Volume 051: Akka 1290 A.H. (1873–1874) (4 of 5)

BH08066: The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious

The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who is the Desired One, that the remembrance of his Lord may draw him in such wise as to cause him to turn wholly unto Him Whom God hath made the Object of the desire of all the worlds.

O servant! Take thou the cup of life in the days of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, then drink therefrom in His Name, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Beware lest the conditions of vain imaginings withhold thee from thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Arise in His love with such steadfastness as cannot be shaken by the hosts of them that are lost in idle fancies. Turn not unto them that have violated God’s Covenant, and place thy trust in all conditions in the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Verily thy Lord sendeth His blessings upon those from whose hearts the sweet savors of love have been wafted when the Lord of all beings appeared with clear sovereignty. Hold fast unto the cord of His favors and cling to the hem of His Name, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. He is with those who love Him and remember Him in the Most Great Prison. His remembrance hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH08357: The Book hath been sent down in truth…

He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy

The Book hath been sent down in truth—verily it is a revelation from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed. Whoso acknowledgeth it hath acknowledged all the Books of God, the Supreme, the Most High, the Most Great. And whoso denieth it hath denied all the Scriptures and whatsoever hath been revealed from the heaven of divine revelation by One Who is Mighty, Trustworthy. Blessed is he who hath attained unto confession of faith when the Chosen One came with sovereignty and power. Woe unto the proud! Rejoice, O concourse of creation, in the manifestation of the All-Merciful, and be not of them that hesitate. They who have attained unto the verses of God and His recognition—these are they who are numbered among the guided ones in a mighty tablet. And they who have turned away or hesitated—these are among the most lost. Give thanks unto God for having remembered thy name before the Throne and revealed unto thee that which hath enraptured the hearts of the sincere ones.

BH08136: The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Great

The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Great

O thou who hast turned thy face towards God! Give praise unto Him Who is the Goal of all worlds, that in His days thou hast attained unto His knowledge and partaken of the choice wine of His love. His favors have ever been and shall ever continue to be. Among His favors is His remembrance of His servants, though some today perceive not the fruits of the Tree of Remembrance and know not the effects of divine remembrance. Yet there shall come a time when it will be made manifest from the divine Treasury of Time, and in that hour all shall become aware and informed thereof. Blessed are they who today have attained unto the Most Great Remembrance and have arisen to serve the Cause. We beseech the Exalted True One that He may guide all to the river of His mercy and nourish them from the springs of submission. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH08408: A book from Us unto him who hath turned…

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

A book from Us unto him who hath turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon when he appeared with My Most Glorious Name and believed in God, the Lord of the worlds.

Verily, one word from Him cannot be equaled by whatsoever existeth in the heavens and the earth. We seized creation through a word from Us and raised them up again through it, for verily We are powerful over all things.

Blessed is he who hath recognized the Word of God and its Source, and hath attained unto the lights of His Face, the Shining, the Luminous. Verily it speaketh at all times through My Name, the All-Subduing Lord of Names, and summoneth all unto this Luminous Horizon.

Those who are heedless, they are assuredly the people of the Fire, and those who have believed, they are assuredly the people of Paradise—to this doth the Tongue of God, the Mighty, the Great, bear witness.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that neither the veils of the divines nor the promptings of the evil ones shall hold thee back.

BH08063: O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of the Lord…

In His Name, the Eternal, the Ancient

O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Eternity from the precincts of His Most Great Prison. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. He hath created all things for My meeting, and hath sent down all books for the mention of this Mighty Book. The Sacred Scriptures testify that there is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful, and the Holy Books proclaim this is He Who is mentioned in the Tablets and inscribed in a preserved Book.

Then know thou that thy letter hath come before the Throne, and this glorious Tablet hath been revealed for thee. Read it by night and by day; verily it will draw thee to an exalted station. Blessed art thou for having turned unto God and turned away from every rebellious infidel.

Beware lest the vain imaginings of those who have drunk the love of the calf keep thee back, or the veils of the deniers prevent thee. Hold thou fast unto the cord of steadfastness, detached from all created things. Thus doth thy Lord command thee, verily He is the Protector of the doers of good.

BH08407: A Tablet from Our presence to him who hath…

A Tablet from Our presence to him who hath attained unto the days of his Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One, and hath hearkened unto the Call which was raised in truth from this Tree that speaketh in the midmost heart of the world: ʿVerily, there is none other God beside Me, the Mighty, the Bountiful.’

Blessed art thou inasmuch as the Most Exalted Pen remembereth thee whilst in the clutches of the oppressors. Ye are beneath the pavilion of My loving-kindness; guard ye this sublime station.

It behooveth thy script to be presented before the Throne. Thy Lord, verily, is the Educator, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Make mention, on My behalf, of him who hath been named Ali-before-Nabil, saying: Blessed art thou inasmuch as thou hast hearkened unto the command of thy Lord and art of those who are set ablaze.’

We cherish those who have held fast unto the cord of means, placing their trust in God, the Powerful, the Almighty.

Then make mention of the other and gladden him with the remembrance I have made of him. Verily, My grace hath encompassed the worlds.

May the glory of God rest upon you all from the presence of One mighty and praiseworthy.

BH08072: In the name of Him who abideth after…

In the name of Him who abideth after the passing of all things! O leaf of love! Thy letter hath come before the Throne, and this perspicuous Tablet hath been revealed for thee. We have heard that which thou didst call upon God, thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds.

Immerse thyself in the ocean of joy, inasmuch as the Lord of Revelation remembereth thee in this mighty prison. Verily, He remembereth whoever hath uttered His praise, and loveth whoever hath turned towards His shining countenance. Blessed art thou, and thy father and mother, and whosoever hath believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

Hold fast unto the Tree in such wise that the tempests of the allusions of the ungodly shall not move thee. We have ordained for each one of you a station which none knoweth save My Self, the All-Subduing over all who are in the heavens and earths.

Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen moved to make mention of thee. This is of His grace unto thee. Be thou thankful, for verily He is the All-Giving, the Generous, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH08108: O handmaiden of God! God willing, thou shalt be…

In the name of the Peerless Beloved

O handmaiden of God! God willing, thou shalt be enkindled by the fire of divine love on this spiritual day and be occupied with His remembrance and praise. Withdraw not the hand of seeking from the hem of the Desired One. With the eye of the spirit, gaze upon the Beloved of all worlds, that perchance thou mayest not be deprived of the ocean of His bounty nor be forbidden from the heaven of His grace.

His mercy hath encompassed all creation, and His loving-kindness hath embraced the entire realm of being. Bereft indeed is the heart that hath not attained to His love, and deprived is the ear that hath not heard His call.

O ye who seek the eternal and flowing Kawthar! Drink ye of His love through that Divine Pen and shut your eyes to all the worlds.

Verily, glory be upon those who have remained faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament, and upon those handmaidens who have remained faithful, for they are indeed among the triumphant ones in the Preserved Tablet.

BH08415: This is a Book sent down from the heaven…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

This is a Book sent down from the heaven of Revelation unto her who believed when she heard the call of her Lord, the Mighty, the Wise, that the Word of God might draw her nigh unto a station wherein naught is seen save the lights of His face, the Mighty, the Generous.

Verily, We make mention of him who hath turned among the servants and then of her who hath turned among the handmaidens. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Verily, he who hath attained unto the days of God is assuredly among the people of Paradise in a mighty tablet, and she who hath recognized her Lord is assuredly among those who have attained in the presence of the mighty Throne.

O My handmaiden! The Tongue of Grandeur maketh mention of thee from this far-distant horizon. Be thou thankful for this bounty and make mention of Him at all times. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Thus hath been sent down unto thee from the heaven of grace that which God hath made the Kawthar of life for all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH08293: The Beauty of Hijaz addresses His handmaidens…

In the Name of the One Peerless God!

The Beauty of Hijaz addresses His handmaidens in the Persian tongue, that they may become intoxicated with the Kawthar of divine remembrance and arise to make mention of the Friend. Though He hath ever been and will forever remain sanctified from all directions, and though He hath attributed Himself to the Hijaz, or to Iraq, or other places, this is but in consideration of the understanding of created things within the bounds of contingent being; else He is and hath ever been the Creator of all and sanctified above all.

O handmaiden of God! May you be, God willing, gladdened and made joyous through the fragrances of the Days of God and the gentle breezes of His favors, and may you walk in the pleasant atmosphere of trust and assurance, of devotion and certitude. Thy mention was made at the Divine Throne, and thus hast thou been blessed with the remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds. Praise be to God in all conditions.

BH08339: We have adorned the books of heaven with this…

In the Name of Him Who abideth after the passing of all things

We have adorned the books of heaven with this Book which hath shone forth from the sun of the Revelation of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have made it a lamp of guidance amongst creation and the Most Great Sign for all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is he who draweth nigh unto it and taketh hold of it with the hand of might and power. He is indeed among the most exalted of beings in this noble scene.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of My sister’s daughter who hath been named after her, then gladden her with this wondrous remembrance that she may rejoice within herself and thank her Lord Who hath caused all things to speak in praise of His Self, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Thou art one of the leaves of the Tree of the Command. Hold fast unto it lest the winds of doubts cause thee to fall or the signs of the wayward move thee. Rejoice thou in the Most Great Name, then prostrate thyself and be thou submissive before God, the Lord of all worlds.

Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee as a grace from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH08351: The Most Ancient, Most Great, Most Bountiful!

The Most Ancient, Most Great, Most Bountiful!

The gate of heaven hath been opened in the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, and there hath come forth from it He Who hath proclaimed unto mankind this Message whereby the trees have been set ablaze and the seas have overflowed. They that have turned unto Him have attained unto all good, and they that have turned away are verily among those who have gone astray. Had men recognized the excellence of this Day, they would have cast blame behind their backs, turning unto God, the Lord of all mankind.

Say: O people! Associate not partners with God. He hath borne witness unto His Own Self by His Own Self that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Turn ye unto the Qiblih of all existence, and follow not every idolatrous infidel. He desireth for you naught save that which profiteth you in this world and in the world to come. Seize ye the time, O ye that are endued with insight!

Thus hath the horizon of Remembrance shone forth with the sun of the utterance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

BH08774: The gracious and almighty God saith: O my handmaiden!…

In the name of the benevolent Friend

The gracious and almighty God saith: O my handmaiden! Thou hast been called to remembrance before the Throne of Glory and the Tongue of God giveth utterance to this Tablet that thou mayest rejoice in the wondrous effusions of His all-embracing grace and rest assured of His unfailing providence. Make thou mention, at all times, of the Well-Beloved of the world and be wholly detached from aught else save Him. The purpose underlying all creation is to know God. Praise be to Him thou hast attained His knowledge and quaffed thy fill of the ocean of His loving-kindness. Treasure thou so precious a favor and belittle not its worth. Guard it from the thieves, the deniers and the evil ones, inasmuch as the thief is lying in wait on every side, ready to rob thee of so priceless a gem. We fain would hope that through the assistance of God’s Most Great Name thou wilt succeed in protecting it.

BH08764: The Beauty of the Cause hath been witnessed rising…

In His name, the Ever-Abiding after the passing away of all things!

The Beauty of the Cause hath been witnessed rising from the horizon of justice with grace. Blessed is he who hath cast away desire and laid hold on guidance in these days wherein the Book of Dawn hath been seen from the horizon of might.

Say: O people! Follow not your desires. Follow Him Who speaketh with truth, for He, verily, hath knowledge of all things. Beware lest the intimations of the people hinder you. By God! They wander in the wilderness of error and find no path for themselves.

The breezes of revelation have wafted and the fragrances of the All-Merciful have been diffused throughout creation. Blessed is he who hath chosen Him as his helper. Rejoice ye in the joy of My Most Great Name, for He hath appeared through a Command that hath encompassed the worlds.

Thus have We lit the lamp of utterance in the niche of wisdom and exposition that thou mayest thank thy Lord and be steadfast in the Cause.

BH08792: A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned…

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

A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned towards the horizon of Revelation when the Dayspring of verses appeared with grandeur and power, that he may remember his Lord amongst the servants in such wise as to awaken thereby them that are in all lands. O servant! Hearken unto the call from the Most Exalted Horizon, the seat of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. Beware lest the affairs of the world grieve thee. Speak forth in praise of thy Lord—thus doth the Lord of Names command thee from this most far-off Station. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The fragrances of the garment have been diffused and the sweet-scenting aroma of holiness hath been wafted, yet the people are in strange delusion. We beseech God to preserve thee from the imaginings of those who have disbelieved in God and to make thee steadfast in this Cause whereby necks have been brought low.

BH08855: Lauded be Thy name, O my God…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

Lauded be Thy name, O my God and the God of all things, my Glory and the Glory of all things, my Desire and the Desire of all things, my Strength and the Strength of all things, my King and the King of all things, my Possessor and the Possessor of all things, my Aim and the Aim of all things, my Mover and the Mover of all things! Suffer me not, I implore Thee, to be kept back from the ocean of Thy tender mercies, nor to be far removed from the shores of nearness to Thee.

Aught else except Thee, O my Lord, profiteth me not, and near access to any one save Thyself availeth me nothing. I entreat Thee by the plenteousness of Thy riches, whereby Thou didst dispense with all else except Thyself, to number me with such as have set their faces towards Thee, and arisen to serve Thee.

Forgive, then, O my Lord, Thy servants and Thy handmaidens. Thou, truly, art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

BH09009: The Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Generous

The Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Generous

A Book sent down in truth, wherein is that which gladdens the hearts of those who have turned towards the Countenance and soared in the atmosphere of the love of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Revelation hath spoken. Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The faces of those near unto God have been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, while the faces of those who turned away have been darkened by their rejection of this Brilliant Dawn. This is a Day wherein the mountains have been moved and the foundations of every obstinate infidel have been shaken. Lost indeed are they who have forgotten that which We counselled them in the Tablets, and gained are they who have attained unto the lights of His mighty Throne.

Blessed art thou for having attained unto the Tablet of God and its effect, and there hath been sent down for thee that which cannot be equaled by the treasures of the worlds. Thus have We perfumed the Tablet of Love with the musk of the ink as a bounty from the presence of Him Who is the Lord of creation, that thou mayest render thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH08732: In the Name of the One True Friend! O…

In the Name of the One True Friend! O Ali! God willing, in these most excellent days thou art occupied with the remembrance of the Lord of all beings, detached and free from people who are as cattle. Divine favors and heavenly bounties have encompassed and will continue to encompass thee, for thou art reckoned as being of the root of the Tree and art mentioned by His name.

Strive thou, in this springtime of youth, to adorn thyself with the ornament of goodly character and conduct, with benevolent deeds and praiseworthy actions. The criterion of human beings is the manifestation of humanity, which is the expression of those spiritual perfections that lie hidden within.

Assuredly, neglect not, throughout thy days and nights, the acquisition of spiritual and outward perfections, that the fruits of existence may be made manifest through thee. This is the counsel and testament of a faithful counselor.

BH08724: The light of the world is the remembrance…

The light of the world is the remembrance of the One Friend.

O friends! The earth of the knowledge of the All-Merciful was observed to be ruined and desolate. We therefore sent forth the Mature Cultivator and Wise Physician to cut away, through perfect remedies, the corrupt roots and worthless weeds, and to nurture that earth through the rains of divine commandments, that it might become a place for the growth of goodly plants and fruit-bearing trees. This is the purpose of sending forth the Messengers and revealing the Books.

O friends! Strive to educate the wayward and ignorant, that perchance the saplings of human existence may become verdant and flourishing through the springtime of divine grace. With pure ears hear My call, and with pure eyes turn toward My horizon. Sightless is he who is deprived of this bounty, and blind is the one who recognized not the All-Powerful Lord.

BH08771: How excellent is the remembrance of God for His…

In the Name of the Kind Friend!

How excellent is the remembrance of God for His creation, and how sweet is the mention of the Lord for His servant, the remembrance of the Beloved for His lover! It hath been and shall ever be, for the sincere seeker, the capital of eternal life and an everlasting bounty. The word of the Desired One is better than both worlds, more delicate than the spirit and more life-giving.

Praise be to God, thou hast attained through His grace unto this eternal bounty, inasmuch as the Beloved of the world in the Most Great Prison is occupied with thy remembrance. This is of His grace which hath encompassed all the worlds. With the tongue of the soul, be thou grateful to the Beloved of all creation and render praise, for thou hast attained unto this bounty and art mentioned before the Throne.

BH08921: The Tree hath called aloud saying: “There is none…

In the Name of the One Friend

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

The Tree hath called aloud saying: “There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the All-Wise!” And the Rock crieth out saying: “There is none other God but He, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Great!” And the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh forth from within the all-glorious pavilion saying: “There is none other God but He, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!”

Blessed is the ear that hath heard the Call, and the heart that hath been illumined by this Lamp whereby the heavens and earth were made to shine, and the face that hath been lit by the lights of its Lord’s countenance, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O My handmaiden! Rejoice thou in the days of thy Lord, then remember thou this favor that hath encompassed the worlds. Thou art in thy home while thy Lord remembereth thee in this mighty Prison. Reflect thou upon the gifts of thy Master, then prostrate thyself and bow down with this remembrance through which the sweet fragrances of thy Lord’s favors, the Forgiving, the Bountiful, have been wafted.

BH08763: These are the verses of the Book which have…

In His Name, the One, the Single!

These are the verses of the Book which have been sent down in truth from God, the Mighty, the Bestower. Verily it is the Ancient Sign amongst the nations and the Lamp of Guidance for whoso is in the earth and heaven. Verily it is the Water of Life for the life of all who dwell in the realm of possibility, and the Proof of the All-Merciful to every discerning mystic.

Draw nigh unto Him, O peoples of the earth, and follow not every idolatrous deceiver. Say: This is the Path which you were promised in the Book, and the Balance whereby all things are weighed—know this, O ye who are endued with insight!

Beware lest the affairs of creation veil you from this Cause whereby the horizons have been illumined. Give thanks unto God for having been mentioned before the Throne, and for that which God hath sent down unto thee, making it an ornament of the Book of Creation.

BH08888: Blessed art thou in whatever world thou art…

In the Name of the One Friend!

Blessed art thou in whatever world thou art and shalt be!

Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the love and knowledge of the Best-Beloved of the worlds—which is the ultimate purpose of creation—and hast quaffed the pure wine in the days of His manifestation.

Physical death shall not prevent those who have turned to Him, whether men or women, from attaining eternal life, for after their ascension to their own kingdom, the spirits of such souls shall find themselves adorned with the most beauteous raiment and in the most exalted station. Whosoever hath held fast unto the truth hath been and shall be with the Truth in all the worlds.

The people, however, are veiled: most are deprived of this station and are powerless and incapable of comprehending it. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto this station and hath been illumined by the lights of the Ancient Countenance.

BH08742: O Mahmud! May you not remain distant…

In the name of the One True Friend

O Mahmud! May you not remain distant from the cloud of mercy of the Lord of existence and the Sovereign of the unseen and seen, and may you drink from the Kawthar of nearness and assurance.

Strive to make firm the cord of relationship, and its firmness depends upon steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of possibilities. Whosoever attains to this station, no harm ever was or shall be for him, and he shall attain to the good of this world and the next.

Every soul who today turns to the Luminary of the horizon of inner meanings is accounted among the living before the Divine Countenance, and whoso remains deprived is reckoned among the dead.

Praise the Absolute Truth Who assisted thee and caused thee to attain His recognition.

BH08721: O youth! God willing, through the loving-kindness…

In the name of the One Friend!

O youth! God willing, through the loving-kindness of the All-Merciful mayest thou be blessed with the infinite bounties of the divine days and be nourished and sustained by the fruits of the celestial Tree.

Thou wert mentioned in His presence, and these few words have dawned from the Dawning-Place of the Pen of the All-Merciful, that thou mayest be illumined by the lights of the words of the Dawning-Place of names and attributes, in such wise that the traces of that light shall endure forever.

Blessed is thy father, for he attained recognition of this Cause when We were in those regions, and to this the Revealer of verses beareth witness.

Strive thou to remain steadfast in the Cause of God, for Satan hath been and shall ever be lying in wait. Under all conditions hold fast unto the Lord of all worlds and be detached from aught else but Him.

BH08799: The Most Ancient, the Most Great. A remembrance…

The Most Ancient, the Most Great. A remembrance from Us to him who hath attained unto the recognition of his Lord, when the veil was rent asunder and the Promised One appeared with manifest sovereignty.

Say: This is the Lamp which the All-Merciful hath lit in the midmost heart of creation. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. All the hosts of the earth combined cannot prevent Him from that which He desireth. Verily thy Lord is the Triumphant, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Those who desired to extinguish the light of God through their might, or their vain imaginings, or their learning, shall soon find themselves in manifest loss. His power hath conquered all who are in creation, and His mercy hath preceded all in the worlds. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him and arose to make mention of Him—he is of those who have attained.

Thus have We adorned the Tablet of Creation with the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of Names. Read thou and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast aided me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause and made me to be of those who have turned unto Thee.

BH09005: The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious Book…

The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious Book from Us to him who hath turned towards the Dawning-Place of Revelation when the horizon of utterance was illumined with the Sun of wisdom and exposition, that he may inhale the fragrances of the verses in the days of his Lord, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Bestower, and may arise amidst the servants in the name of his Lord, the Possessor of all being, saying:

“O people! The Hour hath come and the Resurrection hath appeared. Blessed are they who are endued with vision.”

O servant! Hearken unto that which the Lord of all beings doth mention unto thee, and hold fast unto the Sure Handle in such wise that the hosts of the wicked shall not prevent thee.

Say: This is a Day wherein all things have proclaimed with most loud voice: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.”

Beware lest that which ye possess prevent you. Leave it and take what hath been given you by God. Verily nothing that hath been created in earth or heaven can equal it.

BH09350: A remembrance from Us to him who hath attained…

In His Name, the All-Ruling over all names!

A remembrance from Us to him who hath attained the lights of the countenance when it shone forth from the horizon of the Will of God, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Blessed is he who hath clung to the hem of bounty and held fast to the strong cord of God. He is indeed among the most exalted of creatures in the sight of the Truth, though he be considered the most abject of servants. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord—this is the very foundation of the Cause, if thou be of them that comprehend. How many a servant hath believed and then turned away by following the heedless ones, and how many a servant hath stood with such steadfastness as to astonish the hearts of them that have turned unto God.

Thus doth the Ancient King make mention of thee from within the Most Great Prison. Be thou grateful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the worlds!

BH09266: The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious!

The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious!

God willing, through the favor of the Friend, may you be detached and free from all else besides Him, and at all times drink the wine of inner meanings from the hand of the True Cup-bearer. The gaze of God’s favor has been and will be with you.

Blessed is your father, for he attained the presence of God and believed in the presence of His countenance. Verily for him is a great reward in the Book. He was among those souls who, after the exaltation of the Divine Word, attained recognition of God, and in the days of the rising of the Sun of Truth in those regions, was present before His countenance, was guided by His lights, and remained steadfast in His Cause. Verily for him is a goodly return.

BH09373: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy names…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy names which have encompassed all created things, and by Thy attributes which have preceded all existence, to protect Thy handmaidens who have turned toward Thy countenance and hearkened unto Thy call in Thy days, and who have arisen to praise Thee and Thy Cause. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee. The atoms testify to Thy oneness, and the signs to Thy sovereignty and power. Nothing can prevent Thy dominion. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Exalted, the Glorious, the All-Wise.

O my God! Send down Thy blessings upon the people of Baha who were not deterred by the contingencies of fate from turning toward Thy face, O Creator of heaven and Lord of Names! Verily Thou art the Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH09275: O Ahmad the Single, the One! He saith…

In the name of the Loving Friend

O Ahmad the Single, the One! He saith: With the wings of knowledge soar in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful, that perchance through His pre-existing mercy and all-encompassing grace thou mayest attain unto the Dawning-Place of His most excellent names and the Day-Spring of His most exalted attributes. The outward foot cannot traverse this distance, and the outer wings are powerless to fly in this spiritual atmosphere. Therefore with spiritual wing and mystic foot set out toward thy goal.

This hath ever been and shall ever be the ultimate journey for those who seek, and the final homeland of the lovers. We beseech God to cause all to attain unto this most exalted station and to grant them to partake of the wine of revelation.

BH09293: O Fatimih, Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness!…

In the name of the Lord of Names!

O Fatimih, Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness! From the Most Great Prison He calleth thee and summoneth thee to the Lord of Eternity. He hath had and hath no purpose save the guidance of the handmaidens and servants of God, inasmuch as He, of His own Self, hath ever been and shall ever be self-sufficient. Neither doth any good deed of His servants profit Him, nor any evil act of His creatures harm Him. He calleth all purely for the sake of God, that all may attain unto the fruit of their own being, which is the recognition of God and the Manifestation of His Cause. May it be that thou wilt, through His name, preserve the pearl of divine love within the treasury of thy heart. The Glory be upon thee.

BH09301: O Marziyyih! The Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness…

In the Name of Him Who is the Desire of all the world

O Marziyyih! The Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness summons thee to the eternal divine realms. Hearken with thy soul’s ear to the call of the All-Merciful, and turn to Him with all thy heart and spirit. Whosoever today has drunk of this eternal wine has attained eternal life, and whosoever has been deprived is accounted as among perishable forms in the sight of God.

Until the Ancient Beauty appears with the Most Great Name, strive that ye may attain through His grace to the fruit of creation, and that fruit is the knowledge of the Beloved. None but detached spirits have been or shall be given a share from this cup. How blessed is the state of one who remains steadfast upon the path of His love and is not prevented by the whisperings of evil souls.

BH09296: O handmaiden of God! God willing, through the grace…

In the name of the one God

O handmaiden of God! God willing, through the grace of the Dawning-Place of Names, thou shalt attain unto the holy bounties in these divine days and receive thy portion and share from the fragrances of His garment of grace. Most of the handmaidens were deprived of this infinite gift, for they were veiled by the veils of their former delusions. Yet some removed the veil and turned toward the Lord of Lords. These handmaidens are accounted as men in the sight of God.

Praise the Beloved of the world that thou hast attained the honor of recognizing the Dawning-Place of His verses, and He hath manifested through thee one who turned to the supreme horizon and attained the sea of meeting and reunion.

BH09337: The One True Friend saith: O friends! Purify yourselves…

In the name of the Desire of the World

The One True Friend saith: O friends! Purify yourselves from the defilement of contingent existence, that you may attain to everlasting rest. All that is other than Him has been and will be transient, and all that is with Him will endure by the perpetuity of the Kingdom. Strive that you may attain unto eternal life, and the cause and means of this is the love of God and steadfastness in His Cause. God willing, you shall attain unto this.

Blessed be your father! Verily he attained unto the lights of the Countenance and was set ablaze by the fire of the love of God to such degree that he was martyred in His path. By My life! This is a bounty and station that the Kingdom of the realms of heaven and earth cannot equal.

BH09286: O friends! The ocean of bounty is surging…

In the Name of the Peerless, One God!

O friends! The ocean of bounty is surging and the Sun of grace is shining forth. Today is the day of praise, not the time of defilement. Say: O friends! Cleanse your souls from the defilement of the world and arise in praise of the One Beloved. Today is the day of the tongue, for it was created for praise. Today is the day of meeting, for the Beloved has appeared. Soar on the wings of the love of the All-Merciful, that perchance ye may attain spiritual nearness.

O friends! Be not grieved at separation—this is the day of joy, not the time of sorrow. Whosoever has arisen in the love of the All-Merciful is of Us, and whosoever is occupied with aught else is accounted among strangers. Such is the utterance of the All-Merciful. Blessed are they that hear!

BH09545: This is a Book sent down from Our presence…

In the Name of the Everlasting, the Ever-Abiding!

This is a Book sent down from Our presence—verily it is a lamp of guidance among mankind, a sign of eternity among the nations, and the Most Great Remembrance for all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is he who draweth nigh and is illumined thereby; woe unto him who wandereth in the wilderness of error and is among those who are far removed.

Arise, O loved ones of God, to fulfill His binding, mighty and wondrous Cause, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through that which causeth all creation to quake. Thus doth the Lord of the worlds command you.

Whoso draweth nigh and drinketh, verily he is of the people of Baha before God, the Lord of Names; and whoso is debarred, he is assuredly among the dead. Verily the glory belongeth unto the people of Baha who have fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Testament and are among the steadfast.

BH10017: Divine counsels are a spiritual feast sent down…

In the Name of the Beloved of all creation!

Divine counsels are a spiritual feast sent down from the heaven of the All-Merciful Will. The friends must appreciate the value of this everlasting bounty and not lose this most great favor and most perfect grace through the conjectures of transient souls.

The glance of loving-kindness from the horizon of the Prison is directed to all, and He observes each soul according to its condition. Blessed are they from whose countenances radiate the All-Merciful splendor and the lights of the Divine Word.

Strive that perchance ye may attain to this station and become sanctified, detached and purified from all else.

BH09781: O servant of the One God! The Peerless Beloved…

In the Name of the One Friend

O servant of the One God! The Peerless Beloved calls unto thee, saying: The call of the All-Merciful is raised before the faces of men, and the croaking of the ghouls follows. Blessed is he whom the croaking of ghouls prevented not from the living waters, and who arose with perfect steadfastness to serve the Cause of the Lord of all beings. Guard ye with utmost endeavor the pearls of divine love, for thieves have been and shall be lying in wait, watching for an opportunity to plunder. Such is the counsel of the Beloved of creation unto His loved ones. The Glory be upon you.

BH09800: O Mihdi of the world! Through the breezes…

In the Name of the One Creator

O Mihdi of the world! Through the breezes of the Ancient Lord’s favor, the world hath been adorned with the flowers of divine knowledge and the fruits of inner truth. Blessed is the soul that hath not been deprived or forbidden therefrom. Today is the day when the ocean of generosity is surging and the heart of creation is in joy. God willing, thou shalt attain unto this most great bounty and gaze upon the most luminous horizon. Praise be to God that thou art reckoned among the twigs of the Divine Tree and art related to the Celestial Tree. Hold fast with complete determination, lest diverse winds prevent thee. In all conditions, keep thy gaze fixed upon the Truth and remain detached and free from aught else.

BH09791: O Shamsiyyih! God willing, through the favors…

In the Name of the One True God

O Shamsiyyih! God willing, through the favors of the Countenance of Divine Unity, mayest thou shine forth even as the sun from the horizon of the heaven of certitude, that the darkened hearts of the heedless handmaidens may be illumined by its rays. Give thanks to the Best-Beloved of the worlds that thou art accounted among the people of the pavilion of glory, inasmuch as thou hast sprung from the tree of grace and art related unto the Truth. Know thou the value of this most great bounty and be thou engaged day and night in His remembrance and be thou steadfast in His Cause. Verily the glory be upon thee and upon those whom God hath related to the Tree of His Cause.

BH09802: O leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree! Be thankful…

In the Name of the One Friend

O leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree! Be thankful that thou hast sprung from Me and art attributed unto Me. This is a divine bounty bestowed upon thee. But what behooveth thee is to hold fast unto the Tree with perfect trust and strength, lest thou be cast down by the diverse winds of the souls of the ungodly. His favors have ever been and shall ever continue to be. Through the mere turning of any soul to the Most Exalted Horizon, the confirmations of the Lord of Names have reached and shall continue to reach. Bind thy heart firmly to the love of the Beloved of the worlds. He is the source of all good and the bestower of every bounty. Verily, the glory be upon thee from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

BH09815: How many servants and handmaidens there were who occupied…

In the Name of the One Creator!

How many servants and handmaidens there were who occupied themselves day and night with reciting divine books and heavenly scriptures, yet remained veiled from their Revealer when He appeared, and clinging to their own imaginings and holding fast to the Book, were deprived of its Revealer and remained veiled from the Mother Book. They passed by the Sweet Ocean and turned instead to the river of their own vain fancies. Blessed is the soul that held fast to the divine Lote-Tree and became free and detached from all else.

O handmaiden of God! God willing, may you remain steadfast in His love and be free and detached from all else. The glory be upon you.

BH09782: Thy letter reached the Most Great Horizon and was…

In the Name of the One True Friend

Thy letter reached the Most Great Horizon and was honored to attain the presence and favors of the Lord of Power. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds Who assisted thee to recognize His Own Self and to turn toward His direction. Know thou the worth of this most great bounty and supreme gift, and occupy thyself with such matters as will cause the station of man to be made manifest. Excellence hath ever been and shall ever be beloved in the sight of the Self-Sufficing, the Most High. Strive diligently to attain it. God willing, the glance of merciful compassion hath been and shall be upon thee. Verily the glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon thy brother and thy sister, from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

BH09788: O Ramadan! God willing, through the loving-kindness…

In the name of the Best-Beloved of the world

O Ramadan! God willing, through the loving-kindness of the All-Merciful thou wilt drink from the cup of everlasting life and remain firm in thy attachment to the Beloved of all creation, in such wise that the hosts of Satan will not prevent thee nor deprive thee of this most great bounty.

While time remaineth, strive that perchance some service may proceed from thee which shall be acceptable in the presence of the Eternal One, for the fruit of human existence hath ever been and shall ever be the remembrance of the All-Merciful, service unto Him and steadfastness in His Cause. How excellent is the state of that soul who hath attained unto these two and detached himself from all else.

BH09789: O Sakinih! The Lord of Creation declares: I created…

In the Name of Him Who is the Goal of earth and heaven!

O Sakinih! The Lord of Creation declares: I created all beings for this Day and for its recognition, yet most remained veiled from knowing it. The cause of their veiling has been and will continue to be vain imaginings and idle fancies. Whosoever today attains to this most great bounty and most generous favor—if she be among the handmaidens, she is mentioned before God as being among the denizens of the highest chambers of Paradise, and if he be among the men, he is accounted as one of the people of the Ridvan. O handmaiden of God! Give thanks to the Lord of Names that thou hast attained to this supreme gift and hast drunk from the Kawthar of His love.

BH09826: A remembrance from Us to her who turned…

In His Name, the Ever-Abiding, the Eternal, the Mighty, the Beautiful

A remembrance from Us to her who turned to God in her early days, that she may rejoice in the remembrance of her Lord and be numbered among the devout ones in a mighty tablet. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy father who hath believed in God, the Single One, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He is among those who did not hesitate in this Cause when the Call was raised, but said: “Here am I, O God of the worlds!” We have forgiven him through Our grace and have sent down for him that which shall immortalize his memory amongst all peoples. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for having been mentioned in the presence of His Countenance and for this mighty Tablet which hath been revealed unto thee. Verily, the glory from thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Bountiful, be upon thee and upon thy father and thy mother.

BH09840: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

In the name of the Ever-Abiding, the Eternal, the Mighty, the All-Wise!

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses and made them a cause of joy to all worlds. Blessed is he who hath recognized them and believed in them when they were sent down from the presence of a Mighty, Powerful One. Those who have cast them behind their backs are among the most lost. How many a servant hath lamented in separation, yet when the ocean of reunion surged, turned away and was numbered with the heedless. O people! Abandon what ye possess. By God, the Object of the knowers hath appeared and speaketh from the Most Great Prison that there is none other God but Him, the Forgiving, the Generous. Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Countenance and drunk the sealed wine from the hands of thy Lord’s bounty, the Merciful.

BH09925: We have lit the Lamp in the midmost heart…

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

We have lit the Lamp in the midmost heart of creation and sent down the verses from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s loving-kindness, yet the people remain in manifest remoteness. The atoms lament what hath befallen the Dawning-Place of verses while the people remain veiled by a thick veil. All things call out to them saying “Draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocean,” yet they sport with their vain imaginings and are not among those who comprehend. Their eyes have been prevented from beholding the Face and their hearts from recognizing the Source of their Lord’s revelation, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Grieve thou not at anything, but place thy trust in God, the Lord of all worlds. Then render thanks unto Him for having aided thee in what He hath willed, inasmuch as that which the near ones desired hath been made manifest.

BH10228: Creation exists and is sustained through the remembrance…

Creation exists and is sustained through the remembrance of the Friend. Say: O people of contingent being! The Countenance of the All-Merciful declares: Today is not the day for words, nor the time for waiting. Act ye according to the divine utterances which have dawned and appeared from the Dayspring of the Most Holy Pen.

O people of the land! The Peerless Friend hath appeared unveiled, and the Hand of Divine Power hath shone forth from the horizon of the Divine Robe. While time remains, occupy yourselves with the remembrance of the Everlasting One and turn ye towards the Face of God. We have ordained the heart as the pathway of turning unto Him, for the outward path is forbidden.

BH10376: The Perspicuous Book hath been made manifest…

In the Name of the All-Bountiful, the All-Merciful!

The Perspicuous Book hath been made manifest by the command of the Lord of the Worlds. Whosoever attaineth unto it and taketh hold of it through divine strength is mentioned before the Throne as being among the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise.

O handmaiden of God! Strive that thou mayest not be deprived of the fragrances of the Lord of Names and Attributes, nor be forbidden from His wondrous and glorious outpourings. Be not saddened by the transient affairs of this base world. Keep thy heart illumined and joyous through the remembrance of the King of Oneness. This is the counsel of the Ancient Beauty unto His handmaidens.

BH10193: God willing, may you, through divine grace, be detached…

In the Name of the Beloved of the Contingent World!

God willing, may you, through divine grace, be detached from creation and hold fast unto Him. Turn your gaze away from all the peoples and fix it upon the All-Merciful. All that is visible shall soon pass away and perish. The fruit of human existence hath been and ever shall be the recognition of the All-Merciful. Whoso hath attained unto this fruit in this day is reckoned as human and is mentioned in the presence of the All-Glorious. Strive that perchance thou mayest drink of the everlasting Kawthar from the hand of the spiritual Cup-bearer and attain unto the true Friend. This is the counsel of the Wronged One unto His friends. Blessed are they that act!

BH10637: The Supreme Pen addresses Its loved ones…

In the Name of Him Who is the Goal of all the worlds!

The Supreme Pen addresses Its loved ones in the Persian tongue, that they may comprehend the utterance of the All-Merciful, be mindful, and with complete assurance remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Beloved of the worlds. O handmaiden of God! The Wronged One of the world calls out to thee from the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest not be deprived of the choice wine of divine knowledge and the living waters of faith, and that thou mayest at all times be occupied with His remembrance and praise. This is the cause of salvation in both worlds.

BH00876: Verily doth Joy proclaim: “My soul be a sacrifice…

He is the Most Sorrowful, the Most Sorrowful!

Verily doth Joy proclaim: “My soul be a sacrifice to Thy sorrow, O Thou Who art wronged by the peoples of the world!” Gladness doth cry aloud: “My spirit be a sacrifice to Thy grief, O Thou Peerless One of all creation!” Happiness in its entirety doth exclaim: “My very being be a sacrifice to Thy distress, O Thou Stranger in the world!” Prosperity doth lament and declare: “My essence be a sacrifice to Thy hardship, O Thou Captive in the hands of the oppressors!” Rest doth speak and call out: “My reality be a sacrifice to Thy tribulation, O Thou Who art the Rest of all mankind!”

This is a Book inscribed with the ink of Command from God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. Say: This is God’s mystery and His sovereignty, His proof and His testimony unto all who dwell in the heavens and on earth. This is the Day whereon God calleth unto all besides Him. Blessed is he who hath found the sweetness of this wondrous, this mighty Call. Can any day be compared with this Day? Nay, by the Lord of all beings! Yet the people are wrapped in a thick veil.

The ears were created to hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful, and the eyes to behold the Holy Horizon. We have adorned the Most Exalted Horizon with the splendors of Our Most Glorious Name. Blessed are they among all created things who have attained the vision of this luminous Horizon.

O servant! Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the direction of thy Lord, then detach thyself from all else and arise to serve this mighty Cause. Say: O peoples of all religions! The All-Glorious hath come riding upon the clouds! He is the One mentioned in a preserved Tablet.

Say: O people of the Torah! He Who revealed the verses hath come, He Who was promised to you in God’s Tablets, if ye be of them that understand. He judgeth from David’s throne and calleth you unto the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Say: O people of the Gospel! The All-Glorious hath come and summoneth you unto His holy, His mighty, His sublime Kingdom. Cast aside what ye possess and turn unto the Dayspring of proof, Who hath come for your salvation. Follow not every obstinate oppressor. Mention not your sins save before your Lord, the All-Merciful. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Compassionate. He forgiveth whomsoever He willeth, for He is the Ever-Relenting, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

O people of the Qur’an! Do ye read the Qur’an yet object to its Revealer? Then are ye in manifest error. Your deeds curse you, and what ye read from God’s Book, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Abandon oppression and open your eyes with fairness that ye may behold the Sun of Utterance shining from this luminous Horizon. Do ye imagine yourselves to be on the right path or think yourselves to be among the righteous? Nay, by His very truth! The words return unto yourselves, if ye but perceive it.

Ye turned away from the people of the Gospel because they paused in the Cause of the Beloved, and from the people of the Torah because they turned away from Him Who came with the truth from the presence of a Mighty, Faithful One. And today ye follow in their footsteps—to this testifieth every fair-minded, knowing one. Have ye any proof greater than what We have manifested in truth, or any evidence mightier than what hath come from the presence of One powerful, ancient? If ye say “yea,” then produce it! Then shall ye find yourselves in the wilderness of perplexity with none to help you.

All things bear witness to the Creator of the heavens Who hath come with the Kingdom of Names, while ye remain in your ancient error. Ye have objected to Us as the Jews objected to Christ and the people of the Gospel to Him Who dawned from the horizon of Batha. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur remind you that ye may turn to the countenance of your Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Say: O people of the Bayan! We see you more veiled than these, for ye have turned away from Him through Whom the Bayan began and by Whose mighty mention it was sealed. Ye were commanded not to follow your own desires at the time of His manifestation and not to cling to your own fancies. Ye have rejected the Cause of God and turned away from Him through Whom every wise command appeared. All good hath been made dependent upon His mention and every matter upon His leave, were ye but among those who understand. Verily the verses lament for their Revealer, and the proof crieth out for Him Who came with truth, and the testimony calleth between earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath turned and was among those who hear.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Through your oppression the Creator of all creation hath lamented, yet ye remain joyful within yourselves. Were ye not promised this Revelation? Were ye not given glad tidings of this Cause through which the horizon of your Lord’s will, the Mighty, the Great, hath been illumined? If ye deny this Cause, by what proof do ye uphold that which ye possess? Cast aside vain imaginings and turn unto God, the Lord of all beings. This would be better for you, were ye but fair-minded. Do ye not see the shining of the Sun? Do ye not find this fragrance which hath wafted from the garment of your Lord’s favor, the Mighty, the Peerless? We have sent down verses unto thee and dispatched them that thou mayest be informed of what We have suffered from the idolaters.

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! We counsel thee to remain steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord—this is among the greatest of matters with God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Powerful. Soon shall a putrid odor spread among the concourse of creation. Thus doth He inform thee, with Whom is the knowledge of all things in a clear Book. When Satan’s call is raised there, avoid it and be among the steadfast, such that every contentious matter may be set aright through thee. Beware lest the tempests of allusions move thee, or the words of those who have denied God disturb thee. Be among the stars of steadfastness amidst all creatures. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee from this remote prison.

Remember thy Lord with wisdom and utterance among the concourse of creation, that they may arise at God’s call and turn their faces toward Him to Whom the faces of those near unto God have turned. Grieve not over the world and what hath occurred therein. Leave it behind thee and turn thy heart to God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Were We to recount for thee what hath befallen Us as it deserveth mention, thou wouldst lament until death. But We have been patient and concealed it. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the Forbearing.

They have committed around Me that which none before hath committed. Whenever We counseled them, they increased in transgression, and when We banished them, they spoke that which caused the hearts of those who circle round the Throne to burn. Verily they are among the companions of the Fire. The stories of the Youth cannot be borne by the tablets of creation, nor can the Pen flow with what hath befallen Him. Thus doth He Who announced Me and manifested My Cause, Who came with truth from the presence of One knowing and wise, inform you. Blessed art thou and he who remaineth steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the steadfast have slipped.

Say: Look not at what ye possess, but look upon Me with Mine eye. This is what ye were commanded in the Book, as every discerning one doth testify. Whoso looketh with his own eye shall not know Me, and whoso holdeth fast to what he hath cannot soar in My atmosphere. This is certain truth. Thus were ye commanded by the All-Merciful in the Bayan. He bore witness to Me even as I bear witness to Him, and thereupon the tongues of the Prophets were loosed and they testify from the Supreme Horizon to this firm, decisive, mighty Cause.

Say: O concourse of creation! I adjure you by God to open your eyes with fairness that ye may recognize the truth and not be among the ignorant. Thus have We bestowed Our favor upon thee and sent down for thee from heaven, from this luminous cloud, all by My leave, despite My enemies—and say: Thou art the Mighty, the Bountiful.

BH02477: You have ever been beneath the shade…

In His Name that is sanctified above all that exists in the kingdom of names

You have ever been beneath the shade of the grace of the Self-Sufficient, the Transcendent, and His favoring glance has been turned toward you.

The fundamental relationship has been and will continue to be the spiritual bond of faith. When this relationship is established and any soul attains to it, that soul is mentioned eternally before the Throne, even if not outwardly mentioned, and is counted among the names recorded in God’s Tablet, though none may be aware of it. Observe that if this relationship is not established, the outward relationship is not considered and is not mentioned before the Throne. Thus many who had outward relationships failed to attain to faith at the time of the appearance of the Dawning Places of the divine Command, and were therefore not counted among those related. Praise be to the Ancient Lord that you have attained to this station and turned toward His direction. God willing, you must remain so firmly established on the path that all who are on earth will be unable to prevent you and will find themselves powerless. This is among the most excellent of deeds.

Your letter has come before Us and We have heard that which you called upon God, your Lord, and We have accepted your mention, O you who are mentioned among the worlds. Rejoice in the favors of your Lord, for He is the Forgiving, the Generous. Grieve not for the leaf who has winged her flight to the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree. She has attained to what was ordained for her in the Book of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. We mentioned her before, and her name is recorded in the Tablets of your Lord. Be thankful to your Master for this great favor.

O leaf! Great is this Day and mighty is this Cause. You must at all times turn to the All-Merciful in such wise that the intimations of deluded souls will not cause you to slip. Any soul who speaks today other than what the Sovereign of Manifestation has outwardly spoken—that is pure delusion and sheer calumny, and avoidance of it is necessary and obligatory. Be ever anticipating God’s grace and detached from all else.

The handmaidens who have ascended to the Most Glorious Horizon dwell beneath the shade of the Tree of Grace, partaking of the wine of bounty. Blessed are they in having attained the Dawning-Place of the Cause and in soaring in the atmosphere of the love of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Be joyous at all times through God’s grace and celebrate His remembrance. His confirmations have been and will continue to be the helper of those who have turned to Him, both men and women.

The friends of God whose names were mentioned in the book of the Most Great Nabil are all remembered before the Throne. Convey greetings from God to them all. The glory be upon you and upon them from your Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH04543: The Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most High…

The Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Glorious! This is a remembrance from Us unto him whom the breezes of revelation have stirred and who was of the assured ones, that he may rejoice in Our remembrance of him and arise to help the Wronged One amidst the oppressors.

Hearken unto the murmuring of the Water of Life that floweth from the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. He that hath heard and drunk thereof is assuredly of the people of Baha—the denizens of Paradise and they that circle round the Throne of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, shall pray for him. Is there any refuge for anyone save, by My Self, this resplendent Station?

Arise in My Name amongst My servants, then impart unto them what We have imparted unto thee from the heaven of Our favor, that they may soar in the atmosphere of My grandeur and recognize their Ancient Lord. We have manifested Our Self more greatly than We manifested it aforetime. Woe unto the heedless!

We have changed the Name, whereat most of the servants remain veiled, though We commanded them to rend asunder the veils of names through the power of the Creator of heaven, Who came with the truth through this wise Remembrance. We behold some among them speaking as women speak, uttering what the widows of past religions uttered. Say: Fear ye God, and follow not the imaginings of them that have turned aside. Thus hath the gate of utterance been unlocked by the finger of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

When thou attainest unto what hath been revealed unto thee, ponder what hath befallen Us, then thank thy Lord for having remembered thee before the Face when sorrows encompassed it through what the hands of them that disbelieved in God, the Most High, the Most Great, had wrought. Verily, the glory from Us be upon them who have stood fast in this Cause whereby feet have slipped save such as were preserved by the hands of thy Lord’s grace, the Inaccessible, the Most High.

BH04668: The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great

The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great

O Leaf of Paradise! Your letter was present in the court of intimacy and the sanctuary of holiness, and from it wafted the fragrances of the love of the Beloved. We beseech God to assist you in all conditions in that which you are engaged in, namely His remembrance and praise, and to aid you in that which He loves and is pleased with. We have ordained for you what you desired in your letter, that you may be one who speaks His praise in the Kingdom of Creation and circles round Him in the Supreme Heaven. Verily your Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Be not grieved at what has befallen you. By My life! I grieve not for the one who has ascended, but rather for the one who remains, for the one who has ascended in the love and remembrance of God has attained unto the Most Great Ocean and the Supreme Joy, while the one who remains is in the sorrows and troubles of the world and deserves prayers until they return to their place. Blessed is the leaf that has returned to its branch and root.

God willing, you should engage in the remembrance of the Beloved of the horizons with perfect attraction, eagerness, joy and yearning, in such wise that it may cause the attraction of all who are on earth, that all may turn to the most holy court of the Lord of Names. Convey wondrous and exalted greetings to all the kindred and loved ones of God, and gladden them all with the favors of God. Although Tablets have not been revealed this time except in answer to petitions, yet all are mentioned in the presence of God and exist beneath the glance of His loving-kindness. And glory be upon you all.

BH07837: O My handmaiden and daughter of My handmaiden! Your…

In His Name, the Most Holy Above All Mention

O My handmaiden and daughter of My handmaiden! Your mention hath been made before the Throne, and the glances of the favors of God are directed towards you. God willing, you shall ever drink from the cup of divine bounty and be speaking in His remembrance. Praise the Beloved of the world that you have attained unto the hearing of the Decisive Utterance in His days. Grieve not over anything, place your trust in God, your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. That which you sent hath been presented before the Throne. This is of My favor unto you. Then We accepted it, and this is another favor, and We shall clothe it with Our bounties. This is of Our mercy which hath preceded all worlds. Remember thy Lord, then thank Him in all conditions for having guided thee to His straight path and for the Ancient Beauty having turned towards thee and remembered thee in His Most Great Prison. Convey My greetings to all the steadfast women in that land. All are mentioned before the Throne. Verily, He is the Protector of those who turn unto Him and the Helper of those who remember Him.

BH00791: This is a remembrance from Our presence unto them…

He is the One Who Warbleth upon the Twigs!

This is a remembrance from Our presence unto them that remember. Verily it is the ornament of grace unto all who dwell in the world. Through it there springeth forth from hearts the sweet basil of love, proclaiming “There is none other God but He, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” By it faces became radiant and the heavens and earth were illumined. How many servants have found the sweetness of utterance and turned toward the All-Merciful, and how many remained heedless and were among the wayward!

Behold then and remember the days of Moses when He came with the truth and called the people unto God, the Mighty, the Gracious. The people opposed Him, save those who drank the choice wine of revelation from the hand of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. The divines rose against Him with rancor and hatred. Then did We preserve Him by a sovereignty from Our presence and delivered Him from the oppressors.

Then We sent forth the Spirit and dispatched Him with a spirit from Our presence and a mercy from Our side, and He called the people unto this Great Name. He said:

“Verily He shall come with the truth and shall fulfill for you what ye possess.”

Thus was the matter decreed from the presence of One knowing, informed. He would hasten through the field of praise and remembrance, and proclaim the mystery of this Secret that hath appeared with the ornament of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereupon necks were stretched forth in hypocrisy and they arose to extinguish that resplendent, luminous Light. There befell Him in My path what hath not befallen anyone before Him—verily We were aware. Then We sent forth after Him the Beloved with clear signs and manifest proofs, and He called the people by this ancient Remembrance. He bore hardships and tribulations in love of this Beauty that hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity. Then most of the people opposed Him and denied God, the Mighty, the Praised. Were it not for My protection and sovereignty, they would have slain Him on the very first day wherein He called the servants unto God, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Then We adorned the tablet of creation with the ornament of the Primal Point, Who gave the people glad tidings of this wondrous Cause. He began the Book with this Name and sealed it with this beauteous Remembrance. He said: “Verily He shall manifest whatsoever He willeth, not what ye desire. He is indeed the Ruler over what He willeth. In all things He proclaimeth: ʿThere is none other God but I, the Single, the Unique, the All-Encompassing.’ Behold Him with His eye, not with your eyes. Leave what ye possess in your quest for what He possesseth. This is better for you, if ye be of them that know.

“O people! A single word from Him cannot be equaled by what was revealed in the Bayan, nor will all the books of the world suffice you at His appearance. He shall manifest however He pleaseth, not as ye wish. His Will is hidden in the treasuries of knowledge and none hath comprehended it save His own knowing Self. O people! When He cometh and ye attain unto the lights of those days, turn ye unto Him with radiant faces and follow not every remote idolator. Beware lest the Bayan withhold you from your Lord, the All-Merciful. By God! Nothing shall profit you this Day, even if ye cling to every mighty pillar. This is a Day wherein light is transformed into fire and the Bird of the Divine Throne crieth out: ʿThis is a mighty Day!’ This is a Cause the like of which hath not appeared in creation.” Thus testified the Lord of Invention, Who came with the truth and dwelleth in this remote prison.

Behold how the people of the Bayan read the Book and make mention of Him Whom We sent with the truth, yet oppose Him by Whom every mouldering bone was quickened. Behold these people—they are like those who passed before, nay more veiled. Blessed be they who perceive!

Among them is he who cast aside his God, turning to his own desire. Lo! He hath not found the fragrance of the Bayan in the days of his Lord, the All-Merciful. He would have been among the perishing ones if he had known to walk with his own eyes toward the Spring by which hearts were stirred and the eyes of those near to God were solaced.

Thus do We recount unto you what hath befallen Us from those who denied the right of God and His proof when He came from the heaven of bounty with this Ancient Name. They behold the Sun yet deny it; they hear the most wondrous melodies of the All-Merciful, yet say, “Sufficient unto us are the imaginings of the idolaters.” Say: If ye possess a proof greater than what hath been sent down in truth, or evidence mightier than what hath appeared in creation, bring it forth if ye be truthful.

Power hath filled all regions, proof hath encompassed all in the realms of being, and evidence hath surrounded all creation, yet most people are as dead. Their ears are debarred from truly hearing, their tongues from mentioning the Lord of Names, and their eyes from turning to this resplendent horizon. The Beloved hath come, yet they know not; the Desired One hath appeared, yet they perceive not; the oceans of knowledge flow, while they hasten in the wilderness of ignorance, understanding not.

The Kawthar of life hath circulated by the hands of the grace of their Lord, the All-Merciful, yet they turn away therefrom. The breezes of revelation have wafted, yet they sense them not. The countenance of Glory hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity, yet they see it not. The Hidden Book hath been recited, yet they hear it not. The table of the spirit hath been sent down, yet they remain far from it.

Blessed is he who hath stretched forth the hand of power in the name of his Lord, the Chosen One, and thereby rent asunder the veils of those who hesitated in the Cause of God, the Self-Subsisting, the Self-Existing, and who hath spoken with such authority that the might of the wicked ones—who, when the Self-Subsisting came, followed mere fancy—could not prevent him.

Were We to recount what We have suffered at the hands of the workers of iniquity, all things would lament and honored servants would cry out. We have accepted all afflictions in the path of God, and all calamities for the exaltation of His Word, the Mighty, the Beloved. In all times have We been slain by the swords of the lost. Say: The sword of hypocrisy is sharper than the sword of steel, were ye to know.

My hair crieth out, and my neck asketh: “Was I severed in the path of God?” It answereth: “Yea, by my Lord!” but the people see not. We remember God in all conditions, and the veils of majesty prevent Us not—to this do near servants testify. Blessed is he who hath arisen to serve the Cause and hath called the people with supreme steadfastness to this Cause whereby hearts have been illumined.

Woe unto him who hath been deprived of the fragrances of the verses and hath opposed Him at Whose call they that lay in the graves arose. Turn ye unto God, detached from all else, then remind the people in such wise that they who hesitate may hasten.

Say: He asketh no recompense or reward from you, nor doth He command you save what is better for you than all that is hidden and manifest. Cast aside that which preventeth you from guidance; turn with pure hearts to the horizon of the revelation of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Those whom the winds of the love of their Lord, the All-Merciful, have not stirred—these are indeed a people confounded.

Say: O people! Make good what hath escaped you in the days of God, and follow not every rejected learned one. Say: Knowledge is the recognition of My Self, turning unto My Face, standing firm in My Cause, and following what hath been sent down in the scrolls of My glory and the tablets of My grace, would ye but know. Say:

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made the Crown of all names, and through which earth and heaven were illumined, to cause me to be numbered with them who have quaffed the wine of Thy Revelation from the hands of Thy bounty, and who have stood firm in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the veils of human allusions could withhold them from Thy wondrous signs, nor the curtains of words could hinder them from turning unto the manifestations of Thy grace. O Lord! Number me, then, with them that are steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in their love for Thee. Moreover, ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones, whom Thou hast made the Daysprings of certitude in Thy land and the Dawning-Places of faith in Thy realm. Thou art He in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy sovereignty and ordainest what Thou pleasest through Thy power. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the Inaccessible, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.

BH00892: I testify that through thee hath been adorned…

In His Name, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

I testify that through thee hath been adorned the Book of Love amongst all creatures, and embellished the brocade of affection through thy love and sincerity for God, the Lord of all worlds. How can this evanescent one make mention of him whom God hath related unto Himself? Blessed art thou for having attained unto this sublime, lofty, mighty and ancient station. Ye are they who are mentioned before the Throne, and ye are they who gaze upon the countenance of your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous—He at Whose grief all things have lamented, and by what befell Him the sincere ones, the Messengers, and the denizens of the highest Paradise do weep.

Although this evanescent servant was and is unworthy of mention, yet the sweet fragrances of thy love are so diffused that I felt compelled to intrude with this letter. His honor Amin and his honor Abu’l-Hasan, upon them be the Glory of God, the Mighty, the Trusted, have arrived and are frequently occupied with thy mention. Numerous exalted Tablets have descended from the heaven of the Lord’s Will specifically for thee and those who circle round thee, and were sent. However, before the departure of his honor Amin, his honor Aqa Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, intended to travel, hence this letter was ventured. Two or three months ago, that is, during the days of Ridvan, a letter arrived from his honor Aqa’i, the Name of God M.H., upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory, from the direction of Hadba, containing certain names, for whom exalted Tablets were also revealed and sent.

Among them was mentioned his honor Shaykh S., upon him be the Glory of God, for whom two Tablets were revealed, one in Persian and one in Arabic, and likewise for his sons. Also, numerous exalted Tablets were graciously bestowed without names, that they might give to whomever they wish. Some of these Tablets were sent with his honor Amin and some with his honor Aqa Hasan.

Furthermore, at one time when this servant was present before the Throne, the Blessed Countenance turned to this servant and the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these words: Write to him whom God loves and who loves God that they should never relinquish wisdom in any circumstance and should act with moderation, for if the Cause exceeds wisdom it will cause sedition, and sedition causes distress to the weak ones. Therefore, with consideration for them, you must act in such a way that no harm occurs. After the martyrdom of Badi’ We commanded preservation, especially for those like thyself who are engaged in service to the Cause. Although preservation has been and will be in God’s hands, since He has commanded wisdom, therefore you must strive with utmost effort to observe it. Thus have ye been commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. You must surely exert mighty effort and noble striving in this matter. Thus doth God explain to those whom He loveth; verily He is the Protector of the sincere ones.

Furthermore, his honor Amin will present the details of this land. In truth, he has labored extensively and is wholly occupied with service, not slackening for a moment. His reward is with God Who created him and assisted him to recognize Him, turn to Him, and serve in His path. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Whatever was in my mind from the utterances of the Dawning-Place of Names and Attributes, and which I was commanded to submit to your honor, I have submitted according to my capacity. Otherwise it is evident that He is able to mention divine utterances as they truly deserve. Convey greetings to the honored brother, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and to the assured, content souls who are in your presence—to all of them from this evanescent servant convey greetings. We beseech God to assist all to serve Him and to be steadfast in His Cause. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

They mentioned that your honor had sent an amount specifically for Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be the Glory of God. As commanded, it was left with Aqa Muhammad Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, so that whenever someone travels to Mosul it may be sent. Likewise, on behalf of Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli an amount along with a box of tea was left with this lowly one specifically for the aforementioned one. Until now its dispatch has been delayed as no one was traveling. God willing it will be sent.

Whatever has reached Jinab-i-Amin has reached completely and fully, nay even more. Sufficient for him is what was revealed concerning him:

“Verily he is the Trustworthy one before thy Lord, the Mighty, the Generous.”

Furthermore, in the letter of Aqay-i-Ism’ullah M.H., upon him from all glory its most glorious, it was written that your honor had beseeched God, exalted be His glory, that seven might end in eight and conclude with the name of that Beloved One. This was submitted before the Divine Throne. The Tongue of Grandeur spoke, smiling, and said:

“Verily We have made him the first of these and their last. Exalted is this wondrous and lofty favor.”

End quote.

Furthermore, it was written that some souls who have newly attained to the stream of recognition desire to turn towards the Most Great Scene. This was submitted to the Most Holy Court. He said:

“Most certainly prevent them, for without permission it has not been and will not be permitted.”

Again I submit that the Tablets which were presented, some of which were given to Aqa Hasan, were again given to Jinab-i-Amin, as the aforementioned one was intending to travel by another route. A Tablet specifically for Aqa Mirza A.B., upon him be the Glory of God, was revealed from the heaven of will. Whenever they deem it advisable they may deliver it. I entreat and hope from your honor that to each of the loved ones of God who are present in that gathering you will convey most wondrous and most mighty greetings from this evanescent servant. The Glory which has shone forth from the Sun of the name of my Lord, the Most Glorious, and then the salutation which has risen from the horizon of grandeur be upon you and upon those who are related to your honor and upon the loved ones of God who are honored to serve you. How excellent is this for you.

The servant 66 [of God], 15 Jumada 1290

According to what Jinab-i-Amin mentioned, the honored brother, upon him be the Glory of God, had requested a sample of this lowly servant’s unworthy handwriting. Therefore I wrote and sent the Most Holy, Most Mighty Tablet which was revealed on the blessed night of the Birth specifically for them. It was intended to write and send specifically for your honor as well the Most Holy, Most Mighty Tablet which was revealed this year on the Most Great Festival, but due to the abundance of writings and the sudden departure of Jinab-i-Amin as commanded, there was no opportunity whatsoever. God willing it will be written and sent later. Furthermore, one page of the wondrous handwriting of the Most Great Branch, may my spirit be a sacrifice for the dust of His footsteps, was graciously given specifically for the [son] of that beloved one.

BH01000: The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted

The Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted

This is a remembrance from Our presence to people who hear, and wisdom from Us to people who understand, and light from the horizon of the Cause to people who see. This is the countenance of God, if you would turn to it. This is the Temple of the Cause, if you would accept it. This is the horizon of Revelation, if you would behold it. This is verily the Dawning-Place of inspiration, if you would perceive it.

Say: This is the Fire through which all things were stirred and ascended unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. This is the Word through which was created what was and what will be. This is the fragrance through which the world was perfumed, if you would discover it. These are the winds through which the gardens of hearts were made verdant, if you would know. This is the Hand which emerged from the bosom of grandeur and power and encompassed all that is seen and unseen. This is He Who cannot be known through aught else—behold Him, O people, through His own eyes and follow not every rejected liar.

Say: This is the righteousness of God which you were promised in a hidden Tablet, and this is the Temple built by the hands of your Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: This is He but for Whom the verses would not have been revealed nor would every decreed matter have appeared. This is He Whom the Desired One of the world intended, while you are as dead. This is He to Whom the tongue of grandeur calls out, indicating: “This, verily, is the Beloved of God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.”

Yet ignorant servants denied Me and broke God’s covenant—verily they are bewildered. They cast aside the All-Knowing and took hold of vain imaginings—verily they are a people who deny. They turned away from the ocean and approached the pond—they do not understand. Thus has the Most Exalted Pen raised its cry between earth and heaven. Blessed is he who turned to it with the ear of innate nature—verily he is of the triumphant ones.

Arise to the Cause through God’s might and power. Say: O people! The veil has been rent asunder and the Bestower has come with a manifest proof. All that appears from Him is evidence, if you be of those who know. He calls, at all times, all who are in the realm of possibility, yet people are in a mighty veil. Among them is he who was veiled by remembrances until he opposed the Chosen One and was of the opposers. And among them is he who clung to tales of the past and spoke that which caused the hearts of those near to God to burn. And among them is he who said “He has not yet thus revealed Himself in those days” and was of the heedless.

Say: I have not revealed Myself, but God has revealed all things, if you be of those who know. Say: Were you to ponder what you oppose, you would find it a proof and evidence for Him Who has come with the truth by a clear command. Can the clamor of these people prevent Him? No, by His own Self, the Truth! He speaks what He is commanded by One knowing and wise. Say: He has come with power and sovereignty that none in the worlds can prevent. Through Him has shone the sun of Will and through Him has appeared God’s decree, the Mighty, the Generous.

Thus have We recounted to thee the conditions of the servants that thou might become aware of what has befallen Us from the hosts of the ungodly. They hasten to the fire while supposing it to be light. Say: No, by His sovereignty which encompasses all in the heavens and earths! This is the Manifestation which you were promised in the Tablets. He has come at an hour none among the people perceived, and thy Lord is witness to what I say. Say: It is the Hour at which the Hour was shaken and the Resurrection wailed, if you be of those who hear. The Cause is mighty, mighty! None can bear it save the people of Baha who have cast aside the world and are of the detached.

When thou hast attained unto God’s verses and known the conditions of the leaves, say: Praised be Thee, O Thou Who didst remember me when I was in the prison of the idolaters. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Most Great Name, to assist me to arise to serve Thy Cause, to stand firm in Thy love, and to turn towards the horizon of Thy favors. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Convey my greetings unto My loved ones who have stood firm in the Cause and abided by that which was enjoined upon them from the presence of the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: By the Lord of the Great Throne, ye are the triumphant ones, and by the Lord of the Exalted Seat, ye are the spring breezes. Ye are they who have quaffed this pure wine which was unsealed in the name of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Ye are they who speak that which your Ancient Lord hath desired, and ye are the witnesses this Day, while all others are in strange concealment. Thus doth the All-Merciful testify for you, and nothing created on earth can equal this. Every discerning soul beareth witness thereunto. Verily, they who are remote this Day are among the dead. They have not drunk of the water of life and they abide forever in the graves of ignorance.

Arise to assist the Cause of your Lord in such wise that the affairs of men shall not grieve you, nor shall the doubts of the heedless hinder you. Be ye the helpers of God in His lands and the emblems of His might amongst His servants, that the people of the earth may find in you that whereby their souls may be assured and the hearts of the hesitant ones be set ablaze. Remember God in your homes, and He will remember you in this mighty Prison.

Be not disturbed by those who have wronged Us. Soon shall We seize them as We seized the transgressors before them who transgressed against God in those regions. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Determiner. He who pronounced judgment against Us hath been seized by the breaths of chastisement from every direction. He is, verily, the most severe of revengers. Thus was it revealed in the Tablet of the Heart when the Ancient Beauty arrived at the Most Great Prison. He is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Were it not for thy Lord’s mercy, thou wouldst find those on earth as a handful of dust, but My mercy hath preceded My servants; therefore have We left them to themselves until the appointed time.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O God, in Whose right hand are the reins of all created things, and in Whose grasp is the kingdom of earth and heaven. I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance, whereby the horizons were illumined, to send down upon us from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw us nigh unto the ocean of Thy favors and make us to be of those whom the blame of the blamer hath not kept back from turning toward Thy face, nor hath the clamor of the infidels deterred from drawing nigh unto the court of Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou art the Generous, possessed of great bounty. I beseech Thee not to withhold us from that Ocean which hath surged through Thy Name and been exalted through Thy Command. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp is the kingdom of names. There is none other God but Thee, the Most High, the Self-Subsisting, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH01327: O ʿAli! The Most Great Ocean hath surged…

In the Name of Him Who is Mighty to do as He willeth!

O ʿAli! The Most Great Ocean hath surged, and from each drop thereof is heard: “There is no God but Him, the One, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful!” The fragrance of divine favors hath wafted when thy letter reached the Throne. This is of His grace upon thee. Be thou grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of all things!” We found thy letter purified from the mention of aught else but Me, and adorned with the remembrance of the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Therefore hath the Lord of Destiny turned toward thee from the direction of His Most Sublime Vision, speaking unto thee through these verses, before which every proof and evidence must needs bow down in prostration. Rend asunder the veils of all created things through My Name and My sovereignty, then illumine the horizons with My remembrance. This is a Day whose station, were We to describe it, could not be encompassed by all the Tablets of heaven and earth, and all pens would be powerless to recount it.

O ʿAli! How many of the chosen ones have beseeched and attained not, have turned toward and reached not, have lamented and heard not—yet thou hearest the Call from the horizon of eternity, the Outlook of thy Most Glorious Lord, in the voice of grandeur and majesty:

“There is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Self-Subsisting.”

By God! The Interlocutor of Moses calleth from this Prison while in the hands of the wicked ones, and the Beloved of the Beloved mentioneth thee with verses that have caused the very rocks to quake, how much more the hearts of the righteous! The Father of the Son calleth thee from this station and addresseth thee with decisive utterance.

O ʿAli! Were We to reveal unto thee what lieth concealed in the treasuries of infallibility, by God, the heaven would be cleft asunder, the earth would be rent, and the hearts of all servants would be convulsed, save whom thy Lord willeth, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Hadst thou been present at the time of the revelation of this Tablet, thou wouldst have soared on the wings of longing, transcending all stations of knowledge and all heights of names, and wouldst have witnessed thy Lord’s all-encompassing power over all who dwell in earth and heaven. Through My sweetest remembrance hath the sun risen from the horizon of eternity, and through My Most Glorious Name have the dead been raised.

O ʿAli! Despite such majesty, before which all matters have been subdued, the hosts of the oppressors have encompassed Me from every direction. Consider how, in the midst of ultimate tribulation, He speaketh and summoneth all unto God, the Lord of all names, in such wise that neither the might of the oppressors nor the armies of the infidels can hinder Him. Thus have We bestowed Our favor upon thee time and again. When thou hast attained, recite and turn with an illumined heart toward the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s revelation, the Mighty, the Bountiful. God hath forgiven those whom thou didst mention in thy letter. Verily, He forgiveth whomsoever He willeth through His sovereignty. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Rejoice in that thou art under the gaze of thy Lord, and He hath made thee know the Dawning-Place of His verses, while the people were in doubt and schism. Be thou steadfast in the Cause, then make mention of those who are there, by the leave of the Revealer of verses.

In the Persian tongue it was mentioned: O thou who gazeth toward God! Look not to the words of the past and what hath been mentioned, for most of it was either pure falsehood or intermingled therewith. And even if there was a word of truth, they comprehended not its meaning and distorted it. Consider what was written in the Book concerning the signs of resurrection, gathering, raising of the dead, the Hour, the Calamity, the Inevitable Event, the Cry, the Trump, Paradise and Fire, and the like, and likewise concerning the Qa’im and His appearance—not a letter thereof did they comprehend, and from its purpose they remained wholly veiled.

That which was revealed in God’s Book, the Furqan, is the truth wherein there is no doubt, and none hath understood its true meaning save whom thy Lord willeth. Apart from this, most of the traditions and tales had no foundation, even as in this most great Revelation some such vain imaginings have been rent asunder and their meaning made clear and evident, while others remain between the hands of the All-Merciful, that He may rend them asunder through His sovereignty.

In any case, purify thine ears from that which is with the people. That which is now raised up sufficeth for hearkening. Verily He is the Enricher of the worlds.

The Teacher of Moses was the heavenly confirmations, which are none other than the divine revelatory effulgences that now speak forth, and which in every world are known by one of His names. In God’s Book [the Qur’an] they are named “Khidr”.

Most of the mysteries of this Revelation have remained concealed. Verily it cannot be compared with aught else. Should one reflect upon the Bayan, God will open unto his heart such gates of understanding for recognizing this Revelation as have never been opened unto any among His servants. Thus doth the Lord of all beings decree. Know thou, then conceal, and the glory be upon thee.

BH01412: He is the Ever-Abiding Who knoweth no decline! Thy…

He is the Ever-Abiding Who knoweth no decline! Thy letter was presented before the Throne and was observed by the lights of the Kingdom, and hath attained unto utterance. Praise be to the Best-Beloved of the world, that thou hast been illumined by the effulgences of the Morn of Eternity and stirred by the wafting of the Primary Word, and hast recognized the Second Six after the Upright Alif, which indicated the rolling up of the First Six.

This is the station concerning which Ahmad-i-Ahsa’i, upon him be the Glory of God, gave tidings, saying:

“The Vav consisteth of three letters: six and alif and six; and the Six Days have passed, and the Alif is the Completion, and there is no word; how then the Last Six Days? Otherwise the Return would not be realized, for it is the mystery of inversion for the symbol of the Chief. And if acknowledgment be obtained from others concerning the Remaining Six, the Cause will be completed with proof and the Most Great Secret will be revealed,”

and so forth.

The First Six referreth to the heavens of the previous Cycle which were created in six days, “and have passed,” that is, were rolled up by the Upright Alif which is the Point; then another Six were raised up through the manifestation of My Most Glorious Name. Thus doth the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, apprise thee. And thereby was manifested the mystery of inversion, for the banner of the Chief was raised above every lofty and towering standard. Thus did We make their highest to become their lowest, and their lowest to become their highest. Blessed are they that understand!

O thou who gazest toward God! No one until now hath comprehended the utterances which were revealed in this connection. The Question was specifically put to the Criminal of Kirman to interpret it and, upon his own inability, to inquire of the Dayspring of knowledge. Pride and vainglory so seized him that he was debarred from recognition thereof until he returned to his abode. Verily thy Lord is the Just, the Wise. The purpose of that utterance was this very matter. Every Cause hath been manifested, every secret brought forth, every hidden thing unveiled, every manifestation completed, and every perspicuous Book sealed. We beseech God to assist all in that which beseemeth this Revelation, whereby organization hath been scattered, and the fancies gathered in minds dispersed, and the feet of the steadfast have slipped.

We found thy letter sanctified from mention of aught else and adorned with this Great Name. Grieve thou not over anything. He hath ordained for thee in His Kingdom that which shall solace thine eyes and gladden thy heart. He is the Protector of whoso hath turned unto Him and spoken in praise of His exalted remembrance.

That which is necessary today is and shall be the service of the Cause. Most people are heedless. All must be educated in such wise that they will not be prevented from the straight path and the clear way by the croaking of the crows. All that was mentioned in the Tablets of the past and future hath ended in this most wondrous and most holy Revelation, and the time of all hath expired, even as the allusions of previous Books have been sent down in the glorious Tablets from the Divine Pen. Blessed are they that observe!

Thou must strive at all times with the utmost endeavor that perchance the trees of human souls may not be moved by every wind nor stumble at every thorn. Even as in these days an unknown person in one of the cities of God laid claim, and some heedless ones were attracted, until they recognized and returned unto God and were numbered among the penitent. If it were decreed that every day a Manifestation should appear, the Cause of God would never become established. Therefore, in this day, persons such as thyself must summon the people to the Most Great Steadfastness, and this station hath been and shall ever be the greatest of all stations, even as it hath been recorded in the Books of the past and future.

That which hath proceeded from thee in the path of God is accepted before the Throne, and although what thou hast written concerning this Most Holy, Most Exalted Cause hath not been presented before the Throne, yet God’s knowledge hath encompassed it. After reading this Tablet, refer back to it that it may fully accord with that which hath been sent down from the Throne. Blessed art thou for having drunk the Choice Wine and for having begun from Us and returned unto Us with sincerity and recognition. This is the testimony of the All-Merciful in thy favor. Rejoice thou and say:

“Thine is the praise, O Lord of the worlds, and Thine is the gratitude, O Thou Who art wronged in the hands of the ungodly, and Thine is the glory, O Glory of those who are in the heavens and the earth!”

Verily the glory be upon thee and upon thy kindred and upon those who are with thee in this Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Holy, Most Mighty Cause.

BH01615: I had previously sent a petition to your honor…

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

I had previously sent a petition to your honor, and this is another time, for whenever anyone turns towards you, my heart is set ablaze with the fire of your remembrance and love, and compels me to mention and praise your honor. Although mention from one such as I befits not one whom God has singled out for the service of His Cause, the manifestation of His Word, and the teaching of His creation. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid me to do what is befitting of His loved ones who have detached themselves from all else save Him and have arisen to aid His Cause among the worlds.

Previously when his honor Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli was departing, a detailed response to that beloved’s letter was submitted and sent. And now too, since his honor Amin and Mulla Abu’l-Hasan and Aqa Hasan, upon them be the glory of God, were departing, I felt obliged to engage again in mention of that beloved. God willing the previous petition has arrived and the books, as mentioned before, were sent. Whosoever wishes to make a copy, please grant permission, but much emphasis is needed that they preserve them so they do not become blackened or lost. And since there was no bookbinder here, they were therefore sent without binding.

The loved ones of the land of Ta had requested prayers. To whatever extent possible, deliver them to them. And in these days the Kitab-i-Aqdas has been revealed from the holy heaven—blessed is he who looks into it and ponders what has been sent down of the verses of his Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. The reason was that in recent years some questions regarding divine laws were asked from various quarters. However the Supreme Pen paused—in the Land of Mystery a brief text was revealed in Persian but was not sent anywhere. By command it was preserved in its place until in these days again the petitions of the questioners were presented at the Most Holy Court. Therefore in the most wondrous melodies in the language of verses this wonderful, exalted Book was revealed.

And since his honor Aqa H.M., upon him be the glory of God, was present here, whatever was currently expedient to be revealed was bestowed upon him—that is, permission was granted for him to make a copy of it. God willing you will attain unto it and will act according to wisdom. Blessed is he who has a taste to find its sweetness, and who has eyes to recognize what is in it, and who has a heart to discover its symbols and mysteries. By God, the back of utterance trembles at the greatness of what has been revealed in it and the veiled allusions due to their intense manifestation.

By command: they must strive with utmost effort and endeavor to maintain the unity and harmony of the loved ones. They must at all times be focused on the Cause and its exaltation, detached from all directions. Once the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: Write to his honor ʿAli, upon him be the glory of God, that your service has been and will be noticed, and will not be lost with God, and you are counted among those souls of whom He says “no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they grieve.” Therefore they should not be distressed or saddened by certain matters arising from the loved ones. With perfect detachment and reliance engage in promoting love and unity and association, such that even if harm befalls you it matters not, for good deeds will not remain hidden from the All-Knowing and the Commander. Soon you will witness the reward for what you have done and what you have borne in the path of Truth. Be thou grateful and be of the thankful ones. End.

Furthermore it is hoped that at all times you will write of your blessed circumstances, for this has been and will be the cause of joy to the heart of this ephemeral servant. Verily glory be upon you and upon those who love you and who hear your words and who associate with your honor purely for the sake of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Generous.

The servant 66 [of God], 15 Jamadiyu’l-Avval 1290

BH01718: The Beloved of God in Birjand and its surroundings

The Beloved of God in Birjand and its surroundings

In His Name, the All-Subduing over whatsoever is not Him

These are clear verses, there is no doubt they have descended from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Whoso doubteth is among the most remote of creation—thus doth the Truth testify when He came with His mighty Cause. He who hath turned to the Countenance is among the people of this luminous horizon, and he who hath turned away is among the companions of the fire. We have ordained that hearts must turn towards Us—thus hath the decree been set down by the Beloved in a clear Book.

Blessed is he from whose brow shineth forth the sun of steadfastness in such wise that the eyes of the heedless are dazzled thereby, and blessed is the mouth from which wafteth the fragrance of determination upon this straight path.

O My loved ones! Ye are the lights of the sun, were ye to be of them that know, and ye are the fish of this ocean—immerse yourselves therein in My Name and discover the pearls of My knowledge which encompass the worlds. In every word of thy Lord’s words surgeth an ocean whose shore none hath reached save him who hath circled round My Will, which hath conquered all who are in the heavens and the earth.

O chosen ones of God! Forsake all else, then speak forth in praise of the Desired One, that perchance the dwellers in the tombs may arise and turn toward the station wherein the Lord of existence proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Wise.” Blessed is the mouth that hath tasted the sweetness of the Living Waters, and the tongue that hath been moved to praise its Lord, the All-Merciful, and the ear that hath hearkened unto this wondrous Call.

Are they who turned away based upon anything? Nay, by this exalted station! They are worshippers of idols, moved by the winds of passion—they are among the distracted ones. Arise to serve among humanity. Say: O people! The Dayspring of Oneness hath come with such sovereignty that nothing can withstand it. Turn ye unto Him and be not of the patient ones. He is the Word of God among you—corrupt it not, O heedless ones! He is the Spirit of God—slay Him not with your swords, O hosts of the oppressors! He is the Lamp of Revelation among you—extinguish it not with your breaths, O company of the malevolent!

Can anyone extinguish the lamp We have lit with the hand of power? Nay, by My radiant Beauty! The Word hath been perfected, the proof completed, and the evidence made manifest, yet the people are in strange drunkenness. Blessed is he who hath recognized the value of these days and attained unto the knowledge of his Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, and hath taken the cup of eternity in the name of Baha and drunk thereof amidst the concourse of creation, despite those who denied the Lord of Names and rejected the signs whereby every moldering bone was quickened.

The Tongue of Eternity speaketh and all things speak with it, yet most people are prevented from hearing it, having followed every remote calf. Say: Cleanse your eyes—this is He Whom ye remember at morn and eventide. This is He for Whose mention and praise the Bayan was revealed, and by Whose leave every wise command was established. This is He Who was promised unto you in the Tablets from God, the Mighty, the Praised One. Cast away that which withholdeth you from Him, then approach with shining faces and illumined hearts—thus have ye been commanded in a preserved Tablet.

Whenever We desire to conclude Our utterance, We see it flowing like the ocean from the valleys and shining like the sun from this luminous horizon. When the Most Great Ocean surgeth, can anything still it? Nay, by My Name which hath subdued the worlds! When the winds of Will blow, can anything prevent them? Nay, by My Cause, before which the necks of the proud have bowed!

All this is of My grace upon thee—be thou thankful and among those who praise. Reflect within thyself how thy recompense should be for Our having remembered thee while We were imprisoned in the hands of the oppressors. Confine matters to the remembrance of thy Forgiving Lord, then speak of what hath befallen Him at the hands of these transgressors.

The Most Glorious Beauty from God, the Lord of Names, be upon thee and upon those who are steadfast in the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

BH01919: Glory be to Him Who speaketh at the heart…

In His Name, He Who is established upon the throne of ʿHe doeth what He willeth’

Glory be to Him Who speaketh at the heart of the world and calleth all peoples to the eternal, everlasting Law through which He quickeneth all worlds and aideth whomsoever He willeth through His sovereignty and confirmeth those who have turned to the Dayspring of His Cause. He is, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

We have sent down verses for every occasion that are unequalled by all that hath been created in the heavens and earth. Blessed is he who, when hearing, ariseth, and he who, when attaining unto hearing, speaketh forth this wise remembrance. They who have been set ablaze by the fire of the Word among all creatures—these are the people of Baha in the kingdom of creation, as doth testify unto this the Lord of Names in this mighty prison.

Blessed art thou for having been touched by the breezes of revelation and drawn nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Give thanks for Our causing thee to hear this Call, for the hearing of which the ears of the Prophets and Messengers were created. By God! Were it not for this Call, ears would not have been created, nor would the eyes of the mystics have been opened. Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness in such wise that through thee every doubting soul may become steadfast. Then protect the Cause from the allusions of those who have denied God and the veils of every sinful misbeliever.

Thy letter was present before the Throne and was honored with the glance of the loving-kindness of the Lord of existence. Praise the Beloved of the worlds that thou hast been and wilt continue to be mentioned in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is among the great bounties of thy Lord. Today what is incumbent upon all is to protect people from the conditions of self and passion, and the steadfastness of all in the love of the Beloved of all creation. Ye must educate the loved ones of God in such wise that they remain not deprived of the Lord of the worlds by the cry of the cawers, for from every direction the cry of haste hath been and will be raised.

They consider all things nonexistent and void. They should not be deceived before the completion of a thousand years, as hath been expressly revealed in the Tablets, but should remain so firm in the Cause that they regard all else as perishing. This is among the most mighty matters, that the Cause of God may be established in all else. God willing, ye must be occupied with utmost endeavor in service to the Cause. Most people are ignorant; it is necessary that steadfast souls be educated by the hands of training. We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions and make thee among those who have aided the Cause of God by their own selves. He is the Helper of the helpers.

Blessed art thou, O My Name, then blessed art thou, O My Name, for having attained unto that which most of the servants have not attained, and for having drunk the wine of life from the cup of the favors of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Unto this doth thy Master testify at the heart of Paradise. This is a treasure for thee in His dominion, a light for thee in His kingdom, and a glory for thee in His human realm. Thy Lord knoweth what thou art upon. He is, verily, the All-Wise, the All-Informed.

In recent years, a number of the loved ones have inquired about certain divine ordinances. Due to divine wisdom these were deferred until this year when various petitions from the people of different lands were present before the Throne. Therefore the mighty Tablet which is in truth the cause of the order of the world and the life of nations was sent down from the heaven of will. Perchance God will send it afterwards. He is, verily, the Ruler over what He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Convey greetings from the True One to all the loved ones, both men and women, and keep them enkindled with the fire of the Word. The glory be upon thee and upon those who love thee for the sake of God.

BH02155: We have turned toward thee from this Most Glorious…

In His Name, the Everlasting, the Eternal, Who fadeth not away!

We have turned toward thee from this Most Glorious Horizon. We found thee stirred by the Supreme Word of God, wherefore We have revealed unto thee this Tablet, from whose horizon shineth the Sun of the tender mercy of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Great. With Him is the knowledge of all things. He beholdeth him who speaketh in His Name and reciteth what hath been sent down from the Kingdom of his Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We have lit the Lamp of Eternity in the world that the peoples might be illumined thereby. Some have turned toward it, and some have turned away, following every remote scholar.

Say: O concourse of divines! Have ye heard the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen and turned away, or were ye among the heedless? Ye would call upon God morning and evening, and lament your separation from the Lord of Names. Yet when the meeting came to pass and the sea of reunion surged, ye broke God’s covenant and His pledge, and turned away from Him Who was the goal of all worlds.

Say: Have ye witnessed a Revelation more mighty than what hath appeared in truth, or have ye heard a Call more sweet than what hath been raised between the heavens and the earth? At all times He calleth out with the most exalted call, in such wise as to encompass the earth and heaven. Turn ye, that ye may hear what ye have never heard in the Kingdom of Creation, that haply ye may arise to redeem what hath escaped you in the days of your Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Say: We created ears to hearken unto this Call which hath been raised from the midst of tribulation. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Cast away what books ye possess which ye have authored according to your desires. By God the Truth! The Mother Book which was concealed in the knowledge of your Lord, the Guardian over the worlds, hath been sent down.

Say: The Sun hath appeared at high noon, yet ye have not discerned from it even as much as the blind discerneth. Thus hath the All-Merciful decreed when seated upon His exalted throne.

Grieve thou not at anything. Put thy trust in God, then remember Him with joy and fragrance. He aideth whom He willeth through a sovereignty from His presence. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Be thou enkindled with the fire of the love of God in such wise that the veils of the people who are shut out by their idle fancies might be burned away, those who have turned from the Truth when it came with a wondrous command. We desire to behold thee detached from all else and clinging to the Hidden Name which hath appeared from the horizon of power with a command before which all in the heavens and earth cannot stand. Thy Lord is verily the Strong, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.

By My life! Naught shall remain for thee save the remembrance of God and the exaltation of His Cause. Thus doth he who loveth thee for the sake of God counsel thee. To this testifieth every just and well-informed one.

Render thanks unto God for having attained unto the days of thy Lord. This is a sovereignty which no decline shall follow, nor shall the hands of the thieves reach thereunto. Thus have We bestowed Our favor upon thee once again, and sent unto thee that whereby the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout all possibility, and the breasts of them that are nigh unto God have been illumined.

When thou art illumined by the lights of the dayspring of exposition and hast attained unto the Tablet of the All-Merciful, arise, turning toward the Self-Subsisting, and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged, estranged, and lonely!

BH02172: In the Name of Him by Whom the ocean…

In the Name of Him by Whom the ocean of utterance surged and the sweet savors of the All-Merciful were wafted! O Ibrahim! Hearken unto the call of the All-Glorious from this manifest horizon. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the Unique, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thy letter hath attained unto the Most Exalted Horizon and toward it hath turned the gaze of thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious. Through its presence before the Throne, God hath absolved thee of thy misdeeds. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the Generous. He hath read what thou didst compose in praise of thy Lord. All things were created for this purpose, yet most of the people are heedless.

The Herald of the All-Merciful calleth out to them at all times, saying: “This is the Pure Kawthar! Draw nigh, O people of zeal, and be not of the doubters!” And My Most Exalted Pen proclaimeth: “O concourse of creation! The Lord of Names hath come! Turn ye unto Him and be not of them that are far removed.” Yet they slumber upon the couch of heedlessness and idle fancies, such that this Call which hath encompassed the world moveth them not—the Call whereby the very rocks cry out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Most High, the Most Great!”

Say: This is a Day wherein if anyone should miss what behooveth him, he shall not be able to make good his loss, though he should run through the wilderness or plunge into the seas of names. To this beareth witness the Lord of all beings, while imprisoned in this mighty stronghold. Were the people to know the worth of these days and what hath appeared therein, they would cast away the earth and all that is thereon, turning toward the Qiblih which God hath made the point of adoration for the denizens of the Supreme Concourse, the dwellers of the cities of eternity, and the angels drawn nigh.

Give thanks unto God for having attained unto the recognition of the Dawning-Place of His sovereignty, the Manifestation of His Revelation, and the Dayspring of His Most Great Name. Thou hast been mentioned before the Throne, and this Tablet hath been revealed unto thee, from which the sweet savors of loving-kindness and the fragrances that cause the hearts of the sincere to soar have been wafted.

Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur addresseth His Most Exalted Pen from this Ultimate Tree, saying: Make mention of thy loved ones whose petitions have not been presented before the Throne, that thy most sweet call may draw them to a station that cannot be described by mention or utterance, and may cause them to voice thy praise amongst the worlds.

O Faran! Thou art beneath the glances of the mercy of thy Lord, and from thee We perceive the sweet savors of My remembrance, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Blessed are My people within thee who remember Me with joy and fragrance and among whom the perfume of My luminous and cherished garment is diffused.

O My loved ones! We are with you and hear your call, and We have heard what your tongues have uttered in My remembrance, and We shall show you what ye are engaged in during the days of your Lord, the Mighty, the Peerless. Unto each one of you hath been sent down that which none can reckon save God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds. We beseech God to aid you in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to strengthen you in that which beseemeth His Cause, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Soon shall the wrongdoers behold the recompense of what they have wrought in this vain life, and the sincere shall see what hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Thus hath the Tongue of Revelation spoken in remembrance of His loved ones on this night wherein the horizon of inspiration hath shone forth from the Luminary of His Name, which God hath made the Sovereign of Names for all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH02469: Thy letter hath come before the Throne, adorned…

In the Name of Him Who abideth forever without decline.

Thy letter hath come before the Throne, adorned with the mention of thy Lord and sanctified from all else. By My life! It is better for thee than all that thou hast done before, for there hath been ordained for him whose letter reacheth the Throne after its arrival in the Most Great Prison the reward of one who hath attained His presence, beheld His countenance, and heard what His tongue hath uttered. This is indeed a great bounty.

As for what hath befallen thee through the decree of fate, We have informed thee thereof in a Tablet We sent thee aforetime. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Wise. Through Our mention of the two, the decree of the third was established. Reflect, that thou mayest be assured that thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We informed thee in that Tablet as a token of Our grace. He is verily the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Be not grieved by anything. Praise be to God, through the merciful favors and infinite outpourings of God thou art turned to the Most Great Horizon and art clinging to the cord of love of the Lord of Destiny. He will deliver thee and ordain for thee what He willeth. His grace hath encompassed all worlds. Whoso holdeth fast unto Him with complete steadfastness findeth himself in an exalted station.

God willing, be thou inwardly engaged in the remembrance of God and outwardly occupied with external affairs. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that neither the tempests of the allusions of the people nor the hurricanes of the words of the deniers may move thee. He will assist thee and aid thee through His grace. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

The acceptance of positions and engagement in affairs hath not been forbidden, for perhaps through these means one may succeed in serving the Cause and turning toward the loved ones of God. In all conditions be confident in God’s grace and assured of His bounties.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which earthquakes seized all the tribes of the earth save him who cast away all else behind him and made it the Sovereign of Names between earth and heaven, that Thou make me steadfast in Thy Cause, acknowledging Thy oneness and confessing Thy singleness, and clinging in all conditions to the hem of Thy pardon and favors. O Lord! I have turned my face unto Thee at this time when the lights of Thy countenance have shone forth from the horizon of Thy manifestation and the dayspring of Thy Cause. I beseech Thee not to turn me away from Thy door nor deprive me from the ocean of Thy bounties. Then assist me against Thine enemies and strengthen my arm through Thy grandeur and sovereignty and power and might. Then ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen, in the Tablet which Thou hast made the Dayspring of Destiny for all created things, the good of this world and the next, that my soul may rejoice through Thy grace and mine eyes be consoled through Thy favors. Thou art verily the All-Giving, the Everlasting, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

BH10905: Thy letter hath come before the Throne and hath…

He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth

Thy letter hath come before the Throne and hath been illumined by the light of thy Lord’s countenance, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Therein thou didst call upon God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Lord of all the worlds, and didst seek from Him that which beseemeth not those who have detached themselves in the love of God from all else besides Him. Beware lest thou be among the heedless. Read thou what hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen in the Tablets of thy Lord, and be of them whom the breezes of revelation have so seized that they have forsaken the world and all that is therein, clinging fast to the Most Firm Handle.

We have revealed to the King of Iran:

“O King! Wert thou to hear the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen and the cooing of the Dove of Eternity upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree in remembrance of God, the Creator of Names and Fashioner of earth and heaven, it would bring thee to a station wherein thou wouldst behold in existence naught save the effulgence of the Worshipped Beauty, and wouldst see sovereignty as the most contemptible thing, leaving it to whomsoever might desire it, and would turn toward the Horizon which shineth with the light of His Countenance.”

And We revealed to the King of Paris:

“Dost thou take pride in the treasures thou dost possess, when thou knowest they shall perish? Or dost thou glory in that thou rulest a span of earth, when all of it, in the estimation of the people of Baha, is worth not even as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant? Leave them to such as desire them and turn unto the Most Great Purpose. The poor man is he who beareth this weighty burden, and the lowly one is he who taketh pride in such fleeting glory. Choose thou for thyself that which God hath chosen for thee. He ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth that which profiteth him in this world and the next. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous. Thou knowest not what profiteth thee. He, verily, knoweth better than thou, wert thou of them who are informed. Be thou content with what God hath been pleased to ordain for thee, and place thy trust in Him in all matters. He is verily the Protector of those who trust in Him.”

What thou didst seek—verily it was not mentioned before thy Lord. By My life! It is the source of pride and vainglory. It beseemeth not him who hath clung to the hem of detachment in this Most Holy, Most Mighty, Most Exalted, Most Wondrous Day.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the All-Encompassing over all things, to ordain for me that which shall profit me in this world and the next, and shall establish me in Thy service amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Giving, the Bountiful, the Mighty, the Compassionate. Then forgive me, O my God, for what I have done in Thy days, and by Thy grace and bounty absolve me of my misdeeds. Verily, Thou art powerful over this from time immemorial.

BH02880: In His Name Who speaks from the Tree…

In His Name Who speaks from the Tree of Being: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving!

The world hath been honored by the advent of the Lord of Eternity, and the Promised One hath been made manifest in His visible Beauty to both the unseen and the seen, yet most of the people remain heedless. The Mount hath quivered at the dawning of the Manifestation, and the Tree cries out:

“Praise be unto Thee for having rent asunder, with the finger of might, the veils of glory and revealed Beauty unto all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

Every atom hath found the fragrance of reunion, yet most of the people remain heedless. They hear the call of God openly, yet what is in their hearts of the idols of the worshippers preventeth them from certitude.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! These lands have been honored by the glance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Unconstrained, yet most of My people remain in evident veils. The ocean of bounty hath surged through the appearance of the Lord of Names—blessed is he who hath turned unto Him and is of those who have attained.

The tongue of My loving-kindness addresseth My people saying: Arise from among the dead, turning unto God, the Revealer of verses. This is He Who was promised you in the Book of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. They follow their leaders and cling to the hem of their vain imaginings—nay, they are among the abased ones. They worship the calf while thinking themselves servants of God besides Him—nay, they are among the liars.

Thy letter hath come before the Countenance and hath been blessed by the fingers of thy Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Generous. We found from it the fragrance of thy love for thy Lord. Blessed art thou for having attained the ultimate goal and been moved by the Most Exalted Word which hath shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s utterance, the Most High, the Great. He hath ordained for thee thereby what shall profit thee in this world and the next. He is verily the Powerful, the All-Knowing. He shall manifest unto thee what He willeth through His grace and sovereignty. There is none other God but Him. His is the creation and the command. All things are with Him preserved in a guarding tablet.

We beseech God to make thee known by His name and speaking in His remembrance, that thy mention may endure in His kingdom, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Protected. He verily seeth whosoever moveth in His path and worketh for His good-pleasure. He is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. Blessed art thou for having found the fragrance of the Garment and turned unto God, the Lord of the worlds. That which thou seest shall perish, but what hath been ordained for thee shall endure in a wondrous tablet.

BH03014: Thy letter was presented before the Throne and achieved…

In His Name, the Ever-Abiding without decline

Thy letter was presented before the Throne and achieved the honor of Our gracious regard, and whatsoever was written therein found acceptance. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the ocean of grace and drunk the choice wine of reunion from the hands of the favors of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, when He was in the region of Iraq, and He revealed for thee in the Tablets that which confirmed the testimony of the past and by which thy mention shall endure throughout all regions. Thou hast ever been and, God willing, shall ever remain beneath the glances of the favors of the Lord of creation. At all times thou must be engaged in service to the Cause with joy and radiance.

Verily, all that hath befallen thee in the path of the Divine Purpose hath been recorded in God’s Book and inscribed in the Preserved Tablet. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As to thy desire to journey to this region, there hath been ordained for thee the reward of one who hath attained the presence of God. This is what We informed thee of before as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Were We to tarry in this realm, We would command thee as thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise, hath chosen.

O My Name! The reward of attaining Our presence, specially ordained for thee, hath been recorded by the Pen of Command in the divine scrolls. By My life! Nothing created on earth can equal it, as all possessed of insight shall behold. Today that which is obligatory and essential is the mention of God amongst His creatures with wisdom and utterance, and this thou hast been and art engaged in, praise be to God. As for what thou didst mention regarding thy son, verily he is remembered before the Throne, and various Tablets have been revealed for him whereby the eyes of the sincere ones are consoled. As We have determined to dispatch the bearer with haste, no special Tablet was revealed. Should God so will, there shall be revealed for him that which shall gladden his heart, solace his eyes, bring rest to his soul and cause his spirit to quiver with joy. He is, verily, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Convey to all the loved ones of God sublime greetings from the True One. All must rejoice in divine bounty. Glory be upon thee and upon thy son and upon those with thee and thy descendants, from the presence of One omnipotent and all-knowing.

BH03385: In the Name of Him Who rules over all…

In the Name of Him Who rules over all who are in the heavens and on earth! This is a Book sent down in truth from God, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds, that the call may draw you again and again unto a station where neither the allusions of the people shall hinder you, nor the clamor of the oppressors disturb you.

Your letter attained the presence of God, the Lord of Manifestation, and We heard that which you addressed unto your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We found it adorned with the mention of the Beloved and embellished with the love of your Ancient Lord. Therefore did the ocean of grace surge and the winds of your Lord’s mercy, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, were stirred. Rejoice in what We have sprinkled upon you from the seas of pardon and forgiveness. This, verily, is a manifest bounty. We beseech God to assist you at all times, to aid you in that which He loves and is pleased with, and to cause you to speak forth this mighty remembrance.

You wrote at the end of your letter “the one despairing of God’s mercy.” By My life! This befits not these days. Write henceforth “the one assured of his Lord’s tender care, the All-Mighty, the All-Loving, His servant David.” Thus does My Most Exalted Pen teach you, through whose effect the Kingdom is perfumed, through whose breaths the dead are raised up, and through whose fragrance the birds do sing. Sovereignty belongs to God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Beautiful.

O David! Hearken unto that wherewith your Lord, the Sincere Counselor, the Trusted One, counsels you. Strive that there may appear from you that which befits His sovereignty, His grandeur, His detachment and His sanctity. Thus does the Lord of all worlds command you. Thus have We loosened the reins of the Pen of Revelation in the meadows of utterance, as a bounty from your Lord, the Most Merciful, that you may soar on the wings of detachment in this atmosphere which none among all created things can breathe save those whom your Lord has willed by His sovereignty which overshadows the worlds.

Should you find the sweetness of this Tablet, you would arise with your whole being to serve your Lord and would say by night and day:

“Praise be to You, O Lord of all mankind, and glory be to You, O You Who art wronged throughout all regions, and splendor be to You, O Beloved of them that know!”

Convey My greetings unto her whom you mentioned in your letter and unto your wife who has believed in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Sufficient unto them both is God’s glorification from this wondrous horizon.

BH03615: In His Name, the One Who standeth without transition!…

In His Name, the One Who standeth without transition! O Pen! Make mention of him who hath turned towards the court of the Ancient of Days and set his face toward his Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One, that the Call may draw him to the Dayspring of Names and cause him to speak in praise of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Thy letter had previously come before the holy presence, and We answered thee with verses that all contingent beings cannot equal, but they reached thee not until numbered years had passed. And now thy letter hath come again and been honored by the glance of thy Lord’s grace, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

O servant! Say to the concourse of the Jews: Your appointed time hath been fulfilled—where then is the Promised One? Bring Him forth if ye be of the learned! Among them are those who are perplexed within themselves, whose inner voice addresseth them saying:

“The Promise hath come to pass, yet we see not the Promised One.”

Say: Break asunder, O company of the froward, the chains of limitation! Verily He ruleth upon the throne of David with majesty and power.

All the appointed times have ended, yet the peoples await the appearances of their vain imaginings. Say: He hath appeared in truth with a sovereignty that no veils can obstruct. My people are asleep. Blessed art thou for having been awakened by the Call when it was raised from the Divine Lote-Tree planted in the white spot, and for having hearkened unto it while most of the servants turned away.

The Holy Land hath been honored by the advent of the Lord of all creation, and the Mount hath been illumined with the lights of the Manifestation, yet the people remain veiled by following vain imaginings. Say: Rend asunder that which preventeth you from the Dawning-Place of Beauty, and turn ye to the Kawthar of reunion bestowed by the Lord of the beginning and the end.

Thus hath warbled the Dove of Utterance upon the branch of inner meanings and exposition, as a grace from the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who hath drawn nigh and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Quickener of the dead!” Be thou assured by thy Lord’s favor, then stand firm in the Cause and be a herald of this Name through which religions have been overturned.

BH03849: He is the Sanctified above all comparison! Glorified be…

He is the Sanctified above all comparison! Glorified be He Who hath manifested the Manifestation of His Self and caused Him to speak forth verses whereby spirits have been enraptured. Say: This is the Day whereon souls have been agitated, mountains have passed away, and all who are in the heavens and on earth have swooned away, save those whom God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Reckoning, hath willed. Blessed is the hand that hath cast away what it held, and the heart that hath turned toward the Qiblih of all horizons.

They who have taken hold of the Tablet of God with hands of might and power—these are the people of Baha in the Tablet of eternity. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names, Who speaketh at all times: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.”

Say: O people! For every matter there is a point of return, for every light there is a dawning-place, and for everything there is a beginning. Ponder, that ye may understand the purpose of God, O people of discernment! They who deny the beginning of the Cause—these are brutish rabble who have no portion of the Book. Would they deny God after having witnessed His sovereignty encompassing all creation?

It behooveth them who deny the Manifestation of God to reflect in these days wherein the Ancient King calleth out from the midmost heart of the world, after having been wronged at the hands of the wicked ones. Should they say nature hath brought forth this Essence, say: If We were to believe you in this, We would say: Do ye see any likeness to Him or behold any similitude for Him? Since He is singular in His essence and unique in His being, it behooveth you to follow Him, O company of the ignorant! By My life, they speak that of which they are unaware. Thus hath testified the All-Merciful from this most exalted station.

Say: O beloved ones! Pay no heed to what they say. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause and cling to the hem of the mercy of your Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One. Blessed is he who hath attained on this day and hath turned with his heart unto God, the Lord of all servants, casting behind him the deluded ones, speaking forth this remembrance which God hath made the sovereign of all remembrances.

BH04063: A book sent down from the presence of One…

He is the Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious

A book sent down from the presence of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Verily it is the Lamp of Guidance unto all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, and the Most Great Path unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. It calleth out to those on earth and summoneth them unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. It saith: I am the Blessed Leaf, upon which the Pen of Command hath inscribed that which attracteth the hearts of those who remember. Blessed is he who hath recognized my ways, hearkened unto my melodies, and attained unto that which his Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful, hath willed.

O people of Baha! Arise to offer praise between earth and heaven, then speak forth that which the Divine Lote-Tree hath spoken. Verily there is none other God besides Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent.

Draw ye nigh unto the Fire which We have kindled with the Finger of Power, that it may generate in your hearts the warmth of remembrance of My wondrous Name. It is a warmth that neither the coldness of allusions nor the whisperings of the sinful can extinguish. Blessed is the man who hath stood firm in this mighty Cause, and the tongue that hath spoken in remembrance of God, detached from all else save Him.

Say: Beware lest ye render your deeds null and void through that which your desires command you. Abandon that which your minds reject, then follow that which ye have been commanded by your Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Blessed is he who hath attained unto reason and recognized it from all else besides it, and woe unto him who hath cast it behind his back—he is assuredly among the ignorant.

O servant! When thou hearest the Call that hath been raised in the Tablet and attainest unto the utterance of the All-Merciful, arise to aid the Wronged One and be not of them that hesitate. Thou wert created to make mention of thy Lord and to praise Him among those who have been debarred from the Kawthar of the mercy of their Lord, the Generous, the Bountiful. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the remembrance of God and for being the recipient of the gaze from this luminous Scene.