Tree.

When God disappointed him in what he desired, he then arose to cause the rancor of God to enter the hearts of His servants. When he found himself disappointed in what he had intended, he opened his tongue of calumny that he might cast doubt in hearts that were not firm, and he wrote words about which any soul with the least discernment would testify to their falsity. Although all people are aware of the sovereignty of the ocean and are convinced of its outpouring, if someone, out of envy and hatred, should say “I sought to draw near to the Most Great Ocean but it did not bestow its outpouring”—is such a person truthful? Nay, by the Self of God, the Mighty, the Most High, the Great!

O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! God willing, through divine grace you shall remain firm in the Divine Cause and speak forth in praise of His Self in these days when most tongues have grown weary and most souls have become sick, even though people had and have no knowledge of the root of this Cause. By God! What has been heard was from this servant, and no one has yet understood. Far be it from the ignorant people! Say: O people! Open the eye of God which is deposited within you and with that deposited sign, contemplate His Cause that perchance ye may attain to its source and fountainhead. Blessed are they that attain! These are the divine melodies that were revealed from the holy tongue of the Eternal. Blessed art thou! Then peace be upon thee! Then contentment be upon thee, for thou hast been content with the good-pleasure of God, the Help in Peril, the Most High, the Great!

BH01887: Mine eyes are cheered, O my God, when I…

In the name of God, the Almighty

Mine eyes are cheered, O my God, when I contemplate the tribulations that descend upon me from the heaven of Thy decree, and which have encompassed me on every side according to what Thy pen hath irrevocably established. I swear by Thy Self! Whatsoever is of Thee is well pleasing unto me, though it involve the bitterness of mine own death.

He Who was Thy Spirit (Jesus), O my God, withdrew all alone in the darkness of the night preceding His last day on earth, and falling on His face to the ground besought Thee saying:

“If it be Thy will, O my Lord, my Well-Beloved, let this cup, through Thy grace and bounty, pass from me.”

By Thy beauty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens! I can smell the fragrance of the words which, in His love for Thee, His lips have uttered, and can feel the glow of the fire that had inflamed His soul in its longing to behold Thy face and in its yearning after the Day-Spring of the light of Thy oneness, and the Dawning-Place of Thy transcendent unity.

As to me—and to this Thou art Thyself my witness—I call upon Thee saying:

“I have no will of mine own, O my Lord, and my Master and my Ruler, before the indications of Thy will, and can have no purpose in the face of the revelation of Thy purpose. I swear by Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and cherish only what Thou cherishest. What I have chosen for myself is what Thou hast Thyself chosen for me, O Thou the Possessor of my soul!”

Nay, I find myself to be altogether nothing when face to face with the manifold revelations of Thy names, how much less when confronted with the effulgent splendors of the light of Thine own Self.

O miserable me! Were I to attempt merely to describe Thee, such an attempt would itself be an evidence of my impiety, and would attest my heedlessness in the face of the clear and resplendent tokens of Thy oneness. Who else except Thee can claim to be worthy of any notice in the face of Thine own revelation, and who is he that can be deemed sufficiently qualified to adequately praise Thee, or to pride himself on having befittingly described Thy glory? Nay—and to this Thou dost Thyself bear witness—it hath incontrovertibly been made evident that Thou art the one God, the Incomparable, Whose help is implored by all men. From everlasting Thou wert alone, with none to describe Thee, and wilt abide for ever the same with no one else to equal or rival Thee. Were the existence of any co-equal with Thee to be recognized, how could it then be maintained that Thou art the Incomparable, or that Thy Godhead is immeasurably exalted above all peers or likeness?

The contemplation of the highest minds that have recognized Thy unity failed to attain unto the comprehension of the One Thou hast created through the word of Thy commandment, how much more must it be powerless to soar into the atmosphere of the knowledge of Thine own Being. Every praise which any tongue or pen can recount, every imagination which any heart can devise, is debarred from the station which Thy most exalted Pen hath ordained, how much more must it fall short of the heights which Thou hast Thyself immensely exalted above the conception and the description of any creature. For the attempt of the evanescent to conceive the signs of the Uncreated is as the stirring of the drop before the tumult of Thy billowing oceans. Nay, forbid it, O my God, that I should thus venture to describe Thee, for every similitude and comparison must pertain to what is essentially created by Thee. How can then such similitude and comparison ever befit Thee, or reach up unto Thy Self?

By Thy glory, O my God! Though I recognize and firmly believe that no description which any except Thyself can give of Thee can beseem Thy grandeur, and that no glory ascribed to Thee by any save Thyself can ever ascend into the atmosphere of Thy presence, yet were I to hold my peace, and cease to glorify Thee and to recount Thy wondrous glory, my heart would be consumed, and my soul would melt away. My remembrance of Thee, O my God, quencheth my thirst, and quieteth my heart. My soul delighteth in its communion with Thee, as the sucking child delighteth itself in the breasts of Thy mercy; and my heart panteth after Thee even as one sore athirst panteth after the living waters of Thy bounty, O Thou Who art the God of mercy, in Whose hand is the lordship of all things!

I give thanks to Thee, O my God, that Thou hast suffered me to remember Thee. What else but remembrance of Thee can give delight to my soul or gladness to my heart? Communion with Thee enableth me to dispense with the remembrance of all Thy creatures, and my love for Thee empowereth me to endure the harm which my oppressors inflict upon me.

Send, therefore, unto my loved ones, O my God, what will cheer their hearts, and illumine their faces, and delight their souls. Thou knowest, O my Lord, that their joy is to behold the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy word. Do Thou unveil, therefore, O my God, what will gladden their eyes, and ordain for them the good of this world and of the world which is to come. Thou art, verily, the God of power, of strength and of bounty.

BH01875: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest me…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest me oppressed amidst the people of the Furqan and those who claim to be of the Bayan. Thou knowest, O my God, that had they drunk the choice wine of inner meanings from the cup of the Bayan and recognized the Manifestation of Thy name, the All-Merciful, they would not have opposed the Beloved of all creation and the King of all worlds, nor would they have denied Him Whose praise and remembrance the Tongue of Grandeur hath ever spoken. Thou knowest, O my God, that I desired through the Bayan naught but the purification of hearts and their preparation for this Revelation, whereby the Dove hath warbled upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree, and the Herald hath called out between earth and heaven, and the mysteries of Thy most beautiful names have appeared in the kingdom of creation.

I know not by what countenance they who have turned away from this Revelation shall turn, or to whom they shall go, or in what valley they shall wander. By Thy glory! There is no refuge this Day for anyone save him who flees from his self unto the horizon of Thy most great signs, who forsakes what he hath and turns toward Thy most glorious horizon.

Thou knowest, O my God, that I protected my brother from the vicissitudes of time and called him at all times to Thy name, the All-Merciful. I revealed unto him of Thy verses and sheltered him beneath the wing of Thy mercy, never leaving him exposed to the winds. How then hath he harmed Thy creation and wronged Thy creatures? I protected his life while he, in the most hidden of secrets, sharpened the blade of his dagger to shed my blood. I nurtured him in my days, yet he dug a pit for me. Despite my knowledge of what lay in his heart, I did not confront him until what was in his breast became manifest.

I withdrew from them and departed from their midst lest there occur in Thy realm that which would sully the hem of Thy sanctity among Thy servants. Even after attaining power and authority, I did not oppose them until they plotted against Thy Cause and corruption appeared in the land. Their party in Iraq united with the oppressors who denied Thy Self and turned away from Thy beauty, until they made my family and loved ones captives from Zawra’ to Hadba’. By what they have perpetrated, Muhammad Thy Messenger hath lamented in the highest horizon, and ʿAli hath wept at the Divine Lote-Tree.

I know not by what proof they have denied Thee or by what evidence they have turned away from Thee. By Thy glory! Even if the idolaters were to tear my limbs asunder, I would not, through Thy power, cleave unto them or turn to them, nor would I, through Thy grace and favor, unite with them. Thou didst create me, O my God, from Thy nature before the creation of Thy heaven and earth, and I drank the wine of Thy love when I was still drinking milk from my mother’s breast through Thy loving-kindness, and it shall never depart from me.

I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the daybreak and Creator of spirits, by Thy Name through which the tribes have lamented and earthquakes have appeared, to open the eyes of Thy creation that they may behold Thee seated at the right hand of might, power and majesty, and reclining upon the cushion of loftiness, glory and grandeur. Can there be one endowed with smell who cannot detect the fragrance of Thy merciful robe after its sweet-scented breezes have wafted? Can there be one with taste who cannot find the sweetness of this remembrance in Thy days? Nay, by Thy glory! Such can only be one who hath ever been deprived of Thy presence, veiled from Thy countenance, and forbidden the wine of Thy knowledge.

O Lord! Purify the earth from Thy enemies, that thereby the faces of Thy chosen ones may be illumined and all may hasten to the sea, each wave of which proclaimeth: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the worlds!

BH01908: He is the Wondrous One! This is a leaf…

He is the Wondrous One! This is a leaf that tells of the sighs of my heart and the tears of my eyes and the raptures of my melody and the paleness of my countenance by reason of what the hands of those who disbelieved and associated partners with God have wrought, and who were far removed from the good-pleasure of the Cause. O My loved ones! If you were to hearken with the ear of innate nature to all things and to them, you would hear their wailing and their crying out in My grief. Thus do We inform you, that you may be numbered in the Mother Book among those endowed with knowledge.

O My loved ones! I was under the sword in My days, and none among creation was aware of this, and the True One Himself is witness to what I say. If, then, you desire to help your Lord, the All-Merciful, emerge from the veils of self and passion, then remind the people of what the Most Glorious Beauty has taught you, that your words may influence every pure-hearted hearer. Know that victory consists in preserving yourselves from that which you have been forbidden, your eyes from gazing upon aught but God, your hearts from remembering aught but Him, your faces from turning to anything besides Him, your hands from possessing the property of others, and your feet from walking in any path save His good-pleasure. Thus does the tongue of might teach you with knowledge. By My life! Whosoever is characterized by what We have mentioned in the Tablet will be a helper to his Lord’s Self in His Cause, which was decreed in the Mother of Tablets.

Say: O loved ones of God! Have you forgotten the days in which God’s melodies were raised up among you and His countenance shone forth upon you with lights that encompassed all the worlds? Beware lest you erase from your hearts the wondrous remembrance of Me, or from your breasts the manifestations of My love, or from your souls that which dawned from the dawning-place of the Most Exalted Name. Be steadfast in the Cause and differ not in your love for the Youth. By God! This is better for you than all that is on earth together.

And if the earthquake of tests and the thunderbolt of trials seize you, be not troubled, but hold fast to the cord of might and glory. Soon you shall find the people fleeing to the right and to the left, and this is what We informed you of in radiant and holy days. When We entered Iraq, We informed some of you of secrets that lay behind the veils of destiny, closely guarded. Among these was what We told Our servant Muhsin and certain other numbered souls—that this station of this Youth is a paradise that has no shade, and were there to be shade therein it would be more exalted than the suns of the former and latter generations. Thus was the decree witnessed from the horizon of the Spirit. Thus have We related to you tidings of the unseen, that you might know the Ancient Beauty and be steadfast in the Cause, and ascend to a station that is raised above recognition.

O Mihdi! Cast this exalted Tablet which has proceeded from the Wondrous Pen upon all the Arabs of the City of God and others who are present. But O Mihdi, recite it with a divine spirit and a merciful melody. This is not possible except through detachment from all that exists among the servants, that perchance some souls may become intimate with the private chamber of divine glory and not be deprived of the divine sanctuary. Otherwise, thy Lord is independent of all that is in the heavens and earths. And if Tablets that have been sent are recited in gatherings to the extent that does not cause weariness, this is beloved, that perchance thereby a fire may be kindled in hearts. And convey to all most holy greetings, sanctified above limitation, from this Lonely Stranger.

BH01903: O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! When thy letter came before the Divine…

O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! When thy letter came before the Divine Throne wherein thou didst inquire about those who were martyred in the path of God, who fulfilled their Covenant and were among the martyrs, We have answered what thou didst ask of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears. We have sent down for each one of them decisive verses and radiant words, one letter of which cannot be equaled by all that hath been created in the realm of invention and fashioned in the kingdom of creation, if thou be of them that understand. We have ordained for each one of them in the Supreme Horizon an exalted and glorious station. By God the Truth! The eye of God beholdeth them and there descendeth upon them mercy after mercy, then bounty after bounty. Thus doth God send down wondrous bounties upon those who were martyred in His path, and He shall resurrect them once again in truth and make them leaders over all created things. These are they who shall inherit the kingdom from God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious. They shall rule over the earth by the command of God, thy Lord, and shall speak that which the Spirit uttereth in their illumined and crystal hearts.

O Zaynu’l-Baqa! Shouldst thou meet any of their families, magnify God before his face and inform him of that which hath been ordained concerning him by the Pen of God, the Munificent, the Bestower, the Just, the All-Wise. And shouldst thou ask God to forgive all who are in the heavens and on earth, He would answer thee. Thus have We distinguished thee with this bounty that thou mayest thank thy Lord and be of the thankful.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause through the power and might of God, then convey unto the people the message with which We have commanded thee. Rest not within thyself, and be not of them that are at ease. Dost thou wish to take thine ease while the Ancient Beauty is beneath the claws of the hateful ones? Regard the people and what they possess as but a handful of clay which a child fashioneth into the likeness of a seal, then casteth upon it a handful of dust. Thus regard all save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, except those who have held fast unto the cord of God and turned their faces purely to the face of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Great.

By God the Truth! Those who have remained firm upon the seat of recognition in this Cause which hath appeared from the horizon of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting—upon them do the realities of the Prophets and Messengers shower their prayers. And were We to find one who hath attained maturity, We would impart unto him that which We have concealed from all who are in the heavens and on earth since the beginning that hath no beginning. But since We found the servants veiled and heedless, then in weakness and frailty, We have therefore concealed the mysteries and that which is better for them than all that hath been and shall be created, if thou be of them that know.

And thou, on this day, behold naught save My beauty, hear naught save My melodies, and turn to none save My direction which God hath sanctified from all directions and quarters and preserved from the gaze of the idolaters. Were the people to become aware of what they have wrought against their own selves, they would flee from their homes and strike their heads and wail until their spirits depart from their bodies, for they have deprived themselves of a bounty the like of which hath never appeared in creation, yet they perceive it not within themselves and are of them that rejoice. And glory be upon thee and upon them that have believed in God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH01905: In the Name of the Friend and the Beloved…

In the Name of the Friend and the Beloved of the soul! O divine friends! Having adorned the food of glory and submission with the spices of unity and sanctification, enter into the verdant, joyous shallow waters of the Beloved Lord, veiled with the veil of light. Drink the wine of divine love with the countenance of the holy, eternal Beauty’s manifestation. Make your dwelling in the shallow waters of the stream of glorious Paradise and the flowing of the holy Salsabil of submission, so that, intoxicated and bewildered by the exhilaration and rapture of the wine from the vessels of divine knowledge, you may find relief from the vanities of this transient earth and the defilements of this dusty realm.

From the beginning that has no beginning, the lights of the glory of divine unity have shone forth without pause or delay, and the radiant gleams of the divine Sun have ever appeared and will continue to appear without concealment or diminution. The chains of His glorious power have ever been lifted from the branches of created things, until in these days when the Mount of knowledge, by the command of the Creator Who says “Be!” and it is, has appeared raised up beyond measure upon the peaks of contingent being. Through the sprinkling of grace and the outpouring of glorious bounty, it has become adorned and illumined like the garden of divine unity with all manner of flowers of truth through the wondrous plants of knowledge and wisdom.

The precious jewels of mysteries and the holy, exalted pearls have shone forth from that Mount neither of the east nor of the west like the sun, manifest and evident. None among contingent beings has been or ever shall be cut off from the mountain of His consummate wisdom and the pools of His unceasing grace, that eternal Sovereign. Rather, in all successive ages and consecutive days, the entire creation from the beginning that has no beginning has been commanded to turn to this Source of glorious bounty, and the divine Herald has ever called and will continue to call the servants from estrangement in transient, passing homelands to draw near to the glorious, eternal abodes. However, since ears that are not pure have become covered with veils of falsehood and curtains of misbelief, they have therefore been deprived and forbidden from hearkening to the blessed Word of Unity, remaining lost and veiled in the bare wilderness of the heavenly realm and the desert of heedlessness.

O servants! The outpourings of mercy have ever rained down and the showers of grace will continue forever to descend. Therefore, trust in the Truth in all conditions and, turning toward the right hand of divine unity, seek to draw near. Praise be to God that all unceasing effusions culminated in the comprehensive, transcendent Word in the concealed, known year, and through Its blessed, infinite Name, the chalices of grace and bounty appeared manifest and evident from the wine of unity like wondrous red colors in crystal clear glass, such that every possessor of the sense of smell has discovered through the nostrils of the grace of knowledge the straight path of His flowing Paradise, and every blind one has found the way to that glorious wine-cellar of praise. O servants! If you are blind, enter the divine realm through the fragrance of this sweet scent and the diffusion of this holy, eternal musk, for every lost one who intends it reaches this exalted goal, every deaf one who wills it hears these sweet, beloved melodies, and every mute one becomes speaking.

In brief, O weak servants! From the ruined, transient, limited houses, seek refuge in the mighty pillar of unity, and shunning darknesses above darknesses, hold fast and cling to manifestation above manifestation, radiance above radiance, and light above light.

BH01940: This is a Book from the presence of Baha…

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

This is a Book from the presence of Baha to him whom God hath preserved in these days from the fire of self and passion, and hath aided to recognize His Self, and hath made him to be numbered among those who are assured in the Tablets, and hath detached him from all else save Him, and hath given him to drink of the cup of everlasting life from this Countenance which hath been illumined from all eternity with the lights of God. Blessed art thou, O servant, inasmuch as the breath of God hath quickened thee and the breezes of the Spirit have stirred thee and turned thee from the left hand of fancy to the right hand of certitude, and hath provided thee with the fruits of the Tree which was manifest in the form of man in very truth. Thus doth God preserve whom He willeth of His servants and aid those who seek His help through a sovereignty that encompasseth all worlds.

And thou, O servant, give thanks unto thy Lord for having bestowed upon thee that which made thee independent in His recognition from all who are in the heavens and on earth, and caused the dove of longing to warble in thy breast, and brought thee nigh unto a holy and exalted shore. Know thou that they who opposed God prevented thee from that which thou didst desire in His path, and this was an injustice from their own selves against the Self of the All-Merciful—and My Self, the True One, is witness unto what I say. Grieve not thou at this, but be content with what God hath ordained in His Cause. Then aid Him as thou art able, and tarry not in His aid even for a moment. Place thy trust in all things in God and sorrow not for aught, for He shall manifest whatsoever He willeth and desireth, and He is indeed the Observer of all things.

And when sorrows intensify upon thee, remember My sorrows. By God, the Truth! I have borne what was heavier than the weight of the heavens and earth, yet I did not become impatient in God’s Cause but endured according to My power and bore according to My strength. Thus do We impart unto thee the word of truth that thou mayest be informed of what befell the Ancient Beauty from those who disbelieved and associated partners with God, after they had imagined within themselves that they had ascended in faith to a holy and lofty station. By God, the Truth! They committed against their own selves what none before them had ever committed, wherefore the word of wrath was fulfilled against them from the presence of One mighty and wise.

Were We to mention unto thee what befell Us from him whose mention We had exalted in those days, thou wouldst surely lament and weep within thyself, nay thou wouldst detach thyself from all things and flee unto the summits of lofty mountains. Would that he had been content with what he did! Nay, he attributed unto God that which he witnessed within himself, and by this were consumed the hearts of the Prophets and Messengers, while he rejoiceth within himself as though he had committed no sin. Thus did vain imaginings delude him and drive him from a holy and wondrous paradise, after We had raised him to the kingdom of names to a station beneath which stood the angels of heaven, and We named him in every heaven with one of Our most beautiful names. And after his ascension to the most exalted stations, We commanded him with a command whereupon he waxed proud against God Who created and fashioned him. Therefore did We cast him from the heaven of Command unto the earth of his self and made him a warning unto every discerning one who seeth.

Thus have We acquainted thee and imparted unto thee some of what hath befallen Us. Soon shalt thou know that which We have concealed, and thou shalt be informed of what hath befallen the Truth. And the Glory rest upon thee and upon him who hath believed in God and remained steadfast in the Cause.

BH01949: He is the Glorious, the All-Glorious. O handmaiden…

He is the Glorious, the All-Glorious. O handmaiden of God! Now hear in the Persian tongue, in the most wondrous and sweetest of divine melodies, and know that in this Day naught but My remembrance is acceptable and naught but My love is approved in the sight of God, and ever shall be.

For all that hath been established between earth and heaven—be it the deeds of the doers, the knowledge of the knowers, the diverse religions and infinite laws—all have appeared from and return to the Manifestations of My Self, and all have appeared from God. And the reason that deeds performed in a previous Dispensation are not acceptable in the sight of God is that deeds have ever been and shall ever be dependent upon recognition of God, and this recognition of God dependeth upon recognition of His Manifestation. Should anyone in this Day remain veiled from Him Who is the Manifestation—He round Whom circle all the divine commandments—no deed whatever would benefit him, even were he to perform the deeds of all created things. Just as recognition of a house doth not suffice without recognition of its owner, likewise the deeds of the doers suffice not without recognition of their Revealer and Establisher. And if in this Day one should forsake all deeds but attain unto recognition of the Truth, there remaineth for him hope of salvation; but should he, God forbid, be veiled from the Truth while occupied with all manner of deeds, there is no escape for him and he shall be reckoned by God among the people of hell, negation and fire.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, hearken unto the holy, divine melodies, that through hearing them the Holy Spirit may be raised up in thy heart and the Spirit of Power may speak in thy breast. And when thou attainest unto this station, thou shalt become detached from the world and all therein, and shalt ascend to the most exalted paradise and the most holy horizon, attaining unto the station of “Know God through God” which is the ultimate homeland of the knowers and the final goal of them that are nigh unto God. In this station thou shalt see no proof save the Self of the Friend and seek no evidence save the beauty of the Beloved. Thou shalt regard His Manifestation as proof of His existence and His dawning as evidence of His Self. Thou shalt behold all created things in the grasp of His power like a handful of clay, and shalt observe all existing things limited and confined within His mighty hand.

Therefore strive thou to purify thy heart from the outpourings of the allusions of them that are veiled, and to sanctify thy breast from the darkness of all else besides God, that thou mayest be illumined by the light of His manifestations in such wise that all who dwell in the heavens shall be illumined by thee. Marvel not at the power of the King of inner meanings Who is established upon the throne of divine eternity. I swear by the Sun of the Most Glorious Horizon that were all upon earth to become sanctified from the darkness of vain imaginings and purified from the veils of idle fancies, thou wouldst behold in all of them the lights of the manifestation of the divine Sun of Glory.

Rend asunder the veils of darkness and abide within the pavilion of holy light. Stand firm in the love of God and strive according to thy capacity to remember God and to spread His remembrance among the handmaidens of God, for in this Day whosoever speaketh in remembrance of the Beloved shall be confirmed by the Holy Spirit. Thus hath the matter been ordained by the All-Wise, the Ancient of Days.

BH04754: God bears witness that there is no God but…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

God bears witness that there is no God but Him and that this One Who has appeared with the name Husayn-ʿAli is His splendor to those in the Concourse on High, then His radiance to those in the Kingdom of Names, then His power to those in the cities of light, then His manifestation and beauty to all the worlds.

O servant! Preserve what God has testified of Himself, by Himself, to Himself in this Tablet, then recite it nine times each day according to the number of this Name by which the heavens of names were cleft asunder, then the earth of hatred was split, then the hearts of every sinful misbeliever were troubled.

O servant! Arise in the Cause of God with such steadfastness that all who are in the heavens and earth cannot make you slip—thus befits your station if you hear the melodies of your Lord in these days when all ears have been made deaf and were deprived of hearkening to the Word of God, save those who heard the mention of their Lord, the All-Merciful, from this Beauty Who has ascended the throne with a sovereignty that encompasses all the worlds.

And if you wish to know what has befallen your Lord, know that all the evils of the first and the last have been sent forth in one soul, and it has risen against My wronged Self, if you be informed of this.

O servant! When you find yourself alone in your house, then remember My loneliness. And if you find sorrow in yourself, then reflect on My sorrows. And if you journey to other lands, then remember My exile and My tribulation. And if you see a prisoner with chains of iron around his neck, then remember My imprisonment and what I have suffered from those who have denied God and were far from the holy path.

Would that My tribulations were only to the extent that We have mentioned to you! By Him Who holds Baha’s soul in His hand, were I to mention what has befallen Me from the enemies in the innermost mystery, the heaven would be rent asunder, the earth would be cleft, the mountains would crumble, the trees would be stripped of fruit, and the seas of their waves. By God the Truth! If you were to clear your vision you would witness the denizens of the Supreme Paradise beating upon their heads, and were you to turn with another vision you would behold the Ancient Beauty having rent from His temple the cloak of patience. Thus does the Pen of the Unconstrained mention to you what has befallen Me from these wicked ones, that you may become seeing of the truth. But We have veiled the matter lest the veil of concealment be rent from all created things and the cry of those near to God be raised in the pavilion of mighty glory.

And you, O servant, be content with Me instead of others and break not God’s covenant and His testament, for besides Him nothing will suffice you—none denies this save every wretched misbeliever.

Then know that We have named your son in the Kingdom of Names ʿAbdu’l-Baha. Therefore mention him by this name. By God the Truth! When this name issued from the tongue of your Lord, all who were immersed in the depths of names called out to him with this name, which was mentioned in the Mother Book by God Himself. And the Glory be upon you and upon those with you who have taken God as their Guardian.

Then know, O Baqir, that We have named your son outwardly with the first pillar of My name, which is Husayn, and inwardly with ʿAbdu’l-Baha. Thus was the matter decreed by the Pen of the Spirit.

BH01972: Your letter was present before the Face and was…

In the name of the one loving God.

Your letter was present before the Face and was honored by the glances of the Lord of Names. Blessed is the soul whose letter attained the presence of the Throne after being prevented from turning to it by what the hands of the oppressors had wrought. A word was observed in your letter which is in truth the perfect word, and ever shall be—if one succeeds in acting upon it, they will comprehend all good. And that is: “O my Lord, O Guide of my purposes, Thy good-pleasure.” Ask God that you may remain firm in this word. Blessed is the one who drinks from this cup and is of those who know.

The generosity of God is limitless and His grace endless. Never has there been, nor shall there be, any interruption in the outpouring of the All-Bountiful One. He has answered and will answer the needs of all. If in some instances there has been delay, it was for the good of that soul—assuredly they will attain to what is better than what they asked for. However, for those souls who truly hold fast to His good-pleasure, another station is ordained. Blessed are they, again blessed are they.

And in your letter was: “I see the heaven and the earth and the sea” etc. “all of them are signs of Thy power, like writing flowing from Thy pen; therefore there is no need for me to beseech Thee to send Thy writing.” End quote.

Yea, in one sense this attribute can be and is applied to all things—that is, in all things the movement of the divine creative Pen is manifest and visible, and those possessed of insight behold it with both outer and inner vision. However, the existence of all things depends upon the movement of the Most Exalted Pen, and the nobility of all things lies in their relationship to it. Therefore all have been and ever shall be in need.

The true believer in divine unity is one who sees all things as manifestations of God’s primal sign, and beholds in all things the expressions of His names and attributes, while seeing that sign as sanctified above all things and sovereign over all things—how much more so the Truth Himself, exalted is He above being associated with His creation or known through aught else. If relationship were removed from existence, it would be sheer nothingness—how then could manifestation be attributed to it? All exists through Him and subsists by Him, while He is sanctified and exalted above all. There is no God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Thou didst make mention of the station of one’s parents in the Abode of the Hereafter. One of the special bounties vouchsafed in this Revelation is this: that every soul who turneth in faith toward the Dawning-Place of the Cause—his parents, albeit they have not attained unto faith in this Manifestation—shall yet be encompassed by the rays of the Sun of Divine loving-kindness, and shall be taken into its shelter. This is of His grace unto His loved ones. Render thou thanks, and be thou of the thankful.

We counsel you, O loved ones of God, regarding the Most Great Trust among My servants and My creation. For through it the Cause of God is exalted among all else, and the sanctity of His Cause becomes manifest throughout the worlds. Be trustees among the servants—thus have We counseled them in the Tablets. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: Place your trust in all matters in the Truth, the All-Forgiving. Verily He gives to whomsoever He wishes whatsoever He wishes, and withholds from whomsoever He wishes what He desires. He is indeed the Powerful, the Mighty. Let not the affairs of the world grieve you. That which has been ordained for you is incomparable to anything else in creation, were you of those who know. Be steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the winds of those who lead astray will not cause you to slip.

BH01975: He is the Mighty! This is the Book…

He is the Mighty! This is the Book of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. It hath been sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and well-beloved, and it speaketh the truth in the kingdom of eternity and in the heaven of heaven that there is none other God but Him. He quickeneth whom He willeth through His grace, and unto Him shall all return. His is the creation and the command, and all things are preserved with Him in a guarded Book.

O Ha’ before Sin! Hearken unto the call of Him Who summoneth thee from the heaven of divine command, and be not of those who are not guided by the signs of God. Say: By God the Truth! The veil of holy garments hath been rent asunder and the Youth of the Spirit hath appeared with the beauty of God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved. Beware lest thou consort with those from whom thou canst not detect the fragrance of love from this diffused and manifest musk. Leave them to themselves, for they are blind to the Cause and deaf to the Word, and they perceive not.

Say: By God! Ye have dwelt behind the veils of fancy in your days, such that ye understood not God’s purpose in His hidden Tablet. Thus do We expound the verses unto thee lest the opposition of those who have disbelieved and joined partners with God and who have turned back on their heels should turn thee aside from thy Lord’s path. And thou, seek refuge in God thy Lord, then suffice thyself with Him apart from all else, for He will suffice thee against all who are in the heavens and the earth and against all that was and will be. He will preserve thee as He preserved thee before, and will provide thee with that wherewith He hath provided none save those who turn toward the holy precincts and who direct themselves to the sacred quarter. Thus doth God exalt whom He willeth and aid whom He willeth through His grace, for He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

And when thou seest the Sacrifice who hath come forth from prison, glorify Him on Our behalf, then give him glad tidings with a remembrance from Us, that he may be of those who rejoice in God’s glad tidings. Say: O servant! Give thanks to God thy Creator for having delivered thee from prison, then strive not to enter another prison and be not of those who abide eternally imprisoned within themselves. Say: We observed thee aforetime in mighty delusion such that thou didst appear before God thy Lord yet wast unaware of it and wast among the heedless. Therefore did We veil Our face from thee and conceal it behind a thousand veils lest thou and the eyes of the weak should discover it. Say: O servant! Rend asunder the veils of fancy, then emerge from behind the veil with manifest sovereignty. And if thou art powerless to do this by thyself, then seek help through My Name, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. Then in the beginning of the matter, deliver thyself, then the servants of God, and be God’s herald among His creatures and remind them with thy loudest voice and fear no one, but put thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Say: O people! Be fair with yourselves before God and be not among the opposers. Then recite unto them what was revealed unto Muhammad the Messenger of God in a clear Arabic tongue. None dispute concerning the signs of God save those who disbelieve. Thus was it sent down in truth from One mighty and beautiful. O people! Fear God and dispute not concerning His verses when they are sent down through grace, and be not among the prodigal. Thus doth the Dove of Holiness teach you and counsel you with truth lest ye be among the heedless.

BH01948: O Husayn! Hear the call of this Wronged One…

He is the Almighty, the Ever-Abiding, the Incomparable

O Husayn! Hear the call of this Wronged One Who hath been afflicted at the hands of the servants, and sought no help from anyone save God, the King, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. He hath detached Himself from all who are in the heavens and on earth, and hath spent His soul in the path of thy Ancient Lord, such that no hour hath passed over Him except there befell Him that which caused the eyes of the Maids of Heaven to weep in their chambers and the hearts of them who are nigh unto God to bleed. He desired naught on earth save what His Lord desired, and preserved not Himself in the face of tribulations—to this all things bear witness, if thou be of them that hear. He spoke between earth and heaven what the Spirit spoke within His breast, and delivered the Cause of God, His Lord, unto all the worlds.

Among them were those who denied Him and rejected the signs of God, and were of the idolaters. And among them were those who rose up against Him in hostility, who disputed with their own selves, who associated partners with His Being, and who objected to what was sent down from God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Wise. Were We to recount unto thee the tales of what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst detach thyself from thine own self and all that thou hast, and flee unto the mountain peaks, lamenting as lament the bereft. Therefore have We concealed it from thee, lest grief overtake thee in these times, thus protecting thee and those who have believed in God and His signs and were of the faithful.

Beware lest thou forget Our remembrance or occupy thyself with that which would remove thee from the shore of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, and render thee among the heedless. Remember within thyself at all times, then remind the servants of what We have imparted unto thee in truth, and be thou of them who remember. Beware lest thou be impatient within thyself or follow them who have denied and associated partners with God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears of old. Strive within thyself that the signs of God may be made manifest in thy land and thy face may shine with the lights of certitude. Beware, beware lest thou be heedless of thy Lord’s Cause. Aid it with what thou art able and be not of the patient ones. His aid is to teach His Cause among the servants with wisdom and utterance, and naught else befitteth any assured seer.

Then remind from Our presence those servants who have detached themselves unto God and who have been seized by the holy fragrances from this hallowed, mighty and luminous Quarter. Say: Fear God and follow not your desires. Follow what the Spirit imparteth unto you—this is better for you than all that hath been created between the heavens and earth. Adorn your tongues with the remembrance of your Lord, the All-Merciful, and turn not unto the world and what is therein, for it shall perish while sovereignty remaineth with God, the Protector, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Say: Beware lest ye commit that whereby the honor of the Cause would be lost. Be steadfast in the love of your Lord and be not of the heedless. Sanctify yourselves from all that would remove you from God, then draw nigh with your hearts unto the court of sublime glory. Commit not that which would cause the servants to object, for thereby souls are disturbed and the feet of the believers slip. Strive within yourselves that the signs of God may be made manifest in the kingdom such that the servants may find from you the fragrance of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Thus have We commanded thee—act according to what thou hast been commanded in the Book and be of them that act.

BH01974: Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast…

Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast been true to what the Pen of Thy Revelation hath inscribed upon the Tablets sent down by Thee unto them Whom Thou hast chosen above all Thy creatures, and through Whom Thou hast unlocked the doors of Thy mercy, and shed abroad the radiance of the light of Thy guidance. Glory to Thee that Thou hast laid bare what had from eternity been wrapped up within the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, Thine omnipotence and glory, and through which Thou hadst decked forth the heaven of Thy Revelation and adorned the pages of the book of Thy testimony.

And when the Pledge was fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, He was rejected by such of Thy servants as profess to have believed in Him in Whom Thy Godhead was manifested, Whom Thou didst ordain to be the Herald of this Revelation, and through Whose advent the eyes of the inmates of the sanctuary of Thy unity were cheered.

I know, O my Lord, neither their reasoning with which they have acknowledged Thee and believed in Thy signs, nor their argument whereby they have repudiated Thy sovereignty. Every time I call them to Thee and say:

“O people! Consider the utterances of the Lord your God which are in your possession and those that have been sent down from the heaven of His will and power,”

they cavil at Thee, and turn their backs to Thee, though—as Thou art aware—each of the words that have gone out of the mouth of Thy will sheddeth the fragrance of the breaths of Thy mercy.

Some have chosen to cleave to him who is counted unworthy to converse with any of Thy servants that watch at Thy door (Mirza Yahya), how much more to enter into the court in which the Tongue of Thy majesty speaketh. Cleanse Thou their hearts and their eyes, O my Lord, that they may see with their eyes and understand with their hearts, that haply they may be attracted by Thine utterances to the Day-Spring of Thine inspiration, and draw nigh unto the soft-flowing stream of Thy knowledge.

Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath, in every line of Thy Book, entered into covenant with them for me, and made it so sure that none of Thy creatures can any longer evade it. Thou didst say—and Thy word is the truth:

“One single letter from Him excelleth all that hath been sent down in the Bayan.”

Thou dost consider, therefore, O my God, how they have transgressed against Thy Cause, and beholdest what their hands have wrought in Thy days. They have so grievously wronged me that the Lote-Tree of Thy Revelation moaneth, and the inmates of the Tabernacle of Thy majesty and the dwellers of the cities of Thy names lament. I know not, O my God, for what reason they have risen up to oppress me, and by what proof they have turned aside from Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens, to aid them to act equitably in Thy Cause, that haply they may discover the sweet smell of the robe of Thy mercy, and set their faces towards the horizon that shineth with the brightness of the light of Thy face. Weak are they, O my Lord, and Thou art the Lord of strength and power. They are but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most Generous.

Thou art well aware, O my God, that throughout my life I have sought no advantage for myself. I have offered up my spirit and my whole being for the exaltation of Thy word amidst Thy creatures and the glorification of Thy name among Thy servants. Thou didst send me with such a Testimony that they Who are the Exponents of Thy Revelation and the Day-Springs of Thine inspiration were stirred up with vehement longing. Through it, Thy proof was established, and Thy bounty fulfilled, and Thy Cause perfected, and Thine utterances released, and Thy clear tokens uncovered.

Thou knowest, O my God, that I have wished only what Thou hast wished, and desire what Thou dost desire. Were I to speak forth before Thy servants the things wherewith Thou didst, through Thy bounty, inspire me and which Thou didst command me to utter amidst Thy creatures, the oppressors among Thy people would cavil at me. And were I to hold my peace and cease to celebrate the wonders of Thy praise, all the limbs of my body would be stirred up to extol Thee. I know not what the water is with which Thou didst create me, or what the fire Thou didst kindle within me. I swear by Thy glory! I shall not cease to mention Thee, though all that are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth rise up against me. Thee will I magnify, in all circumstances, with a heart wholly rid of all attachment to the world and all that is therein.

Praised be Thou, the Well-Beloved of the hearts of all such as have recognized Thee.

BH02017: This is a Book from God to him who…

He is God, the Most Exalted, the Most High

This is a Book from God to him who was guided by the light of the Countenance in days when all took the calf as their lord instead of God and were among the abased ones.

Say: God hath appeared in truth—blessed be those who turn unto Him. Those who have veiled themselves from God, these have been heedless of their Lord’s remembrance and the angels near the throne curse them. Say: Do ye deny what your Beloved witnesseth above all things? Fie upon you, O company of the deluded! Those who would purchase women’s cloaks with their eyes to cover themselves therewith have now emerged with a strange deadly poison.

Say: Where were ye, O heedless ones, in the days when your souls were agitated by the cry of a weak gnat, when thou didst see the chief of the deniers? Say: O veiled one, how long wilt thou not be fair in the Cause of thy Lord, nor show mercy to thyself, and be of the heedless ones? Say: By God, were it not for My Self, ye would be non-existent upon the earth—and ye bear witness to that which God hath witnessed, if ye be of the fair-minded.

Say: Have you forgotten, O servant, the days when if any among you would enter into the presence, people would drive him away and even curse him with great wrath? Yet when the breezes of security wafted, ye emerged with swords of hatred, turning toward God, the King, the Mighty, the Beautiful. By God, the eye of creation hath not seen anyone more veiled than thee and those who followed thee without My leave and who walked the paths of delusion.

O Husayn, hear the call of this Husayn at the time when Shimr stood at His right, and the spear was held before His head, and the accursed Khawli stood before His face, and He called out among these unbelievers saying: O people, slay Me not with swords of hatred—I am but the Self of Ali among you, and the Spirit of Muhammad within you, and the Beauty of God before you. Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. Fear God and shed not the blood of Him at Whose spilling the pillars of the Throne shake and the supports of the exalted Seat cease to be.

Say: O people, I have not spoken among you except in truth, and I have not commanded you save what the Spirit hath uttered in My heart with wondrous melodies of glory. Be ashamed before Him Who sacrificed Himself in My path—have mercy on My wronged and lonely Self. Thus was the command of the Youth among these cattle in this prison, and We have related it to thee that thou mayest share in grief with the Prophets.

Hear My words and shun those who have denied God Who created all things and sent the Messengers. Then remind the people with wisdom that they may recognize the Beauty of the Divine Unity and arise from the slumber of the heedless ones.

Know thou that We remembered thee before thou didst remember Me, and We strengthened thee for the victory of My Cause, and We inspired thee with that which would establish My Cause against the ignorant ones, and We ordained for thee in the heaven of destiny abundant good—this is from God’s favor unto thee that thou mayest be of the thankful ones.

Convey God’s greetings to the faces of those who have believed and to the face of thy wife, then give her glad tidings of her Lord’s remembrance. We have made her one of Our successful handmaidens and We have mentioned her name in tablets of mighty glory. Thus doth God single out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth, and He is indeed the Lord of bounty and transcendent mercy.

BH02004: Glorified be He Who hath appeared with the truth…

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

Glorified be He Who hath appeared with the truth with all the signs and hath spoken between earth and heaven with a call whereby the hearts of the Concourse on High were attracted, yet most of the people hear not. At every moment He saith:

“O people! We created you for My manifestation and caused you to know the Manifestation of My Self. Yet when He came upon clouds of inner meanings, surrounded by hosts of revelation, ye denied Him and were of those who turned away from God their Lord after the signs had encompassed them from every direction—to this all existence doth testify, as do honored servants.”

O people! Hearken unto the call of your Lord and stop not your ears from hearkening to the Word of God, your Lord and the Lord of all things visible and invisible, would that ye might know. Say: God is independent of the faith of His servants and whatsoever He commandeth them. This is of His grace unto them, that He might draw them nigh unto the right hand of the Throne and send down upon them that which shall purify them from the defilement of contingent being and bring them to a station of glorious praise.

Verily those who have disbelieved in these days—every atom doth curse them, as doth all that was and will be. All that was created in creation doth address them saying:

“O people, your eyes are blind! Do ye witness the Names yet withhold your gaze from Him through one letter from Whom were created the Names and their Kingdom, then the Attributes and their Dominion? This indeed is a wrong ye have wrought against your own selves, would that ye might understand.”

Rend asunder the veils through My Name, the Chosen One, and turn not unto those who have disbelieved in God after their belief and turned away from Him for Whose meeting they were created. Thus doth the Tongue of God, the Sovereign, the Protector, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, speak at this moment. O people! Cast away what ye possess and take what is with God. By God the Truth! None hath any protector today save through His Cause. Thus hath the decree been sent down in all the Tablets and in the Torah and the Gospel and the Psalms.

O people! Look ye at God’s previous Scriptures. By God! In every word thereof ye were promised this resplendent, dawning, rising, hidden, mighty and manifest Beauty. Whoso today pauseth for less than a moment regarding His Cause hath indeed turned away from God and His Messengers in every age and time. Therefore ponder within yourselves, then choose what is best for you, would that ye might know.

O servant! In these days cleanse thine eyes from the ophthalmia of vain imaginings and hold fast to the cord of certitude. Be not of those who are blind upon the earth yet reckon they can see. By God the Truth! The veils have so encompassed them that they understand nothing, nor do they see. As for thee, emerge from behind the veils through a power from Us and a might from Our presence. Then sanctify thyself from all that existeth in the hands of men, that thou mayest ascend unto an atmosphere wherein thou wilt hear the sounds of the wings of the birds of eternity and witness thyself attracted by the love of thy Lord. Thus do We command thee and inspire thee that thou mayest follow the bidding of thy Lord and be in a praiseworthy protection. And peace be upon thee if thou standest firm in the Cause and upon those who have turned unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.