Volume 048: 1872–1873 1289–1290 A.H., Part II (1 of 5)

BH01754: Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Names…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, the Most Generous

Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Names, which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven. Verily, there is none other God besides Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. Through your mention, the Most Great Remembrance hath rejoiced, and through your letter the Ancient Beauty, Who hath come from the heaven of certitude with proof and evidence, hath been gladdened. We testify that ye drink, in remoteness, the wine of nearness, and in separation, the water of reunion, and We perceive from you the fragrance of faithfulness. This is a station none hath attained save he who hath shattered the idol of associating partners with God through power and dominion. Grieve not at separation, for verily it is a sign of reunion. Your Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, beareth witness to this. This is a station We have ordained for you as a bounty from Our presence, and I am the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We oft-times remember those moments when ye were present before the Throne, and these days when the veils of the people of error have come between us. At times We recall the days of reunion and their sweetness, and at other times the days of separation and their burning pain. Thus doth God remember those who have chosen Him over all else. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

O ʿAli! The Ancient Beauty hath turned toward thee from this Most Great Prison, and remembereth thee with that which nothing in all creation can equal. That which ye sent to Ism-i-Mihdi hath been read before Us, and the Dawning-Place of sorrows hath been gladdened thereby. We remember the All-Merciful at all times in such wise that neither the tyranny of them that are on earth nor the swords of the contentious can hinder Us. We have been afflicted among the people of Syria in whose hearts is concealed hatred for God, thy Lord, the Lord of all mankind. We hear from its very pebbles “The kingdom belongeth to the Revealer of verses,” yet its people are in strange doubt. The peoples were promised the Lord of the Day of Remedy, but when He came with the truth, they turned away from the face of Beauty. The land of Syria was given glad tidings of the land of God, but when He came, they turned away from Him and arose in such hypocrisy as the eye of creation hath not seen. They hear the verses of God and deny them. They are indeed the people of hellfire.

O ʿAli! Inhale the fragrance of My love from the breezes of My verses which We have sent unto thee from this quarter which God, the Lord of all quarters, hath ordained. Convey My glorification unto the faces of those who have believed in God and have detached themselves from every doubting misbeliever. They who have been faithful to God’s Covenant are among the choicest of creation. Upon them be the glory of God and His mercy, and the light of God and His praise. We testify that they are among those endued with understanding. And they who have broken God’s covenant have no portion of this bounty which hath encompassed all regions. He hath prospered who hath remained steadfast, and hath lost who hath turned away from God, the Lord of all men. Soon shall come a day wherein God will exalt those who have held fast to the cord of His Cause and have attained unto the Dayspring of lights.

Then do We make mention of Ha’ before Sin from this manifest horizon—he who was afflicted with separation from Me after having drunk the water of reunion. Blessed art thou for having remained steadfast in the Cause and for having won the remembrance of God in My days and for having kept the Covenant. We beseech God to confirm thee in that whereunto thou hast attained and to draw thee near at all times. Were We to remember you throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly dominion, the love of My heart would not be exhausted, for We have found from you the fragrance of the love of your Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

God willing, may ye ever be gladdened by the glad-tidings of the Lord of Names and Attributes. Ye have always been and will continue to be beneath the glances of the favors of the Lord of Names. Never have ye been absent from Our sight. Every soul who hath today attained unto the most great steadfastness is accounted as human in the presence of the All-Merciful; without it, he is more abject than animals. The Most Exalted Pen is ever engaged in the remembrance of the friends—this is a bounty that hath had and hath no peer or likeness. God willing, may ye be gladdened by the remembrance of Truth and remain steadfast in His Cause. The glory from God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, be upon you.

BH01773: Concerning what you wrote about someone from Europe who…

Concerning what you wrote about someone from Europe who had come seeking to learn of this community’s claims, laws and fundamental purpose—this was presented at the Divine Throne. His word, exalted be His majesty: “O physician! The laws were revealed in those days but We did not send them forth—a wisdom from Our presence. It is not permitted that he whom you mentioned in your letter should become acquainted with them, for We see the days in travail. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. When the time cometh, We shall send them forth in truth as a grace from Our presence to all the worlds.

“As for what he asked about the foundation of the Cause, say: Thou wouldst not hear from me even if thou hadst an attentive ear. Turn rather to the rock—thou wouldst hear it cry out in the loudest voice that, by God, that which was hidden in the treasuries of infallibility and power and the repositories of might and mystery hath appeared with a sovereignty that neither the veils of the wicked nor the imaginings of the heedless can withhold. Then turn to the thickets—thou wouldst hear them proclaim The Self-Sufficient, the Most High hath come!’ Then hasten to the mountain peaks—verily they declare The Lord of all possibility hath come!’ Thus do all things speak, if thou be of them that hear. Hast thou not heard that the Spirit said that if these were silent, the very stones would cry out? Thus doth He inform thee, with Whom is the Preserved Tablet. Wouldst thou inquire about the sun after its rising at high noon, and seek after That compared to which the very essence of knowledge is ashamed to be associated? Rather rub thine eyes with the fingers of submission, then look—thou shalt see Him at the heart of the world, speaking in the name of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

“Say: This is He Who was promised to you in all God’s scrolls, of Whom Isaiah informed you. Return thy gaze to the Torah and the Gospel that thou mayest know the decree of this Day and detach thyself from what thou hast, turning to the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

“This is not the day for questions. The Beginning hath been made manifest in the End, invested with the sovereignty of majesty and glory, and summoneth all unto the Dawning-Place of the clear tokens of your Lord, the All-Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Most Great. Beware lest thou be of them that awaited the days of the Christ, and when He came unto them with the truth, pronounced the edict of His death, and were numbered with the utterly lost.

“Lo, the Dove is, beneath the talons of the enemy, crying aloud with a most exalted cry—such is the measure of the fear wherewith the hosts of heedlessness have sought to affright Him. Yet neither hath He been hindered by what hath befallen Him at the hands of the unjust, nor by what hath been inflicted upon Him by the people of hatred. Wouldst thou but ponder it—ponder that which hath been visited upon Him, and that which He uttereth in the Kingdom of creation—thou wouldst forsake the world and all that is therein, and turn, with thy whole being, unto the Dayspring of lights, and wouldst say:”I believe in God, O thou imprisoned Stranger!”

“O physician! to utter such words in this day is not permissible. Was it not known unto thee that the Most Exalted Pen, until it moved of itself, would not be stirred by aught besides? For it hath ever been mindful of the weakness of men, and hath dealt gently with them. Yet behold how mighty is that which hath descended from Him; and behold how that which lay hidden in the heaven of thy Lord’s Will hath been unveiled.

“And these people—how unfairly they judge!—despite these shining proofs, these sanctified conditions, these well-established disclosures, these manifest signs, and these all-embracing proofs—are still drunken with the wine of vain desire. The passions of men have withheld them from the Most Exalted Horizon.

“And that person whereof thou hast spoken was not sincere. His purpose was but this, that he may report on some fresh item of news—for the travellers of Europe are exceedingly eager for new reports, that they may boast thereof in their own lands; and some are specially commissioned to wander about in the regions and send back fresh news. Such is his aim.

“Therefore give him no document, for he will spread it abroad in that very city. In truth, this answer that hath been revealed was dictated by mercy toward that honoured one, and was not intended for the questioner alone.”

BH01786: This is a Book sent down in truth, wherein…

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Powerful over whatsoever He willeth!

This is a Book sent down in truth, wherein is mentioned that which causeth the Face of the Cause to shine forth between earth and heaven. Say: Verily it is the Exposition of God unto all who dwell in the realm of possibility. From its horizon hath shone forth the Sun of Utterance, and there hath been inscribed upon it by the Pen of the All-Merciful: “The Prison,” for the Manifestation of your Lord’s Cause, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

O thou who art of the kindred! Hearken unto that which is spoken by the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory, that the mention of thy Lord may draw thee to a station wherein sorrows shall not overtake thee. Through thee have We manifested the Cause in such wise that hearts were confounded and eyes were blinded. Know thou that when We desired to create that which was new, We brought it forth alone and spoke unto it a word whereat its very foundations trembled before the Face, in such wise that it was nigh unto swooning away. We preserved it through Our sovereignty, then did We proceed with its creation until We had created it and breathed into it the spirit of might and power, such that were We to command it, it would subdue all who are in the heavens and on earth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

When its creation was completed through thy Lord’s Word, and it was fashioned by the breath of Revelation, it smiled before the Face and turned toward the place of sacrifice with power and sovereignty, advancing in such wise that the Concourse on High and the dwellers in the Cities of Names were stirred thereby. Thereupon the call was raised from the direction of grandeur:

“Blessed be the All-Glorious Who hath created whatsoever He willeth! Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.”

Would that thou hadst been present before the Throne when the Tongue of Power conversed with him in such wise as caused spirits to take flight! When We showed unto him the Kingdom of the Cause and shone upon him from the Dayspring of Revelation, he was illumined by the lights of that effulgence. Such rapture seized him that he soared on the wings of detachment to aid thy Lord, the Creator of all things. Through him were gladdened the eyes of victory and adorned was the temple of the Cause. Exalted be this station, the mention of which no Tablets can bear and before which all pens fall powerless!

Dost thou imagine that he is dead? Nay, by Him Who revealeth the verses! Through him hath the Spirit of Life stirred within the heart of all creation. Know ye this, O ye who are endued with insight! He is in the All-Highest Horizon and the Most Glorious Companion, calling the peoples of creation unto God, the Mighty, the Help in Peril. Dost thou reckon him as one among the servants? Nay, by the Lord of all existence! Through him have all tribes been seized with earthquakes, the pillars of tyranny have trembled, and the countenance of victory hath shone forth from the horizon of power. Can names attain unto him? Nay, by their Lord! He hath ascended unto a station beyond all mention. Through him have We caused the Cry to be raised once again, in such wise that the very rock hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling!”

Thus have We adorned the heaven of utterance with the sun of the steadfastness of Our name, the Wondrous, and the heaven of power with that star which shineth forth from the horizon of all regions. The Most Exalted Pen then addresseth him from the direction of his All-Glorious Lord: Upon thee be the remembrance of God and His praise, and the praise of the people of the Realm of Might, and the praise of the people of the Kingdom, and the praise of all things at all times.

God hath ordained for every soul to turn his face toward the direction of the Letter Ta and to speak that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Thus hath the matter been decreed by thy Lord, the Knower of the hidden and the manifest. If aught hath been lacking in thy service unto Him, overlook it and be content. Thus doth the Sovereign of the Cause command thee. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We have prescribed for every son the service of his father. Thus have We ordained the matter in the Book. Be thou steadfast in the Cause under all conditions, in such wise that the cawing of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of Lords, shall not deter thee. Thou seest the idolaters as naught but earthworms, and their clamor as but the buzzing of flies. Can any thing withstand His Cause? Nay, by My true Self! Yet the people are in doubt and misgiving.

Illumine faces with the sun of thy Lord’s remembrance and hearts with the light of His countenance that shineth upon all regions. The glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who have turned unto God on the Day of the Mutual Summons.

BH01851: Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names…

In His Name, the One Who has dominion over all things!

Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having ordained for the Afnan such wondrous tokens of Thy grace and bounty, and for having strengthened them as revealed in Thy Tablets. Make then, O my God, each one of them to endure through Thine eternity and to stand firm in support of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy Word. Remove not from their temples the traces of the spring of Thy mercy, and adorn them, O my God, in all conditions with the leaves of Thy mercy and favors. Then ordain for them the reward of those who have attained unto Thy presence and appeared before the Throne in Thy days, and whom the wine of reunion has so inebriated that they have detached themselves from all desires, standing in service to Thee at morn and eventide.

When he heard the call from the direction of tribulation:

“Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

There is nothing to which We have not conveyed the Command of thy Lord, and no land to which We have not sent the fragrances of this Musk that has perfumed all the worlds. Those who have found and remained steadfast—these are the people of Baha, and their names shall be mentioned in this noble scene. And those who have not found—the name of nothing can be applied to them except that they are among the dead.

The trees of Paradise have been stirred by the breezes of your Lord, the Mighty, the Most Praised. When the winds pass over their branches from the right side, there is heard from them “The Beloved of the worlds has come,” and from another direction is heard “Blessed is he who has attained the Living Waters when the All-Merciful appeared with a luminous countenance.” Those who have attained today—these are the gems of creation, thus has the Truth testified in a clear Book. Blessed is he who has heard the call of God and turned with his heart to his Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.

Know then that We have asked God to assist all the Afnan that they might proclaim from the Divine Lote-Tree that there is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Thus have We revealed in the Tablets when We were in the Land of Mystery and other lands—verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Be thankful to thy Lord for this bounty that has preceded thee and be steadfast with a mighty steadfastness. Soon will hasten unto you he who hesitated, and the vibration of thy Lord’s verses will seize him—verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus did We inform the believers beforehand—verily nothing escapes His knowledge, He is the Protector of all things and knows what lies in the breasts of the worlds.

Blessed is he who caused you to speak in remembrance of God and made known to you this straight path. Soon will spread in those parts and other lands a foul odor—avoid it, thus does the All-Knowing command you. By God, this is the day of steadfastness, were you of those who know. This indeed is the highest station and most exalted rank—blessed are they who attain.

Be as mountains in the Cause of your Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, in such wise that neither the tempests of vain imaginings nor the hurricanes of the doubts of the ungodly move you. How many a servant has been veiled by the intimations of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Great, and has strayed from the station wherein the Source of inspiration proclaims:

“The Kingdom belongs to God, the One, the Everlasting, the Mighty, the Most Praised.”

Arise to serve the Cause through God’s might and power, then remember thy Lord with such remembrance as will cause the spirits of those who have turned unto Him to soar. Beware lest the hardships of the world prevent thee from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Follow thy Ancient Master Who, in the Most Great Prison, summons the peoples unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Verily, in the ocean of tribulation He remembers thee purely for the sake of God—be thankful to Him for this manifest grace.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of understanding from the words of thy Lord, the Lord of all religions, say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who called unto me through the tongue of the Manifestation of Thy Cause when He was in the hands of the oppressors.”

BH01839: Hearken unto what the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth…

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

Hearken unto what the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth from this blessed land upon the glorious spot: He is, verily, none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling. The gaze hath been directed towards thee from this Most Great Scene, the spot wherein the Lord of Destiny hath been imprisoned through what the hands of the oppressors have wrought. Were I to mention what hath befallen Me of sorrows, the dust of grief would envelope all who dwell in the realms of being. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We have, in all Our Tablets, commanded the people to behold this Revelation with their own eyes. Yet they have cast behind their backs that which they were bidden, except those who have rent asunder the veils through this Most Great Name. Fie upon those who have cast away their Lord and followed the desires of such as have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

The more intense the tribulation, the more doth the glory of Baha shine forth in proclaiming that which hath been ordained by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By God! He hath stood firm in the Cause in such wise that were anyone to ponder thereon, he would cast away all created things and hasten unto the All-Merciful. Yet most of the people are heedless.

Say: He stood between earth and heaven, and nodded His head, and winked His eye, and raised His brow, and caused His garment to shine forth, and raised His sleeve, and moved His lips, and gestured with His hand, saying: O people! Follow Him Who hath come unto you from the Dayspring of the Cause with manifest sovereignty. In the midst of tribulation, with every member of His body He proclaimeth the Cause of God, the Most High, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Blessed is he who hath been guided by the guidance of God, and woe betide them that have turned aside.

Render thanks unto God for having been made the recipient of thy Lord’s attention and for that which hath been sent down unto thee that causeth the hearts of them that are endued with understanding to take wing. Great, great is the Cause, and great, great is the tribulation. Blessed is he who hath remained steadfast in his love for his Lord and hath cast aside all else—he is of them that are sincere.

Thy letter which thou didst send to the servant who standeth before the Throne hath come before Our presence, and We have heard that which it contained, and We were among them that hearkened. We sat alone in the house and occupied Ourselves with diverse matters—thus have We been commanded by the Mighty, the Ancient. At times We swim in the ocean of mysteries and praise the Lord with wondrous remembrances, veiled from the heedless. And at times We soar in the atmosphere of detachment and behold all things as though no mention had ever been made of them. Verily thy Lord is not hindered by any occupation from another occupation. He is, in truth, the One Who overshadoweth all things.

Blessed art thou, inasmuch as the Kawthar of life hath flowed in thy name in this Tablet whereby the hearts have been assured and the faces of them that are nigh unto God have been illumined. We beseech God to aid thee to serve Him and to make thee of them who have helped His Cause after all the heedless ones remote had veiled themselves therefrom. Give thanks for having drawn nigh unto the Divine Lote-Tree and for having heard its most sweet call when it warbled forth verses whereby the land of misbelief was rent asunder and the pillars of them that were immersed in fancy were made to tremble.

Say unto My loved ones: Grieve not for what hath befallen Us. By God, the Truth! Tribulation is the crown of glory and abasement in God’s path is the adorning of His Temple—your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old. Be ye steadfast in the Cause, then drink ye of the most pure wine through this Name whereby the breathings of God have wafted among mankind. Thus doth the Wronged One command you from this most luminous Spot. He, verily, is the friend of him who hath loved Him, and He is, in truth, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

And upon thee be glory, and upon them that are with thee—they who have hastened with their hearts unto the court of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH01871: This is a letter from the Prisoner…

In the Name of God, the One Who dominates all who are in the heavens and on earth.

This is a letter from the Prisoner to the prisoners in the path of God. O thou who gazest toward God and art mentioned before the Throne! The letter which thou didst send to His name Jud, upon him be the Glory of God, was presented at the Most Holy Court and brought the utmost joy. The mention of you all hath ever been and will continue to be before the Wronged One.

Convey My sublime greetings to the other loved ones and remind them all of these shining words from the tongue of Truth: Say: O friends! Let not slip from your grasp the eternal dominion and everlasting glory. Ye have been mentioned in the name of Truth and have been afflicted with great tribulations and mighty calamities in His path. Though outwardly despised, yet inwardly ye have been and will remain beloved. Ye have borne hardships and carried afflictions in the path of the Beloved of all creation. How regrettable would it be now to lose these eternal bounties through imaginary concerns. Hearken unto the call of the trusted Counselor and be not content with abasement after such supreme glory.

By the Truth itself, God will soon adorn the beginning of the Book of Existence with mention of His loved ones who have borne tribulations in His path and journeyed through the countries in His name and for His praise. Whoso hath attained their presence will glory in their meeting, and all that dwell in every land will be illumined by their memory.

O friends! Waste not this most great station and remain not distant from eternal manifestations due to fleeting doubts. The All-Seeing, the All-Knowing counsels you not to destroy through the axe of suspicion and heedlessness the mighty edifices built especially for you by the hands of divine favor, nor to cut down with the saw of ignorance and foolishness the blessed trees of remembrance planted for you in the paradise of heavenly grace.

There hath befallen you what befell the Truth, and this is a station which the concourse of the near ones and the sincere ones have yearned for and hoped to attain. Now it hath been granted to you without any merit, purely through grace and bounty. How could you be content to let this station slip away and waste your eternal, everlasting rewards?

Meditate for a moment, detached from all else, that ye may become aware of the brilliant sun shining in the depths of the divine destiny and may understand the ultimate outcome of your deeds. The days have passed and what remains shall likewise pass like rushing winds, and all that is visible shall vanish. Strive ye therefore and adorn your deeds with the crown of steadfastness. This is the counsel of the Wronged One, recorded by the Supreme Pen out of pure grace and generosity. Blessed are they who are awakened! Blessed are they who reflect! Blessed are they who perceive!

O thou who art immersed in the ocean of divine knowledge and soarest in the atmosphere of certitude! Impart unto them what We have imparted unto thee, that perchance the Word of God may stir them and draw them near unto Him. He is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Although the affairs of the loved ones of that land are not mentioned in detail before the Throne according to outward appearance, yet this Tablet hath been revealed purely out of grace, lest the darkness of worldly affairs and personal conditions deprive those souls of the enduring divine favors. Verily remembrance profiteth the believers.

The letter written in the voice of Haji Abu’l-Qasim which was sent to Jud was also presented at the Most Holy Court. We beseech God to assist him to be steadfast in the Cause and to consider the consequences of all matters. He is verily the Mighty, the Forgiving.

BH01891: O thou who art immersed in the gulf…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

O thou who art immersed in the gulf that brancheth from the Most Great Sea and gazeth toward the horizon gleaming and resplendent with the lights of the Morn of Eternity! Know thou that We have adorned thy letter which thou didst send to the servant who standeth present with the glances of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, and We have become aware of what thou didst desire in thy open and private commune. We found thy remembrance like the songs of lovers in their longing and yearning.

At one time thou didst behold the Beloved with thine eye and didst mention Him in such wise that We perceived from it the fragrance of coquetry and boldness—though this beseemeth not the Beloved Who hath been manifested upon the horizons with the lights of this Effulgence. And at another time thou didst turn to Him with His own eye and didst describe Him in such wise that We perceived from it the fragrance of detachment and thy arising to serve God, the Lord of the beginning and the end. It is as though in these two mentions in the two stations thou didst desire naught but the hearkening of the Lord of Names. Therefore We loved not to answer thee with the utterances of the people of allusions among the followers of religions. Blessed art thou for having drunk from the two chalices the wine of remembrance in the mention of the two Most Exalted Names on this Day which God hath made the Lord of Days.

O thou who advancest toward the Supreme Horizon! Be moved by the motion apparent from the heat of God’s compelling Word, which God hath made sanctified from the three motions which are the six and what is above them of the motions mentioned in the books of the people. Thus doth the Lord of all beings command thee. And this motion, though it revolveth around itself, yet it hath motions which none knoweth save thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. At one time thou seest it controlled by stillness, for We have made the most powerful thing to control it, and at another time stillness itself appeareth from it. Exalted be God, thy Lord, the Powerful, the One Who prevaileth over opposites! The contingent hath ever been within the bounds of contingency, and creation in its places, and the Truth is He Who cannot be known through mention and utterance, nor through wisdom and examples.

Be thou a station of stillness and expansiveness. As for stillness, it controlleth the motion produced from the Word as mentioned before, and as for expansiveness, that I may build upon thee a house for My remembrance according to what I desire. When thou knowest the purpose, say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the servants and Ruler over the lands!”

If thou wert to know what We intended for thee in the depths of these allusions, joy and longing would seize thee to a station wherein thou wouldst find thyself detached from all directions. If thou wert to reflect upon the very act of advancing and thy journey unto the Self-Sufficient, the Transcendent, thou wouldst recognize what was mentioned in thy letter through witnessing and vision. We shall aid thee in this. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Unconstrained.

We desired to sanctify thee from what is with the people and make thee a herald of this Mention that dominateth over all in creation and a bearer of glad tidings of this Most Great News among the nations. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Then know thou that at the time when thou didst advance toward God, thou wast created anew from the water of the spirit. Beware lest thou mention this clear water as mean—the first was ordained for the former ones, and the second for whoso advanceth toward the Dayspring that was luminous with the lights of the Countenance. Verily thy advancing is itself receptivity, and it was verily a divine bounty deposited by the Truth within thyself by thyself, and entering into thee not as a thing entereth into a thing. When the appointed time came, it appeared from thee—preserve it thus! Thus doth thy Lord command thee, He Who was sanctified from entering and leaving, from this station that was raised up in the name of God. And thus did We call out to thee from the right side of the luminous Spot, that thou mightest thank thy Lord and arise to serve His Cause with joy and attraction. Verily the glory be upon thee, O thou who advancest toward God in the final goal!

BH01939: This is a Book from Us to him who…

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

This is a Book from Us to him who has turned to his Lord, the All-Merciful, in these days wherein all who dwell in the realm of possibility have been shaken, save those who have cast away vain desire and taken unto themselves guidance, in the name of their Lord, the Possessor of Names, Who hath come from heaven with manifest sovereignty that the fragrances of the verses may draw him to the summit of names and attributes and bring him to a station wherein he ariseth to aid the Cause of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Arise to serve the Cause by thy Lord’s leave, then guide the people in His Name, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Beware lest anything prevent thee from that which thou hast been bidden by One powerful and ancient. Say: O people! The call hath been raised from the Divine Lote-Tree, and that which ye were promised in the Tablets from the Cleaver of Dawn hath appeared. Turn with your hearts toward the direction of the Beloved—this is better for you than all that hath been created in the heavens and earths.

Say: He was hidden in His Essence, but when He desired its manifestation He revealed the Manifestation of His Self and sent forth the Dawning-Place of His Cause, through Whom the horizon of utterance was illumined and the Dove sang upon the branches and the Spirit cried out from the heart of Paradise: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Inaccessible!”

Turn not unto those who are moved by their desires. We testify that they are drowned in the ocean of vain imaginings, and every informed one doth witness this. They are as dead before God, the Lord of the First and the Last. Leave them in their idle fancies and hold fast unto the Cord of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Arise to serve the Cause through God’s might and power. Say: O people! Obey him who calleth you unto truth and follow not the footsteps of Satan. Aid ye the All-Merciful through utterance and turn unto Him Who hath arisen amongst the servants to exalt the Word of your Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment. Be fair—by what proof can your faith be established if ye deny? They are indeed confuted, unless they return and repent. Verily thy Lord is the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Merciful.

Thus have We sent down the verses that thine eyes may be solaced thereby and that thou mayest stand firm in thy Lord’s Cause in such wise as to summon the servants through this Great Name. Say: By God! All things have spoken in praise of the Lord of Names, and the Ocean of Pre-existence hath surged with this wise Remembrance. Cast aside all peoples, for the Lord of all peoples hath come with mighty sovereignty.

Gird up thy loins to serve God and remember Him. He will verily aid thee through the truth. He is, in truth, powerful over all things. From the heart of whoso desireth to make mention of Him this day shall flow springs of wisdom and utterance. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, ordaineth what He pleaseth for whom He pleaseth and decreeth what He willeth for whom He desireth.

Confine thy affairs to the remembrance of God and the promotion of His Cause. This will profit thee in this world and the next. Thy Lord is, in truth, knowing of all things. It behooveth him who hath turned toward the Point of Existence to cast behind him all that is in the hands of men. This is the truth, and beyond truth there is naught but manifest error.

Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Intended One and believed in God after every froward misbeliever turned away. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having sent down unto thee that which shall immortalize thy mention throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. This is indeed a great bounty.

Make mention of thy son from Us and convey unto him the greetings from this lonely Wronged One, that he may be stirred by the breezes of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and become of the sincere ones. And upon thee and thy family be the glory of thy Lord, the Speaker, the True, the Mighty, the Trusted One. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01928: Commemoration of the anniversary of the Declaration of the Bab

He is the Ever-Abiding, the Most Great, the Most Exalted!

Lo! The Tongue is calling aloud and the Word hath lifted up its Voice, proclaiming: The Kingdom is God’s, the Creator of the heavens, the Lord of Names; yet the generality of mankind is sunk in heedlessness. All creation hath been carried away by the sweet melody of the All-Merciful and the realms of sanctity are redolent of the fragrance of His raiment and the Most Great Name hath shed the splendour of His effulgent glory upon all the dwellers of the world; but the people are obscured by a palpable veil.

O Pen of Glory! Raise thou the tune of the celestial strains, for We inhale the sweet savours of reunion, inasmuch as the Day is at hand in which the kingdom of names is embellished with the ornament of Our Name, the Most August, the Most Exalted—a Name which no sooner was it mentioned before the Throne than the Maids of Heaven broke into songs of divine melody and the heavenly Dove warbled its wondrous notes and the Tongue of the Merciful Lord proclaimed that which hath enraptured the souls of the messengers, of the pure in heart and of them that enjoy near access unto God.

This is the Night from the orient of whose Day the Morn of Eternity hath dawned and the whole world hath been illumined by the splendour of its light, shining forth above this radiant Horizon.

Say, verily this is the Day in which God hath entered into a covenant concerning Him Who proclaimeth the Truth when He sent forth the One bearing unto mankind the tidings of this Great Announcement. This is the Day in which His mighty Sign hath appeared, magnifying the glory of this inestimable Name; the Day in which the entire creation hath been enravished by the reviving breeze of the Verses of God. Happy is he that hath recognized his Lord and is numbered with the blissful.

Say, He is the most perfect Balance amongst nations. Through Him the measure assigned unto everything hath been revealed by virtue of the Will of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Men of discernment, inebriated with the choice wine of His utterance, have rent the veils asunder through the sovereign might of My Name which pervadeth all mankind.

He consecrated the Bayan as a leaf unto this Garden and adorned it with the praise of this incomparable Remembrance. He hath exhorted men not to withhold themselves from the Day-Spring of Ancient Glory, nor to cling unto such tales and traditions as are current amongst them at the time of His appearance. Thus the decree was fulfilled in conformity with what He hath enunciated. Unto this beareth witness He Who proclaimeth the Truth: Verily, no God is there besides Me, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

They that turn away from the Latter Manifestation have indeed failed to recognize the First One; thus hath it been ordained by the Causer of the causes, He Who is now manifest in this glorious raiment. He did herald the tidings of this Root amidst you, wherefore they who have deprived themselves by reason of the twig are truly numbered with the dead. The twig is that which people set their hearts upon and thus turn their backs to God, the Supreme Ruler, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

He conditioned everything He hath revealed by My good pleasure and made every commandment subservient unto this irrefutable, this undoubted Commandment. Had it not been for My sake He would not have uttered a single word, nor would have He manifested Himself before the gaze of the dwellers of heavens and earth. How often did He lament over My captivity, My imprisonment, My tribulations! That which is sent down in the Bayan doth amply testify unto this; would that ye know it. Powerful indeed is the man who through the might of God hath severed himself from all else but Him and powerless is the one who turned away from His face when He did appear, invested with manifest dominion.

O people of the earth! It behooveth you to magnify the Name of God in this Day—the Day in which the Spirit hath unloosed His tongue and the souls of such as were brought into being through the operation of the Word of God, the Mighty, the Exalted, eagerly yearn to wing their flight.

It beseemeth everyone in this Day to rejoice with exceeding gladness, to attire himself with exquisite garment, celebrate the praise of his Lord and yield thanksgiving unto Him by virtue of this great favour. Blessed is he that hath apprehended the purpose of God and woe betide the heedless.

Since this Tablet hath been revealed in this Night, We fain would wish to send it unto thee as a token of Our grace, that thou mayest be of the grateful. Once thou hast perused it, recite it in the presence of the loved ones of God, that they, one and all, may hearken unto that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered and may be of them that act accordingly. Thus have We singled thee out and attired thee with that wherewith the temples of the pure in heart are attired.

All glory be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01927: That which flowed from thy pen hath come into…

He is God, the Most Holy, the All-Knowing

That which flowed from thy pen hath come into the presence of Him Who is the Fountain of the Waters of Life amidst all possibilities and the Salsabil of the mercy of the All-Merciful amidst the worlds. Through it the fragrances of sincerity were wafted and the sweet savors of pure-heartedness were diffused. It is as though the water of thy utterance hath been mingled with the ink of the Beloved. Thus hath the star of joy risen and the cup of gladness circled round in these days wherein sorrows have encompassed Us through that which the hands of the transgressors have wrought. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy letter which testified to that which thou dost manifest in the Cause of thy Lord, the Most High, the Great.

My grief is not for that which hath befallen My own Self. By God! The Ancient Beauty doth not shrink from tribulations. Indeed, He hath found solace in them in the path of God, the Almighty, the Powerful. But observe, then mention that We had forbidden all from shedding blood, as all the Tablets bear witness, and thou art among those who know. Wickedness hath reached such a degree that the Pen of the Most High suddenly cried out with the most exalted call between earth and heaven, after the doors of attainment to His presence were closed:

“The necks have been stretched forth in hypocrisy. Where are Thy swords of vengeance, O Destroyer of the worlds?”

When the verses were sent down, all things were shaken. Therefore We took hold of the reins of power with authority from Our presence. Yet there leaked what leaked and appeared what appeared. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp of power lie the reins of the worlds.

O My Name! We forbade all people from such matters. The fire of wickedness became so inflamed that there occurred what occurred in numbered years. Continuously We kept those vile souls protected beneath the cloak of protection. Yet they found no rest, manifesting corruption and sedition each day. The matter reached such a point that We withdrew from all and closed the doors of association. The angels of divine wrath seized them suddenly and made them a lesson to the worlds. The All-Merciful did not have mercy on their graves. This occurred suddenly. Were you to hear the details, you would testify that the Hand of God’s power seized them—no one else had any part in it, nor will they. Pure power was manifested from the presence of a Mighty, Powerful One.

Thou didst mention the captives of God. Their letter came into the presence of the Countenance. We found the fragrance of the garment of the Name of thy Lord, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, from the direction of Khartoum. They have always been and will continue to be before Our sight. Remember them on My behalf and convey My glory to them from this Wronged One, this Stranger. In these days more than this is not permitted. If stability is achieved in this land, We shall send to them what thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the Wise, hath desired.

Convey My glory to Javad. We have sent to him what was previously revealed for him that he may find from it the fragrance of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Then mention him who is named Muhammad and give him the glad-tidings of the remembrance of the All-Merciful, that he may be among those who rejoice. There hath come into the presence of the Most Great Scene what was sent to thee from Shin and Jim. We beseech God to make them among those who guide others to His remembrance among the worlds, and manifestations of steadfastness among creation, and dawning-places of righteousness among creatures. He is verily the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

As for what thou didst explicitly inquire about regarding Jula, say: He hath returned to the lowest depths, by the Lord of the worlds! But the difference between them is not slight. The first Jula who was before and about whom the example was struck was truly wretched, wretched. But the second one is accursed, accursed. The glory of God be upon thee and upon those whom God hath aided to His firm and wise Cause.

BH01918: My remembrance of My servant who soared…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great

My remembrance of My servant who soared in the atmosphere of the love of his Lord, the Most Merciful, with spirit and fragrance, and was so seized by the attraction of the Call that he turned to the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, and entered the luminous spot wherein his Lord, the Most Glorious, calls out “God, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.”

We have found the fragrance of thy love, O Beloved of the horizons, and We are aware of what is in thy heart. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thankful for His having enabled thee to attain His presence and hear His mighty and impregnable utterance. Know thou the bounty of thy Lord and what hath been ordained for thee from the Supreme Pen in a mighty tablet.

O Nabil! Hearken unto the call of the Glorious One. He calleth thee from the horizon of the prison, “Verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.” Blessed art thou for having attained the presence of the Beloved and for having entered, appeared, and heard the call of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Impregnable. By God! If thou didst find the sweetness of the utterance of the Most Merciful in this Tablet, which God hath made the Dawning-Place of His remembrance in the contingent world, thou wouldst soar with longing and speak forth His praise amongst the worlds.

O Nabil! Rejoice in God’s remembrance of thee, then aid Him with such steadfastness as shall cause the servants to stand firm. Thus doth the Lord of the mighty Throne command thee. Return to thy homeland by God’s leave and command, then make mention of those who have arisen to serve the Cause of thy Lord, the Self-Subsisting, the Mighty, the Powerful. We have sent down for each one of them clear verses and We have sent them in truth, if thou be of them that know. We make mention of him who makes mention of his Lord and speaks His praise—the denizens of Paradise who circle round the pavilion of grandeur and majesty. Thus doth He inform thee in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth.

Blessed be thy heart for having turned, and thy face for having been directed toward the spot wherein the Beloved is imprisoned for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We had given thee leave to attain Our presence aforetime, therefore thy name was mentioned among those who were moved by the Will and who turned with permission toward the Qiblih of those near unto God. Give thanks to thy Lord for this and be thou of the thankful. Convey My greetings to each one of My loved ones who dwell in thy land. We behold them in their condition. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.

O Samandar! Blessed art thou for having turned to the Most Great Scene and attained the recognition of the Lord of Destiny, and for having arisen to serve Him and been among those who arose. Thou hast fulfilled God’s Covenant and discharged His trust. He shall fulfill even as thou hast fulfilled, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. My gaze hath been directed toward those who have attained the lights of the Countenance and who were among the firm ones. Grieve not over anything, for thou hast drunk from the ocean of joy which appeared through this Great Name. Call the people with wisdom and utterance. Thus hath the Most Merciful commanded thee in various tablets. He is the Ruler over what He willeth.

Blessed are ye for having attained what God desired. We testify that ye have turned and attained and were among those who turned. Ye are of Us, therefore We counsel you with that which befitteth the days of your Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Acquire ye the attributes of God, then walk ye in the straight path that His Cause may be sanctified among His servants and His Being glorified among the worlds. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur counsel you while in the midst of the malicious ones. We have desired for you that which nothing can equal. He is the Protector of the doers of good. Verily the glory be upon you and upon those with you, every male and female who have turned with their hearts and attained the lights of His impregnable countenance.

BH01932: Your letter reached this servant and after being presented…

He is God

Your letter reached this servant and after being presented, the Most Exalted Tongue spoke these lustrous words: That which you saw in your dream was mentioned in the presence. As for what you mentioned about seeing in heaven flowers, blossoms and stars—these indicate the manifestations of your Lord’s favors and the expressions of His power. Soon their signs will appear on earth such that mention of your Lord’s name, the Most High, the Great, will encompass it. And what you drank from the cup—it was connected to the Most Great Ocean which has no end. This is evidence of your Lord’s grace toward you, and He has ordained for you from this ocean that which will never be exhausted, throughout the duration of your Lord’s kingdom. Just as you drank and found no end to it, blessed are you in what has been ordained for you of that ever-flowing, enduring, remaining, mighty, impregnable Kawthar. Soon God will give life through what has flowed from it to the hearts of His servants and will draw them near to Him and cause them to recognize the Dawning Place of His Essence, Who speaks with truth: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent.

As for what you saw of Our turning toward the mosque—this indicates the latter manifestation and the spreading of your Lord’s verses and the gathering of people unto what He desires, even though in these days veils of idle fancies have covered the people and the Word has been lost through what was earned by the hands of those who have left God’s party—your Lord and the Lord of the worlds. But soon will come a day when the melodies of the Dove of Utterance will be raised with the most wondrous tunes and the loftiness of this Cause which has been exalted in truth will become manifest. Verily your Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

That which We have commanded thee concerning teaching is verily the undoubted truth, but We have prohibited it in these lands. Beware lest ye breathe a word therein. When the appointed time hath come We shall instruct thee according to Our wish. As to thy request for a meeting, We beseech God to aid and assist thee in attaining His presence. He, verily, is the guardian of all who seek after Him. Teaching in this land is in no wise permitted, for a certain faithless and evil-whispering soul hath spread numerous calumnies amongst the people. He hath even claimed that agents have been sent to various parts for the express purpose of teaching, whereas such an intention hath never been entertained, nor do individuals exist to be dispatched in such a manner. This calumniator would every day commit a transgression and repent when it was brought to light, but in these days he is engaged in all that is forbidden. Thus have we cast both of them out and consigned them to the torments of hell.

They have submitted two petitions which were not accepted at all. From the Land of Mystery until the present time they have repented nine times and it was accepted, yet they have not become aware. They have ever been engaged in hypocrisy, but in these days their veils have been rent asunder through what they have earned by their desires from among the idolaters.

Convey greetings from Us to Mansur and then to Husayn—upon them be the glory of God, the King, the Mighty, the Beautiful. God willing, regarding what you have been commanded concerning teaching, when its time comes We shall instruct you about it. Act with the utmost wisdom and let not a single word contrary to this issue forth from your tongue. Thus have you been commanded in truth—be among those who act accordingly. End.

I convey infinite greetings to all. God willing, you are and will continue to be in the utmost joy. A quatrain was mentioned for all—God willing you will recite it and never forget it:

O thou who com’st—while absence sets thy soul aflame— With Love’s remembrance, lone, yet guarded by His Name;

Within the shell of thine own breast that Pearl conceal: Keep, day and night, the love of the Belovèd’s frame.

BH01969: Praised be Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

Praised be Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by them who have circled round the throne of Thy will, and soared in the atmosphere of Thy good-pleasure, and turned with all their affections towards the Horizon of Thy Revelation and the Day-Spring of Thine inspiration, and the Dawning-Place of Thy names, to aid Thy servants to observe what Thou hast commanded them in Thy days—commandments through which the sacredness of Thy Cause will be demonstrated unto Thy servants and the affairs of Thy creatures and of Thy realm will be set aright.

I testify, O my God, that this is the Day whereon Thy testimony hath been fulfilled, and Thy clear tokens have been manifested, and Thine utterances have been revealed, and Thy signs have been demonstrated, and the radiance of Thy countenance hath been diffused, and Thy proof hath been perfected, and Thine ascendancy hath been established, and Thy mercy hath overflowed, and the Day-Star of Thy grace hath shone forth with such brilliance that Thou didst manifest Him Who is the Revealer of Thyself and the Treasury of Thy wisdom and the Dawning-Place of Thy majesty and power. Thou didst establish His covenant with every one who hath been created in the kingdoms of earth and heaven and in the realms of revelation and of creation. Thou didst raise Him up to such heights that the wrongs inflicted by the oppressors have been powerless to deter Him from revealing Thy sovereignty, and the ascendancy of the wayward hath failed to prevent Him from demonstrating Thy power and from exalting Thy Cause.

So highly didst Thou exalt Him that He openly delivered unto the kings Thy messages and commandments, and hath never for one moment sought His own protection, but striven to protect Thy servants from whatever might withhold them from approaching the kingdom of Thy nearness, and from setting their faces towards the horizon of Thy good-pleasure.

Thou seest, O my God, how, notwithstanding the swords that are drawn against Him, He calleth the nations unto Thee, and though Himself a prisoner summoneth them to turn in the direction of Thy gifts and bounties. With every fresh tribulation He manifested a fuller measure of Thy Cause, and exalted more highly Thy word.

I testify that through Him the Pen of the Most High was set in motion, and with His remembrance the Scriptures in the kingdom of names were embellished. Through Him Thy fragrances were wafted, and the sweet smell of Thy raiment was shed abroad amongst all the dwellers of the earth and the inmates of heaven. Thou seest and knowest full well, O my God, how He hath been made to dwell within the most desolate of cities, so that He may build up the hearts of Thy servants, and hath been willing to suffer the most grievous abasement, that Thy creatures may be exalted.

I pray Thee, O Thou Who causest the dawn to appear, by Thy Name through Which Thou hast subjected the winds, and sent down Thy Tablets, that Thou wilt grant that we may draw near unto what Thou didst destine for us by Thy favor and bounty, and to be far removed from whatsoever may be repugnant unto Thee. Give us, then, to drink from the hands of Thy grace every day and every moment of our lives of the waters that are life indeed, O Thou Who art the Most Merciful! Make us, then, to be of them who helped Thee when fallen into the hands of those Thine enemies who are numbered with the rebellious among Thy creatures and the wicked amidst Thy people. Write down, then, for us the recompense ordained for him that hath attained Thy presence, and gazed on Thy beauty, and supply us with every good thing ordained in Thy Book for such of Thy creatures as enjoy near access to Thee.

Brighten our hearts, O my Lord, with the splendor of Thy knowledge, and illumine our sight with the light of such eyes as are fixed upon the horizon of Thy grace and the Day-Spring of Thy glory. Preserve us, then, by Thy Most Great Name, Which Thou didst cause to overshadow such nations as lay claim to what Thou hast forbidden in Thy Book. This, verily, is what Thou didst announce unto us in Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets.

Cause us, then, to be so steadfast in our love towards Thee that we will turn to none except Thee, and will be reckoned amongst them that are brought nigh to Thee, and acknowledge Thee as One Who is exalted above every comparison and is holy beyond all likeness, and will lift up our voices amongst Thy servants and cry aloud that He is the one God, the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, the Most Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

Strengthen Thou, O my Lord, the hearts of them that love Thee, that they may not be affrighted by the hosts of the infidels that are turned back from Thee, but may follow Thee in whatsoever hath been revealed by Thee. Aid them, moreover, to remember and to praise Thee, and to teach Thy Cause with eloquence and wisdom. Thou art He Who hath called Himself the Most Merciful. Ordain, then, O my God, for me and for whosoever hath sought Thee what beseemeth the excellence of Thy glory and the greatness of Thy majesty. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

BH01989: May my spirit and being be sacrificed for Thee!…

Section 1: “May my spirit and being be sacrificed…”

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

May my spirit and being be sacrificed for Thee! Praise be to God that the darkness of separation was illumined by the light of thy letter, which shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of divine love. It brought endless joy and boundless delight. If half a letter equals half a meeting, thy letter was like a complete reunion. My happiness and joy have always come and will come from the loving fragrances of God’s loved ones. After the petition thou didst submit reached the Most Holy Court, this servant presented it in its entirety before the Sacred Presence as commanded. God knoweth what shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s utterance for thee. I am powerless to mention what I heard from the Tongue of Grandeur and Power. He is the All-Knowing, the Almighty.

What thou hast set forth concerning Hadrat-i-Badi’, upon him rest the glory of Baha’u’llah, the All-Glorious, was read out, in the presence of all the loved ones of God, in the very words penned by thee. Would that, at the hour of Badi”s creation, thou hadst been present before the Throne! Amazed thereat were they that dwell in the heavens and on the earth. He was brought into being through a Divine Word, the mention whereof is not possible; and in certain of the Tablets revealed concerning him it hath been written—exalted and glorified is He:

“We created him by a word from Our presence, and breathed into him of the Spirit of power and might, in such wise that, were We to bid him confront all that are in the heavens and on the earth, he would, even as the banner of omnipotence, be reared upon the highest of standards. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Chosen.”

Let him, moreover, who beareth regard for truth, ponder within himself that inviolable Tablet which he hath carried, and reflect how great a measure of God’s consummate wisdom and the intimations of the utterances of the Lord were poured forth in that perspicuous Epistle; and this, though the Revealer thereof was imprisoned and confined within the Most Great Prison. Should any soul, with rectitude, meditate upon that blessed Tablet, he shall be made acquainted with the mysteries of Divine power. And in another Tablet these verses have been revealed from the Dayspring of Names and Attributes:

“When We entered the Prison, We purposed to deliver unto all the Messages of their Lord, that they might know that affliction hath not withheld the Beauty from that which God, the Lord of men, hath willed.”

All conditions and degrees of utterance were disclosed in that Most Mighty Tablet—counsels firm and unshakable, admonitions tender and compassionate, verses and supplications, and, by thy life, even passages in the Persian tongue. This, verily, would suffice the peoples of the world, were they but of the fair-minded. Blessed is he that reflecteth upon its allusions and its explicit declarations, and recognizeth the power of God and His wisdom that have encompassed all created things.

In truth, until this time the proclamation had not been made complete, nor had the Divine Proof appeared in its full radiance and manifest splendour; for the rulers of the earth were not, one and all, informed of the matter in its details. The Most Exalted One—may the life of all besides Him be offered up for His sake—had indeed sent two Tablets unto the former ruler; yet in those two there was naught beyond mention of sovereignty and wrongs endured, wherefore they were not truly apprised what the Cause of God signifieth, nor what is intended thereby. Hence, in the Most Great Prison, for each of the rulers of the earth, a mighty Tablet—such as that of Badi’—was revealed in particular, and, without veil or concealment, the Cause of the All-Merciful was set down therein. Some of those Tablets have been dispatched and have arrived; others, God willing, shall reach their destination in these days. The bearer of one of them was Badi’ himself, even as thou didst witness. Wherefore hath it been revealed from the Dayspring of the Cause—glorified be His majesty:

“We have sent down the Tablet and made it the Cry betwixt the heavens and the earth.”

Yet the Tablets revealed for others were still more firm and weighty. Would that thou hadst attained, hadst read, and hadst exclaimed:

“Praise be to Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of the worlds!”

Never did He dissemble with any man; rather did He set forth, with explicitness, the Cause of God in each of those Tablets—nay, He even mentioned ordinances new and wondrous.

From this it is evident what hath come to pass, and what shall yet befall. After the dispatch of the Tablet of Badi’, grievous indeed became the oppression laid upon these servants; from every side did they intensify their severity. Yet thy Lord is not deterred, by hardships, from what He hath willed. What more shall I submit? Consider what hath befallen Jinab-i-Rasul, and what the ظلم of the unjust hath wrought. May my soul be offered up for his burning anguish! I swear by the Sovereign of what hath been and what shall be, that I beheld in his behalf such tokens of loving-kindness that, night and day, I longed that some drop from the billowing ocean of the favour I had perceived might be allotted and vouchsafed unto me. I heard with mine own ears, from the Tongue of Grandeur, these words—exalted be His glory:

“My Rasul, My Rasul! Grieve not; thou art beneath the wing of My bounty and in the shade of the Tree of My loving-care. My Rasul, My Rasul! Thou art in My presence; thou hast attained unto My meeting; thou hast visited My Beauty and heard My call; thou hast turned unto the Dayspring of My Revelation, the Dawning-place of Mine inspiration, and the Seat of My Most Great Throne.”

And in certain Tablets revealed in these days mention hath been made of him—especially on the Ninth Day of Ridvan, when a supplication, from the Dayspring of the Will of the All-Merciful, was revealed concerning him and some of the loved ones of God. God willing, it shall reach thine exalted gaze, and thou shalt be honoured thereby. Know, at the least, that his toil hath not been wasted; nay, beyond what he himself desired and hoped for hath it been accepted in the court of the All-Merciful Presence. Sufficient unto him is that which hath been revealed in his honour—nay, it sufficeth all existence, whether in the unseen or the seen.

As to the allusions contained in the supplication thou didst present, concerning the تجاوز of certain of the friends and the hardship inflicted by others, utterances have been revealed from the Horizon of the All-Merciful, and a special Epistle hath been sent unto thee in this matter.

And as to the passage concerning the Divine Trust, the meaning was that it should remain hidden from all. The wisdom thereof is this: were the adversaries to become aware, grievous harm would befall both those souls who have borne it, and that House which hath become the seat of the Throne. Behold, that which was decreed hath been decreed. Peradventure God will, through this, bring to pass some good. A certain place must therefore be appointed, and, without the knowledge of any soul, that heavenly Deposit must be given a dwelling and an abode, until God shall will.

And as to what thou didst write concerning certain people—that, in some measure, they have become the dawning-place of the shining lights of Baha—what, in brief, they submit is this: that naught is witnessed save verses that constitute a proof; and that we are powerless to comprehend the verses as they truly are. This servant declareth: if a soul be not assured by what hath appeared in this Most Great Revelation, he shall never be assured by anything, nor shall he ever become so. Behold, apart from the verses, and consider what a multitude of manifestations of power, of unseen attributes, and of divine utterances have appeared—so great that they have encompassed the whole world. True it is that certain souls, standing before His Face, asked for a miracle and the breaking of accustomed laws; and of those whose case this servant knoweth, some are still living—perhaps thou didst even hear of them in Iraq.

Likewise there was that learned man who, on behalf of the divines in Iraq, entered into the presence of the Throne; and, after beholding the Divine power, openly confessed his certainty, as he himself related in many gatherings. Yet none of those few were enabled to cleave steadfastly unto the Cause; and thereafter some of the deniers were recorded in the perspicuous Book. The full account is set forth in the Divine Tablets. Up to this time this servant hath not seen one who, having sought this station, became thereafter firm and unwavering.

Section 2: “In the days when the Luminary…”

In the days when the Luminary of the horizons shone in ʿIraq, He—Himself the Mighty, the Beloved—appeared in such wise that to whomsoever turned, and whatsoever was asked, He answered, even as most of the Arab tribes have related and continue to relate. The confidence of those weak souls of whom thou hast spoken is bound up with the confidence and the strength of thine own spirit.

Behold, in view of what hath been submitted, I had not intended to lay this matter before His presence; yet on a certain night I attained His face, and He said:

“If thou art writing the reply to the letter of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah Jamalu’d-Din, write, ere thou settest pen to page, these words from before the Face.”

Whereupon He uttered—exalted be His glory:

“She beheld the proof in a dream, and she shall behold. Even so hast thou beheld, and thou shalt behold. Calamity shall descend upon them that have wronged, and affairs shall be confounded. Shouldst thou find in thine own land dissension, grieve not; and shouldst thou find thyself in tribulation, fear not. Thy Lord shall preserve thee in truth; verily He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. All this is tidings from the invisible, wherewith We have inspired thee in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Powerful. We have strengthened thy heart, that through thee the hearts of the troubled may be at rest. Purify thy heart by My Name, then make it strong by My sovereignty, that through thee the souls of them that have turned unto the Face may be assured.

This behoveth thee, if thou be of them that know. It behoveth thee to be of such a station that, by thy mention, the veils of the heedless may be consumed. We have ordained for thee a lofty rank; We love to see thee among them that have arisen with assurance from Our presence and with power from Us. Follow then what thou hast been commanded, and draw hearts by My Name, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Say: Is it meet to doubt after the sun of certitude hath shone forth? And is it meet to be perturbed after power hath encompassed all horizons? No—by this illumination that hath encompassed the worlds.” (Ended.)

Furthermore, this evanescent servant submiteth that thou shouldst look often into the revealed Tablets; for whatsoever appeareth afterwards hath already been revealed in the Tablets. Consider, for example, the Suriy-i-Haykal: part of it, in the Land of Mystery, went forth to ʿIraq, and part was dispatched after entry into the Most Great Prison. Among its passages are the verses revealed unto the King of Paris—verses which they heard in Adrianople—exalted be His might:

“We have heard from thee the word thou didst speak when the King of Russia questioned thee concerning the decree of war. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. Thou didst say: ʿI lay asleep upon my couch; the cry of the servants who were wronged awakened me, until they were drowned in the Black Sea.’ Thus have We heard, and thy Lord beareth witness to what I say. We testify that it was not the cry that awakened thee, but desire; for We tried thee and found thee in retreat. Know then the accents of speech, and be of them that discern.”

And He further saith—exalted be His mention:

“Hadst thou been the possessor of the Word, thou wouldst not have cast the Book of God behind thy back when it was sent unto thee from One Mighty and Wise. We have tried thee by this and found thee not as thou didst claim. Arise, and repair what hath escaped thee. The world and what thou possessest shall pass away, and the Kingdom shall remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thine sires of old. Through what thou hast done shall affairs be changed in thy realm, and sovereignty shall depart from thy hand as the recompense of thine acts. Then shalt thou find thyself in manifest loss, and earthquakes shall seize all the tribes therein—save thou arise to champion this Cause and follow the Spirit in this straight path. Hath thy glory beguiled thee? By My life, it shall not endure: it shall vanish, unless thou lay hold on this sure Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee while thou art of them that sleep.” (End.)

It is greatly desired that thou wouldst also examine those portions of the Haykal which were revealed concerning changes in earthly dominion, and likewise the Tablet to the Chief (Lawh-i-Ra’is), that thou mayest become informed of matters that have been, and remain, concealed. All that shall appear hath already been sent down in what hath been revealed from our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware. And that which hath been revealed in the parts of the Haykal—what hath already come to pass, and what hath not—shall, ere long, come to pass.

And as to the passage concerning the Hidden Knowledge, the decree is that what hath been revealed in Persian must be acted upon. All things are dependent upon their appointed times. God willing, ponder this, that perchance thou mayest discern the original intent—which neither falleth short of the number two, nor exceedeth three. We have desired for thee a station wherein thou shalt behold all these affairs beneath thy shadow. Stand firm, then, and confine thyself to the remembrance of thy Lord, with wisdom and utterance. Thus doth the All-Merciful teach thee from the direction of His Most Great Name, wherewith all atoms cry aloud: “The Kingdom is God’s—the Almighty, the Invincible, the Most Bountiful.”

There are matters whose disclosure was not, and is not, expedient for the welfare of the servants. A Tablet was revealed formerly unto Jinab-i-Nabil, the son of ʿAli, of the people of Q—seek a copy thereof; certain of the Divine wisdoms lie hidden within it, that thou mayest attain unto sure certainty that Truth hath ever been, and shall ever remain, the Bestower, the All-Bountiful. And whatever delay is seen in outward affairs is but in view of the welfare of the people. Verily thy Lord is the Generous Giver, the Bestowing, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And lastly, concerning those petitions thou didst request to be submitted unto the Sacred Threshold, and that one of those three matters might be granted: the detail thereof was laid, at a chosen time, before His presence, and this was what shone forth from the horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful: “O Name! This day is the day of victory …”—to the end of His exalted words.

BH02114: May my soul be a sacrifice for Thy pure…

He is God, exalted be His glory, to Whom belong grandeur and majesty

May my soul be a sacrifice for Thy pure love! The letter of faithfulness which had issued forth from the source of truth and sincerity reached this evanescent servant, and from perusing it the utmost joy and gladness was obtained, for from all that was written therein were inhaled the sweet fragrances of the garment of divine love. Likewise were evident from that essence of contentment the signs of resignation and detachment from all else, and of orientation and sincerity toward the direction of our Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious. Praise be to God for having granted thee success and aided thee in what He desired, and made thee steadfast in His Cause, and established thee in His service, and given thee to drink in every moment from the Kawthar of His grace and the Salsabil of His bounty, from the cup of His glorious and beautiful remembrance.

After this servant attained the honor of receiving thy letter, I presented it in its entirety before the Most Sublime Vision. This is what shone forth from the horizon of care and bounty: “O Rida! God willing, mayest thou be successful through the bestowals of the All-Merciful at all times. Thou hast ever been and art remembered before the Countenance. All the services thou hast rendered in the path of God are remembered with Him and recorded in the holy Tablets. Grieve not over anything, be as thou wert, for He is with thee at all times.” And concerning what was written about the honored travelers, upon them be the glory of God—all was presented before the Countenance. He said: “We beseech God to grant them success in acting according to what they have been commanded in God’s lands and His kingdom.”

Furthermore, if this servant, the attendant, wished to mention the favors shown to thee, in truth he finds himself incapable. This much I submit: that all thy troubles and services are remembered with God—not an atom of them has been or will be lost. Blessed art thou for having attained the favors of thy Lord and for having been mentioned by the Tongue of Grandeur and Power. In all conditions thou must be occupied with service, for this is the portion of existence: that it arise to serve its Lord. And exert the utmost effort and striving in creating harmony and unity among the friends, for this has been and shall ever be among the greatest of matters in the sight of God.

Furthermore, convey greetings and glorification on behalf of this servant to all the friends in that land, one and all, young and old. I swear by the Beauty of the Beloved that in all nights and days I have heard the mention of each one of them specifically from the Tongue of the Ancient of Days, and the manifestations of the infinite divine favors concerning all are evident and apparent. After the appearance of these enduring divine mentions concerning them, how can this servant venture to mention his own nothingness and evanescence in their service? Therefore I say with the tongue of all things: “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

Convey glorification and glory to Muhammad-Hasan. God willing, his reply will arrive later. Glory be upon him and upon those who were with him.

The servant of God

BH02120: O Ibn Nabil! Hearken unto the call of thy…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Ancient

O Ibn Nabil! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the Glorious One, from the Valley of Nabil. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Wronged One, the Stranger.

Remember when thou didst enter the Most Glorious Presence and didst hear the melodies of thy Lord, the Most High, and didst attain that which flowed from the mouth of Grandeur in His most exalted words. Thou art assuredly among those who have attained. He admitted thee into His presence when all were forbidden from attaining unto the meeting and the oppressors had surrounded from every direction. Thus doth God single out for His grace whomsoever He pleaseth. He, verily, hath power over all things.

Grieve not at anything. Place thy trust in all matters in God, thy Lord. He is with thee under all conditions and will aid thee with truth. He is the Guardian of the sincere ones.

Should thou meet one in whom thou findest the fragrance of My love, recount unto him what thou knowest of the story of the Youth. Say: By God! He is verily the Wronged One Who hath been afflicted at the hands of the oppressors, and His plight became so severe that He banished all from His presence and dwelt alone in His house, detached from all the worlds. At the height of tribulation He sought no help from any soul. He remained steadfast in the Cause between the heavens and the earth.

Forget not what thou hast heard from the tongue of Grandeur. Thus doth the Lord of the worlds command thee by virtue of thy presence before His countenance and thy burning in the love of God. God hath ordained for thee and thy kinsmen that which shall gladden the eyes of those endued with insight.

Say: O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call and summoned me to the Manifestation of Thy Self and enabled me to enter the sanctuary of Thy reunion and the sacred precincts of Thy presence, and made me one of those who have attained. I beseech Thee by the wrongs suffered by the Manifestation of Thy Self to make me a champion of Thy Cause and one who speaketh Thy praise.

O Lord! I am he who hath turned toward Thee, yet found not, through what the hands of the oppressors have wrought, an opportunity commensurate with that which would quench the thirst of remoteness with the Kawthar of Thy nearness and the burning of separation with the ocean of Thy reunion. I moreover beseech Thee, O Lord of eternity and Sovereign of nations, to ordain for me that which befitteth Thy grace and favors and to decree for me that which is best in Thy sight. Thou art indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Then cause me, O my God, to soar in Thy atmosphere and to be detached from all else but Thee. Then give me to drink from the Salsabil of Thy Revelation, whereof if one partaketh, the cawing of the infidels shall have no effect upon him. I have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounties and clung to the hem of Thy favors, gazing toward Thy grace and awaiting the wonders of Thy bestowals.

Every limb of my body testifieth that Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. None can frustrate Thy command or prevent Thy decree. Thy Will hath encompassed all created things and Thy Purpose all contingent beings. The onslaught of the wicked cannot disable Thee, nor can the tyranny of the ungodly weaken Thee. Thou hast been supreme over all who are in earth and heaven and wilt continue to be as Thou hast been from time immemorial. There is none other God but Thee, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

Cast upon me then, O my God, patience in my separation from Thee and tranquility in my remoteness from Thee, that I may be content with what hath been ordained by the Pen of Thy decree in the Tablets of Thy determination. Thou art verily the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise.

BH02117: Is it befitting to pause after the Beloved calleth…

He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient

Is it befitting to pause after the Beloved calleth out with the tongue of His Own Manifestation, saying: “Hasten with your hearts unto the court of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful”? Nay, by His very truth! Rather must every soul arise and say: “I believe in Thee, O Thou in Whose hand are the reins of all created things!”

O Muhammad-ʿAli! When thou hearest the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree raised upon the crimson hill, the seat of tribulation—God, there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Unconstrained—this is not the day for silence. Arise to praise thy Lord amongst His servants. This is the day whereon the trees have spoken, the leaves have cried out, and the tongue of thy Lord’s will hath spoken in the kingdom of names. The sovereignty belongeth unto God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Blessed is the eye that hath turned to the Most Sublime Vision, the face that hath turned to the Dayspring of Power, and the heart that hath been illumined by the lights of this Lamp. Leave creation behind thee and summon the servants unto the Cause which hath dawned and shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Revealer of verses.

Silence is praiseworthy except in the remembrance of thy Lord. Loose thy tongue in utterance to remember thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen command thee from the presence of God, the One, the Mighty, the Compelling. The tongue was created for these days. Beware lest thou restrain it through vain imaginings. Speak forth in praise of thy Lord in such wise as to attract the spirits.

It behooveth every soul in this day, when hearing the Call from the Most Exalted Horizon, to turn unto it and say: “Here am I, O Cleaver of the dawn!” Beware lest anything prevent thee from the remembrance of thy Lord. Stand firm through God’s power and might, then reflect upon God’s Messengers and what transpired in the past. Then shalt thou find thyself immersed in the ocean of certitude. This is the horizon from which hath shone forth the Sun of Certitude. By My life! If thou gazest with the eye of the heart, thou shalt see certitude itself circling round thy Lord’s will, the All-Merciful.

Thus have We revealed unto thee that thou mayest arise to aid thy Lord amidst all creation. Give thanks unto God for having sent down unto thee this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the sun of wisdom and utterance. If thou recite it with the melody of the heart, it will attract thee to a station where thou wilt soar with longing and arise to help Him in such wise that through thee the breezes of the Divine Vesture will be wafted to all regions.

Emerge from the horizon of certitude in the name of the Lord of Religions. Say: O peoples of the worlds! The divine fragrance hath wafted and the Promised One hath come with sovereignty and power. By God! This Prisoner desireth from this Tablet naught but thy mention and what is best for thee, and desireth naught but what God hath desired, and desireth for Himself naught but what hath been revealed in the Tablets.

Know thou the worth of this bounty, then turn and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having remembered me through the tongue of the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause while He was wronged in the hands of the wicked ones. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name which Thou hast made the ruler over all names, to aid me in Thy love and in helping Thy Cause and in detachment in Thy path in such wise that there may appear from me what befitteth Thy Cause. Then ordain for me what is best for me. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.”

BH02138: O Mim! Hearken unto the Call from the Divine…

He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

O Mim! Hearken unto the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree planted upon the crimson hill, from the Lord of Destiny. Verily there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

The door hath been closed by thy Lord’s command, then opened through His Name, the Mighty, the Beloved. Reflect upon what hath befallen the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. The matter hath reached such a pass that We were prevented from approaching the door from which no seeker was ever barred nor any pilgrim ever turned away. This is what We mention outwardly, but inwardly the door was never closed nor shall it ever be closed, by My Name whereby We have subdued all creation.

Say: This is a door before which every possessor of a mighty throne doth stand, a station wherein the Faithful Spirit rendereth service. By God! Were thou to hearken with the ear of inner nature, thou wouldst hear its atoms proclaim: “The Beloved of the mystics hath appeared!” Were the Most Exalted Pen to move perpetually by thy Lord’s leave, the Lord of Names, in description of this most exalted station and this spot wherefrom the sweetest of all calls hath been raised, it would find itself still at the beginning of its description. Thus doth thy Lord teach thee from this glorious vista.

O Ha! Hearken once again unto the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree which hath been raised by God’s leave, the Lord of Names. Verily there is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful. Blessed is he who hath truly hearkened—verily he is of the people of Baha, inscribed in a Tablet sealed by this luminous Finger. And he who hath heard hath cast the world behind him and names to his left, turning with a most pure heart toward the station which God hath made the seat of this mighty Throne. Thus hath the Pen of Eternity moved by command of the Creator of Heaven upon this Tablet adorned with the ornament of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful.

Give thanks unto God for having adorned thy head with His wise remembrance and thy temple with the garment of His favors. Verily He ordaineth as He pleaseth. We counsel thee to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby all who dwell in the kingdom of names were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of grace did seize by My leave, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Thus hath the Pen sprinkled upon thee from the ocean of thy Lord’s loving-kindness. When thou attainest, say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds, for having turned toward me the gaze of Thy favor and mentioned me when I was immersed in an ocean of sorrows through what befell Thee at the hands of the oppressors.”

O Pen! Take hold thy reins. By God! We behold existence thunderstruck at this moment by Thy mention and utterance. Among them We see some who have been seized by the wine of thy Lord’s utterance, and others seized by the throes of death from the sweet fragrances of the Spirit. Thus hath a portion been ordained for every soul from thy Lord’s Book, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Behold how that which was the cause of life became the cause of death. When thou knowest this station, thou wilt understand the mysteries of thy Lord’s word according to thy measure. Verily He is the Expositor of all things, and with Him is a preserving Book.

O Dal! Give thanks unto God and praise Him for having honored thee with His presence, admitted thee before His throne, and caused thee to dwell near Him. Thus doth He single out whom He willeth by a command from His presence. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH02167: In the Name of Him Who speaketh between earth…

In the Name of Him Who speaketh between earth and heaven! This is an epistle from the All-Bestowing to him who hath believed in God, the Lord of Lords, and attained unto the Most Great Ocean when it surged through this Name which God hath made to prevail over all who are in the lands.

We revealed the Bayan for this Revelation through which the worlds were illumined. But when the appointed time came and the Revealer of verses appeared, the people were seized by the doubts of those who denied God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End. Some doubted His Cause, while others denied this Hour from which all hours have dawned.

Say: Is the knowledge of the Hour with you, or with your Lord in His Book? None on earth can comprehend His knowledge—to this testifieth every discerning knower. Say: Every hour hath appeared through His command and every resurrection hath been raised up through His sovereignty which hath encompassed all possibility.

Do ye seek through what ye possess to draw near unto this Fire which hath been kindled from the Tree that hath been raised in the most exalted station? By My life! What was revealed in the Bayan sufficeth you not today except through this Revelation, at whose appearance the Cock of the Throne crowed and the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving!”

The Bayan hath informed you of the loftiness of this Revelation—behold, O ye who are endued with insight! He said:

“Beware lest ye be veiled by what is in the Bayan from this Revelation shining forth upon the horizons. Whosoever seeketh to know Me through aught else than what was revealed by Me is indeed the most veiled of all creation before the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Whosoever desireth to behold Me must behold Me through Mine own eyes.”

Thus was the matter decreed in the Tablets.

Say: Fear God and make not what ye possess the standard for this Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of certitude. Every measure hath appeared through His command, and through Him the Path hath appeared and the Balance been set up. None may test the Lord—rather doth He test whom He willeth through His sovereignty. He is indeed the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained. Were anyone to read what was revealed in the Bayan, he would surely weep at what hath befallen the Wronged One from the daysprings of darkness.

O Karim! Thy letter hath come before the All-Bountiful, and We have answered thee with this Tablet from which the Light of the Cause hath shone forth with power and sovereignty. Give thanks unto God for having sent unto thee in every year the proof and testimony of God, and for having mentioned thy name while He was in the hands of the wicked.

Grieve not at the hardships of the world—greater ones have befallen Us. Be patient even as thy Lord was patient. He is indeed the Mighty, the All-Patient. Arise to serve Him amongst the people—this beseemeth thee and those who have turned unto the Qiblih of humanity. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the mention of thy Lord and for having voiced His praise amongst the servants. The glory be upon thee and upon those with thee who have stood firm in the Cause and fulfilled the Covenant.

Then remember thy family from the Wronged One. Say: Remember when thou wert in the house before thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, and heard His sweetest call as the breezes of revelation wafted from behind the veil. Thus did We bestow Our favor upon thee when the Luminary of the horizons was in Iraq.

BH02133: O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Hearken…

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

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Hearken to the call of the Stranger when He was crucified upon the cross through that which the hands of the wicked ones who had not tasted the sweetness of faith nor drunk the choice wine of life in the days of their All-Merciful Lord had wrought. That which thou didst send hath come before Us. Blessed art thou for having desired to make mention of thyself in the presence of the Wronged One while He was in the hands of the wicked ones. Grieve not at this, but know thou and be assured that neither the plotting of those who have disbelieved nor the treachery of those who have turned away from God, the Lord of all beings, can harm Us.

We summon the servants in all conditions unto the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Be thou steadfast with the steadfastness of thy Lord, then walk in His footsteps with wisdom. Thus doth thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, command thee. Make mention of those around thee on My behalf and give them the glad-tidings of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of creation.

If thou seest Ali, glorify him on My behalf. Say: Blessed art thou for having been faithful to the Covenant. He remembereth those who have turned unto Him and nothing escapeth His grasp. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Hold fast unto the cord of wisdom amidst all people and place thy trust in Him. He is with those who have turned unto Him and He is the Friend of the righteous.

We love to make mention of those who have become strangers in the path of God and who have wandered through the lands in His love. The glance of loving-kindness hath been directed towards you and His grace is with you, O concourse of the loved ones! Give thanks for the Pen having moved to make mention of you after the Ancient Beauty was in the most desolate of lands.

If thou seest Mim give him the glad-tidings of his Lord’s mention of him, the Ancient One. Say: Remember when thou wert present before the Countenance and didst hear that which the Tongue of God, the Mighty, the Generous, did speak. Grieve not at being a stranger—thy home is in My presence. We testify that ye are among those who dwell beneath His shadow. Rejoice at God’s testimony, for naught in the heavens or on earth can equal it. Then remain steadfast in what thou art and glorify thy Lord with praise at all times. Forget not God’s bounties and favors.

Be mindful of the tales of this Stranger, then give Ha the glad-tidings of that which the Supreme Pen hath moved with, that he may rejoice within himself and be of the thankful ones. We make mention of the loved ones of God in the prison and enjoin them to fear God in the kingdom of creation, though the idolaters oppose Us.

O servant! Hearken unto the call from this Spot that hath been raised between earth and heaven. Verily there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Be thou steadfast in the service of thy Lord and act according to that which thou hast been commanded by the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Begin thy day with the remembrance and praise of God, then end it with this praised Name. Would that thou knewest the state in which thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, calleth thee! By My life! Were it to be revealed thou wouldst lament, but the matter hath been concealed through that which hath been inscribed in a preserved tablet.

We beseech God to assist you in His service and His good-pleasure and to guide through you those servants who have wandered in the wilderness of heedlessness and were of the deluded ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02147: The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great! A remembrance…

The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great! A remembrance from Us to those in the kingdom of command and creation, that they may hear the call of their Lord, the Most High, from this Tree which hath been raised up by the command of God, the Lord of Names. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the Sun of Command from the presence of One mighty and wise.

O servant! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the uttermost Tree upon the luminous spot. Verily, there is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Most High, the Great. Behold Me with Mine eye—thus hast thou been commanded in the Tablets from the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Were anyone to ponder what hath flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful in this wise Remembrance, he would know what none hath known save whom thy Lord willeth, and would turn with his most luminous countenance toward the Most Sublime Vision and say:

“I have turned my face unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!”

This is a matter the like of which hath not appeared in creation. By My life, this is indeed the wonder of the heavens and earth! Say: Ponder ye upon this innovation that ye may discover what your Lord hath intended in this luminous Tablet.

This is not the day of desires—burn them with the fire of the love of your Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Arise to serve the Cause by the leave of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And this is not the day of idle fancies—rend their veils asunder by the name of your Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. The Beloved hath appeared in such wise that the horizons are illumined thereby. Blessed be He Who hath sent Him with the truth with a manifest sovereignty. Is it fitting to tarry when all things have been set in motion by the breezes of revelation? Fear ye God and follow not those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

Were anyone to inhale the tablet of his Lord, he would discover therefrom the fragrance of His glorious and wondrous garment. And were he to turn with the ear of his innate nature unto all things, he would hear from them:

“The appointed time hath come—dominion belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Peerless.”

It behooveth every soul to abandon what is possessed by the people, turning unto God, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We had sent thee aforetime a noble Book wherein was revealed that which illumined existence. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Hearken unto the call of Him Who summoneth thee in the prison unto God, thy Lord, and be thou of the discerning. He desireth for no one save what is best for him—to this doth testify the Most Exalted Pen which speaketh the truth while in the hands of the oppressors.

When thou hast attained unto the lights of the Tablet, turn toward the Most Sublime Horizon. Say: O Lord of Names and Ruler over all things! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Kingdom was adorned and the Realm of Might was embellished, to aid me to turn toward the Kaaba of Thy Beauty and to stand firm in Thy love and Thy Cause. Then write down for me what is best for me. I know not what is within Thy Self, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. O my Lord! Ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and decreed for Thy loved ones. O my Lord! Thou seest mine eyes fixed upon the horizon of Thy favors and my heart turned toward the wonders of Thy grace and bounties. I beseech Thee to make me one of those who aid Thy Cause, who arise to serve Thee, who rest beneath the canopy of Thy mercy, and who are tranquil through the lights of the Sun of Thy Beauty. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

BH02136: O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of the loved…

He is the Everlasting through His own everlasting Self

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of the loved ones of God in the land of Ta [Tehran] who have not been deterred in the path of God by the censure of any critic, nor by the intimations of any misbeliever, nor by the turning away of those who were in manifest delusion. Hearken to My call from the direction of My Most Great Name, which speaketh from this remote station. We counsel you with the most sublime call, whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of Names, may be exalted. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Expositor. Hold fast unto what is good and vie ye with one another in good deeds. Thus have ye been commanded by God, the Lord of the worlds.

Blessed are your hearts for what they have recognized, your hands for what they have grasped, your tongues for what they have testified, your faces for having turned, your eyes for what they have beheld, and your ears for having heard My most sweet call which hath been raised from this luminous spot, the station which God hath made the seat of His mighty throne. Ye are they who have outstripped all others in creation in turning towards My most exalted horizon. Blessed is the river that hath attained unto you and the houses from which your voices have been raised in remembrance of God, the Goal of them that know. The first counsel We have enjoined upon Our loved ones in the Book is the Most Great Steadfastness. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it and attained its pure wine through My Name, the All-Compelling, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

God willing, may all the friends partake with the utmost joy and fragrance of the wine of divine revelation—a partaking that knoweth no end and whose thirst shall never seize it. And likewise may they be ignited by the fire of the divine Word—an ignition that shall know no cooling nor experience extinction. All must, through divine assistance and in perfect unity, gather at the table of the love of the All-Merciful, regard their aims as one and their purposes as united, vie with one another in service, and exert their utmost endeavor. I swear by the pure hearts and upright souls that these mentioned matters are of benefit to the world of good repute as water is to earth.

His honor Siyyid Ali-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, is among those souls who have turned to the most exalted horizon and received their portion from the Sun of inner meanings. They have drunk repeatedly from the ocean of reunion and attained the lights of the Divine Countenance, and have taken their share time and again from the cup of trials in the path of the love of God, exalted be His glory and might. Therefore, let those souls who have taken shelter beneath the Divine Lote-Tree and are free and detached from the world and all therein strive to improve his affairs. We counsel those who have drunk of the Living Waters to look after his affairs according to their capacity. He is verily the Trusted Teacher.

At present they dwell in the Prison-land and circle round the Throne. O My loved ones! Take hold of My Book with the power bestowed by Us and place your trust in the One, the All-Informed. We behold from Our most exalted horizon those who have arisen to act according to what was ordained in My perspicuous Book. God willing, may all the loved ones of God be enabled to act according to His good-pleasure.

Let Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Rahim and Aqa Abdul-Husayn exert their utmost endeavor in what hath been mentioned. The Glory be upon you all.

BH02162: Commemoration of the anniversary of the Birthday of the Bab

In the Name of the One Begotten Whom God hath designated the Herald of His Name, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving!

This is a Tablet from Our presence to glorify the Night in which heavens and earth were illumined by the Day-Star whose effulgent splendour hath encompassed the dwellers of the whole world.

Immeasurably blessed art thou, inasmuch as the Day of God hath been born in thee—the Day which hath been singled out by Us to be the lamp of salvation unto the denizens of the cities of names, the chalice of blissfulness for such as dwell within the immensities of the realm of immortality and the source of joy and gladness unto all the inmates of the world of creation.

Immensely exalted is God, the Maker of the heavens, Who hath caused His Day to raise its voice in glorification of this Name whereby the veils of delusion have been rent asunder and the mists of idle fancy dissipated, whereby the Name of Him Who is the Self-Subsistent hath shone resplendent above the horizon of assurance. The choice wine of everlasting life hath, on this Day, been unsealed and the doors of true knowledge and utterance were unlocked before the face of all the inmates of the realm of existence and the breeze of divine mercy been wafted upon all regions. All glory be unto this Hour wherein the Treasure of God, the Potent, the Knowing, the Wise, hath been unveiled.

O peoples of earth and heavens! Verily God hath made the First Night a token for the Latter Night in which hath been born the One Whom no human mind can comprehend, Whom no expression of praise can magnify. Well is it with him who pauseth to reflect upon these Twin Nights. Indeed he would readily recognize that the outer form doth conform with the inner reality and would become acquainted with the divine mysteries that lie enshrined in this Revelation—a Revelation through whose potency the foundations of disbelief have quaked and the idols of superstition have been dumbfounded and the banner bearing the proclamation:

“Verily, no God is there but Him, the Powerful, the Pre-Eminent, the Peerless, the Incomparable, the Sovereign Protector, the Mighty, the Most Exalted”

hath been unfurled.

This is the Night in which the fragrance of reunion hath been diffused, in which the portals leading unto the divine presence were, in fulfilment of the ultimate objective, flung open and all created things did proclaim: “Verily, the Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of Names, He Who is come invested with such sovereignty as pervadeth the whole creation”.

This is the Night in which the Concourse on High have celebrated the praise of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, in which the realities of all names have, in recognition of the glory of His Revelation, magnified the Name of Him Who is the sovereign Ruler of this world and of the world to come—a Revelation which hath caused the mountains to wing their flight unto the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted, through Whose power men have set their hearts towards the countenance of the Beloved and the leaves are stirred by the gentle winds of deep longing and the trees, enraptured by the ringing Call of the Almighty, have lifted up their voice and the whole creation is vibrating with ecstasy in its eagerness to attain the presence of the Lord of eternity and all created things were called into being through the potency of the hidden Word which this glorious Name hath disclosed.

O Night of the All-Bountiful! In thee We discern the revelation of the Mother Book. We wonder whether it is a begotten child or a revealed Book. Nay, I swear by Myself; whatever hath been mentioned is but a matter of names, whereas God hath immeasurably exalted Him above this station. Through Him hath the Unknowable been made manifest and the impenetrable Mystery laid bare. Nay, by My life! All that hath been uttered is indicative of the station of designations, whereof He in truth is the sovereign Ruler. Through Him hath the letter of negation preceded that of affirmation. Nay, this is mentioned in proportion to the capacity of the peoples of the world, while in the estimation of thy Lord no one’s ear but His Own is capable of hearing it. Well is it with them that are well-assured.

Thereupon Our Pen of Glory cried out, dumbfounded:

“O Thou Whom names fail to describe! Forgive me, I adjure Thee by Thy might which transcendeth beyond the earth and the heavens. Wherefore I have been fashioned through the potency of Thy creative power, how can I describe that which no word throughout the realm of creation can describe? And yet, I swear by Thy glory, were I to express that which Thou hast divinely inspired me, the entire creation would be consumed away by reason of the ecstasy and exaltation it would experience. How much mightier then must be the waves of the ocean of Thine utterance which surge forth in praise of this sublime station, this exalted and transcendent habitation. O Lord! I beg Thee to forgive the incapacity of this tongue-tied Pen in magnifying the glory of this august station. Treat me then mercifully, O my Possessor and my King and excuse the things I have done amiss in Thy presence.”

Verily, Thou art the Lord of Bounty, the Omnipotent, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

BH02232: This is a remembrance from the One Who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Ancient

This is a remembrance from the One Who is mentioned unto him who hath remembered his Lord and was of those who have advanced, and who emigrated from his native land out of longing to attain the presence of God until he arrived at the pavilion of grandeur and the Sun of the Beauty of Oneness shone upon him with manifest light. Glad tidings unto thee, O Ahmad, for having journeyed and attained unto the presence of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and for having caused thee to hear His wondrous Call.

Although thou didst present thyself before receiving permission from thy Lord, yet God hath pardoned what is past as a bounty to thy father, who is among Our sincere servants. Be thankful that We have accepted thy visitation and presence before thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We have inscribed for thee a station in the Tablet. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Return to thy homeland by God’s command and decree, and be not of the hesitating ones. When thou seest thy father, convey unto his face the greetings of this Wronged One, the Peerless. Say: Blessed art thou for having remained steadfast in thy love for thy Lord and for having voiced His praise after He was imprisoned in this distant place. Blessed be thy face for having turned, and thy heart for having advanced, and thy tongue for having uttered His beauteous praise. Say, O Javad: God willing, through the bounty of the Lord of creation thou shalt ever voice the remembrance of the All-Merciful and attain His endless outpourings.

At all times strive mightily for unity among the loved ones of God, that perchance the idols of vain imaginings and differences may be shattered and the standards of unity and harmony may be raised. This is what is beloved in the sight of the Beloved of the worlds. The gaze of His loving-kindness hath ever been fixed upon those souls who have turned to the countenance of their Lord. He hath not wished, nor doth He wish, that they should be deprived of the Dawning-Place of the lights of oneness through human fancies.

If thou shouldst meet the letter Jim, say: Dost thou know by what proof thou didst advance and then by what evidence thou didst turn away from the All-Merciful? Nay, by His very Self, the Truth! Thou knowest not, and We see thee among the veiled ones. Hear My words, then look at this Revelation and what hath appeared from it, detached from all thou hast heard. By God, thou wouldst then cast aside what thou hast and turn toward the court of thy Lord’s grace, saying: “I have turned unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!” Thy likeness is as those who cast the Most Great Ocean behind their backs and gathered around a pond. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He who led thee astray is in the fire. Soon shall he who misled him join him. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a luminous Book.

O Javad! Convey to all the loved ones the greetings from the True One. Blessed is he who hath been named Servant-before-Hadi; he is among the triumphant ones. Since previously Tablets were revealed and sent to all specially, therefore at this time none hath been revealed specially, but they have been and are in mind. This is the essence, and thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. May the glory rest upon thee and upon those who are with thee and those who have turned unto thee for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH02222: Your letter hath come before Our presence, and this…

Your letter hath come before Our presence, and this is its beginning: “That which hath been apportioned from the burning of the heart…” Who am I that I should hearken unto that which the Tongue of Eternity speaketh? Be thou of them that render thanks.

Verily, thou art he whom We guided to the right shore, and inscribed upon his brow with the Pen of Eternity “This is a believer art thou,” and called him from the Divine Lote-Tree “Thou art,” and gave him to drink from the Kawthar of recognition by the hand of grace “Thou art,” and fed him the heavenly repast “Thou art,” and rained upon him the showers of bounty “Thou art,” and adorned him with the ornament of turning unto the Mighty, the Exalted “Thou art,” and sheltered him in the pavilion of munificence and generosity “Thou art,” and brought him into the precincts of the Throne “Thou art,” and removed for him the veils of grandeur from the countenance of Beauty “Thou art,” and brought him before Our presence “Thou art,” and caused him to hear Our most sweet call “Thou art,” and manifested Ourselves unto him with the lights of the Countenance face to face “Thou art,” and made him speak forth Our remembrance amongst the servants “Thou art,” and made him a herald of Our Cause “Thou art,” and sheltered him in prison for eighty-one days “Thou art,” and concealed his face from the enemies “Thou art.” Thus did My grace precede thee and My mercy encompass thee. None can outstrip Us in anything. We are the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

It hath been proven with evidence that thou hast no way by proof to establish against the All-Merciful even less than can be counted what would withhold His grace from thee. However, his honor Nabil came to the shore of the Most Great Sea before Ali and was deprived through the tyranny of the oppressors. I swear by the Ancient Beauty that his outward deprivation and the burning fire of separation in his most great heart exceeded a thousand years of worship. In any case, they have some right—nay, I seek God’s forgiveness for this—this is pure grace that is mentioned.

That which hath appeared from the presence of the Truth hath been and shall ever be beloved of those near unto God. If the fire of separation be not kindled, the Kawthar of nearness and reunion will not flow. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds Who, through His grace, accepted him and made him a place for the manifestation of calamities and trials in His path, and sanctified him from occupation with the world and all that is therein, strengthening him to turn toward the shore of nearness until he traversed the stages and attained the presence before the Throne and won the meeting with God.

Remind Abdullah and the father of Abad of the fragrances of the spiritual garment that wafted from the ancient realm, and convey greetings on behalf of God. May Khalil and Asad ever repose beneath the shadow of the Friend and conduct themselves with perfect wisdom, lest a word arise and become the cause of sedition. And the Glory be upon them both and upon her who hath turned toward the realm of oneness. Verily We have accepted from her what she intended in the path of her Lord. She is among the devout ones before the Throne. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

His honor the Master must be joyful in all conditions, for praise be to God, he turned toward the divine court and dwelt in the vicinity of the Truth.

BH02267: O Most Exalted Pen! We have sent down…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Great

O Most Exalted Pen! We have sent down for thee in every condition that which sufficeth the worlds. Blessed art thou for having arisen to promote the Cause in such wise that the tyranny of the oppressors hath failed to deter thee. We behold thee speaking at all times in praise of thy Lord, even after thou wert imprisoned among the silent ones. And We see thee possessed of sight amidst the blind, and standing firm among those who sit. Through thee was raised the shrill voice of every pen and every wise decree was expounded. Through thee were hearts drawn to the Beloved, and the hearts of lovers were set ablaze with the fire of separation, and the Face illumined the horizons. Verily thou art among those who are firmly established.

How long wilt thou gallop in the arena of utterance? Dost thou see any who would race with thee? By My life, We behold thee bewildered in reply, gazing to the left and to the right. O Pen, recount unto the Lord of Eternity: We behold thee bearing all tribulations and afflictions, yet never ceasing from utterance in remembrance of the All-Merciful. Dost thou make mention of Him for love of those on earth or of Him Who created it? Tell Me truly, for verily thou art the Truthful, the Trusted One.

How can I mention, O my God, my condition, knowing well that Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed? The fingers of Thy Will move me, and Thy prevailing Purpose directeth me throughout all worlds. O My Pen! Tell Me what thou hast, for thou beholdest Me a stranger among the oppressors. None is there to speak with Me of that which would gladden Me in this Most Great, Most Mighty Cause.

O My Pen! We have heard from thee diverse melodies and countless strains. Hast thou a melody whereby the world would be attracted and every mouldering bone be quickened, such that nothing would remain save that it would hasten unto thee and turn toward this luminous horizon? O my Lord! No power have I before the manifestations of Thy might, nor any knowledge before the surgings of the ocean of Thy knowledge. All things are dependent on Thy Will and conditioned by Thy Purpose. I testify that Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Were I to find a hearing ear, I would manifest what lieth within Thy knowledge, for verily Thou art the One Who ruleth as He pleaseth. Where are the attentive ears that would hear what is sent down at every moment from the Kingdom of Utterance? And where are the eyes that would behold Thy bright and wondrous countenance? By My life, that hath been revealed which hath caused the Kingdom of Verses to quake, yet the people are in evident remoteness. Thus doth the Dove warble in this dark night. Blessed are they who hear.

O thou who hast turned to God! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One when sorrows encompass Him. Verily there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. In this state He summoneth all unto the Mighty, the Beloved. Be as thy Lord was, in such wise that no mention would prevent thee from His mention, nor any description from His description. Make mention of His praise amongst His servants and be of those who remember Him. This is better for thee than all that is in the heavens and earths. And say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH02271: O Mihdi! Upon which land thou mayest be…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Mighty

O Mihdi! Upon which land thou mayest be, the glory of God, the Lord of what hath been and what shall be, rest upon thee. Thy letter hath reached the Throne, and We have heard that whereby thou didst call upon God, the Omnipotent, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We are in a state that cannot be compared with any other state. We make mention of thee—this is God’s bounty unto thee. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Forgiving. We beseech God to make thee a sign of My joy amongst His servants, in such wise that neither the affairs of creation nor the deeds of them that have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Beloved, may sadden thee or trouble thee. That which thou hast sent are the words of thy Lord. This behooveth thee and those who have been moved by the fragrances of this praiseworthy Name. We beseech God to aid thee under all conditions to make mention of Him among His servants and to spread His Cause throughout His lands. This behooveth Us and thee and the people of Baha who are established upon the Ark—they, verily, are safe and secure.

O Jud! The Desired One maketh mention of thee from this praiseworthy station. This is from the bounty of God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. That which thou didst send aforetime hath reached Our presence, and We have read thy letter which thou didst send to the servant who standeth before the Throne, and We have been informed of its contents. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Grieve thou not over anything. He, verily, will suffice thee in truth, and He is the Protector of the sincere ones. There hath reached Our presence the letter sent from Ha unto the people of Za, and it hath been read in this noble Scene. We beseech God to assist them both to serve Him and obey Him, and to grant them the good of this world and the next. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Generous. They are remembered at the Most Glorious Horizon. Blessed are they and those who have turned towards God, the Goal of all mankind.

O Muhammad! The All-Praised One maketh mention of thee from the presence of God, the One, the Single. That which thou didst send hath reached the Throne, and the glorification hath been honored by the fingers of thy Lord, the Single, the Self-Subsisting. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Trustworthy.

O Nabil, son of Nabil! The glory of thy Glorious Lord be upon thee. There hath come unto Us that whereby the Friend and they that circle round the Throne of thy Lord, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Glorious, have lamented. Thou didst visit the Throne in thy early days and didst attain the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. That which was sent from thy presence hath been honored in the court of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God to ordain for thee that which shall gladden thine eyes and to make thee one of those whose faces are illumined by the lights of this resplendent Dawn. Grieve not over what hath befallen Us. We were created for tribulation. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Patient, the All-Forbearing.

O Javad! Convey the greetings from Us to them that have believed in God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Then make mention of those who were in the land of Sin (China) and give them glad tidings of the favors of their Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have stood firm in this Cause whereby the lands were shaken, the servants were confounded, and the faces of the false ones were darkened.

BH02295: O Abu’l-Hasan! Hearken unto the Call from the direction…

In His Name, the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

O Abu’l-Hasan! Hearken unto the Call from the direction of the Ancient of Days, from the tongue of thy Lord, the Knower of the hidden and the manifest. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Wise. We have guided thee to the Most Great Ocean and illumined thine eye by gazing upon the countenance of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. We gave thee to drink of the purifying Kawthar when the Lord of Manifestation came with a sovereignty that encompassed the worlds. Our grace hath encompassed thee in such wise that We drew thee nigh unto the Dawning-Place of the beauty of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We caused thee to enter the pavilion of grandeur and made thee to hear the call of thy Lord, the Possessor of earth and heaven. We revealed Ourselves unto thee even as We revealed Ourselves unto the Manifestations of the Names between earth and heaven. Verily thy Lord is the One Who doeth as He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

We have set ablaze the heart of the world through the heat of the Word of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. Blessed is he who hath turned towards Him, and woe betide them that have turned away. Hearken once again unto the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, from the Ultimate Lote-Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bountiful. I have created all contingent beings through My Name, then raised them up through My sovereignty. I am, verily, powerful over whatsoever I will, yet most of the people are heedless. Thus have We seized all who are in the kingdom through the attraction of the verses of thy Lord and guided them to the Dayspring of the Cause. Blessed are they that have advanced towards it.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that hearts may be attracted by thy call and faces may be illumined by the lights of thy countenance, which hath been kindled from the light of the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Abu’l-Hasan! Give thanks for having been mentioned and for the revelation of this Tablet, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Be thou at all times vocal in the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and be thou a proclaimer of this Name through which feet have slipped and all who are in the heavens and earth have been thunderstruck. Beware lest the doubts of the people of denial or the veils of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, withhold thee.

We have created thee for My service and taught thee that wherewith We quickened hearts from time immemorial and whereby We shall resurrect every mouldering bone. Cast aside, in the name of thy Lord, whatsoever preventeth thee from the Lord of all creation, then be steadfast in His service amidst all peoples.

Thus doth it beseem one who hath clung to My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names. Thus doth the Creator of the heavens command thee, for thou art the First Word from this wondrous Line. Say: O people! This is the creation of God for all who are in the heavens and earth. Then convey My greetings to My loved ones who have been consumed by the fire of separation when they remember the Luminary of the horizons, and who, when Our verses come unto them, are set ablaze, hastening unto God, the Lord of all names. Then mention them through the wonders of Our remembrance, in every line of which lieth concealed an ocean from the oceans of life, from which We have distinguished this Name whereby all in the world were overturned, save whom thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath willed.

May the glory rest upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the purest wine and were assured of the signs of their Lord.

BH02264: The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious, Most Luminous

The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious, Most Luminous

O Javad! We have desired to cause the waters of everlasting life to flow for thee from this Tablet whereby the life of all in the realm of possibility hath been sustained. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the Powerful. And We have desired to give thee to drink of the choice wine—dost thou know from which cup, from this manifest cup? And to show thee the Ancient Beauty—dost thou know from which horizon, from this luminous horizon? And to cause thee to hear the Call—dost thou comprehend from which throat, from this most holy and wondrous Throat? And We have desired to attract thee—dost thou know by what thing, by this Word whereby all things have been attracted unto God, the Beloved of the worlds?

And We have ordained thy glory—dost thou know by what, by this ancient glory? We have caused rivers to gush forth for thee through this Great Name, and have opened doors before thy face through this Key which was fashioned by My wise remembrance. And We have sent unto thee the fragrance of musk—dost thou know from which direction, from this most mighty, impregnable and glorious Paradise? And We have wafted unto thee the sweet scents of the All-Merciful from this Branch suspended above the back of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Then drink once again of the wine of immortality from this most sweet and subtle saliva. This is a Tablet whereby spirits take flight and the hearts of the sincere are drawn.

O Javad! The Lord of creation calleth thee from this manifest horizon. Seize thou the bounty of thy Lord and ponder upon that which hath been sent down unto thee from One Who is caring, merciful. Thou didst endure hardships in thy journey—verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thou didst behold the waves of the sea and its grandeur and dominion; reflect thou then upon the waves of the sea of thy Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Great. By My life! Were but a single wave from the waves of this sea to become manifest, it would cause all who are in the heavens and on earth to be drowned therein. The glance of grace hath ever been directed towards thee—He is, verily, the Mighty, the Generous. That which will gladden thy heart hath been ordained for thee in the Tablet. Grieve thou not over anything, but be thou among the joyous ones.

Behold the power of thy Lord, how He hath seized the foreigners through a sovereignty from His presence, and those who expelled Us from the Land of Mystery—verily He is possessed of mighty strength. Thus was it sent down aforetime in the Tablets, and when the appointed time came to pass, that which was inscribed therein was made manifest, that all might be assured that He is, verily, powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Most High, the Impregnable, the Almighty, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We opened the door in those days lest there occur again that which had occurred. Verily My mercy hath preceded all creation. Thus have We illumined the horizon of utterance with the lights of the Sun of the remembrance of the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of existence and King of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by Him Who is the Purpose of the heavens and earth to protect Thy loved ones from those who have denied Thy proof and have warred against Thy Self. Then give to drink unto them that have professed Thy unity that which floweth at all times from the mouth of Thy bounty and the lips of Thy favors. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou pleasest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH02341: Thy letter hath attained the Most Great Success…

In His Name, the One Who abideth after the extinction of all things!

Thy letter hath attained the Most Great Success in that it hath come into the presence of this Scene, when We were encompassed by tribulations which none can reckon save the Mighty, the All-Knowing. We have read it and become acquainted with its contents, and We have heard thy yearning in separation. All things have been created for the meeting with God, yet when He appeared, every idolator and infidel denied Him, save those whom God preserved through His grace and aided to turn towards the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The meeting hath diverse degrees—thus hath the matter been decreed in the Book. Among the people are those who attained the presence yet did not truly attain, and among them are those who remained in their homes yet received the decree of attainment from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One, through His word that revealeth all things and establisheth every matter. Verily He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Powerful, the Sovereign.

In the name of the Peerless Friend!

The letter which that honored one sent to this servant who is present before the Throne was noted, and the effect of the heart’s burning heat in separation from the Dawning-Place of Oneness was perceived. All matters depend upon God’s command, and whatsoever hath been revealed by the Pen of the Divine Command concerning any soul is firmly established in all the infinite divine worlds. For example, observe that from the beginning of the mention in the new Revelation, whatsoever was revealed concerning each soul remaineth mentioned until now and shall remain mentioned hereafter, and likewise it is mentioned and established in the infinite worlds. Verily He is knowing of all things and powerful over all things. Therefore that honored one should not be grieved, for the decree of nearness and meeting and presence before the Throne hath repeatedly been revealed specifically for that honored one from the Supreme Pen. Rejoice thou and be of those who are thankful.

In this year infinite tribulations have descended and the prison-land hath been witnessed in utmost upheaval and agitation. That which was foretold in previous Tablets hath manifestly come to pass from concealment. In view of these occurrences We did not summon thee before, and until now it hath remained postponed. Should God will and desire thy presence among creation, He will surely summon thee. He is the Protector of those who love Him. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. In any case that honored one should not be grieved, for all good hath been revealed in the Tablets concerning that honored one.

Observe how God hath seized those in the lands who transgressed against Our new Name when We sent it with a clear Tablet. We have clothed them with the garment of hunger and fear, for through them was established the foundation of tyranny. Then We shall seize him who was their source. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Mighty. This is what was revealed in the Tablets aforetime, and We informed thereof the servants who followed the truth and were of the assured ones.

BH02318: O Taqi! You have interpreted what you interpreted regarding…

O Taqi! You have interpreted what you interpreted regarding your standing before the Gate and your presence in the seats of grandeur at the right hand of the Tree of Eternity, where upon the shore of the Divine Identity was planted the pavilion of the cloud, and the words of your Lord were fulfilled in the atmosphere of these allusions, and the meanings of your Creator’s melody were defined in the inner essence of these symbols. And you, bear witness for yourself as I bore witness then for you that you obeyed God in all conditions and did not disobey Him and will never disobey Him should He will and desire. And there shall appear to you what was concealed in your heart, and there shall descend upon you what was ordained for you, for in His hand is the Kingdom of might and power, and He is powerful over all things.

The corner of the tavern of divine love is the resting place of the soul’s abode, for the delicate, subtle soul soars only in the atmosphere of the Beloved and finds no dwelling place except the gathering place of the Friend. One must arise and advance with all one’s soul and spirit to give thanks at all times to this Cupbearer of the wine of immortality. The meaning of this thanksgiving is a thanksgiving that purifies the ear from hearing outward lute and harp, that it may perceive the holy, spiritual melodies, and prevents the eye from beholding ephemeral, darkened outer beauty, that it may receive its portion from beholding the beauty of the Divine Identity.

Blessed is the ear that heareth from this divine Royal Falcon the celestial royal strain, and from this Iraqi Countenance heareth the melodies of mighty Hijaz, until his whole body becometh a spirit and his entire frame the dwelling and abode of the Beloved. But, I swear by God, none heareth and no soul perceiveth, for this divine flute needeth a plectrum of the essence of spirit, and this eternal harp requireth the melody of light—not these remote souls who have never tasted the wine of nearness nor drunk the water of reunion from the matchless fountain. They possess naught but pure fancy and find no eternal life save utter extinction. They have become slaves to self and remained cut off from the King of Kings; they have become servants of the body and remained heedless and veiled from the Lord of Lords.

But O Taqi, the breeze of thy love is sweeter than morning prayers, and thy sin more beloved than asking forgiveness. It was intended that all these stations be explained, but what was decreed has come to pass and therefore is complete and ended. For if all on earth were freed from veils, this single page would suffice them all, and all spiritual meanings are hidden as pearls in this divine ocean. Blessed are those servants who succeed in obtaining its pearls.

BH02340: The Tablet of Creation hath been adorned…

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

The Tablet of Creation hath been adorned with the ornament of thy Lord’s utterance, the Lord of Invention, and the Book of Revelation hath been embellished with this Remembrance, whereby the denizens of the Supreme Paradise were attracted, the dwellers of the cities of eternity were made joyous, and all who inhabit the Kingdom of Creation were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of might and power did rescue, from One powerful and mighty and all-knowing.

Blessed is the soul that hath detached itself from all else but God and stood firm in assisting His Cause amongst the worlds. This is a Day wherein all atoms speak even as the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory hath spoken, yet most of the people remain heedless. The fragrance of the garment hath been diffused throughout the world, inasmuch as the Ancient Beauty hath appeared adorned with His Most Great Name. Blessed is he who hath turned and attained, and woe betide them that have turned away!

Say: Have ye occupied yourselves with the world after We have abandoned it to the dogs? Fear ye God and be not of them that are far removed. Hold fast unto that which profiteth you and follow not those who have denied God when He came with His sovereign Kingdom, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Impregnable. Their likeness is as the likeness of those who awaited the days of the Spirit, but when He came they turned away and denied God, the Lord of all worlds. Behold then and call to mind those who would invoke God at eventide and at dawn, and who awaited the days of the Luminary of the horizons, yet when He dawned from the vale of Mecca with the Kingdom of Names, they arose in opposition and objected to Him through Whom all religions were established amidst all creation. They are indeed among the most lost.

Blessed is the servant whom vain desires have not kept back from the Daystar of guidance, who hath cast away all else, turning unto God, the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust, and who, upon hearing the call from the Divine Lote Tree raised above the crimson spot, turned with his whole being and said: “Yea, O Beloved of the worlds!”

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One in prison, and from it We perceived thy vibration at the divine breeze and thy attraction to the Word of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the days of God and recognized that which most of His servants have failed to recognize. The dwellers of the cities of Names now bear witness that thou art indeed among the triumphant.

We beseech God to reveal His treasures from that land and to make thee among those who have stood so firm in His Cause that neither the hints of the wicked nor the words of the ungodly deterred them. We have accepted from thee what thou didst acknowledge at the beginning of thy letter. Know thou the station of this bounty and be of the thankful ones. As for what thou didst desire regarding the laws, their sun hath dawned from the horizon of thy Lord’s utterance, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. We shall soon send them unto thee. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Be thou assured of thy Lord’s tender mercies, then make mention of Him at morn and eventide. Convey My greetings unto the faces of those whom the breezes of their Lord, the All-Merciful, have stirred and brought forth from darkness into light. Thus hath His grace preceded all created things and His mercy encompassed all contingent beings, yet most people remain veiled.