Volume 046: Prior to 1873 1290 A.H., Part IV (1 of 4)

BH05400: Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech…

Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the seas were set in motion, and the trees bore fruit, and the rivers flowed, and the lights shone forth, and the veils were rent asunder, and the mysteries were unveiled, that Thou wilt not keep us from the sweet-scented breezes of Thy might, through which the hearts of Thy chosen ones and the souls of Thy loved ones were attracted.

O Lord! We are Thy servants, in Thy grasp, seeking refuge at Thy threshold and shelter in Thy presence. By Thy beauty, O Beloved of the worlds, we find no path for ourselves except unto Thee, no refuge save Thee, and no haven other than the shelter of Thy supreme mercy. I beseech Thee by Thine own Most Exalted Self not to shut us out from the door of Thy mercy which hath been opened to the face of all worlds. Make us then steadfast in Thy love and walking in the ways of Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

O Lord! Thou art He Who hath called all unto the seat of the glory of Thy oneness and the court of the sanctity of Thy singleness. We are among Thy servants who have heard Thy call and answered what Thou hast summoned us unto. We have therefore turned our faces toward the sanctuary of Thy mercy and Thy favors, and our eyes are fixed upon the horizon of Thy grace and Thy gifts. I beseech Thee not to deprive us of that which lieth with Thee, and to ordain for us what Thou hast ordained for them that are detached among Thy servants and near unto Thee among Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised, and praise be unto Thee, for Thou art the Goal of them that seek Thee.

BH05253: Your name was mentioned before the Countenance, therefore these…

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

Your name was mentioned before the Countenance, therefore these sublime and wondrous words have dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the favors of the Lord of creation. God willing, through divine grace in these luminous days you will drink from the immortal wine and, detached from all else, arise to serve the Best Beloved of the worlds. The world has never had, nor will it ever have, permanence. Soon all that is visible will become non-existent and will perish. That which endures is God’s loving-kindness towards His loved ones. Blessed is the soul that has attained to this station and has inhaled the fragrance of the divine raiment in His days. We beseech God to aid you in His service and make you a helper of His loved ones.

Verily He has power over all things. And We beseech the Exalted One to make you among those who have remained steadfast in His love in such wise that neither the idle fancies nor the veils of the people have hindered them. Verily He is the Protector of those who turn unto Him. Hold fast to the Sure Handle that has been suspended between the heavens and the earth. Place your trust in Him—verily He aids whoever turns to the Countenance and ordains for whoever desires that which will profit him in this world and the next. Truly your Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Give thanks to God for having been mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen and that this sublime Tablet has been revealed for you. This is better for you than whatsoever you possess and whatsoever the people possess. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Witnessing.

BH05265: Praise be to God Who has adorned the preamble…

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to God Who has adorned the preamble of the Book of Days with the ornament of the Festival of Islam, and has arrayed the temples of the believers among the peoples of the worlds with the robe of divine knowledge, and has distinguished them with this bounty among the followers of all religions, and has purified them from sin through His mercy which has preceded all contingent being. And by this the Dove of Inner Meanings has cooed upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of Utterance that there is no God but Him, Who is single in His essence, beyond the knowledge of all created things, sanctified above whatsoever the names and attributes may be ascribed to Him by the peoples of earth and heaven.

He has created all contingent beings from nothing by His power. He has ever been in the heights of exaltation, grandeur and glory, and will ever be in the summit of might, power and majesty, even as He was in the beginning that has no beginning. There is no God but Him, the Most Great, the Most High. And blessings and peace be upon the Primal Point, and the upright and curved Alif, and the All-Embracing Word of Power, and the Divine Spirit of the Kingdom, through Whom existence began and the manifestations of the Unseen in the visible world were sealed—Muhammad, the Chosen One, whom God made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Manifestation of His most exalted attributes—and upon His family and companions from this day until the Day whereon the tongue of might and power shall speak forth [that “the Kingdom on that Day shall be] God’s, the One, the All-Compelling.”

BH05328: O My handmaiden! Hear thou in this divine Day…

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

O My handmaiden! Hear thou in this divine Day the call of the All-Merciful from the Abha Tongue, for verily His call giveth life to the dead, enkindleth that which is extinguished, and transmuteth the brass of existence into pure gold. The transformation of all existence hath been and shall ever be through the Call of Truth, as hath been and is now witnessed. O My handmaiden! Abdu’llah-i-Ansari—upon him be My glory—hath aforetime said:

“O God! If Thou shouldst but once say My servant,’ I would soar beyond the Throne with joy.”

Now thou hast heard with thine own ears, O My handmaiden, from the Dawning-Place of the utterance of the All-Merciful and the horizon of the words of the All-Glorious Lord. By My life! Were thou to be grateful for this station throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, it would not equal this most great bounty. Now say thou with utmost joy and delight, gladness and expansion:

O my God and the God of all worlds, my Object of worship and the Object of worship of all who dwell in the realm of possibility! I acknowledge and confess my inability to render thanks to Thee as beseemeth Thy station, but Thou art the All-Bountiful—accept from me that which is worthy and befitting Thy most holy court. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Convey My glorification to each one of thy daughters, then gladden them with the mention of My Name, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

BH05382: This is a mention of the Leaf…

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

This is a mention of the Leaf of the Cause, which was inscribed by the Pen of God. Therein is veiled God’s melody in a holy and beloved tune, wherein are chanted the verses of separation morn and eve, by which the hearts of all peoples are consumed. O heedless ones! How have ye veiled yourselves from the Beauty that was visible from the horizon of the Spirit? Soon shall the fruits of your deeds be brought before you in the presence of the sovereign Lord, the Self-Subsisting. Then shall remorse profit you not for what ye acquired in your vain life and for turning away from the Beauty for Whose meeting ye were created, and for depriving your eyes of His beauty.

Thus doth God torment the idolaters in the fire of remoteness and raise up the believers to the holy and exalted court. And thou, despair not of God’s grace and grieve not over what the oppressors do in numbered days. Soon shall their souls and deeds perish and they shall enter a fire kindled by God’s wrath. Turn away from them, then turn to God that thou mayest be regarded by God’s glance in the kingdom. Then deliver unto the servants what God hath cast into thy heart, and fear no one, for herein art thou commanded by Us. The Spirit and glory be upon thee and upon those who soar to the holy and sanctified horizon.

BH05403: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest my…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest my dwelling-place, and hearest my lamentation. I know not for what transgression the breezes of Thy mercy and loving-kindness have been withheld from Thy loved ones, and for what rebellion Thou hast left them in the hands of Thine enemies. Is there any Forgiver besides Thee Who might absolve them of their misdeeds, and is there any Gracious One other than Thee Who might clothe them in the garment of pardon? Nay, by Thy might! I behold no existence besides Thee and no being other than Thee. Thou hast ever been as Thou art, with nothing else beside Thee, and Thou wilt forever remain as Thou hast been. O Lord! Forgive, then, Thy servants who have taken none but Thee as their Helper, and no friend besides Thee.

I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the standards of Thy Cause were raised up, and the signs of Thy grandeur were sent down, and the pavilion of Thy glory and the tabernacles of Thy bounty were lifted up for the sincere ones among Thy creatures, that Thou aid those whose faces have been barred from the gates of joy and tranquility. O Thou in Whose hands lie the kingdom of bounty and the dominion of grace and favor! Open Thou unto their faces, O my God, the gates of Thy mercy and the portals of Thy providence. Then send down upon them from the clouds of Thy favor that which will make them independent of all except Thee, and free from all save Thyself. Verily, Thou art the Opener of the gates and the Guide of all souls. There is none other God but Thee, the Judge in both the beginning and the end.

BH05407: Magnified be Thy name, O my God! I testify…

Magnified be Thy name, O my God! I testify that if Thy servants were to turn towards Thee with the eyes Thou didst create in them and with the ears wherewith Thou didst endow them, they would all be carried away by a single word sent down from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty. That word alone would suffice to brighten their faces, and to assure their hearts, and to cause their souls to soar up to the atmosphere of Thy great glory, and to ascend into the heaven of Thy sovereignty.

I pray Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Ruler of both earth and heaven, to grant that all who are dear to Thee may each become a cup of Thy mercy in Thy days, that they may quicken the hearts of Thy servants. Empower them also, O my God, to be as the rain that poureth down from the clouds of Thy grace, and as the winds that waft the vernal fragrances of Thy loving-kindness, that through them the soil of the hearts of Thy creatures may be clad with verdure, and may bring forth the things that will shed their fragrance over all Thy dominion, so that every one may perceive the sweet smell of the Robe of Thy Revelation. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest.

The power of Thy might beareth me witness! Whoso hath drunk of the cup which the hand of Thy mercy hath borne round will strip himself of all things except Thee, and will be able, through a word of his mouth, to enrapture the souls of such of Thy servants as have slumbered on the bed of forgetfulness and negligence, and to cause them to turn their faces toward Thy most Great Sign, and seek from Thee naught else except Thyself, and ask of Thee only what Thou hast determined for them by the pen of Thy judgment and hast prescribed in the Tablet of Thy decree.

Send down, then, O my God, through Thy Most Great Name, upon Thy loved ones what will, under all conditions, draw them nearer unto Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, Whose help is implored by all men.

BH05525: O Sun of the World! He is the Spirit…

O Sun of the World! He is the Spirit that was breathed into bodies.

No letter arrived from you, yet a reply is being sent. In truth, you were mentioned without mention and beheld without proof, and God willing, you will enter Paradise without deeds and meet the Causer without cause. Glorified be He Who sends down the verses in truth and gives glad tidings to those who hastened to the arenas of Beauty and dwelt before His Face, and heard God’s call in the Ridvan of eternity, and drank from the sea of the Divine Essence on the shore of recognition. Then they detached themselves from all in the heavens and earth and turned their faces toward Him to Whom the lights rushed. Therefore, rejoice within yourself and turn not to anyone, but advance toward the pavilion that was cut off from recognition. Then remember your Lord in your heart and with your tongue according to your capacity. And if grief touches you, fear not and grieve not, but place your trust in God in your heart, for verily He removes grief from the hearts of those women who have returned to God and soared in the atmosphere of longing. Thus have We remembered you in truth and made you mentioned in the Tablet.

BH05548: The Most Great, the Most Holy! This…

The Most Great, the Most Holy! This is a Book which summoneth mankind unto God, the Almighty, the All-Wise. They who are endowed with divine insight behold therein the power of their Lord, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, and hear from it what the One on Sinai heard from the Tree: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” Blessed is the ear that hath heard the call of God, and the heart that hath turned unto the Kaaba of them that are nigh, and woe betide him whose sense of smell hath prevented him from inhaling the fragrance that wafteth from this Garment, and him whose ear hath been kept from hearing the Call that hath been raised from the direction of a mighty Throne.

Turn with thy whole being unto God and leave the wrongdoers who have taken their idle fancies for lords besides God—these are of the people of the fire and shall find none to protect them from that which is ordained for them in hell. Let nothing frighten thee in thy love for thy Lord. Be detached from all the worlds. Should anyone object to thee concerning thy love for thy Lord, say:

“I have forsaken your religion and followed the way of God and held fast unto His firm cord.”

Thus doth the Pen command thee from the presence of the Ancient King. Follow thou and be not of the prodigal ones.

We have ordained stations in Paradise for everyone who hath desired Us. We have been the Ruler. Beware lest there appear from thee that which would deprive thee of that which hath been ordained for thee. Thus have We inspired thee that thou mayest be convinced that His mercy hath preceded all created things.

BH05906: This is a noble Book sent down…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

This is a noble Book sent down from the presence of One mighty and all-knowing. Verily it is a mercy from Us and a remembrance for all the worlds.

O people! Answer him who calleth you unto God and follow not every obstinate misbeliever. Prepare yourselves to hearken unto the Word of God. By My life, through it the hearts of those near to God were attracted and the hearts of those who denied the Lord of Lords were thrown into commotion. Verily they are the people of the fire.

The Hour hath come to pass in truth and the moon hath been cleft asunder by the finger of thy Lord’s will, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The pathway hath been raised up—verily it is the pathway of God, were ye of those who know.

O people! Abandon vain desires. This is your God Who hath come from the heaven of destiny with mighty sovereignty. Those who call you unto the Evil One—their hearts are sealed and they are companions of hellfire. Is there any protector for anyone or any escape for any soul? Nay, by your Lord, the Mighty, the Wise!

Hasten unto Him with your hearts. He will protect you from those who disbelieve and draw you nigh unto a station which, were ye to behold it, would cause you to fall prostrate upon your faces before God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Rejoice in that thy name hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. This is indeed a great bounty. Glorify thy Lord with praise at all times and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the worlds and Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH05919: This is a Book sent down in truth…

In the Name of Him Who hath been manifest above all things!

This is a Book sent down in truth from the heaven of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. Herein is mentioned what hath befallen the Youth at the hands of those who disbelieved in God and associated partners with His Beauty after He had come unto them from the Dayspring of eternity with manifest sovereignty. He had strengthened them in His Cause and exalted their names in the Kingdom of creation that they might aid their Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate. Yet they committed that which causeth the denizens of Paradise to lament and that which made the Faithful Spirit fall prostrate in the dust. Say: O people! I know not by what proof ye have believed in the Glory of the All-Merciful, nor by what evidence ye have recognized the Path. Nay, by My noble Self! Ye have not known God nor followed the ways of His Command, and ye are among the lost. And thou, O servant, purify thyself from such as these, then put thy trust in God, thy Lord. He, verily, shall suffice thee against all the peoples. Say:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! O my God, strengthen my feet in Thy Cause, then make me a helper of Thy Beauty, the Ancient and Resplendent One. Then preserve me within the shelter of Thy protection, and grant me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy sincere servants.

And glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned with his heart toward the court of God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

BH05920: This is a Book sent down in truth…

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

This is a Book sent down in truth from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Verily He speaks the truth at all times, that there is none other God but Him. He created all contingent beings through His power and brought forth all created things through His sovereignty from His presence. Verily He has ever encompassed all worlds. Say: O people, fear God and associate not with Him Who was promised by His beauty, for Whose meeting you were created, and for Whose manifestation you were raised up. Thus has it flowed from the Pen of Command upon preserved tablets of glory. Whosoever turns away today from God and His signs has indeed denied God and His sovereignty and is recorded in the Mother Book by the Pen of the Spirit as among the wrongdoers.

O servant! Leave sovereignty behind you and turn with your heart to this Station which has appeared and shone forth from the holy horizon, whereon the Youth has arisen with manifest sovereignty. Be steadfast in God’s Cause and His decree such that your feet slip not from the Path which has been raised up in truth. And the glory be upon you and upon those who have shown patience within themselves seeking God’s good pleasure—these are they who are at this moment mentioned before the Throne.

BH05772: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou hearest…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Pure

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou hearest the moaning of those who have melted away in their separation and remoteness from Thee, and the crying of those who are kept back from attaining Thy presence and are prevented from entering the sanctuary of Thy glory and the pavilion of Thy favors. Among them are those who call upon Thee, O my God, in the wilderness, and those who lament in the desert, finding for themselves no helper except Thee and no supporter besides Thee.

O Lord! Open before the faces of Thy servants the gate which was closed by what the aggressive ones have wrought in Thy days, that through it may enter those who desire to attain the presence of the throne of Thy grandeur and to stand before the dawning-places of the lights of Thy countenance.

O Lord! Their thirst hath intensified in their separation from Thee—give them to drink of the water of Thy meeting; and their grief hath increased in their remoteness from Thee—draw them nigh, O my God, to the Kawthar of Thy reunion.

O Lord! Thou art the Generous One, possessed of great bounty. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which trembling seized all who are on Thine earth, that Thou gather Thy loved ones beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy singleness and the Lote-Tree of Thy oneness. Then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy generosity that which will bring tranquility to their hearts, that they may arise to help Thy Cause amongst Thy servants in such wise that the oppression of those who have denied Thy signs will not frighten them.

Verily Thou art the Powerful over all who are in Thy earth and Thy heaven. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

BH05669: O Faraj! Rejoice in the relief from God…

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

O Faraj! Rejoice in the relief from God which hath come to thee suddenly like the dawning of His countenance from the horizon of a wondrous Temple. Verily, His relief unto thee is thy recognition of His exalted, mighty and powerful Self. O Faraj! Find relief in thyself through God’s relief, which is greater in thy Lord’s sight than the kingdom of the heavens and earths. Strengthen thy heart to aid the Cause of God, then turn away from the faces of the idolaters and from him in whose heart is hatred of God. By God! His face shall change and from him shall waft the odors of barrenness. Say: O people! Do ye read what hath been sent down to you from the Pen of God, yet deny His Self?

Woe unto you, O heedless ones! Do ye deny Him by Whose finger’s movement the heavens and earth were created, and by another movement shall return to mere nothingness? Be thou thankful unto God for having attained unto His recognition and drunk the Kawthar of certitude from the hands of His bounty, and become of those who have attained. Be thou steadfast in the Cause through God’s might and power, then rest assured in God’s grace, for verily His grace sufficeth thee above all the worlds. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon him who hath believed in God and turned with a pure and luminous heart toward the holy court. And praise be to God, the Beloved of the mystics.

BH05911: This is a Book from Us to him who…

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

This is a Book from Us to him who hath believed in God and walked in the path of His good-pleasure. Upon him be the mercy of God and His blessings. The denizens of the highest Paradise will assuredly make mention of him and pray for him. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! This is Thy servant whom Thou hast given to drink of the Kawthar of Thy remembrance and blessed with the wonders of Thy knowledge. The outpourings of Thy grace have so overtaken me that my mention hath flowed from the Pen of Thy Command and my name hath been uttered before the Throne of Thy grandeur. Since Thou hast made me renowned through Thy Name and known through Thy love, deprive me not of steadfastness in Thy Cause and detachment from all else but Thee. Wouldst Thou, O my God, cast out one whom Thou hast sheltered in the shadow of Thy mercy? Wouldst Thou, O my Beloved, forbid one who hath sought Thy presence?

Nay, by Thy glory! This is not what I think of Thee, for I am certain that Thy mercy hath preceded me and Thy grace hath encompassed me. Thou dost not forbid those who turn to Thee, nor dost Thou deny those who seek Thy Self. Therefore, through Thy grace, send down upon me that which will make me a servant of Thy Self and one who speaks Thy praise. Verily Thou art He Who hath ever been independent of all else but Thyself and will continue to be what Thou hast been from time immemorial. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Exalted.

BH05665: O Ashraf! Blessed art thou for having attained unto…

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

O Ashraf! Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of the Manifestation of God’s Self and for having become one of those who believe in His unity. By God! This is a station that nothing whatsoever created between the heavens and the earth can equal. Know thou, moreover, that the Truth and whatsoever proceedeth from Him must needs be distinguished from creation and whatsoever emanateth therefrom. This verily is a certain truth. He can never be confused with aught else, and shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of holiness with manifest sovereignty. Thus must thou witness it in His verses and in all that proceedeth from His presence, and be endued with clear vision. They who follow every ignorant rabble have no portion of this Most Great All-Encompassing Ocean.

Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having attained unto His love. By God! It is God’s trust deposited within the hearts of the sincere ones. Guard thyself lest the breath of Satan pass over thee, and turn thy heart unto the fragrances of the All-Merciful wafting from this holy and luminous right hand of the All-Glorious. Thus have We made mention of thee out of Our love for thee, that thou mayest stand firm in this Most Great, this Mighty Cause. And glory be upon thee and upon whosoever is steadfast in God’s Cause and is numbered among the firm ones. Praise be to God, thy Beloved and the Beloved of them that know.

BH05837: We have read thy letter, and have granted thee…

In the Name of God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted.

We have read thy letter, and have granted thee that which thou didst ask of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. And there hath been inscribed for thee, by the Pen of the Most High, in the Tablet of Decree, that which He hath willed. Render thanks, therefore, and be of them that remember.

Magnified be Thy name, O Lord my God, inasmuch as Thou hast inclined mine ear to Thy voice, and called me to Thyself, and opened mine eyes to gaze on Thy beauty, and illumined my heart with Thy knowledge, and sanctified my breast from the doubts of the infidels in Thy days. I am the one, O my God, who lay fast asleep on his couch, when lo, the messengers of Thy manifold mercies were sent down upon me by Thee, and the gentle winds of Thy loving-kindness blew over me, and roused me up, and caused me to set my face towards the sanctuary of Thy knowledge, and to fix mine eyes upon the splendors of the light of Thy face.

I am but a poor creature, O my Lord! Behold me clinging to the hem of Thy riches. I have fled from darkness and from waywardness unto the brightness of the light of Thy countenance. Were I—and to this Thy glory beareth me witness—to render thanksgiving unto Thee, through the whole continuance of Thy kingdom and the duration of the heaven of Thine omnipotence, I would still have failed to repay Thy manifold bestowals.

I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name, the Ever-Abiding, and by Thy name which Thou didst ordain to be the most great Instrument binding thee to Thy servants, to grant that I may flee for shelter to Thy door, and speak forth Thy praise. Write down, then, for me, in every world of Thine, that which will enable me to enter beneath Thy shadow and within the borders of Thy court.

Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Bountiful, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

BH05894: I know not, O my God, what the Fire…

In the name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Mighty

I know not, O my God, what the Fire is with which Thou didst light the Lamp of Thy Cause, or what the Glass wherewith Thou didst preserve it from Thine enemies. By Thy might! I marvel at the wonders of Thy Revelation, and at the tokens of Thy glory. I recognize, O Thou Who art my heart’s Desire, that were fire to be touched by water it would instantly be extinguished, whereas the Fire which Thou didst kindle can never go out, though all the seas of the earth be poured upon it. Should water at any time touch it, the hands of Thy power would, as decreed in Thy Tablets, transmute that water into a fuel that would feed its flame.

I, likewise, recognize, O my God, that every lamp, when exposed to the fury of the winds, must cease from burning. As to Thy Lamp, however, O Beloved of the worlds, I cannot think what power except Thy power could have kept it safe for so many years from the tempests that have continually been directed upon it by the rebellious among Thy creatures.

I swear by Thy glory, O my God! Thy Lamp which Thou didst light within the tabernacle of man crieth out to Thee and saith:

“O Thou the one alone Beloved! How long wilt Thou forsake me? Lift me up to Thee, I pray Thee. Though this wish of mine be the wish of a human creature, yet Thou knowest that my true wish is to sacrifice myself in Thy path. Thou art He Who hath made my desire to be the same as Thy desire, and my will the same as Thy will. Do Thou preserve Thy loved ones, I beseech Thee, in the shelter of Thy shadowing mercy which transcendeth all things, that haply the sufferings they bear may not deter them from turning in the direction of Thy name, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.”

BH05721: These are the verses of God which have been…

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

These are the verses of God which have been sent down in truth from the precincts of the mighty Throne unto him who hath attained the presence of God and was a servant unto His exalted and glorious Self. O servant! Rejoice within thyself that thou hast attained unto the presence of thy Lord and hast heard His wondrous and incomparable melodies, and hast taken shelter beneath the shade of the House and hast occupied thyself with that which thy Beloved and those faithful servants who were round about Him did partake. By God! It behooveth thee to glory in the Kingdom of Names that the Sun of Eternity hath shone upon thee from the horizon of glory with manifest and evident sovereignty.

Stand firm in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that the cawing of the idolaters shall not cause thee to deviate. Know thou that the Cause was in the grasp of My power, and none was aware of this save My All-Knowing, All-Informed Self. And whatsoever We indicated unto others besides Us was out of a wisdom from Our presence which none knoweth save God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old. Be thou steadfast in the Cause with a sovereignty from thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. And may glory rest upon thee and upon those who are round about thee among Our believing servants, whether female or male, young or old. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH05713: By God! Through tribulation has increased the love…

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

By God! Through tribulation has increased the love of Baha to such an extent that nothing has deterred Him from the remembrance of the Lord of Names and Creator of heaven. At all times He summons the peoples of the worlds to their Lord, the All-Merciful. How wondrous is this fire which, whenever water touches it, grows more intense in its love for its Lord, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing. He accepted abasement for the glory of all on earth and chose imprisonment for the salvation of the worlds. O thou who wanderest! This is a mighty, mighty Cause which the hosts of earth and heaven cannot withstand. Shouldst thou find the sweetness of thy Lord’s remembrance in but one of His verses, thou wouldst swoon away at that moment, and upon arising thou wouldst say:

“I testify, O my God, that the Daysprings of Revelation and the Dawning-Places of Inspiration came before Thy Manifestation, and in every word that proceedeth from His mouth is concealed that which giveth life to the worlds.”

O Lord! He dwelleth in the most desolate of lands, though by His Name the heavens and earth were built up. Thus have Thy wrongdoing servants behaved. If thou art enkindled with the heat of My love as befitteth this Revelation whereby the faces of those near unto God were illumined, then make mention before Me of him who hath sought Me. Then give him to drink from the chalice of My grace held forth by the fingers of My loving-kindness, that it may draw him to the horizon of My mercy and the dawning-place of My names and the seat of My mighty throne. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH05653: Tablets were sent with Salman, and in response…

He is

Tablets were sent with Salman, and in response to certain questions, special pages were written and dispatched. Make copies of these and send them to various regions, that perchance the people may remember what was revealed therein and be among those who take heed.

Furthermore, certain matters have arisen in this land that have not occurred from the beginning of creation until now—you will hear of these from those who return. Quickly deliver copies of the Persian Tablets to His Holiness Ismu’llah-i-Munir and His Holiness Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin. Send as many wondrous verses as possible to Nayriz and the Land of Sultan. Some Tablets in the script of revelation were sent from this servant in attendance before the Throne, as there was no time for finishing. Have Salman return to the cities of the All-Merciful as soon as possible—this is closest to righteousness. Make haste without fail. God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds and be detached from all else.

Some insignificant, unworthy items were sent specially for certain loved ones of God—deliver these to them. However, since they are from God, they will assuredly be more precious than all else. Several unsigned Tablets were sent—give these to whomever they deem appropriate.

BH05823: Thy letter hath been presented before Us, and We…

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

Thy letter hath been presented before Us, and We have perused that which it containeth. We beseech God to disclose unto thee that which thou hast desired; verily, He is potent over all things. Say:

Unto Thee be praise, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee, by Thy signs that have encompassed the entire creation, and by the light of Thy countenance that hath illuminated all that are in heaven and on earth, and by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created things, and by Thy grace that hath suffused the whole universe, to rend asunder the veils that shut me out from Thee, that I may hasten unto the Fountain-Head of Thy mighty inspiration, and to the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation and bountiful favors, and may be immersed beneath the ocean of Thy nearness and pleasure.

Suffer me not, O my Lord, to be deprived of the knowledge of Thee in Thy days, and divest me not of the robe of Thy guidance. Give me to drink of the river that is life indeed, whose waters have streamed forth from the Paradise (Ridvan) in which the throne of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, was established, that mine eyes may be opened, and my face be illumined, and my heart be assured, and my soul be enlightened, and my steps be made firm.

Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might, supreme over all things, and, through the operation of His will, was able to ordain all things. Nothing whatsoever, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord, through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and incline mine ear to the sweet melodies of the birds that warble their praise of Thee, amidst the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.

Thou art the Great Giver, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

BH05797: It is the dawn of the Festival…

He is the Almighty

It is the dawn of the Festival, and the wine of divine unity is surging in the hearts of the detached ones. Blessed are they who have attained unto it! We beseech God to graciously aid all the peoples of the world, that they may be adorned with the ornament of love for the Most Great Name. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. O servants! By the Lord of creation, the innermost essence unto infinity is the chalice of this pure wine and this choice nectar of manifestation. Strive ye to drink thereof.

O servant who art present before the Throne! Praise the Best-Beloved of the worlds, for thou hast attained His presence at all times and art occupied in His service. Hold fast to the cord of contentment. Thou art observed to be such that even if the tablets of creation were to be adorned with the pen of the Lord of invention, thou wouldst still cry out “Is there more?” In these days, He hath appointed a servant pen and tablet for every direction, that perchance it may be adorned by the Pen of Pre-existence. The pen and ink are nigh to presenting their petition to the Lord of creation: “Increase, O my God, therein Thy love and affection.” Glory be unto Him Who created it and strengthened it and made it a servant of His beauty and a companion to Himself among the worlds. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH05907: This is a Tablet revealed for the sister…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

This is a Tablet revealed for the sister of the Shaykh who migrated from his self unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. This is a Tablet for her who hath believed in her Lord and attained unto His days and was among the devout women. O handmaiden of God! Give thanks unto thy Lord for having caused thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Self through His Most Exalted Name. Arise then to recognize this Beauty through Whom the earth was cleft asunder, the mountains were crushed, and the heavens were rent apart. By God! Through Him the letters were moved from their places and the words from their stations, and from the horizon of grace shone forth the Sun of verses.

Remember thy Lord in His days, then bow down and be devout and be among those who prostrate. Be not perturbed when the bellowing of the Calf is raised and the veils of allusions prevent the people from drawing nigh unto the holy court. Cast behind thee all allusions and take fast hold of the cord of God. Verily He will protect thee from the thunderbolt of those days and draw thee nigh unto the heaven of attributes. Thus doth God make mention of thee in this Tablet and reveal unto thee that which shall sanctify thee from all that keepeth thee back from Him and draw thee nigh unto that which is better for thee than whatsoever hath been created between earth and heaven. And peace be upon thee and upon those women who have believed in God their Lord and were among the pure ones.

BH05752: I make mention of My handmaiden that My call…

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

I make mention of My handmaiden that My call may draw thee to My Kingdom, that thou mayest behold what hath been ordained for thee by One All-Knowing, All-Wise. By My life! Were any of My loved ones to discover what hath been ordained for him in the heaven of My bounty, he would soar in his longing toward My atmosphere and find himself independent of all worlds. We have forsaken the world and its people, and desire naught but to ascend above it and depart from it—and thy Lord knoweth what lieth within all breasts, if ye be of them that understand.

O My handmaiden! Grieve not at what hath befallen thee, but hold fast unto purity, that the people of Paradise may inhale from thee the sweet fragrance of holiness. Thus doth the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, command thee. Cling to the hem of thy Lord’s mercy, then detach thyself in His love from all the worlds. Hast thou seen permanence in aught that thou hast seen? Nay, by My own Self, the True One! The kingdom shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Cast aside the mention of that which perisheth, and hold fast to the hem of that which endureth. By God! This is the sanctified, mighty, and inaccessible hem—yet it hath been sullied by what the hands of the wicked ones among the people of the Bayan, who denied the All-Merciful after the heavens of religions were cleft asunder and the Kingdom of utterance came with manifest sovereignty, have wrought. Well is it with him who hath detached himself from all things and turned unto the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens. He, verily, is of those who have attained.

BH05667: O handmaid of God! Bear witness in thy spirit…

He is the Almighty

O handmaid of God! Bear witness in thy spirit that He is God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Beauteous.

He is the Almighty

O handmaid of God! Bear witness within thyself that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Beware lest thou forget My counsels if thou art of the steadfast ones. Be patient within thyself and put thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Powerful. You and the guest must act with utmost friendship and kindness, and remind her on My behalf. Then remember from Us the handmaids of God who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Powerful.

He is the Almighty

O thou who remaineth from Us! Be patient and grieve not within thyself, and be of the patient ones. Say: By God, the eyes of the lovers have wept with thy weeping. Be thou patient in this separation which hath consumed the hearts of the mystics. And thou—hear My words and be patient with what hath been ordained from the presence of One wise and knowing. Soon shall thy cause be exalted and thy name uplifted in truth, and He verily recompenseth the reward of the longing ones. Then convey Our greetings to the one who was in thy house and remind her of a holy and noble station, that she may remain firm in the Cause of God and be of the steadfast ones.

BH05848: Say: By God, the Truth! There hath appeared…

…Say: By God, the Truth! There hath appeared that which hath never appeared like unto it in all creation, and verily it speaketh in all things, at all times, in every tone, saying: ʿThere is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Beauteous.’ Soon shalt thou witness the turning away of those who fancy themselves possessed of knowledge and count themselves among the guided ones. Nay, by My Name, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful! Counsel thyself, and then the souls of men, to hold fast unto the Tree of Paradise at the time when the breezes of hatred blow from near and far. Say: Forget thyself and all who are in the heavens and on earth, that God may raise thee to a station of holy radiance.

And polish the mirror of thy heart that no love of name or fame remain therein, for this is My command unto thee, that thou mayest be of those who act. Verily, We loved thee before the creation of the heavens and earth, when We raised thee up in the precincts of holiness with a beauty of might and glory. Were We to make known to thee thy true self, thy heart would be at rest and thou wouldst be detached from all the worlds. But since We found the people of the Bayan more veiled than the peoples of former times, We have therefore concealed most matters from them lest they be among those who waver. Otherwise, We would have cast upon them thy name, then thy form, then thy station, that they might be of those who prostrate themselves before God Who created thee and them. And verily this was decreed by a mighty, ancient Pen.

BH05698: O handmaiden of God! The Call of the All-Merciful…

In the Name of the One Friend!

O handmaiden of God! The Call of the All-Merciful is raised high, yet most of the handmaidens remain heedless of it. Beseech God that thou mayest not be deprived of His Word and its sweetness, and that thou mayest stand so firm in the Cause of God that tribulations shall not hold thee back from the Most Glorious Horizon. Tests and trials have ever existed and shall continue to exist, that truth may be distinguished from falsehood and the doubter from the assured one. Observe how those souls who claimed to believe and who prostrated themselves before the All-Merciful in submission and humility—when His Self was made manifest, most of them became veiled from Him and remained far from the seat of nearness.

This is naught but due to the heedlessness of souls, else the sun is far distinct from the shadow, and the flower is clearly evident from its likeness. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of My Cause that were they to open the eye of the heart, all would behold the Truth as existing and all else as non-existent. These are days the like of which have not been seen nor shall be seen. Strive that through the bounty of the Lord of Power thou mayest attain unto the Most Sublime Vision. This is the Truth, and after Truth there is naught save manifest error.

BH05768: Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time…

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Every time I venture to make mention of Thee, I am held back by my mighty sins and grievous trespasses against Thee, and find myself wholly deprived of Thy grace, and utterly powerless to celebrate Thy praise. My great confidence in Thy bounty, however, reviveth my hope in Thee, and my certitude that Thou wilt bountifully deal with me emboldeneth me to extol Thee, and to ask of Thee the things Thou dost possess.

I implore Thee, O my God, by Thy mercy that hath surpassed all created things, and to which all that are immersed beneath the oceans of Thy names bear witness, not to abandon me unto my self, for my heart is prone to evil. Guard me, then, within the stronghold of Thy protection and the shelter of Thy care. I am he, O my God, whose only wish is what Thou hast determined by the power of Thy might. All I have chosen for myself is to be assisted by Thy gracious appointments and the ruling of Thy will, and to be aided with the tokens of Thy decree and judgment.

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the hearts which long for Thee, by the Manifestations of Thy Cause and the Day-Springs of Thine inspiration, and the Exponents of Thy majesty, and the Treasuries of Thy knowledge, not to suffer me to be deprived of Thy holy Habitation, Thy Fane and Thy Tabernacle. Aid me, O my Lord, to attain His hallowed court, and to circle round His person, and to stand humbly at His door.

Thou art He Whose power is from everlasting to everlasting. Nothing escapeth Thy knowledge. Thou art, verily, the God of power, the God of glory and wisdom.

Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds!

BH05771: Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am…

Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most exalted attributes, to open to my face the portals of Thy bestowals. Aid me, then, to do that which is good, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and attributes!

I am poor, O my Lord, and Thou art the Rich. I have set my face towards Thee, and detached myself from all but Thee. Deprive me not, I implore Thee, of the breezes of Thy tender mercy, and withhold not from me what Thou didst ordain for the chosen among Thy servants.

Remove the veil from mine eyes, O my Lord, that I may recognize what Thou hast desired for Thy creatures, and discover, in all the manifestations of Thy handiwork, the revelations of Thine almighty power. Enrapture my soul, O my Lord, with Thy most mighty signs, and draw me out of the depths of my corrupt and evil desires. Write down, then, for me the good of this world and of the world to come. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. No God is there but Thee, the All-Glorious, Whose help is sought by all men.

I yield Thee thanks, O my Lord, that Thou hast wakened me from my sleep, and stirred me up, and created in me the desire to perceive what most of Thy servants have failed to apprehend. Make me able, therefore, O my Lord, to behold, for love of Thee and for the sake of Thy pleasure, whatsoever Thou hast desired. Thou art He to the power of Whose might and sovereignty all things testify.

There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Beneficent.

BH05798: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is!

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth, wherein are that which openeth the gates of Paradise and causeth the breezes of grace to waft upon all who are in the heavens and on earth. And thou, rejoice within thyself and grieve not over anything, but place thy trust in God, thy Lord. This verily will profit thee in truth, and God is witness unto this. Then know thou that the world and its adornments shall pass away and have no permanence, and all things shall return to a holy and radiant seat. And when thou hearest the call of separation from the Branch of the Cause, grieve not, for in this are ordained mysteries of might and wisdom from a wise and knowing Ordainer, and He shall manifest it if He willeth and desireth.

There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Beautiful. He doeth what He willeth and shall not be questioned of what He desireth, and He is the All-Wise, the All-Informed. Beware lest thou forget the favour of thy Lord, then thank Him at all times, and this is better for thee than the dominion of the ancients. Then recognize the worth of what God hath bestowed upon you through His grace, in that He hath related you to His servant, and this is from an evident grace. And the Spirit be upon thee and upon those women who circle round the Cause and are detached from all who are in the kingdom of creation.

BH05801: Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! O Thou…

In His Name, the Exalted, the All-Highest, the Most Sublime!

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! O Thou Who art my God, and my Master, and my Lord, and my Support, and my Hope, and my Refuge, and my Light. I ask of Thee, by Thy Hidden and Treasured Name, which none knoweth save Thine own Self, to protect the bearer of this Tablet from every calamity and pestilence, and from every wicked man and woman; from the evil of the evil-doers, and from the scheming of the unbelievers. Preserve him, moreover, O my God, from every pain and vexation, O Thou Who holdest in Thy hand the empire of all things. Thou, truly, art powerful over all things. Thou doest as Thou willest, and ordainest as Thou pleasest.

O Thou King of Kings! O Thou kind Lord! O Thou Source of ancient bounty, of grace, of generosity and bestowal! O Thou Healer of sicknesses! O Thou Sufficer of needs! O Thou Light of Light! O Thou Light above all Lights! O Thou Revealer of every Manifestation! O Thou the Compassionate! O Thou the Merciful! Do Thou have mercy upon the bearer of this Tablet, through Thy most great mercy and Thine abundant grace, O Thou the Gracious, Thou the Bounteous. Guard him, moreover, through Thy protection, from whatsoever his heart and mind may find repugnant. Of those endued with power, Thou, verily, art the most powerful. The Glory of God rest upon thee, O thou rising sun! Do thou testify unto that which God hath testified of His own Self, that there is none other God besides Him, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved.

BH05876: In the name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!…

In the name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! This is a Book from the presence of the Self-Subsisting to people who understand. Therein flows the Kawthar of life which hath streamed forth from the finger of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Drink ye, O people, for it is indeed a sealed nectar. God hath broken its seal by the hand of might, as a bounty unto all created things on the Day whereon the All-Merciful established Himself upon the throne of His Most Great Name, did ye but know. The cup is His Words, and what floweth therein hath streamed from His finger, and He giveth it unto you through the hands of His mercy.

Say: Why do ye flee and not drink? Say: The Kingdom of glory hath appeared before your faces, yet ye turn away therefrom, and everlasting life hath come unto your mortal realm, yet ye remain heedless thereof.

Ye have no enemies save your own selves—know them well, O people, and beware lest ye be negligent. They shall never rest: when fed their flames increase, and when denied their greed intensifieth. Well is it with him who purifieth them in the name of his Lord, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Say: Sacrifice them, O people, in My path—this is the true sacrifice in the love of the All-Merciful, which none comprehend save the sincere ones.

Thus hath it been sent down from the Pen of Revelation that the people may be reminded in the days of thy Lord. He, verily, aideth whom He willeth and succoreth him. He is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the Knower of things unseen. And upon thee and thy kindred be the glory from the presence of One mighty, well-beloved.

BH05914: This is a Book from Us to him who…

In His Name, the Most Holy, the Most Great!

This is a Book from Us to him who has taken a path unto the Lord of the Throne, that the Book of his Lord may draw him nigh unto the Most Great Remembrance and render him wholly devoted to the presence of his Lord, the All-Merciful, Who hath ever encompassed all the worlds.

Patience is bitter save in My Cause, and tribulation unwelcome save for love of Me. Thus hath the matter been sent down in truth from the Pen of Revelation.

Follow what We have revealed unto thee and follow not the way of him who hath turned away from the Truth after He came in the shadows of proof with a sovereignty manifest to all the worlds.

Grieve not over what the hands of those who are stirred by the winds of desire have wrought, and who have been kept back from the precincts of My Most Glorious Name. Verily, they have turned away from the Truth and have taken Satan as their helper.

It behooveth every soul to remain steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the wrath of those with whom God is wroth shall not deter him. Soon shall they find themselves in an abode bereft of the mercy of the All-Merciful.

Do they imagine that the will is in their hands? Nay, by the Lord of all creation! The will of thy Lord hath triumphed over all things. Verily, He is aware of His servants.

Be thou assured through the bounty of thy Lord, then take Him as thy Guardian. And glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned toward God with a heart illumined by the lights of the Throne.

BH11785: O Majid, upon thee be the Glory of God!…

O Majid, upon thee be the Glory of God! In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Holy! O Majid! The Spirit hath descended in His glory from My Kingdom, and the Interlocutor with His verses, and the Beloved in His ascension, and now all are present before the Throne. Say: O people! In what announcement will ye believe? Say: Do ye doubt Him unto Whom the Son of Mary ascended? Fear God, the Lord of all nations, unto Whom ye all shall return.

Thy letter hath come before Us and We have read it after receiving it, and have become aware of what was mentioned and what was not mentioned. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the Knower of the unseen.

We have heard thy lamentation in hardship and thy sighing in adversity. We have separated you for a reunion of which none is aware save thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Beware lest difficulties in My love make thee sorrowful. Soon shalt thou find thyself in the most exalted station. Verily, He is the Protector of those who do good.

Be patient in thy present hardship. God will soon transform it into ease. Verily, He is the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting.

Remind those women who remained in Iraq from Me, then write to them that which will gladden their hearts. Thus have We commanded thee in this Tablet which We have sent down in truth and detailed from the Preserved Tablet.

And upon thee be glory, and upon them, and upon those who are steadfast in the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH06144: A mention from Us to people who comprehend…

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

A mention from Us to people who comprehend, that they may taste the sweetness of remembrance and abandon what was and what will be, and hold fast to the Most Great Remembrance Who hath come from the heaven of eternity. By My life! He is indeed the Promised One. But when He came with the truth, the Jews said “He hath fabricated a lie against God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” They denied Him in Whom they had believed, after having called upon Him at eventide and at dawn, at sunset and at morn. Verily, whoso hath turned away from this Revelation hath earned for himself the name of “Jew.” Thus hath the matter been decreed by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

Avoid those who have taken their vain imaginings as lords beside God. They are indeed worshippers of idols, though they perceive it not. Remember thy Lord in thy days and find solace in what hath been sent down from His presence. He, verily, purifieth souls and quickeneth hearts. Should anyone oppose thee in thy love for thy Lord, grieve not. Place thy trust in thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say: I have turned toward God and forsaken those who follow the Evil One. The hosts of earth shall not frighten me in my love for Him, nor shall the armies of the oppressors prevent me. Thus have I been commanded by the Lord of the seen and the unseen.

BH06140: God maketh mention of His handmaiden among His handmaidens…

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

God maketh mention of His handmaiden among His handmaidens, that she may rejoice within herself and be gladdened by the remembrance of God. Yet He Who loveth the gladness of His servants—by God, the Truth!—is in great sorrow from the arrows that have been loosed against Him by the enemies who were created by His Word, and God is witness to this.

O handmaiden of God! Remember thy Lord, then be devoutly obedient and prostrate thyself, that thou mayest be numbered among those handmaidens who are mentioned as devout in the Tablets. Purify thy heart through the love of God, thy Lord, for by it are all worlds purified. Hold fast to the cord of God, then enter beneath the shadow of protection which hath been preserved from all doubt.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Remembrance to illumine my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and to sanctify me from all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and Thou art, of a truth, powerful over all things.

And the glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have believed in God and sanctified their souls from all that God abhorreth, and this is indeed a mighty favor. Then glorify Him who hath remained steadfast upon this straight path.

BH06316: This is a letter from this lowly, humble servant…

He is the Almighty

This is a letter from this lowly, humble servant to him who hath believed in God and was among the guided ones, imparting unto him that which shall tranquilize him in this great terror wherein the Maids of Paradise and the angels drawn nigh have lamented.

O servant! Hearken unto that which the Nightingale of nearness teacheth thee in this wondrous Paradise, that thou mayest detach thyself from the intimations of dominion and sanctify thyself from all that veils thee from the beauty of luminous glory.

Know thou that We have made this Book a remembrance for you that ye may remember Me after Me and be of them that remember. Thus do We impart unto thee that which descendeth upon thy heart—verses of mighty glory—that thou mayest thank God, thy Creator, in these days the like of which the eyes of them of old have never witnessed. Beware lest thou forget God’s favor unto thee and be of the heedless ones.

Then remember on Our behalf thy wife and those who were in thy house, and give them glad tidings of the shore of a mighty Name. Then thy brother and those who have believed in God and held fast unto the handle of holy exaltation.

And the Spirit be upon thee and upon him who hath been patient in God and was, in love, among the firmly rooted ones.

BH06201: Magnified be Thy name, O Thou in Whose grasp…

Magnified be Thy name, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of the souls of all them that have recognized Thee, and in Whose right hand are the destinies of all that are in heaven and all that are on earth! Thou doest, through the power of Thy might, what Thou willest, and ordainest, by an act of Thy volition, what Thou pleasest. The will of the most resolute of men is as nothing when compared with the compelling evidences of Thy will, and the determination of the most inflexible among Thy creatures is dissipated before the manifold revelations of Thy purpose.

Thou art He Who, through a word of Thy mouth, hath so enravished the hearts of Thy chosen ones that they have, in their love for Thee, detached themselves from all except Thyself, and laid down their lives and sacrificed their souls in Thy path, and borne, for Thy sake, what none of Thy creatures hath borne.

I am one of Thy handmaidens, O my Lord! I have turned my face towards the habitation of Thy mercy, and have sought the wonders of Thy manifold favors, inasmuch as all the members of my body proclaim Thee to be the All-Bounteous, He Whose grace is immense.

O Thou Whose face is the object of my adoration, Whose beauty is my sanctuary, Whose court is my goal, Whose remembrance is my wish, Whose affection is my solace, Whose love is my begetter, Whose praise is my companion, Whose nearness is my hope, Whose presence is my greatest longing and supreme aspiration! Disappoint me not, I entreat Thee, by withholding from me the things Thou didst ordain for the chosen ones among Thy handmaidens, and supply me with the good of this world and of the world to come.

Thou art, verily, the Lord of creation. No God is there beside Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.

BH06231: Your letter has reached Us and We have understood…

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

Your letter has reached Us and We have understood its contents. We beseech God to assist you to love Him and gain His good-pleasure, and to make you so steadfast in His Cause that there may appear from you that which will attract the hearts of His heedless servants. By God! You have been named with a name by which the people of the holy cities take pride. How excellent is this glorious and luminous name! We beseech God to draw you near unto Him in His realms which no one has understood save Him. Verily He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I am he who heard Thy call and hastened unto Thee with my heart, and thus do I stand in the presence of acceptance, and verily Thou art the Lord of grandeur and majesty. Send down upon me that which will keep me from all else but Thee and draw me nigh unto Thee at all times. Then send down upon me that which Thou hast ordained for me in the heaven of Thy bounty and the tablet of Thy decree. Verily Thou are powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O my Lord! Give me to drink from the Kawthar which Thou hast made specially for those of Thy servants who are near unto Thee, that there may flow from my heart the rivers of Thy knowledge. Verily, Thou hast power over all things.

BH06317: This is a Book sent down in truth unto…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

This is a Book sent down in truth unto people who understand. Verily there is no God but Him, and all shall return unto Him. We have ordained good things for those who, through fear of their Lord, are filled with apprehension. Say: This indeed is the Truth—will ye then turn back upon your heels? By God! That which was promised unto you hath appeared in truth, yet ye deny it. This indeed is the All-Merciful Who hath come with clear proof, yet most of you detest the truth. Soon shall We seize those who have cast the Command of God behind their backs, and when the breezes of the verses reach them, then do they cry out in anguish.

Say: The mercy hath come, yet from it ye flee. Say: Within Our grasp are the destinies of all things, and with Us is a Book that speaketh of what your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath willed, would ye but understand. Say: O people! Leave those who have disbelieved to wallow in their folly, and hold fast unto the cord of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. O My servant! Hear My counsel, then detach thyself from all else besides Me. By My life! All that thou seest in My earth shall perish, and the Cause shall remain with My Self. Blessed is he who hath turned unto God and turned away from those who deny. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who act according to My command.

BH11250: O Ghulam! Hearken to the call of this Youth…

O Ghulam! Hearken to the call of this Youth from the direction of the Throne, that the call of the All-Merciful may draw thee to His paradise, the inaccessible, the mighty, the protected.

Know verily that whenever this Youth turneth His eyes towards His own self, he findeth it the most insignificant of all creation. When He contemplates, however, the bright effulgences He hath been empowered to manifest, lo, that self is transfigured before Him into a sovereign Potency permeating the essence of all things visible and invisible. Glory be to Him Who, through the power of truth, hath sent down the Manifestation of His own Self and entrusted Him with His message unto all mankind,

Who hath established Him in His own station and caused Him to speak His praise in such wise that neither the clamor of the nations nor the might of kings hath deterred Him. Say: He is in truth the Possessor of all kings—all are His subjects—and He is the Mighty, the Loving.

Blessed art thou for having believed in God and the Manifestation of His Self, and for having associated with those through whom this blessed Tree was raised up to this praiseworthy station. He shall not suffer thy service to them to be lost, and God shall reward thee with a recompense that cannot be equaled by aught that exists or exists not. Soar then in the atmosphere of thy Lord’s love, and detach thyself from those who have denied God, the Mighty, the Loving.

And the glory be upon thee and upon him who is steadfast in the Cause of his Lord and detached from the world in these numbered days.

BH06102: Where art thou, O thou who journeyest through…

He is the Glorious, the All-Glorious!

Where art thou, O thou who journeyest through the lands? Where art thou, O thou who maketh mention of My Name amongst the servants? Art thou in the hands of the enemies in the path of God, the Lord of all names, or art thou in a place of safety among the loved ones of thy Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven? Grieve not, for verily He is with thee and in all conditions will show thee. Blessed is he who hath turned unto thee, and woe unto him who hath turned away from thee, O thou who calleth in the wilderness of guidance in the name of thy Lord, the All-Glorious.

Know thou that thy letter hath arrived and We have read what was written therein. Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Blessed is he whose name was mentioned in thy letter. Blessed is the house wherein thou dwelt, for it is the object of thy Lord’s glance, the Mighty, the Generous. We have stirred the land of Barhut, therefore We have withheld the Pen from mentioning those whom We desired from among the loved ones of God, and have caused to flow mention of others from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. All things bear witness that thou hast fulfilled God’s covenant. Rejoice thou and be of those who are thankful. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath found comfort in thee through love of thy Ancient Lord. Thou art the Trusted One from the presence of the Truth amongst His creation. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!

BH06057: O youth! Know that We sent thee a Book…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Holy!

O youth! Know that We sent thee a Book before—verily it was a manifest Book—but the idolaters prevented it from reaching thee. We beseech God that He may honor thee with it and give thee to drink what is therein of the wine of thy Lord’s mercy, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Then know that there hath come upon Us that which the Bayan is powerless to mention, yet doth the Youth speak at all times in remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Let not the words of them that have disbelieved in the verses of the All-Merciful grieve thee. Remember Him and fear not the wrongdoers. Look not upon the earth and those that are thereon save as chaff scattered by the winds from every direction, except for those who have detached themselves from their desires and turned unto their Ancient Lord.

Remember thy Lord by night and by day, then arise from the horizon of certitude. Say: O people! The All-Merciful hath come with manifest sovereignty. Beware lest the cawing of them that have disbelieved prevent thee. Be thou assured in the grace of God. Soon shall come a day wherein the standards of victory and power shall be raised in the name of thy Lord, the Chosen One, and on that day the sincere shall be in great joy. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones, that they may inhale the fragrance of holiness from the word of their Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH06107: This is what has shone forth from the Dayspring…

This is what has shone forth from the Dayspring of divine utterance—exalted be His utterance!

O Rafi’! Confession of thy powerlessness is the essence of worship, and acknowledgment of thy weakness is the very strength of thy heart in the divine Cause. Ask thou of God to be ever adorned with this robe. Powerlessness and contrition have ever been beloved in the most holy court. This is the station of servitude which none have attained save the near ones among the servants of God.

God willing, thou shalt be mentioned among the people through the name of Truth and be accounted among the servants of the divine Cause, in such wise that at all times thou shalt be occupied with the remembrance of the All-Merciful. Praise be to the Beloved of all creation that thy name hath flowed from the tongue of the Divine Unity and thy mention hath been recorded by the Pen of the Divine Command. This is a bounty that shall endure through the perpetuity of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Although thou hast proven a matter through what was revealed aforetime—“We desire to show favor unto those who were brought low in the land” and so forth—yet this station that now exists is greater than what thou hast mentioned. God willing, thou art of the people of Baha, and above this there is no station in servitude. Know thou its worth and be of the thankful ones.

BH06056: O Ghulam! Hearken unto that which the Pen…

In the Name of God, the Most Sorrowful, the Most Sorrowful!

O Ghulam! Hearken unto that which the Pen of thy All-Knowing Lord calleth out to thee. Then take what floweth therefrom as a lamp unto thyself which verily shineth with truth. Read it throughout thy days and forget not the remembrance of God within thyself, for He is thy Guardian.

Drink of that which hath flowed from the oceans of grandeur in these hidden words, which have appeared in the form of a chalice, for in each letter thereof the waters of inner meanings have been filled from the seas of God’s wisdom, if thou be of them that know. Stand firm in the Cause of thy Lord, then fill thy heart with His love to such extent that no space remaineth therein save for the love of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all the worlds.

O servant! Remember this servant who hath fallen into the hands of the wicked ones and findeth no helper for himself. And whenever He seeketh assistance from the people of the Bayan, they hasten toward Him with swords of rejection and hatred. Thus have We reckoned their deeds through this Pen which hath been, in the eternity of eternities, knowing of the truth. And mercy be upon thee if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause.

BH06188: Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I…

Praise be to Thee, O Lord my God! I implore Thee by Thy Name that hath caused to surge within every drop the oceans of Thy loving-kindness and mercy, and to shine within every atom the luminaries of Thy bountiful blessings and favors,—I implore Thee to adorn every soul with the ornament of Thy love, that none may remain on Thine earth who hath not turned towards Thee, or hath failed to detach himself from all except Thy Self.

Thou hast, verily, O my God, suffered Him Who is the Manifestation of Thine own Self to be afflicted with all manner of adversity in order that Thy servants may ascend unto the pinnacle of Thy gracious favor, and attain unto that which Thou hast, through Thy providence and tender mercies, ordained for them in the Tablets of Thine irrevocable decree. The glory of Thy might beareth me witness! Were they, every moment of their lives, to offer up themselves as a sacrifice in Thy path, they would still have done but little in comparison with the manifold bestowals vouchsafed unto them by Thee.

Grant, therefore, I beseech Thee, that their hearts may be inclined towards Thee, and that their faces may be turned in the direction of Thy good-pleasure. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou willest. No God is there but Thee, the Inaccessible, the All-Glorious, the Ever-Forgiving.

Deign, then, to accept, O my God, from Thy servant the things which he hath shown forth in his love for Thee. Fortify him, then, that he may cling to Thy most exalted Word, and to unloose his tongue to celebrate Thy praise, and cause him to be gathered unto such of Thy people as are nigh unto Thee. Thou art He within Whose grasp is the empire of all things. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the Unconstrained.

BH06114: We caused the Noble One before ʿAli to speak…

We caused the Noble One before ʿAli to speak in his childhood that the people might witness My power and sovereignty, then My grandeur and majesty. But My ignorant loved ones took him as a partner with My Self, and they wrought corruption in the lands and were among the corruptors. Observe how ignorant the people are! Even souls who were in the presence, despite this, have gone and spread such words.

Say: He is but one of My servants whom We created through Our power and caused to speak in praise of My Self amongst the worlds. And if for a moment he should deviate from the shadow of the Cause, he would be utter nothingness.

Say: O people! All besides Me have been created by My Word. Verily, he and his like are among those whom God hath caused to grow from this Tree. They are the clouds of mercy and the rain-clouds of grace and the lamps of guidance and My guides among all creatures, should they remain firm in My Cause.

And thy Lord hath taken unto Himself no partner, nor any peer, nor any minister, nor any likeness, nor any equal, nor any opposite, nor any similitude. Thus hath the decree shone forth and the matter been ordained from before God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH06061: O Muhammad-Qabl-Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord…

He is God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

O Muhammad-Qabl-Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from this Wronged One Who hath been cast into this pit, from Whose robe the hands of them that are severed from Him have been kept back, and Who hath chosen no helper for Himself save God, Who created all contingent beings through His command and Who, verily, hath power over all things. Forget not thou the remembrance of God, and turn not unto them who have disbelieved and associated partners with God and who have been debarred from the shores of this ocean. Detach thyself from all directions and place thy trust in the King of Names and Attributes, for He, verily, is merciful unto His servants. Stand firm in the love of God and His Cause, and say: O my Lord!

Sever me from all that keepeth me back from turning toward Thy beauty, then make me steadfast upon the path of Thy love in such wise that the souls of all the sinful idolaters shall not cause me to slip. Then assign me a seat of security beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness, and make mention of my name in the Tablet wherein are recorded the names of them who move not except by Thy leave and command, and who have not been heedless of Thee for less than a moment. And glory be upon thee, and upon thy spouse, and upon every steadfast soul.

BH06253: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I…

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

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have left my homeland out of love for Thy beauty and longing for the seat of the throne of Thy grandeur, until I entered the city wherein Thy melodies were raised and Thy sovereignty was manifested, and wherein Thou didst transcend all created things through Thy most beautiful names and Thy most exalted attributes. O my Lord! Deprive me not of the splendors of the light of Thy countenance, and make me not despairing of the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty and Thy gifts. O my Lord! Accept from me what I have done in Thy love and Thy good-pleasure, and what I have left undone in Thy days.

O my Lord! Thou art the Forgiving One and I am the sinner, Thou art the Powerful One and I am the weak one, so have mercy upon me through the wonders of Thy greatest mercy. Then make me sincere in Thy love, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of names. Then make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that I may behold all else as nonexistent at the revelations of the lights of the glory of Thy face, and as nothingness before the manifestations of the signs of Thy power and Thy grandeur. Then send down upon me that which will enkindle me with Thy love. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Help in Peril. And praise be to God, the King, the Kind, the Bestower.

BH06090: O Khudadad! God hath favored thee on the Day…

In the name of God, the Most Holy, the All-Glorious!

O Khudadad! God hath favored thee on the Day of Judgment by enabling thee to attain the garment of the knowledge of the Beloved of the worlds and to set thy face in the direction of the Friend. Happy art thou, and again happy art thou! Drink of this living water in the name of the Sovereign of divine knowledge during this resplendent Dawn-tide. Blessed are those who drink therefrom. All praise be to the Desired One, Who through a single draught of the wine of His love hath so intoxicated the lovers of the world that they have passed by themselves and all else and hastened directly to the goodly city of “but Him,” subsequent to their negation of the veils of “No God is there.” They are the ones who, through the reviving breath of the Word of God, have attained everlasting and eternal life. These are the people, who as soon as they heard the call issuing from court of grandeur, declared “Yea, verily, yea, verily, O God of the worlds!”

The fragrance of love hath been inhaled. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. God grant that thou mayest be so illumined by the splendor of the Sun of the Word of God, which hath risen above the horizon of the will of the Pen of the Most Great Name, that its effect may appear amongst His servants. Know thou the value of that which God hath attested unto thee and enjoined thee to observe. Say: Praise be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Object of the adoration of all who are in heaven and on earth.

BH06079: This is the night whereon My Pen groaneth over…

He is the Revealer, the Witness, the Faithful

This is the night whereon My Pen groaneth over what hath befallen the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll from every oppressor who is estranged from God. We enjoined upon all men to be just and fair-minded and to fear God, the Lord of the worlds. Yet the unjust pronounced sentence against Us and against the chosen ones of God with such cruelty as to cause all created things to cry out and every sound heart to lament. We have sent down unto them the food of utterance out of the heaven of understanding and they have cast it behind their backs turning aside from God, the Great Giver, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. No one of them that were before Us hath endured the things We have endured.

Unto this testifieth the Pen of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised. Let nothing grieve thee, in all thine affairs put thy reliance in Whose grasp are the kingdoms of Revelation and of creation. There is none other God save He, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. Proclaim unto my loved ones the tidings of remembrance of Me and of devotion to Me, and of turning unto Me and of My mercy, My favor and My loving kindness which hath encompassed all who are in heaven and who are on earth. My glory that shineth forth above the horizon of My Bounty be upon thee and upon him who beareth witness unto that whereunto God Himself borne witness, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

BH06047: O My brother! Hearken unto that which thy Lord…

He is the Most Wondrous

O My brother! Hearken unto that which thy Lord counseleth thee through the pen of thy brother, as revealed by God from the pure essence of His holy, exalted and wondrous Revelation. First, worship thy Lord and associate none with Him. Then divest thy sanctified temple from the shirt of the age, that thou mayest ascend to such a station wherein, shouldst thou find thyself alone between the heavens and the earth, thou wouldst arise to aid thy Lord and wouldst regard the people as though no one had ever been mentioned. If thou findest a bounty from the grace of thy Lord, give freely thereof; and if thou findest not, then be thankful. Be content in all conditions with whatsoever hath been ordained for thee from the presence of the Mighty, the Most High.

Thus doth the Sovereign of Command enjoin thee in this hour, He Who is established upon the throne of glory and hath ordained for thee in the heaven of holiness a station with Me. This is of the grace wherewith He hath specially favored thee, wherein He causeth thee to drink, from the fingers of might, a cup that transcendeth the description of them that are near unto God. Trust thou in God in all matters, then rely upon Him. Verily He will protect thee beneath the shadow of the wing of His grace, even as He guarded thee aforetime. His grace towards thee hath indeed been great in the Mother Book.

BH06218: The Most Great Branch has submitted: “You intend…

He is the All-Wise

The Most Great Branch has submitted:

“You intend to go to Beirut. Mirza Ja’far says you intend to go to the Mazra’ih, and during his presence there was talk of Yerke. Now it is not known where you truly wish to go and which city and land you intend to visit.”

A beloved one said to a lover, “O youth! You have seen many cities in your travels—Which of those cities is the most pleasant?” He replied, “That city wherein dwells the beloved.”

Now if the abode of the Beloved is intended, then “In the Name of God,” and as the Arabs say, “Please proceed.” And if Yerke is desired, then “God be with you.” And if Beirut is in mind, the Most Great Branch has submitted, “I will return soon,” and it is advisable as has been said. Convey greetings to all. The Light be upon you.

His honor the servant in attendance says you intend to go to the garden. We too must go to the garden these two days according to the Greater Branch. Mirza Ja’far has just now submitted that today you intend to go to Yerke, although previously Monday was mentioned. May these differing views, God willing, come under the shade of one word. The Glory be upon you.

BH06307: This is a Book from the Primal Point unto…

In the Name of the Most High, the Most Exalted

This is a Book from the Primal Point unto her who hath believed in God her Lord, and who hath lamented in His separation and wept at His parting and cried out in His remoteness and held fast to the cord of His love, that the melody of God which hath been raised from the direction of the Throne might draw her unto itself—a melody that hath attracted unto itself the hearts of them that are brought near. By God, the True One! Were all created things to hear but a single word of that which the Lord of Names and Attributes hath spoken, they would assuredly detach themselves from all who are in the heavens and on earth and would turn unto the face of God, the Mighty, the Luminous.

O My handmaiden! There hath befallen Us that which transcendeth all mention and utterance, as all things do testify, and beyond them the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory in this mighty and exalted station. Grieve thou not over anything, for We have accepted whatsoever hath befallen Us and are content with that which hath been ordained by the Pen of Our Command upon the tablets. And We are, of a truth, witness to what We say. Be thou patient and do not lament, for He hath ordained for the one He desireth a reunion in realms which no one hath known save His Own Self, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And peace be upon thee and upon every assured handmaiden and every discerning sage.

BH06308: In the name of God, the One, the Single!…

In the name of God, the One, the Single! This is a Book from Us to her who hath believed in her Lord and heard His call on the day when all who are in the heavens and on earth were terrified.

O My handmaiden! Take hold of the hem of thy Lord’s mercy, then detach thyself from the idolaters. Should a tablet of fire come to thee from the chief of the wicked ones, cast it behind thee, then turn toward God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Say: I have believed in God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, and have turned my face toward the Most Glorious Horizon. Thereby hath God made me independent of those who have hesitated in His Cause, and of those who have disbelieved in God, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Know thou that thy Lord doth from the Most Glorious Outlook behold His handmaidens who have turned unto Him. He shall soon send down unto them that which shall gladden their hearts. Verily, He hath power over all things.

Say: O my Lord! I am one of Thy handmaidens and have turned my face toward the sanctuary of Thy riches. I beseech Thee by Thy beauty not to deprive me of beholding Thy countenance, through whose light the heavens and earth were illumined. O my Lord! Cause me to hear Thy call and let me taste the sweetness of Thy remembrance and grant me the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, then give me to drink from the Salsabil of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH06320: The Most Holy, Most Great

The Most Holy, Most Great

This is a Tablet revealed in truth from the heaven of God, the Exalted, the Great. Therein is that which distinguisheth between people, for He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Among the people is he who, upon hearing the verses of God, is so seized by the rapture of longing that he forsaketh all who dwell on earth and turneth with his heart unto God, the Mighty, the Wise. When the believers behold him, they perceive the fragrance of the All-Merciful from his countenance. He is indeed of the people of Baha, whose name hath been inscribed by the Pen of the Ancient of Days in a preserved Tablet. And among them is he who, having heard the verses of God, waxeth proud against them and is numbered with the idolaters.

Place thy trust in God in thy affairs, then remain steadfast in such wise that the veils of them that have disbelieved in thy Lord, the Mighty, the Great, shall not hinder thee. We have ordained for everyone who hath believed in God in this Revelation a station in the Kingdom, and their names have been recorded by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. He shall soon gather them together in the pavilion of grandeur—a promise from His presence. He is indeed the Guardian of the sincere ones. Remember thy Lord by night and by day, and remind the people of this Announcement which hath dawned from the horizon of the will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, with manifest light. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH11790: My remembrance is of those servants who have been…

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

My remembrance is of those servants who have been attracted by the fragrances of the days of their Lord, the Possessor of Names and Attributes, who have believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, whom the Call hath raised to the Supreme Horizon, and who have detached themselves from those who are idolaters. Verily, those who have cast away what they possessed and have taken what hath been sent down from God, the denizens of the immortal cities shall circle round them, though the people perceive it not.

Glorify thy Lord with praise and commune with Him, then detach thyself from all who are on earth. Thus doth this Wronged One counsel thee, He upon Whom hath befallen that which hath befallen none before Him, and thy Lord is witness unto what I say. Hold fast to the hem of the mercy of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Leave the people and what they possess behind thee and trust in God in all matters. Verily, He is with whosoever desireth Him and aideth those who speak in His praise and remembrance. He is, in truth, the Mighty, the Forgiving.

Convey My Great Glory to those who have believed in God and His signs. They are, verily, in a praiseworthy station. Convey from Us Our Glory to thy two sons and give them the glad-tidings of Our remembrance of them, that they may soar in the atmosphere of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH11792: This is a Book which guideth the sincere ones…

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

This is a Book which guideth the sincere ones to the fountain of the mercy of their Chosen Lord, and preserveth them from the allusions of those who have denied God on this Day whereon the Beauty of the All-Merciful hath been established upon the throne of His Name, the All-Forgiving. Blessed is he who hath turned away from all that the people possess and hath turned unto God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling.

This is the Day whereon the guilty ones are seized by their forelocks and their feet, whilst those who have recognized His unity soar in the atmosphere wherein the Dove of the Cause warbleth that sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Omnipotent.

Arise to make mention of God amongst His creatures, that perchance through His remembrance the hearts of every doubting misbeliever may be quickened. Say: O people! Do ye speak according to your idle fancies after the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary hath spoken? Fear ye God and follow not those who have denied God, the Lord of all names.

Hearken unto My call, then detach thyself from all who are on earth, that the servants may be drawn through thy remembrance. Thus hath the All-Merciful desired for thee. Verily His favor hath encompassed both the hidden and the manifest. And the glory be upon thee and upon them that have turned unto the countenance of their Lord on this Day wherein faces have turned black and eyes have become fixed in terror.

BH06744: How can I make mention of Thee, O my…

In the Name of God, the Everlasting, the Eternal!

How can I make mention of Thee, O my God, seeing that all else but Thee I behold as nonexistent in the face of the manifestations of Thy sovereignty and powerless before the warbling of the dove of Thy oneness. By Thy glory! I perceive that the Most Exalted Pen moveth upon the tablet of contingent being and the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh in the paradise of utterance.

Yet how can the shrill voice of Thy servants’ pens or the praise of any of Thy creatures befit Thy presence? That Thou hearest them and answereth them is naught but a token of the wonders of Thy grace and the sublimity of Thy generosity and favors, none having deserved this.

I testify, O my God, that it behooveth Thy tongue alone to speak Thy praise and Thy pen alone to move in remembrance and description of Thee. All names fall unconscious at the revelation of Thy Most Great Name, through which Thou hast caused all things to speak forth in Thy days.

Therefore I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of earth and heaven, to behold Thy servants and handmaidens with the glances of the eyes of Thy mercy and not to leave them to themselves for less than a moment. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the Help in Peril.

BH11797: O loved ones of God! Ye are the lamps…

In the Name of God, the Protector over all the worlds!

O loved ones of God! Ye are the lamps in the darkness. Ye have been created for these days wherein darkness hath encompassed all who dwell on earth. It behooveth you to be as lights by which its darkness may be illumined. Beware lest ye be saddened by what hath befallen the chosen ones of God at the hands of those who claim adherence to the Bayan. Verily, the All-Merciful is quit of them, and the Bayan doth curse them. Be ye steadfast in the Cause, then aid it under all conditions. He will assuredly help you as He pleaseth. Verily, He is near unto the sincere ones.

Those who have disbelieved, God will seize them with a mighty vengeance from His presence. Soon shall come a day wherein none shall find for himself any protector. Then shall the believers rejoice in God’s mercy and bounty. Thus hath the matter been decreed by the Most Exalted Pen in a Tablet which lay hidden in the treasuries of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great.

Convey My greetings to My loved ones. Say: By God! This is the day of your triumph and the manifestation of your Lord’s Cause, that the sun of faith might dawn from the horizon of your foreheads. Thus hath your Lord, the All-Merciful, willed. Blessed are they who act, and praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH06404: In the name of the One Powerful and Single!…

In the name of the One Powerful and Single! If residence in Iraq is difficult for you, then, trusting in God, return to your own land or other regions, and preserve yourself lest you be deprived of the truth through the whisperings of the hosts of Satan and the Samiri.

By Him Who holds my soul in His hand, all today are lost and unmentioned save those souls who have held fast to the cord of God and become detached from all else. The believer in God has always been and will continue to be rarer than red sulfur. At all times take refuge in the Sovereign of eternity that you may be protected from the evil of the enemies of God.

And if your brother desires to return he is permitted, but if affairs in Iraq proceed according to God’s good-pleasure, residence near the House would be more beloved, and failing that, permission to depart is granted. In any case, act according to what is intended. No harm shall come to you.

And God’s greatest commandment is that association with those souls known for their hatred of the Truth is never permitted. Therefore shun them that you may prosper.

BH06530: O Khatun in Sad! He is the Most Exalted…

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

O Khatun in Sad! He is the Most Exalted, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! The mention of thy Lord’s mercy unto His handmaiden. Verily We have made her to be among the devout ones, and We have sent down upon her mercy from Our presence, and thus hath grace encompassed all things. O handmaiden of God! Rejoice within thyself that thy name hath been mentioned by the Pen of Creation, and this is indeed a mighty grace founded upon truth. Follow thy Lord, then shun all else besides Him. By God, this is the truth, and after truth there is naught save manifest error. Fear God thy Lord, and consort not with those whose faces God hath changed because they disbelieved in God and His verses, and turned away from a Beauty exalted and radiant. Give thanks unto thy Lord, then be steadfast, then bow down and prostrate thyself before God Who created thee by His command, and aided thee to know His Self, and caused the sun of immortality to shine upon thee from the horizon of a wondrous Name. Thus doth God single out whomsoever He willeth of His handmaidens, and ordaineth grace and mercy for every penitent servant. And the glory be upon thee and upon every trustworthy believer.

BH06429: Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art…

Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou art He the fire of Whose love hath set ablaze the hearts of them who have recognized Thy unity, and the splendors of Whose countenance have illuminated the faces of such as have drawn nigh unto Thy court. How plenteous, O my God, is the stream of Thy knowledge! How sweet, O my Beloved, is the injury which, in my love for Thee, and for the sake of Thy pleasure, I suffer from the darts of the wicked doers! How pleasing are the wounds which, in Thy path and in order to proclaim Thy Faith, I sustain from the swords of the infidels!

I beseech Thee, by Thy name through which Thou turnest restlessness into tranquillity, fear into confidence, weakness into strength, and abasement into glory, that Thou of Thy grace wilt aid me and Thy servants to exalt Thy name, to deliver Thy Message, and to proclaim Thy Cause, in such wise that we may remain unmoved by either the assaults of the transgressors or the wrath of the infidels, O Thou Who art my Well-Beloved!

I am, O my Lord, Thy handmaiden, who hath hearkened to Thy call, and hastened unto Thee, fleeing from herself and resting her heart upon Thee. I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy name out of which all the treasures of the earth were brought forth, to shield me from the hints of such as have disbelieved in Thee and repudiated Thy truth.

Powerful art Thou to do what Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH06536: This mention from Our presence is for Our servant…

He is the Most Wondrous, the Most Wondrous

This mention from Our presence is for Our servant who was imprisoned in My path and whom the ungodly banished for his turning to the Kaaba of My Cause. Let him know that We have not forgotten him and We remember him in the Prison, at a time when the Ancient Beauty walks in His Most Great House. Let him be assured that We love those who have been faithful to Our Covenant and have cast the world behind them out of love for God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Draw thou near to this Fire which hath been kindled at the midmost heart of creation and hear from its roaring flame that the Lord of Divorce hath come. Thus do We command thee, verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Be not disturbed by the world and what transpireth therein. By My life, all that is thereon shall perish, and there shall endure the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.

Ask thou God to make thy departure from thy homeland a means of entering beneath the shade of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and thy migration a means of attaining reunion. Verily He is the Most Great, the Most Exalted. There is none other God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Be thou happy in all conditions. Verily He is with those who are steadfast in His Cause and who have laid firm hold on His mighty cord. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH06428: O My name! Trials and tribulations have touched thee…

O My name! Trials and tribulations have touched thee, and I am more aware than thou art of thyself…

Where, in these days, is this ailing one able to make mention of the Vale of Nabil, when the victim of the wicked hath already been slain? Doth any man hear from the sacrificed one the melodies of the Primal Song, or from him that hath been murdered the cadences of the Best-Beloved? And yet–should God so will and ordain—it shall indeed descend; and He, verily, is potent over all things…

BH06568: In the name of God, the Most Inaccessible! Glorified…

In the name of God, the Most Inaccessible! Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst illumine the hearts of the lovers and light up the faces of the sincere ones, and through which Thou didst attract Thy near servants in such wise that they severed themselves from all else but Thee and ascended to a station wherein they sacrificed their souls and spirits in Thy path, and the blame of the blamers did not hold them back from the sanctuary of Thy holiness and the Kaaba of Thy intimacy—to cause this youth to ascend unto the heaven of the might of Thy Cause and the seat of the sanctity of Thy dominion.

Then give him to drink that which shall open before his heart’s face the gates of wisdom and utterance. And as Thou hast named him, O my God, “the Well-Pleased,” make him to be of the people of this good-pleasure and well-pleased with what Thou hast ordained for him, O Thou in Whose grasp are the dominion of all possibilities and the kingdoms of creation! Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the Help in Peril.

May he attain, beneath the shade of Thy mercy, unto a station wherein he shall arise to make mention of Thee and to praise Thy Self amongst Thy creatures, that he may attract the hearts of Thy servants and creatures in such wise that they shall detach themselves from all else save Thee and turn unto Thy sanctified, transcendent, mighty, resplendent and luminous countenance.

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth!

BH06581: O Thou who seest and art not seen!

O Thou who seest and art not seen!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! When the veils of darkness and the obscuring clouds of gloom had encompassed all created things, Thou didst bring forth from the sleeve of Thy power the fingers of Thy might, wherewith Thou didst rend asunder all veils. Thereupon did trembling seize them that were in Thy earth and perturbation overtake them that dwelt in Thy lands, save those whom Thou didst protect through Thy sovereignty and whom Thou didst deliver from the depths of self and desire, raising them up unto the heaven of Thy most exalted Name. By Thy glory, O Thou Goal of the worlds! If Thou wert to remove the veils from before the faces of Thy servants, they would hasten unto the cities of Thy glory and turn unto that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy tablets, and would circle round Thy loved ones, by whose countenances are illumined the dwellers of the cities of eternity and the inhabitants of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing.

I beseech Thee, O my God, to assist those who have turned towards Thee and leave them not to themselves for less than the twinkling of an eye. Then raise them up to such heights that the world shall not prevent them from turning unto Thee, from gazing toward Thy direction, and from setting their faces toward Thy Name, which Thou hast made the Sovereign of all names and through which Thou hast ordained the life of all the worlds. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH06432: O Beloved! We have loved thee before, We love…

In the Name of God, the King, the Most High, the Self-Subsisting!

O Beloved! We have loved thee before, We love thee now, and We shall love thee henceforth. Never have We been heedless of thee….

…ascend with the spirit of light within thy heart, then mount up unto God in the inmost secrets of thy being, that neither thy soul, nor thy heart, nor thy body, nor thy mind, nor aught else that is thine may turn away. This is the true meaning of ascension in the stages of journeying and the ultimate bounty of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Compelling…

Blessed is he in that he hath drunk from the cup of manifestation and tasted of the sea of oneness that gusheth forth from the mount of camphor….

BH06754: The purpose of writing was to express profound love…

He is God!

The purpose of writing was to express profound love, but both pen and ink are strangers, and moth and candle are outside this tale. Hidden meanings cannot be reached through such tales—how then can mere words suffice? The customs of the spiritual realms have a new pattern and a boundless name. The names of this cycle are limited and the customs of that sanctified cycle are beyond all bounds and measures. Open the spiritual vista and traverse all realms like lightning. Make wide the field of vision and observe the realm of “thou shalt not see.” Cast a flower into water and it sinks; place a flower upon water and it rests like a crown upon the water’s brow. That is, manifestation and permanence are preferable to concealment and evanescence. Another meaning: the weight of limitations causes sinking, therefore one must be freed from material weight, yet like the flower remain in this same form upon the face of the earthly realm. What was written in the text of his honor is not permitted, and by my life, in these days permanence is beloved and evanescence rejected.

BH06571: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! This…

In the Name of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful!

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! This is one of Thy handmaidens—enable her to attain unto that which Thou hast ordained for her in Thy days. I testify that Thou hast created no soul except for the knowledge of Thyself, and whoso hath attained unto this hath attained unto all good that Thou hast ordained in the tablets of Thy decree and the pages of Thy destiny. Therefore do I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of them that know Thee and the Object of desire of them that love Thee, that this leaf be not made to fall from the Tree of Thy Cause. Draw her, then, through Thy melodies in such wise that she may detach herself from all else save Thee and turn with her whole being toward Thy face, the Mighty, the Most High.

O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which appeared that which caused all who are in the heavens and on earth to tremble, except them whom Thou didst preserve through Thy power, that Thou deprive her not of the Tasnim of Thy grace and the Salsabil of Thy mercy. Give her to drink, at every moment, from the cup of Thy bounty that which may purify her heart and sanctify her soul, that she may make mention of Thee among Thy handmaidens and rejoice in Thy generosity and favors, and that nothing of the world’s adversities may sadden her. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH06684: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! Verily…

He is the Mighty

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! Verily Thou art the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth and their Creator, and the King of the kingdom of command and creation and their Maker. In Thy grasp is the control of all created things and in Thy right hand are the realities of all contingent beings. Thou givest to whomsoever Thou willest whatsoever Thou willest and withholdest from whomsoever Thou willest. Thou sendest down from the heaven of Thy decree the measures of Thy mighty oneness and from the clouds of Thy bounty the pearls of Thy holy favors. Thou hast ever been mighty and powerful and wilt ever remain a renowned Sovereign. Nothing can frustrate Thee and no affair can impede Thee.

Verily Thou art the Most High, the Most Exalted, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thy letter hath indeed come before Us and We have answered thee with this response that thine eyes may be solaced and thou mayest rejoice in what hath been ordained for thee in the preserved Tablets of holiness. Therefore give thanks unto God, thy Creator, and take hold of His cord and be steadfast in thy love for God and His mercy. This is better for thee than all who are in the heavens and earths. And peace be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH06474: O Rida! The metaphorical world and the visible world…

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

O Rida! The metaphorical world and the visible world are both sheer nothingness, though they appear in the garment of existence. The first is the highwayman of the wayfarers, and the second is the trial of those who have arrived. Therefore, mighty effort is needed so that the divine spirit may pass beyond these two ego-centered obstacles through heavenly power and dwell in the hiding place of peerless reunion. I swear by God that a moment’s peace in these days beneath the shade of the Tree of this most great Manifestation is greater than the creation of the heavens and earth. Just as this Revelation and its tokens of affirmation are the most mighty of manifestations, likewise the letters of negation in these days are mightier than all past and future ages, and are more firm and steadfast in their opposition.

Thus have We ordained the matter in a preserved tablet. The meaning of the world of causes is the heedlessness of the servant from the One Who is served, and this has not had and does not have specification to any particular thing. Therefore, strive mightily that today the veils of glory may not prevent thee from the Throne of revelation and independence. Rend asunder the veil, then emerge from behind the clouds and be of those who are firmly established.

BH06435: O Sadiq! Blessed art thou for having attained unto…

He is the All-Glorious

O Sadiq! Blessed art thou for having attained unto the good-pleasure of God, thy Lord, and for having been faithful to the Covenant. After thee there befell Me that which cannot be mentioned in words, and God is witness unto this. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then make mention and fear no one. Place thy trust in God, thy Lord, and verily He will guard thee in truth from the evil of every distant misbeliever. And the glory be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

He is the Most Exalted

O My handmaiden! Hearken unto My call, then make mention of thy Lord at morn and eventide. Follow thou the religion of God which is, in this Day, My love, whereby God distinguisheth between the believers and the ungodly, and thus hath the matter been decreed.

He is the Wondrous

God maketh mention of the offspring of His servant Sadiq, that her name may be recorded in the Tablet, and this is from God’s grace—and verily His grace upon His near servants is abundant. Give thanks unto your Lord and make mention of Him at morn and eventide. And the glory be upon you both.

BH06531: This is the remembrance of thy Lord’s mercy unto…

He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting!

This is the remembrance of thy Lord’s mercy unto His servant Shafi’, when He called out to him from behind the sacred Mount in the Spot of Command from the Tree planted, upraised and blessed, saying:

“Verily, I am God, Who hath ever been the Witness unto all the worlds. He hath sent forth the Messengers as bearers of glad-tidings and warners, that they might give the people tidings of a holy and resplendent Paradise.”

Say: By God! The Spirit hath appeared with manifest lights of glory, and the Light hath dawned with mighty sovereignty, and the Beauty of the Unseen hath come with an impenetrable vesture. Say: By God! Whosoever hath claimed faith hath been tested by My faith, and whosoever hath claimed love hath been tried by My love. This is what hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen upon preserved tablets of glory. Soon shall appear upon the faces of the sinful the dust of fire, and tribulation shall seize them from every direction nigh at hand, except those who have turned their hearts to God and who, when they hear the verses of God, fall down in prostration and weeping. Thus have We expounded the verses for thee and cast upon thee the Word of Truth, and taught thee that which will draw thee nigh unto the court of an exalted Name. And upon thee be the light, and upon whosoever hath found acceptance with God.

BH06779: This is a Book which speaks with truth…

He is the Almighty

This is a Book which speaks with truth and gives glad tidings to those handmaidens who have believed in God their Lord, who were among those who stood firm on the Day of Resurrection, who remembered their Lord in the morning and evening, and who were among those who abide eternally in the pavilion of holiness. O handmaiden of God! Give thanks to God Who created you for the favor He has bestowed upon you, a favor which no other devoted woman has ever received before, in that He caused you to recognize the Manifestation of His Self on a Day when all countenances were struck with awe. You have attained to a station wherein you journeyed from your homeland and migrated unto God at the throne of nearness, arriving at a station from which all signs and allusions are cut off.

Then did you witness with your own eyes what no eyes, whether of ancient or modern times, have ever seen, and you heard the melodies of Paradise in a place which God had sanctified beyond the knowledge of all created things. Thus does God recompense His handmaidens who hasten in their love for their Lord and who speed with their whole being to the precincts of the chambers. And peace be upon you and upon those handmaidens who are drawn to the love of God.

BH06833: O Thou Who art the Ruler of earth…

O Thou Who art the Ruler of earth and heaven and the Author of all names! Thou hearest the voice of my lamentation which from the fortress-town of ʿAkka ascendeth towards Thee, and beholdest how my captive friends have fallen into the hands of the workers of iniquity.

We render Thee thanks, O our Lord, for all the troubles which have touched us in Thy path. Oh, that the span of my earthly life could be so extended as to embrace the lives of the former and the latter generations, or could even be so lengthened that no man on the face of the earth could measure it, and be afflicted every day and every moment with a fresh tribulation for love of Thee and for Thy pleasure’s sake!

Thou well knowest, however, O my God, that my wish is wholly dissolved in Thy wish, and that Thou hast irrevocably decreed that my soul should ascend unto the loftiest mansions of Thy Kingdom, and pass into the presence of my all-glorious Companion.

Hasten, by Thy grace and bounty, my passing, O my Lord, and pour forth upon all them that are dear to Thee what will preserve them from fear and trembling after me. Powerful art Thou to do whatsoever may please Thee. No God is there except Thee, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants have left their homes in their longing to meet Thee, and how they have been hindered by the ungodly from looking upon Thy face, and from circumambulating the sanctuary of Thy grandeur. Pour out Thy steadfastness and send down Thy calm upon them, O my Lord! Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

BH06623: Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses…

He is the Mighty, the Beloved

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the verses with truth and bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth that which draweth him nigh unto the court from which the minds of the mystics are cut off. Say: O people, fear ye God and believe in Him Who created you and sustained you, then caused you to die and brought you to life on the day whereon the hearts of them that are nigh unto God were thunderstruck. And thou, O handmaiden of God, render thanks unto thy Lord at all times for having made Himself known unto thee and numbered thee among those women who have detached themselves unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. This is a station that none hath ever attained before, and all the peoples of the world have died in their longing for it.

Know thou then that God hath forgiven thee all that hath proceeded from thee and hath remitted thy misdeeds and numbered thee among the devout ones, inasmuch as thou didst enter the land round which circle the Concourse on high. This is a glory wherewith the dwellers of the celestial realm pride themselves and unto which the sanctified souls hasten. And upon thee be the Spirit, and upon those women who have hastened in all directions until they entered within the precincts of a mighty and sublime mercy.

BH06403: Most men have remained deprived of the bounty…

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

Most men have remained deprived of the bounty of God from the direction of the All-Glorious. Perchance women will arise to promote His Cause, speak forth His praise, and turn towards His direction. O handmaiden of God! Today all are mentioned in one plane before God. Whosoever has turned to the Truth is reckoned among the people of Baha and is mentioned as one of the men of the heights. Beseech God that thou mayest become assured in His mention in these days when the Sun of Beauty hath dawned from the horizon of grandeur and majesty with infinite splendor, and His grace hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. O handmaiden of God! Drink the water of life from the meanings of the words of the All-Merciful. By the Most Great Name! Whosoever hath been blessed and hath attained unto this spiritual Kawthar, the veils of the people of the world shall not prevent him from the direction of the Ancient Beauty. Rather, he shall behold all creation as nonexistent and shall turn towards the direction of the All-Merciful. With the ear of the spirit, hearken unto the words of the King of inner meanings. This is the counsel of the Ancient Beauty unto His handmaidens.

BH06422: In the Name of God, the Most Holy! Remember…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy! Remember, O my God! Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou art He through Whose love the intimate ones have soared in the atmosphere of Thy longing and yearning, and the sincere ones have ascended unto the heaven of Thy recognition. Thou hast ever been the Educator of all created things and the Succorer of those in the heavens and on earth. All kings are as vassals before the manifestations of Thy sovereignty, and every possessor of light is as darkness before the effulgences of the lights of Thy countenance, and every possessor of knowledge is as ignorant before the evidences of Thy wisdom.

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who beholdest me from the direction of Thy mighty throne, by Thy Command which hath transcended all who are in Thy earth and heaven, and by the Manifestation of Thy Self Who hath suffered among the idolaters of Thy creation, to enable me to achieve what Thou hast willed and ordained in the tablets of Thy decree.

O my Lord! I am one of Thy handmaidens who hath hastened toward the shore of Thy forgiveness and turned her face to the dawning-place of Thy favors. I beseech Thee by Thyself and by what Thou art, to purify me from whatsoever is abhorrent unto Thy good-pleasure, and to assist me and my kindred to serve and obey Thee. Then cause them, O my God, to drink from the Kawthar of Thy recognition and clothe them with the robes of Thy guidance. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Helper.

BH06461: In the Name of the One God! May you…

In the Name of the One God! May you ever be illumined by the lights of guidance and enkindled with the fire of the divine Lote-Tree. God’s favor has been and shall be with you. Strive that you may remain preserved from satanic suggestions and the foul odors of hell. Be intimate with the Truth and heedless of all else.

Be not grieved by what has befallen you, for since God is with you, all good shall circle round about you. Endeavor each day to attain to a new station and in every moment seek after lofty ranks. Make your resolve great, for divine grace is mighty and great.

Move among the handmaidens with perfect dignity and composure, and persist in reading the verses of God in Persian and Arabic, for this shall be the cause of eternal life. Be not distressed by the tyranny of oppressors. God lies in wait—soon will He cast them all into the flames. Verily He has power over all things.

And the glory be upon you and upon whosoever loves you on the part of One Who is mighty and wise.

BH06570: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Praise be unto…

In the name of God, Who endureth after the passing away of all things!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having sent forth Thyself and the Manifestation of Thine Essence and the Source of Thy verses and the Dawning-Place of Thy grandeur amongst Thy servants, and caused Him to speak forth with wondrous melodies between Thy heaven and earth. But, O my God, I hear Thy melodies at all times, and verily they have ascended until they reached beyond the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and beyond that to realms which none hath known save Thy Most Glorious Self. Yet I find none possessed of hearing to hearken unto them and turn towards them and draw nigh through them, save a few numbered souls. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Most Great Ocean was stirred, to create attentive ears and receptive souls and perceiving eyes and radiant faces that they may hear Thy verses as Thou desirest. Otherwise every soul hath an outward ear that heareth but comprehendeth not.

And thou, O thou who gazest, turn with thine ear and heart toward the direction of the Throne that thou mayest hear what none in all the worlds hath heard, save whom thy Lord, the All-Merciful, willeth. Verily He doeth what He pleaseth. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH06576: Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest…

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

Lauded be Thy name, O my God! Thou beholdest me in the clutches of my oppressors. Every time I turn to my right, I hear the voice of the lamentation of them that are dear to Thee, whom the infidels have made captives for having believed in Thee and in Thy signs, and for having set their faces towards the horizon of Thy grace and of Thy loving-kindness. And when I turn to my left, I hear the clamor of the wicked doers who have disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs, and persistently striven to put out the light of Thy lamp which sheddeth the radiance of Thine own Self over all that are in Thy heaven and all that are on Thy earth.

The hearts of Thy chosen ones, O my Lord, have melted because of their separation from Thee, and the souls of Thy loved ones are burnt up by the fire of their yearning after Thee in Thy days. I implore Thee, O Thou Maker of the heavens and Lord of all names, by Thy most effulgent Self and Thy most exalted and all-glorious Remembrance, to send down upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nearer unto Thee, and enable them to hearken unto Thine utterances.

Tear asunder with the hand of Thy transcendent power, O my Lord, the veil of vain imaginings, that they who are wholly devoted to Thee may see Thee seated on the throne of Thy majesty, and the eyes of such as adore Thy unity may rejoice at the splendors of the glory of Thy face. The doors of hope have been shut against the hearts that long for Thee, O my Lord! Their keys are in Thy hands; open them by the power of Thy might and Thy sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do as Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Beneficent.

BH06582: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This…

In the Name of God, the Most Powerful, the Most Powerful

Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is a letter from the letters of Thy Creative Pen which the Manifestation of Thy Being and the Revealer of Thy verses desired [to speak as the Most Great Word]. O my God! When he seeketh Thy Self, cast him not away through Thy grace, and when he aimeth at the Goal of the worlds, deprive him not through Thy loving-kindness. O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy servants [whom the heedless have made captives in Thy path] and whom they have seized from all directions because they turned to the horizon of Thy glory [and] Thy power, that Thou protect him from the harm of every harmful one and [this sedition whereby the feet of most of the servants have slipped]. Then raise him to such a station where the world will not prevent him from Thy remembrance and praise, nor will what is created therein prevent him from turning [toward the court of Thy mercy. Verily, Thou art the Powerful] over what Thou willest and the Ruler over what Thou pleasest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.

BH06624: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Verily Thou art…

He is God!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Verily Thou art the Creator of the heavens and earth, and Thou art knowing of all things. Creator of all things, Sustainer of all things, Fashioner of all things, Maker of all things, and Illuminator of all things, for there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, both before and after. He giveth life and causeth death, and causeth death and giveth life, and verily He is the Ever-Living Who dieth not. Within His grasp is the dominion of all things, and in His right hand are all the Prophets, for He is the Mighty, the Beloved. His are the most beautiful names, both before and after. There is no God but Him, the Supremely Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. His are the highest similitudes, the greatest manifestations, and the most exalted revelations, and verily He is knowing of all things. All things were created by His command and by His word “Be!” and it is. For He is God, there is no God but Him, Creator of all things and Maker of all things, for He is the Supreme, the Powerful. Glorified art Thou, O my God! Verily Thou art my Creator and my Sustainer, my Life-Giver and my Death-Bringer, and Thou art the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

BH06625: Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I…

He is!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I make mention of Thee when I find no opportunity due to the successive downpour of Thy trials? And how can I fail to make mention of Thee when Thou hast commanded me to do so? By Thy might, O my Beloved! My liver is melted by the fire of separation from Thee, my heart is consumed by remoteness from Thy beauty, my inner being is dissolved by the force of my exile from Thee, and the very essence of my being is destroyed by the setting of the Sun of Thy countenance. Thou knowest within Thyself, O my God, that Thou wouldst never abandon Thy lovers or deprive Thy loved ones from the sanctuary of nearness.

No, by Thy ancient beauty! Such was never my thought of Thee, nor have we found in how Thou hast dealt with Thy chosen ones anything like what Thou hast visited upon Thy servant. Yet despite all this, I beseech Thee by the fire of Thy beauty—if this head be worthy of the sword of Thy enemies in Thy path, delay not Thy grace regarding it; and if this breast be fitting for the arrows of Thy decree in Thy good-pleasure, then hasten this through Thy bounty. And if Thou shouldst transform all this through Thy sovereignty to manifest Thy creative Will, verily Thou hast power over all this, and art supreme in executing Thy command and fulfilling Thy judgment. Thou art, in truth, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

BH06750: Your letter hath come before Us, yet We possess…

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

Your letter hath come before Us, yet We possess knowledge of what was written therein, for thy Lord is indeed cognizant of all things. The guardian angels stand in ranks before the Face and present unto Us whatsoever hath transpired in thy land. And beyond them are sciences with thy Lord which none among the peoples of the world hath comprehended.

It behooveth no one to test God, his Lord. Rather, He testeth whomsoever He willeth, for He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

And concerning what thou didst mention of the mercy of God—thus have We decreed the remembrance in a perspicuous Tablet. Ponder upon that which hath been sent down from the Most Exalted Pen, that thou mayest know what was intended thereby by Him Who is the Desire of the worlds.

It behooveth every soul to drink the wine of the mercy of his Lord, the Most Merciful, from the hand of the Youth, by uttering at the first dawn of his faith in God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower, that which the Friend uttered after the veil was lifted, turning towards God, his Glorious Lord:

“I have turned my face toward Him Who hath created the heavens and the earth.”

Thus have We taught thee and those who have believed, that thou mayest give thanks unto God at all times and be detached from all created things out of love for God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH06751: Your letter hath been presented before the Throne, yet…

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

Your letter hath been presented before the Throne, yet We read it at the time it was penned. With thy Lord is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Take and give up—thus doth this Youth command thee on this darksome night. The mercy of thy Lord hath encompassed the worlds. Take what hath come to thee from God and give up all else. By My life! This Day is not like other days. It behooveth every soul to manifest that which is worthy of God, the Most High, the Most Great. He that riseth at one time and falleth at another is not worthy to draw nigh unto this Fire, for by it all things are consumed save him from whom emanateth the fragrance of the love of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bountiful.

By God! The Fire fleeth from him, and the righteous circle round him, and the Chosen One in the highest heaven praiseth him. Thus doth the Tongue of Revelation speak amongst the worlds. Were all the worlds to be sacrificed for a single letter of that which proceedeth from His lips, it would still be little and insignificant. Thus hath the Command been fulfilled by the command of the All-Merciful, and the embroidered vesture of the All-Glorious appeared in the Bayan, if ye be of them that perceive. And praise be to God, the Quickener of the worlds.

BH06772: This is a Book from Us unto thee. Verily…

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

This is a Book from Us unto thee. Verily it is a glad-tiding from the All-Merciful unto thee and unto all who dwell in the realms of creation. Take hold of it with the hand of certitude and say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

O servant! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from this quarter from whose horizon hath shone forth the Sun of the Beauty of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Turn thou unto Him and say: Upon Thee, O Beauty of God, be the praise of God, His remembrance, the glory of God and His light. I testify that the eye of creation hath never beheld One wronged like Thee. Throughout Thy days Thou wert immersed in an ocean of tribulations. At one time Thou wert under chains and fetters, at another beneath the swords of the enemy. Yet withal Thou didst enjoin upon all that which Thou wert bidden by One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. May my spirit be offered up for Thy hurt, and my soul be a sacrifice for Thy tribulations. I beseech God by Thee and by them whose faces have been illumined by the light of Thy countenance and who have followed that which they were commanded out of love for Thy Self, to rend asunder the veils that have come between Thee and Thy creatures and to grant me the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

BH06781: The Most Great, the Most Great

The Most Great, the Most Great

This is a Tablet We have sent down to one of the handmaidens of God, that it may detach her from all else save Him and draw her nigh unto the Dawning-Place of grace. This, verily, is a great bounty. O My handmaiden! Forsake all mention and hold fast to the remembrance of My Name, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Rise above the horizon of the House through My power and sovereignty, then take with the hand of certitude the chalice of mystic knowledge and drink therefrom by the leave of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Beware lest the oppressors’ might frighten thee. Cast the world behind thee and take hold of that which thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, hath commanded thee.

O My handmaiden! Thou dwellest in the House while the Lord of the House is in the hands of the oppressors, and thou drinkest water while it floweth from His most pure and radiant blood. Know thou that Baha hath accepted all tribulations in the path of God, the Lord of all names. By God! Through them My yearning for God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, hath increased. Aid thou the Cause of thy Lord in all conditions—the hosts of earth and heaven shall not prevent Me. Blessed is the one who followeth the example of his Lord and who is, in His path, detached from all the worlds.

BH06785: This is the Tree of Holiness which hath been…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High!

This is the Tree of Holiness which hath been raised up in truth, and upon whose branches the Pen of Eternity warbleth with wondrous melodies, and at all times doth it yield the fruits of wisdom and utterance. Yet have the people debarred themselves from these holy and fresh fruits. Such hath ever been the way of My creatures since before that which hath no before, and shall continue until the end which no learned one can reckon. They draw not nigh unto it save by casting stones of idle fancy and vain imaginings, and thus hath the decree been fulfilled. And thou, O servant, keep thyself from such as these, then dwell in the presence of thy Lord, for verily He shall be thy Guardian. Then taste what hath been ordained for thee from the fruits of the Tree, that it may cleanse thee from the defilement of every wretched misbeliever. Put thy trust in God, for verily He shall preserve thee in truth and cause thee to speak with wondrous remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee in all that thou desirest and to send down upon thee that which shall gladden thy heart, for verily He hath power over all things. And the Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath believed in God and been strong.

BH06877: O Thou the dread of Whom hath fallen upon…

O Thou the dread of Whom hath fallen upon all things, before the splendors of Whose face the countenances of all men are downcast, at the revelations of Whose sovereignty all necks have humbly bowed, to the ruling of Whose will all hearts have been subdued, the awfulness of Whose majesty hath caused the foundations of all things to tremble, and to the power of Whose authority the winds have been subjected! I beseech Thee by the compelling force of Thy Revelation, and by the power of Thy might, and by the exaltation of Thy word, and by the sublimity of Thy sovereignty, to number us with them whom the world hath been powerless to hinder from turning towards Thee.

Cause me, O my Lord, to be of those who, with their substance and their own selves, have fought valiantly in Thy path. Write down, then, for me the recompense Thou didst ordain for them in the Tablet of Thy decree. Stablish me also on the seat of truth in Thy presence, and join me with the sincere among Thy servants.

I implore Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Messengers, and Thy Chosen Ones, and by Him through Whom Thou hast affixed Thy seal upon the Manifestations of Thy Cause among Thy creatures, and Whom Thou hast adorned with the ornament of Thine acceptance among all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, to graciously assist me to attain unto what Thou hast ordained for Thy servants and bidden them observe in Thy Tablets. Wash away, then, my sins, O my God, by Thy grace and bounty, and reckon me among such as are not overtaken by fear nor put to grief.

Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

BH11794: O thou servant who believeth in God! Hearken unto…

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

O thou servant who believeth in God! Hearken unto the words of Him Who calleth thee unto God with pure sincerity, and Who desireth for no one save that which God desireth for him. Remove thyself from all that thy desires command thee and draw nigh unto the Divine Lote-Tree. By God! When thou enterest beneath its shade and turnest with thy whole being unto it, thou shalt hear from each of its leaves:

“Rejoice, O peoples of creation, for your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, hath come, His countenance luminous between the heavens and the earth! Turn ye unto Him, for He is the Beloved of all worlds. Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate, hath given you.”

O how I long for him who heareth the singing of its leaves! For whoso heareth it shall turn to none other than it, nor direct his steps to aught besides it. By My life! One melody from its melodies excelleth all that hath been created upon the whole earth. We beseech God to assist all to turn unto it and to remain steadfast in their love for it. Verily my Lord, the All-Merciful, doth encompass the peoples of all worlds and knoweth what lieth within the breasts of all mankind. And praise be to God, the Lord of this mighty Day!

BH11798: O servants of the All-Merciful! Sanctify your hearts…

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

O servants of the All-Merciful! Sanctify your hearts from all idle fancies and vain imaginings, that ye may taste the sweetness of the Salsabil of divine utterance.

Verily, it hath flowed from the Pen that was intimate with the holy fingers. Be ye of one heart and one face—thus have ye been commanded in a Tablet that hath been preserved within the pavilion of divine knowledge.

When ye desire to approach the shore of the Most Great Ocean, turn ye unto Him with a countenance illumined by the light of the Throne. He who turneth toward the horizon of the Cause must needs be in such wise that neither the world nor aught created therein shall deter him from that which God hath desired for him. Thus hath the Command been sent down and been decreed in truth in a Book revealed from the presence of the All-Merciful.

Turn ye unto God and turn away from all else. And he who calleth the people unto the idol verily is to be numbered among the denizens of the coffin, and is thus recorded before the Throne. Shun, O My loved ones, those who have denied the truth and have then sought a way unto the All-Merciful.

And glory be upon those who have found intimacy with God and have forgotten all else besides Him. These are servants upon whom the dwellers of Paradise, and they who stand before the Divine Presence, do confer their blessings.

BH11800: This is the Day of Victory. Arise to aid…

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

This is the Day of Victory. Arise to aid the Cause of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! The Sun of proof hath dawned from the horizon of certitude—in what utterance, then, do ye believe? The clouds have been rent asunder and your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, hath come with the hosts of revelation and inspiration. Fear ye the All-Merciful and be not of them that are veiled.

This is a cup that hath been filled with the mercy of your Lord, the All-Merciful, from this surging ocean, and it is set before your faces. Take it with the hands of certitude, then drink thereof in the name of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Through it shall be opened upon your hearts the gates of wisdom and utterance, such that ye shall behold what the eyes of them that ascribe partners unto God have been prevented from seeing.

Grieve not at what thou hast heard. Place thy trust in God in all affairs. Say: O Lord! Deprive me not from gazing toward the horizon of Thy oneness, then number me among such as have taken no partner unto Thee in Thy dominion and have testified that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee, the One, the Single, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Loving.

And praise be to God, the All-Forgiving, the All-Pardoning.