Volume 059: Akka 1296 A.H. (1879), Part II (2 of 7)

BH01780: Praise be unto Thee, O my God…

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

Praise be unto Thee, O my God and the God of the throne and earth, my Sovereign and the Sovereign of the hereafter and this world, for having awakened me when I was asleep, and raised me up when I was seated, and caused me to speak when I was silent, and taught me when I was ignorant, and made me aware when I was heedless. Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of Eternity, and praise be unto Thee, O King of earth and heaven, for having shown me Thy horizon, honored me with Thy days, caused me to hear Thy verses, illumined my heart with the light of Thy love, and adorned my head with the crown of Thy knowledge.

Thou art He Who, O my God, removed the veil from my face and made me know the dawning-place of Thy revelation and the treasury of the pearls of Thy knowledge, and guided me to the horizon from which shone forth the Sun of Thy beauty and appeared the Manifestation of Thy Cause and wisdom—He Whose name was inscribed by Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Scrolls and Thy Tablets.

O Lord! Thou seest me clinging to the hem of Thy bounty and holding fast to the cord of Thy generosity. I am the needy one who hastened to the ocean of Thy riches, the poor one who drew near to the horizon of Thy gifts, the stranger who sought his supreme home in the precincts of Thy most great mercy. O Lord! Withhold not from him the effulgences of the lights of the sun of Thy grace, and deprive him not of the outpourings of the clouds of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy gifts.

O Lord! Thou seest that mine eyes have been awaiting the wonders of Thy generosity and my hands have been raised toward the heaven of Thy favors. I beseech Thee, O Sovereign of the kingdoms of names and Ruler of the kingdom of decree, to confirm me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with, and ordain for me that whereby my remembrance may endure throughout the eternity of Thy most exalted kingdom and Thy most sublime dominion.

By Thy glory, O Lord of the world and Beloved of nations and the Manifest One with the Most Great Name! If Thou confirmest me not in Thy remembrance and praise and in immersion in the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, the hands of those near unto Thee and the sincere ones will not cling to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity that Thou mayest decree for me what I have desired through Thy bounty and write down what I have asked through Thy grace and generosity. By Thy glory, O Beloved of the world and Goal of nations! I am a supplicant who will not return disappointed from Thy door, and a seeker who will not turn back dejected. Thou seest, O my God, that I am cleaving to Thy door and knocking upon it, hoping for Thy ancient grace and Thy wondrous bounty and Thy all-encompassing generosity.

O Lord! This is a day wherein Thy sovereignty hath appeared and Thy power hath prevailed and the banners of Thy Name have been raised in Thy lands and the standards of Thy remembrance in Thy kingdom. Ordain for every one who hath turned to the river of Thy mercy the reward of him who hath attained unto the visitation of Thy countenance and entered the White Spot and supreme Paradise by Thy leave and will.

O Lord! The days which Thou hadst ordained fasting for Thy servants have ended and the Days of Ridvan which Thou hadst made a festival for the people of Thy realm have drawn nigh. I beseech Thee, O my Goal and the Goal of them who are near unto Thee, and my Beloved and the Beloved of the sincere ones, to open before the faces of Thy servants the gates of good things. Verily Thou art the Revealer of verses and the Lord of earth and heaven.

O Lord! I have turned my face toward the splendors of the lights of Thy face and my heart toward Thy most exalted station and most glorious prospect which hath been named the Most Great Prison in Thy crimson Tablet. I beseech Thee to preserve me from the tyrannous ones among Thy servants who have turned away from Thy beauty and denied Thy signs. Then cause me to drink, at all times, the wine of life through Thy bountiful hand, lest the affairs of men occupy me from turning toward Thee and the ornaments of the world from facing Thy horizon.

I am he who, O my God, hath desired in all conditions Thy pardon and Thy good-pleasure and tranquility beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy Cause and submissiveness at the manifestations of the lights of Thy power. Verily Thou art the Almighty to Whose sovereignty every possessor of a heart hath testified and every possessor of a tongue to Whose power and greatness. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Bestower, the Generous, the Bountiful.

BH01957: A mention from Us to him who hath turned…

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

A mention from Us to him who hath turned his face toward the Countenance when most of the servants turned away from it, that it may draw him nigh unto God and strengthen him to make mention of this Remembrance whereby earthquakes have appeared and mountains been leveled.

O Sadra! Hearken unto the Call from the direction of ʿAkka, the seat of His manifestation whereby the earth hath been illumined and the horizons made bright. Leave mankind behind thee and turn with the ear of thine inmost nature that thou mayest hear the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree which hath been raised up in the Kingdom of creation by the command of God, the Lord of Names. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee, Who hath summoned all unto God, the Lord of existence.

We have heard thy call and have answered thee through this Tablet whereby the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout all possibility. Arise to serve the Cause through God’s might and power, and remind the people with wisdom. This is among the most meritorious of deeds in the sight of the All-Compelling, the All-Bountiful.

Beware lest the veils of humanity hold thee back from the Most Sublime Vision. Say: By God! The Hour hath come and the moon been cleft asunder and the All-Bestowing hath come in the shadows of the clouds while ye are in wondrous intoxication. Be thou in all conditions firmly attached to the cord of wisdom which God hath sent down in the Scriptures and Tablets.

This is not the day to pause. By the life of God! The rock hath hastened unto the Lord of creation and the mountains have soared unto the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The Wronged One hath come with proof and evidence, yet the people are in doubt and schism. They have cast aside the Self-Subsisting and taken hold of vain imaginings. Say: Take ye heed, O ye who are endowed with insight! Glory be upon those who have cast away the world, holding fast to the Most Great Cord—these are the people of Paradise in the sight of God, the Lord of Lords.

O Sadra! Strive that thou mayest attain unto that which is acceptable in the sight of God today. The most excellent of deeds hath been and shall be the teaching of the Cause, yet with wisdom and utterance. This word hath been revealed in most of the Tablets lest anyone should be heedless and transgress it. Walk ye toward God and place your trust in God and speak for God’s sake. Pay no heed to the objections and opposition of lifeless souls.

Reflect upon the Seal of the Prophets, how many objections were raised against that Sun of Truth by the clay figures of the world who appeared and moved about in human form. The pagan priests, and the Jewish and Christian divines, have committed the very things which the divines of the age, in this Dispensation, have committed, and are still committing. Nay, these have displayed a more grievous cruelty and a fiercer malice. Every atom beareth witness unto that which I say.

Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One and occupy thyself with service to the Cause. Strive that thou mayest attain in this Day, which is the Lord of all the days of the world, such a station whose mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Today every good deed is more exalted and more excellent and more beauteous than all the deeds of the world.

Hold fast unto truth and fix thy gaze upon Him. By My life! The traces of every soul that ariseth today shall remain on earth as long as the divine names and attributes endure. All that is witnessed today shall vanish save those matters which are related to truth and which have appeared in His path.

Beware, beware lest the clamor of the world sadden thee or the conditions of creation veil thee from the Lord of Eternity. Thus doth command thee He with Whom is the knowledge of the Book. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the lights of the countenance of their Lord, the Revealer of verses.

BH01996: O Haydar! Your call hath been heard time after…

In the Name of the One God, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing!

O Haydar! Your call hath been heard time after time, occasion after occasion, and moment after moment. If the Most Exalted Pen remained silent for a time, that is, made no response, there was and is no harm in this. Verily thy Lord doeth what He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth. This knowledge hath been and shall ever be established in the most exalted station through the blessing of the Most Great Name. Blessed art thou and blessed are they who have cast away their desires and taken hold of that which exalteth the religion of God and His Cause among His servants.

O Ali! We have accepted countless afflictions and borne in God’s path that which no pen can recount nor ink record, that perchance some souls might be cleansed from the defilement of idle fancies and attain unto everlasting tranquility. The choice wine of unity and the living waters of fellowship flow from the two fingers of the Lord of creation, yet all wander in the wilderness of perplexity and discord. O Ali! Beseech God—exalted and glorified be He—to send forth a breeze from the paradise of sanctity, that it may dispel the offensive odors of discord. If a person today should, for God’s sake, show deference to another, would this detract from his station? Nay, by My true Self! Rather would he be exalted and God Himself would raise him up.

O Ali! God is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. Whosoever today becometh the cause of unity and shattereth the idols of discord through the Name of God shall be mentioned in every tongue and recorded in all the Tablets. Say: O friends! Hearken unto the voice of Him Who hath been wronged and hold fast, for the sake of God, to the cord of fellowship and cling to the hem of unity. Exert your utmost endeavor in this matter, that perchance the lights of concord and agreement may illumine all regions.

The captives in the land of Sad who have been kept far from their homes and native lands for the sake of God are all remembered in the presence of the Countenance. By the life of God! That hath been sent down for them which hath caused the Concourse on High to lament and those who circle round My mighty Throne to weep. God willing, they must soar on the wings of joy, inasmuch as whatsoever befell them was for God’s sake. Soon will there appear in the realm of being what God hath ordained for them in His Preserved Book. Convey to all My greetings and gladden them with the divine favors. If, outwardly, nothing specific was sent for each one, this was due to wisdom. The atoms themselves bear witness to My remembrance of them, My turning toward them, and My bounty to them. Thus hath My Pen spoken, and My Tongue, and My Servant who standeth before the Countenance recording that which hath been sent down from the kingdom of My knowledge and the heaven of My novel utterance.

If for some reason they should return to their homelands, there is no harm in this. Beseech God—exalted and glorified be He—that those devoted souls who have drunk from the cup of tribulation and adversity in the path of the Lord of Names may shine forth with the utmost joy and radiance from the horizon of the heaven of steadfastness. Convey My glory to those who have turned to My countenance, who have stood firm in My path and held fast to My mighty Cause. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02064: O people of the cities and villages! Hearken unto…

He is the One Who gazeth before the Countenance

O people of the cities and villages! Hearken unto that which the Tongue uttereth in the Kingdom of Utterance from the presence of Him Who hath caused all things to speak, that there is none other God but Me, the Peerless, the All-Informed. He it is Who hath sent down the Books and dispatched the Messengers, that there is none other God but Me, the All-Watchful, the All-Wise. Every thing hath attained unto the blessing of hearkening unto the Call save every transgressing sinner, and every eye hath beheld the horizon of God, the Most Glorious, save every heedless and remote one.

By God! The Most Great Scene hath appeared and the Lord of Destiny proclaimeth and saith: O concourse of humanity! The Day hath come and the moon hath been cleft asunder and all are gathered in a wondrous assembly. The Hidden hath been made manifest and the Treasured hath come forth and the Promised One hath appeared from the heaven of destiny more nigh than the twinkling of an eye, yet the people are in evident delusion. They behold the Sun and say: “Is this a sun?” and they witness the signs and say: “This is naught but mighty sorcery.” Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Book while the people of the veil are in strange doubt.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful in all lands! The Wronged One adjureth you by the Best-Beloved of all creation, Who speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance, that ye be not unfaithful regarding the substance of the people. Be ye trustees of God in His lands and dawning-places of truthfulness in His countries. Blessed is he who hath hearkened unto the counsel of God and was of them that act.

There hath appeared from faithlessness in this exile that which hath caused My liver to melt and Mine eye to shed tears and My inmost being to lament and My breast to be straitened. By the life of God! Sleep hath taken flight from the eyes of Baha by reason of what hath befallen Him in this white land. All things bear witness to this, yet the people are among the heedless ones. The rock hath cried out at My tribulation and the Divine Lote-Tree hath lamented at My distress. By God! My grief is not for Myself but for the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds. All sorrows are for him who is unable to mention what hath touched him of hardships and tribulations in this noble station.

We hear falsehood yet remain silent, while the liar supposeth that the matter hath become confused, when We found him in manifest truthfulness. O My loved ones! Adorn yourselves with the morals of God and array your temples with the garments of trustworthiness and uprightness and truthfulness. Thus doth the Lord of creation command you in a preserved Tablet.

Sorrows have increased at this time by what We observe of the Temple of Love and those with him beneath the claws of hatred from among the hosts of the wrongdoers. O God of Names and Creator of earth and heaven! Thou seest how the fire hath encompassed him who was beneath the shadow of the light in Thy days. O Lord! Protect him and those with him as Thou didst protect Me when I was in the serpent’s mouth. Verily Thou art He through Whom power hath been manifested. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Thou knowest, O my God, how the brocade of servitude hath been adorned among creation and the sign of detachment hath appeared in the world of creation. Every fair-minded and insightful one beareth witness to this. Though tribulation in Thy path is sweeter than the Kawthar and more luminous than the moon, yet I beseech Thee, O Thou Who hast subdued the world by the Most Great Name, to deliver him from the hands of tyranny. Verily Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous. [Then] preserve him [beneath] the pavilion of grace and aid him in what he is engaged in regarding Thy love. Verily Thou art He in Whose grasp is the dominion of the kingdom of the heavens and the earth.

BH02080: This is the Day whereon the Throne of thy…

In the name of the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful

This is the Day whereon the Throne of thy Lord proclaimeth among the branches, calling out to all the dwellers of the earth and bidding them to glorify and sanctify their Lord. This is the Day whereon the angels of heaven descend at all times with chalices of utterance and vessels of knowledge, and return perfumed with holy and goodly fragrances.

Say: The promised God declareth: O concourse of Jews! Ye were of Me and appeared from Me, and unto Me shall ye return. What hath come over you that ye know Me not now, though I have appeared with all the signs? Ye have taken enemies for friends and have lost the true Friend. Today a new heaven hath appeared and a new earth hath been created. Were ye to gaze with pure eyes, ye would behold the New Jerusalem, and were ye to turn with hearing ears, ye would hear the Call of God. All things today call out unto you and summon you to your Lord, yet ye are so drunk with the wine of pride that ye have not become aware of it for a single moment. The ear hath been created for hearing My voice and the eye for beholding My beauty. Hearken ye, and lay aside all else.

The Dome of God hath been raised by the hand of divine favor and the Cause of God hath been made manifest. The time of what was before hath passed away; a new time hath come, and all things have been renewed by the Will of God. But only a new eye perceiveth this and only a new mind comprehendeth this station. The beginning and the end pointed to one blessed Word, and it hath appeared and come, and it is the Spirit of the divine Books and Scriptures that hath been and will be forever, and it is the key to the Most Great Treasury of the Lord and the hidden divine mystery that hath ever been concealed behind the pavilion of infallibility. It is that Alif and that Ya of which John gave tidings:

“He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden.”

O Abdu’l-Husayn! God willing, thou wilt be confirmed and give glad-tidings to the branches of what was revealed aforetime in the Book of God, for these glad-tidings are as the water of life unto the dead of the world. Blessed is he who drinketh thereof, and woe unto those who are deprived!

Say: Today the City of God hath appeared in full adornment, and it is the City wherein the God of all hath been made manifest. Ponder these words of John who gave tidings of the holy and great City, until he said:

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it,”

unto the end of his words. Take up the staff of trust in the Name of Truth and with complete detachment guide the misguided people to that great divine City, that perchance those who are lost may attain to their true homeland and those who are blind may be blessed with new sight. Verily He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. All things are captive in the grasp of His might, and verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

BH02246: O Fadlu’llah! Rejoice in that the Desired One hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

O Fadlu’llah! Rejoice in that the Desired One hath heard thy mention and hath answered thee from His luminous horizon which God hath made the point of circumambulation for the Concourse on High and the denizens of the Kingdom of Names. Thy Lord is verily the Mighty, the Powerful. We hear the mention of those who have turned toward God and We see the deeds of those who have held fast to My wise Book. Say: O people, act according to what the All-Merciful hath commanded you in the Book and follow not every ignorant remote one. Thus hath the Wronged One mentioned thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison that thou mayest be of the thankful ones.

Hear in the Persian tongue these exalted and holy words: Praise be to God that thou hast attained to the recognition of the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation, which today hath become the object of rejection and opposition by most of the people of the world, and thou hast hearkened unto His call. O thou who art mindful! The whole world was created to behold His horizon, hear His Word and act according to His command. This is a truth to which all the world doth testify and acknowledge. Yet after the appearance of the Divine Day and the establishment of the form of the All-Merciful upon the throne, all turned away and arose in utmost opposition and hypocrisy, save a few. Now ponder the station of these few. By the life of God, the Pen of possibility hath been and shall ever be powerless to describe such souls. We beseech God to make these holy souls firm and steadfast in His love. He is verily the Hearing, the Answering.

As for what thou didst write regarding mention, it hath been and shall ever be most beloved. O Fadl, the story of sacrifice hath been renewed, and Isma’il hath turned his face to the place of sacrifice and in the path of the Beloved of all creation hath drunk the cup of martyrdom. He acted according to that which was revealed from the Supreme Pen in previous years in the Persian tongue:

O sacrifice of God, from love’s altar-place Turn not back, but give thy life in love’s ways

And this sacrifice returned not alive from the altar-place. He sacrificed his life, his wealth, his honor, his name and all that pertained unto him. O Fadl! These are days of tribulation. The martyrdom of Husayn hath been renewed and Hasan hath given up his life. By the Most Great Ocean, the Concourse on High are engaged in lamentation and weeping. Blessed is the one who maketh mention of the tribulations of the friends of God who in the land of Sad attained unto the most great martyrdom.

O Fadl! Make mention of Hasan and Husayn. By My life, the Messenger doth lament and the Pure One doth cry out, yet the people are in evident doubt. Thy deed is accepted, approved and beloved. Make mention from the pulpits, for We have given thee permission as a bounty from Our presence. Thy Lord is verily the Ordainer, the Unconstrained.

The glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God, the Lord of creation. Verily thy Lord hath seized him who manifested oppression and arose in tyranny, and He shall soon seize those who have denied God, the Lord of lords.

BH02301: I am the Wronged One, the Exile

I am the Wronged One, the Exile

O Samandar! By thy life! The affliction of Muhammad, the Apostle of God, hath been renewed in the All-highest Paradise, and thereto the anguish of the spotless Virgin in the Most Exalted Station. “Fie upon you, O people of the Furqan!” she exclaimeth, “Ye have wrought even that which ye wrought aforetime! Where is my Hasan, and where my Husayn? Announce their fate, nor be of them that turn away! Did my Hasan deal faithlessly amongst you, unlawfully devour your wealth, or shed your blood? Judge ye fairly, O people, and be not of them that speak falsely! Explain ye, O people of the Furqan! For what crime did ye slay my Husayn in the Land of Sad?”

By My life, O thou who hast fixed thy gaze upon My Countenance! The Ark hath been shattered, and the She-Camel hath been hamstrung by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. The Tale of Taff (Karbila) hath been retold; yet are the people wrapped in a palpable veil. We, verily, concealed the station of My Name Hasan by reason of the frailty of Our servants; then, when he was ascended on the wings of the spirit unto the realms above, We disclosed a part of that which God had bestowed upon him, in token of His grace: He, verily, is the Most Gracious, the All-Bountiful.

Know further: That which hath come to pass shall exert an influence in the world: erelong shall this become apparent through the sovereignty of God, the Almighty, the Most Powerful. Oppression hath reached the pitch that alike the pen and the tongue are powerless and inadequate to recount or express it.

Souls who at no time harmed another soul; who comported themselves with perfect love and kindliness; and who lived on terms of friendliness with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth—behold what was inflicted upon them! Were it to be inquired of those two embodiments of ignorance who regard themselves as learned,

“Wherefore slew ye these wronged ones, notwithstanding that no crime or sin had been committed on their part?,”

they would, in reply, undoubtedly repeat the same words uttered by the mouths of the infidels in respect of the Prince of Martyrs—may all else but him be His sacrifice.

After the affair of the Land of Kaf, the company of the oppressors were wont to repeat this utterance:

“Husayn beyond his limit stray’d, so slain was he by his grandsire’s blade.”

Fie upon them, and upon those that have followed in their footsteps! This apart, what blame attached unto the Prophet’s children who were in that household? This affair shall never be obliterated from the tablet of creation.

For all four souls there hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s loving-kindness that which hath changed the world’s happiness into grief. Although to outward seeming the people of oppression are complacent about the deed they have committed, yet, by My life, their realities curse them, and lament over them, albeit they neither hear, nor feel, nor know it.

Do thou convey Our salutation unto all the friends. Please God, all may, with the utmost joy and radiance, be occupied with the remembrance of God, and lay hold upon, and cleave tenaciously unto, the strong cord of patience and fortitude. Cast thou, on My behalf, a salutation over thy brother’s countenance. We ask Him, exalted be He, graciously to confirm him, and to ordain for him that which shall profit him. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We seal Our utterance with the mention of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting: “Verily, we are God’s, and unto Him shall we return.”

BH02362: O Mihdi! There hath come before the Throne…

O Mihdi! There hath come before the Throne that which was sent unto thee from Mine Afnan. Verily, the Tree respondeth unto its branches. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the Responsive.

O Mine Afnan! I bid thee praise God for having aided thee to recognize the ocean of His knowledge and enabled thee to serve His Cause. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Wise.

Concerning what was mentioned about the matter of funds and the sons of the Two Lights lacking knowledge thereof—pure deeds reveal themselves and open their own door. Whatever is given to them and in their name is beloved. Verily, he who concealed it is far removed from the deed. I beseech God to aid him to do what He loveth and is pleased with. His is the Last and the First.

Concerning what was written about the funds of the land of Kha and their distribution according to the command—this was observed. Verily, He recompenseth whosoever acteth in His path. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Mirza Abu’l-Hasan shall proceed to that region according to the wish of the Afnan. Whoso loveth the Tree must needs love its branches.

Concerning what was written about that which did not arrive from the land of Kha—it shall not be demanded. This matter is reckoned among the most excellent of deeds. All the world hath no worth, let alone these trivial, transient matters. If people knew what they are heedless of, they would weep with the weeping of the bereft. By My life! If they were to discover what is now concealed from them, they would sacrifice themselves and all they possess in hope of My wondrous remembrance.

Regarding ʿAli-Asghar Kh-A, they had written—the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of favor and dispatched. God willing, may they receive their portion of the pearls of inner meanings hidden within the seas of divine utterances.

O Mine Afnan! The Tongue of Eternity is engaged in speech and utterance, and the Pen of the All-Merciful moveth and floweth at all times. Yet who is there that heareth and beholdeth the mighty signs of his Lord? All good unto him who hath turned towards the Lord of Destiny and the Most Great Prospect, and all woe unto him who hath turned away and disbelieved.

Whatever hath been undertaken and shall be undertaken regarding the affairs of ʿAli-Qabla-Akbar who hath ascended unto God shall be preserved and treasured with God. The Tablet adorned with the special seal of His Honor the Afnan H-S, upon him be My glory, was sent. God willing, may they attain unto it and at all times drink from the Kawthar of the knowledge of the All-Merciful Lord and be its cupbearer with wisdom and utterance.

As for the matter of the letters Alif and Sin—whatsoever hath been revealed by the Most Exalted Pen is the truth wherein there is no doubt. And regarding the debt of the King of Martyrs—let His Honor the Afnan do whatever he deemeth advisable. It is acceptable before God, but after examining the ledger and its contents. He, verily, is the Expositor, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

Whatever remaineth of the funds from the land of Kha hath been designated for the poor of this land. Let it arrive and be delivered.

BH02383: O ʿAli! God willing, mayest thou be quickened…

In the Name of the One God

O ʿAli! God willing, mayest thou be quickened by the fragrances of the divine days and drink from the ocean of knowledge through His Name, in such wise that thou wouldst forget all save Him and remain turned unto Him. This is the Day the mention of which hath been recorded and inscribed in all the Books, Scriptures and Tablets. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the divine utterance and is among those who know.

If thou wouldst hearken unto the Wronged One of the horizons, strive with complete detachment that thou mayest be illumined by the lights of the Sun of insight. In all matters look unto the Truth and place thy trust in Him. The Lord of Bounty and the Sovereign of existence will assuredly not deprive His servants, but will assist them in whatsoever profiteth them in this world and the next.

I swear by the Sun of the horizon of grace that none of the peoples of the world hath been or is aware of their own best interests, for knowledge hath ever resided and shall continue to reside with the true Knower. He, verily, is the One Who knoweth what is with them, and what profiteth and preserveth them, while they know not. It behooveth everyone to say:

“Thou art the Knower of what is within me, and I know not what is within Thy Self, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Such meanings from the All-Merciful were revealed in the Qur’an, and likewise in previous Books, as every discerning knower will testify.

In regard to what thou hast asked about the craft, this Wronged One hath not, of His own accord, set forth anything on this subject. However, certain individuals have asked questions, and, in response, the Pen of the Most High set down the explanations that are found in the Tablets. There can be no doubt that what hath been revealed is, and shall ever be, the indisputable truth. Wert thou to reflect, thou wouldst bear witness, ere the initiation of this work, to the fact that the Pen of the All-Knowing hath revealed the utter truth. Nevertheless, its appearance hath been made one of the signs of the coming of age of the human race, and the time when this shall happen hath been fixed. As yet it hath not come, but when it cometh it shall be manifested through the power of Him Who is the Sovereign Truth. He, verily, is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing. For this reason all have been prohibited from becoming engaged with it. None hath the right to busy himself therewith. This is what hath been decreed by the Beloved of the worlds in His perspicuous Book.

Strive in this Day to attain the Elixir of the Divine Word. It is the effective agent, the protector, the conqueror, the divine water, and the crown of victory within the Primal Reality. Indeed, it is the matchless essence (jawharu’l-fard), the secret of the Concealer, and the secret of secrets. Wert thou to attain to this Word that God hath sent out from the mine of His wisdom, thou wouldst find thyself in the utmost state of joy and gladness. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for thee that which shall profit thee and to assist thee to serve His Cause in this Day which, in truth, is most manifest.

BH02446: O ʿAli! Your letter is present…

In the Name of God, the All-Seeing!

O ʿAli! Your letter is present and that which was written therein was presented by this servant before the Divine Throne. We have heard your cry and have answered you with this wondrous Tablet.

O ʿAli! There befell you that which hath befallen no one else. The two most luminous Lights which had risen and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of divine favor have set, due to the ill-omened land of Sad.

O ʿAli! The clouds of oppression were raised up, and the sword of tyranny was drawn from the sheath of pride, and there came to pass that which caused the Concourse on High, the denizens of the Kingdom of Names, and the dwellers of Paradise to wail and lament. By God’s life! There remained nothing that did not weep, yet be thou gladdened through God’s grace, for in truth they attained to a bounty the like of which hath never appeared in creation, and they themselves had, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, besought this most exalted station from God.

After their return from Iraq they were manifest with the utmost glory and elevation through divine grace, and at the end of their lives they attained to that which their souls had loved. God hath sent down concerning their tragedy that which caused eyes to weep and hearts to melt. The Supreme Pen hath made mention of them in such wise that all those who are nigh unto God and His Messengers seek this station and have besought and continue to beseech it from God. The glory be upon thee and upon them both and upon him who gave up his spirit before them—verily he is the one designated as “Al-Kazim” in My Most Great Book.

Convey greetings from God to the captives in the land and those scattered in His path and those left behind by them. Say: Ye have drunk the cup of tribulation from the hands of the enemies of your Lord, the Lord of Names. He, verily, is the Witness, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Then drink ye the choice wine of immortality from the hands of the bounty of your Lord, the Creator of the heavens, Who remembereth you in His mighty prison. The glory be upon you, O My loved ones, and praise be upon you, O My friends, from God, the Beloved of the mystics and the Desire of the worlds.

At the end of this epistle We make mention of thy son who is named Muhammad and give him the glad-tidings of joy after sorrow. Verily thy Lord, the Most Merciful, is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Under all conditions hold fast to patience. Behold the world as a passing shadow. Soon it shall perish and vanish away. That which endureth is the mention of God that hath been sent down in His Book in praise of His loved ones. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless ones.

The glory be upon thee and upon thy son and upon thy wife from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed.

BH02445: O My handmaid! By the life of the true…

In the Name of the Beloved, the Compassionate

O My handmaid! By the life of the true Friend—Who is better, and fairer, and more excellent than the world and all that is therein, and than the world to come—verily the friends of the Eternal, the Ancient of Days, have been, and shall ever remain, the object of His regard. My moments have been, and are, turned towards Mine loved ones. I testify that, through the love of God, thou didst set thy face towards the Most Holy Threshold, and, with utter yearning and longing, with attraction and rapture, didst direct thy steps unto the Ka’bih of the Desired One.

The sighs that have escaped thee in thy longing, and the griefs that have appeared through thy separation, are all manifest in the presence of Him Who knoweth alike the unseen and the seen. Thou art a seeker after reunion, and the testimony of thine own state is witness unto this utterance: that the true Purpose, the Object of the wayfarers unto the Ka’bih of meeting, is ever watchful over them. Assuredly, His love hath preceded every love. He is the Source of love, and He the Manifestation of love, and He the Creator of love. The oceans of divine affection that surge within the hearts of spiritual souls are but a drop created, by His will, from the sea of His mercy. Be not thou sorrowful. Thy journey hath been accepted, thy turning approved, and the Tongue of God beareth witness that thy visitation at the Most Holy Court is adorned with the fairest of ornaments.

O handmaid! The fragrance of truth, from this epistle, is wafted abroad, and the perfume of the Beloved passeth over all. Much hath come to pass in this land; I desire not to recount it, for in the divine Tablets allusion thereto hath already been made. It behoveth thee, after thou hast attained unto the traces of the Pen of Revelation, to spread thy wings of longing, and to soar in the heaven of the good-pleasure of the Friend, and to pass thy nights and days in perfect contentment. The Land of Ta hath been the seat of the Throne and the dawning place of the Desired Morn. It is the place of the Ukht [Sister] and where the friends of God repose.

Happy is the one who hath attained the love of the sister and of the friends of the Lord. Verily, from this Spot We greet the countenance of My sister and My loved ones who have uttered My praise and have been neither moved by the tempestuous winds of idle fancies, nor kept back by the tumult raised by those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds.

Render praise to God that He hath given thee a son who, since his arrival until now, hath been engaged in serving God. Blessed is he, blessed is he! Beseech God to enable thee to drink from the oceans of favour that are concealed in these words, and behold the splendours of the Sun of Mercy.

The glory be upon thee, and upon thy son who is with thee, and upon all who have turned, with their hearts, unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH02549: Your letter reached the Most Holy Court…

In the Name of the One True God

Your letter reached the Most Holy Court and the fragrances of love wafted from it. Praise the Beloved of the world that you have been adorned with the lights of the Word and have turned toward the Straight Path of God. I swear by the Sun of Utterance which has dawned from the Dayspring of the mouth of the All-Merciful, if you were to reflect upon these stations that have been bestowed upon you, you would soar with the wings of joy and delight.

If today a soul attains unto the ocean of joy, at all times they will witness with their outer and inner sight the evanescence of the world and the loss of its people. And they reach a station where the troubles of the dusty world and the clouds that rise from it do not disturb them, and the veils of the world do not prevent or conceal them from the Dayspring of Revelation. Hold fast to the hem of the bounty of thy Lord and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds! The passing shadow has no value whatsoever in the sight of those who have drunk from the Kawthar of meeting and who gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon. If thou wouldst look with true vision, thou wouldst behold all the people of the earth submerged up to their necks in clay […] We beseech God to sanctify and purify His loved ones from all that He hath not loved and doth not love.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of existence and Ruler of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which every idolator hath lamented and every believer in unity hath rejoiced, to grant me that which will enable me to arise to serve Thee and to speak in Thy praise. O my Lord! I am the sorrowful one, yet with Thee is the ocean of joy and gladness. I beseech Thee not to withhold me from it. Thou art He to Whose generosity and bounty all created things have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the Generous, the Bountiful.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy verses […] and by Thy Most Exalted Horizon to ordain for me by the Pen of Thy Command that which will comfort mine eyes through Thy grace. Then decree for me what Thou hast decreed for Thy chosen ones whom neither events could prevent from turning to Thee nor tribulations from drawing nigh unto Thy horizon. Thou seest me, O my God, standing before the door of Thy grace, anticipating the wonders of Thy favors. Wilt Thou turn away the poor one from the kingdom of Thy riches and the lowly one from the ocean of Thy bestowals? Nay, by Thy glory and Thy sovereignty! Thou art the All-Powerful over what Thou willest and in Thy grasp is the kingdom of earth and heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.

The glory be upon thee and upon thy wife who hath turned to God and attained unto the days of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02576: Although the dark clouds of oppression have veiled…

In the Name of the One God!

Although the dark clouds of oppression have veiled the countenance of justice, yet the Sun of Revelation is manifest and visible from the dawning-place of bounty. Say: O God of the sea and the pearls of wisdom therein, and Sovereign of the land and whatsoever moves therein of Thy creation, I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which were raised the standards of Thy remembrance and the banners of Thy Revelation, to transform the throne of tyranny and oppression into the seat of justice and equity. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. Nothing can frustrate Thee in what has been or will be created. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Compelling.

The oppressors have committed that which has caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament. They have followed their own desires and cast their God behind their backs. Lo! They are among the perishing ones. Those souls who were well-wishers of humanity and from whom no harm ever came to anyone, who moved among the people with the utmost wisdom and dignity—merely for the sake of this transient world they arose to shed their pure blood, without any proof or enlightening Book. And this was the station which, for numbered years, they had beseeched and implored from God, exalted be His glory. They attained to a station that cannot be equaled by anything existing and visible. Thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, beareth witness to this. God hath seized him who arose in tyranny and will seize those who agreed to shed their blood. He is, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Blessed art thou for having turned toward God, turning away from every heedless and remote one. In all circumstances, you must strive to teach God’s Cause with wisdom and utterance, and fix your gaze upon this blessed word which hath shone forth from the horizon of the Supreme Pen:

“O My chosen ones! Announce unto My servants My Revelation and My establishment upon My mighty throne. By My life! The world and all that is therein shall perish, but there shall endure for you what hath been ordained by the One Who ordaineth, the All-Bountiful.”

If wisdom permits, make known to the extent of their capacity to those related to the name of God, the martyred Vahid, the truth and what hath appeared from His presence, that perchance they may find a way to the Truth. God willing, may you speak in praise and glorification of God and remain steadfast in His Cause. Make mention of all the friends in that land and convey to them greetings from God, and say: Each one of you must be so enkindled with the fire of the love of God that those who have lost their way may find it through its light, and those who are cold may be moved by its warmth and turn toward the Friend. The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH02609: A mention from Us to one who has turned…

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

A mention from Us to one who has turned toward Our horizon, attained unto Our recognition, and taken the choice wine of utterance in My Name and drunk thereof through My glorious and wondrous remembrance. We were with thee when thou didst hear and respond to thy Lord on a day whereon all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of thy Lord’s power did rescue. We have heard thy call time and again, and witnessed thy turning toward the countenance of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We made thee to hear My call and We heard thy call, and showed thee My signs and beheld thee, as a grace from Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We held back the reins of the Pen until the appointed time; then We loosened them by Our command and mentioned thee in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. The servant in attendance before the Throne appeared, holding thy letter in his hand. He arose and read it in the Most Great Scene, the station whereon was established the throne of the Lord of Destiny, Who hath come from the heaven of revelation with manifest sovereignty. And once again he mentioned thee before the Face. We said: Be patient, for thy Lord is indeed the All-Patient, the All-Wise.

O thou who hast turned toward Us! We have heard that wherewith thou didst call upon God, and found therein thy longing and yearning, and the fragrance of thy sincerity toward God, the Lord of the worlds. Every word of thy words hath testified to God’s Revelation and His sovereignty. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee in this mighty Cause. Preserve this most exalted station through the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Thus doth the Lord of Names command thee from the precincts of His remote prison. Rejoice, then give thanks that thy call hath won the ear of the Wronged One, Who hath answered thee with that which shall endure as long as God’s names and attributes endure. Verily thy Lord is the True One, the Faithful.

Say: O God of the Kingdom, Lord of Kings and Sovereign of the Realm of Might! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, after the passing of all things, to make me in all conditions turned toward Thee and detached from all else but Thee. Then give me to drink from the pure water of Thy bounty’s Kawthar, through which whoso attaineth soareth in Thine atmosphere, casteth away all else besides Thee, and is seized by the wine of verses such that neither the might of the world nor the clamor of nations frightened him. O my Lord! I am he who hath turned toward the ocean of Thy grace and acknowledged Thy sovereignty and power. I beseech Thee to aid me in all conditions to serve Thee and remember Thee and praise Thee. Verily Thou art the Protector of those in earth and heaven. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Verily Thou art the Commander, the Giver, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH02775: Praise and its essence befitteth that Beloved One Who…

In the name of the All-Knowing Speaker

Praise and its essence befitteth that Beloved One Who, through His perfect power, uttered a Word whereby was made manifest all that had been mentioned in the divine Books concerning the Resurrection and its signs, and its conditions such as the Bridge, the Balance, the Trump, the Call, the gathering and dispersal. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful, the Guardian over all things. Were the peoples of the world to ponder the manifestations of His power in this Most Great Revelation, they would surely find themselves bewildered, and that very bewilderment is itself an acknowledgment and confession of the might, glory, greatness and sovereignty of God—exalted be His majesty and magnificent be His grandeur!

O Baqir! Praise be to God that through the bestowals of the divine ocean of generosity thou hast turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and partaken of the choice wine of the All-Glorious. This is more precious than the heavens and earth and whatsoever hath been created therein. Be thou thankful unto God for this and be possessed of manifest joy.

Thy letter was received in the presence of the Wronged One, and the servant in attendance presented that which was mentioned therein. God willing, mayest thou be ever gladdened by the sweet-scented breezes of God’s love and remain turned toward His horizon. I swear by the Sovereign of all creation that this is a Day wherein not a single letter appeareth except that it is recorded by the Pen of Destiny in the Manifest Book and, through the permanence of God’s names and attributes, is mentioned in the presence of them that are nigh and sincere. Blessed is the soul that hath fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Pledge, and hath acted in accordance with that which was commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

In thy letter was mentioned he who was named Javad, who attained unto My presence and circled round Me and heard My call and drank the choice wine of My love. We make mention of him and shall continue to make mention of him as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

We make mention of thee and of those whom God hath related unto thee and whose names were mentioned in thy letter, and We bestow upon their faces Our greetings from this exalted station. Give thanks that the ocean of forgiveness hath surged and the fragrance of thy Lord’s pardon hath wafted. He hath indeed forgiven those for whom thou didst seek forgiveness. Verily thy Lord is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. The glory be upon thee and upon them from the presence of the Mighty, the Great. Make mention of My loved ones in that place and give them the glad-tidings of My gracious remembrance.

BH02748: O Hasan! Praise be to the Lord…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the Most High

O Hasan! Praise be to the Lord of the worlds Who confirmed thee in recognizing that which was promised and recorded in all divine Books. This is a great bounty and an exalted station. Beseech the True One to preserve this most exalted station, for the evil ones have been and are lying in wait, appearing in various guises. God protect us and you from their evil and their fire. Today it is incumbent upon every soul to arise to remember God and serve Him. Hold fast to the Book of God and His laws, and cling to the hem of thy Lord’s gracious favor. Blessed is the soul who is today adorned with the ornaments of trustworthiness, truthfulness and steadfastness. Such a one is of the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark. Blessed are they that attain!

As to thy question about power [qudrat], all things have testified and do testify to the power of the Lord of earth and heaven, and the signs of His power are manifest and evident in all things. The possessors of true vision witness them at all times. Since He created the contingent world through means, therefore most matters and the manifestation of power, sovereignty, grandeur, grace and bounty have been and will be through means. All things bear witness that He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

As for mosques, monasteries and temples that are built specifically for the remembrance of God: the mention of any other than Him is not permitted therein. This is one of the divine ordinances, and whosoever doth deviate therefrom is accounted among the transgressors. No blame attacheth to the builder, for his work was for God and he hath attained and will attain his reward. Today what is necessary is to act according to the Most Holy Book. All must hold fast unto it and act according to what the All-Merciful hath revealed therein.

As to what you wrote about giving a sum to the King of Martyrs, the letter Ha: this is truth wherein there is no doubt, and he presented it at the Most Holy Court. All things testify to his trustworthiness, his devotion, his loftiness and his arising to serve the Cause of God. He himself desired martyrdom and, praise be to God, attained this most exalted station. God hath seized the source of oppression, and He shall soon seize those who followed him without any clear proof or enlightening Book.

BH02803: O Abul-Fadl! Fix thy gaze upon this blessed…

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

O Abul-Fadl! Fix thy gaze upon this blessed and goodly word which, like unto the sun, hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Tablet: It behooveth man to bring forth that which will gladden mankind, not that which will cause the lamentations of nations to arise. This is the way of God, did they but know it. This is the religion of God, did they but witness it. This is the Cause of God, did they but hearken unto it.

My Most Exalted Pen doth at all times move in the realm of counsel, admonition, wisdom and utterance. Yet the people of the world hear but act not, save whom thy Lord, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, willeth.

The darkness of tyranny hath prevented the Sun of Justice from shining forth. Assuredly one day the Finger of the Will of the Lord of Oneness shall rend asunder the obscuring veil, and the lights of the Sun of Truth shall become manifest and evident. Should all who are on earth gather together, they would not be able to extinguish the divine light, nor shall they ever have such power. Verily thy Lord speaketh the truth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

In every age and cycle have the divines of the age prevented the people from attaining the Most Exalted Horizon. They are the most great veil and the veils of glory—learned in the eyes of men but ignorant before thy Lord, the Mighty, the Wise. None hath been or is aware of the divine purpose and celestial will from without. Some have deemed the people of truth to be, in their estimation, the people of corruption, and have counted the cause of unity to be the source of discord. By the life of God! Were they to become aware of that which God hath willed, all would turn toward the Friend and circle round the divine Will.

Certain matters appeared at first from some of the ignorant ones, and this became the cause of the doubts and idle fancies of the servants. Ask ye God that He may enable all to recognize that which is intended. God willing, that honored one shall, with the utmost joy and fragrance, impart that which will lead to the recognition and assurance of the servants. He will verily assist thee through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

We have mentioned thee before, and in the book of Our servant who is present, and in this luminous Tablet. Be thou thankful to God for this supreme gift and this mighty favor. Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath turned unto Him while every heedless one remained remote.

BH02765: Regarding Jinab-i-Amin and his journey to the land…

Regarding Jinab-i-Amin and his journey to the land of Ta, and from there with a group, upon whom be the Glory of God, to England or Tiflis to seek justice, these matters were submitted. This is what the All-Bestowing revealed in response:

“Verily, he will not fulfill your needs. They are unable to fulfill their own needs, how much less your needs. But I pour out my grief and sorrow unto God, and I would that My loved ones desire what We desired before and what We desire hereafter.”

This utterance which has flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful is like the water of life for those who are near and sincere.

Regarding the disturbances that have occurred in certain lands about which you wrote, it was submitted. He said:

“O Mihdi! A passing shadow is neither worthy of mention nor deserving of attention. A hundred thousand times greater than what has occurred has been witnessed in this Revelation. The perspicuous Book became an adornment for the ungodly. What befell the ocean, how much more so a stream or gulf. The Afnan whom We have related to the Divine Lote-Tree and whose mention has flowed from the Divine Pen in wondrous tablets—surely God, exalted and mighty be He, will not leave them in despair. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, and He will manifest whatever they desire, except what the wisdom of God requires to be delayed. And if they wish, even this condition will not be considered in this station. This bounty deserves the gratitude of those who are near and the praise of the sincere ones. The end belongs to the God-fearing, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

“O My Name! The event in the land of Sad is mentioned as among the greatest calamities before the Divine Countenance, such that until now nearly one hundred tablets have been revealed from the heaven of bounty and have flowed from the Supreme Pen mentioning them and those who were with them. No one has been blessed with such an outpouring of grace and bounty—to this testifies what the All-Merciful has revealed in the tablets. By My life! The denizens of My Kingdom and My Dominion, and the dwellers of My holy pavilion have wept at their tragedy and calamities. However, this blessed word was previously manifested from the Dayspring of the Light of Oneness:”O sacrifice of God! Turn not back from love’s altar, But give up thy life in the pathway of love” And whatever has befallen those holy souls in the path of God has surely not been without effect, and its fruit will certainly appear. Inform My Afnan of what the All-Knowing has informed thee.”

BH02805: Thou hast heard My call when thou wert present…

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

Thou hast heard My call when thou wert present before Me, and beheld the waves of the ocean of My utterance, and the heaven of My wisdom rising high. Verily thy Lord is the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. And We cause thee to hear once again My sweetest call, that it may draw thee to the Supreme Horizon. Verily thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

This is not a day for repose. Arise in the name of thy Lord, then remind the people of this Day wherein the Caller calleth out that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving. This is the Day of remembrance and utterance. Open thou the gate of the tongue with the key of the name of thy Lord, the One with power over the seen and unseen, and say: O concourse of the world! The Most Great Name hath appeared—rejoice ye and turn towards Him with your hearts and innermost beings.

God willing, through divine grace thou shalt be the custodian of the Living Waters. This is a Day in which all atoms cry out “The Revealer of verses hath appeared!” Thou must, with perfect wisdom and utterance, summon the people of the contingent world to the Lord of Mercy, and give them to partake of the living waters which flow and stream forth in all times from the Pen of the All-Merciful. Today is the day of teaching. Call out with the power of the Most Great Name, that perchance the peoples may be enabled to hearken thereunto and attain the presence of the Supreme Paradise, which is the manifestation of the Primal Word.

Thy remembrance hath been and shall remain before the Throne, and the glances of divine favor have been and are directed towards thee. However, thou must in all conditions observe wisdom, lest any matter arise that might cause harm to the servants. If thou meetest the friends of God, convey to them greetings and remind them of the days of His manifestation, that perchance the fire of remembrance may burn away the veils of the people and draw them nigh unto the Truth.

The world was and ever shall be transient. I swear by the Sun of Utterance, rising from the Dayspring of the mouth of the All-Merciful, that should anyone for a moment gaze with the eye of insight and reflect, he would observe all things to be non-existent and extinct, save those souls who hold fast to the cord of the love of the All-Merciful and cling to the hem of His bounty. By My life! They are indeed the triumphant ones, they are indeed the near ones, and they are indeed the sincere ones. Blessed art thou, and blessed are they, and blessed are those who have broken the chains of idle fancies through the name of their Lord, the Lord of all mankind. The glory of God be upon thee and upon them from God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH02806: Thou seest, O God of Mercy, Thou Whose power…

He is the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful

Thou seest, O God of Mercy, Thou Whose power pervadeth all created things, these servants of Thine, Thy thralls, who, according to the good-pleasure of Thy Will, observe in the daytime the fast prescribed by Thee, who arise, at the earliest dawn of day, to make mention of Thy Name, and to celebrate Thy praise, in the hope of obtaining their share of the goodly things that are treasured up within the treasuries of Thy grace and bounty. I beseech Thee, O Thou that holdest in Thine hands the reins of the entire creation, in Whose grasp is the whole kingdom of Thy names and of Thine attributes, not to deprive, in Thy Day, Thy servants from the showers pouring from the clouds of Thy mercy, nor to hinder them from taking their portion of the ocean of Thy good-pleasure.

All the atoms of the earth bear witness, O my Lord, to the greatness of Thy power and of Thy sovereignty; and all the signs of the universe attest the glory of Thy majesty and of Thy might.

Have mercy, then, O Thou Who art the sovereign Lord of all, Who art the King of everlasting days, and Ruler of all nations, upon these Thy servants, who have clung to the cord of Thy commandments, who have bowed their necks to the revelations of Thy laws which have been sent down from the heaven of Thy Will.

Behold, O my Lord, how their eyes are lifted up towards the dawning-place of thy loving-kindness, how their hearts are set upon the oceans of Thy favors, how their voices are lowered before the accents of Thy most sweet voice, calling, from the most sublime Station, in Thy name the all-glorious.

Help Thou Thy loved ones, O my Lord, them that have forsaken their all, that they may obtain the things Thou dost possess, whom trials and tribulations have encompassed for having renounced the world and set their affections on Thy realm of glory.

Shield them, I entreat Thee, O my Lord, from the assaults of their evil passions and desires, and aid them to obtain the things that shall profit them in this present world and in the next.

I pray Thee, O my Lord, by Thy hidden, Thy treasured Name, that calleth aloud in the kingdom of creation, and summoneth all peoples to the Tree beyond which there is no passing, the seat of transcendent glory, to rain down upon us, and upon Thy servants, the overflowing rain of Thy mercy, that it may cleanse us from the remembrance of all else but Thee, and draw us nigh unto the shores of the ocean of Thy grace. Ordain, O Lord, through Thy most exalted Pen, that which will immortalize our souls in the Realm of glory, will perpetuate our names in Thy Kingdom, and safeguard our lives in the treasuries of Thy protection and our bodies in the stronghold of Thy inviolable fastness. Powerful art Thou over all things, be they of the past or of the future. No God is there but Thee, the omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thou seest, O Lord, our suppliant hands lifted up towards the heaven of Thy favor and bounty. Grant that they may be filled with the treasures of Thy munificence and bountiful favor. Forgive us, and our fathers, and our mothers, and fulfil whatsoever we have desired from the ocean of Thy grace and Divine generosity. Accept, O Beloved of our hearts, all our works in Thy path. Thou art, verily, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Incomparable, the One, the Forgiving, the Gracious.

BH02841: In the Name of God, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing!…

In the Name of God, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing! O Haydar! Thy letter hath been received at the Divine Throne, and whatsoever thou didst mention hath been honored to reach the ears of the Best-Beloved. God willing, thou shalt at all times be gladdened by the remembrance of the Best-Beloved of the worlds. Blessed are they who have borne earthly tribulations in the path of God. Give thanks unto God for this. By My life! All the afflictions that have befallen Me, We have borne with patience and rendered thanks. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen recount unto thee that thou mayest be among those who rejoice.

And We make mention of Husayn, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones. Let not the affairs of the nations grieve thee. In all matters place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

We make mention of him who is named Muhammad-Hadi and counsel him to manifest great steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of all peoples have slipped save whom God hath willed, the Lord of what was and what shall be. We have mentioned thee that thou mayest rejoice and give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

O ʿAli-Muhammad! Rejoice in that the One, the Single, Who hath been imprisoned in the path of God, the Mighty, the All-Loving, maketh mention of thee. We have mentioned you all before as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is He Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. He giveth and withholdeth. He is indeed the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

O Ja’far! Thy mention was in a Book adorned with the name of your Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious, Who hath come from the heaven of the Cause with manifest sovereignty. Give thanks for what hath been sent down unto thee from the Most Exalted Pen and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of both the seen and the unseen!

O Mihdi! Hearken unto My call that perchance it may draw thee to My Kingdom, a station wherein whoso entereth, the veils of the world shall not prevent him, nor shall the clamor of the nations trouble him, nor shall the might of those who have disbelieved in the Lord of Lords frighten him.

God willing, all must remain firm and steadfast in the divine Cause and act according to what hath been revealed in the Book. Blessed is the servant who hath held fast unto the Book of God and been enabled to act according to it. He is indeed among the sincere ones in the perspicuous Book.

Mention of you all hath been made at the Divine Throne. Blessed are ye and they who have suffered martyrdom in My path and soared to the Supreme Companion through My loving-kindness and have quaffed the choice wine of reunion from the hands of My bounty. Thus doth the tongue of My grace make mention of you from My mighty and glorious station.

BH02842: O Dhabih! The tale of sacrifice has been renewed…

In the name of the peerless One God!

O Dhabih! The tale of sacrifice has been renewed and has inscribed a fresh page in the book of the world. The Dhabih of the Land of Sad hastened to the altar of the Friend and gave up his life in the path of the Beloved of all creation. This verse was previously revealed from the Supreme Pen:

O sacrifice of God, turn not back from love’s altar, But give up thy life in the pathway of love!

By the life of God, they have attained a goodly end, reaching the station they had beseeched and yearned for from God, exalted be His glory. Verily He has seized him who oppressed—thy Lord is indeed the Mighty, the Powerful.

However, the traces of the blood of those wronged ones shall appear in the earth. Although that oppressor who arose to deny this Cause was seized, yet this much does not suffice and will not suffice. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Unforeseen tribulation lies ahead. Blessed is he who knows, and woe unto the heedless!

Today is the day of remembrance and utterance. Arise to serve thy Lord, then make mention of Him with such mention as will cause the fragrance of utterance to be diffused throughout all possibility. Thus does thy Lord, the All-Knowing, command thee.

Know ye the value of this Day. I swear by the ocean of meanings and the sun of wisdom that whatsoever is lost by any soul today can never be regained. With utmost joy and delight, speak in remembrance of the All-Merciful, that perchance the dead in the valley of ignorance may be quickened by the Kawthar of divine utterance and turn toward the supreme horizon.

If at times outward means fail to assist, be not disheartened, for the appearance of every matter has its appointed time, and whatsoever divine wisdom requires will assuredly appear in the realm of manifestation. Be thou assured and be of the thankful ones.

A Tablet was specially revealed and sent to the one intended. Had they properly acted upon what was mentioned before, they would surely have been enkindled with the fire of God’s love in such wise that the effects of its heat would have endured eternally in the world. God willing, may they be assisted to accomplish that which will make up for what was lost and remain as an eternal sign of the divine names on earth. Verily thy Lord is the Giver, the Everlasting, the All-Bountiful.

The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH02891: In My Name, the Ruler over all creation

In My Name, the Ruler over all creation.

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He verily speaketh the truth. There is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

O thou who gazeth toward the Supreme Horizon and hath drunk the choice wine of thy Lord’s mercy, the Lord of all beings, make mention of the one about whom the views of the people differ. Some say that he believed in God, the lord of all that was and shall be. Others assert that he followed his passions insofar as he denied in his heart while affirming with his tongue. Thus have all persons expressed what they imagined.

Say: We bear witness that he believed in God and attained the presence of the throne most days, listening to and witnessing the greatest signs of his lord in the evening and at dawn. In truth, we entered the land of Taff and found him frozen. We set him on fire with the flames of our Lote-Tree, and in truth, I am the Powerful, the Igniter, the Mighty, the Knowing. We saved him by means of our grace and revived him through this water that flowed from the pen of God, the king of names.

However, he masters every field, joins in every gathering, and listens to what is said. At first, he was with the one who was named ʿAla in the land of Taff. He tends to mysticism. When we entered that city, he used to spend most of his time in my presence. When he saw the sea, he forsook the puddle, and was enthralled by the verses of his lord, the king of creation. He was intoxicated with the heavenly stream of utterance, which flowed from the lips of his lord, the All-Merciful, such that he did not desire to leave my presence. The people of Baghdad bear witness to this, and beyond them all who possess the Mother Book.

Thus did the tongue and pen speak from the presence of the Lord of Eternity, and all who have found the fragrance of fairness bear witness to it. We have mentioned this briefly that thou mayest be informed of that which most of the servants know not.

Say: By God, he speaketh the truth and hath come to raise the banners of friendship among all creatures and to plant the standards of trustworthiness upon the heights. Say: He hath not lied, and speaketh what he hath seen, and commandeth what he was commanded by God, the Cleaver of the Dawn. Whether one acknowledgeth this for himself or denieth it, He verily is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Knowing.

Glory be upon him who looketh with his own eyes upon this Cause whereby feet have slipped.

BH02946: The first breath of fragrance was shed abroad…

He is God

The first breath of fragrance was shed abroad from the vesture of the mercy of thy Lord, the Possessor of all names, upon thee, O shining star that hath arisen from the horizon of fidelity, and that gazeth towards the most exalted Horizon. I bear witness that thou didst turn unto Him in a day whereon every backslider turned away; that thou didst take up the Book when every idolater cast it behind his back; that thou didst confess that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath proclaimed when every denier rejected it; and that thou didst quaff the choice wine of meanings when every hypocrite forsook it. Blessed art thou, and blessed the land that hath been honoured by thy body, and blessed the visitor who seeketh thy resting-place, and visiteth thy tomb, and blessed the tongue that hath spoken thy praise and uttered that which befell thee in the days of thy Lord.

I testify that through thee the Divine Lote-Tree hath lamented, and the hearts of those creatures have melted away who have cast aside the world and turned unto the most exalted Horizon in the Days of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust. Thus hath the Pen spoken in the Spot wherein the Ancient of Days hath established Himself upon His mighty Throne.

Glory and peace and praise and the spirit be upon thee, O thou through whom the tale of a¸¤usayn hath been renewed, and for whom the Purest Maid and the Apostle have bewailed with manifest sorrow. Woe unto the people who denied thy right and cast away that which they were bidden to observe from the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

He is the Comforter, the All-Knowing.

God willing, hold fast to the cord of patience and cling to the hem of resignation.

Although from the calamity that occurred, every tranquil one was stirred to motion, and every patient one rent their garment, and every steadfast one cried out in anguish, yet I swear by the luminosity of the dawn of inner meanings that such a bounty hath appeared as hath never been conceived possible in creation, nor shall be.

This calamity which you witnessed—these very twin radiant lights had themselves, in previous years, beseeched and implored it in their petitions to God. Praise be to God, in this world they lived with utmost honor, and in their final days they attained the supreme martyrdom in the path of love for the Beloved of the worlds. What bounty is greater than this bounty, and what station more exalted than this station?

You must, in the name of God, protect that noble lady and those related to this station, and not let them slip away through the words of this one and that.

Glory be upon you and upon those women who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH03021: Your letter reached the Wronged One of all horizons…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful

Your letter reached the Wronged One of all horizons in the Most Great Prison, and what was written therein became known. You had written of your distress at the aforementioned person’s lack of certitude in the Manifestation of the All-Merciful. Such a matter is most strange from souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of utterance and been illumined by the lights of the Sun of proof, for that which is necessary today is the teaching of God’s Cause.

However, in all tablets this most great matter has been made contingent upon wisdom. The imparting of the divine Word to receptive souls is beloved. The Wise One bestows not until He sees seeking, and water has no nearness until thirst appears. The seeds of divine wisdom must be deposited in pure and goodly soil; if the seed of bounty be sown a hundred thousand times in barren ground, it will yield no fruit. Therefore, you should not be distressed by the turning away and objections of the heedless and deniers.

Concerning the Messengers, who are the proofs of God and the lamps of divine commandments, He has said: “The Messenger’s duty is but to convey the Message.” Consider the Prophets: each one carried out that which they were commanded with utmost joy and fragrance. Whoso believes, believes for his own sake, and whoso denies, denies to his own loss. Whoso turns towards it, turns for his own sake, and whoso turns away, turns away to his own detriment.

God willing, you should gaze with complete certitude toward the horizon of the Revelation of the All-Merciful, detached from all else. Thus does the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, teach you. In reply to that person, words have also been revealed from the Supreme Pen, purely for the sake of God, that perchance he may remember and fear. Verily your Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Bestower, the Generous.

Turn not to the people and their ways, but to God and what has been revealed from Him. Verily He is independent of the faith of every doubter, the acceptance of every denier, the unity of every idolater, the praise of every ignorant one, and the mention of every heedless one. Verily He is sanctified from all else beside Him, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As for what you asked about the words of the late Shaykh Ahmad, that which suffices all has been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning every matter. Blessed is he who searches and finds what God has revealed in the Books and Tablets.

BH03115: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

He is the Dawning One from the horizon of eternity with His name, the Manifest, the Wondrous!

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His is the greatness and the majesty, and His is the power, the might and the transcendence. He giveth His unified servants to drink of His choice sealed wine, sealed with the finger of His power, and to those near unto Him that which causeth spirits to soar. He, verily, is the One Who uttered the Most Great Word, whereupon all who are in earth and heaven were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of power did rescue. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

When the horizon of manifestation did shine forth and the birds did warble upon the branches, then were the eyes of those who disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, dimmed. They behold the Most Great Ocean before their faces, yet turn away from it and cling to a mere pond. The Tongue of Grandeur calleth them at all times and summoneth them to His most exalted horizon, yet the people remain heedless.

We have heard thy mention and have remembered thee with these verses, through which the fragrance of the divine Robe hath been wafted throughout the world, as every discerning scholar doth testify.

God willing, may you ever speak in remembrance of the Beloved of all creation. All that thou beholdest today hath no permanence—all shall pass away and sovereignty shall remain with God and His loved ones. Observe how many souls depart this world each day, whether through calamities that descend or through wars that occur. It is entirely clear and evident that none of these things did profit those souls, nor ever shall. That which would have profited them they did not acquire, but rather turned away from it.

Surely no person of perfect understanding would set their heart upon a station that passeth away like the blowing of winds—neither rejoicing in its elevation nor sorrowing at its abasement. Blessed is the state of that soul who hath been delivered from this whirlpool and hath found intimacy with the Divine Beloved. Such a one is as a star in the heaven of true knowledge, and their light shall endure forever.

We make mention of him who hath turned toward God, that his remembrance may endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing Witness. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the lights of the Divine Countenance and have held fast to this mighty cord.

BH03168: O Pen of the Most High! Make mention…

He is

O Pen of the Most High! Make mention of My name Hasan, who offered himself as a ransom in My path, and expended whatsoever he possessed out of love for My beauty and yearning for My presence. Then make mention of My name Husayn, from whose field of sacrifice he returned not; through them was the tale of the slaughter renewed, and hearts were consumed with anguish. Then make mention of al-Kazim, who beheld that which none among the servants hath beheld.

I bear witness that ye believed in God in a Day wherein earthquakes seized all the tribes of the earth, and hearts were shaken, and eyes were fixed in terror. I testify that through you the banners of remembrance were uplifted amongst men, and the standards of guidance were raised in many lands. Ye are they in whose affliction the Divine Lote-Tree lamented, and the Rock cried out, and the mountains were levelled. Blessed is he that draweth nigh unto you, and is honoured by your visitation, and uttereth that which the Pen of the Most High hath uttered in making mention of you, and in praising you, and in recounting that whereon ye stood fast in the love of God, the Lord of beginning and of end.

He is the Expounder, the All-Knowing.

Witness their people and their oppression. I swear by the Sun of Truth that they hamstrung the She-Camel and tore apart the pavilion that had been raised in the name of Truth. They committed that which neither ʿAd nor Thamud committed, and inflicted upon the Husayns of this age that which the Jews were not willing to inflict upon the Spirit (Christ) and which Abu-Jahl did not decree against the Messenger.

Yet they still go to the mosque and, in their imagination, engage in the remembrance of God. Fie upon them for what they have earned in their vain life! Soon shall they find themselves in the lowest depths. Verily thy Lord is the All-Remembering, the All-Informed.

This is such a calamity that God Himself consoles His servants and makes mention of it. Therefore He is the One Who bears this calamity, and this is a station that the two worlds cannot equal. The glory be upon thee and upon every people that hath believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

BH03081: O Muhammad! Praise be to God that thou hast…

In the Name of the All-Knowing One

O Muhammad! Praise be to God that thou hast turned unto the Most Exalted Horizon, hast drunk from the Kawthar of reunion, and hast attained unto the lights of the Presence which is the greatest and most glorious of all deeds, and hast heard, time and again with thine own ears, the call of the Wronged One. We beseech God—exalted and glorified be He—not to withhold, through His boundless grace, the droppings of the Most Great Ocean from thee and from the other friends.

Say: Occupy not yourselves with the mirage, and deprive not yourselves of the waves of the ocean of meanings. The pleasures of the world have been and shall ever be transient. Say: Be not beguiled by its honey for it is pure venom. Strive ye that all may be adorned with the ornament of knowledge.

Convey to all those souls who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon the greetings of this Wronged One, that all may be gladdened by the sweet savors of divine glorification and may act in accordance with that which is befitting. To all those souls, both men and women, who have turned toward the Prison and have attained unto the lights of the Throne, convey greetings from God. God willing, they must attain unto and act according to that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book.

O friends! Fix your gaze in all conditions upon steadfastness and trustworthiness. These two qualities are as two great luminaries shining forth and manifest from the heaven of the divine Tablet. Blessed is the state of the one who is illumined by the light of these two luminaries. By the Most Great Name! Such a one is recorded and inscribed in the Book among the Concourse on High.

Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, in that thou hast attained unto the lights of the Kingdom and hast believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily, she who hath ascended is among those who have attained in a preserved Tablet. Be thou assured through the grace of thy Lord, then act according to that which thou hast been commanded by the One Who is the All-Knowing Revealer.

O people of Q! We have heard your call and have answered you through Our grace, for We are the Answerer. Unite ye first, then make mention of your Lord, the Stranger.

The glory rest upon you and upon thee, O Muhammad, and upon thy mother who hath recognized and attained and heard that which the Tongue of God, the Lord of the worlds, hath uttered, and upon thy family and upon those women who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH03120: The Promise hath come, and the Promised One hath…

He is the Most Great

The Promise hath come, and the Promised One hath appeared, yet the people are in evident confusion. The sea of life hath surged, yet they hasten toward death. The fragrance of the All-Merciful hath wafted, yet they turn away from it. They have taken the pond and cast aside the Salsabil—what aileth them that they perceive not? They occupy themselves with dust, turning away from the All-Bestowing. Verily they understand not. By God! Their eyes are blind and their ears are deaf—they neither hear nor see.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath turned to the Light and set his face toward God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling—he who heard the Call when it was raised in the kingdom of creation and hastened through the fields of divine good-pleasure until he recognized and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the seen and unseen!”

Say: O people of Baha! Are ye asleep, or hath the wine of desire overtaken you and prevented you from the remembrance of God, the Lord of existence? Say: This is the Day of Rising—how is it ye remain seated? This is the Day of the Call—how is it ye remain silent? Arise in My Name, then speak with wisdom and utterance, that perchance the people of the contingent world may turn unto the All-Merciful, Who calleth from this forbidden station.

Say: Have ye heard, yet remained patient? Fear God and be not of those who know not. Say: Turn ye, that ye may hear God’s melody in the kingdom of utterance. By My life! Were they to hear it, the rapture of longing would seize them to such degree that they would dance and not even perceive it.

Say: Do ye abandon the cup of immortality and take the putrid water of extinction from the hand of every rejected transgressor? Say: Hath the teacher of desire taught you this, or your own selves? Be truthful with Me, O people, and follow not every veiled liar. Arise with wisdom and remind the servants of what the Lord of creation hath commanded you, that perchance they may turn unto God, the Mighty, the Loving.

Thus hath My Pen spoken, My Tongue uttered, and My limbs testified. Blessed is he who hath drawn near and taken the Tablet of God with the hand of power and drunk therefrom what was inscribed in My Preserved Tablet. O thou who drinkest from My cup and speaketh in My Name! Give thanks for what hath been sent down to thee from the heaven of providence—this irrevocable Book.

BH03268: Your call reached the Most Holy and Luminous Threshold…

In the name of the one incomparable God

Your call reached the Most Holy and Luminous Threshold, and whatsoever you mentioned, this servant presented it. That which is beloved today is steadfastness in the Cause, and this matter is greater than what may occur to the heart or the realm of imagination can enumerate. Ask of the exalted Truth to make you successful in attaining a drop from this ocean.

Consider the divines of the age who, though they waited night and day for the Truth and would say from the pulpits “May God hasten His coming,” when the horizon of the world was illumined with the Sun of Manifestation, all arose in opposition and strove with hands of tyranny and hypocrisy to preserve their leadership. They passed by the Truth and what pertains to Him, and remained content with their own idle fancies and vain imaginings. They are seen to be deprived and forbidden from the sealed wine and the ocean of the bounty of the Self-Subsisting Name. Although they witness at all times the transience of the world, nevertheless some are heedless, some fearful, some agitated, some bewildered, and some veiled.

Consider the King of Martyrs, that is, the name of Ha’—upon him be all the most glorious Glory. He attained to such a station, though he himself had beseeched the Truth, glorified and exalted be He, for numbered years. When he attained unto it, most souls became agitated, although the Truth aided him and adorned him with the ornament of might and exaltation. At the end of his life he reached a station which all the Prophets and Messengers and near-brought angels at all times beseech and hope for. Now all must be thankful to the Truth—exalted be His dominion and magnified be His power—not agitated and fearful. By My life! They have not found the sweetness of this station and are pleased and occupied with the ornaments and things of the world.

And God speaks the Truth and He guides the Way. Verily He has power over all things.

BH03219: At all times the Supreme Pen summons the people…

In the name of the One All-Knowing God

At all times the Supreme Pen summons the people of the world of possibility to the Dawning-Place of the revelation of the All-Merciful. Yet most of mankind remain veiled and deprived therefrom, even though they witness and know with certainty that whatever is visible will perish and decline shall overtake it. Some people are occupied with vain imaginings and are seen to be far from the Dawning-Place of certitude, while others are deluded by outward bounties and are thereby deprived of the Dawning-Place of divine revelation and the Source of the sublime Command. God shall soon purify the earth of these people and their deeds and actions and words and pride and vainglory. Verily He is the Just Rewarder, the All-Knowing.

We convey greetings to all the friends in that land and command all to show forth the utmost steadfastness, for the deniers and objectors and hosts of negation exist both within and without. We beseech God to protect them all. In most Tablets mention hath been made and continues to be made of steadfastness. Nevertheless it was observed that a certain soul was deprived of the Euphrates of divine favors by a drop of bitter salt. Such is the condition of souls. In all divine Books mention hath been made of this Day and it hath been named the Day of God. Yet people remain occupied with the vain imaginings of the past and are far removed from the Purpose. Fie upon them! They have no share in this blessed, mighty and wondrous Day.

With the utmost earnestness and endeavor you must summon the people to this exalted and most sublime station and this most glorious Spot. The beginning of the matter is to believe in God and its end is to remain steadfast in His Cause. The glory of God rest upon you and upon My loved ones who have heard My call and recognized My path and acted according to what was commanded in My Book and attained unto the choice wine of steadfastness from the hand of My bounty. These are the people of My Kingdom, upon whom the Manifestations of My Cause and the Dawning-Places of My wondrous utterance shower their blessings.

From this station We send greetings to your wife who has turned to God and attained unto His days and believed while all on earth turned away, save those whom God desired, the Single One, the All-Knowing.

BH03216: To be typed

To be typed.

BH03294: O Javad! The Wronged One gives thee the glad…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious

O Javad! The Wronged One gives thee the glad tidings of God’s favors and bounties. Verily He is the One, the Single, the All-Knowing. Thou art he who hast drunk from My generous hand the Kawthar of divine knowledge and turned unto the All-Merciful when most of the people of the world turned away from Him. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of him who hath turned to the Most Glorious Horizon, as a token of grace from the All-Bountiful.

The servant in attendance before Us hath read thy supplication, which was honored to be heard by the Prisoner in this noble scene. Verily We behold thee in thy condition and have heard thy heart’s yearning in God, the Lord of the worlds. That which thou didst send by the hand of glory hath arrived. We have distributed it with Our own hand as a token of Our grace and mercy upon thee. Rejoice thou and be of the thankful ones.

Say: O Thou Who art wronged throughout all regions and consumed by the fire kindled by the people of discord who have broken the Covenant! Whenever I desire to ascend to the heaven of Thy mention, I behold Thee exalted above it and above all that imaginings can attain. Therefore do I confess, O Beloved of my heart, Solace of mine eyes, my Lord and my King, that I am powerless to mention even a single leaf among the leaves of Thy most exalted Paradise which Thou didst create through Thy Most Glorious Name—how then could I be capable of making mention of Thee or speaking in praise of Thy Self? I testify that Thou hast ever been sanctified above the recognition of Thy creation and holy beyond the description of Thy servants.

Since this is so, I make mention of what the tongue of Thy Revelation hath spoken in Thy Tablets: that Thou art not described except by Thyself and not mentioned save through Thyself. I beseech Thee to make this mention the crown of all mentions through Thy grace and favor, and to accept from me, through the wonders of Thy bounties, that which Thou hast taught me through Thy generosity. Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, my Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

We make mention of Our servant that We may give him the glad tidings of My gracious remembrance. The glory be upon thee and upon him and upon his brother and upon a handmaiden from the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Convey My greetings unto Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn and his mother and his wife, that they may rejoice in this wondrous mention.

BH09228: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is the One Who calleth amidst His servants

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses in truth and revealed what He hath willed. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The world hath been honored by the advent of the Most Great Name, whereupon the trembling seized all the tribes of the earth except such as God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, hath willed.

O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of the All-Merciful! Hearken unto that which the hosts of Satan who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of Lords, do speak. Verily, he who pronounced judgment against the Third Letter who believed in Him Whom God shall make manifest hath uttered that which hath rent asunder the veil of the Kingdom and caused the dwellers of the realms above to lament. He who should have kissed the dust of his feet hath been unjustly slain—to this doth the Wronged One bear witness in this praiseworthy station. Moreover, he pronounced judgment against certain souls, whereat the eyes of the Concourse on High and the dwellers in the cities of Names shed tears. Woe unto him and unto those who followed him among such as disbelieved in the All-Merciful when He came unto them with manifest sovereignty!

Say: When We returned from Our exile to Zawra (Baghdad), We found that he had taken possession of the sanctuary of the Point. At this, the eye of My inner being wept and My heart melted. By God’s life! I concealed this with all diligence lest any hateful rejected one should become aware of it. By God! The Pen is powerless to recount what he committed in his vain life, for it is ashamed to mention that which is unworthy of mention this Day. To this testify those who were with him and associated with him, and beyond them the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Thou dost ponder My forbearance despite My power, and My concealment despite My knowledge, and that which every ignorant oppressor doth utter. We have mentioned unto thee some of what hath befallen Us at the hands of those who know not their right hand from their left, let alone this exalted station.

When thou receivest this Tablet, recite it unto thyself, then read it to those who have quaffed the wine of life in the days of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away idle fancies through the Name of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.

BH03331: We have expressed divine utterances in the Persian tongue…

In the name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

We have expressed divine utterances in the Persian tongue. Although Arabic is more excellent, yet Persian speech is sweeter. In all conditions, fix your gaze upon this blessed word which, like the Most Great Luminary, hath dawned from the horizon of the divine Tablet. He saith: “Whoso belongeth to God, God belongeth to him.” This servant beareth witness to that which hath been mentioned. Hold fast unto it, for it sufficeth thee if thou act according to it. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Teacher.

Reflect a little: the whole world hath been created for the knowledge of God. In all the heavenly Books, they were given the glad-tidings of the Most Great Manifestation. Nevertheless, when the veils were rent asunder, and the clouds were lifted, and the Countenance of the Intended One appeared and was made manifest from the horizon of the heaven of revelation, all arose in opposition and protest, though all were expectant. This is why He formerly said that true believers are rarer than red sulphur. Had they reflected even less than that on what was revealed before, they would not have been deprived today of the ocean of meanings and prevented from the sun of clear vision.

Hearken unto the call of this Wronged One, and in the end of life hold fast unto that which is better for thee than all the treasures of the world. By the ocean of knowledge! What is being said is the truth, there is no doubt in it. Hear thou My call and say “God!” then leave them to their vain disputes. If thou shouldst find even less than a needle’s eye of the fragrances of the utterance of the All-Merciful, thou wouldst find thyself detached from the world and all who dwell therein, and wouldst take up thy habitation and find thy refuge in the shadow of the Friend in the utmost joy and delight and tranquility.

A prayer was sent before; persevere in it, for it is a key to the gates of divine favor and mercy and kindness. Blessed is he who holdeth fast to the cord of the Command and cleaveth to the hem of the grace of his Lord, the All-Bountiful.

BH03369: The Qayyum came, and the Qa’im was standing at…

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing

The Qayyum came, and the Qa’im was standing at the Gate. We said: “Thou art the Promised One.” He replied: “Nay, by thy life! He is the Imagined One Who hath been created from the imaginings of the people of the Furqan.”

We said: “Is He the One Who gave thee glad tidings?” He replied: “How could that be, after thou didst sanctify Him above all vain imaginings?”

We said: “Dost thou know where His station is and when He will come?” He replied: “Neither I nor anyone possessed of knowledge of all things knoweth this, for Thou art the Mighty, the All-Knowing.”

We said: “Wouldst thou judge as false one who hath given tidings of His presence on earth?” He replied: “He in Whose possession is the Mother Book hath so judged.”

We said: “If we were to deny this Cause, which was the very foundation of the religion of the Furqan and the edifice of their Faith, how then could we believe what we hear from those who desire to walk in their footsteps and follow their path, and make the successors conform to what preceded from their forebears?” He replied: “By thy life! We believe them not in what they say, and Thou art the All-Seeing Witness.”

We said: “Were any follower of the Bayan who hath denied God and His signs to hear this, he would pronounce thee an infidel and order thy death.” He replied: “I would offer him my breast and neck and head more swiftly than the flash of lightning—thy Self, which dominateth all religions, beareth witness to this.”

We said: “Dost thou deny him who assigned a station to the Qa’im and called it the Holy Precinct, and issued proclamations in His name therefrom and spread them throughout the land?” He replied: “Thou seest me, O my God, like one bewildered and dumbfounded, and I behold myself perplexed regarding those who have taken for themselves a path to other than Thee and have risen against Thee in hypocrisy.”

We said:

“He is the one from whom originated the doctrine of the people of the Furqan who call themselves the Shi’ih, and who gave false rulings against God, the One, the Chosen. And he is the one who denied those who said He was in the loins, and pronounced them infidels, and ruled they should be killed, whereat hearts grieved and eyes shed tears. Thou knowest him not, nor his like. We make him known to thee and inform thee of them and their condition. Verily thy Lord is He Who speaketh at the return.”

BH03521: The verses have been sent down and the signs…

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

The verses have been sent down and the signs have appeared, yet the people remain in evident veils. O servants of the All-Merciful! By God, the Balance hath appeared, and verily it walketh and speaketh. There is none other God besides Him, the Mighty, the Bountiful. He saith:

“I am God’s justice amongst the nations, and through Me hath every straight cause been made manifest. God hath made Me the Discriminator between created things—verily He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Single One, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Through Me is revealed the station and measure of all things, and I am the Distinguisher, the Detailer, the All-Knowing. I walk at all times before all who dwell in the realm of possibility. I see and I hear, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

O people of the earth! Fear God and follow not your desires, nor conceal your deeds. God hath made Me their Manifester and their Expounder, and I am the Unveiler from God, the Lord of all worlds. Adorn your temples with the robes of uprightness and trustworthiness, if ye be of them that know. No matter is hidden from Me, though it be hidden from you as it was hidden aforetime, and I am the Informed, the All-Knowing. Say: Arise through the Most Great Name and turn unto God, that He may forgive your sins and absolve you of your misdeeds. He, verily, is the Single One, the All-Informed.

I have desired naught from you and have arisen among you by the command of my Lord to draw you nigh unto the supreme horizon and give you to drink of the Kawthar of your Lord’s tender mercy. Say: Will that which ye have hoarded profit you? Nay, by the Self of Truth! Abandon what ye possess—the Most Great Treasure of God hath appeared. Turn ye unto it and be not of the heedless ones. It will enrich you beyond all else—thus hath the matter been decreed in a preserved Tablet.

We have sent down unto thee this Tablet that thou mayest remind the people thereby, that they may find for themselves a path unto God. Thy Lord, verily, is the Mighty, the Praised One. Convey My greetings to the faces of My loved ones who have attained unto My Day and have tasted the sweetness of the love of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH03569: O Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God…

O Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God, He Who is sanctified above mention and utterance!

O thou who gazest upon My face, who speaketh My praise, who soareth in My atmosphere, who turneth toward My horizon, who shunneth Mine enemies, and who drinketh the choice wine of revelation from the hand of My bounty! Hearken unto My call even as thou didst hear it time and again, as beareth witness to this the Lord of all creation while sorrows encompass Him in this mighty prison.

We sent thee a Tablet before, and before that another Tablet—verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! The Pen loveth him who is steadfast in the Cause of his Lord, and the Tongue desireth to speak that which draweth it to the ultimate Goal and the Divine Lote-Tree—He is the Attractor, the All-Wise.

We were seated in the house when the servant who was present brought thy letter and read it before Us, and We answered thee with this perspicuous Tablet. Verily We answer thee at all times, as testifieth He with Whom is a preserving Book.

O thou who gazest upon the Face! By God, the tale of the sacrifice hath returned—God hath manifested it through a clear command. By My life! The Most Great Sacrifice hath appeared. Woe unto the people who imagined they had gained, when by God they are in manifest loss.

The Most Exalted Pen hath not rested in these days, and hath revealed that whereby the dwellers of Paradise, and the Concourse on High, and the inhabitants of the Cities of Names have lamented. The heart of Baha hath been so distressed that all things have been seized with perturbation, and were it not for My Name, the All-Composing, all would be numbered among the dead. Thus hath the matter been decreed by the Pen of thy Lord.

We send thee what We have revealed. Verily thy Lord mourneth and saith: “Praise be to God for what He hath ordained and decreed.” Verily He is the Beloved in His Cause, and the One to be obeyed in His judgment, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous.

The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have remembered Him even as the Most Exalted Pen hath made mention in this mighty prison.

BH03752: O Rahim! Praise be to the Beloved…

In the name of the One Beloved

O Rahim! Praise be to the Beloved of the world that thy letter reached the Most Great Paradise and whatsoever thou didst submit was adorned with truthfulness. The whole world hath been created for this Day and all are promised it in the divine Books. This blessed Day, the Day when “thy Lord shall come” hath been as the apple of the Qur’an’s eye, and “thy Lord shall come with angels rank on rank” is its heart. Nevertheless all remained veiled from it and heedless of it save whom thy Lord willeth.

Moses came: the idolaters denied Him. The Spirit appeared: they turned away to such extent that God raised Him to heaven. The Beloved came: the divines of that age denied Him. By My life, what befell Him cannot be mentioned in words. Consider briefly “there came not unto them any Messenger.”

After pondering on what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, two stations and two matters become clear and evident. First, the station of God’s most great favor bestowed upon thee, that despite the heedlessness and ignorance of most of the servants, He enabled thee to attain this greatest bounty. And second, that the heedless ones—those souls who are oblivious of the Most Great Ocean and who cling to the chiefs of idle fancies—realize that in all ages such objections have been raised against the Manifestations of the Cause.

Blessed art thou for having turned to My Self, drunk the choice wine of My love, spoken in remembrance and praise of Me, and desired to attain My presence, the Mighty, the Beloved. Henceforth be not grieved. The Cause hath been and shall ever be in God’s hands. If He willeth, He bestoweth the reward of attainment unto His presence. Verily He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

Today all must strive to teach the Cause. Blessed is the nightingale that announceth unto men My Revelation and My days and their turning unto My luminous horizon.

BH03672: Blessed is he who visits My Name Husayn, concerning…

He is.

Blessed is he who visits My Name Husayn, concerning whom My Most Exalted Pen has spoken, and who says before his grave:

“By God! Through you the tale of sacrifice was renewed, and the Concourse on High lamented, and the Lote-Tree of the Far Boundary cried out. Blessed is the soul that turned to you and visited your dust and remembered your days and what befell you from the enemies of the Self of God, your Lord. I testify that you are he who was seized by the rapture of the Call when it was raised between earth and heaven, and you turned to the horizon of manifestation and attained to what was recorded in the Books of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Shame upon the people who knew you not and pronounced judgment against you and wronged you without any proof or Book from God, the Lord of the unseen and the seen.”

He is the All-Knowing Rememberer.

There befell you from tribulations what none can reckon save God, the Lord of all worlds. All things are engaged in weeping and lamentation. The hearing ears have heard the cry of the rock, yet most people remain veiled and rejoice in what they have done. But after this joy shall come a sorrow and a tribulation that shall endure as long as God’s kingdom endures. They have lost, those who denied the signs of God and committed what was not committed by those who wronged aforetime. To this testifies He Who speaks the truth from God, the One, the All-Informed.

You must, in the prime of youth, occupy yourself with the remembrance of the Lord of the Final End. Though what befell was very great, yet it occurred in the path of God. Know the value of this bounty and pay no heed to the words of the doubters. Hold fast to the cord of patience and trust in God, the Most High, the Most Great. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of old.

BH03787: In the name of God, the All-Knowing! Today those…

In the name of God, the All-Knowing! Today those who have appeared in the name of Truth and are gazing toward His horizon must be adorned with spiritual qualities, so that the people of the world may receive their portion of this most great bounty. We beseech God to assist those who drink the choice wine of inner meanings with that which will exalt His Cause. Many are those who verbally acknowledge the appearance of Truth and His power, yet since they have not held fast to the deeds that were revealed in God’s Book, they have become the cause of delay for the people of earth. God willing, all must act in a manner befitting the days of God.

Blessed art thou for having been mentioned by My Pen and for having attained to My remembrance and praise. Know thou this glorious and exalted station. O servant of God! When the heart is illumined with the lights of divine knowledge, wherever thou dwellest thou shalt abide beneath His mercy. Rejoice in thy Lord’s favor and be of the thankful ones.

The occupation that is beloved in the sight of God is engagement in crafts and professions. However, if someone is employed in service to the government for the protection of His Cause or for serving the loved ones of God, there is and has been no objection. And if the rulers of the earth were to attain to the lights of divine knowledge, such souls would be like unto stars. We beseech God to assist all to recognize the Manifestation of His Cause. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

As for what thou hast written regarding remembrance—read what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book. Whatsoever hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen is a lamp for the guidance of the servants and a guide and teacher for those in all lands. The recitation of any of these will be beloved and will become the cause and means of the outpourings of the Lord of all being.

BH03875: O Ibrahim! The Wronged One hath heard thy call…

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

O Ibrahim! The Wronged One hath heard thy call and calleth thee with His most sweet voice between earth and heaven, saying: “O Ibrahim! The tale of the fire hath been renewed, and My Friend hath been consumed thereby in the land of Sad—he who dawned forth from the horizon of faithfulness with the love of God, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And the account of the sacrifice and the sacrificed one hath been renewed—he who returned not from the place of sacrifice but gave up his spirit in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. God hath seized him who did wrong, and He shall soon seize those who disputed His signs and denied His manifest proof.

Well is it with thee for having drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Generous, and for having circled round the fire until thou didst enter it and wast enkindled with the fire of God, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed is he who hath heard My call and soared in My atmosphere and was attracted by the rustling of My Lote-Tree and the cooing of My Dove that speaketh: ʿThere is none other God besides Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.’

We have indeed found the fragrance of thy love and beheld thee turning toward Our most exalted horizon. We make mention of thee in this Tablet, before which, when it was sent down from the kingdom of the command of thy Lord, all the books of the world bowed down in submission. Blessed is he who hath turned toward it and rendered thanks, and woe unto those who have turned away. Give thanks unto God for having caused thee to hear the shrill voice of His Pen and for having mentioned thee in such wise that thy name shall endure in His mighty and impregnable kingdom.

When thou hast received My Tablet and been intoxicated with the wine of My utterance, turn thy face toward My Prison and say: ʿPraise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged and lonely, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of life surged in all creation and all things spoke forth: “The kingdom belongeth unto God, the Most High, the Most Great!”’ We beseech God to make thee steadfast in this Cause whereby feet have slipped save such as God, the Peerless, the All-Informed, hath willed.”

BH03890: Kaf. Ra. Once again hearken unto the Call…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

Kaf. Ra. Once again hearken unto the Call from the luminous Spot, the place wherein speaketh the Lord of Names. The Prison is become a dawning-place for the revelation of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By My life! The Prison is My habitation, and it is more glorious than all other habitations, were ye of those who know. Though My hand hath opened the gate of the Prison, yet My heart desireth to remain therein. Thy Lord is, verily, the Expositor, the All-Wise.

The Chief desired My humiliation, My injury and My imprisonment, but God seized him with power from His presence. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. That which was revealed in the Tablet to the Chief hath come to pass. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. We came forth from the Prison through a power from Our presence, despite his will, then returned unto it. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The Ancient Beauty hath grown attached to the Most Great Prison. At times palaces and paradise became the footstool of the feet of the All-Merciful, yet in every case He chose to return to the Prison, for it is adorned with the Name of Truth and established in the path of the Friend. He Who remembereth thee is the Truth—to this testify all atoms. He is the Truth and He is the Friend. Blessed is he who knoweth and is of the thankful ones.

Give thanks unto God for having enabled thee to make mention of Him and to praise Him, and for having honored thee through His Book which shall endure as long as His names and attributes endure. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Thy letter hath attained unto the Most Great Vision, and We have read it and answered thee with this wondrous Tablet that thou mayest find therein the fragrance of the loving-kindness of thy Lord and make mention of Him with a mention whereby the hearts of those who have turned unto Him shall be attracted. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, from the presence of One Who is Forgiving, Merciful.

BH03801: O Rahim! The fragrances of thy love attained…

In the name of the Best-Beloved of the world

O Rahim! The fragrances of thy love attained the Most Holy Court, and thy call was heard time after time, again and again. That which was revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning thee shall endure and remain as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endures. Guard this most exalted and glorious station like thy very life, that the hands of the thieves may not reach it. The entire world cannot be compared to a single word of the divine utterances. Know thou that which the All-Merciful hath revealed, and be thou of the thankful ones.

They have expressed their desire to turn toward the Supreme Horizon. All have been created for attainment unto His presence; however, today service to the Cause takes precedence. Whoso is assisted today to aid the Cause, verily he hath attained unto all good from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Praise be to God that thou hast been enabled to make mention of God in days when the pillars of the world were seen to be trembling. This is among the great bounties of thy Lord. Sublime Tablets were repeatedly sent. God willing, ye shall attain unto them and unto that which they contain.

Today, in the Most Holy Court, mention of God, service to the Cause, and virtues and qualities that conduce to the exaltation of God’s Cause take precedence. God willing, that honored one shall strive with the utmost endeavor in these matters, and if at any time circumstances should require it—that is, if it would in no way conflict with wisdom—he may turn toward the Most Holy Court.

The Glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy father who attained the presence of his Lord in Baghdad and heard His most sweet call. My Most Exalted Pen in this sublime Tablet doth testify to this. We, from this station, send Our greetings upon thee and upon thy wife and upon those who dwell with thee in thy home, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

BH03784: In My Name, Who warbleth upon the branches

In My Name, Who warbleth upon the branches

Praise be to God that through divine grace thou hast arrived at the shore of the ocean of celestial knowledge and been illumined by the rays of the Sun of inner meanings. Thine eye hath been brightened by the light of the Most Great Countenance and thine ear honored by hearkening to the divine call. Time and again didst thou turn.

Praise the Beloved of the world that after being illumined by the lights of the Sun of Permission, thou didst turn toward the Most Great Prison which is the seat of the Beloved of the world and the Lord of nations, and didst attain the ultimate goal and the divine Lote-Tree and the supreme horizon and the primal valley. Blessed art thou for having entered a gate which the Holy Spirit serveth and around which the Faithful Spirit circleth. Thou didst turn and arrive and attain and hear and behold the Dawning-Place of Beauty in this noble station.

How many a king desired yet attained not, and how many a subject beheld the ocean and drank therefrom through My Name, the Generous. How many renowned ones were seen deprived of all bounties on the Day of Resurrection, and how many unknown souls were illumined by the lights of the Morn of Revelation and received their portion and share from the Kawthar of meeting and the Salsabil of reunion.

O emigrant, convey a wondrous mention from this wronged exile to the divine helpers and say: O ye who seek the right hand of spirit, God willing may ye be enkindled by the fire of the Lote-Tree in the wilderness and illumined by its light.

O traveler, the Supreme Pen maketh mention of those souls who ascended in this path. This is the most great bounty, were ye of them that know. It is incumbent upon all, and recorded in God’s Book, to remember the Truth and show consideration for the remaining family members of such souls.

BH03885: The Supreme Pen at all times summons the people…

He is the Most Mighty, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

The Supreme Pen at all times summons the people of the world to the direction of the All-Merciful. However, some souls hearkened to the call of the Friend and turned toward the Beloved, while others remained deprived of the light of His countenance and forbidden from the Kawthar of immortality. These conditions are the recompense of deeds they had previously committed. No matter comes to pass without a cause.

Today, although the ocean of forgiveness is manifest and surging in the world of possibility, and the sun of generosity is radiant and evident, yet they remain forbidden and deprived. Sanctified and omnipotent is He Who created sight, and in the moment it sees, prevented it from seeing; and bestowed hearing, and in the moment it hears, deprived it of hearing. The tongue of the Wronged One testifies that He is the sovereign Actor and none may question His bidding, for He is the All-Wise and the mysteries of His wisdom are concealed—none knoweth them save His Own Self and those to whom He hath given a portion in the Book.

To those souls who have quaffed from the Kawthar of revelation and are gazing toward the horizon of manifestation, convey greetings from the True One and say: In all conditions, beseech the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted that He may strengthen you with the most great steadfastness. For it is observed that although most of the Tablets mention steadfastness, they have not pondered what the cause of repeating this mention is, and what the reason may be. Well then, ask of the True One that He may enable all to attain this most great bounty and not deprive them of the robe of steadfastness. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Bountiful.

Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee.

BH03959: O peoples of the realm of contingent being!…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Speaking One, the All-Knowing

O peoples of the realm of contingent being! The Temple of the All-Merciful hath appeared and been established upon the throne with a sovereignty that neither the dominion of kings nor the clamor of their subjects can prevent. He doeth as He willeth. He is, verily, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath appeared in truth is verily the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, the Dayspring of His Cause, and the Manifestation of His Self. He hath arisen with supreme steadfastness and called out to all who are in earth and heaven on a Day whereon the limbs of every mighty and powerful one did tremble.

We make mention of those who have turned unto the Temple and believed in God, the Single One, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who hath been attracted by the fragrances of My days and drawn nigh unto a station which the All-Merciful hath revealed in a preserved Tablet. Beware lest human conditions prevent you from turning to the Most Great Horizon. Place your trust in the Lord of destiny and turn with radiant faces toward the horizon from which hath dawned the Sun of the Cause of your Lord, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

We enjoin upon you patience and forbearance in what the hands of the wicked have wrought. Verily your Lord, the Chosen One, is the All-Patient, the Forbearing. Observe and ponder how He hath taken from His prison. By God! Whosoever looketh with the eye of insight will cry out and say:

“Thine is the power and majesty, O Splendor of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

Grieve not for what hath passed. His Cause shall surely come. Thus doth He Who possesseth knowledge of all things inform you in a clear Book.

Hold fast unto the cord of My loving-kindness and cling to the hem of My mercy. Then drink the choice wine of utterance from the hands of My bounty. He, verily, is the Munificent, the Generous. He remembereth him who remembereth Him, and turneth unto him who turneth unto Him, and answereth him who raiseth his call in this wondrous Day. Thus have We expounded for you that ye may rejoice in the days of your Lord, the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Ancient of Days. The glory be upon you from God, the Lord of the mighty Throne.

BH04074: This is a mention from Us unto him who…

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

This is a mention from Us unto him who hath cast away what he possessed and taken what was sent down from God, the Lord of all worlds. When he drank the wine of recognition, he turned toward the Dawning-Place of his Lord’s Command, the All-Merciful, and traversed land and sea until he entered the abode of the Wronged One, Who was imprisoned through what the hands of the heedless had wrought. Blessed art thou for having turned and attained the lights of the Countenance and been among those who have attained. By the life of God! My mention of thee cannot be equaled by whatsoever hath been created in earth and heaven. The Tongue of Grandeur in the most exalted station beareth witness to this. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Helper and my Strengthener! I beseech Thee by those who were martyred in Thy path and gave up their spirits in Thy good-pleasure, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy service. O Lord! I have turned to Thee, acknowledging my weakness, my powerlessness and my evanescence. I beseech Thee to assist me in all conditions and to send down upon me a blessing from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. All atoms testify to Thy sovereignty and all created things to Thy power. There is no God but Thee, the Helper, the All-Seeing.

Thus doth the Wronged One guide thee and strengthen thee to turn unto Him and teach thee that whereby thou mayest remember God, thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth. Give thanks and be of the grateful. Grieve not over anything. Trust in the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. He is with those who have turned to Him. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing. The glory rest upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Mention whereby the faces of those near unto God were illumined. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04085: This is a Book which speaketh the truth…

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

This is a Book which speaketh the truth in the world and summoneth the peoples unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: We sent forth Ahmad and Kazim to herald the Revelation of God and His sovereignty on this Day which was mentioned in the tablets of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

By the life of God! The Hour hath come, and the Sure Truth hath appeared, and the Trump hath sounded, and the Trumpet hath been blown, and all who are in the heavens and on earth have swooned away, save those whom thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, hath willed.

Say: By God! This is a Day whereon the breezes of the All-Merciful have wafted, and the fragrance of musk hath been diffused from this glorious station. Say: The earthquakes have seized all the tribes, and the mountains have passed away, and the people have risen up for the Lord of the worlds.

This is a Day whereon the Voice of Him Who conversed on Sinai hath been heard, and verily He from the horizon of Revelation proclaimeth: There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily he who hath objected hath objected unto God throughout all ages, as attesteth He Who possesseth this perspicuous Book.

Say: The Book speaketh, yet most of the people are heedless. Say: The Balance moveth, yet most of the people are asleep. Say: The Path crieth out in the midst of the heavens, saying:

“Unto Me, unto Me, O concourse of earth! Be not of the heedless ones.”

Blessed be the soul that hath rent asunder the veils through the name of its Lord, the All-Bestowing, and hath emerged from behind the clouds of idle fancies through His name, the All-Powerful.

By the life of God! Were thou to hear My call with the ear of thine inmost nature, the vibration of My Word would so grip thee that thou wouldst cry out in the wilderness, saying:

“Here am I, here am I, O Thou Who hast called me from the horizon of Thy prison! And here am I, here am I, O Thou Who art wronged at the hands of the oppressors!”

BH03968: He is the Glory that has appeared and shone…

He is the Glory that has appeared and shone forth at the first dawn wherein God manifested Himself to those in His dominion and His kingdom and to the choicest of His creation.

Upon thee, O sovereign of fidelity and My Name the H and the H, My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that ye both have turned and advanced toward God, the Cleaver of the dawn, on a day wherein the stars fell and the sun was darkened and the trumpet was sounded and the mountains were moved. Blessed is he who hath advanced toward you both and attained to your mention and held fast to the cord of love for you and disavowed those who have risen against you without any proof or book.

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious.

O My leaf and she who speaketh My praise, hearken unto the call of the Wronged One of the horizons, Who calleth thee from the Most Great Prison and maketh mention of thee.

O My handmaiden, ponder upon the son of Zachariah, whose blessed head was severed for the sake of a harlot, and the head of Husayn which was raised upon a spear at the command of a transgressor, and the Temple of the Bayan which was suspended in the air. Had the world any worth, the gems of existence would never have been afflicted with such tribulations.

Although the oppression that hath been wrought is grievous, yet as it hath occurred in the path of God, thou must needs be utterly content and resigned. Blessed art thou for having borne that which none else hath borne. Be thou patient in God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds.

In truth, this fire which they have kindled, they have kindled for themselves, though they perceive it not this day. All things testify to their heedlessness and to the knowledge of thy Lord, the All-Informed. The glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

BH03994: The first salutation that was uttered by the Tongue…

He is

The first salutation that was uttered by the Tongue of Grandeur ere the creation of earth and heaven be upon thee, O thou Name Ha’, thou who shinest above the horizon of fidelity. I testify that thou didst direct thyself towards God; didst hear the Call; didst answer “Yea!” unto the Possessor of all Names; and wast so transported by the rapture born of the Divine Verses that thou didst offer up thine all, thy family and thy spirit, in the path of God, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.

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

There hath befallen you in the path of God that which hath not befallen anyone in the Dispensation of the Bayan. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of oneness that this supreme affliction hath appeared for naught save the exaltation, elevation and manifestation of that which the Twin Shining Stars, that is Hasan and Husayn, exemplified. Blessed is the condition of the land that became the resting place of those two temples, and the state of those souls who, purely for the sake of God, drew nigh and attained unto their visitation. O leaf! Every abasement encountered in the path of Truth is the sovereign of all glory, and every hardship endured in the way of the Friend is the king of all ease.

Though in these days the eyes of the heedless souls are veiled by the veils of vain desires from beholding the Truth and Its manifestations, the time shall come when they shall wail and lament for what hath escaped them. Soon shall the fruits of the deeds of the oppressors become manifest and evident. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. In all conditions fix your gaze upon the Truth and hold fast to the cord of His grace. Verily He comforteth you and consoleth you. He is indeed the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. The glory be upon thee and upon those who were martyred in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04025: In My Most Great Name! My remembrance of My…

In My Most Great Name! My remembrance of My servant is, by My life, more excellent than the choicest wine, more beloved than the purest water, more crystalline than the Kawthar of life, and sweeter than any water created in all the worlds. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who hath sent down this clear remembrance. Is there anyone who recognizeth this most great station? Is there any possessor of sight who beholdeth this luminous horizon?

Say: Through My remembrance the Most Great Sea appeared, and through My name the Faithful Spirit was created. Say: Through My call the Call was raised between earth and heaven, and through My will every trustworthy Messenger was sent forth. Through My love the Fire appeared on the Mount, and through My name the Trumpet was blown and the graves arose, were ye of those who know. Through My fire the world was set ablaze, and through My light every sincere and informed one was guided. Through My call every learned one was attracted, and through My word all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck. Blessed is the people who recognized, and every eye that turned to the All-Seeing.

Through My movement all created things moved, and through My rising the people arose unto the Lord of the worlds. Through My grief appeared the most great terror, and from My joy the people of Paradise hastened unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. The rock was seized by the rapture of My verses, and creation by the fragrance of My luminous robe.

We have manifested Our Self and sent down the verses and informed the servants of what the All-Merciful revealed in the Bayan, that they might turn to Him with radiant hearts and shining faces. But the people heard not what they were commanded, and We found them struck down. He is indeed the All-Informed.

Thus hath God sent down for thee that which gladdeneth thy heart and solaceth the eyes of them that know. Remember thy Lord, that perchance the hearts of the heedless may be attracted thereby. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH04018: In My Name, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

In My Name, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

A mention from Us to those who have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of their Lord, the Most Merciful, and who have turned to the Countenance when every heedless doubter turned away from it.

The Pen hath testified to that which the Ancient Beauty testified before the creation of the heavens and earth. Bear ye witness, O people of understanding! The King hath come, and We see the subjects in trepidation and disturbance.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the Most Merciful, and oppose not Him through Whom the proof hath been perfected and the evidence made manifest.

Rejoice, O My loved ones, in that the Lord of the worlds remembereth you in the most desolate of lands. We counsel you to observe the Most Great Trustworthiness and that whereby the Cause of God is uplifted amongst His servants. Soon shall appear the crier of whom We have previously informed the servants. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who hath held fast to the cord of steadfastness, and woe unto every contentious infidel.

O Rida! Hearken unto that which the Lord of Names calleth thee. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O My Pen! Make mention of him who is named Ahmad and give him the glad tidings of this mention whereby the sea hath surged and the winds have been stirred. Then make mention of their other brother from God, the Lord of all men. We have made mention in the Tablet of every servant who hath believed and every maidservant who hath believed in God, the One, the Chosen One.

O My loved ones! Hearken unto My call, then act according to what hath been sent down from the heaven of My will. By the life of God! It shall profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, the Sovereign of all men.

O people of Baha! Upon you be the glory of God and His mercy which hath preceded all created things. Hold ye fast unto steadfastness in this Cause whereby feet have slipped.

BH04240: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

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

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath come in the shadows of the clouds is verily the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, the Dayspring of His Cause, and the Source of His firm and irrefutable wisdom. Whoso hath clung unto Him hath verily clung unto the cord of God, the Lord of all names, and whoso hath turned away is accounted among the heedless ones.

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Call to mind when ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar proceeded to the Prison accompanied by My Name Jamal and a few other souls. By My life! He was martyred in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. The Concourse on High and the dwellers of the cities of names welcomed him after his ascension, and the Tongue of Grandeur extolled him from His glorious and exalted station.

When thou attainest unto the Tablet of God, turn thy face toward the Land of Ta and say: The essence of remembrance and praise be upon thee, O thou who didst bear hardships in the path of God, the Creator of heaven, and didst drink from the cup of tribulation in His love, the Mighty, the Wondrous. I testify that thou didst turn toward the Qiblih of the horizons and didst traverse land and sea until thou didst enter the Spot of Paradise, the place wherefrom was raised the call of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thou didst stand before the Gate, didst hear His call and witness His revelations, and didst attain unto that which flowed upon thee from the ocean of His Name, the Mighty, the Generous. We have sent down for him from the heaven of the Divine Will that whereby his mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven, yet most of the people are heedless. Soon shall they bewail their own selves, and shall find for themselves neither helper nor protector. Thus have We made mention of thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord and be of them that are steadfast.