Volume 057: Akka 1295 A.H. (1878) (2 of 3)

BH00329: Praise be to God Who hath raised up…

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who hath raised up…”

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

Praise be to God Who hath raised up the heaven of utterance and adorned it with brilliant stars, and illumined its horizon with the Sun of the remembrance of the Most Great Name, whereby the world was illumined. When the air stirred and the heaven moved, the ocean of knowledge surged and the Ark of God sailed thereon through His Most Glorious Name. Blessed is he who clung unto it and embarked upon it through the Name whereby the veils were rent asunder and the coverings were torn away. Glorified be He Who hath revealed what He desired through His exalted Word and hath spoken and caused all things to speak. Verily His Word is the path of truth and the balance of justice, whereby the lovers were attracted and soared in the atmosphere of longing, and whereby the sincere ones arose to promote the Cause of God between earth and heaven, and bore in His love such tribulations as none can reckon save God, the Lord of all names.

Through it were opened the gates of the treasuries of heaven and the Kingdom of Names was revealed. Through it the Trump was blown and the Call was raised amidst the concourse of creation. Through it the mountains of idle fancies were scattered and the heavens of vain imaginings were cleft asunder and the earth of knowledge were split among the peoples.

At times thou seest it flowing like water in the valleys, and at other times blazing like fire upon the heights. Through it were the hearts of the wretched consumed and the Concourse on High made glad. Can the Pen ever exhaust Its praise? Nay, by the Lord of Names! Can paper ever contain It? Nay, by the Creator of heaven! Verily, It is that through which the names and all things were manifested. There is nothing but that it hath withered at Its appearance and manifestation. Through It the fragrance of God was wafted throughout creation, the dwellers in the graves were stirred, and the Day of Resurrection came to pass. Exalted, exalted be He Who revealed It and created It and made It the source and educator of all things. Exalted, exalted be He Who hath made Himself known and taught His servants what He desired. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

And further: the servant hath attained to that which flowed from your pen that moved in praise and glorification of God and in describing His attributes and names. When I opened it and read it and became aware of its contents, I turned toward the heaven of the Cause and presented what was presented before the Throne. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby the world was gladdened and the mouldering bones were quickened. He—glorified and exalted be He—spoke:

O Ali! We were seated upon the throne in the Most Great Prison when the servant who is present before Us entered with thy letter and made known its contents—and verily We are the Hearing, the Answering One. We have heard thy call and recognized the depth of thy love for thy Lord. Remember when thou didst turn toward the Prison and stand before its gate, hearing the call of the Wronged One Who spoke from the most exalted station that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Ali! Hearken unto what the ungodly say in this Most Great Revelation whereby the limbs of all nations have trembled. Thy Lord is verily the Expositor of Truth, and He is the All-Knowing. They say He hath claimed Divinity—a claim that beseemeth no one among His servants. Thus have their hearts hardened and their souls deceived them. Thus do We recount unto thee the utterances of the heedless ones, and We are the All-Informed, the All-Aware.

Say: By God! This is God’s Day wherein none is mentioned save Him. He is verily the One Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison and calleth betwixt earth and heaven. No Prophet there was who did not herald this Day to all creation, and no Book exists but was adorned with this Most Great Name. Say: None is mentioned on this Day save God, His names, and that which hath appeared from Him. Thus hath the Command been sent down in all the Tablets, yet most of the people are heedless. Say: This is the Wondrous One through Whom the horizon of creation was illumined and through Whose Word was manifested that which lay hidden in the treasuries of God’s protection, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Were He to speak other than what He hath spoken, then ye might have cause to object. Say: Reflect and be not among the opposers. Say: This is He Who hath come from the heaven of grandeur with manifest sovereignty and hath called all to God in such wise that neither ranks nor hosts nor the protestations of the ungodly could deter Him.

And those among the people of the Bayan who denied the All-Merciful forgot all they were promised, speaking as spoke the people of the Furqan before them. Say: Woe unto them and unto you, O company of doubters! They followed vain imaginings as did their forebears. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur speak the truth. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds! Blessed is he who hath cast behind him vain imaginings and stood firm in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. Say: Fear ye God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him Who hath come unto you with a proof that neither the heavens nor the earth can withstand.

Grieve thou not over anything. Verily He heareth and seeth, and We are the All-Seeing. We have remembered thee time and again, and this is yet another time. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of thy Lord’s verses, arise and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens! Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth the reins of all worlds! I praise Thee and thank Thee for having caused me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and to recognize Thy Beauty after every remote misbeliever had turned away therefrom, for having shown me Thy countenance after the passing away of all things, for having made me hear Thy most sweet call, for having enabled me to attain unto the ocean of Thy Most Great Name, and for having given me to drink, through Thy bountiful hands, the water of everlasting life.

Every limb of my body testifieth to Thy grace, Thy bestowal, Thy generosity and Thy gifts, and verily Thou art the Generous Giver. O my God! Thou seest that mine eyes are turned toward the horizon of Thy favor and mine ears are attentive to hear Thy call. O Lord! The yearning one’s longing and rapture never cease, nor doth his love and ardor ever cool. I beseech Thee by Thine own Self to make me in all conditions enraptured by Thy verses, delighting in the fragrances of Thy raiment, clinging to Thy robe, and speaking Thy praise amongst Thy creatures. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Akbar! The Lord of Destiny calls thee from the direction of His Most Great Scene, as a token of His grace upon thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. From this Most Holy Station We send greetings to the faces of those who have turned to the countenance of God and responded when the Call was raised between earth and heaven, and followed that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in a preserved Tablet. We make mention of them and give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: Beware lest the world prevent you from the Creator of heaven. Leave the people to their vain imaginings and take what hath come to you from God, the Mighty, the Great. He loveth him who loveth Him, and remembereth him who remembereth Him, and beholdeth him who standeth firm in His remembrance and the service of His Cause. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Wise.

At the end of the Tablet We make mention of him who is named Rida, who hath turned to the Face and believed in God, the Single, the One, the Powerful. Convey My greetings to him and give him the glad tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from God, the Ancient Revealer. We then make mention of the handmaidens who have turned, drawn nigh, recognized, and drunk of My luminous wine. Blessed are they in that they have fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Testament, and remained steadfast in this wondrous Cause. The glory be upon thee, upon thy family, and upon those who have believed in God and held fast to His wise Book.

Section 2: “The verses sent down from the heaven…”

The verses sent down from the heaven of divine Will bear witness to the special favors that have been and continue to be directed toward you. Regarding what you wrote about this servant being remiss in sending letters—yes, indeed there was a delay, but this was neither due to laxity and indolence, nor, God forbid, from any lack of sincerity. God is aware and bears witness that your mention and love have been and will remain in heart and tongue.

And concerning what you wrote about circumambulating the Temple of Unity on your behalf—at the time of the revelation of verses, praise be to God, this evanescent servant attained this bounty and performed the visitation and circumambulation on your behalf.

And regarding what you wrote about the loved ones of Qamsar who have arisen to serve the Cause—this was presented before the Most Great Scene. This is what was revealed for them from God, the Lord of all worlds:

O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto My sweetest call which hath been raised from this luminous Spot. Verily, there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The glance of the Wronged One hath been directed towards you from this known Station. He, verily, is the Hearing, the Responding One. Blessed are ye for having believed and turned toward the Supreme Horizon, after the servants turned away save whom God, the Single, the All-Informed, willed. Hold fast to the cord of unity, then make mention of your Lord, the All-Merciful, with joy and fragrance. Thus doth command you the All-Knowing Commander. We have seen you and heard your call and have answered you with these verses through which the fragrance of utterance hath been wafted throughout all possibilities.

He, verily, is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By God’s life! There hath been ordained for you in My Most Glorious Kingdom that which the pen cannot describe, yet most of the people know not. Rejoice in My Name, then drink the water of life through My wondrous remembrance. We counsel you to show forth supreme steadfastness and to observe that which God hath revealed from the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Tablet. He commandeth you that which shall profit you in the Hereafter and in this world. To this beareth witness the Lord of creation in His mighty prison. Be gladdened by My remembrance of you. All the treasures of the heavens and earth cannot equal it. Hearken unto him who is among you and remindeth you of the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn towards the Land of Kaf and make mention of them who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and have attained the recognition of Him Who caused thee to speak with truth. Verily thy Lord is the Bestower, the Generous. Blessed are ye for having attained and recognized the Wronged One when every heedless and remote one turned away from Him. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall endure for you that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. God hath testified to your acceptance and your faith. Rejoice then in this Most Great Remembrance, and drink of My luminous wine. Guard your stations with supreme steadfastness lest the allusions of them who have disbelieved in the Lord of all worlds cause you to slip. The glory be upon you and upon them who have laid hold of God’s Book with His strength and have acted according to that which they were bidden by their Lord, the All-Wise.

The names mentioned in your letter were brought before the Most Great Presence. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds that they were adorned with the ornament of His love and attained His recognition. They took and drank the wine of immortality from the hand of bounty. Happy are they and those who have attained this noble station. Wherever ye attain unto a divine Tablet, ye should deliver what is inscribed therein to its people or send it to them, and convey to each one specifically a wondrous and sublime greeting from God.

And concerning what ye wrote about the steadfast women, the submissive ones, the believing women, and the confined ones of that land—this was presented at the Divine Throne. Wondrous and sublime verses were revealed from the heaven of God’s Will specifically for each one, and the glance of mercy was directed towards each. Blessed are they for having attained the recognition of God and the service of His firm and wise Cause. It is clear and evident to every person of understanding that whatsoever is in this world has been and will be mutable and transient. Soon all that is visible shall vanish, and that which shall endure forever is the mention that floweth from the Most Exalted Pen specifically for each of the servants and handmaidens. Blessed are they who have attained this most exalted station. By God’s life! Were We to fully describe this station, all the peoples of the world would turn to the most exalted horizon and engage in service to the Cause with the utmost joy and fragrance. Thus doth the Truth speak with truth and make mention of that which gladdeneth the hearts of the sincere ones and the minds of them who are firmly established.

Beseech ye God, and let them beseech, that they may remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. Say: O handmaidens of God! Be thankful that your mention was presented before the Throne and that your deeds were for God’s sake and were accepted in the Most Holy Court. God willing, may ye be blessed at all times with the fragrances of divine verses and be gladdened by His remembrance.

And concerning what ye wrote about the word of forgiveness regarding the late Haji Mulla ʿAli-Akbar—this was presented before the Throne. This is what was sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance from God, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O My handmaiden! We give thee glad tidings of thy Lord’s grace and make mention of that which will rejoice thy heart and the hearts of those women who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Bestower. Know thou that God hath forgiven him through His grace, purified him and caused him to ascend unto the Most Exalted Companion. Verily thy Lord’s grace hath encompassed all created things. Thus doth God change whatsoever He willeth and ordain for whomsoever He pleaseth whatsoever He desireth. Nothing can frustrate Him and no affair can defeat Him. He doeth what He willeth through His power and ordaineth through His sovereignty what He desireth. Give thanks and make mention through these verses which have been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The glory be upon thee and upon those women who have perceived the fragrance of the garment in the days of God, have turned toward the horizon of Revelation and have hearkened unto the call of God, the Lord of Religions.

Furthermore, regarding the matters which His Holiness the Name of God “Ha”—upon him be all the most glorious glory and upon him be all the most excellent praise—hath undertaken, this servant hath briefly submitted according to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Command. Undoubtedly they will inform your honor thereof and it should be carried out accordingly.

Moreover, regarding the mother of the sacred household—upon her be the glory of God—who resideth in the Land of Kaf, let them emphasize strongly that the souls dwelling in that land should show her respect, for truly she hath endured manifold afflictions in the path of God. Blessed is she for what she hath patiently endured in the path of our Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Now she remaineth in a foreign land and with utmost distress she is patient and grateful. We beseech God to assist her and grant her what beseemeth His abounding grace, and to assist those who honor and revere her for the love of God, the Mighty, the Wise. If possible, convey glad tidings to her on behalf of this evanescent one, for mention is made of her at the Divine Throne and the glance of favor is directed towards her. Blessed is she and blessed her patience, her gratitude, her generosity and her turning unto God, the One, the Peerless.

This evanescent one entreateth your honor to convey most glorious, most sublime, most exalted greetings on behalf of this servant to the friends and notables of every land. Furthermore, the friends of the Prison Land and those who circle round it all remember your honor with most excellent remembrances and salutations. The glory of God be upon your honor and your family and upon all the loved ones of God, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 17 Sha’ban 1295

BH00255: Praise be to God Who is unique in utterance…

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

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

Praise be to God Who is unique in utterance and peerless in explanation, Who is magnificent in majesty and transcendent in glory, Who hath shone forth through the influence of His Most Exalted Pen upon all who dwell in the kingdom of creation. Then were all created things thrown into commotion and all contingent beings were stirred by the fragrances that wafted from His Pen as it raced across the field of wisdom and knowledge. Glorified be He Who moved it, and glorified be He Who gave it speech, and glorified be He Who made it known, and glorified be He Who taught it the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Verily, He is the One through Whom the ocean of life surged in the realm of possibility and through Whom the Dove of the Cause warbled upon the branches.

There is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above all names and shall ever remain exalted above whatsoever the people of creation utter. Whosoever claimeth to know Him is gainsaid by the tongues of all created things. All things testify to His grandeur and His sovereignty. Exalted, immensely exalted, is His Cause that hath encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven, and His sovereignty that hath dominated all who dwell in the realms of divine might. We praise Him for having illumined for us the horizon of Revelation and for having manifested that which lay hidden in His preserved Tablet, and for having caused His loved ones to turn toward the Most Sublime Horizon and to drink of His most glorious wine, whereby what was hidden hath appeared and what was treasured hath been revealed.

Exalted be His Hidden Name, Who hath come with the truth with the sovereignty of grandeur and power, and through Whom was established that which lay concealed within the scrolls of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

And furthermore, how pleased was the servant’s eye to behold thy letter, and how gladdened was his heart to perceive the fragrance of thy words. We beseech God to assist thee and those with thee, and to strengthen thee and them to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby the mountains of learning were scattered, the heaven of vain imaginings was cleft asunder, the suns of idle fancies were darkened, and the moons of knowledge were eclipsed. By God’s life! The Tongue of Grandeur hath repeatedly and continually spoken this word, saying—and His word is the truth: “By My life, the Cause is mighty, mighty indeed!” And when the land of Syria was honored by the footsteps of the Lord of all beings, and perceived the fragrance of inspiration, and attained the Water of Life after being consumed by the fire of separation and awaiting the days of reunion, He then declared—and His word is the truth: “We have named this prison the Most Great Prison.”

Were anyone to reflect upon that which hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance, he would find a drop from the ocean that lieth concealed within the words of his Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving, and would recognize the greatness of the Cause, its sovereignty, its loftiness, its power, its dominion and its glory, and would be numbered among those who are firm, steadfast and certain.

At this moment when the servant was occupied with penning this letter, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing summoned me and said: “O My servant in attendance! Take up the pen by My command and write to him who hath been named Kamal: O Kamal! Ponder upon the people of the Bayan and hearken unto what they say regarding this Remembrance at Whose appearance the Most Great Remembrance bowed down in submission and that which was recorded in the scrolls and books was fulfilled.

By God’s life! They are in dissension and hypocrisy, to which thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, doth testify. Among them are those who have claimed that He hath claimed Divinity. Say: Yea, by my Lord! This is the Day of God and He hath come, with the angels rank upon rank. The Qur’an foretold this in His words The Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s,’ and in this hour He verily speaketh the truth: There is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.’ Say: Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow that which ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: By God! The Lord hath come and these are His signs. Have ye not heard what We revealed aforetime: On the day when thy Lord cometh, or some of the signs of thy Lord’? Be fair then, and be not of the heedless. Say: He is indeed the One foretold by the Revealer of the Bayan, Who said—and His word is the truth: He hath ever been, and will ever continue to proclaim: Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me. O My creation! Worship ye Me!’

O Kamal! We desired to raise them to the kingdom of utterance and the heaven of certitude, yet they retreated until they returned to their abode in the nethermost fire. They have followed the people of the Qur’an after having rejected it, and have clung to the mention of the Caliphate and its sister after We had desired to sanctify hearts from that which had veiled and hindered them. Thus do We recount unto thee that thou mayest be among those who are possessed of understanding. Say: Nothing shall profit you this Day, though ye should cling to all the things in heaven and earth, except that ye repent and return unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praiseworthy.

O Kamal! Say: O ye that are devoid of justice! What profit did the people of the Dispensation of the Qur’an gain after being occupied with such matters for twelve hundred years, and what was their fruit? Say: Fear ye the one true God and be not of those who disbelieved in His divine proof and His evidence. This is the Word of Truth that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the divine utterance, and after it there is naught but manifest error. Those who have never had, nor now have, any knowledge of this Cause are now claiming knowledge thereof and have arisen to lead the servants astray. Beseech ye God that He may strengthen the people of Baha to guide all men through consummate wisdom, praiseworthy character and goodly deeds, and draw them to the Source of divine bounties that they may quaff the wine of mystical knowledge and become moved to celebrate the praise of the Beloved of the world in the assemblage of creation.

O Kamal! This is the Day wherein sanctified souls should appear adorned with the ornament of pure servitude—that is, with utmost humility and lowliness, engaging in the mention and praise of the Lord of men amongst the people. By God’s life! This is the most exalted station, the most glorious station, and the most sublime station, were ye to know. And should anyone speak of aught else besides what hath been mentioned, he hath not been nor will ever be mentioned before the Throne. Your honor should regard this matter with utmost enthusiasm, attraction and endeavor, for We have previously announced in the Tablets that the heralds of Satan would appear and false claimants would arise. Say: Fear God and be not of the transgressors. Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken by God’s command, the Creator of the heavens and the Lord of Names, and hath enjoined upon thee what He hath been bidden by God, the Mighty, the Clear, the All-Wise.

Take thou the Book of God by Our command, then follow what thou hast been commanded, and be not of the heedless. Know thou the value of these days. By God! Therein hath appeared what hath never appeared from time immemorial. Behold thou the Most Exalted Horizon that thou mayest see how the Throne hath been established, and seated thereon is the Lord of Names with a sovereignty that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus hath spoken the Lord of Eternity in the Most Great Prison, and He, verily, is the All-Informed Speaker.

As to what you wrote regarding your visit to the Land of Ha, where you inhaled the sweet fragrances of the garment of the All-Merciful’s love from its wise ones, upon whom be the Glory of God, this was presented at the Most Holy Court and the Greatest Scene, and their mention hath flowed from the Supreme Pen in several instances. We beseech God to grant sight unto all who dwell on earth that they may not be deprived of beholding the lights of the Countenance of the All-Glorious in this spiritual morn and luminous dawn.

Likewise, may He bestow upon all the sense of smell that they may detect the fragrance of His garment and find their way to the true Friend and the spiritual Sun. And may He grant them taste that they may take hold of the everlasting bounty and heavenly food with the hand of certitude and assurance and be sustained thereby. O My loved one! It is not known what hath befallen the world and what intoxication hath seized it. Though at all times the cry is raised and the call of the All-Merciful is elevated among all possibilities, none hath awakened from the wine of heedlessness save whom God hath willed. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist your honor to act and speak in accordance with that which is His good-pleasure in this Day. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the Most Manifest.

In truth, Tablets were previously revealed specifically for the philosophers and were sent through Hadba, and likewise in the letter of Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be [Baha’u’llah’s glory], mention was made of them and their questions were answered. We beseech God to assist them to be steadfast and to aid those who convey to them the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous. You should also convey to them mention of divine favors, that they may rejoice in God’s grace and heavenly gifts and engage with utmost joy and gladness in the remembrance of the Beloved of the world.

At this moment, this ephemeral one was again summoned to the Most Holy Presence. He said: “Write to Kamalu’d-Din that answers have been revealed to the questions posed by the aforementioned philosophers, and this was due to divine grace bestowed upon them. Otherwise, the Most Exalted Pen has not wished to set forth interpretations of previous utterances, or their explanation, or commentary on past events.” O Kamal, by God the Truth! Verily He has not come to interpret what was revealed before or to explain what people possess. Say: He has come from the Dayspring of eternity with hosts from the Supreme Concourse and with an utterance which none knoweth save the people of Baha, whom God hath described in His wondrous Book.

Say: His eye hath appeared that thou mayest behold His most holy, most mighty, and most inaccessible Beauty, and His ear that thou mayest hearken unto His verses, at the revelation of which the necks of the proud were humbled. Say: His tongue hath appeared that He may speak that which the Point of the Bayan foretold when He said: “Verily He speaketh in all things: ʿThere is no God but Me. O My creation! Worship ye Me.”’ We have revealed unto thee these verses that thou mayest become aware of thy Lord’s favor and bounty which have encompassed the philosophers who have attained unto My manifest remembrance.

Section 2: “O ye people of Nun, hearken unto…”

O ye people of Nun, hearken unto the call of the Hidden Mystery that speaketh from the Most Great Prison and addresseth the nations, summoning them unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. O people of Naraq! The Luminary of the horizons maketh mention of you with a remembrance whose fragrance hath spread throughout all creation. Be grateful unto God and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Revealer of the Tablets!”

By God’s life! Through His mention your remembrance shall endure and your names shall be immortalized in the Book adorned by My Most Exalted Pen. Thus doth God single out whom He willeth through His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Bounteous.

O My loved ones in that place! Abandon what the people possess. Take ye hold of My Book through which the breath of God hath wafted over all else and by which all regions have been perfumed. Thus hath God honored you with His mention and His grace that ye may thank Him at all hours of the night and ends of the day. Say: Verily His Pen moveth to make mention of His loved ones, and His tongue uttereth that which they have wrought in His love and good-pleasure. To this testifieth this Tablet which hath spoken betwixt earth and heaven that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Convey My glorification unto their faces and remind them of My days, My manifestation, My sovereignty, My power, My fragrances, My sweet savors, My kingdom and My dominion, and that which hath appeared from My Word that hath encompassed the horizons. Glory be upon the people of Baha who have fulfilled God’s covenant and testament and held fast unto the Book. Then the face of Baha turneth unto those women who have believed in God, the Lord of creation. Blessed are they inasmuch as they have heard, turned towards, and set their faces toward the countenance of God, the Revealer of clear tokens.

O My handmaidens! Turn with your hearts toward the Most Exalted Horizon, then drink in My name the Kawthar of My utterance, the wine of My loving-kindness, and the pure water of My bounty which hath encompassed creation. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of you. Verily it is that through which the winds were subdued and the verses were sent down. Glory be upon you and upon every believing woman who hath believed in God, the Lord of lords.

That which is incumbent upon you and all the friends of God in this day is steadfastness and arising to serve the Cause. You must, God willing, at all times educate the people of possibility through prescribed means and summon them to the Most Exalted Horizon. A hundred thousand paradises, blessings and gardens await those souls who have recognized the Day of God and acted according to its requirements, which have been and shall ever be steadfastness in the Divine Word. Say: O friends of Truth! God, exalted be His glory, declareth: Ye must be so enkindled by the wine of the loving-kindness of the Beloved of the worlds that its heat shall influence human souls and draw them all to the court of oneness. The manifestations of falsehood and dawning-places of error exist; ye must at all times take refuge in the Lord of possibility that ye may remain protected from the whisperings of the sources of evil suggestion.

Glorified be God! In this letter thou hast been blessed several times with mention of the Beloved. By God, besides Whom there is none other God, were we to render thanks night and day, we would never fulfill the right of this bounty. Not only was a Tablet revealed and bestowed from the heaven of divine will, but divine verses were also revealed on numerous occasions. All things testify that His grace hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. All the names that were in the book of that honored one and of Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be Baha’u’llah, were presented before the Throne, and for each one specifically there were revealed and sent from the heaven of loving-kindness wondrous and exalted verses. God willing, they will attain unto them. Praise be to God that all were mentioned in the Most Great Prison before the throne of the All-Merciful and were blessed with countless favors. His is the praise and the bounty, and His is the gratitude and grace.

And mention was made of thy kinsmen in the Most Holy Court. He said:

“O Kamal! The Light hath been honored and hath attained unto the Most Great Luminary when He shone forth from the horizon of Iraq amidst the peoples. Blessed are the people of the world who have been honored and have attained, and woe unto the heedless. Blessed is thy son who hath drunk the wine of reunion time and again, cup after cup, and from the ocean of attainment, again and again, goblet after goblet. Verily thy Lord is the Ancient Bestower. And We make mention of thy other son who hath attained unto that which shall cause his remembrance and thy remembrance to endure throughout the dominion of the Kingdom. Verily thy Lord is the One, the All-Informed. And the glory be upon him and upon him and upon them both from among thy progeny and upon their mother who hath attained and turned and arrived at the spot of Paradise and heard the call of God, the Lord of the worlds.”

O Kamal! God willing, mayest thou be blessed by divine bounty and be sustained by the outpourings of the All-Merciful. Gladden all the friends in that land, both men and women, with the sweet savors of the mention of the Beloved, and convey to the Distinguished Lady wondrous and exalted greetings from the Wronged One, and say:

“God willing, the All-Merciful, thou shouldst at all times and moments be engaged in the mention of the Beloved of the worlds with utmost sanctity and detachment, and hold fast to the cord of His loving-kindness. Praise be to God that thou didst arrive at the shore of the sea and didst drink from the Kawthar of attainment and didst hear the call of Truth, and besides that thou wert blessed repeatedly with His mention. These infinite bounties should not vanish from thy sight, and thou shouldst hold fast and cling to and be engaged in that which is befitting this day and worthy of the days of the Beloved.”

The glory be upon thee and upon her who was named with the letters B and Y (Aqa Baygum), and verily she is among those who heard the call of the Wronged One in His noble station. Beseech God’s loving-kindness that He may bestow upon all the women of that land a portion from the Kawthar of eternity, that all may become detached with utmost sanctity and purity from all who dwell within the realm of possibility, and with radiant faces and illumined hearts may turn toward the highest horizon. The command is in God’s hand—He giveth to whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He desireth. Verily He is the One, the Bountiful.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mahmud, who hath drunk the choice wine of the love of his Lord, the All-Loving, and turned unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have made mention of him, and do mention him as a token of Our grace, for verily I am the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee. By God! Through it the Most Great Ocean hath surged, and all who dwell in the world have proclaimed that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Make mention, on My behalf, of My loved ones who have drunk the wine of steadfastness in My days, who have clung to My robe, who have cast aside all else besides Me, who have soared in the atmosphere of My nearness, who have been nourished by the fruits of the Tree of My knowledge, and who have been illumined by the Luminary that hath shone forth from the horizon of My tender mercy.

By the life of God! They are the people of Baha, whom the Supreme Pen hath mentioned in Its Preserved Book. Say: Blessed are ye, and glad tidings be unto you, for ye have attained, and have tasted, and have turned towards God, and have hearkened to the call of the Wronged One from this forbidden place. The glory be upon thee and upon them that have believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

After the dawning of the Sun of divine favor and the manifestation of the grace of the eternal Sovereign, what else can this servant mention that would be worthy of utterance or acceptable in the presence of the friends? Yet the fire of love moveth one to action, such that neither pen can cease from writing nor tongue from mentioning. Were one to speak unceasingly, night and day, in praise of but a single leaf among the leaves of a tree that hath grown in the courtyard of one of the friends who is adorned with the robe of steadfastness, it would still seem insufficient, nay rather, as nothing.

Finally, convey my greetings of pure devotion and self-effacement, and my praise and salutations, to all who have spoken in remembrance of the Beloved and believed in the Object of all desire. I hope that each one may drink, cup after cup, from the life-giving waters of the love of the Lord of all possibilities, in spite of those who have denied, turned away, and objected until they disbelieved in God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Let them take the trouble to make a clear copy of this letter, and after comparing and reviewing it, send it to the Land of Ha. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you.

The servant 14 Ramadan 1295

BH01111: Praise be to God Who hath illumined the horizon…

He is God—exalted be His station, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

Praise be to God Who hath illumined the horizon of the world with the Sun of His Most Great Name, and hath commanded all to be trustworthy and faithful, and to that whereby His Cause may be exalted amongst the peoples. Among men are those who have turned to the Supreme Horizon and acted according to that which was commanded by God, the Lord of Names; among them are those who have halted in perplexity; and among them are those who have turned away and committed that which hath caused the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the Cities of Names to lament, until matters reached such a pass that, by God, the sun of trustworthiness hath been darkened among creatures and the moon of faithfulness hath been eclipsed among men. Blessed, blessed, then joy be to him who hath been faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament, and hath acted in such wise as to exalt the Cause of God above all else. And woe betide him who hath been overcome by his passions and hath committed that which is forbidden in the Book of God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great.

I have received your letter and learned of your love for God and service to His Cause. After gaining this knowledge and understanding, I approached the Most Exalted Presence until I stood before His countenance and presented what you had mentioned. Thereupon the tongue of the Beloved uttered that which was a remedy for the world’s ills and healing for whosoever desireth his Ancient Lord. We beseech God to assist you in your current endeavors and aid you in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones and the Answerer of the prayers of the supplicants.

My soul be a sacrifice for your love! God knoweth, and all else bear witness, that this servant loveth to hear at all times that which your tongue uttereth in remembrance of my Beloved and your Beloved. My ear is ever attentive to your address, for through it my breast is dilated, my frame is stirred, and my heart is gladdened. Should my reply be delayed, this is not due to heedlessness or indifference—to this both heart and soul bear witness, and they are with you; ask them, for they are just and truthful, and it is hoped their testimony will be accepted by you. And beyond and above them is the testimony of Him Who hath spoken and speaketh the truth. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Furthermore, regarding what you mentioned about the name Qurratu’l-ʿAyn, this servant had not seen that letter nor was it presented before His countenance. After my learning of it, turning toward Him, ascending and presenting it, he was named “The Trustworthy”, entitled “The Wondrous”, and given the kunyih “Father of Faithfulness” in the presence of Him Whom I cannot adequately describe before the peoples who have been veiled by the veils of idle fancies and thereby been prevented from witnessing that which hath appeared, shone forth, emerged and risen from the horizon of possibility. Exalted, exalted is He! Whosoever pondereth upon the Manifestation of God and His power, and the sovereignty of God and His grandeur! Can the Pen bear to carry remembrances, or the Tablet have strength to be the bearer of mysteries? Nay, by His chosen Self! All have proven powerless, and the tongue of God hath testified to the powerlessness of all, before the creation of all, the mention of all, the description of all, and the appearance of all. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

By thy life, at the time it was presented before the Countenance, I found the Lord of all beings to be saddened, and this was not due to any causes but out of compassion for him who was named Khidmat-ʿAli. Blessed is he for having been honored by the mention of the Beloved and adorned with the loving-kindness of the Desired One. It behooveth him to strive with the utmost effort and endeavor to discharge what is due from him of the rights of the servants. Thus hath the Lord of creation decreed in the Books, the Psalms, the Scriptures and the Tablets.

I know not, O My beloved, whether the world hath been perfumed by the fragrance of the Beloved or hath been deprived thereof, and whether the heaven hath recognized the Sun shining from its horizon or remaineth heedless and bare, and whether the earth hath recognized the honor of His footsteps upon it or remaineth ignorant and negligent, and whether the trees have become aware of the breezes of reunion wafting upon them or remain veiled behind the veils. Yet I observe the air to be of utmost delicacy and gentleness, and the light as though it hath acquired radiance from the face of Him unto Whom all things turn. Blessed is he who hath turned unto, clung to, sought after and held fast unto God, the Lord of Names and Creator of heaven.

At times the Spirit turneth toward the mountains and saith: I perceive from thee the fragrances of the Beloved, as though He had passed over thee—hast thou recognized this or art thou among the heedless? And at times it wandereth through the dwellings and saith: I perceive from thee the sweet savors of the Manifestation—hast thou known this or art thou among the veiled ones? By thy life, O My beloved, the Pen hath taken from Me its reins and moveth, and I know not toward which direction it turneth—toward the hilltops or the branches, or toward the deserts and wilderness. He verily knoweth best what moveth upon the earth or ascendeth into the air, and He is in truth the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

In all circumstances, I beseech Him, exalted be He, to grant him success and assistance, and to open before his face a door whereby his affairs and the affairs of those who have believed in God, the Single One, the All-Informed, may be set right.

As to what ye mentioned concerning Haji ʿAbbas, upon him be the glory of his Lord, We beseech God to send down upon him a blessing from His presence and to protect him from all that He abhorreth. The servant conveyeth his greetings to him and to the loved ones of God in that place. His teaching work hath been entrusted to your care and kindness. Glory be upon you and upon your household, and may he present himself before you and receive from you that which shall profit him in the Cause of God, your Creator and the Creator of all worlds. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant, 4 Ramadan 1295

BH00091: Lawh-i-Haji Mirza Kamalu’d-Din

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

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

Praise be to God Who is unique in His might and peerless in His grandeur, Who uttered the Word amongst all created things whereupon the mountains were moved, the heaven of the vain imaginings of the people of error was cleft asunder, the earth of idle fancies was made to sink, and the sun of certitude shone forth on the appointed day. Exalted is He Who hath appeared and caused to appear, Who hath spoken and caused to speak. He is indeed the One through Whom the gate of the Divine Presence was opened and the ocean of reunion surged in the kingdom of creation. Say: He is indeed the One established upon the Most Great Throne, Who judgeth with pure truth and calleth mankind unto God.

Blessed is he who is attracted by the call of the Lord, who turneth unto Him, detached from all else, who taketh the choice wine of immortality from the hands of the people of Baha and drinketh it in the name of God, the Creator of heaven. The Concourse on High, even the dwellers of the cities of names, circle round him. And shame upon him who casteth the Lord behind his back, who followeth the vain imaginings of men, and turneth away from the Supreme Horizon. He is of those from whom the denizens of the fire dissociate themselves—they who denied the All-Merciful when the horizon of utterance was illumined with the sun of the remembrance of God, the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Great.

Praise be to God Who hath made known unto him who turned unto Him that which lay concealed within the pavilion of His protection, and aided him to turn towards this Horizon wherefrom the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. By God! The appointed time hath passed, and the Promised One hath appeared with a sovereignty that neither the veils of glory nor the ranks of men who have clung to their desires and denied God, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, can withstand.

And further: thy letter reached this evanescent servant. I took it, opened it, and found therein the fragrance of thy sincerity towards God, thy turning unto His horizon, and thy standing firm in the service of His Cause, His remembrance and His praise. When I perceived its fragrance and recognized its contents, I repaired to the Most Exalted Goal and attained the presence of the throne of our Lord, the Lord of Names, and presented what was therein before His Face. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused the Pen to swoon. How can this evanescent one be capable of mentioning that which was uttered by the Tongue of Eternity? By the life of God! The pens of creation are powerless to recount or enumerate it, and the tongues of the world fall short of its description and praise. Blessed are ye for having attained unto the remembrance of the Beloved, by which hearts and minds have taken flight. We beseech God to assist you and aid you in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to provide you with the wondrous, fresh, heavenly food which hath been sent down from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds Who hath made His friends steadfast in His Cause, from whom the fragrance of divine love is wafting and flowing. Blessed are ye for having attained on this Day of God that which most of mankind hath failed to attain. We hope that at all times ye will drink from the living waters and bestow them upon the dead in the valley of bewilderment and heedlessness, that perchance through its drops they may attain unto a wondrous and glorious life and arise to make good what they have missed. This is a Day wherein all atoms proclaim the praise of the Lord of Names and Attributes. The Truth, exalted be His praise and glorified be His station, hath testified that this Day hath no peer or likeness.

In such wise, the station of those souls who have recognized it and attained unto it is evident and manifest, requiring no mention. Yet we beseech God, exalted and mighty be He, that the heedless souls who have been seized by slumber may become aware through the call of His loved ones and not remain deprived of the heavenly waters in this spiritual morn. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is indeed the Single, the One, the Bestower, the Bountiful.

As to what ye wrote concerning the divine philosophers and true sages who have, praise be to God, through His infinite favors turned towards the Dayspring of divine revelation and have drunk from the choice wine of the irfan of the Beloved of the worlds—all these matters were presented in detail at the Most Holy Court. The Sun of favor hath dawned upon each one, and some time ago their petitions were also forwarded through Hadba by His Honour Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and were presented before His presence. A specific response was revealed from the heaven of divine will for each one and was dispatched. On behalf of this lowly one, convey to each of them greetings, salutations and congratulations, and say: Blessed are ye for having attained unto that which was recorded in God’s scrolls and concealed in the treasury of His all-encompassing knowledge. All the appointed times, promises and signs that were in the former books have been made manifest.

In one of the Divine Tablets revealed to the new believers of Kha, these exalted words are recorded—exalted be His glory: The divine promises recorded in the Holy Books have all been fulfilled. The Law of God has flowed from Zion and the Call of God has been raised from Jerusalem. Its lands and mountains have been adorned with the effulgences of the lights of the Lord. Blessed is he who ponders on that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

O friends of God! Reflect and with attentive ears hearken unto the Word of God, that through His grace and mercy ye may drink from the pure water of steadfastness and be firm and immovable as mountains in the Cause of God. Verily the Cause is mighty, mighty, and this Day is mighty, mighty. In the Book of Isaiah it is stated: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty.” Should one reflect upon this verse alone, he would become aware of the greatness of the Cause and the majesty of this Day of God. And at the end of the aforementioned verse it states: “And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.”

This is the Day in which the throne of David hath been adorned by the Promised Countenance, and this is the Day the mention of which hath been recorded by the Pen of Command in all the Books. There is not a single verse but proclaimeth this Name, nor a Book but testifieth to this most evident Remembrance. Were We to mention that which hath been revealed in the Books and Scriptures concerning this Revelation, this Tablet would assume enormous proportions.

Today all must be confident in the divine favors and strive with the utmost wisdom to teach the Cause, that all may be illumined by the lights of the dawn of inner meanings.

I beseech and implore God to preserve them in His protection and care, and enable them to hearken unto His Call, for in truth whosoever attaineth unto hearing the Call of God will never stray from the path of His Cause, and will regard all cries and clamors, voices and shouts, screams and braying as mere nothingness. That most of the followers of religions have not yet attained this most great bounty is due to their not having truly understood their own Book.

The purpose of all divine Books is the recognition of the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Dawning-Place of His Cause. This is that most mighty matter at the mention of which most souls have been thunderstruck and bewildered. All the laws and ordinances recorded in the Books revolve around the recognition of God, for if one attaineth not unto the recognition of God, all his deeds have been and will be as scattered dust.

In the first chapter of the Book of Isaiah it is recorded:

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, and your festivals are mere corruption. Your new moons and your feasts my soul hateth; they are a burden unto me; I am weary to bear them.”

Should any soul contemplate these aforementioned passages and inscribed verses that have been recorded from the Book of Isaiah, lifting his gaze from secondary causes to fix it upon the Prime Mover, and thereafter regard whatsoever may be manifested by Him as the true causes, cleaving fast thereunto—it would be well for those souls who have received the glad-tidings of the sages of bygone ages and the drinkers from the Kawthar of divine knowledge concerning the inhabitants dwelling in Jerusalem, to observe these passages, that they may know with certitude that God doeth whatsoever He willeth. One day He commandeth by the sacrifice of a decree, and another day He may lift that very ordinance. He shall not be asked of what He doeth, and He is the All-Knowing Questioner.

Behold how greatly these aforementioned passages stand at variance with that which is in the hands of this people! In truth, today is the Day whereon all these matters have been abrogated, and a new Law of God hath flowed forth from the finger of divine bounty. He it is Who is the true Zion, and in Zion and Jerusalem hath this Call been raised, and the Hill of God hath become the seat of the Throne. Blessed is the ear that hath heard, the heart that hath recognized, the sense that hath perceived, and the eye that hath seen in these days of God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Were this servant to wish to present to the friends the allusions and references in previous Books, he would need to spend much time writing, but time is lacking, for verily the servant is engaged in a momentous task, as he writeth down that which descendeth from the heaven of the will of our Lord, the All-Knowing Revealer. Say: O masters! Today is that Day when all things have been transformed—brother hath shunned brother, father hath dissociated from son, and likewise son from father. How many friends whose bonds of fellowship were severed because of the Word of God, and how many distant ones who drew near, and how many near ones who became distant! How many thirsty ones remained bewildered in the deserts of error and perished, and how many of them made their way to the Most Great Ocean, attained unto it and drank therefrom! This is the Day wherein kinship is not observed. The souls who have accepted are both fathers and sons, for they walk on one path, drink from one wine, gaze toward one horizon, and dwell in one house. Their relationship is made firm through the Name of God. Blessed are they and those who love them.

This is the Day when the earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth, and people are seen fallen upon the ground. They speak but have no awareness; they walk but are deprived of spirit; they have ears but are forbidden to hear; they are gathered blind, appear deaf, and are observed to be dumb. Say: This is the Day when all trees are in rapture and ecstasy, and the nightingales in melody and joy. No fresh eye remains to observe the fresh world. The eyes have grown old and lost their power, for the ophthalmia of desire hath made them sick. Otherwise, they would observe the mountains, deserts, sands, rocks, hills, plains, stars, and heavens all in rapture, longing and ecstasy. In one of the Persian utterances which hath been revealed by the Divine Pen specifically for someone, this blessed word appears:

“O sons of knowledge! If the eyelid, with all its delicacy, veils the eye from beholding the world and all that is therein, consider what would befall if the veil of covetousness were to descend upon the eye of the heart!”

Section 2: “Say to those wise ones who have turned…”

Say to those wise ones who have turned to God—upon them be the Glory of God—on behalf of this servant, that ye are those souls of whom Isaiah the Prophet gave tidings in the sixty-fifth chapter. For ye have drunk from the Living Waters while your companions remained deprived, and ye have attained the eternal bounty while your fellow believers were forbidden. Thus it is that in the Book of Isaiah He says:

“Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit.”

Observe how He even foretold that oaths would change in that Day, as He says:

“He who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes. For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

Ponder deeply on these passages. In Iraq, some said,

“These people have even changed their oaths, swearing by the truth of Truth—such an oath has never been heard before.”

Thus did their souls beguile them in their matter, and they are a people in denial. They were heedless that whatsoever was recorded in the Books must needs be made manifest. By thy life, O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! They are deaf, they are blind, they know not, they hear not, they perceive not, they understand not, and they see not. Woe unto them and unto those who follow their vain desires! I testify that they are the lost. Most of the people of the world cling to their own desires, imagining themselves to be turning toward the truth. If the Hand of Divine Power should rend asunder one veil, they would take up other veils for themselves, whereby they remain deprived of the Lord of Names and the Creator of Heaven.

All souls have been promised the Day of God and have been given the promise of the manifestation of Truth, as mentioned countless times in the Qur’an, the Bayan, and the heavenly Books. This is the foundation of the Book and its essence. Nevertheless, none has understood this station. Rather, they have objected to the Dawning Place of Revelation and the Dayspring of Inspiration, saying that He has claimed Divinity. Yet if the Tongue of Grandeur had spoken otherwise, they should have objected, for this is the Day of God—naught can be mentioned or shall be mentioned save the Truth and Its manifestations. Fie upon them for following their desires and denying God, our Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate.

The followers of the Qur’an, both high and low, learned and ignorant, did for twelve hundred years repeat vain and false utterances and speak words devoid of meaning. Thus from the beginning of Islam until the present time, they continually spoke of the Qa’im as dwelling in Jabulqa with his sons and wives, and that whosoever should say He would be born is a liar and calumniator, nay, an infidel. Then did God, exalted be His glory, His majesty and His power, rend asunder the veil, and all beheld and heard that He appeared from Persia and was born of a mother. Now ponder how all these divines, scholars, philosophers, men of letters and mystics were heedless of the truth, wandering in the wilderness of idle fancies—fancies which became the cause of the martyrdom of the Point of the Bayan, may the life of all else be a sacrifice unto Him.

And now certain souls who have no knowledge whatsoever and yet count themselves among the people of the Bayan are occupied with false claims of succession and spurious assertions of vicegerency, perchance to prevent the weak from recognizing the truth and to nourish them with vain and profitless imaginings. Consider now how heedless they are and how far they have strayed from the straight path. We hope that the people of Baha will attain to such a station that they will regard all these sayings and utterances as utter nothingness and absolute void, and will hold fast to the firm cord of “thy Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank” and cling to the hem of the blessed words “the Kingdom on that day shall be God’s”. These are they who are accounted among the people of Baha, concerning whom He saith that they dwell in the Crimson Ark. By the Sun of the horizon of the Bayan! Such vain imaginings have appeared from the direction of the false ones that man is struck with wonderment.

In brief, they who today have turned away from the Truth among the people of the Bayan are observed to be a hundred thousand degrees lower than the people of the Qur’an, and are uttering the same words which were uttered throughout twelve hundred years by this false band. All must ponder on what hath been mentioned. The wine of steadfastness is today more precious and more beloved than all else. It must be offered with the utmost wisdom that the friends may drink thereof and not stumble at the utterances of the ungodly. I beseech God to preserve all through His power and to raise His loved ones to the most exalted station, that they may behold none save Him, hear naught but His voice, and turn to none but Him. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Answerer, the All-Knowing.

The Primal Point, may the life of all else be a sacrifice unto Him, hath spoken thus concerning the Beauty of the Ancient of Days, that He, from eternity unto eternity, declareth “Verily I am God, there is none other God but Me; O My creation, worship ye Me!” Now observe this blessed word and consider the vain imaginings of the people, even to where He saith: Let not the mention of Prophet or Successor or aught else veil you, nor deprive you from the Dawning-Place of the divine Manifestation, for He is the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret. All have been created for His revelation. He hath spoken of this matter in such wise that the pen is powerless to describe it. He, verily, beareth witness unto His own Self by His own Self. He is the Speaker, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We beseech God to aid all to stand firm in His Cause and to be detached from all else besides Him. Verily, He is the Protector of them that are nigh unto Him, the sincere ones and the obedient.

They who were mentioned in your book—for each one separately from the heaven of the Divine Will have blessed verses been revealed. God willing, may all attain unto them and cling to the hem of His grace. Likewise, for those souls who had written petitions, for each one separately was revealed and sent a wondrous and exalted Tablet. Praise be to God that mention of all hath been made in the Most Great Scene and they have attained unto and been honored by the lights of His countenance. Upon them be the glory of God and His mercy, the loving-kindness of God and His bounty. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

O Mahmud (Aqa Mahmud Bayk)! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the All-Loving, from this renowned Prison. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Generous. Thy mention hath come before the Wronged One, and there hath been revealed for thee that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Divine Robe throughout the world. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Giving, the Merciful. He maketh mention of His loved ones in the Most Great Prison and calleth them unto a station revealed in the Scriptures of God, the Lord of all worlds. Hold thou fast unto the cord of steadfastness and cling to the hem of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. We make mention of everyone who hath desired My presence, soared in the atmosphere of My nearness, and spoken in praise of My Beautiful Name. Say: By God! The Fountain of Life hath appeared and been circulated by the fingers of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Draw ye nigh through His Most Great Name and partake thereof in remembrance of His All-Wise Name. Thus hath the Wronged One spoken while in the midst of the heedless ones.

O Ahmad (Aqa Ahmad Bayk)! The Lamp hath appeared when the world was wrapped in manifest darkness. Among the people are those who have seen, turned towards it and attained unto the light of the Cause. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. And among them are those who have shunned it, turned away and sought to extinguish it. Thereupon the hand of thy Lord’s will, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, prevented them. Blessed art thou for having drawn nigh and turned towards Him when every heedless and remote one turned away. Say: O people! By God! The horizon of the world hath been illumined by the Most Great Luminary. Leave behind what ye possess and turn with enlightened hearts unto the Most Exalted Horizon, the station wherefrom hath been raised the call of God, the Lord of Names. He is indeed the All-Speaking, the All-Wise. Say: This is the Path of God amongst you. Draw ye nigh and be not of those who turn aside. Beware lest the affairs of the world hold you back from the Lord of all creation. Thus doth the Prisoner make mention of you in this manifest stronghold.

O Ancient Beauty! Turn from this Most Pure Station and Most Great Scene towards him who was named Muhammad-i-Baqir and give him the glad tidings of the verses of his Lord through which the ocean of bounty hath surged and the fragrance of the Beloved hath wafted among the servants. By My life! The gate of heaven hath been opened by the key of My Most Glorious Name, and the horizon of divine knowledge hath been illumined by the Sun of the utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Grieve not over anything. In all matters place your trust in God. Verily, He ordaineth what He pleaseth for whomsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. He calleth betwixt earth and heaven and summoneth all unto a station which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His Tablets. Thus hath the Tongue of Antiquity spoken amongst the peoples. He is verily the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. Give thanks unto God for having been mentioned by His Most Exalted Pen while the Promised One was imprisoned in the most remote of lands.

O My Pen! From this forbidden place turn towards him who hath been named Nasrullah (Aqa Siyyid Nasrullah), that he may arise to serve his Lord in all things and celebrate the praise of his Lord at eventide and at dawn. O Nasrullah! Be true to thy name, that there may appear from thee that which will cause thy mention to endure throughout the eternity of God, the Lord of all men. Reflect upon God’s grace and bounty, that He remembereth thee from this spot which hath been designated the Most Great Prison. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Give thanks that thy name hath been honored from this spot wherein the Beloved calleth aloud with the most exalted call and guideth all to the most exalted station. Thus hath the Divine Lote-Tree spoken, and the Cock of the Throne hath crowed, when it was saddened by that which the hands of the servants had wrought.

A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned unto God and heard His most sweet call when it was raised betwixt earth and heaven, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. The Promise hath come and the Promised One hath appeared, yet the people are lost in doubts and idle fancies. Beseech God to rend asunder the veils of the world and draw them nigh unto the station which in the Qur’an hath been named the Praised Station. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the Day of God and acted according to that which God, the Lord of the seen and unseen, hath commanded.

O Javad (Aqa Siyyid Javad)! We make mention of thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord and remember Him amongst His servants, that they may recognize that which hath appeared in creation and turn unto God, the Mighty, the Loving.

Section 3: “We make mention of him who hath been…”

We make mention of him who hath been named Muhammad, that he may rejoice in the verses of his Lord and be of the thankful. Hearken unto the call of God which hath been raised from the blessed white spot: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” The world hath been honored by the advent of the Lord of Eternity, yet most of the people are heedless. Say: Open your eyes! By God, the Most Exalted Horizon hath been illumined and the Lord of Names hath appeared with mighty sovereignty. We counsel thee and My loved ones to manifest great steadfastness, for Satan calleth and inviteth the people to the very foundation of hell. Be steadfast in the Cause of God through His might and power. Thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin you from the presence of the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.

A book from Us unto him who hath heard the Call and turned unto God, the Lord of the worlds. O Hasan (Hasan Aqa)! Mention hath been made of thee before the Throne, and there have been sent down for thee these verses whereby all things have been attracted and the Dove of the Cause hath warbled upon the twigs of the Ultimate Tree. Thus doth the Wronged One make mention of thee that thou mayest be of them that remember. By God! The tongue hath been created for My remembrance, hearts for My knowledge, and eyes to behold the lights of My manifestations which have encompassed the worlds. This is the Day of God wherein every atom proclaimeth: The Worshipped One hath appeared with a sovereignty that hath encompassed those who are in the heavens and on earth.

Hold fast unto the cord of God and leave those who have denied the verses of God when they were sent down in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Counsellor, the All-Informed. This is a Tablet through which the Kingdom of Utterance hath shone forth, and wherein We make mention of him who hath turned unto God, the Lord of mankind, that the attraction of his Lord’s verses may seize him and render him steadfast in this Cause whereby hearts have been perturbed and feet have slipped.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Baqir (Aqa Mirza Muhammad)! Thou art in thy place while the Best-Beloved of the world remembereth thee from His Most Great Prison. Know thou this and give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. By God! We, at all times, summon the servants unto the Most Merciful. Among them are those who have heard and responded, and those who have witnessed yet denied and followed every doubtful objector. Say: Have vain imaginings prevented you from the Lord of all days, or idle fancies from My Hidden Name? Remember, then be fair, and follow not every ignorant infidel. By God! He hath appeared with the truth, and circling round Him are the Concourse on High and those who were created from the light of their Lord, the Subduer of the winds.

Thus have We made thee to hear and have answered thee through Our grace, for We are the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. O thou servant who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Read thou unto each one of My loved ones that which hath been sent down for him from the heaven of the will of his Lord, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Remind all of God’s favors and bounties, and give them the glad-tidings of this grace which hath no equal in all creation. God willing, thou shouldst, with the utmost joy and fragrance, recite the verses sent down from the heaven of the will of the Most Merciful unto each of the mentioned loved ones, that all may witness the Sun of bounty and engage in praise and thanksgiving to the Beloved of the world.

And furthermore, in the letter of the noble Haji Kamalu’d-Din, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, Dr. Hezekiel Haim had posed two questions.

First, he mentioned that in previous Books the sacrifice of God was Isaac, while in the Qur’an this station was revealed in the name of Ishmael, meaning that the station of being God’s sacrifice is recorded in the Qur’an in his name.

What he asks is the truth without doubt, but all souls must fix their gaze upon the Word that has dawned from the horizon of divine utterance, and every soul must ponder its sovereignty, its penetrating influence, its power and its all-encompassing nature. There is no doubt that these matters have been realized and established through the Word of God, and the Word of God is the overseer of all things. It is the creator of the world and the educator of the world. It is that which summons those who thirst in the valley of separation to the ocean of reunion, and it is that which illumines the darkness of ignorance with the dawn of knowledge. Consider how all people who lived in the past affirmed that Isaac was the sacrifice, and likewise the followers of the Qur’an have affirmed this station for Ishmael, even though it is clear and evident to every person of insight and understanding that, outwardly, no sacrifice actually took place, and by universal agreement, it was an animal that was sacrificed.

Now ponder what is the cause and reason that one who went to the altar of the Friend and was not sacrificed was honored with the mantle of being God’s sacrifice and attained the ornament of divine acceptance. There is no doubt that it was through the Word of God that he attained this station and was honored with this most great bestowal. Therefore, the appearance, manifestation, establishment and realization of all names, things and stations depend upon and are contingent on the Word of God. Likewise, there is no doubt that the Unknowable Essence does not speak directly, for It has been and ever will be sanctified above known conditions and mentioned signs. Rather, It speaks through the tongue of Its Manifestations, just as the Torah was revealed through the tongue of Moses, and God, exalted be His glory, mentioned all the laws of that time through the tongue of Him Who conversed with God.

The same is true of other Holy Books which outwardly appeared from the tongue of the Prophets and Messengers, while in all cases the Speaker and Utterer was God—exalted be His glory, universal be His bounty, mighty be His power, and great be His station. From what has been mentioned, it is established and proven that the station of being God’s sacrifice was bestowed upon Isaac according to what is in previous Books through the word of Abraham, peace be upon him, and that same word appeared and became manifest in the Qur’anic Dispensation from the Dawning-Place of divine verses and the Dayspring of divine revelation regarding Ishmael.

Man must reflect upon the Self of Truth. After attaining certitude, whatsoever He ordains is beloved and acceptable, and none may say why or wherefore. This is a matter whose mysteries may not be divulged at this time, for all people are deprived of its foundation—that is to say, they have not truly comprehended the divine purpose in the revealed Books, but have contented themselves with whatever they have deduced from or heard from their divines. Should anyone transgress even slightly from these theological limitations, they pronounce him an infidel. This fact is evident to you and to all fair-minded souls. One cannot yet say to the followers of the Qur’an that the promised Qa’im has appeared contrary to their vain imaginings, for if this were said, they would arise in utter opposition, as indeed they have done.

The Beloved declares: By My life! If God wished to honor those on earth with that glorious station and beloved name, He would be able to do so through a single word from His presence. He is verily the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. The conditions of creation cannot prevent Him, nor can the utterances of every heedless and remote soul. Fix your gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and illumine your hearts with the lights of the countenance of your Lord, the Speaking, the All-Knowing. Thus doth the Wronged One counsel you, when most of the servants have turned away from Him and every iniquitous doubter hath opposed Him.

Furthermore, for the Prophets—they who have been the Dawning-Places of divine revelation and the Daysprings of divine inspiration—there are stations which names cannot access. They are all seen as one soul, for they speak but one word and stand firm upon one cause. Blessed is he who immerseth himself in this vast ocean whose shores none hath reached, how much less its depths. This is the station of the Sun of unity and the Ocean of oneness. Should a soul ascend and soar in this holy, sublime atmosphere, he would testify to all that the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Books, and would cling to it with complete certitude and assurance. This station hath been revealed in detail by the Supreme Pen in some of the Books revealed in this Most Great Manifestation. Blessed are they that are informed thereof and they that comprehend.

The second question concerns the blessed verse of the Qur’an which states, exalted be His station and His sovereignty: “And remember when Jesus, son of Mary, said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of God unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is Ahmad.’ Yet when he came unto them with clear proofs, they said: This is mere magic.”’

Their question concerns the fact that this passage was not and is not in the Gospel, yet the Messenger of God, peace be upon Him, mentioned it in the Qur’an. Yea, this is true and we acknowledge it, but He did not say it was revealed in the Gospel. We testify that He said Jesus son of Mary spoke what the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an. Assuredly, whatsoever He spoke and was revealed in the Qur’an from the All-Merciful was and ever shall be the pure truth, for none but God knoweth the hidden knowledge and comprehendeth what hath occurred and shall occur in creation. God, exalted be His station, reveals and teaches to His chosen ones and His Prophets whatsoever He willeth. He is verily the All-Wise Teacher.

And this blessed verse, sent down from on high, is among those matters whereof the Most High—exalted be His station—hath apprised His Messenger. That it is not found in the Gospel doth not, and cannot, constitute proof that Christ Himself spoke not according to the purport of the aforementioned verse. For the four Gospels were written after Him: John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew—these four, after Christ, recorded such utterances of His as were present to their minds, that His companions might occupy themselves with the reading thereof and the pondering of its meaning.

Many, indeed, were the sayings of that blessed One which had been effaced from their remembrance; and many were the words He uttered to which none of these aforementioned souls gave ear. None can be acquainted with what the Messiah truly spake save Him Who sent Him, taught Him, and strengthened Him. Apart from the Most High—glorified be His Name—no one hath possessed, nor doth possess, knowledge of all the affairs of the world. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing, the Omniscient, the Omnipotent. All atoms bear witness that His knowledge hath preceded all things, and embraceth the whole of creation; and verily He is the One, the Single, the Almighty, the Expounder, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware.

The Supreme Pen declares that God, exalted be His glory, in every Dispensation has confirmed His previously revealed Books. Thus did the Messenger of God, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him, confirm the Torah and the Gospel. Likewise in this Dispensation the Qurqan and other holy books have been confirmed. However, the Torah that God has accepted comprises the very words that flowed from the tongue of Moses from God. This matter has now been briefly mentioned. Should God, exalted be His glory, will it, it shall flow in detail from the Supreme Pen hereafter.

This servant, the attendant, hopes that the friends of God who have drunk from the wine of inner meanings and who dwell in that land will arise in perfect unity to love God and mention and praise Him. Unity is the mightiest pillar today—it is the cause of the exaltation, spread and elevation of God’s Cause. Blessed are they who have held fast to the cord of unity and followed what they were commanded by God, the Lord of creation.

BH00325: Glorified be He Who hath illumined the horizon…

Section 1: “Glorified be He Who hath illumined the horizon…”

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

Glorified be He Who hath illumined the horizon of the world with the Day-Star of His Most Great Name, whereby all the tribes were seized with trembling and the nations were shaken, save those whom the hand of divine power did rescue. He, verily, is the Peerless, the Chosen One. He, verily, is the One through Whom the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken amidst the concourse of creation, and the Lord of Names hath testified to that which He hath testified. He, verily, is the Sovereign Whom the understanding of all who dwell within the realm of possibilities cannot comprehend, Whom the birds of the hearts of the people of certitude cannot reach. Every mighty one hath been abased before the manifestation of His power, and every powerful one rendered impotent before the revelation of His might and grandeur. The Books of Heaven have been adorned with His mention and praise, and the Preserved Tablet with His Name and sovereignty.

Were it not for Him, the All-Merciful would not have revealed the secrets of what was and what would be. Through Him the Hidden Name bore witness and the Treasured Name prostrated, and through Him the door of the Treasury was opened and the Hidden Mystery which was recorded in the Scriptures, the Psalms and the Books was revealed. He calleth aloud, saying:

“O concourse of creation! The All-Merciful hath come with clear proof and evidence. Blessed is the soul that hath turned unto Him and hath attained unto the Most Great Ocean which hath flowed from the wellspring of His utterance amongst His creatures.”

I beseech God to aid His servants to turn toward the Most Exalted Horizon and to recognize that which is hidden from the eyes of all who dwell in creation. He, verily, is the One Who is supreme over all names. There is no God but Him, the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And further: the servant hath received thy letter and perceived from it the fragrance of thy sincerity toward God, the Lord of the worlds. When I came to know and learn and became acquainted with its contents, I turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and drew nigh unto the Ultimate Goal, until I attained His presence and presented that which thou didst call upon our Lord and the Lord of the mystics. Thereupon the door of grace was opened and the Day-Star of the bounty of the Lord of Justice shone forth. He, exalted be His grandeur, saith: “O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! Blessed be thine eyes for having been honored to behold the Ancient Beauty, and thine ears for having heard His sweetest call in the land of Zawra, and thy form for having attained the presence of the Wronged One. Thus doth the Self-Subsisting remember thee in this Most Great Prison.

Moreover, blessed be thy mother who turned toward Him, attained His presence, and won that which is the object of the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed again and again be thy father through whom servitude unto God, the True One, was adorned. By My life! He truly attained, when he stood before the Throne, that which most of the servants have failed to attain. He is the one in whose affliction the Most Exalted Pen spoke that whereby his remembrance shall endure in the Kingdom of God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Bountiful. We bear witness that he left his home at the bidding of his Lord, detached from all else but Him, and traversed deserts, wilderness, mountains and hills until he reached the seashore and crossed it in His name until he entered the Luminous Spot and the White Land—the place which the Sinaitic Tree did circle and where he heard the call of God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven.

Blessed be he and whoever visiteth it through My binding command. That hath been revealed for him whereby the fragrance of the Beloved hath wafted throughout the world. Verily, thy Lord is the True Informer. Be thou thankful unto God for having made you to know Him and aided you and raised up your names among all peoples. He, verily, is the Protector of the sincere ones.”

God willing, through His infinite bounty, thou shouldst at all times be joyous, and with the utmost spirit and fragrance be occupied with the remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou didst attain the shore of the Most Great Ocean and didst drink from the Kawthar of reunion, and wert blessed with the presence of the Beloved’s countenance in days when all things shall return to nothingness. Know ye the value of this supreme bounty and preserve it as thou wouldst thy very life. O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! God is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing. Whatsoever hath befallen you in His path, He hath witnessed it all and recorded it by the Most Exalted Pen in the Preserved Tablet. No grace can equal or will ever equal this grace. Look not unto the people and their ways, but rather gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and say:

“O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens! I have turned with my whole being unto Thee. Aid me to act as befitteth Thy days and my connection to Thy Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.”

Every thing hath and shall have its fragrance. Assuredly the fragrance of deeds performed purely for God’s sake shall encompass the world, and every person possessed of smell shall perceive it. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor and hold fast to His luminous hem. In all matters—be they goodly deeds, spiritual qualities, or praiseworthy actions—follow the example of My Most Truthful and Holy Name. He is among those souls who have in truth been adorned with the ornament of servitude unto God. It behoveth every soul to remember him as the Tongue of Grandeur hath remembered him in the kingdom of My wondrous utterance. O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! Hearken unto that which the Glorious Lord calleth unto thee from this beautiful spot: Verily there is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Hear what the idolaters say—they utter that which the people of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqan have not said. Among them are those who claim He hath asserted Lordship. Say: Yea, by the Lord of creation! He hath spoken that which the All-Merciful foretold in the Bayan. To this testifieth whosoever hath found the fragrance of My garment, turned toward the horizon of My grace, soared in My atmosphere, and become detached from all else besides Me. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of thee, and I am the All-Informed.

The people of the Bayan, they who have turned away from the Lord of all creation, cling to the words and allusions of the people of the Furqan and utter them. Now observe in what station standeth the Cause of Truth, and in what station the understanding of the heedless ones. Shame upon them! Perdition upon them for having turned away from the Truth and spoken that which even the children of this Revelation would not speak! To this testifieth every possessor of vision and understanding, and beyond these the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O ʿAli-Qabli-Nabil! Through divine grace and the boundless heavenly favor, thou must remain steadfast and immovable in the Cause of God with complete firmness, and dispense the wine of steadfastness in the name of Truth, that the friends of God may rise resplendent from the horizon of certitude and assurance. Certain vain and false souls who have turned away from the Countenance of Unity and clung to the form of fancy are, at all times, occupied with leading astray poor souls through satanic whispers and devilish promptings, and have taken hold of the vain imaginings of the people of the Furqan. Say: O ye who possess sight, the people of the Most Sublime Vision soar above the world. At all times ye must fix your gaze upon the highest horizon and regard as absolute nothingness and sheer non-existence all else save God—that is, those souls who have passed by the Intended One and clung to vain imaginings.

That which hath been manifested from thee in service to the Cause hath been and shall ever be remembered before the Throne. We were with thee when thou didst speak in the Ridvan among the loved ones of God, and We heard what thou didst utter in praise of thy Ancient Lord. I beseech God to aid thee and strengthen thee to serve Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful. We saw thee in the land of Ha and Mim and in other regions, and We heard what thou didst mention in this Wise Remembrance. God willing, that beloved one should at all times be occupied with the promotion of God’s Cause through wisdom and utterance, that perchance withered hearts may be refreshed by the choice wine of the mention of the One True God and turn toward the horizon of His Cause. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect all.

Section 2: “Most people still know not what Day this…”

Most people still know not what Day this is and what Cause this is. They are like sheep—when one goes forth on a path, all the others follow behind it. Observe the very foundation of the religious beliefs of those heedless souls among the followers of the Qur’an who counted themselves the most exalted of creatures and knew themselves greatest of all, yet for ages and centuries followed imaginary words. They arranged a Jabulqa, built a cellar with the clay of fancy, established an imaginary place with foundations of conjecture, and named it the Sacred Precinct.

Is there any possessor of sight to see, and any possessor of hearing to hear what the Truthful, the Trusted One speaks? O true brother and real beloved! One cannot speak the truth, as in most instances flows from the Pen of the All-Merciful:

“Whatever thick veils and massive coverings We rent asunder by the finger of power, yet it was observed that the people had fashioned for themselves veils thicker than those and coverings greater than those.”

For a thousand years and more, imaginary creatures who deemed themselves the gems of existence were gazing toward and turned to an imaginary city, an unknown cellar, and a precinct of fancy. And from time to time mention was made of communications that would emerge from that precinct. O God! Is there any one strong whom the fancies of men cannot weaken, and any one assured whom the clamor of the servants cannot frighten?

It is observed that some among the people of the Bayan who have shunned the Countenance of the All-Merciful are occupied with the same imaginings. His blessed and exalted Word states:

“Say: Fie upon you, O Concourse of the Bayan, for having done what none among the people of the Qur’an had done. They followed vain imaginings, and you followed their fancies after having renounced them.”

I beseech God to raise up assured, mighty souls who may, with wisdom and utterance, summon the heedless people to the wellspring of the All-Merciful. Although the people of the Bayan witnessed that whatever they previously possessed had an imaginary foundation, yet one cannot properly convey even this single point to them, for they are seen to be presently wavering and disturbed. For instance, they observe that the lamp of knowledge is extinguished, yet if even this very thing which they witness were to be spoken, they would be transformed and would turn upon their heels, retreating until they return to their abode in the fire. Were I permitted, I would mention that which would open eyes. In any case, they have carried fancies and imaginings to such a point that they became the cause and reason for the martyrdom of the Beloved of the worlds, the Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for Him.

For had there not been false and fabricated communications and mention of two imaginary cities and what pertained to them, with which the books were filled, they would not have denied the Countenance of the All-Merciful and would not have risen to shed His most pure blood. Were this to be explained further, clamor and lamentation would be raised from all directions. Most strange of all that they deny what they themselves witness! We beseech God by His sovereignty to raise up men possessed of mighty steadfastness and severe strength who may acquaint the people of the earth with what benefits them in this world and the next. Verily He is the Protector of the sincere ones.

Concerning what you wrote about dependents, this was presented before the Most Holy Court. He said:

“God willing, the True One will assist those souls who pay the Huququ’llah according to their means and provide for their dependents according to their needs. O ʿAli-Qabil-Nabil! There has never been any doubt that whatever has been revealed and issued forth from the Most Exalted Pen regarding commandments and prohibitions redounds to the benefit of the servants themselves. For example, among these is the Huququ’llah that hath been revealed. If people succeed in paying it, assuredly God, glorified and exalted be He, will bestow His blessing, and that wealth will benefit that person and his posterity. As thou observest, most people’s wealth does not benefit them, and God causes others to gain mastery over it, or it passes to heirs who are strangers to them. The consummate divine wisdom transcends mention and description. People witness, then deny; they recognize, then remain ignorant. Were they to act upon the commandments, they would attain the good of this world and the next. I beseech God to assist His servants in that which will profit them. He is verily the Helper, the Generous.”

This servant submits that whenever you write something for the relatives of His Holiness the Most Truthful, the Most Holy—upon him be all the most glorious Glory, all the most excellent praise, all the most brilliant Light, and all the most beautiful Radiance—convey countless greetings from this ephemeral one. The Glory be upon him and upon you and upon them.

Another submission: As commanded, in these days travel to the Desired Land is not permitted. God willing, you must engage in service to His Cause in the divine realm with utmost joy and fragrance, that perchance the cities of hearts may become illumined by the rays of the Sun of Truth. This is among the greatest of deeds, by My Self that ruleth over the worlds.

All those circumambulating and those who dwell nearby send greetings to your honor and those with you. Furthermore, this servant sends greetings and praise to the spiritual beloved, Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God.

Concerning what you mentioned about one named Ali from the people of Qa’in, it was presented before His Presence. He, exalted be His grandeur, said:

“O Ali! The ocean of certitude is surging and the Sun of assurance is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of the Will of the Beloved of the world. Take steps in remembrance of the Truth and by His Name ascend to a station that transcendeth all people and their imaginings and conjectures. O ʿAli! Among the conditions of the believer today is that he should, like the morning breeze, pass fresh and invigorating through the realm of possibility and enter, through the blessing of the Most Great Name, into the realm of the placeless. If the unfair people had not denied the Truth and imprisoned Him through the greatest oppression in the prison of envious souls, He would assuredly have manifested that whereby the whole world would have become rich and independent of all things. In any case, the possessors of rancor and hatred have desired to conceal this spiritual Sun of Truth behind the veils of fancy and imagination. By God’s life! The Pen is bewildered at mentioning what they have wrought in their vain life. Soon shall they find themselves in evident loss. If anyone denies this station, to what station will he turn? All existence, both seen and unseen, beareth witness unto it, but the people are in a mighty veil. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

Another matter is to convey from this evanescent one most glorious greetings to his honor Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon whom be all the most glorious Glory of God. We beseech God to grant him success and to assist him in His Most Great Cause, to bestow upon him the good of this world and the next, and to ordain for him that which brings joy to the eyes and gladdens the hearts. A most wondrous, impregnable and most holy Tablet specifically for him has been revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will and has been sent. God willing, he will attain unto it. Then peace be upon you and upon him and upon all who have believed in God and are guided.

The servant 25 Ramadan 1295

BH00678: May my spirit be a sacrifice for your love…

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your love and a sacrifice for your service! After visiting your letter which was in truth a dawning-place of joy and a dayspring of delight, it was presented before the Throne and all was laid before His countenance. In truth, the sweet fragrances of the Beloved were wafting from that blessed letter. No other proof or evidence is needed—the very verses sent down from the heaven of Divine Will bear witness to the Most Great Bounty and the Supreme Favor. Therefore you must at all times praise the Beloved of all creation with the utmost joy and delight. This servant, after the revelation of these exalted verses, with faltering tongue expressed on your behalf our nothingness, evanescence and unworthiness of these infinite divine bestowals, and with a hundred thousand tongues I offer thanks to the Beloved of the world, for He has manifested the perfection of favors toward you. Verily the servant thanks Him with the tongue of all things, the atoms of the world, and the sands of the desert, and with a hundred thousand expressions of powerlessness and supplication I beseech that it may find acceptance with God. In any case, the Divine bounty toward you has been and will be greater than what this evanescent one can mention.

For each of the names that was in your letter, one after another, wondrous and exalted verses were revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s favor and were sent. God willing, may they reach their recipients that they may drink from the Salsabil of revelation and receive their portion from the Kawthar of the All-Merciful’s utterance. Happy are they! For some of the souls mentioned, Divine Tablets were sent repeatedly and successively, and specifically for Mulla ʿAli-Jan, one wondrous and exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of utterance and was previously sent. However, it is strange that some souls are very eager and diligent in obtaining Tablets meant for the divine loved ones, and after obtaining them deliver some while keeping others. I beseech God to enable all to be trustworthy and honest. Alas, alas! Then alas, alas! The servant’s eye weeps for what has befallen the temple of [trustworthiness] among the people. Were I permitted, I would mention that which would cause the world to lament, but conceal and be patient. Verily my Lord is the Concealer, the Patient, the Forgiving, the Generous.

And another submission is that the response to the petition of Maneckji Sahib has descended from the heaven of divine will and been sent. And since it was revealed in the Persian tongue, perchance it may influence some and its fruits become manifest. This servant has written a copy of it in clear script and sent it, so that any of the friends who wish may make copies from it, allowing the original Tablet to reach its recipient without defect or flaw. In any case, if copies are made, corrected, and given to some, perhaps it will bear fruit. But in all circumstances act with wisdom. I swear by the fragrance of His garment that if all people were receptive, this one Tablet alone would suffice.

And regarding what you wrote about whether to move openly or remain concealed, it was submitted before the throne and He said concealment is better and you will be more at ease. It is strange that people have not yet realized that the Dawning Place of divine revelation and the Dayspring of the Lord’s Cause has never intended corruption, conflict and contention. Would that they could perceive even an atom’s weight of the fragrance of God’s will! In that case they would surely know that what He has willed is more precious than red sulfur and more exalted than all that exists on earth. Since they have not caught a whiff from the rose garden of God’s will, they oppose the friends of Truth out of fear for themselves. In all matters and circumstances keep your gaze fixed on wisdom.

It is not fitting for anyone to speak an improper word regarding the government at this time. In truth, considering the opposition of the clergy and the hardness that has seized those souls, His Majesty the Sultan has conducted himself very well. In any case, the government shows consideration for the people of the nation, as undertaking anything that would cause general public disturbance has never been and is not acceptable to the government, for it must preserve its throne and sovereignty. This much has been clear to your honor, that in the Most Great Scene mention was made of the Sultan favorably. If one of these oppressive clerics were to become sultan, then the worth of all sovereigns would become clear and evident to you. Would that you could see Shaykh Hussein, the oppressor and oppressed one of Shiraz—one whose name is “oppressed” but from whose evil and tyranny hundreds of thousands of oppressors have sought and seek refuge in God. Thus does your Lord speak to you and jest that you may rejoice, and that every insightful servant may rejoice.

As to what you wrote concerning Muhammad-Taqi, yes, he arrived and attained the Most Holy Presence for several days, and at the time of his departure, He specifically told him: “Be vigilant lest the satans take you from the highest heaven to the lowest depths”—this was the essence of the blessed words. Now this servant hopes he will return. If anyone sees him, let them say: “You are a servant of God and I am a servant of God. In utmost poverty and nothingness I say, I swear by the Sun of Sanctity that you were confused and deceived, and I beseech you to return and associate for a time with those souls in that land, but with complete insight until what is hidden from you becomes clear.” Today you reached that station but were not aware. This servant was with Him for twelve years and engaged in His service by God’s command. Would that you had been with me and known what I knew. These few words were mentioned for God’s sake that perchance you might not exchange the pure wine for the murky cup. The command is in God’s hand—He gives to drink and withholds. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth.

As to what you wrote asking whether previous petitions had received replies—whatever has descended from the heaven of grace, before, after and during, will suffice for all. And concerning what you wrote about the fiery Tablets he brought for some—if those same Tablets’ owners would reflect upon them, they would testify to the writer’s heedlessness and would become aware.

The mention of Ali-Askar and Shir-Ali and Mirza that was at the end of your letter was presented, and divine favors were manifest and dawning in relation to each one. We beseech God to assist them, make them successful, and grant them the best of what lies with Him. Verily He is the Generous Giver.

As commanded, you must strive greatly to keep matters concealed and in sending mail, for if the internal and external satans discover that news arrives from the Most Holy Presence, they will surely cause mischief, and perhaps some may be moved to attempt service in their imagination and inform certain princes and ministers hoping to gain favor. In any case, concealment is necessary and obligatory, and this has been and will be the main reason for delay in responding to petitions. If some way could be found to keep this matter concealed, wondrous and novel Tablets would always be sent specifically for the friends.

Another submission: Convey the Most Glorious Ancient Greeting from this evanescent servant to the friends of God—those souls who gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and have drunk from the wine of steadfastness. The son of His Honor A.T., upon him and his father be the Glory of God, whose mention was in your letter—countless greetings from this servant dependent on your favors are extended to him. Likewise to Karbila’i Mihdi and the other friends, upon them be the Glory of the All-Merciful. And the Most Glorious Glory be upon you and those with you. The people of the pavilion of divine protection remember your honor with the most wondrous, exalted and glorious mentions and greet you with the most impregnable, holy greeting. Similarly all the friends in the Prison Land, one and all, express their sincere greetings to your honor.

The servant 25 Ramadan 1295

BH04607: I render praise and thanksgiving unto Him Who hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Wondrous, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious.

I render praise and thanksgiving unto Him Who hath enabled me to partake of the quickening breezes of Thy utterance; I magnify and sanctify Him Who hath caused my whole being to tremble beneath the revelations of Thy affection and the manifold tokens of Thy love; and I extol Him—Whom none can worthily extol save through His own aid—for that He hath vouchsafed unto this evanescent servant the honour of receiving Thy letter, every word—nay every letter—whereof beareth witness unto Thy purity of heart for the sake of God, the Lord of the Throne above and of the dust beneath, and unto thy love for Him Who, verily, was a Prisoner in the midst of men. By thy life, O thou whom God hath made His chosen friend and the Herald of His Cause!

This servant delighteth in the remembrance of thee, in thy praises, and in that luminous expanse wherein thy pen moveth with such power that neither pen can recount it nor tongue set it forth. To this my heart and thine bear testimony, and beyond them both our Lord, the Beloved of all beings—my Beloved and thy Beloved. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to cause the river of thy loving-kindness to flow, the ink of thy favours to stream unceasingly, and the fragrance of thy words to breathe abroad, that my heart may be gladdened thereby and mine eyes comforted; verily He is the Most High, the Bestower, the Answering, the Generous.

My very being, and whatsoever God hath bestowed upon me, be a sacrifice for thy remembrance! After a long space of time, after ages and centuries and unnumbered covenants, I have at last been admitted unto that for which I yearned by night and by day. When I opened and read, I seemed to ascend and to be brought before the face of God, the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the Most Great. And when thy mention and thy supplication were ended, then did the Tongue of Grandeur speak and say—exalted be His glory:

“O thou My friend! Thy call hath arisen unto the point whereat thou hast been honoured to hearken unto thy Lord, the Exalted, the All-Glorious; and thy letter hath attained this noble Presence. We have heard thy remembrance from the lips of the servant standing before the Throne, whilst he arose and presented that wherewith thou didst cry out unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Rejoice in that which the Beloved mentioneth concerning thee from His Most Exalted Kingdom. He, verily, is the Gracious One. Though the clouds have veiled the horizon of joy, yet the Beloved, in the very midst of affliction, summoneth all mankind. He, verily, is the All-Remembering, the All-Informed. Be thou assured through the favour of God and His knowledge; He knoweth full well thine estate, and I am the All-Aware. He hath accepted that which thou hast wrought in His path, and that which thou hast desired upon this Day whereon the denizens of the kingdom and the realm beyond cry aloud at the stirring of My Most Exalted Pen, and I am the All-Hearing. Rejoice in My remembrance, and then recite that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My Will. Thus doth the Wronged One remember thee whilst He was in the hands of the heedless.

“Say: that which hath befallen Me at the hands of Mine enemies hath been the supreme means for the exaltation of My Cause amongst My servants and the spreading of My fame amongst My creatures, and I am the All-Seeing. Call to mind My days, then drink, in My Name and through My favour, of the pure wine of joy, and I am the Helper. He is with thee in all conditions; to this beareth witness that which We have revealed in thy name. Thy Lord is, verily, the Most Bountiful, the Wondrous, the Inaccessible. Magnify on My behalf those who are with thee; then remember him through My goodly remembrance.” Such were His words.

As to that which thou hast written—that it is well thus, yet they leave the flame without assistance, and so forth—this, in particular, was laid before the Most Holy, the Most Inaccessible Court. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered words whereat the rock itself took wing, and He spake—sweet beyond all sweetness: “O My friend! We have sustained thee with the means of heaven and earth, and shall yet sustain thee with that whereof none is aware save God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. We have caused thee to hear My call, have shown thee the horizon of My Cause, have given thee to drink of the choice wine of My Revelation, and have kindled thee with a Fire untouched by smoke. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Loving. The melody of My Most Exalted Pen hath drawn thee unto My All-Glorious Horizon, and hath taught thee that which is intended in the worlds of the unseen and the seen. By My life! thine is the station, and I am the One extolled. We have created thee, made thee manifest, strengthened thee, and revealed unto thee that which was hidden from the eyes. Thou art, indeed, the witness thereto, and I am the One witnessed. When the wine of My utterance and the Kawthar of My speech have intoxicated thee, say:

ʿO Thou Who holdest my forelock in Thy grasp, and art the Beloved of my heart! I testify that Thy bounty hath encompassed me and Thy mercy hath outstripped me. Thou art He Who hath adorned me with the ornament of Thy Most Glorious Name in the Kingdom of Names. All things bear witness thereto, and beyond them Thine own Self, Who rulest over the kingdom and the realm beyond.”’

Thus have We sprinkled upon thee from the ocean of Our loving-kindness, that thou mayest be of them that rejoice.

And as to that which thou hast written concerning Sarkar Khan—upon him be the glory of God—and the tale of that perfidious, rebellious traitor: such stealthy mischief-makers and base impostors have, from time immemorial and for evermore, been found amongst men. Indeed, in certain of the letters which this servant hath addressed to the friends of God and the drinkers of the choice wine of the merciful love, these matters have been set forth in detail—how many are they who, being in truth falsehood itself and the very essence of treachery, yet appear amongst the servants in the guise of trustworthiness and sincerity. The friends of God must not be deceived by such persons, nor accept, by reason of their empty pretensions, whatsoever they may utter.

Notwithstanding this, a certain believer from the land of Hadba journeyed to the Most Holy Court, and that guileful, crafty man accompanied him, displaying servitude, faith, and love in such wise as none could imagine beyond it. Then, in one of the stages of the journey, he took whatsoever was at hand and set out for another land. Yet in these countries he could not show himself in any place; fear and dread so seized him that he telegraphed the price of those goods, declaring that he would deliver them—and he did deliver them. Even so, a few days thereafter, another of the friends became acquainted with one of the highwaymen, and that same lying deceiver professed friendship and affection; and on that very first night he took all that the man possessed and fled. We implore the Truth, exalted be His glory, to confirm all in acting with wisdom, that all may proceed with clear-sightedness, and not repose confidence in a mere handful of sayings.

And as to what thou hast written concerning Aqa Khan, it was laid before the Most Holy Presence. He replied:

“This is what the truthful, the trusted one hath informed thee. Assuredly, after the appearance of proof and testimony, whosoever turneth away from the Beloved of the worlds shall meet the recompense of his deeds. The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.”

Such were His words.

And as to what thou hast written concerning Mulla Hasan, his supplication was submitted in the Most Holy Court, and the Sun of utterance dawned from the horizon of the Will of the Beloved of mankind. God willing, the one mentioned shall attain unto that bounty.

And as to the passages thou hast written concerning Jinab-i-Dhabih—upon him be the glory of God—in very truth he hath, from the first day of the Cause until now, with the utmost steadfastness occupied himself with the remembrance of God, and hath repeatedly become the target of the arrows of affliction. I beseech God, exalted and glorified be He, to confirm him in all conditions, and to preserve him from the malice of the seditious and the rebellious.

And as for Jinab-i-Aba-Badi’—upon them both be the glory of God—of whom thou hast written: “Blessed is he, then blessed is he!”—they, with perfect constancy, offered up their lives in the path of the Friend. He drank of that cup whereof his son had drunk before him. From the Most Exalted Pen was revealed in his honour that wherefrom the fragrance of the garment was diffused throughout the world. How well it came to pass that, at the outset, there appeared from him no act contrary to wisdom or at variance therewith; and after his apprehension and imprisonment, there proceeded from him that which proceeded. The tongues of the enemies bore witness to his true condition, how much more the loved ones who have turned with their faces and their hearts unto the Face of God, the Ever-Abiding, the Ever-Enduring, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Another matter: to the drinkers of the Kawthar of inner meanings who are present in that land, I offer, in the name of each and every one, the expression of utter self-effacement and nothingness, and I entreat of God to ordain for all that which is the cause of abiding life and true existence. He, verily, is the Generous Bestower.

And may Jinab Haji Mirza Husayn, God willing, be in all conditions successful and confirmed, steadfast and immovable in the Cause of God. It is hoped that at all times the fragrant breaths of thy pen—breaths which are in very truth the source of joy and the cause of gladness—may be diffused abroad. Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of all worlds. The loved ones and they that circle around thee offer, each and every one, the assurance of sincerity and of pure self-surrender in thy presence.

The servant, 12 Shavval 1295

BH00736: Praise befitteth and beseemeth my Beloved Who…

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

Praise befitteth and beseemeth my Beloved Who, with the finger of might, hath unsealed the seal of the Choice Wine and, with the hands of bounty, hath bestowed it upon all peoples. Whosoever turned unto it, partook thereof and attained unto the infinite divine bounties, and whosoever turned away remained, in truth, deprived of the fruit of existence. A hundred thousand regrets and sorrows that while the hands of the mercy of the All-Merciful proffer the water of life, most of the people of the world remain bereft thereof and wander, in utmost bewilderment and heedlessness, through the wilderness of idle fancies.

This Wine is, in one sense, the Word of God that lay hidden in the treasury of everlasting knowledge and was sealed with the seal of protection, and in another sense it is the recognition of the Dayspring of Names—a recognition that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen, not one born of vain imaginings. Blessed is the soul that hath attained, recognized and partaken thereof, and woe betide those who have turned away by following every heedless and remote one.

Should this servant attempt to explain and set forth this station as it truly is, the pen would assuredly prove powerless. I beseech God not to deprive the peoples of the world of the fragrances of His days. Though all days belong to God and are from God, yet this Day hath been singled out, even as mention hath been made of it in the heavenly Books, Tablets and Scriptures, and they who are endued with vision have perceived it and hastened to the supreme Scene. Blessed art thou and blessed are they who have attained unto the Water of Life in the days of their Lord, the All-Merciful.

God willing, ye shall, through divine grace, illumine and revive darkened hearts and gloomy souls with the light of the divine Word. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of understanding that if a soul should arise to serve the Cause for the sake of God, he will assuredly attract the hearts of men and draw them to the most exalted horizon. The Command is in God’s hands—He giveth what He willeth to whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Munificent, the Generous.

This evanescent one submitteth to your honour that this servant hath been honoured to receive your letter, and whatsoever was inscribed therein was presented at the Most Holy Court. He said:

“God willing, through the blessedness of the Most Great Name, they must enlighten and guide some of the people of the world who are somewhat free from idle fancies and suppositions and are illumined with the lights of certitude, and must draw them to the eternal city. Many souls are observed to be exceedingly remote. When will the hand of the mercy of the All-Merciful draw them to the ocean of nearness and reunion? He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. Take thou the cup of life in the name of thy Lord and say: O concourse of possibility! Hasten ye and come unto that which hath been ordained for you. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of that for which ye were created. Fear ye God and be not of them that are veiled.”

And as to what you wrote concerning Siyyid Abdullah, it is most strange that this servant has neither seen him nor been informed of his circumstances. Many are the souls who have caused and continue to cause corruption and waste in God’s Cause. The world hath no constancy, and these continuances after which we see one creation come and another go, outwardly display their own extinction at every moment, but eyes are lacking to perceive it. In any case, we beseech God to guide the rebellious, transgressing, heedless souls and confirm them in the knowledge of their own selves, that perchance they may not exceed their bounds nor rise up with calumnies. Once these blessed words were heard from the Blessed Tongue, saying:

“Behold the Cause as a temple whose spirit is detachment and whose wings are the fear of God. Blessed is he who adorneth himself with the fear of God and detacheth himself from all else.”

As to what you wrote concerning that treacherous thief—had people acted in accordance with trustworthiness, religion, and that which was commanded from the Source of the Cause, all would assuredly have been observed in the utmost comfort and glory. The horizon of trustworthiness remains darkened and the horizon of truthfulness and faithfulness is seen to be dust-laden. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to raise up souls through whose religiosity, trustworthiness, truthfulness and faithfulness the world may be adorned and illumined. This is not difficult for God. And assuredly that soul who committed treachery shall receive the recompense of his deeds. Last year in these parts similar incidents occurred where some, claiming faith and knowledge and love and affection, afterward stole the belongings of the emigrants and seekers and chose to flee. He said:

“Believe not what thou hearest, and trust not him who showeth submission.”

Many are the souls who have made humility, submissiveness and sweet words their snare. We beseech God to purify and cleanse the earth from evil and wicked souls. These afflictions that have befallen you, since they were in God’s path, will surely yield universal fruits and you shall attain their recompense.

You mentioned Mukhtaru’l-Mulk. This was presented, and He said: “God willing, may they be blessed with divine favors.” We beseech God to assist those who have turned to Him in rending all veils. It is most difficult for a soul to arise with Abrahamic might and power and shatter the idols of the ungodly with the arm of power. For years people have been nurtured on suppositions and vain imaginings, having never inhaled a fragrance from the rose-garden of certitude. Yet in any case one must not despair, nor be heedless of teaching the Cause with wisdom and utterance. One must speak for God’s sake and summon unto God, that perchance the children of the age may mature through the milk of the knowledge of the free and gaze upon the Most Great Scene.

The petition of Mulla Shah-Rida was presented and an answer was revealed from the heaven of grace and sent. Likewise the Captain’s petition was presented at the Most Holy Court and its answer was graciously given and sent. Also three most wonderful and most holy Tablets were sent without names from the horizon of grace—they may bestow them upon whomsoever they deem advisable.

Concerning what was written about the news, the matter is as before, as was revealed in the Suriy-i-Ra’is and other Tablets. After all the assemblies and reconciliations, the dust of contention remains aloft and the fire of hatred still blazes. The Ottoman territories are in upheaval, with tumult arising from every corner. However, a prayer hath been revealed from the heaven of grace on behalf of the government, and the friends have been commanded to recite it. After this manifestation of grace, there is hope that some measure of relief may yet be obtained. The Command is in His hands; He doeth as He willeth.

The world is in turmoil, and no soul hath comprehended its cause and reason. They have prevented the true Physician from healing these ailments, while they themselves know neither the malady nor its cure. Glory be to God! What heedlessness hath seized them all—they have forsaken the ocean of divine meanings and turned to the salt and bitter pools. Though the Sun of knowledge shineth from the horizon of heaven, they have nonetheless clung to and sought after the ignorant ones of the earth. What regret and remorse! Thus it is that each day they are afflicted with fresh trials and are tormented with grievous punishment.

Here do I end My words: Verily, there is no God but Him. He hath ever been supreme over all things and will ever remain transcendent above the mention of all names. None hath befittingly described Him. He is the Sanctified, the Holy, the Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Glory be upon you and upon those who are with you, who have quaffed the wine of steadfastness and have attained unto this wondrous Cause.