Volume 055: Akka 1293 A.H. (1876), Part II (1 of 3)

BH00217: He is the Most Holy, the Most Great…

Section 1: “He is the Most Holy, the Most Great…”

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Glorious!

Praise be to God Who hath manifested that which was hidden and revealed that which was treasured up, through which the mysteries of what hath been and what shall be were made clear. He, verily, is the One of Whom the Point of the Bayan gave glad tidings in what the All-Merciful revealed unto Him. He spoke, and His Word is the truth:

“I have written an essence in His remembrance, which is that He cannot be indicated by My indication, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan. Yea, by His glory, that Word is, in the sight of God, greater than the worship of all that is on earth, inasmuch as the essence of all worship leadeth unto that. Therefore, as thou hast known God, know Him Who God shall make manifest, for He is more glorious and more exalted than to be known through any save Him or to be referred to by the indication of His creatures. I am, verily, the first servant who hath believed in Him and in His verses, and I have taken from the virgin gardens of the paradise of His knowledge the gardens of His words. Yea, by His glory, He is the Truth, there is none other God but Him; all are upheld by His command.”

I testify that He, exalted and mighty be He, hath spoken the truth and informed all of Him Who hath ever been sanctified beyond mention and utterance, and exalted above the comprehension of all who dwell within the realm of contingent being. Yea, by His grandeur, every beauteous praise is ashamed to be attributed to Him, and every exalted name blusheth to draw nigh unto the court of His glory. Blessed is he who hath pondered His verses and hath taken from the gardens of His utterance the virgin fruits of His knowledge. He verily witnesseth to that whereunto God hath testified in His Book, and ascendeth unto a station which neither the books of the world nor the intimations of the nations can obscure. He speaketh that which the Spirit hath spoken: There is no God but He, the Dominant, the Self-Subsisting.

Glorified be He Who hath manifested through His sovereignty that which He promised us in His Book. He spoke, and His Word is the truth: “The Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s.” Minds are perplexed concerning those who have doubted the Day of God and that which hath appeared therein. Yea, by His glory, He hath forewarned of them, speaking the truth: “Are they not in doubt as to the meeting with their Lord? Lo! He encompasseth all things!”

Glorified be He! The Most Exalted Pen hath not moved to make mention of the Most Mighty, Most Holy, Most Glorious Manifestation save to refer to Divinity, Lordship and the like. And although the Point of the Bayan, exalted and mighty be He, hath spoken as mentioned before—namely, that “He cannot be indicated by My indication, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan”—yet the transgressors have sought to adduce proof thereby concerning God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall be. Perdition and misery be upon them! They have turned aside and objected to God, and have denied the Day which they were promised in His perspicuous Book—the Day whereon mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds. We testify that they are in evident smoke, and their hearts have been enveloped by the clouds of idle fancy inasmuch as they have turned away from God, the True King, the Certain.

This is a Day wherein none should be mentioned save God, and the covenant of this Day was taken from the Prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs and the righteous in the Qur’an and in the holy Books of old. Yet most people understand not, nor do they perceive. Blessed is he who is adorned this Day with the lights of certitude, turning away from those who are in doubt concerning this blessed, mighty, and inevitable Day.

This is a petition from this servant, known as ʿAbdu’l-Hadir before the Throne, to those who drink from the choice wine of inner meanings in the Days of God, that all may, through God’s might and power, enter the impregnable fortress of steadfastness and certitude, remain protected from the arrows of the people of conjecture, doubt and fancy, and with the utmost love and unity engage in teaching the Cause of God. It is written in Persian that all may understand the purpose of this evanescent servant.

In all the holy Books mention is made of the Day of God and the appearance of Truth, as some of which has been cited. Should anyone reflect upon what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an, he would become aware of the greatness of this blessed Day. Among the verses revealed from the heaven of Will concerning the meeting with God, He says, glorified and exalted be He:

“It is God Who hath raised the heavens without pillars thou canst behold; then mounted His throne, and imposed laws on the sun and moon: each travels to its appointed goal. He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs clear, that ye may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.”

Despite this decisive blessed verse and other verses, most people remain veiled and are seen wandering in the wilderness of doubt and uncertainty. Some of the veiled ones among the Babis have objected as to why the Ancient Beauty—may the spirit of all in the kingdom of Command and Creation be sacrificed for Him—has claimed Divinity. The baseness of these people has reached such a point that the pen is ashamed to mention what they have said.

In the Book of Isaiah it states that the everlasting God shall come. In the Qur’an it states: “Whose is the Kingdom this Day? God’s, the One, the All-Compelling!” And likewise: “And thy Lord shall come with angels rank on rank.” And the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—states: “Verily He speaks in all things: ʿThere is no God but Me, the Dominant, the Self-Subsisting.”’ Yet these deluded souls have not attained unto a drop from the ocean of utterance and speak that which no ignorant one has ever spoken.

This servant is bewildered and amazed at how they have interpreted and understood the utterances of the Exalted One, for in some passages He speaks “Verily I am God, there is no God but Me.” This much is submitted to these gentlemen: that the veiled ones of the Bayan have regressed to the first step, nay lower than that, for the people of the Qur’an accept and believe in the cry “Verily I am God” that was manifested from the Sinaitic Tree. Yet these ignorant people have denied and rejected this blessed word from the Truth Himself. Woe unto them, then woe unto them! Nay, the essence of woe itself seeks refuge in God from their woe and from their ignorance and hatred.

Today the people of God are souls who have consumed doubt and uncertainty with the fire of certitude and are assured of the Day of God and His meeting. Blessed are they, then blessed are they! By God the Truth, Paradise itself yearns to meet them and circles round them. The Tongue of God has foretold of these doubtful heedless souls, saying:

“What! Are they in doubt as to the meeting with their Lord?”

Should one possessed of an illumined heart reflect upon these exalted verses revealed from the heaven of Divine Will, he would become aware of the loftiness of this blessed Day and the baseness of the heedless and wayward souls, and would thank God, glorified be His majesty, with both outer and inner tongue for having enabled him to attain this most exalted station, which is the station of certitude in the meeting with God.

Today the veiled ones among the people of the Bayan are seen to be more heedless than all other peoples. That Countenance of the Divine Purpose, of Whom the Point of the Bayan said “He cannot be indicated by any indication, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan”—Him they measure against their own fancies, understanding and knowledge. Their own realities curse them, yet they hear not, and all things dissociate themselves from them, yet they perceive not. To that most glorious, most exalted, most impregnable, most holy station—before Whose sacred threshold certitude itself is abashed to be mentioned—what attributions they have made and what differences they have created!

Hearken unto what the Dove of the All-Merciful warbled upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of the Bayan. His word, exalted and mighty is He:

“By Him Who is single in majesty and grandeur, Who brought forth all things from nothing after His own pattern—certitude itself is abashed to be certain of Him or to prostrate before Him, and evidence is abashed to point to Him [or to any other]. Dost thou think thou canst know Him, or prove His existence through aught else than Him? Know then with the most decisive certainty and the most conclusive, determined command that He, exalted be His glory, mighty be His might, hallowed be His holiness, magnified be His grandeur, and glorified be His attributes, maketh all things to know Him through His own Self. Who then can know Him through aught else?”

And likewise they all gave glad-tidings of this most wondrous, most impregnable, most holy, most exalted Revelation, saying—His word, exalted be His glory:

“He is the One through Whom, when the Tongue of His eternal holiness speaketh, He createth in a word whatsoever He willeth of prophet, saint, truthful one or pure one. For all that hath been created are signs from His presence and ambassadors from His court. All have declared that there is no God but God and have awaited the One Who would remind you of God’s presence. For ye were not created save to attain His presence. He is the One Who createth all things by His command. Beware, beware on the day of His manifestation lest thou be veiled by the Unity of the Bayan, for that Unity was created by Him. Beware, beware lest thou be veiled by the words revealed in the Bayan, for they are His own words in the temple of His previous Manifestation. He is the Sun of Truth, the Point of Oneness, the Countenance of Lordship, the Essence of Divinity, and the Being of Eternity. Were He to take His seat upon the dust, the very atoms of dust would proclaim ʿThis is the throne whereon the All-Merciful is seated!’ If clay should thus glory in being the place of His throne, how then should the possessors of thought glory in God, the One, the Subduer, and seek tidings of God, the One, the Manifester?”

O ye possessors of illumined hearts! Consider and reflect upon these wondrous and exalted words. He saith that with but a single word from His utterance He createth whatsoever He willeth, whether Prophets, Saints, and the like. He declareth that all have borne and do bear witness to His Divinity, and explicitly affirmeth that all were created for His meeting. Then He warneth lest any soul should be debarred or veiled from the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery by reason of a single point of the Bayan or aught that hath been revealed therein. And He hath expounded this theme to such an extent as to declare that should that Countenance of the Desired One take His seat upon the dust, the very atoms thereof would testify that this is the Throne whereon the All-Merciful hath been established. Yet despite this, the worms of the earth have hesitated concerning the mention of His Lordship and the like, and have clung to their own vain imaginings regarding certain passages of the Bayan, turning away from the Truth, though they have not understood even a single letter thereof, even as the followers of the Qur’an remained deprived of its meanings.

Section 2: “And if any soul this day be not…”

And if any soul this day be not assured of this exalted Truth and His meeting, he is deprived of the Kawthar of certitude and is recorded among the doubtful in God’s Book. I beseech Him—exalted be His glory, His sovereignty, the splendor of His manifestation and His grandeur—not to withhold His friends from the lofty station of certitude. Verily He hath power over all things. I hope, God willing, that His divine favors may encompass all. How excellent is that which hath been said:

Though we have spoken much, yet without The grace of God we are as naught. Without the grace of God and His chosen ones, The angel’s page is black, though pure his tongue.

That which is incumbent and obligatory upon all this day is fellowship and unity, for discord hath ever been and shall continue to be the cause of the dissipation of God’s Cause, even as hath been revealed in most of the Tablets from the Supreme Pen. Blessed is he who hath found the sweetness of God’s utterance and is numbered among the doers.

With utter nothingness, powerlessness and supplication, I entreat all to conduct themselves with one another in perfect love and harmony. Let them not seek to initiate any matter or utter any word that might cause discord. Had certain souls not become the cause of discord heretofore, most of the heedless ones would have turned to the horizon of the Cause. All must fix their gaze upon that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, and should they fail to comprehend any of the divine verses or differ in their interpretation, they must inquire of the Source of the Cause. Verily He knoweth what He hath revealed in truth, but the people know not. For instance, when someone asked about the blessed Surih of the Temple and other revealed Surihs containing certain addresses, what was their object, He said:

“Verily the Addresser and the one addressed are one and the same, and it is My Self, the One Who dominateth the worlds.”

After this clear, brilliant and manifest statement, it behooveth no one to interpret, expound, or speak contrary to that which God, the Lord of the worlds, hath decreed.

God willing, all must give utterance to that which is the Will of God, and strive with the utmost endeavor in matters that lead to the exaltation of His Cause. People are observed to be heedless and asleep. Those who have drunk of the choice wine of inner meanings must awaken these souls through the divine fragrances. I hope that this word will be accepted by all and that they will act upon it. Whenever the odor of discord is perceived, such grief encompasses this servant that pen and utterance fail to describe it. We beseech God to aid all to do what He loves and is pleased with. The world has never had, nor has it now, any worth, and no one is free from its afflictions and trials except those souls who are occupied with the service of God’s Cause. If outwardly any tribulation befalls them, it is the essence of mercy, for it comes upon them in the path of God—this is a station which all those near to God and sincere ones have sought and continue to seek. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, for aid to walk in the path of His good-pleasure and to be detached from all else save Him.

Rejoice, O loved ones of God and His chosen ones! By God, He has ordained for you what He has not ordained for any others. Read what hath been sent down in the Book that ye may be among those who are informed. Soon shall appear what He has promised you in His perspicuous Book. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of sanctification that all the wondrous and sublime favors which He has promised to His loved ones shall be made manifest, even as ye have all witnessed how everything that was revealed by the Divine Pen concerning the transgressors and oppressors has come to pass. Some of these this servant shall mention here, that ye may be convinced that He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen, and that He is indeed the Powerful One Whom the Pharaohs could not prevent from accomplishing what He purposed. He doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

Among these is what was revealed in the Surih of Fu’ad at the beginning of imprisonment. His words, exalted be His glory:

“Soon will We dismiss the one who was like him and will lay hold on their prince who ruleth the land, and I am the Mighty, the Compelling.”

What was revealed in this blessed verse came to pass, as most have heard that after the one like him was seized, God, the Mighty, the Powerful, seized the prince. And He seized this prince in such a manner that all souls were astonished. God, the Most High, the Most Great, spoke the truth.

In the blessed Surih of Ra’is, in which He addresses him by the name of Ra’is, He saith—exalted be His glory: “O Ra’is! Thou hast committed that which hath caused Muhammad, the Apostle of God, to lament in the Most Sublime Paradise, and the world hath made thee so heedless that thou hast turned away from the Face through Whose brightness the Concourse on High hath been illumined. Soon shalt thou find thyself in manifest loss.” Until His words—glorified and exalted be He: “Thinkest thou that thou hast the power to quench the fire which God hath kindled in the horizons? Nay, by His own Self, the True One! Wert thou of them that comprehend. Rather, by what thou hast done its flame and heat have been increased.

Soon will it encompass the earth and all that dwell therein. Thus hath the decree been issued, and none from all who are in the heavens and earth can withstand it. Soon will the Land of Mystery and what is beside it be changed, and what had been in the grasp of the King will pass out of his hands, and upheavals shall appear, and lamentation will arise, and corruption will become manifest in the lands, and affairs will be disrupted by reason of that which hath befallen these captives at the hands of the hosts of oppression. The dominion will be altered, and so severe will conditions become that the very sands on the desolate hills will moan, and the trees on the mountain will weep, and blood will flow from all things, and thou shalt behold the people in sore disturbance.”

And likewise in the Most Holy Book He saith—exalted be His grandeur: “O Spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas! The throne of tyranny hath, verily, been established upon thee, and the flame of hatred hath been kindled within thee, in such wise that the Concourse on high and they who circle around the Exalted Throne have wailed and lamented. We behold in thee the foolish ruling over the wise, and darkness vaunting itself against the light. Thou art indeed filled with manifest pride. Hath thy outward splendour made thee vainglorious? By Him Who is the Lord of mankind! It shall soon perish, and thy daughters and thy widows and all the kindreds that dwell within thee shall lament.” The meaning of the “Spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas” is Constantinople, which is situated between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Blessed is he who pondereth the verses of God and is of them that are assured.

Should this evanescent servant desire to mention the mysteries of what was and what is to come, which have been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will, verily these pages would not suffice. Many books and volumes would need to be written. The purpose is that the loved ones of God should not fix their gaze upon the varying conditions of these numbered days, but rather should be focused on and assured of what the Lord, exalted be His glory, hath ordained for them in His infinite worlds. And with the utmost joy and eagerness they should arise to serve His Cause. God willing, it is hoped that through the endeavors of His chosen ones, the banner of differences in all cities will be furled, and the banner of love and unity will be unfurled.

In brief, know ye your worth and waste not your time. The Lord of Days is manifest, and any deed performed therein for God’s sake shall be the lord of deeds. Blessed is he who hath made his desire to be extinguished in God’s desire, and who hath acted according to what was commanded in His mighty and wise Book.

And after Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli-i-Dahji arrived and all the petitions of the friends which they had submitted to the Most Holy Court were received and presented before the Throne, from the Dawning-Place of Divine bounty expressions of favor were manifested towards all. Blessed is he whose letter attained the presence of the Most Great Vision and whose mention was made before God, the Mighty, the Wise. However, due to God’s consummate wisdom, no response to the petitions was outwardly sent. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The essential purpose is the mention of assured, devoted, content and well-pleasing souls that occurs at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God that the authors of the petitions have attained to this most impregnable, most holy, most exalted, most glorious station.

They must with utmost joy and gladness occupy themselves with the praise and glorification of the Beloved of the world and the Goal of all nations. God willing, appropriate expressions of favor have been and will be shown to each one. Soon will God exalt those who have believed and make them mighty in the earth, and He will abase those who were proud. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful, and His Cause is the Truth. Were the veil to be lifted by less than a needle’s eye, all would soar on the wings of certitude in the atmosphere of longing, would pass beyond self and others, and would act with utmost joy in accordance with what He has commanded.

Another matter: Jinab-i-Rafi’ has undergone many hardships. According to the command, he should engage in some occupation in that land. Whosoever succeeds in rendering him assistance is beloved before the Throne.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of all things, my Adored One and the Adored One of earth and heaven! Thou knowest and seest that in my heart there is naught save love for Thee and for Thy loved ones, purely for Thy sake. I beseech Thee by the Ancient King Who is established upon the Most Great Throne that Thou assist them in Thy love and good-pleasure, that they may pray for me in Thy days as I pray for them through Thy bounty and favor. Then answer us, O our God and our Goal, in what we seek through Thy grace and loving-kindness. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The servant, in Rajab 1293

BH03448: The waves of the sea of utterance have become…

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

The waves of the sea of utterance have become manifest from the Pen of the All-Merciful in the form of these words: Thy letter was presented before the Throne and the essence of love was evident therefrom, and the fragrance of affection was manifest from it. Well is it with thee for having drunk the choice wine of steadfastness from the cup of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

In most of the Tablets mention hath been made of the cawing of the crows and the clamor of the deluded ones, in the days when the Seat of the Divine Throne was in Zawra (Baghdad), and likewise in the Land of Mystery (Adrianople) and the Most Great Prison. We informed the people of that which later came to pass and will yet come to pass.

The people of Baha must today be so steadfast and firm in the Cause of God that they should regard all else as non-existent and count it as nothing. All matters have been set forth in detail in the Tablets, such that no excuse remaineth for anyone. Nevertheless, certain souls speak vain words which are but the dregs of the worthless utterances of the dervishes of old, and they glory therein. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of divine unity that such souls have never understood unity, nor have they inhaled the fragrance of the utterance of the All-Merciful.

However, thou shouldst not be saddened, for such vain imaginings have always existed in the world and will continue to exist, especially in this Revelation wherein countless such things will appear. God protect us and the company of the sincere ones from these people. God willing, may you ever be engaged in mentioning the Truth with the utmost joy and fragrance.

Convey to the loved ones in that land an exalted greeting from the Wronged One, that all may be occupied with serving the Cause and may strive and endeavor that perchance the heedless servants may drink from the Kawthar of the mercy of the Lord of the worlds and attain to the fruit of their existence. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon them.

BH04830: Thy letter which thou didst send in the name…

In the name of the Educator of the world!

Thy letter which thou didst send in the name of Allah-Mihdi was received. And concerning what thou didst mention that the harm inflicted by heedless souls who wander in the wilderness of immorality and who speak according to their desires is greater than the harm of the idolaters—We testify that thou hast spoken the truth, inasmuch as the fabricated utterances of those heedless souls have been and will continue to be the cause of the delay in the appearance of the divine verses of triumph. With such nonsensical utterances no obligation remains for the people.

By the Most Great Name! If those souls who claim to be of this Cause had acted according to what God hath commanded them, all the earth would now be beheld as a piece of Paradise. Ask thou God to protect His loved ones from the evil of these people and to make their hearts as blocks of iron in His irresistible and wise Cause.

Today steadfastness, after the recognition of the Dawning-Place of God’s Cause, is accounted as the most great of deeds, for the cawing of the ravens will be raised in every city and land, even as We previously informed all. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The Pen loveth to make mention of thee at all times. Rejoice thou in this mighty station. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to all the kindred, both male and female, and to all other loved ones of God. Verily the glory be upon you and upon them.

BH04987: We have manifested the Cause of God to all…

He is the One dawning from the horizon of might

We have manifested the Cause of God to all who are in the kingdoms of command and creation, and made clear His straight path. Among the people are those whom love of the world has prevented from turning to the Lord of Names, and among them are those who have turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, detached from the worlds. He who has turned to the One to Whom the world turns has prospered, and he who has turned away from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, has lost.

Your letter has come before the Wronged One, and We have read it and found it purified from the mention of any but Me, and adorned with the name of Him through Whom the heavens of religions were cleft asunder, the lands of knowledge were split, and the stars of idle fancies were scattered. Verily your Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful.

We have answered you with this letter that you might find in it that which will cool your eyes and gladden your heart. By My life! There has been ordained for you that which is not equaled by anything created on earth. Verily your Lord is the Expositor, the All-Wise.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! Thou seest Thy loved ones among the ungodly from among Thy creation and the transgressors from among Thy servants. I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made the cause of the life of the world and the greatest means for the salvation of the nations, that Thou protect us through Thy power and sovereignty and might and dominion. Then set right, O my God, all our affairs and ordain for us what is best for us. I testify that Thou knowest better than we what benefits us, and that Thou art the Mighty, the Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH01233: Praise befitteth and beseemeth that Desired One Who, through…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the All-Compelling, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

Praise befitteth and beseemeth that Desired One Who, through one blessed Word shining forth from the Dayspring of Divine utterance, hath caused the earth to be changed, the mountains to be crushed, the heaven to be cleft asunder, them that lie in the graves to be raised up, and the seas to overflow. On the one hand, the attraction of the resurrection seized all hearts, and on the other, the intoxication of the wine of recognition so encompassed the souls of them that had turned unto Him that they became unaware of themselves and all else. For the first existence was utterly annihilated in absolute nothingness, that an existence other than this existence might emerge from the realm of the invisible and attain to the exalted station of “Verily, we are God’s, and verily, unto Him shall we return.” Therefore, whatsoever hath appeared of heedlessness toward outward matters and worldly attachments was and is of no consequence. The Most Truthful One hath said: “The Day whereon man shall flee from his brother.”

God the One is My witness that from the moment this evanescent servant attained unto the wine of inner meaning, the fragrances of longing and desire and the sweet-scented breezes of attraction and ecstasy did so powerfully prevail that pen and tongue are powerless to describe them. How many were the days when, in the wilderness of separation, he was consumed by the fire of remoteness, and how many were the nights when, aflame with yearning, he beheld himself like unto a fish writhing upon the sand, until the hand of grace, wholly unmerited, drew this evanescent atom to the eternal realm. A world other than this world was witnessed, and utterances sanctified from letters and words were heard. And after recovering from that first intoxication and being honored with the second sobriety, this servant deemed it binding and necessary to make good whatsoever had outwardly been missed by him. For all are commanded to teach God’s Cause, that all people may be sanctified from the idolatry of associating partners with God and may acknowledge and confess the oneness of God. And in this station the command “to begin with them that are nearest” must be observed.

Therefore I submit to that honored brother that which Luqman submitted to his master: In the early dawn, when the breeze of divine favor was wafting, Luqman, kindled by the fire of the love of the All-Merciful, would raise his head from the pillow of rest and, finding his master in the embrace of comfort and sleep, would approach his bedside with utmost courtesy and say: “O master, arise! The gates of trade are open and the Concourse on High and the sanctified souls are engaged in commerce. O master, arise and deprive not thyself of this trade, for eternal pearls are being offered for sale and precious everlasting things are at hand.” And when he would find his master showing laziness, he would return to his place and become immersed and lost in contemplation of the wondrous handiwork of God and the mysteries of divine wisdom. And when he would observe that dawn was approaching, he would again turn to his master and say: “O master, arise, for the time draweth to a close. I fear the market-place may close while thou art still asleep. Arise and let not the time slip away, that perchance thou mayest not remain deprived of the outpourings of the All-Merciful in these last hours of the night.”

Now doth this servant submit: O brother, strive that in these divine days thou mayest acquire infinite bounties and be blessed with eternal favors. By the True One Himself, whatsoever is lost by any soul in this day shall be difficult to recover. Both you must raise your hands in supplication and this servant shall lift his hands in hope that perchance we may be illumined by the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth and remain steadfast in His Cause with complete firmness. Behold the people as dead and turn to the Ever-Living One. Had the people of the earth attained unto a drop from the ocean of life, they would surely have hearkened to the divine call and witnessed the light of His countenance. Remember what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“They have ears with which they hear not, and hearts with which they understand not,”

unto the end of His exalted Word.

And it is most evident that the mention which befitteth this most exalted and glorious station cannot flow from the pen of this servant, for the ocean of divine utterance is sanctified and exalted above the expressions of this evanescent one, since it hath neither shore nor end. Therefore, I conclude by saying: There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist you and strengthen you in His remembrance and praise, and to protect you from the imaginings of every imaginer and the whisperings of every tempter who believeth not in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

And another entreaty: Convey on behalf of this evanescent one greetings and salutations to all the kindred, both brothers and sisters and relations, and remind them with utmost love and kindness that perchance they may be adorned with the ornament of recognition and certitude and may turn unto the Dawning-Place of the Cause of the All-Merciful.

BH01147: Exalted is God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, Who hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Exalted is God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, Who hath adorned the world with the Most Great Name, whereby He hath distinguished between the nations, and revealed that which lay hidden in hearts and concealed in breasts, and through which the dwellers of the grave have arisen and the decree of resurrection hath been made manifest. Blessed is he who hath awakened on the Day of God, concerning which the All-Merciful hath given tidings in the Qur’an, saying—and His Word is the truth—“The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.” We bear witness that the Day hath truly appeared, wherein the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret do speak: “Verily, there is none other God besides Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” They who have heeded the Call and turned to the Supreme Horizon are, before God, the Lord of Names, numbered among the people of Baha, while they who have turned away are but worthless creatures whose names the Pen of God, Creator of the heavens, hath refused to record. We testify that they are among the most lost in the mighty Book.

Thereafter, the Servant hath heard what befell you in the path of God, and how the fire of tyranny and hatred was kindled in those parts by the swine who have adorned themselves with turbans and robes. Woe unto them! And again, woe unto them! By God’s life, their commerce hath yielded no profit, and they have lost both in this world and in the next. Soon shall they behold themselves in the abyss and shall find no helper nor supporter. Do they imagine they can extinguish the fire kindled by the hand of Power and Might? Do they suppose they can put out the light which God hath caused to shine forth from the Supreme Horizon? Nay, by His very Self, the True One! They are impotent, they are the lost, they are the deniers, they are the transgressors. God shall, through His authority, soon cast them down and exalt those who have believed in God and His signs, who have acknowledged His oneness and confessed His singleness. Verily, there is none other God but Him. His is the creation and the command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

God willing, drink ye and give others to drink, at all times, of the choice wine of divine knowledge. Consider ye the consummate wisdom of God, for as hath been witnessed and continues to be seen, whatsoever the enemies of God deemed would abase His loved ones hath become the very source of their glory. Thus did certain heedless souls, imagining they could conceal the Divine Light and extinguish the Fire of His Cause, consign the Ancient Beauty to the Most Great Prison. Observe ye now how many consummate wisdoms lay hidden in this matter: that which they deemed would abase the Truth became the source of glory, and what they considered hardship proved to be the essence of ease. This is why He saith that tribulations and trials are as water for the tree of His Cause. Blessed is he who pondereth that which hath appeared from the horizon of God’s Will, the Lord of the worlds.

By the Sun of the horizon of utterance! Every death that hath occurred in the path of God hath been the cause of life to the world, and every destruction wrought in the way of the Friend shall be the cause of the world’s construction. God willing, ye should, through divine grace and heavenly favors, be joyous at all times and occupied with service to His Cause. Convey to all the beloved in that land the greetings of this evanescent servant. Had this servant found the opportunity, he would have written a detailed letter to each of those who are adorned with the ornament of recognition. However, owing to the profusion of divine verses that must be penned, no opportunity hath been found; therefore he seeketh pardon from all.

And I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, that He may adorn all with the raiment of steadfastness and that they may be of those who reckon all save God as nonexistent and void, in such wise that neither the cawing of the crows nor the clamor of the prevaricators may deter them from the straight path, and that they may all attain to the lofty station of “Say: God; then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.” For it hath been observed and continues to be seen that some of the weak ones have been deprived of the True One, glorified be His grandeur, by reason of the golden calf. God protect us and you from the evil of every deceitful detractor.

Certain letters of this servant were presented to the Land of Ta, and it was specifically written that copies thereof should be sent to that land, that perchance they might cause the souls who have accepted the Faith to remain steadfast. Today steadfastness is among the greatest of all things in the sight of God. Blessed is he who is adorned with this holy and luminous raiment. Whenever the fragrance of discord is detected, this servant findeth himself bewildered, for this is a day wherein the True One Himself hath appeared from the horizon of manifestation, resplendent and evident, and the effulgences of His revelation have illumined the whole world. Yet despite this, why should accepting souls occupy themselves with mention of this one and that? We beseech God to preserve His loved ones from the evil of every deceiver and the craftiness of every schemer, to enable them to speak His praise and to aid them to serve His Cause. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Responding One.

Today all the friends must strive and endeavor that perchance some service may proceed from them that shall endure and persist. I convey greetings to his honor, thy father, upon him be the glory of God. Praise be to God, he hath attained unto divine favors, and thy letter was presented in detail before the Throne, and the Sun of grace hath risen from the horizon of utterance. God willing, may he ever be and continue to be the recipient of divine favors.

BH01477: Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself unto…

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

Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself unto all things through His Name that was sanctified from all words and names. He, verily, is the Most Great Trump, when it was blown amidst the nations, all hearts and souls were shaken, save whom God, the Creator of heaven, did will. He, verily, is the Greatest Sign unto all creation and the Ark of God in the kingdom of creation. Whoso holdeth fast unto it hath attained salvation, and whoso turneth away from it is of them who have disbelieved and transgressed and been deprived of that which was created for them in the hereafter and in this world. Praise be to God Who hath aided whom He willeth unto the Most Sublime Horizon, and brought him nigh unto the Ultimate End, and given him to drink of the Kawthar of immortality from the hand of bounty.

He, verily, is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth. Neither the hosts of the world nor the might of nations can prevent Him. He is the One to Whose sovereignty every possessor of knowledge hath testified, and to Whose grandeur and majesty every possessor of power hath submitted, and before Whose loftiness and glory every possessor of greatness hath bowed down, and every possessor of exaltation before His manifestation and majesty. I testify that He hath ever been sanctified beyond all else and glorified above all others, and will continue to be as He hath ever been. There is none other God but Him, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below.

Thereafter, this evanescent servant hath received your letter from which wafted the fragrance of your love for the Lord of the worlds and the Object of them that are endued with insight, and I understood what was contained therein regarding your being set ablaze with the fire of love and affection, and your turning unto God, the Lord of creation, on the Day of the Mutual Summons. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to give you to drink, at all times, from the Kawthar of everlasting life and to make you among those on whom no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve.

It is submitted that Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli arrived and this servant was honored with the trace of the Supreme Pen. Praise be to God that through the infinite bounties and the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Oneness you have turned your face toward the Beloved of the worlds and the Object of all who dwell within the realm of possibility, and you have drunk from the ocean of recognition from which most people are deprived today. Through divine grace, two honors are present and evident in your person, for you are of the light and have attained unto the Light before Whose dawning radiant suns and shining moons were eclipsed. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that you may, in all divine worlds, circle round the Sun of Truth and attain unto His service. He, verily, is the Hearing, the Answering.

Regarding what you wrote about conveying expressions of sincerity on your behalf to the service of the Branches of the Divine Lote-Tree—may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the dust of their feet—this was done according to your request, and countless favors and bounties were manifested by each one toward you. Well is it with you! And concerning what you wrote about Mashhadi Sadiq, that he had become sanctified from delusion and turned toward the known Sovereign—I beseech God to keep him steadfast in this most exalted and sublime station. Previously, a Tablet was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of grace, along with some other Tablets, which were sent. God willing, may all attain unto the utterance of the All-Merciful and become enkindled with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree—an enkindlement that the doubts and imaginings of the people of uncertainty and suspicion shall be powerless to extinguish. Blessed is he who is assured of God’s Manifestation and of meeting Him in His days. As for those who doubt, they are the lost, they are the ruined, they are the ungodly.

Another submission is that whatever was sent with Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli has arrived, and previously it was written to Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin—upon him be the glory of God—to begin transcribing the verses of God, and likewise some here were also told and are engaged in transcription. However, since no designated swift-penned scribe can be found here, if it takes somewhat longer there is no harm. The people of the pavilion of chastity have said that this servant should convey their greetings to your honored ladies. God willing, they are occupied beneath the divine shade with wondrous mention and praise.

The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you among the loved ones of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

The servant 27 Rajab 1293

BH06676: The Divine Lote-Tree hath called aloud amidst all beings…

He is the Everlasting, the Eternal, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

The Divine Lote-Tree hath called aloud amidst all beings:

“Verily, there is none other God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Among the people are those who have hearkened, and those who have turned away. He who hath hearkened is assuredly among those who have attained, as recorded in a glorious Tablet.

Thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Throne, and the Wronged One of the horizons doth make mention of thee through this most wondrous, most sweet Tablet which hath streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen. Verily, He remembereth him who remembereth Him, and turneth unto him who hath turned unto Him. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Be thou occupied at all times with the remembrance of the Beloved of all creation. Every remembrance and utterance shall pass away, save that remembrance which ariseth in the heart for God’s sake and floweth from the tongue. Such remembrance is as a lamp in the true home that is designated as the divine habitat.

Rejoice thou in the Book of thy Lord. Verily, it shall abide with thee in all conditions and shall bear witness for thee in all the worlds of God, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty. The glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath attained unto this exalted station.

BH06901: Among the latest news from the Prison Land…

In the Name of the one God!

Among the latest news from the Prison Land is that his honor ʿAli-Qabli-Naqi, upon him be the glory of God, journeyed from India to Egypt and from there proceeded to the Most Transcendent Scene, residing for a time in the Most Great Prison. Although outwardly, due to prison conditions, things did not pass pleasantly for him, yet inwardly, praise and thanks be to God, he was blessed with the outpourings of the All-Merciful and attained that which is the ultimate goal—the presence of the Beloved of the worlds. This is truly a grace which serves as a luminous crown atop all deeds.

Although at present, while this bounty exists, its value remains hidden from the people of the world, yet ere long the loftiness of this station and its exalted nature shall become manifest.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to all the relatives—that is, those relatives who have turned to the Truth and drunk from the cup of recognition. Verily, the glory from God, the Lord of the worlds, be upon you and upon them.

BH08875: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him and that He Who speaketh is the Most Great Sign among all created things and the Manifestation of God unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Whoso hath attained unto His days hath attained unto the knowledge of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of His Cause, Who proclaimeth throughout the world that there is none other God but Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the recognition of the True One and hast been blessed with His eternal bounty which, in its primary degree, is His love. I swear by the Sun of Revelation which shineth from the horizon of Sinai that even if thou shouldst offer thanks throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, thou couldst not adequately express thy gratitude for this supreme grace. Know thou the value of this bounty and occupy thyself with the praise and glorification of God. Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Desired One and attained unto this mighty outpouring.

BH03697: The Supreme Pen proclaims: All souls have been created…

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

The Supreme Pen proclaims: All souls have been created for the knowledge of God, and throughout all nights and days they waited expectantly for the days of His manifestation. Yet when the lights of the dawn of God’s Day shone forth from the horizon of His Will, all remained veiled, nay, turned away, except those who held fast to the cord of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Each soul clung to vain imaginings and thus remained deprived of the Lord of all beings.

For instance, knowledge appeared specifically for the recognition of the Known One; nevertheless, the learned of the age have, because of it, remained debarred from the Truth—exalted be His glory and His mighty sovereignty—and are veiled from the Day of God and His presence. In all divine Books and heavenly Scriptures, the people were given glad tidings of the dawning-place of divine revelation and the dayspring of His verses. Yet when the horizon of the world was illumined and made resplendent with the lights of the Sun of the manifestation of the Most Great Name, all arose in denial and rejection. But ere long will they who turned away behold themselves in manifest loss.

Blessed are those souls who in the Day of His manifestation attained unto the knowledge of God and arose to serve Him. Such souls are accounted before God as stars in a wondrous heaven. Blessed are they, then blessed are they!

Your letter was seen in the Most Great Prison and your call was heard. God willing, you will at all times remain steadfast in the remembrance of God and will at every moment drink from the choice wine of recognition.

We make mention of all the loved ones of God in this blessed leaf, that all may rejoice in His special favors and engage in serving His Cause in perfect love and unity. Thus have We remembered you and those who have turned to God in that place, and him who wrote your letter. Verily your Lord is the Rememberer, the Rewarder, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH06031: Today is the Sovereign of days, and all peoples…

He is the Dawning One from the horizon of ʿHe doeth what He willeth.’

Today is the Sovereign of days, and all peoples have been promised this blessed Day in the divine Books. Yet when it dawned from the horizon of God’s Will, all remained occupied with their own doubts and fancies in the wilderness of uncertainty and suspicion, and thus were veiled from it. Even as God, exalted be His glory, had forewarned concerning the doubting and heedless souls, His word is supreme: “Ah! they are in doubt concerning the meeting with their Lord!”

Whoso in this luminous Day hath quaffed from the Kawthar of divine knowledge hath attained unto the presence of God and is accounted among the people of certitude in the Perspicuous Book, and shall be adorned with the ornament of acceptance throughout all the divine worlds. Praise be to God that that leaf hath attained unto this most exalted, most glorious station. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this great bounty.

Thy letter was presented before the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison, and from it wafted the fragrance of love and longing. Be thou patient in separation, for He shall record for thee the reward of attainment unto His presence, shall aid thee through His grace, and shall ordain for thee that whereby thy mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH06448: We have answered you and mentioned you time…

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

We have answered you and mentioned you time and again, and now We mention you once more that you may be assured of God’s care, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Your letter was seen in the Most Great Presence and the fragrance of your love wafted from it. God willing, you have been and will ever be the recipient of God’s special favors.

Blessed are you, then blessed are you, for having turned in your early days to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and for having attained that which most of the servants have been deprived of. This indeed is a noble station. The glances of divine favors have been and will be directed toward you.

As to what you mentioned regarding medical science—excellent is what you have done. He will assist you—be assured and be of the thankful ones. Divine outpourings and heavenly confirmations from the Eternal One have encompassed and continue to encompass you.

God willing, you will succeed in learning the language mentioned and will translate the verses of God into that language, so that the people of the West may become informed of the Dayspring of Divine Revelation and what hath been sent down from His presence. Glory be upon you and upon those with you.

BH00624: In the name of God, the Most Holy…

In the name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself unto all created things through the light that hath shone forth, risen, gleamed and flashed from the horizon of the heaven of His prevailing Will. Thereupon did the Names tremble, all things were drawn forth, and the Dove cooed upon the Ultimate Tree. Verily, there is none other God but Him Who is established upon the Most Great Throne. He, verily, is the Lord of eternity and the Sovereign of nations. He, verily, is the Dawning-Place of God’s revelation, the Treasury of God’s knowledge, and the Dayspring of God’s wisdom. Through Him was the heaven of religions cleft asunder, the earth of idle fancies rent apart, the mountains of vain imaginings swept away, and the sun of knowledge shone forth through His Name, the Self-Subsisting.

Exalted be the Possessor of all that was and shall be, Who through a single word caused all who are in the heavens and on earth to swoon away, save those who have cast away all else and held fast to the Sure Handle. These are among the people of Baha between earth and heaven, who dwell in the Crimson Ark. The Concourse on High and the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise who circle round the Throne every morn and eve pray for them. Praise be to God Who hath made the Word itself the Most Great Trump and the Mightiest Bugle, whereby He hath distinguished between all created things and united those who have detached themselves from all directions, turning toward the Most Sublime Horizon and the Most Exalted, Most Resplendent Station.

These are honored servants and upright men who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command, whom the blame of the blamer cannot turn aside from the Cause of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thereafter, this servant hath been honored to receive your letters time and again, and hath found in every word thereof evidence of your arising to serve God and your steadfastness in His love, after the feet of the learned had slipped, the hearts of the mystics were troubled, and the skin of the divines crept with fear. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist you, protect you, and grant you at all times the water of everlasting life, and to make you one who speaks forth His Name amidst all possibilities. Verily, He is the Almighty over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Mighty, the Beloved.

This evanescent servant submits that he was repeatedly blessed to see your handwriting and had prepared one petition at the time of the return of the honored beloved, Mulla ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God. That petition was lost, meaning it was submerged in the seas of papers, writings and books gathered in this evanescent servant’s place, and until now this servant has not had the opportunity to search for and find it. Therefore, he has newly undertaken to submit this petition. This servant’s occupation has reached such a point that he has not a moment’s rest. We beseech God to assist me in this most great service. Were it not for God’s grace and favor, I would surely be among the impotent ones.

As to what you wrote concerning his honor the revered Aqa Mirza Siyyid ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, that he intended to present a petition to the Most Holy Court but at that moment a sneeze occurred and for that reason he desisted—the details were presented to the Most Holy Court, that is, the exact words which you wrote from his tongue were presented before His countenance. He spoke, and His word is the truth:

“Verily, he is the one who is mentioned in the prison and is under the gaze of his Lord, the Protector, the Forgiving, the Generous. We read his letter before he wrote a single letter. Verily his Lord, the All-Knowing, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. There hath been inscribed upon the tablet of his heart, by the Pen of Divine craftsmanship, the remembrance of God and His love. We have witnessed this and We were among those who read it. Glad-tidings be unto him for having heard the Call and responded to his Lord on a day whereon all in the worlds were thunderstruck save whom God, the Almighty, the Powerful, willed.”

As for the sneeze, in the Most Holy Court such matters are not considered, and the execution of good deeds has never been and is not contingent upon a sneeze or the lack thereof. However, since he acted with wisdom in view, there was and is no harm in it. We have accepted it from him as a token of Our grace and We ordain for him what We desire and We pray for his supreme steadfastness in this most grievous and momentous Cause. Say: Be thou assured of God’s grace and mercy, for verily He is the Protector of the sincere ones.

As to what you wrote regarding the distinguished Leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, especially a Tablet was previously revealed in her name from the heaven of divine bounty and was sent, and likewise in these days a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was newly revealed in her name and was sent in the care of his honor Dahji. Her petition was also presented at the Most Holy Court and was accepted. How blessed is she, how fortunate is she! Similarly, a Tablet was also specifically revealed for your honor and the Leaf, your wife, upon her be the Glory of God, and four unnamed Tablets and another Tablet which was in the name of one of the loved ones were sent in the company of the honored beloved, his honor Mulla ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, to be delivered to your honor. We beseech God to honor you with meeting with and visiting these Tablets.

The petition of his honor the son, upon him be the Glory of God, was presented at the Most Holy Court. In truth, he had presented it with the utmost love, attraction, eagerness and longing. The Ancient Beauty, after hearing it, expressed countless tokens of favor and a Tablet was also specifically revealed and sent for him. We beseech God to assist him and aid him and to make in his breath a healing and a mighty influence for curing the ills of hearts and souls, and likewise to make him a translator that he may translate the verses of God. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Giver, the Munificent, the Ordainer, the Protector, the Mighty, the Wise.

With regard to what you had previously written, that someone among the mathematical scholars had inquired of His Holiness concerning the celestial spheres, planets, their movements and influences—this was presented at the Most Holy Court. He—exalted be His mention—said:

“O Ha before Sin! If people were not heedless and would turn to the Dawning-Place of divine knowledge with such questions and beyond, verily all hidden knowledge would become manifest and visible. The grace of God is such that He does not cause any soul to despair, but souls have become veils unto themselves and soar on the wings of idle fancies. How many scholars in the Land of Mystery [Adrianople], this land [Akka], and during the sojourn in Iraq asked questions about various branches of knowledge. Answers to all descended from the heaven of divine knowledge in such wise that none could raise objections, yet none of those souls attained the ocean of inner meanings. How many philosophers inquired about the sayings of ancient philosophers, yet after the dawning of the Sun of Wisdom and their acknowledgment of it, remained veiled. By God! My Most Exalted Pen desires only to speak of that which the Point of the Bayan foretold—verily there is no God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.”

However, during the days in Iraq, a Tablet was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will concerning these matters. This servant will present what is remembered from it. Among other things, in that Tablet nineteen planets were mentioned, and He stated that the full account had not yet been given. What was mentioned therein about the heavens and celestial spheres was different from what people commonly describe. In any case, He commanded the Most Great Branch—may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the most precious dust of His footsteps—to write a commentary on these matters.[AB00023] God willing, it will be sent later, but as He is currently occupied, it has been delayed. The treatise which was previously written concerning the civic governance[AB00004] is with Mulla ʿAli-Akbar—you will observe it.

God the One is witness that if this servant were to be continuously engaged in mentioning you without interruption or delay, neither pen nor heart would find rest from longing and yearning. It is known that the water of remembrance does not extinguish the fire of love, but rather increases its heat. As for what you mentioned in the Tablet of Ridvan which ascended to God, by your life, by your life, there has been revealed for it from the heaven of your Lord’s grace that which will never be erased from the book of possibility. Verily our Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower.

To Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Fadlu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, I send countless greetings. God willing, may they be engaged at all times in the remembrance and praise of God with the utmost joy and fragrance. The people of the prison, God willing, do not forget one another. We beseech God to strengthen him and strengthen me in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. All the people of the prison send their greetings to them. The Two Most Great Branches—may my spirit and the spirit of all in the worlds be sacrificed for their most pure footsteps—remember you with most wondrous, greatest, most exalted greetings, as do the members of the divine pavilion of infallibility and the Afnan of the divine Lote-Tree—all send their greetings to you. May glory and spirit and remembrance and praise be upon you and those with you.

The servant, 7 Sha’ban 1293

BH06595: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

In the name of the one true God

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been mighty to accomplish whatsoever He hath willed, and shall everlastingly remain supreme over whatsoever He pleaseth. No hosts can withhold Him from His dominion, nor kings from His sovereignty. He doeth as He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth.

O handmaid of God! Thy mention hath been made in the Most Great Prison, and this blessed Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of divine favor that thou mayest be engaged in His remembrance and remain steadfast in the path of His love.

In this day, each of the handmaidens of God who hath drunk from the cup of divine knowledge and hath turned toward the horizon of His Revelation is recorded before God among the denizens of the most exalted Paradise.

Strive thou that the pearls of the love of God may remain preserved within the shell of thy heart, and that the hands of thieves and traitors may be cut off and forbidden from them. This is God’s counsel unto His handmaidens.

Grieve not over anything, but place thy trust in all matters in God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily, He ordaineth for thee whatsoever He hath decreed in His perspicuous Book.

BH09351: A mention from Our presence unto him who hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

A mention from Our presence unto him who hath attained unto the splendors of the Countenance and placed his trust in God, the Single, the All-Informed. By God! He who hath inhaled the fragrance of the days of God, the lamentations of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, shall not sadden him. He ariseth amidst mankind and speaketh through the Most Great Name with wisdom and utterance in such wise that the clamor of the heedless shall not silence him.

Blessed is he who hath attained and drunk, and woe unto him who hath turned away and followed his desires—he is assuredly among the abased ones. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for having remembered thee before the Throne and for the Ancient Beauty having turned toward thee from the direction of His mighty Prison. Hold fast unto that which hath been sent down of the laws from the presence of God, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH00240: The Point hath testified that there is none other…

Section 1: “The Point hath testified that there is none…”

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

The Point hath testified that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Verily it hath appeared and spoken of the Point which was honored with the Most Great Name, and through it God detailed the knowledge of what hath been and what will be and that which none among the worlds hath discovered. Through it the heaven of Will was raised up and the spheres of Purpose revolved and every wise command was made manifest. I testify that every eloquent tongue is mute in its mention, and every keen eye is prevented from beholding it, and every accomplished scholar is powerless to know it, and every brilliant mind is veiled from comprehending it. Glorified be He Who created it and made it the beginning of Books and their end, and the source of sciences and their mysteries. I testify that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been One, Single, Alone, Self-Subsisting, and will ever continue to be as He hath been. There is none other God but Him, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Then verily this servant at this time doth testify to his shortcoming and heedlessness, and doth confess his sins and errors, for he delayed in responding to the trace of your honored ink which was the dawning-place of love and unity and the source of kindness and affection. But since the servant doth acknowledge what hath passed from him, pardon from your honor is befitting. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, He is the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Generous. My soul be a sacrifice for your love! In truth this servant is ashamed of what hath occurred, for some time hath passed since he was honored with your letter, and there was delay in responding. Although confession of shortcoming and heedlessness hath been made, yet the multitude of successive occupations and continuous affairs hath been the cause and reason. Many travelers of every kind have attained the Most Holy Court, and this servant hath been occupied for some time with writing responses to the petitions of souls who had submitted them to the Most Holy Court. In any case, if there hath been any failing, pardon is hoped for, and in the words of the poet: The rest of life I stand ready to make amends.

When you mentioned the words of the illustrious Sajjad, upon him be the Glory of God, they were presented before the Throne. He spoke: “O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! By My life, your goodness ascends unto Us and Our grace descends unto you. Thus has the Beloved testified in His praiseworthy station.” Then, exalted be His grandeur, He said: “O Zayn! We complain to thee of those whom vain imaginings have deluded to the point where they speak without God’s leave. We testify that they are the children of delusion. They write what beseemeth them not, they blow upon ashes, yet they perceive it not. They are like unto a water-skin filled with air. They hasten through the wilderness of error, abject.”

The True One, exalted and glorified be He, with perfect bounty and favor hath invited the people to the horizon of guidance, and with the fingers of power and bestowal hath lit the brilliant torches, radiant lights, and illuminating lamps, that all might recognize and find the path of God. Yet some commanding souls, unwittingly following their own desires, are engaged in undermining the Cause of God, counting themselves among the mature and perfect ones. The cawing of the crows, which was revealed in numerous Tablets and about which We gave warning, is in these days raised from certain quarters. Although these are days wherein fellowship, unity, love and accord are beloved, those heedless souls have again become the cause of differences. Say: We seek refuge with the All-Merciful from the evil of those who claim relationship with Him yet do that from which even Satan would disassociate himself. They are indeed among the most lost in the perspicuous Book.

Your honor should remain vigilant in all conditions and exert utmost effort in educating souls and remaining steadfast in the Cause of God. Today, from whomsoever the fragrance of self is detected, that one is the cause and source of discord. Ask thou God to assist them in that which He loveth and pleaseth, and to make them know themselves lest they transgress their stations and ranks. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

By the True One Himself! This servant, who is as nothing, is bewildered at God’s grace and favor, for it is observed that despite knowledge of certain ones’ realities, behaviors and utterances, nevertheless from the Most Holy Court wondrous and sublime Tablets are sent to those souls that perchance they might become aware. Yet they understand not, neither do they become mindful.

Regarding that person from N and J about whom you wrote that he had arrived there and you had counseled him—when this matter was presented before the Most Holy Court, He said:

“O Zayn! The effulgences of the Sun of divine bounty have shone upon and encompassed all, and the True One, glorified and exalted be He, hath not deprived anyone of the outpourings of the ocean of bounty. Yet some are heedless, and their carnal desires have become a barrier, thus they remain deprived of the lights of the Sun of Truth. Write to that person that his not being granted a meeting was not due to lack of favor, but rather out of mercy and ultimate kindness, that thou might become aware and speak according to what God hath willed. Say: Hold fast to the cord of thy Lord’s favor and say: ʿO my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which no one hath truly known, to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and enable me to do what Thou lovest and pleasest. Then I ask Thee to forgive my sins, for I have clung to the hem of Thy Name, the Forgiving, the Generous.’ Would that people might become aware of God’s bounty, mercy, kindness and favor! Whatever appears is pure bounty, yet most are heedless of it.”

Concerning what was written about Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, this was submitted. He, exalted and mighty be His glory, says:

“Blessed is he in that he followed God’s command and attained this lofty deed. Would that other people had acted as he acted. Although in these days the excellence of good deeds is not apparent as it should be, yet verily it shall be made manifest. Verily He is the protector of whosoever acts in His path and follows what was commanded in the perspicuous Book. The greetings of the Wronged One be upon him and upon those who are there among thy Lord’s loved ones, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

As commanded, they have forgiven the rights to whatever claims they have. Blessed is he, for his is a goodly station. Whosoever serves the friends in that land today is and shall be beloved in the presence of the Divine Countenance. God has ever directed His favors toward those souls. The details of this land are concealed. For a long time nothing has been presented before the Throne. In these days they wrote from the direction of Ha that some funds had become available. From the Most Holy Court it was commanded that these be sent to that land. God willing, they will arrive soon.

Regarding what you wrote about the books, it is known that no neglect has occurred or will occur in your regard.

Concerning what you wrote about the souls present in that land from among the travelers who, after hearing the verses of God, returned with the utmost joy and delight—this was submitted to the Most Holy Court. Thus did the Tongue of Grandeur speak:

“Praise be to Him Who enabled them to hear His verses and assisted them to act according to His good-pleasure.”

Regarding the books of Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be the glory of God, you wrote that they have begun. God willing they will be completed, and if possible they should be bound there, but the binding must be of good quality.

Concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Safi, upon him be the glory of God, that his letter had arrived and this servant had not submitted a response—this matter seems very unlikely to this servant, for whenever his missive was received, a response was submitted. Perhaps it did not arrive. In any case, I hope to be forgiven. He himself is aware of this servant’s many occupations, thus it is possible the oversight was from this servant. Praise be to God that mention of him and his relatives has been and continues to be made in the Most Holy Court.

Regarding what you wrote about Hasan-Ali Khan-i-Amu, this was submitted to the Most Holy Court. Thus did the Tongue of Grandeur speak in the Kingdom of Utterance:

“O thou who hast turned! Mention was made of thee before the Throne, and He mentioneth thee from this place which hath at times been named the Most Great Prison, at others the Most Sublime Vision, at times the Most Exalted Paradise, and at times the Luminous Spot wherein speaketh the Furthermost Tree. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. And it hath other names which none can reckon save God, the Counter, the All-Knowing. Give thanks unto God for having attained unto hearing the shrill voice of His Most Exalted Pen and for having turned unto Him when every ungrateful infidel turned away. We made mention of thee when We heard thy call and answered thee when thou didst call upon thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This is a bounty that shall endure as long as the kingdom and the realm endure, after all who are in the world have perished. Thus doth the Tongue of Revelation inform thee that thou mayest be of the thankful. Trust in Him, then stand firm in the Cause lest the whisperings of every sneaking whisperer and the bellowing of every remote calf cause thee to slip. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the blessing of recognition in the days of their Lord, the All-Merciful. We bear witness that they are among those who have attained in a mighty tablet.”

The one true God is witness that this servant at all times beholds himself in manifest burning, inasmuch as today all devoted souls must arise to serve the Cause of God, even as hath been recorded and set down in the divine Tablets. Nevertheless, some have remained heedless of the divine Day and are occupied with spreading their own vain imaginings. Their purpose and aim remaineth unknown. What a pity that in such days as these one should be preoccupied with self and be debarred from that which God hath willed—let alone the state of those who turn away and join partners with God.

Section 2: “Among other things, last year at one time…”

Among other things, last year at one time this evanescent servant turned towards the Divine Throne, and after attaining the Most Great Presence, the station of the Lord of Power, I beheld a book cast upon the ground. Then did the Face of the Intended One turn toward me and say: “Take it up and read it, and respond to it as commanded.” This servant picked up that sealed letter and returned to his quarters. After opening it and reading it repeatedly, “then I recalled what the All-Merciful had revealed in the Qur’an when He said, and His word is the truth: ʿEvery man’s fate We have fastened on his own neck: on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.”’ This verse was read repeatedly, for it was observed that the book of that vile soul’s deeds flowed from his own pen and hand and was made manifest on the Day of Judgment, while he himself remained utterly unaware.

In any case, that letter was from Siyyid-i-Yusif-i-Sidihi, who had written in what he imagined to be the style of verses. This servant wrote a detailed reply to him, as was previously mentioned to your honor that it would be sent. Since no further command was issued from the Most Holy Court, its dispatch was delayed. It was observed that that heedless and veiled one had not attained unto a drop from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s knowledge, nor had he inhaled the fragrance of the garment of utterance. He spoke from base desire, turning away from God, the Lord of Names. Among other things, these sublime and resplendent words, which were revealed from the dawning-place of the All-Merciful’s will and the dayspring of the All-Glorious’s purpose in the Most Great Prison, were written in reply to him. He says, exalted be His might and His grandeur, and glorified be His verses and His evidences:

“I know not what to mention unto the people of the world in these days wherein justice hath been cast away and tyranny hath been raised up, wherein every group hath clung to the hem of idle fancies and every people hath taken hold of the ropes of the learned’s vain imaginings like unto cattle. They have forsaken the most exalted horizon and have taken that which their base desires have commanded them. They turn a deaf ear to hearkening unto the Most Exalted Word and dispute with God, the Lord of Names. They have turned away from the Most Great Ocean in that they have followed every deaf and dumb one, and among them is he who hath sent the croaking of the raven unto the Mighty, the Bestower, and hath offered the buzzing of the fly unto God, the Lord of lords, and among them is he who hath sent a putrid stench unto the Paradise wherefrom wafteth what hath perfumed the earth and heaven, and among them is he who hath sent tar unto the ocean of wisdom and utterance, and brackish water unto the fountain of truth and explanation. They know not their return and their abode, nor do they recognize their destination and their dwelling-place.

“Are they aware of what they write? Do they comprehend what they say? Nay, by the Lord of what was and what shall be! They have stretched forth their necks in hypocrisy and violated the Covenant and Testament. Among them are those who imagine that verses must end with All-Knowing’ or All-Wise’ or with an alif at their end, or with the addition of waw and nun to similar words, supposing these to be words which the All-Merciful has revealed in their hearts. Nay, by God! Rather has Satan inspired their hearts. They who have denied the proof and openly shown their rejection and enmity shall soon join their friends in the fire—and what an evil dwelling place it is!—except they repent and return unto God, the One, the Unconstrained. Shame upon the one who casts aside certain truth and follows obvious delusion.

“Say: Sully not the pure chalice of recognition, and say not that which the All-Merciful has not permitted you. By God’s life! This is the Day in which the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, has come, more manifest than the sun at high noon. O people of error! Abandon what you possess and turn to God, the Lord of the beginning and the end. Purify your vision and turn to the Most Great Prospect; then shall you see the Light shining amidst the world’s darkness and prevailing over all peoples. Hearken to what should be heard, and listen not to the braying of every ignorant one. Know that God commands you to submit and counsels you to be humble. Beware lest you cast upon the ocean of utterance the allusions of contingent beings or what the followers of religions have spoken. Sanctify your hearts from the veils of allusions and your souls from the shrouds of references. Strive that from you may appear that which will spread the sweet fragrance of amity and diffuse the musk of unity. By God! The knowledge of the world profits you not today, nor will the treasures of earth and heaven enrich you. Reflect upon the world and what has occurred therein. It shows you its evanescence and tells you its tales, not through mention and narrative but through witnessing and revelation. Where are the Caesars and their adorned palaces? Where are the Pharaohs and their lofty pyramids? Where are the Chosroes and their golden raiments? Where are their upraised standards and their spread banners? Take heed, O ye that slumber! Awaken, O ye that sleep!”

“Consider how heedless the people are. Like Siyyid Yusuf and his like, they make claims to truth while remaining heedless and turning away from the exalted Truth. Shame upon them, and degradation, punishment and grief be upon them! By His mighty and exalted word: People are weak and immature, having drunk the milk of heedlessness from the breast of desire, afflicted with the chronic diseases of ignorance and foolishness. They are utterly remote from the station of humanity and its virtues. Blessed is the physician who heals the sick through My blessed and beloved Name.”

This servant is bewildered and contemplative as to whether to present responses to your honor’s statements or mention the events of this transient world. This servant is like a leaf moved in every direction by the winds of His will, carried to every quarter. At times some have objected to the mention of divinity, though all are promised it, and at times they are occupied with what their desires teach them. By Thy life! They are in manifest error.

A petition specifically for all the beloved ones was submitted some time ago and is with Mulla Muhammad-ʿAli Dahji, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah]. God willing it will reach the luminous gaze. From the references in that petition, the deeds and objections of certain ignorant ones will become evident. We beseech God to remove them from all that He abhors and draw them near to what He loves.

Concerning what was written about the wife, when presented at the Most Holy Court, He spoke—and His word is the truth:

“O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! Commit thy affair unto God, the Evident Truth. He will cause to flow for thee whatsoever He willeth of matters and will ordain for thee that which is best for thee. Rejoice thou in this and be of the thankful ones.”

Regarding the mother of the wife of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah and the mother of Jinab-i-Nasir, should anyone bring them, there is no objection to it. God hath given permission for this.

As to what was written concerning Khalil having written to Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Hasan that he should turn towards this direction—permission from the Most Holy Court has not yet been granted. It is not known with what thought Jinab-i-Khalil wrote this. Well is it with Jinab-i-Muhammad-Qabl-Hasan, for he hath committed his affair unto God, the Mighty, the Wise, and hath not been moved by what was written to him. Thus should every sincere and steadfast seeker behave. This servant conveyeth limitless greetings to him.

Regarding what was again asked about the Most Great Festival, and what was written that your honor had taken Friday as the second day and the following Friday as the ninth day—your action is correct and all should follow you in what you have done. For according to this reckoning the first day of the Festival begins on Thursday afternoon when the Throne was established in Ridvan. And what was written that the afternoon of the first day and the second day are counted as one day—this is because work is not permitted therein, and this pertains to the outward aspect of the matter. In any case, the first day of the Festival is the afternoon of the day when the Ancient Beauty entered Ridvan, and that day is included in the count.

The letter inquiring about the meanings of verses will also be sent next week, God willing, with the Tablets.

Furthermore, this servant presenteth pure devotion and utter nothingness and the Most Glorious, Most Holy, Most Exalted Greeting to all the gentlemen and friends of that land, whether they be the captives of God or [travelers unto] God who have arrived in that land. I beseech your honor’s favors to convey these. And likewise this servant concludeth his words with mention of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah-i-Asdaq—upon him be all the most glorious glory and most resplendent light. And I testify that he is indeed the one mentioned before the Throne. Upon him be the mercy of God, the Forgiving, the Generous. And glory be upon you.

The servant, 3 Ramadan 1293

Your honor’s mention and praise were presented in the pure presence of the Branches of the Divine Lote-Tree—may my spirit be a sacrifice unto the dust of their feet—and they remember and greet your honor with the gems of salutations shining forth from the horizon of the Cause.

BH00644: The Most Holy testifies that He has ever been…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power

The Most Holy testifies that He has ever been sanctified beyond all sanctification and beyond every mention uttered by the tongues of creation, and the Most Pure affirms that He has ever been, and will ever be, purified from whatsoever the contingent beings may express. He is the One before Whom Unity itself is ashamed to claim association, and the Single One before Whose court the very essence of Uniqueness blushes to be mentioned. Exalted, exalted is He above all mention and praise, and exalted, exalted is He above the attributes of all names. I testify that He was and is sanctified, purified, and exalted above whatsoever can be designated by any name, and shall remain as He has ever been. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your love. The servant has been blessed by the fragrant breezes of the roses of your utterance and has heard the nightingale of praise warbling upon the twigs of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha of your heart. From each of your remembrances I have detected the fragrance of the love of our Beloved and your Beloved. We beseech Him to cause us to ascend at all times to the heaven of greatness, power and glory. He is verily the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Chosen One.

Your letter dated the 3rd of Shawwal illumined the heart with the lights of joy and delight. Praise be to God, and we thank Him for this, and we beseech Him not to withhold from my heart your remembrance and your utterance. He is verily the Powerful, the Mighty.

Regarding the books of Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, you had written that whatever is completed should be sent. However, they themselves have provided a list, and accordingly have requested one Persian book. Here also Jinab-i-Jud, upon him be the Glory of God, was told and they have written, and the book of prayers is much beloved if its correct version can be found.

Concerning Jinab-i-Sa’id, what you had written was submitted to the Most Holy Court. They said: We beseech God to assist him and those in Iraq to observe wisdom, harmony and unity, and to confirm them in that which befits the days of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Furthermore, mention of the ascension of the sister of Mihman, upon them both be the Glory of God, was submitted to the Most Holy Court. The blessed tongue spoke these words: Upon her be the Glory of God, His remembrance and His praise. We testify that she turned to God, heard His call and responded with a clear mention, and attained the Day of God and was assured of His presence while most men were in doubt concerning this mighty, exalted station. We have mentioned her with these words that the people of Paradise and those who have believed in God, the Lord of the worlds, might remember her thereby. We testify that she bore every tribulation and affliction in the path of God—with Him is the knowledge of all things in a preserved Book—and that she has ascended and soared to a station where the gloating of enemies cannot reach her, and dwells in the proximity of her Lord’s mercy, the Forgiving, the Generous. We console Mihman and mention her as a grace from Us and a mercy from Our presence, that she might thank her Lord, the Giver, the Mighty, the Exalted. End.

The mention of the souls of the emigrants that you had written was presented at the Holy Court. Blessed be they! In truth, your honor is the cause of blessings to the world, for it was observed that for every soul you have mentioned, divine favor was manifested towards them, even if they were among the most sinful of creation, without any concealment. This station is most exalted. At times it was heard from the Beloved’s tongue: “We mention what he mentioned in his book,” and such utterances were heard repeatedly: “Blessed art thou, then blessed art thou, then blessed art thou, and blessed is he who loves thee in God.”

Regarding what you wrote about Aqa Hasan from the people of Dahj, what your honor wrote was in accordance with God’s command, for without permission there has been and will be no fruit, save for whom God willeth. The petition of Aqa Siyyid ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, also arrived and attained the Most Holy Court. His letter had come before as well, and the Name of God, upon him be all of His most glorious splendor, sent his reply. In these days, the souls who have accepted the Faith should be occupied with service to the Cause. In this land, the teaching of God’s Cause has been forbidden; therefore, if the loved ones of God engage in teaching the Cause in Iran with perfect wisdom and with the utmost joy and fragrance, it has been and will be beloved. Convey greetings on behalf of this servant to Aqa Hasan, upon him be the glory of God. We beseech God that His friends may ever succeed in serving the Cause and following God’s command.

Multiple letters from Nazir, upon him be the glory of God, have arrived here. Praise be to God, he is well. I hope that he will always be assisted and confirmed in God’s Cause. If anyone is traveling to those parts, convey greetings on behalf of this servant to him and to the friends of God in that land.

Regarding what you mentioned about Jinab-i-Ustad Husayn, travel to this land has not been and is not advisable. If he remains occupied there with Aqa Nasru’llah in the utmost joy and fragrance, it would be most beloved. He was mentioned at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God, he has attained God’s favors. Convey greetings to him on behalf of this servant as well.

Regarding what was written about Jinab-i-Sasun, upon him be the glory of God, several months ago Jinab-i-Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be God’s Most Glorious Glory, sent a letter to the Most Holy Court, and that letter came before the blessed gaze. They said:

“Indeed he is from Sasun. God has praised him with the mystery of what was revealed in the Books of old,”

to the end of His exalted Words. The details are that Muhammad Mustafa had written a letter to this servant with a page between its leaves, and the aforementioned gentleman did not know whose page it was. After it was presented to the Most Holy Presence, They said this writing was from Sasun, and some verses were revealed from the blessed tongue concerning him. Likewise, mention of him was revealed in a Tablet to one of the emigrants of Iraq. We beseech God to assist him in serving His Cause and to confirm him in that by which his mention shall endure throughout the duration of the earthly and heavenly kingdoms. This much I submit, that mention of him has repeatedly been heard from the blessed tongue. Blessed is he.

Regarding what you wrote about Haji Muhammad-Baqir from the people of N-J, it was presented. This is what was revealed in response:

He is the All-Knowing Expositor

There has appeared before Our presence a letter from one whom God has loved and made to be among the successful ones in a mighty Book. Therein was thy mention, wherefore have We made mention of thee, and the Most Exalted Pen hath moved at thy name in this manifest Prison. Rejoice thou at My mention of thee, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. He verily forgiveth whomsoever He willeth in truth, even as He forgave thee through His grace. He is indeed the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We counsel thee to be steadfast in this Cause, for through it the feet of them that have attained have slipped. Turn not unto the world and its affairs.

In all matters place thy trust in God, the Single One, the All-Informed. Wert thou to know the station of My mention of thee, such joy would seize thee that neither the turning away of the servants nor the utterances of the deniers would grieve thee. Hold thou fast unto the handle of grace, detached from those who have denied the Day of Judgment. We make mention of those who have believed, and We send Our greetings upon their faces from this far-distant spot. We give glad tidings unto her who hath believed in God through this Remembrance, which nothing created on earth can equal. To this testifieth every knowing, discerning one. The glory be upon thee and upon her and upon those who are with you, from God, the Single One, the All-Informed.

As for what thou didst write concerning Mashhadi ʿAli, it was presented. The word of forgiveness was revealed concerning him, however coming to this land is not permitted. He verily loveth the obedient ones.

Concerning thy mention of Aqa Muhammad Isma’il, it was presented before the Most Holy Court and divine favors encompassed his condition.

Regarding what thou didst write about Jinab-i-Aqa Habibullah, it was presented, and the newborn was also mentioned by the name Jamil in the Most Holy Court.

This servant beseeches thy favors to convey this evanescent one’s greetings to all the friends in that land. This servant is ashamed before all that he does not submit individual petitions. God is witness and knoweth that the failure to submit petitions is due to the abundance of occupation and the writing of verses. It is hoped that all will forgive. Verily our Lord is the Pardoning, the Forgiving. And glory be upon thy presence and upon them, throughout the duration of the Kingdom and the Realm of Might.

The servant, 7 Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1293

BH01227: Praise be to God, Who is sanctified beyond all…

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

Praise be to God, Who is sanctified beyond all names and exalted above whatsoever the people of creation make mention of, and transcendent beyond whatsoever the dwellers of the cities of eternity might describe. Exalted is He, unto Whose loftiness and elevation every exalted one hath testified, unto Whose inaccessibility and majesty every one possessed of grandeur hath borne witness, unto Whose sovereign might and power every possessor of strength hath attested, unto Whose holy sanctity every sanctified one hath testified, and unto Whose sublime transcendence every one possessed of abstraction hath borne witness. This is in that station wherein His sovereignty is established upon the throne of names and the sun of His manifestation shineth forth upon the world of creation.

Otherwise, how far, how far is that station wherein the very reality of all mention is powerless to soar in the atmosphere of His remembrance, and the very essence of all description lieth wingless and cast down in the desert of His attributes. How remote are names from that Presence wherein praise is abashed to be attributed to His court, and transcendence is ashamed to fall within the realm of His indication. Exalted, immeasurably exalted, is He above whatsoever those who remember might mention of Him, or those who describe might attribute to Him, or those who profess His unity might affirm of Him, or those who know might comprehend of Him. He hath spoken with the tongue of His grandeur in the kingdom of His Own Self—glorified and exalted be He above what they describe.

My soul be a sacrifice for your love. The brief exalted letter, wherein were folded and concealed infinite worlds of love and affection, and which was sent by way of Hadba, reached this servant. I was honored to behold it. Praise be to God that you are blessed with health and that the sun of the love of God shineth bright and resplendent from the horizon of your luminous heart.

Although the veils of the heedless and the allusions of the ignorant form a barrier, praise be to the Beloved of all horizons that the piercing glances of the steadfast and upright souls have burned away the veils of light, and the effulgences and revelations of the Sun of Manifestation have encompassed the world, to such extent that any sightless one, should he so desire, may behold the brilliant lights of the horizon of Revelation without any veil or barrier. Should any soul remain deprived this day, it is due to his own veiling and lack of search, in that he hath not wished to receive sustenance from the infinite ocean of divine bounties. Otherwise, this Most Great Revelation hath appeared in such wise that not the least occasion for hesitation remaineth for the peoples of the world.

In any case, were this servant to attempt to make mention of these stations, this letter might not arrive, as the travelers are about to depart this very moment. You had written that two petitions from this servant had arrived. Let that beloved one know that whenever anyone has been departing, this servant has taken the trouble [to write]; there was no negligence whatsoever in this matter. Thus far, this servant has submitted more than ten petitions. I know not whether they have failed to reach that beloved one or if something else has occurred.

The circumstances of the Most Great Prison remain as before—outwardly, to all appearances, calm, but inwardly, as God hath said, in a state of upheaval and revolution. Likewise, travelers continuously, successively, and repeatedly arrive from all directions each day without permission. This servant is ashamed to mention this. I know not how they interpret all these firm and decisive verses that have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Command forbidding this matter. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to grant us success and remind us not to treat God’s Cause as a plaything and to be among His servants who act according to His command.

One of the emanations of the inner turmoil of this land was that two sons of Jinab-i-Ustad Baqir-i-Najjar—upon him and upon them be the glory of God—ascended to the Most Exalted Horizon due to the explosion of the steam-powered mill they had set up for grinding flour. At that time, once again a great commotion arose. In truth, the commotion which had been foretold upon first arrival at the Most Great Prison, and which manifested after several years, was renewed in that same manner on that day.

This servant became certain that the Ancient Beauty had continually stated that the turmoil of this land had not yet subsided and its inner state was still in motion. This was God’s promise and it came to pass. After the incident occurred, it was repeatedly heard that the agitation of this land had not yet subsided. It became clear that more was yet to manifest, even though at present perfect ease and comfort is evident for the loved ones in the prison-city, and the officials show the utmost friendship and affection. Nevertheless, He states that it has not yet subsided. Verily He is the All-Knowing of what has appeared and what shall appear, and He is indeed the Triumphant, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

I beseech your honor to convey to all the friends and nobles of that land, as well as all those connected to your honor, on behalf of this evanescent servant, sublime [and glorious] greetings and expressions of pure sincerity. Glory be upon your honor, upon those with you, and upon those who have believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. The servant. 9 Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1293.

BH05002: O Muhammad-ʿAli! Great is the blessedness awaiting thee, inasmuch…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Great is the blessedness awaiting thee, inasmuch as thou hast adorned thine heart with the ornament of the love of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised. He that hath attained this station in this day, all good shall be his.

Pay thou no heed to the humiliation to which the loved ones of God have in this Day been subjected.

This humiliation is the pride and glory of all temporal honor and worldly elevation. What greater honor can be imagined than the honor conferred by the Tongue of the Ancient of Days when He calleth to remembrance His loved ones in His Most Great Prison? The day is approaching when the intervening clouds will have been completely dissipated, when the light of the words, “All honor belongeth unto God and unto them that love Him,” will have appeared, as manifest as the sun, above the horizon of the Will of the Almighty.

All men, be they high or low, have sought and are still seeking so great an honor.

All, however, have, as soon as the Sun of Truth shed its radiance upon the world, have deprived of its benefits, and have been shut out as by a veil from its glory, except them that have clung to the cord of the unfailing providence of the one true God, and have with complete detachment from all else but Him turned their faces towards His holy court.

Render thanks unto Him Who is the Desire of all worlds for having invested thee with such high honor. Ere long the world and all that is therein shall be as a thing forgotten, and all honor shall belong to the loved ones of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful.

BH01787: Praise be to God Who hath illumined the world…

Section 1: “He is the Most Powerful, the Most High…”

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

Praise be to God Who hath illumined the world through the light that shone forth from the horizon of His Most Great Name, whereupon the nations were shaken—among them were those who died and returned to nothingness, those who fell thunderstruck upon the dusty earth, and those whom the light drew unto the Supreme Horizon, the Blessed Spot wherein the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary proclaimeth that there is none other God but the Lord of the First and the Last.

And praise be to God Who hath adorned all things with the ornament of the Point appearing beneath the letter B and hath composed them with the letter H, whereupon the Dove cooed and the Cock of Paradise crowed and the Dove of Utterance warbled upon the branch of eternity that there is none other God but Him, and that He is verily the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Name whereby the Sacred Texts and Tablets have been adorned, and He is verily the Fire of God unto whoso turneth away and transgresseth, and the Light of God unto whoso draweth nigh and is guided, and through Him God distinguisheth between the righteous and the wicked, and through Him the Hands of Bounty have circulated the Kawthar of immortality. Blessed is he who casteth away vain desire and drinketh therefrom in the name of his Lord, the Most Glorious, and woe unto him who denieth and disbelieveth in God, the Lord of Names and Creator of earth and heaven.

Thereafter, the servant received your letter which was adorned with the remembrance and praise of God, and perfumed with the fragrance that wafted from the garment of your sincerity towards His sovereignty and presence. We beseech God to draw you near unto Him at all times and cause you to speak that which will attract the followers of all religions. He is verily the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Helper.

Your letter was received. Praise be to God, the fragrance of love for the Beloved of the worlds emanated therefrom, and what was mentioned concerning the acceptance, harmony and unity of the friends brought the utmost joy, for today all have been created for the knowledge of God and unity and harmony in His Cause. Blessed are they, for theirs is a goodly return. And concerning the tribulations that were mentioned, though outwardly they caused grief and sorrow, yet as they were borne for the sake of God, they were and shall ever be light upon light. The world is transient, as is evident in its constant change and transformation, and this very change is a tablet whereon its evanescence hath been inscribed by the Pen of Power.

O blessed are they who possess insight! Ere long shall the carpet of tyranny be rolled up as it was before, and the carpet bearing the fruits of the deeds of the sincere ones shall be spread forth. By the life of God! Were this station to be elaborated, all the hearts of the people of the world would circle round the loved ones circling round the Truth. We beseech God to open the eyes and cause them to be gladdened by beholding that which hath dawned, shone forth, gleamed and flashed from the Horizon of which the Sovereign of horizons was to all creation.

O spiritual brother! The heedless and ignorant have been prevented from the immortal divine Kingdom. The spiritual physicians must, through measures of wisdom and utterance, educate them and, with the utmost love and kindness, give them to drink of the Kawthar of inner meanings. This Kawthar appeareth with different manifestations in every station—in one station it is wine, a delight to those who drink; in another station it is milk whose taste changeth not; in another station it is water that never becomes stale; and in another station it is purified honey. These four stations were revealed aforetime, but from the Pen of our Lord, the Most Glorious, they have been revealed according to the number of the Greatest Name. Glad tidings to them that drink! Blessed are they that drink! Happy are they that drink!

And regarding what had been written about turning towards the land of Za [Yazd], associating with the friends of that land, and inviting certain capable souls to the divine direction—this matter was and is most pleasing. Blessed is thy heart for having intended to serve God, blessed are thy feet for having hastened to the land of Za to teach God’s Cause, blessed is thy tongue for having spoken in remembrance of God, and blessed is thy face for having turned toward the loved ones purely for the sake of God. And blessed are those souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of love and recognition and turned toward the horizon of the All-Merciful.

Some who have taken gods for themselves other than God have not been and are not aware of the foundation of the Cause, and through the vain imaginings of heedless souls remain afflicted and bewildered in the valley of error. If they were to become aware of the detailed circumstances of the one whom they have taken as their object of worship, by the Sun of the horizon of sanctity, they would flee a hundred thousand leagues and cry out “Would that I had not taken so and so as a friend!” and raise their voices in lamentation. Beseech ye God that He may, God willing, quicken all the dead through the living waters of knowledge and utterance in this Day which is the Lord of Days.

Blessed are those souls who, through mention of thee, have shattered the idol of fancy with the arm of certitude and have joined themselves to the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Upon them be the glory of God and His mercy. God willing, may they remain firm and steadfast, for most people are observed to be like dried delicate leaves, moved by every wind. Where are the pure hearts? Where are the attentive ears? Where are the penetrating eyes? For if today a soul were to reflect upon that which hath appeared from the Dayspring of God’s Command, he would observe all the world to be as nothing and would hold fast to the Most Firm Handle in such wise that none would be able to detach him.

As to what was written about certain friends considering the recent disturbance in that land to have been caused by thy presence—thy presence was never the cause of that disturbance; rather, it was caused by something else. Our Lord, the Powerful, the Manifest, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, beareth witness to this. All the people of that land among the friends of God should rejoice in thy deeds. The names of the souls and handmaidens who accepted the Faith, which were mentioned in thy letter, were presented at the Most Holy Court. Blessed are they, inasmuch as their names were mentioned in the Spot which God hath made the Seat of His Throne, the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, and the Dayspring of His Manifestation and sovereignty amongst all worlds.

All have attained divine favors, for there is nothing greater than for a soul to be mentioned before the Throne. Were they to become aware of the greatness and nobility of this station, they would surely perish from joy and delight. A Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of divine Will specifically for all the friends of that land, and through a bounty the oppressed ones of that land have been honored in that Tablet with that which, by God, nothing in creation can equal. We thank our Lord, the All-Merciful, for the gift which hath appeared and shone forth from the horizon of His grace, the All-Encompassing, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

As to your question concerning the ascendancy of the Cause of God, verily it hath an appointed time in the Book of God. However, these days have been and are more excellent, inasmuch as the tyranny of the oppressors and the denial of the divines and the objections and protests of the ignorant serve as a sieve—that which is pure enters in while impurities are prevented from entry. We must appreciate the value of these days. The love, fellowship and spiritual knowledge of these days possess another sweetness and another spirit. In the days of the ascendancy of the Cause and its outward dominion, every rejected soul will claim belief, even as is witnessed in these days when the fragrance of glory hath wafted over certain lands and some of the deceitful and dishonest have claimed love and faith while acting upon their selfish desires and speaking thereof, to such extent that they have regarded the divine commandments as child’s play and have spoken that which God hath not permitted.

We beseech God to assist all to do that which He loveth and which pleaseth Him. All must observe and act according to that which hath been revealed in the divine Tablets. Whosoever speaketh contrary to this is not of the Truth. He is quit of those who spread corruption in the earth and who consume the wealth of the people and who commit that which hath been forbidden in the Scriptures and Tablets.

Section 2: “However, you must not be saddened…”

However, you must not be saddened by the abasement of these days. This very abasement shall become glory. Soon will the Cause of God prevail over all. None can frustrate His Purpose and none can prevent His Judgment. He doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty and ordaineth what He pleaseth through His power. Were one to observe carefully today, he would perceive the Sun of the Cause at its zenith, despite all rulers being opposed, all divines turning away, all kings outwardly united against it, all news flowing continuously by land and sea, and all ranks arrayed in opposition. Yet God, exalted be His glory, though alone in the Most Great Prison, hath manifested Himself in such wise as cannot be surpassed. Exalted, exalted be His dominion! Exalted, exalted be His power! Exalted, exalted be His grandeur! Had the friends of God acted in accordance with that which they were commanded, you would now witness most lands adorned with the banners of faith and recognition. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to accomplish that which they have been commanded.

As to what you had written regarding whether sacrificing one’s life in the love of God is more beloved than teaching His Cause with wisdom and utterance—by the life of God, the latter is better. For after the martyrdom of Badi’—upon him be all the most glorious glory—all were commanded to exercise wisdom. Those like yourself must engage in teaching the Cause with the utmost wisdom, that perchance those who have strayed may find the divine path of truth and attain to the holy station of nearness, which is the goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Martyrdom in the path of the Beloved is considered among the most excellent of deeds—in truth it has had and will have no peer or likeness.

However, if it should occur of itself, it is beloved. All matters depend upon acceptance by the Truth, and the Truth has commanded all to exercise wisdom. If one acts with wisdom and no corruption or reprehensible deeds that would harm the Cause of God issue from him, and then he drinks the cup of martyrdom through the arising of tribulation—this station has been and is the most exalted of stations, and in truth this station is the king of stations. Neither can utterance describe it nor the pen record it. It is strange that certain souls become disturbed and shaken at such times. The essential thing is that one should act according to what God has commanded. After attaining to this station, whatever occurs has been and will be beloved.

You and all the friends must hold fast to the cord of wisdom in all conditions, for most are weak—at the mere rising of clamor they are seen to become disturbed, fearful and veiled. “His mercy hath preceded all created things.”

As to what you wrote concerning the poetry of Shaykh Baha’i, this servant testifies that the mysteries now revealed between heaven and earth, which you have come to know, were not known or understood by a hundred thousand like the late Shaykh and far beyond that number. As you have observed, what imaginings the eminent divines have embodied regarding the appearance of the Qa’im, and how many delicate pages they have blackened with the mention of vain conjectures that neither nourish nor profit! They have written numerous books about this matter yet have not understood a single word of it. Strange that some among the people of the Bayan, like the owl that dwells in the land of Qaf, are still veiled by the utterances of old imaginings and dwell in the grave of ignorance and unknowing.

They must engage in teaching the Cause with perfect joy and fragrance, wisdom and utterance, as indeed praise be to God they have done. Know this much: your turning toward the land of Za and your mention there have been accepted before the Throne. This suffices you, by the Lord of the worlds. Strive that the loved ones of God may act and speak in accordance with praiseworthy character, goodly deeds and pure words. I beseech the True One, exalted be His grandeur, to assist you in all conditions. You are among those souls who have been and are mentioned before the Throne, and a Tablet has been sent down from the heaven of favor specifically for you, and likewise a Tablet specifically for the honored mother—upon her be the glory of God. God willing, they will attain to visiting them.

As to what was written about the hardship of the loved ones of God—yes, the entire world and especially the right and the loved ones of the right have been created for this, and this is a matter to which all the Messengers and all the Books bear witness. Nevertheless, the heedless and ignorant people have, through manifest tyranny, imprisoned the Self of Truth in this mighty fortress. Assuredly, in this imprisonment and in the appearance of hardship and tribulations lie hidden the consummate divine wisdom. All divine favors, celestial powers, and lordly riches are directed towards the loved ones of God, though due to the absence of outward means they have not yet been made manifest. Soon they shall be made manifest.

In the blessed and exalted Tablets that have been sent down from the heaven of the Lord’s Will, the cause and reason for the straitened circumstances of the loved ones have been mentioned, therefore there is no need for this servant to elaborate. However, this much I will say: the good of all lies in this poverty and hardship. If the loved ones were to become aware of what has been ordained especially for them, by God, they would pay no attention to the world and its hardships, intensity, and tribulations. It is but a passing shadow; its carpet shall be rolled up, and there shall remain what God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, has ordained for them. And this outward hardship shall, God willing, be transformed into ease, and severe tribulation into tranquility. Verily, He is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

Convey greetings from this evanescent servant to all the loved ones of God and say: Today is the day wherein you must, with the utmost joy and gladness, and in spite of all the world, drink repeatedly from the cups of the love of the Ancient King and be occupied with the remembrance of God. Know ye the value of these days, and like the nightingales of the garden of inner meanings, sing with perfect yearning and longing in this divine springtime. And in every gathering and assembly where the divine mention is circulated, forget not this evanescent servant. The glory be upon you and upon the loved ones of God in that place.

BH00363: Praise be to God Who is one…

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who is one…”

In the Name of God, the Speaker, the All-Healing, the Glorious

Praise be to God Who is one in the sovereignty of His oneness and single in the dominion of His singleness, Who is sanctified above the most exalted mention of all contingent beings and holy beyond the most glorious description of all created things, and exalted above every pure mention and every essence of description. The near ones have acknowledged their shortcoming in that which beseemeth His sovereignty, and the sincere ones have confessed their powerlessness in that which befitteth the court of His glory. He hath ever been single and alone, and will forever continue to be even as He hath always been. Through His prevailing Will, He hath established the edifice of His Cause upon the foundation of exposition and the elements of explanation, and hath created for it guardians and protectors to preserve it from every heedless betrayer and ignorant speaker—they who transgress not what God hath revealed in the Book and who speak naught except that which He hath permitted them in the final abode.

I bear witness that they are the Hands of His Cause amidst all creation and the Lamps of His guidance between earth and heaven. They are they who stand at His gate and drive away such as are unworthy to enter His court. There is no God but Him, the Ruler, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Grief hath seized me to such a degree that it cannot be described in words, when I behold the Dayspring of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, confined in the prison of contingent being. By Thy might! Hearts should be transformed into blood, tears should flow from the eyes of Thy chosen ones, livers should be consumed with fire, and its flames should appear from the veins of Thy loved ones. How could it be otherwise, when the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery hath been wronged among the rebellious ones of Thy creation and the insolent ones among Thy creatures?

I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by the Most Great Name, which when read to the mountains, they were humbled, and to the rocks, they were cleft asunder, and to the seas, they surged, and to the graves, they were opened, and to the stars, they were scattered, and to the hearts, they were attracted, and to the necks, they were bowed, and to the idols, they were shattered—to rend asunder the veils that have prevented eyes from turning toward Thy most exalted horizon and beholding Thy most glorious vision. O Lord! Aid Thy creation and Thy creatures to stand firm in Thy love and to follow what hath been sent down in Thy Tablets. Strengthen their hearts to remember Thee in Thy days, then cause them to hear, at all times, Thy most sweet call which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven, lest they be troubled by the doings of the Pharaohs and the gestures of the tyrants who have become renowned among Thy servants for knowledge, grace, wisdom and justice.

I testify concerning them, O my God, even as Thou hast testified in Thy Book, that they are the ignorant ones, they are the oppressors, they are the heedless ones, they are the deniers, they are the rejecters, they are the ungodly, and they are the ones who turn aside. Through them the blood of Thy chosen ones was shed, the hearts of Thy loved ones were consumed, the breasts of Thy messengers were constricted, the crystal waters of Thy knowledge were muddied, and the hem of Thy robe was soiled. O Lord! Forsake them through Thy sovereignty and power, then seize them through the King of Thy punishment and might, although I am certain that the stars of their glory have set and the planets of their exaltation have declined, even as I have seen how Thy Most Exalted Pen hath brought them low in Thy Tablets, and the hands of Thy justice have stripped them of what Thou hadst bestowed upon them through Thy bounty.

They wallow in their vain imaginings and think themselves knowing, they turn away from their Creator yet fancy themselves drawing nigh. Nay, verily, nay! Far be it, far be it! They are a people through whom the veil of sanctity hath been rent asunder, and through whom the countenance of humanity hath been altered. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens, by the sovereignty of the Names, to protect Thy loved ones from these people and to make known to Thy servants what lieth within their hearts and breasts, and what their mouths utter, that they may become aware of their schemes and avoid their evil. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Inspirer, the All-Knowing.

Then I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the dawn and Sender of the winds, to make known to some of Thy loved ones their station and condition, lest they transgress what hath been ordained in Thy Book and decreed in Thy Tablets, that they may know themselves and speak what beseemeth them. Then grant them the sweetness of the cup of servitude in Thy path, and the delight of poverty at the manifestation of Thy wealth, and of powerlessness at the appearance of Thy might. By Thy glory, O my God! If they were to drink of this pure wine, they would hold fast to the cord of servitude, free from all investigation. And I, O my God, beseech Thee not to withhold me from this sweet flowing fountain, nor to turn me away from this path. Then I beseech Thee to reveal to all servants the nobility of this most exalted station and the excellence of this most sublime summit. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

May my soul be a sacrifice for your steadfastness! This servant attained to the perusal of your letter which was addressed to His Holiness, Ismu’llah Mihdi—upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God. On one hand it brought boundless joy, for the sweet fragrance of the love of the Beloved of the worlds wafted from it. On the other hand it caused infinite sadness, for it was observed that some of the loved ones of God utter words which in themselves prevent the manifestation of divine assistance and cause discord among the people, and in truth lead to the frustration of God’s Cause among all else.

Today those who claim relationship with the Truth must be set ablaze with the fire of the Divine Word and speak such utterances among people as would attract their hearts and souls, so that all may turn to the horizon of certitude through the light of utterance and the fire of the love of the All-Merciful. They must not speak words that extinguish souls and disturb hearts. From the unprofitable and useless utterances which some unconsciously make, no obligation remains for anyone.

I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that if the loved ones of God had acted according to what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, all would have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon or returned to the fire. Strange it is that some who consider themselves soaring in the atmosphere of divine knowledge have not yet attained to even the outer meaning of the divine words, nay rather, have not even inhaled their fragrance. For example, at the beginning of Ridvan He says, exalted and glorified be His Word: “We have manifested Ourselves through all names unto all things.” The purpose of this blessed word is that all things today have attained to the manifestation of the Lord of Names.

Similar and even loftier utterances have been revealed in the divine scriptures, tablets and books, and their meanings and purposes have been explained in Persian and Arabic in numerous tablets from the Pen of Command. Blessed is he who hath recognized the intention of God and hath held fast unto it, detached from every barking one who knoweth not what he saith and every braying one who comprehendeth not what he uttereth. After the rending of veils and clouds and the shattering of the idols of vain imaginings, they have begun speaking ancient words anew.

Section 2: “On one occasion this servant was present…”

On one occasion this servant was present in the Most Holy Court and the Countenance of the Beloved turned toward me and spoke in Persian saying:

“Once We went to certain lands for hunting until We reached a place where We observed a dervish preparing food. We asked him what he was doing. He stated ʿI am cooking God, I am cooking with God, I am cooking for God.’ We observed how far that poor one was from the stream of the knowledge of the Lord of the Worlds. Then We paused and spoke to him with utmost kindness and counsel until the rays of the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of his heart. He arose in apology, and he had a companion who walked naked among the people uttering the same words, and both attained to the lights of the dawn of inner meanings to such extent that the next day they ran barefoot alongside the mount, even though that land had many thorns, and they would not accept the offer to ride.”

I beseech God, exalted and mighty be He, to protect His loved ones from the evil of harmful utterances, that all may speak that which God hath permitted and engage in service to His Cause. In the Most Holy Book and most of the Tablets He hath clearly and with perfect proofs set forth the obligations of His loved ones. His Word, mighty be His grandeur: “The Revelations have ended…” Similarly, in a Tablet revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s Will addressed to Nabil-i-ʿAli of Qa’in, He has fully expounded the obligations of the people. Likewise, during the days when Baghdad was the seat of the All-Merciful’s throne, He warned the friends in numerous Tablets about the braying of calves, birds of darkness, croaking of ravens and the like. Similarly, in Constantinople and this land, these utterances were revealed in certain Tablets, and assuredly these matters will occur in most cities. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to remain steadfast in His Cause and to act in accordance with what they have been commanded in His Book.

There are some who are observed to be occupied with the mention of God and are speaking and remembering His praise to the utmost possible degree, yet they make that very mention and praise a snare for people. After they have captured the hearts of the weak, they cling to certain divine verses, both Persian and Arabic, that have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, interpreting these verses according to their own desires and thereby establishing a station for themselves, becoming the cause of people’s deviation and discord.

Today, should anyone be designated by all the Most Beautiful Names, yet utter a word other than pure servitude, he would be accounted before God as one of the lost. Do they not reflect that if a new claimant to truth should appear each day, all divine ordinances and heavenly commands would be suspended and delayed? We hope that some of the friends who speak according to their desires will show mercy upon themselves and others and not allow God’s Cause to be lost among the people.

In the Most Holy Book He says, exalted and mighty be His Word:

“Let not your deeds be as snares wherewith to trap the object of your aspiration.”

That is, do not make your deeds a trap to achieve your own desires, as is now observed among various sects where some appear with the utmost piety, remembrance and deeds, while their purpose is to achieve the desires they have concealed in their hearts. God protect us and you! Indeed, the sorrows that come from the friends have a more severe effect than what has appeared and appears from the idolators. We beseech God to protect His loved ones from both groups.

Today, each of the friends of God who are spread throughout His lands should be as a lamp for the guidance of the people, should walk among the servants with perfect wisdom, and should speak of the divine knowledge that has been revealed in the Book, so that all may be sustained by the living waters and may recognize the Dawning-Place of the Cause. After the martyrdom of the Most Great Branch, upon him be the most glorious of all glory, strife, contention and matters that cause the agitation of the heedless have been forbidden. The details of wisdom and the propagation of the Cause have been revealed fully in the Tablets and are available in most lands. I beseech God to assist all and enable them to attain His good-pleasure, which is the greatest of all deeds.

Every day a new call is raised and a commotion appears. In the previous year, two persons appeared in Rasht claiming truth, and a number of the beloved, who possessed no knowledge of the fundamental nature of the Cause, gathered around those two souls and became the source of dissension, until such time as a petition was submitted to the Most Holy Threshold, whereupon, following the issuance of the divine response, they returned unto the Most Exalted Horizon. God hath forgiven them as a token of His grace. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful, and His Self is the Truth. Should they find the sweetness of the Kawthar of servitude and become aware of this most exalted station, they would cling to it with such tenacity that all the peoples of the world would be powerless to separate them from it. However, they are heedless of the root of the Cause and unaware of the majesty of God and His sovereignty. If, today, any one of the loved ones should utter a word that is contrary to the good-pleasure of God, the people of Baha should counsel him, that perchance through their loving admonition he might become aware. Otherwise, none should draw nigh unto him. This is what our All-Knowing Lord hath decreed in His mighty Book.

To each of the Afnan, upon them be all the most glorious splendor of God, I convey expressions of utter nothingness and complete effacement, and the Most Sublime, Most Holy, Most Glorious salutation. To his honor Shaykh Sadiq, upon him be the glory of God, I convey salutations and say that God willing, they may be enkindled at all times with the fire of God and illumine the peoples of the world with the lights of the utterance of God. Likewise, I have been and am mindful of and send greetings to the other gentlemen and friends. Glory be upon you and those who are with you.