Volume 062: Akka 1298 A.H. (1880–1881), Part I (4 of 7)

BH01582: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

The essence of praise and its quintessence befitteth that eternal King Who hath, from time immemorial and unto everlasting, sanctified the hem of His chosen ones from the praise and glorification of this servant and his like. What relation can there be between the lowly earth and the exalted, elevated heaven? Glorified be He Who hath manifested and revealed the Word, and raised it up in truth, and made victory to reside in utterance, and hath spoken that whereby His mercy hath encompassed all in the realm of possibility, save those who arose and fled from the shadow of His grace. Exalted is the All-Merciful above being known through what hath been mentioned from the beginning that hath no beginning, or being remembered unto the end that hath no end.

All descriptions and mentions have returned and shall return unto those who have cast away their desires and turned toward the Supreme Horizon, and heard and answered our Most Glorious Lord, and bore for God’s sake the derision of enemies and trials and tribulations. These are servants whom God hath mentioned in His Scriptures, Books and Tablets, and made them the Hands of His Cause amongst His servants. Through them the clouds have rained, and vegetation hath sprouted in valleys and upon hills, and the decree of the Book was raised up. These are servants upon whom the Concourse on High and those who circle round the Throne pray at eventide and at dawn.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou by Whose Name the gates of heaven were opened! I beseech Thee by the sovereignty of Names to assist Thy chosen ones to make mention of Thee and glorify Thee and that which beseemeth Thy days. Then protect them from the evil of Thine enemies who cast Thy Book behind their backs and turned away from Thy Beauty and disputed Thy proof and Thy testimony. Then ordain for them, O my God and God of all things visible and invisible, that which Thou hast ordained for those who offered up their spirits and their bodies in Thy path. Then manifest what Thou hast destined for them through Thy bounty and favors. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your mention and my soul be a ransom for your steadfastness. This evanescent servant perceiveth his own shortcoming to such degree that he is ashamed even to express his deficiency and counteth even this among the gravest of sins, for some time ago I was honored to receive Thy blessed handwriting, yet I was negligent in offering a response. Once when I intended to present a petition, it was observed that a most exalted and holy Tablet had descended from the heaven of divine Will and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke this word:

“O servant, stay thy pen, for the Supreme Pen maketh mention of him as a token of His grace.”

Until this time I have been and continue to be gladdened by the sweetness of the Merciful’s utterance. I praise Him and thank Him throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly realm, for the effulgences of the Sun of favor are directed toward your eminence. In such circumstance, mention of this evanescent one, who is like unto nothingness itself, was in no wise worthy or befitting. In these days, one night while engaged in recording verses in the presence of the Throne, amid the revelation your mention appeared from the Tongue of Grandeur and one most holy and exalted Tablet specifically for your eminence was revealed and dispatched. God willing, you will attain unto its perusal.

This is the day of mention and praise, the day of enthusiasm and fervor, but this evanescent one’s tongue is tired and body weak, and moreover commanded to wisdom. He beseecheth God, exalted be His might and glory, to raise up servants who may guide the people to the ocean of knowledge through wisdom and utterance, and speak that which is meet to be spoken. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. Through His Name every door was opened and every wise command was made manifest. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. The glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity be upon your eminence and upon those with you and upon those who love you and hearken to your word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

All those circling round and standing before the Throne present their utter evanescence, nothingness and pure sincerity in service to your eminence.

The servant, 11 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1298

The Most Great Branches, may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps, remember your eminence with holy mention and most exalted and glorious praise.

BH01861: In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great…

In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord! Praise be to God Who was in the eternity of eternities and will be even as He was. There is no God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

O my God! I beseech Thee by the Light that shineth forth from the horizon of Thy Will, and by the Name through which the gate of meeting with Thee was opened, to assist Thy servants and creatures in that which will cause Thy Cause to be exalted and the standards of Thy guidance to be raised amidst Thy creation. Ordain for them that which will solace their eyes and gladden their hearts. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

To continue: This evanescent servant has, on your behalf, fulfilled what was promised—that is, as requested by you, he attained the presence of the Goal of the world’s peoples. Well is it with me and with you! Your letter was received. Praise be to God that you have been blessed with the bounty of health, which is the greatest of divine bounties. God willing, you will be assisted in that which befitteth this divine Day, for any deed that appeareth today purely for the sake of God, even if it be but a single word, is like unto a seed deposited in pure, good and blessed soil—it will surely bring forth lofty and wondrous ears of corn. Today is the day of sowing and planting, today is the day of planting trees. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto what God hath desired in His days, blessed is the servant who hath remained steadfast in His Cause and love, blessed is he who hath heard His call, and blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of His garment and acknowledged Him with his tongue.

I swear by the Sun of divine knowledge that if, until the end that hath no end, a soul were to continue mentioning and praising this wondrous, glorious Day, it would be seen as non-existent, null and void compared to what hath been ordained for it by the Most Exalted Pen. Unto God be the reward of the doers, unto God be the deeds of those who have turned unto Him, unto God be the praise of those brought nigh, unto God be the remembrance of those who remember Him. This Day belongeth unto God, exalted be His grandeur and the sovereignty of His might, and whatsoever is associated with Him is beloved and is the goal of the hearts of His sincere servants.

You and I must at all times beseech the All-Merciful to assist and confirm these servants in matters that will cause the people of the world to be mindful, that perchance we may be enabled to guide a soul to the gate of the Friend, or rend asunder the veil of one who is veiled through the blessed Name of the Friend. If we fail to achieve these things and the like thereof, we will have wasted our lives and departed this world with utmost regret, for that which occupieth and delighteth the people hath yielded and yieldeth no fruit, as all tongues have confessed, since its end is change, extinction and nothingness. This is a matter that, beyond hearsay, every eye hath witnessed: Where is Khosrow and his palace? Where is Shaddad and his paradise? The decree of God hath turned them to dust.

I beseech God to preserve these servants through His special grace and to assist them in that which pleaseth Him. Verily He is the Powerful, and verily He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed. The splendor of God rest upon him who wrote thy letter, upon thee, and upon every just servant in God and His firm and mighty Cause.

BH00867: Praise be to God Who hath ordained victory through…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious

Praise be to God Who hath ordained victory through His consummate wisdom and hath commanded it unto all created beings who have believed in God, the Lord of Oneness. He is the One Who hath, through His grace, lifted up the decree of the sword and established in its place the decree of utterance, whereby the fragrance of His name, the Most Merciful, hath been wafted throughout all creation. Exalted, exalted is our Lord Who cannot be described by the learning of the divines and the people of mystical knowledge. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto that which God, the Lord of all religions, hath commanded in His Book. And woe unto him who hath cast aside wisdom and utterance, and through his idle fancies hath seized upon that which was forbidden him in the Scriptures and Tablets. Blessed is he who hath arisen to promote the Cause of his Lord through goodly character and deeds. The servant beareth witness that he is among the prosperous ones in the Book of God, the Sender of winds. And praise be to God Who hath sent down from His Most Exalted Pen that which hath enraptured the sincere ones in the kingdom of creation, and hath revealed for His loved ones that which hath caused spirits to soar.

To continue: the Servant hath attained unto that which thou didst previously send, as though it had opened the gate of joy. When I read and understood and learned of it, I approached the Praiseworthy Station and presented it before the throne of our Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which pens and souls are powerless to recount, and He revealed for each name that was in thy letter that which caused the breezes of loving-kindness to waft between earth and heaven. To this beareth witness the Tablet of the Beloved Ones which the All-Bestowing hath revealed and sent unto thee, that thou mayest read it and share it with those who have turned to the Supreme Horizon and have attained unto the Most Great Steadfastness. By the life of the Beloved! Nothing that hath been created in earth and heaven can compare with it. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names, Who is established upon the throne in this noble station.

While I was engaged in writing this leaf, the Beloved of the world summoned me and said, exalted be His grandeur and mighty be His utterance.

Write to his honor Andalib: O Andalib! Fix your gaze upon this decisive, firm and comprehensive blessed Word which hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Book, and counsel all therewith, that perchance they may know with perfect certitude that the triumph of God’s Cause hath not been and is not through the sword, contention, strife and corruption. And that blessed Word which hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book is this:

“We have lifted the law of the sword and have established in its place the law of expression. Well is it with them who possess understanding and who have held fast unto that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book.”

Despite this decisive and firm Word, it is observed that some still remain in doubt and misgiving, and through their personal delusions are engaged in interpreting the word of victory. Say: What aileth you that ye comprehend not and perceive not? Verily have We counseled all to show kindness, compassion and care. Well is it with him who hath attained unto My purpose, and woe unto the heedless. It would seem they place their own will before the Will of God, or regard what hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance as jest, or God forbid, see the Truth as powerless and weak. Say: Woe unto you! Verily He is the Strong, the Powerful. Verily He is the Mighty, the Supreme. Verily He is the Victorious, the All-Wise. Verily He is the Subduer over His creation and He is the All-Knowing. Therefore beseech God that He may confirm His loved ones in goodly deeds and pleasing conduct, and in that which the Book of God, the Speaking, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath decreed.

Today is a different day and a different heaven is upraised and a different sea is surging. It cannot and will not be compared with before and after. Say: Today the sun of bounty is manifest and the ocean of grace is before all faces. Move in this spiritual atmosphere with the wings of spirit, and keep yourselves detached, free and sanctified from the impurities, allusions and dust of the vicissitudes of time. Wings soiled with mud are not worthy of flight nor capable of ascension.

O ʿAndalib! Say: Today an illumined heart is needed, an expanded breast and penetrating vision. Perchance ye may leave behind what ye have heard and relate what ye behold. Man needeth human qualities. Alas! Alas! Words cannot bear these meanings and the pen findeth itself powerless to translate. The Command is in the hand of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Praise be unto Him! Verily He speaketh the truth and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O ʿAndalib! That which thou didst send through the servant who was present and his honor Ism-i-Jud, upon both of them be My glory, from the epistles was presented at the Most Holy Court. Through pure grace, sublime and exalted verses were revealed and sent specially for all the souls mentioned therein, both living and dead. God willing, they shall attain unto them. The mention of God is life for the dead and a bounty for the loved ones. Know thou the value of this favor and speak forth in praise and thanksgiving to God. Blessed be thy tongue for what it hath sung, and thy heart for what it hath composed, and thy thought for the virgin meanings of recognition that have appeared from it in praise of God, the Lord of proof and evidence.

Divine favor is manifest and evident upon that beloved one and those true friends. God willing, may all attain to that which is beloved in His presence. That honored one who, praise be to God, has in these divine days succeeded in offering praise unto the Truth—the entire world has been and remains incapable of adequately thanking Him for this supreme bounty. God willing, may you set ablaze the souls in those lands with the fire of divine love. A word that issues forth from a detached heart has been and ever shall be effective. This is what I have heard from the mouth of my Lord’s will, the Perspicuous, the Wise. Convey greetings and make mention to all on behalf of this evanescent servant.

O friends! Today is a momentous day. Strive to deposit enduring traces in this perishable ruin. While time remains, we must all count it as precious and occupy ourselves with that which is befitting and worthy. What is lost today, when shall it be recovered and who shall recover it?

At this moment it behooveth this servant to call upon the Lord of the mystics and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and earth, saying:

O God of the world and Goal of the nations! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the gate of Thy most exalted Paradise was opened to all who are in the kingdom of creation, and through which the Call was raised between earth and heaven, to assist Thy chosen ones to celebrate Thy praise and glorification, and inspire them with that which Thou hast willed through Thy knowledge. O Lord! Deprive them not of the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, nor keep them distant from the sanctuaries of Thy nearness. O Lord! Regard them not according to what they possess, but behold the heaven of Thy bounty and riches, and the helplessness of Thy creation and the poverty of Thy servants. Thou art the One before Whose manifestation and appearance the kingdom of power bowed low. There is no God but Thee, the Giving, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Generous.

Glory be upon you and upon those who were attracted by the sweetness of the Call when it was raised between earth and heaven, and upon every one who turned unto God when He came with manifest sovereignty. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00364: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy…

Section 1: “In the Name of our Lord, the Most…”

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Impregnable, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

Praise be to God Who taught the Supreme Pen that by which the denizens of the Kingdom of Names were attracted, and revealed therefrom that whereby those who have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon drew near, and those who have approached the Dawning-Place of Names, and those sincere ones who have attained to such a station that they speak not except by His leave and move not except by His command. These are servants whose praise and tribute the tongues of pens are powerless to render, and whose station and rank the pen of the world is incapable to describe. These are servants who have arisen to serve the Cause with wisdom and utterance. God hath sanctified their hearts from the insinuations of those who are veiled, who have cast away, denied, and turned away from God, the Revealer of verses.

O thou who art imprisoned for the love of God and His Cause, and who hast migrated in His path! The breezes of the morn of your love and sincerity toward God, our Beloved and your Beloved, have awakened me, and I was gladdened by the traces of your pen which moved in praise of our Creator and your Creator. When I opened and read it, I presented it before the Throne. These are the words which my Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and earth caused me to hear—His word, exalted be His glory:

O Husayn! Thou hast been favored with the grace of God and hast borne tribulations and afflictions in His path. However, what is most important today is steadfastness in His Cause and to restrain hand and tongue from God’s creation. The victory of the Cause is now confined to goodly deeds, praiseworthy conduct, revealed wisdom, and exalted utterances which can be derived from the Book of God regarding the loftiness and transcendence of the Cause. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of God’s Command that should anyone today intend harm against this Wronged One, We would certainly not oppose him. This Cause has another station, another rank, and cannot be compared with the past or future. The people of Baha must raise their gaze and move above the earth and all that hath been and will be termed as heaven. Were We to unveil to those who are heedless what We have unveiled to you, all would hasten to the seat of nearness, sanctity and beauty, and would turn to the Self-Subsisting, the Most High. Blessed are they who are slain but slay not, who bear afflictions in the path of the Beloved but intend harm to no one. This is the station of My loved ones and chosen ones.

O Husayn! What have they gained from the world and what benefit have they seen? By the life of God, all of it cannot equal a single breeze that wafteth from the paradise of God’s bounty. What life is that which death doth not overtake, and what prosperity is that which ruin doth not seize? If one is deprived of the wine of divine love and is unaware of His realms, or is in despair, with what can he console himself or find joy? By My life, all are immersed in idle fancies and vain imaginings. Beseech ye God that He may cause all to attain unto the fragrances of His days, that they may perceive the fragrance of the true rose-garden and discover the purpose of creation.

At the beginning of Ridvan, the Ancient Tongue spoke three verses. In one verse, He removed strife, contention, corruption, killing and plunder from the world. All must fix their gaze upon that which God hath willed. The world never was nor is worthy of attachment, for every eye beholdeth its change and extinction. The world itself is a complete book, and all of it telleth of its own revolution, variation, transformation and extinction. Blessed are they that perceive, blessed are they that hear.

Some time ago, one of the friends of God sent this servant a letter, and at its end mentioned an intent to harm one of the people. It is quite clear that he intended this for God’s sake, as that person had perpetrated a great injustice in the land. After this was presented in the Most Holy Court, these exalted words descended from the heaven of will—His word, exalted be His glory:

Beware, beware lest thou commit what thou hast written at the end of thy letter. These are the deeds of the ignorant and the acts of the heedless. I swear by the Most Great Name that if any of the friends should harm anyone, it is as though he hath harmed God Himself. Conflict, contention, corruption, killing and the like have been strictly forbidden in the Book of God. Turn thou unto God from what thou hast intended in thy soul, then return unto Him and say:

O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word to inscribe for me the word of forgiveness, for I have desired within myself that which Thou didst not desire and which Thou didst forbid in Thy Book. I beseech Thee to absolve me of my misdeeds and to immerse me in the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Every injustice that hath proceeded from an oppressor, leave it to the True One Himself. The hand of divine justice is all-encompassing and all-powerful. There hath never been, nor is there now, any need for corruption, conflict, disputation, murder and plunder. The triumph of the Cause hath been and ever will be through utterance, and all else proceedeth from the promptings of self. God protect us and you, O concourse of those who have turned towards Him.

It is abundantly clear that this person is unaware of what hath been revealed by the Most Exalted Pen concerning triumph. For had they been aware, they would never have undertaken such actions that contradict divine ordinances and bring harm to the Cause. Those like yourself should convey to others some of what hath been mentioned in this letter, that all may walk the straight path and hold fast to what the True One, exalted be His glory and greatness, hath ordained as the triumph of His Cause, and may awaken the heedless. One pure deed and one goodly attribute hath guided and will continue to guide multitudes. In ancient times, a person known as Hanzala, through one word spoken with sincerity, guided a king and many of his subjects. As the details thereof are recorded in previous books, this servant hath refrained from mentioning them.

In truth, this servant is perplexed and knoweth not how long certain matters shall remain confusing to some of the friends. I beseech the True One to assist all to achieve that which pleaseth Him and to enable them to fulfill what hath been recorded in the Book by the Most Exalted Pen. By His very Self, the triumph achieved through one goodly deed is superior and more perfect than a hundred thousand swords. Today all must free themselves from their own will, desire, conjectures, imaginings and fancies, and fix their gaze upon the Will of God. Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless.

Concerning what thou didst write about the honored mother of the sacred household, upon her be the Glory of God, it is clear and evident. However, until now no mention of such matters hath been made to anyone. God willing, all affairs shall be and are being set aright.

With regard to what you wrote concerning the mention of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah (upon whom be all the Glory of God, the Most Glorious), and likewise concerning his acting with wisdom, this detail was presented at the Most Holy Court. This firm and blessed word emerged from the Kingdom of Utterance—He says, exalted be His grandeur:

“Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto it and followeth that which hath been commanded by the One Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

May my namesake Jamal, through God’s eternal favors, be ever successful and act according to what God desires, becoming a cause of unity and concord in such wise that differences may be removed from among the friends. We, from this station, send Our greetings upon him and upon those with him, and upon those who observe the rights of God regarding His loved ones, and upon those who hold fast to wisdom, turning away from all else. Thus hath the Book decreed from God, the Mighty, the Bestower. We have made mention of Jamal and have sent to him in these days that which hath illumined the horizons. By My life! Wisdom is to teach My Cause with fragrance and spirituality, with remembrance and utterance, and with that which adorns the world with the ornament of love and fellowship. God willing, may they be ever focused on truth, joyous in His love, and successful through His grace. O Jamal! We have counseled thee with wisdom and counsel thee with wisdom and with that which will unite all in one station. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing Teacher.

Section 2: “Convey My greetings to My loved ones…”

Convey My greetings to My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy and My grace. Prolonged stay in the lands of Y and Sh is not permitted. Any of the friends who enter these two lands must, after staying a few days, proceed to another land. Verily He knoweth, decreeth, seeth and speaketh, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

As for what you wrote about the aforementioned person speaking vain words in other lands as well—it is strange that the friends of God give ear to such nonsensical utterances of heedless souls. Such persons should be left to themselves—neither opposition nor association is acceptable. Leave them to their vain imaginings. Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

And concerning what you wrote about the honored and esteemed gentlemen Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Siyyid Ali, Aqa Ghulam-Husayn, and Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Baqir (upon them be the Glory of God) having shown their kindness in the previous post—it has not yet reached this ephemeral one, though news has come that their packet has arrived in the Prison Land. However, since this servant is now occupied with writing verses before the Throne outside the Prison Land, he has not yet been blessed with their kindness, though in truth it is considered as received, for whatever reaches Jinab-i-Samandar (upon whom be all the Glory of God, the Most Glorious) will reach him unless divine decree prevents it. In any case, mention of them was made in the Most Holy Court. This is what the Desired One hath revealed for them, that their mention may endure as long as the Kingdom endureth.

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

Remember My loved ones who have believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. He is a light unto them that see and a fire unto them that deny God, the Lord of existence. O Ali! Hearken unto My call, for it shall draw thee in such wise that neither the veils of the world nor the might of armies shall hold thee back. If thou findest the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, thou wilt forsake all creation and proclaim with wisdom:

“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.”

Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken in the Kingdom of creation and summoned all unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s bounty and trust in Him in all matters. The glory that shineth forth from the mouth of the Will of the All-Merciful be upon those who have cast away vain imaginings, who have taken the choice sealed wine and drunk in His Name, the Best-Beloved.

He is the One Who speaketh through evidence

We have heard the call of those who have turned toward the Countenance when Its lights shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Manifestation, the Mighty, the Great, and We have answered them through Our grace with that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Exalted is He Who hath sent down this clear utterance. The heaven hath been cleft asunder, the earth hath been rent, and earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth, yet the peoples remain behind a thick veil. They hear God’s verses and deny them, they behold God’s evidences and turn away from them, for they follow every ignorant remote one. Say: O people! The ocean of utterance hath surged and the All-Merciful hath come with proof and evidence. Fear God and be not of the heedless. Blessed be thy name, O youth, shouldst thou hold fast to that which beseemeth this mighty, sublime Name. When thou findest the fragrance of thy Lord’s verses, render thanks unto Him Who possesseth a preserved tablet.

He is the One manifest above the world through His Name, the Self-Subsisting

O Muhammad-Baqir! Hearken unto that wherewith the Wronged One remembereth thee. He calleth thee and all in the world unto God, the Lord of Lords. Say: By God, O people! He hath sacrificed Himself and all He possessed in God’s path. Fear God, O people, and follow not every aggressive tyrant. Behold the Dayspring of the Cause with His eye in this Revelation. This is what ye were commanded in the Scriptures and Tablets. Those who have cast God behind their backs shall soon be seized by the breezes of chastisement from all directions. Rejoice, O people of Baha, in that the Lord of Names hath guided you to the straight path. Say: Forsake what ye possess and take what ye are commanded by God, the Lord of the beginning and the end. Be thankful that the Wronged One hath remembered thee with that which all the treasures of the world cannot equal. The Lord of Eternity beareth witness to this in this station round which the Supreme Paradise circleth at eventide and at dawn.

Praise be to God that the mentioned souls have attained divine bounty. Today, whosoever hath attained God’s bounty is accounted among the gems of existence before the Throne. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid this servant and all the friends to preserve what hath been granted. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. On behalf of this evanescent servant, convey greetings to them and to each of the friends. God knoweth that this evanescent servant mentioneth God’s loved ones before the Throne and asketh for them that which will benefit them and draw them nigh unto God, the Goal of the mystics. The blessed Divine Branches—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their feet—remember that noble one with most wondrous, most impregnable, most holy, most great, most exalted mention, and likewise those who circle round and stand before the prison-land convey their greetings with utmost sincerity and love. Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those whose names you mentioned and who have attained the bounty of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 23 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1298

BH01273: The Praise lamenteth and saith: “I am not worthy…

He is God, Exalted be His Glory, the Greatness and the Power

The Praise lamenteth and saith: “I am not worthy of Him Who cannot be described in words nor mentioned through similitudes.” And the Thanksgiving weepeth and saith: “Is there any way unto Him Who cannot be praised throughout all eternity? He is, verily, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.”

Thereafter, Thy sweet remembrance hath awakened me, and what hath been diffused therefrom of the fragrance of the love of our Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious, hath gladdened me. When I read and understood, I presented myself before His Presence and submitted what was in thy letter. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, exalted be His glory: “O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! The Wronged One mentioneth thee from this manifest station and announceth unto thee what hath been ordained for thee from the Most Exalted Pen. Thy Lord is, verily, the Announcer, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who hath loved thee and loveth thee, and who hath heard from thee the verses of God, the Lord of the worlds. Thou art he whose heart We have adorned with My love, whose tongue with My remembrance, whose eyes with beholding My horizon, whose hand with taking My Book, and whose feet with steadfastness in My Cause. Art thou able to thank thy Lord for His favor, His grace, and His bounties? Verily, He thanketh Himself on thy behalf, as a mercy from Him unto thee. He is, verily, the Bestower, the Generous.

Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf, then recite unto them what hath been revealed from My Pen, and give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance and My favor. Say: Beware lest sorrows overtake you while the Dawning-Place of joy mentioneth you with His wondrous remembrance. Rejoice in God, your Lord. He remembereth you with that which the most exalted Paradise cannot equal, how much less what hath been created on earth. By the life of God! Were ye to become aware of His favor, ye would thank and praise Him until the spirit ascendeth unto the Most Exalted Companion. He Who speaketh the truth beareth witness unto this. There is none other God but He, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Verily, We make mention of Our loved ones in Nun and Jim, and We remind them of what hath been sent down from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Make mention of them on My behalf and glorify their faces from Me. Say: By God! This is the Day of Remembrance, did ye but know it, and this is the Day of Praise, did ye but recognize it, and this is the Day of Love and Unity, did ye but understand it, and this is the Day of the Balance, did ye but believe it. By God, the Truth! The Balance hath been set up, whereby all deeds shall be weighed from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. And this is the Day of Reform, the Day of Steadfastness and Certitude, the Day of Wisdom and Utterance. Blessed are the people who hear and act. Thus have We mentioned those who were from thy land, as a favor from Us unto thee. He is, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Loving.

And We make mention of Abdullah, whose letter was presented before the Face and submitted by the servant in attendance before the Throne, and We answered him with these verses: O Abdullah! We heard thy call when We were outside the prison, and We have sent down unto thee this Tablet. Rejoice in thy Lord’s favor, then thank Him by night and by day. Grieve not over anything. Verily, thy Lord’s favor hath encompassed all created things. Glorify the faces of those who are with thee on My behalf, and give them the glad-tidings of the mercy of Him Who speaketh the truth from the most exalted station.

And We make mention of Ali-Qabli-Akbar, whose letter the servant present before the Face hath submitted, that he may thank his Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Rejoice thou in My remembrance, then act according to what hath been ordained in My Book. Thy Lord is, verily, the Teacher, the Acquainter, the Explainer, the Mighty, the Beloved.

We make mention at the end of the Tablet of My handmaidens in that place who have believed in God when He came with His name, the Self-Subsisting. Rejoice, O My leaves, in the remembrance of God, then thank Him for what He hath sent down unto you that which shall endure as long as the Kingdom and the Dominion endure. End.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your mention. I submit that the remaining Tablets which were previously mentioned are now being sent. And all that was sent previously should reach either Jinab-i-Haji Kamaluddin, upon him be the Glory of God, or Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God, that they may deliver them.

This servant found no opportunity this time to respond in detail to your letter. God willing, it will be submitted later. Convey on behalf of this evanescent one greetings and salutations to all the friends in that land who have drunk and are drinking from the choice wine of your utterance. May Jinab-i-Mihman, upon her be the Glory of God, be blessed through divine grace. The servant heard mention of her from the Tongue of Grandeur on this blessed and beloved night. And whatever Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God, had mentioned was submitted to the Most Holy Court. They said a response will be sent. Verily We make mention of him and the one named Hasan who attained to My service for a number of years. Nothing escapes His knowledge. He is possessed of great faithfulness. The Glory be upon your honor and upon those with you, and upon him and upon him and upon them (m.) and upon them (f.) from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

The servant 23 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1298

BH01319: Praise be to God Who sent down the heavenly…

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

Praise be to God Who sent down the heavenly table, made manifest His bounty, and brought forth that which lay hidden in the treasuries of knowledge and wisdom, and gave utterance to that which drew the hearts of those who have cast away all else besides Him and turned with their hearts toward His most exalted horizon. Exalted is our Lord, the Master of all beings, Who hath caused His servants to recognize His clear verses according to His will and desire. He is verily the Sovereign of creation and the Lord of the Day of Return. And peace and blessings be upon God’s ambassadors, His Prophets, His chosen ones and His loved ones, and upon the Seal of His Messengers through whom God distinguished between His servants. My spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance!

The breezes of your love stirred me when I read what was inscribed in your luminous letter mentioning God, the Lord of all names and Creator of heaven. I presented what I read before His Countenance, and He—sweet are His words—said:

“Verily, he hath been under the glances of My loving-kindness and beneath the canopy of My grace. I have mentioned him with My tongue, turned toward him with My face, beckoned to him with My finger, and indicated to him with My brow, unto a station that changeth not and hath no end. He must preserve this precious pearl in the name of God, the Lord of all worlds. He is verily the Protector, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. And We remember My loved ones in that place who have held fast to what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book.”

That which was sent from the land of Shin in the name of Ha and Sin, upon him be the glory of God, hath arrived. I presented it before His Countenance, and this evanescent servant hath responded and sent it to your presence that you may forward it to him. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Best of Senders. And concerning what you wrote about Shaykh Salman, upon him be the glory of God, and the imprisoned one, upon him be the glory of God, I beseech the Exalted One to assist all to do what He loveth and is pleased with, to strengthen them in showing kindness to their brethren, and to aid them in achieving unity and harmony. He is verily the Master of His servants and the Inspirer of right conduct.

I presented your mention before His Countenance, and this is what the Kingdom of Utterance proclaimed:

“O Salman! The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and thy cry, both before and after, and hath answered thee with that which hath diffused the fragrance of loving-kindness. We beseech the Exalted One to assist thee to be patient and forbearing in all conditions, and to ordain for thee the best in this world and the next. Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God, my Purpose, and Master of my being, Who beholdeth my outer and inner self! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou hast guided the sincere ones to Thy straight path and made known to those near unto Thee Thy abounding grace, to write down for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen what Thou hast written for Thy chosen servants. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp is the kingdom of names. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.”

O beloved of my heart! Should there be any delay in answering your noble letter, this is due to my many occupations and writings, and my trust in you, my reliance upon you, and my confidence in your love. My Lord and your Lord beareth witness to this. Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who are there among God’s sincere loved ones. And concerning what you mentioned about ʿAbdu’l-Ghani, upon him be the glory of God, let him rejoice in what hath befallen him. How many servants have been martyred in God’s path, how many breasts have been pierced through love of God, how many heads have been raised upon spears for God’s Cause, and how much blood hath been shed in God’s path! He must rejoice in all conditions and praise God, his Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

It behooveth us to look to God’s will and purpose, and to what He loveth and is pleased with, not to what our desires crave, our wills desire, and our hearts delight in. The whole matter is in His hands. It is for us to thank Him, praise Him, glorify Him, sanctify Him, mention Him, and extol Him in hardship and ease, in adversity and tribulation, and in all that cometh upon His servants in this world. He knoweth and understandeth; we have no knowledge of the outcome of our affairs, nor of what will benefit us, preserve us, and deliver us. Our Creator, our Maker, our Provider, our Life-Giver, and our Death-Bringer beareth witness to this, as He hath testified in His gracious Book which He revealed unto him who adorned the Night Journey, and in the Books of the Messengers. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

The servant, on 23 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1298

I submit to you not to send to the city what is mentioned in this letter until I send the reply of the Doctor, upon him be the glory of God, to you so that you may send them together.

BH11880: Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who causeth the winds…

In the name of our Most Mighty, Most Great, Ever-Forgiving, Most Generous Lord!

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who causeth the winds to blow and cleaveth the dawn! I beseech Thee by Thy Command, before which nothing that hath been created in earth or heaven can stand, and by the light of Thy countenance which hath encompassed all things, and by Thy most sweet call amongst the people of creation, to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty and the clouds of Thy grace upon Thy creation and Thy creatures that which will adorn them with the ornament of certitude and draw them nigh unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all worlds.

O my Lord! Thou seest those who have held fast to the cord of Thy obedience and clung to the hem of Thy commandments, and who have arisen to make mention of Thee and to serve Thy Cause, and have spent what Thou hast given them in Thy path. These are they whom Thou hast described in Thy glorious Book with Thy most mighty, most great and most sublime words:

“and who prefer others before themselves, though poverty be their portion, and such as are preserved from their own avarice—these are they who prosper.”

O my Lord! Write down for them both from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in every condition, then give them to drink, with the hand of Thy bounty, from the Kawthar of certitude and assurance.

O our Lord, the All-Merciful! Thou art He Who hath ever been mighty to do as He pleaseth and will ever continue to be as Thou hast been from time immemorial. All created things have testified to Thy oneness and singleness, and all contingent beings to Thy greatness and power. I beseech Thee not to make Thy chosen ones be of those who hesitated after having hastened, and who were forbidden after having been commanded. Verily Thou art the Almighty, before Whose manifestation the Pharaohs of the earth and their hosts, and the tyrants of the lands and their ranks were powerless. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The sum of fifty tumans sent by their honors Aqa Muhammad Husayn and Aqa Muhammad Rida, upon them be the Glory of God, through Shaykh Salman, upon him be the Glory of God, reached this evanescent servant in the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani 1298.

BH04233: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name…

In the Name of our Lord, Who is the Supreme Ruler over all names

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of utterance hath surged in the kingdom of creation, through Whose Will the spheres of expression have been set in motion throughout all possibility, and through Whose Decree power and might have been manifested unto the righteous and the chosen ones. I beseech Thee by Him Who conversed upon Sinai, through Whom the trumpet was sounded and the resurrection appeared, to assist Thy loved ones and Thy chosen ones to accomplish that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy Book.

O Lord! Thou seest them turning toward Thee, voicing Thy praise, gazing toward Thy horizon, and clinging to the cord of Thy loving-kindness. I implore Thee to send down upon them that which will draw them closer to Thee in all conditions and cause them to celebrate Thy remembrance at morn and eventide. O Lord! Do not disappoint them of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy pure ones and the choicest of Thy creation, who have cast aside all else but Thee and have taken hold of Thy Book through Thy Name and Thy power. O Lord! Accept from them what they have wrought in Thy days, then make it a treasure for them in Thy celestial dominion and Thy realm of might.

Verily, Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing whatsoever escapeth. Thou hearest and seest all things, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

BH05190: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Ancient…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Generous, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious!

O God of Names and Creator of heaven, Who hast manifested Thyself through Thy Most Great, Most Exalted Name! I testify that Thou hast ever been sanctified above the mention of all created things and exalted above the praise of all contingent beings. Thou hast been and art single, unique and one, and wilt continue to be as Thou hast been from time immemorial. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Prison and what Thou didst endure from the peoples, to ordain through the Pen of Thy decree that which will draw Thy chosen ones nigh unto the ocean of Thy wisdom and the horizon of Thy knowledge. O Lord! They are they who heard Thy call and responded to Thee in Thy days. Preserve them, through Thy might and power and sovereignty, from the evil of those who turned away from meeting with Thee and denied Thy signs.

O Lord! Thou art He through Whose name the seas surged and the winds blew. Send down upon them from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will bring peace to their hearts, joy to their eyes, and gladness to their breasts. Verily Thou art He Whom the hosts of the world cannot frustrate, nor can the clamor of the nations prevent. Thou givest and withholdest. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great.

The sum of forty-seven tumans sent by Aqa Haydar, Mashhadi Husayn and Aqa ʿAli-Akbar, upon them be the glory of God, through Shaykh Salman, upon him be the glory of God, reached this evanescent servant in the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani 1298.

BH05406: Glorified art Thou, O God of the unseen…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

Glorified art Thou, O God of the unseen and the seen, Who hast appeared on this promised Day! I testify, and all created things and the tongues of all beings testify, that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been supreme over all names and sovereign over all things. Thou art He, O my God, unto Whose riches all who dwell in Thy earth and heaven have testified, and to Whose power all who abide in the dominion of Thy Cause and creation have borne witness. Thou hast created all beings and sent unto them Thy Messengers and Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets to bring them the glad-tidings of what Thou hast ordained for them through Thy bounty and favors.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the appearance of Thy Self and the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Source of Thy Cause, to aid Thy loved ones to remember Thee and praise Thee and serve Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou art the Generous One and in Thy grasp are the reins of all created things and the control of all beings. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him who hath turned to Thee and arisen to serve Thee. Aid him then, O my God, through Thy bounty and favors that his mention may thereby be exalted among Thy creation. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The items sent by that honored person and the honored person bearing the same name, Ibn-i-Lutf, and Muhammad-Qabl-ʿAli and Raj—upon thee and upon them be the Glory of God—were received by this servant through the honored Shaykh—upon him be the Glory of God—in the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani 1298.

BH05998: O Thou through the light of Whose countenance…

In the Name of our Lord, the All-Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing

O Thou through the light of Whose countenance the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee are illumined, and unto the ocean of Whose bounty the hearts of the sincere ones have hastened! Thou hast ever been, O my God, sanctified from the conditions of Thy creation and exalted above the hints of Thy creatures. Through Thy bounty Thou hast manifested and caused to appear that which draweth the servants nigh unto the ocean of Thy mercy and the horizon of Thy Manifestation. Among them are those who have heard and turned towards Thee, and among them are those who, when they heard, turned away and denied Thy proof and disbelieved in Thy signs. O Lord! Thou seest those who have turned towards Thee in the hands of the idolaters.

I beseech Thee by the arms of Thy power and the manifestations of Thy might to preserve them from the evil of the enemies of Thy Self and to grant them, through Thy bounty and Thy gifts, the good of this world and of the world to come. O Lord! Thou art the Strong and they are the weak before Thy gate. Assist them in Thy remembrance and praise and in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Lord of the worlds and the One manifest through the Most Great Name. There is none other God but Thee, the Single One, the All-Powerful, the All-Informed.

The sum of fifty-seven tumans together with one sword and three pieces of pilgrim’s garments sent by Ibn-i-Fath-i-A’zam, upon both of whom be the Glory of God, through Shaykh Salman, upon whom be the Glory of God, reached this evanescent servant in the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani 1298.

BH00128: Praise be to God Who hath manifested through wisdom…

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who hath manifested through…”

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

Praise be to God Who hath manifested through wisdom, revealed His Cause through wisdom, commanded all through wisdom, and made victory to reside in utterance and wisdom. Exalted is the Lord of wisdom and the Manifestor of wisdom, Who hath made it sharper than swords, more penetrating than spears, and more piercing than arrows. Praise be to God Who, when He was established upon the throne in the garden named Ridvan, uttered three decisive verses: by the first He abolished the law of the sword and established in its place mention and utterance; by the second He manifested all names unto all things. Exalted is the Creator of heaven Who spoke that whereby the earth and all therein were attracted, save those who clung to what they possessed and cast away what was with God, the Lord of all mankind. I pray, offer salutations, and glorify those who acted according to what they were commanded and followed what God revealed in the scriptures and tablets.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance! The servant hath attained to that which shone forth from the horizon of your pen, which moveth only to celebrate the praise and glory of God, to manifest His Cause and exalt His Word. When my heart was illumined by that radiant light, I approached the seat of the throne. When I arrived, I presented what was in your letter. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in the kingdom of utterance—and verily He is the proof for all who dwell in the realm of possibility—saying, exalted be His glory:

In My Name, the Wronged One

O My Name! Be thou ready to hearken unto the call of thy Lord. Verily, the Self-Subsisting remembereth thee with the most exalted remembrance, the Beloved calleth thee with the sweetest call, He Who is remembered mentioneth thee with the most glorious mention, and the Desired One turneth toward thee with His face that endureth after the passing of all things. Exalted is the Lord of Names Who, when established upon the throne, uttered a word whereby the earth and all therein were shaken, save every heedless one who clung to an idol among idols. Say: O people of Iran! The All-Merciful hath come to draw you nigh and teach you what behooveth man. You turned away and denied until you pronounced judgment against Him by Whom the eyes of the messengers whom God sent unto His servants were solaced.

Say: He commanded you to goodness, but you chose evil, and there appeared from you that which caused the trees to lament. Say: By God! The Interlocutor of the Mount hath come! He is the One promised unto you in the scriptures and tablets. Say: Beware lest your conditions prevent you from God, the Lord of lords. Leave what you possess and hold fast to that which the Mother Book hath uttered before all faces, as a command from God, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

O Zayn! Glorify on My behalf those among My loved ones who have cast aside all else but Me and have drunk the choice wine of My mercy from the hand of My bounty. Then command them according to what hath been sent down from the heaven of My will and the kingdom of My purpose. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have counseled them with wisdom and with that which will elevate their stations in the contingent world. Say: Be ye God’s trustees on earth and the emblems of His remembrance amidst mankind. Consort with all people in a spirit of joy and fragrance, such that no heart be saddened by you nor the hearts of those whom God hath created by His command be troubled. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

O My loved ones in Al-Hadba and other lands! By the life of God, the Supreme Pen hath turned toward you and maketh mention of you with the most glorious remembrance, revealing unto you the pearls from the ocean of your Lord’s wisdom, the Lord of all days. Blessed is he for whom God hath ordained a portion of that which hath appeared from the ocean of His grace, which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth. Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have recognized the decree of the Beginning and the Return.

O Zayn! God willing, thou shalt be illumined and radiant through divine grace. Praise be to God that thou hast not been negligent in serving the Cause and spreading the divine verses. This station is most exalted. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord, the All-Knowing.

O Zayn of the near ones! We have summoned all servants to the highest horizon and guided them to the divine ocean of knowledge. Likewise, We have commanded all to aid the Cause, and We have mentioned with clearest utterance the assistance that hath been revealed in the divine words. Nevertheless, it is observed that some are heedless of the meaning of assistance and what God hath intended thereby, that is, they have not understood. A hundred thousand regrets that the people of Baha are still unaware! Some have interpreted and continue to interpret assistance according to their own desires, although from the Supreme Pen countless times hath this most glorious word been revealed: The assistance of God’s Cause hath been and is through wisdom and utterance, not through violence and corruption. We have forbidden all from conflict and corruption, yet they have not desisted, for they are unaware of the purpose. And souls who arise for God’s sake and remind the people are and have been rare. Therefore, most remain in their own vain imaginings.

Inform the people of Nun and Jim of the divine commandments. All must hold fast to that which the Truth uttereth and must prefer God’s Will to their own will and know God’s Purpose to be sovereign and paramount over their purpose. At times the Truth, exalted be His glory, with a single word subdues and conquers the world. Whosoever hath been blessed to read the Surih of Ra’is and its like becometh somewhat aware of divine power. And at times when they cause harm to the Self of Truth, the Truth is seen to remain quiet and patient. All matters proceed according to wisdom, but since the servants are unaware, they are sometimes content and sometimes complainant.

In this Most Great Revelation, the decree of the sword, corruption, conflict, disputation and the like have been strictly forbidden in the Book. If today someone should manifest evil intent toward the Wronged One, We would certainly not oppose him. In this Revelation, the ocean of loving-kindness is surging, the sea of grace is manifest, and the sun of generosity is shining. Some of the friends in the land of Nun and Jim are unaware of these stations. Convey greetings to them from the Truth and explain the meaning of assistance so that all may become aware of what is beloved in God’s sight. Although the hearts of the loved ones are wounded by the deeds of the oppressors—indeed the serpent and the wolf have committed that which hath caused the Messenger to lament in the most exalted Paradise, and the Holy Maiden in the highest Heaven, and the Supreme Pen in this most glorious station—nevertheless, obedience to God’s command and submission to His ordinances are necessary and obligatory. All ears and eyes must be attentive to see what will appear from the horizon of the Cause.

Let eyes be watchful to see what will appear from the horizon of the Cause and what command will issue from the Tongue of Grandeur. If anyone should commit that which is contrary to the will of God and His manifest command, the injury thereof will revert upon the Truth Itself. Should anyone today harass or injure any of God’s enemies, he hath not aided the Truth and will not be accounted among its helpers in the Book, for he hath acted against God’s command and moreover hath caused injury to the Truth and His loved ones. All matters are conditional upon the confirmation and acceptance of the Truth. O My loved ones! Set aside whatsoever ye wish and desire, and take what ye are commanded by God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. Place your trust in God concerning what hath come upon you and hold fast to patience and forbearance. This is better for you, as His wise Book doth testify.

Some time ago, in answer to one of the friends who imagined he was rendering assistance but who in reality was causing harm to the Cause, these exalted words were revealed from the Dayspring of the Will of the Lord of Names and Attributes. His words, exalted be His grandeur: Beware, beware lest thou do what thou wrote at the end of thy letter. These are the deeds of the ignorant and the acts of the heedless. I swear by the Most Great Name that if any of the friends should injure anyone, it is as though he hath injured the Truth Itself. Conflict, disputation, corruption, murder and the like have been strictly forbidden in God’s Book. Turn unto God in repentance for what thou didst intend, then return unto Him and say:

O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word to ordain for me the word of forgiveness, for I have intended in my soul that which Thou didst not desire and which Thou didst forbid in Thy Book. I beseech Thee to remit my evil deeds and immerse me in the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Every injustice manifested by an oppressor—leave him to the Truth Itself. The hand of divine justice is all-encompassing and all-pervasive. There is no need for corruption, conflict, disputation, murder and pillage. The victory of the Cause hath been and will be through utterance, and anything else stems from the promptings of self. God protect us and you, O concourse of those who have turned unto Him.

Many such exalted words have been revealed in these days so that all the friends may become aware of the divine will and not commit that which would cause harm to God’s Cause and injury to His chosen ones and holy ones. Verily He knoweth and judgeth, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

Regarding what you wrote about him who ascended to the Supreme Companion and what remained of him—these matters were presented before the Most Holy Court. He said: “We have accepted this and have entrusted it to Zein. He may do with it as he pleaseth.” He also said: “The luminous countenance—upon him be My glory and My light—We have likewise entrusted to Zein.” Both matters have been accepted and are referred to you. The Command is in His hand, and He is the Commander, the All-Wise.

As to what you mentioned concerning Aqa Muhammad Husayn, mention of him had previously been made in the Most Holy Court, and a most mighty and impenetrable Tablet specially revealed for him from the heaven of loving-kindness was dispatched along with Tablets for the land of H, which were sent from the direction of the land of Qaf. God willing, he will attain unto these. And again mention of him was made in the Most Holy Court, and the Sun of loving-kindness shone forth and appeared from the horizon of grace. God willing, he will attain unto these glad-tidings.

Likewise mention of Aqa ʿAbdu’l-Vahhab was made in the Most Exalted Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke forth in the Kingdom of Utterance:

He is the Most Great

O Vahhab! The Wronged One Who hath spoken forth what He was commanded by God, the Lord of the worlds, maketh mention of thee. The world hath been illumined by the Luminary of Revelation, and yet most of the people are heedless. Among them are those who heard and denied, those who saw and turned away, and those who turned with clear certitude toward God. Blessed is the heart that hath attained unto recognition and the eye that hath beheld His luminous horizon. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause in such wise that the intimations of the ungodly deter thee not. Act in accordance with what thou hast been commanded in the Book of God. He will aid thee and be with thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

He is the Most Holy

We make mention of him who was named with Alif and Qaf (Aqa Jan), that he may hear what was heard by the ears of them who are nigh, who have cast the world behind them and turned with clear certitude toward the Lord of Eternity. These are servants whom neither swords deterred nor arrows frightened in this firm and wise Cause. When thou attainest unto the Book of thy Lord, take hold of it with such strength as is vouchsafed by God, the Strong, the Mighty. This is a Day wherein fruits have appeared and mysteries been revealed, and yet most of the people remain heedless. This is the Day of Recompense, and yet most of mankind remain turned away. Blessed is he who turned toward God when the Call was raised from His noble station. The glory shining forth from the horizon of grace be upon them that have believed in God, the Mighty, the Great.

And as to what was written concerning Aqa Muhammad Javad, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], this is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke forth:

He is the One Who speaketh the truth

O Muhammad-Javad! Verily We behold the two matters in the two most evident mysteries: once We made mention of the land of Sad in that which caused the world to smile, and once in that which caused the Lord of nations to lament. Observe then the mercy of God and His grace, and what the serpent hath wrought. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O land of Sad! We counsel thee regarding the trusts of God and His chosen ones. Thus did We counsel thee aforetime when My Most Exalted Pen moved and lamented over what befell the Cause at the hands of them that wronged and denied the right of God when He came with manifest sovereignty.

Say: O My loved ones! Sorrows have overtaken you by reason of what hath befallen you. Rejoice ye this day in that the countenance of the Ancient Beauty hath turned toward you from His most exalted horizon and maketh mention of you in that which caused the hearts of the sincere ones to be attracted. Thus hath My tongue spoken forth in My Kingdom of utterance as a token of My grace, and I am verily the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. The glory be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have migrated in My path and borne hardships in My love, and upon every assured and steadfast one.

Concerning the two maidservants about whom you wrote, regarding what they had done, this was presented at the Most Holy Court. No response issued forth from the Dayspring of the Cause, and they commanded to present another matter. Therefore this servant is uncertain whether they will later be blessed with the word of forgiveness or not. The Command is in the hand of God, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Regarding the matter of the departed wife of Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God, which you wrote about—this was presented. He, exalted be His grandeur, said:

“Verily she hath attained unto forgiveness. We made mention of her before with beautiful remembrance.”

Now she is free from the turbidities of this dust-laden world and, with utmost joy and fragrance, is dwelling and moving in the Supreme Horizon. Upon her be the Glory of God, His mercy, His praise and His remembrance. End quote.

And likewise, concerning Karbila’i Aqa Jan, these clear verses were sent down from the heaven of loving-kindness. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

Section 2: “In My Name, the Rememberer and the Remembered…”

In My Name, the Rememberer and the Remembered

O Letter Qaf between the two Alifs! Hearken unto the Call of the Meeting Place of the Two Seas from these two Most Exalted Names, at whose appearance the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was split open, the Cry was raised in truth, and every firm pillar was shaken. Through them the Qaim appeared and gave glad tidings to the people of the Qayyum, at Whose manifestation the birds warbled upon the trees. God hath come with a Cause before which all the hosts of the earth combined cannot stand. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in His mighty prison. Say: Through My Name the Kingdom of Names appeared, and through My Call the Call was raised from the Dawning-Place of Glory, and by My Command all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save those whom We preserved, rescued and delivered. And I am verily the Powerful over what I will, and I am the Mighty. Thus were the hosts of revelation arrayed in the form of words in these lines which have appeared in this luminous Tablet. When thou attainest unto My Book, rejoice and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!

Whatever wealth they plundered in the land of Sad, and from every drop of blood that was unjustly shed in that land, countless beings have perished and continue to perish. Likewise, slumber hath not overtaken and will not overtake the wealth of Truth—it is ever wakeful and aware. Assuredly shall the oppressors be tormented by the fruits of their deeds. From the manifestation of one deed of Ubaidullah the Second, there appeared and was committed that which Ubaidullah the First had shunned. Lo! The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people! Nothing hath appeared or will appear without cause and effect. Consider how many souls have perished and how many towns and dwellings have returned to dust and are now seen as barren plains.

This is the portion today, and what shall come to pass hereafter God alone knoweth. Think not that the loved ones who were slain amid this by the swords of oppressors were lost. I swear by the Sun of the Kingdom of Truth that every soul among the friends of God who in that event drank the cup of martyrdom ascended to the Supreme Horizon and now dwelleth at rest beneath the canopies of God’s mercy. Were those stations to be revealed even to the extent of a needle’s eye, all would cry out “Would that I had been with them!” And every friend who suffered outward loss—that was and is complete gain. The people of Baha have been and are in magnificent gain.

If in any day of days and time of times, some loss should occur in accordance with divine wisdom’s requirements, one must not grieve over it. God will assuredly adorn it with the ornament of supreme gain. Verily He is the Truth, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. End.

As you wrote stating that His honor Aqa Azizu’llah from the Land of Kha had requested that you mention him in the Most Holy Court and seek bounties on behalf of the friends in the Land of Kha—Mulla Ali, Aqa Mirza Kazim, Aqa Khudadad, Aqa Shahvardi and others, upon them be the Glory of God—all were mentioned in the Most Holy Court. In these days especially, from the heaven of Will, Most Holy Tablets have been revealed for each one, and likewise exalted and wondrous verses concerning the loved ones of the Land of Kha have flowed from the Supreme Pen. Now two posts specifically for the Land of Kha have gone, and another will go this week, and likewise next week or the week after. Yes, previously there were delays for some time, through His wisdom, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. They commanded that His honor Zayn should give them glad tidings of the Tablets and what was revealed for them.

Furthermore, regarding those two handmaidens who after being mentioned were not blessed with the expression of favor, at this time the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke these words:

“O thou servant who art present, We once declared to His honor Zayn that if he were to intercede for even the most wretched of people, We would accept it. Therefore divine forgiveness encompassed their condition. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous.”

End.

It is submitted that truly their deeds were most reprehensible. It was purely through kindness to that honored one that the word of forgiveness was heard from the mouth of the All-Merciful’s grace. His is the praise and favor.

Furthermore, He commanded to write to His honor Zayn that he should observe great wisdom. The power of Islam has begun to weaken. This has not been and is not except due to the heedlessness of the heedless ones and the oppression of the oppressors. No one has attempted to remedy it and what is worse, they have not even understood the cause of the weakness. In their vain imaginings they have increased their ignorant zeal and useless prejudices. Therefore great care must be taken. Some people are introduced in the name of friendship, love and acceptance so they may become informed of the Cause. In any case, they have placed and do place spies. All friends should observe wisdom. They should not believe every speaker, accept every seeker, trust every newcomer, or reveal to every flatterer. Thus does the Wronged One counsel His loved ones and friends out of His grace.

In these matters great care must be taken. If they would observe with the eye of fairness and keep in view the side of truth, all would approach this Most Exalted Cause with complete humility. But since they soar on the wings of passion and look with the eye of tyranny, therefore the veiling of signs and tokens is most fitting and appropriate. Now they know the pain for they see it, but they are heedless of the Physician and remedy. They have considered pure justice as oppression and pure good as evil. Thus have their souls seduced them while they perceive not.

The mention of Mulla ʿAli-Akbar—upon him rest the most glorious splendours of Baha’u’llah—was laid before the Most Holy Presence. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered:

“O Ali-Akbar! The Speaker of Sinai in this Dispensation hath spoken thus:”Glory is not his who loveth his country, but glory is his who loveth the world.” This utterance hath, ere this, shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s holy Tablet. Well is it with them that comprehend! O Ali, make all aware that they may discover and understand the true meaning of assistance as revealed in God’s Book from the heaven of His Will. Let them not consider corruption to be reform, nor count murder and plunder among the means of rendering aid. True assistance is through utterance and that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book. Under all conditions, exert your utmost effort that the fragrance of discord may be wholly dispelled and the sun of unity and concord may shine forth from the horizons of hearts. God willing, the fruits of this endeavor shall appear and its effects become manifest through earnest striving.

“O Zayn! In these special days a most wondrous and impregnable Tablet was revealed and sent to the aforementioned soul. God willing, may he attain to that which He loveth and is pleased with, and may he achieve true martyrdom in this divine Day. Convey to him My glad-tidings and mention unto him that which My tongue hath uttered in the kingdom of My utterance.” End.

As for what thou didst write concerning Haji Kazem, Mirza Hasan and Aqa Ali, upon them be the Glory of God, this is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful hath spoken:

He is the Most Holy

O Kazim! Thy mention hath come before the Wronged One, and this mighty, impregnable Tablet hath been revealed for thee. We have mentioned thee before and mention thee now as a favor from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Grieve not over anything. Rejoice in that the Most Exalted Pen remembereth thee from this sublime station. Today, every soul must engage in service to the Cause, and the service and triumph of the Cause hath been and shall ever be teaching, as well as unity and harmony among the loved ones, and showing consideration and fellowship toward one another. O Kazem! Hold fast unto that which God hath desired, for it is better for thee than that which thou desirest. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Wise, the All-Informed. God willing, mayest thou be occupied in service to God’s Cause with supreme steadfastness. Today this service taketh precedence over all deeds. Thus doth the Clear Book command thee. O Kazem! We make mention of the Kazem who was martyred in My path and sacrificed his soul for love of Me. By God’s life! He hath attained to a station whose description hath left the tongues of the mystics powerless.

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious

O Hasan! There hath befallen this Name that which caused Hussein to lament in the Most Exalted Kingdom and made the eyes of the denizens of Paradise to shed tears, yet the wrongdoers are in evident joy. Soon shall the breezes of chastisement from God, the Lord of all worlds, overtake them. Blessed is the visitor who visiteth him and the seeker who seeketh his holy resting place. We make mention of him and his brother as a favor from Us, and We are the All-Mentioning, the All-Knowing. God willing, mayest thou be blessed with divine favors and act according to that which God hath desired. Given the upheaval in these realms, pilgrimage to this land is not advisable. Trusting in God, remain occupied with the mention of the Beloved of all creation in the lands of Iran. He recordeth for those who hold fast to goodness the reward of them that have attained. Glory be upon those who have hearkened to My call and acted according to that which was commanded by Me.

In the name of the Peerless Lord, the All-Knowing

O Ali! My name Zayn mentioned thee, and the Supreme Pen hath turned toward thee from this Most Glorious Station that perchance thou mayest be set ablaze by the fire of divine love in such wise that thou mayest become freed from thine own will and desire and wish, and hold fast unto the Will of God. With utmost joy and fragrance, busy thyself with the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. To turn towards these lands is contrary to wisdom. Whosoever is with God, God shall be with him. This is the unique pearl of the ocean of knowledge: “Be thou for Me that I may be for thee.” Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the Kingdom of Utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard and rendered thanks.

He is the Most Great, the Most Ancient

O Ali-Qabli-Akbar! Beware lest thy desire prevent thee from the Will of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Verily He knoweth, judgeth, seeth and remembereth. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Be thou as one extinct before the manifestations of His Cause and content with what God hath ordained in the Book. It behooveth thee to move by My Will and walk in My Path. Thus doth the Revealer of verses teach thee. Give thanks unto God for having revealed unto thee these verses whereby the horizons have been illumined. By the life of God! All that hath been created on earth cannot equal one word thereof. He Who hath spoken beareth witness that there is none other God but Me, the One, the Chosen One.

And regarding what thou didst mention about Mulla Alijan, upon him be the glory of God, God willing whatever hath been revealed in these stations along with the two pages of questions concerning the Most Holy Book and the Book of Prayers shall be sent. At present this servant is engaged outside the city in the presence of His Countenance, and what hath been revealed in these stations is not at hand.

Concerning what thou didst write about Haji Muhammad who is among the relatives of the honored guest, upon her be the glory of God, it hath been presented and there hath been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur that which sufficeth him throughout the duration of the kingdom and the realm. The servant conveyeth greetings unto him and giveth him glad-tidings of the favors of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Forgiving, the Generous.

And concerning what thou didst mention about the wife of Muhammad-Qabli-Ali, upon him be the glory of God, it hath been presented before His Countenance and the Desired One hath answered in such wise that all the tongues of the world have become submissive to it and the Pen hath moved upon it from time immemorial. And this is a mention that appeareth thus; otherwise, what have I to do with mentioning one whom none among all created things hath known? Exalted, exalted is He above my description and the description of those above me. Give that leaf glad-tidings of God’s mention.

The servant hath attained the presence and presented that which was submitted by him who was named Muhammad-Qabli-Sadiq. When the Desired One heard it, He spoke—and His utterance is the sweetest—“Blessed is he for having spoken with kindness and mentioned that which was befitting to mention. Joy be unto him and unto whosoever hath turned unto him in the path of God.” O Zayn! Such deeds as these are most beloved in the sight of the Wronged One. Convey My greetings unto them both and give them glad-tidings of My mention. Say: “O My servant, upon thee be My glory! O Hasan! Thou hast heard and acted upon what the Tongue of God spoke aforetime in His words ʿDo good as God hath dealt well with thee.”’ We make mention of the loved ones of God in that place and convey Our greetings unto them, and We pray for those who have held fast unto righteousness and acted according to what they were commanded in the Book. Give them glad-tidings and remind them. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. The Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon My handmaidens who have believed in God, the Lord of Lords.

Another submission: since a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet has been specifically revealed from the heaven of God’s will for his honor Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, this servant did not presume further, and surely this excuse is acceptable. We beseech the Most High to assist us in serving His Cause in all conditions. Mention of self-effacement and nothingness from this servant is suspended and contingent upon your honor’s favors. God willing, may all drink from the ocean of divine knowledge with utmost joy and gladness, with certitude and assurance, and be occupied with the mention of the Peerless Friend. Glory be upon your honor and upon those who hearken to your words and your utterance in the Cause of God, the Lord of existence.

Another submission regarding His Holiness Ismu’llah-i-Asdaq, upon him be, from all glory, its most glorious: This Most Holy, Most Exalted utterance was revealed at this time, His mighty and glorious Word:

“Verily We make mention of Our Name, the Most Truthful, who traveled through the lands until he attained the presence at the Gate and heard what Moses heard on the Mount of Knowledge from the tongue of the loving-kindness of his Lord, the All-Merciful. Blessed is he and blessed is he who maketh mention of him through that which hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen from God, the Cleaver of the dawn and the Lord of Names.”

End.

The servant 3 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1298

BH00166: Waves of praise and glory befit and beseem…

Section 1: “Waves of praise and glory befit and beseem…”

In the Name of our Most Great, Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord

Waves of praise and glory befit and beseem the Beloved One Who, through His wondrous favor, abolished the law of the sword and raised in its stead the standard of utterance. He summoned all on earth to the most exalted horizon and commanded the triumph of His Cause, limiting victory to utterance alone, that the sincere ones, the near ones, the assured ones, and the wise ones might, through the wisdom revealed and the utterances of the Lord of Oneness, awaken the heedless people and draw them to the pavilion of divine majesty. Blessed are they who have found the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and acted according to His good-pleasure. My spirit and the spirit of all in the world be a sacrifice for His tenderness! He hath abolished the law of the sword and forbidden all that causeth grief, let alone anything beyond that. Exalted, exalted be His bounty and exalted be His mercy! I beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist all to fulfill what He hath commanded them in His Book and to make known to them the stations of goodly character and pure, sincere deeds.

Should all on earth discover the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, they would assuredly turn to naught else and would forever circle round His will. I implore God, exalted be His glory, that through His loved ones they may comprehend the purpose of victory as set forth in the Book of God, that all may discover the fragrance of deeds performed for God’s sake and arise to do that which is beloved this day.

O my God and God of all things, my Beloved and the Beloved of all in earth and heaven! I beseech Thee to shower from the clouds of Thy bounty the rain of knowledge and understanding upon the good soil of assured souls, that all may testify with absolute certainty to Thy power and refer the requital of the transgressors and oppressors unto Thee, while they themselves consort with all the peoples of the world with the utmost kindness and mercy. Verily, He is the Triumphant, the Powerful, the Forceful, the Mighty, the All-Powerful.

O beloved of my heart! Your letter which dawned from the horizon of love and affection on the first of Safar taught melody to the bird of the heart and guided the nightingale of the soul to the rose garden of divine knowledge. May you ever be confirmed and assisted in this righteous deed. After becoming aware, that which neither nourishes nor satisfies turned towards the Mother Book, and the ephemeral drop turned towards the eternal ocean. After attaining presence in the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Court, your supplication was presented to its conclusion. This is what was revealed from the Kingdom of utterance of our Lord, the Most Merciful. His word, exalted be His glory:

“O Ali! We have heard that wherewith thou hast praised God. It behooveth thee to hear at this time that which appeareth from the Kingdom of praise. We have found in thy words the fragrance of humility, submissiveness and steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of Names, and We desired to attract thee in such wise that thou wouldst find the fragrance of might, power and grandeur. O Ali! Mine ear hath heard that wherewith thou didst commune with God at a time when My tongue was speaking, saying that the remembrance, utterance and praise which appeared from the mines of God’s knowledge, the dawning-places of His revelation and the treasuries of His mercy were for My Self, and I am the Hearer, the Beholder, the Answerer, the Mighty, the Wise. The servant presented thy letter and read what was therein before the Wronged One, Who hath confined His affairs to the mention of God, the Lord of the worlds. Convey My greetings to My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My grace, My bounty, My mercy, My favors and My gifts. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous.”

Give thou the glad-tidings of God’s grace to all and make them joyous through His bounty. Say: Let all fix their gaze upon this blessed word which hath appeared from the horizon of the preserved tablet:

“Verily the victory of My Cause is through My Self and is within the grasp of My power and the right hand of My might. Blessed is the soul that findeth the fragrance of what We have mentioned in this exalted station. We requite with justice and judge with truth, and I am the Powerful, the Mighty.”

All must place their trust in God and fix their gaze upon His will. For every matter a time hath been set in God’s Book. When it cometh to pass that which He hath willed shall be made manifest. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Wise.

In this Most Great Revelation, victory hath been and shall be through the Word of Truth. Ponder the Surih of Ra’is and the like thereof that ye may become aware of the power of the divine Word. Whatsoever events of the time that flowed from the Pen of the Most Merciful aforetime were with utmost clarity. None had any way to escape or delay. Today all the friends must manifest complete unity and harmony, and likewise through goodly deeds and virtuous character. These matters in this Revelation are the hosts of victory and are reckoned before the Throne as helpers of the Cause. Had the friends from the beginning of days heeded with ears of submission and contentment the counsels of the Beloved of all creation, now would the divine Word be seen manifest and evident in the world. Conflict and contention and deeds and actions that were not pleasing caused delay and were the cause of postponement. My Perspicuous Book beareth witness to this. O Ali! Make all aware of the divine will, that all may discover the meaning of victory and attain unto God’s will.

In some tablets wherein mention hath been made of arising, calling and proclamation, what is intended is arising to teach God’s Cause. And by “cry” is meant the arising to teach God’s Cause, and this with perfect wisdom. Today wisdom takes precedence over most deeds. In one place this blessed verse was revealed: “This is the Day of awakening, yet ye are sleeping.” And likewise in another place: “This is the Day of the Call, yet ye are silent,” and so forth. And likewise similar to that blessed word which thou thyself hast mentioned is Our utterance aforetime: “The necks have been stretched forth in hypocrisy.” And I swear by My Self, the Truth—what was meant was not material swords and instruments of war, nor is it now.

The Truth is true—whatsoever is revealed from the Supreme Pen is itself the cause and means of the world’s peace and tranquility. Say: None may interpret My words according to his desires or explain them as he pleases. Man’s station is too exalted to turn to these unworthy, forbidden things. Today love is beloved and kindness is desired, and unity and concord are themselves the cause and means for the manifestation of God’s grace and blessing, from the presence of God, the Forgiving, the Generous. Inform all, that they may free themselves from their vain imaginings and hold fast to that which God hath willed. Blessed are they that act. The people of Sad who have drunk of the choice wine and become wanderers in God’s path have been and are in Our sight.

By God’s life! They are beneath the glance of His favor. Say: Be not grieved at what hath befallen you. God hath made it a treasure for you. He, verily, is the Trusted, the Faithful One.

Your tribulations and afflictions are as treasures and are preserved in the divine repositories of God’s trust. With utmost joy and gladness, speak in praise of the Revealer of verses, and at all times drink of the choice sealed wine from His blessed chalice. You drink, and He saith “May it be pleasant”; you partake, and He uttereth “May it be wholesome.” Every deed in this world hath produced and will produce an effect. Be assured of God’s grace and mercy, and take what ye are bidden with joy and radiance. He, verily, is the Witness, the Observer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning Muhammad-Qabli-Javad and his wife, this is what God, the Lord of creation, hath revealed:

In My Name, the All-Knowing

Knowledge crieth out saying:

“O concourse of divines! God hath manifested me that I might guide you to the Path and draw you nigh unto the Kingdom of understanding, yet ye have clung to me and turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds, and through me ye have waxed proud before Him Who created you, and were of the wrongdoers.”

By God, the Truth! I am innocent of you, and to this He Who hath come with a mighty Cause doth testify. The atoms themselves have borne witness to your ignorance and your turning away and your opposition to the All-Informed One. O thou who hast turned to the Countenance! Give thanks unto God for having preserved thee from these people and caused thee to recognize Him Who is adorned with His own remembrance. God, the Mighty, the Wise, hath written. The glory be upon thee and upon thy wife and My handmaidens and upon My servants who have cast the world behind their backs and acted according to what they were bidden in a gracious Tablet.

He is the One Who ruleth over all names.

O thou who art named after My Name! Hearken unto My call, then act in a manner befitting this Name at Whose appearance the pillars of idolatry were shaken and every firm and mighty foundation was made to tremble. Hold fast unto the cord of truthfulness and trustworthiness, and cleave unto that which will exalt the Cause of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Blessed is thy father who took the cup of reunion from the hand of My loving-kindness and drank in My presence in My gracious Name. Shouldst thou hear My call, it would attract thee to a station wherein thou wouldst behold naught in creation save the manifestations of My loving-kindness and the evidences of My power, and wouldst find naught but the fragrances of My luminous garment. We counsel thee and thy mother with that which beseemeth these days. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. From this station We send Our greetings to thy brother, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Merciful.

Concerning what thou didst write about a letter received from the people of N and J expressing distress about the incident in the Land of Sad, this was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Presence. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in reply, exalted be His majesty: O Ali, O thou who gazest toward My horizon, O thou who art mentioned in My presence! By My life, were they to look with Mine eye they would be thankful, but today they do not understand. Observe how the Hand of Power hath manifested such bounty regarding the two brilliant Lights. He hath assigned them a station in the highest paradise while their enemies are in the lowest depths.

Exalted, exalted is He Who hath raised them up and revealed their station which was concealed from the eyes of men. By God’s life, all the divine messengers yearn and hope for their station. Were the veil to be lifted, all on earth would exclaim at the greatness of that mighty and sublime station. Those two oppressors are not and never were worthy of mention. Say: Leave them to themselves. Sufficient unto them is what they have wrought in the days of God, the King, the Almighty, the Powerful. God willing, they should engage in teaching the Cause of God with the utmost joy and fragrance. God will soon reveal what He willeth. With Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Beware lest ye commit what ye have been forbidden in the Book of God, or perpetrate that which would cause corruption in the land. Fear ye God, O My loved ones, and be possessed of gracious patience. The existence or non-existence of the people of tyranny, lewdness, oppression and transgression hath brought no benefit to the people of truth and the two Lights mentioned. Rather, should a contrary matter appear, its flames would bring great harm to the Cause of God.

This word hath been sent down from the Kingdom of utterance in the name of the Beauty, upon Him be the Glory of God. This Most Great Revelation is the revelation of universal mercy. By the Truth itself, were all outward power—which in reality hath never had, nor hath, any station before God—to be made manifest, and were a swordsman to stand before Us with evil intent, We would most certainly not oppose him but would leave him to himself. End.

O My loved ones! Rejoice ye in My remembrance. We make mention of you from this station with a remembrance that shall never fade, and We greet you with such a greeting that, when it appeareth from the Dayspring of utterance, all things possible cry out in praise, and all things proclaim: “All praise be to God, the Lord of this manifest Cause!” By the life of God! All that ye behold today cannot compare with this remembrance. He Who hath subdued the world through His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous, beareth witness to this.

This is the divine assistance that hath flowed and continueth to flow from the Supreme Pen. He, verily, is the Helper, the Almighty. Every word that proceedeth from the tongue of grandeur hath influence upon the world, and its effects must needs become manifest in the realm of creation. This is a day wherein all the friends of God must fix their gaze upon the supreme horizon. The Glory be upon you, O My loved ones in that realm, and the praise be upon you from One mighty and powerful.

Section 2: “O ʿAli-Akbar! In these days, whatsoever hath been…”

O ʿAli-Akbar! In these days, whatsoever hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Will hath concerned the meaning of assistance, lest any ignorant one should commit that which might prevent the flow of God’s hidden bounties. Inform the friends of all that hath proceeded from the Pen of the Most Merciful, that perchance they may lift their gaze from the dust and, sanctified from deeds that neither nourish nor profit, may turn their faces to the Kingdom of God’s Will. Verily, He speaketh the truth, and He, verily, is the Single, the One, the All-Wise. End.

Now for nigh upon twenty days, of all that hath appeared from the Supreme Pen, one portion thereof hath concerned the word “assistance,” that perchance the servants may become aware and act in accordance with what God hath willed. Although in these days the blessed constitution is somewhat indisposed in its outward form, yet neither by night nor by day hath there been any pause in the manifestation of grace, the exaltation of the Word, and the diffusion of verses and signs. Were it possible, this servant would kiss the feet of each one of the friends and entreat them not to commit that which causeth grief to the Ancient Beauty. What hath occurred sufficeth. By the Truth itself, such deeds are a barrier that preventeth the flow of hidden bounties. Were they aware of this, they would lament. Heedlessness hath overtaken the dwellers of earth, save those whom God hath willed.

In regard to your mention of visiting the Most Great Martyr, God’s Name Ha, upon Him be all His most glorious Glory, it was submitted before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. He, exalted be His grandeur, said:

“We have permitted him to visit those whom the Concourse on High visited and for whom the Sadratu’l-Muntaha lamented. He verily enableth whomsoever seeketh his Lord and casteth behind him all else.”

This evanescent servant begs that you make the pilgrimage once on my behalf. Verily, He does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.

And regarding what you wrote about your intention after the pilgrimage to visit the friends of God in those regions and console and comfort them, these matters were submitted before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. Then my ears heard what my Lord uttered:

“O servant in attendance! Write to Ali-Qabli-Akbar, upon him be My Glory, to proceed with wisdom and utterance to the lands he desires. By the life of God, this is a blessed deed! Today, souls at rest must proceed with the Book of God to cities and villages that perchance a soul might guide a lost soul and make it aware of the dawning of the Sun of Truth. If proper attention is paid, surely results will follow. Set ablaze the contingent world with the fire of utterance and cause it to flame, and acquaint all with what God intended by the meaning of assistance, that all may arise to that which is worthy and befitting of the Divine Day. Blessed is the soul that is slain but slayeth not, that is sacrificed but sacrificeth not, that is struck but striketh not. These souls are recorded and inscribed among the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. O Ali! When thou passest through My lands and enterest My countries, glorify My loved ones and acquaint them with the ocean of My loving-kindness, the sun of My grace, and the heaven of My bounty. Remind them of that which gladdeneth their hearts and give them the glad tidings that I have mentioned their names by the Pen of My Will in My Preserved Tablet.”

End.

And regarding what you wrote that at the time of writing, Aqa ʿAbdu’l-Karim from S and Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Ibrahim from K, upon them be the Glory of God, arrived and requested that mention be made of them in the Most Holy Presence—excellent is what they desired and excellent is what they intended, for this station is very great. Although now, due to the all-encompassing mercy and grace, its value is veiled, surely the veil will one day be lifted and what is hidden will be revealed. The Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him, says that all exist so that they might be mentioned once in His presence. Mention of both was submitted in the Most Holy Presence as requested. This is what appeared from the Kingdom of the All-Merciful’s utterance. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

“O Karim! We have heard thy call and what thou didst desire was witnessed in the Most Holy Presence. Ask God to enable thee to perform that which is pleasing unto Him. If thou attainest to this station, that is, if thou holdest fast to the laws of the Book in the path of God, detached from all else, surely thou shalt be honored and successful in what thou hast desired. Be thankful that the Wronged One hath mentioned thee and revealed for thee that from which every fair-minded one who hath recognized his Lord’s Manifestation, the Forgiving, the Generous, doth inhale the fragrance.”

O Muhammad-Qabli-Ibrahim! The servant in attendance before Us hath made mention of thee, and We too make mention of thee. Be thou aware of this and be of the thankful ones. He loveth him who hath loved Him, remembereth him who hath remembered Him, and turneth unto him who hath turned unto Him—a favor from His presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful. When thou attainest unto My verses and art seized by the rapture of My utterance, thou shalt find thyself in supreme joy. He shall exalt thee to a station wherein thou shalt behold the world and its conditions, its treasures, its traces and its princes as a shadow that moveth at every instant. Everything among all things, every branch among the branches, and every leaf among the leaves shall remind thee of Him. Thus doth thy Lord make mention of thee from this glorious station. Associate with all people and ponder upon what thou seest, that thou mayest witness in all things the wisdom of thy Lord, the Commander, the All-Wise. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

As to what thou didst write concerning Aqa Muhammad-Rida and Aqa Abu’l-Hasan, upon them be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Throne. He showed favor unto them and said:

“Blessed be they and their father who attained unto the recognition of God when every learned one denied Him and every mystic turned away from Him, save those whom God wished, the Lord of all worlds. We make mention in this station of him who is named Ahmad, that he may arise to serve the Cause and give thanks unto his Lord, the Almighty. We have heard thy call and make mention of thee through this utterance whereby every great matter hath been established. The servant present hath read thy letter which thou didst send to Nabil-i-Qabli-ʿAli, and We answer thee with that which My Most Exalted Pen hath been moved to write, from the presence of One All-Wise. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause and cling to the hem of grace and say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Him Who accepted the harm of the world for the exaltation of Thy Most Exalted Word and the elevation of Thy Cause between earth and heaven, to ordain for me through Thy grace that which Thou hast ordained for Thy assured servants who have taken the choice wine in Thy Name and have drunk thereof through Thy wise remembrance. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and detached from all else but Thee, and Thou witnesseth what hath befallen me in Thy path. I beseech Thee to make me in all conditions turned toward Thee and speaking in Thy praise and glorification. Ordain for me, O my God, that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.”

End.

Praise be to God that the aforementioned names have been adorned with the ornament of the recognition of the One Lord, and the effulgences of the Sun of Verses have encompassed them all. Unto Him be praise and glory, and may the spirit of the world be a sacrifice for His bounty. You had made mention of one of the steadfast believing women, upon her be the Glory of God and whatsoever hath been ordained for her by divine decree, and likewise mention of the noble sister of His Holiness Ismu’llah Ha, and mention of the Leaf, daughter of Ismu’llah Asdaq, and mention of the loved ones of that land, upon them be the Glory of God, whose names were inscribed in that beloved one’s letter—all were presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence.

The Sun of loving-kindness hath dawned upon them all, but in view of that same word which was mentioned, some indisposition appeared in the blessed temperament, and the appearance of verses and the waves of the ocean of utterance were suspended in the heaven of God’s will. God willing, it is hoped that henceforth all shall become the recipients of special favors. Let them not be saddened by the delay, for assuredly in this delay there have been and will be additional bounties. Your honor should give glad-tidings to all. Praise be to God that the names of the sanctified souls and their condition of love for God and His Cause, their turning to Him and their humility before Him, were presented at the Divine Throne, and all attained the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. Blessed are they and upon them be glory.

Give glad-tidings to that assured leaf that divine favors and the Word of God, which is in truth an enduring effect, shall surely encompass her. Let her not grieve over what hath come to pass, for greater than this hath befallen the True One Himself and His chosen ones. The expressions of lowliness, evanescence and nothingness of this servant to the gentlemen and divine friends who are present in that land are contingent upon that Beloved One’s favor. God willing, you will convey them in a befitting and worthy manner. I present my greetings and salutations to the honored master and revered lord, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Abu-Talib and Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Taqi, upon them both be the Glory of God, and I give them the glad-tidings that their letters which they had written to this servant, as well as their petition, were presented before the Presence.

Perfect loving-kindness hath shone forth from the Dayspring of grace, and especially regarding the names that were in the letter of Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi, upon him be the Glory of God, exalted and holy Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of God’s will. God willing, they shall be sent hereafter, and this servant too, according to his poverty and lowliness, hath submitted his petition to them and to Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abu-Talib. I beseech God that, God willing, I may be enabled to send them afterwards.

Another submission is that two packets have been sent from the sacred household—one for the honored Thamarih Varaqatu’l-Hamra, upon her be all His most glorious splendor, and another packet addressed to the wife of Ha before Sin, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] from the people of Ta and Fa. Your honor should deliver them. It was intended that these two packets be given to Muhammad before ʿAli, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] from the people of Dahaj, at the time of his departure, but it was delayed for a reason. Another submission: they instructed this servant to convey to that beloved one that sometimes when your honor shows kindness to this servant, that is, sends notes, specifically inquire about and write regarding the conditions of the honored Thamarih, upon her be the glory of God. And concerning what was written about how the carpet should be sent, Karbila’i Ahmad himself has written the details about that. And coincidentally, some time ago two carpets were requested from the honored Samandar, upon him be the glory of God, as carpets were much needed. This carpet too should be sent according to their wisdom, in whatever way those two are being sent, whether from those directions or another direction.

Final submission: all the circumambulators of the Prison Land, which has been called the Holy Land and Most Beautiful Names, whether those dwelling there or emigrants or visitors, remember that beloved one with most wondrous mentions and express their sincerity. Beyond this, this pen and this tongue and expression are not capable or worthy to mention and convey the glorification and manifestations of the favors and kindnesses of the Branches of the Divine Blessed Tree—may all existence be sacrificed for them. The blessed handwriting of His Holiness the Branch of God addressed to Aqa Mirza Hasan has been written; your honor should deliver it. Another submission is that eighteen tumans have been transferred for the honored Samandar, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], to deliver to your honor to give to Ha before Sin from the people of Ta and Fa. The details are that the honored ʿAzim, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] and His favors, has ascended, and this amount remained from his estate. Although he himself had willed and left it here, the command was issued that it must reach his heirs, therefore you must give it to Aqa Mirza Husayn so that he may deliver it to the heirs of the elevated one.

BH01740: O thou who hast turned thy face towards…

In the Name of the One All-Knowing God!

O thou who hast turned thy face towards the Countenance! We have guided all servants to the Most Exalted Horizon, and likewise commanded them to aid the Cause of God. Nevertheless, it is observed that some of the friends have failed to comprehend this most exalted and glorious station. Ye must convey and impart to all what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken concerning assistance. By the life of God! The teaching of God’s Cause hath been and shall ever be through wisdom and utterance, and whatsoever is besides this springeth from the promptings of self.

Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! Ye have been created for the advancement, prosperity, and exaltation of those who dwell on earth. Occupy yourselves with that which befitteth the station of man. Contention, corruption, and destruction befit you not. Say: Fear ye, O My loved ones, the shedding of blood and whatsoever ye have been forbidden in My Most Wise Book. All must associate with the peoples of the world with radiant faces and illumined hearts, that perchance they may hearken from the people of Truth, glorified be His majesty, that which conduceth to maturity, attainment, and guidance.

Today, every soul must occupy himself with his own reformation, and manifest pure deeds and praiseworthy, acceptable conduct. Yea, the Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to the oppression and transgression of the ignorant and heedless souls, and commandeth you to patience and forbearance, and to act in accordance with what hath been revealed in the Book. By My life! Their heedlessness, remoteness, denial, and objection to Him Who created them and brought them into being sufficeth them. No punishment hath been or shall be greater than heedlessness. By Him in Whose grasp is the dominion of the heavens and earth! Were they to become aware of their own deeds, they would cut themselves to pieces with all the swords of the world.

Leave them to themselves, placing your trust in the All-Powerful, the Almighty. God is awake and aware, powerful and mighty. Be ye assured of the power of your Lord and the might of your Master, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. Hold fast unto what is good in all circumstances, and leave what is reprehensible to its people. One goodly word uttered with sincerity is more beloved in the sight of God than a hundred thousand swords raised in His Name, for in this Revelation the ocean of mercy is surging, the sun of bounty is shining, and all are forbidden from that which causeth injury, fear, and distress. Convey these utterances of the Beloved of all creation to everyone, that perchance in the days of wakefulness they may not occupy themselves with sleep, and in the days of righteousness they may not busy themselves with building the flimsiest of houses.

O Asad! Thy letter hath come, wherein thou didst commune with God with these words—thy words:

“In Thy Name, the All-Forgiving, the Concealer of faults, the Kind, the Merciful! Verily, he who hath committed every transgression in all Thy worlds and hath turned towards the ocean of Thy forgiveness, O my Beloved! Wilt Thou forgive him in all the worlds or punish him with all Thy punishment?”

We have heard thy call, thy cry, and thy lamentation, and He saith: Yea, by My Self! We have forgiven thee, guided thee, drawn thee nigh, caused thee to speak, and acquainted thee with My straight and manifest path. Yea, by My Self! He is the Concealer of faults, the All-Forgiving, the Helper, the Succourer, the Mighty, the August, the All-Wise.

The breezes of My loving-kindness seized thee in such wise that thou didst enter into My love, attain unto the presence of the Countenance, and drink the choice wine of reunion from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, and didst hear the call of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Well is it with thee, and pleasant it is with thee, and with those who have attained unto that which hath been decreed in My Manifest Book. Strive to unite hearts and bring them together; thus doth command thee the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing. The Tree of My loving-kindness hath stirred, the ocean of My bounty hath surged, and My Pen hath spoken, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Invincible. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have followed God’s command and observed the rights of His chosen ones, at whose mention His wondrous and swift Pen hath moved.

BH02069: O ʿAli! God willing, mayest thou be blessed…

In the Name of the Friend, the Manifest, the Evident

O ʿAli! God willing, mayest thou be blessed by the fragrances of the divine garment of utterance and receive thy portion from the outpourings of the cloud of the All-Merciful’s mercy. From the time of thy return until now thou hast been blessed with the favors of the Lord of the worlds. Be thou steadfast in serving thy Lord with wisdom. He will assist thee through His grace and aid thee through His command. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful.

In several places thy mention hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen:

“Look neither to the right nor to the left. Behold the horizon of thy Lord’s will, then remember Him with sincerity for His sake. Verily He heareth and seeth and is with those who are with Him, as He hath ever been. He is the True One, the Herald, the Wise.”

O Muhammad! The Single, the One, in the Most Great Prison, summoned all unto God and manifested proof and evidence with the most exalted utterance. Some, upon merely hearing, drank without hesitation from the wine of revelation, while others, due to intervening veils, were deprived and prevented from the horizon of manifestation. The cause and reason for these matters is that there appeareth not, as befitteth, a teacher who is detached from all save God and who speaketh for God’s sake, turning toward all. The people need educators. Souls who are steadfast, firm, content and pleasing must at all times be occupied with teaching the Cause of God with perfect wisdom.

O son of My Most Truthful Name! Upon thee be My loving-kindness, My mercy and My glory. Give glad tidings to the servants of My bounty and remind them of that which hath been revealed in My Book. In most of the divine Tablets the purpose of assistance hath been mentioned with utmost clarity. Nevertheless, it is observed that most have not attained proper understanding. Some petitions arrived from various places—it was observed that they had considered corruption as assistance and deemed the injury of God’s servants as beloved. This is naught but due to the friends’ lack of awareness. I swear by the sun of the horizon of utterance that if today any soul is content with the injury of another, it is as though he were content with injury to the Self of Truth. All must become aware of this decisive divine word and attain unto hearing it. Most strange it is that souls have not, until now, comprehended the meaning of assistance. By the life of God! He verily assisteth His Cause through wisdom and utterance. This is what the All-Merciful hath revealed in most Tablets. Thy Lord is verily the Explainer, the Wise.

Divine wisdom hath been and shall ever be dominant and triumphant. One pure deed is like unto a lamp between heaven and earth—it showeth the way and guideth the heedless unto itself. Say: Hearken, O people, unto that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in His Most Great, Most Holy, Most Luminous Book. Convey My greetings to all souls who have drunk of the sealed wine, and say: In the divine days ye must appear in such wise that the clouds of the opposers, the hints of the corrupters, and the veils of the heedless shall not prevent you from the straight path. Hold fast unto God and leave all else behind you, remaining steadfast in this Cause whereby the pillars in the contingent world were shaken. Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who are with thee and upon thy family from the presence of the Gracious, the Generous.

BH03700: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…

In the Name of Him Who is Powerful over all who are on earth and in heaven!

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down unto him who hath believed in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Therein He mentioneth that which draweth hearts unto the Supreme Horizon, this Station wherefrom the Tongue proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

The ears have been blessed by hearkening unto My Most Exalted Call, and the eyes by beholding My Most Exalted Horizon, and the hearts by recognizing My Most Glorious Name, and the tongues by uttering My praise, the Mighty, the Beauteous.

Say: O people of the earth! Fear ye God, and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who hath come unto you with the kingdom of proof from the All-Merciful. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken in this luminous station. By God! The gate of heaven hath been opened, and the Lord of Names hath come with the kingdom of signs, yet most of the people remain heedless.

Say: Arise to fulfill My Cause, and proclaim before all faces: “O people! Fear ye God and be not of the wrongdoers.” He hath come, by Whose beauty the eyes of the Concourse on High have been solaced, and there hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty and grace that which hath drawn unto it the hearts of them who are nigh unto God. Open your eyes, for the Hidden Name of God hath appeared, and that which was treasured from time immemorial, if ye be of them who know.

This is He Whom the Books of God and His Prophets and Messengers have foretold. This is the Day of Remembrance and Utterance, and this is the Day of Service and Praise. Blessed is he who hath arisen to serve the Cause—he is indeed among those who have attained in My wondrous Book.

Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth as a grace from Our presence, and I am verily the Speaker, the All-Knowing. Beware lest the veils of the world withhold thee, or the doubts of the nations who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, prevent thee.

Glory be unto the people of Baha who have turned unto the Hands of Bounty and Grace, who have taken the Wine of Eternal Life and drunk in the name of their Lord, the Powerful, the Mighty. Praise be to God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04032: Glorified be He Who uttered the First Word…

In the Name of Him Who speaks upon the Branches

Glorified be He Who uttered the First Word and caused the people of Baha to speak it in the Kingdom of Creation. Verily, there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He is the One by Whom the Books of God, both before and after, were adorned, yet most of the people are heedless. Through Him the Kingdom of Utterance moved and the Sun of Knowledge shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet, by the command of the Mighty, the Wise.

O thou who gazest toward My horizon and hast attained unto the Kawthar of My love! Hearken unto My call. Verily, He mentioneth thee as a favor from Him, that thou mayest be of the thankful. Thy letter hath arrived and the Servant present read it. When it was completed, We took it with the hand of loving-kindness and beheld it as a favor from Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We found from it the fragrance of sincerity, to this My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness, as doth he who was present before the throne of thy Lord, the Most High, the Great.

Blessed is the face that hath turned unto the Face of God and the heart that hath turned to His luminous horizon. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor. Verily He ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth that which profiteth him in every world of His worlds. He is, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty. We have sent down for every name that was in thy letter that which will solace his eyes and gladden the hearts of them that know.

Say: O loved ones of the All-Merciful! When the manifestation of Satan cometh unto you with the book of wickedness, cast it behind you, placing your trust in God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Say: Be ye as flames of fire in the love of your Lord, the Possessor of this wondrous Day. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast the world behind their backs and taken hold of that which they were bidden in a perspicuous Book.

BH06010: The Day mentioned in the divine Books hath appeared…

In the name of the one true God!

The Day mentioned in the divine Books hath appeared, and the countenance of the Promised One is manifest, yet the heedless servants are seen to be, for the most part, turning away and denying. They walk in the wilderness of idle fancies, unaware of the Sun of certitude which hath dawned from the horizon of God’s will, exalted be His glory.

Whosoever hath today recognized the truth and drunk from the choice wine of steadfastness is mentioned by the Concourse on High in God’s Book. Blessed art thou for having recognized and turned to the One, the Peerless, when most of the servants turned away from Him. Joy be unto thee for having attained unto the Day of God which was mentioned in the Scriptures of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Thou must remain steadfast in God’s Cause with the utmost firmness, for We have previously announced that the braying will be raised and the book of wickedness and pages of fire will be spread abroad. God willing, the people of Baha will appear in such wise that none shall be able to prevent them. By God’s life! They are indeed honored servants, they are indeed servants brought nigh.

Convey My greetings to My loved ones there and gladden them with My wondrous remembrance. The glory be upon thee and upon them from the presence of One mighty, praiseworthy.

BH06649: The Wronged One has turned His face from this…

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

The Wronged One has turned His face from this praiseworthy station toward him who was named Muhammad-Taqi, that He might draw him to a station wherein naught stirs save the breezes of My grace, wherein naught wafts save the sweet fragrances of My verses’ flowers, and wherein naught is planted save the trees of My bounty, beneath whose shade take rest the trustees among My creation and the chosen ones among My servants—they who have forsaken the world for love of Me and have arisen to serve the Cause through My All-Knowing, All-Wise Name.

Blessed is he who has drunk from the wellspring of My Pen the wine of My utterance, and from the cups of My words the Kawthar of My knowledge. He is indeed of the people of Baha in the Crimson Book and in this perspicuous Tablet.

Hold fast, O peoples of the earth, to that which ye have been commanded in the Book of God. He verily commands you to that which will draw you nigh unto a station wherein naught is seen save the radiance of My shining and luminous countenance.

The kingdom shall pass away, while the King of Kings proclaimeth in the Kingdom and maketh mention of His loved ones in such wise that their remembrance shall endure through the eternity of His most beautiful names. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

BH08701: We make mention of him whom the attraction…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High

We make mention of him whom the attraction of his Lord’s verses so seized that he cast away idle fancies and turned to the horizon of certitude. Blessed art thou in that thou hast attained unto the days of thy Lord after they were denied by every learned one who claimed knowledge without proof from God, the Lord of all worlds. Behold the divines of this age who worship their own desires while imagining they worship the One, the All-Informed. He testifies with the tongue of His dawning Revelation that they have denied God when He came with the truth with mighty sovereignty. They pronounced judgment against those who attained the lights of the Countenance, shed their blood and plundered their possessions. By the life of God! They are in manifest loss. When thou didst discover the fragrance of the garment from thy Lord’s utterance, praise Him and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who didst remember me when I was among the ignorant ones.

BH08781: The Peerless Friend declares: Praise be to God…

In the Name of the Goal of all the worlds

The Peerless Friend declares: Praise be to God that thou hast been favored with divine grace and art soaring in the atmosphere of His love. In the first year, from the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen was heard this blessed word:

“Blessed are they who have recognized this wondrous Cause and have turned towards this wondrous Path.”

This exalted and most glorious station cannot be attained except through the effacement of all that was before, and through attentive ears. How excellent is he who hath attained unto this most mighty, most glorious station! Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thy letter hath reached the presence of the Wronged One, and He hath revealed for thee this perspicuous Book. Under all conditions fix thy gaze upon the Supreme Horizon and hold fast unto the cord of grace. Be thou assured of the favor of thy Lord. He will manifest unto thee that which He hath willed. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH09255: We have heard the call of those who were…

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful!

We have heard the call of those who were attracted by the fragrances of Revelation when the horizon of utterance was illumined by the Sun of My mention, the Mighty, the Luminous. The ocean of knowledge hath appeared and the sun of understanding hath shone forth, yet the people remain among the heedless. They have cast the decree of God behind their backs and followed every ignorant one far removed from truth. We have manifested knowledge that the servants might be guided unto My path, yet they have grown proud against the All-Informed One. Thus have We been treated by those who pride themselves on knowledge when He Who is known came with His name, the Self-Subsisting, and spoke that before which the Books of the Messengers have bowed down. Rejoice thou in that the Wronged One hath remembered thee and turned toward thee from this exalted Station.

BH09602: Hearken to the Call of the All-Glorious, for He…

He is the Manifest, the Speaking, the Knowing

Hearken to the Call of the All-Glorious, for He hath come with His most great and supreme majesty. By God! The Throne hath been established upon the water, and He Who is the Lord of Names hath seated Himself thereon with manifest sovereignty.

Behold the people and their heedlessness after their expectation, and their turning away after their hopes, that thou mayest find thyself in a state of joy from God, the Lord of the worlds. They would weep through the nights and days, yet when the Lord of all beings came, they pronounced judgment against Him with grievous wrong.

Thus doth He Who possesseth the knowledge recount unto thee the tales of the world and remembereth thee through His preserved Tablet. Glory be upon those who have cast away what they possessed and held fast unto that which they were commanded by God, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH10345: Thy mention hath been made in the presence…

He is the One Who gazeth from the Most Exalted Horizon.

Thy mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One, and He remembereth thee with this perspicuous remembrance, that thy heart may rejoice thereby, and thy breast be dilated, and thy tongue may speak forth: “All praise belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds.” We have heard thy call and have answered thee, and We beseech the All-Bountiful that He may assist thee under all conditions to make mention of Him and to praise Him, and to serve His mighty Cause. It behooveth thee and My loved ones to hold fast unto the cord of wisdom, as bidden by One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Upon thee and upon them be the glory of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH01019: O My Name Mihdi! The letter from Afnan Alif…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Wise!

O My Name Mihdi! The letter from Afnan Alif and Ha, upon him be My glory, which was addressed to you, was presented by this servant before the Divine Presence. God willing, may they ever abide beneath the blessed Lote-Tree in tranquility and rest, and partake of the choice wine of His love. Blessed is he for having turned unto God, attained His presence, and arisen to serve the Cause of God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. God willing, may they ever attain unto this most great station. Though it be veiled at present, this veil shall assuredly be lifted. He, verily, is the Informed, the All-Knowing.

Concerning what they wrote about Badi, upon him be the Glory of God, may he be blessed through divine grace. We have made mention of his father in such wise that, by the life of God, all the treasures, hoards and mines of the earth cannot equal it. The Lord of all beings beareth witness unto this. O Mihdi! The days pass like lightning, and their transience is clear and evident. Blessed is the soul that hath been honored to make mention of God and whose name hath been recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. This is a bounty with which no other bounty can compare, nor can any other matter rival it. Soon shall the sincere and devoted ones witness that which God hath foretold in the Scriptures and Tablets.

As to what they wrote concerning the Spot of Blessing and the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, this is most acceptable, for they have mentioned it with wisdom. The Supreme Pen hath, for reasons of wisdom recorded in the Book, forbidden at this time the execution of such matters in the land of Shin and the land of Ya and certain other lands. Verily, He knoweth and commandeth, and with Him is the knowledge of all things in a mighty Book. Blessed is such an Afnan, for he hath spoken that which God, the Lord of the worlds, desired. He must render thanks unto his Lord for this manifest favor. In all matters they must observe wisdom. Although the law of prayer was sent down from the heaven of God’s Will in previous years, due to wisdom it hath not yet been dispatched to other regions and remaineth preserved and concealed in the Kingdom of Utterance by the command of the Beloved of all creation. Such divine laws as can be practiced without conflicting with wisdom must be observed by all, and those that conflict with wisdom are not permissible to practice until God’s Cause is raised up amongst His servants and creation.

His honor Asad and the son of My Name Al-Asdaq, upon them be My glory, have arisen to serve the Cause, and whatsoever they have executed regarding the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar and the Spot of Blessing in the lands of Kha hath been approved by the Supreme Pen. Verily, He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

The heedless people have regarded the Dawning-Place of the world’s reformation as a source of corruption. So intoxicated are they with the wine of self that neither the blast of the trumpet, nor the sound of the bugle, nor the enduring proofs, nor the manifest shining evidences, nor the revealed verses have brought them to their senses. They remain heedless of Him Who hath appeared with all the proofs possessed by those on earth, clinging instead to their own idle fancies. Nevertheless, the mercy and loving-kindness of God have been so abundantly manifested that pen and tongue are powerless to describe them.

Hence it is that He hath enjoined wisdom upon His loved ones. Were one to ponder the allusions of the Supreme Pen, hidden matters would emerge and become evident. By Him Who is seated upon the throne, were they to attain even a small measure of understanding, they would cry out “I turn unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” In this Most Great Revelation, corruption, contention, bloodshed and the like have been forbidden, and in most Tablets these utterances have been revealed from the heaven of divine knowledge. Yet none hath grasped God’s intent or comprehended His purpose, save whom He willeth. Blessed are they who have arisen and remained steadfast in the Cause of God, and who have associated with all men in a spirit of joy and fragrance. These are they who are mentioned as the companions of the Ark in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. All must strive for the betterment of the world. This is the binding decree that hath been revealed in this Most Great Revelation, both aforetime and hereafter. Blessed are they that understand, blessed are they that ponder, blessed are they that act accordingly. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Afnan! Take hold of wisdom and cleave unto it, and abandon all else. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee by a bidding from God, the Lord of the worlds. Under all conditions observe wisdom.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning him who was named Muhsin, who hath ascended unto God—We make mention of him as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful. The first greeting that issued forth from the City of Peace—the spot adorned by the revelation of God, the Lord of all men—and the first fragrance that wafted from the garment of thy Lord’s mercy be upon thee, O thou who hast turned to the Most Sublime Horizon and believed in God, the Lord of Names, when those who followed conjecture and idle fancy turned away. I testify that thou didst answer thy Lord when His call was raised between earth and heaven, and thou didst fulfill thy covenant and pledge in such wise that neither the veils of glory withheld thee from the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, nor the barriers of names from God, the Creator of heaven.

Blessed art thou for having remained steadfast in the Cause when most feet did slip, and the hearts of men were troubled—they who cast the command of God behind their backs and followed every heedless doubter. Blessed is he who remembereth thee after thee, O Muhsin, and who maketh mention of thy turning unto God, thy faithfulness, thy love and thy ardor in the Cause of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Rejoice thou in that the Most Exalted Pen hath made mention of thee and consoleth thy kindred who attained unto recognition on a Day wherein the Cry was raised and the mountains passed away. Peace and praise and glory be upon thee from God, the Almighty, the Most Glorious, the All-Bestowing.

O Afnan! Concerning what thou didst write about designating a blessed spot in these lands—this is more conducive to piety and wisdom. If it be accomplished with utmost joy and fragrance, it is acceptable and will, God willing, become a source of universal good. Verily, He ordaineth what He desireth for whomsoever He willeth, and revealeth that which His unerring and mighty Pen is moved to record. Praise be to God, the Beloved of those who know.

BH01292: He hath dawned forth from His Most Exalted Horizon

He hath dawned forth from His Most Exalted Horizon

This is a Day wherein all things proclaim: “O concourse of creation! The Greatest Veil hath been rent asunder and the Greatest Scene hath been adorned through the revelation of God, the Lord of Destiny; yet most of the people remain heedless.” On this Day the Tongue of Glory calleth out from the pavilions of grandeur: “O denizens of earth and heaven! The Hidden Mystery hath appeared and the Self-Subsisting hath come with a sovereignty that neither the hosts of the world nor the armies of the oppressors among men could withstand.”

Whoso hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings in the name of his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, and hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, saying:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all mankind, for having caused me to hear Thy call and honored Thy lands with Thy footsteps. I testify that through Thy manifestation that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been fulfilled. These are the days which Thy ambassadors, Thy messengers, and Thy chosen ones foretold through Thy word: ʿLead forth the people from darkness into light and give them the glad-tidings of the days of God.’ Thus was the matter decreed in the Book by God, the Evident, the All-Knowing.”

Is there any with hearing to hear the call of God? Is there any with vision to behold the Greatest Sign? Is there any possessed of steadfastness to arise and speak with wisdom and proof amidst the concourse of the Bayan? By God! That which cannot be mentioned by utterance nor described by what hath been revealed concerning it hath appeared. By the life of God! Verily it was revealed to exalt His mention and His Word—to this testifieth every fair-minded and perceiving one.

O Muhammad-Shafi’! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One and the servant in attendance before His face hath presented it. Verily thy Lord heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have heard thy call and have answered thee through this Tablet whereby the breezes of the All-Merciful have wafted and the fragrance of utterance hath been diffused throughout all possibility. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Blessed is the soul that hath heard the call of its Lord and attained unto that which it was commanded by the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him Who hath come with the truth by a command whereagainst all who are in the heavens and earth are powerless to stand. This is a Day wherein the Proof calleth out with the loudest voice, wherein the Evidence speaketh amongst all creation, and the Testament crieth out before its Glorious Lord; yet the people are wrapped in a thick veil.

O Most Exalted Pen! Thou hast spoken in the most eloquent tongue; now speak in a sweet Persian tongue. O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Shafi’! May you be blessed through divine favors! Your letter reached the Most Exalted Station through the Afnan, upon him be the Glory of God, and was honored to be heard by the Lord of all beings.

Today it is incumbent upon everyone to move according to that which God has willed, meaning to submerge their own will and desire in the Will of God, to fix their gaze upon the will of the Friend, to turn toward His desire and to hold fast to His command. Today the Balance is manifest and proclaims with the most exalted call: “I am the Distinguisher, the Separator, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” How excellent is the condition of those souls who have clung to the Book of God and acted according to it. In all the Books this blessed Day is rightly attributed to God. One must arise to perform such deeds as befit this most holy Day.

By My life! Goodly deeds have been and ever will be the helpers of Truth. If today someone should arise for the sake of God and act according to what He loves and is pleased with, assuredly the fragrance of his deeds will guide and lead people to the choice sealed Wine which has appeared and flows forth through the grace of the Finger of the Self-Subsisting Lord. The divine utterance shines forth like the sun, and the Path of the Lord stands out among all paths like a banner upon the hills, manifest, clear and evident. No sign among the signs of Truth resembles it, yet the vain imaginings of people have held them back and their conjectures have veiled them.

God willing, may the friends of God attain to that which is the cause of protection, blessing, bounty and salvation. Praise the Beloved of the world that you have attained unto this Most Great Tablet and reached this station through the Afnan. Be thankful and be among those who give praise. Beseech God that He may assist all the friends to achieve what He desires. While time and opportunity remain, perchance such deeds as are adorned with the good-pleasure of the Friend may be manifested from the mirrors of existence. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the All-Wise. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer, the All-Knowing, and the All-Informed Counsellor.

You had sought forgiveness for certain souls. All have attained unto the Word of God. We have forgiven them as a grace from Our presence and a mercy from Our side, and We have mentioned them in verses from which the sincere ones will find My sublime and mighty fragrance. The Primal Point hath said that all were created for this: that they might be mentioned once in His presence. Know thou the station of this rank and hold fast to that which hath been commanded by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who have acted according to that which they were commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.