Volume 053: Akka 1292 A.H. (1875) (1 of 4)

BH00223: Lawh-i-Hikmat (Tablet of Wisdom)

Section 1: “This is an Epistle which the All-Merciful hath…”

In His Name, the Originator, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

This is an Epistle which the All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. It is truly a breath of life unto those who dwell in the realm of creation. Glorified be the Lord of all worlds! In this Epistle mention is made of him who magnifieth the Name of God, his Lord, and who is named Nabil in a weighty Tablet.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the Voice proceeding out of the Realm of Glory, calling aloud from the celestial Tree which hath risen above the land of Za’faran: Verily, no God is there but Me, the Omniscient, the Wise. Be thou as the breezes of the All-Merciful for the trees of the realm of existence and foster their growth through the potency of the Name of thy Lord, the Just, the All-Informed. We desire to acquaint thee with that which will serve as a reminder unto the people, that they may put away the things current amongst them and set their faces towards God, the Lord of the sincere.

We exhort mankind in these days when the countenance of Justice is soiled with dust, when the flames of unbelief are burning high and the robe of wisdom rent asunder, when tranquillity and faithfulness have ebbed away and trials and tribulations have waxed severe, when covenants are broken and ties are severed, when no man knoweth how to discern light and darkness or to distinguish guidance from error.

O peoples of the world! Forsake all evil, hold fast that which is good. Strive to be shining examples unto all mankind, and true reminders of the virtues of God amidst men. He that riseth to serve My Cause should manifest My wisdom, and bend every effort to banish ignorance from the earth. Be united in counsel, be one in thought. Let each morn be better than its eve and each morrow richer than its yesterday. Man’s merit lieth in service and virtue and not in the pageantry of wealth and riches. Take heed that your words be purged from idle fancies and worldly desires and your deeds be cleansed from craftiness and suspicion. Dissipate not the wealth of your precious lives in the pursuit of evil and corrupt affection, nor let your endeavours be spent in promoting your personal interest. Be generous in your days of plenty, and be patient in the hour of loss. Adversity is followed by success and rejoicings follow woe. Guard against idleness and sloth, and cling unto that which profiteth mankind, whether young or old, whether high or low. Beware lest ye sow tares of dissension among men or plant thorns of doubt in pure and radiant hearts.

O ye beloved of the Lord! Commit not that which defileth the limpid stream of love or destroyeth the sweet fragrance of friendship. By the righteousness of the Lord! Ye were created to show love one to another and not perversity and rancour. Take pride not in love for yourselves but in love for your fellow-creatures. Glory not in love for your country, but in love for all mankind. Let your eye be chaste, your hand faithful, your tongue truthful and your heart enlightened. Abase not the station of the learned in Baha and belittle not the rank of such rulers as administer justice amidst you. Set your reliance on the army of justice, put on the armour of wisdom, let your adorning be forgiveness and mercy and that which cheereth the hearts of the well-favoured of God.

By My life! Thy grievances have plunged Me into sorrow. Regard not the children of the world and all their doings but fix thy gaze upon God and His never-ending dominion. Verily, He calleth to thy remembrance that which is the source of delight for all mankind. Drink thou the life-giving water of blissful joy from the chalice of utterance proffered by the Fountainhead of divine Revelation—He Who hath made mention of thee in this mighty stronghold. Endeavour to the utmost of thy powers to establish the word of truth with eloquence and wisdom and to dispel falsehood from the face of the earth. Thus directeth thee the Dayspring of divine knowledge from this luminous horizon.

O thou who speakest in My Name! Consider the people and the things they have wrought in My days. We revealed unto one of the rulers that which overpowereth all the dwellers of the earth, and requested him to bring Us face to face with the learned men of this age, that We might set forth for him the testimony of God, His proofs, His glory and His majesty; and naught did We intend thereby but the highest good. However, he committed that which hath caused the inmates of the cities of justice and equity to lament. Thus hath judgement been given between Me and him. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Informed. In such circumstances as thou seest, how can the Celestial Bird soar into the atmosphere of divine mysteries when its wings have been battered with the stones of idle fancy and bitter hatred, and it is cast into a prison built of unyielding stone? By the righteousness of God! The people have perpetrated a grievous injustice.

As regards thine assertions about the beginning of creation, this is a matter on which conceptions vary by reason of the divergences in men’s thoughts and opinions. Wert thou to assert that it hath ever existed and shall continue to exist, it would be true; or wert thou to affirm the same concept as is mentioned in the sacred Scriptures, no doubt would there be about it, for it hath been revealed by God, the Lord of the worlds. Indeed He was a hidden treasure. This is a station that can never be described nor even alluded to. And in the station of ʿI did wish to make Myself known’, God was, and His creation had ever existed beneath His shelter from the beginning that hath no beginning, apart from its being preceded by a Firstness which cannot be regarded as firstness and originated by a Cause inscrutable even unto all men of learning.

That which hath been in existence had existed before, but not in the form thou seest today. The world of existence came into being through the heat generated from the interaction between the active force and that which is its recipient. These two are the same, yet they are different. Thus doth the Great Announcement inform thee about this glorious structure. Such as communicate the generating influence and such as receive its impact are indeed created through the irresistible Word of God which is the Cause of the entire creation, while all else besides His Word are but the creatures and the effects thereof. Verily thy Lord is the Expounder, the All-Wise.

Know thou, moreover, that the Word of God—exalted be His glory—is higher and far superior to that which the senses can perceive, for it is sanctified from any property or substance. It transcendeth the limitations of known elements and is exalted above all the essential and recognized substances. It became manifest without any syllable or sound and is none but the Command of God which pervadeth all created things. It hath never been withheld from the world of being. It is God’s all-pervasive grace, from which all grace doth emanate. It is an entity far removed above all that hath been and shall be.

We are loath to enlarge on this subject, inasmuch as the unbelievers have inclined their ears towards Us in order to hear that which might enable them to cavil against God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. And since they are unable to attain to mysteries of knowledge and wisdom from what hath been unravelled by the Source of divine splendour, they rise in protest and burst into clamour. But it is true to say that they object to that which they comprehend, not to the expositions given by the Expounder, nor the truths imparted by the One true God, the Knower of things unseen. Their objections, one and all, turn upon themselves, and I swear by thy life that they are devoid of understanding.

Every thing must needs have an origin and every building a builder. Verily, the Word of God is the Cause which hath preceded the contingent world—a world which is adorned with the splendours of the Ancient of Days, yet is being renewed and regenerated at all times. Immeasurably exalted is the God of Wisdom Who hath raised this sublime structure.

Look at the world and ponder a while upon it. It unveileth the book of its own self before thine eyes and revealeth that which the Pen of thy Lord, the Fashioner, the All-Informed, hath inscribed therein. It will acquaint thee with that which is within it and upon it and will give thee such clear explanations as to make thee independent of every eloquent expounder.

Say: Nature in its essence is the embodiment of My Name, the Maker, the Creator. Its manifestations are diversified by varying causes, and in this diversity there are signs for men of discernment. Nature is God’s Will and is its expression in and through the contingent world. It is a dispensation of Providence ordained by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. Were anyone to affirm that it is the Will of God as manifested in the world of being, no one should question this assertion. It is endowed with a power whose reality men of learning fail to grasp. Indeed a man of insight can perceive naught therein save the effulgent splendour of Our Name, the Creator. Say: This is an existence which knoweth no decay, and Nature itself is lost in bewilderment before its revelations, its compelling evidences and its effulgent glory which have encompassed the universe.

It ill beseemeth thee to turn thy gaze unto former or more recent times. Make thou mention of this Day and magnify that which hath appeared therein. It will in truth suffice all mankind. Indeed expositions and discourses in explanation of such things cause the spirits to be chilled. It behoveth thee to speak forth in such wise as to set the hearts of true believers ablaze and cause their bodies to soar.

Whoso firmly believeth today in the rebirth of man and is fully conscious that God, the Most Exalted, wieldeth supreme ascendancy and absolute authority over this new creation, verily such a man is reckoned with them that are endued with insight in this most great Revelation. Unto this beareth witness every discerning believer.

Walk thou high above the world of being through the power of the Most Great Name, that thou mayest become aware of the immemorial mysteries and be acquainted with that wherewith no one is acquainted. Verily, thy Lord is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou as a throbbing artery, pulsating in the body of the entire creation, that through the heat generated by this motion there may appear that which will quicken the hearts of those who hesitate.

At the time when We were hidden behind countless veils of light thou didst commune with Me and didst witness the luminaries of the heaven of My wisdom and the billows of the ocean of Mine utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Truthful, the Faithful. Great indeed is the blessedness of him who hath attained the liberal effusions of this ocean in the days of his Lord, the Most Bountiful, the All-Wise.

During Our sojourn in Iraq when We were at the house of one named Majid, We set forth clearly for thee the mysteries of creation and the origin, the culmination and the cause thereof. However since Our departure We have limited Ourself to this affirmation: ʿVerily, no God is there but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Bountiful.’

Teach thou the Cause of God with an utterance which will cause the bushes to be enkindled, and the call ʿVerily, there is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Unconstrained’ to be raised therefrom. Say: Human utterance is an essence which aspireth to exert its influence and needeth moderation. As to its influence, this is conditional upon refinement which in turn is dependent upon hearts which are detached and pure. As to its moderation, this hath to be combined with tact and wisdom as prescribed in the Holy Scriptures and Tablets. Meditate upon that which hath streamed forth from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, He Who is the Source of all grace, that thou mayest grasp the intended meaning which is enshrined in the sacred depths of the Holy Writings.

Those who have rejected God and firmly cling to Nature as it is in itself are, verily, bereft of knowledge and wisdom. They are truly of them that are far astray. They have failed to attain the lofty summit and have fallen short of the ultimate purpose; therefore their eyes were shut and their thoughts differed, while the leaders among them have believed in God and in His invincible sovereignty. Unto this beareth witness thy Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

When the eyes of the people of the East were captivated by the arts and wonders of the West, they roved distraught in the wilderness of material causes, oblivious of the One Who is the Causer of Causes, and the Sustainer thereof, while such men as were the source and the wellspring of Wisdom never denied the moving Impulse behind these causes, nor the Creator or the Origin thereof. Thy Lord knoweth, yet most of the people know not.

Now We have, for the sake of God, the Lord of Names, set Ourself the task of mentioning in this Tablet some accounts of the sages, that the eyes of the people may be opened thereby and that they may become fully assured that He is in truth the Maker, the Omnipotent, the Creator, the Originator, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Although it is recognized that the contemporary men of learning are highly qualified in philosophy, arts and crafts, yet were anyone to observe with a discriminating eye he would readily comprehend that most of this knowledge hath been acquired from the sages of the past, for it is they who have laid the foundation of philosophy, reared its structure and reinforced its pillars. Thus doth thy Lord, the Ancient of Days, inform thee. The sages aforetime acquired their knowledge from the Prophets, inasmuch as the latter were the Exponents of divine philosophy and the Revealers of heavenly mysteries. Men quaffed the crystal, living waters of Their utterance, while others satisfied themselves with the dregs. Everyone receiveth a portion according to his measure. Verily He is the Equitable, the Wise.

Section 2: “Empedocles, who distinguished himself in philosophy, was…”

Empedocles, who distinguished himself in philosophy, was a contemporary of David, while Pythagoras lived in the days of Solomon, son of David, and acquired Wisdom from the treasury of prophethood. It is he who claimed to have heard the whispering sound of the heavens and to have attained the station of the angels. In truth thy Lord will clearly set forth all things, if He pleaseth. Verily, He is the Wise, the All-Pervading.

The essence and the fundamentals of philosophy have emanated from the Prophets. That the people differ concerning the inner meanings and mysteries thereof is to be attributed to the divergence of their views and minds. We would fain recount to thee the following: One of the Prophets once was communicating to his people that with which the Omnipotent Lord had inspired Him. Truly, thy Lord is the Inspirer, the Gracious, the Exalted. When the fountain of wisdom and eloquence gushed forth from the wellspring of His utterance and the wine of divine knowledge inebriated those who had sought His threshold, He exclaimed: ʿLo! All are filled with the Spirit.’ From among the people there was he who held fast unto this statement and, actuated by his own fancies, conceived the idea that the spirit literally penetrateth or entereth into the body, and through lengthy expositions he advanced proofs to vindicate this concept; and groups of people followed in his footsteps.

To mention their names at this point, or to give thee a detailed account thereof, would lead to prolixity, and would depart from the main theme. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. There was also he who partook of the choice wine whose seal had been removed by the Key of the Tongue of Him Who is the Revealer of the Verses of thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Generous.

Verily, the philosophers have not denied the Ancient of Days. Most of them passed away deploring their failure to fathom His mystery, even as some of them have testified. Verily, thy Lord is the Adviser, the All-Informed.

Consider Hippocrates, the physician. He was one of the eminent philosophers who believed in God and acknowledged His sovereignty. After him came Socrates who was indeed, wise, accomplished and righteous. He practised self-denial, repressed his appetites for selfish desires and turned away from material pleasures. He withdrew to the mountains where he dwelt in a cave. He dissuaded men from worshipping idols and taught them the way of God, the Lord of Mercy, until the ignorant rose up against him. They arrested him and put him to death in prison. Thus relateth to thee this swift-moving Pen. What a penetrating vision into philosophy this eminent man had! He is the most distinguished of all philosophers and was highly versed in wisdom.

We testify that he is one of the heroes in this field and an outstanding champion dedicated unto it. He had a profound knowledge of such sciences as were current amongst men as well as of those which were veiled from their minds. Methinks he drank one draught when the Most Great Ocean overflowed with gleaming and life-giving waters. He it is who perceived a unique, a tempered, and a pervasive nature in things, bearing the closest likeness to the human spirit, and he discovered this nature to be distinct from the substance of things in their refined form. He hath a special pronouncement on this weighty theme. Wert thou to ask from the worldly wise of this generation about this exposition, thou wouldst witness their incapacity to grasp it. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth but most people comprehend not.

After Socrates came the divine Plato who was a pupil of the former and occupied the chair of philosophy as his successor. He acknowledged his belief in God and in His signs which pervade all that hath been and shall be. Then came Aristotle, the well-known man of knowledge. He it is who discovered the power of gaseous matter. These men who stand out as leaders of the people and are pre-eminent among them, one and all acknowledged their belief in the immortal Being Who holdeth in His grasp the reins of all sciences.

I will also mention for thee the invocation voiced by Balinus who was familiar with the theories put forward by the Father of Philosophy regarding the mysteries of creation as given in his chrysolite tablets, that everyone may be fully assured of the things We have elucidated for thee in this manifest Tablet, which, if pressed with the hand of fairness and knowledge, will yield the spirit of life for the quickening of all created things. Great is the blessedness of him who swimmeth in this ocean and celebrateth the praise of his Lord, the Gracious, the Best-Beloved. Indeed the breezes of divine revelation are diffused from the verses of thy Lord in such wise that no one can dispute its truth, except those who are bereft of hearing, of vision, of understanding and of every human faculty. Verily thy Lord beareth witness unto this, yet the people understand not.

This man hath said: I am Balinus, the wise one, the performer of wonders, the producer of talismans.’ He surpassed everyone else in the diffusion of arts and sciences and soared unto the loftiest heights of humility and supplication. Give ear unto that which he hath said, entreating the 148 All-Possessing, the Most Exalted: I stand in the presence of my Lord, extolling His gifts and bounties and praising Him with that wherewith He praiseth His Own Self, that I may become a source of blessing and guidance unto such men as acknowledge my words.’ And further he saith: O Lord! Thou art God and no God is there but Thee. Thou art the Creator and no creator is there except Thee. Assist me by Thy grace and strengthen me. My heart is seized with alarm, my limbs tremble, I have lost my reason and my mind hath failed me. Bestow upon me strength and enable my tongue to speak forth with wisdom.’ And still further he saith: Thou art in truth the Knowing, the Wise, the Powerful, the Compassionate.’ It was this man of wisdom who became informed of the mysteries of creation and discerned the subtleties which lie enshrined in the Hermetic writings.

We have no wish to mention anything further but We shall utter that which the Spirit hath instilled into My heart. In truth there is no God but Him, the Knowing, the Mighty, the Help in Peril, the Most Excellent, the All-Praised. By My life! In this Day the celestial Tree is loath to proclaim aught else to the world but this affirmation: ʿVerily, there is none other God but Me, the Peerless, the All-Informed.’

Had it not been for the love I cherish for thee, I would not have uttered a single word of what hath been mentioned. Appreciate the value of this station and preserve it as thou wouldst thine eye and be of them that are truly thankful.

Thou knowest full well that We perused not the books which men possess and We acquired not the learning current amongst them, and yet whenever We desire to quote the sayings of the learned and of the wise, presently there will appear before the face of thy Lord in the form of a tablet all that which hath appeared in the world and is revealed in the Holy Books and Scriptures. Thus do We set down in writing that which the eye perceiveth. Verily His knowledge encompasseth the earth and the heavens.

This is a Tablet wherein the Pen of the Unseen hath inscribed the knowledge of all that hath been and shall be—a knowledge that none other but My wondrous Tongue can interpret. Indeed My heart as it is in itself hath been purged by God from the concepts of the learned and is sanctified from the utterances of the wise. In truth naught doth it mirror forth but the revelations of God. Unto this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur in this perspicuous Book.

Say, O people of the earth! Beware lest any reference to wisdom debar you from its Source or withhold you from the Dawning-Place thereof. Fix your hearts upon your Lord, the Educator, the All-Wise.

For every land We have prescribed a portion, for every occasion an allotted share, for every pronouncement an appointed time and for every situation an apt remark. Consider Greece. We made it a Seat of Wisdom for a prolonged 150 period. However, when the appointed hour struck, its throne was subverted, its tongue ceased to speak, its light grew dim and its banner was hauled down. Thus do We bestow and withdraw. Verily thy Lord is He Who giveth and divesteth, the Mighty, the Powerful.

In every land We have set up a luminary of knowledge, and when the time foreordained is at hand, it will shine resplendent above its horizon, as decreed by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. If it be Our Will We are fully capable of describing for thee whatever existeth in every land or hath come to pass therein. Indeed the knowledge of thy Lord pervadeth the heavens and the earth.

Know thou, moreover, that the people aforetime have produced things which the contemporary men of knowledge have been unable to produce. We recall unto thee Murtus who was one of the learned. He invented an apparatus which transmitted sound over a distance of sixty miles. Others besides him have also discovered things which no one in this age hath beheld. Verily thy Lord revealeth in every epoch whatsoever He pleaseth as a token of wisdom on His part. He is in truth the supreme Ordainer, the All-Wise.

A true philosopher would never deny God nor His evidences, rather would he acknowledge His glory and overpowering majesty which overshadow all created things. Verily We love those men of knowledge who have brought to light such things as promote the best interests of humanity, and We aided them through the potency of Our behest, for well are We able to achieve Our purpose.

Beware, O My loved ones, lest ye despise the merits of My learned servants whom God hath graciously chosen to be the exponents of His Name ʿthe Fashioner’ amidst mankind. Exert your utmost endeavour that ye may develop 151 such crafts and undertakings that everyone, whether young or old, may benefit therefrom. We are quit of those ignorant ones who fondly imagine that Wisdom is to give vent to one’s idle imaginings and to repudiate God, the Lord of all men; even as We hear some of the heedless voicing such assertions today.

Say: The beginning of Wisdom and the origin thereof is to acknowledge whatsoever God hath clearly set forth, for through its potency the foundation of statesmanship, which is a shield for the preservation of the body of mankind, hath been firmly established. Ponder a while that ye may perceive what My most exalted Pen hath proclaimed in this wondrous Tablet. Say, every matter related to state affairs which ye raise for discussion falls under the shadow of one of the words sent down from the heaven of His glorious and exalted utterance. Thus have We recounted unto thee that which will exhilarate thy heart, will bring solace to thine eyes and will enable thee to arise for the promotion of His Cause amidst all peoples.

O My Nabil! Let nothing grieve thee, rather rejoice with exceeding gladness inasmuch as I have mentioned thy name, have turned My heart and My face towards thee and have conversed with thee through this irrefutable and weighty exposition. Ponder in thy heart upon the tribulations I have sustained, the imprisonment and the captivity I have endured, the sufferings that have befallen Me and the accusations that the people have levelled against Me. Behold, they are truly wrapped in a grievous veil. When the discourse reached this stage, the dawn of divine mysteries appeared and the light of utterance was quenched. May His glory rest upon the people of wisdom as bidden by One Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised. Say: Magnified be Thy Name, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the splendour of the light of wisdom shone resplendent when the heavens of divine utterance were set in motion amidst mankind, to graciously aid me by Thy heavenly confirmations and enable me to extol Thy Name amongst Thy servants.

O Lord! Unto Thee have I turned my face, detached from all save Thee and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy manifold blessings. Unloose my tongue therefore to proclaim that which will captivate the minds of men and will rejoice their souls and spirits. Strengthen me then in Thy Cause in such wise that I may not be hindered by the ascendancy of the oppressors among Thy creatures nor withheld by the onslaught of the disbelievers amidst those who dwell in Thy realm. Make me as a lamp shining throughout Thy lands that those in whose hearts the light of Thy knowledge gloweth and the yearning for Thy love lingereth may be guided by its radiance.

Verily, potent art Thou to do whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp Thou holdest the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

BH05181: The Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Inaccessible

The Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Inaccessible

O my beloved in Sarvistan! Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful in the realm of creation. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. We have inhaled the fragrance of your love and have made mention of you in this Prison wherein the Beloved of all worlds hath been incarcerated. They awaited My days, yet when We manifested Our Self unto them they denied it, save for those who cast away the world, turning unto God, the Lord of all men.

Unite ye in the Word of God, then remind the servants of the wisdom which hath been sent down in the Scriptures and Tablets. Say: O people! Turn ye unto the horizon of grace. By God! It hath been illumined by the Sun of the remembrance of the name of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We counsel you to sanctity and detachment and that whereby the Cause of God is exalted throughout all lands. Be ye lamps of guidance among mankind and daysprings of goodness unto all who dwell in creation. Grieve not over anything, for verily He is with you and ordaineth for you that which profiteth you, through the endurance of God, the Lord of creation. Rejoice ye in this Day!

By God! It is the Day of God, yet the people are in heedlessness and error. Recite ye the verses of God whereby the hearts of the righteous are drawn. Verily they are the Kawthar of life unto the people of knowledge and the Choice Sealed Wine unto those who have turned unto the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall endure for you what hath been ordained by Him Who controlleth the winds. The glory be upon you and upon those who have attained unto the lights of the Countenance and who have stood firm in this Cause whereby all necks have been subdued.

BH07444: Wilt thou remain silent while the Divine Lote Tree…

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Encompassing over all names

Wilt thou remain silent while the Divine Lote Tree speaketh throughout the world that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower? Be thou vocal in the remembrance of thy Lord, for through it are gladdened the hearts of them that have turned unto God, the Lord of Lords.

Act thou according to that which thou hast been bidden and place thy trust in God, the Lord of all men. Verily He is with you and heareth your call and beholdeth that which proceedeth from you in His path amidst mankind. Rejoice thou in that the Most Great Joy hath turned toward thee while imprisoned in this spot. Forget not the bounty of My days, and despair not of My mercy and loving-kindness. Verily He giveth to whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Verily My tongue speaketh, My heart remembereth, and My pen moveth at all times. Be thou in such wise that the clamor of the people shall not prevent thee from God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Day of Return.

BH09546: The Book speaks with truth between the heavens…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Wondrous, the Most Great

The Book speaks with truth between the heavens and the earth. Whoso hath hearkened unto it is assuredly of the people of Baha inscribed in the Tablet of Eternity, and whoso hath turned away is among the people of error.

Hearken, O servant, unto that which the All-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, speaketh, that it may draw thee to the seat of holiness and nearness and beauty. Confine all matters to the remembrance of thy Lord—this shall profit thee in this world and the next, as thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, doth testify.

Pay no heed to the people and their clamor. Follow that which thou hast been commanded by God, the Cleaver of the Dawn. Thus doth the Lord of Names command thee, while imprisoned in the most remote of lands.

BH09365: Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself as He…

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

Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself as He willeth. He, verily, proclaimeth throughout all contingent being that there is none other God but Him, the Manifest, the Speaking One, the Articulate, the All-Evident. They in whose hearts were doubts have turned away and waxed proud before God—these, verily, are among the most lost. Say: O people! He Who is the Intended One hath appeared and the proof hath been perfected. Hold fast unto God and follow not every ignorant remote one. Say: This is the Day wherewith ye were promised in the Tablets. Recognize it and be not of the doubtful. Verily the Day calleth with the most exalted call, yet the people remain heedless. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him, turning away from those who disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03262: All praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch…

He is the Everlasting, the One, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Glorious.

All praise be to Thee, O my God, inasmuch as Thou hast adorned the world with the splendour of the dawn following the night wherein was born the One Who heralded the Manifestation of Thy transcendent sovereignty, the Dayspring of Thy divine Essence and the Revelation of Thy supreme Lordship. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Fashioner of names, to graciously aid those who have sheltered beneath the shadow of Thine abounding mercy and have raised their voices amidst the peoples of the world for the glorification of Thy Name.

O my God! Thou beholdest the Lord of all mankind confined in His Most Great Prison, calling aloud Thy Name, gazing upon Thy face, proclaiming that which hath enraptured the denizens of Thy kingdoms of revelation and of creation. O my God! I behold Mine own Self captive in the hands of Thy servants, yet the light of Thy sovereignty and the revelations of Thine invincible power shine resplendent from His face, enabling all to know of a certainty that Thou art God, and that there is none other God but Thee. Neither can the power of the powerful frustrate Thee, nor the ascendancy of the rulers prevail against Thee. Thou doest whatsoever Thou willest by virtue of Thy sovereignty which encompasseth all created things, and ordainest that which Thou pleaseth through the potency of Thy behest which pervadeth the entire creation.

I implore Thee by the glory of Thy Manifestation and by the power of Thy might, Thy sovereignty and Thine exaltation to render victorious those who have arisen to serve Thee, who have aided Thy Cause and humbled themselves before the splendour of the light of Thy face. Make them then, O my God, triumphant over Thine enemies and cause them to be steadfast in Thy service, that through them the evidences of Thy dominion may be established throughout Thy realms and the tokens of Thine indomitable power be manifested in Thy lands. Verily Thou art potent to do what Thou willest; no God is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

This glorious Tablet hath been revealed on the Anniversary of the Birth [of the Bab] that thou mayest recite it in a spirit of humility and supplication and give thanks unto Thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Make thou every effort to render service unto God, that from thee may appear that which will immortalize thy memory in His glorious and exalted heaven.

Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I implore Thee by the Dawning-place of Thy signs and by the Revealer of Thy clear tokens to grant that I may, under all conditions, hold fast the cord of Thy loving providence and cling tenaciously to the hem of Thy generosity. Reckon me then with those whom the changes and chances of the world have failed to deter from serving Thee and from bearing allegiance unto Thee, whom the onslaught of the people hath been powerless to hinder from magnifying Thy Name and celebrating Thy praise. Graciously assist me, O my Lord, to do whatever Thou lovest and desirest. Enable me then to fulfil that which will exalt Thy Name and will set ablaze the fire of Thy love.

Thou art, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

BH04674: That which was previously revealed from the heaven…

In the name of the one true Friend

That which was previously revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful Will is this: Whoso leaveth his home as an emigrant unto God and His Messenger and death overtaketh him, his reward is incumbent upon God. And that which is now revealed from the heaven of the mercy of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High is this:

They that have forsaken their country in the path of God and subsequently ascended unto His presence, such souls shall be blessed by the Concourse on High and their names recorded by the Pen of Glory among such as have laid down their lives as martyrs in the path of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsistent. Upon them rest the mercy of God and His favors, and the grace of God and His fragrances. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Generous.” O Ali! God willing, through divine grace thou shalt attain unto that which God hath desired, and be detached from all else besides Him. Be not grieved at what hath come to pass. Consider the divine favor, how He caused him to attain the Most Great Horizon, and, purified and freed from all earthly conditions, summoned him to the Supreme Horizon.

At the time of his departure he appeared before the Throne in such wise that all those circling round were moved to lamentation by his weeping. Blessed is he, then blessed is he! Console all the kinsmen on behalf of this Wronged One and convey greetings to them, and say that God is nearer and more kind, and in His presence grief is not permitted, for these are the days of supreme joy. God willing, fix your gaze upon Him and place your trust in Him. Verily He will console you in that which hath befallen you. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the All-Affectionate.

BH05041: The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Great, the Manifest…

The Most Holy, Most Impregnable, Most Great, the Manifest, the All-Knowing

A mention from Us to him who has turned to the ocean of utterance when the Most Merciful came from the heaven of explanation, calling out to all creation that there is none other God but Him, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting, that this remembrance might draw him to a station where neither the doings of the wicked nor the whisperings of those who have denied the Promised Day can hinder him.

Blessed art thou for having turned to the Countenance when those who took their desires as their god turned away from it and followed every heedless and rejected one. We have manifested the Countenance from the Most Exalted Horizon and called all unto it, yet the people turn aside from it. The sun of certitude has shone upon them from the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Most Merciful, yet they wallow in their own idle fancies. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and say: O people! Take heed lest the world and what ye possess delude you. Cast aside vain imaginings and take hold of what ye have been commanded by God, the Mighty, the Loving. Let not the people and their clamor grieve thee.

He will verily exalt thee through the truth and abase those who have waxed proud against Him and disdained to worship Him. Thy Lord is indeed the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Call thou the people with wisdom and mention to them what We have revealed in Our Most Holy Book, that they may follow the commandments and ordinances of God. He is verily the All-Loving, the All-Forgiving. Thus have We shown thee Our mighty signs and caused thee to hear Our sweetest call, that thou mayest arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord with a power that no hosts can prevent.

BH05359: In the Name of the Beloved of the Worlds!…

In the Name of the Beloved of the Worlds! Praise be unto that Sovereign Who, through the hand of bounty and bestowal, hath bestowed upon the people of insight and knowledge the wine of understanding and recognition, and hath caused them to ascend from the lowest degrees of doubt and fancy to the loftiest stations of witnessing and certitude. Blessed are those souls who, on the wings of recognition, have soared in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful. Happy are they, and again happy are they!

And then, thy letter was received in the Most Great Prison and the fragrances of love were inhaled therefrom. God willing, mayest thou be adorned with such an adornment as shall cause the exaltation of God’s Cause among His handmaidens.

The outward life hath an end ordained for it. Beseech thou God, exalted and glorified be He, that thou mayest be assisted to achieve that which is the cause of the permanence of existence and which will endure forever in His earthly kingdom and the kingdom of heaven.

These days have no parallel or likeness, yet all are veiled and heedless thereof save whom God willeth, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made me to know the Dawning-Place of Thy bounty and the Dayspring of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee to make me, under all conditions, to fix my gaze upon Thee and to be detached from all else besides Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

BH08923: Thy letter hath arrived and We heard what thou…

He is the One singing upon the branches!

Thy letter hath arrived and We heard what thou didst call unto God, as did My loved ones who are there, and We answered you through My mercy which hath preceded all worlds. We found from it the fragrance of thy sincerity to God, Lord of the mighty throne. Give glad tidings to My loved ones on My behalf, then recite unto them what hath been sent down from My kingdom, the inaccessible, the mighty. Say: Give thanks to God for having caused you to know My Most Glorious Self, and shown you My most exalted horizon, and made you to hear My sweetest melody. By the life of God! Not one of these can be equaled by whatsoever hath been created in the heavens and earths. Say: Be united in the Cause of God and hold fast to His mighty cord. Verily the glory from Us be upon thee and upon them and upon My maidservants who have followed the Command of God and walked His straight path.

BH10805: Reflect upon the bounty of thy Lord, that He…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most Holy, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

Reflect upon the bounty of thy Lord, that He remembereth thee by virtue of thy remembrance of Him. I swear by My life, wert thou to recognize this bounty as it deserveth to be recognized, such joy and gladness would seize thee that neither the misfortunes of the world nor the clamor of souls would sadden thee. He, while in prison, remembereth His loved ones and sendeth unto them, at all times, the sweet savors of the All-Merciful, that He may draw them nigh unto the Mighty, the All-Loving.

BH10851: There has come before the Wronged One a letter…

In His Name, the One Who has dominion over the world!

There has come before the Wronged One a letter containing the names of those who have turned toward God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. We make mention of them in truth as a bounty from Our presence, for verily He is the All-Merciful, the All-Forgiving, the Kind.

The One Who is mentioned makes mention of thee in return for thy mention of Him. Verily His grace encompasses both the unseen and the visible. Be thou thankful to God for this, then remain steadfast in His Cause and place thy trust in Him in all matters.

BH10760: Give thanks unto God for that thy name hath…

He is the Mighty, the Beloved!

Give thanks unto God for that thy name hath been mentioned before the Throne and there hath been sent down for thee, from the heaven of thy Lord’s bounty, that which no earthly thing can equal.

Be thou a speaker in the name of thy Lord and content with whatsoever hath been ordained for thee in His preserved Tablet. Grieve not at anything—rather, rejoice in that He Who calleth thee from this praiseworthy station.

Thus doth the Most Great Pen cause thee to hear its shrill voice, from the presence of this wronged Exile.

BH11284: We have heard your call and have answered you…

He is the Caller in all times

We have heard your call and have answered you with this exalted Tablet, that you may be assured of His mercy that has preceded all created things and His grace that has encompassed the unseen and the seen. Swim upon the ocean of your Lord’s loving-kindness and glorify His name, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH02667: Praise be to God Who hath adorned the ledger…

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

Praise be to God Who hath adorned the ledger of all created things with the Pen which was named the Most Exalted in the kingdom of creation and the Dawning-Place of Revelation by those who have clung to the Crimson Ark sailing upon the sea of might through the Name which God hath sanctified from all names and through which He created what He created and rent asunder what was joined. Exalted be the All-Merciful Who illumined contingent being with the light shining from the horizon of manifestation and made His exalted Word the Salsabil of life for the people of understanding and a straight path for whoso turneth unto Him in humility and certitude. And the essence of remembrance and praise be upon His Branches and Twigs and upon those who have proclaimed His Cause and arisen to serve Him, then upon those who have believed in Him and were martyred in His path and who emigrated for love of Him and His good-pleasure. Verily He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

My spirit be a sacrifice for the Twigs of God! This evanescent servant hath been blessed by the fragrance of your exalted words in such wise that neither my tongue nor the tongues of humanity can describe. It was presented at the Throne and what was therein was laid before His Presence. He spoke, and His word is the truth:

“Blessed is he in that he hath gathered from the Lote-Tree of certitude the fruits of knowledge and plucked from the Tree of reunion the flowers of wisdom and utterance. Verily We, in the prison, have remembered and do remember them, for My remembrance is as the breath of the All-Merciful which, when it passeth over the Twigs, moveth them and stirreth them and sustaineth them in the remembrance of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.”

This servant submitteth that God willing you will never withhold from this evanescent one the wine of your loving-kindness.

Moreover, this is to be submitted: that which thou didst send hath arrived, in conformity with His blessed handwriting. The glad-tidings this servant beareth is that, upon its receipt and in obedience to the command, one qaba and one kalijah, of white broadcloth, have been cut and sewn, set apart for the Most Holy Beauty—though, since the departure from ‘Iraq, He hath worn no cloth of that kind save black, until, on this occasion, He specially instructed it.

Likewise, the chest and its contents have reached Switzerland, and word thereof hath been written; and these days they will dispatch it. Furthermore, from the friends—each one who is in attendance upon His presence—I offer greetings and magnification. Exalted be the Glory, above the mention of all else, upon His Branches and His Boughs, throughout the continuance of His Kingdom and His dominion.

The servant, 4 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1292

BH01306: Regarding what was written about Aqa Rajab-ʿAli, that he…

…Regarding what was written about Aqa Rajab-ʿAli, that he had passed away, and likewise the inquiry about his inheritance—it was ordained that whatever remains should be given to his children. We have pardoned the Huququ’llah and other rights of the kindred, in view of these being the days of God and his having been among the emigrants. Thus was it specifically revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning him….

As to what was written concerning the scribes and the differences in copies, this is what hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance in reply: O Zein! The verses of God have been revealed in such manner that none could verify them at the time of revelation. What was revealed in Iraq and Adrianople was never reviewed. Often this servant, present before the Throne, observed care according to his capacity, yet mistakes occurred nonetheless. Many of the copies made by scribes differed from one another. Now people know not which variations from the Most Holy Court were revealed as such, and which arose from the scribes’ inattention. What hath been revealed from God is truth without doubt, but since Jinab-i-Nazir (upon him be the Glory of God) wished to print some of the books, We therefore commanded the Greater Branch and this servant in attendance to compare them and submit whatever variations they found, for most people were and are not aware of these matters and are not informed about the nature of revelation.

This care was taken lest it cause the perdition of souls, although it increaseth naught for the wrongdoers save loss. The Surih of the Temple was revealed in the Land of Mystery and later renewed in this land. This is what was written before; verily He is the Renewer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed….

What We meant in referring to those who oppose the people were the ignorant ones who are known as scholars, and they consider whatever they cannot comprehend to be contrary to the truth. Otherwise, whatsoever hath been sent down from the heaven of divine oneness is in conformity with correct Arabic grammar, though the differences among scholars of Arabic are beyond counting.

22 Rabi’ al-Awwal 1292

BH03599: In the name of the peerless Lord! Numerous Tablets…

In the name of the peerless Lord! Numerous Tablets were previously sent through messengers, with the purpose that you might arise to serve the Cause of God and quicken lifeless, withered souls through the divine fragrances. These days have no likeness or equal. Soon all that is visible will become non-existent and lost. It is necessary, nay incumbent upon one such as yourself to offer in these days, through the blessed name of the Self-Subsisting, the sealed wine to the heedless servants, that perchance those who are lost in the valley of error and deprivation may turn to the horizon of the All-Merciful and drink from the water of life.

The Dawning-Place of Revelation, the Lord of Names, is imprisoned in Akka and, despite countless afflictions, summons at all times the people of creation to the truth. The more severe the trials, the louder His call. It hath been heard: “Tribulation hath not prevented the Baha from that which God hath commanded Him, the Lord of Names. He speaketh at all times: There is none other God but He, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.”’

Arise to make mention of God and to aid His Cause in such wise that souls and minds will take flight. We love to see thee among those whom no blame of the blamer nor scorn of the scorner nor rejection of any heedless one deterreth in God. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall endure for thee what appeareth from thee in service to thy Lord, Who overshadoweth all that was and shall be.

Remind the servants with joy and fragrance, that perchance they may arise from slumber and turn unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Thus have We illumined the horizon of utterance with the sun of the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, that it may attract thee to the praiseworthy station. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away the world and turned toward God with befitting submission.

BH04806: He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing! This…

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing! This is a Book We have sent down in truth unto him who hath turned his face toward God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, in days wherein the mountains of vain imaginings were scattered and perturbation seized the servants who were debarred from this praiseworthy station.

Thy letter hath come before Us, and We have taken it and read it, and have answered thee with this decisive Book that thou mayest thank thy Lord and arise to make mention of Him amongst His servants. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Protector over what was and what shall be.

As to what thou hast asked concerning the honored stone—whether it be copper or lead or something else—know thou that it hath been called by all names, but most people understand not. The people’s intention regarding copper was not the copper of the common folk, nor their lead, nor their gold. Thy Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We have sent down concerning this knowledge diverse epistles in an eloquent Arabic tongue and a lucid Persian language, and We have sent thee that which will make thee independent of every possessor of knowledge and wisdom. Read it and ponder upon it, that thou mayest find the knowledge of thy Lord encompassing those who are in the heavens and on earth.

We do not desire that any of the loved ones occupy themselves with it. Rather, it behooveth thee and those who have believed to make your chief concern in these days the remembrance of God and the promotion of His decisive and wise Cause. His love is verily the supreme elixir and the most glorious crown, whereby the base metals of hearts are transformed into pure gold.

Thus have We explained for thee what thou didst seek from the bounty of thy Lord. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Expositor, the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.

BH08341: We have heard your call and witnessed your turning…

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

We have heard your call and witnessed your turning to the Most Exalted Horizon, and We have answered you with that which has diffused the fragrance of God throughout the kingdom of creation. Glorify thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou steadfast in the Cause through His Name, the Guardian over the worlds. Verily, We make mention of everyone who has turned towards the Countenance and give him glad-tidings of that which is ordained for him in the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Ali! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of My Most Great Prison—verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Great. Hold fast unto the cord of God and the handle of His Cause that He may protect thee from those who have denied the Day of Judgment. Be thou so firm in the love of God that the croaking of every accursed satan shall not prevent thee. Verily, He inspires His loved ones as He inspired in the ancient centuries. Shun it and place thy trust in the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

BH08203: He is the One Who dominates all names!…

He is the One Who dominates all names! A remembrance from Us to the one who has found the fragrance of the Garment when the All-Merciful came with a sovereignty that encompassed all who are in the heavens and earths, that the breezes of revelation might draw him to the Supreme Horizon, the station wherein the Lote Tree of the Furthermost Boundary proclaims: “There is no God but Him, the Expositor, the All-Knowing.”

Your mention has been made before the Throne, and this manifest Tablet has been sent down for you. Read it with the melodies of the birds of Paradise—they will draw you to a station wherein you will hear the Call from all things in remembrance of this blessed and luminous Horizon.

Remember your Lord in such wise that neither the turning away of any ignorant one nor the objection of any hypocrite shall hinder you. Verily your Lord aids whoever aids Him and remembers whoever remembers Him amongst His heedless servants.

Give thanks to God for having been mentioned before the Wronged One, and for having been sent down that by which your name shall endure through the eternity of His exalted and inaccessible Kingdom.

BH10625: The call of the All-Merciful has been raised throughout…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great!

The call of the All-Merciful has been raised throughout all contingent being, yet most of the people hear it not. The Supreme Horizon hath been illumined by the lights of the countenance of thy Lord, the Lord of all names, yet the people understand not. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to attain recognition and for causing thee to hear that which the Tree of Sinai doth utter. Hold fast unto God, thy Lord, and shun those who have turned away from this Sealed Nectar. Praise be unto thee for having remembered the Prisoner, unto whom this Forbidden Tablet hath been revealed.

BH00466: The dewdrops of revelation have trickled from the leaves…

In the name of the All-Knowing Interpreter

The dewdrops of revelation have trickled from the leaves of the Divine Lote Tree, through the aid of the breeze of the Will of the Lord of Names, taking the form of these words: O My Name! O My Bounty! The Sun of generosity has risen from the horizon of the world. God willing, the intervening veils of darkness that have caused the people to turn away and object shall be dispelled by the fragrances of the robe of the All-Merciful, that all nations may turn with perfect love, fellowship, affection and unity toward the Most Great Ocean. Most people have suckled at the breast of heedlessness and been nurtured on the waters of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Therefore, those assured souls who are well-pleased and accepted, who have drunk from the ocean of certitude and attained the exalted station of assurance, must, with perfect wisdom and kindness, refresh and revive these withered servants from the spring of divine mercy. This is the most exalted station with God, the Lord of all beings. Blessed is he who has detached himself in the path of God and guided the people to this clear and straight path.

Let it be known to you that most of what has been and is being discussed among the people stems from their vain imaginings, from which God is sanctified and exalted. With God is a kingdom of utterance that is hallowed above the understanding of all contingent beings. Thus was a drop from the depths of this ocean cast upon you and Shaykh Sultan, who has ascended unto God, in the land of Taff. What is necessary today is that the heart must be sanctified from all the phrases and allusions that are mentioned among the people, and be fixed upon the Tree of Revelation and whatsoever appeareth from His presence. Verily, this sufficeth the peoples of the world.

How many divines and philosophers, after years of searching and waiting, failed to attain their goal, while how many heedless souls, upon merely hearing the verses of the Lord of Names, turned to the Most Exalted Horizon! The example of one who has acquired knowledge but not attained unto the Known is like unto one who might gather countless precious stones yet remain unable to recognize true gold—that is, he knows not gold itself whereby he might test those stones. This refers to one who is truly learned—how much more so those who are even deprived of outward knowledge! For centuries they occupied themselves composing fanciful books and speaking of the signs of the Manifestation. Yet when the ocean of meanings appeared, the stream of reunion flowed, and the sun of grace dawned, all remained veiled save whom God, thy Lord, willed. Such is the state and station of the people.

Most of the knowledge possessed by men neither nourishes nor profits. The essence and substance of knowledge has been the recognition of the Known One, and without this, that which benefits mankind is naught. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the All-Knowing. Would that the divines might become aware of the defects in their deeds and words! Pride hath so veiled them that they have forsaken that which is with God for that which is with them. Were you to reflect carefully upon what they have said and continue to say, you would testify that it hath issued from the source of fancy and idle imagination. For twelve hundred years and more they made mention of the Qa’im and related countless traditions and reports, yet failed to comprehend even a single letter of the signs of His appearance as they truly were. Every learned one who shut himself out from the ocean of knowledge hath lost, while every heedless one who hastened and drank hath said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Quickener of the worlds!”

For years these souls were occupied with manifest and subtle misbelief, yet never perceived it. Those who were created by a single word from God’s Messenger they regarded as his peer or even his superior. Though outwardly some would not admit this, yet from their statements and expressions this matter is clear and evident. Through ignorance they attributed the Most Great Infallibility, which belongeth solely to the True One, to His subordinates. They thus set up partners with God unknowingly, for they were among the ignorant. The station of the Most Great Infallibility is the station wherein God doeth what He willeth. In that realm there neither is nor hath been any possibility of error. Whatsoever proceedeth from the Source of the Unseen and the Dawning-Place of Revelation is and shall be the truth, and naught else is mentioned at this station. For were they to deviate even as much as a needle’s point from what He hath commanded, their works would be rendered vain in that very moment. Verily thy Lord is the Speaker, the Faithful One.

Likewise consider the other claims held by that people, that ye may become well aware of their vain imaginings. The Most Exalted Pen hath been reluctant to mention these matters, but perchance the people of that land and others who remain veiled from the Divine Manifestation and the Dayspring of His verses by illusory allusions might detach themselves from creation and all that is with them, and turn toward the horizon of truth.

O My Name! The fragrance of revelation hath been diffused in such wise that it hath perfumed even inanimate objects, and yet most of the servants remain deprived thereof. The call of the All-Merciful hath been raised at all times, leaving not a single one among kings and subjects but that He summoned them unto the Lord of all being with His most exalted call. Blessed art thou, O My Name, in that thou hast arisen, turned towards Me, heard the call and responded by saying:

“Yea, verily yea, O Beloved of the worlds! Here am I, here am I, O Desire of them that know!”

This is that call for which the chosen ones laid down their lives in their longing to hear it. Some heard it but saw not, whereas thou, through God’s infinite grace, didst hear His call at the spiritual dawn and beheld its Dawning Point.

Remember what We revealed unto thee before. O My Name! Thou hast associated with Me and witnessed the ocean of My tranquility and the mountain of My patience. Consider what caused Me to raise the cry between the heavens and the earth. O My Name! The station of this Most Great Revelation hath not been mentioned, nor hath anything flowed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning this most glorious and most holy station. By thy life! That which was mentioned before or will be mentioned hereafter cannot be compared with it. Were the veil to be lifted, the Kingdom of Names would be thrown into commotion. God is sufficient witness to what I say.

O My Name! Tribulations and trials usually extinguish the fire of longing, yet in this Most Great Prison tribulations are observed to be as oil, causing the flame of God to burn more fiercely. Exalted is He Who changeth whatsoever He willeth by His Word that prevaileth over all things. Observe the people of the world: despite this effulgence, this Revelation, and this utterance which hath caused the Kingdom of Utterance to tremble with joy, these earthen clods have sought to veil the lights of the Sun of Truth. Evil is that which they have desired. Soon shall their dominion be rolled up, and they themselves shall perish, while that which hath flowed from My mighty and authoritative Pen shall endure.

O My Name! Today the Sun of bounty is shining, the ocean of grace is surging, and the heaven of providence is adorned with the luminary of loving-kindness and favor. If thou wouldst observe carefully the Most Holy Book, thou wouldst see how God’s grace hath encompassed all creation in such wise that all means of avoidance and withdrawal have been removed, so that all peoples may associate with one another in perfect love and fellowship. Say: May my soul be a sacrifice for Thy generosity, O Thou the Most Generous of the worlds! The purpose of this utterance is that all may attain unto what is with God. Were the decree of avoidance to remain in effect, nearness would in this case be forbidden, and after such prohibition no one would become aware of that which hath been revealed, and all would remain deprived of the divine verses’ fragrances and the diffused perfumes of the Merciful’s garment. We have decreed with wisdom, yet most have not understood God’s purpose in mentioning it. All corruption, conflict and disputation have been forbidden, so that all may, with spiritual qualities, draw heedless souls to the court of oneness.

During these few years, petitions from all regions have been arriving at the Most Holy Court, with inquiries regarding divine ordinances. We withheld the Pen from mentioning them until the appointed time arrived. Then from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Sun of Commands and Laws dawned as a grace upon humanity. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the Generous. For divine ordinances are as an ocean and the people as fish, would they but know it. Yet these must be implemented with wisdom. For instance, among the ordinances is the permissibility of music and song. However, should a person from among the people of Bayan openly engage in this practice, it would be unwise, as it would cause the servants to withdraw and create turmoil among the people of the land. Most are weak and far from God’s purpose. Wisdom must be observed in all matters, lest something arise that causes clamor and the braying and croaking of heedless souls. His mercy has preceded the world and His grace has encompassed all beings. People must be reminded of the ocean of inner meanings with utmost love and patience.

The Kitab-i-Aqdas itself bears witness to divine mercy. It has been revealed with such expansiveness as cannot be described, and it is the supreme magnet for attracting the hearts of the world. God will soon manifest His dominion on earth. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Those souls who today gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and are certain of the truth—if they show laxity in certain deeds or deem them inconsistent with revealed wisdom—should not be dealt with harshly. Verily, thy Lord is the Generous, possessed of great bounty. For example, We have forbidden the public baths of those lands, aiming to keep all pure and sanctified from what is unseemly. Yet this is not possible today, as in no city exists a bathhouse that would be acceptable in God’s sight. Therefore, if someone frequents existing bathhouses, no blame attaches to them. Some ordinances cause no harm if implemented today and all must observe them. Others would cause public outcry, and thus their time is deferred.

For instance, teaching the Cause of the Rich, the Exalted One is the crown of all deeds. Yet if someone were to arise openly and speak what would cause people to withdraw and servants to turn away and object, they would have departed from wisdom. For when someone who has clung to certain beliefs for years suddenly hears their opposite without understanding the reason, it will surely cause them to withdraw and object. People must be educated with kindness and forbearance and drawn to the eternal realm. Reflect on the mercy and compassion of this Revelation. By thy life! Mercy itself is ashamed to be attributed to Him, and all discerning souls prostrate before His mercy which they are powerless to comprehend.

We remember thee often and recall the days when thou wert present before the Throne. We beseech God to make thee a magnet for His Cause, that minds and souls may be drawn to thee. He is the One Who caused thee to know His Countenance after all things had perished. Be grateful to Him for this peerless favor. Today, what is incumbent upon all, after recognition of the Manifestation, is steadfastness in God’s Cause—such steadfastness that neither the clamor of the world can prevent them nor the assault of hosts can hinder them. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Supreme, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Loving.

BH01810: The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great

The Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Great

The Remembrance of God from the Divine Lote-Tree upon the glowing Spot hath been raised up in truth, and every people heareth from it that there is no God but Him, and He Who hath come with the truth hath been the Guardian over all the worlds. He is the Beauty of the Cause in the Most Exalted Concourse, and the Mystery of the Manifestation in the unseen cloud, and the Hidden Book within the pavilion of grandeur, and the Temple of Eternity amidst the world, and the Most Great Name unto him who is powerful in the Cause.

O people of creation! Know ye your Lord, the All-Merciful, and be not veiled from Him Who hath come in the shadows of the Names with a sovereignty that encompasseth all the worlds. At His right hand marcheth the Kingdom of divine knowledge and at His left hand the Realm of utterance, and before Him the hosts of revelation and inspiration. Thus hath the matter been decreed by the Pen of might in truth.

Say: O people! Fear ye the All-Merciful and follow not Satan, for he is far removed from truth.

O people of the earth! Hearken unto that which the Spirit hath imparted to the heart of the Bayan and that which the Tongue of Eternity speaketh at the midmost heart of the world, when the Beauty of the All-Merciful was established upon the throne of power with a command that was mighty in its concealment. Hasten ye to the Kawthar of revelation and the choice wine of inspiration. This is what ye were promised in the Tablets, did ye but know it. By God! Whoso pondereth today, the melodies of the All-Merciful will draw him to the heaven of good-pleasure and purify him from human limitations and bring him nigh unto the Most Great Prospect. He is powerful over all things.

Say: Turn ye, O people, unto the countenance of God and His Cause, then rend asunder the veils of idle fancy by His sovereignty. Beware lest ye be frightened by the might of those who are veiled from the Cause. Say: Nothing shall profit you this day, even should ye bring forth all the books of the world. Thus hath it been decreed by the Pen that was renowned by the name of God. Cast ye aside all allusions and intimations, place them beneath your feet, and turn with radiant faces unto a station that hath been illumined by the lights of the Throne.

Say: This is the One Who called out to Moses in Sinai, and the Beloved when He drew nigh unto the Most Exalted Horizon. Be ye thankful unto God for this bounty and be not among the ungrateful sinners. Through Him the spirit of life was breathed into all creation and all things spoke when the breezes of reunion wafted. Thus hath the matter been sent down in truth from the heaven of revelation.

O people of creation! Purify your ears to hearken unto My most sweet call, and sanctify your hearts from human veils, and turn unto the Most Great Prospect, the station wherein speaketh the Lord of Destiny. This is what ye have been commanded in a Tablet that hath been preserved by God’s command. Behold what ye were promised in the Tablets, then behold Him Who hath appeared in truth, that ye may find a path unto God.

Say: By the Lord of existence! He is the Promised One, and when the appointed time came, He appeared with the kingdom of verses. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him, turning away from every sinful one who was deprived of the fragrances of revelation.

When We heard of thy turning unto God, We sent down this Tablet for thee and dispatched it unto thee that thou mayest find from it the fragrance of the All-Merciful and arise to aid His Cause with wisdom and utterance. God is witness unto what I say. It behooveth every soul to manifest from him that which will profit him in the Kingdom and establish his name in a Tablet that hath been adorned by the Most Exalted Pen. This is a station that is not equaled by aught created on earth, and God is knowing of what I say.

Arise with the most great steadfastness, then rend asunder the veils of creation by the name of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. This is better for thee than all that thou hast wrought in thy days. The Tongue of grandeur and glory beareth witness unto this, and beyond it the denizens of Paradise and those who circle round this station that hath been known by the name of God.

BH02098: He is God, exalted is He Who bringeth relief…

He is God, exalted is He Who bringeth relief and consolation unto those who are in the Kingdom of Names.

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath appeared through the power of truth is the Lord of all creation, the Educator and Helper of all mankind; He Who guideth them unto His supreme Path and enableth them to hearken unto His Most Great Announcement. And through Him the portals of His grace were flung open before the faces of all people, and the mysteries latent in the sacred Book were unravelled upon His Return, and announcers, both men and women, went forth to proclaim the joyful tidings that the splendours of His light had shone forth from above the horizon of the gracious Will of God, the Lord of creation.

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who is voicing the Call within the Most Great Prison is none other but the Lord of creation, the Life-Giver of all peoples. By virtue of His supreme potency the Ocean of Divine Utterance hath surged throughout the world before the followers of all religions and through Him, earth and heaven have been illumined, and the Summoner hath raised His Voice on every side proclaiming: Majesty and grandeur, grace and tender mercy belong unto God, the One, the Peerless, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

One day We awoke in the morning and lo! We witnessed the doors of heaven wide open, and beheld the angels descending and ascending, each one of them carrying a vial of pure rose-water. Thereupon the Crier raised His voice, saying:

“O inmates of the all-highest Paradise! O denizens of the exalted and blissful Abode! Glad-tidings! Glad-tidings! inasmuch as He Who beareth the Most Mighty Name, the King of Eternity, hath graciously purposed to bless by His Presence the habitation wherein the soul of one of His hand-maidens hath ascended, one of the leaves that had secured for herself a place within the precincts of her Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.”

During successive years she circled around the court of her Lord, and lauded Him in her anthems of praise, both in verse and prose, for which she gained the ornament of His acceptance, and received the light of His divine good-pleasure, as a token of heavenly grace from God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

Meanwhile He who is the Desire of the world stood bestowing rose-water with the hand of bounteousness to those who, at His bidding, had presented themselves before the throne for the express purpose of carrying her body to the resting-place ordained for her in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Pen of Glory! Hearken unto the Voice of this Wronged One and make mention of the one whom thy Lord hath graciously willed to remember, and say:

The first sweet-smelling breeze that hath been diffused from the vesture of the bounty of God, the Lord of Lords, and the first perfume that hath shed its fragrance upon the dwellers of earth and heaven rest upon thee, O handmaid of God. I bear witness that thou didst hearken to His call and set thy face toward the Summit of transcendent glory. Thou wert so inebriated by the the utterances of the Lord of all beings that thou didst unloose thy tongue to celebrate His praise and to magnify His Name and His Glory by day and by night.

I testify that thou didst embrace the Truth at a time when most maid-servants had turned aside from Him, and recognized that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, when people in most countries had disbelieved in Him.

Great is thy blessedness, O My leaf! inasmuch as thou didst seize the cup of heavenly reunion from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Lord of the latter days, and drank of it at one time with His Name on thy lips, and at another time with His gracious and cherished remembrance in thy heart.

By the righteousness of God! Thou didst attain unto that which none of the hand-maids in the world nor the leaves thereof have attained, save them that the Hand of Omnipotence hath aroused as a token of grace and bounty from His Presence. Verily, He is potent to do as He willeth, through the power of His mighty and glorious Utterance.

We bear witness that, through her remembrance, the soft-flowing waters of forgiveness have gushed forth and the day-star of the grace of God, the All-Merciful, hath dawned to demonstrate the outpourings of His favour, His bestowal and loving providence, which have surpassed all that are in the heavens and on the earth.

Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02071: When the promise came and the appointed time was…

In His Name, the One Who standeth over all things!

When the promise came and the appointed time was fulfilled, the Hidden One was made manifest through this Name which God had made the Dawning-Place of Revelation and the Day-Spring of inspiration unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Among the people are those who cling to vain imaginings, turning away from the Self-Subsisting; and among them are those who are veiled by a name from among names, disbelieving in God, the Creator of heaven; and among them are those who hold fast to their desires, heedless of guidance; and among them are those who were attracted by the breezes of revelation in such wise that they turned with steadfast mountains and took the choice wine of life in the name of the All-Merciful, detached from all else, and drank and said:

“This, verily, is what was intended in the Books of God, the Most High, the Most Great.”

Say: O people! By God, this is He through Whom the fragrance of the All-Merciful was wafted and the Hidden Treasure was revealed. Fear God and be not of them that are veiled. Fear God and reject not the truth with what ye possess of books and vain imaginings, and follow not your desires. All matters have ended in the manifestation of God and His sovereignty. He, verily, summoneth you in truth unto His straight path. Seize ye the measure of the days of God and dispute not with My proof and My testimony, then with My grandeur and My signs. Be fair in the Cause of God and ponder on that which hath been sent down from His Most Exalted Pen. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Hasten with your hearts to the shore of grace and veil not yourselves with the veils of allusions. Break the idols of desire through the power of the Lord of Names and be not disturbed by those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the Kaaba of God and His Cause. Hold fast unto the cord of grace in this Day wherein the intoxication of passion hath seized all beings except such as have turned with a pure heart unto this glorious Prospect. Thus hath the tongue of the All-Merciful spoken in the midmost heart of Paradise as a token of His grace unto thee, that thou mayest be of them that know.

When thou hast succeeded in hearing what hath been sent down unto thee from the Kingdom of eternity, arise amidst all created things, then make mention of thy Lord with such utterance as will attract the hearts of them that advance. He, verily, aideth him who aideth Him, and remembereth him with that whereby his remembrance will endure through the eternity of His Name, the Protector over all worlds.

Say: O people! The All-Merciful is come and the proof hath appeared when heaven came with evident smoke. Fear God, O people, and follow not your own selves, neither follow your desires. Follow ye the religion of God—this is God’s bidding from before and after. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: By God! The Cause hath appeared in such wise that no one hath any way to deny it, and whoso denieth hath indeed rejected God’s decree from all eternity and is accounted among the ungodly in a mighty tablet.

Say: Verily, He Who hath appeared with His Most Great Name from the Supreme Horizon—He is the Glory of God unto all who are in the kingdom of names, and His sovereignty unto all who are in the realm of creation, and His proof unto all who are in the dominion of command and creation, and His enduring favor unto every fair-minded and insightful one.

When thou hast attained unto God’s tablet, recite it with the most melodious of tunes. It will surely draw thee to the most exalted paradise. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have taken for themselves a path unto God, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH02520: The lights of the manifestations of the Sun…

In the Name of the One True God

The lights of the manifestations of the Sun of inner meanings have risen and shone forth from the luminous horizon in the form of these words: O friends! God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful, may you drink at all times from the living waters and fix your gaze on the highest horizon. Be not grieved by the opposition of people and their turning away, for they are weak and immature. These souls must be educated with the waters of divine wisdom, that perchance they may attain to what God has ordained for them and not be deprived of His greatest bounty. Soon will most veils be rent asunder and people will arise in lamentation and wailing. Verily He is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing.

Today it is incumbent upon all to invite people, with utmost wisdom and kindliness, from the wilderness of error to the plains of guidance. With perfect eagerness and longing, be occupied with the remembrance of the Day-Star of the horizons and speak His praise. The ocean of generosity is manifest, the sun of bounty is shining, and the heaven of grace is uplifted. Deprived is the one who remains bereft today, and without portion is he who has not recognized his Lord.

Divine Tablets have been sent down time after time and again and again, and their purpose is that in this transient dust-heap you may occupy yourselves with that which is the cause of the perpetuation of existence. For today, whatsoever is manifested from any soul in the path of God shall remain and endure. Your mention is remembered before the Throne and the names of those who have turned to God are inscribed in the Tablet of eternity. Blessed is the soul that has recognized, the ears that have heard, the eyes that have seen, the hearts that have turned, and the limbs that have acted according to what they were commanded by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Verily We make mention of you through Our grace, and We mentioned you before. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Be not grieved by the clamor of the people. The Truth calls you from the precincts of the Prison—this indeed is a great bounty. Thus have We illumined the horizon of utterance with the sun of remembrance and explanation, that you may rejoice therein and be of those who are firmly established. Beware lest anything prevent you from speaking forth or the veils of the heedless hold you back. Remember God in the night season and in the days in such wise that the hearts of the heedless may be attracted.

The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall remain for you what has been sent down from the Supreme Pen. To this testifies the Lord of Names, yet most of the people are heedless. Turn not unto them, but rather to the horizon of Revelation. This is what you have been commanded by the One Who inspires with faithfulness. Glory be upon you and upon those who have turned to the Countenance when every sinful remote one turned away from it.

BH02783: Commemoration of the Birth of Baha’u’llah

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

The Birthday Festival is come and He Who is the Beauty of God, the Omnipotent, the Gracious, the All-Loving, hath ascended His throne. Happy is the man who on this Day hath beheld His face and toward whom the eye of God, the Help-in-Peril, the Self-Subsisting hath been directed.

Say, We have commemorated the Feast in the Most Great Prison, notwithstanding that the kings have risen up against Us; yet neither the ascendancy of the concourse of the oppressors can frustrate Our purpose, nor can the multitude of the hosts of the earth perturb Our mind. This is that whereunto the All-Merciful beareth witness from this glorious station.

Say, will the Quintessence of assurance be dismayed before the tumult of the people of the world? Nay, by His Beauty that hath shed its radiance upon all created things, be they of the past or of the future. This is the dreadful majesty of God that hath encompassed the entire creation. This is His transcendent power that pervadeth all mankind. Take ye fast hold on the cord of His sovereign might and celebrate the praise of your Lord, the Unconstrained, at the break of this Day, through which every hidden secret hath been brought to light. Thus hath the Tongue of the Ancient of Days spoken on this Day—the Day whereon His sealed wine hath been unsealed. Take ye heed that the vain imaginations of such as have disbelieved in God perturb you not, nor idle fancies turn you away from this Path which extendeth far and wide.

O people of Baha! Soar ye on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of the love of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Arise ye then to render Him victorious in pursuance of that which hath been revealed in the Preserved Tablet. Beware lest ye contend with any one amongst the people of the world. Proclaim ye the truth by diffusing the sweet savours of God and by spreading abroad His holy Utterances, for through the potency of these two instruments all men would be enabled to turn their faces towards Him; however those who fail to recognize the glory of this Day, will find themselves bewildered in the drunkenness of their selfish desires and are truly bereft of understanding. Blessed in the man who, lowly and suppliant, lifteth up his face towards the Day-Spring of the signs of His Lord.

It behooveth thee to arise amidst the people and to acquaint them with that which hath been set down in the Book of their Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Fear ye God and follow not the vague fancies of those who walk in the footsteps of the doubter and the impious. Turn yourselves with radiant hearts towards the throne of your Lord, the Possessor of names. Indeed He will graciously aid you through the power of truth. No God is there but Him, the Most Excellent, the All-Bountiful.

How strange that ye should blunder on towards but a pool, willing to forgo the Most Great Ocean which lieth before your eyes. Ponder ye attentively and follow not every ungodly plotter.

Thus warbleth the Bird of Eternity upon the branches of Our divine Lote-Tree. God beareth me witness that through a single melody voiced by it, the concourse on high and the denizens of the cities of names have been enraptured, and beyond them those who circle in adoration around the Throne in the daytime and in the night season have been enravished.

Such are the effusions of the showers of divine utterance which pour down from the heaven of the Will of your merciful Lord. It beseemeth you to set your hearts towards Him and abstain from imitating those who have cavilled at the signs of God and denied their Lord of Mercy when He did appear, invested with proofs and testimonies.

BH02882: God hath heard what thou didst utter in remembrance…

In His Name, the All-Evident, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

God hath heard what thou didst utter in remembrance of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and We have witnessed what hath befallen thee in His straight and manifest path. Grieve not for what hath come upon thee. Consider what hath befallen Us at the hands of the oppressors. When the idolaters desired to extinguish the light of God, they drove Us from Our homes, imagining this would profit them. How evil was their delusion! Through this God exalted His Cause and manifested His sovereignty that overshadoweth the worlds. God will soon reveal through thy departure what He hath purposed. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth. There is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The clamor of those who have disbelieved cannot frustrate Him, nor can the hosts of the heavens and earth prevent Him. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen give thee glad tidings, that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and be of the thankful ones.

That which hath befallen that honored one hath been for the sake of God’s Cause. Thy reward is with Him. However, in all matters wisdom must be observed, for the people are weak and have not attained maturity. In times of trials and tribulations it is observed that even most of the loved ones become shaken and disturbed. Therefore, in view of Our previous mercy and all-encompassing grace, We have commanded all to observe wisdom, and wherever mention of teaching hath been made, wisdom hath been mentioned before and after. Were the decisive Word to be fully revealed, the people would completely withdraw. In such case, none would give ear to the divine utterances which are the cause of guidance for humanity, nor would they seek nearness to the people of Baha to attain recognition of the Dawning-Place of God’s Cause. A number of ignorant ones have become leaders of the people and are counted among the learned, and these souls, in order to preserve their positions, strive with utmost effort to prevent the people, especially if they find a pretext. Soon shall they witness the loss of their own souls and shall become aware of what they have wrought in the days of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

Blessed art thou for having been enkindled with the fire of God and followed what thou hast recognized from the Book of thy Lord, the Commander, the All-Knowing. We have mentioned thee and do mention thee in truth from Our glorious and lofty station. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained the lights of knowledge and have turned toward God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

BH03176: In His Name, Who is exalted above all names!…

In His Name, Who is exalted above all names! He Who is mentioned makes mention of His Lord, when He appeared with His Name through which the heaven was rolled up, the sun was darkened, the moon was eclipsed, and the Balance was set up. We make mention of him who has turned towards God, and We remind him of what the Spirit casts upon Me of the verses of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

Say: We have weighed all things with a word from Our presence, and verily it is the Balance amidst all created things, and through it We have completed the reckoning of creation. Verily thy Lord is swift to reckon.

At every moment the Herald calls out, but none hear save those endowed with inner sight and hearing. O people of the earth! Hearken unto that whereunto the Lord of all beings calls you, and follow not every ignorant doubter. He has come for your salvation and to purify your souls from that which veils you from God, the Revealer of verses.

The eye was created for this Most Great Vision, and the ear for this Call which God has made the Kawthar of life for the people of Paradise and the Choice Sealed Wine for all created things. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who has granted this bounty which has encompassed all in the heavens and on earth.

Say: Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of recognizing the Dawning-Place of Names, your ears from hearkening to this Most Sweet Call, and your eyes from My Most Exalted Horizon. Cast away what knowledge ye possess and turn unto God, your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. By God! We have sent the Messengers for this Day and created creation for the recognition of this Station which God has made the Dayspring of lights.

Say: Today neither the world nor what it contains shall profit you. Leave it to its people and turn unto Him Who speaks with truth in this City wherein naught is heard from its precincts save the croaking of the raven. Say: The raven is he who turns away from the Truth and speaks according to his own desires. Thus have We detailed the matter in the Book.

Were We to mention what hath befallen Us in this Prison, it could not be exhausted by pens, scrolls and tablets. Be thou not saddened by anything. Place thy trust in God, then make mention of Him amongst the servants. We have found the fragrance of thy love and have sent down for thee that which shall cause the mountains to soar. Take hold of the Book with the power of God, then thank Him for this bounty which equals not anything created in existence.

BH03076: He is established upon the throne of utterance! We…

He is established upon the throne of utterance! We make mention of the servants through the Most Great Remembrance, whom God has made the source of remembrance for all worlds. He is the One Who summoned humanity unto God and guided them to the Straight Path. Those who have followed God’s commandments and His ways—these are the people of this Most Great Scene, to which the Lord of Destiny bears witness, though most people remain heedless. Through them have appeared the banners of divine assistance among all beings, and all things have spoken as spoke the Lote Tree of the Uttermost End in remembrance of this Clear Remembrance. Whosoever transgresses the bounds set by God has not aided Him and is among the distracted ones.

Follow, O My loved ones, My hallowed commandments which draw you nigh unto God, the True Sovereign, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Take hold of My counsels which We have counselled you in the Tablets and follow not the ways of the suspicious ones. Divine assistance has many degrees which We have detailed in truth, yet the people remain behind a clear veil. Adopt My characteristics and adorn yourselves with My shining commandments from God’s horizon—this is sincere counsel, were you to know.

We have kindled the fire in all regions through the Word that has caused the hearts of the righteous to soar. Blessed is he who is set ablaze by it in the days of its Revealer, and woe to those who turn away. Gather ye together in My remembrance and praise, then unite among yourselves—this is better for you. He is the All-Seeing, the Vigilant.

We have sent down verses to you and dispatched them before, that you might give thanks to your Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous. And We have sent down this Tablet as a grace from Our presence that your hearts may rejoice and your eyes be consoled thereby. He is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. Read ye the verses of God with joy and fragrance—they draw you to the Most Exalted Horizon and bring you near to the sublime station.

We make mention of the loved ones at all times that they may arise to serve the Cause and assist their Lord through the wisdom sent down in a preserved Tablet. Blessed are you for having attained unto the days of God and His knowledge. Ask Him to aid you in following His Cause that has encompassed all in the heavens and earth. Thus has the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in the Most Great Prison that you may rejoice in the bounty of your Ancient Lord. May glory rest upon you and upon those who have turned to God when He came with His exalted and mighty Kingdom.

BH03375: The Most Exalted Pen makes mention of His loved…

In the name of the peerless Lord

The Most Exalted Pen makes mention of His loved ones who dwell in Furugh, that all may be illumined and enlightened by the effulgences of the Sun of divine utterance, and may, with utmost love and unity, engage in the remembrance of God. The renewal of the world is a clear proof of its origination, and its very origination is a manifest evidence of its ultimate extinction.

That which is everlasting and eternal is a station which no soul hath truly comprehended, save whom God willeth. Today, that which is befitting and worthy for those who have turned to God is to adorn themselves with the ornament of divine commandments and to appear among the servants with goodly and pleasing character. This is the cause of the exaltation of God’s Cause. Blessed are they who attain! Strive ye, that in the days of God there may appear from you that which shall cause the preservation of souls and spirits.

Praise be to God! The ocean of utterance is manifest, the heaven of bounty is raised up, and the sun of grace is shining. Hold ye fast unto truth and become detached from all else. Associate with one another with the utmost love and kindness, and transgress not the counsel of the counselor who dwelleth in that land. By My life! This bounty sufficeth all, that the Dawning-Place of grace and the Dayspring of revelation in the Most Great Prison is occupied with your remembrance. Give thanks unto God for this and be ye of the thankful. We aid those who have turned to the Countenance, and make mention of them in the Tablet which none hath known save God, the Single One, the All-Informed.

Rejoice ye in My remembrance of you, then assist your Lord through goodly character and deeds. Thus doth command you the perspicuous Book that speaketh with truth between the heavens and the earth and summoneth all unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily, he from whom We behold that which We love in the Cause of God, We make mention of him with truth in this noble station. And upon you be glory, and upon those who have hearkened and turned unto God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH03336: We have enjoined wisdom upon all and forbidden…

In the name of the Beloved of all worlds

We have enjoined wisdom upon all and forbidden that which causeth souls to be perturbed. Therefore it is incumbent upon all to act in accordance with what the Intended One hath commanded. The verses have been sent down, the evidences are manifest, the proofs are resplendent, and the bounty is complete, and yet most people are observed to be heedless and veiled. This is naught but the result of negligence, vain imaginings and idle fancies.

Therefore it is obligatory and binding upon the loved ones of God who are adorned with the distinction of His grace to enkindle those who are cold with the fire of divine wisdom. After recognition of the Dawning-Place of Revelation, two things are necessary: first, steadfastness, and second, observance of the divine ordinances that have been sent down in the Book. Blessed are they that have attained! The manner and method of teaching have been revealed in the Tablets—all must act accordingly and be watchful. Today that which hath caused the perturbation and agitation of heedless souls hath been forbidden. This is of thy Lord’s grace, yet most people are unaware. Ye must arise to serve His Cause with the power and might of God, and with the utmost kindliness draw people from the wilderness of perplexity to the realm of knowledge and certitude.

And if means become available, emigrate to other lands for the sake of God’s Cause—this hath been and ever shall be praiseworthy, for in some countries there exist receptive souls, yet guides and teachers are lacking. He, verily, is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. Drink ye, now and forever, from the wine of His favors and share it with others, that perchance the people may awaken and turn unto the All-Informed, the One. Convey to all the loved ones the greetings from the Wronged One, and forbid them all from corruption, contention, reprehensible deeds and unacceptable conduct, that the fragrance of sanctity may be diffused from all. Praise be to God, all have attained unto the remembrance of God and are honored by His grace. Glory be upon thee and upon you all.

BH03466: In the name of the All-Knowing Lord! God willing…

In the name of the All-Knowing Lord! God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the remembrance of the Peerless Beloved, and through the assistance of the Most Great Name, bestow the choice wine of divine knowledge upon all peoples, that in this Day of Return none of the various peoples may remain deprived of the sweet-scented breezes of the revelation of the Lord of Lords, and that they may attain unto that which is the primary purpose of human creation.

O Ali! Be not grieved at what hath befallen thee. Verily, Our Most Truthful Name hath attained unto that which none hath attained except whom thy Lord hath willed. Thy Lord, of a truth, doth console thee as a token of His grace. Reflect upon this most exalted station and be of the thankful ones. This is what We had previously informed him of in Our Tablet which We sent unto him. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Praise be to God! Through God’s infinite bounty and by His leave and will, he turned towards the Most Holy Court and time after time and repeatedly partook of the Kawthar of meeting and the choice wine of reunion. We showed him Our most exalted horizon and caused him to hear Our most great verses. We bear witness that he presented himself before the Throne as befitteth him and returned, by Our leave, purified from whatsoever is repugnant to Our good-pleasure. Thus doth God single out whom He pleaseth through His grace. He, verily, is the Recompenser, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Wert thou to become aware of what We have ordained for him, thou wouldst soar with longing and cry out saying: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Upon him be My glory and the glory of all things. Blessed is the land that carried him. He is My trust therein. Soon shall We reveal from the Most Exalted Pen that which shall gladden the hearts of them that are endued with understanding and the souls of the sincere ones.

Since the Sun of Truth is shining today, you must fix your gaze upon it and arise to serve the Cause. Grief was and is not permissible. Console and comfort all on behalf of the Truth. Thus have I been commanded by the All-Knowing Ordainer. The glory of God be upon you from God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03879: The ocean of knowledge hath surged and the pool…

He is God, exalted be His station in bounty and beneficence

The ocean of knowledge hath surged and the pool of fancy hath subsided, inasmuch as the horizon of certitude hath been illumined by My Most Great Name. They that have turned unto God and held fast unto that which hath been sent down from Him—these are men of understanding. And they that have cast the laws of God behind their backs—these are a people who comprehend not. We testify that they have not heard the call of God nor found the sweetness of utterance, nay, they know not. The people are drowning in the sea of idle fancies save those who have held fast to the Most Great Cord and turned unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

If thou shouldst ask the atoms about the Source of verses, they would say: “He hath come with His holy, mighty and inaccessible kingdom!” Ask God to purify the ears that people may hearken unto the call of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and glorify Him whether seated or standing. Blessed is he who hath rent asunder the veils and burned away the shrouds that withheld him from God, the Lord of the seen and unseen.

Be thou steadfast in the service of thy Lord and trust in Him in all matters. By My life! Whoso pondereth upon former ages will not be saddened by the intimations of men; rather will he be attracted by the breezes of revelation and find himself detached from those who have denied God, the Fulfiller of covenants. The lamp proclaimeth and saith:

“Ye were created for light—how long will ye flee and remain unaware?”

This is My Most Great Day, wherein the Lord of destiny proclaimeth:

“The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of what was and what shall be!”

Arise in My name to serve My Cause, that perchance the people may awaken and turn unto the praiseworthy station.

Preserve thou the Tablet of God, then recite it—verily it shall guide thee to the ocean of joy. Thus have We adorned the Book with the outpourings of My Most Exalted Pen. This is of My grace unto thee, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

BH03866: The lights have shone forth and the mysteries have…

In His Name, the Ever-Abiding, the Everlasting, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

The lights have shone forth and the mysteries have appeared and the verses have been sent down, yet the people remain in evident veils. The hidden treasure hath been revealed and the concealed secret hath appeared, yet most of the people are among the heedless ones. They hear the call and behold Him Who summoneth them morn and eve, yet they draw not nigh, for they have followed every remote scholar.

He calleth them unto God while they hasten unto the idol. They are verily among the people of the coffin in the Tablet of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. They that lie in the graves have arisen at the call of the Lord of the Manifestation, yet they are among the dead. Say: If ye deny this Cause, by what proof do ye uphold that which ye possess? Be fair, and follow not every sinful transgressor. This is verily the Most Great Book. He Who is the Ancient of Days hath borne witness unto it in all the Tablets, were ye of them that know. Say: Verily He is the Dawning-Place of God’s verses and the Manifestation of His proof throughout all ages.

Through Him every tablet hath been adorned and every wise command hath been fulfilled. Through Him the Hour hath appeared and the moon hath been cleft asunder and the edifice of the Cause hath been established upon the throne of His Great Name. Blessed art thou for having discovered the fragrance of God and turned unto Him in His days. This is of His grace upon thee, if thou wouldst remember and not be of the heedless ones. He hath aided thee in a Cause whereby the mountain hath been crushed and the religions have been shaken, save those whom thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath willed. Remember thou Him Who is imprisoned in thy days and what hath befallen Him at the hands of the oppressors.

Lo, the Bird is in the talons of the enemies, and the Spirit is among the Jews, and the Beloved is in the midst of the deniers. Seize thou the days of God, then seize thou His grace. He is verily the Munificent, the Generous. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH06252: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…

In the Name of Him Who is the Manifest, the All-Knowing!

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One on a day when he who denied God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, rose up against Him. Verily, he who sucketh from the breast of the world hath turned away from God, the Lord of Names, and waged war in such wise as none can reckon save the True One, the Knower of things unseen. Say: The Governor of Akka hath pronounced judgment upon God, the Creator of the heavens.

We sustained him, then seized him suddenly. He, verily, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the All-Possessing over what was and what shall be. He was named Abdul-Rahman among the people of creation, yet verily he was the manifestation of Satan. To this beareth witness this Pen whereby the Preserved Tablet hath been adorned. In his final days he committed that which caused the Concourse on High to lament, and those who circle round the Throne to weep. Say: Thou canst not prevent God from exercising His sovereignty, even as those greater than thee were powerless to do so. He, verily, is the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Thou didst desire one thing, but We desired another.

The will and purpose of God prevailed, yet most of the people perceive not. We took several persons in this city—some We banished, some We afflicted with illness, and some We seized through Our power in such wise that none discovered the cause thereof. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He pleaseth through His word “Be” and it is. Thus have We recounted unto thee what befell Us on this day as a bounty from Our presence, that thou mayest be of them that render thanks. Turn not unto the world and its conditions. Remember in all circumstances this wronged Exile Who hath accepted tribulations in the path of God, the Lord of Names, and Who speaketh that which He hath been bidden by God, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

BH03993: In the Name of the Peerless Beloved! May you…

In the Name of the Peerless Beloved! May you ever be illumined with the lights of the morn of inner meanings and be vocal in the praise and glorification of God, in such wise that the choice wine of remembrance and utterance may attract all beings and draw them to the divine realm. Today is the day of service, and whatsoever appeareth therefrom shall endure as long as God’s most beauteous names endure.

Cultivate barren land—that is, heedless hearts—with the water of divine wisdom, that the ears of divine knowledge may spring forth therefrom. In this Most Great Revelation all are enjoined to wisdom, lest there appear that which would cause perturbation of hearts and aversion of souls. This hath been due to God’s all-embracing mercy, for verily His mercy hath preceded all things and His grace hath encompassed the worlds.

Some time ago Nabil, upon him be the Glory of God, attained the Most Holy Presence, and a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for each of you. Therefore, this time this Tablet sufficeth. Praise be to God, ye are mentioned in Our presence. God willing, through divine favor and the fragrance of His celestial Robe, ye shall quicken and perpetuate ephemeral beings. This is the king of deeds. Blessed is he who achieveth it!

In truth, regret and remorse belong to those souls who have not recognized the Day of God and from whom no deed hath appeared that would cause the perpetuation of being. Arise to accomplish God’s Cause and His sovereignty, then quicken the people through this choice wine, whose seal hath been broken by the finger of the Will of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Verily, the Glory be upon you and upon those who have turned with radiant faces toward the Supreme Horizon and whose hearts have been illumined by this Luminary through which the heavens and earth have been made to shine.

BH04181: The water of life is flowing and coursing…

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

The water of life is flowing and coursing from the Pen that sends down verses, and from its flowing those who seek the right hand of the All-Merciful hear this word: Whosoever desires to know the Truth in this Revelation must look upon it with His eye, not with the eye of created things, for He has been and shall ever be known by His own Self, and all else through Him.

O friends! Today is the day of supreme joy, for the Beloved of the world has appeared unveiled, the gate of His mercy stands open without a gatekeeper, and His countenance is manifest without a veil. Blessed is he who has turned unto Him, and woe betide him who has turned away and denied. The gems among souls today are those who have hearkened to the Divine Word and found its sweetness. These are the inheritors of the earthly kingdom and the Kingdom of Heaven. Soon shall the bounty of these souls encompass the world even as the rays of the sun. Give praise to the Ancient Lord that He has enabled thee to turn unto Him in days when most people, learned and ignorant alike, have risen in opposition.

God willing, mayest thou shine forth like a brilliant star from the horizon of the heaven of My Name, the All-Powerful, and remain steadfast with perfect constancy in the Cause of the Lord of all beings. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and aid thee in His remembrance, and to ordain for thee what He has ordained for His chosen ones. Verily He is the Protector of whosoever turns unto Him with an illumined heart. We have heard thy call and have answered thee with truth from this noble horizon. His knowledge encompasses the heavens and the earth. He hears and sees. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. When thou attainest, say: Praise be to Thee, O Thou Beloved of them that know Thee!

BH04225: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

In His Name that prevaileth over all names

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth and manifested clear proofs that perchance the people might abandon what they possess and turn their faces toward His countenance, shining from this manifest horizon. Say: The proof of God and His evidence have appeared, and that which was hidden in His mighty, impregnable and wondrous Book hath been revealed.

Among the people are those who saw the signs of God and turned away from them, and among them are those who heard the call and said “I love those who set”, and among them are those who cast the world behind them, turning to God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O people, be fair in your own selves and commit not what ye have been forbidden in the Scriptures and Tablets of God, and follow not every heedless doubter. Turn to the Most Great Ocean—verily it speaketh at the heart of creation: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” I created the heavens and earth for the knowledge of God and His Cause, yet most people are lost in vain imaginings.

They follow every cawer and pursue every deluded one—verily they are among the distracted. Say: O people, abandon what ye possess and turn to God—this is what shall profit you, if ye be of those who know. By God! The books of the world and scrolls of former times shall not suffice you today. O servant! Give thanks unto God for having taught thee what is mentioned in the Tablets and guided thee to a straight path. Hold fast to the cord of God, turning away from those who have denied the All-Merciful when He came with clear proof, and who rejected God’s power when it appeared with a sovereignty that encompassed all in the heavens and earth.

BH04162: In the Name of Him Who holdeth dominion over…

In the Name of Him Who holdeth dominion over all who are in the heavens and on earth! We give glad-tidings unto them who have rejoiced in the days of God and have taken delight in this most great joy whereby the nations were thrown into commotion, save those who cast away all else and turned unto God, the Lord of Names, Who speaketh amidst the concourse of creation:

“Verily, there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

The seas have been set ablaze by the fire of the word of the Chosen One, yet the people, having followed every ignorant idol, remain heedless thereof. They who are renowned for learning have debarred men from the Lord of the Return. These, verily, are among the most lost. They have clung to vain imaginings, turning away from the Self-Subsisting. These, verily, are recorded as the ignorant in a preserved tablet. He that hath turned unto the Most Sublime Horizon is reckoned among the learned in the sight of Him Who knoweth, while he that hath turned away is accounted among the ignorant.

Blessed art thou for having heard the call of Him Who is the Intended One and for having drunk the Choice Wine that was sealed, from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Munificent, the Generous. Arise to promote the Cause with wisdom, then give glad tidings unto the people of this Name through which the ocean of knowledge hath surged and the fragrances of the All-Merciful have wafted throughout all lands. Thus doth command thee He with Whom is the knowledge of all things in a perspicuous Book.

Let not the utterances of the divines grieve thee, nor let their idols keep thee back from what they possess. Say: O my God! Aid me in Thy remembrance and Thy praise and in serving Thy Cause in Thy kingdom. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me the breezes of Thy revelation and the fragrances of Thine inspiration. Thou art, verily, powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Convey My greetings unto thy son and unto the faces of those who have turned unto this momentous News.

BH04156: The Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Great

The Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Great

O Pen! Make mention of him who has turned to the Countenance and believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting, that he may be assured through his Lord’s grace and follow what he hath been commanded in His preserved Tablet. We have made mention of thee before, and before that before, and We make mention of thee in this Forbidden Tablet.

When thou dost inhale the fragrance of the All-Merciful from thy Lord’s utterance, turn thee to the spot wherein lieth interred the first to believe in God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved, and say: O thou who art the first breeze that wafted from the garment of Glory and the first fragrance that was diffused from the direction of God, the Lord of Names! Upon thee be salutations, O Dawning-Place of immortality and Source of Command unto all who are in creation! Through thee was raised the heaven of bounty, through thee appeared the countenance of the Adored One, through thee was adorned the praised station, through thee gushed forth the springs of utterance amidst all contingent beings, and through thee wafted the breezes of God unto the peoples of all worlds.

I testify that thou didst recognize the Intended One when He appeared in truth, and didst acknowledge the Hidden One, Whom none on earth could recognize save those whom thy Lord did will. Thou art the one through whom the Choice Wine was unsealed and the veil of fancy was rent asunder, until the Name of the Self-Subsisting appeared unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. I testify that thou didst fulfill God’s Covenant and His Testament, and wert so attracted by His verses that thou didst sacrifice thy spirit in His path. Blessed is the earth that hath been honored by thee, and the precincts that have been ennobled by thy presence, and the air that hath been mingled with thy breath.

I beseech God through thee and implore Him to aid me in serving His Cause and to ordain for me that which shall profit me in this world and the world to come. He, verily, is the Giving, the Bountiful, the Manifest, the Responsive.

BH04568: Thy unity is inscrutable, O my God, to all…

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

Thy unity is inscrutable, O my God, to all except them that have recognized Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy singleness and the Day-Spring of Thy oneness. Whoso assigneth a rival unto Him hath assigned a rival unto Thee, and whoso hath set up a peer for Him hath set up a peer for Thyself. No, no, none can withstand Thee in the whole of creation. Thou hast everlastingly been exalted far above all comparison and likeness. Thy oneness hath been demonstrated by the oneness of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation. Whosoever denieth this, hath denied Thy unity, and disputed with Thee about Thy sovereignty, and contended with Thee in Thy realm, and repudiated Thy commandments.

Assist Thou Thy servants, O my Lord, to recognize Thy unity and to declare Thy oneness, that all may gather together around what Thou didst desire in this Day whereon the sun of Thine essence hath shone forth above the horizon of Thy will, and the moon of Thine own being hath risen from the Day-Spring of Thy behest. Thou art He, O my Lord, from Whose knowledge nothing whatsoever escapeth, and Whom no one can frustrate. Thou doest Thy pleasure, by Thy sovereignty that overshadoweth the worlds.

Thou well knowest, O my God, my Best-Beloved, that naught can quench the thirst I suffer in my separation from Thee except the waters of Thy presence, and that the tumult of my heart can never be stilled save through the living fountain of my reunion with Thee. Send down, then, upon me, O my Lord, out of the heaven of Thy bounty what will draw me nearer unto the chalice of Thy gifts, and make me able to quaff the choice sealed Wine, whose seal hath been loosed in Thy name, and from Which the sweet savors of Thy days have been shed abroad. Thou, in truth, art the All-Bountiful, Whose grace is infinite.

The whole universe testifieth to Thy generosity. Have mercy, then, upon me by Thy graciousness, and deal bountifully with me through the power of Thy sovereignty, and suffer me to enjoy near access to Thee by Thy manifold favors. Thou, truly, art the Great Giver, the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.

BH04362: In the Name of the One True God!…

In the Name of the One True God! The effulgences of the Sun of the horizon of Revelation have appeared and become manifest in the form of these words: We have enjoined wisdom upon all the loved ones, that all may partake of and receive their portion from the wine of the will of the King of Oneness. In this Most Great Revelation, the heaven of wisdom hath been raised up and adorned and illumined with the stars of utterance and expression. Therefore all must act according to that which God hath ordained, and from no one must any deed appear that would cause corruption. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Ere long the fire of the Divine Word shall ignite all. For no one hath there been nor shall there be any escape. Well is it with that soul who in this Most Great Day hath attained unto the good-pleasure of God and from whom hath appeared that which would cause the reformation of the world. By My life! All that is visible shall soon be rendered non-existent and perish, while that which appeareth for the love of God hath been and shall forever remain.

Most of the people are weak, while the True One, glorified and exalted be He, is powerful and mighty. However, He hath loved and gazed upon His Name the Most Merciful. Therefore hath He commanded all with wisdom and kindness and compassion. Otherwise, with but a single word would He have seized them all. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Give thanks unto God for His having turned unto thee the Face from the direction of the Prison, and for His remembering thee with this wondrous remembrance. By the life of God! Nothing can equal His remembrance, and it shall profit thee in this world and in the world to come. There is none other God but Him, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

BH04490: That which was treasured from all eternity hath been…

He is the Hidden, the Manifest

That which was treasured from all eternity hath been revealed, and that which was concealed in the Tablets of God, the Lord of all that was and shall be, hath appeared. The breezes of revelation have wafted and the winds of the All-Merciful have blown, yet most of the people perceive it not. The gate of reunion hath been opened before all who are in the heavens and on earth, yet the people have turned away from it.

The ocean of attainment hath surged before the faces of all who are in creation, but none hath gained it save whom thy Lord, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, hath willed. Say: O people! This indeed is the Foundation intended in the Books of God, and this verily is the Basis beloved in the Tablets of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Praised. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves through the disputations of the contentious from the ocean of reunion. Draw nigh unto Him and follow not those who have denied the All-Merciful when He came with manifest sovereignty. That which ye possess of idle fancies and vain imaginings will profit you not this Day. Say: O people! Answer Him Who calleth you for the sake of God—this is better for you, did ye but know.

We have perceived from thee the fragrance of faith and have sent down for thee this Hidden Tablet. Verily it maketh mention of him who hath turned towards Him and aideth him who hath desired to assist His Cause. All are within the grasp of His sovereignty that encompasseth all who are in existence. Make mention of thy Lord amongst the servants, that they may turn to a station wherein the atoms proclaim that there is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. The glory be upon thee and upon those whom the sayings of men have not withheld from the goal and who have attained unto the Most Great Remembrance at eventide and at dawn.

BH04787: The verses have been sent down from this heaven…

In His Name, the Eternal, the Everlasting

The verses have been sent down from this heaven which hath encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven, and the clear tokens have appeared from this Station which hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. All creation hath been shaken when the Hour came, and the decree hath been fulfilled from before God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved.

We behold the sincere ones in the Most Glorious Paradise, and the idolaters in the lowest depths. Verily thy Lord ordaineth as He pleaseth. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The world hath been illumined with the lights of the Ancient of Days, and all things cry out: Hasten, O ye concourse of the seen and the unseen! This is a Day that shall not be followed by night, this is a Light that shall not be succeeded by darkness, this is a Certainty that shall not be assailed by doubt. Blessed the one who hath attained through his turning, and blessed the wealthy one whom riches have not withheld from God, the Lord of all that was and shall be.

He who hath attained on this Day is, before God, his Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, among the companions of the Crimson Ark, and he who hath been prevented is among the most remote of creatures in a hidden Tablet. We have found thee turning unto Him Who is the Object of all existence, and have revealed for thee this Tablet and sent it unto thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Hold thou fast unto the cord of steadfastness and cleave unto this outstretched Path. Beware lest the might of the wicked frighten thee or the hints of every rejected ascetic disturb thee. Soar in the atmosphere of detachment by thy Lord’s leave, the Lord of Names. This is what shall profit thee in this world and the next. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

BH04628: This is the Day wherein the Call…

In the Name of the All-Knowing Bestower

This is the Day wherein the Call of the Lord of creation is raised directly from the realm of divine unity, and the hearing and sight of all beings have been created for this Day—hearing for hearkening unto this Call, and sight for beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. Know thou the value of this Day and arise to that which is worthy and befitting. Should anyone miss aught in this Day,

he shall never be able to make up for it in other days, nor shall he ever have the power to do so. Such is the bounty of God that He converses with His loved ones without any veil. Make thy breast as Sinai, that the effulgences of the light of the manifestations of the Lord of Names may become evident. This is that same Call which the Interlocutor heard from the Tree, and mention of which thou hast seen and heard in the Books. And now thou hearkenest unto it directly from the divine Tree. Ponder, that thou mayest discover the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and attain unto thy goal. All things today are in rapture and yearning at the Word of the Lord of Names, and are stirred by the fragrance of the Breath of God, while the people wander distracted in the wilderness of ignorance and heedlessness. Blessed is the soul that hath attained on this Most Great Day and held fast unto the grace of its Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Ask thou God to assist thee in His remembrance and praise, and to manifest from thee that which shall cause thy mention to endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful.

BH04782: The springtime of the All-Merciful hath appeared…

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

The springtime of the All-Merciful hath appeared and by it the trees have been made verdant. Glorified be God Who hath manifested it in truth! Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless. Turn ye, O people, unto the mercy of God and His grace, and tarry not in this Most Great Cause. This is God’s Cause, from times past and for times to come. Fear ye God and be not of them that slumber.

We have manifested the Cause and blown the Trumpet, whereupon all who are in the heavens and on earth swooned away, save them whom We upheld with a power from Our presence and preserved through a command from Our side, and I am the All-Powerful, the Almighty. O people of Baha! Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have drunk the choice wine of praise when God came with a manifest sovereignty. That which no one can reckon save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath been ordained for you. Be not disturbed by the people and their clamor. Be at peace through this bounty which hath encompassed the worlds. Hasten with your hearts unto the shelter of the Beloved. He will verily protect you in truth—He is indeed the One with power over all who are in the heavens and earth.

Thus doth the Most Great Ocean overflow, and the rains of grace pour down, and the Sun of bounty shine forth from this luminous horizon. Turn ye with radiant faces unto My most exalted horizon. By God! Whosoever turneth unto it, the Concourse on High will assuredly pray for him. This indeed is a mighty favor. When thou hast drunk the choice wine of understanding from the cup of thy Lord’s bestowal, turn thou toward the Prison and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who didst remember me when I was in the prison of the oppressors.

BH04721: A mention from Us unto him who hath hearkened…

He is the All-Knowing Teacher!

A mention from Us unto him who hath hearkened unto the call of his Lord, the Most Glorious, and turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon when most of mankind turned away, that the remembrance of the Beloved may so attract him that hearts may be drawn thereby. We have remembered thee before, and remember thee in this Tablet which proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thy letter hath come before the Face, and the Servant present before the Throne hath recited what thou didst compose in remembrance of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Blessed be thy verse and prose—from both We have inhaled the fragrance of thy love for thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. He shall verily reward thee with truth. He hath ordained for thee that which is beyond compare with aught created on earth. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Where are they who turned away from God, who warred against His sovereignty, who disputed His signs and denied His proof? We seized them unawares. Verily thy Lord is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

We shall soon seize those who have oppressed today and who have risen in opposition—a promise from Us, for We have power over what We say. Neither their souls, nor their wealth, nor their traces shall remain on earth. But there shall endure for thee and for those who have stood fast that which shall not perish so long as the Kingdom and the realm above endure. Convey My greetings unto those servants who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Blessed be thy tongue for having uttered My praise, and thy face for having turned toward My horizon, and thine ear for having heard My call raised from this praiseworthy station.

BH05039: He is the Most Holy, sanctified from what hath…

He is the Most Holy, sanctified from what hath been and what shall be! A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned unto God when he came with a Book wherein were set forth the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Say: This, verily, is the Mother Book which lay concealed within the tabernacle of God’s protection; then did it appear in the world and speak amongst the peoples that there is no God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

the ungodly desired to bar the Most Great Gate, and the deniers sought to extinguish the lights of eternity. They failed in what they desired. Verily We have manifested the Cause as We wished. Thy Lord, verily, is He Who dominateth whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be,” and it is!

We have counselled all in what shall profit them in the hereafter and in this world. Blessed are they who act! We have sent down the Most Holy Book from whose horizon hath shone forth the sun of thy Lord’s commandments, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Blessed is he who hath held fast, and woe unto every heedless one deprived!

Say: Act ye according to what ye have been commanded with wisdom, lest the clamor of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved, be raised. Hold fast to the cord of wisdom among all people, lest there appear that which would cause hearts to be troubled.

Say: Remember ye the All-Merciful with joy and radiance, that thereby may be awakened the hearts of all who hesitate and are veiled. Thus have the rains of utterance poured down as a grace from Us upon thee, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Verily, the glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away idle fancy and taken what hath been sent down from the heaven of the tender mercy of their Lord, the All-Loving.

BH04982: O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of the Single…

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Encompassing Over All Names!

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of the Single, the One, from this lofty Summit. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. The world hath been set ablaze by the Most Great Name, yet the people have turned away from it, having followed every idolatrous infidel. Wilt thou remain silent while the Tongue of Grandeur in the Most Great Prison calleth out with the most exalted call and summoneth all created things unto God, the Lord of Names? Blessed is he who hath heard, and woe unto him who hath turned away from God, the Lord of Lords.

Behold the world and its conditions. By My life! All that is therein shall perish, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Lord of all men. Where are they who oppressed, and where are they who were heedless, and where are they who abandoned the commandments of God and His ways? Thus doth the Supreme Pen make mention of thee, that thou mayest remind those who slumber upon their couches. Be thou mindful amongst the people through the wisdom We have sent down in the Books and Tablets. Know thou the value of these days, then seize upon the grace of God and His mercy that hath encompassed all possibility. Beware lest the people prevent thee from the remembrance of Truth. Make mention of the servants with such remembrance as will attract the hearts of those in all lands. The Prisoner desireth naught for Himself. He summoneth all unto the Most Sublime Horizon, after God hath made Him independent of all that is with the servants. Verily, the glory be upon thee and upon those who have arisen to serve their Lord, the Almighty, the Compelling.

BH04962: He is the Most Holy, the Most Great! Rejoice…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great! Rejoice, O My loved ones, that the Most Exalted Pen remembers you, despite those who have denied God, the Lord of all beings. Then drink, at all times, from the living waters from the hands of the bounty of your Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous.

Be united in the Cause of God, then act according to what you have been commanded in the Book, and be not of the heedless. Verily My commandments are the lamps of My loving-kindness amidst My creation and the sweet-scented savors of My raiment in My kingdom. Blessed is he who attaineth unto them, and woe betide those who turn away.

Reflect upon God’s grace and mercy—He remembereth you while being wrongfully imprisoned amidst the deniers. He remembereth those who have turned towards Him and giveth glad-tidings to those who have drawn nigh of what God, the Mighty, the Great, hath ordained for them. Beware lest there appear from you that which would distress hearts. Hold fast unto what is seemly and put your trust in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Give thanks unto God for having aided you to recognize the Dayspring of His signs and the Dawning-Place of His clear tokens, Who speaketh amongst mankind and calleth all to God, the Lord of the worlds. It behooveth you to manifest the most great steadfastness—verily it will protect you from the hints of those who have denied God and are among the lost.

The glory be upon you, O My loved ones! You are they who have attained unto that which most of the servants have not attained, as your Lord, the All-Seeing, doth testify. Drink from the chalice of joy and gladness in this Revelation whereby that which was hidden hath been revealed and that which was recorded in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath come to pass.

BH05502: The Hidden Book hath been sent down…

In the Name of Him Who pulsateth in the heart of the contingent world

The Hidden Book hath been sent down from the heaven of the Revelation of your Lord, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Read ye what is easily accessible thereof, then follow what the Spirit casteth of the verses of His Lord, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Ever-Present. Beware lest the intimations of those who cling to vain imaginings sadden you. Rend ye asunder the veils through My Name, the Help in Peril over those in the invisible and visible realms.

We have sent down in every matter clear verses. Blessed is he who hath heard and turned unto God, the Mighty, the Beloved. The ocean of utterance hath surged in the days of God, the Path hath been laid, and this Hidden Tablet hath been sent down. Verily thou, O thou who hast turned to the Countenance, hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the direction of His Most Great Prison, this Forbidden Station, that the call may attract thee to a station that shall never be followed by extinction, nor be overtaken by the doubts of those who have denied God, the Mighty, the Loving. Blessed art thou for having drunk from the Kawthar of divine knowledge and turned unto God, the Lord of the visible and invisible. This, verily, is a manifest bounty. Hold fast to the Most Great Cord in the days of thy Lord, the Master of antiquity, then turn with thy heart to the Lord of all nations and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me when I was in the land of exile. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

BH05454: In My Name, the All-Sufficing

In My Name, the All-Sufficing

We have sent down the Book in the form of man, and verily this is the Great Book. We have manifested Our Hidden Name and sent it forth with truth, and verily this is the Clear Temple. We have manifested the Most Great Ocean with the waves of remembrance and utterance, and verily this is the Faithful Speaker. We have sent down the verses and made manifest the evidences in such wise as to encompass the heavens and the earth.

Say: O people, fear God and deny not that which hath appeared through grace. Turn unto Him with radiant faces, and be not of them that hesitate. Beware lest ye turn God’s bounty into vengeance against yourselves, and His light into fire. Fear God and be of the penitent.

Turn ye unto the Supreme Horizon, then follow that which hath come unto you from an ancient Revealer. Walk ye by this Lamp in the darkness of land and sea—verily it will guide you to the straight path. Those who call you unto vain imaginings will not profit you this day—leave them to themselves, and turn ye unto the One, the All-Informed.

Grieve thou not over anything, but be confident in the grace of thy Lord. He is with His servants who turn unto Him. No matter can frustrate Him, nor can anything veil Him. By His sovereignty He doeth what He willeth. He is, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Luminous Kawthar.

BH05344: He is the One speaking in the Kingdom…

He is the One speaking in the Kingdom of Utterance! Blessed is He Who remembereth the creation as He pleaseth. Verily he who hath attained unto His remembrance and remained steadfast in His Cause hath attained unto the ultimate goal. To this beareth witness the Lord of all beings in this perspicuous Tablet. Those who are heedless—these have not profited and have lost in this world and the next. Soon shall they behold their abode in the fire. Thus hath the matter been decreed from the presence of One mighty and powerful.

O My loved ones! Hold fast to the cord of My commandments. They shall profit you in all the worlds and preserve you from the signs of the heedless. Through them were the standards raised and the banners planted upon every lofty and impregnable mountain. Soon shall all that is visible perish; then shall the sincere ones behold what hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Grieve not at anything. Put thy trust in God, thy Lord. Verily He sendeth down upon those who have believed that which hath been ordained for them from the heaven of His grace, the One Who overshadoweth all things great and small. When thou hearest the cooing of the Dove and knowest that which the Divine Lote-Tree hath uttered, make mention of thy Lord amidst the concourse of creation, that they may haply turn toward this luminous horizon. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee. Nothing that hath been created in the heavens or on earth can equal it. Glory be unto those who have inhaled the fragrance of the Divine Vestment and drawn nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, detached from every ungodly and remote one.

BH05447: We have taken the mystic wine from the hand…

In His Name, the Eternal, the Everlasting

We have taken the mystic wine from the hand of power, which had been sealed from all eternity. When We broke its seal, the fragrance of the Beloved was diffused between earth and heaven. Whoso turneth unto it and drinketh therefrom shall never perish, by the perpetuity of God, the Sovereign of all being, and shall be counted as the most wealthy of people, though he be devoid of all earthly possessions.

Thus hath it been decreed by the Sovereign of all pens. They that have turned away from it, clinging to idle fancies and vain imaginings, are indeed among the lost. Say: The veils of idle fancy have been rent asunder by the finger of God, the Lord of all mankind. O people! Let not the bounty of God pass you by. Turn ye unto it and partake freely thereof. Thus have ye been commanded in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Nothing today can satisfy you, nor can any matter enrich you, even were all the treasures of earth to be amassed before you. Thus hath the decree gone forth from God, the Lord of all men. Take heed lest the allusions of men withhold thee. Arise from the horizon of certitude in the name of thy Lord, the Lord of all religions. Then make mention of such servants as have turned to the Countenance when the proof came and the evidence appeared. Say: Blessed are ye for having turned to the Dayspring of Revelation when most of the servants had turned away. Be ye steadfast in the love of God and His Cause—this is among the greatest of deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.