Volume 044: Prior to 1873 1290 A.H., Part II (3 of 4)

BH11729: The lamentation of God hath verily been raised…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

The lamentation of God hath verily been raised in truth from the Manifestation of His Self, Who hath fallen prey to the talons of hatred, with none to help Him except God Who created Him, raised Him up in truth, and sent Him unto all the worlds. By God! There hath befallen Him that which hath caused the hearts of them that are nigh unto God to be consumed in the most exalted chambers, and the hearts of the sanctified ones in the crimson pavilions, and the hearts of the believers in the cities of names, and none hath comprehended this save Mine all-knowing and all-wise Self.

O Mihdi! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord with the ear of thine inmost nature, then turn thy face toward the precincts of the House, this Sanctuary which God hath built with the hands of His power and made it an ornament of His Self between the heavens and the earth. Say: O people! Destroy not the sanctuary of God with hands of rancor and hatred. If ye turn not unto it, oppose it not, for whoso opposeth it shall soon be seized by the chastisement of a barren day.

O people! Dispute not concerning the Cause of God, nor reject what He hath brought in truth, nor deny the grace of Him Who hath encompassed all created things, if ye be of them that know. Remember God in the watches of the night and at the ends of the day, for His remembrance cannot be realized except through this most sublime and mighty Remembrance. Whoso turneth away from this Remembrance hath indeed turned away from all remembrance throughout all ages. Thus hath the matter been ordained in preserved tablets of holiness.

O Mihdi! Be thou guided by the guidance of God, thy Lord, and turn not unto anyone. Place thy trust in Him in all matters, for He is the best of helpers and protectors. Then rejoice within thyself that thy father hath attained unto the presence of God and his spirit hath ascended to a station whereof the knowledge of the knowers is cut off. The maidens of Paradise shall now serve him and the denizens of the Supreme Concourse shall find solace in his company. Walk thou in the footsteps of thy father and be steadfast in the path of God in such wise that thy feet shall not slip through the insinuations of the opposers.

Say: O my Lord! All praise be unto Thee for having made me recognize the Manifestation of Thy Self and cast into my heart the lights of love and sent unto me a Book of glory most bountiful. Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for this great bounty and mighty gift. I beseech Thee, O my God, not to leave me to myself, then preserve me from the evil of Satan and his hosts, and send down upon me that which will sever me from all else save Thee and render me independent of all except Thee. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest, and Thou hast power over all things.

Thus have We remembered thee and commanded thee, that thou mayest recite the verses of thy Lord and be of them that remember. And may the light that hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity be upon thee, that thou mayest be of the people of Baha and be of the assured ones.

BH02436: Be patient in the calamities which have befallen you…

He is the Most Exalted in the garments of the All-Glorious

Be patient in the calamities which have befallen you, then give thanks unto God, your Creator, that God may give thanks unto you in His glorious Kingdom. Verily He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

It hath ever been known that from time immemorial and unto all eternity, the chosen ones of God have been the recipients of trials and tribulations. This is that trust which none was capable of bearing save those whom thy Lord hath willed—they are the loved ones and chosen ones of God who have become the manifestations of His decrees and the dawning-places of His trials. Therefore one must console the heart through patience and trust. Moreover, beyond these afflictions there is the matter of separation which hath entirely blocked the path of attainment and meeting, such that hope hath been transformed into despair, as though this separation and parting shall not be followed by the glad-tidings of the sweet breezes of reunion and nearness. This is among the greatest afflictions of the spirit. In any case, we hope that, God willing, all these sorrows shall be transformed into joy and delight. Verily He is the Guardian of the doers of good.

These are afflictions in which we all share. However, such trials have befallen this servant that none hath the power to bear them—neither the heavens nor the earth, neither the Manifestations of the Divine Unity nor the Dawning-Places of Divine Singleness. O My handmaiden! Give thanks unto God that He hath concealed this from thee, for wert thou to become aware of it, thou wouldst surely lose all patience and composure. Yet despite all this, We remain patient and thankful, and are among the grateful ones.

Furthermore, what can Maryam do about the separation from that nightingale which hath taken flight from the rose-garden? Though in truth the effects of grief are apparent in all things and evident throughout all existence, yet patience hath been and will ever be most beloved, for that nightingale hath winged its flight to the holy precincts of Paradise. This earthly realm is as thou seest—naught exists therein save sorrow, grief and material troubles. Therefore pure hearts tarry not but return to their own station. God willing, He will graciously bestow an even sweeter and more glorious successor.

At this moment grief hath so encompassed Me that I am unable to write more. Unto God do I commit My affairs and your affairs, and verily He is the Guardian of those who trust in Him. I remember all the members of the household—the elder sister and the sister—I mention them all with wondrous and glorious remembrance. Multiple letters in the envelope are not possible. Finally, I offer boundless mention to the honored and revered mother.

BH02457: The mention of thy Lord’s mercy unto His servant…

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

The mention of thy Lord’s mercy unto His servant Kazim, who believed in God and was recorded among the successful ones in the Mother of Tablets, and who was brought forth from the loins of one who ascended unto the heights of holiness and recognized his Lord, then strove in His path with all his might and failed not in the Cause of his Lord until he was martyred in His path and was inscribed among the martyrs in the Mother of the Book. At the moment his spirit ascended, the angels of Paradise received him with radiant banners until he entered the Garden of Meeting, the station wherein the Ancient Beauty shineth with mighty splendors. Blessed is he in that he attained unto the recognition of his Lord and achieved His presence in this earthly life, and in the life to come there hath been ordained for him before the Divine Countenance a station that is truly glorious. The Tongue of Grandeur, through the manifestation of His radiant and most glorious Self, pronounceth his name with pride, and with Him the denizens of the Supreme Paradise and then the hidden hosts of the unseen join in this pronouncement.

And thou, O Kazim, follow in thy father’s footsteps and walk not save in his path, for by My life, this is better for thee than all that is on earth. Hold fast to the cord of his love—by God, through his love do the sincere ones enter into the precincts of their Lord’s mercy, and this is of the bounty which God hath specially ordained for him and, apart from him, for whomsoever He willeth through His command, and verily He hath power over all things.

Give thanks unto God for having related thee unto him, for thy relationship to him sufficeth thee above all relationships save unto thy Lord Himself, for through the love of God and the Manifestation of His Self are all relationships strengthened, and without this all relationships are severed—and God is witness unto this. Purify thyself from whatsoever is unworthy of thee, then seek bounty from thy Lord every morn and eve. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee, for God shall soon set right thine affairs and make thee well-pleased. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that thy feet shall not slip at a time when the feet of every person of insight slip.

Thus have We inspired thee and ordained for thee in the Book a station that is truly praiseworthy. Moreover, convey Our remembrance unto all who survive thy father, whether female or male, and unto those who have believed in God and stood firm in the Cause, and are today numbered among those who have shattered the idols of fancy and held fast unto a support that is mighty indeed.

BH02490: This is a leaf which hath sprouted…

He is the Everlasting through the perpetuity of His Own Self, the Self-Subsisting.

This is a leaf which hath sprouted from the Divine Lote-Tree and which We have sent unto him whom afflictions have befallen in the path of his Lord, that he may inhale from it the fragrance of holiness and draw nigh unto God, unto Whom is his return and final abode.

O servant! Grieve not over what hath befallen thee in this world. By God! There have descended upon this Wronged One tribulations which no pen can reckon, and I have been struck by the arrows of destiny at a time whose beginning and end none can know. Forget thy sorrows, then weep for this Youth Whose blood hath been shed at every moment by those who were created by His Word. When they attained unto full strength they rose up against God in opposition, following their own selves and desires. Therefore do all the tribes in the realms of eternity lament My tribulations, and every servant whom God hath aided to recognize the Manifestation of His Self and whose eyes He hath opened doth weep.

Be thou patient in all things except in My tribulations, then put thy trust in God Who created thee by a command from His presence. Cut thyself from all else but Him. Adorn thy heart with My love and thy tongue with My remembrance, and be not dismayed in the face of destiny. Be content with what God hath ordained for thee and follow the paths of His good-pleasure. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to recognize His Self, while all others have opposed Him. Soon shall He requite them for what their hands have wrought, their tongues have uttered, and their hearts have harbored. With Him is the knowledge of all things and the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and He knoweth the secret and public doings of every soul.

Strive then with utmost endeavor to remain steadfast in thy Lord’s Cause, firm in His love and established in His guidance, for in these days from every pit hath emerged a serpent of misbelief that rusheth forth behind every soul, and when it reacheth that soul it stingeth and destroyeth it instantly, except for one who possesseth the antidote of the name of thy Lord, the Most High. Nothing that thou witnesseth or beholdeth can affect such a one; rather, he affecteth all things and prevaileth over every soul through the triumph of his Lord, and everything witnesseth this in the shadow of Him Who created and nurtured it.

O servant! Taste thou from the Lote-Tree of the Command and its fruits, and approach not aught else even if it should offer thee all manner of fruits, for though it may appear as light it shall be as fire, and none comprehendeth this save one whose heart hath found tranquility through the light of God and His presence.

And the glory be upon thee, O Mustafa, and upon thy wife, if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause and turnest not thy face from the court of His grace and glory.

BH11732: He bears witness, this most abject atom, before…

He bears witness, this most abject atom, before the radiance of Thy Ancient Beauty, and in this darkest night facing the effulgence of the countenance of the Sovereign Lord of Thy Oneness, that there is for Thee no manifestation or concealment whereby I might describe Thy boundless favors.

How then can I venture before the countenance of the King of Thy Attraction, and with what tongue can I chant in praise of the verses of the glory of Thy sanctified majesty, and with what existence can I seclude myself in the cloud of Thy oneness, and with what utterance can I call to mind the letters of Thy sovereignty, after I see myself as naught that I might stand in the arenas of the patient ones, and find in myself no existence that I might take my place in the court of the yearning ones?

Yet, O my Beloved and my Desire, I am not perplexed save by the movement of the cords of Thy loving-kindness, and I ascend not save through the atmosphere of intimacy with the presence of the Sovereign Lord of Thy Self-Subsistence, and I rise not save to the heaven of Thy holy love. I venture forth in the court of Thy glorious bounty, and with plaintive, tender cry I call upon Thee in the inner mysteries of Thy most holy Essence, and I submit that O my Splendor, my Remembrance and my Hope, pour forth upon Thy loved ones from the drops of Thy holy camphor and from the waves of Thy seas of intimacy, that perchance their hearts may find rest like unto Mount Encompassing before the manifestation of Thy Ancient Beauty, and their inner beings may be cooled like unto snow amidst the surging of the seas of the Sovereign Lord of Thy Uniqueness, that they might become radiant through the radiance of the beauty of the Presence of Thy Divinity, and shine forth through the effulgence of the countenance of the Sovereign Lord of Thy Grace, and become detached from all else through the appearance of the countenance of Thy attraction, and stand firm in the establishment of Thy Cause, and find delight in the remembrance of the letters of Thy sovereignty, and speak with Thy utterance before Thee, and journey toward the heaven of infinitude through Thy power, and find tranquility through Thy peace, and do Thou teach them a drop from the drops of knowledge hidden within the treasuries of Thy might, and show them a wave from the waves of that beloved state which lies concealed in the inner mysteries of Thy clemency.

Alas, alas! Then alas, alas! God is Most Great! God is Most Great! God is Most Great!

The tempest of divine jealousy has begun to blow and the Dove of Independence has taken wing, while all the companions have grown cold and remain veiled, whence they perceive not. And verily I say: We are God’s and to Him we return, and we are all [returning], and praise be to God, the Desire of the mystics.

BH02516: O Fath-i-A’zam! Be thou, with thy being and reality…

In the name of God, the Most High, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted!

O Fath-i-A’zam! Be thou, with thy being and reality and essence, an ear that thou mayest hear what thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, speaketh in the Pole of Immortality.

By God, the Truth! The Fire hath been kindled in the heights of the divine cloud, and by it all who are in the heavens and on earth have been set ablaze, and all are now burning. The pillars of the Throne have been destroyed and its bearers have fled, and now the Spirit of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of what was and what shall be, doth bear it. Intoxication hath seized the dwellers of the heavens and earth, and all now lie dead before thy Lord. The denizens of Sinai have been struck unconscious upon the lofty Mount, and they of the divine cloud have been obliterated upon the exalted Sinai, and everything hath been shaken within itself save certain letters of love for My Name, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Arise thou to the Cause, then detach thyself from all directions and turn not to the right or left. And if thou findest hesitation in thyself, then be patient, yea patient, until God shall bring thee His Command, the irrevocable, the compelling, the mighty, the beloved.

The letters of negation have gathered to prevent the people from the shore of the Cause. Say: Woe unto you for what ye do this Day! Beware lest thou turn unto them or cast thy gaze upon what appeareth from them. Leave them in the dust, then soar in this atmosphere which God hath made sanctified from the gaze of those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and who mock the signs of God. Thus have We commanded thee that thou mayest arise to that whereunto thou wert commanded, as a grace from Us unto thee and unto those who walk upon the path that hath appeared in truth from the presence of a Compelling, Self-Subsisting One.

Beware lest thou forget what We informed thee before concerning certain letters of hell. Now they have gathered in Iraq and at this moment they plot. Soon the winds of associating partners with God shall spread from the quarter of their hearts to all regions. Therefore seek thou refuge in God lest harm befall thee from these who have disbelieved in God openly and turned away from the Ancient Beauty and were among the deniers in preserved tablets of glory.

Arise with the arising of God to the Cause of thy Lord and turn not unto them nor unto aught else. Say: The Kingdom on that Day is God’s, the Truth. Blessed is he who turneth toward the lights of His countenance, and woe unto those who oppose. Thus did We inform thee before and We inform thee now out of My love for thee, lest the veils of glory prevent thee from this exalted, holy and uplifted heaven.

BH02552: This is a Book from the Primal Point unto…

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

This is a Book from the Primal Point unto him who hath believed in God and turned toward the holy court and hastened within himself, yearning for the presence of the Beloved, until he joined the hosts of God at the time when the Ancient Beauty departed from Iraq—thus was the matter decreed. Blessed art thou, O servant, in that thou didst tread the pathways of God’s good-pleasure, and blessed are they who were with thee when ye entered the pavilion of holiness in the Ridvan wherein the Face was radiant. Thus doth God make mention of those who fulfilled their Covenant, turned unto Him, and were detached from all the worlds.

O servant! Hear the call of God from the pole of this heaven which hath been raised above all created things, that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh between earth and heaven is verily the Manifestation of God and hath, in His name the Truth, encompassed all the worlds. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and turn not unto those who have denied the greatest proof whereby they had affirmed their faith in God. Thus did their idle fancies overcome them and kept them far removed from the shore of this grace.

Hearken unto the word of thy Lord, then detach thyself from those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and have taken the calf as their lord besides God. They are but the most contemptible in station and the most astray in path. Say: O people! Fear God and attach not His Cause to aught else beside Him. Open your eyes that ye may behold the dawning of the Sun in the midst of heaven and be steadfast in the Cause. Take heed lest thou pause for less than a moment in mentioning the Cause of thy Lord amongst the people. Fear thou no one, for thy Lord shall suffice thee against all the worlds. He, verily, is powerful over whatsoever He willeth.

Thus have We made mention of thee in this Tablet that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord and find rest within thyself and be steadfast in the Cause. Convey Our remembrance unto thy two relatives and glorify them on God’s behalf, that they may rejoice within themselves. This is of God’s grace unto them, that they may serve thee with a submissive and sincere heart, for whoso serveth God his Lord, it behooveth all to serve him out of love for God and sincerely for His sake. He, verily, is merciful unto His servants.

We have sent unto thy sister a Tablet in eloquent Persian. God shall surely give thee and her your reward for having attained unto the presence of God in days wherein all were veiled from His recognition. Then glorify, from God’s tongue, thy mother’s countenance, that she may rejoice within herself and be mindful of the mention that was recorded in truth in the Book of Mine own Self.

BH02519: May you ever drink from the cup…

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

May you ever drink from the cup of the eternal Beloved’s mercy and remain occupied with the remembrance and praise of God. These are days the like of which the very essence of creation has neither seen nor comprehended. Blessed is the soul that has not been prevented by the whisperings of the deceivers from the Lord of the Day of Judgment, and has not been deprived of the outpourings of divine mercy in these blessed days. Through His existence, it has considered all the world as non-existent, and through His manifestation has witnessed all within the kingdom as void. After hearkening to the blessed divine Word, it has turned to the Friend, detached from all else.

Say: O friends of Truth! Consider these days a precious opportunity and loose not your hold on the hem of His grace and bounty. What existence is there that has not been seized by non-existence? What glory is there that has not been overtaken by abasement? All that is witnessed in the kingdom shall become non-existent and void. What endures is the deed performed by the loved ones of God purely for His sake. Therefore in these spiritual days the friends must not deprive themselves of the lights of the countenance of their Eternal One. The ocean of bounty is surging and the Bestower is the hand of the All-Merciful’s favor. O friends! With the power of faith, turn and partake! This is in spite of those who read the Bayan yet deny Him Who revealed and sent it. Thus does your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, command you.

Convey to all the loved ones in that land a most glorious greeting from this Wronged One. Say: Praise the Beloved of the worlds that He caused to flow from the Pen of His Command that which shall endure as long as the kingdom and the heavenly kingdom endure. Thus does God mention whom He wishes and singles out for His mercy whom He wishes. He is truly the Mighty, the Generous.

However, beseech God that you may remain firm in His Cause, for thieves lie in wait in ambush. You must, with the utmost steadfastness and assurance, preserve the pearls of the All-Merciful’s love in the vessels of your hearts and keep them hidden from the eyes of robbers. Be so enkindled in the love of God that if all the peoples of the earth should arise to turn away, or should argue using the books of the ancients and the moderns according to their desires, you would pay no heed. This is the counsel of Truth, the command of Truth, and the remembrance of Truth. Blessed are you for having been mentioned in the presence of your Lord, the Mighty, the Great. And glory be upon you, O My loved ones, and praise be upon you for having turned to your Lord on the Day of Judgment.

BH02532: Glory be to Him Who hath sent down…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

Glory be to Him Who hath sent down the verses in truth and before them the Bayan, that all who are in the heavens and on earth might prepare themselves for this Revelation which hath dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and hath come with the kingdom of proof, calling all contingent beings unto God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Have ye found in that which was revealed unto ʿAli before Nabil aught that was not adorned with the ornament of My Name? Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! Were it not for My remembrance, the Bayan would not have been revealed, and were it not for My Self, the sun of exposition would not have shone forth from the horizon of meaning and utterance. To this beareth witness every fair-minded one possessed of knowledge. He made the entire Bayan as a gift from Him to My Self and a leaf from My paradise.

Why then have ye turned away from Him Who sacrificed His soul in My straight and manifest path? By God! At the moment when the infidels suspended Him in the air, He inhaled the fragrance of My robe, His gaze fixed upon My countenance, His heart remembering My exalted remembrance.

Say: Do ye make the Cause of God an object of mockery? Why have ye turned away from Him through Whom every thing proclaimeth what the Tree of Divinity proclaimed: “There is none other God besides Me, the Almighty, the Gracious.” Say: Moses drew strength from this Great Name, and the Spirit was aided by this Wise Remembrance.

If ye have forgotten the Books of old, then look unto the Bayan, that ye may perchance know what God intended for you, and be not of them who cried out in separation and who, when the breezes of reunion wafted from the direction of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, broke the Covenant and denied the Lord of the Day of Mutual Disillusion, when He came unto them with a manifest sovereignty.

Say: Should anyone read what is in the Bayan, he would surely weep for My suffering and for what hath befallen My soul. By My life! Its Revealer intended naught therein save My Cause, My remembrance, and My praise. Fear ye God, O company of the veiled ones!

Thus have We imparted unto thee that thou mayest remind the people in the days of thy Lord, that they may cast away their idle fancies and take the cup of righteousness through this glorious and wondrous Name. Forbid the people from that which they have been forbidden in the Book, then bid them to observe that which they have been commanded by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Say: How long will ye occupy yourselves with the world? Have ye not witnessed its passing? Where are your fathers and your ancestors? All have returned to dust, and ye too shall return as they returned. This is an irrevocable promise, if ye be of them that know.

Blessed is he who hath cast the world behind him out of love for God and hath turned with his heart to the Lord of all worlds. He is worthy of the pavilions of My grandeur, the tabernacle of My glory, and the canopies of My grace. Upon him rest My blessings and My tender mercies, for I am verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

And praise be to God, the Lord of this great Day!

BH02539: He is the Mighty, the Beloved! God testifieth…

He is the Mighty, the Beloved! God testifieth that there is none other God but Him and that ʿAli is the Sovereign of His Will, then His Purpose, then His Remembrance and Glory, then His Manifestation and Grandeur, then His Concealment and Mystery. All were sent forth by His command and all through Him are created.

Say: By God! He is verily the Sun of Oneness, and the Emblem of Eternity, and the Essence of Pre-existence, and the Primal Point, and the Self of God standing over all who are in the heavens and on earth—to this we bear witness, if ye be of them that testify. Through Him were the spheres set in motion and the cycles revolved and the Hidden Secret was revealed, and through Him did the Beauty of the Divine Identity don the robe of glory and the Sovereignty of God appeared with evident dominion. Thus doth the Dove warble, and the Cock of the Throne cry out, and this exalted, praiseworthy Tree sing.

O Pen of Glory! Make mention of the servant who hath believed in God and the Manifestation of His Self, and upon whom tribulations descended in the path of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, that he may remember within himself and then make mention to the servants of God who have ascended unto God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O servant! Give thanks unto God, thy Creator, for having granted thee what He hath not granted to most of His servants from every learned one known and every mystic renowned. Then emerge from behind the veils of concealment with manifest wisdom, and aid thy Lord to the extent of thy power—this is better for thee than all else and every beloved station.

Know thou that this Tablet is the fire of God and His lamp which We have sent unto thee with an extended flame. And verily if thou wert to recite it with the melody of the Dove, there would appear within thee the fire of God, kindled and ablaze, and from it would arise such heat in the hearts of those who have been overtaken by coldness through the sorrows inflicted by such as associate partners with their Lord.

O servant! Arise within thyself above these gales that have blown upon thee from this exalted, mighty Quarter, and rejoice within thyself, then be gladdened in thy being that God hath made thee a knower of His Self and revealed unto thee what was inscribed in the hidden Tablets of glory. And grieve not for what hath befallen thee and the chosen ones of God, for soon shalt thou find thyself in such a station as shall astound the hearts of men—this is a truth inscribed with truth upon a treasured tablet of glory.

Thus have We made mention of thee on this night and sent down unto thee that which shall draw thee nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those who have heard the melodies of God from this exalted Tree which hath been raised up in truth and speaketh that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH02536: Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! How…

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! How great is Thy might and Thy sovereignty; how vast Thy strength and Thy dominion! Thou hast called into being Him Who speaketh in Thy name before all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, and hast bidden Him cry out amongst Thy creatures.

No sooner had a word gone forth from His lips, however, than the divines among Thy people turned back from Him, and the learned among Thy servants caviled at His signs. Thereby the fire of oppression was kindled in Thy land, until the kings themselves rose up to put out Thy light, O Thou Who art the King of kings!

Hostility waxed so intense that my kindred and my loved ones were made captives in Thy land, and they that are dear to Thee were hindered from gazing on Thy beauty and from turning in the direction of Thy mercy. This hostility failed to cause the fire that burned within them to subside. The enemy finally carried away as captive Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy beauty and the Revealer of Thy signs, and confined Him in the fortress-town of ʿAkka, and sought to hinder Him from remembering Thee and from magnifying Thy name. Thy servant, however, could not be restrained from carrying out what Thou hadst bidden Him fulfill. Above the horizon of tribulation He hath lifted up His voice and He crieth out, summoning all the inmates of heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth to the immensity of Thy mercy and the court of Thy grace. Day and night He sendeth down the signs of Thine omnipotent power and revealeth the clear tokens of Thy majesty, so that the souls of Thy creatures may be drawn towards Thee, that they may forsake themselves and turn unto Thee, and may flee from their misery and seek the tabernacle of Thy riches, and may haste away from their wretchedness into the court of Thy majesty and glory.

This is the Lamp which the light of Thine own Essence hath lit, and whose radiance the winds of discord can never extinguish. This is the Ocean that moveth by the power of Thy sovereign might, and whose waves the influence of the infidels that have disbelieved in the Judgment Day can never still. This is the Sun that shineth in the heaven of Thy will and the splendor of which the veils of the workers of iniquity and the doubts of the evil doers can never cloud.

I yield Thee thanks, O my God, for that Thou hast offered me up as a sacrifice in Thy path, and made me a target for the arrows of afflictions as a token of Thy love for Thy servants, and singled me out for all manner of tribulation for the regeneration of Thy people.

How sweet to my taste is the savor of woes sent by Thee, and how dear to my heart the dispositions of Thy providence! Perish the soul that fleeth from the threats of kings in its attempt to save itself in Thy days! I swear by Thy glory! Whoso hath quaffed the living waters of Thy favors can fear no trouble in Thy path, neither can he be deterred by any tribulation from remembering Thee or from celebrating Thy praise.

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art my Governor and the Possessor of all names, to protect them that have branched out from me (Afnan), whom Thou hast caused to be related to Thyself, and to whom Thou hast, in this Revelation, shown Thy special favor, and whom Thou hast summoned to draw nigh unto Thee and to turn towards the horizon of Thy Revelation. Withhold not from them, O my Lord, the outpourings of Thy mercy or the effulgence of the Day-Star of Thy grace. Enable them to distinguish themselves amongst Thy people, that they may exalt Thy word and promote Thy Cause. Aid them, O my God, to do Thy will and pleasure.

No God is there but Thee, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High.

BH02553: This is a Book from Us to him whose…

He is the Incomparable, the Most Exalted, the Most High

This is a Book from Us to him whose face hath been illumined by the lights of his Lord’s countenance and who hath remained steadfast in the Cause of his Lord in days wherein tears have flowed from the eyes of them that are endued with understanding, that he may hearken unto the call of his Lord time and again, and soar upon His summons in the atmosphere of His love, and arise to promote His Cause amidst all peoples.

Blessed art thou, O thou who walkest in the path of nearness and good-pleasure, inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto thy Lord’s call and responded to Him after most of His servants had turned away, save him whom the hand of divine Will did grasp and deliver from the torment of the burning fire. Thy letter hath come before Us and We have taken note of its contents and granted what thou didst desire of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. We have ordained for thee, in the precincts of thy Lord’s mercy, a station of sublime glory, and have singled thee out for Our own Self. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this supreme favor. Verily, He severeth the cord of relationship from whomsoever He willeth and strengtheneth it for whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Grieve not on account of those in whom hatred hath appeared. Leave them to themselves. Thy Lord is indeed well aware of the hypocrites. He shall soon seize them with His might, and they shall find for themselves no escape.

Remind the people of this Most Great Remembrance, and shouldst thou find any among the people of the Bayan turning away from their All-Merciful Lord, say: O thou who associateth partners with God, die in thy wrath! The grievous Day hath come upon thee, and thou hast today no refuge or shelter save God Who created thee by His command. Fear God, and be not of them that join partners with Him. The Ark hath sailed upon the sea—whoso holdeth fast unto it hath indeed been saved, and whoso turneth away is verily of the people of Pharaoh and is among the drowned. Say: Have ye forgotten what ye were promised in the Tablets? By God! He Who is the Beloved of the worlds hath appeared—He before Whose face all faces have prostrated themselves and unto Whom the hearts of them that are nigh unto God have turned.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having made known unto me the Manifestation of Thyself, and for having caused me to turn unto the sanctuary of Thy beauty and the Kaaba of Thy nearness, and for having singled me out among Thy servants in such wise as to relate me unto Thyself. By Thy glory! Were I to render thanks unto Thee for this throughout the duration of Thy kingdom, it would still fall short of the wondrous tokens of Thy grace and bounties which have encompassed me and all created things. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy signs through which Thy sovereignty hath been manifested unto the people of Thy realm and the throne of Thy mercy hath been established amidst Thy creatures, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause. Then send down upon me from the clouds of Thy grace that which shall detach me from all else besides Thee. Thou, verily, hast power to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

BH02504: O seeker! Though a name indicates…

In the Name, and the Name of the Nameless

O seeker! Though a name indicates that which is named, this applies only to the realm of creation. But the Truth is sanctified above all names—all names end in His Most Exalted Word and all attributes return to His Primal Will. Whoever attains unto Him has attained unto all names, both now and forever. Blessed is he who attains! Woe unto him who turns away!

O seeker! God willing, may you be a finder. The heat of seeking produces the Kawthar of attainment, and the heart’s burning brings forth the Salsabil of grace. Yet this Kawthar shows the effects of spirit, for it does not diminish but rather increases. This station belongs exclusively to those who drink the wine of love from the countenance of the All-Merciful. The people of this realm are of different elements and different natures—they are created from the divine element which transcends nature.

Among souls variations are observed: Some neither sought nor found; some sought but found not; some found without seeking yet did not arrive; some arrived but recognized not; some arrived and recognized yet afterwards became unsettled, for the root of the tree of knowledge was not firmly planted in their hearts—with the slightest breeze they were uprooted. But some, by God’s grace, remained firm and steadfast. These are the gems of existence—upon them be the glory of God, His remembrance and His praise. You, we hope, are counted and mentioned among these souls.

Great, great is the Cause! The hour approaches when the most great convulsion will appear. I swear by Him Who is the Truth! It shall cause separation to afflict everyone, even those who circle around Me. At all times take refuge in God, that you may be protected from the evil of human devils. Until now the people of the Bayan have not distinguished between the buzzing of a fly and the cooing of a dove—how much more so other peoples! If only people would consider the words of the first to turn away, they would discover his vain imaginings. All are in profound drunkenness save whom your Lord wills.

One whom all know to have been under the shadow—whose highest mention was made to preserve the seat of the Cause while he was afflicted among the ungodly—by God! Nothing was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen except for My own Self, and nothing appeared from him before the Throne except what issued from the mouth of My Will. What is attributed to him befits his own self, but the people are ignorant and perceive not. I pour out My anguish and grief unto God. In Him have I found sufficiency apart from all else, and independence from all the worlds. God willing, may you ever be remembered and remain steadfast on the path of the Cause.

BH02534: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst raise up the heaven of Thy Cause, and from whose horizon shone forth the sun of Thy wisdom and decree, and through which all things spoke forth Thy praise and glorification, and through which all faces turned toward that direction wherein appeared the lights of Thy countenance and were manifested the revelations of Thy power and grandeur, that Thou protect Thy servants who have turned unto Thee and believed in Thy mighty signs and who have desired this most exalted station, from those who have disbelieved in the Manifestation of Thy most exalted Self. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the hereafter and of the former times, and in Thy right hand is the dominion of decree and the kingdom of execution.

O Lord! How many heads were raised upon spears in Thy love, and how many breasts were pierced by the arrows of the wicked in Thy path, and how many infants were kept from their mothers’ breasts, and how many sisters lamented in separation from their brothers, and how many fathers wept in separation from their sons—all of this befell them because they acknowledged Thy oneness and confessed Thy singleness.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy power which hath encompassed all things, that Thou assist these souls with the wonders of Thy succor, strengthen them through Thy might, and make them victorious over Thine enemies, that thereby the manifestations of Thy power may appear among Thy servants and the revelations of Thy might among Thy creatures.

Then I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name through which the trees of Thy oneness have yielded the fruits of Thy unity, that Thou send down upon me and my sister from the clouds of Thy generosity that which beseemeth Thy presence, and from the heaven of Thy grace that which is worthy of Thy court. O Lord! Withhold not from us that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have arisen to aid Thy Cause, whom neither the might of the oppressors deterred from the sanctuary of Thy nearness, nor did the wrath of the ungodly prevent from turning toward the Kaaba of Thy Cause.

Thou art He through Whose Name “the Protector” Thou didst protect Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and through Whose Name “the Powerful” Thou didst make them mighty over all who dwell in the kingdom of Thy Cause. All things testify to Thy power, and all who dwell in earth and heaven bow down before the manifestations of Thy might. Blind is the eye that seeth not the evidences of Thy power at all times, and dumb is the tongue that speaketh not Thy praise amidst the concourse of creation. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Merciful.

O Lord! Abandon not Thy servant whom Thou hast brought forth from the loins of one who loved Thee. Aid him, O my God, to remember Thee and praise Thy Self and spread Thy Cause among Thy creatures, and enable him to achieve that which Thou lovest and approvest. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Lord of the visible and the invisible. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling, the Exalted, the Sovereign, the Help in Peril.

BH02511: O Aba Basir! Arise and warn those who have…

He is the All-Seeing in the Most Glorious Horizon!

O Aba Basir! Arise and warn those who have denied the verses of the All-Merciful and have deprived themselves of this Paradise. Know thou that We have given the warning in this Tablet for a wisdom that was hidden from the eyes of the servants. Soon We shall reveal it unto thee through Our grace, for verily He encompasseth all the worlds.

Then give glad tidings from Us to the people who have believed in this Cause, which was inscribed by the Finger of God in the Mother Book. Then remind them of what the Spirit hath cast into thy heart, and fear thou no one. Put thy trust in God and remain not concealed behind the veil of silence. Rend asunder the veils through the sovereignty of Our Name, the Powerful, the Bestower, and be thou a herald among the servants of this Most Great Remembrance, which hath been witnessed from the holy horizon with the ornament of God.

Be thou articulate in the praise of thy Lord and mindful of the wondrous expressions of His remembrance which have been recorded in the Tablet. Aid thy Lord with the sword of utterance—thus hath the matter been decreed from the Pen of the All-Merciful in these days wherein sorrows have encompassed Me from all directions, and God is witness unto this. Know thou that in those days God hath ordained the victory of His Cause through exposition rather than through the tongue, and thus hath the sun of wisdom shone forth from the horizon of justice with a radiance that encompasseth all the worlds.

Hearken unto what God hath revealed unto thee from the Fire that hath been kindled in thy heart by the Self-Subsisting, the Self-Existing—that there is no God but Me. I have created all things for My Cause and brought all beings into existence for the knowledge of My Self, that We might bring them to a station of glorious dignity. Verily, this Youth is the sanctuary of holiness among the servants, the Kaaba of the Cause in all lands, the dwelling place of eternity for those in the kingdom of the divine cloud, and the beacon of knowledge for all in the realm.

So sacrifice thy self, thy spirit and thy body for the Cause of thy Lord. Then remind the people at all times with wisdom and utterance, and be not still within thyself—this is better for thee than all that existeth upon the earth. Thus have We commanded thee and taught thee, that thou mightest arise to serve the Cause with a sovereignty that encompasseth all the worlds.

If thou findest one who is receptive, impart unto him what the Spirit hath imparted unto thee, and if thou findest one who turneth away, be not grieved but turn away from him and remain in an impregnable protection. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God and who stand firm today upon the path of truth.

BH02550: The letter of friendship arrived at the treasury…

He is God!

The letter of friendship arrived at the treasury of nothingness, and its spiritual meanings bestowed fresh joy and boundless delight. It is evident that spiritual friends who dwell in the divine nest must pass beyond the dust and transcend the spheres, lift their feet from the earth and step into the sacred precincts of the Lord of Lords. For these companions no barrier can intervene and no change can alter them. They are intoxicated with the wine of love and unconscious from the cup of longing. They are drunk with the immortal Beauty and immersed in the matchless crystal stream. Though their outer appearance may manifest as fire, their inner reality betokens light. The realm of words does not prevent them from the lofty stations of meaning, nor do metaphorical veils conceal them from the places of truth. They soar on the wing of trust and fly in the holy atmosphere of detachment on the wing of mighty oneness. Moreover, the movement of the worlds of divine unity relates to the heart, and a pure and subtle heart is not disturbed by coarse tongue and speech.

“We look within and at the state; We look not without at mere words”

It is clear to you that these well-known companions commit how many disapproved acts. They walk in the valley of self and tread the desert of heedlessness. They speak from desire and journey in the wilderness of error. O Friend of Love! Listen to the words of the spirit with the ear of spirit, that you may sacrifice soul and heart in the path of the Beloved and cast your head in the lane of the Friend, that headless you may lift up your head, and heartless you may cry out, and without wine you may surge, and without tongue you may attain the angel, and from this outward furnace you may turn to the divine rose gardens.

O nightingale, make your home in the garden of the heart and take your place on the rose branch. O hoopoe, return to the city of Sheba. O Joseph, emerge from the prison of the body. O Abraham, pass beyond the fire of self and enter the Paran of love, that in the darkness of these days you may shine like light and gird up the loins of service and circle with heart and soul around the city of roses. This is the fruit of existence. Then will the fragrance of inner meanings be released from spiritual garments, that you may discover the sweet scents of eternity from the right hand of faithfulness and be numbered among the sanctified ones in the Mother Book, written by the Pen of Power upon the Tablet of Glory in truth. And praise be upon you and upon those who follow you in the Cause of your Lord and are recorded among the doers of good in the Book.

BH02562: O thou who gazest upon God and walkest…

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

O thou who gazest upon God and walkest in His good-pleasure! Know thou that We shall inform thee of what is to come. Affairs in that city must needs undergo change, and the promise shall be fulfilled. Place not thy trust in those who claim to have turned towards God. Soon shall one bear witness against another of that which God hath not permitted, that he might justify himself before thy Lord. The knowledge of all things is in a perspicuous Book. That which shall appear—We behold it even now. The Sifter sifteth at all times, taking the wheat and casting away the chaff. Thus doth inform thee He Who hath turned towards the All-Merciful while seated beneath the swords of all existence.

We counsel thee, O thou who hast turned towards God, with words that have shone forth and gleamed from the horizon of utterance, that thou mayest become aware of what We possess and be numbered among the successful. Believe not everyone who attributeth himself to Us. They who follow their desires—God is quit of them and We are quit of them. Thy Lord, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Whoso holdeth fast unto pure piety—he is of the people of God, as attesteth that which was sent down in the Furqan and then in the Books of the Prophets.

We have loved ones in most lands who have not met this Servant save for a counted few. Among them are those who attained Our presence but once, and those who beheld Me from afar. Therefore they have not fully grasped the intent, the true intent. And among them are those who caught the fragrance but saw not the garment, and those who attained unto the presence and remained steadfast until they cast aside doubts and witnessed certitude. Each hath a portion from the ocean of thy Lord’s grace. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

We have at all times been a captive in the hands of Our enemies. We found not the opportunity to impart unto them wisdom and explanation to the extent We desired, and thereby they remained distant from the Purpose. Among them are those who clung to one word and interpreted it according to their fancy, and others to another word. Thus do We explain unto thee in detail and inform thee as none other informed can inform.

Verily, I am under countless afflictions, and We have accepted hardships and calamities in the path of God. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have not concealed Our Self but have manifested it as We were commanded, and the hosts of the oppressors prevented Us not. Therefore We love that a number of those who have turned towards God should conceal their Cause, that perchance thereby some matter might arise in their Lord’s path. He, verily, is the All-Knowing.

Take care lest thou grieve at what hath occurred or shall occur. When thou hearest the clamor, be not perturbed. Be thou steadfast. He is, verily, witness over all things. Abasement in My Cause is glory. The more tribulations increase, the more doth Our love for God increase. He, verily, is the Ruler over what He willeth.

BH02512: In the Name of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise!…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise! O handmaiden of God! Your letter hath come before Our face and We have taken note of its contents. We beseech God to aid thee to turn unto Him at all times and to strengthen thee in His love and good-pleasure. Verily, He is the Protector of them that do good and the Lord of all the worlds.

He hath ordained for thee a station of glory with thy Lord—preserve it, lest the whispers of the wayward keep thee from it. Verily, thy Lord hath heard thy call and hath ordained for thee in the Tablet of Command whatsoever He willeth. Make His will thy wish. By God! This is better for thee than the dominion of the heavens and earth. Let thy will be dissolved in His Will and grieve not over what hath befallen thee. God will soon transform hardship into ease and decree for thee what He pleaseth. Verily, He hath power over all things.

Despair not of God’s Spirit and mercy, but rejoice in His remembrance of thee and remember Him in all conditions. He is with them that remember Him. Be not dismayed in the days of God. Rather, rejoice in that He hath aided thee to recognize His Self. Be steadfast and find solace in the praise of His Self, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Remember: “Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy power whereby Thou didst subjugate the winds and send down the verses and cause the sun of Thy beauty to shine from the horizon of Thy will—whereby the faces of Thy chosen ones were illumined by its radiance—to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty a mercy from Thee and from the cloud of Thy mercy a blessing from Thy presence. Then set right, O my God, all my affairs, for Thou art the Lord of grandeur and majesty. Ordain for me the good of this world and the next, for Thou hast power to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.”

Convey My greetings to Nasr and mention that though some people are under the delusion—you who have seen Yahya and know full well that he was never worthy to speak in the presence of the Countenance—observe now the same condition. That We mentioned his name was so that the hosts of the oppressors would remain veiled from the Seat of the Cause, lest harm touch him before the Command of thy Lord was delivered. It is incumbent upon you to rend asunder the veils of the people, for most are unaware, even the brothers. We beseech God to aid thee in His Cause and make thee steadfast in His love and bring thee to the station ordained for thee—this truly is a mighty favor. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Convey My greetings to thy sister and gladden her with Our remembrance of her, as a mercy from Us upon her and upon Our steadfast handmaidens.

BH02518: God willing, mayest thou be illumined at all times…

He is the Most Holy

God willing, mayest thou be illumined at all times by the splendors of the Countenance of the All-Merciful and be fixed upon the horizon of His Cause in such wise that nothing shall prevent thee from turning to the Most Great Prospect. This is the most exalted station, as can be observed in that certain souls, though they witnessed the effulgences of the divine Sun from the Dayspring of Light of Oneness, were nevertheless debarred, by some earthly cause, from the Lord of Names and Creator of earth and heaven.

Consider that known handmaiden who, though it was clear and evident to her and others that spiritual perfection and outward beauty were found in the Truth, yet severed the divine connection and clung to the connection of the idolaters, letting slip from her grasp the hem of God and clutching the hem of the deniers. She turned away from the Diamond to cleave unto clay, distancing herself from the Dayspring of perfection and beauty to join with a monkey, content and pleased with his company. If all the kingdom of the world were offered to any person of insight to spend but one night with such as she in bed, he would surely refuse, yet she remained deprived of the Most Glorious Branch due to the ornaments of the world and its trappings, becoming intimate with the most hideous form in existence.

Yes, the nightingale is intimate with the rose while worms dwell in mud and clay; the dung beetle will not turn to the most pure and fragrant station nor fix its gaze upon the Most Great Prospect, but rather seeks intimacy with its own kind. Such is the nature of the world and its adherents. But verily thy Lord lieth in wait. Assuredly He hath rendered and will render unto each soul its due.

This hath occurred solely that all might be convinced that love of the world maketh the eye blind and the ear deaf, such that man cannot distinguish between the highest heaven and the lowest depths. All must at all times take refuge in God, that He might gather all beneath the shade of the Tree of His grace and deprive no one.

Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful from the Divine Lote-Tree which is raised up in the wilderness of piety, and be thou neither gladdened by the world’s acceptance nor saddened by its rejection, neither by its elevation nor its abasement. By My life! All that is thereon shall perish, and there shall endure the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Be thou steadfast in the path of Truth and turn away from His enemies. His loving-kindness hath ever been and shall ever be with you, and this, verily, is a mighty favor.

BH02533: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by this Day and by Him Who hath appeared therein through Thy sovereignty, grandeur and power, and by the tears of the lovers in their separation and remoteness from Thee, and by the burning of the hearts of them that yearn in their longing and desire for Thy beauty, to send down upon us in this Day that which befitteth Thy beauty and beseemeth Thy generosity and bounty.

O Lord! We are poor ones who have detached ourselves from all else but Thee and turned toward the treasury of Thy wealth, and have fled from remoteness in hope of nearness to Thee. Send down, therefore, from the heaven of Thy will that which will purify us from the world and its conditions, and adorn us with the ornament of what Thou hast desired for us through Thy grace and bestowal.

Moreover, I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name which Thou hast made the treasury of Thy knowledge and the mine of Thy revelation and the wellspring of Thy inspiration, and whereby Thou hast distinguished between the believers and the ungodly, to clothe us in this Day with the garments of Thy guidance and the robes of Thy generosity. Then cause us to stand firm in Thy Cause, to aid Thy Faith, and to speak forth Thy Name between Thy earth and Thy heaven, that the horizons may be filled with the wonders of Thy remembrance and faces may be illumined by the lights of Thy countenance.

O Lord! We bear witness that Thou art God and there is none other God but Thee. Thou hast ever been in the heights of exaltation at a level beyond which the hearts of the mystics among Thy servants cannot soar, and Thou wilt ever abide in the sublimities of independence at a station unto which the birds of the hearts of the sincere ones among Thy creatures cannot wing their flight.

O Lord! All things testify to Thy oneness, and whatsoever can be described as having existence, whether seen or unseen, beareth witness to Thy singleness. Thou art He Who hath sanctified His Self from the knowledge of all else but Thee and hath purified His Essence from the mention of aught except Thyself. All the meanings and utterances that have been created in the realm of origination return unto the Word that hath flowed from the Pen of Thy Command and the Finger of Thy Decree. Every possessor of greatness is as nothing before Thy greatness, and every possessor of power vanisheth before the manifestations of Thy glorious might.

O Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones among the wicked ones of Thy creation. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the fire of Thy wrath was kindled and the flames of Thy anger were ignited, to seize those who have oppressed Thy loved ones. Then send down upon us that which we hope for from the wonders of Thy grace and favors, and deprive us not of turning toward Thee and drawing nigh unto the sanctuary of Thy glorious oneness.

Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, to Whose power all atoms have testified from time immemorial and all created things do testify to Thy greatness. Thou art the Lord of grandeur and majesty, and the Sovereign of earth and heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

BH02535: Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! My tongue…

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! My tongue, both the tongue of my body and the tongue of my heart, my limbs and members, every pulsating vein within me, every hair of my head, all proclaim that Thou art God, and that there is none other God beside Thee. From everlasting Thou hast been immeasurably exalted above all similitudes and comparisons, and sanctified from whatsoever pertaineth to the creation Thou hast created and fashioned. From eternity Thou hast been alone, with none to share the majesty of Thy singleness, and hast remained far above the changes and chances to which all Thy creatures are subjected.

And when Thou didst purpose to demonstrate the power of Thy sovereign might, and to glorify Thy word, and to guide the steps of Thy people, Thou didst raise up from among Thy creatures One of Thy servants, Whom Thou didst send forth with the signs of Thy sovereignty, and Whom Thou didst endue with the clear tokens of Thy oneness, that He might fulfill Thy testimony unto all created things, and perfect Thy proof before all men.

As soon as He revealed Himself, as bidden by Thee, and called Thy servants to turn in the direction of Thy gifts, and to set their faces towards the horizon of Thy knowledge, the signs of dissension appeared amongst them. Some responded to Thy call and, without the least hesitation, obeyed Thy summons. Others turned their backs to Thee, and followed the desires of a corrupt inclination.

I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Great Name, to enrapture the nations through the potency of the Word which Thou didst ordain to be the king of all words, the Word whereby the goodly pearls of Thy hidden wisdom were uncovered, and the gem-like mysteries which were wrapped up within Thee were unraveled. Deprive them not, by Thy grace and bounty, of the things Thou didst desire for them, and suffer them not to be far removed from the shores of the ocean of Thy presence. Every existence, whether seen or unseen, O my Lord, testifieth that Thy mercy hath surpassed all created things, and Thy loving-kindness embraced the entire creation. Look upon them, I entreat Thee, with the eyes of Thy mercy. Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. Do with them as beseemeth Thy glory, and Thy majesty, and Thy greatness, and Thy bounteousness and Thy grace. Deal not with them according to the limitations imposed upon them, or the manifold vicissitudes of their earthly life.

Thou knowest, O my Lord, that I am but one of Thy servants. I have tasted of the sweetness of Thy speech, and acknowledged Thy unity and Thy singleness, and set my face towards the Source of Thy most excellent names and the Day-Spring of Thy transcendent attributes, and wished to be enabled by Thee to immerse myself beneath the ocean of Thy oneness and to be submerged by the mighty waters of Thy unity.

Assist me, by Thy strengthening grace, O my Lord, to do what Thou didst will, and withhold not from me the things Thou dost possess. So enravish me with the wonders of Thine utterances that the noise and distraction of this world may be powerless to deter me from turning unto Thee, and may fail to shake my constancy in Thy Cause, or to distract my gaze from the horizon of Thy grace. Aid me, then, O my God, to do what pleaseth Thee, and to carry out Thy will. Write down for me, moreover, the good of this world and of the world which is to come, and ordain for me a seat of truth in Thy presence. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and to rule as Thou pleasest. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the Most Great.

All-praise to Thee, O Lord of the worlds and the Object of the adoration of the entire creation!

BH02563: Lawh-i-Rada’r-Ruh

In the Name of God, the Eternal, the Unchanging

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Hear thou the call of Him Who, time and again, hath been imprisoned in the path of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Know thou that the Ancient Beauty hath departed from the Land of Mystery by reason of what the hands of the oppressors have wrought. And He would pass through the earth and send down at every moment verses that would entrance the denizens of the highest Paradise, and clear proofs that would cause the angels nigh unto God to swoon away.

By God! The breezes of verses have wafted over the East and West of the earth, and this is indeed a mighty bounty. When their fragrance reached the decayed bones, they stirred and arose by God’s leave, the Mighty, the Beautiful. In those circumstances, We deposited beneath every stone the virgin verses and unique pearls of exposition. Erelong shall arise from every stone one who will proclaim that He is the Beloved of all worlds.

The days passed until We reached the shore of the sea. Then did the Most Great Ocean take His seat upon the Ark, whereupon the inhabitants of Paradise cried out: “In the Name of God be its course!” Then they addressed the Ark saying: “Blessed art thou, for upon thee hath settled the Hope of all worlds.” Then the Ark sailed upon the sea, and We heard from each drop thereof what none can hear, and thy Lord is indeed cognizant of what I say. Until We arrived opposite one of the cities of the earth, We perceived from it the fragrance of the All-Merciful, and while We were inhaling the holy fragrances, the sea grew calm and the Ark came to rest upon it—though this Sea, by God, its waves shall never be stilled unto all eternity.

Then there came into Our presence one of those who trace their lineage to the Son, bearing a clear book. When We broke its seal, We found therein the sweet scents of holiness from one who had been set ablaze with the fire of thy Lord the All-Merciful’s love, and whom the raptures of revelation had seized in such wise that he had detached himself from all things and held fast to this Cord stretched between the heavens and earth. We read what was inscribed therein of his words, and whoso desireth, let him look upon his book that he may know how the fingers of thy Lord’s power, the Most High, the Mighty, the Powerful, do transform hearts. Would that thou hadst been present with Us and heard when the Youth recited it with the melody of God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Wise.

Even thus doth thy Lord create what He willeth through His power, yet the people in the veils of their own selves remain heedless. By God! Its creation in God’s sight is greater than the creation of the heavens and earth. When thou readest his book, say: Exalted be God Who hath, through His power, given life to whatsoever He willeth, for He is indeed the Quickener of all worlds.

Several Tablets were sent without names—deliver to whomever is deemed suitable.

BH02634: This is an epistle from God, the Most High…

He is the Most High, the Most Great.

This is an epistle from God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise, wherein He maketh mention of the handmaiden of God, the Most Great, whom God hath singled out through His Beloved and made her one of the manifestations of undoubted glory, and given her to drink of the wine of life in the knowledge of His Self, and made her of those endowed with certitude, and honored her with the presence of Him through Whom were opened the gates of Paradise in the name of God, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the Most Great, and related her unto Him—and this is a glory than which there existeth none greater in all creation, and God is witness unto what I say and is All-Knowing.

O handmaiden of God! Give thanks unto thy Lord at eventide and at dawn for having perfected His favor unto thee and manifested unto thee His proof, and aided thee to know His Self, and made thee of those who are devoted to His firm and wondrous Cause, and inscribed thy name in the Mother Book among those who have entered the pavilion of glory through His Name, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Remember thy Lord throughout all days and be not heedless of this Youth Who hath been imprisoned in this remote prison through what the hands of the oppressors have wrought, and beyond this prison hath fallen into the well of envy—and God doth behold His own Self. Then from the depths of the well He crieth out saying:

“O My brother! Fear God and slay Me not with the sword of hatred. By God the Truth, I have come from the heaven of grace with the all-pervading mercy of the Self-Subsisting, which hath preceded all created things and encompassed all beings—and thus hath thy Lord’s grace been all-embracing.”

By God, O handmaiden of God, My shirt hath been reddened with the blood of hatred. Weep thou within thyself for this Wronged One, the alone, the unique. Beware lest thou forget My anguish, then My trials, and what hath befallen Me of adversity from the souls of the heedless. Thus have We recounted unto thee a letter from the story of the Youth that thou mayest be informed thereof and be of those who remember in a Book of mighty preservation.

Remember thou on behalf of the Youth those handmaidens of God who are round about thee, that they may remember within themselves and be possessed of clear insight in the Cause. And were We to recount unto thee what hath befallen Us, by God thou wouldst not be able to hear it, and wouldst rend thy garments and flee unto the mountains and be cut off from all who are on earth. But We have concealed it from thee lest sorrow overtake thee and thou be grieved with evident grief.

And the glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, whether female or male, whether old or young, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02584: O My Name! Hearken unto My call…

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

O My Name! Hearken unto My call from the direction where waft the fragrances of My paradise, where shine forth the lights of My countenance, where rain down the clouds of My bounty and mercy, that it may draw thee to the heaven of My loving-kindness and cause thee to speak in praise of My Self and make thee one who tells of My Name among My servants and announces My Cause among My creatures, that thou mayest quicken souls with the waters of My knowledge, and they may be attracted by the raptures of My melodies, and gather at the table of My favor and bounty, and be detached from all else besides Me, and soar in the atmosphere of My nearness, and take shelter in the shade of the Tree which hath been raised up in truth and every leaf of which proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bountiful.

Stand thou firm in the Cause of God and cast behind thee all else besides Him. And when the tablets of the fabricators and the papers of the idolaters are spread abroad, cast them aside through My power and might and sovereignty, then take up the tablet of God and follow it through a strength from the presence of One mighty and powerful.

Say: O people! Be fair by God—were you not promised this Beauty in all the tablets, and were you not given glad tidings of Him? Yet when He appeared in truth you turned away from Him and denied the signs of God, the Supreme, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Verily thou wert with Us and art acquainted with certain matters. Remind the people of what thou hast known and seen, and be not of them that remain silent. Know thou that We have heard thy mention and thy call among the servants through this Most Great Name. Blessed art thou for having shattered the idol of vain imaginings through the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, the Impregnable.

Arise to serve the Cause, then protect the people from the whisperings of the satans, for they have appeared in these days in every form to lead astray the believers. Say: O people! By God the Truth! The signs of God shine forth amidst the signs of men as the sun shineth forth between the heavens and the earth. Beware lest ye compare them with aught else. Say: Purify your breasts from doubt that the lights of the sun may shine upon them from the dawning-place of My Name, the Most High, the All-Wise.

Gather the people upon the shore of this sea, then impart unto them what God hath imparted unto thy heart, that they may detach themselves from the worlds and turn with their whole being to the direction of God, thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth that thou mayest be assured that We have not forgotten thee, and that thy name may be mentioned before the Throne, whereof testifieth this Tablet that hath been sent down, the mighty, the wondrous, and the Spirit that wafteth from the paradise of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, upon thee and upon thy family and upon those whose hearts are stirred by the breezes of the All-Glorious in their longing for the meeting with their Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

BH02610: This is My remembrance of My servant, that he…

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

This is My remembrance of My servant, that he may remember Me by My Name and be detached from all else besides Me—and I am the Best of those who detach. And that he may be assisted in My Cause and speak forth My praise—and I am the Best of those who praise. And that he may witness My Beauty and read My words and reflect upon what hath befallen My sorrowful Self—though no sorrow can match My sorrow, and grief fleeth from My grief, and tribulations bow down before My tribulation, and I am the Lonely, the Grief-Stricken One.

O servant! I desire to make mention of thee, but when meanings are clothed in the garment of every word, it is as though the words are complete in themselves, while in every moment they have manifestations after manifestations, such that they shall never be exhausted throughout the eternity of God, the True, the Great King. Hearken thou unto My words, then ponder My Cause and what hath appeared from Me amongst the worlds, that thou mayest stand firm in the Cause and not follow those who have disbelieved and turned away and were among the idolaters—those who have drawn forth the sword of the tongue to reject God and His Cause, that they might thereby refute the truth and establish falsehood through what they possess of satanic insinuations.

Beware, beware lest thou turn to any besides Me or forget My grace. Place thy trust in My Self, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing. Thus do We impart unto thee—act thou according to what God hath imparted unto thee in this Tablet of His wondrous words.

Hearken unto My words and grieve not over the world. When sorrows intensify upon thee, find solace in those from whom waft the sweet fragrances of love for My Self, the Gracious, the Ancient. Whoso desireth to sit with God, let him sit with My loved ones—this is a revelation from One Who is Mighty, All-Knowing. And whoso desireth to inhale the fragrance of the garment, let him inhale it from My chosen ones. And whoso loveth to hear the melodies of God, let him read My verses—the Wondrous, the Revealed One.

O servant! Purify thy face from turning to aught else besides Me, that it may be purely for My luminous, mighty, inaccessible countenance. Sanctify thyself from the world and all that hath been created in and upon it, for We have consigned it to those who are occupied with it and are among the heedless. Thy Lord desireth naught from the world save the hearts of Our sincere servants, for We have made them the repository of My revelation, the dayspring of My remembrance, and the source of My knowledge, the Inaccessible, the Mighty.

Beware, beware lest thou preserve thy heart from all that would veil it from the knowledge of thy Lord. This indeed is a mighty counsel. And the glory rest upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those who have placed their trust in God and were among those who trust.

BH02613: Glorified is He Who hath sent down the verses…

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

Glorified is He Who hath sent down the verses in truth and ordained for all things that whereby they draw near unto God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. The Books have been sealed by the Most Great Book wherein is detailed the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Blessed is he who hath attained unto it and drawn forth its mysteries.

Say: This is verily the Book of My Self, wherein hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen that which attracteth the hearts of the men of insight unto God, the Mighty, the Most Glorious. Read it, O people, in the watches of night and the ends of day. The preamble of this Book hath been adorned with that which was foretold in the Psalms, the Qur’an, the Gospel and what was revealed in the Holy Books. Unto whom belongeth sovereignty this Day? Unto God, the One, the All-Compelling!

Say: O people, do ye hesitate in a Cause by whose leave every mention hath been made, and of Whose meeting ye were promised in all the Tablets? By God! He is indeed this One—behold then, O ye who are endued with insight! Say: We have ordained all tribulations for the Manifestation of Our Self, that ye may detach yourselves from all else and turn unto God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Say: O concourse of the heedless! Do ye mock Us? Soon shall We mock you on a day when the breaths of chastisement shall seize you, and ye shall find no place of refuge. O people! This is the Youth of God among you, His manifestation in your midst, and His sovereignty over you. He hath come with that wherewith ʿAli came before. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him; woe betide him who hath turned away—he is of the companions of the Fire.

Say: I have believed in God and the Manifestations of His Cause. He hath raised Me up in truth and sent Me unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Is there any escape from His Cause? Nay, by His Self, the Mighty, the All-Compelling! O people, have mercy upon Him Who hath suffered in God’s path that which hath caused the eyes of the denizens of Paradise and the Concourse on High to weep, at eventide and at dawn. Consider what was revealed unto you through the tongue of ʿAli and what hath been revealed in this Revelation. Fear ye the Unconstrained, O ye who are endued with insight!

As for thee, cast away what is with men and take what hath come unto thee from God. He shall make thee independent of all that is hidden and manifest. Grieve not over anything, and be not silent in the remembrance of thy Lord. Remember Him among men at eventide and at dawn. Hold fast unto this Tree though the winds have differed and grown severe, and be thou calm and dignified. Remind from Us those servants who have believed in God, Creator of darkness and light. And the glory be upon thee and upon him who hath held fast unto the Sure Handle and turned away from the wicked ones.

BH02633: This is the Book of God which speaks…

He is God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Great!

This is the Book of God which speaks with truth. God has made it a guidance and remembrance for all the worlds. It is indeed God’s proof amongst His servants, His evidence to His creation, and His authority over all who are in the heavens and earths. O people, fear God and follow not your selfish desires, and be not among the lost. Believe in God and in Him Who has appeared with truth and recites unto you at all times that which attracts the hearts of those who have knowledge.

And you, O servant, hear My call, then remember My imprisonment and exile among the ungodly. By God, the earth has become so straitened for Me that I find no land of safety to which I might flee and be among those who dwell therein. Yet I thank God for what has befallen Me and what He has decreed for Me. Verily there is no Beloved but Him, and I hope for what appears from Him, for whatever pertains to the Beloved is beloved by the lover.

Stand firm then in the Cause of God in such wise that the whisperings of the evil ones will not cause you to slip. Thus have We imparted unto you the word of truth that you may be among those who know. And the glory be upon you and upon those who have stood firm in the Cause and were among the assured ones.

Then remember on Our part your son Hussein who was named after one of these two names, that the joy of the Cause may seize him from this direction which God has illumined from this wondrous countenance. Thus does God remember whom He wishes among His servants, and verily His grace is ever nigh unto the doers of good.

And you, recite this Most Great Remembrance and then call upon God through it, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the tongue of all things has been loosened in praise of Thyself and through which the door of Thy knowledge has been opened to every heart—the Name which Thou hast called Thy Most Exalted Name and Thy Later Manifestation in the garment of Thy Most Glorious Beauty—to purify my heart from all allusions, veils and indications that stand between me and the recognition of the Manifestation of Thy Self.

Then send down, O my God, from the heaven of Thy mercy that which will detach me from all else save Thee and will purify my face for Thy face, my heart for Thy knowledge, my tongue for the wonders of Thy remembrance, my hearing for listening to the melodies of the might of Thy oneness, and my inmost being for entering into the depths of the ocean of Thy grandeur. Then send down upon me, O my God, the good of this world and the next, and make me firm upon this path whereon the feet of most of Thy servants have slipped after Thou didst manifest Thyself with all Thy signs. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Exalted, the All-Dominating, the Unconstrained.

BH02617: Glory be to Thee, Thou in Whose hand are…

Glory be to Thee, Thou in Whose hand are the heaven of omnipotence and the kingdom of creation. Thou doest, by Thy sovereignty, what Thou willest, and ordainest, through the power of Thy might, what Thou pleasest. From eternity Thou hast been exalted above the praise of all created things, and wilt to eternity remain far above the glorification of any one of Thy creatures. Existence itself testifieth to its non-existence when face to face with the manifold revelations of Thy transcendent oneness, and every created thing confesseth, by its very nature, its nothingness when compared with the sacred splendors of the light of Thy unity. Thou hast, in Thyself, been independent of any one besides Thee and rich enough, in Thine own essence, to dispense with any one except Thy Self. Every description by which they who adore Thy unity describe Thee, and every praise wherewith they who are devoted unto Thee praise Thee, are but the traces of the pen which the fingers of Thy strength and power have set in motion—fingers whose movement is controlled by the arm of Thy decree—the arm itself animated by the potency of Thy might.

Thy glory beareth me witness! How can I, aware as I am of this truth, hope to befittingly make mention of Thee and celebrate Thy praise? Howsoever I describe Thee, whichever of Thy virtues I recount, I cannot but blush and feel ashamed of what my tongue hath uttered or my pen written.

The quintessence of knowledge, O my Lord, proclaimeth its powerlessness to know Thee, and perplexity, in its very soul, confesseth its bewilderment in the face of the revelations of Thy sovereign might, and remembrance, in its inmost spirit, acknowledgeth its forgetfulness and effacement before the manifestations of Thy signs and the evidences of Thy praise. What, then, can this poor creature hope to achieve, and to what cord must this wretched soul cling?

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of the worlds, and the Beloved of such as have recognized Thee, and the Desire of all that are in heaven and on earth, by Thy Name through which the cry of every suppliant hath ascended into the heaven of Thy transcendent holiness, through which every seeker hath soared to the sublimities of Thy unity and grandeur, through which the imperfect have been perfected, and the abased exalted, and the tongue of every stammerer unloosed, and the sick made whole, and whatever was unworthy of Thy highness and beseemed not Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty made acceptable unto Thee,—I beseech Thee to aid us by Thine invisible hosts and by a company of the angels of Thy Cause. Do Thou, then, accept the works we have performed for love of Thee, and for the sake of Thy pleasure. Cast us not away, O my God, from the door of Thy mercy, and break not our hopes in the wonders of Thy grace and favors.

Our limbs, our members, O my Lord, bear witness to Thy unity and oneness. Send down upon us Thy strength and power, that we may become steadfast in Thy Faith and may aid Thee among Thy servants. Illumine our eyes, O my Lord, with the effulgence of Thy beauty, and enlighten our hearts with the splendors of Thy knowledge and wisdom. Write us up, then, with those who have fulfilled their pledge to Thy Covenant in Thy days, and who, through their love for Thee, have detached themselves from the world and all that is therein.

Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest. No God is there beside Thee, the All-Powerful, the Omniscient, the Supreme Ruler, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

BH02635: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted! This is a Book from Us to those who are in the heavens and on earth, that the verses of the Lord of Names and Attributes might draw them to the Dawning-Place of the lights of their Lord’s countenance, the Mighty, the Praised One.

Say: Today the grace of your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath encompassed all the worlds, and He hath manifested Himself through His most beautiful names to all who are in earth and heaven. The Tongue of Grandeur calleth from the Kingdom of Glory: Blessed is he who hath turned unto God on this great Day!

Say: I have come from the Orient of the Command to give life to all who are on earth. Fear God, O people, and follow not those who have denied their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: O concourse of divines! Still your pens, for by God the Most Exalted Pen speaketh in truth and moveth across the Tablet by the command of One powerful and all-knowing. Efface what ye possess of sciences and allusions, for lo, the Tree of the Uttermost End calleth between earth and heaven, and in each word that proceedeth from its mouth are treasured the sciences of the first and the last. Rend asunder the veils in the name of your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Thus doth He command you Who hath sat beneath the sword in the path of God, the King, the Just, the Mighty, the Ancient of Days.

Say: O peoples of religions! Do ye occupy yourselves with that which ye possess after He Who is the Lord of Names hath come with clear sovereignty? Abandon that which your selfish desires command you and turn unto the Most Sublime Horizon. This is better for you than all that hath been created on earth, if ye be of them that know. We have sacrificed Our self to exalt the Word of God above all else. Seek ye the grace of your Lord, the All-Merciful, and be not of the lost.

O servant! When the Tablet of the Command appeareth before thy face, arise and take it with submission and tranquility, then enter the place of those among the people of the Bayan who have denied thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Say: O people! I have come to you from the Orient of your Lord’s command, the Most High, the Most Great. This is God’s Tablet which hath come from the presence of the Lord of Names. Fear God and be not of the mischief-makers.

Fear God and commit not that which causeth the Primal Point to lament in the Most Glorious Paradise. Read ye what hath been sent down in the Bayan and follow not those who have denied God—verily they are the companions of the Fire. Thus doth the Prisoner command thee at a time when He is surrounded by the hosts of the oppressors. Be thou steadfast in all conditions in such wise that the veils of the people of error may not prevent thy face from shining among the worlds. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away what they possessed and taken what they were commanded by One mighty and wise.

BH02587: O Rida! May God grant you the best…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!

O Rida! May God grant you the best of rewards on Our behalf and enable you to attain that which you love and with which you are content. We bear witness that you have striven to the utmost in seeking God’s good-pleasure, your Lord. We beseech God to make you steadfast in His love and in the love of those in whom naught can be seen except the love of God, the Ancient King.

It behooveth thee, therefore, to render thanks unto God, thy Creator, and to remember Him at all times, inasmuch as He hath aided thee in His Cause and hath deposited within thy heart the love of His loved ones, and hath made thee a servant of His servant, and hath brought thee to the shore of nearness, and hath caused thee to enter the pavilion which none entereth save those who gaze upon pure Beauty with the eye of glory and who recline upon the couches of holiness. Therefore, detach thyself from self and desire, and draw nigh in submission and contentment out of love for thy Lord, that God’s favor unto thee may be perfected.

Then walk upon the earth with wisdom, speak with wisdom, dispute not except with wisdom, and grieve not over what hath passed thee by. All this is My counsel unto thee and unto those who are detached from all else but God. Make this thy guiding light and be not heedless of it, and be of them that stand firm in love.

Then convey Our remembrance unto thy wife and unto her who was in thy household, and unto those who place their trust in their Lord. Give glad-tidings unto thy wife of God’s loving-kindness, then glorify God before her face, for this is a command from the presence of the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Say unto her: When thou didst meet the handmaiden of God who was honored to attain the presence of the Servant in the final year of the Hijra, remember her on Our behalf and give her glad-tidings of God’s mercy, the Mighty, the Beloved. And say unto her: Recognize the value of this bounty within thyself and place thy trust in God in all thy affairs, for verily He will protect thee and thy son from the arrows of those who join partners with their Lord. Stand firm in the love of thy Lord and turn not unto those who deny God’s favor. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and all affairs shall return unto the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Then protect thy son Mihdi and give him glad-tidings of God’s help, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the All-Praised. Say unto him: Be patient in what befalleth thee and be not disturbed by anything, but place thy trust in God, for verily He is thy Guardian after Me and will enable thee to attain thy ultimate goal.

And the Spirit and Glory and Splendor be upon thee, O wife of Rida, and upon thy husband, and upon all who dwell in thy household, both female and male. Then know thou the station of thy husband and how he hath attained unto the good-pleasure of the Beloved.

BH02628: Grieve not in thy exile. By God, wert thou…

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

Grieve not in thy exile. By God, wert thou to see with Mine eye, thou wouldst sacrifice thyself in My path, inasmuch as God hath made thee one of the captives in My love. Yet the veil hath prevented thee from recognizing what hath been ordained for thee by One Who is Mighty, Powerful. We behold thee in sorrow because the pain of exile hath touched thee. By God, thy homeland is beneath My shadow—of this thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, doth testify.

Grieve not for thy son; verily, he circleth round his Lord. Call thou to mind the behavior of Ashraf’s mother, whose son laid down his life in the Land of Za (Zanjan). He, most certainly, is in the seat of truth, in the presence of One Who is the Most Powerful, the Almighty.

When the infidels, so unjustly, decided to put him to death, they sent and fetched his mother, that perchance she might admonish him, and induce him to recant his faith, and follow in the footsteps of them that have repudiated the truth of God, the Lord of all worlds.

No sooner did she behold the face of her son, than she spoke to him such words as caused the hearts of the lovers of God, and beyond them those of the Concourse on high, to cry out and be sore pained with grief. Truly, thy Lord knoweth what My tongue speaketh. He Himself beareth witness to My words.

And when addressing him she said:

“My son, mine own son! Fail not to offer up thyself in the path of thy Lord. Beware that thou betray not thy faith in Him before Whose face have bowed down in adoration all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth. Go thou straight on, O my son, and persevere in the path of the Lord, thy God. Haste thee to attain the presence of Him Who is the Well-Beloved of all worlds.”

On her be My blessings, and My mercy, and My praise, and My glory. I Myself shall atone for the loss of her son—a son who now dwelleth within the tabernacle of My majesty and glory, and whose face beameth with a light that envelopeth with its radiance the Maids of Heaven in their celestial chambers, and beyond them the inmates of My Paradise, and the denizens of the Cities of Holiness. Were any eye to gaze on his face, he would exclaim: “Lo, this is no other than a noble angel!”

Beware lest thou commit that which would grieve My servant, for verily he abideth beneath the watchful gaze of thy Lord. Restrain thy tongue, then prostrate thyself and bow down before thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. A station hath been ordained for thee—beware lest thou pursue it through means unbefitting thee. Be thou assured through the bounty of thy Lord, the Ancient One. Say:

“O my Lord! I am well-pleased with Thy good-pleasure, and I yearn to sacrifice my life and those who are with me in Thy path. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all the worlds.”

O My handmaiden! Reflect, then judge with equity: Are the repositories of bodies beneath the earth more excellent, or within the vessels of the protection of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful? Be thou assured that death is the inevitable fate of all who dwell upon the earth—all shall perish, yet the Face of thy Lord, the Compassionate, shall endure, He Who hath shone forth from this resplendent Horizon. And after death is assured, if one were to die of maladies, would this be preferable, or to suffer martyrdom in My path? By God! This is the truth, and all things bear witness thereto, and beyond them thy Lord, the Truthful, the Trustworthy.

Grieve thou not save for separation from Me and My tribulations, and rejoice thou not save in My remembrance and My praise. Thus hath thy Lord commanded thee from the precincts of this distant Prison.

BH02594: This is a letter from the servant of God…

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!

This is a letter from the servant of God to one of His servants who has taken unto God a path. After hearkening to the blessed word “Pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God for mankind,” he turned toward the divine command until he attained the privilege of visiting the Most Great House of God. He must, God willing, count this enduring bounty as great and never be heedless of the remembrance of the All-Merciful at any time or season. He must ever be occupied with building the house of the heart, which is the throne for the manifestation of the All-Glorious.

Hear with the ear of the spirit the call of Him Who summons to the All-Merciful. His call is today the sweet water of life for the bodies of all beings. By the Lord of all creation, if all who are on earth were to attain but one drop thereof, all would turn, living and enduring, toward the Object of worship. Whosoever remains deprived of this living water today is accounted as dead and as nothing in the sight of God, even as He has said:

“They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and eyes wherewith they see not, and ears wherewith they hear not.”

We must beseech God, exalted be His remembrance, that He not deprive these servants, through His grace and favor, from the cloud of mercy and the heaven of bounty. This is the ultimate goal of those who seek the presence of the All-Glorious, and naught else is regarded by God. As has been observed, He has given this world and its ornaments to the lowliest of His servants. Surely if it had any worth, He would not have bestowed it upon the heedless. Thus the aim of those who believe in divine unity has been the good-pleasure of the Friend and whatsoever is from Him. As is witnessed, these most great tribulations that have befallen in this year have been sweeter than the choicest honey to the tongue of him who speaks. His is the praise and the bounty. The desire of the people of truth has been martyrdom—that is, their life is in their death. This is the true word. Blessed are they that attain!

Convey mention and greetings from this servant to the loved ones of God wherever you meet them. Say: Today is the day of steadfastness and turning to the Truth. Be not grieved by the tribulations that have befallen. The Cause is in God’s hands. Verily He is the Ruler over all else. If absolute power appears in the garment of powerlessness, and the Absolute Sovereign outwardly appears as one ruled and oppressed, there is no harm in this, for whatever appears from the All-Wise contains wisdom which none comprehend save those possessed of understanding. And praise be to God, the Lord of Lords.

BH02605: At the hour when the bride of sorrow lifted…

At the hour when the bride of sorrow lifted from her face the veil of concealment, and the Countenance of Grief raised the banner of anguish; when the spreader of the dawn-wind unfurled the outstretched carpet of gloom, and the attendant of the Countenance of Eternity sank to rest upon the fixed couches; when the cloud of power rained down from the stifled air the showers of separation, and the huris of paradise emerged from the chambers of separation; when the secluded ones of dissension arrayed the visage of hypocrisy, the maidens of Paradise smote their heads, the fair bestowers ran distraught, the holy ones of sanctity clad themselves in robes of darkness, and the forms of intimacy shed crimson tears from the eye of fidelity; when the treasurer of Paradise withdrew behind the veil of hiddenness, and the guide of the community was shrouded in the curtain of extinction—then did the leaves of the Tree of blessedness incline to yellow, and the boughs of the Sidratu’l-Muntaha fall one upon another and were broken.

The cloud of mercy was withheld, the lightning of might was uplifted; the dove of wrath took wing, and the cock of malice melted away the gladness of splendour. The radiance of joy rose from the throne of abasement, and the vengeance of oppression sat upon the carpet of glory. The raven of the city of darkness forbade the parrot of the Egypt of attainment from tasting the sugar of delight; the sparrow of cruelty restrained the nightingale of self-effacement from chanting its lay; the jealous crow hindered the hoopoe of exultation from the Sheba of revelation; and the vanquished Abu-Jahl drove forth the blessed Beauty from the frequented Fane.

The candle of the gathering of light was extinguished, and the bat of blindness became the wanton plaything of the arena; the sovereign of the sanctuary of honour sat upon the point of humiliation, and the base-born one of the mine of wretchedness lodged upon the throne of greatness. The furnace of envy flamed within the breasts of the vainglorious, and the seas of sedition surged within the hearts of those that should have heeded. They cast the eloquent of love from the pulpit of unity, and withheld the discerning of longing from the taste of attainment. The garden of imitation was adorned, and the fruit of praise was cut off.

The beloved of the valley of love were struck dumb with bewilderment, and the veiled ones of the valley of multiplicity became beholders of the desired Witness. Again was the falcon of sovereignty ensnared in the grasp of shameless owls, and Joseph of the realm of being, through the hands of faithless brethren, was hurled into the pit.

The owls commit injustice against the falcon; they beat his guiltless wing and plume, and cry:

“Why dost thou still remember that far land, or that fair palace of the sovereign’s arm?”

His crime is this: he is a falcon—naught besides. What fault hath Joseph, save that he is fair?

The peacock’s foe is but the peacock’s plume: How many a king hath perished through his glory!

BH02708: This is a Book from the Lord of Names…

In the Name of God, the Most Great

This is a Book from the Lord of Names to him who hath held fast unto the Most Great Handle and turned unto God, the Creator of earth and heaven, that the words of his Lord may attract him to the station which hath been, in truth, praised in the Mother Book, and that he may arise amidst the servants to make mention of God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling, that perchance they that slumber may arise from their couches and turn towards the quarter that hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance.

O servant! Arise from the slumber of stillness, then summon the people unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Tablets and the command hath come with a sovereignty that encompasseth all the worlds. That land hath been honored by the advent of thy Chosen Lord, and from every tree is heard: “Verily, there is none other God but Him.” This indeed is that which ye were promised in a Tablet that was, in the Mother Book with the All-Bountiful, recorded.

O people! Follow not your desires; rather, follow your God. He, verily, hath dawned from the horizon of the All-Merciful with a proof that hath been, in the Tablet, by the Pen of the Spirit inscribed. Do ye worship names and forsake the Creator of earth and heaven? What aileth you that ye take not unto Him a way? Do the powers of kings frighten you? By My life! The most exalted among them is but a subject, and I am, in truth, the Sovereign. I have come with a Cause that was, in the Tablet, mighty.

We have delivered unto the kings the messages of their Lord, and neither their might nor the tribulations that have befallen Us have deterred Us. Thus was the matter ordained in the Tablet of Destiny by the Most Exalted Pen, in truth, recorded. We have sent down unto them clear verses and dispatched them with a power from Our presence, that they might know that tribulation preventeth not the Beauty from speaking that whereby the hearts of the righteous are gladdened, while he that hath been deprived of the breezes of revelation is sorely troubled.

Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of thy Lord and turned unto the Qiblih of all horizons with a heart that was, in the love of God, steadfast. Let not the words of the idolaters grieve thee. They are as ashes upon which blow tempestuous winds, rendering them scattered dust. Will any endure with his sovereignty? Nay, by thy Lord, the All-Merciful! All in creation shall perish, and sovereignty shall remain with a Sovereign Who hath been, from everlasting, in truth, great.

Remind them that have believed and give them the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down from before the Throne. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Verily, He is well aware of and watchful over His servants. That which thou didst send hath reached Our presence. We have accepted it as a token of grace from thy Lord, and We beseech Him to assist thee under all conditions. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

BH02675: We have sent down from the heaven of [the…

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

We have sent down from the heaven of [the Bayan] a luminous water, that there might grow thereby in the soil of hearts the plant of wisdom and utterance. He, verily, is knowing over all things.

Water hath diverse meanings, among them the manifestation of the All-Merciful upon all created things, and among them the dawning of the lights of [the Word], and among them the water We have caused to flow from the Fountainhead of the Divine Will. Thy Lord, verily, is knowing of all things.

Say: The [trees] that have attained unto these waters—from their leaves and fruits can be heard that which bringeth tranquility to the hearts of the servants and speaketh unto men at one time of this Great Announcement and at another of the mystery of My Ancient Name. Blessed is he who knoweth that he hath been mentioned before the Throne as one of the people of Baha.

Say: O people! The Revelations have ended. Beware lest ye differ regarding that which the Pen of [Command] imparteth unto you. Follow the religion of God and His Faith, and follow not every misbeliever who is far removed from the truth. Ere long shall ye hear from most lands the cry of the Calf. Beware lest ye follow every lying sinner who is recorded in the Tablet as guilty.

Say: O people! The Primal Point desired from the Bayan naught save My Self and the manifestation of My Cause. Were anyone to inhale it, he would discover from its every word the fragrance of My raiment. Thus was the Command sent down in the Bayan from the presence of the All-Merciful. He spoke, and His Word is the truth: “Should anyone utter a verse, reject him not.” Ponder then, O people of insight! When He became aware of this Revelation and beheld it upon the throne of grandeur and glory, He therefore spoke this word and others like it. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Were it not for My Self, He would not have spoken thus, and thy Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, beareth witness to this. How many are the servants who utter words and claim for themselves that which God hath not permitted them. Reflect, O people of vision! Even as ye have heard from most cities the cry of one who hath claimed divine revelation and wrongfully taken people’s [wealth]. Thus do We teach thee the way of truth from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Thinkest thou they are awake? Nay, they sleep, and the tongue of power and might in the kingdom of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Gracious, beareth witness to this. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of God and turned toward the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s Will, the All-Merciful. Pay no heed to those who have turned away and objected. We have ordained [for thee] a station in Paradise which is, by My life, among the most exalted of stations. Thy Lord is, verily, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

BH02691: The Pen of Command mentions His servant Muhammad Kazim…

He is the Most High, the Most Great.

The Pen of Command mentions His servant Muhammad Kazim, the brother in truth who migrated with God, to draw him near to what He has willed for him and to cause him to speak the truth between the heavens and the earth.

O servant! When thy name was mentioned in the holy court, verses of wondrous glory were sent down from the heaven of Command, and We sent them to thee as a favor from Our presence, for verily I am the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Take heed lest thou be saddened by those on whose faces thou seest the dust of hell. Seek God’s help in all matters, for He will assist thee with the truth. Verily, there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

Drink the cup of immortality from the fingers of Glory, then cast aside the cup of mortality and turn thy face toward thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. Take heed lest anything sadden thee. Whatever thou seest in the realm of being shall perish, while sovereignty and power shall remain with God, the King, the Transcendent, the Most High, the Most Great.

And if harm befalleth thee, remember My harm and be not saddened by thy harm, for My harm is greater than thy harm and mightier than the harm of all created things combined. By God! There hath come upon Me that which hath come upon no one before, and God is witness to this and is All-Knowing.

Say: O people! This is the Most High among you who hath come to you with God’s signs, His power and sovereignty, His grandeur and majesty. Fear God, O people, and be among the God-fearing. Dispute not with Him through what your selves and desires command you, and wage not war against His exalted and mighty Self.

O people! Look with the eye of the beginning at that whereby the Cause of the Prophets and Messengers was established. Fear God and differ not in His Cause, and nullify not your deeds through satanic suggestions. Satan commands you to transgression and indecency, while this Youth commands you to fear God, and this is indeed a mighty bounty. Answer God’s summoner among you and follow not those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and were among the ungodly.

And thou, O servant, convey the Cause of thy Lord to those who are veiled by the veils of idle fancies from the beauty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, and who were among the veiled ones, that they may detach themselves from what they possess and turn to what hath been ordained for them in the preserved tablets of glory.

And glory be upon thee and upon every insightful believer.

BH02703: Your missive was received in His presence, and regarding…

Your missive was received in His presence, and regarding what you wrote about the division, He said: “Excellent is what the physician has done.” We beseech God to confirm him and you.

Blessed art thou, O Abdullah, for thy letter hath been presented before His countenance and We found from it the fragrance of thy love for the Beloved of the worlds. Arise to manifest the love of God and His Cause among His servants, then reconcile between His loved ones in such wise that We may perceive from them the fragrance of unity. This is the greatest of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Grieve not over anything, for He will assist whomsoever He willeth. Soon will He raise you up in truth—verily He is the Almighty, the All-Glorious.

Through unity the face of the Cause becomes illumined and the faces of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling, are darkened. We have chosen for thee what thy Lord, the Chosen One, hath chosen. Strive in that which thou hast been commanded by the True One, that through them the virtues of God may be spread among His servants. We have desired for them that which is better for them than all that hath been created in secret and in public. They are people who mention the name of God throughout the land. It behooveth them to manifest that which will cause the fragrance of the musk of unity to be diffused throughout all regions. Blessed is he who hath drunk this pure wine from the fingers of the mercy of his Lord, the Creator of all existence.

God willing, you must at all times be engaged in the remembrance of the All-Merciful and expend your complete effort and striving for unity and the gathering of the loved ones, so that the fragrances of unity may become manifest from that city which has become the place of God’s captives, among all people, and all the friends in surrounding areas may testify to the unity of those souls. This is better for them than what was and what will be.

Regarding the daughter of Aqa Muhammad Rida, what [you wrote] was noted. His relatives are under the gaze of divine favor. If there has been delay in the manifestation of apparent favors, it has been due to lack of means. God willing, divine favors will encompass them. Let them not be grieved, and let them be happy with what hath been sent down from the direction of the Divine Throne.

And as for what thou didst mention regarding thy dream, We beseech God that there may appear from thee one who will aid the Cause of his Lord and mention Him among His servants in such wise that all created things will remember Him thereby. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Excellent is the name by which thou hast named him. Blessed is he in that We have caused the Pen to move in his mention and the mention of his name in the Tablet of his Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.

Convey My greetings to those who are with thee and to those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Nothing whatsoever escapeth the knowledge of thy Lord. With Him is the knowledge of all things in a preserved tablet.

BH02704: In the Name of God, the First, without end…

In the Name of God, the First, without end. This is a remembrance from Us to him who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. We guide whom We please among Our servants and chastise the transgressors. In Our hands lie the measures of all things—We send them down according to a measure. Verily, We are the All-Powerful. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Our knowledge, and with Us is a perspicuous Book wherein We have detailed every wise command. Therein is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: O people! Are the paths of error better than My straight and manifest path? Say: What aileth you? Have ye turned away from God and followed your own desires? Have ye any refuge besides Him? Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! Whoso followeth My guidance, verily he dwelleth in an exalted station, and whoso turneth away from My face, he is indeed among the companions of the fire.

Say: Beware lest ye lean towards them that have wronged, and follow the ungodly. Say: The guidance of God hath appeared in truth and this is His sovereignty, would ye but perceive. Do ye reject it after it hath come from the heaven of utterance with His Most Great Name? Beware lest ye differ concerning this mighty Cause. Do ye object to Him through Whom was established that which was sent down in the Books of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing? He calleth you, even under the sword, to draw nigh unto paradise, while ye are in grievous error. He hath indeed come with the waters of life, while ye count yourselves among the dead in manifest loss.

Say: Cast away what ye possess and take what We have commanded you from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise. Have ye found any truth in what the people of the Furqan (Qur’an) say? Nay, by your Lord, the All-Merciful! They are among the liars. Ponder what they say concerning the news of the Qa’im, and thou shalt find them in manifest error. They have clung to their own desires; verily they wander distracted in the valley of idle fancies. Say: With Us is the knowledge of all things, and We possess a preserving Book. Fear God and follow not those whose striving hath been lost in this world’s life and who are among the most wretched of evil folk.

As for thee, turn away from them, then turn with all thy being to God, the Most High, the All-Praised. Say: O my Lord! Praise be to Thee for having enabled me to recognize the Manifestation of Thy Self, after all the deceitful and stubborn ones turned away from Him. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which was revealed that which was hidden, to aid me in Thy remembrance and praise and in teaching Thy Cause among Thy servants. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH02672: O Husayn! Hear the call of the Husayn at…

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

O Husayn! Hear the call of the Husayn at the time when He remained alone among the servants and was imprisoned time after time by what the hands of the oppressors had wrought. And besides these, servants who were created by His command rose up against Him—and God is witness to this—and they visited upon Me that which the Pen is ashamed to mention, after I came to them from the heaven of grace with mercy and mighty lights, and recited unto them at all times verses which every knower and learned one was powerless to comprehend, save whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, willed.

Remind the servants of the days when thou wert present before the Throne and heard what no ear of men hath heard, except those who attained the presence of thy Lord and were among those who attained. Blessed be thine eye for what it saw, and thine ear for what it heard, and thy face for having turned toward the face of thy Lord, the Most High, the Great.

Know thou that We have not forgotten thee, for thy Lord never cuts off His mercy from His seeking servants. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and turn not to anyone. Then remember thy Lord at all times and turn not to those in whose hearts thou findest rancor toward the Youth, who were among the idolaters. Say: Die in your wrath! By God, that which hath appeared causeth to burn the breast of every sinful idolater and giveth life to the hearts of all who have believed in God and His signs and have drawn nigh unto the Law of grace in this wondrous, sublime Paradise.

Know thou that I have fallen into the pit of hatred and none is aware save God Who hath recorded all things in a preserving and mighty Book. Would that he who cast Me therein would calm his envy and give rest to his soul and not slander Me nor be among the slanderers. By God the Truth, there hath befallen Me what hath befallen no one, then he cried out within himself the cry of the oppressed ones that he might thereby cause doubt among those who believed and might introduce his rancor into the breasts of the sincere ones. Thus have We informed thee of what hath befallen Us that thou mayest be aware of the matter of thy Lord and remember Him with sorrowful verses. Arise to serve the Cause with steadfastness from Us, then remind the people of what thou art able and be not among the patient ones. And glory be upon thee and upon those who have taken unto God a way.

BH02693: All glory be to Thee, O Lord my God!…

All glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! I bear witness for Thee to that whereto Thou Thyself didst bear witness for Thine own Self, ere the day Thou hadst created the creation or made mention thereof, that Thou art God, and that there is none other God beside Thee. From eternity Thou hast, in Thy transcendent oneness, been immeasurably exalted above Thy servants’ conception of Thy unity, and wilt to eternity remain, in Thine unapproachable singleness, far above the praise of Thy creatures. No words that any one beside Thee may utter can ever beseem Thee, and no man’s description except Thine own description can befit Thy nature. All who adore Thy unity have been sore perplexed to fathom the mystery of Thy oneness, and all have confessed their powerlessness to attain unto the comprehension of Thine essence and to scale the pinnacle of Thy knowledge.

The mighty have all acknowledged their weakness, and the learned recognized their ignorance. They that are possessed of influence are as nothing when compared with the revelations of Thy stupendous sovereignty, and they who are exalted sink into oblivion when brought before the manifestations of Thy great glory. The radiance of the brightest luminaries is eclipsed by the effulgent splendors of Thy face, and the tongues of the most eloquent of speakers falter under the unrestrained effusions of Thy holy utterance, and the foundations of the mightiest structures tremble before the onrushing force of Thy compelling power.

Who is there, O my God, that can be deemed worthy to be remembered when Thou art remembered, and where is he to be found who can be regarded as capable of hinting at Thy nature or worthy of mention in the court of Thy transcendent oneness? From everlasting Thou has been alone with no one else beside Thee, and to everlasting Thou wilt continue to be one and the same. No God is there beside Thee, the God of power, of glory and wisdom.

Glorified be Thy name, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Him Who is Thine exalted and supreme Remembrance, Whom Thou hast sent down unto all Thy creatures and invested with Thy name, the All-Glorious, Whose will Thou hast ordained to be Thine own will, Whose self Thou hast decreed to be the revealer of Thine own Self, and His essence the Day-Spring of Thy wisdom, and His heart the treasury of Thine inspiration, and His breast the dawning-place of Thy most excellent attributes and most exalted titles, and His tongue the fountain-head of the waters of Thy praise and the well-spring of the soft-flowing streams of Thy wisdom, to send down upon us that which will enable us to dispense with all else except Thee, and will cause us to direct our steps towards the sanctuary of Thy pleasure and to aspire after the things Thou didst ordain for us according to Thine irrevocable decree.

Empower us, then, O my God, to forsake ourselves and cleave steadfastly to Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Most Exalted, the Most High. Supply us also with that which is best for us, and write us down with such of Thy servants as have repudiated the Idol (Mirza Yahya), and firmly believed in Thee, and been so established on the throne of certitude that the whisperings of the Evil One have been powerless to hinder them from turning their faces towards Thy name, the All-Merciful.

Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest and to ordain what Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the All-Possessing, the All-Highest, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH02695: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is one…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Exalted!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is one of Thy handmaidens and one of Thy dawning-places who hath drawn nigh unto Thee and placed her trust in Thee, until she witnessed the fire of Thy oneness in the Tree of Thine eternity and beheld the lights of holy Lordship from the Tree of Thy identity. The Sun of Eternity shone upon her in what was revealed to her of the mysteries of the Pen through destiny. Through this she desired to enter the gardens of Thy nearness and the paradise of Thy reunion, that she might erase from the tablet of her heart all reference to aught else but Thee, and that there might be kindled in her heart the fire of Thy oneness and there might radiate from her innermost being the light of Thy uniqueness.

When she drew near to the Tree of Thy divinity and sought refuge in its leaves, and held fast to its branches and found shade beneath it and tasted of its fruits, she journeyed unto it and migrated with it toward it until she reached its nearness. At that moment I beseech Thee, O my God, to complete her journeys and strengthen her foundation and comfort her eyes and raise up her spirit that she may journey from her self to Thy Self, and detach herself from her good-pleasure to Thy good-pleasure, and from her remoteness to Thy nearness, and from her separation to Thy presence, that she may return unto Thee and attain unto Thee.

Then create, O my Beloved, within her innermost being the burning flames of Thy love and in her heart the enkindling of Thy attraction, that through the heat of Thy love she may descend to the stream of Thy nearness and return from the surging of Thy fire to the treasury of Thy light. Yet none can attain unto this, O my God, except those who were created from Thy Self and appeared from Thy Beauty and returned unto Thee and entered the chambers of Thy glory and arrived at the mansions of Thy majesty, for Thou art He Who giveth unto all things their due measure. Despite my recognition of this, I beseech Thee to make her detached from all else but Thee. Then cause her to know Thyself that she may be freed from all else save Thee, for if a servant knoweth Thee he would not be occupied with aught else nor engaged with other than Thee nor turn to any besides Thee, though he be given all that is in the heavens and earth. Verily Thou art of this well-informed, aware, and a wise witness.

And thou, O handmaiden of God, take this Book with thy spirit and present this Trust to thy heart that thou mayest inhale the musk-fragrance from the garment of grandeur and find the sweet scents of identity from the shirt of faithfulness, that thou mayest serve God thy Lord with both thine eyes and prostrate thyself before Him with both thy brows and bow down before Him with both thy cheeks, for He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and we are all His servants and all bow down before Him.

And peace be upon thee from the letter H after the letter B.

BH02705: This is a clear Book sent down in truth…

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

This is a clear Book sent down in truth from the dominion of God, the Exalted, the Great. It summons mankind unto the Beloved of the worlds. Were that which is concealed therein of the revelations of his Lord to be unveiled, all who are in the heavens and earth would swoon away, save those who have held fast to the cord of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

Say: O people, be fair before God—does it befit anyone to object to Him Whom Moses begged to meet, Whose beauty the Friend sought, to Whose love the Spirit ascended, and for Whose sake the Point sacrificed Himself? Fear God and follow not every sinful idolator.

Have you found in the Bayan that which you did not find carrying the fragrance of My remembrance? Nay, by your Lord, the All-Merciful, were you but aware. He proclaimed in the wilderness of the Bayan and gave you glad tidings of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Then He came with mighty sovereignty. He testified of Me and informed you of My kingdom and dominion. What ails you that you cling to idle fancies and turn away from your Lord, the Most Glorious? This is naught but manifest loss.

Say: Do you imagine We desire aught for Ourselves, though We be in the hands of Our enemies? Cast aside your imaginings—the Sovereign of certitude has come. They who cling to aught else but Me are in manifest error. Their likeness is as one who casts the Living Waters behind him and hastens to the mirage. He is of those who wander distracted.

We sent unto you aforetime ʿAli with a wise remembrance that he might acquaint you with My Self and prepare you for My meeting. Yet when I unveiled My beauty and came in My glory, you denied My Self. Woe unto you, O company of the heedless!

Say: O peoples of the worlds, have mercy upon yourselves and forsake not the Ancient Beauty. How long will you follow vain desires? This is your Lord, the All-Glorious—turn unto Him and be not of the lost.

O thou who art illumined with the light of Baha! Make mention of My servants with My name and sovereignty, that they might hold fast to the truth and leave those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Recite unto them the verses of thy Lord, that they might be drawn to the Dayspring of Revelation and be numbered with the steadfast.

Say: O people, make up for what you have missed in the Cause of God. Beware lest you be among the heedless. Soon will the messenger of death come unto you—then shall you behold the power of God and His sovereignty, and find no intimate friend. Seize your chance in the days of your Lord—this is better for you, were you but aware.

Thus have We commanded thee and inspired thee that thou mightest convey unto the people that which thou wert bidden by One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

BH02706: This is a Book from the Servant unto him…

He is the Well-Beloved in the Most Exalted Horizon of eternity.

This is a Book from the Servant unto him who hath arisen unto God and is numbered among the guided, whose name is inscribed in the resplendent Books, that he may turn it unto the right hand of immortality and may hearken unto the melodies of the dove upon the boughs of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, uplifted within the pavilion of nearness.

Say: O people of the earth! Cast away the things ye possess, and lay fast hold on the Cord of God, and differ not concerning that which God hath written with the hands of power upon the Tablet of eternity, and hath recorded behind the pavilion of the Spirit.

Say: Fear God and arise from the couches of heedlessness; then hasten with your hearts unto the seats of holiness, that haply ye may enter the Ridvan of oneness and drink of the Wine of Life from the hands of Him Who is outstretched with mercy.

Say: Have no pity on yourselves; rather, recognize the worth of these days, and keep not far from the bounty of Him Who hath appeared in truth, whom God hath sent forth in the temple of might. Thus do We cast upon thee the mysteries of wisdom and teach thee the paths of nearness along the highway stretched forth in the heaven of the Cause, that thou mayest enjoin upon the people justice and godliness and restrain them from oppression and lewdness, and that thou mayest be numbered among the denizens of Paradise, inscribed in the scrolls of heaven.

Know moreover that God hath not forgotten thee. That which He hath decreed for thee in His path shall enrich thee beyond all besides Him, shall raise thee unto the banners of glory, and shall send down upon thee His mercy which descendeth from the clouds of the Spirit. Thus do We announce unto thee the glad-tidings of holiness and convey unto thee messages which the hearts of men can never attain, and which from everlasting eternity have been preserved in the Mother Book with the seal of God.

Say: O My people! Answer the Summoner of God, and be not of those who have disbelieved in God and His signs, and whom God hath seized for their sins in the fire whose abode is in the nethermost depths of Sijjin. They shall find for themselves no helper to lighten their torment; at every moment God shall change their skins that they may taste the punishment twice over, and they shall be consumed in the fire of idolatry.

All this hath been ordained from God. We have cast it upon thee in truth, that the melodies of Paradise may draw thee, and that thou mayest circle, like a moth of flame, about the lamp.

Say: This is from a Tablet sent down in truth; falsehood shall not come nigh it, and all upon the earth, were they gathered together, are powerless to produce its likea€“save those who have cut themselves off from all else save God and have, by His leave, drunk from the hands of light.

He is the Mighty, the Wondrous. In the darkness of the earth, after the turning away of souls, He was beheld, like the sun, shining from the horizon of the Spirit, in the dawning-place of holiness, in truth and manifest.

BH02727: We have verily sent forth a fragrant breath…

In the Name of God, the Eternal!

We have verily sent forth a fragrant breath from the holy fragrances of this exalted Paradise that the world may be perfumed in these days when the Temple of Immortality hath been established upon the throne of names and attributes with a new Revelation, and that My sister may obtain from it the sweet savour of My garment, may soar in the atmosphere of nearness, and hearken to the melodies through which the hearts of the near ones have been stirred.

Give ear, O My Leaf, to My call raised from the direction of oneness that the Divine Summons may draw thee to the Heavenly Throne and help thee to hear the melodies of birds singing sweetly upon the twigs in praise of My Mighty and All-Knowing Self. Know thou that thy Brother hath verily quaffed from the cup of calamity at all times. Thus hath it been ordained for Him from the One Who is Mighty and Powerful. By God, the Sidratu’l-Muntaha hath verily been bowed, the Countenance of the One Who hath shone brightly amongst the people of the world hath clouded, and His black hair hath turned white by virtue of that which the host of unbelievers hath inflicted upon Him.

Verily, the intensity of her sorrows maketh Me weep and causeth My heart to address her, saying: Understand thou well the heat which is consuming Me that thou mayest praise God for thy plight, and thy soul may find abundant joy. And My liver addresseth My heart saying: Wert thou to be informed of how I burn and blaze, thou wouldst find the fire thou art in to be light and cold. Thy Lord is a witness to what I say and He is the All-Knowing. And My inner being addresseth them collectively, saying: Be thankful for that of which thou art unaware. Verily, I am consumed silently in a fire one ember of which, should it appear between the heavens and the earth, will consume the inhabitants of the world. Such is the tale of this Youth and such are the circumstances surrounding Him on all sides as a result of that which hath been perpetrated by the hands of them for whose protection We have made Our bosom a shield, that the darts of the envious may not touch them. Verily, thou shouldst remember thy Lord for that which hath been expounded by the Tongue of Revelation in this wondrous Tablet.

Praise be to Thee, O my God and my Desire! I know not whether to make My plaint about Thy forbearance in spite of Thy knowledge of all things, or about Thy patience in spite of Thy power over all things. How long wilt Thou abandon the Manifestation of Thy Self to the hands of the tyrants? I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy name which hath encompassed all created things, to show forth the signs of Thy power over Thy creatures, and through it to raise up the weak among Thy loved ones during Thy days and to encompass the downfall of the arrogant among Thine enemies. I beseech Thee further, O my God, that Thou prevent me not from recognizing Thee and suffer me not to be deprived of meeting Thee. Ordain for me the good of this world and of the next. Verily, Thou art the Possessor of all existence. No God is there but Thee, the Mighty, the Most Powerful. Praised be God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH11736: O Mihdi! Bear thou witness that there is none…

He is God, the Mighty, the Incomparable

O Mihdi! Bear thou witness that there is none other God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all were created by His bidding and all are prostrate before Him. His is the bounty and grace—He singles out whom He willeth with His mercy, and unto Him shall return the deeds of the doers. Know thou that thy letter, wherein thou didst call upon God thy Lord and seek protection in His all-compelling, self-subsisting protection, hath come before Us. We heard thy call and answered thee before thy letter reached Us, and We sent it unto thee that thou mayest be of them who are assured of the signs of God. And now We answer thee yet again, as a grace from Us unto thee and unto those who have renounced all that was and shall be, and have turned toward the shore of nearness—the station that the sincere have drawn nigh unto.

O Mihdi! Empty thyself of all else save Him, lest sorrow take hold of thee in the contingent world. Be thou in joy and gladness, for soon shall pass away the world and all that is therein, and the Cause shall return to what it was, and naught shall remain save the Face of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Stand firm in the Cause. By God! This is the Cause at which every possessor of praiseworthy understanding is thunderstruck, at which all in the heavens and earth are shaken, at which the pillars crumble and covenants are broken—save for those who have clung to the cord of God. Let nothing grieve thee save separation from Me, the Inaccessible, the Forbidden, and complain thou of naught save thy remoteness from My presence, for this is the root of sorrow, which none save those nigh unto God can comprehend. Yet be thou patient in this, then show forth consummate patience as We have commanded thee. Transgress not that which thou art bidden, and be not of those who overstep the bounds of God and His good-pleasure—such as these know nothing and perceive not.

Then remember thou on Our behalf thy sister who was tried with that wherewith she was tried, and also she who was with her. Thus do We command thee that thy soul and their souls may be gladdened, as a mercy from Us unto thee and unto those who hear and act accordingly.

The mention of Tablets revealed to those parts is not permitted, for their publicity would not be free from mischief and controversy. You must absolutely keep them in the utmost preservation and concealment, except from those who are worthy. Strive beyond measure in concealment and exercise the utmost care.

BH02737: O handmaiden of God! Hearken unto the call…

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

O handmaiden of God! Hearken unto the call of God from this Tree planted in the holy land, this Spot which God hath sanctified from all eternity as a token that there is none other God but Him, and that ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil is the Manifestation of His Self to all who are in the heavens and on earth, and that this Youth is His Glory unto all who are in the kingdom of Command and Creation. There is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Most High.

Know thou that thy letter hath come before Us and that the glances of God have been directed towards it. By this thou shouldst take pride in the heaven of might and majesty. God hath ordained for thee in the heaven of His decree that which shall gladden thy heart. Verily He is generous in His actions and great in His favors. Purify thyself from all remembrance, then remember thy Lord at eventide and at dawn, and in the morning and in the evening. Stand firm in thy love for thy Lord and be not like unto her who believed in her Lord and then turned away, and thereby did the word of punishment from God, thy Lord, become binding upon her. Verily He is severe in His chastisement.

Would that thou hadst known her and what was in her heart! By God, the eye of creation hath not witnessed anyone more false than she. She believes and then disbelieves, yet perceiveth not. Were ye to know what she did unto herself, ye would not have associated with her. But God is witness over her. There is none other God but Him. He knoweth every soul and nothing in the hearts of women and men is hidden from Him.

Do thou purify thy soul, thy heart and thy tongue from all who are in the heavens and on earth, then occupy thyself with the remembrance of thy Lord and place thy trust in Him in all matters. Verily He will protect thee from those who follow naught but vain imaginings and error. Thus doth the Mighty One teach thee. Follow what thou art commanded and associate not any partner with God, thy Lord. Verily He is sanctified above all likeness and comparison.

And the Glory rest upon thee and upon those who have believed in God in these days wherein feet have slipped and the earth and all who dwell thereon witness convulsion and earthquake, save those whom God hath caused to abide beneath the shadow of His mercy. Besides these there is no protector today for anyone. This verily is the truth, and after truth there is naught but error. Praise be to God, the Supreme King.