Volume 062: Akka 1298 A.H. (1880–1881), Part I (1 of 7)
BH00411: O thou who dost circle round the Throne!…
Section 1: “O thou who dost circle round the Throne!…”
In the Name of the One God
O thou who dost circle round the Throne! The numerous letters which the loved ones of God—upon them be the Glory of God—have written to thee from the land of Kha were presented before the Throne, and this servant laid them all before His holy Presence. We beseech the Most High to aid them to remember and praise Him and to strengthen them to remain steadfast in this Cause in such wise that neither the veils nor the signs of the peoples of the earth shall hinder them. Verily He is the Revealer of verses, there is none other God but Him, the Holy, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Among these was mention of the Leaf of Paradise—upon her be the light of her Lord. Praise be to God, she hath drunk from the choice wine of immortality and hath attained the most exalted horizon. In most years mention of her hath been made from the Tongue of Grandeur. By the life of God! This sufficeth her, as doth testify that which was created by the Word of God, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet will be revealed especially for her and will afterwards be dispatched. Verily, give her the glad-tidings of this great bounty.
Mention was made of the ascension of Mulla Mirza Muhammad—upon him be the Glory of God. Verily We were present when his spirit ascended to the Most Exalted Companion. Blessed is he and joy be unto him! He is of them that heard the sound of the wings of the Bird of the Throne from this atmosphere which God hath sanctified above the mention of all who are on earth. Thus was the matter decreed, but most of the people are heedless.
O Muhammad! Rejoice in that the Supreme Pen maketh mention of thee from this Most Exalted, Most Glorious Station and sayeth: The first light that shone forth from the heaven of the Manifestation of thy Lord be upon thee, O thou who hast cast away vain imaginings and held fast unto certitude on a Day wherein trembling and trepidation seized the inhabitants of earth and heaven, save whom God did will, the Lord of all worlds. I testify that thou didst fulfill God’s Covenant and His Testament, and didst circle round His Cause, and didst achieve the most great steadfastness when the limbs of all names did quake with fear. Thus doth the Lord of all creation make mention of thee in this wondrous Tablet. Joy be unto him who hath loved thee and visited thee, by virtue of that which hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Most High, the Most Great.
Likewise mention was made of the ascension of Mulla Muhammad-Husayn—upon him be the Glory of God. And the True One, exalted be His station, exalted be His sovereignty, and great be His might, maketh mention of him. By the pearls of the ocean of inner meanings! The entire world cannot equal one word of the divine words, and for every soul that hath attained unto a divine word there are ordained stations such that were but one of these to be revealed unto the people of the earth, all would be amazed and would exclaim “Would that we had been with him!” Verily We make mention in this station of Our servant Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of Names, that it may be a remembrance and honor unto him for as long as God, the Lord of all worlds, shall endure.
We made mention of thee during thy life and We make mention of thee after thy ascension, as a grace from Us, and verily We are the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. The breeze of forgiveness did take thee at the time of thy ascension unto the All-Merciful. Thus did His grace encompass all who turned unto Him when He appeared with manifest sovereignty. The Glory which hath dawned and shone forth, and the Light which hath gleamed and flashed, be upon thee, O thou who didst believe in Him Who was promised when He came with truth through a Command that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.
We make mention of Our loved ones in that place, that they may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Lord of all men. God willing, all the friends of Truth must today be united and in full accord upon the universal Word of God. This blessed Word hath been heard at this moment from the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen, saying: The beginning of the Cause hath ever been and shall ever be faith in God, and its end steadfastness in His love, for the dwellers of hell lie in ambush and appear with a hundred thousand wiles and deceits that perchance they may prevent steadfast souls from the Truth. Should anyone come unto you with the book of hell, leave him behind you and say:
“We have believed in Him through Whom the horizon of utterance hath shone forth and the nightingale of the All-Merciful hath warbled upon the branches. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Manifest, the Concealed.”
In all conditions, hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness. The clamor hath been raised and shall be raised in every city, even as We have informed all beforehand. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
All the names that were mentioned in the letter have attained unto the grace of God and have been remembered before the Throne. And the spiritual letter of her, upon whom be the Glory of God, was observed. The Most Exalted Pen hath testified to her acceptance, her faith, her love, and her submissiveness in days wherein every learned one turned away, every mystic was heedless, every mighty one objected, and every man denied, save whom God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, did will.
They must at all times be occupied with the mention of the Beloved of all worlds, for through His grace they have drunk from the ocean of His knowledge, partaken of the stream of His mercy, and received their portion from the Kawthar of His love. By the life of God! This brief mention hath been and shall ever be an enduring trace, and shall remain as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endure—how much more the sanctified and exalted Tablets that were specifically revealed and sent down for her from the heaven of the Divine Will. We give her the glad tidings of My grace, My loving-kindness, and My mercy that have preceded all worlds. Whatever she desireth, God shall graciously bestow. However, what is beloved is that one should be seen as extinct in one’s own will and desire, and living through the Will of God. This is a mighty and most exalted station.
The letter of Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli was noted. Praise be to God, again and again did he turn to God and endured hardships of travel in His path, traversing sea and land until he reached the shore of the Most Great Ocean. It behooveth him to render thanks unto God, his Lord, for having enabled him to attain His presence, to voice His praise, to stand before His gate and to present himself before His throne. Now must they occupy themselves with the remembrance of God, that perchance some withered one may be refreshed, or some sleeping one may be awakened, or some wanderer may find the straight path. Whosoever attaineth unto this service hath attained unto the most exalted station. He hath been and is remembered in the Most Holy Court. God hath loved and doth love faithfulness.
Section 2: “We counsel him and those who have believed…”
We counsel him and those who have believed to that whereby the Cause of God will be exalted among all else, and to steadfastness, the decree of which hath been revealed in most of the Tablets. At all times let them fix their gaze upon this blessed word and preserve it, for by God’s testimony this blessed word is the essence of all utterance. It is the Lamp of utterance, the Ocean of utterance, the Heaven of utterance, the Sun of utterance, the Light of utterance, and the Spirit of utterance. This blessed word was revealed from the Pen of My Herald, the Primal Point, when one of the Letters of the Living asked concerning Him Whom God shall make manifest—exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His might, exalted be His manifestation, exalted be His arising, exalted be His tribulation, and exalted be His imprisonment. Complete and sufficient explanations were revealed from the divine Kingdom of utterance, including this blessed word which is the essence of all utterance. His word, exalted and glorified be He:
“And I have written the essence concerning His remembrance, and it is that He shall not be known by My mention nor by what hath been revealed in the Bayan. Yea, by His glory, that word is greater in God’s estimation than the worship of all on earth, for the essence of all worship leadeth unto that. Therefore, as thou hast known God, know Him Whom God shall make manifest, for He is too glorious and exalted to be known through any but Himself or to be described by the description of His creatures. And verily, I am the first to believe in Him and in His verses.”
This utterance must at all times be before the eyes of the loved ones of God, so that should any cawer be found, his tongue may be cut off by the sword of this word. Consider now those followers of the Bayan who have turned away from the Truth, how far they have strayed from the straight path and how they are deprived of the mighty Truth, although they have never had nor have any knowledge of the foundation of this Cause. By the life of God! They are more veiled than the people of the Furqan and the peoples of former times. Every fair-minded and insightful person beareth witness to this. One veil had not yet been rent when they became afflicted with a hundred thousand other veils. Behold! They are among the dead in the mighty Book. None shall today attain unto this most mighty, most glorious and most exalted station except through effacing what he hath previously heard. Rejoice, O My loved ones, in My remembrance of you, My turning toward you, and My directing My face toward your faces from this Station that is both near and far.
Drink ye, God willing, from the chalice of steadfastness in such wise that neither the books, nor the scriptures, nor the pages, nor the words, nor the utterances, nor the speech of the world shall keep you back from the Lord of Eternity—how much less the leaves of the infernal tree. Thus doth He Who hath in His possession the Preserved Tablet inform you. Most men are observed to be heedless today, but ere long they shall be observed in utter regret, remorse and lamentation.
Say or write to the brother of Jinab-i-Mirza Muhammad-ʿAli of Qa’in who now circleth round: O thou heedless one! For the sake of two fleeting days, deprive not thyself of the immortal Kingdom and for the vanities of the world shut not thyself out from the Lord of all mankind. While time remaineth and opportunity persisteth, arise to redress what thou hast missed. Reflect upon the peoples of ancient times. Where are their treasures and their buried wealth, their might and their riches, their power and their dominion, their lofty palaces and their trellised gardens, and their marshalled hosts? The hand of power hath brought them down from their palaces to their graves. This Persian verse is well suited to this occasion:
Take ye heed, O ye whose dark locks have usurped the place of warning; Take ye heed, O ye whose cheeks are sprinkled with white.
Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One and from the wilderness of heedlessness turn thy face toward the realm of understanding and knowledge, that perchance in these last days thou mayest not remain deprived of the outpourings of the cloud of divine mercy. Reflect thou somewhat and adorn thyself with the ornament of fairness, that haply what hath been said may be heard with the ear of the soul, that it may deliver thee from the wilderness of heedlessness and lead thee to the heart-ravishing expanse of awareness. Verily He speaketh the truth and guideth the way, and praise be to God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Beautiful.
The Most Exalted Pen, with the most exalted call, addresseth those who have turned towards God and other regions, and counseleth them with that which beseemeth the Day of God. All faithful, assured, contented and well-pleasing souls are remembered in the presence of the Wronged One, and all their names are recorded in the Divine Book. They must be so firm in the Cause of God that all the peoples of the earth shall be powerless to deter them, and shall find themselves impotent before the people of truth. O Ja’far! Mention was made of thee before the Throne, and We have mentioned thee with that whereby eyes are consoled. We make mention of those who have turned with radiant faces toward the Supreme Horizon and have believed in God, the Dawning-Place of verses. We have heard thy call and have known what thou didst desire. Verily thy Lord is the Answerer of prayer, the Bestower, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.
O My loved ones! Be not grieved by the world and what appeareth therein. By the life of God! That which hath been ordained for you is such as no pen can recount. Behold ye and call to mind the vestiges of the earth and its chronicles. Where are the kings and the sons of kings? Where are the nobles and the sons of nobles? Where are the Chosroes, the Pharaohs, and the Caesars? Where are their swords and their steeds and their dominion and their hosts? Where are they who subdued the world and prided themselves on its riches and ornaments and bounties? By My life! Those who have wronged now wail and cry out, and find for themselves neither protector, nor helper, nor supporter.
Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the sun of wisdom of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. God willing, walk ye with perfect fellowship and love and unity upon His straight path and remain firm and steadfast in His Cause. Glory and wealth and strength and power and loftiness and elevation, and above that and far above that, all have been created for the loved ones of God. When the appointed time is fulfilled, it shall be made manifest in truth. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. Strive ye that through you may appear that which shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.
Those souls who have drunk from the living waters are mentioned in the presence of the Countenance, though they may not be outwardly mentioned. Verily He is the Hearer, verily He is the Seer. He heareth and seeth and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
BH00831: Praise be to God Who hath taught us…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Power
Praise be to God Who hath taught us that He is the Doer, the Unconstrained. He doeth what He willeth, speaketh as He pleaseth, and expoundeth as He desireth. At times I hear from the Tongue of Grandeur that “I am the All-Knowing,” and at other times that “I have been sanctified from it from time immemorial.” Sometimes He proclaimeth with the most exalted call that “With Me is the knowledge of the heavens and earth,” and at other times He calleth out and saith “With Me is naught save the knowledge of Mine own Self, and I am the Mighty, the All-Knowing.” He is the One around Whose gate’s courtyard no decree save truth can draw nigh, even should He decree for the earth what is decreed in heaven, and in Whose atmosphere no bird of forgetfulness can soar, even should He say “I have forgotten what was sent down from the heaven of My will in the scriptures and tablets.”
Praise be to God Who hath made known to us His straight path and His Most Great Name, and hath manifested unto us that whereby every mouldering bone is quickened. I pray, offer salutations and glorify those whom the affairs of the world have not prevented from the Most Exalted Horizon, and whom the might of princes hath not weakened from standing firm in this Cause, whereby the limbs of all things have trembled. These are honored servants whom God hath described through the tongue of His Beloved, His Chosen One, the Seal of His Prophets and the Example to His chosen ones—by whom the Night Journey was adorned and the gate of knowledge was opened to all who dwell in the realm of possibility—as “honored servants, on whom there is no fear, neither shall they grieve.”
Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the Kingdom of Names! I beseech Thee by the Primal Point and the Most Exalted Word to ordain for Thy servants who have believed in Thee and Thy signs that which will draw them nearer unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Thereafter, this evanescent servant attained unto the honor of reading thy exalted letter. Praise be to God, it brought such joy as this servant is powerless to describe, for each of its words was adorned with the lights of the love of God. After its perusal and reading, it was presented before His presence. The Sun of loving-kindness dawned and shone forth from the Dayspring of grace. God willing, may they forever be blessed with the outpourings of the True Bestower in both the earthly and heavenly kingdoms. Verily, He is the Munificent Giver. Let them in all conditions observe and hold fast unto wisdom. Until they find ears to hear, let them not speak.
Previously this blessed word flowed from the Pen: “Cast the seeds of My divine wisdom in the pure earth of the heart, and water them with the water of certitude, that the hyacinths of knowledge and wisdom may spring up fresh and green from the holy city.” And in another place He saith: “The wise ones among My servants are those who speak not till they find a listener, even as the cup-bearer who proffereth not the cup till he findeth one who seeketh it, and the lover who crieth not out from his soul until he gazeth upon the beauty of his beloved.” Therefore must ye sow the seeds of knowledge and wisdom in the earth of search and conceal them, that divine wisdom may sprout from the heart and not from mere clay. For the people are intoxicated with the wine of pride and are unaware of the pure and holy Fountain. They strive according to their own understanding to prove a fault and raise an uproar. Verily, He loveth wisdom and commandeth you to observe wisdom, even as He commanded you aforetime. He, verily, is the True Counsellor, the Trustworthy. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
As to the question asked about the blessed Word—although the exact verse is not in view—O beloved of my heart and the one remembered in my heart, most utterances are revealed in the language of the people, and in the heavenly Books there are many such instances. No one has been or is aware of the consummate divine wisdom and inner mysteries of the Lord, except for that which He Himself reveals and commands His servants to follow.
The Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—in one place states that if anyone claims for Me special prophethood, guardianship or particular gateship, he has uttered falsehood and I am innocent of him. Yet in another place He speaks that which the reality of understanding is powerless to comprehend.
The True One, exalted be His station, is the possessor of the Most Great Infallibility, and the meaning of the Most Great Infallibility is that error, mistake and forgetfulness have no access whatsoever to that realm. This is the station of “He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.” If He declares the qiblih to be toward the east, it is the indubitable truth, and if He declares it to be toward the west, likewise. Even as in the Qur’an, the Beloved of all creation, in accordance with the command of the All-Merciful, turned toward the qiblih of Islam to which they turn today. “Were He to pronounce the earth to be heaven, no one hath the right to question why and wherefore.” I swear by the Sun of Truth that were a breeze from the direction of this station to pass over the withered trees of possibility, all would be seen fresh and verdant. Blessed are they who understand.
As to the question about the inscription at the end of one of the blessed Tablets reading “Muhammad-Qabli-Ali, the mine of God’s Command”—if this was not a scribal error, by the precedence of Muhammad before Ali is meant His Holiness Quddus—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—who was known by the name Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli and who attained the supreme martyrdom in the land of Mim. Upon him and upon those with him be the glory of God, His light, and the loving-kindness and mercy of God.
As to the mention that He has said that whoever attributes miracles to this Most Great Manifestation has uttered falsehood and calumny—this word was revealed before the Manifestation, as a wisdom from His presence and protection for the servants. Had this evanescent servant found opportunity, he would have explained these matters in detail, but in any case he hopes for forgiveness.
Regarding the matter of the veil about which they wrote, this servant was confirmed in writing one and it was sent. God willing, they will attain unto it. As for the final veil, I beseech God to grant confirmation that perchance it may be written and dispatched.
My request and entreaty to your honor is to adorn each of the friends of God residing in that land with greetings from this evanescent one, and to express pure devotion. This evanescent servant beseeches God—glorified be His majesty—to aid and confirm all to that which He loves and is pleased with. Verily He is the confirmer of His devoted servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory and remembrance and greetings be upon you and upon them and upon every steadfast believer.
The servant In Muharram 1298
As to the manner of preserving the sacred talisman after performing ablutions: Wholly detached from all else, and turning to God, the Lord of Earth and Heaven, one should sit facing the Qiblih. Then recite the verse of power which is inscribed in the first line, followed by the Names of God which are recorded in the second line. Then, with the utmost humility, reverence, detachment, attention and sincerity, fold it and keep it without opening it again. And if at any time, for any reason, it is opened, all that was mentioned must be performed anew.
BH04213: This is a remembrance from Us unto him who…
He is the Manifest, that hath shone forth from His Most Exalted Horizon.
This is a remembrance from Us unto him who hath quaffed the wine of mystical knowledge when the fragrance of the garment of the All-Merciful was diffused throughout the realm of contingent being, that it might draw him unto a station where he would speak and say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all worlds, for having made known unto me the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation, the Manifestation of Thy Cause, and the Day-Spring of Thy signs. I bear witness, even as Thou didst bear witness ere the creation of the heavens and the earth, that there is none other God but Him. He quickeneth and He causeth to die; in His grasp lieth the kingdom of command and creation; He giveth and He withholdeth; He is the One, the Single, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.”
Thy letter hath reached the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison, and was read by the servant standing in His presence. We have answered thee with this perspicuous Book, that it may be a treasure and an honour for thee from the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
From thy words We inhaled the fragrance of thy love, and have sent down unto thee that whereby thou mayest perceive the perfume of the Beloved. Verily, He is the Bestower, the All-Bountiful.
Blessed art thou in that thou hast cast aside idle fancies and, in the Name of thy Lord, hast turned unto the horizon of certitude. He maketh mention of whomsoever maketh mention of Him, and turneth toward whomsoever turneth toward Him; verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Responding. Rejoice in that thou hast attained unto this Most Great Cause, before whose potency hearts have been shaken and the feet of the knowing have stumbled.
Praise thou God for having been numbered among the people from whose midst the Desire of all the worlds hath shone forth. Rejoice in this supreme bounty, then render thanks unto thy Lord, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Glory be upon thee and upon such as hold fast unto this firm Cord. And praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.
BH05266: In the Name of the one God! Praise be…
In the Name of the one God! Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the lights of the Sun of Truth which, by the command of the Lord of all beings, hath shone forth from the Most Exalted Horizon, and thou hast drunk from the sealed wine which is the love of the Desired One. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of the Cause that all the treasures of the earth cannot equal this station. May God grant that thou mayest ever remain successful in attaining this bounty and steadfast in this station.
Thy letter hath arrived and whatsoever was mentioned therein was observed. Blessed art thou for having turned thyself and advanced toward the Horizon from which most of the servants have turned aside, save those whom God, the Lord of this mighty Cause, hath willed.
All people throughout the ages and centuries awaited the Day of God, seeking the Divine Manifestation with lamentation and tears, yet when the dawn of the Day of Revelation broke and the world was illumined by the lights of His countenance, all were found heedless, nay, turned away.
Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having assisted me, taught me, and enabled me to recognize the Sun of Thy Manifestation and the Ocean of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Self, to make me firm and steadfast in this Cause whereby the tribes of the earth have been shaken. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and in Thy grasp is the kingdom of all things. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.
BH05500: This is a Book inscribed, to which the All-Compelling…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!
This is a Book inscribed, to which the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting beareth witness. It hath been sent down in truth from this praiseworthy station. None denieth it save every rejected misbeliever. Whoso denieth it hath denied his Lord from time immemorial, as attesteth to this the Lord of all being, Who proclaimeth:
“There is none other God but Me, the One Who ruleth over what hath been and what shall be.”
Verily, he who hath acknowledged that which hath come down from the heaven of grace is numbered among the people of Baha, as beareth witness to this the Dayspring of Revelation. And whoso denieth it is among the people who are held back. By My life! That which hath been sent down in the Tablet rejoiceth the eyes of them who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Loving. In His hand is the dominion of utterance—He sendeth down what He willeth. He, verily, is the Single One, the All-Kindly.
We send greetings from this station to the faces of those whom vain desire hath not held back from the Lord of all mankind, and who have turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon in the days of their Lord, the Possessor of the seen and unseen.
Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of names and in Whose right hand is the control of all things! I beseech Thee by Thy most beautiful names to send down for me from the heaven of Thy mercy that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and preserve me from all else beside Thee. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, unto Whose power and might all atoms bear witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.
BH06275: A Book from Us to him who has turned…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
A Book from Us to him who has turned to the horizon of his Lord’s will, the Mighty, the Bestower, that the verses of God may draw him to a station which God hath made sanctified from all mention.
Thy letter hath come before Us and We have heard thy call and We have turned to thee from this Prison that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. God willing, thou shalt become so enkindled with the fire of the love of God that its effects shall become manifest in the world. Thy letter arrived and the glance of favor hath turned toward thee. God willing, thou hast been and wilt be successful in that which He loveth and is pleasing unto Him.
Say: O my Lord and my King and my Beloved and my Goal and my Object of Worship! I beseech Thee to aid me in that which Thy good-pleasure lieth, in such wise that I may cause my will and desire to become extinct and nonexistent in Thy will and desire. I desire naught save what Thou hast desired. Thou seest me, O my God, turning unto Thee and speaking Thy praise and glory. I beseech Thee to make me purified from all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth and to ordain for me what beseemeth the heaven of Thy grace and bounty. Verily Thou art the Most Exalted, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise.
BH06704: The Book of God speaks in the world: Verily…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
The Book of God speaks in the world: Verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. He has appeared in truth and revealed what He willed with a sovereignty that has conquered all who are in the earth and heaven.
Give thanks to God for having aided you to recognize His Cause and guided you to the straight path, from which every ignorant one who claimed knowledge turned away, and every learned one who followed suppositions and idle fancies. I counsel you, O My loved ones, to manifest the supreme steadfastness in this Cause, whereby the idol and the idolaters have wailed. Put your trust in God under all conditions and hold fast to what has been sent down for you with power and sovereignty. Remember Him by night and by day, then follow what He has revealed in the scriptures and tablets. When one who barks comes to you with papers of fire or with the book of the nethermost realm, cast them behind you, turning to God, the Lord of the final end. Thus does the Wronged One remember you from this Prison, around which circle the near angels at eventide and at dawn. Glory be upon you and upon your son and upon all who have turned to God, the Lord of all men.
BH07371: O a¸¤usayn! God grant thou shalt ever be bright…
O a¸¤usayn! God grant thou shalt ever be bright and radiant, beaming with the light of the Sun of Truth, and mayest unloose thy tongue in magnifying the Name of God, which is the most laudable of all acts.
Consider the multitude of souls who seemed to be intensely eager and athirst, yet when the Ocean of living waters did surge forth in the world of being, they remained deprived thereof, inasmuch as they failed to relinquish idle fancy and to become consciously aware of Him Who is the Object of all knowledge. This failure is in recompense for the deeds their hands had formerly wrought.
Render thou thanks unto the Beloved of the world for having graciously aided thee to attain confirmation in this glorious Cause. Entreat Him moreover to make His loved ones steadfast therein, for the inflammatory writings of the mischief-makers are widespread and the clamor of the foreboders of evil is raised high. Happy are they that have cast behind their backs all else save God and have held fast unto that which the Lord of strength and power hath enjoined upon them.
His Glory be upon thee and upon such as have been enabled to recognize and embrace this mighty Cause.
BH08396: This is the Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…
He is the One dawning from the horizon of utterance!
This is the Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down for all who are in the realm of possibility. Verily it is the Kawthar of life for those who have turned toward the Supreme Horizon and have acknowledged that which the Lord of all beings hath acknowledged. These are the servants whom God hath described in the Scrolls and Tablets. Blessed is every one who hath turned toward Him, whom the veils of the people have not deterred, and who is strong, having rent asunder the veils of those who disbelieved in God, the Lord of lords.
Be thou grateful to God for having turned toward thee the face of the Wronged One and mentioned thee in such wise that thy mention shall endure throughout centuries and ages.
O My loved ones! We counsel you to fear God and to manifest supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby souls have been perturbed and idols have lamented. Should the evil whisperer come unto you with the scroll of the wicked, leave it behind you and speak forth that whereby the luminary of proof shineth resplendent throughout all creation. Thus hath the Wronged One spoken that thou mayest rejoice and render thanks unto thy Lord, the Possessor of all names.
BH01170: Praise be to God, the One, the Single…
He is God, exalted be His glory in greatness and power!
Praise be to God, the One, the Single, the Eternal, the Unique, the Transcendent, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, Who hath caused all to know His straight Path. He, verily, is the Great Announcement which the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’an. Blessed is he who hath turned towards Him and attained, and woe unto the heedless who have cast God behind their backs, turning unto every ignorant remote one. The Spirit, the glory and the splendor rest upon those who have hearkened unto the call of their Creator and answered Him on a Day wherein the dwellers of earth were overcome with drunkenness, save whom God willed, the Lord of all worlds. These are servants whose loftiness is attested by the Supreme Pen, through Whose movement all things have appeared. Exalted is the Lord of creation and the Master of the Beginning and the End, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty.
Thereafter, thy letter arrived at the beginning of the sacred month of Muharram, and likewise another letter a few days prior. What thou hadst written concerning the tribulations that had befallen caused infinite sorrow. However, O My beloved, the deeds of the servants themselves become embodied. Observe how many successive afflictions and oppression and tyranny have been visited upon the assured and tranquil souls by heedless and wayward people. If it would end with this much, it would still be well, but the Servant seeth in the land of Ta what is hidden from all eyes and sight. Beseech God to guide the people, that the sun of justice may shine forth from behind the clouds and deliver the world from the darkness of oppression. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee and what hath befallen the loved ones of God. By the life of God! Whosoever hath ascended is recorded among the martyrs in God’s Book. Blessed are they and joy be unto them for having turned unto Him and attained martyrdom in the days of the appearance of the Dayspring of their Lord’s verses, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Should one become aware of the truth, he would feel a hundred thousand regrets for his continued existence and would exclaim with a hundred thousand tongues, “Would that I had been among the martyrs!” Regret is for those souls who were afflicted by the swords of vengeance and returned to the lowest of the low. Be not sorrowful in any matter, but with utmost joy and fragrance speak in remembrance of the Beloved of all creation. Praise be to God that you and the friends of God have attained to that which hath been the purpose of all worlds, before and after. This is a matter whose mention and station shall not perish with the apparent revolutions of earthly dominion. Blessed are the souls who have ascended with divine love and hastened to the Supreme Companion. Joy be unto them, happiness be unto them, and blessed be they.
In these days two packets arrived from Varqa, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Names. He had mentioned the gatherings and meetings of the friends, and especially the details of that assembly and the names of those gathered were submitted before the Presence. Loving-kindness was shown to each one, one after another. We beseech the Exalted One to assist them and confirm them in what beseemeth His glorious and wondrous Day. God willing, this servant shall submit a response to his letter. Convey on behalf of this evanescent one greetings to him and all other friends, and give them all the glad-tidings of the effulgences of the sun of divine favor. Nothing escapeth His knowledge, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. As to what you wrote requesting permission to bring someone with you, this was presented and permission was granted. You may bring whomever you wish. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, heareth and answereth, and He is the Near, the Watchful. The Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have attained to the recognition of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
His exalted Word in the Kitab-i-Aqdas states:
“O Land of Kaf and Ra! We, verily, see thee in a state which pleaseth not God, and We see from thee that which none knoweth except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And We perceive that which secretly and stealthily proceedeth from thee. With Us is the knowledge of all things in a Tablet that is manifest.”
In these days, Mirza Ahmad-i-Kirmani, despite having sent several petitions to the Most Holy Court expressing repentance and contrition and seeking forgiveness from the Ocean of Generosity, has arrived in the great city and obtained from the satans certain infernal papers which he has distributed. Outwardly he shows agreement and unity with the people of concord, while inwardly he is united with the people of discord—though even in this he speaks falsely. The servant sees him like a chameleon, changing color at every moment. O my beloved! This hypocrite is observed to be like wax, taking any form. Inform the friends of God about this rebellious infidel that they may be aware. Eight or nine years ago, a word was spoken to Jinab-i-Amin—upon him be the Glory of God—in person regarding the Land of Kaf and Ra. His honor must have heard it.
The servant beseeches the Lord of the worlds and the Sovereign of nations to protect His loved ones from the schemes of every schemer and the artifices of every deceiver, and to strengthen them in the supreme steadfastness in this most mighty, most holy, most powerful and impregnable Cause.
The servant 14 Muharram [1298]
BH00074: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Great…
Section 1: “In the Name of our Lord, the Most…”
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself through the influence of His Most Exalted Pen to all who dwell in the kingdom of creation. Then did every tongue speak, every ailment heal, every ignorant learn, every poor one become enriched, every seated one arise, every stationary one hasten forward. Through Him all faces turned and all souls drew near, and the dove of utterance warbled upon the branches of the Tree of Proof. Verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. The glory shining from the horizon of the will of the All-Merciful be upon the daysprings of divine knowledge and the dawning-places of certitude—they who have arisen on their feet, who have spoken with their tongues, who have gestured with their sleeves, and who have indicated with their eyes and eyebrows toward God, their Creator, their Fashioner, their Provider, their Quickener, and their Slayer. These are servants to whose acceptance, sincerity, humility, submissiveness and steadfastness in this Cause the Most Exalted Pen hath testified—the Cause whereby the mountains have crumbled and the faces of the people of error, who have turned away from the final outcome and accepted every heedless impostor, have been darkened.
Glory be unto Thee, O God, Lord of Names and Ruler of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Pen moved upon the Tablet and revealed Thy servants and creatures, to assist Thy chosen ones to serve Thy Cause in such wise that neither the opposition of the divines nor the oppression of the princes shall deter them. Then, O my God, brighten their eyes with the lights of Thy countenance and illumine their hearts with the splendor of Thy knowledge. Moreover, manifest through them in the realm of creation that which shall endure throughout the dominion of Thy kingdom and Thy sovereignty. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
And furthermore, O essence of my heart and delight of my soul, the fragrance of sincerity unto God, the True One, was diffused when I opened thy letter. By the life of the Beloved! I found therein what trees find in the rain. When I read and understood it, I desired the hidden mystery and the treasured secret. When I presented myself and attained the honor of His presence, the sun of permission shone forth and I submitted its contents before His countenance. Then the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which was as spirit to bodies, light to eyes, the water of life to the thirsty, and the choice wine of divine knowledge to the peoples of the contingent world.
He, exalted be His glory and mighty His dominion, said: “O thou who drinkest from the cup of My love! Hearken unto My call from around My shrine. Verily, there is no God but Me, the Self-Subsisting, the Eternal. We have heard thy call and have answered thee through Our grace. This is thy first letter which the servant in attendance before the Throne hath brought and read by Our command. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Wise. Well is it with thee, O thou who hast turned to the Countenance and attained unto this Station which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of Names, and hast heard the call of the Wronged One when He was speaking in His Name, the Dominant over what was and what shall be. Thou hast attained unto that whereby thy mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.
Be thou ablaze with the fire of the Cause and radiant with this Light whereby all who dwell in the kingdoms of the unseen and the seen have been illumined. Blessed art thou for having desired to serve thy Lord and for having spoken among the servants that which thou didst hear and witness in this praiseworthy Station. Remind the people of the Most Great Steadfastness and give them the glad tidings of My loving-kindness, My bounty and My mercy which have preceded existence. We counsel them to be steadfast in such wise that neither the book of the sinful nor the leaves of the infernal tree shall deter them. Say: Should anyone bring you the book of the wicked, leave it behind you, then read what the All-Merciful hath revealed in a preserved tablet.”
Convey My greetings to all the friends from this Wronged One and say: In numerous Tablets mention hath been made of the Cause and its greatness, and of steadfastness and its station, that all may, through divine bounty, attain unto such a state wherein neither the world, nor its conditions, nor its manifestations, nor its might may debar them from the horizon of the All-Merciful. Mention of the cawer and the birds of night was revealed in Tablets during Our sojourn in Iraq and in the Land of Mystery and in the Most Great Prison, and sent to all regions that all might become aware and act in accordance with that which God hath willed. It was observed that certain souls were deprived of the warbling of the Nightingale of the Divine Manifestation by the mewing of a cat, despite their claim to high ranks of steadfastness. God willing, the fragrances of the All-Merciful must needs be so diffused in that land that none shall find occasion to hesitate. Be thou steadfast in the service of thy Lord, and vocal in His remembrance and praise amongst the servants. Thus doth the Mother Book command thee.
O beloved of My heart! Strange it is that certain souls cannot distinguish between a foul odor and the fragrance of musk. Consider the people of the Bayan who are now turned away—they walk exactly in the path of the people of the Furqan, yet call themselves people of the Bayan, and with the utmost deceit and guile are occupied in leading holy souls astray. Among them is Mirza Ahmad of Kirman who at first showed the utmost devotion and sincerity, but later, due to his madness and reprehensible deeds, was cast aside. He went to certain cities in the land of Kha, speaking that which his self and passion commanded. When his inner secrets were exposed and he was frustrated, he returned and sent several petitions to the Most Holy Court with complete supplication, penitence and remorse.
He then went to the land of Ha and took refuge with one of the holy souls, who sent a petition to the Most Holy Court interceding for him. Later he went to the great city and broke the Covenant, sending forth certain vain satanic utterances to various regions. By the life of God, one is astonished at such souls! Now several petitions from this unjust one exist wherein he hath shown such helplessness that whoever would see them would be convinced of his sincerity, acceptance and faith. Yet wherever he went, his deeds and words became the interpreter of his inner reality, and now they have expelled him from the great city. God protect us and the company of the believers from his deceit and the deceit of his like.
Before the faithful he appears in complete agreement and claims faith and certitude, while before the unfaithful he appears in complete accord. In these days he obtained a book of hellfire and sent it to Abadih in Shiraz, and from there they sent a copy of that hellish book to one of the friends in this land. The details thereof were submitted to the Most Holy Court.
This utterance was revealed from the tongue of the All-Merciful—exalted be His glory:
“Those who are nourished by the fruits of the Supreme Pen are not barred from the Lord of Eternity by the books of the world, much less by such delirious utterances.”
Likewise, in a Tablet to one of the sons of Khalil who is in those regions, these blessed and decisive words were revealed—holy be His glory: “In the first year, these blessed words were heard from the Most Exalted Pen: ʿBlessed are they who have recognized this wondrous Cause and turned unto this wondrous Path. This lofty and most exalted station cannot be attained except through the effacement of all that was before and through attentive ears. Well is it with him who hath attained unto this most glorious and most resplendent station.”’
I beseech God to aid all to hearken unto the divine Word. By Him Who is peerless in utterance and unique in speech! If the peoples of the world were to hearken to these two passages that have been mentioned, they would assuredly discover the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and would be so enkindled by the heat of the love of the Lord of all beings that they would regard all else besides God as non-existent and evanescent. How sweet is that fragrance when it is diffused amongst the peoples! The servant beseecheth his Lord to aid all to recognize this Cause through which the foundations of existence were shaken, save those whom God, the Lord of the seen and unseen, hath willed.
Reflect upon this verse revealed in the Most Holy Book, which was sent down upon the initial arrival at the Most Great Prison. His glory be exalted! He saith:
“O Land of Kaf and Ra! We, verily, behold thee in a state which God does not approve. We see therein that which none knoweth except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And We perceive that which secretly passeth from thee. With Us is the knowledge of all things recorded in a perspicuous Book.”
God, our Lord, the Lord of our fathers, and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth, hath spoken truly. We have believed in Him and in His knowledge which hath preceded all created things, and in His mercy which hath encompassed the worlds. You yourself know that when the Most Holy Book was revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will, even Ahmad was not outwardly present. From the allusions in the revealed verses, he must have had a companion in that land. However, afterwards the Ancient Tongue gave glad-tidings to that land, saying:
“Grieve not at this. God will raise up therein men of mighty strength who will remember Me with such remembrance that neither the misgivings of the learned nor the doubts of the suspicious will keep them back. These shall behold their Lord with their own eyes and shall cause Him to triumph by their own selves. These, verily, are of those who are steadfast.”
Blessed is the eye that hath seen and the ear that hath heard that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered at all times. Several years ago, one day Jinab-i-Amin—upon him be the Glory of God—was present in the Most Holy Court. The Countenance of the Ancient One turned to him and said:
“Verily, We perceived a foul odor from the Land of Kaf and Ra.”
And this evanescent servant wrote this matter several years ago in reply to one of the friends. Glory be to God! How far these suspicious souls appear to be from the straight path, despite the revealed verses, the manifest proofs, the shining evidences, and the visible signs! They wander and walk in the wilderness of idle fancies. They have not understood the meaning of the Day of God—for had they understood it, they would not have remained veiled for less than that, but would have turned with their whole being toward the Most Great Ocean and hastened thereto. It seems they are heedless of the Greatest Trump and unaware of the Most Great Call.
One of the Letters of the Living inquired of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else but Him be His sacrifice—concerning “Him Whom God shall make manifest” Who is mentioned in the Bayan. Such an answer was revealed from the Source of the Command that every fair-minded soul would perceive that this station hath no need of mention, description, definition or praise. Rather, it is sanctified above all that hath been or shall be said, for no one’s knowledge hath ever encompassed Him or ever shall, and no soul’s understanding hath ever fathomed Him or ever will. This servant is astonished at what the heedless souls have understood and to what they cling. In any case, the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else but Him be His sacrifice—spoke these exalted words in response to the questioner. His mighty Word states:
“I have indeed received thy letter, and that which is contained therein is a gem. Were it not for what is in it, I would not have answered thee on this paper, nor at this moment with the most exalted words that could be ordained in creation. How great is the mention of Him about Whom thou hast inquired! That indeed is more exalted, more mighty, more glorious, more inaccessible, and more holy than can be comprehended by hearts through their knowledge, or spirits through their prostration before Him, or souls through their praise of Him, or bodies through their mention of His glory. How momentous is thy question, and how insignificant thy being! Can the sun which is but a mirror of His manifestation in the Point of the Bayan ask about the Sun before Whose countenance those very suns, if they be true suns, prostrate themselves on the day of His manifestation? Otherwise they are unworthy of His sacred loftiness and the exaltation of His remembrance. Were it not that thou art from the First Vahid, I would have imposed limits upon thee for having asked about the God Who created thee, sustained thee, caused thee to die, and raised thee up in this form through the Point of the Bayan in that Manifestation unique in being. Say first, when thou wishest to bring His remembrance to thy mind: ʿGlory be to God, the Lord of the Kingdom and the Realm’ nineteen times…”
If the people of the Bayan or the people of the world were illumined with the light of fairness and would observe and ponder these crystalline words which have shone forth from the dawning-place of the heaven of divine knowledge, they would all surely turn with their whole being to the Ocean of Life. They have taken the essence of the entire Bayan and mentioned it in the most wondrous utterance. In truth, this blessed word is an incomparable gem and is reckoned as a peerless utterance in the Book. It is the unique pearl of the ocean of knowledge and the singular word of the Kingdom of utterance. His mighty Word states:
Section 2: “And I have written a gem concerning His…”
“And I have written a gem concerning His mention, which is that He cannot be known through My allusion nor through what is mentioned in the Bayan. Yea, by His glory, that word is greater in the sight of God than the worship of all who are on earth, for the essence of all worship leads to that. Therefore, as thou hast known God, know Him Whom God shall make manifest, for He is more glorious and more exalted than to be known through any other than Himself or to be indicated by the allusion of His creatures. Verily, I am the first servant who hath believed in Him and in His verses, and I have taken from the virgin gardens of the paradise of His knowledge the gardens of His words. Yea, by His glory, He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and all are upheld by His command.”
With these clear utterances, conclusive words, exalted verses, and irrefutable proofs, the people of the Bayan have avoided mention of Divinity and have arisen in opposition and objection to such a degree that cannot be described. Consider the loftiness of this Cause, its exaltation, its glory and its station, and then observe the baseness of these ignorant people. Like unto the followers of the Furqan, they desired to introduce for a thousand or two thousand years the game of successorship, and likewise to appoint Imams, Chiefs and Nobles. The Supreme Pen in this Most Great Revelation proclaims:
“This is the Day of God, did ye but know it, and this is the Day of Revelation, did ye but witness it. None is mentioned therein save God alone, did ye but perceive it. He hath come with the truth, sanctified above every witness and witnessed thing, and exalted beyond all that hath flowed from the Pen and been uttered by the tongue, did ye but know it.”
Each faction among the factions has clung to a word, turning away from its Owner, its Revealer, and its Creator. Some have said that the station of Divinity is too great—one cannot accept this station from anyone. These have denied what the Point of the Bayan uttered and that wherewith the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, have given glad tidings. The Point of the Bayan—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—declares: “Verily, He speaks in all things, saying: I am God,”’ and likewise says: “Should He be established upon the dust, every atom of dust would proclaim: This is the Throne whereon the All-Merciful hath been established.”’
The Point of Revelation is today mentioned in the tongue of the people of Baha with these words: “Verily, He hath ever been sanctified above the mention of Names, and above them, below them, and beside them. He cannot be known through aught else nor described by aught other than Him. All things have testified that He is, verily, the Sanctified, the Exalted above all allusions, utterances, evidences, unities and eternities. Some have objected that He must appear at the time of Mustaghath, while the time for His appearance had not yet come. These shameless people would set a time for the Ancient King, of Whom the Point of the Bayan says: He is sanctified above My mention and allusion.’ This mention of Mustaghath which He made was to prevent the outsider, and He made this word alone a cause for the testing of the people.
How can He Who, by the testimony of the Point of the Bayan Himself, cannot be known through the entire Bayan, be known through the word Mustaghath, which is but a part of the Bayan, while verily, He cannot be known through the Bayan’? Moreover, He says that if He should appear at this time, it is incumbent upon all to acknowledge that Blessed Tree. In the Kitab-i-Hayakil the mystery of Mustaghath is evident—blessed are they that know. And He gave glad tidings to this same questioner, who was one of the Letters of the Living and who is still living, that he would attain His presence. His mighty Word declares: ʿPerchance in eight years, on the day of His manifestation, thou shalt attain the presence of God.
If thou dost not attain it at the beginning, thou shalt attain it at the end. But be thou assured that the Cause is greater than every great thing, and the Remembrance is mightier than every mighty thing.”’
They who hold fast to the Most Great Name should meditate upon these sublime words, lest they be debarred by mere words from the ocean of inner meanings and be prevented by mention of “Him Whom God shall make manifest” from His sovereignty. O by my Lord! Verily this Cause is greater than every great thing, and this Remembrance is mightier than every mighty thing. Blessed are they who understand, and joy be to those who are insightful and contemplative.
This evanescent servant has repeatedly mentioned these remembrances in letters to the friends. However, as in these days the braying of the ravens that was promised has been raised and the book of perdition has appeared, it is mentioned again so that that Beloved One may make the friends aware, that the people of Baha may witness what befitteth them and may manifest the most great steadfastness. God willing, all should observe the verses of Truth, nay rather memorize them, that they may at all times be blessed with the sweetness of the water of divine knowledge.
As to what you wrote that after attaining the divine presence, you witnessed another station granted by the establishment of the Chosen Beauty, such that all those aspects and conditions of previous steadfastness were, compared to what followed, but wavering itself and the very essence of agitation. And likewise you beseeched the Exalted Truth, magnified be His grandeur and glorified His majesty, to cause you to attain a station wherein you would, in His path of love, detach yourself from soul and spirit, from name and fame, from being and nothingness, from honor and dishonor. All these matters were presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Threshold, exalted be His greatness. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance. God willing, may it be witnessed with perfect sanctity and detachment and whatsoever beseemeth the Day of God, and may the station of the most great martyrdom be attained.
Today, service to the Cause is among the greatest of deeds. Assured souls must engage in teaching the Cause of God with perfect wisdom, that the fragrance of the garment of the All-Merciful may be diffused in all directions. This martyrdom is not limited to the shedding of blood, for it is possible for one to be recorded in the Book of the Lord of Names as a martyr while still possessing the bounty of life. Blessed art thou for having desired to sacrifice all that thou hast and art and all that is with thee in My path.
At this juncture, this evanescent servant sets forth before you the utterance of the All-Merciful that was revealed concerning the station of martyrdom of the King of Martyrs, that all the friends may gather the sublime and exalted pearls from the ocean of divine utterance. Thus speaks He, exalted be His glory, addressing ʿAli-before-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny:
“All the chosen ones of God must, God willing, arise to that which will promote the Cause of God, and act accordingly. Let them ponder which deeds today will cause the elevation of the servants and the advancement of the Cause. Conflict, contention and corruption have been forbidden in most of the Tablets, and this blessed word hath descended from the heaven of the divine will: ʿThe Cause of God must be promoted through wisdom and utterance, not through the sword of steel or aught else.’ Many such utterances are found in the divine verses. The possessors of insight have, God willing, seen and understood. In this case, the people of truth must ponder what will remove the veils of the people and cause the exaltation and elevation of God’s Cause.
“O ʿAli! Reflect upon that which hath flowed from the Pen. In life, sacrifice thyself in the path of Truth. This is a martyrdom that is not limited to pen, tongue, utterance and tablets. The Letter Ha’, upon him be from all glory its most glorious, attained unto this supreme martyrdom, even before his outward martyrdom, for he had no will, desire or thought of his own. All these he sacrificed for the Beloved, and afterwards attained unto outward martyrdom, offering up his life in the path of the True Beloved. He removed the crown of life from his head and cast it at the feet of his Friend. Blessed is he who hath recognized this station, and blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the utterance of the All-Merciful.
“Verily, whosoever hath truly surrendered himself unto God and become effaced from self in His path, such a one will not consider his own station, rank, fame or name, but will fix his gaze upon the Cause of God and that which establisheth His wisdom. I swear by the Sun of My utterance! He who hath attained unto that which My Pen hath spoken hath indeed prospered in all the worlds of My dominion. Beware lest anything debar you from My straight path. All must strive with the utmost effort to acquire the word of divine good-pleasure. The people are ignorant and heedless. A teacher is needed, and if that teacher acts in accordance with the command of God, surely the light of his utterance will illumine the world and draw the peoples to the direction of the Ancient Beauty.
“O ʿAli! Since God—exalted be His glory and magnified be His grandeur—hath sanctified the promotion of His Cause from conflict, contention, the drawing of swords and the like, therefore must we hold fast to the cord of goodly deeds and spiritual qualities. If anyone acts for the sake of God according to what hath been mentioned, this will surely have an effect in the world and will rend asunder the thick veils, for that which God hath ordained as the cause and means for the victory and advancement of His Cause is indeed penetrating and effective. To this testifieth every discerning soul.”
This evanescent servant, from the time of the preliminary events in the Land of Sad, hath been uttering “Would that I had been with them!” Truly they attained unto a station the yearning for which shall forever remain with those who are nigh unto God, the sincere ones, and the likes of this evanescent servant. Now we beseech the Exalted Truth that He may cause both you and this servant to attain unto this martyrdom which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen, that we may, in our lifetime, sacrifice ourselves in service to the Friend and attain unto that which God hath willed.
As to what you wrote about the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar being designated in the land of Ta, and likewise being established and becoming established through God’s grace in other lands—these matters were presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply:
“‘Blessed is the spot, and the house, and the place, and the city, and the heart, and the mountain, and the refuge, and the cave, and the valley, and the land, and the sea, and the island, and the meadow where mention of God hath been made, and His praise glorified.’ This binding decree was revealed in the Most Holy Book. However, these matters are contingent upon wisdom. In all cases one must look to the horizon of wisdom, for the corrupt ones and troublemakers lie in wait, seeking to find a pretext to raise an uproar.
“Among the followers of the Furqan, naught remaineth of the fundamental divine laws and God’s religion save a name. All are wandering in the wilderness of idle fancies and vain imaginings, clinging to the ignorant ones of the earth. Nevertheless, they have striven and continue to strive with the utmost effort to extinguish the divine light that hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge. Fie upon them and those who follow them! By the lights of the Ancient Countenance that endureth after the passing of all things—the people of the Bayan are seen to be more veiled, more lost, and more debased, for after the rending of veils and the burning away of allusions and glory-clouds, they have clung to the vain imaginings of the past. They have taken for themselves an idol besides God. Lo! They are among the most lost in the perspicuous Book.
“The raising of Mashriqu’l-Adhkars in the cities and regions of the land of Kha is beloved, for it accordeth with the Book of God and His ways. But it must be concealed from all save trustworthy, steadfast souls. Blessed is the soul that hath arisen to serve the Cause, and blessed is the servant who hath traveled through the lands to spread the signs of the Lord of Creation. However, in the lands of Ta and Ya and Shin and elsewhere, one must be patient and hold fast to the cord of patience until the Sun of the Cause shineth forth from the horizon of permission, for in these places the manifestation of such matters lieth outside the requirements of wisdom. Would that the heedless people would understand their own manifest interests! We see them in profound ignorance. Should any soul understand what is truly good for him, he would not exchange a single letter of God’s commandments for the whole world. Alas! Alas! Their deeds have deprived them of God’s mercy, His knowledge and His commandments.”
Section 3: “As to the matter of the Blessed Spot…”
As to the matter of the Blessed Spot—it is most beloved, and an explicit command hath previously been revealed by the Supreme Pen. However, its affairs must remain concealed, for some of the friends are weak and with the slightest hesitation or doubt they make mention of it, while the oppressive souls lie in wait. If they do not interfere, they may demand payment of funds. The taking of funds is not and was not acceptable, but such matters may cause grief to holy souls. Therefore, the utmost wisdom must be observed in all affairs. We beseech God to assist that person in serving the Cause. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and in His grasp is the dominion of the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Consider how God hath designated this Blessed Spot for the good of all on earth; nevertheless, should they become aware of it, they would arise in lamentation and wailing and cry “O Religion!”
You mentioned you had sent numerous letters with no response received over a long period, even ages and centuries passed with no word, until recently when Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin (may the glory of God, the True Sovereign, the Manifest, be upon him) sent your letters addressed to this ephemeral one. He wrote that correspondence had been delayed en route, and likewise regarding the box of paper and pens—they wrote these days that the box has now arrived. The point is that apparently no news was received, otherwise the response would not have been neglected. God willing, may you be so enkindled by the fire of divine love that you become the cause of igniting frozen souls. Thus far was the response to one of your esteemed letters, and then another joy-bestowing letter cheered this grieving heart. Complete delight was obtained from its fragrances, for it began with mention of your Beloved and our Beloved and the Beloved of all in the heavens and earth. Subsequently it was presented at the Most Holy Court. His utterance, exalted be His grandeur:
“God willing, may they attain to that which they have beseeched from the Exalted Truth. Blessed is he who has turned to the Supreme Horizon, who has drunk of the Kawthar of immortality and the Tasnim of the divine presence from the hand of bounty of the Lord of Names. And God willing, may they speak and make mention of the Truth, sanctified from all things, that perchance dead souls may be quickened by the breaths of remembrance and attain to the station of ʿVerily, unto Him shall we return.’ The Day is manifest, and this is the Day which all have been promised, and the lights of the Sun of Truth are visible, yet the ignorant ones of the earth have turned away from it, for the nature of the bat has overcome those souls. Therefore are they deprived of the rays of the Sun of inner meanings. Convey greetings from the Lord of Names to the friends in the land of Kha. Verily We give them glad tidings of My remembrance and My mention and My loving-kindness, and We remember them as a grace from Us. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Compassionate.
Those souls who have ascended the heights of certitude and have drunk from the Salsabil of life in the days of the All-Merciful are all remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. Say: O trees of the garden of divine love! The rains of mercy are ever flowing and descending. God willing, may the conditions of the world and the oppression of nations not deprive you thereof. By the life of God! The world and all therein are transient. Strive that ye may drink from the Euphrates of the mercy of the All-Merciful. By the Divine Essence! Whosoever drinks thereof is adorned with eternal life and an everlasting ornament, and arises to serve his Lord in such wise that neither the blame of the blamer nor the derision of the infidels who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, can turn him aside.
O friends! Gather together with joy and fragrance, and with perfect wisdom and utterance, and drink of the most pure and luminous wine in the name of the Lord of Power. Verily it is My wondrous love, My cherished word, and My holy, transcendent, sublime remembrance. Be not saddened by the calamities of the world. By God! The ocean of joy yearns for your presence, for every good thing hath been created for you and will appear according to the requirements of time. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen give you glad tidings from this Most Great Prison as a bounty from Him, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.”
With regard to what was mentioned about your attention being directed to the land of Kha, and your entry into the land of Ba, and your sojourn there for nine full days, and the manifestation of the fire of love among souls turning to God—praise and thanks be to God Who confirmed you in mention, praise and service to His Cause. God willing, the breezes of discord will be cut off from all directions and the sweet fragrances of unity and harmony will waft among the friends. The first and foremost cause for the exaltation of God’s Cause among His servants is unity and accord, as well as virtuous character and conduct. God willing, may all attain unto these.
Regarding what you wrote about the Sadat of Shahmirzad, upon them be the Glory of God, and their arising to make mention and offer praise and serve the Cause—this was presented at the Most Holy Court and He said:
“God willing, may they ever attain to this most glorious and exalted station. We make mention of them as We mentioned them before, and We counsel them with that whereby God’s Cause will be exalted in cities and lands.”
Likewise, what you mentioned about various countries and lands was a source of joy and gladness. God willing, may they at all times manifest the fire of divine love with an ever-increasing flame, and strive each day to witness themselves occupying a station in the love of God higher than that of the previous day.
Concerning what you wrote about the sons of Khalil and the friends in that land, all was presented at the Most Holy and Supreme Court. His utterance, exalted be His grandeur: “O My loved ones in Kha! Hearken unto the call of God, your Lord, the Most Glorious. He makes mention of you with that which will cause your remembrance and your spirits to endure in God’s Kingdom, the Lord of the worlds. Vie ye with each other in the service of God and of His Cause. This is indeed what profiteth you in this world, and in that which is to come. Your Lord, the God of Mercy, is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing. Grieve not at the things ye witness in this day. The day shall come whereon the tongues of the nations will proclaim:”The earth is God’s, the Almighty, the Single, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing!” Thus have We illumined the horizon of the heaven of utterance with this luminous, holy, radiant Light. We counsel you, O My loved ones, with trustworthiness, truthfulness, and to act in accordance with what ye have been commanded in My Gracious Book. Glory be upon you and upon those who love you, from God, the One, the Single, the All-Wise.”
Regarding what was mentioned about your visit to the land of Sad and your mention of divine favors for the descendants of the Name of God, Ha, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory—it is known and evident that whosoever shows love today to these descendants is beloved of God. Praise be to God that you have been and are successful, and this righteous deed was accepted at the Most Holy and Supreme Court. Blessed art thou and joy be unto thee! Letters have been received from Aqa Mirza Ism and the son of the martyr, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise they had written a letter to this servant for which a reply was sent. Praise be to God they are adorned with the ornament of divine love, and this garment has been and is befitting for all souls, were the people of the world to be adorned therewith.
Concerning what you wrote about representing this evanescent one, this was my utmost desire—praise be to God for this! In truth, this matter is among the greatest attainments. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to bestow a mighty reward. I bear witness that there is no God but Him, and that whosoever hath visited them is as one who hath visited the Lord of eternity upon the Most Great Throne. This blessed word did this servant hear from the Tongue of Grandeur, and the peerless portrait was accepted in the most excellent state at the Most Holy Court, and they illumined it with the lights of the Throne, saying:
“This is among the most glorious gifts that hath been presented before the face of the Lord of Names. Blessed is he and those whose names were mentioned before the Throne. Thus doth God remember His devoted servants.”
Although this evanescent servant has caused you trouble and, as the Persians say, has been long-winded, yet since the primary purpose and true desire was to make mention of the Goal of all the worlds and His loved ones, there was and is no harm in it. The replies to the friends and dignitaries of that land have been and are being submitted, and God willing, will be sent gradually, as sending thick packets would not be wise. Likewise, some exalted, blessed, and holy Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of will in response to the petition of His Honor A.H.M., upon him be the glory of God, and the names mentioned in his petition. If God willeth, these will be sent later.
Another matter: news arrived from Hadba that His Honor, the spiritual friend Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the glory of God, is returning. Therefore, nothing was submitted to him this time. I beseech the Most High to strengthen him in all conditions and ordain for him the good of both worlds. His petitions were presented at the Most Holy Court and responses were revealed which, God willing, will be sent.
I convey my greetings and utter servitude to the honored friend Mulla Ali, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise to His Honor Ibn-i-Shahid, upon them both be the glory of God, and to Aqa Khudadad and Aqa Azizu’llah and other dignitaries, upon them be the glory of God. All that was sent to this servant was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and this servant has also submitted replies to some. I beseech God for the ability to succeed in sending them later.
Concerning what was mentioned that His Honor Mulla Ghulam-Rida from Shahrud wrote to you that there is a small amount of the Huququ’llah with this atom, and there are several poor and distressed people in this city, and moreover some Tablets and writings need to be copied and sent to the surroundings of this land—is it permissible to spend this amount on these purposes? Similar matters have previously been presented at the Most Holy Court. The firm ruling is that in every city, whatever exists or will exist of the Huququ’llah must be presented at the Most Holy Court, and whatever ruling is issued should be carried out, so that every matter may be orderly. However, in this specific case, permission was granted for whatever His Honor Mulla Ghulam-Rida intended to do, though hereafter it would be preferable that they act according to what was revealed in the Most Holy Book, so that all may be adorned with the ornament of the will of the Beloved of the worlds.
The mention of the honored mother, upon her be the Glory of God, and others was made in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence. Thus spoke the Tongue of Power and Might: May all abide and rest beneath the gaze of loving-kindness and the shade of the Tree of Mercy. We, from this station, send Our glorification upon their faces and make mention of them through the verses of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed are they for having attained unto the verses of God, His remembrance and His knowledge in His days. This is none other than a glorious station. The Glory be upon them and upon those women who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.
We make mention in this station of thy brother whose letter was present before the Throne. Give him the glad-tidings of Our remembrance of him that he may be of the thankful ones. We have read his letter and have answered it. We shall soon send him, if God willeth, a gracious Tablet through which he will discover the fragrance of My remembrance and My utterance. Verily thy Lord is the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing. The Glory of God be upon him from God, the Lord of the worlds.
It is submitted that the Most Great Branch—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His blessed footsteps—has for some time gone to a place which is two days’ journey from this land. God willing, after His return, whatever was submitted to Him concerning the degrees of sincerity, nothingness and self-effacement will be conveyed, and the expression of His favor will be sent to your honor. Glory and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have attained unto this mighty Cause.
The servant 27 Muharram 1298
BH00985: The throne hath been established and upon it hath…
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!
The throne hath been established and upon it hath been seated the Ancient Beauty, Who hath called out in the most exalted voice among the nations: “Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” Thereupon did the Nightingale of Immortality warble upon the branches of the Tree of Utterance: “The appointed time hath passed and the Promised One hath come with manifest sovereignty.” How excellent is he who hath heard, turned unto, and answered his Ancient Lord! He is assuredly among those who are brought near in a noble Book.
Thereafter, when I heard the warbling of the bird of thy longing and yearning, and was drawn by the mention of the Beloved and the praise of the Desired One which thou hadst made as a crown for thy letter, I repaired to the Most Exalted Goal and the Dayspring of the signs of our Great Lord. When I attained His presence, I presented what was in thy letter. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, exalted be His glory:
“O Husayn! Rejoice that the face of the Beloved hath turned toward thee from this Station which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names and with that which none hath known save God, the Lord of all worlds. The servant in attendance hath brought thy letter and presented its contents. Thy Lord verily is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing. Be thou assured through thy Lord’s grace—He hath forgiven thee as a bounty from His presence. He verily is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Preserve thou this most exalted Station and place thy trust at all times in the One, the All-Informed.”
We have desired in this Station to make mention of him who ascended unto Us and attained the Supreme Companion, the Station whereby the eyes of those brought near were solaced. He was named Lutf-Ali in the Kingdom of Names, and there was revealed for him from the Most Exalted Pen that which hath perfumed with its fragrance the heavens and the earth. Blessed art thou, O Lutf-Ali, in that the Desired One maketh mention of thee from this luminous horizon. The mercy that floweth from the chalice of thy Lord’s benevolence be upon thee, O thou who didst believe in God and turn unto Him when every heedless one turned away. Thou art he who remained faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament, and answered His call when it was raised amongst the servants. Thy Lord is verily the Faithful Witness. Thou art he whom the veils withheld not from the Lord of Lords. Thou didst turn unto the Most Exalted Horizon and didst attain unto the knowledge of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who remembereth thee after thee even as thy Lord, the Speaker, the True, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath remembered thee.
O Most Exalted Pen! Turn Thy face unto him who was named Najaf-ʿAli, then make mention of him in such wise that his remembrance may endure in God’s Kingdom, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Thou art he who shattered the idol of fancy and took hold of the Book of Certitude in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. I bear witness that thou didst believe in God when He appeared with the truth and didst drink My choice sealed wine. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who visiteth thee purely for the sake of God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom. Rejoice in that the Most Exalted Pen hath testified for thee in His praiseworthy station. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath attained unto this mention, which nothing on earth can equal, yet most people comprehend not.
O Husayn! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto divine bounty. Thou must at all times act in a manner befitting the Day of God, and what befitteth this Day is steadfastness in the Cause of Truth, for the cawing ones have been and are lying in wait. This is a Day wherein all must fix their gaze upon the Truth itself, for verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Give thanks unto God for having revealed unto thee that wherefrom thou dost find the fragrance of His favor, which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. He hath, of a truth, forgiven thy sin and those of His loved ones who ascended there, as a bounty from His presence. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
We give glad tidings to Our loved ones there of Our attention to them from this glorious station. O friends! The Most Exalted Pen is moved to mention you, and the Tongue of Grandeur speaks your names. Strive that ye may preserve this greatest bounty in the name of the Lord of Eternity, for the adornments of the world are the source of heedlessness and the wellspring of pride. How many souls counted themselves among the most learned, yet when the divine Word—which was the true touchstone—appeared, all returned to their stations save whom God wished. The people of the Bayan are seen today to be more veiled than the people of the Furqan, for they cling exactly to the same tales as before and have not inhaled the fragrance of the Day of God. The dwellers of the Crimson Ark—namely the people of Baha—have, with Abraham’s strength, shattered the idols of vain imaginings and idle fancies. Blessed are they, then blessed are they! God willing, the friends of Truth in that land and other regions have attained and continue to attain to this lofty, most exalted station. The glory of God, the One, the All-Informed, be upon them.
This evanescent one requests that you convey expressions of utter nothingness and self-effacement to each of the loved ones of God. The servant beseeches his Lord to grant them success, to strengthen them, to draw them nigh, to exalt them, to honor them, to ordain for them the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to make them among those whom no blame of the blamer, nor the gloating of the misbeliever, nor the oppression of the oppressor, nor the transgression of any froward tyrant can turn away from God.
The evanescence of the world is evident and clear, requiring no proof or argument. Therefore, the possessor of insight does not deprive himself of the Most Great Vision on account of it. O friends! Time has passed and days have gone by, and the Day of God, through the infinite bounty of the Lord, is present and you have attained unto its recognition. Strive that ye may be assisted in that which befits this blessed Day. The Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—hath said that all exist that their names might be mentioned but once in the Holy Presence. Praise be to God that ye have attained this greatest bounty and reached this most great favor. God willing, ye shall be successful in preserving it as well. Verily He is the Generous, the Bountiful; verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. There is no God but He, the King, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Glory, mercy, majesty and grandeur be upon you and upon the fruits and leaves of the Tree of Knowledge in that place and in all regions. And praise be to God, the Revealer of verses.
The servant 27 Muharram 1298
Regarding what was written about the letters, news of this had already arrived from the Land of Ha and continues to arrive, and praise be to God, it was adorned with the ornament of acceptance.
BH00979: In the Name of Our Lord, the Most Great…
In the Name of Our Lord, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Generous, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious!
Praise be to Him Who hath, with the finger of might, rent asunder the veils of creation and hath cried out with the most exalted call betwixt earth and heaven that there is none other God but He, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. We praise and thank Him for having made known unto us His path and for having taught us that which was hidden from all who dwell on earth. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful Who desired to quicken the world through His Most Great Name. Yet when He came with the Kingdom of Utterance amongst the peoples, every heedless one turned away, every ignorant one waxed proud, and every learned one objected, save those whom the veils of names withheld not from the Creator of heaven, and whom the cawing of the crows drove not away from the Most Exalted Horizon.
These arose and stood firm in service to the Cause, giving voice to the praise of their Creator and Fashioner amidst all peoples. These are honored servants upon whom no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. Blessed are they, and again blessed are they, for having fulfilled their covenant and their pledge, for having cast behind them the books of idle fancies and taken hold of the Book of God, the Sovereign, the Just, the True, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
To continue: Your letter reached Me, and when I had read and learned of its contents, I repaired to the station and laid it before the face of our Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which diffused the fragrance of the All-Merciful throughout all creation. He spoke, exalted be His majesty and magnificent be His sovereignty:
O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! There hath come before the Wronged One that which thou didst send in the name of My servant who is present, and We have learned what was contained therein. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed is the face that hath turned unto His Face, and the heart that hath turned towards Him, and the tongue that hath spoken His beauteous praise.
Bear thou witness to that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and earth—that there is none other God but I, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Give thanks for His having aided thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His signs and the Dayspring of His Cause, when every renowned scholar remained heedless thereof. The grace is in His hands—He singleth out whom He willeth through His command. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.
Blessed is he who hath cast away idle fancies and taken hold of the Book of God with clear certitude. Act thou in accordance with that which hath been enjoined upon thee by God—this is better for thee than all that hath been created in the heavens and earths. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
God will soon manifest the stations of His loved ones on earth. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Hold thou fast to the hem of the robe of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Beware lest riches hold thee back from the ultimate goal, or earthly concerns grieve thee on this Day wherein the ocean of joy and gladness hath surged in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Most Praised.
Kings and subjects, rich and poor, shall all perish, but that which hath been sent down unto thee from the kingdom of thy Lord, the Kind, the Merciful, shall endure. God willing, may ye speak, purified from worldly things, in remembrance of the Lord of Names, and be turned towards His horizon. These are the final days—strive ye to attain the divine bounties. Praise be to God that ye have heard His call and turned towards His horizon.
Now must ye hold fast to the cord of steadfastness, for mighty indeed is this Cause. At all times take refuge with the True One, that He may protect you from the harm of the barking ones, the opposers, and the deniers. The barking hath been raised and shall continue to be raised. We have informed all of this beforehand. Verily He loveth His loved ones and hath informed them beforehand of all that hath appeared from afar and shall appear hereafter.
Should anyone come unto you with the book of the nethermost depths, leave him behind you and place your trust in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, the loved ones of God must be observed to be so steadfast that all who dwell on earth shall be powerless to prevent them. We counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness and that whereby the Cause of God is exalted between earth and heaven. He, verily, is the All-Commanding, the All-Knowing.
Today the Cause must be assisted through deeds and goodly character. By the life of God! Goodly deeds and praiseworthy character are sharper than swords and more penetrating than the essence of steel. By these two must ye render assistance. Thus doth God counsel you as a favor from Him. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.
Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds. Thus ends the blessed verses that have been sent down. The favor of God is manifest and evident. God willing, may ye ever gaze towards His horizon and attain His grace. By the life of God! This is the Day of mention and utterance. Blessed are they that attain.
Concerning your questions about Huququ’llah and endowed properties: endowments revert to the Truth, as hath been revealed in the Book of God. However, in view of the wisdom which all are commanded to observe today, such funds should be spent on the same purposes as before, lest the clamor of the heedless be raised. As for Huququ’llah, it is the source of blessing and the manifestation of bounty and loving-kindness for the servants. He, verily, is independent of what hath been and what shall be. Until two years ago, the matter of Huquq was concealed, and even after it was revealed, this was due to grace. Should anyone be enabled to act in accordance with what hath been revealed in the Most Holy Book, this would assuredly be best, most exalted and most befitting for him. This ordinance is binding when possible. He, verily, speaketh the truth and guideth to the Way.
Concerning what you wrote about your parents and brother, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. Praise be to God, they were adorned with the ornament of divine mercy. Mention of your sister was also made at the Most Exalted Presence. His word, exalted be His grandeur:
“God willing, may they act in accordance with what God loveth and speak that which He desireth.”
This station is most lofty. Blessed is he who attaineth unto it, and blessed is he who drinketh from the ocean of the utterance of his Lord, the Generous, the Bestower.
This servant’s humble request is that you convey to the friends in that land mentions of glorification, praise and the sincerity of this evanescent servant. The Glory be upon you and upon them, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. The servant.
27 Muharram 1298
Concerning what you wrote about the berries, that you were not successful [in delivering them], it was presented. His exalted Word:
“Grieve not over this. We have accepted it from thee before its arrival before the Face. Verily thy Lord is the Generous One, and His Self is the One Who dominateth the worlds.”
BH01331: After praise to Him Who is independent of me…
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Invincible, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
After praise to Him Who is independent of me and my like, I submit that all the noble letters which were sent to his eminence Jud, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, were presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and answers descended from the heaven of grace and were dispatched. God willing, they will attain unto them.
This servant wrote a letter to his eminence Ibn-i-Asdaq the Most Holy, upon them both be the Glory of God. His honor should make a copy of it, but in such a way that the original letter does not change, meaning it should not become blackened, and they should compare it with utmost care. If his holiness the Name of God Jamal, upon him be the Glory of God, is present, send one copy to him, otherwise send it to his eminence ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, the Lord of Power, for certain matters have been written therein which today will cause some to become informed.
This evanescent servant has, in most of his petitions, mentioned to the extent possible that which he knew would cause steadfastness and assurance of the friends, and has not, nor will he, fall short to the extent of his capacity. Since in this letter some verses and expressions of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him, have been mentioned, therefore it will not be fruitless if the friends of God take note of it. The assured, steadfast, content and well-pleasing souls must, with perfect kindness and wisdom, convey that which causes the exaltation and ascendancy of the steadfastness of souls.
I beseech God that the servants may, with attentive ears, hearken unto what is contained therein and attain unto the station of the Most Great Martyrdom in such wise that they shall see naught but God, indeed, shall regard all else as non-existent. However, in making the copy they must exercise great care that it matches exactly, and they should send the original letter quickly, for until now six letters have been received from his eminence Ibn-i-Asdaq, upon them both be the Glory of God, and now this one letter has been sent in reply. This servant is ever remiss and has hoped and hopes for forgiveness from all.
Another submission is that you had mentioned Aqa Faraj’u’llah. This was presented in the Most Holy Court, and a special Tablet was revealed and sent. Deliver it to him.
Another submission: A packet arrived from his eminence Ibn-i-Abhar, upon them both be the Glory of God, with several petitions. It is hoped that, God willing, their reply will be sent later. There was one petition from the leaf who is the sister of Sultanu’sh-Shuhada. Its reply was revealed and sent. Deliver it to his eminence Ibn-i-Abhar that he may deliver it.
Another submission: Convey pure greetings on behalf of this evanescent servant to the friends and the gentlemen. This servant hopes that all will arise to serve and make mention and praise of the Beloved of all horizons with perfect unity and harmony. Out of intense love, this servant wishes to mention one by one the gentlemen of that land and the friends of God, but the petition is that he finds no opportunity. For a long time I have wanted to send a mention to the honored master, his eminence Kadkhuda, upon him be the Glory of God, but have not yet been successful. However, since at all times I am occupied with transcribing divine verses and the affairs of the friends in this land, surely all will overlook this evanescent one’s shortcomings.
Further, in service to his eminence the master Aqa Muhammad-Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, even if I submit numerous petitions, I still consider myself remiss. In all conditions the eye of hope is open and the hand of supplication raised.
Another submission from this evanescent one is that I convey with a hundred thousand tongues and utterances pure greetings to the spiritual beloved, namely his eminence my brother, upon him be the Glory of God. All the friends of this land send greetings.
Glory be upon your honor and upon those who have attained to the mention of God, our Beloved and your Beloved and the Beloved of all the worlds. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
The servant 27 Muharram 1298
Another submission is that the packet of the honored master, his eminence Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God, also arrived. God willing, may they be blessed by divine grace in all conditions. Some time ago, in the letter of his holiness Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory, mention of them was made by the Tongue of Grandeur, and this servant wrote and sent it, and a Tablet was also specifically revealed for them from the heaven of will, but it has been delayed for some time. God willing, it will be sent in these days, and this servant also hopes to be enabled to submit a reply. The purpose is that if that beloved one writes anything there, convey this evanescent one’s greetings and pure regards.
BH00462: Praise be to God Who hath made the Revelation…
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord
Praise be to God Who hath made the Revelation a magnet to draw unto itself the followers of all religions throughout creation, and through it hath caused all things to proclaim that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified beyond the remembrance of all created things and exalted above the description of all beings. Every sovereign hath acknowledged his powerlessness before the manifestations of His might, and every possessor of dominion hath confessed his servitude before the revelations of His command. Glory be unto Him, glory be unto Him, above the mention of aught else but Him or the praise of any besides Him. He hath appeared and made manifest whatsoever He hath willed, whereby all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of grace did seize and deliver from the darkness of ignorance. He is the One Who cannot be known through oneness, and the Beloved Who cannot be described by what the creatures possess. He hath established Himself upon the throne and raised His most exalted call throughout the kingdom of creation, whereupon the Spirit did speak at the dawning of the lights of Revelation.
Here am I, O Thou through Whose light of countenance Thy dwellings have been adorned, and by Whose fragrant vesture every possessor of smell hath been refreshed. I testify that through Thee the Path was raised up, the Balance was set, those in the graves were stirred to life, and the Speaker of the Mount did speak. Exalted, exalted is Thy remembrance above the mention of this non-existent, forgotten one. Exalted, exalted is Thy praise above the praise of this remote and veiled one. I beseech Thee by that Name through which every distant one drew nigh, every sick one was healed, every abased one was glorified, every hungry one was fed, every poor one was enriched, every sinful one was forgiven, every ignorant one gained knowledge, every seated one arose, and every tonguetied one spoke forth—to send down from the heaven of Thy mercy upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nigh unto the precincts of Thy grace and bounty, will aid them to remember and praise Thee, and will enable them to serve Thy Cause. O my Lord! Thou art the All-Bountiful, possessed of great favor. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
And now, O my beloved, what hath flowed from thy pen in praise of God, our Lord and your Lord, our Beloved and your Beloved, hath brought Me joy. This servant beseecheth his Lord to preserve you and enable you to do that which beseemeth the days of God, our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all the worlds. When I read and became aware of what was contained in thy luminous letter, I approached the Most Exalted Station and the Supreme Horizon, until I attained the presence of the Countenance and presented what was therein before the Throne. Thereupon the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance, saying, exalted be His grandeur:
O servant! Make mention of him on My behalf and give him the glad tidings of My remembrance, My loving-kindness, My bounty and My mercy which have preceded all created things. We have mentioned him before and make mention of him at this moment wherein the Wronged One proclaims that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Blessed is he who hath inhaled the fragrance of the All-Merciful in His days and hath arisen to serve the Cause with spirit and joy. This is the Day of Utterance. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it, and woe betide every denying infidel. O thou who art mentioned at the Throne! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One.
He maketh mention of thee from this spot which hath been named the Most Great Prison in the Scriptures and Tablets. We send Our salutations from this Spot unto thee and unto My loved ones who have cast behind them idle fancies and vain imaginings. Say: O loved ones of God! Hold fast unto the wisdom which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book, then make peace among yourselves. This behooveth him who hath believed in God, the Lord of Lords. Say: Take ye the Book of God as a command from Him, then observe what hath been sent down therein of laws. O people of the earth! Cast behind you the principles of your own selves and take the principles of your Lord, the Possessor of the Final End.
Cling ye to the hem of steadfastness in all conditions in such wise that the veils of the parties may not withhold you. Thus hath the horizon of the heaven of proof been illumined with the light of utterance. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it, and woe unto every heedless doubter.
Your honor hath, by God’s grace, attained His presence and been mentioned with that Most Great Remembrance, one letter of which the entire world cannot equal. God willing, may this supreme bounty and mighty gift not fade from your sight and may you preserve it through God’s grace and favor. For this evanescent servant hath repeatedly heard from the tongue of Grandeur concerning the world’s upheavals and changes that which, were it to be mentioned, would cause grief. Therefore at all times I beseech the true Source and spiritual Protector to establish all beneath the shade of the Ultimate Tree and the Most Exalted Word. He is verily the Powerful, the Helper, the Bestower, the Generous.
Your honor should, by day and night, remind the heedless people with wisdom and utterance, that perchance a soul might attain to the goal and awaken from the intoxication of the wine of pride to consciousness. For this is the Day of sobriety, and this sobriety shall appear after obliteration. God willing, may the opposers be illumined by the light of acceptance and may those who have turned to Him observe the divine Will and Purpose. This evanescent one makes mention of all and begs of all not to forget this evanescent one in gatherings where God’s loved ones are occupied with His remembrance, that perchance the hand of power may establish this servant and His friends firmly in this Most Great, Most Mighty Cause. He is verily the Powerful, the Almighty.
Another matter: This evanescent one is greatly ashamed at the delay in responding, but God is witness that this was not due to negligence nor from any lack of sincerity. All bear witness that this servant is occupied with writing day and night. In any case, I have hoped and continue to hope for forgiveness from your honor and the other gentlemen.
Another matter: I convey greetings and salutations to his honor Aqa Shahvirdi, upon him be the Glory of God. Some time ago a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of favor and was sent.
Likewise, specially for Jinab-i-Aqa Khodadad and Aqa Azizu’llah, upon them be the Glory of God, and some of the loved ones of the land of Kha, upon them be the Glory of God, some of it was sent and some was delayed in sending due to wisdom, and then some obstacles arose. In any case, it has arrived and continues to arrive. God willing, they will attain unto it. They are mentioned in the Most Holy Court and are recipients of divine favors. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them and assist them in what He loves and is pleased with. Verily He is the Possessor of Names and Creator of Heaven. There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Generous.
News has arrived from the land of Kha, both from before and after. Praise be to God, all are occupied with mention, praise, glorification and thanksgiving to the Truth. While this evanescent servant was occupied with mentioning you and Jinab-i-Aqa Shahvirdi, the command to appear was issued from the Most Holy Court. When I ascended and attained the presence, the Beloved spoke:
“We love to mention him who is named Shahvirdi, that the attraction of his Lord’s utterance may seize him in this Day wherein most of the tribes of the earth have turned away. Verily He is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. We have sent down for thee a Tablet before, and in these days, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Great. Blessed art thou for having turned to the face of thy Lord, attained His presence, and heard the call of the Wronged One from this manifest station. Beware lest anything prevent thee from God, the Lord of the worlds. Pay no attention to the people and what issues from their mouths. Leave them to themselves and trust in God, the Powerful, the Mighty.
Soon will God erase the traces of those who turned away and will establish through His Most Exalted Pen the traces of those who have turned to Him, who have cast away what is with the people and taken what they were commanded by the Ancient Ordainer. We make mention of Our loved ones there and give them glad tidings through this mighty remembrance. Proclaim the greatness of God before the faces of My loved ones in Kha and remind them with this beautiful remembrance. The Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have said: ʿPraise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”’
God willing, you have ever been and will ever be the recipient of God’s favors and adorned with the ornament of His mention. The two packages of leaves that were sent, one by your brother and the other by Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Ibrahim, upon them be the Glory of God, arrived. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them and grant them the good of this world and the next. He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
And regarding what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Khodadad, upon him be the Glory of God, it was presented in the Most Holy Court, and he became the recipient of the effulgent lights of the Sun of divine favor. Praise be to God, he was aided to serve the Cause. In these days, mention of him flowed several times from the Tongue of God. Blessed is he and blessed is he who has attained unto this wise remembrance.
And regarding what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Asadu’llah, it was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of the Beloved spoke in reply.
He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing
O Asadu’llah! God willing, mayest thou be favored with divine grace and be turned toward Him from Whom the people have turned away. This is a most mighty and wondrous day, for He hath appeared in the garment of He’ and speaketh in the station of the manifest I’. Those souls who for one thousand two hundred years and more awaited the Sun of Manifestation, spending their days and nights in lamentation, all were bewildered and dumbfounded at the time of its dawning, and became opposers and deniers, save whom God willed. During this period they would inquire of those whom they deemed to be in authority, asking “What is that blessed Word which shall proceed from the mouth of the Qa’im, causing all the holy ones to flee from Him?
What is this Word?” They expressed great bewilderment regarding this matter, and even now remain unaware, still waiting to witness it. Glory be to God! Some fled like frightened wild asses before even attaining the presence of the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation and the Speaker of Divine utterance, or hearing His Word. They drink from the pool of vain imaginings while remaining deprived of the choice wine of certitude. The Water of Life hath appeared and the Sun of Manifestation hath risen, while they move about behind green and white turbans, bowing down before and worshipping their idols. Beseech ye God that He may rend asunder the veils and guide all to the ocean of knowledge. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
O Asad! God’s loving-kindness required it and He made mention of thee. Know thou the value of this precious pearl and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds!” I counsel thee and the friends of God to manifest supreme steadfastness, for the Cause is mighty great and the Day most momentous.
Say: “Glory be to Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst subdue the world and distinguish between the nations, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in this world and the next. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, clinging to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to deny me that which lieth with Thee, then decree for me through Thy generosity that which beseemeth Thy grace and favors. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
As for what was written regarding Mirza Jalal and Mirza ʿAta’u’llah, upon them be the glory of God, that they are present—mention was made of them and they were favored with God’s grace. God willing, may they act in accordance with that which He loveth and is pleased with. This evanescent servant conveyeth his greetings to them and to all the friends in that land. The glory be upon you from thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
In the year 1298