Volume 065: Akka 1298 A.H. (1880–1881), Part IV (2 of 4)

BH00352: O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! The successive letters from the beloved ones…

Section 1: “O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! The successive letters from the beloved…”

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed Speaker!

O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! The successive letters from the beloved ones of the land of Kha—upon them be My Glory—which they sent to you were all presented before the Throne by this servant, and the gaze of favor was directed towards them. God willing, they have ever been and shall ever be like banners raised upon the hills among men, renowned and manifest in the name of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Blessed are they who have arisen to aid the Cause of the All-Merciful with wisdom and utterance.

Concerning what Kazim—upon him be the Glory of God—mentioned about M.S., that which is the cause of salvation has already flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. In His grasp is the dominion of all things; He takes and He gives, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. In the early days of his tribulation, We commanded this servant to write and send the impregnable, exalted circle of the Most Great Name for his protection and deliverance. Divine favor has surely encompassed and will continue to encompass him. However, beseech God to assist him in that which shall be the greatest cause for the perpetuation of remembrance. He commands those who have turned to Him with what benefits them in this world and the next. Thus far, God, exalted be His glory, has protected and delivered him several times. We beseech Him to make known to him what He has decreed for him and what He has sent down for him from the heaven of His Will. He is verily the Ordainer, the Ruler, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

God willing, may he be assisted in serving the Cause and act as befits it. This is the Day that has been attributed to the Truth in all the Books. Observe what the All-Merciful has revealed in the Qur’an through His exalted words:

“Lead forth the people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.”

All the sincere ones, the near ones, and the unified ones have sought the advent of this Day, and with utmost humility and supplication have besought the Self-Sufficient, the Most High for its appearance.

That which Kazim—upon him be the Glory of God—has mentioned was heard. Praise be to God that they were assisted in the remembrance of God and His praise. Blessed is he and his household wherein has been raised the remembrance of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. There has been revealed for him that from which the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of acceptance and the near ones the sweet savors of their Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Loving.

From the land of Kha, the honored Aziz and Khudadad have repeatedly sent letters to this servant, mentioning the exaltation of God’s Word in cities and regions. Blessed is the son of My Most Truthful Name—upon him be My Glory and My Mercy. Praise be to God that all those souls have been successful in serving the Cause and have arisen with complete dedication to exalt the Word. By the life of God! From every doer of deeds, when a deed is manifested for God’s sake, it has been and will be penetrating, moving, conveying, and victorious. This is that Word which is observed shining and radiant like the sun from the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet. Blessed are they who attain.

God willing, may they be assisted in all that has been revealed in the Book, that perchance the fragrance of unity may obliterate and remove the foul winds of discord. Wondrous and exalted Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will for the mentioned souls. God willing, they have attained and will attain unto them, and will drink from the chalices of words the Kawthar of utterance of the Revealer of verses. Blessed are My loved ones! By My life, they have attained unto the sun of My remembrance, the ocean of My favor, and the heaven of My grace.

From His Holiness Asad, upon him be the Glory of God, multiple petitions were received. Praise be to God, he has been and continues to be confirmed in service to the Cause. Great is this Day! We beseech the Most High to make known to all His station, His glory, His might, and that which hath been manifested therein. Blessed are the souls who have left their homelands for the sake of God, who have traversed lands for the sake of God, and who have spoken for the sake of God. God will soon reveal the fruits of their deeds. He, verily, is the Announcer, the All-Informed.

That which His Holiness Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, mentioned attained unto the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. He must at all times voice his gratitude to the Beloved of all creation, for He confirmed him in His mention and praise and in service to His Cause. All that appeared from him in the path of God was witnessed. Verily, He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Under all conditions they must be engaged in the promotion of the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance. He, verily, aideth him who aideth Him, remembereth him who remembereth Him, and draweth nigh unto him who draweth nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Near One, the Watchful. Not an atom’s weight of deeds remaineth concealed, for today the Balance proclaimeth “I am the Distinguisher, the All-Knowing” and the earth speaketh the word “I am the Gatherer, the Resurrector, the Narrator, the All-Informed.” Consider what was revealed in the Qur’an, His exalted Word: “O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, God will bring it forth.”

The purpose is that all the loved ones of God should know that the Truth, exalted be His glory, is the All-Knowing and the All-Encompassing. By the life of God! Unto Him ascendeth the goodly deed and the goodly word. Alas! Alas! Were it not for the clamor and outcry of the people, I would have revealed that which is hidden behind the veils of the unseen and mentioned that which is inscribed in the Crimson Tablet by My Most Exalted Pen. The heedlessness of people hath reached such a state that they cannot distinguish shadow from light, and now they turn away from and complain about that which they themselves were seeking with utmost desire in days and nights gone by. Fie upon them, upon their fidelity, their station, and their remembrances! They have mistaken mercy for vengeance and have deemed the greatest bounty insignificant. They have been nurtured by vain imaginings and turn unto their sources. Beseech ye God to rend asunder the greatest veil, which are the divines of the age, and not to deprive all servants from the ocean of knowledge and the sun of awareness. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Kind, the Generous, the Merciful.

As for their seeking permission to travel annually to various regions for the triumph of God’s Cause, this matter hath been adorned with the ornament of permission and embellished with the decoration of acceptance. God willing, in all his journeys he will move for God’s sake, journey toward God, and speak for the sake of God. In truth, all souls have been created for the service of God’s Cause. They must, with perfect wisdom, engage in this righteous deed, which is among the greatest of deeds, in the name of the Truth, exalted be His glory. God’s favor hath been and will continue to be with him. And concerning what was written about not speaking a word until seeing a seeker, this accordeth with the Most Exalted Word that was revealed aforetime by the Supreme Pen, stating that the wise ones among God’s servants are those who do not open their lips until they find a hearing ear, and similar utterances have been revealed in various instances. Blessed is he who hath recognized and attained. The ear is for the tongue, and the tongue is for the ear.

O Ali! In no matter should the loved ones of Truth let go of wisdom. In all conditions they should be mindful of it. It is the firm decree of God and the luminary of the heaven of divine ordinances. Blessed art thou and thy sons and those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. God counsels you with wisdom lest an outcry be raised by those who denied what they had previously known and turned away from Him Whom they used to invoke by night and day.

Section 2: “As for what was written concerning those souls…”

As for what was written concerning those souls who have ascended to the Supreme Companion and winged their flight to the Most Glorious Horizon: We made mention of them before and after their ascension with such mention as caused the Concourse on High and those who circle round His mighty Throne to be attracted, and We make mention of them at this hour as a token of Our grace, for verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of those who have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon when earthquakes seized all the tribes of the earth, and the idols wailed, and false deities cried out, and feet did stumble. We testify that they heard the call of God and answered their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Say: Upon you be the glory of God and His chosen ones, and the glory of the Concourse on High and the Kingdom of Names, and the glory of those who hastened to the place of sacrifice in the name of their Lord, the Sovereign of Names, and the glory which has shone forth and gleamed from this Station which has been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of God, the Lord of creation. We testify that you have attained unto the Most Great Ocean and have drunk of the choice sealed wine, whose seal was broken by the finger of the power of God, the Lord of lords. You are they who remained faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament when the learned, the mystics and men of letters broke it, save whom God willed, the Lord of all men. You are they whom neither the veils of glory deterred nor the hosts of those who turned away from your Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, did frighten.

Blessed are you for having attained unto this Mention at whose raising the angels and the Spirit descended, and the Maids of Heaven emerged from their chambers, and the Concourse on High from their loftiest stations, to hearken unto what was sent down from the heaven of the will of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Verily We made mention of you at the time of your ascension and preferred some of you above others. He, verily, is the Single, the One, the Chosen One. Blessed are you, and joy be unto you, for having drunk from the Kawthar of utterance from the chalices of the bounty of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind. Through My mention of you, you have been mentioned by the tongues of the seen and the unseen, and none has been apprised thereof save him who possesses the Mother Book. Blessed is the tongue that speaks your mention and the heart that turns toward you and visits you through what God has sent down in this Tablet whereby all things have proclaimed: The kingdom belongs to God, the One, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Some of these assured souls ascended adorned with the ornament of divine forgiveness and attained unto the Supreme Companion, and now God’s favor has encompassed all and they have been blessed with that which pens are powerless to describe. Say: O My loved ones! It behooves you to make up for what has escaped you in the days of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Verily, We make mention in this station of the children of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God—from whom the sweet savors of the love of the All-Merciful have been wafted throughout all possibility—and We give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds. By God! He Who spoke on Sinai calleth you and He Who hath come with clear sovereignty maketh mention of you. Blessed is he who, while seated, hath arisen to serve the Cause of God; and he who, while silent, hath spoken forth this wise Remembrance; and he who, while halted, hath hastened in the name of God and spoken that which the Spirit hath spoken in this valley that hath been honored by the footsteps of God, the Possessor of Supreme Glory.

We have made mention of them in the Crimson Book with such mention as no treasures of earth nor heavenly repositories can equal. To this beareth witness every fair-minded and perceiving one. Rejoice, O My loved ones, in that the Wronged One maketh mention of you in this exalted and wondrous station, and counseleth you with that which will cause the Cause of God to be exalted and with that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. Glory be upon you and upon those who have aided the Cause of their Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Convey greetings to all the friends on behalf of the True One. God willing, they will, through these greetings, drink of the sealed wine mentioned in the divine Books, and will act with utmost delicacy, freshness and wisdom in a manner befitting the Days of God.

The letter of Haji Mirza Ali-Akbar was presented by this servant. May he, God willing, be confirmed in the praise and glorification of God. We have heard what he composed in praise of God when this servant recited it, and We make mention of him as a bounty from Us, that he may rejoice and be among the thankful ones. O Ali-i-Akbar! Remember when thou didst enter the prison and attain the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds, and didst hear His sweetest call and witness the effulgences of the lights of His most exalted horizon. Preserve this most glorious station through My Name, the Mighty, the Invincible. Remember what thou didst hear from the Tongue of Grandeur and reflect upon His mighty Cause. We counsel thee and those who have believed with that which beseemeth the Days of God. Say: O My loved ones! Hold fast unto goodly character in all conditions. Through it will your stations be made manifest and the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, be exalted.

Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon whosoever hath inhaled My fragrance on this wondrous Day. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Invincible.

O My loved ones! Although this is the Day of the Greater Separation, yet were this separation to be fully realized, none would draw nigh to become acquainted with God’s Cause and turn towards the Most Exalted Horizon. For the people are ignorant and are seen to be veiled from the Most Luminous Horizon by the greatest of veils. Therefore must all affairs be conducted with the utmost wisdom, that perchance the warmth of the fire of divine love might be kindled in dispirited souls. If today the disclosure of a matter would cause tumult and disorder, its concealment is preferred in the sight of God. And whereas in certain Tablets mention hath been made of exaltation, elevation, manifestation and proclamation, what was intended thereby was the appearance of goodly deeds, beneficial counsels and praiseworthy character, which cause the exaltation and advancement of the Cause. In one instance, these exalted words have shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Tablet—exalted be His majesty:

“This is the Day of arising, yet ye are seated; this is the Day of proclamation, yet ye are silent; this is the Day of awakening, yet ye are asleep; this is the Day of utterance, yet ye are at rest.”

Similar luminous statements that have shone forth from the Most Exalted Pen are recorded in the Tablets. However, what was intended was arising to teach God’s Cause with wisdom and utterance, not such manifestation and proclamation as would cause the ignorant of the earth to turn away, so that hearts, which are the cities of God’s love, might be opened with the key of wisdom. In all conditions wisdom is beloved. Seize upon it, O My chosen ones, in His Name, the One Who ruleth over all the worlds.

At the close of this Tablet, We counsel My loved ones and him who hath been named ʿAli-Akbar with that which was formerly sent down from the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed: Associate with all people in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. We have revealed the Most Great Law for the unification of mankind. To this beareth witness that which hath been sent down from this wondrous Pen. We send Our greetings to the handmaidens of God who are there, and We give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance, whereby the hearts of them that have recognized Him are dilated.

The glory be upon you and upon them from the presence of One Who is mighty and powerful.

BH00398: Praise be unto Him Who cannot be described…

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

Praise be unto Him Who cannot be described by utterance, before Whom neither men nor heroes can stand, Who has manifested Himself on the Day of Return. There is no God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Thereafter it is submitted that the letter of S.M., upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], which he wrote to that person, was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what has been revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance by the command of the All-Merciful:

“O Samandar! The servant in attendance has submitted what thou didst send to Ism-i-Jud.”

Concerning what thou didst write about Aqa Murtada-Quli, it was mentioned before the Wronged One. May the favor of the Beloved of all creation encompass all the friends and preserve them from loss in all worlds. In truth, loss belongs to those souls who today are deprived and forbidden from the Truth. Otherwise, those souls who have attained the lights of His countenance and are gazing toward the Supreme Horizon possess a station that cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the earth and its riches, the pearls of the sea and the mines of the mountains. When the honored Name of God M.H. was in Iraq, a sum was collected with him, and he intended to send it to the prison of the Land of Mystery. Later, a thief learned of this and stole that money. Jinab-i-Mihdi sent a petition to the Most Holy Court which was filled with lamentation and from which countless sorrows and griefs were evident. These sorrows of his were due to his wishes not being fulfilled. Subsequently, an answer was revealed and sent from the Most Holy Court to this effect:

“O Mihdi! Transient things have been and will be befitting only for transient souls. Be not grieved by this event. Rather, rejoice in the remembrance of thy Lord and in that wherewith thy Master remembers thee. Strive to possess that which neither perishes nor can be reached by the hand of the treacherous and the thief.”

O Samandar! How many souls there are who, with the utmost effort and diligence, gather a handful of ornaments and find the greatest joy and happiness in accumulating them. However, in reality, these have been assigned by the Supreme Pen to others—meaning they are not destined for themselves. Often they fall into the hands of their enemies. God protect us and you from such evident loss! Life is wasted, day and night are spent in toil, and wealth becomes the cause of affliction. Most of people’s wealth is not pure. If people would act according to what God has revealed, surely His grace would not leave such souls deprived. In all cases, His bounty will be watchful and His mercy will be directed toward them.

Let Aqa Murtada-Quli not be sorrowful. God willing, he shall attain that which shall endure in mention throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. For today, every soul is capable of attaining eternal stations. Let them recite this prayer:

Glorified art Thou, O Thou at Whose separation the near ones are consumed, at Whose exile the believers cry out, and at Whose remoteness the sincere ones lament! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst open the gates of bounties to all who are in the earth and the heavens, through which the ship of Thy grace sailed upon the ocean of Thy bestowal, and the streams of Thy mercy flowed throughout the regions of Thy dominion, to assist me in that which Thou lovest and approvest, and to ordain for me that which will protect me from the treachery of every traitor, the schemes of every deceiver, and the harm of those who have denied Thee and Thy signs.

O Lord! I have grasped with hope’s hands the hem of Thy generosity, O Thou Possessor of Names! I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have cast away what they possessed and taken up that which Thou didst command them in Thy Book. Then I beseech Thee, O Thou Goal of the world and the Manifest One among the nations, by the Most Great Name, to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy grace and the clouds of Thy bounty that which will unite what hath been scattered from me. Then ordain for me through Thy loving-kindness that which will make me independent of all save Thee and will benefit me in every world of Thy worlds.

Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest through Thy Name, the All-Dominating over all things. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Then I beseech Thee by the sovereignty of the Names to send down upon my brother that which will set right his affairs that have prevented him from recognizing Thee. O Lord! Thou knowest him better than I or he himself, and verily Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.

O Samandar! Let them recite these exalted words which have been sent down from the heaven of loving-kindness, and if they recite them correctly once, it suffices. All matters should be carried out with joy and fragrance. In this Most Holy, Most Exalted Manifestation, We have forbidden the servants to make mention in the streets and marketplaces, as hath been recorded in the Most Holy Book which hath been sent down from the holy divine Kingdom. Blessed is the soul that hath acted according to that which was commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Ask God, exalted be His glory, to awaken the heedless ones and not to deprive them of the outpourings from the clouds of His loving-kindness. These occurrences that come to pass on earth, such as loss of wealth, the world’s conflicts and its changes—regard all of these as harbingers. They call out to man with most eloquent utterance and inform him of that which shall come upon him in the future. God willing, He will grant hearing ears that all may arise to that which will lead to success and prosperity. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of all worlds.

O Samandar! Gladden the heart of his honor M.R., upon him be the Glory of God. Say: It behooveth thee to read the Tablet of Ra’is and the Tablet of Paris, for these two blessed Tablets will enable man to attain the station of certitude, and after certitude and acting upon what We have commanded, assuredly the gates of goodly things will be opened before your face. Grieve not over anything, trust in God, thy Lord, the Generous. Verily, He taketh every hand that is raised toward Him, heareth every mention uttered by His servants, and answereth every supplicant. Hold fast unto His firm and mighty cord. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. End. On my behalf, convey greetings to him and say: God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful you shall be successful. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

And likewise you had mentioned the matter of Jinab-i-Aqa Abdu’l-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God, through whom the aforementioned sum was sent from the Land of Peace and the Land of Ha and Mim to Hadba. Regarding this matter, Jinab-i-Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], had also written a letter to this servant from the Land of Ta, inquiring about the sum of thirty tumans which had become available here and was to be sent to the Land of Hadba, as well as from another place. After presenting this to the Most Holy Court, words shone forth from the Dawning-Place of the Cause, and according to His command, a copy of those exalted words should be sent to you for forwarding. His mighty words in response to Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], state:

“Concerning what you wrote about Mosul, He said it would have been better had they heeded the blessed words We shall surely test you’ followed by ʿand give glad tidings to the patient ones.’ Although famine has overtaken most lands this year, yet the spread of such matters by the friends might cause certain incidents. The mention and spreading of such matters should in all cases occur with permission. Verily He knoweth His servants better than they know themselves. He is indeed the Single One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

And whosoever desires with utmost longing to pay the Huququ’llah should give it to such trusted ones as yourself and obtain a receipt, so that whatever transpires may occur with the permission and leave of the Truth. Verily He is the Teacher, the All-Wise.

And He said: Write,

“Blessed art thou, O ʿAbdu’l-Husayn, in that thou hast been named with this Great Name. We made mention of thee before and make mention of thee at this time as a token of My favor, and I am the All-Mentioning, the All-Knowing.”

The glance of His loving-kindness hath been directed towards you and your services in the path of God were witnessed, and your good intentions were also evident in the Most Holy Court. Be thou thankful unto God for this clear mention.

And concerning what they had written about Hadba, We commanded this servant to write to you what was written to Abu’l-Hasan of the people of Alif and Ra, that you may be informed. I beseech God to make you one who is assisted in that which will exalt His Cause and establish your mention in His wise Book. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

And likewise regarding the plot of land they have purchased similar to this servant’s small plot, it was presented before His presence and this response shone forth from the horizon of utterance:

“Excellent is what thou hast done. God willing, it shall be counted among the enduring traces, and in this land too, according to His command, a plot of land was acquired that it might be among the enduring traces for whosoever desireth good. Verily the bounty is in His hand—He bestoweth it upon whomsoever He willeth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.”

Such matters shall endure throughout the dominion of the earthly and heavenly kingdoms, inasmuch as they have occurred in the name of Truth in the days of Truth.

And concerning what you had written about the success of some of the loved ones who occasionally give charity to wayfarers and the poor of the city, it was presented in the Most Holy Court. He said this matter has been and will be most beloved. Blessed is he whom God hath assisted to spend in His path. Verily He sendeth down blessings upon him from the heaven of grace. Verily He is the Protector of the rich and the poor and the needy.

O Samandar! Glorify on My behalf My loved ones in that land whom vain imaginings have not deterred from My straight Path. Say: By God, the True One! Ye shall soon find that which ye have wrought, endured, witnessed and heard in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds. Not an atom’s weight of your deeds escapeth His knowledge. Verily, He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. All things bear witness to you, yet most people are among the heedless. Soon shall they arise at the breath of chastisement and behold that which they denied through nights and days. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Know thou that We have made mention of Javad with verses that gladden the hearts of them that have turned towards God, and We have sent down for Andalib that which hath diffused the fragrance of thy Lord’s mercy, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

O Samandar! Convey My glorification to all the friends. All are mentioned before the Throne, and in every instance the Most Exalted Pen turneth toward them and calleth unto them from the precincts of the Prison. God willing, may they truly attain unto this most exalted station at all times, and the fruit of their labors shall appear on earth. His honor Ism-i-Jud, upon him be My glory, hath made mention in this land of those related to him. Give thou the glad-tidings of divine bounty to all and make them joyful with his mention. Verily He remembereth him who remembereth Him, and He is the best of them that remember. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

This evanescent servant desired to send glorification to that beloved one, yet knoweth not in what manner of manner, in what form of forms, with what mention of mentions, with what tale of tales from his own world to make himself conform, that he might make mention or manifest it in the realm of utterance. I testify that I am indeed the weary, the lowly, the poor, the needy, the one in want of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Likewise to mention my beloved, his honor my brother, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and all the friends of Baha, upon them—the unworthy mentions of this servant are contrary to propriety, yet from all there is hope for pardon. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to adorn all with the ornament of faithfulness and keep them firm upon the straight path of His Cause. No mention appeareth more beloved than this in my sight. He is indeed the Witness, the All-Seeing.

Another submission is that the traces of that beloved one’s pen arrive continuously. This matter is very good and acceptable, yet it must occur in accordance with wisdom, as was submitted before. Some souls come by a word and go by a word—I know not to whom they go or what aspect they desire. In any case, these souls, at the slightest vexation, mention whatever occurs, and this may perhaps cause agitation. In all circumstances that honored one must be mindful of wisdom. If it can be sent in such way that none become aware, it is beloved; otherwise, some delay is preferable. And this matter came to this servant’s own view, which he mentioned, for it was observed that God, exalted be His grandeur, hath sent down many firm commandments concerning the matter of wisdom. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the Preserver, the Helper, the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH00576: Praise be to God Who hath manifested Himself through…

In the name of God, the One, exalted be His majesty!

Praise be to God Who hath manifested Himself through a point from the Most Great Book upon the leaves of the world, whereupon appeared the Books, the Scrolls, the Psalms and the Tablets. Then He manifested Himself through a light from the lights of inner meanings upon the world of utterance, whereupon the horizon of divine knowledge dawned and the morn of the Cause shone forth through the luminary of grace and prosperity.

O My Name Mihdi! The letter from the Afnan Alif and Ha, upon him be My glory, was presented by this servant before the Throne. God willing, may he ever drink from the choice wine of inner meanings in this luminous day and offer it to them that are worthy. We have verily aided him to serve the Cause, and thus have We bestowed Our favor upon him and upon the chosen ones among My servants. Verily thy Lord is the All-Giving, the Generous. We give him glad tidings of a mercy from Our presence and make mention of him in such wise as hath brought joy to the hearts of the sincere ones.

O Mihdi! We have commanded all the friends to observe wisdom, and the divine Tablets bear witness to this truth. Nevertheless, some engage in teaching the Cause without any veil or covering. Although they act for the sake of Truth and make mention of His Name, yet this is not acceptable in the sight of God, for they act contrary to that which God hath willed. Some have exceeded the bounds of moderation out of fear and trepidation, while others, out of eagerness and enthusiasm, proclaim the mention of the Beloved of the worlds from the pulpits. Glory be to God! As to the fearful souls—what have they perceived, and from what do they seek to preserve and conceal themselves?

By the Sun of Utterance which shineth from the horizon of the Prison, even should they hide beneath the layers of the earth and seek to preserve themselves through all means and causes, they shall find no escape from the claws of death, nor shall they ever find it. God willing, may the trees of being not remain [without fruit and yield], and may they not deprive themselves of the water of life for the sake of these fleeting days. In all things moderation is beloved. Some time ago this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the Supreme Pen. His exalted Word:

He is the All-Wise Book

O people! Hold fast to the Strong Cord, for verily it will profit you on earth from God, the Lord of all worlds. Take hold of justice and equity, and reject what every remote ignorant one hath commanded you—they who have adorned their heads with turbans and pronounced judgment against Him through Whom every wise decree hath been made manifest. Through My Name their stations were exalted amongst the people, yet when I revealed Myself they pronounced judgment against Me with manifest injustice. Thus hath the Pen spoken in truth, while the people remain heedless. Verily he who holdeth fast to justice doth not transgress the bounds of moderation in any matter and is endowed with insight from the All-Seeing.

The civilization extolled by the learned exponents of arts and sciences will, if allowed to overleap the bounds of moderation, bring great evil upon men. Thus doth the All-Knowing inform you. If carried to excess, civilization will prove as prolific a source of evil as it had been of goodness when kept within the restraints of moderation. Meditate upon this, O people, and be not of them that wander distraught. The day is approaching when its blaze will consume the cities, and the Tongue of Grandeur will proclaim: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Praised!” Thus observe all things, then render thanks unto thy Lord for having mentioned thee in this wondrous Tablet. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne!

If a soul were to truly ponder what hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen and find its sweetness, he would surely become detached from his own will and desire, and would move according to the Will of God. Blessed is he who hath attained unto this station and hath not been deprived of this most great bounty. Today neither the fearful who hide themselves nor those who openly proclaim are beloved. All must act with wisdom and engage in service to the Cause. It behooveth everyone to reflect upon the condition of this Wronged One. From the beginning until now, We have been manifest among both friends and foes, and even in times when calamities and tribulations surrounded Us from all sides, We summoned the people of the earth to the Most Exalted Horizon with utmost power. The Supreme Pen desireth not to mention Its own afflictions in this regard, for this would surely cause grief to those who are near, to the sincere ones, and to them that are devoted. Verily, He is the Speaker, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Most days We were in the hands of Our enemies, and now We dwell among serpents. These sacred lands have been described and mentioned in all divine Books, and most of the Prophets and Messengers appeared from these lands. This is that desert wherein all the Messengers cried “Here am I, O my God, here am I,” and the promise of the appearance of God was to be in these lands. This is the Valley of Decree, the White Land, and the Luminous Spot. All that is manifest today was mentioned in previous Books, but the people thereof were declared unacceptable in all divine Books, to such extent that in some instances they were described as the offspring of serpents. And now this Wronged One, dwelling among the offspring of serpents, calleth out with the most exalted call and summoneth all to the ultimate goal, the most sublime summit and the highest horizon. Blessed is he who hath heard what the Tongue hath uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance, and woe unto every heedless and remote one.

Beseech ye God that He may enable all His friends to do that which is acceptable in His sight today. Should anyone succeed in performing even a single pure deed today, he shall be mentioned and recorded among those near to God in the divine Book. In all matters, hold fast to the cord of consultation. This exalted word was previously revealed in the Crimson Tablet. The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation and compassion. In matters take ye counsel together, for consultation is the lamp of guidance that leadeth the way and bestoweth understanding. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise you, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O people of Baha! Know ye the value of this most mighty, most holy Day and arise to that which beseemeth you and is worthy of it. Guard yourselves by the name of God, exalted be His glory, from the cawing of the ravens and the croaking of the deniers. By the life of God! The opposers among the people of the Bayan appear more veiled than all other peoples. They have returned to the first step. They speak according to their desires and by them seek to prove their case against God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. They have failed to perceive the fragrance of the Divine Day. Say: This is the Day of God; it beseemeth no one to make mention of aught else or to turn unto any other than Him. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken from His glorious station.

We make mention once again of the Afnan at the end of the Book, that he may give thanks unto the Lord of all beings Who hath appeared and revealed what He desired through His all-compelling Will over the worlds. Thou art he who hath heard the call of thy Lord and turned unto the Supreme Horizon, and wert of them that responded. Say: O peoples of the earth! By God, that which ye possess will profit you not. Leave it behind in My Name, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Say: O concourse of divines! Cast aside what ye possess of veils and allusions. Hearken unto that which the Supreme Pen calleth you to in this wondrous Day. Through your injustice the Concourse on High hath lamented, as have the denizens of Paradise and those who have proclaimed there is no God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The world hath been darkened by your idle fancies, and the hearts of them who are nigh unto God have been troubled by your cruelty. Fear God and be of them that are fair-minded. O concourse of rulers! Your ornaments and that which ye possess have preoccupied you. Soon shall the breezes of annihilation seize you from every direction. Then shall ye see yourselves in manifest loss.

From this station We send Our greetings to My loved ones and counsel them with that which We have counseled them before, and I am the All-Wise Counselor. Say: Beware lest the doubts of those who have left your lands prevent you, or the conditions of the heedless veil you. We counsel them again and again with the wisdom that hath been sent down in the Tablets of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne.

That which was mentioned in the blessed spot hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance by One Who is Compassionate, All-Knowing. If it be realized in spirit and joy, it is well-pleasing. God assisteth the souls that are steadfast and assured, and He hath commanded and doth command to what is right. Blessed is the soul that hath succeeded in serving in the path of God. Verily, it is of the people of the highest Paradise in My gracious Book.

O My Afnan! We bear witness that thou hast acted righteously in that which thou wast bidden by the All-Knowing Commander. God willing, mayest thou ever be assisted in that which causeth the exaltation of God’s Cause. Minutes, hours, nights and days all swiftly return to extinction, and that which endureth and lasteth is what appeareth in the love of God and His path. How many souls there were who yearned and hoped for this station, yet today are seen to be heedless and veiled. O My Afnan! Say:

Glorified art Thou, O God of all created things and Object of all creation! I beseech Thee by the Dayspring of Thy mighty signs, whereby the Most Exalted Horizon was illumined and the Call was raised betwixt earth and heaven, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones to stand firm in this Cause—the Cause by which the idols have lamented and the edifice of creation hath been shaken. O my Lord! Thou beholdest what the hands of the oppressors have wrought and hearest the cawing of the ignorant ones who have turned away from Thy sealed wine when it appeared through Thy Self-Subsisting Name. O my Lord! Illumine their eyes with the light of Thy knowledge and their hearts with the effulgences of the light of Thy countenance. All things have testified to Thy power and might. I beseech Thee not to disappoint Thy servants from the rustling of the Pen of Thy Revelation, nor to debar them from turning unto the ocean of Thy mercy. Thou art He Whom the affairs of creation cannot frustrate, nor can the might of them that have denied Thee and Thy signs strike fear into Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH00833: Praise be to God, Who hath ever been…

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

Praise be to God, Who hath ever been and will continue to be the All-Powerful, the Most High, the Most Holy, the Most Pure, the Single, the Impenetrable, the Peerless, the One, the Self-Subsisting. He will forever be as He hath always been. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower.

He hath manifested the clear proofs and sent down the verses in such wise that the horizons have been filled therewith. The Path hath appeared, the Balance hath been set up, and He hath called all to a station that transcendeth description. He, verily, is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Thereafter, your honor had previously given this servant a page containing the names of God’s loved ones. In these days it was presented at the Most Holy Court, and for each one, a line from the Hidden Tablet was revealed and sent down. His is all praise and bounty, His is all glory and laudation and grandeur.

I swear by the Sun of the heavens of truth that the like of this favor hath never appeared in the world, nor shall it ever appear. Night and day, the glances of His grace have been and will continue to be directed towards His friends.

This evanescent one and your honor must beseech Him, glorified be His majesty, that He may enable all to render thanks and perform such deeds as befit these days and this bounty, that He may adorn all with the raiment of submission and crown them with the diadems of contentment. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, to Whose might all atoms testify, and the Self-Subsisting, to Whose sovereignty all created things bear witness.

My mention and the mention of what is above me and above that which is above me, nay, the mention of the world and the peoples and what is above them and below them, can never attain to the most insignificant of the signs which He hath deposited in His kingdom. Glorified, glorified is He above all meaning and utterance, above all mention and description, above all words and understanding.

And this new letter which they have written to your honor from Yazd and given to this servant—in these days when verses are being revealed and sent down like torrential rain—I presented it at the Most Holy Court. He mentioned each one with His blessed tongue, and the Sun of divine favor rose upon each one.

This servant is powerless to describe it. By the True One Himself, were but one letter thereof to shine upon the darkest night, it would become as the night of the full moon. God willing, may all receive their portion from the breezes of these days and engage in serving the Cause, for that which causeth strife, contention and corruption hath never been and will never be the cause of the exaltation of the Cause, but rather leadeth to its waste.

God willing, all should assist the divine Cause through pure and holy deeds, noble resolve, and praiseworthy and acceptable conduct. Time and again have I heard such utterances from the Tongue of Grandeur and conveyed them to the friends of God. May this servant and all be enabled to achieve that which is pleasing to the Desired One of all worlds.

Mention hath been made repeatedly in the Most Holy Presence of Aqa Siyyid Husayn, upon him be Baha’u’llah, and his letters have reached this servant. That honored one can bear witness that this servant hath rarely had, and still rarely hath, opportunity to write. Yet not everything that remaineth unwritten by the pen is forgotten from the heart. God, the One, is My witness that their names are ever remembered and their thoughts ever present.

Most often this ephemeral one is occupied with transcribing the divine verses, and if perchance some leisure is found, with attending to certain necessary matters about which the Point of Oneness—that is, the Point of the Bayan, may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for Him—left instructions. For in numerous instances He instructed all who are in the Bayan to serve the Ancient Beauty in the days of His Manifestation, particularly during His presence.

Though this servant is incapable of service worthy of the servants of the Bab, yet according to his capacity some movement is made. God is the All-Forgiving, the Concealer. May He, God willing, adorn the deeds of this ephemeral one and His friends with the ornament of acceptance. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Exalted, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Concerning what was written about Aqa Shaykh Muhammad in this letter, it was presented before the Most Holy Presence. This blessed word shone forth from the Dawning-Place of the Divine Utterance:

May he, God willing, be a breaker of the idols of passion and a guide to the path of the Lord of Names.

Likewise, mention was made in that letter of Haji Mulla Ibrahim and Aqa Muhammad-Rida and others. The details of their circumstances as mentioned in the letter were presented. This is what the All-Bestowing One revealed in reply:

“He is the All-Knowing Expositor. Remember from Our presence those servants whom God hath freed from the chains of passion and aided to turn towards the Supreme Horizon—the station whereat the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary proclaimeth:”The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End!” Blessed are they who have quaffed My sealed wine through My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and it is My hidden love wherewith none have been favored save those near ones who have cast away the world and taken what they were commanded by God, the Lord of the Throne and of Earth. God willing, may they, through the grace of the Lord of Days, shine bright like the stars of the heaven of utterance, and with perfect wisdom be occupied with the remembrance and praise of the Peerless Friend. By My life! This is the day of remembrance, praise, and service to the Cause. A hundred thousand regrets for those souls who have let pass from them that which befitteth and is worthy of these days. Hold ye fast to the cord of My grace and cling to the hem of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.” End.

This ephemeral one’s submission is that you convey sublime greetings to each one on behalf of this servant.

Regarding what you wrote about Aqa Muhammad-Hasan ʿAttar, upon him be Baha’u’llah, they had written his details from the Land of Ha, and mentioned the allowance, and likewise the dye and cumin that they had previously sent have arrived. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid and assist him at all times in that which is the cause of an enduring goodly remembrance.

Convey on behalf of this servant sublime and glorious greetings to him. May he ever be, God willing, the recipient of the outpourings of the true Bestower of Grace and be ever turned toward His horizon. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and that which endureth is the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

As for what was written regarding Jinab-i-Ustad Baqir, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], details about him and Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Hasan were both presented before the Most Holy Court. He said:

“Excellent is what they have done in the path of God. Their remaining was preferable to traveling. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise them. Verily, We pronounce unto them from this station Our greetings, and nothing that hath been created in the realm of possibility can equal this pronouncement. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them to remain steadfast with the greatest steadfastness in this Cause whereby feet have slipped.”

Thus it ended.

Praise be to God that on this blessed day a number have attained unto the remembrance of God. Blessed are those souls whose names the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered. God will soon reveal that which is veiled today. Verily, He is the Manifest, the Revealer. The Glory be upon thee and upon every name that was in thy letter, and upon all who have turned unto the One, the All-Informed. Praise be to God, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

BH00909: Praise be to Him Who hath appeared and revealed…

In the Name of God, transcendent in His glory and power!

Praise be to Him Who hath appeared and revealed what He desired on a Day whereon the Pharaohs and their hosts were shaken and the tyrants and their ranks were made to tremble. He Who hath spoken forth a Word and made it a balance from His presence, a path from His nearness, a trumpet by His command, a cry by His will, a catastrophe by His decree, and an inevitable event by His sovereignty. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it and held fast thereunto, and woe betide him who hath cast it behind him and turned away therefrom. Exalted, exalted be its Creator, its Manifestor, and its Revealer!

I pray and offer salutations upon those who answered the call of God when it was raised in truth and who acted according to what they were commanded in His perspicuous Book. These are servants whom God hath described through the tongue of the Prophets and Messengers. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! They are those whom neither the clamor of the heedless nor the doubts of the wayward deterred from God. They arose to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as the eye of creation hath never beheld. To this beareth witness the Lord of invention. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O thou who art mentioned in My heart! I was gladdened by what flowed from thy pen in remembrance of our Lord and thy Lord. By thy life! The fragrances of thy words so transported Me that I am unable to describe it by pen or tongue, for it was adorned with praise of our Lord, the All-Merciful. His is the praise and favor for having aided thee to remember and praise Him, and for having granted Me the joy of receiving thy letter which spoke in remembrance of Him besides Whom none should be remembered.

When I became aware of it, I approached the Presence and presented its contents before His countenance. Thereupon the tongue of the Beloved spoke forth in the Kingdom of utterance, saying in His sweetest voice: O Ali! The servant in attendance here hath appeared and read what thou didst send unto him, and We have remembered thee with this wondrous remembrance. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as We have found from thee the fragrance of contentment in whatsoever hath been decreed and ordained by God, the Creator of heaven. O Ali! Every relationship hath clung to the cord of God and His kinship. Blessed is the servant who hath recognized that which the Wronged One hath uttered in this exalted station. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid you and assist you in that which He loveth and is pleased with. He is, verily, the Lord of the latter and the former worlds. There is none other God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Grieve not for what hath befallen you in these days. Be patient in what God hath decreed and ordained, for verily He loveth the patient ones.

With a hundred thousand tongues must thou praise and glorify the Best-Beloved of the worlds, Who hath assisted thee to utter words from which the fragrance of contentment was wafted. This is that word which hath ever been and will ever be remembered before God and is acceptable in His presence. Thus have We remembered thee from the precincts of the Prison, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

We make mention of Ali-Qabli-Akbar who hath attained unto that which most of mankind hath not attained, and We remember Ahmad, upon him be the glory of God, the One, the Single, who turned towards God, heard and attained unto that which was recorded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. We send Our prayers, Our peace and Our glorification upon My loved ones in that place, from whom the Concourse on High perceiveth the fragrance of love and of turning unto God, the One, the Single, the All-Informed. Blessed are they and happy are they in that they have taken and drunk and have said: “Praise be to God, the Goal of the worlds.” The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon such of God’s servants as are patient.

We remember once again him who was named Ali who attained unto My presence, then he who was named Muhammad-Taqi who circumambulated the Throne that they might give thanks and be numbered among those who praise. We glorify them as We glorified them the first time and We mention them again with this clear remembrance for which the spirits of the world would be sacrificed, yet the peoples are in mighty veils. And We make mention of him who was named Ali-Asghar and give him the glad-tidings of what the servant in attendance here hath done on his behalf and how he arose to serve his Lord after permission was granted. Verily this is a great bounty. And We make mention of My servant who attained unto My presence and circumambulated the Prison out of love for My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The glory be upon you from God, the Lord of the worlds.

O beloved of My heart! Praise be to God that through the favors of the Beloved thou hast attained again and again and hast been and art under the glances of His grace. Though what hath come to pass hath caused infinite sorrows, yet since the compassionate, merciful, generous, and kind One is manifest and evident, He transformeth all hardships with a single word and attributeth steadfast and assured souls unto Himself. May all existence be a sacrifice unto His favor! At a time when man is immersed in the ocean of sorrows to such extent that no trace of joy is visible, by merely attaining His presence, through one word the wings of joy grow and through another word he learneth to soar. Who is able to praise God, the Lord of the worlds? The essence of praise hath confessed its impotence, the reality of gratitude its inability to reach Him, the truth of glorification its remoteness and evanescence, and the kingdom of knowledge its heedlessness and forgetfulness. He is the Sanctified One to Whose loftiness, sanctity and glory all things have testified. There is none other God but He, the Just, the Generous, the Merciful.

Concerning what you wrote about the aforementioned gardener, the described tree, the characterized flowers, the radiant shining realities, and the manifest crimson anemones—the heart was encompassed with joy upon beholding this. For it is verified and known that your honor, in whatever place or station you may be, have been and are engaged in the remembrance, thought, purpose and contemplation of that which is related to the Truth—how much more so with His exalted Name, His exalted Remembrance, His exalted Light, and His exalted Word. God willing, the roses of that rose-garden and the trees of that paradise—His remembrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven—have been and shall ever be fragrant and fruitful in the garden of inner meanings, which in one station hath been interpreted as the Book of God.

Furthermore, convey on behalf of this evanescent one to each and every one of the friends expressions of nothingness, glory and sincerity. God is the witness and testifier that they have always been and are before my sight, save in those moments when this servant himself is heedless and, in accordance with “naught appears from the heedless save that which profiteth him not, nor that which is beneath him,” is preoccupied. Praise be to God that all those souls who exist are turned toward the Truth and are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon. The fragrance of divine love is diffused from them. To this doth testify this evanescent servant, and beyond him, his eternal Lord. Glory be upon your honor, upon them, and upon those who have attained unto the loving-kindness of God, their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00960: O thou who bearest My Name! Upon thee be…

In the Name of the One God

O thou who bearest My Name! Upon thee be my glory! I pray that thou mayest be blessed with divine grace. The letter from the Afnan, upon him be My glory and mercy, which was sent from the land of Shin, was received. May they ever be engaged in the remembrance of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, detached from the world and all who dwell therein. That which thou hast arranged concerning he who beareth the name of Jamal, upon him be My glory, is acceptable. Indeed, they have inhaled the fragrances of the divine days, of which all are heedless today, and are gazing toward and turning to the highest horizon. This is among God’s greatest bounties, that He hath enabled them in such days to recognize that which all others are veiled from.

O Mihdi! The world is in upheaval while the people remain heedless. The dust of the deeds and words of the veiled ones hath obscured the luminous morn. Today every firm and mighty foundation is shaken, and every steadfast and upright foot hath faltered, save those whom thy Lord hath willed. The world’s convulsions increase daily, yet its people perceive not the cause and reason, and remain veiled from what is with God by what is with themselves. The Sun of Truth is shining, the ocean is surging, the shrill voice of the Pen is raised, the Tree is speaking, and the Nightingale is warbling—yet deaf ears and blind eyes are witnessed. Most of what was revealed by the Supreme Pen in sacred texts and tablets hath come to pass, as thou hast witnessed, and what remaineth suspended in the heaven of God’s Will shall assuredly be made manifest. Woe unto the heedless when the Great Terror comes!

O thou who bearest My Name! The Cause is exceedingly great. In one of the tablets revealed in these days, this most exalted Word was sent down:

“The preamble of the Book of Creation was adorned with the word He’. We removed it with complete power and placed I’. By God’s life, this is a mighty matter which none can bear save he who is the most powerful in the world and holdeth fast to the Most Great Name.”

The Hand of Complete Power hath rent asunder the veils of creation to a known measure. Now it is observed that the dawning-places of vain imaginings and the sources of idle fancies are veiled by other veils. Reflect upon the baseness of nature and paucity of understanding of the veiled ones, who have but newly returned to their original station. By the Sun of Grace which shineth from the horizon of the Prison, they are considered before God as more veiled than all other peoples.

All divine Books testify to the greatness of this Day, yet the people of the Book remain unaware and heedless. Thou hast witnessed how that rebellious and transgressing sect who counted themselves the saved and blessed community [behaved]. Wait, and thou shalt see the others more rebellious and wretched than all the peoples of the earth. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise thee.

Say: He hath come with the truth and cannot be indicated by the signs of all the Books, nor doth He walk in the ways of the people of creation. He hath appeared and made manifest His Straight Path.

O thou who bearest My Name! Ja’far spoke one word in truth and sincerity—for nearly one thousand three hundred years they called him a liar, and the fruit of the deeds and words of that rebellious band was that they martyred God’s loved ones, who had no peer or like on earth, with the most grievous torments. And now the veiled ones of the Bayan manifest exactly the same words and deeds, as if they had no knowledge of the Day of God and had not caught the fragrance of the garment of His Manifestation. From the ocean of knowledge they remain deprived.

O Mihdi, arise for God’s sake and speak for God’s sake and exert your utmost effort in God’s path. Perchance through the Name of Truth and the Power of Truth, exalted be His glory, you may purify and sanctify the new creation from the doubts, veils and insinuations of this atheistic group. A word that is spoken for God’s sake contains within it the nature and effect of milk whose taste has not changed, and it will raise the children of the age to the lofty station of maturity and give them to drink from the ocean of knowledge. Likewise in these days, in one of the Tablets this exalted word was sent down from the divine Kingdom of utterance: Until you do not become aware of the falsehood of the past, you will not bear witness to the truth of this Day. This blessed word has been and is one of the pearls of the ocean of divine knowledge. Blessed are they that understand.

Whosoever attains to this testimony is mentioned before God as among the mightiest of creation. This is why the Point (the Bab), may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him, declares that a one-year-old seed of the Day of His manifestation is mightier than all the Bayan. O My Name! The breezes of torment for the deceivers from all parties have encompassed them, but now they are unaware and heedless.

Reflect upon Alexander of this age who was entitled the Emperor of the world. The hand of powerful glory lifted up two parties, as was detailed in previous years in the divine Tablets. Blessed are they that observe, blessed are they that perceive, and blessed are they that reflect.

Say: This is the Day of God wherein none is mentioned save Him. He needeth not any proof to demonstrate His Cause, nor any mention from among mentions. He hath come from the heaven of Command with clear sovereignty. Neither the hosts of the world nor the ranks of nations can frustrate Him. He hath proclaimed before all faces with the most exalted call: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

By God! My Cause is great, great! But most of the people are heedless. In these days in one of the Tablets this firm and impregnable word was revealed: Today is very great and wondrous, for the He is manifest in the garment of I and the Hidden One speaketh with “I am the Witnessed One.” Despite the greatness of this Cause which by the testimony of all the Books is more manifest than the sun in midheaven, no person of insight has been nor will be confused about it, for its lights, manifestations, verses and evidences have encompassed all regions. None denieth it save every remote deceiver.

At the end of the Book We make mention of another Afnan and conclude with his remembrance. Verily thy Lord is He Who judgeth as He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He came forth turning unto God until he attained the presence of the Countenance and heard what the Tongue of the Wronged One uttered in this noble station. God willing, may all, men and women, attain unto the fragrances of the divine days, remain firm in His Cause, be turned toward His horizon, and speak His praise. The glory from God, the Lord of the worlds, be upon them.

BH01188: To be typed

To be typed.

BH01229: O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who…

In the name of Him Who calleth aloud with the most exalted utterance amidst all created things.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was attracted by the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing and by the murmuring of the River of Meanings as it flowed from the right hand of the Throne of his Lord, the Lord of all beings, that the Most Great Joy might take possession of him on this Day whereon the Ancient King hath been made manifest through the Most Great Name and hath proclaimed: “There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.”

The servant who is present hath at this moment presented thy letter before the Wronged One. We have answered thee through this Tablet whereby the horizon of utterance hath shone forth and the nightingale of the All-Merciful hath warbled upon the branches:

“There is none other God but He, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.”

We have inhaled from thy letter the fragrance of thy love and have heard that which thy tongue and heart have uttered concerning this Remembrance at Whose appearance all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save for a mere handful who represent the Countenance of thy Lord, the Lord of existence. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as We have found thee speaking My praise, turning toward My horizon, soaring in the atmosphere of My love, holding fast to the cord of My bounty, clinging to the hem of the robe of My grandeur, and humble before the revelation of My verses and submissive unto My Cause that prevaileth over all that was and shall be.

Hearken unto the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen in the Persian tongue, that perchance the people of that land might, through the utterances of the Revealer of verses, shatter the idols of doubt and misgiving through the Name of Truth and turn toward the horizon of the Cause. This is a Day the mention of which hath been recorded in all the divine Books through the Name of Truth, for it is known as the Day of God, wherein naught is mentioned save God, His sovereignty, His grandeur, His power, His majesty, and His mercy that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be to God that thy honor hath been enabled to make mention of the Truth, to praise the Truth, and to serve the Truth. Know thou the worth and station of this most great bounty and arise as behooveth the days of God. He is present and watchful, and at all times confirmeth them that are detached. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor and proclaim His Cause with wisdom and utterance, that perchance such souls as have quaffed from the Kawthar of life and are turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon might not remain veiled by former superstitions nor be deprived.

O Abu’l-Ma’ali! Reflect upon the “triumphant community” and consider how, in the Day of the Manifestation of the divine Balance, the contending parties were accounted among the tyrannous and rebellious—nay, even more overweening and more astray. It is as though they have not drunk of the Kawthar of certitude, nor attained unto so much as a drop from the ocean of equity. They are numbered, in the Book of God, among the worshipers of idols and vain imaginings; their names are recorded and inscribed by the Manifest Pen. Blessed is the soul that hath been freed from the fantasies of former days, and that, in utter sanctity and detachment, hath turned unto the ocean of divine knowledge and the sun of heavenly wisdom. Look thou, then, and call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Furqan: “All that is upon it shall perish, and there shall remain the Face of thy Lord, the Possessor of majesty and bounty.”

All are today perishing, though they perceive it not. For years and centuries, they have spoken of and awaited the appearance of an imaginary person in an imaginary city with imaginary signs and attributes. Yet when He appeared contrary to their understanding, reason, suppositions and imaginings, they raised the standards of rejection and unfurled the banners of denial and protest. The deeds of that rebellious, transgressing and heedless community are not surprising, for those possessed of insight and the people of the Most Sublime Vision have always recognized such souls as worshippers of the idols of vain imaginings. What is surprising is that the people of the Bayan have again become afflicted with the same delusions. By the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings, they are seen to be more remote, more misguided, and more veiled than all other peoples.

They behold the Sun of Manifestation at its meridian and hear the call of the Lord of Names from the highest horizon, yet they turn away and indeed are among the most vehement enemies. This Most Great Cause has no likeness in what has gone before or shall come after, for it has appeared adorned with the most wondrous originality. Verily, He is the Originator of the heavens and earth. Blessed is the servant who has attained unto that which God, the Lord of the worlds, has desired.

God willing, you should engage in teaching the Cause with the utmost determination, with wisdom and utterance, and in the name of the Ancient King rend asunder the veils of the peoples, that they might not remain deprived of the outpouring grace nor be bereft of the ocean of knowledge. Blessed art thou and thy brother who turned toward the Truth when most of creation turned away from it. We have indeed sent down unto him clear verses that he might rejoice and be among the thankful. We counsel all to manifest the greatest steadfastness in this Cause whereby the limbs of all names have trembled, save those whom God, the Almighty, the Powerful, has willed. Convey to all the friends the greetings from the Wronged One, that perchance through the fragrances of the garment of the All-Merciful’s utterance they may be illumined with the lights of steadfastness and be recorded in the Book of God among those who are firm and steadfast.

BH01258: Praise be to the Beloved Who hath gathered together…

In the Name of the One All-Knowing!

Praise be to the Beloved Who hath gathered together the peoples of the world through His blessed word “No imperfection canst thou see in the creation of the God of Mercy,” and through another word hath made manifest the greatest differentiation. Through His Name was raised the banner “Verily I am God,” and through His manifestation was revealed the meaning of “All things shall perish save His Face.” He is the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. The might of the powerful hath not weakened Him, nor hath the majesty of princes rendered Him powerless. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. There is no God but He, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Muhammad! The servant in attendance hath made mention of all that was written to thee by him who beareth the name of H and S, upon him be My glory. Blessed is he, for he is among those who have taken the path unto Him Who occupieth the throne. They have been and are beneath the glances of God’s loving-kindness. We have given him glad-tidings of this aforetime, and We give him glad-tidings in this noble Tablet. Likewise his petition reached the Most Holy Court through the Most Great Branch. Verily We have read and heard his call and the mention of his heart in the love of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, and We have answered him and will answer him with that which all the treasures of the world cannot equal. He is verily the Answerer, the All-Bountiful.

Praise be to God that they have attained unto the lights of the Throne and have realized the presence of God, which is the greatest of all deeds. This is a Day the description of which hath left the Pen of Creation powerless, and all the world was created for this Day. Nevertheless, none have understood save a few. Whosoever hath attained unto its understanding hath attained unto all that hath been revealed in the Books. The attention, mention, acceptance and desire of no one shall be lost. All are recorded and inscribed in God’s Book. For each one hath been ordained that which would bewilder minds to mention.

God willing, ye have been and shall continue to be assisted. Thereafter the servant in attendance laid before His presence another letter which Abuturab, upon him be My glory, had written to thee. Praise be to God, the fragrance of divine love was diffused from his letter. They have hearkened unto the call of Him Who conversed on Sinai and have recognized the divine Day from which most of the divines and mystics are veiled, and have attained unto the lights of the Sun of Revelation shining from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Tablet. God willing, may they be assisted in that which shall cause its mention to endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, who hath arisen to serve the Cause and hath spoken that from which the fragrance of inner meanings hath been wafted among the people of utterance. Glory be upon him and upon those who have attained unto the sealed wine in the days of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

In the letter of him who beareth the name of H and S, upon him be My glory, mention was made of certain souls who have turned to God. We make mention of each one of them as a favor from Us and a mercy from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. O Hakim! There hath come before the Wronged One a letter from one who loveth Us, wherein mention was made of thee. We make mention of thee that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. God willing, thou shouldst be so transported by the choice wine of the utterance of the Best-Beloved of all creation that the might of the world would have no effect upon thee and the power of the nations would not render thee weak.

Be thou occupied with the mention of the Truth through wisdom and utterance, that perchance the dead may attain unto life through the sweet-scented breezes of the garment of the All-Merciful, and the withered may be made fresh. This is the true springtime, inasmuch as the breezes of the mercy of the All-Merciful are wafting from the rose-garden of the Revelation. Blessed is the soul that hath been stirred by these spiritual breezes and hath quaffed from the cup of joy. God willing, mayest thou ever be the recipient of God’s bounty and be enabled to make mention of Him.

As to what was written regarding the brother of the two martyrs, his petition was received and an answer was sent from the Most Holy Court. Were he to act in accordance with Our counsel, he would witness that which he hath never before seen. The glance of Our favor is directed towards him. God willing, may he be confirmed.

Likewise, mention was made in their letter of Mirza Ibn-i ʿA.B. We make mention of him at this hour that he may rejoice in this wondrous remembrance. Blessed is he in that he hath turned towards the Supreme Horizon and hath attained unto this remembrance which shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. We counsel him and those who have believed in that which the All-Merciful hath sent down in His holy, mighty, and great Book. The glory of God rest upon him and upon them and upon thee from God, the Lord of all worlds.

We send Our greetings from this spot unto him who was named ʿAli-Qabli-Naqi, that he may rejoice in these greetings from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We make mention of him even as We mentioned him before, and of those who have believed in God in that place and turned towards Him when every heedless one turned away. We give him the glad-tidings of the passing away of all that they witness today and of the endurance of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

BH01369: The servant testifieth at the beginning of this epistle…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Most Great, the All-Powerful

The servant testifieth at the beginning of this epistle to the oneness and singleness of his Lord—He Who hath ever been One, Single, Alone, and Self-Subsisting. He hath taken unto Himself no likeness, no partner, no helper, and no peer. He created the Supreme Pen and caused it to speak forth the Most Exalted Word, whereupon all contingent things were shaken to their foundation, all created things appeared, the tongue of utterance spoke forth in the kingdom of knowledge, and the dove of the Cause cooed upon the branches. Verily, there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been powerful over whatsoever He willeth and supreme over His servants. He doeth what He pleaseth through His sovereignty and ordaineth what He desireth through His command. He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the Unconstrained.

And the prayer that hath shone forth from the Most Sublime Horizon, and the light that hath beamed from the Most Exalted Paradise, be upon the Essence of existence and the Sovereign of the unseen and the seen, through Whom all created things were brought into being and all existing things appeared, through Whom the ocean of divine knowledge surged in the contingent world and the sweet fragrance of the All-Merciful was wafted throughout all lands. And upon His family and companions, through whom countries were conquered and the hearts of servants were set ablaze, through whom the necks of the mighty were brought low and the fortresses of kings were taken, and through whom divine power seized all creation save those who clung to their mountains, grasped their hems, hastened to their shadow, and acknowledged that which their tongues had uttered. The servant beseecheth God, his Lord, through Him and through them, to exalt His Cause and manifest His Faith, though the idolaters be averse thereto.

And now, O my beloved one who art mentioned in my heart, my ears have been blessed by the melodies of the doves of thy noble utterance and mine eyes by beholding thy words. When I read and understood them, I sought the ultimate goal and presented them before His Face. Thereupon the River of Life overflowed in such wise that none could draw nigh unto it, for its waves appeared as mountains. By the life of the Desired One! The servant acknowledgeth his powerlessness and inability to express that which flowed from the mouth of grace—rivers of knowledge and wisdom. Yet I shall mention what was impressed upon the mirror of my memory. He spoke, and His sweetest words were these:

“O servant who art present before the Wronged One! Know thou that I love the H and S who was imprisoned in the path of God and bore hardships in His love and good-pleasure. We send Our greetings and glorification upon him and upon those who are with him, both male and female, young and old. We make mention of them in such wise as to kindle within their hearts the lights of the love of God, and We counsel them with that which will elevate the station of man in the contingent world, and We give them glad-tidings of My remembrance of them and My turning towards them.

O friends! Be not grieved by the upheavals of the world, for that which endureth not is unworthy. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of utterance that ere long all that is seen shall return to nothingness, and that which hath been and forever shall be the cause of life and eternal remembrance is the good-pleasure of God, exalted be His glory. Blessed is the soul that hath been illumined by this light and hath attained unto this station. Night and day, this Wronged One seeketh the protection of the friends from all that God abhorreth.

O Husayn! Upon thee be My glory and My peace. Exert mighty efforts in training the souls that are with you. Convey to your family and children the greetings from the Wronged One and say: Grieve not and be not sorrowful. God shall soon open before your faces the gates of grace and mercy. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The cause and source of divine outpourings today is steadfastness in the love of God and the preservation of whatsoever hath been revealed in the Book from the Supreme Pen. Should all who are on earth attain unto that which God desireth, they would achieve true tranquility. He is the All-Loving, He is the All-Giving. There is none other God but He, the Forgiving, the Generous.” End.

From this evanescent one, convey greetings to all. God is my witness and testifier that they have not departed from my sight. God willing, may they be adorned with that which God loveth and be embellished with the ornament of piety. You had mentioned that his honor Aqa Mirza Ali-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, is now occupied. This matter was the cause of greatest joy, for all are commanded to engage in a craft, which is indeed accounted as worship before God. The members of the pavilion of chastity send their greetings and glorification to all the honored women, saying:

“God willing, may all be protected, and may the mother of Mirza Ali-Akbar be adorned with the ornament of health and well-being.”

Each of the friends sendeth greetings and offereth glorification. Peace and glory, shining from the horizon of the heaven of grace, be upon you and upon those with you, and upon those who act in accordance with that which they have been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01374: Praise be to Him Whose gate-keeper hath been sanctified…

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

Praise be to Him Whose gate-keeper hath been sanctified above all that hath been created in the kingdom of creation, and Whose guardian of the seat of detachment hath been exalted above all that is mentioned in earth and heaven. The atoms have testified to the loftiness of His loved ones, their exaltation and their detachment from all else beside Him. Exalted, exalted be their station! Exalted, exalted be their rank, their submissiveness and their humility before the effulgences of the light of His Countenance, and their steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of all creation.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who cannot be mentioned in words nor described by that which is uttered. Thy remembrance hath been sanctified above all expressions, and Thy praise above both reality and metaphor. I beseech Thee by Thy tribulations and by what hath befallen Thee to assist Thy servants to know Thee and to recognize that which Thou wast and ever shall be through Thy power and sovereignty. Thou art He to Whose greatness and might all things have testified. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

Thereafter, in these days a letter was received wherein this matter was mentioned: that his honor Aqa Muhammad Big had purchased a mule from Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], for thirty tumans, and a letter had arrived from the servant requesting that the sum be forwarded. Glory be to God! How could this evanescent servant write such a thing? This sum had no connection to the Most Holy Court.

The details of this matter are that his honor Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], wrote that a mule belonging to his honor the Afnan, upon him be all the Most Glorious Beauty, was in the possession of his honor the elevated Trustee, upon him be the glory of God, His might, His light, His radiance and His favors, who sold it to his honor Aqa Muhammad Big, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. Now what should be done? This servant wrote that it should be forwarded, meaning delivered to its owner. And since this matter pertains to rights, it was written thus. Otherwise, if this sum had belonged to the Most Holy Court, it would never have been mentioned, much less requested. Now, since they have written that the sum is not available with his honor the Big, according to the command his honor Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan must settle this debt.

His honor Muhammad Big, upon him be the glory of God, has always been and continues to be mentioned in the Most Holy Court. His services and labors are likewise remembered and witnessed before the Truth. No reward has been nor shall ever be lost. All is recorded in the Book by the Supreme Pen. The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist him and make him successful as He made him successful before, and to send down upon him from the heaven of His bounty that which will cool his eyes, gladden his heart and tranquilize his soul. Verily, He is the Answerer, the Generous. Mention of him was made in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what was sent down for him from the heaven of loving-kindness and favors.

Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God, has been and continues to be under the gaze of divine favor. God, exalted be His glory, Himself bears witness to his service in the divine path. Most of the friends of Truth, in ages past and present, possessed no earthly treasures, and this has never been and is not now a defect, but rather is a manifest glory. We make mention of him in this station that he may rejoice in the favors of his Lord, the Generous.

O Muhammad! We have mentioned thee before and mention thee at this hour, and We bear witness that thou hast believed in God and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon when every learned one turned away from it, every mystic denied it, every person of understanding was perturbed, and every mighty foundation was shaken. Take heed that the affairs of the world grieve thee not. The Most Great Joy calleth out to thee from the precincts of its mighty Prison. Blessed art thou and those who have voiced the remembrance and praise of God and have arisen to serve His wondrous Cause. Thou art he who hath shown kindness to the friends and loved ones of God. He Who speaketh that there is none other God but He, the Single, the All-Informed, beareth witness to this. Convey My greetings to My loved ones in thy region and remind them of My beauteous remembrance. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, who have cast the world behind their backs and have turned to the Most Great Name—at Whose appearance the atoms of existence proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of all worlds!”

From the revealed verses, the grace and bounty of God are evident and manifest. No deed hath been or ever shall be concealed, and whatsoever hath transpired in the path of God, exalted be His glory, hath not been and shall never be lost. All are recorded and inscribed in the Divine Book by the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is the eye that hath seen, blessed the ear that hath heard, and blessed the tongue that hath acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered. Woe unto those who have turned away and denied! The Glory be upon God’s chosen ones and His friends, and upon those who have attained unto this mighty Cause.

BH01416: O My Name Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory!…

He is the Manifest One, the Speaker in the Kingdom of Creation!

O My Name Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory! Yesterday We departed from the known place, and another land became the scene of the Most Glorious Beauty. After arrival, the servant appeared with tablet and pen before His countenance. We said: “O servant, is it possible for a word to descend from the heaven of divine will that would remove the odors of hatred and rancor from the world, so that perfect fellowship may be manifested among all parties?” He said: “Verily, Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

O Mihdi! Petitions have been sent from the land of Ta and other lands, and in most of them mention was made of the arrival of the Name of God, Jamal, and the upheavals of that land. The Supreme Pen hath commanded all to wisdom and counseled consultation. They must, in all conditions, be mindful of that which God hath ordained. For the souls that are strong, assured and content, there hath been and is no harm, but the weak are observed to be disturbed by the slightest upheaval.

O Mihdi! When the Sun of inner meanings of the Qur’an shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the All-Merciful’s wisdom upon the mirror of knowledge, this verse became manifest and evident: “Nothing shall befall us save what God hath prescribed for us.” Today all must hold fast unto wisdom and cling to that which hath been revealed from the Divine Pen. They must associate with the people of the world with the utmost joy and fragrance, act purely for the sake of God and with their gaze fixed upon Him in whatsoever they have been commanded. In such case, should any matter occur, by the life of the Beloved, it is beloved in the sight of the Beloved of the worlds. This world, which is observed to be less than nothing, hath not been and is not worthy of mention. Ask thou of God that He may make all aware of that which profiteth them and is befitting for them. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Some time ago thou didst mention Jinab-i-Afnan Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, and sent his letter which was addressed to thee. The servant in attendance submitted all of it before the Wronged One. God willing, he hath ever drunk and will ever drink from the Kawthar of divine favor and will remain focused on the Most Exalted Horizon. We have revealed for him a Tablet and mentioned him in such wise as will preserve his turning and devotion to God, the Peerless, the All-Informed.

O Mihdi! The mention of My Afnan, their turning to My horizon, their orientation toward My countenance, their hearkening to My call, their holding fast to My cord, and their clinging to My hallowed and luminous robe, brings Me joy. Were but a drop from the oceans of divine favors or an atom from the lights of the Sun of heavenly grace to become manifest, all would be observed to be bewildered, nay thunderstruck, save whom God willeth. Due to the lack of capacity in the earth, most matters are hidden from all eyes and vision until the time cometh; then will it be manifested in truth and the tongues of the world will speak:

“Blessed be God, the Most Generous of the most generous, the Most Powerful of the most powerful, and the One Who holdeth dominion over all in the heavens and the earth.”

One word that appeareth from the Dawning-Place of divine verses cannot be equaled by all that is visible and invisible. The Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—hath said that all existence is for the purpose of being mentioned but once in His presence. Blessed are they that turn unto Him, and joy be to them that have attained!

God willing, may they who are related to the Truth, exalted be His glory, attain unto the most great steadfastness, for both the croaking of the raven and the cooing of the dove are raised. We previously informed all of hidden and concealed matters. No event hath occurred on earth except that We mentioned it beforehand from Our Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he who hath read and understood and was among those who have attained.

Today the first requirement is the recognition of God, and then steadfastness in His Cause, for the treacherous and the thieves have been and are lying in ambush. Verily, We have sent down all things in the Book. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Mighty, the Bestower. All matters have been revealed clearly and evidently, without interpretation, in God’s Book. Say: Read ye, that ye may become aware of God’s power, His sovereignty, His knowledge, His might, and His grace which hath encompassed those who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

Glory be upon thee and upon him and upon those whom neither the doubts of the divines, nor the hints of the jurisprudents, nor the clamor of the rulers have kept back from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

And at the end of Our utterance, We counsel all to observe the wisdom which We have revealed in the Scriptures and Tablets, lest the feet of the weak slip from this Path which hath appeared through the Name of God, the Lord of Names, on this glorious and wondrous Day.

BH01443: O Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God!…

O Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God! He is God, exalted be His station. Glory and power be unto Him, and peace and salutations be upon Him through Whom the Sun shone forth from the horizon of Hijaz and the valley of Mecca proclaimed:

“He hath appeared Who hath adorned His head with a crown, yet He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets,”

and upon His children and companions and helpers and loved ones.

This servant’s petition to your honor is that multiple handwritten letters were received. Praise be to God, the Sun of divine love was manifest and shining from the horizon of every word. After their receipt, reading and perusal, they were presented before the Countenance of the Beloved. He said: “God willing, may they be engaged in mentioning the Goal of the world’s peoples with utmost joy and delight.” Then He said: “Pray that his honor Nazir, upon him be My Glory, may not be saddened by what hath appeared and what shall appear, and that he may truly recognize as being from God whatsoever he possessed and possesseth. For had he truly attained this station, he would not have expressed shame at God’s bounty.

How much did he spend in Our path, and We accepted it. Yet it is observed that whatever is outwardly bestowed upon him generateth the dust of sorrow. This matter was not and is not beloved. He must in no wise fix his gaze upon the tongues of men—how they move and what they utter. In all conditions he must look to the divine Command and know it to be the cause of joy and gladness, and in truth be gladdened by it. This is the station of contentment that hath been recorded and inscribed in the books of old and of latter days.

The entire world is beheld as a handful of dust. Its taking and giving is not worthy of mention. How many matters that are pure good, yet man is saddened and grieved by them. How many hardships that became the cause of ease. How many instances of taking from which flowed the waters of giving. All hath been and shall be within God’s mighty grasp. We beseech Him to quicken all through the living waters of the Kawthar and adorn them with the ornament of joy.

This Wronged One conveyeth His greetings to the friends of that land. Convey greetings to Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious, and to Haji Abbas. God willing, may they be preserved. Praise be to God, they are adorned with the love and praise of God. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and the end belongeth to the God-fearing.

The correspondence arrived. God willing, a reply shall be submitted. Whatever needs to be sent to your honor shall be sent to that beloved one. The Command is in God’s hand, the Lord of the worlds. In these days signs of a cold have appeared in the blessed temperament. If this matter doth not cause delay, replies shall soon be sent. Several letters have also reached this servant from those parts, and have not yet been honored with replies. May that beloved one write replies to those parts and gladden them through the expression of kindness. God willing, the sun of attainment shall shine and God’s grace—exalted be His glory—shall encompass all. He is the All-Bountiful, He is the All-Merciful. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

They also said to convey greetings to Aqa Mihdi, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. Peace be upon him and upon thee and upon those with thee and upon all the loved ones of God.

Another petition is to convey the greetings of this evanescent servant to the true beloved, Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah] and His mercy. It is long since we have been deprived of the traces of his pen. That honored one and he and all true friends must never be vexed with this servant in any state, for this servant is at all times occupied, as your honor yourself can testify. Often it happens that numerous letters arrive and the opportunity to reply becomes like the phoenix—its mention extant but its reality non-existent. Therefore the friends of God and they who drink the choice wine of meanings and utterance, should they observe delay from this servant in showing sincerity, must not attribute it to neglect but count it as lack of opportunity. All are aware and conscious of this matter. Often it has happened that someone sent multiple letters to this ephemeral one and this servant was not enabled to reply. The purpose of these submissions is that they should not consider this ephemeral one remiss in all conditions, and even if remiss, they should adorn it with the ornament of forgiveness. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is indeed the All-Kind, the All-Forgiving.

BH01500: O Muhammad! Praise be to God…

In the Name of the Desire of the worlds!

O Muhammad! Praise be to God that on a Day which is illumined by the lights of His countenance and which is known in the divine Books as the Day of God, thou hast attained the presence of the Wronged One. This is a station which all the Concourse on High, the denizens of Paradise and the dwellers of the holy precincts have sought after. By the life of God! The Pen of all creation is powerless and inadequate to make mention of it. Preserve thy station through the Name of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, inasmuch as those who circle round must at all times be observant of the divine Command and Will. These are they of whom He saith: “They speak not until He hath spoken.” Their hearing awaiteth the word “Listen,” their eyes await the blessed word “Behold,” and their tongues stand ready for the manifestation of the word “Speak,” for such souls are extinct in themselves, in what they possess, in their will and desire, and are focused upon, speak of, utter and stand firm in that which God hath willed.

O Muhammad! Give thanks unto God for having aided thee, drawn thee nigh, caused thee to hear and to speak on a Day whereon the servants have turned away, save those whom He wished and desired. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The numerous letters which the friends of God addressed to thee were presented by this servant in the presence of the Wronged One. God willing, may all attain unto the eternal bounty which in one instance hath been interpreted as the Divine Word. This exalted Word hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book: “Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the Word of God in His days,” for whosoever attaineth unto divine mention, that mention appeareth as a lamp before his face, manifest, evident, bright and visible in all the worlds. Consider now the greatness of this station. Blessed are they that attain! All the souls who were mentioned in the letters have attained unto the divine mention and been honored by His Word. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth through His word “Be” and it is.

Specifically for each one hath a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet been sent down from the heaven of Will. Beseech and implore God that He may enable all to preserve this station whose greatness the Most Exalted Pen hath acknowledged. His honor Mirza and his honor Siyyid, upon them be the Glory of God, made mention of the presence of holy, assured souls. Blessed are they, their gathering, and the place which hath been honored by their presence and hath heard their voices in the remembrance of God, their Beloved and their Goal. God willing, may the fragrance of unity continually waft from them, and may they exert their utmost endeavor with perfect wisdom to promote the Cause in both the night season and the day.

Whatsoever hath come to pass and become manifest in these days had already been revealed and sent down from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he who hath recognized and is of the assured ones. Today the assured and mighty souls must bestow upon all the living waters of the Cause of the Lord of creation. The people are heedless and debarred from the ocean of knowledge. Consider the followers of the Qur’an, how they were veiled and kept far removed by the vain sayings of the ancients. The Sun of certitude is shining and the ocean of knowledge is surging, yet they still cling to the people of conjecture and hold fast to the hem of idle fancies. This is the Day whereon the books of the first and the last depend upon the recognition of this Most Great Revelation. All things are known through Him, while He is self-subsisting, manifest and known of Himself. Blessed is the servant who hath recognized, and woe unto every sinful denier.

In all the previous Books this station is specifically reserved for this Revelation. If eyes were to be found and ears were to be seen, thou wouldst hear and witness that which God hath testified to, and wouldst acknowledge that which the Most Exalted Pen hath acknowledged. O Muhammad! Know thou what We have imparted unto thee as a favor from Our presence, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Speaker, the All-Seeing. From this spot We send Our greetings unto thee and unto those whose letters were presented before the Wronged One and who have shown steadfastness in this Most Great, Most Wondrous, Most Glorious and Most Wise Cause.

O thou who circlest round the Prison! Give glad-tidings unto the friends of God concerning that which hath been revealed, that all may rejoice through divine bounty and arise to do that which beseemeth the Days of God. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth as He desireth. There is no God but Him, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Glory be upon thee and upon them from the presence of One Who is Bountiful and Generous.

BH01499: O Samandar! That which thou didst write…

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

O Samandar! That which thou didst write in the name of Jud, upon him be My glory, was presented before the Countenance. God willing, may all the friends of God be blessed with his remembrance. One word of his words is more beloved in the sight of God than whatsoever is on earth. Blessed are those souls who have attained unto it and been enabled to preserve it. Many matters today remain veiled due to the lack of capacity of the servants, and for this reason they remain deprived of recognizing the Sun of Truth. Soon will the one who has turned towards Him behold himself in the most exalted station, and the one who has turned away in the lowest depths. That which is beloved today is steadfastness in the Cause of God, and none shall attain unto the supreme steadfastness save through the complete obliteration of idle fancies. Blessed is the one who hath broken their idols! Today no matter, no mention, no description, and no book sufficeth anyone save the Preserved Book and the Inscribed Tablet which speaketh before all faces:

“Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.”

Though the True One, exalted be His glory and magnificence, hath rent asunder the veils of creation with the finger of His Will, yet it is observed that they have become entangled in other veils. The people of the Bayan, those souls who have turned away from the Water of Life, are seen to be more veiled than the people of the Furqan. They have desired to extinguish the light of the All-Merciful with the winds of fancy and vain imaginings. Fie upon them and upon those who have led them astray! By the life of God! The entirety of the Bayan was revealed for this Manifestation, and were this not the intended purpose, not a single word of it would have been revealed. Blessed is the soul that hath heard the cooing of the Dove of the Cause upon the branches.

Be vigilant regarding the Cause at all times and be mindful of wisdom in all matters. This is a firm command sent down from the Kingdom of the Ancient King. It is the supreme cause and the means of elevation. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it and acted according to that which hath been commanded by God, the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning what thou didst write about the ascension of the uncle of Muhammad-Qabil-i-Rahim, We make mention of him as a bounty from Our presence, and We are the All-Knowing Remembrancer. O Samandar! The Lord of Destiny beareth witness that he believed in God and turned with his heart toward the Most Great Scene, this glorious and impregnable station. He is among those who heard the call of God and turned unto Him when every learned one turned away. The Glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon thee, O thou who hast turned toward the Supreme Horizon and turned away from those who denied God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Rejoice thou in My testimony for thee, for it shall be with thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, the Gracious. Blessed art thou for having discovered the fragrance of the garment and for having acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath acknowledged: that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. Verily, thou art in the Supreme Companion, and the Lord of all creation maketh mention of thee in such wise that its fragrance hath wafted between the heavens and the earth.

O Samandar! We console thee and his family with verses that have brought joy to the eyes of those near unto God. We have mentioned all the souls mentioned in thy letter with the most wondrous remembrances, and those mentioned in the letter of Kadkhuda, upon him be the glory of God, written in the name of Mihdi—all have been honored with the adorning mention of the All-Merciful. Blessed are they, again blessed are they! Happy are they, again happy are they! God willing, may all be seen in perfect unity and concord. This is the cause of glory, loftiness, and exaltation of the friends of God. Convey greetings to all from the True One. God willing, may all act in accordance with what He loveth and approveth. The reward of no one hath been nor shall be lost. All that hath flowed from the Divine Pen in the Book shall come to pass, as most already hath, and all have witnessed. Be assured, O My loved ones, of My grace, My mercy, and My loving-kindness. Verily, He is with you in all conditions and commandeth you to that which will manifest your stations among His servants. Verily, He is the Possessor of Creation. His is the creation and the command, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

We make mention at the end of this Tablet of Our servant Javad and give him the glad-tidings of Our attention to him and Our remembrance of him, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones. The Glory be upon thee and upon him who was named Muhammad-Qabil-ʿAli and upon those who have attained unto this mighty station.

BH01648: Praise that is sanctified beyond tongues and pens…

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

Praise that is sanctified beyond tongues and pens and exalted above the comprehension and minds of all who dwell in the realm of possibility is befitting the most holy, most sacred court of that Divine Lote-Tree Who chose certain souls from the world and […] Exalted is the favor of our Lord and great are His bestowals. This servant beareth witness to the greatness of this most exalted station and His grace which hath encompassed all who are in earth and heaven. We desire to testify with the tongues of all who dwell in the kingdom of creation that He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. He doeth what He desireth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Single One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor. For some time this evanescent servant has been deprived of mentioning the Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree, as the volume of correspondence has reached such a point that truly finding time and opportunity is like finding the phoenix in all lands, or like finding patience in the hearts of lovers. In all conditions God is witness and testifier that you are remembered and present in heart and tongue.

The purpose of submitting this brief petition is that several months ago you had sent a list of names of those who had paid some of the Huququ’llah. This was presented in the Most Holy Court and according to command I should send receipts for those funds, but due to the press of duties it slipped from view until this time when your letter to His Honor the Name of God M, upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, was seen. This evanescent servant became mindful of what had transpired and therefore seeks pardon through this petition. Assuredly pardon has been and is beloved by your honor. And today when your letter was presented before the Throne, He commanded that receipts be sent to each of those souls so that all may rejoice and give thanks to God, exalted be His glory, for through the Afnan of the Tree their mention was made in the Most Great Prison and they attained to God’s wondrous and exalted favors. They must rejoice and give thanks to Him Who mentioned them and aided them to turn unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Therefore this evanescent servant wrote several pages and sent them to your honor so that the souls mentioned may know with clear certitude that God, exalted be His glory, hath accepted from them that which they sent.

Another submission is that previously it was written to that beloved one according to command regarding the two hundred tumans from Sabzivar, that it should [be delivered] to His Honor Mirza ʿAbdu’llah-i-Nuri, upon him be the Glory of God, who resides in the Land of Ta, and they should deliver it according to the draft. Now according to your letter this sum was sent to Alexandria and from Alexandria this matter was also written about. Now if any of these mentioned funds from before or after remain with your honor, [kindly] send them with utmost haste to the aforementioned Mirza. This matter is most essential. His Honor the Name of God Mihdi was also commanded in His presence to write again to your honor. The Command is in God’s hand, the Lord of the worlds and the Beloved of the mystics.

This servant is most ashamed that for some time no petition has been submitted to His Honor of the Two Most Exalted Names, His Honor Khalil and proclaimer of the mighty Cause, upon him be from all glory its most glorious, and likewise to the honored gentlemen, the Afnans—may my spirit be a sacrifice for their steadfastness—who are present in that land. However there has been and is complete trust in the mercies of the Afnan. The Glory that is manifest and shining from the horizon of the favors of the Lord of the worlds and the Beloved of the nations be upon you and upon those who love you and remember you and draw nigh unto you and hearken to your words concerning the Cause of God, the Exalted, the Great.

BH01686: Praise sanctified above mention and utterance befitteth and beseemeth…

He is God, exalted be His station, to Whom belong greatness and majesty.

Praise sanctified above mention and utterance befitteth and beseemeth the Purpose of all contingent beings, Who through His perfect power made manifest the words of the Preserved Tablet in human temples and sent them forth to the arena of the world, and through those sacred and luminous temples illumined and enlightened the world.

He sent forth Moses with the rod of Command and the white hand of knowledge. All people arose to oppose Him, yet this only increased the loss of the wrongdoers.

And afterward the cloud of mercy was once again raised up and the heaven of bounty adorned. He sent forth the Spirit (Christ) to summon all the world to His oneness, for acknowledgment of this oneness is the cause of fellowship and unity among the peoples of the world. And when the light of unity encompassed the earth and overcame darkness, all were seen as one soul. At that time perfect peace appeared and became manifest, and the temple of justice was established upon the throne of appearance. Then was there seen in the earth neither crookedness nor abasement.

And after opposition and objection, at the second level and station, the blessed word “We strengthened them with a third” appeared from behind the will of the All-Merciful, and the Sun of Batha (Muhammad) shone forth from the horizon of creation. Again the people of hypocrisy broke God’s covenant and arose with all their might to extinguish the light, imagining they would be able to accomplish this. But verily He, exalted be He, showed them their own powerlessness until His light was perfected in all lands and the banners of His name were raised throughout all regions. Exalted be His dominion and exalted be His power!

I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to strengthen weak eyes with the light of His bounty that they may behold the Sun of Manifestation and gaze upon its horizon. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. No thing can frustrate Him and no matter can prevent Him. He commandeth through His sovereignty whatsoever He desireth. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter thy letter arrived and brought joy and delight. God willing, thou hast ever drunk and wilt ever drink from the cup of the irfan of the Beloved Who perisheth not, and hast caused others to drink therefrom.

Regarding what thou didst write about his honor the Letter S, upon him be the glory of God—it is incumbent upon him to be circumspect, that is, not to believe every statement nor accept every claim. This blessed word hath shone forth from the dayspring of the heaven of utterance, written to one of the loved ones—exalted be His utterance:

“Believe not every speaker, trust not in every newcomer, enter not every house, and hearken not unto every claimant.”

For it hath been observed and continues to be observed that the liar adorns himself in the garment of truthfulness, and the one who turneth away displayeth himself in the robe of the one who advanceth.

They must, under no circumstances, lose hold of wisdom. Whosoever among the Jews should become aware will assuredly rise up in opposition and will seek to do mischief. Association with them should take place outside, without eating or drinking. It is not for you to veil the light of justice from any tyrant or profligate; yet ye must, of a certainty, keep your affairs concealed from those who are strangers thereto—save only such souls as, in very truth, seek to be informed, act for God’s sake, and fix their gaze upon Him.

Convey this ephemeral one’s greetings to his honor. I beseech God to preserve you in all conditions through His hand of bounty. Verily He is the Preserver, the Succorer, the All-Sufficient, the Trustworthy; and praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH01681: O Muhammad! God willing, thou shalt be enkindled like…

In the Name of the one true God, the All-Knowing

O Muhammad! God willing, thou shalt be enkindled like fire in thy love for the All-Merciful, and flow like water beneath His Lote-Tree, spreading far and wide. Praise be to the Goal of all worlds that thou hast attained unto the most great honor and been enabled to serve Him. A servant present before the Wronged One presented in the Most Holy Court the letter which Mirza Ata’u’llah had written to you. Praise be to God, the fragrance of love wafted from it. God willing, they will observe with perfect wisdom and utterance this word which hath appeared from the Dayspring of the All-Merciful’s utterance:

“Be thou wholly for God, the One, the Single, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.”

This blessed word shineth forth like the morning star from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Book.

He had made mention of the Twin Shining Lights. Blessed be He! From him We heard mention of those for whom My Most Exalted Pen hath lamented, and unto whose exaltation and sublimity the Tongue of Oneness hath testified in the Tabernacle of Grandeur. O Muhammad! Well is it with whosoever is occupied with their commemoration, and who leaveth a record of their sufferings, whether in poetry or in prose, upon the pages of time. Hasan attained unto a twofold martyrdom, for throughout the days of his life he was selfless in the Will of the One True God. Whosoever hath assimilated his will and purpose to those of his Lord and Master hath, verily, attained unto true martyrdom. He attained likewise unto an outward martyrdom. Blessed be he and his brother, and he who was called Kazim.

O Ata! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of Akka from this Wronged One Who hath borne in God’s path what none knoweth save His all-compelling Self, the sovereign Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thy mention was made before the Wronged One and this clear Book was revealed for thee. Consider the divines and what they have committed in My days. We created them and strengthened them to exalt My Cause, yet they pronounced judgment against My Self and against those whose sanctity was attested by the Concourse on High, the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise, and every possessor of a tongue who hath judged fairly in this mighty Cause. They recite the Book while denying its Mother. They make mention of God while issuing decrees against Him. Woe unto them and unto those who followed them without My firm and mighty Command! Did what the leader of the people wrought profit him? Away with him and those who followed him! Did he gain aught from what he did? Nay, by My Most Great Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous!

Most strange, passing strange, that the one named after Husayn should slay Husayn—this is what the All-Merciful foretold, yet most of the people are heedless. In their vain imaginings they intended to extinguish the light of God’s Cause, unaware that God’s Cause is far too great for such deluded souls to be able to prevent it, extinguish its light, or quench its fire which speaketh in the Blessed Tree. In His blessed name the standard of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” is raised aloft. The whole world cannot oppose His will. The hosts of earth and heaven cannot withstand His Cause. O ʿAta! God willing, thou shalt speak the praise of the All-Merciful with the utmost joy and radiance, and conduct thyself with perfect wisdom, for the deniers lie in wait to find some pretext and raise the cry of “O shame upon the Law!”

Say: O My loved ones! Drink ye the Kawthar of My utterance despite them, and associate with men that they may find a path for themselves to God, the One, the All-Informed. We have commanded and continue to command all to act with wisdom, lest some event occur causing hearts to be troubled. He manifesteth His Cause as He pleaseth through His sovereignty. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Corruption, conflict and disputation are forbidden. All must associate together with utmost love. God willing, the penetrating power of the Word will become manifest in the world. The helper of the Truth hath ever been the Word of Truth and the utterances of detached souls who summon mankind unto the Truth. Glory be upon you and upon the handmaidens of God who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH01758: O Mihdi! God willing, thou wilt observe with divine…

In the Name of the One God

O Mihdi! God willing, thou wilt observe with divine vision the world and all that hath come to pass therein. In this Most Great Revelation there hath occurred that which hath never occurred in the world. It behooveth thee to read the blessed Surih of Ra’is, as well as the Tablets to the Kings, and what befell the Chief of Paris. The hand of divine power was manifested and seized whomsoever He willed. Nearly twenty million souls perished, and in most regions of those parts blood flowed like rivers. Do not consider the world to be limited to one tract of land. Observe what hath befallen the servants in the vast renowned lands mentioned in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Whatsoever hath appeared in the earth was revealed beforehand by the Most Exalted Pen, although this Most Great Revelation hath appeared with supreme grace and mighty loving-kindness. There befell mankind that which befell them. Verily, were He to desire it, He would seize the world through a single word from His presence. He is, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

If in certain instances there be delay in the manifestation of the divine Cause, this hath been and will be due to consummate wisdom, and none hath ever comprehended divine knowledge or become aware of the consummate wisdom. He is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

It is most strange that your honor hath not seen the divine Tablets, for had you observed them, you would have become aware of the power and might of God and would have spoken words that would convince that person and his like. Whatsoever hath occurred and shall occur in the earth hath been revealed clearly and manifestly in the divine Tablets without any interpretation. From that person’s words it is evident that he hath no knowledge of the mysteries of the Cause and hath not turned to the divine Books. God willing, your honor will assist that person to refer to the divine Books, that he may not remain deprived of the ocean of divine knowledge and be not prevented from the sealed wine which hath been unsealed by the finger of the Name of the Self-Subsisting.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to him and say: Look, then mention what proofs and evidences of God thou and the people of the world possess, and what hath appeared in this Most Great Revelation from God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Is there anyone with vision to behold the signs of God in the earth? Is there anyone with power to shatter the idols of vain imaginings in the name of his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful? The verses have been sent down and the evidences have appeared and the proof hath encompassed all who are in the realm of possibility, yet the people are in evident doubt.

Say: If ye deny this Most Great Grace, by what proof can ye establish what ye possess? Be fair in God’s cause and be not of those who recognized, then turned away and denied this resplendent, shining Light.

Say: Despite the power of kings and sovereigns, the arrayed ranks, the assembled armies, the continuous reports, and the fire-ships, God alone calleth out with the most exalted call and summoneth all to the supreme horizon. If any soul would reflect upon this Revelation and what hath appeared therefrom, he would assuredly speak forth and utter that which God loveth. God willing, may they be assisted and reflect upon what caused the denial of the deniers of old and what was its reason. By the life of God! Then would he behold the Path and the Balance and the appearance of the All-Merciful in the realm of possibility, and would say: Praise be unto Thee for having guided me and made me aware. I testify that Thou are the Almighty over what Thou willest and in Thy grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01886: O My Name Jamal! Upon thee be the Glory…

In His Name, the All-Knowing!

O My Name Jamal! Upon thee be the Glory of God! The Sun of Wisdom hath shone forth from the heaven of inner meanings upon the mirror of knowledge, and from that effulgence this word appeared:

“Peace of mind is for the trustworthy, and fear is for the treacherous.”

After the grace of God and divine favors, thou hast not transgressed, nor dost thou transgress, the binding and decisive commandments that have been revealed and sent down in the Tablets from the Supreme Pen, and thou hast been and art dealing with all souls with utmost kindness, love and patience, according to His command. In such case, had thou turned to the seeker, no harm would have been done, for he would have become aware of thy intention and that upon which thou standest. Perchance the lights of truthfulness might have been reflected in the mirror of his heart. Verily thy Lord is the All-Reforming, the Trustworthy.

Strange that they have not yet understood the intention of the Lord of creation. In all matters, let not wisdom slip from thy grasp. Entry after migration and association with some were contingent and conditional upon consultation. O Jamal, fix thy gaze upon this decisive, firm and blessed word which hath been recorded by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation and compassion. In all things hold fast unto consultation, for it is the lamp of guidance that leadeth the way and bestoweth understanding. Thus doth the All-Informed apprise thee. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, may this blessed word ever be before thy face and fixed before thine eyes.

At present, in view of what hath occurred, turning to that land is not permitted. Your efforts for peace, reconciliation and love have, due to lack of wisdom and consideration, become known as enmity and corruption. The Perspicuous Book between heaven and earth proclaimeth “I have come to reform the world,” yet ears have not yet succeeded in hearing it. The deeds of the ignorant ones of the past have become the cause and reason for doubts and suspicions. Beseech ye God that He may make the heedless souls aware of His purpose. Should they hearken unto the verses that have been sent down concerning the avoidance of conflict and corruption, all would speak the words “Verily, He is the Truthful, the Reformer, the Trustworthy.”

O Jamal! The divine land is not confined to the land of Ta. If thou shouldst turn toward Hadba, thou wouldst find those nearest to God in piety. This matter is not an explicit command. In all things one must consider the known party. He is with you wherever you may be. He, verily, is the Observer, the Vigilant.

At the end of this epistle, We make mention of thy wife, who hath endured in the path of God what most handmaidens have not endured. Convey to her My glad-tidings and glorification from God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have mentioned her in a Tablet, and beyond it in another Tablet, and have sent them both to her as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Kind. We have also mentioned her brother in a Tablet that the treasures of the heavens and earth cannot equal. Be thou grateful and say: “Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the seen and unseen!”

Convey My glorification to the faces of My loved ones who have turned to the Supreme Horizon and have shunned every deluded deprived one. Upon them be the blessings of God and His peace, and the peace of the Concourse on High and of those who circle round the Will of their Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath aided the Cause of his Lord and hearkened unto what was imparted unto him from the verses of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. And praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what will be.

BH01912: Praise befitteth and is worthy of the Beloved…

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

Praise befitteth and is worthy of the Beloved of the world Who, through the blessing of the Most Great Name, hath quickened the dead and revived the withered ones, and through His blessed primal Word which dawned from the Orient of the mouth of the All-Merciful, caused His chosen ones to ascend to the most exalted station and returned the wretched to the most miserable abode. The people of paradise drank from that blessed Word the water of life, while the denizens of hell consumed the deadly zaqqum. Blessed is the soul who is today detached from all save Him in His remembrance, and who with perfect steadfastness speaketh His praise.

To continue: several letters were received from you, and since for some time the dispatch of correspondence had been delayed, no reply was sent until now. However, mention of you was ever made in the Most Holy Court. May you ever be blessed with God’s infinite favors. This is a day when all the Concourse on High are occupied with the remembrance and praise of God. Say: O handmaidens of God and leaves of the divine Tree of Love! Enter into the paradise of the recognition of the Beloved. Chant wondrous and sublime melodies in His remembrance and praise. Consider the world as non-existent and fix your gaze upon the ocean of joy. Strive that ye may not be deprived of the outpourings of the ocean of bounty. Associate with one another with the utmost sanctity, purity, truthfulness, sincerity, trustworthiness and righteousness, in such wise that its sweet fragrance may be diffused and its gentle scent may be inhaled by every discerning soul. Say: Every deed hath had and shall have its fragrance, and that fragrance informeth all people. God willing, may all be gladdened in perfect unity by the praise of the Peerless Friend.

Furthermore, convey the expressions of servitude, humility and submissiveness of this evanescent servant before the countenance of the Most Great Leaf, Her Holiness the Sister—upon her be the Most Glorious Glory of God. And furthermore, this servant giveth you the glad tidings that the petition you submitted to the Most Holy Court, this servant presented it. He saith—and His sweetest and all-compelling utterance over all things is this:

“O My handmaiden! Give thanks for having been mentioned before the Throne and that the Ancient Beauty hath turned toward thee from this noble prospect. Rejoice that thy name hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and thou hast been honored in the days of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Hold fast and cling to the cord of grace and the hem of God, the Powerful, the Sublime, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the remembrance of the Friend, free and detached from all else, and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of eternity and Beloved of the world, for having caused me to know Thee and honored me and given me to drink of the choice wine of Thy mercy which hath preceded all created things. I beseech Thee to preserve me in all conditions through Thy bountiful grace.”

Make mention of Me to thy sister and say: Grieve not, for thy Lord is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful. Say: Let her not be sorrowful but hold fast to the cord of steadfastness. And if in these circumstances she remaineth firm in the love of God, her deed is greatest in the sight of God, for despite association with that heedless one she hath not been deprived of the ocean of grace. Say: In the name of the Lord of the world, drink at all times from the Kawthar of divine love, despite those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. That which shall profit thee hath been ordained for thee. Thy Lord is verily the Bearer of Glad Tidings, the All-Knowing.

BH01899: Praise be to God, the Single, the One…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the Most Powerful!

Praise be to God, the Single, the One, the Unique, Who hath taken unto Himself neither counselor nor peer. He hath sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books testifying that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been established upon the throne of power, might and majesty, and will continue to abide in the heights of loftiness and sovereignty. The conditions of nations have not frustrated Him, nor have the manifestations of the world rendered Him powerless. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

To continue: the servant received your letter. When I opened it, read it and understood it, I approached the Most Holy Court and presented its contents before His Countenance. Thereupon the tongue of the Beloved uttered that which caused the fragrance of utterance to be diffused throughout all possibility. He said:

“May he, God willing, be blessed with divine favors and be assisted in that which He loveth and is pleased with. In truth divine confirmation hath become his companion. They must, through the grace of the All-Merciful, protect him.”

O Taqi! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He remembereth thee from this station both near and far, and giveth thee glad tidings of His remembrance of thee. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily He is the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens.

And remember ye the Lord of the world with this prayer. He is the One Who calleth from the horizon of utterance:

“Glory be unto Thee, O Thou before Whose oneness the most ardent lovers of Thy unity have proved powerless, and around Whose exalted station the most accomplished among them who have recognized Thee circle in adoration! Through Thee the gate of knowledge and utterance was unlocked, and by Thy Name the light shone forth from the horizon of creation. Through Thy manifestation the breezes of holiness were wafted, and by Thy will the Pen of the All-Merciful moved, and through Thee the fragrance of the garment was diffused throughout the world, and the ocean of pre-existence surged through Thy Most Great Name.

I testify that Thou hast fulfilled what Thou didst promise in Thy Book and hast manifested the Day which Thou hast attributed to Thyself. Blessed is the servant who hath recognized and hastened with his heart to Thy horizon, and the face that hath turned unto Thy countenance, and the seeing one who hath beheld the Most Great Sign, and the hearing one who hath heard Thy sweetest call.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Beloved, and glory be unto Thee, O my Master, and radiance be unto Thee, O my First and my Last, for having made known unto me the Dayspring of Thy manifestation, and caused me to hear the call of Sinai, and removed from before my face the veils of glory which had prevented the servants from turning towards the station of might, nearness and beauty.

By Thy glory, O Lord of all horizons and Manifest One on the Day of the Covenant! Were I to praise Thee with all the tongues of the world and glorify Thee in the oceans of knowledge through Thy Most Great Name, it would not equal a single one of Thy gifts or any of Thy favors which have encompassed me from all directions.

By Thy glory, O Sovereign of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! I am ashamed to make mention of Thee, and whenever I desire to remember Thee, I am held back by the evidences of Thy greatness and the manifestations of Thy might and power. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of Names, to ordain for me from the Supreme Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O my Lord! Thou seest my poverty, my powerlessness, my tribulation and my need. Have mercy upon me, O my God, through the wonders of Thy mercy. Then preserve me from all that may keep me back from drawing nigh unto Thee. Furthermore I beseech Thee, O Sovereign of bounty and generosity, to grant me the Most Great Steadfastness, the description of which hath proved beyond the power of all created things. Verily Thou hast power over whatsoever Thou willest. Thou withholdest and Thou givest. Verily Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.”

BH01934: The letter of that faithful friend arrived. Since it…

In the Name of the one God!

The letter of that faithful friend arrived. Since it conveyed your health and well-being, it brought joy. We beseech God to assist you in that which will endure and persist.

Regarding what you wrote about the burning of books, you are right. The greatest error that occurred in the world was the burning of books, for books are as the eyes and ears of the world—through them humanity sees and hears. In truth, they deprived themselves of seeing and hearing. We testify that they are among the heedless.

You also wrote that after the Sassanians, the star of the fortune of the Zoroastrians set in the west of extinction. Outwardly it is as you wrote, but today is the Day illumined by the Sun of Truth. The fragrance of His utterance is diffused and the breeze of His grace is wafting throughout all regions. He is seated upon the throne of justice and established upon the seat of manifestation, speaking with the word “I am the Wronged One.” Though possessed of ultimate power He appears weak, and though having complete might and ascendancy He is oppressed. Today the Zoroastrians circle round the Manifestation of the command of the All-Merciful. The meaning is the same as before though the word has changed, the way is the same though the name has been transformed. This change and transformation has appeared due to the change of the world and the requirements of the time.

You mentioned the world conquest of ancient kings. Their sovereignty was and is acceptable in the sight of the Lord of the world. The kings of Persia who existed in times of old ruled for centuries, ages and eras with perfect forbearance and piety, and each shone like the morning star in the heaven of greatness, and from the rays of the sun of justice the world was, according to its capacity, illumined and radiant. For the kings of the world there has not been and is not any helper mightier than justice and wisdom. Some time ago this utterance was recorded by the Pen of truth in a heavenly letter in the Arabic tongue:

“O concourse of rulers! There is no force in the world mightier than justice and wisdom. Blessed is the king before whose face marcheth the standard of wisdom and behind whom standeth the host of justice. He is indeed of the people of Baha and hath been in the Crimson Book recorded by the Supreme Pen in truth.”

O friend! The pavilion of the world’s tranquility is upheld by these two pillars: justice and wisdom. Say: O people! Wisdom is like unto heaven—its sun and moon are forbearance and piety. Whosoever possesseth these two hath all good.

O friend! In these days when the bird of knowledge is caught in the talons of the ignorant, and the lights of the sun of fairness are hidden behind the veil of tyranny, where is there opportunity for speech or station for expression? Today concealment is necessary, for the birds of night are beyond counting and all seek darkness. In such case there is no station or rank for light. But the hand of divine power is manifest and supreme—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

The book also arrived and was seen. Praise be to God, you executed it well. It contains exhortations, counsels, wisdom and morals. We beseech God that it may remind souls and grant them awareness. God willing, may the Lord assist you to serve His Cause and attain the enduring fruits of the Tree of His mention.