Volume 049: 1872–1873 1289–1290 A.H., Part III (1 of 4)

BH04533: My grief is not for what has befallen Me…

My grief is not for what has befallen Me. By God! Baha is not dismayed by calamities. Indeed, He has welcomed them in the path of God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. But observe and remember that We forbade everyone from shedding blood, as all the Tablets testify—and you are among those who know.

Wickedness reached such a point that suddenly the Most Exalted Pen cried out with the loudest cry between earth and heaven, after the doors of meeting were closed before His face:

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

When the verses were revealed, all things were shaken. Therefore We took hold of the reins of wrath with a sovereignty from Our presence. But what leaked leaked, and what appeared appeared. Say: Praise be to Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp of power lie the reins of the worlds!

O My Name! We forbade all people from such matters to such an extent that when the fire of wickedness became inflamed and there occurred what occurred in certain years, We continuously kept those evil souls under the cloak of protection. Nevertheless they were not at peace, and every day some corruption and sedition appeared. The matter reached such a point that We withdrew from all and closed the doors of association.

The angels of divine wrath suddenly seized them and made them a lesson to the worlds. May the All-Merciful not have mercy on their graves! And this occurred suddenly—if you were to hear the details, you would testify that the Hand of God’s power seized them; no one had any part in it. Pure power was manifested from the presence of a Mighty, Powerful One.

BH04545: This most hallowed, this most exalted Book hath been…

This most hallowed, this most exalted Book hath been sent down from the presence of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Verily it is the Remembrance of God amongst the worlds and His most exalted Word unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. It is indeed the Ancient Sign amongst the peoples. Blessed is He Who hath revealed it with truth and made it the Dayspring of His Cause amongst the servants and the Rising-Place of His Revelation throughout all lands. Well is it with them that understand.

At times by the Remembrance We mean the Most Great Remembrance, and by the Book We mean this Mighty Book, and by the City We mean that which We have manifested upon the temple of man and sent forth with evident sovereignty. And at times We mean by it that which floweth from His Most Exalted Pen and from His Tongue which God hath made the Dawning-Place of His Revelation and the Dayspring of His mighty and impregnable knowledge. And at times We mean by it that which none hath comprehended save God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Say: The Tree hath been raised up in truth, and the birds of the hearts of them that know cannot attain unto its heights save whom thy Lord willeth. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who hath heard its rustling and the warbling of the birds that circle round it. As for those who are heedless, they are truly among the dead. They have deprived themselves of the pure wine that giveth life to the sincere ones.

Say: O my God! I complain unto Thee of the manifestation of wickedness and rebellion and corruption, and that which hath come between Thee and Thy servants. I beseech Thee by Thy Name, O Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling, to protect us through Thy sovereignty and power and to make us of those who soar in Thine atmosphere. Then gather us beneath the shade of the shelter of Thy mercy in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Help in Peril.

BH04445: The Most Holy, Most Exalted. A remembrance from Us…

The Most Holy, Most Exalted. A remembrance from Us to him who desired to attain the presence whilst in the midst of the idolaters and turned with his heart, then with his feet, to present himself at the seat of his Lord’s throne, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. When he heard the decree of his Lord, he returned to his abode. He is, verily, among the triumphant.

God hath heard thy call, thy turning toward His direction, thine orientation to His countenance, and hath accepted what thou desired in His Cause. He is, verily, the Forgiving, the Merciful. He desireth whomsoever hath desired Him, and loveth whomsoever hath loved Him, and remembereth whomsoever hath uttered His remembrance. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Generous.

Blessed art thou for having heard the call and followed what thou wert commanded by the Lord of Names. This is recorded as the best of deeds in a preserved tablet. We have sent down unto thee a tablet from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s loving-kindness once again. Be thou thankful for this manifest bounty. We have accepted thy deed and inscribed its reward in the tablet. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Make mention of Him amongst the servants. Let nothing sadden thee or any matter prevent thee from that wherein thou art in the path of thy Lord. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause, detached from the worlds. We make mention of you most times. This is from the bounty of your Lord, the All-Merciful. He is with His sincere servants.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause through God’s might and power in such wise that should the most fierce opposers oppose thee, thou wouldst leave them behind thee through the power of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee whilst We were in the prison of the enemies, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord and be of them that rejoice.

May the glory be upon you, O My loved ones, from One mighty and all-knowing.

BH04398: O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Baqir! Hearken unto the Call from the direction…

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

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Baqir! Hearken unto the Call from the direction of Him Who is encompassed by tribulation, from the Divine Lote-Tree set in motion by the stirring of the verses of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Compelling. Thy name hath been mentioned before the Countenance, and there hath been sent down for thee that which causeth spirits to soar and breezes to waft. This sufficeth thee, if thou be of those endowed with insight. Give thanks unto God for this bounty, with which nothing on earth can compare. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Grieve not for being prevented from attaining His presence. The schemes of the schemers have come between Us and thee. Be content with what God hath ordained in His Book. He hath decreed for you the reward of those who have turned towards Him. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

Blessed are ye for having migrated and journeyed and turned towards the Dawning-Place of the revelation of your Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Return to your lands by God’s command and decree, then give the servants to drink from the choice wine of the remembrance of the name of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind. Blessed is he who obeyeth the command of his Lord—he hath attained unto all good. Thus doth testify the Supreme Pen, and behind it thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Mutual Calling.

Know ye that We have forbidden the servants to shed blood and to slay those who have denied God, the Lord of lords. For this cause hath the matter reached such a pass that one who hath no authority hath assailed Us, and one who is smaller than a fly hath transgressed against Us. Thus have We recounted unto thee and sent down from the heaven of command that which will gladden thy heart and the hearts of the righteous.

BH04399: O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! Blessed art thou for having turned thy…

O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! Blessed art thou for having turned thy face unto My presence and for having had thy name mentioned before My throne, after that which befell Me in the path of God, the Lord of all names, when I was immersed in oceans of tribulation.

Arise through thy Lord’s power and say: O people! This is not a day for hesitation. Turn with your hearts unto God, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Say: This is God’s grace amongst you which hath appeared in truth—turn ye, O people of insight! This is God’s path amidst you—advance, O ye who possess understanding! This is a day whereon it behoveth every soul, upon hearing the call from the direction of his Lord, the Most High, to cast aside all else and say: “Here am I, O Lord of earth and heaven!”

Take thou the chalice of salvation in the name of Him Who sendeth the winds and Who cleaveth the dawn, and sprinkle thereof upon souls and spirits, that perchance the peoples of the world may arise to fulfill what thy Lord, the Lord of all creation, hath desired.

Be thou in all conditions observant of wisdom and utterance—this is what ye have been commanded by the All-Merciful in most of the Tablets. Blessed art thou for having cast away and taken up that which thou didst when thou didst attain unto the Tablet of thy Lord. Take it with the hand of acceptance and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Self-Sufficing, the Most High! I testify that Thou hast desired him who desired Thee and dost answer him who calleth upon Thee. And I testify that by Thy light the horizons were illumined.

Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and pay no heed to those who turn away and object. Soon shall they pass away and find for themselves no refuge, and the smile of the world shall brighten with your remembrance. Thus hath the Pen of the Ancient of Days been moved—verily He is the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bountiful.

BH04481: The letter of that beloved one reached this penitent…

He is God—exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Glory!

The letter of that beloved one reached this penitent servant, and the fragrances of love, sincerity, mystical knowledge and certitude of the Beauty of the All-Merciful were inhaled from its words, as was likewise that one’s orientation, humility and submissiveness toward the Truth. Blessed art thou for having drunk the wine of mystical knowledge in the days of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and for having attained unto that which all existence was deprived of, save those whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, wished.

The mention of that one was remembered before the Truth, and what thou didst supplicate of God, thy Lord, the Most Pure Ear did hear, and perfect bounty appeared from the horizon of grace. And as for the request for forgiveness and pardon specifically for thyself and thy parents, this blessed word issued forth from the horizon of the Mouth of Will:

“God hath answered what thou didst desire from the wonders of His grace and the ocean of His forgiveness. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful.”

End quote.

Blessed art thou, O beloved one, for having been mentioned by the tongue of the Beloved, and for the glances of His bounty having turned toward thee, and for His having sent down for thee that which shall endure as long as the dominion of earth and heaven endureth. God willing, may they ever be refreshed from the Kawthar of mercy and sustained by the fruits of bounty, and in all conditions be occupied with the remembrance of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Whoso maketh mention of Him on earth, verily He maketh mention of him in the Supreme Concourse. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Most Great Remembrance and hath arisen to praise the Ancient Beloved. He is assuredly among the triumphant ones. And the Spirit and holiness and glory be upon thee, O thou emigrant, traveler, pilgrim, triumphant one, exile who art near.

BH04547: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted! This is a Book from Us to those who are in the heavens and on earth, that all may inhale the fragrant breezes of the verses of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wise.

Herein do We make mention of him who remained faithful to the Covenant on the Day of Separation, when the Luminary of the horizons appeared with a manifest light, that his remembrance might endure amongst the servants through the perpetuity of the Kingdom and the Dominion, as a grace from his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Blessed art thou, O Rahim, in that the All-Bountiful hath shone upon thee with His Most Great Name. Thou art he who hath attained unto the lights of the Countenance in the former and latter days. He hath ordained for thee in His presence an exalted station, and thou hast ascended unto the Most Glorious Horizon, the Ultimate Goal. Upon thee be the remembrance of God and His mercy at all times.

A gathering hath been prepared in thy name in the Prison, and from the horizon of that station hath shone forth the Sun of the Beauty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. How wonderful is this sublime and exalted station! This is a bounty that cannot be equalled by whatsoever is treasured on earth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We have, O Rahim, on this day adorned thy head with the crown of the remembrance of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Beautiful. After thy ascension thou didst witness God’s power and sovereignty, and wert immersed in the ocean of His mercy, yet the people remain veiled and have no share today from thy cup.

Thereupon doth the Tongue of Grandeur testify that thou didst turn unto the Face and didst respond to thy Lord when He called thee, and didst attain His presence in this earthly life, and didst hear with thine own ear His most mighty, most holy and wondrous call. May glory rest upon thee and upon whosoever hath ascended unto God after his countenance was illumined by this resplendent light.

BH04425: Blessed is He Who hath manifested Himself as He…

He is the Ever-Abiding, the Everlasting

Blessed is He Who hath manifested Himself as He pleaseth and willeth, and hath spoken at the Focal Point of creation that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Generous. When the Decisive Utterance appeared, the people were scattered: among them were those who broke God’s Covenant and turned upon their heels, and among them were those who cast aside all else, turning unto God, the Most High, the Most Great.

Verily We informed all of this Revelation and sent down in every one of the Books We dispatched aforetime that which indicated this glorious, mighty Remembrance. Were it not for Him, God’s Scriptures would not have been sent down, nor would the horizon of Revelation have shone forth with the lights of thy Lord’s utterance, the Mighty, the Generous. Every appointed time mentioned in the Tablets hath been fulfilled through this Manifest Name.

Among the people are those who play with God’s verses—for this do those in the heavens and earth curse them. When it is said:

“O thou heedless one! By what proof didst thou believe in God’s Messengers of old?”

he then sayeth that which he comprehendeth not, for he is among the distracted ones.

Blessed is he who hath inhaled the fragrance of the garment and been drawn thereby to a station which God hath made the seat of His throne amongst the worlds. Blessed art thou for having rent asunder the veils and been numbered among the triumphant ones. The conditions of the imagined realm held thee not back from the Known One, and thou didst turn unto the Self-Subsisting when He came with the truth by a wondrous command.

Were We to lift the veil and show thee the stations of those who have turned unto God, thou wouldst surely leave thy house and cry out with the loudest cry amidst all peoples, by virtue of this Name which God hath made the Dayspring of His most excellent names and the Dawning-Place of His most exalted attributes. Thus doth the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, apprise thee.

BH04381: Hearken unto the Call from the horizon of grandeur…

In the Name of God, the Everlasting, Who perisheth not!

Hearken unto the Call from the horizon of grandeur—verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise. Thy name hath been mentioned before the Throne, and the tongue of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful, hath spoken thy praise. He, verily, from within the Most Great Prison, summoneth the peoples unto His holy kingdom, the Mighty, the Luminous, and remembereth the loved ones of God for having turned unto the Dawning-Place of Revelation—they are indeed among the triumphant.

When thou hast attained unto the Tablet of thy Lord and found from it the fragrance of God, say: O my God! All praise be unto Thee for having turned Thy gaze toward me. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that neither the veils of them that have been heedless of Thy remembrance in Thy days, nor the onslaught of them that have manifested oppression in Thy realm, shall withhold me. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

Preserve me, O my God, from whatsoever is repugnant unto Thy good-pleasure, and number me with them that have circled round Thy mighty throne. Assist me and Thy loved ones, O my God, to help Thy Cause and to exalt Thy remembrance amidst Thy creation. Make them, then, to be stars in the heaven of Thy detachment, that through them may be manifested that which shall serve as evidence of the sanctification of Thy commandments among Thy creatures and the glorification of Thy laws between Thy earth and heaven.

Thou art He through Whose name every abased one hath been exalted, every weak one empowered, every darkness illumined, every frozen one enkindled, every still one moved, every cast down one made to soar, every remote one drawn nigh, and every deprived one granted access. Thou hast ever been known for Thy grandeur and majesty, and described by Thy power and glory. There is no God but Thee, the Most High, the Self-Subsisting.

BH04557: The Most Holy, Most Luminous, Most Glorious! Hast thou…

The Most Holy, Most Luminous, Most Glorious! Hast thou seen the Hour manifested in the temple of man? Say: Yea, by my Lord, the All-Merciful! Verily it moveth and speaketh the truth with a sovereignty that encompasseth the worlds. Say: The Ancient Being and the Manifestation of His Most Great Name speaketh amongst the nations. Blessed is he who with strength hath rent asunder the veils through the power of his Lord and hath turned towards the direction from whose horizon the Book of the Command was visible.

Say: Through His utterance all things were attracted, through His call the names were set ablaze, and through His remembrance the near ones drew nigh unto a station which was raised up through the name of Truth. We have caused two seas to appear from two names. Blessed is he who hath drawn near to the two gulfs which branch forth from these two seas. Verily he hath been mentioned before the Truth as among the most exalted of creation.

Say: O people, purify your ears to hearken unto the Word of God and your hearts to recognize this Beauty who hath appeared from the Dayspring of Glory with bounty made manifest. Judge fairly, O people of the earth: Do ye desire this Living Water from the hands of the All-Merciful, or that which hath been mixed with the oppression of the ungodly?

Thereupon the Dove of the Divine Lote-Tree was thunderstruck by the melodies of the Lord of all creation, and he who stood before the Throne was seized by the intoxication of the verses. Verily bodies were moved by the breezes of revelation while forms remained still, being deprived of the spirit. We have drawn the essences of contingent being through the magnet of wisdom and utterance, and We have left the accidents to the heedless ones who were justly barred from the light in this Revelation.

Be thou grateful to God for having sent down unto thee this Tablet which hath been adorned with the ornament of utterance. Thus have We sent down the verses from the Kingdom of the Command and dispatched them unto thee that they might attract thee to an atmosphere that was mixed with the fragrance of reunion.

BH04732: My remembrance unto him who hath rent asunder…

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious

My remembrance unto him who hath rent asunder the veils and turned unto God, his Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, that he may find the fragrance of the All-Merciful from this Vesture which We have sent in the form of a Tablet with spirit and delight. They that are heedless, these are in manifest error and delusion.

Say: The All-Merciful hath come with the kingdom of utterance, and the Mount calleth out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Mighty, the Choice!” And from another direction the call is raised: “The Prison is God’s, the Mighty, the Compelling!” The blood of Baha calleth out to all who are in the kingdom of creation, summoning them to the place of sacrifice, saying: “I have chosen for you what I have chosen for Myself.” Your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, beareth witness to this. Whoso hath attained unto My recognition hath sacrificed himself in My path. This is what hath been set down by the Pen of Revelation in the Scriptures and Tablets.

They that spread corruption in the earth—these shall have none to guide them. And they that consume the substance of men wrongfully and shed blood—these are of the people of loss.

Say: The sword is My remembrance and the spearpoint is the tongue. Draw them forth by My leave, then help the All-Merciful through them amidst all worlds. Thus have ye been commanded by the Revealer of verses. By My life! The sword of utterance is sharper than the sword of steel—know this, O ye who are endued with insight!

We beseech God to aid thee to rend asunder the veil and to help His Cause through thee. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Helper. Make it thy paramount concern to teach thy Lord’s Cause—this is the sovereign of all deeds with the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The glory that proceedeth from God rest upon thee and upon them that have turned unto the Lord of Command in the beginning and in the end.

BH04655: We have at times revealed that which none knoweth…

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

We have at times revealed that which none knoweth save whom God willeth, and in another station We have revealed verses in such wise that the servants understand them and what their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, intendeth thereby. By My life! We love to speak words that all who have turned to God may understand. Thus doth My mercy which hath encompassed the worlds require. Be grateful to God that the Beloved speaketh in your tongue, for this is a great bounty indeed.

They who today remain remote from God’s grace and mercy are in manifest error, while they who have turned unto and acknowledged what hath been revealed in the Tablets are among the triumphant. Among men are those who take darkness for light, and those who stray in the wilderness of error and are not among those who perceive.

The Call hath been raised in such wise that even the atoms have heard it, yet most men remain heedless. The Sun of Utterance hath shone forth in such wise that its effulgence hath encompassed all contingent things, yet most men remain turned away. They behold God’s proof and sovereignty yet deny it, having followed every ignorant remote one.

Say: O people! Fear God and look not upon the face with your eyes, but rather with this luminous sight. Thus have ye been commanded in all the Tablets, did ye but understand.

Grieve not thou over those who have denied God and what hath befallen Us at the hands of the oppressors. Be thou grateful at all times and place thy trust in Him. Verily He is with His servants who trust in Him.

BH04727: A remembrance from the Wronged One to him who…

In His Name, the All-Subduing, the Supreme Over All Names

A remembrance from the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God and arise to serve Him amongst His servants in such wise that neither the affairs of men may perturb him nor the veils of every rejected misbeliever hinder him. Arise with divine authority to serve His Cause—this is better for you than all that hath been created on earth, did ye but know. The world and whatsoever is therein shall profit you not. By My life! That which hath been ordained by God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved, shall profit you. The creation was brought into being for this Day, yet they remain veiled from His presence.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful! Hold fast to the cord of trustworthiness amongst all people and speak with pure truthfulness, that there may be manifested through you that which beseemeth this irrevocable Cause. Whoso betrayeth God is among the most abject of all creation—all things curse him even as honored servants curse him. Aid ye the All-Merciful through your words and deeds—thus have ye been counseled in most of the Tablets, did ye but know. Beware lest ye commit that which disturbeth the souls and stunneth the minds. Be ye the manifestations of My morals amongst My servants and the dawning-places of My sanctification amidst My creation. Thus doth your Lord command you, would ye but understand. Say: All that He commandeth you is for your own good, would ye but be fair in your judgment. That which ye possess profiteth Us not, but rather profiteth your own selves—to this testifieth all things, would ye but witness. Beware lest ye cast behind your backs the bounds of God. Act ye according to that which ye have been commanded by the True One, the Knower of things unseen.

BH04666: O Rida! May you be, through the bounty…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Mighty

O Rida! May you be, through the bounty of the Lord of Names, confident and joyous. Some time ago your letter was present before the Throne and its answer was revealed according to what God had ordained. This is another time. Verily your Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Regarding the verses of God that were revealed and sent last year specifically for some of the ungodly for you to recite—the purpose was that the divine proof be completed against those ungodly souls, although it was already complete. Otherwise, the condition of every soul has been and will be known. One who has taste perceives the flavor of good fruits. For souls who are deprived of this station, the sending down of heavenly food has been and will be divine wrath.

Thus you witnessed how We seized the leader of the people with a wondrous Book, despite knowing his rejection and rebellion. Now what was a blessing for him became a curse, and its effects are evident in all lands. Soon it shall become manifest in his own self. Verily your Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The mention of God is a blessing for the righteous and a curse for the wicked, and this is due to the change that occurs in misbelieving souls whereby they are prevented from acknowledging divine verses and perceiving good fruits. We beseech God to assist you in all conditions and make you one who speaks in His name among the worlds. The Glory be upon you and upon those with you.

BH04735: The All-Sanctified, the Most Great, the Most Glorious! Glorified…

The All-Sanctified, the Most Great, the Most Glorious! Glorified be He Who hath manifested the Manifestation of His Cause as He pleaseth, and caused Him to speak forth verses whereby all atoms were attracted, that all might be assured that He is the Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

Verily in the imprisonment of the Ancient Beauty among the nations and His establishment upon the Most Great Throne are signs for those who know. He spoke when cut off from all means, and delivered the Cause while in the hands of the oppressors. In tribulation He called upon the Lord of Names, in hardship He remembered the Lord of all beings, and in sorrows He summoned all in the contingent world unto the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who hath acknowledged, woe unto the deniers.

Behold, O servant, how God seized those who cast the Tablet of God behind their backs and killed him who came unto them with clear authority. We sent forth the Wonderful One with authority from Us, and dispatched Him with a mercy from Our presence unto him who turned away from the Truth, that God’s proof might be completed against him. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

When he appeared before him, he was seized with injustice and there befell him that which caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament. Therefore did God seize those in the lands and sent down upon them hunger and fear that they might awaken and be of those who repent. He awakened not at God’s might; soon will He seize him with vengeful power from His presence. Verily He is the most severe of avengers.

Nothing whatsoever escapeth thy Lord’s knowledge. He doeth what He willeth through His authority and decreeth what He pleaseth. Thus have We informed thee and imparted unto thee that which gladdeneth thy heart, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones.

BH04840: How blessed is he who hath found the fragrance…

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

How blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful as it wafted through all creation, and how fortunate is he who hath drunk of this Kawthar which hath flowed from the Finger of Grace in the days of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Say: What aileth you, O people, that ye have turned to vain imaginings and turned away from Him Who hath come in the shadows of the clouds with manifest sovereignty? He is indeed the Beloved One Who was promised to you in the Tablets, were ye of them that know. He is indeed the One mentioned from all eternity, and by His remembrance hath every perspicuous Book been adorned. Ponder, O people, upon the verses of God and His proof, that ye may recognize that wherewith ye were promised by One mighty and knowing.

We summon you unto God and seek from you no recompense—the Pen of Revelation beareth witness to this, were ye of them that hear. Occupy not yourselves with that which ye have been forbidden; rather, do that which ye have been commanded in the Book—this is better for you, were ye of them that know. Blessed is he who hath detached himself from all else and turned unto his Lord, after all the heedless and remote ones turned away from Him.

Aid ye the All-Merciful through remembrance and utterance, that perchance they that slumber may awaken and turn unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Thus hath the Pen spoken, and the Ancient of Days hath borne witness thereunto, when He was imprisoned in the Most Great Prison by reason of what the hands of the oppressors had wrought.

If thou hast found the sweetness of the remembrance that hath been raised from the Lote-Tree of Utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O my Lord, the All-Merciful, for having turned toward me the wonders of Thy favors and made me to be of them that have attained.

BH04729: In the Name of the One, the Single…

In the Name of the One, the Single, the Self-Subsisting! Your mention hath been made before the Throne and thy cry hath been heard. God willing, through divine grace and heavenly bounties thou shalt ever abide beneath the shade of the divine Lote-Tree. Praise be to the Goal of the world that thou hast been enabled to remember Him and hast attained unto His recognition.

In truth, in the primal reality the cause of creation and existence hath been His knowledge. Whoso attaineth unto this station hath attained unto bounties beyond counting. Today the knower is he who hath recognized Him, and the learned one is he who hath comprehended the Known One. The heedless souls who remain in the wilderness of self and desire and have not been guided by the dayspring lights of guidance are accounted as non-existent before the Truth. Blessed are those souls whose mention hath flowed from the Supreme Pen and who have entered the eternal paradise which is the love of God.

Give thanks unto thy Lord for having inscribed thy name in the Tablet. Say: O my God and my Master! I beseech Thee by the Lamp of Thy Revelation whereby Thy heaven and earth were illumined, and by the tribulations of the Dayspring of Thy signs Who hath been afflicted amidst the wrongdoers among Thy creatures, to make me one of those who in Thy love have detached themselves from all else but Thee, who have arisen to serve Thee amongst Thy servants, and who have been so carried away by the breezes of Thy love that they have cast behind them all that is on earth in manifesting Thy Cause and exalting Thy Word. Then ordain for me, O my God, what is best for me, for Thou art the All-Knowing and verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH04788: The heavens have spoken: “The Lord of Names hath…

He is the Most Wondrous, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

The heavens have spoken: “The Lord of Names hath come!” The Dove hath warbled: “The Lord hath appeared with His Most Glorious Name!” And the pebble hath cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth to the Lord of Attributes!” All things have voiced the remembrance and praise of God, yet most people remain in doubt and discord.

The Most Great Ocean hath surged and spoken in the name of the Ancient Lord, yet most nations are as the dead. We call them to the Kawthar of life, but they have turned away from it, having followed vain imaginings.

Blessed is the soul that hath been kindled with the fire of God and hath not been hindered by the veils of the people of hypocrisy. Such souls are of those whose names have been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen and whose mention hath been recorded in the tablets of their Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment.

Thou hast adorned thy tongue with My remembrance, thine eyes with beholding My verses, thy heart with turning toward My direction, and thine ears toward the Dawning-Place of utterance. Thus have We adorned thee with the ornament of remembrance and distinguished thee in this Day wherein eyes are solaced.

Read thou the verses of thy Lord and turn not unto those who follow their desires and deny God, the Lord of Lords. Soon shall We seize them as We seized those before them. Verily thy Lord is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth.

Forget not My favor and consort not with those who have turned away from the Countenance when it shone forth from the horizon of glory. Glory be unto those who have quaffed the wine of detachment in this Day wherein the Lord of creation proclaimeth:

“The Kingdom belongeth to Him Who hath appeared with majesty and power!”

BH04638: In the Name of God, the Most Great…

In the Name of God, the Most Great, the Most Ancient! O Asad! Hearken to the call of the Manifestation of thy Lord, the One, the Single, Who hath taken unto Himself neither consort nor son. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Peerless, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, the Ever-Abiding.

Wert thou to discover what hath been ordained for thee from the Word of thy Lord, thou wouldst detach thyself from the whole world and arise to praise the Lord of Names. Verily thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. He remembereth him who hath turned unto Him and turneth unto him who hath set his face towards the Court of God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

Be thou as a lion in the Cause of thy Lord, that the hearts of them that have turned away may quake with fear. Illumine the servants with the light of thy Lord and the lands through this Name whereby all that was and will be hath been illumined.

This is a Day wherein every poor one hath soared to the heaven of riches, every powerless one to the horizon of might, and every abased one to the dayspring of glory through this Name which God hath made the Dawning-Place of His signs amongst His creation and the Manifestation of His clear tokens to all who dwell in the realm of the seen and the unseen.

Blessed art thou for having quaffed the wine of loving acceptance and turned unto the Qiblih of existence. Stand firm in that whereunto thou hast attained, for verily Satan lieth in wait and calleth the people unto vain imaginings. Thus doth thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving, command thee.

Read thou what hath been sent down unto thee, whereby souls take wing and hearts are quickened. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the splendors of the Countenance when the Manifestation of the Cause appeared with the Name of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH04733: My remembrance unto him who attained to My days…

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

My remembrance unto him who attained to My days, found the fragrance of My robe, and turned to God, the Lord of all days.

We have sent down from the heaven of grace the rains of loving-kindness and bounty. They who have attained unto them are of the people of Baha in the presence of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, and they who have turned away are among the most abject of servants, and their names are recorded among the dead. Blessed is the thirsty one who has drunk the living waters in the days of the All-Merciful, and woe unto him who has turned away and been deprived of this bounty that has encompassed all in creation. Happy is he who has taken the cup of eternity in My Most Glorious Name and drunk thereof, detached from those who have turned away from God, the Lord of all men.

Be ye God’s trusted ones in His earth and His faithful ones in His lands, in such wise that through you may waft the fragrances of detachment. Hold fast to the cord of godliness, for through it appears the sign of sanctity in the realms of your Lord, the Subjugator of winds. We command you to that which will make you dawning-places of victory in this Cause that has encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Be steadfast in the love of God and His obedience in such wise that the conditions of the people of error may not cause you to waver. It behooveth him who hath held fast to My love to be endued with My morals. Thus hath the matter been ordained in the Book.

O My loved ones! Were I to remember you throughout the duration of My kingdom, the fire of My love would not be stilled. Be ye as befitteth this station. Thus have We expounded the matter and sent down the verses that thine eye and the eyes of those who have turned to God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained, may be solaced thereby.

BH04684: Blessed be He Who summoneth the servants unto…

He is the One Who abideth through His own Being!

Blessed be He Who summoneth the servants unto the horizon of His bounty, though He, verily, is independent of all worlds. All things testify to His independence, and every matter boweth before His Command, the All-Compelling, the All-Encompassing. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Surrounding. His Will hath conquered all created things, and His sovereignty hath transcended all who are in the heavens and on earth. He remembereth His servants in the Most Great Prison, inasmuch as they have turned unto Him—exalted be He Whose mercy hath preceded every small and great one.

O thou who art mentioned by the Pen of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days! We have become aware of thy burning love for thy Lord and thy turning unto this Most Glorious, Wondrous Cause. Therefore hath the Pen of Revelation traced thy name, that its influence may attract thee in such wise as to detach thee from all who are on earth, and that through thee may be detached such servants as wander in the wilderness of error and are debarred from that which their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath desired for them.

Know thou that he who believed in the Spirit at the beginning of His Cause was a fisherman who caught fish in the sea. But when the Word shone forth upon him from the horizon of the Divine Will, he turned with his whole being to the Mighty, the Wise. Therefore did the mysteries of wisdom and utterance flow from his mouth. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. He giveth what He willeth to whomsoever He willeth. He is, verily, the Ruler over what He desireth.

Beware lest anything extinguish thee. Be thou ablaze throughout all thy days through this Name whereby the world hath been set aflame. Thus have We sent down unto thee the verses and dispatched them to thee, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord and be of them that attain.

BH04636: Verily this Tablet shineth between the heavens…

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

Verily this Tablet shineth between the heavens and the earth, and through it the Spirit was sent down and the Faithful Spirit did speak. They who have turned unto God, these are in an exalted station. We have made this Tablet the source of the new creation, yet the people remain in evident veils. They hear not the call of the Spirit, nor do they see that which hath dawned from the horizon of the Tablet—nay, they are as the dead. The Tablets have been detailed from this Tablet which hath appeared through this Great Name.

Say: Did ye believe in the signs, then wherefore did ye not believe, and in that which was sent down from the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Wise? Did ye accept the clear proofs, then wherefore did ye turn away from Him through Whom every wise decree was manifested? The signs have humbled themselves before the countenance of their Lord, and the clear proofs before His all-compelling sovereignty over the worlds.

We desire for you naught save that which God hath desired. Whoso heareth is saved, and whoso turneth away, his is disgrace this Day. Thus hath it been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen from One mighty and all-knowing.

They who followed vain imaginings after the Sun of Certitude had dawned, these have no path to the Truth. Say: Seize ye the opportunity in these days, then turn ye to the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

God hath heard thy call and revealed for thee that whereby the eyes of them that are endued with understanding are solaced. When thou attainest unto it, recite it and glorify thy Lord with praise. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee!

BH04853: This is a Tablet which We have adorned…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Mighty

This is a Tablet which We have adorned with the ornament of the Pen from before Him Who is the Lord of Eternity and sent it to him who has turned to the Countenance and delivers the Cause of his Lord, that joy may so possess him that sorrows shall never afflict him. Blessed art thou for having occupied thyself with the remembrance of God and the proclamation of His Cause. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We were with thee when thou didst speak forth this Name whereby the backs of the wicked were broken. Say: O people! Verily He is with whosoever maketh mention of Him and beholdeth whosoever aideth Him through utterance. Draw ye the hearts through My remembrance and subdue souls through this Name whereby the Sun of the Cause hath shone forth from the horizon of glory. Those who claim to attract through any name other than this Name are belied by all atoms. Among the people is he who hath an outward melody but from whom We hear inwardly the croaking of the raven.

Say: There existeth nothing in the realm of creation at the level of creation but that We have revealed it in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Unconstrained. And whatsoever hath been treasured in the treasuries of the unseen is with Us and none hath become aware of it save My knowledge which hath encompassed all horizons.

Leave those who claim of their own desires that which God hath not permitted them, then preserve souls from these ones. Thus doth the Lord of creation command thee. Blessed art thou, O thou who speaketh in remembrance of thy Lord and art mentioned by the Pen of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever heareth thy word in remembrance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

BH04726: A remembrance from Us to him who hath migrated…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Ancient, the Most Great

A remembrance from Us to him who hath migrated unto God in numbered years, that he may appear amongst men in raiment wherefrom the regions are illumined. We have counselled him at all times to turn unto the All-Merciful and to be detached from whatsoever hath been created in the realm of possibility. We beseech God to assist him in that which is befitting unto him. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

O Salman! Hearken unto the Call from this Tree upraised in truth—verily there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. Counsel the servants regarding trustworthiness and truthfulness, and to act according to what hath been revealed in the Tablets. He who casteth away trustworthiness is among the most contemptible of creatures. To this testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of the Book. Say: O people! Adorn yourselves with the attributes of the All-Merciful in the realm of possibility. Beware lest ye follow your passions. Words are not accepted, but rather deeds performed purely for God, the One, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Most High.

Be thou grateful unto God for having admitted thee to the prison when the sea of trials and tests surged, and for causing thee to hear His call and to attain His presence when the hosts of the wicked had encompassed Him. Go forth unto the lands by God’s leave and command, then make mention of My loved ones who have turned unto the Dawning-Place of lights, and give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance of them every morn and eve. The horizons have been filled with that which hath flowed from the Pen of Revelation, and the Tablets have been adorned with that which hath been sent down from the Source of verses. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto God on the Day of Return.

BH04931: O Nabil, son of Nabil! There hath come before…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Bountiful

O Nabil, son of Nabil! There hath come before the Wronged One that which thou didst send to Ismu’l-Javad, who was attracted by the verses of God and turned to Him, even unto visiting the Prison on a day when all on earth turned away from God save those rescued by the hand of Him Who ruleth over the worlds. Thou art he who traversed land and sea, and bore the derision of men and whatsoever proceeded from their mouths, until thou didst attain unto His presence and didst hear the call of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Remember when thou didst stand before the Gate, and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke unto thee that which God hath made the Kawthar of life for all who dwell in the realm of possibility.

Thus doth He Who possesseth the Preserved Tablet make mention of thee. In these days We have sent a letter unto thy brother wherein We have made mention of thee as a token of My grace, for I am the Rememberer, the Hearer, the Beholder, and the Answerer in what hath been and what shall be. Blessed art thou and he, and those women who were with you both and who remember their Lord through what the All-Merciful hath sent down in His perspicuous and mighty Tablet. From this station We send Our greetings unto Javad who attained unto what his Lord, the Lord of existence, desired. He it is who heard the Call and answered his Lord whilst most of the people were as dead.

Convey My greetings unto him and unto those who have believed in the One, the All-Informed. The Glory be upon you and upon every one who turneth unto God and whom the turbans have not hindered from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04863: O Abu-ʿAli! Blessed art thou, for God hath brought…

He is the Ever-Abiding in the Most Glorious Horizon

O Abu-ʿAli! Blessed art thou, for God hath brought forth from thy loins one who, through His remembrance, hath quickened the dead. The attractions of this Revelation have seized him in such wise that he hath detached himself from all that hath been mentioned, turning unto the Spot wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all mankind.” Know thou the value of this bounty. By My life! Were anyone to recognize it, he would soar upon wings of longing unto the Dawning-Place of verses. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this supreme bounty, and for His having aided thee to recognize this Cause whereby every thirsty one hath attained unto the ocean of nearness and reunion. Do sorrows overtake thee after that which hath come to thee from the direction of thy Lord, that which hath brought solace to thine eyes? Rejoice, turning unto the Most Great Joy. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of earth and heaven. My soul be a sacrifice for Thee, O Thou Who hast offered up Thyself for the salvation of the world. My spirit be a ransom for Thy prison, O Thou Who hast borne tribulations for the life of all in the lands.”

Beware lest thou be disturbed by the tyranny of them that have wronged. They are but in manifest error. Had We seen any worth in the world, We would not have left it to Our enemies. Through one word from Us, We would have subdued all in the horizons. These numbered days shall pass away, and We shall behold the sincere ones in pavilions of glory with might and majesty. Thy mention hath been made before the Throne, and unto thee hath been sent this Tablet whereby the Tree hath called out and the leaves have glorified God. And the glory be upon thee and upon thy son and thy wife, from God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

BH04826: The Tongue of the All-Merciful hath been loosed through…

The Tongue of the All-Merciful hath been loosed through this utterance which shineth forth from the horizon of creation. By My life, We have observed thee and Mine eye hath been turned toward thee at all times. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful.

O ʿAli! Thou art not heartless, for the heart is a dwelling-place of the Friend and is with Him. And thou art not poor, for through thy love for the Manifest Beauty thou art accounted among the most wealthy of His servants. Thou hast never been and art not a stranger, rather thou art near. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds Who, through His all-encompassing mercy and His pre-existent grace, caused thee to attain unto the original homeland which is the recognition of His Own transcendent Being.

Thou art indeed among those who have attained unto Him and His presence, and heard His call, and stood before the Throne after most of the servants were debarred therefrom. This is of His bounty which no created thing in the universe can equal. Then remember when We caused thee to appear before Us yet again—this is another bounty. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the earth and heavens!

Grieve not over anything. Be as a bird soaring in the atmosphere of longing and yearning. By My life, this world shall pass away and ye shall find yourselves in the most exalted station. This is what thy Lord, the True One, the Faithful, informeth thee. By My life, wert thou to know what hath been ordained for thee, thou wouldst soar with longing and rapture.

Thus have We sent down unto thee that which shall gladden thine eyes and the eyes of those who have turned with radiant faces and illumined breasts unto the countenance, and whom the clamor of such as have disbelieved in God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, hath not deterred.

BH04774: The Most Great, the Most Glorious! The heaven hath…

The Most Great, the Most Glorious! The heaven hath been raised up by this Name, whereby the hearts of the wicked were agitated when the Caller called out. A herald cried: “Hath the Desired One come?” It was said: “Yea, by the Beauty of the Worshipped One, with proof and evidence!”

Say: Today your idle fancies will profit you not. The Hidden One hath appeared through His Name, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed are they who possess insight! They who hesitated—these are the companions of error, by thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Say: Beware lest ye hesitate in a Cause unto which the hearts of them who are endued with understanding have hastened. This is He through Whom eyes were cheered and the horizons were illumined. Were it not for Him, the Ancient Beauty would not have appeared and the Tablets would not have been sent down.

Say: The Bayan is but a leaf from among the leaves of this Divine Tree. Thus hath the All-Merciful testified in the Book. It behooveth everyone, when hearing the Call, to say:

“Yea, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of the dominion of earth and heaven!”

We have manifested the Cause in such wise that it hath encompassed all who are on earth. To this beareth witness he who possesseth knowledge of both the hidden and the manifest.

Blessed art thou, O thou who art mentioned before the Throne, for having turned unto God, the Mighty, the Bestower, and having turned away from them that disbelieved. By My life! Thou art of them that have attained unto the presence of God in the final return. Rejoice thou in God’s remembrance of thee and glorify Him with praise at morn and eventide.

We are in the hands of the enemies. None knoweth what hath befallen Us from both factions save thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The door hath been opened and what was to come forth hath come forth. Understand thou the tone of these words. This is what ye were promised in the Tablets.

BH04639: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! O Asad! Thy letter hath come before Our face and thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, hath turned His gaze toward it. Blessed art thou for having turned toward the right hand on the Day of Judgment, the Day whereon the Lord of all worlds proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth to your Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained!” Thus hath God ordained for thee the reward of those who have turned unto Him.

Guard thou this station, then stand firm in the Cause of God in such wise that all things may inhale from thee the fragrance of certitude in thy Lord’s Cause, the Help in Peril. Let nothing grieve thee. Ask thou God to make thee a lion in support of His Cause. Verily He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty that hath encompassed all existence, both unseen and visible, and by Thy Name through which was manifested that which lay hidden in Thy knowledge and inscribed in Thy tablets, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause in such wise that the cawing of those who have denied Thy signs may not hold me back, nor the onslaught of those who have wronged Thee in Thy days disquiet me. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp is the kingdom of creation. Thou art verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

As to what thou didst ask regarding that which was concealed in the Preserved Tablet—verily We found the greatest thing therein to be at the beginning of thy letter. It is indeed the Most Great Name through which the peoples were scattered and the sincere ones were gathered at the shore of the Ancient Sea. Thus doth thy Lord inform thee. He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.

BH04608: The Most Holy, the Most Glorious, the Most Splendid!…

The Most Holy, the Most Glorious, the Most Splendid! Hearken, then, to the call of the heaven saying: “The Truth hath come with manifest sovereignty!” And hear from the air: “By God, the Glory hath come from God, the Mighty, the Loving!” And the earth proclaimeth, saying: “O peoples of creation! The Manifestation of your Lord, the Lord of Names, hath come. Follow Him and follow not every rejected idolater. Burn away vain imaginings with the fire that speaketh in the midst of contingent being: ʿVerily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Praised!”’

Blessed is he who hath found the sweetness of the utterance that hath appeared from the mouth of the will of his Lord, the All-Merciful. And woe unto him who hath been deprived of this bounty which hath encompassed all that was and shall be.

O servant! Rejoice thou in the remembrance of thy Lord. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, in that Thou hast remembered me through the tongue of the Dawning-Place of Thy verses, Who hath been imprisoned in Thy path, having summoned the people unto the quarter of Thy bestowals and favors. O my Lord! Aid me to turn unto Thee, detached from all else but Thee. Then enable me to serve Thee and remember Thee. Verily, Thou art the One potent through Thy sovereignty and the One Who dominateth all things through Thy might. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Forgiving.

O my Lord! Have mercy upon me through Thy bounty, then prescribe for me the reward of those who have turned unto Thee, for I find for myself no helper other than Thee and no protector besides Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy Self not to deprive me of the breezes of Thy Cause and the fragrances of Thy days. I testify that Thou art the One powerful over all things and that Thou art the Forgiving, the Kind.

BH04780: We have adorned creation with the mention of Our…

In the name of Him Who dominates over what was and what shall be!

We have adorned creation with the mention of Our Name, Whom We sent aforetime to give glad tidings to the people of this hidden Mystery. Indeed He warbled upon the branches with diverse melodies, with this mighty, forbidden Remembrance, and gave glad tidings to the servants of the Most Great Name, and called out to all from the Mount of the Bayan:

“Verily there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting!”

The Bayan and all within it was made dependent upon My acceptance, and all was made but a leaf among the leaves of My Ridvan. Yet when We unveiled Beauty from the Dawning-Place of Glory, heedless souls objected to Us. Say: O people! By God, were it not for Him, the Bayan would not have appeared and the verses of God, the Mighty, the Loving, would not have been revealed. Through My Name was the Bayan adorned and the beauty of the All-Merciful appeared in creation, if ye would understand.

Thus have We caused thee to hear the cooing of the Dove of Justice and the rushing of the winds of grace, that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and arise to serve thy Lord in such wise that none in existence shall deter thee. Stand firm then in the Cause and guide the people through this Most Great Name. Thus doth command thee He Who dominateth the seen and the unseen.

Grieve not at anything, for thy Lord is with thee and heareth what proceedeth from thy lips in His remembrance and praise. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Purify the breasts through My Name that dominateth all names, and illumine the hearts through this ordained Remembrance. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the knowledge of God in this promised Day.

BH04694: The Most Holy, the Most Exalted

The Most Holy, the Most Exalted

O Ha and Sin! Hearken to the Call from the Most Glorious Horizon—there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have conveyed to every soul that which We were commanded when We arrived in the prison. Thus has the decree been fulfilled by the Lord of all men. They who are heedless this day are indeed among the veiled ones, and they who have turned towards Him are the people of guidance—upon them do the denizens of the Kingdom and those endowed with the knowledge of the Book send their blessings.

Be as God, thy Lord, hath desired thee to be, such that the regions might be illumined through thee. Then manifest the sanctification of thy Lord in such wise that all atoms might discover from thee the fragrance of His Robe. Thou art indeed among those who have attained the lights of His Countenance, and thereby hath thy name been inscribed in the Tablets. Know thou the value of this station, then preserve it. Thus doth thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving, remind thee.

Arise from the horizon of detachment in the name of thy Lord, the Creator of all things, and glorify thy Lord’s praise at eventide and at dawn. Be thou a servant unto His Cause and be thou ever mindful of His presence. Grieve not because of them that are heedless. Soon shalt thou behold the Cause resplendent throughout all regions. Be thou so steadfast in thy love for thy Lord that the veils of them that have disbelieved in the Lord of Lords shall not withhold thee. Soon shall they who dwell on earth glory in the names of those who have shattered the idols of vain desire and turned towards God, the Revealer of verses.

Confine thy affairs to the service of the Cause—thus hast thou been commanded by thy Lord, the Creator of all names. The glory that proceedeth from God rest upon thee and upon them that have attained unto the light of His Countenance when it shone forth from the horizon of might and power.

BH04776: In the Name of God, the Most Holy!…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy! From the horizon of tribulation hath dawned the Sun, upon which hath been inscribed by the Most Glorious Pen:

“The Prison belongeth unto God, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.”

The moon of idle fancy hath been eclipsed, when the Self-Subsisting appeared with the standards of His signs. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast cast away idle desire and taken that which was commanded thee from the presence of God, the Cleaver of Dawn.

This is not the day to tarry. Be thou as a bird soaring in the atmosphere of detachment in the name of thy Lord, the Originator of all creation. Thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin thee from the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Should anyone inhale its fragrance, he would perceive from this Shirt the sweet savors of holiness through which the breaths of the All-Merciful have wafted throughout all contingent being. Grieve not today at what thou seest, the people turning away from God. Soon shall the standards of victory be raised upon the highest pinnacles. Thy Lord, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

These are verses by which the hearts of them that are endowed with understanding are attracted. By My life! Were their fragrances to pass over the hardest rock, it would cry out at the highest pitch between earth and heaven: “Glory be to God, the Mighty, the Compelling!”

O Servant! Hearken unto the Call from the Sacred Shore in the Crimson Spot, from the Supreme Pen: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Thy letter hath come before the Throne, and God’s gaze hath turned toward it, as a favor unto thee and unto His righteous servants. Thou hast attained all good through having turned to the Intended One on this Day whereon the Dove hath warbled and eyes have been gladdened. Preserve thou the Tablet, then read it in a spirit of fragrant joy. And the splendor be upon thee from thy Lord, the All-Merciful.

BH04690: The verses are being sent down from God…

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

The verses are being sent down from God, the Mighty, the Wise, unto him who hath attained to the recognition of the All-Merciful when the All-Glorious came with manifest sovereignty. The City hath been sent down from the heaven of command, and he who hath held fast to the cord of God, the Mighty, the Great, hath drawn nigh unto the Throne. We behold the people of Baha in the Crimson Ark, while they that turned away are drowned—these are among the perishing ones. Blessed is he who hath clung unto God, detached from all else save Him. He is, verily, of the people of Baha—thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. The darkness hath been illumined by the light of the Days, yet most of the people remain heedless.

We beseech God to move His loved ones through the stirring of His Most Exalted Pen, which moveth upon the Tablet in His Most Glorious Name, that all may arise to promote His Cause and make mention of Him with such remembrance as shall attract the hearts of the heedless who were numbered among those far removed. Draw ye nigh through My Most Glorious Name unto the Stream which floweth between earth and heaven, then drink ye therefrom by the leave of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The All-Merciful hath revealed Himself unto all who are in the realm of possibility—blessed are they that have attained. O My loved ones! Remember ye My days and what hath befallen Me at the hands of the oppressors among My creatures and the rebellious ones among My creation in this remote prison.

We beseech God to assist all to stand firm in His love and to turn unto Him in all conditions. This is better for them than the kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and earth. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned with their hearts toward the direction of God, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

BH04640: O My handmaiden! The ocean of utterance hath surged…

In the name of the Ever-Abiding, the Eternal!

O My handmaiden! The ocean of utterance hath surged with the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and the Pen of Revelation hath moved in the realm of wisdom and mystical knowledge, until it reached a station wherein the handmaidens of God, thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, had gathered, and found thee standing in the station of submission. Therefore hath this exalted Tablet been sent down unto thee. Rejoice thou in the remembrance of God bestowed upon thee, for all the treasures of the earth cannot equal it. Well is it with them that comprehend. We make mention, at all times, of the servants of the All-Merciful, both men and women, and We desire naught save their turning unto God, the Peerless, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Among the people are those who have denied the proof of God and His sovereignty, and among them are those who have turned to the Countenance with radiant faces. When the Promise was fulfilled and the horizon of Manifestation was illumined with the light of the remembrance of thy Lord’s name, the idolaters arose in opposition and uttered that which none of the peoples of old had uttered, until they rose up to wage war in such wise that all things lamented, the pillars of existence were shaken, and the eyes of the near ones wept. Grieve thou not at anything. Take comfort in the remembrance of thy Lord. By God! Thou shalt find in His remembrance the breaths of revelation whereby every decayed bone is quickened. Thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin thee while imprisoned in the hands of the idolaters. When thou attainest unto this, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, for having enabled me to turn towards the Dayspring of Thy Cause. I testify that Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH04687: Thou seest, O my God, the yearning…

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

Thou seest, O my God, the yearning of the lovers for the Mother of the Horizons in their longing to attain Thy presence, and their burning with the fire of separation in the wilderness of remoteness from Thee. Hearts have melted by being prevented from entering the city of reunion with Thee, and souls have been set aflame by the wafting of the breezes of prevention from the direction of Thy decree and Thy judgment. O Lord! Thou seest their sighs in their separation from Thee and the lamentation of their hearts in Thy days. Do Thou therefore ordain for him who hath shown patience in Thy decree and held fast to the cord of Thy good-pleasure the reward of those who have attained Thy presence and appeared before the throne of Thy grandeur.

O Lord! Thy mercy hath preceded all and Thy loving-kindness hath encompassed all. Ordain Thou for Thy loved ones that which will solace their eyes and gladden their hearts. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Powerful.

Thou knowest that I have desired naught but what Thou didst desire, and have wished naught but what Thou didst decree, and have moved not except by Thy command, and have breathed not except with Thy good-pleasure. I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the Dawn and Sender of the Winds, that Thou ordain for him who hath desired Thee the good of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Wise.

O Lord! When Thou findest in the heart of any of Thy servants the pearl of Thy love, make mention of him from this quarter, purely for Thy sake, that the attraction of Thy call may seize him in such wise that he may detach himself from all else save Thee and arise wholly to celebrate Thy praise and remembrance and to stand firm in Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures. O Lord! Aid him and those who have believed to do that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art the Ruler over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH04744: Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou…

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God! Thou seest how I have turned myself toward Thee, and set my face in the direction of Thy grace and Thy gifts. I implore Thee, by Thy name through which Thou didst enable all them that have recognized Thy unity to partake of the wine of Thy mercy, and all such as have drawn nigh unto Thee to quaff the living waters of Thy loving-kindness, to rid me entirely of all vain imaginings, and to incline me in the direction of Thy grace, O Thou Who art the Lord of all men!

Graciously assist me, O my God, in the days of the Manifestation of Thy Cause and of the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, to tear asunder the veils which have hindered me from recognizing Thee, and from immersing myself beneath the ocean of Thy knowledge. Hold Thou me with the hands of Thy power, and grant that I may be so carried away by the sweet melodies of the Dove of Thy oneness, that I will cease to regard in all creation any face except Thy face, O Thou the Goal of my desire, and will recognize in the visible world naught else save the evidences of Thy might, O Thou Who art the God of mercy!

I am but a wretched creature, O my Lord, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most High; and I am all weakness, and Thou art the Almighty, and the Supreme Ordainer in both the beginning and the end. Withhold not from me the fragrances of Thy Revelation, and shatter not my hopes in the outpourings which have been sent down out of the heaven of Thy gifts. Ordain Thou for me, O my God, the good of this world and the world to come, and grant me what will profit me in every world of Thy worlds, for I know not what will help or harm me. Thou, in truth, art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Have mercy, then, O my God, upon Thy servants who are drowned in the midst of the ocean of evil suggestions, and deliver them by the power of Thy sovereignty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and attributes! Thou art He Who from everlasting hath ordained what hath pleased Thee, and will unto everlasting abide the same. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

BH04745: Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest…

In His Name, the Most Merciful

Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Thou beholdest my perplexity, and the depth of mine anguish, and the agony of my soul, and the afflictions which beset me. By Thy glory! My heart crieth to Thee by reason of the things that have befallen my loved ones in Thy path, and mine eyes run down with tears for them who, in these days, have ascended unto Thee, who have cast the world behind their backs, and set their faces towards the shores of Thy transcendent mercy.

Clothe them, O my God, with the robe of Thy favor and the raiment of Thy loving providence, which Thou hast reserved for Thine own Self and woven with the hands of Thy manifold bounties and gifts. Give them, then, to drink, from the hands of Thy loving-kindness, of the cups of Thy measureless mercy. Cause them, moreover, O my Best-Beloved, to abide within the precincts of Thy court and around Thy most effulgent Tabernacle. Powerful art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee.

And now I implore Thee, by the eternity of Thy Self, to enable me to be patient in these tribulations which have caused the Concourse on high to wail and the denizens of the everlasting Paradise to weep, and through which all faces have been covered with the tawny dust provoked by the anguish that hath seized such of Thy servants as have turned towards Thy Name, the Most Exalted, the Most High. No God is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Inaccessible, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

All Thy servants, O my God, are occupied with their own selves, so great have been the troubles which, as decreed by Thee, have encompassed them on every side. My tongue, however, is busied in extolling Thy chosen ones, and my heart in remembering them that are dear to Thee and are wholly subject to Thy will.

Look not on my state, O my God, nor my failure to serve Thee, nay rather regard the oceans of Thy mercy and favors, and the things that beseem Thy glory and Thy forgiveness and befit Thy loving-kindness and bounties. Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

BH04798: A Book from Baha unto him who hath believed…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

A Book from Baha unto him who hath believed in God, the Lord of Names, that He may make him steadfast in the Cause in such wise that he will speak forth, both secretly and openly, that which hath been commanded by his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Arise in the Cause in such wise that the might of the oppressors shall not deter thee from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of Days. Should anyone ask thee of Baha, say: Verily, He hath sacrificed His spirit in the path of God, the Lord of Names, and while in the Most Great Prison, He calleth the peoples unto the Mighty, the Chosen One. He hath been so enkindled with the love of God that the oppression of those who disbelieved in God, the Cleaver of the Dawn, did not prevent Him. The more affliction increased, the more He increased in remembrance and utterance until He filled the horizons. Can anything prevent Him from the remembrance of His Lord? Nay, by Him Who controlleth the winds! Can the vicissitudes of time sadden Him? Nay, by His Most Great Appearance! Know this, O ye who are endued with insight! The ocean of joy hath surged in His Name and the rivers have flowed through His remembrance, O ye who are possessed of understanding!

Be thou of a single, radiant and illumined countenance in the Cause of thy Lord. Thou art among those who have attained unto the meeting with Him and whose name hath been mentioned in the Tablets. Hold fast unto the cord of wisdom in all matters. Thus doth the Lord of the Manifestation command thee from the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

When thou hast received this Tablet, arise and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Pen my remembrance hath flowed forth, after I was in the prison of the wicked. All glory be unto Thee and unto those who have believed in God, the One, the All-Forgiving.

BH05144: How wondrous is My remembrance by him who remembereth…

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

How wondrous is My remembrance by him who remembereth Me, and how sweet is My praise by him who praiseth his Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Verily praise from the people of praise is beloved before the Lord, and remembrance from the people of remembrance beseemeth this wondrous Face. No word of remembrance issueth from any mouth but We have heard it. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

He hath created all things for the praise and remembrance of God, yet most people are silent. He who speaketh this Name, he indeed speaketh the truth, and he who is heedless of it is silent, even should he utter all the books of the heavens and earth.

Say: All books have been detailed from this Book that maketh plain, and all the Messengers have been informed by this Momentous Announcement. Say: With Him is the knowledge of all things. When He willeth, He draweth forth from the Point the knowledge of the former and latter generations.

Blessed is he who hath recognized the Purpose and set out upon the path of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, and hath drunk the choice wine of reunion from the utterance of his Lord, the Most Exalted, and was among the steadfast ones. By My life! The greatest of stations is steadfastness in My Cause. Blessed are they that act!

Be thou gladdened by My Tablet, then rest assured in thy Lord’s grace and grieve not for those who have turned aside and wander distracted. Be thou a helper of My Cause, a servant of My Self, and one who maketh mention of My praise. Thus doth the Tongue of Eternity command thee as a bounty from Him upon thee. Be thou thankful unto Him and say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04969: O My loved ones! We summon you at all…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

O My loved ones! We summon you at all times unto God, your Lord, the All-Merciful. By this We desire naught save to draw you nigh unto God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is the ear that hath turned to the direction wherein was raised the call of God, that hath heard and said: “Here am I, O God of the seen and unseen!” We have raised the Word to a station that encompasseth all created things.

Exalted be this power which hath conquered all that was and will be. Among the people are those who have denied the proof of God and His Cause, and among them are those who have turned to the Desired One. Soon shall We loose the tongues of all existing things in praise of those who have turned unto Him, and We shall seize those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Loving. O thou who hast turned unto Me! When We turned Our gaze toward all things, We found from thee the fragrance of My love. We have, therefore, moved the Pen to make mention of thee, as a grace from Us unto thee and unto all peoples. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Blessed art thou for having attained in the days of God and discovered that which was diffused from the garment of My remembrance, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved. Be thou steadfast in thy station such that nothing shall prevent thee from this praiseworthy station. Through My remembrance all things have taken flight, and through My call all existence hath been enraptured. Soon shall We manifest that which We have deposited in the heart of the world through this Forbidden Name. The glory be upon thee and upon thy mother, from the presence of the Lord of the Promised Day.

BH05163: This is a book from Us to those who…

He is the Most Wondrous, the Most Glorious

This is a book from Us to those who have believed in God, the One, the Chosen, that the utterance may draw them nigh unto the Dawning-Place of the verses of the All-Merciful and may remember them through this Remembrance wherewith creation hath been adorned.

O handmaids of God! Hearken unto the call from the Lote-Tree raised up upon the luminous spot—verily there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bestower. Bear ye witness even as God hath witnessed, then remember Him at eventide and at dawn.

Ye are the leaves of the Tree of My Cause; hold fast unto it through My Name whereby faces have shone and eyes have been consoled. Be ye soaring in the atmosphere of holiness and prostrate before the face of God, the Mighty, the Most High.

Ye have been created for chastity—thus hath the matter been decreed by the Lord of creation in the Scriptures and Tablets. Rejoice in that ye have been mentioned by the Pen of the Command, from which hath flowed the Water of Life in these days wherein the All-Merciful hath revealed Himself unto all who are in the realm of possibility.

Were ye to behold but one of the revelations that have shone forth from the horizon of the Countenance, ye would surely rend your hearts with your own hands and say:

“This is none other than the Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth.”

Blessed are ye in that ye have been mentioned before the Throne and have turned unto the Dawning-Place of lights. Remember God at all times and glorify Him with His praise. Verily He is with His devout handmaidens and His righteous servants. The glory be upon you and upon those who have believed in God, the One, the All-Compelling.

BH05000: O Ali! May you ever abide, through divine grace…

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

O Ali! May you ever abide, through divine grace, beneath the shade of the Divine Lote Tree, and remain joyous and glad through the wafting of the breezes of the Lord’s favors. I praise God for having enabled you to recognize His Cause and aided you to turn towards God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Your letter was received in His presence and its contents were noted. We beseech God to ordain for you the good of this world and the next. Verily He has power over all things.

It is most praiseworthy to strive to unite the hearts of the loved ones of God and guide people through wisdom and utterance. Blessed are they who attain!

Observe how despite the afflictions and successive tribulations, the Pen of the Cause has never ceased moving, continuously engaged in promoting God’s Cause, such that it has encompassed all regions. The loved ones of God must also arise to serve the Cause according to their capacity. This is from God’s grace which He bestows on whomsoever He wishes.

The people of affirmation who are the manifestations of “except” must fix their gaze on affirmation—that is, on the established, enduring and eternal stations that were and will be with God, not on transient and impermanent matters.

We beseech God to protect you beneath the canopy of His mercy and ordain for you what He has ordained for His sincere servants. He is indeed the Forgiving, the Generous. And may the glory rest upon you and those with you.

BH05132: A wondrous Book unto him who hath believed…

He is the Single, the One, the Most Wondrous, the Most Impregnable, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

A wondrous Book unto him who hath believed in the Day of Return, when the Lord of creation appeared with a mighty command. We have proffered the choice wine of grace in the goblets of justice—blessed is he who hath drunk thereof, and woe unto the heedless!

There is no city but We have sent unto it that which perfecteth the proof of God unto all who dwell therein. Verily thy Lord is the possessor of great bounty. And there is none who hath not heard the Call when it was raised up in truth from this exalted Station. Among the people are those who heard and turned unto it, and among them are those who heard and turned away. And he who turned away, verily he heard not—thus doth the All-Merciful testify in this noble Tablet.

By My life! Were anyone to find the sweetness of the utterance which hath proceeded from the mouth of the All-Merciful, he would abandon the world and all that is therein, turning unto God, the Mighty, the Praised. Think not that they who turned away are alive—nay, they are among the dead. Soon shall they know what hath escaped them, but today they are in a mighty veil.

Grieve thou not because of those who have disbelieved. Remember thy Lord with wisdom and utterance—verily He is with His remembering servants. Recite thou the verses in thy days, then stand firm in the Cause through the power of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Thus have We wafted unto thee the fragrance of the garment of utterance from the presence of the All-Merciful, that thou mayest find it and be of those who give thanks.

BH04976: O Ali, turn with the ear of thy heart…

He is the Most Great, the Most Great

O Ali, turn with the ear of thy heart to that which the Tongue of Power uttereth amidst all creation. The Prison is for Him Who manifesteth God’s Cause, due to what the hands of the hypocrites have wrought. Through the Word We blew the trumpet, and by it was the Bridge established and the Balance set up. At times We revealed it in the form of a Tablet, and at other times in the form of the Spirit, then in an entirely new form. Blessed be the All-Merciful Who created whatsoever He willed. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Say: Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Muhammad! Say: Take ye fast hold of the cord of servitude unto God, the True One. Through it are made manifest the stations of all created things. Then adorn your deeds with the ornament of sanctity, that the fragrance of sincerity may waft from you amongst all servants. Those who are heedless are in doubt and behind a veil. That which was written hath been fulfilled, that which was recorded hath appeared, and that which was promised in the Book hath come to pass. Whosoever after Him layeth claim to a Cause, he is indeed a liar, by the Lord of lords! Ye are God’s hosts upon earth. Guard ye the fortress of My Cause from every doubting transgressor. Blessed are ye and those who are with you, be they male or female. Thy letter hath come before the Throne wherein thou didst make mention of My handmaidens. Blessed art thou and they are blessed by One Who is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We desire fellowship amongst you. Make your desire that which your Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained, hath desired.

BH05153: A remembrance from the Wronged One to those who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

A remembrance from the Wronged One to those who have believed in the Name of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, that the Call may attract them and bring them to the Dawning-Place of Names. He is verily the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Say: O people, refute not God’s proof by what you possess, and follow not those who have oppressed. They are indeed a people drowned—drowned in the sea of hatred and rancor, and they perceive it not. They are consumed by the fire of wickedness, yet they understand not. Blessed is he who has cast them and what they possess behind him and has turned to the Kaaba of Beauty, the station wherein the Light has dawned from the horizon of Glory. He is verily of those who have attained the presence of God and were among such as knew His days.

We have detailed all things in the Book and explained what was hidden from the servants, that they might arise from slumber and turn toward God, the Mighty, the Loving. They who have drawn nigh with their hearts—these are among the people of Paradise, to which this preserved Pen doth testify.

O My loved ones! Aid Me through utterance amidst the peoples of the world. This is what shall profit you, did ye but know. Beware lest the doubts of creation or the intimations of those who have disbelieved in the Witness and the Witnessed prevent you. Drink ye from this ocean in My Name, the One Who dominates over what was and what shall be. Thus have We commanded you as a grace from Us. He is verily the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

BH05219: The Most Holy, the Most Glorious! O servant! Hearken…

The Most Holy, the Most Glorious! O servant! Hearken unto the Call from the direction of grandeur, from the luminous and exalted Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Wise. Arise in thy love for thy Lord in such wise that neither the oppression of the oppressors nor the ascendancy of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, can deter thee.

Grieve not for thy brother—by thy Lord, the Most Glorious!—for he hath ascended to the Supreme Companion and hath attained unto the lights of the countenance of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great.

Behold them that have disbelieved this Day and their paucity of understanding. By My life! They are among the ignorant ones. They slay My loved ones that they may thereby extinguish the light of God in His lands. Vain indeed is that which they have imagined. From every drop of their blood God will raise up a light whereby the horizons shall be illumined. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

And thereby will He assist such servants as have believed and turned towards His shining and luminous countenance. And from their spirits He will raise up spirits that will soar in the atmosphere of the mercy of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and will speak forth this Name which God hath made the Sovereign of all names. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

No command precedeth the command of thy Lord. That which hath been inscribed by the Pen of the Ancient of Days from the presence of the Lord of all nations shall be manifested, but the people are wrapped in a manifest veil.

Put thy trust in God and say: O Lord! Praise be unto Thee for all that hath befallen us in Thy path. Would that Thou hadst ordained for all who desire Thee the station of them who have been martyred in Thy love! Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

BH04983: O Mahmud, hear the call of thy Lord…

He is the Most Great, the Most Great

O Mahmud, hear the call of thy Lord from this praiseworthy station. Blessed is he who hath heard the call from the Most Glorious Horizon and hath answered his Lord, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

Verily, those who have disbelieved—today they have no mention. We testify that they are counted among the dead. Among them is he who said the verses are fabrications. Say: Perdition betide thee, O thou rejected idolator! This is the same word thy father spoke before when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came with the verses of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

And among them is he who said that He hath denied the Unseen. Say: Perdition betide thee, O thou Nimrod! He hath sacrificed His soul and His spirit and all He possessed to establish the decree of the Unseen, while ye deny it in your homes and perceive it not. In the path of the Unseen He hath dwelt in the most desolate of lands while ye dwell in palaces and know it not.

And among you is he who said He hath fabricated lies about God, after all atoms cry out “The Self-Subsisting hath come with manifest sovereignty!” Leave them and their remembrances and their names, and hold fast to this extended cord.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me the Manifestation of Thy Cause, the Dawning-Place of Thy verses and the Dayspring of Thy inspiration. I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in what I am in of Thy love, then make me detached from all else save Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH05098: Vain imaginings have seized all peoples except those whom…

He is the Most Great, the Most Great

Vain imaginings have seized all peoples except those whom God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, has willed. All were promised this Revelation, yet when it appeared in truth they turned away and clung to idle fancies. Say: Idle fancy will not suffice you today. The Dayspring of certitude has dawned through My Name, the One Who rules over what was and what shall be. They have lost who followed vain imaginings and were debarred from this visible Ocean.

O people! Follow not your desires nor your divines and what you have taken from their idle fancies. Thus does He Who came with His Hidden Name inform you. This is He through Whom religions were established throughout the ages and verses were sent down from the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Through Him every Cause was established and every balance set up, did you but know. He appears not by the will of men but by His Own all-pervading and compelling Will, could you but understand. Look unto Him and what has appeared from Him, not to that around which you revolve. Say: What you possess shall perish, but what has been ordained in the Preserved Tablet shall endure. Hasten with your hearts to the court of the Beloved—this is better for you, would you but hearken. Blessed art thou, O servant, for having turned to the Face and attained unto God while every idolatrous transgressor turned away. Remain steadfast in the Cause, then make mention of thy Lord at eventide and dawn.

BH04984: O Mihdi! Hearken to the call of Him Who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

O Mihdi! Hearken to the call of Him Who guideth thee to God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, through Whom the Sun of Guidance hath shone forth amidst all creatures and through Whom the power and dominion of God were made manifest throughout the worlds—He through the movement of Whose finger the veils of glory were rent asunder. Exalted be our Lord Who hath appeared with majesty on this Day whereon the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!

Observe thou the people and what they have committed in the days of God. They have imprisoned such a Beloved One in the land of exile and have taken for themselves vain imaginings as lords besides God. They are indeed among the most abject. Among them is he who hath laid claim to divine authority of his own accord and hath objected to Him Whom they call upon morning and evening. And behind them are servants whom none knoweth save thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. Say: By God! Through My leave is every name fulfilled for him who hath turned to his Lord, the All-Forgiving, in this Revelation; and whoso turneth away, no name of anything can be applied to him—he is among the dead.

Blessed art thou, inasmuch as the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from this remote Prison and mentioneth thee in truth and biddeth thee to manifest supreme steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of all names. By My life! This is indeed God’s gift, beside which all else is as naught. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto and is among the steadfast. Verily, upon thee be glory, and upon those who have turned to God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH05164: This is an epistle from Us to him who…

In the Name of the Most Holy, the Most Great

This is an epistle from Us to him who hath rent asunder the veils and turned towards the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, that he may hear the Call from the direction of Supreme Glory and arise and say: “O concourse of possibility! Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Gracious!” Can anyone be sorrowful after We have sent unto him the Salsabil of utterance from the Kawthar of the mouth of the All-Merciful? Nay, by the Lord of all religions, except him who hath yielded to desire and cast behind him the Lord of all names, through Whom all existence hath been stirred and the hearts of the righteous taken flight. Is this a day for standing still? Nay, by Him Who causeth the winds to blow!

Say: Soar in the atmosphere of knowledge on the wings of certitude that ye may behold the Sun of Power from the horizon of horizons. Cast aside what ye possess and take what ye are commanded by Him Who giveth life to all possibility. Blessed art thou for having been given to drink the most pure wine from this Pen which God hath made the Dawning-place of Revelation for all who are in the heavens and on earth. By My life! Whosoever hath found the fragrance of the garment of his Lord, the All-Merciful’s utterance, shall soar in the atmosphere of nearness, detached from all directions. Gather ye together, O My loved ones, in support of the Cause, and when a crier crieth out, say: “Fear God and commit not that whereby His honor would be violated in the land.

Beware lest thou spread corruption in the earth after it hath been set in order.” If he desisteth and repenteth, verily He is the Mighty, the Forgiving. And if he turneth away from counsel, We beseech God to set over him one who shall curb his mischief. He, verily, is the Powerful, the All-Compelling.

BH04941: In the Name of the Near One! Thy name…

In the Name of the Near One! Thy name is mentioned before the Divine Throne, therefore the Most Exalted Pen floweth and moveth with thy name. This is a great bounty if thou knowest its worth. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds that thou hast turned toward the Friend and art adorned with the garment of His recognition. Verily He is with whosoever desireth Him and seeketh Him. Beseech God that thou mayest ever be enabled to recognize Him and remember Him.

The Pen of Command counseleth Its loved ones to the Most Great Steadfastness, for this hath been and shall ever be among the most mighty matters. None attaineth this station save those souls who efface from their hearts whatsoever they have heard and hearkened unto, and turn unto that which the Beloved uttereth. As thou observest, most souls have been debarred from the shore of the Most Great Unity by stories and tales that have been related, whereas it is evident that what they possessed and heard was either not authentic in origin or they failed to comprehend its meaning.

Under all conditions thou must be engaged in the remembrance of the True One, the Exalted, detached from all else besides Him. Be not saddened by prevention. Arise to assist the Cause to the extent of thy capacity. We beseech God to sanctify thy heart from the mention of aught else save Him, to cause thy tongue to speak His praise, and to exalt thy station through His Name. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

BH05214: O Khalil! This is not the day of quietude…

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

O Khalil! This is not the day of quietude and silence. Arise from the horizon of utterance with the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, then summon all creation unto God, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Know thou that We have secluded Ourself in prison alone and have closed the gates of meeting for a number of days. Should We desire, We would open them in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Beware lest thou withhold thyself from that which We have ordained for thee. Be thou among the people a herald of thy Lord’s Cause and a bearer of that which thou art commanded in the Book.

O My Khalil, My Khalil! Grieve not for what hath befallen thee in My path. Thy reward is with Him Who created thee and caused thee to know that which most of the servants have failed to know. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord at all times and glorify His praise amidst the followers of all religions.

Arise to serve the Cause as befitteth thee, then follow this Wronged One Who, from the horizon of the prison, summoneth the servants unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We beseech God to attract thee through the fragrances of the garment of Revelation in such wise that thou shalt arise to serve Him with power and sovereignty.

Thus did We command thee before when We sent down unto thee a Tablet from whose horizon shone forth the sun of wisdom and utterance. This is yet another token of Our grace unto thee that thy heart may rejoice thereby and eyes be consoled. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the lights of the Countenance when the Promised One appeared and the veils were rent asunder.

BH05095: The Desired One has come, and the tongue…

In His Name which is mentioned by the tongue of the invisible and visible realms

The Desired One has come, and the tongue of existence speaks and says:

“Praise be to Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and earths.”

The Word has encompassed all who are in the realm of possibility, and by it were drawn the hearts of those who have turned toward the Manifestation of God, the Mighty, the Generous. This is the day in which all things have been adorned with the garment of names, save those who have denied this grace that has encompassed the worlds.

Your letter has been read before the Throne, and We have become aware of its contents. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And We recognized what has been sprinkled upon you from the ocean of divine decree from the presence of One powerful and mighty. Truly destiny is held within the grasp of power and might. He ordains for whomsoever He wishes whatsoever He desires. Verily He is the Praised One in all conditions. There is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God willing, throughout the duration of God you shall dwell and find rest beneath the Sadrat of the All-Merciful. In all conditions the glance of divine favor has been and God willing shall be with you. Be not grieved by what has befallen you. In truth, the most great calamity has befallen all. Soon will descend regarding that which shall establish its remembrance throughout the duration of the kingdom and the realm of might. Verily your Lord is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Convey to all the Supreme Greeting from the Wronged One. God willing, Tablets will be specifically revealed and sent to all. The glory be upon you all.

BH05165: This is a letter from Us to him who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

This is a letter from Us to him who hath turned unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, that he may be assured that He remembereth whom He willeth—verily He is the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. We have shone forth upon thee from this horizon with the lights that have dawned from the dawning-place of the will of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Turn unto them with thy heart, detached from those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all beings. Leave the ungodly to their vain desires and the doubters to their imaginings, then soar on the wing of detachment in the atmosphere of thy Lord’s love, the All-Merciful. Then shalt thou see the ungodly in the abyss of divine wrath and the believers upon the Lote-Tree of glory and majesty. Shun those who have disbelieved and draw nigh unto Him Who calleth thee to God, the One, the Mighty, the Chosen.

The smoke hath seized the dwellers of the heavens and earth save those who have come unto the All-Merciful with humility and turned unto Him. Verily, he who desireth to attain the presence is present before the Throne. Thus have We sent down the Command in the Tablets.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord in such wise that the winds of trials move thee not. This behooveth him who hath turned unto God, the Creator of all things. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the days of his Lord and hath uttered His remembrance amongst the servants. Hold thou fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s mercy.

Say: O my God and my Beloved! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued all in the lands to make me steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love and immovable in that whereunto I have attained in Thy days. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH05148: We hear the voice of the doubtful from all…

He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient

We hear the voice of the doubtful from all regions and the call of those possessed of certitude from every quarter. Those who have doubted are among the most ignorant of creatures—their names are not mentioned before the Throne except as being among the dead. And those who have attained are among the choicest of creatures before God, the Most High.

Among the deniers are those who cling to the Bayan and turn away from the All-Merciful. Say: The Bayan is but My remembrance and My praise—read it, O people of understanding! Say: Were they to cling to the books of the first and the last, these would not suffice you today except through acknowledging what the Tongue of Grandeur has acknowledged from the most exalted station. All things are established through My Will, as they were established before, and none comprehend this save those possessed of insight.

Whoso worships God through the drops of the sea and the sands of the desert and the leaves of the trees and their fruits, while remaining heedless of this Cause—such a one is among the idolaters, for his deeds have veiled him from Him through Whom all things were established in the Book. Say: The foundation of all deeds is your recognition of this Revelation, through which, when it appeared, all things proclaimed:

“The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Choice!”

And all else is but a branch of this root—know this, O people of vision!

Grieve not over those who are heedless. Turn with your heart to God, the Lord of all religions. Place your trust in Him in all matters—verily He is with His chosen servants.

BH05087: Blessed art thou, O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim, for having attained unto…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

Blessed art thou, O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim, for having attained unto a glorious Tablet which We sent aforetime. This is yet another token of grace from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Ye are under the glances of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. Rejoice and magnify, for God hath singled you out for His love, caused you to know His Self, and hath sent down for you that which shall establish your remembrance amongst the worlds.

Aid ye the Cause of your Lord amidst all creation through wisdom and utterance, then make mention of Him in such wise that the sincere ones may find in your countenances the radiance of the All-Merciful. This beseemeth you on this glorious and wondrous Day. Say: O people, ye shall find this vision in none save this glorious Scene. Among the people are those who claim they would cast themselves into the fire. Say: Cast thyself into the light, if thou be of them that know. We have servants throughout the world who perform greater deeds than they claim. We have left them to their vain imaginings—they are indeed of the distracted ones.

Say: All things have been subdued through this Most Great Name. This is the glory of man which the All-Merciful hath sent down in this luminous Tablet. Protect ye the weak lest they follow every remote clamourer. From their outward appearance thou hearest the voice of men, but from their inward reality We hear the croaking of ravens. Thus have We informed thee and made clear the matter unto thee that thou mayest be among the [steadfast] ones. The Glory be upon thee and upon them that are with thee among the loved ones of thy Lord, the [Forgiving,] the Merciful.

BH05188: O My Name! We have heard what thou didst…

O My Name! We have heard what thou didst call out to God, thy Lord, and the sighing of thy heart and the yearning of thy soul. He is, verily, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Thou didst say at that time: ʿThen make me to be gathered together in my remoteness with scorpions and serpents.’ We confirm thee in the first instance, for thou art indeed among scorpions who have remained heedless of the remembrance of their Lord, the Mighty, the Generous. And in the second instance, I swear by My life, I am He Who is among serpents, nay, even in their mouths. Say: Thou art the Protector, O Protector of the worlds! We bear witness that thou hast returned through the love of God and His leave. This sufficeth thee. By My resplendent Beauty! Wert thou to become truly aware of what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst cut thyself off from all who are in the heavens and on earth, crying out in My Name, the Wronged One amongst the worlds. We have withheld the Pen in most matters, having regard to My Name, the Concealer. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the Merciful. Grieve thou not at calamities, for they have befallen Us in the path of God. By thy life, this is a great bounty.

Convey My greetings to the Most Exalted and give him the glad-tidings of My remembrance of him. He is assuredly among the triumphant. Then make mention of those who are there, on behalf of this imprisoned Stranger. We beseech God to aid all to serve Him and obey Him. He, verily, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Trustworthy. And We beseech Him to cause to flow from thy pen and tongue that which will illumine breasts and open the cities of the hearts of those who have turned towards Him.

BH04975: The Most Glorious, the Most Holy, the Most Resplendent!

The Most Glorious, the Most Holy, the Most Resplendent!

O ʿAbdu’l-Karim! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He calleth thee from the direction of His luminous horizon and saith: Blessed art thou, for thy face hath been illumined by the countenance of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Remember when thou didst enter the seat of the Throne and didst drink the choice wine of utterance from the Kawthar of thy Lord’s lips, the All-Merciful, and didst attain unto the Beloved of the worlds. Efface not from thy heart what thou didst hear from the tongue of Revelation when thou wert standing before the Presence—exalted be this mighty, sublime station. Remind My loved ones in thy land and convey My glorification unto each one of them from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

By My life! Their names have been inscribed in a Tablet sealed with the seal of glory. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. After thee two souls from thy land attained unto the presence of the Throne and were blessed with meeting the All-Merciful. When thou seest them, glorify them. This is a command from One Who is knowing and wise. When God willeth, He shall send down for them that which shall gladden the hearts of them that are nigh, and He shall send down for those whom thou didst desire to be remembered. Verily thy Lord fulfilleth the reward of the doers of good. Give glad tidings to My loved ones of My remembrance of them.

Say: Remember the Lord in such wise that every slumberer may be awakened thereby and the hearts of those who have turned to the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth may rejoice. Erelong the tongues of all who are on earth shall be loosened in their praise. They are assuredly among those who have preceded all others.

BH05057: The Most Great, the Most Glorious. My remembrance…

The Most Great, the Most Glorious. My remembrance is for him who has turned to God, the Mighty, the Wise, that the attraction of the verses may seize him and cause him to speak in praise of his Lord, the Powerful, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed art thou for having turned thy face toward the Countenance and attained the lights that have shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Most Merciful, on this wondrous Day.

Grieve not for thy brother. He hath been immersed in the ocean of thy Lord’s mercy, the Forgiving, the Merciful, and then ascended unto the Most Glorious Horizon—a station beyond the remembrance of all who remember. Give thanks unto God for this bounty which hath been sent down for him in the Tablet from the Supreme Pen. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We behold him and have sent down each year what We sent down for him during his outward life. In this there is wisdom from Our presence. Thy Lord’s knowledge encompasses all the worlds. My mercy preceded him and ascended with him. By My life! It hath encompassed him from all directions. Rejoice thou in this and be of the thankful.

Blessed is he who visiteth him according to what hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen and turneth toward his resting place with an illumined heart. Be thou as thy brother was in the Cause of his Lord, such that the cawing of the ungodly shall not keep thee from God. We have found from thee acceptance and have sent down for thee from the heaven of bounty that which gladdens the hearts of those near unto God. Be thou at peace through thy Lord’s grace and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the heavens and earths.

BH05046: The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Exalted. A remembrance…

The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Exalted. A remembrance from Us unto him who hath hearkened unto the Call and desired to attain unto a sublime station, that the fragrances of the remembrance of the Lord of Destiny, which have been wafted from the Most Great Scene, may attract him and cause him to arise to remember his Lord Who is imprisoned through tyranny.

Arise with supreme steadfastness in thy Lord’s Cause, the Creator of heaven, then remind the people of this Cause which hath appeared from the horizon of glory. Beware lest vain imaginings disturb thee. Leave the people and what they possess. Take what hath been given thee from the presence of Him Who causeth the dawn to break. Thus hath the matter been decreed and the command hath come from the Sovereign Who encompasseth all worlds.

Verily he who hesitates in this Cause hath not attained unto maturity and is recorded in the Mother Book as a suckling babe, feeding on the milk of heedlessness from the breast of vain imaginings. He is indeed veiled by a veil which is great in the sight of the Truth. Cast aside doubts and hold fast unto the cord of certitude. Thus doth the Ancient One command thee with a tongue wondrous in truth.

Those who deny on this Day are assuredly the people of the fire, and thy Lord is witness unto what I say. Those who cast away vain desire and follow guidance—these are the people of the Ridvan, and their names are inscribed by the Pen of God upon the Tablet.

Blessed is the man who hath arisen to remember his Lord, detached from those who are confined within the boundaries of the earth. Glorify thou thy Lord with praise, then give thanks unto Him for this Tablet which hath shone forth from a horizon illumined by the light of His countenance.

BH05166: The Most Great, the Most Holy. This…

The Most Great, the Most Holy. This is a Book from Us to those who are in the heavens and on earth, that they may cast away what they possess and turn with their hearts to the Qiblih of all the worlds.

O people of the earth! Hearken unto the call from the direction of the Prison. He, verily, is none other than God, the Mighty, the Wise. Beware lest ye deny Him through Whom faith itself was established in all creation and through Whom the eyes of them that are nigh unto God were solaced. By My life! Nothing shall profit you this day save turning unto the countenance of your Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous. He hath accepted abasement for your glory, and hardship for your comfort. Fear ye God and follow not every remote misbeliever. Follow him who calleth you unto the truth and guideth you unto His straight path.

O servant! Turn thy face toward the Most Sublime Vision with thy most pure countenance and say: I have turned unto Thee, O Lord of the sincere ones! I beseech Thee not to drive me from Thy door nor withhold from me the outpourings from the heaven of Thy bounty. I testify that Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and that Thou art the Ruler over whatsoever Thou desirest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

If thou findest one on whose countenance thou beholdest the radiance of the All-Merciful, inform him of what hath appeared in creation, that he may turn with a luminous face toward the Dayspring of the Dawn. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the lights of the countenance, and woe unto the heedless ones.

The glory from God rest upon those who have drunk the choice wine of life from the hands of assurance and have turned unto the All-Merciful. They are, verily, of those who have attained.

BH05019: When your letter was presented before the Countenace, therefore…

When your letter was presented before the Countenace, therefore, purely out of grace and favor, resplendent, exalted and luminous verses were revealed and sent down from the heaven of oneness regarding what was mentioned therein. Read them to everyone. God willing, all must conduct themselves with perfect wisdom so that nothing may arise that would cause the weak to be shaken.

Consider the interests of the Cause from all directions. It is necessary to prevent people from turning towards this direction, for this land is secretly in great turmoil, and that which is concealed therein shall ere long be made manifest, as hath been revealed in the Tablets of previous years. All must be content with God’s good-pleasure and be submissive to His Cause. He is the One who has power over all things. Should He so will, He can establish for one who is remote the decree of nearness. Verily, He has power over all things.

Not every one who is near has a share in the grace of the Cause. The Command is in God’s hands. Verily, He is the All-Knowing.

Convey My greetings to thy brother and to those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Wise. Then mention on My behalf thy other brother who was named after the Sacrifice, and this is what was revealed for him. Say: Read and be of those who are thankful.

BH05004: O Leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree! God willing, through…

In the Name of Him Who is sanctified from all mention

O Leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree! God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful’s loving-kindness and the rain-showers of the All-Glorious One’s bounty, thou shalt ever cling to the Divine Lote-Tree, forever moving and resting through Him. Be not disheartened, for the manifestation of every matter hath been ordained according to the exigencies of its time. Thus hath it been decreed by the All-Powerful, the Ancient of Days. Thou hast ever been and art still before Our gaze. The gates of the All-Bountiful’s grace are open wide, and the breezes of the All-Merciful’s mercy are blowing and passing by. Praise be to God that thou art reckoned as His own and art related unto Him. This is an enduring sovereignty and an everlasting paradise that endureth and shall not pass away, that remaineth and shall not perish.

I swear by the Most Great Name that all infinite exalted stations lie hidden and concealed within this rank, even as the fruits and wondrous manifestations thereof lie concealed within seeds, being veiled and hidden due to the earth’s lack of capacity. And assuredly this concealment shall have its manifestation in the worlds of divine decree and other realms. Though the sun’s rays be veiled by dense clouds, they shall not cease to exist but remain present and visible in their own station. Be not saddened by certain unseemly utterances. The acceptance of truth hath never been contingent upon conditions—its cause and reason have been His grace alone. Thou art the recipient of this most great grace. Say: My soul be a sacrifice for Thy grace, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds!

BH04997: O handmaiden of God! Your letter reached the Most…

He is the Most Great, The Most Holy

O handmaiden of God! Your letter reached the Most Holy Court and was favored with the glance of God’s loving-kindness. As for what you mentioned regarding your solitude and estrangement—this station deserves gratitude, for the True One Himself chose solitude and estrangement and made His dwelling in the Most Great Prison.

And concerning what you mentioned about your kindnesses to this handmaiden—His favors have preceded and will continue. Among these was that He assisted you to recognize the Dawning Place of His Cause, while most men remained heedless and deprived. This is a station that cannot be equaled by anything that exists. Be grateful to your Lord for this great bounty. The breezes of divine favors have encompassed all—whoever turned to them completely, from their tongue and pen flowed rivers of knowledge and wisdom. We beseech God to enable all to achieve this.

As for what you asked about your parents—they are adorned with the robe of forgiveness. This is from His bounty toward you, as your letter was present before the Throne and you supplicated God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Remain firm in the Cause, then preserve what We gave you in your vision. Say:

“O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Overshadowing One above all names, to make me steadfast in Thy love and Thy remembrance, and ordain for me what befits Thy mercy that hath preceded all worlds.”

BH05150: This is a mention from Us unto him who…

He is the Most Great, the Most Holy

This is a mention from Us unto him who hath turned unto the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, on a Day whereon the earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth and the pillars of the transgressors have been shaken, that the intoxication of what hath flowed from the mouth of the All-Merciful may so transport him that he shall behold all who are in the contingent world as but a handful of dust, and their clamor as but the buzzing of a gnat in a vast valley. When thou hast attained and drunk, say: O peoples of the earth! The veils have been rent asunder and the All-Bestowing hath come with manifest sovereignty. Say: This is not a day for tarrying; turn with your hearts, O ye heedless ones!

The fire of longing hath been kindled in all regions—hasten, O ye lovers! Beware lest the veils of learning hold you back from Him Who is the Known, or the illusory prevent you from the Self-Subsisting. Shatter the idols of vain imaginings through the power of the name of your Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. How many are the servants who journey from the remotest lands to circumambulate the House which hath been raised up in My name, while the Lord of the House languisheth in prison—they pass Him by and are not among those who perceive. Give thanks unto God for having made known unto thee the Manifestation of His Self and caused thee to speak His praise, after most of His servants have turned away from Him.

Preserve God’s trust within thy heart and be thou of the thankful ones. All things shall perish save that which hath been ordained for him who hath turned unto the Face with a luminous heart. Upon thee be glory, and upon whosoever hath held fast unto this mighty cord.

BH05035: A mention from Us to him who hath drunk…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

A mention from Us to him who hath drunk the choice wine that hath been sealed, at the advent of the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, that the verses of his Lord might attract him and bring him to such a station wherein he seeth dominion beneath his shadow. Thus hath the matter been decreed by God, the Mighty, the Beloved. O thou servant who gazest upon the Countenance, cast away the world and take what thou art commanded by God, the Lord of all men. Then turn with thy radiant heart toward this Most Great Scene. Say: Here am I, O Lord of the invisible and the visible! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call and made me turn toward the sanctuary of Thy Cause. I testify that Thou art the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

We have lit the lamp of knowledge in the niche of utterance, but the people do not understand. We have forbidden the concourse of creation from indecency—some have arisen, while others have wandered, being indeed among the people of idle fancies in a preserved tablet. Leave aside all created things and hold fast to the cord of thy Lord’s favor, the Revealer of verses. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee from this Prison whereon hath been established the throne of the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is he who hath turned toward My direction, soared in My atmosphere, heard My call and said: “Yea, verily, O Thou Who art imprisoned!” Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee as a grace from Our presence, that through them may be illumined the faces of those who have turned toward the Countenance on a Day wherein feet have slipped save those whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, hath willed.

BH05075: Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is one…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! This is one of Thy handmaidens who hath turned unto Thee, acknowledged Thy oneness and confessed Thy singleness, and whom sorrows have overtaken in Thy path. I beseech Thee, O our Lord, the All-Merciful, by Thy Name which dominateth over the worlds and transcendeth all possibility, to draw her near unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds and to ordain for her that which shall solace her eyes and tranquilize her soul. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous.

I moreover beseech Thee, O God of heaven and Creator of names, to make her content in all conditions with Thy decree, and assured that Thou doest naught unto anyone save that which is best for him in Thy Tablets. O Lord! Illumine her heart with the light of Thy knowledge, then deliver her from the sea of sorrow by the hands of Thy grace. Grant her the sweetness of Thy utterance that she may find in it that which will gladden her amid the surging waves of the ocean of Thy mercy and the outpourings of the deep sea of Thy bounty and grace.

Moreover, ordain for her what Thou hast ordained for the choicest among Thy handmaidens, and aid her to remain steadfast in Thy love and to gaze toward the horizon of Thy gifts. Then send down upon her and her daughter from every glory its most glorious, and from every radiance its most radiant. Verily, Thou art He from Whose grasp nothing can escape. Thou givest unto those who come unto Thee and forgivest those who commune with Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH05059: The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Ancient. A remembrance…

The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Ancient. A remembrance unto him who hath heard My call, turned to My countenance, spoken My praise and acknowledged that which hath been commanded by God, the Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Let him rejoice in My remembrance of him and stand firm in his station. Thus hath God desired for him whom He desireth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O My loved ones! Arise to carry out the bounds of God which have been sent down in a preserved Tablet. Say: Every tablet sent down from Him is indeed the preserved one, did ye but know. And beyond it is a Tablet which none hath known save His Own Self, the Truth. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

Say: Consider ye the oppressed, the distressed, the hungry, the naked, the weak and the poor. Thus doth your Lord, the All-Merciful, command you, as a grace from Him unto His servants, did ye but know.

O My loved ones! Prefer the love of God to the love of your own selves, and obedience to disobedience. This is what ye have been commanded in the Tablets, would ye but understand. Pride not yourselves over those whom We have sanctified from earthly adornments, and humble yourselves before those who have turned unto the Intended One.

Blessed is he who hath held fast unto the Most Great Handle and done that which he hath been commanded by God, the Mighty, the Loving. Rejoice ye in the remembrance of God in His days, then follow that which profiteth you in this world and the next, and follow not every idolatrous rejecter. Thus have We sent down the verses and dispatched them unto thee that thou mayest be of them who give thanks.

BH05067: In the Name of Him Who hath appeared…

In the Name of Him Who hath appeared with supreme greatness and power! Glorified is He Who hath shed His splendor upon all created things through His Name that He hath made the Sovereign of Names when He established Himself upon the throne with manifest sovereignty. They who have quaffed the wine of reunion from the hand of bounty, these are numbered among the sincere ones. And whosoever hath lingered by the pond, turning away from the Most Great Ocean, is accounted among the abased.

Say: Have not the verses been sent down, and have not the evidences shone forth, and hath not the proof been perfected, and hath not the Resurrection come to pass? By My life! That which ye were promised in the Tablets hath been fulfilled, while ye remain behind veils, and be not of them that know. He that was far off hath entered the Realm of Glory, while he that thought himself near hath been kept back. Thus hath God made your high ones low and your low ones high. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: The Ancient Beauty hath appeared with His Most Great Name, and yet ye remain veiled. Come ye forth from the habitations of heedlessness and blindness, turning unto God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Eternity. This is better for you, if ye be of them that perceive. Cast aside idle sayings—this is the Day of deeds. Hold fast unto that which ye are commanded by One mighty and great.

O thou who hast turned to God! Give thanks unto thy Lord for having turned unto thee when He was in the hands of the idolaters, and for having called thee through His grace and revealed unto thee clear verses that thou mayest be among the triumphant. When thou hast attained unto them, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the worlds!

BH05117: Say: I am He Who was mentioned…

Say: I am He Who was mentioned in the Bayan and was inscribed by God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. He said that He speaketh in all things: ʿVerily I am God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved.’ This is a matter none hath known save His own Self, the True One. To this do testify such servants as are endowed with knowledge.

All things were revealed in the Book except this promised Hour. The Books have announced My Revelation and the Bayan hath testified to this hidden Name. In one place He said He would appear at the time of Mustaghath, and in another He mentioned that should He appear at any time, none should object. Thus was the matter decreed, if ye be of them that understand.

The time of Revelation was not mentioned in previous Books, nor shall it be mentioned hereafter. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. He revealeth what He willeth and concealeth what He pleaseth. All that hath been was manifested by His command, and all that shall be cometh to pass by His sovereignty.

Blessed is the one possessed of such strength as to rend asunder the veils of idle fancies and acknowledge God when He appeareth with manifest sovereignty. Should anyone read what was revealed in the Bayan, he would recognize the station of this Revelation and would bewail what hath befallen Him at the hands of such as have denied God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

Verily, His station is as it is—none knoweth it save His own Self. He hath ever been sanctified above all thoughts and exalted above what they say. Hold fast unto the root of the Cause and be severed from that which they speak.

BH05162: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! This is a Book from Us to him whom the tender mercy of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise, hath adorned, and whom the attraction of the All-Merciful hath caused to speak forth His praise amidst all created things, praise of His Self that dominateth all worlds.

Whoso heareth with the ear of innate nature that which hath been sent down from the direction of the Throne, verily he soareth in the atmosphere of nearness and is numbered among the sincere ones. And whoso remaineth heedless wandereth in the wilderness of error and is among the lost.

Verily those who have forsaken their homes for the purpose of teaching the Cause—these shall the Faithful Spirit strengthen through its power, and a company of His chosen angels shall go forth with them, as bidden by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise.

How great the blessedness that awaiteth him who hath attained the honor of serving God! By My life! No act, however great, can compare with it, except such deeds as have been ordained by thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the Most Mighty. Such a service is indeed the prince of all goodly deeds, and the ornament of every goodly act. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Ancient of Days.

Whoso desireth to teach must needs detach himself from the world and make his supreme effort the promotion of the Cause in all conditions. This is what hath been decreed in a preserved Tablet. And when he determineth to leave his home, for the sake of the Cause of his Lord, let him put his whole trust in God, as the best provision for his journey, and array himself with the robe of virtue. Thus hath it been decreed by God, the Mighty, the Praised.

When he is enkindled with the fire of His love and adorned with the ornament of detachment, his words shall set ablaze those that hear him. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Blessed is he who hath heard the Call and answered it. He is indeed among those who are brought near. The glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned to the Goal with an illumined heart.

BH05174: In the Name of God, the Most Holy…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Great! This is a Tablet from Us to him who hath followed guidance and believed in God, the Lord of Names, when the Herald proclaimed betwixt earth and heaven:

“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Great!”

Arise to serve thy Lord. Say: O people, fear ye God and follow not those who have opposed the Dawning-Place of Revelation when He came with manifest sovereignty. Say: Do ye imagine that He desireth aught from you? By My life! His Cause standeth before His face and it is His desire, were ye but to know.

Draw nigh with your hearts unto the direction of the Beloved and immerse yourselves in the streams that branch forth from the Most Great Ocean, streams that lead to My Most Great Name. Follow ye the religion of God and His command. He desireth to lead you to the flowing springs issuing from the Fountain of the letter Ha, manifest in His Name whereby God hath subdued all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Rely not upon those who have taken their own desires as a god besides God. Hold fast unto this Cause through which the tongues of all things have proclaimed: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Wise.” Blessed is he who hath attained unto hearing on this Day whereon the Call hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy!”

Be thou as a bird soaring in the atmosphere of thy Lord’s love and gazing toward that which He hath ordained in His sovereign, inaccessible and mighty Kingdom. Then remember Him with spirit and sweet fragrance even as He remembereth thee in the most exalted station. He is, verily, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH05193: O my God, Most Great, Most Great! This…

O my God, Most Great, Most Great! This is Thy handmaiden who hath emigrated in Thy path and sought the direction of the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Source of Thy Revelation, until she entered the precincts of Thy glory and attained unto the presence of Thy mighty throne, and was illumined by the lights of Thy countenance, and visited the Kaaba of Thy oneness and the Temple of Thy singleness, and attained Thy presence which Thou hast made the supreme triumph for all who dwell on earth. She hath fulfilled what she pledged in Thy path and kept her vow regarding Thy Most Great Branch and another Branch among Thy Branches.

O my Lord! Having confirmed her in all this, do Thou confirm her in faithfulness to Thy Covenant and steadfastness in Thy love and attachment to the cord of Thy favors. Thou art her Creator and her Sustainer. Within Thy grasp is the command of all creation. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having directed toward her the glances of Thy mercy and for having accepted from her what she pledged and vowed in Thy path. I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Dominator of all names and the Ruler over all who are in earth and heaven, to ordain for her her reward in this world and the world to come.

Then I beseech Thee, O my God, to assist those who are around Thee to champion Thy Cause and arise to serve Thee and stand firm in Thy religion, in such wise that the allusions of the ungodly may not prevent them from turning to Thee, nor the words of the misguided from beholding the horizon of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Merciful, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Generous.

BH05248: The Most Pure, the Most Glorious! The Pen calleth…

The Most Pure, the Most Glorious! The Pen calleth out to all peoples: “He Who is the Ancient King hath come! The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Unconstrained!” The Bird of Utterance warbleth upon the branches of the Tree of Man: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Mighty, the Compelling!” Blessed is the ear that hath heard and the tongue that hath responded. By My life! Such a one is of them whose light hath illumined all lights. Can any bounty in creation equal this? Nay, by the Lord of the Day of Judgment!

The Kingdom hath been adorned with My Most Glorious Name, and the Realm of Power with this Countenance whereby earth and heavens were illumined. The gates have been opened and the verses sent down. Thereupon every rebellious infidel was thunderstruck.

Among the people are they who have drawn nigh unto the Dayspring of Revelation, and among them are they who have waxed proud before God, the Revealer of verses, and among them are they who have said: “These were not revealed according to nature,” after which nature itself would be ashamed to be associated therewith. Thus hath proceeded from their mouths that whereby every atom doth curse them. When the Gospel was sent down they said: “This was not revealed from the Glorious One,” and when Muhammad came with clear signs they said: “These are but fabrications.” Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Say: O people! In this Revelation there hath appeared what hath never appeared in creation, if ye be fair-minded, O people of understanding. Say: Have ye seen the like of what hath appeared? Nay, by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Luminous! Their wretchedness hath so overtaken them that they behold power and yet deny it. Lo! They are indeed the companions of the fire.

Blessed art thou for having turned unto God and turned away from those who have disbelieved in the Lord of lords.

BH05504: This is a Book from Us to him who…

In the Name of God, Who hath power over all who are in earth and heaven

This is a Book from Us to him who hath turned unto the Countenance and was numbered among the successful ones, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of his Lord and stand firm in the Cause in such wise that the intimations of the heedless shall not deter him. Give thanks unto God for having attained unto the mention of this Most Great Remembrance and for having thy name inscribed in the Book by One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Thy letter hath come before the Throne, and the Ancient Beauty hath turned toward it from this glorious horizon. We have taken note of its contents and have answered thee with this wondrous Tablet. We counsel thee with that wherewith We have counseled Our chosen servants in most of Our Tablets. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the Almighty, the Powerful. Desire thou from thy Lord naught save what He hath desired for thee. By My life! This mention is a bounty from Us unto thee, didst thou but know. All things lie within the grasp of His might and in His right hand, before whose power all who are in the heavens and on earth have been brought low. When He willeth a thing to appear in the realm of being, He but speaketh the word, even as the entire creation was brought back into being through the Word that proceeded from His sanctified and exalted mouth, the Mighty, the Impregnable. We love for thee to be content with God’s good-pleasure and to be self-effacing in His Will that hath encompassed the worlds. He hath ordained for thee that which is best for thee—thou shalt soon behold it. He, verily, is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH05533: The Most Holy, Most Glorious

The Most Holy, Most Glorious

This is a remembrance from Us to those who are in the heavens and on earth. Whenever a word proceedeth from the mouth of the Will, verily it encompasseth all created things. Thus hath the Command been, but the people are in manifest obscurity. Blessed is the learned one who hath recognized the purpose of God, and the strong one who hath arisen to serve the Cause through this Great Name. Verily, those who are deprived this day of the Kawthar of My knowledge—these are the blind ones, by the Lord of the Throne and the exalted Seat. And those who have attained—these are the people of guidance, by the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is he who hath cast behind him that which the idolaters have taken, and hath turned toward the Sovereign of Names, detached from all else. He is of the people of Baha in the Book of God, and all things bear witness that he is among the successful ones.

O Pen of Baha! Make mention of the handmaidens of God, that the remembrance may draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. O My handmaidens! Give thanks unto God for having enabled you to recognize the Manifestation of His Self, when He appeared in truth from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Ye are the daysprings of contentment in the realm of possibility—the All-Merciful beareth witness to this, exalted be this glorious and sublime station. Praise ye God, then prostrate yourselves before His Face which shineth between the heavens and earth. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath turned unto Him, and hath heard, and hath said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all things! I testify that Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.”