Volume 047: 1872–1873 1289–1290 A.H., Part I (2 of 4)

BH00244: Exalted, exalted is Thy patience, O my God! Exalted…

Section 1: “Exalted, exalted is Thy patience, O my God!…”

In the Name of the Single, the Unique, the Stranger, the Wronged, the Imprisoned

Exalted, exalted is Thy patience, O my God! Exalted, exalted is the manifestation of Thy forbearance, O my Beloved! To such extent that, despite Thy power which hath encompassed all created things and Thy might which hath subdued all existence, Thou hast borne with Thy most exalted Self that which the Supreme Pen is powerless to recount, and which the tablets of creation and the pages of invention can never bear to record. By Thy glory, O my God! Were the veil to be lifted from what hath befallen and continueth to befall Thee, both secretly and openly, the heavens of power would be cleft asunder, the thrones of grandeur would crumble, all realities would be scattered, and all essences would cease to exist. Nothing would remain in the kingdom of the beginningless or the endless—all would return to that non-existence which hath no mention.

Yet Thou, through the sovereignty of Thy forbearance and the dominion of Thy patience, hast borne all this within Thy most tender, most subtle and luminous heart, and hast concealed it in the innermost sanctuary of Thy most mighty, most holy and impenetrable mystery. Thou hast accepted all tribulations for the deliverance of all who dwell in the realm of creation, for their gathering unto the Law of eternity, and their attainment unto those most inaccessible, exalted and impregnable stations which cannot be mentioned by any name, nor described by any attribute, nor indicated by any sign, nor comprehended by any evidence.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having manifested from behind the veil of power such servants by whom the human realm boasteth over the divine realm, and the kingdom of earth over the kingdom of heaven. For they have attained unto Thy days, for the loss of which the realities of the holy ones and the near ones have perished in their yearning, and which the Prophets and Messengers have longed to witness. Some of them, O my God, have attained unto what Thou didst ordain for them in the Book from the effulgences of the Sun of Thy Most Bountiful Name. Some have tasted the choice wine from the mention of Thy Most Great, Most Mighty Name.

Some have drawn near the shore of the Most Great Sea which surgeth by Thy Name, the Dominant over the world. And some have embarked upon the Crimson Ark by Thy Most Glorious Name and have sailed upon the ocean of grandeur, yet they reached not the axis of that Sea of Seas, by whose agitation the mighty deep was troubled, and from which the Sea of Seas surged forth—that Sea a single drop of which gave rise to the seas of names and attributes in the highest realms. Thou hast ordained, O my God, for each one of these a portion from the ocean of Thy bounty and a share from the vastness of Thy generosity and grace.

I testify, O my God, that this Name who was named Ali in the Kingdom of Names and was adorned with the crown of lights—the sun of the Most Great Name—hath attained unto all good from Thy presence, hath ascended unto a station wherein he became detached from all else but Thee, hath turned with his whole being to the countenance of Thy singleness, hath arisen with all his strength to serve Thee and to aid Thy Cause, and hath migrated to various lands time and again to manifest Thy Cause, to convey Thy decree, to spread Thy verses, to exalt Thy remembrance and to uplift Thy Word with the wisdom which Thou hast commanded all to observe in Thy perspicuous verses and clear evidences.

He hath stood firm as a mountain in servitude and obedience unto Thee. Nay, I have found him, O my God, even greater than this, for while earthly vapors may cause the mountain to crumble and parts of it to fall away, this one whom Thou hast created from the letters of Thy power and the Word of Thy command—even if the vapors of all contingent beings should arise and the tempestuous winds should blow from the north of vain desires throughout creation—would, through Thy might and power, remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Upon him be all the splendor of Thy splendors, all the light of Thy lights, and all the beauty of Thy beauty.

Therefore, O my God, Thou hast mentioned him in the tablets of Thy glory and hast caused his remembrance to flow from the Pen of Thy command and his praise to proceed from the throne of Thy mercy, and Thou hast ordained for him a station at the throne of Thy grandeur and a distinction among the distinctions of Thy glory. How can this non-existent one, who is unworthy to be mentioned by the name of nothingness in Thy kingdom or by the name of evanescence among Thy creation, praise Thee? I have no way, O my God, except utter powerlessness to mention Thee and mention Thy loved ones. Glory be unto Thee, glory be unto Thee, that I should be among those who remember. And I say that all praise be unto Thee, for verily Thou art God, the Rememberer, the Praiser, the Describer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. There is no God but Thee, the Sanctified, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Exalted.

The blessed letter of your honor, which dawned and shone forth from the horizon of that Sun of the Most Great Name, and which was adorned with the ornament of brilliant words, resplendent letters, wondrous utterances and sublime meanings—this evanescent servant attained the honor of perusing that spiritual book and inhaling its sweet fragrances. O what breezes these are that no hostile circumstances can affect! It is as though they wafted from the paradise of detachment and reached the summit of inaccessibility before my Lord, the Mighty, the Withholding. At a special time I presented it before the Throne. The oceans of the favors of my Lord, the Most Glorious, have surged for you in such wise that the Pen of Composition is powerless to describe. Thus did the tongue of the All-Merciful speak, addressing thee:

O Ali! Give thanks unto God for having adorned thy head with the crown of praise in the days of thy Lord, the King of Names, and thy temple with the ornament of His service in the contingent world. We have recognized thy turning to certain regions and thy migration in the path of God, the Revealer of verses. This beseemeth thee and every devoted one who hath detached himself in His love from all else.

O Ali! At all times exert mighty efforts to unite hearts and gather them together upon the divine holy law. Although thou art, by God’s grace, adorned with goodly character, yet the more thou addest thereto the more beloved will it be in the sight of God, that all may turn to the Bestower through thine excellent character. Watch over the Cause at all times, as hath been revealed from the Pen of Command in previous Tablets.

Observe the grace, favor and bounties of God. For years one of the servants, whom thou knowest, and his followers have been secretly engaged in unworthy words, offensive odors and selfish conditions—and God was aware and encompassing all—yet We concealed it, and since outwardly they spoke in the name of God and mentioned Him, We did not interfere. In certain years, from the Dawning-Place of verses, sublime Tablets were specifically revealed and sent to him. In all those Tablets We called him, explicitly and implicitly, to the pure station that is sanctified from the taint of self and existence, that perchance he might attain unto transcendent and inaccessible stations. All this was from the grace of thy Lord, His mercy and His favor, for We have not wished, nor do We wish, that any soul should be deprived of that for which it was created or be bereft of that which was ordained for it. Despite these successive favors and continuous bounties, it is as though he considered God heedless, and that God’s concealment was due to this. Say: My spirit and my being be a sacrifice for Thee, O Concealer of the worlds!

O Ali! Observe in the Cause of the Apostle of God how at first it advanced and ascended to great heights, but later became stationary. One of the causes that hindered it was that certain souls arose who, claiming to possess inner knowledge, debarred the helpless people from the Divine Law and the sacred strongholds of the Lord’s glory. Say: By God! All that is outward is superior to your inner knowledge, and every shell is more luminous than your kernel. The sincere ones have cast aside your inner meanings as bones are cast to dogs.

In these days the Divine Laws are dawning from the Dayspring of the Lord’s utterance, and God willing, they shall be sent forth hereafter. These two blessed verses were revealed in that most holy, most exalted Tablet: “Among the people is he who seateth himself amid the sandals by the door whilst coveting in his heart the seat of honor. Say: What manner of man art thou, O vain and heedless one!” “And among them is he who layeth claim to inner knowledge, and still deeper inner knowledge. Say: Thou falsifier! By God! What thou dost possess is naught but husks which We have left to thee as bones are left to dogs.”

Consider how every deluded soul who appeared drew forth a stream from the Most Great Ocean and, armed with utter deceit and guile, arose with his vain imaginings and selfish desires, and rent asunder the Islamic peoples. Say: O thou deluded one! Verily the inner meaning, and the inner meaning of the inner meaning, and that inner meaning which God hath sanctified beyond all inner and outer meanings unto infinity, circle around this outward meaning that speaketh with truth at the midmost heart of the world. The Most Great Name hath appeared, and the Lord of all nations, and the Ancient King. None shall find place or habitation save he who hath clung to this luminous Handle whereby earth and heaven were illumined, throne and dust made manifest, the Kingdom of Names lit up, and the Supreme Horizon made to shine.

Fear ye God, O people, and follow not the desires of such as follow their lusts, nor the vain imaginings of such as have arisen to practice deception in the kingdom of creation. Turn with shining faces and radiant brows unto the Dawning-Place of the verses of your Lord, the Possessor of the Beginning and the End. Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Tablet which God hath made the Mother of Tablets and the Lamp of Success between the heavens and the earth.

Section 2: “O Ali! The division of the community has…”

O Ali! The division of the community has become the cause and reason for the weakness of all, yet most people do not understand. Would that some of those who have made and continue to make claims of longing, attraction, ardor, and rapture, had gone to the Abode of Peace and observed the Qadiriyyih lodge and become awakened. O Ali! A group was present and gathered in that place and, by the One True God, it was witnessed that one of those souls repeatedly struck himself against stone, clod, and wall for more than four hours until there was fear of his demise, and afterward fell unconscious upon the ground and for about two hours had absolutely no awareness. And they count such actions among the miracles. God is quit of them and we are quit of them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He knoweth the treachery of eyes and what is hidden in the breasts of all beings.

Likewise, there is a group known as the Rifa’i, and these souls, by their own account, walk through fire and in moments of ecstasy strike one another with swords in such manner that the observer would think they had severed their own limbs. All of this is but tricks, deceit, and deception from their own selves. Behold, they are among the most lost. All these things have been witnessed with our own eyes and many people have seen them. How beloved it would be if one of those deluded souls would turn towards that land and witness the aforementioned lodges and what transpires therein, that perchance they might not be debarred by personal fancies and the delusions of deceitful souls from the direction of Divine Unity and the Lord of creation.

O Ali! There have been and are people in certain climes who have denied themselves food and drink, have become familiar with wild beasts, and spend their nights and days in severe ascetic practices and in uttering invocations. Nevertheless, not one of these souls is mentioned in the presence of God, even though they count themselves among the poles, the pillars, and the unique ones of the earth. Today the robe of deeds and the crown of actions is the mention of the Most Great Name, both outwardly and inwardly. Verily it is the Word whereby every party hath been separated, every mountain laid low, every star made to fall, every sun eclipsed, every moon darkened, every heaven cleft asunder, every earth split open, every sea made to sink away, every peak made to tremble, every trunk uprooted, every hill shaken, and every plain made to quake, save whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, hath willed. Whoso acknowledgeth what God hath acknowledged and confesseth what God hath confessed, he is of the people of Baha in the kingdom of creation. Thus hath the command of thy Lord, the Decisive, the Mighty, the Wise, been sent down from the horizon of revelation.

Although it is not befitting that the Most Exalted Pen should be occupied with such utterances, yet in view of grace and the precedence of mercy, the Pen of the All-Merciful speaketh with such words. Where are the mighty ones? And where are the manifestations of steadfastness in the kingdom of creation? And where are the dawning-places of power in the heaven of detachment?

O Ali! Until now the Finger of Power hath not rent asunder the veils. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer. Implore God that He may cause those souls, with complete steadfastness and detachment from all else save Him, to remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Lord of all beings and the Sovereign of all days. By My life! Through this their remembrance shall be exalted, their names established, their stations realized, and the doors of My knowledge—which is the foundation of the Cause and its beginning, the essence of all stations and their sovereign—shall be opened before their faces. Blessed is he who hath cast away the world and whatsoever is mentioned therein, and hath turned with an illumined heart toward the sanctuary of his Lord, the Most High, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Great.

Your burden is great. Bear it as this most tender, most delicate, most compassionate, gracious, wondrous and luminous Heart hath borne above it. For you must, with wisdom, as hath been enjoined in all the Tablets, purify the people from their personal imaginings and their unseemly behavior through penetrating counsels and divine wisdom, and draw them to the most holy court. The first and most mighty requirement hath ever been steadfastness in the Cause. God willing, you must be occupied with service at all times, as indeed you are. Verily, the glory be upon you and upon those who love you purely for the sake of God, your Lord and the Lord of the worlds. End.

Praise be to God that His favors toward you have been beyond count. We hope that manifest fruits in the Divine Cause will appear from you. You must strive greatly to unite hearts. Should some act contrary to your good-pleasure, you must calm those souls through spiritual qualities, for whatsoever occurs in the path of God is beloved. And those souls who have been forbidden and who through the whisperings of the followers of Satan have remained deprived of the All-Merciful—counsel those souls with wisdom and utterance, that perchance they may awaken from the sleep of heedlessness and not be deprived of the supreme bounty.

The matters you had mentioned were presented before His presence. Regarding what was asked about the House of Justice, He said:

“The intention of Aqa Jamal, upon him be the Glory of God, was to assist the Cause, but these days do not warrant it, for in every city, if specific individuals were to be appointed, the enemies would surely arise to eliminate those souls. Its time hath not yet come.”

Most of the divine ordinances We have not implemented due to wisdom and the protection of the friends and the weakness of the people, and the sending of these ordinances is so that the form of the law may be present in all regions. Many of the divine verses in this Revelation were lost during the days of trials and tests, such that neither the original nor any copy thereof remains.

And further regarding two of the beloved ones of the Land of Gold, two Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablets were specifically revealed and sent for them—deliver these. And concerning what was written about some of the friends requesting that your honor add diacritical marks to the verses and divine prayers, explicit permission has been granted for this. As for the books, this servant will send whatever possible, God willing. And regarding what you wrote about the hardship and famine in Iran, this was from God’s promise in the Tablets, for in that same year when the glorious Tablet was sent by the hand of Badi’, explicit mention was made in the Tablets of the hardships, tribulations and famine of that land, and God’s warning encompassed all, such that a verse was revealed whose purport is this: “Were it not for consideration of the friends, all would have perished.”

However, after receiving your letter, I attained the presence before the Throne and presented your petition. He said: “Their intercession has been accepted. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest prosperity.” And then He said: “O ʿAli! The traces of Badi’s blood have not yet been effaced from the earth, and thou knowest that the Wronged One sent forth a Book wherein no excuse whatsoever remained for anyone, and the essence of the Cause was declared with utmost explicitness. Yet there befell Him what befell Him.”

O My beloved! Call the people to steadfastness, that they may stand so firm as to regard all else save God as non-existent, lest perchance through momentary heedlessness they be deprived and kept back from the Truth, even as what transpired in Gilan. Although they later became aware, such matters will not endure. However, the friends of the Truth must be so firm that none can cause them to deviate from the straight path. They must continually read what hath been revealed by the Most Exalted, Most Holy Pen concerning these matters, that they may remain preserved and attain unto what God hath willed. Convey to all the loved ones of God, one and all, greetings from this evanescent servant, and especially endless greetings to his honor Dhabih, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God.

God willing, I hope they will at all times be occupied with the remembrance of the All-Merciful. Praise be to God, they are mentioned in His presence and honored by His favors. As for the Tablets that were previously revealed from the heaven of His Will specifically for them, the command is that they should read these Tablets that what was revealed therein may remain before their eyes. God willing, an august Tablet specifically for them shall be sent hereafter, as this time what was revealed was in response to the petitions of the people. In any case, convey boundless expressions of devotion on behalf of this servant.

At this hour, the members of the household, after offering greetings and salutations, make mention of the daughter of the late Ismu’llah Al-Munir, upon him be the most glorious of all glory, whose holy being had willed that she should return to the Most Holy Place, and each one hath sent messages with utmost insistence and made this request. According to what hath been heard, she hath obtained a divorce from that person. If it be possible for her to reside somewhere in comfort until word arrives, it would be most appreciated, that perchance arrangements may be made to fulfill the will of that pure soul. Furthermore, it is mentioned that there was a piece of the Most Exalted, Most Holy handwriting, calligraphed in the Jali style and illuminated, which was in the possession of Ismu’llah Al-Munir, and now according to what hath been reported, it is with his mother. By whatever means possible, your honor should obtain it and send it with a trusted one. You must certainly exert mighty efforts in this regard. May glory and holiness and splendor be upon you.

Moreover, whatever hath been recorded in this letter should be shown to his honor Aqay-i-Ismu’llah M.H., upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and if he is not present in that land, a copy of these divine utterances should be sent to him.

All the Branches and Twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree, may our souls be sacrificed for them, remember your honor with wondrous divine praise and exalted greetings.

BH00257: Thy letter hath reached Our presence, which thou didst…

Section 1: “Thy letter hath reached Our presence, which thou…”

He is the Most Holy, the Most Impregnable, the Most Great

Thy letter hath reached Our presence, which thou didst send to Him Who calleth upon His Lord in the hunchbacked one, and toward him hath turned the gaze of Him Who is imprisoned in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Blessed art thou for the sweet savors of thy Master’s love that pass from thee and the fragrance of the garment of His Name, the Mighty, the Wise, that is diffused. Blessed are ye and blessed is your land which hath become the seat of the Most Great Throne, whereon sat the Ancient Beauty for numbered years, and blessed is its horizon wherefrom shone forth the Sun of His Name, the Self-Subsisting, with lights that illumined the heavens and the earth.

Know thou that I am in the two prisons through what the hands of the two parties have wrought, and there befalleth Me at every moment that which none can reckon save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Yet in this most grievous tribulation, We summon the peoples unto God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The veils of all creation cannot hinder Us; We speak forth the truth with most high proclamation between earth and heaven. Blessed are they that hear!

Remember on My behalf Ahmad who hath believed in God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling. Blessed is he in that he hath fulfilled God’s Covenant and Testament and was of them that attained the lights of the Countenance when he appeared before the Throne in Iraq. We beseech God to strengthen him in all conditions and inspire him with that which will establish His Cause among His servants. O thou Name! Hold fast unto the Most Great Name, then speak with wisdom and utterance amongst the concourse of creation, that perchance they may recognize Him Who calleth them unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Say: From the horizon of tribulation He calleth you unto God—take ye heed, O people of vision! It behooveth every ignorant one to become aware and every person of understanding to take lesson from what hath come to pass in bygone ages, and to turn with illumined heart unto the Most Sublime Vision and say:

“I have heard Thy call, O Thou the Wronged One, and have turned unto Thee, O Lord of all beings!”

Blessed art thou for having arisen to serve the Cause of God and His love, and for having attained the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Make mention of him in such wise as to attract the hearts of the righteous. He will verily aid thee with the truth and assist thee with the hosts of the unseen. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Let not the words of the deniers sadden thee, nor the oppression of the oppressors. God shall soon efface their traces and shall adorn the tablet of creation with your remembrance. Illumine the horizons with the light of thy Lord, then relate unto them the news of the Wronged One when He was afflicted among the wicked ones. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto the Countenance with humility and contrition.

Then make mention of him who was named after him who spoke the truth: “Are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the All-Compelling?” Blessed is he who today calleth out among the nations through the Most Great Name and summoneth the concourse of creation unto God, the Creator of earth and heaven. He is indeed of them that have attained the lights of the Countenance and believed in God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We make mention of him in the prison even as he remembereth Me, though My remembrance hath preceded all who remember. Blessed is he in that the Supreme Pen maketh mention of him and the gaze of his Lord, the Lord of Names, is directed towards him from this manifest horizon. Arise to serve the Cause through God’s might and power, with wisdom and utterance. Thus have We commanded thee before and in this wondrous Tablet. Rejoice in the verses that have been sent down unto thee while the Dayspring of clear proofs was imprisoned in the hands of the oppressors.

Then did He adorn him who was named ʿAbd qabl-i-Ra with the ornament of the remembrance of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Verily We have sent unto him the fragrances of verses from this luminous quarter, that joy might seize him in such wise that sorrows shall not overtake him in the days of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and that he might be among those who are firmly established. O servant! Remember the favor of God unto thee, how He caused thee to know His Self and made thee among the successful ones. His tongue moveth now in thy remembrance, and from His Pen floweth that which consoleth the eyes of the mystics. Glorify thy Lord with praise and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me and made me among those who have turned unto Thee.”

Arise to remember thy Lord with such fire that when the waters of hatred from the malevolent ones are cast upon it, its flames grow fiercer and its roaring increaseth. Verily thy Lord changeth water into oil. He is indeed the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His sincere servants. Seize thou the worth of these days. By God! The eye of creation hath not seen their like. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having caused me to know the Dawning-Place of Thy verses and the Dayspring of Thy lights, and for having made me among those who hold fast to Thy strong and mighty cord and Thy manifest and straight path.”

Then did He perfume him who was named Muhammad with the fragrance that wafteth from the Pen of Revelation from one mighty and generous. His name hath been inscribed in the Tablets, and his mention hath been revealed from the mouth of the Will of his Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Thy name hath been presented in the Prison, and this wise remembrance hath been revealed for thee. Turn not unto those who object today—they are a people who understand not. They have cast aside their God and taken their vain desires. They are indeed a people drowned. Arise amongst them with utmost steadfastness such that the idolaters might witness in thee the grandeur of God and His sovereignty. This beseemeth one who hath quaffed the wine of life from this cup that hath been unsealed by the finger of thy Lord’s will, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Beware lest thou transgress the bounds of wisdom among creatures. Thus have We commanded Our servants in various tablets. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Then remember Rajab from thy Lord and give him glad tidings of that which his Lord, the All-Merciful, hath revealed unto him through these verses that have shone forth from the horizon of the mouth of his Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen. We make mention of him who hath turned unto God after every idolatrous infidel turned away from Him. Blessed is he who entereth the sea and immerseth himself therein through this Name whereby God hath subdued the earth and the heavens. Say: O people! The Self-Subsisting hath come, bearing in His hand a cup of the living waters of Kawthar. Draw near, then drink in His Name, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Beware lest ye follow in the footsteps of those who have wronged, and follow every sinful deceiver.

This is the path of God that hath appeared in truth, and this is His straight way that hath been established in justice, and this is His balance whereby what ye claim shall be weighed. He is indeed the All-Knowing, the Reckoner. Arise in unity to the Cause of your Lord, the Possessor of all creation. By My life! Through it shall the standards of victory be raised and the back of the wicked be broken. God shall soon seize those who have wronged, even as He seized those before them. Verily thy Lord is severe in punishment.

Then We make mention of another servant: O Muhammad! Hearken unto the Call from the Most Exalted Pen. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful. I created mankind for My knowledge and gave them glad tidings of My days, but when the veil was rent asunder and the Lord of creation appeared, they denied God, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: Verily the eye was created for this Greatest Vision and sight for this Most Luminous Horizon, yet the people are in evident blindness. Those who turn away this Day are among the most abject. Blessed is he who hath arisen and remained steadfast in service to his Lord in these days wherein earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth and the hearts of the deluded ones are perturbed. They say “We have believed in God” but when the proof came and the realm of possibility was illumined, they denied the All-Merciful. Verily they are among the refuted ones. Give thanks to thy Lord and say: “O my God! All praise be unto Thee for having directed toward me the glances of Thy grace and for having mentioned me when I was among the hands of the idolaters.”

Then mention from Our presence him who is named Daniel. Say: Be steadfast in the Cause and address the concourse of the Jews, saying: “By God! The Promised One hath come and now judgeth from the throne of David. Cast away what ye possess and take what hath been given you from God, the Mighty, the Loving.” This is the Day wherein the Sadratu’l-Muntaha proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Forgiving.” Wert thou to turn toward the Mount, thou wouldst hear from it: “The Dawning-Place of Revelation hath come. He is in prison through what the hands of the unbelievers have wrought, they who denied God, the Mighty, the Praised.” By My life! Every rock and every stone thereof singeth in such melodies that were thou to hear them, thou wouldst soar with longing toward God, the Lord of the invisible and the visible. Arise to serve thy Lord and be steadfast in what He hath taught thee. Then remind those on whose faces thou beholdest the radiance of acceptance. Thus doth this Pen command thee, which speaketh the truth. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Beloved.

The heavens have been adorned with the ornament of verses and the earth hath been illumined by the lights of His Face that was and that shall be. Then make mention of him who entered the Most Great Prison and attained the presence of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: Remember when thou didst set out toward the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s verses and didst travel from thy homeland, directing thyself toward the court of God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. Then remember when thou didst enter the prison and wert blessed with the lights of His countenance and didst visit the Desired One and didst hear the call of thy Lord from the station wherein the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name. Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, for having attained the presence of the Beloved and for being mentioned by the Praised One in this exalted station. We perceive the fragrance of thy love and make mention of thee in truth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Turn not toward that which thou desirest. Be content with what thy Lord hath ordained, for He ordaineth for His loved ones that which is best for them. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones. We have forbidden the people from turning toward this direction. Whosoever moveth without My leave shall find himself in that which he loveth not. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Drink the wine of the mention of thy Lord’s name and be of the thankful ones. We make mention of the Trustworthy One, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds. He is among those who fulfilled the Covenant of God and His testament, and who spoke the truth while in the hands of the oppressors. Blessed is he whom My mention reacheth and who prayeth for this lonely Wronged One. We have mentioned him before in an exalted Tablet. We beseech God to strengthen him in all conditions and to manifest through him that which shall spread abroad the mention of his Lord. This shall endure while all else shall perish, by My shining and luminous Beauty.

Section 2: “Then send My greetings to the loved ones…”

Then send My greetings to the loved ones of thy Lord who are in the land of Dal and give them the glad tidings of this exalted Remembrance. O loved ones of God in that place! Be not grieved at anything, for verily He is with you and maketh mention of you even when the hosts of the oppressors surrounded His dwelling place. Rejoice in the remembrance of God and be steadfast in His love in such wise that neither the words of those who have turned away nor the intimations of the deceived may cause you to waver. Gather ye together in the love of God and drink the choice wine of utterance in His Name, the One Who ruleth over all the worlds. Thus have We counselled you aforetime and in this Tablet. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Make thou mention of him who dwelleth in the land of Taff that perchance there may appear therefrom one who will remember his Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Although We behold it in great turmoil and confusion, make mention therein of Qanbar who hath turned towards the Most Great Scene—verily, he is of them that remember. Say: Blessed art thou for having attained unto the covenant of God and for having been remembered before His Presence. This, verily, is a manifest favor. We have not forgotten thee. He remembereth those who have turned unto Him. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Should thou find anyone there who standeth firm in the love of thy Lord, make mention of him on My behalf and convey unto him greetings from God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We have turned towards two souls from among the concourse of the Son and make mention of them on this night wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Convey My greetings unto them and give them the glad tidings of God’s bounty, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Blessed are they for having accepted and hearkened and responded to Him Who calleth the servants unto God, the Master of the Day of Judgment.

O Muhammad-Qabl-Mim! Deliver unto those whose names thou hast mentioned in the Tablet of thy Lord, and after them convey My greetings unto My loved ones. Then recite unto them that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: O My loved ones! It behooveth you in this day to manifest the most great steadfastness in such wise that neither the turning away of those who have disbelieved nor the grunting of swine may cause you to stumble. Cast behind your backs what the people possess, turning unto the Lord of all mankind. Thus doth your Lord command you, the Ruler, the One Who willeth. Ye were created for this, did ye but know, and through this shall your glory be made manifest, were ye to understand.

Then make mention of him who hath turned towards the Countenance of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, who was named Taha in the kingdom of names, that the breezes of revelation may attract him and draw him nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Wise. Blessed is he who hath turned to the Countenance. Woe unto those who have followed idols after the Days have come wherein the All-Merciful hath revealed Himself unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that every one who turneth unto thee may inhale from thee the sweet fragrances of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. O concourse of ardent lovers! This is a Day wherein the Beloved calleth from the horizon of the Prison and summoneth you unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

Then make mention of Abdullah who attained Our presence. Say: Blessed art thou for having attained unto this Day wherein the atoms cry out “The Dayspring of verses hath come!”, yet the people remain in strange heedlessness. That which every people was promised in their Books hath appeared, and the Spirit proclaimeth in the vast wilderness: “The Beauty of Divine Unity hath established Himself in Akka. Hasten unto Him, O ye that await Him!” Say: This is not the day to tarry when ye hear the call of the All-Loving One. Turn with your hearts toward His sacred and mighty habitation. Say: Do ye not hear the cry of the Rock? It proclaimeth with loudest voice: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Mighty!”

All things have been attracted by the fragrances of the All-Merciful. Beware lest anything in creation prevent you from this bounty that hath encompassed the worlds. Say: O concourse of the Son! I have never sworn before, but today I swear by His glorious and exalted Name and by the Beauty of the Beloved Who hath adorned the Kingdom on high with the ornament of His Most Great Name, and the Kingdom of heaven with His transcendent and peerless remembrance. Come forth from your temples out of love for God, your Creator, then make mention of Him amongst the servants through this Name by which the heaven was cleft asunder and the All-Bestowing came riding upon the clouds. This is better for you, did ye but know.

Beware lest anything prevent you from Him Who hath come with the truth. Leave behind what ye possess and take what hath been sent down unto you from One All-Knowing, All-Informed. Beware lest ye be like those who make mention of God with their tongues, yet when the appointed time was fulfilled and the Dayspring of divine attributes appeared, they disbelieved in God, the Lord of this mighty Day. Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Throne, as the Ancient Beauty walketh and speaketh the verses of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

Then make mention of Sayfullah who turned toward the Countenance when it appeared from the exalted and luminous Dayspring of His Cause. Blessed is he for having attained the lights of revelation and turned toward the Dawning-Place of his Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Generous. Say: Be thou so steadfast that the hearts of the transgressors may quake because of thee—they who, when the veils were rent asunder, turned away, and when the verses were sent down, said: “These are but tales of the ancients.” Be thou as one rising from the horizon of thy Lord’s steadfastness and as a helper of His Cause, which hath made the skin of the corrupt to shiver. Rejoice in God’s remembrance of thee, and when thou attainest that which hath been sent down, turn with thy heart to the Qiblih of existence.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Thy other letter hath come before the Countenance wherein thou didst mention that thou hast left “M” and held fast to teaching thy Lord’s Cause, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! This is the essence of all matters and the best thereof, and it is indeed the most excellent of all deeds if thou restrict thy affairs to it, albeit with wisdom. Thus doth thy Lord, the All-Wise, ordain.

We glorify the loved ones of God who remember their Lord in Bushruyih and Isfahan, that they may rejoice in the glorification of God, the Mighty, the Invincible. Convey My glorification to them and to those in the villages who have stood firm in the Cause and are among the steadfast. We beseech God to assist all to turn toward His countenance and to ordain for every one who advances the good of this world and the next. Verily, He is the Protector of those who advance.

We counsel them to fear God in sincerity, for it is the ornament of His Cause between the heavens and the earth. Blessed is he who is adorned with this luminous ornament. Through it God’s Cause is exalted among His servants, and the detachment of His loved ones becomes manifest throughout the worlds. Through it souls find rest and hearts turn toward the Beloved. Blessed is he who holds fast to it. Woe to him who casts piety aside, turning to his passions—he is truly among the abased.

Counsel the servants with what hath been sent down from the Pen of Revelation, and be among the thankful. Grieve not over those on whose faces thou seest the dust of aversion. Leave them and all on earth to their vain imaginings, and hold fast to the remembrance of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Say: O handmaidens of God in that land! Blessed are ye for having turned unto God and turned away from those who denied the Dawning-Place of Revelation when He came with manifest light. Be steadfast in His love and His Cause. Nothing on earth can equal it. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. We beseech God to assist you in what He loves and is pleased with, and to make you among those women who circle round the Throne throughout the duration of His dominion and kingdom. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous.

Let not the calamities of the world grieve you. Remember My tribulations and what hath befallen Me in this Cause whereby the faces of the deniers were darkened. Ye are in your homes while the Lord of the House is in a mighty prison.

Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to Jinab-i-Faraj. God willing, may he at all times drink from the life-giving Kawthar of the Most Merciful and manifest such a state that those of insight may behold in his countenance the radiance of paradise. We beseech God to make him a light unto His loved ones and a fire unto His enemies, and We ask Him, exalted be He, to protect him from those who have denied the Faith and from their suggestions and insinuations.

Say: Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds that thou hast associated with this Wronged One for numbered years and hast become aware of His conditions. Follow what thou hast seen and known, and hearken not unto that which is unworthy to be heard. Trust in God in all matters. He will protect thee. He is the best of protectors. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Faraj! Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Repository of Thy Cause, and the Dawning-Place of Thy verses, to make me firmly established beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy oneness. Then protect me from the enemies of Thy Self who have transgressed against Thee when Thou didst come to them with authority from Thee and proof from Thy presence. O Lord! Aid me in Thy love and Thy good-pleasure in such wise that I may be content with what Thou hast ordained for me and may follow what Thou hast revealed in Thy Tablets. Then make me among those who have arisen to aid Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures to such a degree that the Concourse on High hath testified to their assistance and the dwellers of the cities of names have been illumined by them. O Lord! Make me wholly detached unto Thee and looking toward the horizon of Thy bounty. Then send down for me that which will profit me in this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH00312: In the Name of God–the Most Holy, the Most…

Section 1: “In the Name of God–the Most Holy…”

In the Name of God–the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious, the Most Generous; the Peerless, the Single, the Exalted, the Inaccessible, the All-Strong, the Unassailable.

O Nabil, upon thee be My glory, My remembrance and My praise! Blessed art thou in that thou hast attained the presence of the Countenance and hearkened unto the call of thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds, and hast won that which He desired for thee. Verily He is the One Who ruleth as He pleaseth. O Nabil! The Youth hath been imprisoned and the croaking of the raven hath been raised. Soon wilt thou hear it from most lands. When thou hearest it, turn thy face toward God, the Holy, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say:

I have turned my face unto Thee, O Thou unto Whom the hearts of the chosen ones have turned and by Whom the faces of the Messengers have been illumined. I testify that Thou wert seated upon the throne of unity. Thou hast no peer in all creation, nor any likeness in invention. Whoso claimeth a matter after Thee is assuredly among the calumniators.

Say: O people! Hold fast unto this mighty cord. We have forbidden you from following vain imaginings and have bidden you to turn unto the Sovereign of the Unseen and the Seen, Who hath dawned from the horizon of power. Ye have followed your desires and have held fast unto the imaginings of your own selves, supposing your Lord to be heedless of you. Nay, by My Self! With Me is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Of this beareth witness he who hath known My Self and hath read what hath been sent down from One All-Knowing, All-Informed. We have dealt with the servants in such wise that they supposed what they supposed, yet they are among the heedless ones. Say: Beware lest ye associate partners with God. Through My Name have the standards of unity been raised and the signs of detachment been manifested. Verily He is the Single, the One, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O Nabil! The forbearance of God has reached such a degree that some of His servants have deemed themselves wise and knowing while considering God to be unaware. This is manifest loss. Nothing moves except by His leave and will, and no thought enters any heart save that He encompasses it, knows it, and is aware of it. Many souls have committed that which was forbidden, and despite their knowledge of this, they have witnessed God’s grace and generosity manifestly bestowed upon them, and they have attributed this to a lack of divine omniscience—heedless that My Name the Concealer loves not to rend asunder veils, and My preceding mercy has not torn away the veils of creation. O Ali! By My life, My Name the All-Forgiving has been the cause of the postponement of punishment, and My Name the All-Bestowing has been the reason for the delay of chastisement.

The details of this Most Great Revelation have not been mentioned except according to the known capacity of the people. Were they to ponder deeply that which was revealed in the Bayan, they would be blessed with a drop from this vast ocean. All the emphases that were revealed in the Bayan from the heaven of the will of the Lord of creation regarding the recognition by the servants were because He observed that the Divine Tree, the Sacred Lote-Tree, and the Apple of the Eye of divine manifestations would be present and visible; otherwise, He would not have uttered a single word of what was revealed. At this station, thou hast heard the utterance of the All-Merciful directly.

The deluded ones are many, and each is afflicted with some delusion. We have forbidden the people from clinging to vain imaginings, that they might hold fast unto the Sovereign of reality. Some have clung to their own vain imaginings and held fast to them. They wander in the wilderness of fancy while counting themselves among those endowed with insight, and they walk in the desert of heedlessness while reckoning themselves among the horsemen in the arenas of divine presence. By My life! They are among the deluded ones, they are among the bewildered ones, they are among the heedless ones, they are among the abased ones. They have not yet attained to that which even children have comprehended, for every child knows that if a new Revelation were to appear each day, divine ordinances and heavenly laws would remain without force and ineffective among the people.

Say: O people! If passion has prevented you from the Dayspring of guidance, at least do not transgress the bounds of fairness. If one were to be even slightly fair-minded, he would never utter a word that might cause division among people and discord among the loved ones. Rather, he would expend his utmost effort and power in exalting the Most Great Name. By My life! They are asleep, and were you to see them through My eyes, you would find them among the dead. During Our migration from Iraq, We informed most of the servants about what had appeared and would appear, such that were the revealed Tablets to be read, all would testify to that which has flowed in this Tablet from the pen of the Truthful, the Trustworthy.

Say: O people! If ye desire the water of life, by God it has flowed in His Name, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious. Blessed are they who drink thereof. And if ye desire power, verily it has shone forth from My horizon—exalted be your Lord, the Lord of all worlds. If ye desire signs, they have filled the horizons—fear ye God and be not among the deluded ones. If ye desire clear proofs, they have appeared in their essence and have shone forth each day from this manifest horizon. Say: Be attracted, O servants, by this Name through which the Cry was raised, the Hour was fulfilled, earthquakes seized all tribes, the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was split, the mountains were crushed, and that which was revealed in the Tablets of God, the Omnipotent, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Great, was made manifest.

Whosoever claims a station, attraction, rapture or longing without this Name is among the most lost, even if he should speak with all eloquence, or cause rivers to gush forth from rocks, or command the winds, or cause the clouds to rain. Thus have We sent down the Command on this blessed Night wherein the Tongue of Eternity spoke through His Most Great Name, and the Kawthar of utterance flowed from the mouth of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. When thou art successful, arise, then lift up thy hands and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

O Nabil! Convey on behalf of this Prisoner unto the loved ones sublime and glorious greetings with kindly counsels and goodly admonitions, and say: Today is the day to assist the Cause of God through wisdom and utterance. Fix your gaze upon the root of the Cause and turn away from aught else, that perchance ye may become the cause of guidance and the gathering of peoples upon the shore of the Most Great Ocean. No excellence hath equaled or will equal this excellence. The Manifestation Who preceded Me and heralded My Beauty made the entire Bayan contingent upon the word “Yea” in this Most Great Revelation, and not a word was sent down from the heaven of His Will except that from it could be inhaled, and still can be inhaled, the fragrance of the garment of My love.

They entirely forbade the people from denial, even though many false claimants are seen and have existed and will exist in every age. Yet none hath pondered what might be the reason and cause for commanding all not to remain veiled from the Ancient Beauty and what hath been revealed in the Bayan concerning Him. Blessed are they that are endued with insight! Blessed are they that are possessed of discernment! Blessed are they that observe with the eye of the spirit! Blessed are they that attain!

By My life! This was naught but what they beheld: that the Tongue of Eternity was speaking in the heart of the world, saying “Verily, there is none other God but Me.” Were they to meditate upon and immerse themselves in the ocean of these words, they would discover the cause of the endless emphases that were revealed by the Pen of the Command in the Bayan. Recognition of this station is the key to divine knowledge. All must strive that they may perchance attain unto it and bear witness with perfect certitude that “He Who is the Beloved of the worlds is made manifest.” Say: O ye who are fair-minded! This is not a day wherein ye should cause people to waver through your own vain imaginings and thus deprive them from the shore of the Divine Unity.

This is a day wherein ye should call out amongst the peoples through this Most Great Name. “Conquer the world through this Name, the Sovereign, the Exalted.” This is the truth, the mention of truth, and the utterance of truth, and after it there is naught but manifest error. God willing, ye should teach with utmost kindliness. Conflict, contention, warfare and corruption have all been forbidden in this Most Great Revelation. This is of His grace unto the peoples, but most of them comprehend not.

Section 2: “O servants, count not the Cause of God…”

Say: O servants, count not the Cause of God as a child’s play and be not heedless of the divine all-encompassing knowledge. Let all be witnessed among creation with radiant countenance, truthful tongue, pure heart, complete steadfastness, unadulterated trustworthiness, absolute sanctity and utter detachment. Gird up the loins of service while uttering the praise and glorification of the Truth, that perchance in these cherished days of God ye may succeed in rendering some service and commit not that which would bring harm upon you and the servants of God. Be ye the cause of guidance through word and deed—this is the most great counsel that hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. For years We bore tribulations and calamities until the Cause of God was raised up and made manifest amidst all else. Now, be not the cause of its degradation, and soil not the sacred hem with the clay of the idle fancies of the heedless ones.

By Him Who hath established Me in His station before all who are in the heavens and earth! We have not for a moment considered Our own Self. The Most Glorious Horizon hath ever been and will ever be turned toward the horizon of the Cause. For the glory of the Cause We accepted the most great abasement. I desire not My will but the Will of God, were ye of them that know, and I desire not My Cause but the Cause of God, were ye of the fair-minded. By My life! His Cause is My Cause and My Cause is His Cause. Blessed are they that know. However, there are souls for the sake of Truth who regard the cry of all else as the buzzing of flies and witness all in the world as non-existent, and turn not their gaze from the Divine Court and the Most Great Scene. These are the people of Baha and the dwellers of the Crimson Ark. Upon them rest the remembrance of God, His praise, and the praise of the Concourse on High.

O Nabil-i-ʿAli! Some among the people are observed to be most unfair. Consider Hasan-i-Bajistani: when he was present in Iraq before Us, he entertained doubts concerning the Cause of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—which he presented before Our countenance, and received the answer directly from the tongue of the Manifestation of Divine Unity. Among his objections to the Primal Point was that His Holiness had, in all His revealed Books, described the Letters of the Living with countless attributes, saying “I am counted as one of those souls, yet I know myself and observe that I have never been, nor am I now, worthy of these attributes.” These very attributes became the cause of his doubt and misgiving, heedless of the fact that while the farmer’s purpose is to water the wheat, the tares are watered incidentally.

All the attributes of the Point of the Bayan refer to the first to believe and a limited number; Hasan and his like have incidentally partaken of the waters of the Bayan and the attributes of the All-Merciful. This station endures only so long as acceptance endures, otherwise it returns to the lowest depths. This is why He says that many from the loftiest Tree of Affirmation are, in the Manifestation of the Most Great Luminary, accounted as belonging to the basest Tree of Negation. The Command is in God’s hands; verily He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

His Holiness’s attributes were bestowed because these souls had, outwardly, attained to the word “yea,” but He explicitly made all of them contingent and dependent upon this Most Great Manifestation. If thou shouldst see him, remind him on My behalf; perchance thou shalt find him among those who have returned unto God Who created all things by His command. Verily, He is the Protector of those who turn unto Him.

Say: Be fair, O servant! By God, if thou wert to be fair and to ponder that which was revealed in the Bayan, thou wouldst cry out My Name and praise between the worlds. He specifically refers to the Bayan and what was revealed therein, saying “Be not veiled from the Letters thereof and from the Manifestation of the All-Merciful, for the entire Bayan is but a leaf from that true Paradise.” He was not steadfast even in the Cause of the Primal Point, being always observed to be disturbed and wavering. God willing, may He cause him to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and draw him nigh unto Him. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Specifically in the Bayan, such addresses have been made to the Letters of the Living that were they to understand them, they would surely destroy themselves lest a word should proceed from the Source of Divinity bearing the fragrance of displeasure regarding them. Say: O Hasan, reflect that thou mayest know; perchance thou shalt find a path to the Beloved. It behooveth him to carefully study the Book of Badi’, which was revealed from the Dawning-Place of the Bayan, the Lord of Lords, in the name of one of the loved ones; perchance he may take the Intended One as his Beloved.

Strange it is that they have not attained to a single letter of the Bayan and have not reflected upon the countless emphatic statements that have flowed from the Supreme Pen. By My life! Were they to reflect, they would understand. He says that if someone should appear with a single verse, ye shall never deny him, and if someone should make a claim without proof, ye shall not oppose him. This is most evident and manifest. Since the Countenance of Divine Unity observed the Dawning-Point of holy revelations manifest and knew that no one other than that Ancient Beauty would be capable of raising the call, therefore all have been educated and trained that they might unite around this Divine Law, and such emphasis hath been placed in the revealed verses that no room remaineth for any soul to hesitate or raise objection, otherwise They would never have uttered such words.

Even now the Ancient Pen and the Most Great Name declares: if any soul should appear with all the verses before the completion of a full thousand years—each year comprising twelve months according to what was revealed in the Qur’an, or nineteen months according to what was revealed in the Bayan where each month consists of nineteen days—you must never acknowledge him. In one of the Tablets it is revealed:

“Whosoever makes a claim before the completion of a full thousand years is a lying impostor. We beseech God to graciously assist him to retract and repent. If he repents, God will verily turn unto him. If he persists in what he claims, a bearer of divine chastisement will be sent who will deal mercilessly with him. Verily God is severe in punishing!”

For the harm of such souls has affected the divine Tree of Truth itself and has been the cause of discord, contention, conflict, the wavering of weak hearts, and the instability of the Cause among the people—and will continue to be so. Therefore, beseech God to make them know themselves and to assist them in what He desires. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

Say: Regard not the Cause of God as a trifling matter, O ye who are endowed with taste. Be not content with the bitter sea when the sweet and flowing ocean is in surge. Meditate upon the merciful utterances and regard them with penetrating vision, that perchance ye may become aware of a drop from the ocean of inner meanings that lies concealed within the Bayan. In this spiritual dawn, deprive not yourselves and other souls from the wafting breezes of the divine Robe. I swear by the Essence of Pre-existence that Baha weeps over you and laments for you. He has desired nothing for Himself and has accepted the harm of all who are on earth for your deliverance, salvation and turning unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Thus have We imparted to thee that thou mayest convey the Cause of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance. He will verily assist thee and He is the Helper. Glory be upon thee and upon thy son and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

BH00346: O Mihdi! Hearken unto the call of Him Who…

Section 1: “O Mihdi! Hearken unto the call of Him…”

In the Name of the Compassionate, the All-Loving!

O Mihdi! Hearken unto the call of Him Who is immersed in the ocean of tribulation, and when the waves grant Him respite, He raises His head, gazing toward the East, and proclaims: “The Beloved is come, turn ye unto Him!” Then do the waves overtake and submerge Him. And when they subside, He lifts His head again, looking toward the West, crying out in His loudest voice: “This is the Beloved of the worlds! He is come for your life and the exaltation of your station. Yet ye have abandoned Him in this tribulation, the like of which the eye of creation hath never beheld.” He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Mihdi! By My life! Were the veils to be rent asunder and thou wert to behold Me in the darkness wherein I dwell, thou wouldst surely go forth and cry out amidst all created things, forgetting thyself and whatever sorrows may have befallen thee. But We have concealed it as a token of grace from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Yet in such a state and under such conditions, I remain radiant from the horizon of Beauty and dawning forth from the Dayspring of Power and Majesty, in such wise that were anyone to look upon Me, he would find in the features of My countenance the joy of God, and in My cheeks the light of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Great.

Though man may flee from tribulation, yet Baha findeth His solace therein in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Thus do We impart unto thee that thou mayest cast thy sorrows behind thee and follow the Manifestation of the All-Merciful amidst all worlds. This, verily, is a mighty triumph. Cast aside thy disappointment and acknowledge that which the Supreme Pen hath testified concerning thee in numerous Tablets. Verily, thy Lord hath acknowledged thy love and hath sent down that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Beloved throughout all regions. Is it befitting to acknowledge what hath been revealed for thee, or to doubt? Nay, by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing! Abandon all else and find tranquility in thy Lord’s grace. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee, and He, verily, is to be obeyed in whatsoever He willeth.

Hear in the Persian tongue concerning that which hath been revealed, be thou assured therein and seek steadfastness from God in what thou art engaged. Doth not the testimony of God suffice thee? Indeed He hath testified to thy faith, thy turning unto Him, thy call, and thy assistance. By My life! Wert thou to know what hath been revealed for thee with true knowledge, thou wouldst soar upon the wings of longing. Beware lest the fragrance of despair pass from thee. Be thou hopeful, then send forth in every instance that which will diffuse the sweet savors of joy before the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. This is what We counseled thee aforetime and in this luminous Tablet.

No one from the beginning of the world until now hath been afflicted with such tribulations. Consider thou the Messenger of God: despite His manifest power, during the Battle of the Trench some of His companions who outwardly showed the utmost devotion and self-sacrifice, whispered secretly saying “Muhammad promiseth us the treasures of Chosroes and Caesar, yet none of us can even go to relieve himself in safety.” And this matter hath been among the claimants for numbered years without outward victory or manifest dominion—what hath occurred and what shall occur is evident.

Tu’mah, one of His companions, stole a coat of mail one night. In the morning the Jews gathered and traced its tracks and signs. After discovering this they came before His presence. It is known what these obstinate Jews did. The Prophet paused and did not wish this sin to be proven against Islam, as it would cause the undermining of God’s Cause among the people. Suddenly Gabriel descended and recited this verse:

“Lo! We have revealed unto thee the Scripture with truth that thou mayst judge between mankind by that which God showeth thee. And be not thou a pleader for the treacherous.”

Thereafter Tu’mah turned away and spread calumnies about the Prophet among the people which the Pen doth not wish to recount. He then completely apostatized and returned to Mecca, dwelling among the idolaters.

Likewise, between Zubayr, who was related to the Prophet, and Hatib there arose a dispute about water and land, until they came before the Prophet for judgment. The Prophet said: “O Zubayr! Water thy land.” At this point Hatib spoke words suggesting that the Prophet had deviated from justice. This blessed verse was revealed: “But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.” When they went out, Ammar Yasir and Ibn Masud asked “For whose sake was the judgment made?” Hatib, with utmost mockery and derision, raised his eyebrow indicating Zubayr. Several Jews who were present said: “God destroy these people!

What manner of folk are these who testify to this man’s prophethood yet suspect his judgment?” At this point Ammar Yasir declared: “By Muhammad’s God, if Muhammad were to command me to kill myself, I would do it!” And Thabit ibn Qays and Ibn Masud spoke likewise. This verse was revealed: “But had We prescribed for them, saying, Slay yourselves’ or Leave your habitations,’ they would not have done it, save a few of them; yet if they had done as they were admonished it would have been better for them, confirming them strongly”[Q4:66].

And in another instance, a dispute arose between a Jew and one of the companions. The Jew sought judgment from His Holiness, while the Muslim preferred Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf. At the Jew’s insistence, they came before His Holiness, and the initial judgment favored the Jew. Then this verse was revealed: “Have you not seen those who claim to believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray.” The Taghut’ referred to here was Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf. Then the Muslim turned away and said he would go to Umar ibn al-Khattab. After presenting the details to him, ʿUmar said: “Wait until I return.” He entered his house, took his sword, returned and struck off Ka’b’s head, saying: “This is the reward for one who is not satisfied with the judgment of God’s Messenger.” When this reached the Messenger, he named him “al-Faruq”, and from that day he was known by this title.

From these accounts it appears that today the Supreme Pen is engaged in interpreting the Qur’an and explaining its revelation. This is sorrow upon sorrow, although by the truth itself, the mention of God’s chosen ones and their traces has always been and will always be beloved. Our yearning for what is attributed to them, what their tongues have uttered, and the mention of what appeared in their days—the sorrow stems from the fact that in all ages such tribulations have befallen the Manifestations of Truth. Moreover, these times have necessitated that these mentions flow from the Chosen Pen as a matter of wisdom, so that you and the loved ones of Truth might become aware, through the allusions in the revealed verses of the Beloved of earth and heaven, of a drop from the vast ocean of tribulations that befell Him.

Section 2: “Let us return to our narrative: After…”

Let us return to our narrative: After the conquest of Mecca, the Battle of Hunayn, which is between Mecca and Ta’if, took place. After the victory, much wealth was gathered before His Holiness, including camels, sheep, and other things. His Holiness bestowed upon the nobles of Mecca, such as Abu Sufyan and others, one hundred camels each, and to those below them, forty each. Someone remarked, “I do not see you acting justly.” The Messenger became angry and said, “If justice is not with me, then with whom is it?” At this point, the Ansar became distressed, for they were the poorest of all and had received nothing from these spoils. When evil thoughts and doubts seized them, the hand of your Lord’s grace, the Master of all beings, took hold of them. The Messenger—may the spirit of all in the Kingdom be sacrificed for him—said: “O Ansar, are you not satisfied that they return with camels and sheep while you return with God’s Messenger?”

O observant servant, if I were to mention all that occurred, according to the divine verses, the discourse would be prolonged and we would stray from our purpose. The point is that despite their manifest power and the connection of inner authority with outer sovereignty, all these tribulations befell them, even while they were implementing the outward laws, as evidenced when in one day they executed seven hundred people. This concerned the Battle of Banu Qurayza. After the Battle of the Trench, Gabriel descended and said,

“O Messenger of God! The Lord of great command orders you and your companions to pray the afternoon prayer at Banu Qurayza.”

The Prophet commanded his companions as ordered and departed with them to Banu Qurayza. When they arrived, God’s forces surrounded them and terror seized their hearts. Then the Aws tribe asked the Messenger of God to release them as he had released Banu Qaynuqa, allies of the Khazraj.

The Aws and Khazraj were two tribes that had been in constant warfare until the Messenger arose and appeared with the truth—Islam united them. Therefore these two tribes were often treated similarly. The Banu Qurayza were allies of Aws, and since the Prophet had previously pardoned the Banu Qaynuqa (allies of Khazraj) through the intercession of certain hypocrites who outwardly claimed Islam and were counted among the companions, the Banu Qurayza hoped for the same treatment.

The Messenger—may all else be sacrificed for him—said, “Would you not be satisfied if Sa’d ibn Mu’adh judges their case?” He was the chief of Aws. They agreed, but Sa’d, upon whom rested the dewdrops of light, was prevented from attending due to wounds received in the Battle of the Trench. The Prophet specifically sent for him and he was brought with great difficulty. When he arrived, they informed him of the Messenger of God’s command. Sa’d said, “I judge that their men should be killed, their property divided, and their women and children taken captive.” The Messenger said, “You have judged as God has judged above the seven heavens.”

Then the Prophet returned to Medina and the army carried out Sa’d’s judgment—they struck off their heads, divided their property, and took their women and children captive. In two days they beheaded seven hundred people. Yet despite manifest and hidden power and divine might, some continuously became apostates, some returned to idols, and some turned to pure denial.

This Wronged One in the land of exile—all know that all kings have turned away and all religions oppose. Now it is clear what afflictions have come and continue to come. For instance, if someone is told “Do not drink wine” or “Do not say what God has not permitted,” they immediately rise up with unprecedented calumnies. As when We banished two wicked souls after countless transgressions—I swear by the Sun of sanctified glory—they manifested such rebellion as had never been seen in creation, attributing all their own forbidden and reprehensible acts to the Truth before all the people of the land. Upon them be what is upon them.

Now consider the degree of harm and the level of tribulation. They do what they wish and judge as they desire, except for those who have believed in God and remained steadfast. The affairs of this land are very severe—observe the Lawh-i-Samsun and likewise tablets revealed in previous years containing news of what was to come. All these matters return to the Truth itself. Nevertheless, We have been and remain engaged in what was commanded among the servants with perfect joy and delight. Therefore that soul should not be saddened by certain matters. Walk in the footsteps of thy Lord—this is God’s decree from before and after. Follow and be among those who act. The more you are wronged, the more beloved it is and shall be, following the example of thy wronged Lord.

Convey My glorification unto thy nephew on behalf of this Wronged and exiled One. Say: O ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar! The fire hath been kindled by the fingers of thy Lord and hath set the horizons ablaze, yet the people remain veiled behind a mighty veil. Draw nigh unto it with thy heart, purely for the sake of God. By My life! Through it shall be ignited within thy heart the lamp of His love in such wise that neither the winds nor all the seas of the heavens and earth can extinguish it. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having drawn nigh, entered in, attained His presence, and been the recipient of thy Lord’s glance, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Recognize the value of this bounty and arise to praise Him amongst all peoples.

After having attained the presence of thy Lord, can anything cause thee grief? This beseemeth thee not. Be content with My love and hold fast unto it. It shall suffice thee, if thou be of them that know. Though thou be heedless, He is never heedless of thee and remembereth thee, having perceived from thee the fragrance of the garment. He shall bestow upon thee whatsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful. Be steadfast in the Cause. By My life! Nothing that hath been created on earth can equal it. Be thou among the firm ones.

Then make mention of the Friend and say: Thou art in exile while thy Lord is the Exile. Yet there is this difference: thou hast none who would harm thee, torment thee, or speak evil of thee, whereas this Exile hath fallen into the hands of the oppressors who do with Him as they please, speak of Him as they wish, and pronounce against Him that which even the rejectors of former ages never pronounced. Give thanks unto thy Lord in this condition even as I give thanks in this affliction. Thus doth He Who is most loving and merciful unto thee command thee. Grieve not over anything. Stand firm in the Cause and say: Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Object of praise of the sincere ones! My soul be a sacrifice for Thy imprisonment and Thy exile, O Thou Who art wronged in the hands of the wicked ones!

When thou meetest those two who attained the presence of the Countenance and from whom thou perceivest the fragrance of God, convey unto them My glorification and give them the glad-tidings of this noble remembrance. Glory be upon you and upon them who have held fast to truth and justice from the presence of a Mighty, Ancient Being. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00497: Praise be to God that the lips of assurance…

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

Praise be to God that the lips of assurance have smiled and the pearl of mystical knowledge of the Countenance of the Most Merciful hath appeared from the shell of certitude, and the tongue of truth hath spoken with most wondrous utterance that there is none other God but He, the Luminous, the Most Luminous. Again, praise be unto Him that the sun of remembrance of the Lord of creation hath risen and shone forth from the horizon of the heart with the lights of righteousness, and the tree of certitude hath grown from the soil of the heart, and every branch of its branches and every leaf of its leaves hath spoken in diverse melodies that there is none other God but He, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

O what joy that the rose of paradise hath blossomed and its fragrances have wafted, then spread and diffused, and its breezes, its scents and its spirit have encompassed the temples of the people of mystical knowledge, and the realities of spirits have inhaled it, and every bone hath quivered therefrom and testified with clear expression that there is none other God but He, the Most Great, the Most Holy, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Gracious.

O blessed be that the nightingale of faithfulness hath warbled upon the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree with melodies like unto those of the mystic dove upon the branches of the Garden of Paradise, in praise of the Creator of Names and the Sovereign of earth and heaven, Who is sanctified above the mention of aught else but Him or the description of what is beneath Him, and exalted above whatsoever the people of grandeur and glory may ascribe unto Him.

Again, unto Him be grace and permanence and might and sublimity, that the lights of guidance have returned to their abode and the sun of unity and uniqueness hath risen from its horizon, and the temple of sanctity hath donned its robe, and the essence of testimony hath testified to its Witnessed One, its Beloved and its Intended, with its secret and its manifest being, its essence and its heart, that He is the One manifest in His manifestation and hidden in His essence, and exalted in His name, and sanctified in His being from the mention of aught else but Him, and the One witnessed in His beauty and speaking in the heaven of His might and majesty, seated upon the throne of His grandeur and established upon the seat of His command, standing through the sovereignty of His might and His greatness, and self-subsisting through the dominion of His power—He is the One to Whom all existence, both seen and unseen, beareth witness that there is none other God but He, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

My spirit be a sacrifice unto Thee and unto Thy Tablet which hath been adorned with the ornament of the remembrance of the Lord of Names, and unto the bearer who came as though bringing a musk-pod of immortality and the fragrant perfumes of joy and faithfulness. Praise be to the Beloved of eternity, exalted be His glory, that the fire of divine love hath been kindled from the Lote-Tree of the illumined heart and the call “Verily, there is none other God but He, the Luminous, the Most Luminous” hath been raised from the Sinai of the radiant breast. How blessed was that hour and how excellent that time when this evanescent servant was honored to break the seal of that spiritual tablet. All the twigs and branches of the blessed divine Lote-Tree rejoiced, especially His Holiness the Most Great Branch—exalted be His glory and praise—for due to their attachment to your honor they were greatly saddened by the delay of news from you. We praise God for this and beseech Him, exalted be He, to strengthen your honor in all conditions. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

And then, this evanescent servant presented thy letter before God. God knoweth what shone forth in that moment from the Dayspring of loving-kindness and the Source of grace and tender mercy. None can reckon it save His all-knowing Self. Thereafter there was revealed from the Source of divine utterance—exalted be His glory—these words:

“God willing, thou shouldst at all times guide people to the divine law, that perchance through goodly counsel heedless and doubtful souls may turn toward the realm of oneness. O Nabil! Arise to serve thy Ancient Lord with thy heart, thy sight, thy hearing, thy tongue and all thy members. Thus doth He command thee Who is seated upon the pivot of tribulations and calamities. Make thy feet of iron in My Cause, and thy tongue a double-edged sword in My remembrance and praise, and thine eyes gazing toward My direction, and thy heart turned toward My shining and luminous Beauty. Stand forth between the righteous and the wicked in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One. Then kindle in their hearts the fire of My remembrance and praise, that the former may increase thereby and the latter may be guided thereby. Thus doth the Sovereign of destiny command thee from this most great prospect. Heal souls from the disease of heedlessness and passion by My Most Exalted and Most Glorious Name. Blessed art thou for that which hath come from thee, whereof the Tongue of Eternity hath spoken in remembrance of thee in this Prison wherein is established the throne of thy Lord’s mercy, the Most High, the Supreme.”

Thus ended that which the Tongue of Revelation spoke. What else can this servant say regarding that which hath been revealed from the Source of Command? For if these divine fragrances were to pass over the mountains, they would transform them into rubies, and were they to pass over graves, their inhabitants would arise to praise thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Your honor hath personally heard the resplendent utterances from the mouth of the All-Merciful and knoweth how, in such instances, the ocean of meanings and wisdom floweth and surgeth from the Fountainhead of the Will of the Lord of eternity. Specifically, it hath been revealed from the right hand of oneness that ye should deal with the servants with supreme kindness, and with perfect wisdom and tender mercy gather all upon the shore of the Most Great Ocean, in such wise that never shall the odor of discord waft between the loved ones of God. And should any soul become heedless and remain veiled, remind him through counsels and admonitions, that perchance he may remember or fear. The purpose is that ye may cause all who are on earth to enter the tabernacle of oneness.

And furthermore the misbeliever became aware of the details from that Person and was inflamed within himself. We beseech God to protect your honor from his evil and his plotting. Once again there descended from the right hand of the Throne: In these days after arrival at the Most Great Prison, the Divine Will became attached to this: that He should call anew all creation to the shore of oneness with the most exalted call. Therefore specifically for each of the rulers of the earth a special Tablet was revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will, and each was designated by a name—the first by “The Cry”, the second by “The Calamity”, the third by “The Inevitable”, the fourth by “The Awakening”, the fifth by “The Overwhelming”, and likewise by “The Deafening Clamor”, “The Imminent”, “The Great Terror”, “The Trumpet Blast”, “The Horn”, and their like—so that all the people of the earth might become certain and witness with their outer and inner sight that the Lord of Names has been and shall ever be triumphant over all. Tribulations and ordeals have not and shall not prevent the Sovereign of the seen and unseen from proclaiming His Cause.

By Thy life! In the midst of tribulation, from the horizon of the Prison We have manifested the Face, shining forth amidst all the worlds, and We have called all unto God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise. However, after the dawning of these destined matters from the horizon of the Cause of the Lord of creation, all have fallen to pursuing and panting after thy Lord—they are but in perdition. And the Cause has become extremely severe, to such an extent as transcends mention and utterance. From what appears from the Ancient King, the intention and deeds of the peoples become known—no need remains to mention it. From the beginning of creation until now, such an open proclamation has never occurred. The previous Manifestation and the Herald of My Beauty had sent two Tablets, but in them there was naught save the declaration of divine authority and oppression. In view of wisdom They veiled the essential matter, and in truth there had not been a complete and open proclamation. Therefore there shone forth from the Dawning-Place of Will that which had ever been the purpose of God. Exalted be this Power that has shone forth and encompassed the worlds!

The appearance of this deed from the Lord of causes has produced two effects: it has both sharpened the swords of the ungodly and caused the tongues of those who have turned towards Him to speak forth in His praise and glorification. This is the effect of those impregnating winds that were mentioned aforetime in the Tablet of the Temple. Now the earth is seen to be pregnant—soon shall sublime fruits appear, and towering trees, and beloved flowers, and fresh bounties. Exalted is the breeze from the garment of thy Glorious Lord that has wafted and quickened all things! Blessed are they who understand. And this is quite evident and clear that in these matters the Sovereign of Manifestation had no purpose for Himself, and despite knowing that it would cause tribulations and give rise to calamities and severity of circumstances, purely out of grace and mercy and for the quickening of the dead and the proclamation of the Cause of the Lord of Names and Attributes and the salvation of all who are on earth, He has closed His eyes to His own comfort and has borne what no one has borne or shall ever bear.

O Nabil! By My life, today is the day of hearkening. Blessed is the ear that hath turned toward the Most Great Direction. Arise with My sovereignty and command amongst My creation, then remind them of what thou hast discovered from this Announcement whereby the heaven was cleft asunder, the mountains were crushed, the Great Terror appeared, the moon was eclipsed, earthquakes appeared among the tribes, the stars fell, the luminary of fancy was darkened, and the Dove sang upon the branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing. The Kingdom is God’s, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Write thou unto those who dwell in the land of Kha, then remind them of this Cause that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth. However, these are the days wherein the people of truth must conduct themselves with the attributes of God and transform satanic qualities into praiseworthy divine characteristics. Corruption hath ever been and shall ever be forbidden, and in this Most Great Revelation all peoples are forbidden from corruption. Let no one ever oppose another or rise up to wage war. The station of the people of truth hath been and shall ever be humility, submissiveness, and praiseworthy attributes.

The world is not worthy that man should commit unseemly acts and remain remote from the Sovereign of Oneness. Verily, the world laugheth at those who desire it, and declareth in its loudest voice, addressing them:

“Hath anyone ever seen from me aught of good or faithfulness? Soon shall We return you to dust, disappointed and lost, even as We returned those who came before.”

All must shine resplendent among the servants through the light of guidance, trustworthiness and fear of God, that all may thereby be drawn to the shore of the sea of oneness. Preserve what We have imparted unto thee, then recite unto the peoples, by thy Lord’s leave, the Lord of all eternity, that they might forsake their desires, turning unto God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust.

Thus have We informed thee and related unto thee and imparted unto thee and apprised thee, that thou mayest rejoice and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of Command and Creation, and in Whose right hand is the kingdom of the realm of the heavens and the earth. I thank Thee for having remembered me in the Most Great Prison and for having explained all things in detail unto me. Verily, Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Generous of the generous. Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the Day of Judgment.”

If copies of the revealed words were to be sent to outlying regions, it would be most beloved.

BH00510: This lowly servant submits that although the details…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

This lowly servant submits that although the details of the departure from the Land of Mystery [Adrianople] and the tribulations of those days are beyond description by pen and tongue—none can reckon them save God, my Lord and the Lord of all things—yet as commanded I shall briefly relate that one night, five hours past sunset, his honor Ism-i-Jamal and two others who were with him intending to attain the sacred presence were to depart at that hour of night, take their possessions and leave that land. This servant was bewildered as to the cause but was commanded and obeyed. The friends left in the morning. Some hours after their departure, people came inquiring what had happened and where they had gone. A brief response was given and they departed. Then suddenly at the eighth hour of the day, all the friends who were occupied in the bazaar, both merchants and others, were arrested and taken to the gate and imprisoned. Military officers surrounded the house. Someone came from the gate to the presence of the Most Great Branch—glorious be His praise—and submitted that by order they must proceed to Gallipoli.

What more can I say of what transpired? Everything in the sacred household was auctioned off and plundered. Later at the government house they told the companions that whoever wished could return to their own place and engage in their trade and commerce. The twelve persons who had come to serve Them in Adrianople must go together, the rest were free to choose. No one accepted to stay behind. All abandoned their belongings and possessions and everything pertaining to them, suffering great losses. Their goods were sold at very low prices. Those who purchased them delayed in payment, but they did not wait and forsook that wealth, joining the hosts of glory. And one person sacrificed himself which caused an uproar in the city. Afterwards most of the foreign consuls came to the Most Holy Presence and much was discussed. They said this journey was inevitable and must be undertaken, relying upon God in all things. In brief, were the details of what the officials said to be submitted it would be lengthy. They showed much kindness and wrote the full details of everything to all governments.

On the day of departure a strange commotion arose. With seventy-two souls They departed from the Land of Mystery toward the Prison Land. What more can I say of the joyous spirit that prevailed on the journey? By God, it was as though all were going to a feast! What more can I say of the wondrous verses that were revealed at every moment—would that you had been with us! After arrival in Gallipoli, Omar Effendi Binbashi came with five Onbashis and chavushes and submitted that They must proceed to Akka. Then on an Austrian vessel They proceeded toward Akka. Near that celestial city it stopped, and the Ancient Beauty came by rowboat. Four persons were prevented from accompanying Them: his honor Sayyah, Mishkin-Qalam, Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, and Aqa Abdul-Ghaffar—upon them be the Glory of God and His praise.

Umar Effendi mentioned that he was ordered to take these four individuals to Cyprus. The friends broke into lamentations. After a few minutes of separation, Jinab-i-Aqa Abdul-Ghaffar threw himself from the ship’s deck into the sea—how sublime was his love, detachment, reliance and steadfastness! We then arrived in Akka and were lodged in the military barracks. On the night of arrival there was absolutely nothing in the sanctuary. The Pasha sent a small evening meal, which they distributed among the children. The weather was extremely hot, the water was salty, and the food was disagreeable—one can imagine what transpired. Yet through divine grace we were and are in the utmost joy and delight. God will soon assist His servants with truth. Verily He fulfills His promise and He knows all things.

Just as everything that was recorded in previous Tablets concerning the upheaval in the Land of Mystery has been fulfilled, likewise what was written about divine assistance will certainly come to pass. Three souls also sacrificed themselves in this land of exile and prison: the two brothers Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Baqir and Aqa Muhammad-Ismail, upon them be God’s mercy and favor, who arm in arm sacrificed themselves in one night. From the beginning of creation until now, such an event has never occurred where two brothers thus united and in perfect agreement took flight from this dark earth to the Most Pure and Luminous Habitation. Blessed are they, and blessed the loins that bore them and the womb from which they came forth! The details of the favors manifested towards them I cannot now submit, as the way is cut off and the pen is forbidden. Likewise Jinab-i-Aqa Abul-Qasim from Sultanabad.

Despite all these trials we were in truth in utmost comfort, joy and delight, as we had attained His presence. However we were saddened regarding the friends in Iraq, as they were far from His presence and afflicted with intense trials. Yet as it was for God and in God’s path, there is no harm or sorrow. As for what you wrote concerning Jinab-i-Aqayi Aqa Siyyid Mihdi, upon him be the Glory of God, upon return he was verbally instructed to maintain complete secrecy, therefore he did not associate with others. And concerning what was written about the steadfastness of some of the friends, we praise and thank God for making His loved ones firm in His Cause and steadfast in His love.

Regarding Jinab-i-Zayn, you had asked for instructions. He said that today the duty of all is to be patient in the face of tribulations and to spread the mention of God among the servants with pure wisdom. Successive trials and continuous afflictions should not prevent those who have truly drunk from the Kawthar of Life, and although their hardships and trials have exceeded their strength, since all affairs are referred to God, whatever has befallen is easy. To whatever place they deem wise, they may write and send letters. As the Divine Tree itself grows through the winds of tribulation, so too are its leaves in motion. The sorrows and trials of all are dependent on the root of the Tree.

Soon will descend that which will gladden the hearts of His loved ones. Convey greetings and glory to each and every one, especially to those whose steadfastness has become evident and who are mentioned in God’s presence. If it were possible, the Mighty Missive would be sent to all, but these days do not allow it, as you observe. Furthermore, to whatever land you arrive, convey glory to the loved ones of God and say that today is the day of firmness and victory, and they should not be sorrowful in any way, for whatever has occurred was from the destined trials and was mentioned in previous Tablets. Soon will appear the wisdom of what has appeared, and we are in evident thanksgiving.

He is God! Today the foundation of all affairs has been and is service to God’s Cause, and it is best for His loved ones in every land to engage in outward affairs, for they can thus convey a word of truth to people or render some service to the friends. God willing, I hope that you will be a mention for the people of that land and move with perfect wisdom lest strangers become aware. We beseech God to assist you in all conditions. Verily, He is your Guardian in this world and the next. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.

On behalf of this servant, convey spiritual and holy mention to Jinab-i-Aqa Abdul-Ahad. We beseech God to grant him what has been sent down from the heaven of His favor and enable him to soar in the atmosphere of love for his Lord, the Most Merciful, and to detach him from all existence. Verily, He answers whoever calls upon Him, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The latest news is that Jinab-i-Ustad Muhammad-Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, has returned to the seat of the Cause after traveling through Iranian territories, bringing good news from all directions that, praise be to God, this restriction has become the cause of freedom, and this bondage has increased the stages of the servants’ unity. All are engaged in the mention of God with perfect eagerness and longing. A letter also arrived from Jinab-i-Aqayi Aqa Siyyid Mihdi, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, mentioning that praise be to God, all the loved ones everywhere are engaged in God’s mention with perfect sanctification and detachment. He had written many praises, and you know that he rarely offers praise; nevertheless, he had expressed particular satisfaction and unity with their deeds, as they have completely abandoned forbidden rejected actions.

The divine words of counsel have affected them to such a degree that nothing greater can be imagined. He had even written that his brother, Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Ali Kabir, upon them both be the Glory of God, who was known for certain deeds and whose transformation seemed impossible, has nevertheless completely abandoned all that God has forbidden. We beseech God to assist him and those who have believed in what manifests the sanctification of His Essence and the detachment of His Being from the worlds.

News has also come from the captives of Mosul. Strange it is that the prisoners spent on behalf of the prisoners. After learning of the Most Great Imprisonment, each one, both women and men, according to their means, sent gifts to the Most Holy Court. Various reports arrived from those regions. Out of fear of the sons, in the days of sedition, something had been written, but afterwards news came from the sons themselves. Although outwardly they did not display the greatest steadfastness, as was abundantly shown by others beneath their station, yet God has pardoned them. The angels held him back from tearing all the veils, but the hand of grace took hold of him. A special messenger came and met with them at the time of their departure. They remain firm in the Cause, though outwardly they are afflicted. They have served the companions and prisoners to the extent possible, and have also sent something to the Most Holy Court. Glory be to God! Strange steadfastness was shown by the people of Iraq. Surely this has reached the blessed ears, especially concerning two Christians.

Although these petitions have led to a lengthening of words, they were submitted for your honor’s information. And glory be upon you, and splendor be upon you.

BH00565: This is a Book from the Wronged One…

In The Name of Him Who is Mighty to do as He Willeth!

This is a Book from the Wronged One to him who hath clung to learning, that he may rend asunder the greatest veil and turn towards God, the Lord of destiny, and be of the fair-minded. Shouldst thou hear the melodies of the Dove which warbleth upon the twigs of the Tree of Utterance, they would so transport thee that thou wouldst find thyself detached from all the worlds. Be fair, O servant! Is God the One Who doeth what He willeth, or is it other than He? Make clear thy position and be not of the silent ones. If thou sayest it is other than He, thou hast not been fair in this matter—to this testifieth every atom and, beyond them all, thy Lord, the Speaker, the True, the Faithful. And if thou sayest that He is the One Who chooseth, then indeed He hath manifested me in truth, sent me forth, and caused me to speak verses that have struck terror into the hearts of all who are in the heavens and on earth, save those who have been seized by the breathings of revelation from thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Can any decree stand before His decree? Can anyone prevent Him from what He willeth? Nay, by His Self, if thou be of them who know!

Consider the people of the Torah—why did they turn away when the Dayspring of verses came with manifest sovereignty? Were it not for thy Lord’s protection, the divines would have put Him to death on the very first day He spoke in the name of His Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Then consider the people of the Gospel—why did they object when the Sun of the Cause shone forth from the horizon of Hijaz with lights that illumined all in the worlds? How many a learned one hath been debarred from the All-Knowing, and how many an ignorant one hath attained to the source of all knowledge! Ponder and be of the assured ones. The shepherd believed in Him while the divines turned away. Thus was the matter decreed, if thou be of them who hear. Then observe how, when Christ came, the most learned divine of the age pronounced His death sentence, while he who caught fish believed in Him. Thus doth He Who God hath sent inform thee by His binding, mighty Command.

The learned one is he who hath recognized the Known One, hath won to the lights of His countenance and is of them who have drawn nigh. Be not of those who say “God is our Lord,” yet when He sent forth the Manifestation of His Cause with clear proof, they denied the All-Merciful and gathered to slay Him. Thus doth the Pen of the Cause counsel thee, after God hath made it independent of all the worlds. We make mention of thee for the sake of God and impart unto thee that whereby thy remembrance shall endure in the Tablets of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praised. Cast aside learning and its aspects, then hold fast to the Name of the Self-Subsisting, Who hath dawned from this luminous horizon.

By God! I was sleeping when the breathings of revelation stirred me, and I was silent when my Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, caused me to speak. Were it not for His Command, I would not have revealed myself. His Will hath encompassed my will, and He hath established me in a Cause whereby the darts of the idolaters have assailed me. Read thou what We have sent down to the kings, that thou mayest be assured that this servant speaketh by the command of One Knowing, Informed, and mayest witness that tribulations have not prevented Him from making mention of the Lord of Names. He hath called all unto God, and the might of the oppressors hath not frightened Him.

Hearken unto what the Dayspring of verses calleth thee from One Mighty, All-Wise. Arise to serve the Cause through God’s power and strength, detached from those who have objected to God after He came with this momentous announcement. Say: O concourse of divines! Take hold of your pens, for the Supreme Pen speaketh betwixt earth and heaven. Then be silent that ye may hear what the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth from this noble prospect. Say: Fear ye God and refute not the truth by what ye possess. Follow Him to Whom all things have testified and be not of the doubters. That which ye possess shall not profit you this day; nay rather, that which is with God, if ye be of them that discern.

Say: O people of the Qur’an! He Who was promised unto you in the Book is come. Fear ye God and follow not every sinful idolater. Verily He hath been manifested in such wise that none can deny it except those who are veiled by the shrouds of fancy and are accounted among the rejected ones. Say: The Word hath appeared, at which your divines and your learned men have fled. This is what We foretold you aforetime. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The learned one is he who hath acknowledged the One Who is the Object of all knowledge, and he who turneth away is not worthy to be called a learned one, though he may have mastered all the knowledge of the ancients. The mystic is he who hath recognized the One Who is the Object of all mystical knowledge, and the man of distinction is he who hath turned unto this bounty which hath appeared through a wondrous command. Say: O people! Drink ye of the choice wine which We have unsealed with the hands of might. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Almighty. Thus have We counselled you, that haply ye may abandon your own desires and turn unto divine guidance, and be numbered among those who are assured.

Hear ye in the Persian tongue, that perchance ye may discover the sweet-scented breezes of the merciful Divine Robe which are wafting today, and hasten to the path of the One True Friend.

Ponder awhile. What is it that prompted, in every Dispensation, the peoples of the earth to shun the Manifestation of the All-Merciful? What could have impelled them to turn away from Him and to challenge His authority? Were men to meditate on these words which have flowed from the Pen of the Divine Ordainer, they would, one and all, hasten to embrace the truth of this God-given, and ever-enduring Revelation, and would testify to that which He Himself hath solemnly affirmed. It is the veil of idle imaginations which, in the days of the Manifestations of the Unity of God and the Daysprings of His everlasting glory, hath intervened, and will continue to intervene, between them and the rest of mankind. For in those days, He Who is the Eternal Truth manifesteth Himself in conformity with that which He Himself hath purposed, and not according to the desires and expectations of men. Even as He hath revealed: “So oft, then, as an Apostle cometh to you with that which your souls desire not, do ye swell with pride, and treat some as impostors, and slay others.”

There can be no doubt whatever that had these Apostles appeared, in bygone ages and cycles, in accordance with the vain imaginations which the hearts of men had devised, no one would have repudiated the truth of these sanctified Beings. Though such men have been, night and day, remembering the one true God, and have been devoutly engaged in the exercise of their devotions, yet they failed in the end to recognize, and partake of the grace of, the Daysprings of the signs of God and the Manifestations of His irrefutable evidences. To this the Scriptures bear witness. Thou hast, no doubt, heard about it.

Consider the Dispensation of Jesus Christ. Behold, how all the learned men of that generation, though eagerly anticipating the coming of the Promised One, have nevertheless denied Him. Both Annas, the most learned among the divines of His day, and Caiaphas, the high priest, denounced Him and pronounced the sentence of His death.

In like manner, when Muhammad, the Prophet of God—may all men be a sacrifice unto Him—appeared, the learned men of Mecca and Medina arose, in the early days of His Revelation, against Him and rejected His Message, while they who were destitute of all learning recognized and embraced His Faith. Ponder awhile. Consider how Balal, the Ethiopian, unlettered though he was, ascended into the heaven of faith and certitude, whilst ‘Abdu’llah Ubayy, a leader among the learned, maliciously strove to oppose Him. Behold, how a mere shepherd was so carried away by the ecstasy of the words of God that he was able to gain admittance into the habitation of his Best-Beloved, and was united to Him Who is the Lord of Mankind, whilst they who prided themselves on their knowledge and wisdom strayed far from His path and remained deprived of His grace. For this reason He hath written: “He that is exalted among you shall be abased, and he that is abased shall be exalted.” References to this theme are to be found in most of the heavenly Books, as well as in the sayings of the Prophets and Messengers of God.

Verily I say, such is the greatness of this Cause that the father flieth from his son, and the son flieth from his father. Call ye to mind the story of Noah and Canaan. God grant that, in these days of heavenly delight, ye may not deprive yourselves of the sweet savors of the All-Glorious God, and may partake, in this spiritual Springtime, of the outpourings of His grace. Arise in the name of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge, and, with absolute detachment from the learning of men, lift up your voices and proclaim His Cause. I swear by the Daystar of Divine Revelation! The very moment ye arise, ye will witness how a flood of Divine knowledge will gush out of your hearts, and will behold the wonders of His heavenly wisdom manifested in all their glory before you. Were ye to taste of the sweetness of the sayings of the All-Merciful, ye would unhesitatingly forsake your selves, and would lay down your lives for the Well-Beloved.

Who can ever believe that this Servant of God hath at any time cherished in His heart a desire for any earthly honor or benefit? The Cause associated with His Name is far above the transitory things of this world. Behold Him, an exile, a victim of tyranny, in this Most Great Prison. His enemies have assailed Him on every side, and will continue to do so till the end of His life. Whatever, therefore, He saith unto you is wholly for the sake of God, that haply the peoples of the earth may cleanse their hearts from the stain of evil desire, may rend its veil asunder, and attain unto the knowledge of the one true God—the most exalted station to which any man can aspire. Their belief or disbelief in My Cause can neither profit nor harm Me. We summon them wholly for the sake of God. He, verily, can afford to dispense with all creatures.

I pray that thou mayest be so enkindled, by the fire of the love of thy Lord—which is none other than light itself in this Manifestation of the All-Compelling God—that the whole of creation may be moved and stirred by its warmth, and turn unto the Truth. Glory be unto him who hath attained unto the lights of guidance and recognized God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Possessor of all names! I beseech Thee by the revelations of Thy signs and the hidden tokens of Thy favor to make me one of them who have turned unto Thee and turned away from all else save Thee, who have acknowledged Thy singleness and confessed Thy oneness, and who have soared in the atmosphere of nearness to Thee until they became captives in Thy domains and abased among Thy creatures. O my Lord! I have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounties and clung to the hem of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee not to shut me out from Thy gate which Thou hast opened unto all who dwell in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. Then grant me, O my God, that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and written down for Thy loved ones. Aid me, moreover, to serve Thee in such wise that the denial of them that have turned away from Thee shall not keep me back from observing Thy right, nor shall the assault of the oppressors prevent me from proclaiming Thy Cause.

Wilt Thou, O my God, withhold me from drawing nigh unto Thee after Thou hast called me to Thee? Wilt Thou drive me from the dawning-place of Thy signs after Thou hast summoned me to the horizon of Thy grace? O Lord! This is one who thirsts for the river of Thy bounty, and an ignorant one who seeketh to draw near to the ocean of Thy knowledge. Teach me, O my God, from Thy hidden knowledge whereby Thou didst give life to what was and what shall be. Make me, moreover, to circle round Thy good-pleasure, to be submissive to Thy command, and humble before Thy loved ones who have sought Thy presence and attained the light of Thy countenance, and entered the city wherein the sweet savors of Thy revelation were wafted and the fragrances of Thy inspiration were diffused. Thou art, verily, powerful to do what Thou willest. I testify that Thou art the Sovereign over all who are in earth and heaven, and the Almighty over all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH00595: O My Name! Upon thee be My glory!…

He is God, exalted be His glory in wisdom and utterance!

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory! The letters thou didst send have all been honored by the glance of favor and have attained unto the blessing of being heard. The Living Waters of the Kawthar have ever flowed and descended from the Supreme Pen, yet no seeker is to be found. Now that the baseness of the people of the Bayan hath reached such a state that Ibn-i-Ja’far-i-Kirmani hath become the leader of the people and guide of mankind, they have attributed calumnies to the King of existence—from Whose right and left flow the Euphrates of mercy and surge the seas of bounty, and Who throughout His life hath been caught in the claws of His enemies—and have made these calumnies a cause of the people’s deviation. In brief, a group, like unto the former people, are striving and endeavoring to extinguish the light of God and cut down the Blessed Tree. Therefore, the Supreme Pen hath chosen and continueth to choose silence.

O My Name! Among the wonders of the world is that one who hath lived his entire life in utmost comfort is called oppressed, while He Who throughout all His days hath borne imprisonment, exile, beating and the like is mentioned by another name. Such is the condition of the heedless servants. Those souls who are ignorant of the root of the Cause strive with the utmost cunning and deception to lead others astray.

The letter of his honor Buzurg, upon him be My glory, was noted. We make mention of him as We have mentioned him before in numerous Tablets, and I am the All-Knowing Rememberer. By My life! They have attained unto My verses. When they shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Will, the denizens of the Supreme Concourse and the dwellers on the shore of the Crimson Sea showered upon him the pearls of wisdom and utterance. O My Name! My Pen lamenteth and speaketh: Beseech ye God that He may draw the servants from the left hand of idle fancies to the right hand of certitude.

Mention was made of his honor Muhammad and Aqajan. Mention of both hath been sent down from the heaven of utterance of God, exalted be His glory. The relatives of the Martyr, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness and My mercy and My grace, have ever been and continue to be remembered. My Name Jamal, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, sent to the Most Holy Court the petition of the wife of the Martyr, upon her be the grace of God and His mercy and His glory. Praise and gratitude be unto Him. All are adorned with the ornament of faith and are gazing toward the Supreme Horizon.

O My Name! For twelve hundred years the former people were worshippers of names while counting themselves among the believers in Divine unity. By the life of God! They never inhaled the fragrance of unity, as became evident and manifest from the recompense of their deeds on the Day of Resurrection. They committed that which caused the realm of immortality to implore annihilation from God, glorified and exalted be He. Not a single person in that land, whether learned or ignorant, remained except that they engaged in cursing and execration. Finally they committed that which amazeth the realm of justice and fairness. Today, should any soul reflect upon the deeds and actions of those souls and their fruits, he would become established upon the throne of certitude and would abide upon the seat of assurance.

Names would not withhold him from the ocean of inner meanings, nor would the doubts and intimations of the opposers and deniers affect him. They run from city to city and village to village, thinking they are helping the Cause of God and protecting His Law. Say: O heedless ones! The Truth hath come with “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” and abideth in the pavilion of glory with “He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” Whosoever drinketh from the ocean deposited within this word shall find himself free and liberated, and shall regard all else besides God as mere dust, nay, even more abject, were they but to know it.

O Buzurg! Mention has been made of Siyyid Ali and likewise his vow hath been accepted. Blessed is he in that he hath turned towards God, the Single, the All-Knowing. O Siyyid Ali! Strive to attain such a station that the ants of the world shall have no power over thee. The people of that land, despite their many claims, have ultimately become the most loss-bearing of all people. Beseech ye God that through the power of the Most Exalted Pen He may grant strength unto the people, bestow might, and make them powerful, that all may be adorned with the Word of God as revealed in the Bayan. He saith that a year-old child in the Day of His Manifestation is mightier than the entire Bayan. All matters have been and are dependent upon this Manifestation. The divine Books all proclaim and herald this, and the Messengers have explained and acted upon it, yet the people are in evident delusion.

The letter of Jalal, upon him be My glory, was perused. Mention of him hath been made in the Most Holy Court, before and after, and all that he wrote to the servant in attendance hath been honored to be heard. Blessed is he and blessed are the friends of God in that land who were not held back by human limitations from the Most Great Prospect, and whom the hosts of those that turned away from God, the Lord of the worlds, did not frighten. We make mention of his mother and his wife. O My Name! All the souls mentioned in his letter have attained and been honored by the traces of the Most Exalted Pen.

O Jalal! Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto that which most of the peoples of the world are deprived of. Thou hast heard the Divine Call and beheld the waves of the ocean of utterance. Thy call hath been and is being heard. God, exalted be His glory, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He heareth and seeth. Convey My greetings to the friends in that land. Some time ago wondrous and exalted Tablets were revealed from the heaven of glory and dispatched. In every letter thereof an ocean lieth concealed. By the Sun of proof! Were the people to attain unto them and drink therefrom, they would find themselves independent of all save God.

O people of God! This is the Day of steadfastness. The cawing ones are spread abroad like locusts, and this is the news which the Ancient Beauty gave in Zawra and the Land of Mystery and this land, thus informing all. Today the ocean of mercy is surging and the Most Great Name standeth before all faces. Blessed are they whom the whisperings of devils and the doubts of the idolaters did not prevent or hold back from the straight path.

O My Name! The letter of ʿAttar, upon him be the glory of God, was perused. The Most Exalted Pen hath borne and beareth witness that they are among those who arose to serve at the beginning of the Cause. Both men and women have been observed to be steadfast and enkindled in exalting the Word and serving the people of God. We beseech God to make all steadfast and to illumine them with the lights of the Sun of Truth. He is, verily, powerful and mighty over all things. Blessed is the mother who hath been named by the Tongue of the Lord of Names as the Mother of the Friends. We make mention of her at this moment that it may be a glory, an honor and a treasure for her with God, the Lord of the worlds.

The resplendent Remembrance from the horizon of the Kingdom and the radiant Light from the heaven of might be upon thee, O My handmaiden and My leaf, who hath spoken My praise, turned unto My horizon, soared in My atmosphere, clung to My cord and held fast to the hem of My loving-kindness and mercy. Thou art she who turned unto the Most Exalted Horizon when the Creator of the heavens came with the kingdom of names, and who hearkened when the Most Sublime Pen raised its shrill voice, and who hastened unto the ocean of knowledge when the concourse of divines and rulers held back.

Blessed art thou, O mother of My loved ones and she who hath shown kindness to My chosen ones. I testify that thy heart was a dawning-place of the love of God, thy tongue a source of His remembrance, and thy breast His view. Blessed is the handmaiden who turned unto thee and made mention of that which was sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s will, the All-Merciful, when thou didst ascend unto the Most Exalted Companion and didst dwell in the precincts of the mercy of thy Lord, the Lord of all men and the Lord of the worlds to come and of the first worlds. Blessed is the earth that was honored by thy body and attained unto thy presence.

I testify that thou didst believe in God when most of His servants denied Him, and didst drink of My choice sealed wine through My Self-Subsisting Name when most of the people of the lands were debarred therefrom. Thou art she whom neither clamor deterred nor hatred veiled. Thou didst voice the praise of thy Lord until thy spirit ascended unto a station known to none save God, the Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens. In thy life thou wert in a house wherein was raised the remembrance of God, the Goal of all desire, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below. Thou art she who attained unto the verses of thy Lord before and after thine ascension.

Mercy outstripped thee and grace encompassed thee, and light moved before thy face, and at the time of thine ascension a company of angels and the Spirit received thee. He Who possesseth the Mother Book beareth witness unto this. Glory be upon thee, upon thy beginning and thine end, thy outer and inner being, and the mercy of God and His favors.

O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by the hearts that were cut to pieces in Thy path and dissolved in separation from Thee, and by the bodies that soared in Thy love, and by the faces that turned unto Thy face, and by the sweet-scented breezes of Thy Revelation in Thy days, and by the manifestations of Thy power in Thy Kingdom and Thy Realm of Might, to ordain for him who hath visited Thy handmaiden, through Thy Most Exalted Pen, the best of the world to come and of the first world. Then forgive him, O my God, through Thy grace and bounty, and purify him, O my Goal, from transgression, through Thy Name, the All-Merciful. Thou art He through Whose Name, the All-Forgiving, the ocean of forgiveness surged in the contingent world, and through Whose Name, the All-Bountiful, the sun of bounty shone forth from the horizon of the world.

I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy face to forgive Thy servants and to remit their misdeeds and transgressions. Then accept from them, O my God, what they have wrought in Thy days and what they have arisen to render in service to Thy loved ones and chosen ones. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth, and in Thy right hand are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

BH00719: This is what hath been uttered by the tongue…

This is what hath been uttered by the tongue of the Beloved:

O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! Thy letter hath come before Our presence and We have heard what was therein. Through this the ocean of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, hath been set in motion and casteth forth the pearls of divine knowledge. Be thou thankful and numbered with them that render thanks. We beseech God to adorn with thy remembrance the temple of existence and through thee to raise the standards of His Cause amidst the concourse of the seen and the unseen. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

As to what thou didst mention concerning Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan, convey unto him greetings from this lonely Prisoner. Say: Blessed art thou, O servant, for having migrated with the exiles of God, having accompanied them and joined with them in thy journey. Thy Lord, verily, is the Protector of all things. He knoweth what the hands of His loved ones have wrought and witnesseth what they do in His path. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Wise. Grieve not that thou wert prevented from attaining Our presence. We desire him who hath desired Us, yet the heedless have intervened between us. We have written for thee the reward of one who hath attained Our presence and appeared before Our countenance. This is of My bounty unto thee. Be thou grateful before the face of thy Lord and be of them that show thanks. We have accepted this visitation of thine. This is a word We have caused to shine forth from the horizon of creation and it shall endure as long as God endureth. This is yet another bounty that hath encompassed thee from One Who is Mighty, Beautiful.

Wert thou to ponder on that which hath proceeded from the mouth of the Divine Will, thou wouldst remember the Lord of all creation throughout all thy days and be enkindled with that Fire wherewith the hearts of them that are near have been set ablaze. Convey My remembrance unto thy brother Husayn and give him the glad tidings of My mention of him. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Say: Be ye steadfast, O loved ones of God, in His Cause, then make mention of Him with wisdom and utterance. Beware lest ye transgress the bounds of wisdom. We have made it another sign from your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Hold fast unto it in all conditions. Thus have ye been commanded aforetime and in this perspicuous Tablet. Through wisdom do We educate Our loved ones. It is My adornment amongst those who have turned unto God and are of them that are well-directed.

O Zayn! Glorify on My behalf those who are in thy land, then impart unto them that which hath sprinkled upon them from this surging, encompassing, mighty, and exalted Ocean. The name of each one of them hath been mentioned in the Tablets of thy Lord. This is of His bounty unto them and unto His believing servants. Then make mention on My behalf of the handmaidens of God who are there and give them glad tidings through this Wise Remembrance. Upon them and upon them all be the Glory of God, thy Lord, so long as the Dove warbleth upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree. The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the Single, the Peerless, the All-Informed.

Excellent is what thou hast mentioned concerning Asadu’llah and what thou hast desired for him regarding the proof of servitude. Blessed art thou, O Zayn! By My life, this is a station that no other station can equal, were people possessed of insight. Blessed is he who hath adorned his temple with the ornament of servitude unto God, the Truth, and blessed is he who layeth his face upon the dust in humility before the Lord of Lords, turning unto Him. This, verily, is the praiseworthy station with thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Wise. Make mention of him on My behalf, then send unto him this fragrance which We have sent from the direction of the Throne that he may inhale the sweet scents of the garment and arise to praise his Lord at all times.

Say: Be thou assured by the grace of thy Lord that thy name hath appeared before the Face. God hath absolved thee of thy misdeeds and hath ordained for thee in the Tablet an exalted station. Were We to mention the effects thereof throughout the duration of the Kingdom and the Dominion, it would never end. Thy Lord, verily, is the Ruler over what He willeth. He detaileth unto whomsoever He pleaseth whatsoever He desireth and aideth those who have turned unto Him through His grace. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Generous.

O Asad! Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord, then aid Him in His land. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having moved Thy Most Exalted Pen to make mention of me. Ordain for me, O my God, that which Thou lovest and with which Thou art well-pleased, for I know nothing and Thou art the All-Knowing.

Then make mention of ʿAli on my behalf. Say: Be not grieved at being debarred from the precincts of the Divine Purpose. Be content with what God hath ordained for thee. He ordaineth what He pleaseth for whom He pleaseth. He is indeed the Sovereign over all the worlds. Blessed art thou for having turned unto God and hastened unto Him. This turning hath been recorded by the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This is better for thee than all thou witnessest and beholdest. Be not grieved at anything. Put thy trust in Him in all matters. He is with His servants who seek Him. Beseech God, thy Lord, to make thee steadfast in His Cause. He ordaineth for whomsoever He pleaseth that which is best for him.

Thy Lord is, in truth, the Most Merciful of the merciful. Aid His Cause through mentioning Him amongst His servants. This is the most meritorious of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. He is indeed informed of all things. We have accepted thy migration in His path and thy return by His command, and have ordained for thee that which will gladden the eyes of them that are nigh unto Him. In His hand is the dominion of command and creation. He is, in truth, potent over all things.

Then make mention of Isma’il who drank the choice wine of life in the days of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and bore hardships in the path of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Make mention of him on My behalf and convey unto him what We have sent down from the direction of the Throne, that the fragrance of thy Lord’s utterance may be diffused throughout the land wherein he dwelleth. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Mighty, the Ancient of Days. Say: Grieve not over what hath befallen thee. Reflect upon what thy Lord hath endured in manifesting His Cause. Say: Praise be to Thee, O God of the seen and the unseen. God is well aware of thine exile from thy native land and thy drawing nigh unto another land.

Grieve not on this account. This is what God hath written for Himself, as thou seest Him in the land of exile in a far-off prison. Arise to make mention of Me and to praise Me, then soar on the wings of detachment unto the atmosphere of My mercy and grandeur that thou mayest hear the call of the birds of My throne and the doves of My oneness. By My life! Through these are attracted the hearts of them that have sought the countenance of their Lord, the All-Merciful, in those days, and through these are wafted the sweet savors of the All-Glorious throughout all worlds. Thy Lord is indeed the Ruler over what was and what shall be.

When thou attainest unto the Tablet of God and its effects, make mention of Him with wisdom and clear exposition, that perchance they who slumber on the couch of idle fancies may arise at the call and turn towards this Quarter round which circle angels brought nigh unto God. Turn with thy heart unto the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say:

I am he who hath turned unto Thee, and hath set his face towards the Dawning-Place of Thy verses, the Dayspring of Thine inspiration and the Manifestation of Thy Cause. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst quicken all created things, to number me among them who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy love and who have remained steadfast in Thy Cause until Thou didst manifest unto them Thy sovereignty in Thy kingdom and Thy power over all that are in Thy earth. Then write down for me what beseemeth Thy greatness and Thy majesty. Thou art, verily, powerful to do what Thou pleasest. Thou art, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! Hearken unto that which thy Lord calleth thee from the direction of the Throne, then send it unto him who hath been named Abu’l-Qasim, that the call of his Lord may attract him and detach him from all who dwell on earth. Say: O servant, hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s loving-kindness. He will verily protect thee in truth. He is indeed the Almighty, the Powerful. When the fragrance of the garment which We have sent from the direction of thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious, wafteth over thee, turn with thy heart unto Him. Say:

O my God, my Lord and my Beloved! I testify that Thou art my Creator and my Provider, and that Thy love preceded my love for my father and mother. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the believers drank the wine of certitude and the sincere ones partook of the Kawthar of assurance, and through which the breezes of forgiveness wafted over all created things, to protect me from those who have denied Thy signs, rejected Thy truth and repudiated Thy power. O Lord! Cause me to enter beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy mercy, then number me among those who have drunk the wine of steadfastness from the hands of Thy bounty and the Kawthar of utterance from the fingers of Thy mercy, that nothing may prevent me from turning toward Thee and arising to remember Thee.

I beseech Thee by Thy Self to ordain me as one of those who circle round Thee and gaze upon Thy countenance, detached from all things, and who move according to Thy will. Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise. Then write down for me that which is best in Thy sight and ordain for me to act according to Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Great.